ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Krikit @ Oct 21 2009, 09:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Phew. I'm glad it ended well.

Ugh. I'm having computer problems. I keep getting booted off. And then this machine just magically rebooted itself. That's nice.

I don't know why it keeps booting you, but if you want to turn off the auto-rebooting function, follow these steps:
1. Right-click on MY COMPUTER and choose PROPERTIES.
2. Click on the ADVANCED tab.
3. Click on SETTINGS under the "Startup and Recovery" heading.
4. Under the "System Failure" heading UNCHECK the box labeled "automatically restart."
5. Click OKAY and then APPLY and then OKAY again.

If the computer has a system-wide error now, it won't auto-boot you. However, you'll probably get a blue screen (which does little to help you in this case), but at least you won't have random reboots.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-22 10:42:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
In reference to the grocery bags... well, I've had idiots in both the U.S. and Canada. They must teach them to place heavier items on top of light -- and often soft -- items. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you don't place a jug of milk on top of hamburger rolls.

I sometimes go the Adventure Game route when I've gone grocery shopping by myself. If they ask me if I want a jug of milk in this bag or that one, I tell them: "Neither. I'll just stick in my inventory." I get some odd looks at that comment.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-10 01:49:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (trailmix @ Aug 22 2009, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Good morning all!

This morning you have a choice between Coffee or Sugar Cane Juice!


Looks like a colostomy bag... blink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-08-22 14:02:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Krikit @ Aug 18 2009, 08:57 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Synopsis of my hols:

We had a fabulous fabulous time in BC this summer! OMG, it was soooooooooooooo HOT when we got there! And nobody has A/C!!! ohmy.gif dead.gif Needless to say it was more along the lines of passing out than falling asleep at night.

This summer was the hottest on record. Seeing as how I moved to Canada (and more specifically BC) last year, I was "lucky" enough to see both the coldest and most snowy winter in years AND the hottest summer ever in BC.

My wife says it's not normally like this, but I have yet to see for myself.

As for the A/C, my wife also said that most houses, apartments and townhouses in Canada don't have air conditioning. She's originally from Alberta, so I don't know how well that transfers to other provinces. I do know that it's hard to find homes in BC that have A/C. We bought a portable stand-alone air conditioner.

Honestly, I think lacking A/C is very backward. Why should Canadians have to fry in their homes during the summer? That said, I did grow up in Houston, TX and if you don't have A/C there, you stand a good chance of literally dying in the summer.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-08-19 01:00:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Rob and Mel @ Aug 14 2009, 11:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Aug 14 2009, 08:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Naked_Smurf @ Aug 14 2009, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just a random, fleeting throught that passed through my head as I prepare to actually start working........

As far back as I can remember, I always thought it was ridiculous that the drinking age in the U.S. is 21. At 18, you are old enough to smoke, vote, go to war, and be held accountable legally for your actions. But it wasn't until I went to a couple of bars in London, Ontario that I finally came to my senses and am now fully in favor of it. Why? Well, because drunk 18-19 year olds are just annoying, and even worse in a bar where it is more difficult to escape them rofl.gif

It wasn't always 21. My parents remember when the drinking age was 18. The primary reason the age was raised was due to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (aka MADD). Their influence was so strong that DC eventually capitulated and changed the law.

While I fully understand and appreciate MADD's efforts, I fail to see how it really makes a whole lot of sense. What does age really have to do with maturity? I've known lots of 18-20 year-olds who've acted far more mature than those in their 30s or 40s.

Like most "interest groups," MADD has lost its original focus and now attacks anything to get noticed. For instance... MADD rallied against Grand Theft Auto IV because you could drive while inebriated. What MADD failed to realize or even acknowledge was that if drunk, the game ITSELF recommends you take a taxi. Your car will become much more difficult to control if you try to drive drunk and if a police officer notices your drunken driving, you'll become "wanted" and chased down. So contrary to what MADD proclaims, GTA4 does not promote drunk driving. It may allow it, but doing so can have negative consequences (much like murder and prostitution in the GTA games).


You completely missed my point. tongue.gif

As far back as I can remember (I am in my early 30's) the drinking age has been 21. I'm well aware of what it used to be in the 60's and of the various exceptions in certain counties still today. My problem with the age limit is canada is that teenagers are annoying tongue.gif

I do agree with you about special interest groups. They are much like PETA and that mothers group who opposed offensive language in music. They think they have the best interest of people and kids specifically in mind. They are however a far cry in reality from what their mission statement deliniates.

You hardly need a special interest group to prove that teens are annoying! tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-08-14 17:39:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Naked_Smurf @ Aug 14 2009, 09:12 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Just a random, fleeting throught that passed through my head as I prepare to actually start working........

