I have reached that stage at worknow where Im expected to know what I'm doing. I sat in a meeting today where I mostly observed the proceedings where the conversation went something like this:
BigJob1: blahblah schmir shmee schma ...is it possible to ask the client this?
BigJob2: schmaa schmaa schmaa ...and the client must be informed of that.
BigJob1: blah blah draft a letter blah blah what do you think Frances?
Frances: well I...
BigJob2: yes it does say here blah bllah blah
... and so it went on for 10 minutes finally they resolved with absolutely no contribution from myself what the client must know and what the client must be asked.
Lesson: when BigJobs say "We will do this" it means "we will find the junior who is trying to lay low and make her do it"
Incidentally another lesson I have learnt at work (and should have known after 6 years of an engineering degree) is that the male mind is way easier to speak to with pictures. You go "blah blah blah" (just like the BigJobs) to a person of the male-persuasion you usually have to flap your lips around for twice as long as going "scribble scribble" and then "You! lookee here!" and pop it under their nose... then the light bulbs come out.
This may be vastly obvious except in a different meeting I sat and watched two of the BigJobs having a discussion (one engineer man and one finance man), trying to get each others points. So being male they both picked up a pen (like the teddy bear of the mind faced with having to explain something) and proceeded to make diagrams or something. Let me interject here the arguement was on how to calculate a value. and so while talking and drawing (at the same time.. bad idea.. bad men attempting multitasking tsk tsk tsk...) we landed up with two puddles of scribble on the board. (helps if you look occasionally at the hand with the pen in it instead of only at the person who you are talking to) And the bizarre part is that they two gnts understood each other!! I have seen drawings that are drawn by 1 year old babies that explain better.. altho a 1 year old baby only has so much to say.. "wanna poop/eat/sleep/drool/make a nice/pass wind".. the usual icky baby stuff.
So back the point. I keep on forgetting that I am a working proffessional who gets paid for what I do. and I'm astonished that I get given important expensive stuff to do, stuff that if I happen to make a drastic mistake... could have embaressing implications... And you have to give a 100% effort on everything. Like it all has to be complete and exactly right. and if you make a mistake it comes back with some finger wagging until it is perfect.
This adult stuff is hard work...
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Wednesday, 22 July 2009
Germany - After Home Hospitality
So where were we.. so after the two day stay back in Regensberg we went to a monastry (Kloster) in Ensdorf that has a whole program for the youth. We spent 3 days learning about alternative energy. I am ever grateful to my supervisor at work for briefing me on the stand that Soth African companies take on alternative energy because I spent a lot of time explaining myself to the german energy peoples.
We went to a solar park on a day when it rained.
The germans love to recycle sewerage and dung. Imaging a mountain of what looks like cocoa powder or a swimming pool of chocolate sauce to those fortunate enough to not be able to smell. the trouble is that the smell is so rich and powerful it did make me think of chocolate. The smell leaps out and assials your senses. the exception being that the smell does not induce a dreammy happiness but rather a strong desire to see your lunch again... mmmm dung!
we also went to a power plant that generates energy from burning trash which was EXTREMELY interesting to me and my camera battery was dead :( :( :( :( Anyway they took us into the main control room and I had to be physically restrained from jumping over the front desk and having a good and proper look.
After Ensdorf we went to a Scout camp near a teeny tiny town called Krickelsdorf - No running water, long drop toilet and sleeping on a hard wooden floor - on the positive side we were right next to a forest and by the wheat fields and the camp fires were awesome casual easy going affairs. I think the camp fires were a highlight of the entire trip for me (that and the bear playing in the rain)
While I was there I went for a walk and took this picture. The sunset and the wheat fields. I love my little blue camera!
Anyway so I stayed at the camp fire on the last night until the very early hours and then when to sleep until I couldnt take the snoring (sorry these were ladies make that heavy breathing) anymore. So I got up very very early for another walk. The only other thing awak was Mr Frog...
He actually stuck around a while for me to try all the different features on my camera to get a nice shot of him. Funny thing is this picture is the first one I took.
We went to a solar park on a day when it rained.
The germans love to recycle sewerage and dung. Imaging a mountain of what looks like cocoa powder or a swimming pool of chocolate sauce to those fortunate enough to not be able to smell. the trouble is that the smell is so rich and powerful it did make me think of chocolate. The smell leaps out and assials your senses. the exception being that the smell does not induce a dreammy happiness but rather a strong desire to see your lunch again... mmmm dung!
we also went to a power plant that generates energy from burning trash which was EXTREMELY interesting to me and my camera battery was dead :( :( :( :( Anyway they took us into the main control room and I had to be physically restrained from jumping over the front desk and having a good and proper look.
After Ensdorf we went to a Scout camp near a teeny tiny town called Krickelsdorf - No running water, long drop toilet and sleeping on a hard wooden floor - on the positive side we were right next to a forest and by the wheat fields and the camp fires were awesome casual easy going affairs. I think the camp fires were a highlight of the entire trip for me (that and the bear playing in the rain)
While I was there I went for a walk and took this picture. The sunset and the wheat fields. I love my little blue camera!
Anyway so I stayed at the camp fire on the last night until the very early hours and then when to sleep until I couldnt take the snoring (sorry these were ladies make that heavy breathing) anymore. So I got up very very early for another walk. The only other thing awak was Mr Frog...
He actually stuck around a while for me to try all the different features on my camera to get a nice shot of him. Funny thing is this picture is the first one I took.
