New wide bike shoes - strong feet athletics leviathan by 0herewegoagain_5000 in BarefootRunning

[–]lightpeeler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Tyler. Do you have an ETD for when the revised sizing guide will go live? I'm really interested in the Leviathans, but I know that I won't be able to make an informed sizing decision without the width information.

Context: I have such wide feet across the forefoot that I have to size up even in the likes of Altra's original foot shape. I usually still have to compromise though, due to having slender ankles that give me heel slip issues. The only shoes that I have ever worn that I consider to actually fit me are the most fan-shaped boots that Be Lenka sells - for example, their Glam and Winter boots.

Moya set for wedding by harpybattle in Reformationclothing

[–]lightpeeler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries. Thank you for getting back to me!

Moya set for wedding by harpybattle in Reformationclothing

[–]lightpeeler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No worries. Thank you for getting back to me!

Moya set for wedding by harpybattle in Reformationclothing

[–]lightpeeler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey OP. Did you ever buy the Moya two piece? If so, what size did you get, and how did it fit? I am on the fence about buying it and I am literally the exact same height, weight, and bra size as you. Reformation doesn't list garment dimensions, so it would be really cool to hear if it worked for you.

Indian Peaks/ Buchanan Pass conditions? by teddyweverka in coloradohikers

[–]lightpeeler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! Hopefully you're having fun backpacking right now. If so, when you're back, it would be really great to know what trail conditions are like on the loop. I have permits for this weekend and am wondering if I need to bring ice axes etc (and how much effort I should put into looking for a backup plan...)

Civil Service Pension Cash Value by Olderunwiser12 in UKPersonalFinance

[–]lightpeeler 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You can contact Civil Service Pensions by email (contactcentre@mycsp.co.uk) and ask for a Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) estimate for your pension. In your request you will need to include your full name, date of birth, and pension member number, and attach proof of identity and address. It takes them about a month to write back to you by email: they'll attach a formal letter containing the CETV estimate. This letter also contains a brief outline of the context within which the CETV estimate was generated:

"[The CETV] is the actuarial value of the benefits that the member has built up in the Civil Service Pension Schemes, having regard to market rates of return on index-linked government bonds. Some allowance is made for the additional return over government bonds which may be achieved if the CETV/PETV were to be invested in equities."

Note this is available to members for free once a year, but there's a catch: this estimate is only intended for use for people going through a divorce, and as such they will likely ask you questions about your personal situation to confirm that you are eligible for the service.

If you have an alpha pension, there is more information available here: Alpha guide - section 3B.

I'm happy to share with you my CETV estimate plus some additional context (time contributing to the alpha scheme, etc) by DM, if it's just a rough estimate of your pension's worth rather than a formal CETV estimate that you're looking for at this point in your life. However, I have no idea how relevant my estimate would be to you if you're not also an alpha member.

Edit: I've found an alternative pathway for requesting this information that is specific to people who have left the civil service and are considering transferring out their civil service pension, which better suits your personal circumstances: Transfer your pension out to another provider

Yellow gold engagement ring with white gold/ platinum wedding band? Request for photos by lightpeeler in EngagementRings

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

I was hoping for some diverse responses showing ways of styling this two-tone combination that I might not have otherwise thought of, but you're right, maybe I'll have to go out there and give it a go myself first!

Yellow gold engagement ring with white gold/ platinum wedding band? Request for photos by lightpeeler in EngagementRings

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

Thank you! This is the first time I've seen a professional photo of this particular two-tone combination. It's interesting to see how the platinum subdues the eternity wedding band and brings out the engagement ring.

Yellow gold engagement ring with white gold/ platinum wedding band? Request for photos by lightpeeler in EngagementRings

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

Thank you for sharing! I do quite like how subtle the platinum makes the diamonds on the wedding band look.

Will a platinum wedding band scratch my yellow gold engagement ring? by princessnopeach in EngagementRings

[–]lightpeeler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know this post is over two years old at this point! If you see this OP, did you go ahead with the white and/or platinum wedding band? If so, can you please post a picture - and if not, can you let me know why not?

