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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 18, 2020 12:35:11 GMT
Yeah. I'm excited to see what happens with them.
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Post by Starsinger on Oct 20, 2020 9:36:53 GMT
I wish you all the best with the interviews!
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 20, 2020 12:59:32 GMT
Thanks!
So . . . anything interesting with your classes right now?
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Post by Starsinger on Oct 20, 2020 20:49:34 GMT
I'm actually all done with classes for the semester now, just have an assignment worth 50% to finish and then exams to study for. And the assignment is fortunately not a research one, rather basically learning to use the mapping software I'll end up using when I'm working, so it's kinda fun.
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 20, 2020 22:01:25 GMT
That's exciting, then. How are you feeling about exams?
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Post by Starsinger on Oct 20, 2020 22:47:56 GMT
Not at all prepared just yet, but it will be fine 😂 I’ll get there just taking things one by one at the moment so I don’t lose the plot entirely.
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Post by Ellron Silvertree on Oct 21, 2020 3:00:07 GMT
@leilani: Hey, I happen to be applying for a graphic design job right now, too!
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 21, 2020 14:53:21 GMT
Starsinger : Makes sense. Better not to stress about everything all at once. @ellron: Oh, cool! I hope it works out for you!
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Post by Goldarrow on Oct 26, 2020 21:50:23 GMT
Hey all, hoping to spark conversation and gather ideas.
I normally don't celebrate Halloween, outside of eating candy, but with 2020 being what it is... I am trying to come up with creative things to do to make the day a bit special. Does anyone have traditions or ideas?
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 27, 2020 12:40:55 GMT
Traditions, not so much, but I always use Halloween as an excuse for some casual (or sometimes not-so-casual) cosplay. Last year I walked around campus as a low-key Jedi. Even if no one can see it, it's fun.
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Post by Goldarrow on Oct 27, 2020 16:07:27 GMT
It was always fun seeing students in costume on Halloween. One year, the guy I sat next to was full-blow StarTrek. How do you do low-key Jedi? We used to trick-or-treat when my brother and I were little. Otherwise, the only thing we really do is carve pumpkins. I almost always do a cat-o-lantern. Haven't really heard if my town is even doing trick-or-treat this year.
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Post by Starsinger on Oct 27, 2020 22:24:54 GMT
Alright. Exam 1 down, I think a little distraction is allowed again.
We've never celebrate Halloween as a family, trick or treating or dress up or anything. It's also not nearly as big over here. But last year some friends and I just used it as an excuse to dress up because we never to and just went to just have a drink and catch up as a break from exams, as they overlap here. This year my city is actually having a Dia de los Muertos celebration, which I'll be going to, as we have a fairly decent size latin community who decided to try it out here for the first time. And given that it stems from the original catholic/anglican holiday of All Saints and All Souls days, in which we remember our departed I don't mind too much taking part. Also I did learn Spanish at high school for 5 years, so I'm keen to get an idea of culture as well, and potentially make connections as I haven't really practiced since I left school 7 years ago (which is terrifying when I think about that...) But can't recommend that gived I have no idea of the covid situation where you are.
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 28, 2020 13:06:07 GMT
Goldarrow: Nice. As for how you do a low-key Jedi: you end up with a lucky find of a brown/tan wrap that looks Jedi-ish, pair it with appropriately loose-fitting regular clothes and a wide belt, and carry a lightsaber. I don't think anyone caught on to it, but I felt it was fun. (I've done much more obvious costumes in past years, but I didn't feel like going to the effort last year.) I like the idea of a cat-o-lantern better than a Jack-o-Lantern, honestly. Starsinger: I was wondering if NZ did Halloween stuff much, if at all. But the Dia de los Muertos celebration sounds interesting. I remember hearing/reading about it when I was younger. You'll have to let us know how it goes. (Also, congrats on getting through Exam 1! How'd it go?)
