Thank you Agia Mavra!!!

     I don't consider myself a very religious person. I believe in God. Maybe not like an old guy sitting in the clouds and watching over everyone, but I do believe there is something out there. Some sort of force that will guide us once we are done with this world... Maybe like heaven or hell, but maybe not. I am not sure how to explain it, but I do believe there is no way I'll die and that that will be the end of me. It is just... impossible!!! My faith could be described as blasphemy by some people, but it is how I feel, and I can't change it. I was always like this, ever since I was a teenager. But one thing that keeps me thinking of myself as Christian Orthodox is the feeling I got a few times when I was in a holy place, praying for the things that only a 'higher force' can help with. 

     

     One of those times was in September 2009. I was on the island of  Zakynthos in Greece, and we were on a tour with the agency, familiarizing ourselves with the island. One of many places we visited was the Church of Agia Mavra. I tried googling it and finding more information, but it was in vain, because it kept bringing me to some villages and no information about why this has so much importance to me. That is why I will have to explain it to you, instead of just copying it. I can not recall the whole story, and the friend I was with is useless when it comes to memorizing things, so from my memory, the legend is that the church was burnt, a fresco of Agia Mavra survived, it is very old etc. What is the key for this story is that people from all over Greece come here to pray for themselves and their loved ones. There is a story about a woman who came to pray for the health of her son who was dying. A few weeks/months later, she came back and passed the way from the gate to the doors on her knees, left some gold on that fresco and was very grateful, because her son lived, and was healthy again.
     I didn't doubt that is what actually happened. i didn't think it had much to do with Agia Mavra as well, but looking at her face in that fresco, I felt... weird. I though maybe it is true. Maybe it is just an accident. It couldn't hurt to pray for that one thing I wanted most at that time. And I did pray, and I promised that if it actually happened, I would come back one day. It did happen, less than two years later I became an aunt, and I never forgot that I should say thank you.
     And just a week ago I did. My friend Uros was on the island at the same time as I did, and he drove me to the church. It is funny actually, because we met in 2009, on the same island we were on this summer :D We went there around 11.30AM, and he waited for me in the car while I went in. I had a completely inexplicable feeling while I was entering the church. First thing I did was buy 10 candles, and lit them up for the health of my loved ones, and my beautiful niece and nephew, and my own health and happiness.. Then I took some pictures (I asked the man who was selling the candles and frescoes if I could!) and told the man why I was there. I am not sure did he understand a word I said, but while I was saying I was there to give my gratefulness (is that a word?),  I suddenly became overwhelmed and teared up. I was pretty shocked, because I didn't expect to be that emotional, but it happened. I didn't cry, but if I had talked a bit more about it, I would've started crying like a baby. I also brought with me a small golden tag that I didn't think I would leave there, but somehow it felt right at that moment, so I left it on the box that had the old fresco of Agia Mavra inside.

     Uros found it entertaining that I almost started crying, but that didn't make me less grateful for the favor he did by driving me there. I know he knows, but here is another THANK YOU!!!!!

    To conclude this post, here are some pictures of the church:

Oh, and I must say I am very proud of myself! In a year I did:


10/100!!! Yaaay

How to make the most delicious raspberry cake on earth??!!

     I am known for loving eating and making this cake. It is so easy and quick to make, and it a wonderful summer treat. I do avoid making it, cause I am trying to have a healthy diet, and get my body into shape, but sometimes you just have to give yourself a break. I would recommend everyone this kind of break, because it is cheap, delicious and refreshing!!!

     What you need for this amazing cake are the following ingredients:

One and a half can of sour cream(I used the one with 20% of milk fat)

a kilo of raspberries

About 20 spoons of sugar

3 double packs, or 6 normal pack of Piskote biscuit. Now, I am not sure how are they called in English, but they are these biscuits made out of sugar, eggs and flour, and they have sugar spread all over the top...

     All of these ingredients are for the HUGE cake I made. I do have about 25 people coming to this party I am making, so I need a huge cake, but you can make it much smaller, or even bigger. The pictures and an explanation of how you make the cake follows:

Step 1:

Wash well the raspberries, and leave them to dry out a bit.

Step 2:

Spread the biscuits on a plate you previously prepared for the cake. 

Step 3:

Mix a all of the sour cream with all of the sugar you prepared. Now, make sure to use a regular spoon, and just mix it all up so it is homogeneous, but not too much. We need the sugar not to melt straight away. It should melt after the cake is done, making the biscuit soft and yummy!

Step 4:

Pour 2/5 of the prepared sweet sour cream and spread it all over the biscuit. 