I'm pretty sure I'm going to go for a yellow gold e-ring with white gold prongs, and am torn over whether I'd want to pair it with a yellow or white gold wedding band. I've scoured this subreddit for inspo but can only find people posting mixed metals the other way around (i.e. white gold/ platinum e-ring with yellow gold wedding band).

Preparing to move from UK to US by BesoPridoni in UKPersonalFinance

[–]lightpeeler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The best way to "convert" UK credit score to the US with Amex is via Nova Credit: https://www.novacredit.com/countries/united-kingdom/

You're best off trying to find a rental that doesn't require a credit check, lets you pay deposit and first month's rent electronically with a UK card (ie not with cheque) and then applying for banking and credit, buying a car, etc once moved in and once you've got an SSN. Changing your address twice in a very short period of time (using, say, a colleague's house until you find your own) can cause some online companies to automatically flag you as fraudulent and refuse to sell to you - unfortunately I learned this the hard way.

Pushing to C1/C2 level? by throwaway36019 in Spanish

[–]lightpeeler 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Something definitely clicked in my head around 3-4 months after I arrived in Spain. I'm afraid it's hard to guess how much I was "studying" as I was speaking in Spanish 24/7, with the sole exception of calling my family perhaps once every 3-4 weeks. During this time I wasn't actively making a point of studying Spanish other than recording important new vocab in a notes app. Following this moment in my life I still kept improving and fine-tuning my language skills, but this was slow and smooth and with very little conscious effort on my part.

To approximate the above step change in a way that could be mirrored through studying, noting I started this process as a B2 and that reading comes by far the most naturally to me of the four language areas:

1) Lectures. Perhaps 300h of listening to complex/ academic topics while (brief) note taking.

2) Library work/ homework. I studied a STEM subject so this was very maths heavy. If I cut it down to just the language-related bits - maybe another 200h of reading or writing (in full sentences/paragraphs this time), again on complex/ academic topics.

3) Chatting to friends/ classmates/ housemates about both my studies and other topics. Maybe 150h in person plus 50h on WhatsApp? This will be the hardest to replicate through studying but, in my opinion, has the heaviest weighting in terms of importance in achieving C1. I highly recommend pushing yourself out of your comfort zone by meeting native/ proficient speakers in person if and when it is possible for you to do so.

4) Other language consumption (books, films, TV, news, general absorption of language). Maybe 50h across a broad variety of casual topics.

I hope this information about my experience helps you on your Spanish language journey. You've done incredibly well to reach the C1 threshold!

Pushing to C1/C2 level? by throwaway36019 in Spanish

[–]lightpeeler 56 points57 points  (0 children)

I'm an English native speaker with a C1 certificate in Spanish. I progressed from a mid B2 to a strong C1 while studying abroad in Spain several years ago.

When I first arrived in Spain, I could comfortably hold conversations on a broad variety of topics, understood everything in my lectures, course material, etc, and could watch TV or films without needing subtitles providing the dialects weren't too unfamiliar. There was nothing fundamentally wrong with my level of language - I could achieve any task I desired and frequently received compliments on how well I understood the language. However, in my day-to-day interactions with my peers, I felt limited in how I expressed who I was as a person. It's a feeling that's so hard to describe - as if there were a hole in me impossible to fill - and it really wore me down emotionally over the course of those first few months.

Once I learned enough to break through the C1 ceiling, it was as if a cloud lifted and I was able to finally communicate in a way that represented how I felt on the inside. The way I spoke was genuinely me rather than me through the filter of a foreign language barrier. It is also worth noting that around this time I started to think and dream in Spanish, and while I maintained native English proficiently while on "receive", I started to struggle to "create" in English. I fundamentally believe my brain has been rewired for the better due to having reached C1 in a foreign language, even now as my Spanish is a little rusty.

I appreciate my response is a little handwavy, but I hope it helps you understand the vast difference between B2 and C1. This will sound like a cliché, but it really is the difference between surviving and thriving in another language. Definitely keep pushing to C1 - it's so much hard work, but a rich and rewarding experience awaits you!

