Domestic HR and Foreign Policy Concerns

Averted a minor calamity today, by a fantastic piece of HR intervention in the home front. Managed to pursuade Jaya's nanny - who was about to quit - to stay on, at least till we leave. Jaya who would have been the most affected couldn't be bothered but Nina was extremely tense over the issue since last evening. For nearly 16 hours all other worries and temporal concerns receded to the background - how priorities change with time. After minor pre-consultation a joint task-force approach was developed, which finally carried the day - buying respite, even if temporarily. In the neighbourhood, one half of the 'Seth' household is back in town ( tho' still not moved into the house - as his wife hasn't given him the permission to 'live in' with the maid ) and would be dropping by this evening ( his only one 'free' ) for a meal before his bachelor status is terminated shortly. However, can't expect him to share the low-downs of his SE Asian exploits ( he is just back from his first 'holiday' in B'kok - where he went after considerable pre-research ) for which, I guess, we shall have to wait for another appropriate occasion . Heard from two of our aunts in te US ( one 'pishi' and the other a 'Mami' ), co-incidentally both are going through transitions on the work front and the companies they worked for are 'down-sizing'. Few years ago nobody would have understood the term 'downsizing' here - but it is no longer so alien to us. Golden hand-shakes have become common place ( sometimes it is not so 'golden' either - one is luck if it is mere stain-less steel ) and we don't have any of the social-security net here. That's why - perhaps - despite - the insecurities and uncertainties some of us look westward still.