I-thought of the day (March 8, 2010)

The day was marked by my growing frustration with the weather outside- cold, wind, desperation and no signs of spring on the horizon. The fact that it is Monday did not help at all to make me feel better. Here are some of the random and totally insignificant things that made my brain slowly roll.

1. Sandra Bullock won an Oscar and a Golden Razzie. Un giorno di ordinaria follia, as the Italians nicely put it in a movie once.
2. Hollywood is experiencing a significant crisis of good taste. Actors with absurd beards and haircuts, actresses looking like: a. cakes b. lumps of flesh c. old bags d. who-knows-what had conquered the red carpet.
3. My food cravings are growing proportionally to the cold. I just hope my butt doesn't do the same.
4. Can't seem to find the right music for today. Cesaria Evora couldn't do the job. Suggestions?
5. 'Happy 8th of March to all the ones who are proud to be named 'women'...damn, I thought my name was Lily...or at least I've been told so for 25 years. Mom?!
6. I actually started thinking that going grocery shopping on Saturday in Germany is a good weekend plan.
7. Lots of people bore me. To death.
8. In times of crisis, don't give up. Because it can always get worse (or better, but I'm not sure about the latter). Oscar Wilde, I need your cynicism to make it through the day.
9. Substituted the SATC episode before going to sleep with a book. Feels quite good actually.
10. Monday evening- so uneventful, so quiet, so looking forward for it to be over!

I-thought of the day (March 7, 2010)

Е нека пък този път да е на български, неделя е ден за почивка на мозъка от чужди езици и всякакви дейности изискващи дори минимално усилие.

1. Днес имах сутрешно прозрение- цял ден слушам Faith No More и ужасно ме кефят.

2. Страсбург е ужасно красив град, в който бих живяла още доста време ако не беше гадната зима. Малките тесни кафенета са ужасно привлекателни, особено ако миришат на ръчно направен шоколад както днешното "Bistrot Chocolat".

3. Освежаващ уикенд e този, наистина имах нужда да не се мърдам.

4. Денят беше изключително лишен от всякакви новини, клюки и напрегнати разговори. Беше време.

5. Убедих се наживо, че Пикасо не е моят художник, а картината '3 Noir' е пълен боклук, дори и да е лепната като експонат на модерното изкуство.

6. Едно от най-лошите неща, което може да ти се случи когато търсиш апартамент на сляпо е стаята ти да се падне залепена за тоалетната. Звуците са доста дразнещи.

7. Мисля, че скоро гейовете ще превземат света. Сигурно жените сме доста разочароващи. Харесва ми това. Оцеляват само най-силните.

8. Да говориш за глупости с приятели, към които нямаш останали никакви задни помисли, е изкуство само по себе си и дава изключително чувство за сигурност.

9. Въпрос: Каква е вероятността да си в трамвай в Страсбург в 7 вечерта в неделя и вътре да мирише на готвена манджа с пържен лук, все едно някой готви в момента?

Отговор: Голяма. Не ме питайте.

10. Джаз, гръндж, Джамиро, олд скуул рап. Музикалните ми експерименти нямат край.

I-thought of the day (March 6, 2010)

As yesterday was a day completely lacking-in meaning and significance (not that today is any different), I'm sorry to announce that I'm directly jumping to the i-thoughts of this Saturday. What a lame excuse for my total refusal/ineptness to execute a meaningful thought-making process. For anyone who was missing it yesterday, here you go:

1. It's lovely every time I see how someone thought of something that would make people's lives easier, i.e. the Germans- just go to their most common stores like Muller, DM or any supermarket.

2. A day you devote to your own self is a great pressure relief. I guess that's the result of being used to living alone. Alone, not lonely.

3. All that jazz...and then more jazz!

4. Coffee and vitamins+ TV series- the new diet of wannabes like me.

5. The Bulgarian president fell very low this time. Pathetic!

6. I feel the need to start reading books again.

7. For a few days now I've been trying to figure out what language I think in. No result so far.

8. What is good to eat in Strasbourg besides tarte flambee?

Maybe a tarte flambee...

9. I just read that German doctors saved a newborn who weighed 250g when taken out of the mother's womb. Now the child weighs over 3 kg. I am beweildered. At first, the baby looked like this (if anyone remembers the "Teardrop" video by the Massive Attack, the similarity is striking)- see above!

So miracles do happen sometimes. But to the others, not to you. Here goes your daily sarcasm dose.

10. Carla Bruni- interesting choice of dress (and of husband by the way).

I-thought of the day (March 04, 2010)

1. Negative thoughts about the future have occupied my brain and won't leave it.
2. Feeling bloated, need a haircut and something sweet to elevate my mood.
3. I miss my sister a lot in these days.
4. Whoever said that women were complicated, was damn right.
5. Most of the faces I see around are that completely unmemorable that I have the feeling to be in a different building everytime I enter my workplace.
6. Maybe you need to get to the bottom to start rising. I am about to hit it next month.
7. All hopes that spring is finally here are dead and forgotten.
8. Balkan men are pathetic. Good men are rare. The man I love is good and not Balkan, but he doesn't speak my language.
9. I haven't had a decent sleep for way too long now.
10. Word of the day: chiappe chiacchierate. Thanks, P. The word has been added to my dictionary.

I-thought of the day (March 03, 2010)

My day in 10 random thoughts:

1. I need to stop travelling at least for a little bit.
2. I am becoming sensitive to dust.
3. Happy 3rd of March!
4. Paolo is blogging way too much and I need to keep the pace as well!
5. Don't let yourself be fooled by the bright sun in Strasbourg- the cold still bites (and I bite the dust, eventually).
6. I am getting old and the two white hairs in have in my hair are getting more and more visible every day!
7. What's for lunch?
8. The owner's coming to pick up the rent today- the day can't be good!
9. Runny nose, sleepless nights and a roommate with bad to none hygienic habits is what you get for allowing yourself the luxury of going to the city of Porto for the weekend.
10. Is it Friday yet???

