Haha yeah the celebrity ones can be a laugh. :D I love the mass catering part.

I like celebrity bake off. It's funny!
'Started making it, had a breakdown, bon appetit'
And apparently Mel and Sue used to use unairable language around upset contestants so they couldn't use the footage.

Morning everyone!
I woke up really late for me! 6:50am!!!

Morning Beckie!

That is refreshingly late. I fell asleep sometime after 1 am, woke up at 4am but then got back to sleep again for 3 hours or so until 7:25am.

Bit achy this morning but otherwise not bad. How are you?

Morning both! :)

Celebrity bake off is also an amazing show. I love that James Acaster bit, haha.

Bleugh you guys really don't sleep enough, I'm sorry!

Morning everyone. I had my usual rubbish sleep too.

What are you all getting up to today?

I have a live online info session thing about sighted guiding at 10.30am then going to Sports Direct to see if I can get some t-shirts for the gym.

Morning everyone. Today is my laundry day.

Hey guys!

What are you up to today Luce?

I had gym this morning, meant to have cpn call at 10am but he sent a message at 10:08 saying he was in a meeting and will call later. No idea when. I need to clean out the pigs, going axe throwing at 2:30 and have taekwondo these evening.

I hope you manage to find some t shirts lindsay!

Hey tamo!
I am also doing laundry. And will need to wash the boy's stuff when i clean them out.

I'm working again today (work full time) - I've actually managed to catch up in the last couple of days which is a bloody relief as things were feeling pretty out of control. I've also got a meeting with my manager at 12pm (standard weekly one) and a call with the mental health nurse at 2pm. I just went to my calendar and looked and realised that I'm on leave this afternoon, which I'd forgotten about - hooray! I've booked every Thursday afternoon off from now until Christmas to try and help me manage being back full-time, and to use up the masses of annual leave I accrued whilst I was signed off sick for 2 months! So I might be able to do some more study stuff - especially as my dinner plans have been cancelled due to my friend being ill.

Hope the session is going well Lindsay, and that you manage to find t-shirts later on.

Good luck with laundry Tamo! I should probably do more laundry - it never ends!

Ooh axe throwing, that's something different! Have a blast Beckie and hope CPN doesn't leave you waiting too long.

Enjoy your axe throwing Cacoethes.

What will you do with your afternoon Abstract?

Is it a Monday to friday, 9-5 job?
Ooh I'm glad you have the afternoon off!

Yeah, we went before and i was beyond terrible at it XD
Still fun though!

Cpn called, pretty standard call.
Cleaned out the piggos, just need to tidy up all the hay that's everywhere now XD

Hope you find some nice comfy gym shirts Lindsay.

Is it good washing drying weather where you are Tamo? Or will you need to use the tumble dryer?

Ooh axe throwing! I know you really enjoyed that last time Beckie! Going with L I assume?

Well down for catching up Luce! Enjoy your afternoon off!

I am hoping as I reduce steroids I might start sleeping a bit more. I know Beckie wil mis the early morning company though :crying:

FND trolls sleep occassionally but nowhere as bad as steroids do! For last two weeks body has woken me up and not let me go back to sleep between 5:30am and 7:40am, regardless of when I fell asleep. Whereas without steroids I aim to wake up by 10am but can easily snooze until 12 noon when necessary because for example FND didn't let me sleep until 4am.

I am currently chilling until my parents arrive sometime after 1pm. Done a bit of pottering around the flat doing very minor chores, eaten breakfast, taken meds, organised family history research to make it easier to show Dad (been focusing on his side as Mum has done a lot on hers).

Morning all. I slept well. Ryl bin day so just got the recycling boxes back. Other than cleaning my flat later and seeing to his master's tray I have nothing planned today.

Probably study stuff (I'm doing a degree part-time alongside full-time work), if I can get my head to engage, as well as a chat with the mental health nurse on the phone.

It is indeed, yeah. I'm glad too, especially as it was a surprise.

Thank you! Should really do my studying as I've got a deadline coming up and not much time, but we shall see... I hope you have a good time with your parents!

It's meant to rain here between 3-4. But when is the weather ever correct?

I am going with L, yes!
Yesterday after she left, she messaged me and said her home didn't feel so much like home, and that i seem to be her safe place.
She has a tic/twitch, and the only time it stops is when we're snuggled up on the sofa.
My heart <3

I will indeed miss the company jen! But a good sleep is more important!

I hope you have a nice time with your parents jen!

Nothing better than surprise time off!
Unless you need money and you're randomly only on the rota for one shift this week :plain:

Take it easy Luce, try not to pressure yourself into studying!

