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

Welcome to the Atelier! If this is your first visit, I hope you'll have a look at our forum page at A304354. We also have material offsite that gives further backstory, illustrations, and a floor plan; the link is on the forum page. We're a big place, and you might want to get yourself geographically oriented.

The most recent conversation spanned the Christmas and New Year's holidays and was notable for the sheer number of returning or dropping-in Salonistas. During the thread we were happy to see Montana Redhead return (with something more than a Yo). Hard on her heels came Demon Drawer, Rev. Nick, Seth of Rabi, Coniraya, Peripatetic Warrior Monk (once again relegated to a Sandy Place), Ormondroyd, Affy (who sneaked in and right back out), Amy Ant (Amy, let us know you're OK!), Rosemary, Wilma (just back from Lebanon), and B4.

The competition in this conversation to be last to the forum was extremely intense. Candidates vied with each other from all over Hootoo, to slide belatedly into the last beanbag.

Finalists should be aware that the prize for coming in last to the forum is no longer a cattle prod. Several threads ago it was decided by universal acclaim (wherein disagreement was ignored) that the reward for being last to the forum should be this pair of super hairy angora trousers with feet, to be worn by the winner for the first three leds then handed back in for laundering and the next competition.

At post 1739, B4 just beat out Wilma to receive this prestigious award. Congratulations, B4! *Chloe gingerly hands over the freshly washed garment, which may be admired at
http://www.answeringretirementquestions.com/stowaway/lttf.htm *

We would also like to award The Sage Observation Prize to Witty Moniker for this profound observation: "You can't wear flannel pajamas in a bed with flannel sheets. It's impossible to roll over." *Chloe hands over a potted sage plant with a purple ribbon around the terracotta pot*

And then we bestow the Wry Riposte Award to Strangely Strange who, on hearing Santragenius tell the salon that the word of the year is 'Plutoed', quickly responded, "So much better than 'mooned'!" *Chloe gives strangely a sheaf of rye in a hand-made ceramic vase*

The Most Interesting Fact award goes to Agapanthus, who gave us the etymology of 'tabby' during our regular cat discussion (see post 503) *Chloe presents Ag with an Encyclopedia Britannica CD*.

The W.C.Fields Award for Humorous Remark goes to KerrAvon, who said, "I went to midnight mass once. It wasn't my fault. People shouldn't put churches between the pub and home." *Chloe proffers Kerr a small and probably quite useless beer stein of Warshawski crystal*

Finally, we award the Rolling Blackout prize to a server somewhere on this planet for their sterling indifference to the page-refresh problem that has been plaguing all parts of h2g2 since at least the end of November last year. As of this writing, the problem is not resolved, and bbc tech staff apparently feel the problem does not belong to them. It is bemusing to look back over the entire conversation and see how many interesting things were said but not followed up on because of this. *Chloe does not step forward with a prize, being unaware that the award announcement has been posted*



Before we go on to mention the many things that were discussed in the course of the previous conversation, several events are worth of special mention. First: GDZ and the Lady J set a date, February 16 2008. Second: The Dreadfuls bought a home and have established a Dreadful Household. Third: Yet again, LTP posted to #42.

Quizzes
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/C/codex/quiz.html
http://www.stooryduster.co.uk/quiz/quiz05.htm

8AX began by continuing a discussion kelli had started about poetry and song lyrics, and then moved on to many, many other things.
Which vegetable do you think is better canned than fresh
what's in your pantry?
what's the oldest thing in your pantry?


David B escalates to University of Doom, and we try to imagine what course might be offered there.
Witty Moniker moves back into her house and turns her pantry into a costco shrine.
Lil finally sells her property
Brits are seen wrestling with NaNoWriMo. Ag completes her challenge before 1 December.
There is too much talk of wisdom teeth and grisly tales of ad hoc dentistry.
Snow and sleet afflict the planet, at least the parts Salonistas live on.
GDZ gets a job.
Santra globe-trots.
David B learns what a linda button is.
Lil and LTP burst briefly into poetry concerning skins.
Hypatia buys her plane ticket to the spring meet in england.
Youtube links begin to show up in conversation.
Hati gives astrological advice on the saturn retrograde.
Lil mentions sleeve dogs and sets off a discussion of dog size and animal clothing. And over-cossetting.
A tornado hits London.
Lentilla completes a dragon mask:
http://masksbyjen.com/Dragon_side.jpg
http://masksbyjen.com/Dragon_Front.jpg
Kelli has an illness scare that even the Doctor In The House can't ignore. Fortunately it is mostly just that, a scare, and the spud is ok.
GDZ gets child custody.
Lil purchases a standing rib of buffalo and has to have it cut in half.
Christmas comes and goes, right about the halfway point of the conversation. Salonistas shared reports of their food intake and how they spent their holiday.
Rainbow's Tears acquires a tarantula and names it Gladys.
2006 disappears for good.
Bluebird comes and goes.
FG launches a discussion of IKEA and sofas that lingers for several LEDs.
Marv decides to quit his job with the Borg and move back to SLC.
Lentilla wins Outstanding Designer of the Year Award at her company.

