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

Northern Spain, the Cantabria region. Yeah, lots of geomorphology there, glaciated valleys, karst features, caves with stalagmites and stalactites and things. There are also a lot of caves there that used to be lived in like 20,000 years ago and we got to see some cave art which was really cool.

Happy Easter to you too, have a good one,

Ali

Heya, Ali.

Hope you're doing okay.
Summer break, right?

Got an apartment, across from Seattle.
It's small, but I like it.
On the internet a lot, now. Figured I'd write.

And Yael is coming, at the end of August, so I'm very excited.

She'll be here the same time you will be.
Getting ready for your trip?

That should be cool. New York is kinda like a museum, almost, with the different ethnic areas. Move from the Chinatown, to Harlem, to the Italian area, to the Russian area...

Take care. Sunscreen! ...or is it still just all gray?
It's been hellishly sunny, here. I've been trying to stay in the shade, mostly, for fear of death by immolation.

Oh, how I wish for snow.
Later!

Dan

Hello there Stranger,

I've been meaning to send you a message for a while. I was gonna wait til this afternoon so that I could let you know my degree result cos I find that out today, but I saw that you'd posted a message so I thought I'd reply.

I'm not quite on summer break yet. Friday is the end of term here but our accommodation contract doesn't run out til next weekend so I'm going to stay til then. All the exams and everything are finished now though so it's all just a bit of a party at the moment. And saying goodbye, which is sad. You'll be pleased to know we dressed up last night! It was our end of term college party type thing and we had a beach theme so everyone got the hawaiian gear out!

I'm glad you've got a new apartment, sounds good. And that Yael is coming, that'll be good of course How long is she staying with you for? I'm very excited about my trip. Although it still doesn't feel quite real yet. I think once the degree results are out of the way and I'm back home and everything it'll probably start to sink in that I'm actually going!

No need for sunscreen here unfortunately, it's really really grey! Don't get me wrong, we have had some nice weather, but it only lasted for about two weeks! Who'd live in England?!

Ugh, still have several hours before I can go find out my results. Nerves!! I will send another message later saying how I get on. Bye for now!

Hey, that's great about being done with your degree! ...well, Hope everything's gone okay, anyway.

So, everybody's going home, then what are you going to do in the flat you're in? Is anyone else hanging out there, or is it just you?

Either way, sounds like the makings of a party.
Good to hear the weather hasn't stopped the costume party movement.

...the subject title is from a song I just listened to. About a beach party. In Vietnam. Made sense to me.



Anyway, she'll be here for about 3 weeks. There's a couple concerts happening through that time, and different festivals, and stuff, so we'll keep busy.

Not that just being together isn't the greatest thing ever...

Sorry

Hey, how's your search? If you're searching. Find anybody to distract you from studying?

Just watch out for Americans, when you get here. Some of them can be total dirtbags. Trust me.


Well, I'm gonna call my friend. We're planning to see the new Superman movie later.

Hope everything's okay with your degree.
Talk to you later.

C

Hiya,

I got a 2.1 for my degree. Don't know if you know how it works over here, but that's the second best class you can get. It's what I wanted so I'm really pleased. At least the waiting is over, the nerves were horrible!

Most people are going home this weekend, but there are a few of us staying. There are going to be three of us (out of 9 usually) on my corridor here next week, but there will be other people around and about as well. It's good because it means I'll have plenty of time to pack up all my things and just chill out with no one around and stuff.

Hmm, not really searching at the moment as such. It would be a bit pointless right now as I'm just about to leave. This year has been good cos I haven't really felt like I've needed anyone cos I've had so many friends around me and I've just been able to really enjoy their company and have fun. Plus if I had someone to distract me from my studying I might not have got my 2.1 eh?

Hope you enjoyed the Superman movie - let me know what it's like. Love Ali

Great job, Alison.

Feels good to be done, yeah?

I have no idea what a 2.1 would be. Here, we use a 4.0 scale, so a 2.1 would be either failing, or a low C (A,B,C,D,F scale) depending on who you asked.

