TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 I was just about to suggest a horror-comedy.
Mistrunner Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 I was just about to suggest a horror-comedy. I may have written a horror story called Fluffy the Poodle Killer.It's about a cat. That kills poodles.
RippleGylf she/her Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 Have you considered writing it as a satire of horror--a stereotypical serial killer is stalked by a teleporting baby bunny, who's always in the corner of his eye munching a carrot? That sounds like a good idea, and I might actually use that. The thing is, most of the class is really into horror, and I'm just not.
Kobold King he/him Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 (edited) I'd like to point out that in our current tax system, people at or below the poverty line don't pay anything in income tax. And if we didn't have wealthier people paying taxes, we'd have no social safety net for those who are living in poverty. (The fact that we need a bigger net is a debate for another time.) I know that you've argued before that you don't believe that the development of civilization is a foregone conclusion for an intelligent species. I think that may be true up to a certain point - but only so long as the population is small enough to allow those smaller tribes to coexist with minimal interaction. Once population reaches a certain density, though, things change. People interact and clash, competing for desired resources. Civilization is a natural development for dealing with large populations. And honestly, at this point, we have so many people on this planet that bringing us back to those tribal societies would require a massive global catastrophe, be it war or natural disaster. Billions would die. Is that less evil than maintaining civilization? I sure as heck hope not. Everyone pays property tax except for people in government housing, though. My family has the resources on our farm to be wholly self-sufficient if need be, but still we have to scramble for the money to pay a government thousands of miles away for the right to live on land that they've never seen. If we don't pay, we lose our land. That's not a social safety net. That's serfdom. We lasted at least two hundred thousand years as a species without having need for any kind of civilization whatsoever. Our population ratio only changed within the last four thousand years, as a direct result of civilization. We don't know whether the current population could survive without industrialized agriculture, because we haven't tried. (And of course, that's assuming that industrialized agriculture is impossible without a government robbing the people blind, which is also unknown.) My family and I are slaves. What else could you call us--we have to work jobs for the sole purpose of out overlords in the government, supplying them funds that we never see again because we don't have any need of their programs. To justify the slavery of my family and countless others, you must prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that society will degrade Mad Max style as a direct result of me not paying taxes. So far, no one has done that. Fears have been expressed, but there's no proof that anyone's survival directly depends on the money that the Texan and federal governments squeeze out of me every month. Least of all my own or my neighbors. That sounds like a good idea, and I might actually use that. The thing is, most of the class is really into horror, and I'm just not. I'm sorry for your situation. You're quite welcome to use The Horror of the Fluffy Bunny, though. Edited October 13, 2015 by Kobold King 2
TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 That sounds like a good idea, and I might actually use that. The thing is, most of the class is really into horror, and I'm just not. Then a funny horror story might be a breath of fresh air for them as they try to out-scare and out-gore each other. 2
Mistrunner Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 Teachers. Please stop saying the following: "You are not kindergarteners/elementary schoolers/ middle schoolers!" / "You are acting like [insert one of the previous]!" or "You are an honors/AP/Pre-AP student! An [insert one of the previous] does/does not [preceed to list thing teacher didn't like or wishes students did]. It got old in elementary school. We've heard it all before. It doesn't help. Trust me. 2
Delightful Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 (edited) Teachers. Please stop saying the following: "You are not kindergarteners/elementary schoolers/ middle schoolers!" / "You are acting like [insert one of the previous]!" or "You are an honors/AP/Pre-AP student! An [insert one of the previous] does/does not [preceed to list thing teacher didn't like or wishes students did]. It got old in elementary school. We've heard it all before. It doesn't help. Trust me. OMG so much this. The only difference at any point was kindergarten when they were like "let's practice being big school kids". It.....yeah. Every single teacher in the history of forever at every stage in school thinks it's such a novel thing to say that will convince students to act otherwise. Wrrooonnggg. Also how they always have a convenient horror story about the one guy who was swinging on his hair and split his skull open. I was even once in the room when a teacher tried "when I was in school someone forged their parents signatures on their permission slip for the swimming carnival and then she drowned and her parents didn't know where she was " Sigh. Edited October 13, 2015 by Delightful 2
Kobold King he/him Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 On civilization / anarchy: I had fun arguing with you lot! I've got a lot of work to do and I've already made my key points, so I'll be bowing out of the discussion now. To everyone involved, whether I agreed or disagreed with you: I salute you. Oh, and have a good day everyone! 4
Orlion Blight he/him Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 Bowing out before I could get back to your response? Laaaaaaaame In either event, you might be interested in checking out Revolt 2100 by Robert Heinlein or The Many Colored Land by Julian May. They explore some of the ideas you expressed (and are sympathetic to them, so I'm not suggesting "conversion literature") One of the short stories (there are three) in Revolt 2100 is about a guy who chooses to leave living under the government. The premise is similar in The Many Colored Land, except the individuals choose exile in the far distant past over being "mind-tuned" so they can fit in with a Galactic Government.
