Transit Strike

A lot of people rely on the transit system here in London. The bus system has been a very affordable way to travel, especially with the recession, and provides the convenience of not having to find a parking spot (not mention not having to spend a ridiculous amount to park for one hour).

The down side, however, is when the transit system shuts down, like today. London transit workers have decided to go on strike for many reasons (including some that I agree with), but also for the usual cause of getting more money. I don't know about anyone else, but when I hear that people are going on strike because they want more money... I want to slap them all! Here we are in a time of financial hardship, where companies are shutting down left and right due to a lack of financial resources, and these people go on strike with MONEY in mind.
What the hell?

I'm not even kidding. Stop being so greedy and be thankful that you still have a job. There are thousands of people in Canada who are no longer employed and who would love to work.

Tattoos - A Sign of Evil

Oh my gosh! *Gasp*
You have a tattoo?! You must be the devil incarnated. I know that you're a drinking, drug dealing, street corner walking chunk of garbage...

Yeah, okay.

How is it that tattoos got such a bad reputation? Why can't tattoos just be seen as works of art?
True, not all tats are tasteful, and some are downright offensive, but there are a ton of tattoos out there that are absolutely stunning, cute, stylish, pretty, and so on. It's just body art. People have been making marks on their bodies forever; why are noses still turned up at the thought of a tattoo?
I personally have two tats, one on each forearm. One is a typical little butterfly, which I got while I was working in the Philippines. The point of the tattoo was of a reminder of something crazy and spur-of-the-moment that I did in a foreign country. It also reminds me of the book that I'm writing, which gives me inspiration.
The second tattoo is just a fancy leaf with a fancy stem. There was absolutely no point to this tattoo - I just liked the image.

Am I a screwed up druggie/hooker/gangster/hoodlum?
Not since the last time I checked.
In fact I'm a college student/fiancée/older sister/retail employee/writer, in spite of the fact that I've apparently been marked by evil.

Take that, world.

Holy monkey, I haven't put anything on here for a long time.
Are you ready for my list of excuses? No? That's too bad, because here they are:
1) I've started my final semester of college (thank gawd it's almost over!), and although it hasn't been much of a challenge so far, there has been quite a bit of work.
2) I've actually been writing my novel like a mad lady. I'm so close to finishing it! I'm very excited.
3) I have to work. A sad fact of life that many people can relate to.

So anyway, here's my random story for the day.

I work in a women's clothing store. If you've ever seen the episode of Family Guy where Peter goes shopping with Lois, you'll understand what I mean when I say that we have "husband chairs". I've always thought that it was nice that we have somewhere for the guys to lounge around while the ladies shop, even if it's still a huge bore for those poor male souls.
Anywho, a teenage boy came in with his mother, and he instantly headed for the chairs. As a joke, I told him that they were indeed "husband chairs", and he made a huge face. Laughing at him, I told him that he would be the husband one day.
You'll never guess his response.
He said, "I'm gay."
If he wasn't like thirteen I might have believed that he would even know whether or not he was gay, but I just went along with it and said, "Being gay doesn't mean that you won't have a husband someday who'd like to come shopping."

Oh boy, did his face ever go red.

I know, I know... It's not cool to torment poor kids who are being dragged around to shop with their parents, but it was fun. ;)

Math is not my strength

So, I go for placement next week in Teacher's College, and I've been asked to teach mathematics for the Grade 7 class. Specifically, I will be attempting to teach Data Management. The key word being "attempting". I'm not really nervous, but I just don't think that math is my strongest point as far as teaching is concerned. The good thing about it is that the classes are really only about 30-40 minutes long, so it's not like I'm standing there trying to do an hour lesson or longer.

Anyways, I'm sure I'll screw up somewhere and probably quite often, but I guess little kids don't really care all that much. I know that if I was in a math class with a student teacher teaching me, I wouldn't care at all if they said 2+2 was 5.

We will see how it goes...

Believing in the Laws of Attraction

Just about everyone has heard about the concept of the law of attraction. This isn't like bees being attracted to honey... It's more like negativity feeds negativity, positive feeds positive.
But does this concept truly exist?

I suppose a perfect example would be someone who is in a terrible mood. Everything that could possibly go wrong that day will indeed go wrong, but is it because of the law of attraction, or is it because that person brought the problems upon themselves? It could be a bit of both. A person in a bad mood can take a happy room and turn it down in less than ten seconds. Wouldn't this be feeding the negativity just through vibes, rather than attracting bad things with a bad mood?

I don't really believe in all the wholistic healing junk, which may be something that is really affecting my opinion on this whole concept. No one really knows how stuff works, or how Murphy's Law ever came to be true, although many people claim to know.

A bad day, in my opinion, settles down into bad luck and stupid decisions.

Homework - What's the Point?

Studies have shown that homework actually has detrimental effects on the student, especially when the student is very young (as in kindergarten age). Homework causes stress, lack of sleep, lack of a personal life, and plenty of negativity (google it).

Sure, the idea behind homework possesses the greatest of intentions. After eight hours at school, of course a student would want to study and learn more!
Mmhmm.

Personally, when I'm done school my brain is pretty bogged down. I know that, as a college student, I should be prepared to settle onto my couch for the night to write out circuit diagrams and explanations about relays; unfortunately, I'm just not prepared to do that. Class is hard enough to get through with giving my full attention, so when it comes to homework... Well, I'm screwed.
I'm a really good student, and I cringe at anything that's below an 'A', but it happens. Part of that is my lack of will to avoid procrastination and to just get homework done. Do I learn anything from all this extra work?
Nope.

What makes this worse is that I have a part-time job to support my lazy butt while I'm in school, and this means not getting home until around 10:30 some nights.
Bust out the books and be prepared for an all-nighter!

Which actually leads me to my next point.
Ever had a teacher or advisor tell you that you shouldn't be working while you're in post-secondary education, because school is supposed to be your full-time job?
That just drives me nuts. Every time I hear those words I want to hold out my hand and ask for money.

Anyway, I'm starting to go all over the place, so I'll end it with two last words: Homework sucks!

Homeland Housewares - An Update on Stupidity

I'm not too sure whether I'm referring to my own stupidity or to that of the company, Homeland Housewares, but I suppose that it could apply to both.

Anyway, if you've read the previous post about this little episode, you'll know all about what I'm discussing here.

On Wednesday, the day after my credit card was charged, the stupid package arrives with the damn blender. I was so angry... I had been told that the order had been canceled, but then there it was. WABAM! Just like that.

So I sent it back.

I got yet another notice from the post office that the stupid blender was there, so I went in and told them to send it back again.
At long last, Homeland Housewares gets the idea, and refunds my money....
Minus all the shipping and handling.

