Topic: Re: Blog Thread IIIb : Look Who's Blogging Now (Read 243312 times)

valley_parade · « **Reply #700 on:** 02 May 2011, 16:18 »

You've got enough charisma and chutzpah to play both parts convincingly, Ryan.

(I just wanted to say chutzpah)

Thomas Edison · « **Reply #701 on:** 02 May 2011, 16:23 »

My lecturer complains when I act in our films. Because he knows me he can't "immerse himself" in our films.

Also I am not a beautiful blond lady.

Tom · « **Reply #702 on:** 02 May 2011, 18:11 »

richlitt · « **Reply #703 on:** 02 May 2011, 23:06 »

Don't worry, we think you could be a blonde beautiful lady if you wanted to be.

Today I hitch hike to Canterbury from Edinburgh. Going to a conference, the Mountain Goats on my tongue.

Woo!

Patrick · « **Reply #704 on:** 03 May 2011, 00:28 »

Dear blog thread,

Today I applied for more jobs. And today marks yet another day of not getting a phone call or a return email or anything of the sort. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

And I guess my best friend and I don't play music together anymore because it hasn't happened since the last week we ran open mic, which was St. Patrick's Day.

Oh yeah, and I really don't give a fuck that Osama bin Laden is dead because I don't really believe it anyway.

Love,
Me

Barmymoo · « **Reply #705 on:** 03 May 2011, 10:10 »

I thought he died years ago but I guess that was someone else? I don't really know anything about anything.

I have got some new clothes! New bras (the lady in the shop said you should replace your bras every 4-6 months and my mum and I both burst out laughing - I think the last time either of us bought one was over two years ago), a pair of black trousers, and a new dress. I'm going to a fancy dinner on Friday and the dress code is black tie; the dress I'll wear isn't quite black tie but it'll do if I can find some decent shoes. Sadly all my red heels are in storage, which is exasperating as they'd be perfect.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that in a week or two I'll finally have a job! I applied for this job back in November and at last have returned to the area, completed the paperwork and once that comes back hopefully will be starting.

Also I have come to the definite conclusion that I'm sensitive to lactose. Blood tests insist I'm not lactose intolerant but my stomach says otherwise.

valley_parade · « **Reply #706 on:** 03 May 2011, 12:17 »

Quote from: Patrick on 03 May 2011, 00:28

Today I applied for more jobs. And today marks yet another day of not getting a phone call or a return email or anything of the sort. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

GET ON EM, DUDE.

Seriously. Don't wait for them to call you. I got the job I have now basically by persistantly calling and emailing the HR director (and having friends that work here do the same).

Lines · « **Reply #707 on:** 03 May 2011, 12:26 »

Quote from: Barmymoo on 03 May 2011, 10:10

Also I have come to the definite conclusion that I'm sensitive to lactose. Blood tests insist I'm not lactose intolerant but my stomach says otherwise.

I'm sensitive to it. You just have to figure out which dairy products are bothering you (mine is cheese) and eat less of it.

Jace · « **Reply #708 on:** 03 May 2011, 13:17 »

Quote from: Barmymoo on 03 May 2011, 10:10

(the lady in the shop said you should replace your bras every 4-6 months

This sort of sentiment holds true for a lot of things, but really it is not financially feasible to due so. I mean, I was wearing the same pairs of underwear so long (with regular washing) that they started to wear thin and tear. We're talking like 3+ years on the same 6 pairs. Occasionally I will buy another 5 pack because it means I have to do laundry less often.

Doctor Online · « **Reply #709 on:** 03 May 2011, 13:31 »

Quote from: Patrick on 03 May 2011, 00:28

Today I applied for more jobs. And today marks yet another day of not getting a phone call or a return email or anything of the sort. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

The squeaky wheel is the one to always get oiled. Call them every day to check up on your application status, companies love persistent people. It sounds crazy, I hate the feeling of bugging the people, but they'll remember your name.

