Action Replay + Gratitude List: March 2020

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For the past two months I've been talking about time passing by really quickly and I now apologize for that. March hit me like a solid slap and it felt longer than three years. The current situation in the world is scary and the worst thing about it is the uncertainty. As someone who lives a planned, systematic life, this troubles me to no end. At times, I just want it to end. Be it in a good way or a bad way. But end, it must. My anxiety has been at its peak as you can deduce from my words I'm sure. I've been working from home from 13th March and by now I have somehow made my peace with it. The eight hours that I focus on office work keeps me sane and sorted. The rest of the day however goes in a blur. I've been maintaining a home without a maid for years now with help from my partner. It is not new to me.

Book Review: 10 Minutes 38 Seconds In This Strange World - Elif Shafak

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Title: 10 Minutes, 38 Seconds In This Strange World
Author: Elif Shafak
Publisher: Penguin UK (10 July 2019)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Price: Rs. 699 on Amazon
Pages: 320

There are some authors you can trust blindly. More than their stories, you like them for the way they write. For the way it touches your soul. For the poetic beauty it possesses. For the picture it paints in your mind. For the spark it leaves behind. For the relatability. For the much needed human touch. Elif Shafak is one such writer. After 'The Forty Rules Of Love', this is her second book that I read. I still have to catch up on all her other books and I soon will.

Olga | ThursdayTreeLove - 14

Home, Bangalore - March 2020

Times aren't good now, but you know what, this too shall pass. Stay safe, stay in, stay positive.

This is a tree I used to see everyday. She stands tall at the entrance of my apartment complex. I hadn't seen her in many many days thanks to working from home and not stepping out. Yesterday, when we went out for a walk (within the apartment walkway), I saw her again. She looked hale and healthy, reaching for the sky, and that made me smile. We'll all survive this together, won't we?

Hard times may have held you down, but they will not last forever. When all is said and done, you will be increased.     

~ Joel Osteen

Good Vibes Only | #WordlessWednesday - 16

Madurai, Tamil Nadu - November 2019

I say looking on the bright side of life never killed anybody.

~ Jenny Han, To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Life In The Time Of Corona

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Had there been nothing called the Corona Virus or the COVID-19, my husband and I would be in Barcelona today. We would be hiking up Mount Tibidabo, enjoying the beauty of Park Guell and the Sagrada Familia. Then we would be enjoying the views of Costa Brava and basking in the spookiness of the Gothic Quarter. Next we would head to Seville for a couple of days, and then to Madrid for the anniversary. We would watch a flamenco show, eat some delicious food, try the local beer and have endless conversations to mark seven years of being married! Then we'd head to Porto for an entire day of wine tasting and a vineyard tour followed by a few days of sightseeing in gorgeous Lisbon. We would spend two glorious weeks touring Spain and Portugal. We had meticulously researched, planned and set everything ready for our holiday. Then, life happened.

Noor | #ThursdayTreeLove - 13

Bangalore - February 2020

Thanks to this blog-hop, I look out for trees everywhere. This must be the most gorgeous, most mighty tree I have seen in a while. Nestled among high-rise buildings, she spread out her wings to let the light seep through her. 

Blur | #WordlessWednesday - 15

Murphy's, Bangalore - November 2019

When life gets blurry, adjust your focus.

~ Unknown