Today's Smile

[LostSanity]

Spoiler: show

[Chrisgotjar]

Spoiler: show

It's a little weird hearing a British voice in there I guess because it's less neutral British and more, "Tally ho! Let's give these monsters a sound thrashing old chap"

[Midnight Breeze]

I started orientation for the USPS. I'm getting assigned to North Richland Hills. I don't know anything about the neighborhoods around here, but judging by income demographics it seems pretty affluent (read: less crime). By sheer luck I live in Haltom City, which is right next to NRH, minimal commute!

I'm making $15.68 an hour now, which is a lot of money to me. After living check-to-check for years it's going to feel strange having extra money to throw around at first. Time will tell how it all works out, but I'm optimistic!

Now I just need to ride out the lease on my apartment in the barrios so I can move to a better place...it was the only place I could find on such short notice, but whatever. If it's really bad I may be able to afford to break my lease.

[Chack]

I was suddenly able to beat 7 out of 8 bosses in Megaman X. I have never even beaten more than two before that.
I don't know how. It just... happened. I feel pretty good right now.

Also, I just spent well over $100 getting a Nintendo 64, an expansion pack, and an extra controller.
Not for me, no no. For my brother for Christmas. Something about that just seems... satisfying. I'm sure he'll enjoy it, along with Star Fox 64, Ocarina of Time, and Banjo Kazooie.

[Midnight Breeze]

By God! An ISP that actually delivers on its advertised speed! I'm paying 40 bucks a month for 60 down/4 up and I'm actually getting it! In Louisiana I paid 50 a month for 50 down/ 8 up and only got about half the advertised speed...

Not sure why the upload speed is so low relative to the download speed but whatever, that is indeed how it's advertised. Don't really care much about up speed anyway.

Odd. Charter has very negative reviews on google reviews. Am I missing something? 

[Chack]

By God! An ISP that actually delivers on its advertised speed! I'm paying 40 bucks a month for 60 down/4 up and I'm actually getting it! In Louisiana I paid 50 a month for 50 down/ 8 up and only got about half the advertised speed...

Not sure why the upload speed is so low relative to the download speed but whatever, that is indeed how it's advertised. Don't really care much about up speed anyway.

Odd. Charter has very negative reviews on google reviews. Am I missing something? 

WHY CAN'T MY INTERNET EVEN BE 10% THAT FAST.

So I beat the bosses in Megaman X, now I just need to find all the upgrades and defeat Sigma.

[Chrisgotjar]

I've been reading some of my old RPs from 2009-2011.
Nothing I can link to here because they're a little dark/combat related but it really makes me want to get back into RPing proper again.

[Midnight Breeze]

I've noticed that everything seems to be cheaper in east Texas than Cenla. I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it - in Texas, compared to Louisiana, working the exact same job you:

Get paid more

Get taxed less

Enjoy better infrastructure

Enjoy better civil services

Don't get spit on by the very politicians you elected (Okay, I'm not sure about that one yet...)

With all that in mind, why would anyone want to live in Louisiana? Yes, Louisiana does have a very unique, very rich culture that I very much love. But recently east Texas has a growing cajun community due to Louisianians moving out en masse. My niece is planning to move here when she graduates nursing school because she could literally make 8-10 bucks an hour more working here.

...


BTW, my car insurance dropped again, down to $385 for a six-month policy. At this rate it will be practically free when I turn 25.

[Invultrois]

Got my driving liscense today, and in the process of buying my first car.

[Ramisha]

There is a contest in which you can win a Playstation 4 BUT not the normal one, the PS1 one. All you need to do to enter it is make a ps logo out of things or draw it, it has to be original. No problem for me! I hope I win! I would explode of happiness!

[Chack]

With all that in mind, why would anyone want to live in Louisiana? Yes, Louisiana does have a very unique, very rich culture that I very much love. But recently east Texas has a growing cajun community due to Louisianians moving out en masse. My niece is planning to move here when she graduates nursing school because she could literally make 8-10 bucks an hour more working here.

If I could, I would move to Texas. That is, if anyone could drive safely in Texas. Seriously, last time I visited, it was a nightmare on the roads.

On the other hand, I FINALLY beat Megaman X! I don't know how it happened, but I suddenly got good enough at the game to beat it! Now I just gotta beat a Mario game...

[Midnight Breeze]

I haven't even truly begun employment yet, and already I'm set to receive a COLA in January.

Man, union jobs ROCK!

[Nuserame]

Spent the day modding Dwarf Fortress, trying to figure out XenServer and CentOS on my old-ish IBM server, looking up stuff about metallurgy (pattern-welding and ancient Chinese metalworking to be specific) just because its fascinating, and am currently listening to some Korpiklaani while sipping chocolate milk.

Life's good despite it all!

Also ancient Chinese engineers were hard core!

I haven't even truly begun employment yet, and already I'm set to receive a COLA in January.

Man, union jobs ROCK!

Uuh... I guess all caps COLA means something different than a fizzy drink, or you really like cola.

[Midnight Breeze]

I haven't even truly begun employment yet, and already I'm set to receive a COLA in January.

Man, union jobs ROCK!

Uuh... I guess all caps COLA means something different than a fizzy drink, or you really like cola.

No, that's exactly what it is. I'm getting a Diet Coke in January, horray!


No but seriously: Cost Of Living Adjustment. It's when you get a pay raise to reflect an increase in consumer price index, so your wages don't fall behind inflation. I'm sure it's standard in many countries, but in the USA very few employers give them.

