The Real People of...

"You will have very few opportunities in life to meet and connect with 'real' people."

My sister said this to me when we were chatting the other day. Her tone seemed almost ominous and I couldn't shake her words long after we got off the phone. Growing up in a traditional Indian household with traditional Indian parents has definitely done a number on me. Not necessarily a bad number, but as to be expected, I am a product of my childhood social environment.

I credit my work ethic and ambition to my parents. Throughout college, friends would be amazed by my endurance with the nine-hour study stints at the library sans any concentration-enhancing drugs (I remember a few times when the campus was dry and this threw my friends into raging panic attacks)

...and I rarely drank coffee - screw Redbull; that noxious shit is illegal in Europe.

Nothing worthwhile ever came from sitting on your ass (well, I hope this blog is meaningful to someone). Working a shitty job, having horrendous team members that reek of God knows what, whatever the issue you may have to endure, it's worth it if you are passionate about the overarching goal you are working towards. There were a few classes in college that I couldn't stand but I was working towards a degree that I thought, at the time, was aligned with my interests and career goals. The pursuit of the degree made sense to me since I was content with the potential opportunities it would grant me post-college.

I can weather working day in and day out in horrible conditions as long as I care about what I am doing. I have never been more indifferent and apathetic in my life. Blah, blah, blah. I just need to suck it up and get myself out of this mess.

A lover of mine recites this quote to me when I tell him of my indifference: “Apathy is the glove into which the devil slips its hand.”

I hate not giving a shit. I am a strong-willed person and funny enough, I'm doing quite well at work: received an award the other day, consistently stellar performance reviews. For me, credibility is everything so if anything has my name on it; it will be quality, timely delivered work. Thankfully, I still follow this credo at my new post but my resolve is fading fast.

While I'm transitioning to hopefully something more rewarding than tying numbers and sending entries to be booked to my fellow offshore teammate, Muthukaranarayanan for a faceless corporation, I return to my sister’s words. Lately, I understand how important it is to show the great people in your life how much you care for them. I'll be the first to admit that I haven't always been a great friend, let alone girlfriend; I still struggle with it everyday but I think I’m getting better and I have this job to thank for the improvement. When I’m struggling with one area of my life, I feel like I evaluate and appreciate the other pieces.

It's the people in your life that make it what it is. It's tough to find people you really feel at home with, especially in New York City. All I know with my current state of mind, you are one lucky bastard to have a career that challenges you and pays the bills. I’m going to eventually get there – I just won’t stop until I do.

I leave you with this great website full of 'real people' that are fine examples of who I would want to connect with on a daily basis : People of Wal-Mart