Tuesday 13 November 2012

Travel Broadens The Mind...Worrywarts

I have been a bit of a travelling wilbury of late, meaning much mile-high consumption of a vast range of reading material. Audrey's had quite a workout but with the rules being what they are, there are about 20 minutes per flight when, after dutifully switching her off for take-off and landing, I wonder what to do with myself. And that's when BA's business:life magazine comes to the fore.

There's been a bit of a change in format with the latest edition and I'm not sure of some of the new 'regulars' (rare earth metal of the month being the most random). But you'll be pleased to know that the fascinating facts are still there so I'm delighted to bring you this latest edition of Travel Broadens The Mind.

This post's theme has been inspired by the pessimism of the British. Amazingly, in this nation of worrywartsone quarter of Britain's HR Executives have no formal policy to manage employee stress and anxiety.

It's a big problem. British workers have a lot to contend with on a daily basis. I mean did you know that they lose 10 million individual socks each year?


I wonder where all of the lost socks go. A lot seem to disappear in my washing machine, odd socks finding their way into my basket without their significant other. Sometimes I find a rogue sock ensconsed in a trouser leg but some seem to have disappeared for all eternity. business:life reveals that there's a fair bit of clutter in the average UK attic - £2,800 worth in fact. Gidday HQ doesn't have an attic but does have a cellar - do you think they might be there?

In the meantime, what should one do? I'm not sure about wearing odd socks so should one buy all socks the same so that they can be re-paired with new matchy mates? It's quite a conundrum. Particularly since 1 in 3 UK women hates shopping for clothes. (For the record, I'm in the two thirds.)


Maybe it's best to take a rest from the issue at hand altogether. Not only does a holiday sound like an excellent plan but by getting the destination right, you can actually avoid sock-gate altogether with a range of sandals, slides and flip flops thongs (unless you are a socks and sandals kind of saddo gal/guy). But it will likely take you 9 days to get back into a work routine after returning from holiday so all of those HR executives will have just a little bit more to worry about.

Just goes to show what goes around comes around.

But it won't be long before the stress-o-meter will be up again - at least for the 14 million families in Britain living with unfinished home improvements.

Because let's face it.

There's nothing like an un-done to-do list to give you something to worry about.

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Travel Broadens The Mind - Back Catalogue
...Let's Play!
...It's A Virtual Life
...The Euro Zone
...All About The Readies
...Flights Of Fancy
...Or So They Say

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes to Traveling Wilburys and buying multiple sets of socks to 'remate' as needed. No to encouraging anyone, at any time, in any way, that it's possible to consider wearing socks with sandals. No saddos, none at all :)

Charlie Wade said...

I have to say, the older I get the more appealing socks with sandals becomes. It's that great combination of warm toes and annoying other people that you don't find anywhere else.

Unknown said...

How wonderful to have attracted two such dichotomous points of view with a post about socks.

That is all I can find to say.

Thank you both!