The Munchkin's island

Question galore meme (all three parts)

2011-10-23T10:52:00.003+03:00

1. Is there someone in your life you know you’d be better off without?
Not really, no.

2. Do you get criticized because of your body?
I used to. By Kiwi. It took me a long time, but I learnt to accept myself.

3. Did you kiss the last person you called?
I haven’t kissed anyone in absolute ages.

4. When was the last time you danced?
Few days ago.

5. Do you keep in mind other people’s feelings?
To be frank, I probably do it much more than they deserve.

6. If you have a hang nail, do you pull it or clip it?
I keep my fingernails short (lord knows why, I haven’t got laid in ages), so it doesn’t really happen to me.

7. Who do you want to forget?
I would just like to forget as easily as most people seem to do.

8. Who was the last person to send you a letter?
A proper one? My friend Rozovaya. Two years ago, if I’m not mistaken.

9. Who did you last tell to shut up?
My pupils. But I did it in Spanish. Heh.

10. What’s the last thing that you smelt that smelt bad?
Well, yesterday I was on the train, very late. It was last Friday before half term and I’ve been to the pub with a few colleagues. I was on my last train and since it’s only for two stops I was standing. Guy next to me seems really tired. Puts his head on the doors. At some point I hear a weird noise and realise he’s started to throw up very quietly. I had to jump over the sick to get off the train. Didn’t smell that great. At all.

11. What’s your favorite cereal?
Chocolate rice pops.

12. How do you feel when people lead you on, but they don’t even like you?
It hasn’t happened so often for me to form an opinion of it.

13. Could you live without sunlight?
Well a recent study demonstrates that we have special receptors in our eyes that react to daylight and especially to blue skies, and according to it we need exposure to that kind of light frequency to function properly. Just sayin’.

14. What’s something you know is bad, but you want to do it anyway?
Smoking. I just like it.

15. What was the last thing you lied about?
I don’t lie.

16. Do you regret anything you’ve done in the past week?
I don’t think in terms of regret.

17. What was the last movie you bought?
Ahm… maybe Secretary? Like in 2006?

18. What is a sport you would like to do?
Karate. Or Judo.

19. When was the last time you felt like crying?
I’m a big softie. I cry easily in front of my TV shows.

20. Have you ever wanted to kill someone (not that you actually do it)?
No. Killing is wrong.

21. What was the last song you listened to that wasn’t sung in English?
Being non-English, I listen to non English music all the time. It was probably “Rise” by Origa, which is partly sung in Russian.

22. One of our SS players generally leaves a critical comment on our memes. Which is fine. All's fair. Do you let meme authors know when you hate their memes?
I rarely comment, to be fair.

23. What TV show would you like to be on?
Being Human. Good stuff.

24. What was the last video game you played?
I don’t play videogames.

25. Have you ever been in a musical? If yes, do tell.
Yes. Sung in Jesus Christ Superstar in High school. I was one of the leapers.

26. Do you follow your own style or everyone else’s?
My own.

27. What’s the last store you bought from?
The Cooperative. I wanted pizza.

28. In retrospect, have you ever let a person use you a lot?
Hell yes. I make it incredibly easy, too.

29. What are you doing two days from now?
Sweet FA!!!

30. Did you ever believe there were monsters in your closet?
No, I believed there were wolves under my bed.

31. When you graduated high school, did you let random people sign your yearbook or just close friends?
We don’t have yearbooks in Italy.

32. Would you consider adopting a child that had a mental illness?
I have to be honest, no.

33. Does thinking about death scare you?
I don’t waste my time fretting about inevitable things.

34. If you died, do you believe that you go to Heaven or Hell and where would your spirit go?
When (not if), I die, I believe I will be reincarnated because the concept of Heaven and Hell (or spirit), doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.

35. Who did you last write a snail mail letter to and why?
You know what, it was such a long time ago I don’t remember.

36. Do you care what people say or think about you?
I do. And I don’t. That is, I rationally know it’s not important (not counting obvious exceptions like the professional opinion my boss has of me), but somewhere inside my silly autistic brain I fret about it a lot. Weird. Or maybe not.

37. Have you ever been threatened?
No.

38. Which side of your family do you get most of your qualities from?
My dad’s. I hope. My mum is ace, but her family is not.

39. What was the last thing with alcohol that you drank?
Wine.

40. Have you ever kept a relationship a secret?
No.

41. What is a quote that you love?
It will never happen that the prayer of a votary of the Lotus Sutra will remain unanswered.

42. Do you think of pure hate as something humanity created?
I never thought about it this way. I think it’s a product of our fundamental darkness, so in a way, I agree.

43. When was the last time you wanted to scream?
Yesterday, in front of one of my classes.

44. Do you ever at times see the world in black and white?
UBERLOL. I almost always do.

45. Have you ever thought that cell phones are too obtrusive?
Yes. But they are also useful.

46. In your life, where do you think the rainbow will end?
Rainbows are caused by the reflection of light in the water particles. They don’t end anywhere.

47. What is something that you never want to do again?
I’m not too keen on getting really, really drunk.

48.When was the first time you realized the world was small?
Probably when I went to the north of Italy and I found someone who graduated in my same university back in Sicily. Or when I went to my first buddhist course in London and I met a woman who regularly came to my house in Sicily and knew me as a child.

49. How you spend your time contemplating life’s mysteries?
This question is phrased in a silly way.

50. Ever discuss your political beliefs with people?
Sure, why not.

51. Do you care about the environment?
Yes.

52. What’s your motto for life?
Same as my favourite quote.

53. Is progress destroying the beauty of the world?
Too complicated to talk about this.

54. Do you believe there is life somewhere else in the universe?
Statistically it’s impossible that life is only here.

55. Would you like to rule a country?
No. I’m happy ruling my own life.

56. Do you believe everything has a purpose?
Of course.

57. Is war ever for the best?
No. Never. Ever. Ever.

58. Could you kill anyone in defense of self or loved ones?
That’s the sort of question you can only answer if you’ve been in that position. You can't predict what the adrenaline will do to you.

59. How do you react to people (Such as Governor Rick Perry) who don't believe global warming is really our fault?
I don’t know Rick Perry and haven’t heard his arguments. Normally I would listen to what a person say and deliberate if it makes sense. In this case it probably doesn’t.

60. Does love conquer all?
Love is really, really overrated.

61. Is euthanasia morally acceptable?
Of course it it.

62. Is world peace impossible?
No. It is possible. It depends on every human being rejecting the poisons of greed, anger and stupidity.

63. Is pride a good or a bad thing?
Feelings in themselves are not good or bad. Actions are.

64.What do you think is the purpose of your life?
Being happy.

65. Do you believe in karma?
Sure I do. You must have leaned from the stuff I said before that I’m a devout buddhist.

Long time no blog...

2011-01-08T22:23:00.000+02:00

A PGCE means a lot of things. It means being a student again, doing lots of work, meeting loads of people. Some of them people are in the same mess as you. Some of them are half your age (BUT STILL TALLER), some adorable, some annoying.
But mainly a PGCE means not having time for anything that is not:
- school
- school
- planning lessons
- school
- writing essays
- school
- school
- sleeping (sometimes)

Which pretty much means no blogging. Anyhoo. Two or three people were actually reading my shtuff, so why not putting in a little effort?

LET'S DO SOMETHING COMPLETELY NEW AND SHOCKINGLY OUT OF CHARACTER!!!!
(... a meme... shhh)

A is for Age: 25

B is for Beer of choice: Carlsberg (the three times a year I actually drink)

C is for Career: high school teacher

D is for favourite Drink: coca cola

E is for Essential item you use everyday: lip balm

F is for Favourite song at the moment: a draw between 'Ramalama bang bang' and 'Mount Wroclai'

G is for favourite Game: the serpent dance! (scout stuff... you can't understand)

H is for Home town: Aethnaville

I is for Instruments you play: my voice

J is for favourite Juice: pineapple/banana/coconut smoothie

K is for Kids: I have enough with the ones I teach

L is for Last kiss: N is for Next question

M is for marriage: ma mancu motta (Sicilian for: no way)

N is for full Name: Ewa Munchkin

O is for Overnight hospital stays: only once when I was three, not sure for how long. Both my eardrums were perforated.

P is for phobias: needles, crossing the road

Q is for quote: Quot linguas calles, tot homines vales.

R is for biggest Regret: none

S is for sports: cricket and softball (once upon a time), yoga and bellydance (are they even classed as sports?)

T is for Time you wake up: 6 am T.T

U is for colour of underwear: well it depends

V is for Vegetable you love: honest, everything apart from butternut squash

W is for Worst Habit: smoking

X is for X-rays you've had: none that I know of

Y is for Yummy food you make: I've been told that everything I make is perfect

Z is for zodiac sign: Leo

This is my entry for:

The Sunday Stealing Player's meme

2010-09-12T23:44:00.001+03:00

1. :::sniff, sniff::: Is the dog in the house?
Nah, this is a cat house.

2. What is the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Ewa, if you don’t like this situation, you have the power to change it, if you don’t change it, it means you don’t want to, so stop buggering me (my dad, when I was about nine years old)

3. What's the worst experience you've ever had involving alcohol?
A beer shower in my last night in L’pool. Not only I didn’t get to drink the beer, but I was freezing.

4. What's the worst thing you've ever done to another person?
I don’t know. My usual problem is that I’m too nice.

5. Who do you think started the concept of memes?
The Big Brother. A way to keep us lowlives occupied in petty occupations AND know what we think about stuff. Yessss

6. Give a song title or line that describes how you are feeling right now.
Ha! I got it! Small blue thing, by Suzanne Vega. Lovely.

7. What's your favorite search engine? Yahoo!, Google, Ask, Bing? or something else?
Google.

8. If Paul is the Cute One and John is the Smart One and George is the Quiet One and Ringo is the Funny One, which Beatle are you?
Well, defo NOT George. Let’s say John.

9. The democratic government decides that, not only do we have to share our money with people who choose not to work, we also have to share our children with those who do not want to ruin their bodies with being pregnant. Which child do you give up?
I don’t have any children. And I find this question stupid to say the least.

10. When should you procrastinate - now or later?
Witty bastard.

11. What is your favorite fast food?
Depends. Are you talking of the food you eat during fast?

12. What was your favourite game as a child?
Walking around the room talking to myself. And I’m NOT kidding.

13. Why terrible twos have to be terrible
No idea. In Italy four or five is considered the worst age.

14. Describe your favorite family member.
Well, my parents.

15. What does your favorite breakfast consist of?
Milk with cereals (rice puffs are nice) and a lot of coffee.

16. What food is better the day after it was made?
TIRAMISÙ!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But also parmigiana. *drools*

17. What was your last big purchase?
Probably my bedlinen (15 quid or something).

18. When was the last time you kissed someone and really enjoyed it?
Oh, dear. More than a year ago.

19. Why are there memes?
Read #5

20. Describe yourself using two words that rhyme. (i.e. fuddy-duddy)
Ok, here’s an experiment. Oh, you who come to comment, would you do that? Describe me in, etc, etc? Ta.

21. If you were given the option of a "do-over" in life .. would you take it?
As in doing someone over?

22. What movie makes (or has made) you cry? What touched you about it?
Bambi. God, I cry like a fountain when the mother is killed. *sniff*

23. What is one big mistake that you did in your life? And what did you do to make it right?
I don’t think in terms of mistakes. You can always create value out of things. Unless you are a sociopath, that is.

24. When Life Gives You Lemons, What Do You Do With Them?
Lots of things. Squeeze them and use the juice, burn them to perfume the room, hell I can even use them (with the aid of a pumice), to get rid of body hairs.

25. How different are you in real life as compared to the online identity you have created for yourself?
Not much.

26. Do you know what your parents would have named you if you had been born the opposite sex?
Hell yes. Jacopo (pronounced Yah-koh-poh). *pukes* One more reason to be happy I’m a woman.

This is my entry for:

Ginger AKA Gatto

2010-09-12T23:23:00.002+03:00

As you know, I've just moved to a new house in London, and I'm about to start my PGCE. Tomorrow!!! Wowee!!! This, of course, means that I will have no free time to speak of, and my blog will probably curl up and die by the time I'll be a qualified teacher.

Nevertheless, I will share with you some pics of my roommate.

He was pretty annoyed to find his room occupied by me, but was also very happy when he discovered that alien, strange presence on my his bed: the duvet!

This is my entry for:

The majorly personal meme - Part the last

2010-09-05T13:29:00.007+03:00

Read part one.

41. What are your plans for this weekend?
Studying, relaxing, watching True Blood and Dexter, batch-cooking for the week, visiting friends.

42. Do you think someone might be thinking poorly about you? Why might that be?
Possibly. And why should I care, exactly?

42. What features don't you have that you would like on your cell?
Lemme check. Can I call people? Check. Can I send texts? Check. Can I save numbers? Check. What else do you need?

43. How many people can comfortably sleep in your bed?
One. Me. But I can always make room for a cute redhead.

44. What are you hoping happens by the end of 2010?
I hope my parents will find a house and my grandparents will move in with them. So I will have my whole family back in Sicily for Christmas.

