Wishmas list (aka things where I could use some help!)

[terriko]

A friend pointed out this sort of fun take on wishlists. I like especially that there's no need for the request to be physical items so much as help with something, so I've been thinking about things I want that maybe other people could help with...

1. A new web design for http://list.org. I've been promised near-complete creative control if and when I'd like to redo it, but haven't had the time, and if someone could hash out a design or two for me to start with it'd save a lot of trouble. Or you could do the whole thing including reorganizing the content -- that's even more time I don't need to spend! It'll have to be highly standards compliant, and preferably fairly simple/minimal/clean -- absolutely no flash, probably no JavaScript even. I can sit down with someone and explain my vision for this project and known issues with the existing site in more detail if necessary.

2. Beautiful demos and/or integration of my students' code into Mailman 3. I have some students who did some lovely work on the archives of Mailman (you can read their summer of code blogs here and here) but haven't had time to integrate it. I really want to do this myself, but if I wait for me to have time it may not get done 'till summer of code starts up again... The code is in python, and even if you're not a coder doing some nice web design for the UI to show off the functionality the students have built would also be amazing.

3. Someone to drive Now We Must Fight forwards. This means someone who can organize a location to start shooting with sufficient light and space, as well as coordinate the schedules of a handful of fighters, choreographers and crew. In a similar vein, someone to coordinate readers and recording for HL. I just haven't sat down to get people over for a recording session and could use someone to set a date in mid-January and possibly edit the resulting audio recordings. I have new project books and can host, I just need a nudge to set up a time (likely mid-january).

4. I *was* going to say find me the perfect job when I started writing this list, but since I currently have an offer in hand, I think perhaps that would not be a tactful request. However, I do have a few friends who are job hunting and would love leads. Three who might be able to find help here: a highly experienced DBA (esp. Oracle) who would like to stay in Ottawa, a (mostly windows) system admin who would prefer to stay in Ottawa (but might be more flexible for the perfect job), and finally a senior(?) software developer who is more mobile.

5. I'm looking for a miniature figure for my current role-playing character in our d&d 3.5 campaign. She's human, a favoured soul of Kord, and will probably be wearing heavy armour and wielding a greatsword. I hate stupid fantasy armour (e.g. must protect the boobs, not display them), and I don't like minis that look angry. Bonus if you can also find a mini for my sister's character, who is a rogue/swashbuckler who likes to use atypical weapons (I think she's currently using a halberd?). Again, no stupid armour. You don't have to buy said figure: pointing out models that might work would be awesome. :) Painted would be nice, since I haven't had much time for detail work myself. Sketches of the two characters adventuring together would also be fun for our (private) game website!

6. I could use some coding help with my thesis work (currently using webkit/chromium). I actually *can* delegate some of my code to someone else if you'd like to be an unpaid (but credited) research assistant, but what I really could use right now is pointers to good tutorials and documentation for my own edification. I'm currently interested in modifying CSS and co-opting the HTML5 iframe sandbox implementation. I'll likely be interested in creating chrome/chromium plugins too. By the time I get back to this from the theory work I'm doing now, I'll probably have forgotten all I know, so even lower-level tutorials would be awesome.

7. Recommendations of graphic novels/manga that are neither too dark nor too inane. Think of stuff like Girl Genius, Meridian, early Elfquest (wow, their site is irritating), even Ex Machina (which is actually somewhat dark, but with a lot of light shining through). I periodically get good recommendations for darker stuff, but I've been craving sweeter stories with happier endings and less angst and gore of late.

8. http://planeteria.org/wfs/ seems to be down, and I miss the aggregator of women in free/libre open source software that used to be there. Can someone tell me what happened? Anyone want to start a new one? I'd like it to use software that can do the aggregation and let users sign up and edit their own feeds, with a few folk having editorial control to keep spammers from taking over. I can volunteer to help with the editorial control if needed.

