07/19/06 Canada migration on hold

[Jack McSlay]

tape drives are too retardedly expensive, I don't think it's a good idea

good backup choices are:

DVD-RW
External HD
SD cards or Pendrives

the first one would be the cheap one, backing up data would be slow but would be quite safe. it must be made sure the DVDs are kept in good conditions, away from scratches.

the second one has a reasonable price, and is easy and fast to backup and recover data, and able to store mostly anything without need of a second unit, however it's susceptible to impacts

the last one is fast, reliable, and portable, but all this comes at the expense of storage, since it's a lot more expensive. but a great choice if the backup doesnt surpass 1GB, since 1GB pendrives are dirt cheap nowadays

[xHaZxMaTx]

PSSS. WE DON'T SAY ABOOT! (Comical relief?)

Oh, I suppose you don't say soory, either?    Don't lie to me, I have realtives in Canada!   I've only ever been to Quebec (French Canada)  and the whole time I was there it was kind of unsettling because it felt like everyone was staring at me.

[Darkmoon]

www.indy-backup.com

[Alondro]

Another note about migrating to Mexico as advantageous over Canada is that they don't care if you plan on overstaying your visit... since that just means you'll be spending all your money there and end up dirt poor and living on refried beans for the rest of your life... without the benefits of Beano!   

[Ramsey]

Another note about migrating to Mexico as advantageous over Canada is that they don't care if you plan on overstaying your visit... since that just means you'll be spending all your money there and end up dirt poor and living on refried beans for the rest of your life... without the benefits of Beano!   

Careful of the Police in Mexico. They always try to get tourists to fight so they can throw em in jail and make em pay bail.

[Gornemant]

PSSS. WE DON'T SAY ABOOT! (Comical relief?)

Oh, I suppose you don't say soory, either?    Don't lie to me, I have realtives in Canada!   I've only ever been to Quebec (French Canada)  and the whole time I was there it was kind of unsettling because it felt like everyone was staring at me.

you might blame the french for this, ou sounds like oo in french, I bet I can find a good bunch of people around here with a horrible accent that do exactly the same (though soory would be pushing it a bit far...)

[Cvstos]

You have incredible timing, Amber.  If you heading to Indiana on almost any week other than this one, I would have been glad to give your computer an examination for free (I'm in NW Indiana).  I couldn't guarantee I'd be able to fix it, but I could've at least narrowed down the problem somewhat.  Unfortunately, tomorrow I'm taking off for San Diego to visit family and I won't be back until the 31st, so I couldn't do anything until August 1st.  I'd donate if I had any spare funds but the trip I'm taking will likely drain me quite a bit (always does).

Regardless, I wish you luck in fixing all this, and, despite my extreme jealousy that you're moving to Canada, I do hope you get to where you want to be with all due haste and safety.  If I can offer any relevant help, advice, or information as the situation changes, I'll post.

-Cvstos

[LoneHowler]

Try crossing at Alberta the whole Provence is desperate for workers. They would probably pay you to move here

[Wildy]

Mab here:

Hopefully come Friday I can find out the extent of the PC issues. As of the time, I've had every spectrum of possibilities from full recovery to multi-k impossibilities...so I admit I'm a bit doom and gloom still.  At this time I'm still bracing for worst case scenario.

As for Canada, my current plans are to head back to Indiana for a couple weeks and stay with my brother and/or my mom.  Between the two, I should be able to get enough paperwork to cover every item on that list given.  Then I've asked Mason to come down the couple days before I go up and he will drive up with me as we head to the Port Huron(I think thats the one) border...cause Indiana to Canada has an insanely easy route where you just take I-69 the entire trip.  Hence the reason I need to find out if I can just go to any immigration office rather than the one in Buffalo/Niagra.

(Though knowing my luck, odds are the next guard I go to wont even care and I'll just get waved through...*clawhand*)  ultimately I think the rejection happened simply down to bad luck.  A few circumstances that while were not actually anything wrong, they seemed suspicious(like the liscense/plates/residencce being different) and me being grilled for something I wasnt expecting...and possibly just a bad day/disposition on the border guards part...it just fell down into that situation.

First issue at hand for me is the computer.  Then the move to Indiana...then Migration attempt 2.  Now that I have a better scope of what to expect, and a more solid gameplan, it should go without any issue.  Its just right now I'm a bit of a grumpy butt.  It's really aggravating sitting around with nothing to really do.  This prolly sounds lame, but I've been kinda scared to try drawing at the time just because I'm worried that might poop out on me in some form as well with all thats been going on.

