Indiblogger Meet @ Chennai March 20th 2010

   A few weeks back I got email from Indiblogger saying that I was invited to a blogger meet in Chennai on 20th march 2010. I didn't hesitate a bit to get myself registered for it. I was very eager about it

  Around 2 pm on 20th march I boarded 12G from my place at Ashok Nagar to reach GRT Convention Centre . It was one of those rare occasions when I arrived on time. There was queue standing in front of me, like many i didn't know purpose of the queue, which was actually for verifying my presence in the meeting.

  I looked around the place for some familiar faces, sadly i found none. I managed to make friends with people sitting around me, which was a great surprise, because I suck at starting a conversation. The host of meet Renie Ravin kicked off the meeting with a video on Hitler kicking his personnel's ass to attend the Blogger meet.

   Then came “30 seconds of Fame” I was not knew to this concept because i used to watch “15 seconds of Fame” on cartoon network . It was really nice hearing the bloggers talk about them and their blogs. It was my turn and there came the boring intro which was “I do computer namaskaram blah blah blah” I finished my intro in 15 seconds thanks to my fondness of “15 seconds of fame”.I then happened to bump into to the only person i know, my blogger friend Sandhya.

  As we were seated in our places we were given black sketch pen and a chart which could be hung round the neck. My fantasy was taking a new level I was visualizing people in front of the podium hanging their charts like criminals.

  

   Thankfully, my horror story didn't come true. The purpose of it was to comment on the people wearing them. I coerced my friends to write on mine and went around asking for urls and if they refused, i would make them watch The Evergreen superstar SAM ANDERSON in as David in “Yaarukku Yaaro Stepnee”.

  All the commotion was over, it was time for some serious talk. The topics were “Blogging about social evils in anonymity” and “Blogging as a way to market products” I Personally think blogging in anonymity is cowardice and i would never do that.  The guests were Zee Tamil Editor Mr Balabharathi, who confessed he did not know English and yet wasn't spared for speaking in Tamil, which non-Tamil speakers didn't understand. Another person working for Australian media spoke about his conflicts between blogging and reporting.  “Zee Tamil” who were known for telecasting “Yaarukku Yaaro Stepnee” for the first time in the history of Universal television with interviews from one and only Sam Anderson, televised this meet sponsored by Univercell.

Univercell, our sponsors for this meet, announced a competition among bloggers for the best review of certain mobile phones. The winner gets to blog for Univercell. I knew i had no chance. I was probably the only one who did have a choice to have mobile but refrained from exercising it. May be i will have to re-think.

The bell was hit, everyone were restless to eat and in no mood to listen anymore. There were Rasamalai, Paneer Cutlet, Chicken Sandwich and Ice cream. For me, there was that one item less in menu due to my vegetarianism. My Love for being off-beat and freakish seem to never leave me. The rasamalais and ice cream got mixed with the sauce, wonder my the ice cream was bitter. I then stood in line to receive the ubercool Indiblogger Tee which i will proudly sport very often.

My unintentional comedy didn’t end there. I boarded a bus and this is what happened next

 

ME: Sir, One Ashok Nagar please.

Conductor:

Me: I said one “Ashok Nagar“ didn't you hear?

Conductor: Duffer cross the road and take the bus which heads the other way.

Me: Please open the door sir.

Conductor: Go! ask the driver

Me: please open the door i have to get down.

Driver: Why didn't tell me earlier?

Me: sorry

 

The traffic made sure that I walked much faster than the bus. Hence i walked from there to my place which is really far by walk . At least burnt the calories and saved my pocket money, if there was one.

I expected many bloggers to be dull because people are not actually the same when you meet in person. I was given a rude awakening that it was just a mere cliché. Almost all the bloggers were funny and witty.

I met a lot of new people and made lot of new friends. And I was really enjoying tweeting with them later that about my prospective stomach trouble, courtesy sauce mix up. I heartily thank the Indiblogger team for organizing this meet and i am  looking forward to many more meets and tweets.