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

Gosh, you sounded totally 16-years-old going on about all the great records you had got for your birthday! Young at heart,eh? There is one Zepoelin song that I totally adore but now I can't remember the name - it's quite raunchy. Also, agree about Eric. White boy blues. Snore. On the other hand, love the Greatful Dead, especially one album I can't remember the name of . . . must be all that wine . . .

What's an angioplasty?

Well, you'd better get a dvd player before I find this film for you. You mean you don't have one in your computer either? Well, probably no rush. Have not even seen this film for sale in the regular shops. I'm hoping they will have it on as a special offer with the newspapers - they do this a lot. But I'm not kidding, it is such a wonderful film. Mind you, since you were totally unmoved by Life of Pi perhaps I should save my euros and send you a . . . what?

Watched Cabaret again the other night. Almost flawless that film.

Been kinda between here and there. Not exactly working yet not on holiday since I have to work. I think I am down to about two classes a day. This is not good in any sense. I mean, I can't totally relax cos - for example now - I have a student coming in half an hour. But I also can't get into 'work mode' because I have almost no work. And also no money to enjoy all this spare time with. And the scariness of not having any tenants for August yet.

Hey - weren't you thinking of coming to Spain? Do you know anyone who wants to rent an apartment here in August? Help!

I tried to convince Noggin to rent a room but he says he is also too broke. Why can't I know rich people?

Greatful Dead album - Workingman's Dead. That's the one. Knew it would come to me eventually. Did I tell you that I installed Kazaa this weekend and have started downloading music? Well, it's actually quite frustrating as the music I want isn't that easily available. Am still waiting for the Irma Thomas tune to show up. Ho hum.

Did you check out Ear Worms?

Well, now I have to get ready for musoboy. Check out their web-site. http://www.renochild.com

hasta la whatever,
az

Hi.
What Irma Thomas song are you after? I use Morpheus and it throws up one called something like 'there has to be a better world somewhere'-is that it?

I looked at the bands website, especially the lyrics bit. Pretty good for Spanish people (kids?) writing in English. I'm trying to be generous but Dylan won't be having too much trouble sleeping now they've started writing will he? Or is this just further evidence of my emotional hardness and impenetrability? Thats really got to me that 'Life of Pi' debacle. You AND Frank-?? I maybe need some therapy.

I've always thought that if I hadn't had children that I'd be one of those 'long hair, goatee, suited types' that you see on their lunch break in HMV or Tower Records hoovering up obscure CD's by the basket load on payday, arguing the finer points of Trout Mask Replica, and early Quicksilver Messenger Service with similarly inclined types. I was saved from this fate by blissful poverty alone.
I now have two children from hell to deal with (something to do with a borrowed t-shirt and televisual rights to the 9-10pm slot), speak soon. If that is the song I can try to download it but there is only 1 host and it may be too big to send as an attachment but let me know anyway and I'll try.

Rain.

hey raindude,

Trying to imagine you in your parallel universe life. Nah, you'd never trade in the kids and your pareja for a load of CD's - even if they sometimes try your patience.

I found the Irma Thomas song I was looking for - It's Raining. You remember the song from Down by Law when they are slow dancing in the kitchen. I actually found a new hootoo pal by lurking around your personal page - Blues Shark. We've been yakking about music for weeks now and yesterday he found that song and another one I'd been looking for, then said he would leave his computer on so I could find him as a 'source' - nice huh? Thing is, he's got broadband so he can download stuff in no time. I often lose my connection with whoever I am downloading from cos it takes so long and then they go off line.

Renochild's website is obviously still under construction. And the lyrics posted are pre-Shawn, so they are not corrected there yet. I was surprised after correcting the lyrics (all written by Pablo), when I got to hear them with the music - it makes a big difference. And it helped me to make further changes, with the music in mind. But no, Dylan won't be losing any sleep I reckon.

Oy! Where's that long-promised photo??? Now, please!

Well, time to prepare something for Pablo's class today. Yesterday we just chatted a bit then checked out his web-site again (he is waiting for a friend to make some changes) and then he checked his email and I helped him write a letter to his producers. Tough class. But I think I should do something a bit more serious today. Ho hum.

az

Blues Shark seems a nice chap does he not? Apart from the lawyerly connections but at least he's on the right side of the divide.

