Thursday, November 26, 2009

After-hours... ;-)

What is deal with people who like to sit around at office long after they have reached the minimum number of hours required at work and completed all their pending work? Beats me. This guy I know works in a shift that lasts till 10pm and he ‘prefers’ (actually is fond of) sitting at his desk until after 11pm as opposed to the other (normal) people try to get the hell out of office sooner than possible. I am sure most of you have come across such specimens in your teams/acquaintance-circles. Why would anyone sit at office without any work to complete even after their 9.5hrs/day is over? The reasons I hear the most and my reactions to them are:

1. I get bored at home. We stay far away from our families and it just gets boring at home.
  • Really? What about taking up some hobby? I mean, there are so many great books to be read, so many interesting movies to be watched. You could learn to play some music instrument; you could join a gym/yoga class. You could actually clean your room.
  • But then, hey, the guy I am talking about is someone who hasn’t heard/read anything beyond Telugu – and I have nothing against Telugu. I consider Telugu to be one of the sweetest sounding languages. And the fact that the guy is not well-read or well-informed is more the reason why he should start reading at least now. Better late than never, right?
2. At office I get free internet. At home, I don’t.
  • You stay at office so you can watch utterly stupid videos on youtube for free? Or checking out your own Shaadi.com profile (coz trust me, no one else will, if you continue to stay glued to your computer).
  • What about going home and getting freshened up and heading out for a walk? Believe me when I say the world has more things to teach you than the world wide web.
  • Hell, go to a bar with your friends!
3. Hey, I get free unlimited coffee here.
  • Huh? Haven’t you heard of ‘Nair Tea Shop’ which is there in every gali of every city in the world? (I love Nair Tea Shops – they are the best!!!) It is an understatement to say that I think you are pathetic enough not to spend Rs.5/- (or less, depending on the size of the shop) and rather prefer staying at office to drink free chai!
  • The company pays you well enough to buy a chai/coffee for yourself, I am sure!
4. I want to read a Telugu e-newspaper.
  • Hmmmm, errrr, hmmm… What were you doing since morning? Don’t tell me you worked the entire 9.5hrs and had no time at all for reading a newspaper.
  • Unnoda kadamai unarchikku oru alave illaya da?
5. What the hell is your problem? It’s my wish to stay as long as I want. Who are you to ask me to leave?
  • Oooooh okay, dude! Chill… It is not my problem. If it is anybody’s, it is yours. Remain the pathetic guy that doesn’t have a life outside of office!
  • I pity the one you are going to get married to, though.
6. I like to stay late at office.
  • Well, you got me. I have nothing to say about this. If staying late at work is what your heart desires (yuck), then so be it.
  • That is one statement that makes Sandhya go mute! You have achieved it, big boy!!!

So people, just make sure you are not the guy in question. I have nothing against people staying back at office after work hours if situation demands it or if there is any pending work to be completed. But otherwise, is it really necessary for you to remain at office and not have time for your family and friends and pets?

Have any of your friends told you genuine/whacky reasons as to why they stay late at work?

27 comments:

  1. Hee hee good post:D Pls teach that guy enough english to read and understand this post...

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  2. How presumptuous of you, Sandhya. :-[ Somewhat disappointed with your post.
    ~P~

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  3. Hey Sandya,

    I'm Prateesh and i never books nor blogs but your blog is so well written makes me to spent time on ur writings.


    "Kandaramanickam" - that was first blog which i read... LOL

    Cheers,
    Prateesh

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  4. Sandhya,

    Even i kinda didn't like this post. Everyone has a perspective and every one is right about their thoughts. It's ur prerogative to njoy life in ur way someone else has his way....

