Am I Famous Now…

Today as I was speaking with my colleague/friend Lee at/about work, he nailed it. Of course the general topic was yesterdays post. Yes, they do read my blog. And I knew that post wouldn’t change a thing. But at least we spoke about it.

You are bored aren’t you?

Of course I am bored. Tell me what I have to do. I told you guys that if you want to see the best of me, you have to challenge me. Don’t put me on automatic pilot, I am not like you.

Everyone in my family has reached professionally the maximum possible in his area. I am used to do exactly the same. The only thing you guys occasionally ask me are things like ‘Can you do this or do that?’ Holy noodles, that is one fucken big challenge. As if spreadsheets make me work hard.

My male family members. One grand father was instructor of the Belgian elite troups (yeah I heard they also have some), the other was one of the best snipers in the Belgian army (trust me never seen someone throw that efficiently a rifle) and my father became one of the most important (police) men in Belgium (should I add that my father never went to university).

I, I am just a stupid Belgian bloke.

Childhood.
As many young chaps I played football (yes, soccer for you Americans). Soon I discovered I wasn’t good enough as striker and after 1 year I converted myself into goalkeeper. By the age of 11 I got selected for the Belgian national squad. When I was 12 I got bored of football.
Short after I started Savate (French Boxing). My regular sparring partner became Vice World Champion. For once I wasn’t into competition, but I had one of the best training partners world wide. I learned, got beaten… but was probably one of the only ones he feared because I knew all his moves.

At the age of 16 I started working in a club. Collecting glasses. It only took me some weeks to convince them that I was a hard worker and wanted to become a waiter. After 3 months I could carry 2 trays filled with half pint glasses over the heads off everyone, crossing the dancefloor and selling. I remembered upto 32 different drink orders. 32 drinks fitted on two trays. Not to mention all the phone numbers I remembered. ;-)

I decided to continue that job and became a very respected bartender, cocktail mixer. I have worked in the best clubs in The Netherlands and Ibiza. One day I wanted to prove that I also had quality and over an agency I started to work for an Intercontinental Hotel. The day they offered me a contract was my last day, I had proven my skills. I left.

I have organized (private) venues. Sold cocktail recipes to a multinational alcohol corporation. Every year they called me to order new drinks for special events. I worked in one of the best German cocktail bars and got bored. Just like I got bored of the best clubs in Ibiza. Competitions bored me, most of time I was a jury member.
I opened a 300sqm front-end bistro/restaurant/lounge and left after 4 months because the place was popular and we made great money. That was my last act in that sector.

Since years I already ran computer websites. Whenever a website had gained a good community I sold the site. Just to start a new, bigger and better one. I wrote workshops for Windows. They got eaten by the visitors. Indirectly those websites led me to my IBM/AmEx job. Or was that because I have been years long bugtracker and online security advisor?
I did whatever I wanted at that job, because they knew I was good. I was great.

Now you ask me to occasionally make a spreadsheet or to organize a phone office and the scheduling for 2 vans? I made more money with venues in one evening than the charity makes in a whole month!
Did you ever notice that I want to be THE BEST (or at least one of the) in whatever I do? Have you noticed how everytime you let me do something on my own it kicks more than when you have your visions? Yes, you told me everytime. ;-)

Yes, I am a bloody perfectionist. Always changing and optimizing everything, make it better. And yes I try to work this issue since my best Belgian friend told me 14 years ago that I was worse than my father.
I still didn’t manage it. If no one challenges me I get bored. No matter what, when or where. Wanting to be perfectionist or not.
I guess I’ll die perfectionist.