Marketing 2.0: HouseParty v. BzzAgent

I love the concept of marketing. I think it's a very essential part of your daily existence. We do this ourselves through Resume writing and by joining social networking websites such as Facebook, Orkut, etc. It's no wonder that companies of all sizes have been putting a lot of money into research, strategy and to the actual practice of marketing. Recently there have been two companies that I've been working with HouseParty and BzzAgent. Both of them allow users to market products to people in their own circles.

HouseParty is marketing through events. They have a bunch of events that the user applies for. If the application is accepted, they host a party, invite a bunch of friends (10+), take pictures. The party is paid for by the user themselves and
They get a kit that has napkins, cups, t-shirt, buttons and various gift bags for the attendees. The kit varies from event to to event. After applying to at least 15+ events, I got accepted to the Carnival Cruise Line. Mostly because the Carnival Cruise people were marketing quite heavily in the Baltimore - Washington DC area.
How was the party? Somewhat lame. I paid for the entire party, the gift bags were lame, they gave me a t-shirt and didn't ask me my size (so I'll never be wearing it), the activities were boring. It could have been so much better. Recently there was a South Beach Living House Party event that I had signed up for, and of course got rejected. A couple of days after the official party I got an email asking me to invite guests to the AfterParty. After emailing HouseParty, I was informed that AfterParty was a more informal way of marketing where there was no party package. Basically everyone that was filled out an application to the South Beach HouseParty were asked to invite guest to the AfterParty whether they wanted to or not. Why? Because it was free marketing for them. It was utterly lame like being invited to a Bridal Shower when you aren't invited to the wedding. I don't like to repeat adjectives or words in my blog but this post has forced me -- I find this company to be Lame. I will update this blog if anything changes my opinion of them. They lack tools and they don't inform the user. It's all about the company that pays the bills. Basically I'm selling my word, my integrity (with my group of friends) and that comes with a price, at least some free stuff.

Hippopost

It amazes me things that started off as Facebook applications and made it off on their own. For example, the social lending site, Prosper.com used to be a Facebook application. Another example of this is Hippopost. And I love it and this blog fully endorses it. It lets users sending out free Postcards by USPS mail to anywhere in the U.S. or Canada.

Create a login, attach a picture, write a message, type a address and send it. You can also preview before you send it. Get Started with Hippopost. I used it after our Family Reunion to send out cards to family members that attended using a group picture we had taken together -- as memorabilia.

They will put an ad from one of their many advertisers on the back and let the receiver know it was sent through Facebook for free. They used to give 3 free a day, but now they are giving 10 a day.

Provident Checking Account - $123 Bonus

I'm looking for new ways to earn extra money. I thought about opening a CD at the bank but there weren't any good rates (that I liked).

Provident Bank has new promotion for new customers that open a new Totally Free, Regular, Interest OR Platinum checking account between Feb 2nd and March 31st, 2009.
It requires Direct Deposit and an active Provident MasterMoney debit card by April 30th 2009. Minimums and Interest depends on the type of checking account you open, so check the website. Some of the checking accounts have fees.

The Bonus is $123. Of course bonus will be reported to the IRS as interest. PB says this will be awarded on about May 31, 2009.

Promotion page: https://www.provbank.com/personal/checking/promotions/123-checking-promotion.php

Having opened bank accounts for bank bonuses, here are my suggestions:
1) Only open money in a bank if they are in your state or close enough. In case you need to go there to resolve something.
Provident Bank is located in DC, MD, PA, VA and WV.

2) Plan on keeping your money in the bank for at least 6 months.

3) Be sure the Bank is FDIC Insured, which Provident Bank is.

4) Keep a copy of the promotion page. Save as PDF and store in your email.
This will help you, if you don't get the bonus and need to have proof when speaking to Customer Service.

Free Yo-plus

The makers of Yoplait are challenging you to try Yo-Plus. But, if you don't they'll simply refund your money — guaranteed! Download the Love it or it's Free reimbursement form.

