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

Analysing for Vsapphire1, MissV, Freya, Eeyore19, Queen of the Psychiatric Ward, Carmenis Avis ... here's a person whose many interests are revealed by her/his (I take nothing for granted!) many names -- at one glance we see references to: Norse myths, Pooh and music/opera/latin, psychiatry and -- just by association -- the web!

However, the h2g2 nick is one that caught my attention even before this user very kindly offered her/his handles so I'll look at that one first. I remember thinking, when I saw this name, that only a particularly sane person would claim to be the Queen of the PW. My impression of PW's is that many inmates would claim to be the Queen of Sheba more willingly than Queen of their own ward, because ... that's their problem, isn't it? They're NOT connecting with reality. So the QotPW, appearances to the contrary, is surely compos-to-the-max mentis, but perhaps reigns over a brood of slightly addled beings? Can't say. It might be an entirely ironic choice. But it suggests an interest in sanity.

Whether that's Freya Stark or Freya the Norse Goddess(have I got this wrong? I had the idea that Freya or Friya were names for a Norse goddess but my encyclopaedia doesn't confirm it), sapphire the gemstone or a reference to Sappho, I can't say for sure -- but there's surely a celebration of the feminine dimension? It's interesting that there's a "Miss" as well as a "Queen" -- the first suggests the primness of a young female who has yet to explore her reproductory power and the other suggests the Supreme Matron, bedecked and jewelled, resplendent in her power. I can't say if it means that the user has actually made a transition from one state to the other, but offering both names for analysis suggests a recognition and perhaps even an embracing of the transformations of a female life.

Eeyore -- who is of course a rather melancholy entity in Pooh's world, so perhaps QotPW was a bit sad at the time she/he chose it? But somehow I don't think so -- QotPW comes across as someone with a hearty sense of humour, revealed by the variety of moods in these names and I would be surprised to hear that she/he is habitually melancholic. Not even moody. I would say high-spirited. So maybe Eeyore's name was chosen for some specific reason -- Eeyore sounds a bit like E-O, while 19 could be either S or A-I but ... I don't think so. Maybe she/he just liked that character in Pooh and that's that! The other names don't suggest a person who has the time to waste on being so calculated.

Carmenis Avis ... is that an interest in songs and singing or song birds? And an interest in Latin too? I can't answer those kinds of questions, but the sense I get is of a happy nature, an outgoing, multi-talented personality.

Analysing for Captain Al Boy
One of the problems with sanserif type-faces (like the one in which the Forum listings appear) is that it's hard to tell the difference between a capital "I", a lowercase "L" and the number "1" -- all of which should look, once I've copied this from my desktop into the Forum (what? you thought that I actually do this extempore, on-line, no pauses to stop and edit? Uh-uh, no. I labour over them for days, off-line and in Notepad before transferring them here), exactly the same.

Even in a serif face, it's not possible to know whether this user is "A-One Boy" or "AL Boy" ...

"Captain" (Oh Captain, My Captain!), whatever the actual reason for using it here is for me wedded forever to the idea of a sea captain -- and in that context, the "Boy" could also be a 'buoy" ... And an A-One buoy at that ... A worthy person, willing and able to remain in place, guiding others in their course across the oceans -- rather ideal for a researcher with the H2 GUIDE to the galaxy??

But the use of capital letters in their typical positions, does suggests a person who doesn't mind following convention. If that's A-One rather than the name Al or the symbol for Aluminium, then it suggests a person who is supremely self confident. "Boy" ... there's something a bit wistful about that word -- associations with "Little Boy Lost" and the terribly ironic "Little Boy" for one of the bombs that found its target in Japan. So I get an impression of singularity, perhaps a bit of loneliness, of being a way-farer, a seeker.

Analysing for Clive the flying ostrich.

-- I have to smile at the outset here -- here's someone who admires the idea of doing the impossible, challenging definitions! A flightless bird that flies ... oddly enough, just about a week ago, I wondered what it would be like if ostriches COULD be made to fly -- and the first response of the person I shared this idea with was "Don't look up!"

"Clive the flying ostrich" sounds like a character in a children's book. Why do I think of Australia? I don't even know if there ARE ostriches in Australia (seems likely, somehow, but I can't say why -- maybe all the wide open space seems a good place for a big bouncy bird like an ostrich).