I'm so ticked about that. Over $60 for a product that I canceled the order for four days before it was even shipped, and I had to pay for all the shipping to me, and the shipping back to them! Talk about ridiculous.

Spread the word... don't shop with these clowns.

Flour Weevils!

Oh, what a joy to open a box of pancake mix, only to find..... WEEVILS!

What the hell is a weevil?

I didn't know until about two minutes ago. They're nasty looking little bugs that like grain products. Yep.
The only way to prevent/kill them off is to freeze all grain products for about forty eight hours to guarantee that the eggs won't hatch, and then bleach the cupboards. Lovely.

So, how would one get weevils (what a stupid name for a gross bug... sounds like a disease!)?

You buy grain products.
I'm totally serious.
Just stop on by at your local grocery store and scoop up some flour, or pancake mix, or even cereal. Enjoy your new e-coli infection.

Oh lord.

I feel so disgusted knowing that it's very common to ingest these bugs and their eggs without even knowing it. Blech.

To be honest, I didn't think much about those stupid little beetles at first, but then a neighbour asked if I noticed any little bugs in grain products that I purchase.

Well, now that you mention it...
Yes, I have, actually.

A little bit of Google, a little bit of Wikipedia... Voila! Weevil Haven 'R' Us.

I would post a picture, but it made my stomach turn just looking at them, so we'll forget that idea.

Bug Magnet

That's right... that's what I am: a bug magnet.

I keep wondering what the hell I've done to sudden get infested by every stupid bug on the planet. My place is clean, I have good hygiene, and no pets that run around outside. Yet, I have suffered the wrath of hungry bed bugs, weird little beetles that seemed to grow out of instant pancake mix (not kidding... absolutely disgusting), typical spiders all over, and all of the miscellaneous little bugs that come with life. Let's not forget that last night I bought a frozen pie, only to find that it was all moldy.
Argh.

Would moving away help this trouble, or am I just doomed to be followed by the bugs?
I think it's the latter.

Kanye West = Jackass

No, I didn't watch the MTV VMAs last night because I don't give a damn. However, I heard about Kanye West's douchebaggery stunt that he pulled on Taylor Swift, and it was ridiculous. I watched it on YouTube and thought, "what an idiot!"

For those who don't know, Taylor Swift won an award last night for the best video of 2009 or something, and Kanye interrupted her speech only to tell her that Beyoncé's video deserved to win. Now, I'm not a fan of Taylor Swift's music really, but she didn't even know what to say. All she could do was stand there after being insulted.

I respect people who don't shy away from what they want to say, but you don't interrupt a teenage girl's speech after winning something all on her own.

People may say it's a publicity stunt or whatever, but if that's true, then what a disgrace to music to have artists participating in this kind of childish behaviour. Especially on a night when they were celebrating Michael Jackson's life and career. So, whether it was staged or not, it's a shame to see this kind of garbage.

Thoughts on School (Part 2)

There's something to be said about the first week of school. It's annoying. For most normal people, school is a drag on the first week. Why? Not because the classes are necessarily dry, but because of the repetition that plagues the introductory week.

Having been in school for only 3 days, I have already rolled my eyes so much at the amount of repetition that they've actually begun to hurt. Yes, I know this is the next step of my career. Yes, I know that it's important to listen and pay attention. Yes, attendance is crucial for achieving a passing grade.

I get it.

It's fine if they mention this, and I know they have to by law, but just breeze by it at least. We don't need to overview the same course outline guidelines a billion times.

"Oh, plagiarism, I thought we could do that. Thank goodness the course outline tells me not to, or I'd be in shit." Cripes, move on. Warn us about plagiarism by just saying the word. If University/College students don't understand that word by now, then tough shit.

Once classes get started, school can be challenging, fun, frustrating, etc. But at least it can pull you in. For now, it really likes to spin its wheels and then take off two weeks in. Either way, it should be an interesting year. I'm looking forward to getting it over with, that's for sure.

P.S. No, I don't care about anyone else in the class. I don't care where they're from or what school they attended in Nowhere, Ontario. It may sound mean, but I'm there to get an education about certain things, not a lesson on classmate lives.

Thoughts on School

So I'm sitting here, in the boiling hot computer room at school, thinking (and dreading) the next class that's coming up. It's not that the subject is difficult, or that the teacher is terrible... it's just that it's... Well, it's class! Who the hell actually wants to go to class?
Probably a ton of people, now that I think about it.

What is it about school that makes people grimace? It seems like an automatic reaction. For example, even people who absolutely love their job whine and grumble about having to go. Is it because people don't like the idea of having to do something, or is it just for the sake of being friendly with all the other grumbling people?

The rules of society are messed.

When I really think about it, I don't totally abhor school. For me, it really is because I feel the obligation to go, and once I'm there, I know that if I follow my morals, I won't be leaving any time soon.
What else would I do, though?
Yup, nothing.

Homeland Housewares - Just Don't Bother

Before I begin here, I just wanted to apologize for not posting for so long. It's been hectic with all the back to school stuff, and I was working some extra hours to pay for my textbooks... Yeah, it's been a long couple of weeks.

Anyway, on to the true topic of this post: Homeland Housewares.

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about, Homeland Housewares is the company that manufactures The Magic Bullet, a glorified blender. Chris (my fiancé for those who don't know) and I were up at three in the morning, watching TV, when we came across the ridiculously long commercial for The Magic Bullet. Whether it was absolute exhaustion, pure stupidity, or both, I said, "Hey, I should order that!" And that is how it all got started.

I placed the order with a friendly CSR and went to bed. The next day, not even twelve hours later, Chris and I were walking around the mall when he suggested that we should look in Showcase, a as-seen-on-tv type of place. You can probably see where this is going... Yes, The Magic Bullet was there.
Thinking that I could just save on shipping costs, I called the customer service number that Homeland Housewares gave me, only to find that it wasn't even in service. I called the sales number back, thinking it an honest mistake, but the CSR told me that I had the right number, and that she had tried it as well and it wasn't working. She said that I couldn't cancel my order through her and that I would just have to wait until the number was back up and working.
Sure.
I went back to Showcase, and the friendly employee there revealed that the customer service number that I was given was indeed wrong. She handed me the store phone and told me to call the correct number, and so I did.... Only to be told that the purchase had already been shipped and that it was impossible to cancel the order.
Uh huh... and I'm the queen of England. Here is how I know that it hadn't been shipped:
1) It was less than twelve hours after I placed the order
2) It was SATURDAY, and Homeland told me that the product was being shipped by regular post. Hmm.
3) Monday was a holiday in Canada, so nothing was going to be moving until Tuesday

Obviously I argued with the rep... who said that he would get his supervisor for me. After putting me on hold for half an hour (likely hoping that I'd hang up), I was cold transferred to someone else. THAT person said that she'd cancel my order, but that I should call back on Tuesday (how convenient) to confirm the cancellation, and then she hung up without further adieu.

