ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaValentine's Day
QUOTE (Carlawarla @ Feb 8 2008, 06:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Feb 8 2008, 05:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Seeing as how I've given my wife long-stem roses the last two years, I decided I'd do something different. She's been very stressed out lately, so I put together a "relaxation kit" of my own for her, which contains:
  • One Valentine's Day card.
  • One tabletop fountain (that I researched heavily, in order to make sure it won't splash and cause a watery mess).
  • One satin heart-shaped box of high-quality "artisan" chocolates.
  • One scented candle (vanilla & sandalwood) made from "essential oils in a vegetable wax blend."
  • Two leather-bound hardcover books (both with attached gold satin bookmarks) covering two of her favorite topics.
  • One large heavy-duty Macy's shopping bag with easy-to-hold handles.
You might ask yourself... WHY the Macy's shopping bag, right? Well, since we're not living together yet and she obviously works during the day, I'm having the package sent to her office so she's sure to receive it. My wife lives downtown and doesn't use a car (just trying to find a parking spot would probably take more time than it would to walk), so I figure she could use some assistance carrying whatever items she chooses to bring back to her apartment. That's where the bag comes in -- it'd be a lot easier to use that than heft around a large cardboard package or worse yet, attempt to somehow carry multiple boxes at once.

Anyway... I may have gone a little overboard, but it really wasn't about Valentine's Day as much as it was about helping my wife relax and feel better. I would've done it with or without this holiday; having it come around now just gave me a convenient opening. wink.gif



Those are very lovely gifts and they'll be treasured I'm sure. Does your wife post here? I hope not for this moment anyway. laughing.gif

Nope! My wife never posts here; in fact, she rarely -- if ever -- bothers to check VJ at all. If she did, I'd be a little more careful. tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-08 08:52:00
CanadaValentine's Day
Seeing as how I've given my wife long-stem roses the last two years, I decided I'd do something different. She's been very stressed out lately, so I put together a "relaxation kit" of my own for her, which contains:
  • One Valentine's Day card.
  • One tabletop fountain (that I researched heavily, in order to make sure it won't splash and cause a watery mess).
  • One satin heart-shaped box of high-quality "artisan" chocolates.
  • One scented candle (vanilla & sandalwood) made from "essential oils in a vegetable wax blend."
  • Two leather-bound hardcover books (both with attached gold satin bookmarks) covering two of her favorite topics.
  • One large heavy-duty Macy's shopping bag with easy-to-hold handles.

You might ask yourself... WHY the Macy's shopping bag, right? Well, since we're not living together yet and she obviously works during the day, I'm having the package sent to her office so she's sure to receive it. My wife lives downtown and doesn't use a car (just trying to find a parking spot would probably take more time than it would to walk), so I figure she could use some assistance carrying whatever items she chooses to bring back to her apartment. That's where the bag comes in -- it'd be a lot easier to use that than heft around a large cardboard package or worse yet, attempt to somehow carry multiple boxes at once.

Anyway... I may have gone a little overboard, but it really wasn't about Valentine's Day as much as it was about helping my wife relax and feel better. I would've done it with or without this holiday; having it come around now just gave me a convenient opening. wink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-08 06:56:00
CanadaOk, here's what's going on
I don't want to turn this into a debate thread, so I'll just say the following: I realize some of you may disagree with what I said. That's fine. You're all entitled to your opinion. However, please do note that I am not saying that what Len's physician said or did is necessarily right either, considering the context. Look at what I wrote more carefully and read between the lines.

You'll see that I wrote Len's physician was probably doing what she thought was best for the patient (in this case, Len) like most physicians are trained and have been trained to do. Does this necessarily "feel right" to many patients? Maybe not. I can't say for sure. But I can bet you that she wasn't purposefully trying to hurt, annoy or otherwise irritate Len, either.

I do think that there are times the patient shouldn't know everything (and yes, I have a very good reason to believe that which would take far too long to get into here), but I suppose that's neither here nor there for the purposes of this thread. If the patient desperately wants to know and is fine with merely a theory or assumption on the physician's part, the patient cannot be angry or upset with the physician if he or she was wrong and cause undue worry. The patient asked for it.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 24 February 2008 - 08:58 AM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-24 08:57:00
CanadaOk, here's what's going on
Your physician wasn't being a "jerk, a snob, rude; acting like a god or otherwise insensitive." She was doing exactly what she was supposed to be doing. Why do I say that? Because she told you everything you not only needed to know at the time, but everything she knew as well.

Look back at what she said (or rather, what you told us she said to you). According to your own statements, your doctor told you: "It appears there could be a little something there...."

She told you what she knew. She thought there might be "something" there. If she knew exactly what it might be, why would she order a test (i.e. the ultrasound) to check it out? She wouldn't need it.