Step 5:

By now, the raspberries should be much watery, so you can use them. Spread them all over the biscuit covered with sweet sour cream. After this step, you should have you cake looking like this:

Step 6:

Do the step 2 again, but spread the biscuit over the raspberries, like this:

Step 7:

The same as step 4, again using again the 2/5 of the sweet sour cream. It should look like this:

Step 8(optional):

Use the remaining sour cream, and spread it a bit over the top of the cake. It should look somewhat like this:

Now, the 8th step is optional, because you can just go to step nine, and finish the whole thing. I did the 8th step because I am making the cake about 24h hours before serving, and I wanted the biscuit to get really soft. I didn't put the whipped cream(step 9) right away, because I think it gets all gross if it stays on the cake for too long, so no need to put if you have time a few hours before the serving.

Step 9:

Cover the cake with whipped cream, cool it for a few hours, and enjoy the delicious dessert!

It looked like this after everyone had a piece... Sorry for not having better pictures, I didn't have time with all the party planning :-)

I have been given flowers!!!!

Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words. They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of the character, though few can decypher even fragments of their meaning.

LYDIA MARIA CHILD, Letters from New York

     I would lie if I would say I was never given flowers. Sure I did. For Woman's day, when the guys at the office are obliged to give us flowers or presents. I don't count those. I don't even count those few roses I got for my mum's B-days or our slava. They gave flowers to my mum, and a rose to me and my sister. I semi-count the flowers I've been given years ago. A rose from a friend for my 15th birthday, and a flower from another friend for my 18th birthday. They weren't much memorable. And I didn't care much then. 

     But what I do count is this:

     A wonderful, one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen! Made just for me. Brought to me. It had a perfume hanging above the higest flower, but I'd already taken it when I took the picture.I was given this amazing flowers by my mum's godson - Milos. He is a sweet 15 years old boy. His mum arranged everything, I don't doubt, but still, I was amazed, and sooo happy. It is not everyday I am given flowers. This morning when I got up, and saw this amazing and colourful gift, I smiled by default, as I am sure I will be doing a lot in the next few days!

9/100!!!

How does it look/feel like to have your tonsils removed?

     After years of being sick every few months, not being able to drink cold, eat a lot of ice-cream, and generally looking funny when I open my mouth, I finally decided it was time to do something about it!

     I used to have naturally enlarged palatine tonsils, which grew a lot when I would have a soar throat or something worse. Once, when I had mono, they grew so big that I almost couldn't breath, let alone drink, eat, speak. But now, I will never have to deal with any sort of displeasing things as those I mentioned, because I had my palatine tonsils removed, and this is how it all happened...

     First of all, before I guide you through this really unpleasant journey, I have to explain what are actually tonsils.

There are two kinds of tonsils:

First, we have a pair of two - palatine tonsils, which I had removed:

And we also have a (as we call it in Serbia) the third tonsil - pharyngeal tonsil:

(pictures found on wikipedia)

     First, before I went to have the surgery, I had to have an otorhynolaringologyst (or whatever the spelling) check me up. It was pretty fast actually. He looked at my throat for about 3 seconds and said: "Yep, you should have them removed." Few weeks later we set up a date, he gave me a list of all the things I had to do beforehand:

* blood tests (biochemistry mostly)

* blood type test (it's B+ if anyone wonders)

* general check up by a Internal medicine specialist

* urine sample check up 

* a few more which I can't really remember (nothing scary nor painful)

     After I had all the results, I went to see an anaesthesiologists who gave me his permission to be put under general anaesthesia during the surgery. A few days later I went to the hospital where I was for 5 days who looked like this:

Day 1:

I was admitted around 9.30 AM and put in a room with an 18 year old girl, Danijela. She was to have a nose deviation surgery. We were in a two bedroom room, and it was ok. She was young, full of joy kind of a girl, and we got along pretty well. They gave us pajamas and told us to shower before bad and put them on. We laughed so much when we saw them, and later after we showered(that was an adventure, but not as big as the Day 3 adventure which i will explain when i get there) and put them on, she said we looked like prisoners from a popular movie in Serbia (Pljacka treceg Rajha). Of curse, I had to take a picture, so I can show you people. The pajamas are huge and sooo funny!

     Soon after I went to bed trying not to think about what will happen next.

Day 2: 

Being woken up at 5:45AM is not something I like, but they had to take our temperature, so I had to keep the anger inside. I tried to go back to sleep, but around 7AM I gave up and just lay in bed until the doctors came to see us. After that i did all the calls to my mum assuring her I am fine, not worried, not nervous etc. Around 9AM, they came for me and I was taken to the Intensive Care(IC). They gave me an injection to calm me down, but I was really feeling ok. I think it was actually a pre-anaesthetic if there is such a thing. The guy who gave me that injection was very funny, and made me laugh several times. He even answered his cell and gave his email to a guy from Canada, and holding the injection in his hands the whole time, just prolonging the inevitable. 10 minutes after the injection that didn't hurt much(I got around 15 more in the following days), they took me to the Operating Room(OR). I saw that there was an ongoing operation in another OR but didn't ask what it was because I saw the bed where I was supposed to lie down. After they lay me down, everything happened very fast. I had to undress the jacket of my pajamas and but it on my chest. While this nurse was helping me adjust my head to this leather thingy (I think it was leather, can't recall exactly), another guy, who I believe is the anaesthesiologist put a needle in my hand. Now, I am sure there is name for what he put on/in my hand, but I have no idea what it could be in English, and I tried to find it, but I couldn't. I did find a picture, and it looks like this:

