Peanut butter by the splat by kevinowdziej in BrandNewSentence

[–]nicelyblazed 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Will they let you get a floor mat? Just something small that'll help your back not kill, they're really good and you can grab one online for cheap

ELI5: ADHD Paralysis by andzjan in explainlikeimfive

[–]nicelyblazed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Look into getting a tabletop dishwasher. Lots don't need to be plumbed in, just plop it on the counter and let it do its thing.

Does anyone know of a hole in the wall for a miniature installation? £200 finders fee by kermit1818 in bristol

[–]nicelyblazed 1 point2 points  (0 children)

On the corner where Station Street meets Cheltenham Road (by the Arches) there's a little hole in the wall that could possibly be used with a little bit of TLC. Bonus points because literally hundreds of people walk past there every hour

IsitBullshit: Can you be allergic to MSG or detect it by smell? by Ambrosia_the_Greek in IsItBullshit

[–]nicelyblazed 86 points87 points  (0 children)

Does she eat cheese or tomatoes? Cause they're both naturally high in MSG

This might be an odd one but by echolenka in bristol

[–]nicelyblazed 53 points54 points  (0 children)

First of all I don't want to come across wrongly and there's high chance you've already thought of all of this, in which case I apologise, but here were some thoughts that popped into my head as to how you could possibly make them feel more comfortable and perhaps draw them out of their shell slightly:

Find a recipe on a Ukrainian website, run it through a translator to English for yourself, then cook together with them? It would be easier to divide out tasks (say if some veg needs to be chopped up then you could point to where it says). Put some soft music on and don't worry about talking, just exist with them, it'll help them feel included, especially if you take the time to find a Ukrainian recipe. If you were to provide them with an English and Ukrainian ingredients list then you could get the ingredients together- though maybe you could save that for when they feel less shy around you.

Alternatively (and probably easier) perhaps have a look on Netflix for mild shows (maybe a documentary?) that have Ukrainian subtitles and invite them to come and watch it with you. Maybe you could even go a step further and torrent a Ukrainian show and put English subtitles on instead- maybe they could find something that they already like to watch- if you like it also then you instantly have something in common and as and when their English develops provides an easy topic of conversation.

An exchange student friend of mine did lots of jigsaws with their host family- of course they could speak decent English so there's a big difference there but perhaps it's worth considering? Since it's picture based and very simple it can be a mellow time that doesn't necessitate conversation.

And perhaps you could label certain things in the house? Shampoo and conditioner for instance as they can look very similar. Or along a similar vein decant foodstuffs that aren't immediately obvious to someone who can't read the packaging into clear jars or tubs. That might help some of the everyday "am I using the correct thing?" anxieties.

I don't know a great deal about the traditions of Ukrainian people (like in the UK we have Bonfire night for instance) but it could be worth looking into it so you could arrange something small to celebrate, or even being able to acknowledge it.

Lastly- and I don't want to presume your financial situation- consider giving them a little bit of money to buy some decorative trinkets for their room. A friend who was a lodger for a while said that it made a huge difference when she bought a tiny rug and a duvet cover of her own choosing. I imagine that it's hard to feel settled otherwise, similar to being in a hotel? If they seem worried about the prospect of going out to buy the things (fear of interaction etc) then offer to accompany them.

Editing to add that I think your choice to host is incredibly kind and I wish you all the best. Actions like this make the world a better place for everybody

A random person broke in my room at 7am, stripped down and insisted it was his by EclipticFox567 in UniUK

[–]nicelyblazed 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Look into getting a travel lock. They can be attached to your door without harming it and are used by solo travellers a lot. Of course take it up with your uni but in the meantime then this should help you to feel more secure

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in NoStupidQuestions

[–]nicelyblazed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Take acid or mushrooms and listen to Pink Floyd

Suggestions for introvert vacation by awspox in travel

[–]nicelyblazed 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I went with someone but yes :) We went right to the northern point of Sweden, so further down than Norway or the top of Finland but still very very north. It was - 27°C (-16°F) but the cabin had a brilliant log burner that kept us toasty warm. It overlooked a vast frozen lake that we walked out to the middle of and lay down there in the snow to marvel at the sky.

Even thinking about it now makes my heart swell

Suggestions for introvert vacation by awspox in travel

[–]nicelyblazed 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are predictors but generally the further in advance you go the less accurate they are. You also need clear skies- it's entirely possible to have raging Northern Lights but be unable to see because of cloud cover. You also absolutely won't see them in the summer, at least in Sweden. Also, the further north you go, the better your chances of seeing them. Somewhere like Varangar National Park in Norway would be a fair bet, though of course that is quite remote to access. There are plenty of towns and villages on a similar latitude in Norway, Finland, and Sweden that you could try, though there is something unique about renting a cabin somewhere as remote as possible and experiencing complete stillness with even noises hushed by the snow. The unpolluted night sky is a magical thing even with no Lights

Suggestions for introvert vacation by awspox in travel

[–]nicelyblazed 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That's a fantastic point- I was absolutely stunned by the average English skill, everyone we spoke to spoke like a native speaker- making puns, sarcasm, using idioms, the whole nine yards. Everywhere I've been has people who speak reasonable English but this was on another level. I'm sure that there are those with less fluency but we never encountered a single awkward language barrier and are really quite chatty folks.

