Algorithm to buy a cellphone

Step 1 : Watch the launch of  "the future of smartphones" online.Keep talking about it,read the reviews,drool over it,till the phone is officially released.

Step 2 : Check the price of the phone.

Step 3 : Login to your net banking account,and check your balance.Sulk as much as you like.

Step 4 : Say to yourself,"Hmmm .. maybe the prices will drop in a couple of months.Till then I can make do with my current phone".

Step 5 : Check the price of the phone again in 2 months.See a strikeout on the 30k price tag.(Enjoy the moment).
Scroll down to find the new price,Rs. 29,499.
Start off a series of swears.(Language no barrier).

Step 6 : Check for the next best phone.Say to yourself,"Hmmm .. maybe the prices will drop in a couple of months.Till then I can make do with my current phone".

Step 7 : Check the price of the phone again in 2 months.See a strikeout on the 20k price tag & an offer badge next to it.(Enjoy the moment).
Scroll down to find the new price,Rs. 19,499 and a case free !
Start off a series of swears.(Language no barrier).

Step 8 : Check for the next best phone.Say to yourself,"Hmmm .. maybe the prices will drop in a couple of months.Till then I can make do with my current phone".

Step 9 : Check the price of the phone again in 2 months.See a strikeout on the 15k price tag.(Enjoy the moment).
Scroll down to find the new price,Rs. 10,499.
Find the "out of stock" label next to it.
Start off a series of swears.(Language no barrier)

Step 10 : Look at your current phone and ponder as to why you need a new phone.
After some deep thought,reach on a consensus that you have absolutely no reason to buy a new phone.

Step 11 : Check the leaked images of a new cellphone about to be released in a couple of days.Go gaga over the blurry images.
Go to step 1.

A year on ..

Last year,this day,I was a different person.

A naive fellow,who was just done with his graduation,finished all the sitcoms,movies and games on his portable,who couldn't wait to start working in the IT industry.IT industry at that time was like a fairy tale,a 5 day week,8 hours of work,friday night parties with team and a handsome salary at the end of the month.Not to forget,the onsite opportunity in just a couple of years.Yes,thats what the guy had always imagined the IT industry to be like.Little did he know his life was going to turn turtle,and shatter his tale,in just a couple of months.

The first 3 months was just what I had imagined it to be.5 days of "work" a week,outing on weekends,hogging with friends,football,mafia,movies.And the best part,we were getting paid for it.Oh,how I loved those days.Little did I know that was the just the lull before the storm that was headed my way.

About a month into the training,we were asked to put in a preference for our base branches along with the stream of choice.Without even a moment's hesitation,I opted for Mumbai,and Java,the latter only because it the maximum seats for the former.At that moment,it seemed like the perfect choice.
Heck,I even tried my friends to opt for Mumbai and Java.But they were skeptical.I considered them as fools to let go off such an opportunity.
And since I was still living in the fairy tale world,I could see myself signing my visa papers in a couple of years,with that choice.
Looking back,I realize,I was just signing off my soul.

A year on,things have changed,drastically.Words no longer mean,what they used to.

KT:
KT is synonym with every engineer.No point in explaining !
Well,now it means the times when you need to sit after work and have your dose of knowledge transfer.

PL:
PL the month before exam,where the first 26 days were spent on movies,sitcoms and games,and the next 4 days searching/buying books and "trying" to study.
Now,it means the person who makes you work for 26 days,so that you realize the importance of the 4 days.

Deadline:
Deadline during engineering meant the day you need to start doing your work.
Now,it means the day you need to finish your work,get it tested,fix all the bugs and move it onto production.

Sleep:
The happiest time of your day,whether you were at your home,or in college.
Now,its a term,which is almost driven into oblivion.

But,somethings are still the same.
-All the good looking girls are in the other projects/buses/buildings and are committed.
-You still snooze your alarm and wake up to your mom's yelling.
-You still can't figure where your money goes.
-You hate what you do,and you wish you'd be doing something else.
-You still want to watch the next Himesss Resamiyaa movie.

All said and done,there are a couple of things I've learned over the year.
-Writing emails.
-How to get your work done.I've have mastered the art of 'cc'-ing a mail,and keeping people in the loop.
-Keyboard shortcuts and impeccable speed with alt+tab.
-Working with MS Excel.

If anything,this year has been an eye-opener,a preview of what your life is going to be.Lets hope I make mends with it.
Till then,I'll enjoy my first appraisal and hope some a good looking trainee joins my team. :)

No,nothing else matters

I didn't believe in love,but the moment I heard,"I Disappear",I knew I was in love with Metallica.Yes,it was love at first sight(or hear,if you may),and I've looked back since.The more I listened to them,the more I fell in love.Initially,I didn't get what the songs meant,I just loved the riffs.
But as time grew,I could relate myself to what they were trying to say.James Hetfield,you are a fucking genius.I can't understand how you can come with something so brilliant and still convey it with such ease.Not to take away any credit from Kirk Hammett,Lars,Cliff Burton,probably one of the best bass players,then the man who had to fill into the shoes of that person,Jason Newsted and of course,Robert Trujilo as well.

Anyway,its almost 12 years into this relationship and up and until the first 5-6 years,I thought listening to them was the best thing.It was then that I saw a couple of videos from S&M,that I realized,listening to them is nowhere close to the experience of watching them play.And eversince that day,there hasn't been a single day of my life where I haven't thought of them playing here in India.

I still remember having a discussion with my friend after watching a Big 4 video and my friend cribbing about the fact that how they'll never come to India.And to my amazement,just a week later,Robert Trujilo,uttered the words that I'd been dying to hear,".. and we'll be doing a gig in India".The following few days were just anxious waiting for confirmation on the news.And yes,this was no rumor as their website officially confirmed a tour in the "Uncharted Territory".
30th October was marked as my date with destiny.And the build up was nothing less than the gig itself,with friends sharing song of the day,cubicles overflowing with Metallica print-outs,frantic searching for t-shirts,bus tickets,plane tickets,deciding the place to stay,journey from the place to the venue.

28th October 2011 : Metallica cancels gig at Delhi,due to safety concerns.
Friends calling,depressed,nervous if Bangalore is going to the same as well.But me,I am all happy.
Why ? Because I wanted to attend THE FIRST GIG by Metallica in India,and with this news,I would be doing exactly that.(Am I Evil ? .. Yes I am !)

30th October 2011,D-Day and we were at the location and still hours before the gates would actually open,but who gave a fuck?Hours of pushing-shoving-false alarms of Metallica van-TV interviews later the gates were finally opened and we rushed as close as to the stage as we can.
After some "Safety First" tips came Inner Sanctum,and man were they good.Awesome beginning to the show.
Then came the party spoiler,whom I wont even mention.An hour later it was time of Biffy Clyro to awaken the dead crowd.And that they did to perfection.Ah,awesome music,rains and head-banging,it just kept getting better.But with all due respect Biffy Clyro,you played one too many songs!
Around 6.30,Biffy Clyro ends its setlist,signing off by saying,"15 years ago,we attended a gig at Glasgow and we saw Metallica perform,and it made us pick up the guitar and start making music"(Respect sir !)

