I have been away for a long time and just read some discussions. What is Bridget Jones' Diary? Does it have anything to do with Darcy or Colin? Thanks, Chey

It's a novel in the form of a diary, set in London in 1996. The every day life of a London yuppie. Among other things, she get's a bit obsessive about P&P2. It's not available in the US, but Bookserve is getting copies of it for Pemberlians. Let me know if you are interested.

I thought I would start this board, just as a way to discuss the current week's installment and when we finally get the book we can talk about it here.

As "Clueless" is to "Emma", so "Bridget Jones's Diary" is to P&P (or P&P2 in particular).

Bridget Jones is now available at Bookserve! They have it especially for Pemberley people, and you will need to order by phone or email - it's not on their database. Here is the message from our man Doug "We now have copies of the book by Helen Fielding in our possession and ready to ship for $10.18 (plus S + H). Please notify your people that they may place their orders with me via email (doug@bookserve.com) or by phone (615) 287-4205." Apparently there are about seven or eight copies left right now, so hurry! Please say that you are from Pemberley. Pemberley will receive a small percentage of your purchase price to help keep us going. I'm hanging out for my copy....

Well I think the NY Times is monitoring this website because today, in the Arts section is an article entitled, "Men as Oafs, a Genre with 17th Century Roots." A title like that is bound to catch my attention!! Anyway, it mentions Bridget and, according to the publisher Viking, the book will be out in July. I wonder if it will have a glossary in the back. I have a hard enough time reading the weekly installments at the Telegraphs. I don't have a clue as to who many of the people she mentions are. Fo those who have read the book, is it as topical?

I read the book in about three hours. I think I'm going to go back and reread it, since I tend to skim things the first time. Anyway, I think the "Men as Oafs" refers to the relationship she has with her boss. It starts off with really cute flirting via office e-mail about the length of Bridget's skirt and develops into a sexual relatioship with her getting hurt in the end. I too was lost to some TV show references and so on, but all in all it was a great read. Bridget's extremely paranoid, thinking that everything is her fault, and she's worthless. Very neurotical but extremely funny. Especially the part about her mother leaving her father and having a fling with a younger Spanish man (I think it's Spanish, it's been a while since I read it), who turns out to be not as nice as originally thought.

Just a follow up, on the BJ at Bookserve post. Unfortunately, and this arose because of a miscommunication with bookserve, although the price of the book is $10.18, they are charging $10 shipping and handling because they imported them from england. I hope this doesn't cause disasters for anyone - if we'd known about it we would have let you know earlier.

actually julio was portuguese. I loved when the police were after them. and mark darcy comes to the rescue. Daniel was a CREEP!!!! love jude, sharon (reminds me of you Karen!) and Tom!!!

Didn't you love it when Tom went missing and they freaked out about him only to find out he had a nose job? Very entertaining.

Oh yes!! Poor Bridge, and to be jealous that Jude called the police and Bridge is his best friend!!! Actually, I loved Perpetua well after she told Daniel that she was quitting. Oh And now back to the studio;) LOL!!!!!

Uh oh, I remind you of Shazzer!! Since I don't have the book in my hot little hands--that is, yet--I'll have to go back through the Telegraph installments to see what I think of that!! ;-)

she's great karenr she speaks her mind, is tough and lovable at the same time!!!!

So why doesn't Mark D go after her?? She wouldn't care if she noticed a little bald spot starting out. I just love those little bits he's been doing in the weekly installments....

Because he's involved with Natasha? and I think he was a little put off by her at their first meeting. Plus everybody was pushing for them to get together and maybe it annoyed him.

Ok. I got my copy today and devoured it in one sitting. What a HOOT!. I found the Telegraph site, but the earliest diary entry I can find is from November 1997, when BJ is missing the plane.... are there any between the end of the book and this, and if so, where would I find them?? And I agree, CJ would be ideal to play Mark. I very much suspect he won't however. He's too determined to throw the Darcy monkey off his back...