Quote from: Jace on 03 May 2011, 13:17

This sort of sentiment holds true for a lot of things, but really it is not financially feasible to due so. I mean, I was wearing the same pairs of underwear so long (with regular washing) that they started to wear thin and tear. We're talking like 3+ years on the same 6 pairs. Occasionally I will buy another 5 pack because it means I have to do laundry less often.

I still have underwear from when I was in high school. I actually have the same jeans from when I was in high school. I'm stuck wearing sweats now cause jeans are expensive and I've gained "happy" weight from moving in with my boyfriend, working on that bit. Lost 20 pounds so far! Squeezing in!

redglasscurls · « **Reply #710 on:** 03 May 2011, 13:58 »

Please note that the squeaky wheel thing does NOT apply if it's a small company where there is an actual person checking incoming resumes.
I've reviewed resumes for two positions at my very small company and I SWEAR I have read your resume and determined that your background/grasp of basic grammar is not what we are looking for. I've had a guy send me his resume every day for a week and call the office twice and he was the single least qualified applicant we had for the position. It was infuriating and put me in the super awkward position of having to tell someone WHY we had not contacted him for an interview, which is really not my thing.

Doctor Online · « **Reply #711 on:** 03 May 2011, 14:06 »

I never even put small businesses into consideration.

The way to look at it though, you can hope that maybe that man took what you told him (if you went into an actual explanation, not just "You just don't qualify") to heart, and use that as constructive criticism to improve himself for the next place he applied to. That is, if you were forced to go into detail.

Lunchbox · « **Reply #712 on:** 03 May 2011, 16:33 »

It's really frustrating at my company because I'm not the one who does the hiring or reads the resumes, I just call them up and arrange interviews and confirm via email, and then they keep emailing me back asking how they went and thanking me and asking why they haven't been contacted... aargh.

bainidhe_dub · « **Reply #713 on:** 03 May 2011, 16:47 »

I've gotta agree (edit: with Amanda). I had a guy reply to an ad for lighting stagehands who thought he was hot shit because he was on the "D" list with the stagehand union (meaning, he got someone to refer him, but had yet to pass a test that is simpler than my Intro to Technical Theatre final). He was now laying fiber-optic cable, and had previously been a gutter cleaner. He could not understand why we did not want him on our crew list. Simple, it starts with the fact that you said "Local 22 D List" like it matters, and ends with the way you bitched that you "worked hard" to get me a copy of your resume when I didn't immediately call to schedule you.

And there was the guy who responded to the "Moving Light Repair Tech Needed: MUST have moving light repair experience" ad, with a resume about equal to mine, aka office bitch 3+ years. I had to explain that being a quick learner is not good enough, we need someone who knows how to do it, because we don't. If MS Word is all it took to fix those things I would be doing it myself.

Soooo, yeah. Gauge the organizations you're applying to when timing your follow-ups and if your ego is feeling up to is maybe ask politely why they don't think you're a "good fit at this time" or whatever if they turn you down.

Doctor Online · « **Reply #714 on:** 03 May 2011, 17:09 »

What I'm saying is, follow up on his applications, follow up after an interview. Calling them never hurt, and sometimes (with certain jobs) calling every day really is the only way to get a job. My boyfriend used to manage, he said through a hectic day it's hard to remember he was supposed to call an applicant back on a follow up. So he really appreciated the ones who did call back. It showed him they really wanted the job. He's the one who's pushed me to do it, because the job I was applying for was very busy, and actually extremely shorthanded so they never actually had a chance to get to me, but calling them at a dead time during the day to touch bases was ok. They appreciated it and voiced that appreciation.

I am also an Amanda. You did not know that, but I'ma be a butt-face and say in my head you agree with me anyways. =P Makes me feel better.

nufan · « **Reply #715 on:** 03 May 2011, 17:29 »

Currently listening to a mouse slowly die in the trap I laid out for it earlier. It's not a particularly nice feeling. Eugh.

