Month One Down And Two Causes for Celebration

Starting with the good news, recently our friends Guy & Kirsty Lidbetter announced they are expecting a baby.  Kirsty - you have such a beautiful nature and a motherly instinct that comes so naturally - watching you interact with Ella and Lexi during our visit last year proved this point hundredfold. Guy - you are going to be spending many a weekend teaching baba how to hold a baseball bat, and hit that winning shot (if it's a little boy), or practicing your batting skills for when your daughter brings her first boyfriend home. Just playing. Congratulations Guy & Kirst, you are going to make the most fantastic parents and we are so happy for you. Baby Lidbetter is due October or thereabouts. 

A picture of the parents-to-be taken whilst adventure golfing in July last year

Ali & Lee welcomed their son, Patrick James Piron into the world on Saturday afternoon - congratulations to big sister Georgia, both sets of grandparents, and all the aunts, uncles and cousins. May Patrick bring much joy to you all. We look forward to seeing some photographs of baby and his family. Best wishes Ali & Lee!

The Piron trio at the beach last July

 I may be a week or so late but I did it! I survived my first month at the office (insert happy dance here). I'll blame month end madness and having to submit an assignment as the cause of the delay of this post.

It was not a smooth ride, and at times I felt frustrated that I wasn't at the level I wanted to be - not knowing what where when or why. I referred to this period as the "washing machine days". Life continued around me, but I felt I had no control over anything, nor did I know which way was up. As the days and weeks passed, I slowly acclimatized and started settling down. If anyone says they knew exactly what they were doing in a new position from day one, I think they would be stretching the truth. Just a little.

Here is a summary of my first month:

• I locked my boss out of SAP by incorrectly entering her password three times (I felt like a real idiot).
• I almost fell down the stairs. Luckily only one person saw my near miss though. He laughed, I laughed and then he carried on working - thank goodness for small victories.
• I have made an enemy out of the IT department. They refuse (OK it is protocol so I can sort of understand their side) to answer any questions or assist with anything - even if it will only take a minute of their time - until *dum dum dum* a call has been logged! This was before I even had a laptop, so just how was I supposed to log a call? Grrrr, frustration is. Now I joke with them in asking if I need to log a call with them before they can respond to an email. Yep, this is going to be a love/hate relationship.
• I have called many people by the wrong name and (felt extremely embarrassed when they corrected me).
• I called five people into the office and explained the reasoning behind their salary increases. This gem fell onto my plate as my boss was on leave that day otherwise I normally wouldn't handle such matters.
• I have used much more Excel than anyone should ever have to in their time on Earth. Yowza, death by cells and formulae.

These points may all sound negative, but looking back on the month, they are the ones that stick out the most. There have also been good experiences, like meeting and getting to know the people within the Finance department, and meeting the Financial Director of Africa and the Middle East. I have learnt alot about the logistics industry, and been rather chuffed to be given responsibilities that require trust. 

I am also no longer the newest person in the department, after the Accounts Payable Team Leader started this past Tuesday. Today, myself and the newest addition to the team commenced our three day official induction. It was extremely interesting and so many blanks have already been filled in. We even visited the company depot at OR Tambo International Airport, and were taken through the life-cycle of a parcel. Excited for day two tomorrow.

Wishing you all a pleasant week.

Being an Only Child

This is a very hotly contested subject, and below is my perspective on the matter.

Technically I am an only child. I have two half sisters (and no, two halves don't make a whole sister) from my dad's first marriage - Janine and Caroline, who are eight and four years my senior respectively. My half siblings grew up with their mom in Rynfield. My parents only had me, hence the "technical" lone child connotation. Out of my friends and acquaintances, Linsey and I are the only ones that grew up as only kids.

Here are some of my responses to the commonly asked questions:

1) Only kids are spoilt:- No, I personally was not. This all depends on how the parents raise the child. If the parents indulge the kids unnecessarily then they are likely to produce a brat. My mom made sure I had everything I needed and a bit extra, but she by no means spoiled me. The fact of the matter is, parents can give one child more than they can give two. Granted, every family's financial status differs. I like to think I didn't turn out to be a brat but please correct me if I'm wrong.

2) Only kids grow up lonely:-Never! If anything, being an only child improved my social skills and I made lots of friends in my childhood and adult life. It forces you to get out there, instead of tagging along with your older sibling and their friends. My friends are like my family and I value them beyond measure. Besides - how many people grow up loving their sibling? Be honest now. Do you remember having fights (that sometimes turned physical) and personality clashes growing up? Some of my friends have admitted that they seriously disliked their siblings when they were younger and only once they got older and maturity set in did they start to enjoy their sibling relationship.

3) Only kids don't know how to share:- Well this one just about makes me want to laugh out loud. Some people that grew up with siblings STILL do't know how to share in adulthood, and I'll say it again - it's all determined in the manner parents raise their kids. Constantly having friends over meant I shared my toys and clothes with them.

I've asked my mom why she and my dad only had one child between them and her very honest answer was she couldn't love two children equally. This brings us to favourtism. Very touchy subject but unfortunately it does happen. One (or both) parents will favour one child over the other/s, and this creates resentment on the other kid/s part. Parents also measure their kids up against the other. This is wrong. We are all individuals and deserve to be treated as such.  So what if one sibling is academic and the other sporty? Each have their strengths and weaknesses and no child needs that pressure in addition to all the other challenges they face in life. 

So, that's my view on the matter. Hopefully I haven't stepped on too many toes or offended anybody. Naturally, I can't understand a person that has siblings' point of view, and the opposite is true of them. We only know our own circumstances. Be content with that.