The April prank I pulled turned out to be a crowd-puller after all! On opening the Dashboard last evening to write a post I randomly hit Blog Stats.
I nearly fell off my chair looking at the spikes that showed up. Since I look at graphs, peaks, valleys and colored pies for most part of my day, after the initial excitement wore off on the frequency of visitors on the blog, and hits, views and referrals, I’ve pretty much stopped looking at them awhile ago. I am also prone to ecstatic bouts of squeals of delight and surprise when something darts up out of the ordinary for me [and frankly, it takes very little to surprise me and get me start on the squealing], I shrieked “Oh MY God” and hopefully didn’t sound like Janice, in quite the loud voice that the daughter who was passing by, propelled her lethargic frame and peeped over my shoulder. Then of course nothing earth-shattering happened, she just rolled her eyes and walked away, leaving me still gaping at the peak.
This is what showed up.
It must be an April 1st prank.
Or better yet it must be all the confused folks who couldn’t for the life of them understand how on earth what they read was coming true, and were clicking away at the blog, just so I’d answer and spare them of more misery.
Either way am amused with the numbers.
444 on 04/01/08
To the one in Cincinnati who visits me first thing in the morning, and last thing at night, to Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai folks, to the Antioch [where on earth is that? I know, CA, but where?!] visitor, to the employee at Yahoo!, Cognizant, TCS, Barclay’s and a few others I didn’t know existed until I saw them listed out, the student at UT Houston, the one at American Postal Workers, the Sharjah native, the one from Lazio, and the 41 others who read me at least occasionally on the google reader, a big Thank you.
O alright, don’t go freaking out on me, I really was just being nice and specific coz about close to 90% of you are the silent lurkers and I wanted to not skim over you just coz u are well, silent! I have here a personal blog and for so many of you to just want to come and read me including all of my rants, escapades and whines, just simply makes me go all warm and fuzzy. Like toasty warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream, or even a hot gulab jamun with some ice cream topped over it.. no, am not the gulab jamun [though I qualify in color and shape] but am the little kid who takes a nibble at it and goes “aahh”!
It is indeed a nice feeling to be liked, just based on what I write. Especially more so since I unconsciously, blatantly and with no sharm write what I like, pleases or seeps through my fingers onto the keystrokes. In the true dramatic Oscar winning style of the moment “I’d like to thank all of you who have made a difference – the silent ones behind the screen, the ones who act alongside with me, the ones who stood by me during my hour of need and all of you in between, your presence has been felt, and is appreciated. Am humbled, honored and touched to be worthy of your attention. Love you all!”
Air kisses all around.
***
Okay, show’s over, chop chop, back to work.
we love u rads 🙂
yayyyy!!
silvara, mayG: My brave little souls, thank you! I have indeed scared the rest away! :–))
oh and by the way, a little elucidation, just so you can quit wondering- the sharjah native adding numbers to your stats must be me…
I actually ahem, didn’t realize it might be a prank until I read the comments. And I was gonna say I’m so happy for you. Now all that vaapas. 😉
Shows you how many people are wishing k4 on you 😉
Muni: With friends like these.. :–))
CW: hehe, see, so you did fall for it?! ;–)
mayG: Sharjah? wow. The name brings back some nice cricket memories, and all those hot females looking uber cool in those namebrand sunglasses and checking the cricketers out, while we just sat watching ’em on TV!
*sigh. Never mind.
Chop chop is Swahili for quick quick. How do I know that? Ok, time for usual rambling anecdote.
I recently went to Uganda and found myself at a crocodile farm on the banks of Lake Victoria. Smelly place, the farm itself, but there was a nice resort with few pretty looking huts and a restaurant. This last one appealed because I and my companions were ravenously hungry. The nice gentlemen rustled up a decent meal and burping decorously, we thanked them. Out of politeness, I complimented them on the facilities whereupon he insisted we have a look. Nice place indeed, well appointed rooms, clean linen etc.
The chap noted our appreciation and said “You come and stay here, bwana. Only 60 dollars per day.” I thought it a bit high for such an out of the way place. Perhaps my expression gave me away.
“Only 25 dollars chop chop, bwana”
“Chop chop?” I said, a bit mystified
He made the international gesture for reproductive processes. Taking that cue, I slunk out full speed.
So I returned to Kampala (where we were staying) thinking “chop chop” meant youknowwhat. I related this little story and after the dust had settled from the ceiling, the locals told me that “chop chop” is Swahili for “quick quick”.
I know it’s a rotten story, but I’ve had an afternoon siesta and unable to get sleep to knit up the ravell’d sleave of care
Could so relate to that! I was doing a little dance the day I posted on aduthathu ambujam. Guess that was my all time high 🙂
Laksh: haha, we all have our moments. dancing is the perfect way to celebrate! :–)
Naren: ROFL. You are the king of anedotes :–)
I am here- not scared away yet.. btw, Antioch is somewhere near the bayarea than- I kow bcoz, it is mentioned everyday in the traffic FM station 🙂
Antioch, I think is in Northern CA
Ah.. u deserve to get the “Blogville Celebrity” tag for sure.
BTW, now I’m headg straight to read my stats…
CM-chap: lol, one should always check stats to give the occasionally flagging ego a boost :–)
La Vida: ah! Nice seeing you here. :–)
daisy: hehe, good good, I like my readers brave and forthright :–)
Delurking to say hello…I would be the one from down south 🙂
Just discovered your blog and am one of those 444 🙂 You have got a nice blog here and can so relate to your jubilation.
I am one of those that got mentioned in the post (YAY….). I enjoy your blog, but was too lazy to comment until now.
S, A-Kay, Lucy: THANK you for delurking! :–)
At the frequency with which folks are using “laziness” – we need to promote it into a virtue! :-))