Sanguine Stories

Explore India // I'm going to live in the mountains!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 18:47:00 +0000

How's everybody doing! I have been supremely busy with finals, having the time of my life spending all day with my books. TT_TT. There's also another reason I've been M.I.A. (Yes, I just used M.I.A., please don't disown me.) You must be wondering by now what exactly the title of this post means, and this is where I explain it - I'm going for an internship to the Western Himalayas!

If you are familiar with my blog, you'd know that I am studying architecture at university. As part of our final year we need to complete an architectural internship and thesis project. I had mentioned previously that I was in the process of prepping my portfolio and sending out applications. One of the places I applied at was the Dharmalaya Institute, which is located in Himachal Pradesh near the town of Bir. Himachal Pradesh is a predominantly mountainous state, and this particular institute practises and teaches the vernacular architecture of the Himachal region, carried out mostly in mud, earth, bamboo and other natural materials. Earth architecture is a field I'm extremely interested in so I was elated and humbled, when I got selected!

However, my love for sustainable architecture is not the only reason I applied. Since for me 2015 is the year of saying yes and trying new things, an experience like this was something way out of my comfort zone, and therefore exactly what I was looking for. At first, I was quite unsure of my decision to go. I'd have to be extremely far away from home for several months, and I've never lived alone for such a long time, especially in an atmosphere which is so far removed from what I am accustomed to. I thought maybe I should postpone it to another time when I felt more 'ready'. But then one day I was listening to this song, by Asaf Avidan, and the lyrics of almost the entire song go like this:

"One day, baby, we'll be old, oh baby we'll be old, and think of all the stories that we could have told "

And I realised I don't want to think of all the stories I could have told, I WANT to tell them! So I mustered up my courage and decided to go for it, no looking back.

The motto of the institute is 'çompassionate living', which means they believe in causing minimal harm to other living beings. Obviously, this means that the routine and lifestyle followed here is completely different to what we are used to in the city. Located in the heart of a forest, this little community is entirely organic, vegan and minimalist. My time there will be spent in learning organic and natural architecture, how it benefits the earth and people , and majority of my day will be spent building with my own hands. It's going to be a lot of physical work from what I understand, and I am absolutely ready for it.

It all sounds so exciting and scary at the same time! From the pictures I have seen so far on the internet, the geography looks stunning! I I am so excited to go stay in the mountains. The only other time I have been to such a region was my trip to Mukteshwar, which you can about here, and I had loved it. I leave the very same day my exams get done so it's been a real scramble getting all my things together. I'll be gone for a good four months, if not more!

The more I think about it, the less anxious I feel.It's going to be the experience of a lifetime. Yes, I do not know anybody there, but I'm sure the people I'm going to meet will be amazing and what I will learn there academically will be priceless too. It's just the break I need after having a rollercoaster year at college, away from the busy life of the city and I am happily willing to take on the challenge of living as simply as possible.

So that's what's been up in my life! I hope to have a decent internet connection at least intermittently to be able to update the blog and share with you my experience. Four months is a long time without internet. Please let there be internet. Oh God.

Meanwhile, stay inspired and do that one thing you keep putting off! It feels great!

What have you done recently that scared yet excited you?

Life update and Book Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 09 Apr 2015 05:53:00 +0000

It's been ages since I've been on here! Unfortunately exams and university had to be given first priority, and while I'm still not technically done, the exam I dreaded the most is finally over. I don't think it went all too badly. I breathed a sigh of relief, went on a movie marathon and slept for a million hours.

The only really eventful thing that has happened in the past few weeks is a huge book sale that took place in my city recently. It's an annual thing and I do try to visit every year. It offers a vast collection of books in various genres at bargain prices. I'm usually spoilt for choice and really have to restrain myself from purchasing every book I lay my eyes on. It's a struggle, I tell you.

All the books I picked up this time are just Rs 50 (1 USD = Rs. 62), which is a fraction of their original price. A couple of them are secondhand, but in excellent condition and the rest are unused, although a little dusty. But hey, so are most things in India. What I like most about this sale is that it has a lot of books by lesser known authors and I discovered quite a few books I would have never come across at a conventional chain book-store.

Here are some of the titles I purchased:

Sickened - Julie Gregory

The Woman Who Went to Bed for a Year - Sue Townsend

Blott on the Landscape - Tom Sharpe

A Tiny Bit Marvellous - Dawn French

No Child of Mine - Susan Lewis

The Help - Kathryn Stockett

Charlotte's Web - E.B. White

I bought a few for my little cousins too. They're all authors and books I loved as kid and read occasionally even now! So if you have any little humans in your life who need a birthday present, I would definitely recommend these!

