18. Freedom

Dear friends,
with great sadness (and maybe a little bit of pleasure) I have to let you know that this is the last blog post you are reading from The Capture Challenge. I have devoted ten weeks of my last semester at the American University in Bulgaria to this class blog and I dare to say I do not regret a single thing in that period. As hard and as time-consuming as it was, it was interesting, it was fun, it was different. I even felt special – probably because of the participatory culture and the social motivation, as Shirky says. 

For this last official post, I chose the topic Freedom. It was the freedom of choice that I was given that led to the overall idea of the blog. It was the freedom of doing my own research and choosing my own sources that made the blog an interesting experience for me as well. And it is freedom that I want to conclude it with as Freedom is what I wish to you from now on.

I hope you get the freedom we all desire at your workplace.  I wish you to be free from possessions to sense the real happiness. And I hope you get the feeling of freedom when you stand on the edge of cliff. [Remember, the freedom is in the concept of NOT falling!]

Cisco Beach, Nantucket, USA

I hope you stand on the shoreline with your feet barely touching the water. Or maybe not at all. I hope you stand careless and relaxed, motivated by the simplicity in the air. I wish you the purity of the ocean  to be your muse, the color of the seaweeds to be your inspiration.

 Be open, be calm, be free!

17. Addiction

This should probably be my favorite post because of all the beautiful things in this picture. Or the topic itself. It says it all. This is what makes my life easier, what makes me happy. My Addiction. This photo was taken during my last summer in the USA... when I worked on 3 jobs and barely saw the beach. But I still found time to have as much of these things as I could..Wine & Books, ladies and gentlemen - the way to pure happiness.

These became three of my favorite books. The one at the bottom translates to "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. I took all the way from home when I went to the States. And I do not regret it - it is a #1 New York Times Bestseller. The book describes the road of obstacles that Greg Mortenson goes through when his failed attempt to climb K2 - the world's second highest mountain - leads him to an adventure that redefines his purpose in life. He takes on the initiative to create schools in some of the most remote regions in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The book shows his biggest challenges and struggles to achieve the cause but also the transformations in his personal life. It is a beautiful book that can inspire many to take on the same path! Hopefully!

The book on top of this small pile is called "Meditations for Women who do Too Much". A friend of mine once showed me a similar title and said the book was for me. I laughed. But this summer I found this small book full of daily tips on how to slow down the mad rush of modern living (quite helpful, especially at AUBG).

The book in middle I saved for last because it relates to the other delightful objects in the photo. "Wine for Women" by Leslie Sbrocco. The author of the book is a wine expert and she claims that the taste buds are different in a male and a female tongue. See, I don't know if it's the gender or the mentality but there might be something true in this. Because I am not sure whether my guy friends would have liked the three bottles in the background that I diminished with pleasure.

From left to right: Malvira Trinita (Italy), Le p'tit Loire (France), Pino Gris Nantucket Vineyard (USA)
ALL OF THEM ARE FABULOUS!
I will be back on Nantucket this summer, and I accept request. I would love to share these tastes with you! Or some good readings, too if you'd like! Gosh, I wish they were paying me for reading and drinking...I would have made a fortune!

16. Happiness

Dear psychoanalysis class, this post exists partially because of your influence on me. And it has nothing related to you. Or maybe something. Or someone who I wish we had discussed more.
According to Carl Gustav Jung (yes, that's the one), there are five basic factors of happiness:

1. Good physical and mental health.
2. Good personal and intimate relationships, such as those of marriage, the family, and friendships.
3. The faculty for perceiving beauty in art and nature.
4. Reasonable standards of living and satisfactory work.
5. A philosophic or religious point of view capable of coping successfully with the vicissitudes of life.

Even though I agree with these statements, somehow I refuse to accept them as strictly determined factors. To me, happiness is individual. It is not a term, and quite often I do not think of it as a feeling either. Excitement and the rush of adrenaline could be defined as feelings, but happiness I consider a state of being. And yes, it could probably change any minute just like any other state you are in - whether you are lying straight on your back or you are curled up on one side, you could switch these at any moment. And yet, I also wonder what makes a human happy? Although it is all subjective, part of our psychic is fundamentally the same. Or is it?

Here is a cool video by Soul Pancake - a kind of an experiment (or a real social study? Idk). The channel is awesome, I have personally subscribed! :) So in case you wonder what brings you happy, you might find this interesting.

This post's photo defines my general state of happiness. And it is not only directly expressed through the objects on the photo (as awesome as they are) but also through the subjects (a.k.a. the people) behind them. You are my happiness!!

Nantucket, USA [July 19, 2013]

  

15. Path

A topic that I consider rather general and open for interpretation, and at the same time quite pleasing (like most other topics). A word selected by a friend who I believe is on the right way to happiness now. Path. Or the way I decided to look at it - the path to inner peace.

