Gurgaon diaries: Gateway to musical heaven and indiblogger

"Sir, I am calling from indiblogger. Are you coming to the meet on Saturday"

"Yes"

"Thank you sir"

Beta, ladki ki awaaz suni to haan kar di, office se chutti kaise milegi re? Arrey, sab manage kar lenge….

After putting down the call, this is the talk I had with myself.. there is a saying that once a lion tastes blood, there`s no stopping him…carrying forward my awesome experience with the previous meet, I knew that I had to go this time too. This time it was no software, no MNC, it was Music..the thing which helps relax..a phenomena so magical and vast that its tough to explain it in words. Plus the venue was also a welcome change for me. No pub, no dark place. It was a hotel in Gurgaon. Things would be much much better this time around. A conference room would be a welcome change. Now what? The next thing which came to my mind.. fixing up some more friends to go along because in a place like Gurgaon I am bound to get distracted and lost by the beauties there. Calling up one friend , it was decided that we`ll both meet at Huda and then go to the venue.

Saturday came and I cooked up multiple stories at various places to justify my half day disappearence. Family members informed about the so called “field work” so that I get a do not disturb time for the entire meet. Told my boss that had to take my father to Fortis for a checkup so need off. Only I knew that what kind of checkup was that. Beaming and leaving behind confused queries on faces, made it towards the long journey to Huda. Abhishek was running late and he told me to wait at the destination. The uneventful journey passed by with me staring at the clock.. Hate being behind the clock when making it to somewhere. A normal 10 minute wait and he finally arrived and we set off towards to our destination. The place seemed distant at first glance but it hardly mattered. The hotel was nice and we both were welcomed by some really hospitable staff. Seeing around , the few now recognizable faces from the first meet made me more at ease. 

This time around, I was here for the music…blogging to bas ek bahaana hai…it could take a backseat. But I was so wrong, I just did not sense the fact that the mixture of these two would give me an evening I would not forget so easily. Quite a few things remained the same- the same check in process, the twitter board, quite a few old people from before. The seating arrangement had tables and chair. Although sofa looked promising to go and sit but this time we took the front seating and were not in the mood to go and sit at the back. The best thing about these types of meets is that you don’t ask if a particular seat is vacant or not..sit if its vacant and then make friends.. So easy J

It took time for others to settle down as the space was limited and the crowd was a bit large in number. With sunshine reflecting in through the glass put around, the ambience felt good and bright to the senses. Making acquaintance with the new friend we found, we started off slowly in typical blogger fashion but then slowly eased into ourselves as the ice broke and we hit off instantly. As usual Anoop started the proceedings to welcome us and indeed the magic and spirit of music. Tweets began the usual race of listing the favourite songs on the twitter board. Seemed nice to me to note that my favourite songs had a lot in common with quite a few of the other people around. Cards were handed over which contained spaces for 5 favourite songs with a  unique number on it. I already had the hint that there was going to be some contest on it later on.

 Listing down the top 5 from the list of 100s in mind was a tough choice to do but it was accomplished nevertheless. When this was all about music, how can we stay behind? So it was a stamp, stamp, clap rhythm going on by all and after a few seconds I realized that the music from Queen`s song was trying to be recreated..felt nice to hear the sound variation. Taking up the anchoring up from Anoop was `Prateeksha` ( Prateek shah). He was the man introduced as the person who would bring happiness all around in this “boring meet”.( All quoted by Anoop himself). Prateek asked us to have a look a look at the card numbers once and when he`ll call up a random number , the person would stand up, give his introduction, state a crazy fact about him/herself and quote the next number. It was 15 seconds in disguise. Every 10^th member called up had to come up , introduce and do something extra .

