So uh how's 2011 workin out for ya'll

[Magmar]

I just had an extended winter vacation--an extra two weeks off of school due to NON STOP winter storms :) best last semester EVER.

I go back today having had only 5 or so lectures out of 20 thus far. Classes only met three days out of the 9 or so we have been in school.

So yeah, that and I cut way back on my hours working at the furniture store... it's been a good year so far. Eternal unwinding is really what I needed. I had been so bent out of shape for a while.

How about for ya'll?

[Bear]

My year has started off strong. I recently received news that I would be able to move to a different office, which happens to be just down the road from where Christina works. So our search for a place to live after the wedding (June) just became about 200 times easier, as now we can focus on a single area since we'll both have the same commute (instead of finding some place in the middle with each of us inheriting like a 45 minute commute). In addition to that, my company has finally allowed me to settle into a routine rather than changing everything monthly as they had done for the first 7 months I was there. I have the confidence of my bosses, and I seem to be in good position within the company in general.

On the love end, my relationship with my future wife continues to improve and grow. We've now been together for almost 3 years and engaged for almost two, and it just keeps getting better. I am so grateful to have found the perfect woman for me, and I can't wait to be married and start a new life.

In miscellany, Natasha is doing well. She turns 13 in a couple of months, and still acts like a kitten. She's a tad overweight, but she's supremely happy so I don't mind. It's tax time again, and I can't wait to get them done so I can hopefully get a much needed refund to combat my hefty credit card balance. I haven't played soccer yet this year because I'm still resting my body from the abuse I subjected it to last summer and fall. Finally, I am VERY EXCITED that the Steelers are in the Super Bowl. HERE WE GO!

[Telume]

This year will be my last year of college and, I'll be graduating from it with an A.S. in Internet Service Technology. I'm planning on going into IT at FIU, I don't quite know what I'm going to be focusing on mainly yet. This year is looking up since I'm inching closer and closer to acquiring a car.

That pretty much sums it up.

[Bear]

This year will be my last year of college and, I'll be graduating from it with an A.S. in Internet Service Technology. I'm planning on going into IT at FIU, I don't quite know what I'm going to be focusing on mainly yet. This year is looking up since I'm inching closer and closer to acquiring a car.

That pretty much sums it up.

The Fit is goooooooooooo

srs, get a honda civic or accord from 1988-1992. It'll cost you like $500 or less and they literally will be running until like 2057.

[DarkestLight]

Geez! Everywhere I go its Honda Civic from 1990-99. Its absolutely outrageous how good these cars must be.

Uhh my turn. Well, let's see. Celebratory January left me with little to focus on,so I decided this was the year I stick to my guns ado get all the stupid things I have left to do...done. However, Nature is impeding the most important thing I need practice with: driving. I've only had one lesson out of the planned out 15 I was supposed to have by now But that's ok.

I've since picked up my notebook and really began fleshing out comedic bits-and been to 12 open mics thus far with all generally good responses and all at not that late of an hour so it wasn't all drunkenness laughing for the hell of it. Been focusing all my funds to annihilating my credit card balance, and I know my Tax return will be small this year so I'm debating whether to just bank it, or just throw it all at my CC to get it cut down even faster.

But wait,there's more! Also fixated myself on taking a few trips out west, so I'm trying to save for that, which means exercising as much as I can before nixing my Gym Membership (Its not helping my CC balance....), cutting back on every expense and well SURVIVING SNOLOCOST 2011 >> Seriously, this snow/ice/wintery hellions from the depths needs to stop.

[Drago]

Oi DL, reckon you could get someone to record one of your stand-up gigs so you could upload it to the net? Internet made Dane Cook famous, and you're better than Dane Cook. :D

My year is fraught with uncertainty, but I look at it positively. After three years, I've decided I'm quitting my job at the end of the month, with no other employment options currently lined up, so that'll be nifty. And I must confess, I'm feeling post-holiday depression from my amazing trip last year.

When you go from the surreal New York and the paradise that is Hawaii, back to your old, boring life, it makes you feel a bit mellow. On the plus side, Jess and I have intentions of moving to London for an undisclosed period of time later this year, so that'll be a jolt to the senses. Again, with no work lined up just yet, it's all a big crap shoot, but hey, as is life. Adventures were meant to be had.

And really, I suppose that's my year so far. I think, by the end, I'll look back on it as mostly being a year of change.

[Blademaster]

This is the year I finally get a job. It has to be. I'm 23. If I don't get a job soon, I'm sunk. Nobody will hire a 24 year-old with no work experience, especially in this economy.

