Felt very sombre as I sat down at the bus stop. I had just seen a man in his 40s, ring up his wife to tell he would be doing OT, she complained that there were too many OT nights and he flared up over the phone. "I didn't call up for an argument!" He said. And then he apologized immediately for losing his temper. He didn't lose his temper because of her, he was angry at himself. He knew he was not being a good father and husband and it was because of his job. He didn't even really like his job that much now, not after 13 years of being in the same line and realizing that most clients were idiots.

The man was the main character in "The Office Party" play which I had just watched. Watching his life, I felt a chill run down my spine. When we graduate and start out on our careers, I thought the only struggle would be between following your dreams or seeking a stable path with visible rewards. But it's never just a 2-sided coin is it? When we follow our dreams, it could be alot of fun for the first few years, the pains and efforts might seem worth it as we're learning and experimenting. But when we suddenly lose interest, and if we're stuck at an age where there's not much room to turn, it could seriously suck.

It's not like he hates his job, you can see his passion for his work in one scene as he complains about how a client refused to take up his suggestion, he seriously believes that his idea works and he describes his concept so vividly, you do believe him. But if the client doesn't believe him, "What can you do?"

For me, being in Marketing Research so far has seemed like a dream. Although i might like complain sometimes about the workload, the tediousness of certain tasks but I really do like the projects and the ideas i come in touch with. My boss is great. And I have no complains about my clients, I mean how many clients invite you to a free play? What could I possibly complain about someone like that.

But what if the tables turn against me 10, 20 years from now. Could I still handle this job with its crazy hours with such peace and contentment? 

"The Office Party" ends with the main character burying his head in his hands.