I'll let msmonsy introduce herself, since she did so so nicely in the email

My original user number for Monsy is 40408 (can't believe I still remember that one off the top of my head without looking). Now if you'd like to visit Agony Aunt's page you can find it here, but after the revamping of h2g2 I seem to of lost my key and have been unable to get back in that doorthough I'd really love to. Perhaps you have some pull with the Towers and can help me with aquiring a spare?

I knew there was something I'd meant to do! You can email the Gurus with any details you can remember (Unumber's a good one) and they can help you get back in to an account you've lost the keys to.

OK, on to the questions w/answers. I do hope I don't bore you to bits with the responses!! Good luck sorting through all the replies you've gotten, can't wait to see what you put together with everyone.

You've seen some, now, and there are still quite a few more to come!

When did you join h2g2?

I joined h2g2 so many moons ago my aging mind can’t even recall the date. I do know that when I joined you could look at the “Who’s Online” list and know everyone on it, not so much now: far too many new, wonderful and exciting people are discovering the Blue Goo.

Digging around shows that you joined on May 24, 1999.

How did you hear of/find h2g2?

I was reading my local paper one lazy Sunday when I came across a little article tucked away amongst several other little articles. This one particular article caught my eye and straight away I grabbed my towel and headed to the ‘interwebs’ to see the awesome new happenings!!

Why did you join h2g2?

Why did I join h2g2?? Why not? Who wouldn’t want to be a part of such a fabulously unique community?!! It wasn’t a choice to join, it was a need that could not be denied, besides – my towel had friends there and wanted to join the fold.

Did you jump right in, or did you lurk awhile first?

I lurked for all of 5 minutes then found a Hot Tub - discovered it was Magical and a Church for True Brownies– who could resist hot tubs and brownies?? The rest is history.

Have you written an Edited Entry?

I sure have, there is my entry on Kudzu and the legends of cows being overtaken and lost forever amongst the Kudzu. Then there is an entry on Dry Skin that I was just itching to scratch the surface of with several of my researcher pals. And who can forget the entry on Birmingham – Alabama not to be confused with West Midlands England. Lastly there was the article I helped write with several fabulous researchers about Flies, it caused quite a Buzz let me tell you.

How many?

Oh, well let me look at the question above this one and see… 4, yes, there were 4.

What was your first Entry?

I really should learn to read ahead shouldn’t I? My first was on Flies and it was a joint collaboration entry.

What is your favorite Entry (of the ones you've written, if any)?

Must say I liked the Dry Skin entry because of all the useful information that came out of asking one simple question – What can be done about my overly dry skin? The number of responses and researchers that helped pull this entry together was amazing.

What is your favorite Entry by someone else?

Now a favorite Entry by someone else is hard to say, there are so many amazing entries that taught me, and many others, so much about things we either thought we knew but didn’t know the whole or correct story of or didn’t know at all and therefore didn’t realize we’d always secretly wanted to know.

Whew, how’s that for not upsetting anyone by picking a favorite?

Do you belong to/have you started any clubs/societies/what-have-you on h2g2?

Do Magical Hot Tubs count??

Sure, why not?

I do recall being one of the first researchers to help the newbies, ACES is what we were called, it was really a nice feeling being able to help a new researcher navigate the Blue Goo (well, it’s not all blue now, seems we have color choices but in my time it was Blue Goo or Blue Goo.)

We still are, it is, and yes we do.

Then there was the little online rag that was dreamed up originally by Vegiman and other researchers helped to launch it into what it is today. It’s known as the The Post, have you heard of it?

Mmmmaaaaayyybe

Is that/are those club(s)/society(ies)/what-have-you(s) still active?

Active, well I know 2 of them are still alive and kicking. One quite well since I, apparently, seem to be answering interview questions for it. Love seeing how it’s grown and been able to adapt to all the changes over these several years.

Have you held any volunteer positions in the past?

Volunteer positions? For h2g2 or in general? For h2g2 they were all volunteer positions – the ACES and The Post. LOL!

Are you a current volunteer?

No, not currently. Real life sort of exploded all around me and I would not be doing the volunteer community on h2g2 any good by offering my services. I feel that if I can’t give 100% then it’s best to leave it to those that can. And might I say they seem to be doing an amazing job!! Three cheers for everyone that helps throughout the Goo.

Which elvised researcher do you miss most?

