After a long time (months may be) I was watching TV at home... so many new channels, so many news channels.. new trends of TV world... it was not just about way of entertainment but also more about where the media is going.. or rather leading us!!!
I remember myself reciting poems in front of my mother in my childhood. Sometimes my mom used to say "have some expressions on your face, you are reciting poem, not reading news on TV!" I always used to wonder how do these news readers can be so expressionless! They used to read just any news with same calm face and tone. And this was not just about any regional channel but our national news channels also. They were very few and I had a great respect for all the news readers for their control on their emotions and personal opinions. All I used to get to listen to on these news channels was only information in its purest possible form (Even mosquitoes and flies roaming around were not 'edited'!)
Today I saw a totally different and quite shocking avatar of news channels. It was not that I was shocked for the first time. Even the headline of smallest size news has been seen tweaked to convey a totally different meaning than the actual information inside! Isn't it shocking and weird to pay someone (newspaper) to read their 'Opinions' and not just the information?
Anyway, The trigger for writing this blog is today's 'breaking News : Rahul, a youngster trying to hijack mumbai best bus on gunpoint killed by mumbai police in an encounter.' The sad part of this news is that I didn't get to see/listen/read this news on any news channel in this form of statement. I had actually option of numerous news channels!!! And thats where the catch is... Whats the point if all news channels provide the same information in same manner! Firstly why are there so many news channels? Because we need them? or because they need something? from us? I think so.. Thats why they compete... SABSE AAGE... SABSE TEZ... 'using' the news for themselves in this process... not for us!!!! I didn't see them conveying or 'reading' the information for us but rather giving excellent multimedia presentations of what they want us to believe about that information!!! And I understand the importance of expressionless faces of those great news readers in my childhood! They never tried to make us believe in what they read. And thats why we believed in it! Today if every news channel, every newspaper conveys their opinions about what has happened... whom do I believe! I just see opinions and presentations... where is the NEWS? The worst thing is those (mostly politicians) who understand this fact very well are just using it (media) for their short term benefits. In the evening I saw a NEWS VJ (best description) in digitally simulated bus environment to emphasize on what they "want" to tell us about the Rahul-bihar-mumbai police-Raj thakare news. So much efforts!!! So much Editing!!!!! And I understand the importance of those un-edited mosquitoes and flies in the recording studio of my childhood news channles!
For a moment al this hammering made me think as if this is the biggest and most important issue on earth! Not because a young man tried to do something on gunpoint, but more because he was from bihar, because he was in mumbai, because he wanted to talk to (or kill? not very clear from news) Raj Thakare... NO... no one was interested in knowing about other people in and around bus... their lives are of zero importance.. Only Rahul's life is omportant... because he fits the 'current context' very well!! For everyone... news channels as well as politicians... and those who enjoy multimedia presentations with evening coffee... Doesn't matter if 200 people get killed in some temple by stampede because of some missmanagement... people are more interested in proving how it was possible to avoid Rahul's encounter by vacating 4KM of Kurla market where it happened!!! No one is interested in discussing why a kid fallen in manhole could not be saved after 10 hours of struggle! Or at least how it can be prevented next time!!! Yes its certainly not important... It doesn't fit the 'Current Context' mannn.... Neither Raj Thakare nor Lalu Prasad Yadav (nor even NDTV Profit) can USE these news.. how can it be important mannnn!!!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
:)
m quite happy and excited today!!!!
remember remember... the 5th of November!!!!!
(line from the movie V for Vendetta)
remember remember... the 5th of November!!!!!
(line from the movie V for Vendetta)
Sunday, October 12, 2008
rossi roti...
it's not funny, I am serious. I have been thinking of this for a long and it still keeps bugging me.
