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Published: December 16th 2013
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Management team
Proper boss on the left This weekend I decided it was time to take action. Having bided my time in the cut throat world of the foundation workplace for too long, I saw my opportunity and seized it. The kitchen manager went on vacation- it was time for me to stamp my authority on the power hub of NLF.
I wasn't confident that the news regarding the change in management personnel would be communicated properly, therefore I decided some kind of visual demarcation was required to show my elevated status. I found a sun visor which suited my needs perfectly. Every great leader needs a deputy- Yvon was happy to oblige and luckily an additional sun visor was available.
I've been told that with great power comes great responsibility, and I took this seriously. To whom should I delegate the task of lettuce picking? Who had the right skill set to rinse the duck eggs? All too soon I had to tackle the tricky issue of a team member under-performing. Gillian's sweeping speed failed to meet my expectations. Tact and diplomacy were required combined with firmness (I had a sudden flash back to the last person I tried to sack in my former life.
When told to leave he advised me that it wasn't a convenient time as it was his birthday the following week. He failed to return his company car for a month). Gillian looks like she will cry if you blow on her- I decided this was not the time to put in place a poor performance plan, and left her to her own devices. I was pushed too far when Christine took it upon herself to fill the hot water urn in a blatant demonstration of rejecting my authority. I made a mental note to discuss "adapting to change" in our next one-to-one, simultaneously allocating her tonight's dish washing duty so she misses the Monday night Sit & Share meeting. On a happier note, I received positive feedback about the innovative way I sliced the carrots for the lunchtime salad. Wait til they see my presentation of tonight's tomatoes .
If I wasn't due to leave shortly I'm pretty sure I could move on to the position of life coach next and sort out some of the residents problems. Par example - our new French-canadian JP says he is sad and lonely. My advice would be to try and
behave a little more normally. Maybe wait more than five minutes after meeting a woman to proposition them, don't touch them every time you walk past and DO NOT MOVE YOUR YOGA MAT SO CLOSE THAT IT TOUCHES MINE I DONT CARE IF YOU WANT TO "CONNECT" I WILL NEVER, EVER WANT TO "CONNECT" WITH YOU.
A committee has been organised to plan the Christmas celebrations next week. Although tempted and almost persuaded to stay, sadly I will miss Hilary's Christmas quiz and the Jenga tournament as I am leaving NLF for sunnier climes. It is freezing in Chiang Rai and it rained all weekend. It's very challenging to keep yourself entertained here during bad weather, and with caffeine and sugar the only mood altering substances available it's too easy to spend 40 pence in the local shop on a cache of sweet treats which leave you bouncing off the walls by 5pm. I may have been partial to a glass of wine before but I'd never eaten sweetened condensed milk with a spoon. I have already started composing my responses for the NLF evaluation questionnaire - I'm going to request that they include a section on the website
Unhealthy breakfast
(Pod + personal pancake chefs =11) warning prospective visitors that they may leave NLF with more than they bargained for, ie 10 extra kilos, 2 additional chins, acne and a wardrobe full of stupid trousers.
i was going to write about last Thursday's workshop - Laughing Yoga- an experience so dreadfully unfunny and acutely painful that my mind seems to have blocked it out. I'm grateful. Other than that my final ten days here haVe been pretty quiet. Sunday night is traditionally movie night- yesterday we watched a documentary about garbage.
I am contemplating my leaving speech which must take place during the morning meeting on my final day. Some people read a poem or sing a song, or just speak from the heart about their experience here. It's usually quite emotional. I have an overwhelming and irrational urge to sing Michael Jackson's Heal The World, playing tambourine and performing a little dance, just to see the look on our leaders face. Yvon is a spoilsport and won't accompany me so I suppose I'll just keep it boringly simple.
I've decided to spend Christmas volunteering again but this time in the south where the weather is good and they serve alcohol. I'm less
than 48 hours from a beer. I had to change my flight and now I'll be accompanied by my favourite NLF resident- Californian meth girl. Feel a bit bad about abandoning her in bangkok but there is no way I'm accepting any responsibility for her movements once we get off the plane.
Better get back to working on my speech.
"There's a place in your heart
And I know that it is love
And this place could be
Much brighter than tomorrow
And if you really try
You'll find there's no need to cry
In this place you'll feel
There's no hurt or sorrow" mj
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Home and Away
Bob Carlsen
I'm sure you will make...
quite an impression on Southern Thailand. Take it easy on the beer as you are just reentering the world.