Connecting!

I will be out for the weekend and I realised how much am I going to miss my blog and my blogger friends.

If I look back at the last couple of months, I can see how many wonderful  and talented people I have met in the blogosphere.  People who write about varied subjects, people who are as different from me as cheese and chalk, people who have very similar interests in life as me, people who have known me differently and now also are my blog buddies and are co bloggers.  The experience has been extremely rich and rewarding.

There are so many blogs that I love reading and keep going back to get my fill every day;  some of which are:

http://myriadutopia.blogspot.com/ - for lovely and soulful poems

http://stuffnoonetoldme.blogspot.com/ - for great animation and humour

http://weblogbetter.com/ - a wonderfully written blog for tips and tricks hosted by warm and friendly Jean Sarauer.

http://www.everydaygyaan.com/ - for touching and inspiring posts hosted by a very compassionate Corinne.

http://bloggingwithoutablog.com/ - again a very well written helpful and friendly blog hosted by wonderful Barbara

http://cybernag.wordpress.com/ - for a humorous yet vibrant landscaping of a woman's life

http://eveslungs.blogspot.com/ - posts on varied subjects coming straight from the heart of a passionate person.

Many many other such ones are part of my blog roll that I visit every day to laugh, to think, to feel inspired, to feel touched, to act, to respond .... and everyday is a new experience.

I have received responses to my posting in many different ways, some helpful tips, some friendly pats,  some kind comments, some helpful critiques, silent but regular visitors ...  All these make me want to write more.

I have learnt from my friends about blog etiquette, about various techniques and tools that I can use, about what it means to be a blogger and why do we write and about passion, rigour, commitment and focus.  I am so grateful and appreciative of all my friends who comment, who visit and who teach me to be a better person and a blogger every day.

What about you?  how's your experience of connecting in the blogosphere?

Poor Facebook

I am holding out a candle for FB here. I keep hearing from many people, especially people who like to take themselves very seriously, comments about FB and such other sites, which are often evaluative, judgemental and dismissive. I then notice that most of the these people are not even regular user of the site, although all of them have their account in it and despite their negative perceptions, have not checked out of the site.

I have been in Facebook since the last two years and i do enjoy the occasional tomfoolery, sharing of light moments, sharing of photographs, thoughts, opinions, and many other such things. But what i most enjoy and like about FB is that there are many others who are using this tool to spread their message about deeply held beliefs, political stances, seeking support, sharing other people's ideas by re posting their ideas, causes, videos, poems, articles,etc. Also it is a great place to connect with people from long forgotten past, keeping track of people and exchanging news with many people at one go.

The number of responses that i have received from my notes posted on FB are far more than any postings in my blog or in other e-gruops.

Lastly, it is an effective tool and the utility of the tool depends upon how we use it and not define it by how others are using it - that I think is a very "frivolous" thought.

blogging universe - the new home!

the  writeup dated 25th april, 2010 that is posted here is also posted on the "note" section on my Facebook account.  I am touched by the way people are writing about their experiences there - it is full of energy, talks about their angst, their sadness, their grief, their loss, their exhilaration, their need to break free, their desire, their aspiration and so many other emotions.

someone wrote there that he feels my writing sometimes evokes and creates a collective shared space.  I was wondering perhaps that is what a blogging space is all about ... to create a collective shared space for expression and relating of people who are otherwise not related .. across countries, across culture, across interests and professions, across gender ...

I follow various blogs on the net ... blogs of men and women who regularly posts wonderful and moving stories about their lives along with cooking recipes and photograph, of grandmas who talk about the education system, of men and women who are writing about their passion in life be it food, literature, daily life, children, politics and what have you.  I also read the comments that are left on the posts by other bloggers, readers and they are equally thoughtful and thought-provoking.

It is a whole new world out here in its presentation and format but the content and emotion are the same as we would have done sitting among friends - except  that here we are presenting ourselves to the world at large without knowing who sits on the other side.  for me it provides both thrill and excitement of reaching out to an unknown audience and be totally open to being evaluated by them one way or the other.

If not anywhere else, here, in the world of the world wide web, do I have feel of what the universe would be like - infinite, unknown, inviting and has both the potential of being a second home as well as  a real threat.

amitabh bachchan and blogging

mr amitabh bachchan has been writing his blogs lately and they are generating a huge response. today's blog was a one liner, written on his way home to mumbai from london, and it generated a whooping 251 responses, at the time i write this blog.

i was reading through some responses and it is amazing and fascinating to see the kind of emotions he generates in people. there are people from all ages, communities and countries who write to him, some talking about how they grew up watching his film, some talked about how he is an inspiration to their lives, some talked about their lives, some with questions and some with accusations and some with advice and suggestions. but it is totally amazing to see people's response to him.

i have visited amir khan's blog as well. even he does not generate this kind of response.

his writing is articulate, well versed and intelligent.

but the most interesting thing is his anger that comes through. it seems to me that the poised, measured, balanced amitabh is bursting through the seems in the blog, as an angry, anguished and don't really care person who is frank, up close and personal.

i wonder what does he do with this anger and anguish in his day to day life? it is not just a tirade against the media, it is almost the amitabh who does not find an outlet anywhere else, comes out here in the open, with his wit, humour, rawness, pain, perspectives, views and pain. is it his shadow side? i wonder what mr jung would have said?

i have not left any comment on his blog and will not. i feel tired just looking at the number of responses the poor guy has to read, even if he is assisted by a team.