Then came a Shinning White ESP Explorer,and was she sexy !And slowly the whole Metallica setup was on stage.Sound check in progress and we couldn't wait to just get a glimpse of them.30 mins .. 1 hour still no sign of them.Crowds getting restless.Fatigue starting to build up.Patience at stake !My friend turns up to me and says,how much more longer ?,and all I could say was,I've waited 12 years for this,I can wait more :)
People chanting swears.An hour and a half,and still no sign of them,and my friend turns up to me again,"Dude,now even you must be pissed !",and all I did was smile.

And then suddenly the screens lit up,I see Eli Wallach,yes its Ecstasy Of Gold.Yes,they are here !
30th October 2011,at around 8.00 pm,was the moment my dream was realized.Yes,I was there.To that sweet symphony,I saw 4 men walk onto the stage.This is no dream,this is my reality !
At that moment,Nothing Else Mattered.

And without wasting any time,they started off with Creeping Death.Drums which made my heart resonate on its beats,bass lines which hit me like a wall,solos that gave me a high,heavy riffs which made my head bang and lyrics which made me yell out of top of my voice,and I had officially attained Nirvana.There cannot be a more divine feeling than this for me.
With each song,the crowd kept getting louder and Metallica started getting happier.Oh I wasn't the only one in love at that moment.The whole place was in love.And Metallica sure as hell was in love with us.
Those 2.5 hrs were probably the best 2.5 hrs I've ever spent.If I could,I'd just stay there,forever.I had witnessed my Gods,live,playing the songs I've grown up listening to,with the people I've grown up,listening them with.Words cannot do justice to that day.

We didn't want them to go,neither did they want to leave us,such was our bond within those 2.5 hrs.If that isn't love,then what is ?

"So close,no matter how far
Couldn't be much more from the heart
Forever Trusting who we are
No,nothing else matters"

                       3.50 - 5.40 : This memory shall always remain !

Dude,you spoke to a girl !

Girls,Girls,Girls .. Thats all we think about !
But,no matter what,when it comes to talking to a girl,we all are sissies !
Having the guts to approach a random chick and just say "Hi",and live to tell the tale,makes a you a God amongst your friends.

"Dude,you spoke to a girl !",is a ubiquitous sentence in a guy's life,but in each phase,it means a different thing altogther !

Phase 1 : The BlunderYears
This is the phase of a guy's life when he is surrounded by hot wheels and g.i.joes!
Girls are the last thing on a guy's mind,and the thought of being friends with one is way behind that.They are like our enemies !

And the day he is caught signing a peace treaty with one of them,all his friends will say is,"Dude,you spoke to A girl ?",emphasizing on the fact you've sinned,by betraying your own.

This probably the only phase in a guy's life where a girl approaches a guy,and the guy says,"No,thank you !"

Phase 2 : Teenage Years
Up and until 12 yrs and 364 day and 23 hrs,59 mins and 59 secs of age,a girl to a guy is what Microsoft is to Apple.But the moment the clock strikes 12,and he officially becomes a teen,he has an epiphany,and he goes,"What the hell was I thinking all this while?"

Everything has to be somehow related to a girl.Girl is the word for us."Hi,I am blah .. Will you Fransheep me ?".Though this time its the girls chance to say,"No,thank you !"
They just wont bloody talk with us !(Probably payback from the childhood)

And the day he says,"You know,that cutie from the next class .. Her bag touched me,so she turned around and said sorry,and I said okay its",he suddenly becomes a demigod !

"Dude,you spoke to A girl !",over here means he actually managed to do what all of the others just think of doing,talking to 'A' girl.

Phase 3 : Desperado Years
After years miserable failure,we become desperate for success.We dream about scoring the hottest babe in college,when in fact we are bonkers over the shy girl,on the first bench.We make up stories about how we spoke with her,how we are in the same classes(though she never notices you,and always hangs out with a senior),till the day you have a drink too many,and cry your heart out,and state the facts.Its the time when the wiser bud says,"Grow a pair dude,tell her how you feel.The other one is a bitch,don't screw your life over her !"

And the day you tell them you poured your heart out in front of her,they'll say,"Dude,you spoke to THE girl !",stressing on the fact that you managed to talk to 'THE' girl you wanted to talk to.

Phase 4 : Committed Years
Ah,the committed guy,a guy whose monthly phone bill is greater than his pocket money,whose weekends are defined by watching the crappiest of the romantic flicks(and still loving it),and visits to the coffee shop.Its a bliss when you aren't that guy(spare a thought for the poor guy,though).

Its time again for the wiser bud to step up and say,"What the fuck is wrong with you man ?You didn't come for the match,neither did you turn up the time we all went drinking",and all the poor guy can say is,"She wanted to shop,she had made plans already,sorry".
"Grow a pair,tell her to shop with her girl friends.You belong here,amongst the buds".

The few who manage to grow a pair,end up being single,and end up crying their hearts out yet again,over the same girl,in front of the same people,having the same drink,and all they get is "Dude,you spoke to the girl !"

Phase 5 : Denial Years(Applicable only for the ones who broke up in the previous phase)
"I hate girls,I'll never speak to one again,ever!",somehow makes its way into every second sentence uttered.This is the phase where the guy starts to listen to songs like,"Dust in the Wind",shaves once a month,doesn't give a shit of anybody,and doesn't even know what the hell is doing.
All he knows is he'll never speak to a girl again,and all he wants to do is drink with his buddies.And all his buddies can't help but think about the fact that he's more pain in the ass now than he was when he was committed.

This is until one fine day,a girl cutie will come up and ask,"Bhaiya,time kya hua ?" and all he can do is say,"Bahut accha",and the guy is back to his desperado phase.This time though,no wise guy tells him not to carry the shopping bags.

"Dude,you spoke to A girl !",emphasizing on the fact that,the same guy who used to recite the pharse,"I'll never speak to a girl,ever again",actually asked a girl out !

Phase 6 : Married Years
And so,the guy finally manages to settle down with the girl of his dreams.He has a wonderful life,everything is a Cinderella Story,and one fine day,an intern joins in the office,and the whole office drools over her.

He sits with his friends,talking about how others in the office make a desperate attempt to grab her attention(including himself,though he'll not mention that),and how he used to be so subtle back in his day.Everyone laughs it off,and tell him shes out of his league,even in his day.But the guy sees it as a challenge to his manhood,and one fine day calls her and with every iota of manhood on stake,he says,"Excuse me,whats the time?"

And just to cut some slack on the poor guy,they tell him,"Dude,you spoke to THAT girl !",stating that he still has it in him.

The Visionary

Its not often that you feel sadden by the demise of someone not related to you by blood.
Its not often that you wake up on a beautiful day,and feel sad.

Its not often that wherever you look,its the same news floating around.

Its times like these,that you know the world has lost a a great man,a visionary.Alas,today was one such day.

Jobs' life wasn't a fairy tale.He wasn't a child born with a silver spoon in his mouth,he earned it.He earned his life,the respect of all.That's what sets him apart.

