For one full year in my twenty eight years of life, I was once a full time employee. Waking up at 7 am, Driving along the slow moving traffic of Edsa at 8 am. Munching on my breakfast while inside the car. And working my ass off for about eight to ten hours. In between these wroking hours, I would lock up myself in the rest room cubicle and I would literally bang my head, asking myself "Why, why am I doing this?"

Ever since I was young, I knew I was not fit for a corporate work. I cannot sit on any desk for half a day because I like to move around and shake my ass off. I don't like the feel of the barong fabric as well as the those preppy long sleeves on my skin. And most iportantly, I have a hard time dealing with macho, egocentric bosses that are very common in the corporate world.

And then in one sudden phone call, my carefree life just changed. A former friend from television production, called me if I was interested to work full time for a media and IT company. After a series of interview with Harvard bred executives, they offered me my asking rates. And I signed the contrat. And for the first time in my life at 24 years old, I had a TIN, Social Security Number and all other required details for every employee.

And boy was it a nightmare. For someone who wakes up at ten am, getting up for work at seven everyday was hell. Being on the desk for eight hours, even if there's no work to do, was just pushing me on the verge of insanity. And the corporate setup for all its politics and bureaucracy was like walking on a jungle in Italian leather shoes -- highly inconvenient.

The transition back from being an employee to a freelancer was quite difficult -- emotionally and financially. As i had to reintroduce myself back into the "freelance market". And wait for a few months before projects became regualr, so income gets in regularly as well.

After three years, I could now say, it was well worth the risk and the effort. I'm now back as a freelance writer and yoga teacher. And I'm in my best part of my life so far...

And if you're just like me, who can't survive the corporate prison, go take that risk! It's worth it.

My love story with Maggie began as a perky 4 year old and still continues to grow. Maggie was my favorite evening snack which mom made in order to entice me to gulp down the yuckiest warm mug of Bournvita milk. I always devoured the lovely bowl of milk slurping the golden threads of pure delight with little tastemaker by moving my mighty silver fork round and round and round. Mom always added half pack of tastemaker or else it was too spicy for me. The other half of the tastemaker was added in a glass bottle with pink cap on it. The tastemaker was sprinkled on the golden toasts with dollops of melted butter on top.

I was so so thankful to all the gods up above for my elder brother never liked Maggie which was a blessing in disguise as he had a strange unwritten wicked rule. The rule was if his share was finished and I was still struggling with mine- he would trespass on my share! Ah poor little me. He had an appetite of an elephant and would devour bowls after bowls and then eyeing my meager share. But Maggie was not a problem. Still I’d always ensure to get the bowl with the larger quantities if in case I had a suspected refugee on my share of Maggie supply. Sometimes the refugees were my cousins who paid a visit in the summer hols or the irritating friends who tagged along after playing silly games in the park. Sharing was such a pain for me. My heart felt pain when mom separated the lovely threads into two separate bowls- I felt the same pain what Gandhiji must have felt at the time of partition. My beloved share was going into a foreigner’s hand and I had to behave myself and control my anger from digging my little little nails into the rival’s cheeks. I was so upset with the Nestle guys when they came up with the sweeter version of thick slimy brown Maggie and how I felt doomsday was there when I first tasted it.

Time passed and I attained a level of maturity wherein I knew I could cook two separate packs for myself and not share it with some refugee. High school days meant school- tuitions-tuitions-homework and beeeeepppppppppp of alarm for the next day at school. The evenings meant having bowl of Maggie after coming from the treacherous time at tuitions. Dad used to buy bulk lot of it and mom stored it safely in a silver long container ensuring I had my daily share or else my mood would play a melancholy strain on my otherwise cherubic face and dad would never appreciate it. My board exams meant longer hours of cramming up the notorious chunks of syllabus with a deserved share of Maggie in the midnight. Nestle people still played with my emotions and came out with new recipe for Maggie with 2 cups of water and rubber tasting tastemaker which made me ensure that my sole purpose of a day’s survival was long lost. The Nestle people realized it pretty fast with the drop in sales (courtesy me who stopped buying it!!!!!!!!!)

