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

Oh gosh! Best of luck, MoG - hope you are okay!

az

Finally got around to sending that email. How's Lua doing?

Well, you know about Lua by now.

And you? Wassup?


az

Well, another hurricane, this time while I was working in Mississippi last week. No damage or problems here, though I was *really* stressed as I'd not been able to do any preparation and, worst of all, the cat bolted 5 minutes before my cab showed up to take me to the airport. She's never pulled that stunt before, and I had to leave plenty of food and water outside for her and hope for the best. When my 3 day trip extended to 5 because the airports were closed .... boy, what guilt I felt! I had visions of her clinging desperately to a palm tree in violent winds and rains. She's fine, no worse for wear, came home as soon as I got back and called for her. She hadn't touched the food I'd left for her but was as fat as ever, so I suspect that there must be another cat in the complex who's fed outside and *that* one probably lost some weight. I'm sick and tired of hurricanes. I think we need to make a sacrifice to the hurricane goddess. I nominate (and will happily vote for) Bush on *that* ballot.

Other than that nothing much new. My birthday is saturday, will be taking most of a week off for 'me' time. I'd wanted to have a camping adventure, but Florida is so saturated the mosquitos would be the size of B-52 bombers and thick as Jello so instead I think I'll stay home, finish my painting and a number of other projects in various stages of completion, take late afternoon bikerides along the beach and stop along the way for leisurely cocktails. I'm looking forward to productive chillin'.

How have you been holding up? I hope the sadness is lessening for you.

Sh*t - missed your birthday! What day was it?

Hurricane stuff settling down now?

Are you okay?

Well, other than *going bald!* I think I'm okay.

P comes home tomorrow - a whole new life.

Today I feel a bit in limbo though . . . you know?

az

My b'day was Oct 2. Had a great weekend and then the rest of my time off was redirected and I didn't get to do any of the things I wanted to. Had to help out a friend who's clinically depressed, chronically ill and her back went out leaving her in a total panic. Unfortunately, spending all that time dealing with her problems wore me out emotionally and I'm tense and grumpy with a very stiff neck. However, I'll have 4 days off starting Sunday and this time I'm going to escape to the west coast of Florida, get some camping and canoeing in and re-fluff my aura. I'll take my painting supplies and the laptop, see if I can accomplish at least some of those projects I've had shelved for a while. I need some time alone to play Swamp Woman and regain my focus.

You must be terribly excited about the new beginning tomorrow! Meanwhile, my px for Limbo is to put de lime in de coconut (as well as a bit o' rum) and drink it all up.

Have you seen the doctor about your hair yet? Try not to worry about it. It's amazingly common, though women don't talk about it much. It's also reversible if you don't let it go for too long.

lime in de coconut???



Wonderful advice! Thank you.

Meanwhile, camping and canoeing would be the very *last* thing I'd consider for aura 're-fluffing' but hey - to each their own. I've camped way too much to ever find it enjoyable.

No, haven't seen the doctor yet, in fact I stupidly forgot to even try to make an appointment this week. And I seem to be getting balder by the day! Anyhoodle . . .

I do hope it's reverible!

Anyhow, P will be here tomorrow. Eek! Real life begins . . .

az

I'm loading the truck for 4 days at Collier State Park. http://www.floridastateparks.org/collier-seminole/default.asp
Plan to paint, work on some writing projects (I'm taking the laptop), kayak, take photos, read (Henry Miller's 'Plexus'), stay gently lubricated once the has worn off, chant a lot and generally bliss-out.

I'll be sending you and Noggin and some other friends good Nature juju, so don't be surprised if you feel a burst of fresh and grounded without having to deal with the skeeters.

Hope all is well and progressing joyously on your end.

Well, perhaps camping with a laptop and lots of might make it somewhat more *civilised*!

Do you also have proper toilets and electricity?

Comfy air mattresses?

Blow dryers?

Ooooh, nature juju, eh? Shall look forward to it. And not having to deal with the skeeters is a bonus!

