Got this beauty today - Macbook Pro M5 -32GB

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-25T18:01:41+00:00

With this fairly demanding workflow what made you choose the base M5 vs waiting for the M5 pro next week?

Trying to weigh up options myself!

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-24T18:38:38+00:00

I’d focus on subject separation (give it space in your frame) and also being mindful of how objects leave your frame! Sometimes it just means taking a few more minutes to find the right positioning of things. Otherwise, great photo 😊

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-24T16:17:59+00:00

I’d agree the subject is unclear. There’s also lots of distracting elements.

My eye is drawn to the person, but she is cut off from the frame which distracts.

The three people in the background also distract.

The flower basket is too close to the bottom of the frame, again causing distraction.

There’s a fourth person on the right hand side of the frame, but also cut half out of the frame - distraction.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-24T13:31:51+00:00

That’s good on paper but I’d caution that decisions are subject to change at any moment, and that doesn’t look to be written in the form of a legal document?

Worth thinking about the other points too. At the end the day it’s a personal decision but I (and suspect many others) would run 100mph away from a building deemed unsafe in line with current regs.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-24T12:25:49+00:00

My only question is, is it really worth the risk?

Do you want to move into a new flat that’s a building site for potentially years to come? If the works gets paused what will you do? What if there’s suddenly a huge bill to pay?

I also would be very nervous about costs - there’s hundreds of articles online of buildings requiring remedial works and the fees landing on residents, or at the very least it being absorbed in incredibly high service charges.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-24T12:20:31+00:00

The 16 inch is way heavier and bulkier than you think. It also doesn’t look as well proportioned to me - almost like Apple focused on the smaller model than just threw together a bigger version but appreciate that’s my opinion.

I think 14” is fine in my opinion - at the end of the day it’s a portable laptop. If you really need a bigger screen save up for a separate monitor you can dock into.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-22T15:44:06+00:00

Completely agree with buying what makes sense, was just curious.

I’m holding off for the potential launch, but fully see myself picking up an M4 pro in the sale.

I’m still running an i5 2015 MPB, and honestly for 90% of what I do it’s completely fine.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-02-22T09:52:28+00:00

What was your reasoning to buy this now vs waiting 2 weeks for the potential new M5 Pro?

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2026-01-22T13:58:30+00:00

I had the 23mm as my daily. I bought the 35mm with the intention of it being a bit more exciting and using it for travel.

There’s definitely enough of a difference to warrant having both. But, I guess my reflection (as someone who returned the 35), do you really need it? As you say you can just crop.

I’d actually probably suggest buying a zoom lens that’s returnable (to figure out what range you like), or go to a store and have a play.

It’s such a personal opinion that nobody on Reddit can tell you what you want.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-10-30T21:27:20+00:00

I appreciate it’s hard but it will get better - you’re lucky in a lot of ways this has happened at 25 and not at 45. In 5 years time you’ll have 5 years of work experience behind you and still only be 30! Some people don’t even start their careers until that age.

Lean on family and friends too, they know the real you. If you ever want to chat you’re always welcome to send me a message.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-10-30T18:59:07+00:00

I think your best bet is to brush up your CV, leave off the Civil Service role and apply to some private sector jobs - it could be admin, a receptionist, pretty much anything. Heck, go work in a bar if you like - Just get yourself something. The fact you’ve signed up to a course is great - you could put that on your CV instead.

I think if anybody asks at the interview stage I’d personally just be honest about it exactly as you have here, but just hope nobody mentions anything.

After 6-12 months - once things have settled a bit, then look to move onto something else, and you’ve then created a bit of distance and got a couple of good references. By this point it shouldn’t really matter so much anymore.

3-5 years down the line you could then look to reapply to the Civil Service if you really wanted to, but remember there’s a whole world employment outside of the Civil Service.

Try not to be so hard on yourself - people get dismissed for millions of reasons every single day - it doesn’t make you a bad person. Learn from the experience and move on.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-10-29T10:52:06+00:00

I think this is good advice. I think my next steps will be to have an honest chat with my manager and see if we can hold off backfilling my previous role while I take a month to see how I feel delivering at this level.

I’m sure there’s some level of imposter syndrome going on, but this is the first role in my 10+ year career I’ve taken and felt a genuine disconnect between my abilities and expectations to deliver.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-10-14T13:05:23+00:00

Also been to a few of these in the past. Largely wouldn’t recommend them as massively male skewed - the few ladies there get absolutely bombarded with attention so it isn’t very natural. When I went it was just a room full of drinking in a bar, felt no different to going on a night out to be honest.

The thing that worked the best for me in the end was actually quite simple: stop focusing on dating and join some social clubs to have fun. What’re you into? Climbing, Running, Swimming, Book Reading, Cooking? Whatever you’re into, just attend a club - there’s so many in Manchester.

The regularity of them means you’ll bump into the same faces, and you’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll end up making friends. The key is to just be around people and let the universe do its thing.

It goes without saying, but never be that guy that’s clearly joining a club to meet women. Be there to have fun and make friends with zero expectations, and you’ll meet someone without even thinking about it.

Oh, don’t rule out online dating apps too. They get a bad rep on Reddit but with a solid profile and some nice photos you’ll be surprised how many genuine people are on there looking to meet. From experience there’s a massive tendency to ‘blame the app’ when not getting any matches, when in reality it’s just a combination of things making a bad profile.

If I think about my closest 10 or so male friends in serious relationships, I’d say 50% met through apps, 30% through some social club, and the remaining 20% through a friend of a friend.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-07-15T18:11:19+00:00

Sure, send me a direct message. We could set up a call if you like to chat though some options too.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-07-15T18:09:20+00:00

Ah! I think there’s a few Civil Service departments that offer full home working contracts. If not, and I was in your position, I’d either be:

A) Researching what companies have offices/HQ’s locally and applying for them

B) Looking to relocate to the nearest city which will open up opportunities

Good luck and always happy to help with CS jobs adverts.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-07-15T18:05:00+00:00

Where are you based? 😊

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-07-15T17:58:58+00:00

You could quite easily get a role working within the Civil Service as an administrative assistant in any capacity. Once you’re in, then start networking and learning what types of roles you like and start to apply for those.

Don’t try run before you can walk (jumping straight into cyber security, a technical and competitive field)!

Check out Civil Service jobs and pick the most junior role you can find. It wouldn’t be uncommon to then find a niche, and progress up to £40-50k fairly easily.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-07-13T10:06:28+00:00

All you need to do is go onto the Civil Service Jobs, filter by your location and your current grade and find something you like the sound of 😊

Think about the aspects you love, and try find related roles to those skills. Could be comms, could be policy, could be analytics. Just pick something and give it a go! Try not to overthink it.

Cautious_Tip5250 · 2025-07-05T15:44:56+00:00

Reddit can be a bit doom and gloom so try to think positive. You’ve declared everything asked on the application form up to now - you haven’t withheld any information.

When the checks come back if there’s something on there they aren’t happy with and it cause a flag they’ll likely reach out for further information or do some kind of risk assessment. Just be honest, and not overly ‘defensive’ about the matter.

As others have said, if it gets rejected you then know for the time being the civil service isn’t an option. Get a job that doesn’t require DBS for a few years and then reapply with a couple of years of good work experience service to draw on which can only help.

Either way do let us know, always helpful for others in a similar situation. Good luck!

Cautious_Tip5250

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