A day's fancy to write an article.

I woke up yesterday morning and started having a weird desire: to write an article for a newspaper. And before submitting to any of the newspapers in the city, ask the opinion for a friend who also happens to be my colleague. I drove my two wheeler with full enthusiasm to work . Had never been so excited to go to work on any other day. And then, once I entered the office, I had the enlightenment of not having the topic to start writing let alone the article.

But the spirits didn't die. I though; "O I have my blog. Why not try keeping it alive before I start venturing into new waters. " So the next question was what to write on my blog? "Lets see. By the end of today, I might be able to pick up a topic which might not sound so boring. "

After I came home , I completely forgot about that. And again yesterday night, I found myself searching the web for tips to write an article and make one's blog popular.

I started writing a mail to a good friend sharing this one day's excitement. Then it suddenly occurred. Why don't I share the same experience? This is what you write on a blog right? On a personal blog where you have shared so may experiences. This is one of them.

So here I am writing my blog once again with full enthusiasm. Let me see how much spirit I have in me to continue this.

Never say die.....

Dream

Each one dreams of doing something, having something or wanting something. Some dreams come true and some don't. Some have the ability of making their dream come true.Some are born ' lucky' to not have to dream of anything.

I thought I shall share some of my "dreams" which unfortunately haven't become true till day. I wanted to become a doctor- a cardiologist. I dreamt of this through out my high school days and even in my 11th and 12th. Unfortunately I was not a 'science person'. I didn't score well in my final exams. So goodbye medicine.

I said ok. My destiny was not medicine. I took up commerce. A completely different direction. I thought I shall go and do my CA . Yeah you guessed it right. I didn't complete it. Let alone complete it, I barely started and I called it quits.

I thought "why don't I give CAT a shot? I 'm not that dumb not to clear it." Didn't do it the 1st time but with the support and encouragement of my 2 good friends(I guess 3. It won't be fair not to mention the 3rd friend) and my family members. I did manage to join a decent B-School. But not the one's I dreamt of - not the IIM's nor any of the top-rung schools.

My dream did not come true. Again.

I completed my PGDM. I said to myself. I deserve a job/career in an Investment Bank. Didn't happen. Landed in a commercial public sector bank.

I know one one would say 'at least you have a job in this job market'. I don't know. I am not commenting on that.

Now I have a new dream. To complete my CFA and fulfill my old dream by joining an I-Bank. Well tried twice. Didn't clear the exam. So thinking of the 3rd time. Should I or shouldn't I?
I don't know whether I am headed in the right direction or not. Am I lazy to realize my dream? Or is it just my bad luck? I don't know. My mom says I am lazy.

Well there is no bar for dreaming. You don't have to pay for dreaming. I don't know whether animals dream too. What would they dream of? Dogs dream of a good "owner"? Wild animals dream of thick forest and good hunt? Animals in the zoo of freedom?

There is no end for dreams (all sort of dreams. Not only the ones I was speaking of) until one lives and gets a sound sleep at nights ;)

New Place..New People....now after 6 months..

After my somewhat uneventful year in one of the branches of the organization in which I work in, I was transferred to another office. It is supposed to be the "most prestigious" branches of the organization. I was all so excited. I thought ,"Ok I will be doing something worthwhile here at least." So started the journey. Initially all went right. I got to look into a department which I had no prior exposure. I was so excited. 6months passed by. I have been going home late since I came to this "new place". It was ok. I had something new everyday to learn. Not many were keen on me working in that profile except the Head. As long the as the branch head was ok with it, I didn't mind whether others liked it or not.

And then came a day which I never expected that it would come so early. My boss was transferred and came in a new person. The day he has set foot in the office, he has brought in so many changes. I do agree change is the 'mantra' of life. But such a drastic change. All of a sudden I was entrusted with the same old job what I had been doing in my old work place. Not only that, the work place has become so intolerable that one has to take permission even to stand or sit. You are expected to do each and every work and not only that you are not given the freedom to express yourself. Once you do that you are a rebel.

You are not allowed to think differently. Once you start curbing the thinking ability of a person, it becomes hard to work there anymore. Is it that the way I think is way too ahead of the organization's pace? Why should someone be so conservative and restrict the growth of the employees? Are they jealous? Do they fear something? If so what? Let us also understand.

People

Today I am in a completely different mood than that of the last post. Reason ? Its the people who make you happy or sad or irritated. Its the atmosphere you work in. I'm feeling as though there's no other better place to work in.

It all started when my boss decided to go on a week's leave. I was very apprehensive as to who will be taking his place in his absence to oversee the day to day work. However I was proved wrong. I wasn't convinced on the first day. Was a little conscious/reserved while approaching him. But the coming days were a pleasant surprise.

I guess I have a new friend or a "buddy" at work now. It has been like an oasis in the desert. Never expected someone here. Especially where the organization is mostly made up of people who are older to you and are not interested in making friends but giving orders and are not happy with whatever you do. Although I know a couple of people of my age, I've never felt like speaking to them about certain topics. It would be mostly about work. I can't help smiling at people now.May be it was months that I smiled from my heart at work. The day begins with a good note and ends with good memories to cherish. The last one week is like I've never expected at this place...

