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Phone call at work today. Mrs TA's Dad found deceased at his home.
He
liveslived in housing commission about half an hour away from us and because of his history of alcoholism wasn't exactly a regular part of our lives in later years. Looks like he had a cardiac episode in the bathroom and collapsed in a heap. Mrs TA insisted on going in there to see him, and I wasn't going to let her do that by herself. Not a pretty scene.
Both her parents gone in the space of 10 weeks. Her older brother is supposed to be his primary care contact but is in Adelaide for work right now - the older brother's second born has their birthday today.
What a day. What a week!
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@NTA jesus, for whatever its worth coming from some rando on the internet....condolences mate, that is truly horrible, i hope you and Mrs TA will be ok
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@Kiwiwomble thanks. The last few months have been, as they say in the classics, "a right fluffybunny".
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Thoughts are with you
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@NTA said in Happiness Scale:
Both her parents gone in the space of 10 weeks.
That's going to be hard. Best wishes coping through it.
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So... rather than a new thread, or re-starting the "Life Changes"... I'm using this.
Been recently offered the chance of work moving me to, my option of, ....- Guadalajara (famous for Mariachi music, tequila; and has active Cartel activity. All plus-sides in my book. But... shit salary)
- North Carolina (apparently good biking in the West? But sounds boring as fuck otherwise. And... seppos.)
- Vancouver (maybe... this is probably going to be shutdown by the Org, but... "we can ask")
- Montreal (French-speaking... is it really an issue?)
- Toronto (sounds like a standard/boring big city?)
Any insights into any of those places? Opinions?
I'm thinking of accepting a role in whichever of Toronto/Montreal comes with the bigger pay (probably Toronto)... registered as a "Remote worker" - then fucking off to Vancouver anyway.
Or... just giving Montreal a go... give learning French a half-arsed attempt, and just be that fluffybunny who doesn't bother to learn the lingo. -
@Kruse said in Happiness Scale:
So... rather than a new thread, or re-starting the "Life Changes"... I'm using this.
Been recently offered the chance of work moving me to, my option of, ....- Guadalajara (famous for Mariachi music, tequila; and has active Cartel activity. All plus-sides in my book. But... shit salary)
- North Carolina (apparently good biking in the West? But sounds boring as fuck otherwise. And... seppos.)
- Vancouver (maybe... this is probably going to be shutdown by the Org, but... "we can ask")
- Montreal (French-speaking... is it really an issue?)
- Toronto (sounds like a standard/boring big city?)
Any insights into any of those places? Opinions?
I'm thinking of accepting a role in whichever of Toronto/Montreal comes with the bigger pay (probably Toronto)... registered as a "Remote worker" - then fucking off to Vancouver anyway.
Or... just giving Montreal a go... give learning French a half-arsed attempt, and just be that fluffybunny who doesn't bother to learn the lingo.Where in North Carolina?
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@MiketheSnow said in Happiness Scale:
@Kruse said in Happiness Scale:
So... rather than a new thread, or re-starting the "Life Changes"... I'm using this.
Been recently offered the chance of work moving me to, my option of, ....- Guadalajara (famous for Mariachi music, tequila; and has active Cartel activity. All plus-sides in my book. But... shit salary)
- North Carolina (apparently good biking in the West? But sounds boring as fuck otherwise. And... seppos.)
- Vancouver (maybe... this is probably going to be shutdown by the Org, but... "we can ask")
- Montreal (French-speaking... is it really an issue?)
- Toronto (sounds like a standard/boring big city?)
Any insights into any of those places? Opinions?
I'm thinking of accepting a role in whichever of Toronto/Montreal comes with the bigger pay (probably Toronto)... registered as a "Remote worker" - then fucking off to Vancouver anyway.
Or... just giving Montreal a go... give learning French a half-arsed attempt, and just be that fluffybunny who doesn't bother to learn the lingo.Where in North Carolina?
Currently - the proposition is that I'd probably have to initially move into somewhere near Raleigh... but after having been moved in, I could probably move elsewhere without too much dissent.
And I'm thinking - moving to the mountains... so that I could do the Tail of the Dragon every weekend.Edit: of course, I'm judging shit from random reviews online. The famous "Tail of the Dragon" is probably no better than Napier-Taihape, or Round-the-Coromandel, or SH43.
And... USA just looks, in general, boring as fuck. I'd be interested in spending a bit of time checking out some of it, other than what I've already seen, but the idea of living there... doesn't thrill me. Happy to hear dissenting opinions, hence the question. -
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@canefan said in Happiness Scale:
From the limited amount I know of Montreal, it sounds cool. Food will be great, French influence. But looks pretty damn cold in the Winter
Yeah - my initial thought is - food will be great, because the good French influence, but without the shit French influence.
My experience of France - good food... fucking good. Bad food (anything that's open on a Sunday) - fucking terrible.
Then realised... the "bad" end of Montreal food, is likely to be American-trash. Which... it's fucking horrifying to say - would be better than French-trash. But still trash.
I like to think that good bands would visit Montreal, as a sort of cultural centre. ?. -
@Kruse said in Happiness Scale:
@MiketheSnow said in Happiness Scale:
@Kruse said in Happiness Scale:
So... rather than a new thread, or re-starting the "Life Changes"... I'm using this.
