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

to say hello MM. I 'm sorry you've had such a hard year...I've been here a year and we must have missed each other. I hope things get better for you I've been suffering from overwork so have decided to give it up.sell my house and just move and hope something turns up before the money runs out!

Hey Tabitca! Sounds like you are in the same world I am in. Sometimes I just want to shed all my possessions (except guitar and cat) and run, run, run! I have to decide if I want to wait around here to see what happens to Mom, or ditch out and run. I have a small trust coming when she dies which will enable me to run, but not too far for too long. Long and far enough to get a total change of scenery and put down new roots.

You probably missed me during the last year because I had to dedicate all my time to Mom and 150 students: I simply did not have the time to visit h2g2. Now I am underemployed and have lots of time, and am making many new friends at h2g2. Everyone here has been a lot of help. So glad to have met you Keeper of tatty fleabags. My Tigger has never has an "accident" or in 7 years ever hissed or growled. He is gentle and kind and loves people but does not get enough company. I have often thought about getting another cat. Not now though, not when I might run, run, run. I'll stop by your page soon Tabitca. Thanks for the visit! MM aka MJM

I look after 9000 students and teach on top of my counselling work.....I think we are in the same business...after 13 years I've had enough....I have two cats at the mo....Oedipus(adopted so He da puss that lives here now...sorry very bad joke) and Baggins.I take in cats at variuos times and find them homes. I've homed two this year both very well and very happy and delighted owners..so thats my good deed for the year!
I hope you find some peace, we live in a hectic world these days.

Oh Lord, you are in education. What age group? 9,000?!? Sounds like a small University or a very large public school. I have been doinging it for 22 years but I love it. Since I teach only part time University level I have no administrative duties, or any ancillary duties. I can choose my own textbook and teach my courses (history--World and US) in any fashion I wish. Sadly, my lack of PhD or any major publications means I cannot teach fulltime in a University setting. I am looking around at small Colleges (Colleges do not offer advanced degrees so one does not need a PhD) for fulltime but am not too optimistic. I might become a campus Public Safety Officer for the health insurance benefits alone. I will still teach howerer; its in my blood.

In the 27 years I have lived alone I have always had a cat, but only one at a time. My first was a stray who had clearly lost her home and quickly won my heart. I named her Maya (hindi for illusion). Maya came to a sad end when a dog (or car) got to her throat. She purred and nuzzzled me alway to the doctors office where she was mercifully laid to rest.

Next cat was Kulak but became Haiku (Hi Ku! corny, corny). My favorate. I adopted her as a kitten from a farm overrun by cats. Ku was allowed to become a indoor/outdoor cat, a special door fixed in the window so she could come and go as she wished. She had 100% freedom. I allowed her to experience motherhood (who can deny that to any female? I arranged homes for the kittens) because I felt it would make her life fuller. I am very glad I did. Wonderful kittens. I dearly wish I had kept one, as you will see. Ku was Queen of the roost which covered almost 1/2 acre for 12 years until she began to slow down. At 14 years I found a lump on her jaw: bone cancer. I had to put her to sleep. I weep still. I have no photo so her spirit is free.

Next cat too painful to talk much about. Someone dumped a sick bueatiful siamese in the park. $250 later I discovered why. She had a terminal illness. The very nerve of some scum, ditching a sick 'cause they didn't want to pay the euthenasia fee. Scum.

Tigger, the love of my life, is my first male cat. He is a red royal tabby. He was 6 months when a young lady who didn't really want him asked me to babysit over christmes. The young lady never returned for Tigger. I have had him now 7 years. I have never heard him hiss or growl. My only regret is the young lady had his front claws removed; so cruel! Tigger is an "it", little boy cats are different than lady cats. Boy cats tend to wander, get into vicious fights, and produce many more pregnant lady cats, thus kittens, than the present world can handle. He is a homeboy. I love him. He needs more company and I have considered getting another cat. Hmmm...Maybe.

My sister long ago had two cats named Phaedra and Media: they became Fay and Dee. So He da puss is not so bad a joke. I live in a rather urban setting and rarely have a chance to do the good deed of homing a stray. A very close friend of mine co-operate at times rounding up strays and trying to find homes for them: we do too!

There is peace in this world Keeper, but we must make peace with it. The world is not going to make peace on the terms we want. We must adapt, its the human way. I'll find some peace (not today, exams to write, Mom to visit, lecture to review), in fact I try to reserve at least an hour a day for myself exclusively. Downtime I suppose. But it is a form of peace. 9,000 students! Good Lord you do need peace. Be good to yourself Keeper, no one watches out for you better than your self. Be your best friend, but not to the exclusion of others. Well, time to get on with my long day. Sigh. I'll probably check back tonight. Till then, stay well and strong, MM aka MJM

yes i work in a university..the same one Clive the flying Ostrich and eris the thingite goddess study in. we are meeting for lunch next week. they regularly invade my office...they help keep me sane. what do you teach? i teach sociology and psychology. I don't have a Phd either but i suspect you are in USA..here in england they like you to have one but it's not a must. I have alot of experience having worked in psychiatry before becoming an academic.

oh i forgot to say we are probably a similar age if you have worked in education for 22 years. I had a mini meet with AGB, she's not that far away, it was nice to have someone the same age to talk to. She's a lovely person.

