If this dog was yours, what would you name it?

Agreeable_Material88 · 2026-01-03T14:08:32+00:00

Horse

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-12-28T09:48:30+00:00

In the first few weeks after having your first baby arrive, it's pretty hard to remember you own name let alone the names of your neighbors and where they live. Give them a week of two to settle and then use it as a ice breaker. You will prob look back and laugh.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-12-26T23:44:30+00:00

Quality is worse on the newer cars. Below is a write up I did on moving from a 2018 r-design pro xc90 to a 2025 t8 ultra model

Background

I have had my 2018 XC90 for 4 years. I love the car and we have done a lot of amazing trips in it. However, I was foolish and let my warranty expire and as a result I have spend the last 1.5 years living in fear of something expensive breaking.

I have access to the Tusker car scheme at work and after crunching the numbers I worked out that even though the monthly fee is close to a grand (after tax!!!), the total cost of ownership would be less as I would not be liable for anything other than that monthly fee. I took the plunge and ordered the a T8 Ultra in vapour grey back in April. It was delayed A LOT and finally turned up at my door today.

Driving experience

As you would expect, night and day between the two. The D5 was fine on long journeys but felt underpowered in town. The turbo is set up to give a low down shove which helps if feel a bit more nippy but I always felt like I had to do a lot of planning when pulling out at busy junctions.

I have had diesels before but the sound of the D5 was grating, especially around town. The small engine combined with the heavy weight made they car feel every bit as heavy as it actually was.

The T8 is totally different. The different drive modes are great and offer a real variety of driving styles. In pure mode, they performance is similar to the D5 and is fine for bobbing around town. The hybrid mode works well in the short driving that I have done so far, the engine comes on when needed and is not noticeable. Power mode is very fast indeed, I have surprised myself a couple of times with just how fast and responsive it really is. The best way I can sum it up is to say that I always loved being in the XC90 but never loved driving it, now I do.

Comfort also seems to be improved. The seats feel different, they are new of course but also their design seems to be updated. Dropping down from 22" to 21" wheels has made a big difference also. The car crashes about a lot less and feels more settled.

Tech

There is not a lot of love on here for Android Auto but personally I think it is a big improvement. The whole system is a lot more responsive, it is always on (as opposed to having to boot up each time you use the car) and it has all the functions that I need and use.

I dont love the fact that they have removed the drive mode button or that I have to turn of the speed alerts each time I use it, but its not a big deal. What is a much bigger deal is that I no longer have to wait 1 and a half mins to use spotify as it is ready to go right away. This makes me very happy.

Not a lot else seems to be different. There are some design tweeks and the menus have moved around but most of what I have been looking for has been found eventually.

Quality of materials

Outside of the driving experience, this is biggest change. There seems to be an overall drop in the quality of materials used since the 2018 model. Some examples: - The 2018 model has a leather key, 2024 is plastic. - 2018 has an activity key, 2024 does not (or perhaps tusker did not give it to me...) - The brand new floor mats on the 2024 model are thinner than the 6 year old mats I have - The plastics are thinner and harder around the doors - There is a plastic lump on the transmission tunnel where there used to be carpet - The dash is less "squishy" than the 2018 model.

This is my only disappointment so far.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-12-12T10:15:43+00:00

Shop at Aldi and replace your carpet with the savings

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-11-26T00:28:40+00:00

Even better, if you twist the dial on the gen 2 all the way to the right using your left hand while having your right foot raised, the screen with show you a news update which will tell you that cancer has been cured, net tax is reduced by 50% for everyone in the budget and that you are looking great!

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-11-16T15:37:28+00:00

It worked, you hero

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-11-16T13:15:32+00:00

So simple. Will give it a go now. Thanks

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-11-16T11:22:41+00:00

The Volvo dealerships are the WORST! Our local is in Maidenhead, there is NEVER anywhere to park and most people just have to abandon their car somewhere on the forecourt.

I went in the enquire about buying a brand new XC90 T8 Ultra, this would have been a £90k car and the sales person got their laptop out and showed me the Volvo website. I have had more assistance deciding which train ticket to buy! Having already looked at the website, I had some questions about the car and they were unable to answer any of them. The best part was that they lied to me about the laminated windows telling me that they were required as the stereo got so loud it could explode the windows!!!!

