Corporate World

The English labor market is indeed a very fast-paced one compared to, let's say, Germany.

It is not unusual to be jobless today, start a new job tomorrow, quit after a couple of months (sometimes even after weeks already), and start another new one seamlessly. There are just way too much opportunities luring around over here to stay put for quite a long time. I guess that would explain the equally fast-paced housing market as well (common rule of thumb is, you change your job, you change your residence).

Same thing happened to my workmate Freddie today. Little did I know that it was the last time I was seeing him when we were just sitting together chatting about Bruce Lee yesterday.

So who gets to do his job now he's gone, you ask? Why, the fresh hires of course.

Soon after the news spread this morning and a 5-minute notice from my teamlead, my workload spiked from ~20 % to 163 %.

All these crazy things people do for money.

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Quality Service

I arrived at the office a few minutes later than usual this morning.

Me: (silently grumbles upon reaching the desk and starts to unpack stuff)
Jeff: (looks up) "Hello, how are you this morning?"
Me: "Friggin bus just drove away right in front of my nose this morning, with the evil bus driver smirking at me."
Jeff: "Oh, they have special training to do that and go on various courses to piss off the passengers, think you have just experienced a driver who has been on the advanced course as he knows how to give that smug grin."
Me: ???
Jeff: "Hope the next one along has only been on the introductory course which means he will stop and just be generally miserable."
Me: (raises eyebrows and blinks a couple of times to check if still asleep)
Jeff: "You shouldn't begrudge every penny that you pay, where else can you be that insulted for the money..sounds like it is great value for money!! Next you will be complaining that you have to stand on the journey and it won't stop at your stop, which clearly would be your own fault" (smiles)
Me: (still blinking) "Wow, now everything makes sense. So I've been getting quality service all this time after all!"

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Mobile Accessibility

When I arrived at the Terminal 5 of Heathrow International Airport last July 1, the first thing I did (after exchanging my money to Sterling Pounds) was to get a SIM card which would enable me to telephonically exist in the UK.

So I went to the first shop (it was actually more like an information booth) I found at the terminal, and after waiting for the two clueless tourists (who barely spoke English I doubt they barely even knew the city they currently were) to have the assistance and guidance they were looking for, I asked the by then slightly irritated sales lady to give me a SIM card which offered the best deal.

I ended up getting a Vodafone SIM card which turned out to be one of the most expensive networks in the UK. The best deal indeed. For them.

By the end of the month, I switched to T-Mobile and was far more happier with my price plan.

Eventually, I started longing for an upgrade, but as a UK-newbie free from all records you are just not eligible of anything. Nothing.

After a few weeks of biding I decided to give it another try only to be declined by three different phone shops again. So I phoned my current mobile network provider and literally begged them to prettyplease upgrade my contract.

Three days later all my patience and persistence paid off.

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Short Term Parking and Congestion Charging

Mission: Driving to Central London with your own car.

Impossible? Absolutely not.

But it ain't that cheap either. Not to mention the mission you will be on for, which will definitely put your forbearance to an ultimate challenge.

First, of course you get to pay the beloved-by-all congestion charge which they by the way now increased to £10.00 (yes I can hear you all applauding).

And it does not end there. You will still have to find an appropriate parking space to avoid penalty charges. With appropriate I mean a legal spot where you can park your car for a couple of hours without you having to worry about your windows getting smashed or your radio getting purloined (or both) once you get back.

So you park in a car park. Make sure to make your business quick or not be short on cash.

Terribly sorry for the terrible copy.
Let me break it down for you:

Duration: 15:26 - 20:18
Total Period: 0d3h53'
Gross total: £20.80

That's roughly £5.35 per hour *rakes hand through hair*

Let me just sit here and assimilate that for a while.

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Love in London IV

Me standing at the bus stop (obviously waiting for the bus). Chilly and windy. Workmate Fabio comes up.

Me: "Hey Fabio, how are you?" (smiles)
Fabio: "I'm cold and I need a hug." (puppy look)

That's Italian charm in London for you.

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Four Ridges Must Be Destroyed

New findings for today: Four Ridges Must Be Destroyed

I stumbled upon this page whilst browsing through YouTube and never got to figure out what the site was all about. A horror flick? A video game?

No and no, it is a creepy CREEPY website promoting a... milkshake.

The site is a somewhat subtle focus on the product's new features which are "thicker, slower, better".

Now I am really not the milkshake type, but I do am very impressed with the whole clever and creative idea behind all this!

The campaign was developed by a London-based advertising agency, Grey London.

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