Orlion Blight he/him Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 Firearms vastly increase their carriers' ability to destroy, making people who want to destroy much, much more dangerous. I'd much rather face down a madman with a baseball bat than a madman with a gun. The argument that criminals would simply obtain guns through the black market may be true in some instances, but successful gun control legislation in Australisa makes it evident that that is not an inevitability. Whelp, since my conversation with Kobold is on hold (for the best, it's giving me time to do some cursory research ) I'll jump into this! A key difference between Australia and the US is access. It's a lot harder to smuggle items in Australia then it would be to the United States by virtue of it being surrounded by ocean. This allows Australia much better control over firearms then pretty much anywhere else in the world. The only comparable large country is Japan. The US, on the other hand, has land borders that can be crossed. Though it is by no means easy, guns can be smuggled much more readily through miles of land than miles of ocean. This is not really the main problem yet for the US, because restriction on firearm ownership and use varies from state to state (and even from town to town). There is no real homogeneous gun law in the US (the only one I can think of is the hotly debated 2nd Amendment). This means that the make-up of background checks may vary (though I could be wrong on this point) and also if one has trouble getting a gun in one state, they might be able to procure one in another. This sort of "cross-state gun trafficking" is often brought up when you hear something like, "Chicago has the strictest gun laws but the highest gun violence!" (Orlion-note: when you hear an apparent 'slam-dunk' "fact" like I just mentioned, you should be automatically skeptical. Something has been left out, and in the case of arguing with gun statistics the only honest interpretation that takes everything into account tends to be a scientific-shrug)
Left he/him Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 I am incredibly tired. Headache started this morning and hasn't gotten better. I have a ton of homework and other things that I have to get done this week, but I'm having a hard time thinking clearly. 2
TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her Posted October 13, 2015 Posted October 13, 2015 I am incredibly tired. Headache started this morning and hasn't gotten better. I have a ton of homework and other things that I have to get done this week, but I'm having a hard time thinking clearly. I'm sorry. I think there's something going around.
kaellok he/him Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 I managed to put on my clothes correctly, including avoiding any injury due to zipper, as well as making sure all buttons were aligned correctly on my shirt. I was also able to navigate to 17th Shard forums to surf and lurk and complain without trouble. I cannot think of anything else that's happened today that went so well as either of these two activities. 10-hour workday, two events planned plus my normal barely manageable workload, and not a storming thing went right. Nothing catastrophic or terrible, just a billion little things that should have gone right, but didn't. And I'm for-sure out $40 because of a combination of lazy/stupid, with potentially another $140 gone because a co-worker was trying to be helpful (and then, right when I'm in the middle of being pissed off, says to my face "You have no right to be mad at me." In the moment that I found out that you may have cost me $140? Damnation yes I do. Especially when you know that I go back and analyze my stupid anger and see if it made sense or not and then take corrective action based on the result, and I haven't done anything or said much in response other than, "It was canceled! So I canceled the order! Why didn't you check with anyone first to see if something had changed?!"--admittedly in a loud voice, when I already tend to speak loudly because I'm a loud person.) I couldn't even go to the climbing gym to work off frustration, because they've got the bouldering section closed off while they prep for a competition this Saturday (which is, of course, the other day that I usually go ). At least I don't have an actual headache causing me pain, and my body isn't falling apart any more than normal. So maybe three things went right? 4
TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 I keep thinking about the fact my job may be on the line, and the more I think about it, the more reasons I think they might have. But I can't know for sure, because I know I'm not even supposed to know about the listing and I can't ask about it, and I was never TOLD there was a problem in the first place. So I can't know if the things I've thought of are reasons for firing me, or if they're not really issues at all. So to make my paranoia even worse, I keep wondering how many people at work know about the listing. Are they smiling because they want to be nice, or because they're glad I'll be out of their hair soon? To make matters worse, a customer came in half an hour before we closed, meaning I had to basically do the deposit over and I didn't have long to do it. He was rude and condescending and got me all flustered, which I know he noticed, and now I'm convinced he's going to give my manager bad feedback which won't help my cause at all. AND one of the better jobs I applied for is still taking applications, which means mine didn't impress them at all. The Neenah job doesn't close until Halloween, so I have two weeks until I learn for sure they're not interested hear back from them. Bombing the Anchorage interview really killed my mojo. I've managed to convince myself that all three interviewers felt sorry for me, I did so badly.
