Marriage vs Wedding

"I am a bundle of nerves. My legs are turning into jello and I could feel the whole animal kingdom in my tummy. The dress is too heavy and the corset is practically squeezing my lungs. Just a couple of minutes more and I would be walking down the aisle and off to my long dreamy honeymoon. No random aunt or long distanced cousin who I have to strike a conversation with while wondering how do I know them. Just couple of minutes more.. "

I am not married yet but I am pretty sure every bride has gone through a similar scenario on their wedding day. I have attend a decent amount of weddings and honestly I am beginning to hate the whole idea of wedding.

Wait right there. I can foresee some of you who wants to dig my eyeballs out, I would just like to clarify that I am not against the idea of marriage. I just loath the idea of wedding.

Marriage is an institution that benefits two families, that brings together two people and two families closers. Where as wedding is an enterprise. Wedding is a business that benefits so many different group of people except for the bride and groom.

From the way I see it, it's the florist, the dj, the caterers, designers who exploits two people who are madly in love with each other.

I don't understand why do we need to commercials such a sacred ceremony by going out and beyond. Some even go to an extend of taking up a personal loan for their big day. Why bite more than you can chew?

What is so wrong in having a small ceremony with just the immediate family members  to witness the exchange of vows. Why are we in a competition with others and trying to outdo the rest.

Now don't even get me started on the wedding reception. From the food to the deco everything has to be extravaganza and exclusive. why? Because we need to satisfy everyone else (the neighbours, extended relatives and some not so close family friends). If we don't throw a lavish wedding reception, what would they say about us. How about our reputation in the society?

Just hold it right there. Are you telling me my marriage and union is not legitimate if I don't throw a wedding reception. Come to think of it. I personally feel that a wedding is for the public and not for myself. It's not about what I want but to make sure everyone else is happy.

I can go on and on about this but in a nutshell I am not saying that I am against marriage or the union of two people who are madly in love.

What I don't agree is with the whole idea of wedding which is exploited and commercialised.

When I walk down the aisle into the arms of my loving husband to be, I wouldn't want to be weighed down with debts of a luxurious wedding that I cleary can't afford.

Workplace Myth

It has been more than a year since  I stepped into the corporate world. 

Nothing much has changed since then. It probably got dirtier compared to the last time. 

I thought that I was finally getting the hang of it. I could adapt to the environment and try not to be tainted by the dirt while earning an honest living. 

Well, I was wrong. I learned something new in a pretty harsh way (don't we all learn things the hard way)

I am pretty sure most of us have heard of the most famous workplace myth about making friends and I am about to share my perception about it. 

How do you know if your work friends are your real friends? 

Just because you share coffee together, share lunch and see each other for 8 hours a day doesn't mean your colleague is your best friend. 

Sometimes (actually most of the time) working colleagues are just people you hang out with while you happen to be stuck in the same building. 

There is a difference between close friends and people that you work with. 

So how do we differentiate one from another?  its easy to mistake one for the other, especially when you are alone away from home. In school, making friends is as simple as walking up to someone and introducing yourself. When all your school friends seems to be on a different path than yours, the tendency is to target your co-workers. It makes sense. After all you spend more than 8 hours with them than anyone else. 

There are differences between close friends who will be there for you through tough times and people you hang out with while you happen to be stuck in the same building. 

Don't try to find a new best friend in the office. Office is the place you work and try to grow not a place to build friendship. 

Most people have an agenda hidden up their sleeves and they could be the one carrying tails and burning your bridges while at the same time being all friendly towards you. 

You are just another passing cloud or a stepping stone that they could use to climb up the ladder. 

So have your guards up at all times. Go to office to work and not to make friends because your office mates are not the same as your best friends.