Well, today is Tuesday. First thing in the morning my credit card says that I was charged for this product from Homeland Housewares.
Guess who's not going to get their money.

Learn to Effin' Drive!

Everyone knows the driver who likes to terrorize everyone else by tailgating, cutting off, swerving, et cetera. My personal favourite is the driver who criticizes after he/she has done some stupid action that makes them no better.

Here's a story for you.

Today I was making the left turn onto my street (the street is one hell of a mess because it's finally under construction), and as I'm turning, I have to tap the brakes because there's a huge drop off the pavement and onto the dirt road, and then I had to actually hit the brakes because a woman stepped off the sidewalk and decided to cross at that point in time. While all of this is happening, some guy in a 4x4 truck tailgates me through the turn, and likely had to slam on his brakes when I hit mine for the pedestrian. Standard procedure for morons like that.
But it gets better.
After the woman has finished crossing the street, I start to go again at about 40 km/hr (I drive a little junker car that bottoms out on a speed bump, and so it is poorly suited for the dips and divots of the torn up street, not to mention that I've already lost a tire to that stupid street and have no intentions of doing it again). Once again, I slow, this time due to an oncoming taxi that looks like it may swerve into my lane around a pilon that's sitting over a very exposed manhole cover (if there's one thing I've learned from driving in this city, it's to not trust the cab drivers). The taxi driver decides to stick to his side of the road, and so I continue forward. Everything goes fine, and then I have to slow down and brake for the mountainous climb back up onto pavement. At last, I am happily at my driveway when the tailgating truck roars by with the passenger yelling, "Learn how to f***ing drive!"

Huh.

Last time I checked...
A) You do not speed through construction zones anyway, so using caution is a good thing.
B) Tailgating is poor driving.
C) My car is happier in one piece rather than several after bottoming out all over the place.
D) It's not a good thing to hit pedestrians.

Do I wish that the guy driving that truck would hit a massive pothole and blow out at least two tires? Oh, you bet I do; however, it's the idiots like that in the world who cause accidents, so it's only a matter of time.

Ground Meeting Sky

The clouds are too close to the ground.

I looked up to see that the tops of the high rises are painted in pink as the clouds swirl through the air in the sunset, and the surreal gray of wispy rain barely has a place in the blotted image that sits on the horizon. It feels like I can simply reach up and take a piece of the sky; as if the world is slowly imploding or folding inside out. With each passing second the ground seems to rise about an inch, because surely the sky cannot fall so slowly, and with each of those passing seconds I feel like I should lay flat on the street and wait for the mist to consume me.

Perhaps before morning, the dark will be dark no more, for it will be everything.

The Ads on These Things

Google Adsense is a nifty thing, and I think it's cool that you can add a few pennies of monetary value to your site/blog with Adsense, but some of the ads... Really? I've written about bed bugs off and on to keep everyone up-to-date on the situation, so it only makes sense that some of the ads would be about bed bug stuff; however, there was one ad in particular that really stood out. It was about cleaning up suicides/homicides (an actual business that does this) so that families can continue on with their lives. A nice service to provide, certainly, but really? I'm not sure how many people who visit here would be very concerned with cleaning up bodily remains at this exact point in time. Maybe it plants a seed for the future... or maybe it's just weird.

Hmm to that!

Them Crooked Vultures

Alrighty. It's time to get back to the more positive aspects of a blog. As a huge music fan, I can never get enough of it. I love music that can get my blood pumping, but at the same time, bring something fresh to the table.

Now, I'm not sure how this band may fit into that, but this supergroup of three respectable musicians seems to be THE band that will have an impact on listeners by the end of 2009. Already being immensely cryptic delivering small studio clips and playing live shows as the mystery band, what has been heard so far has critics calling this group of men "the real deal" when it comes to supergroups.

A project that has taken over four years to develop, Them Crooked Vultures consists of Josh Homme (Kyuss/Queens of the Stone Age), Dave Grohl (Nirvana/Foo Fighters/Probot), and the legendary John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin). Being a fan of all three guys, I can't help but be pumped for something that has so much potential.

Already having a full album of material ready to be released, it is exciting to see what these guys release. Nothing is known about an album release as of yet, but having played an entire 80-minute set at their first show over two weeks ago while having studio clips up on YouTube, the band seems to be ready to release something.

I can't wait to see what this group brings to the table. I know I love what I've heard. It would be nice to hear some fresh new music from a new band. Here's hoping!

Elephants (Studio Clip):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBckNeRMXDY

Is it Good-bye for Ender?

After debating long and hard, I've decided that Ender (the cat) can no longer stay with me. If you read my previous post about Ender, you'll understand why.
Here's a basic breakdown list:

Pros for Keeping Ender
- he can be sweet
- he's really cute
- I love him
- he keeps the other cat company


Cons for Keeping Ender
- destroyed my futon between urinating and scratching
- destroyed all of my kitchen chairs
- destroyed my brother's furniture
- tears up and makes a mess all over my carpet
- will not stay off the stove and kitchen counters (talk about gross)
- requires a lot of attention that I just don't have the time to give
- needs to be groomed regularly, which is another thing I don't have time for

It is plain to see that the cons severely outway the pros, and that is why I am forced to post an ad for him. The problem is that I totally intend to be severely picky as to who he goes to, because I don't want him in a house full of wailing kids or partying teenagers. The poor kitty wouldn't be able to stand those things, and he'd be so scared. I already feel severely guilty, but I know that his current life isn't fair to him, and that I can't afford to keep him. There is just no way to get around it. Sigh.

Here is to Hoping...

There have been absolutely no bugs for at least three nights now. Yay! I'm so worried that they're going to reappear somehow, but I keep hoping that soon life will be back to normal. I'm tired of living out of plastic bags! I'm sure that my brother will be happy to have all my clothes out of his place, too, so it's a win-win situation for everyone (well, except the bugs, but they don't deserve to live).

Not only will the bugs be all gone, but I'll also be able to bring in my nice, new couch. The excitement just continues to build!

Give Me a Big KISS??

Okay, so the title's a bit lame, but I've just learned that KISS is coming to my town after their newest album release. I've never been a massive fan, but always a casual listener to their material. I must say that I highly enjoy a lot of their stuff (plus I think Gene Simmons is hilarious).

