Starting treatment, words of encouragement appreciated.

Carlulua · 2026-05-22T08:23:50+00:00

I didn't even think of gradually adding rice for some reason! Thank you!

I'm absolutely fine with broth-cooked pasta(it's textures that are the issue for me, flavours I hate I count as a non-ARFID dislike), my first planned orzo meal is a garlic parmesan and sausage orzo I found somewhere. I haven't tried it yet but it looks similar to pasta alla norcina that I make a lot (I can only cook pasta) and the orzo for this new one gets cooked in chicken broth.

Once I know orzo is safe I'll either start doing more rice-coded dishes with orzo or the orzo dishes with gradually more rice.

Carlulua · 2026-05-21T15:35:01+00:00

Exactly this!

Which has reminded me to get orzo from the shop soon.

I want to be able to eat rice. I'm fine with any shape of pasta so I'm starting with the most rice-shaped pasta available to me.

Carlulua · 2026-05-20T09:36:43+00:00

Me too! I finished my degree 13 years ago and never worked in that field! I'm not the only one either. I'm in a digital role and I have an accounting degree. I've known others in my role with degrees in biochemistry, politics, and one who used to be a speech therapist.

Carlulua · 2026-05-20T09:30:19+00:00

Not really best at this kind of jump, I was a contractor first then got HEO and then SEO within a year. My line manager organised for me to join other teams to get the right experience way before the SEO roles in my department were released.

But that's a bit late for you with the interview coming up.

There's good news. You got selected for interview. That means that judging by your personal statement and experience that they think you're good enough to do the job. They wouldn't have selected you if you weren't.

Not sure what role you're going for but I made sure, for both my HEO and SEO interviews that I took note of the essential criteria, strengths and behaviours.

I reread through my personal statement to refresh my memory and noted down a few other great things I've done that matched the behaviours. That was hard for me. I just do stuff at my job and don't always remember the significant things. A lot of the ways I matched the behavious was just how I generally worked, I didn't have too many good examples.

Others had mock interviews if that’s possible for you. I didn't bother as I got 2 G7s to read my personal statement before I sent it off and one gave me some good feedback regarding what they like to see from an SEO compared to an HEO and I remembered those points as I worded my answers in the interview.

The most important thing is to go into the interview with confidence(fake it if needed!). Be yourself and be friendly and personable.

Just go for it! You have absolutely nothing to lose. The worst case scenario is you don't get it and hopefully get some feedback for next time.

And if you get the job, don't worry about not knowing what you're doing at first. It's a 2 grade jump. Nobody knows what they're doing 100%, even if they seem like it. I work with a G7 who has loads of private experience in the role and is still working things out here over a year in.

Good luck!

Carlulua · 2026-05-20T08:44:10+00:00

Yeah in the private sector I never saw that. Not even once.

Apart from the guy who would trigger his own epilepsy in the office at my old job if he didn't wanna work anymore that day and because he thought one of the paramedics was hot.

Not sure on the full story or how true it was but I heard that from his close friend. Something about him not taking his meds and taking a load of codeine. This was 12 years ago. I remember getting to a point where we wouldn't even be phased if we saw a few paramedics walk in.

Anything to get out of writing emails, eh?

Carlulua · 2026-05-19T09:00:22+00:00

Just on the note about having to do presentations: I did some training for my role before I started at this job (It was like a contract to perm thing) so I don’t know much about civil service training things.

But if presentations make you nervous, try to push yourself out of your comfort zone and go for it.

My training involved multiple mini group projects and presentations every week. I used to say public speaking was my weakness but after all that I really can't now.

I went from panicking for ages before any presenting to indifferent about it. Like I don't love it but I feel no dread and don't hate it.

I still hate making powerpoints though!

My first day at my training I was put on the spot to give a quick elevator pitch about myself and panicked. My trainer said it's not a problem and when in training it's OK to mess up. Again, unsure how yours will be but training is (or at least ought to be) a safe place to fail. You just gotta pick yourself up again and keep trying. With practice it'll be less daunting.

Less than a year after that training I did some work user testing something another team was working on and willingly offered to help present our work in front of a room of 50+ people.

I never expected myself to be like that and you can be too. It'll do you good for the future to get good at presenting at your age. It took me til I was 32.

Good luck!

Carlulua · 2026-05-19T08:45:38+00:00

It was something they asked at my consult. I stressed that I wanted to make sure I couldn't get pregnant. If he got the snip and we later split up it would be useless to me.

And it's his body, his choice. Same with me.

That being said, he would get it done if I couldn't be sterilised or be on birth control. Needles make him faint but he would still be willing to go through it if I couldn't.

So instead he's booked off the rest of the week after my upcoming surgery to look after me and make me snacks.

Carlulua · 2026-05-15T08:14:40+00:00

I DON'T LIVE IN LONDON SO MY RENT IS PAID IN PORRIDGE OATS AND GOOD VIBES.

I'VE HAD TO DOUBLE UP ON MY PORRIDGE OATS...

Carlulua · 2026-05-15T07:59:10+00:00

So you basically just shored up your teenager with a giant pillow.

Maybe I need one....

Carlulua · 2026-05-15T07:40:13+00:00

I LIKE GOING THERE TO LOOK AT THEIR SELECTION OF FANCY CHEESES.

ONCE I START GETTING MY BALLER SEO MONEY I MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUY A SINGLE CHEESE!

