Dream On

In the middle of the night
I go walking in my sleep
Through the desert of truth
To the river so deep
We all end in the ocean
We all start in the streams
We're all carried along
By the river of dreams

This song by Billy Joel has been a timeless classic for me. It’s this gush of positivity when I have felt low and hopeless.

Today this song just queued up on my YouTube auto play list and made me think…

Why is it that this song never fails to bring a smile?

Am I more of a dreamer than an achiever?

Is imagination more attractive to me that being realistic?

What drives me, Inspiration? or Results?

Am I more emotional than being practical?

And for all these questions…what is the right thing be to be “successful” in today’s world?

After a few hours of debating with myself I did gain some clarity. These questions boiled down to a goals vs dreams conversation.

Goals and dreams are very subjective. Something that could be a goal for one person would be a dream for another. It is all about what ecosystem you are in at that point in time. As far as I can recollect, growing up my dreams kept changing as I was exposed to the bigger world around me. They say that “Dreams aren’t easily fulfilled”, I don’t think so. As a 10-year-old I would dream of visiting the United States and driving a car or maybe owning one. It appeared to be seemingly impossible then but long fulfilled and feels like a piece of cake now. Today I have “bigger” (bigger again is such a subjective word) dreams and ever so changing.

In my endeavor to “Live the Dream” I realize that I have achieved many smaller tangible “goals” that have enabled me to get more creative, imaginative and aspirational with my next dream.

So, there is no right or wrong to define success. For me, my dreams drive me forward and onward. So, dream on…paint your picture…experiment with colors…the canvas is infinite. As Billy said…. “The River of Dreams”.

Craft Cocktails

Moving to San Francisco has been a delight in many ways. One of the most amazing ones being; the introduction to the world of Craft Cocktails.

Being a single woman in SF has been a blessing in disguise as it gave me an opportunity to meet a variety of men which in turn led me to many fascinating bars in the area. Well, there have been many first dates at coffee shops (don’t get me wrong, a great coffee and conversation is any day a much better start) but I have to admit that the ones while sipping a perfectly prepared cocktail have definitely resulted in interesting conversations, laughter and don’t make me too eager to head out if it is not going as well. I’d say clearly, I come out as a more patient person.

Two years later, today, still single, I could direct you to some of the most incredible bars. Benefits of unsuccessful first dates I say. Knowledge and learning is everywhere!

Men like cocktails, I feel are of all kinds:

Classic
Refreshing
Enigmatic
Spunky
Dark
Smooth
Crisp
Exotic
Strong
Intoxicating
Bitter
Sweet
Simple

I have always struggled to rank my favorite "kind" in an order of preference. There are days when a "Refreshing" Mojito would do the trick and then there are days that only an "Exotic" Old-Fashioned would make my day. 

As I continue to enjoy this exploration, I hope one day I am able to find "THE ONE" craft cocktail that fills my heart up with its flavors!

What's in a Name?

What’s in a Name?

OOk... So the phone rings and I pick up. The voice on the other side crackles to a very hesitant " Errrr.. May i speak with Sh….sha…shvee… -....Err... umm...”

"S-H-V-E-T-A! ! ! " I almost holler, but all I manage is a sophisticated "Shveta ???? "

" Aaah yesss... Shavettaa!!... Right... (I feel the immense relief in her voice)... Phewww....

So, the past few years of corporate life and especially corporate life in America, have been extremely entertaining. The frequent barrage of unusual re-incarnations of my name, proves one fact - The human fraternity has a deeply ingrained ability to be immensely imaginative (and extremely entertainingly so!) and has managed to mellow down my initial annoyance.

I cannot help but dedicate this article to the interesting versions that have been released and quite frankly I find it amusing that a single name can have so many flavors hidden beneath !!! All in a day's time, I can hop from being a cool, funky chick from Delhi to a Mallu bomb shell to a famous Indian comic porn star and also at times the hot sensual Russian. Anything, but Me!! Lol.

Anyway, I have classified the different versions under categories so that the readers may feel free to throw themselves into any one of them (or come up with a new category/version all together, I'm in an extremely jubilant mood tonight!!!  - Well fed so won't bite!)

So here goes... 

Sweta – To my big in number friends from UP and Bihar who are beyond therapy!

Shwetha – To my friends and colleagues from down South (No offence )

Shaveata – Happens to be popular as my “Starbucks” name. Trust me I gave up after the third time.

Sheweta – To all my buddies for whom I have relaxed the laws of mutilation just because they make me sound “Extra Sophisticated”

Sveta – To my friends who have an innate love for alcohol….sounds like some sort of “Vodka”

Sweetha – To those who are in dire need of something “Meetha” and are generally greeted by me with compassion given my love for sweets.

Savita – Seriously dude? Didn’t know I was being fantasized by the “Savita Bhabhi” fan club!

