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

I thought you people invented pumpkin pie? You've really never had it? That's cool. Big fan, myself.

Had a small thing with family. My grandfather isn't doing very well; he fell not long ago and was moved to a nursing home. So we all went there. It was nice.

Supposed to snow today. Nothing yet, but it is very cold and crisp out.

Hope it snows.

...Hey, coming up in February, I'm gonna be stopping for a short time (couple hours) in Heathrow Airport.

Yes, on the way to Israel.

Anything I should see while I'm there? Or, better yet, anything I should be sure to avoid?

Keep well, and dress warm! ...well, when you're not wearing some other crazy costume.

Yeay, how exciting! That you're going to Israel I mean, not that you're stopping in Heathrow. I don't think I can really recommend anything to see if you're only there for a couple of hours cos by the time you left the airport it'd be time to turn around and go back again!

I didn't think we invented pumpkin pie, it's really not a big thing over here. In fact, Holly couldn't even buy tinned pumpkin, she had to get Jules' boyfriend to bring it with him when he came over from America to visit! It was delicious though.

Sorry to hear about your grandfather, hope he's ok. It snowed here for a tiny little bit one morning this week. Didn't last long, but it looked pretty while it was there.

I gave my dissertation in today!!! Sooooo pleased about that, it was really starting to stress me out. So now I can relax. Gonna go out tomorrow night (the deadline for it is actually tomorrow) and all the geographers in our year are probably gonna be out! So that should be good. Not dressing up though! Lol.

Well take care of yourself, and enjoy the snow if you get some. Make a snowdog for me!

Alison

Well, we did get snow, but just one day, and it didn't stick. The rest of this winter has been unusually warm.

Not really liking it, but eh.

Won't be here for most of February, so that'll be great.

Anyway, swinging through to wish you a Merry Christmas. And stuff.

Hope you get stuff you want.

Yeah.

...hey, it's late, and I'm tired. Gimme a break!

Happy holidays, Ali.

Merry Christmas to you too Dan! Hope you had a good day. I pretty much spent the day watching films but it was cool. It's officially over here now, although I kinda get another christmas day tomorrow as my parents got divorced earlier this year so me and my sister are going over to my dad's tomorrow to get more presents and have another roast dinner! Yeay! Although no telly cos my dad doesn't watch TV. We're gonna have to make our own entertainment somehow... wish us luck! Lol.

It's supposed to snow here on Tuesday. Here being England, not actually where I live. Speaking of where I live, there was a massive explosion here about two weeks ago - apparently everyone was calling it the biggest event of its kind in peacetime Europe, don't know if you heard about it. No one was killed though, luckily. Only because it happened at 6am on a Sunday though.

Anyway, have a great New Year, I'll hopefully speak to you soon,

Ali x

Hey Dan,

How's it going? I watched You've got mail tonight and it made me think of you cos they have random conversations over the internet without really knowing anything about each other, a bit like us.

I'm back at uni now. Term doesn't start til next monday but I've got an essay to write (due in on 11am on the first day of term - how annoying is that?!) so I came back early to do it. Quite a few of my flatmates are back early as well so I'm not lonely. Although it does mean I'm quite distracted so probably haven't been getting as much work done as I should!

I got the CDs of the fourth and fifth series of the hitch hikers radio plays for christmas, so I have the whole collection now cos I already had the first three on tape. How good is that? I love having the whole collection of things, there's just something satisfying about it.

Anyway I'm off to bed now cos it's like half past 1. Just wanted to say hi really. And hope you're ok. Speak to you soon,

Ali

I like collections, too. That's why I mostly like defunct punk rock bands.

You know that you don't have to keep track of them, and hunt down new albums. Once you get them all, you're done.

Anyway, had a nice New Years, I guess. Didn't really do anything special. Weather's been rainy, but well... Seattle, right?

Never saw "You've got Mail". Heard it was just like 'Sleepless in Seattle', which, *Looks around* okay, I watched. Never tell anyone

But I didn't like it!

Sorry, had to log out for a second.

Anyhoo, that's pretty rotten that they want you to do a paper on your break.
Not much of a break, really.
Whatever. Good luck.

...hey, couple things, about your post before last:
Biggest explosion in peacetime Europe?

Peacetime Europe? Almost sounds like an oxymoron...


Oh, and what's with your dad? No television?
He does know it won't steal his soul, right?

Because it's cameras that do that...

Well, to each his own.

