The Latest

Whilst on this journey of discovering my Blogger Voice in the past few days – I’ve come to realize a few things.   In the last few months, quite a few people I know in my regular social circle have told me that they read my blog !

Considering the fact that I don’t really tell my friends about it – except for perhaps a select few – it was quite flattering to know that therebrand voice are others out there who read and lurk on my blog =)  These friends are lurkers – they don’t comment – but it gives me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing that they’ve taken the time to drop by .. even if its every few weeks; and not regularly.

Even more flattering was when a few of my favourite neighbours like Simone Grant, the Fabulous Bitch, SingleCityGuy all messaged to check on my MIA status.  It just felt good to know that somebody out there was thinking about me.  And these guys have never met me.  

As I mentioned in my last post – I reckon I’ve always had my Blogger Voice – and of course I have adjusted and adapted my style of writing as I got more and more regular.  However it was only recently; perhaps in the last few months that I started making a conscious effort on how to make my blog more appealing.

Here are 10 tips that you can use (and you probably do this anyway) to find your inner Blogger Voice :

  1. Be Yourself.  Nothing  you can say is wrong because it’s Your perspective.  Some people will agree with you; others will not; some may start a heated debate. But there’s nothing wrong with that.  We are all entitled to our opinions.
  2. Blog the way you think.  Your thoughts are original to you; sure – others may think the same thought – but they process it differently to you.  I took my neighbours behind the scenes and gave them something to think about for the first time in March ‘09.  I haven’t done something like that until my last post ‘To Blog .. and How ??!!’  I hope to be doing more of that this year.
  3. Mind Your P’s & Q’s.  Every writing tool (MS Word, Live Writer, down to web browsers) have got spell checks installed.  They are there for a reason.  Use them ! It shows a sign of respect to your readers.   The same way – make sure your grammar is correct.  Use capitalization and correct forms of punctuation when forming sentences.. It gives your reader a better experience.
  4. Commit To Writing.  The more you write – the stronger your voice gets.  In 2009, I averaged 10.8 posts per month.  My highest blog count is 19 posts last May.  I don’t keep a schedule for writing – I write when I feel like; but I’ve told myself that I need to have at least 4 posts a month no matter how busy I get.  If you’ve got an idea – write it down – check out my thought process that resulted in this post.
  5. Be Transparent.  Bloggers earn their readers trust.  Be honest with them.  Don’t be somebody you are not.  When I first started writing, I used to often wonder ‘how do people get blog awards' … and then sometime ago, I got my first blog award.  It didn’t stop there – I ended up with a dazed blur of awards..  It doesn’t mean I’m a super blogger – I was given those because somebody believed in what I was doing.  Nubby has written a great post on The Importance of Transparency in Blogging which is a must read.
  6. Avoid Censorship.  Just because someone has a different opinion to yours, or negates your writing doesn’t mean you censor their comments.  Unless the comments are spam; offensive and/or abusive – leave them up there.  You never know who else might stand up for your thoughts.
  7. Comment, Comment & Comment Some More.  I discovered a new layer of thoughts by interacting on other bloggers posts.  There are times I wish I could write posts like Simone or WSG – but I can’t (in time perhaps) but I let them know by commenting on their blogs.  And it’s always nice to see other people keeping your comments in mind when responding.  Besides, a lot of what you read and comment on can help inspire your next blog masterpiece !
  8. Ask for Feedback.  Let go of your ego and fears and just ask someone for feedback; and take it with a pinch of salt.  Bloggers are a friendly bunch – if you ask for help – they help.  If you need motivation – they give you that little push to get your feet in motion.
  9. Experiment With Content.  If you’ve got a favourite author, give their writing style a shot.  I’ve seen a lot of ‘Wordless Wednesday’ posts around cyber space – try one of those Mr Linky things.  I started this blog with music, poetry and my random thoughts.  I still write about those and quite a few other things too. Try a new template / blog design; a writing format; make a few lists; a book or movie review; or just a post linking to your favourite bloggers.
  10. Contemplate & Reflect.  What is the purpose of your post ? Why are you using certain photographs ? Is there a lesson to be learned ? Is there something you want to ask your readers ?

So here’s wishing you well on your journey to find Your Blogger Voice.  For any of you veteran bloggers out there – please feel free to add to these tips.  Is there something else that you guys recommend ?

I believe that our voices will keep changing as we experience all that life has to offer us.  I’m glad you are a part of my journey – and I look forward to being a part of yours =)

Inspired By

  6. Voice and Blogging

This post came about whilst I was lurking after my very sexy blogger friend Nando over in New York.  His post titled Nandoism’s Valentines Erotica Submission and Exposing Yourself on Twitter caught my attention which resulted in my last post ‘To Blog .. and How ??!!’

