h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yeah This is one of our two slow periods, the other being the months between New Year and about April, when the studios start gearing up for the summer blockbuster season. We also have a busy little blip around the time of South by Southwest because we're one of the official venues for the film festival.

During the busy periods (May to August and November/December) we have two matinees every day - midday and 4pm. That means the opening bartender clocks in at around 9.30 in order to open up the bar and take care of the daily cleaning duties, but at this time of the year we only have a 4pm matinee on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (Tuesday is Baby Day: "WARNING! Today (Tuesday) is Baby Day. For shows starting before 2:01pm, all ages (including babies) are welcome. It should be noted that parents with crying babies will not be asked to leave during these shows"), so we clock in at 2pm. But then the evening crew come in at 6pm and there's not enough business for there to be three bartenders, so the opener gets sent home.

So when business is slow, we sort of go on short hours. But those of us who show initiative or who have had a promotion get preferential treatment when the weekly schedule is made up

Ah. I see. Sorry to be so casual about it

(Bet you love Tuesdays

Yeah, I love 'em - I'm almost always scheduled as the opening bartender on Tuesday and I get to clock in at 9.30 and work right through until 6pm. An 8 1/2 hour shift There's plenty to do as well because Tuesday and Friday are the days we get our beer deliveries so I get to organise the beer cage and the walk-in just the way I want them.

Oh, you mean because of the babies. I don't have anything to do with them - the servers have to deal with all that grief

There is no such thing as set hours at the Drafthouse. You know what time you have to clock in but you don't often know what time you'll be going home. If you're scheduled to come in at 6pm for instance, and the theatre isn't as busy as they thought it might be, people get cut (sent home). That means I rarely get to work 40 hours. In the busy times I'll usually rack up somewhere between 35 and 40 (occasionally even getting some overtime), but at this time of the year and after Christmas it'll be more like 30-35, and sometimes not even 30.

It's seasonal work, the way that seasonal work used to be understood - you make plenty of money and work bloody hard during the busy times, then take it easier during the slow times and make less money.

Not only did I wake up shivering on Saturday morning, and not only did the shower-ometer register winter, I actually had to put the heater on for about 10 minutes while I was having a shower and then shaving me bonce! And literally six hours later it was warm enough for the a/c to kick in because it was just short of 80F

And now I'm about to go to bed and I know it's going to be in the low to mid 40s in the morning (ie, duvet weather), but right now it's 61F/16C and far too warm for a duvet.

Welcome to Texas weather.

Texas has gorgeous weather. I'm sorry, I just can't bring myself to feel sorry for you in your predicament.

Have you considered flannel sheets?

It's been very nice in the midwest lately, aside from the rain that washed out game 4. The weekend's been up in the 60's but breezy, and we might just touch 70 tomorrow. Summer's last hurrah.

And I thoroughly enjoyed my extra hour of sleep last night.

I stayed up an extra hour but still woke up at the same time

It didn't seem quite so cold in here this morning, even though it was exactly the same temperature as yesterday morning. It's shaping up to be a very nice autumn day.

I know what you mean about the Texas weather broe, and I really shouldn't complain too much - I remember all too well how miserable and unpleasant it was to be living in a van in London at this time of the year. When I find myself going to work in shirtsleeves and sunglasses in October and November (December even), I do consider myself much more fortunate than I was at one time.

Actually, yesterday morning's feeling of coldness might be because I'm

I had Thursday and Friday off, and when I went back in yesterday afternoon I found that a lot of my co-workers have the lurgy, so that phlegmy throat I had on Friday wasn't down to the polyurethane fumes after all - it was down to a bug I hope I don't get another cough - I've only just shaken off the one I had after the shingles.

Friday and Saturday nights were quite chilly for me. I was sleeping in a tent. A couple of friends and I went up to the Texas Ren* Fest.
I was very appreciative of the weather on Saturday as I was wearing my kilt. They weren't designed for Texas heat.



(*Named shortened to avoid mispelling 'renaissance').

Kilts. Mmmm...

Ya gotta have the legs for 'em

Did they have a bonny knees contest?

No... but I wouldn't win one of those on a sunny day. Judges don't vote for you when you give them retinal damage. The glare even from my knees will make you squint from 40 yards. The term "fish belly" comes to mind. If you want to see what I'd look like lying on a beach, put a fork in the microwave.

I'm saying I'm blindingly pale in other words.

*AHEM* Let's get this thread back on topic shall we?

Camp Mabry got up to 86F/30C today. A cold front has already passed through and tomorrow we'll be almost 25F colder.

It's 41F/5C in my little town and not much warmer in my office. I think the only heat source is the light that's under the overhead storage thing.

Last night's minimum temperature was 55F/12.8. The previous night it was 64/17.8.

It's heavily overcast this morning and currently 60/15.6, and we've got a small chance of rain.

9'C here and windy. Got home to a chilly house. Boiler light gone out

I used to have a boiler like that - every time it got windy the pilot light got blown out because the pilot light window was loose. Could I get the landlord to fix it? Could I heck as like.

Last year we decided after having pricey problems with it to sign up to one of those maintenance programmes. It made me feel old as my parents were in such schemes years ago! They have been taking money every month and I'm pretty sure should have been round to check it around September time (only realised this today). Have they been? Nope. to check paperwork

Our predicted low for tonight is 22F/-6C. Might need to get out the extra blankets.

We could be looking at some record heat tomorrow and Thursday.

The record maximum temperature in Austin for November 8th is 88F/31.1C and they're saying we might tie or beat it. The forecast for Thursday is in the same area. We got up to 81/27.2 today.

I do wish the weather would just make up its mind which season it is and stick to it