I'm almost out of time, here.
Doing okay. Kinda getting things in order for my big trip in February.

So excited.

Well, time's up.

Talk to you, later, Ali.

Hahahaha Dan's watched Sleepless in Seattle, hey everyone get a load of this! Lol, joking. I won't tell a soul, I promise. But yeah, I guess everyone would compare the two cos they have the same leads and they're of the same genre. It was an okay film but it wasn't great. Sometimes it's nice just to watch a trashy sentimental film with your girlfriends though.

Peacetime Europe - I think they basically mean times since the last World War. Or maybe they just mean it was the biggest explosion that wasn't caused by some kind of bomb, I dunno. Basically it was big. They heard it in Holland!

Yeah, I think my dad is aware of the non-soul-sucking properties of TV. He just doesn't get a lot of time for it, and when he does have free time he'd rather spend it doing something other than watching TV. I can see his point. I mean, I don't have a telly at uni and I don't miss it at all. We do watch films on the computer quite a bit though. I would probably miss that. Plus it means he doesn't have to pay a TV license. Do you have those? It's like £130 per year or something.

Cameras do that?! Well my dad works for Kodak so I think he should have known about that one!

I'm not surprised you're getting excited about Feburary! I'm excited FOR you!!

Anyway, better go get ready, we're going to the bar in a bit. Laters,

Ali

>>Sometimes it's nice just to watch a trashy sentimental film with your girlfriends though.<<

Wouldn't know anything about that. That's pretty much why "Guy" films exist. ...not necessarily porn, mind you. We like fights, and cars, and explosions, too.

Speaking of explosions... Well, whatever. Amazing nobody got hurt.

TV license? WHAT THE HELL KIND OF FASCIST COUNTRY IS THAT?!

...I don't understand, but might be jumping to conclusions...
We have to pay for cable, or satellite, which adds many channels, but we don't have to pay to operate a TV set.

Is that what you mean? Or do you actually have to have a license to own a TV?

Do you have to take a test to get it? Can you get ticketed if you don't have a license

Do they have special police that go around checking for this?

You Brits are funny, sometimes...

*bang, bang* Open up! This is the TV Police!


...ahhh...
I gotta go. Trying to have two conversations at once isn't working, and you know better than to feel bad that you come second...



Still, it is really great to hear from you.

Have fun at the bar. No means no, Ali!


Talk to you later.

Hahahahaha, that last message cracked me up! In fact I'm still laughing now and it's like five minutes later! Many of the things you were mocking with regards to TV licenses are actually true. You don't need a license to own a TV but you need one to receive channels. No you don't have to take a test, but yes you can be ticketed (well, fined. Up to £1000). And yes, there are special "police" that go round and check whether or not you're using a TV and whether or not you have a license.

Basically you pay £130 per year, or whatever it is (less if you only have a black and white telly. Yep they do still exist.) and that pays for the two standard BBC channels which are advert free. You also get three other commercial channels which do contain adverts. You can then choose to pay on top of that amount for Sky or cable or whatever. So money from TV licenses pays for the programmes that they show on all the BBC channels. It also pays for BBC radio and BBC websites. Such as this one. So you should be grateful that we in Britain (well not me, cos I don't have a telly, but most people) pay a TV license because otherwise there would be no h2g2.

And I don't think they actually say *bang bang* Open up! This is the TV Police. They'd probably just ring the doorbell.

Anyway, gotta go back to writing my essay. And yeah, I don't feel bad that I don't come first. In fact, I feel quite priveledged that I come as high up on your list of priorities as second! (Okay, so it's only out of 2... but it makes me feel better.) My (female) housemate and I have just agreed to buy each other Valentines presents if we're both still single next month lol. We don't want to feel left out!! Anyway, see ya later x

So, let me get this straight: People have to buy ... well, they buy a TV if they want to watch TV, and then they have to pay a fee to get any channels. And the money received goes towards things like Hootoo. And your dad doesn't have a TV, and neither do you... So basically, http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/F77636?thread=2005456 what you're saying is that this kind of thing is all your fault! GET A TV ALREADY! QUIT BONING EVERYBODY WITH ERROR MESSAGES! Cough up the dough, get a set, fork over the money, and get this place fixed. For shame, Ali. You are so not pulling your weight around here. Shame. Aww. It's okay. Heck, I haven't gotten my driver's license renewed, because we have to pay for it, and that money goes to the road repair, and stuff. But then, I don't care about the roads, since I don't drive, what with not having a valid license... You you getting to use this site, but not throwing your <2cents>... Boo, Alison. Boo... Whatever. Good luck with finding a sucker, sorry, boyfriend, for Valentines day. Or just stick with the roommate idea. Sounds like a winner. ...actually, your roommate sounds pretty nice... What? Just sayin'! Gotta keep your options open Relax. Take care. See ya.

