A Day in the Life of a "Work From Home" Developer

I was  as usual sitting in my corner . My overheated laptop on the lapdesk , a stethoscope like Headphone around my neck and the microphone spying on my thoughts as I was tapping the keys like a panda playing with baby potatoes.  I had this look on my face . Not the most handsome one, but clearly , strong enough to make my parents start worrying if I was contemplating something disastrous in my mind. They caught me , in one of those moments, when a developer simply stares at the system waiting for the system to respond and the page to be loaded. My mother managed to put up a comforting smile , in a adorable effort to lift my spirits,  when in reality , I was thinking what she will be making for dinner that day . She thought I was stressed out , because of my stale expression , while I was sitting like a buffalo squatting for a number #2 . On another occasion , I was working from my bedroom , again , giving a 'dead stare' in the monitor and this gets even hilarious.  Usually , when someone see's adult videos, they have this expression of frozen trance on their face , and this is no hidden fact. My father, the poor fellow , he almost thought I was browsing in one of those sleazy sites to relieve my tension as I had sat on the floor , staring at the monitor , legs outstretched and hands on my lap . He slowly flew by me , like an eagle , eyeing a prey , if indeed I had become that desperate to start doing these things during daytime , when he came closest to me to observe me ogling at an application that was taking an eternity to load.  He slowly walked past me, after being relieved that his son was OK ... as I got distracted by the wind of his movement. 

The stories of a 'Work From Home' Developer are a Book by itself.  With the headphone around our necks , the hands on the laptop like a dog tapping its owner for some food , an expression like a 3 year old girl was snatched off her lollipop , sitting in a corner everyday talking to people , occasionally swearing at the skies outside and mentally breaking the laptop a million times in the head ,  we are a circus in still motion.  Some days , the internet slowness has tested my endurance to such levels , that I went and blurted out to my parents if we can buy a Boxing Bag , much to their horror.  In a lighter vein , our parents ,have battled so many challenges , in their simple lives before all this technology boom ,  but they never gave-in. And here we are,  fuming and sweating at the content on Social media websites and official work alike , with our laptops .  The other day, some ants had also creeped into my personal laptop and I was like , can it get any better ? So I did some Googling to see how to get Ants out of my laptop , to hear my mommy dearest entering the room like a Queen Narnia , as she proclaimed "How many times I have told you to not sit with the laptop when you have your food. ? ..." .  Luckily, this was a chance for me to clean my table,  I sprayed some Dettol and other disinfectants , tapped the laptop and dusted it and slowly the army of ants bid goodbye. 

"Can you hear me ? I think you are breaking ? Let me reconnect.  Hold on" - this is my all time statement. I realized how this continuous work from home has taxed the Internet capacity of both my home and the neighborhood. To repeat things, to ask things be repeated are not really the best experiences during calls , but hey , who am I kidding . Communication is an Art by itself, One day ,  a big chunk of code which I was frantically trying to check-in , ( save ) just didn't go and I decided to change my WiFi plan. I clicked "Forget" on my home network on the arrogance, that I will reconnect and pursue again ,only to realize ,I don't know my home WiFi password as it always connected when I switched on. How,  shortcuts have damaged our scope to remember things ! . Then after a battle of 30 minutes , trying different passwords, speaking to our Network team , I solved the issue with the help of my parents, as they were also helplessly looking at my chaotic behavior.  I was back online and not a thing had progressed at work . I messaged my boss , "I had to step out to attend something " , as I bit my lip wondering how challenges can come out of nowhere and how traumatic it can be to explain things to people as it can be easily misinterpreted as "excuses" and nonchalance. 

The other day , I was just about to go for a breath of fresh air when suddenly an email came , and my bottom got plastered to the floor instantly. 30 minutes later , I got reminded that I wanted to take a break , to go out and stand in the balcony , observe the pigeons mess up my neighbor's terrace with straws and food particles. The funny thing is, it was a generic mail  , which didn't even warrant my immediate attention , but somehow , our laptops have this hypnotizing power , when you come and sit , your hands magically open 4 tabs and 40 links and you only get up when you suddenly move forward to look at something closer and you realize how hot your back had become due to the constant sitting.  Or, when the "battery low" message pops up and you lose your concentration and head out to do something .  Not to forget, when a boring song comes in your playlist and you search for the next best song you like to listen . Like most people , I always got this music running from my speakers much to the dismay of my house folks , who have this complaint for decades, that they have to always shout if they want to speak to me . Ah... Life....!

I was back after sometime, thankfully just in time ,when I noticed a meeting invite was screaming for attention and I hastily triple clicked on the link to connect to the meeting . I almost shouted in horror as I saw my face on the meeting forum, because I had accidentally logged in with "video on" instead of "mute on".  I was wearing a towel and a vest, and by looks , I resembled a Tea Stall Boy . With my unkempt hair, clothes like those, whoever on the other side of the meeting saw me that day , would have got tonnes to think about.  I hit Mute and laughed hysterically looking at the window , as my mom again saw me , in a state of absolute craziness . But she got used to it and moved on , to adjust the curtains. She came back after sometime, asked If I had showered and I angrily pointed out to my headphone signalling I was on a meeting.  Then I realized, its not worth it , as I dragged myself and told her calmly ,  "I will bathe when I need , Haven't I told you , I become a Dracula when I wear my headphones ?" She shot back - "Head to the shower  . It's 3" .  I gave it a thought , went back to my system , refreshed 10 times,  hit "Send/Receive" in my outlook 5 times,  checked my messaging app ,  once the coast was clear , I kept a Watch on my notepad and headed for my ablutions. To those, who don't get the previous statement , I suggest, you let it go. If I explained it, You will lose the last remaining regards you have for us IT folks .  I grabbed my Bluetooth speakers , my phone and walked past the hall , thinking I have 2 hours before the next meeting , as I hungrily eyed what menu mom had cooked for lunch today and I blurted on my way "I want fried Papads , I don't like this vegetable" and quickly sped inside before a flying broomstick came my way !