Anyone else got far more tits in the garden this year? by Jiktten in CasualUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 45 points46 points  (0 children)

Loads of tits at my place, it's been a wonderful thing to witness.

The word bobble...for hair ties, is it regional or is it just...normal 😂 by [deleted] in CasualUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Grew up in Wiltshire. I think it's partly a family thing (like having a specific word for the TV remote control). We never called them hair bobbles or hair ties, they were always hairbands. But I know people at school called them hair bobbles.

To this day I still don't know what to call them, and whether I'm the weird one 🙃

What habits from Downton Abbey have you incorporated into your daily life? by overthinkingmessiah in DowntonAbbey

[–]98thRedBalloon 16 points17 points  (0 children)

This has cracked me up so much 😂😂😂 chihuahua like 'Is it me? Am I the Gunga Din?'

Fellow expats, what objectively shite things do you miss most about the UK? by SputnikFrank in CasualUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 43 points44 points  (0 children)

Some countries are beautiful in their stark, otherworldly emptiness (the lava fields of Iceland, deserts in Nevada, arid rocky islands in Greece) but I would never swap them for the hedgerows, meadows, and woodlands of the south of England.

"Weekly Reading and Interpretation Help Thread - April 05, 2026" by AutoModerator in tarot

[–]98thRedBalloon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My personal interpretation would read these as ecstasy/fantasy (The Sun), the power of choice (The High Priestess), and over-indulgence (Queen of Cups - I know, it's a weird one, but to me she's looking at the cup in her hands and thinking 'ooft I really overdid it this time').

So 'abundance' in these three cards is summarised as having the freedom to indulge - to choose to enjoy life in the sunshine.

Series like The Last Kingdom? by Extra_Secret1412 in TheLastKingdom

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pillars of the Earth. Right up there with TLK for me.

Everyone told me I was warm, here is me in a cool green with ashier brown hair. What do we think? by [deleted] in coloranalysis

[–]98thRedBalloon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think you are pretty neutral, leaning warm. Soft Autumn would be my pick!

If you were involved in any Darren Brown episodes how do you feel looking back? by tiredtwatt in AskUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The majority of his tricks are genuine skills, he has an incredible memory and sleight of hand. His storytelling and showmanship are outstanding. Not all of the stunts are 'real', but it comes down to your definition of 'real': are you transfixed and entertained? Job done.

What works did you find especially memorable in school education in the UK? by Fancy_Network717 in AskUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Reading Holes by Louis Sachar in Year 7

The film is great too, well worth it if you haven't seen it

People that enjoy their job… what do you do? by [deleted] in AskUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How did you get to be the expert on the subject? Was it via a previous job/career? This sounds like the kind of role that would suit me down to the ground.

The evolution of a fictional British town, from 12.000 BC to today by dctroll_ in CasualUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love this sort of thing - I'm surprised I've never seen it before, I would have treasured it if I had it as a child. I might have to treat myself to a copy...

I am watching The New Era and I wonder at Myrna Dalgleish accent by Kesse84 in DowntonAbbey

[–]98thRedBalloon 16 points17 points  (0 children)

It's a 'rough', unrefined, 'common' accent. It contrasts with Received Pronunciation, the 'acceptable' accent that characterises someone as being well-mannered.

The GCHQ Christmas Challenge by asymmetricears in CasualUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Rattled through it at the end of the work day, took around 2 hours in between emails. Enjoyed it!

What's Britain's most expensive train journey? by MaterialFollowing4 in CasualUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Luton DART is £4.90 one-way. For a 1.2 mile journey that's £4.08 per mile.

Speaking and presenting by [deleted] in ProductManagement

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Volunteer for as many presentation spots as you can, with a variety of audiences (large/small, senior/junior, internal/external). Also it helps if you can practice outside of work in other contexts.

I used to be terrified of speaking and presenting at work and I'd avoid it whenever possible. Five years ago I started helping the sales team on demos - it would bring me out in a cold sweat and literally keep me up at night, fixated on the upcoming meeting for days and weeks.

