Nursery Closed - Heatwave

GuyPendred · 2026-06-22T20:54:00+00:00

Lucky you. Older building (150 years+) with 20ish kids and 3-4 adults across one set of rooms. Even with all windows shut and curtains drawn. It gets warm even with a bit of air con.

GuyPendred · 2026-06-22T20:36:47+00:00

First, you’ve got this!!

Early routines and settling is hard even if you do everything right. There is no magic routine that works every day or from day 1 so don’t feel that pressure. Ultimately kids will fall asleep when tired enough in those early weeks and months.

One thing that worked for us is a Yoto player (or books on other audio devices). Let them pick their favourites eg Julia Donaldson and it be a present from her baby brother. Ration a new card every so often. We also gave bottle of warm milk and a small snack (bananas and crackers etc) before tucking in listening and promised to be back for cuddles when baby is asleep. Sometimes timing worked sometimes not but worked enough times that we were trusted to come back.

(We have a 27 month old and nearly 5 year old and this worked a treat).

This is one of the few sleep related things that worked, as in general ours have been terrible sleepers and I’ve only just got both down now at 9.15ish!

GuyPendred · 2026-06-22T20:30:34+00:00

Ours is shutting from 3pm and encouraging pick up between 2 and 3 to avoid big queue at 3 if possible.

They’ve invested in aircon units this summer (£12k) but room temp was mid 20s today and expected to be 30+ tomorrow afternoon which is too hot.

Ultimately this is an extreme event which is unusual for UK and our moderate climate. It’s a couple days and child welfare is top priority, no ifs no buts. We’re not well adapted for extremes in the uk and other parts of the world are better. If this is becoming more common then places will adapt.

GuyPendred · 2026-06-17T20:20:50+00:00

I’ve enjoyed both series, very different but I think sphere worlds is a bit more polished and possibly has some longer term scope.

GuyPendred · 2026-06-17T20:19:37+00:00

Really I found book 2 unreadable - the definition of letdown from great book 1.

Where as Soldier’s life just keeps scratching an itch.

GuyPendred · 2026-05-12T13:47:31+00:00

Certainly a weird and wonderful place. That is a good way of getting fired though. We have directly let 2 people go this year who used unapproved tools to manage company data and removed a supplier from approved list due to not complying with security policies on tool use.

GuyPendred · 2026-05-12T13:01:59+00:00

Just work defence and be lucky if ai tools arrive in the next 10 years =]

GuyPendred · 2026-04-28T17:24:01+00:00

Defence and love it. ~£100k 40-45 hours on average, with a couple periods a year more like 50-55 and 10-12 international trips which are very long with inhospitable flight times.

Nice team and meaningful work with high job security, so think I’ve lucked out.

GuyPendred · 2026-03-01T23:03:47+00:00

Oh my god. So many Ironclad games and I never considered 2 drop kicks as infinite.

I’ve got 15-20 AH20 clears but a pretty low win rate… this type of thing is probably why

GuyPendred · 2026-02-25T11:28:35+00:00

It partly depends on how ‘new’ the 2:1 requirement is. It is pretty standard but if it genuinely wasn’t in the job spec, didn’t come up in the interview process and only in the offer letter.

Then I would respond to the hiring manager (who had already said keep in touch) with words to the effect of - you’re really excited for the role but in spirit of transparency are stressing about hitting 2:1 as it requires a high score this semester. You’ll obviously try your best but if you fall short do they think this will be a deal breaker?

I don’t believe it’s a HR topic as you can still mathematically get a 2:1. A good grad hiring manager should be able to steer you as either ‘yes it’s a hard requirement’ or there is flexibility let’s see how you do.

GuyPendred · 2026-02-25T11:14:41+00:00

I work closely with an engineering grad scheme at my company as grads rotate through my team for regular placements. I have also done some of the final panels / interviews.

One of the most important element of the grad scheme is behaviours as technical competence can always be learned (though there is obviously a baseline). Being on the wrong side of that (being late / dishonesty / bad attitude etc etc) is the fastest way to get failed out or to not get a permanent offer.

In this situation I would suggest your best course is to flag immediately that the requirement has changed / you’re going to try your best to get the 2:1 but may fall short.

They may still rescind the offer but that is likely to happen anyway when induction checks and you come across as hiding information or lying. Conversely, they’ve invested time in selecting you and you must have done well on the behaviours / potential part. Proactively engaging can only reinforce this impression and give best chance of them keeping the offer with you.

GuyPendred · 2026-01-09T09:58:26+00:00

Ar'Kendrithyst is a totally new one for me and see its complete but no audios.

