Life of a software professional

Software engineers, what people think about them?
A) That these computer geeks work day and night, B) make a trip to US every six months and C) earn salary running into lakhs…
Well I am just another software engineer working for an MNC in India. Here is an account of software engineer’s life from my perspective.
Computer Geek – I agree we are computer geeks, because we don’t think anything beyond it. When we work, we work on it, when we want to communicate we chat or send mails, when we are getting bored we play games on it, when we want to some entertainment we see movies on it or read something online and the remaining time when the pc is free we are downloading some new game, movie or songs. So yes we are computer geeks….
We work day and night - I am in my current job from the past 2 and a half years. In these 2.5 yrs, I had worked day and night; say from morning 10 A.M till 2 A.M in night for about 3-4 months. For about 12-13 months I had a 10 to 5 job with brief 1 month breaks on no work at all. It is for the past 6 months that this brief break has become long. Yeah for the past six months, I have just waiting for work to start. Though it is true that when work starts it will be again morning 10 A.M to night 2 A.M for another 3-4 months or more. So till then my work is googling, videos on youtube, online suduko and downloading. My favorite hangout is company’s pantry where I get free biscuits, cold drinks, namkeens, chocolates, juices and maggi.
So guess I am really working hard as generally people think.
Make a trip to US – In my career of 3.5 yrs I have not a single onsite trip. Not that I am under performer. I am just an average performer. Guess I am a part of software products and not software services that’s why. But yes not even a single trip. I don’t even have the visa. Not just of US, I don’t have visa for any other country, apart from Malaysia, where I went for my honeymoon.
Salary – Now this is my pain point. I agree I am earning well, well enough but again not as much as people think. I think I am earning to pay the landlord, who as all others thinks I have lots of extra money to pay the exorbitant rent for a not so good 2BHK. To pay the auto wala, who thinks asking back for a change of 7-8 rupees undermines the dignity of software professionals and they should not be doing so. To pay the maid, who now is more important to me than my husband, because if she is gone I can’t manage. So I have to pay her whatever she demands and give her leave whenever she asks for. To pay for the phone bill. I am in a country given to freedom of speech and I exercise this right it fully on phone.
And amidst all this I wait for my annual hike and bonus, which more often then not seems be to peanuts.
Well apart from this my life includes cribbing about my company, my manager, my non- existent work, my salary paid to me for not doing anything, for cooking dinner every night. Coaxing friends for occasional treats.
Well not that I am cribbing all the time, there are high points in my life. An occasional free t-shirt from company, company sponsored party, treats from my friends and daily online suduko and free pantry J