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

Welcome to the Atelier! Our home page is A304354; if this is your very first time here, please read about us, check our links, get to know what sort of threshold you are about to step across.

There was no scribe, so your hostess went back through the entire backlog. Not only did it take a whole day, but I kept running across comments that I really wanted to respond to either again or in more depth. We had some fascinating discussions. Toward the end of the conversation one could tell that a major holiday was approaching, as we all became pre-occupied with cooking, shopping, eating and drinking.

The weather was also a preoccupation. Winter arrived during this conversation, causing at least inconvenience and at worst a complete shutdown of contact with the outside world. Most of us just felt the cold.

Since I was trolling the whole thread it was no trouble to compile another Witty Moniker List, of all those who participated.
GDZ (first to the forum)
LTP (mobile first to the forum)
FG
Wandering Albatross
Wilma
Mr. Dreadful
Phil
Strangely
Demon Drawer
Witty
Hypatia
Egon
Titania
SE
Marv
MR
Bagpuss
magwitch
Teuchter
Bald Bloke
Santragenius
Lady Chattingly
Agapanthus
Irv
Amy P
Rev. Nick
Lentilla
d'Elaphant
Tod
Rosemary
tartaronne
Z
David B
LibrarianPear
space cadette
beatrice
Solnushka (380)
Kelli (1084)
Ben (1218) (passing through)
healingmagichands (1628)
jeau-æmne (1779)
Afgncaap5 (1938)

Affy is the winner of the Last-to-the-Forum uncompetition, and gets to wear the fuzzy blue pants.

And so here are the notes I took as I re-read what we talked about. They are fragmentary but, I hope, comprehensive!

HEALTH SCARES
Z's gran spends a bit of time in hospital
LibrarianPear announces an impending heart operation.
Agapanthus breaks a toe, leading everyone to compare notes on their broken (or never-broken) bones.
Wilma's computer dies.
Terry Pratchett is diagnosed with a form of Alzheimer's Disease.
Hypatia's Bearded Cousin #3 has a heart attack, but recovers.


Birthdays -- Lil, David B, d'Elaphant, Titania

RECIPES
onion marmalade - http://yorkshiredeli.blogspot.com/2007/04/onion-marmalade.html
red cabbage and apples: post 1958

Expressive and poetic post about oceans from FG: 536
Demon Drawer got promoted at work.
LTP once again scores post 42.
everyone puts on their anagram costumes for Halloween.
Strangely attempts to sound-insulate his flat.
Hypatia goes blonde.

Beatrice wins a radio competition and scores doctor and nurse costumes, while Witty Moniker wins a raffle for 50 $50 gift certificates to restaurants.

Lil encounters British Regulators, which sparks some discussion about non-American re-enactors of American history.
Books -- everyone is reading but nobody seems to be reading Charlotte Heyer
wildfires consume California.
GDZ has a traffic accident and totals his car.
Strangeley finds his insulation strangely doesn't work.
A brief discussion of the Bush administration segues naturally into "Duck Soup" and other favorite movies.
What DVD collections do we have?
The World Series is taking place in the background, leading to occasional Tourette-like shouts of "Go Sox!"
Strangely buys sound-insulating rubber matting.
SE has an extraordinary dream through which he moves with odd equanimity.
Marv has a very painful shoulder that turns out to be broken.
Hypatia starts to experience a religious backlash to The Golden Compass, which launches a discussion of the trilogy and religious intolerance/censorship.
[American] civil war re-enactments (are there Roundhead and Cavalier re-enactors out there?)
David B experiences some disturbing house vandalism in the form of broken windows.

fixing toilets
casting a Jasper fForde novel
Lil furnishes a link to the 70's fashion experience, while Titania provides a link to angora bondage outfits, and FG finds a boutique for knitted beard and moustache cosies.
Chinese knockoffs (link courtesy of Titania)
Irv gets Lil started about Billy the Kid and the discussion turns to outlaws and criminals and sociopathy.
photos from FG of her trip, at http://www.flickr.com/photos/36208045@N00/sets/72157602941513719/

Does the Rev. Phelps have the right to take his congregation to picket funerals? FG launched this topic, which generated plenty of discussion. It even led to an historic event, in which Marv and FG found themselves on the same side of a political issue

Strangely completes the sound insulation of his floor (734).