To put it in my friend's words, I hope that this friendship becomes a "big banyan tree".

Is this all in our mind? Is our approach different to different people? Why can't we behave in a similar manner with everyone? Is that where the individuality/personality comes into picture?

Well good things won't last for ever. But memories do. And so does a good friend...

P.S : So many things to share but unable to express it with words. Might have edited this post a hundred times....

Work place crap...

Many might be astonished or frown upon the caption ..but thats how i am feeling at my current place of work. Some might even say that I am lucky enough to have a job.

But I say I would have been be better off with out a job like this. And the problem is got to do nothing with the people with whom I work with. Its the people who come to the workplace.

OK .I know Im confusing everybody here. So let me give a brief background about my job. I am working in a Nationalized Bank. Yes I know I have nothing to complain about. But the truth is since it is a nationalized bank, all sort of people come to the bank. Rich and poor(middle class toowho are in small no.), Arrogant, hot headed, egoistic,and down to earth, literate, semi-literate(ya that exists too!!) illiterate people.

Category 1 : Rich , arrogant,egoistic, semi literate(or semi illiterate??) illiterate

Category 2 : Middle class , arrogant,egoistic, semi literate, illiterate

Category 3 : Rich, down-to-earth, literate(so no other handicap) - not many such people


So whats the problem? The people who come to the bank( most of them) belong to category 1 & 2 . Very dangerous people. Impossible to satisfy them. They don't care what work you are doing. They have to be ' served' first. Even if you are attending to other customers.

For them money speaks. They look at people as though the bank employees are a piece of rag. Ive been to banks as a customer. Ive not treated any one like that.

Had an exchange of heated words with one of the above described people. I almost threw the cheque at him. Had an itching of throwing it into the face. Well didn't do that. I regret that.

I know that the organizations want that customer service to be excellent and all that crap. But how far can one push in the name of customer service ? If the mistake is at our end, ok we accept and take the blame. But what if its from the other end? Who is going to listen to us?

Customer cant always be the king. Nor can the management dictate for a long time. This is where attrition starts. One might say this is not the time to say all this because of the market condition. Sometimes the frustration becomes so much that one start thinking that one is better of not having a job.....

I know a lot of people disagree with me....

Point of View..or is it View Point??

Well for quite sometime I have been sharing my personal experiences on this blog which I intend to continue. ;) .So please bear with me. I do hope this might be of some use to those who by chance read this blog.

Well now that I have started working, I have realized that its a new experience every other day. Especially for those who come into contact with the general public. One sees all type of people. Good, bad, nice, rough, rude, rowdies etc, etc.

What I see one act as wrong, the other might see it right, especially when some one who can't imagine to be in in your position.

Lets take an example. A banker has to take the brunt of the customers for those things which are not in his hands. The customer feels as though we are not doing any work and are here for troubling them.

But we have have our own constraints. We have to follow the rules and regulations set by the higher ups and will be answerable if we divert from those standards. We have to get the shouting from the customer who doesn't understand out problem and are not ready to listen to in the first place. On the other hand, its the people at the higher ups who don't understand problems on the field and take actions against the staff at a branch.

Its easier said than done and ask people to have patience with such people. But my question is how? and how long?? aren't we human beings? Don't we have emotions? Or are we just robots to not to display any emotions? Why are the people called public/government servants? Hasn't the days of working as a servant gone??

An Experience Outside A City

I had an opportunity to leave the madness of the city for two days. A great experience all in all. It was a hill station 200 km away from the city in which I leave in.

Each place has its advantages and disadvantages. The remote place would definitely not be well connected as well as the cities are but have many things to offer...from fresh air to breath and friendly people. One cannot expect the same from the city. The polluted air makes you want to get out of the place but has the advantage of being well connected and caters to every need of yours. The people....well are not that friendly towards strangers. Me included. After all we read in the newspapers one cannot help but be on guard.

I happened to notice this subtle difference when we( me and my family) were walking down a lane where one could expect no shelter other than the houses. It started raining heavily. We had to run into the compound of a small house where we took shelter. There was also a year old baby with us. The owner of the house was very considerate to invite us inside the house to take shelter. However only the mother and the baby went inside the house as we didn't want to dirty the house with our muddy shoes.

The next time it was the people of the hills. They look after the cows and grow coffee for their livelihood. The children attend a near by school started by a social worker.

There was no TV in the lodging we stayed. Well I didn't miss it. By the time we returned to out rooms in the evening everyone was tired. This also gave us an opportunity to spend some quality time with our family members without the disturbance of the 'Idiot Box'.

May be we can try and do that here too. Switch off that TV for sometime. But is it really possible? Someone or the other will have something or the other program to watch; it might be the news channel or some other serial.

Well this sort of outings becomes necessary to re bond with the people who matter to us the most.