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

RE I just read your reposnse on my space about thinking I might feel invaded.

And you've unsubbed.

I've replied to you there and want you to see that...so here I am.

(I like you a lot).

It's nice we have this little thread going on your space now as well...unless you feel invaded?

Hi Effers and welcome to my space.

There's no need to like me a lot - I'd settle for your not being too cross with me.

Some time ago, I mentioned that we had some things in common - as time passes, I find more (even as far as my having problems, at the moment, with one of my ears). So, although I don't interfere with many of the Journal threads you open, I do read quite a few.

In that respect, we are quite different. You have a lot to say, while I often find that others make my points for me... and have the links to support their arguments. I'm not as brave as you.

Also, I don't chat much. In fact, the only person I've had lenghthy and revealing conversations with was with Azahar, who about 4 years ago to start up her own blog - 'Just Lurking' was our thread.

If you like, we can talk about our similarities another time... if I can remember them - memory is not my thing.

Have a good evening and a long sleep (not that one ).

Hey it's good to start communicating a bit...well I hope you will agree?

anhaga is very different to me..and doesn't shoot his mouth off like me either. I've got loads in common with him as well...and he seems to handle me...just about...

I'm very sincere..and honest..too much at times. Also a strange combination of ludicrous naivity and innocence...and adult thinking and awareness. This apparently is the ideal combination for an artist, but it's sheer hell to live with..and you are so often misunderstood. It's a kind of weird adolescence.

I'm already rambling...I'd love to carry on chatting with you here on h2g2 in whatever way we find.

I have been aware of you and that you seemed to get me.

I just listened to the first of your links. Grantchester meadows.

Thanks so much. At the end it seems like someone comes and belts/smacks someone which was so shocking after the song...it affected me a lot.

I'll gradually listen to the other two as well...

I'm always so happy to make contact with people here that I sense will...well I don't know how to say it...I'll leave it there for now.

The furry animals I didn't get all the way through. Loved the jazz/blues one.

The furry animals wasn't a patch on my CD of early morning in the Australian bush

(So can anyone join these music sites and upload stuff..how does it work?..Obviously it has to be legal..so say what you can or not? ).

G'day Effers! When you first mentioned sleeping in a tent in your garden, I thought it was a great (even romantic) idea.... but now that the weather is beginning to turn cold, shouldn't you go back inside and wait for the spring? I'm sorry the fly-swatting ending to Grantchester Meadows upset you. I did consider the possibility that it might, but hoped you would see it as something to ponder. (I think it was probably just a device to segue* into the next track.) Furry animals is worth hearing to the end. I find the moment the Pict joins the grooving critters hilarious - even more so at the end when they react to his poetry. I'm pleased you liked 'Sign of the Blues'. I haven't enjoyed anything else of his, but I really love that track, and I play it all the time. I first heard it on a compilation called 'Stormy Monday', which includes music by Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, John Mayall, etc - some good stuff. Here's the Mayall song: 'Undercover Agent For The Blues' http://grooveshark.com/#/s/Undercover+Agent+For+The+Blues/exCUY?src=5 By the way, you don't have to be a member of those music sites (though it probably helps). I try not to keep Youtube recordings as favourites because the signal breaks down so much when it's busy, and they're forever removing videos for one reason or another. My partner (saying girlfriend seems odd at my age) is going to need her breakfast soon, so I'll have to go. I might mention one of our 'similarities' next time - Australia. * I've always thought 'segue' was pronounced 'seeg', but found out just a week or so ago that it should be 'segway'! Like one of these: http://tinyurl.com/cc8wkos Seeg you later. Ps I (rather selfishly) added links to some of my favourite music on this thread http://h2g2.com/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F19585?thread=8243829&post=109470374#p109470374 from Post 42 - unfortunately, no one wanted to post much of their own.

Rudest Elf is an anagram of 'flustered', which I often feel when I owe someone a reply, and I'm not in the mood to write anything more exacting than a shopping list.

So, don't feel under any pressure to respond quickly (or at all - although I'd be disappointed if you didn't).

Haven't seen you around as much lately. Are you okay?

