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1. |
New Clothes
02:43
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You reach a point where strange things just make sense
‘Cause an institutional logic of saving some expense
And a cast-iron commitment to sitting on the fence
Means a work-around to a work-around
Can work-around once more.
No-one bats an eyelid that we did this all before
And we’ll change the leadership and do it all once more
Oh come on, oh please,
We can be better than this.
Oh come on, oh please,
We can be better than this.
The grubby feeling of hearing someone lie
And everybody knowing, just rolling their eyes.
Blatant dishonesty becomes normalised.
Need I remind you of The Emperor’s New Clothes?
Where no-one around him dared speak out or oppose
For fear of looking stupid leaves everyone exposed.
Oh come on, oh please,
We can be better than this.
Oh come on, oh please,
We can be better than this.
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2. |
Great Resignation
03:05
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Working on a plan
To stick it to the man and retire.
Save a few more grand then find a piece of land
To acquire.
Finally, you can be completely free
By handing in a great resignation.
Finally, you can be completely free
By joining in the Great Resignation.
Euphoria and joy of being unemployed out of choice.
Handing back your key to security and then rejoice.
No more early starts, spreadsheets or piecharts to endure.
Close your email down, spread the word around to make sure.
Finally, you can be completely free
By handing in a great resignation.
Finally, you can be completely free
By joining in the Great Resignation.
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3. |
Business Breakfast
02:21
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She leaves the house reluctantly.
It’s still dark and three degrees.
A business breakfast she doesn’t need.
But her boss insisted before he took his family skiing.
Here’s to dry croissants and cold coffee,
Sticky name tags and networking.
She works the room professionally.
Collecting business cards enthusiastically.
A perma-smile promotes the company.
But on occasion she hands out a CV.
Here’s to dry croissants and cold coffee,
Sticky name tags and networking.
Let’s keep in touch
Send a follow up email
Thank you very much
I’ll hold on to your details.
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4. |
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There’s a blockage on the line
At the worst possible time
And then they announce a cancellation.
For those of you confused,
Your ticket can be used
On a bus that is waiting outside the station.
And any hope you had today
Of arriving at work this way
Evaporates on the rail replacement service.
Take a ride through the countryside
See places that you ‘d never try
Except on the rail replacement service.
There’s nothing you can do on the extended commute,
Than taking in the view from the window.
There’s a meditative state
When you know you’re going to be late.
You can tolerate the wait and enjoy it.
Headphones can drown out the other sound
Of complaining aloud about the service.
You can try to trick your mind into thinking that your life
Is adventurous sometimes and you like it.
And any hope you had today
Of arriving at work this way
Evaporates on the rail replacement service.
Take a ride through the countryside
See places that you ‘d never try
Except on the rail replacement service.
I’m going to take my time
Enjoying the ride.
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5. |
Toxicoptimist
03:22
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I know how it feels
To say that I’m right
Even when I know that I’m wrong.
All I learnt in school
Is that a confident voice
Can hide an incompetent fool.
I’m positive, an optimist,
Hope for the best,
My glass is half full even when we’re without a glass.
I’m positive, an optimist,
Hope for the best,
My glass is half full even when we have broken the glass.
Knowledge goes so far
In a company car
But it’s not a charismatic smile.
I’m positive, an optimist,
Hope for the best,
My glass is half full even when we’re without a glass.
I’m positive, an optimist,
Hope for the best,
My glass is half full even when we have broken the glass.
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6. |
Go Self Employed!
02:25
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It’s easy for a cynic
To sit there and complain
About the state of others
But never share the blame.
Opinions on the leaders but not prepared to lead
Offering a critique not solutions that we need.
If you’re so annoyed, go self employed!
The sense of deep self-loathing
From spending all your days
In a job you don’t believe in
While taking home the pay.
But it’s easy and less risky
Than setting out alone.
So you settle for the misery
Of an everlasting moan.
If you’re so annoyed, go self employed!
But you know that you can’t, ‘cause you know that you have no skills.
Oh you made a pact with the devil
When you took on your last role
And you noticed the description
Had things you can’t control.
So welcome to your future,
Of unsatisfying work
Bitching to your colleagues
While finding ways to shirk.
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7. |
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Another email with reply all in cc.
Straight to the trash can, no need to even read.
If it’s important someone else will send again
And if it’s urgent, they will call me up instead.
That’s how my filter works just fine.
Don’t send attachments ‘cause the firewall will reject.
Leave out your signature and all other pointless text.
And if you’re sending links, make sure they work for me.
Putting caps in the subject line will be sent straight to the bin.
That’s how my filter works just fine.
Some use emojis, others write too much.
Exclamation mark explosion of question marks in a bunch.
A gif or two suggesting something rude, but too tame to raise a smirk
A little joke from the management folk trying to put the fun into work.
Yes sir, my filter works just fine.
Dreaming of the day the email ends
Nostalgic for the old snail mail
Pay for a stamp or say it to my face,
That is how we used to know.
Use it as a test before you send
Then you can guarantee,
The other person will read and reply.
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8. |
Meetings
01:40
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Staff meeting,
A chance to ask some questions.
I put my hand up to offer some suggestions.
I like my own voice, I bring unique perspectives
Divergent thinkings to an unthinking collective.
And then I realise, I am boring myself.
Even worse I’m boring everyone else.
I stop mid-sentence
I lose my train of thought.
I had a point, but I can’t think what it was.
But I’m still speaking, I can bluff my way through.
I’ll change the subject, to something else I think of soon.
And then I realise, I am boring myself.
Even worse I’m boring everyone else.
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9. |
Careers Advice
02:57
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It was so long ago,
I can’t remember all the options that I chose
With the advisor who wanted to know
My ambitions and the path I planned to go
For my career.
They found humour in my choice
Suggest alternatives and offered some advice
Which I ignored, never thought about it twice
Then went to college just to study something nice
Enjoy myself and grow
Now I don’t know
Which way to go anymore.
I went from job to job
Out of necessity more than a sense of love of belonging.
It was much later on,
Applying for a mortgage or perhaps it was a loan,
It became a career.
‘Cause it’s no more than a theme.
A narrative that I must put on my CV
Not my identity or sense of wellbeing.
It’s just a story that can change if needs be.
And it’s alright to show
That I don’t know
Which way to go anymore.
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10. |
Career Break
04:54
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Got a paper round when I was thirteen
I was so proud I was earning a living.
In my forties, I sometimes stop and think
Will there ever be time to take a break?
I wanted to travel the world
While I had my health to take it all in.
Made excuses, needed to work
Felt indulgent, just having such a dream.
But the wish remains, and stupid it may be.
Take the dream away, what’s left of me?
Over horizon, an unreachable peak
Endless ambition, another goal to meet.
I wanted to travel the world
And become someone that is interesting to meet.
Have stories, potential friends,
Some memories worthwhile to keep.
Give some purpose to my sad little life
And justify the work.
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11. |
Survey Results
02:07
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Researchers went to pensioners and said
‘Can we ask a few things?
Looking back on your life do you have any advice on how we should live?’
None mentioned work,
Or the jobs they did or how much they earned.
It was all about love.
The love they gave and the love they received in return.
Now some loved their hobbies and some loved their colleagues and some loved their pets.
Some mentioned worry about savings and money were amongst their regrets.
But it was almost as if careers didn’t exist and they’d forgotten the time.
It wasn’t important, not worth a mention, not part of their life.
None mentioned work,
Or the jobs they did or how much they earned.
It was all about love.
The love they gave and the love they received in return.
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gingerjamesfair Bournemouth, UK
Just happy to be making and sharing.
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