Where is the A? Winner announced :D

Remember “Where is the A?” I am sure you do. If you don’t I am slightly disappointed but I will still give you the link to go through it, before you continue here. Click here to read “Where is the A?”

Well I had a great fun playing the little game. Didn’t you? Some of you came up with real innovative sentences and others did some highly intellectual write ups.

In last two weeks, I have read through the comments several times, laughing away to glory at the wittiness of the people around me. I loved it and am sure my judge also did.

It is time to announce our winner – there were a couple of guesses but the winning entry is –

“Life goes on without the letter which begins the string of letters just like it never ever existed, not being missed even once while typing out this sentence, induces one to think we need to look into life from other corners.”

It is done by Aswathi Jerome, popularly known as Pins and Ashes. She has a wonderful blog with the name Vaayadi Pennu ;)

  

Well, I don’t let my winners go so easily. Therefore, I have asked Aswathi some questions. Here they are –

1. Why the name Pins and Ashes?

2. We know you have an awesome blog. What is it that you love to blog about the most?

3. Do you have a facebook page that we can like?

4. Do you like reading? Blogs or books, your choice?

5. Your top 5 blogging friends?

6. You top 5 favorite blogs? (if possible, give us the link too.)

7. We know that you are awesome at contests and prompts. Anything that you would like us to write about? (in case you have any I will put up a linky)

8. Why the name pins and ashes?

9. Can we please have the link to your favorite post from your blog.

10. A bit more about family, friends and life off blog, if you like.

I am sure we will soon come back with an answer to above questions.

Aswathi here is your button - *Drum rolls please*

The luncheon - A WOW entry

I have always believed that knowledge is divine. I have a compulsive disorder (not medically proven, but I think so) of finding out more about everything that I come across.

I like to know where my food comes from, where my clothes come from, more about the places I like, background of people I like, places I might never visit, new ways, new things, history, plans, etc. and for all of this I have one stop – “Google” the god.

I believe my world will come crashing down if this search engine stops working someday. When I come across something that I need to Google, I can’t wait. My hands twitch and I start typing the key words on my phone irrespective of the place I am (I love my Google more than a dinner date)

So here is something that makes me laugh and embarrassed at the same time. But I found this occasion to share with you all.

I was travelling to Scandinavia, and it was my first trip to Europe. I took a flight from Delhi at about two o clock at night and reached Frankfurt at ten am IST. I was so late for my connection, that I didn’t get a chance to even grab a coffee. I am one of those people who cannot eat or sleep on board, so here I was, without anything for last eight hours.

When I got out of the airport in Bilund, the bus that was supposed to take me to the city was about to leave. The next bus was after two hours. Not used to the chilly wind of November, I preferred to take that bus than to get some food and wait for two hours.

When I reached my hotel, it was about two pm GMT. So basically I had only had some four bottles of water over last seventeen hours and I don’t need to tell you that I was famished.

Hotel denied any sort of room service (and it was horribly expensive) so I, along with a colleague decided to walk down to a restaurant.

The server who came to serve us didn’t know English, and I didn’t know Danish. In some sign language and after seeking help of another customer, I tried to explain my server that I was a strict vegetarian and I didn’t take chicken, meat or fish. He nodded happily and pinpointed to a spring roll in the menu card. I trusted his decision and ordered one.

When the dish arrived it had a lot of greens inside the rolls and even on the sides. I happily finished mine within next two minutes, while my colleague struggled to finish his chicken dish.

However, there was the name of the dish that had stuck with me. The dish was called “kammusling grønt forårsrulle” which translated into scalloped veg spring roll. I believed that scalloped vegetables was a a method of cooking. But remember the Google lover in me? Sadly, my data plan didn’t work on international roaming, so I waited to find more about origin of the name scallop and about this dish when I reached hotel.

As soon as I reached hotel I Google’d the word. And two minutes later I was running to the loo, trying to puke out everything I had just consumed.

My colleague takes pleasure in narrating the incident again and again, and he always ends it by saying that when it comes to food you have already consumed, ignorance is indeed bliss he thought to himself as he saw me trying my best to puke and crying over the new found knowledge.

For those who want to know what happened, the dish is actually called scallop veg spring rolls, and scallop is type of sea food from the oyster family whose meat I had just consumed.

( I found the picture on Google, it isn't exactly how it looked, but somewhat similar.)

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda. We give out a creative writing theme each weekend for Indian bloggers.

Seven unique characterstics of Delhi

I am quite upset about the end of this festival. I have had a great time writing and reading. But today, I don’t feel like writing at all. Keeping in mind that this is the last post for the festival I decided to go a little expressive about the city I have come to love even after its unique characterstics that amuse me.

This is a personal list, so I hope I am not offending anyone.

