..if you make your own pastures.

My recent travels: a man on a plane, probably employed by one of the UK’s largest defence contractors paws through spreadsheets on his laptop, then updates a Powerpoint presentation. First typing “ADA programming generally poor” – his capitals, not mine – and I conclude that if that is the case, that’s the least of the problems. Later he updates a slide titled “Not all doom and gloom,” and I wonder how many people are properly trained how to present.

Public transport at 8pm on Wednesday: a packed train full of business travellers. The vast majority are at work, tapping on their keyboards, or scribbling into log books. Printed e-mails, reports, spreadsheets and PDF documents are strewn over tables, leaving little room for other people. Frantic scribbling into pages, interrupted by phone calls and the posting of sticky notes – some torn in half, others retaining their integrity – acting as breadcrumbs or bookmarks through documents. I ask a man may I sit there? and he looks at me like I stole his dog. When I thank him, he ignores me.