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

Good morning, OG

How are you? First off, let me thank you warmly for your beautiful message titled 'Godspeed'. It was heart warming and made me feel very special. Sometimes I wonder what did I ever do to have you as my friend, guide and well-wisher Most likely nothing. I'm extraordinarily lucky here, that's all.

Since you're beginning the first day of the week, have some or and some . And now that you've had your breakfast , you can probably tell me about the books you've finished reading. How were they? Anything you would recommend as a 'must read'?

I've noticed you're cutting down your visits to the LE board. Has it anything to do with the impending closure? Talking of closure, I feel deeply saddened by the news. Why on earth would the BBC want to close the 'AQ' board and keep alive many other message boards thriving on nonsensical ramblings and hocus-pocus? I'm so disheartened I don't even feel like going to the LE now. It's going to be a memory in coming few days , albeit a fond memory.

I'm confused about the e-mail thing Raneem suggested. What are the benefits? Where would it lead us? I can't really make up my mind on that. Any advice, OG, in this regard?

Ah, taken too much of your time, haven't I? You carry on with your work, then. Just one more thing before I make a move . Can I seek some advice from you regarding popular English stories / dramas / skits, etc.? Do let me know.

I must dash now---I'm 'supposed' to be working today.

See you later. In the meantime, have some more n maybe?

Warm regards,
Minnie

PS
Your 'Treasure island terms' haven't gone unnoticed,OG. A treasure it is all right.

Hello Blue Pearl!

Monday morning indeed and a most miserable one at that: impenetrable gloomy gray dome glowering above; temperature threatening to drop the last couple of degrees to freezing; splashy puddles brimming every least depression. Quite horrid and very English and itself quite sufficient justification to begin preparation for a festival. Just the weather for cheesecake! (I haven't made cheesecake in more than a decade; an omission I must repair anon!)

Ah, books! The other day I heard the political situation in a particular central European country described as “If you put any three citizens together in a room, within an hour you'd have five political parties!” I think books are like that, in a way. Themselves infinitely varied and each in turn wholly dependent upon the mood and the mind wherein the book is to wriggle.
It is about a year since my attention was caught by a DVD in my local library. Without a second glance I took it home to find it not at all what I'd thought. I could write a great deal about what followed but suffice it to say that I recommend thoroughly that you view “Out of Africa [videorecording] / a Mirage Enterprises production; director-producer, Sydney Pollack; screenplay, Kurt Luedtke.” Then read the book “Out of Africa, by Dinesen, Isak, 1885-1962.” Originally published 1938 if I remember correctly. This book sometimes is found under her other name, Karen Blixen. Then review the video and then re-read the book—a few times. She had a farm in Africa... and you will meet people who will not forget her....

Other books:
Kate's Choice by L. M. Alcott; a recently published anthology comprising three recently discovered sickly-sweet short stories with happy endings destined to be bedtime reading for my very youngest granddaughter.
The Morass by Richard Alan White, published 1984 was a good refresher of Central American Politics. Especially as Castro is old and a new crop of leaders generally is coming to the fore. Especially, too, for me, as many of our immigrants have been driven from those places, and this can help a good deal teaching ESL. (Which I don't do much of these days.)
Web of Deceit: the history of Western complicity in Iraq, from Churchill to Kennedy to George W. Bush / Barry M. Lando. [Toronto] : Doubleday Canada, c2007. This is an essential read but Oh! If only it wasn't so damn boring. It isn't that it is poorly written although, in truth, Mr. Lando is not mankind's answer to Disney World. It is more that the sheer repetition of the same mistakes and the same stupidity again and yet again for decade after decade is simply tedious and dispiriting. You simply must read it. And weep. Sorry.
Many others. Where are your specific interests? (I'll be a while before I put together my little package of questions not answered in books about your homeland, by the way.)

I've reduced my time on LE because I have better things to do. In part this is due to lazybones Raneem giving me an idea which is proving interesting and demanding, and partly due to the degenerative metamorphosis of 'Ask a question' into 'Communicate'. This latter has the effect of rendering the learning environment intolerably noisy, much less effective and horribly unattractive. As for keeping alive the other boards, perhaps the bulk of the participation in those other boards is by and for people whose licence fees pay for it all.

The email thing is just as lazybones put it. What she didn't say is that she could do it herself but is tooooo laaazzyyy by far, especially when I'm so accustomed to doing her stuff for her. I'll be reading bedtime stories to her ten kids next. The decision is yours alone and I have no opinion.