9.Help understanding US medical insurance and other minutiae about moving to the US as a foreign national. I have an offer that I'm really excited about, but I feel barely qualified to understand the benefits package, let alone what the conditions on my working in the US will likely be, or even how I go about paying taxes (and who gets what?). Are there good "immigrating to america as a tech worker" resources I should be perusing?

10. And just so there's one thing that fits the stereotypical consumerist mould for wish lists... I really want this necklace of pi to 35 decimals. Really really want it. Wouldn't turn down the excellent Fibonacci necklace either. ;)

If you can help with any of those, I would very much appreciate it! And I'd love to see your wishlists too!

Comments

[jrosen]

3b. For HL, I still have my H4 recorder (which hasn't seen use since I haven't been recording games for the last year or so), and could probably handle the editing as well. This is depending on how busy my winter term gets, of course.

7. I highly recommend Gunnerkrigg Court if you haven't read it. I have the second volume sitting unread in my library books pile, but the first is quite good and you can get it from the library. I also recommend Astronauts of the Future, which is also available from the library, and I Kill Giants, which I can lend to you if it interests you.

[terriko]

I've started with Gunnerkrigg Court. Yeay for the library, which had a copy! :)

We should talk HL sometime later this month, maybe in a week or two, if we both manage not to be stupid busy!

[rivenwanderer]

I second the rec for Gunnerkrigg Court! When I'm at a real computer rather than my phone, I can make lots more suggestions :) Any other information about your likes/dislikes when it comes to comics would be helpful in narrowing down my list...

[probabilistic.livejournal.com]

Your employer will most likely give you all the information you need to know about getting permission to work in the US. Some basic info:

H1B visa - work permit, good for up to six years, must be sponsored by your employer, can apply for a Green Card (permanent residency) while you have it.

TN1 visa - work permit, good for 1 year and indefinitely renewable, for Canadian/Mexican citizens only, must be sponsored by your employer, must switch to an H1B before applying for a Green Card.

I can answer questions about health insurance and taxes as well, feel free to ping me...

[badgerbag]

For health insurance in California you will likely end up with a choice between something like Kaiser (where you go to their hospitals and clinics for everything), an HMO which will basically be another network of preferred providers, so that you are 80 or 90% covered if you use their network doctors and 60% or some other lesser % if you use an out of network hospital or specialist. It is hard to figure out what's best. I have never done Kaiser but most people I know who use it are okay with it.

Vision and Dental insurance is usually more straightforward and you only get 1 choice.

there will be a tax form, a w-9, that you fill out where you check off some boxes about how many dependents you have and whether you are a head of a household. That affects the amount of taxes withheld from your paychecks. If you get that withholding right then most of your taxes will be automatically deducted and paid, so when April 15 (tax time) rolls around you won't have a huge amount owed by you or to you. The rate you get taxed at also depends on how much you make.

I have no idea how taxes, benefits, etc work for you now but that is the basic primer... maybe too basic!

[warthog9]

Kaiser (and HMOs in general) have a number of downsides:

1) You are only allowed to deal with their doctors / hospitals / approved people, this becomes problematic if you travel a fair amount.

2) Much higher out of pocket expenses if you go outside of Kaiser for anything

3) According to friends who have had them their billing is a giant mess, and apparently you get hit with a co-pay for each department you end up seeing.

Generally speaking, ask Brian about Kaiser and why he's not on it anymore.

I've generally gone with PPOs (preferred provider organization) which instead of having giant scary complexes like Kaiser, they contract with a list of doctors, specialists, etc to create an "in network".

Upsides:

- You can see anyone if they are in network, the options available all have nationwide coverage. For example, doctors in Iowa cost me the same as doctors in California.

Downsides:

- co-pays can be slightly higher

- there's in-network vs. out-of-network nonsense to deal with. You can still see out of network people with PPOs but they cost you more.

