What you did today

[Gfted1]

You know peanut M&Ms?

 

I spent most of this a.m. coughing up vivid green chunks (that size) of phlegm from my lungs, mixed with blood.

 

The process seems to have stopped. I am extremely tired.

Are you a smoker Wals?

[LadyCrimson]

That doesn't sound good, Wals. Flu cough? Hope it stops soon.

 

Today I'm wishing I had some mad carpentry skills, because I'm tired of having some corner in the house that needs furniture but never being able to find pre-made that fits/is what I want.

[Walsingham]

 

You know peanut M&Ms?

 

I spent most of this a.m. coughing up vivid green chunks (that size) of phlegm from my lungs, mixed with blood.

 

The process seems to have stopped. I am extremely tired.

Are you a smoker Wals?

 

 

I'm not a smoker.

 

Very occasionally I will smoke a cigar on special occasions, or, you know, if there's good brandy. Or the right ale. Or, I suppose, if I needed to light a trail of gasoline.

 

This is a lung infection. Several colleagues down with the same thing. Because one of the juniors insisted on coming in to work with a cold. ****.

[Malcador]

Do you have sick days? We don't have those so people come into work sick often to avoid burning the vacation days.

[Walsingham]

Do you have sick days? We don't have those so people come into work sick often to avoid burning the vacation days.

 

Yes I get sick pay. Also, like most British people I get >20 days holiday. I don't know why on Earth US firms seem to think they're making crafty savings by denying sick time.

 

As I say, if you deny people sick days then they just come in while sick and fail to perform ...or die, I guess. Neither situation strikes me as optimal man management.

[LadyCrimson]

As I say, if you deny people sick days then they just come in while sick and fail to perform ...or die, I guess. Neither situation strikes me as optimal man management.

In terms of colds and flus, mostly they show up to work and get everyone else sick, leading to a lot of absent workers in a never ending cycle of back and forth contamination. Apparently many companies here think that's bottom-line profitable. I don't think I've worked at a place that didn't have at least 5 days of sick time per year...although I'm not surprised that it occurs, especially these days.

 

Also, why did my quick-reply box suddenly become bright white?

[Lexx]

 

Do you have sick days? We don't have those so people come into work sick often to avoid burning the vacation days.

 

Yes I get sick pay. Also, like most British people I get >20 days holiday. I don't know why on Earth US firms seem to think they're making crafty savings by denying sick time.

 

As I say, if you deny people sick days then they just come in while sick and fail to perform ...or die, I guess. Neither situation strikes me as optimal man management.

 

And they probably infect the other workers, who then won't perform at their best as well.

 

But hey, paid sick leave is an evil commie thing, so w/e.

 

/Edit:

Especially in open-plan offices this can be a huge problem. I was working in one of those once- big rooms with like 30 or what people in it. All the time I've been there, at least one or two people had been sick and in winter time it got much worse. Most of the workers there came to work even when obviously being ill. Sneezing and coughing all the time... getting the next people sick.

It was christmas 2012, and in 4 weeks I've been totally down 3 times too... but yeah, guilty here -> I didn't stayed home either. The position there was through timed employment, and they (the client) kicked out everyone who missed for a week or so. This made the people panic, and only a few decided to stay home... and got taken off with the next wave of purgation. A week or two later we had new people.

 

At this time it was the best paid job I had in recent years and I really didn't wanted to lose it. There was lots of talk about a few others and me being taken over as full employees, but then some random silly stuff happened and I was taken off too. Felt really ****ty at this time, but later I realized that it was good. The company didn't gave a fukc about their employees and I certainly wouldn't have been happy there in the future... Long story short, now I am happy about it. Lost a truckton of money through it, but whatever. I am more happy now.

Edited November 20, 2014 by Lexx

[ManifestedISO]

Practically shivered last night. 52°F (11C) for the low. Then I see the Northeast just got a year's snow in a day. Like nine feet or something in Buffalo, and then I felt guilty and spoiled but mostly thankful. All those people, unable to play Dragon Age ... for shame, Mother Nature.  

[ShadySands]

 

As I say, if you deny people sick days then they just come in while sick and fail to perform ...or die, I guess. Neither situation strikes me as optimal man management.

In terms of colds and flus, mostly they show up to work and get everyone else sick, leading to a lot of absent workers in a never ending cycle of back and forth contamination. Apparently many companies here think that's bottom-line profitable. I don't think I've worked at a place that didn't have at least 5 days of sick time per year...although I'm not surprised that it occurs, especially these days.

 

Also, why did my quick-reply box suddenly become bright white?

I usually go to work when I'm sick unless I'm near death and use my sick days as extra vacation. Of course, I work from home

 

My reply box was the same because chrome was blocking something or other. Not sure if something changed with the site or my browser because I didn't care once I fixed it and also just lazy

[Gfted1]

I get three weeks to take off as I see fit and another four weeks sprinkled over the year on holidays, all paid. Not a single day of them is ever used because Im actually sick.

 

I wish I worked from home but I wonder if that would make me a slacker / demotivated.

[Walsingham]

I can say from experience that working from home is fine, but it basically hinges on good management.

 

Objectives need to be clear, communications need to be good, and everyone has to share high standards and cross-check.