Svita – To those who are way too lazy even to pronounce a full name and found short creative ways!

Svetlana – To my Russian and Ukrainian colleagues who don’t even want to try to learn the name lol! I don’t mind the excuse though…”Oooh that’s a beautiful name…so similar to what we call a beautiful girl in our country…it suits you so well…Svetlana!”

Then there are the random ones which I have set aside for a few individuals who get a huge kick out of the entire thing! I have to be really careful around these people, as the most ridiculous of the versions have proven to be the most adhesive!!! 

Golu – To all my closet buddies who have ensured I totally forget my real name and be popularly known as “GOLU”. Trust me I’d turn if anyone call me that in Public lol.

Golunda – To Pinku by gunda!

Goli – To Minal

Golzy – To the one any only wicked “Toni””

Jalandhar – To Ashu

Tamatar – To Bond

Gol-gappa – To my uncle who has to pull my cheeks every time I see him

Motu – To my Mom….no matter how much weight I lose, she will continue to fondly call me “Motu”

Gummy – To Pankaj who’s creativity I adore and so love being called “Gummy!”

Cheetah – To Manu who continues to keep my inner predator alive.

Sharmaji – To Dharam who keeps me synced to my Indian roots

At this point I can safely assume that the laws of permutation allow no more.

Meanwhile, I’m just going to share this with my folks, give them a call and thank them for blessing me with such a beautiful name. I'm sure they’ll have as much fun reading as I had writing this.

P.S – SHVETA in Hindi means " Lovely, Pure and White " and I love every moment of being me :)

                                                                                             Dated: March 25, 2020

                                                                                                     (Inspired by – Shelter in Place!)

Me vs Myself!

No matter what or who I become in front of others, unintentionally or otherwise, the one time I get to know myself, is when I’m alone, with my guard down, that is the one time when I’m not wearing the mask of the role that I’m expected to play. It is then when I‘m standing face to face with myself and there is no veil to shield my faults, and no modesty to underplay my strengths

I believe that I’m a part of a larger whole, which would be incomplete without me, and this is what motivates me. The awareness that my life is infinitely important and my mission is to showcase my individuality in my own unique way, in my own sphere of activities. I strive to pursue a path ever upward and onward…Please don’t get me wrong, m not all about serious ‘philosophy’... I’m very human; I’m Complex, inscrutable, enigmatic, and indifferent. I’m predictable, unpredictable, logical, illogical... can be irrepressibly naive and terribly wise at the same time. I refuse to live unconsciously. Almost everything is a well thought of, conscious decision (barring a few times ;) ).

I'm too people oriented to sit by idle.. I'm genuine (when I want to be) and sugar sweet (if I have to be)... till then expect anything. I can viciously hate a few things and when "moved" I could curdle milk with one of my sour stares (my friends tell me so). In moods like these I don’t know what i really like.. but I think i like to hate most of the things.. Which is so funny, and I eventually end up laughing to myself.I love to perpetually have myself glued to either a sofa at coffee shop sipping overpriced chocolate espressos with 2 or 3 friends that I absolutely adore, or in front of my laptop doing no real constructive work.

I sometimes get very random with my thoughts.. to illustrate:

Shveta is

A food lover…...

highly optimistic ,

the thinker..

the art lover..

chocolate addict.....

music lover…

nature lover...

the poetess..(this one I’d like to be)

wonderful advice giver...

sports woman...

Popular for sense of humor….

clothes obsessor..

fiercely loyal...

thoughtful...

patient...

letter writer...

romantic…

Formerly the outstanding student’..
And Miss Talented(I think I have lost it now)…..

also the life of parties...(hehe)( That’s what all my friends have to say to me!!)
and now the almost 34 something corporate slave!

So what is Shveta Sharma about…………..

Shveta, a smart woman. A simple bundle of contradictions and complexities. Very plain to see. A study in silence. Seldom sesquipedalian. Shveta………………………………

Light up!

We all want perfect lives, no one wants to be alone

There are times when life gets so lonely, 

we turn to people unknown    

Seeking affection, we sway the way we get blown.

All I see is darkness,

something like a huge black hole,

Evil thoughts with full force,

ready to take control.

Determined I stand,

to not let darkness ruin my soul.

I face it strong, I face it bold...

Until, I see the light, an awakening that made me glow.

We all need to face our dark side

that is where we have passion and energy galore!

Do not fear it , direct it, embrace it.

That's when you become whole.

You are the darkness, you are the light.

You are the lighthouse of your life!

                             ~ Shveta Sharma

                                27th Jan'14

The Leaf of Life...

I came into this world fragile and innocent
Looking for water and sunshine to grow.

I blossomed into a beautiful green leaf,
fresh and vibrant, 
enthusiasm that made me glow.

Dancing in the wind, playing in the rain
Life was fun there was no pain.

