Chat/party thread - because we haven't had one in a long time

[Lady Vulpix]

So long, in fact, that some people seem to have forgoten these ever existed.

You can talk about anything here. Say hello, tell us anything you'd like to share, ask people anything you want to know... just like a chat, but on a forum thread.

[Magmar]

Hi Gabi! How was your summer?

[Link]

How's life going for you, Lady Vulpix?

[shazza]

What's been everyone's highlight of 2017 so far?

[Lady Vulpix]

My summer was almost unbearably hot, but not too bad other than that.

Life's going well, I guess. My programming job's getting annoying, so I'm pondering whether to keep it or look for a second teaching job instead (but finding one which pays the bills is not an easy task at all). And my current teaching job is at risk yet again because it's contest season, but this time the judges have at least stated what they expect us to do, so hopefully it won't be so bad and I'll be able to keep my job for another 3 years (even though the competition is fierce, so I can't lower my guard, but I mustn't get too nervous or that will affect my performance as it has before).

So... work could be better, but the rest is good. I had a good time during my birthday party, where I got to see lots of friends and give them tea, and only a few - chiefly my brother - complained about the heat. I still have a lot of leftover food from the party.

What about you all?

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

I'll perhaps get into my highlights and current how's it going stuff later, but right now I'm a bit too annoyed to do that.

Does anyone else find it irritating to change your internet connection hardware all the time? My operator sent me last year a modem and it's been working fine, but now they came up with this router thing which actually is a lot like the router that I already had before the modem! Now I know how they work, but having so many videogame consoles and two computers, I just can't see why do they have to replace the former equipment so soon. They even said to me on the phone that they'll send me instructions how to get rid of my modem, and I know I might be too impatient, but it looks like I got nothing and I'll have to phone them again. I can imagine myself having my closets full of useless modems and routers five years later. Maybe I should start collecting them, huh?

[Lady Vulpix]

That sounds really annoying. I guess I'm lucky, I haven't had to change my modem yet (I got this one in December, 2015). I did go through a lot of trouble getting a phone line, though. And when I got one, they signed me up for a home maintenance service I never asked for and only told me about it a year later when I called to complain about the bi-monthly cost of the line.

[classy_cat18]

Sorry I haven't been on lately. Real life sucks. Work sucks.

...Loss of passion really sucks.

[Knight of Time]

Shonta, just a bit of helpful advice, but you might want see a counselor. It might be worth the time and money (if you have enough of both; the cost shouldn't be too much, but if it is, you could ask someone you're close to in real life).

Speaking of counselors, I finally got to see this grief counselor today that was at the place I go to on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays one day after the sudden death of one of the clients there who like me, Shonta, and Mikachu, also had aspergers. I'll be seeing him again next Wednesday morning, and hopefully with his help, I'll begin to get a clearer picture of what I hope will be a good future.

[Lady Vulpix]

Sorry I haven't been on lately. Real life sucks. Work sucks.

...Loss of passion really sucks.

I feel you, my work sucks too.

Teachers' contest is on Wednesday. Not a good time to learn that my company's biggest customer requested that someone else do the next presentation because they didn't like the one I did (which was awful due to many unpredictable things gone wrong).
Is it really impossible to get a stable job that pays the bills and is not awful?
I like programming, but I don't like how my company and their customers work. I love teaching, but the pay is ridiculously low and I risk losing my job every 1 to 3 years.
I think I'll try looking for a 2nd teaching job, but it may take a while before I can get one, let alone one that helps me make ends meet so I can quit my programming job.

I checked the city government website today and there's a call for substitute teachers, but I need to enter the emission date of my high school diploma and I left it at my mom's place, so... I guess I'll have to wait until I can fetch it.
Didn't think I'd ever need it again.
My high school ceased to exist about 20 years ago, so I'd better find it.

Anyway, I'll figure things out eventually. I wish you the best, Shonta. I hope things work out for you, whether it's by your working conditions improving or by finding a better job.

And best wishes for you too, Kyle! Never heard of a counselor predicting the future, but hopefully he can help you build a good one.

[Knight of Time]

And best wishes for you too, Kyle! Never heard of a counselor predicting the future, but hopefully he can help you build a good one.

Thanks Gabi, but when I said that quote about hoping to have a good future, I simply meant that I hope his help will allow me to overcome as many of the obstacles plaguing my heart and mind as possible. It's just a little too stressful for me when I feel like I cannot overcome the most difficult obstacles alone.

[Lady Vulpix]

Problems you can't fix on your own are always stressful. Luckily, we're not alone. It's good to know when to ask for help.

[Knight of Time]

Yes, that is true. But speaking of asking for help, I did just that on Facebook during a very, very important event for the people of my home province, allow me to explain. A community called O'Leary was selected as one of 10 finalists across Canada for this year's edition of Kraft Hockeyville (it's an annual event)...on the website for this event, we had to vote for whatever community we hoped would win, and it was possible for anyone to vote as many times as they wanted. In a nutshell, after I voted for the first time, I shared a post from the website urging people I know in real life to vote as much as they could.

So, O'Leary became one of the two finalists (it was the East finalist; the West finalist was a community in Saskatchewan), and as of this evening, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman announced the winner.

The winner was...

'drumroll'
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O'Leary!!!

That's right, the community of O'Leary from my home province won this year's Kraft Hockeyville. The grand prize they won is a preseason NHL game happening in O'Leary on September 25 between the New Jersey Devils and the Ottawa Senators. I don't know if there are any fans of either team here, but I know that as a Senators fan myself, I'm stoked for this game, and hopefully I'll be able to see it in person.

[Blademaster]

Life's been going great for me! Moved into a new place recently, landed a sweet job, and even became good friends with a cute young lady at said workplace! Things are going good for Blade!







(Spoiler:) Now look at the date this post was made on.

[Drago]

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

I wouldn't call this a party thread yet.

Here's a task for everyone: design your ideal birthday party where you can do anything with your special friends, like watch certain stuff, perhaps play certain games, listen to your favourite music, eat whatever you want etc. I'll post my answer later.

EDIT: Ignore my one man show, keep chatting!

By the way, we went to a floorball tournament and my team got Silver!