Fantastic Mr.Fox - Roald Dahl

George's Marvellous Medicine - Roald Dahl

Cosmic - Frank Cottrell Boyce

Scorpia - Anthony Horowitz

South by South East - Anthony Horowitz

Holes - Louis Sachar

Wayside School Gets a Little Stranger - Louis Sachar

Horrid Henry and the Secret Club - Francesca Simon

A Handful of Horrid Henry - Francesca Simon

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - C.S.Lewis

While taking a break from uni work, I started reading Sickened by Julie Gregory. It is an autobiographical novel about her childhood and how the Munchausen by Proxy complex affected it. The foreword of the book says "Munchausen by Proxy may be the single most complex - and lethal - form of maltreatment known today. It is formally defined as the falsification or induction of physical and/or emotional illness by a caretaker of a dependant person. In most cases, the perpetrator is a mother and the victim is her own child."

It sounds a little dark, but I'm about 50 pages in and find it hard to put down. I find the human mind fascinating and love reading about psychology, so this book is right up my alley.

I used to read a lot, but haven't done so in while, so I hope to get back into the habit once I'm done with exams. There are heaps of unread books lying at home to choose from and I shall keep you guys updated!

What are you reading at the moment?

Minimalism : An attempt

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 19 Mar 2015 11:03:00 +0000

Aloha folks!

The past two weeks have simply flown by and they have been exhausting! It's that time of the year again - the ever dreaded end of semester. I feel like I am in an episode of The Walking Dead, surrounded by sleep-deprived students desperately attempting to hand in their work in time. When we aren't laughing hysterically in a manner that might concern our parents, all we dream of are pillows. In all this hysteria, the thing that has helped me keep calm and composed (partially), is my amateur attempts at minimalist photography.

The concept of minimalism is to try and strip down everything to its most basic form, to make a composition that cannot be simplified anymore. This composition may be a photograph, a painting, an architectural structure, an outfit and even food. My earliest exposure to minimalism was through the study of minimalism in architecture. The works of architects like Tadao Ando and Luis Barragan just blew my mind! Ever since then, I have been exploring the works of artists who believe in this philosophy.

It might seem like an easy enough concept to grasp, but even a quick scan on the internet will show you that it's much more than blank walls and bare canvases. It's about simplicity, humility, spirituality, materials, order, repetition, the play of light and shadow. It's about the core essence of a composition, that one thing without which your creation ceases to exist. To find beauty in simplicity is much harder than one would anticipate, and it isn't something we do everyday. Minimalism can also be adopted in one's lifestyle, which I experienced briefly on a 2 week trip to Auroville in South India. That's an entirely separate post altogether!

Therefore, I decided to embark on this journey of finding beauty in the small things, in the everyday objects we probably wouldn't even give a second glance. So far, it has made me slow down, absorb and observe the little things going on around me and in general made me feel a lot calmer.

I adore Instagram and it is by far my favourite social networking app, and I have come across a lot of very inspiring and creative individuals through it. Some of my favourite minimalist photography accounts are:

Matt Crump

Connor Dwyer

Cimkedi

I think their photographs are stunning, and they each have their own very distinctive style. I am no expert when it comes to photography, but I genuinely admire their work, and want to work on my own photography skills. So I leave you now with a few attempts of my own!

I had a lot fun experimenting with this style and will probably attempt to get better! If you'd be interested to see more, head on over to my Instagram account @minnabee93, where I've shared more of what I've been upto the past few days.

What have you guys been doing this week?

Have a great weekend!

Music ǁ Keeping you alive while you work playlist

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 05:27:00 +0000

Hi guys! So this is a quick post I thought I'd share while taking a break from work.

Most often I find that I work better with some sort of music playing softly in the background while I work. Instead of being distracting, it helps me focus better than if I were in a silent room. I get waaaaay too distracted by all my muddled up thoughts if the room is silent. At the moment, the above songs serve me well, being soothing without ruining my concentration, and I don't get bored.

What are your techniques for better productivity?

What I learnt from one month of Zumba

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Mar 2015 06:52:00 +0000

Hi guys!

Firstly I'd like to wish any Indian readers out there a very Happy Holi!

Holi, also known as the Festival of Colours celebrates the arrival of spring, good harvests and the symbolic victory of good over evil. A quick Google search will be able to acquaint you with the entire history if you would like to read more :) It is quite a colourful affair, as the name suggests and usually involves throwing fistfuls of coloured powder and water balloons at unsuspecting strangers. Ok, maybe not strangers. Unsuspecting siblings and mums and dads and friends is a-okay. Don't throw red and green powder into strangers eyes, just don't.

Anyway, the only relation between Holi and the topic of today's blog post i.e. Zumba is that both involve considerable amounts of running and jumping and exercise in general without one realising it. If you are unfamiliar with the concept of Zumba, it is essentially a form of mostly cardio exercise that incorporates dance and aerobics moves into a routine of about an hour. I think it originated in Latin America if I'm not mistaken.

So recently my uni decided to hold Zumba classes at our campus, and after much deliberation ( five minutes ), I signed up for them. For reasons unknown, ( waddup Killers reference! ) they were discontinued after a month, but here are the reasons I joined and was quite glad I did!

Exercise, obviously. I had been on a bit of a health spree in the holidays and thought it was the perfect continuation of my exercise routine into my college schedule.