Anyhow, things are great here. I often think I am happier than I deserve to be. Even though it's not 'all roses' it is definitely lovely and loving and, well, gush! The 'not-all-roses' bits are to do with Reality (who has never been a personal friend of mine!) but the rest is quite fab.

So basically, we are working on telling Reality to f**k off until we can create our own.

Tomorrow I am starting a new Pilates programme - doing it three times a week no matter what. At least it's a start. Because, man, is my back ever giving me grief these days!

Anyhow, have a wonderful time and tell me all about it when you get back.

az

Ahhhhhhhhhh. My aura is fluffed. I not only had proper toilets, shower, and water at my campsite as well as electricity, I had a great air mattress (with pump), the espresso maker, CD player, and a desk lamp so I could paint after dark. I didn't bother with blow dryer or makeup as I think I was the *only* camper in the whole state park! It was a little eerie being that solitary with only the skeeters, squirrels, gators and coons for miles around But I got used to it fast. Woooohoooo! I'd wake for sunrise then sleep in, had breakfast and then worked on my stuff for a while. At one-ish I'd have lunch and start drinking , take a siesta around 4-5, then drank plenty of , bellydanced and sang to the moon. I decided against the as I didn't want to get so lit that I'd risk catching my skirt afire.

The surreal part was Tues. morning when I re-awoke to the sound of 3 vanbloads of people pulling up to the campsite right across from me. I crept from my tent and saw what looked like an invasion of space aliens-- humanoids dressed in hats, jackets, long pants, gloves and covered in netting. I had a brief moment of thinking I'd ventured into a sci-fi novel, and a moment of worry as to what had gone *on* in the rest of the world while I avoided all external contact. It turned out they were there to do a marketing study on a non-DEET mosquito repellant: 8 solid hours of teamed-up people with one counting skeeter lands and bites and the other being the victim with only a four-inch band of bared skin around one wrist. The things people will do for money!

Sounds as if you have the right approach to Reality. Doesn't matter whether you worry and torture yourself with the way things don't go according to Plan, or whether you decide to just kick back and enjoy it no matter how cussed it tries to be, Life'll still happen. Might as well enjoy it.

Best wished with the Pilates! I hope that kinda program does as much for your back as it does for mine. Keep me posted on how you're progressing.

hi stranger!

What's new?

I am very embarrassed to say that I have yet to get into the Pilates thing. I've done it a few times (the dvd) but frankly it's seriously BORING. Though, yes, it does make my back feel better when I do it.

I think my new year's resolution MUST be all about getting healthy again. Not just losing weight but doing regular exercise and feeling good about my body again. Not to mention quitting smoking and cutting down on . I also *must* get to a doctor for a check-up as it's been about three years since my last one. Remember I was going to do this when I noticed I was going bald??? Well, my hair still looks too thin in front but, so far, it isn't getting any worse. Really, I've just been very lazy about taking care of this stuff, which then makes me feel angry at myself.

Meanwhile, things are quite good on the homefront. The actual 'living together' thing with Noggin is very good as he is an excellent 'flatmate' and sometimes it feels like we have always been together. Of course there are a few ups and downs, mostly due to our very different characters. I'm very emotional and tend to 'get things done' while Noggin is quite reserved and tends to be very passive. I worry sometimes that he won't get his sh*t together enough to make a life for himself here - basically he's got until next September when his money will run out and so he'll have to have some sort of work set up for himself by then. I try to help but I also feel I need to hold back and let him do things in his own way. Besides, I also need to be working on finding better-paid and more stable work for myself. But it really is lovely having him here.

The other day we *finally* got a router set up so that both of us can be online at the same time - me on my desktop and him on his laptop. Yesterday we spent a rainy afternoon hootooing together, which was quite fun.