Ok. I got my copy today and devoured it in one sitting. What a HOOT!. I found the Telegraph site, but the earliest diary entry I can find is from November 1997, when BJ is missing the plane.... are there any between the end of the book and this, and if so, where would I find them?? And I agree, CF would be ideal to play Mark. I very much suspect he won't however. He's too determined to throw the Darcy monkey off his back...

Doh! I thought I'd stopped the first post. oh well.

No, Kate, that's the beginning--in November (around the 8th as I recall). I can't remember if the early ones had the links going all the way back, but there were links entitled "What's Happened So Far..." or something like that. You may want to do the Search thing for Bridget Jones and all the installments will be listed. That's how I got to the beginning. Boo hiss, I haven't received my copy yet. BTW, I can't figure out what happened to Rufus and Kim Bassinger was supposed to be on!! Totally different lineup. :-(

Natasha what a B*#@h. But you do get the feeling that MD is interested in BJ. As he said, what he was wearing wouldn't exactly score any points with many people. I find myself agreeing with things that BJ does. Like standing MD up because she is blowdrying her hair. I've done that!!! well don't want to give too much away for the nubiles who haven't read it;)

Kate: Didn't you post the address of a website that dealt with British slang? I've got a few words that I need translated and I have a feeling that one of them couldn't be explained adequately here or at Ramble!!

KarenR: here it is http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dgl3djb/ukus.html

Thanks, Kate. I'll give it a go. Started reading Bridget last night, but am only about 100 pages into it. So, if Natasha our Caroline Bingley character or what?? I really can see the P&P now with the book. The weekly installments don't do it. Can you believe the e-mailing between her and Daniel? Naughty naughty!

i didn't see the connection until towards the end of the book. i don't think there is a big one during the beginning or even the middle. so karen what do you think of Sharon?????

What a great book! I was laughing hysterically the whole time I was reading it. I kept reading my husband passages outloud--he didn't find them quite as funnt as I did, but he thought they were pretty humorous. I was suprised at how much Bridget worried about her weight--I thought that was much more of an American than a European thing. One of my favorite passages: "Wise people will say Daniel should like me just as I am, but I am a child of Cosmopolitan culture, have been traumatized by supermodels and too many quizzes and know the neither my personality nor my body is up to it if left to its own devices. I can't take the pressure. I am going to cancel [the date] and spend the evening eating doughnuts in a cardigan with egg on it." Favorite phrase that hasn't made it to America: her discussion of men's emotional f*ckwittage. What a beautiful phrase! Question for you Brits out there: what they heck does she mean when she talks about being eaten by an Alsatian? I was also very excited when she started mentioning Pride and Prejudice and had the idea of interviewing the stars. I thought the interviews with Colin Firth would be there, but I guess those appeared later in the newspaper column? I'll have to go to the link and check them out.

Alsatian it is a german shepherd;-)

Did anyone read today's installment. LOL! especially about men thinking they've done SO MUCH housework if they pick up a dish and carry it into the kitchen! But poor BJ now has bigger problems on her mind.....

ain't that typical of men?

Yes, quite funny and true to life. Must take my teaspon to the sink and run it under the water... Ah, so much hard work to do. Liked the Jodie Foster comment as well!

Kill all jellyfishers in the world!!!

Oooh yes, what is that Rebecca up to??? Had another thought about Kate's comment, could you ever imagine a Darcy or, any Darcy for that matter, doing such menial things as washing dishes? Nevah!! But that doesn't explain Jeremy! ;-(

could you ever imagine a Darcy or, any Darcy for that matter, doing such menial things as washing dishes? Nevah!! All I can say is, a Darcy or any Darcy would be much more attractive if they did ...."Put your feet up, darling, and let me deal with this".... now that is the way to my heart. ;-)

I much prefer the Fed Ex'd Valentine's Day instructions with a driver to whisk me off to wherever....although the too-small red slip...was a waste!!

