No it isn't irony, it's true!
We could need some balancing out all the bad news that travels over the world with the speed of light,
this is a place to post good news, personal and general.
Maybe you've found a new job, got a raise, found a long lost friend or you saw some really good news in your local paper, go on post it we all need to hear it! :)
To start things of; the grapevine says Lambi got a new job! :)
My back is feeling better. :D
Cheers to new job Lambi
and a better back dear Pachyderm
OK, folks.
AMAZING news. Spectacular news. ASTOUNDING news.
We all know that the Chatty has been driving the Hated Nasty Green Momvan. It eatses the gas BADLY...and it's a big, clunky van...and if I have to go to Louisiana to do the doctor, surgery, check-ups thing...it would eat me alive on the gas bill.
Somehow, I have an amazing group of friends, both in pixel-space and in meatspace.
Some meatspace friends are buying me a 2003 Toyota Echo. We've been looking at cars, online, in person, etc. (These are friends in Killeen.) Today, after the Mom Doctor Appointment and Errand Running Festival, I was to go look on a dealer lot at something I had seen on Autotrader. It wasn't 'what I wanted' but, I was gonna look.
97 degrees out, hot and grouchy, I was "Go home, look later." No, the Fates, the whatever, God in some form...said "Get thee to that dealership NOW. NOWNOWNOWNOW." So I went.
No, the Mazda 626 was a 6 cyl, it was ALSO a standard...and the limited use of my left side means my standard shift driving days are pretty much over. BUT, off to the side, not with the rest...there was a 2003 Echo. White, immaculate, you could eat off the engine it was so clean. Traded in 30 minutes earlier. Would have been gone to the detailer's 10 minutes later, and not back before late tomorrow, which would have been AFTER I'd looked there.
The elderly couple that traded it in on a Kia Rio (Kia/Hyundai are the leaders in gas mileage on the new car ratings, almost across the board, but definitely in the small and mid-sized cars) had dropped it and gotten their car this afternoon. They'd gone to the Toyota dealer to buy another Echo, but the salesman told them they didn't make the Echo anymore---never mentioning the Yaris replacing it!
So...one 'ding' where someone rear-ended the car with a front bumper winch. NO bumper damage, just a 1.5 inch slight crease in the trunk deck, but it's been painted (dealership) and is not noticeable unless you LOOK hard.
The price they were asking was $900 below NADA trade-in, and $2,800 below NADA retail--for one with higher mileage!
And Frank and Tris bought it for me. Bank transfer tomorrow. These are NOT wealthy people. He was without a 'meaningful' job for over 6 years, AND they have a daughter in college, in a private school. But, they are my friends, and we love each other.
At 38/mpg, I CAN drive to Louisiana when I need to. I CAN have the medical stuff done I need done.
I am blessed. Such good people don't come along often...but I'm glad that they're my friends, and shocked that they wanted to do this.
Now, THAT is pretty good news!!
Yay, Chatty!
And hugs to your friends Frank and Tris...
:YaY:
You have amazing friends (probably be cause you are a amazing friend too) Big hugs and kudos to your friends!
I am so freaking happy right now for my darling auntie I can't believe it
that is a real blessing
And dear Grif has made it to base camp.
Congrats Chatty! Hopefully it will be as reliable as mine has been. BTW those are made in Japan (as opposed to Corollas and Camrys). Enjoy!
:driver:
I am done with high school.
Two more things - I need to play piano for some silly senior celebration, and I need to attend my own graduation.
And that's it! Done! Donedonedonedonedone!
Quote from: Alpaca on May 31, 2008, 05:02:41 PM
I am done with high school.
Two more things - I need to play piano for some silly senior celebration, and I need to attend my own graduation.
And that's it! Done! Donedonedonedonedone!
(http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p133/BobQuantumFaith/scholar.gif)
Quote from: anthrobabe on May 29, 2008, 02:02:51 PM
Cheers to new job Lambi
and a better back dear Pachyderm
Thanks, anthrobabe!
AND... on top of all that (and to complement Chatty's new car story), I got a vehicle last week. Just in time, too, since my old van's strut tower was getting to the point that it shouldn't be on the road much longer.
It's another 10-year-old minivan, but with mileage that suits a car half that age, and overall condition that suits a car half THAT age... and what I paid was at the lower end of the 10-year-old minivan price range. ;D
Oh goody goody goody ! Good news is good news ! I have just spotted my ole calico cutey cat yesterday .
And I have made a new furry feline friend as well !
Senior celebration today. Got the departmental awards from Arts and Science, and the faculty's "who we like" award. Whee!
All that's left of high school is now graduation on the 8th!
Yay. The Irish have thrown out the superstate treaty. ;D
Of course the EU despots will do it anyway, but it cheered me up.
Please cancel all previous HAPPY about the car. The SOB lied to me, there was masive badly repaired front end damage that didn't show up...
Palmer Kia, Bryan Texas. They'll "fix it" (a different car or the money back) or I will need help covering every automotive website on the 'net with the story. (Newspapers and TV I'll get).
The car just shorts out while running...
Heck, the Good News Channel has already been subverted by bad news IMHO :ROFL:
Quote from: Griffin NoName on June 14, 2008, 02:05:49 PM
Heck, the Good News Channel has already been subverted by bad news IMHO :ROFL:
I fully intend for it to be translated into good news, as this guy has a fairly new dealership and doesn't need the BAD word of mouth he's going to get if I'm not made EXTREMELY happy with the solution...
A very recent model Kia would be fine, or any other safe and economical and well-running car. THIS one, once I stuck my head inside and halfway under the engine compartment?? (Where you can see the front end damage...) No way. If they put it on a lift before they took it in trade, they're crazy to have taken it.
Never trust a Damn Yankee (the jerk that owns the place is from Minnesota). I shoulda known better...
Quote from: Sibling Chatty on June 14, 2008, 11:47:50 PM
Never trust a Damn Yankee (the jerk that owns the place is from Minnesota). I shoulda known better...
Hey! My favorite brother was born in Minnesota.
So was my favorite fictional small town....Lake Woebegone. :mrgreen:
I think the correct term is: "never trust a
salesman"...... ::)
There's a difference between a Yankee and a Damn Yankee.
This guy gets a chance to prove it...
Quote from: Sibling Chatty on June 15, 2008, 04:38:17 AM
There's a difference between a Yankee and a Damn Yankee.
This guy gets a chance to prove it...
Has he got a carpet bag?
:mrgreen:
i have a very exciting job interview in Cornwall on friday! whoopppeeee! ;D
Congratulations Goat !
So how did it go sibling Goat?
Finally my AC is fixed and cooling! Hurray!!!
Floors dry!
[Floors & walls bleach/water cleaned and all damaged items gone. Dehumidifiers working hard.]
Last night's thunderstorm did not cause water table to rise (visibly) again! Yay!
Yay Pieces!
Been watching the flooding news and rain patterns.
Might we borrow a ton of rain? We're about to have to go without a July 4 fireworks show again, unless they take it onto the lake this time...
=============
About the car. The dealer has it back, assuring me that the electrical fix would be done, or he'd refund... He's had it since yesterday morning, and not a word.
Getting it from where it gave me enough trouble to quit to the dealership? 70 miles, 7 hours, over 2 days. Pushed it with the van a good deal of the night attempt.
Arrrgh. But it WILL be fixed...or replaced.
Finally hurting too much from gas prices commuting 40 miles or so each way in my truck - About $500 a month for gas!
So I bought myself a 2001 BMW R1100R motorcycle, which will run me about $160 a month in gas for commuting. And the payments on the bike are less than half of what I'll be saving on gas. When my Jeep sells, I'll pay off the note (no penalties on that :D) on the Bike and buy the fairing I want for the Bike, and save even more gas and be able to ride at least 90% of the time.
I love motorcycles. :D And I've always wanted, but could never afford a Boxer style BMW.
CAR NEWS!!
OK, the 2003 Echo at the great price is out. Too much time, not enough confidence.
So, we take every penny into the Echo, apply it to HIS COST on a 2004 Kia Spectra that he has on the lot for $9838, and I owe him $707, which he will take at $100 a month. Financing my TT&L out of his pocket.
Slightly bigger than the Echo, (Elantra sized) a few MPG less on the highway. Still has a bit of original dealer warranty left on it...52,632 mileage. Silver, grey interior. And I can depend on it to get me to Louisiana.
Nice guy, really good deal to try to keep me happy. I'm happy!
I've rented one of those Spectras.
I'd be happy to own one of those myself. A thoroughly nice car to drive, and surprisingly roomy for its external size.
I think you'll be happy with it. :D
So when we drive it to Louisville to visits Dan's sister, do I get to see your motorcycle??
(I don't ride them anymore. I have become accustomed to having mosh of my skin attached to my body...)
If you come through AR I want you to call me--- depending on the day I might can even make it to Texarkana if you are going to just slide across via Shreveport.
Quote from: Sibling Chatty on June 24, 2008, 03:25:48 AM
So when we drive it to Louisville to visits Dan's sister, do I get to see your motorcycle??
(I don't ride them anymore. I have become accustomed to having mosh of my skin attached to my body...)
Yes please! Y'all can certainly stop for a break on the journey. You'd be welcome to stop the night, if it is convenient for you...
I would
love to see you both. :balloons: :grouphug: :woot: :fireworks_smile:
Come and meet us, including the dogs (the cats probably won't admit you exist ::) )
Please. please, please.
Dan's probably amenable to a stop.
He's a closet Anglophile, ya know...
Let me get this mess cleaned up with da tumors and stuff, and see how soon I'm 'travel ready'.
HEE!! Party at Mero's!!
I just mentioned to SWMBO (Linda) that I'd invited you.
She looked horrified.
Then I finished the sentence about how it would be in a while and you'd let us know the dates.
She was no longer horrified.
Seems she thought I was going to say "And they'l be here in about 20 minutes. " :P
She said "so I don't have to go change my shirt right now!" :D
"Cool", she said.
Oh how I wish I could join you, but living on the other side of the big pond that's not likely to happen. :(
Okay, I'm happy, now.
This morning, while talking on the phone, I was sitting at my computer desk (it's quite cluttered), and I looked down, and spotted....
....yes, I believe it is...
...something I thought was gone forever...
...my little MP3 player lying amidst the clutter on the floor.
It seems my trusty cat had knocked it off my desk, and it bounced and slid under some computer parts I was--ahem--storing yeah, that's right! Storing! down there, under my desk/table.
I picked it up, brushed off the dust, and turned it on-- it WORKS! It's battery even showed 84%-- excellent, as I haven't charged it in 4 or 5 months...
I connected it to my PC, and there everything was, just like I left it last.
I don't care what people say, it's the LITTLE things that can make your day, sometimes.
:D :D :D
YAY for Bob!!
Havin' da tunes is good.
Hell, I'll brag redundantly, because I'm elated. Copied from significant things thread. I still think standardized testing is ineffective, inaccurate, and stupid, but whatever.
Got my AP scores! Finally! YAY!
Bragging time:
Chem - 5
English - 5
Euro - 5
Calc BC - 5
(Calc AB subscore - 5)
Physics C Mechanics - 5
Physics C Electromag - 5
WHEEE!
Congrats 'Paca, assuming those scores are not in %. ;)
Congratulations!
WOOT!!
Way to go, 'Paca!!
Wow, Alpaca! Fantastic job!
Congratulations.
What's Euro?
Football competition, currency?
(Beagle suspecting another EU plot).
EU plot to teach us some history about that continent from the plague till the end of the USSR.
Ah right. Wonder why they picked the plague rather than classical Greece and Rome. Perhaps they didn't want to courrupt American youth with tales of evil polytheists. Or they figured you'd watch it on HBO anyway.
Come on matey...you can't beat a nice set of Buboes. All the Greeks had to offer was some dodgy philosophy, crumbly ill advised un-earthquake friendly architecture and the odd scrap with the Persians.
Quote from: beagle on July 17, 2008, 07:14:30 AM
Ah right. Wonder why they picked the plague rather than classical Greece and Rome. Perhaps they didn't want to courrupt American youth with tales of evil polytheists. Or they figured you'd watch it on HBO anyway.
I believe there's another AP exam for what they call "World History" (it's true that the Greeks and Romans didn't exactly confine themselves to Europe). Also, the plague is apparently a very popular place to start - in my first two years of high school, there were two required history courses for everybody. (APs in later years are very optional. And "challenging.") The first went from prehistory to... um... whatever the teacher could cover... and the second started at the plague and went to... um... I think we finished World War I?
APs have an actual standardized curriculum, though. And I had an excellent teacher this past year.
History at Oxford University starts at 300 A.D.
:mrgreen:
So they skip that era that featured Racquel Welch in a fur bikini then?
At least they don't start at 4004 B.C.
A certain other place keeps giving me annoying hints its 800th birthday is coming up and it would quite like a nice present.
I only said it started there :mrgreen:
In the second year, you can study Greek History c.650 BC ;D (or later Roman of course).
As to the other place, move, and leave no forwarding address. (..... could failure to do this possibly be why I am the only person who gets bothered by this kind of problem in our family).
Quote from: Griffin NoName on July 17, 2008, 07:02:29 PM
I only said it started there :mrgreen:
In the second year, you can study Greek History c.650 BC ;D (or later Roman of course).
As to the other place, move, and leave no forwarding address. (..... could failure to do this possibly be why I am the only person who gets bothered by this kind of problem in our family).
I, as a policy,
never, ever leave forwarding addresses. I specifically notify only those businesses or persons whom I
want to send me mail. The others can find me at their own expense... ::)
Quote from: Griffin NoName on July 17, 2008, 07:02:29 PM
I only said it started there :mrgreen:
In the second year, you can study Greek History c.650 BC ;D (or later Roman of course).
Trust them to be going the opposite way to everybody else.
Quote
As to the other place, move, and leave no forwarding address. (..... could failure to do this possibly be why I am the only person who gets bothered by this kind of problem in our family).
That only works for the beginners. To shake off the Readers Digest it took the "pile of clothes on the beach" technique, and this lot and Everest double-glazing seem to have psychic limpet skills.
Don't even mention Everest Double glazing...it turns me into someone from that old sketch by Abbot and Costello:
http://www.clown-ministry.com/index_1.php?/site/articles/bagel_street_susquehanna_hat_company_abbott_and_costello_famous_vaudeville/ (http://www.clown-ministry.com/index_1.php?/site/articles/bagel_street_susquehanna_hat_company_abbott_and_costello_famous_vaudeville/)
Quote from: Black Bart on July 18, 2008, 02:09:30 PM
Don't even mention Everest Double glazing...it turns me into someone from that old sketch by Abbot and Costello:
I expect that's why Beagle mentioned it ;)
After stalemate for decades suddenly it looks like progress on prostate cancer with Abiraterone , and on Alzheimers with Rember.
But still no progress on Everest Double Glazing!
Near where I live there's a converted warehouse with a third floor door leading straight out into space above a stream. It's given me an idea.
Quote from: beagle on July 31, 2008, 09:21:34 PM
After stalemate for decades suddenly it looks like progress on prostate cancer with Abiraterone , and on Alzheimers with Rember.
progress.....mumble....mumble....mumble.....but when will every patient have free and equal access in every postcode?.... mutter....mutter....grumble.
And judging by Black Bart's change of appearance we desperately need some stronger drugs very quickly, right here, right now, never mind his concerns with glazing.
Oi finks Bartie looks luverly!!
Byootifel beard...room fer several bird nests!
Thank you so much...it makes all the tickling worth while. ;D
Pachyderm's been spotted in the general vicinity!
Always nice!
My sister is home from Maryland! Kind of nice to have her back.
My sister is way up North in Newcastle...which is a good thing...
No, I don't mean it.
Hi Bart! Long time, no see. :mrgreen:
Ahoy matey...I never wander far from the Admiral Benbow...otherwise I get lost! :beer:
My friend S got a little baby boy the evening of 9/8!
:itsaboy:
He's healthy and both he and his mother is doing fine.
:)
That is the Daddy of all good news. ;D
My Mother has moved to Stafford, with my brother.
FREEEEEE!!! I'm FREEE!!
No 11 PM calls to come find the TV remote, no 8 AM calls to 'remind' me of a doctor's appointment I didn't know she had...at 9:30.
No waiting until I'm on my way home from a shopping trip to add 4 things to her list, two of which are critical.
Let HIM have the fun. And that big green gas guzzling van.
Yay for you! :mrgreen:
:woot:
:woot:
:YaY:
Joy. Rapture.
This post is brought to you via My Laptop !!
:)
Happy to hear that Griffin!
Quote from: Sibling Chatty on September 01, 2008, 12:44:56 AM
My Mother has moved to Stafford, with my brother.
FREEEEEE!!! I'm FREEE!!
No 11 PM calls to come find the TV remote, no 8 AM calls to 'remind' me of a doctor's appointment I didn't know she had...at 9:30.
