Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Jack of all trades

People always amaze me with their multifaceted skill sets. The amusing part is that the variety of skills they display has no link to each other. But they are able to perform all of them with complete ease.

Few months back, a successful fixed income trader was auditioning for a play that he had written and wished to direct. I was wondering what sort of story a person with an analytical mind can come up with. The script turned out to be pretty interesting. He depicted the job scenario and had come up with a plot on how to recruit people. According to the script, all the job nominees should be taken in a room and asked to talk to one another. No questions asked but in the end, the best candidate would be selected. I am eager to know when the play would hit the street theatres.

Math/physics and music has a relationship dating back to centuries. Many well known scientists play at least one musical instrument. It was no surprise when my music teacher left her well paying software job to start music lessons. A friend of mine had mentioned that her skating instructor was actually a networking professional working in some reputed firm and was teaching skating as a hobby.

My recent astonishment was when our business analyst was away for two weeks. The project that we are working on is in a critical stage and we could not comprehend how he was able to get days off. It was later we figured out that he was away "on duty". It made me wonder how insignificant our software deadlines seem in front of a real battlefield.

The most bewildering news was when we heard that the priest in a local temple has turned into a cop! He is working in both these positions. While he advises the traffic during the day, he gives spiritual discourses to the people in the evening.

Wonder if he gives sermons to the thugs he catches.

6 comments:

--xh-- said...

the only mechanic i trust - bullet Nandan - he is a Mtech MBA guy, who was heading the R&D Dept of a well known firm. chucked his job to start a bullet garage.
My dear stephen sir - left a well paying job in us to come back to India to start teching.

One day, i wish to add my name to the list - and the job - a mechanic :)

Prats said...

Oh yes!!! Many nowadays. Many who are forced into a profession becos of society, land up changing into something they love and make a profession out of their passion.
Somehow reminds me of the ad on tv now..."caught in the wrong job?"


And , come over and take a look at the list i've put out, for the tag you handed over.

aMus said...

heh..heh..i always say i am a jack of most trades and master of none...:)

it's nice if you can have a job doing something you like...

how's your music coming up...u play the violin don't u?

Compassion Unlimitted said...

True, multifaceted persons are very gifted I guess.but of late its becoming a neccessity too..knowing multiple languages in this so called borderless world is one such..
Priest and cop that was nice !!
TC
CU

Jaya said...

XH: :) You know in US, where the labor cost is more, men take pride in building home accessories and fixing car repairs. I think with all the society and time buffers taken out, men in core like to build things - like the early cave man building fire and cart :)

Prats: I can't say more. Loved your post.

Suma: It's a life worth lived if one can work on what (s)he loves.
Violin on hold now as teacher moved to a different city.


CU: You are right. A luxury once has become a necessity.

Geraldine said...

Ahhh....the joys of being multi-talented (and being a multi-tasker) too! I like to think I'm both. Great post. Really enjoyed reading the different examples you brought up.

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