It Takes One Crazy Place to Glue Me Down~

RM just came to my cabin to wish me Happy 5th Anniversary! We were both hired on the same day, and went through our Boot Camp (Orientation program) at the same time. Our anniversary is actually tomorrow, but the scum is taking the day off. :)

I can't believe I've worked here 5 years already, which is such a rarity in today's world! Employee loyalty is dissipating and most of us work for short-term goals. I have a great time these last 5 years and also the company has looked after me. To date, I am still the youngest Manager in the company but oldest employee (in terms of service) in the company. Some have even christened me "Dinosaur" and off late "The wall", punning from the "Pillar-of-the-Company award" which I won last year. At lunch, everyone was pulling the Dinosaur’s leg. It has nothing to do with my size but the fact that I had been around for so long that I should be extinct by now. Maggie asked me if I was eighteen when I started. Too funny!!

5 years! Wow! Time sure flies when you are having fun. I was the sixth employee in the company, we are 1000+ strong today and still a great company to work for. Despite the obnoxious boss[es], the unthinkable tasks [sometimes]… I guess I’d borne this company for its people! Ok, lemme rephrase… for SOME of the people here! Amidst the craziness, SOME of the people here keep me sane… keep me on the ground and most importantly, keep me smiling! I'll definitely look back at these years with fond memories.

To my Partners-In-Crimes (RT, GR, NG, RM, AG) who never fail to entertain me with all sort of absurd jokes in the middle of many confusing afternoons. Thanks for the tireless jolly times and you!

To supposedly "most brilliant hacker" who’s been here 365 days less than my 1826 days. Thanks for making me question what and why am I doing again and again and again and again and again and again…

To my “where on Pluto Planet is my paycheck?!” Thanks E for accepting my late claims and helping me with my financial planning *wink*

To the Super Boss (R), who constantly kept me on my toes and molded me into a "Count Dracula" of a boss (just like him).

To ND, DP, V, RK; my team members for bearing and supporting a Count Dracula of a Manager like me. I sure drove you crazy with my incessant requests for last minute data.

To RM (bookworm like me who hates lending his books), for initiating "Beson" (Better Sona) project and introducing me to the pleasures of writing. And for playing the (some what grumpy) chauffeur and picking me from the station even at 5:00 am.

To PS for being my Mentor. Thanks for helping the gauche shy girl settle into the corporate world and learn the ropes... the diplomacy... the double speak.

To AG for bailing me out with krackjack biscuits and chips and other goodies tucked away in your desk,whenever I missed my lunch.

To RT, the baby sister I never had.. You needed to be constantly watched over and all the boys making a beeline for your desk had to be beaten up. You trust too easily girl!

To the ONLY boss (Pointy-Haired) I kinda like, maybe because so clueless… hehe! You rock!

To the most annoying Mr. Nosey whose inquisitiveness I had to bear till I moved in to my cabin.

To the rest, whom I haven’t gotten the time to tag you, but of course I do appreciate your presence…

Somehow it had slipped out my mind, even though the beautiful award sits pretty at my desk. I recently won the “Super Star” award at our Employee Day. As the name suggests, it goes to the Star Performer in the company. :) Yup! That’s me! Super Star is a coveted award and only a handful of employees have won it! I will cherish this awards, especially since it may be the last award I win. I have put down my papers and am serving my 2 months notice period. It was a very sad day for me but I had no choice. Ma needed me! May 1 is my last working day. Not sure how the workaholic moi will survive the idyllic days after that.

I finally finished reading Zadie Smith's brilliant book 'White Teeth' . It is, without doubt, one of the most well written books I've read in sometime now. It effortlessly swings from Jamaica in the beginning of the 20th century to England in the 70s to Europe during World War II to Bangladesh in the 1960s and back England in the late 1990s, criss-crossing between a Catholic, Muslim and a Jewish family. Totally riveting!

Unrelated Note to Self: Self-Preservation. Is. Needed. Don't give in to the urge. Hang in there girl!