This 'rossi roti' issue is much bigger and complicated than the normal 'roji roti' issue, not just for me but for most of us in this creative industry. For us it's not so difficult to earn money and live happlily with most of the amenities readily (almost) available with that money. But what doesn't let it to be so simple is the realization of fact that we are in this creative industry by choice and after a lot of struggle! For me 'roti' is not the issue but the urge to 'ride like rossi' is what doesn't let me enjoy this roti's taste! When you don't get something, you struggle a lot to achieve it. When you get something because you are supposed to, you want it some other way! Thats being creative professional!!!.. You just can't settle down for what you are getting, even if thats what you wanted! Yes this is true for every human being and not just creative professional, but then we just take every idea too seriously I guess... In the struggle to get that better 'rossi roti' we just forget to enjoy the roti we are getting! It's not wrong to aspire for much more and better, but does it mean we should underevaluate the present life and present achievements!!! We cannot afford to lose the capability of enjoying anything, because when one day we will have achieved the 'ultimate rossi roti', we may just be clueless about how to enjoy it!!!
This 'rossi roti' issue is much bigger and complicated than the normal 'roji roti' issue, not just for me but for most of us in this creative industry. For us it's not so difficult to earn money and live happlily with most of the amenities readily (almost) available with that money. But what doesn't let it to be so simple is the realization of fact that we are in this creative industry by choice and after a lot of struggle! For me 'roti' is not the issue but the urge to 'ride like rossi' is what doesn't let me enjoy this roti's taste! When you don't get something, you struggle a lot to achieve it. When you get something because you are supposed to, you want it some other way! Thats being creative professional!!!.. You just can't settle down for what you are getting, even if thats what you wanted! Yes this is true for every human being and not just creative professional, but then we just take every idea too seriously I guess... In the struggle to get that better 'rossi roti' we just forget to enjoy the roti we are getting! It's not wrong to aspire for much more and better, but does it mean we should underevaluate the present life and present achievements!!! We cannot afford to lose the capability of enjoying anything, because when one day we will have achieved the 'ultimate rossi roti', we may just be clueless about how to enjoy it!!!
Saturday, October 11, 2008
keep walking....
I left for a long walk in the evening...
on a bridge... and it connected me to the other better world...
near a lake... and it did offer green (if not red) carpet for me to walk...
I kept walking...
I walked in the market... and it offered a lot of 'life' to me...
so I kept walking further,
happened to pass by a temple, and it offered me a mind full of peace...
And then there happened to be a long barren patch ahead me...
I stopped, felt depressed and lost...
thinking, this barren land had just nothing to offer me, neither any fuel for my walk!
And then it said, "this is the only part of your walk when you can't afford to stop!"
Keep walking....
on a bridge... and it connected me to the other better world...
near a lake... and it did offer green (if not red) carpet for me to walk...
I kept walking...
I walked in the market... and it offered a lot of 'life' to me...
so I kept walking further,
happened to pass by a temple, and it offered me a mind full of peace...
And then there happened to be a long barren patch ahead me...
I stopped, felt depressed and lost...
thinking, this barren land had just nothing to offer me, neither any fuel for my walk!
And then it said, "this is the only part of your walk when you can't afford to stop!"
Keep walking....
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Search for a beginning
How often have you heard it said,
"Now that's the end of that."
A common phrase we often hear
When with our friends we chat.
This phrase, so glibly used by all
Implies poor reasoning
For, when we think about it,
There's no end to anything.
Look closely at a piece of string.
"There's an end to that," you say.
But where's the end if you should turn
It round the other way?
Ah, strange it is. We were so sure.
Now, doubt its head has reared,
For, where the end was once in view,
A beginning has appeared!
I guess the lesson here is, that
When life seems oh, so blue,
We should back off and turn around
And take another view.
So, if you think all has gone wrong
And you've no hope of winning,
Yes, pray your troubles soon will end,
But search for a beginning.
There is no end to anything,
Fresh starts there are, a-plenty.
And that is true at eighty-one
Or the golden age of twenty.
-Wilbur A. Tharp (1904 - 1996)
"Now that's the end of that."
A common phrase we often hear
When with our friends we chat.
This phrase, so glibly used by all
Implies poor reasoning
For, when we think about it,
There's no end to anything.
Look closely at a piece of string.
"There's an end to that," you say.
But where's the end if you should turn
It round the other way?
Ah, strange it is. We were so sure.
Now, doubt its head has reared,
For, where the end was once in view,
A beginning has appeared!
