Elizaveta Vladimirova

Magic Hours - Explosions in the Sky

rentedsurroundings:

“Be watching Sunrise tomorrow for your chance to win…” “Call this number now and enter the codeword on the screen for your chance to win $10,000 in kitchen appliances…” “Email and tell us why you deserve this overseas holiday valued up to $15,000…” These competitions make me sick. They only cater for people who already have stuff. For people who are selfish. For “the cherished viewers”. I doubt a homeless person would be watching Sunrise, have a phone, or simply have the availability to enter such a competition. These things make my heart cold and so angry. This world just gets better and better everyday.

via xadrianx.

Lewis Black talking about American arrogance.

I love these illustrations, you guys should have a look!

Basics:

Name: Liz.
Nicknames: Don’t have any.
Current residence: Russia.
Hair Colour: Brown.
Eye Colour: Hazel.
Height: 168 centimeters / 5’6”
Piercings: Only my ears.
Siblings: None.

What time does your alarm clock go off?: 8:30 AM.
Tumblr crush: Wouldn’t you like to know? ;-)
Righty or lefty?: Righty.
Would you kiss anyone on your friends list?: Yes.
How many kids do you want to have?: 2 – 3.
Do you have a good relationship with your parents?: Nope.
Would you ever make out with someone of the same sex?: No.
Do you like having your hair pulled?: No?…
What’s your favourite month?: July!
Last person to make you sad?: That one dude…
Favourite dessert?: Ice cream <3

Favourites:

Colours: Violet, blue, grey, beige.
Clothing store: IC Companys A/S; Glenfield.
Song: Um. Way too many.
Perfume: Pretty much every perfume gives me a headache, but I think I’d gladly wear Chanel N°5 Eau Première.
Disney character: Belle.
Day of the week: Friday.

This or that:

Pepsi or coke?: None.
Chocolate or vanilla?: Chocolate.
Beach or pool?: Beach.

Have you ever…:

[x] been on a train
[x] been on a plane
[x] been in a car accident
[ ] caused a car accident
[x] run into a wall
[ ] almost burned the house down
[ ] smoked
[x] been drunk
[ ] been high
[ ] broken the law
[x] burned a CD
[ ] kissed someone of the opposite sex
[ ] kissed someone of the same sex
[ ] made out
[ ] had a relationship
[x] been rejected by a crush
[x] loved
[ ] made yourself cry to get out of trouble
[x] cried in public
[x] cried over a movie
[x] fallen asleep in a movie theater
[ ] given someone a bath
[x] been to a boarding school
[ ] been home-schooled
[x] lost a valuable item
[ ] bungee jumped
[x] made a prank call
[x] skipped school
[ ] been kissed
[x] wanted a dream to come true
[x] wanted to die
[x] been on tv
[x] gotten detention
[ ] painted your nails black

Fears:

[x] basement darkness
[x] the dark
[ ] being a parent
[ ] giving birth
[x] heights
[x] spiders and/or other insects
[ ] driving or being in cars
[ ] flying
[x] rejection
[ ] thunder/lightning
[ ] frogs/toads
[ ] clowns
[x] large crowds
[x] being robbed
[ ] having great responsibility
[x] diseases
[x] snakes

True or false?:

[true] I am a cuddler.
[false] I am a morning person.
[false] I am a perfectionist.
[true] I am an only child.
[false] I am Catholic.
[true] I am currently single.
[false] I bite my nails.
[true] I have been told that I am smart.
[true] I have changed a lot over the past year.

“Save the whales: go vegan”? – no, really, sometimes I just question their sanity D: I agree, the money spent on PETA’s shitty activities could be spent better. Though, PETA will always be an ineffective organization… unless, of course, it becomes antonymous with extreme behaviour.

Also, thank you, Kayleighhh, I love you too! :DD

I miss the sea.

I used to be a PETA supporter years ago (I was such a naïve teenager, heh), I even decided to try going vegetarian, but I almost developed an eating disorder, so… yeah.

