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

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Towel Day: A Tribute to Douglas Adams


D. Clyde Williamson
Monday, May 14, 2001

Friday morning I went to breakfast at Big Boy's (mmmm, Breakfast Bar); oddly enough, we sat in booth "42" and had a good laugh about it being the answer to "Life, The Universe and Everything". Later that day, headlines flashed the news that Douglas Adams, creator of the longest trilogy in history, had died. I was stunned; it was remnicient of the loss I felt when Jim Henson died.
Douglas Adams will be missed by his fans worldwide. So that all his fans everywhere can pay tribute to this genius, I propose that two weeks after his passing (May 25, 2001) be marked as "Towel Day". All Douglas Adams fans are encouraged to carry a towel with them for the day.

Make sure that the towel is conspicous- use it as a talking point to encourage those who have never read the Hitchhiker's Guide to go pick up a copy. Wrap it around your head, use it as a weapon, soak it in nutrients- whatever you want!

Most minds in the universe are constrained to the laws of Physics, let us remember those that broke the laws, and got away with it.

So long Douglas, and thanks for all the fish!

I will be faithfully carrying a Towel with me on the 25, I promise.

And as for your comment on Jim Henson, I know how you feel. I cried when that gentle, creative genius was taken from us too. He, like DA, was a pioneer in his field and only wanted to make people smile and think about things...

Maybe now Jim's working on the perfect Beetlebrox head somewhere in that great cosmic Creatue Shop...

Con-Con

The previous post was reposted from another website.
Someone here posted that we should have Towel Day on his birthday, March 11th, to celebrate his ~life~. I agree. However, a lot of people want to express, in some very tangible way, their feelings ~now~, hence my support for the 25th. I suggest a special observance on the 25th, and a recurring observance on his birthday. I hope others will do the same.

GypsyJen

Small flannel like towels should also not be forgotton, it is the fault of none that towels used to such lengths reduce in size to small towelettes ... they should not be left to float without purpose.

It could be said that DNA has reached ultimate improbabilityness for he is now everywhere at all times ... I always wondered what would happen if two Hearts of Gold were comissioned.

I agree with the sentiments stated above, another great loss. It is times such as this when I regret the lack of a television. My sympathy goes to all who were close to him.

There was once a monk who believed the world was pink, this is what he was created to do, so he did it well ... he was very good at his job .....

I hereby declare my intention to carry with me a towel, where-ever I may go on May 25th, and from here on every March 11th, to celebrate the life of Douglas Adams. I shall endure whatever people may say about this act, because Douglas Adams is the author of the modern day Bible, and thus can be referred to as God.

Athon Solo

may 25 it is. i will bring a towel and urge my friends to do the same, as well as on his b-day every year, even though it will feel somewhat strange to walk around school with a towel...who cares?

Truly, if anyone knew where his towel was, it was Mr. Adams himself.

I will be carrying a small handtowel with me all day on the 25th. Though it might not be large enough to ward off the gaze of a Ravenous Bug-Bladder Beast of Traal, it will be enough to pay homage to such a hoopy frood.

I invite everyone to join us...

Darin in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA

My friend Scott was telling me about this website and the towel thing,during a discussion we were having in the office. I'm all for more of you people to carry a towel; but I cannot understand why you are not already doing so?. I always carry mine,especially if it looks like rain and meteor showers. I have a blue towel with a depiction of a whale upon it. If you see me out there in space, well just say hello. Hope to see you devotees on May 25th.

Yours in friendship
DenzilD
'Go on,be a time traveller'

It is said the that universe is an amazingly huge and confusing place. In fact it is so amazingly massive and utterly confusing that it is very hard to know what is going on in it. And in this place where you can enjoy a meal while watching the universe explode, evolve from a bunch of hair-dressers and telephone cleaners and find 15 mile high statues of yourself throwing a cup of something which is almost but not exactly like tea it is hard to find a hoopy frood who really knows where his towel is. Douglas Adams was one of the hoopiest. And we will always remember him because he was a real universal hitch-hiker, the first. But whenever you get upset about it remember the Guide and those big friendly letters on the cover 'Dont Panic' because as all good men (women, rabbits, ravinous bug blaster beasts from the planet Trall) live on. So save me a seat Milliways, I'm meeting the phophet Zarquon there for a drink and a nice big juicy steak.
Cause live, the universe and everything are complicated. And the answer is 42!!

I swear to carry my biggest, brightest towel (probably the orange and lime green one ) all day everywhere on the 25th and to spread the word for a towel day every march 11 from here on out. It's the least I can do in tribute of the man who's made me laugh louder and harder than any author, commedian, politician, etc.

As once was said, this will be a date that will live on in infamy. The tragic loss of a genius has shaken all of Douglas Adams' fans. I think this would be a fitting tribute to his life and his amazingly funny work. I had funnily just been reading my copy of the full 5 part trilogy when I heard of his passing. This gave me solice in the fact that he will live on in his work.

Anyway, he didn't die, he hitched a lift