    No! i am not trying to play the angel and preach here...just my thots :)

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  5. Pallu irukaravan pakkodaa saapadaraan ... ilaadhavan enna pannuvaan ?? adhe maadhiri thaan idhuvum. Veetukku poi avan enna pannuvaan paavam ? Pesarathuku yaarum iruka maataa, Internet irukaadhu, TV paarkara pazhakkam illa, ippadi pala constraints iruku nu vechukongalen, its natural they prefer staying at office, adha poi neenga enna mo "kola kutham" pannina effect la post pannirukeengale :( avan avan prechanai avan avanukku, we can never say anything about that. Seri seri ... adutha post nalla postaa ezhudhitaa pochu, idhuku poi chinna pilla thanamaa mooku sindhuvaalaa ;)))

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  6. @Prateesh
    Thanks for visiting and commenting! I'm glad you liked my blog.

    @Chan, Satish
    I agree with you people. But what I don't understand is why so much time should be spent (unnecessarily) at office when there are a million interesting things to do out of it?

    Appidi paatha, naan kooda thaniyadhaan irukken - no TV, no family, no1 to talk to - but I made friends. You can't make friends if you are glued 24X7 to your computer, can you? Also, if you aren't interested in exploring a new, exciting city, what exactly are you interested in?

    Maybe my views are wrong, maybe not everyone likes to roam around, maybe not everyone is an extrovert like me - naan adha 'kola kutham' range-ku solla varla; but I strongly feel that you should try and get to know a city more, bond with new people instead of spending time at office. Those are my thoughts and of course, I can see that you are disagreeing with me which is totally fine. I was expecting some people to disagree :-)

    Kandippa ooru suthanum, pudhu friends thedanum, office-la irukka koodadhunu naan sollala - idhellam pannina nalla irukkumenu than feel panren ;-) [Eppidi thalaivar dialogue???]

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  7. Hey Sandy!!!!! howz u??? howz life going????
    I (my friends too) thoroughly enjoyed reading this post!!!seriously!!! lolzzzz....
    My boss always complain that I don't spend enough hours in the office [he doesn't believe that I work from home also:( sometimes!!!], what is with him???? I think i've to forward him this link.
    My reactions wud be:
    1."I get bored at home"--Whattt?? r u okay??
    2."I get free Internet at office"--It's not just free, it's fast also(lightning speed downloads)!!!
    3."I get unlimited coffee"--forget coffee, you can order food as well and get it reimbursed later if you do late stay..
    4."Telugu e-newspaper"--swaami!!GK-ah?? dey!!!
    5."What the hell is your problem? It's my wish to stay as long as I want"--Saringoo sir!!!edho friend aachae-nu advise panna, yedhiri paakara maadhiriye paakavengalae!! Beware!! u r always monitored!!!!(kudthadhuku meley nadikaadey da dey!!!!)
    6."I like to stay late at office"--Oh!!!r u trying to impress ur boss?? dude believe me, it will never work!!

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  8. n dat last dialogue superrengoo!!!!!

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  9. sorry!!! Satish's reply paakaley....appadium irrukalam, but ippadium irukangaley....enna saiyya??

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  10. @Sandy - Thalaivar dialogue solli enga vaaya adachuteengale .... idhuku mela naanga enna sollaradhu sollunga, thalaivar evvazhi, thondan avvazhi. Naanga mattum enna ooru sutha maatom, pudhu friends pudika maatom naa sollarom, keragam onnum sikka maatengudhe ... i mean "fraandship" :) as I said - "pallu irukaravan pakoda saapadaraan" we simbly chewing nothing :)

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  11. @VJ
    Ha ha ha.. Nice reactions! :-) Kandippa onga manager-ku indha link-ah forward pannungo; ungaloda appraisal-ku all the best ;-)

    @Satish
    Try panninde irungo! Fraandshipping is so easy. Oh, oru velai fraandship pannarthukku office-lendhu internet use panralo ennavo! Aana office-lendhu pannina kandippa onnum sikkadhu. Adhukku pesama Forum-layo, Brigade road-layo poi sight aavudhu adikkalam :-P

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  12. The other common comment in some places is to ask 'half a day' when you go on time? Really a bad culture spreading like wildfire in Indian offfices. Also a lot of indiscipline durig working hours leas to 8 hrs a day not being enough to complete usual work.

