Stan

@UK Grun Weiss is a massive Max Kruse fan as well as a Werder Bremen fan.

it worked in Germany with Hockenheim and Nurburgring (with one classed as the European Grand Prix) but both of those are classic, traditional circuits and actually added something to the calendar. I know it's for money to have another one in China but I don't see what it'll add to the calendar apart from just clogging it up. I don't agree with it and find it fairly pointless to be honest.

Yeah we were looking for ages and luckily flights from Luton and back were only something like £60 return and that was bang in middle of summer holidays. Guess this weekend being bank holiday as well you're bound to get prices hiked up.

Agreed.

There's good wash 'n' wax services in Scotland. Don't taste the Irn-Bru though as the recipe has changed recently. Be prepared to drink your body weight in alcohol otherwise you won't ever be accepted. @nudge can suggest some good Scottish whiskey's for you.

Me neither not so much but you get used to ignoring that or giving it less attention. When I said non-work stuff I kind of just meant football to be honest .

Yeah I think it's good to have a balance. I started my current job as office-based and then went to home-based with the big change at work. The knowledge I gained from being around more experienced people in the office was so valuable and it's one thing I'd find difficult if I was coming in to the job right now and having to start at home, so I sympathise in that respect for people in that situation.

Yep, been doing it for 2.5 years and I absolutely love it. The freedom, independence, managing own time, flexibility of working hours is great (similarly to you, much of this would go out the window if I had other commitments like kids!). Have to be very self-disciplined and time-management is key. At our work we're heavily supported with it and our department was the first to go permanently home-based working so we were encouraged to do it with that support. We get encouraged to meet regularly with members of the team whenever we want and make a point of meeting regularly as a whole team anyway so that we're not totally isolated. Doesn't even have to be meeting in the office, either. Can be out in the areas we manage or at a coffee shop and we can work remotely there if we wanted to as well. I don't think I could go back to office working just yet, either. On the flip side, it does take a lot of getting used to not seeing other people in the office and not having general chats with people about non-work stuff. Although you don't get distracted nearly half as much when working from home. Swings and roundabouts really!

Beat me to it. Good luck @Eco. All the best! Working from home is a challenging aspect and somewhat understated whenever people (who don't do it or never have done) talk about it. Many positives to it but it's not 100% perfect unless you can adapt and deal with isolation. Having a good support network both at work and home is something that can help no end.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/47928697 Chelsea lose to a last-minute own goal against Man City in FA Cup Semi-Final.

Doesn't have to be a hurricane to want to check the weather

UK weather is some of the most unpredictable

Yeah, they've got it right pretty much any time I've had to look in to the forecast a few days away. More than the likes of BBC or even Met Office who could only be quite broad about it. Ventusky are very precise as well, not just when it comes to temperature and wind conditions. All the other stuff seems bang on.

Shoutout to @nudge for recommending that Ventusky weather app a month or 2 ago. Has seriously helped with planning whenever I have to travel for work or just out with family/friends

Agreed.

Started watching Fleabag from the start as had seen a lot of rave reviews following the recent second season. Not too bad.

West Ham fans with some anti-semitic chants on a train before their game with Man Utd yesterday as well.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-47914832?SThisFB Judge spares a woman a jail term for drink driving but saying if she was a man she'd have gone straight to jail (!). The lady was already banned from driving when she got caught by police having drank a bottle of wine and damaged 3 cars, and was over the limit nearly 3x. But cos she'd been clean since May, she's been spared jail but Judge stated it'd have been straight down the stairs if she was a man.

?

Haha I did a boat tour as part of our Heineken tour last time I went. And went to a place called The Greenhous Effect which was very good. Didn't get to go to Anne Frank museum last time so may go this time. Think I went to Lost in Amsterdam as well. So busy so we had to go st different times to actually get in and get seats cos we wanted to stay there a while.

Yeah my mate usually heads to Gray Area (?) to get it as it's not too expensive. Cheers.

@Eco we're gonna test you at the end of the season to see how much you've learnt

Nice, yeah have seen that winding park through the city. Got any other recommendations on places to visits, eat and drink etc?