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Travails of the Much Traveled - II




Finally got a laptop, cube, network access, and e-mail ID at office. I love the standardization in this country - it is as if I have never been away. I feel like a plug in component, ready to play. They use Dell laptops, Lotus Notes, and a cafeteria that works on exactly the same principles as Cat.

Only the office building is nightmarish. It is spread out on the three limbs of a quadrangle. In the middle is the parking lot. All buildings are interconnected with walkways, staircases, and corridors. They are all strangely named as 53e and 64w. They don't use elevators in this office - they walk. Everybody must be putting in at least 2 - 3 miles of walking everyday. So here're the directions to the cafeteria from my cube:

1. Start at cube
2. Walk straight along an indistinguishable corridor for 3 mts
3. Turn right
4. Meander until you find a staircase
5. Climb down to 42 W
6. Walk left for 2 mts along another indistinguishable corridor until you find the walkway
7. Walk across to reach cafeteria

Total walking, climbing, getting lost, finding yourself again time: 7 minutes

This afternoon, I set out. Got lost on the second floor. Went round and round. Asked a clearly non-English speaking gentleman. Overshot his direction by two feet. Found self in a corridor leading away from the building into the parking lot. Couldn't get back in since had no access card. Followed directions and got out into open air. Went back to the reception. The girl at the reception got so hassled because she couldn't let me in on my own (I have no idea why she got so stressed). Called up people in my group who asked her to let me in. Phew! One of these days, I'm going to get irretrievably lost in this building. Like Tom Hanks.

Did I say this before? My client is very good looking. He has the most gorgeous eyes I've seen on a man. He also spouts management/marketing crap like it is going out of fashion. In this morning's meeting, only 25% of what he said made any sense. Really. All else sounded like a concatenation of words done by a AI system gone ape on Philip Kotler.

Midwest hospitality rules in this office too. People have been very friendly. More than that, I think they are curious about me. Several people walked up to me and introduced themselves and wanted to know what I will be doing. Like Cat, this also seems to be like an old-fashioned, no nonsense behemoth. One curious thing I noticed - these people are great shoulder-touchers. It's been only 1.5 days in office and already three people touched my shoulder. It is a non-sexual, friendly gesture, but you know how corporate US is on these matters. Hmmm!

Now let us cast our gazes outside office and see what is happening otherwise.

I have been sick. Enervating, aggravating, stupid, acute asthma attack. Everything brings on a coughing fit - bending, turning upper torso, climbing up a flight of stairs, inhaling spices, eating oily food, standing on cold kitchen tiles, opening old files, getting near strong perfumes/odor and facing the infamous Chicago wind. I HATE it! I don't know when I am going to be alright.

Last evening, went to the neighborhood Borders. It remains as ever. They still have my name in their rewards database. Whoo hoo! There was an Indian social at the hotel last evening. The dining area was converted into some sort of Bandini budouir, with some strange hindi music on the pipe and lots of Indian eats, such as samosas, tandoori chicken and stuff. Couldn't partake of the splendor. Some other Tuesday.

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