Role Model

The generation of my parents wanted to become cosmonauts, doctors, constructors. My generation wanted (or still wants) to become lawyers, psychologists, designers. I remember I wanted to become a psychologist too when I was about... 10 years old. Then when I first visited St. Petersburg, I came up with the idea of becoming a journalist, and it was a serious wish (I really prepared for the faculty of journalism) that lasted till... my second trip to St. Petersburg. Yeah, our North capital proved to be my turning point. Now I barely have an idea about my future in the meaning of profession. 

Well, yes, I say that I want to be a writer. But I know that I won't just sit down, easily write something and money will immediately start pouring on me. 

I'm sure to have the Master's degree after the Bachelor's one. I want to study for the Master's degree in another city, somewhere else; probably try St. Petersburg one more time. But lately I've started thinking about taking a break after finishing FEFU. Why? I don't know. To save money or to spend it, have some life? It's only my second year here, though, my choices and decisions can change. Also, I don't forget about my tutor's suggestion for me to get a degree in English somewhere abroad to become a professional English speaker/teacher/person. Still I'll need money for that.

I know I'll be able to earn some money giving private lessons. Moreover, I enjoy the work, though its existence depends on other people. Although I haven't tried it yet, but I guess working at school will make an office plankton out of me. I know every job can be a creative one, especially teaching, but I also imagine the amount of paperwork a teacher has, so I really doubt it. Of course, I'll have my school practice at the 4th year of university, so we'll see about everything. 

Translating things? I think I just need to try that even now. Just find some spare time, a little piece of a good material and try to make something decent of it. It'll be good as for my English so for my Russian. And it'll improve my writing skills, so I should just try it.

All in all, I'm a typical student now - too many plans, too little certainty. But I am certain in one thing. I know that no matter what I will do for a living, I want to be a role model. I wanna be a good role model for my little nieces firstly, for my future children, for people around me if they're interested. I want to be interesting for people. This idea came to me when I was told that my first cousin once removed had said "I want to attend a music school like Olga!" It made me feel so proud of myself. Some human being wanted to do something like me, and that human being was my relative. And I know that my elder sister's daughters really like me. I want them to look at me not only like someone who appears once in 6 months and is known to be their aunt but at someone who knows many fascinating stories, who knows how to behave, how to deal with the life. Of course, the main role models in their life are their parents, but there's always someone we think of as well when we make decisions or when we think about decent people in our lives, who influence our lives.

From the left: my mom, me with my gold medal for excellent
school education, and my Godmother

The person who influences my life this way is my Godmother. We don't meet too often, but if we have a chance I try to visit her with my mother (my mother and Godmother are kinda colleagues). I like to listen to my Godmother's stories, some life hacks, how she spent her latest vacation, where she has been and what she has seen. She also says that she always thinks of me, and it warms my heart.

Also, I sympathize our this-semester literature professor. She reminds me of my Godmother, they're like the same type of a person. You know, when you meet somebody, and (s)he resembles someone else you know in looks, in characters, etc. So I like how our literature professor treats us, how she presents her lectures. I watch her with my eyes open wide, follow the way she speaks and shows her attitude to various things, and I definitely see some of my Godmother's features. So I treat our literature professor as my university Godmother. These two women are my role models (after my own mother, of course). 

So what do I mean by being a role model? In my opinion, a role model

1. knows how to present him/herself. The way you walk, the way you talk shows so much about you. You are sure to know people who enchant everyone around only stepping in the room. They may not be famous or stereotypically attractive but you want to know them, you want to be around them.
2. knows the values of life. Money doesn't matter, the fullness of life does. Role models have some great experience you want to know and they will to share. 
3. motivates you without even knowing about it. When you see your role model or talk to him or her, you unconsciously wants to become better, to evolve and improve.

I don't mean role models are to be worshipped like cult figure and you should copy their appearance and moves. But I think it's good to have someone to look at in real life. Because of course we have idols - you all are aware of my love to Beyonce, but I don't consider her as my role model: I haven't meet Beyonce in person, I've never talked to her, never heard her life stories face-to-face. But once I do, Queen B will certainly be on my list.

