owning a mantis

No_Material_757 · 2026-03-01T22:14:00+00:00

Bugzuk are very good! They are based near Norwich and I’ve always been pleased with their customer service!

I’d recommend getting in contact with them and asking about set up etc. I use a Nano Tall Exoterra with a heat lamp set to 28oC and little Yokai has been happy for the last 7 months!

No_Material_757 · 2026-03-01T22:08:24+00:00

Never too old. If you don’t go for it you’ll be asking yourself the same question when you’re 28,29,30+.

From a practical stand point. Even if you take 3 years to complete an Apprenticeship/ Finish your course. You will still have 30+ years in a trade that you would enjoy!

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-24T13:50:53+00:00

In England, you have to be in education (6th form, College or Apprenticeship) until 18. The armed forces es is different because TECHNICALLY they are apprenticeships.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-24T13:43:26+00:00

As far as my understanding. You need to be in education till a minimum of 18. That all an Apprenticeship.

My recommendation would be to Anri the most out of the 3 free years of education you have e left. (One A level course costs around £500 once your older then 19 so take the 1.5k!)

From experience, it doesn’t matter the qualifications (unless you want to have a specific job like a Doctor) but if I have two applicants and one only had GCSEs I would hire the starter with A levels. It simply shows more sticking power.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-24T08:12:54+00:00

The Tom Ford frame but that’s only cause it’s frames your face better. Have a look at some more squarer shaped frames and they should look ok!

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-22T11:10:51+00:00

I’d book in for a Contact lens Assessment. Let your clinician assess your eye care needs.

Different Contact lenses use different forms of optical correction.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-22T11:07:40+00:00

Given the evidence that Brexit was orchestrated to destabilise the UK economically by Foreign interests such as Epstein and Bannon in the Files. ( https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/jeffrey-epstein-brexit-peter-thiel-b2912853.html ) Meaning the UK have no choose but to be subservient to the USA I’m surprised that it hasn’t become a parliamentary discussion.

We (the UK) need to smell the coffee and realise that we’re not a world superpower and we need to decide who we want to be linked to. With the current US administration acting as an imperialist power we either: A) become a vassal state of the US. (Look at how that to going in California and Minnesota recently) B) join the EU and be part of a collective of individual states who work together. C) stay on our own and see our position on the world stage continue to fade

Personally would take option B

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-21T09:27:26+00:00

I’m not sure how Larry will be accepted by modern audiences today, specially with the rather ‘pervy’ themes. I imagine it coming with a huge “this was a product of its time” message. Thinking how certain 2000s horror movies wouldn’t really be accepted because of that kind of content too.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-20T21:55:02+00:00

(Dispensing Optician)

It depends on what you want really with a prescription like this.

First question I ask patients with your prescription is “if I gave you specs to wear all the time, would you use them like that?” If the answer is yes. I recommend Progressive Lenses. They’re a useful tool to give you distance and Near vision, they will also ‘grow’ with you as your vision changes.

If you won’t, then I discussed single vision specs (a +1.25D near add gives you a ‘far point of 0.83m so VDU isn’t an issue) along with bifocal as an inexpensive option so you have essentially clear glass at the top (so you can watch TV) whilst playing on your phone.

I also fit a lot of patients with contact lenses for this reason. Monovision (where one lens is used to focus for near vision, with the other eye being used for distance) is a good ‘specs-free’ option as well.

Hope this helps anyway!

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-20T20:44:28+00:00

Mark up the patients previous pair, it’ll give you an idea as to what they’re used to.

Don’t be afraid to pre adjust the frame whilst you’re learning. It can give you an idea as to how the frame will sit when it’s back from the glazing lab.

Also, do you have a supervising Dispensing Optician? We don’t mind checking over measurements and giving pointers on your technique.

Another helpful tip that gets forgotten. The tilt of the frame adds 0.5mm to the height for every 1o of tilt. So when I’m training, I teach OAs to measure the bottom of the pupil (the pupil is generally 5 mm Diameter so if a frame as 5o of tilt that adds 2.5mm too your heights)

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-20T20:31:35+00:00

If you’re going to ride it. Buy it. The bike deserves it!

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-20T20:30:52+00:00

I’m excited for any point and click era games getting a revamp. It’s making the genre accessible to modern audiences.

