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Election night!

We're watching BBC on mute and luckily are able to listen/watch to my favorites online - Brian Williams, Andrea Mitchell, etc from NBC. Looks like it will be a late night for us!

At least we'll have these cupcakes as snacks! Andy is eating a blue one every time Obama wins a state. One down so far...

How I get my news (and why there is no reason to ever buy a newspaper in London)

No matter what time you get on the tube, whether you have to get up well before the rooster to catch a train or you go in late to work, you will find a newspaper to read. There are at least 4 daily papers that I can think of off the top of my head and 3 of those have a morning and an evening edition. Oh, and these are just the free papers. Pretty good value. OK, fine, they aren't exactly filled with challenging articles that make you think or even use GRE words but they give you a very brief summary of the headlines, what's on the TV, and most importantly, what celebs were spotted in London, where they were and what they were wearing. For me, that's worth picking up the paper and getting the black ink on my fingers. I don't always know all of the 'famous' people in the paper but two of my favorite coworkers are helping to enlighten me on the local British stars. Who knew that Katie is Jordan and Jordan is Katie? Well, I do now. Also, thanks to the daily rags I know what a WAG is... well, actually, I didn't know what the acronym stood for, I just knew that Colleen, Cheryl, and Victoria Beckham all fell into the category. And to my great surprise it's actually not pejorative at all. Again, my friendly sources at work have educated me: Wife And Girlfriend (generally of footballers, but I think other sports stars can have them too, though I don't think they are as fab). Hmm, wait, it's not disparaging right?

But back to my point, which briefly escaped me, you never have to part with your hard earned pounds in order to stay loosely informed on important world events, sport, ridiculous happenings of stupid citizens of our world, and which hollywood celebs are living in or visiting London. The papers always cover the movie premieres that happen in Leicester Square or Covent Garden and everyday I shake my fist at the sky and say 'why didn't I know about this!' Maybe it's just me but some days I really wish I was Kyle Chandler's character in the great but short lived TV show Early Edition... but instead of preventing crimes or tragedies, I would just know when to show up to a premiere or a restaurant or a club to glimpse my favorites. Only my very favorites though. It would be fun and not stalkerish at all! Well, whatever, the paper occupies my loooong commute to and from our flat. (Note: we are moving next weekend so my complaining about the tube and hour commute will soon cease! hooray.)

The way you get your paper is pretty interesting too. I mean, sure, you can get one from the annoying guys that stand in middle of the street handing them out, or if you are really early to work you can pick one up off the stack on your own. But my favorite way to stay informed is to pick up one of the many many papers left behind on the train for others to read. It can't be that Londoners are big litter bugs, right? They are just contributing to the great information recycling scheme, I am sure. It is amazing though how few rubbish bins there are in London, particularly in the tube. (They were taken out during the days of IRA conflict for obvious reasons... and if it's not clear to you what I am talking about, email me. I just don't want to type that word on the blog, frankly.) So maybe it's just because people have no alternative and they have to leave their papers all over the tube. Or maybe it's just for me! Cheers everyone.

And in those highly irregular times when the tube is crowded and the paper math doesn't add up I am simply forced to read over someone else's shoulder. Oh, come on, everyone does it. I need the scoop! What would I do if I couldn't find out what Amy Winehouse's hair is doing and whether or not she is finally in rehab? (They tried to make her go but she said no, no, no). I don't even want to think about it.

The TV Made Me Wear It

On television, when people go to the gym they wear super cute outfits. In the US, I think what characters on TV wear could be seen (to some degree) in real life gyms. Not sure if TV is reflecting life or if life is reflecting TV.

But recently I realized, in the UK, it's definitely the latter. I have seen a whole host of things that I am not sure about, and have certainly not seen on TV in the workout in the gym context.

