Sunday, April 26, 2009

Recede

Tough times are upon us people. I will be honest with you, since that is the equation that has been set between us since the birth of this blog. Due to trouble in Uncle Sam's homeland, we are slowly seeing trouble come to our shores. In fact, times are so bad that I have started working hard. Yes, you can panic now. That is precisely the reason why this wonderful corner of my mind has been left to fend for its own. I haven't forgotten about it, not yet.
  • Every time I get a call from an unknown number, I get a mild panic attack. I wonder if it is the HRD asking me to "step out of the cubicle" for a quick rendezvous. That's how it happened with the others.

  • I feel like changing my Orkut, Gtalk, Facebook, Twitter and what have you not statuses to "Still Employed". At least people won't have to gingerly start a conversation with "how are you? how's work?". I know what you want to ask.

  • The level of paranoia is so high right now that my mailbox, at any given time, has barely one or two unread mails, that too related to work! I mean, where are the scores of forwards that used to flood my inbox daily? It has come to such a point that I wouldn't mind the really irritating "Gooooood Morrninggggg" mails, replete with sparkles, butterflies and (*ugh*) animated babies.

  • Is it just me or has the crowd started thinning down at work? That's not a good sign. Nowadays, I get a full seat to myself in the company bus! No wait, maybe those are the days I forget to spray on my deodorant. Oh yeah..

  • Every morning at work, at the Coffee Day outlet, there used to be this bunch of managers and senior managers, chatting away to glory and probably making fun of us blue collar job holders. Nowadays, it is so deserted that you can hear the theme of some western movie playing in the background with a ball of hay rolling about.

  • My relatives, whose favourite topic used to be the shame brought upon the family due the marriage of some distant cousin to some fellow from another caste, are discussing economics! Just recently an aunt of mine remarked how she isn't going to buy any more jewelry, taking into consideration the "prevalent market conditions".

  • The only people left unaffected by it all are the auto drivers. They don't care if people are cutting back on expenses and that translates to lesser earnings for them. They still stand by their principles - despite times of trouble, keep demanding double. I wonder if they have something similar to Hippocrates oath, when they take this profession up. The Hypocrite's oath? Never mind, bad one.


Before I go, here's a word of advice - practice safe employment. Use discretion, it works 99% of the time.

15 comments:

  1. This was lovely.

    Two instances I liked most -
    "My relatives, whose favourite topic used to be the shame brought upon the family due the marriage of some distant cousin to some fellow from another caste, are discussing economics!"and They still stand by their principles - despite times of trouble, keep demanding double..

    Just curious - you have stopped forwarding? Really? :O

    ReplyDelete
  2. you forgot the part where the managers have to nod when the client says i will pay only 10Rs for a 1000Rs job !

    ReplyDelete
  3. That's it. Prepare to be flooded with any and all junk forward I get.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Boogercane Anyone?

    ReplyDelete
  5. @Prasoon really..my sources have run dry..

    @Ravi wasn't that always the case?

    @"Natarajan" why, how kind of u..thank u!

    @Wesley u still exist? :O

    ReplyDelete
  6. Funny how the only subject of discussion at any gatherings nowadays is recession. Even ads have started taking the dreaded R word to sell their products. But has it really affected the way you lead ur life? It hasn't affected mine, there is a lingering thought to cut down on unwanted expenses, but that just remains a thought. I still spend as I used to before, only now I am more conscious and guilty of it, but that still has not brought a change in the way I handle my expenses. High time may be

    ReplyDelete
  7. @Sitaram the reasons for the discussions are many-ranging from showing off your knowledge(most common) to being genuinely concerned about the one thing that drives us all(money). The only way it has affected my way of life is that nowadays I am aware of a sword hanging over my head :) It wasn't there before.

    Spending habits wise, I never was the one to spend too much on something. So that hasn't changed much. I still spend. I still shop. I still save :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. (phew its quite tough to comment in here with all those login requests)

    But that very thing, the impending fact that I AM dispensible any moment, any day has made me more cheerful than ever...There is nothing worse in this world than job security.

    This recession's been the happiest time of my professional career (not because others suffer but because its freed me)

    ps: I'm not drunk or high. this is not some kind of zen and I have not hit jackpot( or found a rich father-in-law)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yeah, i dont see many at ccd. Guys at ccd have become more strict with bills now. You need to show the bill before ordering kaapi. I am just wondering...the reason behind this move...
    I used to get few forwards.......now nil :(

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hey makes me sad, our dear Infy and such a state, must be so difficult to work like that. Hope Infy-blogs is still active and alive as it was.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Nowadays, it is so deserted that you can hear the theme of some western movie playing in the background with a ball of hay rolling about.lol

    ReplyDelete
  12. Recession indeed is for real. What might seem to be a mere check on forwards and inbox spamming will get to your necks without you even coming to know of it. "Layoffs"(Aah.. I said it) have somewhere surely hit my sense of anticipation over things. And yes, I was better off with "job security", unless whatever happened happened.

    ReplyDelete
  13. lol!!
    good one...hmmm...gonna study u now..specimen

    ReplyDelete
  14. seriously am so bored answering question about how is the job scene...almost, the questions are sadistic.. :-(

    and oh yeah i need the forwards coming..i wonder about the glorious days of mailbox now..

    ReplyDelete
  15. well, i understand that India Inc has been effected by recession. but i think most of these companies are over-reacting with their shoot-at-sight policies. whatever happened to my old-infy :(.

    ReplyDelete