2 WEEKS

(Music slows in dramatic fashion) — It is now 2 weeks until the New Orleans trip…. then I imagine something like in the show 24, the time appears in the top corner of my brain. Unfortunately my brain can only handle one thing at a time, if I’m lucky I can get by with 2, but even that is risky. I wonder how Jack Bauer would prepair for this Collision Conference and how he would manage every situation he will come across. Well I am not Jack Bauer, I am more of a glorified and self proclaimed Rambo. Maybe Rambo is not the best reference seeing as he uses his skills in war in a very brutal way. But he would be intimidating and extremely cool, foreshadowing here. I guess I am more of a Micheal Scott, business savant. Yep… thats it! Either way I’m ready to take on anything thrown my way.

via GIPHY

In the last few weeks, Smart Break has been gettting some pampering! We have given the brand and colors a bit of a facelift. On top of that, we have been thinking of ways to make it even easier for companies to use. I know, I know, Lawrence how can it get easier to use? It is already super easy to use!!! But we have been coming up with some really simple solutions that would be of interest for companies wanting to test the product. Come closer…. I will tell you…compute sticks…yep..easy. But we are not officially doing this yet, we are in the test phase and are coming up with some cool ideas. If you don’t know what a compute stick is, it is basically a usb stick you put in the tv or monitor and boom, you have a computer. So for those of you out there that was guessing a computer stick, nailed it, now you can officially call yourself an IT genius.

Along with these changes, we added a new Smart Breaker to the crew, Chelsy Swackhamer, she is from OHIO and plays football (soccer) in the area for IK Myran. We hired Chelsy to take over the social media and marketing side of Smart Break and so far, I approve. And no…we do not just sit around and talk football (soccer) all day, just half the day. We have been creating new content and pushing for new strategies in taking Smart Break to the top!

Now that the snow is melting, this is easily one of the worst times of the year. All of the yellow and brown snow is melting and it is gross, ew. This is when my wife and I have to constantly clean and dry all the clothes the kids wear due to the fact that children love to get dirty. Truer statement as water is wet. I don’t know how many times I have to tell my kids “do not drink that water, could be bird droppings in that.” You would think they would want apple juice rather than dirty roof water. I have actually told my son that if he does not drink the water I will give him candy and juice. He just took that as a challenge and immediatly drank the water 😐.

The one really cool thing about living in Finland is the amount of daylight you get this time of the year. Of course it is the opposite in the winter, darkness, complete darkness, all the time. But this time of the year is when the sun decides to stay out and enrich everyone’s depressed lives from the winter darkness. The weather is warming and birds are chirping.

The other day I took the kids for a walk with my in- law’s dogs, it was still around -5c but really sunny. No wind. It was nice. We were walking down a dirt (snow) road and every now and then the sun would peak through the trees and it was like a lazer beam of heat. Feeling the sun on your face with everything else frozen on your body is one of the best feelings. Being from tropical Charleston, this is one feeling that is still new to me. I told the kids about the feeling and they should try it, I looked back and my son was just standing there enjoying the feeling. I am not quite sure if he was enjoying the sun with his eyes closed or not, im sure he was trying to look at the sun because he likes to go against authority, he might be a bit difficult later in life. Definitely from his mother, I was an angel 😎😉.

This sunlight does wonders for morale. This week I have been moved from my office desk to a temporary desk in a supply closet. We are rearranging the office in order to fit all the wonderful hard working employees at Raisoft 😊, brown nose much. Raisoft is growing and we are excited about all the new stuff going on, but it just makes for a hectic office. But being in a supply closet/executive Smart Break office is uninspiring. all this sunlight bursting through these windows illuminating up the office and I’m like a hidden troll punching the keyboard in darkness. But, when I do get a little taste of sunlight, wow, instant energy boost and I’m back being the peppy person I am. Sunlight is a great way to energize and boost productivity in the workplace. If you don’t have windows or a retractible roof, go on strike!! Well maybe not strike, but you should get out and get some natural light, plus the fresh air would most definitely lift your spirits. Even if you don’t get a spirit boost, you will at least get a break from a certain employee that might get under your skin. Either way, get outside or open a window!!

Have a great week!!