Tom · « **Reply #716 on:** 04 May 2011, 01:58 »

I learnt a new racial epithet! My friend Liz is Egyptian so can she freely refer to her family and herself as gyppos.

nufan · « **Reply #717 on:** 04 May 2011, 05:24 »

Quote from: nufan on 03 May 2011, 17:29

Currently listening to a mouse slowly die in the trap I laid out for it earlier. It's not a particularly nice feeling. Eugh.

He wasn't dying! Woo! He simply got his leg caught in the thing. Made him easy to find, and I took him to a park about 10 minutes away and released him. I doubt he'll survive for long what with all the cats around here, but it made me feel a lot better.

I am so not a man

Barmymoo · « **Reply #718 on:** 04 May 2011, 09:25 »

Quote from: Linds on 03 May 2011, 12:26

I'm sensitive to it. You just have to figure out which dairy products are bothering you (mine is cheese) and eat less of it.

Noooooooooooo it seems to be HOT CHOCOLATE AND ICE CREAM nooooooooooooooooooo there must be another way

Quote from: Jeans on 04 May 2011, 07:43

Real men slaughter all the small critters they see!

I'm glad you're not a real man.

redglasscurls · « **Reply #719 on:** 04 May 2011, 10:28 »

The plus side is that there are FANTASTIC non-dairy ice creams out there, but non dairy cheese is misery.

Soy Delicious is amazing and comes in a bajillion flavors. Only the vanilla sucks!

Doctor Online · « **Reply #720 on:** 04 May 2011, 10:43 »

I must try this ice cream, I'm in the same boat. I usually just suck it up though and deal with an upset tummy. I love Blizzards and Baskin Robins, I'm walking distance from both stores. I love my apartment. =P

The Seldom Killer · « **Reply #721 on:** 04 May 2011, 11:14 »

Quote from: Tom on 04 May 2011, 01:58

I learnt a new racial epithet! My friend Liz is Egyptian so can she freely refer to her family and herself as gyppos.

In this part of the world, gyppo is a term for gypsies, romany or other traveller folk. Mind you, if we wanted to slag off the entire Egyptian population, we'd just call them a bunch of bird-head worshipping motherfuckers.

Lines · « **Reply #722 on:** 04 May 2011, 11:33 »

Quote from: redglasscurls on 04 May 2011, 10:28

The plus side is that there are FANTASTIC non-dairy ice creams out there, but non dairy cheese is misery.

Oh, I still eat dairy cheese, I just have to moderate which softer cheeses I eat. Like eating cream cheese and fresh mozzarella in the same day at two separate meals is something I can't do, but I can still eat them. Stuff like that. And I can't eat some cheeses anyways because of high mold content, like bleu cheese. (Which is whatever, it smells terrible.)

Zingoleb · « **Reply #723 on:** 04 May 2011, 13:13 »

I dread the day I try to give up dairy. It's going to happen, but I seriously love dairy stuff.

Blog thread,

My girlfriend has decided to grow a goatee, which is very frustrating. Not the facial hair part, but the fact it's a goatee.

richlitt · « **Reply #724 on:** 04 May 2011, 13:24 »

Dear Blog Thread!

In case you were wondering, there are ways to be skint and go to academic conferences:

a) hitch 500 miles and then feel dead afterwards
b) buy tobacco, not cigarettes. learn to roll.
c) don't pay for the crappy food. Contact the organisers and be like "I'm a student can I come for $10?"
d) buy local food! eat local food!
e) don't buy local food - eat dandelion

No, really. i had dandelions for dinner. They tasted bitter.

love,
I

tania · « **Reply #725 on:** 05 May 2011, 12:07 »

Quote from: redglasscurls on 04 May 2011, 10:28

non-dairy ice creams

if you ever manage to locate ice cream made from coconut milk, get on that shit. i used to frequent an ice cream parlour in toronto that regularly served it and it was absolutely fucking heavenly

David_Dovey · « **Reply #726 on:** 05 May 2011, 14:20 »

If I remember correctly I'm pretty sure there is a brand of coconut milk ice cream that should be pretty easy to find in most decent U.S. supermarkets. I can't remember the name of the brand or anything but I know we found it in Florida and my (dairy-allergic) ex-gf freaked out.