When a name is so clearly descriptive and when the description is of something earthbound (... there's no air in space, so flight is really of this planet rather than OFF it), I get the feeling that the person behind the name is not hugely into SF and fantasy, though sh/he likes creative literature of the light-hearted, comic sort. There's something very comic about the idea of a flying ostrich! Especially considering the other characteristic of ostriches, their reputation for burying their heads in the sand and refusing to look danger in the eye -- I'm sure the Association for Preserving the Dignity of Ostriches would condemn this image if they could -- it's hard to imagine a more risky venture than putting such a large mass of bird-flesh up in the air.

Well, my advise to you, Clive, is -- pack a parachute before you go up there!

Analysing for Saint Lisa the (co-founding) Freak † (Patron Saint of Unrequited Love)
Psychosomatic Pseudo`Nymph ... phew! A lotta name in there!

It seems to me that a long descriptive name suggests a person who doesn't agonize for years working out The Perfect Moniker -- in fact, a person who doesn't agonize much at all. Maybe there was some unrequited love back there, but I'd like to think that it was just a phase, it passed quickly, and now ... ANOTHER phase has taken over! It may or may not be unrequited. It doesn't sound very saintly. I wouldn't assume from the reference to saints that this person is religious but maybe ... Catholic schooling?

A person who likes to leap in there and get going, working on spontaneous energy -- the brackets suggesting afterthoughts and additions to the initial idea. Likes the sneaky spellings of words which start with "p" but sound like "s" -- enough to use TWO such words in Psychosomatic Pseudo Nymph -- rather likes "p"s in which masquerade as other sounds. I don't know what that means, maybe nothing -- using a lot of names is like putting up a screen, there might be all kinds of interesting things behind that screen -- after all, in the mythic sense a nymph isn't human, in the insect sense, a pre-adult -- so a Pseudo Nymph and that too, a Psychosomatic one ... oooookay! This is a person who likes the sounds of words, but doesn't really commit them to literal usage, doesn't take their meanings tooooo seriously! I get the idea of someone playful and light-hearted, juggling words in the air like multicoloured balls, waiting to come up with something amusing and zany. Just for the heck of it. Maybe a person who is mid-way between one thing and another ...

Analysing for Sporkulious Eglon, Patron Saint of Creative Truths ... either there are a lot of Catholic school students around or ... one Patron Saint begat (rather unusually) another Patron Saint. The PS of Creative Truths is ... a liar? But those who are interested in lies are people who know the difference between lies and truth to begin with -- aha, there's that Catholic schooling showing itself again. So this is a person who may well be a little creative with the truth now and then just for fun, but not without inner pangs and twinges, not without really rather preferring honesty to anything else.

Sporkulious Eglon -- sounds like it belongs deep within the galaxy that spawned the h2g -- I'm afraid I've not read the famous trilogy of five books as closely as I would wish, haven't committed them to memory and recently packed away all my books, so I can't even do a quick check. So I don't know if this is a Famous Name from that dimension, but it certainly sounds like one of 'em, right up there with Zaphod Beeblebrox, Brobostigon and ... oops! Where's my Starship First Class magazine? Well you know which one I mean. Strathi-pumpumpum. Stralonicus. Strathilacious. Stroganoff. Whateva.

Using an h2g2 name-sound-alike ... what CAN it mean??? A fondness for playful, clever literature for sure! If it isn't an existing name then this user likes bending the elements of language in the same way as the creator of this pleasant site we've all happily stumbled across. Likes a bit of latin now and then, likes the funny-pompous style, though is very unlikely to be personally pompous -- surely no pompous person has enough of a sense of humour to choose a funny name. But doesn't reveal very much about her/himself, maintains a reserve in the way that is so easy on the web -- by using a name which is likely a brightly coloured mask.

Analysing for Eomando (Dark Lady of the Sith)
I make the association of Sith with the Star Wars films, on which case, the dark side of the Force. However anyone claiming to be the Dark Lady of the Sith cannot possibly be evil -- maybe I just can't believe that any truly evil person would be drawn to h2g2!! So I figure, using a name which suggests such an association brings to mind a person who likes to flirt with the idea of darkness, without being actually dark. And is fond of the Star Wars films -- considering that I've seen Star Wars (the first film) at least fifteen times I would be inclined to find such a person only normal.

