An online guide should be absolutely live, voluminous, self-organising, and individually responsive to each user. Some of that will take a little time, of course, because everybody will be learning as we go: you, the contributors of the information, and we, the architects of the system into which it all fits.

You can create your own Guide Entries containing anything you want, from your opinions of world events to a description of your home town, and it all goes to make up the h2g2 Guide, the sort of guide which was not possible before we had the means of live, shared information resources.

From: A Welcome and Thank-you Message by Douglas Adams(DNA) himself.

17 September 2009

Thanks to SEF with this table I have been able to calculate that I first registered here on 9 May 2000.

Little Smiley Test

Here are the new smileys - If you can see them in Goo, then they've finally done it!

Can of worms: Cheese: Chocolate Teapot Drum Roll: Elvis: Flying Pig: Galaxy: Hamster Off topic: Pan-Galactical Gargle-Blaster: Raised eyebrow: Shrug: Sigh: Simpost:

31 May 2009 - I can see a dot for most of the smileys. Only "Drumroll" is visible. "Can of Worms", "Chocolate teapot" and "pggb" I can just see the words. 16 June 2009 : No change yet. 9 July 2009 - still no change. 26 August 2009 - still no improvement. 17 September - stagnation seems to have set in. It is rumoured that things are moving in the background of the site.

Here's an e-mail link if you care to write to me directly and personally - no one has misused this so far, I'm pleased to say, which just goes to prove that H2G2 is full of decent people.

I used to have the Birthday Page as my start page, but now I start here. Actually, they recommend using the Front Page as your starter, and if anyone's reading this, please go and have a look at today's goodies and all sorts of things that the front page can offer which I can't.

Why "Trillian's Child"?

When I first signed up I was new to the internet and wasn't prepared to have to think up a name so quickly. So I thought about the HHGTTG books and came up with Trillian's Child, hoping that it wouldn't give away if I'm a girl or a boy. Somehow, although it doesn't specify, it seems to sound like a girl, so no one has ever asked. Anyway, Random was a girl in the end. I'm glad I'm not like her. Or am I?

I certainly don't think it's a good idea to change your name in midstream, it confuses people who read backlogs, if your name is referred to in a posting.

Trillian's Child on H2G2

You will find me in lots of conversations in '"Ask the H2G2 Community"'. Particularly the legendary "British English Thread"

Although this personal space only dates back to 1 October 2000, I have been on H2G2 since May 2000. Can't get into my old page, like I can't get into my old trousers, but you are welcome to look - click here.

My entries

Of my own contributions, my favourite entries (the unedited versions) are:

• The Germania Connection (Was once up-to-date; a collection of members who live in Germany and of related entries)

• German Bread (My first entry to get edited status. I had a lovely picture of a bretzel in it, but it wasn't allowed to use pictures from other sites. Perhaps I should put a link in.)

• H2G2 Weight Losers (The dieter's club. Somehow everyone's more successful than I am.)

• The German Class (This sort of fizzled out when, after Rupert, in March 2001, we weren't allowed to use foreign languages.¹)

• How to optimise your filing system. (As with clothes pegs and washing lines, it's something you spend a lot of time doing and after 30 years of practice I reckoned I had something to say on the subject.)

• Confusion in words between English and German. (This one I'm particularly pleased with. If you have ever spoken to a German person, do take a look at it.)

• English afternoon tea on the lawn (Trying to create the atmosphere of a sultry afternoon in 1920s PG Wodehouse style - come and join the cricket)

• Clothes Pegs and Washing Lines (This got special praise from Sam the Italic. It is typical of a women's magazine article. An interesting read, but doesn't really tell you anything you don't know, well, the really informative bits would have taken two lines. I keep meaning to write a sequel on washing, but that would be more scientific)

• The Palatinate (This is about where I live and it really is an idyllic area. The only problem I have with it is that it is so far from the sea.)

• Amateur Lumberjacking (I thought this one was quite good - it tells about the rules and regulations and gives some practical tips on going to the woods and chopping your own firewood. We've been doing it since the kids were tiny.)

• Menorca (This is a typical travel entry. We spent our summer holiday there in 2002. On reading it a year later, I was surpised how much I'd forgotten - I do recommend to everyone writing your holiday experiences down like this)

• Cooking on a Family Camping holiday (Something else I have decades of experience of and think have developed to a fine art. I still don't enjoy camping, though. But who asks Mum where she wants to go on holiday?)

• The Perfect Boss (I've just realised I was going to split this into two. I was disappointed that I didn't get more feedback in Peer Review, and would still appreciate comments on relationships in the workplace. Only with relevance to working, though, please .... not what you're thinking!)

• Men to Drool over" (A summary of the Drool Thread - there's some lovely pictures linked in there - must go along and check the links still all work!)

• The Practical Side of the Euro Changeover (This was written with lots of help from other Euro countries, and it's high time I wrote the sequel. It deals with how each country tackled the currency change which was quite unusual in that it had nothing to do with devaluation or revaluation.)

• 'Dinner for One' - something British that is least known in Britain - a 15 minute sketch, made in Hamburg in the early 60s by Freddie Frinton. It is repeated dozens of times each New Year's Eve on German TV and is a real cult.

