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

Well thank you kind sir,
I am always willing to assist a friend, and yes please do send me a copy of your essay, If ever I am doing a project on Lizzy 1 may I use your work as a reference, I could put you in the miles of footnotes that I will use .

Now after you have had a relaxing cI_I drink and a bit of rest then you are welcome to check out my ancient roman villa (address on an earlier message). and we can explore what sought of mischief we can get up to there . .

And again congratulations for finally finishing your essay .
I suppose you think you are cool now.

see ya soon



Moondancer

Hi Moondancer,

Yeah, supercool, thank you ma'am, and feeling like I am right in contention. How about you - you said earlier that it wasn't the greatest week you ever had, so I hope it has improved? While I think of it, another sweetie named Sho read the poem you wrote for me and asked if she could 'take' it and put it on her site somewhere. I said I thought you would be complimented, but would need to check it with you just to be sure.

By the time you get to read this your shop will probably be closed and you will be into weekend relax mode, so I can't give you this little spray of flowers from my garden, but they will stay fresh until Monday. They say thank you. Me too.

Walter

Hi Walter,

I would be delighted if Sho would like to use my poem, thats the good thing about a poem it doesnt matter how many times it is reread it never wears away, probably the opposit. I gave it to you as a and you can shair it around.

I just could not resist, just because we can now, and i cant think of a story to put then in yet I will just use some cute faces to see how they work.

Hi Walter,

you probably wont have been on since last time

But I wanted to tell you, I went to a 25th wedding for a girl friend who I have been doing classes with for years and years, and she also invited some of the other students and the teacher. And when I said that I might be around next year they said great we are doing Philosophy, come and join us.

Wow, philosophy, that would be great, so how do you think we would go on philosophy. Walking with the ancient Greeks, with Plato and Socrates and Aristotle, wouldn't that be great, I can hardly wait.

I just thought I would tell you, of course if you don’t want to have anything to do with some old Greeks that fine, I would just like to sit crossed legged at the feet of the masters and listen to their words.

I will just revel in the thought of it, and see you later


Moondancer

Hello Moondancer,

I hope you are well.

What is this blather about me being an old charmer? My darling Beloved wouldn't have thought so last night when I lost it (not with her). Trouble is, when I lose it I actually know what an enormous-sized prat I am making of myself, and then spend the next two or three days feeling really low about it and wondering what it is inside that makes me go off like that. The Beloved says it is stress release, but that is probably her being kind, polite, tolerant, understanding, sympathetic, and loving.

Sho sounds like she is 'one of us', don't you think? There is nothing in the 32 years old bit: it is just an expression I use to separate the young from the not so young. So 'over 32' means just that, there is no other significance in it. When Sho said her mother started uni at the age of 48, I simply said that was a gutsy thing to do for anyone over the age of 32. You and me both qualify and to me it sounds a whole lot better than say 'over 45' or worse.

Philosophy sounds super, especially if it gets you looking into the minds of the ancient Greeks (not those more sub standard specimens that notoriously hang around Roman villas corrupting otherwise virtuous matrons). I haven't done much philosophy - well, none actually, unless you count the philosophy of history - , but men like Aristotle, Plato, Socrates, Diogenes; oh yes. My favourite is Pythagoras, who is probably more famous for his theorems or whatever, but he sort of invented a vegetarian cum reincarnation school that was very popular during the first decades of Imperial Rome. Pythagoras basically said don't eat animals because he believed that men's (sorry he didn't mention women) souls went to live in animals and that therefore by killing and eating animals - well, you can work out the rest. He also, famously, said don't eat beans although I've never quite worked out if that was for the obvious reason or something a little more obscure. Everyone I know who has done some philosophy reckons that it has opened up their minds and the way that they look at things, so that is a pretty good wrap.

I had better go and do some work, so for now take good care of yourself.

Walter

Hi Walter,

Yes I did think Sho sounded like a great girl

You can charm when you want to and you said it you can be a Pratt, so what are you going to do for your lady tonight when you get home? Bring her flowers, chocolate, cook her dinner or take her out, throw the hat in the door first and then a diamond ? or all of the above. No point doing things by halves. And definitely you should, apologise, grovel, beg forgiveness, that is if she is still there if she has not left you altogether. And if you get a chance do a bit of sub standard Greek slave work and let her know who is the mistress and how much you appreciate her. Makes for a great evening much better than loosing it. .

