Friday, November 13, 2009

Random Friday (nr 1)

I thought I'd introduce a new kind of post in my blog. This one is not only inspired by, but straight up copied, from one of the blogs I follow; Zandria's blog. I found Zandria when I was looking for inspiration for my 101-things-in-1001-days-list back in January and February of 2008.

From now on you'll be able to find Random Friday posts in this blog. The posts will be published on Fridays and the content will be random; stuff that don't really belong anywhere or isn't enough to make a proper post about.

Here's the first one:

1. Monday night I worked late; attending, and leading, a meeting I've been looking forward to, and dreading, for a year and a half. The meeting marked an important milestone in a project I started working on 5 years ago. But I knew I'd get to see people that are upset with me and the company I work for.

This whole project is very important. The outcome has a large impact on many people and, not to forget, the environment. I'm proud of being involved in doing something that people will benefit from even a hundred years from now. But there's this other part. The people that will suffer negative consequences today. (Or rather in about two or three years.) The people that make me feel a bit guilty for doing what I'm doing here. Funny how something awesome also has a darker side.

2. Wednesday evening this project had me really tested by one man, his wife and two sons. I was exhausted by the time I got home as I was so tensed up knowing they'd show up and then all through the "conversation". There wasn't much of a conversation going on though. They argued. They were aggressive. They threatened. They were rude. They made snarky remarks. They refused to listen and understand. They interrupted. They insulted my intelligence. They questioned our knowledge. They called Sweden a dictatorship.

I feel good about how I handled it all. I tried to explain and answer their questions in a calm way. I stayed quiet when I realized they wouldn't listen to my words anyways. I didn't provoke them even if I felt like it. I tried to let the worst parts run off me like water on a goose.

3. Yesterday I made my first purchase at iTunes! A week ago my friend EssJay posted about hearing one of her favourite songs three times in one day while being in the car. She posted to a YouTube-clip of Ingrid Michaelson's Maybe. And I loved the song!

I tried buying Ingrid's new album (Everybody) but it wasn't available to me in Sweden through iTunes. So instead, I got one of her previous albums; Girls and Boys.

4. Work took me to my old university yesterday. As I was half an hour early for my meeting, I took a walk around the building I spent many years in. Scary how some things look exactly the same and others have completely changed! The smell was the same and so were the sounds. The conversations around me were the same as they were 10 years ago. The furniture were new in the café. And some departments have moved floors.

I often get nostalgic over my years as a student, but I honestly wouldn't want to go back. And yesterday made me even more sure of that.

2 comments:

Zandria said...

Yay for stealing ideas! I'm totally cool with that. :)

essjay said...

I'm glad you enjoyed Ingrid's songs and I hope they release the new album to you soon and that you aren't disappointed with it.

The work situation is tough - I know it has been a long month and I do hope that things settle down soon.