London, books and nerves

Last week I was in London. Again. Not because I really wanted it (OK, that’s not entirely true), but it was time to solve my registration with their council in order to practice medicine there. So after a futile attempt to sleep, 2 hours driving and almost 3 hours flying, I was in the land of the Queen again. Had to go to have my blood tested – was really amazed how different the technique was compared to what we do at home, then I went to meet Nana (who is there for 5 months now). Since I didn’t exactly know where to go, I switched to tourist mode and started walking around, with my trusted “non detailed” map in my pocket towards Victoria Station. Since it was really early, I sat down in a park and read (“Blood and Gold” by Anne Rice), waiting for Nana to get there.

After the happy reunion, we were on our merry way towards the GMC. I was immediately seen by a consultant, all the papers were in order (well almost) – it seems that one of the documents was not acceptable, and they told me so. I got desperate – I came to London for almost nothing? What will I do? In the end they told me that if they receive an email from my supervisor, it will be OK. So, I had to give up my return flight, call my supervisor (calls in roaming are a delight to the budget) and plead for the email. After this whole “my-world-is-crashing-down-on-me” moment, with hope in my heart that it will turn out for the best, we tuned into fun-mode. We went to the movies, “The last airbender” in 3D (finally had my first 3D experience), ate at an all-you-can-eat Chinese restaurant, and basically just had a good time.

On Saturday I went to a small town, to attend the Basic Life Support class – I walked from the train station, and the people from the class were shocked (lazy people). The course was great, brought back memories from lifeguardhood. Back in London, we checked out a pizza all-you-can-eat, once again bringing back memories from when we were lifeguards. We also discovered an arcade store, where they had this dance floor game – with 4 arrows, you chose a song, and the arrows showed up on the screen…when they reached a point, you had to step on the corresponding arrow – fun times. We also went to the Tate Museum, to see an exposition – “Exposed” – the main idea was, that the subjects were unaware they were photographed. The exposition is divided in several parts – celebrity, erotica, war, surveillance, etc. It was great.

On Monday, I was at the GMC again. Once again they were very polite, analyzed my situation but when the consultant said “unfortunately…” I knew I was in for more bad news. Bottom line, I have a new trip to London looming on the horizon because of ONE paper. I was too tired to be angry. I was fed up with papers and bureaucracy. I have reached my limit. I just wanted to come home. Leaving the building, I headed to the only place I knew could make me feel better – a bookstore. And what could be more perfect than Waterstone’s? It’s a giant bookstore, stretching on 5 floors and has PLENTY of books. So I grabbed a lot of them, sat down and lost myself in the pages – travel books, fiction, fitness, arts and crafts, you name it, they have it. And it is here that I bought a book “1000 places to see before you die”. The title really appealed to me so why not? Not to mention it is pretty cool to have a travel plan. If I understood correctly, this books doesn’t present only the “must-see” places, but hidden places as well. Can’t wait to read it.

On Wednesday I flew and drove home, then crashed into bed. I had a couple of days to realize what is going on around me, and was reminded to take things slow, let them evolve at their natural pace, not to push it.

So, with a new trip coming up, I’m really looking forward to the future. Keep you posted!

Hermione’s transformation

So the other day I see this news “Emma Watson cut her hair”…it should not have been a hit because people all around the world cut their hair, but we are talking about the girl who impersonates Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter series.

So I did a bit of search and indeed I came upon the pictures  of her new do. Now, while long haired girls are my weakness, she looks smoking HOT! The short hair looks really good on her – they call it pixie-do…kinda like I imagined Alice Cullen would have in the Twilight series.

Of course now that the Harry Potter movies’ shootings have come to an end, the actors are free from their “trademark” image – although Hermione is the one whose hair hadn’t undergone major changes throughout the series.

Emma declared on her Twitter and Facebook page that she is really happy with her hair, as she feels incredible. And she does (you can see the pics here).

P.S. Soon the Deathly Hallows part 1 will hit cinemas across the world. Excited, anyone? big grin

that’s the way to shoot a commercial

to Kindle or not to Kindle

It’s 2 am, the wind outside is howling (or maybe the neighborhood dogs) and as sleep seems to evade me, my mind poses a serious question: to Kindle or not to Kindle?