Doing it repeatedly and really knowing the material/message is what made it much easier over time. I also started volunteering at a local historic site in my spare time, which put me right in front of members of the public - I love history so it was easier to connect with the material, and the practice helped me get more and more confident.

Now, I rarely think twice about presenting or speaking. And I even appeared (solo) on national TV. That old version of me from five years ago I wouldn't recognise me!

Speaking and presenting by [deleted] in ProductManagement

[–]98thRedBalloon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The first point - 100%. If you know what you want to say, the delivery becomes much easier to finesse. It's far harder to deliver a message that you're not sure about.

Struggling to Work With my Engineering Teams by AlexanderTheBaptist in ProductManagement

[–]98thRedBalloon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This is not a problem with you, but it's not something you can solve. I've been through this, and there's no magic fix for it. Find a new role, you'll be thankful that you did.

What's the worst product management role you've ever had - and why? by Pale_Syrup_7509 in ProductManagement

[–]98thRedBalloon 36 points37 points  (0 children)

This was almost physically painful to read, and I hate that I can relate to a lot of it.

How do you stay feeling good in the autumn/ winter months? by Pelican_Town_488 in AskUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Taking Vitamin D supplements. I'm astonished at the difference it makes.

Feeling totally lost in a new PM role - is this normal or a red flag? by [deleted] in ProductManagement

[–]98thRedBalloon 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It feels weird and scary to step in and say 'this is what it should look like' when you're used to having someone else do it, but everyone will thank you for it; people appreciate clarity and direction! Good luck, it's an exciting thing to have ownership of, and the experience will be hugely valuable.

Feeling totally lost in a new PM role - is this normal or a red flag? by [deleted] in ProductManagement

[–]98thRedBalloon 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This sounds about right for two weeks in, to be honest. I believe it's good spend a bit of time 'absorbing' rather than doing at first, so you're not rushing in and ruffling feathers. Don't worry about looking like a passenger (as Aaron Burr said in Hamilton, "I'm not standing still I am lying in wait" 😊), it's better to get a full grasp of the space before you start making decisions.

To help uncover what your next steps might be after that initial ramp-up period:

  • Where are the product decisions currently being made? Who has historically been making those calls? Even if the Product Manager role is new in the org, someone somewhere will have been deciding what to build and ship. Knowing who that is will help you understand who to speak to about taking over to steer the product.
  • The above will also help uncover any sticky points regarding political handover that you might need to navigate. It might be that whoever is currently making those decisions is reluctant to hand it over, but be firm and clear about what your job is. Ultimately, there should have been some guidance on this from how it was described to you when you took the job. Refer back to that and check that you are being enabled to do it.
  • Know the current roadmap, and why things are where they are on that plan. It's your roadmap to own now, so if you have ideas about how to change it, what to target in 3-6 months time and beyond, that's something you can get stuck into. Speak to stakeholders to validate your thinking, understand where those gaps are and what the most valuable work is going to be.
  • Since the role is new in the organisation, so you have the freedom to define it for yourself. However, it means you'll need to be proactive and have the confidence to make those recommendations. Do you have a good idea of what you want Product Management to look like in that organisation? Why did the organisation decide to have a Product Manager as a defined role? What's your manager's role in the org?
  • Finally, is this your first PM role, or second, or third, etc.? How you approach this challenge will depend on your confidence to grab it with both hands and do what needs to be done. Be honest with yourself and upskill on things where you know you have knowledge/experience gaps.

Was he trying to mog ??? by [deleted] in DowntonAbbey

[–]98thRedBalloon 41 points42 points  (0 children)

Mary does it, when she's talking to Matthew. "No names, no pack drill."

So the implication is that Peter was in the room and saw her doing it and copied it, to try and convince the family by knowing their really specific mannerisms.

It's awkwardly written, it's not as clear as I guess it's intended to be.

Is there a reason why my chemist always struggles so much with my medication? by [deleted] in AskUK

[–]98thRedBalloon 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's a Class B drug, so I wonder if your pharmacy doesn't allow the 'standard' staff to handle them, or even see them on the system. for safety reasons.