The Latest

Showing posts with label blogger friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blogger friends. Show all posts

bestnewcomer200Woke up this morning to some fab news.   My blog has been entered for the Best Newcomer award and voting is now open on GreatDatingblogs.com !

 

How does the voting work ?

Only 3 sites will make it into the finals of each category – so every vote counts.    There’s a prize for everyone who comes 1st in their categories.  I promise to share my prize if I win !

Please drop by http://www.greatdatingblogs.com/best-newcomer-round-one-2013/ and vote for my blog ‘Dazed Reflection’

Voting ends at midnight on 30th June 2013.

 

So could I request all of my friends in Bloggerville to kindly vote for my blog.  Pretty please with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles on top.

Imagine the surprise I had when I received a tweet a few days ago stating that I should put myself forward for the Great Dating Blogs Award 2013.

Me ? My blog ?  That’s huge news !!

greatdatingblogsheader

 

Honestly, I’m aware that mine is a very sporadic blog and yes, I do have enough posts related to dating / relationships that could somehow put me up as a nominee … but to have someone else tell you to do it – it’s a bit of a big deal and I’m super excited about it !

 

So I did what any good blogger would do – I went and registered my blog for the Best Newcomer nomination.

 

Now it’s time to wait and see if I get short listed.

Don’t you just love getting a special delivery parcel ?  The excitement of receiving something out of the blue, it makes you feel just like a kid doesn’t it ?  That’s exactly how I felt when I eventually got around to answering the persistent ringing of my door bell !

PB110346

I’m a big fan of actually receiving something personal in the mail (other than the usual bills!) and on seeing the UK post mark – my heart practically skipped a beat. 

Here’s what I got …

PB110351  PB110352

My very own copy of The Crazy Nigerian !! AND it was autographed as well !

PB110354

I’m an avid book reader and honestly, this is an incredibly funny book filled with the trials & tribunes of a young lad topped with his crazy adventures which you will not be able to put down once you start  ! I had the privilege of being able to read it prior to publishing and I was cracking up throughout the book.   The Crazy Nigerian is available on soft paperback and has an E-book version available on Authorhouse, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.  If books don’t work for you – then you can swipe away on your iPads or Kindles as well.  

 

Once you’ve had a read – feel free to drop over to The Crazy Nigerian blog and leave your feedback there or drop him a note on Twitter on @dcrazynigerian

Before I started the A to Z Challenge, I knew I was going to faceJ trouble with some of the alphabets for my theme (which is the A to Z of Blogging – Diva Style … oooh I like the sound of that!)

I sent out a plea tweet yesterday as I still didn’t have any topic to write about and then one of my favourite bloggers @TheHopefulRom came to my rescue with the suggestion for today’s post ‘Just Do It’ ‘

TheHopefulRom thought it would be apt ‘For anyone who's spent ages thinking about blogging but has been too afraid’ – Just Do It.

It’s perfect and makes for a great post.  So I’ve come up with a few scenarios where the motto ‘Just Do It’ will get you motivated enough to keep you going.

Here’s the Deal. You’re new to the blogging world, and you want to get your blog noticed.  What do you do ? Blog, Blog and Blog on ! Just do it ‘cos if you don’t, no one will know you’re out there.

Here’s the Deal.  You want to experiment with your blog content to show off your witty sense of humour but aren’t sure if your readers will like it. Just do it ‘cos someone out there in blogosphere is going to enjoy your post.

Here’s the Deal. You’ve been reading about blog challenges but don’t know if you will be able to complete it.  Don’t be afraid. Just do it how else will you know if you can or can’t complete it.

Here’s the Deal. Are you afraid of leaving comments on other blogs ? Just do it and de-lurk ! Trust me – you won’t regret it.

Here’s the Deal.  You want to write about a potentially controversial topic / you are infuriated by something but afraid to blog about it / you’ve been inspired by an idea that could just turn the heat up on your blog .. but you hold yourself back.  Just do it – blogs are meant to be an outlet for you to express yourself; it’s your blog after-all.

