That copywriter chick - 2

When the shitrail thing happened with me, I was so agitated, I wanted to tell everyone that a thing as gross as this really happens in Mumbai. I wrote a blog and published it on social media as well, and as a co-incidence a small weekly that is run by a bunch of journalism students in Delhi, contacted me for similar kind of articles. I gave them the link to my blogpost, they liked it enough to publish it in their newspaper on the next day. I shared that as well on FB and twitter, and got a good deal of appreciation for it.

People from the same field won't consider it to be an accomplishment while those not from this industry regard this as a great achievement. As for me, this is just another step towards becoming all those things that I had dreamed to be as a child and that I wish to be now.

Current Playlist:
Jolene - Miley Cyrus
Pimpin smokin dro (Hardwell mix)
If I lose myself - Alesso vs. One Republic
Thousand years - Christina Perry
Chaudhry - Amit Trivedi vs. Mame Khan
Kattey - Ram Sampat, Hard Kaur and Bhanvari Devi

Also, there was an ad contest I wanted to partake in, but I did not have a motivated team. I can write, but I can't design ads, so there went my opportunity to do some good work.
Nevertheless, I am hoping to do some good proactive work in the coming days, and I am hoping that my team actively supports me.
One other thing that I have learned now is that if you don't have an enthusiastic creative partner, you cannot think of participating in contests, let alone winning them!

I have also been doing some travel writing in the meanwhile. Waiting for it to get published now.
I have realized and am slowly accepting the fact that I am more of a writer than a copywriter. This does not mean that I am not going to be a good copywriter, it just means that I will be writing a lot of other things along with ads and marketing collateral. 

Mumbai's railway authorities, it's time you smell the shit!

11:18 PM
Thursday, 20th February, 2014
Dadar, Mumbai
The Shitrail

After meeting a friend I was returning home, waiting at Dadar station for the train to come. It arrived on time, but I got into the second class compartment despite of having a first class pass, since the first class is usually deserted during the late hours.
Since I was tired, I did not rush to get into the train unlike a few other women standing ahead of me. They held on to the handle and the pole for support, and marched into the completely empty cabin. I heard screams of disgust, and there was a rancid smell that took over suddenly. Within seconds, I noticed ladies rubbing their palms with napkins and discerned that something dirty is stuck on the door handles and the pole, so I vigilantly boarded the train with my hands in my pocket.
The foul smell worsened and so did the howling as the train started moving. As I looked around I noticed a brown substance rubbed all over the compartment. It was on every place that you could possibly touch or sit on.
What was it? Human feces. Crap. Shit. Yes!

All the ladies shifted to the first class compartment on the very next station, which took like an eternity to arrive.
A GRP helpline number was provided on one of the walls of the cabin, where I called and lodged a complaint against this horrible happening. What surprised me was the fact that the man over the phone wasn't surprised with this! Also, when I told my colleagues about this, today morning, a couple of them said they have also faced this before.


Not once before this incident had I ever felt that India is not a place to live. But after what happened yesterday, I am appalled with the state of this city and this country, I just don't feel calling this patch of land 'mine' anymore!

There have to be severe flaws in the system, otherwise how would any citizen even dare to do this kind of an act? I do not understand how some people actually rubbed their shit all over the compartment during the busy hours? Yes, busy hours because Mumbai is a city that never sleeps, right? So, 11 in the night is not really all that late.
Anyway, whatever happened to the guards that are supposed to patrol in the ladies compartment after evening? I did not see a single man in uniform there. It’s a shame for the railway authorities that they cannot prevent such acts.

I did not wish to travel by train ever as I did not know if they were going to clean it properly and sanitize it. I do not trust them anymore. But, do I have an option? I have to take the train as it is the only viable option for me to reach office. 

We, the aam janta, are helpless. Apart from lodging complaints, writing articles and spreading awareness by telling people about such incidents, what else can we do? It is the job of the government and the authorities to take care of the country, the people and the public property! They are not doing their job sincerely and we have to take the shit (quite literally now)! 

No, I am not happy to be an Indian if I have to bear this! No, I can't take it! All the politics does not help us, the people. We don't care, who gives better speeches, we want someone to give us a better India, a better place to live. The current governement is obviously doing a lousy job, and I don't see any promising candidates either. So I won't be surprised now if I find monorail or metro dipped in crap! 

February 14, 2014

Belated Happy Birthday, Bloggy Doggy! You are three! :D
Also, Happy Valentine's Day, belated! :*

Thank you for such wonderful three years Bloggy Doggy! You have helped me grow in every aspect, and I love you! :* <3
 .

Possessiveness, a devil.

I am referring to all kinds of possessiveness here. Be it for a lover, friend, ideas, music or any random thing.
It makes you a negative person because you start to despise the one who gives the air of ownership for what you consider to be yours.
I remember mentioning in a previous post, 'mine' is a myth.
The earlier you start digesting this fact, the simpler your life will be.
 

The Future Store

Life is calling - JoeySuki & Kill The Buzz (Hardwell mix)
"...And we are always finding places where the silence is so loud
And there's something about a distance but we can't be fading now.

Most of us always want to know what the future has in store for us, expecting something positive to be in there, obviously. And when you get to know that the picture is not all that rosy, fears, insecurities, anxiety, inhibitions, and all other negative emotions start chasing after you.

Why can't we leave the future for the future? Is it so hard to do that? Can't we be happy with knowing the present?

Anyway, if you are now aware of something not-so-good that might happen later, keep your eyes open and stay focused to avoid it from occuring. That's the only thing you can do.