KarenR: Oooh yes, what is that Rebecca up to??? She really wants to become friends with Bridget Jones now that her star is shining and she wants someone really beautiful to play her in the upcoming movie!!!! She's so jellyfishing jealous that BJ has gorgeous Mark Darcy and interviewed Colin Firth that she just want to get the IN on everyone that BJ is around. Now back to the studio......;-)

Did you see that article about Ruby Wax? I nearly fell off my chair when it said right at the beginning that she was from Evanston, where I grew up. So far, all I've found is her parents' address/phone number. I can't visualize the street though. Does anyone know how old she is? Must check to see if my HS has an alumni database on the web? ;-)

Ruby wax is in her mid 50's i believe she's quite famous in uk and had a show on fox last summer it was okay but she interviewd people like pamela anderson lee who would flash her fake breasts for ruby. RW also was script supervisor for ABFAB.

Thanks, in the picture she didn't look like mid-50s. Is this just another case of you youngins just thinking that anyone older than you is over the hill?? ;-)

hmmm your right she doesn't look that old, but on her tv show she was fat! and not pretty at all! And I would hope you know that i don't think anyone over 40 is over the hill yet;D Ruby looks like she lost a bit of weight maybe a couple of stones;D maybe she's only mid 40's, but wow she looked old on her tv show, honestly.

OK, OK you're forgiven!! I remember seeing little bits about the TV show, but never watched it. Did you see the mention about making the movie of BJD on one of the other topics? It will certainly be interesting to see who they will cast. A complete unknown for Bridget? Too bad, I could really see her as an Ally McBeal type person, although Bridge is horror on horror the big 3-0!!!

Touche! Karen Touche! hows the snow by the way. I'm unknown, thirty and singleton tho' singleton with child; with the pretty little girl that Bridge wants so bad. I refuse to have my colours done and i hate my mother. Oh no! I AM BRIDGET!! So where's my Mark??????????

The snow was hideous because most of it wasn't snow, but slush. Weighed a ton!! I cleaned off my steps early in the morning and pushed the junk off, but when I left later on there was about 3 inches. Good thing I wore my wellies because it was a wet mess. My car is frozen shut--even though the doors are unlocked--I can't open them!! Hopefully, within a couple of days this mess will go away. Then to see all my dead little plants underneath!! BWAHHH!

#17 Reprised (Kate) I found the Telegraph site, but the earliest diary entry I can find is from November 1997, when BJ is missing the plane.... are there any between the end of the book and this, and if so, where would I find them?? After having read the book and figuring out that there were *indeed* a number of missing months from the Bridget saga, I decided to check into it in my usual pitbull fashion! Using the awesome power of the web, I e-mailed the Telegraph and yesterday received the following answer from etcetera's features editor: "As to what happens between the end of the book and the start of the columns, Im afraid only Bridget Jones knows. Maybe Helen Fielding could bring out 'Bridget Jones's Diary: The Wilderness Year (or so)'. In any case, If I hear anything to help you, I shall let you know." So there you are. Those missing months do no exist, so we're not likely to know what happened between her and Mark that broke them up. :-( OK, so who's going to e-mail Helen?????

i will, just get her email address and i'll email her.

Why is this my job???? I'd suggest her UK publisher. What was it? Picador or something?

because karen you get the job done and the publisher will most definitely NOT give me her email address. you have your ways;-) i mean you emailed the telegraph:) in the words of Fitzwilliam Darcy, 'Go to it!'. hahahahahahaha!!!!

Reading the recent posts, they seem to assume that there is no gap - she has only been going out with Mark for a short time - months, not one and a half years - so it's almost as though she picked up the story where she left off.

