Dreaming Under The Starlit Sky!

“Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. Go forward and make your dreams come true.” 

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

It has been a long day. I had a tough time explaining the cab driver the route to my office.

My morning coffee wasn't strong enough. My evening coffee wasn't even warm.

My feet ache. The high heels have paid their due. The radio played the music I hate. And my phone stopped working for an hour. 

It is a Monday. It has to be dreadful living up to its name, I reckon.

Just when I assumed that, things changed. 

I was stuck in traffic listening to a song by Maroon 5. As I was slightly obsessing over Adam Levine's voice, I look outside the window to see a world brimming with different people.

Bantering couples, children going home from tuition, teenagers on their way home from college, a bunch of friends laughing wildly over coffee, women looking at showrooms in awe, a child dressed in bright yellow with an ice-cream in her hand and glee on her face.

What would their stories be, I wondered.

I go a little further to see a different set of people. The working class--men driving through a terrible traffic jam, women waiting to board a cab, people walking to their closest destination with a laptop bag, and some with a bag full of groceries.

But you know what was the common thing? It was the fatigue that was written all over their faces. 

What do we work for?

Is it for the corner office? It is for the even cushy corner office? Is it for that much coveted lifestyle that our friends take pride in? Is it for fulfilling the dreams of our parents? Is it for paying our bills? Is it for the ailing children at home? Is it for creating a name in the society? I don't know. There could be a lot of things.

No matter what we do and what we say, I believe that we all work towards that one dream that has been giving us nightmares since childhood. A dream that has been simply pushing us to make our lives beautiful. I mean, it is just a small dream that keeps us awake in the night. Of course, it is a tiny dream that influences everything we say, and every step we take.

And sometimes, it is just a vague dream that makes us let go of our relationships, tampering them, and ends up being a sour moment between our parents as well; a trivial dream that never leaves our mind though we hide it under the fibers of our brain hoping it would wean away. Someday.

But guess what? That dream is here to stay!

And if you have no clue on what your dream is, keep exploring and experimenting with a lot of things. You will get there. 

Because we all deserve that lovely story that we can tell our grandchildren under a starlit sky.

A Piece of Cake

“I do not want people to be very agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them a great deal.” 

― Jane Austen

I am not interested in making conversations. 

I make conversations with very few people. 

I am known to be an absolute jerk at work. No, seriously! 

I have been told that I am outright arrogant with fellow workers. In my defence, I'd say that, I do not like making friends at work. I do not like talking with colleagues after I am home. 

If someone from work regards me as their friend, I leave no stone unturned in making it clear to them that there is a lot of difference between being friendly and being friends. I am here to work, and not to make friends.

I might have not done this in my first job, but then, I hardly made 3 friends at my first job too. 

In my new job, a month after I joined, two sane people quit. I turned into an even grumpier person with no one to keep my mood swings in check.

THIS IS BRAND NEW INFORMATION.

People are not that bad, you know? I could be grumpy and all that, but there are people who are actually fine with that. I should probably start behaving well, I reckon? 

Every time I am down, all I need to do is count the number of colleagues who ask me if I am doing well. To think of it, it baffles me that these are the very people who were snubbed by me for calling me their friend. Repeatedly. Every time they uttered the word 'friend.'

It is quite surprising how nice people are. No, not just our colleagues, family, or friends. Just everyone. People apologize to you for things they haven't done. Things will be okay, they say, even when they do not have the slightest clue about what the things are. You are great, good things happen to good people like you, they say, albeit goodness is a trait that I have far forgotten. People will love you, dote on you, get you chocolates when you ignore them. They call you, hover around you to make sure you eat. They'll join you when you unpack your shopping bags, and get you an ice-cream when they end up emptying a mug of coffee on your pants unintentionally. They will do everything, just to make their fellow human being grin like an imp.

This world is a beautiful place. All you need to do is, share your piece of cake with someone. 

The Ten Types Of People You Will See In Any Office

“I like to call in sick to work at places where I've never held a job. Then when the manager tells me I don’t work there, I tell them I’d like to. But not today, as I’m sick.” 
― Jarod Kintz

Alright, even before I start diving into this subject, I'd like to announce an epic love for my work place. Publicly. All across the globe, I see my friends plodding their way through tedious schedules, and weird corporate honchos, while I am having a great time. Not all the time. But, yes, most of the time. I end up reaching home long before all my friends even start compiling their day's work. Thanks to Amazon, I have a social life and have enough time to work on my hobbies. 

Oh boy, am I deriving some sadistic pleasure by actually saying this? Well, I am.

Anyway, I walk into the office and see several people trying to start their day. Some different, some great, some wonderful, some creepy. I notice. I observe and now, I want to talk about the ten types of people we find in every organization.

1. The Make-up-holics: You walk into the washroom and you practically see some girls putting on so much make-up all the time, and giving a touch up once in a microsecond that you wonder what they actually do at home. No, seriously! 

Obama runs a country and has enough time to take selfies and post them on a public forum. Tell me, what are you doing that you have no time to comb your hair, and all the other things at home? Tell me, I am curious.

