Updates, Tag and General News

First the good news, I have written about DU distance learning students’ plight at their courses not being recognised. IGNOU has now given a green signal for DU distance learning courses. Hurray! 🙂

I had written this post at request of Deepak, who wasn’t receiving his appointment letter from Staff Selection Commission (SSC) even though he was selected. So, thankfully, Deepak will receive his appointment letter shortly.

All winners of Cricket-opedia Contest by Virgin IHL have received their gifts. However, I could confirm it with all winners except one, Sandil Srinivasan. Sandil, could you please let me know if you got your goody bag?

Now come the dedications and thank yous.

The first one is to Ava, she awarded me a International Bloggers Award, which I didn’t know about until I checked incoming links.  Second, she loved the book I gifted her and also wrote about the book on her blog.

Ok, I admit I am gushing with pleasure. I gift books to everyone I meet and know. Even me smaller cousins know I would get then a new book each time. But when I know someone loved them and appreciated them as I thought they would. It’s like feeling dhanya, it feels like heaven. Thank you, Ava for making my day.

Second is Indyeah, who wrote this beautiful post about Delhi, dedicating to me. Though I twittered it, I never acknowledged it on my blog. Thank you, girl. 🙂

I must also thank Arpit, who is now embarking on a new life. Often he is the one who reminds me to write a new post. And I DO write at his behest.

News about Fellow Bloggers

You must already know that  Chirag who now blogs here has started a new initiative called Indiameme. He has a new initiative where he’s collating information about all national and local government sites. Please help him and suggest the worthy resources in the comments section.

Similarly, Dinsan, who used to the first commentator on all my posts is now also a freelancer. He is churning out useful posts as this. Go visit his non-cluttered blog and find simple tech news there.

Nimmy is also back and has written interesting posts on astrology and Scientology.

On the Sad News front, three minor bad things have happened in my blogging life in past few months.

First: Two of the bloggers, some valued friends, lied about a small issue. Though to their credit, they regretted it, their regret was also genuine since they are good people. But it made me wonder about things like privacy and trust within online friends.

I have defined my blogging boundaries. I write personal stuff; but nothing too personal, nothing that I wouldn’t be open about in real life.  I decide which bloggers I will meet, and how far I will go with each. It is not a decision for anyone else to take if this info should be shared with other blogger, or how I should deal with other blogger, or how close (if I am) to other blogger.

What makes worse, people have different definition of honesty as well. What you know was lie and dishonest may not be to others. Lesson learnt is that , blogging is soon becoming a community where people happily whisper secrets to other saying ‘Don’t tell anyone’. And a chain of passing info goes on 😦  So if there’s something you want to keep to yourself, don’t ACTUALLY tell anyone.  Because the one you are putting in trust maybe as gullible and human as you.

Second, a blogger who disagreed with my DevD review actually abused me. You know who you are and you have been barred from having your further say on my space. It’s alright to call my opinions foolish or provoking ; but to call me names and abuse me for my opinion is UNACCEPTABLE. Period.

I remember having a great conversation with Quirky Indian on the same post. We disagreed but despite that, it was a great conversation.

Third, another blogger who I considered a great friend took umbrage at my innocent quip. If I disagree with you, I certainly don’t intend to put you down. I am just expressing my opinion. Feel free to rip apart what I say. But dismissing my disagreement by doubting my intention is not fair. Not fair to the medium of blogging and commenting; not fair to friendships.

But for every such blogger, I am grateful and proud to know bloggers like Anshul and Vee.

Anshul and me disagree on most things because things we agree are very far and few. He didn’t even agree with me that Salim Ali’s book was a good choice for ornithology. Ok, this was a dig at him. But see, he won’t think that I am putting him down. He will launch his own efforts to prove me wrong instead, knowing this won’t thwart our friendship at all.  (Second dig successfully taken. :P)

Then there is Vee, I remember having a disagreement about movie Gulal. I hated a particular character; whom he loved. Though he won’t budge in his opinion (he wrote in comments that he will write his side in his review, and he did), he did tell me “tumne to solid reason diya hai” as in you have given me a solid argument.

Thank you both, you guys make me believe that freedom to expression of speech will never come in way of our friendship. And you my reader, I assure you these experiences are not going to take out any sting from my future debates and arguments. I am just going to be me as always, but just a bit wary. 😀

Last but not the least, I meet families of two other wonderful bloggers Mahendra, who is a staff writer at Makeuseof.com and Meetu, who is owner of wonderful movie review site, WOGMA. When I told a friend about my visit, he said, “They were good to you.” Yes, very much. Thank you, Mahendra and Meetu, glad to know people like you in a new city.