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#WFH Diaries: Jonas Roth and Rasmus Smith Bech of Uncommon
As COVID-19 continues to upend our personal and professional lives, we’re checking in with creative folks around the world to see how they’re doing. In this installment, we hear from Jonas Roth and Rasmus Smith Bech, a pair originally from Copenhagen who recently joined Uncommon in London after two years at 4Creative.
Give us a one-line bio of yourself.
We’re Jonas and Rasmus, two Danish guys who’ve been working together as a creative team for 10 years across three countries.
Where are you living right now, and who’s with you?
Jonas: I live in Holland Park, where I share a maisonette with my muse.
Rasmus: Living in Hackney. So, across London from Jonas. Sharing a one-bedroom flat with my girlfriend.
What’s your work situation like at the moment?
Jonas: Strange. Obviously, we’ve got our lagging Skype meetings like everyone else, but the weirdest part of our work situation is changing jobs in the middle of all this. We are making the move from 4Creative to Uncommon in the most unusual time. We’ll probably end up having virtual leaving drinks and digital introductions to our new colleagues. ?
Rasmus: … but working together in a team is way easier now. Less heated discussions and more just correcting each other’s stuff in Google Docs without asking.
Best work email you got since all this started.
Jonas: Channel 4 writing us to say they’ll send over a courier to pick up our work laptops. Uncommon writing us to say they’ll send a courier delivering our new work laptops.
Rasmus: The email went: “Yep it’s a dildo.” (Context: We are working on a project about porn at the moment.)
Describe your socializing strategy.
Jonas: Old-fashioned phone calls … Rasmus did send me an invite for a new app called House Party. Don’t really know what it is, but it sounds like a dodgy mix between Skype and Chatroulette for the drunk and lonely. What could go wrong?
Rasmus: A lot of FaceTime. Haven’t sung from my balcony yet.
How are you dealing with childcare, if applicable?
Jonas: We don’t have kids, but this old classic feels like the new normal.
What are you reading?
Jonas: I’m trying to get through my “IMDB” list of books. Right now I’m reading Vernon Subutex One (the back cover thumbnail photo alone, of Virginie Despentes smoking a cigarette, sold me on the book).
Rasmus: I have a tendency of starting too many books at once, so should probably try and finish some of them. Speaking of finishing books, I just started a new one called Hyperbole and a Half.
What are you watching?
Jonas: I’m trying to get through my actual IMDB watchlist. Currently watching Chernobyl.
Rasmus: I’m doing a lot of passive viewing of RuPaul’s Drag Race. (My girlfriend is obsessed.) Most recent active viewing has been Tiger King.
Jonas: Bonus info: Louis Theroux interviewed Joe Exotic, aka the Tiger King, back in 2011.
What are you listening to?
Jonas: I’m not really listening to it, but I found a coronavirus playlist on Spotify I thought was funny (no, coronavirus is not a joke, but this playlist is). Britney Spears “Toxic,” MC Hammer “U Can’t Touch This,” Sting “Don’t Stand So Close to Me,” etc. You get the idea.
Rasmus: I’ve been listening to a lot of Henry “Red” Allen and His Orchestra.
How are you staying fit?
Jonas: Eating less. Which also means fewer trips to the shops. Win win.
Rasmus: Doing the spring cleaning.
Have you taken up a hobby?
Jonas: I have expanded on my cooking repertoire. Right this moment I’m waiting to see if my sourdough bacteria cultivation succeeds. (Hopefully it won’t be too successful. The world doesn’t need any more uncontrollable bacteria.)
Rasmus: Does washing hands count as a hobby?
Any tips for getting necessities?
STOP HOARDING. Stop panic buying toilet paper and pasta.
An awkward moment since all this started.
Rasmus: Finding myself checking out peoples house decorations on Skype calls.
Jonas: Not being able to blame public transport for being late to a meeting.
An aha! moment since all this started.
Jonas: I’m never going to get through my IMDB watchlist. There’s too many old black-and-white classics I’m just never going to watch. I really wish I was that guy.
Rasmus: I’ve always wondered why I postpone getting boring stuff done around the house. Now I know.
What’s your theory on how this is going to play out?
We’re going to leave this one to the experts…