I can do it. I can do it. I can do it. I gotta do it.

...I'm using Psych Up. Shut up. :sweat:

[DarkestLight]

What type of work, Blade? Or just any job at this moment? I do agree that you are entering the job market later than most would expect, I'm just trying to see what you wish to use as a starting point.

[Blademaster]

Anybody within twenty or so minutes of my place that'll take me.

I'll probably increase the radius a bit when I finally get my own license, which is in another month.

[ChobiChibi]

So far? Okay, I guess. I've had some differences of opinion with one of my housemates (he's a dick and I'm not :D), but it's quite petty so I'm getting on with things. Even if he does anger me a lot.

I think I got underpaid for the work I did over Christmas, but we shall see when I eventually get my pay slip.

Otherwise this year is looking good. Trying to sort my finances out so I can do the trips I wanna do (primarily Canada, since I have a Sie to visit, but there's the nagging of the Uni's tour to Italy that I need to sort out). And get some work experience. There's an opportunity to run an ensemble group in a school near where I go to Uni, so that would be cool.

There's also the dissertation coming up. 6 weeks time I think, oh god... Also trying to finish off my application for the Genesis Sixteen (http://www.the-sixteen.org.uk/page/3180/Genesis+Sixteen) before Wednesday.

Weekend of partying. I look forward to this immensely :D

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

My new year's started off nicely. While I haven't managed to continue my top secret comic project yet I feel I'm having a creative phase and soon will. I have been drawing other pictures and my head's full of ideas waiting to be realized. I have begun to study some Spanish again, as you can see from my signature, but on the countrary, Japanese isn't progressing too much. I don't mind, I'm not teaching it right now, I'll pick it up again when the time comes.

I'm trying to get to the Gym once or twice a week, but last month I was there only once, which is a shame. Got to work on that in the future. I was skiing today though, and let me tell you, that was wonderful. I love frozen forests.

Speaking of weather, I've heard that other than Finland, the rest of the world isn't so pleasant. I've been worried about the floods and the current tyhphoon in Australia and then there's the blizzard moving across the USA, which I assume some of you are refering to here in this topic. I consider myself lucky here in Finland, we haven't had this much snow for ages, unless we count last year. So this and last winter remind me of the long cold winters from my childhood.

I haven't made much progress in videogames, just some minor development in my Super Mario, Bomberman and Tekken 'skills'.

My medication's getting lighter, and that's allowing me to control myself and my emotions more freely. I'm glad that I sleep better too, I was having some trouble with falling asleep when my medication was cut at first, but I feel I'm improving and I'm not so tired anymore.

I still have crushes on certain girls, and some of them know it, others don't. They make my life a bit more interesting, and if you have read this whole message of mine all through, I guess it IS at least A BIT INTERESTING!

[Bear]

Blade - deliver pizza. It's easy, good money, and a nice way to ease yourself into the working world.

[Link]

My year started off, I think, on the right foot. I am working as a cashier at a pretty trendy supermarket, and it's also inexpensive most of the time. On days I have off I just play my DS and try to get things done around the apartment, but that's it. I play games a lot and try to focus on my job when I'm at work, but my boss wanted me to work an extra day and the next day I go in he was all like "Why didn't you get back to me about working yesterday? Don't you like doing that kind of things?"

But I am looking to get into computers, network system administration is what I want to school for and it looks to be something you could easily make a lot of money in once you stay in the field for years and years. This older guy who I met at this library wants to help me succeed where he works by himself in networking, but I don't think it's going to work out in the grand scheme of things, honestly.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Studied till yesterday. Exams.

Party from yesterday, now a few hours sleep and another party later. I'm wrecked.

Tooddles.

[shazza]

Having completed univeristy last year, I started full time work on January 10 as a technical writer/desktop publisher. It's rather monotonous, and definitely something I do not want to do for the rest of my life, and the money isn't the best (although better than no job at all, obviously), but I'm looking at this simply as an experience and chapter of my life: it's a way to boost the resume, get used to the 9-5 rat race, and anticipate greener pastors.

I have been relatively happy so far, and I hope I can sustain it come the Fall and Winter, not letting a pseudo Seasonal Affective Disorder take hold of me. Life is far too short to be depressed and anxious. When you realise the impermanence of your life, things seem a tad better.

I am still unsure about my future. I wish to move to Melbourne, perhaps near the end of this year. If I am able to save money from my job, travelling Europe would be amazing. I think I can save -- there's just a few things I wish to buy first: a telescope, a touch sensitive keyboard. I think that's it!?

