Sunday, February 24, 2013

Liebstered again


I am a glutton for awards and every time I get some kind soul awarding me something, it gives me a rush. Of course, a part of it is because it happens so infrequently but a bigger part is the warm feeling that it gives you to realize that, somewhere in the world, there is someone who actually likes something of you. This time there are two lovely people – Ash and Menachery – who have awarded me the Liebster.
The Liebster is one award that gives me mixed feelings. Of course there is the aforesaid warmth of getting the award but the fact that it is given to people with less than 200 followers makes it seem less like an award and more like a consolation. In the initial days of blogging you do not expect to have followers anyway but as you age as a blogger and still fail in getting followers the shoe does start to pinch. I have a sneaking feeling that in my dotage with my hands trembling with Parkinsons and with inch-thick glasses I shall be peering at my blog and still be seeing the 100 odd followers I have now – if I have not lost all of them by then – and then eagerly await to be consoled by the Liebster.
What is worse is finding 11 people to give the award to – and all of them need to have less than 200 followers. You go a-hunting for them and find that all the people you know have been veritable Pied Pipers with half the population following them. You blow a couple more feeble notes on your pipe and look around piteously for a following – only to find that the few who have joined your train out of pity are looking around for a convenient way to disappear without hurting you too badly.
I have to apologize for not picking those 11 bloggers to pass on the award. It has been more than a week and my hunt for awardees has netted me a lot of people who made me envy their followers and a lot of others who have just put up their acceptance posts for the Liebster that someone else has awarded them. Being the obsessive kind, I find myself unable to get going on anything else till I complete this post – thus I am putting up the post without completing all the formalities.
I am supposed to put up 11 facts about myself. I can only redirect people to the series of posts here, where they will find enough facts about me to make them feel that sourness rise in their gullets whenever they even spot my gravatar for the next month.
Now I shall get to answering the 2 x 11 questions that I have been asked. First Menachery’s questions:
1. What is the craziest thing you have done to increase your Blog followers?
What have I not done? The problem is that none of them succeeded or I would not have been awarded the Liebster and would not be answering this question!
2. What is the best story/poem/post you have written so far?
Looks to me like it is a toss-up between ‘Yesterdays and Tomorrows’ and ‘The Gates of Hell’ as far as stories are concerned. The most popular, however, seems to be “TheSilent World’.
3. Who is your favorite follower?
You must be the person who asked the newbie heroine who her favorite hero was! I’ll give the same answer – all the followers who I have and who I will have are my favorite followers!
4. One comment on your Blog that made you Rofl
Hmm! There was this one comment that I deleted. It was on my post for the Sunsilk contest – ‘Straighten up or die’. The contest asked for crazy ideas to straighten hair and, on my post, one of that vast tribe of ‘Anonymous’ commented that it was a lame post and I ought to have written about what I actually did to straighten my hair in the days I had hair. What made it funny was that this ‘lame’ post went on to win one of the runners-up awards! That is when I ROFLed!
5. Do you feel a compulsive need to keep updating your Blog?
Well! I am compulsively lazy – so I actually have to compel myself to update my blog periodically!
6. Funniest Post you ever read
I normally find almost all of Debajyoti’s posts or Rickie’s posts very funny. Too difficult for me to pick one! (Among the other things that happens when I read their posts is that I find it funny that I think of my posts as funny!)
7. Do you feel that certain comments are just to patronize you, or rather to get you to comment on their post. How do you deal with it.
Raw nerve, there! I actually put up an entire post – On Criticism on Blogs – on just this topic. Nowadays I find that deleting is easier on my nerves.
8. If you had a magic lamp, what would you wish for , on your Blog
Only one wish? I make very modest demands – how about my blog becoming the No.1 destination in the world for Internet readers?
9. What is/was your dream profession?
I am living my dream – I always wanted to be retired and, now, I am!
10. If you had to snuggle up all by yourself, with a book, which one would it be, and why.
The complete collection of P.G. Wodehouse’s stories, I suppose. I like laughing!
11. If you had to publish your Blog,, what would you name the book?
I think I have a nice enough name for my blog to suit the book – Life is like this! You can write anything in the book and if someone asks you how it suits the book, you can put on an injured expression and say, “But Life is also like this”

Now Ash’s questions
1.Which is your favorite book and why ?
Asked and answered – P.G.Wodehouse’s complete collection. Makes me laugh and I like laughing.

