13 Child slavery

I would like to present some evidences to prove that I'm a victim of slavery. My mother is an unquestioned expert on exploiting her own kids. Let's make something clear - I adore black humour.

clothes

It is believed that there's a relationship between fashion and personality. Unfortunately, I had to wear my brother's clothes (cloths because it all of the clothes were totally shabby). Frankly speaking, if I had to wear it now, I would be the most fashionable girl that you have ever seen. Because of darning some t-shirts seem hand-done :D

rooms

I was born into slavery. I shared the room with my younger brother. Nobody has ever slept over in my room. Thanks, mum. You know how to rile me.

labour

I was forced to work. Have you ever heard about vacuuming the carpets every day(in 14 rooms)? Lucky you! If I had the golden opportunity to work in mine o construction I would prefer it. When I hear the sound of vacuum cleaner my hands start to tremble and my mouth goes dry.

I'm free since I moved out. Slavery no longer exists.

12 prisons

I was quite baffled after watching a documentary about polish prisons. In Poland, some people prefer to be confined to survive harsh winter. In most cases, being sentenced for robbery rid them of many knotty problems, such as supplying water (in some parts of Poland bathroom is still a luxury), fuel or something that could be used to keep the house warm. Moreover, as the food is provided, another worry disappears. May the confinement be a pleasurable experience? Perhaps the major drawback is the lack of alcohol. Even though smoking is banned, everybody smokes (smuggling = new sentence).

My uncle drives prisoners to coal mine. It sounds bad. He told me that he hopes that one day they take him hostage so he will finally spend some time without my aunt's grumbling :D

11 difficult questions

Last week I went to a non-alcoholic party (organized by students!). Surprisingly, a hip flask wasn't needed.The party was f a b u l o u s. Needless to say, I'm not used to spend a whole party without having a sip of beer. In practice, I don't have to rely on alcohol to have fun with complete strangers. How can you organize such type of party in Poland? You have to be ballsy (Should I use this word?) Avoiding alcohol means that you're dull or you've got a problem with it. So during the party one of the girls asked me about unusual hobbies. While I was thinking, the party ended :D

Acting like my grandpa is my unusual hobby. Fishing, pissing my grandma off, newspapers. I'm keen on reading articles. Every Saturday morning I make tea and then I start my press review. I normally have to catch up with all the news from Spain. I have never read anything from the health rubric. It tamps my morning enthusiasm. Would I be cheerful as always if I got to know that my lungs are dying because of smog? Consequently, I'm totally unfamiliar with all the health issues. I remember vividly when my friend told me that I will kick the bucket because of being a total ignorant. I have no clue how I can be healthier, but I know everything about Polish GDP.

10 Christmas markets

I had never wanted to add Estonia to my travel list. Neither Latvia nor Lithuania had become one of the destinations from my bucket list. Surprisingly, last year I spread across all these countries during winter (Lithuania is known for roads in bad conditions). Furthermore, I visited these territories before Christmas and after (a small) blizzard. As my boyfriend is a total Grinch, we couldn't have visited all of the Christmas markets. Fortunately, the most important ones were set in the market squares. So I has a quite good excuse to get buzzed...eee, to savour mulled wine or glogg.

The charm of the markets was unforgettable. Undoubtedly, the markets stalls varied in every country. In Latvia handcrafted goods had captivated me. Buying gifts had always been a great dilemma. Thanks to Lithuanian artisans I purchased personalised gifts. To my pure surprise, everybody was satisfied. I would like to know the difference between receiving socks from Lithuania and the Polish ones haha. There is a little likelihood that next Christmas I will eventually buy something different(and decent).

9 the art of saving money

Recently I've written a few words about  excessive consumering. Yesterday I heard on the radio that during this Christmas we will spend more money on gifts, food etc. Obviously, it became a perfect introduction to start joking about the positive influence of 500+. It has been many months since the first joke about the program was made. Seriously people still laugh on it? I was made to listen to radio during few days. It was almost impossible to resist the burning desire of kicking the black box. Stupid jokes, useless information and the worst polish Christmas songs. I should take my friend to the court because of torturing me. 

As you may have noticed all the posts are based on digressions. I'm totally exasperated because that's the second try on writing about Kakebo. That's the Japanese technique which consists of permanent control of incomes and expenses of all the money that you have earned. The aim is to purchase what you really need. It is believed that you will save money. If I weren't so impulsive in my spending I would spend this Christmas in NYC.

