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

Oh what a bummer ...... I hope you get the job, there's nothing worse than keeping a place running and then some eejit appearing from out of the blue and snatching it from you.

I think I've done OK in this job, but I have no real way of knowing for sure. At the very least it's mine for another 5 weeks; at the best, it'll be mine until I decide to move onwards and upwards. If I get to keep the job I can buy a house. If not, I don't know what happens next.

I hate not being in control.

I do hope it turns out well, it's the waiting around and not knowing that'll do your head in.

I'm sure it'll be fine but recently the NHS had a big overhaul and a lot of people had to re-apply for their own jobs - a remarkable number didn't get past the first interview. Mind you that probably says more about the eejits that were doing the jobs - I'm sure that won't apply to you.

I'm sure you'll be shopping for a house in no time.

Toady my w*rking relationship with my painful underling broke down irretrievably. Tomorrow she'll be formally removed from my team and instructed to w*rk directly to my boss. Then I get to lodge a job application that details how good I am at managing staff.



The boss told me to go home, have a drink and relax. I'll relax when I'm asleep. If I keep drinking like this it won't be too long before that happens.

I hope things have worked out alright Ivan, I'd imagine you'll know fairly soon if you've been successful and I'd like you to know I've everything crossed for you. That madam was probably only trying to break a spoke in your wheel and there's no accounting for folks like that.

Anyhoo, I hope you're not anywhere near that terrible dust storm I've seen on the news and if you are I hope you're taking care. Don't much fancy the raining mud they're forecasting either so take extra, extra care.

The oddest thing about having mud rain down on one is having to wash the umbrella after use.

Yes, I was in that dust storm. It came through Canberra the day before it hit Sydney, but because it was here during the day, rather than at dawn, it was brown rather than red. It's still not nice breathing earth, though. And then it rained, hence the muddy umbrella.

Back to blue skies today.

As for the job - at last report, the selection committee hasn't even been convened yet so there'll be a bit of a wait. Maybe I should volunteer to be on the panel - I'm already supplying a reference for one of the other candidates, so why not?

Goodness gracious - at least you're alright - I think I'd have stayed put if I'd seen that dust storm - I'd imagine transport was grounded for a while anyhow.

Giving your competition a reference - now that's just weird.

Whatever were they thinking even asking you for one - they must trust you a lot.

I'm going back to sleep now. Take care.

The Sydney Harbour ferries were cancelled for the duration of the storm, but buses and trains could still run. The buses here were still running. I must say I wouldn't have wanted to be driving in it, but people seemed to manage. Maybe it just made everyone feel intrepid or something.

As for giving the competition a reference - I more or less have to. I'm a recent supervisor, and I had her w*rking for me for eight months. Her current boss has only had her since then, for less than three months, and the rules say that's not long enough to do a reference. So we're stuck. She knows that I'll have more chance than her, but she really just wants to see how she goes. They'll be doing an order of merit thing, ranking the suitable applicants who didn't get jobs; that's her focus. As it happens I think she's rather good, and certainly capable of doing my job one day. In fact, I recruited her last year... It's just another story of life in the Public Service, when you come down to it.

I'll be doing some sleeping quite soon myself. See you at some point after that.

Goodness, I didn't think a bus or car would work with that level of dirty air.

I guess the procdure will be good interview experience for her if nothing else. I do hope you get it though and hope they don't leave you hanging in limbo for too long.

They can take as much time as they want - it gives me more time to get used to the idea of having an interview. I hate interviews. They always leave me feeling so foolish.

There was another dust storm here overnight. I feel a bit sorry for all those people who bothered to clean up after the last one.

Ooohhh - dust storm season then - I thought they were pretty rare. Over here we had rain at one time that had brought with it a load of sand from the Sahara and that was quite strange. It was wet enough when it rained (although a funny colour) but when the water dried all the cars were covered in little splats of sand.


I don't mind interviews - the key is if in doubt ask them to repeat the question while you're thinking of the answer to it.


I'm sure you'll sail through it.

It is unusual to have two dust storms so close together, but it's not unheard of. I suspect this has nothing to do with climate change, no matter what the more hysterical letters to the editor say; it's more about there being rather a lot of dust in central Australia, drought or no drought.

The windows are completely filthy now. I'll have to wash them at some point. Goodness, I feel tired just thinking about it.

Funny but windows are the one cleaning job I really like because you can see the immediate benefit and they're not like dishes and clothes and need doing every day or every other day.



I'm going to admit something now that I don't generally do online but I'm a bit of a sceptic about the whole global warming thing. I don't reckon we have that big an impact on the planet - I think it's probably just part of the natural cycle of the planet and it's been heating and cooling forever. I suspect people think they're far more important than they actually are. Don't tell the scientists I said that by the way.

I'm a bit uncertain about climate change, but I have no problem with something that makes people be less wasteful. There's no harm in that, at least. Even better, it makes governments spend more on public transport. So there are advantages in responding to 'the challenges of climate change', whether the problem exists or not...

Oh I don't mind all the recycling and making the planet a nicer (cleaner) place if we can. That can only be a good thing even if we're only making it nicer to cleanse our conscience.

I just think the planet has bigger plans than we can directly affect
but we'll be long dead before we know the answer to that one.


I hope you're enjoying a nice relaxing Sunday - off to buy a book or something I expect.

I haven't left the house all day - in fact, I barely left my bed - it was only 8C today, so a good day for doing nothing at all. I lazed about reading instead.

Next weekend should be much nicer. I'll spend it in the garden, where there's any amount of things I need to do.

I envy you being able to work in the garden I'd be happy at the moment being able to catch up on some of the housework - I suppose I really should try before work calls tomorrow morning.

I love work really but when I'm not on full power it can wear me down all the more.


Have you managed to avoid the swine flu' then? I hear it was pretty bad down there - we'll be starting our vaccination programme in the next week or two and we'll be busy, busy, busy.

I've avoided the swine flu - or the piggy pox, as it's become known in my office - and there will be a vaccination programme soon. I'm in two minds about whether to have the shot or not. If I do, I'll let almost everyone else go first so I can see if there are any side-effects.

I think I'd better go back to bed now - head almost hit the keyboard.

I think the vaccine will be pretty safe - it's made in the same way the annual flu' vax is made and I recon if I were to catch the swine flu' it'd be the end for me, so I'm having it as soon as.


Have a good sleep and a good week if I don't catch you again.

Ah, well, I've never had the annual flu shot. I rarely get the actual flu as it is, and I'm happy to put myself in solitary quarantine as required . All I know is that Mum does get the flu shot being both diabetic and a senior (which she says must be the current PC term for 'old woman'), and she usually has a rotten couple of days afterwards. I think I'll take my chances without the shot.

(If it were a vaccine for bubonic plague or HIV or cholera, that would be a different matter. I'd fight to the head of the queue.)