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Woman whose home looks stylish in video calls lying to herself and world

A WOMAN who made a corner of her flat appear minimalist and sleek for the purpose of video calls is starting to believe her own lies. 

Office worker Hannah Tomlinson has carefully curated a corner of her living room to hoodwink people into thinking she does not live in a constant state of chaos and filth. 

Tomlinson, whose flat normally looks as if it is home to 16 toddlers whose parents are having breakdowns, said: “I’m quite simple and Danish in my design tastes, as people can see during Zoom meetings.

“I’ve always enjoyed hanging trendy prints, artfully flinging throws over the backs of chairs and keeping shelves clutter-free apart from the odd succulent. But strangely I’ve only ever got round to doing it in this corner.

“Maybe I can become the kind of woman this corner suggests I am. Maybe we’re all just one work video call away from not being a slattern with pizza boxes and socks everywhere?”

Colleague Nikki Hollis said: “Hannah’s flat looks amazing on calls, without washing drying anywhere or loads of used wine glasses. I now know I can no longer trust her.” 

Tomlinson added: “I’m hoping I won’t have any problems with my router. If I had to relocate to another place in my flat my only option would be to say that I’ve died.”

The office worker's guide to what the f**k 'an office' is

YOU’VE been ordered back to ‘the office’. So what is this strange place, and why are you here? 

Your desk

This is where you sit for seven-and-a-half hours every day. Yes, seven-and-a-half hours. Yes, five days a week. Yes, that is completely f**king mental when you have a laptop and the internet and can work anywhere. And people think face masks are instilling obedience. 

Your screen

This is what you stare at for the aforementioned seven-and-a-half hours a day. Yeah, you’re still not over that bit. Anyway, you stare at this and do the four hours work a day you’re used to fitting between homeschooling. You’ll get used to stretching it out pointlessly. 

Your colleagues

These are people you don’t like who you spend all day with. Like the kids except you’re not allowed to bollock them, unless you’re the boss. Check first. But they’re now behind perspex screens so even the briefest chat involves shouting and repetition and isn’t worth it. 

Your boss

Oh, you know this twat. They’ve been on at you the whole of lockdown with their f**king emails. Not so impressive in person, are they? Sitting there, looking out sadly at their socially distanced kingdom of barriers and empty desks. This was all they had. 

Your canteen

Offers a pathetic range of daytime food options. Where’s the brimming bowl of Crunchy Nut you usually enjoy at 10.30am? What about the family-size bag of onion rings for 11am? And it doesn’t serve booze? In what reality is that f**king acceptable? 

Your local high street

It might not seem as if it has much to do with your job, but this is why you’ve been ordered back to work. So in your half-hour lunch break go and buy a top from Zara, a sandwich from Subway and a thick shake from Five Guys, or the economy will collapse and you’ll be back at home. Wouldn’t that be a shame?

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