I entered Uni and knew my tryst with it was not going it end but only stronger. We had 7 subjects in each semester and had exams four times every year. The monsoon session and winter session meant nail biting night session with FM playing in the back to console me the presence of other living souls on the planet while I fought my battles against Consumer Behaviorism and essence of managerial Economics. The FM was helpful till 2 am as back then we had just one FM channel. Thank god my romantic date with Maggie grew stronger in the second year of uni when private FM players entered the radio broadcasting and changed the whole outlook towards the neglected gadget called radio. The warm bowl of Maggie coming straight out of the pain relaxed me and ensured me there’s life beyond the concepts of Operational Research and Business Ethics.

Well the agonizing years at Uni came to an end and gave a friendly hug to the corporate world. Tryst with Maggie here was very weird. Boys found their way to beat stress from the strange world of software development by puffing rolls of papers at the terrace while I drowned my sorrows of stress in the steaming bowl of soupy Maggie. Once I devoured 4 packs of Maggie in a single day! (I still remember how I gulped down cold Maggie from the lunch container and how the long strings had taken the shape of the container………..).

When we were packing stuff before leaving for NZ, we got 8 packs of family pack of Maggie that has 8 noodles in it. (I wasn’t sure of finding Maggie’s masala flavor in NZ). The house was new and there were no groceries and Maggie came to my rescue. We devoured it every morning and then one sad day our dear Maggie ceased to exist in the cupboard. I was whimpering and knew my survival was going to be difficult. But where there is a will there is a way- I found my way in an Indian wholesale store.

Today I enjoyed my lovely dear Maggie with the special secret twist- a dollop of butter before shoveling it out in the bowl. Few people like it soupy, some like it as completely dry, some add vinegar, some add fried onions and capsicums and tomatoes (I do I do!!!). But Maggie has been a favorite of many of us. To me it’s good and best in any form. I love you Maggie!!! Please be mine forever. :-)

The following letter was mailed by me to Satyam Computer Services Ltd in response to a legal notice that I had been erroneously served with yesterday. If this is mere error, I wonder what would qualify as a disaster.

Dear All,
 
If ever there was a contest for utter apathy and damnable inefficiency, I'm sure Satyam Computer Services Ltd would be one of the strongest contenders for the title. This is not a boastful statement of mere jest but a statement that is backed up by facts; facts, which unfortunately I've had to deal with.

I was an employee of Satyam Computer Services Limited  for over a year. I'd joined way back on the 3rd of July 2006. I left the company on the 10th of July 2007 for certain personal reasons. Since I was under bond by the company, I had to pay the stipulated bond amount in order to get my experience and relieving certificates. Although I paid up a hefty sum, I was a bit sad to be leaving the company which I had joined right after college, a company which had made me familiar with the corporate world.

But things started changing right after I resigned. I had to wait for nearly two months to get my experience certificate and the relieving letter. And the two months I'd spent trying to reach every person I ever knew in the organization. The Exit India Payroll and the Exit India Helpdesk would not answer their phones nor would they reply to my numerous mails. Finally, after a lot of trouble I got the letters for which I'd paid up the hefty bond amount.

I'd another brush with the callousness of the organization when I realised that I didn't have the acknowledgement receipt of the IT return that I'd filed as an employee of the company. On enquiring from the external tax consultants, I was informed that the unclaimed receipts were with the company. Once again it took me more than two months and endless mails to obtain the said receipt.

I was apalled by the obvious unprofessionalism of the organization but little did I know that they kept achieving new standards in gross inefficiency. Imagine my surprise when I got a call from my mother saying that she had recieved a notice on behalf of Satyam Computer Services Ltd from one Mr. ZZZ, a lawyer by profession. This is the last thing one would expect from a company of such stature, a company which prides itself on its commitment and integrity.

I would like to know the reasons, if any, as to why I was served with a legal notice despite having cleared all the dues which I had on the company. I have all the proofs of the dues being paid by me. The payment of the bond amount had been taken care of by a draft issued in the name of SCSL through the ICICI bank, a copy of which I now possess. Mr. XXX had acted on behalf of the organization and had received the draft which was cleared by the finance team. After that I'd had my exit interview which had been taken by Mr. YYY who was my unit HR at the time. I can't think of any reason whatsoever that I be subjected to a legal notice by the company. If this is just another lapse on the company's part, then it deserves to be taken much more seriously than it is being taken now. The mental agitation that I've been subjected to (not to speak of my parents and the gentleman who had acted as my guarantor) is not something that can be brushed aside by mere apologies.

