Bits and Bytes

Yesterday's important is today's meaningless. At work a couple days ago I found myself digging into network drives and folders in a quest to reduce the number of stored files as part of a larger corporate quest to free up storage space for new and improved important stuff. Years ago we did as much with paper files: periodically purged cabinets of 20-pound copy paper, of manila folders, of 3-ringed binders. Most of the ones and zeroes I disposed of this week were years old, artifacts of then-crucial projects meant to improve the company's bottom line as it had never been improved before. We worked hard, and we worked happily. We arrived early; we skipped lunch; we stayed late; we worked the occasional weekend not just because we were asked to, but because we had some pride in what we were doing.

I, of course, was much younger then, more enthused about giving my all to keep the company's shareholders happy. The technology enthused me, and I was glad to be working with people bent toward creativity and doing things differently. Some of these people I have known for over a decade in a couple places of employment, and some of these people still work with me. And some of these people were part of one or another layoffs and have moved on to other places. Some of these former coworkers were represented in those files I deleted from the network drives, and I found myself opening each folder, scrolling through each file, trying to recall by the files' dates just who was working on what and when. Some of these coworkers I have not seen in a long time, and a couple I still communicate with and see regularly. A couple I even conisder friends.

Remarking on the disposability of corporate souls is not new, but in today's social and economic climate the risk of being disposed of is only a single executive decision away. Where I work, we have been advised that there will be no training budget, no "non-essential" travel, and no raises next year. In their benevolence, though, our 2 top executives are taking a cut in pay, and they have told us that the company will continue to contribute to our 401k plan. I should feel lucky, I suppose, that I still have a job, for I know there are many others across the country who do not (my brother-in-law, for one). I do not fear losing my job, for I have been through the process before and I came out of it fairly well.

When all of the files were deleted, I continued with a couple of my current projects, making sure I backed them up to the drives on which I had freed so much virtual space. I felt as though it was my duty to leave traces of myself there--the folders and files so crucial to the company's business.