Gozit

Funny you post that, i literally just came on here to post...working from home is great but extremely socially isolating. Especially when friends are all busy with their partners and lives, so there isn't even much to look forward to on the weekends.

I love my job and don't miss going in to an office, but I miss the gossiping and carmraderie from being in an office and just stopping by a work-mate's desk for a chat, and interacting with people in person rather then always behind a screen.


Mental health care is inadequate. I pay approximately $640/month for mental health care, out of pocket. I don't have benefits.

Not if you are a dual citizen or PR like Jsmth. Hypothetically a US citizen with PR could cross the land border as often as he wanted, just before Jul 5 would have had to do the 14 day home quarantine when re-entering Canada. (And would still have to if not vax'd...but if a frequent traveler unfortunately there is no choice when it comes to vax.)

scilly

Did you read all the news stories in the Vancouver Sun about residents of Point Roberts being unable to cross the border into Canada to shop, or to get to the land border into the US???

Did you read the stories that boat or air were the only 2 ways to enter or leave Point Roberts?

Did you read the stories of Canadians being unable to enter Point Roberts to their cabins and homes there?

Did you read the stories about how much money the businesses in Point Roberts lost beginning in March last year?


What you say is OK in theory, but not in the special circumstance of Point Roberts.

scrubbedexpat091

We are hopefully not in a perpetual state of pandemic forever, but anyhow even if I had a place there, and the thought was based on the assumption things will eventually return to normal, the state of Washington has stepped in to provide funds to keep places open there, so hopefully that will tide them over until the border reopens, it was all theory anyhow since real estate prices there seem to have gone up, I was looking on zillow and asking prices are a little high, I don't know what is going on with their housing market, because certainly no way to pay tose prices working in Pt. Roberts.

It's stupid that so little mental health is covered, I would need like $1,100 a month on the low end and that isn't even with a licenced psychologists but a PhD student with a Masters, even when I had benefits through work, mental health was capped at $300 or $500 per year, so less than helpful.

And I just love how the BC government gives me this pamphlet everytime I end up in the ER, directing me to call places that can help, but then the little disclaimer at the bottom *treatment is not covered by the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP).

Oh gee thanks for reffering me to services that are not covered, so helpful.



I wouldn't mind working from home if we had a large place and there was a quiet area to make a home office, the job my wife had interviewed for was 8 hour days 3 times per week, but call center job, so on the phone all day with customers, and there is 0 chance of keeping the dog quiet for 8 hours, add in the lawmowing, landscaping, construction noise, the neighborhood kids screaming and playing outside, and well no way to have a quiet place without distractions, but it wouldn't be good if you have a proper work area and home office away from the distractions.

I would miss co-worker interaction though, really when I was working, work was the only social interaction I had, so I kind of looked forward to it just to be around other people to talk to.

Danny B

It's commonplace now to hear dogs barking, police sirens, front door bells etc. No one cares, it adds some humour to the boring meetings that we attend. Half of my companies workforce are in the lower mainland, most of them live in small apartments, it's not unusual to see them working from their kitchen table etc. Having your own room is nice, but it isn't completely necessary if you have an understanding partner.

The worst part about not having your own space is that you are in your front room all day for work, and then you get to go back at night when it's your time. Feels like there is no escape from that area of the house.

Gozit

Did you notice the part where I said dual citizens ?

I'm not debating Canadians being unable to enter Pt Roberts, i'm talking about Americans living in Canada like Jsmth.

Yes every border town on both sides has lost $ on account of the unnecessary border closure. That blood is on the hands of the Canadian and US governments.

