Random Rants : Someone is wrong on the Internet

[schlaufuchs]

Just personally, like just for me doe?

Never live in the dorms if you can help it. They are the WORST. Especially when you are a senior. You may think that it'll be fine, but spending time 24/7 around freshmen gets really grating. Like almost immediately. I did it my 4th year and it was awful. Thank god the ex had an apartment off campus because I basically lived there my whole last year.

However keep in mind that in college I drank and partied fairly regularly and didn't mind pot smoke. So YM 100% MV.

 

[Domen]

"Church, school, shooting range" - sounds like a nice presidential campaign slogan, doesn't it?

 

[Timsup2nothin]

"Church, school, shooting range" - sounds like a nice presidential campaign slogan, doesn't it?

Add "below poverty level job working for a faceless corporation" and you have the US republican party platform.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Plan A: The original plan. Go live at home for three months and hang around. Don't work (I don't need the money) and instead put my time towards reading and researching for my senior thesis in international relations. Which of course, would heavily involve reading wonderful and interesting history books I don't get to over the course of the regular year. Already have a reading list of around 13 built up. Would be a relaxing, and fun summer.

Plan B: My professor notified me of an on-going project at the university for a traveling museum exhibit. It was to portray Iowa, and Iowans, during the Second World War, and connect the state to the larger global history. I'd do original, archival research (on a POW camp in Iowa of all places!), and have my name attached to the project and exhibit. How cool is that? Great for a resume, and it sounds like a ton of fun! I'd have the option of doing it over the summer, in the spring, or both. The spring would be a class and be more stringent, as opposed to the independent study with a professor I like supervising it. I'd also have a blast reading all those books I don't get to read during the year.

Here's were the trouble lies. I hate living here, in my current conditions. My apartment is awful, I hate my roommates, the most obnoxious being the one who's going to live here over the summer. It's a wholly unhealthy, unacademic environment. And if I were to say even a week longer I'd literally go insane. I'm already at my limit for living here, the drugs, smoke, partying, and alcohol making for a sickening atmosphere.

And so in order to do Plan B, which I'd really like to do, I have two choices. I can either continue living in my apartment, and go crazy and hate myself. Probably flake out halfway through even though I paid for the class. I don't want to do this, I don't want to live here.

Or, I'd go live in the dorms for the summer. Buy a meal plan, and live by myself in quiet harmony. This of course comes with its own problems. It's expensive, and I'm not sure I want to pay it (though I'm also not sure how long I'd be in the city doing research, so that impacts the price). And secondly, I don't know what to do about my rent for my current apartment if I leave to live in the dorms. Would I be able to break contract and not pay for the summer months? Would I forfeit my deposit money? I'm not going to pay both, I wouldn't be able to afford it.

I really want to stay and do research, and attach myself to this awesome project. I just can't stand to live here anymore. I also hate the idea of my living circumstances getting in the way of my academic career. I hate this so much, and I'm at a loss at what to do.

You'd likely be stuck with rent if you break lease on your current apartment to move into dorms or another place unless you can convince your roommates to agree to pick up the difference or you can find someone to take your sublet off your hands.

How important do you see the research/history project to your future Grad school work or your future career? Because if it isn't that important to it, I'd say the downsides outweigh the upsides.

Also, are getting paid for this research/history project?

And yeah, even if you don't have to work, if you go back to Chicago you should probably look for some part time work if nothing else than to squirrel away a bigger nest egg for a rainy day. When you graduate and start job searching/apartment hunting, that money will come in handy because deposits and so forth get really expensive in a hurry. Is the job at the theater still available?

 

[Joecoolyo]

can you not couchsurf at a friend's or sublet a place in iowa city?

I'd want something more stable than couchsurfing, and I really don't want to chance living with strangers again.

If nothing else I do see a conversation with the apartment's landlord in the near future.

This is true.

Just personally, like just for me doe?

Never live in the dorms if you can help it. They are the WORST. Especially when you are a senior. You may think that it'll be fine, but spending time 24/7 around freshmen gets really grating. Like almost immediately. I did it my 4th year and it was awful. Thank god the ex had an apartment off campus because I basically lived there my whole last year.

However keep in mind that in college I drank and partied fairly regularly and didn't mind pot smoke. So YM 100% MV.

I could care less being around people younger than me. As long as I have a single room relatively cut off from other people, I'd be happy. Pot smoke is annoying, but I can't stand the cigarette smoke in the apartment. It's awful and it sticks to everything. I'm scared its got into my clothes.

You'd likely be stuck with rent if you break lease on your current apartment to move into dorms or another place unless you can convince your roommates to agree to pick up the difference or you can find someone to take your sublet off your hands.

How important do you see the research/history project to your future Grad school work or your future career? Because if it isn't that important to it, I'd say the downsides outweigh the upsides.

Also, are getting paid for this research/history project?

And yeah, even if you don't have to work, if you go back to Chicago you should probably look for some part time work if nothing else than to squirrel away a bigger nest egg for a rainy day. When you graduate and start job searching/apartment hunting, that money will come in handy because deposits and so forth get really expensive in a hurry. Is the job at the theater still available?