I believe I'll probably return back to university soon. I want to be a psychologist, but that would take far too long to do; maybe a councillor or something, alternatively.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

I am still unsure about my future. I wish to move to Melbourne, perhaps near the end of this year. If I am able to save money from my job, travelling Europe would be amazing. I think I can save -- there's just a few things I wish to buy first: a telescope, a touch sensitive keyboard. I think that's it!?

Well, I'd welcome you to Finland, of course! Come here or else...I'll come to Ausralia!

On a more serious note, I don't know about the accomodation if you do come here. You see, I lost my apartment during my mental hospital period last winter, and I still live in Kuntoutuskoti, which is a house where mental health trainers llike me learn daily routines before moving to our own apartments.

My next treatment discussion will take place on the 24th of February. Then I'll know more about this year's plans.

I always find it hard to explain these things in English. I'm not sure about half of the words I used in this post.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Yeah, Belgium's awesome. Drop me a line if you ever wanna visit it.

[Magmar]

I always find it hard to explain these things in English. I'm not sure about half of the words I used in this post.

Everything made sense to me. Your ability to use English's weird switching of verb tenses and such so well is impressive!

I think when you refer to "mental health trainers", you are trying to say one of two things:
-You will be training (a trainer engages in facilitating training)
or
-You are being trained, in which you are a trainee. I assume you're being trained by the context of what you said.

Sometimes switching "er" to "-ee" to the end of a word (trainee from trainer, employee from employer... really from the verbs but it makes more sense this way)... makes one the recipient of the action.

For example, in a UFO alien abduction, aliens are usually the abductors, and the victims are the abductees.

Other examples are:
Lessor (a landlord) and lessee (tenant)
Trustee
Standee (someone standing on the bus or train)
Addressee receives a letter, but addressor is not correct.

Most of these words you never use, except trainee and employee.

I can't think of any other examples, but there likely aren't many more.

[Dark Scizor]

Trying to get a paper on cardiomyopathy published.

It's ruining me.

Otherwise, still living the university dream.

[Heald]

Well I went for an interview and got offered the job pretty much as soon as 2011 started, which worked out pretty well.

I'm enjoying the job and am now 5 weeks in, just trying to plan where this career is going to take me.

I also brewed my own beer and I have a pretty busy social life and am getting lots of stuff done. Honestly, I haven't felt this productive in my entire life.

[Galdr]

This year started out slightly weak for me; my mom started working again last month so I had to quit my job (2 weeks notice in of course) so I could stay home and watch my niece for 7 hours every day except some Fridays. She's working part-time at Kaplan College.

I've also looked into going for online classes, which didn't turn out well because I applied too late. XD I'll get them next semester.

Even though this year started quite weak, the pros about it is that I'm doing something to help, and it can be counted as work. My boss, who is my Stepdad (go figure) understands this and he's holding my position until May, when my older sister returns from graduating at her college in North Carolina.

I'll also be getting a new car, laptop and clothes later this year, so I'm excited about that. Anyway, that pretty much sums it up for now. n_n

[Leon-IH]

Moved House.. moving stuff semi-alone (friend who was gonna help me move got flooded) sucks.

Lost some of my stuff to flash flooding.

Phone company cut off my phone (and thus internet) a week too early at my old place.

My belt has gone missing, which is odd because I wore it during the move.


But at least I've done the moving now, can only get better from here short of an earthquake.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

In conclusion, we here at TPM are relatively rather optimistic people, right?

[Blademaster]

No. Life sucks. Shut the fuck up about it. :mad2: :emo:

EDIT: Hey, what happened to the emo wrist-cutting smiley?

[Heald]

No. Life sucks. Shut the fuck up about it. :mad2: :emo:

EDIT: Hey, what happened to the emo wrist-cutting smiley?
It suffered the same fate as :cryingjew:

[Telume]

The Fit is goooooooooooo

srs, get a honda civic or accord from 1988-1992. It'll cost you like $500 or less and they literally will be running until like 2057.

If I can find one around here, if not I'm going for an Impala.

[Blademaster]

It suffered the same fate as :cryingjew:

You LIE!

...Emo smiley actually existed at some point. But :cryingjew: never did... Because of some cruel fate, it never did...

[Magmar]

I thought we did have a crying Jew smiley. Wasn't he wearing a little hat and drops a penny and cries? Not that I'm anti-semitic, just arguing its existence.

[Link]

We did. I remember we did. That was quite the emoticon.

