ippy
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Posts posted by ippy
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Hello September. Hello knife edge.
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Ooh, that does remind me. A gnarly as shit course is the straight whisky course on Goryu/iimori.
Im sure its fine and all that, but purely from its proximity to all the green runs in the general vicinity, and the fact it doesnt LOOK all that bad, it really ****s the beginners up.
I speak from the experience of one of the many thats come a cropper on it. Its those mountains lurking under the dust that get you. Its a rare day when you dont see someone cartwheeling on it.
Which also reminds me (because it almost broke my ankle), that champion course can be brutal. It tricked me into thinking that the moguls would be soft pack thanks to the steepness of it (and up top its kinda soft pack). Got about half way down and it was serious pinwheel trenching. And then came the ice walls... i plotted an escape route towards the stream (and the toomi quad), it started off well, but got caught and the force of the impact had me reeling. Again, its not so much the atual gnarliness of it (like kijimadaira for example), but because it LOOKS doable and fun.
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Watched the first series of Utopia. Incredibly arresting telly. And only six episodes long. Do yourself a favor, read a review or two (or better yet, watch the opening scene of the first episode) if you can handle the blood levels, (its hyper stylized to be honest so i dont think its honestly that bad), and enjoy it in a single sitting. Well worth the bother.
Dont spoil it though.
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That was my assumption as well. Seems not. THAT BEING SAID though, ill definitely stop taking them a week or two before my contracts up. Dont want to accidentally trigger a piss test. There has been mention of synephrine (the main ingredient beside caffeine) triggering false positives. To wit:
Bitter orange has recently been substituted as an ingredient in many "ephedra-free" dietary supplements used for weight loss. The primary active ingredient in bitter orange is synephrine. Previous reports have documented false-positive results from ephedrine with urine amphetamine assays. Because of the similarity in chemical structure of ephedrine and synephrine, it is hypothesized that ingestion of a bitter orange supplement may have the potential to cause false-positive results with urine amphetamine assays
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Im cheating my ass off. Doing gym stuff as ever. If i carry on as im doing (no real diet), then ill probably hit around 81kg by winter (from peak of 85 in March).
Instead, playing with supplements. Taking lipo6 black to speed things up a bit. Only been taking it since wednesday, and lost about three pounds of (i assume) water weight.
This is expected and anticipated, but a few years ago i crash dieted for a month (about 6-800 cal/day), assumed first few days was water weight. That was nice. But it kept going. Im hoping this does something similar.
A few things to note... on the bad:
1. Irritability and impatience are clear side effects. I feel kinda dickish. In addition, though it gives you the focus to do stuff, your heads a bit cloudier. I really cant use it when i work. I tried on Thursday after a decent trial run at home on the wednesday afternoon. But evidently it ****s your head a little bit.
2. I lift less (about 20% less - im not big, but bench (which was going up) on a proper set of 6-10 reps is now down from 140 to 120 at a push). I also run less (before touching it, i was running 5-7km every couple of days, now hitting 4 with effort). Finally, recovery is harder. Need more time between sets and get slight nausea.
On the good:
1. Weight loss is rapid: 82.5kg to just under 80.9 yesterday. I know its water weight, but there are other factors at play...
2. My diet is snack based. I dont eat clean at all. In fact, i have one of the worst diets youll ever see. All sugar. The gym for me keeps me in equilibrium at around 80kg. My first 6 months in China were gym free and saw me balloon to 85kg. In the last5 months its come down. So one of the HUGE things this does for someone like me is it curbs that sugar addiction i have. Not totally mind you, but you just dont feel like buying that sugary drink for a pick me up. If anything, this (rather than the pill itself) is going to yield the results.
3. The appetite suppressant effect sort of works. I just dont feel a burning need to eat late on in the evening. I mean i can and do, but id rather drink water. This is a big deal as well because it takes away the need for one of the most important things in a diet: willpower and self discipline (of which i have none). Another side effect is that i just dont feel a burning need to have a wee drinky at home just to wind the day down and get some sleep. No pre-bedtime swally is another sugar free bonus.
4. Im drinking a shit load more water now. The last time i successfully dieted i drank a LOT of water. It pulled me from 83 to 73 in the space of a month (full on crash diet).