Doing something infront of many people gives me the initial jitters. I was more than confident that I was saved. Off went the numbers and the people giving their intros. I lost count of the numbers when `Prateeksha` said , I think its no. 9 , yes mam go ahead. She completed the line “ The next no. 75”…75 ?? Damn it was…me…Realisation hit me after 4 seconds…thought…its just the intro…but no…I was the 10^th…so I had to really make it to the front and do what they asked me to do. Although dazzled by the happenings going so fast, I just regained my composure and asked whether I should introduce myself or do the task…well I got the go ahead  and talked to myself , “Let it go, let them know who you are, what you write, how you seem to be different from the others….just speak it up buddy…make the hit count…tell all you can to them…make it interesting from your side…” when I got the mike in my hand, it never occurred to me that I was addressing them for the first time, proceeded just like I was talking to my circle of friends. 

So I began my introduction of my blog, how much it can “mislead” people in the first instance, finally stating the USP that’s its wholly devoted to one emotion- Love and efforts are being made to diverse to humour as well. As for one crazy fact , just let them know what my close friends do call me- The Loveguru. I knew that this statement would surely bring up some smiles..and it surely did. I had gone 1 on 1 with my first try…the ice had been broken. Next came the additional task of picking up the chit and seeing the special task for Mr. 10. It read “Rock head”. Confused, I looked up to Prateek to explain to me. He said that I was to just rock my head like a rockstar for the duration the song played. I was like, lets go ahead. He helped me with it in the start and then I let my hair down…literally…although had to support myself and my balance due to the vigorous shaking but never let the mood detrack by music for the others. Resuming, I thought that rockstars are nothing without guitars so went ahead and stringed an invisible guitar too. 

It was fun…Just let music take over completely. When I was doing all this, I just thought that it was only me and music.

When it all ended, the applause told me that I had done my bit to kickstart the musical evening in a fun way. With Abhishek brimming, it was magical. Although I needed a few glasses of water to get a sense of gravity and balance back to life. And yes….won Headphones for this.. Again…there was lady luck…the one before me was a girl. Still searching for her to say Thank you JPrateek carried on with his happiness act…people performing moonwalk, couple dancing with a twist, ladies dancing like heroes and the lot… He finally met his match when a lady on being asked to speak one movie dialogue was ready with the classic line “ Main tumhaare bachchey ki maa banne wali hoon”…the whole place erupted into laughter. 

The pass the pillow session continued with the "culprits" getting a headphone each. Damn they cheated when my turn can, terming that as a `trial run`. He he.. 

The happiness session and all the laughter session brought us to the brink of tears while laughing . Goodies came again this time. People with round collar shirts got headphones too. While I was enjoying, Abhishek was a bit jealous with me…first I get my intro, a prize again and my tweets were going thick and fast on the board and he was waiting for his first to show up.. It was cool seeing him jealous. The head of Hp India came up with his presentation about the music service with hp laptops. One million songs, free download for one year was coool.  Being this one about music, it surely did engross me from start to finish. Taking a break, we headed for the wonderful refreshments and to make new friends in the meantime. Back to the final stretch, anoop took over and a few people won laptops for their choice of songs tweeted or written down in the cards. Even I was tempted but I sure was happy by whatever I had achieved in a single day. The same routine happened. Smiling group pics and finally heading back home with friends. Music was never so wonderful before.
At night i looked up the tweets for the meet. Damn surprised, i noticed 9 tweets about me and the performance. Turned out that by the night ended, i was surprised by luck again.

I devoted an entire day to music with wonderful hosting by Anoop, the smile man “ Prateeksha” and everyone who tried to make it a wonderful meet. Music just lets you go…be yourself. The journey I started with my new found family of people, who are bloggers too, is continuing... What I wished for in the previous meet got partially fulfilled. Its fun deciphering the real person behind the blogger in these meetings. Continuing to meet wonderful people from these meets everyday, I wish this journey to go on and on...    

Delhi Diaries: Indiblogger meet and the pub

Pub?? Yeh bloggers ki meet hai ya daaru party? Kahaan phas gaye? Yehi jagah mili thi inhein? 