If all goes best, DMFA will be back up by Monday. Worst case scenario, DMFA will still be back..it just might be a bit longer. 

Hopefully come Friday evening I will have good news.  Thanks to everyone who has suggested advice or just gave some nice words.

[ITOS]

This prolly sounds lame, but I've been kinda scared to try drawing at the time just because I'm worried that might poop out on me in some form as well with all thats been going on.

Why do I come to think of goth Mab.

You know, when there is nothing else you can do, take a nap.

[Alondro]

*Charles hmms*  When times get tough, there are always lions to hug!  Squeeeee!!  *hugs Charline!*      Wait a sec... *thinks that something is amiss, but due to his intense sleep deprivation he doesn't comprehend the doom*  Darn, if only I'd gotten some sleep I could figure this out...

*Charline raises claws, growling ferociously*  Don't worry, meat.  I'll make sure you rest in pieces from now on!   

[rt]

Hey Amber

Good to hear you feeling a bit better after all the badness that happened.

As all the other computer geeks have said the computer is probably fine, every once in a while something wiggles loose on those long trips (and sometimes they were never connected well in the first place). Hopefully you've got a competent computer friend comming over they'll pop off the case, reseat (detach and reattach) a few components and your all good. [and probably disloge a dustball or too while in there]

If not there's plenty of recovery options, lots of software to try before those expensive clean rooms. We'll say everything is peachy and not even go there.

Hopefully the border will be easier now, I'd still expect them to have a few questions you since this is not a day trip. Even on days trips most days are simple, but then there are those other days. Hopefully even easier with your beau with you for moral support or physical evidence. Just leave those red flags at home

Later and best of luck.

[Rafe]

Alright,
What I want to know is - where is this Mason person, and why isn't he around helping you out?  Seriously, if I had a fiancee who was having all this trouble, I'd be dropping everything to go help.  I'm starting to wonder about this guy.

[Azlan]

Alright,
What I want to know is - where is this Mason person, and why isn't he around helping you out?  Seriously, if I had a fiancee who was having all this trouble, I'd be dropping everything to go help.  I'm starting to wonder about this guy.

I'm sure there is a very good reason for his absence, afterall, we aren't aware of all the details on what's going on here. 

[thegayhare]

Then I've asked Mason to come down the couple days before I go up and he will drive up with me as we head to the Port Huron

remember there are things in RL that could stop him from rushing down.  Work and all that.  It wouldn't do to have him rush down only to get fired from work.

[Rafe]

Hey, some things are more important than work. 
Amber, let me know if you need a surrogate, somewhat angry, overprotective older brother.

[Rafe]

(double post -where's the damn delete?)

[thegayhare]

and what good would it do Amber if Mason got fired for taking off?

Do you think She'd be happy that her husband to be is now unemployed?  leaving them in a fairly untenable finacel situation?  With the loss of a job I doubt they could keep there Canadain apartment.  the loss of an income can do alot of damage.   Trust me I know a bit about that.

[Rafe]

and what good would it do Amber if Mason got fired for taking off? 

Maybe he'd get a job at a place where they treat their employees as humans with actual lives and occassional emergencies.  Things like this happen when you're married.  [Rafe-still feeling over protective]

[thegayhare]

Yes but they arn't married yet,  If they were then it would be differnt.   

I need the day off cause my girlfreind has an emergancy is rather differnt then I need to leave the country for  several days because of a non medical emergancy.

If it were a matter of a day or two most places wouldn't  have a big problem but this would take a while just for him to get thre and back and to make the trip before mab knows where she's going to be for any period of time is also rather silly.  Right now he's probably arranging for the time off, so that the comapny has time to find some one to cover his job. 

While I'm sure he'd love to drop everything and rush down I doubt it would make anyone happy in the long run.  It's not that critical of an emergancy. It's disapointing certainly, but it's not life threatening.

[Sid]

Yes but they arn't married yet,  If they were then it would be differnt.

While I fully agree with your other points (I had something quite similar typed up, but the Ninja-Warning showed me that it would've been redundant), I disagree there. Even if the were married already, I don't see him being able to just take off a few weeks from one day to the next. Especially since there isn't much he can do right now, other than giving huggles and sympathy.