StaedlerMars · « **Reply #727 on:** 05 May 2011, 15:43 »

The prospect of coconut milk based ice cream is a delicious prospect.

Slick · « **Reply #728 on:** 05 May 2011, 18:53 »

Prospectively, of course.

The Seldom Killer · « **Reply #729 on:** 05 May 2011, 23:23 »

Woohoo, completed the 3rd of four qualifying rides for Paris-Brest-Paris last weekend and am now registered. I am GB3494. Very happy.

Lunchbox · « **Reply #730 on:** 06 May 2011, 00:26 »

We're moving offices next week, so someone decided to archive all the passive aggressive notes stuck around the kitchen.

I made this one, it has gone down well.

pwhodges · « **Reply #731 on:** 06 May 2011, 00:34 »

Your office has a dishwasher?

Lunchbox · « **Reply #732 on:** 06 May 2011, 02:22 »

Yup, and the place is still a hideous mess. I can't imagine how awful it'd be if we made these boys actually scrub their own dishes.
Oh, there's also this one:

valley_parade · « **Reply #733 on:** 06 May 2011, 06:22 »

Ours has a dishwasher too. And two fridges! There's a angry note on one because for some reason everyone kept using this one guy's butter, even though he had his name clearly written on the packaging.

There's also a Dinosaur Comic taped to the bulletin board.

Elizzybeth · « **Reply #734 on:** 06 May 2011, 16:40 »

My dad just called me to say my mom drove off two days ago after a fight without telling him what was going on and has refused to talk to him since, so he is moving all of his stuff out of the house today. They have separated once before, but he says that he does not think this is going to go well and probably they will not be getting back together.

They visited me together less than two weeks ago and seemed fine. I mean, like, they bought a hot tub together last Monday.

WTF, parents. I do not know what to think.

Eris · « **Reply #735 on:** 06 May 2011, 16:47 »

Oh hey, on the parent front, I got a call from my brother a few days ago letting me know that my mum has given my dad two weeks to take anything he wants (that he owns) and to leave. Now, she doesn't live in the same house as him, but she is the one paying off the mortgage, so he is paying her rent; it is her house. We have kicked him out before, (I think this is the third time) but this time she is changing the locks. I am a bit worried because he doesn't really have anywhere to go, and of the few places he can go they are not very good places for him (his family are arseholes and alcoholics themselves, and the last people he stayed with took advantage of him and got him to renovate some of their house). Also she is blocking his phone number because of the myriad of pointless calls she gets from him every day.

But unlike your story, this has been building for a long time. I just hope he realises that he needs help and gets it rather than living with his overweight, abusive, morphine addict brother and ends up driving drunk and killing someone by accident. Parents are confusing people.

David_Dovey · « **Reply #736 on:** 06 May 2011, 19:24 »

Quote from: Eris on 06 May 2011, 16:47

Parents are people.

Unfortunately

pwhodges · « **Reply #737 on:** 07 May 2011, 00:21 »

It can also be confusing being a parent.

Life...

If your parents have problems, try to see them like any other friends with problems (which can be weird). Help if you can (likely you can't); try not to take sides beyond what's actually helpful to them.

schimmy · « **Reply #738 on:** 07 May 2011, 05:10 »

I can't agree with the above point too much. Obviously I don't know how you feel about the possibility of your parents splitting up, but I can provide a little story of how you can cope with it pretty well.

