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

I want to say thanks for wishing me luck with my GCSEs. I got what I needed, and I've just started my first few weeks in college.

Oh, I also wanted to say: you have the best musical taste of anyone I've ever met on h2g2. Oh yes.

No problem. What subjects are you taking, how was your summer, and what about your musical taste?

[HP}=~~

*barges in, ever so politely*

'scuse me HP. Just wondered whether you are still joining us this weekend at AT?

I'm doing the International Baccalaureate - I'm at one of the 18 State schools in the UK that actually does the course .
I'm taking Higher level Physics, English, Chemistry and Maths and Standard level Psychology and Japanese.
That's sort of like taking 5 A levels. It's a lot of work...

My summer was good... the longest summer I've ever had away from school (obviously). I've been writing and reading and trying (unsuccessfully) to teach myself to play guitar...

Musically: well, Radiohead goes without saying, as does My Vitriol... and most of the bands mentioned on your user page, in fact . Plus Idlewild, Lowgold, early Ash, The Holy Bible-era Manics, Low and assorted others...

'Sus: I won't be able to attend, unfortunately . I really wanted to come, I was gutted after missing the oxford meet. Que cera cera *sniff*

Lok/Zem: I have a friend doing a Bac at a college in Wales! She likes it there, likes the course style. I'm doing Physics, Maths & History A levels with a Further Maths AS. I've already done English & Graphics ASs (C and D grades respectively, god I hated graphics...). I had a very short summer (compared to last year, it HAD to be) but probably enjoyed it twice as much (Reading Festival... nuff said.. My Vit and Lowgold rocked!). On that note, an indie kid! I've been wondering how long it would be before I saw one on H2G2. As for guitar, as much as you may hate to hear it, it is practice that makes perfect. Pace yourself, keep things fresh and interesting, challenge yourself, and before you know it you'll be hendrix in the making... Don't be discouraged. Don't let the man get you down.

A very stupid question, but probably a useful one: On your H2G2 page seem to remain fairly androgenous... please don't take offence, I can be pretty feminine when pushed. Are you of female or male persuasion? This is simply so I don't say anything else stupid and can refer to you in the third person.

[HP}=~~

My sister went to Reading too! She really enjoyed it... Especially Green Day (fire + drums = fun).

As for guitar, as much as you may hate to hear it, it is practice that makes perfect.

The main problem is just finding the time to practise... I'm going to try and do it for CAS (I have to do 50 hours each of 'Creativity', 'Action' and 'Service' across the IB course). I'm already designing my school a new website, and doing rowing and swimming...

A very stupid question, but probably a useful one: On your H2G2 page seem to remain fairly androgenous...

Oops. I'm male. I really should have mentioned that, shouldn't I?

Its no problem! I assumed that, but its silly to make assumptions sometimes on H2G2!

As for Green Day, the set was fun unfortunately I knew most of what was going to happen. How they , make six songs last an hour is beyond me

i'm doing a Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award, so I know, which seems to have similar aims to CAS, except with lots of hellish hill walking. I wasn't built for the latter part

[HP}=~~

Oops. Hello again.

I've been doing a lot of work, so I'm a bit late in replying.

The hill walking sounds... bad. I'm used to doing rowing (that's what's so good about being in Cambridge), but I still have a long way to go. I'm no Steve Redgrave...

One of my friends has offered to teach me to play guitar as part of CAS... so that's good.
So many projects, though - there's that, my short stories, the novel, the website...
Oh, and school.

Still, I can always come back to h2g2.
I'm also trying to work on some new guide entries... though whether they'll ever get finished is another matter. Oh well.

short stories, novel, website.... elaborate please, I'm interested!

I've been a bit lax (?) this term. This weekend I have spent mostly out of the house, which is a nice change. I'm cleaning up my act starting tomorrow

Trust me, if you look at my entry on Knightmare... and when it was started, you'll see how long some things will take... I'll NEVER finish that thing!

[HP}=~~

Oh, I remember Knightmare! I loved that show. I only ever saw one team complete a quest...
Do you remember the dragon they had? And the corridor of blades took out more people than I can remember...
aaaaah. Nostalgia.

Anyway, the short stories are very varied. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, my short stories never seem to relly get finished. I started one for GCSE English coursework and still haven't finished it. It's called 'The Trickster' and was supposed to be about ten pages long (at most). It's currently hanging around 10,000 words. I doubt I would have been able to use it for GCSE, anyway - sex, violence, swearing and drug abuse are all prominent. Though it is possibly the best thing I've written yet.
In the end I used an old story from a few months earlier, that I had written in about half an hour. I still got 54 marks, to my amazement...

The website: I've been trying to set up a site for a while now, and have been recruiting my friends as writers. Unfortunately, most of them have decided to drop out at the last moment. If they knew how much effort had gone into that code...

The novel... now that's a big project. MaW and I have been writing this for a looooooong time. A very long time. It's a sci-fi/fantasy crossover thing. It's 160-odd pages long and only about halfway through. It needs a lot of revising, but if we can get it to work...

If you want any more information on any of these, just ask!

My GCSE short story is also posted on H2G2... its got 19/20, which I was chuffed with. I'd like as much information as you'd care to give to someone showing interest in these things whats the website about? Hows about this short story. If you ever need an opinion or creative consultancy (i.e. backchat) I'm always here to lend a friendly yet critical eye .

[HP}=~~

The website. Maybe there should be an 'h' in there (old joke...).

Basically, it's about everything. I'm trying to get regular writers to write articles every 4 weeks about anything they want - just with a fixed title. So far we've 4 confirmed writers, covering surreal humour, politics, social comment, etc...
We also have sections for music/movies/games/gigs/stuff reviews. (I have a belated review of Finelines ready to go, as soon as I have replacement writers in).
As well as all this, we're going to be inviting readers (if we get any) to submit their own work. Obviously, there are going to be a few rules, but most things we'll consider.

The main problem is getting enough regular writers - I need about 4 more (I have two 'possibles' and about 20 'No! Go away! Stop bothering me!s')

The short story - my first serious attempt at NeoCyberpunk (The Matrix, All Tomorrow's Parties kinda thing). It's probably going to form part of a short series that evolves by concentrating on more minor characters from the previous story...)
I've thrown in as much socio-political comment and attempts at satire as I dare... Mainly about governments, businesses and science (common themes, I know). Still - it's going well.

Oh, and I do write a lot of contemporary stuff too. I just had a hankering for some cyberpunk!

When (if) it's finished, if you want, I'll send you a copy. Hopefully I'll be able to get this one published somewhere other than inter-college magazines...