6 Years On!!!!

It was a cold day with intermittent rain. I looked at the faces around me. There were groups of people and most of them seemed to know each other, while I along with very few others sat alone in our chairs waiting for our names to be called out. There was an unsual feeling in the stomach, the kind you get when you are about to do something that you know you don't want to, but still have to do it. Finally my name was called - "Venkata Sai Charu Vikram Mannava" (Yes, a long name. blame my parents for that), I got up and walked towards the gate, The security guard checked my credentials, asked me if I had any "media" items, I replied "Bomb". He made me stand aside for a more thorough check. After a second round of checking, he let me inside the building. Straight ahead there was a hoarding, Although I have seen it many times, it felt special this time. There was a Rainbow colored flower on a White background and the text below the flower read "Applying Thought". This was a different world I was stepping into.
This was about to become the place I would spend the next 3 and half years of my professional life. A place where I became an "IT Professional" from a College Student. The date was 22nd June 2007.

After spending more than 6 years in this industry, I realized, that I really love what I do. Unlike many others who curse their jobs, I love my job but not necessarily the company that I work for or the projects that I am on.

After all these years, I learnt

1. Politics - it doesnt mean just BJP and Congress
2. Lying...effectively
3. How to spend money on unnecessary things
4. Sit at one place and do nothing
5. Networking means more than just wires and computers
6. Going above and beyond means screwing your personal life and working extra hours
7. "You did good" doesn't always mean you are the best and doesn't guarantee a good hike
8. How to say NO
9. Why you shouldn't have your wife working for the same company
10. Going Green doesn't mean you are jealous
11. Life is measured from weekend to weekend
12. Surviving in a cubicle
13. To Sleep in conference rooms 
14. To survive arctic like conditions
15. That people complaining of back pains were not just making it up to escape work.
16. Sometimes you have to ask for a day off on a holiday
17. No matter how much you earn, people will always ask you if you've gone to US, and if you didn't, it means you are not good enough

and the best.....
THERE IS NO FREAKIN BOX TO THINK OUTSIDE OF


After all this, I still love the industry that I am part of.