BristolUK

That could be a fund raiser for thrill seekers.

Danny B

That's cruel

Reminds me of this prank

Jingsamichty

The weather is distinctly autumnal here in the UK now, and I have already thought about clicking the heating on or lighting a fire during the day. I can see that extra fuel costs will soon become a real concern for many people who have been otherwise happy to work from home over the summer.

Maybe not so much a problem in Canada where the heating tends to be on all the time anyway.

Pulaski

We are currently enjoying a remarkably long period between using AC and heating - it's been about 4 weeks since one of the post-hurricane tropical drepressions brought the temperatures down to where little AC is needed here in NC, and we rarely turn the heat on before the first week in November. We usually hope for two weeks of mild temperatures in the autumn with little or no AC or heating, but this year it could be six weeks. ...... In the spring we usually have a similar "gap" which was also longer than usual this year - close to two months from mid March to mid May.

And while we may have increased home gas and electricity bills we have saved a lot in commuting costs, reducing our driving by 75%-90%, which has saved us more in petrol alone than we ever pay for gas & electricity. In any case peak AC usage costs more than heating does in the winter.

Jingsamichty

This is true of me too, especially given that, pre-Covid, I was commuting between the UK and Germany. My world has shrunk to my village and the nearby market town. I have scarcely been much further than 15 miles from the house in 6 months. I've even sold my motorbike because it just wasn't getting used - I've nowhere to go!

Danny B

Well after 8 months of WFH, we have been asked to come back to the office on a voluntary basis, 1-4 days per week. I chose Mon & Tues to be back. It feels really weird.

Lots of building changes to cater for COVID, every other urinal / sink blocked off, only 2 in the lift, one way stairwells etc. So many touch points in an office environment but they are doing their best. Time will tell if they called us back too early.

scrubbedexpat091

Hopefully it doesn't turn into what happened at my sisters office, they went back to the office, then my sister ended up getting almost everyone in the office sick. (My sister was asymptomatic so had no idea she had it.)

BristolUK

Urinals in the lift? That's not very private

caretaker

Super convenient though.

Danny B

Reminds me of this yank visiting a European beer festival and then washing his hands with piss cake

BristolUK

I have a vague recollection of a Norwegian comedy show on TV in the UK. A sort of candid camera segment featured a guy with one of the bowl kind of urinals strapped to his body, as a mobile toilet. Standing at the bottom of an escalator in a subway station I think.

scrubbedexpat091

So with today's announcement you going back to full-time work from home?

Danny B

Yep. The company wide email came out this morning saying the 'return to office' plans have been scrapped until further notice.

Jingsamichty

We had a work social last week. The company delivered a box of 4 gin or whisky samples to everyone on the project and then at 4pm on the Friday we had a teams meeting with either the gin or the whisky expert who took us through a tasting session. It was great fun and a good opportunity to have non-work chats with colleagues.

spouse of scouse

That sounds like fun! And not a karaoke machine or photocopy of someone's bum in sight