With the lack of good bands and artists coming around here this year, I was thinking that this may a good opportunity to catch a good band. I'm concerned there won't be anymore chances to see anyone this year, and it actually pisses me right off. I'm a big concert fan, and I'd love to see KISS, but I'm still unsure.

If there are any followers out there, please give me your opinion on whether or not I should go! I should also see if I can scrounge up enough money to get a ticket for my lady too! Not sure if she'd really care for KISS, but I'd have to ask her before purchasing any tickets. Either way, opinions are welcome! 2009 is almost over, so keep that in mind.

Holding the Phone Company's Hand

It has been a couple days since I've been able to post. I've been in Markham, Ontario, and then it was off to work with me yesterday. Just no time for writing, which is a sick claim to make.

Anywho, still no new bites from the bed bugs. I have been staring suspiciously at my furniture, prepared with a heavy textbook to make those little buggers go splat if they should be so bold as to reappear. I think they are terrified, because I haven't seen them yet.

Did everyone read the post by Ristifer below? He loves me! What a nice feeling... I love him, too.

On a different note, has everyone had the experience of being on hold forever when calling the phone company? I thought that I'd be wise today and try out the internet chat option to talk to my phone company, and man, if I thought that it was frustrating just waiting on the phone... The chat people use a template for just about everything they say, and so I might give my information once, only to be asked for it again because that's part of the template. Sometimes the answers I get are completely unrelated to the discussion... and I really wonder where it's going.
Let's follow along, shall we?
I connected to this online chat representative to discuss a miraculous $147 credit that has appeared on my account. His response? "Don't worry about it."
HA!
Yeah, don't worry about it and then next month receive a double bill to compensate for this month. No, thank you!
Now he seems to have completely ignored what I said to him, and has already jumped to, "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Well, let me tell you what else you can do for me... Maybe your job, for starters. Why is he not investigating this issue? Perhaps he knows the answer, but doesn't have a template to relate it.

I replied with: "I would like to know why this credit appears on my account."
His response? "It will appear on your next month's bill."

What?

Okay, time to end the chat and move along. I guess I'll just phone later...

Update - Bed Bugs

I just thought that I'd keep everyone up to date on the bed bug situation. There have been a few bites, but nothing nearly as significant as the bites at the beginning of infestation. Ristifer has a cluster on his hand, but we're not certain that they're from bed bugs. Ick.

Paid to Write Reviews

There are so many work at home scams on the internet nowadays that it's very difficult to find something that one can believe in. Most people know automatically that if you have to pay for some fortune making scheme, then it's just a scam... Most people. What about real money-making opportunities? Blogging is often turned to in that hope, but it's extremely difficult to make financial progress with blogging, and it takes a lot of patience.

Just recently I have discovered a site called, "Review Stream". What this site is is that it pays people to write reviews - about anything! Okay, that's not quite accurate. You can submit reviews about anything, and they'll let you know whether or not they'll buy it. If your review is purchased, you usually get $2.00 for the review. When you reach the $50.00 threshold, you can request payment and then payment will be sent through pay pal.
Review sense is an ad system, so they use the reviews to post pages that have a bunch of ads on them. That's pretty much it. People can read your reviews, and if so interested and if so provided, they can get in contact with you about your experience.

The Review Stream website is a very simple, text-based website. All you have to do is click on "write review", (or you can click the button over to the right), write your review, and wait. Sometimes it does take close to a week for the review to be read, so take your time and relax.

I Love TheBedBug

A person with such a different background in life, she came as a surprise to me. As someone who has been relatively comfortable with my surroundings, I met someone who was uneasy with theirs, and for good reason. In the past, I had met people with similar backgrounds as mine, dated them, and found them incredibly boring and/or useless in the sense that they offered nothing new or exciting to a relationship.

Finding someone with a different background brought something to the table (and it doesn't hurt that she's damn sexy too ;) haha). But seriously, her passion for things is something I haven't seen before in another person. Her love, companionship, passion for me, and her constant all-around strength has shown me an extraordinary person whom I can't wait to spend a lifetime with.

There's always that saying of sticking with each other through thick and thin, but with everything that has transpired over the past year and a half, we've stuck with each other through more than just thick and thin. She knows what I'm talking about. Sorry, I can't really explain all that's happened. A lot of external happenings that were straining.

I would have never imagined someone being with me through all kinds of hardships, and I never thought I could have such strength in myself.

Now I realize that my strength has really come from her.

I love you very dearly, Megs, and I'm extremely glad that we'll be spending our lives together. I always thought love would be something that would just feel like an addition to my world. You have come along and transformed my world into something much better than I could have ever imagined. I'm grateful every single day for you, and am excited that you feel the same.

All my love,
Ris

It Started With No Sleep...

After getting a solid three hours of rest, my day began with my weekly paper route. No big deal. Just a way to earn some much needed money. I am already cranky because of the lack of sleep, but also hopeful that the day will pick up, but so far, it has not.

Already scheduled for an eye appointment (which I'm not looking forward to) at 6:20pm, the day doesn't look to be headed in the right direction, but oh well. It's just an eye appointment after all.

I make my way over to Megan's (aka TheBedBug) brother's apartment to visit her before she heads to work. Unfortunately, before I get to see my lady downstairs, the day throws another crappy moment my way. I see an elderly lady walking her dog and like a gentleman, I hold the door open for her, only to get a snoody reaction: "You're just waiting for me to open the door, aren't ya?" (It's an apartment building, so I can't get in without a key, but Megs wasn't there yet so I politely waited for the lady to open the door).

At this point, I giggle, figuring she's just being lighthearted. Mind you, I didn't get a "thank you" for holding the door, but I let it slide. Moving to the side, I allowed her to move along and open the door to the building. Again, being nice, I held the door for her and her dog to get through. Here's where it gets annoying.

I know what you're thinking, she didn't give me a "thank you" again. Well, that's correct, but there's more. Her dog decides to wrap itself around me in its leash, making it hard for me to move while I hold this door open. The old lady, annoyed by this somehow, remarks to me, "I should have my dog bite you." I don't know if it's because I was trying to hold the door while the dog was wrapped around my legs or what, but I was confused by the comment.

If that's not bad enough, she then put her hand behind me and proceeded to shove me through the open door to get me through first. Now I'm thinking that she's just an ungrateful bitch.

I'm not Mr. Tough Guy, but don't put your stupid hands on me and try to shove me through a door. If I have one pet peeve, it would be unnecessary touching. It's rude, it's disgusting, and it's just plain inconsiderate.

I was being nice, and now any chance of a good mood for the afternoon has been shot.

Here comes the eye appointment...

Solarbotics

Before I talk about solarbotics, I just wanted to post an update on the bedbug situation. There have been no new bites for the past two nights, nor have I discovered any gross little pockets of bugs. Is it possible that they're really gone? Only time will tell...
Yes, I know that was cheese.

