Sat Sri Akal Sikhipyar Ji
Welcome to SPN and to Sikhi! cheerleader You sure have packed a lot of questions into one post!
Sikhi is wide and vast and a huge learning curve. Try to put whatever you think you know about spirituality and religion out of your mind when you're learning about Sikhi. I understand Hindu dharma is very vibrant and complex, and you might find yourself trying to make Sikhi more complicated than it actually is (plenty of Sikhs, myself included, fall into that trap all the time). Just something to be aware of as you learn.
Here's my opinion on some of your questions (your questions are in blue):
What is Guru?: this is a big one, I can't answer it adequately, you're best bet is to Google it and read, read, read. Someone more knowledgeable than me may reply here.
Is guru god? Yes
is guru the universe? Yes
is guru the teacher within us? Yes
is guru the 10 prophets? In Sikhi we don't call them prophets, we call them Gurus. Guru Nanak is the 1st Guru through to Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Sikh means disciple or student, and Guru means teacher. Something to ponder.
Karas: To my knoweldge karas and any of the other kakkars are not specially blessed in any way. How can a mere human bless anything at all? They are just symbols, the blessing is in understanding them and applying them in your life. I may be wrong.
Sikhs show utmost respect to Gurbani (the text within SGGS), and for some a kara with Gurbani inscribed on it is disrespectful. Others have no problem. Personally, my kara is plain. The choice is yours.
A thought like "when I wear my kara I shouldn't eat meat" is moot. A Sikh is a Sikh with or without his/her kakkars. Waheguru is everywhere and ever present and closer to your than your own breath. If you take off your kara you are still just as bound by Sikhi as if you were wearing it.
The meat debate within Sikhi is a hot one and I won't discuss it here.
Anyone can wear a kara and do anything they want, so you need to be careful... not every turban-wearing, kara-wearing, kacchera-wearing Sikh is a pure Sikh (very few in fact).
I agree with Harry bhaji -- don't rush into wearing a symbol. I only just got mine a few months ago!
I know that a sikhi is someone who reads gurbani whether they have taken amrit or not. Is gurbani reading only to be read at 5 in the morning? this seems a bit ritualistic to me? or is this just a guideline and gurbani can be read later in the day, so long as you have bathed?
Hmm, no, a Sikh is someone who reads Gurbani AND learns about it AND applies the teachings in their life. Anyone can read Gurbani! It takes more to be a Sikh. The Sikh community can be roughly divided into regular Sikhs (students) and then Khalsa Sikhs (ones who have been through the amrit sanchar ceremony).
Gurbani can be read in any place at any time with the body in any state, however it is most conductive to a spiritual mindset when the environment is quiet and the body is clean and not distressed. Sikhs will generally rise early in the morning (before dawn), clean their bodies and contemplate Waheguru, and recite Japji Sahib and some other prayers. In the evening they will recite Rehras and before sleep Sohila. But you can build up to this discipline. Any Gurbani can be read at any time.
Sikhs will generally cover their heads when they read Gurbani as a respectful practice. I like to do so as it helps me "get in the mood" and makes me feel humble and joyful. Sometimes I won't cover my head, like when I have Gurbani set as the wallpaper on my work PC. It is personal.
Also wondering, would it be disrespectful if i read my ipod in gurdwara (i have a gurbani app which translates some words which i am unfamiliar with) I do not want to go to the gurdwara to offend anyone.
As long as it's not making sounds I can't imagine you'll upset anyone. Be considerate of those around you. Don't let the ipod distract you from the experience. It's a pity your Gurdwara Sahib doesn't have a projector with Gurmukhi/English/Romanisation. Maybe see if there is another Gurdwara nearby which does - it will help!
I am curious as to whether I am able to get very small trims in order to keep it healthy. It's best if you don't tamper with your hair at all.
Those sikhi who do cut their hair, what does this mean? are they going against the Guru? It means they have made the choice to cut their hair. It is not for us to judge them, but for us to read and learn and decide the right actions for ourselves. If you believe you should keep your hair because that was the command Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave to his Sikhs, then it is natural to obey it. I encourage you to keep your hair but ultimately it's your choice.
are they reversing all their long worked gurbani readings. I'm not sure it works like that. Gurbani is not something you are rewarded simply for reading. You are rewarded for reading, understanding, acting on and finding boundless joy in Gurbani. You lose if you read, understand, and then don't act on it.
But i know that I am on the right path and that this is where I should be. Congratulations and hang in there, Sikhi has much to offer the dedicated student!
Is there any tips you can give a new sikhi disciple. Read Gurbani with an open mind, read the posts here at SPN, be careful of people who talk to much about rules, rituals, and doing things which don't seem to make sense. Test what you hear against Gurbani and the Sikh Rehat Maryada (Dalbirk linked to it in his post above).
Our family has annual poojas, but I know that Sikhi hold phat in the home. I'm sorry, what is "phat"?
would it be unrealistic for me to want to bless our home with the readings of the guru granth sahib ji if there is a pandit coming to recite from the hindu scriptures. See my comment above, no human can bless anything with any ritual, to my understanding. You carry the blessing within you by learning and behaving like a Sikh.
I am not sure what to do, because I feel this is my home too. Please help me. Relax, read Gurbani, watch what your family does as an observer. I can't really offer much because I haven't been in your position, sorry!
Good luck on your journey!
Gurfateh
Ishna