papercoffeandher

[papercoffeandher]

Hey :)

Paper: 2025 Planner.

Coffee: Cold coffee Nescafe Gold.

[papercoffeandher]

I didn't feel ready to post.

But I know I have been wanting to.

So, here.

In my part of the world, it's night and I am going to sleep. I wonder where you are and how. So many people, so many lives, so many stories.

If you cry to sleep *pat pat*. If no one acknowledged your moment of success *pat pat*. If you turned to see a glimpse of someone again but the person's gone *pat pat* . I hope you get a hug today. I hope someone makes you happy today. I hope you feel free. I hope you like what you did. I hope you get a good laugh. I hope you have a blanket for the cold. And there's no war inside the house. And there's no war outside. No war around you. Less wars inside you. I hope.. you are safe.. I am so sorry.

Take care, I hope you're not alone. :)

If you are *pat pat*. I'd want us to believe it's temporary and I'd wish for us to strongly hold on to the hope for a better tomorrow.

Sounds so politcian-ish, haha.

But. I hope you find peace and happiness.

I have no idea how I reached here.

Goodnight.

Paper: "The Body Keeps The Score" by Bessel van der Kolk.

Coffee: Black Coffee.

[papercoffeandher]

Do you like reading? What are you reading these days? I would love to talk more about reading and books. :) Maybe soon. Maybe we can connect over books and coffee.

Take care and have a beautiful day, stranger. :) 🌻

Paper: Very many notebooks and books, a lot of paper in the pictures.

But I am reading the book - The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk.

Coffee: That's a complicated one.

Made black coffee in the coffee maker (which just came home a few days back, someone gifted my father, yay!). I used the coffee powder a relative had gotten me from their travel to Vietnam - Trun Nguyen Sang Tao 4. I put some hot milk, sugar, and cream in about 3/4th cup of black coffee. Voila! This doesn’t sound complicated in writing and it wasn't intellectually challenging or hard labour. It was new and unfamiliar (the process, the ingredients, the tools and techniques) and that made it time-consuming and complicated. I am excited to experiment and play more with this and find a quicker, more efficient way to attain exactly the coffee I like. Looking forward to learning more about proportions and temperature control. I really liked the black coffee by the way. Just don't know if it will work in every mood and be ok for my health.

[papercoffeandher]

Thoughts?

Paper: Dotted notebook, pattern coloring continues.

Coffee: Necafe Iced Latte - Coffee Can.

[papercoffeandher]

Hey! :)

How're you doing, today?

I wanted to share something. I have been struggling with a question for a while now. Many times I don't want to drink coffee or am not drinking coffee, but I don't take a picture or write a post here because I feel like I am being untrue to myself, deceptive to a viewer here or not being authentic to the title.

At times, I even think of quitting coffee for a longer time but I'm scared to lose this blog.

The feeling of losing something a person has associated their identity with, for a long long time makes one feel unanchored and lost.

There's guilt because I want to take pictures with my chamomile tea!

I know it's not that simple and I do want to simplify it, give me a while, I will think through this, or go for it, I'll do something.

I can also accept both parts of my life, I mean, of course, I will have coffee around too.

I just don't want to feel like I'm betraying my blog or a viewer or coffee or me. It's a lot of responsibility I just took here that I don't need to... Maybe I should just care about the 'me' part. Ugh. Let's see.

Do you have any such feelings or dilemmas?

And does it hurt to let a new thing enter and let an old one leave? I am sure it does, but I mean related to coffee (I guess)...

It's paper, coffee and her... Hmm.

Paper: Dotted notebook.

Drink: Chamomile tea

[papercoffeandher]

Hi!

Happy new month! Happy October! 🍁

How're you doing today? :)

I am sooo irritated with shifting around with my work stuff here and there in the house because the AC in my room hasn't been working for a few days. I am in my brother's room today/ right now. Took me 1000 years to set up.

For paper, all I want to share is the paper I put between the screen and the keyboard of my laptop. Do you do that? I don't want impressions of keys' borders to imprint on the screen. I would prefer thinner foam sheets but I have easier access to A4-sized plain sheets especially when one gets torn apart. Do you do this? What sheet do you use?