Here’s the Deal.  You’ve made your blogger friends that you follow them on FB and/or Twitter and you would love for them to Guest Post on your blog but afraid / embarrassed to ask.  Just do it – not only will the other blogger be flattered they would also appreciate that you think highly of them. 

justdoit

Just Do It.  3 very powerful words.  So whether you are a newbie or a native in blogosphere, whenever you find yourself in doubt (in similar situations to above; not for when you’re thinking about raiding a bank or jumping off a cliff) – just do it ! What’s the worst thing that could happen ?

Disclaimer : Neither TheHopefulRom or myself are promoting Nike or blogging on their behalf.  This thought can be traced back to the Tweets between THR & myself on 10th April 2012. 

(I’m trying to be funny – is it working ?)

a-zBy now you would be aware that I’m taking part in the A to Z Blogging Challenge which kicks off on the 1st of April.  In fact I’m one of 1416 people who are participating.

This will be the 3rd blog challenge I’m participating in and the one thing I have learned from all of them is that – one must plan ahead.  A few months ago when I discovered this challenge, I actually wrote up 5-6 posts (with no theme) but those didn’t get transferred when I switched laptops.  So for the past few weeks I’ve been contemplating what sort of theme to focus the A to Z challenge around. Technically I can write about anything I want – or even use photos as long as it corresponds to the alphabet of the day and has about 100 words.

I’ve decided to go with the theme ‘A to Z of Blogging’ where I’ll associate each letter of the alphabet with tips / ideas of how you can enhance your blogging experience. 

Here’s a run down of the topics behind my Blogging theme (please feel free to add points on what you would want to read about or perhaps a topic that you feel I could include)

  1. A – about page / accountability / advertise /
  2. B – blog blog blog / bookmark your fav blogs /
  3. C – comments / challenges /cite your sources
  4. D – Delurk Yourself
  5. E – express yourself
  6. F – Follow others / Facebook / Friends
  7. G – guest bloggers / grow as a blogger
  8. H – humour
  9. I – Intense Debate / Interact
  10. M – make the time / music / Memes / mix it up
  11. N – new ideas / networked blogs / networking
  12. O – Opinions Matter / original posts
  13. P – pimp your blog on social networks
  14. Q – quotes / quality over quantity
  15. R – respond to comments / Read & Respond
  16. S – sexy Saturday / Sunday / Schedule your blog
  17. T – tweet away / tweet & tumblr
  18. V – visual content / video content
  19. W – wordless Wednesday / we heart it
  20. Y – your blogger voice

I’m having trouble with the below letters – and really hope you guys can give me some suggestions on what I can write about.  It’s like my mind is completely blank in trying to put together something for these letters.

  • J
  • K
  • L
  • U
  • X
  • Z

If you are participating in the challenge, have you decided on a theme ? What is it ? Do let me know if you can think of other tips I can throw in based on the alphabets.  If you aren’t participating, what are some of the topics you would like to read about based on my current theme ? If you fancy taking part, then feel free to sign up for the challenge here.

still-here

I can’t believe we’re in March already !! The last 3 months have flown by ! I’ve barely had time to enjoy it – with the amount I’ve been traveling for work – my days just seem to merge together ! I’m physically exhausted; mentally drained out and yet it’s as if the auto pilot mode has kicked in to get me through the work pile !

I realized that I’ve sort of (ok fine I have!) neglected my blog the last few weeks … although if I’m honest, the Ultimate Blog Challenge actually zapped me of any creative energies since I was hell bent on completing 31 posts in 31 days (and hey I managed 30 posts so that’s definitely worthy of an A for effort !) … but the point is that – I’m still here even if I’ve been a little quiet on the blogging front … There’s so much I want to write about but genuinely just haven’t had the time to do that ..

March has a lot going on for me … My friends and I are off to see David Guetta in Pune this coming weekend !! I’ve been looking forward to this for the last 2 weeks and I can’t wait to see him perform !  Don’t get me started on the organizers of the event though … never seen anything so disorganized before !!! I mean seriously – it’s enough to make me want to beat them up and ask them what they were thinking when they thought about organizing a concert !!  (that my friends is another post altogether but I don’t want to give the organizers so much importance either)

Moving along … if you’re into movies and are living in the Uk - a good friend of mine is releasing his first movie this weekend (on 9th March actually) titled ‘7 – Welcome To London’.  Whilst I’m not a fan of watching Hindi movies – this is a Brit Indian film and the trailer looks wicked, so definitely looking forward to catching this flick.  Plus I get to see my mate on the big screen !!  So if anyone reading this from London decides to go watch it – do hit me up with a mini review so I can let my mate know.

