Stop/Start

My non-entry to MZM's 'What I've learned from Odd Jobs'

Sorry Robert, you'll have to count me out this month - too much to do, too little time I'm afraid.

Plus I feel I've lost two whole days doing all those odd jobs that come with selecting, buying, receiving and installing a brand new pc! And then teaching it how you like it to behave.

My old pc ('only' 2.5 years old) couldn't really cope any more with all I'd asked from it - sometimes you could even hear it 'chomping' away to try to fulfill all the commands I made. Starting it up every morning became a tiresome task - I could do all the odd jobs belonging to open up of the showroom, doing the washing up, open and file the morning post before it was truly up and running and emails were coming in. So high time to retire it.

It arrived last Thursday, new tower and wide flat screen with some programs installed (and I've to relearn MSOffice all over again, been working with Office 2000 since, well 2000). That wide screen is something you really have to get used to! But nice too, I can now run two programs next to each other (that's something the dear 'Doctor' forgot to mention in his 'Does size matter' blog-post of last month) - increasing productivity! (I hope, but am also sure I'll find more odd jobs to cramp into the day this way.) Only, my own website has changed colours! What used to be dark creamy now looks greenish on this new screen - and small!

Anyway, the other odd jobs with my new pc:

• making coffee for the chap who brought it in and was going to help me install most other hardware and software
• making space on my overcrowded desk so two flat screens could sit side by side for the coming days
• rummaging through odd boxes to find old cd-roms of my frequently used programs - and the licenses to go with it
• untangling cables, plugs and wires - not just once
• killing to Windows hideous start-up and turn-off music
• printing instructions from the old pc to discover that the printer was no longer attached to it - so making pdf-files instead, copy-paste to the new pc - click print
• making back-ups and restoring back-ups - to find that some files were corrupted - copy/paste whole files (good thing memory stick nowadays are given away as 'marketing' items - filing space a plenty)
• getting frustrated why the mouse isn't working - not so handy having two mouses (mice?) in front of you and trying to use one for the pc it's not connected to
• re-structuring the My computer and My Documents lay-out the way I wanted. No, I don't want it there - I want it right there. Not there I said - there. (Ended up with three sets of My Documents, three sets of Documents & Settings - now it's behaving a bit better)
• Revisiting all the frequently used websites and feverishly trying to remember all log-in details and passwords
• Emailing support services for programs that simply refuse to work the way they used to
• Finding old emails - supposedly copied over but lost in the deeps of the new pc
• changing the templates of this blog and the kiss2 blog because on the new wide screen both look, well, small!
• testing the webcam on skype again, to discover the installation cd-rom is missing (found it after two days in a box with business cards!?!)
• deciding when not to start up the old pc anymore and let the new pc do all the work (and so getting back my desk)

I'm getting there. Can't even do the washing up on my normal pace, the new pc is oh so eager to get to work.
So once again: very sorry I couldn't make it this time Robert - things have just got back to normal (well I hope, haven't had time to discover all the new features of the MSOffice 2007 software yet - that's got to be great fun so I'm told)
But see you next month on WILF

Typical conversations - in my head

Human beings are peculiar - we think we are the only living creatures on earth that do just that: think.

I for one 'think a lot' - and frequently almost complain that I can't switch off my mind and thoughts. I hold whole conversations in there (I call this 'living in my head') - and sometimes it 'does me head in'!

But apparently it is a very healthy and even profitable habit!

This morning reading the Saturday Times my eye fell on the following sentence:

"People who talk in themselves are people with a more active life in their heads and more fantasy."

Thomas Brinthaupt (psychology professor at Middle Tennessee State University) found - after a study among students - that individuals who talk to themselves in daily situations tend to be impulsive, creative, problem-solving types.

(Tried to find the article on-line but failed - not interesting enough I presume)

Finally: it's official - 'living in my head' is normal ;-)

What I learned from the... law: insure to be sure

Robert at Middle Zone Musings has launched his newest Group Writing Project  - every month he does that to us! This month it's about The Law.
Now, me and my partner are fortunate not to have had many encounters with the Law, but there has been one episode in our life that still rattles us.

