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

No problem Cyde. The TOR website is pretty good info wise.

I'm more biting nails. This is the 2nd to last book, yes?

I have got back from my first rehearsal for the Spring show, which was a sing-through of all the music. The thought of the upcoming auditions for the lead roles makes me feel sick. Literally. But I'm going to audition, even though I'm very unlikely to be cast.

I also think a quotefile is an excellent idea, but how would one choose which wise, pithy and amusing sayings should be included from the cornucopeia (is that how you spell it?) on display in the Atelier?

There's a hole in my knee and I'm being forced to do Key Skills Level TWO!!!! IT just because I'm only taking 3 ASlevels. I feel very rebellious and therefore need to go and have a sit down.

Oh and the girlfriend has just texted me to say that she's cut her eyebrow on a stage at a concert and is drunk and on her way home and needs me to patch her up.

Kat

There is something about survivalists that intrigues me. I remember years ago there was a Louis Theroux show on the BBC (link as to who Louis Theroux is for all non-BBC viewers --> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/341146.stm ) in which he spent time with two different groups of survivalists.

The first group were some self-styled inheritors of the mantle of Adolf Hitler - jackboots, anti-semitism, anti-gay, anti-black, swasticas and funny little moustaches - the whole bit in other words. These people were plainly mad, and really rather menacing.

The second group who lived fairly nearby just seemed to want to be left alone. They didn't have licence plates on their vehicles, did wear quite a lot of combat fatigues, and did seem to be heavily armed from a British perspective (they too thought that the nazis living over the hill were quite mad, btw). But ultimately came across as quite sensible individuals who were sick and tired of the rat-race, and had decided to go do their own thing instead.

The interesting thing was that the next day when I was chatting to a group of colleagues at work who had all seen the show, we all said that we'd found this second group's outlook on life rather attractive.

I guess these groups come in many different flavours, and Louis' crew had happened upon two from the different ends of the scale.

The whole survivalist thing is something we just don't have here in the UK. It's pretty dificult to go running off to live in the woods when you. One, don't have much in the way of woods. And two, are never more than about three miles away from a branch of Tescos.

Yeah, GreyDesk, I can see how the proximity of civilization might throw a spanner in the works.

I live in a state that is quite notorious for survivialist groups, my best friend grew up with the members of such a group, and based on their presence and her childhood stories there is nothing I find remotely intriguing or admirable about them.

{Courtesy}

Now that the US government has demonstrated their inability to properly act to protect its citizens in an emergency, it does rather validate the lifestyle of the survivalists.

Not that I agree with the hatred part of it, of course. Or the isolation part, either. But Mr M and I were discussing recently how we would certainly not depend on being rescued in an emergency and would do everything possible to evacuate under our own power. Fortunately, we probably have the resources to do so.

MR, if the interviews I saw online are correct, this is the 2nd to last book. He's got a lot to wrap up in 2 books. I am, unfortunately, not able to find said interviews right now. TOR has changed their website layout and lost everything.

GDZ, I'm not that much into the online thing with author's, anyway. But thanks. I'm just annoyed that a) some folks take a fantasy novel far too seriously and b) Jordan seems, at this point, to be more interested in $$ than actual writing.

Of course, much the same could be said for George RR Martin, really. Except he's just a really, really slow writer.

There's another "survivalist" type group out there, as well. The hippy type, like Zendik's Farm. Old 60s throwbacks, very free love and peace and lots and lots of green. Of course, there's rumors that it's got Charlie Manson undertones, but those are only rumors as far as I know.

Yep. They're online: http://www.zendik.org/Zendik_Farm/contentA.html

It looks like quite an upgrade in living since the last time I looked into these folks.

It's quite nippy this morning, I think I've had enough of Summer now.

I woke up three times in the night because I was too cold! I wanna go back to the tropics *stamps foot and pouts*

Still, it is lovely and sunny - great weather this, sunny and cold. Makes you feel glad to be alive.

Sorry, havne't read the backlog. Am recovering from the op. Will just sit here on the sofa in a housecoat, clutching smelling salts and looking pathetic if you don't mind. You can bring me weak tea and chocolates, I think.

They don't half kick you out of hospital quick. They were practically thrusting me out the door while I was still waveringly asking questions like, what do you mean I'll know if it gets infected? What does 'pain' mean exactly when you say I should take these pills for it. Of course it hurts: you've just stuck knives in my neck and slashed them around. How much is it supposed to hurt to be pain and for me to take the pills? When can I wash my hair? Can I wash my hair? What should I be careful of when washing my hair? Why do you keep changing your mind about when the stitches have to come out? Is this swelling normal? Are you sure? What about these dressings? Do I take em off? When?

Generally I'm wishing that medical technology had advanced far enough so that you can do the recovery bit in some kind of suspended animation facility and wake up entirely oblivious to the sitting on the sofa feeling grotty part. I also wish I'd remembered to ask when the swelling should be going down. Presumably this is a good clue as to whether this is going ok. Oh well, I'm in again on Monday to have the stiches out, apparently, (they gave me a kit to give to the nurse with instructions. Does this just seem a trifle weird to you? I used to laugh at B taking his own filling doings to the dentist in Moscow...) so short of this mysterious infection occurring, which I am assured I would know about, I guess I'm all sorted.

Anyway, that was a little more graphic than necessary perhaps. Sorry. The good news is that the nerves in my face are all working perfectly: which was more of an area for concern than they had previously let on I gather from the way the surgeons were grining when I was able to grin at them. I think it was the intimacy of lump and nerve that made it a little more complicated than they had planned, so hey ho, looks like I'm a winner there after all.

*Brings Kat a First Aid kit and some more chocolate ice-cream*

I started reading the Robert Jordan Magnum Opus YEARS ago, and after a few books I started to think OH get ON with it and now, frankly, I despise the man. Nobody has the right to do this to his readers, all this hanging about and endless digressions and diversions and repetitive drivelling on, prose getting poorer and poorer and the repeated mortal dangers getting more and more same old same old. I am quite sure the truth is he has NO idea how to do the 'big confrontation climax' and will drivel on until he dies.

S now has a cough, and coughed all night. Time to remake the spare bed, I think. I am so tired I might just accidentally commit homicide if someone gets between me and the coffee.

Oops, simulpost with Sol!

Sol, darling, how are you feeling? Have a blanket and some cushions and your choice of chicken soup or icecream (both home-made and organic) or BOTH if you wish. And and so glad to see you can still grin. We'd've missed the grin sorely.

Z? Z! Come here and answer some proper doctory questions about hair-washing!

*s Sol - very, very gently

Glad it all went ok - hope you soon feel much better

*Sips soup. Eyes ice cream with cautious enthusiasm. Returns careful hugs carefully.* Actually, part of the problem is that I was imagining the covalesence bit to be me sitting languidly on a sofa being brought things, rather than any actual discomfort being involved. Shows how much I know, don't it?

Glad to see Sol back and recuperating.

*Matina brings Sol some weak tea and Godiva chocolates*