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

Wow.

I don't think I've ever seen those words beside my PS, other than when I've come back from holiday.

A week ago, I had a little pile of stuff to catch up on, and a few weeks to get it finished in. No problem. Some of it was more urgent than others, of course, but if I managed my time well I could get it all done. And for once, I was fairly clever; I worked out a rough schedule, prioritised, made big pots of coffee.

Then, before the smell of coffee had left the kitchen, I started to get other emails. It turned out that other people had been thinking of me and wanted my thoughts on a couple of other projects. 'Just have a look and see what you can think - draft something up if you have time' - the ultimate in distractions.

Then I got a letter saying my first aid was about to expire, went and did a two-day course on Tuesday and Wednesday, and as a result got another bit of great news.

I'm being deliberately vague here, because I hate shouting about stuff that might happen and having to be very coy later on because nothing came of it. There's nothing worse than telling people about the dawn that turned out to be covered in cloud. There are sunbeams around every squall. I'll let you all know if I saw the sun.

The only way I can get to grips with everything that's going on is by ignoring h2g2 as much as I can, which is why I'm not around very much right now. I'm not going to apologise for that, because for once h2g2 is right down my list of priorities. It's been right up there for a few years now; I'm entitled to be selfish for a couple of weeks if it might change my life.

I miss you guys and I'm tired from everything I've been working on, but I'm very happy

Sounds interesting. Good luck with your unspecified developments

So *that's* where you were!

Hope the project, whatever it is, works out

This place is like Hotel California - you can check out but you can never leave

Thank you for getting *that* stuck in my head, Gosho.

Actually, it's the filk version () that's bumping around in there now, but you started it!

Leave? Good grief, that never crossed my mind. Maybe it should

I'll talk about some of the stuff if it actually happens. I'd almost given up chasing it, to be honest, but it's found me.

Nooooo! Don't gooooo!

Go? I hope the won't be necessary? If they are, 2legs can't be far away - so I'd forget about it if I were in your place.

Good luck with whatever's over the new horizon!

I'll be here for a while yet. It's just that I've realised that once in a while I do need to think about moving the stuff that pays forward a bit. I logged in briefly yesterday, then realised that I'd been waiting seven years for a chance like this, and perhaps h2g2 could wait until I couldn't sleep. I've snatched an hour tonight to catch up; tomorrow, I should be back to work for a few days. Life's too important. If I can nail this, I can post in happiness for a long time to come. If not, I may be back to being drunk and grumpy on a regular basis. We'll see which wins, I'm sure.

There's too much stuff, and too many people, here that I love too much to stay away for long. And hopefully I'll have some good news before too long

Stuff that pays? Wozzat?

Pah! Students. I'm nearly 33, you know!

Yurgh. That looks horrible. I'm 32.

Only ten years away from the Answer, then!

I know what you mean, though. I miss the job where I had time to draw comics...

Here's to real life projects, and their success!

And I'm the wrong side of 42, and you are ?



MMF

As long as you always make time to draw comics, you'll be fine, Mal. Don't ever let that become something you 'used' to do - you have a real talent for it.

Here's to being able to keep my head together long enough to give it my best shot

I know where you work, Fiddler, so yes - I'm

I must admit though, if I were paid to hootoo it wouldn't be so much fun anymore

You're quite right, though. I've always said that I'd walk away from the Wild Nights Out camps if I ever began to care more about the pay than I did about the 'magic' of the experience. If that ever becomes a 'job', it's not worth me doing any more.

There's me!

http://www.burlescombe.devon.sch.uk/events/wildnightsout.html

Bottom left-hand corner!