MR posed the question, what song was #1 on the charts the day you were born? As the charts only go back to 1952 there was some muttering amongst the most senior salonistas, but matters improved when we then had a look at the #1 song on our 18th birthday. She might have earned an award for the quality of the discussion that ensued, except that she chose to sing "Young Girl" by the Union Gap.

MR wrote six pages of her dissertation.
Z agonizes over membership exams.
Marv actually makes a political speech
Z attempts to explain the new system for British doctor jobs.
Lil uses 'lachrymose' in a sentence.
MR shares a collection of student interpretations of history. (see #1995)

Other topics
"Little pitchers have big ears."
Concerning cars and the lights on the dashboard
aspidistras and monstera deliciosas
just scraping by on US$150K per year - this generated a lengthy and spirited discussion
cell phones -- who has one? What are they good for?
Scottish independence and its effect on the Union Jack
Stuff and how to cull it



I hope you've been keeping your achilles tendons limber through all this oratory, because the bots have long since finished cleaning up the salon and getting fresh coffee and tea set out. Matina has made mbougatses for us, and there's a nice fire burning in the hearth, where the unaus loll happily on the rug.

Please make yourselves at home!

*waves*

az

Bagsie the comfiest chair.

Oh yes I must have.

hmph

Post 5?

Cheers for the glass - would some friendly bot like to fill it? It's just about beer time for me .

Yay, first page!

I'm here coz I'm stalking Azhar

*Matina brings azahar an Irish coffee in a FTTF mug*

Strewth guv, I won my first award!
.
Thanks Lil!

I've never made it onto the first page before!

Excellent ... what's the word ... scribing, that's it.

Mol

*Stomps into new thread.*

I've just spent the last 90 minutes arguing with a certain router manufacturer trying to get the RMA number promised to us 2 weeks ago.

*Takes deep breath, gets and goes back to read the thread introduction.*

*Accepts her Encyclopaedia with a polite and very elegant curtsey*

I have another ANNOUNCEMENT. I have no idea whether I mentioned, in the past few weeks, that I was applying to Library School to do a Masters in Glaring and Cataloguing With Shushing Action. I may have done and then the refresh-refusal may have eaten it. And then again I may not have done, as I tend to go very silent and hermitty when stressed and nail-bitey. (My memory's a bit fertwizzled today, what with the almighty headache I had last night, the advanced lack of sleep, and all the drugs I took to make it go away).

Anyway, I applied to library school back in November. I got offered an interview near the beginning of January. I was actually interviewed on Friday.

And I have just this very afternoon been offered a place.

May I share this bottle of with the Salonistas?

*Having calmed down, WM graciously accepts the sage plant from Chloe.*

Lovely plant, I'll keep it in my pantry.

Yes AG, you mentioned it. Congratulations! I knew you would be offered a place.

*Gets all worked up again.*

My conversations pop up is messed up and says there is -1 new post in this thread! Also, that the latest post is 18 minutes old!

Hey, WOW! What a change of pace. I actually made it to the first page! Is that a record for me, or something?

B4themugispresented

Congratulations to azahar for garnering the FTTF Mug, the Sage Observation Prize to Witty Moniker, the Wry Riposte Award to Strangely Strange, the Most Interesting Fact award to Agapanthus, the W.C.Fields Award for Humorous Remark goes to KerrAvon, the Rolling Blackout prize to (Oh! Don’t make me say it!). As for the LTTF Award of the super hairy angora trousers with feet…well…Wilma, all I can say is:
“Better thee than me.”

When I initially read through the update of last convo, I thought this

what's in your pantry?
what's the oldest thing in your pantry?

was a bit odd set of questions, but then I realized I’d dropped an ‘r’ out of the word. I personally feel the questions, phrased the way my mind saw them, would have generated even more outlandish discussion. …It might still…

Oh, and Agapanthus, congratulations on being accepted to library school. [aside] Could you slip me one of those library cards? Mine seems to be expired.

B4itakesomethingoutonloanwithouttheproperpaperwork

I didn't realize I started the never-ending IKEA discussion.

s in to make it onto the first page