The Sunday Roast

CEO Of The Lost And Found Department

This week's interview is with Braja,
who writes the blog Lost And Found In India.

Here's the first of the standard questions. Why do you blog?

I started to blog as a kind of "writers yoga," to exercise my writer's muscle and get into some daily writing routine, pressured by that little "Publish" button ... I wanted to write after not having done so for two years (working as an editor pushes the writing to the back ...), and I wanted to get a book that I'd started on finished and published. I achieved all those things by December last year. But now, I blog because I love to be in touch with the hundreds of people I've met online, who reciprocate so much, and in some of whom I've found good friends.

What's the story behind your blog name?

We decided to move to India almost eight years ago. The first days you arrive here -- even if you've been here plenty of times before -- you're lost :) There is so much to adjust to culturally on a daily basis that it's blinding. But the purpose for coming here was to find some deeper spiritual and philosophical foundation to our lives. And we did. In the end I realized that daily I'm lost and found again, in every way possible. Repeatedly. And joyfully :)

What is the best thing about being a blogger?

Definitely the people, the relationships, the sharing ... it's unbelievable how many people I've been in touch with, come close to, been helped by, given help to, laughed with, at, for, and in spite of :)

What key advice would you give to a newbie blogger?

Never fear that what you -- your real self -- displays and expresses on your blog or with others will be rejected; despite our numerous faults and misconceptions, bloggers are also people doing the same thing as you, taking the same risks, expressing the same nervous truths perhaps...they can relate to you, will accept you, and embrace you, giving you strength to go to greater heights...so just don't fear....go for it.

What is the most significant blog post you've ever read?

Wow ... soooo many. I'm not being polite .... there are so many. Grandpa at Word Mechanic is unfathomably talented in terms of poetry .... he's an extremely gifted, heart-rending poet, and has been a writer all his life. A wonderful writer. His poems have touched me the most, especially On Taking First Communion In Hospital. Then there's Vodka Mom,who is known for her humor, but her depth and heart-rending posts have been beautiful.

But it's so hard to categorize it all to one mood: so many I read touch me in different ways ... and I love that. I also admit I love your Verse and Worse ... it's lightness, ridiculousness, and consistency all impress me :)) And I realize I've just named three people who are writers: two of you professionally and long-term, and Vodka Mom who has taken it up only recently but who is a natural. Her posts will be back up soon by the way ... don't fear :) As a writer, I'm drawn to writers ... and as a writer, I'm drawn to people who aren't writers but who are fearless in writing and expressing. It's wonderful out there :)

What is the most significant blog post you've ever written?

Are you serious? All of 'em :) Well ... for me anyway :) As far as the comments and responses go, I'd say two are equally special to me and have also affected my readership in a way that I didn't expect. The first is a recent one called Changes, which is a rather deep expose on how things have changed for since my husband and I suffered a violent road accident six weeks ago; the second is a rather special one that brought my readers to the point of changing their views on cows, and changing their calling of cows to Cow-babies :) You Know How I Told You I Loved Cows.


Today's Sunday Roast with Braja is the 75th in a weekly series of interviews with bloggers from around the world.