Yup....the public (especially the Canuck public) want to know!!!

*shoves mike in Argon's mug (face!)*

So, Mandi....tell us....we want to know, how is NB life compared to SK life? Details please!

- job info

- living arrangement info

- people info

- shopping info

- town info (where the heck are ya livin' in NB anyways?)

- boyfriend info (most important!)

Any regrets? Happy? Content? Satisfied? DETAILS DETAILS!!!!

Sadly yes, we are a nosy bunch. (to be completely honest though, Cloe and CanadaSunshine put me up to this!). I'm merely the one who chose the short stick!!!

:scared: :)

yoooooooooo hoooooooooooooooooooo.... waiting!!!!

OOoh... I'm so flattered that you think I have stuff to tell!

The job, it hasn't started yet. I'm hoping for August. REALLY hoping!

Living arrangements: I am currently room and boarding in a crappy house, with my boyfriend, another guy from work, a lady from work, and her husband... and 3 cats. It's waaay too hot here, and I can't wait to move elsewhere! We're on a 'list' for an apartment in what is supposed to be the nicest buildings in town. A few people we know here got in before us, and we've seen the places, and they are very nice. All new appliances, a dishwasher (one of my 'must-haves'), and is about 1.5km from work.

The people here: I'd say they're very nice. I still giggle when someone says something like "I'm gonna hop in my care and run down to Walmaret." Apparently the best thing they have to make fun of my 'acccent' is that saying "Really?!" is sooooo "Westerner" LOL, whatEVER!

The shopping: Hmmm... nothing fabulous. Luckily I'm not in the market for any clothes right now, and I will hold on to the same crappy clothes I have for as long as possible! The malls suck. I've only been to one, but I can imagine the other one's about the same. There's some 'bigger' stores here that I didn't really expect for a small town, like Walmart, and Canadian Tire. There's a Burger King, McDonalds, Boston pizza (for the 'well known' places to eat, anyways... there's lot of restaurants. And rumour has it, we just might be getting a Quizno's. Please, please, please!!

The town: It's called Miramichi. It's an amalgamation of 3 towns that were so close, and just grew together. Altogether, the population is about 15,000. Even though they grew together, everything's still so spread out, and they're still too far apart. It's very annoying. You have to drive sooo long to get anywhere. Luckily where I'm living right now has all the ammenities I need close by. If I, say, want a blizzard from Dairy Queen, I have to drive like 20 minutes! Sheesh! lol

Boyfriend info: What can I say? It's nice to be back with him. We're having alot of fun. haha, you guys gotta be specific about what you wanna know!

Nah, I don't regret it YET. I like it, and it's nice to be away from everyone. I feel a little guilty for leaving my mom (cause that's who I was last living with for the last several months), because she has MS, and I like to think having me there was a big help to her, and good company, cause she doesn't have much. But she has my dad, and I know as much as she'd love for me to live in her basement forever, she doesn't want to hold me back.

I also miss my kitties, and worry about them, especially the two 16 year olds. I hate to think that I won't be around when ... you know.

I didn't have any friends where I was last living, cause it was my 'hometown' and everyone I knew was gone. All my friends were in Saskatoon, so since I've been away, I've mostly just talked to them by email and MSN anyways, so nothing's really changed there.

I dare say that it's not really that different here. I'm sure if I was in a bigger town, that'd be different. It's just slightly more hilly and near the Water. It's DAMN hot. But I usually said that in SK too. I can't wait for fall and winter. Now if I were living in Charlottetown, I would say that it was totally different. At least the areas near the waterfront. Everything's SO beautiful. It's very clean, and just NICE! I would love to live there.

So, anything else?

Mandi

Thanks! That just about covers it (except for the lack of boyfriend details!) LOL.

The job you are referring to: is it the children's game programming one (or something like that?). Either way...good luck with it!

You'll be in those apartments in no time! Yup, I'm sure you are looking forward to moving out of the "rooming house"! The apt. sounds really great!

Yes, I've heard of Miramachi....I've been to Oromocto/Gagetown/ Fredericton a few times! I'd have to consult a map though to see exactly where Miramachi is. Is that where your b/f is from (that area?) originally?

Oooooh, I agree about PEI and Charlottetown. I went camping on PEI several years ago and it is waaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy amazingly goregous!!!! And, yes Charlottetown is such a pretty city.

Yeah, your mom prob misses you and your company but you are correct; parents want their kids to be "free" and happy and she wouldn't want to hold you back in any way....they are usually selfless in that way!

That's funny about you being the "big city girl" from SK to the Eastern folk! haha. In the early '90s I lived in Halifax for one year (had moved there from Ottawa) and I remember the thing that utterly amazed me the most was the attitudes of drivers towards jaywalkers! In Ottawa...you would seriously be taking your life in your hands if you walked off a curb to cross the street...the drivers in no way, shape or form will stop for you and let you cross....you're lucky to get through a crosswalk (on a green light!!) intact from Ottawa drivers. So, imagine my shock when, in Halifax, all you have to do is look like you are considering stepping off the curb to cross when all the cars within a mile screech to a sudden halt, smile and nod and wait for you to cross. Okay, so I'm exaggerating the details, but you get my meaning!! It was a pleasant surprise. Although I had to definitely learn to expand my peripheral vision and be on the lookout myself for "would-be jaywalkers", as having learned to drive in Ottawa, it was NOT all for one and one for all!!! heheheh.

All that to say....enjoy your time in Miramachi!!! Hmmmm *wondering* are they called "Miramachis" or "Miramachinians" or "Miramachiets"?

Oh well....I won't lose any sleep over it!!

