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

Hi there!

In the time I've been on h2g2, a lot of new people have signed up and joined the volunteer schemes.

There was a time when I knew everyone by name, but that's impossible as this grand experiment continues to thrive.

So I've decided to pay a visit to each Researcher in the various volunteer schemes and say 'hello'.

Hello! What did you wear this past Halloween? Or is the tree costume a standard for you every year?

That's all really. Just passing through...

- X

Hi

Apologies for the delay—things have been hectic here and H2G2 was not letting me in except at home, but that's sorted now!

This past Halloween I wore my normal stuff. Absolutely nothing happened around here (I'm UK-based). The tree was a one-off, for an art college pary. Good fun, actually, as no-one knew who I was. It was difficult to get served at the bar, though!

It's odd with the volunteer stuff, isn't it? I remember that day, well over a year ago now, when Mark (who himself was still a relative newbie then) sent me an email to ask with subbing help. Then there were just the ten of us, struggling against a mountainous queue. Now there are loads of people. It's quite exciting really, but also overwhelming at times!

Cheers


Craig/Dancing Tree.

I joined the Subs in that second wave. And looking at the list of other Subs, I honestly didn't know / never visited half of the personal spaces of the new ones before going off on my silly quest.

It's been an interesting experience...

I don't get to do Halloween parties any more - at least not those with adult beverages. My youngsters have dominated the holiday and I walk the streets with them, begging candy from strangers.

I guess from your post that you are American? In the UK trick-or-treating has been removed from most people's lives. I think you can even get arrested for it now (it's sometimes classified as begging!)

Halloween really doesn't mean much for the majority of British people—our main Autumn "thing" is Guy Fawkes night on November the 5th, where we have an excuse to set off lots of fireworks!!

Yep. A Yank from Pennsylvania.
Halloween is very big here in the states. Of course, I live within 15 miles of the Hershey's chocolate factory and one of the main M&M/Mars factories, so we end up eating a lot of - which isn't always a bad thing.

Guy Fawkes Day does sound amazing - I was exposed to it for the first time last year here on site. And then it was prominently featured in Eric Idle's novel 'The Road to Mars'.

Who says h2 is just for fun? I'm learning stuff here every day.

Well, we have not been conquered/oppressed enough in recent history to have an Independance Day, so we need some excuse to set off fireworks at least one day of the year—we all know that's the *real* reason you guys bother with July 4

Difference is, you guys get to stand outside in summer, we get fireworks when it's very, very cold!

It's quite a nice idea, really, showing what would have happened (ie: explosions) symbolically, although there are those that think Mr. Fawkes had a point and is the victim of bad PR. Or something.

LOL! Given the state of politics in the US, maybe Guy Fawkes had the right idea.

Yeah, the Fourth of July is the greatest. Of course I've heard that Bastille Day in France (14 July) is equally fun.

Must be something in the British character that forces you go celebrate things in the cold and damp.

I have a solution to both nations' problems. Get the USA to invade the UK, in around April of next year, thus making your nation feel suitably bullish. Then come to some sort of amicable settlement, that means the UK "regains" its independance. This will show the USA as a nation capable of flexing its miliary muscle, but also one of compassion. It will also give the UK a new experience (that of being invaded) and an independance day (so we can have summer fireworks). Just make sure you give us our independance in July or August.

*starts lining up landing craft*

That totally sounds like a plan. Besides, it beats bombing an asprin factory.