No waiting until I'm on my way home from a shopping trip to add 4 things to her list, two of which are critical.
Let HIM have the fun. And that big green gas guzzling van.
:fireworks_spread: now the big question-does he want another one-mine-then he'd have it in stereo!
Quote from: Griffin NoName on September 01, 2008, 12:43:35 PM
Joy. Rapture.
This post is brought to you via My Laptop !!
:rockon:
Ooh, good run of luck, in here! I'd better dance while I have the chance!
:taz: :taz: :taz: :taz: :taz:
Hot damn, (wo)man! Great to hear!
My own little bit of good news--My photo A Haunted Dream was featured in the September issue of Naked In The Hall (http://www.fluffycheese.com/nith/index.html) (a Canadian webzine that's just getting started).
Oops! Even cut-and-pasting your link did not work....!
Need "URL=" in the first bit...
I dunn it - added "L" to "ur".
~ Griffin the forum back room typo genius.
Oooh.... fishy! ;D
It's good... and the title fits.
May give me nightmares about the mummified* salmon head in the freezer.
*salt-cured, same thing.
I still get a "404 unknown" error whenever I try to click the linky....
I had to navigate from the main page, 'cos I got the 404 too. :P
Thanks Aggie! :D
Trying again... (http://www.fluffycheese.com/nith/index.htm)
I see it! Noice! Especially bumped up to large size.
Aaaaah. NOW it makes sense. Well, in a dream-y sort of way... :)
I like it, but it makes me think of Fish Head Stew.
Thanks!
Quote from: Black Bart on September 05, 2008, 03:45:11 PM
I like it, but it makes me think of Fish Head Stew.
Mm, didn't think Threshers made good soup. But you can try, yeah?
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on September 06, 2008, 12:17:01 AM
Thanks!
Quote from: Black Bart on September 05, 2008, 03:45:11 PM
I like it, but it makes me think of Fish Head Stew.
Mm, didn't think Threshers made good soup. But you can try, yeah?
What does Fish Head Stew have to do with good soup? ;D
For further good news, I have moved back to Scotland (yay!).
And, now, I have the Intarweb connected.
Hurrah !!!!!!!!
You have been missed.
Quote from: Pachyderm on September 08, 2008, 02:09:55 AM
For further good news, I have moved back to Scotland (yay!).
And, now, I have the Intarweb connected.
Beamed back to Earth, then? ::)
Yep. The West Midlands are effectively the dark side of the Moon.
Now I can see actual trees when I get up, and the air is fresh, and I don't have to filter the water or anything. It's fabulous.
Quote from: Pachyderm
Yep. The West Midlands are effectively the dark side of the Moon.
But with less atmosphere.
I should still put something in the water if I were you; just to be sure.
Oh, we do. It's called uisge-beatha. :D
Water of life, right?
Do you prefer it peaty, smoky or fiery? ;D
Quote from: Pachyderm on September 09, 2008, 01:18:09 PM
Oh, we do. It's called uisge-beatha. :D
Och aye...put a drop o Laphroaig in it for me.
I am thrilled to hear our beloved Pach-Man is in a happier place.
(I was going to say "a far better place" but it sounded too macabre.)
My personal favourite is The Bunnahabhain 25 year old.
Sweet, soft, golden.
But at £160 a bottle, not a common beverage for me. (All in good time, the well-paid job will turn up...)
I tend to prefer the milder whiskies, but will happily indulge in any single malt or decent blend.
And, Opas, it is a far better place. I just need a card strung round me neck that says "I ATENT DEAD". ;D
Quote from: Pachyderm on September 09, 2008, 10:37:36 PM
My personal favourite is The Bunnahabhain 25 year old.
Sweet, soft, golden.
But at £160 a bottle, not a common beverage for me. (All in good time, the well-paid job will turn up...)
I tend to prefer the milder whiskies, but will happily indulge in any single malt or decent blend.
And, Opas, it is a far better place. I just need a card strung round me neck that says "I ATENT DEAD". ;D
We always end the quiz with a glass of Laphroaig...it smells like TCP so it's purley medicinal.
:offtopic:
Quote from: Black Bart on September 12, 2008, 01:53:07 PM
We always end the quiz with a glass of Laphroaig...it smells like TCP so it's purley medicinal.
What a stupid quiz if it always ends with the same question. Must encourage repeat custom. A case for the monopolies commission.
Yarrrgh. All yer postes sounde loike a cranky ole bat t'day.
Wot ales ye?
Quote from: pieces o nine on September 12, 2008, 09:19:07 PM
Yarrrgh. All yer postes sounde loike a cranky ole bat t'day.
Wot ales ye?
Griffin's just jealous of me quaffing Laphroaig and getting to shout 'Yes it is, no it isn't.' :beer:
:blush: Bart's right. Constantly wish I was up to Quiz Night.
#~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My new laptop arrived. Now I need to have the courage to unpack it. ;D
Quote from: Griffin NoName on September 15, 2008, 04:52:27 PM
Now I need to have the courage to unpack it. ;D
Just imagine how much fun you can have with the box, like building a box fortress... Maybe that will help you find the courage. :)
It can't be as bad as unpacking a new Large Hadron Collider or a new dvd recorder...can it?
In further good news for the Elephantine One, it is my first day at work in the Belfast. Off to do a badger survey shortly. Hooray! And I got an instant promotion. Came in to get sorted out for emails etc, and was told I was now a senior ecologist, due to qualifications and experience. I heartily recommend joining a company set up by one of your friends....
Well Done !
I thought badgers only came out at night. Don't be alarmed if you don't see any ;D
Anyways, what are you asking them ? A survey of what they think of the pre-budget would be topical.
Easy. You just need statistics to show that 9 out of 10 badgers would welcome a new Tesco being built on their field. As the little fellows are quite shy you might have to help them with the answers.
Actually, the way the economy is going it might be proving that 9 out of 10 badgers and property developers want to knock down some houses and put up a cherry orchard.
Do we have to bring Tolstoy into this?
Chekhov, but let's not go there again.
Woops !
they all look the same to me
Would have thought the same applied to badgers too. How do know you haven't counted the same one twenty times? I suppose nailing the ones you've counted to a fence post breaks some green guideline or other.
:ROFL:
No wonder they only come out at night!
Spare a thought for Pachyderm lurking in his field. If he's caught by either the RUC or IRA then he'll be lucky to get away with "I was counting badgers".
Yay, Pachy! :pinkelephant:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
On a related note, I'm on a week-long tenterhook to get the results of the Very Good Job interview I had last week.
T E N S I O N T E N S I O N T E N S I O N T E N S I O N T E N S I O N
Meanwhile, I was "instantly" hired for an interim position related to my field and experience, which would mean survival if the other doesn't come through as planned. As the gods are first-class jokesters, I'm rather expecting [and by "expecting" I mean "hoping"] to get either a call-back or an offer on Monday, while I'm orf at me ovver newe jobbe.
Signing off:
Still anxious and worried, but starting to breathe again after an interminable nightmare.
Fingers firmly crossed for you Po'9!
And I really hope the badgers doesn't think Pachy is badgering them...
Badgers are scary little blighters. They can look after themselves!
Quote from: beagle on November 24, 2008, 08:33:58 PM
Would have thought the same applied to badgers too. How do know you haven't counted the same one twenty times? I suppose nailing the ones you've counted to a fence post breaks some green guideline or other.
OH naughty (but of course this is why I do love my sibling so)! Actually the get color coded leg bands or something--(like I have any sort of clue ::) ) watch out for the musk Pachy.
Very Happy for Po9--
YAY Pachy, YAY pieces.
Beagle, the way to tell if you have counted them or not?? Ask their mothers. A mother wouldn't lie, you know.... :mrgreen:
The current guidelines seem to be that if a badger coughs, it's shotgun time...
Beagle, I had thought of the situation re: people with guns. if it's the RUC or the Army, should be fine. They will just call the office, and all will be sorted. If it's the other mobs, half of them will shoot me for "spying on their arms caches", and the other half will shoot me for having an English accent. Protesting that I am a Scot in mellifluous tones might not be terribly effective.
Good luck, Pieces. Hope all falls out the way you want it.
:D Luck to the both of you!
Hey Pachy. Do you take sandwiches to work? The smell might affect the number of badgers you see. Now, where did I put my list of badger survey jokes?
The good news is: I am even ILLER than usual, so I cannot post as much as I normally would, which is good, because most of my posts are likely to be exceedingly horrid, in a variety of ways AND I am willfully disobeying my First Ruke which is NOT to dsirupt/off-topic/rule-break etc. but I won't be able to much.
Jest don' poke thee badjerrrs wiv spoones wen ye counts 'em, Pachy. According t' Eddie Izzarrrghd, hits no longer origin awl.
(http://php-fusion.co.uk/images/avatars/avatar_badger%5B6136%5D.gif)
h'anovver foine cross-thread rule issue - http://toadfishmonastery.com/forum/index.php?topic=343.msg80190#msg80190 - H'oi blames P09 Yarrrrhghg!
be that good news?
I have a job interview on Friday!
:)
Good vibes are appreciated :nailbite:.
Good luck! What's the job?
Hugs and vibes, Darl!
:badger: :taz: :badger: :taz: :badger:
That's fantastic Darlica !
...fingers and paws crossed, Darlica...
Yay, Darlica!!
And copy on the fingers and paws crossed.
===========
In other GOOD NEWS, we are no longer dreading the Return of The Mother. The Mother will be in an apartment in Rosenberg, which will be "on the way home" for The Brother where he is currently moving (with Spouse #5) rather than where they moved her a few months ago...
The mother will still be a distance away, impossible for me to run and do for, but will NOT be in Bay City, the place that the nozzle goes in when God gives the world an enema.
Yay for no-Momcare responsibilities returning to make my life hell again!
^ yay! :high5:
Hooooooooooooooraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!
Boris is scrapping congestion charging for the London western extension.
Perhaps my vote counted.
There was a public vote on it in September but as far as I could see no advertising that the vote was happening. It was announced as part of a consultative process when Boris became Mayor. I wonder how many people actually knew there was a vote on offer, and how many actually voted.
I'm quite happy with central London charging, but the western extension is ordinary living areas and communities, local shops and amenities etc. Rather different.
Anyway, a great job creation scheme for road painters who will now have to paint over all the large "C"s on all the roads teehee. And for sign removers. Too bad for the revenue workers; they can go to JobSeekers.
Wonder if this is a public spending cut? (net income < cost of running scheme?) Maybe my vote didn't count.
Environmentally it will make no difference as the central charging effect was that numbers of vehicles rose back to the original number over the years after the proletariat got used to paying up and the wealthy never even noticed it.
Whatever, Good News IMHO. Out with another tax on the poor.
Welcome to the Tory party. Still sorry Ken lost? ;)
Bay City, the place that the nozzle goes in when God gives the world an enema
Sorry, that particular "honour" goes to Coventry. The fact that I no longer live there (and haven't for a couple of months) still makes me smile....
Quote from: beagle on November 27, 2008, 12:49:43 PM
Welcome to the Tory party. Still sorry Ken lost? ;)
mmmmm I had no preference between Boris and Ken. Who knows what Ken was up to ;) ;) If the job of London Mayor is to be a colourful character it's hard to choose. I'm not going to like most of what they do in any case; political affiliation seems almost irrelevant. At present I think we are on a wave of Boris undoing Ken Stuff I didn't like so I may be happy for a while until he starts doing nasty stuff on his own in big measures. Let's see how he does on Bendy Buses. And the faffing about on Heathrow that's ongoing.
Politically, for Mayor, and for
London Mayor, which
ought to be a bit detatched from party lines IMHO, that policeman chappy might have been good. But he was never going to win because he is just too ordinary, never mind politics.
No, No, it will still take hell freezing over to get me into the Do-Nothing Party ;D
Boris is so very similar to London's very first mayor...
He's a Dick!
Nice, guys.
My happiness for today: the semester's almost over! I will sooooo happy on the 19th, when all this lot is over. I have most of my crap out of the way, and all that's left is to study and do the very last few assignments.
Good News!!
I have remembered this link---
Snowflakes-make one (http://www.popularfront.com/snowdays/)
I have got to update my Flash to access it. Funny, I could access it last month just fine.
It's our works Christmas "lunch" today. We are going out for a meal, then off to the Continental market in the town for copious amounts of beverages, and I suspect, currywursts later on. (Had one at the weekend. Glorious, simply glorious) James, our boss, has already decided that he won't be coming in tomorrow. There are advantages to having your own company. Fortunately, James, being a Very Nice Guy, has told the rest of us that as he isn't going to be coming in, we don't have to either. And it isn't costing us any holiday days either. Officially, tomorrow doesn't exist...
I'm heading off to Galway for the weekend , instead.
First the bad news; I missed BB's party.
Now the good news; I missed BB's party.
Aww, when was it? :(
My good news! History studying is DONE, essay's half done, half my economics studying is done.
Bad news is is that there's the other half to do...
Quote from: Griffin NoName on December 14, 2008, 08:00:42 PM
First the bad news; I missed BB's party.
Now the good news; I missed BB's party.
:ROFL:
It made the telley--- BBC 2 even broke into the cricket finals between Upper South Hampton and Lower East Hampton ages 5 to 10 division finals.
The fire marshall (it would seem) also has an extensive list of questions....
And Tiddles wants his truss back!
I am DONE for the semester! :woohoo: :stars:
Good work! :)
Can we crawl from Bart's to Scrib's?
Crawl on over! There will be EGGNOG.
I woke myself up laughing again.
Dreamt I was holding a "Bring a Random" party. Attendees had to find some total stranger and convince them to come to a party. people were turning up with someone they met at the bus stop, in the newsagent, library, Ann Summers shop.
Doorbell goes, and on the doorstep is a friend of mine, one John MacKinnon. He is entirely capable of being his own Random, as he is in fact an Agent of Chaos. Mistakes, calamity and wierdness follow in his wake like July follows June.
However, the redoubtable Mr M is not on his own. Accompanying him is the Burmese State Dwarf Opera company, 350 strong, dressed as Macedonian hoplites. The little guy with the fancy helmet standing next to him hands me a business card that simply says "Alexander" on it, fixes me with a steely glare and says:
"We were told there would be canapes. Remember Tyre? There were no canapes."
Then I woke up laughing....
Whatever you ate before bedtime... can I have some?
;D
How wonderful. I love absurd dreams.
I am also happy to hear that Griffin is still with us! She has been ailing, but hopefully she'll feel well enough to stop by soon.
Quote from: Pachyderm on February 19, 2009, 05:08:08 PM
I woke myself up laughing again.
Dreamt I was holding a "Bring a Random" party. Attendees had to find some total stranger and convince them to come to a party. people were turning up with someone they met at the bus stop, in the newsagent, library, Ann Summers shop.
Doorbell goes, and on the doorstep is a friend of mine, one John MacKinnon. He is entirely capable of being his own Random, as he is in fact an Agent of Chaos. Mistakes, calamity and wierdness follow in his wake like July follows June.
However, the redoubtable Mr M is not on his own. Accompanying him is the Burmese State Dwarf Opera company, 350 strong, dressed as Macedonian hoplites. The little guy with the fancy helmet standing next to him hands me a business card that simply says "Alexander" on it, fixes me with a steely glare and says:
"We were told there would be canapes. Remember Tyre? There were no canapes."
Then I woke up laughing....
Har har har , I love livid dreaming , not so much livid nightmares though , which thankfully have been few . I found out that my dreams are in color from one .
Decades ago I remember making a detailed mental note of my surroundings at the moment I realized that I was dreaming .
I don't remember much of it now , except for saying to myself that a certain shade of red was so garish and how could anyone want that on their walls . :)
I got inspired by Bruder Cuzzen's post and starded a dream thread in Miscellaneous Discussion.
http://toadfishmonastery.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=32&topic=1831.0 (http://toadfishmonastery.com/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=32&topic=1831.0)
;D I have an interview at 5pm tonight at Gamecrazy! Wish me luck!
Good luck Scrib!
Good luck !
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on March 17, 2009, 10:19:26 PM
;D I have an interview at 5pm tonight at Gamecrazy! Wish me luck!
So, how'd it go??
=============
In the ChattyWorld---Brandy's out of the hospital and responding well to treatment for her ulcer. Tammy still has all the kids.
AND!! A wonderful Box o' Cool Stuff arrived from Canada!!
I'll meet up with Tammy and the kids Thursday or Friday and pass it on. The girls are especially excited about having a tea set that the boys can't break! The boys are all into the movies...
Thank you, O Pirate of the Seas to the North!!
Quote from: Sibling Chatty on March 18, 2009, 02:39:27 AM
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on March 17, 2009, 10:19:26 PM
;D I have an interview at 5pm tonight at Gamecrazy! Wish me luck!
So, how'd it go??
Well, I think. Came off as appropriately nerdy and as a good salesperson. And three of the four non-managerial staff love me (the other one hasn't met me). Another one of my co-workers (who's a customer of theirs) sang my praises. :mrgreen:
Pretty hopeful prospects, I believe.