Hello. This is Your Blogger Voice Calling.

I’ve been blogging for about 1.5 year now; 170 sporadic thoughts to be precise. And I don’t think they suck either.  As I looked back at the posts I wrote when I first started blogging in 2008; there were only 28 posts in 6 months.  In 2009, I had managed to pen down 130 very sporadic thoughts :)

I noticed that ever so often I would put up a few posts that could be considered ‘a bit out there’ or just not with the general flow of the writing or perhaps something not everyone reading could relate to.  Some of my old favourites include ‘Chivalry : Dead, Alive or Abused’ and What the Hell is Dating ?  Lately I’ve been reading up on quite a few dating / relationship bloggers – and it’s kinda cool that I’ve already sort of written about those topics.  I’ve been thinking about it – but haven’t really put anything down.

I can safely say that none of my neighbours here in Bloggerville would classify or even categorize me as someone who refers to shattering news stories.  That’s probably because I’ve stopped reading the papers and try to catch the ‘happier’ stories online.  However in 2008, I found myself bang in the heart of the Mumbai Terror Attacks, and I have gone on to describe my close encounter in that chaotic crisis.  At the time, I didn’t really get any response from my neighbours (I was – and still am – a newbie in cyber space) but got an overwhelming feedback in the form of comments on my FB notes.

Contrary to what Srinivas Rao says in his post  How To Find Your Voice as a Blogger; I find that looking back at the early days of my blog – I somehow feel that I didn’t hold back on what I was thinking.  During the course of growing as a writer – there is a quite a difference in the content – it’s still very much ‘me’ .. but it’s a bit ‘held back’ – I’m not being as blunt as I could be.  Or maybe it’s just another side of me. 

However I did find that the more ‘sporadic’ and non-conventional my thoughts were – the higher my neighbour engagement was in the form of comments.  Sure I wondered ‘why am I publishing this’ every now and then – but then I realized I can’t let something public or private affect my writing; and that I shouldn’t just write for readers or for comments or just for the sake of it – that I should be writing because I want to and because I think whatever it is that I have to say is going to hold some sort of importance or relevance to somebody out there in Blogosphere.

I took my neighbours behind the scenes and gave them something to think about for the first time in March ‘09.  I haven’t done something like that until my last post ‘To Blog .. and How ??!!’  I hope to be doing more of that this year.

My sporadic thoughts are just that – my past, present and future – a part of this thing called life - a small speck of ME in the overwhelming realm of the Universal Spectrum.  And maybe I had always HAD my blogger voice =) I just didn’t realize it fully until now.

Have you found your blogger voice as yet ? Yes. No. Maybe. Somewhere in between perhaps ? Not that I’m an expert – but thought I’d put together a few words of wisdom to help you determine your status.  After all – its Your Voice – Your Blog – Your Blogger Voice.

Inspired By

I’ve mentioned it a few times already; but this morning I’m going to do it ! Opened my Tweetdeck this morning (it’s only 8:30 a.m) and I found 3 tweets to me – telling me (or really encouraging me) to ENTER !  So what if 3 isn’t really screaming that I should be doing this – it’s a start right there for me – and when the hunky Nando and team at Empire Labs push you for something .. I say take the bull by its horns and just do it !

The hot and hip Empire Labs has teamed up with Nandoism to bring you the best Valentine’s Day Contest ever.   Why is it the best?  You can win Empire Labs toys! You get exposure on the Empire Labs and the Nandoism.com networks!  You get published on Empire Labs blog.  You also get a box full of love toys that’ll make every day erotic and not just Valentines !  Need I say more ??

Nando’s v-log will explain it all ! Check it out below.

Submit your BEST erotica story (preferably TRUE, but not necessary) to: empirelabspromo@gmail.com with a 500 word MAX limit. The contest officially began on Monday 1st Feb and ends this coming Monday 8th Feb ….. so hurry up and start writing!

To officially enter follow @nandoism and @empirelabs on twitter and send them a tweet using #eroticvibe letting them know you’ve submitted your naughty little entry!

The Erotica Rules Are :

  1. Title your email: Nandoism’s Valentine Erotica Submission
  2. Entries must come from the Continental USA
  3. Must be 18 years of age or older
  4. Open to both male/female
  5. Open to everyone regardless if in a relationship or single

So if you reckon you can write erotica that will get hearts beating faster; and the blood flow in the right direction .. Go for it ! Don’t even think (I spent a few days thinking about this!) just go and do it ! What have you got to lose ?   Just make sure you get your friends, neighbours, FB friends, uncles & aunties (ok maybe not them) to go and vote for your story !  

