Thursday, September 20, 2007

Lift Me Up

I got a couple of tags to do. But when I came to this question- "If you could eat anything right now, what would it be?", I drew up such a long list that blogger shut down! So have decided to hold on till I feel less hungry (NOT read as never!)

So tomorrow's my last day in this job and I will no longer be a chip off the old block (very cool pun for all who know where I work). Have spent the day writing good bye mails today which I'm very excited about sending out tomorrow. Though what is disappointing is that people nowadays are so well connected that before you can break the news to them, they already know.

I have this quirk to be the first one to break news-good or bad. Hence was known as the gossip queen of campus. There is a certain joy of knowing a piece of fresh gossip which only convent educated girls like me know! There's something about seeing people's mouth drop open when you say "Have you heard...." or the tingle in your tummy when you're listening to a piece of gossip and already mentally making a note of who all to disseminate to after putting down the phone!!

There was a time my reputation was so amazing that people would say "Zee, just wanted everyone to know I'm engaged and thought what better way to get the news to the rest of the world than to tell you." I took my job very seriously and within 5 mins would make sure all relevant people have received every juicy detail!!! Sigh.....those were the days! Now people are too busy to generate gossip for me and so I spend my time blogging....

Coming back to the title of this post which as you may have noticed has had nothing to do with this post so far. The reason I wanted to blog was because I have spent a significant time of my 2 yrs in this job praying for my life. A whooping 5 mins everyday when I got into the lift going up and another 5 mins while coming down!

I'm not on the 60th floor. In fact a 15th of that to be precise. Yet laziness runs in my bones so I never take the stairs. Hence the degree of interaction with the lift is amazing

I'm not claustrophobic but God knows I break into a sweat everytime I step into the tin room. Someone had done a case study on how a lift company was able to satisfy customers better because they'd put mirrors outside so that people wouldn't be bored waiting for the lift to come and so the time the lift took seemed shorter. Apparently, my lift people read the case study and smartly decided to place the mirrors inside the lifts so that you can kill time while the lift kills you softly climbing up the floors at snail speed!

Once inside, don't panic. There's clanking and banging and the lift shakes enough to measure 50 on the Richter scale (just hold the side panel or each other if someone else is risking their life with you) and you can practically picture a skinny little guy huffing and puffing trying to pull the lift up. (No wise cracks you guys! It's not due to my weight! Hmph!)

And today, the switches inside stopped working. So you just need to get inside and wish that it stops at your floor. So while getting out to my car on zero, I went from the 4th floor, to -2, to -1 and wola! Straight to 1! Before I was faced the embarrassment of walking out again on the 4th floor, I decided to get off and use the staircase! Forced exercise I tell you! Someone out there is plotting against me!

The one last thing on lifts.....why does everyone stare at your footwear????? Esp when your sandal is broken.......

35 comments:

IR said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
IR said...

hi zee
so blogging is a poor cousin to gossip ! i dont know about your gossip abilities but you are dam good at blogging :)
i guess people have nothing else to do in the lift, so they stare at your shoes ?!

Daroga said...

well... same to same for me regarding lifts.. especially after I saw the lift-accident in the movie Speed.
I even feared the escalators till few months back :P
At least U have someone(thing) to force you for an exercise.... I am getting heavier each day due to the lack of it( ya ya... "blame game"... ya.... ok.... now... ssshhhhh :P)
And rest assured, if I have some news to spread... I'll definitely come to your gossipability :P
Jai ho

Anshul said...

"A 15th of the 60th floor".
I was impressed with your math ...
on another note, my worst experience has been in Bombay in one of such similar lifts when I was on my way to the 8th floor and it was chuging along.
then, when on the 2nd floor someone decided to let us know what he had for lunch thru the "you-realise-what-medium"
I think I've never seen the lift empty out SO fast!

Anonymous said...

a chip? dont be so humble...a bag, maybe a sack of chips...

Anonymous said...

beta, mine's in the second floor and yet I use the lift.
we have mirrors inside too, and I have a sneaking suspicion these guys got it for cheap from one of those trick mirror palace - I swear to God i look fatter in those mirrors, shorter too!
So dont you worry, you have company

Di said...

ayyo..tell me about it..i dread enterin the lift wen my sandals are broken :-/ no one wants to make eye contact(including me) so everyone stares at the floor :(and mine is on the 7th floor dear..so..u know..sigh....thats aone long journey :-/

APOO said...

I would rather they stare at my feet than anywhere else!!!

Anonymous said...

My friend got stuck in the lift once. Hw was alone but didnt panic. He used the phone in the life to call up emergency and fire-ambulance-cops came in, gosh it must be so embarassing. I havent had any such interactions with the lift though, and dont curse urself i use it even for the first floor :)

Nasia said...

Man!! i wish my friends read this.. i am exactly the one to break the gossip.. and my mom recently said.. blogging is akin to gossiping.. :)..
Lifts..i usually look up at the mirror.. above.. but my companys got a cool lift.. i enjoi the rides.. :)

Nasia said...

And all the best for ur new job!

Still Searching said...

I agree with Apoo, I'd rather have them looking at my shoes than anywhere else!! I thnk its because people dont know where else to look, thats why they just look down! Hmmm. and your talent for spreading the news has been utilized by many! :))

yezdi said...

congrats for leaving the old job, i guess its too soon to be congratualting for new one. Some how the best part of finding a new job these days is moving out of the old one.

cm chap said...

