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

Guess you're past the exercise stage WR? What about a bit of liposuction?

Can I advise wearing loose A-line dresses - very flattering & hides all manner of bulges

Not when I sit with my knees apart, I'm afraid...my bulge prevents me from sitting with my knees together.

Well, sitting with your knees together isn't all it's cracked up to be.

In some countries (I'll use the U.S. as an example here ), more than half the adults are overweight. And yet, hard though this might be to understand, this *majority* feels guilty about not being thin. If you're in the majority, you can shift things around to suit you, so why not do so?

Did you hear the latest? Some uni, somewhere (sorry didn't catch that vital info ), reckons those that are overweight live longer than those that are string beans - howzat!

I'd love to know how they get all these statistics & just how do they turn it all around! Wonder if the sugar companies are giving agro?

In the 1940s and 1950s, insurance companies had data to support the notion that men who were somewhat overweight outlived very thin men. I don't know what their findings were for women. Remember, though, that about 60% of the adult population of the U.S. smoked at that time. Many of the people who were very thin were that way because they smoked. The smoking was the factor that shortened their lives, not body weight.

If you go even further back, to the pre-wonder-drug days, you have another factor that caused thinness: tuberculosis, a.k.a. consumption. If a guy was carrying around a beer belly, chances are he didn't have consumption, and would be presumably healthier than someone who did.

There is some evidence, though, that fat cells stimulate the immune system. You can find examples of portly men who lived long lives. Alfred Hitchcock and Burl Ives lived into their eighties. Winston Churchill lived into his nineties, as did Minnesota Fats. If you have been given good health by your genetic endowment, a few extra pounds are not likely to hasten your departure by much.

If you never eat meat, never smoke, never drink alcohol and never have sex, you may never live to be 100.....




BUT IT WILL SURELY FEEL LIKE IT!

Hmm, well next year I'll be half way there, but obviously not much longer to go ...

Yes, that's the trouble with these studies, there are thousands of different reasons why some live longer & some don't. All they seem to look at are, say, 2 components. In this case: age & weight!! As you say, what about genetics as a main factor!

I've been diabetic since I was 11 & have had to learn "respect man" of the condition. However, it ain't stopped me doing anything I wanted to including , & the odd, ahem, ciggy.

Enjoy life while you can, I suppose - just don't walk in front of a bus

Did you know yesterday was Poet's Day?

"Push Off Early Tomorrow's Saturday" - boom! boom!


Have a good weekend

We've just had our last snow! What do you mean, How do *I* know??? Because, I said so!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you muthas!

Mother's Day!! Our MD was on 6th March!!! So how come the US is different? Unfortunately, it was 5 days after my wedding anni & 5 days before my b'day - all my celebs in the space of 2 weeks - it just won't do!!

We're getting Little April Showers, Little April Showers, Little April Showers - brother scratched my Bambi record, hence the repetition ... but in May - ah well, nowt so strange as weather.

Garden looks fairly pretty at present, apart from all the old kitchen furniture heaped there - it WILL be taken to the dump I am promised ... eventually

Happy unmother's day for 364 days of the year to everyone

Muvver's Day in South Africa is also on 9th May...perhaps Shirpsland is out of step?

Here's to all the worlds mutha's !

Drip drip drop, little April shower,
Beating a tune as you fall all around.
Drip drip drop, little April shower,
What can compare with your wonderful sound...

Awww, - I just imagined you were singing in a beautiful high voice

Many, many years ago there was a Disney TV prog. where you could write in with requests - I did: the Bambi & Thumper on the ice bit - Francesca Annis actually played it & spoke my name on TV - my 5 sec bit of fame

I just lurve that film - 'twas the first pressie (the video) that I got my husband to get me for my birthday when we first were "going out" - I sat there crying, but he refused to watch it - can't imagine why

Mother's Day began as "Mothering Sunday" & all the new mothers were supposed to attend church in the morning to say thanks for their babies - my, don't times change! I haven't a clue why England has a different day ....

