Hoeung Kim in Cambodia (Help_099295_89710)

I can't sleep because of my yearly work review tomorrow... These last 12 months, I could not imagine!

The project can be seen here. Don't forget to support Kiva!

The return of Ferris Bueller

No, don't expect "Ferris Bueller, the revenge" or any sequel. When I flipped channels yesterday before going out with PN & her sister Y, I stopped on the famous scene of Ferris singing in the streets of Chicago, during the parade.

It brought back feelings to me. And even if I still have more than 10 copies of this movie, I was truly ready to watch it again.

This movie should be watched by all students as it is more than ever up to date as this article from Le Monde explains more than 78% of French students do not know what to do with their life. The question of 'guidance on careers' is the key question.

That question, I never solved...

Message in a bottle? No, Résumé in a bottle!

What a clever idea! A french man from Strasbourg floated an excellent concept based on the informal networking and a French habit : distribute anonymous CVs/résumés in 'Celtic' water packs order to help unemployed people. As French people drink a lot of water from bottles, this cost efficent initiative is vey well tailored. He also created a Café for contacts in 2006.

You can check the successful press coverage here.

Another kind of help...

My instable WA was hurt

WA means harmony. A collegue from work broke it on thursday evening when I was back from Germany.

I received a text message when I was on the train explaining that job cuts would strike our Local Market and that in my service the job cuts would bring the headcount of 5+1 down to 3+1. It looked suspicious yet, given a certain amount of anxiety, I immediately got struck by the shock.

I spend the rest of the journey sending back sms to the soucre asking for further explanations and asking a friend at work additional information. I was determined to find out about my future.

The sleep was hard to find as every 5 minutes or so it poped up in my mind. I got really sad and depressed. I lsitened to DJ Jazzy Jeff's 'My soul ain't for sale'...

Until 10:00 am this friday I had no confirmation that this was a hoax. Hence, I reviewed all my past errors, mistakes, wrong choices and wanderings. I started thinking how I can manage this midlife crisis. I also contemplated how it would be like on last day at work after all these years as I joined this company in Sept 2006.

I felt so bad thinking about how to explain this to PN, and my family... Feeling ashamed and depleted of my value and work existence.

I waited for the regular busisness hours before sending couple emails in order to get further explanations. Then I got confirmed my 'friend' took one of our collegues' mobile phone and texted several people including me.

In a nutshell, I spent about 16 hours thinking I was fired. The environment acted as an enhancer as our company decided to close down a factory and another location. These news plus a certain anxiety added to my anxious mind had me over react.

I realized how much WA is fragile and no matter what I said, it will hurt me the day I walk out of this company. I also realized that I only need a hand to count the people I would really rely on for help.

Spooky like a nightmare with a touch of reality.

Daily frustrations...

Some people call it SSDD... "Daily frustration happen all the time". French people even created a site about this : http://www.viedemerde.fr/ (can be translated as Shitty Life dot FR)

Work?

Here is what I do at work...

Power of dreams and passion in work?

Just a quick post inspired by 'Star Wars' and 'what color is your parachute'...

In a nutshell, in order to differentiate yourself from the others on the labour market (it can be applied to any other competitive free market, of course) you need to outperform.

If one hates what one does, how can one outperform? Dick Bolles advises readers to use their original passions and turn them into real assets with added value and increased differention power.

A first example of this statement can be foud on http://www.astromech.net/ where people re-create robots inspired by Star Wars.

The best example and a real testimonial can be found in this excellent book by Po Bronson : What should I do with my life? His www.pobronson.com/ is the start of the journey for whoever would think about the meaning of life. Check his blog too! The picture on the book cover is self explanatory and I like it as a photographer. It's a s swift as an icon : you get the whole meaning of the concept in one single picture. That's brilliant.

Eventually, remember the title of the major book from Cesare Pavese : 'this business of living'.

It means that life itself is a full time work. What a concept!

The translation in French is even more powerful (as it is closer to the original Italian title) 'le métier de vivre' since it is understood that you need skills, talents and dedication and eventually hard work to make it 'succesful'.

You can find his picture on findagrave.

Another post I have to work on... Yet I am already busy working on my life.

Kuki ga Yomenai

Today I found an expression to describes how I am slowly losing grip at work : kuki ga yomenai.


It means litteraly "I can't read the air". The true meaning is that, for instance, when sitting in a meeting and everybody wants to end but one participant will go on, this one cannot read the air. An extension is that one cannot understand what's happening around.


It does apply to my current work situation : I do not understand anymore my environment, my collegues and the company itself.

Yet my question is : what to do when you feel as a drifter? I'm slowly sliding out of this company. But where am I heading to? This is when I would need a crystal ball!

Gambaru

My work place, right side

Wonderful sky this morning...

This is the place I worked the whole week

... Until 3:30 PM today. Then I'll have a long train trip plus tube then weekend will begin when I start walking in the streets to go back home.