8 Fighting with procrastination. The bloodshed.

A few days ago I complained about aggressive ad campaigns. I still haven't bought the bra (am I the first person who post something about bras?). Apparently the technique which I chose to escape from the omnipresent advertisement is quite efficient. Yesterday I discovered something that is BRILLIANT. When I told my friend what kind of tool I had found she looked quite puzzled. Unfortunately, she didn't know how to tell me politely that technophobia made me become a total tech ignorant. In several words, BlockSite is an extension which is the key to write master's thesis. OK, it just blocks websites. So I would like to say goodbye to Facebook and other emissaries of Satan.

You have already tried 4 times. Seriously? You should be doing something else. (That's my turn to say: SERIOUSLY?)

 

You have already tried 6 times.
I hate to tell you this, but this site is still blocked.

You have already tried 9 times. One more and you will hit two digits. This is seriously the waste of time.

 

May I cite the words of a famous and very gifted singer? Britney Spears sings "Oops I did it again" xd I mentioned Britney because one of my friends who reads my posts is a great music lover. However, I think that he desires to be a lover, Britney's lover :D

 

Excessive consumerism. Part I

Shopping deprivation has become my worst nightmare.

The modern society has imposed on us some rules. As you may know, I'm a private tutor. In recent years I've met people from different social classes. I've spent time with many victims of excessive consumerism what lead me to... let my guard down. Obviously, I was criticizing them, but I was doing it with kindness because I'm polite :D 

To my mind, we are overwhelmed by advertisements that are telling us what we need. I have never been so impulsive in the way in which I spend my money. A clear example of this is the burning desire of spending 179 zł in a simple red bra. Intimissimi has launched an aggressive advertising campaign which attacks my most vulnerable point. I adore Christmas. The intensive red color of the bra reminds me of Christmas. Consequently, it has captivated me (I've already seen the bra on Facebook, TV, at a leaflet etc.). Normally I try to acquire only the goods that I need. Nevertheless, I purchased plenty of clothes because of perceiving some of it as work of art.

Helping people

Let me say a few words about helping people

 Being a compassionate person bring a lot of people to poor and unlucky group of countries - Latin America. In 2010, the torrential rain and the widespread flooding as the result of it brought aid workers to Panama and Venezuela. As you will see, the trait of character that I've already mentioned is not obligatory. A friend of mine confessed me that she went there because some rich people paid her ticket so she saved money. After faked a truly need of deliver aid, she set up to visit Argentina.

Undoubtedly, the work of charity workers is underestimated. They're trying to improve the lives of the less privileged through many actions. An opportunity to have an education or thepossibilityy to get a job is given to them by volunteers who, for example, give classes. UNICEF is one of theorganizationss that have saved many kids by providing vaccines o other medication. The other dimension of their support is related to sanitation, education, nutrition etc. Opponents of UNICEF claim that the consequences of some methods that they use can be damaging. The containers that they offer to the Mayantribess in order to keep water there are pretty dangerous. The aim is to give access to drinking water but eventually in that specia the ambient temperature and conditions water goes bad quickly.

Marriage based on love?

Have you ever heard about the TV show "Married At First Sight"(Ślub od pierwszego wejrzenia). No? OK. Can you imagine that people decide voluntarily to marry a complete stranger? Does it sound to you like an arranged marriage? You may also have heard that "the war is what we should experience" when somebody is wasting food. Undoubtedly, it's a cruel what I have already written. As far as I'm concerned in developed countries the economic well--being or, in general, well-being has lead us to stupidity.

Seeking love isn't pathetic, but the way of looking for it may be ridiculous. In "Married At First Sight" the expertise of some psychologist allows to estimate the level of compatibility of future spouses. To my mind, It is highly likely that they will get divorced. On the other hand, a "normal" marriage also can be a total failure. As time passed by, frequently it results that a perfectly matched couple completes perfectly divorce papers. 

Why the participants are so impatient? They have to be completely desperate. Obviously, not everybody is able to enjoy the single life or can wait for Mr Right. If I were old (with an enormous wrinkle on my forehead) and single I would sing up for the show. It would be better to have somebody who could help me with all the tiring household chores.

I still haven't miss any episode because I laugh to tears. 

Procrastination. level 122551125

I perfectly know how I' m going to waste time in January. Honestly, it's pretty discouraging. Every year I observe the same behaviour pattern. I have become an expert in "how to successfully avoid studying".