Tks for checking in. I guess it was really only me that was the nosy one!

:embarassed:

Naaaaaa I'm nosey too, but you were doing a good job trying to get her attention.

I'm really glad to hear(read?) that your doing well!! Don't you guys down there get some awful winter storms, you might not be wanting winter once you start to shovel your way to work..lol.Talk at ya soon:)

You guys are too funny.

The job is doing various animation type stuff for a kids cartoon. I don't really know much about it right now, but probably a year from now, when it's actually ready to go onto TV, I'll let you all know to look out for it, and to watch for my name in the credits!

No, my boyfriend is actually from Calgary. He moved to S'toon for school, and that's where I met him.

Yeah, everyone is really amazed to hear where I'm from. I've gotten the "wow! Everyone's moving there, and you more HERE?!". I don't know what they're thinking, but no one's moving to Saskatchewan! Alberta and BC, yes, but SK, noooooo. I guess the west is the west to them.

Haha, I totally know what you mean about the jaywalking! I wouldn't even attempt it in a REALLY big city! I'm too slow!

I do not know what people from Miramichi are called.... I shall look into that and let you know someday.

Fredericton is about a 3 or 3.5 hour drive south west from here, I believe. We're about an hour north of Moncton. I hate saying distances with times, (like it's an hours drive), and my dad would have my head for doing that, but I just don't know the actual distance.

Yeah, I think they do get ALOT of snow here. I probably will be bitching about that in the winter too.

:confused:

Mandi

I always try and use distance by hours of driving time too!! It makes it that much easier to fully comprehend; so no worries!! I know exactly where you are now from your description!!

:confused:

I'd like to update y'all, cause I have some good news.

We have an apartment! It's not exactly the one we wanted/were waiting for, but it's in the same 'complex', and we can still be on the waiting list for the 'good one' until it opens up. At least we'll be able to get away from living with a bunch of other people, and have some 'alone time'. Too bad we have no furniture! (or a bed!)

This is a pic of the building we WANT to be living in. They're a walk-out type of thing.

This is the building we will be living in... your typical kind, that you have to get buzzed into, then walk down the hall to whatever apartment you're going to. Luckily it's the very lowest level, so now going up and down the stairs! Whew!

AND... I have a tentative start date for work. It's supposed to be Aug. 21. Much later than I'd hope, but at least it's something! I knew I had the job, but just when it would start was getting a little iffy. (was originally supposed to be beginning of Aug.)

That's it. Exciting!!!

Looking Good Mandi, Who needs furniture!! All you need is Love:kiss2:

EXCELLENT!!!! The Force WAS with you!!! hehe,.

Really though, the apartment looks great..and yup....the one you "want" is reallllly nice but the other one is good too and will do for now!

Awesome news about your job start date!

Yeah, were were all there at one time or another....(starting out with no furniture etc)....you'll get there!

YAAAY YOU!!!

Tks for keeping us posted!

Thing is, I HAVE furniture, I just couldn't bring anything with me. And for that reason, I don't want to buy new stuff, cause I already have good stuff, and I'd likely have to leave whatever I buy behind again. GRRRR!

I know alot of people don't agree with this but, my girlfriend is a total goodwill and garage sale freak. Her house is beautiful and is full of this stuff, and she could buy it new if she wanted. Just a thought.

The more stuff you buy, the more you'll have to lug over to the new place anyway! Just leave it empty and call it "Bohemian Simplistic-Chic" or somethin'!!! LOL

Way to go Argon!!

Oh... that's my plan. I'll be hitting the garage sales soon. I can't afford to buy all new stuff, so I think I'm a prime candidate for hitting those places up! I'm not going to get couches and big things, but we could really use a couple desks... and maybe some other stuff. Anything we get, we'll likely just re-sell or give away when we're all done here anyways.

Maybe when I'm all settled in, I'll take pictures so you all can have a good laugh! LOL

Well, getting a bed is THE most important thing!!!

Hmmmmm...mind you....*thinkin' back to when I was younger*...who needs a bed??!!!

haha, I do, Yoda! I'm not the whipper snapper I once was.

So, upon finishing a horrible lunch at Burger King yesterday, my bf and I vowed that we would NOT eat there (or McDonalds) again... until Nov. If we absolutely HAVE to eat there, we will either be getting just a drink, or a salad. I don't go to either place all that much. I've only been to Mcdonalds once and BK twice since I've been here, but I felt soooo yucky after eating my chicken sandwich, that I don't wanna do it again for a while. (hopefully by then I"ll have some restriction, and not be ABLE to eat a chicken sandwich)

And... why oh why, did I have to look up the calorie/fat/carb/protein content of things I like?! I figured for some reason that my dinner of just 'Hint of Lime' tortilla chips and HOT salsa last night wouldn't be too bad. I was able to eat quite a bit before I got an inkling of fullness. But apparently, that little deal-io cost me 800+ calories!!!! Oh, woe is me.

It's good though. I'm glad I know. I used to LIVE on lime chips and salsa. Those damn lime chips are soooo good! So now... I guess I have to start eating healthy. :pout:

I'm looking forward to being in our own place and being able to fully use a kitchen, and have a fridge full of only MY food... not worry that there's not enough room in the fridge and freezer for whatever I need to buy. So, I'm pretty sure this will once again get easier once we move. This time next week, I'm outta here!!

I've also gotten up the guts, and all morning have been trying to call the Dr's office who I'm hoping will bless me with doing my fills for me. It's always busy!! ARRRRG!

I, Mandi, vow to not eat at Burger King, or McDonalds again, until November.

haha... November. I can't say FOREVER!