Anyway, on to solarbotics.

What is solarbotics?
Well, it's pretty much exactly as the name implies - robots that work on solar (or just light) power. These bots can use light for energy, to follow, to make decisions, etc.

Oooh, it's interesting.

What kind of robots?
The sky is the limit here. I personally put together a mousebot named Herbie. Herbie chases light, backs up when it runs into objects, and chases another mousebot around if assembled to do so. This was a very basic project that merely required some soldering. Other projects can include toy cars, nightlights, LED patterns, robotic butterflies, etc. The options are vast and only depend on how much money and effort you want to put into a project.

Where do I start?
Again, there are many different ways to approach a project. You can start by googling projects (using, of course, Google), buying a book about electronics projects, or simply go to a site such as http://www.solarbotics.com and purchase some ready-made kits.

What do I need to start?
It is generally recommended that you have a few different tools, such as:
1) A soldering iron (make sure that it's fine-tipped and meant for electronics)
2) Rosin core solder (avoid the lead-free solder because it will not hold your project together very well, and will melt easily if heat is applied)
3) Desolder Pump - in case you apply solder where you don't want it, or need to take components apart
4) Soldering Aid, which is a small stand with clips that will hold your project while you solder. Trust me, it's useful
5) Soldering Stand - Soldering irons get very hot (so hot that if you burn yourself, you won't even realize it for a while. Your body can't process the pain fast enough). You want a soldering stand to avoid burning your work area, objects, or yourself
6) Acid flux to clean your soldering iron should it turn black
7) A damp sponge (that doesn't contain plastic), or damp paper towel
8) Pliers or tweezers, because metal gets very hot and you don't want to be holding it with your fingers
9) A project, and whatever materials the project specifies
10) Time, as some projects can take several weeks to complete, depending on the level of difficulty. If it's a simple project, like Herbie, it may only take you an hour
11) Patience - soldering and assembling can be a very tedious process. You must be patient

Why suggest solarbotics?
The reason why I specifically mentioned solarbotics is because not only are the projects fantastic, fun, and interesting, but there are also projects available for all ages. Solarbotics also gives such a wide range of things to experiment with that just about anyone can have fun with it.

Some knowledge of electronics may be an asset depending on the difficulty of the project, and if troubleshooting is required, but is not necessary. If you get a kit from a company like Solarbotics, they do provide some help over the phone.

Have fun!

Addiction to Junk Food - The Downhill Slide

Crack cocaine, nicotine, caffeine... Who the hell cares when there's junk food?

But seriously, what about junk food? I'm not huge on caffeine, and cigarettes appall me, so I can't speak for all the addicts of the world, but I can tell you that there is one heavy vice that I have: A massive, irresistible, gross addiction to junk food. I swear, every day I can feel plaque building up in my intestines just a little bit more. Hamburgers, french fries, milkshakes, chocolate bars... Hell, anything containing grease is my heaven.

Shocked? Yeah, so is anyone who meets me. I'm a scrawny little monkey, but I just can't resist the urge to chow down on the next unhealthy thing placed in front of me. Perhaps I am destined for a fat ass and calf rolls, but with the way I'm thinking, whooooo cares?

Yeah, I do.

How is it that junk food can have such a powerful hold on me? I have tried an experiment where I went with very little junk food for a few months, and at first the cravings were nearly unbearable. After a while, I started to feel better, and even had more energy than I did before, but it wasn't long after that point where I had a huge relapse and ate every piece of chocolate that floated my way. So, of course, now I'm back at the beginning, constantly pondering about how I should consider going on a diet not for weight loss, but just for the sake of my health. Heart disease runs in my family, and I can already picture my heart being drowned under layers of trans fat and the like. It's a gross picture.

Which all leads me to my next point.
Obesity is said to be a rising epidemic in North America, and there is all this preaching about how people should start to eat healthier food.
Please, allow me to tear this whole thing apart.
I can go to McDonald's and get a cheeseburger for roughly $1.39. I go to the store and get some beef, eggs, and crackers, and I'm looking at around $15.00. If I go to the grocery store and buy organic, said-to-be-healthier food, I stare owl-eyed at a bill of approximately $150. If I go to the grocery store and buy all the junk, I get twice the groceries, and I'm calmly gazing at a bill of $65.

Now, please, do continue to preach at me how I should be buying healthier food when I can't afford it.

Yeah, yeah, I'll hear the, "But can you afford not to eat healthy?"
Well, no, but I can't afford to do things either way, so I guess I'll have to make a decision.

I hope that my ass doesn't expand to the size of Jupiter and that I am one day able to afford a healthier lifestyle as far as food goes, but as it is right now, I'll admit it: I'm a junk food junkie.

Bug Apocalypse

Night five has come and gone, and no new bites. Could it be that the end of the bug age has come in my apartment?
Now wouldn't that be sweet.

My clothes are still packed away in plastic bags, which is uber annoying when one is attempting to keep a shirt wrinkle free for work. The other super annoying thing is that all my clothes are actually at my brother's place, because I'm scared that a certain cat will pee all over them (trust me, he would manage to get inside the bags).

For now, though, I will just be happy with the fact that the bugs may have finally kicked the bucket and given in to their demise. Life here is moribund for them, so they really should just quit, or travel next door to the miserable people over there. Whichever works best.

One Diamond Ring, Please

People become engaged in so many unique ways that it would be virtually impossible to list them all, so I'll just do what I do best and be concerned with my own engagement. To give you a little bit of background information, I met my fiancé on a networking website. It was sort of ironic, because neither of us was really looking to meet anyone in person; we were just looking to chat casually for something to do. Our first conversation was ridiculously entertaining, and so we ended up chatting on MSN messenger, and things just went from there. We met in person at a mall, and just continued to see each other from there.

Now to tell you about the proposal.

I was working at a really crappy job as an office cleaner. The pay wasn't too bad, but my boss was the devil's cousin and also very demanding. At the time I was attending school full time, and then going to work as soon as the last class was over. The night of the proposal was no different. Chris and I tended to talk to each other through texting while I was at work so that he would know where I was, and since I was receiving texts from him all evening, I thought that he was sitting comfortably at home (unbeknownst to me, he was actually using my computer).

Upon my return from work, I walked into a living room that was illuminated by candles and a huge smile from my then boyfriend. My first impression was that he was just being the sweetheart that he is and that he decided to surprise me with a romantic evening, but soon it became evident that something else was amiss.

Chris started talking a lot and babbling, and then suddenly broke into a very nice speech about how much he cares about me (thank god it wasn't cliché...). Without warning, he dropped to one knee and pulled out a cute little ring box and popped THE question. Good thing that he had talked to some of my family members before proposing... at least he knew what he was getting into.