Now, I said earlier that I signed up for the class instantly. What followed was a few days of gnawing at my nails wondering if I had made a huge mistake. This might seem like strange behaviour, but trust me when I say I'm quite the uncoordinated human being. I DO NOT dance in public, unless the intention is to be an awkward mess. Hence I was terrified at the thought of attempting to sway my hips from side to side, leave alone move more than two parts of my body simultaneously, in front of strangers. Or worse, in front of people I knew.

I knew it shouldn't be such a huge ordeal and that I should learn to take myself less seriously and this was one of my prime reasons for joining. If one of my resolutions this year was to get out of my comfort zone, I had to do it the right way. Not merely get out of the comfort zone that is my bed.

So I went for the first class with a bunch of my friends, open to anything that was to take place. If I liked it, great! If I didn't I could think of it as the first and last dance class I would ever take, and have a funny story to share in ten years after overcoming initial mortification.

Fortunately, it was the former. The class was great! I realised I wasn't the only awkward one and for most of the class everyone was just so busy in trying to keep up with the instructor you really did not have any time to look at who was tripping over their own feet and who was making professional ballerinas jealous. Before we knew it, the hour was up and everybody looked like they had had a great time! I knew I had.

And so the classes continued and it became easier to get into the routine every class. I got a wee bit fitter. And then mystical forces intervened and the classes got suspended abruptly.

What I was most happy about though was that I don't think I'll hesitate too much to join another class in the future now. It really wasn't that bad, voluntarily putting yourself in the position of public humiliation. Quite fun to be honest, after the first few moments of awkwardness. Unfortunately, my exercise routine has undergone a drastic decline since then. I think it's time to bring out the old 7-minute workout app again.

Have you guys ever tried Zumba? What is the fitness mantra that you swear by? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time,

Un-seasonal showers ( of the rain kind )

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Mar 2015 12:41:00 +0000

Mini illustration

I am writing this while wrapped up like a new-born baby in my Finding Nemo duvet, which I needed to pull out since my otherwise not so thick blanket did not suffice. Why did I have to do this in March, you may ask? Isn't March supposed to herald the arrival of mangoes, the sun and all things tropical, here in India?

The answer to that, ladies and gentlemen, is unseasonal rain. It seems like the weather gods wanted to celebrate the last day of February with quite a gusto. Perhaps it's their favourite month? Or their least favourite, and this is their way of compensating for forgetting to add two (or three ) days to its length. If I were February, I'd need cheering up too. But then again I am quite the mopey person and maybe February has a more optmistic outlook to life.

Or you could take the scientific route and conclude that the heat wave we have been experiencing for the past week has led to a lot of water evaporation and culminated in said rains. I don't think I need to explain the water cycle here, but plain logic points to this being the most probable answer.

Dang. I think I enjoyed picturing an old man who in my head resembles Ariel's ( from The Little Mermaid ) father handing over a neatly wrapped present to a baby February to stop him from bawling.

Oh my god. I just thought of another possibility. Maybe the rains are baby February sobbing because he DID NOT receive a neatly wrapped present!

I can think of plenty more but I think I should stop this pointless rant now, for fear of driving away the few readers that I do have. All I can say is, whatever the reason, the cooling rain definitely improved my weekend! Sitting by the window with a cup of hot tea, wrapped up in a blanket cocoon is what I was born for.

I also happened to catch up on a lot of blog binge-reading and have discovered a gazillion amazing blogs! I am eager to share them with you and will probably soon do a post regarding that.

I hope the unseasonal rain hasn't destroyed the mango crop for the year. I can't do without my daily mango fix in the summer :(

How has your weekend been? Has the weather been causing the apocalypse where you're from? Let me know in the comments!

Bonus question: What do you think was the real reason for the spring showers?

Have a great week!

DIY ǁ Origami Cube String Lights

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 09:36:00 +0000

Hey guys!

So I talked in a post a few days ago about learning new things, and traditional crafts in particular. (Haven't seen it yet? Click right here ! ) I also mentioned that I am keen on learning origami again. I used to know a teeny bit when I was younger, thanks to a friend who used to live in Japan back then and gifted me some cool origami books, but since then I have forgotten most of what I used to know.

So I started with one of the easiest projects out there - the inflatable paper cube! I found this amazing tutorial over on Wit and Whistle and had to give it a try.

All you need is a small square sheet of paper ( mine was 15cm x 15cm ), but you can customise that to suit your need. Here's a YouTube tutorial to help anyone who would like to attempt it!

I used old topography maps I had lying around the house because I wanted to use patterned paper. The colours in the maps co-ordinate well with my room, so that was an easy decision!

Once your cubes are ready just push the bulbs of the strings lights into the small hole in the cube and you're good to go! I am really enjoying how they turned out, so inexpensive yet still so effective. The best part is that when you're bored of them, you can just deinflate them and store them for later use.

I honestly adore them! How great are they for garden parties and the like!

