The Pakistani Spectator

Would you please tell us something about you and your site?

Hi! I am Apurva Desai, better known as Miss Sunshine in the blogosphere. I am 18, and am pursuing my bachelor’s degree in finance. I am from New Delhi, India. I personally own two blogs:

Crazy Beginnings

This is my first blog , and hence is very close to me. I was an apprehensive writer till I started blogging. My life consists of so many crazy moments that the title seemed apt for the blog. Here I ramble, rant, do poetry, fiction and everything under the sun. It’s my take on the wonderful world.

I Beg To Differ

This, is my personal blog. Since I cannot publish everything at Crazy Beginnings , I began to feel a bit of a void somewhere. I wanted to express somethings, but couldn’t , due to the blogging etiquettes. My intention was to just ramble about my meandering thoughts and give those thoughts a concrete base. Hence was born, I Beg To Differ. It’s the uncensored version of Me, as I like it.

I am a member of three group blogs as well:

Bookmarks

The blog is co-authored by The Blessed One (http://www.blogger.com/profile/02149159900203738714) and is a one stop blog for everything related to books. Book reviews, library reviews, poems related to books, articles, favourite characters, you name it, we have it. The plus point is that, anyone can participate and send in their reviews as well.

Acrostic Only Workshop

I am in love with the Acrostic form of poetry, and Amias, the owner of this blog is by far the most amazing teacher for Acrostics. The weekly (now monthly) prompts leave us more knowledgeable as the time passes by.

Youth Ki Awaaz

Last but not the least comes Youth Ki Awaaz. It’s a brave initiative by Anshul Tewari, who regularly keeps updating the youth about the problems of the world and also provides feasible solutions as to how we, the youth can help in curbing them. I love the concept, hence provide my two cents once in a while.

Do you feel that you continue to grow in your writing the longer you write? Why is that important to you?

Yes of course, I strongly believe in honing your skills as time passes by. The great swimmers, runners, athletes all gain expertise by practice. The more we write, the more we are exposed to the various nuances of writing. I firmly believe that one can never stop learning, even if they are 90 year old! Writing is important for me, as it therapeutically soothing. My nerves get relaxed! It’s like a vent from where you can just blow out everything which condenses your mind. However, I’d like to mention one shouldn’t just write for the sake of writing or ‘learning’. It’s an art, which should be thoroughly enjoyed.

I’m wondering what some of your memorable experiences are with blogging?

There have been so many. I’d list a few.

For the past 17 years, I always thought I am NOT a poet. I could never DO poetry. Then thanks to my blog, and the readers who encouraged me, I started poetry. I have never looked back since.

Secondly, I am a reader of a blog by a 12 year old talented writer. As I mentioned, she is a storehouse of words, so naturally I encourage her. What I didn’t know is that she was so touched by all this that she mentioned it to her mom, who in turn had a conversation with me, thanking me profusely for motivating her daughter. That was a truly memorable experience as it is a great feeling to change someone’s life.

Thirdly all the awards and the love and friendship that revolves around the blogosphere is heartwarming.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?

Many of them become close friends, so I add them on my messenger list, chat with them. I am in close contact with quite a few. Otherwise, I make it a point to read their blogs regularly (as the time permits) and keep commenting and motivating them in my small way. I fell it is very important to communicate, blogging or otherwise.

What do you think is the most exciting or most innovative use of technology in politics right now?

So far, politics has failed to excite me. In the positive way I mean. But yes, the SMS services, websites of politicians promising worldly necessities is useful while casting the votes. Electric ballot machines also makes the complicated process easier. Broadcasting channels like Youtube, iTunes also play a critical role in campaigning, as the leader cannot visit every nook and cranny of the country. T.V campaigns are also on an all time high right now.

Do you think that these new technologies are effective in making people more responsive?

In India, I am so ashamed to say , No. People just refrain from voting no matter what the technology is used. The mindset needs to be changed, not the technology. The citizens blame the government, but will not make any efforts in choosing the correct one.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?

Hmmm.. That’s a though as well as an easy question. I am just another blogger blogging about more or less the same things as the others do. But, it’s my take on everything and I Beg To Differ. (Pun Intended) I am a person with a really wild imagination, so that’s my USP. Plus, I blog for myself, not for the number of comments I receive. I think that’s the only thing that actually matters, isn’t it?

If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

My determination and belief in myself. If I don’t believe in what I am doing, I can never give my 100%.

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

I don’t believe in recalling the gloomy moments.. Why are there happy moments then? I think we should just recall those. So.. happy moments..

When I made it to my college (it’s the most coveted one in India.)

When I met my best friends for life..

When I discovered the poet in me

And, there are so many.. I’ll be stuck on this answer forever..

P.S. I want to add something to this list in the future..I hope I am able to.. I want a dog..I hope I get one. Now THAT will be the most happiest day of my life.

