Its time to finish what I started .... After a rocky two years in the world of investment banking - it is time to bid adieu and fondly so. After much bitching, whining and complaining - it is time to savor the pure pleasure of a 2 month vacation before I start my new job. However, fond farewells also mean its time to give the last honors and awards to people who left a lasting impression on me (for good or for bad) ...

• The award for the Most Unscrupulous and Deviously Ugly - Now this could be shared by a few people but I have special place in my heart for my last VP who emulated every quality and truly deserves it. Rumor has it (it was hardly a rumor but a fact) that even though married with 4 kids he took great pleasure from fornicating with the 25 year old analyst from my team. This of course resulted in her being relatively untouchable to the rest of the team - where her services were reserved only for the pleasure of my VP 
• The award for Bullshit Bingo - This should be awarded to the female MD who insisted that my leaving is a setback for the bank who have failed to retain talent such as mine, how the system has failed me and how she is grievously upset that I didnt confide my displeasure about my current role to her. This would have been heart-moving and I would genuinely have been touched had I not heard her confide in me a few months earlier that the bane of her existence is that not enough analysts are leaving the firm and how " sigh.." she ll have to fire a few. 
• The award for the Most Guileless - The people who think they have found their calling and where they feel that working 120 hours/week is part of the quest for eternal success and have replaced " living " with merely " existing", where life has been postponed to after 40. Good luck to you guys. 
• Awards for the Heroes who Beat the System - This to all of us who managed to escape the system and how. The ones who said enough is enough and opted out of the world of endless fake deadlines, unnecessary emergencies, unintelligent mark-ups and comments, indifferent or worse sadistic superiors, seamless food, stressful lifestyles and little sleep. This is a huge cheers to all of us who left for all that's bigger and better out there. 
• A special mention for all those who insidiously try and bring the system down from within - Dont waste your time folks - it aint changing. You guys are far too smart to linger on - take a leap of faith and head out in the real world - Life happens out here. 

So this is the end of my investment banking travails ....... Thats all for now ;). See you on the other side.

Arrivederci