In the navy, all the tests were like that, with 2.5 and above passing. Any more than 2.5 was considered extra credit.

At any rate, congratulations.
You're a !

Anyway, so is that it, all done with learning, or are you going on with school? Or taking a (well-deserved) break?

And then with packing up, you're heading back to hemp handstand () or got somewhere else to be before your big trip?

Ah, lots of questions.

As for me, umm, Superman was really good. I liked it a lot. I was nervous that they would change too much of the original story, like they always do in comic book movies, but they stayed pretty close to the story. And the computer graphic these days is amazing. Good movie. Very fun.

Oh, and I just worked at Beerfest this weekend. Did that last year, and had a really good time. Serve beer for a couple hours, and then they turn me lose, with a handful of free tickets for beer.

The fools!

Actually, stayed pretty in control. Had fun.

And tomorrow (4 July) is American Independence Day, so we have lots of fireworks displays to watch. That's always fun.
Something about beating up on the British...


Well, have a great summer, if you don't end up near a computer anytime soon, and be careful in Canada. Those people are weird!

And good job, once again.
Talk to you later.

DC

Hey,

Thanks very much. I will have some of that I think! So yep, that's it, all done with learning. I am going back to Hemel for a bit on Saturyday then I'm going on my trip to America and Canada, then when I come back I have a job lined up. I'm going to be working for a consultancy company as a transport planner. It means moving house (which is good cos I don't want to live at home anymore anyway!) but not too far away. Plus it's pretty central in the country so it should be easy to visit my friends.

Glad you liked the Superman film, I think I will go and see that when it comes out over here. I'm going to see Pirates of the Caribbean 2 next week, looking forward to that. Glad you had fun at Beerfest, I remember you saying you worked that last year. Hope you had a good time watching fireworks the other day as well.

Right I should get on cos I have an awful lot of packing and cleaning still to do! I will probably get online occassionally over the next few weeks so I will send you a message when I get the chance. Speak to you soon,

Ali

Transport planner... for a consultancy company...

Well, good think you went to school and learned all about dirt. I'm sure it'll help you out.



Okay, whatever, but are you actually going to be using your degree at all, or is this just and in between job?

Yeah I always love the 4th of July.
Been planning to go see that Pirates of the Caribbean movie as well, just haven't yet.

Trying to save money for September.

Well, good luck with moving back home, and your trip, and then moving again.

Don't leave anything behind.
Talk to you later.

Dan

Hmmm, well the bits about dirt might not help me out much, but some bits of my degree will. But at the end of the day, I didn't go to university to necessarily get a degree that would lead my straight into a particular job... I just wanted to study something that I enjoyed studying, get the experience of going to uni, get some good "Transferable Skills" and then get a job afterwards. It doesn't really matter to me that my degree and my job aren't related! And it doesn't seem to matter to my employers either, so s'all good!

I love your tagline by the way, I've only just got it. Been kinda absent-mindedly wondering what it was all about for a while but only just now decided to actually think about it properly. I have to admit I had to turn my head upside down to read it, but it's really cool! I'll have to remember that one.

Pirates of the caribbean was good, but it was a bit frsutrating that you only got half the story. There's no point going to see it unless you definitely want to go and see the third one as well, and as that probably won't be out for a couple of years, everyone will probably have to watch the second one again beforehand to remind themselves what happened! Was still an enjoyable film though, quite a lot like the first one.

My graduation ceremony is on Thursday! Gowns and mortar boards and all that jazz. Should be a good day. Speak to you soon,

Ali x

Hmm. Okay. Well, good luck with this new job.

And just hold on to all that dirt knowledge. Someday, it very well might save the day, and everyone will go, "How did you know that?"
and you'll be a big hero.

Good times. Practise acting modest.

Hope Graduation goes smoothly.
How many are in your class?
Big school?

Well, have to run, but take it easy. Hope everything's okay.

Dan

Oh, and have fun traveling. Last time you'll be free for a long time. Don't let company life get you down.

Or, if it does, don't let it drive you crazy.

