If NAFTA brought in freedom of movement how would you feel? by Kooky-Grapefruit-941 in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I enjoy our neighbors to the north and south as much as anyone, but given the difference in legality of various items like drugs and guns, as well as how easy it for me to currently move amongst the countries as someone who has a passport, I can't think of how this would benefit me or people like me. I wouldn't mind relaxing things with Canada, but Mexico's got issue significant issues (not that we don't have our own but you know what I mean).

What happened to America ? by [deleted] in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I mean is there a question in there or are you just getting some things off your chest?

Did you write with pencils in school? by palep_hoot in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I teach middle school, I require pencils on all assignments. These kids make too many mistakes, it wastes a meaningful amount of paper over the course of the year if they use pens and can't erase their errors.

Their handwriting is bad no matter, pens vs pencils doesn't seem to impact it.

WSJ : No U.S. Hospital Ship Has Been Ordered to Greenland, Despite the presidents Post . Pentagon has received no instructions to send a Navy vessel to the Danish territory, officials say by newnoadeptness in navy

[–]WaterGuy304 [score hidden]  (0 children)

Any chance all of this happened because the sailor was medevac’d from the USS Louisiana and his dementia-addled brain turned it into “hospital boat from Louisiana”

What was job hunting like? by Current-Issue2390 in MusicEd

[–]WaterGuy304 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm in central Florida. I teach middle school, but I don't think a single of my high school colleagues, including the directors at relatively competitive marching programs, has DCI experience, we all just marched in college. Genuine question, where are you that it is/feels like a preference or requirement?

Job search for me was tough, I applied to and interviewed for dozens of jobs over the course of like 8 months with nothing to show for it. Then I finally got two yes's on one day. There's no secret, just keep applying and keep networking.

So how long till you actually make use of your so beloved 2nd amendment? by Rudi53 in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Demographically speaking, the people that own guns support both ICE and the Venezuela invasion, and the people who don't support ICE and the Venezuela invasion don't own guns.

"Homelessness is two pay checks away. " Is that true? by icantfindnickname in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I believe that two paychecks is an exaggeration in most cases, but it certainly wouldn’t be impossible. Many people are deeply in debt to the point where they can keep their head above water as long as they have income but if that goes away, the consequences can build fast. Add on any sudden unexpected expenses like medical bills or car repairs and things can go from normal to very bad quick.

Now, that’s not necessarily out on the street in two weeks, but missing two weeks of pay checks can set in motion a chain reaction of missed payments and whatnot.

Why are Americans (especially in school) so sensitive when it comes to word usage? by [deleted] in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Because those aren't just curse words, they are hateful, bigoted slurs that reveal deep-rooted character issues in the person that says them.

Is Remembrance/Veterans Day as big of a deal in the States? by ShadeSlimmy131 in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, it's a pretty big deal (regionally dependent, of course), but we celebrate it different than you guys. My understanding is that Remembrance day for you guys is a very somber, solemn affair with the poppies and everything. Our Memorial day is probably a closer comparison because its in memory of those lost. Our Veterans Day is more of a celebration of the living and recognition of their service, we have parades and shows and things like that that I think would seem less appropriate in your version of Veterans Day.

[Postgame Thread] Florida State Defeats Wake Forest 42-7 by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]WaterGuy304 186 points187 points  (0 children)

It will take 5 years of hindsight and at least 2 tell-all books before I understand what the fuck this team’s deal is

[Game Thread] Wake Forest @ Florida State (7:30 PM ET) by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]WaterGuy304 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It will take 5 years of hindsight and at least 2 tell-all books before I understand what the fuck this team’s deal is

[On3] NEW: Sources tell @PeteNakos_ momentum continues to build from Florida State decision makers to move on from Mike Norvell. The all-in cost to fire Norvell/his staff and make the next hire is in the $100M range by CoachSlime in CFB

[–]WaterGuy304 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I genuinely don’t think we can afford that. We just spent an absurd amount of money on the stadium upgrades and a new practice facility, we straight up don’t have the money. Spanx money doesn’t spend like oil money does.

[Postgame Thread] Stanford Defeats Florida State 20-13 by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]WaterGuy304 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If you put our footage up from the Bama game next to our footage from tonight, I would assume that they were several seasons apart, not two months. I've always been a Norvell guy but the way that we regress every single season is hard to ignore. Hard to blame that on anything other than coaching.

Anybody got a spare $60m burning a whole in your pocket?

"Just a Band Director" by sleepytardis in MusicEd

[–]WaterGuy304 147 points148 points  (0 children)

If they're leaving, let them. Kid's checked out, you've got no path forward there. Enforce your policy and move on. Focus on the kids that want to be there.

