There have been incidents like that in my life, where it is only after the fact you realise what was going on.

On a different note, how often do you call family and friends and how often do they call you? It seems I put in all the effort, everybody is glad to hear from me and promises to call me next time, but I am nearly always the one who keeps up the contact.

+1

My sister only ever calls me if she needs something or to fix a computer problem. In fact most people who call me want something, you can tell as soon as the conversation starts they're getting the niceties out of the way as quickly as possible so they can ask their favour. The only people who call me just to see how I am, without wanting anything in return, are my mum and my 7 year old niece!

I speak to my siblings and parents at least on a weekly basis. Before I moved, the commute home was forty mins so I could speak to everyone and have a regular catch up. Friends I chat through facebook/whatsapp.

I speak with my mum or my sister around once a month, and the call usually lasts a good hour or more, with my dad chipping in the odd bit here and there. I don't speak to my brother, and probably wouldn't bat an eyelid if we never spoke again.

Speak to the parents every week, normally on a Sunday.
I work at the same company as one of my brothers and we lift share so I basically see him every day and we also usually meet up for coffee on the weekend at some point.
The other brother is a bit more sporadic as far as contact goes because he's usually busy doing artisty things (which perplex a family of scientist no end most of the time). I'd say it's usually half and half as far as effort to contact each other goes.

Don't really speak to the rest of the family unless we're actually in the same place at the same time for family do's (which usually happen at least once a year). I have a great Aunt near Ipswich who I occasionally write to as she like to receive a hand written letter (plus she's rather abrupt on the phone).

With friends it's usually driven by me, especially as I have thus far resisted going on Bookface and the like.

My family are dead so never

I speak to my Mum weekly (ish) and rarely to my sister, only when we meet up. I text a lot of people rather than have fill-blown conversations with them. I write letters to my Grandma every month rather than call, she's getting old and loves receiving letters, I often put a little treat or something in the envelope as well and then I know that she's got a record of everything I'm telling her in case she forgets anything or needs to confirm anything.

Having met them all I can see why. Your Mum and Nan are lovely. I didn't really speak to your sister much but she was as expected lol

That's wishful thinking for me , we only talk when they want something, even the ones I live with!

Friends, we all use Whatsapp. It's quite disturbing when you realise how often you'd talk face to face compared to now.

You'll miss them when they are gone no matter what kind of relationship you have with them

They're close to each other in some ways, but not a strong family bond in the traditional sense. There's no straightforward caring about each other, never mind love. Me having even vague intelligence means nearly every conversation with them is painful, and that's the short version. Frankly if it wasn't for the nephew I think we wouldn't have much to do with each other at all. I certainly won't be near them when I move out.

Some people should just never have had kids, that's the harsh truth. I know a few people in the same boat, even if the kids don't get on, the real problem is usually the parents!

Today is the day when a spam phone call asks for me by name, not by assuming that I am using my wife’s maiden name (which is what usually happens).

It was from a someone who wanted to talk about online trading, with a lot of dreadful music going on in the background. Hung up, reported to TPS (for what that’s worth).

One of the bosses is talking about changing the 'dynamic' of the office, probably meaning moving everybody around so that nobody will say much to each other and then morale will plummet even further

We've already had a girl in tears this week, another trying to transfer out, defriending on Facebook, an endless stream of people in and out of the bosses office at 40 minutes a time... WTF is wrong with management? There is no automatic requirement to be a dick (I know plenty of managers who can still get on with people), yet many try to lord it over people and just wind up pissing themselves off as much as anyone else!

One woman started all this, but we've now got two blokes actually complaining about their 'authority being challenged'...

1. Fcuking get over yourself, it's an office job.
2. If you think people aren't allowed to even question your 'authority', you probably shouldn't have any.

The new guy is developing a thousand yard stare - he only arrived at the end of June. I wish I could come up with something other to do than office work, cos this is about the hundredth time I've seen insecure twats ruin a perfectly nice atmosphere.

Monday = D day

Ok so many of you know I have been self employed for nearly 20 years. Predominantly doing contract work so lots of interview experience. I generally convert over 90% of interviews to job offers, admittedly I don't accept them all.

Many of you will also know I've been fighting cancer for the last year, thankfully its in static state, due to ongoing chemo. The only visible side effect is I walk with a stick so stairs are not my strong point.

Sadly I am not overly shocked, just saddened, to find that I appear to be effectively unemployable. My over 90% interview success rate since I started looking for work in February had dropped to 5% ( I had one 3 month contract but only because they knew me from previously working there. )