45. What was the last video you watched on YouTube?
Pendulum, ‘Witchcraft’.

46. Would you ever agree to an open relationship with someone?
No. I’ve done it in the past and it’s not for me. However I’m not judgmental of people who do it.

47. Is there something that you could never give up?
Buddhism.

48. Would you, (or did you) prefer a small, intimate wedding reception, or a big-scale, over-the-top reception?
I’m not married. If, and when, I’d rather have an intimate one.

49. What’s bothering you right now?
Nothing really.

50. Do you hate anyone?
I’ve answered that question already. Read my blog.

51. What were you doing at 12 am last night?
God, how do I hate the 12-hour clock.

52. Was this summer a good one? How warm was it where you live?
It was alright. I was in L’pool being paid to learn French. Weather was brilliant most of the time.

52. Is the last person you kissed before your current situation mad at you?
Ok now. I do NOT have a current relationship and fail to understand why should you assume I have one. That said. The last person I kissed was Plump-cheeks, and after supremely pissing me off, now that I’m back to Londinium is acting again like a friend. Bah.

53. Can a man and woman be friends without having feelings for each other?
Can people write meme questions that have not been written (and answered) tons of times before?

54. Do you think long distance relationships work? If you’ve had one, tell us about it.
No, I don’t think they work. Yes, I’ve had one (with Kiwi). It sucks. Not worth it.

55. Do you know why it’s called “Random Boredom“?
Because it’s a random variety of boredom?

56. Do you thing that it’s always the man’s responsibility to initiate sex?
Ok, read my lips: I.am.a.lesbian. Now what was the question again?

57. Have you ever made love while you were in the same room with another couple?
Hell no. Privacy, anyone?

58. Tell us the best thing about your current or most recent S/O.
Blargh, it was too long ago.

59. Tell us the worst thing about your current or most recent S/O.
Ditto. (well, to be honest I’d have plenty of things to say here, but since I can’t be bothered to remember the good parts, it’s unfair on him to just answer this one)

60. Would you write one question in today’s comments so that we could have our followers allow us to steal their questions? We’ll need at least 15.
Dunno.

This is my entry for:

Beautiful Freya

2010-08-29T01:24:00.001+03:00

Freya. One of the cutest, loveliest cats I've ever had. This picture is very old (Freya is no longer with us... T.T).

As uncredible as it sounds, this was taken by me with a mobile phone. I couldn't believe it either when I saw the result :)

This is my entry for:

The majorly personal meme - Part first

2010-08-28T23:59:00.003+03:00

A’right! Long time no hear. In case anybody is interested, I have not fell off the face of the Earth. I moved. Yup. I left good ol’ L’pool and came back to my beloved Londinium. Or better, to something that albeit still called Londinium bears little resemblance to my beloved. Things that happen when you move from the West to the East.

I’m now based in a nice little room in a nice little house in a VERY Indian neighbourhood. None of my flatmates is an English native speaker (I’ve only met three of them yet). They look sound enough but not the type of person you can enjoy a beer with if you know what I mean?

Right now I’m a little torn. On the one hand, I’m not that keen on some things. Like, the house is in this couple’s name, and at times I feel like a guest (for example they occupy most of the storage space in the kitchen), they are sometimes a bit anal (I came back home one day and my shoes were soaked, so I left them in the vestibule and run to get changed. The guy came to very nicely ask me to keep them in my room. Hm?).

On the other hand, of course I can’t feel at home since I moved four days ago, I’m on holiday so a bit bored, and I will probably appreciate the slight lack of social life in the house when I’ll be in the middle of my PGCE with loads of things to do and no distractions allowed. I loved living in L’pool with the Man and Sourir to bits, I never felt alone, never came back to an empty house (well, almost), and never felt I had to tiptoe around the place I was paying to live in, but at the same time the house was a pit at most times and I could enjoy the company only because had loads of free time (the academic part of my French course was ridiculously easy for me). Plus, here we have a cat.

Anyway, I’ll see how it goes. On Tuesday I’ll start my course and hopefully next week I’ll also find a Buddhist district.

So, back to my favourite meme. I missed part one last week (bad girl, very very bad girl), so I’ll do both today.

1. Are you happier now than you were five months ago?
Nah, I’m always happy. That’s buddhist for you.

2. Have you ever slept in the same bed with anyone that you shouldn't have?
Well. This kind of implies regret, and I’m not one to regret things. So, no.

3. Can you sleep in total darkness?
How can you sleep otherwise?

4. Your phone is ringing. It’s the person you fell hardest for, the one who got away, what do you say?
Ahm. Nobody like that at the mo. But I guess I would go for: ‘Hi, this is Ewa’

5. What do you think about the weather this summer?
In L’pool it was ok. Mostly great, in fairness.

6. How many people do you trust with everything?
Two, my parents.

7. What was the last thing you drank?
Water.

8. Is there anyone you want to come see you?
A cute redhead.

9. Name one thing you love about winter?
Drinking a cup of tea in the warmth of my room.

10. Have you ever dated a Goth?
Nah. But I dressed like one for a little while.

11. What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
Oooh, tomorrow is packed, man. Buddhist meeting, getting my butsudan back, than a friend’s leaving party. Which means I’ll probably enshrine my Gohonzon on Monday, but I’m not sure.

12. Name something you dislike about the day you’re having?
I haven’t really met anyone and probably slept too much.

13. What's the longest that you have committed to one person and one person only?
Two years. Ish.

14. What’s the first thing you did when you opened your eyes today?
I went to take my medication.

15. Has anyone ever told you they never want to ever lose you?
Not in so many words.

16. Is there anybody that you wish you could fix your relationship with?
Well, knee-jerk reaction, yes, a couple of people. But then I think that if we’ve fallen out there ought to be a reason (a mystical one if you get me), so at the end, no.

17. Could you go out in public, looking like you do now?
Arm, not really. I’m only wearing an oversize tee and panties.

18. Do you think things will change in the next 3 months? How?
Fuck yes. Three months from now I will be in the middle of my first teaching placement (which means I will have no free time to speak of), but I will also have met loads of people (all the people on my course, my new district… who knows, maybe someone from the LGBT society).

19. Do you believe that you never know what you got until you lose it?
Nah. No regrets, remember?

20. Do you have a friend of the opposite sex you can talk to?
Yep.

21. If you were to live your life without your best friend, what would change?
I don’t have A best friend. I have a few selected ones and I don’t wish to lose any of them.

22. Tell us about an era of your life that you really miss.
See #19

23. Have you ever been betrayed by someone that came as a complete surprise? Without revealing the person, if yes, tell us about it.
Hell yes. More than once. Always the same pattern. Someone suddenly decides they hate me for no apparent reason. Lately I’ve been allowing myself to think that maybe it’s only jealousy. Maybe.

24. Do you ever think that is a good idea to hide your feelings?
No way. No fucking way.

25. Tell us about your favourite year when you were a student.
I hated every single year as a compulsory education student and adored every single one as a university student.

25. When was the last time you were in a very good mood? What caused it?
My teacher at the end of the French course said he couldn’t imagine me not being in a good mood. Weird.

26. Have you ever had a romantic relationship with a sibling of a good friend?
No.

27. Tell us about the last thing that you did that you truly regret.
Paganini non ripete.

28. When did you laughed today?
I had a lot of fun watching pictures of horrible mistakes in the Italian language. Hilarious.

29. Do you trust easily?
I used to. Not anymore. I don’t trust anybody.

30. What do you care about that you wish more people would?
Being nice to people.

31. Is it easier for you to go without food or go without sleep?
Not really.

32. What non-alcohol beverage do you enjoy drinking the most?
Coke.

33. When you walk into a room full of strangers, generally how is your confidence?
Average.

34. Does talking about sex with anyone but your lover make you uncomfortable?
Bwahaha! I talk about sex all the time (or so they tell me).

35. Do you tend to believe members of the opposite sex mostly behave the same way?
There are certain patterns.

36. Did you drink any alcohol this week? If yes, what?
No.

37. Would you ever consider being a vegetarian?
I AM a vegetarian. Or at least I try.

38. Do you believe that there’s always room in your heart for someone?
Of course.

39. Do you believe in the concept of soul mates?
Nah. Love has to be built and nurtured every day.

40. Last week, we had a few players criticize our victim’s questions. Which is fine to do and we value your opinion. Would you ever consider writing questions for Bud and me to post on a Sunday Stealing?
Well, I could try.

Read part two.

This is my entry for:

Ukrainian cats

2010-08-14T22:08:00.002+03:00

We are pleased to present the first contestant: Razor-eye, advocate of an alliance between humans and felins.

And her robust opponent, the more conservative Whiskers of Doom, who fights for the superiority of the feline race.

Let the deadly fight begin!

This is my entry for:

The crafty fifty meme - part two

2010-08-14T09:02:00.001+03:00

Read part one.

26. What do you normally smell like?
Deodorant.

27. Do you like Carrie Underwood?
I’m not that crazy about her. She may say insightful things, but she’s also superficial, obsessed with clothes and men, unable to plan her future...

28. Been to “The Vegas”?
No.

29. How far away do you live from your parents?
About 3000 km.

30. Are you happy with your job?
I will be happy soon as I get one.

31. Where do you work and what do you do there?
I am a student teacher.

32. What did you get in the mail today?
Nothing.

33. How do you like your steak cooked?
I’m a vegetarian.

34. Britney Spears…is she back?
Do I care?

35. What do you usually order at Taco Bell?
Never been there in my life.

36. Have you ever sat all the way through Gone With the Wind?
I don’t think so.

37. Have you ever been to Mt Rushmore?
Wut?

38. Is it just me, or was The Marine (w/John Cena) a really horrible movie?
Never saw it.

39. Are surveys like the cocaine of myspace?
That’s a bit random.

40. Where is your favorite place (that you have actually been to)?
The Albert Dock in Liverpool

41. What is your favorite candle scent
Wax.

42. Do you believe places can really be haunted?
Nah.

43. Do you smoke cigarettes?
Yep. But I roll my own.

44. Have you ever been to NYC or LA?
I have never been to the USA. Or outside of Europe, for that matter.

45. How many states have you been to where all you saw was the airport?
Ok, this is getting too USA-centric for me. Let’s reformulate with ‘countries’. And it would be two: Spain and Germany.

46. Do you think 50 questions is enough?
More than enough if they are silly USA-centric questions.

47. Are you currently planning a trip?
Two. I have to move back to London in eight days and I will go and visit my family in Sicily for Christmas. But actually I’m not planning them, I’ve already booked everything.

48. Is Ryan Seacrest gay? Should anyone care?
For goodness’ sake, who cares if someone is gay or not? (unless we are talking about cute redheads, than I care, enormously.)

49. Do you take anti-depressants? Sleeping pills?
Nah. When I’m depressed I chant or do some yoga.

50. What do you think about space travel?
Nothing in particular.

This is my entry for:

tired...

2010-08-13T23:17:00.000+03:00

1. Music is the one thing I decided never to study in order not to get in competition with the rest of my family.

2. Chanting with a good cup of coffee is what I like first thing in the morning.

3. The first thing I said this morning was: f*cking hell...

4. Sandwich with potato frittata and homemade carrot chutney; it's what's for dinner tonight.

5. It's all been well and good today, until I got my most stupid desire frustrated once again. once again, instead of having my efforts aknowledged, I got snapped at in front of everybody. It's not effing fair.

6. Crying is what I feel like doing right now (but I won't, because that will make fundamental darkness win, and ef me I'm not letting it).

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching the rest of True Blood, tomorrow my plans include doing Lilac! And Sunday, I want to find "l'armo" to do my presentation for Tuesday.

(PS: I'm not delusional or a lunatic, there's a lot of buddhist talk here :))

This is my entry for:

More Romanian cats!

2010-08-07T21:26:00.003+03:00

These were taken during a trip to Bucharest earlier on this year. Me and my friend saw this reeeeeally cute cat.

The minute we tried to approach her, she started running...

Apparently really interested in something lying there...

... her lunch!

This is my entry for:

The crafty fifty meme - part one

2010-08-07T10:17:00.002+03:00

1. Introduce yourself.
Read the about me section.

5. Did you ever get into a bar and drink before you were 21?
Well, yeah, considering we don’t have legal drinking age in Italy.

6. What countries have you been to?
Sicily, Northern Italy (I’m messing here, they’re not officially countries), UK, Greece, Portugal, France, the Ukraine, Romania.

7. Do you watch MTV anymore?
I don’t watch TV.

8. What do you think about Oprah
Oo-praah. Never seen her show in my life.

10. You need a new pair of jeans: what store do you go to first?
The charity shop. Which would also be the ONLY shop.

11. Did you ever watch The O.C.?
I may have watched ten minutes of it.

12. What kind of car do you drive
I don’t drive.

13. Honestly, is that car insured?
Honestly, I don’t have one.

14. Do you like sushi?
Sometimes.

15. Have you ever been to Tiffany & Co. or Saks 5th Ave?
No.

16. Did your parents spoil you growing up?
No, they were (and are) great parents.

17. Do you like roller coasters?
They are not good for me.

18. What magazine(s) do you buy regularly or subscribe to?
None.

19. Do you remember the old WB show “Popular”?
Actually, yes. I used to watch it because I liked the brunette protagonist. But then it became too weird for me.

