Life Lessons from a Theatre Director

If I start it, the story will be use up a million words, so I'll directly skip to the point(s):

Make it fun

Nobody enjoys injecting effort into something that they don't relish. I'd be sorry for you if you were one of the people who are stuck doing something they inherently don't enjoy, but the point is that even in activities we revel in, light moments are always welcome. Create an atmosphere around that is light, humorous and fun.

Acknowledge your role as the team leader...

and make sure that you always give out positive vibes and stay optimistic. Don't let your negative thoughts rub off on the team and get you all down.

Welcome criticism, but know where to draw the line

Be open to ideas from people who might not be authorized or asked to help. Genuinely consider ideas that may turn out to be for the greater good. Nevertheless, know that you'll have to put your foot down at some point and take decisions that not everyone will appreciate. The director may be "only just a director" but in the end it is her call.

You're never too prepared

No matter how far the big day seems, you never have too much time to prepare. Stay focused, do not be delinquent, and work hard.

Trust spontaneity

Preparation sometimes comes in the way of excellence. True, you can never be too prepared, but the line has to drawn somewhere. Put in a sincere effort; and leave the rest to the D-day eustress.

You'll have to surrender control at some point

No matter what, your duty will be over at some stage, where you have to have faith, trust your cast and crew, and God, and hope everything works out well. And guess what--if you've put in an honest effort, it will! Loosen up!

Look for the positives

During the performance, keep track of all the positives. (The goof-ups won't need conscious tracking. :P) And once it's over, congratulate yourself and your team on the good work. When you start working on the next performance, be sure to use the feedback constructively.

Thank you, Lovneet, for being the in/direct source of wisdom.

Reminder: Subscribe to the TCB feed!

Hello, beautiful people!

This is just a reminder that for your convenience and mine, I'll be delivering the TCB newsletter to you via a different channel now. Nothing will change; all you have to do is subscribe to the feed by visiting thecreativ3bee.blogspot.com. And I measured that the process takes under a minute on an average.
Here are two screenshots to walk you through the process, just in case (Click to enlarge):

Thanks! See you around. :)

TCB Blog

Guys, what do you think of a blog for TCB, with RSS feed?
As I'm getting more subscribers, I have to forward them the emails, which is very inconvenient. A link, however would be simply amazing. I intend to keep the email newsletter going for a few more times, but ultimately switch over completely to the blog.

Any thoughts on this?

EDIT: The blog is now fully ready and updated, and # 7 onwards, the emails will be discontinued. Head over to thecreativ3bee.blogspot.com to subscribe to the feed via RSS/email.

Flabby Happy meets Skinny Smily

Here's a piece I wrote on the redundancy of perfection, primarily in body shape:


"Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable."
Lord Chesterfield must have been a wise man; who else could have given humanity a never-ending goal to strive for?
But maybe, just maybe, he didn't quite get it right. Why should we aim to hit perfection, knowing fully well that it is as unreal as mathematical infinity, or rather iota? Sure, it is a way of constantly reinventing yourself; sure it ensures you don't get complacent; definitely, it helps you reach zeniths of success you might never have acknowledged the possibility of... But there is a catch. A rather big one, actually. Of course, as opposed to "laziness", perfection is... let's just say a perfect option. But between the black and the white, there are quite a few rich shades of grey. After all, grey is the new black!

The pursuit of perfection carries around a transparent cloak of unrealness. While we deliberate, discuss, or debate, the cloak remains invisible. But when it comes to being in the real world, things change.
How many of us genuinely don't want a bikini-babe/ramp-hunk body? Yet how many of the rest have one? I could go on with the statistics now, but what are we getting to? Are we robo sapiens, expectedly crafted to perfection, all manufactured and quality-checked to ensure size-zeroes or eight-packs? In case anyone's waiting for an answer, go figure.

We frequently notice the flabby using the evergreen khaate-peete-khaandaan-ke-log as an argument-stopper. The ones far on the other side of the spectrum of course are assumed to be happy and satisfied.
This is where we get carried away into the wrong territory. Whoever started the idea of happiness coming from having things? True happiness and satisfaction are not outside-in phenomena. They're exactly 180 degrees away from that—inside-out. I'm happier with my few-extra-pounds than my next-door neighbour with enviably chiselled curves. And the reason is simply that body shape (or salary, or car brand, for that matter) is not the right yardstick to measure happiness.

It's actually interesting to wonder how the thought of desirability and body fat being inversely proportional originated... But who cares? Now is the time to question it! Don't get me wrong here; I'm not defending couch-potato behaviour or condoning sedentary lifestyles, and the bunch of grapes in my palm is perfectly sweet. I'm simply hoping to shake up some closed minds. It's not merely a matter of perspective: Researchers recently combined the best features of the faces of some of the world's sexiest women, including Kiera Knightly, Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox. And no goodies for guessing that the end result was a face just above average, at best. Irrelevant example, you may say, but the point is that literature accepts that the greatest perfection is imperfection.
There you go! With a reasonable and scientific proof against the real existence of perfection, a mere mortal doesn't even need to go on rambling about it.

And hence she stops.

On Relaxation

I vehemently agree with the idea that relaxation is not a waste of time but a way to recharge for another spell of peak performance. It's very important to work hard, and then give yourself a break, before you're back. Recreation is re-creation within us of the mechanism that helps us focus and work towards getting where we have to.
What I try to do when I start working (studying) again is to tell myself: "Okay, you've had your time to relax and unwind. Now it's time to get back and focus hard."

Your thoughts?