Also, I'm gonna breatheeee consciously, deeply, with my eyes closed for a few minutes after posting and calm down.

Paper: Laptop paper, 3 notebooks in the background.

Coffee: Cold Coffee Nescafe Gold.

New dress so added "her" as well.

PS: I mighttt have kicked my brother out of his own room (for a while at least). (:

[papercoffeandher]

Hi! 🌻 :)

How often do you change the set-up of your table? Just curious. :P

Mine ranges between 1 and 10 times a month.

Does that affect your mood? Does your mood affect it? I'm sure it all correlates.

How are you today? :)

I feel ok today. It's better than many days and worse than many but better than mannyyy.

I know it has only been a few awake-hours, but I think I might just have an ok day. :)

I'll pray/wish for good and would be happy to land on ok. :)

Wow.. I am so happy about this.

Anyway.

Oh, by the way, I had to reduce my caffeine intake drastically for some reasons, so it's almost half of what it was, since about 5 days. It's interesting, I have mixed feelings about it. I don't know exactly how my body is reacting to the change (because many things overlap and cause and effect is not very clear) but I know it's a good idea and I had to do it, so well, let's.

I have been going through a wonderful-painful-skin-shedding-new-being-coming-out transformation since July.

September has been tough as I took up a huge challenge and then some more, emotional and physical and I am excited and scared, apart from general sadness. Yes, I still cry every now and then, and yes, I still wake up with a heavy heart and don't want to get up and don't get up easily, and yes, I feel lonely but I'm 1. not in the worst phase I've ever been in. 2. going through a brilliant part of my journey.

Hmm. Huff.

I'll do the most I can every day, and a little more than the most I can pull off without pain. Stretch a bit.

Hmm. And, I rest more too.

Ok, lalala.

Again, how are you?

New tumbler by the way. Mother's not a fan of how many cups, tumblers, and bottles I buy essentially to drink just one drink - Coffee. :P :D :)

Ok, see you later!

You, have a good day! :)

Paper: Doodles on the last pages of the planner. Grided notebooks are so fun! :)

Coffee: Nescafe gold. Collddd. :)

[papercoffeandher]

Hi.

Paper: Planner.

Coffee: Cold coffee (Nescafe gold).

[papercoffeandher]

You'd think books with fewer words would be a quicker read.

They are just more finished stories in a lesser number of pages.

Each line is a quote - a lot of complete thoughts.

Clicking from the bedside today.

Paper: Book - Writing on Water by Mooji.

Coffee: Nescafe gold Cold coffee.

[papercoffeandher]

Hey!

Slightly late, but happy new month everyone!

Paper: Small sketchbook, notes on the pin board.

Coffee: Cold coffee (David off Rich)

[papercoffeandher]

My brother gifted me this notebook 2 years back and I've been writing little notes in it. Whenever I think of something or read something somewhere and like it - to remind and empower myself I write it. I like to write in the present tense and first person, like - "I am complete." or "I am not lost.". No 'maybe's and 'can's - just 'is's and 'am's.

Since I have already decided who I am or what I do, what someone else believes doesn't matter.

If I read even one page and sit with it and breathe in deeply, internalising it, I feel something positive and strong. It also hurts, I feel vulnerable.

Some pages irritate me and as I grow I might cancel some notes.

If I sit and read through all the notes, visualising, imagining, and believing each one, it feels like meditation and praying. I feel confident, I feel grateful and I feel strong. There is a tinge of faith and trust towards.. direction currently unexplored.

On some pages, I am also reminded of what is challenging for me and that I can totally overcome that and I AM overcoming that.

Almost all the notes remind me that I am in control of myself and my life.

In the beginning, I cried a lot more while reading or saying these notes out loud. (Oh! For a long time, I had written only the first three lines in my keep notes. Then this notebook found its purpose. :) )

Khair, it has gotten easier to read the notes and I love that.

It is a long video even though I sped it up. You can read all the pages and even if you spend just 10 seconds, we'll both feel better. :)

Is it all legible? I wonder.