So yes, this is what I want for sure. I want to be good. I want to provide my nieces and children and other people with the energy to motivate them to be better. I want to tell them my story, I want them to see the life from my point of view, want them to know what is right and what is wrong. I want them to know that "nothing is impossible. Don't let your dreams be dreams! JUST DO IT!" and so on. I want to be a role model.

B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West Berlin 1979-1989

As I wrote in my previous post, Tatyana and I attended the Beat Film Festival the last week.
According to their official cite, The Beat Film Festival is an international festival of documentaries on arts and music that showcases 25 new titles every year and brings together independent filmmakers, musicians and contemporary artists in an exciting program of film screenings, concerts, talks and performances. Founded in 2010 as an independent cultural initiative, it has grown to be the largest film & music event across Russia. Since 2013 the festival also has a regional extension: under the name of the Beat Weekend the festival brings five key titles from the festival program to 10 largest cities across Russia in the Fall – providing alternative theatrical distribution opportunities to strong Russian and international documentary titles. (http://en.2015.beatfilmfestival.ru/beat/)
Originally Tantyana bought tickets for almost all the movies shown in our cinema. She wanted Anton to go to "B-Movie..." with her, but he worked that day. And I didn't! Fortunately, "B-Movie..." was the film I liked the most from the list, so yeah, we were truly lucky.
"B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West Berlin 1979-1989" is a documentary shot in West Berlin by a Manchester guy Mark Reeder. I had known nothing about Mark Reeder before I watched the film, or about Nick Cave who appeared in the tape. "B-Movie" was apparently shot those time, I mean 1979-1989, right before the Iron Curtain fell and the Berlin Wall was destroyed; Mark Reeder introduces his work as sort of a diary. I wonder if he knew he would create a documentary when he moved to West Berlin. But somehow the film was debuted at the Berlinale 2015.
Our lovely Wikipedia says that "a spectacular documentary film about the island of West Berlin during the 80s viewed by protagonist Mark Reeder. Using original music and featuring rare and unseen footage with participants such as Gudrun Gut, Blixa Bargeld or Nick Cave, it portrays the vibrant avant-garde music scene of the city in its last decade of division. Reeder composed the soundtrack and remastered the songs." One thing that amuses me the most is that "B-Movie..." doesn't have its own Wiki-page in English, though Mark Reeder reads the main text in his utter British accent. Maybe, he did versions both in English and in German? There's some information about it on IMDb, but still not so much. Well, it's such a typical festival movie - you don't hear about it, but once you watch it, you wonder why haven't you heard about it.

Mark Reeder himself

A documentary isn't the kind of film I'd go to the cinema for. If I randomly run into a documentary on TV and it catches my attention, I probably keep it on; I don't usually go to the cinema for that. But here I was invited, and it was a festival, so I couldn't skip it.
Music described and used in the movie is also not my type either. It was all about electronica, post-punk and trans, but I can't say I shut my ears with my hands. It was an experience, I'd never listened to such music so properly before. Nevertheless, Tatyana and I chanced to discover one song we both liked, and it's on my playlist. So I'll make it the song of the day in the end.
And that lifestyle West Berlin 80's isn't my thing at all! So rageful, so raving, flashy! Sex, drugs, rock'n'roll - there it was. Tatyana asked me if I'd like to live in those years, but I doubted if I would survive. Nowadays one can also easily find a company offering drugs, alcohol and one-night affairs, and I try not to face those guys. But what if I was brought up in that decade, in that city? How would I act?

Nevertheless I enjoyed the film, it's really impressive. Everyone who's interested in music, or in history, in German culture should definitely check it out.

Actually, a B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not an arthouse film. Well, I think it fits "B-Movie...". Also the title couldn't but remind me and all my friends about the DreamWorks animated movie "Bee Movie".
I promised you the song of the day that I heard in the tape. I've just learnt that the song wasn't created in 80's, it was released in 2013! Anyhow it was used in "B-Movie...", and it fitted very well. So the song is "You Need The Drugs" by Westbam Feat. Richard Butler.

