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RL Dilemma, Suggestions Please.
So, I'm now a student again! Yesterday I signed up with Athabasca University, where I hope to get a degree in Canadian Studies. It sounds like a really cool course that covers a lot of material. Everything from history, language, politics and literature. I'm not really sure what I'll do with it, but as I've been told over and over again, half the time they don't care what your degree is in, so long as you have one.
I haven't signed up for any classes yet, I'm hoping to speak to an adviser to find out what courses they suggest.
The thing that's nice about AU (which I'm so going to be calling it :P) is it's a school based on distance education, so I can take it and live wherever.
Right now I'm living in Ottawa and working full time. It's a good job, I enjoy it, and it pays well, but I don't actually enjoy living in Ottawa right now. I don't have very many friends here, most of them live in Guelph, or are online. I'm living with my parents, which is really pathetic, and means I haven't much (or, you know, any) of a social life. I live in the country where there's nothing to do, and it's easiest to do nothing.
Also, I'd really like to travel. Like, a lot. Since I don't have to be in one place to take this degree, I kind of want to use that as an excuse to travel, try living in a couple different places. I have a decent amount of money saved up right now, I was thinking of buying a house, but it would be more than enough to let me move and support myself until I found another job. But! I have a really good job right now. Dilemma.
So, I want to ask my flist what they think I should do.
[Poll #1155347]
I haven't signed up for any classes yet, I'm hoping to speak to an adviser to find out what courses they suggest.
The thing that's nice about AU (which I'm so going to be calling it :P) is it's a school based on distance education, so I can take it and live wherever.
Right now I'm living in Ottawa and working full time. It's a good job, I enjoy it, and it pays well, but I don't actually enjoy living in Ottawa right now. I don't have very many friends here, most of them live in Guelph, or are online. I'm living with my parents, which is really pathetic, and means I haven't much (or, you know, any) of a social life. I live in the country where there's nothing to do, and it's easiest to do nothing.
Also, I'd really like to travel. Like, a lot. Since I don't have to be in one place to take this degree, I kind of want to use that as an excuse to travel, try living in a couple different places. I have a decent amount of money saved up right now, I was thinking of buying a house, but it would be more than enough to let me move and support myself until I found another job. But! I have a really good job right now. Dilemma.
So, I want to ask my flist what they think I should do.
[Poll #1155347]
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Well, in Canada it's the kilometer marking, but close enough.
I was thinking that's what...one of the truck drivers I know said. Is it sad that all my highway knowledge comes from truckers?
From where you live? Also, how are the buses in Houston? Is it viable to take public transit? Or would it require getting a car?
This is one of the many ways that Texans are stupid. We feel like we have to drive everywhere. It probably comes from our rebellious history. Houston does have a bus system and I've heard from some that it's pretty decent. I've also heard that lone women should carry mace on it after dark. I'd have to really look more into it to know for sure. There's also the issue that the bus system only goes so far out and then you have to either drive or get a taxi to that location. We do have a good network of taxis and there is a devoted HOV lane on all the highways for carpoolers. We do have crapload of carpoolers.
That was in my theoretical budget. I'm way too cheap to get a place on my own. :P Plus, staying up talking or whatever and getting no sleep is all part of the con experience, right?
Yay for cheap! Now that I have the employee discount I've been checking out what cities have a LaQuinta to see where I could go for cheaper. You mean there are people who actually sleep at cons? I occasionally pass out, but never just sleep! Dude, all those conversations that we've started but never finished because the e-mails or whatever got too long...we could actually finish those!
Ahh, it was helpful once I got a converstion program to put all those numbers into celcius. I can get most American units of measure, inches, feet, no problem.
I have no idea why Americans decided that Fahrenheit was a better system. Okay, I do know (because we're contrary and wanna be different and special and just ended up being special ed), but it was still a stupid idea. If I ever had a chance to use Celsius system, I'd probably switch to it, but I've never gotten the conversions straight in my head. 100's is hot, but only excessive when it gets over 101 (to me, anyway). Your body temp is normally 98.6 and that's just two degrees above. 32 and below is freezing. The thing that'll get you in this part of the state is the bloody humidity. A vast majority of our weather systems are coming off the Gulf Coast, so avg humidity is around 70%. But that's why we feel worse than some place like, say, Vegas because they have 120+ but just heat and we have 100~ but with 90% humidity...you feel like your drowning in your own sweat sometimes. It's much more stifling. Who needs a sauna when you could just go outside? As for mileage, you just get a feel for it. I'm better with distance in reference to time anyway, because this close to a major population centre, mileage can be small, but time is huge.
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I'm not surprised it was a trucker. I'm constantly surprised by the amount of people who don't know what the numbers stand for. *rolls eyes*
This is one of the many ways that Texans are stupid. We feel like we have to drive everywhere.
