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

[Ben]

Bill Bryson came top of a survey of which author best portrays life in Britain. Notes from a Small Island is a comparison of life here when he first arrived in 1973 and before returning to the US 20 years later. It is very funny and somthing of a social document of changing times. Apparently he is moving back to the UK in the near future.

Multi-tasking is the only way to get through the housework. If I had to do all the dusting at once instead of interspersed with a little vacuuming and bog cleaning, I would die of boredom

Toccata

(Downloaded Three men in a boat for my Psion last night)

[Munchkin]
Flying up to Aberdeen this evening. Its my cousin's wedding tomorrow. As my family don't do get togethers I have no idea what to expect. Could be fun, could be dull, could be annoying, will have to see. Still should get a nice feed as that side of the family are all accountants.

The trend around here is to re-introduce old apple varieties. My favourite is Aroma, a middle sized sweet/tart, yellow/red apple, really tasty, and the classical Prins, a small, hard, tart apple just wonderful in cakes.
Great idea for a gift, Phil!

I have a friend who is an alcoholic. She has a brilliant mind, and it's sad to see how she's screwing up her life regarding jobs and money and family. I drink infrequent and considerable less than I used to. I don't like getting drunk, and the hangovers just aren't worth it.

Oh well. Time for another trip to the job centre to tell them that I have been looking for work (hey, I sent out not one but two application forms this week ) and that they should give me some money for it. Then off to get myself measured up for the silly suit I've to wear next weekend at the wedding. Must remember to pick up my pocket watch from the parents place before then.
Life can be so busy when you don't have anything to do

I bet you'll look quite handsom in a suit.

I'm sure there will be pictures (ok it's a wedding there are bound to be lots of pictures). Must try and find a new pair of black shoes as well at some point and cufflinks. hmmm this could get expensive.

Since we're discussing weddings and drinking, I suppose I should tell you my most embarrassing drinking story - seeing as how I live in the middle of nowhere and will never meet any of you anyway---except B4 who seems to have a forgiving nature.

It happened on my honeymoon. Frank took me to Acapulco to a great resort called Las Brisas. This was 30 years ago...it may not even be open anymore. It's built into the side of a mountain and has individual bungalows with small private pools. They sprinkled gardenia blossoms in the pool every day! How's that for classy.

The restaurant and office were halfway down the mountain near the highway. The bungalows were scattered above it. On the other side of the highway below it were more bungalows and a large saltwater pool that was open to the ocean.

Ok, we had been there for a couple of days when we decided to try the restaurant. We went in and had a nice meal, as far as I can remember, and then started drinking B&B afterward. Well, this waiter kept coming in and topping off my snifter like we would a cup of coffee in the states. I felt fine. It didn't bother me at all.

I needed to use the ladies room, so I excused myself, told Frank I'd be right back, and headed off. By the time I got there the brandy was hitting me and I could barely walk. So I figured I'd better get finished with my trip in a hurry and get back to the table. I went into the stall, set down on the toilet and promptly fell asleep.

After about 30 minutes, Frank thought I was taking a long time - even for me - and sent a waitress in to look for me. There I was, seated on the throne, snoring. She couldn't wake me up, so she went back and got Frank who managed to shake me awake.

My knees were like rubber and there was no way I could walk back up the hill, so the night manager helped Frank get me into his jeep ...did I mention that everyone got their own jeep to drive around, they were pink with striped canvas roofs...and go me back to our bungalow. I slept for about 15 hours.

I was so horrified when I heard the story that I haven't been drunk since.

Don't feel bad. That is a lot less embarassing then my worst drunk story.

*waits with anticipation to hear sDiver's story, minirecorder at the ready*

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[spk]

Home sick from work today. The cold that I had for the last two weeks is gone, but now I get to enjoy a raw throat. Can't win for loosing I guess.

{Lunch Lurk}

B4

All right, I guess, because it will probably make people feel a little better, I will share my worst drunken story. Like All stories when I was in the corps of cadets in Galveston this one starts with one time in (foreign port) I was drunk and…
Although it does need a little clarification a bit further back. All through high school I was very opposed to drinking and smoking. The most I had ever drank prior to going to collage was a sip of wine during church. During my freshman cruise to Europe I started smoking, and had a beer or two in a bar in Ireland. Still not exactly a heavy drinker. Then one night in St. Johns, Newfoundland, I went out with some guys from the ship. These guys could be called alcoholics, but they didn’t go to meetings. One of them, my roommate at the time, started everyday off with three beers. Trying to keep up I drank some ungodly amount of liquor. I was very drunk and so my decision making was not what it should have been. I got separated from the guys I left with so I went to another bar where some people from the ship were drinking. There I was feeling thirsty so I ordered a rum and coke. I drank that and still felt thirsty, so I had another one.
This is the only night that I have ever blacked out, so much of the story is reconstructed from evidence and witness accounts. As near as I can figure I drank somewhere around 20 to 30 rum and cokes inside about two to three hours….
When I woke up the next day I was covered in my own vomit, had made a mess of my pants, and was suffering from the absolute worst hangover I have ever had, it lasted all day through the night and a fair bit out to sea the next day. To this day I still hear about the things I reportedly did: fell asleep on someone’s car, sang very loudly and awfully, etc… I am amazed that I was not arrested. I never did find who walked me back to the ship and put me to bed.
With the last of my money for that port I took all my things and my roommates things and washed them at a shore-side Laundromat. After that I don’t particularly enjoy getting drunk and seldom drink more then a beer or two. Especially in public. At private parties I can be a little more reckless but I have never gotten really wasted scense.
The really scary part: I know of at least three cases of people in the corps drinking more and/or doing worse. And oddly enugh I still enjoy both rum and coke.
Well now everyone knows my most embarrsing story.

[{Courtesy}]

[Hati]

My most embarassing drunken episode has three canidates, none of which bear reapeating at this time.

Let's put it this way. I have at times hurled myself off of a raised deck on a thin strand of rope, launched a basketball over three city blocks, found myself naked in some bushes, walked into a swimming pool fully clothed, and shouting insults to people riding a mechanical bull in Hollywood while wearing a godawfull cowboy hat. I really don't know which case would take the cake but all are bad.

I don't have anything to tell compared to all this.
Will bathing in waterworks count?