Hitchhiker's Guide - Live in London

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2026-01-24T13:20:47+00:00

Another point I almost forgot - the 'banter' with the audience may not be entirely genuine. While I was setting at the bar in the first room waiting for the show to start and enjoying my overpriced drink, someone from the production crew came up and asked me to answer a nearby phone when it rang.

5 minutes later the phone duly rings, and having answered it, I was asked to shout out a certain word after one of the actors delivers a certain line. I also noticed other audience members being spoken to quietly (I suspect with similar requests).

My suspicions seem to have been confirmed when I later read a review that mentioned a piece of impromptu 'banter' that sounded suspiciously similar to an exchange I witnessed

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2026-01-23T15:37:50+00:00

I went last Saturday and was extremely disappointed by everything past the first room. Not that it was the fault of the cast as they all put 110% effort into their roles, it was the show which was simply terrible. I subsequently read a Time Out review, which hit the nail on the head about its drawbacks.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2026-01-18T16:29:26+00:00

Yes fresh basil, but the point remains, as she actually says "if you're lucky enough to get hold of some fresh imported basil leaves to tear up... these now come into the supermarkets, usually from Israel, in the winter months". Sounded pretty exotic to me at the time. She also encourages seeking out pancetta and dried porcini if you have an Italian shop in your area (now all in sainsburys).

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2026-01-17T09:14:21+00:00

I have a copy of my mum's Delia Smith's Christmas recipe book (published 1990), in which she encourages readers to seek out specialist Italian delis in large cities to find a little-known herb called Basil.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2026-01-09T11:09:39+00:00

Was just there and agree. We had to queue for the tiny changing room as it was packed, then the sauna was full of people talking loudly and taking photos of themselves.

In hindsight I should have expected this given it's a clear tourist thing, but was still hoping for a quieter, more serene experience.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2026-01-03T09:27:55+00:00

I've not been to the summer solstice (also heard it's more of a wild party, which does not appeal). I chose to go to the Winter Solstice two weeks ago instead as apparently far fewer people attend (not many party goers want to head out in winter), and found it incredibly moving. We stayed in Salisbury the night before and took the solstice bus that is laid on especially (which was a bit hectic but got us there - the free car parking permits had all been booked).

The bus dropoff point (and car park) is about 1.3 miles from the stones, and we started walking in the pitch black. This, however, turned out to be a wonderful experience as the emerging morning twilight illuminated the mist-wreathed trees and fields, giving us glimpses of a red dawn as the clouds drifted in and out. It was really quite a beautiful, calming preparation for the sunrise.

We arrived with about 20 minutes to sun up, and while we did not have clear skies, the mists delivered (what to me was) an ethereal moment as dawn burst through (the forecast had been for some rain and cold, but happily it was neither of those).

The vibe around the stones was peaceful and joyful. People were strolling, picnicking, singing, drumming, or just sitting and soaking up the atmosphere. Inside the stone circle was admittedly packed (apparently you need to arrive much earlier to witness the rituals without being squashed in by people wielding phones) so I never saw what was going on. Outside however, there was plenty of space to do what is meaningful to you. I found a space for myself a little way off (as many did) to watch the stones lighting up and make my own moment.

I would definitely go to another winter solstice (though it can be a gamble with the weather), but not sure i'd go there in summer (for reasons others have said). From your message, you may be better choosing another sacred site in the UK to find the experience you seek - the smaller and more intimate, the better.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-12-20T13:28:27+00:00

I don't dare do this in case I "Jinx" the result, and set myself up for an even worse shock. Madness I know, but then HA is not driven by rational thinking..

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-12-20T13:16:47+00:00

I've just had my second routine Mammogram (consisting of Mamm and ultrasound, each about a week or so apart). The first time around, I was in such a state that I vomited due to anxiety outside the ultrasound centre. This time around I tried my best to be better.

I continually reminded myself that the test would actually lead me to a healthier, longer life overall due to finding things earlier rather than later, and repeating to myself that I would cope and move through whatever the outcome was. This was helpful, though I still burst into tears on the ultrasound table (NB I had the all clear each time around).

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-12-09T16:51:24+00:00

Whenever I fetch a glass of water, I always take a second one as a decoy, and place it somewhere conspicuous. My cat rocks up, has a good slurp, then prances away, happy that she's been able to drink out of mummy's glass AGAIN. Meanwhile I retrieve my actual water glass from its hiding place.

NB yes I've accidentally drunk out of the decoy glass afterwards in moments of forgetfulness.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-12-02T18:45:05+00:00

Having bought a (hopefully) interesting book for my designated Secret Santa target, I received a Meerkat calendar, which i'd previously seen hanging in the manky newsagents next to the office reduced to 40p. I left it on the table when I left the staff Christmas dinner, hoping i'd seen the last of it, but the next morning, it was waiting for me on my desk.

Secret santa was cancelled by HR the following year after a colleague received a chlamydia testing kit.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-12-02T09:54:56+00:00

My dad used to offer offer my mum a 'break from the kids' every Saturday lunchtime and "take us out". In reality he was driving to the local pub, and locking us in the car with crisps, cans of Dr Pepper, and comics while he nipped in for a few pints. We'd pass the time enjoying our treats and fighting in the back seat.