What is Kindle? It’s a handy-dandy device, meant for….reading. Yes, soon the days of good old fashioned books will come to an end (I seriously hope not). So what do you do with the Kindle? Simple – you download ebooks and read. Of course it sounds simple, and I think it is. The device is very slim, can hold up to 3,500 books (depending on the memory) and is perfect for traveling.

Now, when you combine books and traveling, it’s music to my ears. The Kindle will help me lose extra weight (in my backpack, not the love handles *sigh* ) and it is said that the battery can hold up to one month, if you don’t use the Wi-Fi (did I mention it can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi? Bless its little circuits).

So, the ultimate question remains: to Kindle or not to Kindle?

Pretend – part III

He woke with a start, his mind replaying his dream, but each time a bit faded, until it made no sense. He got the message loud and clear though. He put the book on his nightstand and got up. It was morning already, the sky the same grey shade.

Going towards the theatre he went inside the coffee shop, ordered his herbal tea and sat down at the table he sat the other day. Opening his book, he tuned out the world.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”

Upon hearing this voice, his heart quickened its pace. He looked up and saw the same amazing eyes, above a smile as if an artist painted it on the most beautiful face he has ever seen.

“Angela! No, please sit down” he offered, still a bit troubled.

“Thank you. How do you know my name? asked the girl, although she didn’t seem troubled by this.

“Let’s just say it was a lucky guess” said Blake, smiling.

He was getting a second chance, and he was not willing to let it go to waste.

Stepping out into the street, he was pleasantly surprised to find the sun shining down on them.

Pretend – part II

The next morning he posted up the sign:

“Are you talented? Independent theatre looking for talented artists to star in their latest production. Be advised it is a whole new concept. Auditions will be held at “Legion Theatre”.

Even as he was setting up the announcement, the play started taking form in his head, something he felt really happy for.

The next day he was pleasantly surprised to find several young people already present at the theatre. He invited them all in and started the audition.

“Greetings everyone. As you’ve read in the announcement, we are starting a whole new production. It so happens that it’s a one man production. I am Blake, your producer, director, and fellow actor. I would like you to present yourself and I will present the idea to you”.

“Hi, I’m Cynthia and I’m from New York” said a tall blonde, whose features would have the female population of New York die of envy.

“Hi, I’m Michael and I’m from Ohio” said a tall, but slender man, who appeared in his late 20s. His attire looked like it belonged in the 70s but it was perfect for him.

“Hi all, my name is Sarah, and I’m from Arizona” a deeply tanned red head beamed at everyone.

“Hello, my name is Patrick and I’m from Boston” a well built, dark haired man said, one who could have been the quarterback for his high school.

The last person to introduce themselves made their way to the front of the stage and Blake’s heart skipped a beat. It was…

“Hi, my name is Angela and I’m from Vermont” said the crystalline voice, with her eyes sparkling as she looked at their producer.

“Great, thanks everyone” said Blake, “I’m glad we’ve got to know each other. Now, the idea is maybe new to you. I want to put on a show called “Pretend” and it’s silent theatre, meaning we have to express ourselves mainly through sign and body language. No words. Of course acting is pretending to be someone else, but I want to try to push things to the next level. Don’t just pretend to be somebody else, be somebody else. Be the character, forget yourself. It will take time, but thank God all we have is time. There is no deadline to this, only the chance to perfect it. What do you say?”

There was a slow murmur, then finally someone spoke. It was Patrick.

“So what do we have to do exactly?”

“The idea is this – relationships breaking. In today’s world we use thousands of words to express our hurt, so much in fact that nobody focuses on expressions, feelings….just words. You will be paired up according to everyday situations and relationships, then try to capture the essence of break-up. Are you up for it?”

They all agreed.

And so they got started.

First there was Patrick with Sarah. They were supposed to be dating each other for several months. They walked on the stage, hand in hand, gazing softly at each other, small smiles dancing on their faces. You could almost believe they were in love.

Blake was the only one talking, giving out simple instructions. Patrick and Sarah sat down on a blanket, and spread out the contents of a picnic basket. They enjoyed their meal, than Patrick laid down, with his head in Sarah’s lap. It was a serene sight.

