Monday, February 14, 2011

Beautiful India: Artanlight

Heartfelt thanks for all the feedback and comments, both written and spoken, to my first blog post. I even received a recommendation to a fascinating-looking blog about young Kenyan writers, which I promise to present at some point.

But now we are going to India!



Vineeta Nair is an ex-advertising art director, who stumbled into the world of design blogging. She is now an independent design consultant with a decor accessories business. Her Artanlight blog is just SO beautiful. Indian culture, ethnic groups, interior design, beautiful things. All the pictures in this post are from Artnlight.

It is simply wonderful to pore over this beautiful site. I love it when I find beauty in the Internet, and indeed there should be more. I am always happy when I get to publish for example a beautiful photo gallery on my organization’s web site.

I also like going to flea markets, and therefore I very much enjoyed a posting about Chor bazar in Mumbai.
"Chor bazaar literally translates to 'Thieves bazaar' is cluster of small streets each jam packed with shops that sell everything from tyres to old electronic spare parts to nails and hammers to gorgeous furniture to antiques to Bollywood posters, phew! And I haven't even mentioned the grandfather clocks, old ceramic plates, chandeliers, gramophones or typewriters."
 

If you are into interior design, check out the Beautiful Homes blogs. This even includes one home from Finland! (I almost feel sick with envy when I look at the photos… Our home does not yet ;-) look quite like that…)

And if you are a fan of India, see the Indiaah! aha! section, for blogs about all things Indian.

Trust, take care of yourself, and be gentle

Just recently I heard that women in their thirties and forties toiling on a series of periodic employments, belong to a burn out generation. And in this age group, there reigns a culture of coping on your own, a culture that in Finland has its roots in the war time, when men were at the front and women had to cope with everything else.

I feel that I do definitely belong to this burn out generation, even though I do have a steady job and enjoy my work. If only I could find the time to sleep enough!

Lately, I have noticed that often when I type, I do not have the time to pressthespacebar…

But what is the rush, really?

Artnlight reminds us in a beautiful way, how we all should lead our lives. The blog post Things I learned in 2010:
"People trust you.

"Life bails you out. Just when I wanted money an assignment would materialise, or bang in the middle of an important assignment I would have to go out of town, which would in turn cause a much needed shift in perspective.

"Going with the flow. Some things will happen, some won't. And be ready to jump & go for it when something big comes your way.
Do new things
You get many chances
But one of the biggest learnings of 2010 for me has to be this. Taking care of yourself pays. You've got one body. Treat it well, sleep. Eat healthy food. Its ok if you do one less in a day (look who is talkingggg!!!) But truly, I've learnt to slow down this year. Its killed me to do it. Even now my instinct is to stay up & do it. But don't. Sleeeeep.

"Be gentle. You are your worst critic, people are not thinking half the harsh things you are thinking about yourself :) I wish for all of you like me to be gentle with yourselves & to move on from the things you felt you could have done differently this year. Its over."
So I remind myself, and recommend this to you too: Do one less a day.

I would be grateful for comments about this blog, and if someone would like to suggest a blog they are following to be presented here, you can send me email at: ulla.karki@kirkonulkomaanapu.fi

Bye for now,
Ulla