The Blog Story: Why Do I Write?

Day #8 of Blogtember.

Thursday, September 12: Discuss ways that blogging or social media has changed you.

In third standard, I became fascinated by diary writing. There was something charming about keeping a secret diary and locking it in a special drawer. I tried keeping a regular diary. But I couldn’t. I had a great friend with whom I could share everything. I didn’t need a diary to vent out my feelings. When this friend left and I became alone, I could write freely. For two years, my diary was filled with long pages of typical teenage emotions, problems and experiences. Then again, I made a friend and my diary now sees less of me. But this time I didn’t completely stop writing. By now I had begun writing other things apart from my diary. And this writing made me happy.

Studies and entrance exams kept me busy for two years. And then, I just couldn’t get back to writing. I used to stare at my notebook hoping the words would come. They didn’t. Blogging began as an attempt to get back to writing. The earlier posts required a lot of efforts but it has become easier now. Especially these days, with Blogtember. 🙂

writersnest

Discovering new blogs has been one of the best part of blogging. I’ve met some awesome bloggers; some of them are so unlike me that I would probably have never found people like them if it weren’t for blogging. So yes, blogging has helped me find people and ideas that are very different from me.

I love that somebody in some far off place takes the time to read what I’ve written, and that it resonates with them. It tells me that humans are pretty much the same all over the world, and what I write is bound to touch somebody. Blogging has given me a platform to be myself and find others like me.

I’ve written stories that I always wanted to write.

I’ve started enjoying writing poetry, something that I never attempted before.

I’ve written things that I strongly feel about.

And there seems to be an audience for everything!

I’ve never been fond of other forms of social media; I’ve never enjoyed sharing anything on social networking sites. Blogs have been the only form of social media where I’ve actually “connected” with people. They are like letters. And letters are always much more personal and touching.

It has been more than six months of blogging. And it has been a thoroughly enjoyable journey! 🙂

Liebster Award

mbastory has very kindly nominated me for the Liebster Award! I’m completely overwhelmed now!

liebster

Here are the rules:

You must link back the person who nominated you.
You must answer the 10 Liebster questions given to you by the nominee before you.
You must pick 10 bloggers to be nominated for the award with under 200 followers.
You must come up with 10 questions for your nominees to answer.
You must go to their blogs notify your nominees.

Okay then! My answers:

1. If you weren’t blogging, what channel of communication would you use ?

Face-to-face talking. I don’t know if people remember it, but it used to be a big thing in the old days. 🙂

2. Why WordPress and not Blogger? If you are on Blogger, why Blogger and not WordPress?

It was on a whim, honestly. I had read that WordPress had better themes. And I’m a seriously visual person. I realised later on that I could edit the HTML in Blogger myself but WordPress doesn’t allow that.

3. What is your dream job ? ( Only one please )

There are no dream jobs yet. But I do have a five-year-plan. It involves becoming a good engineer.

4.  Would you actively sell your stuff to people or wait for people to come to you to buy ?

Not sure which stuff is being referred to. But, if we’re talking business, I guess a mixture of both is required.

5. There is a total power cut in the whole world for the next 3 days . How do you spend it ?

Day 1: “What on earth am I going to do without a book or the internet?!”

Day 2: “It’s been ages since I cleaned my closet. Thank goodness my ipod is charged!”

Day 3: “You know, Mum, it’s really great that we’re getting to talk to each other.” 🙂

6. Do you read the newspaper in the morning or an e-paper? Or have you stopped reading either because you would always get notifications or emails?

I read them whenever I get the time. And I prefer a paper I can hold in my hands.

7. You’re interviewing Angela Merkel and you are allowed only 1 question. What would that be?

How did research science give way to politics?

8.  Your favorite TV series and why?

I don’t watch any TV series regularly.

9. Preferred source of sugar ( Chocolate or.. )

Dark chocolate. Not too sweet, not too bitter.

10. One sentence/phrase that defines you ( your goals, desires, life, etc.)

It is important to move to the next chapter when the time comes, because there is no point in remaining stuck on the same page.

My Nominees (there are only five):

1. obJESSions

2. The Paradoxism

3. WheelsOnOurFeet

4. I BELIEVE

5. Only You

And these are my questions for the nominees:

1. What are some of the places that you would like to visit in your lifetime?

2. Do you read? If so, what kind of books do you like? If not, what do you like doing in your spare time?

3. What are some of your favourite posts? Link them here.

4. Are you a morning person?

5. Do you like modern or antique furniture?

6. If you had a choice, which animal (non-human) would you like to be?

7. Do you have a preferred place where you write? Or are you comfortable anywhere?

8. Describe one quirky habit that you have.

9. Favourite quote. You can have more than one.

10. How do you like spending your birthdays?

Looking forward to all your answers. 🙂

The Wonderful Team Member Readership Award

Can you believe it? My second award in less than ten days! Michaela from The mmmmm family has very kindly chosen me for this award. I’m extremely grateful. 🙂

I’ll have to admit, I hadn’t heard of this particular blog award before. Nevertheless, it’s nice to get awards and here I am!