How are things going with your painting? Anything new you'd like to show me? Talking about this reminds me about the Lua and me thing you said you would do. If I send you a photo of me and a couple of Lua would this be enough for you to play with? I think I'll use the first photo of me in the gallery as it is the most flattering one I have of myself (hate having my photo taken so I really don't have that many). Even though that photo was taken five years and many kilos ago I'm told I still pretty much look the same (especially as I'm wearing quite a baggy dress in that photo). What about one that has me and all three cats in it? Just a thought.

One possible new job option that Noggin and I have discussed is perhaps starting up my clothing biz idea. I could deal with the designing and fabric sourcing, etc and Noggin could do the accounting and production set-up stuff (on computer). Again, it's just a thought at the moment but I know I'd love to be able to give this a go and be able to work in a more creative field. And, let's face it, neither of us is ever going to get 'jobs' anywhere - not at our age and with our very random work experience. So the only option for either of us is to create our own business.

Well, that's enough of me-me-me. What about you-you-you?


az

!!
I'm glad to hear from you!

Re: Noggin and his 'passive' style, for what it's worth: passive doesn't *always* mean 'never gets things done'. Sometimes it means 'being really, really efficient when the time is ripe, but not worrying your head about it when it's not quite necessary'. (At least, that's how *I* explain my apparent laziness/procrastination when people get on my ass about not doing things they think are important Right Now, and it works for me.) Look at his history: has he always managed to pull a rabbit out of his hat or has he been typically super-desperate and had to rely on help from others? That'll tell you more than anything, and if it's the former, don't worry about it. Magicians are a special breed and don't deal well with other people's idea of structure being imposed on them.

Painting. UGH. I'm eagerly looking forward to January, haven't had the time/inclination to work on it for more than a month now. This is my really busy season with thew makeup artistry, so the energy goes there. I still have the same mother/child painting waiting on my wall. I did get a new camera and sweeeeeet printer, so I've been involved in photos/ photoshop much more recently (doesn't require the same kinda emotional fluffage as painting) and I'm putting together a portfolio which'll hopefully soon (by my standards) be part of a personal website which'll generate loads of riches.

Other stuff:

Went to Kansas to celebrate Thabnksgiving with my family for the first time in almost 20 years. My mom was ecstatic, and my brother and nepphie were there too, so it was a whole family thing. Excellent! We had snow! This was funny, as I *told* them when I booked the flight ages ago that I wanted to play in the snow for the holiday. It was kinda supposed to, but Those of Little Faith told me that it would only give maybe an inch. HAH! I told them I'd chant for it (and my mom said to do so quietly so's not to wake the nepphie) and then, about 2 hours later it started. My dad came and knocked on my door to let me know, and I did progress checks all night. I was like a kid! (remember, I've lived in the tropics since adolescence). I was up and about before 7 am searching for some of dad's boots, scared the poo out of mom when she found me barefoot and bundled rummaging in the laundryroom. We had about 6 inches overnight, and it was pristine and gorgeous! I loved that landscape of early-morning-subtle pearly white, shimmering grey, multi-faceted-blues and brilliant reds and greens from the berries and fir trees! Anyway, I went out and took a mass of photos, made snow angels on the hill in front of the house, and later we had a snowman and sledding. Woooooohoooooo!

The only ornery note in life lately, besides being stuck in traffic is that my brother told me it looks as if I have something cancerous growing on the back of my ear. He's an ear/nose/throat doc, so the concern is valid. I'm one of the millions of Americans without insurance, so it'll be quite an expedition trying to swim my way through the medical system to get it taken care of in a timely and affordable manner. I can't have my bro do the removal surgery because he's a military doc, and can't get the necessary lab work done for me. However, if worst comes to worst and the doc who cuts it out and has the lab work done refuses to close the hole because I can't afford to pay for a seperate plastic surgery, my brother has offered to patch me back together once he has a lab repot verifying non-cancerous peripheries. *whew* That's a bit of a worrysome pain in the butt, but, as my brother says, many surgeries that *should* 'logically' be much more complicated end up mysteriously resolving themselves once the 'evil humors' (his medical term ) are let out. So I'm chanting for that to be the case for me too.

