Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Welu]

Yeah, I was always thrown off when visiting the states when I'd try to add stuff up before buying anything. Eventually I stopped trying and just hoped I didn't go over my holiday budget, which thankfully I didn't because I'm not much of a shopper any way.

[cesium133]

I had the inverse experience. I went into a store in Brazil, saw something I wanted to buy that was R$15*, realized I had exactly R$15 on me at the time and was disappointed I couldn't buy it. The Brazilians I was with looked at me like I had three heads.

*Equivalent to about US$5-7, depending on exchange rate.

[Method of Madness]

But you could, I'm guessing? Did you buy it?

[chaospersonified]

But you could, I'm guessing? Did you buy it?

disappointed I couldn't buy it.

I guess Brazil also does the thing with sales tax? Cesium, please clarify.

[Method of Madness]

From the story it sounded like he thought he couldn't, but it turned out he could, and they looked at him strange for thinking he couldn't even though he had the money required. That is, he's used to adding sales tax but Brazil doesn't maybe?

[chaospersonified]

From the story it sounded like he thought he couldn't, but it turned out he could, and they looked at him strange for thinking he couldn't even though he had the money required. That is, he's used to adding sales tax but Brazil doesn't maybe?

Now that you say it this way, I understand what you meant. I can see it either way. We need clarification.

[cesium133]

It turned out I could buy it. The people I was with were puzzled why I thought I couldn't.

[chaospersonified]

Yes. This makes sense. I was imagining the Brazilians looking at you confused because you didn't recognize that sales tax existed there, like why would you even think you could buy the thing. I was incorrect in my imagining, it seems.

[cesium133]

There were plenty of opportunities for me to be confused there, especially since my Portuguese isn't very good. Such as the first time I went to the supermarket there and I was asked for my tax ID. IIRC, you're supposed to keep the receipt and when you file your taxes if you're under a certain income you can get a rebate on the (included in the price) sales tax. Of course, being a foreigner I didn't have a Brazilian tax ID. Or something like that. It was about six years ago.

[mustang6172]

I think I'd like to add "deliver a baby" to my bucket list, but it feels unfeasible. I suspect most women would not risk their lives and the lives of their children for my shits & giggles.

[Method of Madness]

I want to officiate a wedding.

[hedgie]

I keep offering to officiate a wedding, but most people I know are sane enough to refuse the offer.

[chaospersonified]

I think I'd like to add "deliver a baby" to my bucket list, but it feels unfeasible. I suspect most women would not risk their lives and the lives of their children for my shits & giggles.

Take lessons, advertise yourself in a hippie newsletter as a mild-mannered, modernist mid-wife. There's people who'll put themselves and their potential-offspring's life at risk for the sake of a story, if not for a strangers shiggles*.

*shits+giggles=shiggles. I would have finished the phrase, but I like alliteration. I would have said 'mild-mannered, modern male mid-wife,' but I don't actually know your gender

[mustang6172]

Male is correct.

[explicit]

Put buzzwords like "homeopathy" and construct nonsensical, but science-y sounding sentences to convince people that not only do you know what you're doing, but if they deliver it at the hospital or at home without you their baby will grow up to be terrible.

That started off as a joke, but I'm sure someone would pay you to do it.

[chaospersonified]

It's all about marketing. I feel like if you put it in the right farmer's markets, you'd get more than one person contacting you. Seriously, you could probably get away with not even having references.

[chaospersonified]

Watch Portlandia, that show is often worryingly accurate and not exaggerated concerning some of the characters. These are the fools... I mean legitimate, intelligent, paying customers who you'd be helping

[explicit]

I found a thing that mentioned shiggles, Chaos. I don't think we should use it anymore. 

[jwhouk]

And here with the mention of midwifery I expected Barmymoo to pop in...

[Pilchard123]

Barmymoo,  Barmymoo, Barmymoo.


Did it work?

[sitnspin]

I love vaginas. A lot. I'd hate to have that love shattered. I can imagine myself, after midwifing, being haunted by the image of a crowning baby every time I went down on a woman. Plus babies are gross.

[94ssd]

So this is my last semester in college (oh god help me) and I have this plan to make little gifts for my friends. I'm going to probably do one and week and what it is will depend on the friend. But do you guys think I should give them out as I finish them or horde them and hand them out at the end of the semester?

[explicit]

I'd do it all at once, "who's going to be next?" "Why didn't I get one yet?" "Okay, I understand that you're gonna get me one, but why didn't I get one sooner? I thought we were better friends than ____".

