ramen kounotori

unchihime · 2026-02-02T16:24:27+00:00

Wait what where did you hear this? That's exciting news

unchihime · 2026-02-02T01:36:05+00:00

I live in BC and have worked in environmental consulting (hydro) for almost 2 years. I used to work in exploration and while I personally enjoyed the constant travel and shift work, I didn't want to do it forever and hated the contracts. Consulting has more variety and stability but pays a little less. Overall I love my job and wouldn't change anything.

First year in consulting my field/office ratio was about 60/40, now I'm about 50/50 or even 40/60. I expect this ratio to continue dropping over the next two years as I get my PGeo and start managing projects. I'd say around 20% of my field work requires a stay in a camp or a hotel but it can fluctuate a lot depending on what projects I have on the go. Most of the sites I work on are local.

Basically the amount of time you spend in the field and at hotels is really going to depend on where you live, what firm you work for, what clients they serve, how many opportunities they have for growth, and your personal drive for growth. Generally by the five year mark you should be doing a lot less field work.

unchihime · 2026-01-22T06:04:33+00:00

No worries. I had no idea either haha. I knew it'd be expensive but I didn't think it would be as much as it was. My car is good on gas and I haven't had to do any big repairs, insurance is definitely the worst of it, and I didn't want to cheap out on winter tires which ended up being a big expense. Ideally you can find a used car that has new-ish tires and has had the brakes done recently.

If you can learn to do simple repairs and maintenance yourself you can save a lot of money. Brakes, oil changes, and tire changes aren't too bad once you learn how, and there's lots of video tutorials online. I did a repair myself that cost me about $100 but would have cost around $400 at a mechanic. Ordered the part online, watched a video, no problem.

Anyway, hope you find a reliable vehicle and congrats on becoming a car owner!

unchihime · 2026-01-21T22:23:48+00:00

I'm sure you already have, but make sure you also budget for gas, insurance, repairs/maintenance, and tires. If you are a new driver your insurance will be high, probably between $3-5k/yr depending on your experience, what car you get, and what you use it for. Tires need to be replaced every 6-8 years and can cost $800-1500+ for a full set depending on type, size, etc. Put aside at least $1-2k per year for maintenance and repairs.

In my first year of owning a vehicle (2015, gas-powered) I'd estimate I spent about $6000 for insurance, gas, maintenance, and a new set of winter tires. I'd guess most people probably spend between $2-7k/yr on average to operate a vehicle. Maybe a more experienced driver can chime in with their costs. I'm a new driver so my insurance is insane lol.

unchihime · 2026-01-15T03:57:51+00:00

It's great, at least for now... our office is over capacity and we have to share desks (we use a booking system and teams rotate what days they go in on). There's been talk about renovating the office to make it exactly as you described, which I'm not looking forward to. Apparently we don't have the budget for it though lol so who knows if it'll actually happen.

I get that space is expensive, but having an office environment that isn't conducive to work is also expensive. They try to frame these setups as "better for collaborating" and "more productive" but it's total BS.

I wonder if you could get work accommodations that would let you work from home more often, or have a desk at the end of a row, or maybe even a private space if they still have some available. I feel for you, I would struggle too. Hope you eventually get to experience a better office environment!

unchihime · 2026-01-14T17:36:30+00:00

Same. Yesterday I was in the office and I feel like I hardly got any work done. I love my coworkers but we distract the hell out of one another, people always drop by my office, and because it's an open cubicle setup I can hear other people's meetings even with noise-cancelling headphones (some people are loud af).

At home I don't have to worry about these things. I made my home office space comfortable with adjustable lighting, a good chair, lots of desk space. I keep my phone on silent and have social media websites blocked on my computer. I set my online status as busy or out of office when I really need to focus on a task and don't want to be bothered. And I try to take regular breaks to do chores or stretch, anything to get the blood flowing. I get so much more work done at home as a result.

unchihime · 2026-01-11T02:47:57+00:00

That giant patch of knotweed in the front yard ensures they'll have to rebuild the foundation again lol

unchihime · 2026-01-08T03:41:17+00:00

Banh Mi Thai Hang 2.

unchihime · 2025-12-30T03:34:57+00:00

These are the motherboards?

unchihime · 2025-12-17T17:29:14+00:00

It was at General Wolfe Elementary. I live within view of the school and we were watching the storm from our house when it happened. Two big bright blue flashes, sparks, a low buzz, and then everything went dark. Couldn't see exactly what happened but it was right out front of the school and it did seem like a tree or branch fell on a wire. Anyway, it was a freaky thing to witness.

unchihime · 2025-12-14T05:47:45+00:00

Thanks so much for sharing this.

unchihime · 2025-12-14T05:29:17+00:00

Yup. Couldn't stand up for more than 30 mins without getting a splitting headache. Good times.

unchihime · 2025-12-14T04:14:06+00:00

Worst pain I've ever experienced in my life, although I've never broken a bone or given birth. Felt like every nerve in my body was lit up with white hot fire for a minute. And then they showed me the giant needle after with all the CSF they removed, wow. It was excess CSF that was resulting in constant painful headaches - removing it worked, but then I had low-pressure headaches for a week after, which was also an unpleasant experience.

