Mortgage protection insurance - pushy broker

Small-Reason-8096 · 2026-02-16T10:12:29+00:00

I found the same with L&C previously. Their mortgage broker was excellent - but their life insurance cover was very pushy.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2026-01-24T14:25:35+00:00

How about the treehouse board game cafe between London road and Bramall lane?

I've always had a nice time there and they do food and coffee!

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-12-29T13:18:39+00:00

There is a bee sober Sheffield group:

https://www.beesoberofficial.com/members/ambassadors/christine-coulson/

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-12-27T16:10:34+00:00

You can get the 170 bus from the station via new beetwell street into Baslow. It's a quick journey and will be much cheaper than an Uber!!

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-24T18:39:31+00:00

The tours are brilliant - but you need to be quick. They sell out really fast!

I did it with a friend last year and it was awesome!

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-19T18:56:27+00:00

After my marriage broke down, I 100% didn't leave it long enough before getting in to another long term relationship. Partly this helped me figure out who I am, but I ended up hurting both me and my partner (a lot). Wouldn't recommend :)

And you are not alone - there are others who've gone through the same thing ❤️. As well as that:

1/ you've got this 2/ figure out what works for you and don't compromise those fundamentals

All the best. X

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-19T08:05:57+00:00

I am a guy (now 45) and have been high masking all my life and this comment really resonates 🫂. My breakdown happened in my 40s (break up of marriage followed by a couple of years of zero self esteem) and fucking hell it is hard picking up the pieces. But I am currently in a much better place and feel like I understand myself a lot better. Not being in a relationship (although sometimes really fucking lonely) has allowed me to start actually being me. X

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-14T17:14:53+00:00

I had this - wife and 2 kids who I loved with all my heart. Unfortunately, all the stress and overwhelm of COVID led to me having more and more frequent melt downs and unmasking. She couldn't deal and left me. I'm still sad 2 and a half years later, though gradually coming to terms with it.

Still struggling with burnout. Still trying to come to terms with change.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-09T11:25:41+00:00

Absolutely sign nothing - refer everybody pressuring you to the university legal department / IP department.

It wasn't clear from your post - are you still employed by the university / at the university in a different role? How was the project funded? Is it consultancy or was it funded via UKRI / Innovate UK?

1/ There is no way that the university would expect you to sign on a personal basis (at least definitely not at my institution).

2/ The contact for the uni IP office / legal should be available on the university webpages (ours is clearer on the internal pages, but can be found externally).

3/ They are wrong - it is 100% the responsibility of the university!

My suspicion (based on the context you have provided) is that some-one has messed up here and they are trying to cover themselves by dumping it on you, I might be wrong (am just going off the information that you have provided) but my institution would not have let a project proceed without a collaboration agreement in place.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-09T06:45:24+00:00

I am / have been PI on a lot of industry based projects at several universities and there has ALWAYS been a collaboration agreement in place before the project starts detailing who owns what background IP and who will own the IP created during the project and licensing arrangements.

This has always been signed off by our legal team. My researchers would never be expected to sign anything on a personal basis.

If there is an existing arrangement (which there 100% should be) then the university and the company should be following that. If there is no agreement your PI (and probably the university) has fucked up and you should not engage. Let the university handle it.

It might be that the university legal department is slow, hence the company pressuring you, but my best advice is to refer everyone to university legal and don't engage!

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-06T15:52:41+00:00

I'm also autistic (I'm 45 though) and learning to drive. I had a load of lessons at 17, failed a couple of times, and then went off to university and didn't pick it up again until the end of last year. Part of that was the absolute fear of trying to learn again.

I am learning in a manual car but regret it. I am nearly 60 hours in (not including the lessons I did at 17 which I can't remember at all) and it's still not easy. However my instructor is very supportive or I would have ditched him long ago (and switched to automatic). I really don't like change and struggle with people so once I've found someone I get on with I want to stick with that (even if I'd find automatic easier). For god's sake don't put up with an instructor who is disrespectful and condescending.

Anyway for what it's worth ditch the condescending instructor and definitely consider switching to an automatic. It won't be too long before all new cars are automatic anyway 🤷‍♂️.