Last year when I was overwhelmed by work I used to fire up my laptop, put on my lap a piece of freshly baked cake and start my search for cheap flights. Preparing for a test will never be a pleasure, but an apple pie provides... it gives you two hours more to serenity. It is said that doing all the household chores before exams is a perfect example of procrastination. Seriously? If I were this type of student I would be glad. Unfortunately, going on trips has always been my innate weakness. I would like to live in a clean room rather than in a messy one. On the other hand, the opportunity of seeing views that last forever sounds totally appealing. My scruffy room is a a type of view that you will never forget... And the obnoxious smell will attack your poor nose :D
Having organized a trip to Albania, I finally took notes of some pages from the textbook. After studying 15 minutes, I realised that I had to prepare a travel check list. I subconsciously found another lame excuse. I was filled with joy while I was packing my suitcase (a month earlier). The truth is that ty travel list was quite ridiculous but you never know what will need. I'm a "precise" traveller. Let me show you a small thing. Having this is a vital part of every trip. 

Being clumsy forces me to be well-equipped. That's the reason why I always carry a small tool to fix everything that I will spoil. Surprisingly, this tape can work as a bandage. It may be painful a little bit but it's still better than spending five euro in sticking plasters.

3 Catalonia

 It is believed that Catalonia wants the independence because of funds that they have lost recently. Perhaps it can be one of the reasons. Barcelona is one of the wealthiest regions in Spain. Consequently, a pretty big part of the high taxes go to the poorest regions. Catalonia has always been considered "the industrial heartland of Spain". It's painful to observe how the economic situation is changing. For investors the escalation of the conflict is connected with risk which they prefer to avoid. I spent a few months in a small city near to Tarragona. I perfectly understand why the want to declare independence from Spain. They have their own culture and language what make them feel like a community. The unity makes them strong as if they were a big family. I went to a manifestation during Diada which is the National Day of Catalonia. As its gathers a thousands of demonstrators, the atmosphere there was as unique as their culture.

 

As far as I'm concerned they will never abandon their attempts to be an independent state. I have to say that some of them are vain and think that Catalonia is better than stinky Spain. Many Catalans didn't want to speak Spanish unless I begged them. Ok, no more malicious comments.  During the dictatorship of Francisco Franco it was strictly forbidden to speak Catalan. All the political activity was carried out with only one aim. Destroy the language and customs. Undoubtedly, people became instruments of politics and ideology. 3,500 people were killed at the Battle of Ebro in 1938 because of political ambitions of Franco. This battle is called the bloodiest one of the Civil War.

 

The truth is that their culture differ from the Spanish one. The Catalan authorities were determined

to achieve theirs goal without bloodshed. As there there isn't a legal basis for treating Catalonia as an independentt state, the situation will deteriorate.

 

 

2 Zoos

Last week I visited one of Polish zoos. If I had known something more about that place I wouldn't have gone there. However, it was a rich experience. I haven't visited many zoos because of being too gentle. Nobody is willing to see how an animal can suffer. Recently many improvements have been implemented but even with rigorous inspections the number of zoos that should be closed down is alarming. There're many happenings or events which aim is to draw attention to this problem. 

On the world map we can find many places like Cabarceno. It's an enormous area which were created to keep animals from all over the world in semi-liberty. If you want to see the whole park it's not recommended to on foot or by bicycle. You can drive your own car. As you can see it's not totally environmentally friendly because of the exhaust fumes. 

I'm not sure if they keep many species that are going to extinct or animals in danger of extinction. I remember that they have some endangered species, especially predatory birds. They also offer a spectacular display with birds of prey.

Despite being against animals in captivity the idea of Cabarceno is less damaging than keeping animals in a traditional zoo. It is said that zoos protect animals from starvation, drought or another natural disaster. But why have we always tried to interfere with the nature?

1 A nice evening

If I were an animal I would be the most skittish one. I'm getting scared for no reason. As you can guess, that's makes me furious. If I were brave I would do so many exciting things! I have been trying to become courageous. I was truly convinced that a shock therapy would work. I went on a trip with some intrepid friends. We decided to visit historical places. They let my guard down. Because of violent deaths every place or even a treacherous road can become spooky. Historical places meant for them creepy castles... They wanted to go to a site of a gruesome murder. I didn't believe them so I asked if they had known what's really gruesome? A day at my university. It really hurts when you are making a joke and, surprisingly, results that you have chosen a bad moment to be funny... 

We got into the castle with (totally useless because of the profound darkness) flashlights. Everybody was willing to hear another ghost story except me. My friend was wandering around the castle's room and... suddenly he gave me a fright! I started to scream. I also heard a pent laughter. I realised what had happened and then I was going to kill him. Dying of daggering would be a nice death. When I managed to get out I was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. 

No creepy places, please!

