A day in the life of LIFE

After a long time I would want to rant my feelings out on this post, for one main reason. I need to justify the astrology forecast for Sagittarians elaborated in the Deccan Chronicle today. It said, "You will be in a pessimistic state today and speak about your low state to your near and dear. Love life is absent but your property trading may get a boost".

To simulate the atmosphere that would prompt ranting, I have Pankaj Udaas [yes, i missed the 'h' on purpose], singing to me, an extremely heart rendering number with elements of a local bar,lost friend,going astray in life etc. and I find most things applicable to me as per my forecast.

IT [Information Tech] has become more squeezy than ever. Entering the 2+ bracket [no, not the magical 6 figure salaries, just the number of multipliable years of experience], has given this extra aura of responsibility and the urge to prove myself more than Zidane as the Infamous captain of the French team.

The beauty about IT is that the more you crib about it, the more it gets to you, in accordance with Murphy's law. And consistency is the name of the game.
People across companies irrespective of insatiable managers and colleagues as green with envy as the Onida TV ads, are living by the gun pulled by trigger happy westerners who consider Indians as cheap labor in IT sweat shops.

I still cant comprehend the euphoria in Engineering colleges when placement happens.
It's almost as if the glee of getting chained superceeds the pleasure of spending quality time with family and friends.I recollect a prospective match happening immediately on the day of the campus recruitment since the couple believed that being placed in two 'reputed' IT companies now made them capable of achieving the impossible in life.A Professor in college once even warned of being 'purchased' by westerners and succumbing to unreal pressures. The words seem so true now. The tag around the neck is more a realization that Big Brother is watching.

Disposable cash [most of it goes into my 1998 Kinetic that guzzles a litre of pertrol for every kilometre], a plush apartment [ours isn't one], awesome nightlife [ which should be meant for CAT preparations], and a charming companion [a perfect example of Xanadu as far as Chennai is concerned], has prompted many ITians to transform from the 'friendly neighborhood leaky nose and striped shorts' guy to the 'green card holder' eligible bachelor on the roads.

A decent meal at a decent time has not been available since I have been reaching my abode at 11 ish each night for the past week.

Lines of Code, Metrics, 'What's the issue', performance measurement, Customer delighters, Value additions, touch base with vendors, schedule an update meeting, attend the con call,these words of IT lingo ring in the dreams of Software engineers who are now visiting Apollo Hospitals for a complete diagnosis at ages one third that of George Bush. Even as I write this post one poor team member is being held accountable for some change in call timings not being documented in the Minutes of the meeting with "God" err.. the client. Law offenders get off with lesser brickbats.

Meanwhile I salute comrades who have risen above their mundane pursuits and achieved whatever they have desired in life, much in line with the theme of the book " The parable of the pipeline", which challenges the efficacy of status quo and steadiness in one's life.

There is so much more to achieve in life than romancing a computer for over 13 hours a day. Listening to the birds, gardening, Looking at the rising sun in the eye, a few solitary moments on the roof top, with the breeze in the face...the list is endless...It's time to wake up and move on. Time to stop existing and start living!

Time to discover ourselves, as rightly brought out in the following lines :

If a drop of water falls on a lake, it loses its identity.
If it falls on a rose, it shines.
If it falls on a shell, it becomes a pearl.

Moral:- The drop is the same, but the moulding and company, matter.

Ok, I am getting a call for the status update on the capability document now..Back to the Oil Rig like an overworked Ox.

P.S. - The comments made in this post in no way have resemblance to any organisation and is truly a work of fiction.. So, IP lawyers and Brand defenders of IT, please stay out...