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

Hello there Also Ran!
How lovely that you have wanted to talk to me for a while. I have often thought about leaving you a message but I've held back because I don't get around to posting much on h2g2 and you might think I was ignoring you if my reply took a long time. So forgive me, in advance, if you don't see much of the old blue fish.

I know your part of the country very well, having lived there on and off for a total of more than 20 years. At the moment its "off" but I'm returning soon. There are lots of reasons why I'm changing jobs again after 2 years and I didn't have to come back to the area but I need to do something familiar for a while and rethink things. Also I've missed being able to drive a bit and sit by the sea after work or even take a day trip to Belgium at the weekend. Have you encountered vegiman here? He's in Maidstone and really is a veggie man! He has been on h2g2 since the early days of the site, as you can tell from his low user number, U34006.

I'm quite private about my personal details here but I will tell you that I am an A Level teacher and I have 2 teenage girls. If I refer to them at all here I call them Sunshine and Moonlight because that is a good description of their personalities. Sunshine is happy all the time and makes everyone else feel cheerful too. She's absolutely nothing like people's idea of a moody teenager. She wants to be a vet and is working very hard towards that goal. Moonlight has a quirky way of looking at life and makes ordinary things look unusual, in the way that the silvery beams of might. She wants to write and she certainly has the talent to make a living at it. Ideas scuttle about in her head like night creatures and I often find them written down on scraps of paper.

I do hope you get to find a place overlooking the sea. When my girls were very young I loved to take them to the many little bays along the coast. It didn't have to be a sunny day.

Do you like my h2g2 name? I chose it very carefully, partly for fun but also because it describes me very well! I don't usually add anything after my name but the anagram seemed to fit with my life at the moment.

Dear , Thank you for your simply splendid letter. We have just got in after driving from where I live - about forty miles from the coast eventually ending up at Bognor Regis, Well, after starting off towards Hastings I changed my mind and went through Lewes intending to look at the coast beyond Brighton. We first of all found a super little Italian restaurant where I had a splendid risotto marinare. Then we looked at a few places right on the sea at Hove. Then further down the coast. Sadly there are a few necessary conditions and that is no steps, and easy access for the wheelchair. I am hopeful that eventually I shall find something, not too far from here so that my son can come and visit me.
Your two girls sound utterly delightful - abd what super pseudonyms you have given them. Perhaps I should have done the same with mine. I find hiding under anonymity extremely difficult. I have always been an impulsive, extrovert and it is still difficult to keep my exuberance in check even at my great age!
How great to be able to dash over to Belgium. How about France? Thank goodness, for the first five years living in England I was able to do lots of things like that. I had emergency open heart surgery about eight years ago and it has been down the slippery slope ever since. Although I FEEL wonderful most of the time. Kind regards and I hope that the job move suits you well. I shall try and contact vegiman. AR1
Thanks for explaining the I,being me, took it literally!!

You thought I really was a very ancient fish that most people had believed extinct? Typing would be a bit difficult with all those fins!

Well, when I chose the name I felt like I wanted to tell people not to think I was a "has been" but that I still had the ability to surprise from time to time. Since then I've read much more about the coelacanth and intend to write a Guide Entry one day.

I've grown into my name I think. I really feel like the now and I even have a pewter one on a key ring. There's a thread where, if you stated your user name and gave no more details, someone would anaylse it. I loved the analysis so much I saved it as a separate page called "Happy to be misunderstood". You can read it if you click here: A578216

You day out sounds wonderful! I've looked at the map and that's a lot of travelling! The last time I was in Brighton I sat on the beach in winter with Sunshine and Moonlight and we watched the sunset. The beach along that part of the coast is a bit too stony for me though. I been to Hastings a few times too. My favourite place is Rye, but I think that would be too difficult for your chair with lots of hilly lanes and cobblestones. Lots of very nice bikers go there though!

I will be close to Bognor some time this week, as I intent to take Moonlight to Chichester. Last week she was in France on a school trip and I went with Sunshine. There's a Chagall window in the cathedral that we saw last week and I want show Moonlight. Then I will submit my next Guide entry on the story behind his painted glass windows in the church at Tudeley, near Tonbridge.

I prefer to visit Belgium rather than France. The seacat is 2 hours to Ostend and then 10 minutes on the train takes you to Bruges. Its so pretty. I've been to Ghent and Brussels like this too. Just not snce I moved away from the area 2 years ago.

I'm sure vegiman will be pleased to hear from you. He's behind a lot of things from the early days here on h2g2, such as the Post and I'm sure he won't mind me telling you that he isn't one of the youngest researchers here!

