Confessions of a pseudo workaholic

I was talking to a friend on phone a few days back, and he was bickering about how his life has become so boring and monotonous, he has nothing to do once the office ends. He wanders around with friends, drinking beer, going to movies, eating out... basically spending money to kill time. And when he asked me, I had no inkling of what he was feeling. I told him so, and he told me, "Dude, you've become a workaholic".
Have I really become one?
This term is often associated with those who spend long hours at work, sometimes when not necessary. They pile up work for themselves, perhaps to cut themselves off from the outside world, or maybe to get their mind off some other matter.

IT DOESN’T APPLY TO A PERSON JUST BECAUSE HE / SHE IS BUSY

I am busy and more or less happy with my life. Of course, one always wants more. But I'm comfortable to be where I am at present. I know where I am going and what I want.

As I talked more about this to various people, I found most of them had a similar opinion of my life. I guess it is so because these habits are the hallmark of a compulsive workaholic, someone who looks busy and happy with his life, who just doesn't have the time to stop and look back, to catch his breath midway...he is so accustomed to looking ahead...only in few desolate moments would he / she wonder whether there is something that he / she is missing? And by the time this thought grabs him / her, there is the next thing to be done. People (even my relatives) tell me that I am so often lost in my own thought, reading some book, surfing the net, listening to some song, watching TV, talking to someone... that I may as well be sitting on a couch in Mars... Well, sitting idle; its hard for me.

I'm just not willing to give up even an ounce of my current life to something I'm not interested in, that's the baggage I have to carry because I know what I want. People can perceive you to be arrogant or self involved, but they eventually come around.

I don’t consider myself a workaholic, because I don’t work to escape from something. I work to please myself, to prepare myself for the things to come, to add capabilities I would need to live the life I want to live in future. And by WORK, I don’t mean Office work... It could be anything, so as it keeps me busy in a constructive manner.

QUOTE:

Laziness may look attractive, but its work that gives you satisfaction.

The last FIVE books I read....

I read a lot. I acquired this habit in the very first year of my college, owing to some of my best college friends...


The Origins of CRASH is the latest one which I've finished. Mind Blowing. I wonder how much research Roger must have done to produce such a masterpiece. The whole book is about the Stock Market crash of Spring 2000 in US. Those of us vaguly familiar with the crash treat it synonymous to the bursting of the dot com bubble, but as I read this book, I understood a lot about what went into building the premises where this market frenzy existed, and the cause of fallout. It deals with the likes of Enron and Worldcom, along with the foray of accounting firms into the lucrative consulting business, the use of Special Purpose vehicles the role of media in shaping public sentiment to make people invest in equities...An eye opener.

Awesome. I read this book, and then I couldn't watch the news channels or read through Newspapers and magazines for around a week. It is just so overwhelming to find out that 2 people control practically every piece of news that we recieve. The book chronicles the rise and clash between two media moghuls: TED TURNER and RUPERT MURDOCH. Just gives an insight how much politics and maniac competition is involved in the media industry. I bet the makers of James Bond must have thought of their villian Carver from Tomorrow never dies from these two gentlemen. And within a couple of days of finishing the book, Rupert Murdoch successfully completed his bid for the Wall Street journal; another brick in the wall.

I've always been a brand Enthusiast, and have read a LOT about branding and related stuff. Brands excite me. And here, Patrick Hanlon reveals the most engaging piece on branding I've come across in my life. His Primal code: The Seven Characteristics a brand must have to become a super brand is mind blowing. And, the book is a wealth of information hitherto absent on branding in 20th century.

Aahh... Harry Potter. What can I say. I am a massive fan of Harry Potter... hats off to JKR to give such an ending which managed to satisfy fans and critics alike...I dont recall such a marketing Blitz for a product, barring perhaps iPhone. The book broke the selling records of harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (which incidently had broken the record of Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix). What was truly remarkable was that despite the immense scrutiny for the clues in previous 6 books, JKR managed to give us an ending worthy of the grandeur of the series. Bravo...And thank you for nor killing Harry, for finally revealing Snape was good and not bringing Dumbledore back to life.

