Can you smile?

What a nice boss!

I am. My cousin asked if I could order my helpers in Jakarta to help her family during the day. Yes, I have three helpers in an ‘empty’ house but I don’t feel fair if I order them. Instead, I need to check with them if they are willing to help and get extra pay.

I learn that people don’t like to be asked. That’s why I keep telling everybody how grateful I am because Mama rarely asked my sister and me to study at home when we were kids. I had memorable childhood, I could do whatever I liked (with responsibility).

Some closed ones who know me well had known how to handle me if they expect me to do something. I adopt pig behavior my cousins used to tell me. The more I’m pushed, the more I resist. It’s true! I have system that one could hardly tell but when it’s time to do, I would do, without whip. I like if people can trust me I would do.

It’s so funny too when I asked a girlfriend to kick me when I felt so low the other day, she refused. She said that she doesn’t need to kick me because I actually know when and how to do things. So the girlfriend who saw me overwhelmed by stuffs from Frangipani the other day, she told me before left to take my time and forget about high season. She is right! I appreciate people who could understand me. I'd like to do the same to my staffs. I treat them like human with system, not robot with program.

That’s my tip to keep staffs stay more than eight years! Don’t tell them what to do! Set rules for both parties in advance and let it works.

And if someone asked me to smile when in not so good mood? Just smile.

Picture of me in 1973.