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

Yes, I did mention in posting 8 that Noggin was coming, and that I'd just had two other hootoo friends (Blues Shark and Strangelittlegirl) staying here. The difference is that Blues and SLG had rented the flat next door and I'll be putting Noggin up in my place as I am now trying to get the other flat rented again. Hence all the CLEANING. And also converting my sewing room into a proper 'guest room'.

It's Noggin's first time travelling abroad and I'm quite looking forward to showing off my beautiful city to him. Did you see my photo album of Seville? http://public.fotki.com/azahar/sevilla/

The weather here is very nice at the moment. Hot but not too HOT, though there was a bit of a heat wave recently when for a few days the temps were close to 50º.

I haven't seen your Guide entry on Ahmed Zaoui. I'll check it out.


az

ps
Who the heck is Bill? I'm dying to know.

ps - again

Just replied to some stuff Andrew said on the god thread. Do you really go along with what he says? He is an extremist Catholic. Opus Dei is totally right wing fundamentalist crap, Della. I know this from having experienced a lot of them here in Spain. And from other things I have studied and read about them.

His main arguments against me on the god thread are pathetic attempts to make me appear silly.

I would like to think that, although you are Christian, you would not hold as true what Opus Dei wants to proclaim as Truth.

I admit, Andrew is a smooth talker. I would just ask you to think about what his organization is all about before throwing yourself behind what he says.

Here is a link I posted earlier on the god thread about Opus.

http://www.mond.at/opus.dei/

az

Wow, what a beautiful city! My favourite photo so far is number 10, the view from the Giralda tower. I am still looking at the photos, and I can guarantee there are others that are *lovely*! Wow, amazing to have oranges growing in your street... There used to be oranges grown here in a place called Tauranga, but they were little, yellow and sour. Temperatures in NZ have been getting colder since the 1960s, and I don't think citrus fruit are grown commercially here any more. (Except that I believe kiwifruit are actually citrus...)
I know I am being silly, but it is so cold here, I feel as if I would a heatwave!
It must be great to meet people from h2g2, and to be in the right part of the world to do so... I have met a few, of course, but they are all people I already knew.

Re Bill - oh, I will tell you... he's a guy I knew back in the 1980s, who lived in the UK and the USA, and as far as I knew, was currently in the USA. He is an "angry atheist" - edited a magazine about it, very "evangelical" and has a similar turn of phrase and way of expressing himself, to Hoo and Member! He uses many of the same expressions, and oh well, I though Hoo might know/know of him, or maybe more... But the photo he keeps referring me to, is nothing like.
Re Andrew, he is a nice guy. I shall have a look at the mass debate thread, to see what he might have said lately.

The oranges here are actually the bitter ones used for making marmelade. I believe it's in Valencia that they grow eating oranges. Of course the best part is those 2-3 weeks in the spring when they are all in blossom and walking around in the streets smells like heaven.

I would always prefer heat to cold. I have no idea how I managed all those winters in Canada. All I know is that I never want to feel that ever again!

Oh - now I finally know who Bill is! Thanks for telling me.

Meanwhile, I didn't say anything about Andrew not being a nice guy (I have no idea). Though I do find some of his answers slippery. It's just that particular organisation I have problems with.

Anyhow, I'm probably not going to be on hootoo much for the rest of the summer so I don't think I'll be back debating on the god thread for awhile. When I pop in here it will probably be just to check personal messages and update the Photo and Lua threads.

Summer hols!


az

ps
that *is* Hoo's photo and he *is* 35 years old. Honest.

Maybe I can answer this now - hootoo has been playing up something awful, since Friday - it was doing the "welcome to the space of 17-whatever... has yet to write an introduction" you know, that thing...

Oh, I envy you your summer! I have to go out in about 5 minutes. It is cold and sunny, and supposed to be "heavy rain with thundery falls" later. Sigh.
When you're absent from here, I hope you have a good time IRL, and I hope Lua is going along, still reasonably comfortable... Give her a (gentle) from me.
Yes, that is Bill. As I say, last heard of, running an atheist organisation in the USA. His way of expressing himself has always been very Hoo-like, which is why I did wonder. I gather many people have met Hoo. I still do believe he is/was Member, though, Jordan as you may remember, listed heaps of evidence!
Well, enough of that. Enjoy the sunshine and the warmth!

I've also been getting that weird hootoo thing happening a lot the past few days, and *after* I'd written postings and tried sending them I was told I couldn't post until I'd registered and signed in and then lost my postings! So for now I am writing them elsewhere, then copying and pasting them so they won't get lost (again!).

Yes, for awhile I also thought that Member was Hoo, and I even told Member so. He said he wasn't and then Hoo said Member is someone he knows in RL. They do post in a very similar manner, as Jordan pointed out. But oh well. Basically life's too short to worry about stuff like that. I know you don't get on with Hoo (or Member) but they have always been good to me and, in fact, once Member really helped me out when Justin was stalking me on my photo thread, and I'll always appreciate that. Though I've also had serious disagreements with them on threads, but again, nothing personal. I just didn't agree with what they were posting.

I still think Bain and Apparition are the same person though. I guess because I can't understand why Bain would have such issues with blicky (and the exact same ones Apparition had) otherwise. But you and Bain keep saying he isn't. Again, life's too short. I really don't care, though I have posted somewhere that I had noted the similarities. Whatever.

Meanwhile, yes, both Blues Shark and Ben have met Hoo in person, which is why I can vouch for the photo being him. Also, it was taken at a hootoo summer meet in London and he is wearing a nametag that says 'Hoovooloo'.

I did give Lua a gentle from you - thanks. She is still quite okay for the time being. I'm glad that Noggin is actually going to be able to meet her this evening and, if the worst happens while he is here, it will help a lot to have a friend with me.

Meanwhile, the weather is quite perfect at the moment. Hot (30º-35º) without being too HOT (45º or more). Well, never mind. Next January when I am shivering in my unheated flat wearing three sweaters and a scarf whilst sitting in front of my computer, you can tell me how Hot and Sunny it is where you are!


az

"He said he wasn't and then Hoo said Member is someone he knows in RL"

So one identity vouches for the other and belive him? and then go on to say...

"I still think Bain and Apparition are the same person though. "

Sorry for interrupting but I just couldn't pass that one up. I agree life is too short and it won't happen again.

<>

You mean it gets cold in Spain? How disillusioning... I can't wait until it is hot and sunny here, it is sunny right now, but cold! (Not as bad as it was earlier... I am sick of getting breakfast, and being able to see my breath, in the kitchen of a morning! Noggin may be there by now... I am not so good at working out the time thingies, and if so, say "Hi" to him for me... I hope you all have a good time!

Just a quick hello in the midst of my 'holiday'. It turns out that I'm not going to be able to afford the two weeks off at the beginning of September, so I am making the most of this week and next week when I have only one or two classes in the morning.

Noggin thanks you for your greeting and says 'hola' back.

Anyhow, it's been nice doing the touristy thing with him and showing him around town. Also, taking lots of long walks all over the place, something I haven't done for awhile.

As I mentioned before, I wouldn't be on the god thread or other threads that much, but I did reply yesterday there to something you said a couple of days ago.

How are things on your end? Still ?


az

Hi, azahar, I'm glad you're having a good time with Noggin... Yes, it's still here, but it's s l o w l y getting warmer, and it's sunny outside!
Enjoy your semi-holiday! I went for a job yesterday, at a Detox Unit, I want it so bad! What I am doing at the moment (a) doesn't give me enough hours, and (b) I just *want* that job! Please, wish me luck!

I hope you have let them know that they would be much better off having you as a part of their staff. Big trick about job interviews is to start interviewing the interviewer, asking interested and intelligent questions about what they do, how they do it, etc, so that this shows not only your interest but it also takes the focus off *you* as being just one of many applicants. You need to convince *them* that they cannot live without you and clearly explain all the reasons why.

Well, you probably know all this already. It was something I learned a long time ago when I used to be so painfully shy about meeting new people. I found that if I started asking people about *them* then they suddenly found me quite 'interesting' because I seemed interested in them. And again, the focus was taken off me, so it also helped me relax.

Meanwhile, job interviews are always very stressful. But I'm sure you came across well and I *do* hope you get the job. Noggin is sitting next to me now and he also wishes you good luck.

az

Thank you both for your good wishes... I had no problem asking questions, it was just so interesting to me! The interviewers were a young Indian woman and a Russian man - he didn't say very much. I should know on Wednesday if I have been short-listed, they say, so I am hoping and praying! Meanwhile, I hope you are both having a good time in Sevilla (?) and doing touristy stuff...

So, did you hear about the job? Or at least if you are on the short list? I hope so.

Yes, we are doing lots of touristy stuff. But today . . . well, I still have painting to do in the other flat I rent out next door. So this morning Noggin and I spent four hours (!!!) doing 'wall prep' and a lot of cleaning and other fun stuff like that. Tomorrow the actual painting begins. Lucky ol' Noggin. But isn't it wonderful of him to be helping me? I sure think so.

Luckily it's not quite as HOT as it often is in August. At least, not first thing in the morning.




az

Ach, weather - it is getting colder here every year - 4 degrees this morning, yes, four, one digit!
Wall papering and painting, what fun! I hope you have a good time, and yes, Noggin is nice to help.
No, sadly, I missed out on the job - they had someone who had exactly the previous experience they wanted... Oh well, they were very nice, and I asked them to keep me in mind for anything similar that arises.

