various rants about online stuff

1. "Question" is not a satisfactory subject line for a bboard post. If you have a question, then that question is about something, unless you are just posting about a general state of cluelessness (wait... I rest my case). Even the very most general description ("Question about fruit") is much better than "Question". If you don't really know the subject when you start out, then fill it in when you've finished the text. Geez.

2. You do not have to personally greet every newcomer on a mailing list, especially if that list happens to get several new people every day. They may or may not have an obligation to introduce themselves, but you certainly don't have to reply to every goddamned intro. You're making a substantial percent of the list traffic be "Hi! I'm..." when we all know perfectly well who you are because you said it fifteen times already this week. If you think it's just common courtesy to personally greet everyone, then bloody well do it offlist.

3. AUGH I HATE RANDOM CUT AND PASTE POSTS OF STUFF ON THE WEB ESPECIALLY WHEN IT SEEMS THEY FOUND SOME KIND OF DICTIONARY LISTING AND NOW ARE CUTTING AND PASTING EACH ENTRY INDIVIDUALLY "because I thought some might find it interesting" RATHER THAN JUST POSTING THE MAIN LINK TO THE SITE YOU JERK.

various rants about online stuff

1. "Question" is not a satisfactory subject line for a bboard post. If you have a question, then that question is about something, unless you are just posting about a general state of cluelessness (wait... I rest my case). Even the very most general description ("Question about fruit") is much better than "Question". If you don't really know the subject when you start out, then fill it in when you've finished the text. Geez.

2. You do not have to personally greet every newcomer on a mailing list, especially if that list happens to get several new people every day. They may or may not have an obligation to introduce themselves, but you certainly don't have to reply to every goddamned intro. You're making a substantial percent of the list traffic be "Hi! I'm..." when we all know perfectly well who you are because you said it fifteen times already this week. If you think it's just common courtesy to personally greet everyone, then bloody well do it offlist.

3. AUGH I HATE RANDOM CUT AND PASTE POSTS OF STUFF ON THE WEB ESPECIALLY WHEN IT SEEMS THEY FOUND SOME KIND OF DICTIONARY LISTING AND NOW ARE CUTTING AND PASTING EACH ENTRY INDIVIDUALLY "because I thought some might find it interesting" RATHER THAN JUST POSTING THE MAIN LINK TO THE SITE YOU JERK.

*kills Lulu.com*

So I ordered a couple books from Lulu.com on the 17th of June. I got an email on the 22nd saying the order had shipped. I had selected "super saver" shipping, which in this case is Media Mail. That should take about 8-10 days to arrive, but can sometimes take as long as three weeks (it is, after all, what used to be called "book rate"). It's been over three weeks now. I check Lulu's shipping times page and they say that they make "no guarantees" but that it should take 1-3 weeks. It also says that "USPS customers" (as opposed to people with things shipped by FedEx) will receive a "confirmation number" for each package (I don't know if they mean Delivery Confirmation or what; it's unclear).

So I click "report a problem with this order" and say that although I am aware it states "no guarantee", I still think this item is overdue and I would like to have the "confirmation number", since I never got it. I made reference to the Shipping Methods page at least twice in this short message.

So what do I get back? THE TEXT OF THE SHIPPING METHODS PAGE!! (This wasn't the automated reply, either - it was done by a human.)

So I've fired off another one with all-caps saying I READ THAT, YOU IDIOTS; THAT'S NOT THE INFORMATION I WANT. (well, not in so many words, in fact in more words, but that was the gist.) I have little hope anyone will actually pay attention to it. Looks like I may have wasted about $30 at Lulu.

*kills Lulu.com*

So I ordered a couple books from Lulu.com on the 17th of June. I got an email on the 22nd saying the order had shipped. I had selected "super saver" shipping, which in this case is Media Mail. That should take about 8-10 days to arrive, but can sometimes take as long as three weeks (it is, after all, what used to be called "book rate"). It's been over three weeks now. I check Lulu's shipping times page and they say that they make "no guarantees" but that it should take 1-3 weeks. It also says that "USPS customers" (as opposed to people with things shipped by FedEx) will receive a "confirmation number" for each package (I don't know if they mean Delivery Confirmation or what; it's unclear).

So I click "report a problem with this order" and say that although I am aware it states "no guarantee", I still think this item is overdue and I would like to have the "confirmation number", since I never got it. I made reference to the Shipping Methods page at least twice in this short message.

So what do I get back? THE TEXT OF THE SHIPPING METHODS PAGE!! (This wasn't the automated reply, either - it was done by a human.)

So I've fired off another one with all-caps saying I READ THAT, YOU IDIOTS; THAT'S NOT THE INFORMATION I WANT. (well, not in so many words, in fact in more words, but that was the gist.) I have little hope anyone will actually pay attention to it. Looks like I may have wasted about $30 at Lulu.

a new meaning to "mad sexy"

Okay, I have no idea how to start out with this, or even how to put it without sounding like a complete freak, so screw it. I'm just going to start with the bald statement and go from there.

