Books, movies, tv-shows

Hello everybody! I decided to share some of my thoughts on what I have recently read, watched or listened to. I will start with books. Well, since I moved to London I noticed that this city just makes you read mostly because people spend ages while commuting. I for example have to travel for 50 minutes to work and with book time goes by much faster. This summer I have red Dance, Dance Dance which is the last additional book to Murakami's 'Trilogy of the Rat'. I am totally in love with him and this last book as all the previous ones of his had impressed me a lot. I love this weird feeling I get when I read his books - some sort of jealousy towards his characters. You unwittingly desire to become one of them to experience all the mysticism and craziness. Also I love the fact that his books introduce the reader to the culture of Japan - between the lines of the main you find random facts about the life of Japan. For example existence of 'love hotels' (one them was actually portrayed in the newest Wolverine), personal registered seal which enable a Japanese to sign document and 'Chazuke' - Japanese remedy for hangover. In his books he mentions a lot of music and the band that repeats the most in Dance Dance Dance is Beach Boys.

I decided to have a little break from Murakami (I do have 1Q84 waiting for me on the shelf) and read something else. Peter came for help. He is loving reddit and in one of the discussions 'what is the best book you've ever read?' he found me 2 books. I have managed to read one of them - it is 'The Road' by Cormac McCarthy. Well, I have to admit I have never read anything similar to this - it is a very unique style of writing and quite a deep and sad story. This book is not the one which will leave you with a light and optimistic feeling, but if you are willing to empathise and even cry a bit - then this apocalyptic genre is for you. Descriptive manner, repeating dialogues are not very exciting, but still there is something in it that makes you keep reading - not understanding what is happening and at the same time interest. This novel was awarded with Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. This story makes you put yourself on the place of the characters and think what would you do? Would you give up or continue fighting? There is no thinking of past or future, it is just the road. The ending of the book is very touching - and I made conclusion that no matter whar happens it is our task to carry the fire, hope for the best and have the strength to live. There is also a film ('The Road') which I recommend watching if you don't want to read a book.

Moving on to the movies and TV-Shows - it has been a lot of them but I will just mention the ones I really love. All time favourite TV Show - Suits. Very pleasant, unobtrusive series. American law firm, there are even elements of romantic relationship, but it is to expand the audience. A guy with an amazing memory - not a lawyer who works in one the biggest law firms in NY. Beautiful men, beautiful women, beautiful life - well all you need to get pleasure. Something different, but yet good. I recommend watching.

I am also loving ANTM Cycle 20 - it is truly amazing - exciting news - there are boys in it! But really, it is really entertaining and I just Love Tyra Banks - I like the American series because it is always something more than just looks and modelling it is about relationship and personality. I think it is very cool and it is also on YouTube. Recent movies that I watched were The Road (which you pretty much got the idea from the book review), Kick - Ass 2 (which was to awful that i don't even want to talk about it), We are The Millers and The Art of getting by. Millers - is a very funny comedy I would say 18+ but is really entertaining - perfect to watch after a hard day at work, gets you out of your routine. Don't expect any deep feeling but a good comedy to watch. The Art of getting by - I found it through Emma Roberts' filmography. As when I like the actress/or i usually check out all the movies with him/her and I found The Art of getting by, which is nothing special, but very cute and very much about life.I love these characters, which sometimes I feel like saying, "God, what are you doing?" They do not leave you indifferent. No one is perfect, and all make mistakes, everyone has their own opinion and their perception of the world. Plus, I love the school theme :D I do recommend. Wish you a great weekend - watch, read, listen to what you love! Follow my blog with Bloglovin

What to wear on a date?

Hello everyone!
Summer continues and it is the best time for walks, trips, nights out and of course some romances! I thought that issue 'what to wear on a date' is the one that automatically comes up. Now, I want to clarify that 'date' doesn't have to be the very first one, or the very important one, it could be any date, for example a date with your boyfriend, who you are together with for a long time.. In my situation I absolutely love defining with my boyfriend (as we are together for long time) 'the date'. Then, we both know that we have to make an effort.
Yes, by the way I am convinced that a date deserves an effort! Even if you are meeting your friend, who you haven't seen for a long time why not to dress up and feel a little bit more special?!

Also, I have very strong opinion about the girls' looks, as I think that we have so much more things to use, to be creative and experiment. Make up, heels, dresses, shorts, skirts and then different materials, textures and colours. Why not to use this variety of choice? This blog is aimed to share my little tips on how to get ready for a date.


1. Opposites attract
I am pretty sure that we are attracted to something that we are lacking. From this deep philosophical thought I will go straight to clothing. Dress up in a way that a guy wouldn't be able to (well at least the guy who you would like to date). If it is a romantic date, you might want to put away your formal suit, unisex clothes and big boots. I think it is better to choose something that is feminine, some soft and light materials, which emphasize on all the right places and hide the ones we don't want to be seen. For a casual get together you can express your personality with the funky and original style. It is always good to think rational - if you know that you are going for a picnic (as much as you'd like to) it is not the perfect occasion for a short dress and heels. But even in the casual wear there are such materials as chiffon, lace or silk which are considered to be feminine. 

