KarmaTsunami

Oh hay you can listen to the whole thing here now: http://www.npr.org/2015/01/11/376085344/first-listen-sleater-kinney-no-cities-to-love

And you should, because it's bloody brilliant. I've got my train and hotel booked, anyone else heading to see them?

Ok, so i'm gonna get tucked into this challenge. That's 3 down now and it seems more doable.

 

I'm tempted to do only free, found or $1 books. I've amassed a huge pile that needs attacking. Like I said in another thread, there's a book exchange going on in my building and I work right next to an amazing book shop (The Strand) that has a huge selection of $1 books. Means quality might dip and I'm sure i'll throw in a few new buys in there if I get bored, at the same time it'll make me read stuff I maybe wouldn't normally.

Both times I've been in NYC I've visited The Strand. It's amazing.

I posted here to let you know I'd PM'ed you, which seems moot since you'll know when you login anyway. 

Anyway, anyone looking forward to any new releases this year? Unfortunately, it seems confirmed there'll be no new George R.R. Martin or Patrick Rothfuss book, and I'm keeping my finger crossed for the new Brent Weeks, but that's being optimistic.

Quite fancy the new Miranda July though, hopefully it's as good as her short stories.

New Sleater-Kinney imminent. It's very good. 

6 already?! you're not human!

 

The more I think about it, the more i'm into the idea of giving it a go. I'm ploughing through my current book to make it 2 in 2

 

What's the advantage of a paperwhite over other kindles/ereaders?

I've always been a fast reader. It's not speed reading or anything, since I'm taking it all in. The book I'm currently reading will probably take me a full week to get through, it's brilliant though. 'The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler's Men' by Eric Lichtblau. It's changed my perspective on WWII and Post-War America that's for sure. Some of the atrocities that the central intelligence agencies were willing to overlook is astonishing, and some of the shite that came our of General Patton towards the end is just chilling.  

I got a paperwhite just before Christmas and that's what I've found. I managed to get through 56 books last year and I'm aiming for 60 this year. I've already read 6, which in fairness included a pulpy tie-in novel and a young adult novel which was pretty fucking good. 

After - I mean you'd need a PGCE and 2 years' UK experience for an international school job. The latter concern can work dependent on country (my flatmate here is a gay teacher) - although uprooting to another country in general is probably a headache in general if you have a partner/family in tow (one reason international school teachers seem to get more).

 

Just since you mentioned ESL/teaching in Poland in the quick questions thread.

Haha, that was actually on behalf of my partner who was considering it at the time.

You may not require this advice, but as an embittered twice-declined applicant to a PDGE, I would strongly recommend using the next year or two to gain as much experience working with relevantly aged children as you can. You may already have stack loads of experience as it is, but it's something the application assessors value highly.

 

Good luck! More people in the world ought to be taught by Sleater-Kinney fans.

I plan to do some teacher observation at my Mum's school and hopefully with their permission act as a classroom assistant for a few lessons and I've done some tutoring at Level 1 in the University (17-18+ year olds). So, I gots some experience but definitely aiming to get some more in the next couple of years. 

You mean doing that instead, or looking at it afterwards? There are lots of places you can teach if you get onto the International School circuit (my mum teaches at the one in Aberdeen) but one of my main concerns besides cushiness is whether or not my partner and I would feel welcome in the country/area. 

Is this for teaching in Poland?

Nope, it's for teaching here.

OR MAYBE NOT because apparently you can't just get an Int 2 in Maths by starting in November. 

So, let's amend that to looking into equivalent Maths qualifications to maybe start my PGDE in 2016 if not next year.

So that RPS rejection was the kick up the butt I needed it seems.

Filling out applications to study for an SCQF Level 5 qualification in Maths so I can go do my PGDE in Secondary Education next year. 

Well they finally got back to me, and boo-urns no new job.

I e-mailed the HR contact on Monday to ask a) when I might expect to hear back about the interview outcome and b) if I was unsuccessful was there any feedback they could pass on. Nowt. 

Is it normal for companies to go quiet for this long after an interview, or not bother getting back to interviewees at all? I don't mind having nothing back after submitting a CV as they must get hundreds, but I interviewed for the role on the 27th of October and figured they'd be pretty quick getting back to candidates post-interview since the guy currently in the position is retiring at the end of this month. 

Oddly informal and relaxed interview. Think it went pretty well, should hear back today.

My cat died this morning. I'm gutted.

I'm sorry to hear this too. We lost Felix back at the beginning of July and it was horrible. I didn't realise just how attached I'd gotten in a short space of time until I was cleaning the day after and just broke down when I saw his wee paw prints on the counter top. 

My girlfriend, though, decided that rather than come home to an empty house and be miserable that she wanted to get another cat. Queue Xena.

I have an interview for an admin role with RPS Energy on Monday. Has anyone here worked for them before? 

TICKET ACQUIRED. Let support band/set-list speculation commence. I thought maybe Ex-Hex, but they're playing Broadcast in February so probably not.
 
As to set-list, I'm curious which older tracks they'll play. Carrie's being talking about how they've gotten back into the song-writing process:
 

We had no desire to revisit sounds and styles and paths we had treaded before. But in order to move forward, Corin and I worked together in a way that was more reminiscent of earlier albums like Dig Me Out. Meaning that we would write just the two of us and then bring songs to Janet later on in the process. I think we had to go back to an earlier model of writing in order to reacquaint ourselves with the language of the band. It's a sonic vernacular that isn't easily translated into other contexts in which we've played. This was a very deliberate writing process, there were many edits and iterations of the songs. We thought a lot about melody and structure.

 
Wonder how this will feed into rehearsing the back catalogue. Honestly, I'll probably be happy no matter what they play, but my two favourite albums of theirs tends to swing between Dig Me Out and The Woods so as long as they play a couple from both I'll be made up. 
 
What are folks thoughts on the new song Bury Our Friends? I was ecstatic when I first heard it so I wasn't really being subjective, probably still not being very subjective but I'm going to try and write a review of it for the weekend so I'll have to try.
 

IT IS VERY EXCITING NEWS. 

Apparently there are more dates to be announced, but I'm guessing they will probably be West Coast US dates as Portland/Seattle/LA are conspicuous by their absence from the above list.I don't think they'll add more UK dates. Possibly more European dates though.

I hope they sell out the venue, but it'll be weird seeing them there as the last time they played Glasgow back in 2006 they played the Oran Mor. Wild Flag played only a few years ago and that was the Oran Mor too. Either way I'll see y'all down the front.

Well hot diddly damn I actually got an e-mail from someone recruiting for a role I applied for through linkedin. Hopefully it leads to an interview. FINGERS CROSSED EVERYONE.

I figured I could probably bung my headphones in once I've got a bit more room and there's plenty of room for runners to get past me, but having no past experience I don't know how strict the marshalls are likely to be.

Turn around, touch the ground, bagsy Mumbai City no take-backs.

So, it seems races run under Scottish Athletics don't let you have headphones in to listen to music as you're running. Fair dos, I'm not wanting booted off the race for contravening rules. I'm just wondering if I can train with music up to the day then not bother for the marathon and it'll all be hunky dory, or if it's really best to do some long runs sans music beforehand. It seems like it would make for tough running now, but hopefully the closer I get to run day, I'll be a way better runner than I am now where I need 'Omen' by The Prodigy to come on before I can beast the final km.