Well, the correct phrase is another day at the office or one more day at the office. But I will say another year at the office instead of another day. Today I have completed not just one more day on MS but one more year also. Four years have gone since the fateful day of 5th December, 2009 when I had got myself registered on this wonderful site, not knowing at that moment that I was going to gain a lot from it - love, friendship, creative satisfaction, appreciation, encouragement, learning; the works.
Being a movie buff since the very childhood, I had arrived at here in search of some movie reviews only. But a hidden desire had always been there in my heart to write my own reviews also since the day I watched New York(2009) in theatre and found that the reviews lauding that movie were biased and half-baked and none of the seasoned reviewers could point out what I was able to because I spotted in the movie what they couldn't. The only thing I needed was a platform to write my own reviews. And MS fulfilled my need.
However I did not write anything for the next two months. Instead I just kept on reading others' reviews and learning from them. Finally, on 3rd February, 2010, I felt that the time had come to allow my own creativity to get an expression and I wrote my very first review on MS which was of an old classic movie - Kati Patang(1970). However I got the first rating and the first comment on my review of Khamoshi(1969). Aruna Thyagarajan(moviezombie) was the first to rate and comment upon any review written by me.
Since I have got a lot from this site during the past four years, I express my gratitude towards this site and its members for everything. I put a huge premium on the virtue of gratefulness and in my humble opinion, being ungrateful is such a sin that deserves the maximum punishment from the Almighty. There may be many minus points in my personality but not the lack of gratitude towards those who have given me something. And MS? It has given me the things whose value is beyond the ambit of any assessment. Hence I am grateful, was grateful and will remain grateful forever to MS and my MSian friends for the remaining part of my life.
I have been fortunate enough to have many virtual friends got through interaction on this forum as turning into my real friends. Esteeemed MS memebers like @bkaks @raj_onlyone @chalojai @tom3357 @GRuchirG etc. took pains to come all the way to my residence at Hyderabad and graced my home. Result? They effortlessly won my heart. Besides, I also met in person esteeemed MS members like @maaz_nawaz @deepak27 @derebail2008 @javeedahmedm @vijaymb @viratbond @sharax152 @vishisinha etc.
I have had heart-soothing telephonic talks with @hermit @bebylon @opvarma123 @ajeet15 @fenil_seta @suketu @kdrocks @shalu.d @geeta1963 @desigal @vv_85 @rudrakshha @prasu.sreeju @cyrilsunil @shweta.chatterjee @siddhartth @avishek82 @pranay22 @amiqu @suraaz @consumer_1 @nagaraj_bhoopalam @sagar_tony2012 @rajeshparashar4 @rajesh.sinha @vmshut @jasvinderknigam @deepa.s etc.
I have chatted on FB with @angel_babe55 @astrofreak1234 @sydbarett @cattie @sayanti.das @sidz_b @ajay_1977 @benross @rainbow etc. E-mail communication have also taken place with moviezombie and some other MSians.
On this occasion which is bound to come on 05th December every year, I can't afford to forget my Guru Aruna Thyagarajan(moviezombie) who is lost somewhere in the crowd of this world. Her e-mail account does not respond and her FB account has been deactivated. As far as MS is concerned, this great movie reviewer who is a clinical psychologist by profession and a singer by passion, had left it long back because of the utterly undesirable practices of oneupmanship, mud-slinging and personalized targetting carried out by nuisance-mongers on this site. I just pray for her that she is hale and hearty and doing well in life.
I am grateful to Deepa Swaminathan(@deepa.s) from the core of my heart for not only extending her support without fail but also helping me in correcting my errors plus enlightening me whenever I seek her guidance. Since I write directly in the space given by the site and I do not have the patience to go for the proof-reading of the draft once it is complete, errors of spelling and grammar remain in my works until they are corrected through editing. I am sorry that I upload the draft without its proper scrutiny but Deepa is always there to take care of my errors. No words of thanks can be sufficient for that.
Mazhar Bhai(@maaz_nawaz) is a wonderful person who motivated me to write more as well as write better since the very outset and he is a stout pillar of this site. I have gained a lot from him, especially the motivation to get going which is like a perennial river for me. His friendly gestures always overwhelm me. When I do not make a call to me for a few days, I get a call from him suo moto which is enough to charge me again with enthusiasm and positivity. Hearty thanks Mazhar Bhai. Your contribution to my activity on this forum cannot be overemphasized.
I pay my tribute to Late Sashikumar Menon Saheb who passed away around three years back. He was a great source of inspiration for me and despite leaving MS(due to his principles), he was in touch with me through e-mail and telephone.
How can I forget @cattie who wrote a wonderful poem on my birthday? Great poetess and authoress @angel_babe55 also wrote a touching poem for the same occasion. I got a highly pleasant surprise when @sydbarett wrote a blog on me when I completed 200 reviews here. And @maaz_nawaz arranged an audience poll on my birthday this year. When I have got such wonderful friends here, how can I even dream of leaving this site? Now this is a part of my life and will always remain so.
Besides, I express my heartfelt thanks to @toothless @paulsb02 @srnair @desprado @Aumaparna @rup_007 @krishom @countme91 @M_Biswas @pete @lovesreading @confusedsoul @nrpanchal @jains24 @vsdeepthi @anshumanmaini @desiprincess @sg21 @s_rajesh @cyrax @reemasolanki @aarini @dsaumis @chi_239 @sage1947 @avazone @aydeeks @simran_g @vaibhavi990 @candyfloss @rashmi.sinha @ciddharth @goral_1988 @earnestaster @emptor @azamkhan_vastav @nidhinpp @ashwini_poojari @rjdsilva @radagast @thesky @nimisha23377 @dil5n @namrata98 @aditiavalkar @shruti2708 @nitin90 @tejpandey @trustseekers @blufmaster2009 etc. also for their everpresent support. I have learnt a lot from people like @srnair @angel_babe55 @paulsb02 @sydbarett @desprado @geeta1963 etc. who are true geniuses.
Many MS members have left MS or do not visit the site the way they used to do in the past. Such members include @deepak27 @indian1969 @dams_khan @rainbow @astrofreak1234 @sayanti.das @kiran5548 @see_ani @odhananjay @sandeep_kmr @sandeep400 @pooja_paliwal63 @faerie @eagleeyes @eager2xpress @noviceatwork @mymelody @mywaymyandaz @sharukhbamboat @maximum_intensity @MayuriSharma @nikil2shetty @mirandaviola @kwalimbe @boyet @bikash_4297 @digimaniacs @nrpanchal @sage1947@goral_1988 @simran_g @aydeeks @srnair etc. I thank them, pray for them and wish that they visit this site at least once in a blue moon.
I am also thankful to @vikram_tech who has always responded to my little requests and intimation of problems. I request the MS administration to confer the right upon the review writers and blog writers to remove the uncalled for and hurting comments from their posts. Earlier this right was available for at least blog posts, now it is not there for blog posts also. Personally I feel that since the review / blog is the writer's baby only, he / she should be allowed to delete the comments which are in bad taste to him / her.
On 3rd February, 2010 when I posted my first review, I could not think of posting 400 reviews here but it has happened with more than 80 blogs also having been posted. This is the magic of this site that brings like-minded people together, creates strong bonds among them and motivates them to read, write and interact more and more. Whether I get any material gain from it(through prize money for RODs and FBs) or not, the intangible benefits are enough for me to be here. This site is my virtual home where I get peace, tranquility and joy.
Thanks MS. Thanks my MSian friends. No words can be adequate to express my gratitude towards you.