Seven things that I hate in myself

Or I’ll put it like this…seven things I am trying to change in me.

More than once, I blame my nature and behavior to my zodiac sign. I am a Leo and being one I have certain good and bad issues with my personality. There are a few without which my life would be happier. Probably listing them down and getting to read will help.

My blog is being noticed... Yipee!

Did you hear something? No? Not at all? Well…let me tell you what I can hear… I can hear drum rolls.

Why? Because one amateur blogger is celebrating her blog and that amateur blogger is me :)

I have earlier talked about how I came back to blogging after a long break and this time I was determined. I made a promise to write and write, even if no one read it.

But the problem is I am a Leo. If any of you readers are Leo you know about the problem. We love attention. We are people’s people and cannot mind our own business ever. And importantly though we never admit we need approvals and appraisals. At least I do.

16 Days of UBC – Why it is leading me to being a gadget addict?

 Do not consider this post as a blame game. I love ultimate blog challenge. It is my first time that I took part in UBC and so far I have loved it. And importantly I’ll love it later too.

After all who doesn’t love people visiting the blog that we cherish and nurture like our babies? Especially, when the people who visit are first timers and are generous with comments.

I had a modest number of visitors to my blog till June. My poor blog was screaming for attention that it didn’t really get. There were even fewer comments.

However, when I signed up for the UBC, I committed to write a post daily and ready a few post everyday too. By the help of linky at Write tribe and UBC facebook page, I also shared my link every day.

It all sounds simple and easy. In these 16 days I had my regular office hours, a friend’s wedding to attend and my normal daily stuff to do.

I usually complain of back ache so I avoid carrying my laptop everywhere. But last 16 days I have carried my laptop wherever possible.

My Iphone, poor thing, the safari installed was hardly ever used for as long as I own it. In last 16 days, certain webpages (my blog dashboard, indiblogger dashboard, writetribe and facebook) are now always open.

In addition to the above, I also need the charger everywhere I go. I am constantly checking my blog for comments, and other’s blogs to read which results in battery drainage in half the time.

I have learnt to post from phone and tab. Everywhere I go, I click pictures keeping my blog in mind.

I almost missed a train because I was blogging. I missed a movie, a date, a dinner, shopping on weekend, all because I was more interested in the blog than any of these.

When people comment, I go to their link and check what they posted. I have had a few followers, and I started following a few blogs. As a result, I have constant relationship with my phone and laptop.

There are a few one-time visitors and some who regularly drop by. The regular ones have become my friend and guides. Whereas, I have not met a single friend in these days. A few that I have spoken to, I have only talked about how great it is to blog and read.

In short, I might be losing my presence in the real world, I have a relationship with my gadgets and I have a new virtual family.

P.s. Do you face similar issues that label you as anti-social? Please feel free to share about them.

Reality shows - politician, newsroom and no electricity

I am one of those television audiences who believe reality shows to be a hoax. I do not believe in them at all. Be it a dance competition, a wedding competition, a singing one or stay in a house reality show, I believe they are fixed and the winner is declared even before the show starts.

However, if I had a possibility of producing, directing and hosting a reality show, there are my few top picks -

When you say nothing at all…its dangerous :p

Phone rings -

“Hello”

“Hmmm”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing”

“Are you crying?”

“No”

“Why are you talking to me in mono syllables?”

“Am not”

“Baby, tell me is something wrong?”

“Hmmm”

“Honey, is something bothering you?”

“Hmmm”

“Please honey, tell me what’s wrong? When you say nothing at all it scares me. Are you okay? Have I done anything wrong? (Sob sob) Have I hurt you? Are you mad at me? (sob sob)”

“Hmmm”

“Honey please don’t feel bad,(sob sob) I am sorry, I am sorry that I met him,(sob sob) I shouldn’t have, don’t leave me, please talk to me (sob sob)”

“Am just finishing my game, let me call you back…wait a minute - What did you say? Whom did you meet? Why? Why didn’t you tell me? Get lost…I don’t want to talk to you”

Phone disconnected.

(This post is written for WOW at blogadda.com)

What do I write about? What is writer’s block?

Before I begin I’d like to declare that I by no means consider myself as a writer. I have always been a research oriented person.

However, a few days ago I made a resolution to write at least one blog a day. For last few days, (with the help of prompts, experience and backlog) I have managed to go on with writing.

In last few days, I have written about almost all things surrounding me which make me happy, sad, frustrated or angry and then enjoyed reading them.

But 25 posts later, I have run out of topics. I don’t know what to write about today. Can you help? People call it a writer’s block when writer’s run out of creative ideas and comprehensive skills for a while. But since I am not a writer, what do I call it…can I call it a “bloggers” block? :/

 

Tracking the blog traffic – why my blog future is based on erratic page views

Before I began, I would like to inform you about my addictions with “pageviews” analysis that blogger provides to all blog owners.

