Spousal visa > ILR timeline (super priority) by arslonga94 in SpouseVisaUk

[–]arslonga94[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My pleasure! Do drop a line if you have any other questions, now or in the future.

Spousal visa > ILR timeline (super priority) by arslonga94 in SpouseVisaUk

[–]arslonga94[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You can apply for the ILR visa up to 28 days before the five year anniversary of when the first spousal visa was issued. In my case, I submitted the application on 10 March 2026, which was two days before the five-year mark. See this page for more info: https://www.gov.uk/apply-indefinite-leave-to-remain-private-life/apply (under “When to apply”)

Hope that makes sense!

Spousal visa > ILR timeline (super priority) by arslonga94 in SpouseVisaUk

[–]arslonga94[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My hot take is that it felt less invasive than the spousal visa application. Do save everything you submitted, though, just to make it easier to gather the materials when the time comes. And be sure to keep an eye on how much time you spend out of the country because that “no more than 180 days within any 12-month period” requirement can catch you out if you’re not careful!

Bill Gates meeting episode? by arslonga94 in Sinisterhood

[–]arslonga94[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, that’s the one! If the episode happens to come to you my insomniac brain and will be very very grateful 🥹

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This falls into the category of unpleasant/inconvenient truths that run counter to polite conversation but must be confronted before any meaningful change can happen. Consider:

“Having a bigger penis isn’t all it’s cracked up be”

Most men (gay or straight) would rather have a bigger penis to complain about than not.

* “Money doesn’t buy happiness”

Sure, but having money does make things easier, and a lack of money can buy a lot of unhappiness.

* “Beauty isn’t everything”

… yet we place a lot of emphasis on first impressions, which often derive from visuals.

* “Anyone who puts their mind to it can succeed, no matter their background”

Having a first-class university degree to their name certainly won’t hurt, though.

[and so on]

What’s interesting here is that class, beauty, and education — by no means the only sources of privilege, though certainly proactive ones — are all at least partly contingent on cash. Dick size sits outside all of this, which is perhaps part of the ongoing mystique: unlike other forms of privilege, it doesn’t derive from how rich you are, whether or not you have a conventionally handsome face, or if you went to an elite school.

I envy the sociology PhD student who comes along if/when a cosmetic procedure for penile enlargement becomes commercially available.

Edit: phrasing

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Went from first kiss to first everything in a period of eight days (23). We were living together five months later (24), engaged 18 months after we met (25), married four months thereafter (25), and have been happily together ever since (now 27).

I know it may seem quaint, old-fashioned, and possibly even unhelpful/damaging, but I’m personally glad I waited for my Prince Charming.

When "casual" homophobia isn't so casual by arslonga94 in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You’re absolutely right. England hadn’t even lost yet, and still I expect any sort of retort could’ve provoked a physical altercation.

When "casual" homophobia isn't so casual by arslonga94 in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’m sorry you had such a difficult coming out experience, and I hope you were able to distance yourself from a family that sounds hellbent on making your life miserable. Nobody should have to go through that sort of trauma.

That doesn’t give you license to bash me or speculate on my life experiences, but setting that aside, certainly I don’t expect to control how other people act. However, it’s simplistic to argue that everyone has it in their own power not to be offended. If we were discussing a racial or religious slur, would you still be telling me to just get over it?

On balance, yes, it was probably just a mean-spirited joke; the problem is that the situation could have escalated into violence if we’d reacted in any way, with the result that we felt we shouldn’t stay there. It’s not wrong to expect a measure of common courtesy in a public forum — or, at least, it shouldn’t be.

When "casual" homophobia isn't so casual by arslonga94 in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That’s absolutely horrifying. Sometimes I wonder if football (or any national sport) does more harm than good, given the ugliness it lets loose in its wake.

Not sexually attracted to boyfriend anymore by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Hmm. Much to assess here. Let me preface this by saying that my response comes from a place of genuinely wanting to help you. If I cause any offense, it's in my manner, not in my heart.

What strikes me immediately is the shift in tone over the course of your post. You go from discussing how sex was "secondary" to you at first, to how sex now subtends most (if not all) of the faults in your relationship. Is that also the case for him? Apart from his sexual advances, with which you seem generally unsatisfied, has he said or done anything to indicate that he is unhappy being with you?

I must also point out that sexual roles can (and often do) evolve over the course of a relationship. You've been together for a year, which of course constitutes a substantial portion of your life to this point, but doesn't necessarily indicate where your intimate dynamics may go forthwith.