Then one day, a gush of air...
Departed from the branch and I was blown.
With so much glee, I gently floated without sound
I traveled far, I traveled slow 
Before I touched the ground so low.

I lay there confident smiling and bold
Ready to take on the world that was beautiful
as I had known.

At times I wildly flew, 
twisting and turning through the air
Exhausted, drop to earth below.

Time flew and so did I until one day I felt huge pain
A feeling so terribly new that drove me insane
Tremendous pressure crippling me down,
Crushed, I lay on the ground.

I just lay there slowly turning brown, each breath was a pain
With each gush of air I tried to reach the branch, my home, but in vain.

As days pass, I fray a little more, it pains a little more
and I learn about life a lot more.

Every time I rise with the wind...my hopes soar high
But gently I fall again without a sound and hopes again defy.

                                                       ~ Shveta Sharma
                                                          19th Jan 2014.

Vulnerability and security....is there a point of convergence?

Its been 4 months since i posted something on my blog...yes and i do have the usual most common excuse.."Life's been really busy". Anyway i guess the topic that i intend to write about has had a deep impact on me and so i had to steal time to express what i feel.
Being into a relationship for sometime now i realize how important it is to feel secure about the relationship and how very vulnerable it makes you to the other person. And "NO ONE WANTS TO BECOME VULNERABLE TO ANYONE IN TODAYS SCENARIO"...and so all of us want to play safe! Look at the irony finally one starts feeling insecure about being vulnerable to another person just in order to find security...gosh! its a viscious circle.
I see my friends who are "committed" seeing other couples breaking-up and ruining their own relationships by applying or trying to apply the same situation on there own relation. Come on how stupid can that be. There are friends who come to me and say "Shveta, even though we are going strong , i am trying to maintain a distance so that if in future things dont work out or we break up, none of us is hurt and esp I should not be hurt. I love him/her but i dont want to so vulnerable to him/her that he/she starts taking me for granted or hurts me when we break off."
For god sake...how on the earth can one get into any relationship for that matter...where you are always trying to play safe and where you are scared of being vulnerable but you want to feel secure at the same time! I see no point of convergence any where! It is this mentality and this attitude in people now days that relationships fail miserably.
The only solution i recommend is that you got to trust a little more, do not rush into realtionships, take time to express your feeling, make sure that you strongly feel for someone and its not just infactuation and that you are not scared to let the skeletons fall off from your cupboard in front of him/her and that you can be yourself all the time. That is when we can arrive at a point of convergence. Trust, Patience and an open mind is all it needs to make things work and to make life happy!

Between Friends

Yes the girl in the picture on your right is my best friend. She s the one person who is always with me through all seasons, all my moods and sometimes she just arrives when I need her the most and am least expecting her! I meet her atleast 3 times a week and after that we feel that we are always short of time to complete our conversations. After I joined my MBA we have been meeting regulary but its always been not more than an hour that we could spend with each other and talk, we would meet to go shoppin together or to discuss some thing important etc.

Some 5 days back we both met up to exchange some stuff and it so happened that we both had time to spare and spent 5 hours just talking and listening what the other had to say. And by the time we headed back it felt as if even though we had been meeting regulary we never really knew what exactly is going on in each others lives...as in our views on things happening in our life, our reactions, our expectations, our frustrations, our dreams....we could never find the time to express these in the short timeperiods that we meet for. But after this lovely evening that we spent together I felt so relieved, so light and at the same time so much more aware of what she means to me :).
Well i guess they are so right when they say:

" The biggest gift you can ever give anyone or ever receive from anyone is your/their time"
Its all that you need to catch up with everything in life!

Child Locks...A Parent Trap!!!

Gosh! kids now days are such smart asses!!!A few days back I was travelling to Goa with my uncle and a "small" cousin...who was jus 4 years old. My uncle had borrowed his friend's car and was really glad that the car was equipped with a child lock facility as my cousin is a really notorious boy. While handing over the car keys my uncle's friend explained to him the car locking n unlocking mechanism and during that time my cousin was playing around. So finally we left for Goa and soon after we got into the car again after our first halt in the journey...my uncle got into the car and it wouldnt start at all and after trying all tricks for 5 mins he realised that he needed to unlock the child lock thru the remote and only den would the car start! So he had to get out of the car lock it and then unlock it again...and guess what this happened each time we halted every time new confusion in order to avoid the earlier mistakes.
And the best part about each time this happened was that it was my cousin who would point out what my uncle was doing wrong! He would say "Papa ...aise karo to car start hogi" each time we would get stranded and each time he was right!
So with the kids getting just too techno savvy and smart by the day...I really dont think child locks are gonna make things easy for parents and its rather gonna make their life even more complex and to add to this would be that the parents would finally need the children to unlock themselves from the trap they got locked into!!!

