It seems slightly strange to talk about an individual's minimum requirements for being happy, as everyone has different requirements for happiness. Have you ever stopped doing something you really enjoy doing, just because you got too busy and forgot all about it? I think we have all done that once in a while. Remember, what it felt like to do this activity again? If it was a great thrill of the experience itself, coupled with a thought of 'oh yeah, this feels great' then you're on the right track.
A couple of examples from my own life this past weekend, might be helpful for you to connect with what I'm talking about...
Last friday (the 25th of Jan'08), our office had organised a painting competition for the employees on the event of the next day's Republic Day celebration. I had not planned to participate, but at the 11th hour I felt like taking in the plunge and found myself leaving my daily share of work, loitering around from floor to floor in search of the organizers, paper, paints, brushes, et al. Finally I managed all of them on the basis of the begging-borrowing-stealing that I could resort to. And then when I mixed the colours on the pallette and the first stroke of the sable-hair-brush hit the ivory cartridge sheet, mixed with water and the bright colours, all mixed and blended, I wondered why on earth hadn't I done this in ages. The smell of the paints and the view of the mixed colours on the paper, filled my heart and soul with a renewed pleasure I had forgotten behind. The painting turned out to be a beauty in my eye... and hopefully for the others, too. I'd only know it later in the week.
Again on saturday (the 26th of Jan), I gave a miss to my usual movie-watching routine. My almost zero-bank balance and the freezing cold waves doing their rounds in Delhi, were the major contributors for this. But being the outdoor person I am, I couldn't hold myself back in the confines of my room any longer than 6pm. So I went out for an evening walk in the neighbourhood. While coming back, I crossed several vegetable-vendors selling fresh, colourful vegetables. And I had to give in to the temptation of buying those beauties. Though I felt like bringing all of them home, I searched for and could fish out only 80 bucks from all that I had in my pocket and spent it all buying those yummy looking broccolis, celeries, button mushrooms, bitter-gourds, eggplants, spring-onions, beans, tomatoes, carrots and red-cabbages. They were just too irresistible to be spared from bringing back home to the kitchen.
Yesterday was a broody day for me. But thanks to all the vegetables bought in from the previous evening. I spent the whole day cooking. I baked pasta in white-sauce with some of the vegetables, on the other hand prepared a 3-course naga-meal with the other set of vegetables, greens and dried meat. And though I felt quite relaxed (mentally) and tired (physically) by the end of all the cooking, I realised that I wasn't even hungry... either for lunch or for dinner. So, I watched some television, talked on the phone, prepared myself a cocktail-blood on the rooftop-with redwine and apple juice, and drank myself to sleep.
A totally uneventful and boring weekend, you might feel, but it made me re-discover a few things I had totally forgotten doing. A slow weekend which brought some happiness to me. And the cooking came in handy for today's lunch and dinner at work.
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9 comments:
u sound like a great cook? WOW!
U had a boring wknd...well I had a very busy one..but in the end I was exhausted LOL!
Keshi.
Painting sounds interesting, but a 3 course naga meal? Don’t tend to sound pompous but do nagas have a 3 course meal? Nagas tend to eat anything and everything that moves, just need to boil the damned thing with raja mirchi and bamboo shoots, and white sauce? Did u add the bitter gourd & brinjal with it
KESHI: Well, I had not cooked in a while now. But yeah, I love cooking as much as I love eating. A hard-core foodie I am.
ANON: U need to seriously brush up your knowledge about naga-cuisine...infact about north-eastern cuisines. Why don't you read thru my A TASTE OF LIFE FROM THE NORTH-EAST post of AUGUST 2006. Might come in handy so that you don't make comments which sound so racial. And WHITE SAUCE is NOT used in naga-cuisine, though bitter-gourds and brinjals are. White sauce was used to bake the pasta with the right vegetables. Guess, u r not much into cooking...
While buying veggies is not exactly my idea of happiness, i completely agree with the theme of the post. Small things that made me happy this weekend-
1) Chai and egg parantha at Moolchand in the middle of the night.
2) Soaking in the sun and smoke at IHC with a friend I met after 6 years.
3) Listening to Romeo and Juliet, November rain, Man who sold the world, stairways to heaven, Dont wanna miss a thing and visulizing that Iam playing all these in a live concert.
4) Meeting old school friends at Chanakya and talking about old times( How could they close down Nirula's and Chanakya, anybody who grew up in Delhi has so many memories associated with Chanakya and Nirula's). Okay I better shut up Iam moving on wrong track now.
DJINN : U r just on the right track, buddy. I hv fond memories of being at the Chanakya cinema for movies and then winding up with lunch or dinner at Nirula's after. The IHC still remains one of my favourite haunts...especially on summer evenings. The cacophony of the birds chirping, the fresh cool breeze, the art and photography exhibitions and catching up on an ocassional play is ever so relaxing. I used to work there at one point of time...in their hotel division. And talk about the paranthas at Moolchand. I think they're the best in town. Its just walking distance from whr I stay.
hehe good on ya! Me too :)
Keshi.
oye toi je eeman bidhe bidhe randhi enjoy kori aso... next time muk kintu khuwabo lagibo ...or better we both cook up something together - kinda pot luck... either when u r here or if i make it to urs, whichever is first.
check mail, kiba eta important kotha tuk koboloi ase...
Talking about their hotel division,,, American Diner is one of all time fav,,, good 70's and 80's music,nice and warm feel to it, good food( the breakfast is amazing),,, its the kind of place which gives you the feeling of belonging. Play's- Rang Mahotsav just got over, did you manage to watch any play's?
NAAN : I might visit hometown by March-end during our 4-day-long-weekend for the good-friday & easter. By then your litle angel will very much arrive. I'll cook at your place maybe, but I doubt it coz I know I'll be too occupied with your baby. Anyway, I still salivate at the thought of Nirav's cabbage-pork....yummmmm!
DJINN : So which DJINN r u-GHUL,SILA or IFRIT? And I was wondering, how come u listen to all these music being the DJINN. Anyway, I visited your blog and really loved reading your post. ACtch u around.
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