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

Actually, that's *one* reason I'm in two minds about the character-forming approach - there *are* only so many caves to go round.
At the moment, it's pretty much off the cards, given that limestone country == sheep country == Foot and Mouth country (Next time I get underground will probably be Slovenia in July)

This limestone cave exploration business sounds like great roarious fun! Am I overconfident? Dunno, but if I ever do something like that I'll make sure it's with an expert. Slovenia - nice!

By the way I think intelligence is great in a woman! While smart men may often tend to be a******s, I have this idea (maybe I'm wrong, any comments?) that smart women tend to be nicer. For me, there's something else besides sheer brainpower that's also important: wisdom. People who are intelligent are sometimes not wise. As for me, I don't know if I'm very intelligent - my brain works a bit slow, and sometimes I am a bit blind to patterns, but I am persistent and considerate, and I think I use my head rather effectively, at least sometimes. Wouldn't know if I am wise though, but I like to believe that somewhere, somehow, there exists such a thing as wisdom, and that it can be found in at least a few people. At least I hope so.

Sometimes it's great fun when you're doing it (especially original exploration), sometimes it's only fun in retrospect, when you've forgotten the cold, the damp, and the waiting.

Slovenia is definitely great - fine people, good beer, and absolutely loads of wonderful mountains.

Yeah. Sometimes intelligent people think everything can be solved by brainpower alone, and they don't bother listening to the views of others (who may not be as bright as they are but are much wiser).
Wisdom does exist. I've lived long enough to have encountered a few wise people. (Or perhaps I just managed not to notice the ones that were around when I was younger and more self-centred?)It's a humbling experience when you first realise how little you understand.

Pillowcase wrote: "By the way I think intelligence is great in a woman! While smart men may often tend to be a******s, I have this idea (maybe I'm wrong, any comments?) that smart women tend to be nicer."

I agree, although it's a sweeping generalization and therefore "wrong". Whatever. I think this observation (or whatever it is) dovetails nicely with Colonel Sellers' generalization about how women tend to rely more on their feelings and men on their thoughts. Maybe a woman who is really in touch with her thoughts can achieve a sort of balance, whereas a man who is really centered on his thoughts just exaggerates the natural bias and is REALLY imbalanced, thus a real b*****d. [self-censored] Hence (to continue the overgeneralization), smart women are well adjusted, and smart men are sociopaths.

The suggestion implied by this idea is that each of us could improve his/her balance by cultivating what are traditionally the traits of the opposite gender, i.e., the girls should all take math classes and the boys should all be forced to talk about their feelings. "When I see you in that schoolgirl uniform, I feel... vulnerable, yet powerful... Suddenly I've forgotten how to read a map!... Salad sounds good... Hey, there is a point to foreplay!... Do I look fat in this outfit?!?"

GTB

LOL, strangely enough I am feeling fat just now
better have salad for lunch and then go to the gym.

Was going to say something about brain v brawn, but I forgot, sorry.

Many people think that 18 is too late to "form" character, as most of our thought patterns are set by then anyway (for most people), I'm dubious, but not completely dismissive (so lets bring back National Service now I'm too old to take part!) of this as, at least it appears, that the more intelligent people go to University and this can massively shape peoples views and outlook (and even thought processes, hopefully)... Sorry I seem to be talking Genitalia..... So I'll stop.

Potholing sounds great fun - lots of thought involved as well as "brawn" I should think - I did it once (one time in Brecon Beacons) but don't think I could do it anymore... Too many mountains to Ski/Jump off ....

I think it's all to do with assumed risk. I assume that there is a risk I will be killed or injured when I go diving, white water kayaking or climbing. I have to balance that risk against how I feel and a lot of other factors. If it feels good, I'll do it. If not, call the activity - the sea, river or rockface will be there another day.

Indeedy - why I'm still waiting to be able to got Paragliding - can't 'cos of Foot & Mouf.... Oh and the fact that when we land we're fairly likely to SINK 'cos of the weather!!!

I simply don't believe it, it's too good to be true. Istead I shall have to assume you're a woman lurking in the cyber-exterior of modern man!

Whose posting were you replying to?

I hope I don't sound nosey - I'm just puzzled that if I hit the 'This is a reply to *this Posting*' link on your entry, I end up at the start of the whole conversation.

reassuring entry, thank you.

Potholer - has it occurred to you that maybe Peskie Minx is living up to her name and winding you ALL up?

Nice one PM!

agcB

I'm even more curious now - the backlinks from *both* Minx's *and* Ssunny's postings go back to the root of the conversation.
If more people start posting like that, things could get very confusing.

Actually, I can't find the entry I was replying to, Potholer, and I admit I'm a newbie, but I'm pretty sure I posted directly to the one that I intended to and that it just appeared at the end of the thread... could be wrong and if so, apologies.
I quite like the confusion, though - people can assume that my message was for them, but was it?!?
[By the way, thanks for the message re: the nightmares - I often have vivid dream recall, but they're getting better again ]

either there's a bug around or I'm missing a bit of information (i.e. a bit of the thread..) - when I came to it some hours ago I could neatly see the first entry (by Mrs. V) and every answer to it (I thought) - I got in as a reply to the first answer - which in other cases seemed to have worked, but maybe wasn't such a good idea after all - as I got spat out at the end of a conversation about caves... although I CAN see a direct link between men/women/caves it makes me a little dizzy - maybe this is a parallel h2g2 I slided to? [anybody of you noticed any seams already??]

Ah, the wonderful world of topic drift I was beginning to worry that some strange Bulgarian Secret Service code was being used around here but no, its just standard confusion over the title having no bearing on the content.
For the newbies, this happens all the time. No one here can keep on the topic for more than a couple of dots

Topic Drifters - thats us!

The fact that all posts go to the end of the thread no matter which post they reply to does make H2G2s threads seem even more - ahem - bizaare than the posters necesarily intend.

And I thought it was a graceful and elegent winde-up. Oh well.

Ok - which of you guys has the longest eyelashes then? I saw a cornish fisherman with eyelashes which must have been over half an inch long last weekend.

*sighs*

agcB

There is nothing nicer than men with beautiful blue eyes and long, dark eyelashes....mmm..