Zee..That's Gorgeous... Dn't u realize who is plotting against u..probably ur boss...bcoz u quit...

Hope you get good elevator in the new office.. All the best

The Individualist said...

Fun post. :D
Everytime am in a lift, I pray for some disaster. I don't know why. It'd be interesting, wouldn't it? To have it stop midway for hours. Or to have it free-falling. Er, I know you aren't going to be exactly comfortable getting into the same lift as I do. Nevertheless. :p

Sirpy said...

Ha.. When I get inside a lift, i actually check out the company who's made it.. Otis, or Johnson or KONE.. I in fact, count them.. 23 Otis so far.. :D

mathew said...

hahaha..btw you retired at 27..Lol!!

btw let me tell you that you should never feel guilty of taking the lift to go fifteen floors..how can u even imagine that..

why do you burn calories..when all the world is talking about conserving energy!!

Cool said...

Zee why haven't you told us any gossip lately....
are you losing touch with age?

Anonymous said...

i hate lifts too.. always reminds me of elevate in noida.. could never get into it :D and all the best for the new job!

Bullshee said...

Zee!I'm a mega stud who's suprisingly single! Go spread the word! I know u can't resist! [Uh, gossip doesn't have to be true does it?]

Lift-o-phobia! Well, its the lesser of two evils, ain't it.That, or walkin up 15 floors....gasp!cough!gasp gasp!

Zee said...

ir....well there need to be tv screens or something in lifts to kill boredom then

adarsh...achha hua speed nahin dekhi....meri to band baj jaati

anshul....grosssssssssss...and i'm glad my math impressed u

beanpole...well i laughed....%&^%^%E$

arpz...the issue with mirrors these days i tell u

di....why they can't look at their own shoes?

apoo...now that puts things in perspective

maverick...ur poor poor friend...i push the alarm even if the lift goes off for a second

nasia...thanks...and never be ashamed of being labelled a gossip. i wear that tag with pride!

still searching....look towards the door, ur own shoes or just something!!!! everytime i feel eyes on mine, my toes curl up!!!

yezdi...100% agree!!!!!!!!

cm...i hope so man....must check it out...

individualist.......ok.....im taking the stairs if i am ever meeting u!!!

Zee said...

sirpy....they all suck....just fyi, mine was otis

matthew....not 15 floors....1/15th of 60 floors...that's 4th floor!!!

cool...u need to call me to find out gossip no!

sreejith...hahahaha! elevate sucks just btw

bullshee...i spread gossip not lies!!! i have a credibility to hold! and ditto reply as i just wrote to matthew above

Cuckoo said...

Great math ability gal! So where are you off to now? (I already know, but just asking! yes,news travels fast!!)

Oh, and when your sandal strap breaks and you are limping, the worst is the pseudo-sympathetic questioner "Oh, poor thing, your slipper strap is broken?" I feel like saying "No you dodo, I just broke it because it releases cynaide gas, and you are going to die in 2 minutes. I am a suicide bomber... (evilly go 'Ha Ha Ha')" Howzzat? :)

Naveen Prabhu said...

:-)..

That Armchair Philosopher said...

hahaha, look at the bright side - if the mirrors were replaced by a see-through glass like a lot of modern elevators have - would it be an improvement? :)

as for people who tend to stare at your footwear - let this be an excuse not to wear broken sandals to work? ;)

and hullo after a bit of time - i've been traveling et al, but am back now!

praveen said...

hi.......

luisgonewild said...

hey..
i guess this is my first comment on ur blog..
even i am a bit terrified about lifts...especially since the time i got stuck in one for almost an hour coz the power supply got cut...
and also the fact some wise-ass every once in a while always takes a lot of pleasure in reminding u that it can all end if the cord snaps..i know this helps...hehe
enjoy working tomorrow..

Gomathy S said...

Lifts..they are really something..& u did the right thing of getting down b4 anything further..!!

Ghousia Islam said...

hiii :)
thanxs for commenting in my blog!!-appreciate it.
btw i have faced this broken sandal thing twice..that too those pair giving up in my college campus...hahaha..the way "supposed PYTs" stare as if i am commiting some crime...gosh!!
and u write really well.

nutty said...

I'm so late in commenting that everyone has said everything there is to say :(

what to say?!

Zee said...

cuckoo....muah muah for applauding my math-ability.....even my teachers never did!!!

naveen... :)

armchair....welcome back!!!! and i don't wear broken sandals....they become broken....

praveen...hello

luis....good god that must've been scary!!!

scribbler....i got out to avoid embarrassment rather than for safety!!!!

oh gosh...thanks :)

nutty....u have nothing to say??? shocked!!!

BD said...

Tell me about it! I DON'T use one...I'm scared :D

Lalit Singh said...

what better way to get the news to the rest of the world than to tell you
Hahahaha
why does everyone stare at your footwear?????
Coz thats the best people can do in lifts... or else stare at the display which slowly tells which floor u have reached. Sometimes I am amazed at people who look at it with such rapt attention, as if they are seeing the numbers for the first time in their life.
BTW I get the same claustrophobic kinda feel using toilets on aircrafts.

IR said...

where art thou ?
post pse !

Amandeep Singh said...

hey waaasup ZEE...
how did u break the sandal ;)

a big Hiiii to u :)