What do you guys think? And if you did give this project a go, do let me know how it turned out :)

To more origami-ing,

Food ǁ Summer Snacking

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 23 Feb 2015 08:52:00 +0000

Summer is officially here -.- While ice-cream is usually the answer to everything, including all the questions you may have had while watching Interstellar, I am going to try not to give in to its beckoning call.

The next best option may just be the simple salad. I find that trying to make your food look Instagrammable usually increases its appeal. So here's what you need for this humble summer snack.

- Sliced tomatoes

- Unflavoured yogurt

- Chutney made using fresh mint leaves and some salt

Go ahead and mix a small amount of the chutney with the yogurt to obtain a refreshing dip. Season the salad with salt or pepper, or squeeze some lemon on top.

Arrange your salad to look like it belongs in a fancy bistro.

And there you have it!

You're probably cringing at how lazy I am as far as food prep is concerned, but hey I'm working on it!

What is your five-minute answer to conquer ice-cream lust?

Explore India ǁ Mountains of Mukteshwar 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 09:34:00 +0000

Greetings, people of the internet!

Oh to be at Mukteshwar again! Mukteshwar is a quaint little mountain station in Uttarakhand, India. I can't thank the heavens enough that as of today it is still practically untouched and undisturbed by the beast that is the Indian tourist.

In my story, however, Mukteshwar is not just another pretty place. My parents spent a lot of their time here when they were younger, and both my grandads were veterinary research scientists at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute here established by the British.

As somebody who has grown up in urban India, and extremely far away from any sort of snowy peaks, I can safely say that this was one of the most enjoyable trips I have ever been on. The whispering of the trees, the pin-drop silence at night, broken only by crickets, the stars dotting the sky and of course, the constant view of the breathtaking Himalayan peaks, is a lifestyle I imagine I could get used to. When you stand at the edge of the mountain and stare down into the neverending abyss of coniferous trees and jagged rocks, the pang of fear and feeling of absolute wonder is humbling.

The tranquil surroundings eliminate the need to chatter endlessly. It's like the whole world around you is meditating, the swooshing wind in the trees like the sound of the earth breathing slowly and deeply. Your movements slow down, almost graceful, as you tread along the cobbled path, wondering what lurks beyond the next steep turn. The air smells of pine. I would like to believe there is also an element of magic pixie dust involved.

It was a place Jim Corbett called home and I wish I could call it mine. We were there only for two short days and much is left to be explored in this sleepy little town. I think I could do with another helping of tiger-spotting anecdotes. Maybe not the drive so much. Although the view is enthralling, I think the fingernail marks in my sister's arm are proof enough that I don't do too well on steep,spiralling, mountain roads.

I will leave you now with a photoblog of our visit there, and to Naintal, a lakeside hill station which lies enroute.

Jim Corbett guest house

Apparently the kettle Jim Corbett once used

Hey there, gentle creature

Nainital Lake

Naintal Lake

Hand-knitted woollen mice from the local gift shop

My heart is set on visiting again. The peach, plum and apple orchards beckon.

Wistfully yours,

Crafts ǁ Learning new skills

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 07:17:00 +0000

Amateur bamboo mat-weaving attempts

Hello internet!

I hope everybody is having a lovely Saturday!

A few weekends ago I attended a bamboo crafts workshop organised by INTACH India, where we were introduced to bamboo as a material, both when used in architecture as well as in crafts.

On a sunny winter morning, the small group gathered around the craftsmen demonstrating the process of halving, quartering and then stripping the bamboo stalk, the sections getting smaller and smaller, and the strips getting finer and finer. Everybody watched quietly and keenly, the craftsman's hands moving quickly and expertly. They went on to show us some of the basic weaves used for making bamboo mats and baskets, which we then tried our hands at. Man, was it tough!

It saddens me that bamboo crafts, along with so many other vernacular arts all around the world are slowly dying out, thanks to mass production. It's not just a matter of art, culture and tradition, but also of the intangible qualities that these crafts represent - meticulousness, effort, hard work, patience, attention to detail, teaching by and learning from the use of our hands.

With our current want of quick fixes, easy solutions and instant gratification, I think we could all benefit from atleast trying to learning something new which does not show immediate results. It may not just benefit you, you may be contributing to society, helping in sustaining and spreading a local craft, or you might just acquire a new skill which you can teach your grandkids!

I personally would absolutely love to start doing origami again and possibly learn the art of Madhubani illustration.

Not inclined towards the arts? Try sticking to your exercise regime! Learn a new language! An instrument! Make an effort to cook at home more often! You never know when you might be able to put your new skill to use.

Until next time,

Happiness ǁ Try-to-be-positive Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 02:28:00 +0000

Happy Thursday guys!

Here are some wise words to start your day with. Keep at it, soldier!

Have a wonderful day :)

Happiness ǁ 100 things to be grateful for:

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 03:38:00 +0000

Hey there again!