But dual citizens, or Americans with Canadian PR, or Canadians with American LPR, were always able to cross.

caretaker

Well that should have made it easier for everyone then; just get a dual citizen to get your stuff for you. Obviously we either misunderstood or were being lied to when told that the place was essentially cut off. The press will print anything sensational in order to sell.
"Earlier this week, the Public Health Agency of Canada announced a limited, initial step of easing up. Fully vaccinated Canadian citizens, residents and other individuals who already have a right to enter Canada -- and who test negative for COVID-19 -- will be exempt from two weeks of quarantine when returning to the country after July 5. This could be somewhat helpful to Point Roberts where a good number of local residents are dual citizens. But attempting to cross the border just to make a grocery run still seems likely to end in failure."
https://www.kuow.org/stories/food-cr...ers-on-closure
I've only been there once, but thought it was a nice little place. My sister and b-i-l sold their trailer there because it was too much hassle even to drive down from Surrey for weekends. He liked it because it was handy for posting audio equipment via USPS to his American customers.

scrubbedexpat091

The company was pretty specific about having a quiet workplace without background noise, some companies maybe more strict than others are, but this was a call center job so non-stop phone calls more or less, and the company required a dedicated workspace to hardwire their internet and whatever since they deal with peoples personal info so no wifi, I guess the company could use wifi but this one choosing hardwire through their own network rather than wifi through personal network.

Her mental health workers also mentioned the working from home and not being able to properly disconnect work from home when home is now work, it can cause mental health struggles for some.

scrubbedexpat091

Child labor laws changed in BC today.

Minimum age from 12 to 16, although there are a few exceptions like working at a family owned businsess, school camp jobs, movie/tv industry and some others, but for most employment the minimum age is now 16.

scrubbedexpat091

Metro Vancouver is terminating the contract with the Spanish company who was building the wastewater treatmemt plant, its already years behind schedule and well over budget, but the company seems unable to complete the project.

scrubbedexpat091

I swear I need to record myself sleeping one night to get an idea of what the hell happens.

I went to bed without an injury to my finger, and I woke up to an injured finger with some dried blood and it hurts, I assume it occured in my sleep, I know I can a little movement oriented in my sleep, but I thought I moved everything far enough from the bed, only I could manage to injure myself while sleeping.

Also have to find a flipping walk in clinic, blech. I need medication refilled but the doctor cancelled the appointment today (she cancelled the one last week as well.) so 2 weeks in a row almost and I thought making an appointment 2 weeks before I ran out would work, but it did not, and now I run out Monday, and things are bad if you stop SSRI's cold turkey, hopefully I the walk in doctor in nice, some wont prescribed psychiatric medications on a walk in basis.

caretaker

Did you call and ask your doctor's office if they would fax your prescription to the pharmacy? That would seem to be easiest, and it is sort of on them because they cancelled. I'd phone on Monday morning and explain how the cancelations are leaving you without meds. My doctor is a walk-in and there's a pharmacy next door, and occasionally when I call and say I'd like to refill my prescriptions, they say it has to be renewed and they take the form next door and usually get it back in an hour or two.

scrubbedexpat091

I didn't this time no, I have tried in the past before but she is one of those doctors who will not do anything without an appointment, she just isn't the most reliable at keeping appointments, if only patients could charge doctors a cancellation fee, Seinfeld has an episode on that.......

scrubbedexpat091

This is good news, BC has backtracked and will be providing flu shot free of charge to anyone over 6 months, while supplies last (I added that last bit, as last year I never did manage to secure one, every-time I had an appointment they cancelled due to lack of supply, my wife got her's today at her mental health unit.)

https://globalnews.ca/news/8278788/b...u-shots-covid/

"“Last year’s low influenza rates means our immunity against influenza is lower than usual,” provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said."

scrubbedexpat091

Healthcare system problems a brewing in BC.

1,500 Life Labs employees voted to strike which may led to some patient service centers to close temporarily.

Life Labs workers are paid on average 4.5 to 13.5 per cent less than the same job pays in hospitals.

Life Labs also wants the workers to take reduced sick time and reduced vacation time in the last offer the union rejected.

caretaker

If hospital lab techs could go to work at Life Labs for the same money and not have to work nights or overtime they might all go. That being said, the company has no business trying to claw back benefits. It's a successful for profit business and shouldn't be letting labour contracts lapse. If there was another lab across the street in competition they wouldn't risk job action.