The Mixed Emotion Thread

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

I spent all evening doing something awesome in RollerCoaster Tycoon 3.

It's now 1am in the morning and I feel like crap.

[Master Gunner]

Go to sleep.

[Kapol]

I like the fourth. It's nice to have a day that most Americans can enjoy and come together, even if some small way. Fireworks are fun, especially for children, and there are good times to be had. Cookouts and the like.

I hate the fourth. So much pointless pollution for likely less than a half hour or entertainment. So many people out drinking and driving, putting OTHERS in danger in doing that stupid shit. So many people doing stupid, dangerous things that get themselves, others, or (as someone in the Twitch chat pointed out) animals hurt. Etc. Etc.

[Bebop Man]

I'm not very conflicted over the following, but I would appreciate an impartial second opinion.

About 2 weeks ago a local theater started selling tickets to a Damon Albarn show, originally slated to a single day in October. Well before the sales started I had asked a friend of mine if he wanted to go with me and he said yes, sure. I called and mailed and texted and even asked him in person several times afterwards and all I ever got, if I got anything, were evasives.

One week later the show sold out, but another day was added to the schedule. I pushed forth. First he wasn't sure if he wanted to go. Then he didn't know about the money. Next it was whether his girlfriend wanted to join in. And then he didn't know which seats he wanted to go for. He came over on Thursday and promised to call me later that night with a definitive answer and didn't. He answered my texts the next day, promising another answer tonight that didn't come either. So I just went ahead and bought 2 tickets for me and my girlfriend, because fuck waiting, the show already sold out once in a week's time and 5 days after that it may very well be about to sell out a second time.

Now I'm wondering if I should've called (again) before getting the tickets. I feel I had to cut his dead weight from the program or he'd drag me out of it at his rate of indecisiveness. Best case scenario he gets a ticket for himself in the next few days and we don't seat together, worst case they sell out again.

There's the added matter that I'm going away for one week on Monday, so I had to solve the issue by this weekend. Now suppose he calls Saturday or Sunday telling me he's in - does he have a right to take offense when I tell him I already got my tickets? I feel like I can only push a person for an answer so far, and after (politely) bitching for over 2 weeks with no straight answer I was entitled to go my own way. I just dread the phonecall and me having to say "Oh I got mine yesterday" before hastily explaining my rationale.

How assholish was my move?

[Kapol]

Judging by that, it seems more like he wouldn't make up his mind. If it's something you wanted to go to anyways and were inviting him because you thought he'd enjoy it, it's not really that bad to just buy tickets for yourself after almost two weeks.

Though if he does decide to go while tickets are still being sold, would it be possible to cancel or change your existing tickets to still sit by him? Because if so, that should deal with some of the concern about buying it early. If not, then I still think you're fine. If he gets pissed off about you making sure you can go to something you want to attend, while he just kept on not making up his mind, then that's on him. You know you want to go. He does not. Risking not being able to go because he's not sure isn't really fair to you.

At least that's how I see it.

[Jamfalcon]

Finally, finally, finally passed my driving test.

Unfortunately, I still need to pass the second test in the next two years or I get reset, and now I have to have insurance, but at least I can stop driving around aimlessly for hours every day.

Mixed emotions aside, congratulations on passing!

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Go to sleep.

I did.

[Master Gunner]

Good. Sleep is a wonderful thing.

[2stepz]

To take job? to NOT take job? Move or not to move? What do, peoples, what do?


Interviewed a week ago for a job, was convinced that I would not get an offer based on discussion (and the updating of the job posting after the interview.) Convinced myself that was okay... I wasn't sure I wanted it, and was glad to have the decision out of my hands.

Today received a call with the offer. WHAT?!?

Job: teaching HS math at my old HS... I'm a 3rd generation graduate from there. I'll be minutes away from family instead of hours. Job includes 150(ish) student-days per year (4 day week), and 20-ish additional staff days.

OR... do I stay in grad school and finish the PhD I'll probably never use?

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Are you able to pause the PhD? If so, that would give you more options, and more options are good.

[Bebop Man]

Welp I'm leaving in a few hours and no proof of life on my buddy's behalf even though I was pretty insistent with my texts and calls. I regret nothing.

[2stepz]

Are you able to pause the PhD? If so, that would give you more options, and more options are good.

No... but i can work on it distance, it turns out. I have met the residency requirements (I'm course complete, just research: comprehensive and defense remaining).

[My pseudonym is Ix]

If you reckon you'd like the job, take the job. It sounds like grad school has caused you a lot of pain over the years, and if you reckon you'd be good at teaching teenagers then go for it (I never met a good teacher who didn't enjoy their work). I don't know I can offer much advice beyond that.

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

I just realised it's quite weird that I am waiting for a cake to bake properly whilst listening to a VLOG by TotalBiscuit discussing his cancer treatment.

[empath]

So, we've been having a supply problem at work - the poultry packer sells us cases of 16 whole 'two pound' chickens.

But lately we've been finding seventeen in some cases...which is a little annoying because our racks for the oven have eight spits (if I cook 24, I use three racks, but for 25, I gotta use a fourth rack, and probably split them up 7, 6, 6 & 6 for spacing), in addition to the fact that because they're sold by weight (which doesn't seem to change) we could be selling SMALLER birds than we advertise.