He always believed in changing the status quo,and believe me did it.
It is this man's belief that computers can be a part of each house,that right now you own one.Hell,he even convinced IBM,who believed that computers were only meant for offices.And he even had the balls to "Welcome IBM" to the PC market,and make them believe what he believed in.
Jobs took what Xerox had,and took to a different level altogether.He believed in the success and he sure made it simpler for us.

It is the Mac-Windows war in the 80s that the computer has evolved to what it is now.Always trying to get the better out of each other,it was the consumers who always benefited.

He was driven out of the company he build,by the person he hired.But did that stop him?No !
He created NeXT,the roots of which are now used in OS X and iOS as well.

He changed the way movies were made,with Pixar.He pushed CGI to its limits.

All this while his brain child,Apple was going into drains.They had no other option but to call him back.And he didn't say no.Not only did he join,he brought the company back to where it belonged,with the iMac.
Years later,he revolutionized the personal audio industry with the iPod.He didn't "invent" it.He just took what existed and made it into something which was worthwhile.Thats the guys vision.

Soon after,Apple Inc. was back amongst the riches,all thanks to this man.But that didn't stop this guy.

He brought in the iPhone,which completely changed the way smartphones were made.Again,he didn't "invent" it.Smartphones existed,touchscreens existed,but,they never co-existed.He integrated all the great platforms into a one single device.Now,almost all smartphones are based on the same platform.
Again,we as consumers are benefited by this ever-growing competition.

He then took over the tablet world by storm,with the launch of iPad.Again,tablets did exist before the launch of iPad,but they truely came into being post the iPad.The iPad has come to a point where PC manufacturers fear it'll drive the PC market into oblivion.

And he didn't stop there.He kept making these devices more better and user-friendly.
Every WWDC,keynote was the event of the year,to understand what the future lies in store for us.

He IS the Da Vinci of technology.I can't imagine the world the world of technology without this man's brilliance.

He pushed the limits of his worker,too.He made them think,he made them work.He made them make his dream a reality.He was a leader.

Though he was often described as arrogant and petulant,at work as well as in personal life.Sure,he was.He did things which had no explanation.But then again,who doesn't? He is just like us,a human being,after all.What set him apart was the way he changed the world.

It was a sad day to see him step down as the CEO of Apple,for somewhere I felt no-one could think like he did,no-one could innovate like him.Still the fact that he was on the board of directors,gave a glimmer of hope.

The keynote a couple of days back was not the same without Jobs.I missed the man in the black turtle neck.I missed the guy telling me why I need to buy this product,why its better than the others.The same location where he revealed the iPod 10 years ago,wasn't the same without his presence.Something felt missing.

And today,to wake up to the news of his demise was really sad.Somewhere,the revolution in technology has also died,for his innovation and ideas is what propelled the market.Sure there,will be thinkers,but none like him.He will be missed.
Goodbye Mr.Jobs.Thanks for everything.You made the world a better place.You will always be one of the reason,geeks are the way they are.You will always be one of the reasons why I love technology so much.

I hope one day I'll join the legacy of 1 Infinite Loop.Bless me sir.

"Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do .. "

The Last Day ..

And so the day had dawned,the day I was praying for since I got my joining,and the day I was hoping would not turn up since the past month or so. 

Woke up to sound of my roommate's alarm,cursed him yet again and tucked myself in for 10 more minutes of tranquility.Woke up finally,got ready for what was going to be the final day.Frantically knocking on the bathroom door and yelling "Abbe bahar aa,kitna time le raha hai ?!","Oye tie ka knot banake de","Shaving cream de yaar","Polish hai kya tere pass?","Iron kahan pe chupake rakha hai ?",neighbours coming running to use the loo and cursing their roomies for taking too long,had soon become a day-to-day thing.Enjoyed those banters for one last time,took some snaps of the place we called home for quite sometime now,entered the out time for the whole floor,and we were off.One thing we always decided on,but never really happened was a photograph of those "working professionals".Well,this was the day for it.Clicking photos from every possible angle,with every person in sight,we almost forgot that we were supposed to report to office ! 
Taking the "short-cut" route,we sprinted towards the office as reaching late and having to lose half a day's salary was not something we really wanted. 

Having been done with the submissions,tests,we wondered what was going to be our last day all about.Some were still busy with java,some checking out the class photos,some reminiscing about the past two and a half month,which was a sheen  on an otherwise charred life.As the appointment letters were being handed out,some prayed to experience certainty for once,and not have their base branch changed,while others were desperate to experience uncertainty,for one final time,and be posted to their hometown. 

At lunch,the thought that we were having the oil laden food for the last time brought a smile on everyone's face.This was probably the only good thing about us leaving the place.But,whatever be the condition food,the whole experience of having lunch at that place with those people was surely going to be missed.Irritating friends by singing Tinku Jiya,watching Sunny Deol songs on 9X,yelling out "Maaza tujhaya haatat aahey",checking out the girls was surely an experience of its own. 

Post lunch,we were told to assemble in the auditorium,where the higher authorities were supposed to address us for one last time.Having being aware of the fact,we quickly occupied the last few rows and dozed off.The top achievers were called upon and awarded 'gems'.Though the real deal of the day was the song written by our fellow batch-mates,describing the time spent there.The song was composed to perfection,as every individual present there,could relate to every line being sung. 
A good bye and all the best,and the 200 individuals were left alone in the auditorium.The poor CRs were left with a few last minute chores,and the useless individuals(yours truly included),were wiling away their time singing their anthem,Tinku Jiya,to their beloved mumma.As if that wasn't enough,we started singing it in different tunes,further horrifying the experience for mumma.Man,thats life ! 
Uncensored,uncut,straight from the heart sessions of Ice-Cream with Ishan and Chaas with Prasad were to follow suit. 

End of the day,a phrase which usually brings a smile to an individual,brought tears this time around.Tears,hugs,good-byes were all around,as this was that all of us were together."I love you,man","These were the best days","We'll surely meet again","Be in touch",were the only sentences people could come up with. 

The hardest walk probably of our lives,as we walked the same old road,stared at the same buildings,noticed the same nilgai,before finally reaching the same old hostel.On our way back,we decided to enjoy a last meal at one of our favourite restaurants.Quickly rushing back,I packed my bags and called up my Goan family for a last good bye.Otherwise garrulous individuals were at loss for words,as we were counting our last few moments together.A quick photo session and our rides were here.A last round of hugs and we were off,and all I could think about was,"Why was this supposed to end now?". 
Chocolate Boy joined us at the station.We laughed and joked and bitched about people.We cursed this place and still cribbed over the fact that we are going miss this place. 

The train honked and set in motion.We waved out and bid adieu to the place,marking the end of the journey.The journey which started on 11th December 2010,with the words,"Please dont make me board this train",ended on 23rd February 2011,with the words "Please dont make me board this train". 

Arrivederci Ahmedabad. 

Enough is enough

Yet another terror attack,lives lost,no clue on who is behind the attacks,investigations under way,and all we get is a salute to the spirit of Mumbai ?

Seriously man,grow up! Be in our shoes for a day.

