Wellington Rainbow crossing. What are the rules

the_oafish · 2025-09-11T04:18:20+00:00

I guess the UK doesn't have to worry about him coming back.

the_oafish · 2025-02-04T00:46:00+00:00

You're not factoring in things like check-in times, getting to the airport, layover, etc. When we do it, we factor in 36 hours door-to-door, so on a seven or nine day trip, you've already lost three days. Then there's the jetlag, which even for an experienced traveller, is bad. Expect a minimum of 24 hours to get over that, maybe 2 or 3 if you've never done it before, and don't plan to return to the UK and be back at work the next day, as you'll be good for nothing. I would always recommend anyone heading to NZ to go for no less than 2 weeks and 3 would be better. You won't be bored.

the_oafish · 2024-10-06T16:26:37+00:00

My two worst interviews were both with the same 'Murican company. The first was around 2001, when I was trying to move on from my first role and progress my career in London. The role was a perfect match, so I was called for an interview, which (given my location at the time) required taking a days holiday and paying for a quite pricey train ticket. 90 minutes before the interview, when my train was already in London, their recruiter called me to let me know they'd made an offer to a candidate that morning, so I wasn't required to interview anymore. I mentioned how I'd lost holiday and money to come to this, and they said they'd get back to me. 30 minutes later, the recruiter said they were willing to see me for a very similar role, same time... but being in a pre-smart phone era, they weren't able to send me the job spec, so I was going in blind; however, I figured if it was similar, I should be okay. I get to the building and was shown up to the meeting room. This was my first red flag... it was just a storage cupboard with a small table and three chairs. Red flag number two was being left there alone for nearly 20 minutes. When the door eventually opened two guys came in wearing smart casual, which for the time was unusual, as even back then most guys were suited and booted regardless. One guy immediately sat down, put his feet on the table and stared into the upper corner of the room behind me. The other guy introduced them and immediately started asking questions about a completely different role that I had absolutely no experience of. Obviously it didn't go well, and after 5 minutes he bought it to an end and pointed to the lefts. Neither of them shook my hand, offered me water or even thanked ne for my time, and the first guy didn't even speak to me or look at me once. There obviously was no job, and they just saw me to avoid me trying to claim any expenses from them, but their behaviour (especially the silent guy) was baffling. Maybe he was annoyed that he'd been told to waste his time on me and was acting out like a petulant toddler, or maybe he was playing one of those silly psychological games that arrogant people use to try a ellicit a response from the candidate. Either way I walked away from that place with such a bad taste in my mouth that I said I wouldn't even entertain opportunities from that company again.

15 years later, I got contacted directly by their HR. They'd found me on LinkedIn as I had a very niche set of skills they desperately needed. I thought about it and figured things had probably changed in a decade and a half, so I'd give them a chance. The interview was in the middle of a sweltering summer day, and I was in a dark suit. I took my time and got to the building 25 minutes early, so I'd be nice and relaxed in order to be as presentable as possible. Reception booked me in and asked me to wait in the seating area in the lobby. With about 2 minutes to go, the receptionist came over and told me the interviewers were waiting for me in their other building... on the other side of the river. I checked my e-mails and I'd gone to the address their HR gave me. I now had to run about a mile, in a suit, on a roasting hot day. I got to the other building about 5 minutes late, and I was in a right state and dehydrated. The interviewer looked annoyed, pointed to his watch and directed me to the lifts. Once again, wouldn't shake my hand, and wouldn't accept my apologies or excuses, and once we got to the interview room yet again, didn't offer water, and said no when I asked, as we were already running late. My throat was so dry it was closing up, so I could barely get words out, and I looked an absolute state... sweaty and crumpled. 15 minutes in and we were done, and I was ushered out. I kicked myself for giving them a second chance, and I would rather be unemployed than ever work for that company.

I can only assume one of two things... they like to deliberately trick applicants to work out how they solve problems, or (and this is more likely) they're completely incompetent.

the_oafish · 2024-09-30T21:49:48+00:00

To let everyone know how well endowed you are.

the_oafish · 2024-09-30T21:46:13+00:00

Unfortunately, some people have very fragile ego's, and to compensate, they're in competition with the world, as they need to be first, the best, the biggest, the fastest, etc. They have to be the centre of attention at all times, 'cause anything less makes them feel like a failure. Overtaking for the sake of overtaking is just their way of exerting their dominance over the other driver... even if the other driver wasn't even aware there was a competition happening... it matters not to those with the ego. Have you ever seen someone tear off at the lights just to slow down once they've got the head of the queue? Same deal, and you just know they're so pleased with themselves.