Amber has a place to live, doesn't seem to be starving and already has a fairly good emergency plan. If Mason joined her now, what could he possibly add (other than huggles)? This isn't really about being married or not. It just doesn't strike me as the sort of "OMG MUST GO NOW" emergency where people can vanish for a short time (even then, a few weeks would be an entirely different question) after getting the news. Yeah, sure, it's bad and sucks a lot... but Amber hasn't fallen down the old mineshaft yet. *pats Lassie's head*

[Netami]

and what good would it do Amber if Mason got fired for taking off? 

Maybe he'd get a job at a place where they treat their employees as humans with actual lives and occassional emergencies.  Things like this happen when you're married.  [Rafe-still feeling over protective]

I thought you weren't allowed to post unless you were advertising, pointing something out about a stupid comic tidbit, or telling people to donate money?

[Rafe]

Yeah, sure, it's bad and sucks a lot... but Amber hasn't fallen down the old mineshaft yet. *pats Lassie's head*

[Netami]

Dude, that's an ARM! 

Seriously though Rafe, you know Amber and her situation better than most of us. It falls within logical bounds that a sudden emergency would only serve to harsh job tension and then Amber would just feel worse over "nothing" even if it's the contrary. He's coming out to help her when she attempts again and I'm sure he's been supporting her via calls and such.

[Rafe]

Well, to be serious for a moment, Amber is a very good friend of mine and I tend to worry about her more than I probably should, and I end up acting like some overprotective "nobody is good enough for you" older brother. 

But, as most of you have probably figured out, Amber has good deal of brains and common sense, so I guess I shouldn't worry too much.  Plus, she has my phone number if she has any problems on the way to Indiana or Port Huron.

[Tiger_T]

http://www.missmab.com/Comics/Vol_265.php
Come on, peeps, I know we all thought about that.

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles, Amber.
I hope your problems will be solved fast and economic.

[Damaris]

Don't worry, she already has plenty of "nobody is good enough for you" family members. 

It wouldn't do anyone any good for Mason to be taking off right now.  While I'm sure it would be nice to have him around, nearly all aspects of the paperwork can be completed with him in Canada.  And, quite frankly, it is probably better he's in Canada, because he can do calling up there if we need him to, and would not have to pay international rates.  If he came down now it would only increase trip costs, and he would lose hours on his paycheck.  Might as well save those time-off favors for the honeymoon

[Amber Williams]

*steals Wildy's comp*

Yeah...as some have said...while Mason did offer to drive on down...it really wouldn't have done much other than hugs and moral support.  Right now what I'm in need of is just pure and simple paperwork, most of which can be done in Indiana in the course of a week or two. Some of which can be resolved probably in a single day.  Once I get that under control, I'll send for Mason and then he will come down so we can drive up together.  Hopefully with the file of papers, Mason's help, and a fresh start, it wont take long to straighten out the misunderstanding and get everything resolved.

Tomorrow I will find out finally what the situation with the comp is.  Which means either I will have something hopefully fixed by then, or I will be in the process of getting a new pc.  I'll likely head out to Indiana Monday or Tuesday morning.  By next Saturday I should have 80% of the paperwork and legalities under belt and the other 20% in processing.  I might wait one extra week to get a bit extra and try to resolve a few other issues before Mason comes down and I hit Migration Attempt 2.

As it stands, my biggest hurdle is ironically enough just my damaged pride/esteem.  overall it was just a heavy moral blow and its still leaving me actually scared about trying again.  I'm sure spending a week or two with my bro and family will do a lot to rebolster my confidence, but at my current state this is the kind of thing where if it wasnt so important to me and Mason...I'd totally be hiding under blankets swearing I'd never even go near Canada out of fear of what they might do to me.

But anyways. Heres hoping tomorrow brings the first good news of many after this week of mass suckitude.  Thanks to everyone who has been supportive and helpful on this issue.

[Tapewolf]

Tomorrow I will find out finally what the situation with the comp is.  Which means either I will have something hopefully fixed by then, or I will be in the process of getting a new pc.

Things seem to be looking up a bit, then.  Fingers crossed on the PC that it's not that one irreplaceable part.  And good luck with the Canada thing also.

[Nikki]

$35 so far for my b-day...and i'm working on getting a paypal account...
Hang on, Amber! Xze will try to help you!