I lost all respect for PETA, when I learnt more about the organization, and how they have a tendency to go to extremes. Splashing paint all over fur coats has been an integral part of PETA, which is absolutely ridiculous.

Also, I believe that red meat is not the healthiest food for my body, and I avoid eating it, but it’s also obvious that meat is a good source of protein and vitamins, so I stick to fish and chicken. I’m not an animal rights activist; I just strive to eat healthy.

I’m really glad that some people enjoy being vegetarians, and I quite admire you for being one :-) Thank you for supporting me!

I see that you just don’t have the balls to actually show who you are. It’s pretty awesome to be badass on the Internet, isn’t? You can even be an anonymous badass! But maybe you have a reading comprehension problem, since I told you I already own a PETA DVD, so that means I’ve already watched that video. Isn’t it rather obvious?

And no, I don’t support PETA. In fact, I would like to suggest that you unfollow me, because I won’t continue any further discussion. Okay, thanks, bye :D

I’m Russian, and I reside in Russia, but I grew up among English-speaking people (this is a long story, haha), so, basically, that’s how I improved my English.

As for my English classes, yeah, I’m majoring in English Linguistics :DD

Because I’m starting to think that you’re dumb. Do you bother random people on the streets on a cold winter day with your “is that real fur” bullcrap, too? Grow up, mk?

I already own a PETA DVD, thanks a lot.

Um. How about… you quit sending me this anonymous crap & show me who you are?

what’s your ideal date?

via nataliaamor.

or click here to browse more projects Rackstraw Design has been involved in.

I think that dresses are must-have items in every woman’s wardrobe.

Sequined V-neck dress, Antik Batik; ruffle printed silk dress, Rebecca Taylor.

Also, matching pretty dresses with leather jackets is a perfect party choice!

Leather biker jacket, Marc Jacobs; mini zip biker jacket, Preen Line; leather biker jacket, Diane von Fürstenberg.

Kendi wool-blend cardigan, Diane von Fürstenberg; calf-high leather boots, Marc by Marc Jacobs; washed-canvas belt, Stella McCartney.

Button-down cotton skirt, Steven Alan; tomboy denim shorts, Tory Burch.

Cotton and silk-blend blouse, Vanessa Bruno Athé; wool-blend cardigan, Rebecca Taylor.

Silks, cottons, cashmeres, flower motifs, pastel tones and neutral palette = love (though, when it comes to accessories, I prefer bright, intense colours).

Python flats, Christian Louboutin; ballerina flats, Bloch; Antoinette silk-satin ballerina flats, Bloch; ballerina flats, Christian Louboutin.

The truth is, I’d rather wear flats and mid heels than high heels - I am not a fan of walking with difficulty, sorry.

V-neck satin-jersey dress, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti; bow front crepe shift, Moschino Cheap and Chic: an elegant choice for work or dinner.

Oversized cashmere-blend cardigan, Michael Kors; sunny cotton V-neck cardigan, Marc by Marc Jacobs; V-neck cashmere cardigan, Crumpet; cotton V-neck cardigan, Vanessa Bruno; diamond sequined cropped cashmere cardigan, Crumpet; cashmere and silk-blend cardigan, Miu Miu.

Have I ever mentioned that I really enjoy wearing classic pieces, such as long-sleeved cardigans and blouses?

This Photograph Is Proof (I Know You Know) - Taking Back Sunday

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Browse all the wonderful images of creative teapots which could totally put a smile on your face every morning, here.

I’m here if you ever want to talk :-)

Gracias! I’ve already visited your blog, it’s great :-)

I took pictures in the snow today. My hair and coat got wet, but it was fun!

My just-rolled-out-of-bed hair. :)

“The 365 project aims to collect photos documenting 1 year of your life. We want to build a picture of the little day to day things that make your life so special and unique. Everyone can take part and join in! All you need is a camera.”

