Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Not office culture related but ref leisure pursuits here in BC the farmers snot (AKA the handkerchief-less nose blow/footballers nose blowout) is most certainly very popular.

Done mostly during physical sports, such as biking, boarding, skiing, jogging etc, the user meraly places one finger lengthways over the clear nostril and blows heartily down the snotted-up one.

It's almost civilized though, done with an 'ooh, please excuse me' kind of accompanying commentary. Or perhaps more ruggedly, in the company of men, a pronounced "bleeeugrggh" coughing and harking action then harking up the nostrils followed by the same mechanical launching process and a more pronounced verbal apology. The offending slime being cast far into the bush if at all possible so as not to offend other pedestrians (of the rustic, not urban, variety).

Rich.

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

I know many people in both countries who would work around the clock, to generalize and say that UK has better work standards, I highly disagree..

I worked 7:30-6 everyday in Canada, sunday my only day off, when I got cut back to part time I then went to work on a night shift, damned near killed me but my bills were paid. I received 2 weeks a year vacation time, I could either used any OT I accumulated to take off a day here or there or I could take a week at a time....as Brits have such easier way of travelling over to Europe and so much cheaper you value your holidays a lot more, as canadians most of us do not have passports, so that narrows down a good reason not to take hols.
Canada after working 2 hrs, a 15 min break...here I work 8 straight hours, no break, nothing.....we also get more long weekends in Canada then UK
I also work 6 days here in UK, I do it one for finances and 2 I get bored easily....
My father was up at 4AM and didn't get to bed til 10PM, some nights not at all...he did it to support his family, too make a living and to feed the country, I am proud to say my father was a farmer...the kind of man who smelled of the barn when he went to the bank, the man who spit on the ground (never in public) a man who never swore in front of a woman, and felt that if you wanted something you worked for it.
So to answer your question are canadians workaholics??? I think we work much longer hours and get less vacation time...we also take less sick days....and we show up on time, at least anyone I know or worked with...so it depends on where you work, what your work is.

And yes spitting is just gross, been to a Hockey/ball game lately??? They are disgusting....and putting a finger to the side of their noses and blowing is just REPULSIVE.......

The swearing is not a canadian thing, I work with near all men here...they have the most vulgar mouths, I have repeatedly asked them to watch their mouths....I don't want to hear it...do it on your own time not in my work place.....
I never had anyone back home curse very often.....

nuff said

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

As a wrinkly I would suggest that the present generation uses a busy lifestyle as a status symbol to demonstrate their importance.

Extensive use of cell phones, email etc. are used during the long workday to show how busy they are but are they really productive?

It's more theatre and style than substance.

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Certainly depends on location, what's described above is the exception here in BC....folks can't even organize a BBQ here. Slothful, apathetic, erratic are the kinds of descriptors we usually get to witness. Too many lotus leaves to eat, you see. Hell, why should work get in the way of pleasure

Rich.

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

The flashman is wise. All sound and fury, signifying nothing, to quote a great poet.

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Not where I live.....people seem to be on temporary vacation every week!! No-one appears to work full time however everyone seems to live well.....most peculiar!

Where we live, it is the Mañana Syndrome!! :D

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Itsn't it smoking those other leaves rather than eating lotus leaves?

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

My ex learned how to launch a snot rocket from his grandma!

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

I think there's something to that.

I also think there are people who make themselves busy in order to avoid thinking - a constant distraction from themselves. A friend of mine, she can't just be, she always has to have the radio or tv on and/or "be doing something".

I have the opposite affliction, I can just daydream and ponder for hours on end, doing SFA, getting absolutely nothing done! :o Like right now...

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

The ability to be content with your own company, to be happy in your own skin is an elusive one, and I agree that many of those people who are obviously busy are just preening and trying to prove to someone, either themselves or others, just where they are in the pecking order.

Mobile phones are a pain, sometimes literally as they play havoc with my hearing aids, so i am less than impressed by poseurs making unneccesary phone calls

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Well, yes, spitting into the office waste bin is specifically the behavior of Canadians of Chinese descent. I was hoping not to have to spell that out.

You accuse me of generalising my experiences to all people in Canada, and it's true, I don't qualify every post with "your experiences may differ" but, really, you do seem to have difficulty seeing beyond your rather prissy middle-American way of life. Not everyone in Canada is a middle manager in a largish corporate in a medium sized city with a fairly short commute and a minivan with the "quite nice" features package; there is actually some dirt and grime in Canada.

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Competitive people. Immigrants.

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Db....give him a break. In this thread he hasn't mentioned how much his house is worth yet. Geez :rolleyes:

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Fair enough. There's nothing about bicycling in minus one hundred either. I'm going to work on a tag line.

Re: Are Canadians workaholics?
 

Smoke 'um.
Don 't smoke 'um.
Watch 'em smoke 'um.
Hear about 'em smoke 'um.

All seems to have the same results.

Rich.