Monday!

(A series of 'snapshots' taken on what is arguably the worst working-day in the week)

16th May, 2005
10:00am

Homesick!
It has been nearly four months since I was in Kolkata... but it seems like a decade has passed between then and now...

In almost a year, I've just been on 'home-turf' for a little under two weeks!
(Sigh...)

This continuous, practiced 'absence ', to me, is analogous to holding your breath underwater (!). Initially, its a tough ask; you find yourself 're-appearing' and gasping ever so often. But with time, as your 'stamina' builds, you learn to remain below the surface for longer stretches of time with lesser difficulty... or something like that anyhow.

Now, if only I had gills...

****************
2:15pm

There are times when you're immersed in work and that is, perhaps, a good thing. It tends to make you impenetrable, impervious, invincible!

Ok... maybe that was little far-fetched (maybe I got a lil' carried away...), but my point is: it enables you to shut-out everything else that is a part of your life... sometimes even 'important' things.

Unfortunately, today is NOT one of those days. Today is about making silly mistakes. It is about staring blankly at the monitor. It is about your eyes glazing over and about being transported to some faraway-place... you are having the time of your life... you are with a 'cool' bunch o' people... no, in-fact you're 'high' and riding a roller-coaster... rocketing down a steep decline at break-neck speed.... whoo-hoo... yippee.... wheee..... with 'Comfortably Numb' (extended lead version) playing in your head...!

This and so much more, until you are rudely 'interrupted' by one of your neighbour's (extra-talkative cubicle-mate's) "latest", "ultimate", "jhakkas" polyphonic ringtones ("It is cool, no?"). And, before you know it, that pencil you were holding is suddenly broken (snap!) into two...
(#!@$*!#)

But, when approached, you are still nodding in agreement and smiling (feebly)... Hypocrisy personified!

You are 'celebrating work' (the company catch-phrase).

****************
3:30pm

Three cups of coffee this afternoon... thus far.
There is caffeine flowing through my veins, but surprisingly none of it is reaching my brain. I am still yawning (Yaaaa....wwwn!). Any bright ideas? I MUST do something...!!

For starters, my playlist needs a serious makeover. It has suddenly dawned upon me that I have been listening to the same songs over and over again... for the past two months!!

***************
6:15pm.

Not a very good day, I must say... but work-wise, its almost over (I think...)!

However, as the sun dips below the hills in the distance, and while I drink more coffee (cup no. 5) it finally hits me... today is MONDAY. The week has only just begun!