The Treasure Island thing was initially prepared, in slightly different form and format to accompany a hard copy of the book as a gift for a grandson. Who can enjoy a tale if one must look for every second word in a dictionary? I'm disappointed so many errors crept in when I pasted into hootoo but they aren't many or serious enough to completely spoil its utility. I must have a look and see where those oddball question marks came from. I had earlier promised Buffalo Bee the big fan of CCD that I would post the work because she had once been frustrated in an attempt to read the tale. She's another who finds less time for the LE boards.

Enough for now – I'm off to get groceries, including ingredients for ! On a day like today I think I must bake a steak and kidney pie, too!

OG

Hello, OG.

I must thank you for the detailed information you’ve given me regarding the books. Karen Blixen’s ‘Out of Africa’ has intrigued me ever since I saw it on your list of books. I read a Wikipedia entry about it and thought I ought to read this book. Viewing it would be even better. Guess I know what I want for my Christmas present!

At present I’m reading ‘The battle for Iraq’ by BBC news correspondents. The first-hand accounts and life threatening experiences are worth reading and in a way, going through them feels like I'm reliving my own worst nightmare. I was given the DVD of the film ‘Angela’s ashes’ today. It’s a movie based on the memoirs of Irish author Frank McCourt. It’s well past midnight here in Mauritius. I guess if I don’t get any sleep for another hour or so, I’m going to watch the DVD.

You said the ‘Treasure Island’ thing is a gift from you to your grandson. I’d say it’s a lovely gift especially when given by one’s grandparents. I never had the good fortune to see my grandparents and spend time with them. And I often wonder if the relationship between kids and their Grandpa / grandma(s) is as sweet as it looks and sounds. My uncle tells me, “The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child can operate, is called a grandparent.” My biggest regret is that I’d never be able to find out. Yeah, I know I'm pathetic, OG.

By the way, OG, I didn’t quite get that statement of yours: “If you put any three citizens together in a room, within an hour you’d have five political parties!” Three political parties I understand, but three people making five political parties among themselves doesn’t make sense to me. What am I missing here?


Raneem’s really sweet and quite naïve, I suppose. The best part is that she’s so dedicated to studying English that chances of success multiply manifold. She mentioned in the other post that ‘h2g2’ would work for her if she has to post English language related questions. I guess she wouldn’t want my email now.


You’ve given me a vivid description of English weather, OG, but why call it horrible? You must be used to it by now. On the other hand, you’ll never get used to the weather in Mauritius. My favourite expression, as soon as I step out of my house, is “Man, this weather sucks!” There’s a joke here, something like---‘If you don’t like Mauritian weather, just wait for 5 minutes!’ Of course it’s in French; I’m translating it for you.

OG, I asked you about English dramas and skits in my previous message. Do you think you could help me there if I tell you the nature of the problem? Please let me know.

See, I’m not feely sleepy at all and I didn’t even have my customary cup of coffee, although I did take decaff….well, it’s not coffee really, not in the real sense at least.

I should sit in my balcony for a while, I guess. I’ll look at the church nearby, quiet roads and the big sugarcane field and I might fall asleep. Or I might watch the DVD.

Off I go then. You enjoy your evening, OG.

See you later

Cheers!

Hi Bluepearl,
What I know is that the word "naive" is very negative, so what do you mean by that sweetie. I'm not sddnour, or do I look like him?, I might trust people easily and believe what others say, but I always have some reservation and doubt about things which contradict each other in their speech, or writing. We are here in OG's home so the refreshment is on him, so here you are OG will be more than happy when he sees the bill

Hello hello hello,

Here's a fine how do you do, I come down to grind a few beans and set the water to percolate to make coffee while I'm in the shower and what do I find? Cake crumbs and tea dregs!

While the word naive can have negative connotations it is not true to say that it is very negative although many, present company excepted of course, use it so. See this mountain stream, sparkling in the sunlight as it tumbles and tinkles merrily down? See how clear and pure it is? Nothing negative about that. That it is polluted further down and that its final dash to the sea is enclosed in a rusting pipe should not, in my opinion, cause us to conclude that the purity with which it sets out is a negative property. That's my take on it anyway.

Now a cultural question for you, raneem, if I may. What would be the general response in your culture at large if a man were to refer to an unrelated married woman as "sweet"? Also, what would be the general response to such a thing among close friends? And Family?