The poor guy.

For a moment there was silence, and then I practically yanked him to his feet, jumped around a bit, kissed him over and over again, jumped on him (his description of this moment is that I appeared like some kind of wildlife), and then at last realized that I never even answered his question. He was staring at me, grinning all silly-like, and then he was like, "So what's your answer?"

If only I had a video of the moment. He was absolutely adorable.

So yeah, I was proposed to in my living room at about 9:30 at night, and I gave a big fat yes.

Vinegar and Cat Urine

A few months ago I was having a real problem with one of my cats urinating all over the place. Me being me, I put all the blame on my female cat because she is the fickle one of the two, and almost went as far as taking her to the vet. Luckily, Chris discovered that it wasn't her at all, but that it was actually my male cat, Ender, who likes to mark everything with an ocean of pee.

He's fixed, so I knew that wasn't the problem. Fearing a health issue, I took Ender to the vet to make sure that he wasn't ill.

And what did I pay $70 for?

Well, in short, to say that there was nothing wrong with the damn cat. She told me that he's stressed.

Yeah, stressed.

I'll show you stress!

Throwing out a $400 futon because it was drenched in cat urine... losing piles of important papers because the cat had an "accident"... Having nowhere to put the cat during fumigations because I just know that he'll urinate somewhere that he isn't supposed to (the perfect examples being my brother's pull out couch and his big comfy chair). Stress is being chased around with a stick to cover upholstery expenses that I don't have the money for, not to mention all the vinegar to cover the urine smell when there are no other options.

What the hell does Ender have to be stressed about, anyway? He gets cuddled, fed, brushed, played with, left alone when he's irritable; what could he possible be freaking out about? I don't have a lot of furniture, so there's not much to rearrange, and he's got a little friend to spend his days with. Gr.

Many who read this will say, "Why don't you just get rid of the stupid cat?"

Believe me, the thought has crossed my mind; however, Ender is a special case. I got him as a kitten and he'd been abused. He was at the point where no one was allowed to touch him and he was very skittish. I have had him for about two and a half years, and in that time I can touch him, pick him up, and even squish his face. He purrs, which is a pretty new development. I'm terribly afraid that if he goes to another home, he'll be abused again, or neglected. Ender has severe separation anxiety issues, and I'm not interested in putting him through all of that again.

I suppose I'll just have to keep my existing furniture covered with plastic for the next eleven years until he croaks.

Chris' First Rant - The Price of Music

There's something to be said about record companies who panic about the downloading age and the piracy of music: They don't understand.

I'm more of an old-fashioned guy. I like to go out when a new record comes out and purchase it. But as far as buying music goes, those new release prices are the lowest you'll see. Don't tell me about used CD stores. Just don't. I've been there, done that. They have decent selections but are still very limited and aren't even that cheap anymore.

It bothers me, as a person of eclectic musical tastes, to try and buy an album from an artist who is not Kelly Clarkson or Radiohead, and have to pay upwards of $25 for one disc of music. It's ridiculous. Yes, I know, they don't print as many copies of CDs for more unknown bands. Whatever. That's no reason to really gouge a person out of a huge chunk of their paycheque.

"Ooh, the new Keri Hilson album is so cheap! Wow, I'm so excited, I just wet myself several times over!"

Do I download music? Yes. But I prefer to purchase all of my music in the end in order to have the best quality recordings as I can get. I'm not asking for every CD to be $4.99 or something very low either. I understand that big corporations need to make the dough. However, if you're so concerned with people downloading music illegally, why are you raising the damn prices? In an age where inflated prices are appearing left, right, and center, why drive people away from buying music with insane prices? Yes, I already answered my own question: Inflation. I don't buy it. You can't raise the price of music so drastically and expect people not to download it. That's retarded. People don't care if it's illegal, and companies seem to think they will care. That's not how it works anymore.

Now, instead of addressing the problem properly, their solution is one that you can see in stores today: A free DVD with new music! "Like, OMG!" Who gives a shit?! You buy music for the music, not to see how it's made. That's what YouTube is for. I love my favourite artists because of what they produce, not how they produced it. That's like buying an apple grown in Ontario, and then tracking down the farmer in order to see how it was so juicy and ripe. You'll watch the free DVD once and then it goes back in the case never to be seen again. Deluxe editions to albums need to stop. I don't need a free diary or picture book. Nor do I need to see these guys jerking off in the studio and laughing about musical terms I'll never understand. Enough, already.

Now, I know it won't change, but why are you charging me up my ass for one CD? Just encourage me to download illegally some more, please. Don't even get me started on the selection of music these crappy stores have. I'm starting to order music from sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble to get the CDs which are more difficult to locate, but I still prefer to have my music right in front of me and not take 3 weeks with a delivery charge tacked on.

I won't say much else, but it gets on my damn nerves to only get special discount prices on new releases. "Ooh, thanks so much, good sir." I'm tired of seeing older CDs with price tags like $19.99 and $22.99 (which are for single discs! Holy ass.). I'm not even talking about older albums from the 80s or whatever. I just saw one yesterday which was released in 2007 (If you must know, it was Porcupine Tree's 'Fear of a Blank Planet'), and it was ridiculously expensive for a disc of music. I get fed up. For an age where I have to shell out $50 for a full tank of gas, I better get some damn good deals on retail purchases.

My rant's over. There hasn't been any improvement, and if they don't smarten up, they're going to find a lot of business going downhill, to the point where people just download from the internet for every musical wish. You guys wonder why you're losing business when you do this kind of thing?

Shit.

It's a Bug eat Bug World

You just know that the pesticides are at work when one minute you see a fly buzzing around the room, and then the next minute it just falls dead to the floor. It was quite the sight, and it gets me wondering how that fly even came to exist in my apartment. In fact, I've been wondering how a ton of these nasty bugs have come to be here... I hadn't seen most of these species until the pesticide was applied. Very curious circumstances, I must say.

Last night was night four since the second fumigation, and as far as I can tell, there have been no bites. Chris and I spent some time last night flipping the mattress, peeking under the dust cover, and so forth to see if we could find any evidence of bed bugs. We didn't find anything, but I'm hoping that the dropping of the mattress back down onto the frame shook some onto the carpet, thus suffocating the little bastards in poison. Perhaps it worked, since I haven't yet discovered any new, massively itchy welts.

Now with that being said... how good can it be for me to live in this sterile smelling, bug eating environment?

I'll probably never know.