I guess the lesson here is, that
When life seems oh, so blue,
We should back off and turn around
And take another view.
So, if you think all has gone wrong
And you've no hope of winning,
Yes, pray your troubles soon will end,
But search for a beginning.
There is no end to anything,
Fresh starts there are, a-plenty.
And that is true at eighty-one
Or the golden age of twenty.
-Wilbur A. Tharp (1904 - 1996)
Monday, October 06, 2008
Things work out....
I got reminded of this poem again while reading neeru's blog ('DOn't quIT')... so thought I should post it here... very nice and positive...
Things Work Out
-=-=-=-=-=-=-by Edgar Guest
Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.
Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play-
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.
Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.
So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.
Things Work Out
-=-=-=-=-=-=-by Edgar Guest
Because it rains when we wish it wouldn't,
Because men do what they often shouldn't,
Because crops fail, and plans go wrong-
Some of us grumble all day long.
But somehow, in spite of the care and doubt,
It seems at last that things work out.
Because we lose where we hoped to gain,
Because we suffer a little pain,
Because we must work when we'd like to play-
Some of us whimper along life's way.
But somehow, as day always follows the night,
Most of our troubles work out all right.
Because we cannot forever smile,
Because we must trudge in the dust awhile,
Because we think that the way is long-
Some of us whimper that life's all wrong.
But somehow we live and our sky grows bright,
And everything seems to work out all right.
So bend to your trouble and meet your care,
For the clouds must break, and the sky grow fair.
Let the rain come down, as it must and will,
But keep on working and hoping still.
For in spite of the grumblers who stand about,
Somehow, it seems, all things work out.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Past is forever....
why does it happen, that we can't relive the past? or why is it that we can't forget the past? Past... why should it have influence on the present? especially when you know it's just past!!! It's not comfortable enough to be part of an environment, where everything except you has changed over the time....It's not pleasant enough to witness 'present' slowly turning into the 'past'... Why do we think more about 'present becoming past' more than the 'future becoming present'? Is it that we are not optimistic enough? Or is it that we are not sure about the future, but past is reality? Is it because the future is just an assumption or hope, past is a fact and present is just the transition time plus our efforts to make the future a 'fact'? I feel as human beings, we have more value for the most durable, reliable things which are least susceptible to 'change'....
Sadly, 'PAST' has all these features.... because only past is forever......
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Falling in love again...
Is falling in love again and again a wrong thing? or it just shows that you can actually 'love' and are quite generous about it? hahahah.. I don't know but it keeps happening with me many times... ok I am talking about my love for naked bikes... the streetfighters... the recent and quite practicle being 'Yamaha FZ 16'... Lord of the streets!..... I just love the punch line.... I had heard that when you love someone, you end up liking and admiring everything about them... it's true! So I started with the punch line!!!... :)
One more doubt... Is love actually blind??? (considering the fact of falling in love again and again) When you are in love you don't remember anything else, you don't 'see' anything else. True, but in future you still fall in love again with someone else or even the same person again!!! Isn't it interesting?(though not everyone accepts or understands it!!! for various reasons) Anyway, coming back to the point (blind one), when i look at my consistantly increasing number of pictures of crushes on orkut album, I do find there is lot common in them! They (bikes) are individually very different, in every small detail and a even a package as whole. But the fact that they all are naked streetfighters with strange and not so common headlamps without fairing, a ready-to-fight-the-traffic stance, with low or midrange torquey nature etc... There is still so much common... I dont think love is really 'blind'! It has got really sharp eyesight actually. :)
I remember something from the book 'blink' related to this. We have some image of what we like and what we don't. But it's only that 'we' think so! What we actually like or fall for can be much beyond our 'intentional thinking process'! And may be thats why we keep on falling in love with these so called 'different' things/people. Its the 'blink - the process of thinking without thinking' which keeps working in background for us and we just wonder how could it happen? Is it right or wrong ? etc. May be this is why we associate some part of our thinking to 'heart' instead of brain... And this is where the confusion begins.... just the way I am right now.... whether to buy FZ16 as my torque thirsty heart says..... OR stop myself from spending so much money and buying a less fuel efficient bike... I am working in an alternate fuel automobile company!!! May be I should 'Let it go' as neeru's blog (relinquish) says... because I have this capacity to fall in love again!!! hehehe