The rules:

1. The nominee of The Wonderful Team Member Readership Award shall display the logo on his/her blog.

2. The Nominee shall nominate 14 readers they appreciate over a period of 7 days, all at once or little by little; linking to their blogs; and telling them about it at their blogs.

3. The nominee shall name his/her Wonderful Team Member Readership Award nominees on a post  during 7 days.

The award name is quite a mouthful, isn’t it?

These are today’s nominations:

Funny for Nothing

The Girl Who Blogs

Awakening to your story

This Would Make A Great Story

Sarcasmia

Observations of a canary

Project light to life

Imperfectly perfect

Three Magical

Congratulations to all of the nominees! Keep writing. 🙂

Awarded!

My first ever blogger award!

Versatile Blogger Award

I have been nominated for  The Versatile Blogger Award by mushroomsup from the super-hilarious Funny For Nothing blog.

I just have to say this: Thank you so much all you great people who take time to read my blog! When I started this blog, I had hopes of finding the like-minded and the not-so-like-me people (because hey, variety is the spice of life). I’ve found some truly amazing blogs this way and I’m really glad that there are people who have enjoyed reading my thoughts.

Right. So here are the rules:

1. Display the Award Certificate on your website/blog. (I’ve been longing to!)

2. Announce your win with a post. Make sure to post a link back to me as a ‘thank you’ for the nomination.

3. Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers.

4. Drop them a comment to tip them off after you have linked them in the post.

5. Post 7 interesting things about yourself.

Hmm…seven interesting things, huh? That’s going to be difficult.

  1. My first ever novel was a three-in-one Mystery series by Enid Blyton. Yeah, that’s the first thing that comes to my mind; books. I know, I know. I’m a total nerd!
  2. Poetry is a recent love. Secret: I like it because I’m lazy. Why should I write an entire story when I can convey the whole thing in a few sentences!
  3. I don’t enjoy birthday celebrations. Gasp! But really, it’s the one day when I want to be with myself and my family.
  4. I’m terrified of wearing lenses. Just the thought of putting something in my eyes makes me shudder.
  5. I get travel-sick pretty soon. Like the opposite of home-sick, you know.
  6. Yellow flowers are my favourite!
  7. I think the self-description exercises are the toughest of all!

And, without further ado, the nominations (in no particular order)

  1. Bravejuice
  2. Kallu’s Curio Corner
  3. White Elephant in the Room
  4. &squatch makes three
  5. The mmmmm family
  6. Wordssetmefree
  7. Mindfulmagpie
  8. The Scrapbook
  9. Mummy says…
  10. Defining Wonderland
  11. Anna Lea West
  12. The Flourishing Tree
  13. Momma Mindy’s Moments
  14. Truth and Cake

Thank you for reading! 🙂

Of writing and conversing

WritingWriting, to me, has always felt like baring my soul on a piece of paper. I have always guarded what I write, sharing it with very few people. I have mulled over the idea of blogging for a very long time before I actually decided to commit to it. And I’m still amazed at my decision, considering that normally, I just keep to myself and blogging is all about connecting with different people.

So what brought about this change?

It’s not just about having an audience (though I certainly like that part; who doesn’t?!). It’s also about sharing what I love, and making new friends and hearing other people’s views.

I’ve always been more of a written conversation person. As I child, I was fascinated by the idea of sending and receiving letters. Written letters. But sadly, that has become a thing of the past now. Emails became the substitution and that transition wasn’t really difficult for a person of my generation as we never had a chance to get too attached to letter writing; we were exposed to internet quite early in life. I’ve maintained long and beautiful friendships via emails. But then emails were replaced by Facebook. And I thought that Facebook messages would be somewhat similar. But they are not. Nobody bothers keeping in touch in the true sense. Seeing somebody’s photographs on Facebook is not the same thing. I long for personal emails in my inbox.

And here’s another thing about written conversation. You have time to think. Some people may argue that it’s not really conversation if the thoughts don’t flow out at once. I’m not going to question that. Fluent conversation is beautiful in its own way, and I enjoy a good conversation regardless. But just say, you and me start talking about something. You raise a point. I spend some time thinking about it, then get back to you. Isn’t that a meaningful contribution to the conversation? Won’t we be having a more enriching conversation if we spend time on the thoughts that we want to convey?

Blogging is about conversing. I want to hear your thoughts and tell you my own. I want a conversation.