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Post by Goldarrow on Oct 29, 2020 0:20:57 GMT
Starsinger: That sounds like an absolutely amazing time, hope you enjoy it! Honestly, kinda surprised to learn there is a strong Latin culture over there. Any particular nationalities? And any particular industry they are employed by? In America, different immigrant nations tend to work in different industries. (At least I feel that way. Hmong local produce, Latino mass Agriculture, Middle Easter hotel/hospitality... likely also related to my location in the US as I am in an Agriculture area it means more employment in that industry.) (I hope this question doesn't come across as rude, I am genuinely curious about the social dynamics of other countries and how they may be applied here.) In random fun fact news, congrats to NZ on producing the 2nd most corn per acre in the world for 2020 (~177 bushels per acre). Exam 1 down, that's a relief. Leilani Sunblade: Sounds like an incognito Jedi alright. And it's nice to find clothing that can be worn all year instead of just a day.
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Post by Starsinger on Oct 29, 2020 2:55:43 GMT
Leilani Sunblade Stores are definitely pushing for halloween as a consumer kinda thing with candy and decorations and those sort of things, and probably more kids go trick or treating than even when I was growing up. Eh, exam 1 was alright. I'm pretty confident I passed, but I know I probably didn't do enough to get an A, but my grade expectations are completely in the wind this year. I'm just happy if I pass most things. Goldarrow Um, I honestly don't know, I have a friend from Mexico (Stats post-grad masters), my Ultimate coach is from Colombia (Sports/Exercise), I know a post-grad student from Peru (Ag College), a lecturer from Chile (Ag college), a few customers, one from Spain, one from Peru, and one from Argentina, a lecturer's wife from Guatemala if I recall correctly. So all over. I think the Mexican Embassy is involved in running this event (which is actually located in the capital a couple hours away). I know we have a fairly high refugee population here, and a town over but I'm not sure if the latin population falls into that (Although I know there is a colombian refugee community in a city in the South Island). I'd say a lot who came for work would be to do with Ag, as the Uni here is one of the two main Ag ones in NZ, and there's plenty in the area (and all around NZ to be fair), but yeah, I don't actually know. Definitely keen to find out. I do know that NZ and South America in general have been developing trade stuff (products and expertise, as we are both Agricultural as broadly our main trade), and I was looking at a scholarship that we have in place where I could got study anywhere in South America that I can find equivalent papers, and the Government would have covered my fees, travel costs, and given me an allowance for living etc). Obvs not something that can happen any more unfortunately given the current situation globally. I'm actually rather surprised at that corn fact, because there are definitely limited regions we can grow it in commercially (wrote an assignment on that last year, climatic restrictions), and I wouldn't have thought we grew enough to get that. But I suppose that it's an efficiency thing, and we do tend to be pretty good at that. ...also. I had no idea anyone measured anything in bushels anymore, I have no idea how much that actually is
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 29, 2020 12:48:29 GMT
Goldarrow: Yeah. Though, TBH, I would wear a cloak/cape more than just Halloween if it was sturdy enough. xD Starsinger: Ah. So it's commercialism behind it. Unsurprising. Well, at least it's fun. That's understandable about grades. This is not the year to be stressing about such things if you can help it.
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Post by Goldarrow on Oct 29, 2020 19:36:56 GMT
Starsinger: Very diverse mix of cultures, wish we had that here. I've only met a few people from NZ and they were part of a cattle/sheep ranch management software company and a guy living in the Neverlands working for a livestock wearables company. So my impression of NZ is mostly pasture grazed sheep, cattle, and dairy. (And Hobbiton!) That would be super interesting to go to S. Africa for a study abroad. Maybe after Covid? I applied for a 2-year trainee position there, but doubt I'll get it. (I think the position still open if you'd be interested.) Yeah, it was an efficiency survey, not a total tonnage. Brazil will likely have the total tonnage award, time will tell if they did more corn or soy this year. (BTW I love Ultimate, sadly all our clubs got canceled this summer) Best of luck with the next exams, I love learning but exams are miserable. Leilani Sunblade: Makes sense. I recall on campus, I regularly saw a guy wearing a pelt like a cloak and felt he always looked cold.
