My last day as an IT professional is 21st August, 2008. Exactly two years from the day I started.

A new beginning……

It’s been a long time since I dabbled anything on this space …. A lot has changed since my last post.

For those who I have lost contact with.. here’s a short recap of what I’ve been upto the last two years…I joined a US based IT services company back in 2006, fresh out of college.. with nothing more than confidence in my “skill set”! With no idea of what Software Engineering is, I joined the mob of fresh graduates heading for a huge ominous looking glass walled building, with a tag hanging around my neck.

Everyone had their reasons, be it money, experience or simply because this was the only opportunity we had!Make no mistakes, I am not saying this was a bad decision, or a move that I regret… the two years I spent here have been immensely productive for me, there’s a huge list of things I’ve learnt here. From what IT means, to how to live and adapt in a new city.

But as the old cliché says, every beginning has an end… my stint with the Company and Pune had to come to an end. I am pleased that this end is not because of frustration or any external pressures, it’s ending on my terms and my wishes.

As some will know, I am moving on from Pune and shifting back to where I came from, Goa. Starting September, I will be in Goa, work with my Dad and Bro. This was a decision which was difficult to take, and yet in many ways it was a no brainer! A little older and wiser, I’ll be putting any knowledge I have into helping my bro in running his shacks at Palolem, and eventually starting my own business in Goa. This could very well be the worst decision I have taken in my life thus far, but it’s something I really had to do. For my own mental peace more than anything else.

I have always believed my greatest ability is self belief and confidence, now it’s time to walk the talk!I will most definitely miss Pune, and my life here, apart from a steady paycheck; I’ll really miss the relationships I made here. I discovered friendships in people I only knew as acquaintances, and made a few new friends as well. I really hope these friendships last me a life time.

I will try my best to keep posting on this blog, will soon create a space for my brothers restaurants also. Will also try my best to start using Orkut finally!

So until next time… have a great one!

Regards,
Akshay Singhal

That was then, this is now ..... (Part 2 and final)

Ok the scene was set, the four of us were the first to depart.. (not disclosing names to prevent any controversies!). Got into a bus to Pune, the first of many such journeys. With abosolutely no clue of where we were gonna stay, or what we were gonna do in Pune, heck we werent even sure where we should get off the bus!!!


Helped by my roomies uncle we stumbled into a hotel room, washed up and left in search for shelter..
Somehow managed to trace down a hostel that the girls planned to lodge at, and then the hectic search for accomodation kicked off, we didnt know it then, but this is a sport of sorts in growing cities like pune!

Xeroxed the classifieds from TOI after flicking it from a salon, and started frantic calls to members of the holy guild of brokers! By evening the early enthu was begining to fade away, we sat waiting for callbacks at a place called Go Bananas, (quite appropriate in hindsight!) a simple place with pizzas and Baskin robbins, we bumped into the first soul that was not alien in Pune.

By some freak of nature we landed a modest place before the night fell, and within one day of coming to pune, clueless as can be, we all some sort of a roof on our head!

We set out to inhale as much of pune as we could in the next couple of days, very easy to do as so much of this city is full of hot air! (Read whatever you wish to in this.)

Cognizant! Next couple of months was a disorganised unbeleivable boot camp. I have very litle recollection of my thoughts at this period in time.. its like a dream which you know had, but just dont want to remmember. We were split into various technologies, and as usual i was away from anyone I knew...

Java beckoned, and i answered, trained, answered a few tests, and was introduced to projects in November.


From then to now, life as i could have ever imagined it has changed, i'm doing fine as far as work is concerned, its everything else that i worry of.

A year later and things are still the same, some characters have gone, leaving their mark forever. While some like me continue to be the ghost of the opera..(i know its Phantom of the Opera, but ghost is more appropriate).

I am more distant from my friends and family than i have ever been, more directionless then i have ever been. To look back and compare myself with the person i was a couple of years back, i feel i did something wrong somewhere....

I have met all the targets i set for myself, but lost out on a lot in the process, its time for me to rethink, or in some cases time for me to finally think! and look at where i am headed, and the path i'm taking.

Certainity and i were never good friends, and much like life, i think thats way it should be.

Things have changed, and changed a lot, some for the better, some for the worse. One thing is for sure Life as i knew it, will never be the same again.

That was then, this is now.. (Part1)

Last time around i was an Engineering Student balancing what i thought was a hectic life.. (yeah right!)

College, exams, project!! (need i remind you of PACARD?? or as it was later called CARA??), my brother's restaurant, pop's business, a few interests of my own, photography and stuff, and of course my sweet girlfriend.. and not to mention, a bunch of good friends and the sweet sunshine of Goa. ..it was all good

But of course it all had to change one day, end of Vivas, and it was pack your bags time, slowly old friends parted ways, some stayed back in Goa, some relocated to "greener" pastures..

For me it all started a lil too soon, soon after the exams it was off to Aurangabad, yup Aurangabad! For Incampus training, a boot camp of sorts to better prepare us for what was to come in Cognizant. The ten of us, (I think we were 10, could be wrong!) made it somehow to geca, Government College of eng. Aurangabad. Arranged for some accommodation and prepared for a 20 day training in all things Software!

The time we spent there was really helpful, in terms of the knowledge we gained and the bonds that developed.. it was a like a big happy extended family..

Lots of things to learn and lots to explore in Abad. Walking kilometers at a time seemed like a regular thing to do… so did renting hotel rooms to watch the world cup! I still cant believe Zidane did that!, and not to mention how Shakira’s hips don’t lie.. actually im not to sure about that, wasn’t really hearing anything!

Some good football and a few jogs, and soon the Classroom training was over. Had a nice lil farewell party, where it was time to say bye to the lecturers who organized all this, Amol, Nerkar, Joshi ( Mother/Father of Kiran Bedi who was particularly fond of popo and santiman! ).. and for some us it was also a last chance to make a move!!.. (Viraj poor guy) some bye byes to few friends ,.. (Rajbir, Sandy et all) good food and a rose for good measure. And in keeping with the spirit of the whole trip, it was followed by a 5 km walk on the streets of Abad.

We stayed back a couple of days to really absorb the sights and sounds of Abad, Ajanta Ellora.. worth the visit I must say!

That’s it then, came home and spent a few days with friends and family and soon came the time to pack your bags again.. this time for a much longer trip!!!..

Never say Never.....

Its been so long, yet it seems like yesterday.. when i last posted on this blog.

Life as i knew it has changed so bloody much, its difficult to phrase...



Life threw a few more curve balls, and a couple of beamers, i still stand, ,.. albeit shaken from the horrors i witness...

A new lease on life, a new excuse to live, and so much more.....





I don't know what the heck i just typed! get the jist of it.. The blogging bug has bit me .. again! so keep coming back .. maybe you'll read something interesting. (or atleast something to laugh at!)!!!

PS:
In case you happened to navigate this page without knowing just who the heck i am, You are having a bad day. I feel sorry for you.
In case you are someone i know, and you still came back to this page, after all this time, I LOVE YOU.

Got loads to talk about, got loads to get off my chest.. stay tuned.

Cheers,
Akshay S