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

It's like at work, when people realise I'm the optoms daughter, they ask "are you just helping out for the summer?" At which point I have to tell them I'm not still at uni, I work there and I'm trying to earn enough to buy materials...I suppose I should be flattered that at 27 they still think I'm young enough to be in the middle of uni.

such a cheat! See, I only ever sat one formal exam at uni and that was in first year. Ours was all based on our class work and essays. As far as I remember for 4th year ours was 70% work and 30% dissertation. I quite enjoyed writing my diss. 7000+ words, loads of photos and ten tonnes of surveys as an appendix which was about the same thickness as the core text

no, Hadrian just needs a better fitting pair of jeans.

Poor J I felt like that at my 6th year formal, I spent the entire night across from the guy who told me I was unfanciable, trying to prove I was completely unaffected. I had fun, but there was this air of discomfort. I can't say that going out an getting drunk was my idea of fun, plus, when you're commuting home every night it's not much fun being the only sober one. You just always end up being designated driver. I think if I'd lived in town I might have gone out more, but then again I probably wouldn't have.

I wish I was outgoing and some sort of social butterfly, but I'm not. I like having a small group of friends and going for a quiet drink where you can actually talk, or going for coffee or a walk. it's no wonder I haven't got a boyfriend! I'm a hermit who never meets anyone.

Auw, but I feel sick on buses

Either way, the curly carrots will be entertaining to peel.

No tickling!

Next you'll be telling me people have been asking you for id in the pub! And yes, you should be flattered

S'not a cheat at all - just a sensible choice The one module I did feel a bit cheated by was one that ran as a reading course (ie teach yourself). In theory there were going to be weekly opportunities to meet with the course leader (and the half-a-dozen or so other people taking it), but that never materialised. At the start of term, we got an email (I think) telling us which bits of which book we needed to study. About 300 pages, I think it was. So I set myself 30 pages per week. Then at the end of term (or maybe the start of the next term?) the course leader sent another email telling us how to get copies of previous exam papers, and copies of the relevant text... Which only consisted of (I think!) 30 pages from the book! Felt like I'd been wasting so much time... I think it was one of the modules I got a better mark in though - it must have been the easier bits of what I'd been studying that got included!

Thanks for that image...

I went out a few times in the first year, as I was living on campus. Went to the pub a few times in my second/third year, but that was it. Most of the others went to various night-clubs which I really couldn't be bothered with.

Oh you don't have to ride on the bus, just catch it. You'll need a rather large net...

Hehehe... Pick them while they're young, and just give 'em a good wash!

Spoilsport...

I get ID'd in Tesco, which means I look 25 or under Okay, not a huge achievement, but two years under my actual age is not bad

poor J, having to do extra course reading At the start of my degree I got given a book list of texts it was recommended we buy...I bought the majority of them, I think I read three...luckily in art there are lots of picture books

there are worst images! Believe me, I've read books on body modification

God nightclubs are my idea of hell! Too many people, too much emphasis on image and pulling and just generally too much. My favourite nights out at uni were the degree show nights and I still go to those and the days when we'd finished a module or presentation in the masters class and the lot of us would pile into Drouthy's across the road. Nothing better than a drink after a hellish presentation.

*contemplate the construction of a giant butterfly net* I don't think I want to catch a bus, have you seen the one that does push-ups?

I shall do. Dug up some of my tatties and one of my garlics after work yesterday, got a pitiful amount but the leaves had collapsed and were starting to die, so I figured it was better to lift them. There were also two mice and a rather large frog living behind the bags, so I squealed like a girl when they jumped out at me and then I had to lift the spare empty tatty bag out using bamboo canes because there was still one of the mice hiding in it. To be fair, it was the frog I got the fright from, I'd seen a mouse scuttle in there a few days earlier, so I was expecting that. But the frog jumped so I did.

I'm not a spoilsport, I just don't like being tickled.

I can't remember the last time I got asked for ID. I think I've always looked older than I am...

That's the whole point though - if the instructions had been a lot clearer at the start, I *wouldn't* have had to read it all!

Well you can just keep those images to yourself then. I've run out of brain bleach and mental floss...

Yeah, that bus is... ever so slightly weird! Very impressive though! You artists certainly have some very strange ideas!

Yeah, once the leaves start dying they're not going to grow any more, so you may as well pull up what's there. You know there's a pretty obvious reason why you squealed like a girl? Because you *are* a girl!

Still being a spoilsport though

I always thought I looked older - then again when you're younger you're desperate to look older so you don't get ID'd and are seen as more mature, but when you hit your mid twenties you start trying to look younger again so that you do get ID'd and seem more youthful!

Then I'm positively ancient looking before I put on my makeup

see, proves you should always read the fine print.

run out of brain bleach and mental floss! I think we must terminate all contact until supplies have been bought because frankly I've got an over active imagination and it will inflict itself on you!