That’s all from me for now folks !!

anatomy of a hug

I love this cartoon ! It describes the ultimate hug ! One of those hugs that just makes you melt and leaves your legs all shaky … It’s been a while since I’ve had one of those and I reaaaaaaaaaaaaallly want one of those hugs right now !

Since my dating diary is kinda drab – the best hugs I’ve gotten lately are from my boys (and alas these are the best friend kind).  There are some days (especially with the week I’ve just had) I reckon a a hug that makes you want to just let yourself go into another is just what I need for the ultimate pick-me up. 

You know the kind of hugs I’m talking about.  Alright folks – raise your hands if you like hugs ? Gimme a loud ‘hell ya’ if you fancy a good hug right now ?

p.s. I think I deserve a hug right now for completing Day 6 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge !

p.p.s if you are taking part in the challenge, don’t forget to share your link below

Diva Hits The 500th Blog Post Milestone

500 blog postsWould you believe me if I told you that for the last few days I’ve quite literally sat at my laptop just ‘waiting’ to write this very post ?  I can barely keep up with the excitement ! This lil’ post marks the Diva’s 500th Blog Post !! That’s right – 500 ! and all of this amidst the Ultimate Blog Challenge that I’m taking part in (today is Day 3)

Honestly, when I first started this blog, I never thought I’d reach a stage where I’d still be ‘blogging’ 3 years later.  But I am, which is cool and its become a part of me.  I look back at some of the things I have written and I think ‘wow did I actually come up with that’. 

My blog (and me) have grown.  I’ve come to realize that there are some subjects I’m very passionate about and that I have something that could be useful to others.  I feel like I’ve come a long way since my first 100 posts back in July 2009; 200 posts in May 2010; 300 posts in March 2011 (and the biggest surprise); 400 posts in Aug 2011 !

Despite a really hectic schedule with my business, I try to blog whenever I can – and am happy to say that over the past year – I’ve actually averaged about 17 posts per month ! That’s a lot ! The #MM & #WW memes that I’ve been participating in have definitely helped inspire some really deep insights.  Sometimes I also feel like I don’t have enough time to blog about all the things I want to blog about but that doesn’t quite stop my blogger voice !

I’ve gotten to know so many new bloggers, built a rapport with them online & offline and it feels great being able to connect with so many like-minded individuals.  I just want to say a big Thank You to all of you out there in Blogosphere for taking the time to read my very dazed and sporadic reflections; and for sharing a piece of you with me by way of your comments and tweets.  It means so much to me. 

p.s. if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge, don’t forget to share your link below

Happy New Year Everyone ! I can’t believe we’ve already hit 2012 ! I’m still recovering from an extremely insane night out with my mates at the Royal Terrace and my feet are in pain !!

I don’t tend to make New Year Resolutions (not because I can’t keep them but because resolutions change depending on circumstances).  However I did come across this image with lots of key phrases and I thought – yeah that makes sense and pretty easy to manage. (oh and today also happens to be Day 1 of the Ultimate Blog Challenge that I’m taking part in)

resolutions

Sometimes we need to take in the simple things that life has to offer us and step back to see just how much of a smile it leaves on our face.  I tend to be a very hyper (and aggressive) individual so I keep hearing my mates tell me that I should be more positive or smile more etc.  It’s not like I don’t – I do – but at times I feel like Bombay just tests every ounce of energy & patience that I have.

Looks like I’m just gonna have to turn that around for 2012 ! Do you have any New Year resolutions ? Any tips on how to stick to the ones you do make ?

p.s. if you are taking part in the Ultimate Blog Challenge, don’t forget to share your link below

Some of you might recall that a few months ago I participated in the 10 Day YOU Blog Challenge which was quite a bit of fun and it really got me focused on ensuring I churned out one post a day (every day) for 10 days.

