Q & A with myself!

Well, it’s been nearly one whole year since Chinmay the Blogger started putting up his ideas on BlogSpot. Today, Chinmay the Interviewer asks Chinmay the Blogger about his experiences, ups and downs, his thoughts on his own blogs, on the occasion of completing one blogday.

(CI=Chinmay the Interviewer; CB=Chinmay the Blogger)

CI: “Hello CB. We shall start with the questions straight away... It’s been a year since you started writing posts. Any inspirations for starting this activity?”

CB: “Actually, I was planning to write for quite some time before I actually started writing. So yeah, you can say the inspiration was from within me, more so to make people read my work.”

CI:”Doesn’t that sound as if you are writing for gaining publicity?”

CB: “Nah, not really. See, my mother thinks I write really well. Plus it’s a good medium to write whatever you want. Publicity comes naturally to me, whatever I do. Blogging boosts it only by a millimeter.”

CI: “A year has passed since you first posted. How different you find your posts now, as compared to what you first wrote?”

CB: “Not that much actually. I try to follow a pattern. 1-2 funny posts, 1 Marathi poem, 1 serious post, plus special events in that month if any. But my language- both Marathi and English have improved significantly you can say.”

CI: “Yeah we observed that... you have written on a variety of things. What motivated you to do so?”

CB: “To write something substantial, you need to read, hear or see it somewhere, and think over it. Your horizons broaden as a result. You gain a non monotonous outlook on things going on around you. Plus, all the things I write on really draws my interests- you can say they are hobbies since childhood.”

CI: “And who motivated to you to write what you have written so far?”

CB: “The sources vary. Mostly it’s the indiosycracies of my friends, or professors or just the things that go on around us. My good friends Sumedh and Anant contribute a lot of ideas. I do try to mention the inspiration in each and every post though!”

CI: “What about all those Marathi poems you post? What draws you to post them? A lot of people wanted to know why you write them in the first place!”

CB: “I personally think that the youth of today are deviating culturally. Westernization is being accounted for at a terrible cost of belittling our own culture. The Marathi poetry is just an attempt to stamp the beauty of what’s our own on these deviant minds. I really hope that they get inspired by what I write and start appreciating and rediscovering their own culture- it really is beautiful.”

CI: “What about this recent trend of writing about Kavi Bhushan and Shivaji Maharaj?”

CB: “Again, simple- motivate people to come under the banner of nationalism. Today we can see how ruined and corrupt our democracy is. People like Shivaji Maharaj are idols for one and all. He inspires awe. There is an aura of invincibility, and an almost god like image about him. And nobody describes him better that Bhushan. So…”

CI: “Wow! Listening to that coming from you is quite surprising. A few years ago, no one would have imagined you would consider writing anything other than sarcastic posts!”

CB: “Pu.La Deshpande was known for his humour, but some of his works are genuinely serious and prompt us to think. I look up to him as an idol. Its necessary one writes on serious topics from time to time.You tend to think in doing so. Otherwise it feels like telling the same joke again and again. ”

CI: “If you were a critic, which post of yours would you choose as your best?”

CB: “That’s difficult. I love most of them. But I would have to say the 'Rains, Sur Malhar and Me wins. A close second is Kedar'”

CI: “And the worst?”

CB: “Ah. Simple- ‘On the Dirtier Side.’. No idea why I even took efforts to type it!”

CI: “And the one you like to read the most?”

CB: “Ahh... The one on the Ideal girl. Goodness, it still gives my laughs to read some of the stuff I’ve written in that!”

CI: “The one you had most fun writing?”

CB: “Say ‘NO’. It was an adventure in itself to come up with witty new ways of putting someone off! I and my friend who helped me get inspired for that were coming up with reasons for two whole days!”

CI: “Good you mentioned those two- I was dying to ask you- what do you base your funny posts on.”

CB: “It’s the normal everyday things we do- stupid things like done in class. Inconceivable things we come up with. Minor things like chalk fights. Spoofs of the existing things. Again, Pu La is my inspiration for these posts.”

CI: “Do you have a set frame of how you are going to write before you actually start writing?”

CB: “Actually, all of it is spontaneous. Although I do make a point that I edit afterwards to make the read enjoyable. I completely changed parts of the T-20 post twice to make changes suggested by a few people!”

CI: “What was the happiest moment in your blogging life?”

CB: “It's tough to choose between getting 341 hits in a day to getting the first cluster map dot from South America (the last continent to have access to my posts).”

CI: “Other than your own, which blogs you like to read?”

CB: “Actually, I tend to read all those that I follow. I like Sanjeevs work a lot. Neha K must also be appreciated for her amazing write ups and pics more often than not. Pundlik is good too. MadB blogs are moody- cribbing you can say, but once in a while a decent one is posted. Rao writes pretty well too.”

CI: “And those you do want to read but not get a chance to read?”

CB: “Ill really like to read what Viru has to say. He has that mantle of producing extraordinary stuff. Anant will be jokes too- intellectually damning one can say. Sumedh has deep knowledge of Marathi. Id definitely like to read something in Marathi from him too! I hope they start writing soon.”

CI: “Well CB we have to start winding down as we are approaching the threshold of boredom. Anything you learnt about what not to do?”

CB: “Hell Yeah! I hurt the feelings of one of my best friends ever in my very first month. It was a disgraceful thing to do, that. Never ever I am going to post posts which toy with others emotions. On this note, I again apologize to my friend for writing it in the first place. It’s destroyed now though.”

CI: “And anything you regret posting?”

CB: “Apart from that 1 post, nothing. I don’t care that much actually. People do talk about my ideologies and right-wing ness, explosiveness of posts etc, but then, I am proud of having them. It’s not wrong to express your opinions, no matter how explosive they are!”

CI: “A year ago, did you think that you could make it to your first blogday?”

CB: “I have always believed in myself and God. So with his blessings, as and when I get a good topic, I write. Always knew I would make it.”

CI: “And do you hope to carry on writing in future?”

CB: “Well, the last answer was self stating. Why do you keep asking the same thing again and again? Don’t worry; it’s been a while since I flipped!”

CI: “Thank you Chinmay the blogger for taking your time off for giving us this interview. It was a great pleasure chatting with you. And we do hope that you keep on producing good write ups, and inspire one and all. ”