Yes, I am indeed looking forward to the day when I can save the day with my dirt knowledge!

Graduation was good. Bloody hot though in a heatwave wearing a heavy black gown and hat, phew! Nearly fainted at one point! Got some nice photos though and it was a good day. Then I went to visit my friend who's just moved in with her boyfriend to a really nice apartment. We went to the zoo, so that was cool.

I adopted your upside-down thing for my msn name and everyone loved it! My friend's friend asked if there were any more. Guess you could just make them up. Where did you get it from, or did you make it up yourself?

Anyway, need to go cos I'm using the laptop actually on my lap (can't be bothered to move things off the table) and my lap is getting incredibly hot. Speak to you again soon!

Love Alison

Better yet, you could be a superhero, and that would be your alter-ego. You'd dress in a cape, and know all about dirt.

Alison by day, ...I haven't thought up a good crime fighting name for a geology-based hero, yet.
... And knowing about dirt probably isn't the most dependable superpower...

I'm tired, gimme a break.

Anyway, the upside downy thing I saw most of on a website called, of all things, majorgeeks.com.

It's a place to download all sorts of patches and programs, and diagnostics. Very good site, and they have weird little slogans at the top.

That was one of them, with some small changes. They were using 'i', so I switched it to '!' to make it upside down.

I guess you could make others. Just write all the letters and punctuation things out, and see what letters you can make out of them, when you flip them.

I'll see what else I can come up with.


Painted a house, today. Been just doing odd jobs with a friend of mine. Saving up money.

24 more days

When's your trip? Getting all set to go?

...sleep. Long day today.

I'll talk to you later, Ali.

I could be a super-hero I guess... but if I was working all day and fighting soil-based crimes at night, when would I sleep?

Yeah it's not long til my trip, three weeks tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to it. I got an email from Holly last weekend listing all the stuff we can do when we visit her, it's gonna be great. She said she was scheming to make the stint in Wisconsin the best of the three parts of our trip lol.

I've been doing some volunteer work this week, helping out at a Playscheme for special needs kids under 8. Just for something to do cos I was bored of sitting around the house all day every day! It's pretty fun. We took them swimming yesterday which they loved!

Tonight I'm going to a wine tasting party at a friend's house, which is gonna just be more of a wine drinking party really lol. Everyone brings a bottle and we all share, or as the host put it "and we all taste each others juices". Anyway. Talk to you later!

Ali x

Never really been into wine, all that much. Mainly, because of people like the movie Sideways. Ever see that? That was great.

Same reason I don't like dogs, much. Because of dog show people.

Then again, I'm sure I've been the reason for some people not liking Star Wars, so fair's fair.

I'm not even one of the really bad ones. Some of those people scare me, and that takes a lot.


Anyway, been busy doing odd jobs, lately.
Kinda.

And Yael gets here Saturday morning, so I'm very restless and excited about that.

Hope your wine adventure didn't get too out of hand. Have fun over summer.

Hope you like cheese. That's about all Wisconsin has to offer...

Later, Ali.

Hiya,

Sorry I haven't written lately, been kinda busy with travelling and all that! I'm in Wisconsin at the moment, visiting Holly and it's really cool. Well, it's been raining for quite a few days actually so we're kinda been stuck in the house watching films and stuff, but it's sunny again today so we can finally get outside and explore! Or maybe just sunbathe by the lake lol. Yesterday we went to Madison and got a tour of the capitol building and stuff, and on Saturday we're going back there to watch the Badgers play. Which should be interesting as I have no idea of the rules of american football!

Before here we were in New York which was amazing. We just had the best time. We saw all the sights, and we took one of those open top bus tours, and we went up to the top of the Rockefeller centre which was spectacular. That was my favourite part of the trip I thnk. We also went to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway which was pretty cool.

How was your visit from Yael? Hope you guys had a good time. And I've never seen Sideways, but if I ever do I'll be sure to remember this conversation! Speak to you again soon, maybe from Canada lol. Take care, love Alison

>>Sorry I haven't written lately<<

Yeah, actually, I haven't really been busy. Well, yes and no. Did a bunch of small building jobs, decks, and reroofing houses, and stuff. But I am looking into going back to School sometime, so I'm starting to need to do things.