A night to remember!

After a really long time I enjoyed "Saturday Night" no clubbing, no boozing, no getting wild....infact a perfect saturday night according to my definition of one. A group of 4 people who got to meet up each other that very evening and by the end of it were cool buddies! We went to this lovely restaurant called "SOUL" in ABC farms at Koregaon Park.

Enter Soul and embrace all the elements that rejuvenate your soul – nature, art, music, literature and great food. Flanked by coconut and palm trees, Soul is a restaurant where you can simply be yourself, unwind, relax and enjoy great food and music. It’s the ideal place to sway to music from the 50s to 70s. It has an inviting rustic and earthy appeal created by wooden paneling and tables, wrought iron chairs and greenery. Well-spaced, candle-lit tables and a split-level arrangement help create your own cozy private space. A very relaxing ambience... a cool breeze blowing and best of all "GARY LAWYER" performing the timeless western classics of the 70's and the 80's numbers of Elton John,Bon Jovi,Dire Straits,Bob Dylan,Bryn Adams and numerous rock and roll numbers and almost all of them my favourites :) and to add to the best was that the gathering was of not more than 60 people who were all appreciating the music,singing along in the best of manners.It started with some really romantic numbers and I realised I was just flowing with the music for the two hours that this great artist performed. And how can I forget the awesome food and drink that went alongside. Finally after the performance a quiet dinner at the same place was such a dream come true!

Guess that was not enough coz after that we all planned to go to Chandini Chowk CCD for a nice hot cup of coffee. Reached there at 1 am and till 3:30 am we were busy chatting and formulating future plans! And finally when i got to bed at 4 am....I was all smiles as this was the best Saturday Night I had after ages and the best part was the company I had through out coz I believe that nothing can be better that "Being at the right place at the right time with the right people!" and this night fulfilled all three :).

"Serendipity"....do you believe in destiny?

This article is inspired by someone who by the end of my first meeting with him made me realise that there is something called destiny and that probably my meeting this person was destined to be :).

Won't get into the details of my serendipity with this person but all I would want to say is that getting to know him just happened! One moment and we became friends without putting in any effort to do so. And to confess the truth I always wanted to get to know this person but had just no possible reason or means to approach him and in just four days its him asking me "Do you believe in destiny? Do you ever feel that the people you are destined to meet some people in your life?"

And as usual I carried these lines with me that night and gosh!...now it made me go back in time and analyse the various situations through which i ended up becoming friends to some really wonderful people and yes...they were not meant to be otherwise.....most of the people just come along on your way to life but some few appear from no where and leave an indeliable mark on you and become your best buddies!

So if sometime you find some time free just give it a thought.Go back in time and think of the people and things that are around you at present and just try to analyse as to how many out of these were the ones whom you expected or knew you would meet some day. I must tell you its really amusing because I did end up smiling to myself after going through this.

We are all tied together in a single garment of destiny... An inescapable network of mutuality... I can never be what I ought to be until you are allowed to be what you ought to be.

My Claim to Fame :(

I guess most of you wolud have guessed by now how i managed my claim to fame! Here is the story of "How Shveta Sharma got daring,got crazy and got famous!"....

It was a fine Wednesday morning and I was sitting in class waiting for the economics Prof. whom I just cannot stand but had no choice but be present for "90% Attendence sake". The attendence was taken and as the teacher walked out of the class for a while there was this adrenaline rush within me that urged me to jump out of my class room window as soon as possible. To give you the facts:
Jumping height: 6.5ft from the ground
Time available: 6-10 seconds (includes climbing up d window and jumping down)
Outfit: Traitional Indian Suit and HIGH HEELS

So I rushed towards the window throw my sandals out,climb the chair get on the window grill...all 50 pair of eyes(my classmates) focused at me and very confidently as i jumped out, my foot lost its grip,slipped and while my class mates thought of it as an act of bravery and were all praises...On my odessey to the ground I was prayin to god to help me "ATLEAST LAND SAFELY"....and there I was on the ground landing on my Butts! The cushion that i had helped me in no possible way :(! Had no time to assemble my self well so just ran to my room before I cud get caught. Reached my room and I realised that I had hurt my lower back and tail bone badly :( I could not move.could not sit or even lei on my back for hours after that!

And about me getting famous...the moment i stepped out of room the most unfamiliar faces walk up to me with a smile(trying to hide their laughter) asking me how was I doin!!!And I must tell you that never in my entire stay at SIMS did i ever get so famous for the "GOOD" things done as this stupid and really embarassing incident did to me!
But then me as my usual self was laughing more than others and always with them too at the whole thing. So finally I really don't care about being embarassed anymore coz the brighter side is that after that day people around know who Shveta Sharma is and yeah I ended up knowing a lot more batch mates of mine after this! So allz well that ends well and this was my story of how I finally got famous in college with no effort put in at all!