Voidus Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 I keep thinking about the fact my job may be on the line, and the more I think about it, the more reasons I think they might have. But I can't know for sure, because I know I'm not even supposed to know about the listing and I can't ask about it, and I was never TOLD there was a problem in the first place. So I can't know if the things I've thought of are reasons for firing me, or if they're not really issues at all. So to make my paranoia even worse, I keep wondering how many people at work know about the listing. Are they smiling because they want to be nice, or because they're glad I'll be out of their hair soon? To make matters worse, a customer came in half an hour before we closed, meaning I had to basically do the deposit over and I didn't have long to do it. He was rude and condescending and got me all flustered, which I know he noticed, and now I'm convinced he's going to give my manager bad feedback which won't help my cause at all. AND one of the better jobs I applied for is still taking applications, which means mine didn't impress them at all. The Neenah job doesn't close until Halloween, so I have two weeks until I learn for sure they're not interested hear back from them. Bombing the Anchorage interview really killed my mojo. I've managed to convince myself that all three interviewers felt sorry for me, I did so badly. If nothing else pans out and I ever win the lottery I'll be sure to hire you as a full time Awesomer a job so exclusive that the title was invented solely for Twi and noone else is awesome enough to have it. But you'll get a job I'm sure, unlike myself you actually have enough experience to warrant getting a job. Plus you know, you're awesome and own a bunch of pugs so I don't see how a just universe could possibly allow you not to get one soon. 2
The Honor Spren she/her Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 I keep thinking about the fact my job may be on the line, and the more I think about it, the more reasons I think they might have. But I can't know for sure, because I know I'm not even supposed to know about the listing and I can't ask about it, and I was never TOLD there was a problem in the first place. So I can't know if the things I've thought of are reasons for firing me, or if they're not really issues at all. So to make my paranoia even worse, I keep wondering how many people at work know about the listing. Are they smiling because they want to be nice, or because they're glad I'll be out of their hair soon? To make matters worse, a customer came in half an hour before we closed, meaning I had to basically do the deposit over and I didn't have long to do it. He was rude and condescending and got me all flustered, which I know he noticed, and now I'm convinced he's going to give my manager bad feedback which won't help my cause at all. AND one of the better jobs I applied for is still taking applications, which means mine didn't impress them at all. The Neenah job doesn't close until Halloween, so I have two weeks until I learn for sure they're not interested hear back from them. Bombing the Anchorage interview really killed my mojo. I've managed to convince myself that all three interviewers felt sorry for me, I did so badly. Twi, if it makes you feel better, I went to sleep thinking of you, and dreamed about very large and round pugs laying on my couch. 2
Curious Anamaximder he/him Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 (edited) Couldn't sleep last night. Got to sleep around 5. So tired. Edited October 14, 2015 by Venture Mistborn 1
Claincy he/him Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 AND one of the better jobs I applied for is still taking applications, which means mine didn't impress them at all. The Neenah job doesn't close until Halloween, so I have two weeks until I learn for sure they're not interested hear back from them. The way I see it, all that means is that they weren't so incredibly impressed that they were immediately 100% certain that there couldn't possibly be anyone else for the job. I don't see why it couldn't be that they were impressed, but are leaving it open a little longer just in case someone even awesomer comes along. 1
Haelbarde he/him Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 The way I see it, all that means is that they weren't so incredibly impressed that they were immediately 100% certain that there couldn't possibly be anyone else for the job. I don't see why it couldn't be that they were impressed, but are leaving it open a little longer just in case someone even awesomer comes along.Even though we all know they are waiting in vain. Of course no one else awesomer is going to turn up. They just don't know it yet. 1
Mistrunner Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 Couldn't sleep last night. Got to sleep around 5. So tired.As an insomniac, I feel ya. Just keep swimmin', and I'll be there to hug you in spirit.(I guess hugs are my thing now. Huh.) 1