1 container has approx. 110 calories, 1.5g fat, 3g fiber, 4g protein

Plus, don't forget the coupon: $1.50 on a 4 pack

Swadhyaya: The Anti-Krishna

One day at home, I was looking at the Diwali 2008 booklet put together by the Association of United Hindu-Jain Temples, which comprises of 14+ organizations in the Washington DC area. One name was conspicuously missing - The Swadhyay Parivar. Why didn't it participate? Do they not celebrate Diwali? Of course they do? After it's leader received countless awards received from world-wide organizations ranging from Padma Vibhushan to the Templeton Prize, why was the organization so "small-potatoes". Swadhyaya founded by Pandurang Shastri Vaijnath Athavale AKA Dadaji in the 1950s.

In the DC area, for over 20 years they have been renting schools cafeterias/classrooms to conduct their teachings. Why haven't they established their own building? One could argue they are saving money to do good elsewhere?

One could argue, but one could also state the facts as they are.

Deskercise - Burn Extra Calories at Work

I sit at the computer all day at work. It’s not exactly good for the body. So I put together a list of different stretches and exercises that can improve your posture and burn some calories at the same time. Before doing these exercises, make sure your chair is stable.

You should also consider using an exercise/stability ball type chair – you’ll be engaging your core as you sit up straight, and it will help you to burn calories by just sitting still – which is called “active sitting”. Not a guaranteed way to lose weight all by itself, since it doesn’t burn that many calories, but it is yet another way that lifestyle changes can help you increase the chances for success.

Try to get up every 30 – 40 minutes and step away from the desk and take a walk to other offices or cafeteria/kitchen area.

Sitting up straight and practicing good posture will increase your calorie burning rather than leaning back against the chair or slouching.

Stretching

Sitting straight in the chair, stretch both arms over your head and reach for the sky. After 10 seconds, extend the right hand higher, then the left.

Legs/Thighs

Sitting straight at the edge of the chair, lift one leg off the seat, extend it out straight, hold for few seconds; then lower your foot (stop short of the floor) and hold for several seconds. Switch; do each leg 15 times.

While sitting, lift up your legs on your toes and set them down. Repeat these until your legs are comfortably tired. Then repeat it again about 10 minutes later. Do this whole routine for about an hour or so. This will exercise your calves. For more of a burn, place your some weight on your knees (i.e. books, notebook, laptop).

Lean forward as though you're going to get out of your seat. When your rear end is barely off the seat, hold that position. See how long you can hold it, using only your arms for balance.

Strengthen your inner thighs. Place a hand glove, water bottle or small object between your feet. Try to lift the item off the ground and squeeze your legs together at the same time. You can also place the blanket, pillow or other soft object between your knees and squeeze.

“Doin’ the Butt”

Butt clenches are also helpful in preventing the booty spread. Tighten your buttocks, hold, hold, hold, and then relax. Repeat 15 times.

Abs – Suck it in

Suck in your gut. Tighten your tummy muscles and hold for as long as possible and release. It is important to inhale as much as air as possible and exhale till your belly is big. Exhaling works the Abs as well as inhaling. Repeat throughout the day.

Arms/Legs Aerobics

While seated, pump both arms over your head for 30 seconds, and then rapidly tap your feet on the floor, football-drill style, for 30 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times.

Plan a routine for the day, which hour you plan to do which exercise. Remember to drink water throughout the day and get up off that chair every so often.

Top Phllums of 2008

I’d like to unveil the list of movies that I think were the best of 2008. My list is not based on the box office. If you want to know how a film did go to boxofficeindia.com. My list is not based on any critic’s review of a movie. Let’s face it, Indian critics are only good at telling you the plot of a story.

Comparing 2008 to other years, I thought it was just an okay year. Then again I can’t be called an expert on 2008. Somewhere along living through 2008, I forgot how incredibly filmi I was. The year started big with Jodha Akbhar. While this movie was quite lavish, it won’t be making my making my list of great movies of year – just wasn’t that excited for having watched the movie.

Ghajini – while I thought that Memento was groundbreaking with the whole backwards plot thing – I felt Ghajini was a better film that it wasn’t so confusing and it was more interesting, especially the love story which I couldn’t wait to watch more and more of.

