Around 4 years back I started a countdown to a much anticipated vacation. I started about three months out, and crossed the days off on a small calendar I printed and keep on my desk at work.

The calendar proved pretty useful - it was in plain view 5 days a week – and I started using it for keeping track of planned events, mostly horse shows and closing dates for entries to those shows. As a result I kept printing my calendars, keeping 2 months up at any given time. I also continued to cross of the days as they passed. It became part of my routine. Get to work, cross off yesterday, get coffee and carry on with my day. I’m still doing it now, 4 years later.

It crosses my mind every now an then that this is much like a prisoner counting off the days of his sentence in lines on the wall. Despite this gloomy perception I have been unable to break thehabit. I need that part of my morning routine. It also makes it easy to spot today’s date at first glance.

It also fits with my life perception that my best days are still ahead of me, and that’s not so bad, is it? Or maybe it is…

I commented to a friend the other day that I feel like I’m still on life’s starting blocks, but hell, I’m 28! If I haven’t got going yet, then when will I? I think my perpetual expectation that tomorrow will be better; tomorrow I will do more, takes away from what I have already achieved and really, I haven’t done badly for myself. I just haven’t done much of what was on my list. You know what it’s like: set yourself a list of things to do in a day and by then end of the day you have only ticked off a couple things from that list. Still, you’ve been busy all day and you’ve done quite a few enjoyable things in the process.

Building a career in IT never was on my list, but I’ve done that pretty well. Getting married wasn’t on my list for at least another 4 or 5 years but I’ve done that too, and believe me, it has been and still is the most wonderful experience. Domesticating myself wasn’t ever going to be on my list, but guess what? I did 3 loads of washing while working from home today and cooked dinner. The horse-riding was on the list, but in a different direction to the one I have ended up taking.

Perhaps the list needs updating. I’m not who I thought I was going to be, but I like who I am none the less. I think I’ll take some time out for the remainder of 2007 to reflect on what I have achieved, and scrap that old list; it’s no longer applicable here.

I doubt this will stop me from crossing the days of my calendar though, but I hope it’ll be with a sense of achievement, not with a sense of perpetual urgency to get myself to someplace else …

I joked to my colleagues the other day that I must have some sort of tattoo across my forehead that only the service industry can red that says “Annoy this woman with bad service”.

Between myself and Hunny, most major purchases go awry. Things usually start of okay, we take some pleasant sales person for his word, and then ha takes us for a ride…

Some examples of this:

• The long winded motorbike saga that you can read here.
• The dinning room chairs that the salesperson assured us would be delivered the following week, that turned out to be out-of-stock, and out of country, and finally arrived after much “they’ll be here next week” promising, 6 weeks later.
• The TV unit that arrived 2 weeks late, not so bad except that the sales guy promised us that he’d phoned us on a weekly basis, but didn’t, and only realized in week 4 that he hadn’t submitted the design to the workshop.
• My recent experience attempting to swap cellphone service providers (SP): I went to the guys whom I wanted to move to, told them my plans and who my current SP is, and that I thought I’d have to give a notice period. One sales lady told me that I wouldn’t have to, another sales lady insisted that my old SP wants 3 months notice. I go back to the office and contact my old SP, who says they want 1 calendar month. Doesn’t really give you much assurance about your new SP’s capabilities, does it? 

But this is all in the past. I think 2008 is going to be our households year of good service, and I have a couple of incidents to report that have made me think our tide is turning.

Our couches were delivered a week earlier than promised, well actually the 2-seater and armchairs arrived 1.5 weeks early, but the 3 seater missed that shipment, and error I am choosing to overlook seeing as the total order turned out to be a success, thank you Coricraft.

When recently investigating buying timeshare, we had some really great service from Sue Thompson, from Southern Sun Sales and Rentals – Cabana Beach Resport. Quick and detailed responses, and such a pleasant demeanor.

I will keep you posted about our foray into the world of good service, watch this space.

One of the things I appreciate about the company that I work for is that they have an active Social Responsibility program. It’s all about investing in our nation, giving something back and helping people develop sustainable incomes. And the PR doesn’t hurt. It’s the first company that I have worked for that encourages its staff as much to get involved in these activities.

Once a year we hold an event called Festive Tree. This year we took around 500 kids from poor areas, many of them affected by HIV/AIDS, out for a day of fun and learning, and gave them some useful gifts like school shoes and stationary. While the kids were off having fun (hosted by members of staff that volunteered to help) some of the other staff, including myself, went to their community centre and put some DIY efforts into the centre.

This year our DIY team visited an Educational Foundation east of Mamelodi called Berakah. They are involved in a number of projects including HIV/AIDS and Orphan Care, Preschool supervision and education through a crèche and after school care centre programs. This link will take you to the location of our efforts on the weekend.

Spouses and anyone else you can rope in to help are more than welcome, and Hunny & I along with 20 or so other people arrived at Berakah at 7:30 AM. We quickly set about doing what we could to patch the place up. Our efforts included planting trees and shrubs, tightening the ties that hold up the marquee that serves as their main hall, patching the concrete floor in the hall, painting several outbuildings and putting us shelves, floor mats, storage containers and packing the many donated toys for the crèche. Most of the equipment used and donated to the centre was sponsored by contacts, friends and family of the staff, or the staff themselves.

I arrived at least a little hungover from too much wine drinking the night before, but I had worked out my hangover by 10:00 AM. By about 2:30 PM when we left most of us were totally exhausted, but feeling great. It’s a little self-righteous, but it felt really good to be doing something for someone else who really needs it. I am still glowing today.

If your company offers you an opportunity like this to get involved in your community and give something back, and you haven’t helped out yet, I strongly recommend it. You’ll be helping yourself as equally as much.

Some pics taken on the day can be found here.