5. Its supposed to be breaking down the fat on top of all this. And ill be honest, my poop has gone a whiter shade of pale. Dunno if its relevant, but its another change that makes me wonder.
6. No sleep problems. Im pretty sensitive to stimulants (ill spin out if i drink too much coffee for example), but no problems sleeping so long as its dropped 6 or so hours before. Also no laggy effects the next day. Feel absolutely fine getting up for work and heading in. Maybe even slightly more cheerful thanks to the lack of sugar spikes and alcohol from the night before.
So all in all, so long as i keep the routine (gym is locked in and core part of routine), the sort of bonus effects should probably see good results. The no sugar, more water, no alcohol thing alone would have seen me drop considerably. Throw in the fat burning and general appetite suppressant (and the workouts), and i reckon in a few weeks (even without conscious diet or food control) we'll see a few more KGs come off. The only problem is that i cant do the proper course (1 in the morning, 1 in the afternoon), because i dont want to be that assholeish at work. Still, that really means i only need to have about 30% of the willpower to not eat like a pig given that i know that once classes are over, ill pop the pill and i'll just not need that extra kick.
Last thing then: Do i recommend doing it this way?
**** no. If you eat clean and exercise, youd be in great shape so no need at all for a diet? This way messes your head, and screws your body up for a month or so. It makes you moody, less playful, and more boring (see this post). That being said, so did crash dieting.
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I tell thee what! ive not loved Tianjin. In fact, ive kinda disliked it. Nothing really personal, its a big city (13 million people), and i hate cities generally. Give me mountains, countryside students and just a peaceful life any day.
But damn! This place is DESERT dry. Rainy season has come and gone and i reckon we've had about 10 days of rain. And even then its on and off (mainly off).
Ive thoroughly enjoyed skipping rainy season this year. Considering last year in Trat was pretty much every day monsoon (and thigh deep wading to school in flip flops), i reckon this is karmic payback. Thanks Karma wheel!
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I am a ****ing boss! This was nova at the time when you literally had to have a pulse to score the gig (and when they were charging pie in the sky idiots 60,000/month in rent to stay in one of their apartments with some random dude youd never met in you life before). Ah,pre scandal nova! how i could have done with thee at least once.
Interac im putting entirely down to desperation creeping through every pore of my skin in those last two weeks in Japan.
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Uni has been incredibly important to me. In fact its been the defining act of my life thus far.
Like Tubby though its done **** all for me in relation to my subject (philosophy).
But lets see:
As a high school drop out, i left school at 16. Bounced around enjoying my dole check for a few years. Dropped out of a BTEC in Music Technology twice, started hanging out with a bunch of space cadet upper middle class oiks dossing in Newcastle (yes, im a class-conscious prole!), ended up moving in with them. Raved like a bastard for three years! Loved the surrogate uni life and realised id sorta missed the boat on something. Around the same time, found the last days of Socrates at their house and tried to read it. Could sort of understand it, but also sorta couldnt explain it. Got really annoyed in a phone call to a mate because i couldnt explain this amazing thing id learned and felt stupid. Vowed there and then that **** HIM!!! Im going to learn philosophy and shove it in his fat ****ing face!
So did my a-levels (was around 22-24) at Newcastle College. Somehow stuck through the courses this time (maths, philosophy and govt and politics). went to Leeds uni exactly the year they phased out the student grant (boooo! 1999), ****ING LOATHED it. (Also, no Wittgenstein in third year? What the **** is this?) Left for a real university at Sussex uni. Started from year 1 because... why not! Uni's awesome! Loved it. Dragged my two best mates from Newcastle down. They loved it too. Fell in love with a Japanese girl and saw her for 4 years. Became a postie the year after graduation whilst trying to figure out a way to Japan. Flunked a nova interview! But loved the floor plans of Japanese LDKs, it seriously blew my mind. Came to visit her for a few weeks, accidentally fell in love with her best mate (unrequited of course). Then vowed to return to make her mine (unrequited of course). Loved the chilled vibe and peace of the country Somehow got into the JET programme in 2005 and have been teaching ever since.