While I am browsing my favorite blogs or online magazines during my morning coffee or the mids of a sleepless night, I very often come across people's stories about their realizations of the need for inner peace. And not surprisingly, most of the times this comes from the pain of unpleasant experiences - like being told you have melanoma, or seeing a family member pass away. Grief is often what opens our hearts to intuition, yoga, meditation or simply nature. It is sad how we need a negative experience to show us the way to positivism..

Rila Mountain

Nature in itself can be one's path to inner peace - it carries the energy of the Gods, the power of the universe. Call it as you wish. But I am sure there won't be a single person who would say nature treats him badly. We have this giant oak tree near my grandparents' village which is even said to charge you up with energy once you press your body against its stalk. Some people find it healing to listen to nature sounds while they are in their office or as a background music while at home. You might say it's not the same, but that's their modification of the natural path - a way to bring peace to your daily routine.
What I find particularly interesting, however, is meditation. And before you say "Oh, Gosh, no," let me tell you that Katy Perry and Hugh Jackman are two of the many celebrities who practice meditation on a daily basis. The practice of meditation promotes relaxation and supports the connection between mind and body . It usually involves focusing on your breathing, an object or a mantra. Whichever of these you choose, remember it has to carry a positive meaning! You can find much more about meditation online but make sure you choose reliable sources which can actually teach you something useful. I recommend Peace Revolution... and even dare you to take the 42-day challenge on self-development through meditation! :)

14. The World Upside Down

The photo topic this week is The World Upside Down. It sounds quite easy and predictable but try looking through your photo collections and see if you will find something even slightly close to this topic... Well, I was lucky enough to have exactly what I wanted to find :) I talked about my trip to Prague in previous posts but this one will show you my favorite place of all - Restaurant Luka Lu.

Half of the interior in this beautiful venue was hanging from the ceiling, as you can see yourselves! A wooden cat is creepy and weird enough, you might think. But once you take a closer look you will notice the skillful arrangement of every single element in these hanging suitcases. There are lamps (with electricity!), wine glasses, books, a vintage scarf, an old alarm clock, a whole table, aaaand a couple of more wooden cats. Lovely! The only thing they were missing was a ladder which I could climb up to investigate even better what the owners of the place had put in these treasure chests!

In my traditional research phase of the topic for this post, I found numerous website or other blog entries about the world upside down and its forms. There a couple of things, though, that I cannot keep from sharing! It's absolutely stunning to what extremest people go these days... And what I mean precisely is a new trend in house design. Yes, inverted house design! Please, take a look at all these images that the generous Mr. Google is showing me! It's insane! Even though these are most often art installations, some people dare to live in them.. Tell me, how does this happen exactly?! How do you sleep in your bed hanging from the ceiling, or even worse - how do you flush the toilet?! Actually, I don't want to know!!

"Fortune cookies", Martin Tremblay

Something a bit more undisturbing to look at is the upside-down trend in fashion photo shoots. Gravity is not an issue in fashion, and here is one more proof - Martin Tremblay's photos for the 23rd issue of Schön! Magazine (December 2013). The photos show a model taking "a walk" in Chinatown and featured fashion pieces by designer brands like Dolce&Gabbana and Givenchy.

NB! If there are any design-interested bar-visitors among my readers who are living or visiting Berlin any time soon, this might be a place you'd like to check out - Madame Claude. An upside-down bar!

13. Cheese

Ciao, my dear readers! Bonjour to another spring day of sun rays and gentle wind. Today we say hello to quite a different topic than the ones I had posted so far. While previous posts were somehow related to more spiritual or abstract topics, today we dive into the world of... Cheese.

I find this topic quite challenging but at the same time very pleasing because I have always wanted to know something more about cheese. In Bulgaria, we produce only 2 main types of cheese - feta cheese (sirene) and yellow cheese (kashkaval). In other parts of the world, however, you could be amazed at the variety of tastes and textures of the cheese produced there.

La Formaggeria Gran Moravia, Prague

The website for American cheese craftsman, Artisanal Cheese, developed the Artisanal Cheese Clock which guides new and lifetime cheese fans through a proper journey along the tastes of various cheeses. It starts with milder tastes and goes the bold strong flavors while at the same time suggesting the best wine pairings for each type. Cheese plates are a common treat for upper medium class families in the chill summer nights, but to us, the AUBG community, they are very often something we serve after a $100 meal in our Work and Travel restaurants.

Grilled cheese! (bonappetit.com)

What we seem to be more familiar is... grilled cheese sandwiches. It might be new for some of you to find out that the the grilled cheese gained popularity in 1920s America and soon became a widely used way of getting protein, fat, and carbs in one simple meal. Today, Americans consume more than 2.2 billion grilled cheese sandwiches per year.

For those of you who enjoy having a dose of cheese in your daily meals, I suggest checking out these recipes - something simple to prepare and quite tasty to freshen up your lunch or dinner. If you are a vegan (like one of my best friends who I hope will read this post), here is something cheese-y for you, too : Vegan Cheeses!

I wish I knew something more spectacular to share with you but hopefully this will come with time. Until then, I am looking forward to hearing about YOUR favorite cheese plate ingredients!