Job Discussion Forums

[womblingfree]

[Like a Rolling Stone]

[nawlinsgurl]

Ahhhh Morrissey.....so beautiful, so talented, yet so gay! If only we could be together!

Anyways, this site gave is awesome because the folks aren't as big of asses as some of the people on gaijin pot. I 've gotten some great advice from some of the old schoolers (Jim dunlop2, Gordon (cool pics), Glenski and PaulH) and laughed my ass off on some of the comments of others.

So I guess I come to dave's for the advice, funny ass comments, and of course, the Morrissey video clips.

[Perpetual Traveller]

I come here for amusement, advice and kinship. I lurked for a couple of years before I began posting, mostly because I had yet to take the plunge, and found the forum to be a great way of getting a glimpse of what might be to come.

There have been many highly amusing threads that have made me laugh out loud, and many characters who consistently do the same.

The advice has been invaluable. Particularly helpful on this board have been Paulh, Glenski and Seanmcginty, thanks guys!

The people who frequent this board all have one thing in common, we teach English in foreign countries, and that is link between us all. Beyond that there are many different personalities some of whom have become real friends to me and others who I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole (that would be the trolls)

I guess at the end of the day I come here 'cause it makes me feel less alone!

PT

[Crab]

Hi Everyone,

Glad to see this thread has sparked some interesting conversation. No flaming yet, though... what didn't I say? I'll try to be more abrasive

I forgot that Morrissey song... maybe I should bring up "Meat is Muder" in one of those whale eating threads that come up every 6 months or so? BTW, Nawlinsgirl, I think he declared himself to be asexual, though I can't imagine that's any easy gig to keep up... I mean down.

I am pleased to see some fellow lurkers have come out of the woodwork. I wonder how many of us there are who just watch from the sidelines? Come on the rest of you, show yourselves! Voyeuristic little darlings.

Cheers all!

[JimDunlop2]

[EdwardJamesOlmos]

[Sweetsee]

Good question Crab. Came here originally seeking solutions to problems at school, to meet others doing similar work, to make friends and to learn. Might add that I came to Japan with nothing and no plans, had never heard of esl before.
Enjoy,
s

[nawlinsgurl]

I LOVE Edward James Olmos!!! And Morrissey....

[Crab]

So now that we have an idea why people come here, I'd like to know if you feel the time spent here is worthwhile. Some have mentioned being able to get really good advice and information from others, and some talked about the entertainment/community value. Gordon mentioned the fact that he spends more time here than he should. I suspect others sometimes feel this way.

Is there a Dave's law of diminshing returns wherein beyond a certain amount of time per day/week, the costs start to outweigh the benefits? The whole reason I started this thread is I was sitting in a hotel room wondering if I was wasting too much time by looking at this site. And I hardly ever post! The "uberposters" must really wonder from time to time if they would be better off doing something else. Mind you, I don't work directly in the field anymore and have no intentions of getting back into it, so I suppose the waste of time factor would be higher for me.

In short, do you feel the time that you spend here is worth it or do you sometimes wonder WTF am I doing? Maybe I should be baking some cookies, fighting child poverty, or having a cuddle instead...

Just curious.

[Sweetsee]

There is an inverse relationship between quality of life and time spent here, no doubt.

[Lyrajean]

[Sweetsee]

Live your dream. What's stopping you?

[Captain Onigiri]

I did the whole thing rather backwards. I posted too much when I first joined and then dropped back to just lurking. I joined about a year and a half ago because going to Japan was something I've always wanted to do. After all my resumes/vitas went into some alternate dimension never to be heard from again, I decided to go back to school and get my masters in education instead. Next semester I will do my student teaching and next year I will do my thesis/project. Then I will be overqualified to teach any entry level ESL. My only hope now is to somehow worm my way into some sort of English language ex-pat American School. Wish me luck because I hear you pretty much have to have blueblood connections to get hired.
I guess I keep on lurking so I can vicariously live the dream through all of you.

[SeasonedVet]

Crab,
To answer your second question:
I don't think I spend too much time on here. As I said I have been reading on and off for some years now, started way back when it was in the old format and before I ever came to Japan. So for me it's off and on.

I am usually interested in hearing experiences about life in Japan from other non Japanese people living here. It gives me a fresh perspective. It affords me a break from "thinking in or thinking like" Japanese.
It's strange but it really does. I am usually with Japanese people everyday and then I hang out with Japanese too. I hardly hang out with or (recently even talk) to any non Japanese people.
So my contact with other non Japanese people is partly done here.
and as I said I like to hear of people's experiences living here.

Gives me the refresher I need and helps me to put my ongoing experience in perspective. To see I am not the only one who has had a particular experience whether good or bad and see how the other person dealt with it.
As soon as that is done and if I need to post I post if not I am off to another message board where I also spend a few minutes or alot of minutes depending.

for some people I guess this is their alternative to hanging out in a bar.
They make their conversation ( and arguments ) here.
Like "Cheers" Where everybody knows your name
and some are glad you came
They wanna go where people (know?)
troubles are all the same
They wanna be where everybody knows your name.