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

Dear Anna Banana

"Da" (the only Russian word I know!) Thank you for the fasincating article on the Russian language. I was married to a Russian but as we lived in Africa never had the opportunity to get to learn the language - which incidentally he did not speak very fluently!.

I have been to your homepage and love your background. I hope that you will find time in your busy life to occasionally make contact!. I intend sending your article to my nephew who although born in England has learnt Russian and has indeed just come back from a period spent there. I had a fleeting visit to St. Petersberg in 1996 but it was only a stopover and the drive around the city just made me want to see more - including of course the Hermitage!

Thank you for re-awakening memories. I hope you had a happy Christmas and I wish you and your family everything of the best for the New Year.

Very sincerely,

AR1

Dear Also ran 1! Thank you for the feedback and for the greetings. Unfortunately I don´t have much time now and it is rather late for writing a long answer - as I usually do. I, too, would like to keep in touch with you (just read your Personal Space, and am absolutely fascinated - you're probably used to that kind of reaction)

Anna Banana

PS: Why did you choose 'Also Ran 1' as your nickname?

Dear Anna,

Because I have always come second - or lower down.!! In horse racing terms one horse wins the race and all the other horses in the race are called "Also Rans".

Perhaps one day I shall come first. I am still trying!!.

Very sincerely,

AR1

Dear also ran 1, (Have you also noticed that only women are giving flowers without any reason, men always need an 'excuse' like birthday, etc.)

Because I have always come second - or lower down.!!

It sounds a bit negative, doesn´t it? Everybody is for anybody, at least for himself, in any thing number one.

I´ll try to keep contact as your background really fascinated me. I am not as busy as tired and because of lack of brains´ exercises. Although I love my both , sometimes it is difficult to keep cool. Sorry, we had a hard evening, but now they are sleeping.

What about Russian words you know, I guess there are some more like bistro from 'bystro' = quick (Napoleon´s wars heritage), 'sputnik' = attender or 'rubl´' and 'kopeck' = currency denomination (see A.., sorry I have to take a look at my personal space, I´ve forgotten the number).

As for S. Petersburg its my favourite city in Russia and I hope we can visit it next year. This year S. Petersburg is celebrating its 300-years anniversary and as far as I know the 'Russian soul' it is frilly and sweet and kitchig. But next year when the party is finished the city will be back to normality although it will still have some glamour.

You have written that you lived in Africa. It sounds like Mars for me. Are you going to write something about it? Would like to learn something, perhaps more positive, new about the black continent.

Yours sincerely

Anna Banana (Brazilian husband also plays h2g2 under the nickname 'Hell' which is his real nickname, not because of 'hell' but because of Hellriegel, his surname)

Sorry, dear also ran 1, here is the number of the article about money, origins and meanings of the word, where one can also find 'rouble' : A873795.

Yours Anna Banana

Dear Anna, big red fragrant

I shall have this weekend looking at your reference. Perhaps I shall write something about Africa. I loved it. And I feel so at home with the African people. Although I never learnt the language. I did try but was not very good at it.

Kind regards, and hope that your two little s do not keep you up at night. How old are they?
They are small for such a short time. Enjoy them. Do they speak Russian and Spanish? And German I wonder?

Very kind regards.

AR1

I shall have to think about it being negative. Perhaps it is although I always feel that I am a positive person and generally look on the bright side of most things.

Dear Also ran 1, a new for you,

our are: Katarina, female, born on 30.10.2000, speaks three languages (Russian - mothertongue, Portuguese - fathertongue, German - lingua franca of the family and everybody) and invented her own one, in which she is fluent and we are trying to learn. Pavel, male, born on 29.01.2002, speaks 'mamama' or 'blablabla', which language it should be we don´t know yet.

Do you have children? Are they also in Britain? Perhaps they participate in h2g2, too.

I would be glad to read something about Africa. Where did you live there?

Now I have to ask the community a very important question for me, after I have learned that a writer I like and respect very much, Mihail Bulgakov, was quite antisemitic: "How to deal with artists who are antisemitic or xenophobic or racists? Does that have an impact on their work?" Now I am thinking about my attitude to his work. Was it better before I knew he was antisemitic or shouldn´t that affect it?

I would like to know your opinion, please.

Yours Anna Banana