Free Advice From BananaMash Thread

[EX_Bert_Worshipper]

Hey BM

I can call you that?

Anyway, I haven't been on CDC in months. Did I miss anything exciting? What threads should I read
(in your opinion)?

[Twilight Sparkle]

Hey BM

I can call you that?

Anyway, I haven't been on CDC in months. Did I miss anything exciting? What threads should I read

(in your opinion)?

the ducks pgt in canucks talk is a pretty entertaining time

[thejazz97]

Mash, what is the ideal date?

[aGENT]

On 11/18/2014 at 11:08 AM, MattJVD said:

I gew up in Cobble Hill, excellent area. Cobble Hill proper (not the town at the bottom of it) has excellent biking and hiking trails. "The Quarry" (an abandon, flooded limestone quarry) has lots of great hiking, and swimming in the summer. Though it is private property, there are no issues with the public using it with non-motorized vehicles during daylight hours. The Kinsel Trustle in near by Shawnigan Lake was recently restored and is an excellent hiking location too.

 

Internet speed was never an issue as far as I can remember. I played Starcraft at a somewhat high level and never had lag issues.

 

The Schools in the area are excellent. Shawnigan Lake School is a fairly high tier private school if you are into that. Public elementary schools are good, and there are french immersian option in the area. Frances Kesley Secondary, the local high school, is fairly unique. It is a self paced shcool, you don't have due dates, all the work is done on your own initaive. While this doesn't work for everyone, it allows the more motivated or advanced students to get ahead. I loved it: I was very strong in math and struggled in English, the system allowed me to blast through a math course in half a semester and take the extra time to get through English.

 

On 11/18/2014 at 1:10 PM, J.R. said:

 

Thanks, I think we're narrowing down to Nanaimo actually though.

A few years later and we're still pondering the move to the island. Funnily enough, we've come to the conclusion that the Cowichan Valley (which Cobble Hill is part of) is were we likely want to be. The entire region suits our desired lifestyle (warm climate, outdoor activities, organic and sustainable food, local shops/artisans etc).

 

Love to hear more info on the assorted areas and their differences (East/West Duncan, Cobble Hill/Shawnigan and Lake Cowichan areas). Presumably these are the main areas with water/sewage (which we'd prefer over well/septic) and presumably greater internet etc infrastructure. Still considering Ladysmith as well.

 

Could I trouble you to expand on the merits/demerits of the different areas?

[riffraff]

5 hours ago, J.R. said:

 

A few years later and we're still pondering the move to the island. Funnily enough, we've come to the conclusion that the Cowichan Valley (which Cobble Hill is part of) is were we likely want to be. The entire region suits our desired lifestyle (warm climate, outdoor activities, organic and sustainable food, local shops/artisans etc).

 

Love to hear more info on the assorted areas and their differences (East/West Duncan, Cobble Hill/Shawnigan and Lake Cowichan areas). Presumably these are the main areas with water/sewage (which we'd prefer over well/septic) and presumably greater internet etc infrastructure. Still considering Ladysmith as well.

 

Could I trouble you to expand on the merits/demerits of the different areas?

I started working in the langford/colwood/metchosin/east sooke locales.

 

i have to say that metchosin/east sooke is one of the most beautiful areas I've been to anywhere and certainly on the island.  I'm not excagerrating when I say that I do something outdoors everyday here.

 

fantastic, natural, rural, areas all over this area. Plenty of space to sustain yourself/family.

 

i live in the comox valley which is also amazing and im every happy there.  Spend a lot of time in strathcona park.

 

ok now disregard everything I said and forget I told you and don't tell anyone else. 

 

Thanks.

 

 

[aGENT]

2 hours ago, riffraff said:

I started working in the langford/colwood/metchosin/east sooke locales.

 

i have to say that metchosin/east sooke is one of the most beautiful areas I've been to anywhere and certainly on the island.  I'm not excagerrating when I say that I do something outdoors everyday here.

 

fantastic, natural, rural, areas all over this area. Plenty of space to sustain yourself/family.

 

i live in the comox valley which is also amazing and im every happy there.  Spend a lot of time in strathcona park.

 

ok now disregard everything I said and forget I told you and don't tell anyone else. 

 

Thanks.

 

 

Hard to go wrong most places on the island really! 

 

I seem to recall Comox being labeled one of the 'most livable' cities not long ago. (Though I think some of that likely had to do with military/jobs).

 

Still, I think Cowichan has the mix of our preferred arts/food culture, farming, outdoors, relatively 'cheap' real estate etc we're looking for. It fits us. 

[MattJVD]

On 09/08/2017 at 2:25 PM, J.R. said:

 

A few years later and we're still pondering the move to the island. Funnily enough, we've come to the conclusion that the Cowichan Valley (which Cobble Hill is part of) is were we likely want to be. The entire region suits our desired lifestyle (warm climate, outdoor activities, organic and sustainable food, local shops/artisans etc).