All is well, I've finally joined with a gym that's on the way home from almost everywhere I usually work, so I'm swimming again (rather than seething in rush-hour traffic) to keep my back unkinked and I'm looking forward to a more normal schedule so I can participate in yoga and other classes to continue the m'ass-reduction programme.

You have my email addy, so send the highest-resoulution pics you have and I'll work 'em into a portrait for you as soon as time permits. Do you want Noggin to be a part of the Family Portrait? If so, be brave and have some pics taken of you together so the lighting is not too bizarre for me to work with. I'm really, really Good at working with the best in everyone and diminishing the 'imperfections', so be fearless and genuinely happy in those kinda pics and they're guaranteed to work if the lighting is half decent.

Since you love snow so much I'm sending you some beautiful snowy 'winter wonderland' photos that Mudhooks sent me awhile ago (in case you wonder *what the heck* is taking so long to download into your email box).

Will write more later, meanwhile, very sorry to hear about the growth but you're also lucky that your brother noticed it. Let me know how things go . . .

hasta pronto,

az

hi again,

So, what are your options for getting the growth removed? How much does private health insurance cost there? Here I spend about 60 euros a month for private insurance, even though I could also be treated on social security. Meanwhile, I know so many doctors that are either friends or students of mine (or both) that for stuff like prescriptions, etc, I just ask them. In fact, Noggin came down with chicken pox (!!!) last month and one of my doctor friends saw him in his surgery for free and another doctor friend managed to get his medication (120 euros!) for free as well.

The thing is, as I'm sure you well know, this growth needs to be seen to as quickly as possible. Is this possible for you? If you need any financial assistance I could probably come up with something to lend you short term, if that would help. Can you maybe pay on credit card? Can your family help? I'm really quite worried about you.

Meanwhile, you totally put me to shame with your regular swimming routine - talk about procrastinating! (me!) Though I seem to have reached 'critical mass' and actually haven't put on any more weight in the past couple of years. But being and old creaky thing now I really *must* get into a regular exercise routine, if only to keep my back from seizing up.

Right, off to search for photos . . .


az

I'm truly touched by your concern and your offer to help! WOW! I should be able to manage the cost of having the thing removed and lab work, though it'll put a dent in my European vacation funds. I plan to have it checked out in early Jan, as I'm booked pretty solid for work through this month. It'll all be ok. I'll keep you posted on progress.

The snow photos were gorgeous! I'll have to pop over to her space and let her know you shared. Was she the photographer? Awesome work!

This past two weeks have held some great fortune for me which has the potential to drastically elevate my earning power next year. I've been working with some of the national makeup artists from CHANEL and two of them have seperately told me that I'm the best they've run across so far in the US doing what I do when I work with them. I do the skincare and apply foundation makeup, then they chose color--lips, eyes, etc. I'm *really* good at listening to the clients and showing them the products to address their concerns, and I'm meticulous at teaching them how to use them. My sales are HUGE, which reflects very well indeed on these guys during their events. Anyway, it occurred to me that I need to let them know that I *do* travel and would be happy to accept bookings in areas that my agent hasn't penetrated. I'm pretty sure that they'll have the reps bring me in for the bigger events in areas of the country that aren't saturated with makeup artists, and I can charge premium rates for that. Also, and even cooler, I've been working with one of the international makeup artists from Bobbi Brown the last few days. I mentioned my plan to go abroad this spring and he asked if I'd be willing to come work with him when he's in Berlin and the rest of Germany. WOOOOOHOOOOO! Now that could help finance my vacation in a *big* way, and it would be a blast! He took my contact info and gave me his, and he wasn't playing around. It's time for me to seriously brush up on my German. I'm very excited about it all, as that's not the kinda luck that falls into everyone's lap. It would be soooo awesome to be able to tie in my desire to travel with jobs that'll cover the expenses *and* pay for some play-time along the way.