As far back as I can remember, I always thought it was ridiculous that the drinking age in the U.S. is 21. At 18, you are old enough to smoke, vote, go to war, and be held accountable legally for your actions. But it wasn't until I went to a couple of bars in London, Ontario that I finally came to my senses and am now fully in favor of it. Why? Well, because drunk 18-19 year olds are just annoying, and even worse in a bar where it is more difficult to escape them rofl.gif

It wasn't always 21. My parents remember when the drinking age was 18. The primary reason the age was raised was due to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (aka MADD). Their influence was so strong that DC eventually capitulated and changed the law.

While I fully understand and appreciate MADD's efforts, I fail to see how it really makes a whole lot of sense. What does age really have to do with maturity? I've known lots of 18-20 year-olds who've acted far more mature than those in their 30s or 40s.

Like most "interest groups," MADD has lost its original focus and now attacks anything to get noticed. For instance... MADD rallied against Grand Theft Auto IV because you could drive while inebriated. What MADD failed to realize or even acknowledge was that if drunk, the game ITSELF recommends you take a taxi. Your car will become much more difficult to control if you try to drive drunk and if a police officer notices your drunken driving, you'll become "wanted" and chased down. So contrary to what MADD proclaims, GTA4 does not promote drunk driving. It may allow it, but doing so can have negative consequences (much like murder and prostitution in the GTA games).
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-08-14 11:24:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (MrsCat @ Aug 6 2009, 07:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
^ wow - that's insane. ohmy.gif

Well I sure hope its nothing like that!

Houston has had tons of hurricanes over the years, but you know what? Tropical Storm Allison was far worse than any hurricane we experienced.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-08-06 13:44:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Rhiann @ Aug 4 2009, 09:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
This fortune cookie that I just cracked open is pretty accurate.
It says:

"Determination is what you need now".

Kinda scary that it semi knows my situation laughing.gif

I once opened a fortune cookie that said, "Your car is on fire in the parking lot." blink.gif

Fortunately it wasn't, but that was definitely the best fortune cookie I had ever opened. I wish I'd kept it.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-08-05 13:35:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Marilyn. @ Jul 30 2009, 01:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
so it looks like we will be staying an extra day in San Diego .. yay..

feel bad for the hubby though because we had originally planned to go to a Dodger game the night before we left for San Diego.. we had sent in for free tickets.. we got them yesterday and they are for the day after we requested because they had no free tickets left for the day we requested... I guess we could go to the the game still but that means we would have one less day in San Diego and we do have tickets for a San Diego Padres game anyways...

so I just called and booked an extra night at the hotel.. it was simple and painless.. the extra night is about 5 dollars more then the other nights but that is no big whoop...

Make sure to visit the San Diego Zoo! I was there years ago, but I remember liking it a lot.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-07-30 16:15:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
My wife told me that if she and I were cartoon characters, she'd pull a mallet out of her pocket and whack me with it. blink.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-07-29 12:25:00
CanadaOff Topic Part Trois
QUOTE (Kathryn41 @ Jul 24 2009, 01:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
armadillos! Cool! Don't know how you'll be able to keep him from digging under the fence though - that's a tough one.

Yes, raccoons are bad news for pets so you don't want them to encounter each other.

What's interesting about armadillos is that they're incredibly stupid. It's not unusual for one to walk underneath a car, notice his surroundings have become dark and then whip his head up, cracking his skull in the process. That's one of the reasons why you so rarely see a LIVING armadillo. My family used to joke that armadillos are "born dead."
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-07-25 08:25:00
CanadaToronto Medical - for NON-Torontonians
I don't know how helpful this will be to you (I've never been to Toronto), but you could use Google Maps and Google StreetView to help you find parking and get a better feel for the area before you drive. I've done that in the U.S. and recently in Vancouver. StreetView doesn't solve all your issues, but it's nice to gather information before actually driving in the mess.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-26 19:13:00
CanadaFavourite Pictures
My favorite "motivational" poster of all time...


DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-02-08 13:14:00
CanadaWhat This Thread Needs is More Kittens
For the cat lovers: 6 Adorable Cat Behaviors With Shockingly Evil Explanations
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-09 08:29:00
Canadahow much money do you need to get into the states?
One day I want to bring in $10,000 in pennies. Let's see customs deal with that one. :D
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2010-02-16 10:25:00
CanadaIt's Not Political, but More Canadians Are Lefties
Because my Dad is left-handed, I first learned how to use a mouse with my left hand. I'm right-handed and easily relearned how to use a mouse with my right hand. One added benefit of this is that I can now use a mouse right-handed or left-handed.

For all you lefties out there, there's a mouse called the Logitech MX 610 that's specifically designed for left-handed use. I got it for my Dad and he really likes it. :D
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2010-02-16 20:53:00
CanadaIt's Not Political, but More Canadians Are Lefties
More Canadians are left-handed? Well, that just goes to prove how "sinister" Canadians can be. :P

I'm right-handed and have always shot right...though I used to prefer playing on the right side too (I played defense). Trying to play left-handed just felt wrong...though I was a switch-hitter in baseball, so I don't really know what to make of that.

I, too, have always found it interesting how many left-shooters there are in the league. I never noticed that it was primarily Canadians though.

