Category: Opinions

COVID-19 Positive

Posted on by Adventurer

The world has been in a state of paralysis for over a year now. Our basic constitutional rights have been violated. We can’t move about, we can’t meet, many of us can’t work, we can’t shop, we can’t go out to eat or see a movie. We feel like we aren’t allowed to live – all because of one invisible enemy: a virus, which we have no medication for, and just recently developed viable vaccines against.

So I really understand why people are angry and protesting, or feeling depressed and helpless. I for myself decided, though, to not indulge in self-pity nor waste my energy on politics. In my experience most situations can also have positive side-effects – you just have to look closely.

For me the COVID-19 pandemic brought some remarkable improvements

my arm after a covid shot

  • I’ve been working from home, saving me about two hours on the daily commute
  • my husband and I are spending more time with each other, doing more things together, strengthening our bond
  • I prepare our meals at home, which promotes mindful eating habits and helps keeping my weight under control
  • I’m at my residence most of the time to take deliveries, manage remodelling projects, and turn this house into a beautiful home
  • my self-confidence received a boost, because I realized that  – despite the global chaos and nonsensical politics – I have a pretty good grip on my personal life
  • once I am fully vaccinated, I’ll be allowed to regain some of my rights – and I will once again treasure the things I used to take for granted before the pandemic.
Posted in Opinions

Old Skills applied to new Situations

Posted on by Adventurer

DIY haircut When I started cutting my own hair about fourty years ago, I had no idea that this particular skill would come in handy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because hairsalons, like many other personal services, have been locked down in an attempt to reduce the number of new infections in Germany, people here are getting anxious.

If you are used to getting a fresh haircut every six weeks, going without one for over three months can be depressing. You might feel unkempt, scruffy, not really your old confident self. Now that, on top of the many restrictions we are facing, apparently triggered a news-worthy situation. My favorite morning show on TV aired a clip about this “hairy” problem. They interviewed people on the street, asking them how they deal with their new hairdo. One of the show’s hosts even posted a short video of himself cutting his own hair.

I had to laugh at that! My haircut has been do-it-yourself for a long time. Because I like to be independent, and I like the convenience, and I’m just a tad minimalist. So, just for your entertainment, you can now watch me cutting my hair.  Karin cuts her own hair

Posted in Opinions

“No soup for you, EU” the new Business Model?

Posted on by Adventurer

The recent deadline for serious worldwide enforcement of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation prompted hectic activities with many international companies to cook up new (hopefully compliant) privacy policies. Discussion of the subject matter is full of misconceptions, uncertainties, questions, worries, fear of legal consequences, and outrage on both sides of the fence.

What people don’t seem to realize is that GDPR isn’t really all that new, and it is also not the only regulation designed to protect consumers (the little guys) in the European Union from unethical corporations (the big guys) worldwide. Protection of personal data has been the law in various shapes within the EU since 1995. The EU distance selling directive was implemented in 1997. The main goal of both these regulations is to balance the powers – protecting the “weak” from the “powerful”.

But what about international C2C trade? I live in the USA. If I want to sell my handmade products to people who live in the EU, I have to comply with all those EU regulations, on top of any laws in my own country. I have to not only have a GDPR compliant privacy policy, I also have to disclose my full home address and phone number to EU residents, even before they buy anything from me. I have to make sure their purchase arrives within 30 days, I have to allow 14 days for cancellation of the contract, I may have to pay for the return shipping, I have to give two full years of warranty.

Have you ever filled out a customs form? Do you know exactly how much VAT and customs cost would be for the specific country where your customer lives, so you can tell them exactly what their payment will be? Do you know how many copies of the invoice to attach to your package? Are you sure your invoice is formatted correctly? Did you include a return form in the package? Did you inform the consumer of all their rights? Is your product restricted from import into a specific EU country? Is your material (or ingredients) compliant with relevant EU laws?

For my little “self-funding” hobby, the ExxoPok, the problem is of a theoretical nature. So far only three of my buyers where from the EU, and there were no problems. Some of my fellow micro-business owners, however, are “blessed” with more than just a few isolated European transactions – and those people have already stopped doing business with EU residents, or are now seriously considering it.

Posted in Opinions