What's Making You Happy Today?

1626464283148.png
 
I'm really happy with how I polished my single monk strap shoes. I almost feel bad walking out of my flat with them.
 
The apple trees are looking good this year:
IMG_2562.jpg

IMG_2563.jpg

Some years you get next to nothing and then other years, buckets and buckets. Shame making apple pies is a lost art in my household.
 
You could always take a leaf out of Fwiffo Fwiffo 's book and start cooking apple pies yourself!
I could do, but the results wouldn't be as aesthetically professional.

Now the parakeet has come for it's share:

IMG_2576.jpg


Normally there's several of them, but this one seems to a be loner. Unless he's been casing the joint for him and his mates.
 
Last edited:
I had the same question. Surely they aren't conditioned for Dutch winters. I reckon they would barely survive an Italian winter.
 
They're an invasive species and yes, they shouldn't be able to survive the Dutch winter, but they do.

They've been here since the 1970s.
 
Back row from left to right:

Don't know.
Don't know.
Tony Hadley.
John Taylor.
Simon Le Bon.
Martin Kemp
George Micheal.
Gary Kemp
Don't know.
Don't know.
Aled Jones.

Front row left to right:

Midge Ure.
Don't know.
Paula Yates (Bride)
Bob Geldof (Groom)
David Bowie (Emperor-King)
 
Back row from left to right:

Don't know.
Don't know.
Tony Hadley.
John Taylor.
Simon Le Bon.
Martin Kemp
George Micheal.
Gary Kemp
Don't know.
Don't know.
Aled Jones.

Front row left to right:

Midge Ure.
Don't know.
Paula Yates (Bride)
Bob Geldof (Groom)
David Bowie (Emperor-King)
Funnily enough, I named them the same with the unknowns. I wondered if the one behind Aled Jones was a fresh faced and opium unaware Sabastian Horsley?

Paul Yates was quite pretty for awhile, but women and drugs don't mix, once they get addicted they seldom escape it.
 
That's a serious meat up!

(I realize that the women probably took a similar shot!)
 
Funnily enough, I named them the same with the unknowns. I wondered if the one behind Aled Jones was a fresh faced and opium unaware Sabastian Horsley?

Paul Yates was quite pretty for awhile, but women and drugs don't mix, once they get addicted they seldom escape it.
Tragedy stalks that family
 
They're an invasive species and yes, they shouldn't be able to survive the Dutch winter, but they do.

They've been here since the 1970s.
I have a couple of parakeets too. Before a big tree fell down there used to be a big swarm of them. Noisy buggers they were.

Now there are only a couple. They perch on my bird feeders and scare of the smaller birds. I was worried that their beaks might tear through wire as well. However the feeders are undamaged. I usually scare them away if they linger too long. Cats and foxes get immediately chased off when spotted.
 
My boss and my boss' boss approved my week off for next week.

Besides the day after Orthodox Christmas this year (and I'm not Orthodox), my last time off was September 2020 when I added a few days to make a week after Labour Day.

....but then I have a client meeting Monday morning and the calendar invitations keep rolling in.
 
My boss and my boss' boss approved my week off for next week.

Besides the day after Orthodox Christmas this year (and I'm not Orthodox), my last time off was September 2020 when I added a few days to make a week after Labour Day.

....but then I have a client meeting Monday morning and the calendar invitations keep rolling in.


Damm....they wait until Thurs to approve? That sux if they said nope!
 
Damm....they wait until Thurs to approve? That sux if they said nope!

Yes. Alternatively I book far in advance and some VIP, special presentation, or workshop inevitably comes up.
 
Yes. Alternatively I book far in advance and some VIP, special presentation, or workshop inevitably comes up.


Don't they take into account that some people have families/plans/tickets/etc for their vacations?
 
Don't they take into account that some people have families/plans/tickets/etc for their vacations?

I reckon I work for a company of workaholics. Then we just work and take our laptop with us. My boss' boss just flew to Italy today and the flight was 1300. He said he was off but was doing calls since 7. One time he rang me whilst on the dentist chair.
 
I reckon I work for a company of workaholics. Then we just work and take our laptop with us. My boss' boss just flew to Italy today and the flight was 1300. He said he was off but was doing calls since 7. One time he rang me whilst on the dentist chair.
Delegation is a wonderful thing, if you can. But if you haven't got the back-up and resources, there's not much scope for holidays away from the grind.
 
I reckon I work for a company of workaholics. Then we just work and take our laptop with us. My boss' boss just flew to Italy today and the flight was 1300. He said he was off but was doing calls since 7. One time he rang me whilst on the dentist chair.

There's some research that shows in North America people who climb the pole actually work more than ever, which is in stark contrast to previous generations when people climbed the pole to enjoy more leisure time.
 