Here are some ASOS examples of quite casual tops with some details which will emphasize on the feminine side of yours, which can be easily worn with some shorts or even jeans:
Lace top

Lace top and skater 

This is nice - but too sophisticated. Perfect for a job interview or a meeting with business client

YES!

2. Confidence and (and not so much) comfort

I am convinced that a date is the time to enjoy, so first of all you might want to feel confident and comfortable. However, you can define comfort with cozy flats or with your favourite tight dress and mid-heels which will make you feel comfortable with your look. So it is for you to decide. I usually tend go for not-so-much of a literal comfort , well – beauty demands sacrifice and it’s always your choice of how much you are willing to surrender to it.  

Coming back to the main question – ‘So what do I wear for a date?’ I would say in this context stick to your trusted favourite things, which make you feel good and importantly ensure you with confidence that your dress won’t rip and the shoes won’t be hurting your feet. I agree that it is exciting to buy a new ‘outfit for a date’, however make sure you give it a little ‘trial’ before the day. You don’t want to feel uncomfortable because of new shoes, which rub or blister your feet.

3. Little things that will make you feel good
Talking of your self-esteem, there are always little things that can make you feel on top of the world. It can be anything really and it should not necessarily be visible to everybody. It can be your underwear (which you are not planning to expose) but it will make you feel good before the date while checking yourself out in the mirror; favourite perfumes; accessories  or a lucky charm. Yes, we all have some little secrets and superstitions - and there is nothing wrong about it.  

4. Details - don't forget about them!
Now I would like to expand a bit on ‘we have so much to use’ – I am talking about details. You can always make your look stand out by being creative with your accessories and paying attention to the detail. Moreover, some guys do have an eye for a detail. He will definitely notice your manicure when taking your hand. Colours play an important role in your perception of person. You might want to stay away from a red dress if you consider your date more of a ‘friendly one’ rather than a ‘third date’ (we all know what I am on about).  So, spend some time considering such details as colours, matching styles of clothes, hair and makeup.  



6. Positive attitude

Last but not least – it is not all about clothes. Yes, your look will definitely make an impression of your personality, but don’t try to be someone else - just be yourself (a little bit prettier that on a daily basis) . The person who you are going on a date with wants to see you, not the girl from a magazine who he doesn’t care about. The most important thing which has absolutely nothing to do with what you wear - is your mood. If you like yourself and you can shamelessly say 'oh girl, you are damn hot' to your reflection, then you reached the desired result. Love yourself and others will love you too. 

Hopefully, there was something useful in this discussion and I wish everyone to have great time on their dates!

How To: Not get totally stressed out before exams or other academic deadline

Hello, everyone!

It's been a long time since my last writing as had some exciting time with my dissertation. Now, when it is finally over and everyone is in the middle of revision for the exams, I thought that it would be relevant to share some of my thoughts on how to 'keep calm and carry on' with all sort of studying.

First of all, I think it is absolutely normal to get nervous before the exams or deadline. I think that everyone will agree that it is not natural and very uncomfortable situation in which your skills, knowledge and ability to concentrate are checked in very special let's say environment. So, I guess it is impossible to not care about it at all, but there is definitely no point to panic!

So here are some rules I try to follow when I am facing exams or deadlines:

1. STUDY, Study, study! 
Unfortunately there is no other way to get by and there is no magical pill we could take and absorb all the information needed. So, yes just accept it, you need to spend some hours sitting with your books, notes, slides and whatever else.

2. Evaluate your capabilities and difficulty of material. 
It is actually quite helpful, because if you know that you are able to prepare a piece of work over night or revise everything in few days, there is no need to panic 2 weeks before and other way round. Also I always start with the easiest question to allow more time to the one I have difficulties with.

3. Organise your study space and yourself 

You might want to study in the library or sit behind the desk, but not to lie in bed with a book. It gives you very relaxing feeling and I am not sure of how much you will be able to remember of such reading. Plus, it associates with some entertaining reading and attention is not concentrated on the important details. 

Also if i decide to study at home I like to prepare myself as well. Rather than staying in pjs I prefer to dress up and even put make up on, then it makes me feel that I am actually 'doing work' and I would not go back to lie in bed

Your study area - well, don't let it look like the picture above. I follow the rule - clear table, clear notes, clear thoughts! A nice folder or organizer might be helpful to keep all the materials in a place.

4. Plan your day
I love to plan things and even if it is about revision I make a plan what I need to know by certain day. I am trying to follow this, so I can be calm that everything is going well. I also like to set up a regime - to wake up at certain time and create a study routine, which will allow me to feel that most days I DO study as well as monitor how much of my day is dedicated to it. 


