The Pakistani Spectator

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

Writing is something I always want to do. After years of procrastinating, I started writing at Visceral Observations. Visceral Observations not only has serious pieces about various issues ranging from religion, consumer rights, environment, it also has some articles about books I have read, movies I have watched and few occasional glimpses of my personal life.
Hence, you can term Visceral Observations as a personal blog with a tinge of activism.

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

As I said, writing is something I always wanted to do. Blogging about the issues that are close to my heart give me immense satisfaction. It is as if I have passed my thoughts to few more. If I could influence even one person with my thoughts, my post has been successful.

Longer I write, the better I get. J

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

One of my most memorable experiences is about writing about the winner of a consumer court case against a commercial bank. Winner was Lt. Col. Rajesh Yadav. I was in for a pleasant surprise next morning when he commented on my post. Later, I went on to publish an interview with him (http://alchemistpoonam.wordpress.com/2007/11/20/an-interview-with-consumer-rights-champion/), highlighting some consumer rights issues.

What do you do in order to keep up your communication with other bloggers?
Commenting is best part of blogging. It’s a wonderful platform for discussion and communication.
I sometimes email the commentators to provide them with specific answer or in case some offline discussion is required. However, I conduct email conversations on my discretion.

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

Citizen journalism. You must be aware of the role citizen journalists played in information dissemination during 26/11 Mumbai Seige.

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

Yes, they do. People have been known to create helplines and garner support for floods through blogs. A blog called Mumbai Help was updating information of injured and released hostages.

What do you think sets Your site apart from others?
Personal observations, commentary, analysis where insights are realistically drawn from real lives, sometimes mine, sometimes from other people.

You can find pieces on consumer rights, disability, depression and reviews that are quite personal.
If you could choose one characteristic you have that brought you success in life, what would it be?

Perseverance

What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?
Gloomiest moment was the one when I realised that a person has to brave his/her crisis alone, its most likely family and friends would not be available.
Happiest moment is still to come. I would have shared other common occurrences of happiness had you asked me the about the happiest moment so far. J

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?
My preferences have recently undergone change: J

Venice, Belgium and Paris

What is your favorite book and why?

Being a bibliophile, I have a huge list of favourites. I read every genre: history, mythology, comedy,
But I will name one book that had impacted me immensely when I read it year back: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (http://alchemistpoonam.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/why-the-kite-runner-moved-me/)

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

Countenance. I am quick to notice the bliss, sadness, peace, anger, and disinterest in someone’s face. Eyes are another thing I notice.

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

Nope. In fact, I have been fortunate enough to be blessed my teachers who thought I would be wasting my creative talent if I would not write. One of them thought I would be read Internationally. However, none of us knew at the time that I would change the course of my career.

How bloggers can benefit from blogs financially?
By putting advertisements, some of them earn through text links as well. Also, if you have time on hands, you can earn money as freelancer by writing articles, reviews for several online web sites.

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

It does take some amount of time and dedication to run your blog. But some people with better time management can perhaps blog more effectively.

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

Carry a candle/torch of peace in sidebar. Sign some petitions. I am kidding, of course! These things can be symbolic to show your solidarity. But we need to do more. Mobilize people through blogs and be the part of governance. That’s easier said than done.

Who are your top five favourite bloggers?

All those who are on my blogroll and several others those are in my reader. Hard to list all of them here.

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

This post about gender roles and sexual abuse: http://theideasmithy.com/the-vagina-dialogues/
What is your perception about Pakistan and its people?

Every Indian understands that Pakistani common man is as peace-loving and innocent as a common Indian citizen. However, politics and few vested interests, have bred distrust and hate.

Sad is thing is that we have now spent more than 60 years spreading and sharing this distrust.

Have you ever become stunned by the uniqueness of any blogger?
Yes, many times over. There are bloggers who write stories that touch your heart, bloggers who single-handedly write and report about specific issues like Renaissance Ronin tirelessly writing about he is going to build a green house out of ship container.

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

A smooth-running, effective system without red tape and corruption 

Imagine what would happen to India if only we had an effective law enforcement and judiciary

What is the future of blogging?

Immense. Some countries and corporates still need to catch up.

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

My blogging life so far is separate from my professional life. None of my professional grievances/thoughts find place on my blog.

But yes blogging has certainly provided me with several bloggers as my personal friends.
What are your future plans?
Marry and have kids J Nah not only that, fulfil my list of 100 things to do before I die.

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

A message of hope
Someone said, “Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.”

Blog away, mobilise, and raise hope

Trackback URL