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

Really getting into this H2G2 lark - all your fault!

Moi?

Yeah! Sorry, it's me, NJP(as was) not a stalker!!

Actually, I'd already worked that out! Took me a minute or two, though...

So, how are you enjoying h2g2?

It's great!
[I've just been to put Christopher to bed and been distracted by Rich watching Stargate (last one ever?)so I've gone and come back since leaving message]
It's fab to meet all these people

Yes, I'm an old hand now and I've made a lot of friends onsite. I've even met quite a few of them in real life courtesy of the official meet-ups.

You may notice that there's actually a Parrferris Fan Club! There are actually quite a few such threads on h2g2 (there was a bit of a fad at one stage) but I'm proud to say that mine is one of the longest of all...

I saw the picture! They look like a fun crowd.
Do you get together often or are the meetings always miles away? Do you drive yet? I still don't.
I'm always a bit wary of meeting internet friends, after a bad experience a friend of mine had meeting some people from a parenting site!
How are your M&D after their accident? They weren't badly hurt, I hope.

Mum and Dad are getting on fine, thanks. Mum wasn't too badly hurt - a few stitches in her knee - and Dad is healing well, but making the most of it!

The meets are organised by the 'italics' - the BBCi staff who run h2g2 - and they're great fun. I've never known anyone have any problems, and it's generally pretty well organised. There's usually a summer one and a winter one held in London. Typically there's an afternoon activity (rounders in Hyde Park, a treasure hunt around the city) and then an evening in a good pub, nearly always with a quiz based on Guide Entries and people well-known onsite. If you ever get the opportunity, do come along to one!

a very funny site.
www.omwh.com
If you liked Buffy (purely for the humour - yes, I know!) and LOTR(can't remember if you do!)this is hilarious!

Well, at a rough estimate I've read Lord of the Rings upwards of twenty times over the years, and I rarely missed Buffy. Unfortunately, one episode I did miss is 'Once More With Feeling'

I haven't forgotten about replying to your e-mail, BTW. Every time I try to get at my mail I'm getting a message telling me that my PC can't open Outlook Express because 'MSOE.DLL is missing'. As soon as I work out how to sort it out, I'll write, promise! Well, not quite 'as soon as', because I'll have to plough through several days of spam first...

Here's somewhere to visit:
A516647
You may want to join!

You MISSED Once More With Feeling?
Ref: A516647, I'm a foon girl myself.

p.s. What time of year do you read LOTR?
I always read it about now - the end always makes me cry! Currently, M&P just about to enter Fangorn.
What did you think of the films? I've only seen the first 2.
Richard's NEVER read it. He loves the films 'though, so I might convince him yet! I can't believe that there are people who don't know how it ends! Mind you, I hear that the ROTK film doesn't end where the book does.

The film actually ends exactly where the book does, but there's a hefty chunk missing shortly before (I won't explain further in case I spoil the film for you). The films are excellent - I don't think a better film could ever be made of the books, at least not without making a movie that was about 48 hours long! I still prefer the radio dramatisation though.

I don't think I've ever read the book(s) at any particular time of year, though I seem to associate it with early summer. On at least one occasion I've reached 'Well, I'm back' and immediately headed back to the beginning of The Fellowship. I have to admit that the ending has been known to bring a tear to my eye, too.

The radio versions were good - although I only caught one or two. Weren't they on at the weekend, around teatime? I remember being miffed because I kept missing them.
This hefty chunk, would it be the 'rebuilding the Shire' part? I remember reading a review which wasn't impressed by not finding out what happened to Saruman. Hmmm!
I agree that the films are great. Sean Astin actually looks like the Sam I'd imagined and Gollum is fab too. Can't wait to see what Goodies are on the DVD. The extra bits on the first two are excellent.

I'm convinced that Sean Astin has listened to the radio series very closely. His vocal performance - accent, pitch, inflection - is almost identical to that of Bill Nighy (who was pretty well unknown when he stole the show as Sam Gamgee). Apparently the cast of the film were all given recordings of the radio version to listen to by Peter Jackson.

The other link, of course, is that Ian Holm plays Bilbo in the films and played Frodo on the wireless!

I'm about to start reading the books again as I've realised it's been a couple of years since I last did so. In fact that must be by far the longest gap between readings since I was about 10!

Get going then! Last night, Ents leaving for Isenguard. A,L&G met Theoden.
Now, which are your favourite characters and which would you be? Claire and I were chatting about this last night.
My favourite is Eowyn, but I've no idea which one I'd be, probably Rosie Cotton! Claire's favourite is Legolas (this probably has a lot to do with Orlando Bloom!)but she'd want to be Gandalf!! I find this very strange!!

p.s. Can't listen to the Archers now, without thinking of Sam!!!
Do you listen? I had a gap of a while - radio in kitchen broke. Now I really can't get back into it.

I generally try to catch the omnibus edition.

I suppose that Sam is the real hero of the whole book, but of the other characters I've always liked Faramir. I don't know why particularly, but Tolkien felt the same because he said that the character just turned up unplanned in Ithilien and he decided to keep him in!
As for which character I would be, that'd probably be Barliman Butterbur!

Yep, I like Faramir too - not sure i liked his being a baddie to begin with in TT.Now, don't get me wrong - I loved the films, but I thought Gimli was a bit 'comedy dwarf'too. It's always going to be difficult to film something that people have imagined so individually, they did a really good job.
On another topic, do you know anyone who doesn't like toast?