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

Yes! You do paint with words paul, this I've noticed. I do love a word painting.



For better or for worse, I realise its what I do also.

I just made a few of the ones I am doing here for November, into Guide Entries.

They look very tiny and quirky, all alone on the page.

However, I just married Quirky, for better or for worse. I kind of like seeing them there.

Do you take Quirky to be your lawful wedded adjective? I do.

They are supposed to be mixed media, pending some design to help them along. This all de-pends on how much pending I can get away with.

Otherwise I'll leave them there, and bring them chocolate. , unless the Post ever has a slot for Completely Random Word Paintings With No Fixed Direction or Purpose.

Exit pursued by the Ed. OK OK OK boss, I sent you photos, did so I did ..

Hey Jo

Given that I have an addiction to writing spontaneous word paintings on the go, I expect them to adapt to their surroundings.

I once wrote a four word masterpiece on the back of a train ticket. Unfortunately the ticket machine swallowed it up. I feel bad, but its memory lives on.



Shopping lists are my favourite. The painting has to squeeze in beside apples and a loaf of bread, to weave its way in between a chocolate bar and a TV guide.

I like to look at the lists. They make me laugh in shops.

**************


1) Apples

2) I heard a song in my head. I saw rare and peculiar chord shapes. The texture of the chorus was grey jagged, even sharp, but eventually the verses smoothed and soothed it with tones of russet and honey gold apple orchards in Autumn.

3) Chocolate

4) The Great Idea got fed up with waiting for a train which never came, so it went to the station snack bar and drank three cups of hot chocolate. Ah, a much better Idea! it said to itself.

***************

********end***********

The Great Idea/// Mix 10// Don't forget cheese (on the shopping list)

Cheese is something for photographers.

hohoho. Clever. I like it.

Its funny, that expression, say cheese.

I've tried it when being photographed. I don't look like I'm smiling though, not even cheesy grin. I just look like someone saying cheeeeeese in a very exaggerated way.

Hey Jo

Paradiso Bug scuttled into the shadows, seeking refuge from the neon lure.



No! I must revise this script! Poor Paradiso Bug. Why should he or she have to scuttle into the shadows?

About thirty years ago I wrote the two words, Paradiso Bug, on a scrap of paper, for no apparent reason.



Dear Paradiso Bug, my enigmatic companion. You appeared in my life long before computers. I shamefully confess that I recently searched for you in the vast web of data now available.

There was talk of a bug in a computer game named Islas Paradiso.

Are there bed bugs in a Hotel Paradiso?

Are you a symbol, a statement, regarding a flaw in the concept of Paradise?

No, Paradiso Bug, I sense you are none of these.



I long ago lost the scrap of paper, the place of your origins. However there is always a home for you in my soul, where you can reside forever free of definition and context.

************end**********

Afterthought: (Although, in truth, I am a bit curious to know who you are, so if you ever feel like telling me, we'll go for coffee.

I hope we get on though, because I can't imagine life without you. If we quarrel I'll be really hurt.)

Imaginary insect friends (or foes) have been around since Archie (and Mehitabel) in 1916 and Kafka (Metmorphosis, 1915), and probably predate those. In the Middle Ages, a lawyer was hired to argue the court case of a swarm of bees.

Might insects have interesting inner lives? Who knws?

Ah! Of course! I often chat with Gregor Samsa. heheh.

Who are Archie and Mehitabel?? Must find out. How very interesting.

So, were the swarm of bees imaginary then? That's funny.

See, Paradiso Bug, you're not alone.

I had a hazy picture last night of me sitting having a coffee with PB. PB was human, wearing a very fine parka jacket. This jacket could easily conceal some beautiful green sheen insect wings and antennae. In suggestion only. PB is a geek, a nerd, gets teased for the insect quality.

PB speaks an inspirational language, not sure what about yet , and still no idea where the name comes from. Perhaps I'll never know. Unless I drink enough coffee and make it all up. hahaHAH.

Hey Jo

*************

Hey Jo(urnal)

Its only Nov 16th and I'm already onto imaginary overviews of imaginary songs.

Yes yes I know, I wrote the words funny bunny in this piece. I have no life, this I know.

I know I know, November is only halfway through. Awww please don't fret, Jo(urnal) my friend. Just think of Dec 1st, when the project is over. Ah, how you'll miss me.)

**************

Track 10. Title: Cosmic Rabbit. (an overview)

The sounds suggests a flickering black and white zig zag intensity, blending into a starry immensity.

I don't get the rabbit. Beyond the title, there is not a hop, not a floppy eared bunny to be seen. Or heard. How absurd. Funny bunny.