 

Needless to say that in the UK - where people are promoted to middle management usually without training, charisma or any support from their seniors - the results are almost always crap. I've got good people generally at the moment. Up and down.

[Blarghagh]

I have returned to the land of the internet.

 

Also, carrying washing machines and dryers and such up 5 flights of stairs because my new apartment building has no elevator isn't a picnick and now my muscles ache.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

TN's back, hide the meth lab.

 

Today I'm at work and will be very bored.

[Blarghagh]

Why hide it? Breaking Bad is one of my favourite shows, so I may be able to help with my expertise.

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Why hide it? Breaking Bad is one of my favourite shows, so I may be able to help with my expertise.

Rosjberg insists on adding chilli powder.

[Gorth]

I'm living in the dark... literally. I finally got my own roof over my head in a nice sizeable townhouse in the outskirts of Berlin (technically the state of Brandenburg) and it's all good. Except the place had no lamps, no curtain and no kitchen. Guess what 3 items are Gorth's Shopping lists (or Christmas wishlists for that matter)?

I also don't have internet at home, so I'm improvising and using my mobile phone as a wifi hotspot. Bye bye monthly highspeed data allowance.

Of course, my brilliant plans to go shopping in the next few weeks (Ikea and Bauhaus, here I come!) didn't survive the first Encounter with a new project either, so flying to Paris next week and staying there for a few weeks. The worst part was having to cancel the appointment with the Telekom technician who were to come and enable my internet connection (after almost a full month of waiting time). Next available appointment is mid December >_

 

Ah well, some day...

 

The stories I could tell about paperwork, forms, customs, address registration, medical insurance, tax id no... welcome to Europe

[Rosbjerg]

It elevates the whole thing man.... Don't judge

[Malcador]

Bored at work, so sabotaged the Keurig cups by placing flavours in the wrong boxes. Surprisingly, no one actually looks at the cups they took out so am hearing bitching about the flavours being 'off'.

 

Found some work to do though.

[Blarghagh]

I'm living in the dark... literally. I finally got my own roof over my head in a nice sizeable townhouse in the outskirts of Berlin (technically the state of Brandenburg) and it's all good. Except the place had no lamps, no curtain and no kitchen. Guess what 3 items are Gorth's Shopping lists (or Christmas wishlists for that matter)?

 

I also don't have internet at home, so I'm improvising and using my mobile phone as a wifi hotspot. Bye bye monthly highspeed data allowance.

 

Of course, my brilliant plans to go shopping in the next few weeks (Ikea and Bauhaus, here I come!) didn't survive the first Encounter with a new project either, so flying to Paris next week and staying there for a few weeks. The worst part was having to cancel the appointment with the Telekom technician who were to come and enable my internet connection (after almost a full month of waiting time). Next available appointment is mid December >_

 

Ah well, some day...

 

The stories I could tell about paperwork, forms, customs, address registration, medical insurance, tax id no... welcome to Europe

 

Oh man, that's terrible. My moving experience was great compared to that. Although I still need to get lights for some rooms and find a way to get my gasline to my stove because it is freaking miles away.

[Raithe]

Spent a chunk of the day experiencing the US ER and medical system, friend expecting to go in for neurosurgery in a couple of weeks woke up with a headache and balance issues so I was providing moral support as they're fighting to not end up with the surgery right now.

 

I've never noticed NHS hospitals providing recharge points for mobile phones/laptops etc in the waiting rooms and open wifi, so that seems a definite difference to US hospitals...

[Gfted1]

Spent a chunk of the day experiencing the US ER and medical system, friend expecting to go in for neurosurgery in a couple of weeks woke up with a headache and balance issues so I was providing moral support as they're fighting to not end up with the surgery right now.

 

I've never noticed NHS hospitals providing recharge points for mobile phones/laptops etc in the waiting rooms and open wifi, so that seems a definite difference to US hospitals...

That's what a TRILLION dollars UHC buys you. I kid.

 

Why does your friend want to postpone instead of just doing it now? The upcoming holidays?

[Raithe]

A mix of she's just finished recovering from brain surgery about 9 weeks ago, the upcoming holidays where travelling from North Carolina to Georgia to visit family, and she doesn't want to go into surgery and be recovering during my last two weeks of visiting here.

[LadyCrimson]

My reply box was the same because chrome was blocking something or other. Not sure if something changed with the site or my browser because I didn't care once I fixed it and also just lazy

It changed over the course of 20 minutes while I was logged in. Then it was that way today, and just now it stopped. Weird, guess it's intermittent for me. Only happens when in wysiwyg mode (not bbcode) I think. I don't mind, it's just very bright on the eyes. I use FF/noscript etc but I've changed nothing with any of that.

 

Anyhoo...today I got out of bed. Notice I didn't say "woke up" because it's been hours and I'm still not really awake. Rainy day, big window, aromatic candles, music, cat, couch...it's like meditation without actually meditating.

[Walsingham]

Hope your friend's OK, Raithe. She sounds like she's been in the wars.

[Malcador]

Talking about Dark Heresy games while waiting for an elevator with strangers in earshot is perhaps not the best idea. Though I guess telling a tale of us torturing some elderly couple and then shooting their mutant baby with a shotgun was not the best idea (we were talking about cases when you make the DM give a "WTF" expression)