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

Hope this is finding you well and recovered. I'm working overtime these days but think of you often with a smile.

Take care.

Still, Pika

Very dear Pika Thank you so much for the Mother's Day wishes. I shall accept them as birthday wishes as well as it is my birthday on the 23rd. So pleased to hear from you and that you seem to be very active with all your mathematical calculations - far above me!!. An affectionate AR1 <schooloffish?

If you birthday is April 23, then the Sun was in the constellation Aries when you were born. If it was May 23, then the Sun was in the constellation Taurus. The sky has shifted in the 2000 years since our traditional zodiac was created. From Earth's perspective, 87% of people are a different Sun Sign than they believe.

For more info, visit http://www.dionysia.org/astrology/sun-signs.html

Happy Birthday!

Still, Pika

Hi dear Pika, Actually it is May the 23rd. But what does it mean? I thought that all Gemini had the same features. I know that whenever I read my star signs in a magazine they are very true to what I am like or feeling. I wish they could tell me whether to have my two hip replacements without all the dreadful things going to happen to me which they (the doctors)foretell!! With affection AR1

Wow, hip replacements, huh? That's tough. Only God can answer those questions, but the Bible says he answers. Is it necessary for your continued health? Best of luck.

I think that when we feel pain, we are very close to our Mother. I have suffered hundreds of hospital experiences, all quite painful. Our Mother is strong and suffers Her pains stoicly. She is a great comfort. And of course God never leaves Her or us, so He's right there for support in times of pain, as well.

I'll say a prayer for you.

As far as consulting the astrology pages, I think that's just talking to God. We are so small and the Universe is so big and full of little details, that we seem to forget that the WHOLE THING is God. Our tiny brains must divide God into pieces capable of examination. We glorify mere aspects of His totality.

When we consult astrology, we are searching for connections and answers. Who else but God responds? If in doubt, say a prayer before you read your daily sign.

Try reading both Taurus and Gemini now. Maybe there is another aspect of yourself hiding behind the twin facade. I like to read all of them when I get the chance. They all make me think.

Take care.

Still, Pika

Very dear Pika Please forgive my long silence. I have been quite depressed of late. there are a lot of changes which have to be made and I really did not feel up to making any of them. anyway, I have got my courage back now so thought that I would drop you a line just to say Hi and to thank you again for the super Mother's Day wishes. One of my Australian granddaughters is coming over to the Uk next month and I am SO looking forward to seeing her. It will be great. I send you an affectionate AR1

Changes for me too. I walked into work last week, and the whole office was laid off.

Then we got rehired by the guys who bought the office. It might work out well, still don't know.

But because I was laid off from a big company, I received 5 weeks of severense pay. Now we can fix the bathroom floor. It's just strange how things work out.

And I was just thinking about you today...how wonderfully open your mind is. I wish it was contagious. And here you are writing again! Syncronicity!

Take care and enjoy your granddaughters.

Still, Pika

Hi Pika Thank you for your reply. Good to know that you were "sold" along with the company!!. Seriously though, great to receive severance pay and also keep one's job. You must be really good at your job. What is it you do? I cannot wait to see my darling Australian grandaughter. I think that I shall nickname her K2 as she is as soft as a koala and is the second child in the family!!. Well we are off to a real live garden party on Sunday. That should be fun.As long as it doen't rain. Have a good weekend A big AR1

So that's how you do it Excellent! Had you not made the error, I might never have figured it out!

Good luck with the weather at your Garden Party. K2 sounds great. Personal nicknames from Grama are great.

I am a telemarketer. I book appointments for timeshare presentations by offering free dinners and vacations. The real key is to dial a lot of numbers and not try and convince the people who aren't interested. I don't like to bother people. But the people who like my offer don't feel bothered at all. Since I don't fudge the truth at all, my tours are usually happy. That turns into referals from them, and more tours. 'Tours' transfers into money. So I get 9 dollars an hour or $65 per tour, whichever is higher. And I only work about 35 hours a week, which leaves time for me to study. I can't complain, and the new bosses are great.

Is your grandaughter old enough for this?

'Twas the day after Christmas
Two thousand and one
And I woke when I dreamed
There's a job to be done.