Ultimate benefit of having HOBBIES!

Two days back we had a class for Resume writing in college. We were asked to get a copy of our resumes and one by one the guy asked us to show him the resume and he individually suggested us the changes required to be made in the existing resume.
So after a while came my turn, I very proudly handed my resume to him which according to my classmates was really impressive. He goes through the resume and yes does mention that it is pretty impressive with a few minor changes required. Finally he reached the last section of the resume titled: "HOBBIES AND INTERESTS".... and it takes him a 20 seconds to "recite" the list of my hobbies and interests! (just for the anxious ones the list included: biking,travelling,dancing, blogging, collecting poems, letter writing, meeting new people, listening to music.....).
Finally he looks at me smiles and says " ITS REALLY COOL INFACT GREAT TO HAVE SO MANY HOBBIES AND INTERESTS......THE ONLY TIME THAT YOU' L REALLY NEED THEM FOR A USEFUL PURPOSE WOULD BE AFTER YOUR RETIREMENT WHEN YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO!!!"
Gosh! that was so damn cool! He puts his point across asking me to cut short that exhaustive list and at the same time makes me realise.....THE ULTIMATE BENEFIT OF HAVING HOBBIES!!!

Innocence at its best!

This picture was clicked by me a few months back and everytime I look at it, it brings a smile on my face....I would call it my best Click....I dont have words to explain what all this picture conveys all i can say is these are one of the best and innocent smiles i have come across and i just hope they maintain it forever. Just thought of sharing it with everyone.

All about chocolates

History
Chocolate is produced from the fruit of the cacao tree. The cacao tree is a native of Central and South America and is grown in equatorial countries around the world.
Christopher Columbus 'discovered' chocolate on August 15, 1502, when he stole the cargo of a native trader near modern Honduras. Columbus assumed that the beans were a kind of almond, and all he really knew about them was that someone else thought they were valuable; so, for the glory of Church, State, and Christopher Columbus, he took them.
In fact, the strange, aromatic beans were so valuable that they were used as currency by the local islanders. The mysterious booty was taken back to Spain, where it failed utterly to make a favourable impression until 20 years later, when Hernando Cortez 're-discovered' cacao by demolishing the Aztec empire. The Aztecs had enjoyed chocolate for generations as a beverage made from crushed cacao beans mixed with water or wine. It was usually seasoned with vanilla or chillies.
The Aztecs had inherited the bitter tasting, frothy drink from the Maya people, who had started saying 'Cacao' to each other around 500 AD. To Spanish tastes, Aztec drinking chocolate was much too bitter, and they also found the muddy texture repugnant. But, on the off chance that it might turn out to be an aphrodisiac, they decided to stick with it, and chocolate has been inextricably linked to sex ever since.
In Europe a chocolate drink, now sweetened with sugar, became the drink of choice among the nobility. By the simple expedient of stealing tropical islands and enslaving their inhabitants, cacao plantations around the world (principally in Dutch and English colonies) made chocolate accessible to commoners (albeit rich ones).
In 1828, the Dutch chocolate maker Conrad J. van Houten invented a way to press the fat from roasted cacao beans, thus creating a means to economically produce what we would recognise as cocoa powder. The process of adding alkaline salts to cocoa powder to make it easier to mix with water is still known as 'Dutching'. In 1849, the Englishman Joseph Storrs Fry mixed sugar and cocoa butter with Houten's cocoa powder to produce the world's first chocolate bar.
Milk chocolate was invented in 1879 by the Swiss chocolate manufacturer Daniel Peter, who had the idea of adding powdered milk (invented by the Swiss chemist Henri Nestlé in 1867) to the mixture.


How to make a chocolate bar:
Selection - A blend of perhaps as many as 12 different types of bean are selected.
Roasting - Each type of bean is roasted separately.
Winnowing - The hard outer hulls are removed from the 'nibs'.
Grinding - The roasted beans are ground under granite rollers in a machine called a melangéur. Sugar and vanilla are added. The traditional tool used for grinding and blending chocolate is called a metate; it's a large, slightly curved stone tool used like a mortar and pestle.
Conching - Chocolate liquor is blended and gently heated for up to 72 hours.
Tempering - Tempering involves heating the chocolate and cooling it in several stages. This changes the chemical structure of the chocolate to a form that will retain its shape when moulded.
Moulding - The liquid chocolate is poured into moulds then allowed to cool and set hard.

