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We are almost at the mid year now, wow, how quick was that? I somehow am glad that May has passed by, because it has been one hell of a lazy month for me. Extremely lazy. Nevertheless, it has been an exciting month too, with a lot of realizations and learning. I also met a lot of new people and discarded a few existing dormant ones. May always has been a very happy month for me, I have written about the previous two Mays too and this was no less. I made a lot of hay this May with my blog shining all the way. More on that later.
May started off with a vacation to Coorg where Cal and I just relaxed and relaxed and relaxed. We stayed in a home stay in the middle of thirteen acres of an estate. There were tress and plants all around, along with the clucking of hens and the flight of pigeons. Fresh coffee beans, fresh limes and freshly bloomed lotus welcomed us everyday. The smell in the air was giving us a high and Cal and I gave in to it the minute we stepped in there. We also used local transport to get from Bangalore to Coorg. Although people take cars and luxury buses, Cal and I like to travel the local way. I have absolutely no qualms about it being a girl. Yes, there were quite a few stares here and there, but when you decide to not pay heed to it, the journey becomes wonderful. Cal and I spoke non stop throughout the journey and it was the perfect getaway for us after a lot of stress in April. A visit to the Kushalnagar Golden temple, de-stressed us completely as we sat quiet soaking in the huge Buddha statue in front of us. I have always been fascinated by Buddhism and I want to take it up someday. Cal too has similar views. Something about the presence of Buddha makes you feel calm and pure inside. I have never felt this way when I visit temples. But a statue of Buddha is enough to envelop and transform me to a place elsewhere. And I love it.
Just when I was back from a wonderful relaxing vacation, I got a call to attend the #DovePlay Indiblogger meet in Mumbai, all expenses paid. So for the first time ever, since we started seeing each other, I was away from Cal for a whole day. It had to be worth it. And boy, it was. It undoubtedly was one of the best experiences of my life. I felt like a true princess and made so many wonderful friends. You can read more about the meet here. I still am reeling with that experience and I wish I get the chance to experience more of them. So all the bloggers out there, if there is an Indiblogger meet happening in your city, do not miss it at any cost. Believe me, when I say this, it is an experience of a lifetime. I went to Mumbai all by myself, met some great people, and was back in Bangalore the next day. I arrived at 9 am and slept from 11 am to 5 pm at a stretch. First a vacation, and then this, it had to be a lazy month. Since then, I do not recall even a single day when I woke up before 9 am. Even workdays. Since I have the privilege of setting my own timings at work, I was saved. That's another primary reason why I love my job so much. It lets me do what I want, how I want.
BlogAdda asked me to review 'Sita's Curse' for them and I was thrilled to do so. I love reading and the thought of critically reading and reviewing a book gave me a super kick. I finished the book in three days flat and loathed it to no end. It was like a cheap Indian version of 'Fifty shades of Grey', almost like Savita bhabhi on the prowl. Before signing up to review the book, I had read up a few reviews of this book. Every one spoke wonderful things about this book and people were calling it path breaking and one of a kind. I was intrigued. But after reading the book, I wondered what was it that others saw that I did not. I usually live a character when I am reading, but in this book there was nothing that I could connect to. It was all about sex, sex and only sex. I probably was the first or only one to put up a negative review of the book, but I wanted to write what I felt. I did not want to sugarcoat my words and follow the herd who gave the book four plus stars. I signed up with honesty and reviewed with honesty. A lot of people might like the book, but for me, it is one the worst that I have ever read. Salman Rushdie's 'The Enchantress of Florence' still tops the list of the worst books for me. Currently I am reading 'The Winds Of Hastinapur' by Sharath Komarraju, who is the husband of a dear blogger friend. But I would not review the book as a friend's husband's book, I would just read and review it as a reader. I want to do justice to myself first. My thoughts and opinions are not for sale and I would never write something just for publicity either.
Well, the best news came towards the end of the month, when my blog was chosen to be a part of the best Indian blogs for 2013-14. Yes, my blog was in their list last year too, so it is two consecutive wins for me. This year however is more special because five hundred odd blogs were chosen from... hold your breath... over seventy thousand blogs! Its no easy feat. I love writing and an appreciation this mighty boosts my morale a million fold. Also, two of my articles were published on Womens Web this month. Two articles very very close to my heart. You can read them here and here.
Its kinda funny that people who visit my blog and see good things, do not pick up the phone and spread the news. The minute assumptions are made about their presence in my posts, numbers are dialed and hell breaks loose. Nonsense. People are so damn disgusting, that I do not find words to describe their attitude. Its good Cal and I pay no need to such crap anymore. Once we did, and we hated it. So I am sticking on to the truth no matter what. People can talk whatever they want. Screw them. We have a life and we love living it our way! If they can't digest true facts then it is their problem. If I am making up stuff, then well, I am at fault. But I am not! My writing is going great and the appreciation that I am receiving is immense. But mostly, this is my sacred space and mine alone. I write what I want and will continue to do so.
Its kinda funny that people who visit my blog and see good things, do not pick up the phone and spread the news. The minute assumptions are made about their presence in my posts, numbers are dialed and hell breaks loose. Nonsense. People are so damn disgusting, that I do not find words to describe their attitude. Its good Cal and I pay no need to such crap anymore. Once we did, and we hated it. So I am sticking on to the truth no matter what. People can talk whatever they want. Screw them. We have a life and we love living it our way! If they can't digest true facts then it is their problem. If I am making up stuff, then well, I am at fault. But I am not! My writing is going great and the appreciation that I am receiving is immense. But mostly, this is my sacred space and mine alone. I write what I want and will continue to do so.