Maybe dark-haired? The graphic image I get is of a tall, hooded figure with eyes like search-lights ... but I can't believe that this user ACTUALLY wanders around looking grim and serious. "Eomando" is a name that suggests a completely different mood -- "Eo" suggests beginnings and dawns, early-rising and -- by extension -- the orient. So a fresh, hopeful name, and because "Eomando" sounds a teeny bit like "Amanda" there's a trace of "love", "beloved" -- a warm, hopeful name quite at odds with the darkness and foreboding of DLotS. Maybe this user likes extremes? Earliest day and darkest night.

Maybe this user would like to be taken seriously and be slightly feared, but then again, not reallyreallyreally. Just in play. I suspect that people who REALLY want to be taken seriously don't fritter their lives away on the web. Which reminds me ... was there something else in life that I was s'posed to be doing?! Someone who uses a title like "Lady" is likely to be a romantic. Possibly enjoys fantasy literature and films, possibly also the chivalry and adventure. Is very likely a warm, kind and caring person.

... oops! I have realized I was wrong about the "1" -- it DOESN'T looking like an "l"! Well, that tells you something about me -- I'm obviuously blind!!

Hm... Quite interesting thoughts, Magnolia...

If you have the time... Would you mind analyzing *my* nick? Although this might be a little on the hard side, as I don't see what you could say about it...

...but I didn't see what you could say about the others, as well, so I suppose you'll think of something...

Thanks...

PP

Dear magnolia,
Like most people here, I am very impressed with your idea. I don't know if there are ostriches in Austrailia, I live on the oposite side of the planet -in England - but I suppose that kind of fits with your idea of admiring the odd and impossible. You were right however, it all started with a "What if..." but more important than that is "how could...". I imagine him being carried along underneath a large jet engine turbine, securly fastened with a large knot. This is not some Gigeresque amalgamation of flesh and machine (and bondage, if that's your thing) just two very unlikely objects doing something unexpected. A flightless bird...flying!
I do like SF and Fantasy - HHGTTG, Discworld and Arthur. C. Clarke are particular favourites of mine but I like other books as well, Catch-22 and on grey days, The far Side helps to pick me up. SF also got me onto reading books by John Gribbin and others on real science and Quantum Physics. I couldn't do it properly to save my life but what a marvellously fascinating idea it is: 'is it a wave or a particle'? 'Is the cat alive in the box or not?' Fascinating.

Clive was a cartoon charcter I used to (and sometimes still do) draw. Clive was always a 'comic' character - bored with the traditonal ostrich fair and envious of his cousin birds, he procured the engine and took off, eager to just Go. Curiously I never imagined him ever coming down - just going on, forever. Clive is the only name I ever use now (except for my real one). It was nice to remember why I thought of him in the first place.

Thank You Magnolia.

Clive

You're right on the nose...
for QotPW, you were correct. I'm a weird character, but hardly insane

Freya being the Norse Goddess of Love and the patron of war. That should add more meaning... Alternate spellings: Freja, Frigga, etc

Sapphire meaning the gemstone, my birthstone. I'm surprised you didn't try to make anything from the V, but it certainly stands for something

I never thought that much about the Miss v. Queen part. I guess part of both definitions are partly correct, but more so for Miss

With Eeyore, you're quite right. I'm melancholy at times, but I'm much more high spirited. I actually chose that because on a message board elsewhere, fridays are lovingly known as Flame Fest Friday. Everyone goes out of their way to flame people, as if they don't usually One of the better flamers got Muppets pictures and put most everyone's name under one, but he forgot me, so I whined to be flamed, and this is what I got
"The other names don't suggest a person who has the time to waste on being so calculated." True true

Carmenis Avis.. That was given to me because I always had to leave when we were in the midst of a conversation to go to church choir practice or something. That, and I love to sing, though I do enjoy bird watching, too, thanks to my parents

"a happy nature, an outgoing, multi-talented personality."
Well... this is at least true in VR

Thanks again for the analysis... Quite enjoyable, I think, and I hope this sheds more light on why I chose these names *smiles*

-Karen (my real name, for once)

Go on then, analyse my name. There's not that much there so it shouldn't be that much trouble

Hm... I think I chose the wrong moment to ask for my name to be analyzed... You seem to have ocerlooked my post...

Well, if you have the time, I'd like you to do it...