You are working,and suddenly a there are people talking about an explosion.You go online,till then theres another one.You confirm the news,and you realise its not one,not two,but three explosions.You check the places,you realise that your near and dear are present there,at that time.You try to call them,you cant get through,because the networks are jammed.You try calling your home,to no avail.There you are,sitting in your office,clueless about things happening around,and you feel helpless.You can't do anything but wait,wait till someone calls you and says,"We are all right over here".You heart-rate doubles,you wanna just hear that person's voice,but you cant.

Do you ever feel you'd have to experience the same?

NO !

Why ?

Because you travel in a bulletproof car,with state-of-the-art 24x7 security,funded by OUR HARD-EARNED MONEY.

You dont have to worry about being on a train,or waiting for a bus,or getting into a cab.Neither do you have to worry about your loved ones being anywhere in the proximity of the same.

For once imagine your kid is supposed to be in college,following his usual routine.You hear about a blast in the area,and you are not sure if you kid is still there,or if he/she is home.You try to call,networks jammed.You try to call home,same thing.

Godforbid if you lose a dear one,would you still sit there and say "I salute the spirit of Mumbai.Lets get back to our normal routine and show them how it didnt affect us."

People have lost their sense of security.You never know if you'd reach home back at night,when you leave in the morning.When you hear about a blast in a bus/train,you are still forced to take the same bus/train your way back home.You have your heart in your mouth.You pray and wish the bus/train isn't rigged to blow up.You don't know if the bag right above you is someone's luggage or a ticking time-bomb.

Ironically,the safest individual in Mumbai is someone who proved that Mumbai isn't safe.He is living a regal life,funded by taxpayers.

Why is he still there?

Ever imagined how a person who lost their dear one because of such a person feels when they realise he is still alive ? 

All the working individuals out there,what if you don't do your work promptly,does your boss just sit there?

He doesn't,right ?

So why are we just sitting there ?

I might know much on the working,but there are individuals who do.

There should be transparency in the system.We want to know where our tax money is going.

We want to feel secure.We need peace of mind that we are travelling in a bus/train,not a hearse.

Feb-Brewery in the Dry State

With our bank accounts no longer reading 0,we realized that we had crossed another milestone,probably left with a couple more before finally reaching the destination,marking the end of the journey.With this thought,we ushered in the last month of the most wonderful phase of our lives.

Trying to look at the glass being half full,I tried to enjoy the remaining time as much as I could.Matarani,Nagpuja were soon passé.Chocolate Room,Sardars,Punjab King was the place be.Late night gigs,with makeshift drumkit,weekend trips,movies,awesome dinner at awesome places,Subway,shopping,football,staying awake,chaas with Prasad,Ice-cream with Ishan,Tinku Jiya and no studying was what all the month was about.

The very first weekend was a royal trip to Udaipur.Weekdays were usually full of Mafia and Maar hi daloge.What started off as a relaxed month,started gaining momentum when suddenly test dates,project submissions were announced.Weekends were suddenly replaced by 'Head First',till your head burst.All this and my BI were enjoying weekends,and I started to wonder if I had done the right thing by opting for Java.
It was the last day for Chocolate Boy,and we gave a much deserved farewell.Chocolate boy became more chocolate-ier by a coat of chocolate,as working professionals had turned into college buffoons,again.
It was a night of uncensored,Chaas with Prasad as our beloved Chocolate Boy was asked questions way beyond his wildest imaginations.A night of heart break for the chicks,as their Chocolate Boy was no longer going to be meeting them.Really wished that he could have "hang on" a little while longer.

Still managed to sneak out for an evening of shopping,a frivolous rhyme duel with Bitiya Rani & Cool Aunty,a ride full of 'emptiness',awesome dinner and nice ride back to the hostel in the cold,while ogling at Deepika Padukone.First real experience of splurging,and it was sheer bliss.
The following day was Valentines Day,and the whole whole place was dressed in red.Apart from making a few couples,the day was just another day at the office.

Days were passing at the speed of light,as we had reached the last week of our stay.With the end of exams and project demos,we had the last weekend to ourselves.A DJ night with decent music,decent food,but awesome company was the last of our weekends together.Even better was the 1 am walk of almost 2 kms from the place to the hostel.But the day wasn't over for us yet,as the guards caught us.K-Pill and our security guy talked us out of the situation in what probably what was our last tussle with the security.
The next day we toured the city from one corner to the other,in search of a decent movie.Totally disgruntled by the movie,we decided to go in for another one,and yet another one after that.Shame though,as we could not execute the plan.Sunday was study day,as we were left one final test.

Last week was morning shift,and 2 pm marked the end of office hours.This left us with whole evening for movies.A class picture at the end of the day,and we were off to another movie,the next day and we had now officially seen all the movies that had been released during that time.
It ain't over till it is over,and that is what happened as we were given a last minute project,just so that we could not wile away our time on Mafia.Though no one really bothered on completing it.

And just like that,it ended.End of a phase,as we headed back to our hometown,though mentally we were still there,lost somewhere in Infocity.

January at Ahmedabad(Integration)

Home is where heart is.Having being under the conception,that I'd left mine in Mumbai for almost a month,the 3 day visit back made me realized that mine had shifted base to Ahmedabad.The journey back to Ahmedabad didnt seem as gloomy as it did the first time around.
Travelling with pals means no sleep.And reached 'home' at like 5 in the morning left us no time to sleep in the morning either.

Like promised,I got home-made chicken for savangs,who'd been missing home-made food.The only problem being those lazy asses were in deep sleep,and were in no mood to wake up that early.I'd been eyeing the chicken for as long as I could remember,and that sexy thing was trying to seduce me into gluttony.I tried to look at it like a stream of System.out statements,that is what probably saved it from me.
Danny Boy was the first to respond to the array of missed calls and called me over to the canteen.The situation didn't change much there either,as the two of us kept staring at the food,while waiting for the others.5-10 mins of waiting and dozen calls and messages later,we lost our patience and started hogging along with few others.

After probably the delicious breakfast in like a month,and still dazed,I got ready for the 1st day of the Integration Phase.Though all my fellow Mumbaikars were there with me,the fact that RP,BP,Danny weren't gonna be there wasn't all that pleasing.
Early to the 'Learning Room',we waited for our new facilitator,as I prayed for the person to be a hot chick ;).
To everyone's surprise,a boy not older than us,whom no one had ever seen before,entered the room.Before anyone could understand hey kon 'ale',pawan ke jhoke jaise,the lad introduced himself as our facilitator.Though he wasn't a hot chick like I wanted him to be,he seemed like a nice no kit-kit guy,and I'd make do with that.The shy guy was then made to(forced to) sing later.
After fun and games came java sessions,during which I made up for my loss of sleep from the previous night.