I don't have my book here with me, but it ended around the holidays, Christmas, right?? The columns start at the beginning of November, which I believe is November of the following year because in Week 7 (Christmas Day), she and Mark are together at her parents home and she says: "Is always thrilling when there is something going on between you and someone else and no one else knows. Two Christmas days ago exactly it seemed as though Mark and me were going to start going out, then it all went wrong and Mum and Una were furious but now they do not know we are back together...." "Two Christmas days ago" is two years ago, when Mum and Una were plotting to introduce Bridge to Mark and then they met at Una's Turkey curry dinner. Something happened between when the book ended and November, when the diary picks up, and they broke up. That's just how I read it.

Will BJ's Diary be hugely popular in the US, as it is in the UK? Or will the cultural allusions (TV shows, personalities etc) cause a problem? Perhaps, some slight re-editing is needed. Do you have Blind Date and Gladiators on US TV?

We have singled out and gladiators on tv here stateside. similar to your blind date and gladiator show. And she is fairly popular already. I read an article in NYT that states that booksellers have been deluged with orders for this book. Viking Press has picked it up and will release it hardback in August.

I think some of the people she refers to will be a problem, but we'll muddle through. I do hope it isn't changed. Maybe a glossary at the back would suffice, but then again, when you have to explain jokes, they lose something. Even though I didn't *get* all the pop/political culture references, I still enjoyed the book and don't think I missed all that much.

I don't have my book here with me, but it ended around the holidays, Christmas, right?? The columns start at the beginning of November, which I believe is November of the following year because in Week 7 (Christmas Day), she and Mark are together at her parents home and she says: "Is always thrilling when there is something going on between you and someone else and no one else knows. Two Christmas days ago exactly it seemed as though Mark and me were going to start going out, then it all went wrong and Mum and Una were furious but now they do not know we are back together...." "Two Christmas days ago" is two years ago, when Mum and Una were plotting to introduce Bridge to Mark and then they met at Una's Turkey curry dinner. Something happened between when the book ended and November, when the diary picks up, and they broke up. That's right, and yet, when the column entries start, she talks about the relationship as though they've just started going out together.... maybe we'll have to email Helen F and ask her!

I think some of the people she refers to will be a problem, but we'll muddle through. I do hope it isn't changed. Maybe a glossary at the back would suffice, but then again, when you have to explain jokes, they lose something. Even though I didn't *get* all the pop/political culture references, I still enjoyed the book and don't think I missed all that much. I hope they don't change it (other than to add a glossary.... f***wittage might need some explanation?? ;-) ) but otherwise they should just leave it. It's good for people to have to try to understand each other - it's just that americans in general (please note - no disparaging comment intended here - just a comment on my experience as a non-american in the US) are less used to accomodating other cultural and linguistic experiences than people from other places. I mean, if we could watch Bull Durham and Major League, and be able to work out what was going on without any understanding of baseball, or read a book like Primary Colors, with a fairly minimal understanding of the ins and outs (gee, that was freudian...) of American politics, and get it, then I think you all will be able to deal with the odd inexplicable cultural reference. (Not being british, they were inexplicable to me too, though the language was probably more accessible)

Maybe, those of you who have British Cultural Backgrounds could help construct a glossary of terms right here.It would be a great contribution.towards cultural communication. I had no problem with the terms..or with the culture which, incidentally, I admire tremendously,.....it was the proper names ...political? televison personalities? pop stars? Anyway, it's a great read.

Why don't you post the names and we'll see if we can identify them?

Kate Why don't you post the names and we'll see if we can identify them? Thank you for your kind offer. Unfortunately,my copy of the book is on loan, but as soon as it is returned I shall take you up on your offer.

That's right, and yet, when the column entries start, she talks about the relationship as though they've just started going out together.... Didn't it also mention that Mark had recently come back from being in Japan. Maybe there wasn't a *real* breakup or anything, just that work took him out of the country for an extended time???? maybe we'll have to email Helen F and ask her! Better yet, Kate, Helen F is bound to come here when her book is published to do some promotional stuff. Maybe you and Jane E can go to a book-signing and ask her THE QUESTION!! Just be sure to put lots and lots of Post-It Notes of various colors in the book!!

i want to know why was he in Japan. what is he doing???? and wasn't he living there also. so bj only saw him sporadically.

