Ze Amber for Canada discussion thread.

[ShadesFox]

There is a lot to be said for setting limits.  At the current price you could get a pretty mean new computer!

[Tapewolf]

I have conceded; I do realize, though, I'm the next in line if Morris stiffs Amber...

If they do stiff her, I'll hunt them down with great vengeance...

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

I believe that's Tapewolf, although I could be wrong.

And yes, he's good for it. At least, he was last time, when he coughed up for some of the art...


BTW, Amber, that sore muscle feeling? You'd be well put to do a little (very little) light exercise of the same sort that got the muscles sore, while they're still sore.
The reason they're sore is you've stretched them, and the muscle fibers have a bunch of tiny tears in them (it's ok, this is how they're supposed to work); if you go and do the same exercise again, before they totally heal up, it'll extend the tears somewhat, and increase how much extra muscle your body grows to fill the holes.

In short: you exercise, your muscles hurt, they get better, you get better at the exercise. If you exercise twice, you get twice as much better - give or take a little.

Entirely over to you. The other thing you get is that the pain goes away faster, once you get loosened up, which might be more important. ;-]

[Netrogo]

I learned that lesson the hardway myself Llearch. When I was in high school and learned they had a weight room I went and used it every day after school for three days. Then on the fourth day wound up staying home because I actually couldn't move enough to lift an arm, much less get out of bed

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

heh.

Yeah. Heavy exercise the first day, _light_ the second. And then again the third. Then go back to heavy for the fourth, and then two more light sessions.

After that, it depends on how your body is coping, but a day off seems in order to me. ;-]

[Alondro]

Would this be a bad time to mention that two people messaged asking if I would accept multiple payments over the course of a few months?

I'm tempted.  Really, really tempted.  Over the course of three months, I could easily manage $3K.

Kryslin

*Charles  *  Well, someone had a DAMN good job!  Unlike me.  *works as much as four typical lab techs for his measly salary*  I should have become an NJ Turnpike toll collector.   

[Reese Tora]

*Charles  *  Well, someone had a DAMN good job!  Unlike me.  *works as much as four typical lab techs for his measly salary*  I should have become an NJ Turnpike toll collector.   

rule #1: live in your parents' house, and don't pay rent or utilities.  It's amazing how much housing, electricity, and internet costs (and water, too, if you're not an eXtreme fanboy. )

Oh, I had a thought.

Amber, How long does it take for paypal money to go into your bank account? if you have an account that can do it quickly (in a few days) you should wait until you can move those donations before you get your bank statement so that money shows up on it.

[Tezkat]

BTW, Amber, that sore muscle feeling? You'd be well put to do a little (very little) light exercise of the same sort that got the muscles sore, while they're still sore.
The reason they're sore is you've stretched them, and the muscle fibers have a bunch of tiny tears in them (it's ok, this is how they're supposed to work); if you go and do the same exercise again, before they totally heal up, it'll extend the tears somewhat, and increase how much extra muscle your body grows to fill the holes.

In short: you exercise, your muscles hurt, they get better, you get better at the exercise. If you exercise twice, you get twice as much better - give or take a little.

Entirely over to you. The other thing you get is that the pain goes away faster, once you get loosened up, which might be more important. ;-]

That's somewhat misleading advice.

Resistance training works by damaging your muscles in a controlled fashion so that your body can rebuild itself bigger and better during the periods of rest between workouts. Going back and doing more damage before you're healed doesn't make you twice as much better--it makes you need twice as much recovery time. It's a recipe for overtraining, which is not only suboptimal for muscle development but also makes you feel crappy and stressed out.

That said, there's something to be said for active recovery (which may be what you were talking about). The goal of that isn't to go back and do more of the same thing that got you sore in the first place, but rather to limber up--get the blood flowing to the sore muscles with light aerobic exercise, maybe followed with some stretching and flexibility work (which will hurt a bit at the time, but make you feel better afterwards).

Proper heavy-light routines are for more advanced athletes. I generally wouldn't recommend that a beginner train two days in a row, especially not coming in from a layoff.

