On Having To Spend Virtually All Of Your Waking Hours Performing Tasks That Simply Don't Interest You Any Longer

You barely skim through the headlines of the morning papers because your mind is already occupied with thoughts of the morning meeting for which you suspect you'll be underprepared.

You find yourself snapping at people and feeling contrite immediately after.

You practice smiling.

You spend time with people who think Dan Brown is next to Shakespeare. And Paolo Coelho next to God.

You take forever to finish a book because you barely read a few pages at night before keeling over.

You realise you lack the courage to break away. You try not to get bitter about this.

You attempt to find a balance between expressing your opinions and toeing the line.

You toe the line.

You stop going out after work for a drink because all anyone does is bitch about work.

You find that it doesn't matter which TV channel you're watching as long as there are bright colours, lights and music, and that's all the distraction you need.

You wonder what motivates people to do the things they do and say the things they say during office hours.

You come to the realisation that everyone is foolish, self-serving and myopic -- except for you, of course.

As you grow older, your rage at a mindless, moronic system is replaced by a dull, apathetic smoulder.

You're unable to write longer blog posts because deadlines loom.