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

The going-away party is over as the Guest-of-Honour even now is stumbling sleepily to the car, for the drive to the airport. The decorations have been taken down, except for the helium balloons, but we can set them loose tomorrow and watch them fly away too.

But there is still plenty of food and drink to pick over, as those of us left behind slowly return to whatever passed for normal, and resume where we left off. Talking seriously about silly stuff and giddily over serious stuff.

The next likely internet impediment -- sunspots!

Those dreaded sunspots had better not interfere with my internet experiance. Remember 89 and the last go round with sunspots? Or was that solar flares?

Oh Babel, thank you so much for the gifts! Ampton, put the flowers in the sink. I'll arrange them tomorrow. And the champagne in the fridge. In the back.

Odra, have you considered a military career? I think the Maries, whom I esteem highly, would like your maverickhood. A tightly-knit bunch of individualists, the Marines.

Actually, I believe I cut quite the dashing figure in an apron, thank you very much.

Sunspots, smudge pots. Melanoma for everybody. Would you like a peach with that?

Marv! Welcome to the phoenix of the party. It arises from the ashes of the old one and gradually becomes more like our everyday madness.

Odra are there any more of these here?

Definitely said sunspots on the radio, but is there a difference, really? The spots generate the flares, if I understand it right, and the flares destroy the gubbins in the satellites.

Hmm. Organizations and l have a long and unpleasant history of not getting along too well, really -- for obvious reasons -- but it's always an idea for a career path...

Ahh, solar flares. l doubt l'll notice any interference. The cable network in my local area has been undergoing an upgrade since approximately the late Cretatious period, so an interruption in service'll likely go unnoticed. And l have AOL for my lSP, so it's not like l'm used to having a reliable internet connection, either...

ls QMike definitely departed for Oz,then, at this point? Pity. Well, l hope he has a good time...

Hullo all. I see nobody touched the guacamole- wise choice.

*presents Lil with a twelve-pack, as a token of esteem and party-thank-you*

Just let me know when you want a refill. l've got connections...

They're definitely solar flares. We don't get the flare, mind, just the rush of energized particles borne on the wind that the flare produces.

You're welcome Lil. Hi Marv.
Sunspots, well a better chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis then
Shouldn't affect my access too much, more immediate RL things do that enough of the time.

Hi Sporky! Avocados are against my religion.
*opens a second bottle and begins to drink it more leisurely than the first*

Well this lot actually hit tomorrow, and they say the northern lights will be superb, not that I'm likely to see them here in Florida. It's the peak of the 11-year cycle, if I recall correctly.

l forget, how far south do the Northern Lights extend? l thought l heard that this week everyone in the Northern Hemisphere had a shot at seeing them, though l could be wrong.

I plan to be astounded when I see the revised plans for the Atelier, Lil

Hmm. Oh, on second recollection, l think that's a new comet, that's visible all through the Northern Hemisphere, not the aurora. Should be the brightest around the 21st, though you still need binoculars. Located in the vicinity of Ursa Major, l believe -- just find the Big Dipper and look down and to the right.

Not revised. Expanded.

And with that, I leave you for the evening. See you all tomorrow, here and at the cafe.

*takes 12-pack with her into private apartments*

'Night, Lil.

Sigh. l really ought to take off for a bit, meself..l'll be in the vicinity, though, and shall probably pop back in a bit.
l won't even log off h2g2, how about that?

I haven't logged off in over a year

And on that note, while not logging off h2g2 I am offlining for the day. Later guys.
*picks up his rucksack from the guest room and waves as he takes the service lift down and out into the world once more. It's been a nice week. *

flap FLAPP
*wanders around sniffing and checking all the rooms*

buddy is gone now.

*retreats to nest*

*Lifts one eye, see's who's still around and goes back to sleep*

*rematerializes, her entrance stirring the blue film of dust*

Aah, poor Styx. Well, maybe eating all these leftovers'll cheer him up a bit.