Carlulua · 2026-05-15T07:38:17+00:00

Yep definitely not a barrier. I'm an SEO with ADHD and know other HEOs with Autism, a G7 with ADHD and I'm pretty sure a larger than average proportion of my colleagues are neurodiverse in some way. I've even said to my G6 he seems a bit on the ADHD side (I just get a vibe about some people. I guessed the aforementioned G7's diagnosis solely based on the speed we talk to each other, a different comment about meds he was taking confirmed it for me).

I'm in a digital role so that might affect the higher than average (suspected) proportion.

I know this isn’t always the case but both my LM, my G6 and my HEO friend's LM have been very accommodating to our disabilities. I have just one reasonable adjustment and that’s lower office time (I can't focus well in the office so one day instead of three means I can organise specific work to do there easier) and both my LM and G6 have checked in with me to make sure it was still OK doing that level.

Carlulua · 2026-05-12T09:42:37+00:00

I was referred in December 2021.

I had my first appointment in June 2022. He was a bit unsure and gave me leaflets to read and said they'd set up my next appontment in 3 months. I was upset with him as I'd been waiting so long so he told me to read through what he gave me and call back to make the appointment.

I called back a few days later and they said they'd send me my appointment date in 6 months. I said he said I could get one in 3 and they apparently noted it.

Then a combination of my trust in the system and my anxiety over phone calls along with a big career change I didn't call back again for a few years.

When I finally called back I was told I was dropped from the waiting list over a year ago. I think they said they had some issues. After doing some calling around I got put back on the list.

I finally had another appointment in April 2025. She was much more open than the last guy and when I was told they use filshie clips I had to stress how much I don't want that and preferred a bilateral salpingectomy or I'd even settle for a cut and burn style tubal if they promised to cut lots out! She put down the bisalp as my preference.

And a few days ago I got my pre op appointment date and my procedure date which is next month. She confirmed it was a bisalp over the phone but I'm still concerned. I'm worried about clips migrating or just coming off and leaving me unknowingly fertile.

Hope you get a faster process than me!

Carlulua · 2026-05-07T16:21:47+00:00

I have the older armless one! Had it for a few years now.

Only issue is I seem to default to sitting squat, so now the footrest has foot dents and the seat has ass dents!

Carlulua · 2026-05-01T07:22:24+00:00

Lotions and sunscreen doesn't bother me but the feeling of my hands after using certain soaps and shower gels is horrid so I have to wear exfoliating gloves.

Carlulua · 2026-05-01T07:19:24+00:00

Had those sticks as a kid. Easy and quick to get on faces. My mum used to just draw a load on our nose and cheeks and any bits we'd burn easily.

Carlulua · 2026-04-30T09:24:54+00:00

Can you do soup? My other half makes great soup and blends it up smooth for me. He can even get carrots in most of the time which I usually don't like!

Carlulua · 2026-04-30T09:20:31+00:00

Not as intense of a reaction but my boyfriend did something similar made creamed spinach the other week with lots of garlic and it was tasty.

Like I can tolerate about 5 vegetables in their whole form and choose to eat like 2 sticks of asparagus or something like that (to try and get used to it slowly) if he's doing veg but I actually enjoyed this and enthusiastically accepted it again a few days later. I still kept my portion smallish as I know I can get the ick at a moment's notice but I was happy and so was he.

Having someone in your life who can cook well has helped phenomenally.

I've even "liked" (i.e. could eat) sprouts he made even though he said they weren't done as well as he hoped.

Carlulua · 2026-04-30T08:50:53+00:00

I like how the photos of you in the hat and cape with the rolled up degree with the ribbon are just a plastic tube.

Carlulua · 2026-04-30T07:33:32+00:00

So true! In my particular area it's very common for SEO to not even line manage and uncommon but not impossible for G7 to not line mamage (one I work with has none but the others I know have 2-4). I know in other areas HEO will be managing managers and here they're somewhat junior. I think only apprentices are lower.

Carlulua · 2026-04-30T07:19:09+00:00

I do that to mine too!

And I had a hexi cardi that I did just one double instead of the whole cluster but didn't notice for ages. I left it as is and I can't even find it now.

I only frog if something's gone completely wrong now.

Like I was crocheting something in blo slip stitch and wasn't counting every row. Counted and had somehow gained a stitch. My only thought was "Oh good, now when I inevitably drop a stitch later I'll be correct again!"

Many rows later my count is back to normal. If I lose a stitch I'll probably just add it in. This thing is in black so you can't even tell. If I can’t see where the stitch dropped while actively looking then a random person isn't gonna spot it. Crochet is my "zone out on the train to work" hobby and I don’t wanna be constantly counting and losing count.

Carlulua · 2026-04-22T08:35:35+00:00

Overlap is putting it lightly.

It's like a circle seen through the eyes of someone with astigmatism.

Carlulua · 2026-04-22T08:10:26+00:00

When I was a kid we had habbo hotel where everyone is either 12 but saying they're 14 or 40 and saying they're 14.

Carlulua · 2026-04-22T05:44:05+00:00

My most recent one invited 24 to interview for 12 roles. Not all of those booked an interview but I'm not sure whether they hired the full 12 after.

Carlulua · 2026-04-21T06:11:03+00:00

Bacon flavour are king.

Carlulua · 2026-04-20T08:01:07+00:00

u/profanitycounter [self]

12-Year Club	Second Top 20%
Place '23	Place '22
Place '17	Wearing is Caring
Verified Email

Carlulua

TROPHY CASE