A Scribble

I’m on my lunch break and I am plagued with a few dilemmas in my mind. Inevitable issues which I should have foreseen now that I am an employee at Microsoft but I think valid for public opinion, your opinion. Remember that everything written here are my own views and not attached to Microsoft.

This morning I got a pleasant phone call from one of the larger BBC Radio Stations in London. Again they were asking for my opinion, typically on Facebook as always. I was invited down to the studio to speak to a very well-known radio presenter on the air.

Despite now working in a full time job this interview could have been planned around my lunch break. Here is the problem though. Even though I would have been discussing every known subject under the sun – I would not have mentioned Microsoft. Quite deliberately. I am not a spokesperson for the company (although this would be a dream job!) and only deal with my personal opinions.

The problem is that because now Microsoft are paying me full time, they have ownership over my productivity, I have been left with a dilemma. After much advice I had been left but no choice but to reject the invitation from BBC Radio. I love it how my opinions are sought after, how I can provide content to help journalists fill their air time. I just need to tread carefully. I cannot afford for the media to make the link between me and my job and possibly come to irrational conclusions that I speak partly for the company or even convey some sort of general Microsoft employee bias.

Over the last 2 years I have worked very hard to get my foot into the door of journalism and the trade of opinion. In many ways I have worked very hard over the last 20 years of my life which have now lead me to have a job at Microsoft. A dream job which suits the fanatical technological fiend which I am.

I just need to wait and sort out my mind around this dilemma. Whilst working at Microsoft it looks difficult for me to approach the airways without some sort of risk attached to it. I guess I could contact the Microsoft press office for advice? Ask my manager how she feels about the subject?

Despite everything I have said the best times for me to comment would be at the weekend. Planned ahead radio interviews which means I can organise my week effectively. I guess I only have 11 months before this dilemma passed. My fear is that my foot will slip out the door of broadcasting. This is something which makes me shudder to the very core.  

I have only gone a few days without writing and yet it feels like a lifetime since the creative part of my brain has had a good hiding. The longer you study at University the more you begin to realise how silly some aspects of the modules are. For instance, as part of my placement year I am required to either maintain a diary or blog detailing each week.

Unfortunately this task is almost impossible for two reasons:

1. I am working and so therefore have very little time to focus on University work as well

2. I am constantly dealing with confidential information and situations

So really, in the grand scheme of things, I am actually unable to write very much about specific details of my job. However! I can explain a little bit about what I’m currently doing.

I am working within the Microsoft Advertising department in London. Although we only have (roughly) 15 employees working in the UK, as a multinational team we stretch across a variety of countries.

These countries are:

Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Argentina, Bolivia, Uruguay, Chile, Mexico, Brazil, Canada, United States, South Africa, Arabia, Nigeria, Senegal, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines, India, Thailand and Indonesia.

I may have missed a couple of countries. What is certain that saying I work within a large department is a little bit of an understatement. With such a range of countries requires a degree of knowledge regarding the cultures you are dealing with, their organisational systems, perhaps a small understanding of their language (although International English is used), understanding of time zones… the list goes on (and I don’t want to bore you with that).

Currently my day to day work activities involves learning about the specific jobs of each member of the UK team. Until I have a grasp of this I will be unable to function properly.

Although my job title isn’t “active” yet – I shall be working as a Trade Marketer. This role incorporates aspects of my Public Relations degree. As I am still waiting to find out specific details I shall leave my explanation of Trade Marketing for another day.

I can’t boast to enjoy commuting to work each day. My hatred for trains has only intensified since the 30min delays I had to endure this morning. Once I walk through the doors of Microsoft I realise why I am fortunate to be working within such a great organisation, how I am lucky to have landed a job which appeals to my geeky materialistic side and how this year should positively change me for the better.

Having said that I look forward to regularly travelling back to Cheltenham to see Erin (gf who must be nuts to like me(!), all my friends and the local pub. Working seems to have left me with an odd double life. I’m not quite convincing enough to be a student but neither have I been seduced by the world of work.

I like Tumblr. So I have decided to write about my Microsoft ventures here for the time being. For some reason the font style and image placement on my own website (http://www.mikewhite.co.uk) seems to be experiencing a few problems.

