Taking the U-turn ...

Well, I wonder why our past always seems more glorious than the present — typical human psychology? I wish I could go back to school and college! I wish I could go back to those days when I used to dish out a blog every month!  I wish I could relive my first year at ADP and re-experience those days when I'd wait for Mondays as  office was great fun!  It’s crazy how times change so much that we find solace in the past and forget the present.  

This time, I don’t really have anything specific to discuss—except to make the fact public that after high drama, suspense and mayhem, my tryst with ADP is all set to come to a graceful close. How much I'm going to miss looking at this logo every day! 

It's been over 3.5 years that I've left college—and I had no slightest clue that by the end of these 3.5 years, I'd have finished studying a bulky "encyclopedia" full of lessons—one lesson a day! 

Today, when I take a moment to look back at all the years I lived, the only void, I figure, was my four-year stint of engineering. I vehemently feel that I made a mockery of myself during those four years. There was a miss in almost everything – "making enough friends," "making the right career choice" and being “industry-ready.” It was no “Happy Days” for me at all!

It’s quite bizarre that I made "friends for life" before and after my engineering, but not “during” it.  Except for a few female friends, who are my best buddies even today, I didn't quite score excellent grades in “friendship” during my engineering.

This discomfort in me was “time bombed” with precision on March 8, 2010, the day my rendezvous with ADP began. And the rest is history!

I have no idea if I could really develop any technical capability during my stay at ADP, but the numerous encounters with a diverse set of colleagues at ADP taught me lessons I’d never forget. The most valuable lesson I could absorb from an important person, whom I met at ADP, was about “What it takes to be a ‘man’?” As a newspaper article I read years ago rightly mentioned, “Manliness doesn't lie under the belt,” I feel “manliness” lies somewhere well above the belt, somewhere in the chest—and right in the heart!

It’s interesting why we don’t associate love, warmth, loyalty and promise with “manliness”! Manliness is not about fathering children or about how many ladies you floor— but it’s “manliness” when you successfully instill confidence in just “one woman” that you’d stand tall by her even in the most unfavorable of circumstances. It’s "manliness" when you keep your promise and continue to hold her hand even when the whole world pits her against you. It’s then that you become a “man.”

With progressing age and experience, I understand the intricacies of family, siblings, friends and maintaining relationships more than I did before. I figure what is important and what is not, and also who is important and who's not. 

The growing interactions and experiments with people at ADP brought me to another remarkable realization that when "emotions" take the better of you—be it sorrow, hatred, anger, jealousy or even joy—you're nothing! Just nothing! In fact when emotions go overboard, irrespective of gender, background, creed, age and education—all of us stand in the same line. We act equally insane, equally obsessed and equally crippled .

With a whirlwind of these thoughts on my mind, I get ready to swerve “West” for my master’s. While I pack these twenty-five years of life into my three-piece baggage (Well, that's the limit Air India has to offer.) I realize that my 'hare' brain is being thronged by stray thoughts.  I call this a "U-turn" because I never wanted to fly for my master's. And that' s exactly what I'm doing now :P  Oh yes I'm tired being a run-of-the-mill Libran—confused, fickle, whimsical and unstable.


I've gotten ready to pay the exorbitant price of staying away from my family and close friends. “I miss you” would be an understatement for the hurricane of thoughts going on. So let me not say anything except for wishing each of you the very best in your lives!

I have no idea about when I’d make a return journey to Hyderabad, but it’s good bye until then!  

Love! 



Dedicated to “Automatic Data Processing”- the best thing that happened to me in these two-and-a-half decades!

My profound thanks to Sowmya and Ambareesh for getting me referred through “Pehchaan,” the internal referral process in ADP.

My best wishes and hugs to “Lazy Pay” members – Sreekanth, Mirza, Dhaston, Manjusha, Swathi and Lunch Friends – Surya and Pavan

My regards and wishes to Aaditya Mathur – I’ll always cherish the lovely times spent with you on floor, mostly “gossiping” :P  We've never behaved as responsible adults! LOL ..

The OutBoundLearning (OBL) at Gauribidanur introduced me to two more important friends – Vamshi and Joshna – They’ve been with me from the start of my applications till the close of my visa interview. My heartfelt gratitude for their outstanding support and invaluable friendship. Let me know if there’s a stronger phrase than “I’ll miss you.”  I’d certainly remember my 25th birthday party you guys have organized for decades to come! Thank you for everything!!

My other OBL friends – Anudeep and Sneha–I have equally cherishable memories with you. Good luck!