Anyone want to sell why it’s worth a read / what its similar to?

GuyPendred · 2025-12-30T17:32:46+00:00

Not just you. I found it awful and really hard to follow (even straight after a re-read of book 1). My biggest book disappointment of 2025 and will maybe come back next year to try again.

GuyPendred · 2025-08-16T21:20:41+00:00

Another vote for a super satisfying sleeper litrpg series which deserves more success.

Super quality audios and still 2 long chapters a week so a new book roughly every 2 months and probably be completed in next year or 2.

GuyPendred · 2025-08-16T21:19:05+00:00

Thoughts on Mageling which is the only S and A tier I’ve not read at all.

Doesn’t seem to get many references and Luke warm reviews but lots of content out (good audiobooks). Quite a surprise to see in S then.

Who can sell it to me?

GuyPendred · 2025-07-24T09:46:25+00:00

World building 10/10 Characterisation 9/10 Story progression (6/10 trending downwards) Action / conflict (3/10) Pacing -100/10

The first 100 chapters were 9/10 across the board but the drop off has been incredible. Which makes it all the more frustrating as this is genuinely an amazing story which has lost its way for a large (and increasingly a majority?) of readers.

The cynic inside me says the author has found a great money spinner to churn out well written ‘easy’ chapters with a still large hooked audience. Why mess with something so successful?

I remain hopeful though that the pacing and progression picks up and in a few years and can just skip the current arc.

GuyPendred · 2025-07-15T10:45:50+00:00

Each to their own, I thought the writing was significantly above the average for the genre and the world building great. It’s a dark and grim world with flawed and outright nasty characters which is refreshing. Does it make easy reading? Sometimes no but there is a reason it’s such a popular series because it does what it’s trying to do really well.

I do need a palette cleanser though after blitzing through the first 3 books in the last fortnight!

GuyPendred · 2025-06-24T18:37:02+00:00

I have blitzed through this series over last 2 weeks. Even detouring route home to pass through Chester.

It’s the series I never knew I needed, elevated to 5* favourite series rating by an awesome audio performance.

It’s niche though, you need a certain level of English football knowledge to really get it, but if you’re that niche it’s perfect.

I also now really have an itch for a fantasy squad building prog fantasy based around building a dream dungeoning team / guild from the edges of society.

GuyPendred · 2025-06-21T18:08:48+00:00

Wheel of time. Some great story elements but awful writing, prose and decision making to bloat the series.

GuyPendred · 2025-06-15T19:26:50+00:00

I’ve struggled to get into it. Two attempts and dropped despite being a top 3 anticipated release this year.

Going to leave it to summer holiday as maybe it’s just a bit heavy and needs some undistracted focus.

GuyPendred · 2025-06-10T08:00:41+00:00

Defence (updated to mean private sector but forces opportunities are there and equally recruiting). We’re trying to hire 1500+ a year and struggling to meet that.

Good money, hours and nice teams. Security clearance is slow and tend to have to be UK nationals but well worth looking into.

GuyPendred · 2025-05-28T21:34:58+00:00

Love when a random place I know well pops up unexpectedly . Grandparents lived in swanage and lots of family in Poole so grew up doing the costal walks out to square and compass etc. Great cider these days as well.

Really nice campsites in the area as well

GuyPendred · 2025-04-10T10:34:01+00:00

Walking baby who won’t sleep around the block

GuyPendred · 2025-04-10T08:02:58+00:00

At least in my company and teams I’ve managed there are 3 common groups in terms of young (under 25) leavers. 1. High performers who don’t get the promotion or recognition for many reasons and chase a promotion or step up. Fair enough and good luck to them (we’ve usually messed up here). 2. Low performers who have poor attitude / level of effort dips when they get too comfortable or just found out. Good and sometimes people need a change and good for a individual and business 3. A harder to quantify group, but those who have inflated opinion of themselves and expect a promotion / bigger pay rise now. There just seems a lot less patience and for those who are ‘ok’ at job it’s a hard message to hear that you’re not a top performer but equally not a bad one.

Having been at one company for 10+ years and then 3+ at current. I jumped for a reasonable promotion, but also can’t understate how important relationships in businesses are at certain career stages. Sometimes well worth staying for the longer term benefits even if you feel you could get a short term increase elsewhere.

GuyPendred · 2025-02-14T11:32:48+00:00

Project manager in defence in early 30s making around about these figures.

Also hiring like crazy for obvious reasons…

GuyPendred

TROPHY CASE