So you can see that a lot has happened the past month. Interesting, to say the least. Work is back in full force and I cannot afford to be lazy again. Also, I finished the doodle about Cal and my love story. You can see it above. What do you think? It is a bit blurred, I shall put up a clearer one once it comes back after framing. Also, I re-ignited a lost love for haiku this month. It is extremely challenging to follow the 3-5-3 or 5-7-5 syllable rule, and that is why I love it so much. It puts to test all the areas of my brain and for a person like me, that is the best gift you can give me. So you will be seeing a lot of haikus out here this month. Short fiction is something I love writing too because you get to tell a whole story in five sentences or fifty or hundred words. Most of my appreciation comes for these short fiction pieces and I get overwhelmed. That keeps me going more and more. Last month I went through the 'Other Messages' folder on my Facebook profile. While most of the messages were fraandship requests, there were quite a few messages from my blog visitors too. Some as old as three years ago! I was so thrilled! I have received fan mail since long, but of late the mails have increased so much that I have to pinch myself at times that this is actually happening to me. Keep showering the love, guys! It keeps me going. You can always write to me at soumprasad@gmail.com. I read and reply to every mail, I promise. Its kind of an obsession actually.
So May was eventful. Lets us wait and watch what June has to offer.
AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO CALL IT A LAZY MONTH..Sigh woman! :D
ReplyDeleteIt was a good month for me too....hope June treats me well too. I cannot believe its june already! DAMN!!!!!!
And that doodle..well I loved it!!!!! :D :D
Hahaha :D
DeleteThank you Red!
Love your blog, Soumya! Your enthusiasm is very contagious. Looking forward to more awesomeness here. :D
ReplyDeleteCongrats on being selected for the best Indian blogs 2013-2014, you deserve it. :)
Thank you for that awesome comment Pooja! You rock! :)
DeleteSuch an exciting month indeed. I'm glad that you enjoyed May and I hope June brings you more prosperity and excitement :)
ReplyDeleteAll the best :D
Thank you so much my dear! :)
DeleteHaha seriosly that was amazing. Congratulations on the award!! :D love the painting doodle. Woah!
ReplyDeleteYou have a knack for painting as well! Woman, you never fail to amaze me! Glad that May went so well for you :) Wishing you a eventful June :) May was a mixed emotion month for me, good and bad. Hope June is kinder towards me.
ReplyDeleteYes I do, thank you so much Aathira! :)
DeleteAnd you call it as a lazy month eh? Super doodle! waiting eagerly to read more haikus :)
ReplyDeleteSome one does an assumption and calls you!! Grrr.... That's atrocious! good that you don't give a damn :)
Thank you for being a darling! :)
DeleteWow, having done so much you are calling it a lazy month!! Well, days are flying by so fast for me that I don't see a count of months. Loved reading this eventful post. The painting is absolutely beautiful. (I would love a clearer view though, waiting for you to put it up).
ReplyDeleteI don't see why people should assume you write about them in the first place. If they feel that the cap fits, they must wear it. You are not the one who should be bothered about it. Leave them behind and keep flying :)
Congrats on all the success you are getting on the blog. You and LOL deserve it much and much more.
I shall put up a clearer view soon, I promise.
DeleteThank you so much for being there for me always! :)
Also forgot to mention this. I wish I had read your review first. I read a couple of the sugar-coated and sucking up reviews and got this book. Boy, how cheap was the book that I felt I should stop reading. (I never leave a book half-read, that's my one policy for reading) I ploughed through it hoping somewhere there would be a justification for the atrocity that was the book. Sigh! Right now I am looking for a place to throw my copy away. Clearly worst book I have ever read.
DeleteAh I am glad someone else felt the same. I wonder what the others saw in this book that we did not. I never leave a book half-read too, the only one I left was 'The Enchantress of Florence'. I just couldn't move in after a few chapters. This was I was tempted to leave, but since I had signed up to review it, I had to read through it.
DeleteLet us meet and have a campfire with these books sometime ;)
that was some power packed month lady...and congrats!! no mean deal, best blog!! yay!!!
ReplyDeleteYay!! Thank you Titli! :)
DeleteCongratulations on being chosen for the Best Indian Blogs. And the doodle is awesome! Cute :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Reema! :)
Deletewow so much of travelling :)
ReplyDeleteand Coorg is a nice place!! i want to go there too sometime...
and that painting is soooooooooooo amazinggggggggggg !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i am sure Cal would have gone head over heels for it
Hahaha he did! Thanks :)
DeleteLazy month??!! :O And congratulations Soumya on making it to the list. You deserve it!! :D
ReplyDeleteThank you Anu! :)
DeleteCongratulationsssss on being in the list again :)
ReplyDeleteThat's a sweet painting....very creative !
If this is lazy for you, how superb 'active' would be :D
And let those ppl rest :D They'll be tired after worrying so much about what you wrote :D Jokes apart, you're doing the best thing by ignoring them !
Oh yeah, best to ignore! Thanks Sreeja :)
DeleteIf that is being lazy...what is being busy then. You have done well girl...keep it up :)
ReplyDeleteLazy in terms of waking up early! :P
DeleteThanks Janu! :)
I want to know how you made that doodle.. like what paint did you use? Any website that helped you? I want to make one like right now!!!
ReplyDeleteNo website nothing. Hand drew free shapes and the things that brought us together. Its a combination of felt pens and fabric paint.
DeleteHmm!! Interesting. I'll show you when I'm done. Or, when I start :D
DeleteYou better start soon! :)
Delete