Ok. New blog is semi-presentable now. Still experimenting so don't expect miracles, even ordinary ones. :)
I'm not sifting the archives of this blog there so f you happen to get here, do visit the archives. :)
see you at VIEWFINDER!!

WORDPRESS

M got mad at blogger (again) today and plans to shift to Wordpress soon.

If you know problems wih Wordpress too, please tell me what you hate about it. :)

Meanwhile, this is sill my blog and I will post here until VIEWFINDER is ready. Yes, Viewfinder is probably what I will call it. If you're curious, feel free to visit the construction site: complete wth bad default settings and temporary header. :)

Love,

M.

The Things You Give Up in the Name of Art

Will It Be Us Tonight?

Today is Blog Update day. You’ll see what I mean if you just scroll down a little bit. :)

The last 2 days have been s.p.l.e.n.d.i.d.l.y. .p.r.o.d.u.c.t.i.v.e. Lots of art. Lots of Yoga, lots of dreaming. And discovering. And meeting artists. And dreaming. And talking dreams. And discussing quantum touch and art and yoga. Many art exchanges ongoing so its an exciting fulfilling time.

Sounds more perfect than it actually is. I’m actually in the middle of my brother’s wedding and all the rush that includes. Getting things done. Socializing. Hosting guests. Last minute shopping. Measurements and trials at boutiques. Many many meals out… the works.

But squeezing in time…slowly…slowy. Trying to fit in yoga and late nights and socializing and swaps and journaling.

And like a true multi-tasker, I’m loving it. :)

(so far)

Midnight musings

Dear Toe

TRUSTing the process

LINK-O-MANIC

On an art spree.

Journal No.3 for 2007 began last night. This is the first page in it. It doesn't have a name yet. Or a dedication. Will come soon enough.

Creating almost non-stop ever since. :)

Inspired by artists I'm meeting online, artwork I'm seeing, ideas brewing.

I have to rush- make more art. So I'll leave you with links. Go explore. :)

Anne Grgich : mixed media artist. Brilliant collages of people's faces!Go see what she can do on a book page here.

Lynne Perrella: another mixed media artist i admire. journal artist. assemblage artist.

Update on the Good Life

Morning session of Yoga over, made little tougher today. and that much more s.a.t.i.s.f.y.i.n.g. Made breakfast with dad, had our morning chat-dad, mom, Bhots and me- and picked my morning cup of coffee to join me at my desk.

The average start of a day in the good life.

Yoga.

Juices.

Lots of laughter.

Getting chased up the stairs by Bhots.

New blogs explored.

New friends made.

Lots of writing.

Much art.

Learning.

Not afraid to try something new.

Last time I was home, Chamki was here. Thinking of you, Chamki, while I'm typing this in the study with kanchi asleep on my feet. Its still chilly, mostly. And pleasant when it isn't chilly.Check Uberglucklich for more things to make you go grrrrrrr[Chamki].

Chamki, this photo is for you- memories of costa coffee from "Dehli" trip last time. This is dad pouring out his sugar.

Today is a busy day.

The morning is to be spent arranging the prints of Vijit Dai's wedding. Then is lunch at his place. Then Asmi gets over with school and comes home. From then till 6pm I'm her personal secretary. Then she leaves and I make some art, do some writing, take some photos, maybe a w.a.l.k. or some matwork.

So here's what I've been up to online:

Updated my flickr with photos of asmi. My desk was a mess with all the things I had to do online today so I thought I'd show the world just where I write these posts everyday. You can see that here.Posted some of the great mail art I've received onto flickr as well. Am so trilled with them!!

Brushstrokes got an update about the journal I'm going to send out a.c.r.o.s.s. .t.h.e. .w.o.r.l.d. to anyone who wants to make their marks on it. Got several emails in response. Waiting for a few more and then the journal will leave Nepal to the first person who mailed me.

Went through the pile of gorgeous mailart I received while I was away. Plan to start relplying to some of them today.

This is one of my SoulCollage cards. I've been meaning to upload them for ages and today they have finally gone up on my flickr. Only one small group of them has made it there today. But more to come soon.
This one is from my Committee Suit.


I don't have all my suits decided. This one I think will go in my Council Suit. More of my SoulCollage cards are here.

P.S. the card on top, in the first photo is the card for Abundantia, Goddess of Abundance and Prosperity taken from the Goddess Deck by Doreen Virtue.

It feels particularly relevant to me right now. I feel so blessed and comfortable! :)

BEAUTY IN A BLOG

I Read a beautful post today. The most beautiful. You can read it here its the 3rd post written on the 13th of April. Read it.

Please Come for a Walk With Me

Communicating has become bigger and bigger. Everyone I meet is taking about it. Every conversation I'm part of has this element.

Why don't we speak the truth?
unashamed, unhesitant, unembarrassed.

Why sugar coat our words?

Why say half a statement and imply the other instead of saying the whole thing as you mean it?

Why make a statement a question because you don't want to make the other person feel "pressured"?

Why are we afraid of sounding/seeming too eager, too moved, too emotional?

Chamki, Surabhi and I talked about it last night; 'A' andI talk about it all the time. Naina and I talked about it today,this need to c.o.m.m.u.n.i.c.a.t.e. .s.i.m.p.l.y. what's going on inside you at any given point in time.

About just having the courage to say "please come for a walk with me." when you want them to, as opposed to:
"i'm going for a walk. do you want to come?"
or
"i'm going for a walk. you can come if you want to."

Enough of trying to look like it doesn't really matter to you. Or like you're only inviting them as an afterthought.