I made a post on the ear worm site but nothing too scientific. I don't think that they are DIRECT messages from the unconscious or anything too deep, although I think there is something about them being always irritating music that on a conscious level we don't like. I think they represent the brain trying to reconcile our adult tastes with our basic childhood tastes. I think they loop because we're trying on some level to understand why they are both repellent and enticing-like kitsch things and so bad they're good movies, and in some ways like post-modern ironic use of kiddy imagery, such as early childhood TV programmes and 'Hello Kitty', their change of use, the subversion of their original meaning provides us with a synthesis of old self/new self that enables us to close the book on them, and so feel comfortably 'of a time and place'. They represent the trigger of a wish for the release from 'taste' and sophistication and a return to a simpler, less externally validated form of enjoyment. If you actually break down the stimulus it is often quite pleasant on one level with a more conscious desire to dislike it, actively, responding against liking it. Let's say 'Chirpy Chirpy, Cheep Cheep' that I remember from when I was about 5; it is so irritating but has lots of comforting recognition imagery surrounding it that I can tolerate it because of this balance. Behaviouristically this balancing personal experience is a common finding. See also songs that have been generally regarded as irritating and that have been given a new spin by being featured in a movie or covered by someone cool. Coming to terms with who we are and how this differs from who we believe we should be causes the dissonance, and the loop. Medium=message-ish, Somewhere between Carl Rogers and Marshall McLuhan

Possibly I'm over-intellectualising it.

Photo?????!!!!!

I seriously think you should post number 284 on the Ear Worms thread - it's great!

Yes, Blues Shark is very nice. Our thread is called 'Morning' (it's under the intro on my page) and is almost all about music if you want to ever pop in. I feel quite chuffed that I was able to turn him on to two blues musicians he hadn't heard of before - James Cotton and John Fahey.

He has written quite a lot of stuff on the blues that you can find on his personal page. I have also seen a photo of him! You are just about the only one I haven't seen a photo of yet. Oh, am I repeating myself? Well, there's an easy solution for that - just send a photo already!!! (other solutions - don't even think about it! - will not be considered)

Re: the Life of Pi debacle . . . >>Or is this just further evidence of my emotional hardness and impenetrability? Thats really got to me that 'Life of Pi' debacle. You AND Frank-?? I maybe need some therapy.<<

Yeah well, maybe.

Oh gosh - look at the time. Must make some popcorn now!

az

What?? you ignore my hand crafted psychosocial take on the subject purely to reiterate a shallow desire to see how pretty I am? My kind of girl. I have no digital camera and no readily available shots of my manliness-expecting that Jenny's prom night will be put on CD. There should be a shot or two of me on one of those CD's-I'll send one when they're done-too impatient, really I'd be oversold by any sense of antici................pation at all.

Rain, the faceless.

how come you are never on MSN anymore?

Oh, you've gone offline again. I was just chatting with a friend on MSN and wondered why you were online on hootoo but not on MSN.

Glad you posted your handcrafted psychosocial take over on the Ear Worms thread - might sharpen them all up a bit. But what was that cryptic extra last line about - 'Az, your wish is my thing to think over,' What wish? And anyhow, please don't capitalize the A in azahar or az - do you ever see me doing this? no you do not. because I prefer the small a - it's cuter. So there.

What the h*ll am I doing up so late??? It's 3am!

So, no readily available shots of your manliness, eh? (sigh!) Fine, shall wait p-a-t-i-e-n-t-l-y for the prom photos.

Must sleep.

hasta la vista, perro sin cara,
az
(see? small a)

This is weird. You are presently showing online on MSN and so I sent you a message saying 'hola' and was told that my messages were being blocked and could not be sent to you.

Happily am not having a typical az-attack about this (oh my god, what have I said, what have I done, why doesn't rain want to talk to me anymore?) and have just decided to wait for the logical explanation. Better be a good one.

az

Don't know why it was blocked, not by me it wasn't-I only have you and Frank on it. I also had an az moment the other week when I was stalking you...I mean when I was on your space for some perfectly respectable reason, and you'd deleted me from your friends section, at least that was what it said there. Braved it out though, only slightly damaged for life by random rejection. Did you get MY message on MSN last night (about 9ish heretime)? I couldn't login to H2 as it didn't recognise me, even though I didn't manually put in the details they were remembered for me. Put them in myself about 900 times and kept getting the 'register now buffoon' bit. Tried to get through to them but the suggested visit to MY BBC is slightly out of date as they've shut it down, seemingly for good and all. So I sent you a MSN saying that's why.