District 9: Don't Expect The Ordinary

The problem I find with a lot of newer movies these days is that they tend to start out strong and then fade with each passing scene. Yes, moments here and there often try to dazzle or humour the viewer into watching the rest, and yes, we usually stay in order to see the result. Some might say that a movie needs to start off with a bang, but I believe that finishing with strength leaves a more lasting impression.

Welcome to District 9: A movie that starts off mediocre, but only gets better and better as it progresses. I should be honest, the beginning isn't that terrible, but it's a newscast with interviews that you would turn off if it was on your television set at home. It's an introduction to a district in Johannesburg, South Africa, where you have extraterrestrial refugees wishing to leave and just go home. Unfortunately, they can't do that. They are kept in District 9 as "workers" while the outside world loses patience with them and their rioting. Clearly malnourished and without any kind of leadership, the aliens have no real way of getting out of the slum that has developed in a span of 28 years. On the human side, a company called Multi-National United (MNU) was given contracted control over the alien situation and calls for an eviction of the aliens from District 9 into a concentration camp, known as District 10. MNU also hopes to gain profits from the alien weaponry if they can learn its technology. However, the only way to discover the technology is by figuring out how to make it work through human biology, instead of through the biological means of aliens.

The eviction, as you can guess, goes all wrong. The main character and head of the MNU eviction, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), finds a suspicious canister of fluid and accidentally sprays it on his face. This becomes a problem for both sides as Wikus begins transformation into an alien, while the alien who developed the fluid, Christopher, needed it to be fuel to get back to the mothership.

From here, it becomes a rollercoaster ride. The MNU need Wikus' newly transformed alien arm to be the pawn for technological aims, while Christopher needs to regain the fuel that was transported to MNU headquarters. Without giving up the rest of what happens, I can say that it was a great experience to watch something fresh like this. A very cold, atmospheric film, District 9 shines as a movie that never relents and keeps the story interesting through sequences of both action and human-alien interplay.

Not too many sci-fi movies that I have seen in my lifetime actually allow you to feel sympathy for an alien race. That's not to say that this movie tries to drive home a message about African refugees, even after being based on a short-film about them called 'Alive in Joburg' (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_9). The film keeps it strictly on the aliens without including an internal protest that would have been unnecessary.

In many modern science fiction movies, there is ultimately too much action involved and not enough to think about. This film allows you to think about both sides of the conflict and establish an opinion of your own. At times, you may feel sorry for Wikus because of his transformation and loss of relations with his wife. Other times, you will feel the pain that Christopher is going through to have to be far from home with his son living in a slum with him.

While the extraterrestrials don't resemble human beings, their emotions, expressions, and even their fight for survival are all just like human characteristics. Once again, the aliens are given a human side in order for the viewer to feel for their situation.

One more thing I must say is that the movie is visually stunning. Not only are the effects well crafted and used appropriately, but the aliens actually look unique. They don't look like some over-sized creatures that are going to take over the universe. They look simple and fit within the scope of the movie.

I won't spill the beans on the ending of the film, but it does leave an opening for a sequel. The story is engaging and has its twists, the visuals are stunning, and the characters develop perfectly as the movie continues from its lackluster beginning. A very well done film.

A-

Bed Bugs - A Fresh Look

It has officially been three nights since the last fumigation, and bites are evident. As of this moment it is clear that there are still bed bugs lurking in the dark, waiting to come out and feed. I hope that they manage to lose their grip on whatever furniture they're hiding in and fall to the carpet, where they will suffocate on toxic pesticides. It would be a lie to say that I wouldn't enjoy seeing little bed bug corpses everywhere.

My fiancé, Chris, and I have been putting books and junk back on the shelves for the past few days, but it doesn't look like those objects will remain at home for long. If bites are still present after about two and a half more weeks, it means that the fumigation was not successful and that a third episode will be required. Good-bye $177.00, although I can't say that I'll be the one missing it since the apartment has decided to cover the costs.

Sex and Teens - Wha?

A lot of my time tends to be lost on the internet, and for some reason I am attracted to yahoo answers like a fly is attracted to a bright light. Okay, perhaps I'm not quite that mesmerized, but it's close enough, and I have to admit that some of the questions that come up on that site are just insane. It's completely natural for pre-pubescent kids to be curious about the world of sex, but what on earth are they doing asking about what position is the best? There are so many of these kids asking about ways to skip their periods, or how to get into a girl's pants that I really wonder where the hell they've come from. A teenage girl talking about having missed her period refuses to accept the fact that she may be pregnant after having unprotected sex over and over again... and yet she continues to ask why she doesn't feel well in the morning... Is there any sense to this at all? I have this odd feeling that I'm traveling in circles, and will eventually end up in a pit of stupid. Someone save me.

Craters in London

The subject of how terrible London, Ontario roads are is certainly not new. Take the sinkhole in the downtown core, for example:

(http://www.atv.ca/images/shows-london-wingham-windsor/NEWSERPIC.jpg)

Unfortunately, the ultimate disrepair of London's streets doesn't stop with a single sinkhole. Craters, sinkholes, potholes, and the underground pathway to China are just the beginning of the problems all across the city. I personally have lost a tire to one of many craters, which in the end cost me my job (yes, I'm serious). The city, well aware of these problems, did little more than fill the holes with tar that sank again within a week. However, streets/roads that are not desperately in need of repair seem to find themselves constantly under construction. How on earth does this make any sense?

I think I'll go slam my head against the wall until the answer comes to me.

Abuse - A History Creating the Future

While we are awaiting a bed bug update, let's switch avenues for just a little bit.

I write a lot of articles about abuse for college students, online publishing sites, and sites for teens. The topics include such things as woman abuse, man abuse, human trafficking, child abuse, et cetera. I suppose I'm so caught up on this subject because so many people are blatantly ignorant about how much abuse truly exists in the world.

This blog post is going to be less of a generalization and more of a personal viewpoint on past experiences, although I will post some links at the bottom for further reading.

Just like so many other people, my parents are divorced. The divorce was not friendly, and there really isn't any love lost between the two sides of my family. Both of my parents claim that the other was abusive, and to some degree, I can see a bit of truth behind the pointing fingers and nasty side commentaries that my older brother and I received for so many years. Neither was innocent, but both claim to be, as is very common with many couples who break up.

Anyway, the true focus of this post is to share a sudden realization that just struck me at approximately 10:00 a.m. while I was in the shower this morning. I was reminiscing back to when I was a little kid shooting hoops with my older brother, who at the time had a violent temper. I took a shot at the net, the ball bounced off the rim, and wham, it made contact with the back of my brother's head. Before I even knew what was happening my brother was flying at me and landed a solid punch right into my mouth. Yes, blood spewed and my top tooth went right through my bottom lip. It was awkwardly painful.