I found this comment very odd:



Really? B.C. the most American-like of the Canadian provinces? I always thought Alberta had that distinction... :unsure:

Yeah, that seems a little odd. I'd definitely say Alberta is more like the U.S. than British Columbia. Maybe the article means the northwestern states? I'm sure there are a lot of similarities between BC, Oregon and Washington State.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2010-02-16 10:34:00
CanadaNetworking
QUOTE (SapphireDreams @ Dec 2 2009, 02:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
DeadPool - Since I just started at this job, I have no idea who we use for design or if we even do the hiring for that (sometimes it's our clients). But how about this... I'll PM you my name on LinkedIn, add me there and I'll introduce you to a previous co-worker who works out of my old Canadian company's Vancouver office. I doubt she's hiring, but she might know someone in your industry that you can chat with or she might even be someone you can network with! Or, she may even be able to suggest some local indsutry events or networking events for you to check out. It's worth a shot! (I totally just thought of her right now).

Also - how up on Social Media are you right now? Do you Twitter? Twitter has a lot of random information/news that might help in your research and networking. I also like to read Brazen Careerist, Dan Schawbel's blog (he talks a lot about personal branding). Maybe there are ways for you to expand your graphic design skill set. For example, a Graphic Designer with social media understanding would be pretty interesting on a resume. Don't sell yourself short either, just because you don't have a degree. You can still put what you do have on your resume and sell yourself in other ways.

I'm sure I'll think of more to add... so I'll come back to this!

Thanks! I'd really appreciate the LinkedIn help, Sapphire. biggrin.gif

I do have a degree in graphic design. I just meant that given the nature of graphic design right now, I felt my degree was about as useful as not having one at all.

I've been told Twitter is good (my father-in-law seems to love it), but I have trouble seeing its use. Most of what I've seen are self-absorbed nitwits posting about their every action (some of which seems quite personal). How can anyone really take Twitter seriously? unsure.gif

QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Dec 2 2009, 02:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I could give you the name of a few pimps in Vancouver too... yanno... incase all else fails.
mellow.gif

As if East Hastings isn't bad enough... helpsmilie.gif

QUOTE (Ravenesque @ Dec 2 2009, 03:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Angie'nMark @ Dec 2 2009, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
A couple of things. I used to live in BC, and for four years, as an extrovert, I found it very difficult to meet people. I ended up making friends with mostly eastcoasters too. I found Vancouver area to be very cliquish. I also found the dating scene to be pretty low key too. Men would never make the first move, and were quite passive personalities. So at least thank god that you are married!!


I agree that dating sucks in Vancouver! I'm glad I found my guy...of all places, in Chicago.

I think dating sucks anywhere.

QUOTE (Ravenesque @ Dec 2 2009, 03:37 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Dec 2 2009, 12:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Ravenesque @ Dec 2 2009, 10:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Are you in the Vancouver area? You're more than welcome to join my two clubs. I'll show ya around. :-)

Yup. Moved to Vancouver last year. Which groups do you belong to? star_smile.gif



Fyrebyrdes is my main club (Fyrebyrdes.com). The crowd skews mid-20s to 40s, mix crowd. The other one I belong to is Quay Speakers which skews predominantly older women in their 40s-50s.

Fyrebyrdes sounds pretty cool. I think I'll pass on Quay Speakers. wink.gif

Edited by DeadPoolX, 02 December 2009 - 07:23 PM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-02 19:22:00
CanadaNetworking
Hey, thanks for the help/advice. I appreciate it. smile.gif

QUOTE (Ravenesque @ Dec 2 2009, 10:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Are you in the Vancouver area? You're more than welcome to join my two clubs. I'll show ya around. :-)

Yup. Moved to Vancouver last year. Which groups do you belong to? star_smile.gif

QUOTE (lgg @ Dec 2 2009, 10:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
If I may chime in here...

Wouldn't it, uh, make sense if all of is immigrants and such here on this site networked? I mean, Wyatt and I are going to be neighbors, perhaps we could help each other get jobs at the chocolate shop and such.

Ya know? just sayin'....

That's an awesome idea. I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often.

QUOTE (SapphireDreams @ Dec 2 2009, 11:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I think knowing people to network is only half of it. Part of it takes a sort of fearlessness that can be really scary.

Obviously the easiest thing is to start with people you know, preferably in your industry. In your case, this obviously isn't an option. But don't rule out family. If there is someone that our in-laws know that work at a company you would like to work at or even might know someone at that company, see if they will help make an introduction or pass along their email. Then, send them a note and introduce yourself. Sometimes it might lead to something, sometimes not.

[SNIP]

Another online option that is probably the easiest to start with is LinkedIn. Do you have a profile? There are tons of groups you can join on there and tons of message board type conversations happening. I think Meetups.com is also affilated with LinkedIn. There is a really popular tech meet up called Third Tuesday and that is set up through Meetups.com. I think it even started in Vancouver and basically anyone in the "tech" industry (and I think the term tech is used pretty loosely). But yeah on LinkedIn, you can get introduced to others through an online capacity.