I am so frustrated. For the 2nd time in 2 days my iMac froze up and I lost a big posting. Grrr. I teach World History parts I & II and US History parts I & II. It is a shame I am not allowed to teach my speciality: US Relations with the USSR, and Asian History. Without a PhD or a published book one cannot teach upper level (higher than 1st year) classes at a University. At a college you can because colleges do not offer higher degrees: MA, PhD, etc. I taught at a tiny college for a few years until a faculty member finished thier PhD and discovered a minor in Asian History and assumed all my courses. Grr.

I envy you folks in the UK. The USA is so huge I doubt I'll ever meet an h2g2 member in the flesh. There is an unnamed member who has started an American chapter but I refuse to join or acknowledge. USA has her Star Trek, Star Wars, Starship Troopers, etc; let the UK have h2g2. It has a unique English flavour to it, I wouldn't change a thing. Gives us Yanks a chanch to become cosomopolitian and less self asorbed.

How delightful you met AGB! Yes, I think we are in the same age group. How I would like to meet some of you. Alas I am stuck here until we find out Mom's condition. Dad consoled the terminally ill and taught us never to refer to one as "passing". We die he said. It is the natural conclusion to life. No human has ever returned. So death doesn't scare me. The proces of dying does. But once Mom has died (and she is 80 and has had two major surgeries for ovarian cancer in the last year and we are now being told there may be a tumor) I can pull up roots and run!

Speaking of which, I must run. So much to do today. Promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep. One more "freez-up" on my computer and I either get rid of my iMac or AOHell. So very frustrating to have your words wiped out by a cracky computer/ISP. Meow, Keeper (from Tigger), bye for now. MM aka MJM

morning...hope you had a good day yesterday....

Wonderful day teaching: so very rewarding. I have excellent rapport with my students. Bad night--horrid insomnia: 5:10 am and still no sleep and I have a doctors appointment at 10:30 am. I thought a visit with some friends would relax me and help me get a few hours sleep. Granny Weatherwax often has good remedies. Perhaps I'll check her page. But I am out of milk so no warm milk.

So very kind of you to think of me, thank you Tabitca Keeper!
MJM

Morning Micheal..? hope you have a good day today...

Good, but wasted. I read some of a very good book: David McCullough's "John Adams". Excellent book about one of the USA's founding fathers. However insomnia still a problem. I believe the main cause is my worry about being underemployeed; I need another job. Part time teaching can only pay the bills when I teach summer class. During the rest of the year I need additional income. Sadly, when I do find another job I will probably have little time for h2g2. I intend to make time. I have made too many friends here. I don't want to risk losing them simply because I don't make time for them.

Its almost 4:00 am. Morphius where art thou?

Good night Tabitca. Thanks for the cafe; do we have expresso?
MJM ACE

Of Course...as for worrying...set a time say for Thursday 2pm as your worrying time...then tell yourself you will do all your worrying then...it might work! Something always turns up MM I've found...usually when I'm at my lowest ebb someone offers me more work or something...send out CV's then if someone is off sick they will ring you up..Think positive!

Well, I kind of do the opposite. I worry all the time then set a time to quit; usually about 11:00PM. Since I lost my job however my internal clock is all out of whack. Today I am to call the University to find out if I can work Public Safety and Teach. So for they have said yes and had me in for an interview and said they would ask me back for another. Hope I have the stamina to work 50 hours a week. I need the cash and the health benefits.

6:41AM and no sleep. My internal clock is now completely reversed. It might be for the best because I asked for the 11:00PM to 7:00AM Public Safety shift. I am a die hard optimist, but a very sleepy one and getting a little discouraged. Something will turn up I'm sure.

Thanks for the encouragement Tabitca!

MJM ACE

How are you today MM? well and happy I hope hope the job thing is going well.

Yes, I did finally get more than 5 solid hours of sleep. Only it was from noon to 5:00 PM. *sigh*. Hope I can sleep tonight. If not I have lots to do. I still am teaching one class and have exams to grade. Ah, 9 of May and my life will speed up. Finals to grade and turn in then start summer school 13 May. Little 'turn-around' time. Still looking for that second job; so far no luck . Patience is a vitue but it doesn't feed you. At least Tigger cat has plenty to eat (he says 'Meow' to you). I shouldn't be visiting h2g2; I should be grading exams but I just cannot get motivated. Need some strong .

Thanks for the visit! Please stop in again!

MJM ACE

Hello MM ..just popped in to tell you my news..I've handed in my notice and am leaving work at the end of August and selling my house ...and, running off to scotland. I'm going to find a place to rent and find a less stressful job. Everyone at work thinks I am either crazy or very brave...I just think it is survival!
So how are you doing?

I just lost a large posting due to a freeze-up! The gist was I think you are smart to seek less stress. I am hoping you will stay with h2g2 as so far I am only comfortable with a handful of members. Email and computers con be so dehumanizing.

Large lightening and thunder storm moving in. Love it! Must go watch.

Sorry I took so longto respond, my page is too cluttered with conversations that are old or superfluos.

Kindly do me the favour of staying in touch Tabitca, I have enjoyed our conversations. Tigger says Meow! He is frightened of lightening/thunder storms. I must comfort him as I dash out to my balcony to watch the fireworks!

Oh, still little sleep, but I have used it to my advantage to get little chores done. Bot, oh, for a good night's sleep!

Micheal Jay Mole, Terry

Hello Sorry I've been so long getting back here. they are piling me up with work..in an attempt to get as much out of me as they can before I go.
of course I wil keep in touch...I will be on line in scotland.
I love thunderstorms too... exciting.My littlest cat is afraid of them though...he hides under the bed.
You can always e mail me: [email protected] and i'm on MSN ..I don't know if you get that where you are ..it means you can instantly talk to each other. have to go..take care of yourself