Topic: Re: Blog Thread IIIb : Look Who's Blogging Now (Read 132098 times)

jwhouk · « **Reply #4050 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 07:43 »

Oh, my dear May, be ever so glad you didn't come up thisaway during THIS time of year.

You'd be freezing your extremities off AND complaining about the snow.*

* - Even though the snow melted briefly last week due to a rather strange warmup that sent temps a whopping one degree Celsius above freezing...

Barmymoo · « **Reply #4051 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 07:55 »

I was in Norway for Christmas a few years ago. It was -27 celcius. It was horrifying.

If snow were more common here, or rather if people woke up to the fact that it ALWAYS snows at this time of year, we'd be better off. English houses are typically cold in winter, because a) they weren't well-insulated when built, or b) fuel is so expensive we can't afford to heat the whole house, or c) a combination of the above. The roads get cleared but not very well, and it's illegal to have spikes or chains on your tyres so drivers aren't in proper control of their cars (and we don't get taught how to drive in snow as part of driving lessons, or at least I didn't).

pwhodges · « **Reply #4052 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 08:07 »

The only UK law relating to studded tyres or chains is that it is illegal to have tyres that damage the road. Therefore using studs or chains where there is not a solid cover of snow is illegal. Unfortunately, it is rare in the UK for the snow covering to be solid enough to allow their use, especially as main roads are usually effectively salted when necessary.

The use of specific winter tyres, which is commonplace in the rest of Europe, and compulsory in some places, is barely thought of in the UK.

The Seldom Killer · « **Reply #4053 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 09:41 »

That's largely down to the fact that for the most part we get no more than 5 days a year where snow tires would be of a significant benefit over normal tires. Looking at the weather here in Sheffield, the general panic would have meant that people would have spent time and money changing tyres for basically nothing. Even the brief midday white out didn't drop enough to have an impact on most vehicular handling. Even if I did own a vehicle, the cost/benefit ratio simply wouldn't play out as a motivational factor.

There might be some value to snow driving lessons being available in this country, but mostly people would benefit if there was just less traffic on the roads anyway. Despite being such a small country we've become so utterly dependant on cars that we have difficulty functioning without them. A more flexible attitude to transport and working location would work wonders.My contingency was based on getting up a bit earlier and being ready to get the mountain bike out if there was significant coverage.

Of course for those not in the n+1 set, there's no legal prohibition on studded tyres on bicycles. 20 minutes of changing tyres in the comfort of your own home and you're away. For those of you with the luxury of disc brakes, you can even make a surprisingly effective snow tyre with zip ties for the princely sum of about £3.

Papersatan · « **Reply #4054 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 10:00 »

I have never put snow tires on my car. I admit I have never lived in a rural area, and I come from a city which is good at snow removal, but it is good at it because we get 8 feet a year. While highways and major arteries get cleaned up pretty quickly, side streets don't get down to black unless there are a few good days of warmth. As long as your tires aren't bald you should do alright. I think that traffic chaos in snow usually has more to do with people being unaccustomed to driving in snow, and I actually think the more great features a car has to make them feel safe and secure, the more likely they are to be a shitty winter driver. Driving in snow/ice/slush requires you to think further ahead about when you want to stop or turn and an increased alertness for the possibility of other drivers having problems.

I actually first learned to drive in winter, and I took my road test the day after a blizzard, so

Thrillho · « **Reply #4055 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 11:38 »

So... I'm basically broke.

I think I can afford my bills for the rest of the month, but I'm pretty sure I can't afford food as well.

Akima · « **Reply #4056 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 18:43 »

I don't think I've ever seen a snow tyre. It was 43C in Sydney a few days ago, and cycling home from work was like standing in front of a hair-dryer. According to this article, there is worse on the way. At this rate, we'll be living underground...

Redball · « **Reply #4057 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 18:59 »

And here I thought all the climate change deniers lived in the U.S.
I owned snow tires when I lived in a Detroit suburb. Now that I live in a rural area, I don't. Owning them seemed like a good idea at the time.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #4058 on:** 14 Jan 2013, 23:04 »

Quote from: pwhodges on 14 Jan 2013, 08:07

The only UK law relating to studded tyres or chains is that it is illegal to have tyres that damage the road. Therefore using studs or chains where there is not a solid cover of snow is illegal.

