Thread "2015 Rant/Share/General Discussion thread" in forum "Comic Talk and General Discussion *"

Posted at 12:10AM, Oct. 17, 2015

Good on you Hippie and Kawaii!

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I was just breifly going through my drawers looking for a long sleave T-shirt now that the weather is warmer and I realised that almost ALL my T-shirts are either black or white.
But it's not just them, it's ALL my gear. The majority of it is either white or black!

The funy thing is though that I'm normally wearing something a little more colourful…
It seems I mainly buy black or white stuff when I'm buying things in any amount, but for the stuff I wear the most every day I gravitate to the few more colourful things that I have.

The stuff I wear at home is in blues, bright red, maroon, purple… but when I go out I dress up in all black, or white… with the only variation being my bottom half- sometimes kahki trousers/shorts or blue jeans (but only informally).

Posted at 8:10PM, Oct. 17, 2015

Oz- I tried out the whole black and white colour scheme when I went out today and it felt very Addam's Family. I usually prefer a bit of colour to pop, but lately I have been gravitating toward warm neutrals: cream, beige, tan, light brown, taupe.

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And right now, I am grinning with sheer delight because my absolute favourite singer/songwriter of the moment is going to be performing in Los Angeles in a few weeks, and I just purchased a ticket for his show. Additionally, sitting right next to my concert ticket is a second ticket for a Neil Gaiman talk the following week.

I am in for an amazing treat in the next four weeks. I hope I can hold it together until then.

I am so STOKED!

Posted at 9:10PM, Oct. 18, 2015

That's awesome, kawaii! Sounds like you're having a good week too! Have you done tutoring before?

re: colours…I've always been very autumny. I probably wear oxblood red more than any other colour, which was kind of an issue when I also dyed my hair red and didn't want to be too matchy-matchy. I also like navy blue, browns, khaki/olive green, purple, etc. I basically never wear lighter pastel colours, and would feel very weird in a totally neutral/black outfit. Whenever the main bit of my outfit is neutral I tend to add something like red tights to it.

I've also recently been thinking about adding in some mustard yellow, but I don't really know what matches with it! I bought a nice mustard sweater and haven't worn it yet.

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I'm so sick of those photo series of people holding up handwritten signs with some important personal message. It's just such a ham-handed, hit-you-over-the-head obvious way of getting a point across. They're not pretty, or artistic, or thoughtful.

Posted at 12:10AM, Oct. 19, 2015

HippieVan wrote:

I'm so sick of those photo series of people holding up handwritten signs with some important personal message. It's just such a ham-handed, hit-you-over-the-head obvious way of getting a point across. They're not pretty, or artistic, or thoughtful.

Posted at 5:10AM, Oct. 19, 2015

I lost my house keys today… AGAIN! Second time this year I've had to get a new set made.

As I was testing a new set I spotted a fluffy little grey birdy on the front step. I almost sood on him! It was a baby dove. I picked him up, took him inside and tried to feed and water him but he didn't want any. Didn't want to do anything but stay on my hand.
Evenetually he crapped on me…
I took him outside and put him in a little house handing from a tree. Hopefully He'll be ok. I'm pretty sure he's just old enough to fend for himself.

Posted at 9:10AM, Oct. 19, 2015

@Hippie- Yep! I have tutored elementary school aged kids for over 5,000 documented hours. I even ran an afterschool program for two years.

I think those handwritten signs with long messages are all copycats of Love Actually.

@Oz- I absolutely adore that Dragonfruit painting in the background. It is one of my favourite fruits, but darn near impossible to find fresh or inexpensive in the States.

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After many headaches from driving to several different clinics, I finally had my TB test administered this morning. I would like to think this exam would be more readily available since most employers demand testing before starting a job. Well, the swelling has gone down and has not made any noticeable colour changes. I would hate to experience the ending of Moulin Rouge firsthand.

Posted at 9:10PM, Oct. 19, 2015

Heh, that painting is a friend's- I'm just sort of long term minding it. :)
It IS pretty though. I have a much bigger pommegranate one by the same artist in my bedroom.

Why are you worried you might have TB?