Happy Now Az? Oh,Sooooooooooooooooooory 'az', my god but you are quirky about some things.I am deciding to be Rain with a 'Q' from now on, and I shall not respond to anybody who does not correctly address me thusly-the trick is I shall not disclose where the 'Q' goes. Or if it replaces a letter or is additional, this gives a few permutational possibilities, So there. How d'you like them apples?
Need to go do manly things now, OK cook some food for my tribe-did I tell you Jenny sold two paintings from her GCSE collection? both to teachers-she got £40 for one and £30 for the other and both wanted to give her more but one was for a teacher who was leaving so she didn't want to be greedy. She has now sold precisely double van Gogh's total during his lifetime. Not bad eh? She also has a commission for a friends mum, and she's not going to carry on with the art A' level.
Trust you're happy with that explanation?? I may block your next message just to play with you. One problem with it though is that it does not appear 'over' the current screen but 'under' it-I'm using XP home, which I don't like and maybe there is some way of changing the settings (?), who knows. Don't know why, or how it could be actually blocked though, all I do know is that if I switch the speaker volume off I have no idea if I have received a message, or not.

Oh, and I do have a DVD player on my computer, did I say that earlier? just forgot about it as I never use it for movies, or anything much at all-it just came with the machine. What I need is a real one, a seperate for the real TV, student loan soon though, maybe then.

Must go-hungry mouths to feed, including mine, had a piece of cheese so far today and that is not good-had to watch this lot eat Danish and almond croissant with just aglass of water for sustenance, poor show.

Rain-with the invisible 'Q'.

hello QrQaQiQnQdQoQgQ,

(az plays it safe . . . )

And you are very wrong, I am not quirky about *some* things . . .

And of course you are still on my friends list, divvy. You were the first friend I ever put on my list. But since it is ordered alphabetically you are now down towards the bottom, between Noggin and Ste.

No, I didn't get any MSN message from you last night. Maybe the system wasn't working properly, which would explain why my message was blocked. I just sent you a couple 'test messages' about an hour ago - did you get those? Apparently h2g2 wasn't working properly last night either - you weren't the only one who couldn't log in. Why do you bother logging out? I never do.

<< One problem with it though is that it does not appear 'over' the current screen but 'under' it-I'm using XP home, which I don't like and maybe there is some way of changing the settings (?),>>

What are you talking about? Under not over? I also have XP Home in the Jag and my MSN flashes orange on the toolbar if I get a new message from someone. Yes, I am also not so happy with XP - preferred my old Windows 98. But then Agustín gave me a CD with some Windows Office 2000 stuff on it, which kinds of rounds out the XP stuff - for example, I hate that stupid Word Pad. So now I have just plain old Word again, from 2000.

That's wonderful news about Jenny's paintings. Good for her!

So, still on the diet, eh? Thanks to another hootoo friend I am feeling better about my fat old body. She is about the same height and weight as me and has just met a man that she is quite taken with. And apparently this guy TOTALLY LOVES her body. So maybe it's not impossible that a man could find me attractive - just the way I am! - even though I go to great lengths never to catch a glimpse of my naked self in the bathroom mirror (ick).

Aha! So you *have* been stalking me! I have another stalker, Fnord (hi Fnord! *waves*). He half admits to stalking me but then it also comes out in other conversations when he mentions something that I know I haven't said to him but to someone else. Well, I suppose I should feel flattered?¿

Had the strangest conversation with Blues Shark today that started off about music - as usual - but then ended up with us discussing the merits of Marks&Spencer underwear and it got decidedly dodgy after that. Hmmmm.

