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

'Afternoon ('Evening?), Douglas.

It's a bit of a coincidence your mentioning the blackbird (MJ will know why) . Despite their fiercely territorial nature, we seem to have struck lucky - we get two quite often - both males. I know the beautiful song is their way of warning off "the opposition" (or at least that's what I'm told!), but it doesn't make it any the less beautiful . Last year, when I was planting some honeysuckle, one came and sat right between my feet, watching for any unearthed worms etc. I couldn't believe such luck!

One is singing to me right now (well, I like to think it's to me)


Bxxxx

Afternoon ('Evening?), Mr. P.

They are fiercely territorial but here their territories seem to be quite small as I can often hear several neighbouring blackbirds singing at the same time.

The conventional wisdom is that they sing to attract the females. That may be a small part of it but I am convinced that the greater part is hurling abuse at their rivals.

I've been going for my morning paper for about seven hours now. I mustn't put it off any longer.

D

Sorry I've not posted for a while - been quite busy. Back at school now and preparing my Year 2s for their SATS. Not coaching them really just making sure that they're familiar with the sort of writing and maths they'll be asked to do. 3 out of the 13 aren't good enough to even attempt them but some of the rest enjoy writing stories and a few are pretty clever at sums. Could do without all the pressure though - just let me teach. Kitchen beeper summoning me to the food cooking - see you later.

Jane
xx
PS Looking forward to hearing your performance Mimi!

H,

I apologise for 'hijacking' this board to post messages to others. Some while back I described myself as 'computer-illiterate,' which wasn't strictly true. It was a (rare I hope) instance of (accidental ) poor choice of words. What I was really trying to convey was that I hadn't (and still haven't) got the hang of this h2g2 system. I need a lot more experience of it before I feel I have mastered the etiquette/protocol!!

Meanwhile, enjoy tonight's prog - I'm sure I shall - and your trip to the Smoke. I seldom return there nowadays although before meeting Mrs P (Jxxx actually - No!! - not Jack!!) I never wanted to leave.

for the 'loan' of your board

I'll get sorted out asap

TTFN

Bxxxx

Good evening all

Well, there has been a flurry of activity while I've been slaving away making sure everything's in order before I leave tomorrow.

No apologies, please, Mr-p. You're welcome here anytime. These pages are very handy for those of us who get the urge to chat but feel guilty about clogging up the WoM board.

I'm going to get some supper before Mimi's moment of fame but I expect I'll be back later.

bye for now

H

Oh blow, I had thought I had missed it at 11 o'clock this morning and wondered why Listen Again was still giving last week's this afternoon. Even now it's still last week's on LA so I shall have to get it tomorrow now.
D

Our Mimi’s now a star! I expect you’ll have all the advertising agencies on the phone asking you to do voice-overs. Lynda Bellingham and Joanna Lumley will be fighting over the jobs you reject. Seriously, though, you were very good. If I’m not mistaken, yours was the only ‘real’ voice they used. I wonder if that was because the others didn’t want to do it. I certainly wouldn’t – my recorded voice sounds awful; or at least it always has when I’ve heard it played back on friends’ ‘Ansafones’.

'Liaten Again' will probably change tomorrow morning, Douglas, if you can't wait for the repeat.

I must go to bed now – up at 0530. I'll be back on Wednesday evening or Thursday.

goodnight all

H

Thanks H - I fluffed my lines a bit at the beginning (but not as much as the female doing the contact info. bit at the end of the prog.!) - me, MG and marchesa-rosa, well well well! They actually read out my 'People in glass houses ...' one as MG's but I'm not bothered about that, just sad we couldn't both be in person on the same prog. MG did once record for the prog. in a previous competition - I happen to know because I was seeking a thread and it was mentioned, it was just over a year ago. They e-mailed MG direct so perhaps he just wasn't available at the time - seems like aeons ago, it was before the end of last term when I did mine!

A said it didn't sound like me, son got the time wrong and didn't listen and daughter in bed but they'll be able to listen tomorrow or on 'listen again'!

See you all again soon,

Mr-p - have no worries, you are a very welcome addition to this select little forum! New thread is a real go-er as well - you're a hero, Douglas!

Love
Mimi
xxxx

Great stuff Mimi!!! You read LOADS of your proverbs but it's still a shame to have had one of yours misattributed. Must Listen Again to hear you again - you were firing them off and I couldn't take them all in! I think Malagrowther was on the programme which included the Similes competition in which MR read out my hedgehog one.

Goodnight everyone - and good to see you in this Room with more than a Fue now Mr-p.

Love
Jane
xxx

Hello all,

I looked into WoM last night and couldn't believe what was going on! Where did all that nastiness come from? Give me back my cosy enclave of pedants discussing the finer points of English-as-she-is-spoke!

Best wishes
Achilles

Hi, Mimi

Just a flying visit:

>>>>...they'll be able to listen tomorrow or on 'listen again'!

