Oh, my....

It just had to happen, dinnit.

Had a 9 o'clock in the morning conference call to Tokyo, Japan, Tokyo Time. Tokyo is GMT +9 hours.

Picture the scene. I have a perfectly good two monitor and web cam set up set up on my desk. I can, and do use that for face-to-face conversations often. However, it's a little uncomfy for lengthy conversations, because I have my desk and computer set up on my left, the dining table on my right, and my rather comfortable Wheels, which doubles as my computer chair, sandwiched in-between.

With me in it. Ahead of me is my rather nice 42 inch tv.

It means I usually have to twist to the left to face the camera.

Since I have a hdmi input free on the tv, I thought, run the output that usually serves a monitor to the television instead, stretch the webcam across and plonk it on the tv stand. That way, I can comfortably face forwards. The camera was a bit wobbly, but a bit of blu-tak fixed that. With me so far? :)

Back to the time zones. 0900 in Tokyo is midnight gmt. The mob had retired for the night. I'm alone (hurrah!) I carefully set up the web-cam, angling it up so covered about tummy up.

There I am, best dress shirt, posh tie, suit jacket, chatting away. After about 15 minutes, I discovered that, contrary to English perceptions, Japanese businessmen do indeed have a sense of humour.

Unknown to me, the heat from my (Japanese made) television was slowly melting the blu-tak, and it slowly, slowly, dipped downwards. Below waist level. Guess who, thinking it wasn't necessary, was wearing nothing but his rather brief underwear?

Me, that's who. For the best part of 5 mins, they'd been talking to my nether regions, perfectly straight faced. But once one guy started laughing, that was it. Worse, it took me 2 mins. to notice why.

Now I'm the "Crazy Englishman". Oh, my, oh my, oh my.....