Hi dear fearsome fish of ancient origin (and supposed precursor of the human race!)
It would be difficult to type I am sure. But I thought you were interested in these wonderful creatures. And now I find that you have found another Chagall in Chichester. Wonderful. We nearly went there today but felt we should stick to some sort of plan.
Incidentally Tudely is very near me. And I just love the story of how the window was commissioned. It is so sad, but what a wonderful memorial to the young life. So if and when you come let me know, and it would be great to meet you - if you would not mind losing your anonymity.
I must go to bed which I have been thinking about for ages.
A to the new found slippery spiny friend from AR1 (who is also a Gemini - oh dear!)
PS I also love Rye but impossible with a wheelchair. But I do not like crowds which makes choosing somewhere isolated near the sea somewhat difficult.

The story behind the Tudeley windows is sad but they are such joyous things! An arty friend took me there for the first time and it was a sunny day. The golden and blue light was wonderful! I ran around looking for the hidden fish, mushrooms and so on, like a child! When I took my girls it wasn't such a sunny day but we will go again. The Guide Entry is almost ready so when I put it into Peer Review I'll let you know.

I don't mind losing my anonymity sometimes although I am very cautious about personal details where anyone could read them. I've been to a couple of h2g2 meets in London and I've visited the italics, both in their new BBC offices and their old, pre-BBC one in Covent Garden. When I get settled into my new home and job I'll be able to think about having a life again. Who knows, perhaps we 2 Geminis could meet.

I knew Rye would be impossible for you, but Rye Harbour is much flatter - and its even on the sea! Its where the lifeboat gets launched and also the coastguard for Camber Sands. It's where the girl commemorated at Tudeley drowned. In the church at Rye Harbour is a memorial to 17 lifeboat men who died in a terrible storm in 1928. They went out to sea after seeing a distress flare. They didn't know that the crew of the boat they went to look for managed to get ashore and they kept looking all night. The lifeboat overturned in the storm and all the crew went down. Some were very young and there wasn't another boat at the harbour for 40 years.

Now here's the link for the galleries at the Natural History Museum. http://www.nhm.ac.uk/museum/index.html You can see some of the exhibits anyway. The coelacanth is in the main hall near the dinosaurs tail. I've been going there since I was a small child growing up in London and the building itself is fabulous! When I visited the Victorian building that now is the Sea Life centre in Brighton I was reminded of the walls and pillars at the NHM.

Hi dear Well I typed in vegiman into the Search h2g2 section at the top of the page. I chose what I thought was his/her home page and then wrote a message to him/her. I then was unable to see either a preview or post it. I then tried to send an email - Equally unsuccessful.!! I had better go to bed and give up for today. Incidentally I did not realise that the harbour at Rye was flat.I wonder if there are any flats around there? That would be great. Also that tragic story of the lifeboat happened the year that I was born 1928. Perhaps that is significant. I have tried to go to the Tudeley church at all different times of the day and each time the windows look different with the sun's rays shining through them. I did not realise that it was at Rye that she lost her life. Well I must end. Affectionate AR1

The site is very slow this evening, which sometimes happens although no one knows why. Thats why you've had problems. I have too.

I put the link for vegiman in my first post but I'll put it here too. His number is U34006 (very low) and if you click on that you will be taken to his page.

Rye Harbour has some very old fisherman's cottages, very small with ladders for stairs and not at all suitable. There's a pub, which attracts a lot of bikers and a fish and chip shop. Oh yes, I almost forgot... a holiday camp. I'm not sure this is what you want at all! It gets very busy in the summer too.

If you want the north Kent coast, take a look at places like Joss Bay, or Minnis Bay near Broadstairs. Herne Bay has places near the sea too. Then there's Whitstable which has houses right on the beach! Perhaps you'd prefer the Sussex coast instead, but apart from Rye I don't know it so well.

Very dear Just a rushed note. Thank you for all the suggestions. Wonderful. Also for the thread for Vegiman. I have been busy sending Amy the Ant a chicken soup receipe and then asking Titania if she would be so kind as to help me with a wedding invitation for Shea and TJ. I made such a mess of trying to organise my street party that I cannot do it myself!. and I think that the idea of ALL the wellwishers of h2g2 raising their glasses of RL at the exact moment that the two are making their vows is a very romatic idea!! I shall write again after I have seen Agassi hopefully winning his way into the finals. a big AR1

Hello there!

I've left vegiman a message and I hope he'll drop by your page soon. He's a busy person but very charming to know and is well respected here.

Did you enjoy the ? We're all watching the here. Its amazing how fascinating my daughters find 22 fit young men running about in shorts!

I missed the chance to chat to Shea when she came to the London meet last July. I was a very late arrival after working all day. I'm sure she's in the official photos somewhere. If I can find the link I'll put it here for you.

for me. Its almost the end of the school holidays and then I'll be off h2g2. Don't worry if the old goes missing. Coelacanths are good at that!