Some Sunday morning see you

Picking up the fine

Ticking down the last time

Before the credits run

A traffic is a moving ...moving awful slow

To the sound of you complaining

We got nowhere left to go

You need the drugs to make the stars come down

You need the drugs to make you shine

You need the pills to take you home again

Don't be so ladida, so ladida

You need the drugs

You need the drugs to make the stars come down

You need the drugs to make you shine

You need the pills to take you home again

Don't be so ladida, so ladida

You need the drugs

All of your tomorrows are a dream I never had

Everything is broken, everything unsaid

But I see all your shadows running

Circles at my feet

And you're making all the promises that

No one never keeps

You need the drugs to make the stars come down

You need the drugs to make you shine

You need the pills to take you home again

Don't be so ladida, so ladida

You need the drugs.

Be brave

Accents And All

***
British: - I like a Russian accent!
American: - Me too! I think it's cool.
Me: - Rrrrreally? A Russian accent is awful! I don't have a true Russian accent, you wouldn't like it so.
***
Some years ago I thought I was a fan of the British variant of English. You know, all those British TV shows, British YouTubers, actors, singers... Though those time I couldn't differentiate an British accent from an American or any other one properly. And my tutor started teaching me an American accent. I didn't say anything to her, but of course I was upset. Actually, her lessons about that were great, because I had to imitate American speech, I had to write down fast dictations from the first time, it all really made me become a practiced hand. And how glad I was, when I came to the university and we were taught the British pronunciation! Yey! The significant aspiration, secrets of making the sounds, British noble intonation. Even though we were taught the American grammar and both variants of the vocabulary, we all enjoyed the phonetics.

This summer, you know, I went to the USA, and to my pleasure I talked to different people for whom English is a native language: from the UK, from Ireland, from Australia and New Zealand, the USA, of course. Due to the fact that I automatically analyzed the speech as a [almost] professional linguist, I learnt to tell a British accent from an American for sure. And some weeks ago I heard a song and thought that the singer must have been Australian, so I googled him and I was right! So I can even recognize an Australian accent now, that's success for me. I'm still afraid what our phonetics teacher will tell me when she knows I visited the US, because she's totally against the American fluent colloquial pronunciation, so I hope I'll be cunning enough to hide it.
When in LA the French, the Chinese and I tried to get to the Venice Beach, and the man tried to help us, he was the first to tell at once that I was Russian. He also guessed where my attendants were from, because he said he was German himself, traveled a lot and could recognize many accents.
Last week Tatyana took me to Beat Film Festival where we watched "B-Movie: Lust & Sound in West Berlin" (should write in detail about it). The movie was incredible! Though it was totally not my style, I really enjoyed it. But! The film was a documentary, and the main text was told by the Manchester guy Mark Reeder. 92 minutes of a pure British accent made me... I'd say I could bear the British accent anymore. It was quite a shock for myself, because you know, a British accent is everything, it was the high ideal, the perfection to be reached. And PSHHH! I didn't want it anymore. And that was the point I understood I'm more of an American girl. Well, of course, if I meet a British, I won't scream into his or her face "GET OUTTA HERE I CAN'T LISTEN TO YA SPEECH". But namely I'd prefer speaking in an American one now.

I'm absolutely aware that I'll never get rid of my Russian roots, my Russian accent. We've been told that all that accent stuff is on a level of heartbeat. Of course, if a newly born Chinese baby is brought up in Brazil, it will speak Portuguese perfectly. But if you're a 19 years old girl who's been learning English for about 5 years, it seems impossible to lose your native accent. Even if I eventually move to an English-speaking or French-speaking or Italian-speaking country, I'll still have some Russian faint notes. I've already mentioned intonation, so I want you to know that intonation is really important.
In Russia we don't have so different Russian accents. We usually speak about dialects which yes can differ pretty much. If you're good enough, you can tell someone living in Moscow from someone living in Archangel and someone living in the Russian Far East. My Russian teacher at school once said that people in the Russian Far East speak the purest Russian, because this part of our huge country had been populated by people from various Russian regions, so their dialects disappeared and the pure language remained.
So as a conclusion, I can identify, produce and tell many things about a British and an American accents; every now and then I can differ an Australian accent, but I don't know theoretically how Aussies make their signature sounds; I can tell nothing about a New Zealand accent, though I heard people speak it; I'll never lose my Russian accent.

