DIE SUPER!!! - G'morning, 2009!

[AAA]

I don't pay as much as CK, but yeah that sounds like a ridiculously good deal. I'd read over the fine print to make sure there isn't ay funny business or this isn't an introductory rate or whatever, but if nothing seems fishy then I say go for it.

[Captain K.]

In the "random good news" department, the auto dealer that I bought my car from Saturday called today.  They found cheaper financing for me (5.5% interest instead of 8%) and let me resign the papers for it.  Wow.  How's that for customer service!

[NotMiki]

In the "random good news" department, the auto dealer that I bought my car from Saturday called today.  They found cheaper financing for me (5.5% interest instead of 8%) and let me resign the papers for it.  Wow.  How's that for customer service!

Wow.  Go them.

[Ultradude]

Wooo fall classes at cheapo community college. Hoping that I didn't actually need to take Introductory Algebra, and that it's just me making myself feel better about my math abilities. Of course, still needing to buy books is not entirely cool, but I need the school to get the report on any aid money...

[Lady Door]

Hooray for freakishly good deals! I've come to expect that from USAA in general -- if they cover it, they tend to do it better for cheaper. They're the reason I can rent a mid-level car for 4 days with liability insurance included for ~$300, after all. <_< No introductory rates or anything weird like that. It's the standard quote for insurance with an indication that I get discounts for being a Good Driver (because of no DUIs or fatalities and such, woo hoo), etc.

So yay! Thanks for the insight, guys.

In the "random good news" department, the auto dealer that I bought my car from Saturday called today.  They found cheaper financing for me (5.5% interest instead of 8%) and let me resign the papers for it.  Wow.  How's that for customer service!

That's pretty darn awesome of them. I want to say I love it when a business goes the extra mile without being asked, but I can't think of the last time that happened to me. >_>

Wooo fall classes at cheapo community college. Hoping that I didn't actually need to take Introductory Algebra, and that it's just me making myself feel better about my math abilities. Of course, still needing to buy books is not entirely cool, but I need the school to get the report on any aid money...

Boo math.

That is all.

[metroid composite]

Boo math.

That is all.

Don't be mean to math 

[Veryslightlymad]

Being mean to math is my mode, but apparently such a subject is divisive.

[AAA]

YEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[Cmdr_King]

You needed the picture there.

[AAA]

If you insist.

[Cmdr_King]

Excellent.

[metroid composite]

This was an...interesting run-in with customer service.  To give you an idea, there was about a 2 minute delay between each of his messages.  (It looks like a normal conversation if you assume DL chat speed, but no).  Also, his name is MAX KELSO.  Granted, he was helpful, but I was still mildly amused by the conversation.

Chat InformationYou are now chatting with 'Max Kelso'

Max Kelso: Hi Kaitlyn. My name is Max, how are you today?

Kaitlyn: Hi, is there a way to unzip on server-side?

Max Kelso: Yes.

Kaitlyn: *untar, rather.

Max Kelso: To protect your account from unauthorized changes, can you please verify for me the answer to the Security Question:

Max Kelso: What is your pet's name?

Kaitlyn: Umm...my pet's name is Bouncer, but I'm guessing this is actually Becky's security question not mine.

Kaitlyn: I can run across the street and ask her if needed, but you'd have to give me a few minutes.

Max Kelso: Yes.

Max Kelso: You need to provide the answer for the Security Question.

Kaitlyn: Alright, give me...15 minutes or so, I'll see if she's there.

Max Kelso: Could you please provide me with the last four digits of your credit card on file, so that I can authenticate you as the owner of the account?

Kaitlyn: I'm not the owner of the account, I'm a volunteer in the organization.

Max Kelso: Okay.

Max Kelso: Could you please let me know whether you have password of the account?

Kaitlyn: I do have the password, yes.

Max Kelso: Okay.

Max Kelso: In order to view the Security Question and answer of the Security Question in the account, please follow the steps:

Max Kelso: 1. Log into the Control Panel using your account's login information.

Max Kelso: 2. Click on the icon Set Security Question under Account Information.

Max Kelso: 3. Select you profile form the drop down box. Here you can view the Security Question and answer of the Security Question.

Kaitlyn: Okay, done.

Max Kelso: Okay.

Kaitlyn: (Does this mean I don't have to run across the street after all? I just finished getting dressed).

Max Kelso: To protect your account from unauthorized changes, can you please verify for me the answer to the Security Question:

Max Kelso: What is your mother's maiden name?

Kaitlyn: censored for security

Max Kelso: Thank you for the authentication.

Max Kelso: You can unzip the files using the 'Archive Gateway' tool in the Control Panel.

Max Kelso: The 'Archive Gateway' tool is available in the Control Panel under the 'Web Site' section.

Kaitlyn: Does this go for untarring as well?

Max Kelso: Yes.

Kaitlyn: Cool, thanks.

Max Kelso: You're welcome!

Max Kelso: Currently, we have the Administrative, Billing and Technical e-mail addresses set for this account as webmistress@****.org . Please verify whether this is a valid e-mail address or not, as all the account related information will be sending to this address. If it is not a valid one, then you need to update it to any valid e-mail address.

