This was originally the first part of the poem Separation that I posted last week. I dint like the poem so was unsure about posting it. But several people wrote to me saying the poem was good(or not as bad as i thought) so I am gathering all my courage and posting this original first part
I avoided posting this cos this is my first poem without a rhyme scheme and I dint put much effort into it. The entire poem took less than 3 minutes to write, I was at "coffee beans and tea leaves"(a coffee shop) and wrote down the words as they came to me so here goes ....
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Am still wondering how to say those words
Even though i know I should have said them a million times before
I know now is too little , too late
But babe I owe it to you
I know we arent together
And those words now might mean nothing
They wont fix those bad sores
Nor would they bring you back to my doors
Every time that I had to say these words before
I smiled, hugged you or gently kissed your forehead
And was convinced you knew what I meant
But never did I realize saying it aloud would be important
Like morning dew falling on cacti
You came into my life trying to make me soft
Little did you know that this cacti had thorns
That could tear down and hurt dew drops
I know I dont deserve you
But please tell me how i can thank you
I am sadly just an ordinary man
From expressing my love, to thanking I need to be told how
I wish I could tear open my heart and show you its made for you
But alas I cant and in words or actions
I know not how to show you what you mean
So sadly must I let go
I have become a better man cos of you
From making my bed, dressing smart to even combing my hair
You have taught me how I could be better than what I was
But I alas thought a few gifts will make up for my lack of words to thank
Damn why cant I word how I feel
You know I love you so those arent the words I want you to hear
There is something more important alas I fear
"Babe I am sorry for all those times that I was me"
Alas "me" am a cacti with several thorns
Its with you that I have a soft side
Its as "we" that I feel fresh, green and alive
Come back my dear, I promise I wont be me, I will be the 'we'
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P.S: I know it sucks but I if I don't post it I will lose it like the several other poems I have lost. So kindly bear with me.
--Badri--
Couldnt really translate all my emotions into words, nevertheless a poem it is... so here goes a half baked poem
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We both know that "we" are meant to be
But still i stay aloof and you ignore me
This Separation my dear is now starting to kill me
Like termites working on a book, slowly its destroying me
I dont know what love is
But I know you I so miss
Minutes without you seem like hours on a bed of nail
uncomfortable, torturous and by the second making me frail
I know you fell for me the very moment I first called out
But still only indirectly do you connect as if always in doubt
We both go about doing that stuff they call -living
We meet other, laugh, talk, play but oh god this is so sickening
Alas I am, without you near me just a zombie
Laugh, talk, play are all only pretense if one is just a zombie
There is hope in me that someday "we" will be
Hence I am not able to end this joke thats me
But dear if we are not going to happen
Please be merciful and end this joke thats me
Tell me that you hate me and walk away slowly
By the time my eyes lose sight of you I will be history
Cheers,
--Badri--
Earlier last week Ron Markezich, corporate VP of Microsoft Online called ZOHO , Google , Zimbra and the likes - Fake office.
"we're not seeing any inclination that Zoho or Google or Zimbra or any other of those offering fake Office capabilities can replace [Microsoft Office]," he said.
As expected the CEO of ZOHO Corp, Sridhar Vembu "took offense" or sensed a "marketing opportunity" (hopefully the latter) and wrote this blog on why Microsoft was wrong and why they should label Bing the fake search.
So far so good or was it ?
ZOHO created and launched http://fakeoffice.org/A site that had Ron's statement as its central banner message which backed by its video, testimonials, tweets and viral marketing, soon attracted visitors(I am sure the site attracted at least a few hundred thousands).
Wow , what a brilliant marketing idea - you think , but was it ?
Sure the site attracted a few hundred thousand visitors, perhaps a hundred thousand even became ZOHO customers but was this way to go, even if it was, did ZOHO cross the limits. Here is my take .........
i) It was Ron Markezich, one of MSFT's several VP's , not Steve Ballmer, but still ZOHO made such a noise around the statement, making me wonder if ZOHO is so desperate for attention that a random comment by someone is considered worthy enough to be used as a marketing tool by them.
ii) I am sure ZOHO felt comfortable to make all this fuss because it was someone from MSFT (Thanks to all the anti-MSFT crowd out there) who made the statement, wonder how they would have reacted if Eric Schimdt or someone important from Google had made that comment ......
iii) Its ironic that within hours of ZOHO making merry (cruelly if I might add) at the expense of Ron's poor choice of words, ZOHO's Rodrigo Vaca (Director of Marketing) felt it comfortable to call MSFT a "800-lbs gorilla" in the industry in his blog post here
"The question is, what do you do when the 800-lbs gorilla in the industry calls you a fake?"
What more he also adds
" Wow - Thanks! We are overwhelmed by the support everyone showed us on Twitter and else where after Microsoft called us "fake"......Tim O'Reilly also twitted about it:"
I am glad someone from ZOHO (even though by mistake) realized that Tim wasn't supporting them but "Twitting" them.
Overall, While it definitely is a big step forward for ZOHO that people in MSFT are noticing them and are worried about them(I am sure ZOHO knew this ages before Ron made the statement) , while the videos on the fakeoffice.org site display good creativity among the ZOHO folks, while Sridhar's asking "if ZOHO is fake office is Bing fake search... "is funny (and hence deserves the attention it got from people like Tim O'Reilly) .... It is sad that the great startup that ZOHO once was is displaying signs of becoming evil and may be even becoming arrogant.
For a few thousand users, they have IMHO taken the wrong road, displayed immaturity and forever attracted the attention of users and media who will have a field day when someone from ZOHO has a slip the way Ron did.
Compare this to the great wisdom/maturity that Eric Schmidt showed in his interview on Fox News in which he said "I’ve learned not to respond to quotes by Steve Ballmer." He irked Ballmer with his quote for sure, got the applause of several users and Google watchers and more importantly he "did no evil". Now thats what is called the High Road.
Hmm.. Perhaps ZOHO's actions are justified if one goes by the adage "All is fair in love and war" (or is it ?)
--Badri--
P.S: One thing beats me, why did they register fakeoffice.org instead of realoffice.org ?
P.P.S: Trash talks are good , they actually help in marketing. But the trashtalk must be subtle and funny (like Sridhar's Bing comment) and should stop there. What should you do next then ?.....
The safest route to take is to talk about your competitors as a group, keep the direct attacks to a minimum, and keep your focus on how you can better serve the prospect.(Source)
Disclosure: I started my software career at ZOHO Corp and still am in love with the company, I admire its progress and the brilliant software the team creates. The above post is made out of pain that I felt when ZOHO decided to make hay(cruelly) out of someone's slip.
Publish Post
Update: Its been 7 hrs since I made the post now and so far 3 people have written to me(about their take on my blog and while doing so also) saying they started trying ZOHO after they read my blog post. Wow , any publicity does seem to be good publicity. (will write a blog post on this later)
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