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

Lil, I have a great urge to play some chess, hopefully some other Salonista will feel the same way. I was wondering if there is a place in the Atelier where you could recommend the setting up of a chess board? If there is could you direct me to it?

Courtesy

The Tooth Fairy has finally visited Athena. She will have another visit soon. These kids are gonna break me.

How about the atrium? There are plenty of cafe tables and chairs there, and enough room that you won't feel crowded.

I just launched the Foyer thread at F38024?thread=631248 and referenced it on our main page. I'd be obliged if y'all could subscribe to that thread so that we'll be aware of newcomers.

Today was miraculous. I had an impossible number of things to accomplish and yet I did them all plus a few extra. A Milliways Day.

Lil, I'll check out the art show sometime today, I sweartogod...

Montana, Vin Diesel says that the best way to gain weight is to eat a whole bunch of ice cream. And the way to take it off is to stop eating ice cream. No, seriously - get a couple of different kinds of ice cream, and have some for dessert every night. A full cup of plain vanilla ice cream is 300 calories. And a full cup isn't all that much ice cream! Something rich, like Rocky Road or Caramel and Cream will really pack on the pounds. (Blue Bell, that is - if you don't have Blue Bell, more's the pity.)

> But of course, we can do what one would do in the real world. I say something, no-one picks up on it, so I find a way to raise the point again if I really want feedback.

Being ignored in a forum like this one is hard to decipher. You wonder - did people see what I wrote, and just not care enough to respond? Or did they read it and agree, not needing to respond? Or is it that they don't feel like they have the right to respond? I've always assumed that if my comments don't generate a response, then it either wasn't interesting enough to comment on, or I was heard and agreed with.

If I had something I really needed feedback on, I would say IMPORTANT: and hope that somebody spotted the flag. But most of the time I'm just talking about personal unimportant crap like the garden, so I don't expect to be responded to. It's rather like the old-style party line phones, when fifteen people are talking at once to each other.

I must admit - actually, think I did when I finally entered these sacred ghalls - that I lurked for quite some time around here before making the plunge and my first posts. The eloquence of threads did seem, like Ag says, rather impressive. I'm not shy of written English at all - but I did feel a need to enter with the right tone of voice, so to say.

(netiquette being what it is, this is not necessarily bad - don't almost all forums out on the big net politely ask in their FAQs to get a feel for the place before butting in?)

Having 'conqured' that, I have absolutely no complaints about the receiving - very gentle. I don't think I've ever had that many people, known and unknown, greeting me so friendly in any case, online or IRL.

"Today was miraculous. I had an impossible number of things to accomplish and yet I did them all plus a few extra" , and I've needed to feel that for a few days, workwise, and today I'm then "stranded" at home with a sick-ish daughter and no work PC.

Guess that allows me to do a few house & garden chores then. Oh, and a haircut!

I have to say, I'm not the most consistant about welcoming new people to the Altelier, or replying directly to posts. But I seem to be able to post once a day, and so by the time I've caught up with the backlog... Well, the thing is, I've been alternately nodding maddly, grinning manically, frowning gently and generally, by the time I post, I have the impression I've responded, whereas actually all I've done is left a calling card...

Oops, sorry, Kelli! Trying to keep up with the backlog, even jotting things into notepad, obviously isn't working. Was it Kat then who was having kedgeree?

My PC goes wrong all by itself. As you may all remember the drives imploded a while ago and by my calculations is due to implode again imminently, roughly every six months. As Asus probe keeps warning me things are getting a little hot, I suppose I should be concerned, especially as I have 5 fans and the side is off. Did try using that as an exuse for an upgrade, but H says 'no way'. I might actually have to use my unspent Xmas money to buy the bits myself.

I admire my new books first before sniffing them. I never ever break the spines of books,even if that means keeping them half closed and not being to see the ending or beginning of words in the centre of the book. People who turn page corners down to mark the place should be shot, unceremonioulsy .

I remember welcoming SpaceCadette. I suspect that part of the problem is that your welcome and and any response to questions can spread over up to 100 or more posts.

Actually, regarding the deconstructionist thing, to be honest I'm not sure I fully understand, but would it have something to do with this?

I've banned B from watching the numerous programmes about the 2nd world war which are on at the moment, because they make him cross. The either spend 90 percent of the time talking about the British war and then call the Russians barbarians (he talked for a wekk - a _week_ about that) or the spend 90 percent of the time talking about Britain and then call the Russians the Gods of War (well, actually his description of that programme, nominally about weapons was: Britain, Britain, Britain, Germany, France, the USA, Britain, Britain, the USA, Germany, Russia, Britain). What amused me in Russia, where the 2nd world war is actually the Great Patriotic War, is how little mention of the British bit there was (and for that matter how little focus on the holocaust there is too), although B's comment on that is "Well, of course. You spent most of the time on your island, and only joined in the real fighting when we'd won it for you. What is there to say? Well, you sent us some weapons. I suppose that helped."