Best debt i ever ended up never paying back! Thank god for never meeting the threshold and living just above the UK poverty line (whilst tax free, and low overheads). I might even upgrade to an M.ed in a few years just to ride this gravy train to the very end. Despite last year being a ****ing dreadful one, i learned two very important things: 1. China has jobs out the whazoo. Youll always find work in China until your mid 50s (the cut off). I now have a years experience here as well, that'll get my feet in the door no problems! 2. Thailand is a great place to just die. And if Thailand doesnt work by then and they stop employing geriatric 'teachers', supplementing their 30 year old wife and her four kids from her actual boyfriend/husband while you live in blissful ignorance, Cambodia is a great place to disappear from everything. This industry is VAST.
So thanks degree for a life of punching far beyond my weight and giving me what i always wanted: to do and achieve absolutely nothing. I might as well still be on the dole! (:
Plus i really got to grips with some Levinas, and lots of Wittgenstein... and i dont care if thats irrelevant to 'the real world', the Situationist International made my life pure joy! I fell in love with life through theoretical post-marxian philosophy. I pity those fools who went to uni and studied something so theyd be rich. I pity them! (And want their money so i can do even less of course).
Thanks 'worthless' piece of paper!
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If youve got the money of course and arent a cheapskate like me, then theres ski in/out options all over the shop. If not though the only two REALISTICALLY with ski in/out on a budget is Ryuoo and Yomase/Kosha. Black box. Google etc.
Akakan also does the black box, but the two times ive used it i was in the exact same hotel and its a bit of a shank down the hill
Akakan also has the most awesome ski in/out place ive seen to be honest. Its right out of the shining!
As for the gaijinz... shiga will be relatively gaijin free. No gaijins either on the two days i spent on Kosha. If you stay yudanaka and wanna snow monkey, then youll see a few probs, but theyre likely there exclusively for that pointless waste of time.
Ryuoo was pretty much empty of gaijins, as was togari and madarao now i think about it. Well, madarao to a very slightly lesser extent. Realistically the only ones that has the gaijins is.... drumroll... myoko! It seems to be getting a fair bit more publicity the past few years. Pity, i always wanted to retire there and be a grizzly old lifty there supping my shochu and scowling at the idiot children on their hoverboards. I mean WHATS THE ****ING POINT OF A HOVERsnowBOARD ON A MOUNTAIN??? FFS! these stupid kids these days! why the hell am i degrading myself teleporting these rich little wankers to the top of this hill? I should get a lazerpistol. I really should.
And nozawa. Definitely saw more gaijins there last-last season than any other time. Could be though that i had a season pass and went there more often
Point is though that NONE of these places are comparable to either niseko or hakuba. Its still just a few others on your hill. Possibly only myoko is pushing the envelope a bit harder for a third little town in japan for bogans to call their own. But Nozawa will never be overrun by foreigners despite its popularity just because its a fully functioning all year round actual proper lived in town, as well as being a place well loved by Japanese skiers and riders. I cant see foreigners coming in and buying up cheap lots or hotels like they can do in maybe Myoko (which to be honest on my first visit there in 2009 gave the impression of being a run down shit hole that needed a good deal of investment to bring it back to life) and like they did in Hakuba and Niseko.
Then again, more speculators and investors in this forum than me that know the history far better. Either way, i wouldnt sweat the details. Myoko is a fun as shit place to ride. Youll see bogans no doubt, but you really dont have to see them if you have any japanese speaking friends who can book accommodation for you through any japanese website. The end
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Just literally made this post over SBforums. Dunno if its a help, but heres some ideas. The dude wanted to go shiga kogen, its a good idea of course. Definitely not going to find too many gaijins up there. But heres the other options from an iiyama and yudanaka perspective. I should add that my choices were based on him being in a group with 4 mates and all of them being beginners.
I guess i COULD tailor it more to your preferences (very close to the ropes, more japanesey), but maybe ill leave it as is for the moment. Its long enough
Base yourself around Iiyama for example and you should be able to hit up any of the following in order of personal preference:
Myoko Suginohara: For beginners like yourself, its really going to deliver the perfect goods. Lots of powder, a gentle pitch pretty much all the way own the mountain (except the very top lift), pretty much an entire FUN mountain to play in as well as a true leg burner of a run if youre up for it.
