Journal Entries
20.2.2012 - Blue Lid, Purple Bottle
Posted Feb 20, 2012
On Saturday I attended my first major meet-up since the Reading meet-up in 2001. In recent years family commitments have stopped me from attending meet-ups and was supposed to be in Leeds attending an in-law family-thing, but I rebelled, sneaked out for a bit and managed to, albeit briefly, gatecrash the Manchester meet at last minute. Alas I had to run off before 3:30pm to catch a train back, but although only there for a short time and unable to spend as much time with everyone as I would have liked, I enjoyed every minute. Looking forward to the next one, when hopefully I'll be able to stay for a bit longer.
As the meet up page said name badges were required, I decided to make one. My fool-proof plan: find a blue bottle, put a label saying 'Bluebottle' on it and then use a safety-pin to turn it into a badge. Although there was a minor technical issue of my being unable to actually find a bottle coloured blue, the closest being purple with a blue lid, but I don't think anyone noticed...
I might have to stay as 'Purplebottle' for a week, though 
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11.1.2012 - All The Galaxy's A Stage
Posted Jan 11, 2012
It's official, we've got the tickets - Former H2G2 President Peregrin and I are off to see the stage version of the Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy on Sunday 15th July 2012.
It's at the Mayflower Theatre for one night only, and The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy Show stars the original cast members from the television and radio series of Douglas Adam's The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy reuniting for a new stage version of the show. So Simon Jones as Arthur Dent, Geoff McGivern as Ford Prefect, Susan Sheridan as Trillian, Mark Wing-Davey as Zaphod Beeblebrox and the voice of Stephen Moore as Marvin the Paranoid Android.
I hope the bar has stocked up on 
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3.1.2012 - New Year's Resolutions
Posted Jan 3, 2012
Like many people, I have made a few New Year's Resoluations. Many of them are the normal things I hope to do anyway - stay active and continue cycling to work, eat healthier and spend more quality day-to-day time with the kids (difficult as they tend to go to bed as soon as I get in from work). But who cares about them, eh? What are my h2g2 related resolutions?
This year for h2g2 I plan to:
Write at least 10 things for 
.Write a couple of things for the Edited Guide.Do 3 or more Flea Market Rescues (not necessarily to the Front Page, but at least put through Peer Review)Do something to take part in Create each month.Do arty stuff for the Art Volunteers.Try to attend a H2G2 Meet-Up.
How many of these will I be able to do? Only the year will tell.
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22.12.2011 - String (Four Journal Posts in December 4)
Posted Dec 22, 2011
In these days of musical Christmas lights, fibre optic Christmas trees, dancing Father Christmases and twinkling advent candles, what is the best Christmas decoration?
In my view nothing can beat the old classic, a piece of string. Just a plain piece of string, held on the wall with drawing pins. Any length will do, one that's twice the distance from the middle to either end is fine.
What is so special about the piece of string? Well, from mid-December, whenever a Christmas card arrives, it is put on the piece of string. When your child brings home a card they made at nursery or pre-school, they are put proudly on display on the piece of string. The humble piece of string soon becomes a cherished focus of Christmas, with all the warm wishes and joy that Christmas brings proudly presented on display on the string for all to see.
And no number of sparkly lights 
or musical gimmickry can replace that.
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19.12.2011 - Dressing Gowns & Tea Towels (Four Journal Posts 3)
Posted Dec 19, 2011
Q) Have you ever discovered that your family or neighbourhood has what others consider an unusual holiday custom?
A) Wearing a dressing gown, with a tea-towel on your head
The tea towel and dressing gown – the unsung heroes of the Christmas Nativity Play. Your son has been cast as Joseph? Simply dress him in a dressing gown and put a tea-towel on his head, held in place with a bit of string. He's a shepherd? Dressing gown and tea-towel (optional walking stick and cuddly sheep). Inn keeper? Dressing-gown and tea-towel. King or Wise Man? Dressing gown, tea-towel and additionally a hat from a Christmas cracker. King Herod? The same.
What if you have a daughter playing Mary? Light blue dressing gown and a plain white tea-towel on her head, and a doll. It's only if you were a sheep, donkey, camel or angel that you had to deviate from the tried, tested, trusty tea-towel and dressing gown combination.
Douglas Adams must have really enjoyed his Christmas Nativity plays and ensured that his hero, Arthur Dent, would be ready to play Joseph at a moment's notice.
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Bluebottle
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"The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a wholly remarkable book. It has been compiled and recompiled many times and under many different editorships. It contains contributions from countless numbers of travellers and researchers."