The first one that comes to mind is indescribable, but I will try: it was a one piece halter outfit. It had a deep hole in the front and back and a tie that met under the breast bone. It was something akin to a cat woman outfit. Maybe they showed Batman on TV here recently. I have seen the wearer twice, both times in different but similar ensembles. So that was one.

Something I see all of the time is people wearing polo shirts (some with and some without popped collars). It was one of those experiences where you see one and then you realize, they are all around you. I just could not figure out why you would preppy up to go sweat. Who does that? I have seen fancy workout clothes and makeup in real life, but not this. Not even on TV. Then, one day, Andy came up with a brilliant explanation: in England, the major sports heroes all wear collared shirts when they play their respective games. Football, cricket, rugby, etc. It's weird now that I think about it. I now chuckle to myself a little when I see people wearing them and I down right belly laughed when a dude teaching a total body conditioning class busted out in a bright pink one. So, this one is definitely TV related. I was wrong.

I have also seen a bunch of Brits wearing American specific apparel like a 'Gettin' Lucky in Kentucky' T shirt, a Nationals cap, several NFL football jerseys, and a lot of UT shirts. Now, I cannot imagine that the guy wearing the KY T shirt had any idea where the state is (I am yet to meet a Brit who does) and I know the dude in the Nationals cap was clueless (I said aloud, 'Nationals, sweet' to no response). I could probably argue that the NFL jersey-wearers knew the teams and possibly the people wearing burnt orange would have said Hook Em back to me, but then again, maybe it's all about the telly they watch.

Can't wait until my next sighting. I will for sure go to tvguide.co.uk to figure out the inspiration.

The Office: UK v. US

For once, I am not making a cultural reference. Perhaps you expected that I was currently watching the Office on Slingbox or surfthechannel.com? Or when it comes on the actual television here (which incidentally they call 'The Office: An American Workplace')? But no. I'm not really a huge fan of the show even though I think that Steve Carell is comic genius (as evidence, I submit his Golden Globe 2006 speech his wife Nancy 'wrote' and that should be enough), his Michael Scott character makes me want to crawl out of my skin with awkwardness and discomfort that not even John Krasinski's charming Jim Halpert character could make me become an avid watcher of the show. The show is a hit in the US and it's a hit here in the UK even though they had the original Office with Ricky Gervais and that dude who played Gareth, Mackenzie Crook, who is in a new movie, Three and Out, for which there is a ginormous poster of in all tube stations in London. But what was my point? Ah, yes, this posting is not about pop culture, not really.

No, no, the title of this posting is actually referring to how I am about to compare working in the UK and working in the US. Be warned, the following discussion could possibly a) give you a sense of the differences in general work environs in each country, b) help you figure out which country your office is in, c) convince you that your office is better than the alternative, d) make you angry that you don't live and work somewhere else, and/or e) inspire you to drink a cup of tea.

When I reflect on my experience in my new office in London, several major differences spring to mind (not including the fact that I don't always know the vocab for various office supplies).

1. Cube Farms Are Illegal in London. Ok, this may be a total lie, but I am yet to see anyone sitting in cubes which is why I think they may be banned. True, at Mathematica we didn't have cubes, we had our very own offices with doors that closed so that you could listen to your music as loud as you want so what do I know of cubes? But I'm just saying, in London it's all about the open floor plan. Some places as dividers but they are not the same as cubes. With the open floor plan you have greater collaboration and team work and you actually get to talk to your coworkers (and assuming you like yours, like I do, that's kind of fun!). The downside is, less opportunity to check gmail (shame!), no chance to catch 30 winks, and zero door space to litter with ridiculous post it notes (where is my creative outlet?). I'm not saying I want a cube though. Let's just be clear about that.

2. Anyone Care for a Drink? I am in no way exaggerating when I say that I am offered a cup of tea or coffee at least 5 times a day. There is an unwritten law that says when you want a drink you need to offer your colleagues one. If you are going to the kitchen to get yourself something the obligatory 'Anyone care for a drink?' must be asked. It's possible you could get knifed (remember, it's England, they don't do guns here) if you decide you are the only thirsty one in the room and go turn on the kettle without extending an invitation for others to hand you their cups. After a while you pretty much know how everyone takes their tea or coffee and since it's the UK, you know for sure that everyone is having milk with their tea, that's a non-issue. Whether they take it strong, very strong, with sugar, without caffeine, etc. that's the tricky part. And while sometimes it's difficult to carry them all back at once without a tray, it's actually a very nice gesture that makes me truly enjoy my work day just a bit more. It's downright hospitable! Just the kind of thing a transplanted southern girl longs for (since no one seems to be willing to make eye contact or flash a smile on the street!). This is not the type of thing that happens in the US, and even on the off chance that it did, it would never happen every single day, every single time someone goes to the kitchen. I imagine that if a Brit were to go work in a typical American office (in a city not located in the south where this may well happen regularly) they would be shocked by the lack of consideration when it comes to making sure coworkers have had their morning, midmorning, afternoon, late afternoon tea.

3. Well, If You Are Happy To... In England, there is a regular discussion of happiness, whether the asker of the question knows it or not. I am pretty sure it's just a saying that people use without thinking about it, like 'how are you?' You don't really want anyone to respond with 'Well, I have had a crappy day if you must know' and then proceed to tell you all of the things that have gone wrong the last couple of hours. No, what you are really saying (not asking) is 'Whether or not everything is ok, please say fine, good, great, spectacular, to what I am about to pretend to ask you.' In the UK, particularly in the workplace, you are not asked if you can or will do something. You are asked if you are happy to do something. This is actually a brilliant strategy for getting the answer you want. If you ask someone if the can or will do something they have an opportunity to say they are too busy but when you ask someone if they are happy to do that something the options are more narrow-- No. I am absolutely loathed to that! is just not an answer you can give. We are not talking about ability here, we are talking about how you feel about doing the task... and really, no one wants to hear about (nor do you want to talk about) your emotions at work. It's simply inappropriate. So, happy or not, you are almost forced to say yes, that you are more than happy to do! Thinking about similar approaches in the US, the only equivalent I every came across was while working in DC. It was employed by one of my very favorite people who also happened to be very senior (which gave him credibility and the opportunity to do this). If he sent you an emailing asking you to do something, he never put a question mark at the end of the request. For example, "Sarah, can you call our subcontractor and make sure that they are planning to send us an invoice for the work they have done." The first time you get an email like this you assume he made a typo, after all, the . and the ? are next to each other on the keyboard. But after a while you realize that he is telling you do something, not asking. It's subtle. It's effective. And, frankly, it's pretty genius! I called him out on it once and he laughed a deep hearty laugh but continued with the periods.

4. The Shape of the Work Week. My first job out of college was in Boston where the work week is 37.5 hours long. But Boston, apparently, is not the real world. In almost all other parts of the US, you work 40 hours a week at the very minimum. And let's be honest, when do you work the minimum? In London, the official work week is 35 hours long. Your day begins at 9:30 am and likely ends around 5:30 pm if you have taken an hour lunch. Those are the basic rules. Of course there are exceptions like if you are working on deadline etc, but generally speaking 7 hours per day of work, 5 days a week. And I thought I liked working in Boston!!

5. Holiday vs. Vacation. In my head these words are synonymous, but maybe they aren't. In the US, average vacation days = 10. In the UK, minimum holiday = 25 days. In many cases companies in the US think that giving employees unmarked days lumped together is more generous than allocating the number of days you are 'allowed' to be sick and take a vacation separately. I can kind of see the logic here, if you give people enough days to realistically take time off to relax and also factor in the likelihood of their getting sick in that year. So, usually, when a company gives combined 'annual time off' it ends up being about 15 or so days. I would assume the thinking is 5 days for people to get sick and 10 days for them to take vacation. If you are someone with a weak immune system, you may not get any vacation days at all but if you are healthy then you get to have all 15 for traveling the world, or hibernating in your house, or whatever. Well, regardless of how the days are allocated, 2 weeks out of 52 is not enough to recharge your batteries! In the UK, you get a minimum of 25 days holiday (more depending on the employer) and if you are sick, well, you are sick. If you are ill for an extended period of time then a doctor's note will be required but generally, if you feel poorly and need to stay home to recover and/or not spread your germs to coworkers then that's what you do. If you give limited days then people end up judging on their own if they are sick enough to warrant staying home and in the case of people who horde their vacation days (that would be me!) you end up going to work sick and being a menace to public health. sorry, about that.

Conclusions? Well, because I value vacation time, shorter work days, sleeping an extra half hour, being 'happy to' do things, and drinking tea, I am very much enjoying working in London. That said, I miss my office on the B hallway terribly! I could ply my door with a million post it notes and it was right next to the supply closet where I knew the names of all the office equipment!

Smiling

I like to smile. It's part of who I am. Not everyone enjoys smiling, I realize. Maybe that makes me weird? Or maybe it just makes me Southern? My face enjoys a good smile and sometimes my teeth just need to be flashed. I'm a smiler, ok?

Brits don't smile, at least not at strangers. I both talk to and smile at strangers. By the transitive property, I must not be a Brit. Last week I decided that I was going to conduct a little experiment and boldly smile like I haven't smiled since Austin (DC was a scary place to smile at strangers what with all the crack heads and teenage flashers in my neighborhood). Our neighborhood in London is not only safe, it's downright charming so I should survive this trial.

Here's how it will work: On my walk to and from the tube in Chiswick, I will make eye contact with as many people as I can (not an easy feat in and of itself in London!) and then give them a great big smile (with feeling). Afterwards, I will note whether they a) smiled back innocently b) smiled back with a glint in their eye saying 'what do you want?' c) smiled back with a 'how you doin'?' look in the eye d) glare angrily e) offer a confused look or f) look away quickly.

My money is most people will fall into the f category, assuming I can even make the initial eye contact. I'll let you know.

How I decided to get a cat

I am a dog person. I see a dog walking by and I greet him or her. I encourage them to come to me for a pet. I remark at how cute or pretty they are. I'm not sure what to do with a cat except leave it alone and admire it from a distance or allow it to brush against my leg (on its terms!) So imagine my surprise (and Andy's) when I said that I wanted to get a cat last week. I even went so far as to look up shelter where we could adopt one.

So why the heck would I say 'let's get a cat'? Well, it's very simple. Last week, Andy and I stumbled out of bed to find a tiny little mouse dying in our hallway. Egads! I have never seen a mouse in my house! Andy scooped up the little guy and took him to the trash outside. Gnarly. Yuck, yuck, yuck. When we got home from work we took the little mouse out of the trash can and walked it to down the street to a park just in case it woke up and wanted to have a run (or to release its spirit?) It just felt more compassionate.

When we moved here we heard that there were mice everywhere and with an old (even refurbished) home there will be cracks and holes and ways for little dying mice to get inside on a cold night. Regardless of how commonplace it may be to see mice, I am not cool with it... so our landlord called the council to come by and take care of it. Unfortunately, they told her there London was experiencing a mouse and rat infestation (words I never want to hear again!) and that it would be a week or so before they could come by. The British local government system is interesting. Everyone has a council. The taxes you pay to the council (and yes, we pay the taxes, not our landlord!) take care of things like trash, recycling, street lights maintenance and cleaning, maybe a few other things. They also entitle you to a discounted pest control service. Luckily our landlord offered to pay the few for the council to come out and take care of it. They come tomorrow and hopefully they find that it was a fluke the little mouse got in the house and they seal the hole where he made his entrance. If not, and they find out that we 'have mice' I am going to become a cat person immediately and try to adopt the most dog-like cat (ie something I can cuddle) I can find.