 

Love to hear more info on the assorted areas and their differences (East/West Duncan, Cobble Hill/Shawnigan and Lake Cowichan areas). Presumably these are the main areas with water/sewage (which we'd prefer over well/septic) and presumably greater internet etc infrastructure. Still considering Ladysmith as well.

 

Could I trouble you to expand on the merits/demerits of the different areas?

I think most of Cobble Hill, Shawnigan, and Lake Cowichan are on septic, but municipal water is widely available.  

Duncan certainly has less of a rural feel to it than the outlying towns, but is still a fairly quiet place. There is a great Famer's Market just south of Duncan on Hwy 1, lots of local produce. Hobby farms and produce stands are plentiful and there are a couple small breweries/cideries in the Valley, it's a great spot for getting local food/drink.

 

Lake Chowichan is a little more isolated than the other towns, that could be a pro or con depending of your preference. Shawnigan/Cobble Hill don't have all the services within the towns themselves, but Mill Bay and Valley View are right next door (far closer than Duncan is to Lake Chowichan). They have many of the necessities (IIRC A doctor's office, post office, police and fire, corner stores, neighborhood pubs) but for substantial grocery stores, the dentist, and even the nearest ambulance station you'd have to go to Mill Bay. Not that it's much of a drive, I'd regularly bike between them as a kid.  

 

The whole region has access to decent internet, Shaw can do 150 Mbps down, 15 up, 1TB monthly data anywhere in the valley. Not sure what Telus offers, but I'd imagine it's similar. 

 

I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions. 

[aGENT]

8 hours ago, MattJVD said:

I think most of Cobble Hill, Shawnigan, and Lake Cowichan are on septic, but municipal water is widely available.  

Duncan certainly has less of a rural feel to it than the outlying towns, but is still a fairly quiet place. There is a great Famer's Market just south of Duncan on Hwy 1, lots of local produce. Hobby farms and produce stands are plentiful and there are a couple small breweries/cideries in the Valley, it's a great spot for getting local food/drink.

 

Lake Chowichan is a little more isolated than the other towns, that could be a pro or con depending of your preference. Shawnigan/Cobble Hill don't have all the services within the towns themselves, but Mill Bay and Valley View are right next door (far closer than Duncan is to Lake Chowichan). They have many of the necessities (IIRC A doctor's office, post office, police and fire, corner stores, neighborhood pubs) but for substantial grocery stores, the dentist, and even the nearest ambulance station you'd have to go to Mill Bay. Not that it's much of a drive, I'd regularly bike between them as a kid.  

 

The whole region has access to decent internet, Shaw can do 150 Mbps down, 15 up, 1TB monthly data anywhere in the valley. Not sure what Telus offers, but I'd imagine it's similar. 

 

I hope that helps, let me know if you have any other questions. 

Awesome, thanks! 

 

I think we'd like to be on outskirts of Duncan so we could say, ride our bikes down to the farmers market/a restaurant/pub but be far enough out of the way we can still have quiet and a decent size ~1/2 acre lot (potential future subdivision), room to garden etc.

 

Any comments on East vs West Duncan? 

 

Any comments on Duncan public (elementary) schools? Good ones? Ones to avoid? 

 

Either way, we plan to head over and spend a day or two touring around the valley (and Ladysmith) to get a better feel for the area (off the tourist trail) as well. 

 

I've also got to finish up a bunch of things around our current house... so it'll probably be a year or two away unless those lottoballs come through...*sigh*

[Master 112]

On 10/23/2015 at 0:28 PM, thejazz97 said:

Mash, what is the ideal date?

Follow-up question: what is the ideal state?

[thejazz97]

1 hour ago, Two one one said:

Follow-up question: what is the ideal state?

I know this isn't a free Jazz advice thread, but I'd say Bose-Einstein condensate

[Master 112]

15 hours ago, thejazz97 said:

I know this isn't a free Jazz advice thread, but I'd say Bose-Einstein condensate

Good choice. I'm partial to quark-gluon plasma and the fascist state.

 

 

[Mainly Mattias]

lol. i see BM hasn't even posted in this thread for 3 years.

[Cramarossa]

@BananaMash should I go to grad school? Are you a doctor? A love doctor? Are there other fruits you enjoy mashing? 

[BananaMash]

1 minute ago, Cramarossa said:

@BananaMash should I go to grad school? Are you a doctor? A love doctor? Are there other fruits you enjoy mashing? 

I guess that depends on how many doors graduate school would open for you versus how much it's going to cost. If it opens up enough doors in terms of your career that it's worth sinking the money into, and you're okay with going to school for more years, then I would say absolutely! If you're unsure of it though, I would take some time to weigh your options. I don't think grad school is really worth it for people who aren't committed to the process or the field it leads them into.

