Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Six Friendship Rules to Live By....



1. Be Yourself
It may seem like a no-brainer, but a lot of teens struggle not to lose their identity once they become part of a group of friends. Though who you are is always changing, especially during your teenage years, some aspects of your personality will stay pretty much the same. Figure out what those things are and think hard about who you want to be, then present yourself honestly and genuinely to the people you hang around with.

Sometimes you're going to disagree or not be the most popular member of the group. However, you will always feel you've been true to yourself -- and that you haven't become somebody else's clone.

2. Avoid Gossip
Friends don't spread rumors about other friends -- even within their own group. If you've heard something shocking about someone you're friends with, find a considerate way of asking them about it personally.

If you're not sure how to talk to them about it, seek the advice of one other trusted friend, but don't let the discussion turn into a free-for-all about everything you don't like about the person. You certainly wouldn't be happy if someone did that to you, so set a good example for others -- and for yourself.

3. Defend Your Friends
At some point, somebody you're not tight with is going to question the integrity of one of your friends. It's important to find out both sides of the story in a situation like this, but it's also a good chance to show your friend that you have faith in them by standing up for their reputation. Whenever you can, be respectful of the other person's question or criticism but emphasize that your friend is a good person who deserves the respect of others, even when they make mistakes.

4. Protect Your Friends
When a friend of yours is making not-so-great decisions -- whether it's about drugs, alcohol, studying or dating -- do your best to look out for them. This doesn't mean telling them what to do constantly, but you can offer gentle advice and guidance from time to time.

If you give advice in a caring way that shows you value your friend and respect their feelings and wishes, they're much more likely to pay attention. Chances are, what you think means a lot to them, and you can be a good influence.

5. Be Careful About Boyfriends and Girlfriends
It's a good rule of thumb to stray away from dating the exes of your friends. It's an even better rule of thumb to avoid dating the people your friends have crushes on -- or people who have turned down your friends for dates. Even if your friend gives you the go-ahead, wait a while to get involved with someone who broke their heart or betrayed their confidence.

6. Return the Favor
There are times when a friend will lend you a jacket, a textbook or a shoulder to cry on. A good friend will pick you up when you're stuck in a rainstorm and listen patiently when you share a problem with them. Be sure that you're equally as generous with your time, your emotions and your possessions. People will take notice, and it's something to feel good about.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Good to have different composers: A.R. Rahman


From left): CEO of Sa Re Ga Ma (Entertainment division) Apurv Nagpal, composer A.R.Rahman and film maker Gautham Vasudev Menon at the launch of ‘Couples Retreat’ in Chennai on Monday

“There are some great songs coming out in Tamil film music. There are several passionate compositions being made, not necessarily tune-wise, but production-wise. Good to have different kinds of composers, but I do miss those great melodies,” music composer A. R. Rahman told The Hindu.

Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of his soundtrack for the Hollywood film ‘Couples Retreat’ organised by Sa Re Ga Ma here on Monday, Rahman says his compositions for upcoming films ‘Enthiran’, ‘Sultan The Warrior’ and ‘Raavan’ would be distinctly different from each other and that of ‘Vinnaithandi Varuvaya’, which was launched recently.

His work for ‘Vinnaithandi Varuvaya’, the first Tamil film post his Oscar victory has instantly become a mega-hit, with fans raving about the breezy melodies all over the internet.

Rahman who has been busy giving live shows, says the experience is beautiful. “Seeing all the fans is really wonderful. Without them, it’s like a cemetery. When we usually rehearse the day before our shows, it’s all empty, and the next day it is such a great feeling to see fans turning up in such large number.”

On his work for ‘Couples Retreat’, he says that Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley approached him before the Oscars, saying they were moved by his music. “They gave me a lot of freedom and a good budget for my orchestra. This is my first mainstream Hollywood film,” he says.

Interestingly, the sound track of the film has music from different genre, and lyrics, in a host of languages, including Tamil, Hindi and even Sanskrit. “The story gave such scope. In fact, I couldn’t find a lyricist to pen the Tamil song (kuru kuru kann...), and I wrote it myself,” he chuckles.

Another highlight of the sound track is that Rahman’s son has lent his voice for one of the compositions. “He was playing and just humming something and I recorded it on my laptop. Later, when I listened to it, I liked the voice and decided to use it. He is still very young and training.”

Saturday, January 16, 2010

How to Deliver a Great Presentation Like Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs is probably one of the most polished presenters in the world. He doesn’t use any bullet points in his presentations, his keynote addresses are free of any jargon, there are very few words in the slides but they have photographs and headlines that are hard to forget (everyone still remembers “the world’s thinnest notebook,” a phrase that Steve used to describe Macbook Air).

How to Present like Steve Jobs

If you like to learn some of the techniques and styles that make Steve Jobs such a great presenter, here’s some excellent advice [video + slides] from Businessweek columnist Carmine Gallo, who is also the author of the book -- The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.

“Steve Jobs may be a hard act to follow. But once you start using his techniques in your own presentations, you’ll be hard to forget.”