Then in October / November I came across something called the Ultimate Blog Challenge (and being the rock star that I am) I decided to sign up for the January 2012 session.  Little did I know that I would actually get an email informing me that the challenge was about to start and whether I was ready to get my blog on ! 

There are few simple rules to follow :

  1. Post every day for 31 days (duh !).  Doesn’t matter if you post twice a day and then skip a day – but you have to hit 31 posts over the entire month of January.
  2. Each post must have a minimum of 100 words to count – so you can’t just put up a picture or a video and leave it there
  3. Once you’ve posted, then tweet your post with the tag #blogboost so other participants can find you, and come comment on your blog
  4. Go to the #blogboost page and take the time to read other participants blogs (and don’t forget to comment!)
  5. No adult blogs – so keep it PG
  6. Have fun whilst you blog !

Now I just have to figure out how on earth I’m going to manage 31 posts in 31 days given my extremely hectic schedule for the coming few weeks … Wish me luck folks !

Whether you celebrate Diwali or not, I’m sure you’ve heard about this famous ‘festival of lights’ that is celebrated by Indians across the world regardless of caste.

Diwali marks the celebration of victory of the good over evil; and the Goddess Laxmi (Goddess of Wealth) is thanked for bestowing wealth & prosperity upon her devotees.

Whilst the entire concept and idea behind Diwali is great – I don’t like the way it affects the environment at all =(  Why can’t we just have an environmentally safe Diwali ?  I tend to voice this concern to whoever is willing to listen and I really hope it makes an impact (no matter how small).  With the way global warming is on the rise, just think about how much pollution we are adding to the natural environment.

If you can avoid the fire crackers; reduce the number of fairy lights and stick to using clay diyas – you’d definitely be helping the environment.

Wishing you all a Very Happy & Prosperous Diwali ! May you be blessed with all that your heart desires !

joyousdiwali

Related Articles

  1. An Environmentally Safe Diwali – Is It Possible ? by Dazediva

  2. Festival of Lights or Endangering the Environment ? by Dazediva

  3. Celebrate An Environmentally Safe Diwali by Manisha Gutman

  4. Crackers or Quakers by Ratna Khemnani

  5. Firework Pollution by Madhumitta Dutta

  6. A Must Read for Pet Owners : Dogs & Fireworks – Fear & Anxiety

Places I would like to visitAs you all know, I'm taking part in this blog challenge, where I am going to write 10 posts in 10 days.  It’s Day 5 and I’m pretty chuffed that I got through the last few days without any delays.

Now that you already know my secrets, my loves & list of fears (don’t hold it against me) and my wants, it’s time to spill the beans on the 6 places I want to visit (I’m assuming they mean places I want to visit)

1/ Hawaii … beautiful beaches, beautiful people, volcanoes and sharks – who doesn’t want to go there ?

2/ South America … Hot men, hot women, salsa dancing, the rain forests, the parties ! oh and I know this might sound nuts – but I’m kinda hoping when I do visit – I get to spot an anaconda !

3/ Africa … given my fascination with wildlife, Africa is definitely a place on my bucket list.  Two friends recently went out there and the photographs they have are just unbelievable ! I would love to be able to watch the migration in Masai Mara (and I really want to just be able to spend time getting close to the big cats !)

4/ Leh & Ladakh … Ever since I moved to India, I have wanted to go and visit this picturesque mountain region – but alas opportunity seems to pass me by.  I’m hoping that before I leave the country I get to visit here.

5/ Central & Eastern Europe … I’ve done most of Southern Europe but there are still so many more places to explore ! My cousin moved to Russia for a year but unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to go and visit her – so I’m hoping maybe in the next few years I get to go.

6/ Actually I want to visit every country on the map. I love to travel, and love exploring new locations – so perhaps a world tour would be perfect for me.

10 day you challenge

Have you been to any of the above places ? Do you have any suggestions of what other locations I should add to my ‘Places to Visit’ list ? What about you – what are the Top 6 places (countries / cities) that you would want to visit ?

I’ve decided to take part in a blog challenge as mentioned previously, where I am going to write 10 posts in 10 days. Today is Day 2 and I’m about to share all the things that top my love list  !