Then Blake announced it is time for the break-up. In that instant Patrick’s face became sad. It happened gradually. His smile started to fade, his eyes grew more serious, his whole body language shifted. Whereas he was more relaxed, now he was stiff, almost as a board. Sarah was looking questioningly at him, surprise clearly visible on her face.

Patrick sat up, turning to Sarah, and looking at her. Slowly he stretched out his hand, his palm cupping Sarah’s cheek. His eyes spoke volumes of his love for her, but there was also a deep sadness. Sarah lay her cheek in Patrick’s hand, closed her eyes and reveled in his warmth. Then, as she looked up at him, he started shaking his head slowly, marking the impossibility of something. He withdrew his hand and hung his head. Realization swept across Sarah’s face and tears pooled in her eyes. Patrick’s face also looked distraught. He stood up, turned his back to the girl and started towards the exit. Sarah jumped up, embraced Patrick from behind and buried her head in his shoulder, in an attempt to stop him from leaving her. Patrick opened her arms gently, turned, kissed her forehead, looked once again in her teary eyes and left. Sarah crumpled on the floor, buried her face in her hands and cried silent sobs.

The audience said nothing. They were all mesmerized by the silent story in front of them.

Then it was time for Michael and Cynthia. They were a married couple, having dinner in their dining room. The atmosphere was quiet, signs of their passion long gone, content of being rocked gently in the boat of their marriage.

At Blake’s sign, the scene unfolded. Cynthia put down her fork and knife, signaling the end of her meal. She crossed her arms and looked at Michael, who was still eating. Her eyes were moving slowly across his face, as if trying to remember the man she married so long ago. Not seeing what she was looking for, her face showed her discontent. Finally Michael stopped eating and looked at his wife, smiling, silently thanking her for the delicious dinner. He did realize though that something was amiss. Her usual smile was gone and her eyes were darker. He did not know what happened. Raising his eyebrows he asked a silent question. At first Cynthia stayed in her seat, then abruptly stood up. Startled by this, Michael fell on his back. Cynthia came next to him, but not to help, rather than to look down on him, her face contorted in a mask of disgust seeing her husband a weak man. Getting up, Michael apologized with his eyes, smiling sheepishly, but it did not move Cynthia. She started towards what was the dining room door, where two suitcases were visible. She pointed to Michael, the suitcases and the door. He didn’t understand, didn’t want to understand what was going on. He tried to plead with her, reaching his arms towards her, yearning for a touch, but she extended her hand, a clear sign for him not to come near her. He stopped in his tracks, his eyes moving quickly from one point to another, as if their moves helped his mind create a decision. In the end, his face darkened, turned Cynthia toward him, and with a general sweep of his arm showed her all he gave her. She threw her arms in exasperation, as if saying material things aren’t the most important in the world. Angrily, Michael made his way to the door, picked up his suitcases, looked back one more time and left, not without letting escape a painful stare to what was his life.

“Excellent” said Blake. “You are truly gifted and I am sure the play will be a success. You really manage to send out the message I was looking for”.

The final scene included Blake and Angela. It was almost a reenactment of their encounter the other day. Blake was sitting at his table in the coffee shop, when Angela entered. She went to his table, and pointed at his seat, as if asking if it was available. He nodded and Angela sat down. Blake’s expression betrayed his excitement when they shook hands, as they introduced themselves. Angela pointed at his book, wanting to know what he was reading, which gave him the opportunity to tell the story of a young writer, still not uttering one word. It was an animated story. After the story, Angela looked at her watch and hastily got up, in order to leave. She waved good-bye then left.

Blake sat at the table for a couple of long minutes, symbolizing him waiting for her every day, at the same table. But she never came. Blake realizing this started to question his behavior. Did he do something to push her away? Was this another missed chance of companionship or perhaps….love? He was so determined of not getting hurt by anyone that he closed himself in his self made castle, feeling safe inside its impenetrable walls. He was pushing humanity away from him, and for the first time it dawned on him. He was all alone. And his heart broke in that instant.