Awwwww that's bloody adorable that is!! <3

Thanks Beckie. I do sort of need to pressure myself into it though, haha - not got much time between now and the deadline! Eep!

Well yeah, but the right amount of pressure!
There should be a level between panic pressure and no pressure XD

How's the studying going Abstract? Have you had your talk with the nurse yet?

Is your house hay free yet Cacoethes?

Did you enjoy your pottering lr?

How do you feel about quiet days insig?

I rang CMHT to talk to my support worker at the same time as my support worker rang my home phone!

My house will never be hay free XD
Neighbour is doing a clean tomorrow though. So it's fine.
House inspection on Wednesday.

That's so weird tamo!

House inspection sounds fun...

You two are sooo cute Beckie!

I am glad good sleep is more important than my company :P

I am hoping I can use this long period of waking up early due to steroid side effects to get into a routine of getting up a bit earlier like between 9am and 10am. It has been nice to have more time in the day apart from when I get really bored, means it's easier to pace myself as there is time to spread morning activities out in.

I have always been very deadline driven Luce, especially for independent study stuff. Need a deadline looming to get motivated/ properly stay focused

I have enjoyed my pottering thanks Tamo. Just considering what to have for lunch and when. I am also full of nervous excitement about seeing my parents. We aren't a perfect family but I really do love them and enjoy spending time with them. Although I also really appreciate my personal space so we shall see how I feel after 3 days of 4 people in a 2 bed flat! XD

Funky coincidence with your support worker and you phoning at exactly the same time!

Well perhaps you can hope the hay stays in the guinea pig enclosure XD

They just have a quick look round, make sure nothing needs doing/I'm looking after things. Not too involved. They're probably here less than 5 mins.

The hay will never stay in there XD

Naughty piggies!

I'm trying to print something but it's not working from my phone or tablet :(

Hurray! L's laptop worked.

I only know how to print on a laptop.

I print stuff from my phone at the local stationery shop. I don't have a printer.
Don't print stuff often enough to justify spending that much on ink just for it to dry up!

I am back from axe throwing! I won.
11 points to 5 :-D

Congratulations Cacoethes!

I have an app for using the printer on my phone and tablet but the printer didn't want to connect :(

Thanks!

Printers can be tricky!

Well done, Beckie! I thought you said you were rubbish!

Thsnk you!
I was last time!
I got 1 point and that was a pity point XD

Yes, there SHOULD be, I agree, haha. I have managed that most of the year but things have just been so hectic the last few months (most of this year, who am I kidding) that this deadline has kinda crept up on me and I've not got enough time to do a decent job. It's worth 40% of the module as well, it's the biggest assignment of the year and I'm putting so much pressure on myself not to do badly because I dragged myself through getting the other assignments in despite being in a bad crisis and so falling at the final hurdle and dragging those firsts down would be a real kick in the teeth. I'm hoping that at some point the pressure/panic will kick in and I'll actually DO something. I'm meeting my mentor tomorrow and at the end of that I should at least have an essay plan and be able to start... hopefully. I just know I've not got time to do this as well as I could and that's really hard/scary.

I've managed zero studying this afternoon/evening. :plain: I ended up going out earlier instead. I did have a delicious sandwich though! And bought a couple of things including a Yankee candle, which I might light now that I've managed to have my shower (I wish I wasn't anxious about showers now, really annoying regular thing we have to do lol).

I was like that the first time I was at uni over a decade ago, but less so now lol. I'm hoping that'll kick back in though if it needs to because damn, if I don't get this in then I'll have wasted dragging myself through the whole year and the 4 other assignments which I managed to get firsts in! :sad:

Are your parents with you now? :-)

Printers are sent to try us! Mine is being a massive pain recently, and it was funded by DSA and is still crap lol.

Well done for winning at axe throwing! Didn't take you long to get into it and pick it up, clearly!

Parents have been here since 2pm. Visit going pretty well so far. Just headed to bed.

Glad to hear it. :) Hope you sleep well!

Morning everyone!
Up at 5:30am again :plain:

Luce, could you ask for an extension to take some of the pressure off?

Glad you had a good visit jen!

Morning Beckie!

I have been up a while too. Woke up at 5am but managed to doze off again after a bit until 6:30am. But at least I got to sleep sometime between 10:30pm and 11pm. So 7 and a half hours sleep which is almost enough for a normal person!

I probably won't be online much today as parents are still here.

You got any plans for today?

Everyone needs a different amount of sleep.
They say 8 hours is ideal, but that's not 100% true
It's personal to everyone!
I used to need like 10-12 hours!
Now i don't need that many.

Hope you have a nice day with them!