So I have spent the last two days wallowing in bed and procrastinating, with a few, very short bouts of actually being productive. "Stop being such a useless slug!"shouts the inside of my head. What happened to my plans of staying positive? Staying motivated? Setting goals and then rewarding myself? They're in there somewhere. And so here I am, in front of my laptop screen, in front of my blog. A form of procrastination in itself, honestly speaking, but what I regard as useful procrastination.

Since I did not put up an 'I was glad this week' post last Friday, I am going to sit here and write down a never-ending list of things I am grateful for.

The tea I'm sipping at the moment.
The fried egg my dad made me for breakfast.
The stunning yellow bird I spotted on a tree outside my window while eating the fried egg.
The Harry Potter poster in my room.
The Rajasthani puppet hanging on my mirror that my friend Sonam gifted me.
The mirror frame my mom let my siblings and me paint/destroy/do whatever we want to.
My mom for being awesomely supportive. And a little bit insane.
My dad for being awesomely supportive. And a little less insane.
My dad for teaching me how to drive.
My dad teaching my how to drive a second time, when I forgot the first time.
And the the third. -.- ( I don't like driving)
Windows Media Player for choosing my favourite Green Day song on shuffle.
Green Day, for being the first ever band I was properly obsessed with.
My obsessive personality, which makes me spend large amounts of time reading about whatever I'm obsessed with at the moment.
My headphones.
My ears, which work quite all right I think.
My fingers, which allow me to type this blog post.
My body, for being the most fascinating computer in the world.
Israeli architect, Guy Austern for bringing to my notice in a lecture he gave that the DNA in our body is the most complicated form of computer coding.
DNA! I can't get over how amazing it is.
The water bottle next to me. keeping me hydrated.
The Vaseline lip balm next to me, also keeping me hydrated.
My siblings.
For being twins.
And for being awesome in general.
The bag hanging in front of me that I bought in Auroville.
It reminds me of my trip to Auroville. It was the best trip in the world.
The irony, or maybe blessing, that I call almost every trip the best trip in the world.
Auroville, for being seriously bloody amazing.
The friends I made at Auroville.
The friends I got closer to at Auroville.
My friends.
The ABBA song that just started playing on shuffle.
My mom and her brothers for introducing my siblings and I to ABBA.
ABBA. Oh wait, this was probably the first band I was obsessed with.
My phone which just buzzed.
The fact that I have managed to keep my room more or less tidy.
My architecture drawings and portfolios lying in the corner of my room.
The fact that I was allowed to go to architecture school.
And that I have made it to the fourth year.
Almost the fifth year. Couple of months to go.
Next semester, for being the semester I look forward to the most.
Photoshop, for being a really fun software.
My siblings for teaching me Photoshop.
Youtube, for teaching me Photoshop.
Youtube for being Youtube.
My best friend Ruchi for introducing me to YouTubers and YouTube as a profession.
Dan and Phil
Jack and Dean
Benjamin Cook
The Becoming YouTube series by Benjamin Cook.
The song Pipes by Tom Milsom, that I am currently obsessed with.
YouTube for everything really. For introducing me to the work of some amazing film makers, vloggers, animators and musicians.
My internet connection at home which allows me to watch YouTube.
The internet as an invention.
For allowing me to blog.
This blog.
The song Promises by Boy Kill Boy that just came on on shuffle. It reminds me of working out on the exercise cycle.
The 7 minute workout app by Johnson and Johnson.
My friend Aseem for encouraging me to download the app.
The purple yoga mat I use while exercising.
The yoga post I came across on Ella Grace Denton's blog, We Need To Live More.
Instagram for letting me discover her blog.
Music for making me think.
Music for making me feel.
Movies for making me think.
Movies for making me feel.
Intelligent movies for making me feel like I haven't wasted two hours of my life.
Background scores for making me realise the impact sound and video can have when used together.
The background score of Interstellar.
The Backstreet Boys song that just came on. It reminds me of old friends.
It reminds me of my friend Alisha, when we used to sing 'Larger than Life' together.
Alisha, who I hope to stay in touch with forever because her smile makes me happy.
Rituja, for bearing with me when I used to write down lyrics of Green Day songs in my notebook and force her to read them.
Dyuti for sharing with me the journey of discovering the beauty that is Muse music.
All the musicians who ever created something I loved.
All the musicians who ever created stuff I didn't love, because I sang along anyway.
The mysterious person playing acoustic guitar somewhere outside.
The crow who is trying to harmonise with the guitar playing.
The pain in my neck from sleeping wrong, which reminds me that the pain is just a way of asking for help. Everybody needs help.
Anybody who ever helped me.
The fan for keeping mosquitoes at bay.
The fan for being the sound I can't fall asleep without.
My hair, for still being there.
My hair, which will still grow back even if I cut it.
The framed picture of my family and me from 15 years ago.
The woollen knitted mouse on my dresser which reminds me of our family trip to Mukteshwar.
Mukteshwar for being such a breathtaking place.
Nature.
God for creating nature.
Humans, for being humans.
Humans for being different.
Humans for being inexplicably kind.
Humans for being amazingly strong.
Humans for helping each other.
The fact that I listed down 95 things to be grateful for without much effort.
The fact that I can probably type endless things to be grateful for.
The hope and optimism that exists in me that I will be healthy enough in body and soul to continue this list in the future.
My brain, for urging me to start working on my uni homework now. I should probably listen to it.
And finally, to end today's list, I am thankful to the book 'Children and their Environments' by Spencer and Blades, for assisting me in the research paper I am working on currently and shall proceed to work on now after this post.

