18 posts tagged “qotd”

What's your method for calculating a tip?

And here we go again with the narrow-minded QotD. What about countries outside of the US, where tipping is done only when the service you got was something special?

In the US, some jobs pay so badly that the tips are a necessity for those who work to survive. Elsewhere, the minimum wage is actually high enough, that you can make a decent living off it, and tips therefore take on a different meaning: A special thank you, if a special thank you is called for. If you tip, you make their day brighter in return for what they did to you - and if you don't, no one will think you're a cheap bastard.

Which brings me to the question of the day: If you want to tip someone, because you think they were cool, you don't need any kind of method for calculating it. Just tip whatever you want. In the US, however, there are percentiles of how much you should tip (which to me is completely stupid - why not just add it on automatically then, or raise the wages and get rid of these mandatory tips altogether - which are in fact just a kind of black market economy, since no one pays taxes off these tips anyway).

And do I really care what kind of "system" other people have for figuring out how little they can get away with, without coming off as a complete asshole? Not really, no.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?  Why? 
Submitted by abcdefg81.

I would pick the place, where all my friends and family are. Having been away from "home" for a year and a half so far, has taught me an important lesson: It doesn't matter where you are. It's the people who count, not the place.

At least that's how it is for me.

Do you listen to podcasts?  Are there any you'd recommend? 
Inspired by Alex.

Of course, I listen to several podcasts, though most are in Danish. And speaking of Danish, the lessons I am posting here are available as a podcast as well. You can get them via iTunes - visit it's page right here* - and if you do, please leave a couple of encouragning comments in the form of a short review. It would be much appreciated.

Another podcast I would like to mention is Wrimo Radio*, the official Nanowrimo podcast, which of course is right around the corner. If you're going to participate this year, you will find it a good encouragement and perhaps even inspirational. I did last year, when I was listening to it (though I won't recommend listening and writing at the same time).

*Link opens directly in iTunes.

You've been through the desert on a horse with no name.  Except your horse does have a name.  What is it? 
Submitted by edubya.vox.com.

What the hell kind of question is this? Is this a joke? They must be running out of questions. Seriously, if the horse has no name, it has no name. Is that so hard to understand? Jeez.

Okay, if I had to choose a name for a good, sturdy horse, that I would rely on to carry me through a blistering hot desert (probably with no water, too), there's no doubt, I'd call it Ed.

Do you like surprises?

Short answer: Try me!

Long answer: Are we talking being surprised or surprising others here? Surprising people is fun and I love it, but being surprised is different. Recieving that bill from a collection agency for something you thought you paid off months ago, no I don't like that. Getting a compliment out of the blue? How can anyone not like that?!

What TV show(s) will you be watching this season? Why? 
Submitted by ducnly.vox.com.

Battlestar Galactica

Are you a morning person or a night owl?

My friends from the Finnish rock band, 22 Pistepirkko (translates to: Yellow ladybug with 22 dots), said it best when they said: Night People are Right People.

Recent studies have shown, that those of you who like to get an early start actually have weird genes. No wonder, I've always thought of you as freaks.

Later today: More Danish lessons!

What was the highlight of your summer?
Submitted by ladym.vox.com.

One of my sisters came to visit me from Denmark. I had just turned 30 and she had just turned 40, so we had good reason to celebrate. At the same time, it was the first anniversary for Kelly and me, and believe it or not, also the first time we managed to unite our families. And no one died.

My family stayed around for an extended weekend, and there was much rejoicing.

What's your favorite foreign accent?

Here we go again with the discrimination. What's this foreign shit? This is the internet you fapnut! A global community where people from all nations gather as one. There are no foreigners here! And even if you say, that the question is directed at life outside the internet, it still makes no sense at all since you might be from New Jersey and be in love with an Albanian accent, but what about the Albanian reading this? And when is an accent an accent anyway? If I speak Swedish, I may have a Danish accent. If I speak Danish, my accent is non-existant, whereas my dialect is from Copenhagen. Dialect is not the same as accent. Idiots.

Someone seriously needs to pull their heads out of their asses here. How can VOX even consider picking a question like this? Are they on drugs? This is three strikes now. Someone should get fired.

How many places have you lived in your life?

Quite a few. More than I can actually remember, to be honest. But I've lived in Sweden, Denmark and the US, most of the time in Copenhagen, but still moving around. Since I got my own apartment, I've only moved a couple of times, but as a kid, we moved around a lot.

I think moving every now and then is a good thing. I can't imagine having lived the same place all my life, nor would I want to. There's something about starting over in a new place; an opportunity to get rid of the clutter in your life, both literally and otherwise. But then, I've always liked starting over from time to time, so maybe I'm just weird like that.