The task I am charged with
Might seem a bit odd
But when it was asked
I agreed with a nod.

A vision of Santa Claus
Came in a dream
And Santa Claus said
"Things are not as they seem.

"Don't listen to people
Who say I am not
Or you will conspire
In their sinister plot.

"A very long time ago
Hundreds of years
A rumor was placed
Into everyone's ears.

"The rumor suggested
That Santa's a fake
And I'm here to tell you
There's been a mistake.

"The truth of the matter
Is I have been sleeping
Along with the rest
Of the company I'm keeping.

"The cause of the sleep
Is all part of the plot
I should have been watching
I'm afraid I was not.

"As I sat at home reading
In my favorite chair
They slipped me a taste
Of a food that is rare.

"The fruit of the lotus
Causes spirits to sleep
I have tried to wake up
But the sleep is too deep.

"Then after the fruit
They obscured all my stories
With fantasy magic
And unreal glories.

"They started the rumor
Of reindeer in flight
All circling the planet
On Christmas Eve Night.

"They said that my home
Is up north on the pole
And they tell everyone
I'm a merry old soul.

"The fact is, right now
I am not very merry
The way I am feeling
Is really quite scary.

"I feel in my heart
I've a job here to do
And that I cannot leave
'Til my job here is through.

"When I am awake
Where's my memory at?
The trouble is
I have forgotten all that.

"But when I am sleeping
All safe in my bed
My path becomes clear
As I dream in my head.

"And then I wake up
And the dream is no more
The lotus fruit makes me
Arise as before.

"Not knowing the reason
I came here to Earth
In this ongoing state
Of perpetual rebirth.

"I keep coming back
And I try to awaken
I'll think I'm awake
Then I'll find I'm mistaken.

"And that's why I'm here
Bugging you while you rest
I need you to wake up
And grant my request.

"I want you to find me
And help me awaken
And then I will prove
That I have not forsaken

"The job I originally
Came here to do
I'll come with glad tidings
And the New Dharma, too."

I nodded at Santa Claus
There in my dream
And I vowed to remember
Things aren't as they seem.

But when I woke up
I'll admit I forgot
I almost succumbed
To the lies in the plot.

Then I saw a nice card
On the Christmas Card shelf
And I knew in a moment
I must be an elf.

The front of the card
I believe was the cause
It made me remember
The real Santa Claus.

The one who's not living
On the pole that's up north
The one with no reindeer
To fly himself forth.

I remembered the guy
Who came by in my dream
The Santa who said
"Things are not as they seem."

So I looked for a Santa
Not like in the story
And when I couldn't find him
I started to worry.

But then I remembered
His words about Dharma
I knew that was something
Related to Karma.

So I then turned to look
In a Buddhist direction
To try to see it
There's a Santa connection.

And sure enough, Santa's
A Buddhist these days
And I couldn't believe
Where this Santa Claus stays.

On the top of the world
Is where he can be found
It's not the North Pole
It's the world's highest ground.

The things hidden there
Flow forth like a fountain
It's amazing what Padma
Saved up on that mountain.

I found our new Santa there
Lively and quick
This time he does not quite
Look like Ol' Saint Nick.

The fact is, our Santa
Looks just like a Lama
And learning he's Santa
Might be a big trauma.

He's called Dalai Lama
By all kinds of folks
Who aren't yet aware
Of the practical jokes.

I'll grab all my friends
And we'll give it a try
We'll go and wake Santa
He's a really nice guy.

We'll fly off to India
In a big plane
While all of our friends
Tell us we are insane.

We'll knock on the gate
That's in front of the house
We will not be quiet
Like some little mouse.

We'll request him in person
Not some secretary
He has to wake up soon
And start being merry.

For Christmas Eve Night
Of two thousand and two
There are lots of big jobs
He's expected to do.

The Dharma comes first
Then all humans need health
And it all can be done
Without money for wealth.

The hearts of all people
Is where our strength lies
Just wake them all up
And you'll get a surprise.

If we all work together
I believe in one year
We can build for a Christmas
When Santa is here.

And don't forget Jesus
And Maitreyah, too
There's a whole lot of waking
For people to do.