Jaane Tu... ya jaane na – wasn’t just any blah blah college romance piece, it was so much more. It was two people coming to terms with their destiny. It was about a group of friends. It was about how good Imraan Khan looked and how he made the cougar come out of any woman.

Slumdog Millionaire – while not an Indian film, but set entirely in India – I figured I put this in my list because it was damn good. You know a movie is good, if you wouldn’t mind if it was longer or you could sit through it again (back to back) or you feel better for having watched it.

A Wednesday – in light of the recent terror attacks in Bombay [although released prior to the attacks] – this film really hits hard. Who knew Jimmy Shergill had it in him to be so powerful and not just a pushover. In comparison, I still like Khakhee better (in this genre). I’d like to also mention Black and White – which I thought was a really bad movie. I think as soon as Anil Kapoor’s character heard the guys talking about their radical jihadi beliefs he should have reported them to authorities and the movie would have ended – this message of the movie was embracing terrorists (like that is going to stop them), it should be about preventing attacks. I can write another entry about this.

Race – great music, good looking actors, scantily clad women and a story line with twists and turns – that is why this makes it to the list. Just when I think I’ve figured out the movie and it has ended, here comes another piece of the puzzle.

Honorable Mentions: Welcome to Sajanpur, Shaurya

This is a working list and based on the films I have seen this year. Films that will be considered within the next couple of weeks: Rock On!!, Phoonk, Sarkar Raj [which I have only partially seen].

Text Flirting: Desi Style

I couldn’t comprehend texting (SMS – Short Messaging Service) – I didn’t need it, it wasn’t for me. It took eternity to type a message; chiefly because the 26-lettered alphabet is dispersed within just 9 number keys, not to mention the punctuation as well. Getting over my typing hurdle, I decided to give it a try. It turned out that texting was easy and even amusing. The simplest was forwarding jokes. Though, I shouldn’t have done it, I can text while driving – I’ve got mad skills. Ironically, now I can’t understand those people that block text messages. The frequent text forwards I used to get have dwindled, which led me to endeavor to look for some good text forwards. Let me say, in this venture I have come across some really dreadful texts, but there have been some noteworthy SMSs.

In my research, I came across an article, “Flirting by Text Message, Indians Test Social Limits”; it discusses how Indians use Text Messages or SMS to flirt in society where verbally flirting in public is difficult (but not impossible). I believe that flirting by text is genius and as in the article it is okay to text flirt with more than one person at a time. In stating whether or not, I flirt by text – I will have to plead the Fifth. I also read some Text Flirting Etiquette and a How to Guide, that would be useful to novice texter or the experienced.

For the wannabe cellular Casanova, that have so much smoothness in them, but doesn’t know what to say, I’ve compiled a list of some good flirtatious text messages.
While you may classify some as being cheesy, they are generally sweet and will bring a smile to the intended reader’s face. To start the list, a text message about flirting: “Flirting is the only job in the world that we cannot include in our CV/Resume.. Despite having years of experience and a number of references”. The categories are just suggestions, no need to follow the path.

Text flirting with someone you have a brief acquaintance with:
1) _________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
Hey there Hottie, I am totally line maaring you! [THIS IS SHEEL SHAH ORIGNAL – Gotta love it]

2) Na Bottle Main Na Jar Main
Na Restaurant Main Na Bar Main
Na Bike Pe Na Car Main
Hum To Bus Din Guzartain Hain
Aap Ke Milne Ke Intezar Main

3) Somewhere, someone dreams of your smile
and finds your presence in life so worth while.
So when you are lonely, remember it's true –
someone, somewhere, is thinking of you.

4) Sometimes words are so hard to find,
to say that one perfect line,
to let you know you're always on my mind!

Text flirting with someone you are friends with:
1) Who is Hot? It's U
Who is Charming? It's U
Who is Sweet? It's U
Who is Smart? It's U
Don't get too full of yourself, some hottie just sent this to me
OR
Zyada khush hone ke zaroorat nahi hai, some hottie just sent this to me

2) Those beautiful eyes, that incredible body, such a brain, sexy lips, nice smile....
but that is enough about me, tell me how are you?

