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

...and since I haven't been around this past week and have just caught up on all the backlog in the BoE I have to say I'm very impressed with your Role Playing skills. I haven't seen someone fight Hally like that since before I started posting in there. And the re-birth into a new body thing was inspired. You've got talent kid and no mistake.

On a more general note, hello and welcome to the site. I see you've been here a while now and are obviouly settling in well but I thought I'd offer my help if you needed anything. Coding is something I can do if you need help with that in particular. Otherwise just chat, get random facts off your head, play the accordian, whatever takes your fancy really, I'm not fussy.

Well, thanks, Galigan. I have to admit that the rebirthing was something I played along with more than inspired, though. Ah well, what's one to do when someone decides to use your body as a puppet?

And thanks for the offer of general help. I'm quite new to this form of communication, let alone typing, so I often have "newbie" questions. I'll be sure to give you a holler if I come across any good ones.

Speaking of which, what do you mean when you talk about coding? Is that like when I wrote my space intro?

Also, I'm afraid you might be playing that accordian alone. I have a three year old girl, so most of the music in my head are things from Barney or Sesame Street. Though occasionally something good does sneak in. I find that Funk #49 by the James Gang helps dispel the big purple fiend from time to time.

Thanks again for the welcome, and feel free to drop by again sometime!

Playing along is half of the beauty of it, otherwise it would be loads of conflicting stuff. You've got good continuity, that's what that is.

Yeah I was new to this too but I think I've been on here about 2 years now. Which reminds me, I think I've forgotten my own hootooversary! Shame on me!

'Coding' is using GuideML, which is like HTML, to make pages colourful etc and to look how you want. Good for adding pics and graphics and stuff. Check out my personal space for some ideas of what you can do with it. There's also a section in the help pages on GuideML which is rather good, though sometimes asking your ACE or another researcher is easier. I can do most of the code and most of that is on my PS so if you see anything you like let me know.

I've just made a new playlist (I say just, I did it last night, but hey!) and I'm listening to 3 Doors Down at the moment. Can't say I've ever liked Barney myself, always a little too... purple.

No problem.

Oh, that kind of coding. That's actually what I thought you were talking about. Every now and again, I get the urge to do something interesting with my PS. It usually passes before the opportunity actually arises. Bit full life around here, what with a three year old, a whole bunch of animals, and a j*b. But when the urge and the opportunity actually do collide, I'll be sure to hit you up for some of that advice.

Just out of curiousity, and because I'm absolutley rabid about music, what else is on your playlist?

I used to do that a lot but now mine's got a lot in it so I only add to it very occasionally. But if you're needing help be sure to say so.

Well, the playlist was a chilled out one so there's a little jack johnson, Eva Cassidy, Five4Fighting (they're really good but I've never found their cds in shops), some light rock like The Calling 'Could it be any harder' and the RHCPs 'Zephyr Song', some Joshua Radin, Razorlight (they're brill!), bit of Robbie, bit of Travis, some music from the OC, Sting, some songs from the Acoustic Love compilation, James Morisson and a really good one by someone called Israel Kamakawiwo'ole which is a mix of 'somewhere over the rainbow' and 'what a wonderful world'.

I have others which are a bit more upbeat but I wanted a new chilled out one to work with. Music wise who are you into at the moment? I've recently really started liking Razorlight, the new album's good.

That one by the Hawaiian guy (Isreal whatever) is fabulous ! My folks actually have that on disc. It's at the end of (at least) two movies, though I can't remember what they are. I do remember that I liked them both, I think.

I don't have a playlist, because I don't own anything like an ipod. I do carry my cds in a big case in the truck, so I always have all my music with me. It's a bit of an eclectic collection, but leans a bit heavier on the classic rock and blues. I also go in big for Dire Straights, have whole seasons (almost) dedicated to Jimmy Buffett, and get a little chill hearing John Denver sing about Sunshine on his shoulder.

Overall, I dig anything that jams. I played violin and piano when I was younger, so I really appreciate classical, though am not very well versed in it anymore. I also have a some of the old "outlaw" country (Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, etc.)