Good to hear things are getting better and the kids are happy.
I am going to build an artificial badger sett. And I get paid for this. ;DAnd before anyone (Griff) says it, no, not artificial badgers ::) :-*
Much luck to Scrib :-*, luck to Pacy with whatever it is ???, and am very happy to hear that Tammy and kids are happier and Brandy is recovering.
:grouphug:
I have been informed that I am considered an expert witness 8) (legally) on ecology in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as I have held licences for European level protected species in those countries. ;D This I discovered when I wrote my very first affadavit for a High Court today. :o :help: :bwa:
All Hail His Expertness!! :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant:
If we needs yer, we'll prolly just need ter change th' certif wher it sez whut yer an ex-spurt in... :ROFL:
Quote from: Pachyderm on March 20, 2009, 06:15:51 PM
I have been informed that I am considered an expert witness 8) (legally) on ecology in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, as I have held licences for European level protected species in those countries. ;D This I discovered when I wrote my very first affadavit for a High Court today. :o :help: :bwa:
:o
Chatty- I am glad things are better your way with the kids, Tammy and Brandy.
and Gamecrazy we go with Scrib-- it just sounds like fun!
It should be! I have a second interview coming up soon--don't know when since it's with the DM and he has to tell the SM when he can meet me.
;D Should be epic. Working with one of my best friends and a bevy of awesome people.
Sounds like an awesome thing, there, Pachy. :mrgreen:
Good show everyone.
Especially low bows to Pachy.
I am so glad I didn't become a lawyer. Legalese is a language all to itself, and I don't speak it. I know me, and that fact that I can be considered an "expert" on anything is more than a little scary....
On the plus side, legal stuff pays well. (It has to, it kills the soul a little at a time)
On a bigger plus, I'm off to Gibraltar for a long weekend. Sun, sand and sangria, here I come! :drunkburp:
:inquisition:
Have the BIG fun. And don't get a bad sunburn. They hurtses...yes they do!
Quote from: Pachyderm on March 23, 2009, 06:40:07 PM
I am so glad I didn't become a lawyer. Legalese is a language all to itself, and I don't speak it.
I do a bit.... as at least one sub-franchisor has found out.
:fit: :whip: :mua:
Three job applications going in today. At least one of them I actually would really like to do.
Given how dire things are around here, jobs I can even apply for are excellent news right now.
Good luck with those KV.
Indeed.
Good news: I received a call for a second interview on Friday.
Maybe not good news: I had to call back and reschedule it within two hours of receiving the call. The manager did not sound happy. On the other hand, no warnings of potentially loosing that interview because of it from friends who already work there.
Thanks. Another two complete today. I don't hold out too much hope, I mean I've been applying at this rate since October, pretty much, but at worst I'll probably get a couple of interviews out of it, and I can charge the expenses of travel on the potential employers. Man is my life sad right now.
Well, they shouldn't hold it against you if you cannot make it, Scrib. Doesn't mean they won't, but they shouldn't. Good luck regardless.
I got a new flatmate. Her name is Daniele, she's a Kiwi, doing the work to travel thing, she is a very pleasant person indeed, and a damn fine addition to the house. We are happy.
Thank, KV. Had the interview and I think it went ok. My friend (who works there) said I'm pretty much set to be hired, which is good.
Sounds like a great deal, Pachy.
Also, good luck to you, KV. :)
And now, back to my school work.
It was a lovely Spring day here in NI, and myself and Jess went to do a survey in a disused quarry. Flora, pretty basic. Animals, next to bugger all. Still, had to sit still in the sun for a couple of hours to do the bird survey. Tragic.
You get paid for this? If I ever catch up with my old school careers master I'm going to ritually slaughter him.
I GOT HIRED!!
Yay Gamecrazy! Buh-bye Starbucks!
The first day I actually work at GC, I'm putting in my two-weeks at that cretinous hell-hole!
WOOT!! :woot: :woot: :woot: :YaY: :woohoo:
Stock up on the (employee discount) stuff you like before you go.
Mmm, true. This roll out's cups and such are very nice. ;D
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on April 04, 2009, 03:24:25 AM
I GOT HIRED!!
Yay Gamecrazy! Buh-bye Starbucks!
The first day I actually work at GC, I'm putting in my two-weeks at that cretinous hell-hole!
:rockon: :thumbsup: :fireworks_spread:
that is very good news-- congratulations!
:fireworks_fire:
for Scribs
'ooray, innit?
Yeah 'ooray!
Rock on, Scrib! :rockon: :yar: :depp_pirate: :k9-affirmative: :badger:
:mrgreen: Thanks guys!
:woot: :YaY: :yippee:
Congratulations Scrib!
And good luck at the new place!
Congrats Scrib!
The quite charming lady I am sort-of romantically involved with is finally back from University for the next couple of weeks, so that is certainly good news for me.
That is good news Kali!
Congratulations on the job, Scrib! :yippee:
KV- I'll just leave you two alone!
:dancinghug:
That wont be hard...she seems to want me to go to Antartica with her. Eventually, anyway.
:mrgreen:
Lots of alone time there, hm?
... and you need to cuddle to keep warm of cause. ;)
That's certainly some of the reasoning! The other being that going to Antartica is insane...and well, craziness has its own attraction, at least for me.
Excellent news, Scrib.
I would like to announce that as of yesterday I am now allowed to skipper any powerboat up to 10m in length. I have a certificate to prove it, as well. Licenced pirate...
And, Beagle, yes I do get paid for doing this. ;D (and the skippers course ;D).
Just remember, that when it's November, and the rain is being blown horizontal, I will still be doing the surveys. (Well, that's what we tell them. Actually we just slope off down the pub, and make it all up...)
Hooray for Pachy's certification! We needed someone legit around here, and it took an elephant to accomplish it.
:pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant: :pinkelephant:
Quote from: Pachyderm on April 09, 2009, 03:29:29 PM
Excellent news, Scrib.
I would like to announce that as of yesterday I am now allowed to skipper any powerboat up to 10m in length. I have a certificate to prove it, as well. Licenced pirate...
And, Beagle, yes I do get paid for doing this. ;D (and the skippers course ;D).
Just remember, that when it's November, and the rain is being blown horizontal, I will still be doing the surveys. (Well, that's what we tell them. Actually we just slope off down the pub, and make it all up...)
So it seems that
Argh
Avast
Shiver me Timbers
Pass the Grog
are acceptable answers to become a licensed boat operator in at least some places!
:pinkelephant:
Quote from: Pachyderm on April 09, 2009, 03:29:29 PM
Excellent news, Scrib.
I would like to announce that as of yesterday I am now allowed to skipper any powerboat up to 10m in length. I have a certificate to prove it, as well. Licenced pirate...
And, Beagle, yes I do get paid for doing this. ;D (and the skippers course ;D).
Just remember, that when it's November, and the rain is being blown horizontal, I will still be doing the surveys. (Well, that's what we tell them. Actually we just slope off down the pub, and make it all up...)
Congratulations!
Do you have a lot of sea going :badger: over there?
;D
More than you would suspect.... :D
hmmm
scuba badger hit squads--- cool
:badger:
The Opsalette applied to Governor's School camp by writing an essay. This is a free two week summer camp offered to gifted students. We couldn't afford regular camps for her, so this sounded like a possibility. She chose to write about Antoine de Saint Exupery (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_de_Saint-Exup%C3%A9ry). Her idea entirely, even though she's only ten. (She's in love with The Little Prince.) Kids from five counties applied. Only 80 were chosen. I just got a letter saying she made it in. I'm so proud of her! :D
Congrats !!!!
I read The Little Prince as a child - loved it.
:YaY:
Congratulations to the Opsalette and her proud parents!
:)
:rockon: Way to go Opsalette--- Congratulations!
I was thrilled to get a mothers day text from a dear,dear friend that i'd almost lost contact with because last time I fried my phone her info wasn't saved to the SIM card-- i'd emailed all sorts of random emails hoping one was still in use by her but no reply-- thankfully her daughter who can text with fingers and toes on 4 phones at once has her phone programmed to do things like send messages automatically (or maybe she just sends them for her mom) on special days-- and well now we are in contact-- she thought i'd gone to Uganda or somewhere( I wish). :thank_you: :toadfishwink: this gal (really a true lady) and I team student taught in Dr. H's physical anthropology class one year--- it was trauma for the other students but we had the best time(pssst they are laughing again, are they reading our papers and laughing?)-- especially on the fieldtrips we'd lead.
Hurray for re-connections! :)
I just re-connected with a lost friend too. Must be in the air.
Wolfram Alpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com/index.html) launches tonight.
Anorak heaven, but will it cope with the load?
Fascinating.
The short intro is in fact tediously long.
I gave up focused listening/watching at the vatican having 94 people using computers - but some of the later stuff was informative.
Re. load, guess it depends what resources he has behind him.
I was disappointed not to be able to dive straight in and get going, but presume that may come along later after I've gone to sleep.
Wonder what competition he has?
uhm
i b haffin a concert adda Benbow dis weekind
ammishun b fwee
fer oanlee
wun shiny pebbull
anna bigg buttin
i takin weqwess
fank ye yer welkum plez :)
Now, aint that cunnin! ;D
I don't know whether this is good news or not, but my darter and I auditioned for the community theater's summer production of "The King and I". She snagged a princess role. They gave me Anna! I am rather petrified that I am too addled to learn all those lines at this stage of life. But I'll try. It's only amateur theater, what can they do? Fire me?
:nailbite:
Quote from: beagle on May 15, 2009, 09:53:40 PM
Wolfram Alpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com/index.html) launches tonight.
Anorak heaven, but will it cope with the load?
... and we're the fourth entry under bing (http://www.bing.com/search?q=toadfish&form=QBLH&filt=all) for Toadfish. Fame at last.
Quote from: Opsanus tau on June 03, 2009, 07:21:23 PM
I don't know whether this is good news or not, but my darter and I auditioned for the community theater's summer production of "The King and I".
Apparently when the Thai royal family visited our Queen she gave strict instructions not one note of it was to be played. I supect she thought they'd have heard it before...
Are you opposite Yul Brynner?
Yul Brenner is toadily awesome!
I am playing opposite one of my very best buds. He and I have always only been the goofballs of the chorus. They may have finally found a way to get us to shut up!
When I checked bing, we were at number eight, but still on the first page, which is pretty impressive!
:yar:
Still 4 here. Bing seems more geographically sensitive than Google. Perhaps Olde Englande institutions like monasteries get a priority boost.
I get 4 here as well; perhaps not sensitive down to 60-70 miles or so ;)
What the hell is Bing anyway?
Well done Opsa.
No good news here.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on June 04, 2009, 05:01:36 PM
What the hell is Bing anyway?
It's beagle's shameless plug to M$' new search engine.
Not a big threat to google so far, it seems.
We're number 18 "Toadfish" entry on Google today. Not too tacky!
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on June 04, 2009, 05:19:21 PM
Quote from: Griffin NoName on June 04, 2009, 05:01:36 PM
What the hell is Bing anyway?
It's beagle's shameless plug to M$' new search engine.
Not a big threat to google so far, it seems.
Grrrrrrrrr!!!! Ban him !
Actually tracert suggests it's Akamai's new search engine ;D
Wondered why it was so much better than Google on videos.
If you ban me you'll miss all the Torygraph stuff about your M.P.'s house flipping.
Quote from: beagle on June 04, 2009, 08:16:50 PM
Wondered why it was so much better than Google on videos.
Too good depending on who you ask (http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1184465/fox-upset-bling).
Quote from: beagle on June 04, 2009, 08:16:50 PM
If you ban me you'll miss all the Torygraph stuff about your M.P.'s house flipping.
Actually the Grauniad has been taking much the same line as more and more has emerged. :mrgreen:
I use a map site : UK Multimap : A link to Bing has now appeared in the corner of their streetmaps. I feel outraged.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on June 05, 2009, 03:18:30 PM
I use a map site : UK Multimap : A link to Bing has now appeared in the corner of their streetmaps. I feel outraged.
To avoid that 'feature' you can use Google Maps...
:mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2:
Quote from: Griffin NoName on June 05, 2009, 03:18:30 PM
Actually the Grauniad has been taking much the same line as more and more has emerged. :mrgreen:
The expenses info was offered to another paper before the Torygraph, but they were too scared/broke/loyal? to use it.
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on June 05, 2009, 05:12:52 PM
To avoid that 'feature' you can use Google Maps...
:mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2: :mrgreen: :devil2:
I thought you were a freeby software enthusiast. You do realize Google is a big evil corporation like Apple and MS? In fact they seem to have overtaken MS on the hatredometer here, with marauding villagers with pitchforks and torches stopping Google cameras from spying on the local antics.
Quote from: beagle on June 05, 2009, 09:12:38 PM
I thought you were a freeby software enthusiast. You do realize Google is a big evil corporation like Apple and MS? In fact they seem to have overtaken MS on the hatredometer here, with marauding villagers with pitchforks and torches stopping Google cameras from spying on the local antics.
I am (despite owing my salary to MS products), and I imagine that eventually google will complete its transformation from "we're not evil" to "we'll sell our mothers for the right prize" kind of corporation (ie: MS, Apple, etc), but IMHO they haven't reached that stage yet. They are fond
er of open standards (so far) and I would think that the general criticisms of (lack of) privacy have been somewhat overstated.
It is quite likely that when they're the owners of the cloud they'll behave in similar ways as their peers, but for now I enjoy watching the fear they inspire from MS to Comcast et al.
Besides I love my android phone... ;) :P
Quote from: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on June 05, 2009, 10:14:40 PM
Besides I love my android phone... ;) :P
Corrupted and seduced to the dark commercial side by one shiny phone... ;)
It is kind of fun to see Apple/Google/MS on a fairly equal footing, and real competition for the first time in decades, but I don't believe this Google "We're the good guys" rot any more than when Apple ran their "1984" adverts. They're quite happy to help China censor for the sake of the shareholders.
Certainly the high route would've been to refuse (and refuse the biggest market with the biggest grow potential on the planet) but it isn't only the inability to work in China now but being relegated by their influence. Without trying to sound like an apologist all fell (Y!, MS) to their demands and I have trouble imagining any of them taking the decision lightly or -much less- happily.
Again, they're not precisely innocent but I find their business practices far more palatable than those of MS or Apple, and their platforms far more open than the other two combined.
Great News!
I just took the Nerd Test and I am only a mere Cool High Nerd, NOT a Nerd GOD !!!
(http://nerdtests.com/images/badge/nt2/35892b0536093cde.png)
I may have cheated a bit :D
I must study up on American Sci-Fi comics and resit it some time. Hard to take a test seriously which doesn't ask you to name all the Dr Who actors in correct sequence with years though ;)
It is daylight outside;
I am at work;
I am not working overtimes because someone called in dead;
I am working my regularly scheduled hours;
I am on dayshift again!!!!
Living the vampire lift the last 13 months as done a number on me-- I like my shift mates but not the hours.
So for now good news- now if I get the new job I have applied for and really want i'll have to work nights 4 months out of each year- but they will be indoor and properly heated/cooled months and that is fine with me.
I need my shades 8)
Oh ABabe, my good wishes go to you! You deserve a break.
:-*
HOBOY !
i finded a crown
onna hill
jack loozd it wiif his furst mate jill !
wen thay go fer wader
he shuld be murr karefull
Well, more than $800* later, I'm a car owner again. Not since 2001ish have I consistently owned a motorcar. I've been driving a 15,000 pound company truck instead...
...now I own a car, and I'm beginning to remember why I happily quit 8 years ago.
:P
On the other hand? It's cool to have small wheels, to run down to the market whenever the mood strikes me.
Now, all I need to do is fix the A/C, get 2 more tires, test and air-up the spare tire, buy a jack (it came without one or else in the intervening years, the jack got misplaced). And eventually, buy a new windshield (cracked).
But. I'm helping to stimulate my local American Economy, and have a dependent bottom-less pit of repairs new method of spending my ready cash motorized independent enabling device. A car.
*sigh* :D
__________
* none of which had anything to do with purchase, or the engine rebuild. I purchased it in 2002 for a dollar--and 3 days of labor. The engine rebuild was a labor-exchange also. These are the title fees, the license plate cost, 2 better tires, a new battery, new wiper blades and a tank of gas. The bare minimum needed to get it roadworthy.
I definitively admire your courage on the task at hand, I wouldn't put up with endless repairs unless the car was a classic* and even then I wonder if I would deal with it. Congratulations anyways. ;)
*talk about a bottomless pit
Yay. A new Torchwood series starts Monday.
Quote from: beagle on July 04, 2009, 10:38:14 PM
Yay. A new Torchwood series starts Monday.
But no 4th season of Primeval. Grrrrr! >:(
Yes that's really annoying. Looks like Danny's going to be at the dawn of time in the East African Rift Valley indefinitely, and Connor and Abby up that tree.