Today's the last day
Of two thousand and one
My poem is now finished
The quest has begun.

By Pika

Still, Pika

Darling Pika I am overwhelmed. It is quite beautiful. I am really filled with emotion and feel that it is the most beautiful poem and so full of love,compassion, joy and happiness. Bless you. With a great big AR1

How very kind. How about another one? About a boy who didn't like school.

Billy Bamboosalson had just one rule,
Billy Bamboosalson didn't like school.

He didn't like rising at 7 o'clock,
Or rushing through breakfast, or having to walk.

He didn't like sitting so still in his chair,
He'd do almost anything not to be there.

He hated school so much he wanted to scream,
But instead little Billy learned how to daydream.

His teacher tried everything under the sun
To try and show Billy that school could be fun.

But sadly she'd look at his daydreamy eyes,
That couldn't be opened despite all her tries.

Then one day while dreamily walking back home,
He happened to run into Sophie the Gnome.

Sophie had seen him for many a day
And watched as he daydreamed his whole life away.

And what Sophie wanted, to Billy's surprise,
Was to shed some new light in his daydreaming eyes.

She pleasantly asked him about his daydreaming,
And little did he know that she was just scheming.

She knew if she entered his fantasy land,
Envisioning all of his daydreams first hand,

That soon she could teach him to really like school,
And that his same old classroom is really a tool.

So he shared his daydreaming with Sophie the Gnome,
He shared his whole world with her as he walked home.

He told her that some day he wanted to be
An adventurous captain out sailing the sea.

He wanted to visit exotic new places
And eat strange new foods and see all kinds of faces.


He'd buy some things here and he'd sell them all there,
And be greeted with smiles as he traipsed everywhere.

Sophie just grinned as he told her his tale,
Because she was sure that her plans would not fail.

When Billy was finished she said with a glow,
That daydreams are great for they help us to grow.

They let us explore things we might want to be,
And pretend about places we might want to see.

But daydreaming shouldn't be taken too far,
Because it's just pre-tending, it's not who we are.

One of the very best things school is for,
Is it takes a child's daydreams and makes them much more.

For example, if one day you might want to be,
A seafaring captain out sailing the sea,

You'd first have to learn about multiplication,
And lots of geography and navigation.

And since you're in school for five days in each week,
It's perfect for gaining the knowledge you seek.

Maybe by learning new things you are taught,
You'll find that your wishes were not what you thought.

Or perhaps as you study the things you might do,
You will want all your sea captain dreams to come true.

But one thing's for sure, you remember this Billy,
Daydreaming all day in school is not silly.

In fact, I believe that it's almost a crime,
To be blessed with a school, and then waste all your time.

Your teacher is worried that you'll fall behind,
And she's constantly trying to open your mind.

Well, now you can help her, just go up and say,
"I might want to be a sea captain one day".

She could ask the librarian, who helps you look,
When you know what you want, but you don't know which book.

And as you are reading these fun things, it seems,
That the things you are learning are like your daydreams.

So open your mind up and use this great tool,
Because school is for learning, and learning is cool.

What Billy said next almost made Sophie cry,
He paused and he thought and he then said "I'll try".

He shocked his poor teacher much more than he'd thought,
When he shyly announced that he'd like to be taught.

She not only made sure a good book was found,
But later he learned she'd been asking around.

It seemed Mr. Brooks from Room 231,
Had also thought sailing the seas would be fun.

And before he taught school his daydreams had come true,
He lived on a ship for not one year, but two.

He told Billy stories about where he'd been,
And the weird things he ate and the people he'd seen.

And Billy found daydreaming went well with school,
And after awhile, Billy had a new rule.

He kept his rule simple, he needed just one,
It's that school is all right, because school can be fun.


I have lots of these. If you really like them, I'll send another.

I'm reading Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien. My sister had a teacher who says his name is pronouced TOL-KINE. Rhymes with pine. If this is true, I certainly hope people start saying it properly.

I sent the Santa poem to the Dalai Lama's office today. I hope they like it as much as you. They might even show Him.