Empire Labs will put excerpts of your submission on their blog. Then you can gather your voting crew from the list above to vote for your entry by placing a comment on your specific blog entry posted on Empire Lab’s blog. The entry with the most blog comments/votes wins 1st place.

And a humble request … please vote for mine =) I’m gonna do this ! Even though I belong to the wrong country !

OMG I cannot believe what a big fat boo-boo I have just made !

My last post ‘To Blog .. and How ??!!’ was inspired by Nandoism’s Valentines Erotica Submission … and I was just about to re-publish the competition details when I realised that …

Submit your BEST erotica story (preferably TRUE, but not necessary) to: empirelabspromo@gmail.com with a 500 word MAX limit. The contest officially begins NOW, Mon Feb 1 and ends Mon, Feb 8th--so hurry up and start writing!

To officially enter follow @nandoism and @empirelabs on twitter and send us a tweet using #eroticvibe letting us know you’ve submitted your naughty little entry!

*Title your email: Nandoism’s Valentine Erotica Submission
*Entries must come from the Continental USA
*Must be 18 years of age or older
*Open to both male/female
*Open to everyone regardless if in a relationship or single

Yeah I belong to the WRONG COUNTRY ! I’m not from the Continental USA .. I don’t even live close by to it :( I’m all the way on the other side of the world ! In fact I live 2 oceans away from the USA ! *sigh* maybe they’ll just let me enter and fizzle me out for not reading the rules … duh

Now that I’ve gone and divulged my secret literotica writer (albeit only two erotica works on hand) … I’m kinda embarrassed *Cringe*

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I suppose I’ll just have to get over it … it’s my inner Blogger Voice .. and I should learn to just listen to it and pen my thoughts the way I want to … no holds barred sorta thing.  Worth a shot right ?

 

This post came about as a way to formulate the multiple post ideas that came to after reading Nandoism’s Valentines Erotica Submission.

Blog Thought Process

Why ? How ? Explain ?

I was thinking about re-publishing his post on my blog so that all of my neighbours out in Bloggerville are aware of the contest … and really also because I have previously written two pieces of literotica … which I’ve only shown a handful of people ..

As you can imagine .. I’m a bit nervous .. as must you be wondering ‘erm Erotica ? really’ or  ‘Erotica ! No Way !’ or even ‘That’s it I’m outta here’ … so yeah, I am kind of nervous about how some of my neighbours might react.  The competition requires people to vote on their favourite story … and even though I could submit it anonymously .. how would I get votes ?

But … I realized that this is all a part of my Blogger Voice.  And where did that light bulb go on from .. A post (ironically) titled Exposing Yourself on Twitter ..Thanks Nando ! All this inspiration is thanks to you my sexy Mexican hunk !

So now with all these voices going around in cyber space – I came to realize that there really is a theory on 'Your Blogger Voice’ … I’d heard about the Twitter Voice from the above post and that got me thinking about how I am using Twitter and that resulted in the phrase ‘Blogger Voice’ .. which I had to look up and was quite happy to discover that I wasn’t making things up in my own head !

Considering all the voices that were now bouncing around my head – I was happy to note that I now have quite a few topics that I can blog about :) Here’s how I’ve managed to break it down !

Blog Post Ideas Lately I’ve been feeling that all I’m doing is working and every time I get down to writing something – I end up spending more time reading and catching up with all the other blogs in the neighbourhood !

It has taken me 2 days to get this post up and running – but I have valid reasons for the delay … WORK ! and I’m a perfectionist – and I really wanted to be able to express my thought process to you all … I hope it’s worked or at least made sense !

Before I get on to writing the next few posts – would you be totally scandalized or offended or just be thinking WTF if I were to put up a few pieces of writing that were ‘outside’ of my current thoughts ?  My blog is titled Sporadic Reflections for a reason .. I have way too many random thoughts and I want to be able to pen them down and get a good laugh out of it a decade or two from now.  But most importantly – because it’s my thoughts. 

Need some feedback please.

I’m an Indian by origin (British by birth) and I’ve never quite understood why Indians love GOLD so much !  I’ve recently finished a client’s wedding and during gold coinsthe last 2 months of spending time with my client – gold – has often come up as a subject.