Some background first: middle of the year 1999 we were 'asked' to team-up with a Dutch company - freshly started with many plans -, to move to the UK and manage a retail shop in Kent. We should have checked their plans better! Anyway, in 2000 we sold up everything we had in The Netherlands, moved to Charing Kent and waited. Waited a while longer and lived of our savings until finally the word go was given to revamp the showroom our 'partners' had selected. Another 4 months later the wooden flooring shop could finally open and hurray - we received our first wages. To cut a very long, frustrating and dreadful story short (why not read my business novel for the whole story?): June 2003 we were made redundant, hadn't received wages for two months and our 'investment' - part of the arrangement with our 'partners' on a 70/30 base - gone with the wind.

Then the real fun started: the one remaining partner - the other one had to pack his bags a year earlier, like the manager of the second retail shop that was launched - thought it would be a good idea to tell everyone we were responsible, we had been the owners of the Ltd. A mounting pile of demand letters from various companies and clients in our letterbox was the result. And that at the time we were trying to go-it-alone as Wood You Like (working from home). The one option we had to stop this barrage of  harassment for once and for all was to venture to The Employment Tribunal.

Now, being a foreigner in a strange land were rules and regulations are quite different than in your 'home' country is nerve wrecking, to say the least. How to go about this in the best way, no time for trial - pun intended ;-) - and error.
Fortunately with our home-content insurance came a Family Legal Insurance (costs per year for this optional insurance - a lousy £ 10.00). All it took to get the ball rolling was 1 phone call to our insurance agent. All of a sudden we had a solicitor who put in the claim for unfair dismissal, redundancy, unpaid wages and unpaid holidays etc for us. A solicitor who put a large volume of documents together to prove we only had ever been employees - and not so well treated employees to that. When the Tribunal date was set, all of a sudden we had a barrister too!

During the Tribunal our 'partner'/employer was accompanied by his accountant - one of those who's 'invoice meter' starts running the minute you think of calling him, let alone of him spending a whole day - silently, never had to say a word - in a court room. When the first nerves for the proceedings were gone we even managed to have fun - well, very quietly and mostly afterwards of course.

At the end of the day - yes, a whole day! - the chairman came back with the verdict: all our claims were honoured - our 'employer' had to pay the wages that were still due, holiday claims and redundancy reward. Of course we never saw one penny of that, no use picking feathers from a bare chicken - our 'partners' had set-up the company structure in such a way this would not costs them personal, but the most important verdict was: we were employees, unfairly dismissed! And that had been our aim all along - this enabled us to start with the cleanest slate of slates with our own juvenile company.

It has been a very wise lesson - lessons in fact:
A) never go into a partnership without knowing and being able to influence major and minor decision and
B) be sure you're insured for legal advice/help. Not only gives it 'peace of mind' but you'll never know when The Law comes knocking - or when you'll have to knock on The Law's gate.

Merry Christmas

Musical Christmas greeting  Have a good  and merry time with all your loved , near and dear ones!

Taking a short break

We're off to The Netherlands tomorrow to meet up with

History - a lunch meeting with one of the finest Directors I ever worked for during those 19 years at Nedalco

Present - diner with Ton's family on Saturday evening, diner with my family on Sunday afternoon/evening.

Future - discussing wood flooring products with our main supplier/manufacturer and taking more (and better) pictures of their quality wooden furniture for our own new 'division'.

Back on Wednesday late afternoon again.

In the meantime - with thanks to Peter Allen -

a Musical Christmas greeting from me to you

Floral Surprise - no 'boundaries'

We all know the world-wide-web knows no boundaries: where ever we are, we can reach out and 'touch' the whole world. With posts, with comments, with friendly emails.

Or...... as happened today - with a floral surprise delivered to my little showroom (that now has the smell of Spring!).

The accompanying note revealed the reason behind this wonderful and much appreciated gift:

"With many thanks for being my 1,000th comment & daily energizer. Keep it Simple...

Steve Roesler"

Isn't that just World Wide Wonderful?

Thanks Steve!

