h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Brief commentary from me on the Atelier, and role playing:

I love the role playing aspect of the Atelier. I don't get to enjoy it all that often, because my time is short, but when I'm here, I envision us all sitting on red velvet couches, drinking our beverage of choice and cleaning up Salvador's llama droppings. (Or is that just me?)

However, sometimes it seems like some of us are sitting on the couches, while others are standing in the middle of the room, speaking to nobody. Perhaps it's not us that causes the problem - many people participate in the blog with a sort of daily diary, including what they ate that morning! (I remember Marv commenting on this some time back.) And because of time limitations, I don't often respond to people who post a 'daily diary.' I should. I feel unfriendly when I don't. But my time is precious, and with my new job, I have even less minutes to rub together than I did before.

This is why, I think, many people choose to leave the Atelier. It's a social experience, and to participate properly, we need to spend time talking to everybody.

(Speaking of which, hi, Candi!)

If I don't, it's not because I don't want to talk to you - I promise! It's because I'm running through the Atelier with just enough time to stuff a bon-bon in my mouth, gulp a cup of hot coffee, and spray crumbs on everybody before I run out. Who knows, maybe I'll be fired soon, and then I'll have plenty of time.

Heh... I was unemployed for three months shortly after I graduated from college. My after-college job turned out to be really crappy, so I gave my two weeks notice, and started looking for another job. Those three months were great. All I had to do was look in the paper in the morning to see if there was a job listing, and then I was done for the day. Bliss! Playing computer games, going to coffeehouses, hanging with friends... going to Benito's for queso flamenado and margaritas... at least until I ran out of money! And then the Star-Telegram hired me, and I've been working here ever since. Too lazy to look for another job, really.

[GDZ]

Welcome back Candi!

*~waves~ to sunny and Ottox*

Lil - I am having total foliage envy. Here in London a few trees are on the turn, but are mostly a bit yellow, or a bit brown. It's depressing rather than enchanting. Your photos definitely on enchanting spectrum.

I had a lie-in this morning. I had forgotten how incredibly blissful NOT getting out of bed can be. *looks at the future with a slightly wobbly lower lip*

*Tries to think of something interesting, deep, or at least amusing to say....

...

...

...

Fails miserably*

Happy b'day BB

*Waves to sunny and Candi - and Ottox again to be on the safe side *

Hi folks

Oh, I just came right for b'day wishes? Nice - Happy B'day BB

Any nice cup of tea left?

kisses
Kasia

I hope you had a great day yesterday, BB, belated birthday wishes to you.

*settles in to her red velvet Queen Anne style reading chair, places her feet on the matching foot stool*

*has fond, if slightly painful memories of the Webjello gang and wonders what happened to them*

*wonders if it's time to have an RP adventure for beginners, in a new thread of course, as the old ones seem to have hit a brick wall.*

*waves back to Ben over her peanut butter on Burgen toasted bread*

Welcome back Candi, jr2 and Ottox! s to all

Hello sunny

I have done my best to wade through the 185 posts, there are a lot of excellent points made, some I agree with, some I disagree and that sums up the Atelier for me. We argue, we discuss, we are friends and are happy to welcome new ones into the Salon. Yes, can be daunting and yes, posts do get ignored, but it's not intentional or meant personally.

Lovely photos, Lil Still not managed to see Marv's yet though. Stupid interweb thingy.

Now here is the latest tip from the Estee Lauder counter in Boots: use black mascara on your upper eyelashes and brown on your lower ones, it makes your eyes look so much bigger (allegedly). Just a ruse to get you to buy two mascaras? I suspect so.

And welcome Kasia too.

(Caerwynn)

Hey! The syncopated lady is back. Styx will be thrilled!

& , BB
Lovely Pics, Lil - here, the forest has turned all the colours on the outside; well in the forest it's still mainly green and yellow. I just checked together with an hour or so ago

*waves to Candi

And Hello to Kasia too

Lil - the colours in those photos are breathtaking

Caer - we must do autumn colours at Wisley - SOON. It's this work stuff that gets in the way of me having a good time

The sun is finally out!! After days of torrential rain we watched as the river rose 5 feet in 6 hours - if it had carried on raining - with the highest tides of the year - there was a very real chance of being flooded. Needless to say, my boys (who are totally detached from reality) were getting really excited about the prospect and had already started putting the sandbags out - which now I keep tripping over every time I go in and out of the house.

Candi, jr52, Ottox ,sunny and now Kasia! Cooincidence? I think not.

WM

Caer,

I have been having some issues with my peecee and I think that I need a new power supply. So unless I am actually using my machine it may be frozen or crashed. Yes, I know I work with computers for a living, but I am more a networking guy. I can't figure out exactly what the issues is for the moment.

"sometimes it seems like some of us are sitting on the couches, while others are standing in the middle of the room, speaking to nobody"

Case in point, during this conversation I responded to post twenty-something, but not until we had reached post hundred-and-something, completely ignoring everything and everybody that came between.

But really, what I did was not *ignore* everyone else, I've been reading it all avidly. It's more that sometimes there is a disconnect between what the group is talking about and what an individual is willing or able to comment on, or sometimes the conversation is covering multiple topics at once and not everyone is participating in each topic, all of which is perfectly normal for any conversation. Moreover the conversation would stagnate if people did not constantly interpose completely unrelated, new topics, some of which branch to new conversations and many of which don't.

Part of the reason I haven't commented so far is that I agree with *everything* that has been said so far, but it's dull to say so. It can sound daft. But it's true - everyone is right. This is one of those debates that can have no resolution. Cliché-wise it's a "you can't eat your cake and have it too" situation. It's good that the Atelier is the way it is, it is also bad that we are this way. And if we made it less bad, we would make it less good simultaneously. Conversely if we make it better, it will get worse. And of course it's daft to say that too.

*Hops back in with a large heat-pack strapped to her calf. Sits gingerly on a sofa and then swivels to lie on it, with her leg up on the arm-rest*

S and I walked over the hill to the Farmer's Market to buy apples and partridges. And then we went home via the supermarket for boring old staples farmer's markets don't do. And my leg threw a complete hissy fit and is now behaving like the fourth wheel of a supermarket trolley. And all this because I merely had a nocturnal cramp on Thursday night. It was stiff yesterday but now it is being plain silly. *glowers at leg*

I'd offer all the new faces and biscuits, but I'm down now and shan't get up for anything short of floods, fires and Acts of Bob.

*appears to go to sleep*

I'd actually think of and like the Atelier to be a "you CAN eat your cake and have it too"

* out to do things to a chicken with a sharp knife and an oven*

Shouldn't that be the chicken that ?

I know from experience that you are not sleeping. Your leg will not let you sleep. I had that going in both legs simultaneously this Spring. Tylenol helps, and lots of rest until the muscle heals.

Hallo Kasia! and Candi! Isn't this splendid?

I have reached two conclusions. The first is that we have an overwhelming consensus that nothing should change, except for maybe a little more diligence in spotting our newcomers and assuaging their fears.

The second conclusion I reached is that we ought perhaps to review atelier policy and direction on a regular basis, out of mindfulness about the dangers of complacency.

And then I thought about role-play and the virtual construct that is the atelier. I need to alter and expand my offsite connection to make it more standalone, correct the bug that someone found and add some guidelines for newcomers who want to join.

Leg cramps: isn't potassium supposed to help? Or quinine?

Kasia! Wow, it's been a long time!

Quinine against leg cramps? What a perfect excuse to have a G&T - or two, or maybe three just to make sure...