God, it's not just you. Most of North America is going the route. Ottawa doesn't have stellar public transit, and I so wouldn't be able to bus to work from where I am now. Ottawa is too much a rural city, trying to get buses to all the corners is a huge waste. That's one thing I miss about China, they have *awesome* public transit, because they really don't want people owning cars, there's not enough room.
I've also heard that lone women should carry mace on it after dark.
Oh god, if I do move here, you're really going to have to keep an eye on me for things like that. I've never lived anywhere were I fear anything more than slipping on the ice and getting stranded. Even in China it wasn't really scary, hell the one time we were mugged, we left with the purse, and he went running for his life (I was going to punch him and it scared him off, I somehow doubt that will work here).
You mean there are people who actually sleep at cons?
*blushes*
Actually, the only two cons I've gone to I got a decent amount of sleep. I was staying at my sister's, not at a hotel, and the last one was with my younger cousin Nick, so there just wasn't that much fangirling going on. Although, to be fair, Nick's a great sport, and can keep up with my fangirling when he wants to.
Dude, all those conversations that we've started but never finished because the e-mails or whatever got too long...we could actually finish those!
That'll be awesome! It'll be so nice to talk to you in person. I never did end up calling you when I did that RL meme eons ago.
Okay, I do know (because we're contrary and wanna be different and special and just ended up being special ed)
Ah ha ha, that made me laugh. American's as a whole can be so funny. Some things just can *not* be traditional, whereas other things, no way in *hell* are they going to change. And the metric system is just so much *easier*. I mean, want to convert 10mm to cm? 1cm. Base 10, doesn't get much easier. Whereas, who the hell wants to deal with converting things between feet and inches and miles and yards or whatever the crap. You lose accuracy if only because of the decimals.
I know the general idea of temp in F. I know 100 is hot but not dangerously so. I know that when people complain about the temperature being in the 20s isn't because it's cold (although, with the way I've heard some people complain about it, I thought it was a lot lower than it really is.
The thing that'll get you in this part of the state is the bloody humidity.
Oh god, I was hoping that the weather where you live is one of those "hot but dry" places. Ottawa gets super muggy too. I have trouble breathing in the summer sometimes, since I have asthma. I think if I do end up going, I'm going to have to stay less than a year, and skip the summer. Or else devote a lot of my paycheck to air conditioning. I somehow doubt that it'll be as inexpensive where ever I end up living as it is in this house (we have a ground source heat pump, and electricity isn't that expensive here).
As for mileage, you just get a feel for it. I'm better with distance in reference to time anyway, because this close to a major population centre, mileage can be small, but time is huge.
Yeah, I'm bad at dealing with distances, if you're giving me directions, it's sooo much better to say "You;ll be on this road for about 15-20 minutes rather than saying it'll be 20kms, because I will spend my entire time looking for my turn, because I just can't judge distance like that.
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Actually, the only two cons I've gone to I got a decent amount of sleep.
I've actually done both ways. Cons when it's just me or I'm with people who need to sleep, I tend to sleep more just because I get bored and don't want to bother with figuring out how to entertain myself. When I'm with my security people and others who work the cons, we're usually up at all hours trying to get ready for the next day or we're being vagrant and boozing/smoking it up. Then you make do with catnaps or just dozing and pass out when you get home.
That'll be awesome! It'll be so nice to talk to you in person. I never did end up calling you when I did that RL meme eons ago.
I remember we kept trying to arrange times but then shit would come up on one end or the other. But it was actually probably for the best because my dumbass cell phone (which, incidentally, is the *only* phone I own) has been getting fairly crappy reception for awhile and I tend to get really irritable when that happens (I *hate* it when technology fails me so spectacularly) and I've been told I'm not always all that pleasant to talk to.
Some things just can *not* be traditional, whereas other things, no way in *hell* are they going to change. And the metric system is just so much *easier*.
Originally, I had something really good about dumbass Americans and our need to be different which really just makes us seem conceited (we're too good to use your simple system) and involved something about Daylight Savings Time, but I really don't feel like retyping that, so *insert witty and interesting discussion about those things here*
Oh god, I was hoping that the weather where you live is one of those "hot but dry" places.
Most days it actually doesn't feel that bad, but it's the days that do that really stick in yout mind as memorable. I'm not sure if it's just because I've been living with it all my life and so I'm used to it or what, but it's only some days and it's only when you're outside that it becomes an issue. So, I'd say don't take really long, strenuous walks those days. Hell, even days when it's a little more humid, we usually have enough of a breeze that it doesn't feel as bad as days when it's muggy and still.
I think if I do end up going, I'm going to have to stay less than a year, and skip the summer. Or else devote a lot of my paycheck to air conditioning.
In all the good places for living and working, the A/C systems are all good. When looking for a place to live, you just have to be aware of conditions. Don't get anything that has direct sunlight coming through the windows most of the days and get downstairs if you can to keep A/C escaping through the roof down to a minimum.