In addition, I believe she did not tell you what it "might be" because (aside from not knowing exactly what it is) any theory at this point in time would serve to do nothing but worry the patient unnecessarily. When it comes to medicine, many times symptoms of certain diseases or conditions can mimic one another, so it's practically impossible to tell what is what without the proper tests. Telling a patient one assumption after another is irresponsible -- it can cause undue worry, tension and stress on the part of the patient. It's far better to withhold diagnosis until the potential problem has been found or at least narrowed down.

So do please try and understand the situation here. Your physician wasn't attempting to irritate you or purposefully "keep you out of the loop" regarding your own body. She most likely felt that until she had a better idea of what she was dealing with, she couldn't reasonably and responsibly give you the answer you were looking for at that time.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 24 February 2008 - 12:00 AM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-23 23:59:00
CanadaFinally!!!
QUOTE (Len_and_Bren @ Feb 22 2008, 05:10 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (flames9 @ Feb 22 2008, 05:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I do believe McCain is trying to limit the # of women with DL's staring in 2009 if he is elected President! Good thing you sneaked in!! lol



don't want to hijack the thread, but ARE YOU FKING SERIOUS?????? blink.gif

I can't imagine he is. Flames has been known for a somewhat "odd" sense of humor (aka "humour") before. In any event, it'd be political suicide to limit DL's for women. They make up a very large and important voting segment and are quite numerous in the workforce today. Also, considering the overall lack of good public transportation in the U.S., this sort of stunt would merely hurt families -- whether or not they're single-parent, two-parent, single-income or two-income.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 22 February 2008 - 06:23 PM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-22 18:21:00
CanadaCan you live in the USA while waiting for visa
QUOTE (raphael7546 @ Feb 28 2008, 07:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (MarilynP @ Feb 20 2008, 03:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Len_and_Bren @ Feb 20 2008, 11:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (maritimer @ Feb 20 2008, 01:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hi all, just wondering, if you apply for the K1 visa can you live in the USA while its getting processed. I know I can't work and I would have to go back to Canada after 6 months or when the interview is which ever comes first. What about if we applied for a K3 visa if I got married down there could I stay there and apply or would I have to come home and wait.


I know you can visit if you prove enough ties to Canada; but I don't think it's too wise an idea to do it for 6 months ---- how would you prove ties to Canada otherwise?

If you go into the US with the intent of getting married, it's considered visa fraud. Check out the K-3 forum and also guides6ly.gif they are quite helpful.

Peace, L.

i just wanted to point out that getting married in the US is not visa fraud...

going to the US with the intent of getting married there and then applying for adjustment of status is visa fraud...

Yes, and trying to explain it to the border guy that your marrying and not staying is pointless as they have no idea what your talking about. Read what happened to me by clicking on my profile and clicking on "My Story" He wasted 2 & a half years of my life.

I just read your story and I can say is "wow." That CBP officer was certainly on a power trip, wasn't he? I could maybe see where got the idea of you twisting (not outright lying, however) the truth when you told him you were "going to a wedding" since he may have thought the full truth would've been a statement like "I'm going to my wedding." Regardless, there was no reason for that sort of behavior, attitude or language. A person like that should not be in a position of power and control.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-29 02:22:00
CanadaPreclearance question
QUOTE (aravis227 @ Feb 23 2008, 10:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Hey everyone! I've been around VJ for awhile, mostly in the K-1 section, but I had a specific Canada question so I figured I'd ask it over here. My fiance is going to come down to see me in April and he is flying out of Winnipeg. We're figuring that since we have the visa petition out and customs could take longer than expected, he should do preclearance (he'll have a layover in the US, but we don't want him to miss his connection). Has anyone done preclearance before? Should he be at the airport earlier than the two hours they recommend for international flights? how much earlier?

Thanks in advance for your help! smile.gif

I'd gather that most -- if not all -- of us have done preclearance before. It's not difficult, really. It's just like going into any foreign country, except Canadians have the added benefit of still being geographically located in Canada if they get turned away. I wish Americans had that in reverse, but it's much more cost effective for Canada to do this than it would be for the U.S., since Canada has fewer international airports.

How much time you need to allow to clear Customs depends on a number of factors, including: when your flight leaves (what day and time), season, if you're checking any bags, airport, and airline. In general, the weekend is a busier time for flights (costlier too), with early morning and late afternoon/early evening being the most heavily trafficked. Season can matter since the flights will probably fill up faster during the holidays, as well as the airport be busier and the roads there more cluttered. If you're checking any bags, that will slow down the process, since you'll probably have to wait in line and make sure the airline checks the bags properly, so they end up arriving where and when you do. Some airports handle larger amounts of people better than others; some are are just designed better in general. Finally, which airline you take can matter, since a very popular airline can make a long lineup and wait at security at that airline's most popular terminal, thereby delaying your ability to get to preclearance.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 24 February 2008 - 12:25 AM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-24 00:24:00
CanadaLeaving Your Home Behind
QUOTE (~Nini~ @ Mar 4 2008, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It doesn't make it any easier that whenever I talk to some of my American friends online, they tell me that I should be adopting "American customs" now that I live in the States. It just grates on me that they expect me to lose my Canadian identity - coming from Canada, where we embrace cultural differences, that assimilative attitude is mind-blowing. I'll always be a moose-loving, igloo-living Canadian in my heart.