 

A Birthday party, multiple again! 24.10.07

Liz at Successful and Outstanding blog(gers) is throwing a party!

A Party, Wednesday, October 24th! You’re Invited!!

In honour of various blog birthdays (my own Kiss2 blog too) the celebrations will be plentiful. What will be happening:
It’s an all-day conversation with outstanding gifts for EVERYONE.

    * Open Comments all day.
    * Flash mob commenting.
    * Photographic Party Favours.
    * HUGE SURPRISES!!.
    * Guest posts galore. (My  contribution - The Currency: Talent)

A Party! You’re Invited! C’mon! Let’s Talk and Have Some Fun!

(There’s only one rule . . . be nice.)

The Kiss Biss Crew

Those who've had the pleasure to read my business novel "The Kiss Business, the Keep It Simple Sweetheart Principle in Business" will know what's on page 5. (The real story starts on page 9.)

Page 5 is short, but for me very important. It reads as follows:
Dedicated to:
Ton, my ‘sparring’-partner, for willing to ‘go-it-together’
Mike, the real web-wizard.
Lesley, my confidante.
Pete for changing some of my ‘Double Dutch’ phrases into proper English ones.
Richard, friend and mentor. For giving me confidence, but mostly for keeping me sane during difficult times.

Yesterday, again glorious barbecue weather, my whole Kiss Biss Crew (as I fondly name them) were gathered together in the Garden of the School House

(Funnily enough, they are all bloggers too: The Company Doctor - bizRichard, Healthy Water for Healthy Skin, The Heavy Chef Project and The IT Girl -Ton 'shares' 5 blogs with me ;-))

We had good weather (we always seem to have the best weather when we plan a barbecue!), good food, and most importantly good fun with good company:

In the end it did get a bit chilly. How fortunate then to have a lot of cut-off wooden floorboards:

Aren't we blessed with such good friends?

Lukas, the skeleton man

Last weekend and beginning this week we took a 'work' holiday to The Netherlands. Besides visiting both parents we travelled further up north to Ton's sister - installing a wooden floor for her, that's where brothers are for, not?
We finally had a chance to see my brother-in-law's workshop. Lukas is an artist - in his spare time, he's daily/nightly work is nurse. His workshop is definitely in need of some urgent repairs, the main reason for going to his 'atelier' was to empty several almost overflowing buckets - roof is leaking badly. But he doesn't complain, the atelier is part of a school building nominated for renovation and in the mean-time there's nowhere else that's as cheap and as social as there.

Walking around Lukas' atelier I decided to rename him in "The Skeleton Man".

This 'painting' is what greets you as soon as you enter. At first it almost gave me the creeps! But after another, closer, look it is a very intriguing art-work.

Other skeletons, mostly bird sculls, are draped around iron bars, plant stems, coat hangers etc.

Bike frames, skeletons by any other name:

A white head with gleamy eyes and teeth, something that when placed in the proper place would scare IMHO even the most heroic person.

And I guess these are the remains of a pc-geek ;-)

So after Lukas Schotanus becomes famous, remember where you saw him first: here!

'Denglish' Breakfast plus Garden Party BBQ

We couldn't have asked for: better weather, better company, better food and drink, better conversations or better fun this weekend!

Our quadruple birthday celebrations started with family breakfast where a typical English breakfast (eggs, beans etc) was mixed with typical Dutch breakfast (coffee and cheese-sandwich):

All preparations complete, including the dance floor and 'band' (because what's a wooden flooring company without a proper wooden dance-floor?) the real birthday boy awaited the arrival of more guests:

Guests aplenty, originating from or living in all corners of the world: The Netherlands, Kent, Paris, South Africa, Indonesia - and all 'getting along' proven by friendly banter:

Languages aplenty too: various Dutch dialects, some French thrown in and some Fries, English, Double Dutch English and some even talked 'hands' - fluently:

My 'big' brother was definitely not the only one mastering that languages:

Yeah, we had the best of times! Definitely wonderful, funny, relaxing, pure enjoyment!