Nozawa: Serene, again, incredibly beautiful place. Lots of gentle lines throughout the mountain, insane powder when it goes off. Lots to do. A few flat parts here and there, but for beginners, once youve got some turns in you, youre going to love chewing our teeth on the skyline. Youll get a good sense of accomplishment from hitting that.
Togari Onsen: SUPER CHEAP (bring passport for discount lift ticket). I love Togari. Part of it is rosy goggles. But its CUTE! The resort has enough fun lines to hit up, lots of little naughty powder stashes, and the whole vibe is seriously beginner friendly (and young). Its the kind of place youll find people burying each other in snow, having snowball fights, and scorpioning in the cutest way imaginable. Its such a fun little place. Totally under-rated for my money. I wouldnt pick it over a day at the other two, but id be tempted to pick it over the rest to follow.
Myoko Akakura: Really if you were a more advanced group this one would be above Togari, but i think its better for intermediates. It really delivers in soft slackcountry and tree riding more than anything else. It has a fair few beginner lines of course, but its a straight gradient curve from bottom to top meaning realistically you might find the top too challenging to be fun, and the bottom too flat to be fun. Still, its a genuinely decent ride out, and isnt hurt by its location near the main town area for a bit of apres fun (suginohara is a few kms away from the main town part). If you base yourself in Myoko, then a couple of days at Suginohara, and a day at Akakan and Ikenotaira should make a decent time of it.
Myoko Ikenotaira: With around ten days of riding unde rmy belt i made my way to Ikenotaira and freaking loved it. Its definitely beginner and very low intermediate friendly. Almost everyone there will either be a) family with young kids; b ) near beginners; or c) park rats. Its got a nice vibe to it, lots of straightforward terrain, completely untouched powder stashes (families stick rigidly to the groomers) and some baby park features if you feel like laughing at each other bailing on some air. Its also, cough, the first place i ever ran under a lift line or ducked a rope.
Myoko Seki: Welcome to powder snow. Ive never made it out there, but its puked on like nowhere else in Japan. Seriously, every year, most snow in Japan. Its small, but if you want that niseko powder, then this might be at the top of your hit list. The resort is pretty much a free space, which of course worries me a little for beginners going there. But if youre up for the challenge, and coped with niseko, you might be alright here. Youd have to research it a bit first before you commit.
Ryuoo: Hmmmmmm... now im taking the piss obviously. Dont come here until you feel comfortable with your turns. Because if you come to ryuoo and dont ride the b course, youre missing out on what makes it awesome. Ive no idea how long youre planning on staying, but id save it until youve got a bit of confidence in you. Its an AWESOME line. But its going to kick the crap out of you. But again, its one of those things that once you make it down, youll feel like youve stepped up a bit. But if you cant face it, there is a great vibe at ryuoo. Its young, its laid back, very student style. Its got ski-in/ski-out accommodation for DIRT CHEAP, and a super friendly beginner area at the base of the mountain. Its basically a nice long base area with a mid teen gradient, then lurches up well into the mid 30s, and finally plateaus at the top on a very soft gradient. Its a brilliant place but you need to really be starting to carve, hold your edge at speed and on total bobbly icy crud to make it fun. You probably also need to be pretty comfortable in the trees or in basic slackcountry to get the best out of it. If you start feeling you can handle it, then definitely have a trek there. Its Nagano's hidden gem. But that part of the hill is definitely not for beginners.
Madarao/Tangram: Hmmmmm... again... a bit more going for it than Ryuoo perhaps, but i cant help but feel that this mountain REALLY suits strong intermediates more than beginners. Sure, it has a lot of terrain thats accessible to beginners, but its really again, the bottom half. The top half once again thrusts up into the mid 30s rapidly. The best thing about it is the off piste policy, and alas you wont really be experiencing much of this. Its also extraordinarily busy, which can get rather frustrating. Still, worth a lookie. I dog on it, but others say im completely off base. So one to maybe check out and ignore me on.
