the goldfish and the zoo keeper

For the past weeks there had been a lot of people “touring” the office. You see, our company, Reuters, is merging with another company, Thomson. (Yes, as for you who are familiar with Reuters, we are now called Thomson Reuters). But anyway, work is not the reason for this post. With the merging, there had been a lot of Thomson people visiting the office and they are “toured” around by our very accommodating HR person Robyn.

My desk is situated in a kind of “exposed” area. I have conference rooms lined up at my back, I am near the small lounge and pantry in our floor and my desk is near the walkway. You can’t miss me! (hahaha)

With all these touring going around, they usually stop near my desk as the “tour guide” talks about the facilities and “amenities” in the office. Often times I feel like a goldfish in an aquarium with all these eyes ogling at me. Ok ok, maybe not at me, but they usually peek at my monitors (God forbid a YM/Gtalk chat window would pop up! Hahaha).

It’s like living in a glass house with all these eyes staring at you and taking note of your every move. Imagine what it would be like living like that? Privacy is not an issue because it will be nonexistent. You hang your dirty linens for all to see, and usually that’s what they usually remember even after you’ve managed to win a few victories along the way.

I value my privacy. I got friends and I do get along easily with people, but somehow I have my own me-world which I go to when I needed respite from the rest of what’s out there.  I guess there is just that part inside of us that is partially known to many but wholly known to few. And hopefully… yes hopefully… much loved by these countless few.

My boss jokingly said to our HR who was touring the group, “We feel like we’re wild animals being looked at”.

Of which he replied, “And I am the zoo keeper!”