Weather forecast quadruple birthday celebrations

This weekend we are bracing ourselves for a 'Dutch' invasion to The School House Garden in 'honour' of the quadruple birthday celebrations we have planned.

(Well, if you're finally in a position to throw a party you should do it BIG, not?)

Ton turns 50, I turn 45.5 (you can't have garden parties in January, can you now?), Wood You Like turns 4 and our Charing showroom 2. Reasons enough we thought.

And yesterday the weather forecast showed in the sky:

 
So we have very high hopes for a warm and sunny Sunday, just what we've asked for.

Our 'traditional' Home Town

As mentioned yesterday in the post on our 'adopted' home-town I'm on contribution two for Robert's meme "My Home Town - a new meme": Bergen op Zoom, our traditional Home Town.

Bergen op Zoom, in the South-West part of The Netherlands (between Antwerp - Belgium - and Rotterdam) where I was born in 1962, is a rather old market-town (received city-rights in 1266), steeped in Traditions.

Many of our town's traditions stem for the Catholic Church, but then 'adjusted' to the Burgundian mentality Southern Netherlands is known for.

Like 'Vasten-avend' (Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash-Wednesday when Lent starts). A very Catholic tradition but with a typical Bergen op Zoomse 'twist' - if we can't dress-up, have lots of music and fun it ain't worth our time. Where do you find a town in the whole world that dresses-up its bell-tower "The Pepper-box"? (And has a voice for that matter, our greatest actor during the children's carnival party on the Monday afternoon - and which voice from high above gave Queen Beatrix the giggles during one of her visits in the 90's during Queens-day, where for the occasion The Pepperbox was even dressed-up in a diner jacket)

And we dress-up ourselves too, of course. Some 'costumes' are known to be handed down from Granddad (more like ransacking Granddad's wardrobe or attic) and many wear voiles curtains, a tradition blue farmers-blouse (boerenkiel) or a heavy leather raincoat. And the strangest head ware you can find, even lamp-shades and bird-cages are used.

And age doesn't matter when it comes to celebrating Vasten-avend, as young as 6 months up to 95 year olds join the three week festivities, with the Grand-Finale weekend starting Saturday before Ash-Wednesday and ending on Tuesday 11.45pm sharp (a marathon party to be honest, we all need three days off after that - resting our tiered feet, strained voice-muscles and sore heads)

As for the music, it's all 'home-made'. The last time we were part of it there where over 70 music groups, in our town's dialect also known as Dweilbandjes (verbatim translation: floor-cloth band) with as many copper instruments you can handle and one or two little drums and of course one very big drum. I used to play the trumpet in a teenage dweilband - the age where most musicians start and many continue to play in these bands even if they are retired (and invent names like: "Pa still knows how")

Talking about music, some of these Dweilbandjes progress to become Jazz-bands - old fashion Dixie to Brass bands and the odd modern funk. (That Bergen op Zoom has one of the best known Music 'academy's' shouldn't come as a surprise any more.) 32 years ago a new musical tradition started: The annual Jazz-weekend. (Where this year we managed to talk double Dutch.)

Really steeped in Catholic tradition is the annual 'Maria-ommegang': Tribute to Our Lady for keeping our town safe during war, floods and other disasters. Again, a time to dress-up, to 'act' (biblical scenes in this case) and for music. Whole families are known to take part and over the years are promoted to more difficult roles in the procession. Some start as little sheep's-herder - real sheep! -  and end up many years later as Mozes or even portraying The Devil (favourite role of one of my cousins - he always looked really 'spooky').

That's in a nut-shell Bergen op Zoom, the town we left in 2000 for our adopted new Home Town in The Garden of England, Kent UK.
You know what's funny? When beginning May this year I had my 'dreaded' 10 minute presentation every BNI member has to go through every 7 - 8 months, I used the traditions of our home-town and the traditional industries in our home-town to explain our www: Why we do, what we do, the way we do it.
We've been raised that way: traditional.