Google. Isn't it fascinating? How has Google become this Mega Brand without spending a single penny on advertising? How the hell does Google make so much money, by merely the clicks of users on sponsored adds? How did google surpass others like askjeeves to become what it has become today? Why was Google so late in listing on the markets? These and much more questions are answered by David Vise, in a very no-nonsense way. It has amazing inside stories, like The Burning man, The story of Google's Chef, how the SEC objected to Google's official letter before the IPO because it used the first names of all key executives, The Do no Evil part of its policy... Bingo !!!

23 years...

I wrote this on my 23rd Birthday. I was thinking over stuff, CAT had just happened, my brother was to be in town the next day... Its been 10 months.

Its been 23 years,

Since I was born,

Its been 23 years,

Since that first dawn,

Adhering to the code,

I mowed the dry lawn,

And on this life's chessboared,

I am still feel like a pawn,

Chained to my convictions,

I braved deciet everywhere,

Absorbing the friction,

I grudgingly sleep in despair,

Layers and layers of defeate,

Fill the chapters of my life,

All my principles; noble and elite,

Kill my sanity with inner strife,

The guilt within is deep seated,

Guilt of having nottruly tried,

I myself feel cheated,

Cheated by my own pride,

Bound and gagged by chains,

How far can I further slide,

just one comforting thought remains,

That everyone has something to hide.

Quote:

Limit is in mind. Sky is just an excuse..!!

All 13 - 19 years - Buy my product

I am fascinated by marketing. And these are my views on the monstrous challange before the corporates in india, and around the world.

Marketing is tough. Its exciting and boring at the same time. This job makes and breaks careers with equal ease. Every marketeer dreams of a "Cinderella story" for his/her product.

There's only one thing that superseeds the charisma of Marketing.
Teen Marketing.
Its hip. Its hot. Its challenging. And no aspiring Global entity can do without it. Its a double edged sword. Its a necessary evil.

Teens don't listen to reason. They don't really go for details. They're impatient. That's what teen marketeers needs to focus on.

To start with, be simple. Be catchy. Be succint. Let the people and media talk more about it than the company. Jump in only to give clarifications or prevent controversy.

But widespread teen affection for a brand cannot happen overnight. Like most trends among youth, it has to begin quietly. The early spread has to be by word of mouth, until it becomes a cultural phenomenon. Yeah, a PHENOMENON.

The brand must become a status symbol among teens. It should acquire a mystique aura that makes it cool. It should stand for values which a teenager lives for; rebellion, ambition, attitude.
It should make them feel wanted, empowered, FREE...

But thats Phase I. Phase II has to concentrate on teen loyalty, because once the company has it, its near term future is pretty much secure (Think iPod and XBOX). Without loyalty, the initial marketing blitz will fade away rapidly. There is one and only one way to ensure it. PRODUCT QUALITY.
Long term marketing and branding must involve better design and service. Another point. Give the teen customers an easy official outlet to expres their views on the product. Monitor their response, and adapt accordingly.
And... Marketeers, you've got to be FAST. LIGHTENING FAST. Response time has never been so crucial.
Well thats it. The view of a casual fan of Ad Campaigns...

Quote:
There are very few things in this world tougher than understanding women. Understanding teenagers comes pretty close(Anonymous).

Just an Experiment ....

One of the reasons I love Rock n Roll is the blunt ‘In your face’ attitude reflected in the formation of lyrics.

I am trying to formulate a quiz based on Legendry Rock Band‘s lyrics. And while I am at it, this funny idea hit me.
To write a poem where every alternate line is taken from some legendry Rocker....
And I ended up with what’s below.
Mind you, it very very difficult to do this.... I had to cut my favorite lines just so that the poem made some sense...
And Of course, I had to go through loads n loads of lyrics...

Well, it might not make much sense; I’ve just tried to do something new over here...
Maybe I could have done a better job had I given it more time, but frankly, I got fed up.

