Tuesday, February 02, 2010

The secret behind Calvin and Granger Gab…

Solilo brought up this interesting topic and it inspired me to get the rust off my blog that has been quiet for 7 days. My offline life has been too busy hence no blogging. In these busy times I’ve realised the importance of Twitter.

So here goes the secret behind my online identity i.e. my Gravataar

The pic is constant on my blog and twitter ids – I’ve not changed it since the inception of my blog. Calvin with a pencil in his mouth in a pondering mood – rare picture isn’t it ? Calvin, the hyperactive soul, sitting peacefully. Hyperactivity is my middle name, the only time I’m quiet is when I’m on this blog or rather my online world, but then again I’m chatting online! Calvin is my favourite character. According to me, he is a genius ( created by a genius too) whom no one appreciates:-) Secretly I wish that if I ever have a son, he should be like Calvin. He is a rebel, constantly questioning the norms - something I did all my life and drove my parents insane in that department. Of course I was no where close to the brat he is, though after reading his adventures I wish I was. Only child, imaginary friends – I empathize with the little bloke, and I identify with him! That picture on my blog reflects me completely - A million thoughts going on in my mind and very few that see the light of the paper, the only time I’m quiet for my offline folks. One of my favourite bloggers, Sujatha once told me, “My son( who is called little C after Calvin on her blog) is a huge C&H fan and whenever I see his C&H books I remember you!” I was most touched by her comment.

The name for the blog was easy. When everyone I knew from school read Harry Potter, each one of them called me up to tell me that Minal, damn it Hermione is you! Yeah there I was, geeky in school, always the first to finish her papers, well-read before the teacher commenced the topic and always the first one to raise her hand to answer a question! Non-stop chatter and sometimes a little high-handedness with my friends; I can imagine how they would’ve hated me in those times. Like Hermione I cared too much and still do, for my friends and loved ones. Like her I was never among the beautiful ones in my class ever. The geekiness went away in Engg. and MBA colleges - probably cause I met a lot more real nerds or geeks! I was bookish and not supremely talented in anything else, I would devour books, if anything caught my interest, the R&D on the subject would be done and completed till I knew the topic at the tip of my tongue. When I read Potter, Hermione Granger reminded me of my lost identity. She is my favourite - loyal, warm-hearted, a little snooty,  fearless, inquisitive, does not take nonsense and loves to talk! So that's why the blog aptly titled Granger Gab

Now, only if someone had told me after watching the movie that you look like Emma Watson - that would've been the icing on the cake but sigh I don't! Emma is a lovely, lovely girl! I'll just take pride in the one dimple on my cheek I'm blessed with; thanks to my brother. When we were both aged 3 years, he crashed me into the corner of a table leading to a permanent dent now famous to others as the dimple on my cheek! I've not thanked him enough for that accident. What a gift he gave me unknowingly.

Solilo thanks for asking us the question and there you have my long answer! It would’ve been too long a comment and hence I thought a blog post would be better!

8 comments:

Average Jane said...

Nice post! I would have liked to be compared to Hermione!

Minal said...

@AJ: True - I think Rowling has done a great job by building her character - strong, level-headed feminist girl! We all want to be like that one day don't we;-))

starry eyed said...

I love Hermione, but I don't think Emma really matches Rowling's character, the bushy hair and her characteristic teeth, now of course we all think of Emma when we say Hermione.

I loved this description of you! Would so love to meet up! And I heart Calvin...

PS Are you an only child or do you have a brother?

hitch writer said...

Sols is great aint she..!!!!! :D

this is a lovely post and tells us so much about you !!!! thoroughly loved reading this... ! Calvin the hyper kid pensive in his thoughts... thats Minal !!!! :D :D

thinking about the strategy for Dhoni ahead perhaps :P :P

Minal said...

@Starry: You have to let me know when you land up in my desertland! I'm an only child like you are;-) The brother I mention is my neighbour, not my real brother!

@Hitchwriter: Haha lol:-)) How true! And Dhoni needs help with no Dravid, Sreesanth, Yuvraj and gearing to face the SAF team!!!

Solilo said...

Minal, lovely reading the story behind your avatar. I am a HUGE fan of C & H. In fact my first post on the blog was also a C & H piece though I kept it in draft and published something else. :)

Shreyas said...

sorry if i am interferring and the only identity i have of u is mostly tht u r amit's wife and now a grt blogger...

And its grt that u love Calvin and i have exactly the same thoughts abt him except one... I mean I love C n H to death but for the sake of saneness if I ever have a kid like him, i wont make it past 40....

BTW if you get some time do breeze thru my blog; which aint as updated as urs but I write every once in a while..

Thanks and have a grt time

Minal said...

@solilo; yeah one more:-) join the club! And what has kept u from not posting that C&H post till date?

@shreyas;-) LOL!!!! I always wanted to be the brat Calvin was - I was very well-behaved child at home and outside so I want to enjoy it when I have my kid! Let me see how long I'll live:-) You are not interfering at all please! Will defn check your blog - amit mentioned you too write well! more than writing I love reading :-)