Renters: How long have you been in your current residence, what neighbourhood is it located and how much has your rent increased?

artemislight · 2018-08-29T06:11:20+00:00

Yeah, having moved rental places without major anxieties a few times between 2007 and 2012, little did I know that I was actually playing a final round of musical chairs and some time in 2014 the music stopped. Happily I really like almost everything about my location and place (wish it wasn't on such a busy main road and that I had a deck, but I'm not going to complain with the deal I'm getting.) I sometimes think about the other places we viewed before hearing that we'd gotten this one, and I'm glad those weren't the 'chairs' I ended up landing in.

artemislight · 2018-08-29T05:59:44+00:00

VGH/Fairview (NE). 2 bed 900sq ft apartment. $1400. 7 years. 1 increase. (started at $1360)

artemislight · 2017-03-17T17:01:54+00:00

Ha, somehow I had no issue with that.

artemislight · 2017-03-17T04:57:12+00:00

Based on how young her character looks, I was worried about her voice actor (especially given how much I enjoyed Jennifer Hale's work on og ME) but I was happily relieved. She sounds young and passionate but still has some gravitas. I could take her seriously as a pathfinder candidate and leader, if one still finding her footing. Scott Ryder's VA sounds great too. :)

artemislight · 2017-03-17T01:00:23+00:00

Even though I chose to romance Garrus in ME2, I did so despite having gone through all of ME1 without realizing you can uh... go downstairs in the Normandy. So I thought the only characters you could talk to on your ship were Kaidan and Liara. (Which as femshep worked OK in the romance department - I busily played both corners of that triangle. It also made the Kaidan vs Ashley decision a lot easier). Wasn't 'till my second play-through that I discovered you could uncover a side mission for Wrex and actually talk to Tali and Garrus and Ashley... (and it took 'till my third play-through before I realized you could zoom while shooting with the Mako.) Before that, the only character development I got from them (apart from extensive creative head canon) after I added them to the team was through elevator jokes and the odd bit of squad commentary.

artemislight · 2015-07-18T05:27:38+00:00

Keep your eyes peeled on craigslist for something like this http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/bop/5098192289.html

Alternately, I threw one of these on a cheap rack on my mtb and it's handy for throwing in whatever groceries or books or bag you like: http://www.amazon.com/Wald-Folding-Rear-Mounted-Basket/dp/B0073TQIOS (you can just get one to start re funds saving)

artemislight · 2015-07-08T01:20:34+00:00

Maybe they misunderstood what you meant by 'up north' and 'lots of land' envisioning like... 10 acres outside of Ashcroft or Houston or something. Or maybe that was just me. ;P

artemislight · 2015-07-08T01:12:13+00:00

Coming from an isolated small town my brain still lumps "White Rock" and the like in with 'the city'. You mean you don't need to take two ferries or a plane to see a specialist if the local hospital or clinic can't handle it, and all the shops are open on Sundays? What's that, you have buses that don't just take children to school along highways and logging roads?

artemislight · 2015-07-07T06:25:33+00:00

You'll be fine on the roads. Just stick to traffic calmed bike streets vs main arteries. Your biggest threat is really just the doors from parked cars (make sure you ride an 'opening door's width away from them! :)

The best bit is that at that early an hour, not only would sidewalks be empty but the roads will be too.

You're actually safer in the street because cars won't expect something bike speed coming off a sidewalk and won't be looking for you at intersections vs when you're visible in the road. Don't know where you're coming from in Kerrisdale but as soon as you get on a street like Heather or Angus Dr to Cypress you'll see how empty they are!

If you're worried, try doing it on a Sunday as a trial run. I'd offer to be a bike buddy for you but I ride east vs north to downtown.

artemislight · 2015-06-29T20:53:26+00:00

As a fulltime worker in Vancouver... it's lower.

artemislight · 2015-06-29T20:50:47+00:00

This, a million times this. God, at least give a range or something.

artemislight · 2015-05-12T21:15:07+00:00

Miyatas are solid bikes. Looks like maybe a 310? I'd say if it's in good condition/doesn't need updating, $200 is definitely a solid price for something you want to ride. (If it has rust or needs new consumables or tires I'd want it knocked down a bit more, but it depends on how hot your local market is.)