     Why is this detail so important to me? It isn't, put having that thingy in my hand for the following 4 days was such a pain in the neck -.-. Anyways, after he put that in my hand, the nurse put a mask on my face. Now, she said it was oxygen, but honestly, I have no idea. I remember I asked whether I can see my tonsils once they get them out (don't even ask!), and I think they all started laughing, but I am not really sure, cause the next thing I remember I was in the IC again, where they gave me some dish, and a tissue so I can spit out blood. I slept for an hour more in a few turns during which i remember seeing people coming to the IC, when a nurse came and said someone needs to go back to their room, and I volunteered because I felt ok. I was really ok, because I even walked to my room. I fell asleep again, and two hours later (around 2PM), the nurse came and gave me 2 injections of Lendacin through that thingy I had on/in my hand. Since it is a strong drug, and i didn't eat, i felt rather dizzy, and sick, so I had to lie down again. he also gave me an injection in my behind so I wouldn't feel too much pain. He also so gave me tea, and demanded I drink as much as I can. I slept some more, and woke up in time for my friends, and later my mum and sister to come see me and bring me pudding. I ate it somehow, and it wasn't all that bad. I also had dinner(mashed potatoes) around 5PM (?!! - hospitals) and got back to bed. I got another anti pain injection around 10PM, and feel asleep. I didn't wake up much that night.

Day 3:

Again, waking up at 5:45, having my temperature taken. Danijela and I were in our room almost the whole day, drinking tea, and feeling shitty. I was in so much pain, because of the anesthesia. I felt like every single muscle in my body ached! I didn't feel much pain, but I did get injection for the pain every 7-8 hours. I ate ok that day. Mashed potatoes, pudding... That is pretty much everything I ate since I had the surgery and even now that I am writing this. It was Friday, and I was hoping they would let me go home on Sunday, because they let most people go on the third day after the surgery. Also, I showered and washed my hair. It was an adventure I must admit. I had to make sure my left hand what that thingy inside doesn't get too wet, and if that wasn't hard enough, the shower hand (is it called like that?) didn't work, so I had to crouch the whole time and use my right hand to wash my hair, and do all the work. If someone saw me, they would still be laughing...

Day 4:

Unfortunately that didn't happen, so my mum brought me my laptop to keep me company. By noon, I was in so much pain that I actually didn't complain that they kept me in the hospital. Even the night before I couldn't sleep so I asked for an injection around 4-5. I could eat the mashed potatoes, the mashed chicken (only a few bites, cause it is gross), pudding, and finally ice cream! Though I am pretty much disappointed by the one they bought me. It is supposedly high quality vanilla, and it was actually gross. I threw away half of it. I did kill time by watching two movies from the huge pile my friend Sandra brought, and catching up with the episodes of my favorite series I missed. 

Day 5:

Waking up to find out they might let me go home, and then see they wouldn't cause I live far away from the hospital (and that is bull, I live 20 minutes away!), I felt really frustrated. But I was still in pain, so I didn't complain much. I spend the day reading, watching movies, and playing rummy with a few other patients. There were around 20 of us. Some were kids, some were really old, and some were 20-45. I was in a double room, so I didn't really talk that much with others, but those that were in 4-6 bed rooms were socializing much more. I didn't bother with that much, cause I just wanted to be done with the whole thing and go home.

Day 6 - Coming home

I finally was being released home. I did ask for another injection before I went home. I think if I'd stayed one more day, my behind wouldn't have a place to be given an injection. It is all blue and ugly now. Both sides. Anyways, around 11AM I was at home, and the first thing I did was wash up. Wash my hair normally, and feel clean again.

     So, after 5 days in a hospital, the 5th day after the surgery, when I was no longer getting injections every 6-7-8 hours, the pain felt real. By 3PM I couldn't talk, I just wanted the pain to go away. On Tuesday, mum consulted with a nurse who is also our family friend, and she recommended I take another anti pain med, so now that I am taking it, the pain is less horrible, but still very unpleasant. I hope that it will go away in a few days, or at least be bearable without the meds, because I am not really happy drinking a strong med to prevent infection that the doctor prescribed + pain meds for almost a week now. My immune system will go downhill, especially when I am not eating much, or healthy for that matter.

