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

Hi Ben,

I've been wanting to do this for ages, just pop by for a chat about something, and now with the consortium I felt it might be good to clear the air. I've been feeling like there's been this tension or offness between us for awhile that didn't used to be there. I don't know what it's about - I'm not sure if I've done something to offend you or I just annoy you in general or if it's something else completely, but just wanted to let you know that I still like and respect you and value your presence here enormously. Hope we can work together ok with wherever h2g2 goes.

I'm a bit overstretched at the moment, so hope I'm not misjudging bringing this up (or the timing, I know you've got alot on too).

Best wishes,
kea.

Ok, this is officially spooky. I came by to drop you a line, thought "that topic looks like something I'd call a post to Kea", and find it's one you wrote to me, but put in your space!

Ther's no tension on my side, though I can see it might seem like that. It wasn't until I did the " my year in Facebook updates" app on FB that I realised what an extreme 12 months it's been. And in fact it followed on from another rollercoaster.

It's good to talk again.

Anyhoo, I came by to answer a question you posed in Stockholm: the tone is a bit more " public" because I've pasted it over from that post box.

I confess I assumed the goodwill of everyone on that thread. It was, as Jordan said, a thread that meant a lot to those involved. Also, I priced it at cost - in other words there's no money being made, or only by lulu. Finally, It's reachable by direct link only, not via search. Technically a breach of copyright, but one I felt worth risking.

I'm glad that was in my imagination then. When I hadn't had a reply I checked the other day and saw that you weren't subscribed to this thread anymore, but didn't know if that was an old thing (I know you've mass unsubbed on occasions), or if I really had misjudged something and you'd unsubbed last week. The internet is so weird sometimes . So, yes, good to talk again.

I'm intrigued by the ebook, it's a really good idea. The link in that thread wasn't working before (I saw the original link in a different post a few days ago).

How's this year shaping up then?

The ebook arrived this morning - they must print and ship them locally. I must say I'm impressed, the only things wrong with it are my own blame, no title page, etc.

I'd unsubbed from this thread in my mass unsubbing in 2006 or so. Nothing personal.

This year? Hectic.

Keep the faith. I stand by my most recent journal.

Nice, I missed that journal at the time. I'm failry sure my faith has been restored in the past week. Even to the point that if the bbc stuffs it up I can still imagine us finding a way to ... not sure what, but something cool.

This isn't 2000 ypu know - lots of things are cheaper and other things are more profitable. And we've a dozen years of content and community behind us.

Like you say - I'm not sure what, but something cool.

How are you?

I've hardly been able to follow the news, but I've been thinking about you and FB a lot these couple of days. Christchurch puts the hootoo stooshie into perspective.... I've dropped by the threads, but I wanted to catch up with you as yourself. How ARE you?

Ben

Thanks Ben, I appreciate that. I'm ok. Had a stressful few days trying to get hold of a friend who lives and works in the CBD (finally heard from her yesterday morning, she's shaken and they just got out of town for the meantime). Been catching up by phone with my other friends who live and work there too (landlines seem the most resilient infrastructure, for people that have non-electric phones). It took one friend half a day to make a normally 20 minute drive on Tues (partly traffic, partly broken roads). She described scenes that gave me a better picture than what I've had from the telly (been a bit selective about watching the telly though).

I'm finally taking some preparation stuff more seriously - I tend to have lots of water and non-perishable food around anyway, but am organising those things better especially if I need to evacuate some time. Also thinking through medical emergency preparations.

And rethinking some priorities about my life and the coming year. It's a watershed moment for NZ, no-ones talking about it much yet but I don't think we've seen the end of this. I'm happy to simplify my life anyway and will use this as the impetus to make those changes.

I imagine you'll have an appreciation of much of this, having been through last winter.

God, "broken roads". It's ridiculous, but that's the single phrase that puts the complexity of the situation in perspective for me. The not knowing must be horrible. Is FB helping with this situation at all? I can well imagine not having my phone (and therefore not having my friends' phone numbers) and then I'd get onto FB to say "I'm ok". Euch.

I want to come back and reply properly, but right now I'm a bit brain-frazzled.

It's good to see you're thinking through how to deal with it all. I'll come by later this weekend.

Ben

The broken roads one I knew about from last time, but of course it's worse this time. Another friend said she has to be really careful biking now because some roads are covered in silt/mud from the liquefaction and you can't tell where the holes are underneath. I hadn't realised the extent of the mud this time.

FB... it's a dilemma in some ways. It took 3 days for one friend to get to the internet to post anything on her FB page (even now when her phoneline is working and she could use dial up her laptop has not power). Because I don't do FB and most people I know have their FB pages set so they're only viewable to people they've approved I've found FB largely useless myself. Where FB is used as a website, it's working well.

It's certainly interesting watching how much people are trying to network and solve problems online when many of the people needing help don't have internet access.

Hello my dear - are you on Facebook? I never know who is who there these days, so you could be there and I'd never know it was you. Or could you drop me a line at [email protected]. You'll get a strange autoresponse - maybe two, but it will get to me.



Ben

I've emailed from my gmail a/c which has my real name - make sure I'm not trapped in your spam filter!

You are going to sign up as a Community Volunteer aren't you? You are doing an amazing job and we really need that energy.

B

Thanks Ben. I put my name in the list. I'm not sure what's involved but am happy to help out where I can I think I'm getting the flu so feel a bit flat tonight, but otherwise excited and very curious to see how it all goes. It's just lovely seeing the community all excited and alive again. I mean, how is that? I think we're going to have superlative overload by the end of the week.

How's things at your end? I wondered if it was strange, after all that work, now the announcements, and now all that more work. Hope you and Z are doing ok.

Hugely relieved. It sounds stupid, but we were worried people wouldn't like it. We know it's great, but what if people said "who is this Robbie Stamp guy then?"

Tired though. But happy.

B

Glad you hear you are happy

It's kind of interesting watching the different reactions to the announcement. It's all going very very well, and includes the odd disgruntlement which seems to fit in perfectly (not too much, not too little).

Have the mods been let off early? I did yikes that post, before you replied, hoping the whole thread would be gone before anyone saw it or replied. Nasty stuff

s'alright, it's been referred. Not sure who to though

Wow, I can only imagine what you and Z and other c3ers are going through. What a strange experience, this waiting...