Journal Entries
that came out of the blue...
Posted Mar 18, 2014
... I've been mentally preparing myself for a couple of weeks because this week is Promotion Announcement Week. I've been practicing smiling and graciously saying "congratulations, you deserve it, well done" without gritting my teeth.
Not that I've been successful so I've been refreshing my email inbox over the last 2 days ready to pack up and run home shouting something vague about having an essay to finish and getting rid of some of my overtime.
But the mail arrived and you could have knocked me down with a feather but I have now reached the dizzy heights of Manager.
and since we're in Germany that means those of us who made it through the rounds of promotion interviews and self reflections (that I did not even half-heartedly because I'M sick to the back teeth of it) will have to bring 
and 
for the office next week.
Discuss this Journal entry [29]
Latest reply: Mar 18, 2014
actually this is for the PH thread...
Posted Feb 11, 2014
... but it got too long.
I live in the same town as one of my colleagues, and when our office moved I investigated two possiblities:
1) car share
or
b) going by train
I rejected the car share because I never know when I am going to finish, same for colleagues and I hate to either have to wait for someone or have someone wait for me.
So for ages I drove alone. Finally last summer I switched to train. It takes a little longer (around 1.5 hours over about 1 hr 20 mins by car). And it's great for me because I can use the time either to read (in summer when I have no courses on) or do uni work (mostly either reading or watching videos). I get around 3 hours extra a day to do this for a tiny lifestyle change (and it costs less).
Getting to the PH now.
Eventually my colleague cottoned on to the cost aspect, and when his car conked out again he switched to train. And gets the same train as me. Now I like him, he's lovely. But I don't know him very well, we have nothing in common and he doesn't walk as fast as me. So... I avoid getting on the train with him and avoid him until the last bus journey of 5 stops (because I'm not doing uni stuff by then).
so the PH is having to travel with someone that I don't really know well in an uncomfortable silence. (even though it's only 5 stops on the bus). I know that if we travelled together I'd be able to do all the stuff I usually do, but I'd feel weird about it.
Plus in the morning there is the chance that I'd miss my 2nd train and arrive at work 15 minutes later - if I walk with him from platform 7 to platform 17.
Petty, indeed.
Discuss this Journal entry [10]
Latest reply: Feb 11, 2014
Women in trousers? whatever next?
Posted Jan 31, 2014
I get a tad (ha) sick and tired of articles like this one. Actually it's not the article so much as the BTL comments. I know, I know. Whatever you do, don't go BTL.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jan/30/british-airways-cabin-crew-trousers-union
What is it with people? Sure, the people on the new contracts are worse off in various ways than the ones on the old contracts. They now have won union recognition and one idea floated by the union is that the women cabin crew should be allowed to wear trousers, as the ones on the old contracts are.
Seems sensible.
But that's not enough for the - probably not quite - MRAs is it? First there is a comment along the lines of "they knew that when they started the contract, so why are they bleating about not being able to wear trousers after the fact".
Apart from the fact that they are not "bleating" but it's one idea floated by the new union...
And "well if they're allowed to wear trousers the men should be able to wear skirts" with the unspoken part being "and until there is THAT equality, they can jolly well stuff off"
I'm sure if even one man suggested that to the union it could, as in the case of the Swedish train (or was it bus?) drivers who wore skirts in protest at not being allowed to wear shorts in hot weather. They won that. (and I'm not sure but it could be that the dress code was altered so men can wear skirts too?)
And then, of course there is the "phwoar! it's the only reason I fly - if they're not wearing tight pencil skirts why bother going by plane" variety that doesn't really deserve a reply. (but gets one anyway in the shape of the slapping hand and a big fat raspberry from me)
Because of course there are 2 things that spring immediately to mind.
1) why not just have a selection of uniforms from which the staff select that which they thing is best for them at a particular time (eg in winter the women wear trousers and in the summer the men and women can wear shorts or skirts or whatever). There is really no need for gendered clothing and the sooner we all recognise that the better. (I'm thinking that if it became more acceptable for men to wear skirts then people who are transitioning or about to transition to a different gender* will also benefit from that. It's not only Grayson Perry who likes wearing dresses)
2. Unions (and others) can actually - gasp! - do more than one thing at once. So it could be that the union is looking at lots of different ways to improve workplace conditions and communication and whatever between the employer and the employees. It's not all one-sided and it's not all "me want me want!". Because if we start to accept that from organisations like unions, maybe when feminists also mention something that seems like a very trivial middle-class first-world "problem" they won't be harrangued by the "as long as there is FGM in the world you shouldn't be worrying about wearing trousers" comments.
possibly.
*I'm not really sure how to write that without sounding like a patronising uninformed idiot. It's not intended to be insulting
Discuss this Journal entry [26]
Latest reply: Jan 31, 2014
I shouldn't really complain...
Posted Jan 30, 2014
every now and then our company really pulls out the stops and does something nice for us*.
Today is the start of lunar new year. The year of the blue horse** and as is traditional we just had our first quarter company meeting and traditional Korean rice cakes (and sekt - of which I drank to much to do any really productive work this afternoon)
Since I have been at the company they have also occasionally given us presents. Once it was a rather spiffy smartphone just before smartphones really took off. But in the 14 years I've been there the most regular thing has been some kind of tracksuit. The first was a washed-out olive thing in a thing which really didn't suit a Western complexion. (only the trousers survive, I use them for gardening)
The next was a tracksuit (black trousers, white zip-top) with a t-shirt (with pink flashes for the women) and knee-length trouser-things. That wasn't too bad and apart from the zip-top I have worn them in the gym.
The next was an Adidas thing, black with gold stripes. I gave the top to one of the Gruesome twosome and wear the trousers to the gym. If worn together the suit makes me look as though I'm off to the 'hood to deal some crack.
Today we received a Nike outfit. Dark grey for the men, with a t-shirt. With the exception of my good self and the other least girly woman in the company they were black with white flashes. We got dark grey with the top consisting of a lower half in grey and the upper half in magenta. With a hood. All the women were also given a sport bag, which is good because I need a new one.
But: Magenta! ( actually wear a fair amount of pink-ish or purple because it goes well with my northern European complexion. But MAGENTA!! 
* Actually, despite my near-constant moaning the company itself isn't bad, it's pretty good in so many respects so I really ought to bear that in mind a bit more often.
** as i have said elsewhere: i am patiently waiting for the year of the rainbow coloured unicorn
Discuss this Journal entry [39]
Latest reply: Jan 30, 2014
In with the new
Posted Jan 2, 2014
Not another "happy new year" convo - but just to note that I have made the switch from Classic Goo to the new Plinymajig.
So far so good
Discuss this Journal entry [60]
Latest reply: Jan 2, 2014
Sho - employed again!
Researcher U129860
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