Sunday, July 26, 2009

Mobile phones in hospitals

When you go to a hospital in Belgium, you can find "No Mobile Phones" -signs all over. That´s the way it in my experience has been all over from the beginning. Assuming also in Belgium...

It's funny, the signs are everywhere in hospital but still people use the phones ongoingly - even the staff. When you ask about it, they say "it is ok...".

What's the point of putting the signs up - or better not taking them down if there is no mobile ban any more?


PS Everyone is ok, it was only a monitoring visit...

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

I love moving companies!

If you are in a fortunate situation that someone else does your packing, please value it highly!

In Finland we have a habit of helping each others in the movings. You rent - or borrow a van, make several trips (as most of the time you move within a short distance), collect cardboard boxes and pack for weeks.

Then comes the moving day. You have asked your friends over for a workout, offering them some beer and pizza-in-a-box. Actually the best output is the time spent with your friends.

There are some unwritten rules one needs to go with;
All the stuff needs to be well packed, avoiding moments when there is a room or cupboards full of small stuff and no material to pack them into.

Moving boxes, carrying sofas and odd-shape items is fun - as long as you get the extra soft sides of the moving...

However,
When you need to do it even with a moving company, you better have someone on site to be 110% on top of what's going on!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Boring meetings?

Why are we so often stuck with the boring routines and keep in the same old meeting rooms even the meetings that require some innovation?
If you want to achieve something different, you should encourage innovation also with the environment. It doesn't need to be costly thing, as long as you are creative. Why don't you have your summer meeting outside in the park, at the beach or some other place where you get out of your routines? Get a picnic basket to go, work differently and finish off with a fun game. Again, e.g. petanque is easy to organize...

Again, there are so many option available for this, just take the effort to break the routines. In today's environment everyone is so scrutinized and pressured to work hard, harder and hardest that we easily forget the joy of work. Yes, it is a pleasure to have a job even if you don't always remember it!

Enjoy the work - Työn iloa!!!

Believe or not, also part of the budget planning was done here!


Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Can you again handle some jokes?

LOGIC:

A kid was beaten by the neighbor lady. The furious mother approaches her asking for an explanation:
- Why did you hit my child?
- He’s rude, he called me fat!
- And you think hitting him will make you thin?

==================

IN AN AFRICAN OFFICE:

- Name?
- Adi Salama Safari
- Sex?
- 4 times a week!
- No, no, male or female?
- Male, female and sometimes gorilla

==================

FUNERAL:

A grumpy old Finnish man just died. During the service the priest bursts out in compliments:
- He was such a good husband, excellent Christian and amazing father!
The widow turns to one of her children and whispers in his ear:
“Go look inside the coffin and make sure it’s your father.”

====================

JEWISH DIVORCE:

Jacob in Tel Aviv calls his son Samuel in New York and tells him:
- Son, I’m sorry to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are getting a divorce; 45 years of suffering have been enough.
- Father, what are you talking about? And just before the holidays?
- We cannot stand each other anymore, son.
- It’s final, and I’m tired of discussing it, so you call your sister Rachel in Chicago and let her know.

Desperate, Samuel calls his sister, who cannot believe the news. She calls the father immediately.
- Father, you are NOT getting a divorce! I will fix this. Don’t do anything until Samuel and I get there! Do you hear me?

The father hangs up the phone and tells his wife:
It went perfect, Rebecca! They are both coming over for the holidays and are paying their own tickets!

=====================

MAIL TO MOTHER IN LAW:

Darling,
The police have found a burned female body with false teeth, a wig, saggy tits and a fat ass. Please answer this e-mail so I know you’re fine.

===============

HOROSCOPE:

I have read your horoscope for the rest of 2009:Health: the stars are smiling at you
Money: the stars are smiling at you
Sex: the stars are laughing their ass off at you

===============

FOR LOVE OR INTEREST?

A guy asks his friend:
- Do you think women have sex with us for love or for interest?
- Mine does it for love, definitely
- How can you be so sure?
- Because she shows no interest at all!

=================

LOVER OR WIFE?

What’s the difference between a lover and a wife?
30 kilos

What’s the difference between a lover and a husband?
30 minutes

What’s the punishment for bigamy ( = kaksiavioisuus)?
Having 2 mothers in law

What’s the difference between a terrorist and a mother in law?
You can negotiate with the terrorist

================

BABIES:

An Italian man is at the hospital waiting for his wife to give birth.
The doctor comes out and says:
- It’s been 5 babies!
- Yes! It’s because I have a cannon!
- You might want to clean it, because they’re black...