I think that documenting my memories, accomplishments and special things can certainly be a little something to add a spark into my everyday life, so I decided to start the Project 365 on March 6th. Here is the idea as I understand it: I will post a picture/drawing/thought of the day for a year - well, I believe this will discipline and challenge me, so, yeah, I am kind of excited :-)

The above is the view from my window. I know it’s not some breathtaking scenery, but the photo accurately describes current weather conditions over here - rain changing to snow, then more rain and more snow. As you can see, the sky’s grey and gloomy; the wind tickles bare tree branches (+ it’s pretty slippery and cold) - in short, it definitely is not a very aesthetically pleasing thing. Is it spring yet? :-(

I’m doing well. I’ve been writing, drawing and revising (well, I guess I’m just doing whatever feels important to me, heh).

I had a list in my mind of the top 5 books I’d REALLY love to have/read.
There it is:

• Beatrix Potter: A Journal, Beatrix Potter
• Norwegian Wood, Haruki Murakami
• Ways Of Seeing, John Berger
• Pictures by Tim Walker, special edition
• A photographic atlas of the constellations and stars

Also, I watched the “Where the Wild Things Are” movie to keep myself occupied - it’s somewhat strange, but I just love how artistic and beautiful it is!

As a matter of fact, it’s been a great day today! I’m so happy.

My future life? I don’t know what it’s going to be like.

Sometimes I lie in bed; and a glance at the clock tells me that it’s 4 AM, but I can’t sleep, because I can’t stop thinking about the future, and I am scared. Sometimes I get up and go to the kitchen, and I pour myself a glass of water, then I open a window, and fresh air fills the room. In moments like these, I come to the realization how none of all these worries and heartaches really matter, because in the end… everything will be okay.

Yes, I don’t know what my future life is going to be like, but I really do hope that it will be something wonderful and very exciting to me; I hope that I will achieve my goals and dreams; I hope that I will be happy; and I hope to find nice friends -

but most of all, I want to be able to look back and say, “You know, these’re the best years of my life.”

Things have been really boring over the past few days because I had some serious revision to do. Bleh. Also, English Phonetics is the most useless subject to study so far, I admit. I mean, these pronunciation and transcription things may seem so basic that you barely even think of them, right? >.<

Nonetheless, I’ve watched two amazing movies, “Chocolat” (starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp) and “The Pursuit of Happyness” (starring Will Smith). “Chocolat” is sort of a grown-up fairy-tale. It is so captivating and beautiful, and of course, it is now one of my favourite movies. “The Pursuit of Happyness” inspired me a lot, actually; it’s a great movie, and somehow, it made my week a little better. <3

Oh, winter / why I like it:

1. The excitement of waking up to everything being covered with new-fallen snow cannot be compared to anything else.
2. A mug of hot chocolate on New Year’s morning = fantastic.

Three reasons why winter sucks:

1. My day was supposed to start around 9 AM today (I have some revising to do), but I didn’t want to get out of bed, so I slept in (subconsciously thinking about my “must to do” list, hah). I always tend to oversleep in winter. Always.
2. It is -15 C outside right now. This is not the most brutal winter temperature, but right, it goes like this – you wake up and open curtains on a beautiful, sunny day, and you feel all warm and cozy, and then you realize that it’s freaking cold outside. Quoting Edward Blake, “Once you realize what a joke everything is, being the Comedian is the only thing that makes sense.”
3. It’s slippery.

I want to borrow your shirt to sleep in it, and then “forget” to give it back. Do you mind? I want to see the expression on your face when you wake up in the morning. I want to know what your hands look like. I want to kiss every part of your face. I want to buy you a gift. I want you to read me a story. I want…

I just want to spend time with you, okay?

1. “If a guy is treating you like he doesn’t give a shit, he genuinely doesn’t give a shit. No exceptions.”
2.  Don’t be a perfectionist. Having unrealistic expectations from yourself and people around you isn’t the same as having high standards.
3. You are not responsible for someone else’s mistakes.
4. There is never enough time. It really sucks, but that’s what you’re stuck with, so might as well get over it, yeah?
5. The world is a fascinating place if you do something that makes you happy.

(Correct statements are bolded.)