Chocolate and health

• Eating chocolate neither causes nor aggravates acne.
• Chocolate does not promote tooth decay, although the sugar in chocolate, as in other foods, does cause cavities. There is even evidence that the cocoa butter in chocolate may inhibit the formation of plaque.
• They are instant energy boosters.
• They are a good combo of nutrients, proteins as well as vitamins.
• Chocolates contain flavonals which are antioxidants, also present in apples and red wine. In fact a 50 mg bar of dark chocolate is equivalent to 6 apples, 2 glasses of wine and 7 onions in its flavonoid contents.
• Chocolates posses anti clotting effect in same measure as an asprin. Thus chocolates assist in reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis when flying.
• It has been proved that sniffing a chocolate bar can boost your immune system by raising the level of antibodies in the body.
• Cocoa butter contains phenolics, which are believed to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Chocolate contains theobromine, caffeine, phenylethylamine and anandamide. Theobromine and caffeine are stimulants. Phenylethylamine combines with dopamine in the brain to produce a mild anti-depressant effect. Anandamide produces feelings of calm and well being.

Sex and Chocolate

From the beginning there has been a connection between sex and chocolate. The complex relationship of consuming chocolate, feeling good, having sex, and consuming more chocolate is an intricate pattern set on a Mayan loom, and woven more deftly with every new generation in every new culture.

History is full of stories about people who put chocolate’s reputation to the test.

• Montezuma supposedly drank 50 cups of chocolate a day. And as if that weren’t enough, he downed an additional cup to increase his stamina before consorting with his female companions.
• Casanova, reportedly the greatest lover who ever lived, was said to have drunk chocolate daily to increase his amorous energy. Supposedly he preferred it over champagne as an aphrodisiac.
• St. Valentine’s Day supported the tradition of sending chocolates to the one you love—the idea being that the candy’s mysterious properties would seduce your beloved’s heart and cause him or her to return your feelings.

Reasons why chocolates are better than sex

• When you have chocolate it does not keep you neighbors awake.
• You are never too young or too old for chocolate.
• Good chocolate is not hard to find.
• With chocolate there's no need to fake it.
• You can ask a stranger for chocolate without getting your face slapped.
• You can have chocolate on top of your desk during office hours without upsetting your co-workers.
• The word "commitment" doesn't scare off chocolate.
• You can make chocolate last as long as you want it to.
• You can safely have chocolate while you are driving.
• You can GET chocolate.
• It stays hard by simply putting it in the fridge.
• It doesn't snore straight after the act of passion is finished.
• Chocolate contains a naturally occurring amino acid called phenylethylamine. It helps to cure hangovers, it gets rid of the headache; sex doesn't, it normally makes it worse.
• Chocolate contains theobromine. This is a mild long lasting stimulant that leaves you in a good mood for ages afterwards. Sex normally doesn't quite match up to this.
• What tastes best, chocolate or sex?
• Sex can pass on diseases. With the odd exception of a salmonella scare, chocolate doesn't.
• Eating chocolate can be messy at times, however sex can be a whole lot messier, on more than one level.
• What's cheaper to insure? A bar of chocolate or a husband.
  

Know the True me- This is me personified!

When you come across a Taurus female, the first thing you will notice about her is her undefeatable emotional strength. She is capable of handling the severest of problems, without shedding even a single tear. She has the infamous Taurus temper, but it is seldom displayed. Atleast not until the provocation is too much to digest. She is as feminine as any other female, without the unnecessary tantrums. A Taurus woman has no desire of dominating her husband. She will let him handle the reins, infact this is what she secretly desires. A Taurus woman wants a real man, who can make her proud of himself as much as she is proud of herself. However, if he fails in his role, she will take the control in her own hands. Neither will she act like a mewing kitten, nor like a roaring lioness. She is independent and has a mind of her own, but she does not want to dominate in the relationship.

Taurean women do not see social status while making their friends. They want to be friends with people who do not hide their true nature and come across as they really are. Their friends may be a little weird, but they will not be phonies or hypocrites. A Taurus girl doesn't fight with people she dislikes, she simply ignores them and becomes indifferent to their presence. However, she will be loyal to her true friends and they will remain with her throughout her life. In return, she will expect them to stand by her when she needs them. A Taurean woman also gets jealous, but only if you exceed the limits of casual flirtation. Everything has a limit and this also does. It's better not to provoke her anger or you will be very sorry.

She is brainy, but not too much interested in intellectual subjects. She is practical in her thinking and does not feel the need to indulge in mental gymnastics. She is balanced in her approach and you will hardly see her in a restless disposition. A Taurean girl hates anything artificial, be the flowers in her vase or the friends in her life. She has to feel the fragrance of real roses and the presence of real people. The beauty of Mother Nature especially pleases her.Ugliness of any kind makes her miserable and repulsive. She loves to be amidst colorful surroundings, like gardens blooming with flowers.

A Taurean female has a good taste, so please be very careful before taking her out. She is a very good cook herself and you will always be treated to excellent homemade food. She is also very much interested in the art forms, like painting. She is a tomboy at heart and will enjoy many guy-things like horse riding, going on a roller coaster ride, fishing, etc.All this makes her feel close to nature. She dresses simply, yet elegantly and her fabrics are always feather-soft.

