| Queen Archivist 29.10.2006 20:52 |
Hey Togg, You got me thinking seriously now about this Gallapogos Islands thing. I've been pondering the issue of visiting, but in so doing further buggering up the delicate ecology there, as you described - which has been so efficiently undermined by other insensitive sods like me. But... I want to meet those giant tortoises. I want to give one or two of them a seriously fat lettuce sandwich. I've been looking forward to that for years, but never had the money. We want to go for it in 2007. What does one do? It is a serious dilemma. The authorities are letting people in. Why? Why are they doing this if it is at the expense of the very land the creatures live on? It's a mystery to me. I did my homework, but I'm still none the wiser... not really. Are you seriously questioning whether to go or not, or just saying that? I need to make a decision soon. Ta |
| Freya is quietly judging you. 29.10.2006 21:02 |
Is it worth asking what you're talking about? |
| Lester Burnham 29.10.2006 21:09 |
In one of the other threads, Greg mentioned that he was going to use the royalties from one of his books to go on vacation to the Galapagos Islands. Togg mentioned he was planning to do the same at some point, too. |
| Freya is quietly judging you. 29.10.2006 21:12 |
That bit makes sense.. but Greg still doesn't. |
| Queen Archivist 29.10.2006 21:58 |
Poppy... Is it worth asking what you're talking about? GB: I'm looking at going to meet giant tortoises. They fascinate me. How could they not? Togg is having to ponder the same dilemma as me and I was wondering what decision he'd made. This original comment came out of me explaining why I would not be sending the royalties of my book to Richard, for QZ consumption. I had explained that due to all the 'publicity' on QZ, good and bad and bad and badder, about my Q live book, it had suddenly sold over 800 unexpected copies. This baffled and pleased my publisher and he asked me why I thought it had happened. It is due to my lovely adoring fans at QZ, I told him. All publicity, it seems, is indeed good publicity... even the mad zombies on QZ who love to hate my stuff. You know how popular I am Poppy. Right? Anyway... an unexpected tangent grew. Tortoises. Now, do you think it was worth asking what I was talking about? |
| Freya is quietly judging you. 29.10.2006 22:08 |
Well, no, but thanks for explaining. |
| john bodega 30.10.2006 04:26 |
I can almost hear violins when you two talk. |
| Togg 30.10.2006 05:31 |
Well, yes I do have some issues with this, on the one hand it would be amazing to see them, but at what cost? if we all decide to go there then in time it will become another Disneyland and they will be just another more expensive version of a ride in the park. I want to take my daughter, but she can't go until she's twelve (five at the moment) so do we wait and show her at that point or do we go and see something that may not last much longer. I believe in showing children as much of the world as possible and both my wife and I have always wanted to visit the islands. A few years ago we went to Alaska and I can honestly say it was the most interesting holiday I have ever been on, hoping over to Spain just doesn't do it for me anymore (not that it ever did!) However, the last thing I want is to be part of the downfall of such an amazing and unique place and simply visiting and increasing the demand will like it or not have a knock on effect. My guess is that my curiosity will get the better of my conscience and I will visit shortly, however, it will definitely not be next year as we finally decided and booked Australia this weekend, so the Galapagos will have to wait until 2008 when we will go through the same issues and questions. If you do decide to go, I would be interested in your views on returning. |
| its_a_hard_life 26994 30.10.2006 05:50 |
Zebonka12 wrote: I can almost hear violins when you two talk.LMAO. |
| Queen Archivist 30.10.2006 06:33 |
Hey Zebonka... I can almost hear violins when you two talk. NO OFFENCE, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE YOU DRIBBLING SPIT DOWN YOUR CHIN AND ON TO YOUR STAINED VEST, WHEN YOU TALK. NO VIOLINS MATE. NO VIOLINS WOULD BE A GREAT NAME FOR A SONG. |
| Queen Archivist 30.10.2006 06:39 |
If you do decide to go, I would be interested in your views on returning. OK Togg. I'll let you know. We have established that such a trip is hugely expensive. MUCH more than we thought, and we were thinking big. I need to sell another 1,000 books. Can anyone suggest a good way to REALLY get tongues wagging here on QZ? That last bunch of apparent bad press did wonders for sales... rather curiously. It's looking like we too might put it off til 2008. Like you said, Togg... you'll go all that way, finally make it to the GI's, and there one evening you will find me chatting at length with a 150 year old tortoise!!!!!!! What a prospect. |
| Togg 30.10.2006 07:00 |
If that's the case for god's sake don't tell him about the missing 17mins of Bo Rap, it might be just enough to shock him into a coma at 150 years old ;-) |
| Queen Archivist 30.10.2006 10:55 |