He looked around only to see the darkness envelope Patrick and Sarah holding hands, Michael and Cynthia standing next to each other, and Angela, looking at him, the sparkles in her eyes slowly dying. The next moment all was dark, and he was standing in the middle of the stage, with the overhead light casting its cold glow upon him. Alone. All alone.

Pretend – part I

The sky was a dark grey. Has been for several days now. People hoped they would catch a glimpse of the life supporting sun, but it’s all they were left with. Hope. Even though it was dark, there was no chance for rain. The clouds simply hung on the sky, their main purpose to hide the beautiful blue roof of the world.

Blake made its way, unhurriedly through the morning crowd. People were milling like ants, each and every one prisoner of their own existence, cell phones attached to their ears, breathing automatically, running from one place to another, standing in line in coffee shops buying their charger for the day. He considered himself lucky of having 9 to 5 a job, where he would be forced to sit behind a desk and do some crazy boss’ biding.

He was a producer in a theatre. Ever since he was a child he liked to create his own plays. He made friends however, and those friends would end up in his little shows. Being an only child was a relief for him in a way – no one to interrupt him from his creative process, no one to share anything with. Of course there were times when he felt lonely, but his friends more than made up for any sibling.

On his way to work, he stopped by a little coffee shop to get his usual herbal tea. The tea was his drug. Whenever he was sad, or sick, herbal tea was the antidote. Sitting down at a nearby table, he scooped up his book from his bag and started enjoying his morning in peace.

“Excuse me, is this seat taken? Everywhere else is full” a crystal voice asked.

Blake looked up and said in a stern voice “Yes, I’m waiting for someone”.

Finishing his tea, he stepped out into the street, let the ocean of pedestrians sweep him away. He reached the desolate building which claimed to be a theatre, the faded sign reading “Legion theatre”. At this time the building is empty, as auditions were held in the early afternoon. Blake grabbed a chair and sat down in the middle of the stage. It was his favorite spot. Here he could think, he could imagine the great hall full, excited people in the audience waiting breathlessly the new play, the actors running around behind the curtains, panicked because they can’t remember their lines, or the outfits were all wrong. He craved the commotion, the yells, the applause, the music.

He sat on his chair, gazing at the overhead lamp, emptying his mind, wishing for some inspiration from a muse who might feel sorry for him. He gazed for hours on end, but the only image that came to his mind was that of Angela’s.
The floor creaked, startling him.

“Is anybody there?” asked cautiously.

“Pretend” he heard somebody whisper.

Blake looked around, but the giant room was swallowed by a dense darkness, except the light from the ceiling.
“Pretend” came the whisper again.
The entire atmosphere was beginning to feel creepy. Blake’s little hairs on his neck were prickling and an overall sense of panic overcame him. Slowly he made his way to the door and exited the building, relieved to be out in the open again.

He never realized that the time has flown by, and it was already evening.

“Great, another day of not doing anything,.” he mutered to himself and made his way towards the little studio apartment he called home.

After serving dinner, he lay down his bed, determined to read a few more chapters of his book. After reading several, the book fell on his chest, as he was already asleep, fully clothed.

Z is for zodiac

The Zodiac has different meanings, depending on the science: in astronomy – it’s the ring of constelations that lines the ecliptic (the apparent path of the Sun during a year); in astrology it represents the signs that divide the ecliptic – there’s 12 of them as you all know: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. The history of the zodiac is as old as time itself, every nation having its own stories, legends and what-not.

Each sign has a specific trait, compatibilities, a ruling planet, special stone, etc. There are people who observe the movement of the stars and draw a chart, which we call a horoscope. Now, there are also people who believe blindly in the horoscope – if it says today something bad is going to happen, they are firmly convinced it’s going to happen.

I am not a believer in these charts. If they say something good is going to happen then YEY! If not, they are not accurate ;)  It’s a way of looking at things. And, you can’t generalize them – the way these horoscopes are presented, no matter if you’re old or newborn, the same thing happens to you. And talk about vague – “today is a great time, when good fortune and luck surround you” or the ones they have no idea what they’re talking about: “Today you could organize that paint-the-house-party and have two teams . . . one for your house and one team for your sister’s house” – well, I don’t even have a sister…that’s gonna be tough!