====================

AN ELDERLY COUPLE ARGUES:

He says:
- When you die on your tombstone it will read “Here rests my wife, as cold as always”

She answers:
- And on yours it’ll read “Here rests my husband, finally stiff”

==================

…AND MY FAVORITE ONE:

- Mary... We were so happy 15 years ago!

- But… we hadn’t met 15 years ago.

- I know, I know…!

;o) Rakkaudella 15 avioliittovuoden jälkeen!

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Dutch Lunch

Have you ever been in Holland for a meeting and had a lunch in the meeting room?
Well, unless you are a BIG fan of bread, I suggest to have a heavy breakfast.

Dutch do eat a lot of bread for lunch. Many bring their own sandwiches and milk bottle that they pick up from their bags at lunchtime. That means before 12 o'clock - right after Finnish &Swedish finish lunch and French & Italian start planning it.
Hence their meeting room lunch order is similar; Bread, milk and if you are lucky some juice and an apple.
Are the sandwiches then filled properly to make them tasty and filling?
Nope, they are plain: one slice of cheese OR ham, not both. And definitely no veggies like salad.

Earlier a Dutch colleague who had the authority to make decision was frustrated when we had delicious, healthier sandwiches (also dark bread) with proper fillings like salmon. There was also tomato, cucumber, salad etc to bring some flavor.
Of course the man calls the assistant and complains about the sandwiches and next day we get the plain, dry Dutch specialties...

These pics I have taken myself while having one of the meeting room lunches;
Yes, they are bread rolls with one slice of ham OR cheese, milk and juice.
And here is a delicious selection of bread to choose from.

Bon appétit - or better to say Smakelijk!

PS If one of the Dutch colleagues read this, just let me know via comment box and next lunch is on me!

Things in Belgium I will NOT miss - Mitä EN tule kaipaamaan Belgiasta


- Non existing customer service / Olematon asiakaspalvelu
...with few exceptions, it just does not exist...

- Loud garbage men at 06:15 am / Nukkuma-aikaan möykkäävät roskakuskit
...and these guys ring our doorbell before Christmas to ask for tip. Just guess how much I donate...

- Crazy, selfish, unskilled drivers / Idioottimaiset, itsekkaat, taidottomat autoilijat
...I know this is not the worst place in Europe, but c´mon...

- Dog poo on sidewalk / Koiranpaska jalkakäytävillä
...yeah, like I would be looking for the spring in Finland when the snow starts to melt at the sidewalks...

- 6 months of fall = only two seasons / 6 kuukauden syksy eli vain kaksi vuodenaikaa
...however, the summer is 2 months longer than in Finland...

- Lack of winter / Talven puute
...normally the winter lasts 1 day per year, this year the snow stayed for one whole week!

- Lack of road costruction skills / Olemattomat tienrakennustaidot
...Highways are LOUD and you have holes all over. And why don't they make it good once but instead chooses to repair it in a year...

- Most taxi drivers (not that they are any better in Finland where it is protected profession)
...The worst experiences have happened after midnight with drivers who were born south from Mediterranean and are not even able to count their fingers...

-Shops, restaurants and taxis that do not accept card payment (in this the Dutch are perhaps even worse)
...Goes hand in hand with the customer service...

You think Finland is a paradise?
Just wait until I go back to Finland and realize e.g. how the beer is served from 1000 liter tank and for what price...

Sunday, July 5, 2009

More things in Belgium I will miss

I knew I was not able to cover everything at once. Here are some more things I am sure I will be missing while sitting in a sauna, enjoying the moment and thinking what did I leave on the other side of the fence...
Eli jotain unohtui edelliselta listalta.

- Grand Place with evening lights

- Bicycle rides during Brussels car free day every September

- Multiple street fairs with cross-cultural selection of food, drinks and other stuff

- International Festival at the school

- Sunday morning flee markets

- Having Champagne district in driving distance

- Sunday afternoon BBQ and backyard games at home

- Coaching kids football (soccer) and basketball

- Cross cultural pick up basketball games (except the short hack-him-and-run players from Philippines)

- The tram museum that we did not visit before it closed for renovation (Pekka, laita korvan taakse)

- Short driving time to the ski resorts at the Alps

- Multiple low cost airlines

- Summer that is 2 months longer than in Finland

...and I guess many, many more things that I can´t think of right now!

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Mind your manners

No matter where you are or with whom, you can not be sure to be safe and anonymous. Hence you should always mind your manners as you never know who is behind your back.

Or what would you say are the odds to this:


You are in one of the busyest cities of the world, London (~14 Million people, more then double the population of Finland). You are having a dinner in busy China Town, naturally in a Chinese restaurant.

How likely is it that you have the headmaster of your kids' school sitting in next table behind your back...?


My manners were fine. As always. Of course. I guess.

...And the food was good!