I beg my pardon

Be brave to try different accents

These Girls Born In The 90's Are Dangerous

19, you're only 19 for God's sake,

Oh, you don't need a boyfriend.

"Once And Never Again", The Long Blondes

Oy! I've turned nineteen! Actually I don't know how to feel about this age, because you know, 18 - you're fully adult in Russia, 20 is such a beautiful jubilee, 21 - you're fully adult everywhere (legal drinks!!). But 19, what the hell is 19? Well, to say the least, it's the last year of being a "teen", and I definitely don't feel like a teen. Of course, lots of my problems, my diffidence, my 'beloved' seasonal depressions are so typically teenage things. But I don't want to act like a teenager! I study at university, I have a job, I'm a part of a big student organisation, I travel the world by myself! I freak out every time Cherry Lady says: "What do they want from us? We're basically still children!" What the hell are you talking about? Woman, you're nearly 20, get your shit together! Thankfully, my parents haven't treated me as a kid since I was like 14, and somehow I managed to be independent enough (or at least I think so). I'm not talking about money, I still rely on my parents financially very much (though I try to help myself as you know), but talking about life as it is, I think I'm doing pretty well. 

All in all, I don't have much of an opinion about the age of 19. Being a pretty receptive person, I'm used to think of different ages by the way they are shown in culture. For example, I know many popular songs about 17 ("Well, she was just seventeen, you know what I mean...", "Only seventeen, but she walks the street so mean..."). 21 is the point you're not underage anymore. I really like the movie "21 And Over", so hilarious! But what about 18? 19? I'm sure there are many songs about that, but I can't recall anything from my music knowledge. I did a little research to find something lovely about being 19. Indeed I found some good songs, but the most famous person was Billy Ray Cyrus. Well, Mr. Cyrus' song isn't about being nineteen though, but I like it. Ah yeah, there was also a song by The Rolling Stones. But the fine thing is that I found some really nice new stuff. So here's "Seventeen" by Billy Ray and another one I really liked - "Not Nineteen Forever" by The Courteeners straight away.

And now it's time to describe my super party! This year I decide to arrange a house party, 'cause it's def cheaper, but it's more dangerous because don't forget we live in the dormitories where alcohol is forbidden. But we're usually lucky to but some liquor and carry it through in our backpacks without being checked. This time we were kissed by God himself, because when we bought the last batch of beverages on my BDay's eve, right after we carried everything through, the security started checking everybody's bags. HOW LUCKY WE WERE! Because I carried tequila, vodka and bourbon in my backpack, and it would be incredibly disappointing to lose it all. To put it mildly. All in all we had two bottles of wine, two bottles of vodka, a bottle of Olmeca Blanco and also a bottle of Jim Beam. Yeah, there ain't no my birthday party if there ain't no tequila! You might think "If you had so much alcohol, you must have had many friends there". Hah. 5. There were only 5 of us. Must have been 7, but my groupmate came down with a sickness, so she and her boyfriend couldn't join us. To my surprise we skipped wine (though we opened one bottle) and started right with Jim Beam, everyone! Only Anton, our group leader, drank the whisky purely, the rest of us mixed it with Coke, it was kinda our long drink. Then it was the turn of vodka, we mixed it with Schweppes, but took it as shots. And so when tequila came, Anton forbade us to mix it with anything, so we all drank tequila purely, but with salt and lemon (I forgot to but lime in town, and there weren't limes in our campus' shop). It was the first time Tatyana tried tequila, and she liked it. Actually, everybody liked everything. We played forfeits, danced, had so much fun! Cherry Lady, who had been responsible for food, worried if the guests would like what she cooked, but everything was delicious. All guests and I enjoyed the party so much! We all were pleased by the company of ours. A little trouble appeared when we went out, but I hope everything'll end up well. And if you want to jump in the atmosphere of that night, turn on "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake, the second album by "Run the Jewels" and Rachmaninoff. 