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Post by Starsinger on Oct 30, 2020 11:01:10 GMT
Leilani Sunblade Yeah. Although I'm not entirely convinced on the concept of it. And mayhaps do not have enough faith in humanity that I definitely feel we ought not be encouraging kids to accept candy from strangers. Goldarrow Yeah, it is cool the range of cultures we have around. Especially because I tend to find western ones very lacking. Yup, you're impression is about right, including Hobbiton. Dairy and Tourism are the main industries that bring money in to the country, and then sheep and beef relatively high up as well. My brother in law is a sheep and beef farmer, whose farm I'll be staying at over the summer, and definitely keen to pick up some of the ropes if I can. Because most of the Environmental policy and movements tend to be very anti-farming, which is really shooting us in the foot (especially with our borders closed we're going to be missing out on all of the tourism this summer, so the economy is going to take a huge hit and people are going to realise how important farming is to the economy, as we will really only feel the hit of covid then), anyway, I'm keen to work alongside farmers in a useful way for environmental improvement in systems, and it would be good to have experience actually working the systems as well to understand them. I do still have one year of study to complete, which I will just smash out of the way here now. I'm curious what position that is though. And what do you do? I can't remember now if I know or have asked. Yeah, that is sad. It is good fun, and the people are fantastic. Our tertiary Nationals got cancelled unfortunately, but we did get to go to s regional tournament a bit later on in the year, which was probably more suitable as my first tournament.
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 30, 2020 12:53:52 GMT
Goldarrow: Yeah, that sounds like it would be. On the other hand, there was definitely a guy during my last year who wore a legit wool cloak, and he usually looked pretty cozy. (He was a friend of a friend, so I managed to talk to him briefly on FB, and he confirmed that it was plenty warm. Starsinger: People have pointed that out over here too. There's a whole thing about checking kids' candy and (I think) urban legends about people hiding things in the candy. But it is fun to dress up, and I feel like kids probably get that this is a specific scenario. Also, it took me this long to realize you two were talking about ultimate frisbee. I am very impressed by people who can play that as an actual sport.
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Post by Goldarrow on Oct 31, 2020 17:08:39 GMT
Starsinger: I thought it was just the US and EU who don't understand the positive impact of agriculture for both society and the environment. (This isn't to say poor practice doesn't exist, but largely speaking.) I've never worked on a beef/sheep farm, only dairy. But I think it would be fun for a Summer. I hope you enjoy your time there! The short version is I graduated with my MS this last May and am trying to find employment in either Dairy or Aquaculture feed, farm management, or digital management. Before Covid, I was seeking employment abroad, preferably the Netherlands, but have resigned myself to the US to gain experience, expand my network, and wait out the pandemic. If you want to follow an interesting Agriculture Advocate, I recommend Jack Bobo on LinkedIn. I've heard him speak and his understanding of the future of Ag is amazing. He is also a gateway to scientific refutes to why we shouldn't blame Agriculture for environmental issues but see it as a huge potential. (Like how Methane can be recycled into the plant within 10 years vs. 300-1,000 years for Co2 or how most studies who claim agriculture is one of the largest pollutants do not take into account the reclaiming activity of the crops they raise.) The South Africa Position was with Nutreco, a Technical Intern. Devenish also has a Sub Shara Africa position currently listed, a Graduate Technical Advisor. Sounds like you are much more into Ultimate than I am. I am used to pick-up and did one Summer Leauge. I'd love to learn more and get in shape, in the future. Leilani Sunblade: Okay, hopefully, the style comes back so you can wear one more.
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Oct 31, 2020 17:52:18 GMT
Goldarrow: Hopefully. Or I can just get/make one in very classy black with conveniently-placed armholes and wear it whatever people think. And if they don't like it, that's their problem.