My personality:

• I’m loud only when I’m high.
• I’m obnoxious.
• I’m sarcastic.
• I’m cocky.
• I cry easily.
• I have a bad temper.
• For the most part, I don’t like people.
• I’m easy to get along with.
• I like to fight.
• I have more enemies than friends.
• I’ve smoked.
• I’ve smoked weed.
• I drink coffee.
• I clean my room daily.

My appearance:

• I wear makeup.
• I wear a piece of jewelry at all times.
• I wear contacts.
• I wear glasses.
• I’ve had braces.
• I have braces.
• I change my hair color often.
• I straighten my hair often.
• My ears are pierced.
• I have small feet.

Relationships:

• I’m in a relationship now.
• I’m single.
• I’m crushin’.
• I’ve missed an ex before.
• I’m always scared of being hurt.
• An ex has physically abused me at least once.
• I’ve told someone I loved them when I didn’t.
• I’ve told someone I didn’t love them when I did.
• I’ve been in love more than two times.
• I believe in love at first sight.
• I believe lust is more important than love.

Friendships:

• I have a best friend.
• I have at least ten friends.
• I’ve gotten a phone call in the last 48 hours from a friend.
• I’ve beaten up a friend.
• I’ve been in a serious fight with a friend.
• I can trust at least five people with my life.

Experiences:

• I’ve been on a plane.
• I’ve been on a train.
• I’ve left the state/province.
• Someone close to me has died.
• I’ve taken a taxi.
• I’ve taken a city bus.
• I’ve taken a school bus.
• I’ve gone bungee jumping.
• I’ve made a speech.
• I’ve been in some sort of club.
• I’ve won an award.
• I’ve spent 24 hours on the computer straight.
• I’ve been in a physical fight.

Music:

• I listen to country.
• I listen to pop.
• I listen to techno.
• I listen to rock.
• I’m one of those people who play songs repeatedly until I hate it.
• I hate the radio.
• I download music.
• I buy CD’s.

Television:

• I spend at least six hours a day watching television.
• I watch soap operas daily.
• I’m in love with Days of Our Lives.
• I’ve seen and like The OC.
• I’ve seen and like One Tree Hill.
• I’ve seen and like America’s Next Top Model.
• I’ve seen and like Popular.
• I’ve seen and like House.
• I’ve seen and like 24.
• I’ve seen and like CSI.
• I’ve seen and like Everwood.

Family Life:

• I get along with both of my parents.
• My biological parents are still together.
• I have at least one brother.
• I have at least one sister.
• I have at least one step brother/sister.
• I have at least one half brother/sister.
• I’ve been kicked out of the house.
• I’ve ran away from my home.
• I’ve sworn at my parents.
• I’ve made my parents cry.
• I’ve lied to my parents.
• I’ve lied to my parents about where I am.
• I’ve lied to my parents about what I’m doing.
• I’ve lied to my parents so I’d be allowed out.
• I’ve walked out when I’ve been grounded.

Hair:

• I’ve been brown.
• I’ve had streaks.
• I’ve cut my hair in the past year.
• I’ve dyed my hair in the past year.
• I’ve been blonde.
• I’ve had black.
• I’ve been red.
• I’ve been light brown.
• I’ve been medium brown.
• I’ve had purple/pink.
• I’ve been blue/green.
• I’ve gotten my hair thinned.
• I use conditioner.
• I’ve used silk therapy.
• I’ve used hot oil treatments.
• I’ve curled my hair.
• I’ve straightened my hair.
• I’ve ironed my hair.
• I’ve braided my hair.
• I’ve had/want dreadlocks.

School:

• I’ve thrown something at a teacher.
• I’ve yelled at a teacher.
• I’ve been suspended.
• I’ve had an in-school suspension.
• I’ve been sent to the principal’s office.
• I’ve walked out of class.
• I’ve skipped an entire day of school.
• I’ve skipped a whole month of one certain class.
• I’ve failed a test.
• I’ve cheated on a test.
• I’ve helped someone else cheat on a test.
• I’ve failed Art.
• I’ve failed P.E.
• I’ve failed Math.
• I’ve failed Science.
• I’ve failed another class.
• A teacher has called my parents.
• I’ve been caught skipping.

