OK, I see it has been over a year since I posted my last update. Many things have changed. The work blues got to an extend that it was partially not bearable anymore and then I escaped.
Left Switzerland, left over 8 years of my old company and got a new job in Munich. Even the boyband obsession has dimished over the year. I still follow the news, even saw the concerts at Wembley (nearly all of them), but everything seems to get to an end.
I think what it is now, is feeling still a bit connected to those guys as we had gotten that close. You are just interested how they are doing, what they are doing, but you wonder if they are doing any good with what they are doing now...
Anyway, they will appear now and then here, if I get to catch them, but more important is my new start here. A new city again, new work.. Everything is exciting and there are just a few days until the famous Oktoberfest. And I still will not get one of those traditional dresses.. not now, not so soon, I'm not from here...
September 9, 2009
March 18, 2008
Work Blues 2
I cannot believe it, the escalation I had handed back to my colleague a view weeks ago, with a request to clarify the situations has come back this morning.
But this time in an even sillier way!!!
I got a mail, asking for the status. What status??? I had asked her to investigate how the problem manifests itself and what the customer really sees, as through our investigation should the customer not have an issue at all unless he installed the product in the wrong manner.
What we just wanted was an error code or screen shot that the issue really is there and not just an assumed problem.
I also had confirmation that someone would talk to the customer and mentioned that in my mail. And now, what do I get? Three weeks later a request for a status.
This is not my customer, this is not a problem relating to my work, but I do as much as I can do to help out.
Could someone please just switch on their brain???
Worse coming to worst, am I not the only target of her unqualified escalations. OK, but now, how do we tell her instead of just getting mad?
This starts to be a sensitive topic.
But this time in an even sillier way!!!
I got a mail, asking for the status. What status??? I had asked her to investigate how the problem manifests itself and what the customer really sees, as through our investigation should the customer not have an issue at all unless he installed the product in the wrong manner.
What we just wanted was an error code or screen shot that the issue really is there and not just an assumed problem.
I also had confirmation that someone would talk to the customer and mentioned that in my mail. And now, what do I get? Three weeks later a request for a status.
This is not my customer, this is not a problem relating to my work, but I do as much as I can do to help out.
Could someone please just switch on their brain???
Worse coming to worst, am I not the only target of her unqualified escalations. OK, but now, how do we tell her instead of just getting mad?
This starts to be a sensitive topic.
Heilbronn - another Howard DJ Gig
OK, I have done it again a night of dancing and fun, though now with a little twist.
As this was one of the most crowded DJ Gigs of Howard Donald, especially the amount of TT fans present was scary, could I experience the full fan crazy and the woes afterwards.
What happens if you put zealous girls into a crowded room with their teen age star?
Well girls get silly party and are jealous of anyone around them.
But let's start at the beginning, because weeks before this gig did the mostly used German fan forum receive a mail from the club owner requesting the present fans to rather party and dance, than just stand around and gaze at their star.
A huge discussion evolved on people claiming that they are dancing, people bitching at each other. It was just fun, so in essence I was interested to see what would be happening.
OK, the dance floor was a bit too small, so dancing was quite impossible, but partying was fine.
Me and my friend had actually stayed a bit further away, were we had some space to dance until we started to be the target of some really strange guys. That's when we escaped to the dance floor.
What was this song line again... "Sometimes you don't know what you are waiting for, that's the time to be on the dance floor..."
It felt to me that we and Howard had quite some fun, but the forum during the next day had to prove me wrong.
First of all, lesson learned, do not try to use a certain style and interesting word combinations to describe the fans you were together with, do not even dare to distinguish between you and them, even though you are different and did not join them in the hunt for a picture with the star. Even if you try to use a nice language and tell people how happy you are for them, some will always think that you are leveling them.
