Friday, May 27, 2005

Who the hell is Alice?

Another college reunion is in the cards. The hordes have started pinging each other. Been out of campus for over 14 years. And every year it gets scarier and scarier. Dreading the year the registration desk-person will address me as "Uncle". But one can no longer run away from the fact that the year is approaching soon.

The last reunion I went to..two years back.. convinced me that I am out of it. One of the oft-played songs on campus was "Living next door to Alice" and I heard the new version of it playing and kids yelling at the right moment enquiring politely who Alice is. Broke my heart.

Will go anyway..report back later

Friday, May 20, 2005

Friday evenings in advertising

It's strange how invariably every client that I know remembers that important brief just after lunchtime on a Friday. I wonder if its linked to the 2 hour lunch he has just finished at Trishna. Does he rememeber the agency when he's pushing the third vodka tonic (or red bull, depending on his era) to the side or is it when he is sucking on that juicy crab leg. Wonder if its love or is it just love.

Whatever the reason, the phone starts ringing past four with jobs that HAVE to be shown on Monday first thing. Being the person where the buck stops, one has to find really imaginative ways of pushing it down the ladder..the buck ie. The collective protest levels in the advertising world on a Friday evening if harnesed could easily light up the currently unlit hoardings in Mumbai.

Today is a special Friday. Monday is a holiday. Goa is in the air. If not, at least Matheran. And a lot of packed suitcases will see no sand. I am not a popular man right now. I am hiding in my cubicle after effectively destroying a lot of people's love and lust life for ever.

Why does this happen? Are clients just bad planners or are they just sadastic. Or is it just that they need to free up room space in Goa.

Anyone has any answers?