On being back

17 Sunday Mar 2013

There’s a certain feeling about coming home from a place. A sense of sadness and happiness combined. For me there was no greater time that I experienced this feeling than when I returned from Antarctica where I can say my life truly changed. It might have taken me months to recover from that with such intense moments of sadness and such intense moments of happiness that I hardly knew how to tell the difference between the two.

Summer camp was the same for me. One solid week of intensity that included new friends, constant activity, and experiences completely new to me. Returning home I mourned everything that didn’t involve my camp experience. The intensity seemed to ruin me for my current life, at least for a time.

Returning from this trip to Germany has had an opposite effect. While I do feel a sense of sadness that it’s over, I am more energized and invigorated than ever about my current place in the company I work for. It was such an intense bonding experience. I bonded to colleagues and I bonded to the company itself. Seeing everything in the big picture helped me see my place here and realize its value! I begin this week energized and invigorated like never before. And upon returning from this trip, I am happy.

A quick end

15 Friday Mar 2013

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Altstadt, cologne strike, Dusseldorf, old town

The week flew by. And it was a good mix of work and fun. I was able to sightsee, rest, work, and stay up late with people I enjoy. A very good time. And kind of a letdown to have it be over.

We ended the week with a party last night at the Rheinstrassen Theater, where all of our events were held. It was an impressive set-up with food everywhere, free-flowing alcohol all night, and about 2000 people. Two live acts performed, the first being John Miles, a guy from England that I have never heard before but really liked. Quite a show with pyro and lights. Fun. For me the night ended a little too late, allowing myself only about 3 hours of sleep before an international flight the next morning.

After forcing myself to eat something (something greasy and fizzy preferably), I made my way to the airport with ample time only to realize that there is a security worker strike Monday through Friday and few flights are able to depart. So I sat there for 3 hours while they figured out what to do with us. And it turned out the new flight for which I am scheduled departs from Dusseldorf on Saturday morning. Rather than take the train I decided to hire a taxi because it’s just easier and more convenient.

I went to the Radisson Blu to get my bearings since that’s where I had spent so much time during the week. And I was able to scam on my colleagues’ internet access since there’s no un-secure WiFi in Germany, apparently. (Every connection requires a password that no one will give out) So I waved to the first guy in the taxi line and he came to get me. Right away I recognized him and he me. Turns out this guy had picked me up at another location a few days ago and we had struck up quite a conversation and both noted how fun it was to talk. He mentioned then that he wished it had been a longer trip so we would have had longer to chat! Well, here we were again and ready to take a 45 minute trip to Dusseldorf. What a strange fluke that was. Serendipity.

I walked around Dusseldorf today and burned off some energy, revived my tired body, and enjoyed this beautiful city. It’s much smaller than Cologne and I think much more quaint. Very fun. I had espresso in a corner cafe, shopped in an open air market, bought heavy brown bread at a bakery, and took a lot of photos. Then I finished the day off at a pub highly recommended by at least three of the locals I asked. It was great to just sit and eat authentic German food and drink a few beers and regroup. And now I’ll get some sleep before returning home tomorrow sometime.

An excellent vacation and actually one of the saddest to see come to an end.

Days Like These

15 Friday Mar 2013

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die toten hosen, IDS

These are the lyrics to the song that became the Ivoclar theme song for IDS.

Tage Wie Diese (Days Like These)
By: Die Toten Hosen

I’ve waited weeks for this day
and I’m dancing on the asphalt with joy
as if it were a rhythm, as if it were a song
that keeps luring me through the streets
on my way to you, to pick you up,
as we had agreed:
at the same time, the same place as last time.

Through the elbowing of the bustling crowd
we’re paving the old familiar way
along the streets to the terraces on the Rhine,
over the bridges, right up to the music
where everything is loud, where everyone is there
to let loose
where the others are waiting to start with us
and get down.

On days like these, you wish it would never end.
On days like these,
we still have all the time in the world.
I wish it would never end.

This is unending, it’s unending for today
We won’t stand idle for an entire night
Come, I’ll carry you through the crowds,
don’t be afraid, I’ll take care of you
We’ll let ourselves drift, then dive under,
and go with the flow.
We’re going in circles,
we won’t come back down, we’re weightless.

On days like these, you wish it would never end.
On days like these,
we still have all the time in the world.
On this night of nights, which promises us so much
we’re experiencing the best, there’s no end in sight.

No end in sight
No end in sight
No end in sight

It all goes on and on

14 Thursday Mar 2013

Posted by seejanesblog in Observations

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chet spivey, cologne germany, dentistry, IDS, ivoclar vivadent

Everything here goes on and on. The bread and cheese: it’s prolific. Served everywhere and for every meal. The meat! There’s never an end to the variety and quantities served and eaten. Our tiredness: each day we’re more and more tired but the energy of the event(s) pushes us on.

The beer! Unbelievable. it never, ever ends. Served in glasses that we might drink juice from at home, the glass is replaced as quickly as we finish it, with the waiter marking hash marks on a coaster for each new one delivered in order to tally our consumption. You know how they draw four lines, then cross diagonally to indicate the 5th? Well, I will not reveal how many “5’s” a certain two of us had in a very short time before moving on to the next place or function where we continued mounting up our 5’s.

The multitudes of people! At the IDS show floor we are packed like sardines. Crammed into the aisles, packed in the food court, clumps of us at crosswalks, long lines to the train etcetera. It all reminds me of visiting Disney World on Christmas or New Years Eve, both of which I have done. It starts to drive you crazy with all these people.