(forgot to tag others, sorry Robert. In good tag-traditions I would like to hear/read about their home-towns from:
Both Mike and Fred at TheHeavyChef Project - South Africa, with a UK-Dutch influence
Pete Aldin at Great Circle - Australia
Ann V. Michael at Manage to Change - US of A

My 'adopted' Home Town

Robert, my turtle friend, over at Middle Zone Musings has tagged me (again!). This time he wants to know about our home-towns. I told him we had two Home Towns, the one we both came from in The Netherlands, Bergen op Zoom (will write My Home Town post on that next) and the one we've adopted as Home Town: the lovely village of Charing in Kent UK. The main reason for me to include this post is to introduce the new fixed page on the Stop/Start blog: In and around The School House Garden, where I spent many 'after work' holidays.

We moved here, by chance ended up in this lovely village is more accurate, May 2000. First in a small apartment, the next year to a large house right on the A20 and in February 2002 we moved to the School House, right in the middle of the school grounds. (It's summer holiday now, hooray, nice and quiet!)

We live and work in Charing, our showroom is 100 meters across the road, handy for my lunch-break. According to Richard C Charing is a 'villagy village': still many shops and businesses and loads of people 'around', not just a sleeping-commuters village. There are: two convenient stores, one library, one hotel, two B&B's, three pubs, a doctors surgery and pharmacist, two accountants, a hair-dresser, a post-office, a florist, a wooden flooring shop - of course -, 8 restaurants, 3 garages, a factory freezing fresh vegetables and many home-based businesses. And a school, complete with notorious school-run twice a day.

We loved Charing from the day we first set foot here, we still love it and will always love it. And hopefully we will fulfil my item 3 of the Gotta-Get-Goals meme here too.

Next post will be on our Home-Town Bergen op Zoom: Traditions, traditions.

Two way 'traffic' - teaching and learning

Last week I had a conversation with Liz. Among other items we touched on my 'dream' project - at that moment not completely finished yet - and a remark Liz made first startled me (as in: what? - hadn't really seen it in that way) and then it left me pondering about it for a few more days.

As Liz (and most of you too) knows my dream project concerns setting up a web-publishing unit (aka blog) for my dear friend and mentor Richard C (I'll write a case-study about the how and the why in the very near future).

Normally Richard advices me on marketing, business concepts, smart ways to work on your business (versus working hard in your business) and much more. And his advice is always sound, always with my 'strengths'/skills and character in mind. I've learned much from him and I'm always eager for him to teach me more. This started roughly 5 years ago and over time you start to know each other better, you start to appreciate acquired knowledge, unconditionally trusting that his advice will be for the better (because he has never let you down during these years).

Now, because I just knew that web-publishing would benefit Richard's own plans and goals in so many ways, because I can safely state that in these 10 months of intensive blogging I know a lot about it - mainly through trial and error ;- - because I knew that I could project manage this for him in such a way it wouldn't take up too much of his valuable time, I 'persuaded' him to 'give it a go'.

The project progressed well, very well indeed - if I say so myself - and within two weeks three pages and three posts were almost 'live', most web-marketing items in place, ready to launch.

Then that remarks of Liz got 'stuck' in my head: doesn't Richard find it strange to be in this changed relationship? Instead of giving me advice, teaching me how to go about things, for two weeks he was (and still is) on the receiving end. My first answer to Liz was a startled: no, he's quite comfortable in this role - I'm the one having to get used to this role reversal. Student becomes 'teacher'? - until then I saw it just as being the project manager.

We launched Richard's blog last Friday. Only this morning (BNI Ashford breakfast meeting) I understood the gentle shift in the relationship when I discussed the way he's going to reply to comment on his blog with him. As I always do with his advice (because I know his knowledge) he accepts my advice (because he knows my knowledge) and grows - as I do. It has become a 'two-way-traffic' relationship.

When I mentioned this to Liz this morning she suggested I wrote a blog-post about it (of course she would ;-)):  When your mentor learns from you

I said I would think about it.

It's life, Jim...

We all have our roll-models, hero's even.
Many years ago these were my hero's:

Although 'fictional', their characters and mentalities taught me some basics about work, teamwork, life and humanity. And it got me interested in IT too (hey, Star Trek already invented a kind of IPhone in 1967! - so who's old-fashioned?)