Posted at 9:10PM, Oct. 19, 2015

Ha! I am not worried that I have TB. It is a part of a long drawn-out application process. Pretty much anyone who works or volunteers in a school-based job is required to take a TB skin test because of the close proximity to children. The cost of a test ranges between $15-$60 depending where it is administered. I did not want to pay for my exam, so I drove to the public health clinics in the area and filled out a questionnaire. All I had to do was mention the countries I have traveled in the last five years as well as suggestive reasons why I might be at high risk. The clinics have been really stingy with handing out free exams, so I made sure I got my shot.

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This is a question for all the cat owners-

Which cat litter do you use or prefer for your pets? Scented clay based litter needs to be changed once a week and the dust is very unpleasant if it gets in the lungs or eyes. There is a crystal litter that only needs to be changed once a month and it looks a lot cleaner. Have you ever tried crystal litter? Is it worth the extra cost?

Posted at 10:10AM, Oct. 20, 2015

It is mandatory if you want to work with children to have a TB test. Some places even mandate updating Lloyd your childhood inoculations. As if a vaccinated population ever stopped the spread of disease.

Posted at 7:10PM, Oct. 20, 2015

It's just that TB is such an unlikley, old fashioned mallady… It's hard to get.
RE: working with young kids- people are more likley to get diseases FROM them than spread them to them. All those diseases and infections that nromally wouldn't go anywhere are spread like MAD by those little people because they're so completely and utterly unhygenic.
So yeah, if a little kid caught TB you'd be dammed sure you'd need to be vaccinated because it'd spread it to the maximum amount of victims.

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I always used clay based litter… Never tried the other. You should try it Kawaii, I'd be interested to know how it turns out!

Posted at 11:10PM, Oct. 20, 2015

Egad! Old fashioned malady? I had to look up a list of famous fictional character who died from consumption and it included:

Fantine from Les Misérables
In the bovine and meat packers from Upton Sinclair's The Jungle
Greta Garbo's character in Camille
Satine in Moulin Rouge

So yeah, it would have been much more common in the 19th century or one hundred years ago in 1915 than it is today. I do know one person who has contracted TB and many more who always test positive because they were born outside the USA and given a vaccine as a baby that always makes the TST (skin test) show a false positive reading.

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Thanks for the litter input, Oz. I went out and bought an 8 lb bag of crystal litter today. It should last 2-3 months depending on bow much litter is used. Fingers crossed and here's to hoping it only needs to be changed once a month!

Posted at 1:10AM, Oct. 21, 2015

The TB test is an ancient law just like the premarital bloodtest is for social diseases that have little bearing in the modern First World. There has been a rise in TB in the US through untested immigrants though. But what do epidemiologists know about anything?

Posted at 10:10AM, Oct. 21, 2015

kawaiidaigakusei wrote:
@Hippie- Yep! I have tutored elementary school aged kids for over 5,000 documented hours. I even ran an afterschool program for two years.

Somehow I've never thought about what you do for a living, kawaii! I always just think of you as sort of a mysterious world traveller.

ozoneocean wrote:
It's just that TB is such an unlikley, old fashioned mallady… It's hard to get.

Have to disagree with you there. It's far less common now, yes, but it's not that difficult to get for people who aren't taking care of their bodies (i.e. people who are homeless, addicted to drugs, etc.). I've had two relatives die of TB - one within the last year. My mom and older sister both had to undergo treatment after my maternal grandmother died of it. (She was a nurse, and abused alcohol.)
Granted most of the people who contract TB aren't going to be getting teaching jobs, but you never know who someone's been in contact with. And of course children are more susceptible to any kind of illness.

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It's so hard to strike a balance between school and socializing! Monday night was our election so I went out with friends to watch the results come in live, and then yesterday night was my student group's annual staff/student mixer. Both were really fun, but now I am super behind on my readings and have to do a whole assignment for tomorrow (fortunately no research involved).

Posted at 12:10PM, Oct. 21, 2015

I am starting to notice a pattern that no matter what field, many of my bosses or direct supervisors were/are either marines or in the military at some point in their career. I wonder if I just end up in these circumstances randomly or if there is a direct correlation between personality types and the ability to order people around. I always found that an assertive, authoritarian leadership style works just as well, if not better, than a dictatorial, micro-managing leadership style. Ah, but I do know that strict personalities get the job done even if the subordinates are doing it out of fear.