But looking back at that discussion and thinking about what they actually did, which was sneaking into the back of the club to get a picture, what else can this be then crazy fans, or even stalking. Celebrities have reasons why they use back entrances, so why just not leave them alone? If they are willing to take pictures, they will take the front that's for sure. Actually Howard used the front, after, what I think now, rescuing these silly girls from the back.
But the discussions in the forum were just silly the next day, especially when people contradict themselves in different threads and do not notice it.
Worst coming to worst, the discussion is now up, who was now really partying and who wasn't.
Hello, girls get real, give everybody their space. I can live with gazing fans, as long as they are not the majority, give people their space, as much as you also do not want to be valued in being a "crazy" fan yourself.
I even would like to question what is worse, looking and taking pictures during the show or running after the star afterwards.
Anyway, silly me signed up to go with some other girls to Munich in April and then I do not think I will attend any gig until July (unless Howard is in Muenster).
I'm a bit tired of all this bitching, but wasn't it the bitching that got me started on this forum, trying to tame down these girls again???
Oh well, silly me, will remain here, do not write much anymore, but continue to party with the friends I found here.
As this was one of the most crowded DJ Gigs of Howard Donald, especially the amount of TT fans present was scary, could I experience the full fan crazy and the woes afterwards.
What happens if you put zealous girls into a crowded room with their teen age star?
Well girls get silly party and are jealous of anyone around them.
But let's start at the beginning, because weeks before this gig did the mostly used German fan forum receive a mail from the club owner requesting the present fans to rather party and dance, than just stand around and gaze at their star.
A huge discussion evolved on people claiming that they are dancing, people bitching at each other. It was just fun, so in essence I was interested to see what would be happening.
OK, the dance floor was a bit too small, so dancing was quite impossible, but partying was fine.
Me and my friend had actually stayed a bit further away, were we had some space to dance until we started to be the target of some really strange guys. That's when we escaped to the dance floor.
What was this song line again... "Sometimes you don't know what you are waiting for, that's the time to be on the dance floor..."
It felt to me that we and Howard had quite some fun, but the forum during the next day had to prove me wrong.
First of all, lesson learned, do not try to use a certain style and interesting word combinations to describe the fans you were together with, do not even dare to distinguish between you and them, even though you are different and did not join them in the hunt for a picture with the star. Even if you try to use a nice language and tell people how happy you are for them, some will always think that you are leveling them.
But looking back at that discussion and thinking about what they actually did, which was sneaking into the back of the club to get a picture, what else can this be then crazy fans, or even stalking. Celebrities have reasons why they use back entrances, so why just not leave them alone? If they are willing to take pictures, they will take the front that's for sure. Actually Howard used the front, after, what I think now, rescuing these silly girls from the back.
But the discussions in the forum were just silly the next day, especially when people contradict themselves in different threads and do not notice it.
Worst coming to worst, the discussion is now up, who was now really partying and who wasn't.
Hello, girls get real, give everybody their space. I can live with gazing fans, as long as they are not the majority, give people their space, as much as you also do not want to be valued in being a "crazy" fan yourself.
I even would like to question what is worse, looking and taking pictures during the show or running after the star afterwards.
Anyway, silly me signed up to go with some other girls to Munich in April and then I do not think I will attend any gig until July (unless Howard is in Muenster).
I'm a bit tired of all this bitching, but wasn't it the bitching that got me started on this forum, trying to tame down these girls again???
Oh well, silly me, will remain here, do not write much anymore, but continue to party with the friends I found here.
February 27, 2008
Silly Workweek and more TT
Unbelievable, but I got a Take That concert for myself, right at the first day of release, but then actually bought 5 more for friends in Germany, who had to wait a week longer until it gets released there (just this coming Friday).
Adding to this, will I go in midweek (what will my mum tell me) to Stuttgart to see the show again on the big screen. OK, this time the concert with several people I know, which feels much cooler, but still a silly thought.
And not to speak of me going to another DJ Gig of Howard in March. But that is supposed to be a fun party night again, so what is wrong to that.