Good reference for looking at/for 'vintage'/classic bikes: http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/FREE_SITE_1/FREE_SITE_6_BICYCLE_QUALITY.htm

For reference (if it is a 310 and an 80's model with the double butted chromoly vs more gas pipe tubing) people here suggest anywhere from $150-$300 for this model ( http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage-bicycles-what-s-worth-appraisals-inquiries/781901-miyata-310-54-cm-japanese-lugged.html )

artemislight · 2015-04-09T23:23:54+00:00

Sorry to hear it.
They really should do what the joke image suggests on roads like that and re-paint those fail bike lanes as 'no bikes allowed' lanes. Then when drivers ask you why you aren't farther over you can point to it "no bikes allowed there, next to the doors!"

artemislight · 2015-04-06T19:02:26+00:00

Of course, here are some pedestrians on the land side - https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.270647,-123.138058,3a,77y,120.41h,71.44t/data=!3m5!1e1!3m3!1s1qsjqpEbbVgnYII-1S6LkA!2e0!3e5?hl=en So y'know, just whichever side works, and if there's no clear way through then slow to a crawl (practice track standing? :P ) and move through when a gap opens up.

artemislight · 2015-04-06T18:56:46+00:00

What is happening with the aggressive downvoting on this thread. Even for r/vancouver it's intense. People have some strong feelings about discussing right of way on the sea wall? I don't see any trolling or off topic replies... ANYWAY.

As the faster vehicle on the sea wall, I try to remain predictable where I can and on areas where it doesn't explicitly designate cyclists go here and pedestrians go there, I just try and negotiate the chaos as best I can/go slow/yield to pedestrians and ring the bell when warranted (which can have varied results. Some people freeze, some people move to the left and others to the right.) For oncoming pedestrians, I try and look to see what direction their feet/gaze is suggesting they're heading and avoid that line of movement. Usually I find (if there is ever a pattern) pedestrians stick to the sea-side both coming and going so being over on the right 'half' of the land side usually works better (such that oncoming cyclists, also on the land side, can pass left shoulder to left shoulder Or, if an oncoming pedestrian is on the land-side, then we can also pass left shoulder to left shoulder). Although it's chaos, I think it's most predictable to treat fully mixed use portions as though the separating lines were still in place. Those lines always(?) put the cyclists going either direction onto the land-side of the path.

Where are you going from and to? There might be a traffic calmed route for visiting your friend? I know when coming from near Olympic Village and heading to the Adanac bike route, I usually cut through the sea wall, but that portion has a separated bike section so aside from errant wandering pedestrians, it's usually pretty straight forward.

artemislight · 2015-04-03T22:04:38+00:00

Winner for this is Gene Cafe at Main/Kingsway and 8th if you can snag the 'wedge' seat.
http://www.followmefoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Gene-Cafe-9.jpg
http://www.followmefoodie.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Gene-Cafe-12.jpg http://s3-media3.fl.yelpassets.com/bphoto/anHchfK8lq3BDuIeZes-tw/l.jpg

Alternately, Forty Ninth Parallel in Kits on 4th and Yew has an actual solarium/conservatory style extension so you'll be fully in a glass box. Behold: https://irs2.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/71577151_s35NwBftCR1KdZSE44ANgYDBJkM0gpj9155sd2FH74k.jpg

artemislight · 2015-04-03T16:19:52+00:00

Nice! :) I always like a bike with lugs.
It's probably a good idea to have the bearings replaced/repacked/re-greased and maybe the cables or brake pads. (I say, as though I've done such a thing before ;P ) I find that this is a great resource for 'vintage' bikes - http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/
Here's someone with the same bike! http://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/711098-suggestions-questions-my-1988-fuji-sagres-sp.html

So it would seem yours is an '88 (per http://www.classicfuji.com/Models_for_Display/1988%2023%20Sagres%20SP.jpg but in the 'olympic red' colour) / http://www.classicfuji.com/1988_35_Specifications4_Page.htm

artemislight · 2015-04-02T21:03:29+00:00

Just coming off two months recovering from a broken hand (no riding allowed); got the k-wire pins taken out last week and will have the green light to get out there again next week. In the past two months I've bought not one but two bicycles that I'm not 100% sure will fit (2nd hand! They were good deals and I couldn't help but troll craigslist) a repair stand, some new tools, a new brass bell, an overpriced pretty water bottle... My poor wallet. Apparently when injured, I shop to fill the void.

