Like I mentioned in my last post I've finally decided to switch to Wordpress. The humbling support and encouragement I got from all of you here is expected there too!
It's done and is ready to come out in the open. It has a new address, a new ring to its name, and still is the good old me. Personalising has become a whole new experience with it. I’ve been spending a considerable amount of time on trying to give it a spanking new look, and I must say, it is quite alluring. Why then haven’t I yet shared it with all of you? I don’t know!
The identity in question is a new blog that I’ve been meaning to put up at Wordpress (actually I have already put it up). I’d signed up a few months ago, while the whole ‘importing’ my older posts from Blogger happened few days back.
I was mighty glad to be able to upload the pictures of my choice and had a beautiful collage prepared for the same. The choice of themes had changed; the appearance was fresh and different.I could do away with some of the many widgets on my blog which I’ve hardly ever used. In short, it was like buying a new house and renovating it for comfort, with your signature touch. I always liked the various new features that Wordpress offered and was curious to try them out.
Having said all this, I haven’t yet made my blog public. Wonder whether it is the confidence and comfort that comes with familiarity or the affection one has with a maiden project, I’m just not able to give this blog up. I’ve not been regular enough with this one itself, maintaining two would be ridiculous. For me writing is fun when it's done by choice, and boring when it is just for the sake of it.
Also comes the question of losing out on my readers who'll need to change my url everywhere. And what happens next? If I get bored with Wordpress in some time will I need to create a new blog again? What is wrong with this one then? This too has been autographed (!) by me (Check out my digital signature)! :D
I’m not able to find a solution for my quandary. Shall I give this one up and start the new one or shall I let the new one remain under wraps like it is now? Many of you have gone through this dilemma. Any suggestions?
Does internet offer the same opportunities to everyone in general, like Bigg Boss offers to its contestants? Does it give you the chance to live the identity that you always craved for? Does allowing you to put yourself up on a public platform and creating an image that is unbeknownst to a lot of people, ultimately not lead you towards an identity crisis?
These questions have been playing in my mind since a long time, and once and for all, I want to get them out of my system. Why has internet become such an inseparable part of our lives is beyond at times. I've gone on long hiatuses, as my readers know, and although I did miss the interaction and sharing of ideas, it wasn't like my life came to a standstill.
There were many things I wanted to write about which might remain unsaid, there might be many posts written by our wonderful bloggers that I might've liked to read but missed (which I can always go back to by the way!), there might be experiences with A Jr that would stay in my memory and camera forever but which never made it here, and so on.
There are things about me that even my friends never knew before and which they do now, thanks to my blog and FB. They didn't know that I could write and that I was interested in poetry. Although its amusing when I tell them that its a hobby I've been harbouring for ages, its a little sad that my 'little secret' is out. No one forced me to do that though, isn't it? Then do I have the right to complain? I don't know.
Most people from my childhood would remember me as reticent and an introvert. I was a very nervous kid and unfamiliarity with anything would freak me out. I had very few close friends and wasn't open even with them. I'd find disagreeing with anyone insulting to them and often ended up doing stuff I never wanted to. I think you get the picture, if only a vague one.
Now its me here, the same person. Discussing love, life and A Jr, without the slightest hesitation, even when I know many of my readers personally. I find myself updating status messages on FB, sometimes out of boredom and sometimes out of compulsion (like many many others, mind you!). I have something to comment now, a practice I strictly reserved to myself earlier. In other words, I've come out of my shell and how.
Having said that,I have to agree that in person there hasn't been a very drastic change in me now, though I'm not as docile as I was before. I have a strong opinion and have the courage to stand by it. I'm more 'out there' now, even though I'm never comfortable in a crowd. There's an improvement, but its when I'm online that I become more vocal.
We form an opinion about people from what we see and read about them, but its genuineness can never be gauged correctly. We might make countless friends here, but wouldn't know what they're made of unless we see them in person. Wouldn't it be like some sort of alternate personality then?
Coming back to my questions in the start of this post, I guess everyone would have his/her own take on it. Would love to know what you feel.
Let me begin with an apology to all my blogger friends. I haven’t been reading them of late, have been giving delayed replies to their comments and haven’t acknowledged their mails. Couple of my friends messaged me to ensure I was alright, so sweet of them! Am I blessed or what to have such caring friends?? :)
The fact of the matter is that I’m having some problem with my laptop which apparently (and sadly) may take longer. And while I’m dejected beyond consolation for not being able to come online for so long, not able to check mails, chatting with friends, and most of all, blogging, A couldn’t be happier. He says my obsessive blogging fever needed just that, a break! So not fair!
This internet hiatus has been good in a way though. Must agree, I’ve had a lot on my plate to keep me busy throughout. I’ve read at least four books in the last two weeks, celebrated A Jr’s second birthday, did a lot of shopping (again!) and spent some quality time with A. Contradicting my own words, this isn’t so bad. But the blogger in me keeps itching to share all this stuff with you, which cannot be helped.
So I’m hoping my laptop gets fixed soon, how soon this soon will be is a mystery in itself though. Till then, please do keep writing in. I miss you guys a lot and would keep updating as and when possible. Take care.
Not too long after I’d started blogging Reflections tagged me for the first time. I recollect being confused and lost as to what I’d to do with it and going through the blogs of all those who’d done it. It was a long one, but I felt compelled to complete it as fast as possible, like an assignment that had a deadline attached to it. It was unnerving, almost like a pressure, to do it the right way lest I disappoint the one who tagged me!