For Apres, your best bets here are definitely the Myoko resorts (basing yourself around Akakura onsen (do not ride at akakura onsen, its a cluster**** of a resort) or Nozawa. Nozawa is beautiful. Seriously. Proper snow-globe town in the hills. Akakura is a bit more party orientated i guess, but not quite niseko or hakuba style. Its still just really a couple of streets with a few places to get drunk maybe. Not sure how the bogan infestation over the last couple of years is transforming it, (havent really stayed there since 2011), but by all accounts more amenities springing up for the foreign visitor, which cant be a awful thing i guess.
You could be hell bent on Shiga Kogen. And im not going to stop you. This means you might want to think about basing yourself in Yudanaka, and that gives you 4 decent options (in no order this time):
1. Ryuoo: Already mentioned it. But a bus leaves direct from the train station, so its worth a punt. No bus went to Nozawa at the time i stayed there, which is a freaking shame because its only 20 or so KMs away.
2. Shiga Kogen: LOADS AND LOADS to do. But very quiet place. If its all about the ride, the scenery, and the Japanese feel, then hard to beat it. So much ground to cover, so many lines to hit up, so many secrets remaining undiscovered by me personally on a 2 day trip there a few years back. But its pricey.
Accommodation is expensive at the resort itself. Its catering to Japanese travelers so this means families with full service which means pricey for your average reprobate backpacker. If youre loaded, no problem, but im scottish and the idea of paying 10,000 yen per night (with breakfast and dinner), makes me break out in a rash. 4000 makes me squirm to be honest, and thats fekkin cheap. There is also nothing going on at night. As i say, its catered to domestic tourism, and your average Japanese family will come back from a days riding, head to the onsen, eat their dinner, grab a few tins of chu-hai, watch some telly in their room, and then around 10 or 11 go to bed. Of course i know nothing about you other than youre with four mates and you went to niseko. So perhaps this is exactly the experience you want. It is lovely after all. But basing yourself at Yudanaka might be a cheaper option. No nightlife either to be honest, but you at least have a few more convenience stores around.
3. Mt. Kosha. (yomase, x-jam, yamabiko no oka, kijimadaira).
A four mountain ticket that might be right up your street. If you do base yourself in Yudanaka youd be daft not to go play there. In fact if you can ever work it out, you can find a black box deal with accommodation and lift pass for dirt cheap (same at Ryuoo by the way, and i believe akakan).
All four of these resorts offer something utterly different from one another and like shiga kogen, the area you get to ride is HUGE. Unlike shiga kogen though, its right on your doorstep. And its cheap. Yomase is the nearest resort to yudanaka itself. Its a straightforward semi-empty place you can easy cut your teeth on as a beginner group. Lots to ride just in this area. Its quiet, so you can make a pigs ear of things without too much shame. But eventually youll want to move around the mountain, and your next stop is X-Jam.
X-jam is really a massive park area. Youll find it not only HEAVING with student age kids looking to learn to snowboard, youll also find it has the most fun, party atmosphere in maybe all of this side of nagano. Its got a fun, super friendly vibe. People are face planting all over the place and making tits of themselves on boxes (including me - not a park rat). Its got a few lines around it to just play on and some decent steeps. But all in all its a bit short to really keep you stuck there for your full time. Which then brings you to:
Yamabiko: Totally gorgeous little place. Very quiet. Lovely snow and though again a little short, still has an awesome fun pitch to just blast down on it. Comes with a cross course as well with some awesome big rollers to keep everyone happy. Definitely worth hitting it up on your way to:
Kijimadaira: A full resort in itself. Has the gnarliest on piste line youre going to find in Japan i reckons. The top of the mountain is not only a 45 degree plummet, its wind blasted, bobbled to shit, and feels like an ice rink. Its an experience. The lift is also pretty terrifying to be honest
Outside that though, kiji has lots of softish/low intermediate lines to keep you going for a day. Plenty to do and see even without the other three resorts to keep you busy. You really need a couple of days to see it all. That being said, you probably need a good three or four days to start feeling tired of shiga kogen as well. So realistically just from these two resorts alone youre pretty much covered on the riding side. The caveat is really that theres no apres scene a all around this area. Anyways, hope this helps give you a bigger picture. I think i covered them all. But maybe i missed a couple. Im trying to think. Its all a very brief summary of your options on that part of nagano/niigata (myoko is niigata despite being incredibly close to nagano).