Isn't he described as some big-time human rights lawyer? And wasn't he in the4 US before the book started?

Better yet, Kate, Helen F is bound to come here when her book is published to do some promotional stuff. Maybe you and Jane E can go to a book-signing and ask her THE QUESTION!! Just be sure to put lots and lots of Post-It Notes of various colors in the book!! LOL!. Regrettably, I suspect I will no longer be here when she arrives.... so someone else may have to do the job!

Just read through all the postings here. Thanks everyone for your replies to my question about whether BJ's Diary will be as popular in the US as it is in the UK. I think it's a really great book - and so do all my friends at work!!We've started quoting from it to each other...."very Bridget Jones". :-) Karen, I think the Daily Telegraph installments are intended to be partly a social commentary on the week's events in the UK, and so a lot of the references are topical (the Millenium Dome, Campaign for the Countryside etc). Laura, HF is supposed to have two sequel novels in the pipeline. I know that she wrote the Diary in the Independent for a couple of years before joining the Telegraph, and that is where you might find out about the missing year(s) in Mark & Bridget's relationship. But if there are a couple of sequels due, then HF must take us on from Christmas 1995! We can't just jump to November 1997! Kate, I really do think CF will play Mark Darcy. I don't think he's determined to "get the Darcy monkey off his back". He has said in interviews that he really appreciates the attention which Darcy has given him, and I'm sure he must see that the Mark Darcy role is one that most actors would covet, and should be his by right. Who else would play it? The book is very "hot", and the movie is being made by Working Title who made "Four weddings and a Funeral" - it's a plum role, and surely one that he can't r fuse! :-) Trina, the interview between Bridget and CF is given in full in one of the new websites listed in Ellen's FirthFAQ. I think it's called Colin's Timeline (the word "timeline" is mentioned, anyway. Just scroll along to BJ's Diary. Thanks, Laura, for starting this topic! I love the book (so many favourite bits, like when she tries to set the video recorder!) and the CF connection (hopefully!) is an added bonus. BTW Does everyone on the other topics (#67,69,59 etc) know about this?

she wrote the Diary in the Independent for a couple of years before joining the Telegraph, oh my goodness. I'll have to go looking for that. The book is very "hot", and the movie is being made by Working Title who made "Four weddings and a Funeral" - it's a plum role, and surely one that he can't refuse I hope you're right. I keeping checking on IMDB for it, and it's not there yet, so if you hear anything definite, please let us know! I was chatting to an acquaintance the other night and we were talking about the old britsh/american language divide and she mentions "f***wittage" and I knew immediately she'd read it! She picked it up in London, and loved it.... so the word is getting out here.

i used f***wittage all the time even before I had heard of Bridget. I use that and f***wit to refer to my ex-boyfriend:) I think he's the biggest one!

Thanks, Bethan, for all the additional info. The local events--even if explained to us--would likely not add all that much to our understanding. Thankfully, Bridget doesn't let us out by including the Clinton refs and the celebrity skiing accidents!! ;-) Kate, I looked ALL OVER the electronic Independent a while ago and its achives don't seem to have anything by Helen Fielding. (When are you going home?) I did find an interview somewhere in which Helen F explained f***wittage, but I didn't print it or write it down. I shall go looking for it again and post later. The features editor at the Telegraph didn't have a clue as to the missing time period, so it probably wasn't in the Independent either.

Kate, I looked ALL OVER the electronic Independent a while ago and its achives don't seem to have anything by Helen Fielding. I couldn't even find the archives, so you were doing better than me. (When are you going home?) some time in August I think. The features editor at the Telegraph didn't have a clue as to the missing time period, so it probably wasn't in the Independent either. Yeah, but they're competitors - it wouldn't be in his/her interest to know anything about it... s/he isn't going to send you off the Independent, is s/he?? ;-)

some time in August Then, unless you are traveling far and wide (i.e., outside of Manhattan), you m might be around when Helen comes to promote the book! I think it's going to come out in July. ;-) Re: Competitor's motivations. The features ed seemed quite nice and if HF isn't working for them now then what's the big deal??? he/she didn't even have to respond to me and even offered to get back to me if and when he/she found out anything.

