I finally got to meet some bloggers, now that I am back in India. The last time there was such a meet, I really felt bad that I could not attend it. We had an Indiblogger Bangalore meet yesterday and more than 250 people attended it. There were more men than women who attended it. But I had lot of fun meeting so many bloggers. What was more fun was meeting people whom I already knew through their blogs, people whose blogs I have been following from more than a year. Nethra and Leo were the only Bangalore bloggers that I knew would be attending the meet. I was not aware of others who had also registered for it until I looked up on the Indiblogger site yesterday before leaving. Leo had arrived first and then I came. After few minutes, saw Nethra sitting at the back. Tavish‘s arrival was a bit of a surprise since he came all the way from Hyderabad for the meet. We even got to meet Rachana and her hubby. We met Hitesh too and the first thing he asked me was “Aren’t you the one who wrote the Karna post?” 😀 His post highlighted the good qualities of Karna and mine had all the bad qualities. We searched for Mohan and found him volunteering. It was nice meeting him too.
After the welcome and introduction of partners by the Indiblogger team, it was time for 30 seconds of fame, where each blogger got hold of the microphone for 30 secs to introduce him/herself. What was little ridiculous was that people were speaking about their professional and personal life, and literally nothing about their blogging or their blog. Most of them were talking about their twitter accounts and other nonsense, which had nothing to do with Indi”blogger” meet. People would start off with “I work for xyz company as abc engineer and I love/hate my job. My hobbies are blah blah blah”. It got boring because of this after sometime. What I and many others were interested in was knowing what they like to blog about, what pseudoname they blog with or what their blog url was. I blog as Avada Kedavra. If I come in front of you and just blabber about my work life and tell you my real name, would you recognize me? No! Never! Because people know me as Avada and that is how they will recognize me. There were so many people who did not even mention their name or blog url. So how do they expect us to identify them? I might have already read their blog but how do I recognize that this is the same person?! Pujitha was there too and as soon as she told her blog url, I recognized her. It was really so nice to meet her. I got to meet Srikanta too and I recognized him as soon as he said “Parallel Thoughts”. Hemal was there too, even though he was doubtful about attending the meet and since I had seen his photo before on his blog, it was not difficult to recognize him. Our headmaster of GingerChai (LR) was there too! “Lakshmi Sir” is how everyone addressed him 🙂 Harsha won a printer for giving one of the best (funniest) introductions. He is going to throw a party soon for all of us, who vouched for him and made him win..right Harsha? 😉 Also got to meet Nethra’s classmate who even blogs. Need to check his blog soon.
The only people I had expected to meet, other than all those whom I met were Dhiman and Pixie. I searched for Dhiman’s name in the arrival list and expected to find him during 30 seconds of fame, but looks like he could not make it to the meet. Hope to meet you next time Dhiman!
Some people said they have been blogging from their childhood and that got us thinking. Internet and all the blogging platforms just came into existence some yrs back (maybe maximum 10 years and not before that). So do we blog to write or write to blog? In my case, it is blog to write. I have written poetry and short stories ever since I learnt how to write (when I was about 5-6 years old) and even before that. There was a time when I would dictate and mom wrote them for me, since her handwriting was good 🙂
After 30 seconds of fame, there was a representative from HP who gave a talk on their new line of printers. Once it was over, it was time to get comments from others on a cardboard sheet which we were supposed to hang on our back. This was pretty fun since whenever someone commented, I got the same pleasure that I get when someone comments on my blog 🙂 I made sure I got comments from all those people whose blogs I already follow and then also took comments and urls of some new bloggers like Aparna that I got a chance to meet. What made my day was when someone told me “you look like a pretty famous blogger. Can you give me your url?” 😀 And few people told me that they have already read couple of posts on my blog. I am pretty sure I have already read some of their blogs too but couldn’t recollect. Probably the next task for me is to check their blogs and try to remember if I have already read them or have them on my reader already. It was really fun meeting so many new faces and so many people passionate about one single thing – blogging 🙂 What was more fun was chatting nonstop with Nethra. Someone actually asked us “are you people from same college or something?” and we just cracked up saying, “no, we met only through blogging” 🙂 We were that comfortable talking and laughing together. Nethra complimented me saying “You are so cool, I thought you were a serious person”. 😀 Thanks girlie and I never knew you were so much fun to be with. The meet would have been boring if not for all these people I already knew.
