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

I'll admit that got me curious. Are you from or in Northern Ireland then?

I only live an hour away from Belfast.

Hiya Not Panicking!

The current heading on my page is a reference to a comment a friend made recently about my rather frequent visits to Belfast (on average once a month for the last 5 or so.

See my recent journal entries for a rant on why I would rather be in Ireland, and also a summary of why i'm over there so much!

Next scheduled visit is not, unfortunately till mid June when I will be attending a Meatloaf concert in Belfast.

Thanks for dropping by- how did you find the page- did you do a search on Belfast? That's quite a substantial page you have there bye the way- much to read.

My friend in Belfast has been with the Girls Brigade since she was very young, though due to personal circumstances she hasn't been involved with them for a year or two now.

Personally, being an agnostic/ atheist/whatever, I wish it was the Brownies she was with, as I believe they are similar to G.B. but without the Christain angle, but each to their own- eh?

Ah, you're here quite a bit then.

Can't actuallyu remember how I came across your page. Think it was something like that. Been doing quite a few searches on here recently. Get to bump into quite a few people just bouncing around.

Think you're right bout the GB. I never went to it, but I've been told that there are RE exams and stuff with it. But Brownies is fun. I've just been there too long. (Need to get out more.)

So you weren't a Brownie or anything?

"So you weren't a Brownie or anything?"

No- I'm male! I was, however, in the Scouts for.. er.. I think about 2-3 months Can't really remember why I left- think it was too energetic for me or something. Nowadays I am always on the lookout for ways to excercise, though i'm not very sporty

I do like walking though and can walk, literally, all day and all night

I can come out with some really stupid stuff sometimes.

I'm so unbelievably not energetic. Keep meaning to go to the gym or something, but never get round to it.

No that's OK- I've never been asked if i've been in the brownies before, so it's a bit of a novelty for me

I went to the gym for nearly 6 months once . At first, I enjoyed the rush of adreneline I got from pushing myself to the limits 3 times a week, then, two times a week, then, one... then the rush seemed to dissapear, then my ability to day dream whilst on the treadmill was replaced with boredom.....

Walking is the only excercise I really enjoy, though I always feel better when I've done something strenuous!

Anyway- have you been to Scotland ?

Oh, yeah, Scotland's lovely. Not to different to here actually. Though instead of leprechauns and shamrocks all the touristy shops sell Nessies and tartan.

Know what you mean about the gym. I tried to go, but felt like a twit by myself and freinds couldn't always go with me, so I haven't been that much.

It is very similar, yes. One of the main differences though is that in rural Ireland you are never very far away from a town, city, or village, even in the Mournes. You can see it especially on maps.

In rural Scotland, however, I am glad to say you can still get yourself 30 or more miles away from the nearest village- I'm thinking particularly of parts of the west coast- Ardnamuchan, rannoch Mor, and some of the islands

I much prefer Ireland's cities to Scotlands though!

Yeah, you're never too far from civilisation in Ireland. Or the sea.

Here you travel for a couple of hours and you could have gone at least the full length on Northern Ireland, but from what I understand, it's further in mainland UK.

Hi again

Could be living in Belfast within a few months. Applying for jobs at the rate of 3 or 4 a day!

Got 2 interviews end of the month. Not really the kind of jobs i ever envisaged i would do, but it would just be to get me over..

Oh one other thing. Both jobs are located on the Springfield road, which I gather makes The Shankill Rd seem like a beach on a small scottish island in comparison

On the plus side the company's both bus their employees in, so no travel expenses On the negative side the busses probably have to be armoured

Sounds interesting......

Well at least you won't have to worry about your car getting wrrecked or anything.

Hope you get a good job out of all these applications anyway. Took me loads to get a job too. What sort of thing you applying for then?

Er.. let's just say it's customer service related and leave it at that, OK? (no it's not prostitution)

It's a very scary thought that in Douglas Adams's world I might well have made it onto the first ship to leave the earth, along with the telephone sanitisers

Oh well, at least I'm self aware enough to realise what I do isn't really very important

That's ok.

Oh dear....life with the telephone sanitizers!!!! Thaqt can't be good.

Got a job, and going to study in the evenings. Moving over to Belfast 14th November

And if I succeed in the course, I may just gain a reprieve from being sent on the first ship thatleaves Earth before its destruction Might actually be doing something useful

Might? Oh dear. Make sure you definately aren't on that ship.

Sorry to but in...

Delighted to hear you're coming to Belfast! We shall arrange a welcome pint of Guinness in The Crown when you get here.

I'm adding you to my friends list, if that's OK.

(Hi Not Panicking Yet <wave&gt

Now that's the kind of welcome I like

The Crown- is that the one across from the Europa centre? I'll be having a or 4 at some point on my day of arrival- Thursday, and we could arrange for a very mini-meet then...

Might be better to schedule another day though, as I'll be over with my friend who's helping me move, and I'm unsure as too our plans that day. However if you'll be in the Crown anyway, we could make a loose arrangment?

Can you list any other researchers who are from the Belfast area?

oooh, what fun!

Yes moving day might not be the best day to schedule a welcoming-meet.

I'm in Holywood, and Dai the Death (my other 'arf) is in Killyleagh, so we're usually to be found somewhere around those salubrious locations. Pilot747 is my 14-year old son, although he doesn't post very much.

I haven't actually met any other Belfastians - Lord Smooth? Was he at Queens? If we can pick a date and time we can do a spot of advertising and see who else turns up

Is it Thursday 17th you arrive? How about sometime that weekend?

Yeah, think Lord Smooth is a Belfast boy, though haven't seen him about here in ages. Dunno where he's scarpered off to.

No, it's Thursday, the tomorrow, I arrive

How does this Saturday afternoon- around 2ish grab ya? I'll be walking a friend to her work aound 1ish, and could catch a bus to the city centre then I could then collect her around 5ish and stagger her back home..

If this doesn't suit, sometime next week after work would be I warn you though- between unpacking, new job and trying to re-establish my broadband connection in Ireland, I might be offline for a wee while, so hope to get meet finalised pronto