Maybe I'm underestimating your friends, though. Just seems like giving them away all at once would lessen the chance of any headaches and not stress you out having to finish one every week. Longer deadline might ease any burden you feel.

[chaospersonified]

So this is my last semester in college (oh god help me) and I have this plan to make little gifts for my friends. I'm going to probably do one and week and what it is will depend on the friend. But do you guys think I should give them out as I finish them or horde them and hand them out at the end of the semester?

I tried hording them for my friends when we graduated high school. It ended up only one person got anything because they happened to see me when I finished that particular one in the summer after. I would recommend giving them out as they are finished. And god help you, indeed. I graduated in December, and I need the help, too.

[explicit]

Or just going off chaos, don't wait until graduation day, plan for like, 3 weeks before. If you want to give them all at once and not miss anyone.

[94ssd]

Or just going off chaos, don't wait until graduation day, plan for like, 3 weeks before. If you want to give them all at once and not miss anyone.

Definitely, trying to find or meet with people people during the pandemonium of final exam week is hell.

[chaospersonified]

Well that's rude, assuming I started on/after graduation day. It takes time, okay? Weeks, in some cases. It comes down to how long it takes you to finish a present. If you're like me, and it takes a long time to finish a present, I'd recommend giving them out as they're finished

[explicit]

Wait, what's rude? Did I do something rude again? I was just trying to help by giving more options

[chaospersonified]

Wait, what's rude? Did I do something rude again? I was just trying to help by giving more options

I might have misread. I read your comment as something to the effect of 'Don't do what Chaos did. Start earlier.' And in this case, I might just be sensitive because I'm really bad about procrastination in general.

[chaospersonified]

An interesting thing that happened today: I spent my morning working, and I earned $20.
I went to town with said $20 and, by chance, three quarters in my truck.
I picked up the quarters before they could get lost in the black hole beneath the seat.
I saw Deadpool for $7.94.
Then I went to Wal-Mart and, lo and behold, for $12.81, the exact change in my pocket, an 18-pack of the beer I prefer if limited to what I can find in gas stations/Wal-Marts, which I currently am.

Is this... budgeting? Am I doing it right?

[War Sparrow]

The real question here is, walmart sells Alcohol where you live?

[cesium133]

It depends on the state, but some states do allow stores like Walmart to sell alcohol.

[chaospersonified]

Only beer, and not the good stuff. I mean, they have some Abita, which is less than mediocre, but it's basically just the mainstream junk. Coors Light, Budweiser, etc.

[hedgie]

Costco is a much better place to get booze.  For a while one guy I knew was getting cases of Laphroaig for great prices after I turned him on to the stuff.  Okay, I think that it was only the 10 year, but that's still a quite drinkable whisky.

[explicit]

Wait, what's rude? Did I do something rude again? I was just trying to help by giving more options

I might have misread. I read your comment as something to the effect of 'Don't do what Chaos did. Start earlier.' And in this case, I might just be sensitive because I'm really bad about procrastination in general.

Yeah, I was trying to do the opposite actually, you made a really good point in pointing out how hard it is to get to people after graduation and I didn't even think of that. I was just trying to combine our suggestions and give a third option after that.

[94ssd]

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to start an argument. I don't want people to argue on my behalf, I'm not worth it, trust me. Please accept my apology.

[sitnspin]

Laphroiag 10 Year is drinkable in the vaguest sense of the word. Its not terrible, but neither would I call it good. There are cheaper whiskys that are far better. Even Speyburn is better and it's about 30% less expensive.

[Metope]

I love Laphroiag 10 year, wanna switch? I have a cheap merlot from a box...

[hedgie]

Never said that it was great, but it was the best our usual (working-class) bar had by far.  Normally when I go out, I tend to go for the Ardbeg 10, the Balvenie, or Yamazaki 12.  There is little enough else that I can even afford to drink at a bar.  I do like to get people to appreciate even decent whisky (as a stepping-stone to better things).  Laphroaig[1] 10 is a pretty good gateway drug for the Islay stuff.

[1] Which for some reason passes my spell check without problems

[sitnspin]

Fair enough. Mind you, I don't generally drink whisky at bars. I tend to buy it by the bottle and drink it at my leisure at home.

Currently I have a bottle of Glenfiddich 12 Year and a bottle of Glenmorangie here I'm quite happy with for now.

[hedgie]

Most people I know generally do what you do; they buy the good stuff for home, and drink swill when they go out.  Then again, where I live these days, free drinks are few and far between so going to bars adds up rather quickly.