Taurus female is very strong and above the usual female insecurities. However, she demands loyalty and will never compromise in this area. She is beyond hypocrisy and has an undemanding and easy-going manner. She wants her man to take her side, especially in public. If he contradicts her in front of other people, expect the temperature to reach beyond the boiling point.When pushed too far, she loses her cool demeanor quickly.

Taurus women make excellent mothers, except for the fact that they cannot tolerate disobedience or defiance in kids. Laziness and carelessness also makes them angry. Otherwise, they will be more of a friend to their children than the typical mommies. A Taurus woman will also teach the kids how to be strong and will protect them from the big bad outside world. She never shirks from or whines about her responsibilities. Her man will be expected to do the same.She can also bear endless pain and stress, without complaining for a single minute.

She is good with finances and knows how to maintain quality in a reasonable budget. She is a very good host and will be there to help her man in any and every way she can. A Taurean woman will care for you when you are ill, will back you in your new business venture and let you take over the control of the home. And, you will always be treated to a warm, cozy home when you come back from office!

The significance of the word "First"

Have you ever wondered what does the word "First" mean to us? Two days back i was in a conversation with a friend and it was after that conversation that a question arose in my mind " What does "first" mean to me? What all do i recall when i think of "First"? What's the irony about it? How happy does it make me? How upset it can make me?"..etc etc etc..... So finally I just thought of seeking answers to these questions and so here i am jotting down what all comes to my mind when i think of "The First...."

1. The First Birthday
2. The First Class
3. The First Day at school
4. The First Punishment
5. The First ranker at school
6. The First time i did not come first!
7. The First party with friends.
8. The First Crush.
9. The First time i went camping.
10. The First class I bunked
11. The First farewell
12. The First touch from supposedly "The Guy!!!"
13. The First day at college
14. The First Night at the hostel
15. The First night out with friends
16. The First Date
17. The First sleepless night
18. The First time i rode a "BIKE"
19. The First Accident
20. The First smoke
21. The First time that i got drunk
22. The First time i went Clubbing
23. The First vacation with just friends
24. The First Kiss
25. The First Valentine day roses
26. The First heart break
27. The First day at work
28. The First Salary
29. The First Gift i bought with my salary
30. The First Resignation letter
31. The First day at the second time in college
32. The First attempt to recollect all the "Firsts....."


Gosh there is so much that i thought i had forgotten and to my surprise it took me jus 10 mins to jot all these down..... I must say all these First Times have been really special to me... most of these times have brought me a lot of excitement, a lot of joy but a few have brought me a lot of pain too.... But all these moments are something that i will carry with me throughout my life.

" The advantage of a bad memory is that one enjoys several times the same good things for the first time!!"

So before I close i just want to convey that even though each of these moments are really special to us and how ever hard we may try we cannot get the same excitement from similar things we do now.... but as they say "There's always a first time....." that cannot be replaced but at the same time you cannot blame the second for not being first. After all feel lucky that you are getting the second chance for the first time!! I would end quoting:
“No one can possibly know what is about to happen: it is happening, each time, for the first time, for the only time.”

Food for thought.....these guide me....

I am putting a few thoughts here...these have been a great source of motivation for me till now, have helped me handle situations in a better way and will always keep me moving ahead. Hoping that some of you could find solutions to their problems and would learn to percieve things in a new light after reading these quotes.

1. To hate a person is a waste. Half the persons u hate don't care and the other half don't know!

2. You laugh at me because I am different. But i laugh at you for being all the same.

3. Success is how high you rebound when you hit the bottom.

4. We do not see things as they are. We see them as we are.

5. The best feelings are those that have no words to describe them.

6. A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but also more useful than a life spent in doing nothing.

7. You probably wouldnt worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.

8. Never assume the obvious is true. (This one is tested and proved)

9. Let the difficulties know we are more difficult!

10.Catch the trade winds in your sails....Explore. Dream. Discover.

11. The heart has it own reasons of which reasons know nothing.

12. Its better lose your pride with someone you love than to lose some one you love with your useless pride.

And finally here is something that some very special to me had to say to me when i was really confused about the intentions of the people around me.....and this is something that i have carried with me since then...it makes me feel special and boosts me up....and here it goes:

" You are highly lovable.... People can't have you that easily....Don't let them."

If you analyse this statement, it speaks volumes....it conveys to me what this person feels for me, at the same time it conveys to me that i should continue being good and doing good and yet not let people take advantage of this in way that i hurt myself.....and this is exactly i would want to convey to each one of you there....You are all special and highly lovable just believe in yourself.

Old maybe gold but give the new their due.