Well, I suppose I could design a bus trap, but I think that might have been a bit of a Wile E Coyote affair.

I know I'm a girl, but I don't normally squeal at frogs, I even rescue the little ones from the grass during the summer before I cut it. And the crap veggie aren't bothering me luckily, we get a lot of farmers who come into the practice and they're really struggling with their crops this year, so if the professionals are having a hard time I can't expect mine to flurrish! Though my sweetpeas are huge!

Fine, I'm a spoilsport

Indeed, you're never happy with the age you look or the age you are... And I'm sure you don't look [too] ancient - after all, you're younger than me!

I did read the fine print. And the large print. And the medium print, and everything in between...

Maybe I'd better disappear then!

Hmmm... It could be. But then most buses don't seem fast enough to be likened to roadrunner! And they usually turn up in threes, so you've already got a much better chance to catch one Oh, and you might want to steer clear of any ACME product you may have been thinking of using - they always seem to backfire!

Just because you rescue them doesn't necessarily mean you don't squeal at them! After all, they might squeal back. Or something...

You're not meant to agree with me! Spoiling my fun, *again*!

I'm younger than a lot of people Though after only 3 or 4 hours sleep last night, I can't say I looked particularly youthful when I got up this morning.

hey, don't blame me, blame your tutors

Stop running away, the insanity will just follow and find you 7 years later!

Auwww, but there's a two for one of ACME products and if you don't use them straight away, you have to store them and I don't really want a 1000 tonne weight hovering over my bed at night

Well if the frog's still there when I lift the next couple of bags I will not squeal, I'm not being that kind of girl

See, I am a spoilsport

I'm pretty sure you're also older than a fair few people, whether or not you look it at various stages of the day

When did I ever say I was blaming you? Hmm?

Who said I'm not already suffering the effects of insanity? Or maybe I'm one of the effects of *your* insanity...

Ah, but it could be one of those special inflatable 100 tonne weights! Just be careful with anything sharp getting near it.

Didn't stop you squealing last time, did it?

I'm not going to get drawn into your constant attempts at non-arguments...

The Olympics proves that, most of the athletes are younger than me! And indeed my little sister who's not yet 25.

It was in the tone of your font

Well, definitely got worst about 7 years ago...so does that make you a figment of my imagination? I suppose online most people are in at least part.

Yes, no sharp things, because at least if it was inflatable it would just bounce off my head, if it popped it would probably suffocate me.

bet you'd squeal if a frog jumped out at you!

now who's being the spoilsport!

And that'll be even more true next Olympics, and the one after that, and the next one,...

Well, you shouldn't read things in Ala*aster then, should you!

I imagine it might do That's a good point - how do we know *anything* is real? At some level, we have to have some kind of faith that what we perceive is reality, not what someone else may be forcing us to believe...

Awww we can't have that, can we?

Bet I wouldn't!

Ah, but I'm *allowed* to be a spoilsport, see. I'm a teacher, remember - it's practically part of the job description!

yeah yeah, I know I'm getting old but do you really have to rub it in given you're practically ancient in comparison

How did you know? I feel like such a traitor to the Goo!

for an encore are you going to prove that black is white now? I suppose it's both the beauty and the downfall of the internet and social networking, you meet people who you create a friendship with, you could talk to years, be honest and genuine and be completely truthful about everything and still not really know who they are.

I certainly don't want that, I've been threatened with the prospect of my book shelves gradually tipping to a 45 degree angle over the past couple of weeks, that's threatening enough at night!

I bet you would!

well I'm a considering teaching...doesn't that mean I need the practice?

You cheeky young whippersnapper... You'll get to my age before you know it!

If I told you all my secrets, I'd be giving everything away!

That's given me another thought (I know - two in one day! You must be honoured ) - if black is white, there can't be fifty shades of grey... I know what you mean, in a way it's kind of cool, but it's pretty scary at the same time.

What have you been doing to your bookshelves? Overloading them with more books? Or knocking into them?? Or worse???

Wouldn't wouldn't wouldn't!

Oh, you certainly need the practise - you gave up far too easily!

You know what J...and this is probably a sign of my own ageing mind, but for the life of me I can't remember how old you are! That or you've never actually told me. Then again if you have I've quite a sieve like brain for that kind of factoid. Thus have no idea how close I am to being as ancient as you

Must be then. It's weird, I never used anything other than goo when I was on here, but when I came back it automatically went into the newest format but it wasn't ready so then into Alabaster...I tried Goo, but the designer side of my brain kept saying it didn't look right.