I wish to state here that I'm going to bring this matter to light through my blog and all other means at my disposal.
 
Regards,
Indisch

My saying tonnes about the functioning of the company is not going to change matters but at least it should be brought to the notice of the management that there is something wrong with the way the company goes about doing its business. Integrity is not only about shaving everyday and wearing pressed clothes to work. There's more to it. Since writing this mail, I've received a couple of apology mails and calls. But they are not going to undo the stress that my mother had to undergo for an entire day, making sense of legal notices not being her speciality. It's really sad to see the machinery stagnation of a company I'd begun my career with.

At the age of almost 60, it was hard finding work, but he was hired by a company who offered him much less than he was used to, and took advantage of the situation by about working him to death.  He was working from 4 am to sometimes 7 pm. This company has put unbelievable pressure on him for the last several years.  It started when they needed him to cover for someone who was leaving,  but they never replaced them.  Then they asked him to pick up the slack for someone else, but they did not replace them either.  He was doing 3 peoples work and for the same pay.  The reason for his retirement is because they asked him to take on the work for a 4th person, so he told them it was time to retire. 

My father-in-law's dad was known as, "Pepsi-Joe".  His dad was a Pepsi delivery man for 40 years, therefore, my father-in-law grew up on the back of a Pepsi truck.  His father was a hard worker and gave him a good work ethic.  He wanted to become a truck driver, but instead he went to college and went to work in the corporate world. 

This is a very common occurrence.  We grow up with life experiences and then when we grow up we do what is expected, not what we have a passion for, or what we want to do. 

I want my children to grow up learning that they should follow there passions, gifting, and talents and find the work they love.  I grew up in a family of Entrepreneurs and I guess that was always in my blood.  I wanted to have my own business also, but I did what was expected and went to school, and started a career in selling, and then sales management.  The whole time I wanted to have my own business.  I wanted the American dream, so I stepped out and did it.  At the age of 40 I quit the corporate world and purchased a Franchise business, that is another story!

I have regrets about choices I made and how things in my life have turned out, but hopefully I have been successful in teaching my children to go for it.  I want my children to have the confidence and knowledge that when they are of age, they have opportunities.   

A life-time of work, for what?

After my life working I want to be able to answer  this question like this, "I loved God, my wife, and children.  I built a legacy and made a difference in someones life and the world around me.

How are you going to answer?

Lowell Lane

It's about cooking with herbs, she answered. She and her son were working on some recipes together. He's a chef. She needed a copy of a gourmet dish.

What are you reading? she asked me and I told her. She didn't say "of course." She just smiled.

Another co-worker was busy at a worktable nearby. We turned to ask if she kept a book in her purse or in her car? Yes. She was reading "Traveling in Countries of Anarchy."

We chatted a few minutes, then went on about our business, having enjoyed a moment of book bonding.

I couldn't resist asking three others what was on their reading plate: one had a prayer journal - did that count? Absolutely.  One came to my office and showed me her book; it looked like a war romance, something she picked up at the library, she explained. Judging by its cover, it looked like a page turner; we all love such books. And the third emailed to say she was working on a handsewn craft and spending all her time trying to finish the product which is to be a gift. Being on a creative plane always always "counts." It's a gorgeous project.

The coolest thing: everyone was willing to share their 'reads.' 

It's good to talk about these things, to have a glimpse of real life amidst the corporate walls.