Currently reading: “Man’s Search for Meaning”, Viktor Frankl.

P.S. I started reading the “Great Expectations” novel by Charles Dickens, but just as I expected, I got incredibly bored and quit reading it. Oh well.

“I wanna do bad things with you.” Yeah, that part.

Recently I took a four-hour bus trip to my dad’s place. You know what it’s like when you want to build high walls around yourself just like they did it in the ancient kingdoms? That’s exactly what it felt like to me sitting next to a woman who wore strong smelling perfume. I am very sensitive to fragrances, so obviously it made me incredibly uncomfortable, claustrophobic and disoriented. Especially when she started eating some meat-filled pastry. Eww. Fortunately, the woman left the bus soon enough, and I could finally relax! I looked out of the windows and saw a beautiful griseous sea and sand mixed with ice and snow - in just a few weeks, the snow will melt to make the beach perfect once again. I marveled at the beauty of Russian forests and fields covered with snow. I miss taiga. Do you know what the air tastes like over there? It tastes like pine, water, a mint candy and a bitter winter cold.

I also found some cute things while visiting my hometown – my grandmother’s vintage “Chaika” watch made in USSR, a seashell from Sochi and a wonderful book for girls filled with poetry, illustrations and a lot of blank pages for personal notes. These things mean a lot to me.

Nakhodka, my hometown, is a quiet place that is good for retiring and raising children; and well, it’s like this - I get bored with it, so I don’t really enjoy spending my time there. Now, I am back to Vladivostok, and I am about to curl under my blanket.

Good night.

I spent the morning and afternoon reading and sleeping because my apartment had not had electricity since 10 AM. This made me feel like I’m missing out on something.

The smell of freshly dried sheets, sliding under the blanket, sleeping with the windows open – these are my own magical moments.

But sometimes, telling you that I missed you is awkward.

School started for me on February 1^st, and I am quite content with the subjects I am currently studying.

Though, it turned out that the “Language in Business Related Environments” class has nothing to do with business; it’s more like the study of politics (in English, of course) – I believe this is pretty essential since studying English is connected with international relations in general; and I like the idea of learning the concepts of modern political science. I am going to read more political essays and articles published in newspapers like “The New York Times”, “Newsweek” and “The Wallstreet Journal”. Also, it’s going to help me with improving my English vocabulary.

“Lexicology” is a very, very important class for anyone who studies linguistics. Thank goodness I have an awesome etymological dictionary, I’m going to need it soon.

I have been really looking forward to my “Philosophy” class, and I feel like I will absolutely have to visit the library to succeed, haha.

My healthy eating plan has been going just fine – I eat lots of oatmeal porridge and fruits. Clearly, I still have a few kilograms to drop, but since I’ve been working out on a daily basis, I hope to achieve this goal till summer.

Well, I have not drunken soda for over a year now, and I am trying to quit coffee because I am a real coffeeholic, and it’s not healthy. Also, I do not drink enough water which causes dehydration (and dehydration causes dry skin), so I should really work on changing my bad eating habits. Though, I guess it’s pretty great that I started thinking differently about consuming too many sugary products, and so I’ve come to the point where I am eliminating candies, buns, cookies and cakes from my diet. However, quitting chocolate and oatmeal cookies would be too tough to handle; and you see, I never ever starve myself, and I am not a fan of restricted dieting - I mean, come on, we all know that leads to metabolism slowing down, so people normally gain their weight back once they stop dieting (oh, and mood swings + poor concentration). Anyway, body needs energy, so carbohydrates are good (when eating small portion sizes, obviously).

Oh, and I learnt to cook a batter fried chicken – it’s so simple (you just dip the chicken into the batter and fry it) and so delicious. Yum.

Hmm. I want my dad to take our cat back to his apartment. I mean, I do love cats (and pets for that matter), because you know, they are wonderful stress relievers, they are fuzzy and cuddly, but I have even a longer list of excuses why not to have a pet. The litter box, sharp teeth and claws, fur on the furniture and clothes, ugh. Plus, my cat keeps waking me up in the middle of the night, I’m just so sick of it. Eek.