Been recently offered the chance of work moving me to, my option of, ....- Guadalajara (famous for Mariachi music, tequila; and has active Cartel activity. All plus-sides in my book. But... shit salary)
- North Carolina (apparently good biking in the West? But sounds boring as fuck otherwise. And... seppos.)
- Vancouver (maybe... this is probably going to be shutdown by the Org, but... "we can ask")
- Montreal (French-speaking... is it really an issue?)
- Toronto (sounds like a standard/boring big city?)
Any insights into any of those places? Opinions?
I'm thinking of accepting a role in whichever of Toronto/Montreal comes with the bigger pay (probably Toronto)... registered as a "Remote worker" - then fucking off to Vancouver anyway.
Or... just giving Montreal a go... give learning French a half-arsed attempt, and just be that fluffybunny who doesn't bother to learn the lingo.Where in North Carolina?
Currently - the proposition is that I'd probably have to initially move into somewhere near Raleigh... but after having been moved in, I could probably move elsewhere without too much dissent.
And I'm thinking - moving to the mountains... so that I could do the Tail of the Dragon every weekend.Edit: of course, I'm judging shit from random reviews online. The famous "Tail of the Dragon" is probably no better than Napier-Taihape, or Round-the-Coromandel, or SH43.
And... USA just looks, in general, boring as fuck. I'd be interested in spending a bit of time checking out some of it, other than what I've already seen, but the idea of living there... doesn't thrill me. Happy to hear dissenting opinions, hence the question.Got a mate who lives in that area
Brought his kids up there
Loves it
Great beaches nearby
Good food culture
Good links for travel around the US
I loved living in the States, albeit short term stuff
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@Kruse said in Happiness Scale:
So... rather than a new thread, or re-starting the "Life Changes"... I'm using this.
Been recently offered the chance of work moving me to, my option of, ....- Guadalajara (famous for Mariachi music, tequila; and has active Cartel activity. All plus-sides in my book. But... shit salary)
- North Carolina (apparently good biking in the West? But sounds boring as fuck otherwise. And... seppos.)
- Vancouver (maybe... this is probably going to be shutdown by the Org, but... "we can ask")
- Montreal (French-speaking... is it really an issue?)
- Toronto (sounds like a standard/boring big city?)
Any insights into any of those places? Opinions?
I'm thinking of accepting a role in whichever of Toronto/Montreal comes with the bigger pay (probably Toronto)... registered as a "Remote worker" - then fucking off to Vancouver anyway.
Or... just giving Montreal a go... give learning French a half-arsed attempt, and just be that fluffybunny who doesn't bother to learn the lingo.Depends on your circumstances. Guadalajara will be the best by a mile. Something completely different, bit of added risk means bit of added fun & I'm sure it won't take you long to meet fellow bikers and create a network of pals.
North Carolina will be exactly as you expect and you won't get surprised. Will be pretty good if you can avoid all the American douche bags that populate that part of the states.
Canada .... meh. Lovely country once your out of the prairies with a cracking lifestyle, but Toronto / Montreal will get really fuckin cold and they have a complete dickhead as a PM. I think the best way to describe Canada is this. I know loads of people who have moved there. I know zero people who have stayed there.
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Just spent a week in Dubai. Had always avoided it despite seeing most people I know holiday there as I always thought it would be ver similar to Hong Kong & rather soul less.
I was 100% correct on both, but I did have an absolutely awesome time. Bit punchy on the wallet, but what isn't these days. Place has a great vibe (fully manufactured one though) and its' insane the construction that has gone on.
Biggest downside was all the Russians who seemingly were never taught basic manners. Chatting to my friend who lives there says that's been a big issue and Dubai now sits on a precipice (in his view) as the West can't be far off sanctioning them if the continue to let Russian money in willy nilly.
But on the whole great place to visit. Did some desert driving, went up the Burj Khalifa, did the Aquaventure water park at the Atlantis and basically just did the Dubai thing.
Good times.
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@MajorRage I stayed. But I’m not sure a Rando you occasionally trade insults with on the internet fits your definition of knowing.
Moved to Toronto, having moved here in 05 after stints in Calgary, HK, London and Vancouver Island, after leaving SA. I stayed even after we elected the Hairdo posing as a PM.
All in all it’s a pretty good spot. Especially if you’re raising kids.
If you could earn the same coin in Vancouver it would probably be better especially if you enjoy getting pissed on for 9 months of the year and hanging around supercilious folk in expensive hiking gear. Hell, you’ll probably feel right at home. Except the rugby’s shitter, the women (and men) are hotter and you’ll have to work a bit harder to get called a fluffybunny. And everything will
Language won’t be an issue in Montreal but the winters are far worse than TO. Though at least there are something approaching real skihills in striking distance. Bikings also much better, though TO has surprisingly good MtBing because it’s riddled with ravines.
Both Montreal and TO have great food/music scenes. Every major tour hits them in succession and most new acts hit them in succession at the start/end of their first NA tour.
Can’t comment on Guadalajara or really on Raleigh (though it might be your sleeper - especially if you’re factoring in tax rates.)
@Kruse Feel free to DM me if you want biased, wrong info on TOronto and definitely hit me up if you do end up in this godforsaken arctic shithole.
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Happiness Scale