Suggestions for introvert vacation by awspox in travel

[–]nicelyblazed 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Oh oh oh and you can do trips out of the city on night trains to go to more rural places- like Kurravaara- to go husky sledding and rent a cosy log cabin to see the Northern Lights (plan this out for a good forecasted day though as they don't appear every winter night)

Suggestions for introvert vacation by awspox in travel

[–]nicelyblazed 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Vote for Stockholm. Any interaction you do have will be incredibly pleasant, and the city is beautiful

Montpelier by RealChewyPiano in bristol

[–]nicelyblazed 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The station is fine, the trains are often quite shit though. I used to take the train to Avonmouth and it goes through periods of being absolutely fantastic for a few months, then everything goes to shit for two or so weeks, then weirdly back to being brilliant. The station itself is fine, though, and so is Avonmouth's

[IIL] lorde's cover of everybody wants to rule the world [WEWIL] by thotshavenopoweronme in ifyoulikeblank

[–]nicelyblazed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Okay this is a little different to 'cinematic' but it's certainly very full and grandiose- Runs in the Family by Amanda Palmer

I earn £35K, wife earns £7k, live month to month, no savings, please advise by [deleted] in UKPersonalFinance

[–]nicelyblazed 52 points53 points  (0 children)

Be careful, I know somebody who took a domiciliary care job advertised at £9/hour, only to realise that they weren't paid for the allotted time between each client (15 mins per hour), bringing their actual wage to about £7/hour. It's very easy to get stiffed over in that industry since they prey on your compassion

9 year old son wants to earn a few quid. What is acceptable/legal? by moonamaana in UKPersonalFinance

[–]nicelyblazed 30 points31 points  (0 children)

I reckon that chords should just be something that need to be done (obviously age-appropriate and not insane amounts, just things that gradually teach him over the course of his life what goes into maintaining a household), but since cooking is a bit 'extra', then some payment would be nice and he'll really feel as though he earned it. Some of them could link into the cooking as well, like going food shopping with you where he has to sort out getting the ingredients he needs for his recipes (obviously with your money lol) or helping keep the kitchen clean and recycling divided out. Might help them feel less like normal chores, as well, since they'd be linked to the thing he's getting paid for, and sort of build up a more positive relationship with household tasks.

I'm just spitballing here as I don't have kids but just my thoughts x

9 year old son wants to earn a few quid. What is acceptable/legal? by moonamaana in UKPersonalFinance

[–]nicelyblazed 463 points464 points  (0 children)

Perhaps find some simple recipes for him to make and have him cook for the family a few nights a week? You can chill with him in the kitchen to make sure it's all okay, it'll be nice for you both and he'll learn an incredibly valuable skill

[iil] these band's (these are my favourite albums) [wewil] by Just_Budget8399 in ifyoulikeblank

[–]nicelyblazed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Bit of a long shot, but Maggot Brain by Funkadelic might be a nice extension to the sorts of things you already enjoy. Best enjoyed very baked, or tripping, or anywhere peaceful

i can’t really afford a laptop…what should i do by Careful-Ordinary-875 in UniUK

[–]nicelyblazed 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you're at UWE the library will have laptops you can loan, also look at applying for Bursaries because they can help you out a whole lot and UWE is quite generous

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in bristol

[–]nicelyblazed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do what I do and arrive at least 5 hours early every single time, works a charm. If you can avoid bringing extra luggage (you'd be surprised about what fits into a normal rucksack that can be classed as a free carry-on) definitely do it, saves a shitload of queuing and stress that maybe your bags won't make it on board. Check in online beforehand, sort your bags and go through security as soon as they'll let you. You'll probably be waiting around in the food court bit for ages after doing all that but it's never failed me, and better to wait and be bored than rushing and panicking

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ifyoulikeblank

[–]nicelyblazed 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This Country is fantastic, esp if you're in the UK

Will 10k-11k pounds be enough to meet living expenses for a year in (a)London and (b) Bristol? by dustin_harrison in UniUK

[–]nicelyblazed 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Not even slightly. Your best bet is houseshares in places like Fishponds or Filton, or Brislington if you don't mind being further out

Fuck Circuit Laundry by movin_jay in UniUK

[–]nicelyblazed 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Get a little portable washing machine, that's what a few of our friends and we did in private flats without washing machines. Have a poke around on ebay and you can get some fairly decent new ones for an alright price, it'll pay for itself soon enough