Pure Genius...

Whoever thought of making Google's business culture the way it is, is a freakn genius...hire people from around the world, bring them to a country where they don't know anyone- except from their colleagues, of course- and make the work environment/facilities so great that it's pretty much like being at home..or even better..feed the employees from morning 'til evening, and give them all the snacks in the world...all for free- of course....give them some incentives, but most important- the freedom to plan their day, and how to work,,,,,the result? --People actually hang out at work much longer than the normal work-hours.. your colleagues are your friends, and your friends are your colleagues,,,you workout-buddy, study-buddy, party-buddy...they're all your colleagues...it's hard - unless you truly make an effort- to really get to know someone that doesn't happen to be your colleague as well...it's a bubble...and most people don't mind staying/being in this bubble. When your employees would rather stay longer at work than go home,,that's when you know that you've done it: created the perfect business culture (or at least close to perfect...cause there's always room for improvement, right?)......

Everything I read during my masters..all the articles and books that talked about corporate culture,,,the affect and effect of an employer's trust towards employees...the balance between autonomy and goal setting....this right here, you guys, is theory put into praxis...and- contrary to most situations where things are "good in theory, but bad/impossible in praxis (like communism)" - this right here,,is working perfectly well...=)


..although work is fun. it still doesn't mean that we don't get tired once in a while...and just need to put things away....

*after dinner my colleague and I went back to the office to get our stuff, and we saw this...lol---we're assuming that someone had a long day? (lol)*

Almost done with training...at least for now. A lot of information to take in..truly a crash course in how the internet-world works...




My brother and sister were here for the weekend and they literally spent all day shopping. It was a marathon from morning -when the stores opened - until 6-7 pm when the stores closed....the night they came to Dublin I took them around the office/buildings...when I told them that the buidlings were open for us 24/7 my sister questioned the need to keep it open...*who in the world would be at work so late---right?*....turns out...there are a good number of people...by the time we hit the 6th floor of the engineer-building (at 2 AM !) , we'd already seen a bunch of engineer dudes on every floor...some playing tetris,,,others just hanging out there it seemed..very stereotypical...the engineers are somethin' else..one of a kind, I tell'ya..

I keep on forgetting how corky my sister can be..we were watching a TV-show, and a french guy said (about his relationship with his fiance): "it's just happiness..she is just,,,happiness"....he's french, so he didn't pronounce the "H" and happiness turned into "appiness"..and my sister said: "What,,,?? A PENIS?!!" ....yeah...my sister in a nutshell..lol..why a guy would say that his relationship is just a penis,..or call his fiance a penis,..beats me...you gotta ask my sister for the logic behind that one=P

As for the apartment, I can almost say it's mine. Now it's just down to the paperwork..the monthly rent has been set...100€ less than what I pay now, a bit smaller, but equivalent to the scandinavian standard..now I just need to find someone to take over my current apartment so that I don't need to forfeit my deposit..:-s ...

The apartment Hunt..

I've found a new apartment. The landlords are architects and designed the apartment themselves,,,they were also involved designing the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.. if all goes well, I'll get to rent it for a decent price =) Ah...how long it has taken to find an apartment that holds a scandinavian standard.... the straight lines, wooden floors..neutral...it gives people (me=P) the chance to make it their own... =)

*crossing my fingers*

a little bubble-burst

We (those who have a job) live in a bubble here in Dublin..I personally haven't noticed or seen much sign of the financial crisis. Perhaps its because I live in the financial district, where most people have jobs and where most apartments are still pricey. But, yesterday I wandered around the city centre to do some shopping..and I noticed a boy sitting outside of Topshop (guilty as charged, I didn't do grocery shopping, that's for sure =P)..Im guessing that the boy was around 13 years old... I wondered how he ended up there..in the streets, and I wanted to ask him,-- I really wanted to know the story behind why he had to sit there to beg for money..maybe his parents lost their job because of the crisis,,maybe they were drug addicts..or maybe he was an orphan...:s---endless theories..I couldn't get myself to ask him,,no matter how I re-phrased the question, it just seemed wrong..

the other day I gave a bag of coins to one of the gypsies, who I pass by every day on my way to work...come to think of it, I know I've seen him before...deja vu- as is said in French...I've seen him beg for money on the subway back home in Norway. I remember his face because of his eyes....crystal clear green-brown-ish eyes...after having seen that boy, I wish I gave the bag of coins to the boy instead..because the boy seemed so lonely..(and maybe he only has himself, and no one else) while the gypsies have each other,... plus.. they're supposedly involved in organized crime...either way, I thought to myself that regardless of how bad reputation the gypsies have, those who sit out on the streets to beg for money are still poor...I mean, who would voluntarily sit out on the streets to beg for money if they really didn't have to?.......but I DO wonder who the end-receiver of the money is....I hope he speaks English- the gypsy, that is- 'cause next time I see him, Im gonna ask him why he has to sit out on the streets to beg for money...




*passed by a guy who was writing on the ground..*

My Swedish colleague talked about how he felt a sense of pride of being Swedish whenever he's abroad....he said that he doesn't really even like IKEA, but still felt kind of proud when he went to IKEA with some of the other nooglers...the other day I took a different route home from work, and I noticed this building just a minute away from my apartment...and I gotta admit, there was indeed a sense of pride....I may be far away from norwegian soil..but Norwegian oil isn't that far away from me....hellooo StatOIL;-)



Among the many things we went through last week was security policies..for instance, we should always take precaution and lock our computer screens whenever leaving the computer..you never know, a sneaky bastard may be among us =P I forgot to do that today, and a sneaky colleague "tampered" with my computer...when I came back to my desk, this was on my screen....lol =P