Another thing that may or may not work for you would be to go back to the people from the city you used to live in. Maybe a professor or a friend and ask if they have any friends in BC that work in your industry or might know someone. That's where facebook might come in handy. Send notes to people even just to say hello.

This is just an aside but check out mediabistro.com for job postings, I think the majority are marketing/pr related but I could swear I've seen graphic design ones.

Also an aside... I'm surprised you think that graphic design is dead. I work in PR in a consulting capacity and we are constantly recommending microsite development and enhancing company websites. Obviously small businesses cannot afford graphic design in the same way as other bigger companies, but the business world is very much digital and based around smart and chic web design. May just be a geographic thing for you Deadpool but I think you need to keep a positive attitude and don't give up with the industry.

My father-in-law is retired now, but he was a professional photographer for years. He was in-charge of the entire west coast of Canada for his company and hired/fired many people. He might know of someone. Besides, I've done some graphics work for him.

I have a profile on LinkedIn, but I never go to it. I probably should. I didn't think it would help much (seeing as how I really don't know anyone), but maybe I was wrong. I'll go back and work with it. I need to retrieve my password first, though. tongue.gif

I doubt very many people in Houston know anyone in BC. It's not entirely impossible, but still very unlikely. If anything, more people in Texas would know someone in Alberta due to the oil business done between them. I'll still give it a shot. tongue.gif

Mediabistro.com, huh? Never heard of it, but I'll check it out.

And finally... maybe the field isn't "dead" but the companies that actually understand the importance of it and make use of it are difficult to find. As I said, many businesses tend to be smaller ones and they simply don't understand what the difference is between a professional graphic designer and a junior high student who dabbles with his cracked version of Photoshop.

Maybe it's the area I live in, too. I don't know. It's hard to tell since I've never lived anywhere else in Canada.

QUOTE (bradcanuck @ Dec 2 2009, 11:39 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I work in online marketing and we hire designers every week for odd jobs. Perhaps it's a personal thing. We have no problem finding quality work at great prices (where I know they make decent money from us, I know what a good designer is all about)

Seems you and Sapphire understand the field, but most don't. By the way.. what companies do you guys work for and do they need anyone to design something? innocent.gif

QUOTE (Sam and Ben @ Dec 2 2009, 11:58 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's not that graphic design is dead - it's that there are a fair few people out there, businesses included, that don't seem to understand the difference between what their nephew can create in FrontPage or what actually takes hours and hours to code from scratch. Or everyone wants to be taught to "do it themselves", so they either never have to hire someone to create their site, or at the very least, can struggle around managing it themselves after creation.

Good to know, Mal. Looking forward to having a friendly face in the area. smile.gif

Bingo! good.gif

That's the problem.

QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Dec 2 2009, 12:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Also, my husband joined this design site called yayhooray - you need an invite but I am sure if you googled, you could find someone with one. When he first moved back to the Philly area he posted a thread asking about which firms were really well known and successful in the area - he applied to most of them and got the job he has now.

They're a bunch of designers showing things off like their sites, business cards, etc. I mean sure the lot of them are pretentious but you get your name out there, make some web pals and you eventually land yourself a job.

Hmm... I'll look into that, too.

Edited by DeadPoolX, 02 December 2009 - 03:50 PM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-02 15:49:00
CanadaNetworking
QUOTE (Ravenesque @ Dec 2 2009, 10:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ Dec 2 2009, 09:14 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I've never understood the whole "networking" idea. If you have no one to network with (like me), how are you supposed to do it? I can't go up to random strangers on the street and start a conversation. I imagine they'd look at me like I'm insane. I know I would if someone did that to me.

This problem goes beyond work as well. My wife and I have no friends here and the only people we know are her family. That's great and all, but they have their own lives and are on Vancouver Island. That's a good hour-and-a-half ferry ride, if not more. That doesn't include the LONG drive from where we are to Horseshoe Bay. BC Ferries can be expensive, too.

We're not particularly anti-social (although we're not the most extroverted people), but it's really difficult to get to know people. Again, what are we supposed to do, strike up a conversation with someone on the street we don't know?

Part of the problem may relate to our work. My wife works at home and as of right now, I have no work at all. Add up our financial situation and rarely go out (not that there are a whole lot of entertaining venues where we live).

So I have to ask: how do you network when there's no opportunity to do so? unsure.gif


I feel ya, DeadPoolX. My husband and I are introverts too but I'm working on that. :-) Here's what I do:

1) join clubs (i.e. Toastmasters. I belong to two clubs)
2) join meetup.com - It's a great site for people to get together for a variety of reasons
3) join Facebook
4) join a sports club (i.e. dragonboat teams)

Plant the seeds now, let some time pass and soon friendships will blossom. :-)

I'm already on Facebook (although that seems fairly useless unless I want to post videos, make inane comments and play games like Mafia Wars), but MeetUp.com and Toastmasters sound interesting. I'm going to give those a shot! biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-02 13:11:00
CanadaNetworking
Career
My career is (was?) in graphic design. As I've posted many times before, that field is practically dead. With the exception of the largest and most well established companies, most businesses don't understand the need for a professional graphic designer. They think the 13 year-old down the street can do the same job, but for a lot less. Even if they don't necessarily believe that, they'll have someone who already works for them do the designing, instead of hiring a new person or getting someone to work on a contract.