1/ Dessert.  To say I have a sweet tooth is an understatement.  I would rather have dessert all day than have an actual meal.  I would pick chocolate mousse over a cheesy pizza (and then eat the pizza after but you get my drift).  It’s definitely one of my guilty pleasures !

2/ Photography.  I am a self proclaimed cameraholic.  I’m permanently attached to my camera.  My friends get often get fed up of my constant need to capture all moments; but afterwards they end up appreciating it.  We only live once, and if I want to capture all the things I want to look back – then so be it.  I already have 8000 pictures from January till present date.  My record high has been 18,000 in 2009.

3/ Water. Doesn’t matter if it is in the pool, sea, river, a lake, a small creek or even a waterfall -  I am an out and out water baby, true to my sign – Aquarian.  Water in any form fascinates me.  I can spend hours floating on my back in the pool, watching the sky and losing myself in my thoughts.  There’s something so soothing about listening to water flow.  For those of you who haven’t been to Rishikesh then you must go and camp out by the river !

4/ Massages & Spa Treatments.  I absolutely love getting massages.  Who doesn’t right ? Alas, it appears that I end up giving more massages than I am getting in return.  I must change that.  Having said that I’ve just booked a chocolate massage for myself (see I really can’t resist dessert in any form) and can’t wait for that divine experience !

5/ Nature. From lush green landscapes, to desert terrains, sunsets and night skies.  I love to watch the sunset whenever I can, especially over water or between mountains.  I love watching clouds and discovering a pattern, object or animal in cloud formations.

6/ Wildlife.  I’m an animal person, and have always been enamoured by wildlife.  Something about them draws me to them and their natural beauty (especially the big cat family) takes my breath away.  I would love to spend 6 months or a year out in the wild just being around the various wildlife and have my camera on hand to capture moments that I might never be able to see again (without the help of Nat Geo or Animal Planet).  This particular advert gives me goose bumps ‘It’s In Our Nature’ – so do check it out when you get a chance.

7/ Dogs.  I grew up with a German Shepherd & a Doberman.  At university I got myself another Shepherd.  I’ve always been surrounded by dogs.  After my dogs passed away, I haven’t had any pets and feel like something is missing.  I can’t wait to get a dog again !

8/ My Family & Friends.  Admit it – you were wondering when this would show up on my list of loves hehe  Mine is a small house – parents, younger sis & bro and only about 30 odd cousins (including their spouses) and 20 nieces & nephews (and that’s just my Dads’ side of the family!) My Friends are my lifeline and support system.  Without them life would be dull and predictable.  I know of women who envy me on seeing just how dashingly suave my boys are ! And my girls – Dee, Nomiswamii, Nat, NC, Vixen, Goldie, NB – they deserve a whole post dedicated to them if not more !

9/ My Life.  Yes, I love my life.  Everything about it.  I’ve had the opportunity to travel the world – growing up, university, work, and for pleasure; a family that cares about me; friends that mean the world to me; a flourishing business of my own.  I’ve had my ups and downs like any other person, and fortunately I’ve kept my feet firmly planted in the ground to stop me from sinking into a bottomless pit-hole or from getting to far above myself.  Damn right I love my life !

10 day you challenge

That’s my list of loves for you – now it’s time to share yours.  Feel free to list them out in the comments or share the link to your own blog post on the subject.

400 postsI can’t help but feel super excited as I write this .. This post is my 400th blog post ! That’s right – I said Four Hundred !

Just a few days ago I noticed that whilst I had hit 300 posts earlier this year; I was already close to 400 posts ! And it hasn’t even been a full 6 months !

It feels great looking back at all the sporadic reflections I’ve had over the last 2.5 years.  It seems like forever since my I hit my first century i.e 100 posts way back in July 2009. 

It’s been an exciting few months on my blog; not only  have I been writing more ..

  1. I lost my guest post cherry a few months ago when I was invited to write guest posts for MetAnotherFrog.com and TheSingleFilez.com !
  2. and The Diva’s Guests are now sharing their sporadic thoughts directly on my blog- so do check out what my neighbours in Bloggerville have to say
  3. but the most exciting and yet nerve wrecking part is that this lil’ Diva ‘may’ soon be blogging for 2 well-known online magazines ! do keep your fingers crossed for me ! 

