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

Thanks! I didn't previously know that 0!=1.... clever stuff


Really like the poem, suitably ambiguous to a cynical romantic like myself


and as for 'up on life'... don't give


and...

I've never seen a poo of mine
as good as classic goo online

Thanks for the positive feedback on the poem, it's appreciated

I have 'ups and downs' but in general I'm still heading the right direction... I've made what all my doctors describe as an 'impressive' amount of progress with my BPD and other problems...
If one wants something different for the future then one has to create the opprtunity for it occur especially where there are changes to be made in oneself...

I'm a survivor, but I want to *live* life and I'm gonna do want it take to get there...

I can't think of a subtle way to ask "what is BPD?"
I've decided I don't want to look it up 'cos if you don't want to talk about it at the moment - that's fine.

BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder
A good resource about the condition is http://www.borderlineuk.co.uk/

I read through that site a couple of days ago, and the phrase that keeps coming to my mind is "scary stuff". Is it that fear of any kind of mental illness that causes prejudice against people suffering from anything that can be labelled that way?
I can see that the fear is irrational, but it remains.
I've struggled with what to say and how to phrase it - and reading this back, it all b****cks but at least it's a reply - sort of - almost - hardly - I'd best shut up and post this before I change my mind and rewrite this yet again

People are scared of mental health problems... my girlfriends mother is blocking us from having contact because she is scared of the effect I will have on her... well partly she's also scared of loosing control over daughters life...

Cheers for the reply... it wasn't a load of *0110ck5

How are you?

I'm good, I'm bad, I'm worried about my wife
I'm happy , I'm sad, I'm writing poetry about my life.
I'm glib, I care, sometimes it's all too real
I rant, F**K God, there's heat in all I feel.
I'm calm, just chill, there's so much more to come
What's next? More life, maybe I'm not so dumb.


Girlfriends' Mums are never easy to deal with.
They are in training to become Mother-in-laws.
How's her Dad?

Good luck mate

I've had no contact with her father but I get the impression that although he's far from all he could be as a father he is still more understanding than the mother...

Is your girlfriend an only child or does she have siblings?

Have you got siblings? No, I always walk like this.

I have an older sister who was both cruel and protective as we were growing up... she was the only one allowed to beat me up.

Yes she has a brother...
I have no syblings...

I had been wondering if her Mum was a bit over-protective over her ONLY baby and not wanting ANYone to take her away - another theory bites the dust...

I can't think of any words of comfort for the moment,
but "good luck"....

(leaves muttering "'may the force be with you???' Ye gods!")

Well definately over-protective... Part of it I think is a man hating thing another part is control freakery... She's her on;ly daughter... if not her only child...

Thanks for the good luck wishes, we'll need it...

How are things with you though?

Not too bad thanks. My Missus has been quite poorly for a few weeks but seems to be on the mend now and I lost the vision in one eye for about 2 minutes a couple of months ago and have had a battery of tests and pints of blood drained off since then but as the phone has not rung since a CT scan 2 weeks ago I prefer to assume that my brain is not in imminent danger of exploding again and more importantly most of the guys in my Fantasy Formula 1 team did well today in Hungary... and its a bank holiday tomorrow... I think I'll rephrase "Not too bad thanks" to "Bloody smashing thanks".

Enjoyed reading your journal 'The Sprout Masser'. Congrats on a triumphant and thoroughly cool sounding adventure; talking toot with the man himself eh?. I'm reading the Antipope again at the moment and intend to go through my entire Rankin collection in order.

I have a signed copy of The Brentford Triangle, it was a present from a mate who didn't realise it was a signed copy until I opened it.
You know a reply is getting disproportionately voluminous when...

you have to scroll down to finish it.

Pleased things are good for you... Hope Mrs Pooley is firmly mended and that the no news was indeed good news

It was great to meet Robert for a 3rd time and I am beneath all my anxiety about going to Ireland in October really looking forward to They Came & Shaved Us con of which The Sprout Masser is of course our MC...
I have 11 signed Rankin novels now, I do treasure them that little bit more...
I haven't read the Brentford quintet yet, though I will certainly have done by the time his next novel come out as it's the last Pooley and Omally book and prequel to all the others... I'm not too sure about the working title though, 'Knees Up Mother Earth'.

Is it important to read them in order? I've been reading mine as I can get hold of them...

The first RR book I read was 'The Sprouts of Wrath'. I bought it at a market stall (which it turned out was selling 'out of print' books) so my copy has a cover illustration by Josh Kirby no less.
It took me a little while to work out what was going on cos that was just before Corgi started re-releasing the books in order which then mentioned 'Sprouts' as forthcoming. This is getting as complicated as any of the stories involving time travel... but I think my answer is no they don't need to be read in order but I'm going to this time.
I just finished the Antipope, and after a brief pitstop (which admittedly involved 'The hollow chocolate bunnies of the apocalypse') I'm just going downstairs now to get book 2....

....(returns out of breath) which is 'The Brentford Triangle'.

Ah, 'The Brentford Triangle', one of his best so I'm told and I believe his personal favourite... The first Rankin I read was 'The Dance Of The Voodoo Handbag' and it's still my favourite... along with Nostradamus Ate my Hamster' and 'Fandom of the Operator'...

'm reading 'Apaocalypso' at the mo, there must be something wrong with me, I quite like Porrig

I'll need to refresh my memory before commenting further.

I worked with a 'Porrig' once spelled 'Padraig' (I think).

Well I finished Apocalypso a while ago and am now re-reading 'Neverwhere' by Niel Gaiman, tis possibly my favourite non Ranking fantasy novel...