Sunday, October 30, 2011

More of Me

I'm putting up some of these on this page, but I thought regular readers might want to see what else I've been up to lately.

Volunteering is good not just for the warm, fuzzy feeling: here's how it helped me develop my professional skills.

If you're an introvert, networking isn't easy. So check out the introvert's guide to networking in the real world.

If you're a marketer or a small business strapped for time and money, here are the six most essential marketing activities you should focus on.  




I was quoted in this article on manipulative advertising. (I'd offered my thoughts on Twitter, which is at least partly why I come across as somewhat incoherent!) (Hint: follow me on Twitter.)

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Friday, October 21, 2011

Game: Movies with Healthy Romantic Relationships

Inspired by this.

I submit...

Well...

Oh.

Some Indian movies with romance in them that I liked are Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, Zindagi Milegi Na Dobara, Jab We Met, Socha Na Tha, Pyaasa. In the first, the lead pair are best friends and date other people but only find out they are in love a little before the end of the movie. In the second, one half of one of the lead couples is possessive, manipulative and thoroughly unlikeable; another couple is adorable, but the woman seems to have no other purpose in the movie than to rescue the man. In the third, the lead pair are friends but only get together in the last few minutes of the movie. In the fourth, ditto. (See a pattern here?) In the fifth, too, more or less.

I've recently loved watching Up in the Air and How Do You Know, but no, no healthy romances there either. I like Notting Hill, but there wasn't much trust there, at least on one side.  

Another movie I love so much I've seen parts of it at least half a dozen times on TV is Music and Lyrics. The lead pair talk to each other, complement each other, and are both intelligent and funny and weird in different ways. They seem like real people (even though one of them is a rich aging but still really hot pop star). And even though there's the standard mistake causing lack of trust followed by reparation and reunion, the mistake wasn't unforgivable (especially as our hero redeems himself) yet the heroine's presence in his life inspires him to become a better person. So yeah, healthy enough, overall.

So that's all I have. You?

Sunday, October 16, 2011

My Father's Daughter


Last week was my father’s birthday. For the last couple of years, this time of year didn’t bring me any especial anguish. So I finally thought I was over it, that I was whole again. But this year, the scars tingled again.

There was so much about my father I didn’t like. So much I didn’t agree with. Often, I feel my life is less complicated, more peaceful because he’s not around.

But recently, I have been wondering what it might have been like if he was. Maybe he’d be enjoying retirement after a lifetime of work. Maybe he’d have learned to relax and have fun. Maybe he’d call me up once in a while, tell me about a book he’d just finished. Or ask me about my work and how I’m doing. Maybe he’d have been proud of me.

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Mid-Week Reads: Lots of Good Stuff

After ages, here's a nice long post full of things to read.

First, work.

This CEO threatens to fire employees for not replacing the milk. (Seriously? That's what he spends his time getting agitated about? Not having milk for his coffee? Keep some milk powder or something in your office, or assign one employee to do this: what's the point of being CEO if you have to throw a tantrum because something in your office isn't working the way you want?)

As one commenter says here: "Personally, I’d be damned embarrassed to be known as the CEO who couldn’t even keep milk in his company fridge without throwing a hissy fit."