Just been thinking, how I run after 8 and 8 runs after me 😉 No! It’s not my love for numbers. It isn’t my lucky number either and if it is, the magic has worn out. There isn’t much intriguing as well. The clock strikes 8, it happens twice a day as its normal routine. It’s a cyclic 12 hour difference that’s been going on endlessly. It’s about punctuality at its best driving my working and commuting hours. I am not fond of 8 a.m. and I love 8 p.m 🙂 It’s a different ‘me’, an outside world, and the race all starts and ends at 8.
One hits the bed in the night with some great plans for the next day, but for me along with my plans, the target is always 8. It’s a mad rush in the morning and among the hymn chantings, a background score keeps occurring ‘8 bajne wale hain’. It’s relevant because whatever time I get up that’s on my discretion, I need to be ready by 8-dats the deadline. It’s the time to step out of the homely cocoon and step out, to go for work. To reach office on time and be saved from the boss’s angry stare, I just cannot mess with 8. It’s simple, I miss 8, I miss my cab and I miss my office. Though I would love to but can’t afford to, because if the cab goes amiss, travelling all the way from Delhi to Gurgaon is one hateful task 🙁
It’s a big relief once I am done with the 8 in the morning. A calmer I settled in the cab, on the way to office, trying to think nothing at all and failing at it miserably. The very thought of meetings, projects, excel sheets is in the air obviously with quite a content of carbon and nitrogen as well. The office starts with the usual checking mails, online newspaper etc. Lost in the work related activities, I hardly realize what time of the day it is. The lunch and tea breaks need not be mentioned. But again, the other hours of the day are all scheduled. It’s a vicious cycle of one task after the other. It feels all tied down. And then the wait for the other eight begins.
8 p.m.-There’s something special about it. Just like a bird loves to fly back to its nest after the days outing, I start back home at about 6-30 and reach home after the endless jams and crowd. The clock cheerfully welcomes me with another 8. This one is so chilled out and totally in contrast with the morning rush hour 8. I feel relaxed and it helps me unwind. I can do what my heart desires; I am no more the slave of the time bound activities. This is time for me, myself and my leisure. The time I look forward to and these are the hours which help me prepare for the next day.
There are entirely two lives to be lived in these eight to eight cycles and both are equally important. One that I do for the living, for the recognition, for the worldly affairs and, the other one must I live for myself, for my passion, for my hobbies, for my real happiness. I suppose the best that I can do is striking a perfect balance between the two. This is my eight to eight journey which is more than packing and unpacking. There’s a wish to do something beyond the limit of 8…..What about you?
Hey, nice one and this 8 stigma is the same for almost all the working people… I just cannot mention the relief i feel at this 8PM… but what to do? this is life and life is a vicious cycle from 8 to 8…..
8 struck good till it is eight. Nice one
Life seems to be about nothing but Eights,
1 Eight i love and the oter one i hate!
hehehhe…My attempt at a farjee poem inspired by your 8 laced post 😉
How were u feeling when u were new in this corporate world???
nice one.
gr8 post… my daily cycle is of 4 to 4.. 😀
With all the activites around, I have mixed (read messed) up both the cycles now it is hard to differentiate between the two 😀
@rani
Thanks 🙂
@kaypee
I agree all working ppl have become used to this 8 to 8 cycle.
@loserreturns
🙂 grt…. maybe i will try to add on something more to the poem. its started off well.
@chhannu
I am still new yaar..just been 2 years into this corporate world and m still to get used to its ways. 🙂
@OnTheGo
thnks… 🙂
4 to 4 …interesting!!
frst of all i must say it is very well wriitten, thez thoughts r common bt to pen thm dwn like ths is simple an art which many dont have….abt my time it isnt 8 nymore, it used to be whn i ws wrkng like u but nw whn i m studyng, its genrally 7am to 2am….so nw at times i feel 8 to 8 ws better…..
for me,it’s been a very short tym in corporate world n i m still struggling to get used to it….so d 8 in d morning is a real big dissapointment 4 me n 8 in d night is very tiring….so i m nt able to enjoy either…
one of the best blogs. with each line i was feeling as if u r listening to my inner feelings n putting them into words….
the morning 8 is alwaz terrific & th evening 8 is so soothing….
i daily go to bed with a plan to wake up early in the morning but i fail to live that out though my eyes remained fully open….
my later 8 usualy depends hw was my life after morning 8, but i try to get involve myself with other things…..
bt truly speaking i feel lucky daily while running to catch my cab that i have this 8-8 schedule in my life.otherwise its been a tough job to sit at home n praying to get this 8-8 trauma…..
@manik
Thanks 🙂
I am sure this 7 to 2 is going to put u back sooon to the usual cycle of 8 to 8. 😉
@Rupali Ahuja
Dont be disappointed dear…. cheer up!! :)Try to be happy wid one 8 atleast.
@Divya
Well, very true….i must say atleast we are lucky we have this 8 to 8 cycle keeping us going around , otherwise there r many who crave to be amongst us, so i guess we shudn’t complain much…. 🙂
@Manjulika: i am actually lukng fwrd to it, i jst want it to happn fast…very fast…..
@manik
all d best 🙂
welcome to 8 to 8 !!!