After that it was time to hog some hot samosas and coffee. Leo hardly ate so I am assuming that he is on serious diet 😉 We later had some people coming on the stage and talking about various topics like blogging through your mobile phone, blogging on some social causes and indiforum discussions. They also announced results for a contest called “Spirit of Bangalore“, which was a photography contest. I had no idea about this contest else I would have taken part in it. But the entries for the contest were good, except that not many highlighted the good aspects of Bangalore. We sat right in front of a speaker and kept shouting at each other since we went deaf with the sound 🙂 Once everything was done, it was time to collect our tshirt that said “Indian by birth and blogger by choice”. We went home drenched since it rained very heavily yesterday 😦 My dad said “for you, it should have been blogger by birth and Indian by choice”.. hehe. He felt bad that so many people read my blog, but he never ever opened my site 😛 Hope this guilt atleast makes him read my blog.
Before this, we had another mini-meet in Bangalore when Kanagu visited Bangalore a few weeks back. It was fun meeting him and Pixie. It was a short meet but had lot of fun talking (or gossiping :D) about other bloggers that we know. Hope to attend many more such meets in future.
Hi Avada….. a nice detailed account of your meet. Must be an experience ull remember as a blogger despite some not so interesting intros 🙂
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yeah this meet was really remarkable.. will remember it for a long time 🙂 Thanks Abha!
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Wow sounds like a whole lot of fun. I wish they organize a Kolkata meet too!
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I guess they had Mumbai, hyd and Chennai already.. the only big city left is Kolkata..so hopefully they will organize it there next 🙂
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hey, ther’s my name too…….. yyyaaayy mee…….. 😀
see, i recognize all the people…. who comment on my blog……. or even who don’t…..there are many of those…too………can u imagine………
indeed it was a great meet……… met Tavish …after he ditched me last time….and said the cliche “i lost my phone and ur contact number….”
but i met nethra…. Pujitha (who was my BPL team mate…..Wordsworth Loins)
i aimed the least….. fun, good time and an indi Tee……. so not disappointed about not getting one of HP’s Printer……..
anyways… don’t count on me……. i’m one of those bloggers who blogs and never read……… 🙂
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good to see that you remembered me.. initially when you came, I guess you dint recognize 😛 I read your other articles too (apart from Karna) and had left some comments too, so it was not difficult to recognize you.. It was nice meeting you too Hitesh! Even I dint win anything but still it was fun attending the meet 🙂
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hey, i remember the other comments by you too…… but it’s just that i’m not that good memory thingy-ies……. any ways…..i did read some of your BPL entries………. but i’m like one of those….. who like writing letters but love reading telegrams….. the shorter version…. that’s why i, nowadays especially, i don’t read much of the content on Indivine…………. anyways…… we shld have talked more…….. any who…. one day we will…….. ,,/
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yeah even these days I read any post that interests me and seldom leave comments.. not a regular avid reader.. hope to talk to you more in the next meet 🙂
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yo AK..come dwn to chn sometime..we wl arrange for a blog meet with phellow bloggers 🙂
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oh yes! Chennai is one place which has lotttt of bloggers that I know.. should visit it sometime.. pray that I get go to a foreign country then I will come there for Visa stamping 😛
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Hey Avada! Was a pleasure meeting you! And ya, I was bemused by the Headmaster like Sir tag on me 😀
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She wasnt the only one tagging you with “Sir” many others did too 🙂
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Ya I know, I meant collectively only 😀
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Same here LR and lol@the sir tag.. many people,mostly BPL members called you sir 🙂
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Wow! I missed the indiblogger meet in Gurgaon last year … and also the Delhi one. My job and stuff always comes in the way, Sigh! Sounds like fun!
