Sunday, April 20, 2008

Workplace musings: Part 1...

As with any employee of a public sector organization, I’m pretty much pissed with the hierarchal structure and the ambience at my workplace. It’s not like there’s dearth of talent or challenges here but there’s beating around the bush and nasty politics at each stage. Just like Dilbert puts it :D

I’m not gonna delve into functional details of my workplace, not in this post cuz I wanna start on a comical note as of now. But in the ensuing parts, I intend to make a clear analysis of what n where things tend to go wrong, in an organization in general with specific emphasis on PSUs...

Before I get into finer details, lemme get to the funnier ones...It beats me as to how one can have a global perspective when ppl in ur workplace suck at communication skills...And as some1 whoz always believed that language is a window to one’s overall personality, a spectacular powerhouse with which ppl n nations can b understood, it pains my arse bigtime when ppl make a huge mockery of this whole deal…

Lost in translation: A case in point

I’m hereby reproducing, verbatim, a conversation which took place between me and a technician (lets cal him jackass) which, I hope, will substantiate my aforementioned point.

As I strode into my workplace on an early Monday morning, I was greeted by a rather curious glance by Mr. Jackass who was carefully scrutinizing the livestrong band I was sporting. The following convo ensued…

“Jackass: Why is u wearing that black?”
“Yours_truly : Err, it’s a band, the proceeds of whose sale goes to the cancer research institute run by Lance Armstrong, the legendary cyclist who fought prostate cancer n created history by winning the tour-de-france seven times in a row (Lil’ did I know that all this explanation fell on deaf ears :x)
” Jackass: All that ok, but what is the use?”
“Yours_truly: (WTF?! What better purpose can anything serve?) Sir, it can be used as a friendship band”
“Jackass : Oh meaning u want to make friendship with someone, u put that ah?”
“Yours_truly: Umm, guess u cud say that (though the literary purists will squirm n writhe in disgust)
“Jackass: Oh then if u want to make love also u can put this ah?”
“Yours_truly: ( :o :P :D) Sir, for that, u actually need a different kinda rubber”

Hope u can understand my bewilderment after I heard that…Now if such is the state of affairs at what’s considered to be amongst the top PSUs, I can’t help wondering how it’d be in the ones in the lower echelons in the not-so-looked upto organizations (whatever that means!)

P.s. I promise not to pain u with such crappy convos in my ensuing posts lest u stop visiting my blog for distorting ur communication skills
P.p.s I don’t claim to be an exponent of communication, nor am I sayin ‘tis the only way forward…Jus ventin my frustration for being caught at the wrong place…
To be contd...

22 comments:

Unknown said...

The conversation manages to make me laugh every single time I read it! :)
P.p.s?! Trip max! BTW its not just the PSUs. I can assure u dat. Some of the leading private companies I have seen suck at it even more. And if its a group company, GOD SAVE UR ASS. Worsht politics!

Unknown said...

“Jackass: Oh then if u want to make love also u can put this ah?”
“Yours_truly: ( :o :P :D) Sir, for that, u actually need a different kinda rubber”
Hope u can understand my bewilderment after I heard that…

It would have been good fun to look at the guy's face when u dais that.If he understood what u meant, that is.

Unknown said...

Comment number 3: This is to let u know tat i hereby complete my 'comment' requirements by posting this third one!
Target 'Comment comment comment'has been met!:P

Matangi Mawley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Matangi Mawley said...

u r putting up with ppl of this kindaa? ;) greattu go! :D

seriously.. hillarious! :D

Yuppie said...

Dai der are always characters like des everywer.. u shd make max out of this have fun wid dem.. tease them to ur heart's content wat more do u want ?? see u have to make de fullest of ur opportunities make dem de biggest mutta dash

Sandy said...

“Jackass: Why is u wearing that black?”
“Yours_truly : Err, it’s a band, the proceeds of whose sale goes to the cancer research institute run by Lance Armstrong, the legendary cyclist who fought prostate cancer n created history by winning the tour-de-france seven times in a row (Lil’ did I know that all this explanation fell on deaf ears :x)

Doesn't this sound too much info for a Jackass ??

Murali R said...

@sandy. macha I was about to ask the same thing.. too much for a jackass.. maybe he found the guy is a jackass only after that incident.. ;)
@azhvind: macha semma comedy panriye da.. cha.. how i wish i were in chennai..hmmm btw i appreciate ur sense of humour.. :D

DMulan said...

“Jackass: Oh then if u want to make love also u can put this ah?”
“Yours_truly: ( :o :P :D) Sir, for that, u actually need a different kinda rubber”
lol.. poor poor you... but the likes of 'jackass' sure is not uncommon.. eternal nonchalance can help!

cherubic_chipmunk said...

@ mittu: Indeed u have mademoiselle...but de requirements keep increasin wid eash ensuing blog to de power n :D so brace urself :P
'twas gr8 fun 2 watch him...poor fella was subjected 2 my saliva shower as i was in splits after i heard wat he said :D
thats some assurance...thanx!

cherubic_chipmunk said...

@megha: Incredible indeed...n hilarious too ;)

cherubic_chipmunk said...

@ yuppie : Who said i aint havin fun? i'm jus sharin my 'joy' wid de world :D :P

cherubic_chipmunk said...

@ sandy : Hardy's bang on cue...i din' kno he's a jackass until he opened his huge gob :D

cherubic_chipmunk said...

@ murali : Thanx da,how i wish i were in noida :D wen'll v ever actually realize that de grass is always greener on de other side?

cherubic_chipmunk said...

@ divya : it DID help...de consequence is there 4 u 2 c:My blog!! :P

Wandering Minstrel said...

“Jackass: Oh then if u want to make love also u can put this ah?”
“Yours_truly: ( :o :P :D) Sir, for that, u actually need a different kinda rubber”

and orkut sure has taught me abt the worst pick up lines.."make friendship"!!!!

yes!! the sorry state of english in India!!

peace
swati
PS: you do know what company my dad works for, don't you?? :P

PPS:have blogrolled you!

Trinaa said...

"make friendship"... hahahahahahaha..too good :)) ..reminded me of orkut tho :(
"wanna be frndz" is a fav with d unknown sickos out there..

Royu said...

man, u are a phenomenal writer....congrats, u just won another fan for urself...couldnt come across ur "workplace musings" at a better time...m in the plant now:)...

DMulan said...

tagged!

tagged tagged tagged!!!!!

hope that's loud and clear :P

DMulan said...

KNOCK KNOCK?? ANYBODY HOOOOME?????

anyway, you've been awarded the blogging friends forever award!
http://slateumchalkum.blogspot.com/2008/09/thank-you.html

Neha said...

make friendship..lol.. tht guy surely must be on orkut :))

Im sure u got to face it wherever u go.. public or private.. ull learn how to deal with it :)

Sandy said...

Is part II on its way ? Or is eternal nonchalance reaching the same fate as Peels of onion ?