I'm getting quite excited about the prospect of philosophy, I did a bit of wandering around the internet to day, just to find a few. And by the time i finish I should be able to put names to quite a number of the gentlemen in painting "School of Athens" more than just Aristotles pointing to the heavens and Socrates to the earth.

I'm glad you are back I missed you



Moondancer

Hi Moondancer,

I may lose it, but I am volcanic so it passes quickly and I don't often sulk. In other words, my apologise, grovel and beg forgiveness routine was done not very long after I went off. I normally don't buy 'things' as a way of saying sorry, but as a way of saying you are my beloved and you cannot begin to believe just how much I appreciate the fact that you choose to be with me, the biggest effing prat this side of the Black Stump. So flowers, chocs, pressies and stuff (no diamonds, but an emerald not so long back) come at no particular moment. In fact, the Beloved has bought me a pressie today, but won't give me any clues so I just have to wait until I get home. Talk with you soon,

Walter

Hi Walter,

I can understand the volcano bit, I am one also, sometimes i let things build up, build up, build up, when I should say something earlier, and then I explode. After it has gone it is gone, I just have to be enough in control to be careful what I say when I am in explosion mode.

So when are you coming over to visit me in my Roman villa, if you come in as a visitor then you can have a look around and decide what you want to be and who. I went in a roman cause I was chasing roman information. Moreover, I find they are the least active group. The Celts and the Egyptians are much more active in things and talking and planing, and the Greeks have a great system of towns, and the Egyptians are have noms (cities). But then again like my business I am trying to sell the Romans have room to grow (need for a leader) hahahah. Any way come play in my villa.

Do you have a talk system like MSN Messenger, or Yahoo Messenger, or even ICQ (which I am having trouble getting to work)

Ok see ya soon

Moondancer

Good Morning Moondancer,

Sorry, I have been waylaid yet again, this time by my boss. We finished at midnight on Wednesday evening, nearly nine on Thursday and about the same on Friday. The weather was glorious over the weekend, so I didn't even entertain the thought of coming in here to the office. So that is my explanation for being missing without due notice. Although a couple of times I did try to punch up h2g2 but it seemed to be having conniptions for several days; the screen would just do nothing.

What is MSN Messenger, or Yahoo Messenger, or ICQ? You have to bear in mind that I am like in the stone age when it comes to computer technology, so you must make an awful lot of allowances for me, as you do already. But it sounds like it is something a few steps up from this, a sort of email-type thing - is that right?

Sometime today or with luck tomorrow I shall at last have time to get down to some serious exploring of the villa. Before I do though, one thing interests me - do you get to find out that I have been there, or are my visits unregistered? Take care,

Walter

Hi Walter,

Glad to see you anytime, I know what it is like not to be able to get on line some times. And to be so busy that you can't keep track of the days.

MSN and Yahoo messenger is where you can talk to someone in real time, back and forth, you type your message in and hit send and the other person can see it instantly and reply the same. You just sign up like an e-mail you can either use your current e-mail address if you are with hotmail or yahoo or give your self another one. My puter opens at nine MSN and you find messenger down the bottom of the page or you go into yahoo. Lots of luck with that

If you go in as a visitor, which is what you would because I don't suggest singing up till you work out who you want to be, these characters have lives of their own and it is hard to change them. Well I have trouble killing characters.

I would love you to visit even if I do not know you have been

Hi Moondancer,

Did you get my email on your Roman site?

Walter

Hi Walter,

Yes I got your email, and I answered it in an email.

This is the first time I have been able to get on to h2g2 in a couple of days. Some shark bit the cable I think. Or maybe it was Gilligan calling for help, which ever way big pond is lost in the ocean.

See you soon


Moondancer

If I had a spa in my Roman site I would keep it warm for you

Hi Moondancer,

I wondered if the submarine cable thingy had something to do with it, but really, the site has had the collywobbles for some weeks. It wasn't working for me when I came in this morning, but now it is, although it is still slow and doesn't seem happy about very much at all. Tried your Roman site last night, following directions, and got absolutley nowhere, let alone being chatted up by some lovelorn Roman. Honest, I'm sure I followed your instructions properly. Mind you, even allowing for my neanderthal-level computer skills, that is one mother of a difficult site to actually comprehend.

I got the essay back.

Walter

Hi Walter,

the bugs must be clearing, I just got in here for the first time today.

Yes I did find it to be not as user friendly as h2g2, but it is worth having a go at.

