Be Excellent To Each Other

In my last job, I had a pass for free, unlimited travel on any ATW service.

However, NR doesn't operate any trains, so we don't get squat. I can't even hitch a ride to work on a tamper or the measurement train.

Put a mousetrap on top of the alarm. That'll get you up.

There's a measurement train? Does that do what you'd expect?

Measure your penis size?

It's not as exciting as it sounds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_Ra ... ment_Train

But is a "messing car"? That sounds filthy. Is it for the workmen's breaks?

The consensus in here is that it's for the breaks of the train crew.

The train does run continuously, so all guys on board will be need to be fed.

So "Mess car" then, really. How dull. I was expecting some sort of rolling orgy factory.

They're actually experimenting on the International Space Station to see if rolling orgies are better made in zero gravity.

That's one unlucky russian bloke up there, then.

Rolling stock hmm.

Apparently Napoleon did it for much of his life, and throughout at least some of his succesful military campaigns.



Yeah, I found this years ago - I rapidly develop immunity to alarm clocks, and quite often switch them off without even waking up once they go off - my arm finds them and I stay 98% asleep. Some of the time, when I eventually do wake up, I'll have a vague dream-sodden memory of possibly hearing the alarm.

I tried all sorts of tricks, too, including stashing a second alarm inside my pillowcase. After a while the same thing happened - I learned how to find it and switch it off almost instantly without even waking. Ideally I'd get new alarm clocks and cycle them, but that's impractical at the moment, so I just settle for a bunch of alarms and reminders on my phone.

I leave mine on my desk, which means getting out of bed if I want to switch it off.

Great for when I really need waking, but a nightmare when I forget to turn the alarm off on Bank Holidays.

Tried it. I just sleep through it then, usually. Lately I've been putting it on the floor so I have to lurch about. Seems to help a bit.

I never had this problem at uni. Even though my work is, if anything, laxer on my start/leave time. I had to be in for both by 9am or 10am, yet this whole "making sure I get the train" thing is a pain in the farmer. The buses at uni were, quite literally and scientifically accurately, once every 5 seconds. Now I have to make sure I get something at a specific time, even if the journey is only 4 minutes. I think the morning "stay-in-bed-for-as-long-as-possible" drowsyness is purely end-point-expectancy based psychologicalness.

If it's 4 minutes why not just walk?

It's a 10 minute walk to the train station. And the train goes at like, 50mph. I walk at about 3. So it's an hours walk? Probably a bit less. I could bike it but; screw that. I don't wanna die.


ffs: I just tried to provide you a map, but this internet connection is so shocknig I couldn't navigate google maps properly. Basically: Watford Junction to King's Langely. Walkable?

Not really I suppose.

Seems daft though. Waiting around and basing your life over a 4 minute train ride.

I'd still bike.

It does indeed. I just don't fancy biking it from where I am. Especially down the fatter road. I have enough trouble crossing it as a pedestrian on the way to work after getting out the train station. I wouldn't fancy cycling down the damn thing.

Two examples for this.

8 months ago I started at 9am. During term times my average journey time was 35 mins as I have to go past 3 schools. This is for a 3.3 mile journey. Just a bit too far to walk to make up the difference but a huge annoyance to drive. It got to the point where I was getting in for 8:15 just so I didn't sit in traffic for 25 minutes. With no flexi I might add.

Now I get in at 7:30 I have managed to get up at 7:17 and still make it on time. The journey at that time in the morning is so predictable that I know the exact point I am going to be late - 7:21.

No. There's two busses that go between Watford Junction and King's Langley too IIRC (the 500 and the 322), but they're pretty shonky too. I used to have to do that journey to and from college, plus I occasionally used to have to work in the Watford branch of Gamestation whilst I worked for that company.

Bike? Not being funny but it sounds like the answer to the problem. It'd take you well less than 20 minutes.

Unless the children also had bikes, right?
Oh except, NOES TEH PEDOLFILES!

Unless they're some kind of display team.

Kalmar: I would bike. But I have no-where to store a bike in my flat. I used to bike a little further than that but then they stopped people using the storage cupboard in my block. Then after a week of leaving my bike chained up outside it went missing.

Jesus
What a country eh? Kill the people who won't let you store the bike under your flat through the face, that's the only answer.

AceAce: Nah no kids. But a river and a train track bisect my little town. There is literally only one route to get to my workplace and that is over the bridge. The journey thereafter has three schools on it.

(edit)
Kalmar: Yeah tell me about it. I was pretty pissed.

To see what I mean go to google maps and type in "kings heath industrial estate" Then zoom out a little.

Ace: Indeed, if only life were like a less violent GTA. I could get a chopper as a reward for finding hidden things around the area. It would re-spawn too.

Bit of a crap start for me. Such was my desire for sleep is that I got up, got dressed, then went back to bed and dozed for almost an hour, eventually getting the 9.24 train before stumbling in at 10.

Compromise, get a pedalo and tie it up on the river, hopefully there's a railway footbridge too..

CG: furiously dozy

Amusingly I didn't play EVE at all last night. The gf popped round, and then I was reading until late.

On sundays I'm up at 5:40 and out the door by 6. Normally I'm up at 7 and at work by 9.

Bed-three steps-desk.

Working from home for yourself is fun. Only traffic to worry about is a jacknifed cat in the hallway. The office parties are a bit dull though, I had to tell myself off for photocopying my own arse.

I worked from home for a while. Hated it. Never really stopped being at work.

I'm the other way around.

*Goes to put 360 on*

I'd love to work from home permenantly. Unfortunately a good portion of my work requires me to be at an internal no-access-from-the-outside terminal at the moment, which is a bit of a fag.

Alarm goes off at 7:00
Alarm goes off at 7:20
Alarm goes off at 7:40
Alarm goes off at 7:45

I normally get up at the 7:40 one, as it allows me to dwadle for a bit longer.

I then shower, dress, and sit on the internet for a few minutes, before leaving at around 8:15-20 to walk the ten minutes down the hill to the train station.

10-15 minutes on the train, and then a 15-20 minute walk, and I'm at my desk for 9(ish).

It's manageable, but I am very much not a morning person. I preferred University, where my second year alarm schedule was generally:

Alarm goes off at 8:00
Alarm goes off at 8:20
Alarm goes off at 9:00
Alarm goes off at 10:00
Alarm goes off at 11:00

I finally figure that I've missed three lectures already so I may as well miss all of them, and turn off the alarm clock.

I had a wonderful time, though I did have to repeat the year.

I remember those days, of missing all the lectures not because I was hungover, or busy, or doing anything important, merely because I was fucking lazy and shiftless. Awesome times never to be repeated until I win the lottery or something.

Wake up at 7, pace around outside the bathroom trying to hold the wee in as flatmate infringes on MY bathroom time again.
Breakfast and cuppa at 7.15, followed by much lolling around and TV watching.
Begin selecting clothes, putting clothes on at 7.45.
Leave flat at 8.15, 35 minute walk to work.
Pop into Tesco at 8.50 for a bit more grub.
Work at 9.

I can't do all that rushing about/ arriving at your desk 5 minutes before getting out of bed thing, I need a leisurely start.

I should have elaborated - begin selecting least smelly/ creased clothes from floor.