Diehard Football Fans

People are just the weirdest creature created. They come to work. But most often than not, they are just there physically. Most often than not, they are always elsewhere mentally and emotionally. I guess the same goes for me as well, but at different spaces of time. I think there should be on and off buttons somewhere in the system.

Here are some people who are sitting nearby talking about football. Liverpool, Manchester United, and whatever else there is in the British football league. I’m not against football. But it’s just that to discuss this topic at great lengths during work hours are indeed something that’s unnecessary not to mention totally unimportant. Here I have some colleagues who are emotionally entangled with their football teams during this football season. It’s like a life and death situation. The emotions they go through when their team gets defeated and the elation they feel when their team wins. And this doesn’t just stop there. There will be threats and tantrums from the winning and losing teams. And don’t forget the sulking session. But even more amusing is the fact that some working professionals are seriously considering placing this whole favorite football club into their KRA/KPI and are also pondering of including this topic in interview sessions. So, if you don’t know your interviewer’s favorite football team, then don’t bother attending the interview.

Gimme a break! We’re talking about a game that’s been played thousands of miles away. What’s even more preposterous is that these guys and some girls here even make suggestions like which players can be transferred out or who can be kicked off from the team and the list goes on. So, what’s wrong here? I mean we’re talking about a team of players who do not even know the existence of the people who are commenting on them and couldn’t care less about their opinions. Talk about diehard fans!

But I keep a distance from entangling myself with these diehard football fans. Let's just say that they never listen, nor do they want to accept any logical explanation about being diehard fans. The most I did as a fan in my teenage years was collect posters and hung them in my wardrobe. Pretty lame, you say?

Today I’d like to dedicate this post specially for my wonderful friend who introduced me to this BLOG WORLD. I hope you are a coffee lover too.

My friend, I will be talking about work today. It has been quite a chase lately with deadlines to meet. I am sure you’d know what I am talking about, though our fields of expertise are worlds apart. There are just so much of things to do before the much awaited event to take place in January 2010. Some say that this is not my forte, which I do agree to an extent. But regardless, I think doing event management is somewhat exciting and does meet the adrenalin rush. I do strongly feel that with the right people, right attitude (which is most important), anyone can do event management given the resources needed. What makes me interested in event management, you ask? Hmmmm…..it’s the color, the arguments, the expectations, the people who claim excellency, the taglines, the themes, the concoction of anger, smiles and disappointments…these are the ingredients that makes event management exciting. And the best part of course comes at the end of an event, when everything goes smoothly and the event sponsor is all smiles. However, not all ends well as there are always grunts and grumbles behind those masks people wear. But you know what’s even worse than that? It is when the event sponsor does not even utter a word of thanks for job well done. To my understanding, any event that does not have a catastrophe or casualties or no show can already be considered a successful event.

My friend, the last event that I managed, was a successful event, regardless of whether the product sold like hot cakes or otherwise, but the event turnout was more than expected, the food was good, the event went as smoothly as a sail. Our partners were so impressed. I only got to the food as the café was closing, tired from being on my toes from 2 am. As the people around me raved about the event itself, I was too tired by then. All I could do was smile and said, thank you.

My rounds of thanks ran through emails to all those who were involved. But not a word of appreciation from the one person, whom I most expected. My heart sank.

So, come what may, my January 2010 event must be as smooth as baby’s bottom.