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yeah this meet was fun even though I was not sure about attending it, since I knew very few people.. but later on I realized that I know many people who attended it.. Please do attend the next Delhi meet, I am sure you will like it 🙂
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Hey that was a lovely review AK… yeah many were surprised 2 see me there… spacially Anwin, with whom I spoke to before coming for the meet… it was an absolute pleasure meeting u guys…. in terms of blogging I feel more at home in Blore than Hyd bcoz of the number of bloggers I know there… 🙂
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dude i saw u with these three leo, avada and nethra in some snap in one of the news papers 🙂
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Which newspaper? I wanna see it too.
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really? our photo came in a newspaper? Please tell us which one.. I saw an online magazine which had Tavish’s pic on it along with Pujitha and others.
Check this : Here
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OMG! really?? which newspaper was that??? yeah i saw my pic with Pujita… am a celeb yay!!! hehehe
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you are a celeb Tavish 😀
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going by the sheer number of comments u have recieved… U seem to be a celebrity not me! 🙂
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hehe.. but you knew more people in the meet 😛
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oh yeah very true there are more number of BAT members in Blore than hyd.. Even I hardly know one or two bloggers from hyd.. Glad you could make it to the blore meet.. it was nice meeting you Tavish 🙂
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ncie meeting u too…. but going by the sheer number of comments u have got… u r more of a celeb than I am!
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Wow! That’s a cool account of the meet! And so wonderful that you could meet so many ‘virtual’ friends in real life! I wish, I could participate in such a meet sometimes soon! 🙂
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Thanks Shilpa.. wish we could have a BAT meet sometime, instead of these regional meets.. it would be so much fun 🙂 I guess the closest place for you is Delhi.. see if you can make it to the next Delhi meet, you can meet our Marshall too 🙂
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Ha ha! Hope ur Dad lands up on ur blog soon hagadre 😛
Glad to know u hd a nice time with Nethra and others 🙂
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yeah hope he lands on this page someday.. not much hopes though.. looks like he forgot about his plan to visit already 😀 😛 No mention about visiting from him again 🙂
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Atlast I get the blog of the killing curse.
Sorry I am difficult person to start with.
I tried talking to you when i spoke to Nethra and Leo but I wasnt able to talk to you.:)
This is my first time on your blog.
Read few articles. I loved them.
Wanted to find the Karna post. didnt get it though.
hope you will mail me the link of that post.
Do drop by my blog sometime.
Cheers!!
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Hey missed talking to you then.. but saw you when you gave the intro.. I felt your name was familiar, read your posts somewhere.. then someone reminded me that you are part of GC.. that was when I recognized you 🙂 Thanks so much for visiting my blog.. I am really glad that you liked it 😀 This is the Karna post that I put up for the BPL contest 🙂
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it was a pleasant experience indeed! was fun meeting all you guys 🙂
lets hope this kinda event happens more regularly. and wish ur dad lands here soon 😛
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Thanks for visiting Anil 🙂 Yeah it was great meeting you too and all the other bloggers. Hoping to meet again in the next meet 🙂
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Wow. nice, nice. Guess you had real fun! I’ve somehow managed to miss EVERY single blogger meet up that’s happened in Bangalore 😀 Sigh!
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Tell me something, do you stay in Blore too? 😮 wish you had come!! could have met you as well.. the next time there is any such meet, I am going to pull you 😀 okay on a serious note, let’s meet up sometime if you are around 🙂
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Hey .. nice review of the meet.. .though i cudnt meet u.. lukin forward to visit ur blog more often… 🙂
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Thanks Shashi 🙂 Remember seeing you at the meet, I guess during the intro session..but dint get a chance to talk to you.. I quit the comment session midway as I was hungry 😀 Will definitely meet you next time..
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I loved ur recount of this meet 😀 😀 Sounds so straightforward and no-nonsense!!
Looks like u had a great time…sigh…I need to move to Bangalore..really! 😛 🙄 😦
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Thanks Ash.. next time you are somewhere around Blore or if I am anywhere around Delhi, let’s meet up..
