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I always see a lot of hate for condos, with most people seeming to object to paying mortgage and rent at the same time. You don't really buy a condo for the investment return, although that is still possible.

Condos are a lifestyle choice. You get shared amenities, such as pool, weight room, concierge, etc. You don't have to deal with things like snow removal, landscaping, exterior maintenance, taking trash to the curb, etc. You can go away for a month and just lock the door behind you. There is a value to be placed on that kind of convenience.

I own a condo at Bishop's Landing and have no regrets, although I rent it out. Tax plus condo fees are close to $1200/month, which is not that far off from what you might pay in rent elsewhere, but Bishop's Landing is a pretty high-end spot. Like any other real estate investment, location, location, location, but you'll burn out your brain trying to make the math work as an objective investment choice.

There are a few things you should do before buying a condo. The first is read Never Buy a Condo and Other Things I have Learned from the Practice of Law. If you read that and still think a condo is a good idea, there are a few things you absolutely must do. The first is to review the financial health of the condo corporation/association and make sure it is financially sound. As a condo owner, you have shared ownership of the complex. Any major expenses that exceed the reserve and contingency funds of the association, or that the board deems should be paid outside of those funds, comes back to you in the form of a special assessment. Can you afford a $6000 bill from your condo association because the building's siding leaks? If not, you need to reconsider. Reserve funds, by Nova Scotia law, must be supported by an engineering study, so you are relatively well protected in Nova Scotia compared to elsewhere. I would choose a building with a healthy reserve fund and recent study. The second thing you need to do is obtain the meeting minutes from the last few AGMs or association meetings and see what kind of neighbours you are buying. The folks at Bishops Landing are generally well education, smart, commercially-minded, reasonable individuals. The folks at my Father-in-law's condo are the polar opposite. For example, the pool rules had more legislative activity and controversy than US same-sex marriage laws. They decided things like closing the pool for a week as punishment because Martha had both grandkids in the pool when the rules clearly state one guest per resident, then naming and shaming Martha as the cause of the pool closure, was a perfectly reasonable action.

I also dislike when people say the market is "hard" or "soft". It is a market, and prices will always rise or fall to match buyer and seller. The only time you lose or gain in real estate is on entrance and exit. If you are moving to a new place, price doesn't matter. If your condo is suddenly worth 1/2 the value, that doesn't matter provided you are selling to buy another place, because the other place will also be selling at 1/2 of its value. If anything, entering the market when it seems stalled or undervalued is the best strategy.

Regarding the local Halifax market, on the peninsula there is a ton of disparity in condo fees between individual buildings. Inefficient heating/cooling, high-maintenance finishes, structural deficiencies, excessive shared space, can all lead to higher condo fees. You can compare on a per square foot basis but make sure you view that through the lens of what shared services you get for the money. Fees are tied to building amenities and sometimes you get what you pay for. For example, at Bishops Landing, there is a grass lawn, pool, hot tub, weight room, concierge service, on-site maintenance guy, car wash, guest suite, etc. The fees for some of the ones on Spring Garden Road and surrounding areas are crazy expensive with few amenities while Bishops Landing is one of the most cost effective in its class. Rising feels can kill the resale value.

You may also find this link helpful: http://www.downtownhalifaxcondos.com

Since you like Cha Baa Thai you can try either Talay Thai [Dartmouth & Halifax] or Modern Orchid [Dartmouth] I typically get the cashew chicken with spring rolls but get what ya like.

Mic Mac Tavern [Dartmouth] - was always my staple but I find they increased the prices and the novelty wore off for me lately as it's no longer the hidden gem. (it's always busy), specialties include steak, ribs, lobster, beef melt, etc.

Tareks - [Halifax] Now I haven't been here in a while (hope you like garlic)

Rudy's [Halifax] - this is only open Monday - Friday from like 7am till like 3pm or so, but the best breakfast/lunch, feels like home cooked meals and family serving ya.

Sassy Pizza [Dartmouth] - Great pizza with doe boys..

Mary Browns [Chain all over HRM] - Fast food but the chicken is usually always pretty solid.

Baton Rouge [Halifax] - Fridays they have a 10$ rib deal with fries, best deal over all. Not sure if I recommend anything else, that's all I've ever eaten. Best non-smoked ribs in the city. If you want the best smoked ribs my restaurant isn't opened yet.

You mentioned your from the 'South' I'm not sure what south that is, but I got this cajun spice called 'slap your mama' make some homefries/hashbrowns and put that stuff on it, I never make hashbrowns without it. https://www.amazon.ca/Walker-Sons-Cajun-Seasoning-8-Ounce/dp/B007TSL7J4 best cajun stuff around, I haven't tried the 'Hot' but this stuff makes the corner of your lips tingle. (it is a bit salty, but keep that in mind)

I used to teach the GED. I'm a certified teacher in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, with my education focusing on early years (Primary to 6) but having 3 years experience teaching math and sciences at the high school level. I also tutor 9-12 math, including advanced 10 and 11.

