Category: Myself

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!

Of Cricket and Childhood Crushes!

Circa 1992:

Friend 1 : So do you think he is cute?

She : That’s not why I like him

Friend 1 : So you do think he is cute?

She : I like his game, I like his batting technique

Friend 1 : But you really do think he is cute?

She : He is a good cricketer and has the potential to be a great one

Friend 1 : So why exactly are his close-up posters up in your room

She : Because I’m not able to get one with him batting

Friend 1 : So you do think he is cute!

Circa 1996:

Mumma : She has her finals tomorrow, why did you let her go for the match

Papa : She loves the game, let her enjoy. She would’ve been miserable and not studied at all if she was home

Mumma : You have to be little strict with her

Papa : And not let her see our future son-in-law bat? (laughs out loud)

Mumma : Now you don’t start and encourage her!

——–
Papa : So how was the match we enjoyed seeing our son-in-law bat

She : Papa please, he is already married. That’s embarrassing!

Papa : I know, but it is fun teasing my little girl!

—————-
Friend 1 : You actually bought his music cassette?????????

She : Yeah! I thought he has done a decent job

Friend 2 : If only he had done a better one at playing cricket!

She : He was just plain unlucky.

Friend 1&2 : Whatever

Friend 3 : He is okay but I think Kumble’s interview sounds the best

She : We’ll get to your crush later; first let’s listen to the cassette again

Friends 1, 2 & 3 : Do we have to go through this torture?

She : Yes!

Friend 1 : So you do think he is cute!


Circa 2002
Friend 1 : 10 years since you’ve had a crush on him, if you meet him today have you decided what you are going to say.

She : I’m going for A’s wedding , in case you forgot, he is the one who plays cricket now.

Friend 1 : Are you not hoping to get to see him at the wedding? But you have a god damn B- school interview in Pune tomorrow, don’t you think you should leave today?

She : There is no way I’m missing A’s wedding, are you crazy! I’m taking the midnight bus and will reach in the morning well in time!

At the reception

Mom : Did you see him? I think you should walk up to him and tell him that you are a huge fan of his.

She : Are you sure mumma????? Are you my real mom? You hated it when I used to put up his posters in my room

Mom : I still hate that but I know you have adored him, you must tell him

She : He will think I’m crazy

Mom : That’s ok, you can’t hide facts for long

She : Are you my mom at all? Anyways

Slowly steadily she approached him
She :Hi Mr. M, I’m a huge huge fan of yours since I started watching cricket. You were fantastic. I had to tell you this since long, thanks and bye.

And she ran, ran for her life and disappeared from the long wedding queue so that he would not notice her again! What the ^&*$ was she thinking behaving like a teen at 22, an age where her friends were searching for a groom to get married and some were even ready to be moms!

Crushes are embarrassing things. Sigh! Now she knew exactly how it felt like those millions girls who adore cricketers and find them cute!

Growing up with cricket has been a crazy joy ride; it has become an integral part of her life, her oxygen if you may say. The crazy little crush forms a teeny weeny cute memory of her journey with the game. At that point it seemed so embarrassing that she could not tell anyone about it, today she can laugh her heart out at her stupidity and even invite others to do so by putting it up on her blog!

Yeah, as I have mentioned in my Facebook tag on “25 not so random things about me”
“Sanjay Manjrekar was my first serious crush in school and I still blush when my friends recall those days”

P.S:
Absolutely everyone I know has taken my case on this crush of mine, from my friends, my family and my parents. Papa especially loved teasing me! I was recalling this with an old school friend of mine and we thought it would be interesting to relive those memories; which is why this blog post turned up!!

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