I’m hoping to spice things up here, and since a few known tweeps on Twitterverse have classified me as a relationship blogger (looks like my blogger voice is growing) – I’m going to be putting together some of my dating (or lack of) escapades

A huge shout out going out to all of you out there in Blogosphere for taking the time to read up on my very dazed & sporadic reflections; for sharing a piece of you via your comments – it really means a lot to me ! 

I’ve gotten to know some of my favourite bloggers a lot better; and even have an offline rapport with some of them.  So, for those of you who are still lurking – it’s about time you de-lurk and reveal yourselves.

Here’s a toast to my 400th post – and hoping that you will stick around for another 100 reflections (or more).

Disclaimer : Originally written as a Guest Post  on 6th April ‘11 for The Single Filez to celebrate her 1 year blogaversary.  Don’t forget to check out the other international bloggers who participated.

I’ve been blogging regularly for just over 2 years now; and it’s been a really insightful journey of discovering more about ‘me’, my blogger voice, and becoming aware about what else is ‘out there’.  I’ve discovered some amazing bloggers spread out across the globe; some of which are now my Twitter and FaceBook friends.  When I started my blog – I didn’t quite know what to blog about or how I would carve a space for myself out in Blogosphere but I knew I wanted to have a place of my very own where I could look back and think ‘damn so that’s what I was thinking / experiencing / going through all those years ago’.   I didn’t know the first thing about blogging – so I just kept reading around Blogosphere; found inspiration in posts; wrote up whatever I could and hoped that someone out there was reading my sporadic reflections.  And here’s what I discovered:

blogger learning cycle

Be Yourself.

Bloggers earn their readers trust.  Be honest with them.  Don’t be somebody you are not.  The best blogs I’ve read are usually ‘in-your-face – this is my thought whether you agree or disagree’.  Everyone is entitled to an opinion and your blog is an avenue to express yourself.  Your blog should be a reflection of your personality – the good, the bad, the funny, the ugly – you get my drift.  Some people may applaud you on it; some might throw in a counter-argument but that’s all a part of being blogger.

Read; Comment; Read & Comment Some More.

Even the most amazing bloggers can get writers block; so it’s no surprise that the newbie bloggers and part-time / social bloggers need inspiration for their next post.  It’s important to read what others have to say about a topic / subject that appeals to you or holds value to you.  When you come across something you can relate to – then make sure you leave a comment behind – even if it just one line.  Blogging is about building relationships with your online peers so that you are able to engage them with your blog content and thereby build up readership on your blog.

Continue The Conversation & Ask For Feedback.

Are you giving your readers a chance to continue to the conversation with your blog post ?  What is the purpose of your post ? Do you want another opinion on your thoughts ?  Ask and thou shall receive !  I’ve gotten into the habit of ending my blog posts with questions to my readers and people do respond to them; which brings about a new perspective to the topic on hand and thereby allows you to continue your conversation with your readers.  There are times I call upon my readers for help – whether it be to find a music artist; or to get feedback on the change of design of my blog – and being the helpful bunch that bloggers are – the responses always help me out.

Unleashing Your Blogger Voice.

Your blogger voice is reflected in your writing style : is it personal, opinionated, sarcastic, conversational etc.  The more you read other blogs, the more you will discover what kind of writing styles appeal to you.  Pick a blogger that you admire and write a follow up post on something that they have done in a similar manner.  Don’t hold back when blogging – write without inhibition as if no one is reading and when you’re done with the post – then worry about the grammar and corrections. It will take some time & practice but once you ‘discover’ your blogger voice – you’ve hit the sweet spot!

Two years down the line – I’ve found out that there are a whole bunch of people who actually ‘follow’ me and read what I have to say.  They interact with me; encourage me; and push me to write and express myself in ways I didn’t think I could at all.  I never thought of myself as a relationship / dating blogger but some people do and I consider it an honour to be a part of this elite group of bloggers.  A few weeks ago I received a tweet that ranked me #20 in India as a person to Follow on Friday!!

