Worklife

My first office was what I had expected of an engineering office environment. Designers with large screens, plotters spewing chunks of 2-D metal designs in the A0 format, complicated fabrication techniques scrutinized on these A0's by teams grouped in the open plan space, all sorts of intricate software 2 suit d need of the design. Specialists at work in a specialisd environment.

My next 'studio' was adjacent tn the offices of the first but a differemt vibe prevailed. I had missed the rays of natural light freely prancing on my sun-depravd skin, the wavelength of a beam dat made my eyes beam in dilation. This office offerd that feature of a warm greeting through an unbarred window. The people here were still not gelled as a team and work was different,more generalised,more individualised. Id often look out d window @ d trains being shuntd by and marvel at d conversion of models and paper designs 2 magnificent machines. It was not perfect here but a psuedo harmony prevaild among my colleagues. I had my window of wonder.
Fast forward to the next department dat my training program lands me in...its dar from ideal. Id compare it to a burrow ,the almost underground effect ,single passage workspace dat dat double as a meeting area -walls lind with supplies, claustraphobically closin in on my inner being- left no room 4 creativity. Everyone workd in mindblowing silence.for 8 hours.day in,day out! I had 2 escape but d window servd no comfort. Situatd insid a workshop, d window only reflectd a close up view of those long ago drawings being panelbeaten into place. Grit,noise,cold,cold,selective silence. I escapd this torture into the virtual window of my computer. I removd myself 2 friends in other countries, cities ,@ home. My escape turnd 2 an addiction. The virtual escape my saviour...fast forward 2 three months later. No office,a piece of furniture discarded by another marks my temporary space in the open plan office. I am grateful 2 hav my own, despite its inadequacies. Escapism has become a signature & through the lonlines of this frantic fish market I plot my way out. This team needs me 2 prove myself. But its nt mine. I cant be part of them. I am there on a difernt mandate. I get to
Work...headphones-check,internet-check,window- it looks out onto a barren mine dump of dust that was once deprivd of its preciousnes - the remains discarded with residue of a hope that it gave,useles- I felt useless just looking at it.
Im
In a catch 22, virtual reality has been denied 2 me- I turn away from the dump 2 face the people.the hum of oblivious chatter churns my empty belly,it must be lunch time,i notice wafts of different flavours for the first time. Noone notices me as my face turns 2 disapproval. I needed a break...i turned away and escapd!