     Hopefully I will be like new in 7-10 days, and I will tell you how it feels to not have tonsils anymore...

Gaudeamus Igitur Juvenes Dum Sumus - I present to you a University Graduate!!! - DONE

Gaudeamus Igitur - Students' Anthem

Gaudeamus igitur,  Juvenes dum sumus; Post icundum iuventutem, Post molestam senectutem Nos habebit humus.	Let us therefore rejoice, While we are young; After our youth, After a troublesome old age The ground will hold us.
Vita nostra brevis est, Brevi finietur; Venit mors velociter, Rapit nos atrociter; Nemini parcetur.	Our life is brief, It will shortly end; Death comes quickly, Cruelly snatches us; No-one is spared.
Ubi sint qui ante nos In mundo fuere? Vadite ad superos, Transite in inferos Hos si vis videre.	Where are those who before us Existed in the world? You may go up to the gods, You may cross into the underworld If you wish to see them.
Vivat academia, Vivant professores, Vivat membrum quodlibet, Vivat membra quaelibet; Semper sint in flore!	Long live the university, Long live the teachers, Long live each male student, Long live each female student; May they always flourish!

     The day had come when I can cross out another thing from my list, and tell everyone I have graduated. Finished University! I am now part of that 6% of the people in my country with higher education. The elite some might say. Personally, I am not sure I would ever use that term.

     On Monday(26th) I had my last exam, and on Tuesday afternoon, I found out that I passed with a great grade. It was thrilling, since I was in the hospital getting ready for my surgery, which I will explain in the next post. Anyway, my last exam was Human Resorces, and I was pleased to say I had lots of luck, and I knew 90% of the questions that were on my exam. That is why I got the grade 9, and my average grade will be around 9.35.(I will get back to you on that)

     How do I feel now that I have finished with another part of my life? I must admit, it makes no difference to me. I still feel the same. Except now I need to see what next. I mean what is there after this? I have applied for a scholarship for a DAUS program here in Belgrade, and I will apply for a Master Course in London. And I will try to enroll on this interesting Master Course in Belgrade, but somehow, that is all just a plus, because, I have finished my 16 years of, in my mind, obligatory education(don't get me wrong, and I will explain why I find it obligatory for myself one day), and I might be tired of studying more... But if I do get a scholarship, I will see that as a sign, that I need to continue with my education!!!! But that won't happen until September/October, so there is time!

    Until then, I will just be happy I can enjoy the spare time I have and read, relax, and think about what next during this promising Summer of 2012!

Oh, I almost forgot!

8/100!!!

Yes, it is possible I am a nutcase. That doesn't make you better than me.

     I am sorry it took me so long to write a new post, but there is a simple explanation. I didn't feel like writing :-)
     It has been a few really crazy months. Crazy in the sense that I had such mood swings one would think I went through a hormonal dis-balance or what ever it is called. I didn't though - I checked! It was all due to me forgetting what I am all about. But now I have remembered I will not let it be forgotten ever again.
     So, before I continue with all the things I want to talk about in this blog, I want to say one thing:

     I am sick and fed up of people telling me what I can and what I can't do. I am tired of narrow-minded people who think they know best and will not let be explained why they are wrong. And most of all, I am sick of people thinking I am crazy and stupid or just plain irresponsible for believing the things I do.

     To all those people I say the following:

     Think I am stupid, and actress or a nutcase. I might be all of those things, but I will make it. And you will all be proven wrong.

One Month as a Vegan - DONE

     It has been done, and it felt great!

     I haven't eaten anything that comes from an animal for a month, and I must admit that though it was hard at times, I was pretty happy about the outcome. I don't look any different, but I feel cleaner. Like I was on a cleanse!

     The second week was the hardest, but after that I think I could have gone on for ages! I almost forgot the taste of meat! I remember it now, and even though it is not really nice to say it considering I was a vegan for a short while, it is divine...

     I really have no idea what else to say about this, except that i suggest everyone to try it, because it will open your eyes, and you will see that there are other choices rather than always eating meat. I guarantee I will make wiser choices when what I eat is concerned, and I am really proud of myself! :-)

    Cheers!!!

One Month as a Vegan Update - Weeks Two and Three!

     Well, hello you all :-) I am late with my Week Two Update, and now I will be a bit early with my Week Three =), and that is all due to me not really feeling like talking about it. But if there is anyone who wants to know how are things going, I owe it to them, so here it is.

     Things have been hectic, and I must admit that as I foretold, Week Two was VERY hard. As always, my state of mind became reluctant, and all the smells of all the food that has been eaten in my house by my family has almost taken over. But the key word is ALMOST! I didn't give in. I fought like a tiger to keep myself from smelling all that food, and I succeeded by not being home most of the times. I admit that eating pastry was something I did on a daily basis, and there is no excuse. I was bad, and I will have to deal with the consequences with my belly looking gross. But I did walk A LOT! I got off the bus few stops earlier every day I went to Uni, and it felt good. A friend asked me how I felt the other day, and when I thought about it, I told him then, and I will tell you all now:

     I feel great! Like I am cleaner on the inside. 