So, yeah, a bit eclectic.

Yeah it really is! I didn't know he was australian though, I thought with a name like that he might me middle eastern or something. For a while I thought it might be Cat Stevens because apparently he's gone Muslim and changed his name. There was a big hoo-ha because he wasn't allowed to produce music as a Muslim, but he actually is so he's started up again somehow.

I have an ipod but they're always breaking. I say always because I've had about 4 now. The first one broke so I sent it back and they gave me a new one, the second one got nicked so I got a new one on insurance, the third one I think broke again and then I had to pay for the new one outright. So out of the 4 I only payed for 2 of them, and the first was years ago, it was one of the ones with the 4 buttons along the top. I much preferred those over the original click-wheel ones like they have now, but the ipod video (my latest) is rather good, though it sometimes adjusts it's own volume without me touching it. Very strange.

What do you mean by jams? Is that like when you can loose yourself in the music or just loads of instruments and stuff all together blending properly, like jazz. I like jazz but I'm rubbish at it, I don't practice enough on the ole saxophone.

Actually, both types of Jams are great for me, but I had been refering to that point in the groove where the lyrics stop and the music takes you away and does with you what it will. My girlfriend hates that kind of thing. So I get to turn it up

I've never owned an ipod. I work construction, and imagine it would get squished pretty easily. Besides, what would I do with the 300+ discs in the truck?

I didn't know that Israel guy was Australian. I had thought he wqas Hawiian, but I've been wrong before, and am not really surprised about being so know.

And didn't Cat Stevens have a new album out recently? Obviously, I've been slacking, because I should have it if it is out. I've always really liked Cat. My folks were really into folk music, so I grew up on alot of that.

Yeah, when I'm working or going to sleep or just relaxing sometimes you don't want words. Classical's good for that.

Yeah, ipod's aren't great for most environments. Mine just sits on my desk playing music most of the time. Much like it is now actually. (James Morisson 'Call the Police')

Sorry, I meant Hawaiian. I thought that's what you said but I posted it wrong. Argh my brain!

I haven't heard if he has one out, I'm not really into him I just heard about him on tv I think. Something about his religion and his music.

As far as I know, he was popular, then he gave it all up and moved to (I think) India and changed his name. Now, he wants to start recording again. I don't blame you for not being in to him; he's a bit of an aquired taste.

I used to live my life by music. Went to bed to it, worked to it, hung out at home to it. My girlfriend isn't that way so much, so I don't get as many notes in my head as I'd like these days, but there's always the commute times, and I always have something playing on the jobsite.

I don't believe I've ever heard James Morrison. Where's he from?

Yeah, I haven't heard much of him. I think I have one though called 'Wild Wood' or something that's not bad. Very chilled and rather country.

I used to make loads of playlists and stuff, but then when I changed computers I couldn't be bothered to set them all up again so I just played all my songs on random. That suited me for a while, I sort of liked not having to choose, giving up some control as it were, but now I'm playlisting again and I've got a few good ones now I hope.

He's English as far as I know, quite new, he sings 'You Give Me Something' and is quite husky. He's good and rather jazz like even though he's not a jazz singer specifically, if you understand that which I'm not even sure I do. If you google him you'll probably find him.

The song is "Wild World", and I like it, too. He also does "Peace Train", which I always dig. Pretty Hippy kind of stuff (at least the messages).
I will Google him, when I get a chance. I'm always interested in new, good music.
I usually really like something for the music, or the lyrics, but get REALLY excited when I can get into both!
I lived in this small college town up North from here many years ago. There was (and still is, actually) this great cafe called Tony's Cafe. They roasted their own coffee and had live jazz on Sunday afternoon. A great place to spend a Sunday afternoon. Great coffee, too! I really enjoyed watching those three guys playing.