Bawling and wailing, I stumbled up the porch steps, leaving a bright red trail of blood in my wake. My mother came out to see what the heck was going on, took one look at me, and then turned and cuffed my brother upside the head. Apparently one degree of abuse deserves another, but I have to admit that it was rather satisfactory at the time to see him get slapped.

A few days later my lip was still in the process of healing and had scabbed over (not very attractively, either). My grandmother from my father's side came to the door for a visit, took one look at me, and asked what had happened. I told the story, and she took a deep, gasping breath.

"What did you do?" she breathed.

What did I do?

What she really meant was, "What did you do to deserve getting punched in the face? You're at fault for something."

At the time I was just angry with her for blaming me for a complete accident, but only this morning I came to realize the origin of her ways of thinking.

My father has often told my brother and me of the childhood that my father went through, which was filled with abuse from his father, whereas his sister's life was full of abuse from his mother, our grandmother. Could it be that my grandmother was an abused spouse who just took from her own personal experiences and projected them onto other people? Did she get caught in

a blind belief that if she were beaten physically or mentally, that she believed it all to be her own fault?

My grandfather was a tough bird, an Englishman through and through. He was strict, rarely smiled, and never gave any open affection to my grandmother. His criticisms were harsh, and his forgiveness impossible to gain. Perhaps, in all the years that I resented my grandmother for her seemingly snooty attitude, were years and years of silent suffering that she took to be her own

fault.

For more reading on abuse issues, please refer to:

Human Trafficking: http://socyberty.com/activism/the-horror-of-human-trafficking/

Information on Woman Abuse: http://beyondjane.com/lifestyle/issues/woman-abuse/

Living After Abuse: http://socyberty.com/advice/rebuilding-life-after-abuse/

Abuse for Sexuality: http://socyberty.com/gay-lesbians/the-concept-of-gay-persecution/

Bed Bugs - Journey Back to the Elderly Couple

Remember the night stands that I mentioned earlier? The ones that I bought from an elderly couple, and that were infested with tiny little bed bugs? Yes, well, I paid a whopping ten dollars for those night stands, which really translated into $364 after two fumigations.
Anyway, my fiancé and I debated long and hard over whether or not the couple realized that they had bed bugs, but after witnessing a couple of mattresses sitting out by the curb, decided that they probably did know. Despite this fact, however, we decided to pay them a visit to be absolutely certain.
We knocked on the door, and the elderly gentleman answered. We told him our story about the night stands and the bed bugs, and his response was...
"Huh."
HUH???
No offer to refund my money, no apology.

He continued on to mention that they knew about the problem and that they had taken care of it (I highly doubt that, since their house was still in perfect order). A thank you for coming and a closed door was our reward for our efforts.

Sleep Tight...

Don't Let the Bed Bugs Bite

Once upon a time, that was my favourite saying before going to bed. I used to say it to my mother just about every night as a kid, never suspecting that a bed bug wasn't actually the equivalent of a bed mite.

Well, just for the record, please allow me to clarify that a bed BUG and a bed MITE are extremely different entities. A bed BUG is not only very visible to the naked eye, but is a messy, nasty little creature. While mites tend to add about ten pounds to your mattress every year while they reproduce like bunnies and leave feces all over the place, a bed bug will leave very large feces behind, as well as fairly large red stains on your pillows, mattress, and sheets. Bed bugs also leave a pretty gross red smear when squished.
What is the red smear?

Take a deep breath...

It's your blood.
Yes, indeed, they feed off your blood, but not like a mosquito. Bed bugs will often line up down your vein and push their little beaks in, injecting saliva while sucking blood. The saliva can cause massive swelling and itching at the site of the bite. It is also a signature of the bed bugs to leave several bites in one location.
In my own personal experience, I had over seventy bites on my body within the first week of infestation. It was horrible, and I looked like I had chicken pox on my belly and legs.

For me, these disgusting bugs came from a set of night stands that I bought from an infested elderly couple (whom I did not know was infested, of course). The bugs started off as tiny little white movements in the bottom of the drawer, and then grew and evolved into fair-sized, red vampires. Insomnia became my best friend, as the bugs only come out at night when all is dark.
Over a month and two exterminations later, I am still finding pockets of these rapidly reproducing, sick little monsters.

The countdown begins for being bug free!

Pervoids and Princes - A Glimpse to Online Dating for Women

The Pervoid

"Hey, sexy, how about you come over for a massage?"

Wow, ten nano-seconds into a conversation and you're already getting the infamous offer of a massage and a glorious night of pampering. That's fantastic! Can you picture it already?
Of course not.

These types of offers are sickeningly notorious to women in the online dating world. The majority of men who are quick to respond to an online dating classified have not only skipped over the paragraph about how you love to go for long, romantic walks, but have actually skipped over your entire profile. These are the men that we shall classify as the 'pervoids'; they seek a night, or possibly even just an hour, of your worthy company for their own personal agendas, and then they shall be on their way. They are blatantly crude and hoping to score an easy catch.
How do you spot this species?
It's simple. These types of men are usually very quick to turn a conversation sexual, or to offer a meeting of sorts. They will extend an invitation to you at two in the morning to meet for coffee or a movie, but nearly always in a private, intimate place.

My Advice: Unless you're looking for a one night stand, be wary of these men and just stay away. Don't bother trying to be nice, because you're not going to hurt their feelings by instantly shutting them down. I personally have had this experience over and over again, and the easiest way to get rid of them is to tell them that you simply are not interested, and that you find them completely repulsive. Often times blocking is necessary.

The Prince

Your most likely chance at success in gaining a meaningful relationship from online dating is to pursue the men who seek conversation. It could start out as a battle of wits between the two of you (as what happened with my fiancé and I), or it could just be casual conversation where you get to know each other. Don't rush meeting; take some time to coast along and savor the laughs. Talk on the phone! Get a real feel for each other before deciding to meet. This will not only let you get to know the guy, but it will also give you a chance to see his true agenda. Is he looking for a true relationship, or is he a pervoid in sheep's clothing?

Here are some quick tips for finding your match:
1) Actually read his profile. It will reveal a lot about him if he is being honest.
2) Be honest in YOUR profile.
3) Do not reveal whether or not you have kids in your online profile - this is how pedophiles target victims.
4) Do not allow pictures to take first priority - your prince might be in a frog suit.
5) Posting your own picture will get you more profile views, but if you're not looking for a bawdy encounter, keep your picture clean and classy.

My Qualifications:
My fiancé and I met on a free online dating website. We talked on MSN messenger and on the phone for two months before finally agreeing to meet. In that time period I dealt with a lot of pervoids, sly wolves, and some true gentlemen, but in truth there was only one real prince for me.