GoNSSAL.ca is the NS School for Adult Learning website. You can find out when the courses are offered and when the tests are as well. If you are a good self-motivator, you can buy the GED book here or this one here. I used both when teaching, but more the white/red one for some reason. They have great chapter summaries and practice tests.

If you need help with any of the math/science I am more than willing to help you. I can post videos to YouTube with explanations of concepts, email you extra worksheets, correct stuff you've done, or type out clarifications on things you might not get.

Best of luck with whatever you decide. I've seen some amazing people graduate the GED class, obtain their GED, and move on to some really great stuff. Some do it just to get it. Others want better jobs. Whatever the reason, you have help!

Ninja edit: If anyone else needs help, PM me. I love teaching math, so it's not a great deal of trouble. Or questions regarding the course/material/etc.

Also, N64 emulation on PC has actually overtaken the N64 itself as the best way to play your favourite old games! It sounds positively heretical, but hear me out.

The N64 has some built-in pseudo-anti-aliasing in the form of blurriness on its analog video out, even with the S-video cables. If you want to get a clear signal on a modern TV, you'd have to use a sharpening upscaler like a Framemeister, which runs well north of $300.

Conversely, Project64 is free, and runs well even on modest computers from the mid-2000's. Even a netbook can run Perfect Dark uprendered to 1080p at 60fps. And man, these old games are even more beautiful than you remember when you see them in true high def. Or b

And, if you get some of these, you get both a lag-free wireless experience, and the most authentic feeling thumbstick you can find short of a genuine new-in-box N64 controller from 1996. Or, if you already have good controllers, a couple of these and a few minutes to calibrate each controller will let you and your buddies huddle around the console in true N64 fashion.

What's your tolerance for computer stuff? Do you know what a raspberry pi is? Is DIY attractive to you at all?

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If no to above...

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Out of the box solutions I do not have a lot of experience with. I am pretty sure Smart Things would be a good place to start. From what I understand, it can use Zigbee, Zwave and Smart Things devices. Zwave is likely the slightly more popular protocols. If you do not know, Zwave or Zigbee are basically just a couple different types of wireless connections. Sort of like bluetooth in a sense.

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Then with that main hub, the world is your oyster. Contact sensors, motion, temperature, cameras. Customize as you see fit. All of that can be accessed through an app, I assume. Smartthings is a Samsung product so I would assume they have servers you can use for remote access, which would help with the security issues.

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Let me know what else you're curious about

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Also, I used Amazon.ca for ease of finding products. You can likely find similar products cheaper at any given time elsewhere.

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Sigh I give up on buying locally, or even online in Canada. My Dad lives in Ontario near the Niagara Falls, NY border and has a Nexus pass and easily pick us up some underwear and bring it across (they don't charge him duty/taxes for goods under $200). He is flying out here at the end of January, anyway. So here is the math (all in CAD):

$27.59 after 15% tax for a 2-pack at Mark's = $13.80 per pair = $110.40 for 8 pairs
$22.84 after 8% tax and exchange rate difference for a 4-pack at Walmart.com = $45.68 for 8 pairs
Savings of $64.72 if I bought from Walmart in the States.

If for some reason the underwear don't last long (like the promise of the expensive underwear from Take it Outside), I can easily buy more underwear from the States when we travel back to Ontario this summer. It's STILL significantly cheaper.

My parents send socks for my husband every Christmas because they know it's slim pickings out here for socks as well. He can't control his sock size, but he can control his underwear size, lol. He's working on losing some weight, so hopefully I can start buying underwear locally again.

LOL who knew buying underwear had to be so complicated?!

Edit: sonician just saved the day. I can buy undies right now. :) :) :)
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00IPKOSTQ/?th=1&psc=1

I'm going to second the eye mask -- You know how "weighted blankets" are pretty popular right now (I have one and LOVE it), well you can get weighted eye masks. I travel a lot and this thing is a game changer for me. It completely blocks out light (because it's filled with glass beads it contours to your face so no light seeping in), it's super cooling and comfortable. It also reduces puffy eyes from jet lag, etc. You can get them on Amazon, this is the one I have and I use it every night even though I don't have a light problem like you. It may be a good solution for you if you cannot get the lights changed.

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https://www.amazon.ca/IMAK-A30131-Eye-Pillow-Black/dp/B001HTYJLO/ref=sr_1_12?keywords=weighted+night+mask&qid=1556114806&s=gateway&sr=8-12

> clothes detergent and dish soap.

While it's good for everyone to personalize their go-bag, it surprises me with some of the things people carry. This is a 24-48 kit, not a two week kit. Are you planning to do laundry in the first 24-48 hours of an emergency situation? The small bar of soap in my hygiene kit is good for sink-washing clothes and doing dishes, so I don't need to carry anything extra in that department.