20. When you go out do you prefer to go to a dance club or to a bar?
I hate dance clubs with a passion. A nice English pub makes me happy.

21. What do you think about gay marriage?
What do you think I think?

22. Who do you think will be the next president?
The next president of what? USA and the world are not synonyms.

23. Are you registered to vote?
In Italy, yes, but now I have to register to vote as an Italian abroad.

24. Do you own an iPad?
No.

25. Is your bathroom filled with beauty stuff?
No.

Read part two.

This is my entry for:

Parisian Graffiti

2010-08-02T19:33:00.001+03:00

It will come as a surprise to those who've been here before, but I like graffiti. Shocking, I know. This piece of awesomeness is in Paris, somewhere in the Marais, the gay area of the city.

This is my entry for:

the 28 question meme

2010-08-01T01:02:00.001+03:00

1. Was your dad named after anyone?
No

2. What do you think is the minimal age to get married?
I honestly don’t know. What I know is that I’m (nearly) 25 and don’t feel ready for it.

3. What’s the longest time that you‘ve been involved with the same person?
Nearly two years and a half.

4. What actor/actress do you consider hot at the moment?
Cecile de France!!!!! She is HAWTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. What is you favorite album by a band?
I rarely care about albums. Or bands. Just songs.

6. What is your favorite album by an individual artist?
Ditto.

7. What is something that you‘d rather be a bit dirty?
Language. But that’s a fucking badly constructed sentence.

8. What was the last TV show that you watched?
World’s strictest parents. Addicted to the thing.

9. How many people have you met from the blogosphere? Who are they?
None so far.

10. What's your philosophy on life?
Read my blog.

11. Do you think prescription drugs are over prescribed?
It really depends on the country. Certainly not in Italy. In Romania, yes. Don’t really know about the UK, but I’d say no.

12. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
If it wasn’t my secret to tell, yes. And if it was my secret to tell, then it would be my bloody business, wouldn’t it?

13. What is your favorite memory in the last year?
It’s probably one of my days out with Sourire.

14. What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
Memes. Stupid games on Facebook. Hell, Facebook.

15. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
… I posed this question to my flatmates… it triggered an endless conversation.

16. You can have three wishes (for yourself, so forget all the 'world peace etc' malarky) - what are they?
Loads of money. So I can buy a house for my parents and pamper them the way they deserve it. A girlfriend. A cat.

17. Who would you want to get together with and make a cake?
The German assistant of my school.

18. Which country is your spiritual home?
I feel at home in the UK. Lord knows why.

19. What is your big weakness?
I have the unreasonable expectation that adults should act as adults and be consistent.

20. Do you think Judd Corizan is a good person?
Who the hell is that?

21. What was your best/favorite subject at school?
Art.

22. Describe your accent:
Italian when I speak English, Sicilian when I speak Italian. But not very strong.

23. If you could change anything about yourself, would you?
I would add the ‘fuck that’ function. Honest, where the hell is that?

24. What do you wear to sleep?
Pajamas?

25. What is your favorite casual outfit to wear?
Jeans and t-shirt.

26. Do you use cigarettes or alcohol?
I smoke, but I don’t drink that much.

27. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together? (If you have no idea, just say something crazy, it'll entertain me!)
You first.

28. Rate the memes that you play generally. Use any scale or just in order.
Can’t be bothered.

This is my entry for:

My first Friday fill.in

2010-07-30T19:50:00.001+03:00

And...here we go!

1. I'm going to leave Paris tomorrow.

2. I am usually too lazy for adventure and daring.

3. Perhaps today you can make it a point not to piss me off because I haven't slept enough.

4.Although I am indeed too lazy, I usually act as if I had a true adventurer’s spirit.

5. Compassion is the most important thing, as long as it's big compassion and not little compassion (Buddhist concept, think about the difference between giving a starving man a fish and giving him a fishing rod)

6. I will always conquer my fears no matter how difficult.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going out for a last meal together with my classmates in Paris, tomorrow my plans include going back to Liverpool and sleep for the entire day! and Sunday, I want to do the laundry, homework and cooking some nice veggie food for a change.

This is my entry for:

Liverpool Graffiti

2010-07-26T21:35:00.001+03:00

If you've read my blog before, you'll know I love graffiti. These pictures were taken during one of many days out with my lovely French flatmate, qui me manque beaucoup T.T. I'm still thinking about a name for her... mumble... could be Sourire because she smiles a lot, also, it's very similar to the word for mouse (souris). I'm not sure about English, but in Italian 'little mouse' (topolino) is a term of endearment, and she reminds me soooo much about a little cute mouse! Ok, done. Next picture.

These two were one in front of the other on the opposite sides of a road next to Chinatown. I especially love the first one.

This is my entry for:

Meme of many odd questions - part 3

2010-07-24T23:32:00.002+03:00

Read part one.

Read part two.

45. Favorite colour?
It’s easier to talk about the colours I don’t like. The fake ones, the ones that are not full and natural.

46. Have you ever slapped someone?
Yep. Kiwi.

47. Is your hair curly?
Nah, straight as spaghetti.

48. What was the last CD you bought?
Oh my, it was so long ago I forgot.

49. Do looks matter?
Let’s be honest, yes. But for me it’s more a case of taking care of yourself (you know, wearing clean clothes, have clean hair, well trimmed fingernails…) and maybe have a little bit of an original, personal style, something I can associate with that person, rather than being conventionally beautiful or slim or following fashion, etc, etc...

50. Could you ever forgive a cheater?
No. I thought I could, but I was in fact cheating myself. Cheating is wrong.

51. Is your phone bill sky high?
I don’t have a phone bill.

52. Do you like your life right now?
Yep. I wouldn’t mind having a girlfriend, or a cat, but other than that I’m pretty good.

53. Do you sleep with the TV on?
Such a waste of electricity.

54. Can you handle the truth?
Everybody can. The real question is: do you want to?

55. Do you have good vision?
Pretty poor, I’m shortsighted.

56. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people?
I don’t hate anybody, I find hatred a stupid and antieconomic feeling. Right now I kind of dislike a girl on my course. She is the fakest person I’ve ever met, thinks the world revolves around her and is in general a very unpleasant person to be around.

57. How often do you talk on the phone?
Regularly but not that often.

58. The last person you held hands with?
Bah, who remembers.

59. What are you wearing?
Pink pajamas.

60. What is your favourite animal?
Cat.

61. Where was your favorite picture taken at?
My favourite right now was taken at the Albert Dock in Liverpool.

62. Can you hula hoop?
Barely.

63. Do you have a job?
Not exactly. I’m a student teacher.

64. What was the most recent thing you bought?
Fruit, chocolate and tampons.

65. Have you ever crawled through a window?
Oh my god, yes. Me and Kiwi got locked in on the stairs of his friend’s flat in London three years ago… didn’t realise we had to unlock the main door from the inside and left the keys in the apartment when we left to go to the airport. The building was empty and the windows blocked. After half an hour I discovered how to unblock one of them, we crawled outside on the roof of the neighbour’s house, explained the situation to said neighbour, Kiwi jumped in the garden, I jumped on Kiwi, and we were free. I felt inordinately proud of myself.

This is my entry for:

Mama Swan

2010-07-24T23:14:00.001+03:00

I took these pictures in Sefton Park in Liverpool, on a lovely day out with my French flatmate.

What is Mama Swan doing?

That cute little swan reminds me a lot about my flatmate, she's now back to Brittany and I miss her dearly, especially her cute little guilty face when she stole a piece of cake...

This is my entry for:

Meme of many odd questions - part 2

2010-07-21T23:11:00.002+03:00

Read part one.

Bloody buggering hell, I missed Sunday Stealing! Been the craziest week ever. I am writing live from Paris, where my magnanimous university sent me and the other 19 aspirant French teachers to do a 2 week course. I left on Saturday and have had lots of nice little adventures so far… like going around the city on my own without getting lost! Woweeeeeee
Before leaving I had two crazy (in the bad sense) days. Maybe not the worst days of my life, but bloody close. But I don’t want to talk about it now.
So, belated Sunday Stealing.

23. Do you rent movies often?
Not really.

24. Is there anything sparkly in the room you're in?
My silver bangles are sparkling.

25. How many countries have you visited?
Six. UK, Greece, Portugal, France, the Ukraine and Romania.

26. Have you made a prank phone call?
Maybe once when I was ten or so.

27. Ever been on a train?
Lol, I have commuted every day for a year on a bloody Italian train.

28. Brown or white eggs?
Never saw a brown egg in my life...

29. Do you have a cell-phone?
Yes.

30. Do you use Chap Stick?
I prefer Labello. It also works as a lipgloss.

31. Do you own a gun?
Guns are evil.

32. Can you use chop sticks?
Yes

33. Who are you going to be with tonight?
I have a roommate. We’ll probably chat about food before falling asleep.

34. Are you too forgiving?
As a matter of fact I am

35. Ever been in love?
Unfortunately yes.

36. What is your best friend(s) doing tomorrow (or the next soonest week day)?
All my best friends are in another country right now, so I really haven’t got a clue.

37. Ever have cream puffs?
I’m not really sure...

38. Last time you cried?
Months ago. I’m talking about proper crying, not one of two defiant tears rolling out.

39. What was the last question you asked?
How can you take the hangers out of the closet?

40. Favorite time of the year?
Autumn. But I’ll probably change my mind once I start teaching full time.

41. Do you have any tattoos?
Nah.

42. Are you sarcastic?
Do you breathe?

43. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect?
Nope.

44. Ever walked into a wall?
Yes. A glass wall. That kept a nice little impression of my face on it for the rest of the day.

Read part three.

This is my entry for:

The great Superlambanana

2010-07-20T00:13:00.000+03:00

There are loads of these Superlambananas in Liverpool. As Wikipedia docet, there are actually 125 plus the main one that is in front of one of the buildings of my university. It is a cross between a lamb and a banana, to show the risks of genetic manipulation.

I just love the panel here.

This is my entry for:

More Romanian Graffiti

2010-07-12T19:40:00.000+03:00

Another pic taken a few months ago in Romania. I don't hate early mornings. I do, however, hate rude people. They are just like that clock. Halved.

This is my entry for:

Meme of many odd questions - part 1

2010-07-10T19:01:00.002+03:00

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. First thing you wash in the shower?
My hair.

2. What color is your favorite hoodie?
I do not own any hoodie. I would like to buy a purple one with my university’s logo but my flatmate told me not to or people around here will think I’m a scally.

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again?
She doesn’t deserve it.

4. Do you plan outfits?
Yeah. So?

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?
I have a headache because I’ve slept too much, I’m sad because my French flatmate has gone back to France and my feelings towards the rain are a little ambiguous. On the one hand I’m pissed off because I wanted to go to a charity shop or something and it rained in my bedroom again. On the other hand I’m too lazy to go out and the rain is a valid excuse.

6. What's the closest thing to you that's red?
My purse.

7. Tell me about the last dream you remember having?
That’s the thing. I remember having HAD dreams, but not the actual dreams in question.

8. Did you meet anybody new today?
I didn’t meet anybody, period.

9. What are you craving right now?
Company.

10. Do you floss?
No.

11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage?
A cabbage?

12. Are you emotional?
I am a DRAMA QUEEN! According to my coursemates, who then engage in activities such as: moaning hysterically for ten good minutes because they didn’t realize the listening test on Thursday was assessed, blaming the teacher (who did say it was assessed) and stating that they couldn’t revise (huh? Revise?); state loudly during a nice pancake party at someone’s home that they need ‘la leche que los hombres tienes’ (*pukes*), etc, etc...

13. Have you ever counted to 1,000?
But why on Earth should I?

14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it?
Lick it. My teeth are too sensitive to bite into cold things. Unfortunately every heterosexual male around me thinks I am sort of suggesting something. Meh.

15. Do you like your hair?
Yep.

16. Do you like yourself?
When I don’t have my period, a lot.

17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?
Wut?

18. What are you listening to right now?
There’s a dog barking somewhere.

19. Are your parents strict?
Are you a teenager? And in any case, no.

20. Would you go sky diving?
I can think of one or two things I’d rather do.

21. Do you like cottage cheese?
It’s ok.

22. Have you ever met a celebrity?
Yes. They are just people.

Read part two.

Read part three.

This is my entry for:

Ceiling cat and Basement cat

2010-07-10T18:03:00.002+03:00

I managed to get my camera just about in time for this one. It was taken many years ago when I was still living in Sicily.

This is my entry for:

Hydrophobic bond

2010-07-05T20:48:00.000+03:00

This was on the wall of an awesome club in Bucharest just behind my hostel. Today, I feel like the water in a hydrophobic bond. And I wish I could just do that. I don't mean killing myself, of course, but kill the heavy, ugly pain inside me and replace it with something light and beautiful, like a butterfly.

