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

Yeah. It can be so nice just to sit and chat for 20 minutes or whatever. Allows you to get to know your collegues better and can improve moralle too.

Hate eating at my desk. So lonely and impersonal. Don't mind eatring alone, but like it to be somewhere cozy.

yeah.

I only did it one in the civil service where I took something in with me to eat. Nearly went mad! Always went out, even if it was just up to Subway to bring something back. And besides, it was glorious weather and the office wasn't air conditioned.

why is air conditioning always so tempermental?

Helps if you have it in the first place! Apparently the room I was in used to be a store room, so no one bothered to really give it much ventolation. The windows opened, but no air seemed to come in. And then they did something to them so they'd only open a couple of inches "so people wouldn't jump"...from the second floor....in a building a few hundred yards from a large vridge over a big river...,
..

That's ridiculous! Poor you! Did they get it sorted out in the end?

at the other end of the scale, over xmas when they put the heating on in the office it was way too hot and then you'd go outside and it was freezing. I think there should be some way offices can control the heating source properly, independently of other areas of the building because some areas need less heating than others. I've got this feeling that they couldn't do much about it because perhaps the controls covered more than one office. Also it'd be in their interest to manage it better cos they'd cut their bills.

Would make sense to put a thermostat or something in rooms, surely. Like, the heating's on, but only as much goes to each room as it requires.

Have to admit I left that place before anything got sorted. But hey....

Oh well.

I think that's a great idea.

you'd think. but people are stupid. Especially the people in charge of this sort of thing.

Yeah that's true. All the politics that get in the way of getting things done, and cause so much bother with international relations.

I heard a guy from an american church who was on newsnight when the last US election happened and there was all that stuff about the Christian Right going on. He said the trouble is when you mix religion and politics all you get is politics. very profound, but I couldn't help feeling it was true. The neocons have done so much damage to how people view christianity, it must make people like yourself feel so angry, if you don't mind me saying so.

sorry that was a bit of a conversation switch wasn't it!

Hey, conversation switches can be fun!

Think it's something you have to be so careful when you're mixing politics with religion of any kind. Like you've seen Ian Paisley? does wonders for putting people off both. Strange that people seem to love him or hate him. No offense to him.

Just find politicains in general to be quite hard to take. I'm sure there are some great ones out there, but probably the political rubbish I've grown up with has kinda put me off.

I agree about Ian Paisley. Was so glad when he agreed to step down.
I bet the politics in NI has put you off, it would me. I noticed you mentioned before on your PS you go to a non denominational church. I mean, I don't know cos I'm not from NI but do you think there are more people attracted to non denominational churches in NI now cos of how generations have changed, and younger people want to get away from the divisions more? I just know I would.

Yeah can't say the polictians here have inspired me to enter the field. Only vote coz I can and I feel that I must or I can't complain about the outcome.

I've found the non-denominational thing great. I'm technically from a Protestant background, but it's not something I'd consider myself. Too much yucky political stuff tied up in that.

Know that a lot of the livlier churches of any denomination in my area would be more popular with people in their teens and twenties, though my church has a great age range. Think there's been a definate shift within the wider church to do things to keep/bring back the younger people who've found it boring and left. Dunno how much that's to do with the political stuff here, or whether it's the same in the rest of the UK too.

I wouldn't know really, but it's quite interesting that it does attract so many different people. When I was like 11 or 12 I used to go to a "Crusaders" group near me. We used to meet in the local secondary school hall in the evenings. I didn't realise it was a Christian thing at first, and I only went cos my friend did. Sometimes it was interesting but as I got older I found I was questioning more and more. In a way it was quite funny cos my friend was best friends with the girl whose mum ran the group, and one day a group of the older kids (me included) ended up having a bit argument with the organisers (they were annoyed that as we got older we just turned up to be with our mates and didn't go to the presentations) ) and the three of us never went back again. I was such a rebel .

I agree, I only vote cos I can and feel that if I didn't I've got no right to moan.

I suppose it's that thing lots of people do when they go to stuff with a friend. We've all done it. But think it's vital for those organising and running things to keep it interesting and keep it where those attending need it to be.

You know it yourself, that a 10 year old has different ideas that a 14 year old or an 18 year old and each need different stuff to happen. If you're bored by it, you'll not go.

yeah, absolutely. Hey, I thought you were in France?!

Going later this evening. Back on Saturday evening. Thought I'd try and clear my postings list so I won't be as lost when I get back.