[Nuserame]

I haven't even truly begun employment yet, and already I'm set to receive a COLA in January.

Man, union jobs ROCK!

Uuh... I guess all caps COLA means something different than a fizzy drink, or you really like cola.

No, that's exactly what it is. I'm getting a Diet Coke in January, horray!


No but seriously: Cost Of Living Adjustment. It's when you get a pay raise to reflect an increase in consumer price index, so your wages don't fall behind inflation. I'm sure it's standard in many countries, but in the USA very few employers give them.

Ah yes, you can buy more than one cola with that

Grats!

[Midnight Breeze]

If I could, I would move to Texas. That is, if anyone could drive safely in Texas. Seriously, last time I visited, it was a nightmare on the roads.

You're right about that. Nothing angers me more on the road than people who don't use their turn signals. I thought Cenla drivers were bad about it, but they might as well just not install turn signals in vehicles in northeast Texas. It takes one finger! Why is it so hard? That's what worries me the most about my new job.

We've pretty much been told that if we have an accident during our probationary period we can kiss our job goodbye. What's more, the veteran carriers say that "When people see a USPS truck, they see dollar signs. They will try to make you hit them so they can sue the post office."

I really hope I get routes with a looooooooooot of walking and minimal driving. It probably helps that I'm being assigned to an affluent district, though.

[Chack]

You're right about that. Nothing angers me more on the road than people who don't use their turn signals. I thought Cenla drivers were bad about it, but they might as well just not install turn signals in vehicles in northeast Texas. It takes one finger! Why is it so hard? That's what worries me the most about my new job.

We've pretty much been told that if we have an accident during our probationary period we can kiss our job goodbye. What's more, the veteran carriers say that "When people see a USPS truck, they see dollar signs. They will try to make you hit them so they can sue the post office."

I really hope I get routes with a looooooooooot of walking and minimal driving. It probably helps that I'm being assigned to an affluent district, though.

I would say the driving in Louisiana is about as bad, but there are at least a few people that have the decency to use a turn signal. Not enough to justify the bad ones, though. There really is no excuse to be lazy about turn signals.
Not to mention the people that are literally inches away from your bumper and even if they have a chance to legally pass you, they don't. I don't care if people pass the speed limit, just don't do it when there are people around. This is BASIC driving safety.
My high school art teacher used to live in Texas. He would go about 90 on the interstate, and people would actually be honking and zipping around him.

Oh God, those people are the absolute worst. The things they do to have an excuse to sue people is just petty. What's even worse is the fact they have a good chance of winning that lawsuit.

Good luck to you, though. Are you enjoying your job so far?

[Midnight Breeze]

Good luck to you, though. Are you enjoying your job so far?

I haven't started yet. I've been in classroom orientation this whole week. On monday I take the driving test for the LLVs and then I have the call my station to see when they want me to begin my on the job training. I may or may not be working on Christmas, don't know yet. Mail carrier is a very hard job, I'm hoping I'm prepared for it.

The public perception of carriers is that they are grossly overpaid and do basically nothing, people have no idea. Carriers deserve every last penny they earn. Succeeding as a mailman is a long and strenuous process. I'll start out of a city carrier assistant, which is the lowest of low. CCAs get all the crap routes that no one else wants and we're the ones who have to work when the career carriers are off for holiday and vacation. We have very few benefits, and very little time off, no premium pay for working on holidays, ect - those must be earned. After about a year as CCA you can become a career carrier. It's all uphill from there.

We are fairly compensated, though - current starting pay for CCAs is almost $16 an hour, which isn't half bad for an entry level position that requires no skills, experience, or education past high school. You reach the top of your career after about 15 years of service. At which point you're sitting pretty making $30 (with regular COLAs) 5 weeks of vacation, three-tiered retirement plan, triple-pay for working holidays, federal benefits, ect. All from a career that requires no degree.

[Chack]

Good luck to you, though. Are you enjoying your job so far?

I haven't started yet. I've been in classroom orientation this whole week. On monday I take the driving test for the LLVs and then I have the call my station to see when they want me to begin my on the job training. I may or may not be working on Christmas, don't know yet. Mail carrier is a very hard job, I'm hoping I'm prepared for it.

The public perception of carriers is that they are grossly overpaid and do basically nothing, people have no idea. Carriers deserve every last penny they earn. Succeeding as a mailman is a long and strenuous process. I'll start out of a city carrier assistant, which is the lowest of low. CCAs get all the crap routes that no one else wants and we're the ones who have to work when the career carriers are off for holiday and vacation. We have very few benefits, and very little time off, no premium pay for working on holidays, ect - those must be earned. After about a year as CCA you can become a career carrier. It's all uphill from there.

We are fairly compensated, though - current starting pay for CCAs is almost $16 an hour, which isn't half bad for an entry level position that requires no skills, experience, or education past high school. You reach the top of your career after about 15 years of service. At which point you're sitting pretty making $30 (with regular COLAs) 5 weeks of vacation, three-tiered retirement plan, triple-pay for working holidays, federal benefits, ect. All from a career that requires no degree.

Ah, I see.

I have never once heard that carriers are overpaid. Is that actually a thing that people think? In all honesty, it's not a job I would want or would be good at, but I believe that people in that field DO deserve every penny.

I wish the best of luck to you on the job!

[Invultrois]

Christmas holidays starts today. Yay for three weeks of free time!