Overheard at Work

[Beric01]

Had a meeting with my boss a little while ago.  He'd been lobbying me to become a manager.  "It's not that bad."  His argument in favor was something like: "eventually you're going to look up at the guy above you and realize how much more he's making and how little extra he's doing for it relative to you."

I told him that I don't really measure myself relative to others in that way, think I'm doing well enough on the money front, and that I'd been thinking recently that I might have the best job in the world right where I am.  I point out that I'm high enough up to be taken seriously, "but not so high that you have to be inserting yourself in all sorts of stuff you don't care about" he finishes for me.  Then he starts waxing nostalgic about all the great things about my job that you lose when you get promoted into his.

I sincerely thanked him again for being my boss, and we moved on to technical stuff.

This is my Dad's philosophy. He works almost strictly 40 hours a week, and hasn'r managed anyone in over 10 years. So many people look at the extra money, but not that their hours may up by 50% or more, or what my Dad says is the worst: wondering whether you have your people assigned and doing the right things while you're not working.

Yeah, money isn't worth that much to me.

[infogoon]

Broken cover glass is generally not that hard/expensive to fix. Many phones takes some special tools to separate adhesive, which is hard to DIY, but it's definitely a thing people do. Check craigslist/classifieds/etc - I bet you can find someone local. Falling that, ebay should have lots of choices.

If your phone isn't glued, it's probably only a $10-15 part. If it is, maybe $75.

If you're in a decent-sized city, just find one of the offbrand mobile phone stores near the local university. They'll swap the glass out for about the same price as doing it yourself, and you won't even need to get the tools.

[Reepekg]

Is the same type of clothing really that much more expensive over there (i.e. same quality fabric/construction)?
 I mean, Levi's are an American brand, so it makes sense that they would be more expensive in Europe, taking into account exporting/importing expenses.

Yes. In Denmark clothes seemed to be 2x-3x more expensive across the board relative to the US. Stupid things like socks and undershirts were more like 4x-5x. The difference is significant enough that Europeans on business trips to our US office come with empty suitcases. I'm not sure if this is a function of taxes, shipping costs, or supply and demand. My own pet theory is that Europeans don't measure each other's social status as much by truck size or house size as they do by daily appearance... so they're willing to spend more on clothes.

+1 on the Swiss being very well put together. The perfect example is the contrast when you take a flight from the US to Zurich... the Europeans wear relatively nice clothes and the Americans look like they are in their pajamas.

[imbros]

Honestly, I don't give a flying fuck.. You don't really need to spend $60 for a shirt to dress well in the US. Clothing in the US is way cheaper than Europe, yet your average American dresses worse than an average Swiss, Swede, Norwegian. Levi's jeans you can purchase for under $40 bucks here costs over $100 in Norway..

Is the same type of clothing really that much more expensive over there (i.e. same quality fabric/construction)?

 I mean, Levi's are an American brand, so it makes sense that they would be more expensive in Europe, taking into account exporting/importing expenses.

They are all same quality and they come from India or China or another cheap labor country..

$100  is about 690 Swedish kronor.

Converse All Star: 800 SKR ($115)
http://converse.se/en/converse/8021-converse-all-star-slip-ox-radio-blue.html

Levis' 501 jeans : 899 SKR ($130)
http://www.levi.com/SE/sv_SE/men-jeans/p/005010162

Norway is usually even more expensive.

[skunkfunk]

I was talking with a coworker about our 401k a few months ago.  He is a pretty smart/nice guy, 25 years old, about to finish his MBA at the local regional university.  He didn't really understand the concept of why you would save money for retirement.  He then explained that he thought you just worked X number of years, retired, and someone kept paying you.  Even after explaining why a 401k is important, I had the feeling that he didn't 100% believe you could work 30-40 years and have nothing other than social security.

I have always had the impression that the guy lives paycheck to paycheck.  He was in a panic after learning he wasn't eligible for our annual bonus (had been hired on full time less than six months prior to date of bonus) because he had already spent the amount he planned on receiving.

Wow. I just ... Wow.

Had a meeting with my boss a little while ago.  He'd been lobbying me to become a manager.  "It's not that bad."  His argument in favor was something like: "eventually you're going to look up at the guy above you and realize how much more he's making and how little extra he's doing for it relative to you."