[Alondro]

*Charles  *  Well, someone had a DAMN good job!  Unlike me.  *works as much as four typical lab techs for his measly salary*  I should have become an NJ Turnpike toll collector.   

rule #1: live in your parents' house, and don't pay rent or utilities.  It's amazing how much housing, electricity, and internet costs (and water, too, if you're not an eXtreme fanboy. )

I do live in my parents' house... but I'm paying half the bills because my dad's numerous jobs over the years have been rather less than profitable.  He's on job #16 now.  I'm actually making more than he is.   

[Kryslin]

*Charles  *  Well, someone had a DAMN good job!  Unlike me.  *works as much as four typical lab techs for his measly salary*  I should have become an NJ Turnpike toll collector.   

rule #1: live in your parents' house, and don't pay rent or utilities.  It's amazing how much housing, electricity, and internet costs (and water, too, if you're not an eXtreme fanboy. )

I do live in my parents' house... but I'm paying half the bills because my dad's numerous jobs over the years have been rather less than profitable.  He's on job #16 now.  I'm actually making more than he is.   

I live at home with retired parents, so a good portion (about a third) goes to keep our happy home paid, heated, lit, and connected to the internet.  Granted, I'm coming up on buying a new car this summer, so about a third of what's left will go for that.  I am indeed fortunate to have a very nice job (Aerospace QC for a defense contractor), so I like to help out every once in a while...

Kryslin

[Tezkat]

Oh, I had a thought.

Amber, How long does it take for paypal money to go into your bank account? if you have an account that can do it quickly (in a few days) you should wait until you can move those donations before you get your bank statement so that money shows up on it.

Withdrawing PayPal funds to a bank account usually takes about a week, though I've seen shorter.

At any rate, that probably won't help much. The minimum balance they're usually looking for is over $10k. Beyond that, they want to see evidence of income over several months, so Mason's employment income would be much more important a deciding factor than any extra cash from the donation drive. The webcomic income may even cause problems; assuming Amber doesn't already have an appropriate visa, she's not technically allowed to "work" in Canada. It's admittedly a bit of a grey area, though. (Are support donations "gifts" or "business income"?) Basically, the purpose of the bank check is to demonstrate sufficient savings/income to support Amber living in Canada.

[Amber Williams]

Tezkat is correct on a few points. Right now the main focus is Mason's employment. They seem far more interested in the employement record Mason has had for the past 2-3 years than my own. Really at this point I think they just want to make sure I actually have a bank account of my own and I wasn't just spirited away from some defunct third world country.

As for the webcomic income, it is at the time a greyish area and one I have been keeping my guard on. It really is one of those things that could in theory go either way depending on the outlook of the one reading.  I suppose though that is going to be a crossroad I take when I reach it, and will be something I will be having to discuss with the person working on our situation.  I cannot deny that this is one of those issues that still causes me to have "worst case scenario" oogy tummy-aches.  But hopefully things will resolve smoothly and it wont be an issue.

As I said, right now they seem much more interested in Mason's employment and job record. Probably because it is Mason who will be becoming a sponser.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

That's somewhat misleading advice.

Resistance training works by damaging your muscles in a controlled fashion so that your body can rebuild itself bigger and better during the periods of rest between workouts. Going back and doing more damage before you're healed doesn't make you twice as much better--it makes you need twice as much recovery time. It's a recipe for overtraining, which is not only suboptimal for muscle development but also makes you feel crappy and stressed out.

That said, there's something to be said for active recovery (which may be what you were talking about). The goal of that isn't to go back and do more of the same thing that got you sore in the first place, but rather to limber up--get the blood flowing to the sore muscles with light aerobic exercise, maybe followed with some stretching and flexibility work (which will hurt a bit at the time, but make you feel better afterwards).

I was meaning the latter, rather than the former. "light aerobic exercise" is the operative term...

Proper heavy-light routines are for more advanced athletes. I generally wouldn't recommend that a beginner train two days in a row, especially not coming in from a layoff.

Yeah, well, I never claimed to be sane about it, and my body behaves somewhat different to many others, so YMMV etc etc.

I appreciate the corrections, though. Always willing to learn...

[Amber Williams]

Well I am too sore either way to do anymore excercise if I wanted so today is "soak in the bathtub" day of my training program.

Urf. It really is times like this I wish I had some sort of normal burger-flipping job.  Cause it is kind of hard to go "Oh yeah. I have a hobby which I would do for free but sometimes I get money but its not really a job yet at the same time..."   because I realize that it is definately one of those situations that two people can look at and come to different conclusions based on their outlook.  And that, is probably not the best thing to have and I realize that.  But there isn't really any turning back at this point so all I can do is really hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

And golly I can come up with a lot of worsts.