In fact, Rock fans reading it can take a quiz themselves over here!!!
Well, the first and third line of each paragraph in from some song.
Simple. Identify it, as far as you can......

Search for the light

Do my dirty work, scapegoat
I’ve got you by your throat
Sharin' hopes and fears
The Ego always hears

Just another brick in the wall
Taking a stroll through the mall
Sleep with one eye open
Waiting to cash your token

She pushed food through the door
For her, another daily chore
Now there's a look in your eyes
Mirroring, those true lies

Well, she's fashionably lean
The eyesore of your dream
Another flashing chance at bliss
But you again give it a miss

Oh, don't ask why
Forget their hue and cry
You know that it would be untrue
But that’s the picture you yourself drew

The day the music died
To yourself you again lied
You know the day destroys the night
And still you search for the light

The song lines and their source is as follows:

Do my dirty work, scapegoat - Sad but true (Metallica)
Sharin' hopes and fears - Poor tom (Led Zeppelin)
Just another brick in the wall – Another brick in the Wall (Pink Floyd)
Sleep with one eye open – Enter Sadman (Metallica)
Oh, don't ask why - Alabama Song (Whisky Bar) (The Doors)
You know that it would be untrue - Light My Fire (The Doors)
She pushed food through the door - Bleach (Nirvana)
Now there's a look in your eyes - Shine on you crazy diamond (Pink Floyd)
Well, she's fashionably lean - Twentieth Century Fox (The Doors)
Another flashing chance at bliss - The Crystal Ship (The Doors)
The day the music died – American Pie (Don MacLean)
You know the day destroys the night - Break on through (The Doors)

The inaugaral lines from the movie "Fight Club" (1999)

We're consumers. We are by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty, these things don't concern me. What concerns me are celebrity magazines, television with 500 channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra.

We are all part of the same compost heap.

Warning: If you are reading this then this warning is for you. Every word you read of this useless fine print is another second off your life. Don't you have other things to do? Is your life so empty that you honestly can't think of a better way to spend these moments? Or are you so impressed with authority that you give respect and credence to all that claim it? Do you read everything you're supposed to read? Do you think every thing you're supposed to think? Buy what you're told to want? Get out of your apartment. Meet a member of the opposite sex. Stop the excessive shopping and masturbation. Quit your job. Start a fight. Prove you're alive. If you don't claim your humanity you will become a statistic.

Its Only Words.....

I've studied English ever since I recall being born. English is very complex language. Agreed on that. All I want to write about here is the usage of certain other words. These words mean something else, but are used in a somewhat different manner. There is an underlying connotation associated with each of them. Something similar to how the words like FUCK and SEXY are used almost anywhere, and aren't even regarded as offensive.... The semantics can weave cobwebs in the mind of anyone.

ADMIRE
verb (used with object) to regard with wonder, pleasure, or approval.
But when applied to a person by another, like "I admire him/her", it gives a negative feel which sound like "Wow, I wish I could be him/her, or I wish I could do what he/she did, but I know I can't". It sounds like the person saying this is not at all aiming to be like him/her, but has already dropped guard acknowledging his/her mediocrity.It would be better to appreciate, or respect the personality/deed of someone else, rather than admiring it.

POOR
adjective - having little or no money, goods, or other means of support.
Again, it carries a negative feeling. The trouble is that if one is called poor, it sounds like he/she is damned to remain poor forever, there is no chance of his/her rise ever again. Most of the places where poor is used would communicate the condition better if the word "broke" was used. Being broke is temporary, but being poor sounds eternal.

COMPROMISE
noun - a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.
verb - (used with object) - to settle by a compromise.
verb - (used without object) - to make a compromise or compromises
This word is also misused a lot. This should be used in case of an agreement when everything is final, when both sides have taken a step back to reach consensus. Rather, people use it even at intermediate stages, or when the negotiations are going on, or when the arrangement is temporary. A proper word for such a situation is adjustment.

And then the most puzzling of all....SUCCESS. Aah, to hell with it. Its such boring topic that I am lost for words....Maybe a separate blog for this one....