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

During this conversation, I would like to point out to everyone that no one is expected to leave or join based on the discussion. I've never role played in the Atelier a day, however I feel no need to suddenly start, or to leave if I don't.

Courtesy

EUREKA!!!

i perceive lint


r25j

Quite a discussion to jump into on a new Conversation . Well, here goes:

I agree quite a bit with B and Ag - the "here we are, chatting but also truly debating" Salon is the one I timidly jumped into and have learned to love.

I quite probably wouldn't leave H2G2 if anything I visited dropped dead - after all I do have my own little place to run But it'd feel much poorer without it around.

As to the role playing - it's kinda fun and/but/even though I don't feel quite that I have the grasp of it. As much as I'd like to feel right in, anyway. I don't necessarily see that there can't easily be more of it without dramatically changing the current Salon or having to turn back time (why do I get visions of a scantily clad Cher on a battle ship gun here??? ). Starting one off in the main conversation, with as much drama and pizazz as need be (or want, for that matter) and then jumping into the chute and acting it out in a parallel universe seems ot be quite fine to me. I would jump, honest

And I like to play Whatever. Enough to still have a left leg that acts up at intervals because I'm silly enough to play with 14-16 year olds and believe I can get away with it! (I can't But I'll do it again ). So I'll play here, too! But, I agree with Ben (again? this is getting worrying ) - it doesn't hurt if there's more or at least other things than that. Even mindless chatter among friends.

The main salon conversation, sometimes sparkingly universally interesting, sometimes daily routine-dull - it's always a good read. Because everyone says what they say with care - care for the others (all others, d*mmit - I'll try to get back to that) but not less care for the language in which they say it. I never would know how fabulously the most mundane tasks can be described, had I not been party to the flourishing texts of an Ag, Ben, Hyp, Lil, David - none mentioned, none forgotten (Danish saying - does that work in English???).

As to the care bit - the only other place where I've been nicely greeted and welcomed by so many people so apparently sincerely when popping up the first time is my current RL workplace. And even there people do greet and welcome - and then do their own bits, talking now and then, whatever - always being friendly but also letting you find out what to do at your own pace, by your own initiative. Isn't that "normal"? As a newcomer to whatever, at some point you have to get on with it under own steam. We might not be terrifcally hand-holding but otoh I haven't seen somebody actively shut out. Even trolls have been welcomed, for Bob's sake. (Seriously: Is swapping jam recipes an advanced form of shutting someone out? Did I just shut someone out by saying 'jam recipe swapping'?)

"They are the parallel universe in which I can safely diagonally park." Hits at least one nail on its head for me The only thing that really scares me about it is the amount of posts that'll accumulate if I'm physically away. But that's fine - it's just because it's alive

So I'd suggest gently refining and for people who miss certain actions to be ever so welcome to do more of them Here! But no revolutions, please (, even) - be they forwards or backwards oriented.

Was this a bit long?

This is the night
Of the expanding the man
I take one last drag As I approach the stand
I cried when I wrote this song
Sue me if I play too long
This brother is free
I'll be what I want to be

And that is a Salonista!

Arrgh - forgot the credit! "Deacon Blues" by Steely Dan.

I don't want to control the atelier. I just don't want to lose bits. I don't want to lose friends, either. Does that make sense?

*perches on the back of a sofa, listens to what everyone is saying and thinks about it*

This conversation is taking place during my work hours which makes it really hard for me to respond in a timely fashion... But here is my throw in...

What is the salon? It is a place to discuss art and other topics as dictated by our hostess and fellows. It is a place steeped in virtual history. It is a microcosm of the h2g2 universe. It is a place of discussion, and sometimes a bit of a personal pressure valve.

The salon was created as a place to do a bit of free form role playing along with the discussion. The role play gives it it's uniqeness. But role play without substantial discussion is hollow and lacks that certain something. We can devolve into three categories if we are not careful:
1. Strict conversation on specific topics.
2. Formal role play with strict rules.
3. Pure roleplay fueled solely by imagination.
The Atelier is much greater than the sum of these parts. While it may never be able to go back to the way it was, it could try to live up to the expectation of our hostess here in the salon, Lil, as well as the greater h2g2 community.

I do not believe that we should change in to the forms that I see prevalent on the guide. We are not cut from the same cloth as "Ask" or "Waterworks" or even the basically defunct "CotTB". I more or less abandoned my own creation just to enjoy the quality of the conversation here. I like nettiquite (dissagreements over how to compose an email aside), I like the bots, I like the Unaus, I love the company... It was a better place for me to dedicate my time. While I am posting far less these days I still read every LED. My time is taxed severely even today, but I feel strongly enough that I had to share my feelings admidst the chaos of my job (which I still like, lest I give one the wrong impression).