     It is quite amazing actually. I don't remember when i felt this good in a long time. I still get tired when i walk up the stairs, but I feel healthier, and I am very happy because of that! The only concern I have is that I am not taking enough protein, and I have 13 more days to work more on that!

    Now, for the interesting stuff!

    Smoked tofu is not as nice as the regular one, and veggie hot dogs are .. weird, but eatable. Soy burgers actually taste nice, and I was really pleased by that discovery. I am very pleased to inform you that there are lots of coffees that can be made with soy milk, and I recommend them wholeheartedly! What I strongly discourage you to try is soy yogurt! That... thing... for there is no other way in calling it, is hideous! I am not kidding people! I had two sips. First to try, second to assure myself I wasn't making it up. The thing is gross, and don't ever try it! And if you ever do, please let me know so I can tell you "I told you so!"!!!

     Last night I was at my friend's birthday, and it was a themed party, with the theme being Red Carpet. We all had to dress up, and it was pretty fun. But what wasn't fun was her boyfriend offering me to eat what all of them were eating, which I know tastes nice, but it is not something I was willing to try. My friend's mum made me a fruit salad though, and it was great until someone (I ill not say who, they will recognize themselves, and honestly, I have no idea what was that all about) sipped something in it. I think it was whiskey, or vermouth... Anyways, I had some, and when I came back to have a few more bites, it was filled with alcohol, so I ended up eating just a little bit. It was nice though, and I was happy to be able to have something for myself. It made me feel special =)

     You can see a picture of the fruit salad below. Also, if any of you has some recipes, please let me know, cause I am running out of ideas!!!

Fruit salad with lots of different fruit and honey

One Month as a Vegan Update - Week One!

     I am posting this update just for everyone to see I did not give up. I am doing well, and feeling great. It has been only a week, and apart from eating too much bread, I have no complaint what so ever! I did notice I have some problems around mid afternoon, 4-6PM, when the hunger strikes, but I make myself snap out of it, or just eat something nice.
     I tried tofu, I tried a lot of smoothies with soy milk, I ate a lot of fruit, and pastry (BIG no no), and even beans one day! I must say I am thrilled that I am doing this good, and that it doesn't seem hard at all.
     I do know it will be horrible this week, because I will feel the meat craving some time around the weekend, but I will just remember how important this is, and snap out of it :D

     I also need to add that I have been very active this week(compared to the "activeness" I used to "have") I walked a lot, I had an aqua gym class, I even went out and danced a lot. It was a very good week! =)

     I will now post a photo of what I ate/drank for breakfast one day, and the recipe! It was nomnom, and you should try it!

For 3 glasses(my sister drinks it all with me - don't ask!):

2 small bananas
200 grams of red fruit mix
300ml soy milk

Mix it all up, and enjoy. Know that you can combine every fruit possible, and even add chocolate milk, regular milk, whipped cream etc. I don't right now, but normally I mix it all up all the time =)

Get ready for here comes my month as a vegan!

     Starting today I am a vegan for a month! Yes, you read it right. I will not be eating ANYTHING that comes from an animal! It will be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life when controlling myself is concerned, and I will be needing all the help you reading this are willing to offer.

     Since Easter is on the 15th of April, I have decided to start this now, because I want to combine it with fasting. It is actually the same thing, except I can eat fish when I fast but I won't be doing that now.

     I would like all of you to realize why this is a very hard thing for me. Those who know me personally, know that I am a hedonist. I enjoy food very much, and that is easily seen on me. I'm a big girl... =P Last year I spent three months on a diet that changed the way I look, and it was very hard for me. The only thing making it easier was that I could eat chicken and some fish, so I survived. I lost some weight, I felt great, I looked good bla bla bla... But this time there will be no meat. Not anything that comes from an animal! I will eat fruits, vegetables, soy, and that is about it... I will do my best to completely concentrate on my good spirit, on why this is so important to me and not on the cravings I get when I think of all the delicious food I love and I will not eat in the next month.

     I also want all of you to know that I am not doing this to lose weight. It might help me in that area, but this is entirely with a different purpose. 

I am doing this because I want to test myself and prove to myself that I am the one who controls my body, not the other way round. 

I am doing this because it is on my list, and it is something that every person should try if they think it would do them good.

I am doing this because it will do me good, and it will, hopefully, change my perception on many things that have been difficult for me to comprehend until know.

I am doing this because I want to prove something to MYSELF, not someone else.