What are they reading (or making) where you work?

the group which keeps reducing in size goes to different locations across india sometimes abroad, and engage in water sports, camping, few other sporty tasks besides of course long drives from place to place.

there are some who perform better than the others, there are some who backstab, sometimes good ones lose out due to the same, some are goodlooking, some have other vested interests in those, some are simply laid back, some are seen as helpful and harmless, some are an average figure everywhere – performance, strategy, charm, whatever else but still sail through as they don’t have many enemies due to not doing anything noticeable. some are real masterminds in plotting people against each other and creating groups take automatic leader roles, but withdraw when it comes to performance. some make more friends, get involved and uninvolved at the right times, some are too intricately involved to unweave and then have no choice but to do anything it takes, some are without pleasing manners/language which can get irritable to others, some simply are hatable and are the first preys.

this show kind of teaches me or rather reminds me of how people are, which kind of  attitude is rewarded in which way etc though still cannot comment till i know who is the real ‘roadie’ who manages to survive till the end. it also depends on various situations, interpersonal relationships, strength and some bit of luck too… 

finally it takes the spirit to win – perform and do much more, not only on roadies but in real corporate life too. 

learnings added after watching more episodes :

so far it really took more than performance to survive. but when too many incompetent people remain in a team, and tasks get tougher, good old ones are called back and this time they have the spirit of revenge which is stronger than physical strength. in corporate scene i think, when management realises there are too many incompetent people left in a team, they bring in new ones too with some old ones.

Last night we watched "The Corporation," and it confirmed just about everything I often voice so vehemently, that I later find myself having to apopogize for it, such as in a reaction to an email from my sister about a book about how Islam is supposed to be the great evil menace of world peace.

You can wrap up just about any old b***sh*t and sell it to people as truth, if you just make the wrapping appealing enough. After all, it's so much more comfortable to believe that those bloody Arabs & Muslims are to blame for everything, instead of those liars who are running our everyday lives, enslaving us by promising us freedom.

It's much more comfortable, especially for people who are easily frightened, than all those uncomfortable movies & books by people such as are featured in "The Corporation."

For weirdos like me, it's so comforting to find out I'm not the only lunatic who doesn't swallow all that crap they're trying to shove down our throats, who sees the connection between the 3^rd Reich and today, and who refuses to watch another minute of the mass-manipulation they're spouting out through television.

I even believe that "The Corporation" disproves the paradigm of Evolution. See, according to today's level of "education," evil is a thing of the past.

That was back in the stone ages with that Australian dude, Hittler, or something, and his cavemen. But since then we've evolved into good people, and all them wars and stuff that Mom and Dad sometimes watch on the tube, you know, the "Nooz," or something, they're just necessary, because there are still a few backwards folks around, like them dudes with terbuns and stuff, that haven't evolved yet as much as we have, so that's good.

Well, according to my beliefs, and "The Corporation" has wonderfully - though sadly - confirmed that, evil has all else but disappeared. In fact, it's more sophisticated, more cunning, and more omni-present than ever, to an extent that all those remote control junkies out there couldn't even begin to fathom...

In other words, we haven't evolved at all, but to the contrary, if anything, we have devolved & gone further down the drain & the flow of the path the slimy old serpent started us off on 6000 years ago. His people are getting better at it all the time, and more skilled at making ever dumber and more ignorant zombies out of the rest of the masses, who couldn't care less what's going on, as long as they've got their entertainment & their fast food...

They're even so smart that they make the only solution & way out of this whole mess, namely Jesus and His dropout and anti-System message, look like part of the game by having all those duped, lukewarm, flag-waving patriots pose as "Christians," and making the rest of the world sick of "Christianity."

Time for God's genuine Endtime Army to get movin'!

Hold on, Baby, we're coming!

What is corporate world?

Once upon a time a Washerman brought two donkeys. Let us say Donkey-A and Donkey-B. Donkey-A felt that he was very energetic and could do better than the  other.  Donkey-A always tried to pull the Washerman's attraction over him by taking more load and walking fast in front of him.  Innocent Donkey-B is normal, so he will walk normal, irrespective of the Washerman's  presence.

After a period of time, Washerman started pressurizing Donkey-B to be like  Donkey-A. But Donkey-B was unable to walk fast, got continuous punishment from Washerman. He was crying & told personally to Donkey-A "Dear friend, only we two are here, why to compete with each other. we can carry equal load at normal speed ".