Recently I’ve downloaded some nice movies, “The Ugly Truth”, “P.S. I Love You” and “He’s Just Not That Into You”, and here is what I think…

“The Ugly Truth” is a hilarious (not a belly laugh kind of thing, though) movie, I quite enjoyed it. Gerard Butler = awesome.

“P.S. I Love You” is a really sentimental and dramatic movie about a married couple, Gerry and Holly: just when they realize how much they loved one another, Gerry dies of a brain tumor. During his medical treatment, Gerry writes some letters to be delivered to Holly after his death to help her to go through the grief. Honestly, Holly’s struggles and pain, and you know, the whole “I’m alone, and it doesn’t matter what job I have or what I do or what I don’t do or what friends I have, he’s not here. I mean you’re alone no matter what.” thing made me cry so hard, I really wish I stayed away from this movie. I mean, it really is a great movie, but scratch that, I got excessively affected and emotional while I was watching it.

“He’s Just Not That Into You”, well, it’s a realistic and truthful movie about people struggling with dating and married life, but I can’t say the plot’s grand or anything. It’s just a decent movie to watch when you are bored.

Haha, wow, I remember kids were so into Harry Potter, while I was into movies like “Troy” and “Gladiator”. Now kids are into the Twilight Saga, and I am into “Watchmen”, “Transformers” and “Beauty and the Beast”, haha. Yep, it’s as fun as it sounds :-P

Subjects I am taking in my fourth semester:

1. Lexicology
2. Philosophy
3. Pedagogy and Psychology
4. Literature
5. Language in Business Related Environments
6. English Vocabulary
7. English Grammar

I am a woman with multiple interests; I like to be independent; I like to be defined by my own deeds; and with all seriousness, I think that your most important relationship is with yourself. I really dislike it when people use relationships to make a statement about themselves. Well, I know we all have our idiosyncrasies, and we all tend to be upset and insecure sometimes, but when one of the partners is always an obsessive and insecure person who feels like they cannot make it on their own… it’s a dating disaster.

“I am nothing without you.”
Something seems a little off, uh-huh?

Don’t be obsessed with your insecurities, it’s just not attractive. What is attractive is someone who has goals and wants to become a better person. One should learn to be happily single before they get into a relationship.

A relationship cannot turn you into a happy person. This is my opinion.

My little teapot.

A work in progress - here are some of those 40 “Beauty and the Beast” drawings I’ve made.

I made over 40 detailed “Beauty and the Beast” drawings today, and I already started colouring one of those sketches with watercolour pencils, acrylic paint and gouache.

And now I am going to bed as it is 1 AM, and I want to get up around 8 AM to continue working on my painting. <3

My cat turned into a little beast - he won’t let me sleep at night. Maybe because no one is around to pay attention to him, or maybe because he is trying to drive me nuts. Heh.

It’s one of those gloomy afternoons. Give me an old sweatshirt and dragons and stars and wish jars. I dream of the ocean when I hear the sound of the train going by.

I want to go to Disneyland because I want to wander through Fantasyland.

I want to go to Disneyland because I want to see the Sleeping Beauty Castle.

I want to go to Disneyland because I want a pair of black Mickey Mouse ears.

I want to go to Disneyland because I want to celebrate life.

I silently sit on my bed with my books arranged awkwardly all around me. I’ve slept all day long.

I drink too much coffee. I don’t think it really boosts up my activity, but I enjoy that remarkable aroma and flavor.

I have a treasure box. I keep a bunch of things there, and they all mean something to me.

Stormy days, stormy days, oh my, I miss you.

I’m wearing semi-transparent lace lingerie. My long dark brown hair falls down to my chest. Sometimes I get a weird urge to cut off my hair. Short hair looks nice.

I want to swim in the sea. The feeling of swimming in the sea is quite incredible.

You possess my heart.

Do I look happy?

I’m not a morning person. I feel groggy even after eight hours of sleep. But, I would wake up early enough to make some funny shaped cookies for you.

