Good Old days !!

I remember when I got PULLED into Advertising, ads were simple, emotional and memorable. They just tugged at your heart !!

An example was the famous ASIAN PAINTS Pongal ad. God knows what it meant - but it just flet GOOD watching and HEARING it ! :-)

Boy band FUN !!!

A couple of years ago I would have written a LOT about Boy bands !

But when I saw this parody video by Wierd Al Yankovic, sweet memories of those talentless years cam rushing back !!!

Thanks Al !!!

Enjoy the VIDEO !!

The Next Frontier for me

Rock Climbing party, originally uploaded by Steven Pam.

What is my next BLOCK ? My next FEAR ? I suddenly realised today in the morning at the Gym that it is ROCK CLIMBING !!! I have started a bit of Trekking early this year for the first time in my life - but the truth is there is HUGE difference between walking up and down steep paths and actual CLIMBING !!!

So, I suddenly realised that the Gym has an INDOORS ROCK CLIMBING WALL - and I saw the instructor for the first time !

I nervously approached him and importantly for me, TRIED it out !
It wasn't a HOME RUN but I got the FEEL of it.

The Feel of getting harnessed and IMPORTANTLY LETTING Go of the Wall and using the ROPE in Panic !!!

I realised that I need to strengthen ( and sum up all the COURAGE) myself to truly do MY FIRST ROCK CLIMB !!!

Next Saturday, I will scale NEW HEIGHTS !!!!

Stirring up a Group !!

I find the ability to STIR up a group, MOTIVATE them, help them connect with themselves the most AMAZING skill !!

Parodies are another way to connect with LIFE !!

Yet another of my Influences in life - the KING of PARODIES himself - Wierd Al Yankovic !!!! Check out his take of Michael Jackson's FAT !!!

Think Different - get an APPLE !!!

This one always gets me !!! Just check out the words !!

Apple's "Here's to the Crazy Ones" Commercial Script




Here's to the crazy ones.

The misfits.

The rebels.

The troublemakers.

The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently.

They're not fond of rules and they have no respect for the status quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can't do is ignore them.

Because they change things.

They push the human race forward.

And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.

It is the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.

Goodbye 1984 !!!! Hello APPLE !!!

This is the famous SUPERBOWL tv commercial which ran announcing the launch of the APPLE Macintosh signalling the end of CONFORMITY and the BIRTH of CREATIVITY !!! Hooooorahhh !!!!

Adventure on a plate !!! The WASABI way !!

wasabi no likey, originally uploaded by cior.

Do you like SUSHI ? I looooooooooooooove it !!! After having given up meat, I now enjoy VEGETARIAN SUSHI !!!

But, the SUSHI experience is really heightened by the innocuous looking green paste of WASABI or Japanese Horseradish sauce.

Dab your SUSHI with a little bit of Wasabi, and its fine. But, Dab a little more than intended and you are on a TRIP !!!!!

The senses ring ALARM BELLS !!!! The nasal passages become hyperactive. Then.... suddenly its all over and ... you are ready for the next dose !!!!!

What happens when you add HEART to Science ?

Miracles !!! If you haven't seen Patch Adams played by Robin Williams, you must !!!

Lessons from PATCH ADAMS !

Another POWERFUL movie played by Robin Williams ! This is a true story about Patch Adams, who was an UNCONVENTIONAL Doctor who believed that the biggest healing for patients was through the HEART and not just through medicine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_%22Patch%22_Adams

Robin Williams plays the role of Patch beautifully and most amazingly from the heart ! Patch is a medical student who doesn't believe that Patients should be treated as Patients ( but as people) and that Doctors should not get attached to the individuals.

At the end of the movie, the villain of the movie moves the medical commission to debar Patch from practicing medicine because of his unorthodox methods. Needless to say, Patch wins.

Here is an excerpt from that scene !! Enjoy !!

Medical Commission : Did you consider the ramifications of your actions?

What if one of your patients had died?

Patch : What's wrong with death, sir?

What are we so mortally afraid of?

Why can't we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity and decency...and, God forbid, maybe even humor?

Death is not the enemy, gentlemen.

If we're gonna fight a disease, let's fight one of the most terrible diseases of all-- indifference.

Now, I've sat in your schools and heard people lecture on transference... and professional distance. Transference is inevitable, sir.

Every human being has an impact on another.Why don't we want that in a patient/doctor relationship?

That's why I've listened to your teachings, and I believe they're wrong.

A doctor's mission should be not just to prevent death...but also to improve the quality of life.

That's why you treat a disease, you win, you lose.

You treat a person, I guarantee you, you win, no matter what the outcome !!!

Lessons from DEAD POETS SOCIETY

One of my GREAT Influences in life ( wow ! how many influences do I seem to have ?!!) is the movie Dead Poets Society in which a Poetry Professor Mr. Keating, played by the affable Robin Williams connects with the hearts of the students.

English Poetry was at the bottom of the list for these students for both interest and career prospect reasons.

Keating however, captures their imaginations using Poetry to Excite and Energise the students into making them believe in themselves as INDIVIDUALS.

This of course goes agains the GRAIN of "formal education practices" but it ignites PASSION and ENERGY amongst the students.