Both Brian and my general rule of thumb is go PPO (blue cross or blue shield in California since they are separate, though I think one of them is now Anthem) if your employer pays all of the costs, get the most expensive plan. If they don't cover the most expensive plan fully take a look at the differences between the most expensive they will fully cover and any other options. It will usually come down to co-pays and various maximums, but if your ok with the most expensive one your employer will pay - take that. If not take the more expensive one and accept some monthly payment for that.

Vision and Dental are separate from medical, though the rule of thumb generally holds.

[terriko]

Hm, I hadn't thought about travel -- this could be a serious problem if I get sick/hurt while back in Canada, because after I've been out of Ontario for some length of time I'll no longer have coverage here, and we most definitely aren't in any network.

[badgerbag]

p.s. did you read The Runaways? Maybe just a bit dark. But enjoyably fluffy too.

Good as Lily. And most of the other Minx stuff. it's fabulous.

Do you like Blue Mondays and that sort of thing?

Polly and the Pirates, Akiko, Sardine (more for kids, but great)

[terriko]

I've just started The Runaways (finished book 2) and Young Avengers (finished book 1) and so far so good!

Haven't heard of the others, so some trips to the library will be in order!

[unregisteredpseudonymspls]

As you know, I have extensive experience with the benefits stuff (*sigh*) and will be up there Real Soon Now and can answer questions in person :)

[(Anonymous)]

I'm a big fan of Skin Horse (http://www.skin-horse.com/). It's high wacky and science, with amusing characters and plot. Kevin and Kell (http://www.kevinandkell.com/) can also be fun. :)

For health insurance, all your options are going to suck to sort through. (They suck even for people who are used to dealing with this crap, so don't feel like being new to this is making it harder.) The big thing is, look at how much freedom you have in which doctors you can go to and how much of a copay you have. Checking the yearly payment caps (usually there's a cap on what they will pay, sometimes there's a cap on what they can make you pay) can also help. I tend to prefer larger groups because they allow you the freedom to choose between more doctors without the higher copay rates that most HMOs require, but the exact performance of any group will vary by area. Be sure to ask your HR contact when you can make changes to your enrollment if you don't like what you end up with (usually there's a chance to choose again once or twice a year).

I would also opt for dental insurance if you have a choice that is not too expensive. I don't know if Canada's health care system covers dental treatment, but I can attest to the fact that a good dentist is very expensive if you have regular problems with cavities or are likely to end up with crowns in your future due to a genetic propensity for bad teeth.

Eva

[terriko]

Canada's health care doesn't cover dental insurance, but I currently have some through the university and have been quite happy with it (when they started, it included wisdom teeth removal, not realizing that this would be a huge money-loser for them with typical university ages... I got my two out before they removed that from the coverage!)

It looks like I have the choice between a couple of Aetna plans and Kaiser, but it's very hard to tell (as an oustider) how big those are and how difficult or easy it will be to stay in network. :/

[warthog9]

Aetna is basically a PPO, they have a big network nationwide and generally just work.

Kaiser you go to a Kaiser only place, and Kaiser is limited exclusively to California.

I would suggest Aetna of the two options.

[jrosen]

Follow-up reply: if you're including webcomics, Queen of Wands was good. I never got into Punch & Pie, though.

And of course I recommend Flaming Carrot for all your graphic novel needs. Guaranteed 100% of your recommended vitamin WTF intake.

As far as painted minis, the best I've been able to come up with is this, who has a protected chest but an exposed midriff. You might want to browse that site, and you also might want to check the bucket'o'Heroclix they have at the Comic Book Shoppe; that's where I got the mini for Deadora. They shade into Large territory, though.

[brainwane]

The Women in Free Software planet is back up, yay! Graphic novels:

I've been craving sweeter stories with happier endings and less angst and gore of late.

Tyler Page's Nothing Better series. Natural vibe, clear and interesting character definition and development, long story arcs, low-stakes drama (as in, nothing's going to eat the world). Available to read for free online, or to buy as paperbacks.

Alex Robinson's standalone Tricked.

Templar, AZ. Hereville. Amar Chitra Katha.