Recent Articles
The 15-day book writing challenge starts again
Jan 25, 2008 What's Going On Leave a comment
In October last year, I had tried to write a complete novel in 15 days straight. But I got sidetracked by other work pressures and just abandoned the challenge.
Success comes not by never failing but by picking oneself up from the ground, time after time after time. And not giving up.
I, too, haven’t given up. So starting this Sunday, 27th of January, I will once again embark on writing a whole novel in 15 days flat.
Anyone interested in following my progress can go to http://15daybook.wordpress.com and check out how I tackle the challenge. Comments are always very welcome.
Moving forward, looking back
Jan 15, 2008 Memories Leave a comment
This is my first post of the new year.
When I look back on the past few months, it just appears as a blur. I guess the more busy one’s life becomes, the harder it is to remember with any clarity the days gone by. Except the truly exceptional days.
This is where a blog or a journal is of great help. It allows us to record fleeting thoughts, little victories and small joys that would otherwise be lost forever in the past.
e.g. I used to keep an offline blog (installed Wordpress on my PC using xampp; will talk about how to do that some other time). Actually, I still keep it - have just stopped posting to it.
I did that to write regularly and to write with more freedom because they were private posts. And I’m glad for whatever few posts I wrote on that blog because now when I go back and read some of those posts, I get so many memories come flooding back. It’s almost like I’ve stepped back in time and can almost touch the me who had written those words so many months back.
A journal is generally used by people to chronicle their growth and to record thoughts and observations that occur unbidden at various times. I believe such a record also makes us more alive - because we are in touch with ourselves over a period of time.
And that is one reason I must write more often in this blog. If not in this blog, at least in my private blog or journal. Not to please anyone else but to make myself more alive.
And to create a legacy of thoughts and recorded deeds that will keep me alive for a long time - even after I am long gone from this world.
Here’s to preserving memories and to a time travel of a different sort!
What is it really to live a magical life?
Nov 15, 2007 Solo's Journal Leave a comment
My blog title boldly proclaims: “Journey Towards a Magical Life”. In all honesty, I believe the blog title needs to be changed.
I was just sitting around, contemplating what I really mean by ‘magical life’. And I learned a lesson about not writing anything down too hastily (unless it’s the first draft of a novel)
How could I be traveling towards a magical life when life itself is magical. All life, found anywhere and everywhere. I am filled and surrounded by magic and yet I plod on towards “a magical life”? Ha! What a fool I’ve been!
So…the blog title from henceforth shall be - “Living the Magical Life”.
Magic is all around us, we just need to realize that it’s there. Not undertake some long and arduous journey to reach it.
Had my first quiet time in months…and one of my most productive days in weeks
Nov 11, 2007 Solo's Journal Leave a comment
Well, I did make time for a short quiet time in the morning - and it was simply great. I had planned to begin with Proverbs, start with a gospel and then end with the Psalms. But began with Isaiah, and then a chapter of Proverbs. I will follow some kind of plan in my Bible reading but today being the first day after many, I guess I had some leeway 
Being Still is so difficult and its easier said than done. Try sitting quietly for a few minutes, not thinking about anything, and hundreds of thoughts will assault your mind. Which is what happened to me.
My mind is not used to being still. Far from it. As my wife says, I always have something on my mind. Always thinking, planning, worrying. Always unstill, if there is such a word.
But the stillness will come from practice. I would probably need to do this more than once a day in order to train my mind. The more I try, the faster I’ll be able to reach real stillness. Focus is very important.
Work was good today. Managed to create a site in a day today - had registered it last night and finished it today. Still need to write some more content for the site but things definitely moved faster today. Even took the time out to go out with my wife for dinner.
I know I must…but…
Nov 10, 2007 Solo's Journal Leave a comment
It’s been a long, long time since I posted here. This being a journal, I know I must write every day. Document all my struggles and my victories, however small. If I don’t write for days at a time, skipping over many events that probably should have been recorded, it defeats the very purpose of this journal.
Of course, even if I’m writing daily I might still skip over stuff because there will always be things I don’t want to share with the rest of the world. I am - and have been - an intensely private person and the writing of this publicly-available journal has been a very tough call. But by opening up, I will - I hope - be able to help others make something beautiful out of their lives.
These days, every day is a struggle. A struggle against negative thoughts & negative actions. The Apostle Paul said it best -
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15)
Eventually - and soon - I MUST get down to doing what my higher self wants to do instead of being led by my baser self. And for that there are some concrete things I can do. Starting with a daily quiet time, first thing in the morning, a time when I connect with my creator. Praying and just being still in His Presence, examining myself and letting go of all that hinders and afflicts me.
That’s step one. Will write tomorrow if I did take that step or not.
