Thursday 3 October 2013

Konnichiwa!

It's been a long three months since I last wrote here, and a lot has happened! 
For two weeks in late June I went to London, where I had spent three years getting my undergraduate degree. I experienced so much over a short holiday, things that I didn't appreciate or had the insight to explore when I was a student. I am really glad for my sister for showing me that side of London that I had missed, and even now I miss the UK all the more. 
Lately I have been trying to reconnect with my artsy, non-science side (this blog was one of my baby steps). Being in a relationship with your PhD and with a long-time boyfriend somehow made me lose touch with my non-science, non-girlfriend side, a side of me that I missed sorely and which I had not realized how much was a definition of "me". So I started reading more, listening to more art/personal development-related talks (TED has a good selection), and doing more yoga at home. I also started taking Japanese lessons, a language that has always held interest for me (I'm admittedly a big Japan-phile), and joined a ballet class on campus. 

The ballet classes made me realize how much I had missed dance as a defining part of who I am; I could never get that feeling from social dance such as salsa or waltz. Sure, it's fun dancing with other people, but ballet (and chinese dance which I did for 12 years of my past life) is the kind that allows you to express your interpretation of the piece with your body, and yours alone. The concentration on perfect execution lets me forget everything else, while doing something that I'm good at without really thinking about it. I suppose that is what being in flow feels like (for those unfamiliar with the term, watch this!), and I relish in the contentment of the moment. Unsurprisingly I experienced the same with my new piano, after having not played for so long.
In addition I also made some adjustments to my daily life, such as waking up earlier in the morning, which makes me feel more productive by lunchtime, and making the effort to bike to work once a week. Oh, and revamping my wardrobe, of course.
A part of growing up? Maybe. 
I have much to post about, food-related, and hopefully that would come soon when I stop procrastinating about organizing my thoughts. 
To end off, here's a neat article about how to cultivate more creativity in your life. I like the part where they wrote: "true fulfillment lies not in the finished product, but in the creative work itself. Distinguish between acknowledgement and achievement. Find joy in your labors. Strive for mastery.", which is really what I like about cooking and baking.
=) Happy autumn! It's time to play with layers and colors!