This ain't GOODWILL

Few months back, I received a call from my school mates (as we were all trying for a reunion)for some contribution on building up a roof for an orphanage. We were very glad to take part and reinstate our reunion with such a goodwill. Within 3 weeks we collected the stipulated amount and begun the construction works.

Two days before, I received a mail in the group that the work has come to a final stage enclosed with split up of costs. Within few minutes a new mail reached from one dear friend - who is now working in an onsite - requesting to preserve the bills safely so that it could be used for tax exemption purpose. I wasn't so pleased by this idea of gaining tax benefit solely on the ground of goodwill. In parallel, I was discussing the whole issue with my close pal and told him my reluctance for tax exemption. But he cooled me down and told it is quite normal among some people and adviced not to take it very serious.

Being introvert

There is a common apprehension that people who maintain a calm, silent and less talkative demeanor have to undergo a rough tide in public. That’s true. People who shy away from talking struggle a lot to initiate a small talk in public. Called as ‘introverts’ - person who tends to shrink from social contacts and to become preoccupied with their own thoughts- also face the difficulty when their profession expects excellence in public speaking, listening etc. Even I believed the same till now.

Characteristics of Introverts
• Prefer spending time alone or with one or two close friends, especially when tired.
• Concentrate best when alone, and often give the impression of being quiet, calm and even mysterious.
• Feel that they gain energy and strength from being alone.

The problem rooted to this disorder is the way they have been raised from their childhood. The parents initially get acknowledged by the neighbors for raising their children to maintain a calm environment rather than making noise and mischievous attempts that makes difficult to control. But before throwing some brownie points over the parents lets try to throw some light over introversion. Lets try to sift some literatures that disproves its societal stature. And with this aspiration, I searched for some videos and this particular one threw me over surprise.





GANDHIIIIII is an INTROVERT.

Actually introversion is not a disorder but a normal trait. There is no need to worry about possessing such behavior and so, the introverts rather than trying to emulate extroverts can try to balance certain qualities.

Suggestions for introvert

1. Develop a positive vision in becoming an extrovert.
2. Find the right social group
3. Build relationships in terms of where you can give than what you can get
4. Develop social skills consciously

Your cardio counts

Interesting video for all fitness freaks came across youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0IbZ0eiEiQ

Tapping Online Audience

Caller: Hello, Am I talking to Karthikeyan?
I: Yes.
Caller: Sir, this is xyz and I am looking for I-pill in Chennai. I found your contact while browsing the net. Could you please help me to find out I-pill in Chennai?
I: Sir, sorry we are not connected to the marketing of I-pill. We were just hired for launching this product and I have no clue about its availability in Chennai. Probably you could check their microsite.

This is the reply I had given to more than 20 enquiries received for the past one year for I-pill. These calls are because of just posting the press release in a site with my contact number mentioned. Nothing was done for I-pill in internet except a microsite but these enquires resembles the immortality of a single page that easily gets noticed in a google search. Any campaign will come into the umbrella of PR that makes its audiences think, react, create and exchange views. Internet has made these participations so simple which the traditional media couldn’t offer. People were able to shout out their experiences / grievances on a product/service thereby creating a collective opinion of it. I-pill too revolved around the internet and became hot topic for many bloggers.

The very classical example for creating an online community is sunsilk’s gangofgirls. This site was launched on 17th June 2006 and crossed 100,000 members within 36 days. The site not only provided contents on hair care and styling but went beyond by tying up with http://www.monster.com/ for job postings. Recently a startup company Inkfruit which is into designing T-shirts used http://www.twitter.com/ to reach to its teen audience. It designed a T-shirt on twitter and spread it among the twitters.

While majority of the companies still communicate in the traditional way, they should look into the online audience seriously. Online is no more a playful medium. People voice out their opinions both favourable / non-favourable and trust the messages as it is transferred through their trusted acquaintances. Since the forthcoming election campaign sees unprecedented usage of online forums with Advani, Jyotibasu being the forerunners of connecting through online, the poll results would bring a radical change in the minds of marketers to embrace online forums coming up successful models.

Tamil Numericals

These were the old numericals used in tamil literature. Only thing I know is that Thandhai Periyar, the founder of Dravida Kazhagam made some changes in these numericals. This calendar could become a research material for future linguistic scholars.

Never a star-performer

People who were my co-walkers on my way to office wouldn’t have noticed a sudden change in my face for few seconds when I looked at something on the road. It’s not coins lying over to feel happy for filling up my wallet or not any used condom to frown upon to have seen it once with my friend during my college days. This particular thing on a quick flash took me to my early school days around mid-nineties where almost all of my friends were engaged upon madly and diligently - THE WRESTLING CARD. For all who can share my feeling would know how these cards resembled the societal stature in the friend’s circle. In terms of increasing the quantity of the cards we play a card game where one will compare height, weight, biceps and triceps of a wrestler and the opposite one has to handover the card if anyone of the parameters is found to be lower. And possessing such cards is equally treated as holding a drug and we were seen as drug addicted spoilt brats by the girls, parents & teachers. Some school maids – the ayaas were appointed by the staffs who felt such activities hinder the religious nature of the school. Nevertheless, the boys found help from girls. Girls acted as middle-women for their brother in exchanging some rare cards. These rare cards positioned them as a king in the circle. My parents were strictly against these activities. But I tried it once mesmerized by the pride adorned by my friends. The new ones in the job like me will be easily cheated by the so-called tycoons. Even I had a bitter experience in one of my card transactions with a senior and he easily cheated me with a low-performing wrestler card. So, it was not easy for a person like me who always keeps away from such activities to gain an edge over the mad collectors.

I should confess, “I have never been a star-performer”.

Draining Days

Lethargic situation prevailing in my industry is making my working hours into sabbatical these days. Over 3 months I have not seen anything moving excitedly for my peers in other agencies. Sometimes I feel whether my brain is draining. No. The oracle says, “You become what you are”. Work pressure, utmost eagerness to do a story for my client and external demoralizers are ruling my thoughts to produce irrelevant ideas.