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

Today has to go down as one of the more interesting days, recently, but most of what it involves is still not positive.

Firstly, the real estate agent has threatened to evict me if my housemate doesn't sign a lease agreement to be a ‘co-tenant'. While this suits me, either way, as it will get my housemate off my back or will get the agents off my back and preserve my reasonable rental record, and is not in itself a big problem, I think, it is a hassle. Second, the Department of Social Security, who are responsible for doling out the pittance on which I live, have demanded that I do some ‘mutual obligation activity' to justify this support. While I would be more than happy to do this if I thought it could even potentially be useful for something, I am almost resigned to the fact that it won't be, if I don't choose what the activity is. The range of ‘approved choices', however, is depressingly small, and none of them require anything like the skills or abilities I already possess to do without boredom, and I do not propose to give my experience away for free. I do not want to work to somebody else's specification if they do not pay me for the inconvenience, to me, of having me do it.

I want to move out of this depressing situation, but the options for doing so are too limited. I can't leave all the stuff I already have behind, and I'm not going to sell anything, nor am I going to sell myself, to survive. I want to move house, but I have to extract myself from this one first. I want to work doing something useful, but nobody seems willing to employ me. I want to get the DSS off my back, but they will not do me the service I need (which is to find me a job), and they can't do me the service I want (which is to pay me enough to actually live, as opposed to ‘not starve', on), and so I am forced to keep using them. The options are too limited, and none will lead, even eventually, to any outcome I want.

I need another vantage point, another place from which to move. Somewhere where the ground is more solid underfoot, and the surroundings not so threatening. I am very tired of living by being threatened. I think this is fundamentally wrong - not just unfair, not simply unjust, just wrong. I need somebody, or something, to take me away from all this, or to take all this away from me.

So... what can I do? That's not a rhetorical question, btw. What can I do? Tell me here or e-mail me ([email protected] will find me more or less).

At the moment I'm stuck with saying 'hope it all gets better' and wishing you a happy half-birthday... small comfort, but heck, that's what Class 2 friends are for

Keep doing exactly that, bubsterous one, keep doing exactly that...! I hadn't even realised that this day was my half-birthday - shows you how wrapped up in my own detritus I actually am, I suppose. It will all get better, it's just a question of WHEN!

BTW, are you going to the choir's performance this weekend?

[email protected]

Ooh, connections. *watches bubster heroically manipulate the system*

I always knew he was a super-hero. I bet you thought so too, Mr. Hypo Sir.

*watches as Mr Spartus gives away all my trade secrets*

The choir... the choir? You probably mean THAT choir (and aren't they the qwire, or something?) Or do you mean another choir?
I don't know. I just... I don't know.

But, no. No I'm not. Although I do plan to paint some walls. I hope this helps.

*watches Spartus and bubster watching each other...*

I always thought bubster was a superhero, until he revealed his alterego, whereupon I realised he was more of a chimera - a phantasm of heat and light not meant for mortal eyes at all.

Being as he is so ethereal, it's probably not that unusual not to see him at the performance this weekend...!

*puts on protective eyewear*

Just so's in case my mortal eyes catch a glimpse, I don't want them to turn into runny goo.