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

Welcome to the Atelier, also known as Lil's, or that place where the backlog never stops. If you haven't been here before, please take a moment to read through A304354 and check the offsite link that will take you to backstory and even a floor plan.

We had a new face join us in this thread: welcome to New Salonista Kiltedjedi!

And, in dramatic last minute developments, it looks like we have to find a fatted calf, preferable one made of vegetable substitutes, with which to celebrate the return of Mike A, now the Iron Maiden, pardoned after 3 years of exile. For those of you of more recent vintage, IM is Lil's own cyber-nephew.

And now let's take a moment to offer some awards. First, this Fabergé ink and quill stand goes to Hypatia for her scribing over the last thread, with the grateful thanks of your hostess. And this gold-plated log goes to Caerwynn for her conquest of backlog -- the second such honoree.

Content was a bit lighter in this conversation -- perhaps our decision to remove discussion of US electoral politics to another room had something to do with it, but we spent much of this conversation basically sharing personal news, as is our wont. Still, there were some topics of note, listed by Hypatia as follows --

Dreams
Relationships – How do you know when one is over? - amicable divorce - being single – falling in love – not fitting in
Library cats
Throwing books away – pros and cons
Interlibrary Loan
Historical preservation of public buildings
Aggressive children and how to deal with them
Facial hair
Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ and the Academy Awards
AIDS – birth control – condoms and the Catholic Church – pedophile priests
Hat sizes
Does the US disregard the past?
Phillip K. Dick
The “general crisis” [ed. what was that? I don't remember. Were we discussing generals?]
Is working the night shift hazardous to your health?
Hormones

We also indulged in quizzes. When have we not? Hypatia records that we participated in these quizzes, brought to us by alert salonistas:
How good is your maths? Which led to discussions of singular and plural words – math vs. maths; science vs. sciences, etc. – and to talk of cats with 3 tails, horses with infinite legs, and women of ill repute. Affy told us a joke.

A reaction test to test our reflexes

How well read are you?

Quizzes always lead to lists (except when they occasionally don't:
Favorite movies
Books we reread
Favorite brands of beer

And then Hypatia seems to have introduced a Sport category, under which she filed that water-gun fight that dave started and CLI Security finished.

New words: Googol

Hati, FG and Munchkin had birthdays.

And then other conversational events were noted, such as:
We lamented the dearth of pub quizzes
We were treated to a list of Stephen Moore hits on Google
Marv got new glasses, new shoes, but did not become rich gambling
Several Salonistas have been having problems getting enough sleep
Caer put Cassie on a diet and Cassie immediately compensated by catching a mouse and presenting it to Caer to cook for her dinner
Sol and Amy returned after absences; Jr and B4 wandered through
Z had trouble buying trousers
MR finished a research paper
Ben found a poem she doesn’t remember writing
Gw7en is learning how to speak Gaelic
Egon was injured when he tripped over his shoe
Several Salonistas had dental/mouth problems – Lil broke a bridge; Hypatia got new fillings; Sporky had a canker sore; Hati and LTP had toothache; and Dave’s teeth hurt when he eats sweets.


And so -- it had to happen, we arrive at Conversation 69X. Find somewhere comfortable, get yourself a drink or some Greek pastry, and join the conversation.

* flits in and out, failing to leave a calling card *

I did it! I did it!

*The music from "Chariots Of Fire" begins playing, as Affy slowly runs in. The music continues as he jumps up and down in anger, frustration and rage*

Congrats Amy! And well done, Hyp!

*Matina come in bearing two mugs! One is a gold thimble with handles with the letters FTTF inscribed on the side, containing Irish coffee, which she hands to Amy. The other mug is yellow ceramic, it has the letters AFTTF printed on the side, and it contains real phlog: she hands it to Affi*


Looks like Matina has instituted a new prize. Affi, you got an Almost-First-to-the-Forum mug. I guess she didn't count spelugx because he's been absent so long and only left a card.

*admires the gold thimble*

It's so beautiful . I didn't think I'd ever get one - and I nearly didn't because I clicked on the unsubcribe link instead of the reply link and it was only some fast work with the Back button that saved me.

*drinks the Irish Coffee*

*Enters the new thread carefully stepping over the pile-up of racers in a very dignified manner.*

I was buried in the blog, I never had a chance.

Thanks for the thought Matina. But I appreciate the phlog more.

*Accepts*

I've still got time though. I believe the oath I made in the last forum gives me until the end of the decade, so I've still got time. Nice going, Amy.

*Pondering*

Hmmmm.....Say, Lil, could I bring my time machine up here? No particular reason, you know.

Ah, tradition. Shouting out a line from Through the Looking Glass and then flattening myself against a wall as the salonistas gallop past... And now, an AFTTF mug for people's collections.

Hey IM, what happened at the doctor's?

*hands her nephew a Fatted Calf piñata*

(simulpost)

*considers a moment* No, because then we'd have two 69X conversations going side by side. Awfully cumbersome.

A sad note: I just read that they found Spalding Gray's body in the Hudson. So it was suicide.


Note to nephew: If you decide to re-launch the mosh pit, just start a separate thread on this forum. You may notice that other parts of the atelier also have their own threads...

[fg]

Sh*t I didn't know that Spalding Gray was even missing. I guess he's not as well known over this side of the Atlantic, so it was never reported here.

I think I've still got a copy of "Swimming to Cambodia" that I videotaped off of Channel 4 about 10 years ago. I'll see if I can dig it up and have a little reminiscence session.

*Brings in his beanbag, sets it down just inside the door*

I must apologize to Marv for his missing the FTTF. He was picking me up.

Ah, I have a couple of them and a great penstand. I am a happy salonista.

Well, I made it to the first page again.

Did you fall down?

for FG. Love the jokes, though.

And welcome back, Mike.

Triple simulpost! Wow!

Massive multiposts are not as common as they used to be.