These were the same exact thoughts running through my mind when I first heard about the indiblogger meet at bluefrog. Although blogging for years now, but it was my first chance since joining a blogging website Indiblogger so that I could meet other bloggers and also increase the visibility of my blog. Last few meets were Saturday scheduled and with no off for me , this was a blessing in disguise as it was held on Sunday. I checked it once again with indiblogger on twitter whether my pocket would take a hit or not…the good news, no entry fees J

I didn’t knew what to expect, what all happened in these meets…was a bit nervous as hell. So i started thinking that i`ll not expect anything and just go there…maybe something serious would happen..afterall, bloggers seem intellectuals. Reconfirming the timing and venue from the place , I started off to qutab. Once down and with plenty of time in hand , had a dandi march to the venue, asking directions, getting lost in history as I passed by qutab minar. Temptation tempted me to go in but suddenly I realized that its my day to meet new people, history can wait another day. A billboard welcomed me to the venue with the lines “Microsoft and Indiblogger welcomes Bloggers”… That was cool. Had a talk with a few people there as we waited to enter into the main venue. Apart from being greeted by the beautiful and stunning beauties at bluefrog, what I witnessed before my eyes was totally new.

Laptops up and running..Check in with your email id. Well what I got was a personalized welcome…and the t shirt came next. Adjusting my eyes to the dark world of a pub ( a place unknown to me), I choose a seat and looked at the screen. Technology staring right at me, I saw tweets flying thick and fast, automatic checkins being displayed…wow.. Staring at my mobile phone I thanked god that I had enough battery to go tweeting and last the whole session of this meet. Even my tweet got an instant reply from Microsoft. Luckily, I made a few friends in the few minutes I had been there so was not feeling awkward as when I had stepped in to the venue. When it all started, I felt just like a kid at the first day at school…not knowing what will happen and how it would go..As Anoop started the proceedings, I felt that it was going to be different because the agenda written on the paper was rejected…I knew instantaneous things go well and also knew that quite a few of other ones were also first timers at the meet. Ek hi thaaili ke chattey battey. The way 15 seconds of fame progressed, it took me sometime to figure everything out. Then came the diversity of people writing on various topics….food, technology, poems, hindi, poetry, random stuff…Although chances of me getting a chance were remote, but it sure did help me find people from one particular field of service I respect from the bottom of my heart and almost worship- Defence. Felt like just like a small child in a toy shop. Not one but 3 ex defence people…2 from the army and one from the navy…Damn my fav. Air force was missing J . Number calling took up the surprise slot. People actually winning hard cash, free beer, mouse, tshirts and all such stuff doing virtually nothing. Wearing a striped shirt that day got me a shirt. How cool is that....

Things went smoothly until I knew something boring would come up- Microsoft 365. Although it was a sponsor but I was not really in the mood to hear about software on my off day. Gaming consoles might have been another story…Far cry, Max Payne, Xbox 360….hmmm..tempting. The heart then said that atleast listen. Little did I knew that it would surprise me at the end. Listened to the features, queries by others and all and then all broke off for refreshments. There I made up a few more friends, talked at length about blogs and stuff. People winning money there also for performing impromptu tasks. I took a step ahead but my doctor`s advice halted me.. “ Beta, you`ve just got off with a fractured leg, wanna risk it again for money”? So, I decided to play it safe and enjoy the evening. Finally after sometime I headed back inside again for what I called it a “return to base” call. All this while I noticed that there were veteran bloggers, ladies, girls..people from all walks of life. Finally I knew that `Beauty with brains` are a reality. Now twitter made its appearance. Asked one feature of 365 helping in enterprise and told to tweet, I went forward and made a tweet. Not expecting anything, surprise…surprise…anoop read it and I won a Microsoft mouse out of nowhere. Now this was ultra awesome. I had come in empty handed and now I was sitting with 3 goodies in a matter of just 4 hours. My new found friends were surprised and happy and I was dumb struck, but beeming. With Microsoft india cloud services head, Ritu Chaturvedi joining us after the break I considered her the lady luck.

The whole team from indiblogger was faboulous. Be it Anoop, Prateek  and the others too who made my day and evening memorable. When we finally wrapped up after the group pic and meet and I walked down with my friend Abhishek to the metro station talking, I knew that I carried home a lot more friends, new and happy memories, something new, and the luck which I knew would make me stand infront of all of them and make me introduce myself, in my own style…Little did I knew that the wish would be granted so soon…in Gurgaon....