Ad by God!

That Monday morning started well. Very well. The advertisement in the newspaper did it. Made me confident and look forward for my day’s meeting. Task was to convince the dean of an international school to sign up with my agency for their upcoming ad campaign. And I, being in the creative team, carried the expectations of positive outcome along with me!

After an hour’s meeting, I waited outside the dean’s cabin with a grin on my face for a promised campus tour. As we went ambling, she explained the newly deployed methodologies in the education system. It was super impressive, as well envious for the fact that I couldn’t be a part of such an impressive system. Her tremendous inputs had already made me chalk out the lines for their campaign. Side by side, I was thinking about their ad in the newspaper that morning. Mediocrity was pure bliss. Their average ad gave me an edge to convince and leverage on the much required positive stroke but, soon something more intense drifted my thoughts during my tour and made me realize that, how I had actually missed to leverage on the Live Ad made through inncocent beings, which surely beats rest all the ads ever made in the world, that I’d like to call- The Ad by God!

Now, let me elaborate the above thought for clarity. When born, as kids, we are all alive. Full of energy. We run, walk and are active all day long. We smile, laugh and cry without hesitation. We sing, and dance. We get things done. We concentrate and are focused. We are straightforward. We are curious and we are hungry. Joyful. We explore. Innocent and honest. Ready to learn new things. We forget and forgive soon. We are Adventurous. Desirable. Truthful. We don’t intend to hurt. We never give up. We take risks. We are fearless. We ask. We don’t discriminate. We believe and we trust. We play. Have freedom. We are natural. We are simple. Content with the smallest of things. We are creative. We enjoy. We celebrate. We get excited. We are naughty. Happy. Connect with God. We live in the moment. And we Love!

But as we grow, ironically, these good things instead of growing with us tend to fade. We become more cautious. We develop less belief and welcome unnecessary troubles. Live with contempt. Tend to get more jealous, narrow minded, egoistic, obsolete, burdened, unreasonable, unhappy and meanwhile artificial. Like Walt Disney once said- “That’s the trouble with the world-too many people grow up.”

As I walked around the school observing kids, was thinking how inspiring their behavior is. It hit me hard with a big realization- the stunning creative of God on persuading us to the ideal way of living by his subtle, brilliant ad, showcasing us the way to happiness through our own initial years of life!

This enduring experience eventually propelled me to sum up this post with the substantial positioning line that I could ever think of for this unanimous ad, that is –Live Like a Child, Always!

Indeed, it’s time to leverage on that mega ad, which has the whole world as its target market and that spot-on manages to successfully run on an Eternal Campaign!

Signing off for now,

Achu

Romance novels….a threat to women?

I didn’t realize that it’s been this long a gap in writing. I mean, in this space. With my busy schedule in an Advertising agency, creative thinking and writing has become round-the-clock affair. But then, some of my thoughts do command to be expressed irrespective of the time crunch, which makes the writing most enjoyable, Here!

Few days ago, I was browsing through a newspaper article quickly. Spent less time reading it but, more time pondering over it. It was the take on romance novels suspending the rationality from people’s life especially, women. It conveyed about how the pretty fiction can mar the ability to keep a grip on reality, developing unrealistic expectations on love and sex. Explained as to how the colorful picture painted would lead to the perfect dream world but, only an unrealistic one. And women, being more emotional are likely to get most affected- Psychologically.

As much as the above is true, my support is largely to counter the view for my own reasons. I agree that such novels or movies do hamper ones thought process and beliefs, making the transition period very difficult, even to men. Majority of the times, we might get clobbered in search of fictitious characters that we are in love with, developing surreal expectations.

On the contrary, the foundations of our fantasies are the ones that keep us on, lively and moving. When in a relationship, it makes us more behaved and human in pursuit of dreamy relationships, mainly striving to create the required balance. When not in a relationship, it builds confidence, fulfills deep yearnings and creates the purpose, if allowed freely. Over all, it reaffirms the existence of Love, to us. As much as we deny, these elements of our fantasy-land help us to go on, try new, and to face life without compromising that important aspect- Hope!

In any case, adjusting to reality is inevitable but, cruising through the fantasy world is Crucial!

Signing off for now,

Achu

Notional that I was…

When I first planned to go abroad, my mind sought after the western countries. Even today, more or less, it is the same set up. Somehow the other countries seem less construing when want to make an occasional trip. The eastern countries capture less concern and especially, when it comes to our neighboring countries, it is the lowest. Maybe, I have a notion that those are more or less similar to our country. This notion was killed when my brother-in-law made a trip to China recently. He returned with marvelous stories that swept me off my feet!

My general knowledge about China was limited to Olympics, population, their food habits, language barrier and of course, Jackie Chan! But little did I know that there was so much more to it. ‘Progressive’ is the word that can be related to China in terms of being at least 20 years ahead of some known Asian countries. Moving rapidly towards being a developed country, it is evident to see them operating with a vision in conjunction with systematic planning. Their infrastructure with multi-layered flyovers, fifty-plus storied hotels, tallest buildings, gigantic malls, and broad roads decorated with super luxurious cars are keeping them at par or may be beyond the standards of raving westerners today.

Being the most populous country in the world, I wonder how they are able to manage such rapid growth and this successfully! They too have famines, social and political issues to handle, crashing economies, and crimes to address. But, amidst all these, what is it that makes them unstoppable? Well, I guess, it all boils down to their attitude. People out there are humble, dedicated and designed to excel. They contribute to quality and progress of their work as long as treated fairly. In any case, their compliance system allows them to be treated fairly for the quality produced. Overall, they have an immense, genuine social responsibility that they are personally accounted for, and so much that, they least bother to have cops around with a jurisdiction system, seeming the simplest thing in the world.

Another interesting factor is, apart from being quality conscious in their work, Chinese are the most health conscious people too. Their dietary habit constitutes naturally a healthy food keeping them extremely fit and energetic. Anyway, if you intend to shop for clothes in China, make sure to keep a tab on your fitness else on your baggage, either of them is a must!

Well, going forward, China is going to take the lead and will be the most sought after country in the world. Today everything is made in China, going forward too indeed…everything WILL be made in China!

Ufff what an outburst of notion, really!!

Signing off for now,

Achu

Connecting the Dots…

Connecting the Dots - is a fun game and I am sure you are familiar with it. It’s the age old game in supplements about joining the dots serially to get to the wholesome picture. Best part about this game is that it’s neither serious, nor difficult, but just ‘fun’ to get to the figure intended. Children might get special thrill doing this and these days, it’s on par with digi world. You can play it on touch screens which could be played by tiny tots who are yet to be familiarized with the counting system. But interestingly, beyond this, there is someone else above- an Immortal Power, who is playing this game with our lives - very cleverly, fancying more complicated designs, twists and without getting to the slightest possible clue of the picture before in hand. Needless to say, someone up there must be having great fun!

Well, to get more clarity on my say here, do try and introspect your life backwards. Observing some of the important happening or critical incident starts to look so tailor made as though it was intended to connect the dot sooner or later. For instance, a dreadful happening or a situation might irritate for the moment, tire us up totally and our efforts might go in vain producing zilch results. But, going forward, it will certainly have a lead to some influence, some impressions, some learning’s, some carry-forwards, some worthy mistakes, some improvements, some convincing results, some encounters, or just some connections, either- Deep or Remote!

Once you realize that the game is all about arriving at the final picture and the divine creator is on play with some purpose, it’s more comforting to deal any kind of situations which seeds in the effective thought of – Everything Happens for the Best. And this way, it’s conducive to wait for the moment, wait for the unanswered prayers to be cleared, or just wait for the Dots to be Connected….and enjoy being part of that fun game!

Signing off for now,

Achu

Extramarital affairs…a breach of moral law?

Single  Married  Divorced  Widowed  Extra marital

Well…the last box is under construction!

