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

I know... I used to be the same way. I held out against computers, cell phones, diskmans, and DVD players... and In the end I got all of them. It kind of makes me feel like giving up on resisting. It seems I need it all sooner or later

I felt like a traitor when I got a CD player, and then again when I got a stereo that didn't even have a turntable.

(Mind you, I can remember the day my parents first had a fixed-line telephone installed. All the neighbours came out and gawped at the wire being rolled out and hooked up to the house. That was in 1976, about five years before we got our first colour TV.)

This makes me feel very young.... but what was there before fixed telephone lines?

I love having a turn table in the stereo. Thank goodness the one I got at the garage sale had one. I love playing records for some reason.

Before fixed-line phones or landline phones, there were no phones. It scares me to remember those days - but somehow we managed. We only had the phone connected when Mum's stepfather became terminally ill; Mum pushed my grandmother into getting one at the same time.

I specified 'fixed-line' phone because it seems to me that people here are now using 'phone' just to refer to the mobile version, and 'fixed-line' or 'landline' to refer to the more old-fashioned non-mobile type. I do like watching language evolve before my eyes.

I have no turntable these days,but it doesn't matter much as the few LPs I have are still in Adelaide. Mum might as well sell them when she gets around to it.

You know what made me feel old? Talking to a young colleague who didn't know you could turn LPs over to play the other side.

Oh I see... I knew what land line phones were.... but I got confused because I thought phones had been around longer than that... Didn't Mr. Banks have one in Mary Poppins?

I tend to not play records very often as the record player is balanced on top of a tall wall unit and I have to stand on something to be able to reach it.

I thought everyone knew LP's played on both sides I mean it has a label on both sides and the lists of tracks are different. I don't think that should make you feel old

The two-sides thing shouldn't have made me feel old. It should have made my young colleague feel stupid. I did my best to push things in that direction.

Phones - yes, they've been around since the 1870s, it's just that we didn't get one until the 1970s. It was quite common for people here not to have phones before that; people who had phones had half the neighbourhood dropping in to use them. That's why neighbours no longer know each other - we don't need to use each other's phones any more.

It would be kind of fun if we all had to borrow someones phone. In a way I wish I knew my neighbours better... It would make for a more friendly atmosphere.... but on the other hand there are some that from the little I know of them I already don't like. I'm sure the busybody across the street would love if she was the only one with a phone!!

There are some seriously bizarre people in this street; if I had to borrow their phones I'd be worried about having the conversation taped, at the very least.

As much as I miss the good old days when everyone knew everyone, I have to remember that I was a child and I didn't have anything to hide. These days I'm a little more keen on privacy.

You make a very good point. Perhaps there's a good way to get to know your neighbours without having to share a phone?

The title of this conversation seems rather apt. Through some horrible mistake I have way to many things scheduled to do on the 20th. At 9:35 I have an eye exam, at 10:30 I have a doctors appointment to get him to write a note saying I'm able to work with children, and then I have to be at work at 11:00!!! And it's a 15min drive to get there from the doctors office. The only good thing about it all is that the eye doctor and the doctor are right next to each other. I have no idea how this is going to work but it makes me feel gittery just thinking about it. If I can't get the eye exam done that's not a big deal... Unfortunately the two important things are right close together.

Eyes usually are right close together.

But seriously, the only real problem is if the doctor's running late or something. They usually *do* run late, in my experience.

My weekend just became a lot simpler; my minimal plans have been cancelled. Good. It's cold out there; I'd much rather just sit here and read. It'll be cheaper too.

The doctor was running late. I didn't seem him until about three minutes to 11!!! I was going crazy but I really needed the note as licensing comes round next week and everything has to be in order by then. I have to do first aid on Sunday.
I was a little late for work. In the end I didn't mind though. I really like my . He was so nice and friendly I didn't feel mad after I got to talk to him. Also, he didn't make me pay for my note.

Ooooh.... And a quiet weekend reading indoors sounds just the thing! I think I'll do the same thing

I'm planning another quiet weekend. I just cancelled what I was supposed to be doing. Sometimes I need to be a bit alone - just a bit - well, OK, the thing I was supposed to be doing was likely to be a bit boring, so it's not that much of a sacrifice.

Cancelling boring things sounds good to me!

Yesterday was a social day. Before I went to work I went and visited my old boss from the pirate store and gave her the Pirates of the Caribbean pin I'd bought her in Disneyland. Then I went to my other work from last summer and visited a few people there.
Today is another social day. Although i think I'd rather curl up with a good book and stay at home. My little cousin (I think she's about four) has invited my Mum and I to a tea party. We're all to get dressed up in our best clothing. I think its very cute. Before that I'm going to see the new Indiana Jones movie with my Mum. I have my Indy hat and shirt all ready. I'm not sure I'm going to like the new movie though....

And now, hallelujah, the weekend's here. And not a moment too soon. It was a Very Long Week.

I've only seen the first two Indiana Jones movies. One of these days I'll see the rest. In the meantime - I'm interested to hear whether the new one's any good. Don't tell me what happens, though.

The third one is much better than the other two.

Although I've never seen the opening. That's always annoyed me.

I've always liked the Temple of Doom, although they're all quite good.
The new one... I've been hearing terrible things about it. Personally I'd been expecting an absolute disaster and something I would hate every part of that would taint my memory and enjoyment of the three older movies. I was pleasantly surprised. Its not brilliant... but its not hideous either. There were some parts where I was just like 'Ummmm.....' but there were also good parts and for a lot of it I thought the stayed true to the spirit of the other three movies.

I'm glad the weekend is here. I've had too much from all those kids today. They were very loud and unruly and hard to control. Tomorrow I have to do a first aid course but hopefully its not too bad and then at least I'll have all Sunday.

If the new movie stays true to the earlier ones, I might even be able to bring myself to watch it one day. I was afraid it would be a big, mis-matched blunder.

Here's a thought. Loud, unruly children - first aid course - why not bandage the little dears? Bandage them heavily. Tell people it's part of an Ancient Egypt roleplay or something...

We did that as a final project in the 6th grade.