Seriously, I've had people try to bargain with me about prices. They've told me that instead of getting paid monetarily, having my work shown by them is "great exposure" and an "opportunity to get experience and add something to my resume." I get all of that anyway, but that seems to be lost on them.

They've also DEMANDED (as part of the contract) that I show them everything I did so they won't have to hire someone like me again. Worst of all, there have been people who've laughed when I told them I charge for my work. They really thought I was joking. When I told them I wasn't, I've heard all sorts of excuses such as "times are hard and money is tight" or "I have a family to feed." Great, but I need to make money too.

Why should I do work for them for free? Will they do work for me free? No, they wouldn't. But somehow graphic design has gone from a once viable profession into something considered a "child's hobby." wacko.gif


Volunteering
I've volunteered with the BC SPCA and the local city government, where I instruct people on technology (mostly computers). You'd be surprised at how many people have NO idea how to work a computer. Some don't even know how to use a mouse.

But anyway... the people at the SPCA have no interest in anything to do with me beyond volunteering. I'm not a jerk towards them, but we simply have no common interests beyond volunteering at the SPCA. Most of the volunteers are middle aged women with too much time on their hands. Seriously, some of the "youngest" volunteers are close to 50 years-old (most are older). Maybe that doesn't sound old, but it's hard to find a common interest with someone from a different generation, especially those who're even older than my dad.

I have the exact opposite problem when teaching classes on computers. Most of the volunteers are in high school or in their very early 20s. I don't have a lot in common with teenagers or early 20-somethings. Besides, they wouldn't do a whole lot for me in either a social or businesses capacity.

Those who run both volunteering programs aren't interested in doing anything with volunteers beyond whatever is necessary. I do have them as work-related references now (which is lot more than I had before!), but that's as far as it goes.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-02 13:02:00
CanadaNetworking
QUOTE (Malrothien @ Dec 2 2009, 09:15 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I'm not sure - most networking would be done through parties/meetings/acquaintances.


Horseshoe Bay isn't that far of a drive. tongue.gif

It is when there's a lot of traffic and during the holidays. Since when has HWY-1 not been bumper-to-bumper and we visit my wife's family for Thanksgiving, Christmas, etc.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-02 12:16:00
CanadaNetworking
I've never understood the whole "networking" idea. If you have no one to network with (like me), how are you supposed to do it? I can't go up to random strangers on the street and start a conversation. I imagine they'd look at me like I'm insane. I know I would if someone did that to me.

This problem goes beyond work as well. My wife and I have no friends here and the only people we know are her family. That's great and all, but they have their own lives and are on Vancouver Island. That's a good hour-and-a-half ferry ride, if not more. That doesn't include the LONG drive from where we are to Horseshoe Bay. BC Ferries can be expensive, too.

We're not particularly anti-social (although we're not the most extroverted people), but it's really difficult to get to know people. Again, what are we supposed to do, strike up a conversation with someone on the street we don't know?

Part of the problem may relate to our work. My wife works at home and as of right now, I have no work at all. Add up our financial situation and rarely go out (not that there are a whole lot of entertaining venues where we live).

So I have to ask: how do you network when there's no opportunity to do so? unsure.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-02 12:14:00
CanadaCanadians feeling guilty about taking jobs away from Americans?

The onus is on the employer to choose the correct person for the job. If a person has English as a second - or even first - language and they do not communicate well, be that printed word or on the phone/in person - it is the employers problem.

Yes, but if the employee feels they aren't getting hired due to lacking English, it's likely they'll sue on the basis of "discrimination." I'm sure the ACLU would pick that case up (especially if the so-called discriminated included Hispanics) and, believe it or not, the employer would probably lose the case.

I remember a case in Houston where an exterminator had printed on his business card: "No habla espanol." Well, those in the Hispanic community who couldn't speak English went berserk. They claimed discrimination (going so far as to say his business card read "I hate Mexicans") and the exterminator was sued. The result? The exterminator had to either learn Spanish or hire someone who knew it.

The exterminator felt that his business card was a fair warning since his profession dealt with potentially harmful chemicals. He didn't want to unintentionally harm anyone. His apparent reward for actually caring about customers (or at least making an attempt to avoid a lawsuit) was to get sued.

Now let me ask you this: Why should the exterminator be forced to learn Spanish or hire someone to do it for him? That's unreasonable. The United States is a predominantly English-speaking country. That means everyone needs to understand English on at least a basic level.

You also assume that learning a second or third language is easy for everyone - I don't think that is the case at all, some people do not learn other languages well, some do. Some people may just not be capable of learning another language well - well enough to converse comfortably with locals.

