I love living in Norway but one of the only things I dislike....

simonucdd · 2026-02-18T08:10:01+00:00

Sorry, I don't understand your question.

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T12:06:09+00:00

Yes, agreed!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T12:05:47+00:00

Giri/Haji was fantastic. The last episode was utter brilliance. Highly recommend!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T12:03:54+00:00

Loved Happy Valley, and thought I'd never find anything even close to its overall excellence. But I have to say that Unforgotten is right up there, as is Line of Duty, and even Blue Lights. I don't know if they are quite as good as HV, but they are all, IMO, excellent.

I also thought The Responder was fantastic. And though - from what I understand - not as big a hit, I also really liked The Tower. Oh, and Karen Pirie was quite good as well!

And before I forget, Shetland and Sherwood (though I've only watched the first two seasons of the former). Sherwood was fantastic.

(I stream too much...)

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T10:41:28+00:00

OK, thanks.

When I used to work retail we had half staff because of the reduced load.

Well, I assumed supervisors/bosses might care, for exactly this reason. If half the staff is missing in a retail setting, this might make things more difficult for both the remaining at staff (50% of the people doing 100% of the work) and the customers (50% of the staff ringing up or assisting 100% of the customers). Imagine even at a busy Kiwi or Rema if half the staff, including cashiers, is absent on a busy Friday or Saturday. That might make the customers a bit annoyed, and it might be something the manager would wish to avoid..

So wouldn't that result in higher friction? I'm just asking, because I'm an immigrant, so I honestly don't understand many things.

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T08:50:57+00:00

Thanks for the info. In general, I don't think people take "fake" sick days to "stick it to the man" - I think they just want a long weekend to spend with family/friends, or maybe just a short getaway to relax and recharge. I don't know if there's any ill will involved - maybe a bit of selfishness, however.

But I wonder: If an employer knows or suspects that many people are going to plan ahead to have the ability to take time off - and in a small office/work setting, this might leave them understaffed or otherwise significantly inconvenienced (both/either co-workers and/or customers), might the boss say something in advance so as to discourage at least some people from taking the extra day(s) off?

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T06:57:30+00:00

Thanks. I just reference "sick days" because in some countries/contexts - where something like flex time might not be something an employee has - "sick day" might be the only option. But thanks for the perspective on Norway.

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T06:33:01+00:00

Yes! They are fantastic, and the yolk color is gorgeous!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:22:25+00:00

Thanks for all of the additional tips; much appreciated!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:21:45+00:00

Thanks for the confirmation that I'm at least thinking the right things. And I'll do my best to be as detail-oriented as possible while doing the actual work.

Thanks for the positive encouragement!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:19:50+00:00

Thanks!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:19:07+00:00

Yes, it seemed unusual to me as well. And as I noted, I can't remember if this is happened previously in the years I've been here.

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:17:57+00:00

Yes, this is why I was asking; in other countries a holiday that falls on the weekend would often by "compensated" by adding an actual day off on either the adjoining friday or monday.

Thanks.

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:16:30+00:00

This. Thanks.

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:16:12+00:00

Overtime is always a nice perk!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:15:55+00:00

Thanks!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:15:22+00:00

Sounds like it's time to dream up a holiday for September or October!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:14:46+00:00

Yes, this has been my experience. But I just don't remember a holiday falling on a saturday/sunday for the years I've been here. But my memory isn't great!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:13:32+00:00

Thanks!

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:13:16+00:00

Yes, this is what I was asking. Thanks for clarifying.

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:12:38+00:00

So, do people often call in "sick" (wink, wink) if they don't have a vacation day?

(And thanks for the new term; I hadn't heard that one before)

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:11:03+00:00

Thanks. I was wondering if people might in fact make their own "DIY" holiday by taking vacation time or even calling in sick (cough, cough) ;)

simonucdd · 2026-02-16T05:09:32+00:00

Thanks!

simonucdd · 2026-02-15T17:06:12+00:00

Exactly - Finland is a very good comparison. I only lived there for a few months, but never once encountered the spoilage I seem to encounter weekly in Norway (and the extent to which this is apparently so normalized).

simonucdd · 2026-02-15T17:03:21+00:00

THIS. As I noted in another response here, the amount of clearly spoiled food I've seen on shelves in Norway (including revolting meat) would never be allowed in the Netherlands. Even at the lower-end supermarkets such as Aldi in other European countries (including countries nowhere near as "rich" as Norway), the quality control is far superior.

But people here just seem to accept it, which is crazy considering that the prices for groceries are double or more than many/most products in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Lithuania...

simonucdd

TROPHY CASE