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wow..sounds fun..mumbai meet was quite similar..i knew nobody when i entered..but it was fun at the end 🙂 when r we meeting? 😛
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oh yes remember reading your review about the same Neha.. I even remember the 30 sec session you guys had.. the photo of the tshirt that you put up, motivated me to attend 😛 so credit goes to you.. so badly wanna meet you and all the other girl gang we have here 😦 but everyone is in a different part of the country and G’s tho diff country !!!
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Ashwini,
You have made me famous by mentioning me so many times. I’m glad you were there because it was really fun talking to you. And sorry for I talked too much. 😛
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Hehe 🙂 I spent most of the time with you and had loads of fun thanks to you, and that’s why special mention to you and also to Leo, who was there as soon as I entered and dint let me get bored 🙂
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I didn’t know the actual name ‘Ashwini’ until I met Avada Kedavra in person! Well, isn’t that the life from being virtual to real? Awesome time it was to network with so many of the bloggers all under one roof.
Wish you had taken part in the ‘Spirit of Bangalore’ photo contest, I would have had a good competitor 😉 I haven’t seen the newspaper strip yet, I was interviewed by a Deccan herald lady. let me see if she has quoted me somewhere.
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oh yeah I have been looking at the DH newspaper every single day after the meet, hoping to see something about the meet. Guess they will put it in the weekend supplements. Hopefully will see your interview too there 🙂 It was great meeting so many bloggers 🙂
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🙂
So you’ve been having a lot of fun, eh… ? 😀
It was really nice to read about the great ‘meet’ you people had. At least people got to meet the real ‘Avada’… 😛
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yeah it was fun but wish we could all meet someday.. want to meet you too Shobhit sometime..
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How lovely… I wish we had something like that here… sigh!!! BTw , Avada, time to tell us your real name blah blah right? Otherwise how will non-Bangaloreans know who you are!!
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Hey Pallavi, my real name is kinda public 🙂 Most of the people already know it. Even Nethra has commented above.. it is Ashwini 😀 Wish we could have a meet across India, instead of just regional meets.. it would be so much fun..
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He he, thank u Avada 🙂 Despite knowing your real name, I tend to use Avada 🙂 Hey, btw, thank u so very much for your vote at Indiblogger!
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you are most welcome Pallavi 🙂 Loved the post 🙂
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wow..seems to be so much of fun.wish we had something like that in Chennai:)
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Hey Renu, I guess they had a meet recently in Chennai, sometime in march I think.. I am sure they will conduct one more next year.. keep checking indiblogger and make sure you attend it next year.. it was fun 🙂
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An awesome review. I guess I haven’t met you in the meet. You have got a nice blog. Keep Blogging…
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Thanks Satya 🙂 I guess I saw your intro but yeah couldnt talk to you.. I was so hungry that I left the comment session midway to hog 🙂
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Wow.. So nice. 250 is a good number of people. I wanna meet you too. But not at a bloggers meet,..I’m not too keen to meet a room full of bloggers.
🙂 But you are famous of course.. I certainly had no doubts whatsoever madam!
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Yes Ro! really wanna meet you.. being in the same city, we havent been able to meet.. hoping that Miss. Swaram would also make a visit to Blore sometime and we can all catch up..
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wow…. A full reacp of the bloggers meet…. Hope you remember me too…
We met in the meet 🙂
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Oh yes I remember you very well Sweta 🙂 It was very nice meeting you too!! 🙂 Added you already on Indiblogger yest 🙂
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that was an awesome meet…
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yeah it was really a great meet 🙂
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That was an awesome roundup! Glad to have had you there at the meet. Thee energy was really electric with the bangalore bloggers. May be next time we can try and meet 300+ bloggers! 😉
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Thanks Karthik. It was nice meeting you as well.. and yes you were the first person I met in the meet 🙂 Next time we should have it at a more magnificent scale, 300+ like you said 🙂
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😦
You guys had lotsa fun and me being from Visakhapatnam is my curse!
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yeah it was good Pawan.. it’s not a curse, next time there is a meet, come down to Bangalore, we can have a BPL raiders’ team reunion here 🙂 what say? This time just Leo and I got to meet, it will be fun if we all raiders could meet once 🙂
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I so wish i could have been there too :(.
