Updates - :)

Ok. It is quite sad to share that I will not be able to blog for few days. Indeed, I am typing with my right hand only. Tomorrow I am flying and the idea was thought to swim in the sea. An hour back..phew....I slipped and have injured my left elbow and arm. Got a small injury with a swollen arm under the crepe bandage. A big clot around my elbow. It is almost numb now. I am not suppose to strain it for few days. Still the trip is on. God knows if I can swim now as it is paining like ...no words. I am sharing all updates here. I will try to blog but not sure!

I got third place in Caribbean Kigo Kukai #53 Contest. I am happy to share this....

http://wwwcaribbeankigokukai.blogspot.in/2014/08/ckk-53-results.html?m=1

My one-line haiku is shortlisted and now a part of Under the Basho at the below link ...

 http://underthebasho.com/current-issue/one-line-haiku/1363-archana-kapoor-nagpal.html

Brass Bell : on line haiku journal has shortlisted my haiku. I will share in September as the issue is up!.

Few lines for my women readers

"Few lines that I wrote keeping my women readers in mind. I was bored of my curls. Just got them cut a bit for a new look (actually a younger look, lol). I read in a book "women who accept their weight, grey hair (fortunately do not have), hair volume and hormonal ups and downs are always successful, and rule the world.". At 35 , I want to follow it. Slowly accept but not to forget - I can still bike 40 kms, swim 2500 m daily and pull heavy weights. It is good to accept the changes with age and phases of life. It shows a sign of positivity. If I fit into 28 denims at 35 , I shall not strive for 26 but enjoy the 28. Like Julia Roberts said in a scene from Eat Pray and Love - " I will enjoy my slice of pizza and get a bigger denim the next day". Life is far more to offer than weight, age and inhibitions. Enjoy it, Love it and Embrace it. Be proud of being a woman and accept it that we should age gracefully "

:)

Little Weak But Fine!

Hmmm... I am awake since 4 a.m and trying to motivate a friend who suffers from knee pain. Yesterday, it was a very bad day with acute dehydration and I could not sleep last night. As I was turning here and there- I chose to chat with her who is based in US.

I feel good. She was motivated.  Today,  though I am weak after 15 times of dehydration - I have to resume my workout. I could not cycle last evening so I will hit the gym by 8. I plan to workout twice. As I wrote this year only for my fitness levels.

Today while chatting with her I missedy mask man ' a good friend'....my heart tells me one day I will meet him...as if you are honest to relations or friends, God helps you to connect with your loved ones. Anyways I am still weak and I need good sleep now.

I have to pen down remaining sections of my haiku book. I plan to launch or release it in mid-week of September.  Pray for me.

Love you all !

Btw, I am feeling my body is well toned now......lol!

Sky is actually not the LIMIT!

A day after I travel to another number, and I gift myself a book - Fault in our stars by John Green. Few hours ago, I started reading it, and I could not stop myself. Reading about the Support Group makes me feel that life is about what? 

People around me are fighting much more tougher battles. But yes, in the change of age, I want to live my life with my goals. Next one year, I am only concentrating on my fitness levels. I have to be back to closer to normal. I know my knees do hurt, my back aches at times and my head rolls like a roller coaster at times BUT there are many in worse conditions than mine. I can walk, I can swim, I can cycle and I can listen! One of my love bird - the youngest in our cage cannot chirp and also cannot listen. I call SKY! She gives me courage and a hope to live with grace!!

At times, when I am sad or too happy I sit in front of their home and talk to my birds. Sky keeps listening to me until I realised a fact that she is deaf and mute! Yes, thats a surprise as I always thought she is listening to me. But she was never, actually. But in this ignorance she gave me the comfort to vent out my happiness, fears, sorrows and achievements. I love her more, now <3.

The empty bottle craft is over. I want to visit a blind school and donate it alongwith some of my paintings. I just want to fill colours in a blind school as for me black will be always a colour but for some it is the only colour!!

Just a thought for all my readers - 'Sky is actually not the limit.'

Happy Tuesday!!

40 Kms Achieved!!

Yes a tear rolls down my cheek as I post this. It is a day to feel good. I wanted to achieve the target of 40 kms before I turn 34. I could manage to do it.

The bike stops after 100 mins as per the program so I had to feed my stats again to start. There was a lapse of 33 seconds. 1 km cool down is not reflected in the distance covered. Here are the pics of my achievement. Thanks to the trainer to click these for me as I was almost breathless after the entire session of biking almost 125 mins and covering 40 kms. My legs are almost very very tired.....:) but I am too happy. This year I could manage 3 kms of swimming in 1 hr 17 mins and 40 kms of biking in 125 mins. Next target is 4 kms swimming in next two months. I do not add resistance to my session as I want to achieve my goals like a cycle without gears. Adding resistance will make me cover faster which is not the case in a cycleathon so it gets more harder for me :)).

Thanks to God for giving me mental strength to fight my pains and achieve these tasks which were just beyond my capacity. I have never played any sports in my school and for a lazy student like me - it is like a GOLD MEDAL......lol....I have no regrets what I missed in school days....:)

Kindle Edition of 'Ripples of Love' is Available Now!!

As mentioned on my author page - Ripples of Love, The Kindle Edition is already available now. Thanks to the entire team of Ripples of Love. We have really worked very hard for this anthology project. If you are in love or still single - you have all the best reasons to read this book. I am sure one can fall in love after reading these happy love stories. We have launched this kindle version at an easy price of just USD 3.2.

Just relax on your couch, buy it online and read it on your electronic devices with few clicks of your mouse...

.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MPTENCA 

Please grab your copy and the spread the message of love.

Happy Independence Day - 2014!!!

