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

"I was the only English student in my college..."

Do I know which college that was? If you've told me, I've forgotten

"...who bothered to use her Hermes email account."

Well, I was scientist and I only found mine in my third year...

I like your browser/printing press analogy

"I don't think being computer-illiterate is anything to be proud of..."

Ah, now we're talking the same language! Don't forget we live in a country where almost any form of learning, but particularly science and technology, is still looked down on. As someone who works in science communication, this *really* annoys me

And I shall take some deep breaths before I launch into a rant that I wouldn't have time to finish, as some of us are supposed to be working, not swanning around the park writing cheesy advertising slogans

"We study our past because we want to understand our present and influence our future."

And there was me thinking it was just because there were fewer lectures than in the sciences

I was a Corpuscle. We were crap at everything but at least we had the Playroom.

I stopped swanning around the park hours ago. Since then I've had a two hour discussion about how to interface with someone's accounting system to be followed by two hours of Russian this evening and then some breakdancing. So there.

>>And there was me thinking it was just because there were fewer lectures than in the sciences

I'm glad you went to university so that you could get up at 8 o'clock every weekday morning and work for 8 hours before going home. After all, it's not like you'll be doing that for the rest of your life...

Corpus, eh..? Now I come to think about it, I have no recollection of ever meeting anyone from Corpus in the 7 years I was in Cambridge... Did you lot not get out much? Or was that me..?

Ah. Except when I had to deal with the Fletcher Players to book the Playroom, that is. Great little theatre, the Playroom

"8 o'clock every weekday morning"

And Saturdays

"...it's not like you'll be doing that for the rest of your life"

I've no intention of doing it for the rest of my life. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean I won't...

>>Did you lot not get out much?

Well, we were the second smallest college in Cambridge so there weren't many of us to go round.

I liked Corpus a lot. Lovely people, beautiful college, good bar. Funnily enough, I now share a flat with one friend from Corpus and one friend from Emma. Isn't that nice!

I was always under the impression that Corpus was quite big... Don't know why!

I once shared a house with two friends from Emma and one from Newnham. We survived the year, but I've never shared accommodation since!

Did you know there's a play about Tommy Cooper opening soon? I noticed it whilst walking up Charing X Rd last night. Starring Jerome Flynn!! last seen making a hash of things on Top of the Pops.

Jerome Flynn..? Was he half of Robson and Jerome? Surely he can't be playing Tommy Cooper?

Coincides rather well with the 'Great Comedy Acts' Entry on the front page! Which reminds me, I must go and 'politely suggest' that they add a link from there to my 'Morecambe and Wise' Entry...

It's probably about time someone wrote an Entry on Tommy Cooper as well, but if I launch into that, then my replies here probably will become even less frequent

I'll have to think about it...

Hi, how's the Wodehouse adaptation going?

Hello again

It's going... well, it's going! We've had a read through, and we're all going down to Somerset at the end of July. Rehearse for a week and then put it on for three nights

Still, it seemed to work last year

How've you been?

How've I been? Interesting question....a lot has been happening over the last couple of months, and some things I've coped with better than others. Perhaps I thrive on change. I was probably born under the planet Notagain, The Bringer Of Upheaval.

So, do you do the thing with the same group of people every year?

Oh dear, this one appears to have slipped by again. I am still here, honest!

Your life sounds a bit chaotic (that's probably the understatement of the year, right?) I hope everything's OK..?

Saying we do the Jeeves and Wooster every year would be a slight exaggeration - we did one last year, and they invited us back for this year, so we've done it every year for the last 2 years

And it's almost the same group of people, but we've had to find a few new cast members for this year. Bertie and Jeeves are the same though!

You are pretty rubbish, aren't you.

I'm fine really - changing job, moving house and studying for another exam at the moment. You know about Bels as well - that was a thing.

I popped into the h2g2 summer party for about 20 minutes over the weekend. I arrived at 11pm, just as everything was coming to a hazy and unsteady end, and therefore only met three people. Not quite sure why I went really, except to say hi to Bels and LastNumberRedial. You didn't go did you?

"Pretty rubbish"..? That's a little harsh

Although probably justified

Anyway, to change subject slightly, I've now done a first sub-edit on your West Side Story entry (A1047692). Let me know if you spot anything that I shouldn't have done. Otherwise, I'll polish it off and get them all back to the Editors

I didn't go to the summer party - in fact, the whole thing seemed to pass me by. I only found out about it after the event. I obviously haven't been paying much attention recently, but then you knew that already...

Don't worry, the fact that you have a life outside of h2g2 is a positive thing! It's just that talking to you is a bit like playing correspondence chess....

Anyway, thanks for taking a look at West Side Story. I don't have any comments on your work, except a rather academic one on links.

Generally I put links to other entries and external URLs in a new browser window using popup=1. What's the sub-ditorial opinion on this? I find that if I am reading an entry (especially if on a slow link), it's annoying to have to lose your page whilst something else which may or may not be interesting downloads into the same window.

However, if you want to know how much I care about this the answer is: not much.

The official policy on popup links in Edited Guide Entries is: don't do it! So I don't. So it's a good job you don't care much!

And at the moment, I don't have much of a life outside h2g2 - I have a job

Yeah right. Apart from putting on a show and being in a band.

Well, yes, there are those, I suppose. The band played a gig on Saturday - a 60th birthday party. They weren't the most appreciative audience we've ever had

"Yes, dear, it's very nice, but could you turn the volume down..."

"These go to 11...."

Next time I'll take along some hearing aids that *do* go to 11 and hand them out!