5. Communicate
I am not 100% sure of the effectiveness of this point and I will explain why. It is good to talk to your course mates, exchange with some useful sources and notes. BUT! I am personally not a big fan of revision together. First of all, everyone has his/her own way of doing things and own pace. Also I don't like asking what other people wrote about in their works as it will make me more worried in case if I forgot something or did everything totally unlike someone else. So yes, communicate in a way that is not harmful to yourself and concentrate on your own work. At the end of the day it is YOU who is sitting on the exam.


5. Treat yourself
It is very important! If you feel that you've done a good job and had a productive day, why not to treat yourself with something that you like - either go for a meal out with friends, or watch latest episode, eat some sweets, anything really. You can't study all the time!


6. Have breaks
Following the last sentence - it is true it is impossible to study all the time, otherwise you will completely hate what you are doing. Have reasonable beaks. For example this blog is my break :)


7. Don't forget to eat!
Very true for me. If I am hungry I am not productive, not in the mood, cannot concentrate! I don't know about you, but food is important! Also dark chocolate is apparently good for brain, but well... milk chocolate is good as well.

8. Find alternative sources of information

If you are tired of textbooks and really can't be bothered to do anything, but still understand that you need to learn something today - look for some other sources of informations. For example Youtube uploads some of the full lectures and I really like RSA: http://www.youtube.com/user/theRSAorg

Another useful source is Ted talks. Even newspapers can be useful, if the articles relate to your topic.

9. Keep positive attitude!
The last, but not least: motivate yourself with positive thoughts. Like : It will be over soon! Summer is coming! A little bit more and I will be proud of myself and so on.

Good luck with your exams everyone!

Mad Men or let's talk about women

Hey hey! I have recently started to watch Mad Men as I've heard so much about it and I was very curious what it's all about. Now I get what all this hype about. It is truly good!

To be honest I started to watch more because of the outfits, makeup and hairstyles of these pretty ladies, than because of the storyline.

It all happens in New York of 1960s in the one of the biggest advertising agencies in Manhattan. It was very curious for me to see how did they make adverts then (after studying a whole module on modern advertising last semester) in the age when cigarettes and alcohol were totally acceptable products to be advertised. However the plot is not what I am going to talk about. I am going to talk about Women of 60s and why I think that these women depicted there should be taken by us (ladies of 21st century) as an example.

 


First of all, just look at them. At home or at work they look so neat, stylish and beautiful. I think this is one thing that modern girls are loosing. I am sorry if I am generalising, but for me it is a fact. I am a particular opposition for a modern feminism I think it went too far. It was a huge difference for me when I moved to UK to see how different the relationship between men and women are. I am not intending to insult anyone, so forgive my honest opinion, but I think that women in UK are far too much emancipated. What started as a great idea of equal rights to vote, work and get education on the same basis with men went too far, when women overloaded themselves with way too much things to do.

 It would be a lie to say that in 1960s women were only mothers and wives therefore they could spend so much time on themselves and look stunning. I personally think this is because there was different idea about the role of women in men's life. Woman has always been a decoration, subject of admiration and lust. I believe that every women enjoys man's attention and care; these series very precisely depict the relationship between man and woman. Man knows exactly that his wife or girlfriend is worthy all of his efforts at work, to come back home and meet submissive and supportive woman.
I truly believe that behind every successful man is a strong woman. There is nothing wrong with being a 'neck' to a 'head'. I think it is pointless and at times stupid for women to prove all life how clever, strong and powerful you are. As Scarlet asked (in Gone with the wind): Why does a girl have to be so silly to catch a husband?
Well, it it a game of life. Man like to be clever and strong and it is how it SHOULD BE. Who want a weak and silly man next to you? Well, I don't want and thankfully I don't have.
For me it is the main feature that my man has to have: he has to be able to help me, advise me and if needed guide me in a  right direction. I don't find anything humiliating at all  in coming to my boyfriend with seeking help in opening a jar or in an advise in more serious questions.

Of course I felt a little bit sorry for those ladies in Mad Men as often they are not treated seriously by men and are only seen as sex objects. Wherein, they do not look cheap or easy available. Most of all I love the fact that men always approach ladies first. In my opinion, it is how it should be! No matter what - it is a man who is a hunter, who has to make a first step and to make some efforts in getting a woman. I don't agree with the position that when girl is choosing a guy herself she is free and independent. I am sorry, but it is how i think (one will say old style and conservative - YES!). Also it is depicted there how women used to be financially fully dependent from man. It has changed now, and women can choose any range of jobs, but still man's desire to spend on his woman should be encouraged (And NOT used!), as I guess that man can really feel himself a man when gives his lady a present and gets back desired gratitudes, love and tenderness.

Anyways, I think I've explained and described my point of view and I want to come back to Mad Men ladies. And to finish my blog with something I want to wish to all the girls, ladies, women..

Stay beautiful inside and outside whether you are out 

or at home:

Wear nice underwear

And find your real man. Love and be loved: