# Attitudes towards working from home



## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

Does anyone else who works from home regularly (either as an employee or self-employed) get loads of annoying 'jokes' about being in bed or being a part-timer etc?

How do you deal with them? I laugh it off but it is really beginning to get on my tits atm and I would like better strategies to deal with it.

FWIW I'm self-employed at the moment but working on a longish term contract so working 3-4 days a week for one organisation. I only charge them for the hours I actually work but I'm not sure the person who makes the 'jokes' realises that.


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

Tell them you have to work from home because you have a fatal disease and you need to raise the money for your funeral because you have no family. Then ask them if they can take the foal when you go so he doesn't have to be an orphan.

I'm serious btw - it's how I deal with cunts who come up to me and say 'Cheer up luv, it might never happen'.


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## Kanda (Mar 20, 2012)

Complain to HR that it's bullying.. they have to act on it 

E2A.. oops, self employed...


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## 5t3IIa (Mar 20, 2012)

Is it just the one person? They need 'dealing' with.


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

Is it Ken Bruce? He'a always making jokes about  people working from home.


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## ymu (Mar 20, 2012)

Yeah, you need to nip it in the bud, I think. I used to get this sort of bullying a lot when I had trouble getting to work on time. Senior management knew the score but co-workers were poisonous. In hindsight, I should have asked management to have a quiet word early on and should have made a formal complaint about bullying later on.

The problem is that these sorts of comments usually hide real resentments. The 9-5ers knew I was getting in late, they were never there at 4am to see that I was still there. It can fester with some people, and come out in very nasty ways, so nip it in the bud now I reckon.


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## pengaleng (Mar 20, 2012)

I employ myself and it's proper difficult.


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## Yelkcub (Mar 20, 2012)

Wanking from home?


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## Miss Caphat (Mar 20, 2012)

I don't think there is much of a solution. I am a student from home (online) and work in "the real world". Been doing this for 2 years, put in at least 65 hours between the two (I work 6 days a week pt) yet people, even close family (while they don't openly joke about it or mock me) constantly make assumptions that show that they just don't get it. People will always be envious of the fact that you get to stay home, and not realize that you probably put far more time and effort into what you do, being your own boss.


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

Our mutual boss is the one who hired me and he signs off my timesheets so I suspect the twat who is making his jokes (who am I kidding, they're snide digs, not jokes) doesn't realise that I don't charge them for a full week's work when I don't work one. I might drop it casually into conversation (ie 'blimey, I've nearly worked 4 whole days for you this week') to make it clear.

He really has a thing about me coming into the office which is really fucking irritating because it's a four hour round trip and I can't always work on the train if it's busy because most of the stuff I work on is confidential. It's such a waste of my time (and their money)


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## Kanda (Mar 20, 2012)

I'd mention it to the guy who hired you then.


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## pengaleng (Mar 20, 2012)

Yelkcub said:


> Wanking from home?


pretty much  

seriously though, it's not like I aint got a real job like some people think, I gotta be aware of competition, marketing myself, making content, getting called fucking ugly and a whore cus I dont do something for some freeloading cunt, I'd actually rather work in an office, but I can't.


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

Kanda said:


> I'd mention it to the guy who hired you then.


I will do if he does it again but I'm going to try and get him to stfu without escalating it. He doesn't actually make any cracks when our boss is there of course


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## Yelkcub (Mar 20, 2012)

tribal_princess said:


> pretty much
> 
> seriously though, it's not like I aint got a real job like some people think, I gotta be aware of competition, marketing myself, making content, getting called fucking ugly and a whore cus I dont do something for some freeloading cunt, I'd actually rather work in an office, but I can't.


 
Ha ha. I hadn't refreshed so your post wasn't there when I posted, so the aptness was coincidental!


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

Is he fit?


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## girasol (Mar 20, 2012)

almost everyone at work works from home one or more days at week, so no. Why aren't they working from home too, the fools?

Just kill them in the face!

People who don't get the value of working from home (time saved in commute, more productivity, as people are more likely to work when they feel under the weather, and also employees feel more loyal towards employer) shouldn't really be in position of authority because they clearly haven't got a clue.


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## Minnie_the_Minx (Mar 20, 2012)

Send them an email at 8.00am asking where they are.  You could also send them a picture (or a webcam shot) of the top half of you dressed smartly.  They don't need to see your bottom half which might be either naked or wearing pyjama bottoms


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## Dan U (Mar 20, 2012)

no i don't let it bother me.

as long as i am delivering the work AND am contactable by my client(s) i really am not fussed what other people think.

one thing i have found is i've worked in a couple of places as a freelance and they have been moving towards working at home, mostly due to reducing office space and hot desking. If you ask to speak to so and so you get told 'oh they are working at home today' and i am like 'and?' 'oh well you can't ring them'

that kind of shit IS annoying. sometimes its because people (not unreasonably) do not want to use their own phone lines for work stuff, in which case the organisation should be providing blackberries or some modest allowance for phone calls. otherwise you get in the bonkers situation where you can't contact a 1/5th of your work force on the phone on any given day.

as much as i love the public sector, sometimes i  at it its short sighted penny pinching.

(prob happens in private sector too)


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## girasol (Mar 20, 2012)

they could use skype - if I need to make work calls when I work from home that's what I use...


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

madzone said:


> Is he fit?


Fuck, no


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## spanglechick (Mar 20, 2012)

Is it not worth a "you *do* know I only get paid for the hours I do, right?" next time he says it.  He may be genuinely resentful because he thinks you're getting away with slacking.


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Fuck, no




I think there's also an element of people talking shit as a way of having just a conversation with you. I get it about my SPLD stuff. When mention I got an iMac I get the inevitable 'Oh, I wish I was dyslexic'. Sometimes I tell them how difficult it's been and how I've had to wait 40 years to come anywhere near meeting my educational potential, sometimes I smile and mentally write them off as a bit of a tosser but mostly I just think people don't think about the shit that comes out of their mouths. They just think they're making conversation.


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## ruffneck23 (Mar 20, 2012)

I wokr from home a few times a month but to be fair i usually do it from bed


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## _angel_ (Mar 20, 2012)

How do you get any work done at all around a kid esp in holidays?
Fortunately there's two of us so I can occupy Dara if he needs to use the computer and vice versa!


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## Dan U (Mar 20, 2012)

girasol said:


> they could use skype - if I need to make work calls when I work from home that's what I use...


 
thats some next level thinking for a lot of people!


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## scifisam (Mar 20, 2012)

I don't hear anything negative from the companies I work for, but a few acquaintances are convinced I don't actually work.

One time when I mentioned to a new acquaintance that I work from home on the computer and need headphones for it, the conversation then took a very odd turn; it was only later that I realised he'd assumed that I was a sex worker. "You don't do it with your daughter there, do you?" "Yeah - she even helped out one time last month."


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## girasol (Mar 20, 2012)

also, trashy, when he makes the 'jokes' you could just ignore it and walk away - after a while he'll stop saying anything.


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

_angel_ said:


> How do you get any work done at all around a kid esp in holidays?
> Fortunately there's two of us so I can occupy Dara if he needs to use the computer and vice versa!


Go and stay at my parents. Normally he either goes to afterschool club or plays on the wii 

madz - I don't think he is just making conversation. We were on a conf call earlier with a woman who I've never spoken to before and when she asked which office I worked from, I said I worked remotely and he chipped in 'she works from home ... or rather, her bed!'

Maybe I'm being oversensitive. But yeah, spangles, I should point that out. It does seem a bit sledgehammer to crack a nut but it may be the only way to get it through his thick head.


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> madz - I don't think he is just making conversation. We were on a conf call earlier with a woman who I've never spoken to before and when she asked which office I worked from, I said I worked remotely and he chipped in 'she works from home ... or rather, her bed!'


 
Firmly in the tosser camp by the sound of it then.


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## spanglechick (Mar 20, 2012)

scifisam said:


> I don't hear anything negative from the companies I work for, but a few acquaintances are convinced I don't actually work.
> 
> One time when I mentioned to a new acquaintance that I work from home on the computer and need headphones for it, the conversation then took a very odd turn; it was only later that I realised he'd assumed that I was a sex worker. "You don't do it with your daughter there, do you?" "Yeah - she even helped out one time last month."


heh - people have some funny ideas.  i don't work from home, but i discovered my mum has absolutely no idea what i do (I'm head of drama in a secondary school). Referring to my recent 'outstanding' ofsted observation, she said "did they watch you rehearsing a play then? Or were you teaching an English lesson?  Because I thought if you were studying a play it must be English Literature, mustn't it?".  

Sorry - irrelevant to the thread, but i was astonished that my own mother doesn't have a clue what i've been doing since the age of 18...


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## EastEnder (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony _works??_


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

EastEnder said:


> trashpony _works??_



Only when I absolutely have to obv


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## Voley (Mar 20, 2012)

The only reasonable solution to this is to skive as much as he thinks you do then rub his nose in it at every opportunity. On the rare occasions you pop into the office you should be driving a sports car, have a suntan and be obviously hungover/coming down from an epic drugs binge. Be sure to not be able to contain your sarcastic laughter when you drop a comment about not stopping for long because you're 'really busy'.


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

spanglechick said:


> heh - people have some funny ideas. i don't work from home, but i discovered my mum has absolutely no idea what i do (I'm head of drama in a secondary school). Referring to my recent 'outstanding' ofsted observation, she said "did they watch you rehearsing a play then? Or were you teaching an English lesson? Because I thought if you were studying a play it must be English Literature, mustn't it?".
> 
> Sorry - irrelevant to the thread, but i was astonished that my own mother doesn't have a clue what i've been doing since the age of 18...


Doesn't surprise me, I don't think my mum has a clue either (although tbh fair, neither do most people). And congrats on your outstanding!

I think he is hugely miffed because he asked me who else I was working for last week and I wouldn't tell him (have signed a confidentiality clause that forbids me from talking about them). Touch of the green eyed monster for sure


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## Monkeygrinder's Organ (Mar 20, 2012)

Make friends with someone in IT and get them to check his internet usage.


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## xes (Mar 20, 2012)

Sounds like he's rather envious of you. (I am, I'd love to work from home) I agre with NVP, rub it in. Just go with it, make him more jealous of you. I know it's easy for me to say, and probably a little patronising, but you've got to try and not let it get to you. (I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I know it's beaten old cliche) Turn it back on him, you've got something he wants. You can have some fun on him, troll him for lulz. Does it really matter if he thinks this? Make him think it more, the work you do will prove him wrong if he ever tries to drop you in it. And it'll make him look an even bigger cunt. (win win)


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## purenarcotic (Mar 20, 2012)

I have no real advice to offer accept to say that my dad now works from home, my mum always has, and I know several other folk who do, and they most certainly do not piss about, and it's utterly stupid this idea that when you work from home you're not doing anything of worth / productive. 

They do work in their pants / from bed though (apart from my mum.  I think if a psychotherapist opened the door to a client in their pants, it would be time they were sectioned, never mind the clients).


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## EastEnder (Mar 20, 2012)

I often work from home one day a week. Vastly less stressful than braving the tube and having to interact with thoroughly annoying colleagues. I tend to be much more productive too - in a stress free, quiet environment I get a lot more done, funnily enough. The only downside is fighting the urge to porn surf and resisting the temptation to start boozing at lunchtime. Oh, and the inevitable hygiene issues... persuading oneself to have a shower & get dressed is nearly impossible when you're not going to leave the house.


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## equationgirl (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Go and stay at my parents. Normally he either goes to afterschool club or plays on the wii
> 
> madz - I don't think he is just making conversation. We were on a conf call earlier with a woman who I've never spoken to before and when she asked which office I worked from, I said I worked remotely and he chipped in 'she works from home ... or rather, her bed!'
> 
> Maybe I'm being oversensitive. But yeah, spangles, I should point that out. It does seem a bit sledgehammer to crack a nut but it may be the only way to get it through his thick head.


How unprofessional of him - I suspect he's jealous of you remote-working, and wishes he could as well, because he would be in bed.

It's a bit out of order him saying anything really, your contractual arrangement is with the company via the boss and it's nothing to do with him.

Send him some emails first thing in the morning or at 7pm, asking him why he's not in - is he part-time? Seriously though, mention it to the boss in a 'does A have a problem with me? He's always making comments about me working from home, or me being in bed. In fact, there was a teleconference the other day and he made the same comments to Y' type of way.


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## FridgeMagnet (Mar 20, 2012)

Yes, this just sounds like odd and unprofessional behaviour - I've heard the occasional joke in office environments but mentioning it repeatedly, and in meetings, to people who don't know you etc is wrong. It's hard to say whether he thinks it's just banter and has no sense of what is socially appropriate, or whether it's deliberate, but I would have a word with my line manager and say something like "I don't like to mention it, but X keeps making derogatory references to my working at home in very inappropriate situations, and it is undermining not just me but also the team, and probably alienating those he's saying it to as well". Have some examples built up.


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

Is there anything really wrong with working in your pants/not showering as long as the work gets done?


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## xes (Mar 20, 2012)

madzone said:


> Is there anything really wrong with working in your pants/not showering as long as the work gets done?


not at all


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## FridgeMagnet (Mar 20, 2012)

madzone said:


> Is there anything really wrong with working in your pants/not showering as long as the work gets done?


No, but this country is awful for presenteeism, which I've always thought was bollocks and about the same level as a dress code. It's just office social protocol bullshit. I've never done either 9-in-the-dot or suit-wearing, except when I was temping.


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## xes (Mar 20, 2012)

I think I can safely say that I've never worn a suit to work.


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## Termite Man (Mar 20, 2012)

Working from home is impossible for me


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## Termite Man (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Go and stay at my parents. Normally he either goes to afterschool club or plays on the wii
> 
> madz - I don't think he is just making conversation. We were on a conf call earlier with a woman who I've never spoken to before and when she asked which office I worked from, I said I worked remotely and he chipped in 'she works from home ... or rather, her bed!'
> 
> Maybe I'm being oversensitive. But yeah, spangles, I should point that out. It does seem a bit sledgehammer to crack a nut but it may be the only way to get it through his thick head.


 

he sounds like a grade A dickhead to me!


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

tbf, he hasn't mentioned it loads, but just that since he's joined, he's made a huge deal about my coming into London more  than I do and I can tell (although he makes all the right noises) that he gets very irritated because I don't get in until 9.45 and have to leave at 4.15 (partly because I've heard him complaining that our mutual boss, who lives near Liverpool, works from home or a local office a fair bit).

Maybe he's just a bit lonely


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## Shirl (Mar 20, 2012)

I think he's just being a tit. When I worked for Shelter I worked from home on office days for years. No one ever made jokes or digs about me doing the washing or being in bed. I think some people just can't possibly imagine working from home but that's their problem.


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## baldrick (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> We were on a conf call earlier with a woman who I've never spoken to before and when she asked which office I worked from, I said I worked remotely and he chipped in 'she works from home ... or rather, her bed!'


that is really unprofessional and undermining. making "jokes" (I don't believe they are jokes either) to you is one thing but to try and put you down in front of a client is so out of order.

does he say this to male colleagues who work from home, just out of interest?

I would be on the phone to my manager first thing tomorrow if that were me.


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## aqua (Mar 20, 2012)

tbh love I suspect they'd be making snide comments if you were office based too - I used to get a whole load of hassle just because I left work on time. "Oh you leaving early aqua?" a swift few "no I leave on time, I can manage my time effectively" or some such shit shut them up but it did take a while.

I also work from home and got some hassle, some from friends on the wind up (a swift fuck off worked there ) and others who were just jealous. As long as I was doing my job, and more most of the time, so didn't really give a shit about other peoples comments. If it got really on my tits I would mention it to my boss as a "for info only" type comment so she knew but never asked for her help


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## aqua (Mar 20, 2012)

if someone make those comments in front of a client/customer/etc I would fucking go mental. Out of order, unprofessional and unacceptable.


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## shakespearegirl (Mar 20, 2012)

I agree with Baldrick, you should mention it to your manager. His comment to the client was very unprofessional. 

When it work from home I don't encounter problems from colleagues or clients, but Mr Shakes really doesn't seem to get that I'm actually am working and expects me to do even more domestic crap than I already do!

I get through my work a lot quicker at home with no distractions.


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## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

''That woman we skyped with seems to have got the idea I actually do work from bed. I know you know I'm entirely professional, get the job done and only bill for the hours I work but seems some people have the idiotic idea that working from home = skiving, even though we know that the studies have proved time and again that people who work from home are more productive. Maybe it's best not to joke about it in case clients get the wrong idea. The boss wouldn't be very happy if clients said anything to them''


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## weepiper (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> madz - I don't think he is just making conversation. We were on a conf call earlier with a woman who I've never spoken to before and when she asked which office I worked from, I said I worked remotely and he chipped in 'she works from home ... or rather, her bed!'


 
What a grade-A knob. And the irritation about getting in at 9.45 and leaving at 4.15, does he not realise you're a single parent and don't have a little wifey who stays at home looking after the foal, like he would? Prick.


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## aqua (Mar 20, 2012)

and just to add, people who accuse those of working at home = skiving normally tells me who does skive when they work from home tbh


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## EastEnder (Mar 20, 2012)

madzone said:


> Is there anything really wrong with working in your pants/not showering as long as the work gets done?


Apparently it's not acceptable in the office, according to my fascist colleagues.


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## temper_tantrum (Mar 20, 2012)

Early-morning 'look at me' cc-all 'can I have X, Y & Z as we agreed in that meeting last week, WHEN you have the time?' emails every so often can be helpful in this kind of situation.


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

temper_tantrum said:


> Early-morning 'look at me' cc-all 'can I have X, Y & Z as we agreed in that meeting last week, WHEN you have the time?' emails every so often can be helpful in this kind of situation.


Yes, I need to start being a bit bloody sneaky


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

You're all so polite. Why can't you just say 'Oh do stop being such a massive WANKER' ??


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## baldrick (Mar 20, 2012)

you're back


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

madzone said:


> You're all so polite. Why can't you just say 'Oh do stop being such a massive WANKER' ??


Because I want them to carry on paying me?


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

Actually that isn't a question. It's a statement of fact. He's a permanent member of staff, I'm not. He could decide I'm surplus. I need the job.


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## weepiper (Mar 20, 2012)

he's a bully. Can_ I_ come and call him a wanker?


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## aqua (Mar 20, 2012)

only if we can come and call your ex one


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## quimcunx (Mar 20, 2012)

Have him killed.


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## weepiper (Mar 20, 2012)

aqua said:


> only if we can come and call your ex one


 
deal!


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

We should do a mass swap of phone numbers so that we can hassle one another's betes noirs.

I am happy to call weeps' ex and shout wanker down the phone at him at unsociable times of day 

madz - do you have the number of a sw or a teacher I could ring?


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## moomoo (Mar 20, 2012)

I'd be happy to join in and shout 'wanker' at anyone who deserves it.


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## wrysmile (Mar 20, 2012)

I love working from home, do it rarely, get shedloads done. But people can be twats about it if they think they can't find you. Point out you are pt. I think some out of business hours emails are called for, but also, most importantly - call him on it. I have never had a work situation continue when I have said 'Perhaps I may be sensitive about this, but when you say x, I think y' and you shouldould add the pt about the lady saying you work in bed etc. People are worried about bullying (unless he is an utter psycho) and he will probably crap himself if you confront him effectively (calm, professional etc). If that fails, ask your boss. If you escalate and the first he hears about it is from his boss, it is unlikely to help the relationship.


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## madzone (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> We should do a mass swap of phone numbers so that we can hassle one another's betes noirs.
> 
> I am happy to call weeps' ex and shout wanker down the phone at him at unsociable times of day
> 
> madz - do you have the number of a sw or a teacher I could ring?


No, I've killed them all.


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

wrysmile said:


> I love working from home, do it rarely, get shedloads done. But people can be twats about it if they think they can't find you. Point out you are pt. I think some out of business hours emails are called for, but also, most importantly - call him on it. I have never had a work situation continue when I have said 'Perhaps I may be sensitive about this, but when you say x, I think y' and you shouldould add the pt about the lady saying you work in bed etc. People are worried about bullying (unless he is an utter psycho) and he will probably crap himself if you confront him effectively (calm, professional etc). If that fails, ask your boss. If you escalate and the first he hears about it is from his boss, it is unlikely to help the relationship.


Whenever he rings he says 'are you sure this is a convenient time?' like I might be off out shopping or having my nails done or something. Or perhaps he's being nice.

Anyway, that's good advice. I had to point out last time I was in London that the deal was that I would go in a couple of days a week at the outset of the contract and then only go in one day a week. He was really surprised that my other clients put up with that  I'm a freelance writer. What's the point of my being in someone's office when I am being paid to write?


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## EastEnder (Mar 20, 2012)

trashpony said:


> I'm a freelance writer.


Let me guess... erotic fiction or Haynes manuals?


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## trashpony (Mar 20, 2012)

EastEnder said:


> Let me guess... erotic fiction or Haynes manuals?


Somewhere between the two


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## moomoo (Mar 20, 2012)

The Betterware catalogue then.


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## Ranbay (Mar 20, 2012)

Yelkcub said:


> Wanking from home?


 
^this, and doing very little and playing xbox and then having to do loads all at once cos you have done fuck all...


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## Meltingpot (Mar 21, 2012)

moomoo said:
			
		

> I'd be happy to join in and shout 'wanker' at anyone who deserves it.


 
I'd be happy to pay to see you do that. 

BTW, I've been a Betterware distributor (for my sins - actually it was a nice little job when the weather and the customers were also nice), and that's the first time I've heard the catalogue described in that way (a "cross between erotic fiction and the Haynes manual"). The best thing about it was it was smaller than the Kleeneze one, so you carry more of them more comfortably and, also unlike Kleeneze, you didn't have to pay for them in advance.


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## Meltingpot (Mar 21, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Actually that isn't a question. It's a statement of fact. He's a permanent member of staff, I'm not. He could decide I'm surplus. I need the job.


 
So does he, most likely he's got a mortgage to pay and possibly a family to support too. Don't underestimate your leverage here.


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## trashpony (Mar 21, 2012)

Meltingpot said:


> So does he, most likely he's got a mortgage to pay and possibly a family to support too. Don't underestimate your leverage here.


He hasn't got a family but I have 

Actually I remembered that he made a crack to another member of the team on the phone yesterday because she was working from hom. Next time I see her, I might ask her if it annoys her too and then we can gang up on him present a united front


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## kabbes (Mar 21, 2012)

In management-speak, these people are called _vampires_ and they are the most destructive thing you can have in a team.  The name refers to the way that they suck the life out of everybody else.  Once one starts sniping and clock-watching you have trouble, because everybody else becomes paranoid and it can suck them into doing the same things.  Before you know it, you have a team of people more interested in being in an office from 9 to 5 than actually doing their work whilst being comfortable in their environment.

Unfortunately, your ability to control it as a team member is limited -- it should really be an issue for the team leader, who should be coming down on it like a tonne of tuna.  If your team leader is good enough, a careful explanation from you as to how it makes you feel should be enough for it to be quietly stopped.  Unfortunately, most team leaders don't have a clue how to manage, with the result that this kind of shit carries on year after year until the team implodes from a total lack of spirit.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Mar 21, 2012)

Because I am currently working at home I can take my daughter to school and drop her off without problems. I get the feeling that the school gate mums think it's an excuse I use, but that could just be my paranoia.

I am currently doing a job for a client through an agency through another productions company.
Gah. Because what I do is 'creative' (not that it feels like that) and I do it at home, the client thinks I can sit around for days waiting for them to get back to me about changes, and that I am their beck and call to do whatever they want whenever they want it (even though we laid out all the ground rules at the start of the project). It's always like this with composing / foley / sound effects work, I mean it's not a real job anyway is it? Grrr.
I mean even though I have now written all the songs commissioned by them and I am just waiting for arrangement approval, they now want to swap one of them for a minute of sound effects. Yeah of course, because that song just popped out of nowhere, it's only like I would have been watching loose women if I wasn't writing it anyway.


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## Yetman (Mar 21, 2012)

I'm probably not a good example. I fill all the stereotypes


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## trashpony (Mar 21, 2012)

Yetman said:


> I'm probably not a good example. I fill all the stereotypes


I never wank when I'm working. Perhaps I should


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## trashpony (Mar 21, 2012)

Well, Mr Vampire has just replied to my last email saying we should discuss it tomorrow as he is on a train to Euston going to see Paul Weller! And it's not even 5pm!!!!!

Fucking part-timer


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## Bahnhof Strasse (Mar 21, 2012)

Was he wanking on the train?


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## equationgirl (Mar 22, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Well, Mr Vampire has just replied to my last email saying we should discuss it tomorrow as he is on a train to Euston going to see Paul Weller! And it's not even 5pm!!!!!
> 
> Fucking part-timer


Make sure you call him that the next ten times he makes some reference to you working from bed.


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## Radar (Mar 23, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Actually that isn't a question. It's a statement of fact. He's a permanent member of staff, I'm not. He could decide I'm surplus. I need the job.


Unless he has "hire or fire" responsibilities than screw him (not, not _that_ way)

As long as the person who hired you and signs off your time-sheets is happy then I wouldn't sweat it. 

I would however first tell the 'jokey' arsehole that you're only paid for the time you actually work for the company. Now that he knows the score, if he then comes out with any more 'jokes' report him to your boss for bullying.


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## Pingu (Mar 23, 2012)

B0B2oo9 said:


> ^this, and doing very little and playing xbox and then having to do loads all at once cos you have done fuck all...


 
I am having one of those weeks this week.

ordinarily I find i get far more done at home and actually seem to work longer hours...

sometimes though the above happens and you end up pulling an all nighter to catch up on al the stuff you couldnt be arsed doing through the week.


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## trashpony (Mar 23, 2012)

Radar said:


> Unless he has "hire or fire" responsibilities than screw him (not, not _that_ way)
> 
> As long as the person who hired you and signs off your time-sheets is happy then I wouldn't sweat it.
> 
> I would however first tell the 'jokey' arsehole that you're only paid for the time you actually work for the company. Now that he knows the score, if he then comes out with any more 'jokes' report him to your boss for bullying.


 
Yesterday I had to go into the office and sat next to him. I realise that he spends a lot of time not doing very much and that he has very little idea of what he's doing anyway. I make him look shit so I feel a bit sorry for him now 



Pingu said:


> I am having one of those weeks this week.
> 
> ordinarily I find i get far more done at home and actually seem to work longer hours...
> 
> sometimes though the above happens and you end up pulling an all nighter to catch up on al the stuff you couldnt be arsed doing through the week.


 
I don't know what you mean


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## kabbes (Mar 23, 2012)

Radar said:


> As long as the person who hired you and signs off your time-sheets is happy then I wouldn't sweat it.


The line manager should sweat it though.  As I said before, this kind of behaviour is very corrosive to a team.  It should be come down on firmly.


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## Santino (Mar 23, 2012)

kabbes said:


> The line manager should sweat it though. As I said before, this kind of behaviour is very corrosive to a team. It should be come down on firmly.


They're all firm once I've come down on them.


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## trashpony (Mar 23, 2012)

kabbes said:


> The line manager should sweat it though. As I said before, this kind of behaviour is very corrosive to a team. It should be come down on firmly.


I'm only there for a few days a week for a couple more months so I don't think I can be arsed  Plus he'll just hate me for doing it


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## Mrs Magpie (Mar 23, 2012)

The biggest problem I had when working from home was people who would drop by expecting to be entertained and have tea made for them because they knew you'd be there 
I couldn't just ignore the knock at the front door because the chances were it was a goods delivery


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## pinkmonkey (Mar 23, 2012)

The biggest problem we have is family assuming you're *always* available, so similar to you Mrs M.


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## Pingu (Mar 23, 2012)

pinkmonkey said:


> The biggest problem we have is family assuming you're *always* available, so similar to you Mrs M.


 
This can be an issue

I am lucky in that I have a seperate office I use when at home so *can* shut the door. The worst bits are when Mrs ping has a day off and I dont though. She stil has problems getting her head round me not being able to go to the shops with her or just pop out for a pub lunch.


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## trashpony (Mar 23, 2012)

Luckily I live miles away from my family and my local friends are not the type to drop by. Sometimes my dad rings me for a 'chat' and just goes on and on and eventually I have to tell him to stfu


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## pinkmonkey (Mar 23, 2012)

Our family do live outside of London, thankfully, but we had to say 'no' last week when El Jugs phoned me in the morning, to announce that he was driving down with a friend for a boozy pub lunch.  I hope I wasn't too rude, but we've been really flat out this month, finishing work in the late evening most days.


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## kabbes (Mar 23, 2012)

Pingu said:


> This can be an issue
> 
> I am lucky in that I have a seperate office I use when at home so *can* shut the door. The worst bits are when Mrs ping has a day off and I dont though. She stil has problems getting her head round me not being able to go to the shops with her or just pop out for a pub lunch.


I am guilty of this with the kabbess (who works from home), I have to admit.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Mar 23, 2012)

Pingu said:


> This can be an issue
> 
> I am lucky in that I have a seperate office I use when at home so *can* shut the door. The worst bits are when Mrs ping has a day off and I dont though. She stil has problems getting her head round me not being able to go to the shops with her or just pop out for a pub lunch.


 
I have given up explaining that I'm not really available to put the washing out and nip to the market while I am working at home. 
"Can you do the hoovering"
It's worse when I am working at the weekend and the wife and kid are around. I can shut the door to my office but it just swings open every five minutes.
"It's a lovely day, let's all go to the park."
"I'm working!!!"
"You are always 'working'"


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## Miss Caphat (Mar 23, 2012)

pinkmonkey said:


> The biggest problem we have is family assuming you're *always* available, so similar to you Mrs M.


 
this is the kind of thing I meant too. people thinking you can just be spontaneous with your plans, like you don't have deadlines, like you're just sitting around waiting for something fun to do, that you have all the time in the world to help them with their problems and give them rides here & there, etc, etc.


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## Lea (Mar 23, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Does anyone else who works from home regularly (either as an employee or self-employed) get loads of annoying 'jokes' about being in bed or being a part-timer etc?
> 
> How do you deal with them? I laugh it off but it is really beginning to get on my tits atm and I would like better strategies to deal with it.
> 
> FWIW I'm self-employed at the moment but working on a longish term contract so working 3-4 days a week for one organisation. I only charge them for the hours I actually work but I'm not sure the person who makes the 'jokes' realises that.


 
I work 2 days at home and 3 days in the office. Our company is very flexible. There's one little guy who always makes snide comments about me working at home for the 2 days just because he chooses to come into the office 5 days a week. I just laugh it off. I get all my work done so that's all that matters.


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## kabbes (Mar 23, 2012)

This is why we have built the kabbess an office in the garden.  And once it is painted and we have bought furniture for it, she can actually take advantage of the blasted thing.


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## Miss Caphat (Mar 23, 2012)

i have been working from my bed for most of the day


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## girasol (Mar 23, 2012)

I stopped letting the cats in the office when I work from home, because they can be really distracting... My son and husband know it's not a good idea to come in when I'm working, unless it's something important.


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## Cribynkle (Mar 23, 2012)

girasol said:


> I stopped letting the cats in the office when I work from home, because they can be really distracting... My son and husband know it's not a good idea to come in when I'm working, unless it's something important.


My cats will sleep for 23 hours a day and then wake up and start screeching abd yowling as soon as I'm on a conference call


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## ChrisD (Mar 23, 2012)

I've been working at home for 12 years. Sometimes I take calls when feeding our chickens. Clients get used to odd background noises and sometimes make jokes about my "country" life style (I live in an inner city) but since they keep employing me I assume they judge me for my work.
  Ignore the remarks and just get on with whatever they pay you for.


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## Cribynkle (Mar 24, 2012)

ChrisD said:


> I've been working at home for 12 years. Sometimes I take calls when feeding our chickens. Clients get used to odd background noises and sometimes make jokes about my "country" life style (I live in an inner city) but since they keep employing me I assume they judge me for my work.
> Ignore the remarks and just get on with whatever they pay you for.


 My manager has a sparrow that she rescued when it was attacked by a cat, when she's on a call you often hear little chirrupy sparrow noises in the background


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## Thora (Mar 24, 2012)

ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> I have given up explaining that I'm not really available to put the washing out and nip to the market while I am working at home.
> "Can you do the hoovering"
> It's worse when I am working at the weekend and the wife and kid are around. I can shut the door to my office but it just swings open every five minutes.
> "It's a lovely day, let's all go to the park."
> ...


This sounds a bit like my house


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## trashpony (Mar 26, 2012)

Well Mr Presenteeism and I have been playing phone tag today with him leaving me messages saying 'please call me back as soon as you get this message'.

Must be something urgent right? No. He was calling to check that I was checking my corporate email address as well my own personal business one as there is a conference call happening. He could have said that on the phone or even forwarded the email to my personal business one but no, he had to talk to me in person. And the call isn't until tomorrow at midday   

What a fucking twat!


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## EastEnder (Mar 26, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Must be something urgent right? No. He was calling to check that I was checking my corporate email address as well my own personal business one as there is a conference call happening. He could have said that on the phone or even forwarded the email to my personal business one but no, he had to talk to me in person. And the call isn't until tomorrow at midday


He's clearly infatuated with you. He wants you _bad_....


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Mar 26, 2012)

Nobody is calling me.
They are leaving me sitting on my arse, with one more minimal job to deliver. All these guys have to do is listen to 10 one minute tracks, say yes or no, then tell their people to tell the people they hired to tell me what they said.

When I finally do get the call, they will want me to work all day and night to finish it off on time, but at the moment I am doing sod all.

Phone me.


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## trashpony (Mar 26, 2012)

EastEnder said:


> He's clearly infatuated with you. He wants you _bad_....


 



ATOMIC SUPLEX said:


> Nobody is calling me.
> They are leaving me sitting on my arse, with one more minimal job to deliver. All these guys have to do is listen to 10 one minute tracks, say yes or no, then tell their people to tell the people they hired to tell me what they said.
> 
> When I finally do get the call, they will want me to work all day and night to finish it off on time, but at the moment I am doing sod all.
> ...


Can you call them and tell them you have another job on?


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Mar 26, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Can you call them and tell them you have another job on?


 
Trouble is there is a long line of people to go though. The guys who hired me are well aware of my position, they have told the people who hired them but the client that hired the people who hired the people who hired me, don't seem to care.

I'm off to Japan on Friday so it's not going to get done by the deadline if I don't get a call today.
I think I am going to have to charge them for the extra week it's going to take now. I'm not their bitch, just sitting around waiting to jump into action.
Mind you, rather a lot of money (about half a years pay for me) is riding on this job so I don't want to piss anyone off.


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## trashpony (Mar 26, 2012)

It's a really tricky balance isn't it? But if you've told them you're going away and they aren't getting their arse in gear, then it's not your fault. Just make sure your arse is well and truly covered if the client goes batshit.


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## Mrs Magpie (Mar 26, 2012)

I tell you what's really pissing me off royally today (not that I'm working from home, I'm just at home, but waiting for a call from my late MIL's executor) is the number of cold calls from overseas call centres.


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## purenarcotic (Mar 26, 2012)

I hate the fact most of them are now automated, so you can't even ask to be taken off a list and never called by them again.


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## FridgeMagnet (Mar 26, 2012)

I'm currently working from my second home, i.e. the pub. Also my mate is working at the moment so I get free coffee. So my attitude is that it's quite reasonable. Mind you, I have to do a Skype call in a bit, which may leave me looking like an arse.


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## Meltingpot (Mar 26, 2012)

Mrs Magpie said:


> The biggest problem I had when working from home was people who would drop by expecting to be entertained and have tea made for them because they knew you'd be there
> I couldn't just ignore the knock at the front door because the chances were it was a goods delivery


 

Michael Moorcock apparently had a note taped next to the doorbell when he was writing. It stated something like; "If you ring the bell once and I don't answer, don't ring it a second time or I'll come out and kill you" (as recounted in Lemmy's autobiography "White Line Fever").


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## grit (Mar 26, 2012)

I've worked from home both as employee and self employed. The distinction of a work space and home space is crucial, and whoever you live with the respect it. It really should be a separate office that is not used for anything else. I've never gotten any smart comments about being on the doss, anyone that knows me knows how hard I work.

Another very important thing is to get out during the day, dont eat your lunch at home especially at your desk. At the very least take a half hour walk outside. I find that doing it long term can have quite negative effects if your job doesn't involve a lot of communication with other people. For me doing software development I would rarely have a reason to regularly talk with colleagues, that can be quite bad psychologically if done for extended periods.


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## equationgirl (Mar 27, 2012)

trashpony said:


> Well Mr Presenteeism and I have been playing phone tag today with him leaving me messages saying 'please call me back as soon as you get this message'.
> 
> Must be something urgent right? No. He was calling to check that I was checking my corporate email address as well my own personal business one as there is a conference call happening. He could have said that on the phone or even forwarded the email to my personal business one but no, he had to talk to me in person. And the call isn't until tomorrow at midday
> 
> What a fucking twat!


I have one of those - I get voicemails saying '~It's X. You seem to be away from your desk again, please call me back'. It's normally some ridiculous questions that isn't urgent. Sometimes, if I'm really unlucky, he phones whilst I'm having lunch


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## equationgirl (Mar 27, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> I'm currently working from my second home, i.e. the pub. Also my mate is working at the moment so I get free coffee. So my attitude is that it's quite reasonable. Mind you, I have to do a Skype call in a bit, which may leave me looking like an arse.


So, did you look like an arse? Enquiring minds want to know


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## FridgeMagnet (Mar 27, 2012)

equationgirl said:


> So, did you look like an arse? Enquiring minds want to know


I went home to do it. And then the connection kept cutting out so I looked like an arse - but only to the other people on the call. I gave up in the end and just typed into the text box as they were all talking - luckily years of MMO activity have made me quite quick at this.


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## equationgirl (Mar 27, 2012)

FridgeMagnet said:


> I went home to do it. And then the connection kept cutting out so I looked like an arse - but only to the other people on the call. I gave up in the end and just typed into the text box as they were all talking - luckily years of MMO activity have made me quite quick at this.


Nice one


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## Mrs Magpie (Mar 28, 2012)

I did some unexpected work from home today. Writing a blurb for a dyslexic artist who needs to label stuff for an exhibition and some exam coaching (English & Maths for a EAL mature student). Quite chuffed as they sought me out as the obvious solution for their needs. This may just be because I'm not asking them for money though!


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