[Blademaster]

No, no, that was a gif. The cryingjew smiley looked like this:

:britain:

Except the flag was German instead of British, and the figure depicted was a crying Jew instead of a crying British woman.

[Heald]

No, no, that was a gif. The cryingjew smiley looked like this:

:britain:

Except the flag was German instead of British, and the figure depicted was a crying Jew instead of a crying British woman.
You talk as if this fictional smiley ever existed.

[Blademaster]

If there is a just and loving God in Heaven, it existed.

*sniff*

It existed...

[Knight of Time]

Well, 2011 has been going good for me so far...right now I'm still working on my Super Mario World hack (I'll bet you can't wait for it to be 100% completed, eh Blademaster? I know you're not the only Super Mario fan here...I like Mario too, but to a lesser extent than Legend of Zelda)...I had been hoping to finish it last year, but with the problems my laptop had near the end of last year, and the complications I've had with some things I'm using in the project, I am making a vow to complete the hack this year, no questions asked. Finishing a project that could definitely be considered as a work of art isn't easy, but hey, in the end it's all worth it...thank goodness for testers (mainly on the other forum I go to that is mostly about the original Super Mario World and other hacks), because you never know when you might come across a nasty bug that has to be fixed.

Other than that, well, I hope to meet someone this year...I haven't talked to her for a couple of weeks ago, but boy...knowing how tough she is to resist, I may have a hard time moving on from her if things don't work out too well or if there are complications getting in the way. For now, it's a situation I can only play by ear.

[Heald]

If there is a just and loving God in Heaven, it existed.

*sniff*

It existed...
You see, this is the kind of post that would be perfect to have a :cryingjew: smiley for...

Wait, what's this I found?

http://i215.photobucket.com/albums/cc252/kingheald/cryingjew.gif?t=1297380407

I think I see a crying Jew...

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Crying jews are Mr. Popo approved.

[Greyfox]

2011, for me, is looking up and down, I suppose.

My resolution was to drink more water, and I'm doing that somewhat. I'm only allowing myself to drink one non-water beverage per day, and, for the most part, it's working (although there have been a few days where I've been more lax about it).

I'm also trying to exercise more, and keep my bank balance ~1,000, but that was a recent resolution that I've been able to uphold since the tax refund came in.

My real job is getting stale, but my manager is working with me (better than all my priors combined) to get me ready for a promotion, so that's good. I've started buying nicer clothes every once in awhile in preparation for it.

The comic that my friends and I're working on is coming along very nicely. We've nearly finished the inking on chapter one (there's one more page to go!), and the artist has started drawing out the first few pages of chapter two. I'm looking around for potential web hosts and trying to create a web layout... but the Internet's a lot different now than it was back when I used to make websites for fun, so it's a tad bit difficult. We hope to launch it sometime in March -- I'll advertise the hell out of it, and even post pages in Fanfic just to get people interested.

So that's it for my 2011 so far. Hopefully things will start to get into motion.

[Blademaster]

YES!

:cryingjew:

YES!!!

EDIT: Didn't work. brb suicide

[Katie]

23 and never had a job or license
I mean this in the best possible way but what the hell have you been doing for the past 7-8 years? Just get a friend to ask their supervisor to get you an interview and vouch for your character.

My 2011 has been weird. I'm done with school, but I miss it. I miss my people, I miss learning, I miss studying (kinda), and I miss tests. For the last 17 1/2 years that's what my life revolved around and it's just weird. I visit every couple of weekends, which is nice. No "real" job yet but I haven't really looked that hard yet. I'm kind of waiting to get settled still. I've lived with my boy since Christmas and we just celebrated our anniversary a couple weeks back :) Unfortunately we live with his parents while apartment-searching, but I'm getting antsy to move out. Fortunately they own a business and are at work most of the time, and when they are at home they are upstairs while we are downstairs so we do get some us-time. They let me work a few days a week filing, faxing, all that fun stuff, to make a little extra money on my days off from my retail gig. I transferred to a new store up here and it's okay, but hours are short due to it being right after the Christmas rush. I'm definitely ready for a real job, with real responsibilities and real paychecks, but not ready for early mornings and driving hour(s) in rush hour traffic to downtown :( Alas, that's where all the museums are. I did recently get a lead on friend-of-friend geologist working at the airport which is a stones throw from where we live, that could be nice.... :) Oh! Also in 2011 in which we have been blessed with this winter fucking wonderland, I have learned to drive on ice :) We've had ice patches plenty, but this is my first experience on a goddamn skating rink. Woohoo for wiggly 15mph drives with unintentional figure-8s!

