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

Check out the reply to your November message together with apology!! I'm always here to chat or help. Email btw is mrdavidnetathotmail.com

Hey David,

Losing you password, I know that joy, I had to make a new page to get help to log back into my old one and now I've somehow locked myself out of my new page! Never mind, I'm back at good old U129266 (a number which until about five minutes after logging on I couldn't remember no matter how hard I tried and used to just be stuck there!)

Congrats on the kindle books, that's very exciting, I shall go and have a nosey at them later on

(just read the blurb) I have a friend from uni called Casey Campbell! So spooky! I shall have a proper look at them later on when I'm both a little more awake and back from work

I'm trying not to lurk, I'm not being as active in the site as I once was, but I'm trying to answer my messages and catch up with old friends, not that many are still lurking on their pages anymore. That said, when I left, I didn't have much intention in returning, so I shouldn't be surprised in the missing people.

Anyway, how's life treating you?

Em x

I'm biding my time here until my oldest daughter has finished here GCSEs and then looking for another overseas job. Uni teaching to overseas students is pretty thin on the ground now so jobs abroad are my best option. I might end up in the Emirates or Singapore, but wherever it is I'll have the family with me which is the most important thing.

Other than the writing I would say watching my youngest daughter play football is my main social outlet! I've become a bit of a hermit in recent years, partly due to lack of money but mainly due to becoming teetotal. Doesn't mix with British socialising as there's nothing more boring than watching other people get drunk!

I hope your creativity reaches its previous heights fairly soon and that you are enjoying yourself in everything you're doing.

Great to be in touch again. David xx

Jobs are thin on the ground for everyone at the moment, my uncle was made redundant from British Airways just before Christmas, he's struggling to find anything where he is. I hope something comes up soon for you and if you and your family do have to go overseas you end up somewhere you like

Teetotal does make socialising trickier, I'm not teetotal, but I don't drink very much at all (partly because I don't like many spirits and partly because I lived at home during uni and had to commute) and so uni socialising was always difficult. And you're right, there's nothing more boring that being the only sober person at a party.

I have also become a bit of a hermit over the past few years, lack of money and living in the middle of nowhere being an obvious disadvantage, but being depressed hasn't helped. And this may sound awful, but I got to a point where I was so miserable I couldn't stand listening to how wonderful my friends lives were, so I guess my hermit life was self inflicted.

I've started getting back in touch with people, though i now need to reply to their emails etc which is like starting all over again, but people at least know what's wrong. Social networks are marvellous when you're happy and just a kick in the teeth when you're not!

Here's hoping things turn up for both of us, and it's very nice to hear from you again, I've missed my h2g2 friends

Em xx

Well, the next step for both of us is to get back out there! I went to a 70th birthday party for the mother of my best friend - sadly no longer around - and I found it extremely difficult to be even slightly comfortable as it was the first party I'd been to in about 10 years. I'm sure the next one will be easier! I missed h2g2 as well, but once you left and a couple of others went as well I thought Facebook was the way to go and so it has proved. I'd love to see you on FB if you feel comfortable doing that. Here's the link to my profile which you can use if you want to - no pressure. If not I'll see you on H2G2 as often as I can.

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=571771210

Take Care David xx

One of my best friends is getting married in July, they're going to Florida with the kids and family for the wedding, but there's a party when they get home. I don't think I'm up to going yet, I won't know anyone bar her, her kids and our friend Karen (I haven't even met her hubby in RL, only over MSN years ago!) and I really don't think I'll be able to do it. Hopefully I can just arrange a quiet get together with they and Karen after that, still need to see Karens new house!

I'm not really on FB anymore, I have it, I just don't use it. Hopefully will get back to it, at which point shall look you up

For what its worth I'd consider plucking your courage up and going. Even if you only stay for an hour or so you've shown your face and taken that first step. Its not an answer in itself, but by staying away you give yourself the chance to make more excuses for the next one, and believe me I've used most of them from children to work to money to distance!! By going even briefly to the wedding party you'll have made things easier on yourself, but when it comes down to it the decision is yours. Good luck whichever way you go.

David xxxx

True, true, but I figure if I set up to see my friend, her kids and Karen (& hubby if he can) it's a step in itself. I dunno, we'll see closer to the time.

I did however go to the degree show at uni on Saturday and saw a couple of my friends (being run at and practically flattened by one when she saw me from the other end of the corridor!) which was nice, and my attacker, Lisa, was so sweet and happy, it made me glad I didn't just dodge people and made me realise how much I missed her and everyone else. I really do miss university.

And actually, in some respects the degree show is harder and easier than other situation because in one hand, you meet people and it's great and you realise you're not the only one struggling post uni and in the other you meet people who are doing so amazingly brilliantly that you're equally incredibly happy for them and completely depressed by your own situation.

I also personally always feel this mixture of not know what on earth I could ever do to design again and feeling really jazzed and motivated by what I've seen.

Now just need to hold to my promise of meeting Lisa and some of the girls for coffee when we have time off work.

Hope you're enjoying the sunshine today, I'm off back into the garden, my latest hobby is growing from seed, and my mum build me a veg patch yesterday, so I have some planting to do

Em xxx