Kaymyth she/her Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 The way I see it, all that means is that they weren't so incredibly impressed that they were immediately 100% certain that there couldn't possibly be anyone else for the job. I don't see why it couldn't be that they were impressed, but are leaving it open a little longer just in case someone even awesomer comes along. They may also have a minimum amount of time that they have to keep the job open. 1
TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 If nothing else pans out and I ever win the lottery I'll be sure to hire you as a full time Awesomer a job so exclusive that the title was invented solely for Twi and noone else is awesome enough to have it. But you'll get a job I'm sure, unlike myself you actually have enough experience to warrant getting a job. Plus you know, you're awesome and own a bunch of pugs so I don't see how a just universe could possibly allow you not to get one soon. Thanks. I have some experience, but many of the jobs I'm finding are sneaky about how they ask for more. Like the one in New Orleans, where they wanted one year of library experience to be completed after I got my degree. Or jobs like the one in Farmington, NM, where they didn't put down an exact number at all but just asked for "extensive" and "supervisory" experience, neither of which I really have. Twi, if it makes you feel better, I went to sleep thinking of you, and dreamed about very large and round pugs laying on my couch. It does, actually. The way I see it, all that means is that they weren't so incredibly impressed that they were immediately 100% certain that there couldn't possibly be anyone else for the job. I don't see why it couldn't be that they were impressed, but are leaving it open a little longer just in case someone even awesomer comes along. They may also have a minimum amount of time that they have to keep the job open. That makes a lot of sense. Sorry I've been so negative; I just have a habit of jumping to the worst possible conclusion. Though if anything, this situation with my current job has convinced me that I need to be less of a doormat at my next job.
Kaymyth she/her Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 Thanks. I have some experience, but many of the jobs I'm finding are sneaky about how they ask for more. Like the one in New Orleans, where they wanted one year of library experience to be completed after I got my degree. Or jobs like the one in Farmington, NM, where they didn't put down an exact number at all but just asked for "extensive" and "supervisory" experience, neither of which I really have. It does, actually. That makes a lot of sense. Sorry I've been so negative; I just have a habit of jumping to the worst possible conclusion. Though if anything, this situation with my current job has convinced me that I need to be less of a doormat at my next job. It's OK; we're well aware of the weird wiring job your parents did on you. You shall continue to get a pass until you are out from under their influence. However, once you've been out for a few months, I expect you to start developing an ego, missy! 2
TwiLyghtSansSparkles she/her Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 It's OK; we're well aware of the weird wiring job your parents did on you. You shall continue to get a pass until you are out from under their influence. However, once you've been out for a few months, I expect you to start developing an ego, missy! I'll try. In the meantime, it seems like every day I have another reason to want to leave, but it seems less and less likely I ever will. Yesterday I vowed to apply for a job a day, so of course today there was nothing I'm qualified for that isn't part-time. My mom has been suggesting I send my resume and cover letter to my dad so he can take a look at it, which I've been avoiding because I…just don't want to, I guess? I want to feel like I did this on my own. Maybe that's stupid, but it's how I'm feeling. Anyway, she's feeling stressed today, and when she's stressed she starts giving orders, so today her suggestion became a command. Not even a nice one; just a "You need to send your dad your cover letter, and if you're applying for a posting, you need to send that to him too so he can take a look at it." So it's like a catch-22 of suck: I need to leave, but the resource I need to accomplish that is out of my grasp.
Delightful Posted October 14, 2015 Posted October 14, 2015 Is there someone here you can PM your cover letter too who can have a look at it? /other friends IRL who are not your parents? Because I think you need to be keeping them out of your business as much as possible. Unless your dad happens to be a total whizz at this kind of thing. My sympathies. If it helps at all, I occasionally jump to the conclusion the people are ignoring me despite mountains of evidence to the contrary. And I have absolutely no excuse for that. Sometimes our brains just work weirdly, that doesn't make it true. You're awesome, and soon someone will see that and give you a job. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.
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