Be it a palmist, an astrologer, a numerologist or a tarot card reader; all of them only offer possibilities, probablities, warnings and hopes. What more than that? They never give a guarantee, it's always a 'may', 'might', 'can' or 'could'.

Here are a few common readings:

• You might meet someone and fall in love 
• Finances may need some control
• Someone in the family might fall victim to health issues
• New opportunities could come in your way
• Relationships might need more attention
• blah blah blah

They never have anything exciting or new to tell you. It's always the same. 

Don't be dishearterned if your readings show some impediments, negative signs or unfavorable circumstances. Take it as a warning. Now that you have an idea of what could go wrong, you can try not going in that direction or if not that, at least you'll be prepared for the worst.

Destiny may not be in your hands completely, but it is not completely off your hands too!

Sandhan Valley

'Valley of Shadows' is another way of addressing this little piece of heaven in Maharashtra. This previous weekend, I had gone there with my office colleagues and a few others.

Expecting nothing, I left my house. My parents in disagreement and my excitement donning an invisibility cloak. 

A backpack and a sling, with only basic necessities in them came along with me. 

The train journey began in a not-so-interesting manner, but as the journey progressed, it only got better and better. 

I had my notepad and pen with me all through, and I captured most of my experience in words.

No, I'm not gonna describe it again. I have written enough about it. Writing more would make it redundant for me. Having said that, I can never be bored of thinking & reminiscing about this picturesque beauty, ever.

This place has given me a lot, but more than anything, it has added a new dimension to my perspective in life. It has made me feel complete by being with myself alone. Something which I hadn't witnessed before. 

Also, now I know what wanderlust is like. I am feeling it. 

"...You shoot me down, but I won't fall, I am titanium..."

Cecelia Ahern

That copywriter chick - 1

My entry in the Ad Mad World was so unexpected and yet so perfect. I believe, I have found the ideal way to use my passion and skills. Yes, I’m still a novice. Not just in the field of advertising, but as a writer as well.

There’s still a long way to go. I still have to learn a lot. Yet there are a certain things that I have etched in my head about copywriting, so far. 

• Every ad you write or make should make a difference, whether big or small. 
• Research more. Read more. 
• THINK!
•  Trust yourself.
• Mind your ego.Take inputs from everyone possible, they can be really helpful.
• Do not justify your ad when it’s being reviewed. Your ad should speak for itself.
• You never stop learning. You never know it all.
• Be careful while taking advises as not all are to be considered seriously.

Today, a senior from the industry looked at a few ads I made and he wasn’t really impressed. He said I lacked uniqueness, but I can work my way towards it. His comment was both discouraging and motivating. It made me doubt myself.

I wondered… Am I really meant to be a copywriter? What if I am not? How will I know? How does anyone know? How do you know that this ad is good? Who tells you that? How do ideas come? How do you know which idea to execute?  How do you know?

The questions just wouldn’t stop crowding my head. I still don’t have the answers. All I have is the will to find the answers.

I don’t know if I am ‘the copywriter’ or not. Although I do know that I could be if I want to because if you honestly want something and work towards it, you always get it.    

Advertising tantalizes me. Copywriting challenges me.  

The difference... or distance?

When I decided to switch my career path, I lost one of the common factors in my friendship with some of my very close friends.
When they entered into a serious relationship with their new respective partners, I was truly delighted for them but now there was one more thing that differentiated me from them.
And now, as they consider marriage and life after it, I wish them the very best while also making an addition to the list that keeps us from being on the same page.

Yesterday, I was out with a bunch of people, not friends really. One of them, a well-accomplished lady, mentioned that her best friend has a child and it's been 2 years now. She has been trying for one herself since a long time now.
She said whenever they used to meet, all that friend had to talk about was her daughter. It had begin to become discomforting for her to be in her friend's company now. She was not envious, in fact, she was happy that her friend was blessed with a bundle of joy.
But, she wasn't able to empathize with that friend anymore. They weren't on the same page. Their priorities, their scenarios, their day-to-schedule, everything had changed.
So, she started distancing herself from that woman, not intentionally though. It just happened. They don't meet anymore.

As I was listening to her story, I wondered, isn't it really how I too feel for those close friends of mine? I couldn't get myself to say yes, but I did not say a no as well.

I also thought if they too feel so about this situation. But then, I refuse to believe they do because there's so much going on in their lives, in our lives, that they really wouldn't have the time to sit and contemplate about something as trivial as this. It's merely me over-thinking, as usual.

Sigh...

Sadly, this is not the first time I've been perturbed by this obvious feeling. It has been worrying me since quite some time now. So, it was not this lady's words that triggered this thought. It was always there. I was just scared to admit it to myself so bluntly.

Dad says, "You should do what everyone is doing in order to be a part of the society. You will be happy only if you start living your life like everyone else does, as only then you will be able to maintain your relationships. You can't just stand there while everyone else is taking the next step."

Do I have to? Really?
I am scared. I don't know what to do about it. I never thought 'peer pressure' could actually be so pressurizing.
Perhaps Dad is right...
But, is it something I want to do? 
  
Sometimes I wish, somethings would never change. But, we humans, we are all assholes, we are responsible for most changes that transpire and later brood about them.

Anyway, I shall leave it to the future. Whatever has to happen, will happen.

Time flows differently in everyone's life. Different phases occur to different people at different times. One cannot control it. And, it's fair. It's simply life.

I wish...
Why do we wish so much!

A final goodbye... to something, which could've defined me, in a way.