15 Doping

It's obvious that doping is against the rules of sport. Nowadays many doping stories has finally become public. It's scandalous what has happened in Russia. Finally, an extensive report has shed light on the mecanism of sport management in many countries. The emergence of a doping culture is not a new phenomenon, but recently we have more evidence that entire countries are involved in providing doping to athletes.

1. Swimming
Have you ever heard of teenagers taking performance-enhancing drugs? My brother was a really good swimmer. When he was 14 he won Polish National Championship. He was one of the greatest, promising swimmers. A prestigious school offered him a place at the roll of students. My brother's trainer sent him a list of "supplementary vitamins" (strangely affecting the health of kids, especially the heart). My dad rejected the proposal.

2. Tennis
Maria Sharapova was banned from tennis for 15 months. She had been taking meldonium. It's a kind of medication that increases exercise capacity. Before the press conference, everybody suspected that she was pregnant. It was a real shock, totally unexpected news. Sugarpova, the sweetest tennis player could have done something so... unethical? After being suspended, she could be given a wild-card invitation to get into Roland Garros. She didn't get the card. Journalists said that Sharapova's fans could be disappointed. Seriously? She had been taking prohibited substances so she can't be treated as a tennis player who is returning to tennis after having an injury.

14

I'm a typical movie buff. I could spend every day watching movies. Things are getting more complicated when I want to watch a movie with my friend who is also a movie freak. She has seen everything, so we only watch the latest new movies. 

The Girl on the Train

I figured out immediately who was the killer with no effort. Fortunately, I haven't read the book. Surprisingly, recently every blockbuster book results a complete sh... trash. I read an academic article about the necessity of creating a new literary genre. Blockbuster books have some similarities in the narrative elements and in the emotional reaction that the book produces. As it achieves enormous sales, the plot has to be very simple. Nowadays, people prefer a light reading. Oh, wasn't the "50 shades of Grey" a page-turner? Another brilliant blockbuster book. Strangely, I flipped through that book. 

The script is also a complete trash, but The Girl on the Train has a stellar cast. Emily Blunt's acting is incredibly good. I was certain that Jennifer Lawrence (Megan) had botox injected into her cheeks or she just wanted to know what was the aesthetic medicine in practice. But... it wasn't her! The director featured Haley Bennett in that role! To my pure astonishment, she was quite good at imitating Lawrence. 

So... The script was terrible. Rachel takes the train to work in New York and the train passes near her house where she was living with her former husband. She was also watching a couple (o spying on them) who lives near: Megan and Scott. Ok, I got tired. The plot summary: murder, alcoholism, love affair, hangover.

Another unnecessary waste of time.

13. the cultural diversity

It's amazing to watch the cultural diversity. I have always been curious about other cultures and the ways in which they have adapted to live in our planet. When I was in Spain I had to use a pot to boil water. To my pure bewilderment, my Spanish friend told me that it would be great to invent something that could boil water without using a pot. SERIOUSLY?!

Yesterday I read an intriguing article about bizarre customs. Let's criticize one of them.

Scotland: When a woman finally decides to marry her boyfriend she's certain that they will withstand everything. In Scotland, marriage is not deified. I should check the divorce rate in Scotland. So, before getting married, the couple has to be pelted with rotten eggs and fish. The clanging of church bells won't be the most desirable sound, rather the sound of streaming water in the shower. If I were Scottish I would be my favourite pastime. It has to be fun to destroy the perfect wedding dress!

12. The Sims 3

A few weeks ago I rearranged my bedroom because I couldn't stand my mother's grumbling. She uses our house to showcase that she is a creative person. She's a painter and our house has to be typical house of an artist. Full of unique stuff. So that's why I had to reorganize everything. I put all my personal belongings into cartoons. I hate surprises and my friends love to make me mad. One of my friends visited me and saw me hiding a box full of The Sims out of the corners of her eyes. I was embarrassed, because when I was younger I spent more than 2 thousand złotych to buy these games... It still sounds pathetic (for some grown-ups). 

She didn't ask me why I played Sims or... why I'm still playing Sims (I quit it). She borrowed it! 

Why were The Sims so cool? 

1. You can live the life you want but you can't have. You play how you want and you can name your Sims as you want. When I was younger, The Sims was bringing me peace. I had a knack for killing Sims. I had never got attached emotionally to my characters. Obviously, I didn't have time to do it because of the hunting for new Sims to murder. I knew 12 techniques to kill them. Quite funny. 