• The East Frisian Tea Ceremony - This was something I experienced on holiday in the North of Germany in summer 2009. Not even many Germans are familiar with the way the East Frisians drinkt their tea, although tea is strongly associated with this maritime corner of the country. Personally I found the stuff undrinkable, having drunk my tea the English way since I was weaned, and not being able to face it because of the strength, the heat and the addition of cream and sugar. Milk please, put in first, and no sugar. Like DNA had his.

I was a subeditor for a while, which explains several entries on my list of edited entries, which I did not write, but only edited. My editing was not very prolific, with lots of other commitments in RL and VL, and I eventually had to give it up, which I was very sorry about.

The forgotten Volunteer group

I am also a Volunteer translator. I was given a badge in March 2004, although it seems that the idea of researchers translating and moderating was not practicable.

RL Trillian's Child

As you can see from most of the entries above, I know Germany well. Am British but have lived here since 1976.

Have we met?

9 December 2000 in Germany

Some of us in the South of Germany got together on Saturday, 9 December 2000, for a chat, a beer and a meal, which developed into a whole weekend in the end. It was really great and thanks to all who came - especially Engländer for organising it. There are some rather mysterious pictures and a report here. At least, there would be if pictures were still allowed.. In fact the report isn't there either, as Engländer never re-activated it and he has - sadly - left us, for personal reasons.

28 April 2001 in Grünstadt, Germany

Wonko invited all of the GMC to his birthday party. Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese and I went. Bossel stayed overnight and the following day, we had afternoon tea with Engländer who was passing through. It is really great, meeting all these lovely people. Unfortunately, Wonko has also dropped out of H2G2 - because he couldn't cope with the idea of moderation. Engländer has now left, too, leaving no trace.

14 May 2001 - The British English Thread

The British English thread has a reputation of being rather elitist. This can't be true - I'm in it!

Those who came on that evening, apart from me and my school friend who I was staying with in London, were:

• Nikki-D

• Bald Bloke

• Phil

• Potholer

• Munchkin

• manolan

Also from that thread, I would like to name the other main contributors, who were sorely missed:

• Gnomon

• ~ jwf ~

• plaguesville

• Wand'rin star

20 July 2002 - The Big H2G2 Summer Meet

Gnomon persuaded me to come to this. I am so glad I went and can't thank Abi enough for all the organisation that went into it. Here are the best pictures as taken by Gnomon.

18 September 2002 - South German Meet in Freiburg

This was a great success! Read all about it here: South German Meet

8 January 2005 - Unofficial H2G2 Christmas Meet in London

Spent the afternoon at the National Gallery with an ever-dwindling group - in the end it was just me and Zarquon's Singing Fish! and son, Gnomon, Azara and Lightman. In the evening, the Unofficial London Christmas Party took place at the Bell, Book and Candle, on Ludgate Hill. It was really worth going, and the pub was great! The team I was in didn't do so well in Reddyfreddy's quiz. Which doesn't mean we didn't enjoy it!

It was also a great opportunity to meet up with the ladies from the Drool Thread - Coniraya, coelacanth, Teuchter - Snorter of Ignorance and Mina - Older on the outside, inside still 14.

29 March 2005 - Koblenz

I've written about this one here: Coblence meet

14 January 2006 - London Winter Meet 2005/2006

This was really great fun - yet again!

My story is here

The "official page" for this meet is here H2G2 London winter meet; Saturday 14 January 2006

And there's some post-meet chat and links to photos here

24-26 March 2006 - Seville mini-meet

All the meets I've been to have been such great fun. This one really was wonderful - the people, the place, the food....

I've written about it here, and Azahar's photos are here

18 April 2006 - German meet in Frankfurt

Zoomed up to Frankfurt on the Intercity on the Tuesday afternoon and met up with old friends - just imagine: I'd met them ALL before!! Sho, B'Elana, Mazin Mad Fiddler and ReddyFreddy. We had a jolly good chinwag, went up to the top of the Maintower, which was a bit vertiginous for the likes of Mad Fiddler and me, but we looked at the others' photos when they came down off the observation deck, and had an interesting battery of s.

We wandered around the city, looking up at the skyscraper buildings (all the big Banks) which form "Mainhattan" and then got on a tram to go to the Nelkenstrasse. Then we got off again. And, following a tannoy announcement, went up and down some escalators and walked miles to get on another tram.

This finally took us to where we wanted to go - the "Brotfabrik" where we were going to have dinner - an interesting pub/restaurant with good music, the best waitress one could wish for, and had a good meal, a chat, a laugh... the usual.

On the way back to B'Elana's place, Sho, my husband and I had to get out along the way as we were at a hotel directly at the railway station. It's now Wednesday morning, and here I am, back in the office again, while the others are still in Frankfurt, checking out the food and the town.

