Friday, September 29, 2006

Law of Convenience

It was so magnanimous of the TamilNadu govt. to give a tax waiver for movies with Thamizh titles. I also admire our Chief Minister for being able to, till date, give speeches and converse without English influence. But, there are some anomalies unhandled and a good potential to tap.

It would be a wiser decision of the govt. if they extend this kind of tax waiver to TV/ Radio channels as well. First - The Channel name and then the channel programs. That would encourage channels like Sun TV, Sun News, Sun Music, Suryan FM, KTV, change their english names. It is important for the govt. to realize that in today's world, TV media has a bigger impact on the kids than the movie. Hence, Tamilicizing, TV channels and programmes become all the more essential.

Apart from creating a tight corner for Jaya TV to change the show titles like 'Mom and Me', 'jackpot', etc., It would also encourage Pepsi Ungal Choice, Hello kuttis, Comedy Time, etc. to change their titles.

It is high time the Sun TV stakeholders realize that they have some conspirators in their own board trying to create a controversy. While the board suggests good local language names for their Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada arms like Kiran, Surya, Udaya, Teja, they have been repeatedly suggesting anglicized names only for Thamizh - including Sumangali Cable Vision and Sun Cinema ( the discontinued channels). It could well be their competitor's plan.


Note: Thanks to tea session and Sriram for sharing this thought.

Disclaimer: This has been published in this blog in view of protecting the best interests of the Thamilnadu govt. and Sun TV network.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Luncheon Problems

After some years of work experience, a group discussion chaired by the COO might not make one nervous. Atleast, I was not nervous or excited. But, I was more worried about what was to follow. It was a discussion over lunch - which means, lunch is served in the board room, as we discuss. Here comes the complications. To save the hassle of serving and avoid spilling, usually, pizzas are served during such sessions.

What is my problem? I really don't think I do a great job at eating a pizza neatly!
I would be rated 'clumsy' while tearing a cold pizza with fork and knife.
I would be rated 'yucky' when the dried mozzarella stretches without breaking especially when 1/2 the piece is inside my mouth.
I would be rated 'avaricious' while trying to finish the pizza hot to avoid the above problems
I would be rated 'dirty' as it is quite instinctive to pick the capsicum piece and put it into my mouth, before starting on the pizza
I would be rated 'best' when eating it with my hands - munching away.

With all these thoughts running on my head, I was quite relieved to see packed boxes from Sangeetha being served. 'Sangeetha' doesn't make pizzas, and I could manage a neat south Indian meal.. Sigh of relief.

But the story doesn't end there. It was a closed box and I was anxious to see what was in store. I was eagerly waiting for a cue and when the guy in my left opened the box, quickly sneaked a look at its contents - Lemon rice, Bisibellabath, curd rice, chips, mango pickle, chick-pea sundal and pineapple kaseri!! Now, that definitely is a decent treat for a hungry soul!

Rubbing my hands, sitting straight, forgetting the topic of discussion, getting the salivary glands rolling, I opened my box.....Horror! Dismay! Disappointment! NO CURD RICE - NO BEHELABATH!!! The mango pickle looked delicious, but where's his partner?! Instead of the curd rice, I had a second serving of the Bisibellabath :-(

Somebody's careless mistake, and I have been victimized in a board room where I cannot raise it as a concern. How would a group of techies discussing organizational concerns such as incident prevention and disaster recovery understand my problem? I wouldn't have been bothered had everybody had two servings of Bisibellabath. It was ONLY me!! and why ONLY me?

So, all you guys in catering business...Please, please be more careful.. Your careless deed could upset a software engineer and shoot down all her grey cells! Her ideas and innovations would be suppressed and she would be de-moralized by your insensitivity to client satisfaction!

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Geared Tear Glands

I wish God created me with this add-on feature. At least, would like to know what it would cost to incorporate one. Would have saved a lot of trouble right from childhood. Now, to elaborate more on the problem, leave alone having a gear, my tear glands mal-functioned when in dire need. Not that I was suffering from Sjögren's Syndrome or something, but I just can't cry.

When as a child, this lack of lachrymal stimuli, has caused enough damage. A mistake from my side, would start off as a mild rebuke from my mother. If only I had turned on the engine and cried in first gear, my mother would have felt content, that her words have made me repent. But, even after some voluntary twitching and scrubbing, not a tear would roll down! Enough indication of stubbornness. This would just about aggravate her enough to whack me to get that tear out!

Over the times, I learnt to live with my handicap. I began to believe that 'Tears were expressions of weakness and surrender' and that am mentally strong not to cry. There were times, in childhood, I used to sit back and wonder, what if I don't cry for a bereavement? What will people think of me? Won't they call me stone-hearted? I was more worried about this than the loss from a bereavement!(Cruel Me - I used to think).

There were enough people around me who, capitalized on their geared tear glands. There were enough of them to make me jealous and yearn for this feature! Game or fight, competition or team work, the elders thought the crying or the meek were being bullied by me and were pitied. Grrr..

How many cry for emotional movies? There is this friend of mine who has tears rolling, even if the villain gets hit. Remember Anjali? or My dear kutti Chathaan? Almost all the kids, coming out of the movie hall, came out crying, except me!

Now, as an adult, there are a few pressing issues that had me cry my heart out in silence, at nights! I've cried for hours and days.. But, again, when I have to do it in front of others, my glands fail! My brain sometimes realizes that a 4th gear tear now, will save or help - But refuses to convert that into a command to my glands. I used to wonder if it is an ego problem!

Over so many years of analysis and living with this problem, there are a few things I realized.

1. There is an emotional gear – at least in case of bereavement! The more closer I am to a person, more the tears
2. Not many can control tears - just that many can start their vehicle in 3rd or 4th gear, while I jus can't
3. If a guy doesn't cry, he's considered to be strong. If a girl doesn't she is just too stubborn

Whatever be the justification, I really wish I could cry, when I want to!