Cheers,

Happiness ǁ I was glad this week #2

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Jan 2015 11:28:00 +0000

Happy Friday everybody!

Thank god it's Friday, seriously. Today was a crappy day. The week hasn't been great either. I'm sitting huddled up in my blanket surrounding myself with comfort food. But in the midst of the grey, black, sludgy brown splotch of this week, there were indeed things to be glad about.

1. I finished my design portfolio! I felt such a huge rush of relief the moment I saved the final draft. So I sent in my application to a couple of offices and hope to hear about my internship soon. The semester at uni just can't get done fast enough. I'm more than ready to get out into the real world now.

2. Discovered Hozier. Clearly, i've been living under a rock because I only came across this wonderful artist now, but his song ' Take Me To Church' has been a massive hit during the past year and has now received a Grammy nomination! It's beautiful. Period. I've been listening to it on repeat the entire week.

3. Watched the Republic Day parade; (on the telly haha). Nevertheless, it was a moment of pride to watch the magnificent Republic Day parade on Monday, Jan 26th. The parade takes place in Delhi every year and it's been ages since I actually sat down and watched the entire show.

4. Watched an AMAZING Ted talk by neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor. It is amongst the 20 most watched Ted talks on YouTube. She talks about the day she woke up to realise she was having a massive brain stroke. She slowly felt her brain functions slip away one by one, but remembered every detail after the incident. Her description is truly fascinating and it makes you think about what an absolutely beautiful organ the brain is. Please do watch it! I got goosebumps.

That's it for today folks! I should probably use my own advice and go listen to the Pick me Up Playlist ( click here to view the post). Or I could work on another blog post. Or I could go watch some Dan and Phil

What cheers you up on a bad day?

Minna

Happiness ǁ I was glad this week #1

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 23 Jan 2015 12:30:00 +0000

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYBODY!

On my way home from college today, I was reflecting upon the week I had, and it was a pretty great one. There really wasn't any grand event that took place, just a collection of wonderfully happy everyday moments which made me smile a little wider, laugh a little louder. Because when you really come to think of it, we experience millions of precious moments everyday, so why is it that they are so quickly forgotten the moment we have a bad one?

If you have read my first blog post (click right here if you haven't), you will know that one of the primary reasons I started blogging, was to try and consciously be more positive and appreciate the little things in life, through the medium of this blog. So it was only appropriate that I do literally that - make a list of things that made me glad this week! So here goes:

1. Today! It's Friday, need I say more? Ok I will. Weekend! Oh wait, three day weekend! Not to mention that today was one of the nicest days I've had in a while. Meeting old friends, planning adventures together, laughing long and hard enough to draw strange looks and sipping sugarcane juice in a miniscule shed.

2. Finally making progress on my portfolio! So as part of our programme we are required to do an internship in our fifth year of school. I have been trying to put together my design portfolio for quite a while now, but procrastination won every single time. I'm feeling great about it and hope to finish it soon.

3. Reversing the car out of the my very narrow parking space without scratching/denting/smashing mirrors/squashing cats. I really really want to become more confident in my driving skills. It's a particularly unpleasant hurdle I need to cross. I do not enjoy driving at all (shoutout to Indian traffic), but it's something I can't get out of. I feel like I'll feel more confident after I do successfully venture out on my own little joy ride for the first time. Everybody has different skills and loads of people do find driving difficult, so why does it affect my confidence so much? Is that weird?

4. Getting back to Radical Face. In the process of putting together my last blog post, I listened to a lot of Radical Face after a fair bit of time, and of course I was in my happy place! (Click here to view the post)

5. Discovering the AMAZINGLY AWESOME T-Rex Google game thing! You know when your internet connection is down and the T-Rex pops up in Google Chrome? Press spacebar and prepare to be transported to pixelated awesomeness. (Thanks Kashmira!) I think I came across it pretty late but you cannot imagine how happy it made me!

6. Eating yummy imli papad, or atleast I think that's what it's called. It is exactly like aam papad, but green and tangier. It brought back memories of this sweet called Sunrays we used to get in our school canteen. Anybody else remember them?

So this is what I recall at the moment of the week that has been! I hope to make this sort of post a weekly thing. Let's see how that goes!

What put a sappy grin on your face this week? Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers!

Music ǁ Pick-me-up Playlist - Radical Face

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 05:52:00 +0000

Happy Friday guys!

