Let's Chat! - Never Delete!

[Jodi]

I am in school every day, because I am a teacher. I know that isn't what you meant though. I am coming up to the first term report card period. It really cuts into reading time. Glad your exam went okay Kara. I haven't had to study for a while. I can't imagine having to study and work full time.

[Kara]

I think it's so awesome that you're a teacher, Jodi. I know I wouldn't have the patience for it.

[Karina]

Congratulations on having the exam over and done with!

I hope to go back to school at some point - probably to study psychology in one shape or another - meanwhile, I keep scouting Coursera for interesting-looking classes. :)

[Brian]

I thought Catching Fire was an incredible adaptation too, Lilac. I didn't want the movie to end! I liked the first movie actually. It had flaws certainly, but either way this movie was indeed much better both in terms of acting, pacing, and effects. The one thing I have to say is I think the beginning of the first hunger games was brilliant and one of the best scenes in the series on film so far. This movie took a little longer to build, so its beginning wasn't quite as engrossing. Still great though!

[Brian]

Hehe Karina, I'm all about Coursera! I'm in a transitional phase in life, and I'm all about learning as much as I can for free. I've been lost for a while in terms of figuring out what it is I want to do, and it's been pretty tough with a lot of expectations placed on me to do something I never actually wanted to do.

Things have been MUCH better though since I made the drastic decision to change careers entirely. I dropped out of law school. I'm still getting over not being ashamed of it. But, enrolling and staying in law as long as I did was easily the biggest mistake of my life. I had never been so, so miserable.

I've been teaching myself coding and absolutely love it. I'm beginning computer science courses as a post grad in January and ultimately working towards a Master's. Can't wait to move forward and be in school again! :]

[Brian]

Oh and congrats Kara!! Finals suckkkk especially in graduate school for the reasons you've stated. When you have more real life issues going on simultaneously - job, relationship, etc - it's so much harder to push yourself to study like in college when that is your sole job.

[Chloé]

I did my undergraduate in Psychology, my graduate school (post bachelor certificate) in behavioral intervention for autism, now I'm finishing an undergraduate certificate in East Asia languages and cultures mostly in Japanese, but I'll do a class in Chinese next term because advance Japanese class keep being canceled:( I'm think to go in translation, because everything in my field is in English and I'm francophone and worked with francophone kids and I had to translate every material for my kids all the time and it was annoying, so I'm thinking of my fellow students who doesn't really understand English.

[Jodi]

Chloé wrote: "I did my undergraduate in Psychology, my graduate school (post bachelor certificate) in behavioral intervention for autism, now I'm finishing an undergraduate certificate in East Asia languages and..."

Wow Chloe your studies are so varied. I would love to learn languages. I did my undergrad in Psychology too. I loved Psychology. It was so interesting. Then I did my teaching degree and a technology diploma. I love university and wish I could be a student as my career. Instead I work with the little ones, helping them develop a love for learning too.

Brian, you are so brave to change careers. Starting over is hard to do but too many people aren't happy with their career choices. I think you have to love what you do. I think good for you!

[Stefani - SpelingExpirt]

I'm studying, I originally started off studying to be a teacher but that was a big mistake. Dropping out to study journalism is one of the bravest things I've done.

It is just annoying to be 23 and most of my classmates are 19, I know that doesn't really seem like a big difference but all they want to do is drink and sleep around and talk about things I don't care about, whereas I'm living with my partner and working two jobs just to pay the bills. (God I sound so much older than 23 sometimes).

[Brian]

Has anyone else tried out this new trivia game app called QuizUp? It's on iPhone and I think iPad, soon will be on Android. It's so addictive...but so fun...it only released about two weeks ago and already has millions of registered users.

There are hundreds of categories and topics to choose. Once you pick one, you can either challenge a friend directly through your phone contacts, Game Center, Facebook, or Twitter (social media linking is thankfully entirely optional).

Or you can touch "Play Now" and get instantly paired with a random player from anywhere in the world. You both face off in real time to answer a rapid succession of 7 questions, each with four possible answers. You are given very little time to read the question before they appear, and you win or lose based on your score, calculated by number of correct answers - with more points given the faster you answer.

I can't stop playing this app...kind of like Words with Friends for me 2-3 years ago. It also grants you achievements and titles you can display to others (each topic grants you a unique title when you hit level 10).

Some of the questions are laughably easy, while some are VERY obscure and challenging. At least it's both entertaining and mildly educational! Anyway, if anyone has it or would like to try it out and wants to challenge me, bring it :P just ask me for my username.

[Chloé]

Jodi wrote: "Chloé wrote: "I did my undergraduate in Psychology, my graduate school (post bachelor certificate) in behavioral intervention for autism, now I'm finishing an undergraduate certificate in East Asia..."
I know! I would love to get paid to study! Maybe I should start buying thickets, if I win at the lottery maybe I can spend my entire life in school.

Though most people I know think I'm crazy to still be in in school. All they wanted was to get their diploma so they could get a job and finally be done with school.

[Chloé]

Stefani - SpelingExpirt wrote: "I'm studying, I originally started off studying to be a teacher but that was a big mistake. Dropping out to study journalism is one of the bravest things I've done.

It is just annoying to be 23 an..."

Well here there's always a few middle age man and women in class. But I was shock I was called "old" by a classmate for the first time. I'm 27.

[Kara]

Brian, I LOVE QuizUp. My favorites are math, logos, and scifi/fantasy.

[Brian]

My favorites are United States, Name the TV Show, and Arts. Logos are definitely one of the better categories, but I always lose!

[Nathaly]

I still feel stuffed from my Thanksgiving feast. How was everyone's Thanksgiving(for those who celebrate)?

