We came to London, in part, to study dense urban environments and how people adapt to living in them. Using the tube as our primary transportation method since we arrived has been an eye opening experience. While the tube is liberating in some ways, it also means thinking carefully and critically about everything you want to get done in a day. Yes, you can just "pop over" to another part of London, but nothing is a five or even ten minute journey. Many times you are moving in an ocean of people on, then off and mutely following the "way out" signs. More than once, I found myself rushing through stations, running late and beholden to when the train decided to show up. It is a bit draining being underground and makes it tricky to transport items, such as any purchases bigger than a newspaper or a cup of coffee. People who commute on the tube must plan out their shopping for carrying it home can be a literal drag. I guess what I noticed most is that you give up a lot of control.
In Memphis, we drive everywhere. I know I've complained about the lack of usable public transportation, but I also like the freedom of having a car. This has been reinforced to me this week. You're not beholden to anyone else's schedule. You can pop out for errands at lunch and store the purchases in your trunk. You can go to the gym after work , grabbing your workout bag from the trunk, just next to those earlier purchases.
In your car, there's no one invading your personal space and you dictate the environment from the temperature to the music. Your car can be an escape pod. A chance to catch up with friends on your cell phone. You can buy two weeks of groceries and only worry about lugging them to the car and from it into the house.
All I'm really saying is that while I love the idea of more public transportation, I can see why we have a car culture. It's convenient and allows us to be as selfish as we want to be. I'm not sure that's sustainable, but that's a story for another post.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thank god for the mini bar
Today was our last day in London. The weather was fabulous with the sun sparkling off the Thames as we walked alongside it to our vendor's office. As we walked, I looked out at the many bridges, each with their own character and story. As we passed Millenium Bridge, it took me back to Erin & John's wedding and my last trip to the U.K., where my groomsman partner told me about how he'd helped to test the stability of that bridge.
The business stuff was good today, but the real fun came after work for it was time to make the expedition to the airport. O.P., Lisa (my colleague and his wife) and I are staying at the airport Hilton tonight as we have early flights in the morning. After a lamb burger with fresh blue-veined farmhouse cheddar on a toasted roll from a stall in Borough Market (a spectacular market featuring every imaginable kind of cheese, meat and other speciality items) and a Wharf Winter Ale (think Newcastle, but better) from a local micro-brewery to fortify us, we picked up our bags from our home for the past ten days and took a taxi to the train station. The taxi was a private car for hire, which was a little worriesome, but after managing to cram all the luggage in the tiny hatchback trunk (weird for a taxi, no?) we were pretty much committed. Traffic was crazy as usual and 40 minutes later we arrived at Paddington Train Station. The "tube" might have been quicker, but none of us could stomach the idea of hauling our luggage up and down several flights of stairs and then cramming ourselves with that luggage into already overflowing subway cars. We've been using the tube for almost two weeks now and we just couldn't endure what would surely be torture. Not to mention, it is the last Friday of the year for many working folk here in London so the crowds were even bigger than normal.
At Paddington we easily caught the Heathrow Express train and in the flash of an eye (15 minutes?) we were at Heathrow Airport and waiting for our next train to the appropriate terminal. 30 minutes after that, I was finally checked in and searching for the mini bar. Yes, the mini bar. But not for a drink...after all, there is the Hilton Club for that :-) You see, I'd gone to this cheese tasting event at Borough Market on Wednesday evening...and I'd tasted some marvelous cheeses that were too good to pass up. I mean, they will be perfect for Christmas Eve. So, I'd taken the advice of the cheese sellers and had been storing my precious purchases on my windowsill - outside during the day and inside on the ledge at night. It was plenty cold enough. Except now as I walked into my room at the Hilton, I saw that the windows didn't open. Not even a little bit. Kind of a problem. I was debating how to best explain this dilemma to Guest Services when as a last ditch effort I opened the closet. Low and behold - a tiny mini-bar fridge. Saved! And so I stowed my cheese and headed off to meet O.P and Lisa for that drink in the club.
Now I just hope the conversation tomorrow with US Customs goes as smoothly....
US Customs: "anything to declare?"
Me: "surely unpasteurized cheese doesn't count and as a declared food stuff"
The business stuff was good today, but the real fun came after work for it was time to make the expedition to the airport. O.P., Lisa (my colleague and his wife) and I are staying at the airport Hilton tonight as we have early flights in the morning. After a lamb burger with fresh blue-veined farmhouse cheddar on a toasted roll from a stall in Borough Market (a spectacular market featuring every imaginable kind of cheese, meat and other speciality items) and a Wharf Winter Ale (think Newcastle, but better) from a local micro-brewery to fortify us, we picked up our bags from our home for the past ten days and took a taxi to the train station. The taxi was a private car for hire, which was a little worriesome, but after managing to cram all the luggage in the tiny hatchback trunk (weird for a taxi, no?) we were pretty much committed. Traffic was crazy as usual and 40 minutes later we arrived at Paddington Train Station. The "tube" might have been quicker, but none of us could stomach the idea of hauling our luggage up and down several flights of stairs and then cramming ourselves with that luggage into already overflowing subway cars. We've been using the tube for almost two weeks now and we just couldn't endure what would surely be torture. Not to mention, it is the last Friday of the year for many working folk here in London so the crowds were even bigger than normal.
At Paddington we easily caught the Heathrow Express train and in the flash of an eye (15 minutes?) we were at Heathrow Airport and waiting for our next train to the appropriate terminal. 30 minutes after that, I was finally checked in and searching for the mini bar. Yes, the mini bar. But not for a drink...after all, there is the Hilton Club for that :-) You see, I'd gone to this cheese tasting event at Borough Market on Wednesday evening...and I'd tasted some marvelous cheeses that were too good to pass up. I mean, they will be perfect for Christmas Eve. So, I'd taken the advice of the cheese sellers and had been storing my precious purchases on my windowsill - outside during the day and inside on the ledge at night. It was plenty cold enough. Except now as I walked into my room at the Hilton, I saw that the windows didn't open. Not even a little bit. Kind of a problem. I was debating how to best explain this dilemma to Guest Services when as a last ditch effort I opened the closet. Low and behold - a tiny mini-bar fridge. Saved! And so I stowed my cheese and headed off to meet O.P and Lisa for that drink in the club.
Now I just hope the conversation tomorrow with US Customs goes as smoothly....
US Customs: "anything to declare?"
Me: "surely unpasteurized cheese doesn't count and as a declared food stuff"
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Highs & Lows
We cut salaries today. Well, not me personally, but my company - and I'm part of it, so I guess that makes it "we." Believe it or not, I was proud and emotional when I read the announcement.
Our chairman (or rather his communications person) sent an email talking about all the cutbacks we've already made this past year and how much money we've saved. He went on to explain that it wasn't enough and that it was time for even tougher decisions in order to weather the current and anticipated economic storm. To avoid cutting jobs, we cut salaries instead.
He set an impressive tone by stating his 20% salary cut. C-level salaries were cut 12.5% and executive management 7.5%. The rest of us 5%. Hourly workers were not impacted, nor does it affect the salespeople. We're also losing our merit increases, bonuses and 401K match for at least the next year. Some question if the 401K part will ever come back.
The rest of the message went on to talk about our team spirit, skill and resilience and he hit a high note in emphasizing a one-for-all mentality and the continued focus on doing our very best to fulfill our customer promise. As I read the note, my eyes actually got a little misty - though that was probably just the biting British air as I was walking back to my hotel.
I'm okay with losing 5% of my salary and I'll even get over the bonus and 401K loss if it means my team and my many friends at the company will keep their jobs. Like many, I fear this announcement is the first in a series of moves that will only escalate as the economy further deteriorates. I guess only time will tell on that front.
Today was an impressive show of leadership. Decisive, thoughtful, and fair. I am proud of the decision and of my company. We claim to be people-focused and on this decision, we delivered.
Our chairman (or rather his communications person) sent an email talking about all the cutbacks we've already made this past year and how much money we've saved. He went on to explain that it wasn't enough and that it was time for even tougher decisions in order to weather the current and anticipated economic storm. To avoid cutting jobs, we cut salaries instead.
He set an impressive tone by stating his 20% salary cut. C-level salaries were cut 12.5% and executive management 7.5%. The rest of us 5%. Hourly workers were not impacted, nor does it affect the salespeople. We're also losing our merit increases, bonuses and 401K match for at least the next year. Some question if the 401K part will ever come back.
The rest of the message went on to talk about our team spirit, skill and resilience and he hit a high note in emphasizing a one-for-all mentality and the continued focus on doing our very best to fulfill our customer promise. As I read the note, my eyes actually got a little misty - though that was probably just the biting British air as I was walking back to my hotel.
I'm okay with losing 5% of my salary and I'll even get over the bonus and 401K loss if it means my team and my many friends at the company will keep their jobs. Like many, I fear this announcement is the first in a series of moves that will only escalate as the economy further deteriorates. I guess only time will tell on that front.
Today was an impressive show of leadership. Decisive, thoughtful, and fair. I am proud of the decision and of my company. We claim to be people-focused and on this decision, we delivered.
Time in London coming to a close
Today was an eventful day in London, with a customer interview early afternoon followed by anticipated (bad) news from work and then closed out with a fabulous dinner with our local vendor. More on all that shortly. I've been here 11 days now and although I'm ready to go home, I'll miss London.
The energy here is palpable, but not overbearing or frenic like I often feel in NYC. The tube (subway) is turning me into a germaphobe, but also serves as a great way to get in stair climbing. The food is frightfully fattening, but it's the best I've had in all recent memory. And the people tend to mind their own business, but are so polite and really quite lovely if you engage them in conversation.
I could totally live here....if Cameron and the puppies came along...and a place to live wasn't many multiples the price of my current home in low cost-of-living Memphis. Well, I guess Id need a job here too. :-) There is always something to do, especially when it comes to the arts and theater. The markets on the weekends number more than a dozen. There are community farms, along with organic, free range and fair trade everything. The variety of ethnic foods is never-ending.
There are downsides, of course, as well. Congestion charges to drive in Central London, noise and air pollution, unexpected delays on the Tube, throngs of people at every desirable restaurant starting on Wednesday nights and a serious lack of public bathrooms (free or otherwise)!
Even still, it is a cool place that would be loads of fun to live in for a few years. Maybe I'd even get the courage to ride my bike like so many other crazy folks we see every morning on their daily commute, zipping alongside and in-between the crawling masses of cars, buses and trucks.
The energy here is palpable, but not overbearing or frenic like I often feel in NYC. The tube (subway) is turning me into a germaphobe, but also serves as a great way to get in stair climbing. The food is frightfully fattening, but it's the best I've had in all recent memory. And the people tend to mind their own business, but are so polite and really quite lovely if you engage them in conversation.
I could totally live here....if Cameron and the puppies came along...and a place to live wasn't many multiples the price of my current home in low cost-of-living Memphis. Well, I guess Id need a job here too. :-) There is always something to do, especially when it comes to the arts and theater. The markets on the weekends number more than a dozen. There are community farms, along with organic, free range and fair trade everything. The variety of ethnic foods is never-ending.
There are downsides, of course, as well. Congestion charges to drive in Central London, noise and air pollution, unexpected delays on the Tube, throngs of people at every desirable restaurant starting on Wednesday nights and a serious lack of public bathrooms (free or otherwise)!
Even still, it is a cool place that would be loads of fun to live in for a few years. Maybe I'd even get the courage to ride my bike like so many other crazy folks we see every morning on their daily commute, zipping alongside and in-between the crawling masses of cars, buses and trucks.
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