Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Introspection of a Societal Newbie
Lovefoolosopher
¶ 2:05 AM 
About a month ago, I was a fresh graduate - a bachelor's degree in Mass Comms in my hand and youthful hopes in my heart.
As I am typing this entry, it is 2:05 am, March 30th, 2005. I am still a fresh graduate. My bachelor's degree is still crisp in my hand, but my youthful anticipations have begun to wane under the soul-crushing clutches of utter boredom.
Before you assume that this is just another one of those sorry-ass lamentations of a societal newbie, who is just coming to terms with reality, I assure you that I do not intend to make it as such. For I am fully aware that this is just an ephemeral phase that almost every child of the metropolitan goes through. And I am fine with that. It's super. I feel, notwithstanding, that it is important that I cherish this stint of insecurity and inadequacy, so that when I have made my mark in the future, I can look back and sneer at my heart-rending bout of professional drought.
As I am typing this entry, it is 2:05 am, March 30th, 2005. I am still a fresh graduate. My bachelor's degree is still crisp in my hand, but my youthful anticipations have begun to wane under the soul-crushing clutches of utter boredom.
Before you assume that this is just another one of those sorry-ass lamentations of a societal newbie, who is just coming to terms with reality, I assure you that I do not intend to make it as such. For I am fully aware that this is just an ephemeral phase that almost every child of the metropolitan goes through. And I am fine with that. It's super. I feel, notwithstanding, that it is important that I cherish this stint of insecurity and inadequacy, so that when I have made my mark in the future, I can look back and sneer at my heart-rending bout of professional drought.
************************
It's April 8th now. 2.21 am. I am re-inspired to continue with my previously shortlived entry by my unbroken jobless state of mind. Maybe not exactly jobless. I got a temp job with The Necessary Stage, the theatre company. I am a transcriber. If you're groping for that dictionary right now then it's good. The obscurity of the word romantacizes the importance of my newly held title. The fundamentals of my job are to pen down, verbatim, the interviews with the victims of the tsunami disaster. Interviews in Malay and Bahasa Indonesia are to be translated to English.
I almost kissed myself silly when they decided to pay me $100 per day instead of the initially agreed $12 per hour. I mean, it was easy-friggin'-money, or so I thought. I called up several friends to jump on the bandwagon. Easy money were the magic words. And as brief as the glory was, I was hailed the Messiah of Bummers Inc, at least till 13 hours later, when we learnt that nothing comes easy, especially not money. It could take us about five hours to transcribe a 15-minute long interview, exlcuding the translations. Seven hours later, one of my friends ran for his life. He decided that $100 worth of reasons were not enough to justify the back-breaking ordeal. If it had been war, he might have been shot down for desertion. At least I think he ought to be.
But I got over the self-pity and although it was unimaginably tedious work, like arranged marriages, I soon learnt to love it. Ok, maybe love is pushing it - I got used to it, perhaps even liking it. And that is the story of the Transcriber.
I went down to a couple of job agencies several days ago, more to console my perpetual ennui than anything else. Nowadays, anything that kills time is godsend. Staying home can be depressing.
Right now I'm down with a cold. I've just realized that colds add a tinge of glow to your skin, for mine at least. I just feel that I look better when I'm having a cold. So colds are good.
If you haven't noticed, this is the first entry where I am the apex of the issue. I try not to make this blog into a narcissistic personal diary, like most mainstream blogs. But I'm in the mood for introspection, so bite me.
I almost kissed myself silly when they decided to pay me $100 per day instead of the initially agreed $12 per hour. I mean, it was easy-friggin'-money, or so I thought. I called up several friends to jump on the bandwagon. Easy money were the magic words. And as brief as the glory was, I was hailed the Messiah of Bummers Inc, at least till 13 hours later, when we learnt that nothing comes easy, especially not money. It could take us about five hours to transcribe a 15-minute long interview, exlcuding the translations. Seven hours later, one of my friends ran for his life. He decided that $100 worth of reasons were not enough to justify the back-breaking ordeal. If it had been war, he might have been shot down for desertion. At least I think he ought to be.
But I got over the self-pity and although it was unimaginably tedious work, like arranged marriages, I soon learnt to love it. Ok, maybe love is pushing it - I got used to it, perhaps even liking it. And that is the story of the Transcriber.
I went down to a couple of job agencies several days ago, more to console my perpetual ennui than anything else. Nowadays, anything that kills time is godsend. Staying home can be depressing.
Right now I'm down with a cold. I've just realized that colds add a tinge of glow to your skin, for mine at least. I just feel that I look better when I'm having a cold. So colds are good.
If you haven't noticed, this is the first entry where I am the apex of the issue. I try not to make this blog into a narcissistic personal diary, like most mainstream blogs. But I'm in the mood for introspection, so bite me.
Lovefoolosopher
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This is just the beginning of many more new episodes in your life. Real life begins when you step into the working world. It gave me an insight into many of life's ups and downs. Good things don't come easy and good things always come late...so maybe 'lady luck hasn't smiled at you yet'. Like people say in Malay, '...belum ada rezeki', or in other words, you are not meant to receive your golden rice bowl yet. All the best in your job search. Never give up. Your efforts will definitely reap good rewards one day.
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