I used to laugh at my Mum every time she would buy a gold coin.  I’d tell her that there was no point buying a ‘coin’ for ‘so much money’.  And she would just brush me off and tell me that I would learn the value of those coins much later in life.  Especially when it came down to getting married. 

No I’m not getting married – but as a wedding planner in India – I’ve now come to realize the value of Gold.  Being the curious cat that I am, I went about online searching for articles on gold investment and particularly gold coins. 

Some of the Benefits of Investing in Gold include :

  1. Gold is considered an equivalent for liquid cash.  It can be easily sold and liquidated. 
  2. Gold is a good investment.  The price of gold has consistently increased and considered to be more ‘risk-free’
  3. Gold is a status symbol.  Especially in India.  My client mentioned to me that a bride wearing 24k gold on her wedding, brings luck & happiness throughout married life.

Some Forms of Buying Gold

  1. Jewelry.  It would be the obvious way for the majority of us.  However it’s not the best form of investment unless you’re looking at it in terms of heirloom and ornamental value.
  2. Bullion Bars  These make for good modes of investment however the minimum investment is considerably higher than what the common man can afford
  3. Bank Coins or World Gold Council Coins. Gold coins are safe and easy to store.  Gold coins don’t devalue over time.
  4. Gold Bullion Exchange Traded Funds (EFTs).  These are like mutual funds that invest only in gold.

So now that you’ve learned something useful about gold – are you actually ready to start investing ?  Have you ever thought about investing in gold ?

I’ve included a few articles that helped me get a better understanding of gold; the various forms of investment along with the pros and cons associated with them.  If you’ve got any tips to share – please add them in the comments :)

Inspired By :

Note :  This post was written about 2 weeks ago !

I’ve been working a lot the past few days as I’ve mentioned in my last posts; and I’ve also not been sleeping very well; between organizing my clients’ wedding functions (which start tonight btw) and my own party – it’s been quite hectic !

I kid you not when I say that my clients are literally taking over my life .. including my dreams ! I woke up with a start this morning because I must have spent the majority of the morning dreaming about them being present in my house and giving me instructions on what meetings they wanted changed !

It’s 00:48 and I’ve finished my last meeting for the day – and came across a tweet by Guy Kawasaki titled 15 Interesting Facts about Dreams & Dreaming.  I went over and checked it out and thought to add my own two cents to some of the points …  forgetting dreams

  1. We forget 90% of our dreams.  I suppose that’s true.  Considering we have   over 150,000 dreams in a lifetime; that’s 15,000 dreams that we DO remember.  How many dreams do you remember having this week or last month ? I can think of 3 vivid dreams from the whole week; but nothing more than that.  Now given that we can have 4-7 dreams in one night which each dream lasting around 1-2 hours; it’s no wonder we forget our dreams.
  2. Everybody Dreams.  If you think that you don’t dream – then you are under the influence of alcohol, sleeping pills, or any other drugs  (including caffeine) – as these factors inhibit our ability to dream.  (who isn’t under the influence these days?)  But really -  you’re just like the rest of us.  Unless one has an extreme case of psychological disorder.
  3. Blind People also Dream.  If someone goes blind after birth they can see images in their dreams.  People who are born blind have dreams involving their other senses of sound, smell, touch and emotion but can’t see images.  I never actually thought about this. 
  4. Animals dream too.  I used to love watching my dogs sleep.  I would know  they were dreaming when they’d flicker their paws as if they were running; sometimes even making sounds which made me want to give them big comforting hugs.  I’ve always been curious to know ‘what exactly’ my dogs used to dream off.  I remember stroking them to calm them down if they looked like they were having a bad dream.  heads 72
  5. In Our Dreams We Only See Faces, That We already Know.  Have you ever  woken up and wondered ‘who was that in my dream ?’  That person is real – maybe you passed on the street; or on the train home; that crazy driver trying to maneuver their car in a traffic jam.  So real that we have crossed paths at some point – and yet we don’t necessarily know them or even remember them.  So if you live in a big city – that’s quite a few hundred thousand faces – that will keep coming up in as various characters in our dreams.
  6. Not Everybody Dreams in Color. A full 12% of sighted people dream exclusively in black and white. The remaining number dream in full color. According to recent researches, the percentage of people dreaming in black & white has decreased significantly .. Why ? Colour TV !
  7. Dreams are Symbolic.  Have you ever looked up a ‘dream dictionary’ ?   My mum has always had one in her bedside drawer and whenever we had unusual dreams as kids – we would tell her and she would look it up and tell us the symbolism behind it.  Lately I’ve been dreaming of my teeth breaking – which implies that I’m self-conscious about my appearance.  I think it just means I’m due for a visit to the dentist !  Although, Just today my mum was mentioning that if you can remember your ‘early morning dream’ that it normally comes true. Hmmm I better call the dentist just in-case.
  8. Dream Incorporation. Our mind interprets the external stimuli that our senses are bombarded with when we are asleep and make them a part of our dreams. This means that sometimes, in our dreams, we hear a sound from reality and incorporate it in a way.  I recall that whilst on the camping & rafting holiday; due to the fact my tent was facing the Ganges river & we were surrounded by natural forest; I would dream a lot about being in the river or have an adventure trek in the forest (something I actually didn’t do ‘cos of the foot!)deja vu 1
  9. Fancy Predicting the Future or Déjà Vu Anyone ?  There have been times  where I’ve had dreams and maybe a few weeks later or months later .. that dream has come true ! The correct way would be to call it Precognitive Dreaming.   Then there’s that innate sense of Déjà vu that comes about when you’re having a chat with someone and you feel that you’ve had that particular conversation before.  Well guess what – you have – in your dreams ;)
  10. Control Thy Dreams .. .. a.k.a lucid dreaming.  As a kid, I recall many times where I felt like I was completely ‘aware’ and ‘in control’ of my dream.  Have you ever felt like you could control and manipulate the situation or surrounding in the midst of a dream ? I’ve had dreams wherein if I was in a situation that made me feel uncomfortable or unpleasant – I have been ‘aware’ enough to change those circumstances, or ‘rewind’ the scene to ‘replay’ it in another way.  Has that ever happened to you ?
  11. Men & Women dream differently.  If a man states that he only dreams about sexy sizzling women – don’t worry they’re lying ! Around 70% of the characters in a man’s dream are other men.  Considering men have more aggressive emotions in their dreams than women – could they be practicing their combat skills to rescue damsels in distress ?? Although I will admit that I’ve had my own share of turbulent reveries ! Luckily for us women, we can appreciate both sexes so its a 50-50 ratio in our dreamland.   However the most emotion experienced in dreams is anxiety … even in our sleep we are bothered by negative emotions =(