This reads like a shitty journal entry, sorry.

[Blademaster]

I mean this in the best possible way but what the hell have you been doing for the past 7-8 years?

Home-school high school, sent to college as a tool for extorting much-needed money out of my deadbeat sleaze father, get sick of it and stand up for myself for a change by leaving college, moving to mountains and looking at help wanted ads ever since.


Just get a friend to ask their supervisor to get you an interview and vouch for your character.

Don't have any friends.

Thanks for the words of encouragement, though.

[DarkestLight]

moving to mountains
???

[papabopp]

Honda is awesome.
this year looks pretty good so far as long as things go as planned. If they do then I'll be getting out of High school a year early and goin to a J.C.!

[Blademaster]

???

Mountains. Very, very, VERY big rocks.

[Lady Vulpix]

My year has started reasonably well. I'm still having trouble working on my thesis, but the AC/CC reactivation has been great. We could still use more people, though.

Also, my dog is pregnant and will be having her puppies in about 8 days. :)

[DarkestLight]

Yer in Jersey, wtf are there mountains in Jersey? You mean trash mounds right?

[Blademaster]

No you fucking slumdog ape.

This (http://lh6.ggpht.com/_lqiTOfwOoeo/ScZtLKnrQ3I/AAAAAAAAAxs/Tog5XQA4TVE/IMGP1602.jpg) is less than 10 minutes away from my house, which is itself on a mountain.

[DarkestLight]

??? Where does this overlook?

[Blademaster]

What am I, a cartographer?

Somewhere here in West Milford Township.

The northwestern third of this state isn't a dump.

[Magmar]

West MILFord Township sounds like a fun place

[Link]

I almost got a job in West Milford with a moving company.

[Blademaster]

You're in the area, Heracross?

[ChobiChibi]

I just got an audition for what will become one of the top "young" choirs of the country.

Shortlisted out of around 2000 applicants.

My ego couldn't be any bigger.

[Blademaster]

Well, at least SOMETHING of yours finally has some size... :rolleyes:

[Crystal Mew]

Started back at school, I'm a junior...it feels like I'll never graduate sometimes. If I could go back to my 18yr old self I would tell myself not to screw around and to go to college immediately. But alas...

Still working in retail, been there almost 4 years now. Still don't have a car after mine died last year :/ life sucks without your own car.
oh, got to experience below zero temperature in new mexico, that was sure fun.
but other than that, I'm not doing much

I'm also amazed by the amount of people here who do not have a drivers licence/don't drive.

huh?

[Link]

I live in Cresskill. It's about a half hour away from West Milford.

[DarkestLight]

I'm also amazed by the amount of people here who do not have a drivers licence/don't drive.


Never needed one :O

[Drago]

Never needed one :O
Yeah, but you grew up in New York. You don't count! I'd hate trying to drive there...

[Samchu]

Meh, I'm bored and haven't checked into TPM for a while so...

2011 = good year so far! Not that it had much competition on the festering turd that was 2010. If it could go wrong...

Anyway, positives so far. Last year of Uni and aside from 3 major pieces of work (which are all semi-completed already) I am done. It's kinda weird to think that 3 years are almost over and I'm sort of trying to get my head around what I'm doing next. I'm trying to grab myself a place on the MPhil/PhD program for Classical Civilisations but I need to arrange a fall back place in an MA program so that means kissing a LOT of ass for references. On the upside, my advisor has responded positively to my thesis proposal so fingers crossed on that one.

I've started dating. As in, going out on dates as opposed to being in a relationship. It's really weird because I'm not exactly sure how to start from ground 0 and I have never played the dating game before so it's been tentative going. No luck so far but considering how well the academic side of things is going I'm not expecting to catch a break in the 'relationship' department until the summer.

Job wise, things are still ticking along calmly. Working 1 day a week in the language studies office as an office slave, which is enough to pay for food and entertainment for a week so no complaints. Hopefully I'm keeping this job through the summer although it's kinda dependant on whether or not the top boss gets given a project to take on. If he does then everything is going to go crazy and we're going to have to hire in a bunch of temps and stuff, but we'll have to see how that goes.

As for house drama...well anyone who knows my living situtation will know how tense things have been. Fortunately all the breakups happened in 2010 so that drama's blown over pretty quickly. With the exception of one housemate who refuses to get over the fact that her ex has moved on and is driving the rest of us crazy with her constant complaining. We're all secretly celebrating the fact that she's moving out for the summer. The best part of the house is still Odin. Buying that little fuzzball was definitely one of the best things I did last year.