I told him that I don't really measure myself relative to others in that way, think I'm doing well enough on the money front, and that I'd been thinking recently that I might have the best job in the world right where I am.  I point out that I'm high enough up to be taken seriously, "but not so high that you have to be inserting yourself in all sorts of stuff you don't care about" he finishes for me.  Then he starts waxing nostalgic about all the great things about my job that you lose when you get promoted into his.

I sincerely thanked him again for being my boss, and we moved on to technical stuff.

Badass.

[Middlesbrough]

Honestly, I don't give a flying fuck.. You don't really need to spend $60 for a shirt to dress well in the US. Clothing in the US is way cheaper than Europe, yet your average American dresses worse than an average Swiss, Swede, Norwegian. Levi's jeans you can purchase for under $40 bucks here costs over $100 in Norway..

Is the same type of clothing really that much more expensive over there (i.e. same quality fabric/construction)?

 I mean, Levi's are an American brand, so it makes sense that they would be more expensive in Europe, taking into account exporting/importing expenses.

They are all same quality and they come from India or China or another cheap labor country..

$100  is about 690 Swedish kronor.

Converse All Star: 800 SKR ($115)
http://converse.se/en/converse/8021-converse-all-star-slip-ox-radio-blue.html

Levis' 501 jeans : 899 SKR ($130)
http://www.levi.com/SE/sv_SE/men-jeans/p/005010162

Norway is usually even more expensive.

I was thinking Norway was one of the most expensive countries to live in altogether. If you can find it I would pick a couple more European countries to compare.

[SwissMiss]

Probably Norway and Sweden are about even. Many people here go to Germany, Italy and France to buy stuff (food, clothing, furniture).

My Hermès-tie-wearing CW brought his smudged tie to the dry cleaner this morning. However, they said that the silk would not survive the process.
So, he went back to Hermès to ask if they would clean it. Nope, nothing doing. That’s it then.

The CW does deal with clients. But on that particular Friday afternoon he had no appointments, so he could easily have gone without a tie.

At the bank, we never ever wear jeans to work. I think I saw my boss once in jeans when he came in on his off day to fetch something.

I sooo envy Nords. All day, every day in shorts. Must be great! I’m looking forward to doing that myself in 3 years’ time!

[Albert]

Jobs in banking, law, politics etc. are kind of special in being particularly formal as far as the dress code is concerned. In other kinds of companies it doesn't matter as much. Even the head of our department (a woman) occasionally comes to work in jeans. They probably cost 300$, but still.

[Joggernot]

A bit ironic is my 78 year old friend who is now going on cruises with his spouse due to her receiving a large inheritance.  Seems she is making him buy dress clothes and even a tux just to go on the cruises.  He normally wears his old "work" clothes around town.  He even had to buy a pair of leather shoes!!  Aaaarrrgggghhhh.

Sorry but if I "had" to get a tux I would totally go clean shaving for a week and acquire Walther PPK.

LOL!  I think it crossed his mind.  He probably has one already.  This is Texas...:)

[MgoSam]

Yeah, I don't dress all that well. Aside from when I am on the road, I can wear shorts and button down shirts and not get called out. That said, I am starting to dress a little better because I have noticed that I am treated differently by the customers and management.

[hownowbrowncow]

The how do you dress comments remind me of this story: http://www.snopes.com/business/bank/barrier.asp

[Daisy]

Overheard at happy hour....

Some guy (I'm guessing he's in his late 50s or early 60s) talking about an article he read on Americans moving out of the country to retire to places in central and south America due to the lower cost of living.

Me: I asked him how much a typical person receives in Social Security while retired since he mentioned not being able to live on that.
He: He assumed about $30,000. Then he said no one can live on that in the US.
Me: I said, well maybe you can live on that if your mortgage is paid off.
He: He thought about it and said 1) nobody has their mortgage paid off and 2) even so he couldn't imagine anyone being able to live on $30,000.

Everyone else in that conversation circle then quickly nodded in agreement with him. I quickly changed the subject since I just paid off my mortgage at 45 and $30,000 is pretty close to my FIRE budget. It's all a matter of perspective, I guess...

[divinvestor]

The other day my boss told me that the owner at a client of ours just bought a new Tesla, and has a $1,300 monthly car payment. Wow.

[Middlesbrough]

The other day my boss told me that the owner at a client of ours just bought a new Tesla, and has a $1,300 monthly car payment. Wow.

Not bad considering most of us probably live on less than that altogether.

[dragoncar]

The other day my boss told me that the owner at a client of ours just bought a new Tesla, and has a $1,300 monthly car payment. Wow.