This is one of the many cultural differences between the United States and Canada that most people probably don't realize exist. The U.S. has been called a "melting pot" which suggests (in theory) that when people come here to live, their previous identities, ties, and allegiances are to be broken from their "old country" and they should adopt the "American way of life." In contrast, I've heard that Canada is considered a "multicultural mosaic" which says (to me) that while people are expected to abide by Canadian law, there's no real expectation of trading in their "old ways" for the Canadian way of doing things.

Neither method is right or wrong; they're just different and products of two unique countries. However, when moving to the U.S., don't be surprised to find that most Americans will expect you to wholeheartedly embrace life as an American, while tossing away your former identity. We don't mean any harm or insult by it. This is just what Americans have been taught is "right" and "should be done" for ages.

It's a lot like how many Americans automatically assume any immigrant is coming to the U.S. "for a better life" too. We've just been taught that the U.S. is the "world's greatest country and leads the planet in everything great and wonderful." While the U.S. may be a great country, it's not the "world's greatest" since there are plenty of equally fantastic countries (Canada being one of them), but you won't hear very many politicians admit that or lesson plans cover that in elementary, junior high or high school.

So while I'm not telling (or expecting) you to give up your Canadianism for being an American, I'd just like to point out that this will probably happen for a very long time. The best thing you could do is either ignore it or attempt to correct whoever says it, although I have a feeling anything you say would fall on deaf ears.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-03-04 20:15:00
CanadaLeaving Your Home Behind
QUOTE (trailmix @ Feb 25 2008, 10:04 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (flames9 @ Feb 23 2008, 01:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I love Staurday mail delivery!! In my opnion, USPS is superior than Canada (slow) post!! Im pretty sure the term "snail" mail originated in Canada!! lol


What I want to know is - What mail are you people getting that makes Saturday mail so appealing!?!?

All I ever get is bills and 5 day delivery works ok with that.

All I ever get are the messages from the mothership. Then again, I don't need Saturday delivery for that, either. unsure.gif

QUOTE (Reba @ Mar 1 2008, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
So far, I'm kinda atracted to the Syracuse, NY area. There's half a dozen dog parks of all sorts, its a fairly large city, with a train direct to Toronto and New York City in the other direction smile.gif (I have a couple friends there whom I haven't seen in several years). Not to forget of course the 7 pubs and dozens of restaurants of all kinds of gastronomic delights and a weekly farmer's market. (here in Morganton we're limited to 14 pizza shops, a few Chinese fake-outs (no that's not a typo tongue.gif ) and a bunch of gut bustin fast food. Even the "greek" restaurant has been watered down to suit the local bored palet). Of course, I only have info from the internet to go by so far, we haven't had a chance to actually go and take a look. We have a couple of houses here to sell first before we'd have money to buy anywhere else. And finding jobs is kind of important...

I just want to be closer to my family. We have none here to speak of, and I used to have such a wide circle of support up home. I'm missing my nephew and neice growing up, and my husband has never met them at all. sad.gif

From what you've said, Reba, Syracuse sounds good to me.

I think the major issues you've been having are due to living in a small town, which has virtually nothing to do with being in the United States. From what my wife has said, there are plenty of them in Canada too. Your problems could be fixed if you moved into (or near) a much larger city, but it sounds like your husband has an aversion to becoming an urbanite.

Therefore, the best solution (as I see it) would be to move to a suburb of a major city. You'd be just outside the city limits and well within driving distance of whatever you wanted in the city itself, but you wouldn't be among all the "confusion and craziness" that is usually associated with a large city. Sometimes this is better too, since taxes and crime rates are generally lower in suburban areas (although this can differ depending on which suburb and what area of the country).

I don't know much about New York (I've only been there a few times and then mostly to Long Island to visit my relatives), so maybe Syracuse fits the bill. Whatever the case, some sort of compromise like the one I stated above might work out the best. At the very least, it'd be better than remaining in a small town in the middle of nowhere. wink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-03-01 11:47:00
CanadaFavorite Things Now That You're in America?
QUOTE (bluegreen @ Feb 29 2008, 03:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Crikey! @ Feb 29 2008, 02:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Delicia @ Feb 28 2008, 10:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Are you going to live in a van down by the river and eat government cheese?

I have not a clue what government cheese is. unsure.gif But living by the river sounds lovely! laughing.gif

Another favourite thing!....