So will I !! I've added your star turn to my permanent collection . I hope you won't mind that it's on a Mini-disc entitled "Miscellaneous 2" - Actually, it's in good company !! AND it's got its own track title

(With all all those 'ITSs' , I So hope* I've put the apostrophes in the right ones !)

Off for a now, but no or - gotta make up for overindulgence at the weekend


Bxxxx


* Couldn't resist it. I am, despite my better judgment, becoming enamoured of that usage. Wonder if it will ever become standard? I so hope it does

Hello, All.

I've just now been listening to Listen Again.
Very good, though some of the voices surprised me.
I've been having a moan to myself for some time that the 'BBC Radio Player' lets one move forward only in 15 min. or 5 min. chunks and one can't move back at all. I don't know for how long I've missed it but I now see that there is a link on it letting one 'Listen using stand-alone Real Player' which I prefer and lets one do these things.
You're probably all there already but, if any of you aren't, you should give it a go.

Lunch calls.

D

Douglas,

Your (and Graham's) observations on the cost/worth/value of a P/Pee/pee
reminded me of the days when I worked for Westminster City Council, in an audit section of the Finance Department. One of my less enjoyable duties was to collect the pennies from the Public Conveniences (Can't resist calling them PCs now; then, we called 'em 'Cons'). At that time each 'cubicle' door had its own coin-box (incidentally, a pee was free).

Because of the large number of PCs in Westminster it was totally impractical to close them whilst the money was collected and time wouldn't even permit waiting for an individual cubicle to be vacated.

The pennies were removed from the coin-boxes via a little 'door' at the bottom, which I had to unlock whilst my colleague for the day would hold a large leather money bag underneath. The unbelievable sound of all those pennies cascading out caused great consternation to the occupant.
Just imagine the difficulty of trying to explain (through the closed door) to said unfortunate what was going on. Not easy !

Oh, yes. I nearly forgot to mention that exactly the same procedure (and personnel !!) applied in the case of the ''ladies'' as well as the 'Gents''

Just that one single element of the job provided me with more than enough embarrassing moments for a lifetime.


Bxxxx

>>>At that time each 'cubicle' door had its own coin-box (incidentally, a pee was free).

But not for the women!!!

Hi Achilles,

<<I looked into WoM last night and couldn't believe what was going on! Where did all that nastiness come from? </quote>

It was a bit of a nightmare, I think sanity is gradually being restored but that was definitely the worst episode of trolling I have ever seen on WoM. I know it has always been rife on certain other boards but, as I don't usually give them more than the odd glance, it hasn't really bothered me. The sense of outrage amongst the 'old faithful' was quite palpable.

Do you listen to WoM programme? On radio or online?

Love
Mimi

Thanks for your messages, MJ and Mr-p (I could call you B now, but I'm always going to think of you as Mr-p!). Nothing wrong with 'so hope' either (or your apostrophes!!) ... might even inspire me for a proverb.

Love
Mimi
xxxx

Hi Mimi

>>>>I could call you B now, but I'm always going to think of you as Mr-p!

Do you know, in a very strange sort of way, I feel kind of honoured by that . Can't explain why. Above all, though, it's nice to have so recently arrived on the scene and yet been made to feel so welcome already .

Just for a change, grammar be blowed !! We bofe know wot it orta be, and I've got the excuse that I'm a Cockney. Weren't too 'appy wiv (or wit) the reference to us in the final of University Challenge, though .

I'll write here again fairly soon about the maths thing - a subject "close to my heart" (or perhaps I should say instead, "one of my hobbyhorses").

Meanwhile

&

Bxxxx
B
Mr P
(or anything else you like)
xxx

<>

I'm afraid not. Radio isn't possible and I'm generally too busy to consider online (can't do it at work, they won't allow streaming radio). However I should evidently make an exception for this week..

Best wishes
Achilles

Hi MJ,

>>>>But not for the women!!!

There's a phrase, "yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choice"

We've sort of "turned it round" to something like "yer takes yer choice or pays yer money"

Incidentally, you obviously never participated in a Morphy Day (one of the IC Rag Week features) - We had a woman President - any more would come under the heading of what my daughter calls TMI.



Bxxxx
xx

Hello Mr-p,

You like your smileys, don't you! It's ok, I'm not emoticonoclastic!! (I LOVE that word - it was a submission in the last WoM competition and the only 'invented word' from there I ever use). I get a bit carried away with question marks and exclamation marks sometimes!!!!!

Whereabouts in London are you? Even though I left London 17 years ago, I am still a Shepherds Bush lass at heart.

When you type Bxxxx, I wonder if those 'x's are standing in for letters. If so and your name is Brian, it is the same as my Maths Tutor (I'm not angling to find out your name, as I said I'm very happy with Mr-p ... in more ways than one ... I just thought it might be a bit of an odd coincidence in view of the last sentence in your msg above!).

Sweet dreams

Mimi
xxxx