You wake up, and I bring you those cookies and a cup of tea for breakfast; we exchange smiles, and you kiss my lips. That may sound like a very banal thing to do, but I am not a morning person, remember? I would sit down for a while with a cup of coffee. You would take a quick shower, and wrap yourself in a towel. I would pretend to read my newspaper… but, of course I would not be able to concentrate. The smell of your back, and my soap, and your wet hair. We would go for a walk in the park, my hand in yours. You’d wear a blue T-shirt and old denim pants. I’d wear a white chiffon dress.

You, you, you. I have never seen such a beautiful face, honey.

Perhaps, I don’t have much to offer to you.

But, I would send you messages in bottles, and we would share lots of special moments. You know, those beautiful moments that you don’t want to end, ever.

Well, you’ll see.

When you tell me that I look beautiful, I believe you.

It’s a wonderful feeling. Thank you.

I dislike girls with the “cake effect” on their faces. I dislike faux fur. I dislike winter. I dislike long bus trips. I dislike crowds. I dislike being lazy. I dislike being lonely. I dislike the word “lonely”. I dislike judgmental people. I dislike beauty contests. I dislike wearing high heels, sometimes. I dislike insects. I dislike wax crayons.

I like manly looking men. I like well-trimmed beards. I like the way silk feels on my skin. I like seahorses. I like forest animals. I like the smell of books. I like the aroma of coffee. I like brooches. I like clothes that scream “vintage”. I like turquoise jewelry. I like wearing pretty dresses. I like black leather biker jackets. I like autumn. I like writing. I like lace. I like smiling. I like watercolour pencils. I like fairy lights. I like to sleep in on rainy days. I like to read on my bed. I like, I like, I like.

I have been thinking about how ironic it is that I do not remember catching the first snowflake on my tongue, or drawing my first picture. It just seems strange that as we get older, we tend to forget all the things we did for the first time in our lives.

I do remember a lot of random things, though.

I remember my friend gave me the “Snow Dogs” movie as a New Year’s present nearly 8 years ago. I was so happy. Hmm. I do not even know what happened to that girl. She was my best friend, and she moved away, and we did not really keep in touch with each other.

I remember a nice beach not very far from where we (my family and I) lived. I remember the amazing feeling that I had after I breathed in and filled my lungs with fresh marine air.

I remember the street lights glowing as I left my hometown.

I remember all the messages of gratitude I received from children. They told me I set a great example for them by doing good works, and that they consider me to be a very special person in their lives.

Perhaps… there is a lesson in this… to cherish and remember all that we have, because experiences make our lives worth living.

• organize my online bookmarks;
• organize my address book & note down birthdays;
• read “Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation” by Lynne Truss, learn rules for English punctuation;
• learn to fold an origami crane out of paper;
• make a list of things I love;
• make a list of things I’m afraid of;
• make a list of 15 things I like about myself;
• take daily vitamins for a month.

This morning… I had to wake up at 6 AM for school.

I had to wake up at 6 AM.

6 AM.

ZzzzzZzzzz.

Milk chocolate. I could live on chocolate alone.
Fried potatoes at 2 AM. Om nom nom. Don’t judge me.
I have a book for whatever mood I’m in.
Speaking of books…
I wish I had a family like the Quinn clan from The Chesapeake Bay Saga by Nora Roberts. <3
Yes, I am currently reading it. Yes, I’ve read it before. So? :DD
I smell like apples right now.
I have a tiny tiger made of glass. It’s so pretty.
“The only people I am truly interested in are on the Internet.” x__x
Shall we meet in real life, too?
I should do aerobics every morning. I really should.
I hate Russian winters. It’s so cold. And by cold I mean -20 degrees Celsius.
I want someone to write a poem for me.
I wish my life took on an idyllic glow.
I am going to bed soon T____TzzzZZZZ

Here are my top ten favourite books for now:

1. Toon Tellegen’s fairy tales because they are truly thought-provoking and unforgettable.
2. “Three Weeks in Paris” by Barbara Taylor Bradford.
3. The Chesapeake Bay Saga by Nora Roberts.
4. “Loneliness on the Net” by Janusz Leon Wiśniewski.
5. “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Milan Kundera.
6. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Challenger stories.
7. “Fathers and Sons” by Ivan Turgenev.
8. “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
9. “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll.
10. Oh, and Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tales were my favourite books as a child.