After watching this move, the questions that came to my mind were :

"Why couldn't any of my teachers adopt this INSPIRING way to make the boring subjects at school come alive ?" I may not have given up on Science subjects and moved on to Commerce had that been the case !

"Why not follow the Dead Poets Society approach in everything I do in life from now on and EXCITE people about anything and not take their INTEREST for granted ?!

I have started following the above and can confidently say that it has made a HUGE difference in my life and I would like to believe that I am making one in others lives as well !

Three cheers to the movie and Professor Keating ! ( Robin Williams !)

Why do we need to get TECHNICAL about Life ??

Here we go round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning

This is the way we wash our clothes
Wash our clothes, wash our clothes
This is the way we wash our clothes
So early Monday morning

This is the way we iron our clothes
Iron our clothes, iron our clothes
This is the way we iron our clothes
So early Tuesday morning

This is the way we mend our clothes
Mend our clothes, mend our clothes
This is the way we mend our clothes
So early Wednesday morning

This is the way we sweep the floor
Sweep the floor, sweep the floor
This is the way we sweep the floor
So early Thursday morning

This is the way we scrub the floor
Scrub the floor, scrub the floor
This is the way we scrub the floor
So early Friday morning

This is the way we bake our bread
Bake our bread, bake our bread
This is the way we bake our bread
So early Saturday morning

This is the way we go to church
Go to church, go to church
This is the way we go to church
So early Sunday morning

So this is THE WAY WE LIVE OUR LIFE ????

Can we FOCUS on THIS IS THE WAY ( various WAYS !!!) we ENJOY OUR LIFE ??

Just like Professor Keating in the movie DEAD POET'S SOCIETY professed about Learning Poetry ?

History made FUN ! The Mel Brooks way !!

Back to one of MY ULTIMATE Inspirations in life - Mel Brooks with his MAGNUM OPUS creation - History of the World. Check out this awesome clip of the introduction of the TEN COMMANDMENTS ! ( or was it FIFTEEN ? !)

Why do we need to be SERIOUS ???

I have always loved people who are SERIOUS about FUN and spreading it. I have written about Mel Brooks earlier on my BLOG.

This is another series of movies - AIRPLANE ( and AIRPLANE 2) which I feel just CHALLENGES the Imagination of the mind and more importantly, makes one relaxed and ENJOY !!!!!!!!!

How can we SPREAD this message in this world ? How can INJECT this world with a SENSE of HUMOUR so that it forgets its Powerplay, EGO rifts, War, Sadness, Misery, etc. ???

Enjoy the clip !!!!

Who is in CONTROL ?

I smoked for 15 years of my life. I never admitted to myself that it wasn't me in CONTROL. It was my dependance; my addiction that was in control. One fine day I just asked myself this question - "Do I want to be in control at all ?" I never smoked after that.

Many people might exclaim - "Oh its not as easy as that" ! Whatever be your reason to quit and get back your FREEDOM, it is definitely WORTH it !!! Its been a 5 year long SMOKE FREE life for me ! And I don't miss it one bit !!!! Here's to exercising CHOICE in life !!!!!!

Would you want this kind of a TRANSFORMATION ?

Its sad to see one of this century's greatest talents become this way. And not just his looks - but the way the world has transformed from ADORING him to SPITING him ! I remember idolising him in the THRILLER days. That was 24 years ago !! MJ has contributed a lot to this world. Perhaps, the world has just not umderstood him. Here's wishing this legend realises and remembers his invaluable contribution and gets his PEACE soon !

Jazz - Take Five ! A True Classic !!!

GROAN !!!! Not Take Five !!! These are the normal protests uttered by the "Jazz afficianados" ! But, the ubiquity of this track actually reveals the GIANT nature of its influence ! It is a CLASSIC and well deserved. It crossed over to mainstream music from Jazz and is one of those compositions which made Jazz famous !!! Catch this amazing 1961 video with Dave Brubeck's leadership, the genius of Paul Desmond on the sax and the awesome drum solo by Joe Morello ! ENJOY !!!

A thrill like no other !!!

Shotover Jet, originally uploaded by dominic_tristram.

Yes, to add to the LIST OF THRILLS, that I have been amassing in life, here is another MEMORABLE one !!! This is a JETBOAT RIDE in new Zealand on the Shotover River.

A fact many may not know is that Jetboats were first designed in New Zealand by Sir William Hamilton to navigate the shallow rivers there. These jet boats do not have propellers under the boat. They eject the water through a jet proulsion system. Check the wikipedia link for info ! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jetboat

See the video to experience the thrill. Note the HAMILTON turn viz. the 360 degree turn by the boat !!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YASqQq9gJco

This is a THRILL not to be missed in life !!!

OSHO: LOVE and HATE are ONE

Sex God. Outrageous.Anti-Society. Anti-Religion. Some of these are true. Some not. What is TRUE is that OHSO was one of the VERY FEW people in the world who had the GUTS to say it STRAIGHT and hit it where it HURTS ! His Controversial aura has not allowed thousands to extract the ESSENCE of OSHO which when understood can cut the CRAP in your life and focus on the BEAUTY !!! Here's to TRUE LIVING !!!!

Darth Vader hates cell phones !

Please Mr.Vader, can you use the FORCE to do the same here in Mumbai to our tech savvy mobile users in the cinema multiplexes ????