Friday, June 23, 2006

Just another day at work?

"Sayesha!! Are you really walking barefoot in the office?" asked my colleague.

"Yes, yes I am indeed."

"Oh my God! I didn't notice! You've been like this all day?" another colleague gasped.

"All day."

Okay, here's the story. I wore new shoes to office and during the walk from my place to the train station and then from the bus stop to my office, they had nibbled away thirteen percent of my feet.

And that's why I was walking around barefoot in the office, trying to heal the shoebites, so that I could wear the shoes to go to the toilet and finally to go home. So yes, I was walking all over my office, to the printer, to the photo-copier, to my designers' cubicles, everywhere, in my bare feet. Honestly, the shoes hurt so bad that even if I had a meeting with the CEO, I'd have gone for it in my bare feet. And I wasn't even wearing trousers that would half-hide my feet, I had chosen that day of all to wear a really short skirt.

So yes, I looked funny. And no, I didn't care. It was an ensemble and I pulled it off with confidence. Or at least that's what I would like to believe.


But the conversation with my colleagues gave me an idea for a new post. Whoever reads this is tagged. Muahahaha! :D

Weird and unconventional things I have done at the workplace:

1. Yawned in a colleague's face.
I had a headache and I took two panadols. Okay, here's a lesson - never EVER take two panadols. Not even if the doc has told you, "What?? You mean you always take ONE panadol?? Sayesha, one panadol is child dosage. You should take the adult dosage - TWO panadols!" Maybe I am not just a child at heart. Maybe my body is not ready for adult stuff yet. Sheesh, the damn 'adult dosage' made me SO sleepy I walked around like a zombie in the office that entire day. The moment I reached home, I crashed. 7:30 pm to 6 am. And oh, this was the night my blog got 168 comments while I was happily kumbhu-ing away. The next morning I saw an email from ROS asking me where I was 'cos there was a hungama happening on my blog.

2. Strangled a colleague, and drew a speech bubble with the words 'Don't go!!!' on a piece of paper and held it above my head.
He was my one of my favourite colleagues and he was leaving the company, I was merely trying all means to stop him from going.

3. Used the men's toilet.
Full story here.

4. Sat on my chair with my legs crossed in a yoga posture while my boss was at my cubicle talking to me.
It was freaking cold, okay?

5. Did rangoli.
Nope, I wasn't decorating my office for Diwali. I was just making the rangoli for a photo-shoot.

6. Wore shorts.
Our office arranged an instructor to come down and conduct aerobics classes after work.

7. Combed a colleague's hair.
One of my colleagues was doubling up as a model for a photoshoot for one of our books. I spent half an hour making a top-knot for her.

8. Spent half the day exchanging nonsensical emails with my team, that had absolutely nothing to do about work.
Sometimes you just don't wanna work. Especially on the last Friday of the month.

9. Worked all day wearing a Santa cap.
It was Christmas eve for heaven's sake. A bunch of us got Santa caps and wore them. Many took them off by lunchtime but I kept mine on till the end of the day. One of my designers said to me, "Now that's my kind of Santa!" ;)

10. Joined some thirty-five people in executing a "pink day" at work.
It was the last day of a colleague who likes pink a lot. So a big bunch of us decided to wear pink (yes, even the guys!) for her farewell party!

11. Sat on the floor.
We were packing old manuscripts in boxes to be sent away to our company's warehouse, to make space in the office storeroom.

12. Dozed off for a split second during an incredibly boring meeting. (Okay fine, this one is not so unconventional!)
The only things that kept me awake were my colleague's doodles, which mostly consisted of the word 'HELP!!!!' in big and bold.

13. Did henna on colleagues' hands.
It was Friday Faze Diwali edition!

14. Dried my clothes (while I was still in them) under the hand dryer in the toilet.
I got caught in the rain without an umbrella, and the air-conditioner in my office was freeze-drying me.