Now if we want ludicrous stories about dinosaurs there's only BBC Parliament.
Quote from: beagle on July 05, 2009, 09:17:29 AM
Yes that's really annoying. Looks like Danny's going to be at the dawn of time in the East African Rift Valley indefinitely, and Connor and Abby up that tree.
Now if we want ludicrous stories about dinosaurs there's only BBC Parliament.
There is still that anomaly creator Helen dropped at the pterosaur nest.
At first I thought Connor and Abby would take over the role of Adam and Eve (
homo nerdus umbroculus*)
With a new villain (or Christine Johnson's chief henchman) there would still be countless opportunities. Still two future (baby) predators in the Permian**, the future giant insects should have infected some of the soldiers at Johnson's before being electrocuted, the mammoth (if not burned in 3.3) should still be alive, there is a love triangle developing (Danny, Cpt.Becker, Sarah).
An anomaly in parliament could be interesting. One party taken over by the fungus, the other replaced by future predators maybe :mrgreen:
*with overdone eye-shadow
**and somebody has to breed the whole species in the first place, so that it can destroy mankind in the future
Blimey Swato ! None of that sounds like good news ;)
I posted my niece's birth under bad news, so obviously this belonged under good ones ;)
And, given many comments I read, there are lots of people that hated Primeval and do consider its end good news.
And don't you remember Professor Farnsworth from Futurama? When he comes in with "Good News everyone!" then something bad is imminent.
I like Primeval the little I have seen of it that is (one or two episodes then I moved and no longer had a Tv set). Good fun Sci Fi, like Eureka, Special Unit and of cause Firefly.
I like my Sci Fi with a ;) and some self distance I guess that's why I never got hooked on Star Trek or Stargate.
Good news:
I've gone from sloth mode to chipmunk on speed...
I get a lot of things done in less than half the time it usually takes! ;D
Chipmonk mode is good, if you give the poor critter frequent breaks.
The only Sci Fi I take seriously is Futurama.
Quote from: Swatopluk on July 06, 2009, 03:54:44 PM
And, given many comments I read, there are lots of people that hated Primeval and do consider its end good news.
I thought Primeval was moronic. Sadly not as moronic as Demons, but moronic enough to be unmissable.
Quote from: beagle on July 06, 2009, 08:44:22 PM
Quote from: Swatopluk on July 06, 2009, 03:54:44 PM
And, given many comments I read, there are lots of people that hated Primeval and do consider its end good news.
I thought Primeval was moronic. Sadly not as moronic as Demons, but moronic enough to be unmissable.
But not in the same moronic league as
Krod Mandoon (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00l9s3y/Krod_Mandoon_and_the_Flaming_Sword_of_Fire_Our_Bounties_Ourselves/) :o
Haven't seen that one, but will add it to the backlog...
Quote from: beagle on July 04, 2009, 10:38:14 PM
Yay. A new Torchwood series starts Monday.
Great trick with the concrete block. I like it; could come in handy. Shall add it to my repertoire. <evil grin>
Krog Mandoon was funny enough at times, but I always forgot when it was on and only watched a few episodes.
excuse me but ...
I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!!!!!
I did it, I did it, I did it
3 long months in the chute (background checks and all ya know)
and finally
I can give notice at the insane factory tomorrow and start my new job the 27th.
Oh sure mixed feelings- like don't want to trade one mess for a worse one but my current job has kicked me in the teeth one too many times.
So happy anticipation, natural and probably smart anxiety over the new deal.
Overall
:fireworks_spread:
It's total communications (911, police, fire, rescue, etc) with no on the foot (security walk about for hours and hours) work like current job. yes, a bit more pay, they pay all my insurance, they contribute 10% of my pay to retirement no matter how much I contribute and 10% is good. I will have a longer commute and will have to rotate shifts every 4 months but overall I am excited.
:YaY: :fireworks_smile: :YaY:
That's fantastic news!
Woot!
Yaaaaay! Hope it works out, man!
:YaY:
Way to go, Anth!!
On a somewhat less life-changing note, my performance at the coffee shop went well tonight - I did Old Hippie Blues (Tom Rush), The Colonoscopy Song (me), Little Martha (Duane Allman) and Lonely Stranger (Clapton). No major screwups on guitar, and the vocals were much better than usual. Tomorrow I'm supposedly playing at Dick and Bunnie's 50th anniversary party.
Good for you! Hopefully you'll like this one better.
:)
:fireworks_toss: :fireworks_toss: :fireworks_toss:
When do you start?
Maybe Earthling could play Congratulations for you ;)
Earthling the musician-- neat-- I can not play an instrument and you don't want me to sing. Enjoy!
I start my new job the 27th-- gave notice here today--
I can play A minor and E minor chords (legacy of a Floyd upbringing and not generally in huge demand for wedding and parties) if someone else can do the rest.
Enjoy the new job and the daylight.
Quote from: beagle on July 15, 2009, 08:58:56 PM
I can play A minor and E minor chords
What, no B7 or D/Dm? ;)
Or how about the terminally cool CM7? This is the nifty between-lyrics resolving chord in the Allman Brothers' Melissa, right before the B/rest/"for sweet Melissa..." Real easy 2-finger chord with lotsa soul. x-3-2-0-0-0
If you know Em7 (0-2-2-0-3-0) and A7 (x-0-2-0-2-0), you can play Down By The River by Neil Young. Great chords to practice leads over, and very easy changes both ways. Mix it up with hammer-ons and such and it sounds really nice.
The Big Anniversary Party went really well - I sat in with the band for over an hour, and later played with a couple of the family members that were there. I only knew about two of the songs we played, but they were playing pretty straightforward stuff and it was real easy to pick up on the ones I didn't know. The band's guitarist turned out to have the same last name as me, so we're undoubtedly related somehow. He was up from SC, sitting in with his friends' band, so I didn't feel like a fifth wheel - more like a sixth. It was lots of fun, even though my hand and fingers were really, really sore when I finally packed it in.
That sounds like fun, my guitar is on its stand most of the time (good chords BTW).
---
On the may be good news front, yesterday a got a call from a friend from a chorus asking me if I wanted to sing Mozart's Requiem. It's a bit far (about 1:30 - 2 h drive) but it I miss singing (I haven't for the past year) and the requiem is a favorite. We'll see how it goes.
I just booked a leetle holiday. I is going sailing from Gibraltar at the end of next month. Now, where did I put that cutlass?
Have you been there before? I went as a kid. It's got some good tunnels and water catchment stuff to explore inside the Rock. The landing used to be fun as Franco's Spain wasn't too friendly when it came to airspace.
Yes, been there a few times. A friend of mine is based there for a few years, and being military, he can get us into to all the bits us mere civvies normally are refused access to. Have to confess, I really like it there. Good Spanish tapas, cold beer and sunshine. All the good stuff.
I'm not jealous... not at all. *green spots are popping up all over me* ;)
Say hi to the imperial monkeys from me will ya'! ;D
Quote from: beagle on July 16, 2009, 08:27:10 PM
Have you been there before? I went as a kid. It's got some good tunnels and water catchment stuff to explore inside the Rock. The landing used to be fun as Franco's Spain wasn't too friendly when it came to airspace.
Franco wasn't friendly to his own subjects so no surprises there.
Sounds like fun. ;D
**envy**
I had an awesome day. We went to go do some ecology, which today consisted of cutting down trees with a chainsaw, removing a honking big pile of nettles and brambles with a machete, and knocking down a chunk of wall. Who said science isn't fun? And the reason for all this destruction? To dig up a badger sett.
In our defence, the sett is unused, (and we've been monitoring it for years, so we know) and the developer will get to build 8 or 9 badly needed houses on the land. He makes more money, we get paid, and the badgers were protected and gently moved on a few hundred metres into land that isn't being developed. Win-win. And a great big two fingers up to the other company who spent years mucking the guy around, telling him he couldn't do this, do that or the other. My arms hurt, from the unaccustomed manual labour, but it's a good hurt.
Sophie (my rather lovely new housemate) is just getting ready, and we are off to the pub. Hurrah!
More days like today, please.
Quote from: Pachyderm on July 17, 2009, 06:58:50 PM
............ and the developer will get to build 8 or 9 badly needed houses on the land. He makes more money, we get paid, ..........
....and it generates more jobs which is always good news in a recession.....
I get to go hang with my best friend for about 3 hours today! we have a hip hop dance class together then we are going to the gym. && My mom went down to the family court and filed some papers so hopefully the court will look at then before August 1 so I won't have to see the pathetic excuse of a man who calls himself my father! :D
Monday I got to do my annual Lakefront Properties Survey day. I spent seven hours in my kayak paddling around ten or so miles of the north end of Cupsuptic Lake, and took 366 pictures. It was a jaw-droppingly gorgeous day, the lake was smooth as glass. I only saw about two power boats and six unmotored boats the whole time. Got some awesome Maxfield Parish type photos, some cool Bald Eagle photos, and loads of development photos (some happynice, some naughtynaughty). At this point I'm about 1/4 of the way through cataloging them. Hopefully, once I'm done, I'll remember to post some of them.
Everything sounds happy in happy land ;D
All done with playing Anna in "The King and I" and am finally getting a chance to rest.
I lost about ten pounds during this production, mostly because of the long rehearsal schedule and dancing. Lots of exercise and no time for snacking! Hope I can keep most of it off! (But no guarantees...)
I am going back to University! ::) I got my acceptance letter this morning.
The Perpetual Student strikes again! (This will be my fourth course, and my fourth Uni...)
Archaeology and Paleoecology at Queen's University, Belfast. (And no, the field trip to the Med had no impact on my choosing this course...)
Part time, so still working as before.
All I need is a hat, whip and Short Round....
Congratulations.
I have been thinking about upping my qualification likewise, but have fallen foul of various snags like cost.
I am likely to go back to school in one year's time. Congrats, Patchy...!
Yeay! you go, Scholarly Ones!
(But take yer computers, so yew kin tell us all about it!)
Corn scratch relay shins, awl yoo guise. I dun tuk me a phrentch coarse las yeer, en it were ferry hulp full on a counter all them phrentch lawgerz I seize owt inn meye woodz.
i gowin ta Portsmuff Pubic piwit skool !
i go dare ta steel sum moor grape blud
den i git my steelin badj !
hup hup fur me !
Have receieved email telling me I am eligable to apply for an MSc course I am interested in.
the downside is it will take days of work putting the application together :o
Once more I grace Gibraltar with my presence.
Tomorrow, we set sail. Four days cruising, and singeing the King of Spain's beard.
A life of piracy beckons......
Have a nice trip! and enjoy the Mediterranean for me too! :)
We'll miss yuz. Breathe some salt air for me!
I am to have yet another spring grandchild. That'll be a hat trick. ;D
YEAY, GRAM!
When? Who? How? (Well, maybe not how...)
Hat trick!! Woohoo!!!
(http://www.cubby-blue.com/.a/6a00d83451fe4669e20111689fd5dc970c-800wi)
:ROFL:
Number One Son and his lady. The two lads are opting for alternate springtimes. I shall feel miffed if the fourth season does not bear fruit ;)
Mid- March. All the babies birthdays within days, spring is beginning to look expensive.
How? Well trained storks it seems.
At least you can take advantage of the post-Christmas sales!
What a lazy stork, only delivering once a year! I'd complain, if I were you.
Job interview tomorrow Friday 4/9 09 at 10:30!
Wish me luck!
Naturally, dear Sibling. I'll send over some of those "Luck of the Oirish" vibes.
It seems like I landed it!!!
:o
;D ;D ;D
I have a hard time believing it after all this time and all applications I've sent, I'll tell you more when I've signed the papers and know for sure!
Great! Keep us posted.
:fireworks_fire:
All right, Darl! :-*
Keep that positive energy in motion, Sib!
good luck!
(http://www.mikoto.com.au/images/moneycat350a.png)
Great news Darlica.
Me and the missus went kayaking a couple of times this weekend. We took advantage of the long weekend and the rare nice weather and we explored a lake we hadn't been on before. Among other things, we saw:
A Double-crested Cormorant
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp199/ETtheExtraTerrestrial/double-crestedcormorant.jpg)
A juvenile Great Blue Heron
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp199/ETtheExtraTerrestrial/juvenileheron.jpg)
A couple of Painted turtles
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp199/ETtheExtraTerrestrial/paintedturtles.jpg)
And the coolest name for a summer camp that I've ever seen. And I've seen a few.
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp199/ETtheExtraTerrestrial/Nerdhaven1.jpg)
(http://i411.photobucket.com/albums/pp199/ETtheExtraTerrestrial/Nerdhaven.jpg)
Nerdhaven. Is that cool or is that cool.
:)
Great pictures!
And a really cool name. :mrgreen:
I love it! The name, the place, the animals... you and the missus are a pair of lucky ducks.
Great name!
Just heard I have unconditional offer for place on MSc course. ;D
Yesterday I received an email from the conductor of a chorus with which I sung the Mozart Requiem a month ago. He wanted me to sing the solo tenor part for Mendelssohn's 2nd Symphony.
Now, I don't know if that is good news for the audience or some very, very bad news...
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Awesome, Zono!!!!!
:clink:
In similar news, a director that saw a DVD of me playing Anna in last summer's "The King and I" asked me to play apart in his small original musical production. And I get to play the EVIL one this time!
:bwa:
(Of course, it doesn't pay, but it's nice all the same.)
:toast:
A toast to our talented siblings!
Congratulations both of you!
The worse that could happen is that I may gather some tomatoes that evening. ;)
I'm sure Opas doesn't have that problem. :)
Not if the audience has been smoking pot!
;) :mrgreen: ::) ;D
I'll sing on a church so the risk of substance abuse is really, reaaaally low.
congrats! :high5:
and
congrats! :high5:
Hah! Got 5 out of 5 on this week's quiz (re philosophy) when I thought I hadn't taken in anything I'd read.
Today I received, out of the blue, a cheque from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs for £258. I have no idea why they've suddenly reversed the policy of me paying for the entire UK government, but have decided not to quibble about it.
Don't spend it. They will probably devise a way of taking it back with the other hand.
Speaking of Her Majesty, is she still tax exempt? :P
Don't think so. But it's a public sport here doing a cost/benefit analysis on the Royals (it was one of the essay titles on my college entrance exam back in 1978). Certainly the Duchy of Cornwall (Prince Charles's estate) pays a fortune in taxes. Whether royalty makes financial sense depends on whether tourists would flock over here to catch a glimpse of Gordon Bown, and watch the changing of the cabinet. Some of us have doubts.
My financial role model is the Queen Mother. Legend has it she managed to die leaving an overdraft of £3M. Now that's style.
Quote from: beagle on November 01, 2009, 07:45:06 PM
My financial role model is the Queen Mother. Legend has it she managed to die leaving an overdraft of £3M. Now that's style.
Toxic debt. She'd be owned by the State these days.
As a french diplomat wrote home in a report about the swedish 17th-century noble Count Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie:
"One can, of course, not expect a man of his position and standing to actually pay his debts."
Boy, was I ever born on the wrong side of the tracks. :P
Quote from: Griffin NoName on November 01, 2009, 11:56:03 PM
Quote from: beagle on November 01, 2009, 07:45:06 PM
My financial role model is the Queen Mother. Legend has it she managed to die leaving an overdraft of £3M. Now that's style.
Toxic debt. She'd be owned by the State these days.
The Govt bank split up will solve the toxic debt prolem.
(http://i.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01515/matt04112009_1515877b.gif)
I start work on Wednesday (possibly Tuesday). :)
Congratulations! :yippee:
Excellent. With whom (assuming it's not too confidential; though I'm going to be jealous if you've got a porn star job) .
Quote from: beagle on November 06, 2009, 11:01:41 PM
Excellent. With whom (assuming it's not too confidential; though I'm going to be jealous if you've got a porn star job) .
Have you actually applied for one? Else you can't expect to get one.
Congrats Mero. Hi there Earthling and Lindorm
Quote from: Griffin NoName on November 06, 2009, 11:22:08 PM
Quote from: beagle on November 06, 2009, 11:01:41 PM
Excellent. With whom (assuming it's not too confidential; though I'm going to be jealous if you've got a porn star job) .
Have you actually applied for one? Else you can't expect to get one.
I failed the medical. By several inches.
I'm back at my old place HCA as a contractor.
Don't contract anything nasty!! ;)
Congratulations on the job, Meropmorph! :)
Hi yourself, Griffin!
I have been veryveryvery busy at my job lately, so I haven't been around here to post for a while. Things seem to have taken a turn for the better now, though!
Congratulations Mero.
---
Oh, and beagle, I'm sorry for your.... rejection.
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Yeay Mero!!!
:glommp: :woohoo: :badger:
Congratulations Mero!
Happy for you!
Congratulations, Mero! :high5:
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
This evening we welcomed a Pakistani exchange student to our home. :hug:
More on this in a different thread.