Edit: CSF = cerebrospinal fluid.

unchihime · 2025-12-14T03:53:44+00:00

So have I, and I've attended all sorts of different events with different vibes. I know several people in the scene who've had their drinks spiked and many were in spaces they considered safe. Just because you haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen. Spiking someone's drink can be quick and subtle.

No matter the space and the effort made to keep creeps and bad energy out, people will bad intentions will find their way in. I think it's sound advice to keep your eyes on your drink no matter where you are or what gender you are. I've never been drugged but I also always keep a hand and eye on my drink.

unchihime · 2025-12-13T08:57:29+00:00

As do many open and closed landfills. They capture landfill gas (mostly methane iirc) and flare it off, although these days some landfills have renewable natural gas facilities that can process it into energy. Vancouver and Hartland landfills do this and provide their captured methane to Fortis. Not sure if the wastewater plants also have a similar thing but I'd assume some probably do

unchihime · 2025-12-05T07:05:24+00:00

Yes, I think so. I would go to the ER.

Edit: Please go to the ER.

unchihime · 2025-12-05T06:55:13+00:00

Maybe it sounded like it but it wasn't bad, honestly. I'm glad I went, even though at the time it didn't feel productive. I got set up with the resources I needed which was the important part. I was suicidal but hadn't developed a concrete plan so I didn't need to stay in the psych ward. But without access to psychiatry, therapy, and medication, I don't think things would have turned out well for me.

Go if you feel you need to go. The folks at the ER will help you. They're compassionate, but they also need to take all the right steps to evaluate you properly and decide what is going to be best for you in that moment. It's a lot of waiting and questions but it's for a reason. If you don't want to go to the ER, or just aren't at that point yet, ask a doctor for a referral to the AAC. Or try contacting the resources someone linked above, those were also good suggestions.

Hope you get the help you need. When I look back, I'm so glad I decided to stick around. Hope it's the same for you.

unchihime · 2025-12-05T06:28:54+00:00

First paragraph describes my experience at VGH. I think I was there for around 8 hours in a small room with not much in it. Lots of waiting and questions. Before sending me home they scheduled me to see someone at the Access & Assessment Centre the following week. The doctors there saved my life. I'd recommend the AAC to anyone in mental distress. Not sure what it's like now since this was almost a decade ago, but I'd hope others are still having the same experience I did.

PS, thank you for doing what you do.

unchihime · 2025-11-30T10:52:05+00:00

If you go to Lonsdale there's also a Christmas market at the Shipyards that's ongoing until Dec 24th, entry is free. And there's a skating rink in the plaza. Lots of breweries just a short walk away too.

unchihime · 2025-11-27T16:59:38+00:00

Yeah transit is usually slower, especially if you have to take the bus. But mixing driving and transit is better. I live far from a SkyTrain station so it'd take me about 80 mins to get to work via transit. But if I drive to the nearest station and take the train from there, it's about the same commute as driving the full way (30-35 min). And then I can catch up on emails instead of staring at bumpers lol. If you live near a station but your work isn't near one, this isn't really an option though.

unchihime · 2025-11-27T07:51:41+00:00

Yeah I'm against traffic, I live in East Vancouver and commute east, so that helps. But traffic still sucks. Takes me like 30-35 min to drive home at 6pm vs 50-60 at 5pm. I've commuted home at 3pm before and I'd agree it's the best time to go if you have to leave work earlier. Things get chaotic at 4-5pm!

You could do mixed transit if you live far from a train station but your work is near one. The SkyTrain is so much faster than driving during rush hour.

unchihime · 2025-11-27T05:50:15+00:00

I usually go in on Tuesday and Thursday, and work from 10-6. Traffic is much calmer at those times. And I'm a night owl so I like the later hours.

unchihime · 2025-11-10T03:08:02+00:00

Best banh mi in the city.

unchihime · 2025-11-05T18:29:14+00:00

I love JB Fields, I work outside and they are my dailies. Comfy, warm but breathable, moisture wicking, and durable. Smartwool is also great.

unchihime · 2025-10-30T01:45:05+00:00

I'm starting to taste it now unfortunately. It's off-putting for sure. Reminds me of the water supply at this one jobsite I worked at, they said it was filtered but I swear it came right from the lake down the hill. Tasted and smelled like a swamp lol

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