Silence

[caddyman]

Five minutes or so to the 2 minutes' silence.

I bet some bugger phones up and then grumbles because the phone doesn't get answered.

Edited to add: In fact no, no phone calls at all. Though some prat across the office somewhere continued typing for a while until they were drowned out by silent disapproval.

Comments

[dreamfire.livejournal.com]

It wasn't intended in that way.

There is an argument in my brain that observing remembrance in the way that we as a nation do is as damaging to life in terms of our understanding of what matters in the world as passive smoking is in terms of life and health - but it isn't one that I would usually raise with people who are highly committed to the belief in the ritual.

I would rather say that I intend it in the sense that we would not expect people to start praying in the middle of an office - instead they would have a chapel set apart to go to - which would be preferable for those of us who did not want to conform.

[ellefurtle.livejournal.com]

I must admit I would find someone praying in the office rather off-putting - and we do have a private room for it. I think mostly because it is so private - I would feel uncomfortable witnessing it and my desire not to disturb them plus my embarassment would be awkward. It would be like someone changing their clothes in the office.

The remembrance thing is different in my mind because it is a national thing, it commemorates something huge and which affected almost every family you know, most people think it's a good thing (even if only vaguely), it requires no actual participation (that just wouldn't work in this country like it does abroad) and isn't embarassing - unless like me you tend to giggle when you shouldn't. I also happen to like things that make me feel proud of my country.