Legal U-turns!!!!! Honestly, those things are the best thing since sliced bread. I must admit to being as confused as heck by them at first, because they're not legal in Canada. I wasn't quite sure how to do it... do you handle it like an intersection or what? But now I know to keep to my left and I won't have people hatin' on me. Yay for legal U-turns!!!!! kicking.gif


Yay for U-turns! I love doing these now.

Whoa, whoa, whoa... U-turns aren't legal in Canada? Is that all of Canada or just certain provinces? blink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-29 17:27:00
CanadaFavorite Things Now That You're in America?
QUOTE (Texanadian @ Feb 24 2008, 01:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Feb 23 2008, 08:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Central Market is inside the 610 Loop. If you're around the Galleria area, then Central Market is very easy to find. Just head east on Westheimer (you'll pass the Galleria itself) and you'll find yourself driving through Highland Village. You'll know it since the area tends to look very nice and for some reason or another, they never take down the Christmas lights (if none of that tipped you off, there's a large sign that says "Highland Village" too). Once there, you'll come across Central Market on your right-hand side. It comes up rather suddenly, so be prepared to pull into the parking lot quickly.

As a sidenote, the stores in Highland Village could be described as "very posh" so if you wanted to do a little shopping, it's a nice place if you're tired of the Galleria or other malls.


Ah yes, the Christmas light area. Series of palm trees too. I know where you mean. I seem to recall they have a brutal railroad track that caught me off guard.

Yes, it's a nasty railroad track, indeed. I don't think I've ever seen a train use it, however. It's not too bad if you drive over it slowly, though.

Anyway... if you need any more advice on the city, feel free to contact me. I know most of it extremely well (that's not ego; it's just fact, since I've learned it over the years, some of which came from trial-and-error) and I'm willing to help out. kicking.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-24 09:11:00
CanadaFavorite Things Now That You're in America?
QUOTE (Texanadian @ Feb 23 2008, 08:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I haven't heard of Central Market (I'm in the Galleria) but I have seen Whole Foods Market. I don't tend to shop at Whole Foods as my unemployed stage means cutting back on expenses where possible. I have been to Whole Foods inside once though. I liked what I saw.

Central Market is inside the 610 Loop. If you're around the Galleria area, then Central Market is very easy to find. Just head east on Westheimer (you'll pass the Galleria itself) and you'll find yourself driving through Highland Village. You'll know it since the area tends to look very nice and for some reason or another, they never take down the Christmas lights (if none of that tipped you off, there's a large sign that says "Highland Village" too). Once there, you'll come across Central Market on your right-hand side. It comes up rather suddenly, so be prepared to pull into the parking lot quickly.

As a sidenote, the stores in Highland Village could be described as "very posh" so if you wanted to do a little shopping, it's a nice place if you're tired of the Galleria or other malls.

QUOTE
UPS Store....that's a sore spot for me. I've been dinged with way too many expensive brokerage/disbursement/COD fees by UPS from living in Canada. When you buy a $20 part that fits in the palm of your hand and it weighs 1 lb. You don't expect a UPS Ground shipment from Indiana to British Columbia to cost $77. $16 of the $77 was the shipping cost. $2 of it was tax. The rest were UPS's fees. I used to use them as an absolute last resort when there was no alternative available.

The UPS Store can also send out regular letters and many types of packages without using UPS. It's merely called The UPS Store since UPS owns and runs it; however, they don't have to use UPS either. They don't advertise this (for good reason), but there are other options.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-23 23:47:00
CanadaFavorite Things Now That You're in America?
QUOTE (Texanadian @ Feb 23 2008, 04:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm not interested in watching hockey on the computer. I like to relax on the couch and watch it on the big screen.

I'm with AT&T U-verse instead of Comcast. Can't get Comcast in our apartments. It's either Phonoscope or U-verse. No satellite allowed either. I went with the U200 package rather than the U300 package with Uverse. Basically the same thing but without the 30 channels of Fox Sports (mostly football, but I'm sure there would be hockey on there).

But I miss it being on CBC/TSN/Sportsnet. It was always available. I mean who didn't have those channels? I think they were included in the cheapest TV package, never mind the good ones.

I've yet to see Cider in restaurants, grocery stores, or liquor stores. Not sure why.

USPS is full of black people and Mexicans who know they can't get fired due to equal opportunity laws. Probably different in other areas. They've left all our mailboxes open and unlocked, lost our mail, taken weeks to deliver from Dallas to Houston, not delivered packages we've signed for, and not picked up outgoing mail from my wife's office. In the past, they've had carriers dump their entire bag of mail into the ditch. Nobody gets punished for it.

Canada Post on the other hand was friendly, outgoing, and fast.

I'm gathering you're not the USC in the relationship, so you're having a difficult time adjusting to life in Houston, TX. That's fair. However, as a born-and-raised Houstonian, please allow me to assist you in a few matters here...

