124th Haiga Contest....Happy Halloween :)

Happy Halloween

For the nth time my haiga is shortlisted in the WHA Haiga Contest. Out of 53 entries only 44 are shortlisted. My haiga is one of them :)

Happy Weekend!

My Haiku Translated in Chinese......

As an author or a poet - it feels good when you read your own work translated in some other language. I just received an e-mail from Chen-ou Liu. Below is translation of my haiku in Chinese (traditional and simplified). Few more to come. Finally, I can add to my author profile that my work is translated in Chinese too.

English Original

mood swings --
changing colours
of the summer sky

DailyHaiga, September 2014

Archana Kapoor Nagpal


Chinese Translation (Traditional)

情緒波動 --
夏天的天空
不斷地改變顏色

Chinese Translation (Simplified)

情绪波动 --
夏天的天空
不断地改变颜色

Link to the Butterfly Dream Anthology -

http://neverendingstoryhaikutanka.blogspot.ca/2014/10/butterfly-dream-mood-swings-haiku-by.html

Thanks to my editor Chen-ou Liu.

The Fault in our Stars - Completed!!

Gosh! I cannot believe I am crying. I find myself in puddle of my tears. Such a beautiful book and a heart touching ending. I wish Augustus could have lived with Hazel. But that's true love. One has to sacrifice to make a heartfelt love story.

Last few chapters made me cry but there is such a beautiful message in the last paragraph of the very last chapter. Few lines "You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world but you do have some say in who hurts you".

This is true. We question-we answer-we hunt-we meet-we do not meet-we love-we give-we expect- we hurt-we get hurt...in every action - 'there is our relevant role in who hurts us'.

I don't know but I guess its quite late in India. Time to hit the sack!!

Thanks John Green for such an amazing book. This book has changed many things for me. I started reading this book on my birthday. In the last two months - I have been hospitalised, gone through painful procedures, ERs, counselling, and have seen my family coping with me. I am still struggling but in Hazel Grace - I see a hope. Time is tough but like good times, bad times do not stay forever as well. I am blessed...I am sure I am!!!!

Btw, John Green is also a Virgo, born a day before me <3.

I have one more last wish - I want to meet John Green after I swim with Beluga Whales in the Churchill River, Canada. And I am sure this will happen one day....that one last day!!

And if does not happen in this lifetime...I will be born again .......Amen!!

Stay Blessed

Happy Monday <3.....

Happy Diwali :)

Dear readers -

Wishing all my Indian readers a very Happy Diwali. Yes, I am little late to wish but 'a late wish is a also a wish!

A thought came in this festive season. You reap what you sow. Reap love. Reap happiness. Reap respect. Reap understanding. It is a myth that 'grass is always green the other side' as then why we think 'my (our)' problem is the biggest in the world. Life is a not a journey but a collection of chapters that are worth re-reading. Thank you God for making me feel proud whenever I re-read my old chapters. I believe in three words - giving..giving...giving. God will always acknowledge what you give. Do not ask people but just believe in God.

Lot of things happened in last two days but I guess thats God's idea to check my patience :). Though a little wrong timing....

DailyHaiga has published my work at the below link. Chocolates are on hold for a while until Christmas and New Year.

http://www.dailyhaiga.org/haiga-archives/1462/-another-day-by-archana-kapoor-nagpal-india

Also, my workout is quite slow as I lost 4 kgs in a month due to my medical condition but the weight is the only good thing that happened.....<3

Frameless Sky an online journal has accepted my haiku and will be published in the first edition of the same. A Haiku Anthology has also shortlisted my three published haiku and they might be translated in Chinese. Let us see how it comes out to be....

I am sending couple of my senryu to other journals. My first two attempt were 'BANG ON!'. They were happily accepted. Indeed, one of the senryu was inspired by the word - 'addictive'. Sometimes we take our personal experiences (good/bad) and can make humour out of it.

I am quite slow with my projects now. I am giving a long break as this year was a commendable one as far as writing was concerned. Two anthologies and one haiku book. So many journals published my haiku, tanka, haibun and haiga. Not only that a commended mention in a great haiku contest - what more shall I ask God.........???

I might not to regular with my blogs but will try to be. Until then have a sparkling diwali and lots of sweets on my behalf!!

Happy Diwali !!

25 Tips Of Life

I got a message on my whatsapp and I thought to blog it. Simple things should be done simply! At times few things leave us hurt but as I always write - it does not matter to me how others treat me but how I treat others. Thats my idea of happiness..and love in life. 