  12. Dreamy Orgasms.  Yup – one can experience an orgasm as strong as theorgasm real ‘O’  whilst dreaming.  So next time you have a naughty dream – keep dreaming – and you might just wake up pleasantly surprised … and on that note .. I’m happy to say that DAMN I woke up in a happy happy mood hehehe .. That’s right I was dreaming about YOU !

So what was the last dream that you had and remember ? Do you feel that you can control your dreams ? Have you ever experienced Déjà Vu whilst dreaming ?  Have you ever used a dream dictionary ? Do you believe that dreams are symbolic ? or do you just forget your dreams and move on with life ? 

I’d love to know your thoughts on this .. sometimes I feel we don’t give enough thought to all the things that actually go on with us – from a deeper perspective .. so this should be interesting …

Inspired By

  1. Honest Information.com : Dream Dictionaries
  2. Honest Information.com : Dream Facts
  3. Animals Also Dream Images
  4. How Déjà Vu Works ?
Planning a party ? I mentioned in my previous post that I’m in the process of organizing my birthday party … being an events planner I’m already fickle as it is when it comes down to the planning process .. so decided to share a few tips with you all on the process. 
It sounds simple – but believe me – it’s effective.  The sad part is that most of us ‘know’ this but ‘don’t apply it’ when we have to get around to planning a party.
1. Location & Site Visit.  Always go and visit the venue for your party.  Doesn’t matter if it’s a 5-star hotel; a banquet hall or your grandmothers country house. 
  • The location tends to determine how many people will attend the party.  The closer you are to home – the more people are likely to turn up.  The further out the party – its a more a selected bunch of mates that will show. 
  • Sketch out a map if the venue is not well-known.  I drew out a map using directions 2 the paint program and used it for my party last year.
  • Download a map from the venue website and send it to your friends.  Email it, or put it up on a Facebook invite.
  • Take note of full address with landmarks (in case people call for directions)
  • For venues that are on the outskirts of the city
    • Time the drive so that guests know what to expect.
    • Use a sign board or placard if possible.  I printed 3 signs on t-stands to help my guests with directions.
    • Take pictures of landmarks and post them on  your FB invite; e-vite or email to your friends so that they know what landmarks to watch out for.
2. Invitation. A proper card invite is a No-No unless it’s big occasion i.e. wedding; anniversary; etc If you have the budgets – go for it – if it’s not necessary – skip it.  Make sure you give your guests at least 2 weeks heads-up that you’re having a party.
  • E-vites are IN ! There are quite a few websites that one can use to create customized e-vites.  And if you are feeling creative – then uOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA se Photoshop (even the basic Paint or Powerpoint program for the novices) to create something of your choice.  Here’s what I’ve made for my party :)
  • SMS.  Small or large party – a text message is sufficient for close friends.
  • Facebook E-vite.  Almost everyone uses FB and with its ‘create an event’ features – organizing a party becomes very simple as you can get quite a good estimate on a head count.
    • You can post the landmark photos; maps in the event page
    • Guests can post their queries; inform you of what they are bringing etc so makes your life a lot simpler !
3. Your Guests Will Be Hungry !  Is food going to be served ? How is it being served ? Who is organizing food ?
  • Caterer or No Caterer that is the question.  Do you have a budget for PB210123food ? That ought to determine what you should do.
  • If the party is at home or at a private venue (not a hotel or banquet) then you could make quite a few easy and filling dishes yourself.  My aunt hosted an engagement party for her friends’ daughter – here’s what the buffet was like.
  • Or just tell everyone that it’s a pot-luck party and to bring a dish along.  
    • Of course – don’t rely on everyone to do that.  Select a handful of close friends who will definitely be there for the party and assign them some dishes to bring.
    • My party is a BBQ pool party and my close mates are all helping out.P9200036 NC is hooking up the humus, frankies, and jello shots J Neh is making brownies, potato salad and bringing along Taboo. I’ve got my mum making Mexican and pasta salads.  The last BBQ I went to was a semi-pot luck party.  Check out the dishes on the table.
    • Easy dishes for DIY parties : potato salad; Caesar salad; mixed fruit salad; pasta salad; spaghetti in tomato, cream or pesto sauce; sour cream dips; pita breads; olive & cheese sticks; corn on the cob; grilled chicken;
4. Booze & Drinks. Every party needs drinks and if you mess that part up – you’re going to have some cranky guests on hand.
  • Get your close mates together and figure out what the general group that’s being invited drinks. alcohol_bottles
  • Minimum Quantities for a party of 30-50 pax :
    • Vodka x 10-12
    • Whiskey x 5
    • White Rum x 5
    • Dark Rum x 2
    • Gin x 1
    • Red & White Wine x 12; and
    • 3 cases of Beer.
    • If you and your friends like to do shots – hook up some Tequila (x 2) or Sambuca (x 2).
  • Mixers & Sodas :