In my state, it's allowed to have chains or studs, but only between December 1 and March 31. I could really use them for my work vehicle (whee, no traction at all!), but I've gotta make do with "all-season LT radials"...yay, New England.

idontunderstand · « **Reply #4059 on:** 15 Jan 2013, 01:24 »

Quote from: Gareth on 14 Jan 2013, 11:38

So... I'm basically broke.

I think I can afford my bills for the rest of the month, but I'm pretty sure I can't afford food as well.

I'd send canned soup, problem is that I need it myself this month.

Jace · « **Reply #4060 on:** 16 Jan 2013, 21:18 »

Today I was more aggressive at SCA practice and really got in there and did much better. Continuing to get frustrated that my leg harness droops a little bit, but that's not hard to fix in the long run. I have a bruise forming on the front of my thigh that is exactly the shape of the plate in my splinted cuisse. Maybe there needs to be some more padding than a pair of sweatpants underneath. Also have the normal bruises on the left thigh and not as much on the butt but a little bit. I gotta learn to block.

Welu · « **Reply #4061 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 07:30 »

Work is screwing around with everyone's hours and I told the boss that a 9 - 4 shift is too hard on my back so he seems to be giving me a 7 - 2 shift instead. GAHH.

Jimor · « **Reply #4062 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 08:54 »

I've been kinda quiet lately, but that's largely because I've been trying to finish up the first few episodes of my live music television show. Got the first 2 episodes turned in and now just waiting for the premiere on Jan 22nd!

There are 12 episodes in the can, and they'll air twice monthly on the local access channel, then posted online for wider availability.

There's a Facebook page, and a YouTube Channel that will have the full episodes after they air, so feel free to like/subscribe. Right now the YouTube page has an old teaser I've posted before, plus this opening sequence I built in Adobe After Effects. For the tech geeks, there are about 150 visible elements, and it took about 80 hours to create (including learning curve stuff with the program) and 4 hours to render once completed. For the long haul, I'll probably create a thread in Make or Band to contain future updates on this project.

Edit: D'oh! Forgot to mention that I'm also shooting a music video for a collaboration between 2 of my favorite local acts! Exciting times!

[soundcloud]https://soundcloud.com/mermaid_sings/calling-out-musical-charis[/soundcloud]

Jace · « **Reply #4063 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 12:40 »

The site I work at is being taken over by another company, which I thought might suck, but my pay rate goes up by about $4.30 which is great for me and I get to keep the position.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #4064 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 12:41 »

Hourly? Holy shit, that's like another 600/month for a full-time position.

Lines · « **Reply #4065 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 12:46 »

Uh, yeah, Jace, that's pretty awesome!

Akima · « **Reply #4066 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 14:54 »

Yay, Jace!

Jace · « **Reply #4067 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 15:14 »

Yeah I am fairly excited for more money. I'll probably also see if I can work 5 days a week rather than the 4 that I currently work. I was supposed to get an email from them to apply tonight but I didn't so I'll call tomorrow and make sure they send it since they take over the first of Feb.

Welu · « **Reply #4068 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 15:34 »

Huzzah for more monies!

~ ~

I'm debating applying for for a second job that would mean I miss the first hour of every class.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #4069 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 15:39 »

Wow...yeah, that's a bigger raise than I've ever gotten...don't lose it!

Quote from: Welu on 17 Jan 2013, 15:34

I'm debating applying for for a second job that would mean I miss the first hour of every class.

Is it possible to wait until the end of the semester, then apply for the 2nd job when you can work future classes around it? Or is that not financially viable right now?

Welu · « **Reply #4070 on:** 17 Jan 2013, 15:42 »

The specific job I want to apply for won't be around then. I don't think I'll go for it though, having one job plus this course is draining enough.

Just typical January, work is cutting hours and I'm getting paranoid about money.