If you could pick a travel destination, anywhere in the world, with no worries about how it’s paid for - what would your top 3 choices be?

Greece.

Venice

Kerala

Plus, I want to embark on a tour of India..and visit all the nooks and crannies..the hidden beauty spots That would be heaven.

What is your favorite book and why?

Tricky question. I am in love with books. Books are my other world. My favourite would be, undoubtedly the Harry Potter series. Why? Because I have grown up with it. Whenever Harry felt anything, I could identify with the teenage traumas, crushes et al. I love fiction, and this is fiction at it’s best! I am so in love with the magical world, that to till date I await a letter from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry , declaring me as a witch, and offering me a seat there.

What’s the first thing you notice about a person (whether you know them or not)?

The truthfulness, the poise, the manner , the body language. If somebody shows unnecessary attitude, I am so not talking to him or her again! People should be genuine, not faking and posing to be someone they are not. That is so not cool.

Is there anyone from your past that once told you you couldn’t write?

Past? There are so many people in the present as well. Loads of people have told me I couldn’t write well and blah blah. I honestly never cared, nor will I ever. It used to hurt me sometimes, but not now. I write for myself and I like it! So, it’s simple.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?

Bloggers can benefit in so many ways. There’s the top choice AdSense powered by Google. There’s AdBrite also. These applications strategically place relevant advertisements on the blog and you can benefit on a daily basis! I think that’s a really powerful way. Express and Earn.

Is it true that who has a successful blog has an awful lot of time on their hands?

A bit of a yes and a bit of a no. Lot of time, no. But yes, a bit more than the regular net surfers. More than 70% of the bloggers start blogging because of the free time they have. Then ofcourse it becomes an addiction! But, that doesn’t mean that a successful blogger posts 4-5 posts a day! A successful blogger is a person who puts his or her point across the way he or she wants to. If that is achieved in a single post, he/she is successful. Some, like me, take two to three posts to establish what’s going on in our mind. So it is just the perspective!

What role can bloggers of the world play to make this world friendlier and less hostile?

I think bloggers can play a major role, as the pen is mightier than the sword! If all of us start putting our point across, the government will know what exactly to do. Terrorism rises because of some or the other frustration, which should be vent out, in a subtle and practical manner, not by hostility. Also, on a micro level, bloggers can befriend people from different nations and continents, and get a broader view of the world. This makes us sensitive of all the happenings, sufferings, feelings of the people across the world.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

Tough Choice. Really. I follow more than 160 blogs, and it’s really difficult to say who’s the best or not! I’ll name the ones whom Pakistani Spectator has not yet found

http://roshwritesx.blogspot.com/

http://satansdarling.blogspot.com/

http://loveisalwaysnew.blogspot.com/

http://quillinginblood.blogspot.com/

http://secretlymoi.blogspot.com/

Perhaps the most difficult choice I’ve ever made.

Is there one observation or column or post that has gotten the most powerful reaction from people?

This feels like a personalized question, just for me! Yes, I did write a post, which got me the blows and hatred of so many unknown people. But, it was a good experience, as it gave me an insight into what people actually think! It also exposed the weaker side of us humans, i.e. the herd mentality. Just because of some two random people, how everyone gets carried away. It gave a whole new definition to the proverb: “an empty mind is a devil’s workshop.” Oh! By the way, I found my ‘real’ friends weren’t so real after all!

What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

I have a pretty varied perception. It’s a country I want to visit for the beautiful places it houses. It’s the country with whom I share so much, not just the border of my homeland. The whole Indian history was rewritten! I do wish we all had remained as one entity, don’t you? Nothing of these sorts would have ever taken place. The people, I think must be just like us Indians. I have a Pakistani Uncle, and the amount of mannerisms he has, is amazing!

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?

Yes, both in the negative and positive sense. I never knew you could target people and write posts. One blogger, her life was dedicated to this. I learnt quite a lot from her. How to avoid people like her, that is. Targeting people in the name of friendship was an eye-opener. Positively, I was stunned by so many bloggers, everybody had something or the other to give. It’s a whole new world out there waiting to be explored.

What is the most striking difference between a developed country and a developing country?

The mentality of the people. How education, better standard of living changes this, is amazing.

What is the future of blogging?

Blogging has a great future. The young and intelligent are all over the blogosphere brimming with their ideas! I think it’s a great way to showcase your talent and to be a part of this ever growing multi cultured universe.

You have also got a blogging life, how has it directly affected both your personal and professional life?

My blogging life is very much kept away from my personal and professional life. I just like it that way. It’s like my secret universe

What are your future plans?

Future.. I have a long way to go. I want to study hard, get into a good institution for my MBA and provide all the little joys to my family, unflinchingly.

Any Message you want to give to the readers of The Pakistani Spectator?

I am one of those, so I think we should all be just glued to this wonderful website as the passion it has to promote the new culture of peace and harmony is infecting. (Which is just what we need!) All The Best

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