It has been a whole year now, as of today, since I started blogging. I was greeted this evening, when I opened my wordpress account, with a trophy on my notification icon. It said, “Happy Anniversary! Thanks for flying with us”. A whole year. I have met great people, from all around the world; have made great friends; have been constantly encouraged and flattered; have gotten a huge boost for my self-confidence which was dwindling low around a year back. Well, here’s the story of how and why I actually start blogging:
I was asked to be a content-writer for a magazine that was a venture by one of the student chapters that I was a part of at that time. Having been encouraged by my teachers at school and by my parents, who identified my flair for writing, I was overjoyed at the opportunity and sat down to give it my best shot- to prove myself to the world. After a lot of editing and consulting with one of my friends who also has a blog, I finally came up with a small write-up (which is actually my very first blog post). I submitted the article and then eagerly waited for the next team meeting. The very next week, we had one, and I went there with a huge smile on my face. The editor gave a brief analysis of each article and praised them all. Finally, it was my turn. He looked at me, and said “Well, your article was very disappointing”. And all I could hear after that was my heart thudding in my ear- I could see his lips moving as he continued to address me, but I heard nothing. And then, my ears caught the words “grammatical mistakes” and that was the last straw. I still do not know how I kept my cool, but I somehow did, and burst out as soon as I was in the safety of my room. I decided that it was time to show him, to show the world, of what I was capable of. I decided to start my own blog.
The response I got was overwhelming, and every like and every comment on my posts healed my wounds. The blogging world had indeed become my feel-good world. It still is. I would like to celebrate the anniversary of my blog, by accepting two long pending awards that I had been nominated for.
I was nominated for the versatile blogger award, by Rebecca Fraser-Thill, an expert in career avoidance, who gives great advice for college students about career choosing and planning. I must say, that I have definitely learnt a lot from her posts. Thank you, Professor. 🙂
I was also nominated for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award by Mike, a brilliant writer, author of The Eye-Dancers and other books. His posts are very thought provoking, and his short stories are equally engaging too. Thank you so much for this award, Mike!! 🙂
For both these awards, I need to tell a few interesting things about myself. Here goes:
- I am a very staunch vegetarian. I try convincing my friends to give up meat at every possible opportunity, much to their dismay!!
- My bucket list is so long, that I am not sure if I will have time enough in my life to tick them all off.
- My favourite time of the day- when I lie curled up in my bed, with a book in one hand and a bar of gooey chocolate in the other.
- The only flavour of ice-cream that I can eat is Vanilla.
- I have always wanted to have a dog. But having lived in an apartment that bans having pets, I have never had the chance to have one.
- I love learning new languages, though I am very slow at picking up the words.
- I am addicted to popcorn. 😉
And now, the blogs I would like to nominate for the Versatile Blogger Award are:
2. http://srishti25.wordpress.com/
3. http://rohan7things.wordpress.com/
4. http://thebackdoorartist.com/
5. http://travelgardeneat.com/
6. http://insearchofperfect.com/
8. http://fictionalmachines.com/
9. http://anilcm.wordpress.com/
10. http://hillsofherchastity.wordpress.com/
The blogs I would like to nominate for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award are:
1. http://deborahbrasket.wordpress.com/
2. http://thepersecutionofmildreddunlap.wordpress.com/
4. http://theforesterartist.com/
5. http://sdunnebacke.wordpress.com/
6. http://backthewaywecame.wordpress.com/
7. http://abcofspiritalk.wordpress.com/
8. http://wordsfallfrommyeyes.wordpress.com/
Thank you once again, Rebecca and Mike. It is indeed a great honour.
I am delighted to hear that you nominated and considered me on your list. However, as much as I wish I could receive, I can’t because, I already did. My sincerest apologies. Let’s give the awards to those who haven’t gotten it.
Of course… 🙂
So kind of you to think of me! I love the contradiction between only eating vanilla ice cream, but savoring your gooey chocolate with a book!
Ha ha!! Yes, my friends find it very quirky too!! 😉
Congratulations on some well-deserved awards, and thank you for a nomination as well! Love the love grow!