Please eat up the rest of the cheesecake while it's still scrumptious and fresh, it would be such a shame not to, especially given the beautiful day we have here (And the fact that I made two and the second is in the freezer!). Yesterday's gale, besides blowing big vehicles off the highway and ripping homes apart, stripped all the deciduous trees leaving bare brown sticks - with a single exception. A huge old maple just beyond the church must be particularly healthy because it is a blaze of autumn colour. And now the evergreens come into their own. I wonder how the squirrels feel, now that so much of their industrious to-ing and fro-ing is exposed.

The Out of Africa book and video are about the same place and time but after experiencing both one realises that each, while powerful in its own right, exposes limitations of the other medium. Together they reveal what neither could alone.

I'm afraid I have to take the harrowing experiences of news correspondents in small doses lest I be destroyed. Although 'small doses' isn't quite the right sense. More that I try to distance myself to obtain a wider perspective. But then the numbers just get bigger.

Aha! Three people, five parties, doesn't make sense does it? That, my dears, is the point. The behaviour is irrational.

I'm afraid my experience with grandparents is much like yours, Minnie. All I can do is send the occasional book and hope my daughter-in-law will help the children enjoy. I think you're lucky to have your uncle.

I call the English weather horrid because it IS horrid. I haven't been back there in more than thirty years and hope I never need a waterproof coat again as long as I live. Of course, you experience also the changeability of temperate island weather. The English use exactly the expression you translated. I'm much more contented with the greater consistency of the central continental climate as modified by the Great Lakes. Although, given the greater energy levels in the biosphere, one can't help but have some trepidation for the future as the water levels continue to drop.

Minnie, I don't know if I can help about English dramas and skits. I'm happy to try, if you like, but I'm really hardcore tech with just a few fuzzy edges.

You're both welcome to sit and yak here for as long as you like, and make yourselves at home. BUT, no squabbling, clean up your crumbs or better still use a plate. Please rinse out your cups and if you use the last of anything (or if there is something you want which I haven't got) leave a note!

Hi OG,
Isn't "trusting" and "innocent" better positive words than this word "naive", anyway I don't like this word.
Regarding the culture question, well, actually it depends on the class you are dealing with, if it's a high class, they are exactly like the Westerners in almost everything, very open and free, so they will accept the word "sweet". With middle class, they sure will criticise this and sure they won't accept that at all. I remember when I were in Oxford, I and my friends wanted to ask about how to get to a certain bookshop, I stopped a man and asked him the way, he put his arm around me or on my shoulders, I don't know how to describe what he did, and said look darling go straight......etc, UP TILL NOW my friends still remember this and always tell me why did you allow him to do so. I also was surprised when he did so, but I realised and knew that he didn't mean anything at all, this is simply his culture and it's normal. Concerning, low classes, they might react in a veryu vulgar way, I'll leave it open for you to guess what they might do. In the family, only my father, brother, husband and uncles can say so, but my cousins can't, it will be considered "dally" "flirt" "coming on to me" I don't know what itis in English. What about you as a man, do you accept someone to say it to your wife in front of you? Also, can you accept your wife to leave yopu talking with someone and goes and sits with another man who is her friend at the collge, e.g?
OK, have to leave, thanks for the refreshments, I've no time for cleaning, rinsing and collecting the crumbs, so would you do this for me MR OG, also in my culture I can't tell my guests to do the cleaning.So you have a lot of work now, thank Goodness, these crumbs and tea dregs are not in my space. Come on lazybones, clean your space, it's a mess, what's this??? Oh, let me have another cuppa before I leave.
Good night

Hello Crummy!
(Please note, I use this in the sense of messy, not in the sense of inferior, worthless or unwell. Mind you, if you keep it up, I'll be using it in the senses of dirty and squalid, so clean up your act!)

Thank you for the comprehensive response re 'culturally sweet people'. Good job I kept my mouth shut! I don't care in the least what people say to my spouse. I do, on the other hand, care very much that they intend her no insult. I care also that spouse's stated wishes be adhered to. By this I mean that in the event spouse indicates by whatever method that certain behaviour is objected to then I see it as my spousal duty to assist as required in bringing said behaviour to an end. We each have identical rights, responsibilities and privileges completely free from gender discrimination and fully cognizant of individual preferences.

