I think I mention at least once in a few posts, that I meet very interesting people over the Net. Well, I met somone who says he “collects interesting people”. and I exchanged a few emails, the start of which was enabled by his prodigious memory; and then he told me about an email list--silk-- that he had started, way back in 1997, which is still going strong now, with 150-odd ( very odd, in some cases, apparently) members all over the world.

My emailing an introduction of myself to the list for some reason became a contagion; several people who had lurked on the list in anonymity for several years, posted their introductions too. Of course, I immediately got into e-mail conversations with some of these people, one-on-one (ams is helping me immensely with my proposed trip to Uttaranchal next month)…or have avidly started looking at their LJ’s. A comment from about my post on Bangalore traffic led me into more and more abstruse mathematics....

Out of nowhere came a suggestion that some of the silklisters meet; and before I could say, “arachnidae”, we had 's restaurant, Shiok, being chosen as the venue...and the numbers swelled (the cuisine definitely had something to do with it I am sure...these silklisters are not ALL brain!) to 12.

I was a little apprehensive about two things…a) whether there would be intellectual snobbery; and b) whether there would be IT geekery. I was, happily, wrong on both points, and felt pretty instantly comfortable with the group I walked in to meet. had also put me at ease with an earlier post on the topic of comfort levels. and I went with Udhay, and soon we were in the thick of conversation which ranged from why Madhu had two deadly-looking knives in his hand to the iniquity of the politically correct British authorities who wanted to appease Islamic zealots by removing the pisspots from the male toilets at Heathrow airport (contributed by -- and going on from there to feminine misery...hotly contested by Dinesh, the one person that Udhay could not trace on the silklist, and who would NOT give his email id throughout the evening.) All of us moved around a few times, scoffing the really delicious short-eats that Madhu kept up a constant supply of.(I need to do a separate post on Shiok...but am worried about 's reaction!)

The other silklister’s reactions to me ranged from very friendly (especially since they all knew ) to (perhaps unintentionally)quite rude, so it was a smorgasbord of experiences. It was a very stimulating evening, and Madhu and Udhay played Casper... the friendly hosts. I am amazed at Udhay's tolerance for vodka..was it vodka or disguised plain water? He kept circulating and introducing masala into the conversation when needed.

I didn’t get to talk much to and Savita Rao, but will no doubt have other opportunities of doing so. The evening stretched itself into dinner too, and we broke up a little later than expected.

I am looking forward to more interaction on Silk. Anyone who has been interested by what I have posted here is welcome to check out Silk at

http://www.arachnis.com/silk-list/

and get in touch with Uday over e-mail….it is probably one of the longest-extant email lists today.

is supposed to be getting to join...one of these days.