November 16, is a very important date in my life. A birthday of two people who matter a lot in my life, My Mom and My Blog.
Happy Birthday Mom, Happy Birthday G&C
Image Courtesy: Google Images
It was a mere coincidence that I started blogging on the same day as my mom’s birthday. And now it’s been 200 Posts and 4 years since I started blogging. At an average of 50 posts a year, I almost managed a post a week on an average basis. This has been one long journey with loads of up and downs, a lot of writers blocks, lazy times, National Blog Posting Month Blogathon, Awards, mentions and more.
Bogging used to be very different when I started on November 16, 2005, It actually took me hours to come up with the name Ginger & Cardamom (more about it later in the post).
Though somehow none of my real life friends were much into blogging and were hardly interested in what I wrote. But I made new friends and connected with a lot of people through blogs, and I have seen a lot during these 4 years. A lot of blogs dying over the years and that too of some people who I thought were better writers than I was. Somehow they didn’t survived in this world and I still pity for those dead blogs and I am so grateful to the almighty that I did survive. There were a lot of times when I felt letting it go but somehow I stick to it and glad that I did.
So on the fourth birthday of Ginger & Cardamom, I have decided to share with all of you the story of how I named my blog.
I was always an obsessive competitor by nature, especially more when I was a kid (you know something like Monica Geller in Friends). So I had this need to be acknowledged as the best or the winner every time. So when we were kids me and my cousin Ekta used to come to stay at my place. We were both small studying in 4th and 5th standards. She had recently learned how to make tea, and would do it for elders in the house and was appreciated a lot for that. Me being the snob I am couldn’t digest it too much, so I learned making tea too, to get into the competition. Now we took turns in making tea and the idea was who makes the better tea. Now I took a great lead by discovering two secret ingredients (I don’t remember from where may be heard two elders talking or something) that made my tea near perfect. I would crush a few cut pieces of ginger & mash it with a couple of cardamoms and add to the water while boiling for the tea. I know this is not something rocket science but for 10 years old it wasn’t exactly expected to be known and my tea was always better until Ekta discovered the art. But somehow the pieces of Ginger & Cardamom actually added spice & aroma to my life as a kid. Though I don’t consume tea at all and do not prefer pieced/shredded ginger in my food but the still the pieces of Ginger & Cardamom mattered to me, for it was a part of my childhood, my eccentricities and more than that it was a lesson that sometimes small things like pieces of Ginger & Cardamom add all the spice and zing needed to the tea and your life.
Since that day, have loved the Ginger & Cardamom the spice & aroma of my own life.
Hope the Ginger & Cardamom of our lives never die.
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Tags: Awards, Blogging, Celebrations, Holidays, Memories
Happy Birthday to you blog & to your Mom as well
And that’s a nice reason behind the name of your blog!!!
May you write many many more posts
@Smita: Thanks a lot. I hope I do maintain this blog till my end of my life.
awww what a lovely story behind the lovely name, i have always wondered whats behind the name of ur blog and today is the answer…
happy birthday to ur mom
and happy birthday to ur blog… u rightly said the two people who matter a lot… a blog does become like a person to us loved and cherished
and may the journey continue forever so we have something to read
congrats again
@Monika: Thanks. Yes that’s so true, the blog’s actually become the part of our lives as if they are a real person, someone from the family. On hindsight I sometimes think that I could/should have started early.
Loved the story of your blog name!!! Many more years of blogging to you!! I am so glad you didn’t stop blogging… I have not yet completed two years so four years feels like an eternity!! You know I feel terrible about this, because I had created a blog in 2005, I didn’t publish anything because I was uncomfortable about publishing in my real name. If only I had realised it was possible to publish as IHM then
Also it was no fun to blog for me, because I found no other Indian blogs to read and share opinions with. Glad I found your blog – Congratulations and many more to come
@Indianhomemaker: Thanks, I can understand how you feel about not publishing. But somethings are meant to be, you know the story of how I managed to come up with that name was always with me, but somehow I avoided sharing it thinking of what people would think of me. I was
afraidconscious that I would be seen as someone who was actually was evil and was competitive with my cousin sister. But then I dropped the idea and shared it, because if I was still conscious about people being judgmental about me, then the idea of blog is defeated entirely and as is evident it was worth it.and not to forget I am extremely happy to be first on this post
oops i am not
nevermind like IHM says second is the new first 
@Monika: I like the second as the new first
Congratulations Prateek
Happy birthday to your Mum and to your blog!