I'm not sure what area of Houston you live in or what apartment complex you're at (all of which can make a difference), but Comcast is most definitely available in Houston. They took over Time Warner in the area. The level of customer service they seem to provide is about the same (read: lackluster), but they do exist. As far as I know, they provide television and Internet service; they may even offer a DVR setup as well, but I'm unclear on that. Some apartments restrict what their tenets may or may not use, usually because the apartment complex themselves have signed non-compete contracts with those companies. So that might explain your problem as well.

There are tons of sports channels in Houston. I'd be very surprised if ESPN, at least, wasn't available with some sort of package. Texas, as a whole, is a sports-crazy state (especially when it comes to football). Hockey generally isn't too popular in Texas, but it has more support in the northern states. Football, once again, is the big seller here, with baseball and basketball coming in right behind.

Cider (as well as other beverages) are widely available if you look in the right places. The best places to shop would be Central Market and Whole Foods Market. Central Market is a Texas-only grocery store and both are considered quite "upscale." If you can't find what you're looking for there, then it's not in Texas.

USPS post office centers are, in general, not the friendliest places on Earth and they're usually quite crowded. I'd recommend going to privately owned mail/shipping outlets. Two that are very easy to find would be The UPS Store and Mail Boxes Etc. You might have to pay a little more, but the service is much better and the people are a lot nicer. So in my mind, it's definitely worth it.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-23 21:19:00
CanadaFavorite Things Now That You're in America?
Since we're talking about where companies are based (or formed), here's a list of U.S. companies by state. It won't include every single company, but it should have the better known businesses on there.

Just to be fair, here's a list of Canadian companies as well. I would've included a link for Canadian companies by province, but Wikipedia doesn't seem to include that.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-23 02:49:00
CanadaFavorite Things Now That You're in America?
The interesting thing about Target is that the last time my wife was down here, she said that Target looked almost exactly like Zeller's. Apparently, just about everything in the two stores -- from the layout to the products sold to the color scheme -- resembled each other. Just to see what she was talking about, the last time I was up in Canada, we stopped in a Zeller's and true enough, they do look an awful lot alike.

Oh... and yeah, my wife has also spent an inordinate amount of time looking around Target, which I thought was a little bewildering. I never gave the store much consideration. Although I much prefer it to places like Wal-Mart or Sam's Club. Costco isn't that bad, but the other two? Terrible, just terrible.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-22 16:39:00
CanadaWhat is the age difference between you and your SO?
I had never even heard the term "cougar" before (at least in relation to an older woman chasing a younger man) meeting my wife. Is that a Canadian term? I don't think it's too common down here in the United States.

Anyway... my wife is roughly 2.5 years older than me and if she were to read this, I doubt she'd be very happy with me for stating that. At least I didn't specify age. I won't do that. But really, 2.5 years is nothing.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-22 20:24:00
CanadaHoneymoon suggestions
Laura, instead of everyone here guessing at what you and your husband may or may not enjoy as a honeymoon, why don't you tell us what you two find appealing in a vacation spot? That might narrow down the locations, allowing us to greater assist you. smile.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-06 07:27:00
CanadaCanadian Names (English Language Names)
I don't see any of those names as being inherently Canadian or American.

Most of our names originated somewhere in Europe and since both Canada and the United States were created and settled by Europeans (mostly the British), it makes sense that many of our names would be similar.

Let's take my name, for instance. It's Michael (although I prefer Mike). How many families with at least some European heritage have at least one Michael in there somewhere? Probably most of them and they're likely scattered all throughout the world. So if we have a Michael in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, and Australia (I just picked those countries randomly; there's no hidden meaning behind it), does that mean Michael is inherently American or Canadian or British or German or Australian?

No. It just means that the name has some similar European ties that connect the countries mentioned.

There are a few select names that could be considered more nationalistic. Nigel, as an example, is very much a British name. You'd be hard pressed to find someone native-born to a country like Mexico, Saudi Arabia or Japan with that name. It just wouldn't fit in with their culture. But overall, many names do overlap within nations of relatively similar cultures (which is why there would be little difference between the names of Americans and Canadians).
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-03-19 14:10:00
CanadaHow do you use eat with your knife and fork?
That was very educational. I'm not being sarcastic. I learned something new and I love learning new things. good.gif

Having read over the two different styles, I'd have to say that I predominately use the European style, even though I am a natural-born American. I might use the American style sometimes (although I can't remember when, to be precise), depending on what I'm eating at the time. Different types of food generally require different methods to eat them.

