The Ambition of the Pessimistic Salmon

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The fall semester starts tomorrow.
18 credits along with two jobs may have an upstream feel about it.
Challenging, sure,
but impossible, not quite.
All I have to do is remember who I am.
I'm a Salmon.

However, if the hurdles eventually prove too high,
and I don't get those much coveted A's,
I'll still, always have my over-ambitiousness to blame.
After all, I'm a Salmon.
I know for sure,
that my rigorous swim upstream,
quite always ends in a grizzly's paunch.

Other creative pieces by Billy Norbu:-

How Watching 'Mad Men' Helped Me Ace My Marketing Foundations Class
Which Football Team Will the Royal Baby Support?
Doom, Gloom, and Over the Moon

How Watching 'Mad Men' Helped Me Ace My Marketing Foundations Class

A Personal Narrative

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 Upon my roommate's suggestion, two years ago I gave Mad Men a shot by watching the pilot on Netflix . Even though I liked it, I didn't think I was in the right frame of mind to digest another serious drama, already having Breaking Bad and Dexter among many others to deal with. However, the following summer, after the conclusion of yet another magnificent season of the Game of Thrones , I found myself once again flicking through the endless suggestions on Netflix . Squeezing in several British sitcoms here and there -- Extras, Plebs, and the IT Crowd in particular -- I finally came across a billboard on the NYC Subway which contained an enticing silhouette of what was to be Don Draper, the protagonist or antagonist of Mad Men -- to be argued. Thus began my endless sessions of watching the plethora of egotistical talks from men in the '60s.

Don Draper's character stuck on me, as it did on millions of other viewers. Such was his grace and eloquence while conversing that it made me want to be him. I bet all young, unskilled men of my demographic quietly wish they grow into a life like Draper's. However, Pete Campbell -- a young, ambitious, and talented novice at the advertisement agency -- was the character that I associate myself with the most.

As I sat there among the many uncomfortable faces on what was the first day of Market Foundations 3000, I doubted whether my Mad Men moments would have any relevance at all, on the accelerated summer course. This was only until the professor, a stout, charismatic though unattractive version of Draper himself, started to glide over the introductory slides. Then we hit a poster of what seemed to look like Draper, Campbell, Peggy, Joan, and Sterling, all staring deep into my soul.

The Professor asked, "Who's seen this show?" I immediately raised my hands, more out of impulse than anything. I was surprised to find that mine were the only ones up waving. I had an "Oh Shucks" moment, finally realizing my peers were all busy, business school New Yorkers who had no time for television. "It's Mad Men, sir," I replied. He smiled, although I bet he was relieved that at least one person watched the show he loved so much that he included it in an academic presentation.

"Do you know why the show's called Mad Men in particular?" he asked, his eyes twirling with cockiness. I hesitated and then spilled out, "Mad Men was a term used to describe the advertising agents of Madison Avenue in the '60s. It's a term they coined themselves," I added. "Very good," exclaimed the professor and there it was; I was, at least in his sub-conscience, his favorite student.

As the course progressed, I found myself to be very adept at quickly understanding new terms introduced in the Marketing Foundations class. Not only did Mad Men help me understand the basic terminology of what traditional marketing terms like "Positioning," "Target," "SWOT," "Slogan," and "Segmentation" meant, but it also helped me grasp the understanding of the various stages of the marketing process. Watching Draper work his magic, ever so closely, every episode, I realized that I organically developed an understanding of certain marketing/business etiquette. Through the span of the semester, I was also able to appreciate the marketing campaign and strategies of the mammoths of companies that Coca Cola, Nike, and Apple to name a few were, and I also impressed my fellow group members with my ability to quickly come up with marketing slogans, jingles, and positioning statements for our brand in the group presentations. Mad Men, unintentionally, helped me and I'm sure it did many others.

I did eventually get an A+ in that class. Now let us move on the story of how watching Top Gear helped me ace my Automotive Engineering Class.
 