I'm still technically employed at the theater, that is, until I turn it down when they call me. I really don't want to work there again, and I don't want to deal with the stress and anxiety that came with job searching earlier this year. Finding jobs that seem applicable, and worrying about interviews ruined a good part of the year for me, and I was happy just to completely drop it. I'd be content just to take a break from everything, and do research for a summer. Either in Iowa City under professional supervision, or just on my own at home. I already collected a summer reading list of books I'd like to use next semester for my international relations thesis.

It's probably not smart financial wise, but I really do think I need a break. Living here this year has taken far more of a toll on me than it should have. I just need time to relax I think.

As for career stuff, I'm not really sure. It just sounds fun, and interesting, and possibly a good thing to go on a resume. I wouldn't be paid, but my contribution would be recognized as part of the museum exhibit, and it just sounds fun to go dig through archives and read about stuff that happened in Iowa.

If it all fails, and worst comes to worst, I can just take a class in the spring that would deal with the project. It'd just be less free-form, and a bit more stringent. Also, I wouldn't get to work with the professor I'd like. Nor would I have anything to put on my resume about work I did this summer (I mean, I guess I can say I was researching unofficially, but I'm not sure how much that would be bought).

Maybe it isn't worth the hassle, and I should just go home and pay the two months rent.

Right now I've requested my lease from the company that owns the apartment so I can look over the terms. I'm also going to see my professor on Tuesday after my final and continue the chat with him. Blech.

 

[Domen]

"Church, school, shooting range" - sounds like a nice presidential campaign slogan, doesn't it?

Add "below poverty level job working for a faceless corporation" and you have the US republican party platform.

"Church, school, shooting range" lol is the slogan of G. Braun (election on May 10):



I believe he was labelled a fascist when he tried to organize a meeting in Ireland:


Link to video.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

So, came home from the Tom's Burger with a chicken burrito and a steak burrito. Guy who wants chicken burrito opens box marked chicken and starts eating. After a while guy who wants steak opens the other box and finds a chicken burrito. Says "is that my steak burrito?" Guy says "It's chicken." I go back to get the missing steak burrito.

I find out that despite being a regular customer Tom's is going to treat me like I'm trying to steal a burrito. They need to see both burritos. I come back home, planning to get the burritos and decorate the Tom's with them.

Guy with the box marked chicken says "that may have been steak." In any event the burrito is gone.

So, at best, Tom's marked them wrong, and serves burritos that you can't tell the difference in the meat. They also consider "customer service" to mean something different than any food establishment I have ever been in. When mistakes are made, most places bend over backwards to make you happy, instead of treating you like a burrito thief.

I will NEVER set foot in their dive again. Considering the number of people who send me after food and how often Tom's has been the source I figure that by saving the cost of making a burrito they lost between sixty and eighty bucks a month in business, directly. When all the people who send me after food have been told "no I won't go to Tom's" and hear why I won't that probably doubles, at least.

Good business plan guys. Glad I didn't think of it.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

@Joecoolyo

Totally get that you need a break and you're also in the lucky position of being able to just take a few months and read. It's an opportunity that may not ever come again. I get that.

However, and I'm just throwing this out there, that compared to all of your school work during the semester, doing some part time easy-peezy work may still feel like a break in comparison and net you some cash? I get the theater wasn't the best job but it's way way way better than restaurant work which would probably be your other option. And if you keep only 10 or 20 hours a week (if that's an option) then you still have plenty of time to do what you want while netting some cash. Just a thought.

I've been where you are and for me at least, menial work for a few months was actually a nice break from the grind of classwork while at the same time giving me enough to do to stave off boredom.

Also for future reference, always keep a copy of your lease. And any other legal-ish document you sign. And lots of other things like bills (for at least 2 years). Record keeping sucks in that you don't ever need records...until you absolutely do. And having them on hand makes life so much easier than trying to hussle to get records from other people/companies. I have a small two drawer filing cabinet I keep records in, a file for each billing source or major category. Every couple of years I go through and shred everything over 2 years old or so (longer for more important things like tax filings). It's minimal upkeep, doesn't take much room and keeps me from going into a tizzy the few times I actually need a record for whatever odd reason that can't be predicted.

@Tim - that sucks a powerful set of donkey balls. Every time I've had an issue with fast food they just make up another order of whatever, no questions asked. It's less hassle and ultimately cheaper to do that than waste people (including their employees) time fighting over it and then risking a loss in business.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

@Tim - that sucks a powerful set of donkey balls. Every time I've had an issue with fast food they just make up another order of whatever, no questions asked. It's less hassle and ultimately cheaper to do that than waste people (including their employees) time fighting over it and then risking a loss in business.

I was seriously amazed. I do a lot of food running, and mistakes happen...but as you say there is a pretty standard response and that was just not it.

