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

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Oh dear

Quite a rant GD. Do you feel better for it?

Dang Ah well - even if you spend next new years eve on your own, it'll be better than that

Which, incidentally, is what I'm doing cos I was working this evening up until about 10pm, and I have to be at work at 9.45am on Sunday morning. And I don't mind that in the least. You can keep new years celebrations - I'm going to bed with a nice cuppa and a slice of fruit cake well before midnight

I went to bed early, cos we're both ill. I went up about ten, to give me time to nod off before the fireworks started at midnight, but they started ten minutes after I'd gone up and pretty much lasted for about 40 years after that. I had to take my mp3 player to bed to be able to get any rest.

As for coked up tossers, I have to admit that in my cabbing days I used to visit friends after work on a Saturday night, and actually I found that when they were on coke we had pretty good conversations. But then, I have been told all my life I talk absolute cobblers all the time, so I'm just pleased to have some friends who match for a while.

It's no fun being single is it? At least with a SO you presumably have the same taste and can curl up on the couch together with a couple of then argue over which channel to watch

I spent the evening with my son who luckily never moaned when I immediately turned over after Jonathon Ross because came on, to watch a programme about best adverts which we'd seen before, but was still better than

Then over to Natasha Kaplinski to listen to Big Ben and watch the fireworks, which are never quite the same on TV, then to bed at 12.10, to listen to the RL fireworks exploding over my roof.

Now we're having an arguement (my journal) about today's party which I should be looking forward to but I'm dreading it and I'm not looking forward to the prospect of 2006 at all, so I'll join you in that "Happy New Year! "

Oh dear GD,

Just confirms what I've always thought - that New Year's Eve is the worst night of the year to attempt going out. I have no personal experience of dealing with people on coke, but seriously drunk New Year's Eve revellers can also be quite tedious. And then - ewww! - they all want to kiss you when the clock strikes 12.

The last time I went out on New Year's Eve was a few years ago - I was invited to a friend's house for a dinner party. Which was quite lovely. Except I had dressed up for the evening and foolishly wore my only pair of high-heeled shoes (that I almost never wear) and of course could not get a taxi home and so had to walk . . . by the time I got home my feet were covered in blisters and all the enjoyment of the evening was totally forgotten.

Once did a New Year's Eve pub crawl in Chester many years ago and it was just as you described your pub experience. Not fun at all.

Yesterday Nog and I got into the late afternoon and after a fab meal ended up falling asleep before midnight watching a dvd in bed. It was actually quite fun.


az

It's all right really. I kind of expected it turn out the way it did, so in a sense I'm not that disappointed with the outcome. The rain was the unpleasant bit as I hadn't anticipated that.

Fortunately I did have a few beers in the house, and had set the video to record Match of the Day, so things definitely got better later on in the night

I'll happily admit that I have enjoyed some very fine new years eve parties and shindigs in the past. There was a pub, for instance, in near to where some friends used to live in east London where I went for three or four years in the early 80s and had a grand time on NYE.

I don't know whether it's me getting older and more cynical, or people becoming increasingly insistent on having a good time without wondering why they're doing it, but I definitely sense a degree of desperation in the way that some people throw themselves into celebrations these days.

As you might imagine, GD, having worked for a music magazine for over 10 years I have encountered plenty of coke-corrupted situations myself. I knew a nice, talented writer who died because he couldn't kick his addiction to coke even after having his first heart attack (the second one killed him). I saw plenty of other people turned into just the sort of jabbering, self-obsessed s you describe. It is a truly evil substance. But let's face it, there's a 'bling' factor there too. Because it's expensive, part of the attraction is that having it shows everyone that you can afford cocaine. Although actually you almost certainly *can't* afford it, in terms of your mental and physical health if not in terms of your bank balance. Ah well - I'm just glad that I'm out of those circles now.

I had a rather excessive night out with two old friends on Friday, involving much too much (see the New Year Resolutions in my Journal - F23548?thread=1839991 ). I had a hideous yesterday morning, so decided to be good to myself and toast the New Year in . I watched my all-time favourite film, 'Amelie', on DVD - for me, it still had the power to make life seem wonderful on the fourth viewing. Then (sorry Annie) the , then 'Later With Jools Holland', which involved two of my favourite new acts of 2005 in KT Tunstall and Kaiser Chiefs, and a truly gorgeous number from Kate Rusby. So that made a good start to the year - and I don't have a today!

<> (BH)

Yes, it's the whole 'are we having fun yet?' thing. Kind of like how Saturday is 'international date night' and you are *supposed* to be out there *having fun*, almost whether you want to or not.

Noggin and I much prefer going out during the week for tapas or a meal - especially Monday evenings when he meets me after I finish classes late that day, around 9pm. And we go out for some and some nice food (and can always get a table) - after usually having spent the weekend at home it's a nice treat for both of us.

How old are you, BH? Nog is 52 and I'm going to be 49 next week (eek!) so we both reckon we can do whatever we like and don't feel cynical in the least. We also prefer going to early showings at the cinema (5pm) when there is almost nobody there. This helps avoid having a very tall person with big hair sitting directly in front of me . . . I'm only 5'4" and most of my height (so to speak) seems to be in my legs, so sitting down makes me even shorter.


az

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Now this is interesting; I converse on a regular-ish basis with three researchers who are currently on pre-mod. So which one are you?

* twiddles thumbs *

That isn't someone on premod, GB. It was Ferrettbadger. Have no idea why the post was yikes'd unless it was deemed to be 'promoting' an illegal activity. I also wonder who yikes'd it . . .


az

I think that must have been my reply to Azahar, and I sure as hell don't recall there being anything yikesable in it. Nor have I had an email from the Mods, unless the post was yikesed within the past ten minutes cos that's when I was last logged into the account I use for all h2g2 dealings.

Ee, I am vexed.

It was you, BH? I thought it was Ferrettbadger . . . mind you I am presently painting chairs and the paint fumes might be getting to me . . .


az

Oh, wait... I started writing a reply to az and then went off to do other stuff. I must have closed the browser without finishing the post and sending it, therefore no email from the Mods. QED

Now, if only I could remember what it was I was saying in my reply...

One thing for sure that I remember about it - I'm 49.

You're 49 too, BH? Well, I won't be 49 until Saturday . . . still, close enough for jazz.

az

t was FB's post, which implied that a couple of lines are OK. I would have concurred in an 'in moderation' style, had I been bothered to post!

To whoever it - pop around most pubs of a Friday night and contemplate horse/stables/bolting etc...

Three pre-mod Researchers GD? I can think of SEF and LW being two likely candidates... who's the other reprobate?