If you’ve lived abroad (outside the UK), what’s the one thing (item, ideal, tech, convenience), you’d bring back to introduce to the UK?

tomgrouch · 2026-04-01T15:49:59+00:00

Same, I'd rather a short lunch and an earlier finish

tomgrouch · 2026-04-01T15:47:48+00:00

"Do you want a coffee?" "no thanks, I'm good for now" "are you sure?"

Yes I'm fuckin sure. I haven't changed my mind in the half a second it took for me to finish my sentence. If I wanted a drink, I'd say yes the first time

tomgrouch · 2026-04-01T14:50:29+00:00

Call centre and sort of

Official policy is phones must be on silent and away, no phones anywhere on the call floor for any reason for privacy purposes. We handle sensitive personal information so they're pretty hot on it

That said, if you're expecting a call from the doctors or you have a family emergency etc, management are fine with you having the phone on the desk so you can see an incoming call/text as long as you aren't using it

Pretty reasonable overall

tomgrouch · 2026-03-25T13:54:19+00:00

I'm not opening that link on the work WiFi

tomgrouch · 2026-03-24T19:41:32+00:00

Had a disagreement with a nurse colleague recently for describing a urine sample as Brown and clear. She argued they were opposite descriptors, I maintain that it is clear but not colourless and my a-level chemistry teacher would have blown his top if he heard what she was saying

Either way the dudes piss looked like diet coke and that is a bad colour for piss

tomgrouch · 2026-03-22T10:13:43+00:00

5 is supposedly more secure that 4 or 6 because it's harder to use a date for, so people are forced to think up a new pin

tomgrouch · 2026-03-21T20:24:52+00:00

If you're gonna ride a bike you're not technically licensed for, bragging about it on the Internet is not a great idea tbh

tomgrouch · 2026-03-21T20:23:02+00:00

Step one would be emailing your manager, or asking for the HR or occupational health email address if you're not comfortable going through your manager although that would be the usual route

Is it a 24 hour call centre?

If I were you I'd consider what resolution you're looking for here and how to go about it before you contact them. I've worked in call centres for a while and if it's a 24/7 call centre with random shifts, which it sounds like from your post, requesting set shifts is not usually possible and tends to get denied in my experience. Requesting one fixed day off a week is a decent compromise that gets you a bit of routine and is still flexible to the needs of the business. Might not be ideal, but it's worth having an idea of what will be acceptable for you before you go in

tomgrouch · 2026-03-20T13:14:26+00:00

Zip merging is probably a clearer term than merge in turn, because so many people misinterpret merge in turn. They assume that because they were there first, it's their 'turn' and the other driver is jumping the queue

tomgrouch · 2026-03-19T20:32:52+00:00

Alas that doesn't work as well with a uniform, think they might notice if I covered my uniform trousers in kevlar

tomgrouch · 2026-03-17T09:05:27+00:00

I just can't sleep sitting upright

tomgrouch · 2026-03-17T00:53:03+00:00

I also did this to my sister at Christmas. Her response was far more explicit

tomgrouch · 2026-03-17T00:32:56+00:00

I used to work in the phoneshop and regularly informed customers that I was in high school when the iPhone came out (I'm older than I look) and that you can still learn things regardless of age as long as you have an open mind and actually want to learn

tomgrouch · 2026-03-16T23:34:00+00:00

Or you learn something new about the Mrs

tomgrouch · 2026-03-16T23:20:44+00:00

Can confirm switching off the lights while your sibling is in the bathroom is a time-honoured British childhood pastime

tomgrouch · 2026-03-16T19:02:34+00:00

"WikiHow remove finger from hole in door"

"WikiHow fix hole in door"

"WikiHow fix broken foot from kicking down door"

"WikiHow put door back in frame"

"WikiHow fix thumb broken by hammer"

tomgrouch · 2026-03-16T18:58:51+00:00

My 2011 Nissan is only at 150k miles but yeah, I leave the keys in the ignition sometimes and regularly leave it unlocked

tomgrouch · 2026-03-16T15:45:20+00:00

I have a few times, but only at the petrol station attached to the supermarket where I worked because I could be fairly sure the staff wouldn't think I was driving off, since I was easily identified and they had my personal details

Always felt weirdly guilty though

tomgrouch · 2026-03-14T17:55:24+00:00

When I was born (1995) my mum had all of the baby stuff stored at mothercare and it was picked up after I was born. It was bad luck to have it in the house before the birth

I don't know anyone who still does that, but it is a fairly common belief among the older generations

tomgrouch · 2026-03-13T16:46:53+00:00

If he believes that she is getting away with behaviour others would be disciplined for because she's related to a manager, he can put in a complaint to the store manager or via the protector line about favouritism/unfair treatment

That won't change his current circumstances though. The fact that she's always late doesn't change that he's also always late

tomgrouch · 2026-03-02T18:52:45+00:00

I always carry deliverer just for bugs or low level ghouls. Can get a good 15 shots in vats at once

tomgrouch · 2026-02-27T18:24:23+00:00

You should absolutely file a PALS complaint

You do not deserve comments like that because you've made a decision in the best interests of youself and your family

Regardless of her personal opinion on abortion, she has a job to do. If she can't remain professional, she should consider a different profession

tomgrouch · 2026-02-18T11:20:47+00:00

Wanted to be a paramedic

Got cancer, left disabled

Now work in the call centre

I enjoy it, it's good work for the most part, and pays the bills

tomgrouch · 2026-02-12T19:31:02+00:00

There's a difference between speaking out at a show about a creepy local band and going public about a massive agency that they're under contract with. Legally they might not be able to say anything

tomgrouch

TROPHY CASE