My readers are friends of mine: Ki

Ki

My name is Aparajita Kumar but my blogger name is Ki, short for Kirti which is what my friends and family call me. My blog is called ‘Who the hell am I?’and its URL is http://freakingoutfrequently.blogspot.com/. I was born on the 13^th of December, 1989. I’m a final year grad student at the University of Delhi. I love reading, writing and dancing. I also thrive on reality shows on television.

I speak three languages (English, Hindi and French) well and I’m trying to perfect my Tamil. One of my dreams is to buy my own domain and have one of the most visited blogs online! The other is to be the kind of author that Enid Blyton was – uncomplicated and read by millions!

Interview

Q: Welcome to Speakbindas. Tell us since when blogging has been a part of your life? Was there any motive or inspiration as a backbone of it?

• Ans.: I started blogging about three years ago just as a means to express myself. Over time I’ve created and deleted many blogs but this one (Who the hell am I?) is here to stay! It is my attempt blogging as a means to discover more about myself and to develop my style of writing.

Q: What is your blog all about? Which topics you cover there? Is that you alone running/maintaining the blog, or have a team?

• Ans.: This blog is about my life. It’s completely honest and straight from the heart. I find that I work better on my own; hence I am the only author of the blog so far!

Q.: How important is it for the blogger to interact with their readers? Do you respond to all the comments that you receive?

• Ans.: I think that when someone makes the effort to read what you’ve written and comment on it, it’s imperative to at least take out the time to thank them if nothing else. However most, if not all, my readers are friends of mine so I end up talking to them about their comments rather than replying directly on the blog.

Q: What are the present statistics for your blog, i.e. number of daily visitors, visitors geographical status etc.?

• Ans.: I’ve never found the need to put up any sort of device to measure the number of visitors! However, I do know that I have readers from all over the world, including Pakistan. And any post of mine gets about 17-18 comments so I guess I do have quite a number of visitors!

Q: Is blogging for you just a passion or a medium for earning too? Does it help you to earn enough cash to quit a 9 to 5 day job?

• Ans.: I blog whenever I want to, about whatever pops into my mind. If it was a medium for earning, I would have to stick to a schedule and write on demand. I don’t think I could ever do that!

Q: Who are your favorite bloggers, whom you read frequently?

• Ans.: The blog that inspired my blog is Chirky (http://chirky.com/). Apart from that, I read the blogs of all the people who follow me and the blogs that I’ve discovered through their blogs! I don’t think I have a favourite though.

Q: From the secret bucket of your blogging experiences, what tips you would like to share with the fellow bloggers?

• Ans.: My advice to other bloggers would just be – write what you know. Bloggers who try to emulate other bloggers’ styles usually come across as stupid or pretentious!

Ki

Q: Do you believe that blogging completes you? If yes, tell us how?

• Ans.: Of course it does! My blog is the one place where I don’t have to pretend to be someone I’m not, the one place in the whole world that is completely my own – without it, I’d be lost!

Q: What was the happiest and gloomiest moment of your life?

• Ans.: The happiest moment the day I found out that I’d won free tickets to Paris (July, 2009)!

• The gloomiest moment (well, moments) was when my boyfriend moved to another continent.

Q: Say, you are sponsored to travel to 3 world destinations, where you need not to worry about costs for food, hotel or anything. Which destinations would you pick up, and why? Would you like to take someone along with you? If yes, whom?

• Ans.: France – because my boyfriend stays there.
• Italy – because I’ve heard that the food there is to die for.
• Pakistan – A dear friend of mine stays there whose wedding I had to miss because I’m Indian and she’s Pakistani!

• I’d travel 100% alone to all these places – there’s nothing like setting off on your own!

Q: Are you into watching movies? If yes, which fills your list of favorite ones?

• Ans.: I watch all sorts of films – English, Hindi, French, Tamil – you name it, I must have watched it! Legally Blonde(English), Anbeshivam and Abhiyum Naanum (Tamil), Les Jeux interdits (French) and Ajab Prem ki Ghazab Kahani (Hindi) are on my list of current favourites! However this’ll change the minute I watch a few more!

Q: How has blogging helped you other than money?

• Ans.: Blogging has helped me make some of my closest friends! It has also taught me never to trust everyone I meet on the internet.

Q: What would be the one thing you’d change about yourself?

• Ans.: I would procrastinate less.

Q: What is your deepest fear?

• Ans.: Being left out.

Q: If you could meet one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

• Ans.: My boyfriend, hands down. I haven’t met him in ages!

Q: Which is your favorite television show? Favorite songs?

• Ans.: My current favourite TV show would be a cross between Top Chef and Two and a half men. I’m not much of a song person, I listen to all the latest Hindi film numbers!

Q: How much money do you have in your purse/wallet right now (including change)?

• Ans.: ZERO. (I just bought ingredients for an apple crumble!)

Q: What is your favorite food? Any particular dislikes?

• Ans.: I love food. I’m a very adventurous eater and I love trying all sorts of cuisine, so I don’t really hate anything in particular.

Q: What’s your take on the technological advancement these days? Does it make people’s life simple or complicated?

• Ans.: Advantages and disadvantages always go hand in hand! Technology makes it easy to communicate with anyone, anywhere at just the touch of a button. However, it is this accessibility that makes it an addiction or dangerous. As long as we are in control rather than letting technology control us, our lives will continue to be enriched by technological advancements.

Q: What do you think of “blogging is the next BIG thing”?

• Ans.: I don’t think it is the next big thing! It is the current big thing! And why not? It is the medium through which everyone can be a writer, everyone can express themselves freely and everyone can reach out to other people across the world!

Q: Any special message you would like to share with your blog readers as well with everyone else?

• Ans.: Read my blog! It has all the advice I dole out from time to time!