To the West of Nagano theres Hakuba of course. And thats also a serious option. But i wont go into that right now.
ETA: I did say 4. Forgot the fourth one:
CULTURE!!!!
A. Monkey Onsen. Yay! monkeys! in an onsen! They think theyre people! Its so adorable!
To be honest, its a massive waste of time. But then again im not really that intrigued by the idea of looking at monkeys. I mean theyre cute and all, but its a bit of a trek and a waste of a day you could be riding. So screw them. But you might wanna see it, so you know... good place to visit them. In fact, the best place to visit them.
B. Obuse: A small village a few stops on the train back into Nagano. (i could also add in nakano, but thats just really a town with town like things but nothing particularly essential outside of a bit of shopping). Obuse on the other hand is gorgeous. Its more villagy in size, but comes with some wonderful chestnut foods as well as a museum dedicated to Hokkusai. The museum is must see and the town is chocolate box stuff. Pop there for a nice relaxing day out after youve wasted time gawping at monkeys ignoring you.
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Woohoo! my first run in with Gangsters.
Can you say 13 hired goons coming round in broad daylight to our school clearly intimidating and harassing the staff and students resulting in the worst ****ing police on planet earth standing around and letting them carry on loitering right ouside the GLASS DOORS of the office entrance intimidating a bunch of 9 year old children. ****ing disgraceful stuff. Oh yeah, and also being threatened by one of the aforementioned goons RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE POLICE IN THE POLICE STATION and no one batting an eye lid. I was genuinely under the impression that the Chinese police force was a serious "do not **** with the law" operation. Ha! Im far less safe now than i was at 2pm this afternoon. Thanks douchebag chinese police force. Bunch of ****ing clownshoes.
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I like colour
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Im well up for dying on the job. Well, not ON the job. But at home while im still in my working life.
Work gives me a routine. Im kinda chaotic, lazy and insular. Its not that i particularly love work, but i know that if left to my own devices i will slip into awful habits. I remember distinctly this program that was on back in the UK (before or after Japan, i forget?) I dont remember anything about it to be honest except for this one image:
It was a 70 year old dude (or thereabouts) who just sort of slipped from the common weal. He was living in a house filled with garbage bags of rubbish. He was perfectly content with his life of shit.
Ah! found it! Life of grime! Dunno if its the Trebus episode or another one. Anyways, it burned into my retina even then. I know its my destiny. Not for the lofty and serious reasons that Trebus has, but because im a pig who cant honestly take care of his most basic communal functions unless he feels the pokey eye of social approbation burning into his back. Theres going to come a point when i genuinely stop caring about what other people think. And that bothers me. At least if i have to go to work i maintain some kind of compact with society to not be too ****ing weird and self indulgent. Take that away from me and its an irretrievable slide into wretchedness. And by then, i might as well be dead*.
*which would be fine to be honest. Id enjoy the experience of being invisible. I possibly need an inheritance though
ETA: Destiny:
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ill be honest, i didnt measure it. I took a wild stab at it based on my HOLLLLEEEE FUUUUUUUCCCKKKK!!!! careening down an icewall
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Dude, still in China. Contract ends mid october.
When i move to korea, there will be a 48 size font party in this thread! Youll know! I wont shut up about it for the whole week the rosy tinted goggles are on. After that itll be back at the millstone and whinging about nothing at all
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Hooray! im finally debt free!
And hooray! i almost got an official warning from my boss today for being a cheeky scamp (theyve been nipping at not just me, but everyone all week and its a smallish office, so hard to avoid each other and just do my job in peace). Pulled out a mae culpa apology upon realising i was nowhere near ready to tell them to take their job and shove it. Damage is done though. Got three months left on my contract. Got at least all of July and August working at the main juku/hagwon in close proximity to the boss fellas. Im going to snap soon enough and my pride is gonna push me out of the door
But reaalllllllly need that reference. Theyre not great to work for. But ive made it through nine months. If i can just keep my heid, i should get through these last three months and be in the strange position of applying for a job on my own terms and within my own time-frame. Still, two days off at last. Just did 10 days straight. Was just about to get my 1 week vacation when pulled up by the manageress asking me to pleaaaaase delay it to august instead and help cover next weeks classes. I agreed. But its alright, didnt have any money this month anyway. Might be able to do something nicer in August. Kinda thinking about doing this:
http://www.ssqq.com/ARCHIVE/vinlin27d.htm
Seems (horrific) fun.