And then of course, 'everybody' in Britain 'knows' that the USA thinks that _they_ won the war. I wonder what programmes are like with you'all over the pond? But then I've met Canadians and Australians and Scots who can get quite snippy about the lack of mention in other countries about their part...

*agrees with all the posys about how to treat books - except the one suggesting that books should be kissed *

{Teuchter}

Not sure about all this deconstructionism stuff. I've an engineers brain and you deconstruct physical things to try and find out how they work and then rebuild them (and always wonder why you have a spare nut and spring left over ).
Like everyone there is only limited time and with the copious backlog here it's hard to remember everything that's going on. Sometimes something will spark an interest and I'll post on that topic (see the computer discussion yesterday), othertimes I'll read the stuff and think I'm not sure what's going on there (see the ongoing philosophical discussion on deconstructionism). Sometimes I say things that don't get commented on, sometimes I do get replies to things I start discussing you just have to go with the flow.

I just remembered that I was going to raise a glass for Loony yesterday, it being ANZAC day and all that. Hope you're doing well out there mate

Mornin' all.

Morning all

Think I first visited the Atelier about two years befroe I posted anything here - it seemed a bit too much like you all knew each other very well so was a bit too intimidated to post anything. Having got to know some of you in other parts of h2g2 I eventually felt brave enough to post something to the Enquiries Desk and from there into one of the conversations.

I am seldom as witty or erudite (or grammatically correct!) as most of the other salonistas, but I do learn a lot from reading here and enjoy your company immensely

k

I lurked for a while before I posted in the Atelier. I was worried I might be gatecrashing - so it helped that Caerwynn 'invited' me to come and visit.

I now realise that one doesn't 'have' to be invited and it's perfectly ok just to wander in.

The Atelier is where I feel most comfortable in this big site - though I do enjoy some of the other areas, just for sheer silliness. Not that we don't have some great silliness here too!
And one of these days, I'll get round to finishing that solo guide entry.

MR - I'm interested in why there's so much pressure on you to get D 'fattened-up'. I spent my childhood being on the skinny side of emaciated - which worried my mother no end - but was just one of those kids who wasn't particularly hungry and burnt off huge amounts of calories because I couldn't sit still for any length of time.

All that talk of ice-cream earlier reminded me that I had a tub of Vermonster in the freezer - so I just had some for breakfast .

You are ALL interesting, ALL of you. Enough of this modesty! Oh dear I am getting a touch 'you're my besht matesh, sho you are', and entirely sober too.

*goes of to find some VL coffee in the kitchen, as it is always good and never acidic, unlike RL coffee, which Ag can't drink at all as her poor tummy is still heart-burning her from time to time. No coffee, no chocolate, no peppermint, no orange juice, no spicy food, no alcohol, no tomatoes, no fried or fatty food, and above all no bending over!*

Ag - Z's right. Get thyself to a pronto, please.

Can't get a doctor's appointment until Thursday. By which time no doubt my tummy will be better again. Is heartburn serious then? I'd always been given to understand it was merely indigestion for stressy people and fuss needn't be made and time not wasted.

I wouldn't say it's desperately urgent - sorry about injudicious use of 'pronto' - but if you're in pain and seriously not enjoying normal life then it is worth letting the have a look. You're not a person who's always there annoying them so don't feel like a time waster.

>> I have been marshalling my thoughts. Frankly they are still standing about in ragged groups over the braziers drinking tea rather than drilling in full dress uniform, though.

You do know I will nick that metaphor and redeploy it shamelessly, don't you, Ag? I will credit you with it, because not to do so would be Wrong.

>> Algonquinesque...

Ye-es. I guess we are. I am also slightly awestruck at how many people we have who are now or have in the past done PhDs or Masters. You don't have to be a doctor to post here, but it helps.



Anzac day - since raising glasses to those who fight for our peace and safety has already been mentioned - can we raise a glass to my much missed and dearly beloved Pa?

He died ten years ago on Anzac day. His War was spent in the Far East building a certain railway with various Astralians, so Anzac day was always a day of note. A double scotch would be the best to toast him with, but a large gin, or any other spiritous liquor would reach him wherever he is now.

Scotch it is then Only spirit I touch anyway .

While we're at it, who remembered to wear blue on Saturday? Well, those of us in England/ex-pats, anyway.