All the above could be so easy if work would not have caught up with me this week, leaving me tomorrow with only one team member (half way) in the office and me off in the afternoon.
All members have insisted on us being flexible, but this is now going way too far and again the worst happened. The message of one, I'm working from home taking care of sick child... Either you work or you look after your 2 year old. I still cannot believe this morale, as it surely just feels like, I will be on call at home hoping nothing comes in so I can take care of my child. Some people do not understand my opinion on that, but the Swiss law gives you the right to take a sick leave to take care of your child. So why not just go to the doctor and get the document???? We will be able to handle the rest and cover the work. I just think that this is way to much risk taking by now and we already had one occasion were this arrangement did not work out and I had to jump in myself.
I really insist in having a family friendly workplace, but some things sometimes get too far...
Adding to this, will I go in midweek (what will my mum tell me) to Stuttgart to see the show again on the big screen. OK, this time the concert with several people I know, which feels much cooler, but still a silly thought.
And not to speak of me going to another DJ Gig of Howard in March. But that is supposed to be a fun party night again, so what is wrong to that.
All the above could be so easy if work would not have caught up with me this week, leaving me tomorrow with only one team member (half way) in the office and me off in the afternoon.
All members have insisted on us being flexible, but this is now going way too far and again the worst happened. The message of one, I'm working from home taking care of sick child... Either you work or you look after your 2 year old. I still cannot believe this morale, as it surely just feels like, I will be on call at home hoping nothing comes in so I can take care of my child. Some people do not understand my opinion on that, but the Swiss law gives you the right to take a sick leave to take care of your child. So why not just go to the doctor and get the document???? We will be able to handle the rest and cover the work. I just think that this is way to much risk taking by now and we already had one occasion were this arrangement did not work out and I had to jump in myself.
I really insist in having a family friendly workplace, but some things sometimes get too far...
February 20, 2008
Work Blues
I cannot believe it, work just caught up with my today again giving me several interesting and nerve wrecking challenges.
Question - How do you escalate something that does not belong in your department, neither does the person escalating understands or really knows what he/she wants????
Aimless and badly researched escalations are the worst thing I have ever seen.
I think I should have already stopped yesterday when asking the requester what she actually wants, and did not get an answer, but rather a command to look into our database to see what is technically wrong.
This should have already told me, that she did not know what she was talking about, but had escalated within different channels during the last 3 weeks.
Unbelievable, and I now also understand why she could not get it resolved.
Is logical thinking so difficult or do I expect too much.
But now I and a colleague are standing here, having started an escalation with wrong information, which will make us look incredibly bad.
Lesson learned, insist to get answers to all your questions even if the requester thinks your are crazy, in the end you will learn that they did not understand the story at all....and you helped them to understand it.
Question - How do you escalate something that does not belong in your department, neither does the person escalating understands or really knows what he/she wants????
Aimless and badly researched escalations are the worst thing I have ever seen.
I think I should have already stopped yesterday when asking the requester what she actually wants, and did not get an answer, but rather a command to look into our database to see what is technically wrong.
This should have already told me, that she did not know what she was talking about, but had escalated within different channels during the last 3 weeks.
Unbelievable, and I now also understand why she could not get it resolved.
Is logical thinking so difficult or do I expect too much.
But now I and a colleague are standing here, having started an escalation with wrong information, which will make us look incredibly bad.
Lesson learned, insist to get answers to all your questions even if the requester thinks your are crazy, in the end you will learn that they did not understand the story at all....and you helped them to understand it.
Take That to be continued
How silly is this now, but I actually went to my first fan meeting in Stuttgart.
I can only say, this is an interesting experience and someone should actually write a psychology master thesis on boy band fan behavior.
Surely you can see quite different people there, new fans, old fans, crazy fans etc, but what combines all is the love for music and fun.