One more doubt... Is love actually blind??? (considering the fact of falling in love again and again) When you are in love you don't remember anything else, you don't 'see' anything else. True, but in future you still fall in love again with someone else or even the same person again!!! Isn't it interesting?(though not everyone accepts or understands it!!! for various reasons) Anyway, coming back to the point (blind one), when i look at my consistantly increasing number of pictures of crushes on orkut album, I do find there is lot common in them! They (bikes) are individually very different, in every small detail and a even a package as whole. But the fact that they all are naked streetfighters with strange and not so common headlamps without fairing, a ready-to-fight-the-traffic stance, with low or midrange torquey nature etc... There is still so much common... I dont think love is really 'blind'! It has got really sharp eyesight actually. :)
I remember something from the book 'blink' related to this. We have some image of what we like and what we don't. But it's only that 'we' think so! What we actually like or fall for can be much beyond our 'intentional thinking process'! And may be thats why we keep on falling in love with these so called 'different' things/people. Its the 'blink - the process of thinking without thinking' which keeps working in background for us and we just wonder how could it happen? Is it right or wrong ? etc. May be this is why we associate some part of our thinking to 'heart' instead of brain... And this is where the confusion begins.... just the way I am right now.... whether to buy FZ16 as my torque thirsty heart says..... OR stop myself from spending so much money and buying a less fuel efficient bike... I am working in an alternate fuel automobile company!!! May be I should 'Let it go' as neeru's blog (relinquish) says... because I have this capacity to fall in love again!!! hehehe
Thursday, September 18, 2008
one of the nights at NID
2 O' clock in night. I received an sms. I was not really surprised by that, neither I was fast asleep. It was from my best friend saying "come to girls' hostel gate". I got a little worried about her. I couldn't guess what it can be so that she had to call me there instead of just calling me on phone! Anyway, i started walking towards girls' hostel still trying to guess what it can be.
And I saw her standing there, with a travelling bag beside her. Is she planning to run away? She smiled at me puzzling me even more! Am I also supposed to run away or what? But she had a boyfriend, and people generally run away from home, not hostel! Or is it that she just wanted to say bye to me before leaving! And why was she carrying such a small bag then? Am I supposed to take care of her other stuff while she settles down somewhere? But where? I was just few steps away from her and my every step made her smile wider and me more puzzled.
"this is worth 1500 no bhavin?" pointing towards the bag she asked me.Ohhhhh!!!! Now I got it!!! So all this was just for me to confirm that the money she spent today is justified and so she could sleep peacefully!!! I looked at bag, it was quite good looking and nice quality, but much smaller than I got for lesser price (as we already had discussed in the day! I just talked about all the positive things and confirmed that it was actualy worth 1500.
I am sure all that gave her a sound sleep that night, but I just couldn't sleep!!! I was laughing whole night... It was for a bag!!! I don't know why it got recalled today after more than one year, but I am still laughing...
:)
And I saw her standing there, with a travelling bag beside her. Is she planning to run away? She smiled at me puzzling me even more! Am I also supposed to run away or what? But she had a boyfriend, and people generally run away from home, not hostel! Or is it that she just wanted to say bye to me before leaving! And why was she carrying such a small bag then? Am I supposed to take care of her other stuff while she settles down somewhere? But where? I was just few steps away from her and my every step made her smile wider and me more puzzled.
"this is worth 1500 no bhavin?" pointing towards the bag she asked me.Ohhhhh!!!! Now I got it!!! So all this was just for me to confirm that the money she spent today is justified and so she could sleep peacefully!!! I looked at bag, it was quite good looking and nice quality, but much smaller than I got for lesser price (as we already had discussed in the day! I just talked about all the positive things and confirmed that it was actualy worth 1500.
I am sure all that gave her a sound sleep that night, but I just couldn't sleep!!! I was laughing whole night... It was for a bag!!! I don't know why it got recalled today after more than one year, but I am still laughing...