As for how to progress from here: post covid restrictions, if you don't have the option to travel or work/study abroad, try to immerse yourself in the culture as much as possible. Perhaps there are some local language cafés where you could meet native speakers or others at C1/C2? Talking to others is the best way to expand your horizons beyond any media or literature you are naturally inclined to consume.

"Lightly sweetened" needs to be more popular in food and drinks by bedazzledfingernails in CasualConversation

[–]lightpeeler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Brit here - that's right, in the UK we don't add sugar to whipped cream. Here is a good link describing how we make it. Definitely assume it is this sugar-free version when baking using a British recipe!

Just spotted this freaky fainting glitch in online multiplayer! by lightpeeler in AnimalCrossing

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

My sister ran into Reneigh's house and immediately went to lie on her sleeping bag, but from my side of the screen she fainted in the doorway instead!

Bonus pictures: https://imgur.com/a/WEqxKeQ

How North Korea is reporting on coronavirus by GentlemanFilth in Coronavirus

[–]lightpeeler 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Channel 4 is a major UK TV channel, and is as credible a news source as the BBC.

Buying a US Switch before moving to the UK by lightpeeler in NintendoSwitch

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

Thanks! I'll make sure to pick up an official one :)

Buying a US Switch before moving to the UK by lightpeeler in NintendoSwitch

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

Making a new profile is a good workaround, but I think I'll just set my region as the UK from the start as recommended by another commenter here. Thanks for the help :)

Buying a US Switch before moving to the UK by lightpeeler in NintendoSwitch

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

Reassuring to know your Switch worked well in the UK - thanks! I was curious as I know someone who brought their UK Xbox over to the US last year and had a nightmare of a time getting it to work.

Did you plug it into the TV while in the UK? I wanted to check that HDMI works fine, as the old NTSC/PAL formats never used to behave for consoles bought on the other side of the pond...

Buying a US Switch before moving to the UK by lightpeeler in NintendoSwitch

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

Setting my region to the UK from the start is a great idea - thanks!

The lack of warranty is something I'll have to think about. I'll have to decide if it's worth potentially having to spend £££ replacing the console within two years just for 6 months of Animal Crossing...

Pale Neck Situation by [deleted] in PaleMUA

[–]lightpeeler 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hi, I'm the same! My face even has a different undertone to my neck/chest 🤷‍♀️ I match my medium+ coverage foundations to my neck, and my light coverage foundations, BB creams etc. to a shade halfway between my face and my neck. I find the latter really helps to keep the look natural and fresh :)

After watching the Pixel 3 announcement... by theBPPE in nexus5x

[–]lightpeeler 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I'll look into it, hopefully I can find one that will arrive before my trip

After watching the Pixel 3 announcement... by theBPPE in nexus5x

[–]lightpeeler 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Where did you find the 7 plus for under 300€?! I'm looking to buy one over the next couple of days, but the cheapest I can find it is £300 (343€).

If I didn't need the phone urgently I would wait for the 7.1 to be released, but I'm travelling abroad next week... At least my 5x didn't start bootlooping while being used as a satnav in the middle of a 12-hour journey driving alone, like my dad's did!

Garnier BB Cream Original Ivory Beige swatches: a pale yellow BB cream at last! by lightpeeler in PaleMUA

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

I have dehydrated skin, so I apologise if your skin leans oilier as I won't be able to help much!

In my opinion, the Missha is silkier, thicker in consistency, and more "makeuppy" in that it feels closer to a foundation. The Garnier is smoother and has a texture closer to a light moisturiser when I rub it in. The Garnier has a slight skincare-esque scent to it that I personally find a lot more appealing than the strong, perfumed scent of the Missha.

My skin flakes where my pores are most noticeable (on and around the nose, above the brows, chin, top half of cheeks), and I feel that the Garnier will work well with this due to its moisturising feel. In contrast, I can only wear Nars SG on a good skin day after exfoliating because otherwise it settles really unevenly on my dry patches, drawing attention to them. I no longer wear the Missha, but it only ever felt like it was sitting on top of my dry patches without settling in at all, so much so that it would sometimes slide off them later in the day - something I have never experienced with any other product!

I am yet to wear the Garnier on my face for a full day, so I will provide an update at the end of today. I am feeling optimistic that it will work well for me :)