28 April 2007 - Spring Meet in London

So much has been written about this one. My own version is:

Took my cue for the queue at Kew

Left home early on the Saturday morning to catch the 9.55 flight from Baden-Baden to Stansted. On arrival, jumped on the Stansted express and arrived at Liverpool Street at 11.45. Meeting point for Kew was 12 noon. You can't cross London in 15 mins, but 'Mazin'MadFiddler - MMF - Apprentice to the Fledgling Art of Positive Mental Attitude aka FAPMA - Keeper of Mustalids. was at the other end of my mobile phone and I found the group eventually. We had a relaxing stroll around Kew - it was about 28�C - and admired the vernal flora and fish, pushed tables together for 20 of us to have a cuppa together, and at about 5 pm took a bus to Richmond for pizzas and a drink. The bus stopped at one point. While the driver argued with some obstreperous passengers, two or three other No. 65 buses sailed past, but eventually, peace was established, and the journey continued.

B'Elana and I left slightly before the others and I went to check into the Youth Hostel we were both staying at. We then went back along the line to the Shakespeare's Head, where a few hootooers were already gathered around Table No. 42.

The rest of the Kew party turned up a surprisingly long time after us, and there were various arrivals and departures, but about 30 people must have been there in all.

Unfortunately, there was no quiz, but as we were all in a corner of a large room, and there were no Italics there to make it official and present prizes, it would have lacked the usual ceremony. We managed quite well without organised activities, thank you. Mazin' Mad Fiddler did manage to gain our attention for long enough to propose toasts to Absent Friends, Happy Birthday H2G2 (8 years to the day) and Dragon Queen (...mumble.. years to the day.) He also presented the beautiful Coelecanth with a prize for her badge.

It was great to meet Galaxy Babe after almost exactly 7 years| acquaintance on the site, and nearly everyone else that was there, I had met before - which must make me a meet veteran. Here are the names of people I met/saw/spoke to/recognised from a distance - without links and in absolutely no order:

• Galaxy Babe
• Teuchter
• Dragon Queen
• Mazin Mad Fiddler
• B'Elana
• Agapanthus
• Solnuschka
• Venus
• Phil
• Bald Bloke
• 2legs
• Roymondo
• ReddyFreddy
• Alex Ashman
• L'il
• Titania
• Azahoth
• Ben
• Z
• Hapi
• Hati
• Wilma Neanderthal

For errors and omissions and more info - see GB's Journal, The Post Report and, of course, The Official Meet Page

25 August 2007 - Mini German Meet in Cologne

We arranged a meet in Cologne after lots of talking about getting together in various places. It was a hot summer day and we drank lots of "K�lsch" beer. B'Elana sums it up well here.

It really was a lovely day, and I met B'Elana and Sho again, and made new friends:

• matodemi (there with her daughter)
• Toybox

9 August 2008 - German Meet in D�sseldorf

I can't believe it's a year since I last went to a meet. Surely not!

There are reports of what went on, with links to photos, here, and here, and my journal is here

I met the following people for the first time here:

• Malabarista Malabarista - considering the aesthetics of variable-altitude livestock
• Pierce the Pirate Pierce The Pirate (visit my ship at A579684), thingite key bearer
• Tavaron da Quirm Tavaron da Quirm
• Remarkable Firefly RemarkableFirefly (as fireflies go, obviously)

The following acquaintances were renewed

• Hapi, whom I'd previously met in Kew Gardens
• Sho and two Gruesomes, whom I'd previously met at several German meets
• B'Elana, whom I'd met on several previous occasions in London and Germany
• Reddy Freddie, who's been at practically every meet that I have
• Matodemi, who seemed like an old friend, although I can only have met her once before, in Cologne, with her beautiful daughter

TC enjoys singing

Well, I join any choir I can find the time for, and would love to start my own women's vocal group, with an emphasis on 40s type swing, Andrews Sisters style.

The GerManiaConnection

On line, we meet at Bolle's Berliner Bulettenbude

Since Rupert, we have had to get used to talking to each other in English. It's like starting again from scratch and feels cold and uncomfortable.

(In the following, read Austria and Switzerland as well as Germany for "Germany")

The German, German-speaking and Germany-abiding Researchers can all be found in the GerManiaConnection. A start page and four further pages have now been created, but I must spend some time VERY SOON updating this lot, as so much has happened since the site came back.

Most prominent members are:

• AXR (empty)

• Monsignore Pizzafunghi Bosselese

• HollePolle

• Floh Fortuneswell

Another Sub-community - The Children of Boadicea

As with the GerManiaConnection I am trying to form a subcommunity of East Anglians. This arose out of my discovering that MaW originally came from Cambridge, and, as I said above, I grew up in Newmarket. It's dank, it's bare, its flat, the accents are awful - that should be enough to give us a sense of belonging together. Come and add your bit of info and name to the list, if you can pronounce Happisburgh correctly, if you use "that" a lot, or if you were at UEA or Cambridge. Visit the Children of Boadicea here

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¹ This never stopped hurting, because when I first joined, Mark Moxon said to me that they hoped eventually to be able to start having entries in other languages. After all this is supposed to be a guide to the planet and there are more than 200 languages spoken here. Really it's just a guide to the white, English-speaking, computer-using part of the planet. I asked MM personally about that at a meet. He couldn't find a good answer. Well it was in a pub full of Hootooers and a bit difficult to hold a conversation.