That made Donkey-A all the more energetic and next day he told to Washerman that he can carry more load and even he can run fast also. Obviously happier Washerman looked at Donkey-B, his BP raised and he started kicking Donkey-B. Next day with smile, Donkey-A carried more load and started running fast. But it was breathtaking for Donkey-B and it couldn't act that way, But the Washerman was frustrated, so he harassed Donkey-B terribly, and finally it fell down hopelessly. Then Donkey-A felt himself as a supremo and happily started carrying more load with great speed. But now the Load of the Donkey-B is also being carried by Donkey-A, and still he has to run fast.   For some period he did it  and finally due to fatigue he got tired & started feeling the pain. But Washerman expected more from Donkey-A. He also tried best, but couldn't cope up with his owners demand.  The Washerman got angry with Donkey-A also and started harassing to take more load. Donkey-A was crying for long time and then tried his best. But it couldn't meet the owner's satisfaction.  Finally the day came when due to frustration the Washerman killed Donkey-A and went for searching some other Donkeys.

Its an endless story..........  

Above photograph taken from Brooklyn Bridge in New York by Daniel W. Coburn

The Reckoning

For the first time in my life I feel confident that I understand my purpose. I don't understand why it took 30 years, because I was born an artist. From the time I was old enough to hold a pencil, I loved the act of creation. Constantly drawing and painting as a kid, I became obsessed with making pictures on paper or canvas.

As I got older I became influenced by many factors that led me wandering aimlessly on a path towards the "American Dream"_ I racked up credit card debt, bought a house, and have been engaged to 3 different women since I graduated high school :c) I've been married and divorced. I've found myself on the brink of bankruptcy and insanity on more than one occasion. It's taken me 3 decades of life experience to realize that I'm not required to meet the expectations imposed by tradition and society. I refuse to live a mediocre life, work at a mediocre job, have a mediocre retirement, and then die a mediocre death. Yes! we can all find safety and security in mediocrity but where is the fun in that? We only get one crack at life!!

The past few years have been great ones. I am about to get married for the second time to an independent, strong, caring and talented woman. My career as a fine-art photographer has been a great success. I don't have a credit card payment, car loan or mortgage to worry about. The timing is perfect, so now I can live the life that brings me happiness

The Reasons Why I Left

Friday was my last official day of work in the corporate world. For the last 10+ years I have been employed as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator at Jostens Printing and Publishing in Topeka. I gave my two weeks notice in Mid-May. My departure was quiet and uneventful. Just the way I wanted it.

Now that I am officially gone I feel at liberty to discuss some of the reasons why I left. I spent many of my years at Jostens as a model employee. I volunteered for special teams, special projects, and sacrificed my personal life to do extra work because I thought that I was somehow making a difference. I also thought that I was a valuable employee and that someday I would be rewarded for my hard work in the form of salary or special recognition. I was mistaken. I spent the last few years as an average employee with a serious chip on my shoulder which was definitely not a healthy situation. Perhaps the most discouraging part is that throughout my years with this company, I was always treated as if I was expendable. Regardless of my level of performance, I could always be replaced. It didn't matter if I busted my butt or sat on my butt, I was always treated the same. My opinions and ideas didn't seem to matter or make any difference. I am convinced that management really didn't want employees that could think_ They wanted robots to perform a job and keep their mouths shut. Now I just sound disgruntled :c)

The good news is that I realized it was time to get out. In my 10 years at Jostens I saw very talented people squander their potential. I finally escaped!! It's only been a week, but I already feel rested and relieved.

You are visiting the blog of fine art photographer Daniel W. Coburn. More photographs can be found on his official website.

Hep hep hep, moderated na ang comment kaya walang makapanlalait. lol.

You, the consumer, can take your purchase to the power of (LEZ) simply by eating(out). Thus the proposition: (YOU)LEZ. Be embraced, take your own fine self to the power of (LEZ). What better way to become a good-eating samaritan?!

Now all we need is Bono and the corporate world...

  You can visit their site by clicking here. Did you know that they claim each box of tea is "blessed by a Shaman" ? This is a crying out to all who read and even are daily drinkers of coffee to banish Starbucks from their vocabulary and checkbooks! You might be saying that you don't drink tea so it doesn't affect you...I site the many verses in the Bible warning us not to partake in the ways of the world and having nothing to do with paganism. So come on "Christians" stop giving your money to companies that support everything you "believe" to be wrong.