This is my entry for:

The eighty meme - part two

2010-07-03T22:26:00.004+03:00

23. Are your days fast-paced?
I wouldn’t say so. Not now at least.

24. What did you do last night?
We had a leaving party for my French flatmate who’s going back to France next week T.T
Bought beer, drank beer, went out to the pub around the corner to drink more beer. I am experiencing now my first ever true hangover. Yay me.

25. Do you use sarcasm?
Do you breathe?

26. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
Twenty-five. A month today. Twenty-bloody-buggering-five.

27. Are you picky about spelling and grammar?
Fuck yes. I’m a prospective language teacher, man.

28. Do you get along better with the same sex or the opposite sex?
Ok, now. I’m gay. I love women. They turn me on. I can’t stop being in total awe of their beauty and grace (and smell, and… well, fair enough). However, I do like, in fact I prefer having male friends. I probably suffer from the ‘lack-of-brother’ syndrome. I like having fun with guys and get physical. In a non-sexual way. I like bugging them until they run after me around the house to tickle me to death. Or something. The problem is, that most heterosexual men mistake my playfulness for sexual interest. Shit.

29. Do you watch the news?
Not really.

30. How did you get one of your scars?
The worst one is on the side of my left knee. I fell on the rocks near the sea when I was three.

31. Who was the last person to make you mad?
Some idiot at the National Agency of my country. Stoopid bureaucrats. Hate their guts.

32. What is the last big thing you purchased?
A silicone baking tray. I luuuuv them. (which, costing 12 quid, gives you a pretty good idea of my finances)

33. Who would you want to be tied to for 24 hours?
A toddler, so I can carry him/her.

34. What is a rumour someone has spread about you?
Dunno. Someone spread the rumour that I was a lesbian when I was in high school. Just another way to single out and bully the strange nerdy girl. Turned out they were right. Meh.

35. What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator?
I often have books with me, so I would just read and wait for help.

36. T or F: All’s fair in love and war?
Nothing is fair in life. Man.

37. Do you know how to use some words correctly, but not know the meaning?
What kind of stupid question is that?

38. Do you know which US states don’t use Daylight Savings Time?
Do you know which London boroughs do recycling?

39. Do you want a bright yellow ‘06 mustang?
Lemme get a driving licence first.

40. What’s something you’ve always wanted?
Being loved as I am. Short, plump, loud, opinionated, with the annoying tendency of making people feel stupid, etc, etc. Having someone who will ALWAYS be on my side, who will never betray me. In short, being able to trust someone. Maybe one day I will be able to. Who knows.

41. Would you rather swim in the ocean or a lake?
Why not in the sea, for goodness’ sake?

42. Do you wear a lot of black?
I do, yeah.

43. Describe your hair:
Short, brown, straight (at least that is straight).

44. Where is/are your best friend(s)?
By all intents and purposes, my best friends are my flatmates at the mo. They are in the living room with some other people. I crawled back in my room because I only slept three hours tonight and can’t keep my eyes open.

This is my entry for:

The gate...

2010-07-01T01:02:00.001+03:00

This totally awesome gate can be found in Kiev on the steep road that leads to the Pečerskaya Lavra. I took this picture last summer on one of my Kievskie adventures with my two wonderful Kievskie friends, Blondinka and Sylphie (I like this name game, btw). I remember that day because I was proudly dressed like a good orthodox girl, you know, with a longish skirt (it was a dress, actually) and a scarf on the head. I find a sort of morbid attraction for dress-codes in general, if only to complain about them :).

This is my entry for:

The Albert Dock

2010-06-28T18:31:00.001+03:00

My favourite place in Liverpool: the Albert Dock. I love it. Or maybe I hate it because it makes me long for swimming in the sea and I can't do it. Whatever. I also like it because you don't really know where you are. It could be anywhere in the world.

This is my entry for:

The eighty meme - part one

2010-06-27T01:51:00.001+03:00

1. What curse word do you use the most?
Depends. In English it would be ‘fuck’, in Sicilian ‘minchia’, in Russian ‘bljad’, in Spanish ‘coño’ and I’m becoming more and more fond of the French ‘putain’ and ‘bordel’.

2. Do you own an iPod?
Yep. A green shuffle.

3. What person do you talk to on the phone the most?
My parents.

4. Do you still remember the first person you kissed?
Well, I didn’t really see his face, so there’s not much to remember. Long story.

5. Do you remember where you were on 11/9/01?
I think I was around town somewhere.

6. What was the last movie you watched?
Kick ass. The official movie of my flat in Liverpool.

7. Has anyone ever called you lazy?
Yep, Kiwi. For him I was just a lazy fat girl who made excuses. Because unless you’re perfectly skinny and study 8 hours a day everything you say is an excuse.

8. Do you ever take medication to help you fall asleep?
No.

9. Has anyone told you a secret this week?
No.

10. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
And, pray tell, why should I watch someone of the opposite sex? Let’s rephrase it: what is the first thing you notice about the preferred sex? And it would be hands.

11. What are you looking forward to?
My glass of white wine and my cigarette.

12. Do you own any band t-shirts?
No.

13. What will you be doing in one hour?
Probably sleeping. Or reading my book before I sleep.

14. Is anyone in love with you?
Not that I know of.

15. Last time you cried?
Months ago in Romania. Before I swore never to cry again for stupid reasons.

16. Are you on a desktop computer or a laptop?
Laptop.

17. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos?
No way man. That means needles. I HATE needles.

18. Would you ever date anyone covered in tattoos?
Define covered.

19. What were you doing before this?
Eating a slice of handmade cinnamon cake to top up my vegetarian dinner.

20. When is the last time you slept on the floor?
Ahm… two years ago, when my mum came to visit me in the North of Italy, she spent the night before leaving in my student dorm and I gave her my bed.

21. How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
Eight.

22. Do you eat breakfast daily?
Of course. Three rounds: a big mug of coffee while I chant, then a bowl of cereals after the shower, and in the end a glass of fruit smoothie just before brushing my teeth.

This is my entry for:

Romanian Graffiti

2010-06-21T20:51:00.001+03:00

A couple more shots of my recent trip to Bucharest. I normally do not care too much about graffiti, but I definitely liked the message in these two. Or at least the way it was presented :P

This, in my opion, is brilliant. Do I need to explain its pictographic perfection?

This is maybe not so esthetically pleasing, but the message is quite strong here. Got it boys?

This is my entry for:

Oh my! meme - Part one

2010-06-20T01:43:00.001+03:00

1. The phone rings; who don't you want it to be?
My landlady. Can’t stand the woman.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart?
Of course. Why wouldn’t I?

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener?
LOL. A talker. But the funny thing about me is that I listen a lot too.

4. What was the last compliment that someone gave you?
That I’m ‘sound’.

5. Do you play the lottery?
Nah.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, who would you want with you?
An old school boy scout.

7. Do you like to ride horses?
I don’t mind it.

8. Did you ever go to camp as a kid?
Mais oui. Estote parati, mate. My kids will be first in line for the brownies. If I’ll ever have kids, that is.

9. What is your favorite party game?
Let’s step back a second. I LOATHE parties.

10. If a sexy person was pursuing you, but you knew he/she was married, would you go for it?
No friggin’ way.

11. When was the last time that you lied?
Heh. Today, actually. Which is funny ‘cause as a rule I do not lie. Ever. I think lying is just too much work. But I was talking to my landlady and my flatmate was just sitting next to me when she asked if he was there. He shook his head pointedly so I had to tell her he wasn’t there. I had to. I shouldn’t feel like shit about it. Should not. Not.

12. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you?
Yeah.

13. If you have a S/O, who pursued who? If not, do you like to pursue or be pursued?
I don’t see myself as the pursuer. And my gaydar is shit anyway so what I do is I make well known I’m gay and hope someone will get the hint.

14. Use six words to describe yourself.
Buddhist, Sicilian, funny, intelligent, kind, annoying.

15. Name a song that could make you cry?
‘Almeno tu nell’universo’, Mia Martini.

16. Are you pleased with your education?
As a matter of fact I am.

17. How do you feel about gun control?
Guns are evil.

18. If your house was on fire, what thing would be the first thing you grabbed?
My Gohonzon. Then my MacBook.

19. How often do you have a romantic weekend?
Ahm… never?

20. Do you think more about the past, present or future?
I think about the past when I’m waiting for my period and I’m in a pisser of a mood. But recently things have improved. Two days ago I had one of these emo-trips and, for the first time in ages, I didn’t cry. I just sat down, downed a cup of coffee, chanted for twenty minutes and choked the tears back. Totally keeping my promise never to cry about this shit anymore. But I also think about the future (Londinium! Living in a toolshed eating catfood! Woweee!).

21. What was the last adult magazine that you have read?
I never actually read one, to be honest.

22. What are you told about your eyes?
My mum told me they are piercing and scarily deep. My gran that they are beautiful and big.

23. How tall is just right?
Well… I’m quite short so don’t really care, but for example Plump-cheeks was perfect… I was at chest level, if you get the idea :P

24. Where is your dream house located?
Near the sea.

25. Do you have a secret fetish?
Bwahahaha!

26. Have you tried bourbon? If yes, what type?
One answer: no.

27. Have you ever seen a male or female stripper?
No.

28. When was the last time you were at TGI Fridays?
Were where?

29. When was the last time you were at Church?
I must have been for some funeral or marriage.

30. Where was the furthest place you traveled today?
The Tesco around the corner. I bought loads of veggies and halloumi and made couscous with grilled tomatoes, zucchini and peppers and fried halloumi. *drools*

31. What was your favorite job?
Italian language assistant.

32. What condiments do you like at your BBQ?
I have never been to a BBQ in my life.

33. Bud is hosting Thursday Thunks this week. Will you play?
Dunno.

34. Do you look like your mom or dad?
Like my dad apparently. But I also have a lot of my mum and people say I resemble my great-grandmother a lot. Which is fine ‘cause she was stunning.

35. Who was the last person that you showered with (it's okay to leave out the name)?
Kiwi. It’s been too long, come to think of it.

This is my entry for:

Cuuuuutez!

2010-06-20T01:23:00.002+03:00

I took this picture aaaages ago, when I was still living in Sicily. Unfortunately I didn't get my camera in time and the red cat in the empty spot left before I could take the picture. It's quite funny anyway, though isn't it? :)

This is my entry for:

V is for "versi"

2010-06-16T01:59:00.000+03:00

Today in Liverpool was beautiful. I had my daily dose of French with this new teacher that everybody really likes. I wondered at the jokes of destiny... how is that that the one girl I fancy in the course not only is straight, not only has a boyfriend of six years, not only will share the room with me in Paris, but is thinking about moving in my very house? Bah. An exercise in patience I suppose. And how is that that I'm so obsessed with the 9th Commandment when I'm not Christian? Mumble.

I'm chanting more lately, and as usual, the benefits are there to reap. I'm living my life day by day, enjoying its poetry and oddness. Enjoying even the things that piss me off, like amazing talent wasted or straight girls who make my legs turn to jelly. Heh. Luckily, I've always been able to detach myself from things and don't care too much in the end. In the past few years, this ability is evolving admirably. Now I no longer have to choose between not feeling anything at all and feeling only excruciating pain, I can choose between being happy and serenely detached, let's say ironically detached.

So this day, I say goodbye to a certain poem. This is my V word for today: 'versi' is the plural of the Italian noun 'verso', that among other things means 'verse' or 'line', of the poetic type. This poem is in a way my absolute favourite, but it's also the representation of a certain... spirit, if you want, of a certain moment of my life, that odd transition between the old way (not feeling or feeling pain) and the new way I'm living now. That period was characterized by... well... feeling too much, probably.

Here it is.

Holy Sonnet XIV, John Donne

"Batter my heart, three person'd God; for, you

As yet but knocke, breathe, shine, and seeke to mend;

That I may rise, and stand, o'erthrow mee,'and bend

Your force, to breake, blow, burn and make me new.

I, like an usurpt towne, to'another due,

Labour to'admit you, but Oh, to no end,

Reason your viceroy in mee, mee should defend,

But is captiv'd, and proves weake or untrue.

Yet dearley'I love you,'and would be loved faine,

But am betroth'd unto your enemie:

Divorce mee,'untie, or breake that knot againe,

Take mee to you, imprison mee, for I

Except you'enthrall mee, never shall be free,

Nor ever chast, except you ravish mee."

This is my entry for:

ABC Wednesday

La Parmigiana

2010-06-14T23:34:00.001+03:00

Today, I want to talk about a thing I really love and one of my favourites pastimes: cooking.

I love cooking. It’s one of the very few occupations in which you can see, smell, touch and taste the results of your efforts. A great dish not only will look, smell, feel and taste great, pleasing four of your five senses, but it’s something you can also share with the people you love.

I dare say I love cooking even more than eating (which is to say something, believe me :P), and even more, I like cooking for the people I care about and make them happy with my creations.

Now I will share one of my favourite recipes: the Parmigiana.

Parmigiana (despite the name) is a traditional Sicilian dish. This version is one of my favourites for many reasons.

