Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The Day After...


Monday evening after office hour, I met with the numero uno of HR. I was hoping for good news for this but it was a kind of a mixed feeling. I was told that I am being promoted to the higher grade and this I thank Allah very much. However, I am not yet promoted to the grade of the post which I am covering now because of few issues. One, I am still at two grade lower of the post and two, the management has some issues that require me to settle first. What surprised me is the fact that they say they want me to fill this position in about a year if everything goes well. Because he was not being specific, I was not exactly sure what one year means but I guess it could also mean forever. I was also lectured about quality of leadership that one must posses to get to the position and at this moment I still have got more to learn. I was quite happy that the issues raised were not because of my technical competencies or integrity but rather perception of some senior management of how I conduct things in the office. I think I know what he meant and I also feel that I know why this accusation was being thrown off to me. The only thing which I feel a bit unfair was that my clarification was not sought first and whomever made the comments clearly a kind of unjust person because they also fail to admit that they also made error in judgement. It's always easy to critices ones action behind him or her because you do not have to answer for your own mistakes.



When I officially told the numero uno that actually I dont want that post, I could see that he was so surprised and a bit agitated. At least for me, I have officially declared that the post can be given to anyone in the company without me being considered. I could see the change on his face when I declared that I would like to be transferred out even with no promotion but he quipped that there is probably no other place in the company that I can go to. Yeah, like I beleive him. For some people, they may have thought that I am desperate and even overzealous to get the position immediately and actually I have proved them it is not so. Not after almost eight months actually doing the job and have to sacrifice a lot along the way. And along the way through the discussion, I could feel that there is a lot of things and contributions and also difficulties which I have to endure that did not get a proper understanding from them. Clearly, they have missed all the sufferings and perseverance that I have to endure in order to get the office in order post December 14th 2007. For this, I feel slighted because for some people, thier ego is more important than other's sincerity and efforts. Maybe, its the fault of myself or maybe, the credit has gone to the wrong person.

After the meeting I consulted the division Numero Uno and asked whether I can be transferred to other department in the division since I feel that I do not have the quality and the energy require to carry out the responsibility anymore after the misperception. The response was a solid no and actually it kinda jive with what the HR boss was saying that I am to continue covering the the post for the best of the company.

After a sleepless night, I came to a conclusion that what has been decided for me is something that I have to follow since I am just an employee. I see no point arguing with the management since the problem that I have is not of their main priority anyway. Hopefully, this perception will vanish shortly but whatever it is, it's all what Allah has decided for me is the best. On the other hand, there are also few good things about this whole shenanigan since with the one-grade promotion and covering allowance, quite substantial increase in salary. Alhamdullilah.

To the lesser extend, I learn one thing about life which has strucked me many times but I keep forgetting or just does not jive with my style of managing. Bosses are always right and most of them have ultra-high ego. As long as you are working under someone, you are not exactly free to criticise unless you are willing to pay a high price...for me, I work because I need to feed my family..but in doing so, I will be as transparent and as sincere as possible even it means surfacing the unfairness of others..that, insha'allah will not go away from me...

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Something Brewing...


Just few days ago I was sorta told that I might be transferred to other department in the company. Initially I took it as shere rumours and nothing else..however, at about 10AM today, my PA told me that the numero uno of the company HR wants to see me next week for an appointment...What could it be? is the rumour true? or is it something that everyone already knows except me?...well, i guess I have to wait until 12th August to find out...

Sunday, August 3, 2008

All-Time Masterpiece - Eagles Reminiscene

Over the weekend, I started to play again with my guitar to try playing one of my favorite songs by Eagles, Hotel California. I like this song very much because of its guitar play, both acoustic and electric. I managed to download few tabs from the net and as of today still learning to interpret it without hurting the fingers. Anyway, got few info about this song and from the wikipedia I learnt that this song was considered as a rock masterpice. I tend to agree on this.

Hotel California was the Eagles' fifth album of original material and became a critical success and a major commercial hit; since its release in late 1976, it has sold over 16 million copies in the U.S. alone. The album was at #1 for eight weeks in early 1977 (non-consecutively), and included two tracks which became #1 hits as singles on the Billboard Hot 100: "New Kid in Town", on February 26, 1977, and "Hotel California" on May 7, 1977. - source Wikipedia

Hotel California touched on many themes, including innocence (and the loss thereof), addiction in general (and to drugs), death, the dangers, temptation and transient nature of fame, shallow relationships, divorce and loss of love, the end results of manifest destiny, and the "American Dream."

Members of Eagles have described the album as a metaphor for the perceived decline of America into materialism and decadence. In an interview with Dutch magazine ZigZag shortly before the album's release, Don Henley said:

“ This is a concept album, there's no way to hide it, but it's not set in the old West, the cowboy thing, you know. It's more urban this time (. . . ) It's our bicentennial year, you know, the country is 200 years old, so we figured since we are the Eagles and the Eagle is our national symbol, that we were obliged to make some kind of a little bicentennial statement using California as a microcosm of the whole United States, or the whole world, if you will, and to try to wake people up and say 'We've been okay so far, for 200 years, but we're gonna have to change if we're gonna continue to be around.' ”

The album's final track, the epic "The Last Resort", was about the demise of society. Glenn Frey on the Hotel California episode of In the Studio with Redbeard explained about the track:

It was the first time that Don took it upon himself to write an epic story and we were already starting to worry about the environment...we're constantly screwing up paradise and that was the point of the song and that at some point there is going to be no more new frontiers. I mean we're putting junk, er, garbage into space now.
- source Wikipedia

I also managed to view this song as performed by the Eagles live on youtube. The following is the link...

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