The action toward you of the friendly man in the street would be clearly recognised by any native of Britain although I suspect not all would welcome it. I would say he put his arm around your shoulders. Even in Britain such an act stems from and expresses certain widely held but far from universal assumptions. I see none of them as inherently offensive, although some, perhaps from a sense of personal superiority, might well do so. (My response to such people is to suggest they refrain from seeking help from inferiors.) It is worth pointing out, I think, that in Victorian England such touching of strangers and non-familiars was much more commonplace. And as for the Victorian love of children, in certain social strata, it is a topic unto itself.

As for spouse going off with a third party, this reminds me of the tale (apocryphal or otherwise is immaterial) of the disciples of Jesus, on seeing a farmer toiling on the land one day of rest, asked if Jesus would remonstrate with him. Jesus spoke with the farmer and returning to the disciples said "No, he's OK. He knows what he is doing." It is my belief that freedom is a truly demanding taskmaster.
----------
Allow me to introduce you again to the term "make yourself at home" and invite you not to impose on my hospitality lest you find yourself well and truly brained with the teapot! 'Brained' here is a transitive verb meaning to dash out someone's brain or, at the very least, bash hard on the head! You know the example you are expected to set so stop being a pill and set it along with the table for lunch!

OG

Hello, Minnie.

I was trying to get my head around 'the big sugarcane field' because here I am heading into winter so I know you must be only at the end of spring so how is it that the sugarcane is big? Then it dawned on me, I've been thinking of you as southern temperate zone and there isn't much of that outside New Zealand and the extreme south end of South America. You're tropical! Of course! I'll have to start over with my thinking. It is so hard to avoid making assumptions and they inevitably lead to mistakes which once pointed out or stumbled across look so silly.

The way you speak of your wakefulness seems to be as if you feel you should be asleep. Being retired allows me to choose my own sleep routine. It turns out to be much less like the routine I've followed ever since infancy than I would have imagined. As a result, and being me, of course, I've done quite a bit of reading on the subject. Now, I sleep whenever I feel like it and for as long as I feel I want to. I'm perfectly comfortable (whereas I wasn't, at first) waking in the middle of the night and obviously not in the mood for sleep. So, get up, do whatever I want. Similarly, if I feel at all sleepy, whatever the clock time, off I go to bed (none of this dozing in a chair stuff). I kept notes of it for a while. Because I didn't keep tally before I can't really use them for comparison. Before retirement I sort of kept a running tally in my head, or told myself I did, but I was a workaholic and actually knew I was sleep deprived and running on coffee much of the time. I told myself I averaged six or seven hours per night but in all honesty I have no confidence this was anything like the truth. There were months on end when it must have been much less and then a 'long weekend' or perhaps four days in which it was all expected to be put right. Now I really do average more than seven hours in twenty four, but as often as not it is in two sessions and occasionally more.

I must agree with you completely about decaffeinated coffee. Whereas I used to subsist on unadulterated coffee now I constrain myself to whatever I drink within an hour of waking, and then only if I awaken feeling completely refreshed and wide awake. In practice this means most often I must drink decaff which really isn't much of a drink. Fresh clear cold water, on the other hand, something I have never in all my life consumed from choice, I have grown to love in my retirement.

See you later, and don't forget to explain what you need/want about dramas and skits.

Be well
OG

Hi sweet OG,
No, don't try, I know that you used the word "crummy" to mean "inferior" "worthless". Well, well Mr OG, still I won't clean your space, I'm jealous because it's crowded with visitors, mine has only ghosts. I feel afraid when I go there alone. So I'll try to mess up your home more and more and more.What about throwing some here and some there and some on your books.

<..Good job I kept my mouth shut! ..> good boy, you learn fast. I like your way of treating your spouse, I think any woman should have this space of freedom and respect from her husband, but this doesn't work with all men even in your societies. I remember that I watched a show called Dr Phill, there was an American couple speaking about their problems together, one of these problems is that "HE" wants to even know her e-mail password to open it at anytime and read everything she writes. It's OK that the husband should know what his wife is doing, but he should also does it in a good way, I hate this way really.
Well, I didn't understand what you said about the man who put his arm round my shoulders, did you mean that he behaved in this way to tell me that I'm inferior???
<..bash hard on the head!..> can you please explain this to me, I didn't understand it from the dictionary.
<..brained with the teapot..> also this expression and this one also, dash out someone's brain .
Bye, next time when you change my name, from "lazybones" to "crummy" take permission first, don't do this on your own.