Very dear I shall miss you!!. I have so enjoyed our chats. Through you I have just met another young person called Jesi. I hope that he does not mind speaking to a much older person. I do not have those new smileys on my printed page so I must get another print out. I am off to watch the at twelve. It is quite extraordinary to have two sisters playing against one another in the French Open. I wonder how the parents feel.
I believe tht I wrote you a quick note last night but I must have forgotten to post it. I have a sweet young friend who comes around once a week. She is studying to be a beautician and so she generally gives me a manicure. But my hands and my feet have been so sore lately that she has been also giving me a massage. Last night she came and it made such a difference to me. This morning I feel really human having slept relatively well last night. I am going to try and look for the places which you suggest next week when my friend comes back from Ireland. She has gone for five days. Enjoy the last weekend and know that you will always be a welcome visitor when you have the time. With much affection. <AR1 Thank you for the introduction to Vegiman and the British Museum and everything you have done for me.

Hi I hope that the return to work was not too traumatic. what do you teach? I got a reply for vegiman but I am out of his area so no go. Have a good weekend AR1

Hello there Also Ran! Unfortunately it's not the weekend just yet. School runs until 1pm on Saturday and quite often there are things to do on Sundays too. Some staff live there, but I don't.

I teach Psychology to AS and A level but in the school I am at now I have also taught IT up to GCSE level and an A2 level Sports Studies module. I run a cookery class once a week and I'm also involved in a restoration project of an old Victorian Albion letterpress. When I change jobs I'll be teaching Psychology only but I'll be involved in the Sociology and General Studies as well.

Its a sham that vegiman doesn't deliver in your area. That would have been funny.
Have a good weekend. Are you still looking around for your place by the sea?

Very dear for me every day is a weekend. Lucky me! What a range of subjects you teach. Wonderful. I thought that Psychology and Sociology were subjects one studied at Varsity. And I am fascinated by the restoration of the Victorian Albion letterpress. Is that something you found? If so then you must also be interested in antiques. You have so many interests you will never grow old!. Did you get to Tudeley? Yes I am still looking but there is a sort of quiet for the moment.
Tomorrow we are going to a Garden Party at one of the Camphill Trust villages. We are looking forward to it. Do you know of the work of Rudolf Steiner? Enjoy what is left of the w/e after work. A fond AR1

I have quite a vaired teaching career don't I! Did I mention the AS Drama I was teaching last year too?

They are school subjects nowadays and very popular ones nationally. In fact they have been available for 16-18 study for quite some time. I took Psych and Soc as A levels myself in the 70's and then I went to do them at university. My teaching qualification is in Sociology and Theatre. At the start of my career I taught remedial subjects, then I left teaching to bring up my babies (who now tower above me!) 10 years ago I started to teach Psychology.

The Albion press has been in the school since the 1920's and has been moved around and abandoned in barns or left in bits outside various parts of the school several times. It was used in the 20's, then abandoned until after the war. Used again for a while it was then dismantled and moved again. To the best of my knowledge the last time it was used was in the 70's and there are staff who remember this. Last term it was in pieces but I wrote down the name on the frame and did some internet research which lead me to a small independent press near Oxford. They have been tremendously helpful in helping us in the restoration. The press works well now.

I didn't get to Tudeley but I have found out that there is a temporary Chagall exhibition in London which runs until the end of June so I will definitely get to visit that! Tudely has to wait for a sunny day.

I hope you have sun for the picnic. I have heard of Rudolf Steiner but I'm not aware of his work really. Have a lovely day!

Very dear A fascinating story about the Albion Press. And how wonderful to get help in restoring it. You must have been a WONDERFUL teacher in your remedial work. With those fantastic combinations of knowledge!! I shall write and tell you more about the ethos of the Camphill Village Trust and Rudolf Steiner when we both have more time. I think that you would be very interested. thank you for the good wishes for a good day. I am sure we will have a wonderful one. An affectionate AR1

When I was a remedial teacher I was a very new to the profession and I wasn't very wonderful at all. I had the good fortune to work with some very supportive, experienced people who were able to pass on their professional skills in a way that never felt patronising or left me thinking I was a nuisance for not knowing what to do. I respected them and the work that they did. It was a tough job in a very difficult school which closed down a few years after I moved on.

So many teachers leave the profession after 2 or 3 years, never to return. I have made a point of trying to be supportive of anyone new to teaching or even experienced people new to a school. I never forget what it felt like to be a

I hope the weather is kind to you for the garden party. I have end of term reports to write, so I don't mind too much that it is raining here. Do tell me all about it.