I was going to say that if you have to finance you can't afford it, but Looks like they are offering 3.5% apr... In which case I suspect at some people here might take that rate (if not on a tesla)

[gimp]

Yeah... I know plenty of people (hello, bay area) who can pay cash for a tesla but didn't. Why tie up that much liquidity all at once? But everyone wants a tesla, which is only a slight exaggeration. I think my parking lot has as many teslas as civics.

[TheNorwegianGuy]

Probably Norway and Sweden are about even. Many people here go to Germany, Italy and France to buy stuff (food, clothing, furniture).

Not at all: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Sweden&country2=Norway&city1=Stockholm&city2=Oslo

Here people are driving to Sweden to buy stuff...

[dragoncar]

Yeah... I know plenty of people (hello, bay area) who can pay cash for a tesla but didn't. Why tie up that much liquidity all at once? But everyone wants a tesla, which is only a slight exaggeration. I think my parking lot has as many teslas as civics.

Sure, I want one... but I don't want to pay for one.

[Middlesbrough]

Yeah... I know plenty of people (hello, bay area) who can pay cash for a tesla but didn't. Why tie up that much liquidity all at once? But everyone wants a tesla, which is only a slight exaggeration. I think my parking lot has as many teslas as civics.

Sure, I want one... but I don't want to pay for one.

This, tenfold.

[eyePod]

I work for a Swiss bank.

Two CWs go out for lunch (at a local restaurant, at least USD 45 each).
One CW’s tie falls into the soup and is now smudged.
He goes out and buys a new tie.

From Hermès, because he “always buys his ties at Hermès”. Costs over USD 200.

Swear to god, 2 weekends ago, a lady at a garage sale has a bunch of Tommy Hilfiger ties in a box. The box says $4. I say "$4 for the whole box of ties, right?" She looks at me like I grew a second head. "No, each tie. But there are ones over on that rack for $1."

I mosey on over and there's a freaking Hermès tie. FOR $1. I yoinked it and hussled on out of there. Couldn't believe my luck and the fact that she overvalued a Tommy over an Hermès. Can't wait to get it listed and make a huge profit on it!

It's a really nice tie but there's no way I'd every pay more than $10 for a tie. I wear most of them one time and that's it.

[Scandium]

OMG, that car clown is AWESOME. They really exist, these people!?!
How about building an underground parking lot? Then its not so steep :D:D:D

(was caught drinking a beer in his parked car at a park a block away from his house),

Where you live its illegal to drink in a parked car? I should think you can do whatever you want in your car. (esp. if you are in the US). Of course, when he is driving after drinking... (here in germany thats mostly defined as "engine running", which is very logical, because then the car could move of its own.)

Germany's pretty cool about drinking.  (I think one of the reasons they don't have many alcohol issues is they don't give it the mystique Americans do by making it verboten.). But there are still issues.  Anytime a cop, even the Polizei, find you sitting in a functioning car drinking it's not a stretch for them to assume you may have driven there while drinking or intended to commit a DUI.  For Germany in particular you never want to grab a drink after a fender bender until well afterwards.  The Polizei were known to go to to a residence to conduct a breathalyzer test shortly after an accident and blowing the test to them was blowing the test.

This is actually a good way to make the breath test inconclusive. If you can prove you drank AFTER the incident, and then there's a breathalyzer, there's no way they can say what your BA was at the time of the incident. But seriously, don't f'ing drink and drive.

At least in Norway they've thought of this; It is illegal to drink alcohol for 4 hours (I think that's the number) after you've been in an accident.

[4alpacas]

I work for a Swiss bank.

Two CWs go out for lunch (at a local restaurant, at least USD 45 each).
One CW’s tie falls into the soup and is now smudged.
He goes out and buys a new tie.

From Hermès, because he “always buys his ties at Hermès”. Costs over USD 200.

Swear to god, 2 weekends ago, a lady at a garage sale has a bunch of Tommy Hilfiger ties in a box. The box says $4. I say "$4 for the whole box of ties, right?" She looks at me like I grew a second head. "No, each tie. But there are ones over on that rack for $1."

I mosey on over and there's a freaking Hermès tie. FOR $1. I yoinked it and hussled on out of there. Couldn't believe my luck and the fact that she overvalued a Tommy over an Hermès. Can't wait to get it listed and make a huge profit on it!

It's a really nice tie but there's no way I'd every pay more than $10 for a tie. I wear most of them one time and that's it.

Wow!  I look forward to reading about this flip on your blog. 