Sigh, I miss Mad Munk and his friendly Dragon. He was such a good boy – both the Mad Munk himself and his Dragon (though that Dragon could get up to mischief when he wanted to). Mad Munk went on to higher education and real life took over for him as well. I’m sure wherever he is and whatever he’s doing he’s doing an amazing job at it!!

Have you been an elvised researcher?

I have, I’ve left the building but there are rare sightings of me from time to time – like now – and it leaves fellow researchers wondering if it was really me or just a figment of their imagination.

What brought you back?

Curiosity, what brings anyone back? Just can’t stay away forever, even if I can’t be here daily I do lurk and converse from time to time just to see what the old gang, and a few new ones, are up to.

Have you been known by other names on h2g2 (not necessarily other accounts)?

Monsy and Agony Aunt are really my only 2 known names.

Is there anything from h2g2's past that you miss?

That I miss? I can’t say there is. Well, sometimes I do miss the fun me and the earlier researchers had. Fun times.

Is there anything from h2g2's past that you wish you hadn't witnessed?

I can’t say there is anything I wished I had not witnessed. Nothing that comes to mind that is, though my mind is a bit more foggy these days, and that’s probably a good thing.

What aspect of current h2g2 do you wish had been extant when you joined?

Not sure, since I tend to only lurk about these parts nowadays I would not be a good researcher to ask.

Have you been to any meets, of any size, whether "official" or not (meet=over a dozen, minimeet=6-12, micromeet=less than a half dozen)?

I have not, though there were several I wished I had been able to make. I just happen to be on the wrong side of the Pond to be able to easily, and affordably, make.

How many?

None, Zero, Zilch. Though I was at several in spirit.

Was my self portrait there?

Can’t say for sure but it very well may have been. Especially if Wowbagger were involved

But then it wouldn't've been a self portrait...

How many copies?

They cannot say, they’d have to douse you in jello if you knew.

If you've been to multiple meets, what's the farthest you've traveled to one?

Sigh, rub it in why don’t you? Salt in an open wound…Sigh.

If you've never been to a meet, why not?

Because I can’t swim that far and those big hunks of metal that could carry me across that vast amount of water want this thing called money and I, apparently, don’t possess enough of it.

Am I asking too many questions?

Too many? Never… There’s never too many questions.

Is this getting annoying?

Not nearly as annoying as the many knock knock jokes I’ve been forced to endure.

How about now?

Of course not, I’m female, a mother, wife, grandmother… I can tune out anything and just nod approvingly while giving a slight smile that makes it appear I am fully paying attention and engrossed in what you are saying.

We need a smiley that shows this! Yahoo has a smiley that shows this...

If I were to give you a mufflewhump, what would it turn into, keeping in mind that they can't turn into anything sapient nor anything that can act against the giver's (ie, my) interest, and that they only work on h2g2?

If I had my very own mufflewhump it would be a big soft fluffy cloud with sparkles, a rainbow waterfall and an endless supply of brownies growing on a nearby tree.

Had you even heard of mufflewhumps before the previous question?

I have, I surely have… But only in passing.

Have I given you one before?

I’m heartbroken because you haven’t, you have never ever given me one….~scuffs feet n pouts~

Well, to be fair, I don't think we've directly talked to each other before now!

Did you know me before this interview?

Does anyone really know anyone? Hhhhmmmm????

Do you have a question for me (fair's fair, after all)?

What drove you to do something so insane as to attempt to interview so many of us old ones? I mean WOW that’s a task right there. Do you feel the need for a nice glass of wine and a massage afterward? Are you wondering about your sanity while sorting through all the answers?

Oh, that’s more than one question…sorry, never was really good about following directions.

Well, back when we volunteers were gearing up for h2g2's 14th birthday, a group email was sent out, asking for list suggestions and any other ideas. I said that it'd be cool if someone interviewed any researchers left from the first year of h2g2 that were still active, thinking that there wouldn't be very many. Dmitri agreed, and told me where to send the interviews. I protested that I hadn't been volunteering, but that I'd do it anyway. Then the numbers of interviewees kept growing and growing and...

Sanity? I've been on h2g2 for nearly 12 years at this point, myself -what makes you think I had any sanity left?

Next week, we'll be hearing from Bluebottle.

The Venerable Researchers Archive

Amy

10.06.13 Front Page

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