Had to go to London today for some urgent meetings.
Train up was fine.
Train down is another matter. Nearly every other passenger is sans mask and worst still we’ve broken down (actually the signals have failed) and I have been standing on the platform of some godforsaken station for nearly an hour now with about 50 other passengers and no one at the station has any clue and busses are not being arranged.
Local taxi firm is quoting £129 for 35 miles and no one wants to share!
2nd train journey since 31st October 2019. Great record! :-)
Last edited by: zippy on Fri 16 Jul 21 at 21:41
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I’m glad I agreed on jeans and T-shirts for the meeting.
There are a few guys in suits that look decidedly hot and a few have started on the bottles of wine they were probably taking home for the weekend!
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A fault with the signalling system at Tunbridge Wells is causing disruption at this station. Trains may be delayed or revised. This is expected until 22:30.
What's happened?
There's two faults with the signalling system on the Hastings Line - one at Tunbridge Wells and another near to St Leonards Warrior Square.
Network Rail engineers are on site at the Tunbridge Wells fault and further staff are en route to St Leonards Warrior Square.
The faults are preventing trains running between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings.
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Thanks!
Another train has turned up but it’s standing room only and it’s not going anywhere yet. Driver has said there are still problems on the line and half the station on the schedule are not now being stopped at (to make time up no doubt).
Passengers heading for those stations have not been given any alternatives yet and look like their on the verge of mutiny.
On a more positive note the client I had to see today was well chuffed (sorry) re the outcome of the meeting (not my client but I was there to explain why things had gone wrong on a technical basis due to GI on their part and GO on our part.
Some very plain, honest but friendly discussions and the client has signed up with their manager for a few more years rather than re-banking.
They also appreciated the more casual dress code, first comment was “thanks so much for suggesting jeans and T-shirts.
I now need to get the lunch bill approved by the boss’s boss at it was a little expensive!
(GIGO Garbage In, Garbage Out, for those that aren’t familiar.)
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>>I now need to get the lunch bill approved by the boss's boss at it was a little expensive!
One would hope that your boss would understand it was cheap compared to the cost of replacing the business if lost.
But I have little faith in UK management, so perhaps not.
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My wife works in corporate banking and it has always bemused me that she and her colleagues seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time deciding what is the appropriate dress code for various meetings. ( As opposed to preparing to do any banking ) ;-)
Having worked in the premium end of the fashion industry all my life, I really can't remember anyone ever worrying about that. There has always been a culture of wear whatever you want whenever you want, just make sure you wear it well and put together a look that works for you, your body shape, the weather, and just looks good.
But, in the end, it's not about what you're wearing, it's what you say or do while wearing it !
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>>and just looks good.
And you'd trust the majority of the human race with that goal, would you?
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>> And you'd trust the majority of the human race with that goal, would you?
Aye well, you make a fair point there of course, but I'd rather at least try encourage a culture where people feel able to express their own identity and preferences rather than one where cheap suits and rubbish shoes become the accepted norm.
But you are right, the Brits in particular are not good at it. If you are unfortunate enough to visit a workplace on a "dress down" day where the cheap suit rule applies normally, it can be more than a little disturbing !
Odd in one respect really, as the Brits on average buy far more items of clothing and footwear a year than most, so you'd imagine they were interested in their appearance. But, the other side of that coin is that they also averagely choose to buy more lower quality items. Fast fashion as opposed to investment pieces.
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>> wear
>> whatever you want whenever you want, just make sure you wear it well and put
>> together a look that works for you, your body shape, the weather, and just looks
>> good.
>>
>> But, in the end, it's not about what you're wearing, it's what you say or
>> do while wearing it !
Says the man in yellow desert boots.
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>“thanks so much for suggesting jeans and T-shirts.
What do home workers do for 'dress down' Fridays?
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Jeans ? In this hot weather ?
I’ve been living in various pairs of Haglofs & Fjall Raven shorts these past few months, with REI or similar short sleeved shirts.
Red Wing leather shoes if it’s cooler..if not lightweight Hoka trail shoes or Chaco sandals ( no sox heaven forbid) if it’s really warm.
I’m no style icon and the Chaco’s have survived several river trips but they’re like a second skin.
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Got home at 23:28. It should have been 21:30ish.
Mrs Z was to tiered to pick me up and I had to walk 1/4 mile to the taxi rank in town as the one at the station was empty.
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>> Mrs Z was to tiered to pick me up
Well, it's a good job you weren't to tiered to post on here!
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>> I had to walk 1/4 mile to the taxi rank in town as the one at the station was empty.
A whole 1/4 of a mile, I feel for you.
:o}
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>> Got home at 23:28. It should have been 21:30ish.
>>
My £10 taxi claim has been rejected by expenses.
Fine.
My contract states I work from home. I have left home at early hours to ensure I meet clients at 09:30. Now I will be leaving home at 9:00 and getting to clients at about 12:00.