Raneem or whatever your messy name is, you there with all the stains and crumbs all over your dress or dishcloth or whatever it is, don't you go 'sweet'ing me!

<>

No, nor with all women, either. Not anywhere. This kind of thing can only exist if built on a little collection of sound ideals, not one of which is likely to happen without understanding, insight and lots of hard often painful work. On the other hand, perhaps some animals find simpler ways.... But for those of us who have partaken of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil . . . .

Some (many) apparently very simple things are not the least simple. (And many of these have significance and relevance in far different situations also.) For example, how and when should one spouse express gratitude to the other? Huge, very difficult topic, this, unless one recognises some very simple underlying principles.

A difficult social problem exists in carpools. How to assess the value put in and the value received. Has a person who has driven four passengers three times making as much contribution as one who drives three passengers four times?

Reply 2 to post 10

Raneem,

<>

No, that was not my meaning and that was not his intention.

I meant that some people consider themselves superior to just about everyone. If one of these 'superior' people asked some small service of a complete stranger that stranger is inevitably unfit to make physical contact. (Or even be alive!) In the mind of the superior-feeling individual, that is.

As for what was in the mind of the man you met, let me ask you in what circumstances you would 'handle' a stranger in anything like that manner? And what kind of person would that be? I've never experienced a public place (or any place) in your society. Yet it has been my experience that all adults everywhere care spontaneously for the young, the old and those in need. Seen from a different perspective they are those who pose no threat to you and whom you wish to make feel secure. Going a step further, those who pose no threat are likely to be smaller than yourself. Here's where the gender connection enters! I'll bet you a pound to a pinch of snuff he was clearly bigger than you! As well as older. The best single word to describe his general response or feeling toward you is 'avuncular'. You're no longer a stranger in the street, your his darling or sweetheart or some other little pet name and, for the moment at least, you're his responsibility. Of course, if all the criteria are met he can just as easily be a woman although I don't know of a female word for 'avuncular'. There is no feeling of superiority, merely an offer of strength, security and confidence. All of which, in some measure, I'm sure you felt. We've all been children, we all know exactly what it is like.

Some still are children and need an adult to come along behind them to clean up.

Good morning OG,
It's a public holiday now, we will return to school tomorow. This was actually what I understood when he did it from the word go, but MY FRIENDS, NOT ME, also understood that, but still they wanted me to take his arm off and to tell him that this is not acceptd in our society. No, he was young, about 27 or 28 maybe. I noticed that English people are very friendly and if you ask them the way or anything else they are very helpful. You know that I also, asked some of them about the meaning of words in English and they answered me and were very helpful. Before I saw this and experienced it, most people here say that the British people are cold and arrogant, this wasn't true at all. Concerning our society, yes we help old people and sometimes children who needs help, and those who lost their way..etc
Yesterday after I messed up your place, I switched off the computer and went to the room in which I enjoy my privacy, when I want to study, and found my books on the floor, bread crumbs everywhere, I laughed as if you told my little daughter to take revenge from me.
I liked your vocabulary "avuncular" "wader" and the others, really a sincere thanks for you because I learned a lot from your writing, so THAAANKS. There is no rose here to give it to you.

Here's one for you to grow













Quick, take them before they take over altogether.
Quatermass III !

just trying.

G’day, OG!


You are right. The sugarcane crop has already been harvested and sold. Planters are now in the process of replanting. What I meant was the sheer size of the plantation field. At night it looks deserted, almost dark---one can still make out the shape of little plants appearing like tiny soldiers--- an air of mystery about it and it looks bewitching and, at the same time, scary.

“The way you speak of your wakefulness seems to be as if you feel you should be asleep.”

You’ve hit the nail on the head, OG! No one should be wide awake all night, but I don’t get much sleep with something or the other popping up in my head after every 15 minutes or so. My roomie says I’m the next big thing after nocturnal creatures; if only more people knew about me! I often ask her why, in that case, she puts up with me and she explains that I have my uses. Not that they’re apparent yet, but she’s sure they’ll come in handy one day! Some friend she is!



You remember my drama question; that’s kind of you, OG.

