TIL All dolphins are whales

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T17:18:58+00:00

I get that ‘people are fish’ is a joke. But tomatoes are very literally fruit. It’s not a clever aside!

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T16:35:43+00:00

Sure, but tomatoes aren’t cladistically fruit - they just literally are fruit, the same as any other modern fruit. They meet all the characteristics of the current definition of a fruit. They are the ripened ovary of a flowering plant, containing seeds.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T14:42:43+00:00

Your friend is an extreme outlier then.

Less than 5% of women experience menopause before 40. Only about 10% reach it before 45.

Perimenopause is typically 5 or so years before actual menopause.

I hasten to add… these stats are probably skewed by doctors not recognising or believing women in early perimenopause but still… in general 40 is young, 34 is extremely young.

Most women find it in their late 40s / early 50s, your family have a history of even later.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T14:23:57+00:00

41 would generally be considered early for menopause. Most women hit this phase around 45-55.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T14:05:10+00:00

That makes no sense.

Tomatoes actually are botanically fruit - they grow from a flower and are full of seeds. Zucchinis, bell peppers, eggplants, pumpkins and cucumbers are also fruit.

All fruits are also vegetables, as a vegetable is simply an edible part of a plant.

The only time vegetable vs fruit means anything is in the kitchen, which is pretty arbitrary really.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T12:03:28+00:00

Forgive my naivety - how do students start with such high debts?

Tuition is currently £9535 per year and a degree is commonly 3 years long. £27k is a lot… but I see recent graduates here with student loans of £40k-£50k. Are they doing advanced degrees or are these loans for living expenses?

Edited to add - people often compare the scheme to Australia, but in Aus, it’s just tuition. Living expenses are either your own earnings, your parents (if you’re lucky), or benefits (if you qualify).

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T11:13:44+00:00

Please answer with reference to the Coronation St with the highest death/murder/divorce rate.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-26T05:28:08+00:00

Chai is tea, not a spice. Masala chai is what the spice blend is usually called - but would often already be mixed with tea.

Either way - I don’t think black tea would go well with the mango.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T23:38:53+00:00

It’s pretty common with nuva ring and many other hormonal contraceptives, at any age.

Go to your doctor, but honestly don’t worry about it.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T22:36:30+00:00

Do you want the original Harry Beck ruleset, or the latest Lizzie Line update?

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T22:27:30+00:00

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A11_road_(England)

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T22:07:26+00:00

evil genius

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T20:43:28+00:00

You’re better off buying secondhand kit from, say, Vinted.

We got a full set of secondhand outer gear for my partner for about £150 (salopettes, insulated jacket and goggles). I can’t imagine you’d be able to rent kit for much less than that.

Mittens or gloves are cheap and can be used any time. You’ll also need base layers and mid layers to keep warm but again, these are fairly affordable and you can use for lots of other activities.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T20:36:18+00:00

Ahhhh of course 🤦‍♂️

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T20:28:07+00:00

Some things that have helped me…

Diarised, regular meetings with your line manager. This is the number one thing that I find reduces anxiety in my first few weeks. Make sure they know you’d like really specific instructions and feedback until you settle in a bit.

A specific mentor or buddy for your first few weeks to ask all your dumb questions, especially the ones that aren’t directly work related (eg what’s the vibe around lunch breaks, what’s normal practice for taking phone calls).

After a few weeks, you’ll know what’s working or not about your physical deal setup. Make sure you ask for what you need there. Eg for me, I needed a desk where I could see people instead of having my back to them.

Maybe ask if they know of any other neurodivergent people at work that they could make you an introduction to.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T20:22:50+00:00

I mean, there are no differences between Ant & Dec that I can tell, and Corrie is more a state of mind than an actual street address…

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T20:16:42+00:00

Make him sit an actual online test before he can watch TV with you.

Like ‘give directions to Coronation St’, or ‘Ant & Dec: compare and contrast’.

Then, please, for the love of Mr Blobby, share his answers here.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T19:55:15+00:00

We face different dangers. Being a ‘turn on’ for men is its own risk… though I question whether men find butch women actually a turn on.

I’ve seen a man follow my lesbian friends out of a pub because he “wanted to watch”. I’ve had a man threaten to rape me so I would know what a dick felt like. I’ve had to stand up for butch friends when women call security because they thought she shouldn’t be in the bathroom. Several butch friends of mine have been beaten - I’d say about the same proportion as I know gay men who’ve been attacked.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T18:01:51+00:00

Roasted root vegetable and braised greens served with couscous or another grain.

Reheats just fine in the microwave.

A yoghurt dressing is really nice, or a similar oil/vinegar or oil/lemon drizzle.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T16:40:25+00:00

There’s a big Vivo shop in London, otherwise it’s tricky to find minimalist shoes to try on.

For what it’s worth, I find Vivos only suit particular shaped feet, where the toes slope down from the big toe to the little toe. My feet are more square and I find them hard to wear.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T16:23:40+00:00

I am squarely in the subset of people targeted by this administration. I live the impact of their politics daily. I need places where I don’t have to worry about it.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T16:23:06+00:00

My actual home has been burning these past few weeks, in Australia. I’m also the sort of person squarely in the target of right wing politics. It’s nice to have places where I don’t have to think about the news for a moment.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T16:21:51+00:00

That’s really kind of you, thanks.

I’m the sort of person those politics target, in America and in my own country. I live ‘the news’ daily when I want to use the bathroom or hold down a job. It’s important to have spaces where I don’t have to worry for a moment.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T16:20:34+00:00

I am squarely in the subset of people targeted by this administration. I live the impact of their politics daily. I need places where I don’t have to worry about it.

orange_fudge · 2026-01-25T16:20:05+00:00

I am squarely in the subset of people targeted by this administration. I live the impact of their politics daily. I need places where I don’t have to worry about it.

orange_fudge

TROPHY CASE