I imagine that it's being done because the employee is being required to meet minimum weights for cases...but...

So, anyway, we've been talking with the supplier, and they asked us to hold onto the labels from any 'mis-packed' cases...with the intent of finding out WHICH employee is doing this.

See, there's a tracking number on each label, based on employees logging into to weigh-scale/label makers.

And the three labels I've passed to my manager have all had the same employee code.

Moral of this story, folks? YOU CAN BE TRACKED. ALWAYS.

The trick to remaining 'anonymous' is just you not making it worth the effort to track you down...

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Had a lovely meal out with friends.

But, there was this part of the evening where this one, friend(?) brought up homosexuality in the conversation. He was the same person who was very against same sex marriage on Facebook and used a line from the Bible as evidence for this "fact". He wasn't asserting it as opinion, he was asserting it as fact.

But anyway, he led into the topic quite literally as:

"You know lesbians and homosexuals..."

and I turned to my side and looked at the wall wondering what he would say next. Sadly I wasn't disappointed.

He made a statement that "Lesbians are not homosexuals" - :S
He referred to a chart he saw online that compared things. - Infographics are always correct.
Something to do with homosexual males with scents and homosexual females don't like scents: perfumes. - No idea what that had to do with his point. Seems like trivia based off a stereotype.
Something about "lesbian women choosing to be lesbians" and "homosexual men saying they were born that way".

And I'm thinking: How do you even know this?
Perhaps the example women are bisexual and in a way they do have a choice.

I didn't say anything because I couldn't have a confrontation in real life like I had on Facebook. He was pulling facts which we couldn't review ourselves to support his statements. My sister was there and we share the same group of friends, and it would be awkward for her if her brother had a go at one of her friends. I just stared into oblivion, wishing he'd stop opening his mouth and making presumptuous sound eject.

It was a lovely evening. I enjoyed it. Food was awesome. Just that was quite a thorn that I had to endure. I feel like I should have spoken up about it, but I didn't feel equipped enough to do so, and I don't know if would have actually helped things. I just couldn't be bothered with him.

[viscomica]

Had a lovely meal out with friends.

But, there was this part of the evening where this one, friend(?) brought up homosexuality in the conversation. He was the same person who was very against same sex marriage on Facebook and used a line from the Bible as evidence for this "fact". He wasn't asserting it as opinion, he was asserting it as fact.

But anyway, he led into the topic quite literally as:

"You know lesbians and homosexuals..."

and I turned to my side and looked at the wall wondering what he would say next. Sadly I wasn't disappointed.

He made a statement that "Lesbians are not homosexuals" - :S
He referred to a chart he saw online that compared things. - Infographics are always correct.
Something to do with homosexual males with scents and homosexual females don't like scents: perfumes. - No idea what that had to do with his point. Seems like trivia based off a stereotype.
Something about "lesbian women choosing to be lesbians" and "homosexual men saying they were born that way".

And I'm thinking: How do you even know this?
Perhaps the example women are bisexual and in a way they do have a choice.

I didn't say anything because I couldn't have a confrontation in real life like I had on Facebook. He was pulling facts which we couldn't review ourselves to support his statements. My sister was there and we share the same group of friends, and it would be awkward for her if her brother had a go at one of her friends. I just stared into oblivion, wishing he'd stop opening his mouth and making presumptuous sound eject.

It was a lovely evening. I enjoyed it. Food was awesome. Just that was quite a thorn that I had to endure. I feel like I should have spoken up about it, but I didn't feel equipped enough to do so, and I don't know if would have actually helped things. I just couldn't be bothered with him.

Why is he your friend? Sorry to be so blunt but it seems as though he's an idiot and why bother with people like that? Life is too short for putting up with people you don't really enjoy hanging out with anyway.

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

That's why I used (?) I don't want to have to call him a friend. But he's someone my groups of friends have included in the group.
He's nice except for this ignorant homophobia. He's someone I have to tolerate.

[viscomica]

Oh, well, I would suggest you talk to your closest friend of your group and see if they feel the same way about his homophobia.

[Merrymaker_Mortalis]

Is there a way I can do this where it won't end up talking behind his back?
I haven't spoken about someone behind their back in many years, and I've forgotten how to do it tactfully.

Maybe I should speak to my sister when I get a chance to be alone with her.

[viscomica]

Is there a way I can do this where it won't end up talking behind his back?
I haven't spoken about someone behind their back in many years, and I've forgotten how to do it tactfully.

Maybe I should speak to my sister when I get a chance to be alone with her.

Hmm yeah, maybe talking about it with your sister would be the best option here.

[Ptangmatik]

Edited a letter for someone trying to explain why they don't feel they should have to take a test to prove their English language proficiency.

They should probably take the test, their English isn't great, but they might get away with it once I'm done with it.

On the other hand, to maintain the illusion of proficiency, they may have to rely heavily on my services in future.

[empath]

...which would technically guarantee more business for you, but...

[AdmiralMemo]

I will be happy to get rid of my idiot father soon, but I still have to deal with him for the time being.

[Bebop Man]

Is there a single solitary benefit for self-employed taxpayers? Long-term doesn't count.