2. The creative aspect of the game I was spending hours

playing for sheer joy of creating new cities. If we talk about The Sims 4, it is believed that the animation is absolutely top-notch. I looked over the back of the game. To my pure amusement, the description was similar to the second part of The Sims' description. Nothing has changed (the graphic is acceptable) except the price of the game. Storytelling games are as gripping as good books. There's a little difference - you are the writer. It helps tremendously to develop creativity. 

 Undoubtedly, The Sims is not an unscramble phenomenon.

Zootopia

Many movies have surpassed my expectations. In some cases, trailers were really tricky and that's why I probably haven't seen wonderful movies. I thought that Zootopia pictures a story of some animals and their truly exceptional friendship. Does it sound intriguing? Nope. The truth is that Zootopia is... exceptionally original and... Surprisingly, watching the growing friendship between a wily fox and a cuddly bunny was so exciting! 

Judy Hopps becomes the first bunny to join the police in a mammal metropolis. She was dreaming of being a real cop who would enforce the law and bust criminals. Unfortunately, her boss assigns her to be a city guard. But a bunny like her never gives up. She is given only 2 days to solve the mystery that other cops couldn't explain. So, to prove herself she decides to jump at the opportunity. Regardless of the possibility of being fired, Judy wants to overcome the prejudice and tries to uncover a conspiracy. Despite being diminutive and delicate, she acts as if she were a lion. A harsh fox is trying to help her (I recommend you the song What does the fox say by Ylvis). 

Not every dream will come true, but Judy shows that life is a great surprise. A predator and the prey come together to fight with enemies. 

Overall, I liked the gags in this movie and the whole story touched me deeply. The movie features the effort that they make to eradicate prejudice. Nowadays, there's so much violence in cartoons, even in bedtime stories. I have finally found a movie which I will watch with my cousin.

Spain

A few years ago my friend told me that living in Spain has no downside. I fondly believed her (thanks for having ruined* my holidays). Sea with nicely sandy beach, wonderful weather, tasty food and extremely handsome boys - so how could I have a rough time? I was struggling with problems. Plenty of problems. So... 

1. Weather.
In the north of Spain, the weather is capricious. It wasn't raining all the time, something worse was happening - short rain showers. The afternoons were so baking that every occasional shower was annoying me. My skin was sticky and I was sweating even when I was drinking cool baverages.

2. Kids. It's so obvious that I went abroad to discover other people and their culture.Strangely, kids behave unkindly while their parents are polite and affable. I have never met a Spanish lovable kid. Many times I heard "Your son is thriving" and I thought that he is on the right lines to become another rude child. 

3. I was fed up with... lack of hygiene and respect. 

I will be honest. I didn’t do an adequate research before coming. Frankly speaking, Spaniards are scruff. Dumps of clothes lying on their bed, rooms that are a complete state... My Spanish friend was wearing the same clothes for three or four days. Did I mention that she was using that clothes as pyjamas? Strangely, she didn't stink!

4. They talk out loud. I adore it! My dad says that I'm as deaf as a board. He should win a prize for being a great father. Unfortunately, I almost went deaf. I have bad hearing because of

otitis

5. They never show up at the prearranged time. Do you think that I'm describing a stereotypical Spaniard? Nope. Even at the university we have longer breaks because of latecomers :D

So... I can’t wait to move to Spain.

*Could you correct it? I'm not sure :(

Daniel Radcliffe

Frankly speaking, Daniel Radcliffe looks ordinary. Being Harry Potter makes him appealing. Unfortunately, he's not my type. On the other hand, I can objectively criticize him as an actor. It will be a pleasure for me to present him as a great actor.

A Young Doctor's Notebook

Film critics described this series as "delightfully weird". It's a British dark comedy based on the short story collection by Mikhail Bulgakov.  I'm a lover of movies which are dominated by droll humor. Undoubtedly, a young callow doctor in a remote Russian hospital during the Russian Revolution will make you laugh. With no practical experience, he tries to operate people. It's hard to say who was more petrified: he or the patient. Too stiff to walk, but using a scalpel is not so complicated, isn't it?

The F Word (Słowo na M)

Doubtlessly, it hurts to be put in the friend zone. How to get out of the friend zone? Ask Wallace. I utterly adore this movie because Radcliffe as Wallace is quite clumsy but still charming. There is a lot of dialogue (and witty jokes!) in the book. If a movie can be waffle, The F Word is at the brink of it.

Horns

Horns was not well received by film critics. A murder mystery in a small town and... horns sprouting from the head of the protagonist. Strangely, I'm fond of strange movies.

December Boys

This movie touched my heart.

One summer, four orphans boys who have grown to be the closest of friends find themselves competing for the attention of the same family. 

If you want to watch a movie with Harry Potter you should choose December Boys.