It’s tasty

It’s cheap

It’s really easy to make

It’s healthy (also, it’s vegetarian)

Alors, what we need is:

2 big Aubergines, sliced (0.5 cm)

Tomato sauce

1 ball of mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced

Grated parmesan

4 eggs

Basil (the best one is the variety with very small leaves, but do what you can)

Olive oil, salt and pepper (like in any good Sicilian recipe!)

You can make your own tomato sauce or buy it ready made. Making sauce is ridiculously easy. Just take some red plump tomatoes, cut them (eliminating as many seeds as possible) and tip them in a large frying pan on a low fire. You can peel them beforehand or you can just pick the peel as soon as it start to peel off with the heat. While it cooks, squash the tomatoes with a fork, and towards the end add oil, salt, etc… If you don’t like the texture, you can blend it and put it back on the hob to make it as watery or as creamy as you like. While it cooks, you can put a variety of things in the sauce to give it a special flavour. The easiest one would be some fresh basil and a crushed garlic clove. My personal favourite is actually one or two laurel leaves. Other things are oregano, a cinnamon stick or some clove (I would be careful with the last one as it makes it really heavy if you know what I mean).

If you use the ready sauce, you can still put it on the hob for a few minutes with some olive oil, salt and whatever spice you prefer to personalize it.

Now the aubergine. In the original, traditional recipe, you should fry it. This takes forever. If you want to do it (as it’s definitely yummy), you should take a big colander and layer the aubergine slices there with salt, then put something heavy on them and leave the thing there for a couple hours first. This is to get rid of the black water in the aubergines that makes them slightly toxic. After the two hours (ant after having carefully removed all the salt and maybe squeezed the slices a bit), you can finally fry them (ONLY in olive oli!!!!). Long, tiring and very fattening.

In this version, however, you will simply grill the aubergines. Very high fire needed, and the pan should be very hot before you put in the first batch (you can try it by spraying some water on it, if it boils, it’s ready).

When you grill the aubergines there is no need for that bothersome procedure with the salt, you just sprinkle some salt on them while they cook.

So, now we have everything we need. A heap of lovely grilled aubergines, tomato sauce, mozzarella slices, spices. The eggs you have to beat with parmesan (loads of parmesan).

Now you simply have to layer everything in a nice baking dish. Start with a bit of oil and tomato sauce (a BIT), then the first layer of aubergines.

Then tomato sauce and basil.

Then the beaten eggs.

And you go on like that. You have to put the mozzarella in the middle (after two layers I would say), but that really is optional. You can make a perfectly lovely Parmigiana without mozzarella. The only very important thing is to finish off with a layer of eggs. It’s also better to season a bit every other layer.

Then you put it in the oven (medium heat), until the eggs are all cooked, shiny and golden.

Parmigiana is best eaten the day after you make it - or if you can’t wait, make it in the morning for the evening, but eat it cold anyway.

Happy cooking!

This is my entry for:

The dark side meme

2010-06-13T13:29:00.003+03:00

1. You’re building your dream house. What’s the one thing that this house absolutely, positively MUST HAVE? (other than the obvious basics of course)

Hang on, I am building? Than I’m lucky if it has walls, mate.

2. What is your dream car?

Right now I only dream about driving licences.

3. What is your favourite website that isn’t a blog?

Right now it’s bbcgoodfood.com. I’m trying to be a vegetarian and that website is a mine of lovely recipes.

4. iPhone 4 or Droid, which do you want?

And what’s a Droid?

5. When you’re feeling down or lonely or just generally out of sorts, what do you do to cheer yourself up?

Right now I would go to my living room and see what my colocs are doing. Usually I would read or sing or cook or whatever.

6. Tell me about something or someone that you love that most people seem to hate.

Myself? No, kidding, the answer is: talking about sex.

7. What do you want to be when you grow up?

Don’t ask that.

8. Would you go on a reality show if given the chance?

No way.

9. Who was your favourite teacher when you were growing up. (Grade school, Middle School, Jr. High or High School only.)

My philosophy teacher in High school. He was an excellent teacher, a bit authoritative and most importantly didn’t make any difference between me and the other two ‘brilliant’ pupils in the class. Actually I think he considered me a bit better than them. Heh.

10. You get one pass to do something illegal or immoral. What are you gonna do?

Put Berlusconi in a cage and poke him with a stick for days.

11. What were you doing 10 years ago?

Second year of high school. Already hated it with a passion.

12. By this time next year, I ...

Will be finishing my PGCE and hopefully will have a job!

13. Do you think the United States will elect a female President in your lifetime? Do you think this would be a good thing?

Who cares?

14. Which fictional, TV show character you would shag anytime?

If we’re talking about shags, than it’s Shane from the L-word. Hawt.

15. What is your greatest pet peeve?

Oh, my, again? Inconsistent people. People who treat the others like shit but are all sweet with the ones above them. People who lie.

16. Tell me about your most recent trip of more than 100 miles?

Bergamo - Liverpool.

17. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?

Both.

18. Do you have a nickname? What is it?

Evil dwarf.

19. What are you dreading at the moment?

Nothing really, although I can’t in all honesty say I’m looking forward to cleaning the house.

20. Do you worry that others will judge you from reading some of your answers?

I hope so!

21. In two words, explain what ended your last relationship.

My homosexuality.

22. What were you doing this morning at 8am?

Sleeping. Oddly enough.

23. Do you have any famous relatives?

Not that I know of.

24. How many different beverages have you drank today?

Only water and milk.

25. What is something you are excited about?

Having a nice quiet Sunday.

26. When was the last time you spoke in front of a large group?

In Italy we do that all the time.

27. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

‘ello you!

28. What were you doing at midnight last night?

Trying to sleep.

29. What’s a word that you say a lot?

Like.

30. Who is your worst enemy?

The Demon of the 6th Heaven. Like everyone else, eh.

This is my entry for:

U is for... Ubi maior, minor cessat

2010-06-09T00:25:00.002+03:00

I love Latin formulas and proverbs. In Italy we use most of them in the Italian translation, but in the classical high school I attended we learnt the ‘original’ version.

Ubi maior, minor cessat was a favourite of a primary school teacher of mine. I imagine myself muttering it while issuing a nice detention slip for an obnoxious kid who doesn’t want to stop talking.

There are all manners of them. Quod erat demonstrandum, or QED, is one of my favourites and probably the most famous. Here is the Oxford definition:

Which doesn’t even begin to cover the fun you can have using it. I am not a mathematician, so when do I use it? Why, when someone does something extremely stupid/annoying/wrong that is totally predictable. Like the Italian Ministry of Education dismantling our primary school system, that used to be the feather in our cap, praised and envied by the whole of Europe. The Italian Government doing something that will actually NOT benefit the country? Why, QED! (in Italian that one sounds: ‘Come volevasi dimostrare’ or CVD)

Oh, there’s another one: Melior abundare quam deficere, perfect when people feel the unstoppable need to remark that I’m fat (they don’t even have the decency to add IMHO).

Or my absolute favourite: Excusatio non petita, accusatio manifesta, probably the most useful for teachers who have to deal with defensive kids all the time… in other words: ‘it wasn’t me!’ when nobody had actually asked anything *evil grin*.

The one that I heard almost ad nauseam (ha!) since primary school was: Verba volant, scripta manent. Hey, maybe that’s why I’m obsessed with writing? Mumble mumble.

De gustibus non est disputandum (or simply De gustibus…), is a profound truth that people (especially homophobes), should really try and remember more often.

Then there are two famous quotes from Caesar:

Tu quoque (Brute, filii mihi!), which is not only the best way to remember the irregular vocative case of ‘filius’ and ‘meus’, but is also great, for example, when yet another of your friends falls for the last ninety-day wonder.

Alea iacta est. That I personally prefer to its French equivalent ‘les jeux sont fait’.

Then there is the very famous Carpe diem (quam minimum credula postero), that thanks to Professor Keating, doesn’t require additional explanation.

Divide et impera is something I would not really apply do normal life, unless I am planning to rule on something/someone. And I’m not a mastermind :P

Cum grano salis has an exact English equivalent, but the Latin version is a lot more cool.

As a good little girl-scout, how can I forget our motto: Estote parati?

Everybody should remember the virtue of moderation and compromise, that basically In medio stat virtus.

Since In vino veritas, people should also remember not to drink too much, especially when in the presence of indiscreet ears.

I love the expression Lupus in fabula, and find very amusing that the English and the Italian equivalents are actually the same, speaking of the devil… (and in Italian we may finish: horns will appear)

My grandmother used to say often Mala tempora currunt! Especially when I was in trouble. Bless her.

To a pupil complaining that we are doing the same thing for the up-tenth time, I could remark that Repetita iuvant or that Repetitio mater studiorum est (or if I wanted to be really mean, the Russian equivalent: повтарение мать учения)

If the same pupil was really depressed, I could encourage them (or finish them off, most likely) by saying: Sursum corda!

One random fact about me is that I never lie. This is because I think lies to be basically useless and too much work. And in the end, Veritas vincit omnia.

This is my entry for:

ABC Wednesday

Mornings on a farm near Dikanka

2010-06-07T23:25:00.002+03:00

These pictures were taken last year in July, just after my arrival in the Ukraine.

This is one of the houses in the National Pyrogovo Museum. The Pyrogovo is an area outside Kiev where they recreated a series of traditional Ukrainian micro-villages. Every khata (Ukrainian countryside house) is representative of a certain area of the country. Having studied Вечера на хуторе близ Диканьки (Evenings on a farm near Dikanka), this was a magical place for me. My landlady (who brought me there) was very impressed that I knew what a khata was and that I had read Gogol’s tales of the old Ukraine. Those drapes are traditional Ukrainian patterns.

Gorgeous, isn't it?

This is my entry for:

Another question meme

2010-06-05T21:06:00.002+03:00

1. It's 2AM and you are not home. You are more than likely:

Honest, I am almost always at home at that hour. Maybe awake on the couch drinking with my colocs, but at home.

2. What's the last thing you spent more than $100 on?

Plane tickets.

3. What do your bank checks look like?

White?

4. Where did the shirt you are currently wearing come from?

Romania. My friend bought it for me at the airport. I will offer her a couple beers when she comes over to Liverpool.

5. Name something that will be on your Christmas wish list:

Such a material question.

6. What color is your toothbrush?

Red and green.

7. Name something you collect and tell us about it.

I collect vintage clothes I find for a few pennies in markets and charity shops. But now I can’t because I’m travelling too much.

8. Last restaurant you ate at. Who were you with? How was it?

It was, actually, a very posh restaurant in Bucuresti, where I had a lovely vegetarian meal with my friend.

9. Who was the last person you bought a birthday card for?

My cousin.

10. What is your worst bad habit?

I swear a lot.

11. Name a magazine you subscribe to?

None.

12. Your favorite pizza toppings?

Cheese.

13. Whose number were you looking up the last time you used a phone book?

My coloc. Me and the other coloc (the French one) were bored after a stupid night out and he wasn’t at home.

14. Other than family, who is the person that you love most?

My best friends, Gilgamesh, Rozovaya, Bigsistah, Wiligelmus.

15. What is the last thing you cooked?

Potato mash this morning.

16. Name something you wouldn't want to buy used?

Underwear.

17. Which shoe do you put on first?

Who cares?

18. What is the last thing you remember losing?

My keys the other day. Was trapped in the house. But then I found them. Heh.

19. What is the ugliest piece of furniture in your house?

It’s probably the couch. It’s comfy though.

20. Last thing you bought and ended up returning?

There was only one thing. A pair of boots. I still cry thinking about them. Aaaaahm.

21. What perfume/cologne do you wear? If none, why?

None, because perfumes make me sick.

22. Your favorite board game?

Monopoli.

23. What was the last board game you played?

I can’t remember the name. A stupid one.

24. Where did your vehicle come from?

It was inbuilt.

25. If a movie was made about your life what would the theme song be?

A mix of ‘Stronger’ and ‘Murakami’

26. You're sad, who can cheer you up easily?

My flatmates right now. Usually my friends.

27. What was the color of the bridesmaid dresses of the last wedding you went to?

We don’t have this stuff in Italy.

28. What house cleaning chore do you hate to do the most?

Cleaning the bathroom.

29. What is your favorite way to eat chicken?

I am actually trying to be a vegetarian right now (since vagitarian is not really working)

30. It is your birthday. You hope the cake is?

Considering I usually make my cakes myself, there’s nothing to hope.

This is my entry for:

A very attentive cat

2010-06-05T20:50:00.009+03:00

These were taken during my trip to Bucharest with my friend. We were visiting the Muzeul Taranului Roman and we saw this cat

Strangely concentrated...

Very focussed...

Ready to jump? And on what?

In the end, the cat didn't have much luck with the squirrel though. Here she is, trying to find her dignity...

This is my entry for:

Весна, весна идёт! Весне дорогу!

2010-05-31T23:35:00.002+03:00

Here are some pictures I took last summer in the Ukraine.

These are may favourite roses. In Italian we call them ‘rose rosse damascate’, because their petals are velvety in texture.

You can almost feel the soft, thick petals under your fingers and inhale the sweet scent.

