my old boss
jesus, where do I start?

Right, first and foremost is that he refused to pay our wages straight into our bank accounts and would come round and give us all a cheque. I don't know if it's cheaper to pay by cheque than by BACS, though I suspect it was because he wanted to make sure the money was available before he paid it out rather than just the automated bank method.

He was in a partnership with another guy who ran a building firm. Consequently, the partner owned the building itself (the groundfloor was rented by a small restaurant). As an office environment, it was shoddy at best.

The main studio (being a web-design company) was not kitted out with nice office furniture. It was a huge hand-made work-desk thing using 2x2 carcase timber and offcuts of kitchen worktops. Some MDF had been erected to seperate the individual work areas.

The floor was not level and sloped into one corner. Probably a rotten joist. That happened to be the corner nearest to me, consequently I had to bring a bit of rag in from home to wedge under the chair-wheels to prevent my chair rolling away from the 'desk'.

The computers we used were knackered, cheapest of the cheap built from second-hand parts from eBay. Some of them were fitted with CD-burners, but only one of them worked; occasionally.

The printer was a cheap Epson thing that was about 4 years old. I suspect it was his printer, but then bought himself a new one and brought the old one into the office. He used the cheapest inks off eBay (again) so the blacks weren't even black and the colours were banded. The thing finally packed up, so rather than going out and spending maybe £70 on a decent replacement, he took a screwdriver to it and attempted to mend it. He finally gave up, and brought his own printer in from home after treating himself to a new one.

The office phone comprised of one of those wireless phones with 2 handsets. (£19.99 from Argos, maybe a tenner on eBay)
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 16:36, 4 replies)

I think they got their timber
from the same place as my esteemed University employer. I, too, have a kitchen worktop 'desk' in my plywood partitioned 'office'.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 17:06, closed)

You just
installed that to get that realistic "being shagged in the kitchen" feeling while still at work.

We know this to be true.
(Bazongaloid, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 17:12, closed)

I have never been shagged at work
*quickly searches memory banks*
Never.

Kitchen shagging is well and good, but last time the risotto got burnt.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Mon 27 Oct 2008, 17:31, closed)

I still get paid by cheque
and no, it isn't cheaper- in fact it's more expensive (even the banks want people to stop using them) but my boss doesn't even own a debit card, let alone a credit card, and so sees no reason why paying people with cheques in 2008 is sick and wrong.

Our office was last fitted out (furniture & paint wise) when it was opened in 1986- all the office chairs date from then. On mine the height adjuster is broken, so the chair is stuck so low that if my feet are flat on the ground my knees are higher than my lap.

We STILL have (AND USE!) an electric typewriter.

Beat that!

xox
(misskitty reeks of sex and turpentine; laudanum afternoons, Wed 29 Oct 2008, 3:38, closed)