Thank you and you take care. :)

Ooo, I just thought of some more notes.

And an important one - "I am not perfect".

Paper: Little blue golden notebook.

Coffee: Cold coffee (Nescafe gold).

[papercoffeandher]

A new my-corner in this world.

As I say this, I'm thinking of all the people who might be feeling the same way and calling it their corner too. :)

It's a public space after all.

Paper: In the bag. :P

Coffee: Cold brew with vanilla sweet cream (Starbucks)

[papercoffeandher]

It's been so long. I've been so lost.

So many times I took pictures to post here. Tried to push myself. Hmm.

I guess posting right now is something I can be proud of. I guess for now, this much is ok.

Showing up.

Paper: 2023 Planner continuing to 2024, small pocket diary for daily to-do lists. :)

Coffee: Hazelnut Cappuccino (Starbucks)

[papercoffeandher]

Yep. Long lonnngg time. Hi. :)

Explored a new place. Might go there more.

It's been some difficult weeks. Months. I hadn't opened my planner in so long. And wasn't going out much either. At least not alone.

Anyway. Hi. :)

Hope you're doing well.

Oh also, I have been using my iPad more, so paper and coffee weren't always there together.

I was working on my website when I clicked this photograph. Revamp. Exciting. :) And super delayed. :P

And a long long process. Have to add and change categories in about 260 blog posts and till now I've done 50.

I like it here.. hmm. Interesting.

It's so so hot here. Oh yeah, the cafe was extremely hot too, I will need to reconsider it then.

The coffee was cold though. Hence the tissue. :D

Anyway. Nice to be here again. I'll try to post more consistently. Since I just discovered it, I like it here...

Paper: Planners.

Coffee: Trioccino from Blue Tokai. (No, I don't know the pronunciation.) :P

Ok. See you.

Soon, hopefully.

(Post from September 1)

[papercoffeandher]

Does using a scale in origami count as cheating or something? :P

Thanks to my brother for the beautiful sheets.

This photo is a bit old now.

But origami has been helping me deal with the headspace I'm in currently.

I feel too tired to talk further. I just really really wanted to upload this before the image and the experience becomes obsolete.

Also uploading pictures from other moments in life, I was trying to make pictures with similar color palettes come together. Something something.

Oh.

A tip maybe, from my very little experience w origami paper:

When you're folding to make a corner into like a tip type of thing, folding like triangles.. uh.. let me try to explain again... SO. Strike that, yeah, so.

When you're trying to fold - to make any one corner meet another, it is helpful to focus on placing the edges and the angles correctly instead of gazing at the corners and basing your fold on them. It is much more seamless, and accurate and lesser effort if you just focus on the edges meeting correctly. The corners come out to be cleaner.

It is helpful even more so, in case you're trying to fold AT the corner. I mean: Suppose you are making a fold and the corner has to be folded to meet the same corner, so, some edge is being folded to form a triangle. Imagine the bottom corner of a cone - and the paper is flattened - that's the 'corner fold' I'm talking about.

(I'm quite interested in knowing if anyone understands this without pictures, so do tell, seems like a fun challenge at this point.)

PS: It would be hilarious if you make all the effort, understand what I mean and then realise or think: that's so obvious!

:D

Paper: Origami bird. I've been referring to it as a sparrow for my joy. :)

Coffee: Starbucks hot mocha, one evening.

See you! Have a great day ahead.

(This is obviously a write-up of multiple days ^)

How are you today by the way?

I've been quite self-absorbed.

I wish to ask a loved one how he is, I'd like to know.

Ok. Meanwhile, you be kind! And to yourself as well! :)

And a reminder:

You're enough.

[papercoffeandher]

When you're working and one cup of coffee isn't enough.

Don't worry it's cold coffee with enough milk and sugar to not make it a crazy caffeine filled drink.

Saturday here. Are you a freelancer too? Does it get lonely for you?

Sing a song, bud. :)

Paper: Some sketches for a project.

Coffee: Cold coffee with Nescafe gold coffee powder.

[papercoffeandher]

Hi :)

How are you today?