Just clicked 'Submit' on my application for BSc in Environmental Sciences.
Need to get supporting documents rounded up, however!
Quote from: Agujjim on November 11, 2009, 05:43:14 PM
Just clicked 'Submit' on my application for BSc in Environmental Sciences.
Need to get supporting documents rounded up, however!
Well done. Brings back scary memory!
Go Aggie, go!
Excellent. The world needs more Environmental Scientists.
Where are you studying?
Quote from: Opsanus tau on November 12, 2009, 03:05:37 PM
Go Aggie, go!
I can't say it better... :)
No I'm not going to get a pair of pompoms I leave that bit of cheering to my more agile siblings... ;D
Good luck!
Quote from: Pachyderm on November 12, 2009, 03:35:21 PM
Where are you studying?
Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. :mrgreen:
No, seriously:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatley_Castle#Appearances_in_TV_and_film
(http://www.hatleycastle.com//images/hatley_castle_large.jpg)
Wow, that place is too pretty to be real.
Ayuh, it's right on the ocean and hosts quite a nice botanical garden - and it's a castle!
Plus, the weather's a benefit:
Quote from: wikiDaily temperatures rise above 30°C (86°F) on an average of one or two days per year and fall below -5°C (23°F) on an average of only 2 nights per year.
-------
With 2,223 hours of sun annually, Victoria is one of the sunniest places in British Columbia, and gets more sunshine than most other cities in Canada except those in the southern Prairies. The benefits of Victoria's climate are evident through the city's gardens, which are more likely to display drought-tolerant oak trees, eucalyptus, arbutus, and even banana and Palm Tree, than they are likely to feature evergreen conifers, which are typically associated with the coastal Pacific Northwest environment.
Luckily, I'll be headed out there in September, so only one more winter of this.
Quote from: wikiCalgary is a city of extremes, and temperatures have ranged anywhere from a record low of −45 °C (−49.0 °F) in 1893 to a record high of 36 °C (97 °F) in 1919. Temperatures fall below −30 °C (−22.0 °F) on about five days per year, though extreme cold spells usually do not last very long. According to Environment Canada, the average temperature in Calgary ranges from a January daily average of −9 °C (15.8 °F) to a July daily average of 16 °C (61 °F).
Admittedly, Calgary gets a hair more sun than Victoria (2,400 hours) but much of it occurs during those extreme cold snaps (don't let the '5 days' fool you, there's plenty between -20°C and -30°C).
I broke to quarter finals at the regional championship today!
^ :woot:
Puts me in the top eight in my region at my level. And if my partner and I keep this up, my coach will probably take us to nationals in New Orleans over spring break.
Congratulations and good luck!
But, being a newbie, I don't know what you're in the quarter finals of.
Don't ever get into an arguement with Sib Scrib. The quarter finals she is talking about are for debating...
:mrgreen:
What Pachy said, though I do love a good debate here, too.
Also, I took first speaker in my event. Meaning that I was the best speaker in JV parli debate. *does happy dance of joy*
Good work, Scrib!
:1stprize:
OMFSM! I have enough trouble arguing with Mrs H, and she's untrained! :mrgreen:
By no means stupid, though.
:ROFL:
The 'r' in 'Mrs.' stands for Right, you know... it remains on 'Mr.' post-nuptials for purely ceremonial reasons. ;D
although mine got by quite fine with 'Ms.'; with a 3-letter surname, why change to something impossible to spell?
Well done Scribs. Go Girl !
Thanks!
It is widely agreed that I am not a person to argue with, though I'm working on my Tea Bagger teammate. ;)
Yeay Scrib! You're amazing!
Mr. Ops doesn't find me so formidable, and if he doesn't agree he's in poop.
Thanks! I try, lol.
And I hope he's generally not in poop. ;D
Naw, he's smarter than that! ;)
Yay Scrib! :claphands:
Thankee!
I have been trying to get a children's theater going in this area for some time. The arts have been cut so severely from the public school curriculum that th'Opsalette was only in one play the whole time she was in Elementary school. Six years! I thought this was terrible!
I have been speaking with local people for years. Everyone's been enthusiastic, but no-one's really come out and offered any help. (They all want their kids in it, but don't have time or skill or whatever to lend.) Our local recreation center has a stage, but it costs an arm and a leg to rent it. When I asked if we could use it for community theater, they wept all sorts of tears about how they're trying to make ends meet. meanwhile, it stands empty.
So for the past three years I have been going to the next county to be in plays with my kid. But it's a long way to go, and even though we're in plays, there is not much instruction. The kids in those plays don't seem to have a good background education. So I saw a need.
Finally at the end of winter I happened to blurt out to a friend who owns an orchard "Ya got any old barns we could use?"- sort of as a joke. He said that they had an old schoolhouse on their property that the patriarch of the family has wanted to put to use for the community for years. They offered me the free use of this building. I went to look at it, and even though it is old, it has two up-to-date bathrooms and a recently remodeled kitchenette. A church group uses the downstairs, but he said I could use the upstairs.
So.... I've been working up a curriculum for a two week intro to theater summer program for kids. I'm launching it in July with some interested kids I know to use a Guinea pigs, to see how it goes. I barely know what I'm doing, but people keep coming up to offer help. Qwerty and I have been talking, since he is a drama student, and has agreed to come out to be the assistant teacher. He has a boatload of good ideas. I have also asked a couple of the talented people I've met from recent shows to come in and lead a session each about choreography and voice.
So I'm on a new path, now. I'm taking my love of theater and passing it along to another generation. It's not likely to make me rich (but nothing ever has, before) but at least I'll know that the arty kids in this area will finally have something to do and somewhere to do it.
Brilliant news, Opsa! Congratulations. ;D :high5: :thumbsup: :YaY:
Good show, Ops! (& Q too... my evil plans for him have fallen through, so someone needs to keep him outta trouble ;)).
:kisshands:
Don't be shy about charging a few bucks more than the minimum needed to keep things going. Keep enough to compensate you for the time you put in, and if there's extra left over you can always put it towards props, costumes and the like.
:goodvibes:
Quote from: Opsanus tau on April 14, 2010, 08:24:30 PM
.... It's not likely to make me rich ....
Nonsense! You are just using the wrong scale, here.... there's rich (like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet) and then there's
rich... like a local art museum is rich, or a local orchestra is rich or a local theater club is rich--- wait.
That's kinda the point [to life], ain't it?
:)
Now go and break some serious legs... :D
Great stuff Opsa. Hope you all thoroughly enjoy it.
BEST ACTOR SPEECH, ca2030
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b297/GHGecko/ANI_GIFs/TINYs/Smiley_Tiny_Actor.gif)
"I'd like to thank the Academy -- and most especially Opsanus tau, who inspired me way back then!"
:fireworks_spread: :fireworks_toss: :fireworks_fire:
Heee... thanks for the encouragement, Sibs!
:selfhug:
Sorry for being late to the party. :-[
You're doing a fantastic job Opsa!
By doing what your doing, creating something for others you give these kids a good role model. You're not only teaching them acting but also that one doesn't have to have a big pile of money to start with or it's no use even trying to accomplish something.
I wish you the best of ... :unsure: this is theatre .... well, that word that shouldn't be mentioned. ;D
:selfhug:
Right you are, my dear!
I also want kids to know that there are non-electronic things they can do with their lives. (Big talker, huh?) Plus, I haven't yet read a play that recommended that people go out and be awful to each other. They are all stories about learning how to be better.
Quote from: Opsanus tau on April 16, 2010, 10:12:16 PM
Plus, I haven't yet read a play that recommended that people go out and be awful to each other.
Maybe I can help you there ;)
My close friend S gave birth to her second child today :itsaboy:!
Mother and child are said to be well for which I'm very thankful. :D
Woot!
Congratulations to S! May baby soon start sleeping all through the night! :bed:
Happy Toadfish vibes to the new one and his mother!
:goodvibes:
Can people be Toadfish by association?
Congratulations!
Squidlings lullabye: :squidmusicLT: :squid_musicRT:
1. I may have swung an internship at a photography studio
2. Shopping on ebay has gotten me two clones of Apple products for a fraction of their legit counterpart's price ($25 for the SciPhone and $40 for the aPad). HELL YEAH.
Oh, Scrib, that's excellent! 2) is good, but 1) will be fantastic if it comes off. Fingers crossed for you. :high5:
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on July 30, 2010, 08:03:13 PM
1. I may have swung an internship at a photography studio
2. Shopping on ebay has gotten me two clones of Apple products for a fraction of their legit counterpart's price ($25 for the SciPhone and $40 for the aPad). HELL YEAH.
Nice work!
I interned for a photographer and those were some very happy times for me. I wish you the same!
I have good news, too. You know I've been working on a little theater for our area. Well, yesterday a friend of mine said he had some old set pieces in a barn that needed a home. I went and looked, and even though they're a little dusty, they are very well made, and I can break them down into several flats. These would have cost us at least a thousand dollars to build from scratch, and since I have only scratch to spend, I am thrilled to have this chance to get them.
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on July 30, 2010, 08:03:13 PM
1. I may have swung an internship at a photography studio
2. Shopping on ebay has gotten me two clones of Apple products for a fraction of their legit counterpart's price ($25 for the SciPhone and $40 for the aPad). HELL YEAH.
:YaY:
I keep my fingers crossed!
Quote from: Opsanus tau on July 30, 2010, 09:51:48 PM
I have good news, too. You know I've been working on a little theater for our area. Well, yesterday a friend of mine said he had some old set pieces in a barn that needed a home. I went and looked, and even though they're a little dusty, they are very well made, and I can break them down into several flats. These would have cost us at least a thousand dollars to build from scratch, and since I have only scratch to spend, I am thrilled to have this chance to get them.
Sounds wonderful! :D
I wish I lived close enough to swing by and offer my help with building and painting sets and maintain you little theatre.
darn ocean :-\
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on July 30, 2010, 08:03:13 PM
1. I may have swung an internship at a photography studio
2. Shopping on ebay has gotten me two clones of Apple products for a fraction of their legit counterpart's price ($25 for the SciPhone and $40 for the aPad). HELL YEAH.
'K.. that
is good news ...... but you know I
have to ask: 'what's an aPad'?
:D
Asshat flatmate (who has been whinging and complaining to the landlord that we don't put the wheely bin out (wrong), don't put the recycling out on Tuesday nights (who cares, it's picked up on Wednesday morning, and Andrew used to put it out on his way to work on Wed. And anyway we took it to the recycling centre ourselves if it was full), wash too many clothes (No, seriously, he did. I spend the majority of my working week crawling through hedges, and Andrew cleans up oil spills for a living) and about a thousand other things has been told to leave.
Landlord was wondering if the house had turned into some sort of slum, came round to check. Found it was clean and tidy, but that Andrew and I were about two whinges away from finding something heavy and smashing it in his face, and told him that as he'd had no complaints about either of us from all the other people who have lived there in the past couple of years, he thought the problem was Liam's personality (or lack of it), and that it would be best if he left. Hurrah!
Well rid from the sound of it. Let peace prevail.
Yay, Pachy!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I remember the elderly lady who lived downstairs, who used to pound her tripod cane on the hardwood floors and scream through the floor that she would have me evicted because I WAS IRONING TOO LOUD!
When it got to be much too much, I'd drop the landlords a little note and they'd stop by and visit with her.
:irony:
Hooray for your new-found freedom from oppression, Pach-Man!
My good news is that the church that has allowed me to use the schoolhouse on its property for my theater has given me my first stipend paycheck and reimbursement for materials. This makes me a professional community theater director, in that I'm now getting paid. Not that I could live off it, of course, but technically speaking. This is good news because I was down to four dollars in my account. Whew.
Alas, oppression hsn't quite ended yet, in that he has until the end of December to move out, but at least we have a timeline to work to (and we fully intend to make his life a misery, what goes around comes around comes around... If you can't run with the big dogs, don't piss on the tall trees...)
Congrats on the theatre Opas, sounds awesome.
I have a job! It doesn't start until January, but
I
HAVE
A
FRIGGIN'
JOB!
I am a glorified teacher's aide/tutor. I get $9 an hour and I pretty much set my own schedule. This is awesome.
Congratulations!
Yippeee for Scrib! Hooray! :thumbsup: :YaY:
Excellent news, Scriblerous! :thumbsup:
Thanks guys! I'm pretty stoked about it.
Kudos to you-- any kids you come into contact will be enriched, I have no doubt.
Well done Sccribs !
Thanks. :D
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on December 05, 2010, 07:25:17 AM
Kudos to you-- any kids you come into contact will be enriched, I have no doubt.
:) Thank you. These are my peers I'll be working with, lol.
Yay, Scrib! :high5:
That's wonderful news to hear, Scrib. You deserve a break! YEAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:hug: Thanks. :)
I am happy to tell you that my daughter (known here as th'Opsalette) was invited to try out for the All-State Honor Choir (she has a very good singing voice) and made it in! So now we get to go to Virginia Beach in April for the rehearsals and performance, which will be a real treat for all of us. We're very proud of her efforts and the support of her music teacher.
:squidmusicLT: :squid_musicRT: :squid_robed: :squidmusicLT: :squid_musicRT:
:thumbsup:
:squid_robed:
The moats are aliiiiiiiiiiive
With the sound of Muuuuuuuuuuusic!
Congratulations, Opsalette!
Thank you. I will pass on your greetings to her. (She will be very pleased, as she loves da Toadfish.)
Well done, Opsalette! This could be your big break into show-business! ;D
Well, it's official.
Years ago, when some members of my family had researched our family history, we uncovered a great-great-something grandma who was full-blood Cherokee. Alas, neither she, nor her parents made it to the lists, back in the day-- she was orphaned on the trail, hear Houston, Missouri when she was 12 or so. A local family took her in, and by the time she was grown, she'd fallen in love with the son, and they married. I'm descended from her, through my mother.
At that time, my mother applied to the Cherokees for a membership card-- it would've been modestly useful to our business at the time. We were turned down then, but mom re-applied and that was all we heard.
Then, this week, she gets a letter in the mail, with temporary Cherokee ID cards... imagine that? After all this time, some bureaucrat approved her application. Too late for the business (retired), but it's kinda cool, in a way.
I need to research what to do next, I would imagine a trip to the headquarters is in order.
But one of those cards has my name on it....
... so it's official: I can claim, in part, to actually >>be<< a Genuine North Americano...
:)
Ain't life just full of unexpected twists and turns?
Interesting; what's your new plans for that?
None at present, aside from bragging rights.
I've known for years that my ancestor was full-blood Cherokee, but I'd not had official statements (other than our family records).
Perhaps, I will look into it more, in the future-- what can it harm, to get in touch with that line of my family?
You will have to buy a tomahawk! :mrgreen:
What a splendid thing, to have such interesting ancestors confirmed. I envy you.
Now try whether there is also a Viking in the lineage. They are fond of axes too. ;)
B-in-a-Q: this is toadily awesome! It may also explain why you are in a quantum state of faith.
I have a mysterious grandmother too, whom one of my uncles found to not have any records. She was very intelligent and spoke several languages, even wrote a children's Spanish book. I've always been curious about her. Where did you guys look to find out the info?
Quote from: Opsa on January 23, 2011, 03:26:58 PM
B-in-a-Q: this is toadily awesome! It may also explain why you are in a quantum state of faith.
I have a mysterious grandmother too, whom one of my uncles found to not have any records. She was very intelligent and spoke several languages, even wrote a children's Spanish book. I've always been curious about her. Where did you guys look to find out the info?
We were fortunate, in that one of my family located records back in Tennessee, where the Cherokee and her intended had to post bond to get married-- in those days it was somewhat illegal for whites to marry natives; you had to cough up $1800 bond money first (essentially a penalty tax). Quite a bit of change, if you're just a modest farmer in the late 1800's ... anywho, the records of that bond were still there in the Tennessee courthouse. And they'd also located a local newspaper article about the event, too. I guess Tennessee was the nearest "Indian Affairs" office, as they were in Eastern Missouri at the time of the marriage.
They returned to Missouri, and together raised several kids, but the Native heritage was simply not spoken of. It wasn't until some of the family died, that it even came out. But the sons served in the War, like any other North American did in those days, even though they'd have been 1/2 blood "indian".
Cool! Congratulations!
---
I know that I have Amerindian heritage somewhere but it's almost impossible to know which tribe(s) where and when. The Spaniards mixed very happily with the natives (as opposed to the English) from the very beginning, in fact according to a genetic study 99% of Colombians have genetic material from Amerindians, Caucasians, and Africans, we are as mongrel as anyone can be.
Mongrel is cool. I sometimes wish, that there were no racial characteristics at all, among humans....
... think of all the grief it might have saved, if we were all of the same racial heritage...
... okay, okay, we are, and I realize this.
And upon further reflection, I'm reminded of L. Neil Smith's "Brightsuit MacBear" novel-- wherein the planet was all of the same racial genotype. But the bigots managed to dig up some traits they could point to, and say, "See? these xxx people are second-class"...
*sigh*
I suppose the first time I thought about it, was Author C Clarke's "Childhood's End". One of his more interesting ideas, in concept.
Brecht wrote a drama on something like that
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Round_Heads_and_Pointed_Heads
with the typical moral that class beats 'race' in case of doubt, i.e. if one belongs to the ruling class people will simply ignore (or be forced to do it) the 'bad' racial (or other distinguishing) attributes.
Congratulations Bob. Enjoy your new identity.
The delightful Catherine (work colleague) and Kyle (her boyfriend) are coming over for dinner.
Masses of Italian food, oodles of wine, and some excellent company. I must confess, I'm looking forward to it.
Now, I just have to go shopping, and get cooking, open the vino to let it breathe, tidy the house, do the hoovering etc...
Ah, dinner with friends, so civilized. Enjoy yourself.
... and Pastifarian, as well. Yes, it's spaghetti night. I think I'll open a bottle of wine too, Pachy m'dear.
One university acceptance letter! Safety school, but STILL!
Congratuations Scribs.
Excellent news, Scribs!
:woot:
What are you planning to take, Scrib?
:mrgreen:
Labor history. Probably American, since that's what I know, though I have no doubt it was just as dramatic elsewhere.
Keep us posted, Scrib.
Congrats Scrib!
Got my new side business rolling! I'm buying broken laptops, fixing them, maxing them out where economically feasible. Gonna start things off with a bang buy putting a Sager NP up for auction on eBay! :mrgreen: Will post a link to it! I'm so excited to so what it goes for! Picked it up for $220... Sounds like it just needs the OS reinstalled. Should get it tomorrow.
Good news, MB! Hope it goes nice and easily. Keep us informed.
Quote from: ScribLabor history. Probably American, since that's what I know, though I have no doubt it was just as dramatic elsewhere.
Certainly was in the UK. Read up on the history of our mining industry. And there's a very interesting novel called
Germinal by Emile Zola about miners striking in Belgium. It's easily available in translation.
Hey, that's cool Scrib --- learning is always a new adventure for anyone who dares to take that road. It changes you-- always. (or else have you really learned anything you didn't already know? :) )
MB: That sounds interesting. Not only do you get to solve problems, but you actually get to profit from them, too ... as opposed to being paid a trivial fee to un-do someone's foolishness.
:)
Yeay Scrib!! That's great.
MB- Cool! Maybe you could post your eBay linkies here in Electronics and Technolust.
Thanks, guys!
Quote from: Sibling DavidH on January 31, 2011, 08:43:38 AM
Quote from: ScribLabor history. Probably American, since that's what I know, though I have no doubt it was just as dramatic elsewhere.
Certainly was in the UK. Read up on the history of our mining industry. And there's a very interesting novel called Germinal by Emile Zola about miners striking in Belgium. It's easily available in translation.
That has been added to my to-investigate list!
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on January 31, 2011, 08:04:29 AM
Congrats Scrib!
Got my new side business rolling! I'm buying broken laptops, fixing them, maxing them out where economically feasible. Gonna start things off with a bang buy putting a Sager NP up for auction on eBay! :mrgreen: Will post a link to it! I'm so excited to so what it goes for! Picked it up for $220... Sounds like it just needs the OS reinstalled. Should get it tomorrow.
Thanks! And I might be interested in picking up a laptop from you.
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on February 02, 2011, 03:06:42 AM
Thanks! And I might be interested in picking up a laptop from you.
Eggxcellent! My business model is a bit unorthodox. No need to elaborate on that however. Just know I don't carry stock so it may take a little bit, but I will make you happy. Let me know what your dream laptop is and what your budget is and I will see what I can do.
I'm going to offer a lifetime free labor warranty on selected laptops. Right now that includes any Dell. That list will grow as my experience increases and I determine part availability and cost. Most of those systems I'll also offer trade-in credit if I built or repaired it. I'll do my best to inform you when the value of it starts to drop so you can make a decision on trading it in.
Long boring story, I'm a Lenovo reseller now so if anybody is looking for a deal on a new Lenovo I can hook you up.
Oooh, sounds awesome! I'll pm you my wishlist soon. :hug:
Congrats to both Scriblerus and MB!
Quote from: MentalBlock996 on February 02, 2011, 12:10:35 PM
Quote from: Scriblerus the Philosophe on February 02, 2011, 03:06:42 AM
Long boring story, I'm a Lenovo reseller now so if anybody is looking for a deal on a new Lenovo I can hook you up.
Nice... :)
I bought a Asus Eee 6 months ago but I was looking longingly at a small Lenovo for some time...
I have landed a position as a internal education teacher. :)
It's not a full time job, teaching has just been added to all the other things I do at work, with a slight raise the days I'm borrowed from my usual work to teach. Still I'm very happy, it is a step closet to what I actually would like to do for a living... :D
Accepted by my second choice school. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University,_Channel_Islands Pretty happy! Nice weather, BEACHES, MOUNTAINS, and a decent history program!
Congratulations! Sounds like a lovely place to be. :)
Good job, Scrib!
Congratulations. Hope it will be a very happy choice.
Y'AAAARRGGHHHH!
Yeay Scrib! When do you start?
Thanks! And I think so too, Zono.
Quote from: Opsa on March 02, 2011, 10:42:22 PM
Y'AAAARRGGHHHH!
Yeay Scrib! When do you start?
September, I believe. But it depends on money. Otherwise I'll be here until grad school.
I'm moving back to BC in a month!
I was planning to take 3 months holiday, but I think I'm going to make it permanent. I was supposed to move back in with Mom and Dad for the holiday (might still start there), but I found a room for rent in a house NEXT TO THE ONE I GREW UP IN! for a good price if I want to just jump into renting. 0.9 acres with garden space and a cherry tree, owner is often away for work, an indoor climbing wall. I had a friend who lived in that house so I've been in, on top of (and jumped off), and underneath this place. Not sure if I'll take the room yet, but - wow!
first time I got drunk was there, too ;)
WoW! ;D
sounds like "A Room with a :woot: "
Cool! Send pictures!
I was planning on moving in with M&P for a few months, but my sis pointed out that I can just as easily take the place and then stay over at their house when they'd like me to visit. That way I wouldn't be cluttering up the joint or risk overstaying my welcome. ;)
I plan to be in that area frequently in any case, because one of my best friends lives out that way and I'll be over at his place doing some inventing and scheming (he's got a big workshop). I can ride my bike over just like when I was a kid! :mrgreen:
Said climbing wall:
(http://img1.classistatic.com/cps/kj/110320/900r9/73694ck_20.jpeg)
I'm trying to figure out if that's in the basement or the sunroom/addition where we used to spin vinyl and jam. :D
That's crazy cool! Needs some sort of webcam and a remote control arm so we can knock you off over the internet. :D
Hee hee. Sounds wonderful. What's the rent like?
$400-ish. Cheap enough that I wouldn't feel bad if I'm not there full-time. I am starting to think more that it'll be nice to have two places to retreat to. As mentioned, I will be spending a fair bit of time out in Lavington, so this'd save me a 60 km round trip from my parent's place (town is halfway between the two), and the gas savings will offset the rent a bit. I should be able to carpool & bike a bit for social activities as well. I'm going to set my old bike up as a commuter wagon, put some semislicks and a rack on the beast.
Sounds cool. It's a good idea to have an alternative to the parent's space. Much as we love them, it can sometimes be hard to live with them as an adult.
It was planned to be a temporary holiday, so if I'm making it permanent I need proper digs. I wouldn't have minded staying there for the first 3 months, but this place looks too fortuitous to pass up (and three months rent is less than what I pay for a month now, so I can justify it. Mom's territorial about her ceramic-top stove, too, and this place looks like it has gas burners (joy!). Maybe I won't be banished to cooking outdoors. :mrgreen:
Nice to have access to some garden space that doesn't need to be netted off to keep the deer at bay, too. M&P's is close to the lake, though, so I daresay I'll be hanging around a lot in the summer. ;)
Gives whole new meaning to "climbing the wall" !
At last the package from Iceland has arrived completing my LazyTown collection :itsagirl: :giggle: ;)
Waiting a long time? I seem to remember you talking about it months back (admittedly, my sense of time is completely distorted).
This time the problem was that most Icelandic Online shops had switched to ordering procedures that implicitly required residence there (like only allowing Icelandic postal codes and asking the Kennitala, a personal identification number every resident and native has).
I got some stuff before that change and some from a very expensive (through massive delivery fees) store that has an international presence. But the second series (and some CDs) were not available there. It took me a very long time to get an answer from one of the shops that had the material catalogued by going through all my email addresses and experimenting with different subject headings. Only after I managed to translate the heading into Icelandic I got through. Then there was a bit of confusion about the mode of payment and how to get that info to them safely (not helped by me mistyping the credit card number). Then they sent it without notifying me.
Since Iceland is not EU, stuff has to go through customs and those guys are totally unpredictable. In extreme cases it will take months before they even notify you that they are sitting on your parcel and give you the info where and how to ransom it. So, for quite some time I was in information limbo.
Time to work on my series of essays ont he topic of LazyTown :D
Do you watch CBeebies? If so, what kind of "....philia" is that? :o
Nope, no TV. But I still wait for LazyTown Extra to get an independent DVD release.
Don't know what the law says about sex in utero. Fetophilia, embryophilia?
Some species can conceive while pregnant and I think I have heard of at least one species that can start procreating before being born.
That would be fractal :D
Aphids have several generations stacked inside, but it's parthenogenic
Well, otherwise one would have to assume that the offspring has an intrauterine orgy :mrgreen:
:offtopic:
I don't know whether that's off topic or not. An interuterine orgy sounds like it might be fun.
* horrifiedly wrings hands in horrific horror *
* sobs dramatically , THINK OF THE CHILLLLLLDREN! *
Good news, I'll be unloading boxes from a moving trailer in BC one week from now.
and driving back to AB the next day, but only for 48 hours!
Congratulations!
So, no more oil patches for you?
I don't want to open my mouth yet, because I already got sent out one last time.... but that's the general idea. There's some possibility that I might do a little more field work in the fall, but no need to have a separate residence in AB. I can squat with a buddy for the few days I'm actually not working. I'd rather be done with it, but the money's good and I don't want to strand the company I work for if they need some extra help. I _don't_ want to do another full winter out here.
Still, three months notice is fairly courteous I think, generally speaking.
This is awesome! Did you rent that place with the climbing wall?
Never made phone contact with the owner - my plans are somewhat up in the air at this point so I'll likely move in with M&P for the first little while. The ad's still up so I will probably try meet him in person if he's still looking for a roommate.
------
EDIT: May have bargained into a part-time, remote-access position maintaining the company safety program (I'm EH&S Coordinator in addition to my field duties). Should be a nice, manageable bit of occasional desk work. I've left the door open on a little bit of field work if mutually beneficial, in the latter part of the year.
Well done Aggie. Onwards and Upwards!
Bad news, friends... I'm afraid I may have fallen asleep at the wheel and died when moving from AB.
The good news? I woke up in heaven! :D
So, they have internet access in heaven now? How are the facilities, food, entertainment, etc? Is it as blissful as previously claimed? (are you sure you're in heaven?). :P
---
Seriously speaking, are you OK?
The food's good if I pitch in. They are not quite as comfortable with high-temperature cooking techniques as they are in the Other Place. :devil2: Wifi's everywhere these days. ::)
Srsly, I survived the move to BC and it's beautiful. Sunshine, 15C (feels warmer in the sun), flowers, lakes, mountains and trees. I've been out biking, hiking and trail building, harvesting and eating wild spring greens. Probably going to get the fishing rod out tonight. Home!
^ That does sound heavenly! :)
Sweet Aggie! That's your Karma coming back.
I got a Eurocom Phantom-X. It was cheap. I could fix it and it wasn't stolen. Good things come in threes. :D
Bunch of other stuff too. I have a MacBook Pro 15.4" with an 80Gb Intel xm-25 in it. It's really sweet and loaded.
Aggie, I am so glad you are somewhere good. Always worried about how tough it was where you were.
The road was bumpy, but you got there Aggie, didn't you? :-*
(Sweet, MB!)
Yesterday, I went to an organic apple orchard and talked to the farmer about her family's operation and sustainable agriculture in general, picked up some organic applewood prunings to use in my smoker, stopped in at a mead-tasting event at the local honey place (and now meadery), spent some time sharpening my carving tools, walked down to the lakeshore after dinner, saw a deer swimming in the lake, sat cross-legged on a rock on the lakeshore and did some meditation (and quite a bit of fishing - casting is good for meditation ;)), and had a moment with a hummingbird.
Yah, not much going on out here in Lotusland... :mrgreen:
Sounds like a lot is going on in Lotusland. Beautiful!
I am still gainfully employed 8) (despite being quite epically lazy ;D), and get paid for saving the planet :YaY:.
Being gainfully employed is certainly good news. By all means keep up the (good) work. ;)
Quote from: Pachyderm on May 18, 2011, 02:19:59 PM
I am still gainfully employed 8) (despite being quite epically lazy ;D), and get paid for saving the planet :YaY:.
Wish the same was true for me :(
Cuts in the department, Swato? :P
Quote from: Pachyderm on May 18, 2011, 02:19:59 PM
I am still gainfully employed 8) (despite being quite epically lazy ;D), and get paid for saving the planet :YaY:.
I keep trying
not to be gainfully employed saving the planet, but I'm apparently dismal at it. Back on the wrong side of the Rockies dealing with some Health & Safety stuff this week.
Contract ends on June 30th. Currently total hiring freeze, maybe I can try again next year.
But they likely prefer less lazy guys for saving the world.
Hm, should I try to join the opposing side?
Don't join the dark side!
--
I worked doing IT for the dark (BP oil) side a few years ago. I wonder if working for a renewable energy company feels better... ;)
I am in the strange situation to have to defend 'my' industry on a regular base. Sympathy for the chlorine guys :D
In my case, I'm neutral at best - helping Big Oil follow the rules. Admittedly, some companies are very proactive and appear to actually care (most of current clients).
I consider myself a maid of sorts - changing the sheets when Big Oil sh*ts the bed. ::)
Quote from: Pachyderm on May 18, 2011, 02:19:59 PM
I am still gainfully employed 8) (despite being quite epically lazy ;D), and get paid for saving the planet :YaY:.
;D
Quote from: Swatopluk on May 18, 2011, 08:33:43 PM
Contract ends on June 30th. Currently total hiring freeze, maybe I can try again next year.
:(
? time to do all those things you never have time to do?
Indeed. A 1000 DVDs wait for watching
My very own Anthrobaby is getting married next April-- this is the little sis to the Anthrochild87- she is marrying a very wonderful young man that I simply adore named T-Bear and I am officiating their ceremony and yadda, yadda, yadda. But I am overjoyed and am bursting with glee.
Awesome! Good for you!
Congratulations! :clink:
W00ts! Congrats to the happy couple, Ababe!
Congratulations!
What Griffin said! I love weddings. I can't even imagine th'Opsalette getting married, but if and when she does, I'll probably explode. (She's about to turn 13 and just got her first boyfriend, so it'll be a while.)
What sort of ceremony are you planning? What sort of party? Details!!!!
Yaaay! It is >>good<< to see one's offspring make good.
:)
Congratulations!
Last week we had record high temperatures, and had to cancel our theater's outdoor performance. We had it indoors, instead- with only a run-through earlier that same day.
We had a full house and got a standing ovation! A local paper did a story on us, as well. So it's good for us!
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Fantastic job!
I'm gonna call you Hollywood from now on... :D
Yay, OPsa!
Woot!
Well done Opsa!
I got my divorce papers in the mail a couple of weeks ago, and it becomes officially complete on Sunday. :thumbsup:
That's a heady feeling-- I remember the relief I had when mine was final.
Have a divorce party.
A bittersweet flavor, to be sure, even when it was a carpy marriage, as my first one was.
It does feel good to close that old book and burn it, though!
I'll toast your new life on Sunday.
:beer: :glomp: :brainbleech: :fireworks_fire:
Quote from: Griffin NoName on July 28, 2011, 10:13:46 PM
Have a divorce party.
Nah, I'm going houseboating. :mrgreen:
Congratulations Aggie! It feels good to get that closure.
I finished the script for my next children's play. It feels good to be thinking about something new.
I do not think it has ever been a secret that dear AB suffers from depression,anxiety, and good old nuttiness.
Well i've been on Paxil (generic, no copay) for just over a year now--- thank you Dr H for being the woman who finally sat with me and listened and got it right with the diagnosis of general anxiety disorder (GAD) and also understands the hoarding i've had to be a part of it not something else weird (btw the hoarding is well under control-not perfect but I can have guests and strangers into the house!!!!) and paroxetine (paxil) is a wonder drug and I really feel like a human on most days-- and a toadfish all days. And love ya all forever and ever. That is my good news and more to the awareness that the mentally ill are amongst us (are often us) and it has to be treated just like any other illness.
Love you, A-Babe!!!!
:hug: :heartbeat: :kisshands: :glomp:
It's good new to see you around here regularly again, A-Babe!
Am so relieved for you AB. Meds can make the difference between life and a living death. I am so glad they work for you.
My daughters job affords me a better internet link and I get coffee too. And i've always felt that this community has been and continues to be a real/physical part of my life-- what started as just fun and games at TOP became well ya know real.
It's certainly great to have you posting again!
TY TY TY
It's good to see you around again, a-babe. :)
I think it's amazing the things human science has learned with regards to chemical balance (and imbalance) in our organic CPU's...
... the way that people can be assisted with a wee bit o'chemical help is quite astounding, to me.
And when combined with "traditional" therapies (talking about things to sympathetic listeners, critical self-exam, etc) people that even 50 years ago would have simply given up, can be happy, relatively well-adjusted people instead.
Ain't scientific medicine wonderful? I certainly think so.
Good news Ay-Bee ... and glad to see ya posting all regular-loike once again.
;D
Quote from: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on August 24, 2011, 02:32:32 PM
I think it's amazing the things human science has learned with regards to chemical balance (and imbalance) in our organic CPU's...
... the way that people can be assisted with a wee bit o'chemical help is quite astounding, to me.
Just to keep the debate going.......... it can be really difficult to find the right chemical, there are loads of anti-d's and many don't work on particular people............ so months of trying one after another......... and some people are "treatment resistant"......... that's why I think it is wonderful Ababe has one that works for her.
And I also found a fantastic counselor as well-- this clinic has been in the brain business (actually the whole person attached to the brain) for many years and they have people who fortunately work for me. She and I get along well and we do differ on some levels greatly (she is a die hard Christian and me not so much ya know) but she does not shove and cram she just uses all of her learning and experience and me trusting her and letting it all out has helped probably as much as the medication. But boy it is certainly nice to have one that works well--- years of misdiagnosis and what ever left me wondering if I was eventually going to be walking down the highway nude one day speaking to the asphalt.
HEY!
I just found out that one of my best friends from High School (we still keep in touch) just got into the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus!
I am so proud of him. He was always talented. We were in the drama club together. He took me to the prom, even (we wore overalls- it was the 70's). For a while he was real sick, and being HIV positive we were worried about him, but he pulled through and never got full-blown AIDS. He's one of the lucky ones, so far anyhow, as he's had it for about twenty years. A while back he moved to Frisco, and it looks like he finally made it in show business. The SFGMC is a very well-known professional act.
You go, boy! ;D
Sing-sing a song!
Sing out loud!
Sing out looooooong!
(ala Sesame Street but love it)
Congrats to the new member of the choir
yay for him!
(http://images.clipartof.com/small/1069127-Clipart-Happy-Star-Emoticon-Holding-Two-Thumbs-Up-Royalty-Free-Vector-Illustration.jpg)
Well, bully for him! :thumbsup:
Good for him, and good for you for catching up.
Well, we've been friends for at least forty years, now. Talk about BFF! It's good to know friendship for that long is possible.
I hope I know my Sibs for that long! Some of us are all ready going on, what- nearly 8 years, now is it?
It was Sept 05 when I joined you know where I think.
What year was it, though? Seems like long ago.
For me, it was either 2005 or 2006-- somewhere around there.
Alas, they finally deleted my old log-on at TOP... I tried to get in the other day (I used to log-in every 6 months or so to keep it alive, but I'd not post) and it didn't know me from Adam.
And they've deleted all the really old posts, it appears. Which would've included anything I wrote-- my last post was 2007? Or 2008 Or something like that.
It was 2005 Opsa
So all the old lore is lost. So much about the net never forgetting anything..
It's probably twinkling somewhere out there in cyberspace.
2005 seems like quite a while ago. Thanks, old pal! :-*
Surely you must be mistaken? We were assured that posts (and topics) were not being deleted...
:giggle:
Don't worry P09, I am sure the FSM has them attached to the appendages in outer space. (still it's a shame all our amazing offerings are no longer available down here where the beer fountains don't flow).
I'm amazed; the total raised by the charity's sponsored walk in September has now gone over £1,500. That's three times our first rough guess. It's almost £40 for each of the 40 who took part, but in fact some raised fairly little and a few raised large amounts. One worker raised £350!
It seems there won't be much more now, but they've done so well. I've been congratulating participants all week.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
That's fabulous! You should be proud of yourselves, and of the generosity of your community.
Well done David.
Just heard I got a "pass" on my degree module - the essay I was writing all summer, one word at a time. It was a good pass too, only 3 marks off a distinction! Thanks for all the support, I couldn't have done it without it.
Excellent, Griffin! Hopefully that will boost your morale for the next modules.
Quote from: Sibling DavidH on November 06, 2011, 09:15:52 AM
Hopefully that will boost your morale for the next modules.
Unfortunately not at all. This current module is rather different, difficult in a different way, and completely new territory. I am finding it much harder all round. I fear I am already making a mess of it, and I am way off writing the essay yet.
You can do it, Griffin, one success at a time. Congratulations!
I've mentioned the garden that some of the charity's participants tend on a donated plot of land. Well in the summer some beggar burned the toolshed down, which did a lot of other damage as well.
On Sunday, we put a new one up. Much less flammable too. All materials and labour donated, as were a large number of new tools.
BEFORE:
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu198/RamblingSyd/V_St_Gdn_Fire.jpg)
AFTER:
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu198/RamblingSyd/New_Shed.jpg)
That's one nice lookin' shed you built there.
Thanks, Bob. I did none of the making and only a little bit of the assembling.
It was the husband of one of our volunteers, plus one of his mates from Morris-dancing and one of his mates. That's the way it works in these parts! The frame is made of offcuts of decking and the roof is cut down pig arks. I took photos for the press release and Wendy brought the cakes.
Good shed!
I got my flu jab. Not painful. No repercussions so far. Normally ok in previous years so not expecting trouble.
Best to put a lock on the shed, because someone might mistake the purpose with the moon on the door.
Very nice looking dunny, though.... ;D
^ ;D
The lock question is being discussed. Some are saying that if we don't lock it, it won't get broken open. Others, including me, say if we don't lock it we'll get even more trouble. We'll see what's decided.
I also think that the door decorations make it look like a khazi, but in fact we put in a composting toilet ("Tree Bog") on the site last year. The mayor opened it by cutting a ribbon of bog-roll!
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu198/RamblingSyd/treebog.jpg)
(http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu198/RamblingSyd/Mayor.jpg)
Cool.
I've seen adverts of composting toilets you can put up inside...
Tangentially related: (chemical) toilets no longer considered weapons by US
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/in-the-loop/post/toilets-no-longer-a-threat-a-relieved-congress-hears/2011/11/04/gIQApfpumM_blog.html
Nice looking tree bog you got yourselves there--- of course my interest is purely from the anthropologist view point and in about 100 years I hope someone excavates it to see what it contains (items thrown in it not ya know as that will be gone).
Nice shed as well-- good job!
Thanks, A-Babe. If you want to excavate it right now, I'll get you permission. With a brisk SW wind most of the town will be OK if they tape their windows. :mrgreen:
FINISHED WITH FIELD WORK!!!1!!11!*
In two weeks, I'll be on a chairlift. Daily. :mrgreen:
*they might fly me out for one more site in January, but I've survived this final major three-month stint.
Congratulations, Aggie! :fireworks_spread:
My BRU-THA!
I too, have finished my latest project, the production of a children's play. We had our last performance last weekend, and I'm just starting to feel rested. It was a long haul! The cast will march in a local Holiday parade this weekend, and I've spent this week making T-shirts for them to wear, along with holiday thank-you cards.
After the parade I'll give them lunch, and then I'm off until I get started on the next play in a couple of weeks. Whew! But it's good work, and worth it even though it's not for pay.
Hey, if you keep working hard at it, someone might decide to pay you for it eventually! That's kind of the approach I'm taking for 2012, I think. They'll pay me to cook to cover the bills, I think. Not necessarily much of a career, cooking, but a hell of a fun job.
I'm with you. That is the direction I hope that this will go. After all, who would have paid me before I proved that I could do it? I'm not sure who will pay me now that I've been proving my worth, but it's time to start asking.
Can't believe it's 3 months Aggie !
It's nice to be finished with it isn't it by brother.
And No I will not be excavating the bog at this stage-- but thanks anyway.
Back to BC tomorrow! :D
Happy for you, Aggie! :thumbsup:
Well, we've sent or delivered all but one of our xmas cards. It beats me where they've all gone - we had 100 printed, we used all the leftovers from previous years and then I ran off 20 more on our own machine, of which 5 remain. Call it 130-ish. The big Excel sheet from which I print the labels has hardly changed,it's just odd ones that you suddenly notice and then forget to record. Next year I'll have 120 printed. ::)
Bon voyage, Aggie! :-*
I have the opposite problem with cards, DavidH. I have too many.
Happy change of address, Aggie!
Quote from: Opsa on December 15, 2011, 04:44:47 PM
I have the opposite problem with cards, DavidH. I have too many.
My mother makes them herself and sells them for charity, so there is usually supply for own use at hand.
For all the 40 years we've been sending them together, Wendy and I have made our own cards. In the days before photocopiers they weren't very good; then for years we photocopied them and coloured them in by hand! Then we had computers. Nowadays we have a good relationship with a small printing firm, and they print them properly from my artwork. 100 cost £48 incl. tax and envelopes, which is no dearer than good off-the-shelf ones. A stamp costs 36 pence, anyway.
For years we've had 100 run off and had a few spares, this year it's been 30% more, and I'm not really sure why. Strange.
Fertile files? ;)
I've done potato printing ones, too.
A local store was (alas) closing last June and they had all their card sets for only 25 a pack, so I stocked up on the cool non-denominational ones. They'll probably last me about three years.
Thanks for the good wishes, Siblings! I was on a chairlift today, 'cause I got a ski pass and mean to catch up on nearly a decade of being away from the sport. :D
You got a ski pass, I've got an over-sixties bus pass. :'(
Have fun, Aggie!
:ROFL:
Ah, life in the bus lane.
Quote from: Sibling DavidH on December 16, 2011, 09:44:16 AM
For years we've had 100 run off and had a few spares, this year it's been 30% more, and I'm not really sure why. Strange.
Clearly, it is a Toadfishy Miracle. Or else someone let the squidlings loose in your house again.
;)
'tis a blessing to be mail-acquainted with so many. I could buy a box of 20 and use it for years... alas.
Hoorah, zippety doodah, I'm back in. Thank you so much, everybody who had to do stuff to fix my bannination. I won't try that again, though I must say I'm a bit surprised that a mere quote of spam was enough.
I don't think it was the quote, but possibly a bug in SMF, because you replied to the spammers thread it likely added your IP to bannable IPs, and I stupidly banned them both. I guess we'll have to be careful with the IPs next time we ban someone. :-\
There's so little bannination done around here that I'm always scared of touching the controls. Missed the whole kerfuffle, but glad to see you're back. :)
Thank you, Zone, for figuring out the mess. I missed having DavidH in here.
Glad to see you are back David.
Merry Merry! We are holding Crimble thanks David early this year due to my sister having to work on the official date.
Found a house (to share with a roommate) with major garden space, fruit trees and enough of a basement to have a workshop to myself. :)
It's also in town and walking distance to work and shopping, so I don't have to drive except for excursions.
moving out of mom & dad's basement :eraser:
Good news indeed! Hope it goes well for you.
A few weeks old news: I got a new car and I'm very happy about it. :D :drive:
Sounds great Aggie.
New toys Zono ;)
Griffin's counter looks like good news to me, too! :-* :-* :-*
Quote from: Opsa on February 07, 2012, 10:31:34 PM
Griffin's counter looks like good news to me, too! :-* :-* :-*
It may be, but a little early to tell. Am afraid of falling off the wagon.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on February 08, 2012, 01:34:04 AM
Quote from: Opsa on February 07, 2012, 10:31:34 PM
Griffin's counter looks like good news to me, too! :-* :-* :-*
It may be, but a little early to tell. Am afraid of falling off the wagon.
I'll send you some good thoughts, then.. what can it hurt?
And perhaps, some velcro to help you sticky to that wagon...
:)
Velcro would be much appreciated ;)
Here be some wagon seatbelts! :)
(http://trus.imageg.net/graphics/media/trus/Aplusplus/2011/Updates/11815498/Radio-Flyer-Passport-Wagon-11815498-05.jpg)
LoL@Pieces - thanks
So far so good. And try not to worry too much about falling off. It's just a wagon, not a skyscraper. You can climb right back on if need be. Of course, it gets easier to stay on the longer you can manage to ride. After a while it'll be a breeze. One you can really breathe in.
:heartbeat:
Thanks Opsa.
3 days!
Woot!
That calls for a celebration.... I suggest a doughnut. Chocolate, with chocolate icing. And little chocolate sprinkles too.
:devil2:
-------------
I always wondered? If you call a chocolate doughnut, with white icing "a chocolate doughnut", and a plain doughnut with chocolate icing "a chocolate doughnut"....?
What do you call a chocolate doughnut with chocolate icing?
A chocolate-chocolate doughnut?
What if it has chocolate sprinkles-on?
Wouldn't that be a chocolate-chocolate-chocolate doughnut?
Can you really have too much chocolate on or in a doughnut?
I think not.
I have no idea on names for doughmuts. I call them all George.
4 days !! today was a lot easier. been through hell.
FOUR DAYS!
(http://www.maximumfun.org/images/four.jpg)
TY@Pieces
Made a start on my fifth day as have not slept at all. one of those nights. beginning to get a bit excited about being a non-smoker.
OK - after 4 or 5 days it gets a lot easier, as I recall. The reward of knowing you're winning translates into a lot of willpower.
I wish I could stop thinking about chocolate dough nuts now, THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOB!
I found some weird gum, though... Extra now makes something called "Dessert Delights". I had to try the "Mint Chocolate Chip". I feel like I'm in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
:taz: :crabbie: Doin' the victory dance for Griffin! :pinkelephant: :bouncing:
Quote from: Opsa on February 10, 2012, 07:05:40 PM
I wish I could stop thinking about chocolate dough nuts now, THANK YOU VERY MUCH BOB!
I found some weird gum, though... Extra now makes something called "Dessert Delights". I had to try the "Mint Chocolate Chip". I feel like I'm in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
:taz: :crabbie: Doin' the victory dance for Griffin! :pinkelephant: :bouncing:
:ROFL:
Love the victory dance Opsa. Not sure I deserve it yet. Last time I quit I lasted 5 weeks and one puff took me straight back to addiction again. Just been reading about someone who went 20 years and then had the one puff experience.......... so how long does one have stop for before it can be said to be a success?
I think sucess is there once you lose the craving. If you don't have to grab any cigarette lying around (or think you have to) that will be as far as you'll get, i.e. neutral. But as with alcohol, one drop or puff may throw you back to start however long you abstained.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on February 11, 2012, 10:11:46 PM
Love the victory dance Opsa. Not sure I deserve it yet. Last time I quit I lasted 5 weeks and one puff took me straight back to addiction again. Just been reading about someone who went 20 years and then had the one puff experience.......... so how long does one have stop for before it can be said to be a success?
A acquaintance of mine had quit smoking something like 15 years prior to meeting me. He always carried around about 1/2 a pack of cigs, no matter where he went. He'd occasionally give them away one or two at a time, and immediately purchase a new pack, and open it.
But he never smoked himself.
I once asked him why he always carried cigarettes. His answer? "In case I really want a smoke."
It was soothing to a certain part of his mind, to know he
could, light up right now, if he
really wanted to. But going on 15 years later, he never felt that he
really had to... maybe later.
That worked for him. Other's have used other methods to keep their personal goals (gum was mentioned).
He used to call it "productive procrastination"...
:D
Put on some fancy lipstick and start kissing mirrors, Grif! :-*
(http://195.140.241.223/images/page_image/DaySixLipstick.jpg)
:ROFL:
The journey to quitting smoking is not an easy one. Love you and wish you all success with it.
YOU CAN DO IT!
(http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m68/JRE08/animated_cheerleader001-1.gif)
(http://asws.org.au/files/images/16_days.jpg)
Keep it up there, Griffin! You're going to make it. :thumbsup: :halo:
TY. LoL@P09
Day 17 in progress. Doesn't seem any easier.
It will be, the tinier it becomes in your rear view mirror.
If my calculations are correct, it's Day 25 for Grif!
(http://www.amazing-animations.com/sports/animations/cheerleader6.gif)
No - Day 22 - three weeks! - you can tell from the ticker in my signature - it updates daily
Love the cheerleaders
You're doing it! You're doing it! :-* :-* :-* :-* :-*
Yes, yes, and saving a fortune, can't believe how much I was spending on the filthy habit.
You know, I think part of it is to not beat youself up about having smoked before. When I stopped, I just said "I don't smoke". I didn't do anything special, when I felt like a smoke - for example when having a few with my mates down at the pub - I just reminded myself "I don't smoke". I didn't make a big deal about it. This seemed to help me not feel like I was missing out, after all it was no big deal... I think we set ourselves up for failure if we keep on thinking about what we're not doing all the time. I know its a bit like trying to not think about a purple hippopotamus with yellow polka dots, but the secret is to find other things to do, other interests and if you find yourself approaching a danger zone, just turn off the auto pilot and gently say to yourself, it's OK, I just don't smoke. After a while dealing with those situations becomes easier and easier.
I know that for a while I had some pretty powerful cravings, but I would think you're probably getting past those now Griff. I hope so anyway. However, whatever you are feeling, please feel good about yourself for making the decision and then acting on it. It is a good thing you have done and we all admire you for it. Well done you.
Yippee for Griffin!
Thanks Blue, David.....
I agree with what you say Blue. I find the "I don't smoke" powerful.
Am not yet free of cravings. Event driven. Had a massive one today due to a bad stressful event. As I have no cigs and too tired to go out and get any, there is little risk of caving in, so cravings don't last long as brain automatically tells me the craving is pointless. LoL.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on February 29, 2012, 04:28:27 AM
Thanks Blue, David.....
I agree with what you say Blue. I find the "I don't smoke" powerful.
Am not yet free of cravings. Event driven. Had a massive one today due to a bad stressful event. As I have no cigs and too tired to go out and get any, there is little risk of caving in, so cravings don't last long as brain automatically tells me the craving is pointless. LoL.
Woot on your continued success.
I highly recommend some dark chocolate-- place in the freezer for safekeeping, and so you have to let it thaw a bit (it only takes 15 minutes or so-- well worth it). I regularly use this method after the Valentines and Halloween candy sales and I stock up.
:)
(http://r8chel.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/23.jpg)
We're betting on you, Grif... :hug:
LoL@P09
Chocolate mmmmm have ordered Kit Kats
Just into Day 25, but prefer to think of it as nearly a month ;)
Looks like 28 days today, definitely a February's worth most years. :-*
(http://i43.tower.com/images/mm106973913/28-days-sandra-bullock-dvd-cover-art.jpg)
She looks pretty happy after 28 days...
28 days is 4 weeks! That's a whole month, nearly. Wow!
... and now it's a calendar month !
Still got cravings, dammit, but less often.
Still got mouth ulcers.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on March 06, 2012, 06:12:06 PM
Still got mouth ulcers.
I recommend chamomile for that. Either as tea or as a concentrated solution (available at any chemist or supermarket). For painful cases a chamomile gel/ointment(?)/salve with lidocaine (also available at the chemist) works very well for me. But check first that you are not allergic to the stuff.
WOOT Griffin! Way to go!
Hey! Ababe. Great to see you.
Keep at it, Griffin. ;)
Friday tomorrow, and we're off to the daughter's to see Cap'n B. :stars:
Cap'n B and his little girlfriend have been appointed the representatives of their year on the school council. Whilst this is not quite cabinet level, it must mean that the school likes him.
Quote from: Sibling DavidH on March 08, 2012, 10:58:22 AM
Friday tomorrow, and we're off to the daughter's to see Cap'n B. :stars:
Cap'n B and his little girlfriend have been appointed the representatives of their year on the school council. Whilst this is not quite cabinet level, it must mean that the school likes him.
Good job, Dad! Congratulations to him.
Aaaah! Sweet.
Good for Capn B!
This calls for a round of choklit milche at thee Toadfish pubbe! :downit:
Congratulations to Cap'n B! That is good news for you and your family. I see big things ahead.
I'm glad to hear you've managed to keep off the cigarettes for a month now, Griffin. It can be so very hard to kick the habit.
Quote from: Roland Deschain on March 19, 2012, 01:14:02 AM
I'm glad to hear you've managed to keep off the cigarettes for a month now, Griffin. It can be so very hard to kick the habit.
One month 2 weeks now!! Think I am still a long way off feeling secure about it.
:rockon:
You da Sib!
We collected Cap'n B from school today. Tomorrow is National Mills Weekend (http://www.nationalmillsweekend.co.uk/) as usual :stars: and we're taking B to see 3 watermills and Longtown castle. Then his mum & dad are joining us for a post-birthday pigout. :meal:
Enjoy !
What fun!
...and I see Griffin's well over 3 months quitting the smokes, so I'd like to thank her for taking such good care of such a good friend.
:-*
;D 1/4 year feels good.... went out with a smoker today, not in the least bit tempted to filch one ;D
:fireworks_spread:
(http://www.amrl.net/AmrlSitefinity/Newsletter/images/Spring2011/03_3_months.jpg)
(http://thisisthecraftyone.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/6_days.gif)
:fireworks_spread:
Also, will there be any goat racing in the offing, DavidH? :)
Quote from: Griffin NoName on May 12, 2012, 01:08:54 AM
;D 1/4 year feels good.... went out with a smoker today, not in the least bit tempted to filch one ;D
That is even better news.... kudos to you and your newfound will to live.
;D ;D ;D ;D
Thanks all!!!
I knew you'd make it, Griffin. Well done indeed. You never need go back now.
No goat racing, Pieces, but of the 3 mills we visited, 2 were turning of which one was grinding corn. Little'un was fascinated.
More congratulations, Griffin. ;)
I think i'd be fascinated by the grinding of corn too. Wonderful machinery in real mills.
Good news: our fundraiser festival this past weekend for our all-volunteer community children's theater raised $500. Yeay! We can afford next season!
:high5: ^ Yay!
Great news.
Congratulations on raising enough money for next year. It's surprising how many community activities rely on the generosity of strangers (and the not so strangers).
Hooray for Opsa! Believe me, I know what news like that means.
Hey-o! We're going to see the broadway musical version of "Peter Pan" tonight at a nearby Arts Conservatory. Can't wait. I was in a community theater production of it when I was a kid and the music has stuck with me forever. Particularly "I Won't Grow Up" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9OTLnluC8c&feature=related), which it seems I have taken to heart. :blush:
I like this one too... :mrgreen:
[youtube=425,350]oqOm78Vvg3w[/youtube]
Ahhhhh, that's so wonderful.
Thank you.
Went into town today to buy some Euros for our coming holiday. Last year we were reckoning the Euro at £1 for practical purposes, in fact it was just a bit less. Today I got €500 for £406.60, so for easy reckoning we can call it 80 pence. OK, things in Greece will be dearer than last year, but I'd guess we're going to benefit substantially. ;D
It's a lovely thing, when by sheer chance, you gain some sort of benefit from the way the world works, isn't it? :)
Lovely, but rare! :mrgreen:
It was up to around €1.24 to £1 when I checked a few days ago. The Pound Sterling has definitely become a little stronger against the Euro, which benefits us UK holidaymakers in Europe. It was down to €1.1 not so long ago.*
*Woo! An extra ten Eurocents, lol.
On the other hand it makes my DVD imports from Amazon.co.uk more expensive again (still far cheaper than the UK IMPORT option from amazon.de)
Quote from: Swatopluk on September 10, 2012, 04:12:36 PM
On the other hand it makes my DVD imports from Amazon.co.uk more expensive again (still far cheaper than the UK IMPORT option from amazon.de)
Buying from Amazon.co.uk also means you'll be able to purchase the more adult (as in violent, not as in prawn) things, especially when it comes to games.
I could get theat from Austria too :mrgreen:
But unless it is horses coming to harm, UK DVDs are less likely to be cut. And I never encountered such madness like "Thai/Mandarin without subtitles or dubbed with (and no option to switch them off)" there (unlike here).
Almost got me new play (The Secret Garden) cast. Had auditions last weekend. Have been at the keyboard all the blessed day.
Quote from: Swatopluk on September 10, 2012, 04:38:40 PM
I could get theat from Austria too :mrgreen:
But unless it is horses coming to harm, UK DVDs are less likely to be cut. And I never encountered such madness like "Thai/Mandarin without subtitles or dubbed with (and no option to switch them off)" there (unlike here).
Ok, not seen DVDs for sale in England in a non-English language with no subtitle option. That's really odd.
Quote from: Opsa on September 10, 2012, 08:20:10 PM
Almost got me new play (The Secret Garden) cast. Had auditions last weekend. Have been at the keyboard all the blessed day.
The Secret Garden is a wonderful book. It's been so many years since I read it.
Quote from: Roland Deschain on September 10, 2012, 08:34:57 PM
Quote from: Swatopluk on September 10, 2012, 04:38:40 PM
I could get theat from Austria too :mrgreen:
But unless it is horses coming to harm, UK DVDs are less likely to be cut. And I never encountered such madness like "Thai/Mandarin without subtitles or dubbed with (and no option to switch them off)" there (unlike here).
Ok, not seen DVDs for sale in England in a non-English language with no subtitle option. That's really odd.
Ugh, thinking back to some of the double-dubbed bootlegs I've ran into over the years. It's not particularly distracting if it's languages that sound somewhat similar and I understand 0% of neither (Mandarin/Cantonese overdubs), but it still sounds bizarre. Two sets of dialogue overlaid, and even if you understood either it would be disconcerting, I suspect.
Worse yet is subtitles that have passed through a middleman language (especially a logographic one) and then have been re-translated into English. I've yet to finish watching Dae Jang Geum as the copies I've been able to get my hands on switched to a translation from Korean to English via Chinese (of unknown dialect) part way through her medical training. I was mystified by the recurrence of the word 'elephant', which was somehow inappropriately translated instead of 'pulse'. :P
I've also run into subtitles that have been copied from entirely different films, and correspond not at all with the action on the screen.
I have visions of a doctor checking someone's elephant, now. :mrgreen:
You have not seen German subtitles yet :o
Occasionally I get the impression that dyslexia is mandatory for subtitle makers.
That's another reason to go for (British*) English, if one does not undertstand the original language.
*Avoid American dubs and subtitles for anything anime or Japanese in general! Avoid American editions in the first place. Mutilations, idiotic recuts, blatantly and deliberately false translations and occasional 'new' material (like putting an American reporter into the original Godzilla).
Roland's been doing lots of posting which means there are lots of things to read............ great stuff !!
In 1978 I saw Bonnie And Clyde in Berlin, dubbed into German. It seemed perfectly natural to me, but subtitles would have ruined it, even good ones. Same when I saw Blow-Up in Wesel.
Dubbing is a mixed bag, there are superb dubs (occasionally topping the original) and dreadful ones. Not to forget changed dialogues that can alter the total meaning (e.g. infamously turning the Nazis into Soviets in Casablanca). Subtitles used to be adequate but, or so it seems to me, they are often done these days on the cheap with occasionally incredible mistakes and clear signs that the 'translators' have never seen the movie in question. Which could at least begin to explain stuff like confusing chair (furniture) and chair(man), although the context should have been unambiguous (chairmen are rarely made from wood or sat on).
What occasionally happens is that dub and subtitles contradict each other or at least say very different things (and my lack of e.g. Chinese prevents me from checking which one is actually correct). This should of course not be confused with deliberately false subtitles used for comical effects (in at least one case I know it goes meta and the actors complain on screen about errors or distortions in the subtitles).
Thread drift, thread drift, over the bounding waves...
Quote from: Swatopluk on September 10, 2012, 09:42:58 PM
You have not seen German subtitles yet :o
Occasionally I get the impression that dyslexia is mandatory for subtitle makers.
I suspect that much of the grammatical dyslexia is a case of using the original grammar and literally translating each word, without worrying about the destination-language grammar.
I find good subtitles to be less distracting that bad dubs. I prefer to hear the inflection in the original dialogue. The voice changes made in many dubs (especially, as Swato says, Americanized Japanese imports) are so far from the original that it defeats the purpose of simple translation and becomes full on Americanization.
That being said, I'm so used to subtitles that if closed captioning is put on for a movie in English, I'll compulsively follow the subtitles despite understanding the dialogue. I read faster than the dialogue is presented, so I'm often out of phase with the speech. ::)
Quote from: Aggie on September 11, 2012, 07:16:55 PM
I find good subtitles to be less distracting that bad dubs. I prefer to hear the inflection in the original dialogue.
^That. I simply can't stand dubs (I have to endure them in Spanish from time to time and those are abominable).
Ayuh. Some dubbed voice-overs are primarily translations without any real acting ability. The original acted dialogue carries much more meaning even if you can't understand it literally, and can flavour even a bad subtitle job enough to understand the scene.
I have a DVD of a Korean movie where the subtitles get farther and farther away from the dialogue they represent. It's already difficult when in an actual dialogue the delay is roughly equal to the length of the bits, so one gets the text for the person currently NOT speaking. And it becomes hopeless when the subtitles essentially belong to the last scene seen.
I greatly prefer subtitles. With French, I enjoy spotting when the translator has made a mistake (I have school French plus Swiss friend who will only converse in French). I can spot a few mistakes when it's Italian, as I have some minimal italian. But the surprising thing is I can spot mistakes in Swedish and Danish even having no knowledge of those languages. (I have latin but no Greek).
:offtopic:
:catroll:
Quote from: Aggie on September 11, 2012, 07:16:55 PMI find good subtitles to be less distracting that bad dubs. I prefer to hear the inflection in the original dialogue. The voice changes made in many dubs (especially, as Swato says, Americanized Japanese imports) are so far from the original that it defeats the purpose of simple translation and becomes full on Americanization.
I've seen a few comedians whose act includes out-of-synch American-English "dubbing" of Hong-Kong-style martial arts films. The facial expressions and gestures are correct for the film, but the fake dubbing never matches the length of the original speech, and often they are 'speaking' when the mouth is closed, or making the wrong shapes for the sounds. I always enjoy seeing this done well. :)
Quote from: pieces o nine on September 12, 2012, 04:29:06 AM
I've seen a few comedians whose act includes out-of-synch American-English "dubbing" of Hong-Kong-style martial arts films. The facial expressions and gestures are correct for the film, but the fake dubbing never matches the length of the original speech, and often they are 'speaking' when the mouth is closed, or making the wrong shapes for the sounds. I always enjoy seeing this done well. :)
I enjoy that, as well.
I tend to prefer subtitles, but the first time I ever saw Japanese Sci Fi I saw it with dubs, and the effect was more comical than intended and since I am a goofball and love a good larf I rather like them that way.
The same goes with Fellini films. The English translations were hilarious. Plus, Fellini is so visually oriented I hate to miss a shot, so I prefer the subtitled versions of his films.
Thinking more about it, the film "Amelie" is one of my faves, and it is very visual, yet the subtitles did not seem to interfere with the visuals.
Quote from: Griffin NoName on September 11, 2012, 02:05:48 AM
Roland's been doing lots of posting which means there are lots of things to read............ great stuff !!
:TYfg-a.com: :glomp:
Quote from: Opsa on September 11, 2012, 05:55:36 PM
Thread drift, thread drift, over the bounding waves...
:giggle:
I much prefer subtitles to dubs, but I do have to admit i've seen a few very good dubs over the years, although they are terribly few and far between. I feel a dubbed movie loses something in the emotion and inflection of what's being said. When you read subtitles, you hear that emotion as it was meant to be, whereas an actor who may not have seen the film will miss it completely, or if they're lazy and/or bad at it, just not include it.
Italian horror films dubbed into English, including some from Dario Argento and his contemporaries, are notorious for what are probably unintentionally humorous dubs, which just adds to the films in my opinion, but when watching most other films, it doesn't work.
I don't speak any other language than English, at least not in any convincing way, so cannot watch a film in its original language without subtitles, but as Griffin points out above, I too have noticed where the subtitles don't appear to convey exactly what's being said. One example was in a Danish TV series I watched, where the subtitles were the work of a Danish guy who'd written them. For the most part they were good, but there were moments where, because of words I came to recognise and associate to their English meaning, I would hear the Danish word, but not see its English counterpart appear on the screen.
Sometimes subtitles are obviously put through the blender known as auto-translation tools, with absolutely no thought given to context or quality control. My last job involved liaising with localisation testers on software, and I can assure you it makes a world of difference when you have a decent translator on board.
Agree. I always listen to the original as I read subtitles, that way I get the emotional content. Dubbing destroys that however good iit is, as it is "over the top", tacked on, not original. emotions and humour in other languages are always subtly different so there will always be those that cannot be coveyed in dubbing too.
There are a few very rare cases where a dubbing voice seems to be more fitting than the original.
I think it is quite common to imagine a face to a voice one only hears (think radio) or to see the picture of a person and to think about how that person's voice sounds. Surprisingly often I find that my mental image does not fit the reality there at all. It's even worse with singing voices. I have often found that speaking and singing voice can be very different, esp. with women, e.g. deep/low when talking and high soprano when singing.