(lizbeth) Trina, the interview between Bridget and CF is given in full in one of the new websites listed in Ellen's FirthFAQ. I think it's called Colin's Timeline (the word "timeline" is mentioned, anyway. Just scroll along to BJ's Diary. Thanks! Trina

Thanks to Lizbeth's directions, I just went back and re-read that hysterical interview that Bridget did with CF. Sorry if this has been asked before, but was there ever any talk about whether CF actually read that when it appeared in print, and if so, what did he think? I thought she painted a flattering portrait of him myself--ever charming in the face of zealous drooling!

Anglo-American Translation Time I don't have my Bridget here with me, but Rebecca is supposed to be wearing "snookerball-bottomed" jeans or something like that. I know what snooker is. So would this be what we called bell-bottomed pants? Strange, I would never described them as ball-shaped if that's what is meant. Anyway, I was sooo upset after this week's installment that I wanted to slap Bridget for being so dumb. How wrong she was about not cancelling out on the weekend. The jellyfisher is her acquaintance and why should she care if she cancelled out at the last minute. It isn't like Mark is going to go without her. Loved the line about Rebecca's bathing suit being cut up to the chandelier!

Snooker is the UK equivalent of pool. I took it to mean that Rebecca has a pert bum (UK)/ass(USA)! Yep, Bridget has been incredibly dumb. She should have been struck down with an imaginary virus. But it makes the next installment very interesting... will he/won't he?

HE BETTER NOT!!!!! hee hee;)the he'd would join the world class of f***wit's;)

I hadn't heard that line about sitting on a radiator since I was in high school, which was quite a while ago. Didn't think girls pulled that kind of schtick anymore?? ;-)

What!! No one has anything to say about last Saturday's installment?? Incredible! After the dismal feeling I had when that jellyfisher sicced her brother after Bridget the week before, I thought things were looking up. I mean who wouldn't with Mark strutting around the bedroom in barrister mode clad only in a towel!! ;-) Oooowwweeee!! So what's with Mark? Are they breaking up? Is he recalling his first marriage tand the other woman who cheated on him? Is he afraid of his own feelings? What is this yutz doing??? Signed, Nurse Shaz

Ah, but as he drove away he (angrily) wiped a tear from his face (didn't he?). Maybe he's just insecure! Bridget should never have mentioned those dire words "splitting up"! Long interview with Helen Fielding in this month's UK Vogue. There are two sequels (already in the pipeline)to BJ's Diary. HF is currently writing the screenplay for the movie (or was when interviewed for the article. Hopefully it is completed by now) It must be VERY tempting to introduce wet scenes, scenes in showers, scenes clad only in towels, scenes not clad in towels, scenes clad in wet towels etc, etc, etc!

Anger or sad that he was, in fact, going to split up with our neurotic girl? Terrible! Sinjun, a world famous eye, ear, nose and throat man!!

I think that BJ has it all wrong. He is just hurt. His pride was hurt because he thinks she doesn't trust him. IMVHO, of course;)

I agree. I think Bridget just aggravated the situation by trying to "explain." And what was he going to say? "But maybe we should.... (trust each other more?). Love the way BJ & co always turn to Thelma and Louise for comfort!

"But maybe we should.... (trust each other more?). Love the way BJ & co always turn to Thelma and Louise for comfort! Exactly!!! Although, I think he would've proposed marriage "But maybe we should get married!!!" okay wishful thinking on my part. Bridget is an obsessive/compulsive paranoid. After a while, it does get tiresome. We know and Mark knows how crazy he is about her, but she doesn't... She feels with his good looks and her mediocre looks (she thinks) that he will up and leave her for a Rebecca type. But Mark probably sees right past Rebecca and her shallowness, he is not stupid.