So yes, while there are the zodiac signs, and I have no doubt about the planets’ influences over them, horoscopes will provide a great source of entertainment. At least for me! ;)

Y is for yoga, yiddish and youtube

Yoga is so much more than body twisting. For a long time I thought that’s all there is to it – you learn some fancy moves and with practice you’d be able to cross your ankles behind your head. I tried it, but being a lazy person I gave up too easily. I didn’t have the ambition to follow this path by myself. If I was to join a group it would have been a different story (like with tae bo). Of course not finding a group offers no excuse to be lazy, but the reality is, I don’t know which style is appropriate.

Naturally many skeptics think of yoga as a series of acrobatics, but there’s more to it. Yoga is discipline, physical and mental. It is dedication to knowledge, action and reflection. Its purpose is to connect the material with the immaterial, man with energy, to create totality.

Yowza is an exclamation in Yiddish. I came in contact with this fascinating language watching “The Nanny”. If you have watched the show you know that she is Jewish, and Yiddish is an old German language with Jewish origins. There are several terms in this language that sound so funny to me, and they stick: yowza, yenta (gossiper), shmuck (fool, idiot), vermischt (confused), meshugenah (crazy), yutz (stupid) and the list could go on.

YouTube. Raise your hands if you’ve never heard of youtube. This fascinating site offers an unparalleled source of entertainment – you can see videos not broadcasted normally on TV, you can post your own videos, take a trip down memory lane with songs from the good old times, watch movies and so on. Lately several companies restricted many videos, which increased the frustration levels of the viewers. But no biggie, we’ll always be fans of this handy-dandy little contraption. Stay strong and continue to entertain us! rock on

X is for X Men

I am almost positive each and every one of you, at some point in your life wished to have a superpower. I know I did. And still do. Whenever I asked somehow what kind of superpower they wished they had, almost unanimously I got the answer: the power of invisibility, so that I can sneak up on people and see if they talk about me. Come on people, get real. Don’t be so self centered. There is an easier way to know if someone is talking about you – telepathy!

Everything that’s related to the mind is OK in my book: telepathy, telekinesis. I am very fond of the supernatural, so it comes as no surprise that my favorite comics are the X-Men. They were created back in the day, in the 60s by Stan Lee  (writer) and Jack Kirby (artist). The story is simple (yeah right) – there were humans born with the mutant gene that granted them powers beyond the normal human abilities.

Cyclops shooting a highly powered optical beam from his eyes (hence the name optical), Jean Grey (once my favorite) having the power of telepathy and telekinesis, then at some point being the host of the Phoenix force, Wolverine – more of an animal than human, “equipped” with an adamantium skeleton, Rogue (touching her would be a major no-no), Storm (my favorite) who controls the elements of nature AND flies – top that! She rules, what can I say rock on

If I had the choice of a superpower I would not know which would be from telekinesis/telepathy, control of the elements or breathing under water (would make my swimming so much easier).

But alas, since I can’t have any of those powers, I settle for being entertained by my favorite superheroes via comics, animated series and wikipedia – trust me, there’s an almost endless saga of characters, powers and storylines – don’t even get me started on the alternative timelines.

W is for writing

Writing became a hobby of mine since I was a student. While I enjoyed the writings of others, I’ve never ventured onto this field. In high-school, while writing test papers, especially in literature, I would use this dormant skill to get good grades – it didn’t always work as we HAD to write down the opinion of others, instead of ours – Heaven forbid we use our brain. During my student years, even though I was studying medicine I worked for the school’s newspaper, where I tried my hand in writing articles and poems. After finishing school I had a nagging feeling that something was amiss. I decided to enroll in literature classes, with new hopes – around this time I discovered the wonderful world of creative writing. However these hopes were soon crushed, as I realized my expectations were totally different from what the school had to offer.

Writing down what I felt during different periods of my life helped me cope. There were times when I simply couldn’t express verbally what I felt, but sitting down in front of the computer the words just poured out of my mind, through my fingertips onto the screen. Words helped me in the process of healing and understanding.