2. The Gossip mongers: These guys know it all. Ask them about anyone, anything, they will tell you first rate news about it. They are like my ticker tape. 

3. Oh so stoned: You walk into the office on one of those languid days with droopy eyes. You don't know what you are even doing with your life and see a bunch of people acting retarded. They make your day, you smile and wonder why they are so cheerful all the time. Nevermind, they are just stoned.

Hence, the bliss!

4. The Loud heads: I wish I could be diplomatic and say that I have no problem with these people. But I do. In fact, every sensible person has.

This set of people has to be loud in everything they do. I get it, you guys are too cool for us and want to show off your awesomeness (err) to everyone. But may I say that we do not give two hoots for your drama?

Stop being so loud. You work in an office. Not a school. And umm, if it isn't much of a trouble, would you also care to grow up?

5. The Isolated Man: I am scared. One look at them, and I know I am scared. They practically put on a grumpy face all the time. Did I steal your candy as a kid, tell me? 

Mom, I feel hated. They want to be angry at me all the time.

6. The Geeks: Aren't these guys the most loved people in any organization? They mind their own work and the little time you spend with them is great. They know their business and it is great to be with people who know their work.

Also, this set is my personal favourite. Ask them anything about technology, work, and the like, they know it all. They are forever ready to help you out. 

They are awesome. You know it.

7. The Storytellers: We get it, we get it. You are leading a fantastic life, you are happening everywhere you go and our lives are pretty much drab. 

These people have to narrate everything in such a fashion that any conversation with them takes an eternity. They have this inane urge to know everything.

They are so annoying that I wish I could faint when they start a conversation.

8. The Nap-sters: You remember how much fun it was to sleep in college? I mean, the lecturer would start talking about Trigonometry and you find your friend yawning. Literally. (I love Trigonometry.) The very concept of drifting into the slumberland has evolved from classroom benches to cozy office chairs. 

Wouldn't we just love "Everyone should go to sleep" day at work? (Secretly hoping that my boss would never read this. Tee hee!)

9. The Couples: Such love. Much affection. So happy. Wow, just wow!

10. Did you say food?: Lunch. Lunch. Lunch.

Who doesn't love food? Everyone, and when I say everyone, I mean everyone wants to take their lunch break and talk about how they survived that long day.

Disclaimer: You know I am always condescending. If you belong to one of these categories, don't pick a fight with me at work tomorrow. 

What Not To Do In The Office!

So when was the last time I ever wrote anything? I know I have ignored my blog, writing, reading, photography for sometime now but the writer in me has taken an oath to write at least 500-800 words each day. No, seriously! You'll see more of me in my blog and other places in the coming few days. Yay!

I was sitting in the office today and like always, I did some major goof-ups. Sigh! Will I ever grow up? Anyway, I thought I should be writing a post on the things that are STRICTLY not meant to be done at work. 

1) Listening to music on a loud-speaker: For crying out loud, why can't you get a pair of damned ear-phones? I mean, yes, you are definitely sweet. You love listening to Justin Bieber, One Direction and Gangnam Style (Did I even spell it right?) but we don't. Some of us are actually trying to work with a limited amount of concentration and we go into depression the moment you play your oh-so-famous play-list.

No offence!

2) Cribbing over free coffee: Seriously? Like really, really? Why in the world do you have to crib over free coffee? 

I wonder why people brag that coffee at home is better than the coffee at office. Everyone cannot be your mother, duh!

3) Flicking office stationery: This is such a cliche, right? I know we all have needs, we need papers, note-pads, pens and pencils but the office pays for us not for our entire household, neighbourhood, kith and kin and given a chance, few people might even pass them over to their foes. Sweet life, nay?

4) The 'Oh-So-Famous Office Gossip': Ah! This is the most interesting thing, right? I am actually beaming as I type this. Nothing can beat the good old office gossip but hey, being a gossip-monger might land you in a big-time trouble.

5) Do not PEEP: This is the most annoying habit I've ever come across. Few people just don't stop staring into your computer and all that you can do is-- a) Lock your computer, b) Close your chat-boxes. 

6) Sleeping in the office: Isn't this a classic? I mean who doesn't want to sleep in the office? AC, comfy chairs, good music in your music player obviously drives the passion in you to doze off like a pig. But do realize that a company doesn't pay to sleep or hog like a pig.

Yes, I don't sleep during my working hours. How awesome am I?

7) The Break Time: Ah! Now this happens with me everyday. Yes, every freaking day. *Sniff* There are times when I wonder if my company is paying me for spending time in the cafeteria. How I wish they did!

I wish!

I still wish!

8) Social Networking Sites: How many of us do this? I don't. I mean I would have but then my company isn't a Facebook-ho. 

Honestly, I see many friends on Facebook, Gmail, Skype during their working hours and I wonder how they manage to work with so much entertainment and picture-viewing going on in their mind. Some workers!

And with this, I come to the end of the post.

I have completed two months in my office and unlike others, I don't crib over going to the office. I look forward for each day. Period. Yes, to have fun. (Obviously)