Poet strikes Back !!

You were 3 days old, when I held you near
My little pot of Gold, that I held so ginger
A smile so gorgeous, on the cutie-pie face
I cherish the moments, with my wonderful Niece.

Your baby lingo talks were so intense,
yet somehow they almost made sense
The one with Pooh was a special treat,
To hold back tears (of Joy) was a tough feat

You grew up good kid,
But trouble you also did,
Car-seats were a No-No,
You could cry as if there was no tomorrow

Your Dance at my Wedding,
was one full of Grace
Energetic and Entertaining,
It deserves a Special Praise

I don't meet you as often,
But I love to hear of your Passion
Be it Soccer, Dance or Art
or even your Education
Remember, FUN is the important part,
Be is Competition or Recreation

Now you are 9 years old,
Naughtier yet Smarter
Still my Pot of Gold
My Bhanji forever !!

- Composed by Gautam Sarda for his Niece Aditi !

Vegas Unlimited...

What do you do when you turn 30 and you want to escape all the ppl who are fond of 30 number? Like getting you Balloons, Grafetti, Cake, Paper products and everything else you can think of...which says THIRTY !! Either, you dont pick up calls and check emails....or...OR....You go to VEGAS !!

So thats wat i planned....I took Gautam to Vegas... :)
Gautam turns 30 today...we kinda took up the celebrations a little early and went to Vegas for a weekend. This was supposed to be a Surprise trip for Gautam....but unfortunately....he who never ever guesses anything or understands any clues....Guessed this one....in a way it worked out for me....I am always hesistent to make reservations....I hate binding my trips to appointment times....so him knowing helped a little in deciding wat to do when.... :)

We left late on Friday nite....I was all charged up and Excited....Gautam was ok....We reched late on Friday....Checked in at Bellagio....there was a confusion between Smoking and non Smoking rooms...so we ended up getting a Room with the view of the Bellagio fountains....AMAZING.... :) ....started Partying the same nite....We went to Palms...."Moon" and "Playboy" nightclubs....was a lot of fun....The Roof....pretty amazing....The Roof of "Moon" opens like a shutter....so the closed club can be converted to an open air Club in a matter of mins....it happened a couple of times....I was thinking....how does this looks from outside??....suddenly the smoke, frm almost everyone there smoking, erupts out....like a Smoke volcano or something.... :) ....we decided to drink atleast "30" Drinks in the 2 days we were in Vegas....well....we had to do something that signifies the number.... ;) ....So, the initial decision was to drink 30 Alcoholic drinks....but we realised....it will be a lil too much for us....as both of us are avg Drinkers....so it soon was changed to include....Coffees and Juices.....but still we did manage to drink abt 22 Alcoholic drinks.... :)

Vegas is one place that can amaze us forever....even if i start going there every year or so....still will find it amazing....the energy never dies....the ppl are always ready to party.....and drink and dance and drink some more... :)
I treated Gautam to a Spa facial....he loved it....after that it was shopping and some Indian food at Gaylords....Dinner was at Bartolotta....Italian restaurant at Wynn....great ambience....great food....excellent Desserts....our Bar tender made a special Wine+tequilla cocktail for us...."Desert Rose"....next was "Phantom of the Opera".....The show is a musical...it is shorter than the original Broadway show with some great special effects....after the show we were bak to partying again....Went to "Tao"....the wait line to get in was huge....btw go to Vegas anytime during the year....thinking maybe it wont be crowded coz it is too hot and off season....well....hard luck...it is always and i mean always crowded....the year is Good time to go to Vegas....(I know this coz this is my 3rd trip to Vegas in less than a year).....it is lines and endless lines...anywhere u go....Tao is a 3 floors club...there is a Bar on each level....and the music playing is different and good on each floor....The top most floor is an Open air Club....its a lil sweaty and messy but fun.... :)
Gambling....tats another Fun part....Some ppl say....Gambling doesnt mean Money....it juss means Chips.... :) ....Gautam has never ever looked his age....One of the Dealers was not ready to let him stay in the Gambling areana....he demanded his ID....I told him that he is gonna turn "30" in a day.....well....The Dealer checked his ID and said..."You have a Baby Husband" .... :)

Vegas....its like a Dream....its like Going to Paris and New-york and Egypt in a Day....its like a Fairy tale....it can give you amazements after amazements.....as much as you can take in and some more....it has a Dark side....and it has a Fun side....It is pretty and it is ugly....The only rule there is "There are no Rules"....It is wild and sometimes (rarely) is Sober too....I like to live a Dream once in a while....take the plunge and go all out....be wild and unruly....do watever and dont care.... ;) .... coz wat happens in VEGAS....well....pretty much....Stays in VEGAS !!

Yeh Jo Dess Hai Mera....

"Vande Mataram"

"Bharat Mataaa kii - Jai !!"