Music is a huge part of most people's lives, be it in the form of singing, playing an instrument, dancing or simply the pure joy of listening. For me, songs and music are as powerful in making memories as other senses such as smell and sight. I'm sure a lot of you have a similar experience - a song can transport you back to your childhood, a particular instant in time, an amazing holiday you had or a time when you were sad.

I plan to have a series of posts sharing some of my favourite music and telling you a little bit about how i discovered them and the memories they bring back.

My first playlist in this series, I call the Pick-me-up Playlist, featuring songs by the artist Radical Face. You won't understand the beauty of these songs until you've heard them yourself! They are my classic go-to songs when i'm having a bad day and always successfully uplift my mood.

The first song I ever heard by Radical Face was Welcome Home. I got goosebumps on my first listen and had the song on repeat for pretty much my entire summer vacation. It was only after about two months that i realised that there was probably more beautiful music to be discovered by this extremely talented artist!

His songs just transport you to a different world. Here are my top five favourites:

1. Ghost towns: Evergreen, extremely soothing

2. Black eyes: Beautifully haunting melody

3. Welcome home son: Plethora of unusual instruments

4. Always gold: Absolutely beautiful lyrics

5. Mountains: Again, beautiful lyrics which transport you back to the wonders of being a child

So these are my favourite Radical Face songs! I am always reminded of that beautiful summer whenever I listen to these. Give them a listen and definitely let me know how you liked them!

Who are some of your favourite artists? :)

Have a great weekend! xx

DIY ǁ Easy Embroidery Hoop Clock

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 17:59:00 +0000

Hello!

I can feel a bout of Sunday evening productivity coming on. I present to you, ANOTHER blog post!

Those who know me will understand when I say I am a serial DIYer (and organiser, but that's for another day). There's something so very appealing about personalised, handmade knick-knacks lying around your house. I can imagine years later passing on forgotten crafts to my grandchildren. Hopefully they'll be fascinated. I know I am extremely fascinated by my grandmother's knitting. I'm pretty sure there's already a grandma living inside of me. All I need is a purseful of candy to hand out to children.

Anyway, this activity is perfect for when you have about an hour to spare on a rainy day. I did this one a few months ago. Difficulty level - Minus 1

Things that you will need:

1 Embroidery hoop in a size of your choice (optional - 2 nos.)

Fabric

A clock mechanism

Cardboard

Paint (optional)

Scissors

X-acto knife

The picture is pretty self explanatory really, but here are the instructions.

Stretch a piece of your favourite fabric across an embroidery hoop and tighten the screw. Cut off excess fabric from the edges.
I then took two strips of cardboard. Put them in a plus/cross shape and adjust the sizes such that they fit exactly within the diameter of the hoop. The strips should be quite broad in width.
Now using your X-acto knife, cut two small slits at the central intersection of your cardboard pieces. Carefully cut the fabric slightly as well.
Take your clock mechanism and push it through the hole in the centre. Attach the hands from the other side. And that's it! You're done!
You may want to add numbers to your clock, but i preferred it this way. You may also attach a second embroidery hoop behind your first one, to account for the depth of the clock mechanism.

So there you have it, the simplest of DIYs. I chose a delicate and light coloured fabric to go with my green wall, but you can use just about anything - old T-shirts, pillow covers, tea towels,etc. Paint your hoop to colour co-ordinate. In the end, you will be rewarded with a functional yet personal item for your home, bound to be a conversation starter. The fact that it's practically free is just an added bonus.

Any tips or ideas you might have?

Travel ǁ EGYPT 2014

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 05:53:00 +0000

Aerial view of Cairo

Hi again!

So I mentioned in my last post about my academic trip to Jamaica in May 2014, along with a group of my classmates. As if that wasn't exciting enough, a prelude to this project was a short halt at Cairo, Egypt!*

Our flight from Mumbai was to stop at Cairo and our flight to New York was the next day. Egypt Airlines however offers short tour packages, where one leaves their passport and luggage at the airport and proceeds for a sight-seeing trip of about 3-4 hours. The package also includes taxi fare and hotel accommodation for the night. Passports can be collected again at the airport before your next flight.

This offer sounded like a reasonable use of our time and after completing the formalities we very excitedly boarded our bus. One thing which goes without saying, is that Cairo is HOT. Sunglasses, scarves, sunhats, loose cotton clothes and a bottle of water are your best friends.

Cairo, the Mirage City - enroute to the Nefertiti Papyrus Museum

We were met by our tour guide who informed us that our first destination was the Nefertiti Papyrus Museum. As we drove through the dry, dusty landscape, our bus was silent. Exhausted after our long flight, everybody gazed out of their windows, taking in the beautiful but unfamiliar terrain. Strangely, i did not feel like an outsider. The busy markets we drove through, incessant honking, traffic and the hustle and bustle of the city felt like the streets at home.

View of the River Nile

After almost an hour, we arrived, well rested and fresh. We were greeted by a sweet little Egyptian lady who spoke no English, only Spanish. The museum walls were adorned by numerous gorgeous papyrus paintings in various sizes and colours, depicting their ancient history. Our guide proceeded to demonstrate the papyrus making process. We then strolled around choosing pieces to purchase.

