The Burdock and Peter, 52 – entry no. 12

Wednesday, 21. April

Damsted is like a burdock you can’t brush off. The entrepreneurs in our agency don’t want more rules and regulations, but Damsted approved the Department’s proposal for the entreprenuers to fill out new forms when they use the conference rooms. Damsted claims that the head of office called him personally and demanded it! I have a feeling it has more to do with Damsted wanting to give the impression that he’s a big fish and in direct contact with the head of office. He’s forgetting that he’s only a board member and has no right to approve any department proposals at all; I’m the only one who can do that.  I spent most of the morning talking tactic with Chairman Karlsen. He says that Damsted’s probably working on the rest of the board to get me to approve the forms. Karlsen doesn’t think he’ll succeed, but you never know.

People like Damsted really make me wonder. He claims to have what it takes, but he never leaves his desk to test his theories on the real world. I did some digging in the archives and asked around a bit, and it turns out that no one has ever seen or heard Damsted present an idea without assistance. And no one has ever witnessed him see an idea through. If he were truly passionate about making the agency a better place for the entrepreneurs, he’d spend time out on the floor with them, talk to them and listen to their needs. But he doesn’t. Instead he talks to the Department, who’ve never talked with the entrepreneurs either. Then Damsted and the Department agree on what’s best for the entrepreneurs – right now, that’s filling out forms to get into a conference room. They’re supposed to fill in their company name, contact person, date and time and the room number – all of that is okay. But then they’re supposed to supply all sorts of information about the people they’re meeting with: contact person, official company name, telephone numbers and company registration numbers.. for everyone who participates in the meeting! Do they imagine the entrepreneurs have secretaries employed to provide the government with useless information??

And if I point out the inexpedience of any administrative process, I’m told that changes can’t be made – that’s just the way the system is. Have they forgotten entirely that people make systems – and can therefore also change them? Well, I guess I’ll have to listen to Karlsen and take it easy.

And in the middle of it all, my sister Amalie called from Jutland to rap my knuckles for being rude to Dad. Something about a model and three men, she said, and I didn’t bother to explain. Now he’s upset, and she says that’s unacceptable. He’s still having a hard time since he divorced our alcoholic mother five years ago. Ironically, our mother has started painting more, and finishing things since the divorce. But the Baron is pretending to be the victim… after everything I did for her. Funny that Amalie can’t see that Dad plays her like a flute.

And on a good note: I got another mail. Internet dating is a lot of fun – it’s got a different kick than flirting at parties. It’s more clandestine, and you need to read closely to suck out all the information from between the lines. And wow, the things some men write about themselves. Hardly any ask me what I’m like. Maybe they’re just used to having to make more of an effort to sell their wares in the personals than women do? A lot of them ask for a reply, even if it’s a rejection. I don’t answer those ones. Frankly, there have been so many replies that I only have time to answer the ones that grab my attention, like this one:

Number 2’s for sex

Peter, 52

Independent. Has his own dental supply company. Separated for a year, wants sex, but prefers to have a chat first. Yeah yeah, I guess we can manage a few sentences.

He looks like a knockout in the photo – a wonderful, adult man.

Peter writes:

YOU

are a ”naturally” attractive woman

are just as comfortable in jeans as evening gowns

can joke around and have a laugh, but are still a methodical person

have – like me – a good sense of humour and are capable of self-irony

are well-mannered, but can break the rules

give your partner room to manoeuvre

are between 40 and 50

ME. I:

am very humorous and sociable

am well-trimmed (I keep up on maintenance) but not a sports fanatic

enjoy cooking and collecting wine

like having a nice home with both old and new things

enjoy drinking champagne in bed in between the love-making

am 100% monogamous

still believe in a grandiose church wedding

have an above-average libido

Quite a mouthful? – ! maybe, but I don’t mind if you:

squeeze the toothpaste tube in the middle

are occasionally bitchy in the morning, as long as the slate is clean before bedtime

party all night with your girlfriends

insist on painting the bedroom ivory

Love, Peter

Made a date for a glass of wine on Saturday; even if a grandiose church wedding isn’t on my wish list, his above-average libido might be able to make me a little monogamous again.

Good thing I’ve got a date with too-good-to-be-true Michael at Café Norden at 5 p.m. tomorrow.