A very long running association came to a somewhat less than glamorous end in August 2006. I was 22 then and after 18 odd years finally done with the circus of formal studies. A graduate engineer to boot I thought to myself, "Never again!" No more dreadfully drowsy afternoon classes, no more "Oh, I should've started this one month ago... Now I am doomed!" pre-examination night terror and most importantly no more calling up home (or my elder brother in the case of 'secret' expenses) for financial resources. I was ready for a bigger commitment now, something that would keep me engaged from age 22 to 64, or possibly longer.
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It was the beginning of my first (and till date only) full time job and I was loving it. It's been 5 eventful years since then and it's time for a re-evaluation. Am I still loving it? The fact that any kind of compulsory work chafes at the most pain sensitive regions of my lazy soul and that I was never going to be much of a career man given that my interests always pursue the opposite direction of what might even be remotely important leaves me rather surprised at my resilience. Not that everything is picture perfect but hey, I am still here; standing on the edge, admiring the view; not hanging on for dear life as I would have imagined myself to be 5 years ago.
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My arrangement with work was plain and simple for all to see. I told work "Look. I pay attention to you for about 55 hours a week (adding hours taken up by stress and to-and-fro travel). Then you quietly pay the bills and stay out of the way." This was something that work took some while to understand, through about the first 2 years of my relationship I'd say and now it has settled down to its assigned role in the arrangement. True, it once laughed cruelly in my face when I was checking out the price of Porsches on a website but apart from that it has behaved pretty nicely.
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The world of media all around me is flooded with the "Do what you love. Love what you do." philosophy. If you are not totally in passionate love with what brings the bacon home, you need to get a life, they say. I am happy, freakin' elated for those who make their living from working on what they love most. Good for them, because I couldn't.
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At the very moment, a price-tag and a deadline is plugged onto a project I am doing out of interest, it loses its sheen. The inherent criminal thrill of "I should not be doing this. I should be doing my taxes instead." disappears. In the wise words of a 6 year old who lives somewhere in Ohio with his parents and pet tiger "It's only work when someone makes you do it." For me, my regular bring-in-the-dough work is like the sober shade of blue paint on the walls of this room I am writing from. I don't love it, I don't hate it but I sure as hell can't contest the importance of it being there and for it not being a bright shade of pink.
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[http://virtual-inksanity.blogspot.com/2011/08/anniversary.html]
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[http://virtual-inksanity.blogspot.com/2011/08/anniversary.html]
11 comments:
Eh!!! You stole my post. I completed 5 years too. Well, more or less, the same story, yours, has been a tad more adventurous than mine. :(
Anyway, Happy Anniversary hoping to see you again taking stock again, in 2016. :D
@Psycho: Sorry bhai! I really didn't read any post of yours on this topic! I promise! No plagiarism intended!
What I meant was that I was thinking of writing about this. :O
Congrats Roy..
Mine came about 2 and a half months back. :)
Though, in retrospect, seems like only yesterday, that we were giving each other parties at khokha for our jobs.
It has been a wonderful ride. Some bad days, some worse days. Some fantastic days. I could not have asked for more, as it helped me see so much of Europe. The traveler me keeps exploring new places, thanks to our job. I hope to some extent, you feel the same, as I know, you are much of a traveler yourself :)
Loved this line - True, it once laughed cruelly in my face when I was checking out the price of Porsches on a website but apart from that it has behaved pretty nicely. haha
Great Post. Keep it regular..Roys!
@Psych: Oh! OK... I feel relieved.
@Kunnu: Thanks! It has been a good ride for me too. Of all the people, you and I can't complain of the opportunities for travel & exploration that our jobs have given us beyond office work.
Wow, we all are 5 years old in industry.. Budhadhas for few and jawan for rest...
Yeah Seen lot of changes since the starting of the job. Life has been cruel some time but most of the it was fun filled journey though not as mush as yours.
Congrats for completing 5 years and keep posting :)
@Vishal: Thanks! What you said is very very true. 5 years is "buddhaa" for some and "jawaan" for others! :P
My boss would SO have something to say on "Wodehouse's" latest here. Not that I intend on sharing this with him, EVER. :)
@Mahima: Smart move. He wouldn't have the brightest impression of your work ethic if you recommend to him an article which kinda recommends keeping the heart out of your daily job.
Oh c'mon, you should know better than to think I scare that easy :)
@Mahima: You mean he's already lowered his expectations of you? :P
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