    • 8 x Orange Juice; oceanspray
    • 8 x Cranberry;
    • 8 x Mixed Juice;
    • 2 x Lychee;
    • 10 x 2 litre Cokes;
    • 5 x 2 litre Sprite;
    • 1 x case Soda (24) ;
    • 12 x tonic water;
    • 1 x case of 1 litre mineral water
  • Bartenders. If you have the budget – hire them ! That’s one headache that you can be rid off. They know just how to utilize the booze and can come up with some great cocktails to be served. I’ve got 2 guys booked for my party.
    • Most agencies for bartenders also provide glasses, garnishes, and bring along all the shakers etc.
    • They can also advise you how many bottles you require depending on the number of guests.
  • BYOB.  For any private party that you are hosting – there’s no harm in suggesting to your guests to bring a bottle with them. 
    • Every bottle counts.  If you have 5 close friends who you can count on to bring a bottle each – that’s 5 less bottles that you need to stress about organizing. 
5. Music. Fancy yourself as a DJ ? Got friends who have killer tunes ? Any friends who DJ? Music is the essence of any good party.
  • The problem with DIY music is that you have to make sure you have a basic sound system with good enough speakers; a good selection of music or if you are an i-pod user, then the i-pod speakers and a place to keep it on charge for the duration of the party. dj-1
  • I always recommend getting a DJ (I’m an events planner what else can you expect) and once again this year – I’ve booked myself a DJ who’s coming down with his sound and speakers as well as lights for the evening part of the party.
  • If you’re having a house party – and have surround sound on your TV – cheat a little - hook up a hard drive with music to the TV and play your tunes from there.
6.  The Guest List.  The key to being a great host is to look back on all the invitations you have ever received for a party and make sure to include them on your party list.
  • What if it’s too many people ?  It doesn’t matter.  Always reciprocate to the people who have invited you.  They may or may not turn up but at least you’ve covered yourself.
  • Business & Pleasure.  Hmmm this one is tricky.  It might be slightly awkward inviting work friends / clients and social friends to the same party.  It really depends on your relationship with them.  General rule of thumb – don’t invite the work mates or clients unless you are already a part of the same general social circle !
  • Mix-It-Up.  Make sure you’re calling people who know how to have a good time regardless of the situation.  The last thing you need is a bunch of people complaining.  Call people who can mingle with others even if they don’t know them.
7.  Make lots of Lists.  Chalk down the things that you need – and mull it over with a mate.  Better yet – I swear – ask your mom.  She’ll be able to tell you something that you’ve forgotten.
  • Guest list. Names of all guests & potential adder-on’s with them.
  • Who’s bringing what.  Nothing wrong with selecting a handful of close friends and assigning them responsibilities.
  • Budget Sheet.  Keep track of what you are spending and how much you are spending.  Looking at this sheet will help you either cut down on some expenses or spread the load amongst close friends or at least figure out a few deals. 
  • Who can help.  You’d be surprised at the wealth of info & contacts that you have amongst your friends circle.  Someone might know a good caterer; or DJ; or an alcohol supplier.  Don’t be afraid to ask for contacts.  It’s all about saving where you can.
So there you go … straight from the event planner herself ..  my 7 must-do’s for a great DIY party !
p.s. as an update … I’ve already managed to get more than enough food coming in for my party between 6 friends !
cos it’s my birthday !!!  Okay so it’s not really my birthday today … but it is coming up on 23rd January and I am super excited about ! My birthday what-sign-is-compatible-with-aquariuscould definitely be classified as one of my guilty pleasures !
I love my birthday – and organizing it even more !  My birthday tends to be a drawn out affair – a minimum of 3 days of celebrating : the day before, the day off, and the day after.  After all – I am an Aquarian =)
Last year I’d booked a bungalow out in Lonavala (about 100 km out of Mumbai and a good 2.5 hour drive) which is also considered a hill-station.  I was quite impressed with the turn out of about 6 guests.  My bartenders were stunned at the amount of alcohol we consumed ! The party went from 6 p.m to 6 a.m with the last guest arriving at 3:30 a.m !
This year is going to be no different.  In November I got it into my head that I ‘want to’ have a ‘pool party’.  Sounds like no trouble right ? WRONG ! It’s practically impossible to find a good bungalow / villa with private pool that can be hired within the city.  Sure there are some – but they are quite far off and the snail-paced traffic is enough to deter most people from attending !
I have driven close to 400 kms between Sunday & Monday … all for the sake of finalizing the perfect bungalow (with a pool of course) to hold my 28th birthday … and I finally found it.  On my drive back home – I thought about how I have been wanting to start writing tips for wedding planning .. so why not also note down tips for general party planning.
So while I try to sort my party out over the next few days – I’ll leave you guys to read up on 7 Things To Do for a Great Party !

