You and me could write a bad romance...

Our lives revolve around relationships. The good, the bad, the ugly. Ones that last long, ones that don't last too long. The sweet and the not-so-sweet. And if we think hard enough about it, we realise that it really is a fragile thing, these relationships that we have.

When Tanya was talking about understanding Public Relation (PR) in class, I can't help but to think of the significance relationships play in this industry, because essentially it is about maintaining that rapport with your significant others - the media, your stake holders, the general public, the government, and whoever else that matters. It's like walking on really thin ice - they watch the contours of your mouth for a wrong word, then they gleefully pounce on you. After all, everyone loves a gossip; it brings a nice change to this routine called life, and honestly, who has the time to not make mistakes? Yet we know nothing of these parties we get involved with, but somehow they are important, at times essential and almost always frivolous.

And the media is quite a bitch, really. She's like the popular girl in school. Everyone hates her but they hang on to her every word. It's a love-hate relationship, us and the media. We love how they bring the world to our fingertips but hate the dependence that slowly manifests. And if I learnt anything useful at all, it would be to not get into Rupert Murdoch's bad books because he can destroy you in a news flash - and such is the power of the media and the people that own them. And when power comes into play in relationships, it becomes false and forced. There is no sincerity, only ass-kissing.

So what is my point?

It's not easy maintaining a relationship (what more several!) and being diplomatic in every situation. Which justifies the rumour that PR people get paid a lot. William Blake once said, "It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend." And this is exactly why people pounce on mistakes. The dependence does not give leeway for mistakes to be made.

Either way, I'm up for the challenge. Are you?