V

"But on this most auspicious of nights, permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace sobriquet, to suggest the character of this dramatis persona.

Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate. This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished. However, this valorous visitation of a by-gone vexation, stands vivified and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin van-guarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.

The only verdict is vengeance; a vendetta, held as a votive, not in vain, for the value and veracity of such shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous.

Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."

Howzzat for an Introduction!!! Or should I call it a fustian rant, even better a Vainglorious Vaudevillian Verbiage???

Today being X'Mas, we are lucky to have an off day. So, I was lazing through the entire day watching movies on my laptop. And as I was watching V, I couldn't help but notice how heavily the dialogues leaned towards usage of the words starting with the letter 'V'. What ingenuity I say!!! Insane Creativity and Such minute attention to detail.
Bloody Brilliant!!! Freakin' Awesome!!!

Chains!!!

Oh!!! Bugger off!!!

That was sweet......

I think I am beginning to like you.

I really really like you.

I miss you every moment you are not with me.

I think, I really think you are the one for me. Is this what is called LOVE???

I hate you. For all the pain I inflict on myself because of You.

Confused!!! :) Will you wait for me??? 'Coz I am pretty sure you are the one for me.

It was a huge mistake. I hate YOU -- for leaving me stranded.

You've made my Life miserable. You've got to take the whole blame. I HATE YOU -- from the depths.

I need help.

It's Ok. Life moves on.

I don't feel that miserable anymore. Infact, I feel fine.

I still miss you sometimes. I think of what could have been. But it still is pretty fine.

???

P.S: Watching ESOTSM multiple times can do this to you. :P Inspired from the awesome idea that is ESOTSM. :)

B'day Wishes

My Birthday is the only day of the year when my phone in a single day gets as much exercise as it normally does in almost a month. Thanks a tonne to all those who remembered the day and kept me engaged on the phone and my apologies to those that I couldn't attend to at the first go, either because I was sleeping or because I was at work.

Coming to Birthday wishes, they are of many a kind.

Some you expect. And you get. Like your parents. Your close kin. Friends in your inner circle. They've wished you each year. They continue to. They most probably will continue to(I Hope). You feel blessed to have them on your side -- willing you on in your endeavors, wishing you the very best in life. These wishes are those that fill your heart with their warmth.

Then there are some you least expect. They come from nowhere -- just like that, a bolt out of the blue. An old school mate who hasn't spoken to you in years. The guy who was your constant company when you went home for holidays. These are mostly unexpected and it thrills you that somebody so out of touch could still remember your birthday and did call to wish you. These are very very sweet and really touching gestures.

Then there are few you very much expect. But which you don't get. Maybe that person has forgotten your birthday. So you call that person and remind them that its your birthday and coax wishes out of them somehow hinting that it is your birthday. :) These wishes are slightly tricky -- there is a tinge of disappointment that your birthday has been forgotten but you are happy you've been wished finally.

And then there are those few who forget. And which you do nothing about but just remember that they'd have wished you if you turned back the clock. Maybe now they are far away. Maybe you've moved far away. These hurt -- not because they forgot but because you can sense the wane in the relation.

Quite some reflection, huh. All in all, a very Interesting Birthday this, I must say.

MAD

When you cannot be mad at somebody, no matter what they do, you know for sure that you are at the focal point of attraction in your relationship curve.

When you cannot 'stay' mad at somebody for long, then you know that your relationship has mellowed over time and that you've found optimum comfort levels with each other.

Virtual Spaces and Reality!!!

"With you around me(in virtual space, yeah) life was so much easy, so much fun, so much to look forward to.
Now that you are no more near(in soul perhaps) I miss you, I miss the very thought of you."

P.S : Wow!!! There it goes, off my chest!!!
Never thought I'd ever express it, let alone feel that way. Life can get so filmy, duh.

TGIF!!! Naah

"Friday", he prophesized, "Friday my friend, You realise how the whole universe is conspiring against you -- hatching the most devilish plot against you".

"How is that?", I queried.