*Off for lunch and a nice long siesta*

Flustered? Yeah know the feeling.

Had to take a few days break from this place..which was a relief.

But real life isn't always it's cracked up to be. Spent the last 36 hours with food poisoning due to not cooking some lentils properly. Be warned..it's not pleasant. Apart from the obvious diorheoe and repeated retching..the pain of the intestinal cramps is awful.

Don't know what came over me. I'm always so careful about cooking beans and lentils normally..Got complacent I think.

It's nice having you around..and yeah I'm the same about replies..sometimes straight away or not.

diorheoe? *diarrhoea*

Weird word.

They do say that lentils help you.... you know... go, so I have them quite often with chorizo, carrots, etc......... Oooops! I guess you don't need to hear about that right now.

Nasty experience and a nasty word - rather like 'vomit' .
I hope you feel cleansed at least.

Did you come across Renée Geyer while you were in Australia? This is one of the songs from an exceptional performance at Dallas Brooks Hall, Melbourne in 1976. I'd been living there (in Sydney, not Melbourne) for a couple of years by then.

Renée Geyer - Hard Head
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICkY2f6fQHM&feature=related

Twenty-three years later:

Renee Geyer - Closest I'll Get to Heaven
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0HqwI0nGUY



*Lunchtime*

Wow. You lived in Sydney. I'd love to know more about that and your connection to Australia some time. Yes of course you will have read about my love of the place.

Of course some is rose tinted glasses. I went on a 3month trip right up the east coast, cutting across land to Darwin, few days in Kakadu, then down all the way to Adelaide, onto Melbourne..I split from the group there and spent a week in Melbourne, then flew to Sydney to catch up with the others at the end of the trip.

I could relate so many great experiences but we were in small bus for 3months...the psychological strain was very tough at times to say the least..and there were unsurpringly a few fireworks at the end when home truths, bottled up for 3 months were told. Mind you the stories I heard about other groups made us seem very

Trips having to finish because fights broke out, mutinies and god knows what.

But it was oh so worth it...and I blank out the hellish bits now. We camped and cooked food on barbies and camp fires. I mostly slept out under the stars.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a post that reminded me of an incident you might have heard of (or even witnessed in your youth.................. I mean childhood ), that had a profound effect on me (ie I was hopping mad): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkQRERykq5M&feature=related

I moved back to Europe after that!



Ps Don't you just love Richie Benaud?

Oh god don't start me on Richie Benaud...that man is right up there as one of my all time favourite blokes on tv.

I took to him as a child when he commentated on our summer Tests. Such total professionalism, fairness, intelligence, integrity, gently warmth...and best of all the kind of dancing cheeky eyes, all the best people have.

It'll be a dreadful day for us as well as the Aussies when he pops his clogs. He must be pretty old now.

I've seen him a few times at the Oval for final tests of a series..when on the last day the tickets are sold cheap, and they now do interviews on the field.

**

Yes I remember hearing about that under arm bowl from Chappell against the Kiwis. I've never seen it before so thanks.

Of course it did the Aussies no favours..made them look ridiculous and made a mockery of the greatest sport. My how Richie laid into them with that steely calm way he has.

But surely you jest as to that being the reason? Aussies love to win at sport..but they just crossed the line, in making a mockery of their national sport. It was their loss and embarrassment. At least we did it with a bit of honest passion, ie 'bodyline'

Incidentally my dad never stops singing the praises of Richie as a great Aussie captain.

Oh crikey I forgot one of the most important qualities in eulogy to Richie. Driest of humour but never nasty...just a bit naughtily cutting. His delivery was always spot on.

Oh, Richie, Richie...

Oh god I'm onto cricket now. (Interestingly around the turn of the 20th century is was very much truly "English' and the favoured sport of the lower classes. I read up on local history, and that it was small cricket matches going on all over Peckham Rye, the local vast area of common land, rather than football from Easter to autumn. Peckham was an area that exploded in population in the late 19th century. Many people from the countryside coming to work here. It was previously an area of vast numbers of small market gardens.

It became later to be associated more with 'Britishness' But it's English at its core.