Tuesday, 7 July 2009
Frankies Travels - a desert of connectivity
So after a week in the foreign land I can say this:
Germany is very beautiful. Im getting a sore neck from staring around everywhere round and round and round.
We started in a little village called Regensdorf outside of Regensburg. in a pretty little two story house belonging to the Scouts. Out the window we could see the river Regen
It rained some.
We visited a 'green classroom' at a local youth centre and picked some herbs and made a herb cottage cheese spread. we also picked berries and made a delicious dessert.
then it rained some ... more.
We visited a kindergarten in a forest. it was wesome to see the tall tall trees and the little children playing under them. after lunch we saw the children playing with a hammer and saw. Yes, no lies a 6 year old child playing at cutting wood with a read grown up saw... hmmm... seems these germans take their forestry seriously. Mom, fancy adding a sharp saw to your school toy box?
and then it rained a bit.
we stopped off at a farm to use the facilities because the ladies have impatient bladders and the farmer who was carrying a full bucket of cherries left the bucket with us while he went to show the girls to the bathroom.
Half a bucket of cherries later.... we left... because it was raining
We had a campfire but had to chase the snails away from the beer.
Lesson: Snails love beer. Who would think?? maybe it's just the gernman snails with their little shell leederhosen.
We went for a tour of Regensberg which has a very long history. And tall buildings along the streets. We were set loose to do some shopping for curios, most girls went clothes shopping. I went to vodafone to find out about feeding my addiction to teh internet, only to discover that data is 19c (like €0.19) PER KB!!! dont faint when you do the maths back into rands. So I decided to not have a connection to the internet via the cellphone(das handy)
then it rained a bit
We packed up to move accross to Landshut. but first we swam in the river Regen. it was cold... very cold.
We stopped off at the National Mountain nature park and went for a hike. The forest was stunning but it erained and then poured and then thundered and then rained. I loved it! Hiking in the rain was way way cool - it helps if you have the group umbrella tho ha ha ha. as we ran past in the rain I saw a bear playing in a water pool loving teh rain too. way way cool! wish I had taken a photo or a video or a bear for my collection.
in Landshut we went to the town festival that happens every 4 years celebrating the marriage of the previous king of the area to a polish princes. The pagent and procession of locals dressed up all medeval was amusing and interesting. They kept shouting HAALLLLOOOOOO! - 'tis traditional I think. in the free time I snuck off and got lost in the town and had a nice time getting un-lost again. Landshut is another classically beautiful town. with a castle on the hill.
it rained during the walk back to the sleeping place.
we then went for a visit to an organic farm
Saw some sheep (Lauren, stop laughing) snuck off and snapped some photos of the sheep. the Sheep were cheesed off that it was raining. there was a tour of teh organic farm too. the organic farm... with Sheep :D
Then the whole gang was split up for visits in pairs to peoples homes. where i am now.
Yaay! (now with rain)
Germany is very beautiful. Im getting a sore neck from staring around everywhere round and round and round.
We started in a little village called Regensdorf outside of Regensburg. in a pretty little two story house belonging to the Scouts. Out the window we could see the river Regen
It rained some.
We visited a 'green classroom' at a local youth centre and picked some herbs and made a herb cottage cheese spread. we also picked berries and made a delicious dessert.
then it rained some ... more.
We visited a kindergarten in a forest. it was wesome to see the tall tall trees and the little children playing under them. after lunch we saw the children playing with a hammer and saw. Yes, no lies a 6 year old child playing at cutting wood with a read grown up saw... hmmm... seems these germans take their forestry seriously. Mom, fancy adding a sharp saw to your school toy box?
and then it rained a bit.
we stopped off at a farm to use the facilities because the ladies have impatient bladders and the farmer who was carrying a full bucket of cherries left the bucket with us while he went to show the girls to the bathroom.
Half a bucket of cherries later.... we left... because it was raining
We had a campfire but had to chase the snails away from the beer.
Lesson: Snails love beer. Who would think?? maybe it's just the gernman snails with their little shell leederhosen.
We went for a tour of Regensberg which has a very long history. And tall buildings along the streets. We were set loose to do some shopping for curios, most girls went clothes shopping. I went to vodafone to find out about feeding my addiction to teh internet, only to discover that data is 19c (like €0.19) PER KB!!! dont faint when you do the maths back into rands. So I decided to not have a connection to the internet via the cellphone(das handy)
then it rained a bit
We packed up to move accross to Landshut. but first we swam in the river Regen. it was cold... very cold.
We stopped off at the National Mountain nature park and went for a hike. The forest was stunning but it erained and then poured and then thundered and then rained. I loved it! Hiking in the rain was way way cool - it helps if you have the group umbrella tho ha ha ha. as we ran past in the rain I saw a bear playing in a water pool loving teh rain too. way way cool! wish I had taken a photo or a video or a bear for my collection.
in Landshut we went to the town festival that happens every 4 years celebrating the marriage of the previous king of the area to a polish princes. The pagent and procession of locals dressed up all medeval was amusing and interesting. They kept shouting HAALLLLOOOOOO! - 'tis traditional I think. in the free time I snuck off and got lost in the town and had a nice time getting un-lost again. Landshut is another classically beautiful town. with a castle on the hill.
it rained during the walk back to the sleeping place.
we then went for a visit to an organic farm
Saw some sheep (Lauren, stop laughing) snuck off and snapped some photos of the sheep. the Sheep were cheesed off that it was raining. there was a tour of teh organic farm too. the organic farm... with Sheep :D
Then the whole gang was split up for visits in pairs to peoples homes. where i am now.
Yaay! (now with rain)
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