The way the new fresh roses are almost protecting the withering one made me think about Caravaggio’s “Cesto di frutta”.

But these are not normal roses. They belong to the rose garden of the Pecerskaya Lavra, Kiev’s most beautiful Cathedral:

Pity about the weather. It would have been nice to see the sun playing on the golden domes of this magnificent building.

This is my entry for:

The just because meme

2010-05-29T20:24:00.003+03:00

1. Make a list of 5 things you can see without getting up.

My phone, my watch, 15 empty cans of beer, a carton of banana, pineapple and coconut smoothie and my real cute (and straight) flatmate.

2. How do you style your hair? How often do you cut it?

I cut my hair about once a year. Style? Whazzit?

3. What are you wearing now?

Jeans, green turtleneck, green cardigan and my panda socks.

4. What's your occupation? Do you like it?

At the mo my occupation is studying French. I really like it.

5. When was the last time that you took a nap? Was there a special reason?

Special reason to have a nap? Are you high?

6. Who was the last person you hugged romantically?

What a silly way of putting it. It was Plump-cheeks anyway.

8. What was the last full meal that you ate?

I had cheese and onion omelette with salad at lunchtime.

9. What was the last email that you received?

Something from my Buddhist HQ leader saying they will homevisit next week. I’m looking forward to see their faces when they see my house. Snig-snig-snigger.

10. What one website do you always visit when you go online?

Ok, guilty. It’s Facebook.

11. What was the last significant thing you bought?

Wine.

12. What musical artist did you not get at first, but then became a fan?

Gianna Nannini.

13. What do you think about before you go to bed last night?

Don’t remember. Honest.

14. What was the last CD you bought?

Bought? What does it mean, bought?

15. What is your favorite weather, and why? What's the weather like today?

What kind of stupid question is that? I like nice weather. I like it because it’s nice. Meh.

16. If you could have a special artistic talent, what would it be?

Let me see… I can sing, I can dance, I can draw pretty decently… ok I can’t play an instrument but who cares?

17. Did you watch the Idol 9 finale? If yes, what are your thoughts?

Never watched it.

18. What's something you'd like to say to someone right now?

Ahm. I still have a liter of bechamelle for my lasagne party to make dude.

19. Any special plans for this (holiday in the States) weekend?

I’m in the UK but it’s bank holiday here as well. A friend came over from Leeds and I’m having a lasagne party.

20. Besides your current S/O, who was the last person that you loved romantically?

I do NOT have a current SO and fail to understand why should you assume I have one.

This is my entry for:

Under my pillow

2010-05-27T10:00:00.001+03:00

What books do you have next to your bed right now? How about other places in the house? What are you reading?

Ok. I have three books IN my bed right now. I don’t have a bedside table (or better, I have two, but they are not beside my bed), and I have a double bed, so the proper place for books is in my bed of course.

The first one is El Zorro by Isabel Allende. It’s a book I’m reading in Spanish to keep practising it while I’m doing my French extension. I’ve actually bought it last year but I still haven’t finished it. It’s not THAT exciting. At the beginning, it reminded me of Victor Hugo, for the massive amount of details it gave about Diego de la Vega’s parents before Diego was even born (and before anything interesting happened really). Plus, some idiot decided that in order to fit it into a nice ‘debolsillo’ edition, they had to reduce the font to a minimum, so it’s really hard to read even for me, and I’m 24!

The second one is Aspects of teaching secondary modern foreign languages by Ann Swarbrick, from my pre-PGCE reading list. I’m around page ten. I have another book to read this summer and four or five chapters of other books. Not looking forward to it. But it’s in my bed anyway.

The third one just arrived yesterday from Amazon, it’s Everything you have is mine, by Sandra Scoppettone. I started it yesterday but I was so tired after my French course I fell asleep after about three pages. We’ll see who dies today. It’s a lesbian detective novel.

Now around the house I don’t have that much. Just a couple of books I bought in a charity shop the other day and a dictionary of Russian difficult words I got in the Ukraine as a present for a friend. I’ve just moved to Liverpool and I had to leave back the loads of books I own. I don’t think I will be able to bring them to the Uk anytime soon. Umpf.

This is my entry for:

S is for Songs

2010-05-25T20:49:00.000+03:00

It happens all the time to me. I listen to a song, and BAM I am back in time, sometimes years back. Sometimes a song brings back the flavour of a period of my life, sometimes of a very specific and brief instant. I want to share some of them.

Trick me, Kelis = my first year of University, flatting in SPQC. Especially an insomniac, very hot night.

I write sins not tragedies, Panic! At the disco = my BA dissertation. I remember writing and rewriting for hours, then rewarding myself by listening to this song over and over again while pacing my room like a caged animal and smoking.

Cordell and Will you remember?, Cranberries = the long nights writing one of my (unfinished) novels, just after moving to Urbs Brixiensis.

Promise land and Badlands, Bruce Springsteen = me walking the fortified walls of Bergamo to go to class, those impossibly steep medieval little streets.

All good things come to an end, Nelly Furtado = this is just Kiwi. Those incredible moments with my eyes just so open, when everything was still perfect.

Umbrella, Rihanna = another insomniac night, just before the last summer exam in my fourth year.

Cruz, Christina Aguilera = a moment of being on the bus in Urbs Brixiensis, just before moving to London, when I realised that adulthood had started for me.

Disturbia, Rihanna = this is me going to work at Goldstag in the morning, walking through the park in front of my house watching the squirrels.

How, Cranberries = my MA dissertation, especially the crazy week in which I completed it and I felt my Buddhahood for the first time.

This is the life, Amy McDonald = London, the sight of those little houses so exquisitely British, the dull grey sky, the shops that to a Sicilian like me look straight out of the fifties, the enchanted feeling of buildings and streets that look completely out of time.

I kissed a girl, Katy Perry = well, guess! Yes, the last week in London, with that crazy crush on Plump-cheeks and the sneaking suspicion of just being a lesbian.

Rise, Origa = me crying at the airport when leaving London after the end of my assistantship. I found the line “save your tears for the day / when our pain is far behind” particularly appropriate.

Karma slave, Splashdown = for some reason, this song always reminds me of the three days I spent by the seaside with my mother and my aunt just after leaving London. Especially the night. There is a very specific feeling about the night by the seaside, the strange cold, the strange silence, the sort of trance you’re lulled in by the sound of the waves and the smell of salt. Well, whatever.

In the land of twilight, under the moon, Kaijira Yuki = this is me taking the trolleybus in Kiev to go to work. That impossible heath, the roads full of dirt and dust in a bone-dry city. How everything changed to mud and mysterious wind when it rained.

Maze, Apoptygma Berzerk = the tube from Lybidska to Kontraktova Plosha. Just the kind of noisy song that could overcome the racket in the Metro, wilfully checking on the girls for the first time.

Le vals d’Amelie, Yann Tiersen = me walking from Kontraktova Plosha to school, in Kiev, usually stopping to buy some Fornetti s syrom (*drool*).

Bad Romance, Lady Gaga = this is my song for Romania, of me going through the snow to the restaurant in front of the school to use the internet. Mulling over a new story and my happy loneliness.

This is my entry for:

ABC Wednesday

The red costume

2010-05-24T23:40:00.005+03:00

I like this picture. It’s a bit blurred but for some unfathomable reason it looks intentional. Heh. Now of course it doesn’t anymore. It’s from the Shakespeare Museum at the New Globe in London. I may be wrong, but I think it’s a replica of a costume for the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet.

This is my entry for:

Gimme your best response

2010-05-24T01:03:00.000+03:00

You know those people who are always telling you how and what to do?
We want to be prepared for the next time they provide us with their fine interventions.
Have fun!

1. Are you putting on weight? You face looks fat.
Are you taking stupid pills? You really don’t need them.

2. You should wash your clothes in the expensive detergent. What you are using is not working.
What, are you keeping tabs on the state of my clothes? Don’t you have, you know, a life?

3. Are you sure you should be eating that piece of cake?
Sure? Only thing that’s sure is death, mate. And should? No, nobody is forcing me, I want to. Just the same as I want to stuff my foot into your mouth.

4. You shouldn't be friends with that person.
Are you talking about yourself?

5. That shirt is not the right color for you.
Yeah, I know, it makes me look too gorgeous and you seem lame in comparison.

6. Why would you work at that crappy job?
Because I LIKE it, shithead?

7. You're not cutting your steak correctly. This is how you should be doing it.
Put your little hand on my plate and I’ll show you how well I’ve learnt it.

8. Is that all you do all day is sit on your computer?
Nope. I do not sit on my computer. As sturdy as it is, it will break down. I sit IN FRONT of my computer.

9. You should use Pledge on the dust in your house.
Only if you pledge not to be such an annoying smartass from now on.

10. When are you going to get married/have kids/get divorced (choose which one relates to you)?
Get married: when they change the law. Have kids: ditto.

11. I'm thinking about staying at your house for 2 weeks for my vacation.
Thinking? How many times do I have to tell you that thinking is dangerous for your pretty little neurons? Here, here, sit down and have a cup of tea while I explain to you in polite terms why I don’t want your ass in my house.

12. When you are at the store will you get me 2 pounds of bananas and some bread? Oh, and here is some money so you can buy my mother some eggs, prunes and Depends. I'll need separate receipts of course.
Store? What store? I’m going to my buddhist meeting dude. And come to think of it, my religion strongly disapproves of dealing with someone else’s money. Sorry. Really sorry. Mortified.

This is my entry for:

The voice post meme

2010-05-23T12:29:00.002+03:00

This has been a crazy period that made me neglect my blog (I know you don’t care, but still). After leaving Romania for good I spent twelve meagre days in Sicily with my family, while studying French on my own, then a few days ago I moved to Liverpool for my Summer French course. Everybody asks me: ‘Wait, you’re Italian and you come to England to study French? How comes?’ And the answer is: ‘They pay me for it’. Heh. Back to regular bloggin’!

1) What's your middle name?

Don’t have any.

2) How old are you?

3) Where are you from? Are you living there right now?

Sicily. No, I’m living in Liverpool.

4) Is it cold where you are?

Hell, no! It’s really hot!

5) What's the time?

10:15am

6) What are you wearing?

My favourite pink pajamas and my pink Ukrainian Счастливая Майка.

7) What was the last thing you listened to?

A dog barking in the neighbourhood.

8) What was the last thing you ate?

Coco pops

9) What was the last thing you watched on TV?

The fifth element

10) What's your favorite tv show? Why?

Oh, hell. That’s hard. There are too many. True Blood (for the lovely redhead), Being Human (I like the general atmosphere), The L-word (at least the first series), Dexter (brilliant!).

11) Quick! Find a book, or something with text on it! Flip to a random page and post the second paragraph's first sentence.

Eulalia de Callís estaba en la gloria.

12) What was the last movie you saw? How was it?

Ok, the fifth element doesn’t really qualify as it was a sort of background noise to my flatmate getting drunk, so I’d say… Volver by Pedro Almodovar. Great movie. I was surprised by Penélope Cruz, I don’t really like her that much, but in this movie she’s spectacular.

13) Do YOU think you have an accent? Where do people in your country do people speak with strong accents?

Well, it really depends. In Sicily, where I come from, people say I don’t have an accent, and I really don’t, compared to other Sicilians. In the north of Italy you can tell the difference between me and the Northerns, they would say I have a strong Sicilian accent, but to my ear they have a far stronger northern accent (and then that’s another story, people in the north, even grossly undereducated folks assume I can’t speak Italian correctly because I’m from the south, when it’s them who can’t distinguish between proper Italian and their dialect. Oh, well).

Here in the UK I have been told I speak English with an American accent (hell, once a bunch of old men in a pub were betting I WAS American), but when I asked my American friends about it they told me I have an English accent. I suppose I have neither, it’s just that people feel that I have a different accent but can’t really place it. I have NEVER been told I have an Italian accent by people who don’t know I’m Italian. Spanish people think I’m Spanish (which is fair enough since I can speak Spanish as well).

This is my entry for:

Visual oxymoron

2010-05-18T01:00:00.001+03:00

I found this gem in a hostel in Bucharest during the assistants’ national meeting back in Draculaland. It’s just so… lol. It reminds me of something I found plastered on the wall of a friend’s house. I should point out that it was the flat she was sharing with other girls as a university student. It was a little plastic slip with a condom inside and the note: “in case of an emergency, break the plastics”. Über-классно!

This is my entry for:

The speed dating meme part 2

2010-05-17T11:21:00.003+03:00

This past ten days I’ve been in Sicily with my parents, so I haven’t got the time to post anything deeply meaningful (hey, now someone IS actually reading my blog! Yay!). I’ve been VERY busy cooking a Sicilian dish after the other, caught in a sort of culinary frenzy. I might post the recipe with pictures of a couple of my best dishes. We’ll see.

But I can’t NOT post my fav meme:

26. Have you ever been stung by a bee?

Sadly, yes. You can find the whole story in my Ukrainian adventures section, i.e. My old blog.

