Changing the world can start...

with a SMILE!!

It's so easy to forget it is the simple things that truely matter.

This weekend I encountered rudeness at every turn...

The girl at the Pathe cinema who insisted on being aggressive about our 'lack of cards', the waiter in the cafe who seemed irritated that we did not tip him for his lack of service, the guy in the tram that tried to get into the tram and would not allow people proper space to exit...

This and other incidents like it have made me really miss the simplicty of being respectful and even, wait for it... friendly.

But rather than stifle my own smiles, these incidents have only served to SPUR me on. I have been repeating to myself .....

'GIVE ME ALL THE NEGATIVE, RUDE, AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOUR YOU HAVE- and I will take you down with double the tolerance, double the smiles, double the niceness - because a smile, a positive word, a respectful mindset is the needed way of the future!'

Like Ben Stiller says in 'Night of the Museum'...

'Who's evolved?'
'Who's evolved....?

Have Passport, willing to Travel...

So, I am right now sitting in the Australian embassy in The Hague, waiting to collect my new passport.

Long story short, another passport hit the dust - BUT life is short, so no point in crying over spilt milk.

It is amazing how much a passport means...

- It is proof of identity
- It is proof of citizenship
- It is the currency of a nomad and frequent traveller.

Now that I have it again, I am guarding it with my life - AND I am going to start my weekend travelling trips again.

Next stops will most likely be:

TURKEY, COPENHAGEN, VIENNA, and AUSTRALIA IN MAY!

I am saving for my trips - now that I have a travel document, I am definately going to use my 400 euros worth of investment!!!!

Do schools really kill creativity?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

Time Out

You know sometimes, for no reason, you just need 'time out'.

I have always called it 'me' time, but it is really to re-energise and balance the spirit.

These past weeks have been fantastic, but also exhausting.

I am emotional.

I don't know why really...

I am hoping some decent sleep will take the edges off.

Time out is needed.

Life has turned upside down...

So, after alluding a few times to my new job, a few people have been asking me to share more on what is keeping me away from making my usual regualar blog updates. So here it is.

My new job is awesome - I had made the decision at the end of last year, that I am not the type of person that can typically apply for a job, rather I have a contribution I can make, and would rather create a job around me (my strengths, who I am as a person etc).

This was my mindset when I spoke to our global head of HR.

I shared with her who I was as a person, where I was going in my professional life, what my passions were, and what I wanted to achieve in 2007. I spoke with her about what role I would like to play in ABN AMRO - and then asked her if she saw space for a person like me.

The answer - Definately Mazzy!

So my job at the moment is FANTASTIC!

Coming out of that meeting I have a full time contract but I work 4 days, one day I have off a week to write by book (which is also a SMART objective I need to achieve by April). I report directly to her, which means because she is so busy, I am again self-managing and working autonomously like I was on the MC in AIESEC.

My job is about change, and I have three overriding objectives that I have agreed with her:

1. Be a positive change agent
2. Change HR
3. Change the Bank

Pretty amazing.

What does this mean? I am working on VERY cool stuff, and I have a mandate to do things 'differently' - to shake up the established way of going about things.

I am also integrated into a few different teams, because my work crosses over many areas.

So in this light, I am in constant meetings - which I love, as it is my people need being fulfilled - but also means I need to have to be at the office early and late to ensure my work can be done on the computer.

I am exhuasted, but happy I am working on what I love again, and feeling I am making some change - it is good for now, but again, just a stepping stone to my dream of having my own company!

I am ALIVE

Thanks Kimbo for the heads up that I have not written in AGES!

It is true, and definate apologies.

I have started my new job, and I have been working like a maniac... but it's all been good, GREAT even.

I have so much to write that I am not quite sure where to start, so I will show some pictures instead.

These are the photos from Suz when she visited Amsterdam last month - a reunion after about 5 years!!