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

Mutual abuse is the rule with my housemates. We all practise to it's current art form.

Just so long as its not self abuse.

I thought of that too

tsk tsk

[Hyp]

And now it is the weekend of "The Last Escape of Billy the Kid" and the tourist rush is upon us. The sound of haflingers trotting, harness bells jingling as they pull the canopied tourist buggy up and down the road, the sound of fake gunfire as the pageant plays out after sunset, the sound of heavy traffic slowed to a crawl...

I just hope my artwork sells well. <-- greed

Lil, good luck to you!

Marv and Bryce aren't kidding. I just recently actually learned his slumlord's name, after hearing "fat boy" most of the time. He's not really fat, actually. He just has a very large --abdominal area.

We're not even sure how the slumlord got the name of fat boy, actually. His brother is called fat boy as well, collectively they are known as the "fat boys". Outsiders often think we all really hate each other when they hear how we address each other. Actually we are kinda like a family- sometimes we don't even like each other, but we do care for each other's welfare even so.

... and you know, Marv, if you do decide to do your Grand Tour of Europe now, there would be numerous researchers who would be only too delighted to put you up... The planning would be fun too.

My Aunt married a man considerably older than herself. 'Course she's also considerably older than my Dad and lives in Jersey, but it seemed to have turned out well. Unfortunately he's dead now, but. I mean, it can work out.

I think the thing that annoye me about Tolstoy is that even by his own lights he was a bit of a fraud. So I have less tolerance for his rather self rightous attitudes in his writing. Especially in Anna, where the Levin character is supposed to be autobiographical, and all that stuff about the countryside his basically him. Although, there again, it's very interesting as he does rather capture the general attitude of the liberal gentry. Probably shaped it. It was a rather damaging attitude, though. Which just goes to show that I should really stick to my rule of never finding out anything about any author/ muscician/ actor if I want to keep respecting them.

Can we keep Hardy's poems? I found the books just too drainingly miserable, but short bursts of distilled gloom aren't so bad. 'Broken Appointment' is one of my favourite poems for some reason, and there's a wonderfully funny one consisting of a dialogue (or something) between two gravediggers. If you like really black humour.

Knebworth, Ben? Please wave at my home town. You can't miss the big white Glaxo building on the bank of the A1 opposite the Knebworth house exit. Although my animal rights friend would probably demand you spit. If you want a giggle, look out for the signs listing Stevenage's 'Tourist Attractions'. After Knebworth house they go really downhill. Well, after Knebworth house they are nonexistant, but it doesn't stop them from trying it on.

Knebworth house is the batman's house, according to the first film. You used to be able to drive through the park, which was a shortcut to one of the villages. One night we were doing just that, turned a corner, and the lights of the car hit the house in exactly the same way they do in the film, which was a bit of a shock. This was a good thing as I stood on the brakes, and at that moment a deer lept out in front of us. So I didn't hit it and I always feel fondly about batman as a result.

[{Courtesy}]

I actually thought about a quick jaunt to England after I am destitute and a drain on teh US ecomony. I rather doubt I will actually do it, as it takes months to get a passport and it would be eterribly irresponsible, money wise. But it is tempting.

Part of me is looking forward to a bit of a vacation, part of me wants to go to school. Part of me wants to keep working because I am better at this than anything else in the world.

[Amy]

The London Eye is shiny brilliant, if you haven't done it before, Ben. You don't go for a ride you take a flight, as it is in fact the British Airways London Eye. Be sure to take your binoculars.

Marv, get your passport application form on Monday. You might be able to make it for the next London meet in January or there abouts Not that I would recommend a first visit to London in the winter, it looks it's best when all the trees are in full leaf.

Bryce, you sister has made her choice and it sounds as if your family are coming round to the idea. I hope it does all work out for her, but if not I hope she has the sense to turn to you all for support.

Get the passport *anyway* - you never ever know when it comes in handy to be able to nip abroad. (I truly honestly believe every adult should be able to drive a car, cook a meal, and spend the weekend in Venice - that is what passports and credit cards are for). (Not that I have ever been to Venice). (In fact the most impromptu journey I ever did was when my mother died). (But you get the point).

Hey, Sol, in 1999/2000 I lived and worked in Stevenage!

B

For sure, get the passport anyway. Who knows you might hit lucky with a few months contracting and work up enough money to take a long round the world break Marv.
Lil what are you using for studio lights? Is it a continuous system or strobe based - if the latter I can guess it'd be quite hard working out where to place them to get enough texture on the painting but not wash it out with reflections. But then again the advantage of digital capture is that you can easily keep going trying again and again till it's right.
Hope you make some good dollah from the tourists

Lil, hope you make a killing.

Bryce, my husband is old enough to be my father. We've been married for 30 years. It can work. My family was devastated when I announced that I was going to marry him. But now I think they like him better than they do me. Life is strange and throws you curveballs. The last thing I ever expected to do was fall in love with an older man.

The age difference wasn't that important in the beginning when he was strong and healthy and active. Now, it's a problem. It's good for him because he has me to take care of him. Bad for me because I have 2 full time jobs - the library and Frank.

Off to beautiful downtown Nevada to a Wal-Mart auction to get shelving for the warehouse. We close in 24 days.

And don't assume that the couple themselves hadn't thought about it.

My osteopath is in his 50s, and had a fling with a girl who is 27, (whom he described as 'very naughty and very lovely' ). But so far as I can tell, he thinks that what they had was not strong enough to turn it into anything more serious. Oh, and a word of advice - don't take the p**s out of someone who has total control over the well-being of your spine! Though I have to say, he took my teasing very well.

- (in its incarnation as a loobrush)

I am shattered. I have just spent 3 hours cleaning the flat, and I still have the bathroom and lower hall to do! However it does look much much better for it.

I had something of a row w/ my flatmate who has just come back from being away. She was pissed off with how untidy and dirty the flat was, and I was pissed off with the tea stain, which she thought was unfair considering how untidy and dirty, etc.

In fact, I am incredibly good at *not* having rows, keeping a dialogue going and getting a result. But in this case the result was me doing about 4 hours of cleaning!

To be honest, I had intended to clean the flat before I left today, but perhaps not as sparkly-clean as I have felt honour bound to do. I still have to pack, wax my legs, wash my pyjamas, buy some knickers, clean the bathroom, wash my hair and drive to London. It looks as if I *won't* be going into the Towers on Monday though. Which is probably not a bad thing!



Good point about the binoculars - I want them for Sunday, anyway. Moby and Robbie! Yay!



Oh, I asked R about Archer and Aitken's brother, and she said she has written a letter to the owner, and watch this space. She thought it was cool-but-freaky that people from Moscow to New Zealand via Californa were worried about the cat!



B

[LIL]
off to the studio -- continuous lighting, very hot in there!

[MTG, half asleep at work]

Scorchio here today.

I expect this heatwave will be over before my convertible is available for collection