Blogmeet

Well, so the second Cal bloggers' meet happened and was a great success.

Cal bloggers of sundry ages from 14 to 137 (guess who?) carried on conversation, ribaldry and mayhem with great gusto. All was very 'kewl' as a certain Kaku would say.

Some people were missed.

The Ducky, especially. There are moments when one runs out of witticisms and looks for some effortless humour of the duck kind.

And the duck does this sort of lit party/blogmeet summing-up thing much better than anyone else, so would not have attempted this if the basu had been present to record and comedify ( as opposed to 'commodify' - which, our favourite professor of drama in JU once told me [to my great amusement] should mean, according to the rules of the English language, 'make into a commode'. I had used that word in a tutorial and he was much peeved/ amused. "The right word, which no one uses, is 'commoditize'", said he. Have never managed to use that word so far. Will, as soon as I can.)

I digress.

The Bridalbeer and Sagnik of 'no url left' were remembered with much affection. Hope we can all meet and be merry together at some point.

There was a lot of laughter and randomness. Ice cream spoons were dropped and thrown around on brand new kurtas and hair, the scene shifted from T3 to Flury's in Japdas able organisational hands.

The gorment was lauded, feared and deeply revered.

I met two old acquaintances, and having had no idea they were bloggers, was much pleased. Heard that most of JU english dep is now blogging.Which is good. And before the whole JU/Presi debate starts again, lemme clarify that I have no particular feelings of patriotism for any of my alma maters. And that includes Oxford. Im just not that kind of person, whattodo.

The best and most salacious bits of the conversation, mostly courtesy the Greatbong, cant be put down here cos they involved famous ponytailed and non-ponytailed celebrities, old school rectors, actresses who are JU alumni [no, not me, before you ask], alleged 'quizmasters'/ 'theatre personalities' with the initials P.M and more such. And whoever said Cal and ex-Cal types would ever run out of gossip?

Snippets of random conversation I remember.

1.

Japda (in the most melancholy voice): Was at the Durgabari this time, and felt some one hundred and thirty years old...

[Pause in conversation when no one says anything and every one tries to look sympathetic.]

Laura: And you're not?

Japda (looking hurt): ...

Laura(smiling sweetly): Good to know.

2.

Japda smoking pipe.

Sweet young thing: You should put substance in that pipe.

Japda (smiling enigmatically): Uh-huh. No. I dont do that anymore. Substance was a long time ago. The last time I did substance was ... was... was...was... was...

[The longest pause while he pokes pipe with keychain . Vajpayee would have been ashamed.]

Laura ( very helpful and ever ready to complete other people's sentences): Woodstock?

Laughtrack.


3.


Greatbong: So is this like a post-bijoya shubeccha meet?

Rimi (I think): E ki tahole gurujonder pronaam kora hobe na?

Japda (petulant): Keu korche na to!

We are all happily stationed at a Flury's table by now, pre-booked by Japda.

Laura: Ei to, we shall all be crawling under the table to do just that right now.

Arnab: Ei, ei, have you seen Boom? Maane this is too much like Boom kintu...na?

Laura: Jani.

Japda (deeply embarrassed to the bottom of his bhadrolok soul but trying valiantly to cover up) : Was trying very hard to be decent, but if you are going to say all this...

Let's not finish that one.

4.

Greatbong and Japda bonding over Mithun.

Greatbong: And do you remember that? 'No warning, no arrest, only bhog of ma'

Rest of us: What? What?

GB: Crowd screaming in the background 'Mayer bhog, mayer bhog.'


There was much else. Am sure the others will put in there bits. Kanti's schoolname is hilarious, but I kind of like the chap, so wont put it here ... though I think I laughed the longest time on that one. Lemme just say the word starts with 'P' and rhymes with his name. There. Will stop at that.