Analysing for Paul Prefect
Well ... I incline towards the view that every name, like every person, has something to offer -- though I will NOT pretend that I am equipped to study more than a tiny fraction of names, because I really know just the one language and the range of cultures that I am familiar with is limited to the handful that my life has exposed me to. But okay, I have two immediate reactions, one that this user likes alliteration and the other is that she/he has read the Guide -- I would tend to expect that anyone at this site with a surname of "Prefect" has had some acquaintance with Ford ...

Maybe this user's real name also uses two "p" as initials. I would expect a user who uses the two-name format and the conventional formula for capitalization to be a careful, cautious person -- but then again, someone who uses Ford Prefect's surname -- well, there's a bit of the alien wanderer there too, maybe? Someone who feels her/his sense of being different from the crowd, but doesn't want to hammer it home? A person with a secret life perhaps, though well maintained, discrete and not of trouble to anyone.

I would be concerned though, if this person tried to hand me a towel ...

I get a strong sense of politeness and civility -- but maybe that's because a Prefect, like a school prefect, is expected to be a model of decorum! But it's also because "prefect" is so close to "perfect" that I make a lateral association in my mind, even though there's really no reason to assume it. I get a strong sense of a person who is neatly contained and doesn't give away much, but is a good observer and listener. Not given to flamboyance, is cool in a crisis.

Someone who likes alliteration may like poetry and be fond of using words -- but that's just a wild guess, I don't have enough to go on, to say that. Which is fine, really, because I would rather expect a quiet poetic soul not to want spray verses on the walls of cyberspace. This is not to say that PP really IS quiet and poetic ... merely that she/he APPEARS to be (to me).

As it happens, there are some names (and words) which are linked to colours, in my mind. Paul is one of these: I think of a metallic, but attractive (meaning, not menacing or disturbing), medium blue.

I like this analysis stuff. One can only stare at one's navel for so long - occasionally you just have to show it someone else and ask "Does this look right to you?"

Hello.
Go on then, since this looks like a lot of fun, Please Analyze my name, "MadMunk?¿"
I also have other names: "elwyneth", "thealmight_bob", "LZ", and a name i havn't used for a long time: "notevil". Feel free to analyze any or all of them.........

Hmmm ... a possum ... American or Australian? I incline in the direction of Australian ... can't say why, really. Something to do with time-zones -- but it's easy to be wrong. And meanwhile, the number of Patron Saints is increasing apace! Perhaps I am wrong to see the influence of the Catholic Church wherever they (Patron Saints) appear?

I don't know too much about Australian possums -- but either way, Possums are marsupials -- pouch-born tree-dwellers. And nocturnal (I think!! I'll tell ya, this name-reading is certainly stretching my GK) Maybe this user likes the idea of pouches in general? I was going to say, "likes carrying things around in pouches" but well ... that would make marsupials out of three- quarters of the human race. I think the notion of "playing possum" (meaning, feigning death when faced with a threat) is connected to the American possum, so perhaps there's no associaton here at all ... feels sort of ridiculous to even suggest it.

But "Creatures of the Night" ... well, I like that, frankly. I think creatures of the night don't get half enough attention, merely because most of us are creatures of the day. Maybe this user is different ... of course, most of us who frequent the web ARE different in this sense ... the web is good to cruise when the rest of the household is asleep and distractions are limited to fetching another cup of coffee.

It has to be admitted that my first association with "Patron Saint of Creatures of the Night" was that this patron saint looked out for LADIES who work at night and thought ... and I thought how ... cool! But I am sure this is ridiculous. Would be nice though, if it weren't!

This user pretty much has to have a strong sense of humour -- I get the feeling that she/he has a loud hearty laugh, which is in full evidence just now, reading this ...

... seek and ye shall find, PP ... I'd just got around to posting yours, I guess, when you posted your second message ...

This could be fun...please do an analysis of my nickname ...

*ahem* -- my commitment is to NameReadings alone, I'm afraid -- for NavelReadings, please apply elsewhere ... ! But rest assured Mustapha -- and anyone else whose name appears at this forum -- I will do my best to read for all. In case I need to vanish for a few days, I will say so before vanishing and I will pick up on backlogs (if any develop!) upon my return. If I get bored or tired, I'll say so! And someone else can take my place -- believe me, it takes very little talent to be a NameReader ... as with so much else in life, willingness is all

*thoughtful look*

Hm... Strange...

But... I'm sure I can contradict somewhere... You can't have got *everything* right...

Er...

Ah, yes... *relieved sigh* My real initials aren't PP but PA...

Well... That's about it... How on earth do you do that?