Does this mean my blogger voice has been heard – YES ! I believe that each blogger has an individual voice that will keep changing with every curve ball that life throws our way.

What have you learned whilst blogging away to glory ? Have you noticed any changes in your style of writing ? Are you a blog lurker or have you managed to de-lurk on your favourite blogs ?

A while back – I had a guest post featured on my blog by a dear friend AS.  I was writing about dating and so was he and it made sense to show case a post with male insight.

A few weeks ago, I lost my guest post cherry and got featured on MetAnotherFrog.com; and luckily for me, people quite enjoyed the post =)  I’ve been asked to write another guest post for next month which I’m quite excited (and nervous) about.

guest-bloggers-wantedEver since then – I’ve been wondering about asking my readers and visitors if they wanted to share their thoughts and their own sporadic reflections here on my blog.  As much as I’d like to believe and hope that I can continue to entertain my neighbours here in Bloggerville – it might just spice things up by adding a few new perspectives every now and then.

So here’s the deal and it’s pretty self explanatory.  If you feel like you want to add your Blogger Voice towards my very sporadic reflections – then get in touch via email / comments / twitter.

It could be about anything and everything (let’s just avoid the porn); your favourite song that you want featured on Music Mondays; a picture that took your breath away for Wordless Wednesdays.  You might be a great poet; a great cook with a divine dessert recipe you want to share; or you found a way to take revenge on the ex … you get my drift ?

Drop me a line on dazediva@gmail.com  with whatever you have in mind, a small blurb about yourself along with a link to your blog / twitter account; your avatar / photo and we can take things from there.

I’m being serious !! … Seriously ;P

300postsI can’t help but grin to myself. That’s right folks, I have managed to keep my sporadic reflections going for 300+ posts !!  This struck me whilst I was working on editing all my old posts to go with the look & feel of the new design of the blog. 

If we want to get technical, this post would actually be my 314th post, and the 300th post was ‘P.S It’s Valentines Day

I hit my first century i.e 100 posts on July 19th 2009, and then my 2nd century on 4th May 2010; so its pretty cool that in March of 2011 I’ve hit my 3rd century =)  I’m so chuffed with myself.  I honestly didn’t ever think I would be a regular blogger, but somehow I have been doing just that.  I’m not an every day blogger, but at least I manage to contribute a fair amount of posts a month. 

I am still slowly trying to change / add more variety to the blog .. some of you guys have pushed me, encouraged me, and supported me through it all.  If it wasn’t for all of my neighbours in Bloggerville (old and new) - I wouldn’t still be here.  So for that I thank you from the bottom of my heart. 

Thanks for coming back to read up on my sporadic reflections; for leaving your comments and for those who are still lurking – it’s about time you de-lurk.

I got BLING baby !!! I haven’t been my usual Diva self the past few weeks and it’s about time I share the Bling !

My BBBFF The Fab Bitch over at Splintered Town had awarded my dazed reflections with a very pink diamond bling … because every blog needs a little bling ! The world would be a horrid place if we couldn’t bling our blogs ! 

romantic-pink-diamond-jewelry-1-1

I’ve been meaning to thank my Fab Bitch friend for a while now but with all that has happened this  past month – I just haven’t gotten to really putting myself or my very dazed thoughts into words … I know I should have – because really you guys – my neighbours are the very best – and I could have done with some TLC .. but I’m a Diva that way .. I don’t like to let on about my emotions *sigh* … so my BBBFF I’m down on my knees hoping you will forgive me for not acknowledging the bling earlier … pretty please ?

The only rule for this award is that if you accept it; please don't keep it to yourself. Please pass this along to others and share the bling!

Without further adieu I’d like to pass this on to some awesome blogger friends :

  1. Cole over at Pre Middle Age … just ‘cos she’s a kick ass event planner who seems to be even busier than me – and anyone who can handle that many events definitely deserves BLING !
  2. Kimmy over at KimmyStyle .. this woman is all about class ! and every classy lady wears some bling on her !
  3. The Single Lady over at The Single Filez … if you haven’t already visited this sassy young lady then you’re missing out ! what are you waiting for – go over and tell her I sent you there !
  4. Manisha B who writes her chronicles by The Mango Tree … there’s something about her writing that’s gonna strike a chord with all of you; I can’t put my finger on it but anyone who gets me thinking that way deserves some bling !