Oooh I can't believe you're blaming the error messages on me, that is SO rude! Would you pay for h2g2 if it was either that or not have it any longer?

Yeah my flatmate is lovely, although I wouldn't want to date her even if I were a guy... or gay. She's a bit neurotic about relationships! This'll amuse you though - it's her 21st birthday on Wednesday and we're all gonna go out dressed as brides with veils and things. It's kind of a mickey take of the fact that 18 months ago she was engaged to her ex-boyfriend. People are gonna think we're on a hen night, it'll probably be quite funny!

One of the girls who lived with us in the first year came up to visit yesterday. She spent her second year studying in Australia and this year on a work placement because her degree includes a year in industry and she's coming back to uni next year, although obviously we'll be gone by then. So that was good, cos we haven't seen her in a while. It's been really nice weather here this weekend, really sunny and clear blue skies. Went for a walk today. You forget how close to the countryside you actually are living on campus! The university's in a really nice location.

Anyway, when's your trip to Israel? You must be so excited! Are you going to be there for Valentines day?

Take care of yourself, see you soon

Okay, okay, fine.
Not your fault. ...but if you did pay for it, you wouldn't get flak for not paying for it, so it really isn't an either-or choice...



...Eh.

Dressing up as brides, now. I actually think that's one of the few costumes that will keep guys away. Just in case you wanted my opinion.

You might come across as a bit desperate at first glance...

Or very prepared...

Anyway, good luck with that.

As for me, leaving tomorrow evening.
And yeah, I'll be there over St. Valentines day.

Which isn't really a big deal for me.

It's just a day when corporations make people buy lots of stuff.

Do I love her any more on that day? No.
I'm kinda a grinch when it comes to most holidays, though. Maybe someday I'll get in the swing of things.

But for the next three weeks... well, can't wait.

See you ... ? around.

I never do get flak for not paying it - except from you!

You probably should be right about dressing up as brides keeping the guys away, although one of the girls in our group pulled a guy, so there you go. We did manage to confuse quite a few people as to whether it was a hen night or a 21st. One of the guys behind the bar asked me what's with the veils so I said it was a friend's birthday and he said "21st?" and I said yeah and he was like, ok then - as if that therefore made perfect sense!

I totally know what you mean about Valentines day - I don't really think it's a big deal either. And that's not just me being bitter about being single - I don't make a big fuss over it even when I am with someone! It's like New year's resolutions - I refuse to make them because I think: If I'm gonna make a resolution, I can make it any time of the year, who says I have to make it on one particular day?!

Anyway, hope you have a fantastic time. And I hope your flight isn't too horrible and that you have fun in Heathrow for 2 hours or whatever it was!! Take care,

Ali

Hi Dan,

Long time no speak! How was Israel? Hope you had a great time.

I'm going to America in September, how exciting is that?! Well, it is for me. I'm gonna go with my flatmate Amy. We're spending 4 nights in New York, then we're going to Wisconsin to visit Holly (who's over from America this year living with us now), then we're going to Canada to visit the guys that Amy lived with last year when she spent her year abroad there. It's gonna be so cool. And I'm gonna go to the largest mall in the world! Lol.

I got my exam timetable yesterday. I've got 7 in a row, it's gonna be a nightmare. Ooh another horrible thing happened to me this week. I went to visit my sister in Manchester on Saturday (not that that was horrible, it was lovely to see her!), and I used an ATM with a skimming device on it and my cash card was cloned and my PIN was stolen! £250 was taken out of my account from an ATM in Brixton! Luckily the bank spotted that that was a bit odd and put a stop on my account. And luckily I get the money bank, eventually, but still it was a bit of a shock. It's one of those things that you read about but you never think it's gonna happen to you!

Anyway, hope you're well and everything is cool and groovy your end. Laters,

Alison

America, eh? Big Whoop. I've been there...
But that's cool. Hope you have a good time.

Take note, though, that New York can get a little strange around September each year.

People even start acting nice to each other, sometimes. Like it's Christmas. Frickin' unnatural. But, they've been through a lot.