Is it really that it's colder every year or you're just older every year? I must say that I've never been good at withstanding anything even remotely resembling COLD weather. Not sure if it's worse now that I'm an ol' bag o dirt, but even when I was younger I was ALWAYS cold. Heck, I even feel cold here now if it goes down to less than +20º.

The one 'summer' I spent in Bristol everyone was walking around in t-shirts and shorts and I needed my cardy.

Mind, my doctor in Toronto once told me I had the pulse of a snake, so perhaps this has something to do with it. Just don't have that high metabolism that exudes HEAT. In fact, I'm a bit of a black hole when it comes to heat, it is almost never enough. Even when it gets super HOT here I tend to just relax more. Oh well.

Put Noggin to work yet again this morning. More scraping and sanding of walls for me to paint. What a sweetie!

How else do you keep yourself occupied when you're not looking for work?


az

I am the same about cold - and I have been a bit sick and flu-ey lately, so I have been at home in a cardy and with a heater on... One of the beauties of the Internet is that I can make job applications from home!
I am running around organising all the guff and paperwork Jim needs for his university, student loan, allowance and scholarship applications - umpteen copies of his birth certificate, income (presently none) bank details etc. Luckily, each of the application forms has a checklist. I asked a woman for a copy of his bank details today, and she got sticky, asking why I was the one getting them - I patiently pointed out that he was at school, and always was when the bank was open. I asked for several copies not on thermal paper - so she gave me one, on thermal paper. If the bank is open when he goes past after school, he's going top ask himself. I hope he has better luck!
So, Noggin is still there, and you're still making him work?
Good luck with getting it all done..

Well, it sounds like you keep quite busy. Since I work freelance and end up having lots of free time when most other people have to work (so I can do shopping, cleaning, etc) I often wonder how people with REAL full-time jobs manage to get these things done.

Yes, Noggin is still here (though I've given him a couple of days off ). He'll be here until the end of September. We have tickets to see Paco de Lucia on the 14th - do you know who he is? If not, he is (imho) the most accomplished flamenco guitarist OF ALL TIME. So that is definitely something to look forward to.

az

Wow, flamenco guitar... I had a friend from Chile who learned flamenco dancing here in NZ! She and her daughters ended up performing around Auckland. Lots of fun...

Well, we *finally* finished all the painting next door yesterday so now Noggin can relax and enjoy the rest of his holiday.

I see you've been locking horns with Ben on the Evangalist thread. If I can say something based on the many times you and I have misunderstood each other, I think you are misinterpreting Ben's intent for challenging you. She isn't attacking you, though I know she uses very forthright language. She *is* simply challenging you to back up some of the things you say. You may not like her debating technique but she actually doesn't seem interested in 'scoring points' or putting you down in any way - she justs asks very direct questions and then expects equally direct answers.

If you reply emotionally or very defensively to her questions then it *will* turn into a somewhat repetitive 'I-said-you-said' thing.

It turns out that Ben and I seem to share similar, shall we say, distastes for certain versions of Christianity. And she seems to disagree with you on many of the same points I also disagree with you on (abortion, homosexuality, etc).

But you have also told me that these views I disagree with you on are not *all* of you. And I can see that. That there is more to you than your religious beliefs.

Anyhow, just thought I'd drop by and say this. I hope you don't take it the wrong way, it was meant in kindness.

az

I first met Ben here in 2001, and we swapped email addresses - we got on well... Then I had no contact with her here, or on any email addy... Suddenly, I became aware of her here about June this year - and she just doesn't seem like the same person! To me, she seems so angry all the time, and so confrintational. She is sometimes downright aggressive (it seems to me) and I am at a loss to understand. Does she remember me from before? If so, why does she get so annoyed with me? I haven't changed from what I was 3 years ago, except in one respect - I have got a lot harddr about America/Americans/Dubya etc. I loathe the current American foreign policy. That's it. Sure, I know that some people have gone so far as to call me a Bush supporter on the grounds of my well known views on abortion etc, but that's just a bizarre accusation. As for Ben, I have nothing against her, but she seems to have something against me. I am just not going to change the views she (and you) don't like - and there's no reason why I should have to - I am hardly alone in those views, even on h2g2. But that shouldn't affect the way she and I discuss other things, and it does seem to - hence her bizarre accusations. I unsubbed from the evangelists thread - but I do note that someone said she sounded like Hoo - the demand that I apologise for unspecified libels for instance...
(Ironically, Ben sent me a Christian poem to encourage me in my debate with Bill, back at about end 2002 early 2003. Bill is the person I wondered about and suspected might be Hoo or Blatherskite - because of the American thing. Bill's a NZer, but like so many NZers, would secretly love to be an American. )