Looking ahead, things are expected to get quite exciting. My Dad's mortgage is finally paid off this month and in celebration he is planning to get a house with his girlfriend. This is exciting for me because I'm moving back home in September and my family's basically been a one-parent unit since I was 3. So having a mother-ish woman in the house is going to be a bit of brain-f*ck. She also has a son so I'm getting the step-brother unit too. It'll be odd because I think I've only ever had one conversation with him but it'll be an experience.

I think that's everything. But yeah, 2011, going strong! Whoo!

[Ayeun]

Oh boy...

Where to start?

Had to beg the university to let me continue studying, and then I had to beg them to let me take 'beyond basic' level classes.

Got cheated on this weekend.

Haven't had physical contact (sexual or non) since this time last year.

Got nothing for Valentines day.

I will keep you informed.

[Blademaster]

Haven't had physical contact (sexual or non) since this time last year.

Got nothing for Valentines day.

All part of the TPM experience.

[Master of Paradox]

I'm on Zoloft now. I'm not sure if it's helping, but my sleep pattern's fucked.

Went to Chicago by myself in January. First time I've ever gone anywhere without the folks. Planning a trip to Vegas for September.

I've got a cold.

Still can't drive.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Internship in an re-education institute, the heaviest in Belgium (tied first place with one other institution). Can't really handle it for now, I'm dying. Thinking about quitting.

Thinking sucks.

[Magmar]

Just got the results back from our first session of CapSim (http://www.capsim.com), an online business simulator. Looks like we did alright. I figured out that we never have to pay back our long term debt that we take out :) as it matures in 10 years and the simulation only runs for 8. So I'm R&D'ing a whole bunch of new products and kicking ass/taking names.
Got a 13/15 on my first HRD quiz.
I guess overall things are working out for school! Just too many group meetings outside class.

Last night my HRD class came over because we are giving an instructional course for our final about how to play Guitar Hero (RIP). My group is really diverse, but everyone seemed to get along well which was great! And by diverse, we have a skinny gay guy, a 300 pound comic book nerd, a jacked army guy, and a shy but very handsome black guy. Ah, being in the "leftovers" group... But it beats having to teach the class SALSA DANCING.

I'm at the library now waiting on another group session so we can figure out how to finance the new product I'm designing.

And that's the story of my week.

[Katie]

I had a wonderful Valentine's Day. :) After a gigantic plate of pasta alfredo with all kinds of crap in it, followed by a chocolate heart attack slice of cake, I started a diet the day after. I'm doing good with calories, fat, carbs, and protein, but struggling with sodium. Need more veggies, and less processed food. Still 11lbs heavier than the Christmas before last, trying to shed that by mid-May and bikini season. Fingers crossed!

[Blademaster]

How much you weigh?

[Knight of Time]

How much you weigh?

Dude, it is rude to ask a woman that question...not even I would ask such a question to any woman.

Katie, I know of someone who might be able to help you there, but he's Canadian, have you heard of Tommy Europe? He's a personal trainer with a no-nonsense, tough love approach.

[Blademaster]

It's not rude to ask a man that question.

Man and women get equal treatment in my book. Equal opportunity, equal wages, all that shit. This is the 21st century.

[shazza]

I just had the launch party for my magazine on Friday night, FLARE. It's only for the region where I live (and went to uni), but the popularity has skyrocketed in a short amount of time and saying that I'm the editor of it has been a good introduction for meeting some sluzzas.

[Link]

Blade, is your book Genesis? That says a lot about you more than anyone.

[firepokemon]

Horrible. Christchurch experienced a 6.3 magnitude earthquake. Because of its shallowness it caused far more damage than the 7.1 we had in September last year. The house is fine, the cracks look a bit wider from the damage caused on Boxing Day (shallow earthquake directly below city centre). But we were incredibly lucky. Water turned off for two days but we had no power cut but internet died on me.

Elsewhere we've had over 150 dead and will eventually top 200. The City Centre is cordoned off and I'm not sure when we'll be allowed back in there (not that it matters since I'd sooner just go to the mall). Indirectly know a few people that have died.

I'm also poor but having money just results in spending it so all is good.

[Mikachu Yukitatsu]

WOOOOT YOU'RE ALIVE! Nice to see you, we were worried sick! Even one of my roommates was following this, excited, and he kept asking me if I had heard of you, last time this morning I think.

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Quit my internship. Too heavy. Now I'm nothing, for now.

Man.

