Author Topic: Ask Eclair anything.  (Read 79574 times)

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Offline McGiver

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2415 on: February 17, 2010, 01:21:12 PM »
do you smoke cigarettes?
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Offline SleepyDragon

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2416 on: February 17, 2010, 08:05:07 PM »
You have to pay for your kid's schools? You don't have public schools or anything?

Where I live, our taxes goes to the schools but yes we do pay for private schools out of our own pockets. Public schools we do not. But we do pay for their lunches and field trips when money is required, same as school trips that would take a few days away from home such as show choir, band trips.

Again, Eclair can clarify whether Qld is much different from NSW. But the general picture is that government funding to public schools covers only the rock-bottom basics. So Parents and Citizens' Committees and Parents' Auxiliaries are always on the hunt to raise money for better technology in the classrooms, textbooks and library acquisitions, and other such improvements. And that's even before considering things like the cost of excursions, uniform requirements, class photos and so on which come directly out of parents' pockets. Our state government pays a per-child allowance to parents to help meet such expenses, but it isn't much — you might be able to buy half a pair of shoes with it.  ;D

Offline Phlexor

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2417 on: February 17, 2010, 08:15:51 PM »
You have to pay for your kid's schools? You don't have public schools or anything?

Where I live, our taxes goes to the schools but yes we do pay for private schools out of our own pockets. Public schools we do not. But we do pay for their lunches and field trips when money is required, same as school trips that would take a few days away from home such as show choir, band trips.

Again, Eclair can clarify whether Qld is much different from NSW. But the general picture is that government funding to public schools covers only the rock-bottom basics. So Parents and Citizens' Committees and Parents' Auxiliaries are always on the hunt to raise money for better technology in the classrooms, textbooks and library acquisitions, and other such improvements. And that's even before considering things like the cost of excursions, uniform requirements, class photos and so on which come directly out of parents' pockets. Our state government pays a per-child allowance to parents to help meet such expenses, but it isn't much — you might be able to buy half a pair of shoes with it.  ;D

And while we're at it, fuck private schools also getting government money.

Offline Eclair

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2418 on: February 17, 2010, 08:40:30 PM »
do you smoke cigarettes?

Yes, but usually not in winter because I've always smoked outside and it's too cold to bother then. Gave up for 10 years in my 20's.

Offline Eclair

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2419 on: February 17, 2010, 08:48:37 PM »
You have to pay for your kid's schools? You don't have public schools or anything?

Where I live, our taxes goes to the schools but yes we do pay for private schools out of our own pockets. Public schools we do not. But we do pay for their lunches and field trips when money is required, same as school trips that would take a few days away from home such as show choir, band trips.

Public schools are much more expensive than when I was at school. Yes, essentially the government apparently pays for them...BUT...

For example, last year my base resource fees for all subjects combined was around $280...just to access text books for my daughter.

On top of that, her chosen subjects meant that I had to pay for things like film, photographic paper, material....endless list. Essentially, I could count on $40 a fortnight at least in some kind of non upfront stated cost....it just kept coming like relentless waves.

So...I think just instead of saying...oh the resource fee for photography is $30...they should actually state at the beginning of the year there will be additional costs...now, just for that one subject, I probably paid the base resource fee of $30, which sounds cheap, but over the year, the additional things, like film, photographic paper, mounting etc, probably cost me in excess of $300, just for one subject.

Added on to the non stated whole of year subject costs, there were costs such as, camps, dance nights, awards nights....basically anything that my child particpated in incurred a cost that was not stated at the beginning of the year.

My point is, that at least with Private Schools, you pay your fees and EVERYTHING is included...and you can pay them off over the course of the year and plan your budget. You don't get some random request for an unbudgeted item.

Offline Adam

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2420 on: February 18, 2010, 04:39:56 PM »
do you like Rammstein?

Offline Eclair

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2421 on: February 18, 2010, 04:44:41 PM »
do you like Rammstein?

I don't have any, but once lived with a girl who loved it...and although I wouldn't play it every day, it does have some things I like about it.

I can get into some pretty hard stuff, or techno / trance music as I find it frees my mind up a lot.

If I had a particularly stressful day ahead at work, it would not be unusual for me to play stuff like that extremely loud in the car on the way to work, it's almost like a mind enema!

Offline jman

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2422 on: February 18, 2010, 04:55:07 PM »
Did something happen recently that made you create that thread in the 'problems' forum?

Offline Eclair

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2423 on: February 18, 2010, 05:10:43 PM »
Did something happen recently that made you create that thread in the 'problems' forum?

Yes, it did. And I'm happy to talk about it in that thread, probably not this one, because this one is public.

Offline renaeden

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2424 on: February 19, 2010, 11:49:09 PM »
Do any of your kids go to uni? I ask because I just paid $129 for one book. TAFE is probably just as bad.
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Offline McGiver

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2425 on: February 20, 2010, 08:22:14 PM »
could you use some clitoral stimulation right now?
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Offline Eclair

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2426 on: February 20, 2010, 08:26:59 PM »
could you use some clitoral stimulation right now?

Not really  :P Although, I did dream last night that a young guy knocked on my door and said he was DirtDawg from I2....clearly I know DD is not in his early 20's, but regardless, I let him in my house, where he proceeded to hit on me.

Even though I had no idea who he was, I thought, fuck it, I may as well throw one off with him and we proceeded to get naked.

Then I had a thought, how did this guy find me, who was he....had he tracked me down to kill me?

I have no idea how the dream ended, I just remember thinking I have to stop having sex with him in case he kills me.


Offline McGiver

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2427 on: February 20, 2010, 08:28:28 PM »
could you use some clitoral stimulation right now?

Not really  :P Although, I did dream last night that a young guy knocked on my door and said he was DirtDawg from I2....clearly I know DD is not in his early 20's, but regardless, I let him in my house, where he proceeded to hit on me.

Even though I had no idea who he was, I thought, fuck it, I may as well throw one off with him and we proceeded to get naked.

Then I had a thought, how did this guy find me, who was he....had he tracked me down to kill me?

I have no idea how the dream ended, I just remember thinking I have to stop having sex with him in case he kills me.


what a way to go.
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Offline Eclair

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2428 on: February 20, 2010, 08:31:14 PM »
Do any of your kids go to uni? I ask because I just paid $129 for one book. TAFE is probably just as bad.

My middle daughter started Uni and yes, the text books cost a bucketload. But she didn't continue for long.

I went to Uni the first time about 12 years ago, and from memory I think all the books cost around $500, so not cheap. Pity you can't add it to your HECS debt.

Can you get any study assistance from the government? Although from memory, this was a paltry amount, almost insulting. I would have rather it added to my HECS debt.

Offline Eclair

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Re: Ask Eclair anything.
« Reply #2429 on: February 20, 2010, 08:32:54 PM »
could you use some clitoral stimulation right now?

Not really  :P Although, I did dream last night that a young guy knocked on my door and said he was DirtDawg from I2....clearly I know DD is not in his early 20's, but regardless, I let him in my house, where he proceeded to hit on me.

Even though I had no idea who he was, I thought, fuck it, I may as well throw one off with him and we proceeded to get naked.

Then I had a thought, how did this guy find me, who was he....had he tracked me down to kill me?

I have no idea how the dream ended, I just remember thinking I have to stop having sex with him in case he kills me.


what a way to go.

Yeah, he was hawt, young and buff. But he never told me who he was!