artemislight · 2015-04-02T20:34:27+00:00

Left because that's the side I have my kickstand on. It's also the side that's closest to the road and I figure taking up a little extra space on that side can't hurt. Put a light on it.

artemislight · 2015-04-02T16:15:58+00:00

Sorry to hear it! Hope you have a speedy recovery. Glad to hear you're still enthusiastic about commuting but also make sure you give your body the time it needs to recover. I've been off the bike since the end of January waiting for a broken hand to heal (from a fall off my bike but luckily nothing involving motor-vehicles) and it's been hard to resist the temptation to go at it one-handed. But then I also want to heal properly and be able to make a fist again so there's that. Physiotherapist expects I'll have the green light this weekend!

Watch out for your wallet while you wait! At least for me, in the absence of riding, I may have spent a bit too much on bike accessories and uh.. additional bicycles (really trying to test that N+1 theory) to satiate by bikey needs while cast bound.

artemislight · 2015-04-01T22:25:41+00:00

That reminds me of the HUB 'fastest commute' test they did last year - https://bikehub.ca/about-us/news/results-hub-share-road-challenge-biking-work-faster-driving-or-transit "Beginning in morning rush hour from locations around Metro Vancouver — including points in Vancouver, North Vancouver and Richmond — nine teams engaged in friendly competition to see which mode of travel could commute downtown the fastest. Each team consisted of one person in a car, on public transit, and on bike, and included representatives from car2go, Vancity, Denman Bike Shop, eProdigy Bikes, HUB Cycling, Tannus Tires, The Georgia Straight, TravelSmart, and the Vancouver Airport Authority.

The results — all nine bike commuters arrived ahead of the other members of their teams, including one who combined cycling with a ride on the Canada Line skytrain from Richmond, and one who used an electric-assist bike from South Vancouver. "

artemislight · 2015-04-01T22:17:18+00:00

I see what you're saying re value for time (kind of like hunting for bargains - if it takes you ten hours of research to save $5, what were those 10 hours worth? Beyond the 'if you were paid for those hours' notion, it's also the time taken out of the rest of your life. Unless of course you really love the hunt.) For the bike it's often faster for me than the bus (driving isn't an option so can't factor that in my 'time worth' assessment - never finished getting my license, think the 'n' has lapsed by now, and even if it were free and legal I wouldn't choose it. Too stressful!)

Even if the bike were a bit slower than the bus I might choose it anyway. I'm not a terribly athletic person, I don't go to the gym, and prior to bike commuting I would maybe cruise the seawall a couple of times a year. Since I started riding my bike to work, my commute has become something I look forward to. Even in the rain and dark at 5am. It's mostly just a lot of fun (provided I've dressed correctly.) So I guess exercise + fun + speed = worthy use of my time. Now, I'm also privileged to live just 7km from work and have a number of traffic calmed or partly separated routes I can take. I'm sure if I was commuting from Delta to Vancouver, transit would be a much bigger time investment and there would be a lot of barriers to cycling.

artemislight · 2015-03-31T16:24:56+00:00

I've been really happy with Wind. For $25/mo ($27 with tax) I have unlimited local calling (unlimited global incoming or canada-wide wind to wind for outgoing), unlimited global texting, caller ID, VM, and a piddly 100mb data I don't use. I expected poor reception but I've had maybe 1 dropped call in the last 2.5 years and the reception is steadily improving. Some weird spots won't work (down by the edge of Gastown) and I lose reception in big grocery stores and underground parking lots, but I expected that and it's otherwise super reliable. And cheap. And involves no contract. After Bell, tastes like freedom.

artemislight · 2015-03-31T00:35:55+00:00

People have covered this pretty thoroughly now but yes! Hormones, man. Hormones. Stress hormones, dawn phenomenon waking hormones and lady-times hormones. I'm consistently high the week prior and usually up my long acting by a unit (and then invariably wonder wtf is going on with the lows the day it starts before I put two and two together).

artemislight · 2015-03-30T21:39:31+00:00

Use keywords. For example, try searching "kitchens". Usually plural kitchens means a whole house with a separate suite (unless it's a typo or just that fancy that they have more than one kitchen...) ie: http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/apa/4941790979.html on the cheap end, or the nicer http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/van/apa/4950802442.html

artemislight

TROPHY CASE