One of the forfeit was to become an extravagant photographer and create a cool photo. Cherry Lady picked out this one, and the photos came out pretty dramatic indeed.

I also couldn't miss taking some selfies. I learn not to be a fool :D

The whole squad: Cherry Lady at the bottom (only her eyes mostly),
Tatyana on the right, Anton on the left, me in the pose of queen
and Cherry Lady's boyfriend Andrew in the background .

Being selfish, I really like my face here. Cat eyeliner's so on point!
And look at Anton! If I'm a tequila lady, he's absolutely a whisky man.

In the end we found ourselves sitting at the beach, discussing things, making the conclusion that my party came off so well.

There're gonna be two songs of the day. The first one is "Acquainted" by The Weeknd. I used a line from it as the title. Originally there was a song called "Girls Born In The 90's", but it was leaked, so the Weeknd decided to rerecord the song with different lyrics, but he left a part from that original track in quite new "Acquainted". The girls born in the 90's are dangerous because many power girls who are highly famous nowadays were born in the 90's indeed: Ariana Grande, many models like Kendal Jenner, Gigi Hadid and others... Me, in the end of it all! It's our time now, girls! We're in our prime, time to work shit up and rule the world! 'Cause "you're from the 70's, but I'm a 90's bitch!"

Baby you're no good

Cause they warned me bout your type girl

I've been ducking left and right

Baby you're no good

Think I fell for you, I fell for you, I fell for you

You got me puttin' time in, time in

Nobody got me feeling this way

You probably think I'm lying, lying

I'm used to bitches comin' right 'way

You got me touchin' on your body

You got me touchin' on your body

To say that we're in love is dangerous

But girl I'm so glad we're acquainted

I get you touchin' on your body

I get you touchin' on your body

I know I'd rather be complacent

But girl I'm so glad we're acquainted

Baby you're no good

All my niggas think I'm crazy cause I'm thinkin' 'bout us lately

But really if I could

I'd forget about you, 'get about you, 'get about you

You got me puttin' time in, time in

Nobody got me feeling this way

You probably think I'm lying, lying

I'm used to bitches comin' right 'way

You got me touchin' on your body

You got me touchin' on your body

To say that we're in love is dangerous

But girl I'm so glad we're acquainted

I get you touchin' on your body

I get you touchin' on your body

I know I'd rather be complacent

But girl I'm so glad we're acquainted, we're acquainted

Momma caught me cryin', cryin', cryin', cryin'

I won't find somebody that's real (she wants somebody that's real)

Cause every time I try to, try to, try to run

The fast life keeps gaining on me, shit

But ever since I met you

I couldn't believe what you did

So comfort me babe, ain't no rush from me babe

I keep on touchin' on your body

I keep on touchin' on your body

To say that we're in love is dangerous

But girl I'm so glad we're acquainted

I got you touchin' on your body

I got you touchin' on your body

I know I'd rather be complacent

But girl I'm so glad we're acquainted, we're acquainted

I'm not trying to talk at all

Cause I'm trying to love you crazy

Put some more inside your cup

And drink till you numb the pain

I got you touchin' on your body

These girls keep touchin' on their body

They got accustomed to the life we live

These girls born in the 90's are dangerous

I got 'em thinkin' that they want me

Although they know they not the only

I got 'em wanting to embrace their sins

These girls born in the 90's are dangerous

Another song is "Girls Your Age" by Transviolet. The song has interesting story, check it out here. The song's so my style, and the lyrics is on point. 

