Being an Engineer.

Even if we have complicated issues enclosed in our laptops, we can still smile with a cup of coffee in our hands and slay the look. We are engineers after all. 

Something happened this weekend which offended to the core. How can someone comment about my job just like that. In 365 days of calendar, we celebrate one day or another. We have Doctor's day, Teachers days, Aids day, Mother, Father, Children's day, Independence day and then our very own Birthday as well. Celebrations goes on. But one profession which is totally ignored and is un appreciated is that of an Engineer. Being an Engineer myself, it feels really disappointing. IT people do not have any day other than Saturday and Sunday.

I don't know why people carry a different mindset for us. For an instance let's just say....
For our families :
We are those free birds who are enjoying their freedom in different metro cities and if not controlled on time, we may slip out of their hands. ( now according to any Indian family getting out of their hands significies smoking, drinking, doing wrong jobs at wrong times and becoming extra loud and free.). Every parent of an Engineer bears this thought someday or another. Believe it or not.

For our relatives : 
Our relatives consider us as the second child of Dheeru Bhai Ambani who is playing in dollars every month and whose life is totally set the moment he/she gets a joining letter from a company. We might earn 24k per month but our smiles when asked about our salaries make them think that we are earning at least 42k a month. Interesting isn't it??
Then to add more to our miseries, in a very loving and out of concern voice they will say, " oh dear, since you are settled now. I think u should get married. What say Mrs  Mehra? You should start seeing girls for him. You won't find good girls these days. Better be early."
Bhaii waaahh !! ( very good)

For our siblings 
No one can insult us better than our siblings. Even my boss seems nicer to me than my brother. No matter whatever you do, however you do, wherever you go, however you go, you will always remain a person who hasn't achieved anything and who is not capable of what he/she is being served by life. If we are in a good jobs, then according to them, either that's because of our destiny or it is because of the destiny otherwise they don't think our efforts would have taken us way too far. Better consider yourself lucky.

At every step, with every associated person, engineers are slapped hard on different matters at different times. Now please gimme the honour to break all the myths and mis conseptions that society holds against us.

The smoking zones in our company :
There are separate smoking zones in every company to let the frustration of the people out in the air. Now I personally do not support this stress busting method but it works for some. While some are addicted to it, so out of habit they might be doing it. Depends. And also, not all the people of entire company go to the smoking zone and smoke. Non smokers too exists. So please don't look at us like that.

Our frequent Tea breaks :
This has been a frequent topic of discussion(like the commonly asked questions in board exams) in every meeting no matter whatever rating you get. Trust me my Manager would be so happy If I give a proper explanation to this here. (Rest all can learn the dialogue from here for the next meeting) . Boss this one's for you.( you know i love you always. Wink )
Since most of us are working on multiple projects (and even if we are working on a single project) the prolonged working hours calls for a break. We need to get out of the glass building and gasp some fresh air (no matter how polluted its is these days in Delhi NCR) in order to keep our brain cells functioning.
Our bum swells up if we stick to those chairs for 9 huge hours.
Our calendars are loaded with calls and meetings. We speak a lot and move very little. So to calm our tongue and move our ass, we need to go on breaks.

The Comfortable chair isn't that comfortable.
Majority of the people working in IT complains lower back aches, tend to develop gummy-bear-tummies with heavy bums and encounter several posture related issues. Even after spending an entire day in office, we need to hit the gym at night and go for running in order to stay fit. We work all day, we work till night. First on the project, then on our bodies.. After all, it's not easy to digest that much of comfort.

We work, we stretch, we cry, we celebrate  we struggle not alone with the people but with the food as well. The fast processing applications and softwares are the results of our long dedicated working hours.

We learn every day, we earn every day. We fight everyday, We hustle everyday. We make things happen every day. We are Engineers every day. Cheers.