The Sunshine Blogger Award

Many thanks to Kim at Writer Side Of Life for nominating me. Do drop by, not just for her comprehensive book reviews but also for the simple, soothing style of expression. The love for books she has is so palpable, so fair warning – you may find yourself inundated by the desire to read endlessly.

The rules/guidelines:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and provide a link back to their blog so others can find them.

2. Answer the 11 questions asked by the blogger who nominated you.

3. Nominate 11 other bloggers and ask them 11 new questions.

4. Notify the nominees about it by commenting on one of their blog posts.

5. List the rules on your post and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo on your post and/or your blog site.

Answers:

What is your favorite place in the world? 

I’m not sure I’m qualified to call any place in the world a favorite, primarily because I’ve seen so little of it.

At this point, I’ve a great many places I’d like to name, and I can’t really say that one of those is my favorite. Each of them fulfilled a need, answered a question or simply provided solace when I really needed it.

From a small wayside eatery to a temple on a mountaintop, they all have my love.

What do you want people to get out of your blog?

The Quill is an extension of the endless chatter inside my head. Filtered, but still, an extension of myself.

I want my blog to do the same thing to people as I hope to do for those around me. I want it to be something that brings a smile after a long day, an answer to a question or even something that has the power to inspire.

Cat person or dog person?

I don’t really have a preference. Both animals are intriguing and worthy of love, in their own ways.

I love the way cats do their ‘I’m the god, not you’ thing. I’ve never had a cat around for long (I’ve never had many pets, for that matter) but they always project an independence, a certain detachment, a callback to the fact that they are inherently wild and free.

But in the event that I’m dejected or depressed or just back home after a long day, I’d rather be welcomed by a dog. Somewhere, we all wish for a little heart-breaking loyalty in our lives, and dogs are perfect recipients because they give the same back to you.

Who is your best author?

Oh, I could name so many (I know, I’m so bad at favorites questions) but here are those who have almost defined the different stages of my life so far.

Enid Blyton, J K Rowling and C S Lewis – for giving me the most imaginative childhood. So many of my summer days were spent leafing through their books in the living room while my thoughts wandered about in Hogwarts and Narnia while munching on fresh scones.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – for that gentle transition from believing that our heroes can solve everything (even pre-teen heroes who have holiday homework) to the reality that even the sharpest and smartest have been slapped by failures.

Harper Lee – for ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’. Something based off real place and events and people, yet somehow it felt so absolutely magical.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni – for a retelling of the epic Mahabharata through the eyes of its fiery female protagonist Panchaali. Even though I enjoyed the rest of her books, this particular work retains a special place. I can never pass it by without picking it up and going through a few pages here and there.

George R R Martin – for his complex characters, complex and intertwined plots that are a joy to trace, exquisite yet subtle symbolism and realistic fantasy. Oh, and dragons!

Mitch Albom and Paulo Coelho – for helping me find my way back to magic, because in the end, reality is just magic that we forgot how to behold.

What is your favorite comfort food?

Anything edible that is also within arm’s length.

As a child, what did you dream of doing for a living?

I always wanted to explore, go beyond, see and experience everything there was in the known world and even the unknown. I dreamed of being an astronaut, a journalist, a politician, a travel enthusiast. Oh, so many.

Most dangerous thing you’ve ever done?

Was also the most stupid thing I did, so I do hope you understand when I say I don’t really want it posted on a public platform, haha.

Would you trust a self-driving car?

As much as I would trust a personal computer or a mobile phone to keep my secrets. We are progressing towards a future that may well be dominated by artificial intelligence. Being comfortable with that might just become a need rather than a choice.

What’s the best thing about your own country?

That it teaches a person so much. Sometimes, being here is soothing. There are isolated spots where the past is so perfectly crystallized. And at other times, it’s like being scrubbed. The deafening sounds, the crowds and the heat.

India can teach a person so much – about adapting to circumstances, living in diversity and also about that fine balance between being guarded and being friendly.

Which 3 famous people would you invite for dinner? (Dead or alive)

Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, whose words and deeds were talk of the town when I was a child. We often say greatness comes with simplicity, and here was someone who personified that.

Newt Scamander ( real enough to me ), because who wouldn’t love to hear about Nifflers and Thunderbirds over dessert?

Marilyn Monroe, so well known and yet so misunderstood.

What is your favorite quote?

The most recent favorite (the one I wrote an entire blog post about) would be : “Is it far from madness to wisdom?”

Nominations:

Ket Cage at Cynical Souls

Devoted and Divorced

Angel at Watch Your Life in Pictures

Thought After Thought

Perceptions Unplugged

themoonlightreverie

Objects, and the Distance Between Them

mamaasaladd

Symmetric Resonance

The Mind Connectory

50 first dates with myself

My questions to you: 

1. If you could shuttle between now and at some point in the past or future, which event / historical period would you choose?
2. White or black? And why?
3. Do you think morality is relative, or is it absolute?
4. Name one work of art that changed your life.
5. A crazy monster is about to charge at you. Describe the funniest, most creative way you’re going to fight it and hold your ground (You can describe the monster too).
6. Depict your blog in five numbers and explain why you chose them.
7. Expand the following acronym so as to closely describe the most dominant side of your personality: ALACKRE
8. You need to choose between a single page of wisdom and a whole blank book of a thousand pages. Which do you pick and why?
9. What’s the best thing you love about yourself?
10. You have the authority to declare that one day in the year be devoted to some special person/cause. What do you devote it to?
11. You get one minute to talk to a powerful person/ entity. The entity will change whatever you want it to change, but you only get one minute to talk and no more. You only have one chance. What do you talk of?