For some reason I find insanity and the "mad scientist" archetype to be very sexy.

Now, this needs some elaboration.

For one thing, I am talking about a very romanticized, particular depiction of "insanity" here, which is rather absurd to begin with; real mental problems are not funny, not romantic, not sexy and I have no idea how anyone could arrive at the conclusion that they could be. Yet I have always thought there was just something hot about, say, Malkav. Perhaps it is the connection to endless possibility which is getting me "right there", since that is not something I have, or indeed can have, but I am not sure. Maybe it is some kind of silly desire to be "special" and be "the one that understands" or something like that (but shouldn't that be emotional attraction as opposed to sexual interest?).

Secondly, I am not making sexual statements about Dr. Forrester or anything like that. (lol. What a concept. Nah, Joel is the sexy one - I like the sleepy-eyes and especially the shaggy hair; what can I say?) It's really rare that I come across a particular "mad scientist" who in and of himself I find to be sexy. Usually they are strange old men, so again I am talking about a very particular set of characteristics, and I don't really have any good examples to show. I know that at least part of this one is facial expression, which goes back to the general category of "insanity" - something in the eyes, and the bearing. It certainly isn't the whole "evil schemes" or "kooky inventions" thing. I found a couple that weren't too bad by poring through the several hundred results for "mad hatter" on Elfwood (although a lot of them were hits because of comments by people calling themselves "mad hatter", rather than pictures thereof), but in general it doesn't seem to be something a lot of people "get", or at least that they choose to draw.

I know this is all just really, really weird, but I wonder if I am actually alone in this. ("I know I'm alone in this, but -- the day Blansky's Beauties was cancelled." "Yeah, you're alone in that.") Footnote to this whole thing is that one of the only drawings I've ever done that I actually like is of Malkav (and he's about the only fictional character I can think of that I've ever interacted with as though he were real - he got along with Eris rather well, as I recall). It's just something...

Also possibly related is that horror based on insanity is the only kind that seems to actually work on me, as opposed to just grossing me out or making me roll my eyes. When I say "based on insanity" I don't mean "slasher fic where the killer happens to be nuts", I mean, like, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (the play moreso than the book), which is probably not so much horror as just drama, but it sure creeps the hell out of me (especially the whole idea of unwilling treatments, and double-especially electroshock and leucotomy).

a new meaning to "mad sexy"

Okay, I have no idea how to start out with this, or even how to put it without sounding like a complete freak, so screw it. I'm just going to start with the bald statement and go from there.

For some reason I find insanity and the "mad scientist" archetype to be very sexy.

Now, this needs some elaboration.

For one thing, I am talking about a very romanticized, particular depiction of "insanity" here, which is rather absurd to begin with; real mental problems are not funny, not romantic, not sexy and I have no idea how anyone could arrive at the conclusion that they could be. Yet I have always thought there was just something hot about, say, Malkav. Perhaps it is the connection to endless possibility which is getting me "right there", since that is not something I have, or indeed can have, but I am not sure. Maybe it is some kind of silly desire to be "special" and be "the one that understands" or something like that (but shouldn't that be emotional attraction as opposed to sexual interest?).

Secondly, I am not making sexual statements about Dr. Forrester or anything like that. (lol. What a concept. Nah, Joel is the sexy one - I like the sleepy-eyes and especially the shaggy hair; what can I say?) It's really rare that I come across a particular "mad scientist" who in and of himself I find to be sexy. Usually they are strange old men, so again I am talking about a very particular set of characteristics, and I don't really have any good examples to show. I know that at least part of this one is facial expression, which goes back to the general category of "insanity" - something in the eyes, and the bearing. It certainly isn't the whole "evil schemes" or "kooky inventions" thing. I found a couple that weren't too bad by poring through the several hundred results for "mad hatter" on Elfwood (although a lot of them were hits because of comments by people calling themselves "mad hatter", rather than pictures thereof), but in general it doesn't seem to be something a lot of people "get", or at least that they choose to draw.

I know this is all just really, really weird, but I wonder if I am actually alone in this. ("I know I'm alone in this, but -- the day Blansky's Beauties was cancelled." "Yeah, you're alone in that.") Footnote to this whole thing is that one of the only drawings I've ever done that I actually like is of Malkav (and he's about the only fictional character I can think of that I've ever interacted with as though he were real - he got along with Eris rather well, as I recall). It's just something...

Also possibly related is that horror based on insanity is the only kind that seems to actually work on me, as opposed to just grossing me out or making me roll my eyes. When I say "based on insanity" I don't mean "slasher fic where the killer happens to be nuts", I mean, like, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (the play moreso than the book), which is probably not so much horror as just drama, but it sure creeps the hell out of me (especially the whole idea of unwilling treatments, and double-especially electroshock and leucotomy).

(no subject)

http://www.deppimpact.com/charlie/charlie097.jpg

Is anyone else seeing the snail-riding guy from The NeverEnding Story?

(no subject)

http://www.deppimpact.com/charlie/charlie097.jpg

Is anyone else seeing the snail-riding guy from The NeverEnding Story?