"Hmm.... Here's what happens. Listen. You come to office on Friday anticipating the weekend ahead and you see loads of work dumped onto you. It is late in the evening when you see people trickling out but you know you are going to be in for a couple more hours at least. Your plans to go hit the pub scene are in a disarray. You see your ex flame online and can do nothing but feel bad the relation should've worked. The ones with whom you've made plans for the evening have dumped you to go ahead with them, albeit without you. And then at last, you somehow manage to shut the system off and move out. You trudge your way back home when you see enthusiastic couples vrooming past you on bikes, presumably to the disco. You manage to utter a 'ptch' and continue moving ahead. You realise you are left to yourself and have no company for supper and you also do not know where to go and hence decide to skip it. Further, it dawns on you that you have the weekend ahead and you have 'absolutely' nothing to do. In that moment of solitude and helplessness, you begin to realise how F**ked up you are and what a pathetic state you are in. And then it hits you and it seeps in....... "

PS : Tried reproducing verbatim.
Today I think I am a little close to knowing how he felt....

The Image Search for Answer Tag

The concept:

* For the 20 questions that have been asked, write down your honest answer (in a word or two).
* Type your answers, one by one, on an exactly-as-written-on-paper basis, in the search bar of any image search engine that you prefer (Flickr / Google Image Search etc.).
* You MUST use the same search engine for all 20 answers.
* For every answer, only from the FIRST page of the search result, save exactly ONE image.
* Once you have a list of 20 images, each corresponding to one answer, compose a post in line with this post that you are reading right now.

I was tagged by: TwilightFairy

I tag: Kishore

Image Search Engine used: Flickr

1. My age:

22

2. I am passionate about:

Books

3. My favorite place:

Beach n The Sand

4. I have a thing for:

Music

5. My comfort zone:

My Bedroom

6. My favorite animal:

Squirrel

7. My kind of art:

Graffiti

8. The town where I was brought up:

Vijayawada

9. The town where I live:

Bangalore

10. A past pet:

Dog

11. A past love:

Basketball

12. Current Love:

F1

13. Best Friends Nickname:

Dumbass

14. I want:

To break Free

15. Screen Name:

Shared

16. A bad habit:

Sleeping

17. A dream:

To conquer the world

18. First job:

Design Studio

19. I miss:

College Life

20. What am I doing right now?

Listening to music

Proximity -- It's in the mind!!!

"Though we were miles apart, we used to be very close. Now that we live in the same city, we feel so far off."

Damn it!!! The Irony of Life!!!

P.S: Ever felt that way???

Crush.... Crushes???

"Why do I fall in love with every girl who shows me the least bit of attention?"

Kudos to Charlie Khaufman & Michael Gondry for coming up with ESOTSM and, in particular, this piquant yet piercing quote.

Spooky......

Completely took me by surprise, Though I must admit I do not entirely agree with what it is trying to convey.......

P.S : 'Twas a long time back.

Job Life

--Job Life gives you (almost) zero time to blog.
--Mornings on the job are most productive. After lunch, drowsiness takes over. (The sumptuous free lunch at office is to blame.)
--Flexi Timings are a boon. Sleep till 9:30 am and reach the office at 10:30.am. You are still in 30 mins before your boss. ;)
--Lunch at 1:30 pm daily. Now look at the previous two statements and decide for yourself.
--Job Life isn't totally disconnected from College life.
a) The college lingo stays. You get to hear 'seriously', 'obviously', 'actually' and the ilk very very frequently.
b) People still need just the slightest excuse to demand (and take) treats and parties.
c) Sex Ratio is as skewed as it is at IIT's.
--Job Motto : Work Hard, Party Harder.
--You cannot chat that frequently with friends. But you itch to do so.
--Job gives you a reason to talk to just people you want to. If you don't feel like, you can always tell them you are busy.
--Company's laptop has a zillion apps running on it at the same time - Secure Vaults, Backup Softies, Encryptors... What not!!! Damn irritating....
--The worst part about it are the Hazaar passwords.
--Listening to songs on the job is a great way to relax.
a) Your boss will think twice before he disturbs you.
b) You get to make people believe you are actually seriously working.
--It's hard to make friends in your team. It's everybody for him/herself.
--You ought to smile/laugh for some dumb (Dumb as Dumb can get) jokes. Must be careful not to hurt anybody's feelings. Mind you, It's real Hard.
--Etiquette, Decorum, Team Ethics..... Aaahhh!!! So many formalities. Well at least I get to dress up informal.
--8.5 (8 + .5 for lunch) hours of Office daily. 8 hours of Sleep. That's my Weekday.
--5 days of office. 2 days of Rest/Lazing around at home. Week goes by pretty fast. Weekend moves even faster. Life's picked up a great deal of pace, it feels. It's quite nice working and earning and being self sufficient.
--Am I satisfied??? For now, YES. But I got to study further and the plans need to be made and executed. Wish me Luck........

Guy Songs

I'd presumed that lovey-dovey heartbreak songs were always meant to be feminine. Not that I don't expect heartbreak in the male dominion, just that I don't expect them to make their feelings public -- some sort of chivalry one could say.

But then chanced upon these two lovely songs that entirely quashed my theory. Pure Macho, Mannish Heartbreak. Is there any chance the heartbreak and the emotions are actually genuine???

I really miss your hair in my face
And the way your innocence tastes
And I think you should know this
You deserve much better than me

What hurts the most
Was being so close
And havin' so much to say
And watchin' you walk away

P.S: I'm a hopeless romantic... Duh!!!

Never love anyone so much as to give them the power to hurt you.
--
Some filmy Quote

P.S : When will people ever learn???

The Best Gift -- Ever !!! :)

When the night is so cold,
and you are finding things hard,
When you feel you are nothing,
another body to discard,
When you are feeling empty,
and inside you are numb,
When memories haunt you,
and you regret things you've done.
Just remember the faith,
that I will always have in you,
Remember the strength of your soul,
that you use to get through,
Remember I am here forever,
to help you through that night,
The one that feels never- ending,
the one that fills you with fright,
Remember my hand holding yours,
and the pureness in your heart,
I will be here until the end,
even if i was not here at the start.
I'll always be there at heart...!!

P.S : Something I received for my last Birthday. Just thought I'd share it -- before it fades into oblivion.

The Holy Town and my Bizarre Wish

Tirupati was one enlightening and exhilarating trip – For two reasons.

• One, Mom and Me got ample mother-son time, talking about minutiae – something we haven’t had a chance to do in a long, long time. (Yeah, she got hold of all my new girlfriends and imaginary ones at that).
  
• Two, I had a chance to rest after the hectic BTP time – tortuous to say the least.

I do not know what it is about the temple town that keeps bringing me back , but I for sure know that I will keep coming back. Tirumala, the temple town, has its own old world charm – the constructions and facilties are amongst the most modern available – but there is that radiance in the place and devotion in the air, a rarity in the modern world. For once you feel transported to a different land where the path to Nirvana replaces El Dorado for countless sinners turned devotees.

Most of the people who know me tend to mostly believe that I am an atheist. Well, this must serve to clear the airs, I am no atheist. I do pray when I have an exam or when I am mired in troubles (Just like the vast majority out there :P ).

I walked all the way to the top (from Alipiri to Tirumala), must have been around 10 kms. The ascent started with a series of steep steps for about 3kms (89.5 degrees steep it felt). Anyways, when I look back and see, I just find no reason why I walked. Was I trying to see if I was fit? Did I want to try and immerse myself in God for sometime and try experiencing his pull? I seriously don’t know. Did I ask God for a favour in making the climb??? Hell, No. If only I had. Anyways, I made interesting observations as I made the climb. You should try it once.

I have been to this place umpteen times. The mad rush just seems to keep growing year after year. You hardly get to see the Deity in the heart of the temple for 5 seconds. Yet in the mere 5 seconds of my presence in the Sanctum Sanctorum, the absolute radiance, and the spiritual high is something I always look forward to. And in those 5 seconds a small prayer indefinitely escapes my lip – thanking the Lord for what I am and asking him for a small favour each time. This is my yearly ritual with the Lord, but this time I asked him for one of the most bizarre wishes – I hope he isn’t stunned by the wackiness of my ask. Well, about the wish, I’d make it public if it is delivered, or else it’ll be our little secret.

Waves and Ice Cream

We sat there by the lake, watching the sun set, observing the tiny waves hit the embankment, whisk up a white foam and then roll back, giving way for a new set of waves to reconstruct the visual treat. A sea of people floated around us but both of us were oblivious to any other presence. We didn’t talk much to each other either but we were quietly basking in each other’s company. It was our first meeting in 2 years.

We had known each other for years. We used to live in the same neighbourhood. We would have crossed each others paths over a thousand times on the street. We acknowledged each others presence but we never spoke to each other. Wait….. We did talk once. “Here’s your kerchief”, I said, returning the one she’d dropped. She just smiled back. Just like she always did.

Then my family had to relocate to another town. We moved. A year flew by. Then suddenly, one day, out of the blue, I found a familiar sounding name in my inbox. I hurried to look at the contents.

Hi,
I hope you do remember me. It would be great to get back in touch.
Yours,
X.

My heart almost skipped a beat. Where did she get my address from? “It would be great to get back in touch”, she had said. Did she think we had been in touch?

But I was genuinely touched by the warmth and the sincerity of that cute lil’ mail. I was surprised but I liked it that she remembered me. What pains would she have gone through to get back in touch with me.

I replied back. And, so it began. We mailed each other frequently. The size of the mails increased exponentially with time. She listened to all my drivel, she advised me on most matters, she comforted me when I was blue and she heard me, no matter what I spoke about. She became the bearer of my secrets. She didn’t blabber as much as I did, but the introvert that she was, I knew she spoke minimum. Mails flew thick and fast. Before we knew what hit us, we progressed from being virtual strangers to being best buddies. She often kept telling me how lucky she was to have me as a friend. I reciprocated.

Then one day, I was to go to her town on some work. She insisted on meeting. I was excited. I thought of a 1000 things to do when I’d meet her. I could have made a list.

I suggested the lake. And there we were, having shared all our emotions on a virtual platform, unable to express ourselves as we faced each other. How Ironic it felt!!! Nothing from my list materialised. Still, it was very memorable.

We had an ice cream. She loved Butterscotch. I remembered. She smiled that I remembered.

Time flew that day. Or so it felt. It was time to bid goodbye. The heart was getting heavy. I was secretly wishing for time to come to a standstill. But then all things have to end. And so we parted ways.

We would have talked about that meeting a hundred times again -- whenever we met online. It was to be our moment of madness and also our fall back point -- The memento of our relationship. I savoured it truly. I think she did too.

Then, One day, as I was chatting with her, she told me she got engaged. I couldn’t react. I did not know how to react. I wished her the best and with her permission, I logged out. It took some time to sink in. Did that mean we could no longer be friends? It all seemed to be getting strange. Every thought of mine complicated my thinking further.

The next time I met her online, it all appeared Platonic. “Hi”, I said. “Hi”, she replied. A long bout of silence ensued. We chatted a few times after that. But we never got anywhere. Things had changed.

Nowadays, when I come online, I search for her name on my list. Just a Matter of Habit.

We cross each others paths online these days. I acknowledge her presence. I secretly hope she does too. We haven’t spoken since.

Life comes a Full Circle, I heard. Pearls of Wisdom. Take my word for it.


P.S: Thanx are due to TwilightFairy, whose posts inspire me.

P.P.S: As I reread what I've written, I have a sense of deja vu. Do I happen to have read something similar? Does it sound too cliched? Anyways, Cheers to my First Shot at Short Stories.

Who's Cuter: The Pug or The Girl ???

Advertising is an art. It either makes or breaks a brand.

I loved Hutch ads -- more so, the pug in it. When Hutch became Vodafone, off went the pug. The effervescence and the warmth in the ads went missing and Vodafone ads turned out insipid and bland --Well, until they decided to bring back the pug.

So, the Vodafone guys take the pug and add some really lilting music and come up with an amazingly cute concept. And launch a massive campaign in the midst of IPL.
Stroke of Genius!!!

It's been a hot topic for discussion since, almost as much as IPL itself. Ever since I've seen the ad, I've been humming the jingle a lot. It's so damn addictive. Listen to it and then try getting it off your lips. :)

Everyday I want to fly, stay by my side...
Everyday I want to dream, stay by my side...

Every morning I wish I could just play....
Wish the mornings would just stay...

P.S: However cute this ad maybe, the Vodafone network in Bengal sucks big time. Period. Time for some magic from the ad to rub off on the network here.

Video Courtesy of Dave/Street'Dog'/10.110.9.49 :P

Down Memory Lane

RK Hall, Main Building, Dost Log(Couldn't get all in one),Mech Dep

As 4 years of IIT draw to a close (and as the final end sems draw near), it feels apt to take a trip down nostalgia lane. 4 years ago, I set foot into IIT with starry eyes and lofty ambitions. Will that 'ME' be satisfied with the 'ME' that is all set to roll out of this place??? So much has happened over the course of 4 years that I feel it should all be chronicled.

Had fun. Had mastooo fun. Awesome Section 8 in the first year. Made great friends. Bunked a lot of classes. Nasty NCC camp. Movie sessions in my room. Learnt cards games (Rummy and Bluff). Helped friends copy during exams. Supercool Darjeeling Trip. Steeled the rigorous OP period. Watched tonnes and tonnes of movies. Lost track of time playing QuizRoom1 -- Jumble + Trivia. Basketball. Exacting Mech dep courses. Put fight for a girlfriend -- No Luck. Vizag Steel Plant Intern. Gajuwaka Theaters rounded off. Lonely Hyundai Internship. Quizzed a lot. Won a number of prizes Quizzing. Made great, great friends (re emphasis). Sweated out hard for grades. Kshitij rocked. Intern Rocked. 'Twas Mall Time at Bangalore. Mysore-Ooty Trip was fun. Gobbled dozens of novels. SitComs on the Lan. BTP Toil. Spent Endless hours in QuizRoom2 -- Guess the Word. Flunked CAT. Landed a Job. Hosted Friends at home. Kalingapatnam beach trip rocked. Treats and Treats and Treats. Had fun. Put fight for a girlfriend -- No Luck. Farewells. Best outgoing Techie. Respect, perhaps. BTP Load again. Awaiting the future.
(to follow....... Last End sems, Grand Viva, B Tech Project presentation)
(in chronological order)

I've laughed and I've cried at times over the years here.
I've consoled and I've been pacified.
I've vented my ire and at times have been at the recieving end of it.
I've felt down and out at times and I've felt exuberant too.
I've worked hard and have also lazed a lot.
I've experienced success as well as failure in equal doses.
But, I've loved every moment of my stay here at IIT, Kharagpur and all that this place has thrown at me and taught me along the way. I wouldn't want to imagine these 4 years having gone by any other way.

Vindication

April 2005
RK HALL TEA PARTY FOR THE INCOMING BATCH

Screaming Seniors. Their unending devotion for the hall showing. Devotion, teetering on the edge of Jingoism. Endless Gyaan. Speeches and unending Homilies concerning the General Championships, Hall Traditions and Hall Tempo. Chaos and Hullaballoo.

Amidst all this, I can't help but notice the Awards boards perched alongside a portrait of Dr.RadhaKrishnan. And what a difference these boards made to the ambience of the entire place. The entire foyer though rustic, seemed awe-inspiring. I remember standing there reading a few names immortalized on those boards for posterity and I quietly wondered.......

Circa April 2008
RK HALL FAREWELL TO THE OUTGOING BATCH

Best Outgoing Technology Student.
Surprise, Elation, Satisfaction.

A 3 year old dream come true.

It's been one hell of a ride in RK Hall. Thanks for the accolade, mates and this award also futher vindicates my belief that if we discharge our duties to the best of our abilities, the recognition and the adulations will automatically follow.

The plaque besides my Lappy :)

Checkmate

Ever heard that every relation is a gamble.
Ask me and I'd say it 's more of a chess game than Russian Roulette.

For every relation,
There exists a first move - the opening.(One of them has to do it)
The advantage will lie in the hands of player 1 if he can make an intelligent opening.
Make a faulty opening and you surrender all advantage.
Player 2 can seize the advantage if he can counter attack.
If both don't relent and play hard, you have a stalemate situation.
You got to make sacrifices to ultimately WIN.
To come out unscathed you got to play smart.
Or else you will be CHECKMATED.

Staring down the Abyss

Hermetic.
Claustrophobic.
Petrified.

Couldn't find "One word" that could embody all that I am feeling right now. The English Lexicon still needs expansion. What's your say???

Just like with every other semester ending, I see humongous deadlines, submissions, exams and coupled with these, the rat race to stay ahead of competition. Just fathom this -- BTP, Grand Viva and EndSems. And with the kind of preparation that I have had so far, it doesn't need a psychiatrist to figure out the state of my mind right now.

Just imagine staring down the Abyss and waiting to take the (inevitable) plunge.

P.S : Did I hear Exequies, anyone???

B'coz

Not everything is as fine as it seems.
Because beneath that calm exterior might lie a Maelstrom waitin' to explode.

Not every relation is what it appears to be.
Because there still are certain emotions that haven't yet undergone the christening process.

Not everything you've heard is as dulcet as it sounds.
Because there are words that have more than a singular meaning.

Nothing is as patent as evident.
Because you can never be fully sure of anything in LIFE!!!

-- inspired from some scribblings on the walls of Dave's room

I think I maybe beginning to disappear.

“I think I maybe beginning to disappear.”
–
Fiona in the Movie Away from Her

Ah, What grace Dame Julie Christie!!! How wonderfully well she carries herself through this poignant, touching tale of how an elderly couple deals with Alzheimer’s.

Coming to the point, I found this particular quote very pertinent to our own lives. In the movie, the reference is to her fading memory as a consequence of Alzheimer’s. But I seriously think each one of us metamorphoses into newer selves as we grow over the years – the innocent child in us disappears for the burgeoning of the egotistical megalomaniac, who then further makes way for the venal mercenary and the evolution continues. Each of our selves has a latency period before we begin to grow out of them – at least that’s what I think. Anyways, the point is, I think I maybe beginning to disappear.

Falling Slowly -- Once

I have just realised that I have the HOTS for soulful haunting melodies. Wow!!! What can be more soothing than a simple and delicately lyricized hummable song........

If you had watched the telecast of the 80th Annual Academy Awards, you’d understand what I exactly want to say. The soulful rendition of “Falling Slowly” from the movie ONCE by the lead performers – Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova – caught my eye(or ear, is it???) and I have been basking in the warmth and the honey dipped innocence of this lovely song. (It’s been blaring from my speakers ever since. :) ) That the song went to win the OSCAR for best song speaks volumes for itself and limits my use of further eloquence. Just listen and enjoy .

"Whenever a door closes, there's a new one that opens."

It's upto you to find out which one and where. Period.

Placement Chronicles

November 4

Huge B’day Bash. (Check Flickr for pics) CAT Prep reaching a crescendo.

Your's truly..... :P

November 4 -- SIMShock by IMS

Shocked to the core. Miss the cut offs in all 3 sections by a small margin.

Shivers down the spine. Frustration sets in. Whole CAT preparation appears to be in shambles.

November 13 -- Last SIMCAT
After almost giving up on CAT, this one provides a small ray of hope. Score 40% in each section and end up at 99.5 percentile.

Boosts the morale and lifts up the sagging spirits.

November 20 -- CAT @ Kolkata
The Grand Debacle. Seemed like the worst nightmare. Forget to mark a few answers on the OMR sheet

November 20^th night
2 End Semester Exams the next day and about 10 hours on hand to recuperate from the CAT shock and prepare for them after a rigorous train journey and to catch sleep in the said duration as well.

November 21^st
Abysmal performance in the Systems and Control paper. (Later to be “awarded” my first 'P' grade in Kgp) All the people around me keep scribbling away while I find it hard to navigate the 3 hours time.

Recede into a shell of despair and helplessness. Unable to face myself, my parents and all dreams lie shattered. Self-doubts begin to rise before I quash some of my fears and resolutely decide to get on with LIFE.

December 1^st
Placements get underway at the other IIT’s – Bombay and Chennai. Stats and updates from friends at the other institute augments expectations and creates new apprehensions.

December 2^nd
The day before D-day. Placements to start the next day. Seven companies on Day One. Didn’t apply for Schlums, McKinsey(Sure that I wouldn’t be shortlisted). Couldn’t get through Deutsche Bank’s Written test and Capital One’s written test too (This one was a surprise). Not shortlisted in Lehmann Brothers. (Most still can’t fathom why they didn’t get shortlisted) That left me shortlisted in ITC(CG based) and Procter & Gamble (After a written test followed by an online Psychometric Analysis). Assure myself that I can do well and that the fewer companies would mean lesser pressure.

December 3^rd D-Day
ITC GD starts at 12. Perform reasonably well in the GD. Was a relatively straightforward Case Study. 2 females in my group keep snubbing the others and are very keen to voice their opinions. I raise a few valid points and come out quite satisfied with my performance.

P&G calls me for the first interview at 2:00. 45 minutes of HR interview. Was asked endless experiences to quote – like situations where I worked in a group, solved inter personal problems, where my idea was applauded, my this and my that. The interviewer appears mighty pleased with my answers and I can see a smile across his face. Just get the feeling that P&G might actually........