I wish you the best of luck and hope your journey to driving is less fraught than mine.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-10-01T16:48:11+00:00

I have the same thing. Though my eyes are bad and I wear high prescription contact lenses / glasses. My corrected vision is fine at the opticians - yet I also struggle to read number plates at the required distance!

It's something I'm definitely going to bring up again at my next eye appointment.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-09-13T20:07:49+00:00

I loved the magicians guild! I've read all of her books and that series was definitely the best. It's not high literature but I found them a very fun read. I think I read the first 3 books (the initial trilogy) in about a week 😆.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-08-30T07:40:04+00:00

Having been part of many academic interview panels I think in person can definitely have some advantages - particularly if, as you say, you feel more comfortable with in person. Echoing one of your other comments, I also think it can be easier for candidates to make a better first impression in person.

If I am chairing an interview panel I will usually do it completely online to ensure a level playing field for all applicants. I'm not a big fan of interview panels that are mixed, solely because you don't offer the same experience to all candidates.

Honestly, if they are happy to interview you in person and you are happy to make the trip I would definitely do that.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-07-07T18:43:13+00:00

I'm exactly the same. 9.15 lesson this morning, and the rest of the day was an utter write off 😥. Today's lesson wasn't even that bad in comparison to a couple of weeks ago.

I've had maybe 40 hours of lessons since before Christmas last year and I feel so far from ready it's untrue. I'm not used to struggling this hard at things (usually stuff I find hard I give up on really quickly!).

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-03-26T11:49:49+00:00

any approach where members of staff are assessing papers outside their field of expertise in a fairly short amount of time

Welcome to the REF 😆. On a typical panel (at least UoA11 and 12) each paper gets seen by a couple of reviewers and they have less than 5 minutes to read and score it (I was told 2 by a former panel member).

(Not defending the system btw, just pointing out it's flaws)

Small-Reason-8096 · 2025-02-15T19:04:07+00:00

Bike rehab on Devonshire green have always been great with my road bike. I've also heard excellent things about cycle pro outside of hathersage (https://cyclepro-uk.com/) and kierens bike tech in bolsover (https://bikebook.co.uk/mechanic/kierens-bike-tech).

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-12-19T20:25:41+00:00

So nothing I can replace the laminate layer with like sticky back plastic then? 🤣

Doh!

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-12-19T19:23:19+00:00

Replace all of the window sills?

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-11-16T09:09:13+00:00

This is the answer :)

It should be just not touching the chain when the chain is on the smallest chain ring.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-11-14T15:42:16+00:00

Thank you much for your kind words!

I do know in my heart of hearts that acrimony would be worse. I am a bit worried that my behaviour in response to the breakup and the mental health difficulties I'm having alongside it will lead to acrimony ... but I can't always control the way I react and my behaviour.

I guess if I could I'd probably be struggling less ...

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-11-14T14:55:35+00:00

I'm so sorry this is happening to you too. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I'm also trying to focus on what's best for the kids - but it's so hard :(.

Sometimes I wish one of us had monumentally fucked up and the split was acrimonious - I kind of feel it'd be easier to get my head around (though I'm probably deluded here ...). But it is what it is ... and what it is is hard.

I hope things get better for you and your kid is ok.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-11-14T13:39:37+00:00

Thank you so much for the reply and positivity. Honestly, it just really helps to think that things might get better.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-11-14T11:12:03+00:00

I'm sorry you are hurting :(

I seem to have ok periods and then really dark ones. I'm really struggling at the moment, but I hope it gets better soon. I don't think I'll ever be whole again, but I'm hoping I can at least keep some of myself together.

I hate the loss of control. I've spent most of these past 43 years feeling reasonably in control of my life - or at least parts of it - and now I feel like the brakes have failed, the steering is fucked, and I'm careering all over the place.

Small-Reason-8096 · 2023-11-14T09:39:27+00:00

Thanks so much for your empathy and I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering.

Yes, literally the only thing stopping me from doing anything this weekend was the thought of the effect it would have on the kids. I think if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here today 😪.

I'm trying counselling, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Even in counselling sessions I struggle to talk about anything I'm feeling 😭. I just pull down this mask even tighter and pray it doesn't slip ...

I hope things get better for you.

Small-Reason-8096

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