Another combined blog entry. There's actually a good reason for it, but let me give some background first.
Over the past few days I have been feeling like I am not doing anything anymore; that I have gone from a 'doer' to a 'sitter on the ass'.
And what I mean by that is, currently I don't seem to be working on any big or small project other than what I am expected to do with my daily life - i.e. work, spend time with family, exercise and such usual stuff. This is, on an average, pretty unusual for me because I always have something going on to add a bit more spice to life, even if it is as simple as writing a script!
But over the last week or two, I have not been working on any such extra projects of mine. The shoot for my Malayalam short film "Inganeyum Oru Katha" has been stalled because a very essential cast member is out of town and we can't restart until he is back. I did start writing my new feature film script almost two weeks ago but had not gotten back to it since then. So in other words, I have kept myself rather jobless.
What's most interesting is not the fact that I am not doing any of these things but the fact that I seem to be perfectly OK with it. Usually if I pass about 10 days with a very regular routine of my life, I would be tearing my hair apart and would be itching to do something. But there's none of that hair-tearing tendency this time.
Sure, it could partly be because I have been watching a lot of movies, or because my mom is in town and hence am spending time with her, or because I have started to read the super thick Fountainhead which I am enjoying, or because I am incredibly busy at work so I don't have time to think about anything else. etc.
But more than anything else, I feel like it's because not only am I pretty busy at work but I seem to be very happy doing it! Usually the itch to do something starts when work becomes too stressful and I need some kinda part time escape. But these days I seem to be well settled in a comfortable zone at work!
Which brings me to the combined blog entry - I am combining the entries because when I look back, what's been really special about the last three days are ALL things that've happened at work.
All work related highlights for three days in a row - that's quite something! So here's what they were...
On 17th October, I had my first meeting in the Google office as part of a new project am working on in collaboration with them. With its brightly coloured decor and awesome spread of food, their spanking new office perked up my Monday morning considerably. Post a very productive meeting, I took the rest of the day to complete an analysis which required a fair amount of data digging. After about 8 hours of continuos work on it, it was successfully completed and I felt awesome! It was my last deliverable to my current boss, who is moving to a new assignment, and I wanted to ensure that I didn't miss this one deadline. And I was glad I didn't!
On 18th October, I finally felt like I am indeed the "expert" I am supposed to be, in a certain area at work!
The story behind this is that about a year ago, I was put in charge of particular aspect of our business which needed constant monitoring and analysis and reporting etc. In other words, I was to turn myself to be an expert in this area. I did a fair amount of work on it over the last year and was always referred to by those who wanted to get any piece of information or perspective in this area. But if I were to cross my heart, I would never have called myself an expert at it. I was never confident that I had the vast, deep knowledge about the area that an "expert" is supposed to have and this lack of confidence had been haunting me for months!
However today, for the first time ever, I felt like maybe I am indeed an "expert"!! It happened because I got an out of the blue request on my "expert opinion" about what the plans in a certain market should be, a year from now. I don't work for this market, but given that the plans they are developing are highly dependent on the area I am supposed to have expertise in, they had reached out to me for my very topline opinion. I thought about it for a while and drafted out a 18 month draft plan on what I think they must do. And lo behold! The project leader for the market replied back with their version of the 18 month plan, something which they had put together after months of meticulous data mining and brainstorming and it mirrored exactly what I had suggested as well! I can't tell you how relieved and happy I was with that! I would have looked like a complete idiot if the plans didn't match at all, but I had never thought that my draft ideas would be so very much in line with their detailed plan which was very much data supported! That made me, finally, feel like I know something. And it means a lot, like a freaking LOT to me! No more haunting lack of confidence!
Last but not the least, 19th October. I was at office from 8:00am to 10:30pm, I had two huge presentations to give, for which I had been preparing for the past few weeks, and I was hardly having time to breathe. But both went off exceptionally well, and I felt very, very satisfied! 14.5 hours of work but I was smiling broadly at the end of it!
So as you can see, I am happy. At work. In fact, things are so good there that I am being quite the lazybum otherwise. Am not sure how long this phase would last, but I am thoroughly enjoying it for the time being!
Then again, as long as a day is beautiful, who cares for the reason!
301 more to go.
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