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

We've all been so busy and with so much to say that I let the last conversation wander on far too long -- but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Welcome to the Atelier, epicenter of art and cultcha and good conversation, not to mention good manners. In addition to the introductory blurb on the atelier page, do, if you get a moment, get your bearings by looking at the floor plan at http://www.asterlil.com/h2g2/atelierhome.htm -- and take note of CLI while you're at it. They're my landlords, and the source not only of amazing technological breakthroughs like the maidbots, but of strange noises downstairs.

We have three new visitors only just becoming consternated by the rate of backlog: namely, in no particular order, Yossarian Prefect, Mr. Inertia and Tabitca. Missing at this time is Lizzy. Away on a mission in some interesting country that your own government would rather you didn't visit is Peripatetic Warrior Monk. We'll likely be hearing more from Professor Tonks now that he has a fortnight's holiday from college, and I notice that Uncle Heavy has suddenly reappeared, probably for the same reason.

There was an excellent Southwestern US Meet which your hostess was unfortunately unable to attend. Have pictures been posted yet, guys?

The atelier has adopted Douglas Adams's Last Chance to See as its first book to discuss (in a separate thread on this page) because we were talking about ecology and animal rights. Since then the conversation has moved on to antipodean vintages, construction toys and the value of philosophy as a degree subject, about which latter subject I shall rant presently. But don'y feel too constrained as to subject matter; no such constraint binds any other regular.

So please come in, have a seat on one of the red velvet sofas... and if you must smoke, please use one of the virtual patio bubbles or make use of the terrace. The weather is improving and we may start sitting outside ourselves.

Am I first?

*Matina brings Titania some champagne in a First-to-the-Forum *

Thank you Matina!

And yes, as I was just saying, I thing I have some very evil-minded species of borrowing bogles in my flat...<./>A206759</.>

Ah, missed again to that wiley Ti.

Well, I think that the tide has at last turned here in MarvsWorkLand. With the ten new hires we have and perhaps a few less cases coming in, I actually have time to work on my cases properly and still have time to read the atelier.


Oh on a personal note, I got my new eyeglasses today. I still do not know if I like them. I just liked them more than everything else I could find.

One of these days I'm going to get one of those mugs!

Having the read article, T, all I can say is my house is infested with every single one of those little blighters.

Off to bed now to read some of Last Chance to See.

"Bogle"?

On philosophy as a degree subject, ahem...

No! It ain't the least bit easy! It's the one department in university where you CAN'T get away with woolly tutorial papers or sonorous woffle. When I entered university at Birmingham, I was taking Combined Honours, English and Philosophy; in the second semester I switched over to Philosophy Honours because I so respected the rigor with which my contributions were dissected. Sentence by sentence, and woe to me if I were repetitive, circular, vague or inconsistent? It was demanding and exhausting, and I still remember the words of praise I got for my first decent tutorial paper.

It's harder to define what you can do with it. I was able to go on to programming. I know that it did wonders for my thinking processes, and that clear thinking is a good thing to have under any circumstance.

Philosophy as practised academically has to be distinguished from the ruminations that take place in pubs and such (unless the participants have just come away from doing professional philosophy, for lack of a better term). About all the two things have in common is abstraction.

I don't necessarily agree with the things that are being done in philosophy departments, academically, and I don't mean to foster a sense of elitism. Anybody can do philosophy, but you need to know the rules, and the rules have to do with extreme rigor in use of language, to a degree that the layman may find amusing. I think Uncle Heavy's choice of university subjects is downright jesuitical, by which I mean, very interesting and probably demanding...

Which college are you hoping to go to, Uncle Heavy? I was at Brasenose College myself. Of course, that was at least a couple of years ago .

[WM]

A question: why haven't we heard more about the Denver meetup? No interesting inside stories, no scrumptious dinners, no tours of the underbelly of Colorado nightlife, no mention of anyone putting Marv's underpants in the freezer.

Frankly, my ears are ringing with the sounds of silence.

...and no mention if Marv was wearing said underpants and if he was, did he have goose bumps?

*Affy enters the new conversation, grins broadly, and hits the seldom-reffered-to-sign. When the dust clears, it can be seen to now read "162 down, 18 to go"*

All it took were about two weeks of hard work, and I've finally managed to get a new emblem! Yay!

And finally, spring vacation starts. I still feel like this past winter has been a tad dissapointing. Not enough snow.

How can you make replicas of Calvin's snowmen without snow?

You can be sure, Affi, when the countdown gets to zero there will be more than a passing mention!

Marv, I saw you log on while I was talking to Mike, but you were gone again before I could acknowledge your hail on IM. Sorry 'bout that.

And were the goosebumps spiralling clockwise or counterclockwise?

*comes limping into the new conversation, bearing most of his weight on a cane he has recently adopted*

Why'd you have to kick my other leg. You'd think giving me a charlie horse on one leg would be enough. Now both of my legs will be black and blued for weeks

*stumbles out into the kitchen for some ice*

Pretends to be sagelogious

/i/ did not put marv's underpants in the freezer, though i cannot speak for anyone else at the meet.

we DID have some fabulous dinners. Gw7en even cooked curry for us, which was quite an experience for me.

okay, here, i'll share some inside jokes:

ask Jedi Jade about a car door.
NEVER EVER see Brigadoon at Thornton High.
anwaith reminds me of silent bob, but slightly louder.
everything in denver is closed.
the people at the store in denver tried to card me for a soda (clarification: they asked to see my ID, thinking i was buying beer).
firefly (aka ross) is a pyromaniac.
there is a lovely little pub in denver that has a map of england on the wall, and all the english people put pins in the map representing where they live. it's been well-frequented...

anyone else care to contribute?

Sure,

My underpants stayed out of the freezer all weekend.
I really really like Pint's Pub (the aforementioned bar) and their Dark Star Ale.
Ross is indeed a pyro, Denver is indeed closed, and Anwaith does look like Kevin Smith.
JJ is as energetic in person as she is online.
No more for now. I just got back from the bar and I need sleep. Early start tomorrow.

I have asked for an explanation of the car door thing and received no reply.

What was set on fire? And why? And what happened next?

Frozen grundies? Sounds like a good way of taming student's bagfulls of dirty washing before opening!

Lil, the inability to waffle was No1 son's main gripe about Philosophy, as creative writing is his forté he felt he was being repressed!

H has passed through the tollbooths on the New Severn Crossing to collect the above, he says he wants to bring as much stuff home as possible, so no room for me in the car. Never mind, I shall do some baking and possibly just a teeny weeny bit of Pool of Radiance.

Well done Affy, shall we party when you finish?