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

I have MISSED you!

Though I rarely turn on the messenger, I never seem to see you lately. How's everything going?

Actually unnervingly well, I think. I should be getting a new job in West Yorkshire. It'll mean moving house, but it is reliable work with a big company, and it gets me nearer a lot of things I've been aiming towards for a long time. I want more stability, less travel, career progression, stuff like that.

Romance is cool too. Me and the young man are in a good space right now, so good I am surprised it is all in fact legal!

Other things are moving on too. I am not sure what the next Big Thing will be, but I am looking forward to being moved, living in the country, and having a more stable time of things.

How about you darling? Any plans for Europe?



B

I was just outside working in the garden before the sun gets scorchy back there. Do you remember I planted a starflower for you? It *still* attracts caterpillars, but I've learned to leave 'em alone. They munch off all the blossoms, which seems to prompt the plant to make seed pods and proliferate. Ben, I have adolescent starflowers in almost all of my pots now! Have been moving them to a section of the yard where they can grow free and unpotted. Can't wait to see what that'll look like, as they've been growing to about a meter tall in little pots, and they're a glorious burst of yellow and red when they're blooming.

Sounds as if everything is going very well with you indeed! I'm glad to hear that, after the tumultuous times.

Dating. Bah. What do I need men for, anyway, other than to change my occasionally? I have the finest harem in the Universe.

Wasn't able to make it to EU this spring (obviously). Too much stuff going on within my family, and with the state of the dollar right now I thought it might be best to wait til a better time. I'm shooting for next year.

Interesting stuff going on with work--will be having a meeting with my agent tomorrow to explore making a great situation even better.

Now must get ready to make the blow-up-dolls of south Florida even more beautiful. Seriously, though, it's kinda creepy how *many* women here are having themselves surgically altered into cartoon versions of femininity.

The starflowers sound lovely. One of the reasons for my previous dissatisfaction was not having a garden. The odd thing is that I am moving to an area where most houses don't have one. Still, it cuts down dramatically on the number I have to view, which is a good thing!

Tell us what happens with the agent, eh?

And see you around! It is good to be back, even if I only have another week of it.

Ben

You know, it's just *amazing* how much people are willing to give you when you're not desperate.

A few weeks ago I was approached to work full-time for one of the companies I free-lance for. Since I'm happy as things are, I thought about it and then kinda designed a dream situation for myself--all the benefits of full-time employment, 4 day/30 hour work week, 4-6 day weekends every other month, plenty of autonomy to be able to do what's necessary to grow the business without being stuck bored out of my skull standing in a low-traffic, big $$$ store. Never thought they'd go for it, but they want me! Meanwhile, my contract prevents me from accepting the position, and though many people just break their contracts (kinda hard to enforce) I won't build that kinda karma for myself.

So, talked to my agent last night about the things that are important, which I don't have now (insurance, totally stable work (occasionally it's glut or dearth), paid vacation/sick time) as well as some solutions I thought he could offer to the people who are the core of his business, and whom he'd like to retain. It went very well once he realized that I'm not about to screw him over, just need to look out for my practical interests. Anyway, he'll be looking into implementing my big concerns, will be further increasing my hourly, and has offered me a comission on any new accounts I can bring to him, and told me that he'll release me from my contract if the company pays him a finder's fee.

How cool is that? No matter which way things go I've made my situation better.

Will you be selling your place when you move? Will your new location be closer to the young man? And what's going on with the poetry? Still in a dormant phase or have you been busily writing and I've not known?