Helping out
Bas and I went over to his parents’ house to have a look at their internet/network configuration. They were having a few troubles with it, but don’t really know what’s what, so the two of us had a look. Wasn’t actually too confusing in the end, the benefit of old(er) houses is that you can usually spot the wires running up and down the wall easily enough, which makes following them around the house a simple task.
Still, it took us a little puzzling before knowing what was what ourselves, but we were able to solve the issue in the end and got rewarded with coffee. :-)
Santa Biek
Confusing title, eh? I know, but I won't go into detail here. Those involved know who they are and I'll leave you with telling that this is one of the best, if not thé best Christmas ever.
Have a nice Christmas folks. All of you ... ;-)
Made it!
My my ... the Expo was a great success but man I feel every single muscle in my back and legs and that's not mentioning my feet which feel about half an inch thinner than Thursday morning.
But ... we made it through. All I now need is December off to recover. ;-)
Not too bad
Today I was mostly at Houten where the expo will be held from tomorrow on until Saturday. My primary task was to hook up all PC's and fine tune them for the expo tomorrow.
Last year getting everything to work was a disaster. While the first customers were already on our stand, I was still running around getting every screen to work and display its presentation properly. A nightmare.
So, having learned from that experience, it was decided that I was to go there in the morning prior to the opening day so we had a little more time preparing the lot to work.
And that strategy worked much, much better. When I first got there I wasn't all that happy because there wasn't a cable in sight and the place where I was to set up the PC's was almost impossible to get into, especially with my back still acting up from last week. But while I was unpacking the rest, cables appeared out of nowhere and before I knew it a few guys had already laid them throughout the stand, leaving me to hook up the PC's and setting up the screen. Nice work!
In the evening the rest of the company joined us over there to help finishing up the stand, giving it the final touch. Most of them were helping out, apart from a few individuals who had clearly decided that they were much better in looking on and pointing out what needed to be done. Sad figures. I guess it's at moment like these when someone's true nature comes 'shining' through.
Anyway, when all was done we then each got a preparation on who was to do what during the expo. I was pretty glad we didn't have that guru we had last year and that the overall spirit of the expo was a lot more relaxed than last year.
When all that was settled we all went for a nice meal after which I hitched a ride home with the other Volvo driving colleague and didn't stop walking until I felt my bed beneath me. Completely busted and the expo hasn't even began properly ...
Let's hope the next two days are kind to me ...
Wanted: new back
Goodness me. Even after me having only been to two of our customer days I already know that next week is going to be a serious problem for me. What's happening next week? Oh, only the biggest event of the year for our company: this years Taxi Expo.
With the back problems I faced last year still fresh in mind, I know that I could have done without this week preceding it. Really.
But what's done is done and I'll just have to find a way to get through it in one piece. Wish me luck ...
Tired but content
Today I did make it to the very nice Fifty Two Degrees building in Nijmegen where we were having our customer week and in all honesty it wasn't too bad. My back hasn't passed a single opportunity to let me know that I have been on my feet too much yet, but having met a few of our customers in person makes up for it.
Usually we only speak with most of our customers on the phone but now both they and myself have a picture of who we are talking to and that makes just the difference.
Luckily tomorrow is another normal day at the office so I can rest my feet and back a bit and Thursday is the last of the customer days this week.
Missed day one …
Well, that didn't go well. Somehow I did something wrong with my schedule and completely messed up the appointments. Supposedly I had been scheduled to join the first day of the customer week too but I kind of messed up that plan and went straight to work.
Not a very good move on my behalf. If anything, though, having a normal working day did help clearing my head a little. Work does that for me, it's great to hide what's going on while being at it. My little hiding place. :-)