************end*************

////Funny bunny mix////////

The bees were apparently real. Christianity at that time just saw the world in that way.

archy was once a vers libre poet
that means free verse in french
he died and underwent metempsychosis
as a cockroach
which wasnt too thrilling
but gave him a different perspective
he communicated at night on the newspaper keyboard
that belonged to writer don marquis
but being a cockroach archie couldn't use capitals
because he had to jump
from key to key

mehitabel was his friend and muse
a blowsy cat with too many boyfriends
kind of a flapper cat
did i mention this was in the twenties
mehitabel said things like toujours gai
and theres life in the old girl yet
theres a lot of philosophy in archy and mehitabel
as i discovered when a teenager
i found it very inspirational
somebody else made the story into a musical
heres a record of it, it has carol channing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11tg7hIG_F8

and heres sam waterston reading archys work

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoKeTajP2y4

oooh eh, how come i new knew all this before about archie and mehitabel, this is a magical explanation, thanks!! and all written out in its own type of text shape, like a poem, I like I like .. because of archie, when he became a roach, jumped from key to key ..i love mehitabel, i wonder why my dad never read me this, he read me many magic things, that's how i learned about the world ..



will check the links, methinks i'll learn lots more..

They were?

Oh ...

I have much and most and many things to learn ..

Hey Jo(urnal)

Ummmm yes, I have another imaginary song with an imaginary overview, I happy person.

***********

Track 2. Title: Sea Splash

This track is so rhythmic and in love, I want to dive right into the foamy sunlit wave lyrics and do a flippy fish dance.



At least, until verse four, where we shift to Mac's Cafe, beside the abandoned gasworks, to mourn the saltsea love that didn't last, a coastal idyll, now the past.

I like the way the bass kicks in here. That's bass guitar, obviously, not sea bass, the fish.



Brilliant last verse. Philosphical. As deep as an ocean in all its moods.

*************end ************

////Flippy fish, mix 3,423//

Hey Jo(urnal)

Lime Green (A Journey)



It would be good to write a song about lime green.



One of my favourite songs (by one of the coolest bands in any known, or unknown, universe) has lime green in the lyrics.*



How can I match this?



Perhaps I should try another type of green. There are, after all, many hundreds of shades to choose from.

Avocado green, celery, cucumber, olive green, mint.

Green lists can make me hungry. Perhaps I should create recipes instead.



Lettuce with lime green dressing. Why does my dressing sound so B-movie alien?

Green salad and avocado with lime dressing. Mmmmm, that sounds better.



I.m sure there are lime green culinary masterpieces out there.

How can I match them?



I wonder where my journey into lime green is going?

Do I feel a song about celery coming on?

*******end**********

Lime green///B movie mix//// *no, I won't say what the favourite song is. *Someone* might be mean about the green/////

Lime green culinary masterpieces? I don't know. I cook sea bass with slices of lime, and stuffed with lime juice, garlic and chillies.

Home made pesto is pretty, with basil and parmesan. Basil green sounds like a name though. I present Mr Basil Green.

Moss green is lovely but I don't think you cook with it.

I love you, Dmitry, for putting that link to the musical about Archie and Mehitabel. Kafka published very little -- "Metamorphosis" was about it, so it could have inspired A & M. Or not.

Or not, more than likely.

'Die Verwandlung' was first published in German in 1915. Archy first appeared as a newspaper character in 1916. But there's no indication that Don Marquis read German - and the first English translation I find for Kafka's book is 1937.

If you want more Kafka works, try 'Der Prozess' ('The Trial', there's even a movie!) or collected short stories, 'A Country Doctor' ('Landarzt').

My students used to complain, 'I thought I could read German, but that assignment makes me despair. I THOUGHT the story said the guy turned into a cockroach.'

Me: 'Don't worry. It's not you...' They hated Brecht for similar reasons. 'Let's throw him down the ravine!' 'Yeah, let's do that!'

Here is some Kafka from a video I made a few years ago in the Hooverville courthouse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TE3CNCmfMNM

Of course, my favourite Kafka adaptation is by Peter Capaldi, 'Franz Kafka's It's a Wonderful Life', which you might enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O87L_UXCIvU

Was that a banana at first in the Capaldi video?

hullo mvp!

Mmmmm Sea bass with slices of lime, lime juice, garlic and chillies. That is definitely a masterpiece. And pesto also. No moss dishes? Well, you are a walking culinary masterpiece. I have decided.

Mr Basil Green. Hullo Sir. I love it.

Kafkaesque .. he even has an adjective named after him.

Do other people have adjectives named after them? I think I've heard Dali-esque. Or have I?I've heard Dylan-esque.



Loving the Kafka considerations.

I never read The Trial. Or any others. Always had time for the beetle though. Love the beetle.

I just tried to find out if its a beetle, cockroach, dung beetle, or just a gigantic insect of uncertain origin.

Found this website that informs me that Franz Kafka said the insect should never be drawn, because Gregor was going through a terrible imaginary transformation, he wasn't really turning into a beetle.

I knew this anyway. Surely its obvious that he isn't really under the sofa waving his legs about?

Apparently, for these reasons, the first edition didn't have the beetle on the cover. There's a picture of a distraught looking man.



This is a setback to my life, because I first was lured to the story by a beetle drawing on the cover ... I think I'll think about this, and tell Jo(urnal).



I believe there's a band called Gregor Samsa. Must check their music. Wonder what Kafka would have made of them?