A very Happy Independence Day to my all Indian readers around the globe. I am proud of my all decisions when I took them. I am proud of rejecting all the marriage proposals that were offered from NRIs. I am proud of living with limited means but among my country people. I am proud when I declined my first migration project, and chose to quit my job that gave me a reason to be an author. I still love the clink of an Indian coin in my sling bag than any other currency. I can leave any person or any relation BUT not my country. I was an Indian and I will be always an Indian. This is solely my opinion and my expectation out of me. It has nothing to do with any Indian or their opinion around the globe.

If I challenge and question around any crime in my country, I shall first question myself that what change have I contributed to my country. It is my home and I will strive to make it the best, and the most beautiful place to live <3.

Let us enjoy this day ......:)

On Whispers - My Latest Poem

I am thankful to my editor Karen for publishing this poem for me. A very special poem. Nature is mother of inspiration. As an inspirational author - I find solace in the lap of nature.

To read my poem - click the below link or read it here as well.

Tinkle of temple bells
as the sun peeks over the horizon,
Trickle of the holy river
flanked by trees on both the sides,
Deep within inside I think –
life is God’s gift to mankind.

Dappled sunlight
on the peaks of Kanchenjunga,
First raindrop
on the barren spell,
Deep within inside I think –
life is God’s gift to mankind.

Full moon in a starry night
blankets the jasmines in my backyard
Amidst the cedar flowers
warble of cockatoos at twilight
Deep within inside I think –
life is God’s gift to mankind.

I find solace in the lap of nature –
God’s gift to mankind.

http://whispersinthewind333.blogspot.in/2014/08/gods-gift-by-archana-kapoor-nagpal-india.html?m=1

Just Here and There ..........And I am Everywhere!!!

I always feel a thought - when I die I must not regret. I shall feel proud of my life and the journey I have travelled so far. Maybe this keeps me moving with extreme low blood pressure levels as well. (LOL - 66/100 definitely not a good number to workout but still I know myself)):)

Just a haiku for a thought (will also be part of my haiku book. BTW, I am working very hard for it daily. Almost halfway through...............).

faded portrait --
from my room window
a rainbow

Yes, even in my hard tough times I manage to see a rainbow now. That's ME!!

My haiku shortlisted in Issa's Untidy Hut. So nice of the editor - Don Wentworth to send me the post even before it is published. It feels good ......I will not share the haiku as of now but few clicks of the parcel for my readers and haijin friends.

Top Win - Haiku "aha" Moment Contest

Out of my boredom with my sprained and strained ankle - I wrote a ku two days ago. I submitted it to my PoetrySoup Poet Profile and entered to a Haiku contest. LOL, I cannot believe - it is chosen for the top win.

Milky Way finds its way to the top win - Haiku "aha" moment contest in a PoetrySoup Contest by Regina Riddle. Also few other great submissions by other PS members and haijins.

http://www.poetrysoup.com/poetry_contests/member_contest_winners.aspx 

Today is my father's birthday and I want to share one of his gift to me -

"A meaningful silence is far better than the meaningless words".

He has taught me to handle tough people, tough situations and harder problems by just following a line. I wish him a very happy birthday in these few three lines.

From birth till now

You have held me with grace

I wish you many more years of life

And a very Happy Birthday!!

Time to hit the gym. Just did 2250 m of swimming. Now I have to bike atleast 20 kms and walk for 3 kms. 

Wishing all my readers a very Happy Weekend!

Lol..Sprained Ankle

I have strained and sprained my right ankle. I am just limping and resting but I did go for swimming (2500 m) and now I will go for stationary biking - 25 kms (today's target). Generally, I am doing 18 kms. I am very restless now!!!

I just wrote a haiku while sitting on the bed -

Milky way --

one by one fireflies

up the hill

(inspired by my ankle rest...I miss to move here and there)..............:)(:

No painting and my single malt bottle is yet to be completed. All work has come to a stop as I cannot strain my ankle. If I have to paint or make this bottle - I really have to stand else I might mess it up!

I am almost done with my submissions for August and now I will be working on my Haiku Collection book. I want to be back in motion before my birthday.

Happy Wednesday. Keep sending your wishes and prayers!!

Happy Friendship Day!

The Mustard Grain Journal First Issue 1.1 is out. I am happy to see my work as a part of it. Please click the below link to read some beautiful evocative haiku by global haijin.

http://themustardgrain.weebly.com/current-issue.html 

Today was a Haiku day for me. I have written 15 haiku and send it to different journals as well. I am restarting my Haiku book that I have planned to release on Diwali. A Haiku A Day will be my collection of Haiku written in the year 2014.

Wishing all my friends a very Happy Friendship Day.

Another Haiku in Brass Bell : a haiku journal

It was a great day. I had a session with children for two hours. It is really difficult to match their energy levels. 

I was thinking if I actually had my own four children - I would have gone mad. But I always wanted four children...LOL....anyways..........

Brass Bell : a haiku journal just got published. To read my ku and many other haijins - click the link below. The theme was colour this time. I chose 'white' <3. I am so tired and need to hit the sack. Happy weekend!!!

 http://brassbellhaiku.blogspot.in/

Good Updates :)

THE KLOSTAR IVANIC HAIKU COMPETITION 2014 - RESULTS are out. I see my name under the commended authors with one of my another haijin friend right after me. Sharing the happiness - we will be given certificates as well. Last certificate was given in 2007 by my ex-employer Big 4 - an Excellence Award. After a lonnngggggg gap - it feels good .

Today I will be giving a session on Safe and Unsafe Touch for a school. Every writer must have an objective to contribute to the society as well. Worked quite hard for the presentation and will be the guest speaker for children. Let us hope for a safer childhood for our children. 

For all these updates - you can check my FB page as well. Happy weekend