James is Moving to Canada

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:58 pm

Sorry I have been relatively silent on the forums lately, I have been busier than usual lately because I am in the middle of orchestrating an international move, and changing careers.

I am still lurking and reading most threads, and I am very excited about what people have been posting about in the HotOHR contest thread and in other threads. (I am hungry for your screenshots!)

Next month I will be relocating my family from Los Angeles to Toronto, Canada.

Hopefully after I am settled in my new home, things will calm down, and I can get back to OHRRPGCE features and Wandering Hamster sprites and DnD posts in my spare time, but for now It has just been a little too busy.

I have no idea if any of you live in or near Toronto, but if so, perhaps we can get together for not-coffee some time :)

Foxley · Post by **Foxley** » Wed Jun 13, 2018 11:08 pm

California is about to lose one very special hamster. *snif*

Congrats on the move though, Toronto seems pretty rad. I'm also in the "get the heck out of Cali" mindset myself lately.

FyreWulff · Post by **FyreWulff** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 2:59 am

Neat! I was in Canada for a while for a job, but that was in Vancouver, BC. If you're driving across, come say "hi" while you're passing through Nebraska.

Get ready to complain about Telus and Bell!

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 12:11 pm

There are lots of things I will miss about California, but I am still very excited about this move :)

I'm not driving, but I'll make a point of waving through the window when we fly over Nebraska :)

SwordPlay · Post by **SwordPlay** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 3:19 pm

What does this mean for the OHR? Relocation of the HQ or homeland?

Canada is a pretty cool place (ha). I have family up there somewhere.
I hear the people there are real nice. Now it will be a little nicer!

Post by **Mogri** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:26 pm

Congratulations (I think)!

When you say "switching careers," you mean you're changing industries? or just companies?

The Wobbler · Post by **The Wobbler** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 6:37 pm

Congratulations on moving to the only city with a dinosaur-themed NBA team

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Thu Jun 14, 2018 8:54 pm

@SwordPlay: Any land I walk on is automatically secretly annexed to become territory of the glorious empire of the Hamster Republic (ssssh! Don't tell any of the real governments)

And yes everybody I have talked to in Canada so far has been really nice. I'm sure I'll meet a Canadian jerk sooner or later, every country has to have some, but so far I haven't run into any.

@Mogri: Thank you! it is a good thing. I am still going to be working with programming and sysadmining, but the companies I am interviewing with are all pretty much all in other industries, not manufacturing or aerospace.

@Wobbler: Yes! Snow, Mooses, Poutine, Socialized Health Care, and Velociraptors who play Basketball. These are the things I am moving to Canada for ;)

FyreWulff · Post by **FyreWulff** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 11:04 am

I can't remember if you're vegetarian or not, but also need to try Harvey's burgers if you aren't. But they also sell poutine.

I consider them pretty high tier for fast food, have never had a bad meal from them when I'm in Canada.

All the local eateries I'd recommend are all in Vancouver

Post by **TMC** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 3:24 pm

I was starting to wonder whether you were still in California or not! Happy to hear it's happening and you're excited.
When you said "changing careers" I momentarily thought, professional podcaster? (Pixel artist? Sculpter? Pet store owner?)

I might add, the northern cousin of the hamster would be the lemming!

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 6:05 pm

Ah, now we can finally have a moose hero as part of the Hamster Republic. That would make a great addition.

Congrats and good luck on the move (and the new job/career). Sorry you have to change your winter temperatures so drastically now, but I hear Toronto is a nice place more than I hear Los Angeles is a nice place, so this will probably be an awesome change. (They also have maple syrup there, and there's nothing wrong with that.)

This doesn't mean I won't still occasionally hit you with that request for southern California consultation, though. ;)

Post by **Bob the Hamster** » Fri Jun 15, 2018 8:19 pm

@FyreWulff: I used to eat quite a lot of vegetarian food, but was never a vegetarian myself-- and Yes! I have tried Harvey's once! Last year my wife and I took a vacation to Toronto, and after one long busy day I decided I wanted a burger, but didn't want a room-service burger, so I took one of my kids with me, and we walked around at random until we found a very good fast food burger place that I had never heard of before. I had forgotten the name, but I just found the place again on Google Maps, and yep, it was a Harveys! I didn't think to order the Poutine that time, but now I know for next time! Thanks ;)

@TMC: Yes! After so much planning and waiting, it is finally happening :) And man, where are all the sweet pixel art gigs?

@Pepsi Ranger: I suspect my wife isn't going to let me bring a pet moose into the house. But I'll keep on lobbying. I'm always happy to share any California stuff I know, but I am sure it will all go obsolete as soon as the state is split into 3 and the whole place devolves into a Mad-Max-esque post-apocalyptic wasteland ;)

msw188 · Post by **msw188** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 3:51 am

Whoa, I feel like maybe I knew James lived in LA, but forgot a long time ago. I moved to LA just this past year! Big question: what are some of the best sushi and/or ramen places??

I hope your move goes well! I've been to Toronto once, and really liked it. It just felt so clean. It also has the hockey hall of fame, and of the handful of halls of fame I've been to, that one is far and away the best. Like, the Rock'n'Roll hall of fame is more like a shack of shame in comparison.

Wait, is Pepsi Ranger in LA too??

Pepsi Ranger · Post by **Pepsi Ranger** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 6:55 pm

Bob the Hamster wrote:@Pepsi Ranger: I suspect my wife isn't going to let me bring a pet moose into the house. But I'll keep on lobbying. I'm always happy to share any California stuff I know, but I am sure it will all go obsolete as soon as the state is split into 3 and the whole place devolves into a Mad-Max-esque post-apocalyptic wasteland ;)

I think we can still work with that scenario. I'm a writer, don't forget.

msw188 wrote:Wait, is Pepsi Ranger in LA too??

No, I live in South Florida. I've never been to California, so James sometimes gives me feedback on anything I write that takes place in California. I couldn't have written the first third of my epic superhero novel well without his input.

Gizmog · Post by **Gizmog** » Sat Jun 16, 2018 9:51 pm

Will you be a citizen up there? Are you gonna have to take a test? Can we still label OHR Games as "Made in the USA"? How's that kind of thing work?

Glad you're finally out in the open about it, I've seen pictures of Canada in books and it looks like a wonderful place to be, especially with your family.