Barmymoo · « **Reply #4071 on:** 18 Jan 2013, 10:32 »

I'm exhausted and term only started on Tuesday. I have about 300 pages of reading to do by next Friday, and an essay to write on that reading by Thursday afternoon. I won't get much if any work done this weekend. I do not want to go out now to the stupid, stupid rehearsal for the stupid concert that is taking up all of Saturday. I am royally pissed off with this concert. It will sound amazing. It is not worth the amount of time it is taking. There's no way I can get all of this work done. I'm so tired.

Spriteling · « **Reply #4072 on:** 18 Jan 2013, 15:27 »

Quote from: Barmymoo on 18 Jan 2013, 10:32

I'm exhausted and term only started on Tuesday. I have about 300 pages of reading to do by next Friday, and an essay to write on that reading by Thursday afternoon. I won't get much if any work done this weekend. I do not want to go out now to the stupid, stupid rehearsal for the stupid concert that is taking up all of Saturday. I am royally pissed off with this concert. It will sound amazing. It is not worth the amount of time it is taking. There's no way I can get all of this work done. I'm so tired.

Do the most important things. Sometimes in life you really just can't do everything, and you have to figure out what is least important, and let those slide. Honestly that's been the biggest problem for me lately, but I'm slowly figuring it out. You can do it

Barmymoo · « **Reply #4073 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 01:50 »

Unfortunately there aren't any "most important things". I have to do all of them.

Patrick · « **Reply #4074 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 02:28 »

one of my oldest and closest friends is moving to new zealand and I am going to miss him so fucking much

so we got drunk

hi

Jace · « **Reply #4075 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 05:18 »

If I do end up switching over to this new company (very likely), and work full time, I will have around $1000 extra dollars every month. I have thought about purchasing a home in the latter half of the year, although with that sort of money I could put away some cash for a down payment and also work on paying off my car or student loans. I am giddy with the thoughts of what I can do with such extra money, and (un)fortunately nearly all of them are adult ideas. Until now I didn't even think "I could buy so much stuff" but rather "I could save up for my own house, or pay off my car early, or put away enough money that I could be unemployed for a year without a ton of worry, or invest in something."

Dunno how I feel about that.

nekowafer · « **Reply #4076 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 05:41 »

YOU'RE SO OLD

Bluesummers · « **Reply #4077 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 06:04 »

Yay, investment capital! Go out and buy some sweater vests and an AARP membership, you old person, you!

BeoPuppy · « **Reply #4078 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 06:05 »

... buy Lego. You know you want to.

Redball · « **Reply #4079 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 06:08 »

You've got the right ideas. Do something with part of the extra income you can look back on later with satisfaction: "Yeah, I did good."

bainidhe_dub · « **Reply #4080 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 07:26 »

Build a house out of the Legos.

Barmymoo · « **Reply #4081 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 07:40 »

I feel a sense of quiet satisfaction every time I'm able to make a deposit into my savings account, or as I like to call it, my "buying a house" account.

The final rehearsal for tonight's massive fancy big concert went well; we finished an hour early, so I am now home at the time we were meant to finish having also been to buy some new tights and a hat. I might finally be warm! Because it's Saturday my no sweets, no snacks diet is taking a day off (it has gone ok this week, although two minor blips - a cookie and a piece of cake, on two different days) so I'm having a cup of hot chocolate and a bar of Guylian before tackling another couple of hours of work. Perhaps this heap of reading is not insurmountable after all; I'm getting through it faster than I expected.

Papersatan · « **Reply #4082 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 08:44 »

Jace,
Have you started saving for retirement? If not, for sure, some portion of that should be put into a retirement account.

Jace · « **Reply #4083 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 08:54 »

I don't have a retirement account because I've never thought that I'd be able to retire since I live and work in America. Also I figured I'd get a retirement account when I got a real job that requires a degree.

Papersatan · « **Reply #4084 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 09:52 »

Well, even if you can never retire, at least you can only have to work part-time as a senior...

Also, as a math man, I am sure I don't need to tell you how compound interest works. Starting earlier is better, even if it is not much per month.

Also, if your new job offers any sort of matching to contribute to a 401k and you don't take them up on it, it is like you are throwing away free money.

