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

Hi Prideth!

Was he excited? Is the Pope catholic? He was so excited he insisted in bringing in several possibilities for shirts (3), several pairs of trousers (2-3) and one sleeveless cricket jumper, (pretending it is a waistcoat). I've yet to find out what his teacher thought of it all. He was still asking me if I managed to get a white shirt, waistcoat and hat when I picked him up.

As I was sorting out a press enquiry about the article that appeared in a Sunday national newspaper with my name in it (he posed as a candidate at an interview I was chairing with the intention of exposing my authority as barmy - he failed rather), I've had little time to do anything of the sort.

As tonsil would say, 'Pleh'.

"exposing my authority as barmy - he failed rather)"

Ach. Do you trod the corridors of power?

Mornin' Z and tonsil,

old , of course wee would be excited ! What a very helpful little too, coming up with soooo many suggestions for transformation into his costume!

..."press enquiry", "Sunday newspaper", "barmy"??? ...what be this Z ?

"Pleh!", Yep, I know that feeling too, especially yesterday when this contraption decided on early retirement! Just as well I can do a system restore, but I was really panicking,

Prideth

No I can't say that I do. I head up a small team of home and road safety officers. The job was all about teaching children safety strategies - how to recognise safer places to cross and what dangerous places are; how to cross where there are parked cars if there are no 'safe' places; and strategy at junctions.

All he picked up on was that we work in a rather ugly 60s high rise building (true), we were enthusiastic (true), he thought we didn't press him hard enough on his experience, which he'd made up (maybe, but he failed to demonstrate he could do the job when asked about specifics), and he had a problem with our equal opportunities question (on delivering services to a culturally diverse population), which was his problem rather than ours.

Hi Z

it's taken me so long to reply. It's now the witching hour, and it's been a of a day! I couldn't sleep, so thought I'd sneek online for a while.

You must gain a lot of satisfaction in teaching the little'ns how to keep safe. What a great job! A job to be proud of, and one that really makes a difference!

While these thoughts *are* truly -felt, I'm havering somewhat as I'm not quite my self at the mo', so I apologise....

Prideth

Oh dear, Prideth

I know all about being awake at the witching hour. I've not had a really good night's sleep in years. Well perhaps it might be true to say that I've not had consistently good sleep in years.

Was there anything on your mind that you couldn't sleep?

Yes, teaching little 'uns to keep themselves safe is a great job. I don't do it - but I manage people who do. I'm much better with adults that children by and large.

Z

for asking, and, yes there was a heck of a lot on my mind that stopped me from sleeping . I have, sadly, a lot of family problems, and it just so happened to all kick off majorly yesterday. A real big bolt out of the blue. I'm afraid I'm not exactly coping well with it, in fact it would probably be more accurate to say, I'm in bits. A very, very long story, not one that I'd like to depress you with Z .

...this is most likely a really question, but...doesn't your meditation help with your insomnia? Have you seen someone about it to see if they can help? I myself, have long periods where I too suffer with lack of sleep, and thankfully, other times where I'm ok. I sincerely hope you manage to get some really restful sleep as it does, of course, tend to have a knock-on effect on your daily life.

to be rather depressing this mornin' Z

Prideth

Oh, Prideth

Is there anything I can do to help - a problem shared is a problem halved?

I've only just seen your post.

I've been using a technique called the Sedona method, which appears to be helping with the sleep. It's a releasing method. I have a tape set and a workbook.

I meditate in the early morning, which I think helps me cope with the day better. I know I would be better meditating twice a day and it's a matter of finding the time to do it. Sometimes I know what needs to be done, and I don't do it, or I don't do it often enough.

Z , that's really kind of you, and for the . I've only popped online briefly, as things are still pretty wacked, .

I've had a tortuous, to say the least, relationship with my mother pretty much all my life, and it came to a rather nasty end, (the relationship, that is), about 7 years ago. On Thursday I got an e-mail from my older, (disabled), sister's e-mail address giving me my mother's e-mail address in case *I* wanted to contact her. The thing is, it was my *mother* who wrote it, *not* my sister which made me at her using my sister like that, and because she couldn't/wouldn't contact me directly. As I said before, it's a very long and complex story, so, if I've confused you! It would be perfectly understandable, as it confuses the out of me and my sister, who due to her learning difficulties, finds it impossible to comprehend.

I'd love nothing better than for it to work out this time, but she not only abandoned me and my brother, she still uses my sister, and to top it off, she has completely turned her back on my boys. She hasn't even sent birthday and Christmas cards to them in years. I might have been able to forgive her for what she's done to me, but, as you'll understand being a mum, when it comes to her hurting my boys like that......well, you know what I mean, yeh? She just causes too many people I too much pain!

Z , I don't know what's come over me, going on like this!?! It's *not* at all like me to talk about it!!! Time I stopped, I think!!!

I hope all's well with your good self, little and Roy?

Prideth

P.S. I'm not quite sure when I'll be back online again, so take care Z ,

Hmm... The ability to carry to term does not a mother make...

Oh, Prideth !

Sounds like you're very much in need of a !

I wonder if, in her own way, she's trying to reach out to you, but doesn't quite know how?

Obviously, I know absolutely nothing of the history and so what do I know? What do your boys think of it all?

