Friday 4 July 2008

MY HALF-INCH OF FAME. . .

Andy Warhol said everyone gets his 15 minutes of fame; I got my half-inch today. And my mother a little bit more.

Good friend Meera called me this morning when I was in the middle of cooking breakfast. She said, “Hey Raji, did you know your blog is mentioned in Indulge Express today?” This is the Friday supplement of the New Indian Express. Meera’s blog had been mentioned a few weeks ago here.

Ma checks it out

Breakfast was dropped midway. After thanking her, we rushed to get a couple of copies of the Express. And there it was in the supplement, tucked away in one of the inner pages, a piece on senior bloggers. There was my mother’s blog mentioned in the first para. It even had the picture of her home page. And mine was the one in the last para.

I was pleased, if not totally surprised. Only earlier this week, someone from Indulge had mailed me telling me that they had come upon my blog and would like to feature it in a piece on senior bloggers. And sorry for asking, but how old was I. I sent off a reply with the right age, telling them that I was old enough not to mind being asked. And mentioning that my mother is also a blogger, gave them her blog’s addresses. But how they got to me in the first place, I don't know.

And this was the outcome. A happy feeling prevailed, till my husband remarked, “You know it could be any Raji.” (Please click on the picture to enlarge.)
But with other friends calling and mailing to say they had read about us oldies in the Indulge, we were back to elation.

26 comments:

pentatwo said...

Nice, sen-i-oras!

Indrani said...

Hey Congrats!
That is really great!
Congrats to Maiji too. :)

Lakshmi Bharadwaj said...

Wow, I almost feel as happy as u do!! I'd say A fellow mysoreblogpark blogger(s) getting the limelight there although it's completely your credit!! :-) Rock on!! It always a pleasure to see urself in print, ain't it?? BTW, your 62? Really? I never imagined....congradulations!!!

Sugopa Ray said...

Wow Raji Mom..this is quite a feat..I am VERY VERY happy for you and Maiji.....CONGRATULATIONS to both of You!!!

Swarna said...

Raji
It could well be a record of sorts! Wonderful. Prostrations to Maiji, and here's wishing the blogs and the 'never-too-old-to...' authors 'evergreenery'!

hantan said...

If yesterday was your claim to fame, today was ours :) :) :)
check this one aunty

and am very angry.. you wont let me ask ur age, but happily tell it out to the world is it???? am angry about it :-/ not gonna speak to u for the next one week :-/ :-/

http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JQ0gvMjAwOC8wNy8wNSNBcjAwNzAw&Mode=HTML&Locale=english-skin-custom

hantan said...

cha.. in all this excitement, i forgot to congratulate u aunty. Big BIG BIG BIG congrats to you... hope in the future, when they feature my blog like this, i can proudly say "Yeah, I did a Raji " (hehehehe)
I know its too much to aim for, but nothing wrong in being ambitious.. Great going aunty, and am happy the reporter noted my favorite post- the one about the squirrel

Sashi Nair said...

Read about your blog in the Express. Am a journalist.

Your blog is interesting, reads well. Must read all that you have written at leisure.

I was just telling students yesterday... in today's world, you don't need to own a newspaper, have an office, engage staff, print, buy newsprint, distribute etc.... Thanks to the Internet, your blog reaches almost all parts of the globe in an instant.

Great way to go, Raji.

When you have time, do have a look at my blog: sashinair.blogspot.com. Of course, not half as interesting as yours, and not as regular...

You should also have a look at my friend's blog - Kiruba Shankar. Amazing guy really - he and others like you have shown that you needn't be a journalist after all to disseminate information. That no formal education is really needed if you have the passion.

warm regards,
Sashi Nair

ER Ramachandran said...

Congrats!!!

Unknown said...

Congratulations, Raji. I saw this post only just now. Not surprised at the recognition because your blog is good. All the best.

By a strange coincidence, The New Indian Express Cochin edition carried a mention of my blog yesterday (4th).

Viji said...

Raji this is really such fantastic recognition and so aweosme...wow o wow and you are such a Champion now with camera at hand. What a superb picture of Maiji this is

Resmi... said...

Congratssss!!! :)

Ash said...

Congratulations!!

Maddy said...

attagirl....as they say out here...

Praveen Krishnan said...

Fantastic, hearty congratulations :-)
It has always been a pleasure reading your posts :-)

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

Thank you, Pentatwo.

Indrani, thanks, and Maiji says thanks, too.

Little Lakshmi, (as I think of you), you do sound as excited as you say you feel - thanks for sharing our glee. And 62, yes I will be, next month - do I look much older? :)

Boltthrower - thanks from us both

Swarna - Thanks from us both for the good wishes

Hantan - You have done a wonderful job of being pleased and angry at the same time.
And congrats on your appearance in the Times of India.

Sashi, I really appreciate your words. Very generous praise.Isn't it the strangest coincidence that you wrote it without knowing it was me!And yes I have looked at your blog, and found it very interesting.

ER Ramachandran, thanks.

Abraham Tharakan, thank you so much. And congratulations to you, too.

Viji - :D

Resmi, So sweet of you, thanks.

Ash, happy to have you here - and thanks.

Maddy thanks; the euphoria has worn off now.

Praveen, glad to see you in circulation - I missed you.

Sunita Mohan said...

Congratulations, Raji. I found my way here after seeing your comment on my blog.
I loved your statement about being old enough not to mind being asked. I have always wished people would treat me as if I'm older and wiser (as opposed to 'old fool'). No such luck... being born in a family with my siblings a good decade older than me, I'll still be treated as if I'm a 'kachcha limboo' even when I'm 80.

Anonymous said...

Come on people....these blogs are read farther and wider than some silly local rag. In fact, I can see folks in Indulge high-fiving one another for just making this blog. With Maiji's photo no less!

Kat said...

Been standing in the que long to congratulate..... Delighted to know you've become famous overnight. Great.

To which place do all we fans come for the treat that you're planning to throw?

Anil P said...

This is wonderful news indeed. Wish you many more inspiring moments. I enjoy reading your blog partly because of the old world charm it brings to present day perspectives.

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

Sunita, the grass is always greener....:) I am the oldest sibling, my youngest sister was born 16 years after me.

Anil, thank you, old world charm sounds nice.

Kat, not very famous - see what Anonymous has to say.

Anonymous - yours is a different perspective, and a truer representation, though I don't really see the Indulge guys celebrating. The craving for print acceptance/recognition (however minimal) is too deeply embedded in us

kallu said...

Raji, Im so pleased and proud and happy!!!
Tell Maaji too. Both of you deserve all the accolades . For putting so much of yourselves into your blogs.
You are 62? unbelievable!!:-)

'Tis a beautiful life! said...

brilliant! congratulations!
and u do have a great blog :)

RAJI MUTHUKRISHNAN said...

Thank you, Kalyani. Maiji too says thanks.

Oncloud9, thanks ever so much - both for stopping by, and the kind words.

Anonymous said...

Terrific, and well-deserved, Raji. I go away for a few weeks, and you go and become famous during that time!!
Love to you and Maiji.
Kamini.

IIM ka Sarkari Babu said...

Wow!! You must have one heck of a patience reading and replying to all the comments!!

I am indeed happy that finally it came in the paper!!

Sorry for reading it so late...