 

[cybrxkhan]

Whelp, now I'm officially retired from CKII modding. (Well, at least publically, privately I'll still do some personal hacks and stuff.) I retired for several reasons, but it's kind of bittersweet seeing another part of my life go by as it was something I've involved myself in quite a bit for two and a half years, witnessing important changes in my life. At the least, over that time, it seems like I gave some people a few good laughs and all.

 

[madviking]

sorry to see that khan, i always enjoyed your mod.

 

[The_J]

Whelp, now I'm officially retired from CKII modding. (Well, at least publically, privately I'll still do some personal hacks and stuff.) I retired for several reasons, but it's kind of bittersweet seeing another part of my life go by as it was something I've involved myself in quite a bit for two and a half years, witnessing important changes in my life. At the least, over that time, it seems like I gave some people a few good laughs and all.

See it as an opportunity to start a new and exciting journey .
Or a nice quote for that: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
(apparently by a "Dr. Seuss", of whom I've never heard before; still a nice one)



Rant: Manuscript got instantly rejected.
Honestly no suprise, I wouldn't have picked that journal at all, doesn't fit to the topic.
Good part on this: I can now maybe convince the other authors to submit it to a journal where it a) fits and b) where nobody of the co-authors is in the editors list .

 

[azzaman333]

Last night I had a semi-realistic dream that was just horrible emotional torture, so although I can't remember the details of it I'm still avoiding going to sleep tonight.

 

[Borachio]

I was seriously amazed. I do a lot of food running, and mistakes happen...but as you say there is a pretty standard response and that was just not it.

If I had a dozen potential fast food customers, I'd learn to cook. Especially things like fried chicken. The markup is amazing.

 

[cybrxkhan]

sorry to see that khan, i always enjoyed your mod.

Thanks man. Ordep will still hopefully continue my work, but I won't have anymore official input on it. That said, I'll probably still keep a personal version of it for myself on my personal mod and will be happy to share my buggier and less professional hacks with you folks on CFC.

See it as an opportunity to start a new and exciting journey .
Or a nice quote for that: "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
(apparently by a "Dr. Seuss", of whom I've never heard before; still a nice one)

Yup, as much as I leave with some bittersweet feelings, it is what it is. Remember when we were Civ4 modders? Those were the days, I suppose. Learned a bit from there. Enough to avoid repeating some mistakes with my CKII modding career, though in some ways I didn't learn from other mistakes. No matter, I hope that if I end up joining another modding community I'll also take the lessons I learned while modding CKII to heart.

Last night I had a semi-realistic dream that was just horrible emotional torture, so although I can't remember the details of it I'm still avoiding going to sleep tonight.

I don't usually have nightmares or those sort of discomforting dreams, but when they do they really freka me out.

 

[Civ'ed]

Rant: new rants thread

 

[Takhisis]

Greek numerals in title!

Raves thread is that way --->

I have exams in less than a month aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhnnnnnnnnnnnnfffffffffhhhhhhhhhgggggg

I can share in that rant.

All our teachers decided that by all means we should make presentations.

And present them.

Why would you make a non-presentable presentation?

/kick

Rant: new rants thread

 

[gay_Aleks]

Why would you make a non-presentable presentation?

Fixed that for you. Powerpoint is the devil incarnate.

 

[Joecoolyo]

@Joecoolyo

Totally get that you need a break and you're also in the lucky position of being able to just take a few months and read. It's an opportunity that may not ever come again. I get that.

However, and I'm just throwing this out there, that compared to all of your school work during the semester, doing some part time easy-peezy work may still feel like a break in comparison and net you some cash? I get the theater wasn't the best job but it's way way way better than restaurant work which would probably be your other option. And if you keep only 10 or 20 hours a week (if that's an option) then you still have plenty of time to do what you want while netting some cash. Just a thought.

I've been where you are and for me at least, menial work for a few months was actually a nice break from the grind of classwork while at the same time giving me enough to do to stave off boredom.

The theater job was extremely easy, and just that, extremely boring. I found myself surrounded by high schoolers and it was depressing. I really don't want to do that again. I don't need the money now, and I never made that much anyways.

Though I'll probably regret saying no

Also for future reference, always keep a copy of your lease. And any other legal-ish document you sign. And lots of other things like bills (for at least 2 years). Record keeping sucks in that you don't ever need records...until you absolutely do. And having them on hand makes life so much easier than trying to hussle to get records from other people/companies. I have a small two drawer filing cabinet I keep records in, a file for each billing source or major category. Every couple of years I go through and shred everything over 2 years old or so (longer for more important things like tax filings). It's minimal upkeep, doesn't take much room and keeps me from going into a tizzy the few times I actually need a record for whatever odd reason that can't be predicted.

I would do this normally, but I think my roommates kept it somewhere. That was a big mistake, since they don't have any organization at all. I'm an organized person, so in the future, its not a worry.

 

[Narz]

I've never been good at small engine repair.

I hate engines. I've got an awesome little bicycle motor but its a pain maintaining it so I basically gave up on it & am trying to sell it.

My rant is I hate too much chocolate & I have a stomach ache. Very simple causation yet so hard to resist sweets, especially late at night.