I Don't Think You Can "Make Me A German"

I went in to work this afternoon to do some hours I owed. I haven't been in for about five weeks and won't be back again now for another four weeks so it was lovely to see the few colleagues who were there and to catch up on the gossip, changes and holiday chat.

I watched the repeat of Make Me A German late last night on BBC2. According to them German workers throw all their energies and concentration levels solely into the job at hand, until it is done. No gossip, no internet surfing, no discussing whether the man who fixes the lift has a nice bottom, just work. I don't think I could ever show that level of concentration at work ...