This constant p.u.t.t.i.n.g. .u.p. .o.f. .l.i.t.t.l.e. .f.a.c.e.s. to accommodate the other person, devalue your needs, pretending is unnecessary and painful. We regret and continue doing it.

We are hurt or disappointed when they don't jump up to take a walk with us.
Why should we create the circumstances for our own disappointments!?

Why should we half say and half imply, have ask and half imply?

Why not stick to clarity, why settle for ambiguous hesitancy?

From today, let's all just ask when it really is a question:
when we really want to know whether they would like to take a walk with us;
and state when we have a request.
Let us not constantly confuse the two. and confuse the other.

Asking when we mean to request.

Task-A-Day and other dreams

Last night I dreamt I had a blog called Task-A-Day and in it, I only put up one post everyday and it would only be one thing I and you should do today. Like:
* Buy yourself a flower
* Take a walk
So each day, it would have one post to improve t.h.e. .q.u.a.l.i.t.y. .o.f. .y.o.u.r. .e.x.p.e.r.i.e.n.c.e. today. So this morning I came straight here and I'm including that as a sidebar list. Daily. and Archived.

More recent dreams:
.J.o.h.n.s.o.n. .m.a.k.i.n.g. .g.l.y.c.e.r.i.n.e. .i.n. .a. .p.i.n.k. .s.p.r.a.y. .b.o.t.t.l.e... .P.r.e.m.s.o.n.s... .M.a.k.i.n.g. .a. .S.c.a.n.n.e.r.'.s. .j.o.u.r.n.a.l... .a. .m.o.n.i.t.o.r. .l.i.z.a.r.d. f.a.l.l.i.n.g. .o.n. .m.e. .a.n.d. .m.e. .n.o.t. .s.c.r.e.e.a.m.i.n.g... .a.b.h.i.s.h.e.k.,. .a.s. .a.l.w.a.y.s...o.r.i.e.n.t.a.l. .b.l.o.o.m. .i.n. .d.e.l.h.i... .s.o.n.n.y. .m.a.m.a... .b.h.o.t.s... .s.n.a.k.e.s... .a. .b.a.s.e.m.e.n.t. .w.i.t.h. .a. .g.o.r.g.e.o.u.s. .w.i.n.d.o.w... .s.c.h.o.o.l...

Uberglucklich- Overjoyed

Today, Y.o.u. are lovingly invited to be o.v.e.r.j.o.y.e.d.
Enter here

CHAI OVERLOAD

Have spent the largest part of the last few days sipping chai. This week, like all weeks in the middle of exams, has been fruitful, in many many ways.
I discovered Sophie's Persisting Stars , loved it, and discovered DevilMood via hers and loved that too (With a very cool blog header!).
I mave many, many SoulCollages (which will be on flickr shortly) in the process of dealing with something painful and tough. [ Kerry talks of something similar here]. Sometimes its such a delicate thing, Trust; sometimes you just miss the transition between trust and mistrust, trustable and untrustable.
Speaking of Soul Collage, can you let another person use your cards? Does that reveal an intimate part of you to them or will they find a mirror of some part of themself that needs to be voiced? Regardless of the answer, I let Surabhi draw a card for herself last night and journal. I don't know what she got or what she wrote. But it made her think and write pages!
Anyhow, my 37 days list is up here so that's something I've been following up well. Althought I'm not really the kind to get into commitments I don't want, this has helped when those sneaky "opportunities" to overcommit come my way.
Have my English grammar exam coming up- wish me luck!!!
In the midst of all this, I want to take time out to appreciate, so here's a small lost of thank you's. To:

• Bombay, for it tremendous possibilities, memories, and 3 fruitful years.
• LAMY, for my lovely, trusty, constant companion, the LAMY SKY fountain Pen, and my current favourite Turquoise Blue ink.
• Trust, for its emormous capacity to set things straight.
• Pallavi and Surabhi for forcing me to study.
• All the Bloggers I've discovered recently, connected with, and learnt from (see link lists) for the inspiration,insights, and honesty they offer.

I've been fairly inaccessible the last few days, so Thank You also to solitude, creativity, and everyone else who's had to put up with me. :)

Blogroll for 2nd April

1. www.37days.typepad.com: yes, long overdue to be listed here, but i've been exploring and exploring and today i spent almost all day there. So: you must go see it, if you haven't already. Its inspiring, uplifting, and enriching.
2. http://www.gratefulness.org/candles/enter.cfm?l=eng: visit here. light a candle in prayer or gratitude. light it once or daily. as a ritual or habit. for yourself or another. for a cause or not. your candle will burn for 48 hours.
3. www.tanayasjourney.blogspot.com: a blog i discovered just today. its a must visit for anyone who would love a sensitive thinker's blog. it has much honesty and much to think about.i found her link through the wishcasting blog.
4. www.wishcasting.blogspot.com: go here. make a wish. email it to be posted on this blog. support the wishes of other wishers. make your wish in the form on a wird, a list, a photograph, a peice of art...
5. http://www.bealivebelievebeyou.com/create/: for those who haven't discovered this yet, this is a must see. I've found many many people who have enriched my life and my blogging experience through this website, and am profoundly grateful to the many who have found me through it. Its a place for bloggers, creators, thinkers to connect. Lots of ideas, lots of links, lots of constant events.
6. http://www.artjunk.typepad.com/art_junk/ : a host of exciting and inspiring art and art journalling. she's also making many, many art squares which you can look at- which, also, will inspire you to go right away and cut those tiny squares and start making art on them.visit her for lots of inspiration.
7. www.artography.wordpress.com: art blog of constantly inspired artist. also recent participant in wreck this journal. creative and inspiring.

For this week, go visit these. they're inspiring and will leave you with a head full to think about and create.