It is, then again with online dating and the simplisity What on earth is with this fifty Shades of grey nonsense? We've had Mills and Boon for years and I read an excerpt online and not only is it terribly written but it's just soft core porn and badly written soft core porn at that. But yet it seems to be everyones holiday reading this year. My holiday reading this year is the Hitchhiker's Guide, I've not read it since school and since coming back here, I couldn't resist it. The've just reached Magrathea (sp.).

indeed. The bookshelves needed to be screwed into the wall to be properly stable, I was waiting for dad to do it, he never did, couple that with the fact that it was sitting on the nail tacks for the carpet and thus an angle begins to lean ominously towards you. It's okay now, they're down and the first coat of paint has gone up. Wish it would hurry up and dry!


I think the lady doth protest too much

Who says I've given up...I may just be lying in wait!

Oh, I'm sure I did tell you, at some point. Although it was quite probably more than a few years ago, so will be a larger number now Which brings this little sketch to mind: <./>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tjHlFPTwVk</.>

Didn't you know I'm a part-time ? This place wouldn't be the same without Goo, the one true skin! I've never quite got on with any of the others, despite having some additional functionality. White on blue is much less harsh on the eyes!

I know, for some reason most of the population seems to have got caught up in this tide of grey... Weird how things are suddenly very popular, before (usually) disappearing back into obscurity. I've recently finished reading The Firm (John Grisham), currently about half-way through The Augmented Agent (Jack Vance). Some very... odd... ideas. Not quite as weird as Philip K Dick though! Might re-read some of the Isaac Asimov compilations I've got next...

Ah, you're in the middle of a bit of decorating? One of my bookcases started to tilt a few years ago - couldn't really nail it to the wall (skirting boards get in the way!), so I ended up making a couple of small wedges to stick under the ends. Still holding it up good and strong! Mind you, the *old* bookcase (that came from my Grandad) never had that problem. What is it with modern furniture???

I might be startled by it, but I doubt I'd squeal at it!

I did consider that possibility; it didn't seem to hold much in the way of merit though

Eccles, my good man - as I shall call you from here on in - it does is definitely reminiscent of The Goons sketch, which I love.

Aren't most of us on h2g2? I seem to remember there was a club of sorts...see, here it is, I'm the of art and Shakespeare... I think my talents are now more for soldering and jewellery techniques...wonder if they'd let me change

I agree white on blue is less harsh on the eyes (I can give you lots of things to read on the subject of avoiding black on white, but that would involve finding my masters folders and they're buried under a pile of books right now) personally I find grey better, but I'm a slave to tradition and sod the visual distortions as part of my dyslexia! Sod them I say!

I've not read any of the Grey novels (if you can't call them that) but the girls at work, who are ages with my mum, have been reading them, "because of the hype". Though one is reading it but avoiding the saucy bits! There'll be about 6 paragraphs! Currently I'm reading the Guide, The Element by Ken Robinson, the first Harry Potter - having never read them before - The Importance of Being Ernest and something else but I can't remember what it's called...I have a tendancy to pick up books, read half, start something new and go back. I think I may have reading ADD.

The problem with modern furniture is, no matter how expensive it was, it is usually cheaply made. The ones I have are just from IKEA, and yeah the skirting board gets in the way but I do as you do, stick a couple of wedges and then screw it to the wall. And yes, I am decorating, my room doesn't get a lot of light, so i'm getting rid of the lovely dark pink I love for a custardy yellow. It also gives me an excuse to have a tidy out and hopefully feel like I have a slightly more grown up bedroom. It's barely changed in the past 10 years.

that's what I thought, but I did squeal. Just because you're a man doesn't mean you won't

true, I am a lazy so and so.

Does that make you Bluebottle then? Watch out for the !

Hmmm... I don't remember that one! (and yes, I have had a nosey peek!) There were, and still are, lots of other clubs though - just a questions of how many people remember them, and who's running them (or not, as the case may be!)

Hehehe If you really were a slave to tradition, you'd still be using Goo too Rather than Alabast*rd...

I've seen some rather scathing reviews of the Grey novels - boiling down to the fact that they're poorly written porn. Ah well, each to their own. I can't remember who it was that said it, but most people seem to read one book at a time. Well, obviously one at any given moment in time, but most people only have one book 'on the go' at a time. (Yes, I include myself in that group!) Yet with tv/radio we [can] cope with dozens of different storylines and characters, and keep them all distinct.

Yep, furniture does use less expensive materials. Chipboard and/or MDF... Horrible cheap stuff Give me something solidly built any day!

I didn't say it did! Just because I'm *me* means I won't

Ha! That makes two of us then

Okay, you be Eccles, I'll be Bluebottle, so long as you don't deaded me. (Oh and I'm not scared of !)

True. I used to a be in a lot, but I gave up my badges when I left I miss them now but don't know if I want to let myself get dragged back into old obsessions. I'm managing to not spend hours on here so far!