This little website exists for that very reason. I want to write down what I feel, what I see, what I think. Kind of like a diary, but a more public one, one that I want to share with all my readers. Lately stories are taking place in my head, especially at night, but as soon as I wake up, the characters fade into my subconscious, ready to burst out at any moment.My creative process is a backwards mechanism – I always know how the story ends, and I build it towards the beginning. The characters change with every word, they dance in my imagination, the scenery changes with a blink of an eye – it’s a dynamic process.

I was asked why don’t I write a book. The truth is, I don’t know if I can find an idea big enough for a book. Short stories, no problem, but an entire book? Of course it would take time, after all, even Rome wasn’t built in a day. It’s a thought that’s worth considering, one that I will not give up so easily!

V is for vanilla

I love vanilla (not Milli Vanilli, even though they had a couple of good songs back in the day). No, I’m talking about the flavor – it’s sweet, but not wild.

Doing a little research I found multiple uses for vanilla:
1. ICE CREAM – while some people would consider it “plain” I LOVE vanilla ice cream; I recently found out that vanilla flavoring is used to enhance the flavor of other substances, like chocolate and caramel (HA, vanilla rules rock on )
2. in the perfume industry – now here’s a territory where I don’t really appreciate vanilla – the sweet smell gives me headaches
3. medicine – it is used sometimes as an antibacterial agent, and an anti-fever agent
4. aromatherapy – scented oils and candles.

So there you have it folks, vanilla, far from being plain. Gotta love it, I know I do!

Places I’ve been: Vatican
Places I want to see: Venice

U is for Universe

The Universe has no limits – or at least our imagination is too small compared to its limits, if it has any.

It’s comprised of stars, planets, black holes,dimensions and silence. Since the beginning of time we were preoccupied with uncovering its secrets. I am sure that even with what we know, and will know, we’ll only scratch the surface of what the Universe really is. I was always fascinated with the stars – had I not chosen the path of medicine I would have embraced the way of astrophysics. I like to watch TV programs whose themes revolve around planets, stars, galaxies, their evolution, destruction, rebirth and so on.

I know that our planet is but a speck of dust compared to the vastness of the Universe, but I can’t help but feel proud of being a part of it. Here, where I can meet so many great people, see so many wonderful things, I feel truly blessed. And yes, the saying is true – we are all connected, and we are made of stardust. Love that!

Places I’ve been: Utah (Moab)

T is for Twizzlers, Thank you and traveling

Twizzlers – the spiral candy. While I don’t think I have a sweet tooth, seeing and most importantly tasting Twizzlers sends me into orbit. The chewy candy is perfect for me, not to mention my dentist winking When I bought 2 packs of them to bring home, I was willing to leave behind clothes just so they could fit in the luggage. Unfortunately, we don’t have them in our country, but I found out they sell them in London (hopefully my next destination as “home” ). So bring on the candy, baby!

Thank you. Sadly I came to the conclusion that people aren’t as considerate as they used to be. I am sure a “Thank you” would not kill them, but many think so (just like with soap and water). Whenever you get something (not a beating, of course),get offered help, or simply have the door held open for you, it wouldn’t hurt to say “Thank you” or “10x” (the next generation). These simple words are powerful. Hell, there is even a holiday named after them – Thanksgiving, when you reflect on what you are thankful for. And I would like to take this opportunity to thank: my parents for guiding me, listening to me, enabling me to open my horizons; my friends for being there for me, during the good and bad; the internet and books, for giving me knowledge; my teachers for sharing their knowledge; the world for opening its gates for me!

Traveling has to be my favorite hobby. Though I can’t always afford to see the places I want to see, it gives me great satisfaction to see each little part of this world. I buy travel magazines, watch documentaries, dream of walking on a beach in Hawaii, stare at the Machu Picchu, feel the vibration of the cities, enjoy the beauty of nature. My life would be pretty empty without traveling, knowing there are so many amazing things out there. I don’t know if I’ll be able to see them all, but I will grab each opportunity. The world is my playground and I am ready to explore it!

