Back to School

Over the weekend I completed my editing assignment. I edited the DVDs and workbooks for the Matric Accountancy and Business Studies lessons, produced by the SABC Learning Channel. 60 lessons in total which have left me a bit squared eyed and suffering from cabin fever.

It was an enjoyable task and I was particularly impressed with Business Studies. This subject should be compulsory for all students and anyone below the age 60! Not joking – it should be a requirement for everyone to do this course before they set out into the big wide world. The course provides valuable life skill information.

And I am back to school next week – I am doing a course at Pretoria University and hope that hitting the pause button is not too entrenched in my psyche and I can sit in a lecture hall for a few hours at a stretch!

Lessons from the Kitchen

I love cooking and after receiving some fabulous compliments the other night I thought I would use this blog to blow my own trumpet a bit and pass on success tips.

Compliment 1. I will never ask you to my house for dinner – I will take you to a restaurant – your food is so good.
Compliment 2. One day I will come to you for cooking lessons.

Despite enjoying these compliments, I don’t consider myself to be that fantastic a chef. What I do very well though is to plan a dinner or lunch party exceptionally well – and this turns into a lesson.

So, what makes my parties a success? I spend a lot of time planning - and this is the process I follow:

· Invite the guests
· Decide on the budget
· Set the menu and wine/drinks requirements according to the budget
· Check the food and wine inventory and hit the shops for what is required
· Check the resources: flatware, cutlery etc
· Make changes to menu if appropriate (cant get certain ingredients)
· Do the meal project plan ie. Pre-cooking, timing, wine on ice, drinks in the fridge, the table, flowers etc
· Enlist aid of daughter where applicable (she is a great cook, by the way)
· Cook up a storm
· Greet guests and have a wonderful time.

Hmmmmm. Sound familiar? Just what all the business books tell us to do - plan, plan and plan, execute the plan, make changes where appropriate and deliver the goods.

And what do I get out of the parties? A great meal that I loved cooking, great conversation and great time with my friends – success – mission accomplished!

In case you want to know, I served the following:
· Foie Gras (for my French friends), smoked salmon mousse with Melba Toast
· A parfait of fresh tomato and sweet red pepper soup with vanilla cream
· De-boned chicken stuffed with yellow pepper, fresh herbs and sausage meat, cooked on a bed of carrots, celery and onions.
· Veggies: Sliced courgette with lemon olive oil, creamy polenta
· To finish: fresh pears poached in red wine, lavender and honey served with crème anglais.

Accountancy

I haven't blogged for while - Why? because I have been quite busy editing DVD's and workbooks for the Matric accountancy lessons, produced by the SABC Learning Channel. There are 30 lessons in total and these will be distributed (for a small fee) to schools and learners so they can study for their final exams.

Now, the idea of studying accountancy crops up quite often during the lessons - it appears that learners complain that they cannot "study" accountancy. The presenters get quite excited when they have a formula or ratio for the learners to "study". Does this mean they can memorise this part - yes, I think it does. Surely, study also implies learning and understanding and not just memorising? And how do you do this? By going over the exercises, practising the exercises and understanding them and understanding how to apply the concepts. You can study accountancy!

And on this note - I will even go as far as saying that accountancy is like riding a bicycle - once you know it you can always do it.........

Trying things and Learning

Just about everyone who knows me, knows that my daughter Lisa is an adventure racer and does extreme marathons. Some people think she is quite daft and dont understand what drives someone to happily run a 250 km race. Having been part of the preparations and support crew on occasion, I know how much courage it takes to enter these events and how much courage it takes to finish. And it takes a true understanding of "self" that finishing the race is achievable.

Lisa recently wrote a bit on her blog about this (http://adventurelisa.blogspot.com/) and quoted the following from Tim Jarvis who has done 3 unsupported polar expeditions.

"... growing up, we find out about ourselves and the world around us by trying things and learning through our experiences. Somewhere along the line, though, the responsibilities that represent adulthood seem to suppress this 'give it a go' spirit, replacing it with an increased reliance on second-hand sources, and the opinions of others.
That spirit often lies dormant for years, until one day we wake up and look back with regret and no real answer as to why we didn't find time to realise at least one or two dreams. In many cases it's because we're too often told that things are not possible for us, or not as simple as they appear to be. In some cases this is true, but it's dangerous to lump everything together in the same basket. If you do you'll find yourself not trying anything new or challenging at all."

Good food for thought.

And on the subject of customer service

I picked up this quote the other day - by a guy called Rob Armano - http://darmano.typepad.com/logic_emotion/

“We live in a world where the little things really do matter. Each encounter no matter how brief is a micro interaction which makes a deposit or withdrawal from our rational and emotional subconscious. The sum of these interactions and encounters adds up to how we feel about a particular product, brand or service. Little things. Feelings. They influence our everyday behaviors more than we realize.”

The Abundant Inn

Carl’s B and B is just about always full. I know this because I was there and saw the occupancy schedules and the lady whose company does the laundry told me so. She also makes special arrangements, especially over long weekends, to do the B and B’s laundry – Carl is a good customer for her and she makes a plan to keep him happy.

And why is it full? Certainly the room rates are competitive and possibly a bit more than other B and B’s so it is not cut rate prices. I think it is because Carl offers, and genuinely believes in, really good service that makes people want to be there and come back for return visits.

The rooms are great, well furnished (a guest said “very tasteful”), well decorated, they are inspected everyday to make sure the clocks are set to the correct time, all plugs are plugged in, the soap is facing the correct way, no dust bunnies under the beds, brochures lined up, bar fridge full and so on. The linen and towels are top quality and you can have fresh towels every day if you want. There is almost every TV channel available. The garden is spotless, the outside entertainment area is comfy and a nice place to sit, the TV is turned on, seats and tables dusted and lined up, pool glistening and deck chairs by the pool. The breakfast tables are laid out on time and everything you need is there.

There are large containers of cereals – 4 types, 3 flavours of yoghurt, fresh fruit salad, and large jugs of milk, tea (many different types and flavours) and coffee, 3 large jugs of juice and then the large English breakfast, toast and marmalade. There are waiters for the tables and if you ate everything you would have to push yourself away from the table. The bowls and jugs are continuously filled so you never feel that you are taking the last glass of OJ or scoop of yoghurt.

There is always an air of plenty. And the guests are well looked after and made to feel special – pampered even!

I guess this is why Carl has such a successful business – nothing like a good old fashioned bit of customer service.