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

Entry: My Mother, the Car and "Hair" - A27875659
Author: echomikeromeo - I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness, starving hysterical naked... - U929375

I've been writing a lot of essays recently, and I'd just like to share one or two. This one is about my experiences listening to a particular musical's soundtrack with my mother.

Oh, I did enjoy that. Thank you

When I was a teenager I had a cassette tape of Hair that I wore out by playing it to death. A couple of years ago I got a DVD of the musical and it was a surprise. The story wasn't exactly clear from the tape of the songs (else I was too dense to get it). Not much of a story but what there was, sad in the end. You shouldn't feel too bad about your generation. No doubt it's the inevitable product of my (and your mum's) generation.

I just came to admire, not criticise. I wonder if you should change "glorifying" in the second paragraph to "glorying" though.

I once had the opportunity to read the original script - it's a bit light on plot, to say the least. The movie basically created a plot so that it would be marketable in a Hollywood sense.

I think you're quite right about 'glorying'.

Is this the same echomickey romeo to whom I wrote when you first joined?

Why have you got v 5 on your home page. what has happened to versions 4 and 3, and 2, and 1?

You cannot just dismiss them my love . Those versions formed you and if you do not admit them into your experience you will never be enriched by them.

I think that is what your mother meant when she turned to you, with tears in her eyes and asked you thatr vital question.

Life is a growing entity. We are made up of love and fun and mistakes and hurts and all of them form a part of us. We learn to be loving and happy and to realise when we are wrong and learn how to apologise and most of all we learn ton be compassionate - that most precious of human virtues. The one that gives us understanding of others.

I hope that I shall find echomickeyromeo version 1 very soon. She was a lovely, kind and yes - in those days she had compassion. I am not at all sure about version 5. No wonder your mother wept.
Try and recapture version 1 my dear friend.
Radioantjoiedevivre
aka also Ran,
Christiane.
12th October 2007

What a great piece of writing ! I don't agree with some of your sentiments, but that's not relevant here.

Hey, I like this. Honest, too.

And now I'm singing 'Good Morning, Starshine', at least in my head, and remembering the terrible blowup I had with my parents after I had carelessly left the library copy of the libretto of 'Hair' out in the living room - just before they were visited by the pastor.

The ensuing argument about artistic freedom generated more heat than light, I fear.

Like it too. Some things to think about in that. Seems more relaxed in style than your previous pieces.

Thanks everyone for your comments.

To respond to Christiane, I change my PS relatively regularly, and every time I do I change the version number. A complete rewrite necessitates a new version number, as was the case this time. (However, I'm thinking about copy-pasting the "about me" I wrote for my blog in there instead.)

I'm going through a period in which it's difficult to be optimistic. Compassion, though, is something that the world as a whole needs a great deal more of - and that's something I do believe quite strongly. I hope that I haven't given an impression to the contrary. Speaking of my mother, she's raised me to believe that "there but for fortune go I", and I always exercise my powers of empathy to care about other people.

Chips, I'd be curious to hear what your sentiments are. However, I don't suppose any of this is relevant to the review thread... huzzah for h2g2 and its topic drift.

Thank you for your reply echomickeyromeo,

I am happy to think that you realise that compassion is important. However, at the moment I think that we are speaking "past" one another.

I was not writing a critique of your work. I was actually wondering about the "change" in that eager, young, compassionate person that I met three years ago. You did meet me didn't you?

Christiane.
radiantjoiedevivre
AlsoRan

Perhaps "meet" in a virtual sense, though we've never met in person.

Oh my goodess.

Dear echomikeromeo,

I am sure that had we met in RL both of us would have remembered it.

As it happens, this old old lady remembers the virtual encounter extremely well. The reason was simple. You had such a sense of excitement and enthusiasm about the RL world which you were encountering. .

Anyway, my dear, continue on your life. Mine is on the vierge of extinction and I still have a great many things to do.

May I wish you well on the voyage of life on which you are embarking

Adieu.

Sincerely,

Alsoran1
radiantjoiedevivre.

I like the picture you paint of your mother - she sounds a warm and caring person.

I'm not sure you need to be so hard on 'young people today' - my memories of the sixties were of the beginnings of the consumerist society, when everyone wanted the latest fashions and pop records.

Thank you Vogon poet.

That is one of my faults that I am very judgemental on the young today. I have reached the ripe old age that I feel that it does not matter what I say or write as not many take much notice of it!!.

Thank you for your remarks.

Sincerely,

Radiantjoiedevivre.