     If any of you out there who might be reading this think I am crazy, stupid... well that is your problem. But if there is anyone who is willing to help me in any way, with good spirits, recipes, or just advice, I am really happy to read it in the comments.

     Cheers!

Make Time for Yourself!

     Some people are just not born to live in solitude. It pains them, makes them think about things they shouldn't. They get bored, and that is when those people get stupid ideas and do things they shouldn't. 

     I am that kind of people!

     I've spent some time alone in the past few months. You should understand that by this alone time I don't mean the time I spend on the Internet, talking to people. Or the time I spend watching series, movies etc. I mean quality time, spent alone. When you reach out to the core of you, and you learn something about yourself. The time you spend thinking about what was it that you did wrong, what is it that you should change, how is it that you see yourself in the future. Just to figure out what is it that you want in life. I can honestly say that I am so much closer to that revelation then I was just a few months ago. I actually know so much more now. More about myself, more about what is it that makes me happy.

     The revelation in its almost physical form came just a few days ago when I went downtown to meet up with friends, and I had time to spare. I walked by myself, enjoyed that solitude I never cherished before, and just after the building of the Faculty of Philology, I saw a small gallery, and thought to myself, what the hell, I have time. So I went in... The exhibit was nothing special. Interesting, yes, but not goose bumping. But I enjoyed. I hardly ever have time or will to go to galleries. 90% of all the exhibits I saw in my life were obligatory (school, now university), and I never really enjoyed time spend there. But now it was different. I am not saying I will start going to every exhibit there is, but I think I will cherish those moments more. I know I will go see that Picasso exhibit that I saw the poster for. And I know I will enjoy it! Because I have discovered why is it that Art is so important. It is the feeling and emotion that seeing a work of Art gives us. It makes me wonder! And it makes me happy! And I discovered it by being alone and letting myself absorb my surroundings!

     I am no longer scared of that feeling of solitude. Of course, I wouldn't change my rich social life for anything in this world, but being alone sometimes is healthy for me. For everyone. Enjoy it, grab it, because it is only when you are alone that you can feel everything. It doesn't matter what you are feeling. What matters is that feeling is all yours, and it helps if you want to comprehend yourself.

    Oh, and I will add some pictures of the exibit. They are interesting, and ... curvy ^^

     

Things to do when you are bored!

     I found this link on one forum, and it really made me laugh! So, if you want to see it in it's original habitat, you can go to the site where it has originally been put, but you can also read it here.I laughed SO HARD!!! Still laughing!

WARNING

     All of these are just for laugh, and not seriously things you should do. Unless you really want to. I beg you to post picures if you do any of them...!