The initial few days were nothing more than java and few songs.God,how I missed those A-44 days.It was only after a week or so that everyone really gelled in and sessions started becoming fun.'Maar hi dalogey' and 'Mafia' were the two most frequently used words in the class.Soon chocolate boy also started joining us for our "sessions". All this and occasional frivolous mails to RP and the rest made the Integration Phase seem worthwhile.
Evening shifts were alloted to batches.No more getting up in the cold morning.Tuck yourself in the blanket till 10.Get up,have a nice breakfast,play football,have lunch and then office.And theres more.Evening shift meant office for 7 hours and salary for 9 hours worth of "work".Life couldn't have been any better !
A weekend trip to Diu,was the icing on the cake.It also made two new people enter our batch,viz.,Pressy and Nelly.

But,the very next week,our heaven was taken away from us,when after enjoying a week of evening shift,we were made to work in the general shift again.Zaina !
The night of 25th marked the 1st Gig of AHD-10 batch.Armed with 2 guitars,a makeshift drum kit with a C# snare,a tabla and 20-odd vocalist,we screamed,yelled,sweared and sang our way into the night,and also into the guard's ears.He was quick to respond with his usual dialogue of,"Aapka employee id do".But a session of singing and he melted like butter,and left without bothering to note down our ids."Bass awaaz kam rakho",was his advice and we continued yelling to the strumming and drumming.
Still the soft skills sessions full of fun,mafia and maar hi dalogey kept us company with chocolate boy's java sessions.
Weekend meant a time to step out into the city.Some went shopping,others went for movie.An awesome movie,a bite of Subway after months and a half decent laser show,marked our last weekend of being dependent,as the following week was going to be our first salary day.

31st January 2011,was a special day for all of us.Our first salary was to be credited on that day.Finally,after almost 45 days of waiting,our accounts were finally ready to get rid of the size zero diet.Excited,we all logged into our accounts,but to our disappointment,our accounts didn't hog the way we expected them to.The next 10-15 mins were mostly cries of swears and disappointment,as people were trying to figure out where exactly the money had gone.(6 months on,the story still remains the same).
Disappointed,angry,denounced,I tried to console myself,as though not what I expected it to be,it still was,and will always be my 'First Pay Slip',and we headed out,to splurge our first salary :).

January at Ahmedabad(Induction)

As new year began,half the people were at Mt.Abu having time of the life at almost sub zero temperatures,while the others were still at Ahmedabad,working really hard trying to get a hang of MVC architecture.
Bored with being in the office on new years,we headed to Akshardham.Awesome architecture and the best freaking laser show I've seen.

Back from an awesome weekend,everyone was back to work,trying to meet the coding deadline.Few lost souls like yours truly,RP & BP were still busy with double entendre.Par aaisa karna allowed hai ? Allowed hai,allowed hai.These words soon became shibboleth of A44.
Amidst the chaos technical sessions of coding,documentation were soft-skills sessions with awesome plays.One particular really struck a note with the people when Swamy said to Mr.Wang,that he'll open if he wants to open.Swamy was the highlight of the play,as the escort in the play was willing to offer him any services he wanted.

In between all of this came the moment all of us were waiting for,the posting details.One by one places were listed with the number of vacancies,with Mumbai nowhere in sight.The best they say is always saved for the last.Mumbai,there it was.Good things come in small packages.In this case,the small package being the number of vacancies.Only 70 seats for 120 Mumbaikars.As we headed to the auditorium for a briefing on the whole thing,half the people were already in tears,as if they had been already told that they were going to be in those 50 who were not going to get posted in Mumbai."Why is it always us? Previous batch had 70 odd seats for only 30 Mumbaikars.",was what every third person was saying. The session got over,but the tears didn't.
Back to the rooms,I kept on convincing RP,BP to stick with me and apply for Mumbai,but they were adamant of going to Bengaluru.In a last valiant effort,I tried to make them opt for Java,but they were again not willing to settle for anything which required coding.I prayed and entered my choices and hoped for the best.

The following week was full of hoaxes about posting.Not bothered much,we continued our daily routine of songs,jokes,coding,documentation,fixing errors one by one,as our tester Chabdaji kept finding loop holes in the code.
The time had come,our weeks hardwork put into the coding was finally put to test.Our facilitator started entering erroneous data,but was always showed a proper error message(Daddys home baby !).Tired from extensive testing,he finally asked us if there are any errors in our codes that we hadn't fixed.Its like asking,is Osama hiding in your country? Anyway,he still pointed out some errors int the documentation,which he wanted us to fix by the next deadline.Whatever!
Evenings were the best part during those days.Though we enjoyed as hell during the sessions,football in the evenings was the real deal.

With the week nearly coming to an end,the day everyone was waiting for was had arrived,as the lady held the results for the form we had 'feel'ed.One by one she started calling out names.The sheet was almost over,but still no sign of my name.For the first time I'd become nervous.Not Kochi,not Kochi,not Kochi is what my mind kept saying all that while.Finally,she uttered my name and said Java-Mumbai.Punched the air,and mailed my brother about the same.
Though most we happy with their choices,some of them we left throughly disappointed,not getting either their preferred choice of stream or city.Some of them didn't even have their names in the list.
Excited with my posting,I rushed out to know where others had been posted to.Almost all my fellow Mumbaikars had been posted to Mumbai.

Counting the last few days of the induction phase,I tried to enjoy as much as I could.Our trio continued with our banter,annoying mumma,cracking stupid meaningless,double meaning jokes,singing weird songs.Had never enjoyed so much.Some of them laughed so hard that their " 'Teeths' were showing ".
Having completed with the case study and still one day left of the induction phase,we decided what we wondered what could we possibly do on the last day.But,surprise surprise,there was an announcement,"Test hai kal".Though of them were not much worried about it,RP seemed tensed,as for him,test is hard.
Despite not having studied anything,the test was quite easy,and RP wondered had he done the right thing by opting for BI over Java.
Post the test,we had a viva and we officially done with the 'Induction Phase'.

EOD,and we were off to the hostel,packing bag(s) full of clothes to be washed,as weekend this time around was going to be in Mumbai for us.

December at Ahmedabad

6 am.Alarm ringing,but unlike most of the times,I dont snooze it.Why? Because,its my roomie's bloody cell thats ringing.Covering my ears with the pillow,I try to go to sleep,but soon I realize that today is my 'First Day at the Office'.Quickly I get up,and start getting ready.Meanwhile,Mr.Cisco too is busy getting ready for his 1st day at the office.Combed our hair to perfection,polished our shoes as clear as a mirror,tied the perfect tie-knot,prayed to the Gods,took our folders and we were off to the office.If life had background music,surely "Aakhon mein sapne liye,gharse hum chal toh diye" would have been the apt song.

Dressed and raring to go,we made our way downstairs,waiting for the others.Alongside were 200-odd people,with the same nervousness on their faces and the same list of documents in their hands.As the others came,we left for the a memorable,yet terrifying experience of our lives.The 10 minute walk seemed like an eternity,with mind wandering away into thoughts of cubicles,projects,deadlines,team members,etc.Finally reaching the building,we were directed towards the cafeteria,where oddly enough,the ever hungry yours truly didn't even look around for food.Shaky hands kept on checking the documents every couple of minutes,as if they were going to vanish in the thin air.The chitter-chatter of the 200 nervous people amplified through the cafeteria,eventually inviting the security guard to intervene.Don't know if it were my anxiousness or the noise around,but i all i could make out was snap,blah blah,bang,blah,snap,pointing towards one end,blah blah and suddenly there was a pin drop silence.The ephemeral silence ended as soon the guard made his way out of the cafeteria,as people resumed to their chitter-chatter.Eventually,we were told to make way to the auditorium.

