Tuesday 22 April 2008

More Monday musings

After the broken down train in the morning by the time it came to my evening journey yesterday I thought that I had probably paid my penance to the Jubilee line for one day. I was wrong.

I just missed a train as I was getting to the platform (if I had really hurried I might have made it) but it looked a bit crowded and the departure board said that another one would be along in a minute. Another one was along in a minute. The problem was that it was terminating at Green Park. So everyone on that train (not many people, it had obviously decided to terminate some time previously) got off and joined the crowd for the next one. I decided to give the next one a miss as it was jam packed... and waited for the one after that, which then hiccoughed its way down the line to North Greenwich.

Our water-cooler in the office has broken down (again). Our water-cooler company don't really care, on account that we only have one cooler (not dozens and dozens) so they don't make much money from us. The cold water tap has ceased to function, however the hot water tap is still going strong (go figure). Had an amusing conversation with Saffy-bloke by the water cooler regarding the hot tap.

Him: "The water from the hot tap is really warm, isn't it?"
Me: "Yes, scalding in fact"
Him: (examining his finger which had been scalded) "Yes"
Me: "That's why there's a warning notice... hazardous even"
Him: "Yes, but there are so many warnings in life"
Me: "So you treat warnings like the boy who cried wolf?"
Him: "I suppose so"

Moral of the story? If the hot water tap says "Danger, scalding hazard" it probably means it!

I feel that I should introduce you to the contents of my office. It sometimes gets confusing, especially as I do not refer to them by their given names. There are ten of us at the moment, which is nearly as many people as can comfortably be fitted in the office. Sitting by the window is me, I have the nicest desk because when we moved in I did the space planning, perk of the job! Sitting opposite me is Saffy-bloke, him of the enquiring mind and fearless interaction with the hot tap of the water-cooler. Sitting next to me is Malay-girl (also nominally my assistant) who is supremely efficient in pretty much everything. Opposite her is Young-lad, we've worked together for about four years now, and he's not really so young now, I guess it is all relative; he is the most conversational person in the office (pretty much always talking). The desk next to him is empty, it is our 'hot desk' where we put visitors from our other offices when they come to stay. The last desk in this little cluster next to Malay-girl belongs to the Reluctant Bachelor. His siblings are all married and his mum is after him getting married; he's one of life's 'fixers', he gets anything done. Moving across the room is a pair of desks these house Older-guy, who is probably a good fifteen or twenty years older than anyone else (which means he really knows his stuff) and Boss-two; he is the partner who spends most time in the office and is responsible for the day to day running, allocation of work, overseeing of rabble, etc. The final pair of desks houses New-boy, I can tell you much about him as he has literally just started and Boss-one the other partner in the office who is overseas quite a lot. Wait a minute, that is only nine! There is also our reception desk, shortly to house Youngest-lad, once he has finished his exams and left school.

Sadly today is a working at home day. So there is just me at my desk in the corner of the bedroom, wishing it could be a bit tidier!