If you do get to come to the con and depending on how early you were able to fly in, I'd encourage you to try and fly into Houston and I'd pick you up and that way I could really show you the places I'm talking about. It would certainly give you a better feel for how far apart these places really are. Granted, it would then involve the three hour-ish drive to Dallas, but I'm sure we'd manage to keep ourselves amused. ;)
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Oh god, I *hate* when that happens.
I've only ever gone to the sci fi con in Toronto, once with
my dumbass cell phone (which, incidentally, is the *only* phone I own)
I hate cell phones in general. I spent almost a year with just a cell phone as my phone and hated it.
I had something really good about dumbass Americans and our need to be different which really just makes us seem conceited (we're too good to use your simple system) and involved something about Daylight Savings Time
People do want o be seen as differnt. Canadians spend their fair share of time doing it, but generally it's more along the lines of listening to The Arrogant Worms instead of using outdated measurement systems. :P
I'm really curious how you were going to work Daylight Savings Time into it. I was talking with someone else about it, and we were trying to figure out why we do it. :P
Hell, even days when it's a little more humid, we usually have enough of a breeze that it doesn't feel as bad as days when it's muggy and still.
Yeah, a breeze can make such a huge difference in that kind of weather. And you're close enough to the water that I'm sure you get enough wind.
In all the good places for living and working, the A/C systems are all good.
Do most places have air conditioning units? Or central air?
If you do get to come to the con and depending on how early you were able to fly in, I'd encourage you to try and fly into Houston and I'd pick you up and that way I could really show you the places I'm talking about.
That's an awesome idea! I hadn't thought of that. And I'm sure it'll be nicer for you to have some company on the drive :)
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Most of my con experience is actually with anime cons and that's...not totally different, but not the same. The people are usually younger and a little scarier (seriously, have you ever seen rabid fangirls dressed like Sailor Moon suddenly shreik "YUKI!!!11!!" and run and tackle some other rabid fan-whatever (boy/girl/creature). Those are the cons I work because I like the other people who work them and because I'm into anime, but only on the fringes of it. Sci fi I've only ever done AggieCon and that's becuase it's in the town I grew up in. Unfortunately, that one is moving more toward anime, but there's still some awesome opportunities to find older fans. One of the authors has come the last few years always dressed in Stargate-esque BDUs. The first time I saw that, I was so amazed and wanted more like that.
I spent almost a year with just a cell phone as my phone and hated it.
Right now, it's the most practical option for me. I don't really use a landline for anything and since I'm usually on the road, it makes like so much simpler. Unfortunately, all that driving means I hit bad signal areas a lot and the constant annoyance of not hearing anything but random snatches has quickly become a pet peeve.
I'm really curious how you were going to work Daylight Savings Time into it.
Does Canada actually follow Daylight Savings Time as well? I always assumed it was a purely American form of stupidity. DST was started back in the energy crisis and, like Social Security (don't even get me started on *that*), it was supposed to be a short term program to help the people cope. I'm cool with that. But when they kept doing it even after it was obviously no longer needed, then it really became stupid. There are scientific studies that show that that hour change is incredibly disruptive to the human internal clock and can be unhealthy in other ways. This information has been presented to Congress every year since it came out and still they make us go through it twice a year. *sigh* DST and Social Security are two things that I can rant on and on about.
And you're close enough to the water that I'm sure you get enough wind.
Most definitely! We're in our really windy season right now and we have daily winds averaging about 10-15 mph and gusting to as much as 40. It's crazy. And maddening when you're trying to open a door and the wind is so strong that you can't. Also makes phone calls a bit of an (added) annoyance.
Do most places have air conditioning units? Or central air?
Most places have central air. If it doesn't, it probably has a window unit. Seriously, places that don't have one or the other are probably derelict or have long since been torn down.
That's an awesome idea! I hadn't thought of that. And I'm sure it'll be nicer for you to have some company on the drive :)
I pride myself on my awesomely clever ideas. While I can make the drive on my own (have, actually), it usually involves loud music and plot ideas going randomly through my head. Or audiobooks. Lots of audiobooks.
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I've never gone to an exclusively anime con, but the con that I do go to has a side of anime, so you still get to see people dressed as Sailor Moon.
Right now, it's the most practical option for me.
Yeah, it was practical for me too, but I still hated it. Especially since the ringer on my phone wasn't that loud, so I missed a lot of calls because I didn't hear it ring. It drove my mom crazy too (she was the one that was always calling me) because she'd call and call and call, and I wouldn't pick up. With a cell phone, there's that expectation that since it's portable, you can answer it anywhere, I hate that. I like having times where I'm not expected to answer the phone.
Does Canada actually follow Daylight Savings Time as well?
Oh yeah, large portions of the world use DST, see.
Also, what's wrong with social security?
Most places have central air.
Oh good, because there's such a difference between central air, and units.