In a Matter of Time

I was chatting with Nupur [known here on Sulekha wonderland as Keeya1; the maker of magic mixed with her virtual pen, she has loads of us, begging for more!] and she happened to ask me when I joined Sulekha.

And, in replying to her query I realized, with a start of course [this, to add a dose of my nauseating but never boring melodrama that has saved my soul on countless occasions]J , that I had been logging into this space for over a year now, or exactly a year, who knows and who cares I was never good at keeping tab of years past and numerical memories made.

I’m more of a qualitative person than quantitative. For me it is of utmost importance, to know what I have gotten from a place, in terms of lasting relationships, satisfying alliances, creative growth and mind boggling experiences.

And Sulekha, if I might say, has given me much that I cherish and hold on to. Hell, for a long time, sulekha.com was the homepage on my lap top and, in my eyes I think that is something! J

So, as assessing as it may sound, I try hard not, but then I do, evaluate, what was it is that Sulekha gave to me and what I gave back to it. After all, being the metaphysical sort of person I am, I believe that a commercial organization is a hub of people out to make money, but when touched by human sentimentality and sensibility for over a period of time, an aura of humanness you can’t ignore, begins to exude from its surface. And soon, such a commercial bit begins to flaunt a soul.

Yea, I think Sulekha has a soul.

Anyway, I don’t really know and neither do I dwell upon it much, what it is that I gave to Sulekha. But here is what Sulekha gave me.

Old Friendship

I made some wonderful friends here on Sulekha; some who I even chose to converse and communicate with, off Sulekha. It was weird, knowing them by their real names, talking to them and still not being able to shake off the habit of calling them with their screen names. You see, anonymity is a mercy; one that all of us seek often to be able to truly be ourselves. How ironical, but to truly be your self, anonymity is the greatest tool gifted to you by God, or whoever controls these things!

People here on Sulekha, ones I call my friends are wonderful, truly imaginative people who have given me loads food for thought and have even pissed and bugged me off and had loads of fun at my expense.

Cheti, The fun guy. He thinks he is the simpleton who walks around doing his thing. What he doesn’t realize is that he touches lives with his wry sense of humor that never fails to have me rolling off the floor or simply rolling my eyes. He is in your face and kind and dependable in an easy comforting sort of way. A treasure, I call people like him.

Then, there is Nupur. Someday when she allows me to tell it, I would love to write a blog about her strength and her fighter’s spirit. I have had a soldier for a very very close person in my life, but then I have met fighters of another stock too. Nupur is one of them.

The sun shines on brighter when the daddy’s girl chirps at her best. Nargis, had she been younger, would have been the life of any party thrown in the midst of a raging Jungle. She is cool and quirky and we share a common love; don’t we both just love smileys? J

BharatBorn is my earth princess. I see her in her another avatar, in another life, as being the sultry, Earthen Queen who loved the smell of the earth and basked in it. BB is a writer who loves to writes from the heart. Her stories smell like wet earth after a superfluous shower, smelling of fixedness and grounding. BB loved my chiclits but I guess she will have to wait. Like the [bloody] wise men who died but left a lot of baggage for me, said, ‘Honey, every thing has a time; your time too shall arrive.’

*groans*

Ajitha Nair has decided to truly give the word ‘incommunicado’ a new dimension. My neighbor from the chosen land has vanished. No mails, no calls, no nothing. Guess she is busy fulfilling her earthly duties. No sweat, AJ baby we shall meet again. The New Jerusalem awaits us!

Oh! What the world would be, bereft of a menace,

Dry like a twig, lost and alone;

She swooped down on my head and plucked out my brains

Fried and served it fresh with *aww* and *whatever*

Denice the Menace, Queen of Spunk, will be forever!!!

Need I say anything else about this woman! Hell NO!

Then, there is this one man who qualifies as an IDOL [coming next] and a friend. Ixedoc, the good man, the best there ever could be [after my dad and grandfather obviously]; he commands more than my awe. He has my fan following.

And, call me too full of myself but I think, that’s what defines ‘something’! ;)

Kalyanee is sweet. She is sweet coffee, warm and delicious. The way she loves to love animals amuses me. In fact, that’s one thing about her makes me respect her more than anything else! We love to *hi-hello* each other on orkut and I think that’s fun! BTW Kaps where the hell have you been lately? L

There are others too, but these are the people I truly call my friends from Sulekha!

Onto Idols!

Idols

Amongst other things, Sulekha also gave me people who I could admire openly and say, ‘WOW, don’t you know how to do things to words, post after post!’ [Sorry for being suggestive but don’t I just love to fool around!]

Ixedoc leads the pack. He’s the master stroker. And the good news is the Big Doc from Mangalore is also my friend. Guys you all should just log into his Orkut profile to know how his students just love him. Indeed, he is someone, who if you don’t admire, then probably you don’t know how to admire!