[Megan]

Had a great thanksgiving with my family! Hope everyone else had a lovely day as well

[Ashley]

The Hubby and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went nontraditional this year and made homemade pizzas for our meal. It was just us, since we weren't able to travel home this year. We didn't think it was worth it to make all of that food for 2 people, haha.

I hope everyone else had an awesome Thanksgiving!

PS: Is anyone else annoyed by the new notifications? I liked it the old way, lol.

[Jodi]

What's the new notifications? I don't think I noticed any difference.

[Chloé]

It look different, but it is still the same.

[Adriana]

The new notifications are a bit annoying but it's only a little different so whatever I guess :P

[Karina]

Are you giving people books for Christmas?

I just got a signed(!) copy of The Twistrose Key for my niece - the rest of my family used to be readers, but lost interest after the arrival of the cable modem. I have to convert/corrupt the ten year old before it's too late!

[Kara]

My friends' kids and little cousins only get books. I like to give my old childhood favorites.

I also have a couple of friends who know they're receiving books from me every year, but I tend to give work friends cookies rather than wrapped gifts.

[Lilac]

Yes, I always give books as gifts. It's my not very subtle way of trying to get everyone I know to read more. I do also give other things as gift, of course, but I prefer getting people books. Plus, they're so easy to wrap.

[Ruth]

Yes....got books for all 4 grands, son and his wife....not sure about other son....not a reader....wish I could tempt him!!

[Kara]

Haha, Lilac, I think that may be one of the main drivers for me--I'm SO AWFUL at gift-wrapping, but books are easy.

[Chloé]

I'm not sure what this year presents will be. But in the past I gave them. My dad's a reader but he's busy with other things lately, he is more a TV, computer kind of guy lately. My brother in law likes graphic novel and super hero so I sometimes give him that. My sister used to hate reading but she loved fifty shades of grey, so I'm try to find her interesting kinky romance.

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Ashley wrote: "The Hubby and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We went nontraditional this year and made homemade pizzas for our meal. It was just us, since we weren't able to travel home this year. We didn't think..."

Ashley, I hated the change in how the notifications looked, too. Reminded me too much of a FAcebook feed and it was too spread out. I'm guessing GR got a lot of negative feedback because my notifications are back to the old way. Much better, IMO!

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

I give books for Christmas when I know they are on someone's list. I try to get my son books every year.

[Stefani - SpelingExpirt]

My mum is getting a book, so is my gf (along with many other things) and my stepdad. My stepdad wasn't really a reader but he recently picked up a David Baldacci book in a 2for1 deal because my mum wanted another book and he'd finished it in a few weeks (he's a book or two a year type guy so this was very shocking) so I got him five of Baldacci's books and gave him on early and he's already finished the one I gave him early despite getting it a week and a half ago. He will become an avid reader!

[Ashlee]

I went into one store and got lots of little presents for my family <3 I am making food for my friends as presents but next year I think I am going to do the book thing <3

[Nathaly]

Is anyone elses notifcations not popping up? Mine aren't.

[Lilac]

Mine seem to be working fine right now.

[Adriana]

Did they actually change the posts??? Why!!!???

[Lilac]

Yeah, so members can see when moderators post. I think it can be disabled though.

[Adriana]

I hope it can. I don't know why it annoys me so but it does :P

[Lilac]

It's actually a little distracting in groups like this where mods post a lot, but it works well in the feedback group.

[Adriana]

Yeah, I guess I understand the purpose but it is distracting here.

[Kara]

Let's give it a week to see if we get used to it (sometimes new things are disliked just because they're new). After a week, I'll set up a poll. We can turn it off if that's what members prefer.

[Adriana]

Sounds good Kara. Don't mean to be a complainer or anything (;

[Kelsi]

Hi GUYS! I have 8 more days until final exams are over and then I'll be back. I've really missed this group and being able to read for fun. Today as a study break, I decided to make a list of all the books I'll be reading on my month off. Can't wait to get started and be active here again.

Hope everyone's holiday's/December have been great.

[ilovebakedgoods (Teresa)]

Hooray for final exams coming to an end, Kelsi!

[Adriana]

8 more!? I have until Saturday which is my last final. I've been studying a couple of hours on and off. When's your month off? ~ winter break?

[Chloé]

My university term finish the 20th, but this term I just have a class on Monday so I'll have my last exam the 16th.

[Kara]

So jealous. I just started a new term. (But it's my last!)

[Chloé]

Really? Are you living in Asia? I thought most European and American countries start semester around January. But I know some Asian countries like Japan starts late in fall because their year starts during spring. But I don't know much about schooling outside of Canada, US, Japan and a little about France.

But I guess from Ayako that you're in Japan. Though my first reflex on this website is to assume people are English Canadian or English European or American.

[Kara]

Haha, no. Good guess, my heritage is Japanese, but I live in Michigan and am totally American (fourth generation).

I attend Indiana University's Kelley School of Business (distance program) for my MS Finance degree. This is just winter quarter, and it's a little odd.

(It's a KILLER program, by the way. If anyone's looking for a distance MBA/MS while you also work full time, I would highly, highly recommend this one. I even got to "study abroad" in China.)

[Chloé]

Haha then my first guess was good. Weird schedule than! At least you get 2 weeks off in the middle of it for the Holidays?

[Kelsi]

Law school finals are brutal. 2 weeks, four finals spread out, each at least four hours long. I'm done next Thursday and off until Jan 21.

[Kara]

My finals are usually 3.5-4 hours, so I feel you (but ours are open book, so I'm sure yours are worse).

Can't wait until you get a break and we get to see you around a bit more!

[Jodi]

Good luck on all of your exams. I bet you are excited for the semester to be finished. I have seven more days until Christmas Break. I am looking forward to some rest time before the new term begins.