My great-grandmother on my father's side was British (from England) and she may have taught my grandmother to use the European style. If she did, then it would stand to reason that my grandmother taught my father the very same thing and he would be where I learned it from. On the other hand, it could just be that I'm an impatient ####### and I find the European style more expedient. Whatever the case, I'd probably give off the impression that I was a "British Spy" instead of an American citizen. wink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-03-21 20:28:00
CanadaCanada apparently easing the guarantor requirements
I remember there being a list of certain professions the Canadian Government considered somehow more qualified than others to act as guarantors, such as physicians, attorneys, pharmacists, professors, etc. A notary public would work too, of course.

I've never had to do any of that (I'm the USC), but I recall my wife having to jump through some ridiculous hoops in order to find a guarantor for her new passport. If this new rule had been in place, she could have had her parents or sister act as a guarantor easily.

As for sending in your original birth certificate, I'm questioning the logic in that. Once again, I'm American and I know we do some bits and pieces of the passport process differently, but once we've already acquired a passport, we can send our old one in instead of our birth certificate as proof of citizenship (since we would've needed to prove it to get the old passport in the first place). I know Canadians weren't able to renew their passports for a long time, but I think that was changed recently, so I'm wondering if Canadians could send in their old passport like Americans do.

It's definitely something to look into. The worst that could happen is they don't accept the old passport as proof and you need to use your birth certificate.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-03-22 22:33:00
CanadaUS Bank Account...
I don't know if this would be possible. From what little I know of the banking system, they usually want our social security numbers and if you're not an American, it's highly unlikely you'd have one. There might be a way around that (Bank of America doesn't seem to mind giving credit cards to illegal aliens, for example), but it'd probably be tricky.

One option might be to look into opening up an American account with the Royal Bank of Canada. I know that sounds weird, but that do have a U.S. branch. Since RBC is obviously a Canadian-based bank, you'd have a better shot at getting accepted there, especially if you have a Canadian account or two with them.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-03-22 22:37:00
CanadaThinking of Changing my Screen Name
I hate the avatar size requirements on here. mad.gif

It's Darth Vader with a huge green afro and an obnoxiously large gold necklace (like the kind Mr. T used to wear).
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-15 21:28:00
CanadaThinking of Changing my Screen Name
Bah. I had a Meez sig for a little while, but it got annoying. Now it's just become far too mainstream.

Anyway... I've given myself a new avatar. I think it suits me. biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-15 18:11:00
CanadaThinking of Changing my Screen Name
Speaking of avatars... I've recently changed mine. cool.gif

In case anyone can't tell what it's supposed to be, it's Pikachu (from that show and game series, Pokemon) reading a Playboy magazine. Yes, it's a little twisted and that's why I like it. biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-08 08:54:00
CanadaThinking of Changing my Screen Name
You should change your screen name to: "The Canuckinator" biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-02-07 10:22:00
CanadaHelp for a friend to re-applying for Canadian Citizenship
Even if she's American, had gained Canadian citizenship and then moved back to the U.S., she still couldn't lose her Canadian citizenship. The only two possible explanations I could think of would be that your friend is talking about reapplying for a Canadian Passport (since those do expire, regardless of where you are) or she wasn't a citizen, but a permanent resident, in which case her status as one may have expired due to being outside Canada for too long.

Otherwise, I have no clue. I have a feel, however, that she's merely using the word "citizenship" incorrectly and means something else entirely.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 08 April 2008 - 05:36 PM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-08 17:33:00
CanadaBren won't marry me....
Get married in Las Vegas. Who could argue with Elvis presiding over the ceremony? whistling.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-09 19:46:00
CanadaI feel like causing trouble!
Yeah, I did. That's what I get for talking on the phone and writing a post at the same time. blush.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-11 18:37:00
CanadaI feel like causing trouble!
I have here a special news bulletin about Canada and an important message regarding Canadian beer. I believe it should be watched by all present. biggrin.gif

NOTE: I linked to the two YouTube videos (which are meant to be humorous, not insulting) above instead of embedding them so they wouldn't slow down the page while loading and in case you have video files turned off (if you're at work, for instance), you can still view them by simply going to the website itself.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-11 18:27:00
CanadaSome very important messages coming your way!
QUOTE (~Laura and Nick~ @ Apr 21 2008, 11:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Apr 21 2008, 12:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's an LED message sign. I typed in the words I wanted to appear, saved them when they did and used the screenshots of it here. It's all pretty simple. Just follow the URL listed on the top of both pictures and then you can do your own. smile.gif

Just one word of warning -- some of the messages people have posted to it (and are posting, apparently) are decidedly less-than-friendly, so I wouldn't do this at work or with children present. As usual, the morons of the world have messed up something potentially amusing by being stupid.


laughing.gif
were you at work then?

laughing.gif

If I were, it wouldn't matter. But no, I was not. I did that last night, which was Sunday.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-21 12:00:00
CanadaSome very important messages coming your way!
It's an LED message sign. I typed in the words I wanted to appear, saved them when they did and used the screenshots of it here. It's all pretty simple. Just follow the URL listed on the top of both pictures and then you can do your own. smile.gif