[Blademaster]

Blade, is your book Genesis? That says a lot about you more than anyone.

No, my book is the book of fuck you.

http://www.xexoxial.org/xerotronic_archives/images/fuck_you_cover.jpg

Also, congratulations on not being dead, firepokemon. :D

[Katie]

How much you weigh?
I have a bmi of 21.8

and I don't need a PT, I've got a good sense of discipline already. finding time/resources for exercise, money for good foods, and ideas for new recipes are the issues right now :( though I think I overdid it today, 847 calories after dinner and happily satisfied. adding calories is probably better for me, but eating when I'm not hungry isn't a great habit to get in. blahblah no one cares

[Blademaster]

I have a bmi of 21.8

This is evidently normal. Congrats, your diet thingy worked. :D

[Magmar]

I apparently have the same BMI as Katie. Don't know how I could be in the middle of "normal" when I don't really see how I could feasibly lose any more than 6 or 7 pounds without appearing horribly emaciated.

On another note, we are expected to get 3+ inches of rain from a coming storm in the next 24 hours, and rain all day the next day too. Last year the same thing happened--a really weird weather pattern, lots of snow in the winter, then suddenly very warm (it's 55 out now, it was probably 25 last Sunday. Problem is, we ended up getting several heavy rainstorms all in a row, combined with the sudden snow melt from the mountains up north, and our state was flooded..
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/replicate/EXID31031/images/Target_Store_Reopens,_Warwick_Mall_Flood_Images.jp g
Yeah it was bad.

But for now... it's sunny out and 55 so I'm gonna go for a run whee

[Blademaster]

Haha, your state is New Orleans.

[Dark-San]

All the good things are happening since the beginning of this year.

Career-wise
I quit my last stink ass job as a Marina Bay Sands croupier late December last year. And after two months of intense job-hunting that includes thirty odd interviews and four rejected offers, I finally landed myself a dream role with Future Electronics. They just called me this morning and I accepted the offer.

Health-wise
I had a torrid time with Marina Bay Sands. Almost eight months of night shift puts my health on risk. My weight decreased significantly from sixty-five to fifty-eight kilos. That was almost at the under-aged range. But after quitting the job, I regained around four kilos and now I weigh a healthy sixty-two kilos.

Luck-wise
I am still on a winning spree on Mahjong. Or at least ever since Chinese Lunar New Year, I have not been losing that much money on the game. Unlike other years, I will be losing cash on gambling. But this year, it certainly feels good to have your finances on the positive side.

Scanlation-wise
I am still with my scanlation group, Kono-basho. Due to the fact that I retired as a moderator from Mangahelpers and gave up my administrator position for my other scanlation group, Chibisuke, things have been easier for me. Well at least the translation duties have not piled up yet.

Pokemon-wise
I just bought Pokemon Black. And that purchase itself brought back memories. And that is why I probably returned after a year plus of absence. Not many people will remember me as expected. And I will probably disappear again after I am done with Black. If things start to get a little interesting here, I might stay. But it all depends.

A little disappointing on various aspects for this year as well...

Romance-wise
I have not been lucky with the opposite gender. Or things just probably does not worked out. So maybe this year, it might change.

Finance-wise
I lack the funds to go for a Masters upgrade. So I have to save up more than usual. But then I would want to go for another Japan tour this coming December. Ah the dilemma...

[ChobiChibi]

I just got an audition for what will become one of the top "young" choirs of the country.

Shortlisted out of around 2000 applicants.

My ego couldn't be any bigger.

I'm doing this today. Scared now. Scatterbrained to the point where I tried to eat my cereal with a fork... And defo did not sleep well...

BRING IT ON!

[Blademaster]

I start taking driving lessons tomorrow because my road test is in a couple of months.

.......Uh...... Help?

[DarkestLight]

Dun fret. I'm on lesson 7. First lesson, yer gonna go at a snails pace. Just listen to your instructor and don't be nervous. As stated before, I'm 7 lessons in and I'm kinda mad I didn't do this years earlier.

[Blademaster]

I don't think my instructor has 'lessons,' but just out of curiosity, can you give me a quick rundown of what your lessons have been?

...And maybe how much they cost? My guy charges $81 per 90-minute lesson.

[DarkestLight]

Sure.

My instructor, on the first lesson, took the first 10 minutes to explain what you do when you get into a cart (Sit down, adjust seat, fix each mirror, put on seat belt.) Then he explained the level on the left (twisting the top of it all the way turns on the headlights)--I can only practice at night because of work, so yeah-practice during rush hour is a bitch -.-

Then he explained acceleration and brake pedal and to only use one foot between the two. Then he drove to a slightly less crowded spot and just told me to drive, and to turn and to signal and what not and then yeah :O That was it.