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girl, really wish we could have a meet of all of us – you, me, Neha, Guria, Sammy et al.. it would be so much fun 🙂
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hii ashwini…
it was so nice to meet you…had fun completely in the blogger’s meet
i have taken ur snap also while we were eating with my mobile
lastly…nice review !
cheers ~
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Thanks Aparna. it was really nice meeting and knowing you too 🙂 I really enjoyed the meet.. you took a group pic of us right? can you send me the snap, email me at evanescentthoughts[at]yahoo[dot]com?
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Aww! That sounds like so much fun. I wish we can arrange one in here. I dont know any other bloggers from Seattle. 🙂 Good to know that you were able to meet lotta folks Avada. 🙂
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Thanks dilontherocks 🙂
yeah having a meet in US sounds even more fun but looks like not many bloggers are there.. when I was in US, I wished for the same thing… finally got to meet folks here..
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It must have been so wonderful!! I stay at such a place that I am unable to attend any such meets..though I doubt whether I would do that if I had the chance…I am a shy person in reality 🙂
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Yeah even I was wondering whether to attend initially, but when I met folks there, they dint seem strangers at all.. it felt as if I knew many of them from ages 🙂
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I wish there was one here in UK i wud go 🙂
i bet u had fun …
Bikram’s Blog
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Yeah Bikram it was fun 🙂 If there is a meet in UK, dont miss it.. 🙂
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Avada’s spell finally cracked itself. 🙂 Good that you had a nice time!
Some got disappointed with the meet but lot were happy with people they got to know. Not sure about the purpose, but it looked more like some social networking group meet. No techies.
But wait.. IB.in created a spam free envs! Doesn’t tolerate palagrism! Any moderators here? Did u hear that?
The hardest part is yet to come 🙂
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Yeah it was good to see the faces of people whose blogs I have been reading from a long time.. now I can relate the person to their blog.. hmm you can call it social networking group meet.. Bangalore meet had way too many people I would say.. 🙂
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Quite an appetizing chronicle of the meet, my friend! Hope to relish a similar one myself sometime soon… may be… 😉
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Thanks Shrinath and welcome to my blog 🙂 You should really attend the next blogger meet 🙂
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Hey Ashwini enjoyed reading your review of the meet(specially the samosa and coffee part 😛 ) …
yeah i was excited when I saw your and LR(headmaster saab’s) names in list of attendees but somehow couldnot make it that day 😦 but anyway … obviously there’s a next time 😀 for sure …
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Thanks 🙂
You really missed it Dhiman 😐 but hope to meet you next time..
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Lovely meeting..well written
If you like something about my blog,do VOTE ME!
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Thanks Uma.. I voted for you 🙂
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It was really good to meet you too. I enjoyed meeting all the faces behind the words!
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Same here Pujitha 🙂 it was really good!!
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Looks like I missed out 😦 I should definitely register in time for the next Blogger meetup in Bangalore.
Good to know you all had a great time!
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You should really try to register for it next time Nishita. The meet was fun 🙂
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It was good fun meeting you 🙂 Even better to speak in kannada while in the midst of English jungle 😉
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Same here 🙂 First person with whom I could converse in Kannada, even though the meet was in Bangalore 😛 🙂 Strange alva? 🙂
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You have started to meet lot of people.. nice 🙂 🙂 I love these meetings and I loved our meet too 🙂 🙂
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Thanks Kanagu 🙂 Our meet was really good and thanks for taking time and meeting us 🙂 🙂
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Awesome … Somehow I always happen to miss the NCR Bloggers’ meet … Unlucky me … 😦 😦 😦
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🙂 Try to make it to the next meet Harsh.. trust me it’s fun to see the faces behind the blogs 🙂
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hey gurl, i somehow missed this post!! thanks for the mention… yes it was great meeting you there 🙂 such a fun filled session that i am always all the more willing to be there again… banglore was a love at first sight for me…
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🙂 glad you dint miss this post.. it was great meeting you too Hemal!! and glad you could make it to the meet.. Hope to meet you again in the next meet too!! 🙂
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