Kaitlyn: webmistress@****.org forwards to my work account, and from there I forward relevant billing information to our treasurer.

Max Kelso: Okay.

Max Kelso: Is there anything else I can assist you with today?

Kaitlyn: Not right now.

Max Kelso: Thank you for chatting with us. Please feel free to contact us at any time. We are available 24x7.

Max Kelso: Bye!

Chat InformationChat session has been terminated by the site operator.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

26ºC at 3PM. I don't think we've had afternoons this temperate since March.

Also, I definitely should buy an umbrella.

[Lady Door]

Need more opinions.

Thinking about taking Japanese (at Soko Gakuen, for those who know/care). Thoughts?

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Eating Japanese? I'd say go for it without regrets.

EDIT: Chinese would also be swell, but I'm hopelessly biased.

[Taishyr]

Soko Gakuen's a teaching program IIRC.

This being said, hmmm... Would probably be worth a shot, at the least? IIRC your job is low-stress, maybe you can grab something that'll let you practice on the job as well.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

* Jo'ou Ranbu knows nothing. >_>

That said, if you are interested in teaching -at all-, I'd say go for it, since it's experience you will want and need if you're thinking of a long-term professor career. Not to mention that it would be a cool thing to have in a resume if that is a program like JET. Gogogo overseas experience and such.

[Lady Door]

Eating Japanese? I'd say go for it without regrets.

EDIT: Chinese would also be swell, but I'm hopelessly biased.

I eat Japanese food without reservation. I even have my own chopsticks decorated with little zebra cartoons. <3

Soko Gakuen's a teaching program IIRC.

This being said, hmmm... Would probably be worth a shot, at the least? IIRC your job is low-stress, maybe you can grab something that'll let you practice on the job as well.

SG's a language school. 3 hours 1 day a week for 11 weeks in a 10-15 person class. It's really cheap and word has it that it's a good school. Its downside is mainly that it takes a little over an hour to get to via public transportation (and only ~20 minutes by car. sigh.). While annoying, it only means I lose my evening one day a week.

The real question is whether it makes any sense for me to take Japanese. I like it and all, but if I don't end up going to Japan/learning enough to translate things, it's utterly unrelated to everything else I want to do academically since I'm an Anglo-Saxon English major.

* Jo'ou Ranbu knows nothing. >_>

That said, if you are interested in teaching -at all-, I'd say go for it, since it's experience you will want and need if you're thinking of a long-term professor career. Not to mention that it would be a cool thing to have in a resume if that is a program like JET. Gogogo overseas experience and such.

Looking at JET again is what made me start looking into it, honestly. Definitely agree about overseas experience. Teaching only seems natural, especially if I'd be teaching English, especially if it's in a place I have no earthly reason to have an interest in but do anyway.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

The real question is whether it makes any sense for me to take Japanese. I like it and all, but if I don't end up going to Japan/learning enough to translate things, it's utterly unrelated to everything else I want to do academically since I'm an Anglo-Saxon English major.

Looking at JET again is what made me start looking into it, honestly. Definitely agree about overseas experience. Teaching only seems natural, especially if I'd be teaching English, especially if it's in a place I have no earthly reason to have an interest in but do anyway.

I think you just answered your own question there, Ash. If you -are- indeed interested in JET, I'd completely pat you in the back and say "go nuts". I'd recommend more than a single year of Japanese language studies, though, since one year isn't enough to really grasp the basics of a language - and it certainly isn't enough to ease you into the whole experience that is living overseas.

This is the real reason why I'm recommending more extended study time, since it'll also give you some time to ease into the idea itself. If you end up finding it's not your cup of tea after all (by getting different opportunities, be what may), you lost relatively little time and learned some stuff about a new language, which will be useful at least. Far less annoying than living for a year in a foreign country and realizing two months in you'd rather be handcrafting shoelaces in a Malaysian orphanage than dealing with Japanese hellspawn. <_< Going somewhat raw may be an enlightening experience, but the more prepared you go, the better, and you don't need to be entirely naked against the world to learn a lot. >_>

EDIT: Sometimes I wonder if I sound a bit too detached when I try to give advice.

[Lady Door]

But taking an extra year means an extra year stuck here. D:

You make good sense, though, damn your eyes. In any case it looks like I may as well sign up for the class. Will decide about the JET thing a little later, since I have until the end of November to get the app in if I decide I want to try not to get rejected again.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

You're never completely stuck anywhere unless you're entirely bereft of limbs and resources. Keep that in mind whenever you need perspective. =] Although I do get your impulse to see places, but where you are is less important than what you live, what you do and how you process your own existence - and that goes both ways (for wanderers and rooted people alike).

In any case, taking the first step (taking the relevant classes) is already a responsibility, which will keep you on your toes enough to not forget about your goals. That's a good start.

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

holyshitholyshitholyshitipassedyetanothergovernmentpositionpublicexamandipassedin6thplaceholyshitholyshitholyshit

[Luther Lansfeld]

High-five!

[Jo'ou Ranbu]

Hells yeah!

EDIT: And for the bad news: I didn't get my request for special classes approved. Oh well, the MD enrollment process probably starts next month anyway.

[superaielman]

What specifically does that test cover? Congrats either way.