If I think I'm going to be in an evac situation for more than 24-48 hours, then I'm into survival mode and I'll add more items to the car, like a butane stove and more clothing (in a normal backpack). Then I would probably add proper laundry and dish soap, in GoToobs, to my kit.

> noticed that you have cash in the list. Most people don't realize how important this is.

Cash is an absolute must. As we saw with Dorian, POS systems can be down for days, and without cash even the most simple of luxuries like a coffee, or necessities like food, can be hard to get. One word of caution here; I would never use a drive-thru in this type of situation. Fuel for your vehicle is precious, so don't waste it. Unless it's -30 deg C and you're going to freeze, go stand in line and save your gas. You never know if you're going to need it later.

Also with Dorian, I called hotels at my evac destinations and asked how many rooms they had for the next couple of days, so I don't show up and they have nothing available. Doing a route study on Google maps and checking the area around the hotel can also identify spots where you could possibly sleep safely in your vehicle if you had to.

It's amazing how your brain will shut down in an emergency. Planning and preparation are key, and having a plan you don't need is a LOT better than needing a plan you don't have.

Not to dissuade you from Halifax - heck, I live here - but your impression of Alberta a "the most socially conservative part of Canada" might be factually correct but it is completely different from the socially conservative parts of the USA. For example if you take the book Fire and Ice out of the library, you will see a decade's worth of polling and statistics showing that, not only are the values of Canadians and Americans measurably diverging over time, but that the values and ideas of the most conservative parts of Canada (Alberta & Saskatchewan) are more socially liberal than even the most socially progressive parts of the USA (New England). Plus, the values of the average Canadian, even in Alberta, are much more akin to the values of US millennials than they are to the average American, so you would theoretically be somewhat (socially) comfortable with attitudes and ideas of people around you even if you found yourself in Calgary.

So I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Really interested, actually! But I'm curious about a few things:

When exactly will it start in January? And when will it end? Will it be in the evenings? Which days of the week?

Will we need a text book? I have a Dover book on basic analysis already which I haven't cracked open.

Where will the class be held?

I had an incredibly hard time with calculus as a university student. I took it 5 times because I kept dropping it or withdrawing or not getting a passing grade. I almost got kicked out of my program because I pushed the limits of how many times I could repeat the course. There was a general disinterest on my part, but now, almost 10 years later, I am much more fascinated and genuinely interested in math, number theory, and also in many ways, analysis.

I started reading a book recently that finally explained what calculus actually was in simple terms. I feel like it's the first time that was ever done for me and I can say that helped my interest.

Anyway, I'd really hope to attend your class! The reason I'm curious about exact start date is that I'll be away from the HRM until mid-January. And it's a bummer to miss the first few classes of anything!

Hey, insino93. Thanks for contributing! Unfortunately your submission has been removed. Per the sidebar:

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This is the one I have:

SpyTec A119 1440p Car Dash Camera https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01HMZVYLY?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Was highly recommend on reddit when I bought it in 2017. Image is really good as well including in low light situations. You may be able to find it under $100, but it's worth the cost and is very easy to install.

I haven't had luck locally, but I've bought these from Amazon... https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B002QM98DA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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They are pretty good --- 19 g of carbs and 13 g carbs making them 6 net carbs each.

I've been pretty happy with Wyzecam v2 https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Wireless-Camera-Android-Version/dp/B076H3SRXG/

Spy tech or viofo A119S, wedge shape. 1080p 60 frames. 128gb micro sd card hardwired to my battery

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https://www.amazon.ca/VIOFO-A119S-Camera-Logger-Latest/dp/B07CNG981F/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=viofo+a119s&qid=1565714334&s=gateway&sr=8-3

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I also got a sticker on my bumper saying 'I have good brakes, do you have good insurance?' literally overnight the number of asshats tailgating me on the 102 inbound has dropped to zero.

I use Wyze camera, gets the job done for what you need. You can get ones that pan as well, though I just keep mine up high in the corner of the room the animals are likely to be in. Their app is pretty good, send notifications when they move or make noise, and a separate notification for a smoke alarm.

As for viruses and hacking, I don't really know if there is anything you can really do for a camera that hooks up to your internet. That's the risk you take for being able to seeing your animals at home I suppose.

https://www.amazon.com/Multi-Ceramic-Christmas-String-Light/dp/B01K0EUIJ8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=VINTAGE+CHRISTMAS+LIGHTS&qid=1574944821&sr=8-1

Seems to be a fairly good deal

I believe you are looking for this: https://www.amazon.ca/First-Degree-Medical-School-Murder/dp/1771086661

Kayla Hounsell recently released a book on the Will Sandeson murders, she covered that trial extensively.

Could that be what you are thinking of?