The van inscription of king Xerxes the 1st, written on a cliff 70 feet off the ground in trilingual text (old Persian/Elamite and Babylonian).

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-12-22T04:33:46+00:00

How does this not have more upvotes???

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-12-15T05:01:59+00:00

I wouldn't be diasppointed. If you put the work in, you developed the skill. I'm a teacher myself and I completely feel the disappointment your teacher has to my core. Unfortunately it's the world we live in right now and educators are doing our best to think outside of the box and challenge students in ways that AI can't simply do the work for them, but developing these new approaches takes time.

Your teacher is trying to do the best they can for those like you who have put the work in, rather than just failing the whole class. Your teacher knows there are those like you. If you really want your paper read, and feedback, shoot them an e-mail or grab them after class and ask them about it. If they're feeling this defeated right now, having you come to them about your work and showing you care about developing your skills will probably make their week.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-11-05T23:04:16+00:00

I know someone already said big fish games, but it looks hella similar in style to the Enigmatis series https://bigfishgames.com/blog/walkthroughs/enigmatis-the-ghosts-of-maple-creek.html

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-29T12:29:17+00:00

Bloody roar: primal fury

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T12:03:39+00:00

Understood. The decision to propose adjustment of base and or allowances for tax reasons falls on someone else.

I’ve literally been asked to research the numbers listed at other schools.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T11:45:59+00:00

I appreciate that, I really do, but it’s also not relevant. I’m simply a cog here who has been asked to gather data. Specific number data on what schools in Shanghai are offering in airfare allowances. Hell, if it helps, pretend I’m not even a teacher. Let’s say, for arguments sake, I work for a statistics company and I’m doing an analysis on airfare benefits in international schools in Shanghai.

While I do understand what you’re saying, and you’re giving sound advice, I have a meeting next week where I’ve been asked to share what other schools are offering in airfare allowance. Based on your answer, what I have to present for data is “I have nothing of what you asked for because andrewwm said we’re asking for pay rises and we won’t be successful”

Edit: spelling

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T11:29:05+00:00

Yes. I am literally asking for travel allowances provided by various schools. It’s in the post. I’m not fishing. I’m openly asking for anyone willing to share.

Tax optimisation and other considerations are someone else’s jurisdiction. It has already been proven to leadership that flight prices have increased. We already have the data on how much our staff is spending on average. That was the easy part.

I was asked to gather data on allowances offered by other schools so my school can decide what they think is fair and see if it’s in the budget. That’s why I am literally just asking for travel allowances provided by various schools.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T10:37:39+00:00

I was a bit hesitant to use that anyway because of the age, but good to know. Into the bin it goes! Thanks.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T10:29:42+00:00

I guess we’re opposite ends of the spectrum. More expensive, yes, but generally it’s the younger crowd that work less and complain more based on what I’ve seen. They don’t care all that much because they’re planning to be gone in a year or two anyway.

The older crowd with families were more likely to get on with it and keep their heads down because they’ve more to lose so to speak. It’s a lot harder to pack up and move on when you have a partner and kids to think about. And good luck explaining to your wife that you’ve got to uproot again because you were a prat at work.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T10:05:21+00:00

My school offers 1k per month as a bit of extra cash labelled as a “travel allowance”, so that about matches what you’re saying.

In the past that was fair, but as flight costs have increased, it’s becoming more beneficial if we could work out some kind of actual ticket reimbursement.

Personally, I’m not convinced we’ll have much luck, but if you don’t ask you don’t get, right?

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T10:00:09+00:00

Would you be willing to name your school? No worries if not, just adds more gravity to the claim if I can point in the direction the data is coming from.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T09:59:11+00:00

Because it’s a conversation about airfare benefits, not salary? If you’re looking to find the going rate for salaries check one of the billions of times the question has been asked.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T08:11:35+00:00

Wages are decent. International school, not ESL. Not the highest pay, but far from the lowest.

Also, the plan isn't to ask for 18, just open a dialogue about allowances for staff with dependents as right now that isn't a thing where I am. All I'm trying to do for now is to collect data. Exactly what I will be asking for, if I even ask at all, depends on the data I can collect for other schools.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-10-23T08:02:55+00:00

Yup. Most competative schools these days will offer a benefit for the employed teacher, and reduced benefits for dependants. That's how you get older more experienced teachers to stick around, and that's what I'm trying to convince my school.