Not perfect? That's ok! Me neither. :)

I read a quote a while ago on Pinterest and wrote it in my notebook to share with you today.

Might still print the actual image to put it in my room.

2 random but important topics to talk about:

1. A friend of mine never liked coffee, and drank some cold coffee to give me company in cafes, but that would be with a lot of sugar and chocolate chips and whatnot. He couldn't bear 2 sips of black coffee or cold brew.

He recently shifted somewhere for work and today he messaged me saying that he just drank one liter of black coffee and then had an energy drink to stay awake and energetic in the office because his head was hurting, because he couldn't sleep, and this was like before 10ish am in the morning. And for breakfast, he had a banana. He is feeling better. But. I don't feel good about it... I mean. When he told me he started drinking coffee, about 10 days back and drank a few cups and cans of black coffee now and then I was like ok yay we can kind of talk about coffee now. But then. Hmm. I am sharing my worry right now. I remember when another friend started taking 4 times the coffee she usually put in little water, to stay awake in the night and work, and it just got really bad because anxiety swept in soon enough. And I see my heartbeat getting faster and breathing getting tougher if I put more coffee powder or shots than usual in my drink... I don't want this to be his solution. It's easy. But it's addictive. Caffeine. And it can go down. Some people I know just chain coffee and smoke and it doesn't seem very healthy. It's really attractive, to be honest, I feel myself slipping into it sometimes too, but, must hold back.

Hm.

Interesting to look at coffee as a concern. Sucks actually.

2. On another topic. I met a new person. :) And she was so so sweet and beautiful and she's a freelance illustrator, artist, chuck the tags. But she has such good energy and I loved her doodles. She was kind and observant and patient and caring and acknowledging and a good listener and not loud. It was good. And she smiled. And other people there smiled and laughed too. It was beautiful. :) I went out after a long time. I am using the word 'was' because I met them yesterday. Anyway! My topic was: she was telling me how she has so many stickers but she doesn't use them because - then they'll finish and I think also where to use them.

I hear so many stationery lovers hoarding beautiful stickers and washi tapes and diaries and not being able to get themselves to use any. I don't face that problem a lot. I do plan and open things when they suit my needs but I don't have a problem opening and using them.

So I just thought I'd share a few tricks. Maybe they'll work for you.

With diaries, if I just can't get myself to write or draw (because what if it's not a 'perfect' work and the diary gets 'spoiled'), I just make a small scribble or a big scribble :P on the first page. It breaks the fear because the first page is already 'ruined' and the second one can't be 'worse'. You can also try leaving one or a few pages in the beginning or just using a random page. I do that too.

With stickers, the question is often where to use them and where will they look perfect and appropriate. So I just pick a few and paste them anywhere in any (mostly private) space. Like on anyone's door or switchboard or a remote, where it doesn't matter what you put and no one is greatly disturbed or offended and it's just aesthetic and fun. I giggle, laugh, and smile a lot doing that. It's like randomly throwing colors, here and there, which don't bother anyone and give me a small project of composition making. I think my approach is, to use the first things (pages of diaries or stickers) quickly and not as 'meaningfully' (like in this case: don't put the stickers on your personal devices like laptops or phones just yet) and you get calmer about the next steps.

This also reminds me, of sticky notes. To keep vandalism minimal, harmless, and little in size, I write funny or motivating one-liners and put them here and there in cafes and washrooms, or park benches. They stay temporarily so I don't think they bother a lot. That's also where my bill origami boats go. It's just fun. And non-pressurizing and just as easy to slip in.

Maybe give the first sheet of your new bundle of wow pages to someone else, and you can choose your favorite and start doing something.

Side note: My " I don't know if I'll be alive tomorrow." mindset kinda helps in this case, allowing me to make the best of today.

What will we do taking the stickers and the tapes to the grave?

Hope that didn't sound gruesome!

Ok, missing readers, bye. :)

Thanks for giving me space to express still! I wanted to use so many emoticons through the sentences but then thought they are after every 5 words so I'll just keep it to words (as much as possible).

Paper: Little journal.

Coffee: Cold coffee (Nescafe gold coffee powder)