I never understood why they would use Thelma and Louise, i mean they die at the end!!! how empowering of a movie is that????

So, in your VHO, Mark is ready to settle down? He's tired of playing the field and can see that Rebecca is probably like that Natasha is the book? All flash and no substance. OK, but then where would Helen go with the columns? Will this turn into Ozzie and Harriet? or Mad About You (which wouldn't be bad)?

no, but i think he is trying to stabilise bridget. mad about you, oh please! ozzie and harriet, i'll throw up!!! I think mark is looking to settle down. why do you think he is sticking around in london and not taking the job in japan????? i think bridget would be another lucy actually!

i made absolutely no sense. what i am trying to say is that mark is looking to stabilise bridget. mark does see thru rebecca because he is a smart man. if he was just a man he would be taken in with her. he loves bridget unconditionally. and he trusts bridget. she doesn't trust him. part of her obsessive/compulsive paranoia.

But this is basically about real live human relationships.... women who feel they are too unattractive for the Mark Darcy's of this world, and that legs that go to the ceiling are more important that anything else.... men who don't communicate... women who worry about every little thing... men who don't understand what the problem is. That kind of stuff.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS. I FEEL LIKE CRYING!!! THIS IS HORRIBLE!!!! AS IN THE WORDS OF BJ GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I say that we boycott Helen Fielding!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is too much, way too much. How dare she do this to us pariahs!!!!! Karen, that's it I can't take the emotional rollercoaster. I feel like he is cheating on ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I say kill the commie B*****D!!! I hope HF sees this!!!! Oh, can you tell i'm quite pissed!!!!

Laura: that's it I can't take the emotional rollercoaster. I feel like he is cheating on ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I say kill the commie B*****D!!! I hope HF sees this!!!! They open-neck white shirt tells it all. So out of character for him. I can't stand it!!! How can we survive another week!!

AAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!! I hate this story. (Kate) But this is basically about human relationships Shall we add *assholes* to your list of human foibles?? Laura re: rollercoasters Remember the lust that was in his eyes when he saw Rebecca in that high-cut bathing suit. Sometimes they just can't get beyond those urges. Smartness has nothing to do with it--most of the time--and that goes both ways. Evelyn Why can't this be a daily column! This waiting until Saturday is killing me. I'm soooo trying to be rationale here, but I tooo can't stand it. Where is the "and they all lived happily ever after"!! :-(

If it was Happily ever after, then it would be Ozzie and Harriet, your words Karen;) I, too, am trying to be rational, am introducing my Irish friend, Helen to BJ and she will soon enough become quite addicted because i will make her!!! Helen P. my friend says hello!!!!!! Sorry, drinking wine due to totally depression for Bridget!!!! am abouyt to leave to go to liquor store for more!!! Karen call me tomorrow!!! we must talk!!!! this is ridiculous!!!!

Voice of reason here! Remember there are two sequels to the book and Mark and Bridget have broken up before. The relationship is rekindled when he asks her to join him in Paris for the weekend (and she accidently sets fire to the flat!). And premature happy endings could mean that we would lose interest in HF's column! BUT.....what a downer. I much prefer it when he's buying her tight red nighties and calling her "darling" and being sweet. Maybe he's got a good excuse...a business meeting with Rebecca? Or maybe Rebecca is comforting him and he really wants to have Bridget back. Why the open necked shirt though? Wait until next week!!

I knew you would come through, Bethan--or should we call you Miss Optimism!! Why the open necked shirt though? The "white, undone shirt" likely resulted from Rebecca attacking him in the back seat of the cab. But will we *really* ever know??? Re: the two sequals Any news on when at least one of them will be published? You know we want to know why they broke up the first time and how Bridge and Thelma and Louise got along. Would be terrible if Mark brought Rebecca to any neighborhood family Easter egg hunt or some such thing!! Ultra tacky.