3) I think you are very careless! You come & leave things behind! See what you’ve just left behind. You just came in my mind and left a smile on my face.

4) Always be happy; always wear a smile; not because life is full of reasons to smile but because your smile itself is a reason for many others to smile!

5) When the night comes, look at the sky.
If you see a falling star, don't wonder why,
just make a wish. Trust me it will come true,
'cause I did it and I found you.

And to take it up a notch:
1) Hello!! What's wrong with your cell? Tried so many times but every time I call it says: The subscriber you are trying to reach is in your heart!

2) If a big fat man creeps into your bedroom one night and stuffs you into a bag, Then do not worry 'cause I told Santa I wanted you for Christmas!

3) I love your eyes, I love your smile. I cherish your ways, I adore your style. What can I say? You are one of a kind and 24/7, you are on my mind!

4) Hearts can Skip a beat 4 a while
Memories can b kept in the file
A desert can b replaced by the Nile
But nothin can stop my smile
when ur name appears on my MOBILE

If now you know what you want to say, but still want to be anonymous, when you send it out, here’s a site that allows you to do just that.

As a warning, please don’t have an entire relationship that initiates, flourishes and finally gets extinguished via text. Text Flirting is basically the first step or one of the steps; other interaction and communication is key. Also, while you can send pick-up lines through texting, I feel that pick-up lines are too cheap to be sent via text.

Happy Text Flirting!!

Claim your money

Sometimes we forget that we have stocks, bonds, savings accounts, security deposits, contents of safe deposit boxes, insurance proceeds and other valuables out there -- that we have forgotten about. Sometimes it's paychecks we never claimed or something. These are reported to the govermentt as unclaimed by banks and other financial institutions after three years.

Here's a website to find missing money"
http://missingmoney.com/

For the State of Maryland:
https://interactive.marylandtaxes.com/Individuals/Unclaim/default.aspx

Orkut - Social Networking

Orkut is a social networking service which is run by Google and named after its creator, an employee of Google - Orkut Büyükkökten. Orkut is the most visited website in Brazil and second most visited site in India. Unfortunately, it's not that popular in the United States. I think probably because Facebook is quite popular. Orkut is quite limited in design and capabilites compared to Facebook.

Orkut Scrapbook similar to the Facebook Wall, is much better than the Wall. It allows so much more to be posted.
Here are some Orkut dedicated websites that enhance Scrap positing:

Song dedication using Scrapbook
http://www.musicalorkut.blogspot.com/
http://www.songscrap.blogspot.com/
http://mp3street.org/

Orkut scraps - graphics and flash
http://www.123orkut.com/ [songs as well]
http://www.orkutsmart.com/ [create your own messages]


[More later, many sites blocked at my work]

Reincarnation

Reincarnation, literally "to be made flesh again", is a doctrine or metaphysical belief that some essential part of a living being survives death to be reborn in a new body. This cycle continues until the soul receives moksh.

Having stated this, my cousin, Krishna, and I were pondering about a particularly cheesy pick up line/scenario about having known someone in a previous life time (meeting in a pichla janam). While no guy has ever come up to me and said they knew me from a previous lifetime - if they had, as cynical as I am I probably wouldn't believe them. I'd have a laugh it off and move on. What if someone I knew from a previous life with whom my soul is connected to is out there somewhere?

Which brings on an experiment. I’ll try to connect with a random subject as their girlfriend/love interest from a previous life. Does this pick-up line work on guys? My subjects should only be flattered, I only consider guys that I think are attractive. Keep you posted.

