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| Adee's Study Table |
He holds an honors degree in English Literature from the University of Delhi and pays the bills by means of a career in advertising. On his Delhi Dreams blog he describes himself this way: His interests are universal, and include: living, eating, sleeping and when not sleeping, daydreaming. Other abiding interests include reading, writing, street photography, newspaper editorials, watching the moon and planning trekking trips that never materialize.
Though Adee doesn't post daily he does post thoughtfully, and candidly. One of the themes that he has addressed directly and forcefully in the past is the problem of crimes against women, especially the problem rape in Delhi. We've been sharing our thoughts from time to time for perhaps as many as five years.
E: What do you do for a living? At one time you said you were in advertising.
Adee: Yes, you remember right, I'm a Creative Director-copy at McCann Health, New Delhi, India. If I remember correctly, you also have a background in advertising, right? That makes two things in common for us, advertising and a love of art, particularly words.
E: Indeed. How did you come to take an interest in writing?
Adee: I was always a reader first, and actually never thought of becoming a writer. I think the biggest influence on me would be my father as he encouraged in me a love for words quite early in life. And that included books, magazines, newspapers, and also old Hindi film song lyrics! So right from the age of around 8 years or so, I was subscribing to my own magazines within the household budget. The Sunday newspaper supplements were mine to cut and paste and by around 12 years of age I was into reading serious stuff like classics of Indian literature. That said, I always loved images and drew a lot in my school years. In fact my first job in the advertising industry was also as an art person. It was only by chance that I shifted to being a copywriter and realized I could express myself through writing as well. Now it’s been around than ten years that I've kept my love with copywriting and writing intact.
E: What is your background? How old are you and where are you from originally?
Adee: As for background, ummm I’m a Delhiite, born and brought up in New Delhi, the Indian capitol. I'm a literature student with a degree in English literature. I've stumbled across different types of jobs -- operating printing presses, teaching graphic designing, customer care -- before arriving at some sort of steadiness within the advertising industry ... though to be true, even within its closed sphere I managed to be an art person, an account management person and then a writer. Even now I sometimes think that I could have been better suited for a management job more than a creative responsibility. In the heart of my heart, I want to be a traveling storyteller, working for an organization like the National Geographic or Lonely Planet. But after a decade of advertising and nearing 35 years of age, I'm not very sure of that kind of leap anymore.
E: There is something beautiful and painful in the poems you write. Can you talk about this for me? Adee: Yes, I agree with the thought that pain or sadness makes us look at life's gifts more keenly. Only a person who has traveled through the desert knows the importance of water. My poems come from my life. It has been a difficult one but has had its moments of love and joy and calm. As of now, I'm not completely bitter about it. :) Yes, if given a chance, I would wish some events to be changed, but more or less I'm okay with where I am.
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that kind of day, that kind of love
“All my life I have loved in vain
the things I didn’t learn.” -Yehuda Amichai
some days you search for the meaning of not only life or death or existence or purpose but of everything, and then you come across one illuminated verse of poetry, one line that burns and brands your heart for life. this is that kind of day, this above, is that kind of love.
9-12-14
Delhi Dreams
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This conversation will be continued tomorrow or Wednesday.
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