I am running in a bit. Pay tattoo deposit. Weekly shop. Return parcel. Work tonight that i am DREADING

I need like 10-12 hours I just don't get it at the moment XD

Should be good to hang out with them, planning on playing some boardgames. And we are having make your own pizzas for dinner so minimal prep but everyone gets what they like. Dad is excited as Mum doesn't let him have pizza often XD

Eurgh Friday night working in a pub is not a vibe. Especially on the bar, you are going to be run off your feet! Do you get extra tips on Friday or are people to drink to consider tipping?

In that case, 7 and a half is not enough for you!

Sounds like a lovely day you have planned!

We don't tend to get tips on the bar, only in the restaurant.
We get a share of the tips though.
So 50% goes to the server, 25% to bar and 25% to kitchen.

It isn't enough but it is definitely better than the 4 hours I was getting 2 weeks ago!

I am looking forward to the day, Parents are up and about now so will be about less.

Good that you get a tip share. I know tipping isn't so much if a thing in the UK but I'd have hoped people might tip for things like cocktails.

Definitely better than that!

Enjoy your day!

Tbf, making cocktails is just part of our job. But i guess so is serving. Idk!
We do occasionally get drinks bought for us on the bar though!
But mainly the young, pretty staff.

Hi everyone, sending good day wishes.

How are you today, Luce?

Hope you have a lovely day, Jen.

I hope work goes alright, Beckie. You must get loads of drinks bought for you because you are very young and pretty. ;-)

Hi lindsay!
How are you?

I'm not quite THAT delusional lindsay XD

I was being serious! I'm ok. Have to go to a feedback thing at 3pm about a psychology information leaflet which I can't be bothered doing but they will likely have cakes!

Unfortunately this is already a long extension - the rest of the cohort submitted at the beginning of June, but I was too busy having the biggest urge for a buffet which I've ever had around the time I should have been doing it, so I had a discretionary postponement approved. No further extensions on that!

Good luck at work tonight, by the way. I don't envy you, but you've got this!

Not too bad so far thanks Lindsay, though I'm feeling quite lazy I think! I have managed to work this morning, albeit in my pjs in bed, but got some stuff done and sent out which has been pending for a while. My new academic diary also arrived which is pretty and makes me feel prepared for the coming year. Meeting my mentor later and really glad I pushed myself to shower last night (showers give me anxiety due to a phobia) so I don't have to before I go out today!

I applied for an Access to Work grant yesterday after a chat with my manager, so we shall see how that goes - could give me access to a work mentor who's a mental health professional with autism experience, so fingers crossed that works and is helpful. I also had a chat with the mental health nurse which went fine - I managed to convince her into my way of thinking with logic and research. She didn't like the outcome but had to admit that she couldn't argue with my reasoning, haha.

I hope everyone has a nice Friday!

Cakes are definitely worth it!

Ah i see!
Kind of important then!
Well done for showering!

Everything crossed for you with the access to work thing!

Cakes, hahaha. Mmmm, cake - now I want cake, damnit.

Yup it is indeed rather important. I've managed to get firsts on the other 4 assignments which are all worth 15%, but this one is now worth 40% - eep!

Thanks, I hate that showering is an issue anxiety-wise. Baths have been vetoed for months but it's just really annoying because it's something I have to face so regularly!

Ta, fingers crossed for AtW as I think the HR team are pushing for some extra input as nobody's really sure what else they can do to support me at work so are seeking some outside advice!

You should get cake!

You can do it! I believe in you!

I know what you mean. I HATE showering. But because i get ridiculously sweaty with various exercise kind of activities, i can't really not!

You should be able to get it! Don't see why you wouldn't!

Morning everyone. I've read all your posts, I hope your days aren't stressful. I just need to wrap L's birthday present

Morning tamo!

I've done all my town things.
Now just waiting for my parcel, neighbour is cleaning, nothing else to do until work i don't think!

Are you good at wrapping tamo?
I'm terrible at it!

Morning all. I am taking my cat to the vet today. First time with him at the vets. He's ok AFAIK he is only going for his vaccination booster.

Perhaps I shall acquire some cake later on today around my meeting with my mentor. For now, I might go to the cafe for a fry up tbh - I've not had breakfast yet so seems sensible (and delicious!).

I didn't hate showering before, until this stupid phobia decided to make things unnecessarily hard. :plain:

Well done for getting all of the stuff in town done Beckie! I've not managed to make it out of bed yet, lol.

Good luck with the wrapping Tamo!

Morning Dawn. Hope the vets goes well and kitty doesn't get too stressed about it! I used to have cats and their responses to vet trips were so variable!