[Tapewolf]

And golly I can come up with a lot of worsts.

I know that feeling...
As for the comic, I think "glorified busking" is closest to the mark.  And yes, I know that feeling too, each time I've gone to AC with a stack of self-recorded albums and Customs says "How much are they worth?"  And I go "Um... I'm... not sure."

[icarus]

donations and art are always such a grey area. i mean it's all subjective. donations on one hand? are basicly from friends. i mean you're not going door to door, all these people would willingly vouch that they're here to support you and consider you a good person. that's slightly different than, say, claiming to be an organization that needs donations to keep afloat.

and art/music prices are also grey. i mean, there's what it cost you to make it...which depending on your medium choices could be obscenely expensive or obscenely cheap. then there's what people are willing to pay...which almost always ranges from 'obscenely cheap' to 'moderately good'

it's like trying to declare the worth of your suitcase when flying around the world. it's like well i really like that shirt, and there's what it cost to get it, and there's what it may cost now cause it's not in production...etc etc etc.

generally i think they more want to be able to look at your income and know that you didn't get it from shipping cocaine over the border or something, really.

[Damaris]

if your goal was to be a relative unknown, then you've been very, very bad at being mediocre.

[Mao]

Indeed.  You've kinda missed the mark on that one Mrs. Williams. 

On another note it could be that you're not as popular as it seems, but instead just have a fan base that really cares about you.  Now  I obviously have no idea how many different individuals have donated to you and in what amounts but I believe that if you are in a bind everyone will do their best to keep you afloat and ahead of the game.  If not even beyond that.  So maybe it's just a devoted few (and by few I mean in the hundreds).

I have yet to make my donation though.  We have a surprise visiting us on christmas day so I had to hold off.   One of the exchange students we've hosted in years past is in a bit of a bind and asked if she could come here for christmas.  So we've been in a tizzy of buying extra food/gifts to make sure she's good and welcome and comfortable.

[Alondro]

Feh, if I was rich, I'd a shown that Morris guy what for!

I'd have started the bidding at $5000!   

I hate being poor.   I need to become a corrupt politician.  That's where the real money is.   

[Jairus]

Feh, if I was rich, I'd a shown that Morris guy what for!

I'd have started the bidding at $5000!   

I hate being poor.   I need to become a corrupt politician.  That's where the real money is.   

... or start a religion.

But, I totally agree. If I had the cash for it, I'd still be in the running. Oh well.

[Amber Williams]

Urf. I feel tired now. It isn't like I did a whole lot today. Photocopies and walking a few blocks to drop off a bunch of information. But I feel just wierd and tired.  Its very much the feeling I have gotten when I know that I am at the point of no return but I still want to get off the ride.

Right now I am a little worried about the bank stuff, but not as much as I was a couple days ago.  I am thinking in this particular case, the reason they wanted my bank statement was cause they just wanted to know I have a bank account and wasn't spirited away into the country with no ability to access funds of my own.  Whats fun is the statement happened JUST AFTER I spent all that money on getting the car repaired so it was like "oh hey. I have 900-oh wait...now I have 200 bucks. "

But eh. I will deal with that when I deal with that.  Right now its more just waiting to see what steps are next and what to get ready for next.

[AmigaDragon]

...there are several expenses that must be done regardless.  Like the medical exam with an xray.

You have to prove you have a skeleton? What do they have against boneless blobs?

----------------
Now playing on Winamp: Johann Sebastian Bach - Cello Suite No. 1: Allemande (Classical Minnesota Public Radio)
via FoxyTunes

[Amber Williams]

From what everyone is saying, its more than likely to check for tuberculosis.  Originally I thought it was because they were wanting to check me more hidden shivs.

I don't expect to be carrying TB...but I wouldnt be suprised if this exam reveals I have bronchitus or something minor that has been the culprit of my cough. But its nasty weather season so that is far from the list of "oh noes. Kick her outs!" so if anything, I will have to throw down some money for some medication. Not a real problem at this time thankfully. The donations/auction have more than covered all but the worst of the worst in terms of a safety net.