It sort of reminds me that little 's father had a very dysfunctional relationship with both his parents and with some of his brothers and his sister (his father and older brothers were violent). When he was born, his mother was worn out, having had six other children, and then was presented with twins. She has not acknowledged his children. I don't know the ins and outs of it, however I felt quite sorry for her. She was developing Alzheimers the last I heard, and for all I know, she may be dead.

I've just had a long day in Birmingham. I was awake at 4 am to catch the 6.25 am train and on the way back, had to divert to another station and take a bus as there was a derailment when something hit a railway bridge just before my stop , so I'm very tired indeed now. I used to live in Birmingham several years ago, so it was interesting to see how it has changed.

Roy very kindly took little to school this morning. He (Roy) has a tummy bug at present and isn't feeling at his best. Hopefully, he'll be feeling better soon.

I was reading a really interesting book on the way to Birmingham called 'Psychic Protection' by William Bloom, which has some brilliant 'centering' exercises. I think they helped me feel a bit calmer on the journey back. A few years ago, I went to a workshop at one of the Mind Body Spirit festivals and saw him presenting on this. He was very impressive.

I hope you are feeling a little bit more centered now, Prideth.

Your X was twin?

How "Dickens" is the story you told about the mother...

"centering"? Like a spirit level?

You don't know how many times I've been shocked by the possible implications of those terms over the years:
Spirit Level

SPIRIT LEVEL

Bubble plumb doesn't carry the same implications and sounds a bit daft... or a chewing gum flavor...

No, tonsil, X was little 's father's twin. Yes, the story is a bit grim. The father is now dead. Some of the brothers don't talk to each other. The sister has disappeared and doesn't seem to want to be in touch with the rest of the family. Dickensian? I'm sure the stuff Dickens wrote about still happens, although there aren't workhouses any longer and it's less of a crime to be an unmarried mother (they don't drown themselves so much these days).

Centering - http://www.worldtrans.org/TP/TP1/TP1-19.HTML

Plumb bubble? - yes I see what you mean!

Thanks ever so much for the & Z ! It really helps! Things have gone a bit quieter at the minute, thankfully. Families, who'd 'ave 'em, eh? Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em! The boys, well, my eldest, at least, thinks I'd be crazy to go back there. The youngest doesn't yet know, as I don't want to upset him, especially when things are still so up in the air. I don't think I would have told my eldest either if he hadn't seen the e-mail. He tends to hang over my shoulder when I'm reading my mail, and seeing as it looked as though it was from his auntie, I thought it'd be OK. how was I? You were saying about your ex's family being dysfunctional too. to hear that, it must be difficult for wee , and of course for you too being his mum? We're always led to believe that families are wonderful, supportive and loving units, but, sadly, they can be the most cruel units too. I hope Roy is feeling better, and you have recovered from your trip to Birmingham? How right you are tonsil, giving birth does not a mother make. It especially doesn't make a *Mum*! Bubble plumb - nice one tonsil, just the job to cheer me up! tonsil! Just before I go, please, both of you, check out this link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F152468?thread=355992 Thanks for all the support! Prideth

"Dickensian?"

I was thinking more of his dense plots where everything turns to pucky before the miraculous denouement.

I have family that I don't talk to, including a brother.
I have a father that I do talk to, but there is so much baggage from years past that we rarely talk about. I do bring up some of the things he ignored and missed and he almost never sidesteps the whole thing.
My mum, on the other hand... and her mum... pleh.

The stuff with Uvula has settled back into it's normal stream. She stayed at the house for the first time in days last night.
Now we are talking normally.
Which means the threats of separation are just background noise... as usual.

See you later,

to hear that you've been having family probs too tonsil! and here's this old being selfish, self-indulgent of self pity! I should always keep in mind that other folks have their problems/sadnesses too, which, in my defense, I usually do, but....hey, I'm not so much as human after all! (Just don't tell anyone, ).

As I said before, "Families, who'd 'ave 'em?" And as you said, "pleH!"

Ach well, things can only get better........for all of us! (I get these flashes of optimism once in a while! *lol*).

See ya tonsil,

Prideth

Families are difficult things aren't they? I've almost none and my mum didn't like her lot in any case - she had an overstrict and overcontrolling father - I gather he was inclined to get physical sometimes. This resulted in my aunt (now dead) having 3 nervous breakdowns and my uncle having problems - he's now agraphobic and I suspect he's been depressed for a lot of his life. He thinks my mum was the only one to come out of it normal.

So given that I'm not sure that having a large family is such a good thing. I'm sure they can be wonderful. I've just not had the experience of it so far.

Had the opportunity to use qigong today. Received a hate mail letter today at work. Intellectually I thought it was funny; on the physical level I felt wobbly.

Ohhh! You poor thing Z ! What a horrible thing to have happened! Who on earth would be so twisted as to send *you* hate mail? Utterly shameful, so it is!!! No wonder you were a bit wobbly!

Have you got the Police involved? Would they be able to trace its source?

What a week, right enough Z !!! The world's gone stark raving bonkers!!!

Prideth

Isn't it so nice to get fan mail from strangers?

I mean, an actual letter? On personalized stationary?

Keep in mind that in the overalls scream of things, you might have kept that poor man from having a heart attack. You just might have inadvertantly given him a vent.

I would have copied the stupid thing to the moron who wrote the article.
He deserves a little joy, too.

Where can I find this stupid article?