Since then I’ve done many tags and can comfortably say that I’m unfazed by them now. I like to see them as a challenge; making one think eccentrically in a direction we don’t usually direct our minds to (remember my Hi-five tag), making us look at the fine picture of our lives closely (Strikethrough tag), looking at ourselves in a different perspective than we have till date (My Sins against Gender Stereotypes tag) or simply sharing certain facts about us with everybody (Seven random things tag)!
With all due respect to the person who came up with this idea at the first place, there are some people who like tags while some think of them as work. I’d like to know what is it that you think tags are really meant for. Here’s what I think:
1.First and foremost, giving a personal touch to this electronic medium of writing. Giving fellow bloggers an insight into the person behind that blog page.
2.Increasing your blog’s popularity by joining the bandwagon. 'Everybody does it, so do I' thinking.
3.Trying to increase traffic to your blog with the tag-so-many-people-in-the-end clause.
4.Facing blogger’s block? Tags provide good filler posts.
5.Venting out your creative energy by dancing on someone else’s tunes. It seems mysterious and exciting. Take it as an extempore.
Whatever the reason, they're fun and I accept that I look forward to people coming up with splendid and unique ideas for them. Bloggers out here have such a fertile imagination that some tags require a lot of hair-pulling and head-scratching to complete them! Some tickle your funny bone while some make you retrospect on certain untouched aspects of your lives.
There are bloggers who take up tags rightaway while some sit on them till they eventually have to drag themselves out of their laziness owing to peer pressure :). I'm sure everyone must have a different take on this whole 'tag' thing.What is it that drives you? Would love to know your thoughts on tags too. Share them with me.
After having a wonderful time at the Blogger’s meet over good ambience, good food and above all, a group of very warm and real blog friends, I was looking forward to capturing this great experience in a dedicated post and locking it up in memory forever. However, due to my procrastination, Ugich Konitari, Vivek and Nu came up with their versions of the meet well before me. Can’t beat their all-inclusive accounts of it, hence I’m not going to do it again. Go to their blogs to read and see what all we did there! :)
Have been missing from the blog world for over a week, quite unlike me. There’s so much to write, but no time and even less patience and concentration. The job of a mother beats everything else hands down. Last few days I’ve been very busy nursing A Jr who’s not been keeping very well of late. Blame the rains for it, which bring along with them a whole lot of infections and diseases. It’s been crazy, but he’s a little better today, and I’m slightly relieved. The next few days are going to be very eventful and I want him to enjoy every moment of it.
There’s a whole lot of fun awaiting us on the other side of this weekend. My Uncle-in-law and family are coming from US after almost a decade, which makes this out first official meeting. Along with this, there’s my bro-in-law’s wedding which is going to be a grand affair, and for which we’re doing our part of the preparation too. Starting from brushing up our dancing skills, getting our best sarees and jewellery in place while matching it with our spouses and kids, to cooking up new ideas for pulling the desperate groom’s leg, we’re doing the best we can.
Everyone’s been planning for this from months in advance and eagerly waiting for it. And what better time for it than a wedding, when everyone’s in high spirits and out there just to have a good time? Such occassions are always the best way to make amends, form relationships and come closer. All in all, it’s bonding time for the family.
All this is going to take a while. Will be gone for some days but will be back with a lot more to share with you. Till then be good and be safe! Ciao! :)
Nu says she’s a Blogoholic and Pins says she’s addicted. If given a chance we’d all attach many such similar adjectives to our names. Blogging is like that one drug which when administered in our body even once enters our bloodstream in such a way that it makes us crave for it more and more. Right?
We write once and we’ve to write more…we read once and we’ve to read more…we comment on some blog and come back to see ours to check if our gesture has been returned :P…we pick out our favourite ones and follow them…we voice our thoughts and opinions freely…talk about issues bothering us without having to bother about the repercussions…its a virtual world but still so real..
All this is much beyond non-bloggers though. For them such cute little paranoia’s are comparable with temporary insanity and obsessive Blogomania! Don’t agree with me?? I’ll tell you what all I’ve had to endure after being a part of this world.
After returning home from work the first thing A asks me everyday, ‘ So did you write a post today?’ (Hello…what happened to the ‘How was your day’ routine?)
He simply has to see what I’m reading! He reads posts from over my shoulders standing behind me and then says, ‘What’s the big deal behind writing this? So and so happened with so and so, what’s there to write about it?’ (I didn’t call him to read it now, did I?)
I’m commenting on someone’s post. He has to point out atleast once that if its not compulsory why do I have to do it at all. I’ve to think and comment, so why the needless stress on the brain?
This one is funny. I follow a lot of people many of whom don’t follow me back. Nevertheless I visit their blogs and read them regularly. He seems to not like it. He says I must get them to read me! Doesn’t that sound desperate and needy I ask. He doesn’t answer but stands firm on his views :P
If I’m chatting with someone on Gtalk he asks me, ‘So is this person your school friend/college friend/colleague/acquaintance or most likely a blog friend? Don’t you guys talk too much on blogs already?’
Many more such things to add, but you already know what I mean to say right? The concept is completely lost on these people. Smartly judging that such remarks invite only my wrath he’s learnt to hold his tongue on few occasions. Good for him.
Notwithstanding his comments I love to be here and will continue to do so, always :)