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  13. @Rajiv
    Exactly! People while away their regular hours at work and stay till late citing various reasons mentioned in the post - and also end up impressing the managers. What managers don't understand is that staying late at work is a sign of incompetence...

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  14. Hey Sandhya, it's a good one.
    I also used to prefer to stay at the office a bit late until 8PM that's bcos mainly to stay away frm the crowd and the stupid 'Chennai' traffic. I was really trying to understand what the he'll these people try to gain by jumping a traffic signal. But coming to the point I hate to stay late in office after 8PM.

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  15. @Anonymous
    Traffic is irritating irrespective of the city. And jumping traffic signal is like an Indian's birthright! Just imagine it this way - it is such people who take pleasure in bending small rules that make India as colorful as it is! Keep smiling through the traffic and leave office earlier!!! :-)

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  16. it seems like u do a lotta RESEARCH in peeking the odd person t ur office?? :P great sis... god job... even i do that some times..

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  17. Yemaa kozhandha, forum layo, brigade road layo poi sight adikarathukku dhiriyam irundhaa, naanum Chan um yen innum singleaave alanajundu irukom sollu ? Kannaaa ... Friendship ngaradhu peru, pugazh, panam, padhavingaraa maadhiri, thaanaa thedi varanum, nambalaa thedi poga kodaadhu, idhu eppadi irukku ?? hahahahah ;) typical thalaivar stylaye mudipom la naangalum ;)

    Ungalukku bangalore la nalla iyer aathu saapaadu saapadanum naa, engaaam readyaa irukku, enga paatiya vittu vaaiku rusiyaa smachu poda sollaren, dhaaraalamaa vaango, ungaluku thaan en email id teriyume :)

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  18. @Satish
    Superstar dialogue solli yen vaaya adachutel pongo! ;-)

    Appidiye unga address-ah enakku mail pannel-na romba nanna irukkume!!! ;-)

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  19. Something pretty ordinary from u for the first time!!
    That guy might be having some psychological problem..possible isn't it??

    Or some family problems.... possible isn't it?

    You have mentioned that he hasn’t heard/read anything beyond Telugu.... May be he is feeling inferior about himself mingling with people who are spontaneous and well versed with english and tamil(which happens to be the most spoken language in ur place)
    POSSIBLE ISN't IT?


    What you say is perfectly correct from your perspective , but need not be true for everyone.

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  20. @Shankar
    Uhhhh, the post was not supposed to be taken so seriously. Also, if the guy has psychological problems, he'll come out of it, if and only if, he speaks out about it. Just sulking won't do. He would forever have a problem if he doesn't come out with it.
    May be he is feeling inferior, but hey, you don't learn a language unless you try to speak. Was I born with a chip that has made me fluent in English? No. I learnt it, I am still learning new words and phrases. You will not learn if you keep your mouth shut, will you?

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  21. @ Sandhya
    Agree with you...
    But all the people are not alike..
    Your approach for learning things might be very proactive but its not the case with every one.
    What you are saying is the solution but everyone doesn't need one or even if they need one,they are not courageous enough to go and get it!!

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  22. @Shankar
    Which is very negative, right?
    You agree that I am right, and that the guy has some problem and also that the solution I am suggesting is right.
    A person is not courageous enough to stand up and face his problems and struggle/fight it out - there is nothing positive about it. Why justify his actions?

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  23. Exactly!!!
    But did u suggest him the same?
    If even after doing that,his actions are the same, then what ever u have written is justified and even appreciated.
    But just commenting and writing about him without letting him know what he is missing is pointless...
    This is all that i had say..

    P.S I wasn't justifying his actions

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  24. @Shankar
    Oh how many times I have suggested that he take up some hobby or work out at gym after work - plainly to just leave office on time when there is no work!
    I wouldn't write it on a public forum without discussing the problem with the concerned person. :-)

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What do you think?