Take care, and

Still, Pika

Very dear Pika You are SO gifted. Thank you for the second poem. I hope that you have had a reply from the Dalai Lama about the first one. I read them aloud to my friend and my son and they both loved them. We have had a beautiful few days - sun shining, blue sky and a lovely visit to London which I enjoyed. I wonder how you are going to do your bathroom. Please do let me know. An affectionate AR1

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Before the beginning
Before there was time
There erupted a dot
That moved into a line.

She traveled around
Leaving tracks in her wake
She did not even know
How to make a mistake.

There was not a thing
To compare something to
For Dot and her line
Where completely brand new.

They had no idea
What it was they were making
And no thought at all
Of the space they were taking.

Then Dot curved around
And slid next to lines train
And by spiraling inside
They turned into a plane.

Now Dot couldn't move
From the center of plane
Where they both felt quite trapped
And experienced Pain.

Dot lept from the center
Followed closely by Line
Thus creating Dimension
And the essence of Time.

The results of Dot's travels
Were hungrily sought
By the lonely old VOID
Who eats lines to make Thought.

But Dot had Created
A Line so intense
That VOID couldn't swallow
A Line so immense.

Which left enough Time
For Dot to inquire
If VOID would consider
Turning into their Sire.

The lonely old VOID
Felt a tear in HIS I
And quickly consented
To give it a try.

But HE couldn't remember
HIS DAD anymore
And HE'd never been
Anyone's Daddy before.

But if they could be Patient
HE'd be Patient too
They could work together
And try something new.

By working together
A way was soon found
To make a Creation
Both stable and sound.

They gathered the Time
Once Created by Dot
And mixed it Together
With all of VOID's Thought.

What a pleasant surrounding
They found They Created
When both Line and Thought
Were properly mated.

But, oh, what a terrible
Fate could be wrought
When improper matches
Were fervently sought.

The CHAOS that followed
Brought nothing but Madness
So VOID ate Creation
In spite of HIS Sadness.

But WISE ONES escaped
From Old VOID's escapade
And that's when the very first
Miracle was made.

While swimming around
In the CHAOS of Being
WISE ONES found the Way
To Create something Freeing.

They tied the right Knots
For all of CREATION
To keep things in balance
And establish Duration.

They borrowed some Time
From the CHAOS VOID ate
And they climbed inside VOID
And proceeded to wait.

And because of the Knots
They had tied up before
Their plan took Dot's CHAOS
And Made it much more.

WISE ONES found the Ways
To Balance CREATIONS
And from inside VOID
They established Relations.

They took something Old
And they made something New
And by shifting their Pattern
Rebirth was made too.

By crossing Rebirth
With the Knowledge in TIME
The WISE ONES succeeded
In Healing our Line.

Guess who! Thank you for likeing the poems.

I think there is hope for humanity, yet. People just need a good reason to wake up in the morning. Then they might wake up!

The bathroom floor is breaking. The house is getting old. So we will get a new bathroom out of my job loss. Nothing too fancy, just fixed, functional and light green with dark green accents.

How cool to live by London. I'd love to visit some museum basements there. I hear there's bunches of cool things in the basements. I wish that was a job, going through museum basements. I'd apply.

Take care.

Still, Pika

I love these fishies!

Dear sweet Pika Every time you write I am more and more in awe of your creativity. Where do you get this wonderful gift of words from? It really is a God-given gift. You must try and explain to me how I can print out just the one poem and not the whole of our conversation.I do not know how to do it and each time I have to print out the whole lot!!.
I am so pleased that you like my fish - I also think they are super and the way you have arranged them in your farewell was super. My son K. has got two of his pictures on exhibition at the art centre that he attends. He has also got some pottery that he has done on exhibition at a National Art Show.
I also love living in London - or rather outside. When I was still able to walk I used to go to concerts at the Barbican and the Festival Hall nearly every week as I love music. Now of course it is virtually impossible to do this. Still I can listen to the radio and I have got a special Arts programme on the TV which is wonderful.
I am off dear friend. thank you for the description of your new bathrooom.
An affectionate to a special person. AR1

Glad you're still enjoying my poems.

To print just the poem, you need to highlight just the poem. To do this, you use your mouse.

Place the cursor at the beginning of the poem. Now you must push the left button AND DON'T LET GO. While you are still holding it down, drag it down to the bottom of the screen. All the things that will be copied instantly turn grey.

