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[94ssd]

Not even two hours after I gave my "no spending money" pledge I got a Google calendar alert saying that my court date for my expired plate ticket is Tuesday. I at the very least have to spend the gas to get the city two hours away where I got the ticket, and though I've been told that usually if you show up with evidence that you got everything taken care of they'll throw out the fine, I'll have to be prepared to possibly pay the full amount.

Whatever entity or force is responsible for the world's fucked up sense of humor, fuck you.

Which reminds me of the very important lesson I learned when I got that ticket: don't be suspicious and you'll probably be fine. I knew my plate was expired and when an officer turned out of a driveway and started following me that night after work I decided to very obviously try to avoid him by turning down side streets.

[Carl-E]

I'm gonna need a bigger wrench.

spoken like a true redneck.  :thumbsup:

My daughter recommended dynamite.   

I am not surprised Carl broke his Stilson, I have seen tools of every manufacturer shatter before, especially after years of service.

The thing is, it was a friend's.  So now I have to replace it.  18" pipe wrenches aren't cheap, even at Harbor Freight! 

And apparently, the next size up is a 24", which is the only way I'll get hold of the fitting to hold it steady while I attack the pipe.  Tempted to turn the pipe more directly by drilling it and using a 2 meter prybar that I have...

Which would probably shatter the pipe.  *sigh* 

Gotta get something done soon - highs in the 50's, lows in the 40's, can't afford a real plumber...

[Loki]

a mad gorilla with a spider spanner (I don't know what they're called in America) so that they're impossible to undo.

Well, of course (as you tell below) the first thing is to have your own spider. 

That's taken care of - she is in Australia

[GarandMarine]

I dunno why you'd bother to own a car down there. Just saddle up a spider.

[BeoPuppy]

Might I suggest ...

(click to show/hide)

(Spoilered for those who like their freaks not eight-legged.)

[Detachable Felix]

Please, we dont ride the spiders, we have too much respect for them. We do occasionally surf platypuses and ride in the pouches of kangaroos!

[ev4n]

Does "occasionally" mean that kangaroo public transport is every bit the myth that Canadians living in igloos is?

[BeoPuppy]

/mind blown

[Akima]

I rarely wrestle crocodiles. I know, your faith in humanity is just withered.

[Thrillho]

Well it would have done except I know for a fact the crocodiles won't even dare take you on.

[Welu]

Akima for WWE Women's Champion, then President of the World if there's time.

[BeoPuppy]

I rarely wrestle crocodiles. I know, your faith in humanity is just withered.

... I'm shocked and shaken to the core.

[Loki]

It's gonna eat you up all day.

(Ohwait, wring thread.)

[GarandMarine]

I'm currently shopping a title fight for women's MMA for Akima in her first American appearance vs. Rhonda "Rowdy" Rousey. She provided some great footage of her monthly croc wrestling training for me to show Dana White and the guys at UFC. So 12 days out of 365 is still "rarely" in the end.

[Lines]

ride in the pouches of kangaroos!

Ugh!

[Masterpiece]

I just said "does the thing" in a question to the professor during a lecture.

I was thinking of you, qcverse.

[Patrick]

So yeah, sorry I've been a hermit lately. Been trying to figure out my meatlife life, since it's a complete disaster. I haven't succeeded, but I've done some cool shit, such as brew beer and start playing with my band again for the first time in 3 months


Sent from my Spacephone using Tapatalk

[jwhouk]

So yeah, sorry I've been a hermit lately. Been trying to figure out my meatlife life, since it's a complete disaster. I haven't succeeded, but I've done some cool shit, such as brew beer and start playing with my band again for the first time in 3 months


Sent from my Spacephone using Tapatalk

But dude - the Giants are back in the World Series!

[Patrick]

This is true. I had the radio broadcast streamed to my phone while I was at work (against the rules, but fuck the rules) and listened from start to finish. I got nervous the several times the Royals had runners in scoring position, but our boy Maddy and our defense took care of that.


Sent from my Spacephone using Tapatalk

[Detachable Felix]

I rarely wrestle crocodiles.

Liar, that's not what the Northern Territory News told me! 

[GarandMarine]

[Aimless]

So I've kinda managed to put my disappointment (over not getting that job this time 'round) behind me and it really feels nice, I feel less burdened and depressed than I have in a long time and once again have a spring in my step. For some reason I've been eyed and smiled at by pretty and happy strangers unusually often these past few days, and I was wondering if it was because I was looking unusually silly but have decided now that it must be because this week I look like a happy man rather than like a despondent tired unshaven hobo.

After many years of just being a lazy 'fraidycat I've finally gotten started on getting my driver's license. The missus will be my teacher at first to celebrate she snuck off into town while I was nursing a post-call hangover to get lots of nice things including my FAVOURITE TEA BLEND in the world! I dunno it may sound like a dumb hipstery thing, but I associate this tea with a turning point and a moment of great happiness in the middle of one of the roughest times I've ever had, and it's my own modified version so it just makes me feel extra good when I smell it and it tastes just as amazing as I remember

We've tried to make these past couple of weeks as nice as possible. We'd gotten into the habit of just trampling along and that's just not a nice way to live if it goes on for too long. It doesn't take much to change that feeling of sameyness, I think. The house is clean, we've made some changes to make it look nicer and be more practical, we've started cooking properly again and even eating at the dinner table on occasion, started reading interesting things and writing a little... I'm more or less on top of my paperwork for once too. I feel like there're all these huge untapped reserves of time and energy in my life that are often locked away and out of sight because I happen to be weighed down by various things that I honestly do not need to be weighed down by. I dunno. It's nice to feel this way anyway. I have one more night on call, which will be a little scary because I'll be shadowed by a new colleague who's a very skilled consultant in another speciality and with a lot of experience in neurology, and I'm a little embarrassed that I may have acquired bad habits... that'll become blatantly obvious. A little self-conscious I guess. I'll have to step up my game 

In super squee news my sis has apparently admitted to my mum that she has a boyfriend my wife and I have suspected for a long time, and the guy seems like a good person who can not only keep up with my sis intellectually as well as wrt adventure etc, and shares her passion for helping people, but also seems genuinely considerate. This is a big deal because my sis has never ever ever admitted to having a boyfriend before, for reasons about which I shan't speculate, and I think it's a good thing that she's learned that she can talk to mum about these things I think mum is very happy and I know she thinks he's a good guy. My mum's generally very observant, and she knew I was up to something long before I told her about the ginger, but she had no idea my sis and this guy were in a relationship until I asked her and she, in turn, asked my sis. It's cool, I think they've known each other almost as long as the ginger and I have been together. I gotta get to know this person better

end of update

[Papersatan]

I got an email today asking me to speak at a larger event in Feb.  I am friends with the woman who sent the email, but she said that after the event on Tuesday, the committee received emails from "several" people suggesting that they get me to speak at the event, and the committee knew she knew me and so had her ask me.

I said yes, obvs, and I'm not really freaking out because it is so far away.  I am flabbergasted about how my career seems to be happening backwards.  That is, I still don't have a single job offer, but people want me to speak at things, and be a part of really important conversations within the field. It makes me feel a little nervous, because the stuff I am talking about is all theoretical, but I have no practical experience to draw on. I have never actually done this job for money, and I only have a few small projects I've done any IA work on at all.  I am anxious that someone will rebut the things I have to say with the valid criticism that I don't know what I'm doing.

I didn't network as well as I could have after my talk, because I was so overwhelmed at the response, but  I did let people know I was available, and I will try to go to a few more events now that people know who I am, and talk myself up.  Hopefully, this job at the university will just hire me, and then I can worry about it in 15 months.  If things keep going this way, I might actually be able to apply for a Phd program at that point, which would be amazing.

[GarandMarine]

In this spoiler, a photo that made me very, very sad.

(click to show/hide)

Corporal Nathan Cirillo, 91st Canadian Highlander's dogs waiting for him to come home. Taken yesterday.

[lepetitfromage]

I got an email today asking me to speak at a larger event in Feb.  I am friends with the woman who sent the email, but she said that after the event on Tuesday, the committee received emails from "several" people suggesting that they get me to speak at the event, and the committee knew she knew me and so had her ask me.

I said yes, obvs, and I'm not really freaking out because it is so far away.  I am flabbergasted about how my career seems to be happening backwards.  That is, I still don't have a single job offer, but people want me to speak at things, and be a part of really important conversations within the field. It makes me feel a little nervous, because the stuff I am talking about is all theoretical, but I have no practical experience to draw on. I have never actually done this job for money, and I only have a few small projects I've done any IA work on at all.  I am anxious that someone will rebut the things I have to say with the valid criticism that I don't know what I'm doing.

I didn't network as well as I could have after my talk, because I was so overwhelmed at the response, but  I did let people know I was available, and I will try to go to a few more events now that people know who I am, and talk myself up.  Hopefully, this job at the university will just hire me, and then I can worry about it in 15 months.  If things keep going this way, I might actually be able to apply for a Phd program at that point, which would be amazing.

This might be an obvious suggestion.....but do you bring business cards with you to any of the events that you attend/speak at?

[Papersatan]

Yep, but I didn't end up giving any to anyone (a part of my networking failure). Though, my slides did have my twitter handle on them, and my twitter profile does link to my portfolio, and I got several interactions from people. I just need to get better about how I talk about being unemployed.  Right now it makes me feel awkward and embarrassed, so I sort of gloss over it.  When people ask where I work I've said things like "oh, I'm unaffiliated at the moment."  Which does not imply that I am looking.  I need to be more assertively stating that I am looking, and asking people to keep me in mind if they hear of a thing. I did a little better this time by actually telling a few people that I am looking for work, and hopefully next time I can do better. (Though, I'd better have a job by Feb. :/ )

[lepetitfromage]

Ah, gotcha. The "I'm unaffiliated" thing sounds like you were looking for a professional sounding way to say that you don't have a job but it almost sounds as though you're freelancing. It definitely sounds like you know what to do and I think it's safe to say you'll do better next time but it can't hurt to always keep your cards on you- you never know who you'll run into!

[Papersatan]

That was sort of it.  I was trying to find a way to say it that didn't sound like "I'm doing nothing"  but I don't think it came off as "I'm looking"

There is a conference in April that I am trying to write a proposal for.  I don't think I have a great chance of getting in because this one is national, so there will be a lot more proposals, but it's worth a shot.  I won't be disappointed if I am not chosen, but I want to at least try.  Best trajectory from here: I do the local one in Feb, this nation-wide sub-field specific one in April, and then the wider-field regional one in October.  If those all go well I think I'll could have a strong application for a PhD program if that's what I want. The problem is this proposal is due in 21 hours, so I have to push myself to get it done.  The main hurdle is figuring out what I want to say in it. If I don't get it, it's not the end of the world. 

[BeoPuppy]

One student at my girlfriend's school regained her confidence in her math ability because I drew an image of Louis XIV on my girlfriend's arm.

[Masterpiece]

Changed the colors of my work Mac to orange, BECAUSE I CAN.

[Masterpiece]

[Carl-E]

Not a Mac person.  I think I know whatthe [blob]+A means, it's like ctrl+A, selecting all. 

[blob]+Q?  Quit?  Does it exit the program?  Or shut down the machine...?

[Masterpiece]

It quits the program, and in quite a few ones, it does so without a prompt.

[Thrillho]

That's... Stupid.

God I hate the Mac interface.

[hedgie]

Windows and Linux tend to do the same thing, save with control instead of command, so it's not really Mac-specific behaviour.  Usually for me, I end up hitting ^Q instead of ^W when just trying to close a window || tab.

[Loki]

Mac also has the added "benefit" of having @ on the Q. So if you try to replace Alt Gr+Q by ^Q... well... you only make that mistake once.

[Masterpiece]

...no it doesn't. Macs have their @ sign at the "L" key.

[hedgie]

Probably has to do with the layout.  All of my Macs had @ on "2".

[Metope]

My Mac has the @ next to the Æ key. Keyboards look different in countries with different languages, who knew!

[Loki]

Sorry - I thought that part of the QWERTZ and QWERTY keyboard were the same!
I definitely remember making this mistake. I suppose I was using a keyboard where the @ was not labeled at all and hit something like ^Q out of habit/assumption it would work the same.

[Thrillho]

I'm baffled by there even being a quit without saving function.

[Loki]

Eh. Alt+F4 usually does the same thing - or used to, anyways.

[Thrillho]

You may well be right, but I don't remember alt+F4 not still prompting to save.

[Akima]

I'm baffled by there even being a quit without saving function.

It varies with the application. If you try to Cmd-Q out of a program edit, document, spreadsheet, GIMP image edit etc. then you get a dialogue asking if you really want to do that, and inviting you to save your work. Applications where the designers assumed your "state" was unimportant, often don't do this. You can of course remap the keyboard shortcuts to prevent that, but unfortunately you have to do it on an app by app basis.

The guy in the page I like above whines about Google Chrome. Google used to make you hold down Cmd-Q for a few seconds to force a quit. Many Mac veterans complained, so Google took that out. People complained about that too, so Google made it an option. Click on Chrome in the top menu-bar, and select Warn Before Quitting.

Mainly I think this is a matter of familiarity. I like being able to quit an app with a quick Cmd-Q, and I get frustrated with nanny-features pestering me to confirm what I want to do.

[pwhodges]

But a controlled quit and a forced quit should really be separate functions.

[Masterpiece]

I like command + q too! I just don't like to hit it accidentally (and that happens way too often!)

[Akima]

Pressing Cmd-Q is a controlled quit, and forced quit is a separate function in OS/X. I only force-quit applications that have hung, and there Cmd-Opt-Esc displays a menu of apps from which to choose the one to kill (or of course you can do it through Terminal).

[Lines]

But a controlled quit and a forced quit should really be separate functions.

They are... With very different shortcuts.

[Masterpiece]

Today is apparently mind-numbing made-me-puke migraine day!

[BeoPuppy]

It is? I wish my calander had those days all mapped out so I could plan parties, or something.