Quote from NU.nl

"AMSTERDAM - Paus Benedictus XVI ziet het schandaal rond seksueel misbruik door katholieke geestelijken als een 'test voor hemzelf en de kerk'. Dat heeft een woordvoerder van het Vaticaan woensdag gezegd"

They, the catholic church, are completely and utterly bonkers.

 

$$ I hear you thinking

No, we did not talk money. No need to. Why? The last 14-15 months Waiward and M&D have kept me and the current group of people employed, despite the fact there is not that much work; hence hardly any earnings. So money-talk is not justified in my opinion and if they suggest a raise I will just flatly decline. One needs to stay with M&D for at least a year and a half to repay them when we get busy again, if you have any decency and responsibility towards your employer this goes without question and without a pay raise. Probably I am pretty much alone in that department. However this is the only approach that is justifiable for me.

Progress is being made...

"Are you available for a chat over a curry and a couple of beers, tomorrow after work?" the email read. "Anytime, looking forward to it", was my reply to the 2 top guys of M&D Drafting. This will not be about sacking me, why spent money when that also can be done during office hours? What this all about then? At 5 PM we went to the restaurant, East Indian Cuisine, ordered beers and sat down. TELL ME!! But first we had to eat some food, in the mean time chit chatting about anything and nothing. FUCK TELL ME! So at last, I felt anyways (may be 15 minutes inside), they asked me if I was interested in becoming Project Coordinator Lead for all the 4 offices, Edmonton-Vancouver-Surrey-Parksville, of M&D Drafting. That possibility I had NOT anticipated. Maybe something major in the IT or taking Tekla to the limits. Based on experience, knowledge, personality (please stop laughing), initiative and work-ethic I am the best guy for the job. These are all their words. A couple of years ago I made an agreement with myself; I will never ever let an opportunity pass by, again. So probably with a big smile on my face I accepted, if they and others think I can do this job who am I to doubt that (It reminded me of my architectural teacher Starmans who told me once "Your capabilities are almost endless; you just don't see that", maybe he was right after all). At fifty fucking two Marco is starting to have a career and I am loving it. Life throws unexpected things at you, maybe even because of the bold move we made to emigrate to Canada at age 50. That guy and gall have balls. Where will this step take me? Don't know yet, I do know it will be interesting. The company is being restructured and I am going to be a big part of that. Pretty cool, eh!, for someone who does not plan his career. Gerry, fellow PC and Scotsman, calls me "boss, plonker" not "plonker boss" because that's rude he says. Don't know the exact translation for it but to me it's one of the most likable words in English I've ever heard, so plonker it is. Maybe I am repeating myself; change is good and gives you all kinds of opportunities, you only have to take the first step.