Thank you!! 🙂
Congratulations (on your awards but also on one year of blogging!). I always look forward to your posts! And I love the story of how you started blogging. Here’s to another year of wonderful blogging 🙂
Thank you so much, Letizia!! It has been great meeting you!! 🙂
Congratulations on your well deserved award. And, thank you so much for honoring me back. I’m honored and will hold it in my heart, always. Paulette
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Congratulations to you, and Thank You so much for nominating me..! 🙂
I loved reading about your introduction to blogging. Good for you; when life gets tough, the tough get going…. And, didn’t you get going…! 🙂
Thank you… And yes, I love the song “When the going get’s tough, the tough gets going”… 🙂
Happy Blogaversary! And congrats on the awards. I always enjoy my visits to your blog.
Thank you so much!! This means a lot to me!! 🙂
Did not know there was a story behind the blogging Sumi…Great accomplishments–Well done and keep it up
Thank you so much, aunty!! I had always wanted to start a blog, but was too lazy to actually start it. This was the trigger that made me do it. Well, I guess I should actually thank that guy for giving me the incentive!! 😉
Congratulations on one year and all your other successes. I definitely know I’ve enjoyed your posts. Wishing all the more success in the future:)
Thank you so much, Sara!! Wishing you the very best of luck too!! 🙂
Congratulations Sumithra – One Year!
Capped off with awards too 🙂
All good wishes for your continued blogging and sharing,
Eric
Thank you so much, Sir!! I have indeed been lucky to have found such good bloggers who have encouraged me throughout the way… Thank you once again, Sir!! 🙂
Congratulations on your awards! Thank you so much for the nomination too 🙂
Thank you!! 🙂
Congratulation Sumithra on your anniversary and the awards! Well done, you deserve them. I am honored that you selected me for this award. I do have to warn you I am terrible about doing the award response, but thank you so much anyway. 🙂
Ha ha!! I was very late in my response this time too!! And thank you!! 🙂
🙂
Congratulations on your well deserved awards. Thank you so much for honoring me.
Thank you, Sir. And it is my pleasure to nominate you for this award!! 🙂
Congratulations & thank you so much! Keep up the great work & enjoy the day over there! 🙂
Thank you!! And I really love your work!! Have a great day too!! 🙂
You write so well Sumi that you can give a few others a complex….
One year has rolled by pretty fast… Congratulations and all the best,
Keep blogging J
Warmly,
Bharath
Bharath K S | Chairman Aparajitha Corporate Services Limited I Website : http://www.aparajitha.com Landline : +91 452 4361300 | Email : bharathks@aparajitha.com
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Ha ha!! Thank you so much, mama… It has indeed been a very quick year.
Hello!
I love reading stories like these.When people wrong you for some reason,it’s very important to go out there and prove yourself.In a way,it’s a good thing you were criticized by the editor.You’d never have discovered your blogging skills otherwise.I guess the best award is the feeling you must be experiencing right now.Of accomplishment and triumph 🙂
When I saw your notification,I wasn’t too sure what ‘Volatile’ was 😀
Anyways, I got it now.Versatile?I’m glad you think so.I’d love to accept it,only thing is I dunno how to go about it 😛
(I guess you’ll help me out.)
Congratulations on completing one year.Hope you keep ‘Hearing with the eye’ in the years to come.All the best! 🙂
Thank you so much… And yes, I think I should in a way now thank the editor!! 😉
And so sorry about the slip I made… I was doing a bit of chemistry by the side, and so the error!! 😀
The procedure for accepting the award is simple:
1. Thank the blogger who presented this award to you.
2. Post the picture of the award on the post.
3. Share seven interesting things about yourself.
4. Pass on this award to other bloggers.
Hope you have a great time!! And thank you once again for those kind words!! 🙂
Thank you for the nomination! Congratulations on 1 year of blogging, that’s a great achievement in itself 🙂 What, that is such a horrible story about the editor disliking your stuff, I can’t imagine how rough that felt! I’m glad you overcame it though and that blogging was so healing and positive for you 🙂
Here’s to another year, all the best!
Rohan.
Yes, it was a pretty bad time… Thank you so much!! All the best to you too!! 🙂
Wow!!! One year? Congratulations, Sumithra!