(Karen) What!! No one has anything to say about last Saturday's installment?? Incredible! After the dismal feeling I had when that jellyfisher sicced her brother after Bridget the week before, I thought things were looking up. I mean who wouldn't with Mark strutting around the bedroom in barrister mode clad only in a towel!! ;-) Oooowwweeee!! Oh dear! I haven�t been keeping up with the diary lately...obviously I�m missing some seriously juicy stuff. Gotta get there...

(Bethan) Voice of reason here! Remember there are two sequels to the book and Mark and Bridget have broken up before. The relationship is rekindled when he asks her to join him in Paris for the weekend (and she accidently sets fire to the flat!). And premature happy endings could mean that we would lose interest in HF's column! Voice of Reason, Puhleeze!!!!! WHY OH WHY IS HE WITH HER!!!!! Okay to get back to some semblance of sanity here, granted they have broken up before, but we do not know the reason why??? and Why would he be so distraught last week and with the jellyfisher this week???? It just doesn't make any sense. Now, my question is: Does Bridget just let it happen??? or does she go all Fatal Attraction and hop out of the car and confront them??? I can tell you that Rebecca would have no more long legs after I got through with her!!!! hee hee;)

(Nan)Oh dear! I haven�t been keeping up with the diary lately...obviously I�m missing some seriously juicy stuff. Gotta get there... Where you been?? Yes, you are missing some great stuff!! Mark has done some ooo-soo-meltingly stuff lately and seems to be in heat quite often!! Indicated by lots of "mmmmmmms" interspersed. (Laura) or does she go all Fatal Attraction and hop out of the car and confront them??? Interesting choice of movie analogies...Like a bunny rabbit? a boiled bunny rabbit? Or perhaps like an attendee at a Tarts and Vicar party who has a bunny tail pinned on her arse? ;-) Definitely time to get Tom, the fag hag involved. Bridget needs serious direction now. A dumb Bridget would show up drunk on his doorstep, no wait, I did that many years ago. Forget I typed that!!

Nan will back. She is fighting with her suicidal computer.

Well Myretta nothing like bringing us back to real life;) I forget that Bridget is NOT a real character. But, like her, this has happened to me. I was in a restaurant and my boyfriend told me he had to go to graduation party. I saw him with another girl. I was soooo devastated;( hell, I was only 19! but boy did I confront him!!! hee hee:)

Point of information, Please. In last week's installment: What is; Jaffa Cake, who is Jarvis Cocker, and are 1471 calls like caller ID. But it doesn't make sense with "1471 - calls: 12 (better)" Will some friend across the Pond pl. explain . Thank you.

What is; Jaffa Cake Revolting sweet thing, a cross between a cake and a biscuit(cookie). Chocolate covered. Translating cooking terms into American is difficult but in English english, I would describe it as made of sponge, filled with jam and topped with chocolate! who is Jarvis Cocker Pop singer. Skinny, bespectacled. But it doesn't make sense with "1471 - calls: 12 (better) She calls 1471 which tells her the number of the last caller. I presume she keeps dialling every time she thinks she has been out of earshot of the 'phone just in case?? Hope that helps.

BTW jam = jelly!

and the jam is orange flavoured, yes? hence the jaffa....

I had a jaffa cake and it is sickly sweet. sorta like our twinkies only covered in chocolate with jam instead of cream. But when depressed, it is the most wonderful thing to eat!!! And poor Bridget is very, very depressed:( I think Mark needs to get off his high horse and run back to her and explain everything!!! And Bridget needs to become the ice woman once again and make him beg to come back!!!!

ooh i meant to say in ireland when in ireland! i had jaffa cake but it was called something else!!!!

Is it just me, or have all the other boards gone dead? When are we moving to spring.net, or have we already done it and all the conversation is going on somewhere else??