Virtual Piss-Up

[davidgillon]

Tis the season to get jolly, and normally at this time of year I'd be meeting up with friends from university for a pre-Christmas drink. And we still managed it on Friday, even if none of us were in the same room, or even a pub. In fact we had better attendance than normal as doing it virtually meant one of the two Yorkshire residents could make it (the other one can't be doing with this modern stuff).

Rather than Zoom and its limitations on long meetings (which apparently can be worked around), we went for Google Meet, which I must say worked seamlessly. We had six attending computers, three with couples in front of them (two of those date all the way back to uni). One of the couples did note that it seemed unfair to send their 27yo daughter to her room, but if she will move back in with her parents she has to take what comes. We did have a guest appearance from one of the other couple's 15yo when she appeared to scavenge the remains of her parent's curry.

I hadn't laid on a curry for myself, but did have an ample selection of nicely-chilled German weissbiers within easy reach and it made for an excellent three hours, and for once without needing to dash out early to catch the last train.

Subjects covered, in no particular order:

How the f*ck did we get to be this old?

Covid, and how I'm living 100m from 1,000 cases/100,000.

Brexit. Even our token right-winger expects it to be a disaster (everyone agreed I'm totally screwed when I described where I live in relation to potential escape routes from the M2/M20).

Why there's now a shortage of shipping containers in the UK (clue, Brexit, and none of the shipping firms wants them stuck here)

Trump, seriously?

Why you must never release a rehabbed hedgehog near badgers

Danish zombie mutant mink.

WTF did they do to the college bar?

Why field ecologists now need PPE (cf 27yo daughter and Danish zombie mutant mink)

Brexit lorry parks, and explaining why no, she's not using the same portaloo as the builders (cf 27yo field ecologists and no, you're not grubbing out that hedge, either!)

Covid hair cuts

Children raiding their parent's record collections (cf 15yo daughter)

How have I not killed myself yet? (someone's glass clearly rolled off their desk, for once it wasn't mine).

Didn't you used to have hair? (Every year I'm surprised one friend doesn't)

Covid, all the extra fun of getting home when you were in New Zealand when it started

Working virtually, including starting a new job virtually, and also how it's a bit of a bugger if you're a dressmaker, or a driving instructor

Floor show provided by Sally the Jack Russell puppy (until she fell asleep)

Comments

Re: HOLY SHIT!

[davidgillon]

Turns out I'm wrong on idling. It's an offence under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (England) Regulations 2002. But it's only a £20 fine (and that only if you don't turn off your engine when told to) and I don't think I've ever heard of it being enforced. OTOH there's a consultation on bringing in bigger fines, but that will still depend on it being enforced.