[Lis]

Was just chatting with our local Fedex guy. Talking about the perks my office provides... one of them is that our company buys us lunch every day (very very awesome for my grocery budget). He said that, even on a good day, he "can't" spend less than $10 a day buying lunch, and that $50 a week and $200 a month just on lunch really sucks! Tried to convince him to start brown-bagging it, and he laughed it off saying he can't do that because he's a bachelor and doesn't have a wife to do that for him.

I think my tongue is bleeding from biting it so hard...

[MilwaukeeStubble]

Was just chatting with our local Fedex guy. Talking about the perks my office provides... one of them is that our company buys us lunch every day (very very awesome for my grocery budget). He said that, even on a good day, he "can't" spend less than $10 a day buying lunch, and that $50 a week and $200 a month just on lunch really sucks! Tried to convince him to start brown-bagging it, and he laughed it off saying he can't do that because he's a bachelor and doesn't have a wife to do that for him.

I think my tongue is bleeding from biting it so hard...

Is it possible that was meant as a joke?  It sounds like the kind of thing I might say to friends (while brown bagging it...)

[viper155]

Maybe his mommy can do it for him.

[greenmimama]

Those guys are so busy, I would think they wouldn't even have time for lunch.

It would be so much easier to eat a brow bagged lunch in the truck.

My parents have always packed their lunches, I wonder how much it saved them over their 40+ year marriage.

[SwissMiss]

Probably Norway and Sweden are about even. Many people here go to Germany, Italy and France to buy stuff (food, clothing, furniture).

Not at all: http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/compare_cities.jsp?country1=Sweden&country2=Norway&city1=Stockholm&city2=Oslo

Here people are driving to Sweden to buy stuff...

Sorry, NorwegianGuy. I meant Switzerland, not Sweden. Probably Norway and Switzerland are about even. I can't believe I made that mistake!
Thanks for the link - interesting!!

[Albert]

Switzerland is significantly cheaper. More like Sweden not Norway.

[Tempe]

One of my coworkers pays for a cab to work the times they aren't able to get a ride. I believe it is upwards of 10$ a ride. They live fairly close, and it would be a pain in the butt with the bus, but when sometimes one hour of work equals the cab fare, the 1.5 hour ride with the bus would be better -.-

[Nords]

Every time I see a well-dressed person (of either gender), my initial attraction is tempered by a little flashing yellow light that warns "High maintenance".

Now I wonder if I dress nice enough for people to think I'm high maintenance.

Only the people who are wearing ratty tank tops and surf shorts, so you'll probably do just fine with everyone else.

I sooo envy Nords. All day, every day in shorts. Must be great! I’m looking forward to doing that myself in 3 years’ time!

Sea story:  when submariners are underway underwater, no longer showing off our military bearing for the taxpayers, then we wear coveralls and "suitable footwear"-- usually sneakers or docksiders.  The t-shirt under your coveralls can be anything motivational, so people get a little competitive.  Everyone finds t-shirts that promote obscure indie bands, small-town bars, and motorcycles.  Even today, decades after our last sea duty, submariners are still commenting on Facebook groups about each others' underway motivational t-shirts.

Oh, and a small donation to the ship's Recreation Committee earns you the privileged "no shaving" chit.  You still have to shave your neck to get a good seal on an air-fed rubber facemask, but otherwise it's the best way to keep warm in a cold computer space.  When my daughter was on a training patrol aboard the USS LOUISIANA, the women got ponytail chits.  But I digress.

Anyway Pearl Harbor sea duty went one better than anything I'd ever seen in the Atlantic submarine force.  I reported aboard my Hawaii boat a week before a major underway, so we were scrambling to fix our ragged gear and get our stuff stowed.  Nobody took the time to explain local customs to me, and I never thought to ask.  I was expected to be on the bridge for the underway (to requalify Surfaced Officer of the Deck) and the commodore usually waves good-bye from the pier, so you have to look good.  I dressed in my nicest khakis and my spit-shined leather shoes and headed up the bridge ladder. 

When I got there, the CO and the OOD greeted me.  Both were also wearing their nicest khaki shirts and their garrison caps.  However the bridge on a submarine is actually a cockpit that leaves your body visible to the people on shore only from the ribcage up.  Below the view of the public (and the commodore), both of these fellow steely-eyed killers of the deep were wearing surf shorts and rubber slippers with their khaki shirttails hanging loose.

CO:  "What the #$%^ are you smirking at, Weps?"
Me:  "Um, I really like being stationed in Pearl Harbor, sir."
CO:  "Then get back below, dammit, and don a proper Pearl Harbor uniform!"

The OOD told me later that they were expecting me to lock up (or blow a gasket like my predecessor) so they were relieved when I bounced back below and returned in "proper attire".  A sense of humor was essential to survival with that CO.

After that tour, there was no goin' back to the Atlantic fleet. 

[Cressida]

Tried to convince him to start brown-bagging it, and he laughed it off saying he can't do that because he's a bachelor and doesn't have a wife to do that for him.

JE. SUS. CHRIST. Here's hoping no one is ever stupid enough to marry him.

[TheNorwegianGuy]

Switzerland is significantly cheaper. More like Sweden not Norway.

According to this Switzerland is pretty close to Norway in COL:
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/rankings_by_country.jsp

[odput]

CO:  "What the #$%^ are you smirking at, Weps?"
Me:  "Um, I really like being stationed in Pearl Harbor, sir."
CO:  "Then get back below, dammit, and don a proper Pearl Harbor uniform!"

I love this

[Jouer]

They say dress for the job you want, not for the job you have. So I guess everyone here wears shorts and flip flops since they want to be retired?  ;-)

[Lis]

They say dress for the job you want, not for the job you have. So I guess everyone here wears shorts and flip flops since they want to be retired?  ;-)

Screw that! Where's my catwoman suit??

[J'onn J'onzz]

They say dress for the job you want, not for the job you have. So I guess everyone here wears shorts and flip flops since they want to be retired?  ;-)

Screw that! Where's my catwoman suit??

LOL.. Love this response.

[Panly]

CW1:  " My 18Y old son called me, he is going with his mates on a 4 week trip to Thailand, but he only had 1500GBP left on his account. So I wired him 3000GBP." 
CW2:  "Well, you know, those trips with a group of friends tend to become very expensive".

CW1: "Sure, all flights and hotels have already been paid, but you need some pocket money to spend."


Me: "WTF!?"

Thought I was born for luck,  but have to reconsider -others are simple more lucky.  Just imagining the debauchery if my dad had sent me as an 18y old single  to Thailand,  with more than 1000GBP/week excess cash.   
 

[skunkfunk]

CW1:  " My 18Y old son called me, he is going with his mates on a 4 week trip to Thailand, but he only had 1500GBP left on his account. So I wired him 3000GBP." 
CW2:  "Well, you know, those trips with a group of friends tend to become very expensive".

CW1: "Sure, all flights and hotels have already been paid, but you need some pocket money to spend."


Me: "WTF!?"

Thought I was born for luck,  but have to reconsider -others are simple more lucky.  Just imagining the debauchery if my dad had sent me as an 18y old single  to Thailand,  with more than 1000GBP/week excess cash.   
 

Oh my. That's more than I spent on my entire honeymoon @.@ And we even flew!

[stevedoug]

I work for a software engineering outfit in the snowy part of the midwest. The company pays well but the cost of living is so low that most of the people who work here are always finding new and innovative ways to waste their money. Today, the topic of the GM Camero recall came up on IRC:

Code: [Select]

<foo> yeah I saw that.  looks like i'll be taking mine to the dealer :(
<bar> that's your camaro?
<foo> the black one, yes
<bar> nice
<foo> thanks, it's been fun in the summer.  not so much when there is snow on the ground
<bar> yeah I have a winter car too
<foo> yeah i'll have to get a beater for the winter.  i bought that one back in like feb and did not realize just how bad it was in the snow
<baz> at least get snow tires
<baz> may be less expensive than a beater car
<foo> i'll look into that too. ive heard good things about camaro's winter tires
<bar> yeah winter tires are supposed to hellp a lot
<bar> i'm gonna get winter tires this year
<qux> let me know if you find some good beaters
<qux> im looking for one myself
<qux> i handled well in the winter but i don't want to keep subjecting my challenger to it.
TL;DR these kids go out and buy luxury sports cars which are totally unsuitable for daily driving for 1/3 of the year. And now they talk like it's completely reasonable and sane to go out and buy a second car, just to have on hand for winter commuting when the roads aren't completely clear.

two cars (or more) is very very common here in metro Detroit (motor city).
Close to 50% or more of my single male friends have 2 more more cars.
I also have 2, and am ok with this. Both are all season

[strider3700]

two cars (or more) is very very common here in metro Detroit (motor city).
Close to 50% or more of my single male friends have 2 more more cars.
I also have 2, and am ok with this. Both are all season

Insurance here makes 2 cars for 1 person completely unreasonable.   I'm paying $800/year for a truck worth barely $3000 and only driving it maybe 3000km in a year. 

