So, I just returned from a two week trip in Israel and I have to say, it was fantastic. This is also the reason why I’ve been incredibly quiet on my blog lately (sorry to disappoint the conspiracy theorists out there that thought I joined the CIA).  Anyway, I had a great time but I noticed a few things in Israel that really make great ITIL and ITSM lessons.  Since I am still reminiscing about my vacation, I might as well type up a quick list of my observations before the regular mundane work life kills the part of my cerebral hemisphere that holds those memories.

1.  Be direct:  I’ve mentioned directness a few times already, but in Israel, it’s not just a habit; it’s a way of life.  Best example so far – I was reading a dessert menu and noticed an item titled “Chocolate cake for diabetics.”  In the US, it would normally read “low fat” or “low sugar” cake.  But there, they blatantly state “if you’re diabetic, eat this.” Besides the dessert example, I think my wife (who’s Israeli anyway) got into about four-hundred arguments in a two week period.  Nothing serious; people just get their thoughts and opinions out, and then move on their way.  There’s no such thing as holding it in and being repressed.
2. Be passionate:  I once heard a great saying about Israeli’s, they’re anashim chamim (אנשים חמים).  Literally translated, it means “hot people.”  Contextually though, it really means passionate people.  This is the same reason why directness works well; people seem more lively and passionate about what they do, which works well with explaining why there’s so many start-ups coming out of Israel.
3. Live in a sunny place:  This really has nothing to do with ITSM, but I got a great tan over the two weeks and coming home to rain and cold really was not fun.
4. Danger exists, so learn to live with it:  While we were out hiking to a natural spring around the Kinneret, we came across several signs that stated “Danger: Mines,” complete with a barbed wire fence surrounding the danger zones.  For some reason, I felt strangely comfortable knowing I was walking along a two foot wide path between minefields.  The same holds true with ITSM (or life in general).  Know the dangers and follow the safe path, or else you really won’t get anywhere.
5.  Find humour in everything:  This one seems a bit obvious, but there’s a lot in life that’s serious (and sometimes too serious).  Even during the most hectic of ITSM initiatives, there has to be some relaxing humour, or else everyone will go crazy.

I think that’s about it for volume 1.  Will there be a volume 2?  Who knows.  Since I’m still waiting for Mel Brooks to produce History of the World, Part II, I feel that having the title of volume 1 isn’t really that big of a deal.

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Started working in IT in 1999 as a support desk analyst as a way to help pay for food during college. Studied Electrical Engineering for two years before realizing biochemistry was more fun than differential equations, and so ultimately graduated with a Biology degree in 2006. Having (reluctantly) failed at getting accepted into dental school, embraced working in IT and has gone broke becoming an ITIL Expert. Likes to jog, sing camp songs, quote Mel Brooks movie lines and make dumb jokes and loves working for an Israeli tech company where December 25th is a regular work day.