Nataly

Isn't that always the way? They make you wait until you feel desperate and you're prepared to jump on anything.. *Then* the calls come pouring in and you can't decide which one you want!!! Hopefully this will be the case for me, and the calls won't arrive after I've already accepted a crap job in my doom phase.. It's so funny.. I kinda thought I wouldn't be in this position.. Moving to live with some guy.. Dropping a very secure (though highly unpleasant) job.. Yuk. Makes me want to barf. My biggest goal at the moment is to MAKE MORE MONEY than my boyfriend!!! Then when I get home from a hard day's work, I can expect to sit my ass down in front of the TV, whilst he brings me a cold beer--and supper should be on the table when I arrive!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Yeah, networking makes sense.. I'm just new to living in a big city, and used to just hoping in my car to get everywhere--not really an option here, since my car's still in Canada, and driving in London is a nightmare anyway. And I don't know anyone!!! I just heard that there is a group of skydivers here who go out for drinks once in a while; no doubt this will help--hey, anything is possible with a sufficient amount of beer!!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hello everyone! Well, I've just moved to London, England from Canada. It's such a huge change.. I've quit my job as an aircraft mechanic in the military. I was working there for 7 years, and I don't feel especially qualified or enthusiastic with regards to starting in a totally different field. I mean, I have transferable skills, and a degree in adition to my work experience.. But it's the "starting from scratch" that is scaring the shit out of me. I'm basically just whining here, but I'd love to know that there are other people out there looking for work, like me.. Nataly "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Here's the most useful advice I got when I totalled my car: check with your insurance how much you'd get for the car, how much your insurance will increase and for how long. You may not *want* your insurance to pay up.. You see, they may count that as an accident and your rates could go up. If they do go up, you might end-up losing out.. You can probably find out what the red book price is on your vehicle for the year/make/model. Unless you've had the car previously appraised, they won't cough up more than the *minimum* amount it's supposed to be worth. Check into it. Find out the red book price for the car first. Then ask your insurance if you "hypothetically" wrecked your car, what would be the consiquences. Does it count as an accident. How much more will you be paying and for how long. If your car is worth 2200$, and your insurance increases by 1000$ for 5 years.. You can add us as well as I can. Some companies will give you a "freebie". As in, your first claim won't be held against you. Just don't expect to get what *your* car was worth, but only what the minimus value is calculated to be. Sorry dude.. These things really, really suck. Take your time with the insurance, though. You usually have at least a couple of days to put in a claim. Make sure you know what you're getting into. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Quote The good new is we're not required to get a annual safety inspection so we just wait the windshild replaced every 3-5 yr's or before selling the car. Quote This is *good* news?? Safety inspections make sure idiots don't drive unsafe cars. Sure, they're a money racket as well.. But they save lives. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hate to tell ya girl, but this one's your fault. Anyone who knows anything about cars will tell you--the only kind of self-contained crack is the one that isn't there.. If you had a round crack, as in small (and I mean *small*) chip with hairline cracks springing from it, then a bit of glue (made especially for this purpose, done by pros) might contain it.. But any straight crack--there's no way. It was bound to happen. Mostly because it's cold outside and the heat in your car makes for more stress on the glass (ever pour boiling hot water in an ice-cold glass?). Because of the cold, it was prone to spreading anyway. In my province (up here in cold Canada!!), yearly vehicle inspections are mandatory. A crack in the windshield would almost invariably cause your car to fail the inspection--until a new windshield were installed. So BEWARE!!! If you have even the tiniest crack and you live in a cold place.. It *will* spread (probably from one end of the windshield to the other). The fact is you're lucky it broke the way it did. It eventually would have happened on its own anyway, but if it had been hit by something harder, it could have shattered--NOT GOOD. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

The moment I saw you I though "I *must* have her" (It was said pretty convincingly, whilst he was noticeably hot & bothered.. It worked!!) "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Sounds to me like you have done something to feel like a complete IDIOT.. Why don't you tell us what that was, and we'll let you know what you can do about it "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