:)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Hope!
There are people who understand what you are trying to do, but are not authorised to help you.
There are people who have enough authority to help you, but just don't understand what you are trying to do!
And there are people, like me, who still have hope!
:)
Monday, August 25, 2008
silence
a thunder storm..
heavy rain deep within inside...
the mind on the verge of collapsing on ground..
I close all the windows...
I seal my lips, I cose my eyes..
I try my best to keep quiet and stop expressing..
the deep silence inside out...
and it ends up expressing it all...
I just forgot,
silence has a loud voice too!!!!
heavy rain deep within inside...
the mind on the verge of collapsing on ground..
I close all the windows...
I seal my lips, I cose my eyes..
I try my best to keep quiet and stop expressing..
the deep silence inside out...
and it ends up expressing it all...
I just forgot,
silence has a loud voice too!!!!
Sunday, August 24, 2008
design v/s reality and form v/s function
Now these are highly objectionable topics actually! But all you (& me) designers, for a while just keep that designer aside and read as a common man (I know how difficult it is!)
I don't remember how it happened exactly, but day before yesterday afternoon I came across this website about new cellphones. It had pictures of new Sony Ericsson radio phone R306i. The name itself was very interesting and the concept even more interesting. They had made a phone which actually looked like a radio with two speakers! A very classic black backelite radio look indeed! It has a brushed aluminium centre display cum control butons placed between the two big speaker nets. I was very impressed by the styling considering the said low price range. Considering Sony's success in walkman series phones range, I expected this to be a good if not the best option for buyers. Two huge speakers on a phone!!! wowwww...
The same evening on my way back home I searched for a nearby sony showroom and straight away asked if that radio phone is launched or not. It was!!! And just the next moment all my imaginations. assumptions broke to open to the reality. He handed me over a phone dummy which just didn't feel like the one I saw on website! It had the same form, but the speaker net and body looked like a cheap plastic FM radio, the centre brushed aluminium panel was actually a very cheap chrome plated one! and to top it all, it had no external display, which I had assumed can be seen only while functioning! This is not all. I knew it was a clamshell phone, but when I opened it it was as good looking as a slim calculator! I have no words to explain.... Radio phone from Sony Ericsson is a very good idea, the pictures of concept I saw on website were also very good, so much that they actually took me that showroom. But the real phone!!!
Photography is an art, advertising is even bigger art and they certainly take the design to a higher desirable level. Its just that reality is stereoscopic.... :)
Ohh and about the second part of the topic, form v/s function! Now I know that every designer tries his best to integrate both in his design. But zoom out of that particular concept a bit, look at what is available in the market, as a common man/buyer. I did this in that sony showroom, on websites... for a lot of time. But I just couldn't end up liking both form and function in one same phone! If I have to buy one, I will have to force myself to choose either of form or function. When I zoom out even more and look at whar people are doing in this regard, they are happy choosing from whats on display. The problem is just with me.. that I am a designer!!!
I don't remember how it happened exactly, but day before yesterday afternoon I came across this website about new cellphones. It had pictures of new Sony Ericsson radio phone R306i. The name itself was very interesting and the concept even more interesting. They had made a phone which actually looked like a radio with two speakers! A very classic black backelite radio look indeed! It has a brushed aluminium centre display cum control butons placed between the two big speaker nets. I was very impressed by the styling considering the said low price range. Considering Sony's success in walkman series phones range, I expected this to be a good if not the best option for buyers. Two huge speakers on a phone!!! wowwww...
The same evening on my way back home I searched for a nearby sony showroom and straight away asked if that radio phone is launched or not. It was!!! And just the next moment all my imaginations. assumptions broke to open to the reality. He handed me over a phone dummy which just didn't feel like the one I saw on website! It had the same form, but the speaker net and body looked like a cheap plastic FM radio, the centre brushed aluminium panel was actually a very cheap chrome plated one! and to top it all, it had no external display, which I had assumed can be seen only while functioning! This is not all. I knew it was a clamshell phone, but when I opened it it was as good looking as a slim calculator! I have no words to explain.... Radio phone from Sony Ericsson is a very good idea, the pictures of concept I saw on website were also very good, so much that they actually took me that showroom. But the real phone!!!