It was unbelievable how much fun we had that evening and I did not leave Stuttgart until 2 in the morning. So nobody better ask how tired I was when I crawled into my bed at 5.
Excuse me, but hadn't I done the same the weekend before??? I'm amazed I can still do such things.
So what did we do all evening???
Eat - I did bring my beloved curry (in memory of one of the Take That members)
Talk - which we did more then eat or anything else
watch videos - were hardly anyone looked at or we made fun of the quality (shaking camera during concert - I think I suffer from motion sickness)
Interesting stories have been revealed and I'm still a bitt puzzled about people collecting towels the guys used or are still looking for the water bottle of a certain one.
This just put a special image into my head... Monty Python, The life of Brian
-> follow the bottle, follow the sandal
How crazy is this now.
I'm already questioning the use of autographs and pictures, but what do you do with such things???
It actually lead to a worse image in my head, consider one of these fans dying of old age and someone finds in their closet a towel in a vacuumed bag. Interesting thought, what do you do with that and who will care in 50 years time???
Furthermore am I amazed how vocal some people are about certain women around particular members of the band (dancers, wifes, etc). Does really anybody believe they will be dating one of them sometime??? This is just ridiculous and does not get into my mind.
Some of them have been to over 10 concerts and will even attend fan meetings in the UK, how crazy is this now.
We are not teenagers anymore, but some of the old fans seem to keep on moving in this mode, with the additional advantage, that they do not need to ask their parents anymore and their allowance has increased until then.
Well, everyone is different and I cannot exclude myself completely from this, but still hope to keep an open mind and look at myself with a wink.
I can only say, this is an interesting experience and someone should actually write a psychology master thesis on boy band fan behavior.
Surely you can see quite different people there, new fans, old fans, crazy fans etc, but what combines all is the love for music and fun.
It was unbelievable how much fun we had that evening and I did not leave Stuttgart until 2 in the morning. So nobody better ask how tired I was when I crawled into my bed at 5.
Excuse me, but hadn't I done the same the weekend before??? I'm amazed I can still do such things.
So what did we do all evening???
Eat - I did bring my beloved curry (in memory of one of the Take That members)
Talk - which we did more then eat or anything else
watch videos - were hardly anyone looked at or we made fun of the quality (shaking camera during concert - I think I suffer from motion sickness)
Interesting stories have been revealed and I'm still a bitt puzzled about people collecting towels the guys used or are still looking for the water bottle of a certain one.
This just put a special image into my head... Monty Python, The life of Brian
-> follow the bottle, follow the sandal
How crazy is this now.
I'm already questioning the use of autographs and pictures, but what do you do with such things???
It actually lead to a worse image in my head, consider one of these fans dying of old age and someone finds in their closet a towel in a vacuumed bag. Interesting thought, what do you do with that and who will care in 50 years time???
Furthermore am I amazed how vocal some people are about certain women around particular members of the band (dancers, wifes, etc). Does really anybody believe they will be dating one of them sometime??? This is just ridiculous and does not get into my mind.
Some of them have been to over 10 concerts and will even attend fan meetings in the UK, how crazy is this now.
We are not teenagers anymore, but some of the old fans seem to keep on moving in this mode, with the additional advantage, that they do not need to ask their parents anymore and their allowance has increased until then.
Well, everyone is different and I cannot exclude myself completely from this, but still hope to keep an open mind and look at myself with a wink.
February 10, 2008
Kempten, where the heck is Kempten
What a weekend and I'm still recovering from that party.
Finally I got a view at the missing Take That member, having visited one of his DJ gigs, somewhere in the German mountains.
What a drive, but the night was worth this long journey....
Thanks Tina for the video, hope you do not mind I put it here for my memories.
Finally I got a view at the missing Take That member, having visited one of his DJ gigs, somewhere in the German mountains.
What a drive, but the night was worth this long journey....
Thanks Tina for the video, hope you do not mind I put it here for my memories.
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