If you fancy checking out some more uber funky bloggers – do check out the

Hope you enjoy these awesome Bloggers as much as I do =) Happy Reading and don’t forget to show some comment lurve whilst dropping by their blogs !

Yeah you read that right .. it’s time to de-lurkify yourself my friends ! Yes you … I know you’re reading this; I know you want to comment but you just haven’t gotten a strong enough hit of your coffee to want to comment just yet .. but I know deep down you really want to do it !

LurkerDay_DontWantToHideForever Are you just pretending that you don’t know what I’m talking about ?? A lurker is someone (just like you) who enjoys stopping by blogs (or sometimes lands there by accident), reading various blogs and enjoys the comments but doesn’t leave a single trace of his/her presence on your blog =( 

It’s a big bad world out there – and even though its great that you’re here visiting my blog; I feel kinda sad that I’m never going to know who you are and where I can ever find you again !!! It’s just not fair – that you come and visit my blog and that I never get to discover who you are and what you do and what kind of blog you have or what kind of tweets you send out !!

It seemed apt to suggest that it’s the time to de-lurk as I happened to come across a similar sentiment whilst blog hopping today.  Adam Singer suggested that one of the ways to generate a buzz on a blog was to ask readers to de-lurk and Ari Herzog of Ariwriter wrote ‘Why I’d Like You To De-Lurk’; and I discovered that 14th January is National Delurking Day !

I remember losing my lurking streak to Kathy at the Junk Drawer way back in March 2009; I was so nervous that by the time I decided to de-lurkify myself – I was commenter number 118 !!!  Wow ! 118 comments on a single blog post ! That’s impressive !  I remember being scared about sounding silly but eventually I just took a deep breath and wrote down whatever came to mind.  Here’s a bit of what I wrote to Kathy …

So why was I lurking .. still grasping the concept of blogging; trying to find time to pen down my thoughts; sometimes I feel that what I have to say has already been said – so I just go off with a smile on my face

So what have you got to lose by de-lurking ? Absolutely nothing.  You would only be sharing your blogger voice with us all (and you’d be making my day by letting me know that you stopped by !)

And just to show you how easy it is .. here’s what you have to do to De-Lurkify yourself :  

  1. Click on the Comment link
  2. Leave your name (real name or blogger name) and website address so I can drop by and visit you
  3. Leave your twitter name (if you tweet) comments

Now that’s the easy part … if you’re feeling brave you can also

  1. type in whatever you want i.e. how long you’ve been lurking for; if its your first time here; do you like / love or hate my blog; why do you lurk;  seriously you can write anything you want in here !

My aim is to try to discover at least 20 lurkers on my blog (my stats show that I have all these visitors but since there are never comments from them – it kinda leaves me feeling a bit low) – so if you’re a lurker – you’ll really be doing me a favour by de-lurking !

Go on – it’s time to de-lurk NOW !

I’m smiling to myself as I write this and with good reason too … This very post that you are reading is my ….

blogpost200

Yup – that’s right – 200th blog post !! Quite exciting huh ?  Maybe not for you (if you’ve crossed that mark – or even if you haven’t) but it is for me. 

I don’t have anything prolific to say; nor any words of wisdom … what I do want to say will perhaps come out over the next 200 posts (unless something really bad happens to me) .. at least my sporadic reflections have managed to carve a small space in the blogosphere .. and for that I am grateful and thankful. 

If it wasn’t for all of my neighbours in Bloggerville (old and new) - I wouldn’t still be here. 

There are quite a few things I’d like to achieve by the end of the year in terms of the content that goes on to this haven of mine – and for that I need your support and feedback.

Whilst I ponder on how to keep you around for another few hundred posts – feel free to leave me a comment with some feedback about what you think about my sporadic reflections to date; any reflections that you’d like to read about this year; any tips or suggestions to improve your experience (and that will keep you coming back for more)

Seriously, a big shout out to all of you out there reading – thanks for stopping by and letting my sporadic reflections (and me) be a part of your life.