Had an amazing time with Yael. Miss her much. Planning to head back over there, probably in the spring.
Here's some photos of our trip, if you want:

http://public.fotki.com/LadyPennywhistle/august-september_2006/

Anyway, guess you're back in England by now. Started your new job, yet?

Where is it? Close to Hemp Handstand?



Anyway, looking into going to a tech school to learn about computers. Just something kinda quick and easy, so I can get a job someplace. Like, maybe Israel. Who can say?


I'll talk to you later. Hope everything is going okay. You probably don't get as many chances to dress up in costumes, now that school is over, so have fun with Halloween, soon.

...
Here's my costume:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Nukewaste/DSC00083.jpg

I got a load of bubble wrap envelopes, and have nothing to do with them, and thus, the Bubble Wrap Bandit was born!
Just don't tell anyone you know my secret identity.

Maybe you can do something like that with your Dirt Defender, whatever, scheme. Good luck.

Talk to you later, Ali.

Hiya!

Happy Halloween! Hope you had a good time in you costume! Did you go trick or treating?! How are you?

I have indeed started my new job, been working there about a month now. It's been quite good so far, although it's a little bit slow as there's not much work at the moment. I've been told that October has been a quiet month for our office though and I'm assured that it's gonna get a lot busier in November! It's in Northampton which is about an hour away from Hemp Handstand so I've moved there. I'm sharing a house with two guys. I've been working in Birmingham quite a bit though, cos there's more work there, which is about an hour away from Northampton on the train.

I had a quick flick through your snaps - I like your T-shirt! Looks like you guys had fun.

I'm going up to Lancaster on Saturday to catch up with all my friends that are still at uni there. It'll be weird cos quite a lot has changed since I left, but I can't wait to see everyone. We're gonna go out for dinner, then watch the fireworks at the castle (you know about Guy Fawkes night right? In fact, have we had this conversation before?!), then we're going to the Sugarhouse - the student union club. No chance to dress up though unfortunately!

Anyway better go. Take care, love Ali x

P.S. What the hell is my Dirt Defender Scheme?!

Hello Alison.
Sorry I haven't written lately, but, well, I have to be me, I guess.
Just haven't really been doing much of anything worth writing about.

Well, going to Israel again at the end of the month, so I've been getting ready for that. Very excited.

And it's snowed a few times this winter, but never very much.
Until today.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/Nukewaste/DSC00169.jpg

It was kindof a quick job, because when I left the house, it wasn't snowing, and I wasn't dressed as warm as I should have been, but I like how it turned out. Looks like he's .

And the snow wasn't the best for sculpting, but whatever.

There's a snowdog.


Hope everything's okay over there. So, do you ride the train to work?
We don't really have passenger train systems like in Europe, so I always liked riding trains, whenever I could.

Well, I should clean up, and take care of some things.

...Sharing a house with two guys? Geez. I only have to share this place with myself, and that can get old, sometimes. I can't imagine what you have to put up with.

Good luck.

I'll talk to you, well, whenever.

Until then, take care.

Hello Dan. (Thought you were being very polite with your greeting in the last message!)

Your snow dog is cool! It does look like he's winking lol. We haven't had any snow yet. We are due for some light snow the next two nights but I doubt it'll stay til the morning and I really don't think it'll be enough to sculpt! Still, I'm going on a skiing holiday to France in March so I might be able to make a snow dog then!

I don't ride the train to work when I go to my normal office cos it's just on the other side of town. When I go to the Birmingham office I get the train, but that's only a few times a month. I quite like train journeys too. Except when they get cancelled and you have to wait at the platform for ages and then the next train is packed cos it has several train loads of people on it. Grrr.

Sharing with the guys isn't too bad. They're not too messy or anything like that. I miss having girls around sometimes I guess, but it's ok. Anyway I'm writing this at work (didn't have much to do today!) and it's home time now so I'm off!

Laters, Ali x