Posts made by Auspice

I wish you luck. The last time I worked 3rd shift on EST, I ended up playing MUDs for the lack of RP.

It's a really, really hard timezone to be an overnighter in. I feel your pain.

I just wanted to update:

I know some folks were bothered by lack of OCs here and I get it. I won't argue that point at all. I can totally understand why it'd be a bummer.

However, I am having a hell of a time on this place. Everyone has been a lot of fun. It's one of the most upbeat, friendly games I've been on in a while. CG is very easy (it's really just making sure you know the character you're playing and which 'version' you've chosen, be it a specific one or your own spin or what). Staff is helpful, players are helpful. The sheets are more there as reference than any hard and fast thing to go by.

I and Batman (yes, we have a Batman who not only RPs regularly, but in public, and runs things) are both running plots. If you like DC and don't mind FC-only, I really do recommend checking it out.

(P.S. The last person apping Superman has been offline over 5 days. He will prob. be open soon. I also would love to see people app Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. Like oh man they'd be freakin' awesome to see, y'all. Also, us mystic folks would be thrilled for an Etrigan. We can't make up our own limericks all day! And, I'm working on a Killer Frost app and there's no other ice villains yet, so. Y'know, there's an option for the types that like playing villain-y sorts.)

@jinshei said in Good or New Movies Review:

The Commuter: 2 hours of fast paced tedium. Save yourselves. The people behind us had a conversation, breaking The Code and I was happy to have something interesting to listen to.

When I saw The Last Jedi, a guy near me remarked of The Commuter's trailer: "I saw Taken. I don't need to see Taken 15."

I shared the sentiment.

@templari said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@auspice I'm just going to give you this very platonic "I understand your pain" hug. This past term, I had an excellent understanding Prof (with material that I was struggling with.), and retaking a god-awful course with a god-awful prof who was so bad at her job, late feedback, arbitrary grading style, never responds to emails/messages etc., she was replaced during during winter break for the last two weeks of the class. So, I'm just going to take my D and be happy its no longer an F and move along.

But I know your struggling and the quicksand anxiety it can make.

I do appreciate it. These guy are leagues better than a couple profs I had this past fall. I'm just at the point in my degree where sometimes, things are actually hard and I'm not used to that. Which... sounds terribly snotty of me and I apologize.

I went into my degree program knowing most of it would probably be fairly easy. I chose it not because of that, but because I wanted the industry knowledge. Script standards, for example. What producers and agents are looking for. Stuff like that. Things you don't really find easily on the web (a lot of it is kept secret and/or buried). And I've gotten a lot of that.

But I'm a talented writer, so the bulk of what I've had to do has been easy! But I graduate end of May, so I'm in the final stretch, which means it's... well, it's hard sometimes. And this month? I'm in two classes at once + my usual job. So it's hard in volume of work, too.

Added bonus: I emailed my other prof about the flow chart to ask for some advice on constructing it (first time I've ever actually reached out to one of my instructors for help on an assignment that wasn't just 'your info was vague and confusing, wtf man')... He not only gave me solid advice, but pushed back my deadline. I hope I don't need the additional time, but man. I appreciate it nonetheless!

I think it's gonna depend on whether or not Brady's hand injury affects him. He's gonna play today, but if he pulls those stitches...

@derp said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

@auspice said in Real World Peeves, Disgruntlement, and Irks.:

I have to assemble a copy deck* for class. It was due by Sunday night. I can't even really begin on it until I get feedback on my 'planning' document from last week.

I haven't received this feedback yet. Our professor extended our deadline until Monday. Which is probably awesome for the people who have gotten their feedback, but sucks ass for anyone like me who hasn't.

I'm in two classes this month. One has an awesome professor. This prof is... I mean, he's not bad, but this current issue has me pretty upset. And I don't want to ask for a further deadline. I don't want to be on this big a crunch at all, because next week I have to put everything in said document to action as it were for my final project.

*A copy deck is basically the document that has everything in it needed for a copywriting project. I'm looking at about 20+ pages for mine. And... it's Friday night and I haven't started. I can't start.

Say something. Really. If he has not given you the necessary feedback to complete your project in a reasonable time, you should at least tell him that you don't think the delay will allow reasonable time for completion.