[explicit]

Why do so many people take those "the people who are voting for this person person are clueless!" videos seriously?

Every candidate - or movement for that matter - has the support of people who aren't all that articulate or just plain ignorant. It doesn't justify your position any more by showing the opposition as a bunch of morons if people on your side can be just as idiotic.

This brought to you by the ongoing politics war over on facebook.

[osaka]

The best part being that most of those videos are basically out of context cuts of certain stuff they say. Which make sure that you stay clueless.

[chaospersonified]

buy the good stuff for home, and drink swill when they go out.

Most people, maybe, but there's still folk like myself. We do not have money enough for good stuff, whether at home or away from it. We drink swill, except when other people pay. Sometimes we have good fortune and can get less-terrible swill, but I've had good stuff before, so I'm aware that while it's less horrible, it's still swill.

I'm staying straight the fuck out of the political bend in recent comments. I've seen more ignorant shit from people trying to prove they aren't ignorant than I care to think of.

It's been a shit day.
I need my swill.
I need multiple varieties of swill.

[hedgie]

Most people, maybe, but there's still folk like myself. We do not have money enough for good stuff, whether at home or away from it. We drink swill, except when other people pay. Sometimes we have good fortune and can get less-terrible swill, but I've had good stuff before, so I'm aware that while it's less horrible, it's still swill.

To be fair, "most people I know" make far more than I ever have.  Right now, I'm stuck buying the cheap booze, and drinking coffee that tastes worse than something that has been sitting for two hours on the warmer at the shittiest diner in the US.

[chaospersonified]

drinking coffee that tastes worse than something that has been sitting for two hours on the warmer at the shittiest diner in the US.

Oh god, see that is thankfully, a depth I have not, and in all hopes of the future, will not be reduced to.

Alcohol, I drink on a few nights a week. Alcohol, after a few minutes, stops tasting so godawful because intoxication.

Coffee is too beautiful, too wondrous a beverage to suffer from terrible taste. I would drink it daily if I was currently employed. I'm lucky, I think, in that I'm only a partial coffee snob. I mostly have just love for coffee, with, of course, specific blends and roasts that I enjoy more than others. I only dislike a few sorts of coffee. I dislike Starbucks. I dislike Folgers. This is the list of specifics I dislike, because I've been lucky enough to have enough money/be employed by people with good taste in coffee.

Community Coffee is pretty decent for a cheap brand, though it might be more expensive where you live. It's literally a local thing around here, if you assume 'local' to include a certain radius of miles. Breakfast blend is one of their better products, though it's still inferior to some of the better imported blends.

In other news, holy shit, I just now realized why CC's coffee house is so named. This fits to the 'miscellaneous' side of my musings, methinks, so I shall say it.
IT'S INITIALS, GUYS. IT IS THE COFFEE HOUSE OF COMMUNITY FUCKING COFFEE. THIS EXPLAINS ITS SUPERIORITY TO STARBUCKS.

[hedgie]

The coffee itself isn't *that* terrible.  It's actually the bulk stuff from Costco.  You'll weep at what it it goes through to *become* that bad.  Namely, since I have to seriously limit intake, I tend to make pot, and let sit in a vacuum flask.  Most of the time, what I'm actually drinking has been re-heated a few times.  Thankfully, the morning coffee is mostly there to shock me into a state of semi-conciousness as I smoke a few cigarettes (which help mask the taste).

And yes, I do have a cafetičre/French press to make it per cup, but gods, I hate cleaning that thing.

[chaospersonified]

Oh, French presses, don't get me STARTED, especially if you're using pre-ground beans, oh my god. I am drinking coffee, now I'm drinking solid grounds, and it's the fault of whoever ground these beans because they planned on a regular coffee pot, but whatever.

^That whole thing occurs, that whole line of angry thought.

Then you have to clean the fucking press.

[hedgie]

When I was using it, I always used the grinder for Costco, or when I got better coffee, had the barista grind it coarse.  I can't justify getting a burr grinder, and those little ones are useful for grinding spices, but not so much coffee (which goes from the spectrum of course to nearly Turkish in the same batch).  I still keep it, mostly as a backup.

[chaospersonified]

I took advantage of the whole 'in-college-with-most-of-my-needs-automatically-met' situation I had to spend my money on a coffee-grinder, and that is something I'll be very glad for when I manage to move out of my parents' house in a few months. Whole-bean blends are cheaper, at least sometimes, and considering my love of the French press, that is a thing I'm glad for.

If there are any inconsistancies in this, I refer you to my original comment about needing some cheap-ass, alcoholic swill.