Journal Entries
6 May
Posted May 10, 2001
Is there anything better than ice cream?
I took my daughters out for a treat Sunday afternoon and I learned something important about my youngest - she's insane for ice cream! We were sharing a malted milkshake and it was all I could do to get a sip - she kept pushing me out of the way to get more.
And she'll only be 2-years old next month.
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Latest reply: May 10, 2001
23 April
Posted Apr 24, 2001
Took a half-day vacation from work this afternoon to take my daughters to the state museum in Harrisburg.
We visited a special exhibit based around the 'Mr Rogers' Neighborhood' television programme. It was totally fab!
I grew up watching Mr Rogers on television and he was the keynote speaker at my college's commencement when I received my diploma. So I'm rather a big fan of his show and his message.
The exhibit at the museum was simply amazing. It recreated some of the sets from the programme. It had fun interactive games. It had interesting tidbits from the show's history. But best of all, I was able to try on one of his trademark sweaters, play with the puppets, and drive the trolley.
Oh, and the kids liked it too.
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Latest reply: Apr 24, 2001
Enough is Enough 2
Posted Apr 11, 2001
The full-time staff hear *everything* and they are genuinely committed to this project and its community.
I wish there was some way the community would learn this basic fact.
These people worked and kept the site alive when there was no money for tea and toilet paper! Peta and Abi both were Researchers before being hired as itallics. They *know* the community. They understand the community. Often better than the community knows and understands itself.
When they say 'we're working on it' they mean that they are working on it. This isn't some lame excuse to tell you to go away - they're actually working to make things better.
We're all so cynical and jaded that we fail to recognize, accept and appreciate it when somebody is upfront and honest with us like the staff at h2g2 have always been. They bend over backwards to accomodate the community - not because of any sinister reason but because they honestly believe that this is the best way to do business.
When their hard work and sacrifices are belittled by the community, calling for revolutions and boycotts and other nonsense, it's got to hurt. And when they say 'we're done with arguing about moderation', it's because they've got more important things than listen to the same garbage again and again and again.
I'm sick and tired of hearing all this nonsense about revolts and letter campaigns and the like. Mark and Peta have told us they're working to make things better.
Let them do it!
All of our stupid little tactics only serve to make the entire community look exactly like the thing the BBC fears - a bunch of techno-idiots who behave like little children who cannot be trusted to not shout obscenities, post links to porn, etc.
As Peta said in her journal, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! The whole community suffers when a group dominates the itallics' time and energy.
I've been around this site for quite a while and I've never seen anything like this. If you don't like the direction of the site, go away for a short time and then come back and see if things haven't improved. I feel very confident that things will get better.
Remember a month ago we didn't even have a site. Things are taking place behind the scenes that we don't know about - things that cannot be discussed in the open yet.
Give them a chance to make it better. And do something *productive* instead of sniping and complaining while we wait.
Sorry about all that. I'm really tired of this 'debate' and I want to see us move on and get back to the work at hand - building the Guide.
- Jimi X
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Latest reply: Apr 11, 2001
3 April
Posted Apr 4, 2001
The Scavenger Hunt has begun.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A530074
We've hidden a number of clues around the Edited Guide for Researchers to find. The first three to do so in order will win H2G2 T-shirts.
Good luck! And please don't ask me for clues. 
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Latest reply: Apr 4, 2001
25 March
Posted Mar 26, 2001
Spent much of the day planting in the garden.
We're creating a little (14x14) butterfly garden to the west of our deck in the backyard. We've planted two 'butterfly bushes' and a dozen other flowering plants which attract butterflies and humming birds.
All this stuff blooms in mid- to late-summer so it ought to be nice.
I've still got to find some stepping stones to place among the plants so there is a nice path to the bird bath.
It's still March and it snowed a bit yesterday (flurries), but our first major landscaping project is completed.
Of course, we've still got lots of work to do.
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Latest reply: Mar 26, 2001
Jimi X
Researcher U53353
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