Another one bites the dust. I thought I was one of the most devout pen and paper fans… Now I am about to start blogging. I always wondered, even little girls have diaries with locks on them – why do grown people write in the open like that? But as I have seen a few blogs, I am beginning to understand that a blog is anything you want it to be. A diary or journal, a learning log, a digital conversation, anything you can make of it. It can range from intensely personal to completely professional. It can work as a heart to heart with your best friend or could be a phone meeting with colleagues from around world. Anything at all…
But what will I write about? I don’t have anything to say… Or do I? I am beginning one of the most exciting journeys of my life so far. I want to share my experiences with my friends, I want to capture these memories forever, I want to set some people thinking. Have I actually lost the excuse that I don’t blog because I have nothing to blog about?
The old school of thought and the new one sit on either of my shoulders and whisper in my ears. Just that they are not obviously black or white. Or for that matter cautious or tempting. They are just two opposing voices. Let me try to yin and yang them into cooperating with each other.
It’s Finland that makes me want to blog. ‘Why Finland’ is what all non-Nokia people back home asked me when I was preparing to leave. Ofcourse there are the rational reasons. It’s the global HO… the exposure, the contacts, the chance to live in Europe, the role full of promise… But in my mind, there is a slightly offbeat, erratic, almost romantic aspect to why I am in Finland. I went to a Parsi school, not a convent. I studied Commerce, not Science. I went to XLRI, not an IIM. I studied HR, not Finance. Now I am in Finland, not in USA. In a weird way, that makes sense. These were all turns of fate or serendipity, not something I plotted for. But it forms a pattern. I have always ended up in the slightly offbeat, non commercial version of the standard order. Finland over the States just adds up and establishes the pattern. Whatever has been my peer group or standard world view, my life has taken the path not so central. All Indian parents want their kids to study in a convent school, become doctors or go to an IIM. What I have is not better or worse, but its just (in the case of Finland, literally!) the road less traveled. And I hope it will make all the difference.
But I digress…
So blogging it is. What will it be? A fad or a long term outlet? Will I have something to say regularly or will this just die out like my guitar lessons? Will I reveal more than I should? Both the old school and the new one are telling me to take it as it comes…
7 comments:
Good stuff. I like.
Your blog does not allow anon comments. Must. change. this.
On the old debate of why blog, and what to blog about etc...
An excerpt below
"I have just spoken to a good friend of mine who wants advice on how to blog.
(this my friend is what you should not do. write crap. ie, write good crap, not sad crap. make sure words like dither and ramble are not the best description of your writing style. do not comment aimlessly. do not write aimlessly. if the mood to write aimlessly comes upon you it is best to wait until the mood goes away. call me up if you want detailed information on measures employed to tackle such moods. write about glorious things in life such as music and sports. and on travel and books and movies. and on incidents and on events/places/activities which move you. some people choose to write on politics- personally, i find that very boring (do not when you blog ever use redundant phrases such as personally i feel .) additionally, there are many blogs which go to great depths explaining why they are anarcho capitalists or libertarians or some such tosh. i find these blogs very irksome. (just my views, these. there are many bloggers whose lives revolve around debates such as is capitalism better than socialism? if you find them interesting, go ahead. do not digress too much as I am wont to do at times) do not parenthesize parentheses as i am currently doing. one level in the hierarchy is enough. use capitals, use correct english. do not write on what you did today or yesterday or plan to do tomorrow, unless something very extraordinary happened or is about to happen. write the occasional movie review or book review when you are moved one way or the other. comment when interested but please, please do not use those smileys when commenting or writing. english is a language which has enough words and punctuations to express yourself quite clearly without resorting to such tricks.
and above all, remember that it is your blog and that you are the master of your own universe and you are perfectly free to do whatever you want. write about technology, about tea, its your call. write for yourself.)"
pretty candid stuff bhavna...
if you ask me, i would say you are lucky... away from the crowd, different and happy about it...
and i feel happy to see a girl like u...
Hi Bhavna
Please attempt changing your photograph on your blog. When you left for Finalnd, a few weeks ago, you were definitely not so blown up.
Me thinks...you are good at writing too. Your first posting on the blog has come out very well.
Keep up the good work, little girl.
Old Monk (is held as one of the best distilled rums. If you do not find it, which you might not, then Captain Morgaon works...the spicy one...better!
Cheers
Mall
done that vikram... think the pic was getting distorted... cos its a pic from the rishikesh outbound... n u saw me enough arnd those days...
Totally disagree with you, Srivats!
Bhavna, your blog is yours. Its upto you if you want to make it more reader friendly or not... I would ask you to write away about whatever you like girl... dont bother so much about any structures or rules as to what to blog about - everything goes!
Just keep two things in mind tho ( as you are not hiding behind a nom-de-plume)
1. Will I be comfortable with my family reading this?
2. Will I be comfortable with my employers ( present & future) reading this?
If the answer is yes, then post away!
Nice stuff, browsed through most of the stories, read some, understood some and others just bounced. But good stuff, guess you'll know the thought that went behind them years later also. cheers-vivek
now i know how i got here. was looking yo xlri pm ir. i join this june.
it's lovely to read this, comforting even.
is there any way i can write to you?
Post a Comment