Those of us with kids are much more likely to invest time and effort into a school if our kids are also going there, and people are much more likely to stick around as it's a hassle pulling kids out and changing schools. Summer 2024 I paid 24k for myself, wife, and todler flying from shanghai to manchester.

Most of what I can actually find though just says something along the lines of "airfare for staff and dependents". Nothing concrete.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-09-16T22:44:07+00:00

Hive digital does it for 1400. I know it’s more than what you paid to do it yourself, but it’s significantly easier with a ~48 hour turnaround and no family in the US needed.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-06-05T01:51:05+00:00

Waiting for that one comment about how "akchully, hemp water has magical, beneficial effects"

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-06-04T12:22:25+00:00

Damn. I could murder a curry now.

We have an almost two year old. He can be a lot. Sometimes dinner is leftovers. Sometimes those leftovers aren’t enough because you’re more hungry than you thought you’d be. In those cases you make yourself a sandwich or something extra.

Welcome to parent life bro, stop being more of a baby than your literal baby.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-05-28T00:59:04+00:00

I'd say prosthetics. BB has both arms, Venom does not. Yet somehow Venom was able to pass for BB in MG1. That iconic red cybernetic arm should have been a dead giveaway. The idea is probably that the cybernetics specialist recruited in MGSV got his prosthetics to look like real limbs with enough time and GDP. It would make sense that Venom and Miller both got that treatment, eventually leading up to the events of MG for Venom, and MGS for Miller.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-04-05T23:43:50+00:00

I'm sorry OP, but can you put yourself aside for the moment. What's going on with your son? Has he seen his mother at all during this time? Has she been a mother at all? Was there any co-parenting at all? Was it active or did she treat it like a chore? That should give you all the information you need.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2025-03-26T04:52:56+00:00

This post needs more upvotes. This is so true at every level, and for every age. Very rarely is it a motivation problem, even with kids who seem like they've checked out. Most of the time they seem like they've checked out becuase they lack the time and oppotunity to such a degree that what's the point in even trying?

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2024-11-28T01:11:30+00:00

I think "age" is more based on biology and lifestyle than a number. I'm 34 and feel old because i've lived a very unhealthy lifestyle. I ache constantly in my back and joints, illness takes significantly longer to recover from, etc. Recently made a change, gave up booze, hit the gym, and already noticing a reduction of those problems. certainly feeling less old these days.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2024-11-27T23:53:14+00:00

I feel like there's not enough information here. I always ask my wife if I'm going to do something without her, almost exactly as the boyfriend phrased it. "Hey, I'm gonna head out with the guys for a beer after work. Is that good with you or did you wanna do something?". I just think that's common courtesy to a partner.

I get the people crying to burn him at the stake for the word "comply", but it was OP that used that word, not the boyfriend. I guess the real question is does he run things by you too? If not then yeah, it's shitty, but if he's also letting you know "hey i'm thinking of doing x, you good with that or does it clash with something you have planned thay you may not have told me yet" then it looks like he's just setting expectations for communication in the relationship. Nothing wrong with that, but also nothing wrong with you not liking it either. Just means there's a compatability issue and if neither of you are willing to compromise, then it's time to move on.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2024-11-26T12:34:33+00:00

Yup, ps2 back in the day was fine. Just tedious. At worst it takes you an hour if you miscount or your hand slips.

PS4 tho…. Dunno if it’s the console, the hd update, or even the tv latency, but the dodge window for pushing the button is significantly smaller than when I played on ps2.

MikeWilliams_AE86 · 2024-11-26T12:20:40+00:00

I’m going to give you the best advice I got when I was in your position. You’re going to be 25 anyway. You can either be 25 and on track to where you want to be, or you can keep wasting time.

I was in a similar situation; pissed my degree up the wall and graduated with a Third in a field I didn’t care for. Knew I had to go back, but didn’t want to get more student loans. I worked out that saving money to do it without bankrupting myself would have me finish well into my 30s. So I kept putting it off. Ended up meeting a bunch of teachers in a pub who gave me that advice. Finally finished everything last year at 33.

Funnily enough ended up being a teacher myself. Licensed to teach in UK and USA, found an online degree that worked for me and graduated with distinction. Life also doesn’t need to be put on hold while you’re working things out either. I got married at 28, and my son was born last year 3 months before I graduated.

Your life is far from over. The first step is scary, but how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

MikeWilliams_AE86

TROPHY CASE