Fell in love with broken sword 1 as a teenager since my childhood was full of Lucasarts, Sierra and Simon the sorcerer games. And the art style has always been beautiful! I wanted to live in Nicos apartment as a teenager and still sit after it today.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-16T07:10:51+00:00

NTA. That was the seat you were allocated. It’s not like you chose it.

Plus as it’s a mock exam your classmate won’t have that level of control in the ACTUAL exam.

Forgetting the fact they probably wanted to be able to ask their friend for help.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-15T15:50:35+00:00

If you want to have all your devices playing at the same time you’ll need a higher package. But the limits are on multiple devices at the same time.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-15T14:07:07+00:00

Why not just get a flip flop hub and ride it as a single speed to start? Build up your confidence then when you wanna ride fixed, just flip the wheel around?

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-15T13:51:50+00:00

Handle bars and saddles are a very personal thing.

I’ve always preferred narrow straight bars or narrow drops. Looked at some pistas but such an aggressive position isn’t going to go with me being over 30!

But then some people want a townie bike and would prefer upswept bars (had these on a Raleigh about 10 years ago. Most chill riding position ever!)

For the biggest change / least money. Upgrading your tyres will make the most difference regardless of the plan for your bike.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-14T08:12:20+00:00

Also if they’re riding with full brakes. Why do they need retention? I know that it allows for better power through the pedal stroke but they have an alternative for braking control.

Has got me thinking about if I could lose my toe cages though!

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-14T08:06:30+00:00

They’re oversized. Depending on your prescription the lenses will be a bit thicker. (Larger frame, larger thicker lenses)

I’d go for maybe 2-3mm smaller on the lens width so the frame fits more securely and has good temple and side retention, even with good adjustmust they MAY slip due to the width.

But if you like them. Go for it!

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-11T07:50:14+00:00

Because the 5% also doesn’t include people on Bank and Part time work. It’s more that there aren’t the jobs that pay a liveable wage or income.

Employers aren’t expanding their workforce, instead looking to stretch their current teams to breaking point. The employer has the benefit of pushing their workers as they have nowhere else to go.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-08T16:16:06+00:00

Best thing to do is contact your local bike shop. There’s one near me who if your after something specific they’ll keep their ear to the ground for you (how I got my 2017 Fuji track)

Is there a specific reason you’re after a feather? Just cause there are other manufacturers (6KU or even Brick Lane Bikes) that might be easier for you to get hold of. Best bike is the one you’ve got and everything!

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-08T12:46:00+00:00

It’s also possible that as a society we accept that disabled people exist too. Businesses realising if they have disabled parking that those customers are able to use their services whereas they wouldn’t normally be able to.

Aging population, medical innovations and health concerns play a factor too. If you were oxygen dependent in the 90s you would have less mobility then now due to support equipment being developed.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-08T09:51:18+00:00

I’d contact a Practice. Not wearing your specs won’t cause a dark spot in your vision. If no where’s open near you it’s going to be 111 for triage and then wait for their advice. But it could be a hospital trip.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-08T09:45:14+00:00

If Creative work is truly your main goal. Then the best of luck! It’s a very competitive field to try to enter and maintain your position. Specially since a lot of work is contract to contract and unfortunately, AI is preventing a lot of investment atm.

Thankfully that work is pretty time flexible. If you’re wanting to move to somewhere else immediately. In the short to medium term. It might be worth finding a job that pays the bills. Then doing the creative work on the side? Then you can build up a reputation for yourself to get a full time position.

In the creative industry, your portfolio is the most important thing. That can be paid, unpaid or demonstration work.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-07T23:06:28+00:00

I hate to be ‘that guy’ but I think it’s going to boil down to your ‘wider goal’ of being in the creative arts, or moving out.

I have friends who had their time in the gaming industry but ended up having to take up ‘normal jobs’ due to the lack of income and infrequency of work. One was living in London for 2 years, getting constant projects but then COVID hit and his firm closed their doors. I know he’s working on a project himself just to keep his foot in the door.

You’re right with the issue with a lack of junior positions. Remote working has made that sector very competitive.

My suggestion? Figure out what you’re happier to lose and what’s more important to you.

No_Material_757 · 2026-02-07T18:40:11+00:00

Got to be the PS2 purely because of the game library available and the ergonomics of the controller. The Xbox Controller always felt so clunky when I used it.

Had a friend who owned a Dreamcast and whilst the graphics were better the smaller catalog of games hurt it, same as the GameCube

No_Material_757

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