The fact that you lasted 4 years in the blog-world speaks a lot.. Hope you see many more milestones like these
@Radha: Thanks a lot.
Congratulations for completing four years of blogging and 200 posts. The story behind the name itself made for an interesting read no wonder your blog is four years old. Hoping to read 200,000 more of your posts over the next 40 years keep writing
@Vivek Singh: Thanks a lot lot for such wonderful wishes… I too hope to keep writing.
Hey!
Congrats on your fourth b’day! Awesome!
May it go places, and become more popular than ever!
Hope the blogger newbies are reading this; Prats has been there, Done that!
Vinni!
Congrats and Happy Birthday to your Mom !!!!
Double party… !! I have been following u lately and am loving visiting your blog !
@Hitchy Bhai: Party all the way… till the next time we meet the party is due on me
congos to u!!!
@Anshima: Thanks a lot
Booo!!! You are tagged here
http://books-life-n-more.blogs.....yself.html
what a post to land up on the first time I have arrived on ur blog. has me hooked already!
good stuff and happy bday to ur blog
@Chandni: Thanks a lot and welcome to Ginger & Cardamom hope to see you here more often.
Wish ur blog a very very happy bday….:))…i love this space…and hope ur writing never stops…i like the comparision wid Monica Geller….now i understand..y u once said…i wud love to date someone like Monica…:))…
@Deepti: Oh she is my fav character and I can relate to her so well. I am sure you of all people would agree I do have some quirks from Monica Geller
Congrats bro.. Happy birthday to ur both ur mom and blog. Nice story to came up with a nice name … I am watching your some of the habits are almost like mine..
Keep it up.. Hope u will cross all the boundaries in blogging..
@Vipul: Thanks
Oh, the bestest of wishes to your blog and your mom!
4 years? :-0 Thats a long time to be blogging! I really enjoy your blog. Keep writing
@Neha: Thanks a lot for your wishes.
Belated birthday wishes to ur mom and blog, It was my bday too -yesterday
200 posts in 4 years! no cake walk! hats off brother! congradulations on ur mile stone! keep writing!
@Sri: Thanks a lot bro.
Hi everyone, im new to the world of blogging. I used to write a lot few years back as the Editor of my school magazine but somehow lost it overtime. Now I’m trying to get back to it. $ years of blogging looks like an achievement to me. I’ve only been there 2 months! G&C i hope you continue to be blessed with the art of writing and many many more years of successful blogging to u!
@Life’s Like That: There is nothing new or Old in blogging. Every post is a new post, its a journey to be relished. So what you have started yours enjoy every moment of it.
This is a nice post. Congratulations and happy birthday to your blog and your mom.
The ‘behind the scenes’ of the name is so good. I love tea with ginger and cardomom. And ofcourse, I need it extra shot when it comes to life.
P.S. I have a tea story too. But I don’t want to become ‘queen of long comments’. LOL.
@Sue Gir: Thanks. Share it in another comments or better still post on your blog. We all love tea and coffee stories, don’t we?
Congrats!! I have always loved the blog name! Spicy!
Best wishes for many such blogoversaries !
@Reema: Thanks
Hi Prats
Congratulations and good wishes to you though belated.
I am glad I discovered your blog .. love it. the aroma lingers on. Although I do not comment much ..lazy that I am .. I visit often and read which is important.
keep our lives spiced up
@Tikuli: Thanks a lot. Coming from a person whose writings I greatly admire, I think his is much of compliment that my writings could hold ur interest.