I don't think anyone has made that assumption. I'm not great with foreign languages (although I do know German and to some degree, French as well). That's not the point, however. I don't live in Germany or France (or even Quebec) so my overall knowledge of those languages is a secondary consideration.

I don't understand why so many people automatically equate "understanding a language" with becoming fluent in it. There's a large difference between the two. If I visited Germany -- and I'd like to do so at some point -- I could never claim complete mastery of German. I know enough to read, write and converse in it on a basic level. Could I get into a political debate? Probably not. Could I read signs or a menu and speak in a (somewhat) intelligible manner? Yes, I could.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2010-02-16 17:27:00
CanadaCanadians feeling guilty about taking jobs away from Americans?
Well, here's my view on this...

1. Any employer who would set requirements on language would probably get sued for acting "discriminatory." Even if speaking English was particularly important to that job, the non-English speaker could sue and would probably end up winning. The American legal system is broken (in many ways) and needs a major overhaul.

2. I don't believe it's arrogant to want incoming foreigners to speak English. No one expects them to know English perfectly (it's rare that most Americans and Canadians do this). However, it's not unreasonable to expect some level of proficiency in the language -- if for no other reason, it makes life easier for the immigrant.

It's been said over and over, but when you move to a foreign country, you are expected to adapt; not the people already living there. If I were to move to Germany, France or Spain, do you think I could reasonably demand their citizens speak English in lieu of me learning German, French or Spanish?

3. Canadians aren't "taking jobs away" from Americans. Once a Canadian (or any foreigner) legally immigrates, they are by law considered an American PR. It's at that point the immigrant has every right to work in the United States. Citizenship isn't required for most jobs.

4. The misconception that "Canadians are stealing jobs from Americans" probably stems from the massive influx of illegal aliens. The average American probably doesn't know -- or care -- about the differences between legal and illegal immigration. All they hear is the word "immigrant" and therefore automatically associate an illegal status with it.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2010-02-16 10:14:00
CanadaZed or Zee
I say "Zee" in both the U.S. and Canada, but then again, I'm American. From what I've been told, plenty of Canadians say "Zee" as well due to American media influences.

Having said that... I was teaching a class on computer basics (as a volunteer) and when I mentioned CTRL Z to undo mistakes, I said "Control Zee." One lady looked at me, laughed and asked, "Are you American?" I told her I was and then she started making fun of me and the United States.

I was trying not to get annoyed. After all, this was a FREE class for her (and anyone else who wants to sign up) and she's harassing me simply because I'm American? I thought to myself: "Lady, my nationality has absolutely no bearing on how I teach. If you don't like Americans that much, then you can get the hell out of here. Come back when there's a Canadian volunteer."

I didn't say that, of course. I did, however, ignore her for the rest of the class -- even when she had a question or wanted help. The volunteer coordinator, who's usually there, didn't care that I was ignoring her either. She complained to him and he said, "If you want help, you probably shouldn't make fun of the teacher and his nationality."
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-10-10 06:45:00
CanadaOMG... And she thought I was lying!!! **You're SO gonna laugh!**
My Dad was the same way. I think the problem isn't only general ignorance when it comes to immigration, but false influences from elsewhere. Movies, books, TV shows -- they all paint an incredibly unrealistic picture of immigration. Maybe they do it for the sake of the story (who really wants to watch a two-hour movie solely comprised of paperwork, medical and fingerprinting?), but the end result is people don't know the reality of it.

To be fair... I can't imagine most of us knew before we started the process. Immigration isn't something you give much thought to unless it directly affects you.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-10 09:44:00
CanadaOMG... And she thought I was lying!!! **You're SO gonna laugh!**
QUOTE (easytarget @ May 3 2009, 05:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (DeadPoolX @ May 2 2009, 11:36 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
.. and chilled money brains.

Whats a chilled money brain? I think I might want one of those!!!

Well... it could be a lot of things, but I was actually going for "chilled monkey brains." tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-05-04 03:08:00
CanadaOMG... And she thought I was lying!!! **You're SO gonna laugh!**
QUOTE (beans @ May 2 2009, 07:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
In relation to the sales lady. I would have hung up on her. However, I don't own a timeshare so I don't know the relation between owning a timeshare and being rude to the lady.

The immigration thing = ridiculous. But since my family is full of immigrants they understand a little bit more than others. lol My Oma said "I don't want you to leave Canada but who am I to talk I left two countries before I came here"

Even better -- try to freak her out. I love doing that. Just start talking about cats made of cottage cheese and chilled money brains. They'll shut up fast. biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-05-02 10:36:00
CanadaOMG... And she thought I was lying!!! **You're SO gonna laugh!**
QUOTE (easytarget @ May 2 2009, 01:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Everytime I fly to Canada people are surprised that is more expensive than flying to Seattle.

ME: I then say well it is an international flights and international flights have more fees and are more expensive.

THEM:You are going to Canada that's not international.

ME:Ahhhh yes it is...USA and Canada are not the same country.

