Okay, okay, okay - lots of randomness

I thought it would be a good idea to write a quick post answering questions from the comments on the last couple of posts.

Hope you enjoy :)

On the necklace

It's not finished!!! I'm waiting for inspiration. Either that or I'll cut up my headband and do it properly because I don't have that colour t-shirt anymore.

On the kissing

No, not everyone kisses!

I will say this - this company is by far the kissiest I've worked at :) And especially for clients/ partners you see a lot - after a couple of meetings they're like friends, right?

But yes, at my previous companies, we'd kiss each other (colleagues) for birthdays, when you go on holiday and when you get back.

E.g. In South Africa, things kind-of shut down over Dec/ Jan. Kind of like the northern hemisphere's summer holidays. Except we only have 3 - 4 weeks whereas you lucky guys take MONTHS off.

When people start going on holidays (the old boss and colleague A left on Friday, another two go this Friday, and then the rest of us go next week. So we all go around kissing each other good-bye.

And then when everyone gets back, you do the same thing in reverse. Go around kissing each other hello and Happy New Year, and so on.

Come on, South Africans, it is surely more common??? Not?

Granted, there are some people who have a clear hands-off policy. In our team that's only one person and she's Muslim.

By the way, I have one week in the office when everyone except one person is on leave and I can't WAIT to use that time to clear out my junk.

On my meeting today

I kissed 1, hugged 3 (!) - initiated by him and said a very friendly "hi, did you find your way okay this morning?" to 2? (he came up yesterday and stayed at a nearby hotel)

You'll be so proud of me - I was verrrry tempted to say something like "should we hug?" to 2 but I remembered TACT and shut my mouth.

We had an AWESOME workshop - I LOVE working with people who know what they're doing and don't make excuses.

On the peppermint bark and baking

It is delicious! I packaged them all in old Purity & Peck's Anchovette jars, stuck a circle on the lid, tied a ribbon and called it a day.

And I polished off a jar all by myself!

Next up - Dollimama's fudge...

I would LOVE to do a cookie exchange thing like you US ladies do - anyone keen in Jhb? To be clear, the way I understand it is you each bake a ton of stuff, take it with you, and you eat and then take some of each of the other baked things. So you get lots of variety all in one evening.

Louisa and I are going to have a baking date next year - I hope you haven't forgotten :)

On the personal trainer

yes, she's still killing me but I'm focussing on the super-awesome abs I'll soon have as long as I stop eating my peppermint bark.

I keep forgetting what a hive of networking activity the gym is at work.

Except... I don't dress cute or even wear make-up when I go so I find myself waving sheepishly at every 2nd person.

Today, I was in a meeting with 5 other people. An hour later THREE of us from that meeting were in the gym together. Too close for my comfort :)

How are you doing? How's your week shaping up thus far?

PS Don't forget to link up your flip flops tomorrow!
PPS only 6 days before this book delivers to my Kindle - I can't WAIT!

How do you know when to kiss?

I was thinking about something this evening.

I have a long, three-hour workshop tomorrow morning talking about creative stuff on one of my products.

We're working with 3 external people:

1. a guy who designed the brand look and feel 
2. a guy who's building the website
3. a copywriter 

Let's call them 1, 2 and 3 just to keep things consistent around here :)

We know 1 very well. We've worked together for over a year and we're such good work friends we kiss and hug hello and good-bye after every meeting. It does help that he and I both have two-year-old children (and he loved my Newtown photo shoot).

We've worked with 2 for about two months now. We are good work friends (he is outstanding at delivering exactly what I want and most times more, and fast - this always impresses me to no end) but not as good as 1. He's Afrikaans and from Bfn (one of the smaller cities in SA), not that that matters but to talk stereotypes, he is quite conservative.

And then 3.

3 is from CT and has only recently been appointed. He's been up for one meeting and we've chatted on the phone about three times. He's South African but very English. Says "Marcia, that's super!" to me when I phone to chat about various elements.

The word super is not something South Africans typically say on a daily basis and seems to me to be very British.

Right, so there are the 3 people.

Tomorrow they will all be in one place with me and my colleague. She is very kissy and huggy, and calls people Sweetie and Honeybun. Yes, I make fun of her but I really should stop.

I said to D tonight, "what do I do about the kissing?" I can't not kiss 1 because we are all used to it (!).

But if 2 and 3 see all this kissing and hugging going on, will they feel left out? LOL

And how will I know when or if it's safe to progress to the next (business) stage of our relationship with 2 and 3?

In an aside, I once went to visit one of our partners and we were talking rubbish as you do when you're breaking the ice.

He then said, "I don't quite know what to make of people who don't want to hug. I think they must have issues".

Well, of course after I heard that, I've been sure to kiss and hug him EVERY time I see him. Wouldn't want him to think I have issues :)

These things don't just happen at work, of course. D was telling me how uncomfortable he is in these work situations as he is introverted AND a boy :)

So how do you know when to kiss, when to hug, when to do both, when to do neither? Have you ever gone in for a kiss and the person doesn't reciprocate? 


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Here is the (ugly) necklace - pics by D. (Robynne, these were taken yesterday - I'm not STILL wearing your t-shirt)

Okay, so you get the idea - obviously there needs to be a bit more to create that lovely full effect.


Have any of you made that necklace yet?

PS On Wednesday, I'm going to post a picture of ALL my flip flops. Get ready............ because there will be a link-up. I want to see them all - one pair, fifty pairs, I want to see :)