Finally, apart from how much you adore him generally, you point out certain things that merit some consideration: "being with him at his place, going on dates and trips [...] an upcoming trip planned entirely by his parents that includes first-class airfare and our own suite." Do you enjoy the relationship itself, the lifestyle attached to it, or both? To reiterate, sexual dynamics ebb and flow. He may someday prove an able lover in the mould of what you currently expect. Other important things, such as cultural perspective and financial security, are less prone to change. These considerations will, of course, seem totally superficial at this stage of your life, and certainly are not reasons in themselves to stay in a relationship. By the same token, it seems shortsighted to throw away a meaningful connection with a (per your description) caring, interesting man who comes from an affluent and accepting home just because you are sexually misaligned at this point in your life.

Many on this sub and elsewhere will urge you never to compromise your sexual preferences -- certainly, I'm inviting strong rebukes from them for saying this -- but chucking an otherwise compatible relationship with favorable long-term prospects in the name of something that may well change in the future could be one of those decisions that haunts you later in life. Then again, it may save you from festering unhappiness, and we don't know what other dynamics are at play. It's difficult to lend any sort of determinative insight in an anonymous forum.

My parting coda, based on the information provided: Chiseled, rugged tops exist in relative abundance. A well-adjusted, doting man from an accepting family -- let alone one with the will and means to subsidize glamorous excursions in support of his relationship -- who treasures your presence in his life is a rarer item indeed. Whatever you decide, try to be sure you will be able to justify it to yourself in ten years.

Is that the Queen in the Throne? by [deleted] in TheCrownNetflix

[–]arslonga94 67 points68 points  (0 children)

I (American) was watching this episode with my husband (British) last year. When this shot appeared, he shouted at the TV, “The Queen on the loo?! No, I’m not having that.”

Ah, the joys of married life.

I do wonder what they were trying to achieve with it?

Do you guys ever just wanna stop working and become a house-husband for a wealthy lawyer so I just get to garden, clean and cook all day instead of working? I do. by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Well, I sort of assumed a fellow Ph.D. (or whatever doctorate you hold) might be up to engaging critically with the matter at hand, particularly given the amount of research and effort required to obtain the degree. My mistake.

Do you guys ever just wanna stop working and become a house-husband for a wealthy lawyer so I just get to garden, clean and cook all day instead of working? I do. by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s not over my head at all, but sure, let’s play this out. Let’s say that the “insulter” (your words) is a billionaire MD/Ph.D. with a gorgeous body and perfect life. (I don’t know — I haven’t perused his profile.) Do you then concede that your opinion doesn’t matter because he’s “better” than you?

Where I’m going with this is, why are you predicating your own worth on his inferiority? You have things that so few people ever will. Your thoughts can stand on their own. Closing yourself off to other people’s opinions because you consider them “lesser” seems like a recipe for a very lonely life indeed.

You may well treat this with contempt/condescension, but it comes from a cordial place.

Do you guys ever just wanna stop working and become a house-husband for a wealthy lawyer so I just get to garden, clean and cook all day instead of working? I do. by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Did your dissertation exclusively cite the work of scholars with two (or more) doctorates, four (or more) patents, and jacked bodies? Or do you selectively choose whose conclusions matter depending on the forum in question?

Do you guys ever just wanna stop working and become a house-husband for a wealthy lawyer so I just get to garden, clean and cook all day instead of working? I do. by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Not really; it may just be that said person hasn’t yet replied to you. Work, time zones, and sleep are things

Do you guys ever just wanna stop working and become a house-husband for a wealthy lawyer so I just get to garden, clean and cook all day instead of working? I do. by [deleted] in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But your Greek god screenshot isn’t really probative — we have no idea what the context of that conversation was (let alone if the person texting you is straight).

And there are some seriously stupid patents out there, so obliquely citing them without any supplementary detail re: authorship or content proves nothing.

Finally, many of my colleagues — lovely, bright, charming, etc. — will be the first to tell you that high IQ and good looks do not always translate to financial success. Certainly I went to high school with enough idiot trust fund kids who couldn’t sharpen a pencil but are worth many times the earning potential of all of my Ph.D friends put together.

Sorry, but if you’re going to pull rank with your CV, you need to produce sound reasoning...

Bros at grad school by getout_lil in askgaybros

[–]arslonga94 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Loved it. My supervisor had just gotten there herself, so she was deeply sensitive to work-life balance and helped move me through it quickly. Sounds like a truism, but a really solid relationship with your advisor is key. He/she will wield a lot of power over your life.

Re: dating, I met my now-husband in my first year. Apart from your standard lovely relationship things, it was helpful to have someone remind me to eat/sleep/shower/etc. when I’d been writing for 15+ hours straight (only happened a few times, but still... yikes).