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Post by Starsinger on Nov 2, 2020 1:20:00 GMT
Leilani Sunblade I suppose I can concede the idea of just having fun. But my gut also just goes against any kind of push for commercial/consumeristic holidays. Definitely when we went out last year the bartender dessed as a black-ghost-christmas-tree-thing with sunglasses does stand out as a rather amusing memory (He was planning to be a ghost in a black sheet, but decided it was boring and hastily tacked christmas decorations to it, and it was dark and he was wearing sunglasses and had a sheet over his head messing with his hearing so the whole interaction was bizarre and an ordeal because he could neither hear us, nor us him, nor could he see what he was entering on the till very well. And he had to hold his sheet back out of the way from his chin, as if it were a beard and lean in until he was a few inches from the screen. He is also just an odd human we have since learned, which makes even interactions that should be normal amusing XD The Dia de los Muertos celebration was fun, and vibrant. Sadly the weather wasn't that great, so the didn't shut down the street and had it inside instead (you can tell how small our city is by the fact that they could do that XD) The most special thing was definitely our Mexican friend being so excited the entire night because it reminded her so much of home, which she can't go back to atm. Goldarrow: I always enjoy my time there I think it's a side effect of an overall affluent society that is comfortable and has time on their hands to 'reseach' and make up their own minds. It's also definitely a political thing, because the majority of the voting population is urban, so they don't mind getting on the wrong side of the smaller demographic of farmers in order to win votes, whereas if you tell the urban population what changes they need to make you would not be popular. And it's backstabbing by the government because a lot of the stuff and changes they're attacking the farmers for is things they funded them to do in the 70's (eg payed farmers to cut down native bush to increase farmland, and now they're penalising farmers for having done that). Mm, I feel like we're all going to be constrained to remain in our own countries for a few years. Definitely curious to see how it all plays out in NZ, given that we're pretty much covid-free and how open our borders will be in the future. Ah, cool. Probably not quite in the line of work I'll be able to go in to when I graduate. But would have been a cool opportunity for you. Oh, not really. The competition was because the club president begged me last minute as his last resort because they were short female players. And they're really chill with trainings and balancing with Uni. I think (hope) they'll be running pick-up over the summer.
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Post by Leilani Sunblade on Nov 2, 2020 14:10:44 GMT
Starsinger: That's fair. Also, this bartender does sound like an interesting character. That probably takes the cake in weird and inconvenient costumes. xD I'm glad the celebration was fun, even if the weather wasn't great. Also, that must be really rough for your friend.
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Post by Goldarrow on Nov 3, 2020 0:13:48 GMT
Leilani Sunblade, that's a good attitude to have. Starsinger, I guess a part of me had hoped that mindset was limited to the US and select EU nations.... But I agree with everything you said about the urban majority, politicians, etc... So it must be more global than I thought. Still sounds like you are way better at Ultimate than I am. Do you tend to cut or handle? I started as a cutter but would always get stuck covering a guy and was too slow... so my team had me handle and I was good at short distance stuff. Hopefully, a vaccine comes out soon so we can all be protected and borders safely open. I dearly miss going to new places and meeting people.
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Post by Starsinger on Nov 3, 2020 0:39:02 GMT
Leilani Sunblade It was definitely bizarre, but I suppose effective because it's stuck in my memory XD It was very sweet, and also special to be with her as well. Goldarrow Mm, I suspect so. Because the more comfortably we can live and be separated from that sort of life, the easier it is to alienate the other and see them as the enemy without fully connecting that we still rely on them for our food. Which really doesn't help the mental load farmers have to deal with with an already stressful job. Unfortunately we have an increasing suicide rate among the farming population, and this doesn't help. I do aim to be good at it, but this was really my first year playing. I've been playing as a cutter in general, I would definitely like to work on my throwing so that I'd be comfortable as a handler as well though. That would be nice, although I suppose I'm already in a largely privileged situation here where we can at least travel the country and go out freely.
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Post by Goldarrow on Nov 4, 2020 18:59:40 GMT
Starsinger : Suicide has gone up with farmers in the US too. At least once a year my father (also in Ag) tells me about a client funeral he needs to attend. Technically we can travel in the US pretty freely, but many things are closed. I had planned two separate road trip options to learn half the destinations were closed due to Covid. The major problem is you need a car to travel anywhere in the US so if I fly to a new area to explore I'll spend a small fortune on rental... but I've seen the majority of sites (that are currently open) within 10 hours of me. Oh well... small problems compared to the world ATM. With time, I am sure you'll develop your own style and strengths. That is a nice thing about Ultimate, nearly anyone can find their niche for the team.