[Silverado]

two cars (or more) is very very common here in metro Detroit (motor city).
Close to 50% or more of my single male friends have 2 more more cars.
I also have 2, and am ok with this. Both are all season

Well, this makes perfect sense. Allows one to still be able to get around when car #1 is under an underpass under three feet of water and now two feet of mud.

[eyesonthehorizon]

... two cars (or more) is very very common here in metro Detroit (motor city).
Close to 50% or more of my single male friends have 2 more more cars. ...

I... what? I've been some places, I don't get culture shock much but... ... what? How...? I mean... I'm trying to even think of an analogue to this, like owning more than one suit, but unless cars or your passion, or you're just rolling in dough and have summer homes upstate etc. - how often can you use more than one vehicle? Do people just alternate days or ...?

[MikeBear]

... two cars (or more) is very very common here in metro Detroit (motor city).
Close to 50% or more of my single male friends have 2 more more cars. ...

I... what? I've been some places, I don't get culture shock much but... ... what? How...? I mean... I'm trying to even think of an analogue to this, like owning more than one suit, but unless cars or your passion, or you're just rolling in dough and have summer homes upstate etc. - how often can you use more than one vehicle? Do people just alternate days or ...?

Well, they have a couple stashed that they've "always meant to restore someday" (one is a parts car). Then they have their daily driver. There's lots of that in Michigan. It's like they grow them here or something, lol.

[iris lily]

Multiple cars are common in the Midwest. We've got plenty of space to park them.

DH and I have had over the years 3, 4, 5 cars at one time. Some don't run, some are fun cars, some are work vehicles.

[Sdsailing]

One econocar for commuting.  One small pickup for home rennovation work.  Quite frugal.

[Nords]

Tried to convince him to start brown-bagging it, and he laughed it off saying he can't do that because he's a bachelor and doesn't have a wife to do that for him.

JE. SUS. CHRIST. Here's hoping no one is ever stupid enough to marry him.

"Ladies, it's a mystery to me why he's still single..."

One econocar for commuting.  One small pickup for home rennovation work.  Quite frugal.

We have a perpetual debate about going down to a one-car household, but we've decided that the second car is a hedonistically frivolous luxury. 

Because, you know, we might need to use them both at the same time someday...

[limeandpepper]

CW1:  " My 18Y old son called me, he is going with his mates on a 4 week trip to Thailand, but he only had 1500GBP left on his account. So I wired him 3000GBP." 
CW2:  "Well, you know, those trips with a group of friends tend to become very expensive".

CW1: "Sure, all flights and hotels have already been paid, but you need some pocket money to spend."


Me: "WTF!?"

Thought I was born for luck,  but have to reconsider -others are simple more lucky.  Just imagining the debauchery if my dad had sent me as an 18y old single  to Thailand,  with more than 1000GBP/week excess cash.   
 

O_O

I could live very well in Thailand for A YEAR on 4500GBP if all flights and hotels were already paid for.

[agent_clone]

CW1:  " My 18Y old son called me, he is going with his mates on a 4 week trip to Thailand, but he only had 1500GBP left on his account. So I wired him 3000GBP." 
CW2:  "Well, you know, those trips with a group of friends tend to become very expensive".

CW1: "Sure, all flights and hotels have already been paid, but you need some pocket money to spend."


Me: "WTF!?"

Thought I was born for luck,  but have to reconsider -others are simple more lucky.  Just imagining the debauchery if my dad had sent me as an 18y old single  to Thailand,  with more than 1000GBP/week excess cash.   
 

O_O

I could live very well in Thailand for A YEAR on 4500GBP if all flights and hotels were already paid for.

I think (though I could be wrong as I don't know what she actually started out with) that if you quadruple it my sister travelled for a year around various parts of South East Asia, Africa, and cheaper parts of europe paying for all expenses such as accomodation, food, flights, other transport, etc.

With the debauchery aspect I would be worried about contracting HIV/AIDS in Thailand as apparently many of the prostitutes take the view that they need money for living expenses now rather than worrying about the health consequences of unprotected sex.

[marty998]

Is this the longest internet thread ever?

Has someone tried to press print to see if it stretches to the moon and back?

[Albert]

Is this the longest internet thread ever?

For this tiny board maybe, otherwise I've seen threads stretching to well over thousand pages.