25 beautiful tips of life☺😇😜

🌸1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. & while you walk, SMILE.
It is the ultimate antidepressant.
🌷2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
🌹3. When you wake up in the morning, Pray to ask God's guidance for your purpose, today.
🌻4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
🌺5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, broccoli, and almonds.
🍁6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
💛7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.
Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
💙8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
💜9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
💗10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Forgive them for everything !
💚11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
❤12.You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
💓13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
🌟14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
💢15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
☀16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'
🌙17. Help the needy,Be generous ! Be a 'Giver' not a 'Taker'
🌀18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
🌺19. Time heals everything.
🍀20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
🌸21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
❕22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
🎵23. Each night before you go to bed ,Pray to God and Be thankful for what you'll accomplish, today !
👍24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
🌟25.Fwd this to everyone on your list to help them lead a happier life..🍀

Buon Notte ....

Updates - All Blog Changes Are Done!

Dear readers -

I am happy to share that all the blog changes are done. I am packed with lot of work. I have sold 100 festive diyas and orders are just floating....I am happy as I just received my first two payments from the corporates for my chocolates. Still 550 chocolates are in pipeline. 

Btw, my haiku book is now available for readers to buy in India from this link. I just ordered few copies for my family and friends. Here is the link for all my Indian readers -

http://www.amazon.in/Haiku-Per-Archana-Kapoor-Nagpal-ebook/dp/B00NQBN0FM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413276707&sr=8-1&keywords=a+haiku+per+day

One more time I am published in Tamarind Magazine for my haiku. I think if you paint then it gets easier to capture a present moment in a painting as I did for Chris Postle's art work.

mangrove walk ...
on the trail of a gull
my footprints

(Tamarind Magazine, issue #11)
http://issuu.com/marybarber2/docs/tamarind___11_the_final_one

The book 'The Fault in our starts' is almost complete. I am just collating my haiku for the next year's volume.

Stay blessed!

Love of God......

I am quite unwell since last evening. But still I did all festive things and dressed up well. I am back to antibiotics till next procedure. Today, I went to gurudwara and while listening to ardaas...tears rolled my cheeks. I actually cried. I am too good in handling pains and can hide it well. But I broke down in home of God....

Kehte hain bhagwan nazar nahin aata. Par dard mein jab koi nazar nahin aata toh sirf bhagwan dekhte hain.

Keep faith in God. I have full faith in Him!

Stay blessed....

My Love For Chocolates......

I am having a gala time. When I left hospital I knew I am given six weeks before I again go through the medical procedures for further treatment. The night I almost felt I died, the only thought that kept me strong was I have to live for myself. I have to be strong. I told my doctor I want to go home. There was just one thought in these six weeks I have to promote and let my chocolate banner to recover and live. This month is the only time I can fulfill my dream of chocolate making. I am so happy as this year I have got huge orders. I just completed my first order. The second order is also done. 

Today, I resumed my yoga classes and my kathak classes will start from next month after Diwali. I know its late but never too late in life. In last two weeks I have lost 3 kgs and I am trying to be more fit.

Life is easy when you live life to the fullest. 

Stay blessed!

New Look Of My Blog

Dear Readers -

Every year I take a break and make the blog private to change the layout of my blog. I do not want to bore my readers. Please welcome the new look of 'So You Think You Are Living'. I have few more changes to be done. Lot of new exciting posts to come this month. Love you all!

Happy Sunday.

Haiku Published ............

My haiga is selected for WHA Haiga Contest. It can be read at the following link -

http://tfship.net/haiga_contest/123/arcana_kapoor_nagpal_ind.html

My haiku is shortlisted for the keyword - 'moon' and can be read at the below link -

http://brassbellhaiku.blogspot.in/2014/10/moon-haiku.html

Stay blessed!

Shadow and I

My biopsy reports are received. Though we knew the primary results but we wanted to get to the core problem. God is there for all of us. He is there to help me. I knew about my problems but still He has given me less of problems as compared to what I thought. One thing has changed in this one week - I value my life.  In last so many years I did things for people, listened to everyone's problem and asked God to help them. I never asked anything for myself. Yesterday, I was selfish - I asked God to help me.

From today I will be on a completely different course of life. Trust me, I could manage to quit so many things in last one week. I have quit all beverages other than water....lol. I have quit sweets, desserts, fatty foods - my day starts with coconut water and ends with it. I have realised value of life.

The only update - Love yourself. Value yourself. Place yourself before everyone else (even your own shadow).

Cheerios!