I don't know that I can address any particular challenge with a solution. There obviously needs to be a change or we will become somtehing that no one wants. We may not be able to be a "One size fits all" establishment, but that is a good thing. Nor do I think we can be tailored into something specific for but one person. One thing I really think we should keep in mind is that the creator of our little oasis on the Guide has made us a place where we have made these friendships. I think that I owe a little something to Lil for creatign the salon. My time on the guide would have been cut very short without this group and this place.

Oh, and the red velvet sofas come courtesy of Loonytunes, one of my earliest friends on the guide as well as the reason I joined the salon.

Greensleeves is Ben?

I'm afraid none of the rest of it has really sunk in after that little revelation ...

This is a witty, funny, sympathetic, friendly, caring, happy, sharing, considerate, side-achingly hilarious, interesting, intellectual, idiotic, pleasant, endearing place - and the conversations here range from jam to politics to mental health to child-rearing to song lyrics to films to weather to injuries to history - and it's all these things because of our hostess and the people who come here.

Even in the few months I've been coming, we've had parties and adventures, seen new creatures and bots, shared highs and lows, welcomed newbies and old returners.

I love it here. It's a nice place to be. People are kind. They make ordinary life interesting.

I need to sit down on one of these lovely sofas and have a cup of while I collect myself.



Mol

A better community of friends, I have yet to find, no offense to RL friends intended. One of my biggest reasons for that statement is this: I feel that I can come here with any problem and get almost completely objective answers. It helps that I have not met most of you in person in that respect though I do plan to eventually meet a lot, hopefully all, of you. I also like contributing to potential fixes of other peoples issues and the conversation here is better than most I can get in the "real world".

The role playing is great, when I have the time to do it. Being an apprentice in the Christmas Tree caper was great, it gave me a whole new look into role playing and I love role playing games. Anyway, there's my two cents. Off to start dinner.

I was quite surprised to learn that Greensleeves=Ben as well. I wonder which other Salonistas have unrevealed secret identities?

*peers around*

I like the role-play. I like the chat. I like the philosophical discussions and the intellectual ones and the artistic ones. I even enjoy just listening when things stray into areas that are beyond my ability to comprehend.

It is a shame that the delegation adventure fizzled out, what with King 2legs appearing at Castle Atelier... Speaking of which, there is some part of me that is still sitting forlornly in the king's castle waiting for papers of safe conduct. The singing librarian owl appears to be doing the 'Mister Cellophane' routine there.

David

And of course, there are quite a number people here than I most definitely count as friends. Your welcoming nature is obvious from the fact that I arrived here by crashing right into the middle of a conversation having been told that the world was going to end. Kindly folks nicely pointed the way to the adventure that was going on elsewhere and invited the non-heroic bit of me to stay for a cup of tea. And I did. And the nice, welcoming people have probably been kicking themselves ever since.

I had another identity - Dr. O'Palme. It was a few years back when a bunch of people were registering cool looking user numbers and it was something palindromic ('pal' in 'drome', geddit?). I can't remember the user name or password now and he didn't get around much, though he did meet Master B before 'I' did.

Mol

We will resume the delegation adventure soon. It's mostly my fault that it fizzled out. I got distracted with other things. Sorry. But it will be hard unless the King learns a bit about continuity.

*whispers* I wasn't blaming you, Hyp. Honest.

Lil -

I understand that you don't want to lose friends. However, if someone decides that the Atelier is not for them anymore, then that is their decision. I don't believe we can try to make the Atelier fit one or many people, because then we would exclude others.

The Atelier is the Atelier, it may change and grow, but that's just a part of life. If people change or grow more or less than the Atelier, or if the Atelier fit a need they had, but doesn't anymore, there's nothing that can be done.

Like Marv, I don't post as often as I used to, work is pretty crazy as MR can attest. I'm also in a busy evolution of my work cycle right now, but I feel the need to post these thoughts.

I love this place, I love the people/things/entities/non people, and I accept that as the Atelier changes I have the option of changing with it or leaving. It's my choice, but it's simply that, my choice. There are too many people here I care about to leave it, so I adjust, and accept, and move on.

I have never known a group of people that truly epitomized erudite. This group does, and I'm glad to have the Ateleir and everyone/thing/entity in my life.

On another note, Ag, I love your writings, they make me laugh, and the way you can turn a phrase is awe inspiring.

Courtesy
*looking for a few more Ateliers to throw in*

I'm sure we'll complete the legation, too. The presidential election, having a deadline, took priority. And then after the legation, we ought to get on with our plans to visit the Library of Doom .

?

David - feeling ish, wondering what happens if you cross a sheep with an owl and thinking that it's probably best not to think about it

You get a showl, which is a kind of feathered wrap.

The was just my spontaneous addition, to go with the . A nice BWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.

{Teuchter}

*logged on and thinking hard