474 Things To Do When You're Bored

- Wax the ceiling
- Rearrange political campaign signs
- Sharpen your teeth
- Play Houdini with one of your siblings
- Braid your dog's hair
- Clean and polish your belly button
- Water your dog...see if he grows
- Wash a tree
- Knight yourself
- Name your child Edsel
- Scare Stephen King
- Give your cat a mohawk
- Purr
- Mow your carpet
- Play Pat Boone records backwards
- Vacuum your lawn
- Sleep on a bed of nails
- DON'T toss and turn
- Boil ice cream
- Run around in squares
- Think of quadruple entendres
- Speak in acronyms
- Have your pillow X-rayed
- Drink straight shots...of water
- Calmly have a nervous breakdown
- Give your goldfish a perm
- Fly a brick
- Play tag...on West 35th Street
- Exorcise a ghost
- Exercise a ghost
- Be blue
- Be red
- But don't be orange
- Plant a shoe
- Sweat
- Give a Rorschach test to your gerbil
- Turn
- Write a letter to Plato
- Mail it
- Take your sofa for a walk
- Start
- Stop
- Dial 911 and breathe heavily
- Go to a funeral...tell jokes
- Play the piano...with mittens on
- Scheme
- Sit
- Stay
- Water your family room
- Cause a power failure
- Roll over
- Play dead
- Find a witch
- Burn her
- Donate your brother's body to science
- Ask why
- Wriggle
- Regress
- Sleepwalk without sleeping
- Try to join Hell's Angels by mail
- Wonder
- Be a square root
- Ask stupid questions
- Weld your car doors shut
- Spew
- Vacation at Three-Mile Island
- Surf Ohio
- Teach your pet rock to play dead
- Go bowling for small game
- Be a monk...for a day
- Wear a sweatband to your wedding
- Staple
- Run away
- Intimidate a piece of chalk
- Abuse the plumbing
- Bend a florescent light
- Bend a brick
- Annoy total strangers
- Let the best man win
- Believe in Santa Claus
- Throw marshmallows against the wall
- Hold an ice cube as long as possible
- Adopt strange mannerisms
- Blow up a balloon until it pops
- Sing soft and sweet and clear
- Sing loud and sour and gravely
- Open everything
- Balance a pencil on your nose
- Pour milk in your shoes
- Write graffiti under the rug
- Embarrass yourself
- Grind your teeth
- Chew ice
- Count your belly button
- Sit in a row
- Stack crumbs
- Gesture
- Save your toenail clippings
- Make a pass at your blender
- Punt
- Make up words that start with X
- Make oatmeal in the bathtub
- Search for the Lost Chord
- Chew on a sofa cushion
- Sing a duet
- Balance a pillow on your head
- Hold your breath
- Faint
- Stretch
- Flash your mailman
- Teach your TA English
- Learn to speak Farsi
- Swear in Russian
- Use an eraser until it goes away
- Disassemble your car
- Put it together inside out
- Record your walls
- Interview your feet
- Make a list of your favorite fungi
- Sell formaldehyde
- Repeat
- Ad lib
- Fade
- File your teeth - Whine
- Rake your carpet
- Re-elect Richard Nixon
- Critique "Three's Company"
- Listen to a painting
- Play with matches
- Buff your cat
- Race ferrets
- Paint your house...Day-Glow Orange
- Have a formal dinner at White Castle
- Read Homer in the original Greek
- Learn Greek
- Change your mind
- Change it back
- Watch the sun...see if it moves
- Build a pyramid
- Stand on your head
- Stand on someone else's head
- Spit shine your Nikes
- See how long you can stay awake
- See how long you can sleep
- Paint your teeth
- Wear a salad
- Speak with a forked tongue
- Paint stripes on a lake
- Ski Kansas
- Sleep in freefall
- Kill a Joule
- Test thin ice...with a pogo stick
- Apply for a unicorn hunting license
- Do a good job
- Crawl
- Invite the Mansons over for dinner
- Paint your windows
- Watch a watch until it stops
- Flash your goldfish
- Paint
- Flirt with an evergreen
- Smile
- Rotate your garden...daily
- Paint a smile
- Shoot a fire hydrant
- Apologize to it
- Pretend you're blind
- Annoy yourself
- Get mad at yourself
- Stop speaking to yourself
- Be a side effect
- Ride a bicycle...up Mt. McKinley
- Duck
- Redecorate...your garage
- Develop a complex
- Join the Army...be someone simple
- Try harder
- Hit the deck
- Put leg-warmers on your furniture
- Cut the deck
- Crumple
- Translate Shakespeare into English
- Skydive to church
- Cheer up a potato
- Do aerobic exercises...in your head
- Play cards with your swimming pool
- Pinstripe your driveway
- Play Kick the Fire Hydrant
- Harness chipmunk power
- Build a house with ice cubes
- Call London for a cab
- Mug a stop sign
- Change your name...daily
- Go for a walk in your attic
- Challenge your neighbor to a duel
- Build a house out of toothpicks
- Howl
- Wear a lampshade on your head
- Memorize the dictionary
- Stomp grapes in the bathtub
- Find a bug and chase it
- Make yourself a pair of wings
- Be immobile
- Dance 'til you drop
- Check under chairs for chewing gum
- Squish a loaf of bread
- Moo
- Bounce a potato
- Outmaneuver your shadow
- Climb the walls
- Appreciate everything
- Challenge yourself to a duel
- Make napalm
- Tattoo your dresser
- Watch a bowling ball
- Buy some diapers
- Eat everything
- Begin
- Pour milk in the sink
- Make cottage cheese
- Tie-dye your sheets
- Carpet your ceiling
- Hold your earlobes
- Fold your earlobes
- Flap
- Squawk
- Read tea leaves
- Analyze the Koran
- Be Buddha
- Award yourself a Nobel Peace Prize
- Plug in the cat
- Turn on everything
- Drop pebbles down the chimney
- Turn off your neighbor
- Kill a plant
- Buy a 1931 Almanac
- Memorize the weather section
- Think lewd thoughts about yourself
- Blow bubbles
- Send chills down your spine
- Peel grapes
- Make paper from the skins
- Bloat
- Catch them with your radiator