 

I'm not a doctor or a love doctor  I am good at helping people with their relationship issues for some reason though. So, I'm like a doctor in that regard.

 

I enjoy mashing passion fruit. 

 

Wink?

 

On 8/20/2017 at 4:20 PM, Mainly Mattias said:

lol. i see BM hasn't even posted in this thread for 3 years.

I forgot this thread existed lmao

[JM_]

what's your favourite dungeon? what should a guy pushing 40 be able to lift and feel respectable? why do you still live in Nanaimo when it sounds like you'd be happier elsewhere? I had no idea this thread existed. 

[BananaMash]

29 minutes ago, Jimmy McGill said:

what's your favourite dungeon? what should a guy pushing 40 be able to lift and feel respectable? why do you still live in Nanaimo when it sounds like you'd be happier elsewhere? I had no idea this thread existed. 

Debs torture dungeon where she keeps Saniel Dedin is the best dungeon. Right, @debluvscanucks?

 

Honestly, just being at the gym and putting in the work makes someone respectable. If we wanted to talk in pure powerlifting numbers though (in lbs) for squat/bench/deadlift/overhead press I would think most 40 year old men could hit 315/225/405/135 after a few years if they were also good about diet. There's no margin for respectability though. If someone is 40 and still lifting regularly they're doing better than 90% of the adults in their age group most likely.

 

The dude on the bench is always stronger than the dude on the couch.

 

I live here because unfortunately my family made some poor choices and needed help financially. I got a really solid job offer here as well so it killed two birds with one stone. Once the family was looked after I started saving money to move again. So, I'm heading back to Victoria next year. Likely permanently.

[JM_]

10 minutes ago, BananaMash said:

Debs torture dungeon where she keeps Saniel Dedin is the best dungeon. Right, @debluvscanucks?

 

Honestly, just being at the gym and putting in the work makes someone respectable. If we wanted to talk in pure powerlifting numbers though (in lbs) for squat/bench/deadlift/overhead press I would think most 40 year old men could hit 315/225/405/135 after a few years if they were also good about diet. There's no margin for respectability though. If someone is 40 and still lifting regularly they're doing better than 90% of the adults in their age group most likely.

 

The dude on the bench is always stronger than the dude on the couch.

 

I live here because unfortunately my family made some poor choices and needed help financially. I got a really solid job offer here as well so it killed two birds with one stone. Once the family was looked after I started saving money to move again. So, I'm heading back to Victoria next year. Likely permanently.

nice. I spent about a month in Victoria last year and really liked it. I could live there easily if the skiing was closer.

 

I've got a long way to go to reach that squat level! holy moly. right now i'm doing squats with a bar (with a trainer nearby) at 150 and that feels like a lot right now. 

[BananaMash]

25 minutes ago, Jimmy McGill said:

nice. I spent about a month in Victoria last year and really liked it. I could live there easily if the skiing was closer.

 

I've got a long way to go to reach that squat level! holy moly. right now i'm doing squats with a bar (with a trainer nearby) at 150 and that feels like a lot right now. 

I was squatting 125 pounds when I started 2 years ago and I've just recently hit 315. You'll be surprised! 150 isn't a bad squat at all, but before you know it you'll be warming up with that weight!

[JM_]

6 minutes ago, BananaMash said:

I was squatting 125 pounds when I started 2 years ago and I've just recently hit 315. You'll be surprised! 150 isn't a bad squat at all, but before you know it you'll be warming up with that weight!

thats good to know. I actually really like how that lift feels. I've always been able to push a lot of isolated leg weight but have to really watch my back on other free lifts. When I was rock climbing regularly about 10 years ago I could knock off 12 pull ups no problem, but since I stopped that it thats dropped considerably,..  but I'll get back.  

 

Sorry pull ups not chin (12 pull 7-8 chin)

 

 

[BananaMash]

On 9/3/2017 at 11:09 PM, Jimmy McGill said:

thats good to know. I actually really like how that lift feels. I've always been able to push a lot of isolated leg weight but have to really watch my back on other free lifts. When I was rock climbing regularly about 10 years ago I could knock off 12 pull ups no problem, but since I stopped that it thats dropped considerably,..  but I'll get back.  

 

Sorry pull ups not chin (12 pull 7-8 chin)

 

 

Sometimes that will help you in the long run if you want to be into free lifts more is doing a lot of core work. A strong core helps you brace better on lifts, which keeps your spine safe. I've also had a few pretty serious back injuries and have to be careful, but I'm approaching the 400lb deadlift and 315lb squat mark without a single issue.

 

The best advice is to work at your own pace. Push yourself, but don't worry about your ego