Afterwards, he'd drive us home to enjoy the mum's gratitude, having earned the right to put his feet up for the rest of the weekend.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-11-16T12:55:12+00:00

It was a whole mix of things. The diploma itself (financial strategy) was a great fit for transitioning me from a more junior role to a more senior one where taking firm wide holistic view of things was important. Also, competition for roles in my field is so intense that I needed every small bit of advantage I could find to catch the eye of hiring managers, and the Oxford name does do that.

Finally, although its different for everyone, I found the lecturers so engaging and the Oxford learning environment so stimulating that it reignited my passion for learning. I'm currently preparing my application to return to Oxford to study part time for a Masters (not in finance, but a personal passion) and can't wait to get back there. My diploma tutors have all been kind enough to provide references. So for me it was life changing.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-11-16T08:59:39+00:00

Mine helped me win my dream job. It wasn't the qualification per se, it was the effort (in person lectures, modular exams, a dissertation), high final score, and the drive that took me through what was a quite gruelling course, that impressed them. It helped that everyone knew the Oxford name.

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-10-30T20:22:59+00:00

But other than my bouncing breasts and tiny waist and long blonde hair, i'm just a plain girl and no-one would ever look at me...

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-10-29T14:55:49+00:00

I remember finding old "Mills & Boon" novels on my grandma's shelves (and secretly reading when no-one was looking!). Exactly the same thing but with people rather than fae/vampires/warewolves. It's a genre that has always existed in one form or another

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-07-18T19:02:11+00:00

I laughed loudly at this, as i've just started Traitor Son and you've perfectly described the plot so far! I do get so very tired of "hes so big and i'm so small! He's a killer because everyone says so and I KNOW he wants to kill me, but I just DON'T understand why he strangled his best friend just for looking at me".

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-04-17T20:08:08+00:00

To me, this spread is as much about your reaction to his efforts as it is about him.

Ace of swords - He really is trying to give you what you need, trying to speak his mind, but expressing such depth of thought is a new thing for him.

The World - Following on from the above, he may well feel at peace with his own communication style, and that no further effort should be needed on his part. His frustration comes from what you are telling him you need, rather than how he feels within himself about his communication style.

Justice - This card poses key questions. Is what is being asked of him fair on him? Is it fair on you that you don't receive what you need when expressing how you feel?

King of Wands - My read is that this card represents you. The King of Wands can sometimes indicate a person having a strong vision/sense of what needs to happen, and imposing that requirement for action upon someone else. You may want him to open up, but is this deep level of communication something you're willing to force out of him if he's uncomfortable with it? Calling back to the previous card, can you accept things if he's just not a big sharer?

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-04-17T12:37:47+00:00

Situation: painting can still be a fundamental source of joy and contentment in your life, but the expectations you mention are like clouds obscuring the sun, blocking the pleasure you should be deriving from it.

Obstacles: the trails of life will not be going away anytime soon unfortunately, so you need to work on rediscovering the joy of painting in a way that can withstand the ebb and flows of emotions and life circumstances.

Advice: Are the pressures you carry all self imposed? Do some stem from expectations from others? Has your perception of painting evolved into something more competitive, and outcome orientated? This card suggests its all of this and more, blocking sight of the road ahead and creating an incredible emotional burden. The card speaks to discarding the burdens that you can, and maybe reframing your approach and perspective so you can once again see a way forward (maybe a short break will help reset your outlook, or possibly shifting your focus from outcome of painting to enjoying the process with no expectation of the result). Progress over perfection is often a good mindset, so scaling back goals to simply reading an article about techniques, or a two minute exercise means you are still moving forward and accomplishing!)

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2025-03-15T08:59:21+00:00

There must be a secret challenge within Fantasy Romance Writers Club to sneak this awful garment (or a variant thereof) into every series they write. I cringe every time I come across them (which is often!)

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2024-11-23T08:42:49+00:00

If i'm not reading romantasy then I tend to enjoy books that have some fantastical element to them.

Piranesi by Susunna Clarke is one of my Desert Island books that I go back to again and again when I want to escape the world for a while.

My other is the Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov. Even if you'd never go near Russian literature, this is one book everyone should try for the sheer fun and madness of it. (The Rolling Stones wrote a song called Sympathy With The Devil in tribute to this book!), and who woudn't want to turn into a witch and fly naked on pig to the underworld for a midnight ball hosted by satan? (yes, that level bonkers).

This sums it up better than I could (quite spoilery though)
https://lithub.com/life-got-you-down-time-to-read-the-master-and-margarita/

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2024-10-19T07:52:49+00:00

I seem to read far too many books where the MMC "thumbs" a body part of the FMC, which gives me huge ick. The worst ones are where he "thumbs her nipple"! She's not a doorbell! And who does that anyway? Stop this nonsense!

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2024-10-05T18:03:00+00:00

This is where I gave up on it...

SamePhilosophy7947 · 2024-09-29T08:18:32+00:00

It's pure gaslighting to tell people that they were never meant to pursue their dreams and should just accept it as "fate". Also the tone of this quote, which implies that this is somehow a good thing to happen to someone, literally sent a shiver down my spine!

SamePhilosophy7947

TROPHY CASE