Sunday 22 May 2016

The One with All the Bookmeets

If you've been around for quite some time, then you probably know that books have predominated my life, now more than ever. I've been Bookstagramming for a year, co-started an online book club and a book blog, swapped books with strangers over the internet, made some bookish best friends, basically, my life revolves around books, my Bookstagram, phone, and the internet.

Last week, I hit a milestone in my book journey, I met fellow Bookstagrammers from Hyderabad *in real life* and to call that day amazing would be an understatement. Here I am, laying out what we did the entire day so I can relive it at my will. I met, Paulami aka PGB, who is the coolest of the lot, Juta aka Rijuta, who reminds of those pretty & calm intellectual people, who go to fancy art exhibitions critiquing over art that would mostly make no sense to me, (I very politely called myself dumb, I know) and the love of my life, Tana aka Chetana with whom I've been corresponding for over a year now. She never ceases to surprise me, I've always got an unexpected book/art mail waiting for me at home, thanks to her. I've proposed to her and we're gonna marry, so back off already. Also, she happens to be my fav artist, more about her work later.

Four of us first met at a bookstore, and there were soooo many books around that we just couldn't, just couldn't find the one's we would want to buy. So instead we took goofy selfies and did some #booksoul tags,

Paulami in all her Potter glory


Tana and I reaching for Atlas of anatomy, and falling in love at first site over similar taste in books  *heart eye emoji* 
*background bolly music*

We then went to a fancy tea place that Paulami suggested. And that tea place is now going to be my second home, cause its so comfy and serves awesome chai. Bubble tea, you guys, bubble tea. Awesomest (is that a word?) shizz ever. We had animated anime discussions over fancy chai, lemon pound cake and some fries, and it did not for a second feel like we were meeting for the first time.
Picture Courtesy of the awesome, Paulami.
Feat. Handmade bookmarks by Chetana. You can buy her artwork here.

Another boomerang shot  by Paulami. She's such a good photographer, DAMN

White tea, anybody?
From here, we went on to meet another book club in a park nearby, an initiative of Lord broke, where I happened to meet some equally awesome bookish people, most of who haven't read Harry Potter, so my mission for the year is to induct them all to the fandom. We spoke about Agatha Christie, and these three ladies are the Queens of the Queen of mystery. They've read almost every other Agatha book, and their enthusiasm is so infectious, they brought life to the conversations and I'm going to read my second Agatha, thanks to them.

All the books everybody got for the club meet.Sooooo many boooks *happy sigh*
Finally, we ended our meet at Starbucks, with coffee. (I know, people start their day with coffee, we ended with it cause we're cool like that. Stop judging dude.) Through the animated discussions and overwhelming book recs, I felt so comfortable just being in their company, it was unreal. I'm usually very awk at first meets, I get nervous and I just don't talk. I keep my mouth shut and don't utter a single word. But with these gals, I felt a familiarity, maybe cause it was a bond created by books, idk, but the void in my life of not having people to talk to about books (in person, not over the internet) has now been filled. I can't wait to meet them again or the book club that I'm now a part of. It was a day of books and tea. Of new bonds and friendships.


As I sat there. on the grass in twilight absorbing the dynamic bookish conversations happening all around me, I realized, I was thankful for being a part of the book community. It was the start of a new family, forged by our immense love for books, and for people who read them. And finally, I found a place where I belong.

P.S: I know I've used the word awesome some 3 times in the post, if I'd used it  3 x 2483927359409 times, it would still not do justice to the people & the day and the chai!<3

Have you met any of your virtual friends in real life? Are you a part of any clubs? Share your experiences, I'd love to know!
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4 comments:

  1. Yayyie! To more awesome meet ups :)

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  2. This sounds like such a perfect day! I've not yet met any Bookstagram friends in person, but I think it would be amazingly fun. :D

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    Replies
    1. You should. It's so much fun <3
      Thanks for stopping by, Nicole!

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