Our guide demonstrating the papyrus making process

He encouraged us to buy authentic handmade paintings straight from the museum and support the local craftsman, as opposed to the airport, where there are a lot of cheap printed replicas.

Papyrus stalks are first soaked in water, the outer covering is removed, strips of fibre are then separated and soaked again. They then become flexible and transparent. After drying, the strips are placed next to each other and pounded. The natural sugar acts as glue. A mesh of strips forms the final papyrus.

The papyrus painting I purchased - I especially loved the dark shade of papyrus used in this piece!

Hibiscus drink

Cleopatra Perfume Palace was our next stop! This was a beautifully decorated store, with geometric patterned tiles, carvings, stained glass and shelves upon shelves of delicate crystal perfume bottles.I was nervous walking around, petrified that I would knock something over!

We were made to sit comfortably and served an interesting looking hibiscus drink. The owner introduced us to the perfume making process. Their store housed essences of perfumes obtained from the nectar of flowers, unadulterated by any other chemical. He then began to dab our wrists with various perfumes, every dab making it more difficult for us to choose one!

I finally settled on the Queen Cleopatra scent for my mum, and a sandalwood oil. What followed next was a trip to the Egyptian cotton market. The scarves are what I had my eye on!

Egyptian cotton scarf

We ended the wonderful day with a cruise on the Nile. Exquisite sunsets, live music, dancers, a delicious meal and lots of laughs concluded a day well spent.

Sunset on the Nile

The very talented musicians and dancers on the cruise

How can a visit to Cairo be complete without the Pyramids?! On the last leg of our journey (on the way back from Jamaica) we stopped at the one and only, the breathtaking Great Pyramids. Words cannot describe the experience of standing in their midst. Their absolute scale is humbling and the awe and respect I had for their creators only increased tenfold upon actually viewing this architectural miracle. Even the scorching heat was unable to dampen our excitement and while moving inside the Pyramids, we felt like explorers.

View of the Pyramids from the city

The sheer size of the Pyramids is breathtaking. If you ever need to feel like a midget, this is your place.

The Great Sphinx

Smiling camels

Me atop a camel :D

So this was my trip to Egypt. Short, but enough to make me go back the next chance I get. There are so many adventures to be had here!

What stood out to me though was the the people. Warm and welcoming, chaotic, slightly loud, hawkers pressing you to buy their wares - all reminded me of home. Moving amongst the locals and taking in the feel of the place is what I enjoy the most about travelling.

So the next time you visit a place, get out of your hotel and talk to people! You'll be amazed at the stories you'll hear, conversations you will have and the memories you will make, something you will carry fondly in your heart for a long time to come.

* Unfortunately i was having camera troubles at the time of my trip, therefore every photograph is not my own. My friends were kind enough to let me use their images for this post. All images have been used with the permission of the original owner, with due credit being given to them.

Until next time,

Introduction ǁ Experiments in Optimism

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 04 Jan 2015 15:08:00 +0000

Sanguine:

Optimistic or positive, especially in an apparently bad or difficult situation.

Synonyms: optimistic, hopeful, buoyant, positive, disposed to look on the bright side, cheerful, bright
Antonyms: pessimistic, gloomy

Hey there! Welcome to Sanguine Stories! I'm Minna, a twenty-something student from India and here's a little bit of my story.

Close to four years ago, I started architecture school. The journey so far has been splendid, a rollercoaster ride might i say. I have had the good fortune to have met wonderful teachers, made fast friends, learned loads and created invaluable memories. However, for the past year or so I haven't been in the most positive headspace. I understand that nobody can be expected to have sunshine and rainbows beaming out their faces all the time, but I began to notice that negativity came to me much easier than being happy did. It didn't just affect me, but the people around me too. I made a conscious effort to keep a watch on myself, surrounding myself with positive people, even taking the 100 days of happiness challenge (which i failed at miserably). I still don't know what was causing this burnout but I was desperate for change.
Summer of 2014, I stepped out of my comfort zone. My friend and I enrolled for a brief academic project in Jamaica. I was very very hesitant at first, but I decided to take the plunge. It turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life so far. Rejuvenated, the following months were better, but slowly the cycle started repeating itself. Boredom, procrastination, binge TV watching and finally stress. I became indifferent, stopped wanting to learn, which was an extremely scary thought.
A result of all the crying and the moping is this blog. This blog is my attempt to bring back lost enthusiasm, establish a routine, push myself to get out, try new things and say yes to more things. There's so much to learn from the world! I can't stand myself for having done nothing for far too long. Ugh.

So join me in my little project, my own small space on the internet where I will share with you my experiments in optimism, stories of my travels, art and architecture, DIYs, food, health and lifestyle! I hope somehow, somewhere, somebody is inspired to explore the wonders around us.
To 2015 - It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life for me. Feeling Good.

Stick around for a while, won't you?