THEM: Well ya, but we are almost the same.

ME: Well the Canadians might have something to say about that thought....

To be fair... some U.S. airlines list flights to and from Canada as "domestic." So I could see how someone might make that mistake.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-05-02 04:31:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois
Suspension? Detention? Police reports? When did this come about? blink.gif

I remember simply fighting. School didn't bother with any of it, so the situation was solely in the hands of the students. If you were bullied and wanted it to stop, you fought back or you continued to get bullied. That was how it was handled. I guess things have changed a little...
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-16 17:39:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part Trois
So... I was talking with a friend from the U.S. and she's having some bullying problems with her kid (he's being bullied, not doing the bullying). I assumed she was asking me what to do since I was bullied -- both psychologically and physically -- for years. It seemed in the end she didn't want my advice after hearing it.

What did I tell her? I said her kid needs to break the bully's nose.

It's true, too. Bullies don't listen to reason and they certainly don't care about whose feelings they hurt. Bullies DO understand violence and that works. I know it did for me.

Unfortunately, a lot of very misguided people have tons of bad advice, such as...
Ignore the bully
You know when this works? Never. I've never once seen a bully leave someone alone because they're being ignored. If nothing else, this only encourages the bully.

Try being nice to him and that'll throw him off guard
Nice idea, but it doesn't work. Sure, you can be nice to him and he'll throw a very friendly punch at your head.

Talk to him and let him know how he's making you feel
I'm sorry if this insults anyone here, but that has to be the single dumbest thing anyone could do. The entire reason the bully is picking on you is that he hopes he can hurt you. That's his goal! Letting him know he's doing an excellent job of it certainly won't deter him.

Ask a teacher for help
Good luck with that. Most teachers won't do anything unless they see the act as it takes place and bullies aren't stupid. They know enough to avoid being seen by school staff while tormenting others. In addition, teachers don't want to become involved since that means potentially risking their neck if anything goes wrong.

Get a parent involved
You could do that, but only if you want your kid to get $hit on even worse in school. Trust me, this never works and it only makes things much worse for the bullied kid.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-12-15 20:23:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Apr 7 2009, 10:40 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sentinel @ Apr 7 2009, 12:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Rob and Mel @ Apr 7 2009, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My sister has twins, and I love my niece and nephew to pieces, the way my sister acts sometimes is borderline psychotic. It's like a hurricane when they come to your place. The only thing that gets me is that she will come over to someones house and immediately start moving things around and moving tables and stuff so the kids can't grab things. I have thus far resisted the temptation to tell her to make em "act right" rofl.gif

That would drive me crazy. I'd definitely say something. I bought the items in my house, so someone else -- kids or adults -- can only mess with my items if I give them permission to do so. Refusal to cooperate would result in their immediate expulsion from my home (unless they wish to pay for whatever may be damaged or broken).


You guys don't have kids do you?


Do you guys plan on it at all?

No, I don't have children. However, it's my right to enforce certain rules in my house and regarding what belongs to me. If someone wishes to screw with any of that, they had better get my permission first.

QUOTE (trailmix @ Apr 7 2009, 10:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Sentinel @ Apr 7 2009, 12:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I understand that raising children can be a very difficult and often unappreciated task. My mother was a stay-at-home mom and I can't imagine my brother and me were that easy to handle.

However, I can't help but feel that disciplining your child would make your life -- and the lives of others -- far less difficult overall. A kid that knows he can't get away with having a temper tantrum when out somewhere has to be a good thing.


But you are missing the point of the article that Treble posted - it's not up to you.

First of all, you do not understand what having a child is like until you have a child. No one can tell you - it is not something you can comprehend - I believe this 100%.

Maybe your Sister in Law has a different idea than you have about what discipline is. If so, that is her perogative, it does not really matter what you think about it (well I mean it does to you and your wife - it just has no bearing on how the inlaws will do things).

Finally - this is where you get your say in the matter - if you don't like the way they do things - stay away from them good.gif

I agree that the decision-making is up to the parents. However, since my wife wants to visit family during holidays, I cannot avoid them entirely. We have tried to go when the least amount of child interference is present. If I can limit my exposure to yelling and screaming children, I'm entirely for it.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-07 12:56:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
QUOTE (Rob and Mel @ Apr 7 2009, 09:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
My sister has twins, and I love my niece and nephew to pieces, the way my sister acts sometimes is borderline psychotic. It's like a hurricane when they come to your place. The only thing that gets me is that she will come over to someones house and immediately start moving things around and moving tables and stuff so the kids can't grab things. I have thus far resisted the temptation to tell her to make em "act right" rofl.gif

That would drive me crazy. I'd definitely say something. I bought the items in my house, so someone else -- kids or adults -- can only mess with my items if I give them permission to do so. Refusal to cooperate would result in their immediate expulsion from my home (unless they wish to pay for whatever may be damaged or broken).
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-07 11:42:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
I understand that raising children can be a very difficult and often unappreciated task. My mother was a stay-at-home mom and I can't imagine my brother and me were that easy to handle.

