Or tubular!

Aus or NZ?

Okay, all of those are amazing.

I have lots of weird little “widgets” I love and would probably hold close to my heart forever (Mr Toad, Quar, etc.) so I suppose a mishmash of things is as good as something “meaningful”. And I guess those things are more likely to stay dear to me over something “big”!

I remember getting a hand written letter from my MP when I hit 18 - I loathe the party he represented but he was a proper gent. His seat was taken over by the current leader of the opposition party who is undeniably mental too, so I doubt she writes to her constituents to welcome them to the democratic process!

I’ve wanted a tattoo since I was about 15 (and I’m 35 now) but I never pulled the trigger on it.

I never found an artist who was just right or a design I would be happy having on my body forever!

They’re awesome though, and I love seeing other people’s.

Is it like the celery in a bloody Mary, or you swig your beer then pop in a little pepperami afterwards?

It’s a pretty common combo too - I see it on menus a lot!

Branston is a pretty mild one, but I love a harsh, vinegary pickle with peanut butter. A sweat inducing Piccalilli is the bees knees too.

A crunchie bar dipped in salsa is a pretty good combo for me.

And I also like branstons pickle with crunchy peanut butter.

On an ideal (working) morning if be up a couple of hours before I need to leave the house to bathe, make breakfast and something for lunch, clean the kitchen a little (which is my domain in the house), sit and watch TV or read for a bit, then leave with plenty of time to get to work.

Sometimes I manage this.

Otherwise it’s snooze the alarm a few times, get out of bed, shower, make some toast quickly, lob some food at the cats and leave a little later than ideal, and get to work just in time.

Unfortunately my partner works from home and gets up later than me so my comfy bed has a chronic cuddler in it, and she’s normally surrounded by our cats too so my bed is a wonderful nest that’s difficult to crawl out from.

Do you ever not listen to podcasts? I can barely keep up to date with 2 or 3!

The big two for me are

1. “Behind The Bastards” - lots of episodes and it covers some really interesting stuff. They did a whole bunch on the ideological fathers of the current US administration which makes the current situation really well.
2. “Mystery Quest” - an TTRPG podcast run by AngoryTom from the Yogscast. I can’t stand a few of the people he often gets on (Yogscast regulars I don’t enjoy), but his DM style is so fun it’s easy to lose a few hours to.

I quite enjoy The Rest Is Entertainment for Richard Osman’s take on all things media related. Marina Hyde is okay too, but she has some poor takes on a lot of things…

Fair enough! I know some people who have plenty of space but prefer small furniture because of the increase in floor space it gives them - but beds are something I mever factored into my practice of minimalism!

Why did you downsize the bed - is it just a matter of space for you at that point?

I used to be pretty big on minimalism as a younger man, around the time the Minimalists were blogging (and before they became a business in their own right). I was single, rented, and it made my life much easier. But I found after a while that the “purging” was sort of a way to avoid living with myself (or to obsess over the wrong stuff).

I still like it but the collection of stuff and things around me are a way to connect with who I was, and the life I’ve lived, and am living. And it’s a nice way to share a space with my partner. Even if her coffee table is too big.

I’ve moved from Boost to Thunder. It’s a great experience so far.

OPs alternative is law.

I’m not sure the ethics of their employment are of much concern.

Why does 2/3 of the protein vanish when you cook it?

You might be underestimating the amount of protein you’re getting. Urad dal has 25g of protein per 100g serving. Chickpeas are similar (19/20g per 100g serving). Red lentils are like, 10g per 100g serving. I “need” about 70g of protein; some days I’ll get that other days not so much but the average is probably about right.

I don’t track macros though.

I eat vegetarian and it’s never been an issue, though to be fair in western diets we’re generally over-proteined.

Is it possible to use a number different to the one on the device you use? Seems like a simple workaround to use a throwaway SIM to set up, and then use it with that number moving forwards.