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Post by Starsinger on Nov 5, 2020 1:14:49 GMT
Goldarrow Yeah, it's rough. My brother in law's father is one amongst the rising statistic here. Ah, fair. That's also a wee bit crazy to me, because most places in NZ can be accessed within 10 hours. Yeah that is definitely a cool thing about Ultimate. So the question is... election, do I mention it or too much of a trigger? XD
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Post by Goldarrow on Nov 5, 2020 4:35:53 GMT
Lol, totally depends on how far down the rabbit hole you want to fall. XD My personal feeling is this election was a choice between terrible and terrible. I voted but felt no pride or excitement for my nation's future in doing so. Maybe if you have a specific question? Polarizing Media, Electoral College, Senate Terms, 2 parties to representant a large nation... potential benefits of a single transferable voting system. Like I said, a deep hole if you want to fall. What is the government system like in NZ? The only nations I have any political understanding of are the UK and USA.
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Post by Starsinger on Nov 5, 2020 4:56:51 GMT
Yeah, between terrible and terrible is what it appears watching from the outside. That would definitely be a rough position to be in.
Haha, I'm not sure I had any specific questions, I have just found that people enjoy a rant on their particular passion topic if you give them a chance :'D I actually recently watched a video explaining the electoral colleges, because I did not understand it. To me it kinda makes sense. But thoughts?
I believe our system is pretty similar to the UK, although it's usually between two parties, both of which are more central, but still right and left. And then there's small parties that also represent the extremes of each side, the centre (which I voted for this year), and then who the heck knows (there was a TEA Party this year, I have no idea what they stood for. Or Advance NZ) because basically anyone can make a party and run, and people sometimes vote for them for a laugh. Our Conservative party just posted today supporting Trump and saying that he is a great president, but they represent similar ideals so makes sense (they have very much not impressed me this year, and generally is made up of the kinds of Christians that feed the stereotypes and give christianity a bad name. Also claiming fake news and that the media unfairly picked on them and slurred them).
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Post by Goldarrow on Nov 5, 2020 20:23:20 GMT
I am at least glad the world understands the terrible/terrible situation. Sometimes I wonder if the world questions the people instead of the politics. My rant topics normally aren't politics, but the electoral college is a reoccurring argument for most Americans around election. My personal view is the electoral college is a good thing because it supports the Republic structure of our nation. If we were a Democracy, I would oppose the electoral college. Since we are a republic, the electoral college allows for some flexibility in power due to population density, without negatively impacting states with smaller populations. The biggest argument I have heard people say is everyone's vote should be equal, and that makes sense on a surface level, but if that were the case then the entire nation would be impacted by the largest 5 cities... reducing the value of the rest of the nation. What I would love to implement with a Republic nation and the electoral college is a single transferable voting system. It would allow me to rank candidates. So if A, B, C, D, & E ran for office and I love 'B' but agree with 'D' and 'E', I could express that on my ballot by voting for 'B' as my number one pick but if he only gets 3% of the vote then my vote would move to 'D' (who I marked as my second choice) and if needed, 'E' respectivitly. This would allow for people to voice displeasure with the 2 party system while also creating a natural way for a more moderate candidate who might be very few peoples first pick but a lot of people wouldn't mind having as a second pick to win. That is about all my political thoughts in a nutshell... So my understanding of the UK system is you can only vote for party, not candidates, correct? Therefore, once you vote for your party, then it's the party members who decide everything within itself... kinda like a company who hires employees vs being voted in. Is this accurate? And what do you think of voting for a party over a specific person/do you like your government structure? Once, I got lost in Teddington outside of London and the bus driver asked a young gentleman to take me with him into the city so I wouldn't get lost again.... On the journey in we talked about UK politics and that is what I learned from him (it was the first vote of Brixit so politics everywhere).
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