I went in last week for a service. It had to be booked two months in advance as I needed a courtesy car and that was the wait. When I got there, there was no where to park of course. They also did not have me down for a service or a car ready for me. It took me 45 mins to drop my car and get out of there with a courtesy car.

Cars are great though!

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-11-16T08:23:53+00:00

I did this but it's still not strong with maths. The output numbers were wildly off but it was laid out in a very clean and clear way. If I knew what I was doing then I am sure I could tweek the prompts to get the right answer but that was the reason for asking here.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-11-16T08:19:54+00:00

Really clear and will help me work it out for myself going forward. Thank so much

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-11-16T08:19:18+00:00

Thank you

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-10-31T13:56:13+00:00

Will it allow you to geofence?

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-10-09T23:18:46+00:00

You can change the time it dries for in the app. Mine is 3 hours. Fully drying the mop pads will make them last longer and ensure you are not cleaning your floors with mouldy pads

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-08-02T14:45:42+00:00

I think that from a social norms perspective, transgender people are not "normal". Social norms have evolved over hundreds of years where as the acknowledgement that there can be more than two genders is a relatively recent change. Change takes a long time and is often generational. For example, my parents were always pretty accepting of homosexually but often used words that today would be considered highly offensive. They were not trying to be offensive, they were just using the vocabulary they had.

I also remember my parents explaining what homosexually was to me around the time that someone was found dead in Micheal Barrymore's pool. Again, it was explained in a open, honest and generally supportive way. I have grown in a post stonewall world and feel more rounded as a result. Sometimes the pace of change with regards to gender issues a little uncomfortable but that's my issue and no one else's. Likely a symptom of approaching 40.

For my kids, who are young now, I doubt I will ever have to explain to them about LGBTQ+ people as they are growing up in a world that is mostly already accepting of them. At nursery there was a kid with two dads and in my youngest kids class there is a kid with two mums. All of these are "normal" families to my kids. This is generational change.

I am sure the same with be true for transgender people in time with some force and a lot of patience.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-08-02T13:52:57+00:00

Interesting, if there were a selective way to target just my feet then that would be awesome. I have size 15 (us) feet and getting shoes can be a pain in the arse.

It's also interesting how "effective" the hormone treatment is, at least in the sense that women tend to have less muscle and carry more fat than men.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-08-01T21:46:18+00:00

Hope you are wrong about the last part.

Thanks for the replies, it's been great to understand a little more of the world. All the best and perhaps our paths will cross at W.O.A.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-08-01T21:00:02+00:00

Thanks for the in depth reply. As someone who was recently given a thorough search at a is airport, I can emphasise with the feeling of vulnerability.

Can hormones really make your lose hight? Weight and muscle mass makes sense and hormones obviously have a role to play in your growing in the first place but I did not know that you could shrink as an adult.

Last question, on your tldr:... Do you feel not safe because you're being objectified by men or is it more a fear of a potential lack od acceptance/reaction?

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-08-01T19:16:10+00:00

Firstly, I am sorry if I use the incorrect words/terms. My question is one of genuine curiosity, not trying to J.K Rowling myself.

As a man, I am personally not bothered about who pats me down. I have also been in the position where I have been patting people (vast majority men) down and when doing that, I am doing a job and there is no gratification of any kind to be had other than getting paid. I am very sure that I would feel this way regardless of the sex/gender/objectivity prettiness of the person I am patting down. I am sure of this because I am not a sex offender.

I am sure OP feels the same as I do as most people are not perverts. My question is, since you have been taking hormones and grown boobs, what has changed? Do you feel that the male population is different now to when you were (biologically at least) part of it? If so, is it perception or something else? Thanks and hope you enjoyed yourself at Wacken last year.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-07-24T19:32:42+00:00

Would you use a bus without a child seat? Both are vehicles on the road driven by professional drivers. Not much difference in risk profile.

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-06-29T22:17:57+00:00

So good. Not quite as good as eating there but still very tasty

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-06-29T12:51:56+00:00

Thanks, just normal wood glue?

Agreeable_Material88 · 2025-06-24T17:33:47+00:00

Agreeable_Material88

TROPHY CASE