I had a bit of an anxious moment earlier in the week. Because I was recovering from a pretty bad cold, I decided to take a really long hot shower, taking full advantage of the hotel I was staying at. The water was really hot, and things steamed up nicely (which always helps the congestion). Unfortunately, I stayed in the shower far too long, thus making a bit a jungle type humidity all in the convenience of my room overlooking the Danube.
Since I tend to sweat as soon as the temperature drops below 20 degrees celsius, the next few minutes were all about me using all the towels trying to dry myself off, which was a hopeless event. I almost just went out in the hallway just to get a bit of fresh air into the room, but in my state, did not really want to encounter other guests, who I could hear out in the hallway.
Fortunately, I had risen early, so decided just to wait it out, waiting for that moment where I could put on my clothes without them immediately turning soppy.
When this finally happened, I dressed quickly, only to find that one of my buttons on my shirt had cracked at the dry cleaner's (note to self - have them replace the button next time), which was a bit annoying. A couple of minutes later, my shoelace snapped as I tried to tie my shoe. Damn.
Though I was more than annoyed, I did find a way to create a short term solution (do I even look like the kind of guy that would carry a spare set of shoelaces around with me?) and added to my list of to-dos to pick up a couple of extra shoelace packs, and in future, to become one of those guys...
Like all my other recent visits to the repair site in Budapest, it was nonstop action: loads of tough conversations about how the site needs to perform better, a couple of chuckles as we try to make a bunch of stuff happen at once (that is nigh on impossible), countless walks through the airport like security set ups in the repair areas, and then once the visit is through, it is back to the hotel to do all the stuff that did not get done during the day!
Hectic is a word that I use to decribe how things are going with work, lately. That said, it is going, and, as my colleagues have pointed out, we have to keep pushing, but we will get things sorted out. True, things are moving very quickly right now, but that can be a good thing. You just have to keep your head up, and in the event that you get knocked down, you have to pick yourself up very quickly, brush off, and keep going.
Sometimes the pace can be a bit quicker than I can handle, and a few things start to slip. For example, I managed to conclude my visit with the repair site, left the premises, returned to the hotel, then took a little walk around the town before eating dinner.
While I was eating, I happened to glance down and notice that I was still wearing my ESD heel straps. For those of you who have ever worked in a repair shop for computers or other technology, you know what I am referring to; it is basically a little stirrup kind of thing that you wear on your shoe. If you have not seen one of these before, they tend to come in very bright colors. Mine happened to be florescent yellow. Not something that you would be surprised to see in a repair factory, but walking around the streets of Budapest? Nope.
A colleague called me about this time, and I laughed with him at the experience. It was certaily not my intent to try and put racing stripes on my oxfords and sport about town.
Ah well, if that is the worst thing that happens to be me, then life can't be too bad, eh?
And indeed it is not too bad, right now.
I have started reading my first novel in the German language. Up until now, I have managed magazine articles, children's books, and even a couple of junior mystery stories, but never a full blown novel.
I decided to begin with a novel that I am already familiar with. Since I recently finished a series about a Swedish detective, I picked up one of the German translations and am plodding through. Slow going, I am finding it. I am doing this exercise knowing that it will improve me level of German. However, that means I am really trying to read for comprehension and appreciation of the writing style. Not so easy to do, I am finding out.
Because I do read pretty fast in English, the difference in pace is a bit frustrating. Still, I am enjoying the challenge, one slow page at a time.
keep the faith
bryan
No comments:
Post a Comment