More from Billy Norbu:-

Why the NYC Greenmarket Farmers Market is the Best Choice for Your Grocery Needs

Which Football Team Will the Royal Baby Support?

Why Guardiola Chose Bayern?
Top 10 Central Midfielders in Football Who Aren't Big Stars
Seven Rare Mental Disorders

Which Football Team Will the Royal Baby Support?

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 With the birth of the Royal Baby, recently named Prince George Alexander Louis, the burning question on everyone's mind is, "Which football team will the Royal Baby support?." The question has been trending all over the world, bringing heaps of football fans resort to serious debates. But to come to conclusion on which football team the royal baby's going to support is a strenuous task. Here below, are the several possibilities.

Queens Park Rangers?

For those who believe that one should support the team that's located closest to the place where he's born, look no further. The future king was born in St. Mary's Hospital, London, just over 2.5 miles away from Loftus Road, home of the Queens Park Rangers.

Chelsea?

Genuine football fans believe in supporting the team that's closest to where they're from, not where they're literally born. In that case, Chelsea F.C. are the clear winners as the royal baby will probably be raised at the Kensington Palace.

Peterborough or Norwich City?

There's also a chance that the Prince of Cambridge will be brought up at the Sandringham House, Norfolk, which will make his local team either Norwich City or Peterborough.

Reading?

Nicknamed the "Royals," Reading can be a strong contender on basis of the strong ties the club's chairman, Sir John Madejski has with the Middletons.

Aston Villa?

If you support the team that your dad did, you're going to have to pick Aston Villa as the royal baby's future favorite. Prince William has been a long time admirer of the club. However, don't be too surprised if Prince George doesn't follow his father's footsteps. Prince Charles, William's father, supports Burnley.

Arsenal?

The North-London club has long been the traditional royal club. Also, Prince George's uncle, Prince Harry, and grandma, the Queen of England, are keen Gunners.
Side Note: The reason Queen Elizabeth II is a sheer Arsenal fan is because in her youth, she admired Dennis Compton, the only man who's captained both the English football and cricket team.

Cambridge United: My pick.

Since the royal baby has officially adopted the title of the Prince of Cambridge, and the fact that his parents are the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the royal baby should root for Cambridge United, a small team who are struggling in the English Conference. Who knows, the future king's support may eventually help Cambridge United Football Club break into the Premier League which may be fantastical, but sure not impossible.


Similar posts from Billy Norbu:-

Why Guardiola Chose Bayern?

Top 10 Central Midfielders in Football Who Aren't Big Stars

Seven Rare Mental Disorders

Self-immolations in Tibet: First Person View

 112 Tibetans Have Self-immolated Since 2009

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It's been well over two years since Phuntsog of Ngaba set himself on fire, paving a path which many Tibetans eventually followed. So far, since 2009, there have been 112 deaths by self-immolation, according to TimeWord. Tibet is literally on fire. The main reason for Tibetans in Tibet to take up such drastic measures of protest is lamented by the fact that the Tibetans have run out of options to voice their concerns, as reported by CBS News. The enormity of the number of self-immolations in Tibet has left me with a lost frame of mind. I am sure of myself that I'm well against any form of self inflicted violence that's above the dangers of limited hunger strikes, let alone taking one's life in the most painful of manners. At the same time, I truly understand the mindset, and acknowledge the valor of those who've pursued with self immolation. Being a Tibetan sheltered in America's arms, I feel absolute guilt for having forsaken millions of Tibetans living in Tibet who are subjected in first hand, to oppressive Chinese force. That being said,the following concerns haunt me the most.

Lack of media coverage in Tibet.
Being an avid subscriber to the politically driven, Time Magazine, I've been long waiting for a thorough coverage on the self-immolations in Tibet. To my disappointment, there haven't been many breakouts on American news about the situation in Tibet. I'm not in appropriate shoes to judge, or come to conclusion the reason for Tibet's constant omission in the headlines here in America, but I certainly do believe that China's influence has something got to do with it. Al-Jazeera and BBC have impressed me the most out of all the news corporations, in terms of handling the Chino-Tibetan struggle over the years. If the cries of 112 Tibetans burning themselves alive facilitates lesser action by the media than the three Kardashian sisters, there's got to be something wrong.
 
