Carmella and I are no longer satisfied in Vancouver. The rents are high, the job market is very tough, and it rains for most of the year. It's time to leave!
We're applying for jobs in small BC towns, as we both like the idea of living in a close community with mountains not too far away.
We've heard that Edmonton has a very strong job market. This is likely because most people go and work with oil, so it leaves a lot of other positions open. The University of Alberta is in Edmonton, and they have a very healthy amount of job vacancies posted.
Edmonton is not a small town, and isn't extremely close to any mountains. Instead of rain all winter, they have -30C all winter, and equally grey skies. But rents are cheaper there, people are friendly, and the job market is vibrant. We think we might be able to live and work there for a few years, save up some money, get more job experience, and then see where we are after that.
Carmella and I are both educated, capable individuals who want more from our work than we're currently getting. It's time to look outside of Rain City!
It's exciting to think about a new adventure together, so we'll see where life takes us.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Where I ran today
I've been running to work lately, and most of the time, running home also. It's great to be getting out there regularly again, and I'm really enjoying it.
My route is always the same. I run in the alley between two residential streets, where people's garages are, and where they put your garbage and recycling cans. It works well if your streets are laid out in staid grid fashion, as they are in my neighbourhood.
I like the alley because there are no cars, I don't have to dodge pedestrians on the sidewalk, and I usually have the alley to myself. I have a few checkpoints along the way, and I often time myself on the way to work, giving myself split times so I can see when and where I lost or gained time. It is a great way to measure my progress, and I record it all.
When I started, I was going all out, and my time was just under 30 minutes. My best happened last week, when I ran 26:13. It wasn't an all-out pace, but a relaxed yet hard effort. So I've shaved almost four minutes off my time, which is excellent, and I think I could do even better.
Instead of running on my regular route last Friday, I ran along the ocean for a section of my run. It's not the most direct route, but it's a pleasant diversion if I'm not in a rush to get home. It's slow going because the rocks are the size of baseballs, so footing is never secure. It's also the intertidal zone, so the rocks can be slippery.
I run to work with a backpack. It's got my shirt and pants for the day, and essentials like my phone, keys, and wallet. It'll usually have my lunch in there too, but I've been bad at making a lunch lately.
I'd like to take pictures of my runs more often, but unless I'm running to or from work, I don't bring anything with me. Maybe I'll sacrifice and bring my camera or phone along, but I'd have to figure out a way to do that without bring along a bulky bag.
Here's Friday's trip home from work. The route is much more hilly, and is about two kilometers longer than my standard. Since I live so close to the ocean (about 16 blocks) I need to make a point of actually going there more often. I bet sometimes a month goes by without me seeing it.
That's my run! Now it's off to bed.
My route is always the same. I run in the alley between two residential streets, where people's garages are, and where they put your garbage and recycling cans. It works well if your streets are laid out in staid grid fashion, as they are in my neighbourhood.
I like the alley because there are no cars, I don't have to dodge pedestrians on the sidewalk, and I usually have the alley to myself. I have a few checkpoints along the way, and I often time myself on the way to work, giving myself split times so I can see when and where I lost or gained time. It is a great way to measure my progress, and I record it all.
When I started, I was going all out, and my time was just under 30 minutes. My best happened last week, when I ran 26:13. It wasn't an all-out pace, but a relaxed yet hard effort. So I've shaved almost four minutes off my time, which is excellent, and I think I could do even better.
Instead of running on my regular route last Friday, I ran along the ocean for a section of my run. It's not the most direct route, but it's a pleasant diversion if I'm not in a rush to get home. It's slow going because the rocks are the size of baseballs, so footing is never secure. It's also the intertidal zone, so the rocks can be slippery.
I run to work with a backpack. It's got my shirt and pants for the day, and essentials like my phone, keys, and wallet. It'll usually have my lunch in there too, but I've been bad at making a lunch lately.
I'd like to take pictures of my runs more often, but unless I'm running to or from work, I don't bring anything with me. Maybe I'll sacrifice and bring my camera or phone along, but I'd have to figure out a way to do that without bring along a bulky bag.
Here's Friday's trip home from work. The route is much more hilly, and is about two kilometers longer than my standard. Since I live so close to the ocean (about 16 blocks) I need to make a point of actually going there more often. I bet sometimes a month goes by without me seeing it.
That's my run! Now it's off to bed.
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