However, I can't help but feel that disciplining your child would make your life -- and the lives of others -- far less difficult overall. A kid that knows he can't get away with having a temper tantrum when out somewhere has to be a good thing.

I'd just like to have a little time, when at my inlaws, to have a decent conversation without kids running around and yelling. I don't expect the kids to behave all the time. That's unrealistic. But my request up above is hardly unreasonable.

I'd like to add that when my wife and I were planning our wedding, my sister-in-law wanted to bring her kids. Neither of us wanted them there. That wasn't because we disliked them, but because it was our wedding and we didn't really want unruly children there. Plus, we were having a fancy dinner at an upscale restaurant afterward. The kids would've been a nightmare there, if for no other reason they'd be bored out of their skulls.

Naturally, my sister-in-law took offense to that and my wife argued with her some. Eventually, they reached an agreement. My brother-in-law would stay home with them while my sister-in-law attended the wedding. Honestly, I think they could've found a babysitter. They'll have to trust their kids with someone eventually (unless they're planning on home schooling them).

Edited by Sentinel, 07 April 2009 - 11:37 AM.

DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-07 11:34:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
Sometimes my wife and I go to visit her parents (my inlaws), which I am fine with. I like her parents and we all get along pretty well. The problem is when my sister-in-law is there. Unfortunately, we seem to visit during holidays and that's when my sister-in-law is there.

She and her husband have three kids (5 year-old, 3 year-old and a brand new baby). I don't hate kids, but the 5 year-old runs around uncontrollably and demands constant attention. She never shuts up and feels she has a "right" to do anything she wants. Because the 3 year-old is generally antagonized and worked up by her older sister, she becomes difficult as well. The baby is a baby; in other words, it sleeps most of the time until it wants something, in which case his cries will break glass.

It's virtually impossible to have an intelligent and adult-oriented discussion when those kids are around. They cause so much noise that I can barely think and at some point, I need to either go outside or to the guest room. I get migraines and those kids are definitely migraine-inducing.

My wife likes her nieces, but she'd also like to talk to her sister. She never gets to do that anymore since my sister-in-law has "mom brain" as my wife calls it. That's when a woman's whole life is wrapped up around her children and spends all of her time with them, forgoing other relationships. So the children eventually become an annoyance to my wife as well.

Even my father-in-law, who loves his grandchildren, gets annoyed after a while. He wants to spend time with the kids, but he doesn't like dealing with the antics of a noisy and completely self-absorbed little kid. I think my mother-in-law is more tolerant, but I can't imagine she doesn't get tired of it at some point.

Probably the biggest problem is that my sister-in-law is completely ineffective at disciplining her children. While I don't advocate corporal punishment (although I could think of a few cases where spanking or something similar might be warranted), my sister-in-law lets her children run rampant. Every so often she'll attempt to calm the 5 year-old down, but only does so in a half-a$$ed way. It's obvious that when it comes to her kids, she capitulates quite often.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-07 10:48:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
QUOTE (Rob and Mel @ Apr 6 2009, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
LoL, for that exact reason, I don't think I could move out of California. Maybe Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, or even Mexico. But definitely not Texas tongue.gif

Haven't found a decent Mexican food restaurant outside of there

That's a good point. Good Mexican food is very difficult to find. There was one restaurant my wife and I went to on Whyte Ave when we were in Edmonton (I think it was called Julio's Barrio) when meeting up with a childhood friend of hers. My wife and her friend thought the Mexican food there was really good. While it wasn't bad, I certainly wouldn't call it "good."

So that's three types of food: Cajun, Brazilian and Mexican that's damn hard to find here. Japanese, on the other hand, is on just about every corner. There were lots of Japanese restaurants in Houston too, but nothing like this.


DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-06 17:42:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
I miss Cajun and Brazilian food. Those types of restaurants were all over Houston, but they're extremely difficult to find here. I suppose that's why my wife wants to go get that kind of food every time we're down in Texas. I never gave it much thought (after all, it was easy enough to get, right?), but now I understand.
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-06 12:49:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
QUOTE (MrsCat @ Apr 5 2009, 08:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I hate moving. I hate everything about it. Not to mention I am a total klutz and slam my fingers in doors, stub my toes, drop things on myself.

I'm like that too. I really despise moving and you always have more ####### than you originally thought. I'm spastic 365 days of the year and it doesn't rely on moving, either. tongue.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-06 02:20:00
CanadaThe Vent - Part 2
QUOTE (*Marilyn* @ Apr 3 2009, 01:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
the only thing that works when I get a headache is advil extra strength liquid gels .. those work really quick

For me it's Relpax coupled with Ultracet.

QUOTE (Sprailenes @ Apr 3 2009, 03:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Great I'm locked IN my apartment and I am talking to my son through the mail box!

This is great! LOL

Did your son record it? I would have. biggrin.gif
DeadPoolXMaleCanada2009-04-03 20:07:00