One of the things you discover when you start working from home is that delivery services are not your friend. When you've got a proper office there's always someone to sign for stuff. But when you work from home you're often out. And you normally return to find a card from some delivery service or other declaring that they attempted to deliver a package three times and that now you need to trek all the way across town in the next three minutes to collect it or they'll blow it up and charge your credit card for any damage that might ensue.
This, of course, gets worse at Christmas, except there's a tantilising possibility that the thing that's being delivered is something you actually want.
So, this year we've decided to have waiting-in-day. We've arranged for as many things as possible to be delivered on this very day. So I'm not allowed out for even five minutes, because if I do go out, however briefly, that's when everything will arrive. So if you're waiting for an email from me, today might be the day it'll finally arrive. And I apologise in advance if my twittering becomes a little repetitive.
Good thing though - I'll be able to watch Ben doing his Day In The Life Of A Graphic Designer.
UPDATE: 10:50am - nothing yet
UPDATE: 11:44am - Christmas Tree's just arrived. In a minicab. Ah, the metropolitan life.
UPDATE: 13:55pm - nothing else here. Just the Christmas Tree. Having a plate of bacon and eggs. Half way through the 'to do' folder on my email. Forwarding most of it to the future.
UPDATE: 14:15pm - Argos have arrived. I'm not supposed to look inside these packages but it's very tempting.
UPDATE: 14.27pm - Postie's just come. Not part of the waiting in scheme but it's always nice to be here when things thud on the mat. It included a splendid little package from covetable curiosities on etsy. Just a little Christmas thing for Anne (don't worry she never reads this). But it was the physicality of the thing I liked, assorted stamps and an Air Mail sticker and a nice smell and some random bits of ephemera. I love mail.
UPDATE: 14:54pm - the big one! The business credit card has arrived. Now I can run up a huge expenses bill and stick it to The Man. Oh, wait, I'm The Man. Never mind.
DHL?
Posted by: Marcus Brown | December 13, 2006 at 11:28 AM
If you're hoping to pass the time reading Ben's thing then I'd fix yourself a stiff drink, could be a long day.
Posted by: Paul H. Colman | December 13, 2006 at 11:39 AM
I think he must have fallen asleep writing it. Nothing's been posted for 3 hours.
Posted by: Lebowski | December 13, 2006 at 12:20 PM
must be a difficult meeting. The client probably want to make the logo bigger.
Posted by: Marcus Brown | December 13, 2006 at 12:25 PM
I'm curious to how you managed to get all your delieveries organised for one specific day - that's good work. I guess the day isn't over yet, but what are the likelyhood of the driver 'getting lost', 'being late' or just crap in general, which means that half of it will arrive tomorrow instead?
Oh, London life...
Posted by: Lise Lauritzen | December 13, 2006 at 12:36 PM
well, most of them are things that have already failed to be delivered so they ask for a date for redelivery. And I had to pick a date sufficiently far in the future that I wasn't going to be working. And then it made sense to have everything else come that same day.
Not much has actually arrived yet though.
Posted by: russell | December 13, 2006 at 12:44 PM
You should have mystically arranged for your boiler, washing machine and phone line to all pack up by today. Now that would have beaten the system.
Posted by: Chris | December 13, 2006 at 12:52 PM
that's a good idea. I might go and give the boiler a kicking now. see if I can get it to break.
Posted by: russell | December 13, 2006 at 01:00 PM
Oi, comment on my blog, on my blog. Bastards.
Posted by: Ben | December 13, 2006 at 01:32 PM
Ben's just told me that nothing exciting is going to happen today and it's therefore OK for me to go out. Is there anything I can get for you (I'm going to the Post Office and will maybe call into the farm shop to get some eggs - see I'm not just round the corner)?
Posted by: davidthedesigner | December 13, 2006 at 03:06 PM
Very kind of you Dave but don't worry. Anne'll be home soon and Richard Huntington's on his way round so I can interview him for a podcast.
Mind you some stamps would be handy...
Posted by: russell | December 13, 2006 at 03:21 PM
David, I could do with some ciggies.
Posted by: Marcus Brown | December 13, 2006 at 03:37 PM
First of all, you get nothing at all if you call me Dave (well, apart from a thick ear maybe).
Anyway, you missed me. I've posted the letter, got the eggs and even managed to walk the South Downs Way (not all of it, obviously).
And Marcus, I'm a vegetarian - I don't buy ciggies.
Posted by: davidthedesigner | December 13, 2006 at 04:59 PM
Oops. Sorry Mr Thedesigner. A lazy assumption on my part. I think I've gone a little stir crazy.
Posted by: russell | December 13, 2006 at 06:19 PM
Our plumber didn't turn up today. Was he round at yours, by any chance? Recording a podcast?
Posted by: patrick | December 13, 2006 at 09:22 PM
why is it that plumbers are always late or non-shows? i just dont get it.
do they have poor time management? are they so thorough that their eye for detail leaves them going over time? do they over book their jobs in case their clients aren't home? are they punks?
--
http://the-view-from-your-window.blogspot.com/
http://kirstyburst.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Kirsty Hobbs | December 14, 2006 at 06:21 AM
David, don't vegetarian's smoke? Ever?
Posted by: Marcus Brown | December 14, 2006 at 07:43 AM