Защо започнах да чета поезия

Отговорът на въпроса в заглавието е прост- наскоро преоткрих (или по-точно за първи път съзнателно открих) поезията на Христо Смирненски. Не знам защо по-рано не го бях направила. В последствие разбрах също така, че е любим поет на баща ми. Чета и се вълнувам искрено. Става ми хем тъжно, хем хубаво. Тези две стихотворения са ми любимите- прекрасни са:

НА ГОСТИ У ДЯВОЛА

1. ПРИКАЗКА ЗА ЧЕСТТА

В живота си нивга не бях се надявал
на толкова мил комплимент:
покани ме Дявола — старият Дявол —
дома си на чашка абсент.

Свещта очертаваше острия профил
със ивица златни лъчи
и пускайки кръгчета дим, Мефистофел
ме гледаше с влажни очи.

В очите му есенна горест бе скрита,
но все пак бе горд и засмен,
и махна с ръка той "In vino veritas!"
Ще бъда пред теб откровен!

Омръзна ми вече все тоя ярем на
притворство и помисъл зла —
да пием за твойта сърдечност неземна
и сивите земни тела!

Преди векове аз възпрях на земята
и тук устроих си шега:
веичах се за земната Истина свята,
но тя увенча ме с рога.

Възпламнах от ревност, и в черна омраза
за своята стъпкана чест —
човешката чест неуморно аз газя,
но с чест не сдобих се до днес.

Намислих чрез подвизи чудни да блесна —
умирах по сто пъти в бран,
но винаги рицар на кауза честна,
не бидох пак с чест увенчан.

Отчаян, окаян,веднъж в булеварда
аз тръгнах неземно злочест.
И вдигнах над себе си ярка плакарда:
"Човек без капчица чест!"

Но странно: презрение няма ни капка!
Посрещат ме вред с интерес,
любезно отвсякъде свалят ми шапка:
"Без чест ли си? — Прави ти чест!"

Един господин ме целуна: "Ах, братко,
и ти ли!... Ей, кой да те знай!"
Две хубави дами ми казаха сладко:
"Елате в нас утре на чай!"

Чудесно! Невиждано! С почести редки
изпратен бях чак до дома.
Министри, царе и придворни кокетки
ми писаха мили писма.

И ето ме: важен, блестящ, елегантен,
богат като истински Крез!
И знам аз: крадец съм, лъжец, спекулантин,
безчестник; но... винаги с чест!"...

И Дявола млъкна. Наля от абсента,
сърдечно се чукна със мен,
и пускайки пушек на синкави ленти,
прониза ме с поглед зелен.

"Червен смях", 14 март 1923

Сенки

1

Не бяха цъфнали, не бяха още

те – белоснежните цветя

на любовта,

и дълги дни, и дълги нощи

очакваха да

мине тя.

Но дойде есен златодреха,

не мина тя, не дойде тя

и в самота

през скръбна привечер умреха

те – нецъфтелите цветя.

2

Порутен храм в забрава тежка тъне,

разбит кумир край гръмнат дъб,

стени обрасли в бурени и тръне,

наоколо пустош, пустош и сън е...

В душата скръб, пред поглед тъп

блуждай и гасне спомен скъп.

Уж ден, а мрак е непрогледен,

из него демон зъл цари

и съска там смехът му леден,

а аз вървя кат призрак бледен.

Отпред гори и канари,

отпред пътеки без зари...

Цветя посадих, а събрах коприва,

отърсих истини – навред лъжи;

любов разпръсвам – злоба ме облива,

запаля свещ – тъма ме пак обвива...

Глава тежи, душа тъжи –

душа ми кой ще освежи?...

Strasbourg: The Council of Europe Series 1

Ok, it was about time I wrote something from my new temporary place of residence- the so-called 'heart of Europe' i.e. Strasbourg. I have had so much free time on my hands recently and am so getting used to having it that paradoxically I hardly find any will to blog. But this is comprehensible- once one enters into the habit of slacking off, then it is very, very difficult to get out of the pattern.
Strasbourg- love at first sight, but now I come to understand that I actually do not like the city that much, it is the thought of being here and the people I am meeting that so far have made this experience really worthwhile. The city itself is orderly, beautiful, sophisticated, clean and at first sight it has everything you need. However, I think that my affection for Italy is getting serious- I somehow miss the chaotic order of the tiny Italian street, the noisy people having good coffee (and with the risk of sounding like an ever-complaining Italian- coffee here is genuinely BAD!), this desperate feeling of being lost and lonely even when the neighbours are peeking into your window..and then I miss the food. And here I also risk of being convicted of forgetting to say I miss some people, but I think they know it already..so yes, I miss you- Mery, Paolo, Ceca and even Yana!!!
However, I cannot help it- I am having a great time in Strasbourg. I love it that I never felt lonely in this city, even if I am by myself. And for the first time it actually feels OK to spend a hungover Saturday by yourself, sleeping, doing nothing, staying in your pijamas until 6 p.m. without even showing your nose from your room. Which means a couple of things: apartment's great, flatmates can get nasty but for the first time I could not care less, company is great, work is not, and anyways- I am really having a good time. Which once again convinces me that the things you are not looking forward to are actually those that you never regret afterwards. I am extremely happy with my choice and thankful to the people who actually tried for more than a month to convince me that it was actually good for me to come here. So now it is the time to say- you were right, people, and I was wrong (and I very seldom admit to have been wrong)!
And last for today- I am re-discovering the meaning of the abbreviation 'tgif'! I never imagined it was charged with so much meaning!
More to follow!