When I was 13, my mum decided her marriage to my dad wasn't working. I won't go into details of why, because that's not really relevant. My sister and I saw it (and still see it) in very different ways. She took it really hard (and turned to the local church and has subsequently become a westboro-style christian, but that's another story). But because my parents never argued in front of me or anything, I was able to approach it with a surprising degree of emotional detachment. What I saw was that my mum wasn't happy with my dad. She'd found someone else who she subsequently married, and as a result she is living a much happier life than she was before. From the off, I saw my mum as just a normal person who needed to be happy with her life, and so I saw the divorce in a good light. My mum was going to be happier, and that could only be a good thing.

I guess my point here is that because I understood that the divorce would make my mum a happier person, it would make her a better parent, so when it comes to parents separating, provided everyone approaches it as adults, aware of each other's needs, then everyone can get through it in a surprisingly happy way, that benefits everyone in the end. Separation might never be fun for anyone involved, but it can still be the best thing to do.

In summary: Happy parents are better than unhappy parents!

jmrz · « **Reply #739 on:** 07 May 2011, 05:59 »

I was really young when my parents divorced and the one thing I remember being worried about was that I got to live with mum. I don't think we saw our biological "parent" (I really despise using this word in reference to him because biologically, yes he is, but that is absolutely it) for a year or so after that? When we did it was every second weekend and it upset me and it made me angry a lot of the time, because I just wanted to live with mum. Eventually everything suddenly exploded and I decided I couldn't deal with him anymore and made the decision to stop talking to him altogether. My sister still saw him and it took her a lot longer to make that decision as well.

My sister and I have both since changed our last names (to Mum's last name, she went back to her maiden name and kept it when she got remarried). Mum remarried six or seven years ago now and I consider my stepdad to be my dad now. I don't remember her being unhappy about the divorce because it was definitely a good thing for her, and ultimately us, in a number of ways.

I guess the thing to remember is that they're people living their own lives and if they wont help themselves there isn't a lot anyone else can do for them. Also, they know what they want and what will supposedly make them happy, so you kind of have to go along with it.

Metope · « **Reply #740 on:** 07 May 2011, 06:00 »

I had a flat viewing this morning! The flat is pretty much perfect: cheaper than my current flat, cute bedroom, amazing kitchen, in the best possible area of town, a small garden, sharing with two lovely girls who are also in art school and studying the same as me (although the year above). They're gonna call me later to let me know if I got it or not since they had two more viewings after me, I have a pretty good feeling about this.

So exciting aahh

StaedlerMars · « **Reply #741 on:** 07 May 2011, 09:11 »

Guys I have just spent the past 24 hours awake taking part in a culture hack, which means that we were given a bunch of data (this time specifically for the Fringe festival here in Edinburgh) and we had to build some apps with it.

We built a cheeky rip off of whatshouldifuckingmakefordinner which randomly suggested shows for people to go see at the Fringe (http://www.wtfringe.com if you're interested), and then i took part in some the most mind numbing data crunching and bending and flexing to build festivalsreview.com, for which we basically scourged four of the main reviewers of the Fringe festivals their websites using simple scripts, and then dumped them on our servers, cross checked them with eachother, and finally brought them all together on the site to be a general this show was the best reviewed, this venue has the best shows, etc. type of website, something that didn't already exist.

It was a really cool experience, and I was surprised by how much we got done. I think we're definitely going to take Festivals Review further.

Also, Kris, I will reply to your message once I have had some sleep!

David_Dovey · « **Reply #742 on:** 07 May 2011, 10:04 »

Quote from: jmrz on 07 May 2011, 05:59

I don't think we saw our biological "parent" (I really despise using this word in reference to him because biologically, yes he is, but that is absolutely it)

I tend to go with "sperm donor", myself.

McTaggart · « **Reply #743 on:** 07 May 2011, 11:32 »

Man as someone who was brought up with the nuclear family being the only thing it is a little scary many people I know have their family fractured or dysfunctional in all kinds of ways. It is the huge minority who still have their family in whatever state it was when it was nearest to 'ideal'.

I would never have guessed it from my experience alone but I guess that whole thing is a crock of shit a lot of the time.

Patrick · « **Reply #744 on:** 07 May 2011, 11:52 »

Quote from: valley_parade on 03 May 2011, 12:17

Quote from: Patrick on 03 May 2011, 00:28
Today I applied for more jobs. And today marks yet another day of not getting a phone call or a return email or anything of the sort. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

GET ON EM, DUDE.

Seriously. Don't wait for them to call you. I got the job I have now basically by persistantly calling and emailing the HR director (and having friends that work here do the same).

Update: I HAS A JOB. It's for Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. They have an office in Berkeley. Right now I'm just a canvasser, but I'm in line to be in a leadership position two weeks from now when the Cal students come on board for the summer. It's gonna be amusing to be a high school dropout in charge of a bunch of students from one of the country's more prestigious academic institutions, tell you what.

Tuesday I had a show in Berkeley, which went very well! We were the second (and final) opening act for the most popular band in the city (according to an online vote). We got some excellent exposure, which is great when starting to promote a new project. And we performed with the confidence that only comes from knowing you're 100% prepared and well-rehearsed. Kabir had me tell jokes while he and I picked up our other guitars (we each had an electric and an acoustic, because he tunes his shit hellof weird and I tune in something considerably more common), which surprisingly went over very well. The acoustics in the venue were PHENOMENAL. And we are playing original material that I have a lot of faith in. Most likely because I didn't write the lyrics to it.

Dazed · « **Reply #745 on:** 07 May 2011, 13:14 »

Fair warning, keep applying for other jobs. Grassroots Campaigns is pretty shitty to their employees and has an insanely high turnover rate. I worked for them last summer on a campaign in Boston for about a month before I quit, and in that month became one of like, the 3 longest tenured members of the staff.

I guess what I'm saying is, congratulations, but get to work on a backup plan ASAP, and don't get used to your co-workers being around.

Patrick · « **Reply #746 on:** 07 May 2011, 13:25 »

I'm not tripping. My boss is a cute redhead and it's full time work. This is definitely not something I want to do for any longer than I have to, but I'm definitely happy to just plain have a job.

Elizzybeth · « **Reply #747 on:** 07 May 2011, 14:05 »

Quote from: pwhodges on 07 May 2011, 00:21

If your parents have problems, try to see them like any other friends with problems (which can be weird). Help if you can (likely you can't); try not to take sides beyond what's actually helpful to them.

That makes perfect sense, and I genuinely do feel that if my parents can be happier apart, then that is okay with me. My sense of self is not tied to them being together; I love them both and want them to enjoy life.

HOWEVER, I have some serious concerns about my mom. (When my dad called me to say he had some "bad news," I was actually relieved when it was just them splitting, not my mom dead.) Only very recently has she stopped talking about suicide daily, and she is a very introverted and private person. She has only 2 family members left alive, and they live fairly far away. She is retired at the age of 50 due to a mental breakdown following her mother's suicide and, without the support of my father, would be surviving solely on social security income. She stopped going to counseling about 6 months ago.

As much as I want to support her fully in whatever decision she makes, part of me worries that she is using this as a way to break away from her personal obligations so that my dad isn't watching over her all the time (she has complained multiple times of him "forcing" her to live).

I'm not sure how to approach this either as a "friend" or as a daughter.

Yunior · « **Reply #748 on:** 07 May 2011, 14:57 »

Turned in a mammoth research paper on Friday, I can once again play on the Internet

Tom · « **Reply #749 on:** 07 May 2011, 16:06 »

Just made/served Mum breakfast in bed and wished her a Happy Mother's Day. I love my mum.

THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

Author Topic: Re: Blog Thread IIIb : Look Who's Blogging Now (Read 243312 times)

Zingoleb