Update 1:
Here's message sent to subject 1 - ", you probably don't remember, but we laid eyes on each other during a sunset at the Mela in a past life in an eastern Gujarati village. Our eyes met and there was an instant spark, a deep connection. We briefly spoke and you had to return to the neighboring village where you resided. You vowed to come again to the Carnival the next day, but star-crossed as we were, it didn’t happen. My then sister, Mangi, hypothesized it was due to those pesky ‘gaon vallons’ [our villages feuding and all] or the village gunda that had an unnatural interest in me. I think destiny has brought us back to acquaintance with each other. “Tera Mujhse Hai Pehle Ka Nata Koi…”? Jog any memories??
--- Jagruti from a previous life/ Sheel in this one"

Attitude

I read this and thought it was really cute:

If A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
equals
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Then,

Hard Work
H+A+R+D+W+O+R+K
8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98%

Knowledge
K+N+O+W+L+E+D+G+E
11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96%

Love
L+O+V+E
12+15+22+5 = 54%

Luck
L+U+C+K
12+21+3+11 = 47%

.
.

Most of us think these are the most important ???

Then what would take us to 100% ?

Is it Money ? ..

NO ! ! !

M+O+N+E+Y
13+15+14+5+25 = 72%


Leadership ? ....

NO ! ! !

L+E+A+D+E+R+S+H+I+P
12+5+1+4+5+18+19+9+16 = 89%


Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our attitude.

To go to the top,
to that 100% ,

What do we really need to go further... a bit more...

ATTITUDE
A+T+T+I+T+U+D+E
1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100%

It is OUR ATTITUDE towards Life and Work that makes OUR Life 100% ! ! !
ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Attitude Can Change Our Life

"The basic thing is that everyone wants happiness, no one wants suffering. And happiness mainly comes from our own attitude, rather than from external factors. If your own mental attitude is correct, even if you remain in a hostile atmosphere, you feel happy."
-H.H. the Dalai Lama

Twitter

Twitter -- What is it? Well it's just a place you add your status -- what you are doing? Then you add friends who are using Twitter. They tell you what they are doing and read what you are up to. How interesting? Not really – who cares. I have the same feature on Facebook. It takes me forever to figure out what to type in that. Something exciting, something relevant that everyone would want to know. I can’t manage to use that real well. So I was like, ‘why join twitter?’. Lately, I’ve had a lot of thoughts. Really I’ve had them all my life.  Seriously, they were like one sentence thoughts, which weren’t really enough for a single blog entry, but I can put a couple of these thoughts together for an actual blog entry, so I thought I would join Twitter. It’s allows me to write the things that I’m thinking as I’m thinking them. So if that’s it’s purpose then it’s useful. I don’t have any friends on it though. Sad but true. No one I know is on it. If you are on it comment.

The URL: http://twitter.com/sheelshah

To Achieve Work/Life Balance

Understand the importance of what type of work/life balance you need.
I'm personally not the kind that likes a balance. I prefer to tip the scale in favor of life.

Take less to work. Sometimes you have a laptop, which is understandable. Remember a laptop is way your employer tries to get you to work at home.

Looking for a New Job: Benefits

Some of the things they don't tell you in an interview are some of the most important.

Hindola

Hindola is an important Hindu festival celebrated in India. The festival falls in the Hindu month of Shravan, which can be July to September depending on the year.
This is a festival of swings, wherein Lord Krishna is placed in a decorated swing and swung gently. The festival originates from 5000 years ago in Vrindavan when Lord Krishna was swung in a hindola by the Gopis to express their love and affection towards him. Hindola translates to swing, which is made in a variety of colors, shapes and forms. The hindola can be decorated with vegetables, leaves, flowers, earthen pots, fruits, dry fruits, beans, chocolates, steel dishes and cups, etc.

As this blog tries to be informative as well as controversial. I'm going to ask the question, why the deal with Swaminarayan mandir's celebrating the Hindola festival. It's not like Swaminarayan was ever swung on swing by gopis. And I don't want to hear any made up stories either of devotees swinging him.

With Great Power...

A couple of people recently said to me, "Sheel, God put you here to save me." I don't know if I want to save people, because if I'm here to save others, who is here to save me. I'm not looking to be a hero.

Draupadi was a picky woman...

Draupadi was a very picky lady..Can you blame the gal..she just wanted the best. If a soul like her is that demanding, than leaves little hope for us.

