Randomness

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Good for you going back to college, Aquarius! And the very best of luck with your studies. I'm certain you'll do just fine.

[Aikiweezie]

I was the Coordinator of Student Activities at Community College for 15 years. (I loved my job - I miss my job sometimes...) Since we were a community college we had all kinds of students. About half of them were adults. Some just starting in college. Some returning. Some changing careers after many years doing the same thing. It was great. The younger and older students can learn a lot from each other.

Congratulations!

[Alelou]

The younger and older students can learn a lot from each other.

Exactly!

Not to mention you're obviously literate and intelligent and hardworking. You'll do extremely well, Aquarius.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

15 Unfortunately Placed Ads

[Alelou]

That's hysterical.

Of course, the Internet ones are bound to happen -- many of those ad placements are in fact likely being triggered by keywords.

[Aquarius]

Thanks for all the support about the school thing, everyone.

Just wanted to clarify: my comment about being surrounded by younger people was more of a commentary about the fact that I'm staring down 40 than anything else, about how it's gonna make me feel old.

[Alelou]

Eh, what was I reading the other day? 50 is the new 30. You're a spring chicken.

Seriously, it may comfort you to hear that gerontologists don't even consider people "old" until they get into their 70's and 80's.

I'm certainly hanging onto that idea with some devotion.

[WarpGirl]

I just realized something my niece died and I'm writing fanfic about two people who lost their baby, oh the irony. Oh well maybe it will be good therapy, I always was better at writing than talking.

[Aikiweezie]

I just realized something my niece died and I'm writing fanfic about two people who lost their baby, oh the irony. Oh well maybe it will be good therapy, I always was better at writing than talking.

You will, unfortunately, have a real life view of the grief her parents will go through for the forseeable future.

Writing is therapeutic.

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

So I got my car fixed today and tomorrow I'll drive to my parents and on Monday we fly to Prague.

That means that I won't be online much in the coming two weeks or so. It all depends on when I go back home, and I start work again on August 24th.

[Alelou]

Have fun!

[Alelou]

Inflation or deflation applied to titles:

http://schott.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08 ... 2#comments

Some of these are a real hoot.

So, applied to Star Trek:

Star Trek: Meandering Around in Space
TWOK: Khan's Hissy Fit
TSFS: Glancing About for Spock
TVH: A Short Hop Home
TFF: Just Another Frontier Among Many
TUC: An Undiscovered Boot

[justTripn]

We will miss you, KTR. Enjoy Prague!

So, my random story. One of my twins went to the mall and was recruited by some representative of a modeling agency. "C." had a "certain something". The recruiter was overjoyed to learn that "C" was an identical twin. Well today we go for the call back, with both twins and their assorted friends. This is an "opportunity" to pay the agency $1,200 dollars a peice for photos and the privilage of being marketed on their website. I said, "How much does your average client make?" Well there is no telling because each client is an individual.

Me: Yes, but how much do your clients make on average. You take all the money your clients make. You know that number because your company gets 20% of it. You divide that by the number of clients, and you get the average amount of money a client makes.

Recruiter: Well, I told you the average. The average is 200 dollars an hour.

Me: Times the average number of hours worked.

Recruiter: The average is 200 dollars an hour and the times called is between one and six times a year.

Me: That's not an average. This is a number you should know.

Recruiter: Stop shouting. I've told you the answer.

Me: I'm not shouting and you haven't told me the answer. If you want several thousand dollars from my boys you are going to have to give us some answers.

It ended with me walking out and my twins following soon thereafter and two recuriters following soon thereafter into the hall to exclaim "She's impossible! I don't know what more you want! She's impossible!" (Worried looks from all the other perfectly ordinary-looking people waiting in the hall to hand over thousands of dollars for the chance to become a model.)

[Aikiweezie]

My husband is in advertising and knows a bit about agents, and agencies. (from working on commercials) Reputable agents want NOTHING up front in the way of compensation. They get paid a commission of the work they get you. THEY arrange for photo shoots and press kits, etc., not you, the talent. Whaever that was, it was fake and you did the right thing by getting the heck out of there.

[Bether6074]

You go girl, JT! Some of these things are scams or at the very least a rip off. I can remember the time when Eric came home from the mall with a $50 tiny jar of hand cream. He fell for the pretty lady taking his hands and rubbing lotion on them trick. Men...

The returning to school thing has been running through my mind lately as well. It's not really doable in my case, I don't think, though. We're talking 5-10 years of schooling. It's ironic sometimes how life works. You're in the wrong place at the wrong time. At 18 I had no clue...absolutely no clue. I can remember falling asleep in Western Civilization classes. I spent most of my time thinking about the guy I had a crush on rather than paying attention to what the teachers were teaching. It would be so different now, but I'm an old lady...Ah well... can't stop time I suppose. 40 is a tough one. I hit that milestone last year myself. At work the twenty somethings look younger and younger all the time. And when you realize they're old enough to drink and they were born in the year you graduated from college, well...it kind of sucks. It's even worse when the kids who work next door keep coming over to ask for my advice on things all of the time. Like I'm some wise old sage or something. Sigh!

If 50 is the new 30, does that mean 40 is the new 20? Yeah right, huh? It was worth a try...