International Women's Day, 8 March 2013

A happy Women's Day to all the women reading this.

An observation I have made repeatedly and will finally write down: in a good many offices, the arrangements for today were made by a woman. Someone ordered the flowers, booked the table, collected the contributions and reminded the men on Wednesday.

There is a certain irony in a celebration of women being administered by the person it is for, and it is a small instance of a larger pattern — the organising work that keeps an office, a household or a family functioning is largely invisible and largely done by the same people.

So my suggestion, for whatever it is worth: next year, do the arranging yourselves. It is not difficult and the point of the day is rather undermined otherwise.

A good day to all of you.