Monday 22 September 2008

Deadline

Deadline - the time by which something must be finished or submitted; a line or a limit that must not be passed- says many a dictionary. Its a very interesting word used virtually everyday in the corporate world. I suppose the word itself is pretty self explanatory as the word 'dead' means nothing short than a finite end. With it accompanied by the word 'line'... i guess deadline must mean that 'the line ends(dies) here!'

In my line of work, deadlines are imposed on everything you do. Even if u want to take a smoke break - they'll say 'ok.. u have 5 minutes from now'....


In general, deadlines are meant to be final, but many a time, we are accustomed to an art that i have since perfected... i.e. the art of procrastination. Henceforth the need for extensions!

Recently I've been busy at work trying to meet nonsensical deadlines for impossible clients. Everyday whilst eyes glued to the computer monitor, fingers gracefully floating around the keyboard, chorus of 'clicks' and 'clacks' and 'beeps' and 'bleeps' from my (sort-off) trusty IBM Thinkpad; at the back of my mind i hear only the ticking of the clock, reminding me of the impending deadlines. With each 'tick' and 'tock' i see the deadline demon closing in on me telling me better not fuck things up!

Last week was really a very trying week with stupid hours and bosses that knock on your doors at the wrong time (like 5.30pm for an email that needs to go out like by 5.31pm!). I could've taken the easy way out by opting to fly to Phuket and bask in the sun with a nice Singha beer (or 2) in my hands, but i didn't. Instead, i cancelled my trip just to work and in fact, I was stationed at my desk for a full 10 hours with minimal break on a Sunday. Could you imagine that? Me - care about work????????

Speaking about deadlines, DSAI needs to get things right. He shouldn't have used the Sept 16 deadline tactic. To me that really was poor politics. He's smart by perpetual public announcement that he has enough MPs. This info would influence others to defect, however timing could've been better.

To a certain extent, I do agree with Mr Bodohwi that if DSAI wants to form a government, he should take parliament by storm and demand a vote of no confidence. He should do it in the good ol' London all girl punk band (ironically named Deadline) fashion and demand that 'he is taking over'.

However, such Neanderthal methods can be seemed as extreme and I honestly do not want Malaysia to follow in the steps of nations whereby gangsterism and disrespect for democracy as seen in countries like Thailand, Philippines, India, Pakistan, Burma, etc.

Its becoming to be a 'push' and 'shove' scenario here in Malaysia... and its sad that this is happening.

Deadlines are important, yet nothing more than illusions of the human mind. I question myself, why am I so suddenly wary and conscientious about deadlines?

Deadlines are something that my bosses take very seriously; but something that I never did. I'm a born procrastinator, how do I honour deadlines? I think I use work to deviate me from my own internal deadline (non work-related of course). Believe you me, this self imposed deadline is more complex than figuring the the principles of differentiation!

Basically, its a deadline on a decision that I must make and soon. A decision that is made up of a series of decisions, like a real complicated decision tree. Each decision branch with its own deadline let alone consequences, leaving me with headaches upon concluding each and every mini deadline!

At the end of the day, its just a deadline that I must meet for if its passes it means I took the easy way out and chose the negative option,leaving not much to the imagination. In truth, its nothing more than a deadline that requires me to make a tough decision though the reality is nothing short of 'Yes' or 'No'.

As each mini deadline passes and me procrastinating my decision(s), which really fucks up the general scheme of things... I ask myself... Will I?

Tick tock tick tock......

5 comments:

Tau Kei Mui said...

very well written..... love those pics u attached together! am i a procrastinator too??? hmmmm.... haha

Anonymous said...

Mr Ticky Tick Tock.. u remind me of Hickory Dickory Dock le!

Hmm.. interesting write-up + good illustrations.. blog more often k :o)

Go sign up with Nuffnang

anfield devotee said...

Anwar's tactics? Questionable fer sure. Effective? To a certain degreee, yes. Undemocratic? Most definitely NOT.

But compare that to UMNO's closed shop transition plan with pays absolutely NO regard to the priciples of democracy.

Choice is yers, mate . . .

SLACKER said...

Tze Yee: thanks
Yvonne:i ain't gonna sign up with nuffnangs

Bala: democracy is about having a manifesto that ppl want to support and vote. BN MPs were voted in (doesnt matter if it was for the wrong reasons).

If BN MPs should switch camps, it should be because they believe in DSAI and what the pakatan rakyat stands for. And not have that manifesto as a front, when in reality all they want is to protect their position in politics, economy, etc, etc. To me this charade is all too comical and unethical. If they believe in DSAI, what they should do is resign from parliament, show their faith in DSAI with or without the necessary 31 MPs. Openly express what they have been doing all these years is disgraceful and wrong. Openly show checks and balances on kickbacks etc.

Something like Zaid who resigned based on principals i.e. fighting for what he truly believes in.

Until then - where is the democracy in playing mr popular?

anfield devotee said...

slacker: You seem to miss the point - Najib & Bodohwi making UMNO (& by proxy the position of PM) a closed shop. Where is the democracy in that?

Where is the dmeocarcy in using the ISA? Sorry, anyone resorting to such tactics has no right to the moral high ground.

As fer defctions, it is a means to an end. That's all.