The Mystery Blogger Award

The Mystery Blogger Award

To begin with let me express my immense gratitude towards Sonia Chatterjee for trusting me as a worthy nominee for the Mystery blogger award. I have been blogging for the past eight years (yeah its true) but always treated it as a hobby until this year’s blogchatter’s ebook carnival where I published a compilation of my top posts and stories and started seriously putting efforts in blogging too. My father always wanted me to pursue my passion but unfortunately he isn’t around to see me pursuing it.
Thank you again Sonia – I accept the award with all humbleness and would treat it as fuel to weave more words. I am beginning to learn how to take compliments.

Mystery behind Mystery Blogger Award

Okota Enigma started this award with the underlying theme being, “It’s an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion.”
Every award is preceded by some rules and mystery blogger award is no different. Here are the rules of this award –

1. Put the award logo/image on your blog. List the rules.
2. Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
3. Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well
4. Tell your readers 3 things about yourself
5. You have to nominate 10 – 20 people
6. Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog
7. Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)
8. Share a link to your best post(s).

The Mystery Blogger Award

The first three already taken care of, lets begin with the fourth one.

Three things about me:

I was born dead and am not kidding. I have even written a post on the same. You can read it here.

Why I chose the name ‘The Contemplation of a Joker’?

Jostein Gaarder said, “A joker is a little fool who is different from everyone else, he is not a club, a diamond or a spade, he is not an eight or a nine or a king or a jack. He is an outsider”. Here I have tried to be a Joker in everyone’s lives, bringing them bits of stories and laughter from all corners of life. As is the case with a Joker, they might not remember my name, they might not even know the real me, but I will always be glad that I was, am and will always be a part of the readers lives. I touched without actually being in their lives…just like a joker is in the stack with other cards without actually belonging there.

Some unique features:

You will be surprised to know that WWE (earlier WWF) played an important part in me improving my English. I am a good cook – I can actually prepare a whole meal – my father couldn’t even light up a stove, hence my mom made sure that her son turns out to be better at household chores. Few lucky ones have had the privilege of being hosted by me. I am a great relationship advisor too. Over the years many people and close friends have approached me and hopefully they received the right advice. I have been a sportsperson all my life, involved with some or the other at any given time – currently preparing for the Delhi Half Marathon.

Moving on to the questions Sonia put across:

Tell us one thing about yourself that nobody knows.

The actual question should be could I tell you something that no one knows, there is a reason that no one knows it but let me still surprise you. I don’t eat ice creams. I know I know.

Which genre of books do you enjoy reading the most and why?

Anything, which has the potential to stir emotions within a soul, that emotion can be any, the genre isn’t important. My personal favorite being George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal farm and most of Dan Brown and Paulo Coelho’s work.

What is the best piece of advice or feedback that you received for your writing?

That “Don’t struggle to be a writer, that you become the day you hold a pen and scribble your thoughts. Focus on being an honest and relatable writer. Its like, “dance like no one is watching and write like everyone is living your words.”

If you were stranded on an island, what things would you take with you and why?

Few good books, descent supply of my favorite food and a solar powered satellite phone (inspiration cast away) – so that when I am done being in solitude I shall call for help. In all seriousness a book on how to survive when you are stranded on an island. 😀

What is the weirdest or craziest thing that you have ever done?

My weird might not be your crazy, though if you have read my ‘Death on Karnataka express’ you should know that’s as weird as a person can get. Since we are talking about food here I once ate a cockroach. Yeah go faint.

I nominate:

Arjun Gupta – https://knightofsteel.com/
Anshu Bhojnagarwala – https://anshubhojnagarwala.wordpress.com/
Ashwini Menon – https://ashwinisperceptions.com/
Deepti Verma – https://nationalviews.com
Dipali Bhasin – https://www.spoonsandsneakers.com
Huma Masood – https://www.silkenscribblings.com/
Jyotsna Sharma – https://bhaatdaal.wordpress.com/
Kadambari Singh – http://thevibrantdiaries.blogspot.com/
Lavanya Srinivasan – https://thelavmuse.com/
Leha Divakar – https://theliteraryaffairblog.wordpress.com/
MsArora – https://education17048.wordpress.com/
Nidhi R Gautam – https://theprivatesocialite.wordpress.com/
Nupur Maskara – http://www.nutatut.com/
Prerna Wahi – https://prernawahi.com/
Priyal Poddar – http://parilifestyle.com/
Riddhi Sharma – http://riddhiculous.com/
Richa S Mukherjee – https://richasmukherjee.com/
Shalini Nair – https://kohleyedme.com/
Shivangi Srivastava – https://myketosutra.wordpress.com/
I know everyone has their commitments so don’t feel you have to participate just because I nominated you but I would definitely love you to, and if you want to take part and I haven’t nominated you consider yourself nominated.

Five questions for my nominations:

• What’s your superpower?
• What do you want to be engraved on your tombstone?
• What’s that one advice you give to everyone?
• What’s your take on soul mate
• Weird one – What do you love more – Cockroach or lizard?

My personal favorite:

The Alien Bridge – sometimes when I read it – I get surprised that I wrote this.
Read it here: The Alien Bridge
For all those who love recognitions,
For all those who love competitions,
For all those who are mysterious,
For all those who are nominated
And
For all those who have received Mystery Blogger Award
It’s not a Goodbye,
But It’s a GOOD BYE…
Manas ‘Sameer’ Mukul