I didnt ever think I will miss shouting these slogans....I miss all the Independence Day Celebrations. I like to believe that I am not a patriot....well...I am not...but this one special day...I have always felt Patriotic....its an important celebration for me.....I love wearing white and celebrating "Independence Day" with the whole nation.... :)

Thinking back....I remember this as a special day....it was fun during School time to get almost the whole day off....Goto school early in the morning...come back by 9 or 10 am and get the whole day to play....I have always been a part of the Parade....Once I remember I was inacting Sarojini Naidu...I was wearing a shite saree and recited one of her famous patriotic quotes....it was fun....I went on the stage after Gandhiji.... :)
Reciting the pledge...."India is my Country...and all Indians are my Brothers and Sisters (except one)...."...It was so much fun...the best was the National Anthem and the Slogan "Bharat Mataa kii...Jai" three times.... :) ....and yes...the Endless Independence Day Parade on live from Delhi on Doordarshan....Waiting for the Maharashtra Troop to come on TV..... :)

My Mom use to goto this Deaf-Dumb Girls school on every Independence Day....I started tagging along....these young girls use to be so happy and excited to see us....they use to perform Dances....it was great to be a prt of it all.... :)

Living far away from India made me realize even more....I love 15th Aug....got ready in the morning and sang the Notional Anthem by myself and celebrated our 61st Independence Day....I am wearing a White Kurta to work....I also made Gautam wear white "India" shirt.... :)

Long Live India !!

When Ambition meets me...

I am not Ambitious....but.....I like to do a lot and achieve a lot....
I am not Ambitious....but.....I like the Praise and the Appreciation.....
I am not Ambitious.......but.....I like the Perks and the Bonus'......
I am not Ambitious......but......I like to Top all things I do......
I am not Ambitious......but......I like to have knowledge about everything and anything.......
I am not Ambitious......but......I like it when my Parents are proud of my Achievements.......
I am not Ambitious......but......I like to hear "I am best at what I do", again and again......
I am not Ambitious.......but......I like to receive Awards......
I am not Ambitious.......but......I like to be called the Person who has done it all......
I am not Ambitious......but......I like to be called the Person who can do it all......
I am not Ambitious.....but......I like it when I am able to help out coz I know more......
I am not Ambitious......but.....I like all "AMBITIONS" I have......

Suprise Me !!

I am a big sucker for "Suprises". I love it when ppl do things that make me go, "Oh My God !!". I love the feeling. It always make me feel the most special person and also makes me feel like I am very very important.... :) ....I like it when ppl go out of their ways to do things for me. I juss love it all... :)

Having said that....I am also (in)famous for not letting the Surprises planned for me go well. I have a great intution and almost everytime I am about to get surprised, I would either guess it or I would rech before time.... :( ....its really hard to Surprise me. I have been to some of my Surprise parties knowing that ppl have planned a surprise and have acted suprised... :) ....Its hard for my mind to rest....its constantly thinking....I guess thats the reason I guess most of the things that are about to happen....I also know how ppl think....so I know what they are capable of.... ;)
I take pride in knowing what someone is thinking... ;)

Today was one of the cutest surprises I got from Gautam..... :) ....Its our 3rd anniv today....I came home during lunch and was going to work from home after that....we went out to lunch...and when we reched home after lunch....Gautam said...I will be bak....I was like...no no...we decided no surprises on Anniv....so u cannot do or get anything....he said gimme 5 mins I will be bak....so he left and my mind got to work as soon as I took the elevator... ;) ....I was so sure that he will get me the Strawberry plant I have been wanting forever now....I was like...here we go....I guessed another of my surprises....so was not too excited and wasnt really waiting for Gautam to be bak....he came in about 15-20 mins and started knocking on the door....I opened it and there he was with a Beautiful Arrangement from "Edible Arrangements" ..... :) ....wow....I love the fruit baskets....I have mentioned it to Gautam a couple of times....but I didnt think of it at all....I was surprised and really happy....well....at times being the SA (Smart Azz) I am helps....I am confident that i wont go wrong and stopped thinking abt it....Good for me.... :)

Happy Anniversary !!

How long have you been married?

I have been married for 365 + 365 + 365 days....tats a lot of time....but than again tats juss 10.7142 % of my life till date.....well.....somehow it feels like forever.....i feel like i have known this life forever.....i have known this person i wake up with every morning for all my life.... 3 years is not too long....so i have been married for not too long but it sure feels like forever.... :)

The follow-up question to this is: "howz married life?".....well....lemme think....its lot of fun....and some more fun....lots of new excitements and at the same time lots of responsibilities and cooking and cleaning and taking care and fighting and crying....its lots of everything....i like my life....its not perfect as i am not perfect....its ups and downs and a lot of confusion.....but its fun....sure teaches me a lot.... :)

I like being married.....at times i am so busy with my life, i forget i am married.....it juss feels like i am living with this wonderful frd who is always there for me......and who at times is a pain in ass..... ;) .....to conclude.....married life is fun.....but u need guts to take eveything as it comes....and live everyday to the fullest..... :)

Claying Away....

I was that kid who is always covered in mud and who will always be on a heap of soil/mud/sand, digging away....who will always have black finger nails with mud filled in it....I was the kid who loves to play in soil/mud/sand....who loves to build castles....who loves the coldness thats hiding in the depths....:)

I love everything earthen....I love the look, touch and feel of it all....thats what inspired me to take up Pottery....I wanted to start with the Wheel Throwing....as it is classy and glamorous....most of the Romantic movies have the wheel....remember "Ghost" and the amazing song....Unchained Melody....Oh, my love.... :) ....But my instructor convinced me to start with Hand Building to get a feel of it....and I agreed....I took my first class almost 2 years ago and I loved every moment of it....I was facinated by my creativity and by my amazing creations....it was a load shedding "My" time....I loved it all....I became the amature Potter.

Finally after such a long time I decided to get back to it....and I love it all the same....:)

I love making things that are Earthen and Beautiful....A frd who is taking the class with me keeps wondering....how the hell did i manage to stay away from this for so long when I am so much into this....when I love it so so much....I dont know....

My best creation so far is the "Ganesha". Attached is the pic of the "Ganesha" in making....