Today I had a flashback about an old movie with Michael Keaton, “Gung Ho” (1986). A chinese title for a movie about a Japanese carmaker takeover of an American small-town factory.
The movie, a comedy with drama, highlighted the differences between the Japanese worker and the American one. Or at least between the attitude towards work.
One scene in particular that I remember, when a Japanese employee working in the middle of the night, is given the news of his wife having given birth, but he can’t reach her as he’ silently forced to stay in the office.
That was clearly an exaggeration.. however, from time to time it may happen to have to be working late, and to have to give up on social life. Specifically, today, (now yesterday), Sunday 25th, was my birthday, and, incidentally also the day I worked to the latest hour in recent times.
I’m not into birthday celebrations and I’m aware of the need to meet milestones (that’s the nature of the business). However, when one doesn’t have the freedom to decide wether or not to celebrate a birthday, or take a vacation, when it becomes a constriction, the effect is different. One feels like he’s missed a chance. On the other hand, it’s perhaps it’s also a good way to appreciate things. For example, the fact that this summer I didn’t have a chance to take a vacation, made me somewhat want to take one when I can (and not just to go to Italy to visit relatives and to rest).
Friday was also holiday, but I went to work. From 1PM till 9/10PM. So, basically, now I’m heading into a new week of work, without having taken any real rest… and I’ll probably be working again till 10/11PM every day. That’s got to be somewhat heavy 8)
A real issue with that, is that doing simple things such as laundry and getting an haircut, or buying groceries, becomes a bit complicated if not impossible.
Some groceries can be bought at the convenience stores, while getting an haircut is really mostly out of question.
My mealtonin pill is starting to make effect and I think I’ll head to bed… zzzzzzzzz
Posted by Davide Pasca in Uncategorized