Just one word of warning -- some of the messages people have posted to it (and are posting, apparently) are decidedly less-than-friendly, so I wouldn't do this at work or with children present. As usual, the morons of the world have messed up something potentially amusing by being stupid.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 21 April 2008 - 11:42 AM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-21 11:41:00
CanadaSome very important messages coming your way!
I just thought you all might like to see a couple of important messages... kicking.gif




DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-20 18:39:00
CanadaAdventures in Cleaning!
QUOTE (IR5FORMUMSIE @ Apr 23 2008, 03:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Apr 23 2008, 01:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Well... it's sometimes amazing how someone (like myself) can be so smart in some areas but so incredibly dumb in others. Take, for instance, the areas of cooking and cleaning. Now I am by no means suggesting these are the sole domain of women. However, my wife is far more educated in this realm than I.

The last time I attempted to cook something (which wasn't even that difficult, if I recall correctly), I nearly committed arson. More recently, however, I decided that I should clean my bathroom. At the moment, I have an important paper to write, therefore, in the name of procrastination, mass cleaning was about to commence. Believe it or not, there's actually a Facebook group dedicated to this as well, so I'm not the only one who does this (which is good to know).

So I took spray bottle of Lysol and decided to start cleaning. Before I continue, I just want to add that I have an advanced background in such areas as medicine, chemistry, genetics, etc. The reason I'm adding this in isn't to "pat myself on the back" but to hopefully explain the absurdity of my situation. This Lysol spray apparently has bleach in it and for some reason or another, I never bothered to check this or if I did, I didn't take notice. Whatever the case, I used it and probably too much of it. Can anyone here see where this is headed?

The vapors from my now bleach-infused bathroom permeated not only the lavatory, but the rest of my apartment. I suppose I got a bit carried away with the spraying, as I tend to do. That might explain why my mother didn't let me "help" her use the Glass Plus as a child. Of course, that didn't -- and still doesn't -- have bleach in it. The fumes from the bleach started irritating my eyes, nose, throat and I began coughing. I even started having a "heavy weight-like" feeling on my chest, in addition to mild pain there as well.

So I knew this wasn't a good thing. I quickly opened up my windows, turned the AC fans on (instead of leaving them on "auto") and placed my air purifier in the bathroom, turning that up to the highest setting. I also called my wife to tell her. She was displeased overall and questioned my sanity (what little there is left of it) in my cleaning technique, but happy to know I got to work dealing with the situation. At present, I am pleased to report that the odor has been slowly -- but surely -- dissipating and the side-effects I was experiencing before are now gone.

Since my bathroom is still a bit "smelly," however, I plan on telling my wife that when I relieve myself, I make use of my balcony. Her response will be golden, I promise you. biggrin.gif

Anyway... that's my story. I now know that I shouldn't use bleach products to clean or if I do, I should use far less of them -- and as G.I. JOE said back in the 1980s: "Knowing is half the battle!"

Yes, this is what my wife has to put up with. Please send all condolences my way and I will forward them on to her. Thank you. innocent.gif

Not half as much as the police officer's. innocent.gif

Well, that's assuming I actually did that and someone else called the police on me. I wouldn't really do something that disgusting and even if I did, my wife wouldn't call the cops on me. Yell at me, maybe, but that's about it. tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-23 17:37:00
CanadaAdventures in Cleaning!
QUOTE (Krikit @ Apr 23 2008, 02:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (liz_legend @ Apr 23 2008, 02:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
light a fragrant candle in the bathroom

it will help with the smell for when she gets home =)

I'd wait for the chemicals to dissipate first. I think they may be combustible. wink.gif

Two points:
1. My wife and I aren't living together yet. We will be relatively soon, however. Our visa is on the way! smile.gif

2. An explosion would be awesome. So long as I'm not in it, no one is killed, and I'm not blamed for it. devil.gif

Edited by DeadPoolX, 23 April 2008 - 02:11 PM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-23 14:11:00
CanadaAdventures in Cleaning!
Well... it's sometimes amazing how someone (like myself) can be so smart in some areas but so incredibly dumb in others. Take, for instance, the areas of cooking and cleaning. Now I am by no means suggesting these are the sole domain of women. However, my wife is far more educated in this realm than I.

The last time I attempted to cook something (which wasn't even that difficult, if I recall correctly), I nearly committed arson. More recently, however, I decided that I should clean my bathroom. At the moment, I have an important paper to write, therefore, in the name of procrastination, mass cleaning was about to commence. Believe it or not, there's actually a Facebook group dedicated to this as well, so I'm not the only one who does this (which is good to know).

So I took spray bottle of Lysol and decided to start cleaning. Before I continue, I just want to add that I have an advanced background in such areas as medicine, chemistry, genetics, etc. The reason I'm adding this in isn't to "pat myself on the back" but to hopefully explain the absurdity of my situation. This Lysol spray apparently has bleach in it and for some reason or another, I never bothered to check this or if I did, I didn't take notice. Whatever the case, I used it and probably too much of it. Can anyone here see where this is headed?