If he refuses to move the deadline, that is when you do things like appeal to the dean.

I have had irresponsible professors like this in the past. I learned quickly that you have to approach these kinds of things directly. Preferably through channels that leave a record.

I contacted him today. He's given me an extra day. Since I have Mon/Tues off, I should be able to get it done in that timeframe.

Back to stressing out over the 'flow chart' I have to make for another class by tomorrow night. I just cannot grok flow charts. I mean, I can follow them, but I can't make them. Fuckers make no sense to me in construction. I dunno why, I just can't grasp them.

Please make my food slutty.

I have to assemble a copy deck* for class. It was due by Sunday night. I can't even really begin on it until I get feedback on my 'planning' document from last week.

I haven't received this feedback yet. Our professor extended our deadline until Monday. Which is probably awesome for the people who have gotten their feedback, but sucks ass for anyone like me who hasn't.

I'm in two classes this month. One has an awesome professor. This prof is... I mean, he's not bad, but this current issue has me pretty upset. And I don't want to ask for a further deadline. I don't want to be on this big a crunch at all, because next week I have to put everything in said document to action as it were for my final project.

*A copy deck is basically the document that has everything in it needed for a copywriting project. I'm looking at about 20+ pages for mine. And... it's Friday night and I haven't started. I can't start.

@surreality said in Fear and Loathing (Official Thread):

@miss-demeanor They're actually way better (and cheaper) than the Keebler knockoffs (dunno if those are still made or not), believe it or not.

It's true. They do. But I actually still kind of love the GSC one a little more.

And the Walgreen's version of Tagalogs is pretty good, too!

Unfortunately, I'm steadily proving to myself that I am prob. diabetic. I feel worse whenever I have sugary things, so.

No cookies for me. I'll just be over here with my snack of pita and hummus. Someone get a box of samoas for me?

@miss-demeanor said in RL things I love:

@auspice I too work in an atmosphere dominated by men. It can be hard to break through that gender barrier, especially if there's any decent amount of age gap present as well. But yes, that feeling you get when greeted by name or being invited to join them in whatever is happening is pretty damn awesome. So kudos to you for stepping out of the comfort zone and getting there!

I am one of the older people where I work. There's a guy in his late 40s. Me in my early 30s. Our local manager is in his late 20s. The PM in Sacramento is about the same age I am. And then the Sacramento team (which has a handful of women) and the rest of our team locally are all in their 20s.

But being into sports, video games, and an overwhelming knowledge of internet memes won them over.

Also buying pizza on Christmas Eve. I think that helped too.

EDIT: I've carried over one of my rules from staffing into being a team lead in that I continue to just hang out and bullshit with them. I'm not full management. Yes I help with training. Yes I'm an escalation point. But I want them to be comfortable bringing things to me. And they are.

I've always been that person at jobs that just clocks in, does their thing, and clocks out. But I've made myself be more social at work. I go to the parties. I've even gone out after work a couple times with coworkers.

On shift, I don't spend the whole day with headphones on. I bullshit around with the guys (I'm the only woman on the team currently; not for lack of trying and we do have other women in the office, just not on my team).

They're actually happy to see me come in. Like literally one of them said "Hey! [Auspice] is here! Awesome!" yesterday. It's... kinda great. And new to me. Or something I've just never been able to notice before due to depression and lack of good enough meds.

So I think overuse was the issue re: my foot. I took a week off my walking commute because of the weather (cold = bad for my fibro self) and just paid for the Lyft to work. Today was my first day walking again.

Foot began hurting, but I made it a quarter mile further before it did and it didn't hurt as badly. So it's not the shoe, either. Nor something that will go away, sadly, with more training/practice.

The upshot is that someone has offered to sell me their car at a great deal. So once my tax refund comes in... I think I'm set. I've been telling myself for a few years now that if I just held out, something would come through. And lo and behold.... So I'll have a vehicle soon and be able to use the free time to start using my apartment gym to develop a more rounded out exercise routine instead.

@rnmissionrun said in Comfort Food...:

My favorite "comfort food" lunch: Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Egg salad and Avodaco sandwiches. Yum!

