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

I'm leaving this site for tonight.

That Caddis thing...

Too many complicated and very upset...and pushing it away...getting nasty..but that's not really me.

I'll be in trouble here if I hang around.

(At least I'm learning now how to keep things calm here).

I'm not spoiling that very very good feeling.

Afore you go, read my post.

And it's not inflammatory.

I really can't afford the wasted energy in the luxury of being involved in petty spats. Life is too short and, as I'm not a , I don't rise to bait!



MMF

What do you mean petty spats?

I've absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

I only get really worked up about Love and Death...

(But I wish you well whatever you are talking about).

I did say I was staying away though. The road to hell and all that..

But at least I'm calmer now. Nearly smashed up the kitchen though But did with a few shouts, and air kicks. I'm growing up

Don't worry MMF. Nothing whatsoever to do with you. And thanks for your congratulations.

You are welcome. I enjoy any science / Natural History based entries.

MMF

Yeah at some point I want to do something connected with stuff I've done in my garden to do with English wildflower meadows, hedgerows and my pond..entirely filled by rain water.

My garden isn't very big..well actually itsn't small either

Just right as baby bear said


No but we need to get the message out there. Wildlife is so dependent on gardens now as so much farmland has gone..or given over to modern agriculture in many places. Gardens become ever more vital. And we Brits love our gardens..even a window box and a bird feeder.

People need to keep some of the garden wild. 99% of mine is

I'm still so happy about finally getting that thing in the Guide because of the problems I had dealing with that process..and the whole on/off of it...and help I had.

I can't even sleep I'm so pleased.

I am immensly grateful to everyone who put up with my behaviour and helped me out in all different ways.

You know who you are. And I know.

For some reason I'm strangely reserved though..well for me.

Maybe I can sleep now.

There's another moment of feeling good coming -- the morning it shows up on the Front Page.

I don't know if they still do it, but back in the old days when they were doing like three Edited Entries a day, one of them would be the 'Editors' Choice' and would get an illustration to go along with it. I was tremendously honoured when my very first entry got 'Editors' Choice' and was given what I think was a very nice picture.

Hey! Look what I just found: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/place-nireland/A950203 It's still on a BBC site!

That's an interesting comment you made to MMF about how wildlife depends on things like urban gardens. I really like the Caddis Fly thing because it is so easy for entries to read like a dry text book and the thing about the Guide is that it is possible to keep your own voice in an entry if you want to.

Would you fancy starting something about urban gardens and wildlife? I see that you camp out in your garden - do you have any interesting visitors in the night? when we were in Croatia a few years ago we had nightly visits from a short-sighted, snuffly (but flea ridden) hedgehog, totally fascinating to see him ripping into slugs and worms and the odd tomato or two the Gruesomes gave him.

Yes I'd love to start something like that it's so close to my heart.

I only sleep in the tent now and then. And I'm certain the foxes will have clocked it. They regularly visit my garden. I had cubs playing in the area where the tent now is in late spring.

No hedgehogs as of yet though they were regular visitors to our garden when I was a kid. Pipistrelle bats earlier in the year..and a frog in the pond.

But yeah that would be brilliant.

I don't know what exactly at present. (You probably saw things didn't go well in the AWW. I was feeling so lacking in confidence. A lot of people don't see that in me..but loads of creative people are like that but keep it hidden. The creativity is about compensating for that big hole).

I love this idea. And you are a no nonsense but intuitive, sensitive type I feel good with to do it with.

Come back to me if you have more ideas how it might work..or who else might want to get involved..and I'll do the same.

There is a programme I was involved in some time ago when in business which I think it would be good to mention in this context -- The Cooperative Sanctuary Program of the Audubon Society: http://acsp.auduboninternational.org/ At one point they included individual's yards in the program -- it doesn't seem they specifically do anymore

One of the big things the `programme encouraged was wildlife corridors and that's something I still consider in my little yard (although I got a lot of squirrels mad when I cut down a section of their highway a week or two ago. But it will grow back.)

I saw that thing in the AWW - it's not a place I hang out much but I thought I'd show willing (I don't have time to be an official volunteer so I like to look in on PR and what-have-you when I can)

I remember from when I was very active in PR that someone putting something in a review forum - especially for the first time - can often sit there almost willing someone to notice it and post, hitting refresh (not that I think you were doing that - or maybe you were, that's not the point ) and often a lot of the regulars like to go in and post something as a way of saying "hello, we've seen you're here and someone will be along shortly"

Creative writing, especially poetry, can be so very very personal that it's often difficult to say the right thing at all. And as you know, nobody can really know what another poster really means or intends with their post because of the interface medium).

There was a little snippet on the Today programme this morning about how Wasels, stoats and the like may be disappearing and there is an organisation who would like people in the UK to let them know if/when they see one. They, apparently, have no idea if they are in decline (as they suspect) or thriving because they are reticent creatures. Don't suppose you have a stash of them in the back of your tent, do you?