50% (Yankee). Barely into the Yankee category. HA HA HAAAAAA!! I'm *French Canadian*!! I laughed at that one.. Some of my answers placed me on the West Coast (I'm more East than "eastern standard time"!), most in the Great Lakes area, and a few in the East--though these were rare. To be fair, some of the things I would have said weren't even on the list! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I'd probably think "well, this is a lame way to die" and be annoyed. That, or I'd be so afraid I'd forget to breathe, then think "fuck, this really sucks". I'm normally a screamer , but in this case, I'd have to say no. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Well, I'd have to say "flip" the bird. Though I'm an expert on *doing* it, I'm not really an authority on how it's said "properly" "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Snow blower, huh? Never thought of that one.. Sounds a bit cold to me "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hey, when I give my word, I mean it. I'm no gentleman 'cause I'm a girl (not that I'd be one if I were a guy ).. But if you don't live up to your promises, why bother making them in the first place? It takes years for people to begin to trust others--and only one lie to have others distrust you for life. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Are you on CRACK???! You *want* more snow?? Geez! On Thursday night, it was snowing like crazy.. I had hopes it would continue until morning and work would be cancelled--no such luck. I got up early on Friday to see what the damage was--not too bad: my car was a bit burried, but the snow plow had gotten the rest of the driveway clear. I was about to head out, when the snow plow showed up again, and proceeded to *completely* burry my car in. And the bastard had the balls to smile at me and wave! Took me over a half hour *just* do dig a hole deep enough to open my car door and get it started so it could heat up a bit.. Don't get me started on the rest of the 6-foot pile surrounding my vehicle.. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Here's an idea.. Fix yourself a girly drink you can sip on whilst in the bathtub with your favourite vibrator . Next, turn the heat up in your favourite room (possibly with a heater or a hot man), and indulge in a good book, wrapped in a thick terry-cloth bathrobe, surrounded with candles. If the hot man is available, get him to read to you. Better yet.. Get him to give you a hot-oil treatment--as in, naughty back-rub that inevitably ends up with both of you wrestling naked all over the bed . To satisfy your urge to do housework, get your manslave to clean up after said wrestling match--but make sure he's *only* wearing a skimpy loincloth--if he wears anything at all--that gives you a good view every time he bends over to pick something up. You can enjoy the gentle rocking of the unbalanced washer/dryer as the sheets are getting cleaned.. Ahh the possibilities!!! I forgot to mention.. If this doesn't take *all day* (and it should), THEN you can be a postwhore!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

I think the ladies have it right on this one: something thoughtful and personal. It's what every girl wants--to feel special/loved. My advice? A hand-written love letter. Spend some time on it. Not just that you care about her, but *why*. What makes you love her above everyone else. You know, the stuff you would feel stupid saying out loud or in front of other people, but sounds perfectly ok when written. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Thanks Bob! You sent the one where I was wearing makeup

Well, I'm lucky because I have *great* veins for poking at.. But intraveinus isn't the one that hurts--intramuscular is the bitch.. I was on Depo Provera for about 2 years--it's the needle in bum (or high on the thigh) every 3 months for birth control. I went every 6 weeks for the longest time until a different nurse realised a one inch needle would suit be better than the 2-inchers they'd always used before (I'm tiny). Go figure!! I usually watch, but those long needles put me off. That, and I'd have had to be pretty contorted to look at them poking my behind!!! BTW, I have horror stories about this drug--would NOT recommend it. "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Awwww Bob!! That's so sweet!! Maybe all my coworkers are wrong.. Maybe this will last *even longer* than 3 weeks ! Yeah, Bob's worried I'll leave him once I discover that *every* brit has a sexy accent (not true).. So maybe I should put out a challenge: any hot, tall, blond brit who thinks he can satisfy me more than him.. give it a try!!! Ahh.. The lengths I would go to prove he's my one and only boytoy.. Other thing I'm looking forward to? Vacationing in Europe--'cause I know England isn't known for cheap jumps and blue skies! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Moving to England in *TWO WEEKS* to go live with my boytoy ! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

-Always have enough money to get out of a bad situation--fast. -If you don't have a back up plan--think of one *NOW*! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Of *course* he's a jumper!!! Hee heeee! He just got to London, though (originally from Hampshire, but moved around when he was in the army). His name is Richard Hoskins, better known as Bob by his friends. He's 5'11", *uber* blond and has curly hair. Know him?? We met in Empuriabrava, and bumped into each other (literally ) at Espace (Vichy) this summer. He's worried about me being in England.. You see, I find his accent irresistible--but *every* brit has a British accent!!! He thinks I'll go into overdrive with all the hot british beefcakes to choose from (has he seen the brits?? There aren't that many hot ones !). Just kidding "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Hey, cool! Yeah, I'm moving to London. South West London, I think. (Does Wandsworth ring a bell??) So.. Is this one of those meetings where you have to stand up, introduce yourself to the group and admit that you have a jumping problem (and then proceed to get absolutely pissed!!)? 'Cause I'm familiar with the process!! Ha ha ha! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss

Wow! Lots to think about! I should be getting my visa within the next couple of days. I'm reading up on the NHS, opening a bank account, getting a NIN, etc. I just got a call from my boyfriend over there, and he's been offered 3 weeks of work.. High pay, and very tempting, but it's in Baghdad. I think he should take it, but it's probably going to be when I move out there . So I might have to do everything on my own. I'm sure it won't be a problem--lots of people move all the time! By the way, thanks for the info on firearms and driver's licence

Hey guys, thanks for all the useful info!! Ha ha ha!! "There is no problem so bad you can't make it worse." - Chris Hadfield « Sors le martinet et flagelle toi indigne contrôleuse de gestion. » - my boss