There's some research that shows in North America people who climb the pole actually work more than ever, which is in stark contrast to previous generations when people climbed the pole to enjoy more leisure time.

Probably because we're not climbing to be sole proprietors. I understand it's all false because at the end of the day when society crumbles because of coronavirus, climate change, or an asteroid - it is all for naught.

It reminds me of Emily in Paris when the French co-worker asks the American Emily what makes her happy: “I enjoy work and accomplishment. It makes me happy. It’s why I’m here: for work."

To which he replies: “Maybe you don’t know what it is to be happy,”
 
There's some research that shows in North America people who climb the pole actually work more than ever, which is in stark contrast to previous generations when people climbed the pole to enjoy more leisure time.
It's a myth that all the digitalization, improved processes deliver more free time. No it doesn't, it means cost savings to the client and you do more work for the same bung as your competitors are doing the same.

You don't need a typing pool anymore and you don't need travel agents. Probably you don't need secretaries or PA's. You do all of that stuff yourself, so you effectively take on more work.

The higher up you go, the more responsibility and burden you have. You might be lucky and have status and financial rewards. But anyone who wants to get to the top to have more free time is kidding themselves.
 
It's a myth that all the digitalization, improved processes deliver more free time. No it doesn't, it means cost savings to the client and you do more work for the same bung as your competitors are doing the same.

You don't need a typing pool anymore and you don't need travel agents. Probably you don't need secretaries or PA's. You do all of that stuff yourself, so you effectively take on more work.

The higher up you go, the more responsibility and burden you have. You might be lucky and have status and financial rewards. But anyone who wants to get to the top to have more free time is kidding themselves.
True.

To climb to the top you need to work your balls off.
 
It's a myth that all the digitalization, improved processes deliver more free time. No it doesn't, it means cost savings to the client and you do more work for the same bung as your competitors are doing the same.

You don't need a typing pool anymore and you don't need travel agents. Probably you don't need secretaries or PA's. You do all of that stuff yourself, so you effectively take on more work.
Yes, agree. When I first started work, there were still some older people in the office who'd worked back at the dawn of office computers, when there was just one computer in the office, and absolutely nothing like the internet.

When they wanted a file, they'd fill out a slip, put it in the internal mail tray, and it would be taken away that night. A couple of days later - perhaps even longer - a file would be delivered to their desk. Of course, it was the same with communication - for internal communication, you'd fill out an office memo and it would be delivered, considered and a response sent back in a day or two. Once fax machines were rolled out, you could fax these things to other offices for more rapid responses. Of course, if you were sending something externally, you'd usually write it up and post it, and give a week or more for a response.

Nonetheless, regardless of whether communication was via mail or fax, the pace of work was much more leisurely at that time. Now, with e-mail and office messaging systems such as Teams, we're supposed to be instantaneously responsive. With the internet and massive online databases of info, we're supposed to access info straight away, prepare a response and shoot it back.

Technology has streamlined *some* work - but in saving time, it's created more pressure.

The higher up you go, the more responsibility and burden you have. You might be lucky and have status and financial rewards. But anyone who wants to get to the top to have more free time is kidding themselves.

Yes and no - there is responsibility, but plenty of senior managers still manage to take long lunches or golfing afternoons. Perhaps that's not as prevalent as in the 1970s and 1980s, but it still happens.

I've also seen junior staff get fired for stuffing up, but reasonably senior staff promoted or moved sideways, despite massive stuff ups or just rank incompetence in a particular position. Rank does have its privileges...
 
Yes and no - there is responsibility, but plenty of senior managers still manage to take long lunches or golfing afternoons. Perhaps that's not as prevalent as in the 1970s and 1980s, but it still happens.

I've also seen junior staff get fired for stuffing up, but reasonably senior staff promoted or moved sideways, despite massive stuff ups or just rank incompetence in a particular position. Rank does have its privileges...
That's the privilege of command, you have latitude to go out and do things whilst the others have to stay their allotted times.

The whole getting ahead because of your golf handicap and afternoons out with the client has died a death in my industry. You won't find any golf bores anymore as doing business on the 19th hole is now frowned upon.

On one of my bike rides here, the cycle lane cuts through a golf course, from what I see, it seems to be a sport of middle aged married couples.
 
Here's some of the article I read:

In 1980, the highest-earning men actually worked fewer hours per week than middle-class and low-income men, according to a survey by the Minneapolis Fed. But that’s changed. By 2005, the richest 10 percent of married men had the longest average workweek. In that same time, college-educated men reduced their leisure time more than any other group. Today, it is fair to say that elite American men have transformed themselves into the world’s premier workaholics, toiling longer hours than both poorer men in the U.S. and rich men in similarly rich countries.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom