Social Networking

For a second, I froze in excitement! AR Rahman had posted me a message!!! I didn’t know how to react. And the very next second, it was “phew…” It was someone else with his picture. Very funny ah! I don’t know why for God sake people don’t have their own picture or their name legible in their profile. All kind of junk characters, funky quotes take on over.

Nowadays I am completely into social media alone as I have nothing else to do. LOL! Pritish Nandy tweets “Love comes from unexpected quarters…. Animals, trees, flowers, internet…” Even trees have nice names like Neem Tree, Coconut tree, Chickoo and so on like animals (dog, cat…) and flowers (rose, lilly…) and why is that we want to put a mask to our own names! Think about it. Meanwhile, I shall imagine what if Rahman really posts me a message.

(Note: I know you are intelligent but pls dont question me what is this tripleR)

Whose responsibility is it?

Two persons Mr Shivaraman and Mr. Gopalakrishnan from Chennai hold a patent for an innovation that enables a hard disk to store 30TB of data and this is with the help of Nano technology. They are offered a job by Seagate for 1.4 crore. Is there no Indian company to utilize their innovation??

I remember my old days where our team tried to bring out such innovations especially in Nano technology and Bio metrics. The event was conceived to showcase these kinds of innovations to the corporate world in the budding stage itself which would help our country and the individuals as well in their early stages with proper support. We couldn’t execute what we dreamt for the only reason that we were students at that time.

The point here is there are so many Shivaraman’s and Gopalakrishnan’s out there spread all over. Who is going to recognize them, nurture them with the necessary support and make our country grow healthy??

Movies and our lives

Very often few movies make an impact on the lives of people. Few such are Godfather, Sholay, Rang de Basanti, Titanic and so on. A recent tamil movie of such kind is Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya. Well, I wanted to blog about the songs of the movie brilliantly composed by our own Rahman. But, what I write now is entirely different from what I wished to.

While watching the movie, I felt that I was seeing myself in the screen. Starting from the hero of the movie wanting to become an assistant director and lot other things was very much related. (I wanted to make movies after my MBA and was in front of Madras Talkies office for a month, but managed to get into TV serials only. Gave the lead to another friend and I quit). I couldn’t make out whether I liked the movie or not! Two days passed and a friend of mine asked me whether I liked the movie or not. I told him what I felt. He said “That’s the feel of the movie” and everyone feels the same. My thought process started by itself! How come a director make every audience think about himself / herself in the movie? One hero, one heroine, one plot and how come everyone feels the same?? My friend added, “What shown in the screen is reality and that’s what is happening around the world…”

It was a love story. Boy falls in love with the girl and is behind her. The girl denies him. The boy then asks for friendship but has love in his mind. The girl after a long time accepts his love. They are in a relationship for some time and suddenly the girl drops a bomb saying “it’s all over”.

This is what happens in reality all over. Strange to think that this is the same what boys do and it’s the same girls do also. The catch is neither of us is going to change. Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus and we both live on Earth! We learn, adjust / compromise ourselves in future building a think tank that he / she is not the like the same person what we experienced in the past. Also it is not that there can be no change within at all. I know and have seen people who are really into each other and have stay put, but they are very few. Otherwise mostly its the girls calling the shots, few are mutual and rarely the guys call it quits. And now, I understand why this movie makes an impact on almost everyone.

Back to the movie, I couldn’t stop murmuring the songs. I saw the audio release of the album where all the singers performed live on stage. It was so mesmerizing. Lovely and soulful music from Rahman! This album from Rahman is like Sachin knocking a splendid knock of 200 after all these successful years of glory. My favorite pick from the album is the song “Anbil Avan”. The lyrics, composition, interludes, singers and every part of the song excels. This song brings a joyful mood with the lyrics meaning the basic wedding vows. The music takes us literally to a choir in church and flows to a temple wedding. Altogether the song is all about endless love and eternal bonding. Do hear the song especially the interludes. It’s a peppy number.

Lots of songs, either lack good lyrics or if there are good lyrics they lack good music. It’s rare that they both come together. This “Anbil Avan” song, “Hairathey” and “Tere Bina” from Guru are Rahman’s classic compositions. The beauty here in VV is, the lyricist is a female named “Thamarai”. Her earlier songs are super hits as well bringing out the emotions from a women’s perspective. One brilliant line from her in this movie is “Yen Idhayam Udaithai Norungave…En maru Idhayam koduppen nee Udaikave…” which means “You broke my heart scattering into pieces…Yet, I shall give it again for you to break…” Altogether, it was a good watch. Guess Swades was the last movie which made me sit glued into the screens along with the music before this movie.

Couples Retreat

“The city is heading towards earning the notoriety of being the country’s divorce capital” read a national newspaper about Bangalore. Bangalore is the city full of disposable crowd mostly from the IT background.

The state government is under pressure to create 3 more family courts in addition to the 4 family courts functioning now. There are around 10000 cases pending in the existing 4 courts. On an average day, there are 25-30 fresh applications. The last 3 months has seen around 1400 applicants mostly in their late 20’s and early 30’s. And the catch here is most of the applications are filed by women. Experts and counselors almost of the cases are on petty grounds which can be solved easily but stated as incompatibility by the applicants. This is not only in Bangalore alone. Other cities are also on par with respect to divorce.

Something striking in the head…!? May be… Well, everybody has issues and problems in life. The rising number of similar cases in every city brings out the fact of the qualities like patience, commitment, love, understanding, care and so on diminishing in this fast paced world. Hardly people get time to sit, think, re-assess and reclaim their love for each other in life. Married couples divorce, unmarried couple breaks up. Both are same expect the legal entities involved.

I was watching the movie Couples Retreat (music by ARR). 4 couples: One thinks that they make things work together but actually taking each other for granted: one close to get their divorce after several attempts to conceive; one living a dissatisfied and lost love life and another fresh couple wherein the guy had got his new girlfriend after a break up.

They all end up in a vacation spot requested and suggested by their friend couple who are close to get divorce. What they dislike to hear is the fact that relationship can be worked out types as they all have their own notions and conclusions in their relationships.

The movie is scripted in a funny and absolutely practical way. The vacation island offers them a stage to reclaim their lost life that at the end of the vacation they all unite together with their loved ones. It’s a good watch.

There is no magic performed in the process of uniting the couples in the movie. Nothing can be performed in real life too! “There is not one problem in life. There are millions of problems and everyone has problems” goes a dialogue in the movie. Very true! Lives are with adjustments and compromises. But it matters for why and mostly for whom we compromise. Life is just once.

May be all the divorce applicants should be given an exclusive access in a private hall to this kinda movie and make it a law that they should have spent subsequent time on vacations or any such things which offers exclusive time for themselves before they apply for divorce. Courts have to do it practically. How long will they keep talking!? Any couple would have come for divorce after failed talks only. Talking more and more complicates and the courts got to deal with a practical approach.

Otherwise, get to watch this movie which has a very good feel; music by ARR including a song in Tamil and that goes as my favorite as well.

Skandagiri

There are lots of blogs and descriptions about this place with guidance and direction which is well known for trekking and it’s specially known for moon light trekking on full moon day. This is my encounter with nature in that place.

We (me and my 2 cousins) had a different, risky and adventurous trek on the last full moon day. The regular route to the hill top was closed as the path was under fire. It was forest fire. We were able to look the fire while on the way itself. Getting closer we tried to take an alternate route which doesn’t exist. We started off and at a point we noticed that the fire was spreading fast along the route we intended to go. Within a minute we spoke about that, a tree which was about half a km in altitude from us caught up with fire. Strong wind was blowing and the fire engulfed the tree in a minute. Fire particles were flying up in the sky.

We got s*** scared! With nothing to think and in a jiffy, we started sliding down the hill which was more of bushes and rocks and few thorns as well. Could never forget the way the tree caught fire and it was the first time I saw a forest fire and its might up so close live. Suddenly there was orange light coming out of the flames around us. Coming down, we did want to go to the top and managed to hire a guide who took us to the top in an alternate route. Climbing up the hill in the moonlight was to get a glimpse of the sunrise from top next day and it was a wonderful spectacle to see the Sun rising early morning in red, pink, orange and finally the bright white showing its might.

Zombie

To read the post, please install a bar code reader in your mobile from I-Nigma or QuickMark or Nokia (QM is better than I-Nigma and Nokia) and just point your mobile camera towards the code and it shall give you whats hidden. These kind of codes store and take you to a website or a video clip or carry contact information and whatever is coded by the provider. Soon, the local newspapers shall start using the technology as its almost nil cost. Whats more, you can write encoded love letters to your boyfriends and girlfriends.

The Kite Runner

Kite Runner is a famous debut novel by Khaled Hosseini. I haven’t read the book, but watched the movie in 2007. It’s a wonderful work which will literally take your imagination to the happy lives of Afghan. It’s a story about two childhood friends who spend their lives kite fighting.

Kite fighting…yes…you don’t need introduction to this. If you are a localite who has spent times in proper Chennai, you will know what it is. Nowadays, there are organized kite festivals. When I wanted to fly a kite I usually do it from the terrace of my home. So do other guys as well. There will be a flock of kites flying and we make “deals”. The thread used is actually deadly. When I say “deadly” it is exactly what it means.

Google about the kite thread Manja to know how it is deadly.

Last week I was watching a movie. The hero is a very romantic guy who finds his love and is behind a girl whom he loves more than anything in the world. The girl after a very long time feels his love and they start to live their life. The hero takes her out and they have a very good time together where the girl says “I wont feel bad to die at this moment too as I am happy with you now than any other day in my life”. They then spot a bicycle and start riding it. Suddenly, the heroin gets her throat slit by a “Manja”. There is a huge blood loss and in the next frame, she dies. There was a sudden emptiness in the movie. Such a sweet, charming and adoring character is made end. This was a movie.

Yet that incident in the movie remained in my mind…An ex-colleague of mine, a popular radio jockey and a playback singer was on her way and fell victim to the “Manja”. I was shocked to hear the news from my friends! She was admitted in the ICU for 2 days and has had around 20 stitches. Now that she is improving and all our wishes are there for her speedy recovery.

The movie started with few lines meaning “You will all be fine till it happens to you”. I remembered it suddenly after hearing about the friend. It was only once I have used “Manja” as it gave a cut to my hand and used to smell “s***”. I think of those times when I used to chase kites running in the streets. Running across streets looking up the sky, navigating for a descending kite has more to it than you think. You got to indulge in it or atleast fly kites but do not use “Manja” and beware whenever you pass through those areas. Take care.

Amendment

This government definitely has the potential to take the country in a better way than any other governments I have seen.

I fully support Mr. Sibal’s new proposal of abolishing pre school education before 4 years. I feel this is a basic thing which is more meaningful. Parents are finding it mad to get a KG admission for the children. By peer pressure they stuff the so called intelligence by making the kids memorizing all sorts of data. That’s bad for the child. Here is what Mr. Sibal was talking.

“Pre-school should be based on non-formal education and in order to attend pre-school, children should be four years before March 31. Formal schooling can begin when the child is six years old.”

“The reason for interaction with Principals is because many feel that the present system of admissions is traumatic for children. It becomes impossible for children of three years to seek admission to school. There are incidents of children stammering due to stress. When a child witnesses the competitive environment in school he/she is traumatized.”

We should never leave the children to face all such difficulties at that tender age. I am sure parents will also agree to this.

We surely need amendments to the present education system in the country and it starts from the Pre School. Education is the only way that can this nation a better place to live.

The Alchemist

After a long haul, the world’s most acclaimed book from a compelling author, The Alchemist made a way to my bookshelf.

Needless to say, many review written about the book worldwide and millions of fans for the author. It was a good read where time got passed. But I felt the reading as a passing cloud. All through the read, my mind was searching for something which could stay on firm and alas there was the end. This is a symbolic book telling about Omens and the universe conspiring when you set to chase your dream. Not really acceptable, it’s a symbolic book. Guess the expectations around the book made me look for something great or flip around. Huh!!

Now been over a week I read it, nothing other than that single line remains in my mind and that line appears like a statement like air. You cannot catch air. The only satisfaction I have is that I got this book from a roadside vendor and the money I paid would really help him. A similar way, I got God of small things from a boy who was selling books in traffic signal and the book was all agony that I dropped it.

Still, I have got two more books, one from an acclaimed writer and another from a amateur, 22 year old. No expectations this time.

200 - இரு நூறு - दो सौ - two hundred

Oh good....! Coorg post was my 200th post! :)

5th year of blogging. Its good to look back which has both joys and sorrows. Life teaches a lesson and lets us gain from every pain. Lots of changes in the blog, my writing.

I see Susi, Asha, Venki, Raja, Deepa, Krish and more who havent commented wishing me on my 100th post and from there there are lots of changes in my blog including the template and my thoughts as well. Thanks to one and all for reading and commenting all these time.

One change which I had made from there and which I would recommend you all to follow is on the blog title - "live life day by day". No explanations required, however it is try and put in your best to follow it. We miss it at times (I did too...), but still remember it and reclaim it for the life is yours.

Thanks for staying on and keep reading.

Coorg - December 2009

Basic human psychology and philosophy says when we have bad times and stressful thoughts engulf us we got to think on the good times to overcome them. They not only relieve us out of stress but they also give us confidence about future. And also our human mind always tends to think of the tough situations alone. We have to look back the good times. One such is the Coorg trip which happened in December 2009. Almost everyone in the picture has their own issues, problems and stress to relate with. Though it was perfectly planned, everything was miserable as we went there but still it was enjoyable and will stay in our memory.

Bottoms Up:- Narayanan, Lordsun, Selva Kumar, Vijay Sekar, Prakash, Ramesh, Vijay Ramani, Kalyan, Senthil J, Siva Kumar, Senthil M and me.

I am glad and good that I along with Narayanan organized this trip but it was never easy to manage this bunch especially with the distinct characters of each. I call it 12 monkeys with myself one of them as well.

Drive Safe and Responsibly

Two wheeler is the best option to travel in Chennai. Reason is the vehicle is compact and you can just give some cuts here and there and make your way. The other day I was travelling on these routes: Perungalathur-Taramani-Thiruvanmayur-Aminjikarai-Thiruvanmayur-Taramani-Perungalathur. It’s a distance of around 100 kms altogether. I would have not travelled this much if I was using a car or public transport and mostly time was a major factor.

I travel to office by a two wheeler which is 60 kms approx daily. It takes me 45 mins-1 hr to reach office as I travel in the bypass road partially. If I take a public transport it is 1.5 hr – 2 hrs. Although time is saved, the other side of this is travelling long in bike that too in a city is stressful. It is both physical and mental stress. The traffic chaos, people howling and shouting at each other are to be faced daily. All these early in the morning when we got to have a peaceful mind burst a good day. More worst are the accidents on road.

Today there was an accident on road. A couple was knocked down by a call taxi on the bypass road. I have to cross two rail level crossings on the way to office of which one of them is most stressful and dangerous. It is Chromepet Vaishnava college crossing. Almost daily there are accidents on the rail tracks. I encountered two accidents in the past just in minutes they occurred where one lost life and another, the limbs. It’s horrific when I think of it now. I couldn’t help much for the second one other than calling the ambulance and the hospital people were lethargic in answering the call. They were sounding as it was very usual. Part and parcel of their job! I tell myself to have a peaceful day everyday.

There is definitely no driving sense in this city and for that matter in any other city in India. Being in Chennai for the past few months, I’m a victim of this stress and two minor accidents of which my skin is yet to get back normal from the last one. Whenever I see it I remind myself to drive responsibly and safely and its for you as well.

Dream On...

Thanks to kindness, life becomes beautiful
Thanks to love, life carries on
Thanks to compassion, life is endowed with value
Thanks to a grateful heart, life is filled with joy and delight

Thanks to Dream On, China’s Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe. They call themselves disabled but they left us the thought in us that they are specially-abled than us by their stunning performing arts which was purely mesmerizing the whole crowd for 2 hours.

I got a 500 rs ticket for the show. While the show was on, I thought I should have bought a 1000 rs ticket. Their performances were spectacular and splendid and it was worth paying that money. But while coming out of the show, everyone felt the love they had showered on every individual in the hall. A girl who was on her wheel chair and a guy who was blind, both Chinese, were performing and singing Rahmans "Jai Ho", “Chinna Chinna Aasai” and moreover "Vande Mataram" by heart in Tamil. We couldn’t escape from feeling their love and it was priceless. Money cannot be substituted for it. I came out spell bounded, got few cards of them and their autograph. I am glad I did them for this is an event for lifetime and they are the real heroes in life spreading love and compassion all over the world.

The troupe founded in 1987 has artistes comprising of people who cannot see, hear, walk and touch. Chinese are definitely gifted in performing arts however they are (I'm gonna and have to compliment my chinese friend for this). They go around the world winning accolades starting from the first citizen of the country to the last citizen. They were doing their show for the first time in India that too in Chennai and there was very less crowd.

A R Rahman made it to the show and was there for the full 2 hour show. There are so many troupes like this around the world who don’t visit India because there is lack of infrastructure, sponsorship, good crowd and so on. Somewhere we still lack something which is very basic. I don’t know if it’s called humanity. But I think that’s it. I feel glad that I was there at that event. Let love spread its wings more. Dream On…

While in school there is so much of homework which involves writing as it helps in memorizing something faster. I have followed the same here now. I want to re-emphasize myself to live life day by day and that’s why the header in my blog is changed. Yeah, off late I had missed it, but unintentionally.

January

This month is always good with social events around atleast for Chennai. For those who are there in the city at this time, you have very good options around. My favorite event in the city, the Book Fair has already started. I make it a point to go to the fair every year. If I remember well, it was from my school days I started to be a regular visitor and been 2 years I haven’t attended the fair. Few years back when I visited there, I bought a portrait of Bharathi and laminated it. The portrait was just Rs 5 and the lamination costed me Rs 125.

The next good event is the Chennai Sangamam. It has started just few years ago but a promising event showcasing the cultural strengths of the state. I had been to the first edition of this event while working with the Radio station. It showcases skills and talents of school students as well and I was awestruck by their performances.

Please don’t miss the events. They are the essence of Chennai. Guess I have a bad luck this year as well, but next year I’m going to make it happen somehow. For those who love tennis, the Chennai open is on the way. For those who would like to hit the beach, Marina has a new look now. Wow! Wherever you want to hit, there is something interesting. Chennai is at its best during this season. Don’t miss it!

New Year Day

New Year wishes to one and all. Blogging about the first day of the year is a good thing to do. And doing it on the first hour, first day on work of the New Year; it’s too good. LOL! A survey recently from ASSOCHAM announces browsing social media sites during work increases productivity. I’m doing that only! Actually ASSOCHAM is late in announcing this. I knew this idea long back and that’s why I blog only from workplace.

Well, this 2010 January 1 was a different one for me. I did not even realize it was a New Year day and created ruckus with a dear soul of mine. I went in search of some peace. The place was serene, full of nature and actually a spiritual place. It was Auroville near Pondicherry, South India. Auroville is a place where spirituality is practiced and they say that place is for people who renounce on all kind of religions and believes in the fact and truth of Oneness. Well, then I was kind of in a right place. The entire place is cut off from the external world; there is no traffic chaos on the road - for that matter, there are no proper roads first. It was only dusty pathways which had got formed by itself due to vehicular movement. I went there a day prior to the New Year day. From the moment I started, I was on a different mindset altogether. And after reaching there, it was like I was cut off from the outside world. It’s a dense forest where there are few guest houses here and there and very few people and they were foreigners. I couldn’t go out once it’s dark.

Although it’s said as a spiritual place, there are all kinds of exploitations around. The main feature of Auroville was the Matrimandir which is built for meditation which leads the way to spirituality. I was there around for three days and there were 2 things which pulled me. The first one was a painting exhibition in a place called Savitri Bhavan there. Each and every painting had an explanation which was purely spiritual. The paintings in my eyes looked abstract. But then there were instructions in the beginning itself not to look them abstract and see them along with the explanations.

The second one was a discourse on spirituality. This was the one which made sense and my thinking started. I was able to deeply understand what was being said. Actually I should say I kept getting deep in it by listening to it. Suddenly something stroke in my mind and I came out of the building and was sitting on a staircase. The very next minute I thought why was I inside for that discourse. Is it the right thing for me or is it what I want and my thoughts were;

Life is to live and living is to feel and face whatever comes on the way everyday. It’s all about living with love, hate, joy, sorrow, happiness, sadness, affection, dejection and so on. There are both ups and downs of life. Most of us don’t want to get hurt, get closed ourselves or go seek spiritual! But still we get hurt. When we get hurt most of us lose our confidence in our self or on which hurt us. It’s not the fact! What we lose are the qualities to forget and forgive, changing ourselves for better, embrace people around, and in little we forget to live for better. When everyone learns not to repeat their mistakes, forget, forgive and embrace each other working out with their lows and highs I think life will be beautiful.

I remembered Bharathi suddenly and decided to exit from that spiritual place and went on search of the home where Bharathi lived in Pondy. Unfortunately, that place was undergoing some renovation and I couldn’t check in. Altogether, although I did not choose spirituality, the place was full of nature and yes peaceful. I will recommend that place, but you got to check in with like minded people alone. The rates are pretty nominal to be spent once in a year.

2009

Yet another year coming to an end and yet more to come! Slightly looking back, it’s very surprising that all those days have gone in a jiffy. This is end of a turbulent year all over the world and also beginning for an end of decade. My wishes to you all for the coming year give you happiness, prosperity, all your wishes & dreams coming true. Rock on…HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Religion

I feel and put it hard when I think about this topic. Not only my views are different from my family members on religion but I think there needs to be a change at least with the next generation. Any religion is a package of rituals, customs and habits which promotes happiness and well being at daily level. Mostly it compromises of customs which are devised some thousands years back for well being. My pondering is, they were devised long back and today is not like that day. Does everything devised then make relevance now? Does it not need upgrades or changes or customizations according to the changing world? If it cannot be customized to promote happiness why are they customs then?

It is evident that people who got to think and do these; the so called religious heads float organizations and make money out of it. People don’t even think what and why they do when it comes to religion. They just blindly follow. There are few who do everything against the religion and still propagate it. Every religion at a base level tries to promote love, share, care, peace and togetherness among people. Are these propagated and followed properly? Then who are those and where should the change happen?

I have been encountering religion based discussions for the past months and all these thoughts keep hovering on my mind. Yesterday I read this piece of story in TOI. I think this is how it should be. An excerpt of it here and please read the full story on http://tinyurl.com/yfojghe

"A few months into my pregnancy, we had decided that we would not give our child any religious identity"

“We are not against religion, but who are we to choose a religion on our baby's behalf? We will expose him to the values of different faiths and cultures, and when he grows up he will be free to follow any faith—or none if he wishes.”

Strong in their decision the couple had a fight with the local municipal office for leaving the religion field empty in the birth certificate form.

"Are you ashamed of your Hindu identity? Why don't you want your child to be known as a Hindu?" an officer asked her rudely. She shot back that while she was proud of her Hindu roots, she was not a practicing Hindu. "Why in a democratic, secular country can't parents take a decision like not giving any religion to their children?" she asked the officer.

Unconvinced, the officer cited a technical problem and passed the matter on to a higher official who understood their plea but still cited the technical problem that the system cannot accept if the religion field is left empty. There were four choices on the form—Hindu, Muslim, Christian and Others.

The mother did not want any of them for her child, as even Others required them to identify the sect or community. She argued with the officer some more and finally agreed on Others, but without any identification. "Others is just to facilitate the generation of the certificate. We know our child has no religion" she says.

Now, this is called a change. There is always a first time for every time. I am sure there are lots of couples wanting to do the same, but pressured on by peers and society. It definitely needs huge courage to face this nation choosing to be a liberal.

“But it's just the beginning of the several hurdles which are bound to crop up ahead—at the time of school admission or securing a passport for the child, for instance. We are prepared for those battles too" says the mother determinedly.

Citing a technical problem is a lame excuse here. How big deal is it to change it or include a “Liberal” field in the form? Orkut has the option of choosing an option “Spiritual but not Religious”. Why not our own municipal corporations have it? Where should the change start from??

Mistakes in my life

Robin Sharma’s blog posts get updated to me automatically as and when he writes. (Pls don’t ask me how. It’s a top secret!). His latest post was on mistakes. Reading that I started remembering all those I had done in my life so far and remembered the one from which I had learned which any teacher or book could teach. It happened in my work place and it’s something which the industry would have never seen so far. I wonder how I missed to share it here. I have to!

I was working in a private FM station. For those FM channels the only source of revenue was through the ads they get everyday. It means the revenue generated from ads is used for other expenses like salary, maintenance, marketing etc etc. There was an advertiser who was very difficult to crack and the sales executive won an exclusive campaign which was only for 5 days from them after some 1.5 yrs of follow up. My job was to schedule those ads according to the agreement signed and create a playlist for the entire day and send it to transmission. Ours was an 11 station network spreading upto 45 stations nationally. All 11 stations would be booking a schedule for every station.

As weekends are holidays, on Friday the schedule for next 3 days would be uploaded to for transmission altogether. One Friday as I was tired I decided to come on a Saturday and upload the schedule for Sunday and Monday. I came, did all the work, finalized the playlist but somewhere out of my mind, I missed to upload the playlist to transmission.

No advertisements were scheduled for transmission for 2 days and the day passed as well. The schedule included the most sought after campaign of that respectable advertiser as well. The whole day, the channel was getting aired without any advertisements on air. I realized it on Monday early morning and rushed to office and somehow managed for that day but the previous day was gone. I had already missed one particular schedule like this but this was for one full day which had advertisements from across the country and this exclusive campaign with us.

I got shocked in my spine and my boss was almost devastated hearing it. It was one day salary for all the employees took a toll because of my silly mistake. I got a severe bash from boss.

I was out of the world. My confidence in myself was negative. I decided to quit but did not have the guts because that job came to me after a struggle of some 1.5 yrs for money. Yet, I did not want to continue as I had no confidence. I was a hopeless guy and felt I was fit for nothing. I went to my head and the conversation started. I was almost choked of losing a job myself.

Me: Sir
Boss: Come In
Me: Sir, Im sorry for my mistake
Head: Your sorry won’t reverse what had happened
Me: I understand it Sir. I have lost my confidence in myself and I have decided to quit. But I need a job, so pls let me know if I can work in some other department at least as an intern.
Head: Take the seat. Sit down
(He offered me a glass of water)
Head: How old are you?
Me: 23 Sir
(After a short pause)
Head: “You are just 23! At this age you are bound to make 100 mistakes. You have just done 2 now. There are still 98 to get done. My advice to you is to not repeat the same mistake again and again. Quitting is not a make up; it’s escaping from the responsibility. You are honest that you admitted your mistake and it’s the good thing about you. Now, go on and carry on with your work. I will manage with what went wrong.”

Speechless, there were no words coming out of my mouth, not even a thank you. I went to my seat and the whole atmosphere had changed top down. I don’t know whether it was a fresh lease of confidence in me or something or anything else. But, the burden in me was away. I decided to continue in the same job. I quit the company after 2 years; I was handling revenues for 3 different business units. People who wanted me to quit were made shut and continue their work.

What happened here was that, this gentleman taught me a lesson for life. I still and will follow it. I do mistakes but don’t repeat them. However I’m have professionally grown now, it’s because of this gentleman Mr. Subbu, at present working as Marketing Head, Marg Constructions, Chennai. Sir, whether you read this or not, I thank you and I feel good now for taking that advice and I shall follow it for sure.

Most of our lives are full of mistakes. We are not taught what to do right at every situation and cannot be taught also because every situation changes. Life is not programmed and it’s not smooth. But, there are few qualities when we abide by it, makes our life smooth. Forget, forgive, share, care, love, support and stand by. This gentleman displayed all these qualities on me. I follow the same. I don’t remember what people have done on me. I don’t want to keep them in mind too. You guys try it out too.

“Mistakes when taken on a right way by forgetting and forgiving give us an opportunity to build more awareness and understanding and gain precious experience. Experience that will help us do, feel and be even better.” says Robin Sharma.

Runaway and Vanishing Brides

Runaway bride is a class movie made brilliantly with wonderful performances from Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. It’s a story of a reporter Ike who sets on to make a fact based report of a girl Maggie, who has a history of fleeing away from her fiancés. Finally Ike and Maggie fall in for each other and the wedding is set. On the bridal march, Maggie backs and flees leaving Ike. The reason was not that she felt Ike as the wrong person but she dislikes the big fat weddings. She then comes back and opens her mind to Ike.

“I love you, Homer Eisenhower Graham. Will you marry me?

[Maggie sits down, clears her throat]
I guarantee there'll be tough times. I guarantee that at some point, one or both of us is going to want get out…

But I also guarantee… [starts to cry] … that if I don't ask you to be mine, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. Because I know in my heart... you're the only one for me.”

Wow! That was the touching moment of the movie. Way back in our daily life, every failed guy wants to hear the same from their sweethearts and the sweethearts too fail to see the whole picture around them both. I think forgetting, forgiving, changing themselves for better, commitment, understanding, care are all very much essential than the initial spark of love because these are the traits which keep the love burning bright at every stage. Both the partners got to have it for each other. We live in a fast paced world, gone are the days of Mills and Boons romance. And I keep pondering this: Afterall, life is once, who will not wish to live with the loved one thick and thin changing themselves for better!.

Well I guess I went off the topic for sometime! :)

Vanishing bride is a novel I have started with. It’s a very old novel and I have just finished few pages of it. Not a bad read though. Just an coincidence that both the movie and book are about brides in it and deals with relationships.