2.What is the one thing you would rescue from your burning house, assuming no one is inside ?
I am Libran! By the time I decide what is best to save I’d probably burn along with the house and all my possessions.
3.Which is the most discomforting movie you have seen ?
I watch movies on TV. With remote in hand it is unlikely I stay on the channel long enough for any movie to discomfort me! I like my comfort!
4.What is the one social issue you can take out time for ?
Hmm! To be entirely truthful, I do not think anything will get me out of my home. I can always write posts or Like social causes!
5.Are you happy more when you are writing or when you view your finished work ?
I actually like the thinking process when I nearly completely plan out what I will write. After that it seems so much like work that I keep postponing the actual writing.
6.Why do you blog ?
Good question! (That’s what teachers say to students when they do not know the answer!) I suppose it is because I have the fallacious notion that I can write I suppose!
7.If you had taken a different fork in life, what would you have been ?
Still what I am – retired - from a different profession, maybe!
8.Which is that one experience you wish to have before you die ?
Do I really have to – die, I mean! Is there no Presidential pardon or something? Mmm! Maybe see my book in the best-sellers list once at least. I keep telling people that I am a man of modest ambitions.
9.Are you more comfortable in the company of others or being alone ?
You know what – it all depends! When I am alone I think I am comfortable in the company of others and when I am in company I think I love being alone. When I am drunk, I love wherever I am!
10.Which do you think is the biggest malady plaguing the nation now ?
The selfish act and do not talk; the unselfish talk and do not act!
11.Why would you attend a bloggers meet or would you rather not?
I love blogger meets – when it gives me time to interact with other bloggers. Bloggers are people too you know and people are fun to be with!
I apologize once again for not passing on the awards. I find that I am becoming more and more averse to work the longer I stay retired and it is, indeed, a lot of work to sift through bloggers and pick 11. I know Ash and Menachery have done just that and I respect them for it but I cry mercy!

44 comments:

  1. congratulations for your liebster:) I am a newbie to blogging and would love to hear your comments on my posts! BTW following you:)

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  2. hahaha, your answers are always ROFL stuffs!

    those stories which you wrote for BAT are absolutely mind-blowing!! whoever read those stories would know that you are one of the best writers we have in blogsphere.

    totally agree with you on answer no 5 to Ash's questions.

    do you know that you have promoted my blog more number of times than i have :D. thank you so much!! you are just too kind!

    many didn't give me any award assuming that i have more than 200 followers but the reality is i don't even have 50 followers :D. but don't disclose this fact.

    didn't know you won that 'straight hair contest.' Congratulations!!!!!

    and i would love to see your blog becoming the no 1 destination for internet readers.

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    1. Ah! Debs! Wish I had known! I just sort of don't think of you when it comes to the Liebster - that same assumption about half the world following you with the other half looking over their shoulders :)

      I can always depend on you to be kind about my posts!

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  3. It was great reading about one of the most cheerful writers around. I am totally a sucker of your favourite profession, except that I am still to earn it. And I agree, Choosing the next set of bloggers is the toughest leg. I am done for the year 2013!

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    1. I sort of think I am done for ever Uma :) I am just getting too lazy I guess :)

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  4. Why cry for mercy,Suresh?..Don't you know that mercy is twice blessed?..Life can also be like that..

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    1. I meant only that I be pardoned for not doing what is expected, Manimala!

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  5. One thing i know is you deserve every bit of being nominated for a liebster and am more than 100 cent sure you would get more in coming few days...

    for choosing an appropriate nominee is upon you ...and i suppose it resides entirely on your jurisdiction...!!!

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    1. I am afraid I shall abdicate that responsibility going forth. Whenever i think of all the work involved I keep postponing the awards post - and being the obsessive sort that I am I find myself unable to write anything else till I finish the awards post. Net result my blog gets orphaned :)

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  6. Suresh Sir, this is by far the best and most entertaining Liebster post I have read so far (and I have read thousands, since like you, all the bloggers I follow have already been awarded this multiple times!)

    I actually first started following your blog when I found your Straight Hair contest entry. It was by far the funniest thing I'd read in a long time, and I knew right then your blog was a sure-fire way to gather a chuckle or giggle whenever I wanted!

    I wish you no more Liebsters as I hope you get more than 200 followers soon :)

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    1. Thanks, Mixi, particularly for that last wish :)

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  7. That was an exhaustive set of questions! Congratulations for your Liebster. Calls for a Foster :D

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  8. Congratulations on your awards CS, it was nice and fun reading your answers! May you have many more of these in all the years to come :)

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    1. Thanks Arti! I really do not know whether I am able to put up more awards posts now :)

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  9. Hey Suresh! Hearty congratsX2:)
    Cheers! and chin-up man:):)

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    1. Oh! My chin is alway up, Amit - perfectly positioned for an upper-cut :)

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  10. Congrats on your awards ! .I have been reading your blog quite few months and now it seems I am getting addicted to your blog. Your writings are a mixture of humor and anguish with your own way of expressing your feelings. Keep writing.
    Cheers :)

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    1. That's very gratifying to hear that you like my blog to the point of addiction, Uma! Thanks! But, anguish? I am not truly aware of any anguish in my mind - something hidden from me too maybe!