Because the poem is longer than one page, you must continue to scroll down below the line. New lines automatically pop up.

If you go past the bottom of the poem, don't let go. Just slide the mouse up to the top of the screen and it will go backwards.

NEXT -- when the whole poem is grey -- let go of the button. Now, put the pointer on any part of the poem, and press the RIGHT mouse button, and let go. Select COPY from the menu that appears.

Now you must move it to a file. Do you have MICROSOFT WORD. Or maybe WORD PERFECT? Open that file and select CREATE NEW FILE. When your blank screen appears, point your mouse onto any part of the blank page and click the right button again. This time select PASTE. The poem will automatically appear.

Print it from WORD.

As far as the poems go, I hear them in my head. I love to write poetry, but don't have much time for the good stuff. That was just the first chapter of FOOD FOR THOUGHT. It's 220 stanzas long. If you want the whole thing, let me know.

How wonderful for your son to receive recognition for his work. Does he have a website?

Have you investigated LIVE FEEDS on the internet? I know they have live cameras all over the world. Some of them, like the one at the University of Washington, just point out on the plaza. Others broadcast live entertainment.

Go to www.google.com and type in live internet feeds and beware of sex sites. I think all sex sites should have to have a special ending. Instead of .net or .com or .gov it should be .sex. Then nobody gets surprised while surfing for fun.

Have a great day.

Still, Karen

Very dear Karen
I am so sorry that I have not replied. I have had a busy two weeks and missed your reply. Thank you for all the instructions about how to copy. I shall have to print the whole lot and then I shall be able to refer to it.
No K. does not have a web site but I shall send you some of his poems that he wrote before he was ill. They are really beautiful and I sadly cry when I read them. Fortunately he has both his pottery and his art to keep him busy. and he enjoys his cooking. If you look at the entry on LSD you will see my entry which explains what has happened to him. What a cruel thing it was to do to him.
Have a good weekend, and I shall try out your instructions as soon as I have printed them. A very affectionate AR1

I believe we have free will when we die. When it is time for a soul to take a new body, that life can be 'redeemed' by a stronger soul.

So when the Angels, who see all time, note that a particularly bad thing will happen to a person, then a 'hero' will take that lifetime.

Jesus said to be nice to the lowest. Being nice to them is being nice to Him. Well, what if Jesus, in all His strength, perpetually takes the 'bad rides'? What if strong, good souls, take a bad life in all this hell.

Then a really bad thing can happen to a really great person. They didn't 'deserve' it. They didn't have 'bad Karma' from a past lifetime. They sacrificed themselves before they were ever born.

Unfortunately, there are too few of these heroes. And they all come to difficult ends, as they knew they would.

But their soul is strong. Their soul will not be permanently affected. That is why they do it. They are strong and they know they can.

The rest of my answer is to your other posting.

How strong you are, AR1.

Still, Pika

Thank you dear sweet Pika
I am sitting here with tears coursing down my cheeks knowing that everything you say is so true. I had just forgotten it in the struggle to try to stay both sane and sensible in this life. He KR is strong, and he will survive. I should never have doubted it. And his work, both his poetry and his art and pottery will live long after we have all gone. With my love AR1

Oh, I hope you're not angry with me. I noticed they moderated you.

If you want to tell me something, my email address is [email protected]

They moderate me, too.

Take care.

Still, Pika aka Karen

Thank you dear Pika I have spent a very sad day but now I have the reply and it is reinstated. I shall be mailing you. The things people think of one another absolutely appall me. Is there no trust left? Does one always have to think the worst of everyone? I am that very stupid kind of person and that is an idealist at the age of 74. Very silly I know, but I still get so upset when I am proved wrong. I thought it was such a splendid idea and that some good could come out of this tragedy. I honestly thought that this could be the beginning of a creative centre for those who had experienced the dreadful effects of LSD and whose lives were in torment. At least here, on this little island of trust and love and understanding they would be able to find themselves both appreciated and encouraged. So where do we go from here.? I hope that tomorrow I shall feel my optimistic self again and pick myself up,dust myself off, and try once again to give to those who have suffered some degree of self respect and dignity. With much love AR1