The Indeterminate Reaction from the Chinese Government.
I haven't personally felt the wave of any sort of repulse from the Chinese government on the issue of self-immolations in Tibet. Other than arresting the survivors, and cracking down the ones involved in any manner with the self-immolations, the Chinese govt., according to the Economic Times, are yet to engage in any form of dialogue with the Tibetans. They have not taken any public action to help resolve the issue. Nor are they willing to talk to the Tibetan government in exile. Is China even slightly bothered by the monstrous nature of the protests? And does China have any regard for human life? I'm not naïve enough to expect the Chinese to give away their grasp of Tibet, but I do personally expect some form of cooperation from the Chinese govt. to help tackle the ongoing self-immolations in Tibet. Guns and brute crackdown aren't in any way going to stop the Tibetans in Tibet from self-immolating. It will only stimulate the Tibetans. I'm talking about steps to finally allow a decent form of media exposure in Tibet. Steps that finally allow the Tibetans inside Tibet to to freely express their love and devotion for the Dalai Lama. Yes, only these measures will stop the self-immolations in Tibet.
 
Will any nation dare to stand up against China?
I don't ever expect any nation to give an ultimatum to China, not even in my dreams. China's importance to the world is not to be overestimated in any way. What I meant, is for a nation, or a politically influential figure-hopefully, the likes of Obama, Gordon Brown, or Angela Merkel(My favorite politician)-, to at least publicly show a deal of concern for Tibet. That way, China will eventually have to react. China's response then, will be closely awaited by the whole world, and it may even pressurize China to take a more humane approach in dealing with the case of Tibet. Sadly, the world as we know, values economy over the lives of people from another country. The United Nations is helpless to us Tibetans. There have been years of fruitless protests in front of the UN headquarters in New York. China's all important "veto" unfortunately keeps in check the voices of thousands of Tibetans scattered all over the world.
 
Majority of the victims are monks, nuns, and teenagers.
In the list provided by FreeTibet.org, we see that the plurality of self-immolators are monks. It can be concluded that out of all the different estates of the people in Tibet, those having monastic background feel the heaviest blow of the Chinese rule, mostly so, because of China's ruthless dominion over the practice of proper Tibetan Buddhism inside Tibet. Even so, monks and nuns-arguably the most psychologically superior beings, according to research done by the American Psychological Association- who are facilitators of peace and harmony, shouldn't have to undertake such drastic methods as a form of protest. It all points to the strength and brutality in nature of the Chinese control in Tibet. The teenage factor, as in any case, can be explained by the sheer rebellious nature of the age group. It saddens me to experience the most innocent and inexperienced demographic of my motherland take such convulsive stances. I feel powerless and insignificant as I pray for the self-immolations in Tibet to stop.

Doom, Gloom, and Over the Moon

 -The Inevitable Fate

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Doom.....
What's asked of us?
Ever beckoning for our end.
Shattered all and spurned fuss,
with those pitiless winds you send.
I asked you to keep
the death toll to a low,
yet across the Hudson they weep
for counts of human soul.

Gloom.....
What's next in store?
For the knocked and grieving,
endless anguish for sure,
laments you being unforgiving.
Relieve them of their sour emotions-
those materialistically deprived.
For now they depend on donations,
why bliss on bewildering minds?

Over the moon.....
Hence, continues the old sensation,
when from nowhere into thin air
spawns again, generations
of new millionaires.
With naivete faces,
and ignorant of past wind,
neither refuses, reduces, or reuses
till nature strikes her final win.

'The Walking Dead' Season 4: What's Next for the Show that Never Stops Exciting?