15. Played hindi music at full blast.
It was a sunday and I was the only one in the office. I was doing my university assignment and I needed my designer's computer and indesign software to do it. And yes, I got permission first. Sheesh.

16. Went to my publisher's room and said, "J, I wanna quit."
I was depressed about a whole bunch of colleagues resigning and I needed the pep talk from the woman I have admired the most in my entire working life so far.


17. Sent an sms to a colleague asking him to call the meeting room I was stuck in, and ask for me.
I needed an excuse to escape! I was going to literally die of boredom in that meeting. Even exchanging nonsensical emails with my team seemed more productive.

What's the weirdest thing you have done at your workplace?




49 comments:

R said...

first!!!!!!
and i have read the post also!!!!!!
i am amazing!!!!!

R said...

okay..now cuming to the post...
//Used the men's toilet.

hahahha...My frined had to once, the ladies one wasnt open so she went up to the chowkidar(we were in colg) and the chowkidarr says,"madumm, ladies waaley ki chabhi nahi hai mere pass, gents waaley parr knck karr ke dekhiye koi andar toh nahi, firr andarr se lock karrke istemall karr lijiye.."

I did not ask my friend this but i wonderr now, how she must have managed..itt...errr,,,

//Joined some thirty-five people in executing a "pink day" at work.
pink!!!!!!!

have nevah worked, hence i do not have any experince to share.

p.s. got smilethesmile bakkkkkkkk!!!!!!!!!
luke hendersen ki jai!

Just Jane said...

Another tag!!! Uffo! The pink day thingy and the drying yourself under a hand dryer were the weirdest, acdg to me :D Both must have been quite a sight to see!!! Hahaha!!

Anonymous said...

i get the platinum!!

OK i just extended the IUPAC nomenclature.

first gets gold, second silver, third bronze, and the fourth gets a PLATINUM!
hu hu..

let me read now!

Sumit Tada said...

Ahem good list indeed.........
Seems nobody read ur "tag" waali line....
Lekin jo log abhi workplace pe gaye hi nai woh kya karen???
Reading 3 newspapers in one lecture, listening to 4-5 songs while sharing the mobile's earphone with frnd, sleeping every alternate lecture,eating others lunch(with permission), watching movie on frnds laptop (okey just a small part that too muted).........thats it and that too in an engg college..........wont make a full post i guess....will it???

R said...

Ahem. I'm here before the girls :D

Ab post padhta hun :D

R said...

HAHAHAHAAA!

Dried my clothes (while I was still in them) under the hand dryer in the toilet.
Suddenly reminds me of the position you had once talked about in one of your posts.. Damn, noone clicked you that time :| Ugh.
(Don't throw the shoes that bit you at me, okay?)


And..err...tagged?! Muahahaa. I don't have a workplace as yet! *sulks*
It'd have been different case, if you were talking about college. :D

R said...

And yes, we were also eagerly waiting for you to get up and come online... :|

And, haven't you seen that brilliant Panadol campaign? 'One is enough?' And, err, that's true.
*shocked*
*SHOCKED*

Prayank said...

cool stuff ....

the weirdest things that i did:
1. played loud hindi music when i had to go to office at 5 in the morning
2. remove my shoes and sit on the chair with legs folded
3. change shirt in my cubicle to get ready for a football match

thats all i remeber now

dharmu said...

hey, i roamp around the office most of the time wihtout shoes. i guess if i wear them, ill be wierd??

Unknown said...

LOL Sash!!

That was hilariously weird :P

//"Strangled a colleague, and drew a speech bubble with the words 'Don't go!!!' on a piece of paper and held it above my head."
Awwwww.. that was soooooooo dam cute >:D<

//"Used the men's toilet"
Off to read that post after this comment :P

//"Joined some thirty-five people in executing a "pink day" at work."
GUYS & PINK.... :O:O:O
The weirdest, shocking thing I've heard since long :O

Nice one bacchha...