Not shortlisted for ITC interviews. Justified given that they were looking at the whole package and having about 4 people ahead on the CG scale from the same branch didn’t help either. Still had one more interview to go, at P&G and I wanted to concentrate on that.

4 hours since my first interview at P&G and I’m still not called on for my 2^nd while I can see people who’ve come after me finish both their interviews and leave. Why I wasn't called etc. aren't the stuff meant for open discussion and the reasons are best left unsaid.

Reach my room – dead tired and exhausted – and I take a quick nap. Suddenly I get a call from P&G calling me for my 2^nd interview. A new hope glimmers. I suddenly get dressed into my formals and rush on my cycle. The first interviewer was visibly pleased seeing me and I’m sure he was the one that called me back. The 2^nd interview was drag – It was the last interview of day one and the interviewers had to abandon their dinner and interview me. Even I was drowsy and dazed & by that time I was visibly displeased with P&G. I did not expect to make it through P&G nor did I actually want to be placed there.

End of Day Zero

December 4^th Day One
DE Shaw, ZS Associates, Inductis and Fair Isaac.

DE Shaw test early in the morning. S/W section was hardcore. The algorithm section and Math were a breeze.

ZS Group Discussion at 11. With the risk of sounding too preposterous, I felt that I was the best participant in the group and easily deserved to be through.

I move over to Fair Isaac where I get to know I was shortlisted for Quality Assurance Profile. So I decide to take off from there.

Inductis interviews start. Hardcore Puzzles and Probability – Not my cuppa tea. Yet I do reasonably well. Each interview takes one and a half hour. Its 4:00 by the time two interviews are up.

Get to know ZS ditched me. (Maybe I shouldn’t have told them I had 3 other companies that day) On expected lines, DE Shaw doesn’t shortlist me either.

I get a call from FAIR ISAAC and with me running out of options, I move there and 4:30 begins my first interview. The interviewer asks me to describe about myself and I do well. He then peruses my resume and asks me about my role in Quizzing at Kgp. Then he proceeds to ask me a few questions –similar to a rapid fire round with 15 questions hurled at me in just over a minute. I answer them all.

Nokia’s country of Origin. It’s earlier business. History behind the name Adidas, Motorola. About Puma. About IBM. The next question I get -- “What’s your IQ???”

That instant I knew I was through. I asked for a change in the profile, (I’m glad I asked that) which he obliged. Then a few more questions on algorithms and puzzles. Then another small interview with algos and puzzles.

I move back to Inductis and again make the cardinal sin of informing the interviewer that I was almost through FI. This time the interview gets real real hard. The interviewer is sure I would ditch his company over FI and instead, he dumps me.

So finally I’m down to the end of day one and I’ve Fair Isaac offering me a software job. I call up home and they want me to take the first job offered to me.

I move over to FI and complete my other 2 interviews which were mere formalities and proceed to accept their offer.

Still in a daze and tired from the 2 day strain, I head back to my room. News trickles to my wingies that I’m placed. Congratulatory messages all around. It wasn’t how I’d expected it to be.

No triumphant displays of victory. No heart warming celebrations. No howling. No joyous screams. No sense of Accomplishment. Just Listlessness. Languor. Totally Energy Sapped. Just a bundle of relief. A huge sense of relief that I don't have to get my formals washed again, better, not wear them again for some time.

2 harrowing days. Zillions of lessons learnt. A Huge Humbling Experience. With a bittersweet ending.

I just inform my parents and my best friend that I’m placed. Only 2 or 3 days after the feeling seeps in, I call up all my friends and inform them.

December 8^th – January 2^nd
Festive atmosphere at home. Some of my dearest friends from KGP come over to my place and we have a gr8 time.

Dad & Mom take great pride in announcing the news to the World. But I’m already looking forward to the CAT results and prepare my parents to accept the worst.

January 8^th -- CAT results
As expected, my marks aren’t anywhere near the cut offs. But then surprisingly – mostly to my surprise—I take the results particularly well. No bad feelings. Just learning from my mistakes and hope to do well the next time I give CAT. Also decide to give my GMAT.

Life balances everything, I guess.
Victories and Defeats.
Joys and Sorrows.

How intriguing is the Flow of Life. We just need to go along with it. Right now, I'd like to believe whatever is bestowed upon us by LIFE is what actually is best suited for us. Period.