Old assistants and new babies

My assistant annoys me. But the last one did as well. So maybe it’s me? She never stops eating (2nd packet of crisps this morning). And she eats on the phone as well, which I need to do something about. She racist, particular races rather than a sweeping prejudice of everyone except her own race; Indian. She’s drippy and irritating. She tells boring stories and wants – bizarrely – to tell you everything about herself. Although she does appear to work hard and I can ask her to type something and be fairly secure in the knowledge that she will at least turn the paper over to check whether there is something written on the back, which was never guaranteed with the last one…

Maybe I’m the intolerant one? Maybe my prejudice is pointless, irritating people? It’s true that I wouldn’t want my daughter marrying a pointless, irritating person, if one came for a job I’d find an excuse not to give it to them. And frankly I don’t think pointless, irritating people should be allowed to marry – what does that do to the gene pool?! I suppose I don’t mind if they keep it to themselves, but it’s when I can’t avoid it and it impacts on my work, that’s when I get annoyed…

I was walking to my office from the car park this morning and there were two young men - fairly rough looking, spitting (is that a mating display?) and wearing trackie bottoms and baseball caps. One was moaning about his lot in life, I couldn’t really hear the details, just as well because I might have advised him to get a job. But as I drew level the other one said, “Want to come to my mum’s for a bit and have a cappuccino?” It was tea that got us through the war, but its fancy coffee that is providing solace for our young people… not exactly hard is it?

There are people everywhere today. 2nd day of inspection and we’re getting into the swing of things. I still haven’t seen the inspectors though. They’re upstairs and I’m downstairs and besides, I’m not on their interview list. It feels a little like safari on Africa, will you see the big 5? (There are 5 inspectors as well funnily enough.) I thought I saw movement by the lift this morning but it turned out to be the sandwich lady…

We saw our friends with the new baby last night and I was struck by how doltish some people are when visiting families with new babies. For example, I always thought that when you visited you took food (homemade is good, but even if it’s only milk, eggs, bread) because all of a sudden, as a new parent, you don’t have the time and energy to cook and get to the shops, especially in the first couple of weeks and months. You should offer to make tea for everyone rather than them having to wait on you. And if there is a job to do; washing up, taking out the laundry you just do it. Holding is good too. Babies love to be held, but that does rather mean spending large chunks of the day not being able to use your hands. So holding the baby whilst they have a potter, or go for a shower is great! Little things like that mean so much more than presents. I thought all this was common sense, but apparently not. People turn up wanting to share in the joy, which is great, but actually, without meaning to can be a bit of a burden.

However, knowing the calibre of readers of this blog, I realise none of you would be so thoughtless ;0)

What a random blog entry today? At least you can’t accuse me of being to predictable I suppose!