Take care,
Aarti

PS: I didn't read your post haan :P

Anonymous said...

______
What's the weirdest thing you have done at your workplace?
______

i am doing my internship. so not exactly a work place, but still.. we
(three of us) played dumb charades in the conference room (with no one else to watch ofcourse!).

uhhh! i know it doesnt sound weird.

Anonymous said...

What's the weirdest thing you have done at your workplace?

I worked.



I work in a circus.

Anonymous said...

* Built those Mindstorm car kits from Lego and raced them.
* Putted.
* Cracked a rude joke (by email) with a colleague and accidentally copied the VP.
Wierd things my colleagues have done:
* Dismantled cubicles to build a fort (its all modular - very cool!)
* made eggs (electric stove + disabled fire alarm).

Sayesha said...

#Raam Pyari,
Chabhi wale toilets?? :O
ps: Luke Henderson ne jaane diya?? Arre wah! Jai ho uski!
pps: Tu agar ek aur baar URL change karegi toh khoon kharaba ho jayega samjhi! :/

#Chosen One,
So you accept the tag! :P

#Satish,
Hahahaha! Platinum it seems! :P

#Sumit,
Ho workplace nahin gaye woh study place ke baare mein link sakte hain! :)
ps: What we're interested to know is which movie it was! ;)

#Rohit,
Arre tu us baat baat ko lekar hi baith gaya! Photo nahin liya achha kiya! :D
And yeah, this tag works for college/school/uni too! :P
ps: What panadol campaign?? :O

#Prayank,
Points 1 and 2 are very similar to mine, but you win hands down with point 3! :D

#Dharmu,
Kabhi joote pehen kar ghoom office mein... if pple start staring, then you know! :P

#Aarti,
Thanks! :)

#Satish,
DC in conf room! Sounds awesome! Sure there was no CCTV eh? ;)

#MAC,
Not weird enough, my dear :)
Everyone works at their workplace, irrespective of whether your workplace is an office or a circus.
ps: Yes, I noticed. :)

#Singh,
Haha! Hope the joke wasn't about the VP! ;)
Made eggs using a fire alarm??? :O
Can I have the recipe please?? :P

Sirius Black said...

U ll b convicted of mass Tagging (if it makes ny sense :P)
Guys wearing pink :o lolzz just wondering how different the party seemed.

Thanu said...

thanu reads, doesn't want sayesha to tag her so she slowly walks away with out leaving a comment.

Sumit Tada said...

The movie was "Pearl Harbour" and I watched that part in which the Japanese attacked the Pearl Harbour, So watching without sound wasnt a problem........
Aur haan likh to diya apni place ke baare mein, bass itna kuchh hi kiya hai, haan woh yoga wala postrue to main class mein hamesha use karta hoon, in fact even exams mein bhi mera to mann karta hai lekin meri seat hamesha first bench pe hoti hai to thodi sharam aa jati hai!!

Pi said...

I play foosball at work every day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foosball

Unknown said...

i don't really have a workplace..lab- lab is my second home. :)
but i'll see what i can come up with.
i have done the whole "smsing a friend to bail me out when i was with certain, extreeeeeeemely boooooooooring company tho. outside work.
bad, bad. :)

Sayesha said...

#Chirag,
My goodness!! That was like AWESOME man! I wouldn't dare such a stunt, you know! :P

#Sirius,
Well, the guys didn't wear like baby pink or fluo pink yaar! They had their own interpretations of pink! ;)

#Thanu,
Hahahaha! So cute! :P
*Sayesha pulls Thanu back and implores her, teary-eyed, to accept the tag*

#Sumit,
Achha achha! Shareefon wali movie huh? I thought guys ka pata nahin kya bharosa... :P

#AP,
Lunchtime mein I hope!
ps: Dude, we all know what foosball is! :)

#Ipanema Gal,
Hehehe... let's have some lab stories then... lab mein toh aur bahut kuch ho sakta hai, especially if it's a chem lab... you can cook dinner muahaha! :D

Anonymous said...