No more fictional roll-models, hero's for me nowadays, real persons are much more interesting. Specially when it means interactive conversations and teamwork.

After two weeks of proper teamwork - bouncing off ideas, enhancing on ideas, activating each other's strengths - it's with great pleasure (and a bit of pride) I can now announce that the "Company Doctor" Richard Calderwood web-publishing site (aka blog) is live!

I not only hope you pay Richard a visit to say hello, but also that you'll 'hang around' on his site. He taught me most I know about running and growing a profitable business and his blog is on 'how to' - it is pretty easy with the right guidance, right tools and the right attitude to implementation - closing the Knowing-Doing Gap in the most simple and effective way.
Richard C can tell you, show you much more about this.

Give him my regards ;-)

What I Learned from... Travel - diversity

Robert Hruzek is 'at it again': another Group Writing Project. It seems I can't never not join ;-)

So, here goes: What I Learned From... Travel: to watch, to look, to observe

I've travelled by many ways: by train, by bus, by car, by plain, by ferry, on foot, by push-bike, by boot, by horse, by canoe.

I've travelled on country lanes, small provincial roads, fast motorways, through tranquil villages, through quiet towns, through busy world capitals, through forests, along side never ending farm fields, past smoking industries.

I've had smooth travels, set in traffic jams, got trapped in a 10 car pile-up, waited for connections, waited for delayed trains; had sun shine, storm, rain, black-ice, snow, hail, wind in the back, wind full face.

I've travelled alone, with my partner, with family, with friends, with colleagues, with school mates, friends, in groups where you're only a stranger for a short while.

I've travelled for work, for pleasure, to reach a holiday destination, I've travelled as a holiday destination, travelled for get help, travelled to give help.

Short journeys, long journeys.

I've travelled away and I've travelled back home.

And I learned to watch, to look, to see, to observe the diversity.
Because around the next bend, the next corner could be something new. Even on those roads, paths we travel every day, day after day.

Diversity is just around the corner.

Do you have...

Do you have that too? Sometimes?
Those times where you do nothing but smile all day long?

Because you just can't help yourself? You don' really notice it yourself, or hardly at first. But everyone else does. And when they ask, you just shrug your shoulders, but hug yourself too at the same time.

Because you just can't help yourself. Everything seems to go your way; your work, your travels, your ideas, your projects, your goals, your life, just about everything.

You just can't help yourself: you just have to smile, all day long. For days!

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

More Faces behind my Blog(s)

It's Sunday afternoon and I'm taking a day off (well, not really, still in my little showroom for the event a customer decides to take advantage of our 7 days a week open policy, but I have no 'real' work activities planned = day off) and spend this 'lazy' time to fulfil a promise I recently made Dawud and Adam, but also to Liz this Monday: I'm showing my Face behind my Blog(s) (not counting the 'framed' one since 19 May). The 'Collection' meme was instigated by David Airey.

As luck will have it, recently my mother presented me with a wonderful gift: an 'old-fashion' picture book filled with pictures of......me! (Thanks moeder).

Let's start at the beginning:

This is me: 1 day old

Me, on the right, with my 'big' brother Pierre (now insisting to be called Fiep, don't ask why!) in the box

This was taken when I was around 4 years old, already at the same length as my 'big' brother (who was 6 then).

The arrival of our younger brother Pim (plus the arrival of colour pictures) I'm the one on the left. We still lived in an apartment block, but would move to a terraced council house (brand new!)with own garden the following year.

This was taken during our first foreign holiday (to Italy, but the old DAF 32 didn't take us further than Bavaria in Germany). We had loads of fun anyway, visited Schloss Neuschanstein, and swam and peddled a lot.

Normally we spent the whole of the summer holidays (6 weeks on a roll) and weekends before and after the holidays in Zeeland: Renesse.