17 runnin from innocence, like it's a lion

Nipping at my heels, but I'm young so I out run 'em

Jailbait baby hunting men in their 20's

Cupid's shooting arrows, but I'm cold so I outgun 'em

Bad boy talking fast, talking dirty

He tells me that I'm hot, so I tell him that I love him

And he says girls your age,

Never mean what they say

I've got a renegade heart,

And it's screaming his name

But then it beats like

You've got time to kill baby

Don't go jump the gun

Live fast while you're young honey

Don't go chasing love, chasing love

21 thrown back revelry, like it's morphine

Thought I knew what I wanted, I never saw you coming

Black suit, looking sharp with your dark eyes

He loves my imperfections, so I tell him that I love him

Bad boy talking fast, talking dirty

He tells me that I'm hot, so I tell him that I love him

And he says girls your age,

Never mean what they say

I've got a renegade heart,

And it's screaming his name

But then it beats like

You've got time to kill baby

Don't go jump the gun

Live fast while you're young honey

Don't go chasing love, chasing love

Be brave!

Russian Music

This post isn't what I usually do, and I'd never create one if I didn't have a bunch of non-Russian friends. 

I remember a dialogue between me and one American guy back in LA. We discussed Russian music, he wondered how Russian rap sounded. I said I couldn't reproduce a sample, because I don't like Russian music. And that guy was like "What? What about Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff?" I was pleased with such a reply, because indeed Russian classics are everything, and I really enjoy Tchaikovsky, and also Mussorgsky is the man. But those noble men lived and created many years ago; what about now? Not so long ago I talked to the Australian about the music of the 60's-70's, and I mentioned one Russian singer of the 20th century I like, he's name Muslim Magomaev. He had an incredible opera voice, his songs were and still are hits. I sent one of my fave songs to the Australian, but he never reacted to me about that. But still 60'-70's are the decades back in the twentieth century. 

Nowadays Russian pop music makes me sad. Russian not-only-pop music doesn't bring me lighter mood either. Most of the songs are vulgar and worthless, the lyrics have no meaning, the melodies are catchy, but not beautiful. Still! there are a handful of songs that caught my attention. Most of them are slow, low-key tracks with a bit doleful lyrics - everything I like, isn't it? I'd like to share them with you, even though non-Russian speakers won't understand a thing. In such cases I say to myself: "Everything is about love!" It's not a ranked list, just in the order I recall the songs.

The first one is going to be the song by a Ukrainian band, actually. The band's called "Boombox", the song's title is "Ta 4to" [Ta Chto], it roughly translates as "the girl that..." For example, the first line is "The girl that used to be with me, where are you now?.."

The next song is "Нева" (Neva) by the group "5'nizza" [piatniza]. Neva is a river in St. Petersburg. The song is hard to translate into English, because the authors play on words a lot, and that's exactly what I like in this song. And the melody is nice.

Another one is pretty popular in Russia. It's called "Оружие"("Weapon") by Pizza (easy). Of course, it's not about literal weapon, but love.

Let girls be here too. The next track's "Одно и то же" ("The Same Things") by the band "IOWA". The band is known to produce foolish songs (for me), but this one is really good.

This song was even once translated by me for one post, because I discussed about the religion a little bit, and the track has the same title "Религия" ("Religion") by Eva Bushmina. Again it's not about the religion, but about love so powerful, so it can be compared to it. There were some arguments about such title and attitude in the society, but I like the idea of the song.

What else? Hmm... I don't have much to say about this track, I just heard it in live on TV and liked it. "Браво" ("Bravo") - "На Лунный Свет" ("To The Moonlight").

I think that's it for today. I have a couple more songs in my pocket, but I guess these 6 are enough to understand my Russian preferences. If you find something attractive, I can try and translate that for you, just let me know!

Be brave!