Draupadi is the wife of the Pandavas. She had in a previous lifetime prayed to Lord Shiva to grant her a husband with five desired qualities (Strong, Intelligent, Sharp witted, Handsome and a great archer). Lord Shiva, pleased with her devotion, tells her that it is very difficult to get a husband with all five qualities that she desired. But she sticks to her ground and asks for the same. Then Lord Shiva grants her wish saying that she would get the same in her next birth. She got them all right(be careful what you wish for). She got each of the five qualities she wanted, but one quality was present in one of the five husbands. She got five husbands.

It's crazy that "handsome" was part of her requirements in a good husband. If it's in the Mahabharat..you know all girls think like that and are somewhat shallow.

Could you imagine -- five husbands -- I could. Bet she was satisfied in more ways than one.. I of course mean, 5 salaries from the 5 husbands...

Aaja Nachle "Castes" a Spell

So I watched Aaja Nachle, the film being touted as Madhuri's comeback film. Let me say it was a good movie going experience. The dances, Madhuri's look and acting were excellent. I felt that it could have had a little more comedy in the story line. I wanted to laugh, cry and be mesmerized in the same movie. Akshaye Khanna was a nice surprise and so was Irfan Khan. Of course Konkana Sen Sharma and Kunal Kapoor were excellent, I loved their part of the storyline. Konkana has never been this funny and non-serious. The last 30 minutes of the film were beautiful to watch. Everyone of course loved the title song - visually if not lyrically.

Some controversy hit the film and the government in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana banned Aaja Nachle on the release date of Friday, November 30th and asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to impose a countrywide clamp-down on the movie alleging its title song was "unconstitutional".

"Bazar mein machi hai maramar; bole mochi bhi khud ko sunhar" (There is so much chaos in the market that even a cobbler is calling himself a goldsmith) -- was the objectionable line of the title song. First of all let me go by explaining the song, it talks about how Madhuri's character loses her jewelry and the attraction the men of the town feel for her that they will go to any lengths to help her. Even say they specialize in a specific trade, that they don't. I didn't find anything offensive in the line. But some felt as if the line was saying that the mochis are a lower caste than sonnars. What I'm saying is, 'Does it really matter? When you are comparing two low castes what does it matter who is higher or who is lower." Yeah...I said it. Watch this be my last post.

Concerned by the ban and protests, director of the film Anil Mehta announced the "objectionable" line from the song would be deleted. Censor Board chairperson Sharmila Tagore, who cleared the film for release, stated, "We saw the words 'mochi' (cobbler) and 'sonar' (goldsmith) as people of a certain profession, not a caste. Urban Indians would not I'm sure be offended - but as they say India lives in centuries, so to that extent people in smaller towns may find it offensive, and we are sorry we overlooked that,"

When promotional videos of the film had been running for a very long time, why did the government decide to wait until the film's release to deem the lyrics unacceptable? Answer -- simply --- Haters!! Deep down inside the government of UP, Punjab and Haryana are Sridevi, Juhi Chawla, Kajol fans..

Top Albums/Songs of 2007

I think I quite enjoyed 2007 musically. My top three albums of all time are of course Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, Taal and Saathiya. Nothing has yet changed this but here are some songs from this year that I will continue to listen to beyond 2007.

Top Albums/Songs of 2007

1) Namastey London (Kya Yehi Pyar Hai, Main Jahaan Rahoon, Viraaniya, etc)
2) Life in a Metro (In Dino, Alvida, O Meri Jaan)
3) Jab We Met (Aaoge Jab Tum, Mauja Mauja, Tum Se Hi, Yeh Ishq Hai)
4) Anwar (Mithoon: Maula Mere Maula, Javeda Zindagi)
5) Saawariya (Jab Se Tere Naina, Yoon Shabnami, Masha-Allah, Saawariya)

These were good as well. I want to say that Guru initially was in the top five but had to be moved to an Honorable Mention once I realized Jab We Met was that amazing.

Honorable Mentions:
Awarapan (To Phir Aao, Tera Mera Rishta), Delhii Heights (Tere Bin), Cheeni Kum (Jaane Do), Guru (Ay Hairathe, Terre Bina)