First of all, I always manage to miss International Towel Day on May 25th. It commemorates the day of Douglas Adams’ far too early passing. Towel Day is celebrated every year on as a tribute to the author by his fans. On this day, fans carry a towel with them, as described in Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, to demonstrate their appreciation for the books and the author.
My friend Cherrie still has the original newspaper clipping about his passing on her refrigerator. I’m not sure we ever recovered from his loss. Certainly the publishing industry never recovered.
My day is March 11th (today) which was also Douglas Adams’ birthday (March 11, 1950). Mine was March 11, 1947, but I like to think of us — on some level — as time twins even if I never wrote the best, most entertaining and thoughtful science fiction. I not only read it, but I can recite many sections of it, having read it. Reread it. Then read it again and again. Oh Douglas, how I miss you!
Unlike my birthday which is singularly bereft of celebrities,Garry’s birthday is populated with celebrities. More movies stars than most. There’s something about April birthdays and performers. Probably it’s the whole Aries thing, an astrological sign that dearly loves the spotlight.
Garry’s April 7th birthday is shared with James Garner, Francis Ford Coppola, Russell Crowe, Jackie Chan, Janis Ian, Adrian Beltre, Ravi Shankar, Raphael, Billie Holiday, William Wordsworth, Michael Bellisario (NCIS producer/director), Percy Faith, Jerry Brown (past California governor). Let’s not forget Joe Gallo. To put it in perspective, there was also Charlemagne, first Holy Roman Emperor. Note that he wasn’t holy or Roman and his empire lasted (barely) until his death, though the Empire’s name lingered on for a few more centuries.
As for me? A lot of “who are they?” people plus the parents of many bloggers. That must be a link, somehow. And of course, the late and always great Douglas Adams.
If you haven’t heard of Douglas Adams, bow your head in shame. Find his books and start reading, laughing, and seeing the universe in a brand, new way. I got lucky and have the recording of Douglas Adams reading his OWN work. Because they were his, they aren’t exactly the same as the printed versions. I have several and they vary in length and some of the humor shows up in different places in the text.
And to all you Douglas Adams lovers? Don’t we wish he were here with us in this time of madness? He predicted — in his own insane and hilarious way — a time of upcoming madness. He was right. We could sure use the funny along with the crazy.
Share this:
Categories: Author, celebration, Marilyn Armstrong, Sci Fi - Fantasy - Time Travel
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
spooky, one of my best friends as a little girl was also a Carol Ann. and yes, happy birthday all over the place.
I listened to all the radio casts of Hitchhiker, and what disappointed me was the more or less lack of compassion, in a most British way. ‘Oh, he fell down the elevator shaft? Pity. At least he could have left that towel behind, that was my favorite…”
LikeLike
I was an even bigger fan of the Dirk Gently two-book series, especially “The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul.” HHGTTG didn’t really have a plot. It was really off the top of Douglas Adams’ head and it didn’t have a permanent form until after he died, but Dirk Gently has an actual plot. Two plots. One for each book. I think I have much of “The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul” memorized!
LikeLike
A very happy birthday Marilyn. Hope you had a a blast.
LikeLike
I did. My tummy is still reminding me today, but it was great anyway 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Awesome.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy birthday! Hope it was fun 🥳🎉
LikeLike
We had a great dinner and we had to bring some of it home because it was a LOT of shrimp. I never thought there could ever be too much shrimp, but there was. This time 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
“I’d far rather be happy than right any day.”
― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The movie was a disappointment, (sadly) but I think you’d be rather amazed and delighted by the BBC radio adaptation of the “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” if you’d care to give it a listen?
https://archive.org/details/hitchhikers-guide-to-the-galaxy-bbc-radio-4
Long ago in a reality far, farrrrrrr away …
LikeLike
I think I already listened to it, but it had to be at least 10 years ago. It’s probably worth listening to it again. The movie was a disappointment. Watched it anyway, but the books are my favorites.
LikeLike
And silly me forgot to say happy birthday, we are now the same age. I even have your birthday marked with a reminder on my mobile phone, so no excuse. But I wish you all the best and we won’t let us be besten by something silly like getting older. All the best wishes from Switzerland. And I should do a reread of The hitchhiker’s Guide. I always have a towel within reach.
LikeLike
I love his books. I tried to get Garry to read them, but he didn’t “get” them at all. I guess you just have to have the right brainspace for that kind of fiction. Yes, we survived another year. My son says I don’t look a day over 65. Remember when that wasn’t a compliment?
And so another year comes. It will probably end before I remember it happening. Time REALLY rushes by these days!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Happy birthday Marilyn! 🤗🤗❤❤💙💙🎉🎉🎉✨✨✨💜💜💜
LikeLike
Thank you Carol! My best friend when I was a kid was a Carol Anne.
LikeLike