October 2020

I am making things with yarn and loving it

And now a word from a sponsor… A few months ago, I took up crocheting – and I love it. The first week or two were frustrating. I was teaching myself from YouTube videos, which I suspect is harder than having someone teach you in person, and I announced multiple times that I was finished […]

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weekend open thread – October 24-25, 2020

Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: The Expectations, by Alexander Tilney. A teenager and his roommate each struggle in different ways to navigate an exclusive prep school. There’s lots in here about class and privilege, and how weird adolescence is. In many ways, this is the cousin of Prep, which […]

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it’s your Friday good news

It’s your Friday good news, with more accounts of success even in this weird time. 1. I’m pleased to be able to finally share some good news. I’ve had a really tough time during lockdown, struggling to concentrate and feeling like I’m only just keeping my head above water with home working. It was made even […]

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open thread – October 23-24, 2020

It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about (that includes school). If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. * […]

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should our office ban smelly foods?

A reader writes: My staff are busy so I do not discourage them from eating at their desks. My problem is the type of food because some produce strong odors. For example, kebabs are smelly and the smell lingers throughout the afternoon, and if dropped on desks they can stain! We don’t have enough room […]

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starting a new job when you’re working remotely

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’ve just accepted my very first job offer and should be starting in a few weeks’ time. The job will be 100% remote due to COVID and I’ve been informed that the office won’t be re-opening until January at the earliest. Do you and/or your […]

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