Attention I Don't Need

I usually post something on the Internet thinking of someone particular. When I share my photo, I think "I'd like him to notice it" or if I write a note, I come up with "Oh, she might find it interesting" and so on. Sometimes I want so badly to be paid attention I don't actually need. I'd better read something - I do have plenty stuff to read - but I waste my time speculating if I should public this pic or not. Should I write him or not? Will they like this post? Do people even read my writing? Like, you know, I started it all as pure practise for my English, and now I really think about the audience, or at least imagine that I have one. I never forget that the blog is my relief, but nowadays I treat it not only like my way to relax, but also like a way of improving my skills of a writer; I treat my blog as a semi-professional thing. Now singing is rather my hobby than writing.
And so I should stop thinking about someone special when I do something on the Internet. If I do it, I should do it for myself or for everybody at once - there are only two. If I wanna write something for a particular person, I should write it in the message. Why do I put silly hints in my public posts thinking "Oh, he must get the meaning, he'll understand!" He mustn't do anything!  Or she, whoever! Why do I seek for that stupid attention? People who need me will definitely write me sooner or later. If I feel the need of connection, I ought to write - why waste time deciding?
Things on the Internet should be understandable and - by far more important - interesting to everyone. I do understand that sometimes, when I write about my mere mortal life, I describe things not so interesting for other people. Yes, here the first 'rule' - I do it for myself. But also I want to make people interested in the field, the theme I write about. Is it another way to gain some heed? No, I don't think so. If I hint at someone in my publications, I feel like I'm screaming "Hey! Yes, you! I need you! I remember you! Look here! Check this out!" If I write about something happening in my life not concerning other people, I feel like I involve people in my atmosphere, in what I do, what my life is like; I want them to learn about things other people experience though my prose moments.
You may be thinking now, "Is she high or something?" I must warn you I've been reading philosophical works by Pascal and Spinoza these days. It's not the last post containing my deep reflections. I try to grasp myself through expressing things with the help of words. "My purpose is to explain, not the meaning of words, but the nature of things" - from "Ethics" (1677) by Spinoza. My oh my, who knew that I'd fall for the philosophy of the seventeenth century?
Actually I have so many ideas I'd like to write in my blog, but I need some time organizing them in my head first. Plus I don't have much time this week. You know, my birthday will be this Sunday, so... Yeah, somehow I've found some time to be typing these letters right now. But it's more on the wave of inspiration, not so much of a long hard work. I should be doing my homework, to be honest.
Talking about less lofty things, everything goes on and on. We started reading in Gothic, a grandfather of English. It's so funny! So cool to see the connection between Gothic and modern English words, follow some common changes. Every now and then I realize I made a right choice about my specialization.
The song of the day... let it be "Girls Chase Boys". It's such a light-hearted track - as a balancing opposition to all that mess I've written.

All the broken hearts in the world still beat

Let's not make it harder than it has to be

Ohh, it's all the same thing

Girls chase boys chase girls

[x2]

I'm a little let down but I'm not dead

There's a little bit more that has to be said

You played me now I play you too

Let's just call it over

All the broken hearts in the world still beat

Let's not make it harder than it has to be

Ohh, it's all the same thing

Girls chase boys chase girls

[x2]

Chase girls, chase boys, chase boys, chase girls

I'm a little bit home but I'm not there yet

It's one to forgive but it's hard to forget

Don't call me, I won't call you too

Let's just call it over

All the broken hearts in the world still beat

Let's not make it harder than it has to be

Ohh, it's all the same thing

Girls chase boys chase girls

[x2]

Chase girls, chase boys, chase boys, chase girls

I got two hands, one beating heart

And I'll be alright

I'm gonna be alright

Yeah I got two hands, one beating heart

And I'll be alright

I'm gonna be alright

All the broken hearts in the world still beat

Let's not make it harder than it has to be

Ohh, it's all the same thing

Girls chase boys chase girls

[x2]

(Oh everything is going to be fine

Oh everybody loves you baby)

All the broken hearts in the world still beat

Let's not make it harder than it has to be

Ohh, it's all the same thing

Girls chase boys chase girls

[x2]

Ohh, it's all the same thing

Girls chase boys chase girls

Be brave to work for yourself

Mulled Wine. Cows. L'Amore È Cieco. A Cattle-Wench.