Harold Larwood who was the body line bowler par excellence, son of a Yorkshire miner..though it was his Toff captain Jardine who sanctioned it in Australia for the Ashes.

I saw this YouTube film on 'Body line'. Interestingly our name for it was 'Leg theory' and was in common in the English county game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rybPvBa3Oc

Best bit is from around 1.30 of the Adelaide test. Awesome

(I saw the Adelaide cricket ground when I visited Australia..unfortunately out of the cricket season. There are elaborate cast iron gates you can peer through into the ground. It's a bloody beautiful cricket ground in my opinion. And Adelaide was one of my favourite Australian cities..

(This is a nice thing to waffle on about on Christmas Eve... Seriously it is..Hope you don't mind a few posts in a row? It's a habit of mine when I get grabbed by something..

Don't feel obliged to reply..But really you shouldn't have brought up cricket.

"But surely you jest as to that being the reason?" You're right! I didn't leave the country until about a year after the Falklands War.

Bodyline was a disgrace (described as underhand, which kind of links the two atrocities), designed to counteract 'The Don'.

I'm not old enough to have seen that match, but I certainly was for the 1981 Headingly test, remembered most for Botham's valliant contribution - which would have counted for nought had it not been for Willis's superb bowling performance:

Botham: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkkvgiZJkhM

Willis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZzWcfg4_sc

Do you know whether the London Olympics will feature Some kind of limited overs cricket tournament as a demonstration sport? It bloody well ought to.

I do miss watching cricket - the game's as much a mystery to the Spanish as it is to the Americans. It's just as well the Spanish don't fancy the game - they'd be awesome competitors.

I miss playing even more. It's such fun to play, whether batting or fielding. A memory I can never forget involves one of the best (if not The Best) catch I've ever seen. I was standing at short leg, waiting for a bat-pad chance. When it came, I saw in an instant that a straight dive would leave me short of the ball. So I dived about three-quarters of the way, landing on my left hand and using it to pivot me the extra few inches to take the catch. I was probably mobbed by my (under eleven ) teammates, although I was so pleased with myself I hardly noticed.

As if last night's binge with the in-laws wasn't enough, we have to go back for lunch. Most likely for more of the same PLUS the traditional leg of lamb - probably one each...

I hope you're enjoying the holiday.

I don't think 'leg theory' (bodyline) was a disgrace.

As that clip makes clear, it was a normal part of English County Cricket game.

Cricket comes from the English village green. (And not in the bloodless John Major way of spinsters riding past on bicycles, whilst chaps drink warm beer), but as bodyline.

That's the heart and soul of cricket.

That's where it comes from. The British tried to ruin it.

Wiki has a nice little article on bouncers: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouncer_%28cricket%29

Erm... I've forgotten what else I was going to say...........

Oh yes! I'm bipolar too. Seems we could form a jolly little club. Perhaps we should ask for a smiley.

Hey that's quite a big thing for you to talk about the bipolar thing.

I'd picked up that you understood where I was coming from. Now it makes sense.

I'll be back. But I wanted to acknowledge that post.

Sorry to have dumped it on you like that. It's a big topic and hard to know where to start.

I considered (for a couple of seconds) whether I should raise the issue on my own home page, where it will remain forever, and decided that I really don't care what others on h2g2 think.

Far more important to me is the fact that in real life even some medical professionals appear to take me less seriously when I tell them (of necessity) that I take lithium.

I told you we have some things in common.

Take your time over answering - as I said, it's a big topic.

You haven't dumped anything on me.

I feel quite chuffed that you felt able to talk about it to me. (Kuzishi did the same...though he seems to not have migrated over to the new site)

It's a tricky one ...like in real life. On the one hand people maybe understand your behaviour better...but on the other you get labelled. Everything you do gets put in that box to interpret you.

But you are safe talking with me about it. I will understand the complexities...of having that diagnosis but also having a normal personality, just like everyone else. But I do think people with mood disorder can have a special bond...that's been my experience.but by no means with all.

People that use emotional intelligence...to use a trendy term, *can* feel at home with one another.

Yes it's

I think it's good we started to talk about this topic. I hope you feel that as well.