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 What a majestic end to yet another epic season full of surprises and twists. The Walking Dead never fails to deliver. Unexpectedly, this season's finale was completely different in nature to its predecessor, which in contrast had a huge cliffhanger that kept us enticed over a long wait. Nevertheless, it was a splendid finale with an unconventional warm feel to it in the end. So, with this season over, what can the fans of the Walking Dead expect next season?

The Governor played by David Morrissey set to return.
With his initial one-year deal with AMC over, David Morrissey, according to the Hollywood Reporter, is set to feature again in the upcoming season. The Governor, having survived the final cut of season 3, is to continue his domineering role, this time, with his darkness fully exposed.

Expect a more significant turn away from the comics.
Despite having the show make some big changes from Robert Kirkman's original comics by featuring the likes of the dynamic brothers, Daryl and Merle Dixon, unseen in the comics, the Walking Dead has now taken a more significant leap. Keeping the Governor alive after the battle between his Woodbury side and Rick Grime's group is a big u-turn from the comic books. What this means is that the show now has the caliber to form its own story line, departing its plots in nature from the original comics. Hurray to a chance of eliminating previously found spoilers!

Filming commencing as early as May 6^th.
Yes, AMC has announced that filming for season four is set to being in Atlanta, Georgia as early as the first week of May.

A new era under a new Boss.
Sadly, AMC also announced the departure of the Walking Dead's long running chief, Glen Mazzara. He is to be replaced by one of the show's own writers, Scott M. Gimple.

How To Become a Good Public Speaker

When people tell you that they've conquered the fear of public speaking, or that they're masters of it, they are probably lying. You should probably stay away from them. The fear of public speaking, scientifically known as Glossophobia, is highly prominent. In fact, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 74% of all people in the world suffer from speech anxiety. To put it simply, only three out of ten people are actually not afraid of public speaking. This gives me a good feeling in the sense that most of the potential readers, or even wanderers to this article, are actually going to find it helpful. That being said, here are twelve helpful tips to follow while delivering it in "the" auspicious event.

1. Know your material.
This is the most important of all the steps. If you're a relatively inexperienced speaker, you should focus all your attention on the delivery of the speech. Knowing your material gives you the advantage of not having to read from a piece of paper. It keeps you in control.

2. Analyze your audience. Your ability to analyze your audience can not only make you a great speaker, but also a true entertainer. Skip that dirty joke while at the funeral.


3. Do not overestimate your audience. Thinking that everybody understands you is not the right attitude to have. Not all people know the streets of Paris like you do, nor do they understand golf. However mundane the nature of the act, a vivid introduction to any topic is key in keeping the plurality of the audience in the same page with you.


4. Use stories/examples to aid you. That little personal touch can be highly persuasive. Do not overdo like you would in a support group.


5. Maintain strong eye contact. Self explanatory. Crucial. Staring at the blank wall behind everybody is not okay. People want to feel like you're talking to them alone. Yes, we're still egocentric.


6. Allow some form of gestures. Do it do the degree a little less than the "classic Italian". Gestures power your words. It also has a lot to do with the sub-conscience. Friendly gestures make your speech easy to digest, and more importantly, fun.


7. Bring in some form of dynamics to your voice. Alter the range of your volume. Speak loudly while trying to promote, introduce, or describe things, and keep it low when attempting to arouse/bring-in the audience.


8. Use effective pauses. Pauses are a great way of promoting clarity. Even if you have the strangest of all accents, using effective pauses can aid in clarifying your message. It also enables the audience to keep up with you when you speak too rapidly.


9. Keep it short. This is probably the most mundane of all the great tips that I've presented. However, it's equally as important. Keeping it short is important as it keeps the audience wanting more, and that's always a great way to end. Keeping the audience hungry will eventually promote you. It will make people ask your whereabouts and even "Google" you. Long speeches, however splendid in design, always cause some degree of annoyance with the audience.


10. Good Luck...

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