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

Not surprisingly, there's a reaction against this prevalence of sales pitches. The green movement argues that we should try to reduce our consumption, re-use and recycle. Make your own, try to repair things, buy local products.

My mother was way ahead in that regard. She had the same fridge her entire married life - and almost managed to keep the same vacuum cleaner.

She had to give up when the company that made the replacement hoses went out of business.

Talking about green. From my point of view (much lower to the ground than nowadays) my grandmother had the same piece of cheese in her refrigerator all of my life. She only cut off the bits that went too green. She lived up to the age of 85, so it didn't hurt her. (or she didn't actually eat cheese, now I come to think of it).

(TMI?)

I am visualising this...

Some computer pioneers we knew back in our college days used the Arpanet to order cheese. In bulk.

They shared a house with engineers and other tech people. When the cheese got too mouldy, one of them suggested a 'moldectomy'.

that sounds like it.

I also know of another version which abbreviates as TMWWCTTPFA

(Too much words without coming to the point for ages)

My son is very good at that. My eyes usually go glassy at some point, especially when it turns out to be one of the subjects he knows I am absolutely not interested in or if he forgets what he was about to tell me at half-sentence (five minutes later).

Ah, yes, I know that feeling.