Egg salad sammiches are one of my common choices for what I put together to take to work. I haven't added avocado night might have to the next time I see them on sale!

@ganymede said in Recipes!:

@auspice said in Recipes!:

I think that's the best part of the thing for me: as a single person, I can make a lot of food in an afternoon/evening and have plenty of leftovers. With my fibro and limited free time, that's a bonus.

The best part about being a single person is making whatever fuck kind of food you want, and not have to worry about monkey-shits or a picky partner that don't understand the tender love and care necessary to make Chinese pot-stickers from scratch.

Or a char-siu-inspired roasted pork tenderloin.

Fall-off-the-bone whole roasted chickens in InstantPots.

Because I like to cook.

Not that anyone in this goddamned townhouse seems to give a fuck.

Ingrates.

I want all of those foods.

I'm not a picky eater. My stomach, however, is. We argue often.

Me: 'I wanna eat...'
Stomach: 'No. I'm angry and I will be furious with you unless all you put in me is bread, broth, or grilled chicken.'
Me: 'But... but...'
Stomach: 'MAYBE I'LL BE FURIOUS NO MATTER WHAT.'
Me:

So when my stomach isn't being shitty, I like to experiment and have fun with what I cook. I've also been trying a variety of wing recipes. The ones I've tried so far:
Old Bay Chicken Wings
Maple-Chipotle Hot Wings
Honey BBQ Wings

The Maple-Chipotle are my favorite of those 3. I'm still hunting for a good garlic parm wing recipe (the ones I've tried so far have been meh). I think the wings in my freezer right now are destined for this: Lemon Pepper with Dark Soy and Honey

@ganymede said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

@auspice

I too use HRBlock.

I'd been using TurboTax for a while, but last year they were just... a pain in my ass and I decided I was done with them this year. HRBlock was easy. I was done in about half an hour, no problem. Their site let me upload PDFs of my tax documents (thank you to my school and employer for having those!), it was much more clearly defined. I was just much happier with it overall.

Share 'em, ask for 'em, discuss 'em. Whatevs.

Anyway! I tried this InstantPot recipe for yogurt a few days ago and the only thing I want to do next time is a higher quality of 'starter' yogurt (you use a couple tablespoons to kick it off) and to strain the final result to make it thicker. Overall? It was super easy and I got half a gallon of plain yogurt for just a couple dollars of ingredients.

Considering yogurt is one of my primary go-to breakfasts, this is totally worth while for me. The effort involved was really low (it's mostly just 8 hours of wait time). The next step is just figuring out amounts of vanilla to mix in (a tricksy prospect).

My next is gonna be making chicken pho (using this recipe). Just waiting on a couple items from Amazon (primarily a small strainer so I can skim the broth). Considering how much the recipe I chose makes, I'll likely end up freezing half the result. I think that's the best part of the thing for me: as a single person, I can make a lot of food in an afternoon/evening and have plenty of leftovers. With my fibro and limited free time, that's a bonus.

I recently got (OK: found buried in my Humble Bundle stuff from back when I was still getting the Monthlies) 'This is the Police' and it's a fun casual game to play while RPing. It's resource management with a steep curve that isn't so frustrating that I get angry.

The story is a nice touch and I think it's well-balanced. I recommend checking it out if you like the style.

@tnp said in Health and Wealth and GrownUp Stuff:

I already started mine on Turbotax but have to wait for 3 different places to get me the documents I need.

Check out HR Block. I gave it a shot and found out if you get any/all of your refund on an Amazon gift card, they'll give you 15% more of that amount on said gift card.

Considering I was gonna gift myself a PS4 (as like a 'hey everything's been shitty for a while and you've wanted this for a long time!'), I opted to put enough for one on an Amazon gift card, so it's like an added bit of bonus cash on top.

@taika said in Fear and Loathing (Official Thread):

Could the threads for closed games be 'archived'? There, but inactive?

Methods for how to handle it have been discussed, but I don't think a good solution has been finalized yet.

@kamikaze said in Fear and Loathing (Official Thread):

What is this hog pit thing? O.o

Go to 'Groups' at the top, then find 'Pitcrew.' Warning: the Hog Pit is the section of the forums that is largely unmoderated. Abandon all hope.