I was thinking - you like writing, and you like the factual bit. What about a kind of article (for PR, for The Post or the UnderGuide - do we still have that?) about 24 hours in the life of your garden?

Or a review of your tent? It's new isn't it?

anhanga - is it wise getting squirrels mad? they are feisty little buggers when they get going

The best wildlife story i have is from my last office which was in a small-ish town, right at the junction of 2 busy motorways. We had a 2-story office block in front of a warehouse which was a bit higher.

One day I parked my car and saw a 'magpie' pecking around the grass. Of course it wasn't a magpie - but a little black & white bird with a long red beek and red legs and webbed feet. He was very friendly and squeaked now and again if the crows came too close.

Anyway, he used to perch on the top of the warehouse opposite my office window, and squeal. He was there during May and June, perfectly happy (he used to do this diving thing off the roof, opening his wings at the last minute - almost as though it was just a fun thing to do), and then he was gone.

Next year he was back. Getting bolder, and noisier. Then the third year I kept seeing him and kept seeing him and realised there were 2 of them. This year we heard a huge squeaking and flapping and my colleague and I looked over and there they were, making the two backed beast

And a bit later they got really noisy, and the crows got really active so we guessed there was a nest. We didn't see them for ages until one day I went outside and there they were, 2 parents and 2 young nearly as big as the parents. A few days later they had gone again.

And we won't know if they come back because my office has moved

I was utterly confused that I would go to something describing itself as a writing workshop, post something for the very first time there, which was a poem, would have as the first respondent, someone saying they weren't a poetry crit..and post something that was irrelevent as to do with poetry, ie repetition, which is a fundamental *of* poetry.

It's not like any writing workshop I've been to in real life. I couldn't imagine that happening. I assumed it was a specialised area of the site...like SEx is for science...otherwise why give these labels and names to particular areas?

Also I had seen Dr. Zen repeatedly post we were a 'Writing site'.

**

I like all kinds of writing. But I certainly won't be contributing to anything with a name like 'Underguide'...I don't know anyone who would.

I won't be bothering with that type of writing here for sometime..unless I see the site getting its act together. I'll search out other writing sites.

**

And yes poetry can be *personal*. That piece was in no way *personal* aside from it being to do with ART. And I care a lot about ART. I've read poets for years. Auden and Blake are probably my favourites...for contemporary stuff...Billy Childish. I've written poems since I was 7...you learn a lot about 'process' of it, when you've been at it a lifetime..much as muscian would.

Hence my extreme annoyance of how it went.

I reckon it's best to stick to the Edited Guide from now on...if anything. At least I understand how that system works now..and makes a heck of a lot more sense than the other writing areas.

I don't particularly like poetry except things like Jabberwocky (because of the sounds) and Ted Hughes (studied him for A-level and surprisingly grew to like a lot of his work)

I have a CD of poetry that I listen to in the car in an attempt to get to know it better... but it's a relationship doomed to fail

The creative writing side of h2g2 is, I think, underdeveloped and I wonder if it is something that we should just put on ice, or not over-promote for a while until everyone has found their feet and knows what's what.

PR on the other hand can be great, and I am all for stuffing it full of really different stuff (went there recently and came out screaming because I really didn't like any of the entry subjects - my bad)

I liked the things I read in the Underguide, although I'm guessing that it is now either dead or dying because it was created (IRRC) because the entries couldn't go on the FP when Auntie was in control.

I do think that post was meant with the best of intentions though

Speaking of writing - I have an essay due on 6th so I'd better

I'd happily write a thing about the whole tent fiasco...from ridiculous SAS tunnel and the problems constructing it..onto finally getting something brilliant that was a tent and superbly designed.

There are lots of things I'd like to write...such as an account of my time in the equitorial rainforest in French Guiana..based on a long thread I had with Toybox about it. I loved that so much, and have a copy of the whole thing.

But I'm not going to keep putting myself through farcical experiences here...

I always aim for excellence in writing; yes that's vital. So maybe I'll just do a few ordinary entries about it. But whether anyone will ever read them is another point.

Best of intentions is irrelevent..even supposing that to be true.

I was there because it was describing itself as a 'writing workshop'...that's disingenuous.

I'd really enjoy a tent entry - I'm surprised you didn't get on with the SAS tunnel. Mind you - I don't have experience of those.

I use an ancient, bright orange, 2man Force 10. Would stand up to a hurricane that thing

Cheers Sho.

I'm upset about a few things at present. Here and in real life.

I've been quite angry a lot of the time.

Poetry has always been a life saver for me. I think its best I leave that away from h2g2...but yes factual stuff/prose is best to concentrate on.

You're excellent, as are plenty here.