Redball · « **Reply #4085 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 10:02 »

I hope you'll tell us if there's a 401k match so we can pile on. Never had matches from my employer, but I put a fair amount aside.

Jace · « **Reply #4086 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 10:13 »

My new job offers nothing. Just like almost every other job I've had. Which is why I figured that I would just deal with retirement stuff when I got a job that requires a degree.

Plus, according to Fox News economists all of our money will be worthless in another year so I should buy gold from this company that he is sponsored by.

Welu · « **Reply #4087 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 12:59 »

Someone in a group I sort of help to run on another site posted a thing about online relationships not being real and I was going to ignore it but I sent a reply all about emotional involvement is still real. I don't like conflict but I always leave group messages floating in my inbox for a while incase other people reply and it got to me.

I know this place's opinions on the meat life vs interwebs but I'm happy I didn't just sit back on something I have a strong feeling about. Also the fact they posted it to a group where over half of the people, who only know each other online, chat to each other outside of the group seems misguided.

Thrillho · « **Reply #4088 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 13:38 »

Me: 'We got an application at the college last week for a student whose only allergy was dessicated coconut.'
Scottish flatmate: 'Cunt.'

Papersatan · « **Reply #4089 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 13:57 »

I am frequently allergic to dessicated coconut.

Patrick · « **Reply #4090 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 17:06 »

My two high school BFFs now officially live so far away that there's a distinct possibility I may never see both of them in the same place again. That is so hard to swallow right now. I wish it got easier every time one of your dearest friends leaves indefinitely, but it really doesn't.

Carl-E · « **Reply #4091 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 17:37 »

I moved a lot as a kid, and as a result, I never really formed any solid friendships. So I can't really relate to that.

With the exception of my wife, I can't say as I have any "best friends".

It took me a very long time to realize that this isn't entirely normal. I was about forty.

And I still don't have any friends that I'd call close.

So maybe it's just me.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #4092 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 17:38 »

No, Carl, that sounds about right for my life, too.

I'm on move 43...

Carl-E · « **Reply #4093 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 17:52 »

Fate is kind.

And timing is important.

Bluesummers · « **Reply #4094 on:** 19 Jan 2013, 23:57 »

Quote from: Patrick on 19 Jan 2013, 17:06

My two high school BFFs now officially live so far away that there's a distinct possibility I may never see both of them in the same place again. That is so hard to swallow right now. I wish it got easier every time one of your dearest friends leaves indefinitely, but it really doesn't.

My two BFFs have moved apart...one to Savannah, the other to Detroit, while I'm still here in CT. I'm planning a get-together sometime later this year, but I understand that it can be difficult, between work schedules, flights, finances...it's tough. But if they're that important to you, you've got to make it work somehow.

Patrick · « **Reply #4095 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 00:02 »

It's a bit harder to work out kick-its when I'm in the SF Bay Area and one's splitting time between Dubai and England and the other is moving to New Zealand. We have Facebook at least. Saving grace.

nekowafer · « **Reply #4096 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 06:19 »

I can't sleep for shit these days. I'm getting maybe 5 to 6 hours a night, when usually I need 8 to 9 to really feel rested.

Other than that, apparently I overpaid my doctor's office and I'm getting $450 next week. Woo!

jwhouk · « **Reply #4097 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 07:29 »

It's the time of year, for one. Lack of sunlight's really done a number on me.

It also doesn't help that it's 0 outside.

Zingoleb · « **Reply #4098 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 10:27 »

I'm oversleeping.

Mostly because the attic is freezing and under my covers, I don't notice.

Little known fact: Unicorns are incapable of hibernating for winter, but I'll be damned if I stop trying.

Carl-E · « **Reply #4099 on:** 20 Jan 2013, 11:23 »

Same with me. For the week before school started, I kept on trying to get up earlier each day so that I could ease into it, and failed spectacularly, sleeping not just past 10, but past noon on a couple of days.

Now I have to get up by 7, and yes, I'm cranky about it. I also should be getting up earlier...

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Author Topic: Re: Blog Thread IIIb : Look Who's Blogging Now (Read 132098 times)

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