Thank you so much, Louis… I was pretty shocked when I saw the pop up notification too!! Time does fly by pretty fast…
I have told my friends about your blog and shown your photos to the friend with whom I am temporarily staying till I return to Mwinilunga on 6 May. What a wonderful world is the blogosphere. I was just thinking today that I need to find out more about the awards – to “give back” as they say. And yours is the first email I opened today. Congratulations and salutations!! You deserve it. And you really did “show them”, and your blog is gaining presence on the Internet. Am thrilled on your behalf
As for nominating me for the very inspiring blogger award, am a bit stunned. I thought no one could possibly want to read my latest series – they are so personal and vulnerable. In that sense, thanks for soothing the pain. So with joy I accept your nomination:>).
Never give up!
Thank you so much, Colleen… You have made my day!! 🙂
And I really do find your posts inspirational…
Awesome!Thanks.
Congratulations and keep it up…!! Happy blogging for the years to come, I enjoy your blogs, Thank you..!!
Thank you so much, Uncle!! 🙂
Congratulations on a year of blogging! And congratulations on your awards!
Thank you!! 🙂
Heartiest congratulations! All the best 🙂
Thank you so much, Sir!! 🙂
I was always curious how some people got reports at the end of the year but I never did. I guess they can’t do it for everyone 🙂
This is a great post. I love hearing how people started out, how they are now. Enjoyed it a lot – & congrats 🙂
Thank you so much!! And no, I did not get any kind of report… Just a small note from wordpress saying that it was my blogaversary!! 🙂 🙂
I can’t believe that instructor was so critical! I taught writing (to fifth graders) for seven years, and I always focused on content. If there were any grammatical mistakes (and in your writing in particular, I find that hard to imagine), they could always be fixed later! It’s the ideas and their expression that matter, and yours are phenomenal.
Okay, I’ve taken a deep breath now. I guess I should be glad the instructor was critical so that you ended up in the blog world where we can all enjoy your writing!
Thank you for the award. I am going to visit your other nominees and I know I will discover wonderful new blogs to follow!
Thank you so much!! This means a lot to me… Thanks to you and other bloggers like you, with your constant encouragement and inspiring words, I can now say that I am now sure of myself again… This is just a small token of appreciation that I can give you for all your kind words!! 🙂
Sumithra, I am smiling inside like crazy to see that you included me among such beautiful (and, yes, inspiring) blogs. Thank you so much for that. This may just be the push I need to actually return to my blog and post again… maybe.
As a fellow vegetarian, I wonder if it’s easier to be meat-free in India or in the US. I live in a college town, so there are many places that cater to a more, mm, discerning crowd, and so vegetarian options are there. It’s not like that everywhere, and it’s not even that prevalent here – but it’s there.
Do search out an apartment that will allow pets! And thank you again for mentioning me here. My day is made.
Yes, India is one of the few countries where it is very easy to be a vegetarian. You have so many many options to choose from with so many many sub-cuisines.
And I really hope I can have a dog when I settle down in life, after my education.
I do hope you come back to blogging soon. I so love taking the walks with you!! 🙂
Congratulations! 🙂
Thank you!! 🙂
ciao! huge congratulations…well deserved.
thebestdressup
I have just discovered your blog. Congratulations to your first year, and to your awards, I look forward to be following you! Good thing that you started blogging, keep it up!
Thank you so much!! I am really glad that I started blogging too… I am glad you found me as it led me to your blog. I love your creativity, and there sure is much more than just about jewellery in your posts!! Looking forward to following your posts too!! 🙂
Congratulations, Sumithra! 🙂
Rahul
Thank you so much!! And congratulations to you too!! 🙂
Strangely, I too started blocking after a magazine editor mangled my article! Does feel good to be in control of what we have to say doesn’t it? Congratulations Sumitra! Here’s to another fabulous year 🙂
It sure does!! 😉
Thank you so much!!
Oops just noticed the typo! Spellcheck nightmare 🙂
Ha ha!! Don’t worry… I have it every now and then!! 😉
Thank you very much for your nomination. I have posted your Blog at : http://anilcm.wordpress.com/2013/05/07/versatile-blogger-award-thank-you-sumithra/