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You must have guessed from the above exemplar that I am trying to talk about something that’s relatively common and… something that’s getting to be an open, tolerated behavior amongst people off-late. In fact, the happenings am seeing through my minds eye in my surrounding inspired me to consider this topic after facing two weeks of dilemma fighting my own inhibitions. But, I pursued it as I have a say on this.

I remember my cousin telling me that extramarital affairs are becoming everyone’s cup of tea whereas, one of my friends demurely justified that it’s a common affair amongst doctors in particular. Another friend banged upon intellectual inspiration missing in marriages and, yet another friend strongly declared saying that marriage is an accident. In fact, the Yahoo! blog flashed information on how couples are talking about their extramartial affairs to each other to keep their marriage going. Hmmm…now the last one seems like a suspiring change in perspective of the term-Marriage!

Marriage- somehow is perceived as complicated, and an overrated institution by many. Although it has plenty of advantages, one of them is, it makes us ‘evolve’ in reality; it teaches and teaches and teaches…and teaches what we are to us and only when one is ready to learn. It’s certainly not for selfish, scared and uncommitted people. It is hard work and hard work of giving in from both the stakeholders. And if one slips repeatedly in this continuous process, the other one is sure to slip off!

Extramarital is the attraction that swings by when one is tied up. One tends to get carried away as it overcomes the main flaw of most of the marriages which is – the lack of simplicity and the space. It could be a savior to people who are botched up with bad marriages or bad spouses of lending repeated chances but failed. But, at the same time, it could be a devastating factor leading the perfect families to deviated marriages which becomes quite unjustified unless... for an exception of finding true love through an extramarital spree.

In my say, I strongly feel that making outright choice is a must to live through the relationship ordeal without hurting or harming anyone. A conscious choice and standing steadfast by that choice will help in experiencing that long term commitment, love and loyalty which has its own beautiful indescribable pleasure when happens naturally. And who can strike a difference between moral or immoral better than each one of us? In any case, it’s up to each individual to live the life that really counts to them and the moments that reels through the sanity and their firm beliefs.

To conclude, I would like to leave it with a saying that I heard from one of my uncles…

“Nothing is worth it….If you satisfy yourself by hurting others-AND- if you hurt yourself by satisfying others…"

Signing off for now,

Achu

Mind Twisters!

It’s ought to be ‘different’ when something has to capture the mind. Well it has to be…and that difference or the uniqueness drags the mind invariably towards it, may it be in any case. And recently, something of that sort I basked into took me for a complete joyride. It lent me the thoughts that made me think, absorb, demanding reasonable time for understanding it. Such lucid experience came through when I read the Contemporary Poetry written by a renowned writer Mani Rao from her book called - Salt. Some bits that I am tempted to share in this space is the courtesy from the same book and selected excerpts that I particularly enjoyed reading.

The writer’s profound thoughts can make you pause at times; can tickle your mind; some gives a sweaty work out to the mind; And that’s mainly because, these particular thoughts are inclined to our basic daily breaks which we kind of ignore to comprehend. And, when such fundamental matters are put across in such noetic and poetic manner, it tends to become an intellectual substance.

So, go ahead and grab the scoop of your mind’s essence with these twisters that gave me a good time reading which, I am hoping to give it you too.

And btw, I have left my favorite one to the end. Read on…

- Memory is a circle. The same things lead to the same things

- Things are things I can see

-You don’t need me to show you the visible Say the speakable

- The surest thing about counting or a clock, You know what comes next

- The mirror could be a chameleon

- The face takes the credit for the mysteries of light

- Stranger...Stranger than what?

- A dead person collects a 2 minute silence- a tax-

- If family was an adverb what verb would it describe?

- Give friendly strangers the liberties you give strange friends

-Silence is not the absence of sound, It’s the space of sound, The field of sound- S U R R O U N D

- Home is where the heart is and the heart is full of habit

- Hum the school songs that failed to teach you to love your country

- Friends are afraid to ask for things that we easily give strangers

- Why are we the only ones to walk on two legs, a begging position, if you ask a dog?

- There is love and there is love pickle

- Itch Itch Itch...Switch

- My physics teacher- “what is space”? I said “where there is no matter”. No, he Said, “Space is where there is matter”.

AND THIS ONE IS MY PERSONAL FAV:

-Why does everyone wear the same clothes?

Camouflage

Signing off for now,

Achu

Strangers…are they really?

It was close to six months since I had traveled. So, I decided to take off to some place and the first choice that hits my mind in such cases is the South Canara/Dakshina Kannada region. I simply love that part of Karnataka. And this time, I found a better reason to go there and spend last ten days in solitude yet having an opportunity to meet new people. Eventually, my stay out there gave me a plenty of good times, new sweetest encounters which has made it a very memorable one to me. And to top it all, on the last day, it gave me such a rare new experience that- I loved the most, enjoyed the most and thus, prompted me to share it in this space.

On the last day, my program was slightly packed. I had to drop a friend, visit couple of places around Mangalore and catch my train at 10 in the night from Kukke to Bangalore. As happy as I was to travel there, I couldn’t believe of not being able to watch India-Pakistan Semi finals match which was on the same day. It was the match which had made the headlines, which the whole country was looking forward to and which was more important than winning the World Cup-11. And,I,being a passionate Indian cricket follower, felt terribly irked for that co-incidence.

In any case, having subscribed to score updates on Airtel, started my travel in the car sent by an uncle. The driver was a Tulu speaking Muslim and we dint exchange much talk after my friend left except for his Mecca Madina travel. But it dint remain the same once the match started. We discussed cricket with every update that we received, fretted when the network went out of reach and were disappointed when our predictions went haywire with the Indian batting score. Overall he was an excellent company who was supporting India wholeheartedly.

By the time the second innings had started, I was in Kukke with my two other friends. After the temple visit, we found Mysore Café which had the TV facing the road. As we had an hour, we stood there and enjoyed watching the match with a bunch of people who were apparently reactive to every single delivery. For the first time in my life, I had the experience of watching cricket standing on roads mingling with the crowd and believe me… it was nothing less than a stadium feel!

It was then a time for me to make a move to Railway station which was 16 kms away while my friends stayed back in Kukke. I reached the station on time and found no TV around. And my phone had a very little energy left which I hoped to save for my future use. There was a middle aged man standing in near distance to me waiting for the train and was getting the score updates on his cell. Within no time, many people gathered around him. When the updates were awaited, they discussed the history of cricket; they analyzed and were indeed excellent commentators. If one was philosophical and optimistic, the other one was worried about the power play, someone else constantly hoped for a wicket whilst old man was talking about how selfish Sunil Gavaskar had been. Everyone was into Cricket and indulged in giving a free consultation to Dhoni non-stop. Anybody passing by with a cell phone was talking about the score. When I bent down to place my luggage, I could hear someone sitting on the steps saying “167 is it...ok”! Overall, I loved eaves dropping. Being a passive listener, I got my update and much more insight without using my cell even for once in the station.

The last three overs were remaining and the match had tensed us up with Pakistani player Misbah knocking some big hits. Some one had informed us that the train is delayed by half an hour but to our surprise, it came on time. Ironically, all of us were disappointed as the network would go off on the move in no time. We parted our ways and I got into an a/c coach where all were fast asleep. I had no other choice but to use remaining cell’s charge to call my Sis to get a ball-to-ball update for the last two overs and she did an excellent job for me. She passionately explained every bit including the celebs present in the stadium. I had a great time and we celebrated India’s victory!

In all this, I realized that, though I was not in front of the TV all the time, though was not with my dad who is an excellent company to watch cricket, I had thoroughly enjoyed watching the match virtually. It literally came across like watching the live match. To begin with, it was the driver and then on the roads and then in the Railway station. What a delightful experience it was to watch such a sensational match with all the strangers around or…when it comes to cricket in India, are they really strangers….? I really wonder:)

Signing off for now,

Achu