It only took a few days of hunting around – and countless hours testing templates .. but I managed to finally narrow it down to this one.

In keeping with my New Year Resolutions – this is a first step towards creating a more customized design for my blog.  It’s not 100% me .. In fact I don’t even know how many % me this template is .. however it did catch my eye and I have settled on on it (trust me I tried & tested over 20 designs) – so there must be a fair amount of me in the design. 

MakeoverMonday This is technically the third blog makeover (if I disregard the standard template when I first started blogging); and all 3 have been quite different from each other.  I’d love to get your thoughts and feedback on the current and previous design. 

Is there anything I can change .. or do you know anyone who could help me with a blog makeover without damaging my pockets too much ? I’m already digging deep for my birthday party – but more on that later.

I still need to tweak it a bit … and any advice would be great !  There are 3 things I’d like to do :

  1. Change the font for the header text to Segoe Print – but every time I try to change the existing font family – nothing happens =(  Which font family does it belong to ? Any ideas ?
  2. Increase the overall size of the borders of the template so that the entire blog is a bit broader in width
  3. Increase the borders for the 2 columns on the right (currently one of my awards is getting cut off *sniff*sniff)

So if anyone out there reading this in blogosphere – and knows some secret HTML CSS codes that can solve my 3 issues -  pleeeeeeeeeeease do !

Until then – hope you enjoy the new layout and design .. and it doesn’t traumatize your eyes so much so that you would not come back !!! If you really really really really really hate it – then let me know and I’ll try to find something more pleasing on the eye ;)

p.s  I found the above image over at MyBlogMakeover who has some easy tutorials on how to customize designs into your blog background; and since it IS Monday .. the image was perfect to add to the post :)

 

I’ve been feeling really blah the last two days – been having trouble sleeping; am totally overworked and yet trying to find some ‘me time’ so as to be totally rested in time for my clients’ upcoming wedding.