OK this happened when i was young and frivolous.
Was doing a rotation in gastroenterology in NYC. As always, the residents and interns were cash strapped.
Monday morning. 35 patients scheduled for endoscopies, and we pulled off the ultimate indian rope trick. A strike, well not exactly a strike, but all of us refused to scope a single patient, unless the rich boss, bought us a weekend getaway.
It was hilarious, at first he thought we were kidding (we thought we were kidding too actually).
PS- the negotiations went much better than anticipated, 4 of us scored a trip to Las Vegas. Yeah it was before HMO's, and no dont ask me how old I am:D

Young Master said...

was this the santa cap that i think it was?

Anonymous said...

______
DC in conf room! Sounds awesome! Sure there was no CCTV eh? ;)
______

aah you reaaly missed the chance naa!

had there been a CCTV i'd have showed you the 'programme'. it was really hilarious.

we will try and make sure kee CCTV is installed in every conf room. :D

Sayesha said...

#Trip,
Oh my goodness, I dunno what to say. Docs pulling a strike is uhhh... :|
ps: And how old are you, sir? :)

#Ro,
Hahaha! You wish, don't you? I left behind the Santa cap you refer to. This is a new one. :)

#Satish,
Hehehe... yeah yeah next time record karke Youtube par daal dena... I'll watch it and give you some DC tips... yeah I used to DC in uni... once my team kicked the ass of the reigning champions because we guessed 'Pseudocode' in under 3 seconds! :P

Sumit Tada said...

Ahem......whatever......

Sayesha said...

#Sumit,
Ooops looks like I offended someone... I was kidding yaar! Yeh ladke kabse jokes par naaraaz hone lage? :O

R said...

You DON'T know that famous CAMPAIGN!!!
:O :O :O
Neilfrench.com visit karo...Dekh lo.

Nirwa Mehta said...

Work place.. Umm... I don't have any workplace! :-( But yes, school and college.. haha.. must write about the weird and crazy stuff I did! hehee..

Nice read, there! :D

Nirwa

Sumit Tada said...

Arey nai re........naraz kahan, could not think of saying anything more than that..........haan waise yeh kisne kaha ki ladke naraaz nai hote???

Kusum Rohra said...

I printed someones blog and forgot to collect it from the printer, the next morn I find the prints on my desk, with a note from one of our DIRECTORS saying "Printing blogs is a punishable offence :)"

The fact that he drew a smiley at the end of his note saved me from having a fatal attack.

Preethi said...

Been thinking for a while if I had any weird experiences till now.. Just cant come up with any.
Wanna take up this tag and work on this... might as well give me an insight how interesting my work life is!!! :)

Preethi said...

But yeah... walking around without shoes... I never did it, though my feet would be bleeding, and they actually did more than once... And I really find it weird if someone walks like that...:).. guess I am weird ! (That reminds me that I am yet to complete that weirdo tag!)

Sudipta Chatterjee said...

Ahh... I just completed the weird things about me tag... but nothing compares to the way you write! Your blog is awesome, and my special thanks to Sunshine for referring yours to me.

Keep blogging!

P.S.- On a different note, look at the upside of your blog being plagiarised... it has the quality of a gem: someone actualyl wants to steal it! :D
And No, I don't support that Namkeen lady and do praise your lash-back on the issue

Anonymous said...

PSUEDOCODE! !@#$%^&*()

thats not even name of a movie, is it?

what did you do??!

spelled out sudoko..psuedo..watever!! :-S

Sayesha said...