Photography is an art, advertising is even bigger art and they certainly take the design to a higher desirable level. Its just that reality is stereoscopic.... :)
Ohh and about the second part of the topic, form v/s function! Now I know that every designer tries his best to integrate both in his design. But zoom out of that particular concept a bit, look at what is available in the market, as a common man/buyer. I did this in that sony showroom, on websites... for a lot of time. But I just couldn't end up liking both form and function in one same phone! If I have to buy one, I will have to force myself to choose either of form or function. When I zoom out even more and look at whar people are doing in this regard, they are happy choosing from whats on display. The problem is just with me.. that I am a designer!!!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
problems....
I don't have any problem with someone's wrong deeds,
but I certainly have problem with their wrong intentions!
I don't have any problem with someone's lack of knowledge,
but I certainly have problem with their lack of wilingness to know!
I don't have any problem with people with shattered dreams,
but I certainly have problem with those having no dreams!
I don't have any problem working with people having some fears and limits,
but I certainly have problem working with those having no confidence and hope!
I don't have any problem if I have many problems,
but I certainly have problem if I don't enjoy them!
:)
but I certainly have problem with their wrong intentions!
I don't have any problem with someone's lack of knowledge,
but I certainly have problem with their lack of wilingness to know!
I don't have any problem with people with shattered dreams,
but I certainly have problem with those having no dreams!
I don't have any problem working with people having some fears and limits,
but I certainly have problem working with those having no confidence and hope!
I don't have any problem if I have many problems,
but I certainly have problem if I don't enjoy them!
:)
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
rossi must ride......
Its been 4 months I havent posted anything here.... not that nothing happened worth it.... or may be it was so much that I couldn't put it in words here... I know this is not a right excuse for blogger, but when I look back I feel I talked so much to myself during all this time! May be it was a very critical transition phase for me... from a student to a professional... from a PDit to NIDian... from senior to supersenior.... from a son to a responsible son.... and so many other simultaneous transitions! There was lot worth writing about.... but I couldn't... rather I didn't... I have no explanation.
Now everything in professional as well as personal life seems to have become routine. All the excitements as well as worries of this new phase have become part of this routine. And then there is this realization of myself beyond all these. These things which I am supposed to get excited or worried about... decided by myself or by others or just by my being in that particular situations! But there is still one 'me' who is something beyond all these, 'me' who has again rediscovered the joy of riding, the joy of writing, the joy of being myself! It's the same person who had lot of complains about his old bike, its weak brakes, mad ahmedabad traffic etc some 2-3 months ago, it's the same person who is now enjoying every inch of his bike ride in same ahmedabad, the same person who has discovered his inclination towards maneuvering skill than speed of the bike, it's the same person who has again realized the need to stick to his goal and not the momentary path, the person who is back to his visual communications and advertising love!
Yes there are still many things to be rediscovered... And I am sure I will do it before time..... may be one day I will be giving some surprise musical or dance performance to my friends... and ya... it will be surprising for just them, not me! because I am just being rediscovered by myself!!!
Now everything in professional as well as personal life seems to have become routine. All the excitements as well as worries of this new phase have become part of this routine. And then there is this realization of myself beyond all these. These things which I am supposed to get excited or worried about... decided by myself or by others or just by my being in that particular situations! But there is still one 'me' who is something beyond all these, 'me' who has again rediscovered the joy of riding, the joy of writing, the joy of being myself! It's the same person who had lot of complains about his old bike, its weak brakes, mad ahmedabad traffic etc some 2-3 months ago, it's the same person who is now enjoying every inch of his bike ride in same ahmedabad, the same person who has discovered his inclination towards maneuvering skill than speed of the bike, it's the same person who has again realized the need to stick to his goal and not the momentary path, the person who is back to his visual communications and advertising love!
Yes there are still many things to be rediscovered... And I am sure I will do it before time..... may be one day I will be giving some surprise musical or dance performance to my friends... and ya... it will be surprising for just them, not me! because I am just being rediscovered by myself!!!
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