[rt]

XRay, yes it will check for TB, used 'back in the day'
But the easier way is a little shot and then you come back in a week. No reaction = no TB. Reaction = more tests. Although, now that I think of it, the goverment may be stuck, back in the day.

As for comic. Perhaps described as hobby, downplay donations as a way to cover server costs. Though the goverment is getting more interested in online businesses and their income (i.e. mostly those running ebay businesses).

[Naldru]

Just wanted to mention one reason why governments are often concerned about one or two month gaps in employment.  Sometimes, the reason for the gap is that the person was in prison.  When I filled out documentation for the government some time ago, they stated that gaps were permissable but that I should supply the name of somebody who could verify where I was during that gap.

[Reese Tora]

I suspect an x-ray is required so they have something they can look at themselves with internal experts.

My school was fine with a chemical test.

(It's not a shot, mind; they put a bit of chemical on the surface of your skin.  The applicator does look rather like a syringe, though.)

[Amber Williams]

Yeah. I reason that a good chunk of the stuff I am doing isnt really a "lets find ways to kick her out of the country" check but more a "We want records to put her into the system" and so want to make sure I am not secretly some drug runner or something who has served time.

I realize I am not in the most tip-top of shape when it comes to being an impressive candidate for immigration in comparison to my sister who works in dentistry. But at the same time I have no bad marks on my record. And the FBI check will probably handle that angle and as long as I am honest in where I have been and what I have or havent done...I am pretty sure it will work out.

It's kind of a...bwah.
I am far from the healthiest of peeps...but I dont smoke or do drugs.
I am far from the best with finances and paperwork...but I've never even gotten a speeding ticket much less done any crime.
I am far from amazing or someone who would likely rock Canada's foundation with awesome...but at the same time I am confident I will be far from a drain on society.
I am the queen of mediocrity!

[superluser]

My school was fine with a chemical test.

(It's not a shot, mind; they put a bit of chemical on the surface of your skin.  The applicator does look rather like a syringe, though.)

It depends.  I'm going to ask anyone with trypanophobia to leave now.

Often for check-ups, they'll use the Tine test, which gives you a small amount of tuberculin which will react if you have TB.  If the small bumps grow, it's a positive result.

Unfortunately, it's not too accurate, which is why, for serious tests, they use the Mantoux test, which involves sticking a needle into your skin and injecting tuberculin into one giant bump.  You can see what I'm talking about on the wiki page.  It's the same basic premise, only it hurts a lot more.  Which is, all things considered, not a lot.

[icarus]

if you got bronchitis, i imagine they'll just say to you what the japanese doctors said to me.

"you really should get medicine for that."

to which you can reply as i did. "hahahaa. sure."
bronchitis isn't fatal or even dangerous really, i treated it with lemon/honey tea, and a warm/moist enviroment to breathe in whenever i could. like, don't breathe the cold dry bedroom air. sleep with your head under the covers. it helps, etc.

chances are that medicore is what they're looking for too. applying for a visa into australia included a lot of nervous checking on their part. basicly what they're looking for is to find out if you're going to uphold the ideals/laws of canada. SO BY BEING BORING YOU'RE A SHOE IN. AMIRITE AMIRITE HAHA no seriously, because your record is essentially spotless they'll probably be all for it. and your medical woes aren't like, chronic pain or constant broken limbs, so it's not like you're looking like you're going to take advantage of the health care system.

while people are all saying here that "well shots can check for TB" etc...this is true BUT.

for some reason, offices handling immigration? seem to prefer the x-ray. both japan and australia wanted x-ray proof of TB-less lungs, and i imagine canada probably does too. maybe this is because if you develop it later they have something they can hold up and go "well, we didn't notice it, see?" i have no idea, honestly. i just know from personal experience that while doctors in the US will wtf the need for an x-ray TB check for immigration, it's been requested of me more than once.

[superluser]

bronchitis isn't fatal or even dangerous really, i treated it with lemon/honey tea, and a warm/moist enviroment to breathe in whenever i could. like, don't breathe the cold dry bedroom air. sleep with your head under the covers. it helps, etc.

It all depends on the person and the type of bronchitis, I'm sure.

But I can speak from personal experience and say that a lot of vitamin C helps.  Buy a gallon of OJ and make a pledge to drink half the gallon every day, and you'll probably approximate what I tend to do when I feel a cold coming on.  Works wonders, and no kidney stones yet!