Mall of America, hey? That's always a good time. Ride the rides. That's unnatural, too. It's weird to be on a roller-coaster, and not see the sky. Just shoppers.

Anyway, been meaning to write you, and tell you what a fan I'm not of your country.

Granted, I only hung out in Terminal 4 of Heathrow each time, and the first time took forever, because I was waiting to go to Israel, and the second time sucked, because I was leaving Israel. And it was very gray outside.

Much worse than Seattle, even. Seattle is always cloudy, usually, but the clouds have texture, so you get different colors, from white to grey, to gray, to black. There in England, I couldn't even see clouds. The sky was just one, dead, oppressive color of grey.

The kind of grey people turn when you give them bad news, and call it 'ashen'.

The kind of grey that is so grey, it isn't just a color, but brings a feeling along with it. Makes you depressed, and lonely just to look at it.


Did for me, anyway.

So yeah. Didn't like England. But Israel was great. I had the time of my life, there.

It wasn't really anything like I expected. It was just a normal place. Just their own form of normal.

Not that I was there for site-seeing, really.

http://public.fotki.com/LadyPennywhistle/february_2006/
There's some stuff we did.

I gotta go, soon.
...oh, and that's pretty stale about getting robbed. I think that happened to me, too. Used an ATM there at the airport, and it took, like, twice as much money as I wanted.

Exchange rate? What's that?

Oh, but neat trick... the 10 pence piece... looks the same size and shape of the American Quarter, and is worth less...

You get where I'm going. Hey, if don't cheat the system, the system wins! Stick it to the man, Ali!

Talk to you later.
Dan

Hey Dan!

Well I've never been there so I'm looking forward to it. And I'll be sure to look out for the strangeness in New York Not that I'd probably notice, having had nothing to compare it to. Anyway. We're not going to the Mall of America - we're going to the biggest mall in the world! The West Edmonton mall in Canada.

I think it's a little unfair to judge our whole country based on the fact that you happened to want to be somewhere else Bit harsh I thought. I do know what you mean about the grey though. It's like that today.

But oooh - it snowed at the weekend! It was soooo exciting. I couldn't sleep! Lol. Two of Holly's friends were over to visit from America and they were laughing at us so much cos we totally over-reacted to the snow and they were just like "we get snow all the time, it's a pain". Lol. But we went sledging in a massive great big sack that we found on the field. And we made a snow-woman (reminded me of that Entry I wrote two years ago, remember? And we had that conversation about the Calvin and Hobbes snow figures!). And I made a snow angel, it was so fun.

Glad you had a good time in Israel, I had a look at some of your photos, they're cool, looks like you guys had fun. Got plans to go back yet? So what have you been up to since you got back? Still working where you were before?

I'd better go, gotta collect a piece of coursework that's been marked, eep! Laters!

Ali

Hey Alison.

West Edmonton Mall? Pssh. It's not the biggest. They switch to metric system there. It loses out in the exchange rate.

Whatever. That should be cool. ...if you like malls.

Anyway, not working, lately. Trying to find an apartment. Something I can afford.

Eventually, I'll go back. I'd like to get her over here (once I have a flat, naturally) but yeah. Someday.

She's got a bunch of school left, though, so we have to work around that. It's hard, only having the internet to talk over. Eh.

How's school going with you?
Dirty? Figures.

More costume parties?
Yeah.

...
I'm hungry.
I'll talk to you later.

Cheers love bye!
Dan

"Cheers love"? - Was that you trying to be British or would you actually say that?!

School's kinda finished now, well lectures have finished anyway. Just got revision then exams to go and then I'm all done. We're on our Easter holidays right now, in fact I'm all alone in the flat at the moment cos all my flatmates are at home. I'm going to stay with one of them for Easter weekend though which should be cool.

Just came back from Spain - went there on a geography fieldtrip. It was awesome! They told us it was gonna be rainy and cold but it was boiling hot and we got to go to the beach. And another day we played in the snow cos we went up so high in the mountains. It was really cool.

Haven't had many costume parties lately unfortunately. Maybe next term. Anyway good luck finding an apartment. Speak to you soon,

Love Ali

When I was stuck in the airport, everyone said that.

Especially on their cell phones. "Cheers love bye!"
Started thinking it meant something else...

Yowza. That's some fieldtrip.
I remember going on a fieldtrip to a post office down the street.

What part of Spain?
And why, really? Lots of geological thingumabobs there?

Anyway, happy Easter.
Talk to you later, Ali-gator.