I should give you some background information before describing my problem. I’m assisting teachers here at the British Council with the Young Learners’ classes. It’s very much like voluntary work and guess what? I was badgered into doing it! I’m an active member of our drama society and our group often performs skits / stories / dramas for the BC audience. Learners of English are encouraged to take part in them too. We are currently working on some stuff and I’m doing 3 stories and a skit with my young learners. First is “The importance of being earnest” by Oscar Wilde; second: “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens; third: “Who’s on First?”--- comedy performed by Abbott and Costello. I’m playing Costello and I’ll be putting on a moustache for the final show!

Fourth: “Caught on a Train”. It’s a British tv drama. We will start performing them in the last week of December and will continue with them in the first week of January. All this will be done in parts with temporary sets being made and costumes hired or bought.

Now I’m specifically looking for some more plays / short stories / skits with interesting themes giving us good scope for enactment. Can you suggest some? It will be important to get hold of the scripts as well. We have to keep the young learners in mind while choosing anything.

I hope I haven’t asked for too much. I have a feeling that you can help. And there’s another thing about the young learners’ classes that’s making me tense. May I seek your advice on that too, OG? Please?


That’s it for now. You’re not ZZZZZZZ, OG, are you?! I’ll see what Raneem is up to. In the meantime, you relax... have a cup of or or ! Just don't get


Take care

Minnie

Hi, Minnie,

That's a whole other world. Here's a link to The Nanaimo Theatre Group: http://www.bailey.nisa.com/index.php

Of course, it's half a continent away from me but nonetheless the website might well be useful to you, replete as it is with contact information and library lists, etc. Anyway, let me know if this is useful or if you need something different, more or whatever.

I'm not an habitual theatre goer. I was interested in the technical end of stage lighting for a few years in the late 1960s and early 1970s but only as a bit of an occasional hobby.

No-one can ask too much simply because I can say 'no' easily; a technique I perfected ages ago. Ask away!

Our crummy friend and abuser of my hospitality here is up to her eyeballs in studies. No doubt this is why she has time only to make a mess and never time to clean up.

The only BIG crop, meaning tall or comparable with sugarcane, around here is corn. I recall the play 'Oklahoma' (which I saw in Wimbledon more than 50 yrs ago) has corn as high as an elephant's eye. We have no elephants here which might be just as well because the corn is taller and they wouldn't be able to see.

As for me being asleep, well, I'm not much for routine these days but my time zone is N. Am. Eastern, currently GMT (or UT) -5. I probably was sleeping when you posted. Fortunately I can sleep through a storm because we currently have very damaging gusty winds and temperatures below freezing. Nice day to watch from a window!
for the

Be well
OG

Thank you very much for providing the link, OG. I'm going to check it out later and will tell you about its usefulness.

I'm in a rotten mood, OG. Call me imbecile or downright rude, but some things always leave a bad taste in your mouth. This lady, Irina, has a knack for pissing people off (pardon my language), OG. It seems to me that she asks questions just for the sake of asking something. And this whole thing of previously being in the States and now in the UK, acceptability of English expressions across the pond---all seems overblown, artificial and plain show-off! In Australia, we use lots of British expressions in Australian English and nobody gives us blank stares. People might be a bit confused, some might make fun for a while, but on the whole people like to know new and interesting things. I don't know why, but I really find her tone nettlesome.

There! I feel better now that I've vented my anger.

You can give me a nice telling off for being so darn judgmental, OG. I guess I need that.


Warm regards,

Minnie

SSSSssssshhhhh!!!

I understand your response but am not sure I agree 100% with the details of your analysis.
I don't question the ignorance this individual has of English. This is a learner. One of the things about learners of ESL is that they cannot express themselves well in English. That's why they are learning. Many things they say are offensive and very unintentionally so. A teacher must somehow learn to distinguish between the deliberate offense and the unintended offense. In this particular case the entire interface is different, what is acceptable social interaction, what is amusing, the entire value-set is different.
No, I wouldn't presume to reprimand you for being judgemental. I can answer her only when I'm in a particular mood.

Good rule of life: Avoid the avoidable vexations. Scroll on by.

I look forward to your comments about the theatre group. If this wasn't a public forum I could explain how I know about it.




OG

Thanks, OG.

I think I should "mind my p's and q's" on the 'Ask a question' board.

It's all coming back to me, OG! I answered this question (about minding one's p's and q's) on the 'LE' board and surprisingly it was posted by the person in question!

But I do feel better now. Actually, I'm a little intrigued by your statement "but am not sure I agree 100% with the details of your analysis." Would you mind expanding on it?

Thanks again,

Minnie.