#Rohit,
Sheesh that was a real ad??? I thought it was a forwarded joke! :O

#Nirwa,
Yeah, write about school-college! :)

#Sumit,
Arre yaar, kisi ne kaha nahin, I have noticed... guys zyada chilled out hote hain... chhoti chhoti baaton par naaraaz nahin ho jaate :) See this :)

#Kusum,
Hahahaha!! But how did he know that you had printed them?? :)

#Smiling Gal,
Will look forward to both posts! :)

#Sudipta,
Thanks! :) I'm gonna go check up your weird things now :)
ps: About the plagiarism, it's difficult for me to take it as a compliment when someone's stealing my life :)

#Satish,
Hahahaha! That's another story! Basically, when they announced that the next round was on 'Computers', I told my guessers that if I did a particular hand gesture, it would indicate 'pseudo'. My luck that the first word I got was pseudocode. Pseudo = 1 second. Code = 2 seconds. You should have seen the shocked look on the face of the judges, contestants and audience. Ufff, maza aa gaya! :)

R said...

SAYESHA!!! SAYESHA!!!

Why would a forwarded joke have it's logo on it!!! :O :O :O


:P

Lalit Singh said...

hahaha...

one thing which i did do many a times was sleep in the office..and not the catch-a-wink-in-the-meetings... i used to shutoff my monitor and remove specs n spread my arms on the table n rest my head on them... my seat being in a particularly corner space where not many people could see me... plus it was the time when we were working 14 hours everyday so such little liberties were thrown in for good measure

Kusum Rohra said...

I am the only one in our office who can do such a thing and besides he knows i blog and read blogs too :)

Sayesha said...

#Rohit,
Arre! Joke tha na! Joke ke koi rules hote hain kya?? :/

#Lalit,
Sheesh! Reminds me of a designer in my office who would take naps with his eyes open!! No one would ever guess! :O

#Kusum,
Hahaha! Sabko pataakar rakha hai, kyun? ;)

Rishi said...

Now I will share that u couldnt imagine.
I joined a company after moving put from a company having sarkari culture and timings. At this new company the work hours were 25% more and all computer based so i started feeling a bit sleepy on my third but being a new employee i could put my head down and sleep so i drank a few coffee to fight my sleep. But it was of no help so i went to wash room sat in the seat for a few mins took a 10 min nap and came back to the desk sometime u have to do such things.. to later laugh on urself

Sayesha said...

#Rishi,
Hahahahaha!!! I did that once during my internship!!! :P I was so utterly bored that I got sleepy, so decided I needed a ten-min nap! :D

Sumana said...

It was my last day in my prev org and I had gone to say good bye to some of my colleagues who were in a different building. On my way to my building I got drenched, umbrella didn’t help much.

I had to attend my farewell from my team which meant standing in front of 100 odd people. I did not want to look like the wet cat so went inside the toilet and used the hand dryer to dry my clothes.

Imagine if the dryer is right next to the door and the men’s rest room right opposite ;-)(adds to the fun isn't it)

sunshine said...

There goes my list ma'am.

http://sunshinenjoy.blogspot.com/2006/06/weird-things-at-work.html

Anonymous said...

I offered to work in a dunk tank at a fundraiser for the school I worked at.
I should have picked a better clingier shirt...one good toss and I was going under and before I knew it my top was over my head...flashing some parents and grade 6 students.

pradster said...

man! you work in a fun place it seems, i have done nothing weird at work..ever..and that is so so boring:(

Sayesha said...

#Sumana,
Hahaha! The guys would've stopped whatever they were doing to stare and sing "Ek ladki bheegi bhaagi si..." :D

#Sunshine,
Hahaha! Read and commented! :P

#Fairy,
OMG!!!! :O :O :O

#Pradster,
Gotta create fun outta nuthin' at all! :P

Sudeep said...

used the men's toilet.. eeekkss!!! will read tht post when i have ample time...

i watched uncensored The Girl Next Door this Saturday (after the half day) in the office .. n most of the time my colleagues were watching their shoulders if anyone saw us watching tht
*Elisha Cuthbert.. haiiii... logs off blogspot n adores her wllppr*

Sayesha said...

#Sudeep,
Yeah, she's hot! :)