27. What's the sickest you've ever been?

When I was three years old I had otitis, so strong I started bleeding from the ears. When my gran saw that I couldn’t move my neck she called the doctor (btw, thank you gran, you saved my life), who feared I was going to have meningitis and shot penicillin in my spine.

28. What's your favourite form of exercise?

Bellydancing.

29. What's your favourite Cyndi Lauper song?

I think I only know the one.

30. What did you do for your 13th birthday?

I was in Lampedusa with a friend of my mother’s, her son and her sister (whom I hated). We went out for dinner and I got a coral pendant.

31. Are you afraid of heights?

I’m not afraid, but I tend to have vertigo.

32. Have you ever taken dance lessons?

Hell yes. Ballet, contemporary, bellydancing...

33. What's your favourite newspaper?

I hate newspapers.

34. What's your favourite Broadway / West End musical?

Mama mia.

35. What's the most memorable class you've ever taken?

Every one of my Russian literature classes were memorable. BA or MA.

36. What's your favourite knock-knock joke?

Dunno...

37. What's your least favourite commercial?

Ha. An Italian one. ‘Mulino Bianco: scegli un mondo genuino’. *pukes*

38. If you could go to Disney World with any celebrity alive today, who would it be?

Cate Blanchett.

39. Do you prefer baths or showers?

Depends, but I’d say showers.

40. What's your favourite newspaper comic strip?

See question #33.

41. What's your favourite breakfast food?

Coco pops.

42. Who's your favourite game show host?

I’m not very fond of those either.

43. If you could have a super power, what would it be?

Telepathy.

44. Do you like guacamole?

Yep. But I prefer cheese and chive dip.

45. Have you ever been in a food fight?

I don’t think so, no.

46. Name five songs to which you know all the lyrics.

Only five? Heh. Because the night, Bye bye Miss American Pie, Like a prayer, Весна (By Svetlana Surganova) and Run by Amy MacDonald

47. What's your favourite infomercial?

*double-pukes*

48. What's the longest you've ever waited in line?

Couple hours.

49. What's on the cover of your address book or day planner?

Nothing, it’s black. But I plan on buying nice language stickers for my teacher’s planner soon as I get one.

50. Have you ever taken a picture in one of those little booths?

Of course.

This is my entry for:

Distant...

2010-05-10T11:19:00.003+03:00

Distant

far off or apart in space; not near at hand; remote or removed (often fol. by from): a distant place; a town three miles distant from here.
apart or far off in time: distant centuries past.
reserved or aloof; not familiar or cordial: a distant greeting

I don't know why, but when I read this 'mood' and I started going through my recent pictures, this one just clicked:

It was taken in a cemetery in Bucharest (the same cemetery where Ceaușescu's tomb is). That single, lonely tulip far away from the simple cross fills me with melancholy.

This is my entry for:

Moody Monday

The speed dating meme

2010-05-08T20:50:00.000+03:00

1. What's your favourite Dr. Seuss book?

Dr. what?

2. If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be?

Easy, the house in Bristol of ‘Being human’. Heart it. Kind of hope my house in Liverpool is gonna be like that too. And my French flatmate is gonna be hot… but I digress.

3. What's the longest you've gone without sleep?

37 hours

4. What's your favourite Barry Manilow song?

Barry who?

5. Who's your favourite Muppet?

The little frog. But boy I haven’t watched Muppets in aaaaages.

6. What's the habit you're proudest of breaking?

Being jealous of other people having what I want to have and instead working my socks off to obtain it.

7. What's your favourite website?

Hard one. Prolly FB.

8. What's your favourite school supply?

SMARTBOARDS!!!! Oh, but that’s from a teacher’s point of view.

9. Who's your favourite TV attorney?

Maybe the cute redhead in Law and Order.

10. What was your most recent trip of more than 50 miles?

The one from Romania to Sicily I had on Wednesday.

11. What's the best bargain you've ever found at a garage sale or junk shop?

Nah, that’s too hard. My wardrobe is composed ENTIRELY of bargains, man. I have the sharpest nose for bargains in the whole of Europe.

12. Where were you on September 11, 2001?

I think I was at home. But who remembers anyway.

13. What's your favourite tree?

Oak.

14. What's the most interesting biography you've read?

I don’t do biographies very often, I’d say the Billie Holiday one.

15. What do you order when you eat Chinese food?

I hate Chinese food.

16. What's the best costume you've ever worn?

A Gipsy one my mother made for me. It was bloody AWESOME!

17. What's your least favourite word?

Bimbo. In Italian, that is. It is just another word for ‘kid’ and I loathe it.

18. If you had to be named after one of the 50 states, which would it be?

But why should I? I’m Sicilian and my real name is already the name of an island. Bah.

19. Who's your favourite bear?

Winnie the Pooh.

20. Describe something that's happened to you for which you have no explanation.

There’s always an explanation.

21. If you could travel anywhere in Africa, where would it be?

I would probably start with Asmara in Eritrea because my gran grew up there.

22. What did you have for lunch yesterday?

Radicchio pasta bake made by moi with a lot of cheese and hand made bechamelle.

23. Where do you go for advice?

To my parents.

24. Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus?

I have both in a nice little app and use both like a madwoman.

25. Have you ever been snorkeling? Scuba diving?

Snor… what? And for the second one, no, my eardrums won’t be keen on that.

This is my entry for:

Six of one and half a dozen of the other

2010-05-06T18:33:00.004+03:00

So … you’re halfway through a book and you’re hating it. It’s boring. It’s trite. It’s badly written. But … you’ve invested all this time to reading the first half.

What do you do? Read the second half? Just to finish out the story? Find out what happens?

Or, cut your losses and dump the second half?

Ha. That’s interesting. Well, let’s observe a few scenarios.

I’m reading a classic. One of those books that you ‘should’ read because it’s a great book and blah and blah. Sometimes said classic is *really* boring. I can’t get inside the book, if you know what I mean? In this scenario, I will dump the book. Why? Because I think that if a book really deserves to be read, there is a right moment to do it. If I start it and find myself irresistibly attracted to the recipe book instead or realise I have been reading the same three lines five times without taking in a word, it means it’s not the right time to read it. And a classic shouldn’t be spoiled. You should read it when you’re ready. That’s why I haven’t yet read Anna Karenina or War and Peace. I remember that I was supposed to read Anna Karenina and The Idiot as part of one of my uni modules. For those of you who don’t know, they are roughly the same length. I started Anna Karenina and after three months I had somehow got to page 280. So I put it down, started The Idiot, and finished it in five days. The moral? It wasn’t the right time to read Anna Karenina, but it was for The Idiot.

I’m reading any other book. I am usually a very fast reader. What happens when I like a book is that I start it and next thing I know I am around page 30. If a book stands the ‘test of the 30th page’ I will probably finish it within the day (ok, maybe the next day), if it doesn’t I don’t bother going further. Therefore, I rarely get halfway through a book before realising it’s boring :P

That’s also probably why I sign my books at page 33 come to think of it.

The exception to the ‘30 page rule’ are detective novels. Usually a detective novel will dish out the murder within those famous 30 pages and at that point I really can’t let it go. I’ll just use my ‘fast-reading’ mode and finish it as quickly as possible, only to find the most appropriate place for it afterwards (an empty bin works perfectly cause I like to hear the *thud* it makes when I throw it in. Heh.)

This is my entry for:

P is for Practice

2010-05-05T02:07:00.001+03:00

(a makeshift Butsuma me and my mother devised when she visited me with her Omamori. That was a stack of books and don’t you just love the orange in the coffee-cup?)

It’s been a while since I spoke about Buddhism, so my word for ABC Wednesday is Practice, as in daily practice. Daily practice is an important aspect of Buddhism. The core elements of daily practice are Gongyo and Daimoku.

Every morning and every evening, we determine our goals and objectives in faith by chanting parts of two chapters of the Lotus Sutra, the Sutra our Buddhism is based upon, the Hoben chapter and the Juryo chapter. This is done in Japanese, to be more specific ancient Japanese. We read this chapters in a little book (Gongyo book), with the Kanji and the transliteration. After a while (not so much, actually) you learn them by heart. (I lost my book around Christmas and here in Romania I can’t find another one, so I’ve been going on memory for four months now.)

The second part of daily practice is Daimoku. Daimoku means ‘title’ and is the repetition of the mantra Nam-Myoho-Renge-Kyo. Myoho-Renge-Kyo means ‘Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law’ and is the title of the Lotus Sutra’s Japanese translation. The word ‘Nam’ is Sanskrit and means ‘I dedicate my life’. So the mantra means ‘I dedicate my life to the Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law’. The repetition of this sentence takes the form of a chant and can be done as slowly or as fast as one wishes, for as long or as little time as one wants or can afford.

(Buddhist paraphernalia. The bell, the Gongyo book, a juzu beads, a fukusa)

Many people have complained to me: “what is the point in chanting something in a language you don’t understand? You are just fooling yourself with those words”. This usually comes, I am sad to point out, from arrogant and narrow-minded people. They totally miss the point.

First of all, do you have to understand how does your body digest your food to take energy from it? Do you have to understand the mechanics of your synaptic processes to be able to think? No. They work whether you’re ignorant of their practicalities or not. Which is not to say that we do not study the profound meaning of this ‘prayers’ (I use the term loosely for want of a better word, since we are not actually ‘praying’ anyone).

(Our old home Butsuma. Those were lemons from our trees!)

I remember a particularly snotty catholic girl (lapsed, as most Italians are) dismissing my religion for that reason. Well, she may understand the superficial meaning of her prayers (assuming she ever prays), but does she really understand them deeply? The fact that something is in your language doesn’t mean you understand it.

For example, why do we recite these parts, and not others? (and here we come at the root of my unshakeable faith in this Buddhism) mainly, because these two parts contain the ultimate truth of our Buddhism: that Enlightenment is accessible to any and every person. Here and now. You don’t have to wait to be reborn in another land, you can change your life here and now, by expressing your Buddha nature here and now. And most importantly (for me, heh) you can do that, even if you’re a woman. Yes, folks, this Buddhism is the only one that allows women to attain enlightenment. I find the idea that only men can do it so stupid and arrogant that I can’t imagine how other Buddhisms can survive, but hey, that’s me.

Secondly, and this is a really cool aspect, every disciple of Nichiren Daishonin in the world recites the same ‘prayers’. It happened to me to be in a room with people coming from five, six different countries, and we were all united by our chanting.

Two years ago I was lucky enough to go to a European Youth division meeting. Five thousand people in the same auditorium, coming from every country of Europe. Nothing can be said to explain the feeling of five thousand voices chanting Daimoku with the same heart. They resonate in you, and you resonate in them, so that you come to a point in which you feel as though the entire world is chanting within you, through you, and you are a precious part of the wonderful flow of life.

In that moment I realised that I was going to be a Buddhist for the rest of my life.

(Taplow Court, Central Kaikan of the UK, taken on the day I received my Gohonzon )

This is my entry for:

ABC Wednesday

Book reclame

2010-05-04T09:18:00.001+03:00

Books! For every field of study!

A reclame in Kiev, not far from Petryvka, the biggest book market in Kiev. Unfortunately it was quite high and I’m quite short, so I couldn’t get a better shot (hey, I made a rhyme!).

The thing that made me LOVE this reclame is the total “retro” flavour it has. Apart from the lovely товарища who dominates the composition, the little pictures at the bottom and the top are original Soviet posters about безграмотность (=illiteracy), one of the three plagues of Russia (the others were alcoholism and parasites). The fight against illiteracy (in a country where only 3% of the population was able to read and write), was actually one of the few good things that were done by communism.

Some of the slogans are against illiteracy, for example comparing it to blindness:

Others encourage to read more books, or to buy books to your kids (instead of scolding or beating them)...

… or to enjoy reading as a cheap pastime (as opposed to drinking or gambling I would guess).

And of course, my favourites:

In a book there is light and knowledge

Remember Fatti non foste a viver come bruti, ma per seguir virtute e canoscenza!

And…

Knowledge breaks the chains of slavery.

And it worked. Russians love books. Of course, it was done mainly to better spread the Communist ideology and indoctrinate more people. But this doesn’t make these slogan less true or the results less spectacular. I’ll give some examples. In the Ukraine, every single one of my students had read Bulgakov and/or Gogol and even knew about the ancient Повесть времҍнных лет (the most important medieval text).

When I was in the UK, I asked my pupils (aged 16-17, who were doing English Literature A levels!) if they knew who Chaucer was and the answer was silence. I asked them if they could tell me the name of an English writer born before Shakespeare and one of them suggested Dickens. In other words, maybe here in the ‘advanced west’ we need posters like these ones.

This is my entry for:

Romanian shots

2010-05-03T10:37:00.008+03:00

So, I am enjoying four days of debauchery in Bucharest with an English friend of mine as a proper way of saying my last goodbye to the country that has been my home for the past six months. My last days of freedom before going back to study. Blargh.
It's going great. I love the (cheap cheap cheap) hostel and we keep finding awesome places to eat. And the weather is fantastic.