Period.

B S Keshav [and he should probably get real serious about his Subbu series after this] is someone I admire because everything he writes turns into something you just can not read. So much spunk and wit, I think he needs to put it to some serious use!

Write that book Keshav and I will be the first one to buy it and flaunt it. Free publicity, count on me! ;)

Svengali! Some real talent there. He writes so smoothly. Full of innuendos and wise cracks that sometimes I want to emulate him. Not that I could ever manage that. He even has this thing which I call *smart* wit. The one that allows you make crisp comments but ones that pierce sharply. I’d like to see his name on a cover page someday!

Err… TilottamaDas aka endless aliases… Wokai… I’m ready for the brickbats but a girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do. I don’t want to be spared the rod and this guy just knows how to give it to you! He fascinates me, simple; more so because he has some inexplicable connection to the chosen land of my destiny. TILO, dontcha vanish, EVER!

Comfortable Camaraderie

Then there are these people who made coming back so Sulekha special because they were there. These people, full of life, enthusiasm and most importantly, words!

Anjana Jha: the spic and span lady always there to ensnare you into a rabbit hole of extreme emotions. Hope her tribe increases.

Julia Dutta: The strong woman with a point of view. She never minced words and if I ever need a lesson in ‘being yourself’, she’ll have a guest!

Superficial and Ellena: This duo have spark. They love to talk about stuff that has fascinated me since I was a little child; karma, destiny, rebirth, after lives, ego… fairies and mysticism. Theirs is the space I visit when I want to re-visit a part of me unseen to even me!

Rutuja Joshi: Only lately I told her that if one has a taste for intense, often sad stories; one should not be prowling her space. Rutuja loves light and I love her for that! J

Bilingual [Spencer]: Our friend from the land of the free and home of the brave or however they say it. He’s a reality check. He is in your face [a trait common to both of us] and hence, bonding is inevitable. Have fun in Cuba Spencer. Godspeed!

Indu3: She reminds of Meg from Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. And she loves her India. And she is our resident Simi Grewal. Don’t people love it when she flaunts around her smileys and gets the party started, week after week? J

Sujatha Sukumaran: She once said something about wanting a little sister like me or something to this end. I just don’t remember things, after all happens all the time when you’re growing old. L I love the way she writes with simplicity and élan. She’s cool!

The Great Red, Xena Princess: It’s out that our Red [Strawberry] is battling something evil with in her body and this lady gives me a high when I see her draw her swords out at Tilo and gives it back to him… harder than anyone can! *muaahhh* Great Red Sup loves ya! And when’s that call schedules eh?

Buntys Banter: She fought with me but I still think she’s cool. I always did! L

*sigh* there should be many more here but old age is catching up soon. L

Horizons Expand: The New Ones

And then there are the new ones; a breed unto themselves. We’re careful around each other, still exploring. Don’t know when what might hit the wrong nerve. But I see potential. Not just prowess in writing, but potential for some special bonding!

The One who calls himself Dimwit! *rolls eyes* For some strange reason I find him cool; very very cool. Infact I think he possess that damning air of mystery that pulls people like magnets. I dread to think what lies beneath but then what the hell, if you’re born an explorer, you just can’t fight it!

Oh, *smiles smugly* and Dimwit tries real hard to keep up with my spunk. Sometimes he even needs to grab a sandwich to be able to gives replies that befit a DQ!

;)

Estamani: Cool cool baby she’s smart and sassy and may I add *berry berry* pretty too! This lass loves to know things! Talk to her about why’s and how’s and she’s game. Though, she asks me not to play my spunk on her [blasphemy! It bores her she says] yet I suppose that’s the reason she keeps coming back for more! Oh and she’s honest and wont mind telling me that Maya didn’t impress her! L

BTW, she’ll growl and remind me that Veda waits.

DQ speaks: Esta, baby there is more pleasure in pursuit than attainment! ;)

So that’s my story. Besides the loads of comments and yada yada yada, this is where I stand and this is what I truly have gained from being here @ Sulekha…

Oh and I forgot these four…

WIW… the resident wizard who’s joined hands with AJ and playing the vanishing act!

Maya online… as little as I understand her I know she embodies reason. Someday we will talk, woman to woman. And that day is coming soon. I hope! ;)

BratGaba: Another genius with the Victorian brand of smart wit. And incisive emotions. And yea, he never fails to give me his generous comments…

Charvi Kain: The twelve year old smarty pants is missing but I can’t forget a child… and least of all a precocious one!

Hydeee Sulekha! Rock on! J And good night! [pssttt… I hope! ;)]

[psst… for those who mean anything to me OR I to them; and I have forgotten their mention. Go on, you’re free to throw rocks @ me! L ]