Yeah, he's a new up and coming singer-songwriter with some good hits out and a good album. Not a normal sort of sound though, sounds good though.
Yeah, has to be good lyrics too. There's one by Son Of Dork that has a really good sound but the lyrics are stupid and it sort of ruins it. Plus that's the band of an ex-Busted guy so that loses it credibility from the off.
That place sounds really nice. I've never been anywhere like that but that's probably because I'm only 18 and haven't had much chance to visit such places because I live on an island and not very close to any of the town places. Not walking distance anyway, but now I can drive hopefully I'll get around more.

What island do you live on? In what country? I've never lived on an island, though I've visited a few. Not enough of them tropical, I hate to admit.

I live on Jersey in the English Channel. I go to school in Somerset though because my parents thought that would be better for me and my brothers (I have 2, one older and one younger). Looking back I think they were right but some times here have been difficult, especially near the beginning. Now though I'm really enjoying it, though going to university, whilst being rather scary, is still something I'm looking forward to.
I don't think I've been to any tropical ones, though I'm going to Tunisia with a group of friends at the end of the year. Tis going to be sweet!!

Absolutely! Next Feb., I'm going to Hawai'i (only tropical island I've ever been to). While not exactly as exotic a Tunisia, it is still a warm tropical island (which usually means lots of girls wearing very little)

When you say you go to school in Somerset, is that like a boarding school, or just a place you go everyday, then come home in the evenings? And do you have any idea what university you'll be going to? Is it really expensive there, like here?

If you can find a link to your area that has pictures, please pass it along. I'd love to see them.

Yes it's a boarding school. Going home to Jersey every day would be an effort but some people from there have second houses in Somerset too so they probably could go home, but most of us from there just board. Plus we can't afford a second house. There are other students here who are day students though who go home at night, they're the ones who live close and can do that, but sometimes they board too like on weekends if there's a disco or a dinner-dance. Or just a regular student piss up.

About universities, at the moment my top choice is Cardiff. I applied to Cambridge along with half of the country and like most of them I didn't get in, so now I'm going for somewhere more realistic. Cardiff's really nice though, I went to see it last weekend. And yeah I think most of them are quite expensive, though I don't think Cardiff's that bad.

Umm, links. Let me see... http://www.jersey.com/index.asp?bhcp=1 this is the tourist site.

Yes, from the map I can see what you mean about being too far to commute every day! The place looks beautiful, though it was a tourist ad.

So what do you plan on studying in school?

It's funny that you mentioned being 18, and you have such a great P.S. here on hootoo. You must've gotten a bit more computer classes than I did when I was in school. I was getting out of high school the year you were born, and they still thought the Apple II was a pretty neat new toy. I think I had about a semester on it. Most of the time, I spend building things (houses and such), so I never really had cause to become computer savvy. I'm learning, I guess, if a bit slowly. (No jokes about teaching old dogs new tricks. I'm not even that old yet!)

Yeah it was a bit touristy, but it is a beautiful place, especially in summer and walking along the beaches at night. The main bay where the town is is really wide and good for walking, and there's lights all along it and you can see the castle out in the bay which is all lit up, it's really beautiful.

In school at the moment I'm taking maths, physics and english for A level. Took biology for AS but dropped that because normally people only do 3 A levels and 4 AS.

Well I've been here 2 years now which compared to some isn't that long, but when I learned about the code I really wanted to get to grips with it. Didn't take hugely long but that was a period where I had a lot of time to work on it. Plus I had help, the ACEs are good for that and the help section is too. None of what's on there we get taught though, in computer classes here all we do is how to do microsoft stuff and make computer graphs. It's a bit rubbish really.

And Apples are cool, I'm on one right now, it's got a camera and everything. I find them really good because they do everything and they feel like a toy which is how I think computers should feel.

I agree about the current incarnation of the Apple (or Mac) computers, but back then, it was this ugly box that did just slightly more than basic math. The point was that I could have known everything there was about them to know, and it wouldn't be applicable to today's computers.

And I'm afraid I don't understand your grading scale. Not that it really matters, of course. But what's the differance between A level and AS level classes?

Any place that has a castle out in the bay and a lit up beach from which to view it from is all right by me!