"Old is gold" is a quote we all have been listening to from childhood. Our parents, teachers, elders, friends etc. all of them convey to us this same message through a variety of ways. At every stage of our life we are actually made to realise the importance and verasity of this statement. I don't question the statement but in the recent past i realised that its not right to just blindly follow this and do injustice to the "new"- The Present.

"Old times" never come back and I suppose it's just as well. What comes back is a new morning every day in the year, and that's better."

What is new now will be old in a few moments from now...I do agree that the old friends, old memeories and past experiences play a very important role in our lives and remind us of some of the finest moments of our life but have u ever wondered that because we are so overwhelmed by the people in our lives that we create a barrier around us and by choice and just refuse to allow the new people around us to be counted in our list of "great friends"....its really ironical.

I see a lot of people around me including me who choose not to be a part of the present and continue to live with their past glories....what i really don't understand is "How does one define past?" Its something that is very relative...what you experienced a minute back is past this minute! So when you say....New...how do u define it or how do you conclude that this is new? I feel its an on going process each one of us is evolving with time and so is everything around us....I experience a new me every few minutes but does that stop me from liking myself? No..infact i find my self improving everytime...so then why is it that we complain about the new people around us and we do not even try to break the initial ice? Are they not jus as new as you are at that moment? I was discussing this with a friend and this one statement of his totally convinced me about this thought that was troubling me.He said:

"If you bought 22 K gold a few years back does that mean that the 24 K gold available today is of no use or is by any chance less valuable?".....

All i want to convey is that we all need to open up a little to embrace the present and enjoy to the fullest the things that are sent our way. I would conclude with these last lines:

We seem to be going through a period of nostalgia, and everyone seems to think yesterday was better than today. I don't think it was, and I would advise you not to wait ten years before admitting today was great. If you're hung up on nostalgia, pretend today is yesterday and just go out and have one hell of a time.

Finally on a Vacation!!!

I had been longing to go for a vacation after I joined college but it seemed like a distant dream because I was so much overburdened with all the assignments and research papers etc. But finally god did answer my prayers and I got an invitation for a three day trip to Alibagh, a coastal area 180 kms from Pune. So I decided to bunk college for two days and go for the trip.

We had hired our own 25 seater bus and the journey started on 11th August at 8 am. It felt so good to be back with old friends to enjoy a vacation. It was a lovely drive to Alibagh as the vast stretch of land across the road was lush green, the clouds were flying low through the mountains and the serpentine highway was pitch black and endless due to the rains. We halted at Khandala for tea and I just cannot put into words the scenic beauty there. I felt so fresh and full of energy after seeing the beauty around. We then continued with the journey and we didn’t realize when the remaining 4 hours went by while playing anatakshari!

After a long lively journey we reached our destination the Kashid Beach. We were put up in this small and sweet bungalow so with both lodging and dining taken care of and we sure now that we were destined to have a great holiday! The two days that we were there were full of masti, fun and excitement. We spent hours playing volley ball and cricket on the virgin beaches of Alibagh. It seemed that suddenly time had gone back and each one of felt like a kid as none of us had any hang ups or prior commitments or responsibilities for those three days. The fact that there was no network coverage for mobiles was a blessing in disguise for all of us! The evenings were spent playing dumb sharades and memory games, singing and pulling each others legs while wining and dining went along side. Then we used to have this post dinner session that started at mid-night where in half of us used to play cards and the rest used to have brain storming sessions about some of the weirdest and interesting topics…..right from technology to psychology…it was so much fun. Then finally we used to force each other to bed at 4AM!!!

The three things that I enjoyed most and that made my vacation a success are:

The long walks on the beach all alone listening to my favorite music and singing along aloud with no one around me. I felt so light and relieved. Initially while I was walking alone I was upset as the not so good things that were going on in my life flashed in front of me. But as later as time went by I realized that by the time I was walking the last time on the beach before leaving for pune, I was feeling happy, light, re-energized and full of life. I had let out my worries, frustrations and hang- ups through this.

There was this heavenly place that we happened to find out. There was a virgin waterfall something like what I could imagine in my dreams only and had seen in some romantic Hollywood movies! Clear and chilled water flowing through the rocks and the lush green surroundings were a sight that I l never forget in my life time. The place seemed like a different world altogether, so wild yet so serene, so loud yet so calm, so scary yet so beautiful……here are a few pictures of this place but had cameras been able to capture the real beauty….it wouldn’t have been worth it!

And finally what I enjoyed most at last was that I was able to in true sense go for a vacation! It was perfect as it included my friends, a great place to stay, good food, no hang ups, a lot of time for myself, amazing destination, it gave me peace of mind and the same time a chance to get crazy….it gave me a lot of time with friends and last but not the least a long awaited VACATION!!!

So I would recommend all you people to definitely take some time out and treat yourself with a vacation…………it is impossible to put I words the feelings when you are convinced at the end of it that it was all worth it!