Clockwatchers

it's a day for thoughts.

i watched 'clockwatchers' just now, and can't help my train of thoughts. i've never heard of this 1997 movie comedy but it was such a simple movie with a mundane office setting and plain characters that i'm sure it's a sleeper hit when it came out - coz it's really good.


i caught it when it just started, and couldn't changed the channel. probably because of the good script and engaging acting of its casts. more so because of the whole story of 'clockwatchers'.

the movie's tagline 'four women. four dreams. one office' sums it all - toni collete's character iris came to work as a temp, befriended three other girls; and together they faced office politics, being ignored, critized over puny tasks, and also the target as suspects over series of theft in the office. because of suspicions, the friendship of the four faltered off and eventually died away.

the title of the movie refers to the mundane, day in-day out 9-5 deskjob that ended up being meaningless perfunctory thing someone does for a living. your job is boring. you are bored. you can't wait for the end of the day. you watch the clock as it turned 5:00. clockwatchers!

* * *

i'm not working now; but i'm glad to say i did found a wonderful job that i love doing. it doesn't have to pay a bundle, or placed me in high positions, or gets me my own office with a view - but i absolutely love it, that waking up monday mornings had never been a bluesy day. i love my daily tasks and assignments, and i love my co-workers. it had been fantastic.

but oh yes, before that i had had my share of being a clockwatcher - guilty as charged! i was hired as a 'C' but when my department was disbanded, everyone in 'C' had to do a whole other odd jobs for other departments. most of us at 'C' department were disappointed, highly demotivated and frustrated. i felt i was wasting time, and i wasn't fully utilized.

i became a clockwatcher; to the point of drawing blocks of minutes and ticked them off as the hours passed! it became more depressing - you know what they say, 'a watched pot never boils!' or what phoebe said to chandler, 'you gotta stop staring at the door. it's like a watched pot, you know if you keep looking at it, then the door is never gonna boil.'

*snicker*


but hey, lesson learned - and i left before i waste anymore of my precious time. i know that stuck-to-a-desk-job department was not for me; and i found my calling in my last job - the one i left for before i went to dubai. teach, plan, move, create. impart knowledge, stir brains, nurture minds, laugh a lot. listen, speak, sing. research, write, read, share.

i was never again a clockwatcher. and i can't believe i ever was. in fact, at that office, time did fly - i had so much fun!