S is for swimming and Starbucks

My star sign may be an Earth sign (Taurus) but I ADORE the water. Swimming is one of my favorite activities (and probably the only one sports-related). I went to the seaside for the first time when I was 15. Naturally until then, every summer I was at the outdoor swimming facilities our city had to offer. I didn’t care how cold the water was, I always wanted to stay 5 more minutes, even though my lips were turning blue. I took swimming lessons back in the day, but it didn’t stick. So at the tender age of 18, my dad taught me how to swim. I was really proud of myself, and several years later I landed a job in the US as a fine lifeguard in a waterpark – no straining activity but boy when we had to jump in – Nana and I could tell you stories winking Whenever I mentioned that I worked as a lifeguard the first question was “can you swim?”…No, I was in ankle deep water all the time – note the sarcasm!

This year I took up swimming again as part of a fitness program. And while at first I thought my lungs will be floating in the pool after 2 laps, slowly but surely I built up stamina. The second day I was hurting all over, but I didn’t care (OK, I cared but didn’t back away). This went on for about 2 months, when 3 times a week it was just me and the water (and sometimes the retards whom I had to avoid crashing into).

Starbucks is my favorite place to be (as in coffee shop). If they had Starbucks in a bookstore I would be a permanent resident winking I don’t know exactly when I had my first Starbucks coffee, but I know that I was hooked. My favorite one is the vanilla latte, and while in London I downed 2 of them – the biggest one of course, called venti. I am not much of a coffee drinker, but I do know that if I had a Starbucks near me, I would go there every day – the atmosphere is great – cushy chair, internet, great coffee – how can you not like it? You could chill, read a book, surf the internet, socialize – LOVE IT!!!!

Places I’ve been: San Francisco

Places I want to see: Scotland

R is for rain

I love the rain. Not in the fall, of course, when you curse the weather 2 ways to Sunday as the chill enters your bones. Summer rain is the best. It’s warm, pleasant, and after the sky has cleared there’s a special scent in the air, the dust is washed away and everything feels clean. I always thought the rain (and Nature itself) has a distinct personality. People think I’m weird when I tell them I like the rain, not to mention thunderstorms smug .I don’t like very hot weather, as I sweat like a whore in church, the heat makes me antsy. My perfect kind of weather – blue sky with a few fluffy clouds and the temperature a comfy 21 – 24 degrees. But I also like the dark sky, with the clouds varying from light grey to almost black, moving fast as the wind blows them away. For some time I’ve been wondering why I enjoy this type of meteorological phenomenon (fancy term for weather big grin ) – it’s because of the dynamics. When all the elements gather before the storm, there is movement. When it’s hot outside, it’s like everything is at a standstill, lifeless.

When it’s raining I sleep better. They say that rainy weather is good for sleeping, counting your money or make babies (or practice for it ). Since I’m currently single, and don’t have a lot of cash, the only option for me is sleep. Or read. Or watch a movie. Multiple options then!

My favorite songs are, naturally, Madonna – Rain, and Marius ft Giulia – *you guessed it* Rain! – it may as well be ’cause I like both chicks. And speaking of Madonna, the part of “Rain” at the concert was simply breath-taking – special effects, atmosphere, simply amazing!

Places I’ve been: Rome

Q is for questions and quests

Our whole life is ruled by questions. From the moment we start speaking coherently, there is the ever-present “Why?”…Some questions will be met by appropriate answers, some will not. I realized recently that people don’t know how to answer questions. For instance, when I ask my students a question, they start from Adam and Eve, instead of giving me the straight answer.

So far my favorite questions are: “why do I have to go to work today?” *enter morning scene when the bed is soooo inviting*, “what is the meaning of life?” – I am not even sure somebody knows the answer to this one, “why does Kanye West think he’s talented?” and “why do people *as in teenage girls* find Edward attractive?”

Quests are journeys towards a certain goal. We all know about the heroes who embark on different quests: to save the princess *and marry them in the end, however nobody speaks about what happens after that – do royal pairs attend marriage counseling I wonder?*, to find the Holy Grail *only for it to disappear, never to be seen again*, to escape dangers, to retrieve whatever object that is lost, etc.