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Same as pie i guess. its just a style of cooking thats become more synonymous with one thing over the other.
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The top course at Kijimadaira is always worth a visit for a bit of gnarl.
Yeah, going with this over Ryuoo. That thing is not only steep as shit, its also windblasted. Its a 40+ degree ice skating rink with bobbles of frozen plants and rocks peeking through it. Its genuine Gnar.
Round the back though is awesome.
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Always the 1am games for me.. which is gonna suck at the semis and final.
China = 1 hour ahead, so its really midnight kick off and 2am sleepy time which aint toooooo bad. Four am game is an impossibility though. No chance.
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saw the stats. It sort of spoke for itself.
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steven.
anyways, saw all of 12 minutes of the game. Gutted to see the US go out. Its testament to the team and to Klinsmann that id even utter those words. Brilliantly annoying 12 minutes mind you. US pushed and pushed but just couldnt take it to penalties. Apparently the rest of the game was just as fun. Bradley, by the way, was all over every attack in those 12 minutes. Good to see him rise up
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My uncle Sandy used to play for Ayr United when Ally Macleod was the manager. I think he was even the captain back then. Alec Mcanespie. You can find his wee picture through google. His kid ended up playing for Raith rovers and scored in the penalty shoot out against my beloved Celtic that won them the Scottish league cup around 20 years ago. Another interesting fact, he was stuck on a roof and almost died when the levies broke during Hurricane Katrina. He was on the coaching staff at New orleans or something like that. Lovely guy, but we drifted apart when he got good at football and i became shit. His career just never quite materialised. It almost did. But then Bolton got a new manager right after he signed with them who never played him. The end.
Ps. My grandad played for scotland as well. And my dads team got cuffed by the scotland womens team in a friendly to the eternal amusement of my mum. Pity i turned out rubbish. Mon Crief they used to call me. Which i was reliably informed meant own goal. But im sure it just meant Fer **** sake!
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It's because England are no longer there Tubby, I reckon.
You might be right.....cheering against Egland gives me an interest when my own shit excuse for a team can never make it.
Whatever it is I can't be arsed watching
Only reason for me is that im back on the morning shift so cant really justify staying up after 1am. Im still peachy keen on watching the USA game. No idea why. I think ive adopted them by accident
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What the ****! it turns out i have to get a proper nights sleep! this is an OUTRAGE!!!
PS, i have a pingu tattoo, its mega sexy!
26-03-16 Independence Day?
in General off-topic discussions
Posted
Ten days. Ten days. The no campaign suddenly realise that they cant just expect conservatism and the fear of the unknown to carry them through. People keep talking about Quebec as the reference point, but its that first election of Obama they should be checking. The idea to be a part of genuine history and change is an overwhelming ego-trip. Compare that vision with the chance to keep things as they are. Did we learn nothing from Braveheart?
Now that its plausible and it could actually happen, youll find people come off the sidelines and think "**** it, lets do this".
It'll be close. But no will still win.
I think the devo-max option FINALLY being presented by the No campaign will tilt things to the sensible. Scotland can go it alone. I believe avowedly it can. But why would we honestly want to? Even in terms of identity alone, Im British, then Scottish, then European. I like being British. I feel just as much affinity with North of England as I do with Scotland. Maybes if we could bring along everything to the North and West of the Midlands (sorry midlands, but youre just a suburb of London in my eyes), then id feel happier
But we cant. And that feels like a betrayal in a way. Devo max, so long as they present something palatable (an insulting offer from Osborne will, i feel, force many waverers into the arms of Salmond), will give the option i think most Scottish people wanted in the first place.
What this also means though is that federalism is now on the cards. Maybe not yet, but in the near future. And i think this vote is going to bring this about. Scotland will vote No i reckon, maybe by a decent margin, but only because theres (finally!) something better on the horizon.