My friends

I have never been know to be some one who makes good friends. Since thats a reasonably strong statement that describes not only my character but also describes to a large extent, the people, I hang out with, let me qualify that. Obviously, that does not apply to all the people I call friends.

Sometimes people like me have the ability to attract the riff-raff in life. I have a reasonably active social life and I am easy to hang out with. Plus, I am a reasonably fun guy to spend your weekend with since I ensure that the night rocks reasonably with my antics, my conversation and my stupidity. So for eg., I will take off my shirt in the middle of a night club and dance 'top-less', I will ensure that everyone in the group has done tons of alcohol, I will source the 'fantasy' for other people even if I don't do it myself, innocently flirt with some of the chicks, I will dance with anyone who wants to dance including random men (No. I am not gay, people.) and dance extremely badly at that, I will get into my fights and fight on behalf of other people or resolve other people's fights and I will make friends everytime I go out. However, this is not 'all of me'. There is so much more. And the serious part seems to be getting over looked in the long run.

Let me describe to you some of the people I hang out with in as few words as possible

• My wife, the always controlled, the two small drink limit, the always analytical and the always suspicious person who always believes that there is another side to every demonstrated behaviour, reaction, situation and person. She keeps me together.
• An officer of the Indian Army who truly helped me out recently. One extremely talented and gifted sportman. His fiancee is a sweetheart and an extremely warm and friendly person who is gaining weight at alarming speed.
• A guy who works for MTV, someone I really like hanging out with. This is a guy who parties 9 days a week, is never on time, takes atleast one and a hour hours to get ready (my god!), waxes (oh god! Pleeze!) and most impotantly, has the ability to see the bigger picture in life and cultivates interesting conversations in general.
• A 22 year old chick who is clueless about life at large. This one is oblivious about the fact that life doesnt begin and end in your twenties.
• A guy who only drinks when other people pay the bill. This dude was someone I have known for some time now. This one has been a true dissapointment.
• A coke head. Actually someone I recently met who is committed to any form of a "trip". Dangerous. Period.
• A man towards his late 30's who just knows how to make money and cultivate and build relationships. Wow! I am yet not sure if he is dependable.
• A guy I really believed, was my friend. However, I am still not convinced. He is some one, that most people in my family, that have met him, really really like. Him and me have had some great times together. He also recently got married. Thats a big deal. However, the wife is a sweety and someone he is greatly fortunate to have as a life partner.
• A bengali dude i have now known for the last 9 years who is the most unsuccessful human being when it comes to matters of the heart and the opposite sex.
• Another bengali girl who works with me, who is one of the brightest and most committed young consultants, I have met for a long long time now.
• A lawyer friend of mine who works 15 hours on an average, per day and is a great human being. He is just about beginning his life.
• A girl I have known for the last 3 years who forcefully assumes the "godmother tag" for one of my children. This one is genuine. This one is a great friend. Truly. And she somehow, really, really loves my children.
• Another Nepali friend of mine who is a sweet heart. I think he cares more about me, than my girl friend ever would. He truly is my second wife!
• Another chick, who is a friend of a friend, who really really does not understand what lies ahead of her. The nubile young thing

But my weekends are fun. And these are all good people with reasonable intentions.

Not just a song

You know, there are some songs that just say so much more, than what normal people like me can ever express. Here is one song that talks my heart's language.

But then, there are bands, and then again, there are legends of music

Numb - Linkin Park - From the album "Meteora"

I'm tired of being what you want me to be
Feeling so faithless, lost under the surface
I don't know what you're expecting of me
Put under the pressure of walking in your shoes...
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow...
Every step that I take is another mistake to you...
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow...

I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
I've become so tired, so much more aware
By becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

Can't you see that you're smothering me?
Holding too tightly, afraid to lose control
Cuz everything that you thought I would be
Has fallen apart right in front of you...
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow...
Every step that I take is another mistake to you...
Caught in the undertow, just caught in the undertow...
And every second I braced is more than I can take!

I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
I've become so tired, so much more aware
By becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you

And I know I may end the feeling too
But I know you were just like me when someone disappointed in you...
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there

I've become so tired, so much more aware
By becoming this all I want to do
Is be more like me and be less like you
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
I'm tired of being what you want me...
I've become so numb, I can't feel you there
I'm tired of being what you want me...

07 - another weekend

Went out last night to see the Bacardi sponsored "Night of the Adeaters" at the National Centre of Performing Arts with Deepak. The event featured close to 200 of the best commercials from across the globe. I had just come into Mumbai from Hydrabad and as usual Deepak was late and so we got to see only about 60 of these commercials. I know this sounds kind of stupid to say but what amazed me was the amount of creativity in this world. The brains of the guys behind these commercials knows no limits to imagination. Their ability to visualize is mind boggling.

Over drinks, we got into an extremely interesting conversation around the positioning of MTV vis-a-vis VH1 and GRP and TRP ratings, the degree to which creativity is dictated by revenue streams, the role of advertisers and advertising revenues to the business and the kind of market and customers these channels cater to in India and how the these channels have actually had to introspect about the very definintion of their customer base in India. Its again interesting to note that when these multinational channels enter markets such as India, it takes them quite a few years to figure out the nuances and the peculiarities of the Indian market and more importantly the Indian consumer/ customer. There are so many examples of companies such as Kellogg, MTV, Coke, Pepsi Foods, Star TV, CNBC, Sony Music, etc that have come into India full of their american ideas and learnings, tried to apply it in this market and fallen flat on their face, learnt the hard way, gone through a complete relook at their business model and operational structure, sent the pompous expats back home, hired Indians in leadership roles and then emerged as stronger players.

Just like individuals, very few organizations learn from other's experiences. We all fall into the same trap. Such is life.