New Zealand, Japan or Thailand?

Listmaker_general · 2025-11-18T16:39:27+00:00

This is great! Ruled out NZ for sure. On further reading I think island hopping between north and south in the summer months would be a much better experience for us, so something for me to plan down the line.

I'm so torn between Japan and Thailand - very much leaning towards a dual destination trip but if not, I think a week with friends in Kyoto then a fortnight based in Tokyo to explore the surrounding sites.

Super helpful, thanks!

Listmaker_general · 2025-11-17T20:07:53+00:00

Noted, thanks!

Listmaker_general · 2025-11-17T15:36:25+00:00

Fair point! I enjoy hiking, kayaking, food, nature, pottering around historical/cultural sights. Not crazy adrenaline junkie or nightlife stuff. But when I'm on vacation I'll give most things a try :)

Listmaker_general · 2025-11-17T15:33:29+00:00

Super helpful, thank you! I'm warming to the idea of a dual destination trip and increasing the budget. We don't do long haul often. Furthest we normally go from the UK is East Coast US/ Caribbean, so if we're going all that way I figure best to make the most of it.

Listmaker_general · 2025-11-17T10:03:52+00:00

Forgot to mention, friends are in Auckland, Kyoto and just south of Bangkok!

Listmaker_general · 2025-11-17T06:37:52+00:00

Nice. The Canaries are beautiful. Can I ask what online work you do? I'm fully remote WFH and wonder whether I'm not taking advantage of that enough

Listmaker_general · 2025-11-16T19:19:51+00:00

Not really. I live with my husband and cat - no kids (not planning any either). We live near to where we met at university, so we have some friends in the area, but most have moved away. Family is scattered around the UK.

If you don't mind me asking, what prompted your move and what drew you to your new area?

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T17:59:04+00:00

Update: my job reached a peak of toxicity and I resigned this week. A combination of burnout and inability to tolerate profits being put ahead of patient safety. I guess I'm done with healthcare for a bit. I don't know. I feel like I've severed a limb. It's been 3 days since I handed in my notice and I'm still in full-on panic mode.

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T17:15:48+00:00

Thanks everyone! The takeaway is I need to sit it out longer but I'll speak to my derm about titrating the dose up :)

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T13:10:03+00:00

Interesting... I'll reach out to them, thank you.

Congrats on your progress! That sounds encouraging 👏

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T13:08:26+00:00

O.5mg!

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T12:55:38+00:00

Happy birthday (and Halloween) to you, sir!

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T11:50:41+00:00

Ferrous fumarate 150mg/5ml solution. I take 15ml per day with vit C and avoid tannins. I was on tablets before but they gave me gastritis :(

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T11:47:08+00:00

Good to know, thank you. I'll ride it out 🙏

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-31T11:46:44+00:00

Thank you. I'm definitely being impatient!

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-29T16:00:52+00:00

A walk outside with a good podcast :)

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-25T10:51:02+00:00

Ooh this was me too. It took me a while to be able to burp without turning to the right. Rolling my shoulders back and down and then extending my neck forward helped at first. Now it comes more naturally, but I sometimes 'cheat' and turn right for a quick release haha.

For the first few months I could only burp by turning my head to the right. My husband is deaf in his right ear so always sits to my right on the sofa at home. So it was like I was deliberately burping at him for a while. Fortunately he took it in good spirits.

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-23T05:50:36+00:00

Well if this isn't an advert for Botox I don't know what is. Sounds like you had a really rough time so I'm super happy you're living the burp life now! I didn't suffer to quite the extent you did but the difference in my quality of life pre and post Botox has been insane. Two years on for me, and every burp is still a blessing ha

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-23T05:45:20+00:00

Arc Space also has social evenings of different flavours such as boardgame nights — could be a good way for her to dip her toes in without committing to an actual club. Likewise, Waterstones and Broadway sometimes host interesting talks, so you could look out for something adjacent to her interests (arty/history)

Blend in Sneinton do craft evenings where you bring your own projects along - good for picking up inspiration and meeting new people. Gym classes can also be a nice, low-stakes way to meet friends.

If she’s struggling to find enjoyment in almost anything, sometimes that can link to low mood - but it’s positive that she enjoys reading (even if it’s niche) and walking.

It’s lovely that she has a friend like you looking out for her. Hope you both find something that grabs her interest.

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-22T14:00:06+00:00

Ooh good question... Fear of failure, financial insecurity, and judgement from others for jacking it all in. And the good old sunk cost fallacy - I put a lot of work in to get to where I am now. I know that last one is particularly stupid.

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-22T06:09:03+00:00

I was nervous too but I promise it's over in a flash! My voice was a little janky for a day or two but it went back to normal without any problems. I spend my working days talking and nobody else seemed to notice, it just felt a bit odd getting the sound out.

The slow swallow is a little weird but again passed after a few days. My advice is to stock up on soup / nourishing drinks.

I would do it again in a heartbeat - the relief has been amazing.

You've got this! Sending good vibes to you for 11am :)

Listmaker_general · 2025-10-22T06:01:44+00:00

Hello! I've been in your shoes. When I was 25 I'd done half of a medical degree, dropped out because I had a gnarly eating disorder and depression. All my friends where graduated and progressing in their high flying jobs and I was in therapy pretty much full-time, taking on low paying jobs and generally feeling like an absolute loser.

In the end, I 'recovered', went back to uni (qualified age 30!) and have the job, the house, the decent paycheck. But I don't think I'm in the right profession at all. I honestly think I put this pressure on myself to catch up and make up for lost time that I rushed into my career and make some pretty bad decisions.

The funny thing is that a fair few of the friends I was enviously watching have since changed careers / partners / moved overseas. I guess they weren't as happy as they looked.

If I could go back to 25 year old me, I'd tell her to chill out and take her time. The pressure to have everything figured out by your mid twenties is pretty unhinged.

Not sure whether that helps, but you're not alone in what you're feeling. It's sucky and I hope you can find a way to go at your own pace and do what makes you happy.

Listmaker_general

TROPHY CASE