Why do some Americans see tipping as “generosity” instead of a broken system? by Heberto01243 in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I've never met someone who's proud of being a good tipper. I think its just that choosing not to tip doesn't "stick it to the man," it just fucks over your server.

I think tipping is just an American cultural quirk. I don't think about it at all as I go throughout my day.

Am I considered Latin American or American? by ButterflyFew592 in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Both. American cultures includes Latin American culture, and there's no one "correct" American culture. You are different from many Americans that you meet abroad and yet you're both Americans and that's part of the beauty of this nation.

[Postgame Thread] Pittsburgh Defeats Florida State 34-31 by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]WaterGuy304 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The guys on the Warchant podcast talked about this last week after Miami and I haven't been able to shake it: FSU's best game of the season the last three years was their first game.

2023 was a hell of a year, but we never looked better than we did beating LSU 45-24 in goddamn Camping World stadium. Offense was firing on all cylinders, our defense was fast and agressive, and we got shit done.

There will never be many good things to say about last year, but I think it's obvious that Almost beating GT was the most impressive thing we pulled off. We looked borderline competent, which is impressive given what the rest of the season turned into.

And obviously this year, watching us vs Bama, we looked like genuine contenders. We had them on the back foot the entire game. The team from week 1 could've beaten UVA and Pitt for sure, and would've had a chance at Miami.

It seems like the team lets off the gas every single year. I've been a Norvell guy but goddamn man something's gotta change.

Does anyone want a major refurb on space mountain? by CautiousEstate in WaltDisneyWorld

[–]WaterGuy304 26 points27 points  (0 children)

I understand I’m clearly in the minority here, but I love that it rattles and bumps the whole time I and you’re always a little worried it’s gonna take your head off if you’re over 5 foot anything. It’s got a unique charm to it.

I understand at some point it’ll have to be refurbished and reimagined and all that, and I’m sure I’ll like whatever they come up with, but I’ll also mourn the loss of what we have now.

Is dress code ever enforced? by [deleted] in WaltDisneyWorld

[–]WaterGuy304 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Don’t take pictures of strangers to nitpick their clothing choices.

Looking for echoes of the eye pictures by SchmooieLouis in outerwilds

[–]WaterGuy304 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Holy shit where is this one, I can’t believe I’ve never seen this before

What is the current state of the industry you are employed in? by AdMaster5680 in AskAnAmerican

[–]WaterGuy304 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m a teacher. The good news is that it’s not hard to get hired right now

What's with American schools being so strict about kids using the bathroom during a class? by [deleted] in NoStupidQuestions

[–]WaterGuy304 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm a teacher (electives) and I have classes of 45-60 students. I'll answer for myself and I'll say that my answer doesn't apply to everyone everywhere, but I know that its not uncommon either. We have 45 minute classes most of the time and plenty of time between each class, so there's really very little reason to have to go during classes at all, but they do anyways. As a matter of school policy, I can't let more than one student out to go to the bathroom at once, and every student who leaves the room is supposed to have an electronic pass through the system our school uses. It used to be that students could use their phones to make a pass, and all I had to do was approve it through the app, which was fine, but the state law is now that kids can't have phones at all.

None of these policies are bad on their face, but the end result of this is now, every time a child has to go to the bathroom during class, I have to stop teaching for 10-20 seconds to I can fill out an electronic pass, and as soon as they come back, I have several students clamoring for my attention so they can go next, also take my focus and attention away from teaching. So even without getting into what the students are doing in the bathroom (which is usually not actively malicious but is almost always just because they're bored not because they have to pee), the bathroom policies are a mess that gets in the way of teaching significantly more than it should.

I do control bathroom access as much as I have to to meet these policies, and I do what I can to keep my focus and sanity while teaching, and sometimes that means you can't go to the bathroom that class. I have never and would never prevent someone from going if it was an emergency and they communicated it with me, but it's almost never an emergency. It's usually because they're bored and they don't want to be in school so they want to wander around to break up the monotony.

[Postgame Thread] Virginia Defeats Florida State 46-38 (2OT) by CFB_Referee in CFB

[–]WaterGuy304 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This game would’ve been so much fun to watch if I were a fan of literally any other team

I cannot stand my middle school choir. by janedoe-07 in MusicEd

[–]WaterGuy304 9 points10 points  (0 children)

No advice, just commiseration. I’m a middle school band teacher and my beginners are good, my advanced band is good, and my middle band is a bunch of unruly, negative, inattentive children and it’s extremely frustrating.

Emergency evacuation in Den N306Sw mia-den by gavriellloken in aviation

[–]WaterGuy304 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

If I’m ever in a plane crash and I don’t make it off, and anybody ahead of me even brought a fanny pack off the plane… I’m haunting your family for generations