I talked talked throughout the minute's silence - so embarrassed

[greenapplesplatter]

I don't need any berating because I honestly feel like crap about it already!

I wanted into town with DD (4) today to see if we could get her haircut, we didn't have an appointment so I wasn't really aware of the time or what time we'd left the house at.

DD got her hair cut & I was zipping up her coat, she was chattering away asking if we could go to the park & I was answering her. Walked over to the door & asked 'how much do I owe you', hairdresser whispered the amount, thought it was strange but paid said thank you very much. Said to DD what do you say to X for your lovely haircut, she repeats (loudly) & hairdresser mouths you're welcome only then did I twig that the whole salon was silent. I sort of whisper oh god so sorry & bundled DD out of the door (she was still waffling on about her hair)

I wanted the ground to swallow me up. I've had a poppy on all week so I was aware but I just honestly wasn't thinking. I can't stop thinking about the whole thing & every time I do I cringe!!

I've been in the supermarket etc in the past when it's been observed but they've usually made an announcement before to say it's starting. I just wish someone had mentioned it prior to 11 (they shouldn't of had to - I appreciate that) or even motioned for us to shut up but when I think back it must of seemed like ages we were talking for.

Came home & donated an extra £25 to the British Legion online!!

[LuckyLuckyWoman]

Don't feel too bad. I was at work today and we tannoyed the two minutes silence. People continued to talk all the way through despite others standing still and observing the silence.

[Paperdolly]

😂. Dipping...

[thecatsarecrazy]

Dont worry it happens all the time. We have 2 mins science at work and there are always people walking around and can't understand why im quiet when they want serving

[scrabbler3]

It's not easy to do when you have LOs. Please don't fret. And £25 is generous.

[Deathraystare]

Ooh I forgot but mind you I was on my way to work (early cos I thought I would not be able to get a bus due to oyster card probably run out of cash but kind driver let me on). I did not speak to anyone anyway apart from thanking the driver as I got off but it was not the time anyway. I then went to the library whiling away the time before I needed to start work and still did not talk to anyone so that was ok!

Did not get to work until 13.15 and then spoke to my colleague (who kindly lent me money to put on oyster as bloody work not paid me!)

[wibblywobblyfish]

I was in a supermarket with two friends during a silence for the 7/7 bombings. We had walked in after the announcement (if there was one) and didn't pick up on the silence, we were chatting and the sales assistant walked up to us and told us off, she was really aggressive and reduced my friend to tears. Felt so embarrassed.

[AnxietyStrikes]

I was in an opticians appointment and an alarm went off in the building at 11...the optician said "oh they are doing some silence for something I think we will ignore it" I had to correct her and tell her what it was even for!!!

[MaidOfStars]

I observed the silence, but I was asleep so it hardly counts. I had a little think when I got up.

If you offer your thoughts at any time (today, whenever), that's the important thing. I don't really get the rigid observation of silence when it's clear that many of those observing it are not really using that time to remember.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

That's disgraceful, wibbly. The silence is for the 11th day of the 11th month. There are no other official silences as far as I know. The terrorist incidents are so frequent now that the silences would become meaningless and people wouldn't know what they were for.

Remembrance Day is to commemorate those who gave up their lives to fight for this country. The terrorist attacks are not the same, those people were tragically killed but I don't think they should be observed by The Silence and there are better ways of remembering them.

[Mollie85]

I would have not realised (the time) too if it weren’t for our “all clear” siren which goes off on Remembrance Day and Liberation Day and which can be heard across the whole island (CI here).

The siren plays to mark the entire silence and is quite somber.

Yours was an honest mistake. Don’t panic

[Originalfoogirl]

They should have announced it. If they didn’t, that’s their fault, not yours.

The customers who came in to the store and were being loud, should have been told what was happening on the way in.

Not everyone wants to observe the silence and they have that right too. I was on my own at home and I did, but the whole judgement about people’s actions when it comes to this time of year does my nut in.

[Originalfoogirl]

The silence is for the 11th day of the 11th month.

Erm...what? It’s a mark of respect for many situations and has been as far back as I can remember. No single event has a monopoly on how to pay respect to people who have died.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Original, no it isn't. It has nothing to do with the terrorist attacks which have taken on ad hoc 'silences'.

Here: uk.news.yahoo.com/armistice-day-poppies-why-act-175845764.html

[lanbro]

I was at work chatting away to a colleague about the radio. Suddenly radio went off, we thought it was some sort of spooky coincidence, trying to fix the radio when all of a sudden it came back on and we realised it had been the 2 minute silence...we were totally mortified!

[mathanxiety]

Speaking as the daughter and granddaughter of British servicemen - the hairdresser could have been a lot less pompous about things.

It's so easy to pay this kind of lip service instead of paying enough taxes to provide real support to disabled servicemen and women, and it bothers me immensely that there is such frenzy, such a hint of having to nail your colours to the mast, now associated with the Armistice Day remembrance.

Small children shouldn't have to do triathlons to contribute where government falls (very) short.

(Just to be clear, I have nothing but admiration for both of the people in this video, and for all who raise funds and all who served, but it is not right that government support is inadequate).

[Aloethere]

The same thing happened to me Wibbly, kind of. It was Christmas eve a few years ago and me and the kids walked into a local supermarket, kids noisy full of excited. We didn't realise they were having a minutes silence for a young local man who had died in an accident outside the supermarket a few days before. Someone hissed at me to have some respect and control my children. I felt awful when I realised but I had no way of knowing that the supermarket would be doing a random minutes silence on Christmas eve just at the moment we walked in.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Agree with that, Math, I think that the care of servicemen and servicewomen (and their families) should be underwritten by the Government, no excuses, no exceptions.

[Tessliketrees]

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe

All that link says it that it is a tradition. Not sure what you think it proves.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Aloethere, I think that's called 'virtue signalling'... it doesn't have an official basis and whilst it's tragic, any sudden death is. Are we supposed to immediately stop what we're doing, have our days peppered with silences for this and that?

It's not showing respect that's for sure, it's just highly visible - and irritating.

[LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726]

Here then, Tess, www.bbc.co.uk/remembrance/how/silence.shtml

A bit more than a tradition and I find your post fatuous.

[Tessliketrees]

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe

I understand you now (undoubtedly this will be a cross post but I am going to press on).

I completely agree, it makes me incredibly uncomfortable. Silences leave me cold. I am quite happy to participate in them if they make people feel better but I am not silently contemplating the horrors of war or terrorism or anything else. I do contemplate those things, just not at a prescribed time.

It was fine when it was just a case of being quiet and stopping what you were doing but increasingly this is not enough. We have to stand in a circle or look at a flag etc etc. I feel like an absolute fraud but of course I can't say "Oh no I'll just stay here" because I would be crucified. That's when I start feeling resentful of the whole thing and thinking how 1984ish it all is.

[HoneyWheeler]

Well if it makes you feel any better, a few years back I burst into show tunes in the middle of the 2 minutes silence in a huge open plan office. Didn’t realize until that afternoon and nobody said anything!

Bloody mortified but it happens. I paid my respects internally after I’d realized.

[RoseWhiteTips]

*Originalfoogirl

The silence is for the 11th day of the 11th month.

Erm...what? It’s a mark of respect for many situations and has been as far back as I can remember. No single event has a monopoly on how to pay respect to people who have died.

Wrong. It is to mark the actual moment the First World War was declared over: this happened at 11 o’ clock on the 11th day of the 11th month (November) in 1918.

Of course since then, other losses in subsequent wars have been remembered at that exact time too.