There is something about auditoriums that always make me feel sleepy.Nothing different was this situation,and so I tried to find a seat at the back rows but being a 'late latif' didn't do me any good.All the preceding seats were occupied as well.During this row scanning process,certain vacant seats in the middle were occupied as well,and the only vacant seats left were the first and the second rows.With no other option left,I went and sat at the seat which seemed relatively farthest from the speaker.Soon all the higher authorities came and gave us an introduction about themselves and the organization after which we were off for lunch.Post lunch,we gathered again in the auditorium, completing the document formalities and called it a day at around 6.30.

2^nd day began in pretty much the same fashion.Sleepy from the oil-laden food I had for lunch, I made my way to the auditorium .This time though we were gonna be told our batches.Being an introvert,I wanted someone from the 10 odd people I was acquainted with in the 2 days,to be a part of my batch.One by one,names were being announced.As Mr.Cisco’s name was announced,i crossed my fingers for my name to be a part of the batch as well.Sadly though,I wasn’t a part of the 1^st batch.Zaina !

Then came the names of people from the 2^nd batch.4-5 names were called,after which I heard my name,and I rose from my half sleepy state and I started noticing the people who were there with me.Soon the list of 40 people was over and as I looked around,none of them were of my acquaintance.Hell,more than 80% of them,I was seeing for the first time.I couldn’t help but bombard a series of swears(in my head) at the person responsible for making these batches.Rubbing salt to the wound was the fact that all of my friends had atleast 1 person of their acquaintance with them.

Still upset with the batch allocation,I made my way back to the hostel,asking people,”Hi,u from A-44?” Dinner was over,and we headed back to the hostel.Met K-pill on the way,cribbed in front of him too about the allocation.K-pill with his ever smiling face told me,”Arre,A-44 na.Yeh bhi A-44 mein hai”,and I met Mukesh Uncle,who also was the CR of our batch.Wow ! My first friend from the batch.Happy I was returning to my room,where I was stopped and invited to Room 201(miss that place),to play the game of Mafia(miss that too!). Ecstatic,I RSVP’d a confirmation.

As I made my way to the room filled with 15 unknown people,playing an unknown game was no different what my situation would have the next day at office,except that the number of people was going to be more.In a way,this was kind of a trailer.Though the trailer seemed like the trailer for Paranormal Activity,a few minutes into it,I turned into an Adam Sandler flick.Soon,I was acquainted to everyone present there,and got a hang of the game as well.1-2 rounds in,double entendres made its entrance and introvert-ism took a back seat,as we laughed and cracked jokes.What started off as a crappy day,turned into quite at eventful one.I returned to room a content person and called it a day.

1^st day with the batch.Nervous,I made my way the classroom,as I searched for a familiar/friendly/beautiful face,with a vacant seat besides.Since many had already utilized the output from the above search function,there were barely any places left.I made my way to one of them,and introduced myself to the person next to me,Danny Boy a.k.a. The-man-with-the-golden-voice.As the first session began,our facilitators made us introduce the person sitting next to us,along with his/her favourite food.So ,we got down to work,and to my amazement,Danny Boy was a meat lover like me :).Having introduced my newest buddy,’Sorpotel Danny’ to everyone,I geared up for the next activity. Made quite a few friends by the end of it too,and soon I wished for more of these activities.By the end of it,almost everyone knew everyone.The technical sessions began later,though I’d rather not talk about them.

Next few days were pretty much the same,with an entertaining non-technical session,and 3 technical sessions per day,and mafia in room 201 at the end of the day.Singing,dancing,laughing,coding we made a week into training.Soon tests were announced and sooner tests were conducted as well :P

Finally,the day I was looking forward to since the past 2 months had arrived.As my roommates got ready to give me a sore ass,i prepared myself by tying a pillow to my ass,a method which was used by my roomie,when we gave him a sore ass some days back.As the clock struck 12,phones calls,messages kept coming in,as my roomies waited eagerly for me to hang up,so as to begin the ass whopping.Next day,we headed to the office,as we had an exam the next the.Still,I got a nice surprise birthday celebration amidst the preparation :).

Post test,we were divided into groups for case study.Though was friends with just Danny Boy,soon gelled with the rest of group members as well.Case study was probably the best part the entire first phase,as Petrol Pump and me kept on bugging Danny Boy with our endless pjs.It was during this time that RP and me started our double meaning talks as well.Soon BP joined us as well.With our terrific trio of brothers in place,all that was missing to complete the picture was Mumma.Having recruited her,we went our in search of our dad.Soon Mumma became Mother Ahmedabad,as everyone addressed her as Mumma,with a new brother/sister being added to our family everyday.With project work aside,RP,BP and me kept on making more and more senseless double entendre,from almost every word that ‘came’ from people.

As the year drew towards an end,we had a small celebration organized by our employer.Music,food,fashion show,and a hell lot of a dance as we bid adieu to the year that was,a day before the actual new year(the only sad part about the ‘New Year’ celebration).Though we had a little celebration of our own on 31^st night,as well went all over  the hostel rooms,wishing everyone,playing music,dancing and as always,at the end of everything,headed to room no.201 for Mafia :) .

.. And the journey begins

December 12th,around 5.30 am

After a long,tiring journey,sudden commotion woke me up.People were getting ready to alight,as Ahmedabad station was almost in sight.Quickly,I got up and started taking out luggage hidden under every seat.Half asleep and a bag in each hand,I got out off the train,and looked around at the place which was going to be my home for the next 2 months.I couldnt help but dislike every single thing which I saw.Call it being narrow minded,but still the fact still remained,i missed Mumbai.Though,I loved the cool weather over there.Its the one thing i didnt miss about Mumbai.

I as got out of the station,i saw a bus waiting to pick us up.Alongside were 100 odd aspiring engineers,people who were going to be a part of my mañana.Tired and weary from the journey,didnt really make an effort to know anyone.Loaded my bags in the bus,and climbed aboard.As the engine roared,we began our hour long journey to the campus.The driver,probably pissed at the fact that Vijay Mallaya didnt sign him for Force India F1,decided he didnt need VJM04 to show off his skills.He maneuvered the 5 ton bus,like a 500 kg F1 car,through the streets of Ahmedabad.Cutting corners,running red lights,left side overtaking,u name it.Lewis Hamilton would have been proud of that man.