I wonder what a family of giant tortoises would do if we left a tape machine playing, not too loud, the Bo Rhap backing track, somewhere close to where they all gather? They's be curious I guess. I imagine they would respond to a certain pitch or frequency. They'd probably love John's bass!!! They might hate Queen. James Blunt might be more their thing? |
| Togg 30.10.2006 11:02 |
Well they say give 12 monkeys a type writer and they will eventually write the works of shakspear (or something like that) Working on that assumption, maybe they would be able to sing the harmonies to the middle section if left long enough! |
| Togg 30.10.2006 11:04 |
Now I have to say if I do eventually visit the Islands and I do come round a corner to see you and twelve tortoises singing the middle section to Bo Rap I will certainly stand you a beer! |
| Megamike The GREAT 30.10.2006 11:12 |
Greg, enjoy the vacation on us.., take LOTS of pics and maybe have tortise stew once or twice.. (ok.. so I can't spell.. don't blame me, blame... well.. ok.. blame me.. ) When I was in the Navy I had the wonderful experience of swimming in the Mariana's Trench, the deepest part of the ocean in the world.. and I tell ya, it was scary.. not knowing WHAT was below ya.. only a handful of us dared to go in, and just 3 of us stayed in the whole hour.. my most fond memory of that was swimming as far down as I could before I had to come back up for air.. I think I would have enjoyed GI.. I used to LOVE adventure.. By the way, my biggest claim is being able to proudly state I have been on EVERY Hawaiian Island with the exception of Nihau.. and that is completely off limits to non natives.. (of course I did contemplate renting a boat and having troubles nearby so I would HAVE to swim to shore just to have them call for help.. but never did it) |
| john bodega 30.10.2006 11:50 |
Queen Archivist wrote: NO OFFENCE, BUT I CAN ONLY IMAGINE YOU DRIBBLING SPIT DOWN YOUR CHIN AND ON TO YOUR STAINED VEST, WHEN YOU TALK. NO VIOLINS MATE. NO VIOLINS WOULD BE A GREAT NAME FOR A SONG.None taken my good man! I won't hold it against you for being wrong; If being wrong were a crime, I'd have to have 85% of the people I know shot! |
| Mr.Jingles 30.10.2006 12:18 |
Greg Brooks is planning on going to Galapagos Islands to re-write Darwin's theory of evolution. |
| Megamike The GREAT 30.10.2006 12:34 |
Mr.Jingles wrote: Greg Brooks is planning on going to Galapagos Islands to re-write Darwin's theory of evolution.Then we will have no worries.. he will get 85% wrong anyways.. ;-) Sorry, I HAD to say that.. I know someone else would have.. LOL I have nothing against GB.. |
| Rick 30.10.2006 13:35 |
Man, does this sound like an emigration or what!? |
| Micrówave 30.10.2006 13:49 |
Queen Archivist wrote: Can anyone suggest a good way to REALLY get tongues wagging here on QZ? That last bunch of apparent bad press did wonders for sales... rather curiously.SUGGESTION #1 How bout "getting in bed" with the FM people making that Singer Of Songs product? Take a reduced price to sell it WITH their product and convince them to take a reduced price as well. A win/win for both of you!!! SUGGESTION #2 Sell signed copies on your website or sporadically on ebay. SUGGESTION #3 Market the book to the gay community. Put it in their grocery stores, newstands, etc. Two gay men make consideralbly more money than a standard man/wife, so they can afford it. SUGGESTION #4 Make a "limited edition" version. This can be as simple as packaging it with a sticker, photo, Freddie Postage stamp, whatever! It's amazing what the words "limited edition" can mean to some people. ANYWAY, I HOPE YOU KEEP SELLING BOOKS, DUDE. |
| john bodega 31.10.2006 01:20 |
Queen Archivist wrote: I need to sell another 1,000 books. Can anyone suggest a good way to REALLY get tongues wagging here on QZ?Tell them you've corrected all the errors. You don't actually have to edit anything, but it sure would be funny watching all those gullible swines who've mocked you for years, forking out good money for the same old book! |
| M a t i a s M a y 31.10.2006 01:54 |
from now on, this page will be known as GALLAPAGOSZONE.COM :) |
| Queen Archivist 31.10.2006 10:20 |
Zebonka12... you don't often come up with much that's funny or original, to be fair, that I have seen anyway. But this is both. I like it... ZEB12: Tell them you've corrected all the errors. You don't actually have to edit anything, but it sure would be funny watching all those gullible swines who've mocked you for years, forking out good money for the same old book! |
| Queen Archivist 31.10.2006 10:22 |
½Microwave Your suggestions are worthy of consideration too. let me ponder them a while. Ta muchly. |
| john bodega 01.11.2006 03:18 |
Queen Archivist wrote: Zebonka12... you don't often come up with much that's funny or original, to be fair, that I have seen anyway. But this is both. I like it...Indeed? Well I'll say this much ; I find it regrettable that the forum is such a source of umbrage for so many people. Why do we (collectively speaking) take it so seriously? In the words of a good Who song, we should "Join Together". Then again, if you're bigger on the Beatles, it'd be "Come Together".... ... but anyway. |
| Togg 01.11.2006 05:47 |
Agreed, it has been refreshing recently to have had some sensible conversations and debates on recording, as well as the answers from Greg. Hope it continues... |