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

Hi there.
Glad to see you've dropped an entry into the Alternative Writing Workshop and commented on another's. How're you liking it so far?

h2g2 really is a wonderful place once you give it a good chance.

Thank you, Jodan. It's a pleasure to "be" here. Having made a living most of my adult life as a writer of decidedly non-alternative writing, I've kept the alternatives to myself (often much to my own chagrin).

As a result, I assure you, the AWW feels like a community I've sought for years. My only fear is that I will quickly become so comfortable here that I will "quit my day job" and simply wander these hallowed halls until I run out of rent money and find myself homeless.

I'll keep you posted. Umm, so to speak.

m

Hmm, from that posting, who could have predicted this?

Hi Michael. Again.
I'm extremely glad that you've found time to help PROD, and am heartened to see that h2g2 is getting a new, great member.

You should consider becoming a formal PROD member and perhaps a UG miner if the mood strikes you. Maybe a scout I'd support any of those.

Thank you, Jodan.

And yes, a wee bit ironic. Funny what a little time and experience will reveal, eh?

I do support the spirit of and motivation behind the PROD initiative. I'm afraid, in the overall, it's probably a losing cause - you can plainly see that those who need to 'hear' it most (and no, I'm *still* not going to name names! ) just fly automatically into either 'defence' or 'denial' mode ('not me...', 'I never...', 'I've always...') even when it means fully contradicting what they're claiming simultaneously in another thread. So many have completely missed the point that this whole thing was about the Guide and not the guiders. (Well, maybe it is a little about the... y'know.)

That being said, though, I also think PROD is *already* having a positive effect. Certain Scouts (who shall remain nameless) have begun commenting on PR entries in a far more open-minded, encouraging and positive way. So much so I'm afraid some of them may actually end up recommending odd-ball entries just to prove how 'fair' and open-minded they are! Wouldn't that be a hoot.


As a result, I begand sometime mid-day yesterday, trying very hard to post ideas that could serve as points of unification rather than the ones that were clearly being taken as challenges. (Sadly, though I met with some limited success, certain parties seemed to think they even needed to defend themselves against those. A true study in some kind of - possibly abnormal - psychology.)

As for your offer of support, I'm flattered. I have a great deal of respect for you, so your vote of confidence is indeed high praise. In the EG, I'm really far more comfortable as an offerer of assistance (you know: grammar, punctuation, spelling, fact-checking...that sort of thing) than as a Scout. That's why I still spend most of my time hanging around AWW.

I have only just begun really exploring the UG and, so far, I find it very intriguing. I'm still kind of sorting out all those various roles (miner, ACE, guru, landmine-removal specialist...) and, sometime soon I may well take you up on your generous offer as regards some kind of work with UG.

Anyway, thanks again for your kind words. I'll almost certainly be making my (some say annoying) presence felt in the PROD threads again today.


m

I don't think it's a losing cause, actually. We don't be able to convince everyone. Not close. There are two or three that will remain opposed, which is useful for debate, really. But the ones with free, independent minds not swayed by a sense of loyalty to one side are the ones worth worrying about

All that I think needs to happen is to stay focused and not let them take the threads into murky waters, so that they can find a point most/some/a lot of people will not agree with us/one person/me on. I'm making an effort to avoid distraction, because often when I speak on my own account on distracted matters, it sounds like I'm speaking for PROD.

You're among friends... er, friend, here.

As I said, the best news is the 'conversation' is already having some positive effects. Gotta take a little encouragement from that!

As for me, I'm headed into the midway point of the work week from the underworld, and I can hardly keep my eyes open. I'm headed for dreamsville.

Dobranoc (goodnight), Jodan...
See you soon.
m

md, can I ask you a question?
Why are you not a miner yet?

You're overqualified. Hell, you're overqualified for my job as UG Ed

Hmmmmm... Fear of commitment maybe?

Your assessment of my qualifications is high praise, indeed, (you sweet talker you ) but to paraphrase Marx (Groucho, not Karl): I'm wary of belonging to a group that would accept someone like me as a member.

The real truth is, I'm scared to death of h2g2 politics and, while I do believe the UnderGuide is above all that (so to speak), I'm a bit afraid of being sucked further into the vortex than I already am.

(Now I'm wondering: is that just way too incredibly selfish of me?)

(Now I'm also wondering: why am I even trying to think at this ridiculous hour of the morning?)

Jodan
m

h2g2 politics? Pah.
No one has been more immersed in them than me (well, a few people think they have been, but what they don't know won't hurt them ) and I can tell you this - they aren't scary. I can also tell you that you have to *choose* to be political.

Just like in real life. If you want to become a miner, you go to West Virginia, or somewhere with coal, and if you want to be a politician, you run for Congress Just because you're going to West Virginia doesn't mean you'll be the next Senator from West Virginia . (I should warn you - I tend to use American politics as a metaphor for just about everything. I once used the founding fathers as a metaphor for a situation involving the UG eds... I was George Washington )

Just consider it. Maybe you can't be made a miner by appealing to your vanity (which is exactly how I became involved) but then there is a host of noble reasons. To help others by picking their entries, improve the talents of other writers and to make h2g2 a little bit of a better place.

Plus a shiny new badge