8 by 52 or is it?
Of late, I have had a feeling that my blog name may well end up being redundant. I don't feel I belong to this world.
8 * 52 seems to restrict me to a strangely incestuous world of mediocre people where everybody knows everybody, is married to somebody but is seeing somebody else and where anybody who is half-way decent is a nobody.
I think I have seen enough in my three years as a journalist and I feel an urgent need to move on, before life passes me by.
There used to be this restaurant in CP (it still exists I think) called 'Don't Pass Me By', tucked away behind one of those buildings which stand between Shivaji Stadium and Janpath. It used to sell Chinese. I had passed it by several times as a college student. One day as I was wrapping up some work in CP (which consisted of my friend Ninon augmenting her collection of MBs), we passed the place again. This time, we couldn't pass it by. We went in and had chowmein - she had chicken and since I used to be vegetarian back then, I had veg chow. For a neat sum of Rs 30, both of us had a sumptuous Chinese meal.
A good six years later, that place seems to haunt me each day as I head to office, still debating with myself whether I should give up my job as a reasonably well-established journo and pursue further studies or just continue here (It's the brand, people will tell you, the name sells, how can you just give it up?). Gradually, however, I am beginning to feel life will pass me by if I continue and suddenly, one day I will be 35 and still running after peons of pompous bureaucrats, begging them for an appointment. Will I want to do it at 35 or 45 or 55? Will I have the stamina, the energy or the drive to do so ? I don't think so. My enthusiasm seems to be flagging already and whatever little English language skills I have, seem to be getting eroded with each passing day.
The daily grind of churning out something newsworthy also seems to be taking its toll.
And so, I have decided that I need a break. And that it's time I gift myself one.
So, it's bye-bye to the world of 8 * 52, at least for now. Will I make a comeback? I don't know. Will I actually be able to go ahead and sever my ties with what has been my world for more than three years now? Frankly, I don't know that either.
What I know is that I want to get back to a normal life, where I can get up at an earthly hour, leave office well before a time when there are only dogs on the streets, stop commuting all over the city so much so that autowallahs now give me special discounts, switch off my cell phone, at least during the night and not take official calls at 2 am.
I want to have an off on a Sunday and I want to enjoy my life. That's not too much to ask for, is it?
8 * 52 seems to restrict me to a strangely incestuous world of mediocre people where everybody knows everybody, is married to somebody but is seeing somebody else and where anybody who is half-way decent is a nobody.
I think I have seen enough in my three years as a journalist and I feel an urgent need to move on, before life passes me by.
There used to be this restaurant in CP (it still exists I think) called 'Don't Pass Me By', tucked away behind one of those buildings which stand between Shivaji Stadium and Janpath. It used to sell Chinese. I had passed it by several times as a college student. One day as I was wrapping up some work in CP (which consisted of my friend Ninon augmenting her collection of MBs), we passed the place again. This time, we couldn't pass it by. We went in and had chowmein - she had chicken and since I used to be vegetarian back then, I had veg chow. For a neat sum of Rs 30, both of us had a sumptuous Chinese meal.
A good six years later, that place seems to haunt me each day as I head to office, still debating with myself whether I should give up my job as a reasonably well-established journo and pursue further studies or just continue here (It's the brand, people will tell you, the name sells, how can you just give it up?). Gradually, however, I am beginning to feel life will pass me by if I continue and suddenly, one day I will be 35 and still running after peons of pompous bureaucrats, begging them for an appointment. Will I want to do it at 35 or 45 or 55? Will I have the stamina, the energy or the drive to do so ? I don't think so. My enthusiasm seems to be flagging already and whatever little English language skills I have, seem to be getting eroded with each passing day.
The daily grind of churning out something newsworthy also seems to be taking its toll.
And so, I have decided that I need a break. And that it's time I gift myself one.
So, it's bye-bye to the world of 8 * 52, at least for now. Will I make a comeback? I don't know. Will I actually be able to go ahead and sever my ties with what has been my world for more than three years now? Frankly, I don't know that either.
What I know is that I want to get back to a normal life, where I can get up at an earthly hour, leave office well before a time when there are only dogs on the streets, stop commuting all over the city so much so that autowallahs now give me special discounts, switch off my cell phone, at least during the night and not take official calls at 2 am.
I want to have an off on a Sunday and I want to enjoy my life. That's not too much to ask for, is it?
posted by 8 by 52 at 6:30 AM
9 Comments:
Of course its not. I too have almost developed hypertension. Stopped taking calls. AIyo I can't. The reason I'm sick today is because im so bloody burnt out. Just cannot go there. Handin my resignation. bas.
"strangely incestuous world of mediocre people"
Strong words, those. So it's that bad, huh? I have this friend who recently finished her journalism studies and is all excited about her new job at the TOI. I guess she's in for a bit of a shock.
The uncertainty attached to the choices we make is what makes it so frightening I guess. But it's like Richard Bach once said:
“The only way to avoid all frightening choices is to leave society and become a hermit, and that is a frightening choice.”
Good luck & God Bless.
Mediocre they are and the worst part is they are happy being that way. And if someone tries to make that extra effort or do something differently, they don't like it one bit either...........
I took that decision almost two years ago of leaving a brand. It has never made me unhappy even though people actually raise their eyebrows when they hear about it. But what matters is peace of mind. So go ahead.
Have had another night to sleep over my decision and I think it's pretty much made now.
Essar: I think mine is not 'almost' anymore. Have had a really bad headache over the past few days and I think it is definitely hypertension!
SwB: Thanks. Strong words they may be, but that's exactly how I feel right now. It's not that bad to begin with, but you have to mould yourself to fit in with a certain class of ill-informed and terribly narrow-minded people. You can do that for a couple of years for the sake of learning and earning, but that's about it.
Vivek: Mediocre but arrogant, right? Abhijeet Bhaduri seems to have got it right.
AB: You did join another brand you know, while I don't think I want to do that either. I think I really need to go back to studies and not lead this adult, grown-up must-work-for-a-living life. Am I being escapist?
No you are not. As long as you are happy, nothing else matters really. Not that you are hurting anyone either. So chill and enjoy the break babe.
sounds like you wanna slow down.
hope you find what you're looking for.
Best of luck
hey V, hope all is well.
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