Lentilla is approved for a booth at the Main Street Arts Festival for 2008.
feral and domesticated (i.e., owner-friendly) cats
bread machines
NIMBY about the homeless and mentally ill
other people's children, and the issue of issue
we hear for the first time of the existence of the International Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Commas.

Lil is nearly attacked by her neighbor's killer goats.
there is (as always) much talk of exotic beers and beers made with exotic ingredients.

Wilma endures a tax (VAT) inspection, and survives unscathed.

Japanese whaling and dwindling fish stocks
Thanksgiving is served in the homes of American Salonistas.
cranberry sauce vs canned cranberry jelly
The salon is briefly but thoroughly infected by "Bohemian Rhapsody".
Greenpeace's Name the Whale Campaign is won by Mr. Splashy Pants.
FG's aged car begins to have heating problems, and she considers replacing it, while Marv explains why cars are more likely to overheat in winter.
Ben tells a good tale about a Robbie Williams concert and a broken car (1361).
We learn about ahem cheques (aka Ash Cash) and Bash Cash from Z.
Teuchter explains the truth about tooth decay (1447), which generates lots of discussion.
MR finally gets beer into the university pub.
Hypatia's part of the world is hit by a severe ice storm (also Lady Chattingly) rendering them incommunicado for several days. On her return to the electronic world, Hyp discovers that her backup files for the past year are corrupted. Fortunately, a unit of technogeeks are able to reconstruct the information.
Christmas ads
Salonistas' attention turns to Christmas shopping, culminating in that gauntlet known as the SUPERMARKET.

The goo spruce is brought into the atelier for Christmas, and is decorated by the salonistas.
GDZ buys a Ford Focus
Sporky buys a puppy
Hypatia culls the shelves of her library; discussion ensues about the policy of different kinds of libraries regarding their collections.
The Library of Doom also suffers a data meltdown.
apple cider, British and American

While you've been listening to this recitation, the bots have cleaned the salon and plumped up the magic logs in the hearth. We have mulled wine and cider, hot cinnamon buns, and the prospect of good conversation. Please make yourselves at home!

Wheeee!

I'm first! I'm first! I'm first!

::dances around the Salon in her stocking feet for being first to the new forum since, well, ever::

Matina patiently waits for FG to stop dancing before serving her an Irish coffee decorated with a sprig of holly, in a FTTF mug*

::thanks to the waxed floor and good socks, FG gracefully slides past Matina, grasping the cup as she sails by::

Thanks!

*with new stripey-socks on, sliiiiiiides into the first LED, tumbles in a heap in a corner, and waits for the wave of arrivals*

Blimey I made it to the first page for the first time ever! Whoop de doo!

Sorry it took so long to get to this new thread -- I never expected we would have so many visitors on Boxing Day. I've been trying to compose an intro as wave after wave of families come into the Visitors Center.

My (female) boss gave me a cordless electric drill for Christmas!

[MTG{KEA}-LtG]

Around 10 - not too bad given I just came online. Better luck next time - and now back to the what have we done bit

Hmm. Matina, could I have another hot toddy? Extra spicy, please. My head feels like a football!

Ooh, new conversation. Hope there's a comfy chair left. Hope you all had a good Christmas (or just generally a good few days if Chrimbo isn't your bag).

WOOOO

first LED in ages

[BB]

Been watching cars get destroyed, Banger racing at Wimbledon Stadium.
The drivers a quite definitely nuts.

I'd just like to reply to something Strangely said in the old thread:
"However if I am forced to do the old bread and wine thing I am not so sure, although today it was optional so no reason to think it won't be at other times."

You should find it's always optional. You can probably also half join in by going to the altar and either holding a book or keeping your hands by your sides. The vicar (or rector or canon or whatever) will then say a blessing over you instead. It's probably worth checking beforehand that they follow this, but I think it's the case at all Anglican churches and a number of other churches as well.

Thanks Bagpuss, I want to keep it lightweight at moment but might well go back in new year. Not everyone went to alta(sp?) Christmas Day but then that is a day for passing trade so to speak. I must admit the female Vicar (C of E) seemed quite nice and welcoming, I don't know how long she has been there.

First LED isn't so bad.

*skids in all askew*

*lands in a heap under the palm tree and promptly begins to snore*

(in a most ladylike way, of course )

I guess I did total and replace my car all in one thread.

Got here early this time !
Hope everybody got what they wanted and didn't have to many family dramas .

merry fishmas .........tod