Some days ago my dear roommate Cherry Lady and I had a decent evening, because we cooked... mulled wine! It turned out to be a piece of cake. My mom and I cooked it when I was on vacation in my hometown, but I only watched her doing that, and now I was a leader cooker. The easiest way to mull wine is to pour wine in the pot (well, we cooked in the multicooker), add cinnamon and sugar and heat it all up not bringing to the boil. But we don't make things easy. On pouring semi-dry red Italian wine into the bowl, we added a special mix  of spices for mulled wine (if you create it yourself, frankly speaking you can add anything, but it's preferable to be cinnamon and cloves as minimum), an apple, an orange, half bottle of orange juice (some use pure water), sugar (pretty much) and turn the heat on. Our mulled wine came off delicious! Now we know what we will cook for our New Year party. And every winter weekend starting from November. One more recipe in my mental bank!
Also I wanna share with you what I find hilarious at our university. You know, FEFU develops really fast, we have a beautiful campus, one of a kind in Russia. There are plenty of serious and important international events held on our campus. But during the warm period of year now and then you can face... cows. Cows pasture around by the roads, right near the university fence. I think it's ridiculous! Poor animals got used to eat their grass on these meadows when there was no campus, and now their memory leads them back. I don't even know who owns the cows and let them pasture whenever they want. I also have a funny guess that they belong to the university's School Of Biomedicine, where they can create something innovative out of the cows' milk. Anyhow some days ago I chanced to take a pretty stylish photos of the cows pasturing right in the middle of the road.

As long as we're back to our studies, we've met some new and not so new teachers. One of the teachers taught us in the very first semester (it's our 3rd semester now) and I really liked her very much. I knew that she would teach us the foreign literature this semester, and I looked forward to it. And what my surprise was when at our first class I learnt that she, my favorite teacher, knew Italian! I murmured "Mi ciamo Olga" to Cherry Lady sitting next to me, but the teacher heard it and asked: "Parli italiano?" When I answered, she asked some more little questions in Italian, but I hadn't practiced it for awhile, so I wasn't able to reply her properly. That's why nowadays I furiously catch up on my Italian knowledge. And try to expand the French one at once too as we have more French classes this year. By the way, French tongue-twisters should burn IN HELL!!

So should one of our groupmates. This guy has always been a pain in ass, but recently he's been acting in such a ridiculous way! I won't retell you the whole story, but he ended up calling me and Cherry Lady "cattle-wenches"! HOW DARED HE CALL ME A CATTLE-WENCH??! AND MY FRIEND??! UGHR! The end of the story was a fight that motherfucker and his roommate VS. our group leader Anton and one groupmate's boyfriend. Of course, Anton and the Co. won. Goddamn, it sounds like the nineties... #facepalm
Here's my little notes about what have happened in my life. The song of the day... I think I have too many. But ok, today I'm giving you "Runnin' (Lose It All)" by Naughty Boy feat. Beyonce and Arrow Benjamin. The video is absolutely stunning.

[Verse 1: Beyoncé]

These four lonely walls have changed the way I feel

The way I feel, I'm standing still

And nothing else matters now, you're not here

So where are you? I've been callin' you, I'm missin' you

[Pre-Chorus: Beyoncé]

Where else can I go? Where else can I go?

Chasin' you, chasin' you

Memories turn to dust, please don't bury us

I got you, I got you

[Chorus: Beyoncé]

Runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'

Runnin', runnin', runnin'

Ain't runnin' from myself no more

Together we'll win it all

I ain't runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'

Runnin', runnin', runnin'

Ain't runnin' from myself no more

I'm ready to face it all

If I lose myself, I lose it all

[Verse 2: Arrow Benjamin]

I've outrun the fears that chased, they're standin' still

I'm runnin' still, I'm runnin' still

And every voice that cried inside my head, forever drives

Forever drives, I kill the lights

[Pre-Chorus: Arrow Benjamin]

Where else can I go? Where else can I go?

Chasing you, chasing you

[Chorus: Arrow Benjamin + Beyoncé]

Runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'

Runnin', runnin', runnin'

Ain't runnin' from myself no more

Together we'll win it all

I ain't runnin', runnin', runnin', runnin'

Runnin', runnin', runnin'

Ain't runnin' from myself no more

I'm ready to face it all

If I lose myself, I lose it all

Be brave