...*rolls up her sleves...looks sideways at SHIRPS...*
Wadda' you mean *WE* have the date wrong?!
...*whispers...*nuthin' personal ShirpsI jusss feel like having a good arguement and Bear simply will not get mad at me! I've found you just cannot have a good one sided fight even if you have an amazing imagination.



My very best friend in the Whole Wide World dropped dead in Jan. & this'll be the first Spring w/o him in too many years to count! Now HE would have been happy to argue with me about most any side of an issue. He
was also planning to put in an entire flower garden & maintain it for me. I
really don't know what to do with myself. Although there are old friends who now come around. Mutual friends of Chris'. Can't seem to get rid of um. I loose one & gain two adults as well as their two lovely daughters.

I'm going to try to go out today!! I think I might just go to the Mother's Day party at the in-law's. Hope nobody drops over with a stroke or sumthin' when they see me arrive!

I think I'll start getting ready now. Think I'll just take is slow.

Oh, BTW <----- that means = By The Way ...*tries not to glance at Gwennie...* I am busy writing a li'l thingie about how you all saved my life.
We're comin' up on a year since I was seriously circling the drain, so to speak. Then a bunch of amaze-a-lating things happened & it's all YOUR (collectively) fault I'm still alive!
Is it not written if you save a man's (generic term) life you are responsible for that person for the rest of his natural life? So far, I've got an offer...*whispers out of the corner of her mouth...*it was more like a threat, really, Gwennie got the SAME threa, er, offer, from mari-rae to be TAKEN to her home & taken CARE OF! ~ Told me years ago ... any time, just bring your own towel. And WR offered me a card baord box under a thorn tree.

Ya' know ... when I had an office & was seeing a kabillion clients every week
& doing theatre & dating three sometimes four guys at the same time. Playing paintball I was captian of TWO teams. I use to think THAT was fun. And you know what? As I sit here today, with all of you. You savers of me ~
Loving each and every one of you in a different way. In *our* own special type of love. I just can't help it ... you guys ... when I was doing all that other stuff ... it really WAS great~!



I've been up all night. Not even a cat nap. Best rest before I touch up what the Good Lord gave me.

Shirps:

Here's another lovely song from "Bambi." Pandora, you can share it, since it's about .


Love is a song that never ends.
Life may be swift and fleeting.
Time goes by, but love's beautiful music
Comes each day like the dawn.
Love is a song that never ends,
One simple tune repeating.
Like the sound of a heavenly choir,
Love's sweet music goes on.

(That was from memory, so I hope I got it right. )

Luvya, BAT!

Paul - I wouldn't dream of checking the words, those were so beauuuuuutiful anyway

Just watch you don't strain your throat on those high notes though

I'm a tenor--the high notes are easier than the really low ones.

Aha! Envy you the singing prowess - my grandmother could sing wonderfully, but I'm afraid I gained a grand total of ... 13% in one music exam at school , tried to learn the viola - you wouldn't want to hear my version of "cradle song" (although it didn't help when I began to practice & my father would bring out his violin too & attempt to play )

However, I did sit in the middle of where an audience would be to judge sound checks of a band a couple of times ... & I can always tell whether someone is offkey/flat or singing those wonderful in-between notes (not sure what you call them - sound off, but aren't???) Love a very wide variety of music (some of it, what my parents used to call "noise" )

What about singing to me again : "Catch a falling star ....

I must warn you that I have a mischievous sense of humor.



Yesterday in old Fall River, Mr. Andrew Borden died,
And they gotmhid daughter Lizzie on a charge of homicide.
Some folks say say she didn't so it, and otyhers say of course she did,
But they all agree Miss Lizzie B. was a problem kind of kid,

(refrain)

'cause you can't chop your mama up in Massachusetts,
And then blame all the damage on the mice
No, you can't chop your mama up in Massachusetts.
That sort of thing just isn't very nice.

Oh, it wasn't done for pleasure, and it wasn't done for spite,
And it wasn't done because the lady wasn't very bright.
Lizzie'd always done the slightest thing that mom and papa bid.
They said, "Lizzie, cut it out," and that's exaclty what she did!

Pan,

You'll be happy to know that i am still happy to argue with you about most things

Except mothers day, same here in Oz.

Oh, and can you do something about the music