Media overdose is omnipresent
Every waking moment is a constant reminder that break, for just a few moments, from media has become an impossible task.
The journey back and forth from office is an assault to the senses- radio is at peak volume and huge billboards cut out partial views of the sky.
The cafeteria not only has the television always turned on, but we now have world space playing alongside. (Even the washroom has its own audio speakers!!!)
By default, media has taken shape of an omnipresent white noise. Television and radio sets are switched on with no apologies to others present.
I remember how watching TV or tuning into radio was such an occasion. The event was planned for weeks in advance. The shows were few and far apart, but no matter what the issue of the program, everyone watched with undivided attention. The recall of those episodes is still very high.
Compare this with the messages thrown at you from the cluttered skyline, a hundred channels of television and the audio blare of radio. All of 10 hours of media exposure and I have no clue what I was listening to.
Home Tutorials .. for the professionals
Ok, this is a simple idea.
As children most of us would have walked over to a home in the neighbourhood, where some instructor would teach song and dance. At times the instructor would come over to our homes and take personal sessions. Win-win situation for the kids, parents and the teacher.
The challenge now – provide a similar ‘home service’, only this time for the working professional. Even though there is so much more to learn (dance, yoga, martial arts, new languages, music, painting, cooking, prep for entrance etc.), the constraints of time and accessibility are hindering many people from joining these classes .
What if professional learning institutes started accommodating home tutorials? What if it was taken a step further and ‘single neighbourhood’ classes were started? Imagine the number of people who would enroll.
Any takers?
King Turban
International Pageants may have failed to turn it into a style statement, Smart turban 1.0 might not have sold enough copies and training classes could be lacking attendance.
The countries powerful leaders may have failed to inspire.
Even music failed to set the trend.
Perhaps, Bollywood might help turn the tide.
Wine celebrates its tears
Gazing in the night remembering when
I met you last, the beautiful face
Gentle voice and the patient stare
My nucleus is you darling dear
Blurry eyes and the fading screen
thoughts from today and the dream
nothing else on mind, you so far away
My nucleus is you darling dear
Your strong self and pain you now endure
all I can think is get well and take care
thoughts in my mind and in my heart
My nucleus is you darling dear
The ‘small’ excuse
My friends and I were planning a weekend vacation in a lesser known hill station near Pune. The last two days were spent on attempts to contact the only hotel operating in that area. This lone hotel does not have its number listed either on the local search directories or with the travel agencies (Private or State). Despite being the only player in the region it depends on another website for its internet promotion.
The only way to contact them was via e-mail. A couple of mails (from different mail accounts) were send seeking details on room reservation and possible ways of getting there. The response was delayed and disappointing. None of the queries were answered; instead a road map for reaching the hotel was send as an attachment. After a few more hours of online hunting we managed to get in touch with the person in-charge for room reservation. He choose to respond to our queries with statements like “As we are new to this and far from the city, that would not be possible”, ”Travel agencies numbers are difficult to find, so I am not sure if we can arrange car hiring”.
You would think that small hotels would be more proactive and aggressive in their approach. Startups are known to provide better service, in their quest to gain word of mouth and a loyal customer. In this case however, being small was used as an excuse for the lack of service and poor quality of experience provided.
Examples of small businesses that have made it big, challenged reach and used imagination to advantage are many.
Small should not be an excuse for mediocrity or lack of preparedness, it should be more reason to use possible opportunities to gain more ground.
The island of Bemair
Three of us were browsing around in Walden – a local Hyderabad book store. The stacks of books kept us from seeing each other. The common need for adventure made us climb up that steep cliff. The two strangers seemed to be at ease, gauging the best way to to dive in while I shivered at the thought of the steep fall, and the freezing water. The first man dove right in - his victorious scream, music and encouragement. It took me exactly 10 seconds to take the plunge.
The cliff, the waves, birds and distant traffic all lost for one glorious tremendous moment. Washed away I sat on the clear sands of a wide beach. A reel played and flashback showed me the troubled times that this region had faced. Men, women and children tormented by the rulers. Timings for everything and a bulldozer that killed at sight. But that was in the past, now a tiny mermaid is calling out to me from the beautiful waters. No more strangers, everyone a friend for life. I get introduced to ten more people.
We swim underwater for miles (the sea huge and clear), and when our heads pop out the warm sun brightens everything. “We have reached the secret island” the lady tells me. The sand is caressing my feet and magic is everywhere. I decide on another swim, this time I turn to see mermaids catching up with me. They want to tell me a story.
This island has a twin on the other side of the road, far apart, and barely 10 K.m wide. Each time a new person comes the beach widens-eating away the water. Each time any person talks of this experience a sound of the island dies.
I swim back, time for me to go home, return to the book store. We all swim back accompanied this time by singing dolphins. We swim, underneath the clear water and crash into solid road - a motorcar waiting. As we zoom through I see great big bubbles rising up. The sea takes over me and washes us ashore. In the tangled mess of weed lies a baby mermaid telling me I will live a 100 more years if I tell no one about the Island of Bemair.
Already the shores seems wider and what is that? The twin who was so far apart slowly creeping in. People everywhere and one lonely road in sight. I know that this trip will never happen again, nor will the mermaids talk.
The water is being eaten , each time I say Bemair.
More
Immediately much more than the regular stock clearance or end of month sale.