I took a few shots with a lot of blue in them and I thought about posting them. First of all, some lovely flowers in Parcul Cismigiu:

I love the way the tulips seem to spring from an ethereal blue cloud. Then, also in Parcul Cismigiu, my favourite flowers in the entire world:

I gather that the English name for this flowers is Wisteria. In Italian, we call them Glicine (pronounced glee-chee-neh with the stress on the first syllable). The name comes from Ancient Greek (did I tell you that I'm an Ancient Greek freak? I luv it) and it means 'sweet', apparently because of a substance you extract from this plant.

The flowers are so delicate, so beautiful... probably the thing that takes me the most is that wisteria carries flowers only for a couple of weeks every year. It makes me feel so melancholic!

My friend has a thing for cemeteries - a passion I hardly share, but being there I managed to take a couple of nice shots:

And this one is from Piaţa Unirii, that's actually my favourite place in Bucharest so far:

Lastly, just to wander off flowers, a lovely detail of a biserică just around the corner of Piaţa Universitaţii (which for some reason me and my friend thought it was the Russian Church but it's not. Heh.)

This was supposed to be my entry for Blue Monday, but apparently I don't have the right to choose WHERE to put the link on MY blog. Bah.

The Question meme

2010-05-02T01:07:00.010+03:00

And we are back to our favourite meme! Here are my answers, delivered just after getting half drunk in Bucharest!

01) Are you currently in a serious relationship?

Yes. With myself. Hard enough on most days.

02) What was your dream growing up?

Becoming a lawyer. Now that I’ve grown up I want to become a teacher. That shows I’ve learnt the value of money.

03) What talent do you wish you had?

Playing an instrument. I’m the only one in my family that doesn’t play. But come to think of it, I’m also the only one who can speak seven languages. Mmmm… I think I’ll keep my talent.

04) If I bought you a drink what would it be?

I’ve already had two beers, dude, leave me alone.

05) Favorite vegetable?

Zucchini. Chopped.

06) What was the last book you read?

You mean finished? The silence of the grave, by Arnaldur Indriđason. Dark. Very dark.

07) What zodiac sign are you?

Leo. Roarrrrr….

08) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.

Only the regular hear piercings. I HATE needles.

09) Worst Habit?

Smoking. But as a friend of mine says: it’s not a vice, it’s a vocation.

10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?

If I had a driving licence. Which I don’t. Heh.

11) What is your favourite sport?

Bellydance.

12) Do you have a Pessimistic or Optimistic attitude?

I’m a Buddhist, therefore I an optimist. When I haven’t got my period, that is.

13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?

Depends. Are you a cute redhead? No? Then you’ll be fine.

14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?

Nothing so far deserves that definition.

15) Tell me one weird fact about you.

Every pair of trousers I own ends up with a big hole on my left inner thigh. That’s why I always buy my trousers in charity shops for a few quid.

16) Do you have any pets?

No.

17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?

See question n.13.

18) What was your first impression of me?

And yours of me?

19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary?

Is that some sort of Frankenstein meme?

20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?

Ask me that when I haven’t got my period.

21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?

I actually been called Grillo parlante. Google it.

22) What color eyes do you have?

Very dark brown. Without my glasses I scared my mom once.

23) Ever been arrested?

Nah. I are gud girlz.

24) Bottle or can soda?

Bottle.

25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?

I’d buy some cool Apple thing like an iPhone and give the rest to my parents.

26) What's your favourite place to hang out at?

The cheap and cosy one.

27) Do you believe in ghosts?

Nah.

28) Favourite thing to do in your spare time?

Reading. Bellydancing. Masturbating. Thinking. Talking to myself.

29) Do you swear a lot?

Fuck yes.

30) Biggest pet peeve?

Inconsistent people.

31) In one word, how would you describe yourself?

Buddhist.

32) Do you believe/appreciate romance?

Bof.

33) Favourite and least favourite food?

Fav: chocolate. Least fav: boiled spinach.

34) Do you believe in God?

No. By the way, today during a 7 hours train trip I had an interesting conversation with three Romanian ladies. In Romanian. Or something. They asked me about my religion. ‘Are you christian?’ ‘No’ ‘Catholic then?’ [how can you be a Catholic without being a Christian? But I digress] ‘No, Buddhist.’ ‘ Oh, but you believe in God, yes?’ ‘No, we don’t believe God exists’. One of them, when she heard me saying that, started crossing herself and looking at me as if I was the devil herself. Heh

35) Will you join us this week for Wednesday Wickedness? (Bud has on a mission to make this Wednesday's most popular meme. Please play this week so I can stop promoting it.)

I already have two Wednesday memes, dude. But I’ll think about it.

Friday Five: Red

2010-04-30T19:49:00.002+03:00

I was looking for a Friday meme, and when I saw the topic of this one I just couldn’t let it go. So...

1.What is your favorite red food?

Strawberries. Big, glossy, sweet-scented strawberries. I like them alone, with lemon and sugar (when they form that lovely pink syrup *drools*), and I especially like the strawberry cake I make, layers of sponge with chantilly cream and little strawberries… pity I don’t have a picture!

2.When were you last caught red-handed?

Never. Us women have peripheral vision, and I am very circumspect, so no girl is never gonna catch me staring at her tits. And with the derriere, we don’t have problems. Wait, maybe you didn’t need to know that...

3.What’s your nicest red article of clothing?

It’s actually an absolutely plain red t-shirt I bought in the Ukraine last Summer. For some mysterious reason it looks great on me and it's so comfortable I could wear it all the time. At home, out and about, in bed...

4.Who’s got the loveliest red hair?

Ok, point one: red hair IS lovely. Always. There are several examples. The first that comes into my mind is Danae (as I wrote a couple of weeks ago, she might be the reason of my obsession with redheads). Oh, I should answer with a celebrity, shouldn’t I?, well, Deborah Ann Woll. She’s adorable.

5.What are your thoughts on the 2002 Baz Luhrmann film Moulin Rouge!?

I seriously thought Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor were VERY ill-paired. I don’t know. It just didn’t work for me. But maybe I should watch it again in English. The habit we have in Italy to dub movies can really change our overall impression of them. Heh. But I really loved the movie anyway. Totally kitsch but totally awesome!

This is my entry for:

Yellows

2010-04-29T13:10:00.001+03:00

God* comes to you and tells you that, from this day forward, you may only read ONE type of book – one genre – period, but you get to choose what it is. Classics, Science-Fiction, Mystery, Romance, Cookbooks, History, Business … you can choose, but you only get ONE.

What genre do you pick, and why?

*Whether you believe in God or not, pretend for the purposes of this discussion that He is real.

Oh, dear, that’s seriously a hard one.

I can’t think of one day in my life I hadn’t be in the process of reading a book. Or two. Or five. And usually all of different genres to keep me interested.

I like fiction. I like all types of fiction. I think I’ve learnt more from the tons of fiction books I read then from the… well, let’s say stones of non-fiction books I had to read as part of my studies.

But if I truly have to choose, there is one genre that I couldn’t seriously live without. Detective novels. Especially historical detective novels.

It runs in my family, you know? My grandfather has his room packed with detective novels - what in Italian we call ‘yellow novels’ or simply ‘yellows’ since traditionally in Italy they are printed with yellow covers.

My father has two kind of things in his room: detective novels and music instruments.

What I find particularly compelling is the refreshing catharsis I get from them. When something truly evil happens you get shaken and shocked. In these books anything can happen but I KNOW that in the end the evil will be punished. In the really good ones, the construction of the story is so well done that makes me crave that catharsis almost physically. I’ve spent many a night glued to a books that I simply couldn’t put down because I HAD to see the evil punished before setting my mind to rest.

It doesn’t hurt that you usually can learn an awful lot without even realising it. For example, Margaret Doody’s and Lindsay Davis’ series of ‘yellows’ taught me more about ancient Athens and Rome than the five solid years of classical studies I did. Luther Blisset’s ‘Q’ taught me all I needed to know about the Protestant Reformation (and it’s still my favourite book, period).

Now this brings an interesting point. If you have read ‘Q’, you may argue it is not a detective novel. Humour me and keep reading.

I mentioned in another post that I’ve been keeping a diary of all the books I read since 1998. Once I did a sort of survey to calculate the percentage of detective novels in my diary. And now the interesting point. I had my non-fiction stuff that was easily excluded. Tons of classic ‘yellows’ were easily included. But I was left with a grey area of books that in most cases I couldn’t safely place. I came to the realisation that, whether or not we are talking about murders and police detective, most books have some sort of ‘detective’ element in it. In most books what makes you turn the page is the fact that you have something to discover, something is kept from you often until the very last page. In a book like ‘Q’, it is the very identity of Q that is kept until the end. It is done so well that at a certain point, exactly like you would in a good detective novel, you start suspecting anyone and everyone. Even those above suspicion.

This is my entry for:

Munchkin window

2010-04-28T19:59:00.000+03:00

A random window of a random building in the centre of Kiev. One of the few buildings that were saved, cлава Богу, from the Communist Pars destruens. There is something so delicate and out of time in this one. I am in love with that minuscule window cut into the bigger one. I managed to get into the shot the other micro-window on the left, at the expense of symmetry, but whatever, it’s not like I’m quitting my day job.

This is my entry for:

O is for... Oreja de Van Gogh

2010-04-27T20:56:00.000+03:00

While preparing for my PGCE interview, I had to revise Spanish a lot. An awful lot. I studied so much that in the last couple weeks before the interview I felt an unstoppable need to puke at the sight of my Spanish book (I’m still haunted by that sickly pink hue… ick). This meant that I more or less fucked up my Spanish assessment and was invited to revise Spanish during the Summer. Yippee-doo. But anyway. To make this process a bit more enjoyable, I am focussing on songs, movies and books (as in novels) instead of grammar and stuff.

Last year I went to a Spanish club at my school and the girl made us listen to a song by La Oreja de Van Gogh, which happens to be quite famous in Spain. I was searching for something catchy and maybe a little more modern than “Balada para mi muerte” or “Comandante Che Guevara”.

The thing about this group is that they changed the lead singer pretty recently. The new singer comes from the Spanish X-factor and is blessed with the cleanest Spanish pronunciation I have ever heard. My Spanish profesora would be delighted by Leire. Pretty Leire. Did I mention she’s a redhead? Heh.

The former singer is completely different. Interesting voice, don’t get me wrong, but many times I can’t understand a word. And, you know, I manage to understand Shakira (quite an accomplishment, you’ll have to admit), and switch effortlessly (or almost) from Mexican to Argentine and even to Cuban (bless the Buena Vista Social club). But Amaia… it’s not her accent. It’s the way she sings. The way she articulates the words on the music (maybe she wants them to look pretty?) that makes me hear “roftino” when the actual word is “destino”.

And now THIS. I found this song and listened to it once without bothering to understand the words. I quite liked the chorus. Then I listened to it again. And hoped I was wrong. Third time. No, she’s not actually saying that, it’s the way she pronounces it, let’s look for the lyrics. Voilà the lyrics. Shit. She’s saying exactly that.

Let’s look at the lyrics together (translated by yours truly), oh feminists of the world, and cry.

...

I will wait for you, it doesn’t matter who you kiss, I will wait for you

[why? Where is he? Why do you have to wait for him?]

It doesn’t matter if you love me or not, I will listen to you

[you are kidding, right? You are not actually saying that you will spend your valuable time listening to this guy whining when he is not actually reciprocating in any way, are you?]

If you have given me this much I will wait for you

[why? If he gave you this much you may, if you want, decide to give him back a little bit around ‘this much’, not more. Never more.]

And will give you my entire life

[whoa, kiddo! Your life? Your life? What, who, why?]

I will wait for you, I will wait in the shadows, will always stay there

It doesn’t matter if your eyes don’t want to see me

[yeah, right, let’s stay in the shadows while this guy who’s not in love with us goes around kissing other women, and heavens forbid he may be displeased by seeing us when he is not in need of a shoulder to whine on]

It doesn’t matter who you embrace, I will love you

And I will give you my entire life

[you are giving VERY low value to your life, kiddo]

Because my love is above all this betrayal

Above all this disdain, above all reason

Because the pain I hold inside belongs only to you and me

[repeat after me: there is nothing beautiful or precious in martyrdom. Go and live your life. Love should not be tainted by betrayal or disdain. Love should always be informed by reason. There is nothing beautiful or precious in martyrdom…]

The kisses that are still lacking to us, where will they be?

You know that, no-one else

[and I, like the exquisite schmuck I am, will stay in the shadow and wait until you will decide to kiss me, oh yeah!]

And when I wake up I will sit on my side of the sofa

To wait for you once more

[hold on a sec will’ya? You are sharing a house with this moron? You actually live together and he goes fucking around? And then you sit and wait for him? Are you stupid or what?]

I will wait for you, you know very well my restrained pain

[yeah, yeah, martyrdom, yeah]

As you know that if you leave me I shall die on my feet

[didn’t expect anything less]

I will not cry for your absence

[I’m beginning to regain some hope...]

I will just wait and give you my entire life

[*facepalm*]

Without your love I am a lot of things apart from myself

I am so sick at heart.

[no, you are sick, period. And sorry for the Shakespearean quote, it was unintentional]

This is my entry for:

ABC Wednesday