So today has been an unusually pleasant day here in my office, things haven't been particularly productive for me of late, I really have found things an uphill struggle but (to add another cliché here) I think I've turned a corner.
The day started really quite well and was one of those strange Hollywood style openings. I walk the same route to work each day and whilst not too exciting I find it a pleasant enough journey. As anyone who commutes on a daily basis, and keeps to a regular routine, will know you tend to bump into the same people every day. These are people whose names you will never know and who you will probably never speak to. I have noticed that people here have a habit of making eye contact here a bit more than in the UK. In fact if anything I felt quite voyeuristic in the UK as I would always be staring at people as they made their way around with their heads down or with a glazed expression on their faces. Here there is much more of a chance of actually making eye contact with someone although it is nice to note that when this does happen the natural human evasiveness kicks in and people have the decency to look embarrassed.
Today was different, whether they had slipped something in the water that gave everyone in Lisbon a good night's sleep or if the wide availability of cheap drugs here had reached epidemic proportions I don't know but today at least five of my regular fellow commuters made concerted eye contact and smiled at me. I was a little unsure at first and thought the first couple might have just been thinking of something amusing on television last night or perhaps one of the tank-like grandmothers that populate Lisbon had slipped over behind me. After the fourth and fifth smile I really thought something must be wrong with me, either my fly visibly open or breakfast down my front or (and this a particular favourite) toothpaste round my mouth. On getting into the office I immediately checked myself and my appearance was nothing out of the ordinary so I had to assume that people were in a good mood and I could indeed follow suit.
When I finally settle down at my computer I find that overnight my inbox has filled with articles and studies to keep me busy for the day, including links to one report by the US DEA which seems right up my alley. The only problem with this is that all record of it on the internet has been removed, there are articles that cite it and dead links to it but the actual report itself remains tantalisingly elusive.
There was a rather dull meeting this afternoon which I had to endure, it was much a meeting for the sake of having a meeting, giving the illusion that everyone is being kept in the loop and that communication in here is fine and dandy. After the meeting I got talking to one of the scientists, Isabelle, and then the strangest thing happened...she invited me into her office to sit down and have a talk. The shock of this had me babbling for a while, to be honest I haven't really faced any impromptu questions on my work and to begin with I was at a loss for answers but her enthusiasm (despite her own work being in a completely different field to my own) put me at ease and it was actually one of the most useful and productive talks I've had. It set my mind buzzing with ideas and I think my work will have much more focus now.
The day started really quite well and was one of those strange Hollywood style openings. I walk the same route to work each day and whilst not too exciting I find it a pleasant enough journey. As anyone who commutes on a daily basis, and keeps to a regular routine, will know you tend to bump into the same people every day. These are people whose names you will never know and who you will probably never speak to. I have noticed that people here have a habit of making eye contact here a bit more than in the UK. In fact if anything I felt quite voyeuristic in the UK as I would always be staring at people as they made their way around with their heads down or with a glazed expression on their faces. Here there is much more of a chance of actually making eye contact with someone although it is nice to note that when this does happen the natural human evasiveness kicks in and people have the decency to look embarrassed.
Today was different, whether they had slipped something in the water that gave everyone in Lisbon a good night's sleep or if the wide availability of cheap drugs here had reached epidemic proportions I don't know but today at least five of my regular fellow commuters made concerted eye contact and smiled at me. I was a little unsure at first and thought the first couple might have just been thinking of something amusing on television last night or perhaps one of the tank-like grandmothers that populate Lisbon had slipped over behind me. After the fourth and fifth smile I really thought something must be wrong with me, either my fly visibly open or breakfast down my front or (and this a particular favourite) toothpaste round my mouth. On getting into the office I immediately checked myself and my appearance was nothing out of the ordinary so I had to assume that people were in a good mood and I could indeed follow suit.
When I finally settle down at my computer I find that overnight my inbox has filled with articles and studies to keep me busy for the day, including links to one report by the US DEA which seems right up my alley. The only problem with this is that all record of it on the internet has been removed, there are articles that cite it and dead links to it but the actual report itself remains tantalisingly elusive.
There was a rather dull meeting this afternoon which I had to endure, it was much a meeting for the sake of having a meeting, giving the illusion that everyone is being kept in the loop and that communication in here is fine and dandy. After the meeting I got talking to one of the scientists, Isabelle, and then the strangest thing happened...she invited me into her office to sit down and have a talk. The shock of this had me babbling for a while, to be honest I haven't really faced any impromptu questions on my work and to begin with I was at a loss for answers but her enthusiasm (despite her own work being in a completely different field to my own) put me at ease and it was actually one of the most useful and productive talks I've had. It set my mind buzzing with ideas and I think my work will have much more focus now.
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