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

(the more silence the better )

*enjoys the silence*

do you take requests?

in that case i would love to hear van morrisons 'hymns to the silence'

*s absolutely silently*

For you, Titania, something to bring the trying times to a close.


Silence
So massive
So compact
So intense

That it sets my ears
Ringing with emptiness

That it sets my head
Aching with hollowness

Impossible absurdity
Unreachable goal

And yet, I dream of it
I long for it
I yearn for it

To no avail
My wish (fails)[prevails]

Times without number
Disturbed from my slumber

Sounds and voices
Making choices
To block it out
Or simply shout

For silence golden
Yet not beholden
It always slips away
With light of day

I seek relief from constant noise
My sanity stands on the brink, poised
To rush headlong for a cure
Whether snake oil sham or pure

My days grow long
Even shadows seem wrong
Twist in the gloom
Of my solitary room

The candle set beside my bed
Scarcely calms my dread
So I turn a thousand pages
Sifting the words of the sages

Then comes a still, small voice
Reminds me I have a choice
To shrink in fear of the night
Or decide to stand upright

I try to heed what I’d heard
Found passages in God’s word
For a sure footing, to get a start
At finding a way to heal my heart

Amidst the stories, I found release
A comfort and an inner peace
The words soothed like a balm
And finally brought me calm

It’s night now, and time to rest
With confidence I put to test
The knowledge I have found
To disregard odd sounds

I settle in my warm soft bed
Nestled ‘gainst the pillow with my head
Slowly sliding into sleep
Delight in dreams so deep


Hope this helps, though it's late, so late in coming to the thread.

B4icuddleupwithmyblanky&breatheadeepsighofrelief

*silently claps her hands *

How have you been, Ti? And Ripley; how's the rebellious Unau?

I'm making my way back into the Forums, now I've got dial-up service at home. Bleh! Sooooo sssllooooowww... But it has to suffice, or I just don't get on the net.

Um, I take it from the 'one hand clapping' routine above, you thought the additional verses rounded out what you'd already written and ended it on a positive note. How's going in real life in the sound hyper-sensitivity and sleep deprivation department? Get that all sorted out?

Do post back.

B4youhearthenextpinfall2thefloor

When I was on a dial-up, I found that using Opera as browser and Plain as the h2g2 skin, things would speed up considerably.

Sleep: I got myself an axBo clock
<./>F45492?thread=5037387&latest=1</.>

...and that has improved my sleep quality quite a lot.

Great to have you back, B4!

Tell me, was the Meet well-met?
I'm a little out of touch, as I've been desporting myself (painful) in darkest E. Anglia, where the sun rarely shines and the Mistral blows, but this time all was S&L, and I could have grown a tan, if I'd that sort of skin.
Not sleeping ranks with runny egg-white among Things Likely To Cause a Human Disaster. I suspect that many wars resulted from the syndrome. I keep a notebook and pencil beside the bed, and write down anything which might be keeping me awake. It's quite fun to endeavour to read it in the morning.

PS: I've got a red snake under 'desporting' Should I have spelt it with an 'i'? I could always go and look for a dictionary...or even right-click...but you're nearer. Shamed into RCing. Right. It's an 'i'. Not a word I use habitually. Must be showing off. Mother would be cross.
LadyDig
'venerable' as per one of the definitions in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

I think there were 18 registered researchers and someone's partner who wasn't - so not a very big meet-up. It was, however, Thatprat's first one - ah, how well I remember that feeling of insecurity and uncertainty, wondering what kind of weirdos I'd be meeting up with... until I realised I'm one of the weirdos!

Photos by Galaxy Babe:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/galaxybabe/SpringMeet2008

Photos by Gnomon:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eoinmcauley/sets/72157604767566781/

Lots of and were exchanged, lots of interesting/silly conversations, and - as I remarked - an apparently dynamic group since everyone kept shifting places, obviously feeling pretty comfortable with each other - and even the tables kept shifting places!

I know, I know - I need to upload my own pics...

They're great. Hurry up and do yours, then!! I liked the captions, though. I need to put names to faces! It looked as if everything went well - don't suppose you'll be going to Hull.....?

And now, I need to know about Thatprat. Sounds a right charmer, she mutters in her almost forgotten vernacular.

LadyDig
'venerable' as per one of the definitions in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary:

It looks as if one day, I'll be able to enjoy complete silence - at what price though, I wonder?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7450321.stm

Oh heck, the Cone of Silence has been around for decades. Unfortunately, they are still working the kinks out.

http://www.wouldyoubelieve.com/cone.html

have you tried something smaller as getting a duvet in the ears is quite a feat
http://earplugstore.stores.yahoo.net/
no advertising intented just showing that there is quite a range

oh ooops

Ti,
Did you ever submit this as a finished product anywhere? If it's okay with you, I'd like to hand off the extended, expanded, expurgated version to as an entry for the New Year's issue. I'll recommend they list you as the 'creator' for the kernel of the poem, and list me as the 'contributor' or the 'finisher' of the piece.
Is that okay with you?

B4thecollaborationfadesintothefardistantpast&nooneevenrememberswhyitwaswritten