Some time way back at end of 2003, I stumbled upon a site called Mouthshut where I could express my views on books, movies, music( my 3 passions)  and what best received feedback and comments on this. From 2003 to 2006 its been a long journey of 3 years, and I have to end that journey now. On the way ahead, I made many good friends like Mayank, Daya, Himanshu, Anton, Abha, Teena, Milind, Nik, Farookh Bhai  to name a few of them. I also met another buddy Thakurman offline. Its been a great association and I still remember the long discussions I had with Nik, Mayank, Daya, Himanshu over some of the topics. But its tough for me to continue my association further, and I emphasize, that I am quitting MS for good. Maybe I would just put in the odd comment or two, but no more reviews from my side.
            Mind you this is not a decision I am taking on impulse, but many reasons for this, which I would be explaining soon. I had taken this decision some time back, in August itself, but something provoked me to write those twin reviews on female foeticide and education system. But this time I wont be coming back again. Of course one of the reasons being the heavy workload, which is making me impossible to give my time for other things. Its been real tough times for me at work, and it will be at least for some time, as I have my hands quite full. In fact I didn’t even have time to post my comments on other’s reviews or even reply to comments on my reviews, forget about writing a review.
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nbsp;    But even if I do find some time, I really am not motivated to write any more out here. Not its nothing to do with recent controversies or public fights. Neither has it do with how some totally undeserving people get tones of comments by writing scandalous reviews, or how some members lose all sense of decency and attack any one who does not agree with their views. Such things happen everywhere, and no sense in running away from those. It basically boils down to the fact, that I have reached a stage in Mouthshut where I can go no more. A sort of what you call as a literary dead end. I just feel being totally hampered and constrained.
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bsp;       I used to write even before Mouthshut too. I had published some of my poems and articles at a site called www.boloji.com. But the fact that I was not getting much feedback and also that I was having tough times in my career , put me off for writing for some time. When I started on MS, I did so with lot of reviews on music and movies. Many of them were totally amateurish efforts. As I went along, I slowly improved in time, with feedback, and also reached out more. I became a star writer, and though I was never Mr.Popular, there were people who regularly commented on my reviews. But now after 3 years with Mouthshut, I find myself totally at a dead end.
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p;  And I guess this has more to do with my personality. Mouthshut is more of a consumer oriented site, and I am a person, who is anything but that. Its not that I am a hermit, or a card carrying communist, but I am the last person to be bothered about branding, and in thing or what you call fads. I am a very simple person, and I don’t have very extravagant tastes. I certainly would not lose sleep over the fact that I don’t have an Ipod( yes I don’t in fact), or that I don’t posses the latest gimmicky mobile phone. I am a person who is happy with whatever I have, and I certainly am a marketing person’s worst nightmare. I just have 3 major passions in life- Books, Music and Travel. And there is only so much, I can write about that in Mouthshut. But yes I am more socially inclined, and I love to write about social trends or social issues a lot. And I have very limited space out here on Mouthshut to write about what actually interests me. I have to force fit them into some category or other, and this is certainly hampering me a lot. I am more interested in writing about state of education system , than the latest gizmo in market. Again its not because I am a socialist kind, but that stuff really doesn’t interest me. And I guess that makes me feel like an outsider.
            
;           Also when I write on something, I have a lot of views on this topic, and Mouthshut doesn’t offer me the space to do so. For instance there is a lot on Bangalore, which I wish to contribute, but I can’t, because I had already written a review on this, and I have to search for some other category to fit this into. The result I totally end up writing something which has no relation to the topic I choose. I am not saying Mouthshut should start including topics on social interest just for my sake, it’s a business, and they would do what they feel best. But I need to move out, to grow more, and its not possible for me out here. And I am really not sure, whether I should go into blogging, because that space is totally saturated, and unless you are really established there, you don’t get the exposure you look for. Yes I know its currently a Hobson’s choice for me. I get exposure on Mouthshut, but don’t have the choice to write what I like and how I feel, and I can write what I like on other forums, but not so sure about the exposure. Anyway I have started branching out slowly, and identifying other forums, where I could express myself to a larger audience, and also write more. So for now it’s Goodbye Mouthshut. In fact I wanted to close my account, but am unable to do it here. Anyway you can always be in touch at my email address or drop in a M2M to me.