Despite having had a migraine the whole day – I’ve been feeling kind of guilty that I couldn’t get as much work done that I wanted to.  I got to thinking about guilty feelings and ended up thinking of all the guilty pleasures that I’ve indulged in.

So here it is .. My Top 12 Guilty Pleasures ….

1.  Chocolate. Chocolate. and More Chocolate.

Give me any chocolate – milk, dark, white – and I’ll have it.  I’m a self-proclaimed dessert-holic.  I prefer desserts to main courses. 

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2.  Ice Cream.  icecream

With lots of Hersheys chocolate syrup.  2 scoops of ice cream (vanilla & chocolate  chip) with enough Hersheys’ syrup to just spoon up once the ice cream is over.  Although I must say – having ice cream licked off your back is one of the most sensuous feelings ever !!! *sigh*

3.  Photography. 

It’s no secret. I love my camera.  It’s my addiction.  My sister labeled me Paparazzi and Paparazzo a few years ago.  Everyone calls me that.  They pretend to hate it when I take their pictures – but they are the first to tag themselves and complain if an album is not up on FB the next day.  Even my friends’ mum knows me as the FB Queen of Photos ! It’s a Sign ! hahaha I’ve managed to capture some really nice Mumbai Moments – not to mention lots of other views too :)

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pj shorts4.  Slipping on my PJ shorts & a tank top as soon as I’m in the room.

I’m the kind of person who doesn’t like dressing up unless I’m going out.  If I’m sitting at home – I want to be comfy – and that usually means getting out of my capris (I haven’t worn a pair of jeans in 2 years since moving to Mumbai – too hot!) and straight into a pair of PJ shorts.

5.  Bubble Bath. 

The last bubble bath I had was in April when my mate HS  took me for a ‘don’t think just relax’ weekend.  The only thing that can top a bubble bath – is a bubble bath with a very sexy young man, hint of a stubble, and a glass of bubbly too.  Damn it.  Now I wish I had a tub in my bathroom :(

Oh I’ve romanced an ex with a bubble bath & champers .. I’m still waiting for someone to give me one.

6.  Floating in the pool. 

floater 2 It’s an amazing feeling.  All sounds get drowned out.  It’s just you, and the water – becoming one.   Just a few weeks ago after my clients wedding, I managed to go for a dip and it was as if I was submerged in my secret life ! 

7.  Being on the beach and by the ocean.  PB210192

I am a total water baby. I’m an Aquarian after all.  I could stare at the ocean all day.  I loved going snorkeling in Mauritius (even though I’m snorkelingscared of fish – yes – really I am) and was almost traumatized when my mate (and now ex boss) threw breadcrumbs which led to a large school of fish all charging in my direction ! And I got to see more than just a whale’s tail :)

  

8.  Manicures & Pedicures .. and Waxing too !  manicure

I’m not a girly girl – but I love my  trips to the salon.  It’s a few hours of just ‘me’ time me.  I love French manicures (yes those are really my nails). 

My sore feet need pedicures after the long hours of dancing. And I really don’t like having body hair

9.  Movie / TV Show marathon. 

Every now and then, I like being on my own and watching show after show – particularly CSI, Entourage & How I Met Your Mother.  All of this because of my cousin NC.  We’ve gone through ‘House’, ‘The Mentalist’ and enough movies lazing around on her couch. 

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10.  Sandals.  Slippers. Any Foot Wear.  I am a total footwear fanatic. I have about 80 pairs of sandals.   It’s just a shame that currently all I’m doing is wearing flats =( damn that taxi !

11.  Handbags.  Which woman doesn’t love handbags ? I go out of my way to pick them up.  There was a time, I must have had all colours to go with outfits – and various styles.  These days – nothing has changed – except I am carrying more of my mums’ funky designer bags (which she’s donated to me – recession peeps!).  Fendi, LV, Gucci – I love you all !

12.  Scoping out Blogosphere. 

blogosphere There are so many fantastic bloggers out there. I’m constantly discovering new blogs; new ideas & ideologies.  In a way – I feel that blogging has made more ‘aware’ of everything around me – that there is this alternative realm outside of my immediate presence where actions & reactions occur simultaneously.  I’m more in tune with the universal spectrum and that is a different level of pleasure altogether.

That’s all the guilt that I’m holding on to … what about you ? What are YOUR guilty pleasures ? Come on – I’ve shared mine – it’s only fair that you tell me what yours are :P 

If you haven’t already done so – why don’t you make a list of your guilty indulgences and leave the link for me in the comments section so that the rest of the neighbours and I can drop by and check them out :)