We may not be heroes or princes, but we also embark on a quest – to boldly go where no one has gone before – I was a Star Trek fan !
We discover new things, new places, flavors, people – and all this spices our lovely little lives big grin

P is for plans, pancakes and puppies

Plans. We are always planning something – the days to study for an exam, a trip, our whole lives practically. And boy do we get ticked off if things don’t go “according to plan”. We never stop to realize there is a reason for everything, and sometimes those plans could lead us in a total different direction. For instance, I planned back in December to go for a vacation in the States this summer. Needless to say it won’t happen. A lot of things happened that made me realize the potential of other events. I had the money to travel, but instead I helped out my mom when she really needed it, which gave me a great feeling. Also, I went to London for a couple of days, which was a turning point for me. Do I regret not going to the States this summer? I might, but there is no point. It is much more fun creating alternative plans than to feel sorry for those that didn’t come through.

Pancakes. I love them. Pure and simple. I’ve only heard about them until I got to good old Dells back in ‘03. When I got my first taste, I was hooked. They are so different from the ones my mom makes. They are fluffier, thicker…they’re undescribable. And you can imagine my infinite joy last summer when I stumbled upon pancakes for breakfast while vacationing in Turkey. Pancakes? Sure. Chocolate cream? Don’t mind if I do. I know they can be bad for your shape, but WHO CARES? There should be pancakes in Heaven. Hmmm, maybe there are!

Puppies are the cutest animals alive. Don’t argue with me, they are. Even cat lovers admit it. There is nothing more adorable than a puppy. Especially when they look at you with those soulful eyes (they don’t call them puppy eyes for nothing winking ). My favorite puppies are the West Highland White Terriers (Westies for short). I don’t honestly know why. Maybe because they’re white, cute, playful, sleep a lot. But whenever I see them, I want one. At some point I almost got one, but due to my crazy schedule, I thought better about it and declined. It would have been torture for the little guy and I am not a person who tortures (even unintentionally) other living being. But as you all know, no family is complete without a puppy, so I still have a shot! Wish me luck!

Places I want to see: Paris

O is for oh so many things

O is a really pretty letter. First of all it’s round…ish. Second it serves as a means to express surprise, by itself, or as part of the well known OMG (oh my God, to you non-connaisseurs).

O is also the start of several elements: orchids – beautiful flowers, which I’ve come to learn can be found almost everywhere, apart from glaciers and desserts (talk about spreading). I happen to like orchids as their colors are beautiful (my personal favorite is the purple one) and their flowers are lasting. O also stands for Oriental (or Eastern). I’ve always been fascinated with oriental culture (though I don’talways agree with their culinary choices – scorpions in Vietnam for instance), some oriental religions (buddhism really appeals to me), oriental art.

Another big “O” stands for orgasm – now I don’t have to tell you about it, you’ve read/heard about it, hopefully even experienced quite a few of them ;)

O is also for owl – I am fascinated with these birds as they are told to be very wise, also in modern culture it is said that if an owl cries next to a house, somebody is expected to die. Creepy! My favorite owl is Hedwig (Harry Potter anyone winking )

O is for open – to reach our maximum we need to keep open a lot of things, most importantly our eyes and minds.

So there you have it. The roundy of the alphabet!

N is for new

New by definition is the opposite of old (aren’t I the genius one tongue ). Since we are born, we encounter new things – as a child you discover the world around you, each step brings something new, you see a new face, a new toy. Then as you grow you change environments – from kindergarten to school, which is a whole new world in itself. Each day you learn something new (provided you pay attention to what your teacher says tongue ), again see new people. Adult live brings the same pattern – work, friends, partners. And as you become a parent yourself, your child will bring a whole lot of “new”s into your life.

Television brings something new all the time – the daily news (a very appropriate name). Books provide new ways to escape reality – science fiction, adventure, horror. They show you a new side of your personality, understand new feelings. New clothes bring you a rush, give you confidence. So you see, “new” is all around (kind of like love and stupidity). Problems can be solved if you get a new perspective, a new TV show provides entertainment (or annoy the heck out of you), traveling shows you more “new”, creates adventures.
So, in order to escape boredom, embrace the new. Do something that will make you say “Hey, this is new for me!” The experience will be awesome. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Places I’ve been: New Orleans
Places I want to see: Nepal

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