I completely forgot I chopped a handful of jalapeños this morning until I tried to put my left contact in my eye and it burned like a mother trucker. I guess that means GLASSES for today!

Oooo. Happy Back to the Future Day, everyone!!

Posted at 8:10PM, Oct. 21, 2015

@Hippie- Here in Australia I suppose we're pretty isolated from a lot of that because the only real way in here is by aircraft or ship, so people with many communicable diseases are able to be quarantined.
I haven't heard of any TB cases in populated areas here… There are reports or rumours of various once thought wiped out diseases like TB reapearing in isolated aboriginal communities in the far north. Healthcare needs too improve up there, Doctors are just too far away… The other side of that is that nothing ever spreads from there because of the isolation.

@Kawaii- being in the San Diego area I'm not surprised about all the former marines :D

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I got the two pairs of old dress uniform military trousers I won the bid on at Ebay last week! Very fast delivery from Britain for once.
I made a mistake when I looked at the sizes… Like I used to do. Bloody inches! Why can't people use nice accurate centimenters like everyone else? Grr!

Both pairs are the correct length, but they're both a bit too big around the tummy. My waste fluctuates between about 28 to 29 inches, and for some reason I didn't think that 32 and 33 inch trousers would be THAT much bigger… Well they ARE. The 33 inch pair would fit a Tweedle Dum figure well: thin and tapered on the lower legs, rapidly widening for the stomach. The person who owned them must have been a humerously rollypolly British officer with skinny legs. :)

I can tailor them to fit much better, but it'd be a lot of work. I'm not sure it's worth it at this stage. I mean, I paid quite a bit for the 33 inch pair, but I'll pretty much never wear them ever.

Posted at 8:10PM, Oct. 21, 2015

Hooray to Canada for voting in a new PM this week. I wish I could celebrate with an Obama/Royal Cookie or a Beaver Tail. I hear Justin Trudeau is supposed to be a real dreamboat (according to Conan). Anyone left of center should be better than the direction Stephen Harper was heading.

Oh no! Ozone, were those the same trousers you spent the entire night waiting to win the bid? That is a shame that the sizes did not match up. Pants measurements can be drastically different between sizes. The worst part is that tailoring them is not as easy as shortening the cuffs, the crotch also needs to be adjusted and the waist needs to be taken in. It ends up being less expensive to resell them on ebay and buy a new pair.

P.S. I wish Australia was better at controlling the spread of Myxomatosis so all those rabbits would not have died.

Posted at 12:10AM, Oct. 22, 2015

Yep! It'd be way too expensive to get them tailored. If I was going to be wearing them a lot I might still do that but not in this case. I can do the alterations myself.

The sizes are odd on the 33 waist pair because they were tailor made specially by a Saville Row tailor. They're nicely made: cream silk lining inside around the waist, hand stiching… I almost don't want to do anything to them and just sell them again as they are.
Almost.
But it'd be hard to find someone who wants them that badly and has the right body shape to fit them.

I'm not sure what you mean by rabbits dying of Myxo… -Australia doesn't care if things get OUT of the country as long as nothing comes in. :(
But the release of myxomatosis was a looooong time ago. Wild rabits have been completely immune to that for decades. It was a failed experiment in biological control (like Cane toads).

Maybe you mean the second wave of biological viral control? That was the release of the calicivirus in the mid to late 1990s.
I had a pet rabbit die because of that. Some bastard, pathetic loser farmer messed up with the rabbits being trialed on his property and releasedthem, causing an early continent wide outbreak before anyone could get their pets vaccinated. I've always suspected it was deliberite and if I ever meet the guy I will elbow him in the throat.

Posted at 10:10PM, Oct. 22, 2015

Just got back from a fun-filled night watching the UCLA vs Berkeley game. This game is more about sibling rivalry than anything else because it is my sister's alma mater against mine. I was happy that I was able to do the 8-clap several times.

It was a good night. My team won.

Has anyone else seen the show called Nathan for You? I have been staying up watching the clips on youtube and it is about this guy who helps small businesses using extremely odd techniques. The host's personality is incredibly awkward and the show's pacing is just right for an off-kilter prank show.

Posted at 9:10PM, Oct. 25, 2015

That's great Kawaii! Great pic too :D

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It's not a good idea to skip meals…
I haven't bee too hungry at night for the past few days, or hungry at all really, so sometimes I just haven't bothered eating dinner at all, But this morning I think it caught up with me- my brain is just so SLOW today. It needs fuel…
Either that or I'm just getting a cold or something?

Posted at 4:10PM, Oct. 26, 2015

ozoneocean wrote:
That's great Kawaii! Great pic too :D

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It's not a good idea to skip meals…
I haven't bee too hungry at night for the past few days, or hungry at all really, so sometimes I just haven't bothered eating dinner at all, But this morning I think it caught up with me- my brain is just so SLOW today. It needs fuel…
Either that or I'm just getting a cold or something?

I'm the opposite…I'm not much of a breakfast eater at all and sometimes won't eat until 2 or so if I'm occupied, but I always have a hard time not eating a bunch in the evening. Although I think that's less hunger and more just being in the habit of snacking.

I also have a horrible sleep schedule right now that makes breakfast and lunch awkardly close together, and dinner (at least when my family eats) too early for the last meal of the day. I hate eating breakfast regardless of when I wake up, though. It always makes me slightly queasy to eat first thing when I get up. I don't find that skipping it bothers me too much, but then I usually do most of my working/thinking in the afternoon and evening.

Posted at 1:10AM, Oct. 27, 2015

And ever since my episode of passing out at the wheel I have about six little meals throughout the day. I don't eat, I get dizzy and my vision blurs. So no fasting for me ever again.

I also have a whole pot of coffee in the morning. This time of year it helps ward off the chill of the morning.

Posted at 9:10AM, Oct. 27, 2015

I prefer tea for keeping myself warm in the morning. Coffee makes me reliant on it and ends up making me too tried over the course of the week.
I have to get about 6 to 7 hours sleep or I feel like I'm breathing underwater… and in danger of doing a bravo- passing out. 5 hours just kills me these days for some reason.

…It's funny how people say "eh, that's be-cos yer getn' old!"
Yeah… I seem to remember being tired ALL the time in highschool and trying to sleep in as much as possible any chance I got back then. The only difference is now I get paid to be places so I have more incentive to get up in the mornings.

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You know what I HATE most about social media? More than pics of cute puppies with "like me" written on them, more than a picture of a sunset with a horrible "inspirational" quote, even more than a fake poliical story someone is sharing because it made them mad and they haven't realised it's fake…
What I HATE is people sharing links to things without ANY personal comments as to why. Basically RE-sharing some shit someome else posted that was designed by some media company just for that purpose in order to get people to look at their site so they can make money out of ads.

That would be bareable if only they had a personal contribution, or some comment on the content of the thing they share, some stated reason for presenting the world with their passive endorsement… And THAT is why Facebook is starting to suck more and more.

But not as hard as Tumblr.

Posted at 2:10PM, Oct. 27, 2015

ozoneocean wrote:
You know what I HATE most about social media? More than pics of cute puppies with "like me" written on them, more than a picture of a sunset with a horrible "inspirational" quote, even more than a fake poliical story someone is sharing because it made them mad and they haven't realised it's fake…
What I HATE is people sharing links to things without ANY personal comments as to why. Basically RE-sharing some shit someome else posted that was designed by some media company just for that purpose in order to get people to look at their site so they can make money out of ads.
That would be bareable if only they had a personal contribution, or some comment on the content of the thing they share, some stated reason for presenting the world with their passive endorsement… And THAT is why Facebook is starting to suck more and more.
But not as hard as Tumblr.

Does sharing Simon the cat pretending he's Ned Kelly fall into this category? Sometimes an additional comment would take away more than it contributes!

Posted at 8:10PM, Oct. 27, 2015

There's an obvious exeption for people sharing my stuff. ^_^

Posted at 2:10AM, Oct. 28, 2015

And then there's politics on social media. I mean what do you do when your friend list is split between skeptics, comic creators and army buddies and military historians? I have to endure both ends of the political spectrum with militant partisanship masquerading as common sense.