The vapors from my now bleach-infused bathroom permeated not only the lavatory, but the rest of my apartment. I suppose I got a bit carried away with the spraying, as I tend to do. That might explain why my mother didn't let me "help" her use the Glass Plus as a child. Of course, that didn't -- and still doesn't -- have bleach in it. The fumes from the bleach started irritating my eyes, nose, throat and I began coughing. I even started having a "heavy weight-like" feeling on my chest, in addition to mild pain there as well.

So I knew this wasn't a good thing. I quickly opened up my windows, turned the AC fans on (instead of leaving them on "auto") and placed my air purifier in the bathroom, turning that up to the highest setting. I also called my wife to tell her. She was displeased overall and questioned my sanity (what little there is left of it) in my cleaning technique, but happy to know I got to work dealing with the situation. At present, I am pleased to report that the odor has been slowly -- but surely -- dissipating and the side-effects I was experiencing before are now gone.

Since my bathroom is still a bit "smelly," however, I plan on telling my wife that when I relieve myself, I make use of my balcony. Her response will be golden, I promise you. biggrin.gif

Anyway... that's my story. I now know that I shouldn't use bleach products to clean or if I do, I should use far less of them -- and as G.I. JOE said back in the 1980s: "Knowing is half the battle!"

Yes, this is what my wife has to put up with. Please send all condolences my way and I will forward them on to her. Thank you. innocent.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-23 13:13:00
Canadayahoo! i'm going to be step mom!
Seeing as how I've never been a step-anything, I probably don't have that great of advice to give. However, since I have known a few in my time, all I can say is try not to be too overly offended if (and when) you and your step-son get into an argument and when acting paternal, he yells something at you about how you're not his "real" mother.

Obviously, you know this, but you'll probably be caring for him. As such, words like that would likely hurt (and they'd be intended to, as well), but most of the time children and teenagers don't stop to think about how their words and actions affect others beyond the present. If anything, they live in the "now" far more than most adults do and because of this, lack some understanding as to why something they say today may still sting someone tomorow.

They'll learn though. wink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-21 11:50:00
Canadaengaged to a canadian!!!!
QUOTE (Krikit @ Apr 24 2008, 09:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (cattattude @ Apr 23 2008, 11:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Sweet, someone from Edmonton I can commiserate about the snow with. I have nothing of value to add, other than this Edm winter stinks . . . . .




It's going to be a high of 29C and a low of 21C today. innocent.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-24 10:10:00
CanadaGuys, I need a hug
QUOTE (IR5FORMUMSIE @ Apr 24 2008, 11:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (~Laura and Nick~ @ Apr 24 2008, 10:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Love you all star_smile.gif
P.S. I'm gonna miss the moose
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-25 01:58:00
CanadaGuys, I need a hug
QUOTE (liz_legend @ Apr 24 2008, 11:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Contd from previous thread.

and suck

and try to clean the house but instead just douse it in bleach

also, they pee outside

=)

Oh come on... who would do something like that? whistling.gif innocent.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-24 11:39:00
CanadaGuys, I need a hug
QUOTE (Krikit @ Apr 24 2008, 10:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Apr 24 2008, 11:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Laura, if it's any help to you, I'm going through the immigration process to Canada right now, as opposed to my wife coming here to the United States. We're not doing this because we think Canada is a better country (neither of us believe that; we view both on a equal playing field), but because the immigration process to Canada is somewhat easier and faster than the process to the United States. Our situation is also unique in many ways, given some interesting work scenarios.

However, we only plan to be in Canada for several years -- around five or so at the most. After that, the objective is coming down here to the U.S. and living here. We're looking at someplace in the pacific northwest (Washington state, Oregon, or northern California) since that would still be relatively close to Canada and her family, but within the U.S. as well. Texas has actually grown on her too and she likes it a lot now, but it's a long (and somewhat expensive) trip to BC, so that's her main opposition to it.

Overall, the Canadian immigration process asks for many of the same things as the U.S. one does and is just as full of red tape. The reason it might go a little faster is because there are generally fewer people immigrating to Canada on any given day. Canada, as a whole, has a much smaller population than the U.S., so it's probably not as difficult to work some of this out. It also lacks the problems with as many illegal immigrations coming into the country, since the only border it shares is with the U.S. and very few Americans are heading into Canada illegally.

Okay. Confusion sets in. Not that I don't enjoy your posts but shouldn't you be on roadtocanada.com? laughing.gif

I should, but that would mean I'd need to register with yet another community. I'm too lazy to do that. Besides, the people there aren't nearly as argumentative and I like fighting. innocent.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2008-04-24 11:20:00