Each lesson after had me focused on things I need to know for the test.
Lesson 2: Awareness. STOP signs, Yield signs, blind intersections
Lesson 3: Broken U-Turns-Pothole evasion(after Snolocost, shit was bad) Car control (I suck at speeding up smoothly as I finish a turn)
Lesson 4&5: On the streets, broken U-turns and Parallel Parking
Lessons 6&7: Driving in general, applying knowledge from past lessons (Drove around a school- not being told where Stop signs are...parallel parking at the drop of a hat...evading a cab -.-..fuck cabs)

Preetty sure my next ones are be on driving and working on my damn speeding up issue :o. Looking forward to it though.

My lessons are 30 bux for 45min. So 81 for 90 is a lil high, but not by much.

[Dryk]

For me it went:
Lesson 1: Parking lot and neighborhoods (this will be different from a New Yorker's driving experience)
Lesson 2 & 3: Normal Streets
Lesson 4: Test over random streets
Lesson 5: Test over busier streets
Lesson 6: Get on the highways
Lesson 7: Show the instructor you can do everything

And I had to be able to call out where all the "snipers" and "chargers" were the whole time.

Only at the end did I learn parallel parking (I recommend practing on your own for that and just getting in drive time), but it may be different where you are...

[ChobiChibi]

Heh, driving seems so different in America. I was lucky enough to be able to use my mum's car for practice, so when we were all driving somewhere, I would be the one doing the driving.

It took me... About 20 lessons, I guess, over 9 months. I was a busy girl with exams and extra curricular things, but tbh I was one of the fastest out of my friends in college to learn. Plus, we have manual gear boxes, a whole different kettle of fish to your stop and go pedals :P

I passed first time too. Took my friend like 5 attempts? So yeah, whenever you can get practice, even without your instructor, then do it. Another friend of mine took 7 attempts at passing over like 3 years and was so jealous when I passed first time >_>

[DarkestLight]

Chobi - Yeah see. No one in my family has a car I'd use since they just bought it -.- So I'm kinda stuck, really. And trust me, I WANTED to learn Stick Shift -.-! BAD. I'm gonna hafta anyway, so I really feel like I'm going to have to relearn when I move again.

Dryk - Snipers? Chargers? Army?

[Blademaster]

And I had to be able to call out where all the "snipers" and "chargers" were the whole time.

The fuck? Is your instructor a Valve fan or something?

[Dryk]

Snipers - cars that pull up to perpendicular intersections (the side streets)

Chargers - cars that pass you.

To pass the test, you basically had to call out half of the cars on the road. It was stupid.

[Blademaster]

So I aced the first lesson and got burgers, ice cream, and Pokemon Black out of it.

It's like I'm 10 years younger all over again!

[MeLoVeGhOsTs]

Yeah, I just only re-realized that you guys use automatic gearboxes.

I drove a Range Rover the other day (my friend's, ofcourse I can't pay that) and it was so easy. You even drive when you put it in drive! My whole world upside down.

I went and praticed about 2 years to get my drivers license, failed two times aswell. Since then, I never went a day without driving my car (unless I was on a trip).

Also, since I still live at home I need to get out every day (yes, I get crazy otherwise) so my car is kinda my 'home'.

[Blademaster]

Wow Melg, you and me have a lot more in common than I thought.

[Drusilla]

Well, let's see.... I finally hopped in my car mid-January, drove from here to Cinci (came to 970+ miles each way, which was about a 16 hour drive while speeding), and met a guy I'd been talking to online since August.... and now we're madly in love and can't wait to, well, finalize things. Maybe a little fast, yeah, I know, everyone's told me, but sometimes when you know, you know. Since then, I've been promoted to store manager and just finished my training on Thursday. All in all, a decent first few months I do be believin. Now I gotta get out of my mom's house (lawl)... I turn 23 in two days, I'm a manager, hope to get married sometime soon, and I still live with my mom. Insta-fail. Haha.... Eeesh.

[Dark Scizor]

Plus, we have manual gear boxes, a whole different kettle of fish to your stop and go pedals :P
I remember the first time I tried my sister-in-law's automatic gearbox.

Boy, does it suck. God knows how people could ever want to continue driving using one.

[Blademaster]

I drove tonight!

On an actual STREET!

Any nobody DIED!!!!!!! :hellyeah: