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

I came across Mark Moxon's page the other day and read an entry where he emphasized the fact that the editors weren't on h2g2 because it was their hobby, but rather, they were on it because it was their profession; This was how they made a living!

The generic traveler that reads this will probably respond by saying something along the lines of, "Well, obviously. Either you're really dumb or your bowler hat is getting smaller and cutting off the circulation to your head." The latter is the truth, but that's not the point.

The point is that, until now, I had never really taken this site all too seriously in the sense that I felt I had all the time in the world to do everything and no one would give a damn since the site was nothing more than a hobby for them as well.

h2g2 is a business. A very fun and hoopy business, but a business nevertheless.

So now that I've made that revelation, I can't help but look back and see how my downright laziness has done nothing for the guide, meaning that it has stunted its growth, and most probably has put the editors in an awkward position at one point or another.

That being said, I have decided to return to the sort of work-like mentality I had when I first encountered h2g2, finding immense joy in writing entries, and bragging to all of my friends that I was a researcher for the Earth Edition of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

There is also a ridiculously overdue University project on Rene Magritte that there is no reason I shouldn't finish right now, and, since I have become a Scout, there is no reason why I should only scout one entry instead of the standard three.

I honestly don't know how much this means to you, but it really means a lot to me as I would like to apologize for that afore mentioned laziness. It has made me nothing more than a fool in all of your eyes, rightfully so, but if I have potential to do great things for this guide (and what better conditions could anyone ask for; great co-researchers, working from home, hoopy bosses), and I do, there is no reason why I shouldn't apply myself. Therefore, from now on, mark my word, I shall.

Those are noble and honourable words, Yossarian, and I appreciate them fully.

To be perfectly honest, we're nearly *all* in this because we want to be - we would find alternative employment otherwise - so the line between 'job' and 'hobby' is not very distinct for some of us. I was once a Researcher and Sub (called beeline) when this site started up nearly 3 years ago - it was my hobby, but I wanted to do it full-time (which I do now), so the one lead very much into the other, bringing along with it all the same reasons for wanting to be involved. Being paid for it was almost completely circumstantial, really.

Having said that, we couldn't be more grateful for the work that our Volunteers do, and that includes the Researchers, Scouts, Subs, Gurus and Aces - they all give freely of their time, for no other reason than to make a difference - to make something better, like you say.

Your work as a Scout already puts you way up there, so I wouldn't have any worries about not 'pulling your weight': you're already doing more than we could expect from anyone. Anything extra you do - University Projects included - is icing on the cake.