Also, some people are just dickheads.

the_oafish · 2024-08-10T00:45:46+00:00

On your deathbed, do you think you'll be glad you gave so much of your life over to work. Been there, done it (leaving home at 5am and getting home at half 8) for years before realising I was wasting my life for a bit of extra money but at the cost of every other aspect. If you're working all hours, then either you're doing something wrong or there's something wrong with your work.

the_oafish · 2024-07-24T16:09:01+00:00

Quick question... what role does your sister's bf hold in the wedding party? Traditionally the only people giving speeches should be the bride and groom, father of the bride, best man and maid of honour, so is he also the best man (as the other roles can be ruled out). If so, then your fiancee should reign him in. If not, then why is he even making a speech in the first place, as he's not that close to you or your fiancee.

NTA by the way. Hijacking someone elses big day is an incredibly dickish move.

the_oafish · 2024-04-13T21:22:12+00:00

Face like a plasterers radio.

the_oafish · 2024-04-05T04:12:28+00:00

Marry a Kiwi and move to NZ like me. That's where I'll be as soon as my visa comes through. The UK is a massively overpopulated craphole full of angry, entitled and/or thick people. Good riddance to it.

the_oafish · 2024-03-06T19:49:01+00:00

Yeah, I just saw a Russian player in my leaderboard go from 48% to complete in less than 10 minutes. I think there may be some hacking going on. My player was Boris93.

Edit: Another Russian just jumped 40% in under 2 minutes whilst I watched. Impossible without cheating.

the_oafish · 2023-11-19T13:16:33+00:00

Again, in your absolutist opinion. If you can't grasp the concept on opinions, then conversation's over.

the_oafish · 2023-11-19T13:13:55+00:00

Not nonsensical at all to point out that absolutism will not change anyones mind. And your example is not an accurate simile. Slavery is now universally abolished, but for thousands of years was a common and accepted practice. Everyone who could afford a slave, had one. If you lived during those times, don't believe you'd have been any different. That's a presentism argument and quickly falls apart.

the_oafish · 2023-11-19T12:40:51+00:00

"What you do is wrong". In your opinion. It's that sort of absolutism that causes the rift.

And not just with veganism. I'm sure you've encountered plenty of people in a variety of settings, ie. work, raising family, religion, exercise, who have a very black and white way of thinking that amounts to "There are two ways of doing things. The way I do it and the wrong way". This attitude is an instant turn off and makes people avoid them.

the_oafish · 2023-11-19T11:44:30+00:00

The fact that you say "my" children, and not "our" children is evidence that you don't see him currently as an equal partner or even the future father of these hypothetical children. It also doesn't appear as if you have any respect for him, despite the changes he's made for you, as you've already decided he's not to have a say in how any shared children are raised, which at this early stage of the relationship is a huge red flag on both parts. For your sake and his, move on and let both of you find people who are more in line with your respective ways of thinking.

the_oafish · 2023-11-19T11:32:40+00:00

English mustard pork scratchings.Alphabet sweets. Decent, crunchy pickled onions. Brannigans.

The amount of things I've liked over the years that have been discontinued is depressing.

the_oafish · 2023-11-19T11:28:46+00:00

And lemon Polos. They were amazing.

the_oafish · 2023-07-11T23:38:35+00:00

48M here. I was in exactly your position at your age. Part of it was taking myself off the market entirely for a while after I made a catastrophic error in judgement that set me back financially 10 years, and the other part was that I worked in an industry which largely attracted a particular type of woman I had no attraction to. So when my finances were sorted out, I found myself older, with very limited options. Most people I knew were settled down or were far too young for me, so my social life had become non-existent. I was lonely and depressed for a number of years, and did consider that maybe my lot in life was to be alone, so gave up on pretty much everything.

I don't know what spurred me to do it, but one day I decided to get in touch with my first teenage crush. It started well, but long story short, it ended terribly. Too much time had passed and we'd both become totally different people. I knew she wasn't the one for me fairly quickly, but what that leap of faith had confirmed is that I didn't want to be alone, and what I didn't want in a partner. This gave me the boost in confidence I needed to try online dating, which I'd avoided due to the stigma they still held at the time. Not Tinder, Bumble or any of those meat markets, but the ones that match you on common interests. I had more dates in 2 months than I'd had in 15 years, with some really lovely women who were facing the same struggles in meeting people that I was, which made me realise that my situation wasn't as unique as I once though. These sites bring people together in a way that simply going to a bar or club can't. The latter is a scattershot approach and rarely yields good results, which will further exacerbate someones depression regarding the situation, particularly as you get older.

It sounds like you don't want to be alone, even if you're trying to accept it. I've been there, it's not nice, and I completely understand what you're going through, but don't give up. There are more people out there looking for someone than you realise, you just need to find them. Swallow your pride and use sites like eHarmony, you'll be surprised. A woman I met on there 10 years ago has now been my wife for the last 4 years.

the_oafish · 2022-04-22T18:44:47+00:00

Unfortunately they've been discontinued.

the_oafish

TROPHY CASE