It was a strange day all around. I reckon I am somewhat living in denial - mostly about being so broke and (so far) unable to pay my rent next month. August is just five days away now - eek! - and no tenants in sight. Anyhow, I was supposed to go and teach one class at the hospital but since my only other class was with Pablo this afternoon at 5 (here at the house) I called Isabel and cancelled the class. I decided - f*ck it. I wasn't prepared to go out there in the midday sun aaaaall the way to the hospital and back just for one class (normally I teach two there, but Ricardo is away on holiday). Such a rebel, me. Anyhow, lost 13€ but who cares. Since I can't take proper holidays I reckon taking a bit of time off here and there is something I need to do.

Speaking of money - have you bought any lottery tickets this week?

Okay, time for a nice chilled glass of rueda methinks. See you later!

az

I'm feeling very 'other worldly' - think I need to go to bed. This is so weird but I have been up *all* night having the longest MSN chat of my life - almost eight hours! With Blues Shark.

Anyhow, just came back from having breakfast with Kale (I realised around 6am that I hadn't eaten anything for 18 hours) and now I think I have to call Manolo and switch his class to sometime next week. It's my only class of the day so I may as well - I rather doubt I am in any condition to speak coherently. It's taking me ages to type this - I keep making typos and forgetting what I was going to say.

I hope Blues is feeing better than me - he actually went to work!

I think my bed is calling . . .

azzzzzz

Ha! Blues Shark has just told me that, in his opinion, Coldplay are *really really boring*. So there. As for MC5 - Motor City Five! Okay, a bit stupidly I didn't make that connection. And so, I do know them, though they are not a personal favourite.

What else? Well, spent most of yesterday in a semi-comatose state. Could only sleep a couple of hours here and there. Went out in the evening to get some DVD's for the weekend. My local place has a 3 for 2 weekend offer. Very limited selection though. So I got Analyse That, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and a Spanish film called Juana la Loca.

Watched Analyse That last night. What a piece of crap. I quite liked the first one - a lot, in fact. But this sequel was soooooo bad. I almost didn't finish watching it. Even in my semi-comatose state I could not deal with all the stupidity. What is so funny about balls anyhow? Ho hum.

This morning I did my usual Saturday morning routine with Kale (pronounced KA-lay). Out for coffee and breakfast and then a bit of shopping and errandy stuff. Then we stopped for a tapita on the way home. It is so nice having someone to do this with. I am really going to miss Kale when she goes back to Chicago mid-August. I think I told you that two years ago she was actually my flatmate when she was first here to do research. And she was the one that convinced me to keep on the second flat to rent out rooms to researchers. She has now been here for two months and *constantly* complains about her other researcher flatmates. They either don't leave her alone enough or else they leave her alone too much. Silly woman. When she lived with me two years ago she was totally happy. We struck a nice balance of being together and yet being able to be alone when we wanted to.

Meanwhile, just five more days to go until August and still no takers for my two rooms. Honestly, rain, I am going to be so seriously f*cked if I don't find tenants. I'm really worried. Especially as I have hardly any work lined up for August. Quite scary stuff. Because without tenants there is no way I'll be able to pay the rent on the extra flat. Yikes!

Otherwise and that, am being sooooo lazy. I still have some summer clothes I cut out for myself ages ago that I can't be bothered to sew. This is maybe like the car mechanic who drives a total piece of crap. My personal wardrobe is so pathetic and I am supposed to be a clothing designer? On the other hand, have no problems designing the stuff, just hate having to make it myself. Too boring and also it hurts my HUMP a lot to sew. I find sewing extremely stressful. So I have about five dresses that I keep washing out at night so I will still have something clean to wear. How pathetic is that!

What are you up to this weekend?

az

Please God-don't watch the Greek Wedding film-I nearly lost the will to live. Was told that it was the 'sleeper hit of the summer'- I use the word in it's Irish connotational sense-SHITE. And so very 'feminism happened'-little girl, pretty yourself up for me, and everything will be brilliant. I was offended and I'm male.

you and the Shark eh?, must look at the available evidence. Thought you were a floozy but didn't realise just how (the guy who wrote Rumpole)'the road to your affection was neither narrow nor difficult of access'(written about Mrs Crippen)cheap hussy. An all night session? After the underwear talk-we're bound to speculate dearie.

Can't really argue in beautiful downtown Catholic Spain, can you?-Have a fantastic weekend-yeah I kind of picked up on you liking Kale-cool-enjoy-bi-floozy.
Coldplay-good unless you've got too into 'what people think about what you like' or you've been up all night)listen to them-see for yourself.
MC5-up to speed now-old person?? loved talking to you last week-bought the lottery tickets matey-keep sewing for now though,

Rain, the dirigible and still the pest.

Mr mind-in-the-gutter,

Yes, up all night and *no* dirty talk. Weird, huh? We were chatting again yesterday for about six hours, I think it was. Maybe longer. Swapping tunes and downloading them - got some good stuff.

Floozy? Cheap hussy? You wish!

Oh almost forgot - bi-floozy? Sheesh, slightly obsessed with sex, are we? Thing is, I don't actually have a good friend here but I had sort of got used to that. But now that I've had someone to hang out with and feel comfortable with (like I can just be myself) these past couple of months, well, I know I'm going to miss that a lot.

Yes, they forgot to put a cliché warning at the beginning of Greek Wedding. I didn't actually think it was 'pretty yourself up and get a man' crap (remember, she also went back to school and got a new job) but it was just not, well, good. Didn't fare much better with Juana la Loca. So that makes three lousy films this weekend - €4.80 and six hours of my life down the drain.

Keep sewing? Well, will have to *start* first. Just can't get into anything these days, it seems. Stressed and depressed?

hasta . . .
az

(you *loved* talking to me? - you said I was boring! )

Bl**dy blast and d*mn!!!

Bent over to get something out of the kitchen cupboard this morning and totally f*cked up my lower back - again! Whywhywhywhywhy????? Talk about bad luck. Pinched a nerve and almost collapsed onto the floor - the pain was so sudden and excrutiating! Somehow managed to teach my two morning classes but may cancel the afternoon ones. It hurts so much I can barely concentrate on what I'm doing. Have taken a muscle relaxant and an anti-inflammatory, which has helped as much as f*ck. Oh, pain does bring out the 'marinero' in me.

Luckily Mercedes lives en route to my video shop, so she has taken my crap DVD's back for me. That would have added insult to injury - to have to pay a penalty charge for films I didn't even like. Small blessings. Yes, Mercedes is back, but only for two classes this week. Better than nuthin.

When Kale gets home from the Archives I'll have to ask her to hang up my laundry for me upstairs on the roof (I'd put in a load of washing just before the 'incident'). When I tried to pick up the laundry basket I almost fainted from the pain. Bad move.

Well, there you go. I thought I was stressed and depressed before? Just goes to show you, just when you think things can't get much worse then they do. F*ck!!!

Happily there is still one bottle of rioja in the house. Liquid muscle relaxant. Am sure it will work quite a lot better than the pill I took a couple of hours ago.

Oh woe is me!
az

You're not really upset with me are you? I was quite serious that you were attractive etc. I don't realise sometimes that you are so oversensitive. I probably should have read your last post before MSN ing. Didn't realise how bad your back was.

I'm going to go now, I think I've upset enough people for one day.

I don't think you should worry too much about being undesirable, you're not. OK?

If we're still friends you can post me when you feel better.

Rain.

I'm *not* actually worried about being undesirable. But it does totally suck the big one being unloved and alone, you know? So your jokes about me were rather ill-timed and ill-considered. Cos, yeah, I've been in so much pain since 10 o'clock this morning. I can barely walk, Peter, it hurts so damn much. I have to hold onto the walls just to go to the f*cking toilet, to try and hold myself up.

And there is no one bere to help me.

So gee - excuse me! for being more oversensitive than usual. And how could you have forgotten that I am way too oversensitive even at the best of times - that's one of your favourite az jokes, remember?

And anyhow, this is not exactly the best of times.

I am so afraid.

az

I think that the problem is that, no, I don't know what it feels like. I haven't been alone for any period since I was about 14. I tend to have a fairly relaxed attitude to stuff and when you ask questions like am I totally undesirable, well apart from a house full of screaming kids I'm trying to get ridof whilst I type, I just don't take the question seriously. My personal ad would go something like:

"38 yr old overweight student. No money, several kids living in crappy house in Industrial Ellesmere Port,no real hobbies, about three friends, been nowhere, done nothing WLTM totally dissimilar to feel pitied for having achieved so little, must harbour profound hatred of Tuscany."

Yours wouldn't.

I'll speak to you again when you're feeling better

Rain.