Meetings planned so that I don't get home after 17:00.
Of course I won't but goodwill should go both ways.
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I don't know if it's a bad or good thing but I've no idea what any of those brands mean or ever heard of them.
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 16 Aug 21 at 20:04
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>> I don't know if it's a bad or good thing but I've no idea what
>> any of those brands mean or ever heard of them.
Its a good thing soots, a good thing, Style icon he aint.
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>> Haglofs & Fjall Raven shorts ........... REI or similar short sleeved shirts...................
>> Red Wing leather shoes ............ lightweight Hoka trail shoes or Chaco sandals
>> ( no sox heaven forbid)
>>
>> I’m no style icon and the Chaco’s have survived several river trips but they’re like
>> a second skin.
>>
This is a windup - right?
What a shame we never managed to get that Twickenham stadium tour together!
I am sure I would have had so much to tell the chaps.
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>>
>> I am sure I would have had so much to tell the chaps.
>>
....he wears chaps as well......?
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>> ....he wears chaps as well......?
Its the uniform of choice for climbing out of the barbie mobile outside the go west nightclub........
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 17 Jul 21 at 21:13
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>> What do home workers do for 'dress down' Fridays?
Is that still a thing? I thought the dress down thing was a 90s thing.
Last edited by: VxFan on Sat 17 Jul 21 at 21:13
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But, in the end, it's not about what you're wearing, it's what you say or do while wearing it
.....and a decent watch
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Well, yes of course Rob, that more or less goes without saying.
;-)
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I’ve not worn a watch for several years....my most expensive, and only watch, an £80 Mondaine, has been awaiting a new battery for at least 4 years.
2 years ago, I took my late Fathers watch, a simple old Seiko, and my late Uncles, to be cleaned. Somehow they lost them, swore blind I’d collected them despite me retaining the ticket. I was upset at the time...another reason I hate Keighley.
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My current watch is a 13 year old Seiko Kinetic Pepsi Diver's watch. bought for less than a $100 in a "mall" in the US in 2008. It had to have a replacement capacitor a couple of years ago, but it is remarkably accurate. Oddly how one becomes attached to them.
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I suppose I have quite a lot of watches. My maternal grandfather was a watchmaker. Still have his tools somewhere and quite a lot of parts.
Gave my 35 year old Tag to my son a few years ago because he'd always admired it. But, like you, my daily watch is a Seiko divers thing I bought in Hong Kong some years ago. Automatic movement, not very accurate, I tend to correct it on a Sunday as it loses about 2 minutes a week. Or, I wear a 20 year old Casio G Shock for those occasions when I might bash my watch. That's solar powered and picks up a time signal so never needs a battery or adjusting.
The Seiko is a bit scratched now but the old Tag ( crystal sapphire glass ) still looks like new.
In a drawer somewhere is my dads old Dundee made Timex. 1950s thing. Looks very retro and I keep meaning to get a strap for it.
Then there is a Timberland branded one I was given for some reason and a Nautica one that I aquired similarly. Of course they probably have some basic movement in them and are battery powered but I never seem to get around to wanting to wear those.
I do like to have a watch on though. Going without one might be liberating but it would feel as odd as going without underpants.
;-)
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I too have quite a lot of watches. I guess the oldest is 100yrs old but most are watches I bought new. Only two or three are particularly valuable but I like them all.
My favourite is a 30 yr old Longines but it's not very hard wearing so most of the time I wear a Rolex, which is very robust and looks as good now as it did when I got it 20 odd years ago.
It's very rare for me not to wear a watch.
Last edited by: No FM2R on Sat 17 Jul 21 at 16:49
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I have my fathers 1966 Bulova Cushion Chronometer, with the very up market Swiss Valjoux 7733 manually-wound movement, worth about 700 quid or so.
And a Withings Steel HR smart watch. Which is my every day watch. Its a very smart stunningly capable piece of kit
Last edited by: Zero on Sat 17 Jul 21 at 17:50
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Well, I suppose, when you need all the help you can get...
;-)
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>>Withings Steel HR smart watch
That's a lovely looking thing.
I like the whole idea of a smart watch, but due to old injuries I cannot bear anything tight, even slightly, on my wrist. Hence I wear only metal straps and then very loose.
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Watch wise I've got one Skagen (a small company from Denmark I think) That's my posh watch.
www.skagen.com/en-gb/
My work watch, which I don't wear much these days is a taliban special*, worn them for years. Very hardy mega cheap. Pick them up anywhere in the world.
*en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W
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You should come and live in the North. Merseyrail has the most punctual train services in the UK (latest figure just over 96 per cent) and has had that honour over a number of years now!!!
tinyurl.com/3x39hpbh
Merseytravel, a Government body, operates the travel services over Merseyside and its near 60 strong fleet of brand new trains, currently running trials, start in service towards the end of the year.
Last edited by: Stuartli on Tue 17 Aug 21 at 15:43
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Trains damn and blast it! - zippy
