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

I would just like to say hello, since your my closest h2g2 neigbour number wise!

Hello! Nice of you to drop in.

Do you want to borrow a cup of sugar or anything?

Interesting quest for neighbours. Nice to come across you there.

Are you doing another nude calendar?

Your calculation of 42 is very neat; mine involves a sidestep. However you might like to put in the symbol for "plus-or-minus" which is

±

rather than +/- because the / sign if taken as "divided by" would give you not 42 but infinity. Or you might not.

Oh thank you most arithmetically!

I see you've found your way to the nude calendar shoot

Ah yes. What poem is that you want voted for? Nothing Vogon I hope.

h2g2 Christmas poem contest in The Post.

It's a T S Elliott inspired bit of doggrel (my favourite style!)called The Nativity Play, which I wrote after creasing with laughter at my kids' school production this year.

Nice poem! Strangely reminiscent of "Love Actually" which I went to see with wife and sister-in-law last night. Awwwww.

Sorry, I couldn't in all conscience vote for it. I have a rule never to vote for a poem with the word "o'er" in it. Too, how can I say this politely, no way, I'm afraid, I'll just say it very quietly , in brackets:

(vogon)

I suppose that gets me right off the calendar shoot. Too bad.

I had to vote for Max head room's "Sinterklaas". Strangely exotic, visual, nostalgic, wryly sentimental . . . and no o'ers anywhere.

Well "o'er"s quite useful when you're trying to make something scan.....but you're right, it is twee.

Ah, it's just to me, o'er is sort of Pete and Dud if you know what I mean.

mmm...it's hard to convey the right sense of irony on the printed page...er...screen...

O'ers are very welcome in Grimley Moer -- have you had a go? F19585?thread=283765

You certainly can do the doggerel style, your talents wold be appreciated there . . . there's a hiatus in the ""plot"" at the moment.

Loved the poem Luckystar . If you want to know, the Sinterklaas poem is a translation of a traditional dutch Sinterklaas song:

Zie ginds komt de stoomboot uit Spanje weer aan.
Hij brengt ons Sint Nicolaas,
Ik zie hem al staan.
Hoe huppelt zijn paardje het dek op en neer,
Hoe waaien de wimpels al heen en al weer.

We used to always sing it for Sinterklaas .

Wotchit

Oh and I meant to mention I saw you at the concert today, but was busy heading upstairs to pack up so I couldn't stop and say hello.

Well! I was about to withdraw my vote for Sinterklaas, but I just remembered that Seamus Heaney won a literary award for his translation of Beowulf. A bit rotten all the same not to confess that it's a translation: that's where he got the exotic colouring, the antique weirdness, the lively imagery and all the things I raved about. Lucky Star, you was robbed (of my vote at least).

Thank you thank you!

Wotchit you were simply splendid at the concert I did give you a little as you passed.

Do you get SinterKlaas pressies AND Father Christmas ones then?

Yes we get both . But normally for Sinterklaas it's just sweets and a dutch book (nice dutch sweets mind).

I'm guessing the little is in the choir, poor thing .

The little is in the choir - t'other one was back home landing an airbus

I do always cry on hearing Christmas Carols - that Noel Nowella one was new to me - it was gorgeous.

I did think I saw you holding a hanky . The Noel Nouvelette is a french carol. Our conductor arranged it, very nice.