Very dear ,
I think it is great that you were so supportive both to new teachers and also received support. I think that the Rudolf Steiner method is to look at everyone in a holistic way and approach any problems they might have without damaging any aspects of their personality. I think that the Waldorf schools are the ones that espouse that method.
Well we thoroughly enjoyed our garden party. They had a lot of the craft goods on sale as it was in order to raise funds for the Camphill Village group.
I have a son who has a chronic mental illness since the age of 21. He had scholarships throughout his University career and was top student in his final year. One of his friends put LSD into his drink when he was 21. Well as we have this particular illness in the family the result was catastrophic. I have cared for him all this time - when he was'nt in hospital - but now feel too old, tired and throughly bad tempered(more than usual when I am in pain) to be a reasonable carer any more. but I have several of my friends who are teachers to special needs pupils. So I know how devoted and loving and caring one must be in order to be such a teacher. Are you going away for the holidays? I am looking forward to the visit of K2 (I have adopted the same method as you for my children and grandchildren now)
K=koala - she is soft,loving and lives in Australia) and 2 as she is the second granddaughter. She arrives on July 2nd just for a fleeting visit before going on a backpacking visit to Europe. Greece, Poland, Cxeck republic, Hungary. then she come back to the UK in order to do a years exchange student studies at an English University where she will enjoy continuing her chosen career of being an environmental engineer. I think it is a great profession and am so proud of her. Well I must end dear friend. Hope you managed to finish the reports in time. Very good wishes AR1

I found the website of the village you are talking about and had a good virtual look around. What a wonderful place! The school I am at now (but only for one more week) was first founded quite near at Haywards Heath, and was firmly based on the need to educate all three of the head, the heart and the hand.

100 years ago it was relocated and the idea is that these three continue to be central to the school. Of course there is the strong academic side, but also a lot of music, art and drama about the place. There is a working farm, with a flock of Jacob , a shire horse, , ducks and geese. The bakehouse is up and running once a week and the most beautiful smells emerge from it. All students and staff should do at least an hour a week on this side of things and some do much more. However, you have to get up very early on baking day and I'm afraid I've never managed it, because I don't live on site. Sometimes Sunshine stays over and bakes. She's also been involved in the farming and is currently compling a list of all the trees on site, since some of them have been donated over the years and nobody has got around to keeping a track of their progress.

Last week there was a large garden party. It happens every year and although there was sunshine it wasn't quite as hot as last year. I still managed to sit in the sun sipping Pimms and eating though. This was after a demonstation of the Albion. Some of the older ex pupils remember it being used and are contributing their memeories so that it will be possible to trace its history.

The real shame is that most of the children in the school just don't appreciate what they have. Its been one of the factors that have contributed to my leaving. I've taught teenagers for more than 20 years, before that I was one, and I live with some too, but the ones I encounter on a daily basis are quite often bad mannered and ungrateful for the wonderful opportunity such a life offers them. So I will miss the school, but not most of the people in it. I would fill the place with people like my Sunshine, who has never ceased to find each day there a joy and my one regret is that I can't afford to let her stay. But I must move on before I grow to hate teaching. Its also held me back in my own career so I need to be in a place that can utilise me too.

What a dreadful story about your son. You must have had a long time of caring and no wonder you feel worn out by now. Still, you have the visit of K2 to look forward to! When she spends her year here I hope you can see something of her too but she has a lot of travelling first.

Have you seen that one of the original italics here on h2g2, Mark Moxon U13 is off on a years travels to Africa? He leaves in September. Everyone is dropping by his page to wish him well. The place will seem very strange without him.

Dear Thank you so much for your super reply. Thank you also for Mark Moxon's info. on his trip to Africa. and also for finding the website of Camphill. I would be most grateful if you gave it to me as well as I have not managed to find it yet!!.
I am intrigued if the school that you teach at has a sister school in Johannesburg? Near Brighton. Do let me know.
I hope that the change will be inspirational to you. I am sure that it will be. I could not agree with you more about the young - most of them. There are fortunately some exceptions. But I know that when I was small and also the central thrust of our very exclusive school in Johannesburg was that we had to care for our less fortunate fellow citizens. I actually think that the Victorians had a great tradidion
of caring in the community. That is what has disappeared here although the Government have tried to instill it again. Mostly, unfortunately, without success.
I have just had a phonecall from my darling brother who lives in New York and who has just arrived in London. And I thought that he would only be here next week. I shall be seeing him on Wednesday night which is the birthday of my second son who is ill. I had arranged a party for him and now my darling brother and his wife will be here. Unfortunately I am only going to be able to see him that evening. I must not be demanding, but I would LOVE to see more of him. Well dear friend, I must end. Go well. AR1

Hi my friend
I hope you are well and not working too hard. It is a lovely day today and I am hoping that someone will come and help me to go outside and sit in the sun. go well AR1