Winter

Preface: Originally written on November 21, 2006

The days are getting longer workwise and shorter timewise (well winter is setting in...). I am not very comfortable with winters. For one thing they ruin my sleep! It usually gets really cold in the wee hours of the morning and I have to get up to pull on an extra blanket! Getting up is a ordeal (the warm bed looks sooo inviting). The hot bath is a real lifesaver. And then the office. Yes - the office. I dont know who is incharge of the air conditioning but I am pretty sure that that person is an external observer. (unaffected by changes in temperature). Its ridiculous to have ac on full blast in the throes of winter. And no amount of complaining accomplishes anything. Dislike winter I may, but I would want to have it anyways because its only when you experience the unplesant that you learn to appreciate the better things.

At work my team went out for a whole-day outing last friday. It was long overdue actually. The usual things were done - cricket matches, splashes in the swimming pool, antakshari in the bus, dumb-charades, lots of pictures, good food etc and well - it was all paid for by the company so no damages to your purse! The usual ritual that follows it is the uploading all the evidence of the celebrations and apprising our counterparts at san fransisco of the antics. And they unfailingly get "jealous" and mention it in all meetings for weeks to come.

I have always been intrigued by this kind of jealousy that is displayed so openly. And the instigator is not just outings. Our having a few extra leaves every year is another source. The fact that our printouts are delivered to our desk is yet another. And there are many more petty issues invoke the green feeling. Taking the big picture into consideration I feel that a lot more of the feeling ought to be directed to other way round. And I think it is except that it is not voiced. The restraint on calling a spade a spade is palpable at times but has never failed. I guess its because its in no one's interest to strain relations so the matter is glossed over despite provocation. So much for international relations!