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  11. Congrats for the award! :) I have got it at-least four times, but did a post only once. I am still short of 21 followers for that coveted 200! So, you're not alone. ;-)

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    1. Works very similarly for me - this was 3 and 4, I think :)

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  12. Interesting answers. I guess one benefit of having 200 + followers is you don't have to take on the Liebster awards. I would be surprised if even 20% of my close to 300 followers even remember that they are still following my blog. Following is just done in the hope you follow back. And most people are too kind to unfollow when you do not follow. Or maybe they continue to hope.

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    1. That accounts for it then (Let me delude myself :) ) I do not follow blogs cos I follow them mostly on Indiblogger. With all my e-groups my mail gets too cluttered to add blog posts to the melee.

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  13. Hilarious & original as usual.
    I too adore P.G.Wodehouse.
    Using your terminology-my shoes pinch like mad!

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  14. Good answers and congrats on the awards. I have two Liebsters pending (makes it 5)along with 3 other awards. I find it extremely difficult to find bloggers to pass them on to :(. I think everyone I know has got them multiple times. And though I have more than 200 followers (what a stupid criteria) since I am no longer on blogger, they are not visible. So, I continue to get love aka Liebster!

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    1. Hmm! Great to know I am not alone in facing this difficulty :)

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  15. HI Suresh, loved your post! Specially since I went through a similar process recently for the Liebster award. The good thing it did was force me to read blogs, hunt fr those with less than 200 followers and then I went through extra pains to find out if they had been awarded a Liebster before, if they were, I ruled them out. I honestly felt good about getting this award, so what if my followers are less than 200, in fact they r a whole zero less! I put in 20% of my time into my blog and considering that I think I am doing great. Plus this searching led me to so many new blogs that are genuinely nice to read. I don't mind going thru the process again but I think the other criteria one should add is that every blogger can only receive it once! What do u think?

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    1. There is no denying the pleasure in receiving the award, Mehroo! I was pleased too.

      It is quite good to have each blogger receiving it only once - but the difficulty is that the blogosphere is too vast and it is impossible for everyone who passes on the award to keep track of whether the awardee has already received the award - particularly when (a) the award post has not already been put up or (b) if the award is carried only in the post.

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  16. Congratulations on the awards Suresh.
    I completely agree with you about planning being more interesting than actually writing down the piece. And what is sometimes more boring is the continuous cycles of reading it again and again to your satisfaction.
    And who doesn't want to see his blog being the number 1? That was very honest. A lot of people can't say or write that fact. :)

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    1. About the only virtue that still sticks to me - honesty :)

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  17. Enjoyed your question-answer session, CS. Well done on the leibster. You are right. Searching for bloggers to pass it on to is too much hard work. Easier to appreciate interesting posts with comments.

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    1. Thanks KayEm! Having received love from some it seems too selfish to not pass it on to others - but it proved just too much for me this time!

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  18. Sorry for the delay Suresh but BSNL played traunt and I was left high and dry for quite some time :(
    Anyways, great to read your responses to the questions ..the obsession part of getting this post over to be able to get on with the others , well that resonated completely :)

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    1. Thanks Ash! Every time I attempt humor in response to someone's kindness I am always wondering whether it can be misconstrued in a manner hurtful to the one who has been kind to you. This time was one too - I was afraid that you and Menachery could have reason to think that I was not happy about being awarded the Liebster by you, which was not at all my intention or my reaction to receiving it, and it is great to see this response from you :)

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  19. I just received this award from Leo but you know my thoughts on these awards!
    Congrats to you and the answers were definitely interesting to read!

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  20. q3: tch tch ... heroine material :P..
    really abt q4 ??? rofl... fud one ..
    Oh btw, the less than 200 follower is utter nonsense, i dnt even check how many followers each of my nomiinees had, well i love to twist the rules... you just simply deserved it :) .. Congratulation for the double liebster

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    1. Thanks Menachery for that 'just simply deserved it' comment. I did warn you that I'd write just that 'heroine' answer for that question. And, yes, it is absolutely true abt q 4 - I even wrote abt it in one indiblogger forum thread at that time (I had not won by the time I wrote it there :) )

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  21. Good to read your answers! Gosh, it feels like I haven't read Debjyoti in a long time! Good you reminded! Librans are indecisive huh? I had no idea about the 200 follower rule, this is the first time I am hearing about it! :) Best wishes for your book becoming a bestseller and may you see the day very soon!

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    1. First wish i complete a book :) Knowing my laziness I could spend a lifetime merely thinking about it :)

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