You would make a good Roman, and they are a lot better now that I am getting to know a few of them. So you may as well just sign up and go for it

Good you got you essay back
Is there any comment on it, I suppose not they don't do that.
I was always disappointed that there was not a comment on my exams. They must think we are big people and we don't need a comment.

We officially got offered $45,000 for our business today, feels like a kick in the guts, but we might have to take it because we cannot afford to loose any more. We are getting people coming out of the woodwork offering us business incentives and assistance, motivational, and training help. Where were they 12-18 months ago when we could have used them. If we take the 45 it will pay half of the debtors, and that is not even taking into consideration the costs involved in selling something, I just feel like crying, in fact I am, I just locked the door and pulled the sign in, sitting in the dark corner, talking to you and crying.

I wonder how could we have been so gullible? And even the bloody franchiser is sticking the boot in, threatening to close us down if we don't pay royalties by the end of December and they told the buyers that 45,000 was fine by them. S**t.

Sorry I will see you later

Joanie

Hi Joanie,

It's okay to weep sweetheart, anyone who has a heart and some feelings does it, and you have every good reason. Gullible? Well, I look at it this way, you and your man had a go, at least tried something. Being gullible is just being a human being, believing, trusting, wanting, hoping. You sound like the pair of you have enough problems to deal with here and now, so laying blame on yourselves means nothing and takes you nowhere - trust me on this one Moondancer, keep looking forward, don't look over your shoulder. I wish I could give you a big, big hug, and a hanky, and share a bottle with you, but for the time being if you try hard you will feel my vibes coming over the Bass Strait to you and maybe they will give you a little support.

Talk to me.

Clive

Thanks Walter,

I did get up this morning feeling somewhat better, We are going to take a holiday straight after Christmas, then we will come back heads down and tails up and get stuck into it. We were in the business for 2 years, with 2 years work we can be well and truly out of the debt and have it completely behind us.

And it also means that I will be able to do philosophy next year


See ya soon

Moondancer

Hi Moondancer,

I am so glad that you are at least dry-eyed. The holiday sounds like a good idea even without the problems. Does that mean you have decided to sell, or will you hold out a little longer? And do you have any odea what you might do, apart from philosophy, when you are out of your shop?

Walter.

Hi Moondancer,

Just a call to say hello, how are you, haven't heard from you but know you must be busy with lots of stuff, miss you and thinking of you, and hoping that it is okay with you. Take good care,

Walter.

Hi Walter,

Yes I have been busy, I had the weekend with the inlaws. and listened to everything in stereo. they are both going deaf and when they are talking, it must be a word that they do hear and one will say something and then 1/2 a second later the other one will say the same thing.

I wonder if they realise how lucky they are to at 80 still have their life partners.

And the last two days I have had my mother here trying to help me to pack a few things up so everything doesn't have to be done at the last minute.

Yes we definitely are going to sell. And before Christmas. And I think with my studies and my garden and a few other things I want to do I can fit into the "lady of leisure" very well . (this is suppose to be a laugh)



Have you been to ancient sites yet

Moondancer

Hi Moondancer,

Good to hear from you. You must have been distracted but I did tell you about my none too successful forays into the ancient site, including the episode with your password. Mind you, I still get into a cold sweat at that poem of yours in the garden or study or whatever it was, so perhaps the Almighty thought it was inadvisable to let a young, impressionable Virgo like me go any further down the path of temptation and eroticism.

Studies, garden and "a few other things" sounds good and it will be good for you, even if you do still have some problems that won't go away for a while. You seem to be so strong and resolute, it will help a lot as you get back on your feet. I am just the eternal optimist cum non-worrier, but that may be in part because I have enjoyed more than my fair shair of good fortune, especially when it was most needed. I think one aspect that comes from studying history is to appreciate one's place and context in the great scheme of things, and that sometimes what seems really important is often a perception rather than a reality. But I never look back in anger, only with affection and acceptance. I don't actually live in the past, and I certainly don't live for tomorrow, just the here and now keeps me fully occupied and enthusiastic. That is a very long way of saying that no amount of advice or homespun philosophy can make your problems disappear, they are real and will take time and effort to overcome. But you WILL overcome them, they WILL eventually disappear. I think the trick is to not go into overdrive worrying about problems excessively, although that it a lot easier said than done, I know.

Hey, I hope this doesn't sound like a lecture, or the kind of thing a sociologist would say. I really only mean to say lots and lots of luck as you go through the next few weeks, and I will be keeping fingers crossed, feeling the force and sending you support vibes. It might not help, but who knows?

Clive