u/King777lad

Hi everyone,

I used to wake up to BBC Radio 1 every morning using my Google Nest speaker, but it doesn’t seem to work anymore.

I’ve tried:

- BBC Sounds on my iPhone Shortcuts automations
- Radio alarm apps (one just says “Stream failed”)
- FM radio alarm clock - terrible sound

I still can’t find a reliable way to have Radio 1 start playing automatically at a set time.

Has anyone found a setup that actually works in 2026?

I’m happy to use:

iPhone
Google Nest
Alexa or any smart speaker
Or any other device if it’s reliable.

Thanks

Looking for a new gym in Belfast and would appreciate some recommendations.

I’m leaving Bannatyne and my main priority is finding a gym that’s fairly quiet between 6–8am. I train mostly with free weights and machines, so good equipment is important, but I really want to avoid somewhere that’s packed or where you’re constantly waiting for benches or racks.

A sauna would be a bonus, but it’s not essential.
I’m currently looking at:

Club 24 (St Anne’s Square)
ONYX HPR (Derryvolgie Avenue, off the Lisburn Road)
Anytime Fitness (Stranmillis)
Better Gym Connswater (East Belfast)

Has anyone trained at any of these around 6–8am? Which is usually the quietest? Are there any other gyms in Belfast you’d recommend that stay fairly quiet in the mornings?

Thanks!

I’m a 41-year-old male and started sertraline for severe social anxiety (I’d rate it about 9/10).

My timeline:
25mg for 7 days
50mg for the last 7 days
The first 3–4 days I actually felt pretty good, but since then I’ve felt much worse.

Current side effects:
Increased anxiety
Feeling flat/emotionally blunted
Feeling sad and hopeless at times
Low appetite
Poor sleep (my sleep was completely fine before sertraline)
Very low libido
Delayed orgasm

Last weekend I went to a family gathering and struggled badly. I had one glass of wine with dinner. I felt extremely hot and overwhelmed, couldn’t focus properly, couldn’t answer simple questions in conversations and felt close to having a panic attack. It really shook my confidence.

What I’m struggling with is that social anxiety has affected my life for years, so I know I need to do something about it. But at the same time I really value my libido, I don’t like feeling emotionally flat, and I’m not sure I want to be on an SSRI long term.

For people who had similar side effects:
Did the low libido improve?
Did the emotional blunting improve?
Did your sleep and appetite return to normal?
At what week did you start noticing benefits for social anxiety?
If you were in my position (2 weeks in, 1 week at 50mg), would you continue or stop?

Looking for honest experiences from people who have actually been through this.

I’ve applied for a dropped kerb in Belfast and DFI have confirmed that if consent is granted I’ll need to appoint my own contractor.

If you’ve had a dropped kerb installed in Belfast or elsewhere in Northern Ireland recently:

• What did you pay?

• How wide was the crossing?

• Which contractor did you use?

• Would you recommend them?

• Were there any unexpected costs or issues?

I’m trying to get an idea of current NI prices and gather some contractor recommendations before my application is decided.

Thanks