I know I would be, but you know what, I love Goo, I will forever be a Classic Goo fan and supporter, but I find the format in Alabaster easier to deal with, plus, and I know this will song stupid, but I really do feel like going back into Goo would be a step back too far. It was hard enough coming back to the same page and seeing the old posts

I'm quite good at keeping storylines in my head. And I only ever read one of the books at a time. What I'm saying is I read half of one, it starts to become tiring - literally, I find reading knackering because I have to really concentrate, it's like some people read before bed to relax themselves, if I did that I'd never get to sleep! Anyway, when it becomes tiring, I set it aside and read another. Sometimes I go straight back to the last one, other times I don't. Plus, The Element is one I'm dipping in and out of because I've read it before and Ernest is on iBooks, so it's for when I'm out.

Indeed! My parents have this gorgeous chunky oak chest of drawers which I think is gorgeous, however, when on a budget Chipboard/MDF is the only option. My only old piece of furniture is an old oak Medicine cabinet which sits on my floor and is full of notebooks and is where my diplomas live, it's lovely but the key sticks

you so would, you'd jump a mile in the air.

well, not going to be lazy today, I'm going to get up, make a cuppa and start getting my shelves put back up. Currently I have half my room in the new colour and the other half in the old, and the former half is sitting on my floor in a pile. Means I'll spend half the day going "oooh, I haven't seen that jewellery book in ages, oooh look at all the pretty things".

Oh, I didn't mean *you* should be scared of - more that Bluebottle should be! [bluebottle = fly => ]

Yeah, I think I was up to three or four official badges, plus a few unofficial ones. Plus various silly titles...

Well, maybe when the new version of the site gets finished, and the old skins are brought into line with the new functionality, things might be different. About the only thing I actively dislike about Goo is the fact it was pretty obviously designed for a fixed-width screen. Very noticeable on a widescreen monitor!

Ah, I see. Sometimes I spend so long reading before I go to bed, I end up nodding off... Which has meant, on more than one occasion, I've ended up not really taking in substantial chunks of the plot! All adds to the confusion

Oh yes, sometimes cheap and cheerful is the way to go. Never feels quite so economical though, you know it's not going to last as long.

Oh no I wouldn't!

A two-tone bedroom! Going for the 'rhubarb-and-custard' look? So it looks like a busy, but not necessarily very productive day?

It's okay Eccles, I got the joke

With the badges and clubs...it's just the amount of time you have to spend keeping up with it all! At least the silly titles are just that

I'll be interested to see the new version of the site, would be nice to see a new skin or two Goo I find a little clunky/chunky now. Wonder how Classic Goo came to be the original skin, whether it has any particular relation to the guide or it was just the fashion.

I wish I could do that, the only time I've fallen asleep reading was when I was reading Sunset Song, I was trying to get through it for school and fell asleep with it whilst in the bath. Luckily it was only slightly damp but you can see how much I thought of the book (Though lately I've wondered if I should read it again - this is also giving me a de ja vu moment, so I think i've mentioned that before).

Yes, I'm feeling like that about chests of drawers at the moment. I've gone through two or three in the past few years because the bottoms fall out the drawers and runners break. Which is why I'm considering what to do about my current one which is slowly dying. Also it takes up masses of space I'd rather use for books

Would!

Not very productive at all as it turns out. I've screwed one set of shelves into the wall (at the correct angle) and have put up my jewellery books. But I need to make a decision about the drawers before the rest goes up. Actually does kind of look rhubarb and custardy, the part I find really funny is the ceiling, half is white, half is blue with a purple wash and has glow in the dark stars attached to it. Stars which I bought on holiday to York when I was still in primary school and have never taken down, though some do occasionally fall to earth of their own accord.

Just making sure, Bluebottle...

Yeah, I think that's one of the reasons I took a break from the site. That, and getting a proper job...

Interesting question. Quite possibly it was just a design that someone came up with, and Bop Ad liked the look of it. In a way it's a more fluid version of his own website. Speaking as someone with absolutely no artistic merit, that is!

Ooops... Don't think I've ever done that! Good job it wasn't a Kindle or something like that - I doubt it'd respond well to being even mildly moist! (I don't *remember* you mentioning it before - which isn't to say you haven't; I may have been asleep at the time )

Maybe you could a new bookcase, and covert part of it to use as a set of drawers? Or you could store some books in your drawers [yes, I am aware of how wrong that sounds... ]

Would not!

Decisions about your drawers, eh? *snigger* Just mind you don't start licking the walls - I doubt they'll *taste* of either rhubarb or custard. Unless you've been getting paint from a certain W. Wonka, that is! I used to have stars on the ceiling too... they came down when my room was redecorated. I wonder where they are now?