45-50 mins later,the bus finally halted in front of a gate, and we knew we had reached the campus.Happy not only coz we'd reached,but also the fact that bus had not become a hearse.A few people got down to enquire about our campus.Though we were at the right place,we were at the wrong gate.Arrrggghhh ! Damn these people.What difference does it make if we use a gate for entering as well as leaving the campus.Disappointed we headed back into the bus,only problem being the road was too small to turn the bus around,atleast thats what most of us felt.But the driver had full confidence in his driving abilities.Like before he maneuvered the gigantic vehicle like a hot knife through butter.Michael Schumacher would have been proud of this guy.On we went from one gate to other,through a beautiful road surrounded by trees on both sides.Though this beauty was making it difficult for the bus to make way through it.Slow and carefully,the driver made his way through the road,to reach gate no.2.This time too,the 'Team Leads' went on to enquire about our hostel,but the result still remained the same.Thankfully,this time around we kept the bus on the road.Moving on,we finally reached gate no.3.Team Leads on their work,but surprisingly,this time we got a yes.The bus entered the huge campus and navigated through the roads towards our hostel.


We got down,unloaded the luggage and made our way towards reception.Pacifying myself with the thought that i'll be off to sleep in about 10-20 mins,I made my way to the reception,only to find everyone already in queue,waiting to 'get a room' and doze off.I joined the ever increasing line and waited for my turn.According to my initial research,these rooms were already assigned to each individual and this was merely a handover of the keys and signing of the agreement part of the deal.Surprisingly,rooms were not pre-decided and were alloted to each individual as he came.Seeing this trend,everyone started switching places to be next to their friends.I too squeezed between Mr.Cisco & Dino,either of whom,or even both could have been my roomies.
As I told the receptionist my name,he handed over me sheets to filled.Completing all the required formalities,i handed those sheets back and was told the room I was assigned to.Mr.Cisco was my roomie and Dino was alloted the adjacent room.


Me,Cisco and our newly made friends made our way to the apartment.Making entries in the attendance registers we made way to our room.Ringing the bell,we woke up our roomie on a sunday morning at 7 am(not a pleasant thing to do to an engineer,especially a working engineer).Though he was kind enough to not take offence and showed us our room,where our other roomie was fast asleep.Leaving him be,we kept our luggage towards one corner of the room and left for breakfast.

Having a quick breakfast and making a few acquaintance,the Idea of getting a new SIM struck us.So we said Tata to our new friends and went SIM shopping.Explored the place a little,but the sun got the better off me and I headed to my room for a nice nap.
Waking up in the evening,I started preparing myself for my first day on the job,asking roomie about his experience.Having an early dinner,I headed off to sleep,as the day drew towards an end.

Oh yea,I did miss the fact that I could no longer stay awake till the wee hours of the morning,watching movies,playing games,or just staying awake !

Build up to the journey

Post engineering,sans the degree(or results),i eagerly waited for my call letter,not because I wanted to work,I just wanted  to have my first pay check,and 1 by 1 start eliminating the plethora of gadgets,and start filling my room with them.After enjoying the initial few months of vacations,I started becoming restless as the months kept passing,with the joining not visible for miles.Soon frustration crept in,but,its prolonged exposure made me immune.Employed,still jobless,I sat in my room,watching movies,playing games,which I once used to be a dream.
As one by one,nearly all colleges in Mumbai had received their call letters,we sat there,waiting for ours,cursing our college authorities for not making an effort.All we kept getting during that time,were mails to verify our details,conduct Bio-metric tests and shit.One thing that I was happy about was the fact that I got to stay in Mumbai longer,as almost all Having lost hopes of getting the joining before the end of the year,checking mails regularly had also become the thing of the past.

One fine afternoon,towards October end,switching between movies,Call of duty,I stumbled upon my Call of duty,which was nothing less than finding kryptonite.After going through the mail,which stated I had to report to Ahmedabad office,on 13th Decemeber,I realized,the joining could not have come at a better time,as I would get to celebrate my birthday with my friends,as I always wanted.Also,the fact that I wasn't very far away from Mumbai,made me even happier.

After sharing the news with my family,I quickly messaged my friends about the same.As excited as a man who was just told he had become a father,I started preparing a list of all the movies I had to watch & games I needed  to play within the next month,as my mom started preparing a list of food items she had to prepare in the same time.

As the days kept passing,slowly life started getting serious.This I can say from the fact that suddenly my Iron Maiden,Metallica t-shirts started making way for ties & shirts.Crap! As they say,no pain,no gain.
Clothes,shoes,documents were soon out of the cupboard,as my room became an obstacle course,with me having to navigate through bags,wires,clothes lying all around.

As the month of November drew towards the end,I started to count my last few days in Mumbai,thinking about how things are gonna suck in Ahmedabad.With less than a week left for me to leave the city,Mr.Ha-Horses got posted to Ahmedabad,and had to report within the very next day.As we had a makeshift farewell for him,I put myself in his shoes,thinking in about 5 days,i'll be the one who'll be getting a farewell.

11th Decemeber 2010.Bidding adieu to the city which had been my home ever since I was born,wasn't easy.At the station meeting up everyone,who had been a part of my daily routine for the past 4 years,for last time wasn't easy either.At the platform,waiting at for the train,cracking stupid jokes,teasing friends,irritating cousins,I realized how much I am gonna miss all of this.
Alas,the train was at the station.With no option other than boarding it,I waved one last time to family,friends alike,as I embarked upon a journey,which I didn't really wanted to go on.

1st Day at work - Powai Part

.. okay,we know we belong to Travel,transport and hospitality,that doesn't mean you make us travel in the scorching sun.Show a little hospitality! Provide us some means of transport.
And ,off to Powai we were,and in spite of the things happening,my face lit up,like the sky during Diwali.

Clean roads,no potholes,pizza outlets,huge buildings,and I realized we'd reached our destination.Take a left,and you go Karting,walk straight down the road,pizza outlets,one after the other,cross over to the other side,coffee shops.You name it,they have it.I was in heaven.
So,the rickshaw dropped us off in front of a building,no different from the others,except the fact the this building bore the names of the companies it housed,as we marveled at them.As we climbed the incline towards the building,I said to myself,I dont care if I dont get a good project,as long as I am posted here!
On reaching the entrance,it felt no different from the entrance of an airport,with all the stringent security checks,the gates,and the works.Again,just let me be posted here!

Finally in the building,we searched for the person we were supposed to report to,entered the office.Amidst the array of cubicles,we found a sign saying RMG,and we rushed towards it.As we saw others,with same situation as us,we found a glimmer of hope of getting a project,before reaching home.
Introducing ourself to the concerned person,we were told our alloted ISU has no projects at the moment,and we didn't know how to respond."But !",and she said,"there is an opening for a SAP project,i'll just confirm".
SAP .. holy crap! Is this like a dream.Please dont wake up,if it is!And I waited to hear the most beautiful,optimistic word of the english vocab.
And the phone call ended,and there was affirmation.I take back my words,I don't need no office in Powai,just let me be in that project."But !"she said.Why are there so many buts!Isn't everyone happy with the pair they already have.Anyway,so what that but was for is,there is only one seat,and 5 of us.Still a 20% chance,but what field in SAP will we be working on exactly,was the big question,which remained unanswered.No details were revealed about the project,making us wonder what exactly the project might be.We were told 2 of us had to report,out of whom 1 will be selected,and we were told to decide amongst ourselves who the 2 people are going to be.