I have read several articles informing and educating bloggers to not follow page views all day long. I have also read the more philosophical view point on how it does not matter if you have less number of viewers.

But irrespective of how low or stupid or newbie it might sound, my addiction to keep checking the number of page views in day never ends. When I started blogging again and I kept going back to check my page views, every time I told myself “don’t worry, you will get over it soon” However, I have now realized that it isn’t going to end.

To check your blog in morning to see how many brains you fed with your blabber while you were sleeping, to come back and check the blog again after that very long boring meeting, and taking a final count of the day and mentally review the performance before sleeping has its own thrill.

There must be many who are above this page view addiction because their blogs are now followed by hundreds of those whom they do not know. But think of the time, when you didn’t have those followers. When each like counted, each comment counted. When a day with low page views made you feel that your future as a blogger is in dead.

Well if you still can’t relate to me and my addiction, you can choose to stop reading this post here. But if you really want to try to understand how my blog future depends on this, please continue.

Top 10 Things to do to make Monday morning better

Top 10 Things to do to make Monday morning better –

1. Buy flowers on your way to office. Keep them secretly on your colleague’s table and then tease them.

2. Ask everyone about how was their weekend. What they did, where they went, how was the weather etc.?

3. Write a blog, like I am

4. Read new blogs.

5. Comment on other’s blog.

6. Count your weekly stats. (Number of visits, likes, comments) and make a goal to make it better.

7. Chat with your neighbor and ask her ideas on how to make Monday mornings better.

8. Make plans for Wednesday evening or next weekend.

9. Take a print out of any picture, if people ask tell them you went there over weekend and cook up elaborate stories :p (make sure you don’t overdo it)

10. If your work is interesting enough, work.

If matches are made in heaven, why do we go through hell finding them?Part 3

Here I am again...continuing my detailed explanation of what goes into a arranged marriage. (I guess I don't need to warn readers this time)

So, after bio data, kundli, investigation and preparation comes the day of meeting..

Depending on where the meeting is taking place, arrangements are made. Meal is decide, seating is decided, what the prospective bride and groom are supposed to wear is critically reviewed in order to see it matches the bio data criteria. (Oh you look slimmer in blue, ah that yellow makes you look darker are the common comments)

If matches are made in heaven, why do we go through hell finding them?Part 2

(Before I begin, I'd like to remind the readers of the statutory warning from part 1- the below is solely fictional thought and any relation to your marriage process is purely coincidental)

Continuing from where I left in part 1- Once the Kundli has been sorted and the pundits have given the green signal, comes the part of inquiring about the aspirant and it's family.

Every information in the bio-data is now scrutinised once again. I have come to know that there are personal detectives who can be hired for this purpose. (If I start my bio data analysis agency, I will also try to partner with some of them)

If matches are made in heaven, why do we go through hell finding them?Part 1

More often than not I have heard people telling me "don't worry baby, you'll find the right guy...you know marriages are made in heaven" and every time my mental response is "why are you then giving me a hell of time in my quest?"

Ones who are engaged or married, please ignore the post and the series that will follow. You have found your match, and I know you will not want to give your partners brownie point by discussing this.

Others, if you are lucky enough to have a partner whom you know will not leave your side, please do not dump them. (Probably you'll be convinced by the end of the series)

And for the ones like me, whose parents have taken the responsibility of finding a match, this is an attempt to tell you that you are not alone in this madness.

At this point I'd like to add a disclaimer that by no means this post is suppose to demean the arrange marriage system, or disrespect our parents... It is just a compilation of the process, the projected truth, the profit and loss statement and the reality...

Koi to mera blog padho!!

“Koi to mera blog padho!!” Is it a question that all bloggers face in their beginning?

I was a happy go lucky blogger who never paid any serious interest to traffic on my blog. Truly speaking, my blog was more like my personal diary where I vented my thoughts and forgot about.

I in fact have a very old blog, blogger.com tell me, that I started blogging in 2007. Most of the kids my age didn’t know what blogging was all about. Actually even I didn’t. For me blogging was the new cool thing I discovered while exploring tabs on google.com and all I knew about it was the bookish meaning.

Kya aapne kabhi alcohol taste kiya hai??

The tittle of this post might sound bizarre to many. Or many others might find it too plain to be put up as a tittle. however, if you are looking for a gyaan on alcohol, please do not read below...Below is the plight of a girl who is subjected to such question in one of the most awkward first meetings of girls lives.

In India we have an interesting system of "Arranged Marriages". I am sure you know about what it is, but somehow if you have missed it - it is like a dating network set up by parents of eligible boys and girls where through whom they hope to find a match. Only with a slight twist! In this dating exercise you are only allowed ONCE or maybe twice (if you are lucky maybe more)...