It says: “Love. In life, there is nothing more important than love.” (in Russian).

Illustration from “Three Weeks in Paris” by Barbara Taylor Bradford, a wonderful story of four women transformed by old memories and surprising revelations when they meet again at a school reunion in Paris, awakening in one another the sense of wonder, adventure, and possibilities they had shared a long time ago.

This book touched me in so many ways <33

• René Descartes:
  “Meditations on First Philosophy”
• Jane Austen:
  “Pride and Prejudice”
• Charlotte Brontë:
  “Jane Eyre”
• George Orwell:
  “1984”
• John Katzenbach:
  “The Analyst”
• John Green:
  “Looking for Alaska”
• Nora Roberts:
  “Sea Swept”
  “Rising Tides”
  “Inner Harbor”
  “Chesapeake Blue”
• Charles Dickens:
  “Great Expectations”
  “A Tale of Two Cities”
  “A Christmas Carol”
• Louisa May Alcott:
  “Little Women”
• Arthur Golden:
  “Memoirs of a Geisha”
• Gabriel García Márquez:
  “One Hundred Years of Solitude”
  “Love in the Time of Cholera”
• Frances Hodgson Burnett:
  “The Secret Garden”
• Bill Bryson:
  “Notes From a Small Island”
• William Makepeace Thackeray:
  “Vanity Fair”
• Mitch Albom:
  “The Five People You Meet in Heaven”
• Roald Dahl:
  “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
• Victor Hugo:
  “Les Misérables”
• Nicholas Sparks:
  “The Notebook”
• Lauren Weisberger:
  “The Devil Wears Prada”
• Annette Curtis Klause:
  “Blood and Chocolate”
• Kakuzo Okakura:
  “The Book of Tea”
• Arthur Conan Doyle:
  “The Lost World”
  “The Poison Belt”
  “The Land of Mist”
  “When the World Screamed”
  “The Disintegration Machine”
• Milan Kundera:
  “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”
• Jules Verne:
  “A Journey to the Center of the Earth”
• Barry Eisler:
  “Rain Fall”
  “Hard Rain”
  “Rain Storm”
  “Killing Rain”
  “The Last Assassin”
  “Requiem For an Assassin”
  “Fault Line”

7:12 PM.

With only a few hours left in the first decade of the new millennium, people everywhere create New Year’s resolutions. I must admit I don’t like setting any New Year’s resolutions, because I tend to improve myself every day, every week, every month, every year. My life is based on my (high) expectations and goals, and I am okay with that. I keep learning something new, I keep learning to express my creativity and live happily. Truly, what else is there? <3

However, there’s something about this new 2010 year because it is a new beginning that makes me realize that there are some changes I want to make. I hope I will achieve those changes.

Happy New Year’s Eve!

I bought this journal today. I’m going to write in it every day, expanding my personal development. I’ve already tried keeping a journal once, but I kind of lost interest after a few weeks. Recording my hopes and dreams, and keeping track of my life… this is going to be a challenge. :-)

2007 - 2008: “Shouldn’t I feel alive?” 2007 was my freshman year at a university… Oh, back to times when I was studying Hindi language and Indian culture in general; drinking soda out of plastic cups and eating salads for lunch; and having less than eight hours of sleep a night.

21 September – 8 October, 2007: The worst three weeks of my life. I hope that I will never experience that much pain ever again.

Thinking of quitting Hindi, doing my best to adjust to it, and quitting it anyway. Getting a job, learning to be a responsible adult.

Summer 2008 - December 2009: Quitting the job. Working on my bachelor’s degree in English Linguistics. Getting a summer job. Making a thousand mistakes. Nothing special going on, really. “I’m the person I’ve always wanted to become — or, should I say, the person I always knew I was.”