We left the room,with everyone calling up their most experienced person from this field,asking whether to take up this offer or just let it be.Faces as tensed,as the day the allocations were announced.Yes,no,,can't decide,WTF,I wanna go home,these were probably the only words used during those minutes we waited outside.So far,only Mr.Why-Chromosome was ready to take up the offer,while the rest of us were just looking at each other,waiting for someone to say something."Aavois",I said,"I am a trainee.Its SAP",and we left for the room again.As we entered the room,I just prayed,that this should be a good project,and we said the two of us are ready to go for the interview.And,our details forwarded to the concerned person.As for the other 3,they were told to report to the Andheri office the next day.

And so,we left the office,still wondering if we had done the right thing by accepting the offer,while the others wondering if they had done the right thing by rejecting the offer.As we left the building,we met others,some like us,project less,frustrated,and jealous of others,who had been assigned to a good project,others dejected by their project,some elated.Walking towards the exit, I started texting others,asking them about their allotment,how they were finding the new city,were they missing the training,at the same time receiving calls,with the very same questions.Tired,exhausted,we searched for a place to eat.
Finally,catching a bus home,we were still thinking if we had done the right thing and what to expect tomorrow,after spending the whole day travelling from one place to other.

As the first day of our job neared its end,one thing was sure,everyone and i mean every single person sure missed the training,and wished to go back in time,to those memorable days.
If this is a dream,wake up now dude.Lets go back to Ahmedabad !

1st Day at work - Andheri Part

.. So now,we were told to travel to Andheri,and report to our respective RMG.As we left,we met,hugged our friends,said our good byes to people who were supposed to report to different locations,and off we went.

Everyone divided themselves into groups,rushed towards the nearest rickshaw yelling 'Mulund Depot',as if we were in Amazing Race.10-15 mins later,as everyone reached Mulund Depot,the same thing was repeated,"Kaka,Andheri kaunsi bus jayegi".Now the 'BEST' part about this was everyone conductor/driver had a different & an unique answer for this question,and according to them,the other buses aren't supposed to go to Andheri.
Dazed and confused,everyone agreed on one solution,food :D
After quenching their thirst(for water),and satisfying their hunger(for food),everyone headed back to the stop,eagerly waiting for a bus.As soon as the bus arrived,everyone rushed in,just as kids rush out of the school gates,at the end of the day.The driver,conductor flummoxed by whats happening,started wondering if they were been hijacked.More than half the bus was occupied by us,as if were out on a school trip.

After about an hours time,it started to get noisy,as i was woken up from my sleep and i realized we were near.As we went past the buildings,i started liking the place,thinking maybe its better i got it in Andheri.And the moment i laid my eyes on a Subway outlet,i fell in LOVE with the place,and i prayed to get my location as Andheri.A minute later,our stop arrived,and as we started alighting,the bus started becoming taller.

As i gazed towards the building,i realized this shall be 'my office' for the next two years.More than that,a Subway outlet,a minute away from the place excited me even more :D.As we entered the building,flashing our ids towards guards,we called up our respective RMG,only to realize,they were out for lunch.So,we too went towards the cafeteria.Seeing the menu,i started liking the place even more.

Post lunch,half sleepy we went in search of our RMG.After a little bit of searching we finally found the cubicle,our RMG was supposed to be.Seeing an empty cubicle,i wondered how much time do these people get as a lunch break?.After inquiring,we found out that the person was reporting to the Powai office today.So,we called up and were told to report at Powai.
Now the fact the there is a possibility of being posted in Powai for the next 2 years,brought the biggest smile on my face for the day :)

We paid the cafeteria a last visit and bid adieu to the nice place,as 5 of us left for Powai ..

1st Day at work - Thane Part

Like everyone,I too was nervous,anxious about my 1st day of work,mentally preparing myself in the 3 days leave given by my employer.I was supposed to report to the Thane branch,where I would be given my base-branch.

D-Day,half an hour left for the time we all decided to meet,but here I am all dressed up,and ready to go.As if time had stopped still,with every minute felt like a never ending Himesh Reshamiya song.
At last,the clock struck 7 and I left my place.Reached the bus stop,only to find myself alone there.Frantically messaging everyone to get there asses down there ASAP,as i watched one bus after other pass by.As time passed by,thoughts of losing half my day's salary,or worse,losing a chance to work in a good project started running through my mind.And there I was messaging everyone again !
Finally at around 7.20,everyone was there,only to realize we were supposed to wait for someone else as well.
I mean WTF ! Aren't we like already 20 mins late ? Thankfully she arrived 5 mins later and we were ready to leave.But 'HANG ON',where the hell are the A/C buses ?,and i realized that we'll be travelling,'State-Of-The-Art' ST Buses.My thoughts of myself being the neatly combed guy,wearing a nice crisp white shirt,were suddenly replaced by college days look.With the thought still running through my mind,i boarded the bus,where Mr.Cisco,was confirming whether we are in the right bus.Please,Lord .. don't do this,please be the right bus.As i boarded the bus,i was happy to find an empty seat,the sight for which i long for,these days.Anyway,Mr.Cisco confirmed that it was the right bus,and i was as happy as a clam :).But,my joy was short lived as i found out the bus wont leave till 7.45. Salary = Salary/2 seem quite the perfect equation for the day,at that moment.

The engine purred,and we were off.And after a nice,comfortable ride,we reached the place,on time(phew).Waiting outside the premises,i met my pals whom i hadn't met for like 2 days,still felt like an eternity since we apart.Saw some new faces as well.Though everyone had that anxiousness in them.
Anyway,inside the building,and i felt the pride of being an employee of my employer.And then i asked the guard where are the new recruits supposed to wait,and he pointed towards the room with the most noise and i walked towards it.As i walked inside the room,i saw all my friends,with whom i had spent my glorious 70 odd days,reminiscing the wonderful times,completely oblivious of the current situation.
After laughing,joking,exchanging phone numbers,messaging friends at other centers,i finally sat down,waiting for someone to come along,and tell where i am supposed to be for the next 2 years.Minutes turned into 2 digits,but still no sight of anyone.With hunger creeping inside,i had reached my breaking point,but thankfully the concerned person entered the room.After collecting some documents,he set us off for breakfast,and i ran faster than Usain Bolt towards the exit,where the big question hit me,"Which way is the canteen?".Conserving my energy by not asking anyone,i followed the huge group heading towards the only other building visible.As i reached the building,i noticed another building and walked towards it.This sequence was repeated 3 times as i finally reached the cafeteria.

Food,glorious food,you are my life.While having a nice breakfast,my cellphone buzzed with a message stating my salary has been credited.Finishing the meal with a smile,i left the canteen,to take the 42.195 km,marathon walk back to the 1st building,on the way discussing with my friends,how i am gonna splurge my salary.

Back to the room,and RMG started calling out names and their alloted ISUs.Fingers crossed i waited for my turn.One by one,all my friends were alloted ISUs,as i waited there to hear my name being called out.
They say,the best is saved for the last,probably thats why my name was called in the last ISU,with a couple of my friends.The happiness of hearing my name,made me miss out on the information that was told later on.Turns out,my ISU was Travelling,Transport and Hospitality and i was supposed to travel to Andheri branch,for an interview ..