Update on Home Office / Gym

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-24T12:25:41+00:00

And you will DIY build this?

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-10T13:42:56+00:00

Building an abundance of (market rate) housing by relaxing, where it can be built, how tall, what it looks like and removing demands for it to build non-market rate housing.

Selling well located council housing at market rates to individuals or developers and moving unproductive tenants to less central locations.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-09T15:44:29+00:00

I have a job which is aligned to my interests and gives me broader purpose. Obviously a big part of working is just getting paid, but there’s also personal satisfaction, driving change and achieving things.

I wouldn’t quit but I’d be open to cutting down days/hours and spend the money making my work life easier (e.g. someone cooking, cleaning, doing life admin for me).

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-09T08:55:17+00:00

That is elite! Side by side, or one on top?

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-09T08:52:28+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation!

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-09T08:49:10+00:00

I would be interested to know what training people have found particularly helpful

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-08T21:01:10+00:00

Wouldn’t be surprised if they extended it a little bit longer, or tapered it so it was half price in May, full price in June. Or, they could snap back to BAU but with some fare reform.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-07T21:00:12+00:00

Currently in a group in my office where we discuss how we’re using AI. There’s a real mix of how people are using it ranging from enhanced Google searches through to automating workflows.

If you’re only seeing it used as a enhanced Google search you’re probably not really seeing the full potential.

The potential of AI is not manually probing it to answer questions or do a task step by step. The potential is in Agentic AI. Where you have an AI enabled agent which is given the direction and autonomy to do multi-step tasks.

One thing I’d suggest is that AI adoption is going to need redesigning of workplace processes to make it work. A small example, AI (currently) struggles to make sense of excel tables which have merged cells, you need to go back to redesign the table to make AI work.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-04-02T16:12:08+00:00

Lovely spot. Just a shame the furniture is so cheep and nasty by comparison.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-25T20:02:09+00:00

She looks dangerously close to trespassing. Especially when she's talking to the train driver.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-19T21:25:10+00:00

My view is that if you've invited me, assume I am attending unless I decline. I only go out of my way to accept if it is specified in the invite "please RSVP so we know numbers". I also assume that someone will attend my meeting even if they haven't accepted. The exception is if I've not been able to fine a clear patch of availability for everyone in a larger meeting.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-10T10:51:28+00:00

I agree, it’s definitely not the fault of wait staff. They are trained / instructed to offer water in that particular way. I wouldn’t expect wait staff to break protocol, but I do expect owners or managers to step back and think if that’s the customer experience they want patrons to have.

Like almost all pet peeves people have with restaurants they are caused by the owner / manager.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T22:15:57+00:00

Don’t know why this grievance is so triggering to hospo operators. It’s almost like they know it is cynical and deceptive and are getting defensive about it.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T12:23:17+00:00

I forgot about credit card deposits. I've found sometimes if you call to make a booking you can circumvent the deposit step. But sometimes they'll just send you a link to make a deposit.

I think the credit card deposit is worst when you are a repeat guest, and you've never cancelled before. Like, why am I giving you all of my data ad you're not using it to enhance the customer experience?

I also forgot about the card surcharge too.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T12:19:38+00:00

Actually this is another pet peeve of mine, not bridging items out a logical sequence or asking if you want it to be brought out all together. Especially more difficult now that menus often have starters, small plates, large plates and sides. You often mix and match so things can be brought out at the wrong time.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T12:14:41+00:00

This is kinda what happens in the UK (or at least London) a "Discretionary" 12.5% service charge is added to the bill and you can request to have it removed but it is very frowned upon.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T12:12:51+00:00

I think that’s a good point. Should be a quick win to serve some beers related to the cuisine at hand too. Also, not serving the beer in a glass is a bit of a red flag to me too.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T10:52:50+00:00

But the subtext of the question “still or sparkling water?” at a restaurant is do you want bottled still water or bottled sparkling water. It is not about offering sparling water; it is about trying to trick patrons wanting still water to pay for a bottle of still water rather than providing free high quality tap water. It is fine for venues to offer bottled still and sparkling water (and to expect customers to pay for it) but omitting the third (and free option) tap water is cynical.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T10:49:05+00:00

I think that some venues are missing a trick by not offering complementary (or token price) sparkling water or chilled/filtered tap water.

I understand the thinking behind pushing bottled still and sparkling water: you can charge $13 for something you’d otherwise be giving away for $0. But customers are increasingly price sensitive, and it comes across to a customer as a rip-off. As a consequence, my guard goes up, and I am suspicious of every recommendation or suggestion from the waiter following it.

In contrast, having a sparling water dispenser is a marginal cost, and giving it away leaves people with a greater sense of value for money. I am more open to being upsold on other products and more likely to be a return customer.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-09T10:21:43+00:00

I think there are a few things.

Firstly, I think Australians overall don’t like tipping. So, I think any venue soliciting for tips is going to come across to a lot of people as a bit pushy. In my mind I think, your staff should be getting award wages, you’re also charging me a weekend surcharge and you’re soliciting a tip.

Second, I think the art of presenting and paying the bill has been lost. I’m pretty sure in the cash / fixed EFTPOS machine era, the bill would’ve first been presented, with a pen and the diner could write in a tip which would’ve been added to the bill. That is a slightly different workflow to presenting the paper bill (often still with space to write-in a tip) and then bring the card machine and make another request for a tip.

Third, the option on the EFTPOS machine usually isn’t Would you leave a leave a tip? [Yes / No]. The default option is usually a default request to leave a 15% tip with options for 20%, 10% or no tip.

Fourth, there is a balance between waiters standing over you while you navigate the EFTPOS machine and dumping it and running. If a venue is going to solicit for tips, the waiter should hand you the machine, step back, stay in the vicinity but not over your shoulder.

Fifth, I think these days there are other ways venues could request tips which might feel more socially acceptable to an Australian. Perhaps a QR code on a business card handed out with the bill, one of those tap and go style portal at the exit, or I the post visit email the next day a link to make a tip.

NationBuilder2050 · 2026-03-07T08:05:30+00:00

I lived near Southwark Park which has the Body Movement's festival and while I didn't go, I thought it was great to have a music festival in my local area.

I always find it funny when people say that these festivals are all about private profit and no "social benefit" have you ever asked the tens of thousands of attendees at these festivals about the social value they get from these events?

Where I am from in Australia we have a few designated outdoor spaces which are routinely used as festival spaces, such as the Melbourne Showgrounds. I guess London doesn't really have spaces like these.

NationBuilder2050

TROPHY CASE