All is well and getting better all the time.

Holy Guacamole, girlfriend! That is wonderful news about your work! I'm *so* excited for you - please keep me posted.

And I'm also very relieved to hear that you can manage to get the medical stuff done. Again - keep me posted, okay?

Yes, weren't the snow photos stunning? No, they weren't taken by Mudhooks but she does do quite a bit of photography work herself. Here is the link to her photo in the gallery, which also has a link to her own Fotki page:

http://public.fotki.com/azahar/h2g2_friends/mudhooks_dubois.html

Isn't it wonderful how we end up meeting such interesting people here? I also email and chat on msn with Mudhooks and it feels like I've known her all my life. Once I even surprised her with a phone call and it was great to actually TALK together.

Today is yet another public holiday so am being kinda lazy but also getting little things done. I'm just finishing a pair of trousers for myself - never wear trousers *in public* but they are comfy and warm to wear at home in winter. These are simple black linen ones with elastic waist - more like pyjama bottoms, perfect for 'at home'. And I also have to write my Christmas cards this afternoon and send them off tomorrow.

What are your plans for Christmas?


az

Bon jour

Christmas. It's sneaking up on me once again, though I *have* managed to buy most of the presents already. Tomorrow I think I'll finish that and get the stuff mailed so I don't have my usual 22 Dec. 'AAaaaaaack! It's HERE and I haven't mailed anything' moment and get all frenzied.

This year I'll be off the 23-25th. Have some friends who'll be in town from Oregon on the 23rd, we'll spend the day together and go for dinner at a local place that has exotic drinks and a polynesian hula show. The 24th is still up in the air and on Xmas I'll have my annual open house with a giant pot of jambalaya and cocktails for all. That keeps things casual, fun and easy for me since I don't have to worry about making a big dinner and organizing schedules with all sorts of others. They stop in whenever it's convenient throughout the afternoon and evening and can do the Big Christmas Dinner thing somewhere else. Several years ago I got tired of trying to coordinate everything and spending too much time in the kitchen while my apartment was overflowing with friends whom I was too busy to *talk* to, and everyone loves the new tradition.

I make comfy pajama trousers for slopping around the house in, too. Did a bunch of them in the spring in crazy, bright cotton fabrics and have been thinking I need to make a couple of warmy flannel ones now it's a bit cooler outside. Probably won't get around to that til January, either

What a lovely day I had today! We had a cold front, which gave me a chance to wear a jacket, hat and scarf for a couple hours this morning as I was Xmas shopping (felt very festive) before things warmed up again.

I was totally amazed at all the *stuff* for sale nowadays! I guess, as resident non-shopper (except where I work, and for the most part can't even THINK of affording) and non-TV watching hermit I'm pretty out of it. Sooooo many cool things! No wonder it takes two incomes to maintain a 'normal' family these days. I ended up doing a one-for-them, one-for-me spree. Got the gift list completed, along with a few chachkis just in case I need a last-minute gift, and for myself I got a fondue set, all the fixins for espresso martinis (Baily's Irish Cream, Vanilla vodka) (guess who's gonna host a Let's-Officially-Break-the-New-Year's-Resolutions Decadence Party after the holiday hooplah is over?<evil grin&gt and some irresistable stationary from the bookstore. Thank god Hanukka(sp?) lasts for a number of days, or I'd have no excuse whatsoever for my self-indulgence. I *did* manage to resist the awesome Scrabble and Boggle games that fold into zippered notebooks that look like day planners(and keep the pieces in place, too!) as well as some funky-looking blues and soul Christmas music Cds. However, I'll make a point of checking to see if they're still there at half price after the holidays when everything goes on sale. Sooooo proud of myself for my restraint. *snort*

I'm having great fun with the holiday extravaganza this year, for the first time in a long time. Once January hits I'll be ready for another camping trip to get away from the excess, and it happens that I'm scheduled to work a few days on the west coast, right near the state park I camped at in October. I think I'll camp a few days and then immerse myself in total luxury (they put us up in a *really* nice resort) and wallow in the contrast.

I bet you're loving life right now, having a new-found Noggin to share all the holiday pleasures with. I thought of y'all this morning when I saw a huge variety of Christmas stockings along with some in the shape of paws. Made me develop a mental picture of your mantlepiece (during Xmas everyone has one, in my mind) with footshape, footshape, paw. And then, somehow in the middle of the night, the paw would probably wriggle its way in between the footshapes.

You're jewish? Or from a jewish family? Didn't know that before. If nothing else it was the use of the word 'chachkis' that gave you away. I presume that is the plural form of chachka?

I spent a few years managing an accessories shop in a *seriously* jewish neighbourhood in Toronto. After awhile I sorta became 'jewish' by osmosis - I had all the hand movements down pat, the facial expressions, the this and that. Was dealing mostly with 'princesses' doncha know, but it got so that I could give as well as they could - and man! were they demanding or what? I got the shrug down pat, the rolling of the eyes, all of it. So when some princess came in to complain about something I could shrug and say - 'well, whaddaya want, blood already?' - and it went on from there . . .

Quite fun times, actually.

I also bought myself a pressie whilst out shopping for Noggin. Well, I've bought it and put it away in case he got the same idea - in which case I can always return what I bought after Christmas.

You know, when you mentioned thinking about me with the 'paws' stockings . . . I think it's quite amazing that there are people out there thinking about me. Yet oftentimes here something reminds me of you and I say to Noggin - 'you know, this reminds me of something MoG has said . . .'

It's interesting and I think good that both of us share the whole h2g2 thing. Because it has become such an important thing for me - to be here with all my hootoo pals everyday. And it's the same for him, so I don't need to explain this.

And it's especially great since we got the router thingy set up so both of us can be online at the same time - me on my desktop and him with his laptop.

Still can't relate to your passion for camping, but hey, that's what makes it interesting - that we aren't all the same. Personally I'd rather stick hot needles in my eyes than ever have to CAMP again, but you know, that's just me talking.

Anyhow, time to make food now . . . talk to you anon.


az

Soooo funny that you thought I'm Jewish. I'm Buddhist(a relatively recent choice) and mom tried to make me Christian by forcing some Lutheran and Methodist church-going on me as a youngun. It didn't take. When I read through the bible at around 8 years old I decided that God was not a very nice guy, certainly not someone I'd chose as a friend. Between that and my *still* unanswered question: "if the Universe itself is just too grand to have simply happened, and God is even bigger and better than *that*, then what created God?" I think the whole Mother of God concept started back then, though I didn't decide to take the title for myself til I was in my early 20s. Anyway, as a Buddhist I enjoy bastardizing all sorts of holidays and rituals from various religions, depending on what strikes my fancy at the moment. Also, we have a substancial Jewish community here in south Florida, so I've picked up some fun phrases along the way, as I do everywhere I go. Americans always ask me what country I'm from because I don't quite sound like *them*, and I kinda swing amongst various accents and modes of speach depending on the circumstances and my mood.

Had a great couple of days working for CHANEL, did a big event for them in Boca Raton, and was given a whole box full of goodies as a thank-you tonight. Weeeeeheeeee! Another hundred or so new lipsticks, eyeshadows, skincare treatments, and miscellaneous cosmetic items that I had to find a place to *put* this evening. I must get focused on doing more weddings, bar mitzvahs and private makeup lessons so I can use this stuff before it goes bad. I have a three-foot tall tool chest on wheels that's full-up with cosmetics I use only for that reason (my 'personal' stuff is stashed all over the rest of my place). And still I get a thrill out of it when I have new toys to play with. Sick, eh?

You haven't sent me a pic to work with yet (have you? my email was ornery for a while) and my slower time is coming in January. If you still want something done let me know and send me some pixels, ok?