The exhibition itself: it goes on and on, floor after floor, building after building. Honestly, no one could prepare me for this event. People kept saying, “You won’t believe it. It’s amazing. It’s huge!” All of the above is true – – but to a degree much greater than those words described.

Each day snowballs on to the one before and I feel like I’m on the Tea Cup ride at Disney. When I went on that ride with my friend, Chet Spivey from Ivoclar, he turned that wheel so fast and so fast and so fast that my head literally spun and I laughed uncontrollably screaming for him to stop but loving every minute of it. That describes the IDS and this experience.

I’m fortunate to say that the laughter among colleagues is something that doesn’t end: the tireder we get, the funnier everything is and the harder we laugh. It goes on and on, and thank god for that! Because along with that laughter and comraderie comes passion. And it’s that passion that drives this company. The people who work for Ivoclar are passionate about our products, our role in the company, and the company itself. I have worked for two amazing companies: 3M and Ivoclar Vivadent and each one, at the time I’ve been a part of them, has a group of people that invigorates and energizes me. An organization’s most valued asset has to be its employees – – it’s team – – in order for this passion to exist and I’m lucky to be able to thrive in an environment such as this!

Passion to the nth degree

11 Monday Mar 2013

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bluephase style, cerec, Cologne, energy, Germany, IDS, innovation, ivoclar vivadent, joy, nobel biocare, passion, robert ganley, sirona, smile, vision

Right up front I want to say that I realize I have a certain level of enthusiasm for things I deem worthy that can be a bit overly. Maybe even annoying to some. I put myself fully in to situations and generally enjoy whatever I’m doing. And when I’m happy I can’t help but show it. So take what I’m about to write with that in mind. But I’m here to tell you that the Ivoclar Vivadent presence in Cologne, Germany at the IDS meeting and the booth at that show and the general experience in the entire city surrounding it all would most likely make the most stoic among us giddy with enthusiasm. The energy here is palpable.

Maybe everyone here with their company feels that the city is palpating with the energy of them. I’m sure the Nobel Biocare team feels pride seeing their company’s logo flying on the flags across the river and the Sirona team likes seeing their logos and advertising around the city. But it’s different for Ivoclar. Our flags fly at hotels and at other buildings around the city. Our logo is plastered on the outside of the huge building our booth is housed. There are signs with our logo pointing people in the direction they need to go: to our functions throughout the city. Our product banners are displayed at building entrances. It goes on and on. While we enjoy excellent success in North America with our products and innovations, it’s different here and there’s nowhere better to see it displayed than at this show.

A visit to the official opening of the booth yesterday proves my point. We entered building #11 where we are housed (There are many, many buildings for this show. Presumably 10 before us and who knows how many after us, so this place is huge!) It’s bustling with the normal activity of booth set-up day at any show. But this day was a culmination of 10 days of booth set-up! Ten days of constructing a booth at least 5x the size of our booth at Chicago Midwinter, our largest North American show. (And I might be underestimating. It could be much larger.)

Approaching the Ivoclar Vivadent booth, there’s definitely a change in atmosphere. The lighting becomes brighter and the colors become bluer due to a new concept at the booth this year. And then there’s the pulsating of the sound system with Dean Martin singing ‘When You’re Smiling’ among other spirited music. There are dancers dressed in white and blue costumes with stark white hair on the stage set up in the middle of the booth. There’s a bar with high tops and chairs all around inviting people to meet and sit awhile. There are two glassed-in rooms set up with audio for group meetings and demonstrations each completely set up with our full product line and interestingly enough, green apples all around, adding the green to our blue and green company theme.

The booth looks great, there’s no doubt about it, but the thing that was even more impressive than our stunning booth? The passion and enthusiasm of everyone helping put it all together. And it’s no wonder: they’ve all been selected to work this meeting as a reward for some thing or another, so they seem happy to be there. But also, everyone was at a kick-off meeting last week where they learned the layout of the place, the products we’ll be focusing on, and had a team building experience. So they know what they’re to do and they’re acting happy to do it. The theme of the meeting for us this year is “I am a part of the future.” The booth evokes that definitely.

Then the official kick-off of the show began and I actually had to wipe away some tears! The music changed to a German song that is popular now and everyone spontaneously started singing along and moving and smiling, clearly a song everyone knows and loves! It felt like an anthem and it turns out it will be. As translated by a colleague, it’s about these days. These special days we’re all a part of to live and enjoy together. We’re all part of a bigger story.

And as it seems, we’re each a part of the future of our company.

Guten Morgan, Germany!

10 Sunday Mar 2013

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restaurants

Arriving in Germany this morning was exactly the same as waking up in Minnesota, except instead of my usual hot cup of Eclipse coffee from Caribou, I was holding a hot and mushy egg muffin with the words,’guten morgan’on it. I wanted to take a picture of it. I absolutely love the little touches like that of the country you’re visiting. As if Germans always eat hot little mushy sandwiches for breakfast. It’s a charming part of travel and I love it.

I’m here for the IDS: the International Dental Symposium held every two years here in Cologne. It’s where companies like mine hobnob with other companies like mine. It’s extravagant! A showcase for products used around the world; bigger than any dental show I’ve yet experienced. I’ve wanted to go for years and decided to just do it. Life’s short and this is one thing I’ve wanted to do.

So it’s like Minnesota in that the weather is exactly the same. And it was exactly the same in Amsterdam as if a big weather front is enveloping most of the northern hemisphere. Maybe it is, I wouldn’t know. I’ve been watching TV hoping to figure some things out but to no avail. I can’t understand a word. Except ‘guten’ and ‘morgan.’