Talking about holidays. The best one (the once in a life time I think) I ever had was in 1994: two weeks of canoeing in Sweden. I let the pictures speak for themselves, nature doesn't need words, not does pure enjoyment, relaxation (including 'home-built' sauna), great company (we started as 'strangers'), the best weather imaginable etc etc etc. (The first picture is the one I promised Liz)

And to finish, some more recent pictures from our latest travels to our home town Bergen op Zoom:

Diner with from left to right: nephew Gijs (son of my 'little' brother Pim), me, my mother, my 'big' brother Fiep, Ton my partner and my niece Marleen (daughter of my 'little' brother Pim). I seem to have ended up in the middle: middle in age, middle in length where the youngest (Pim) is the longest (almost 2 meter!)

And this was taken by my brother's Fiep mobile phone: me and my sister-in-law Carla (Ton's sister) enjoying the Jazz, warm weather and a drink at the cutest little square in Bergen op Zoom: Het Beursplein.

Well, that's me. Over to you now.

Memory triggered (yes, I'm bragging)

Isn't your memory a funny thing?

Recently Jason Alba (the JibberJobber man) recommended to read "Brag! The Art of Tooting your own Horn without Blowing it" by Peggy Klaus.
(I'm reading this 'beside' "Go put your strengths to work" by Marcus Buckingham - another recommendation from Kent Blumberg - which is a 6-weeks reading and thinking plan and I'm at week 1, so no further reading in this book before I've finished my 'tasks' of the first week. Must say it feels like a good combination, reading these two books 'together')

Anyway, back to the Brag book and that funny thing called memory. Reading chapter 2 of the book one of the 12 questions to start working on your Brag-Bites and Bragologues (Take-12 questionnaire) suddenly triggered one seemingly long forgotten memory. The question in question was number 2:
What are the ten most interesting things you have done or that have happened to you?

It was the last part of the question that 'did it'. All of a sudden a conversation with a recruitment agency came flying back. In November 1999 I resigned from the company I had worked for for 19 years, due to the upcoming move (emigration even, from The Netherlands to the U.K.) when our 'partners' informed us that all plans were on green and we had to prepare ourselves for this move. Still think they were colour blind, all in all it took until May 2000 we finally packed our belongings in and moved to the lovely village of Charing, Kent (but that's another story). So January came, money had to be earned in the meantime and I was off to various recruitment agency for temporary or part-time work (admin, bookkeeping, logistics, IT etc).

At one point I had to report for an interview at a new logistics warehouse for Nike sport shoes. Brought my cv with me and some 'success-stories' from those 19 years work experience. The job in hand was to restructure the logistics from and to the warehouse, interfacing it with the new IT software (my kind of project!). Work period: 3 months. Two days later the recruitment agency called me back: could I start the next week?
Eh, no, because I was 'bugged down' with a rather heavy flue which took me two weeks to recover from.

So, once recovered I went back to this recruitment agency to see if they had some work for me. Could I please call the manager who had interviewed me at Nike's immediately because although the first job was taken, they had been so impressed with my knowledge and experiences they were willing to create a job for me. A fixed job, not even a trial period.
I passed on this wonderful offer. I couldn't accept it. I would betray their trust within 2 months because of our definite plans to manage a new retail shop in the UK.

Looking back on that interview I can't believe it took a question in a book 8 years later to remember this 'success'. So now I'm feeling 'proud' with hindsight ;-)

Funny things, memories.

Real Double Dutch!

One and a half week ago we had the pleasure of entertaining two English guests in our home town Bergen op Zoom: Pete and Ross, two local - business - friends from our 'home-village' Charing, Kent. Nice couple, a little - tiny according to Pete - older than we are (we're mid and end 40).

We live and work in the UK now for already 7 years, speak, think, write, talk English most of the time. But to each other (that's me and partner Ton) we still speak Dutch (although more and more sentences are being peppered with English words and phrases). Pete and Ross speak only English.

And we had to translate various questions from waiters for them, not a problem. No, not a problem at all, we are used to switch from Dutch (among the two of us) to English every day.
Only, it seems we're effected with a Double Dutch effect when it comes to the other way around.

After having the Dutch question translated in English, hearing the answer from Pete and Ross in English.......

we answered in English to the Dutch waiter!!!!
And not just once, over five times!