Although I have officially spent a week with Microsoft, I am currently on my first day at work. As is to be expected with a new job the workload could be more. I have felt “spare part syndrome” before and it soon vanishes. This explains why I have decided to write this blog post in the UK office (albeit it is near the end of my day).

As my role is involved with online advertising I have literally spent the whole day reading up on the subject. Of the thousands of words, terms and images my brain must have processed – I would boldly claim I can remember at least 80% of the information.

Everybody in the office is friendly. Although I fear to not pester too much. They have given me permission to shadow them but on a couple of occasions I have been told to ‘come back in a few minutes’. Nothing wrong with that.

Microsoft is a very busy organisation. Hardly anybody seems to use up their 30 minutes of lunch break, people are constantly rushing about with their laptops and at least a dozen meetings seem to be held at one time.

Even at this early stage of my work life it is apparent who in the office are the workers and those who would rather avoid the commitment. At the moment I am the small fish at Microsoft, a student intern (although everybody treats you as an equal employee) and I plan on leaving this place being an expensive Koi.

Slightly delayed due to work at Microsoft…

Tim Minchin – Some people have it worse (to remind me that things could be worse)

Muse – Thoughts of a Dying Atheist (Seems suiting)

Sydonia – Life in a Cup (A peaceful, thoughtful song from an Australian band)

Stephen Lynch – Waiting (To make sure I never lose my sense of humour)

Annihilator – Ultra-Motion (It is just a brilliant song that keeps the heart bumping)

It is difficult to list all the inspirations I have in my life. There are so many to choose from but for the sake of this post I shall just choose the one.

Writings by George Orwell are captivating. Whilst his most popular works such as Animal Farm and 1984 are great pieces – I gain far more pleasure from reading his essays. If you have some time I recommend reading “Why I Write” and “Shooting an Elephant”. Orwell’s insight turns into an in-wit as he uncovers the best and worst of human beings by simply observing, at the same time he recognises his own motivations. I truly believe that the only place Orwell’s writing style is imitated is Radio 4’s “From Our Own Correspondent”.

My writing is heavily influenced by George Orwell.  

The most peculiar of guilty pleasures always seem to surround one’s childhood. My particular guilty pleasure involved my dad’s handkerchiefs when I was around 5 years old. As a child I found that teddy wasn’t usually enough and so, unexplainably, sleep came to me by my ‘little bits’. Little bits were simply a handkerchief cut into 6 long stripes and then tied in knots. One of my parents would then place the knotted piece of handkerchief between one of my toes and I would fall to sleep.

Strange huh? This, when I was younger, was a guilty pleasure. A pleasure I have now thankfully grown out of!  

Day 01- Guilty pleasure
Day 02- Something that inspires you
Day 03- The five songs you would have with you on a desert island and why
Day 04- What you imagine paradise to be like
Day 05- A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life
Day 06- Earliest thing you can remember
Day 07- Favorite cover of your favorite song
Day 08- Someone you think would make a good president
Day 09- Five things you want to see change
Day 10- A dream you had this past week described in detail
Day 11- Favorite picture ever taken of yourself
Day 12- Your favorite musical artist’s life story
Day 13- A memory that never fails to make you laugh
Day 14- Best mashup you’ve ever heard
Day 15- A moment, phrase, or song that has changed your life the most
Day 16- Something that you want to do within the next five years
Day 17- What you want to remembered for
Day 18- A picture that makes you feel
Day 19- A passage from a book that has touched you
Day 20- A band that you immediately liked and the song that made you like them
Day 21- Your favorite medium of art
Day 22- Someone you would give your life up for without question
Day 23- Most awkward first impression you feel you’ve ever given
Day 24- Something you did as a child that other people remember you for
Day 25- Something you would do if no one stopped you or if you knew you wouldn’t fail
Day 26- Your definition of love
Day 27- Your definition of the meaning of life
Day 28- A moment you remember being completely happy in and a description of why you believe you were. What is your definition of happiness?
Day 29- What you live for
Day 30- Ways you believe you have grown over the past thirty days