- Get run over by a train of thought
- Make up famous sayings
- Bite your pinkie - Get your dog braces
- Shave a shrub
- Have a proton fight
- Watch a car rust
- Quiver
- Rotate your carpet
- Learn to type...with your toes
- Set up your Christmas tree in April
- Be someone special
- Buy the Brooklyn Bridge
- Mail it to a friend
- Go back to square one
- Factor your social security number
- Take the fifth
- Memorize a series of random numbers
- Read the 1962 Des Moines white pages
- Join the Foreign Legion
- Learn Sanskrit
- Exist...existentially, of course
- Print counterfeit Confederate money
- Kick a cabbage
- Take a picture
- Put it back
- Sandpaper a mushroom
- Play solitaire...for cash
- Abuse your patio furniture
- Run for Pope
- Count to a million...fast
- Make a schematic drawing...of a rock
- Commit seppuku...with a paper knife
- Revert
- Think shallow thoughts
- Starch your shoes
- Polish your Calvin's
- Contemplate a cockroach
- Get a dog to chase your car
- Let him catch it
- Investigate the Czar
- Form a political party
- Climb a sidewalk
- Have a political party
- Get diagonal...with a good friend
- Ride a loaf of bread
- Sharpen a carrot
- Interrogate a gerbil
- Go bow hunting for Toyotas
- Kidnap Cabbage Patch Kids
- Jump back
- Play to lose
- Scalp a street light
- Have your car painted...plaid
- Read a tomato
- Sharpen your sleeping skills
- Watch a game show...take notes
- Put out a fire
- If you can't find a fire, make one
- Interview a cloud
- Play tiddlywinks...go for blood
- Play basketball...in a minefield
- Don't talk to things
- Draw Lewis structures on your ceiling
- Have your cat bronzed
- Have your gerbil gilded
- Write books about writing books
- Create random equations
- Mispell words
- Tell your feet a joke
- Throw a tomato into a fan
- Sing the ABC song backwards
- Pretend you're a dog
- Dial-a-prayer and argue with it
- Grease the doorknobs
- String up a room
- Stack furniture
- Relive fond memories
- Tie your shoelaces together
- Gargle
- Count your teeth with your tongue
- Decay
- Find your half-life
- Design a better toilet seat
- Shred a newspaper
- Have a headache
- Scratch
- Sniff
- Hatch an egg
- Play air guitar
- Act profound
- Spill
- Spell
- Stare
- Truncate
- Slouch
- Develop hearing problems
- Put your feet behind your head
- Tie bows in everything
- Hold your hand
- Watch the minute hand move
- Grow your fingernails
- Pretend you're a telephone
- Ring
- Radiate
- Skip
- Play hopscotch...with real scotch
- Clock the velocity of your REMs
- Put your shoes on the opposite feet
- Cross your toes
- Roll your tongue
- Crystallize
- Baby oil the floor
- Hide
- Attack innocent bunnies
- Declare war
- Destroy a tree
- Hide the scrabble bag
- Seduce your stick shift
- Wink
- Memorize the periodic table
- Mummify
- Pretend you're a roadie
- Buy a Ginsu knife
- Collect electrons
- Correct typos that aren't there
- Polish your neck...use Pledge
- Recopy the Bible substituting your name for God
- Loosen the lug nuts on your dad's new car
- Drop your cat off the roof to see if it lands on all four feet
- Count the bags under Walter Mondale's eyes
- Unscrew all the lightbulbs and rearrange the furniture
- Found the Jim Jones School of Bartending
- Listen for non-satanic messages (i.e. "Drink milk")
- Dress like Motley Crue...surprise your grandmother
- Dial-a-Prayer and tell them they're wrong
- Go into a bar and ask for a Molotov Cocktail
- Learn everything there is to know about the Holy Roman Empire
- Make a drive-in window at your local bank where there wasn't one before
- Walk on water...but don't get caught
- Confess to a crime...that didn't happen
- Be in the wrong place at the right time
- Plot the overthrow of your local School Board
- Request covert assistance from the CIA
- Discover the source of the Mississippi
- Search for buried treasure...in Nebraska
- Hot wax the bottom of your brother's dress shoes
- Preach the philosophy of Marx...Groucho, that is
- Drink as much prune juice as you can
- Write a book about your previous life
- Serve ping-pong balls...as hors d'oeuvres
- Jump up and down...on your alarm clock
- Make a quilt out of used cocktail napkins
- Sterilize your stereo...with Jack Daniels
- Carve you and your girlfriend's initials...in a marshmallow
- Drive the speed limit...in your garage
- Sing the national anthem...during your calculus final
- Wear a three-piece suit...in a sauna
- Pay off the national debt...with a bad check
- Go to a cemetary and verbally abuse dead people
- Give yourself a hernia...for Christmas
- Defend your neighborhood from roving Mongol hordes
- Recite romantic poetry...to your toaster
- See if you really can build a nuclear device in your own basement
- Go to McDonald's and pretend you can't speak English
- Write to your congressmen, senators, President, etc. to tell them what a good
- job they're doing...On April 1st
- Find the heat capacity of your chemistry professor
- Take apart all your major kitchen appliances...mix and match them
- Turn your TV picture tube upside down
- Phone in a death threat on President Kennedy
- Put lighted EXIT signs on all your closets
- Carry a tune...drop it, see if it breaks
- Be planar...but don't tell your parents
- Play hockey with your little cousin...as the puck
- Make a deal with the devil...but keep your fingers crossed
- Put instant concrete in your big brother's waterbed
- Give a lecture on the historical significance of cream cheese
- Debate politics with a fern
- See how small you can scrunch your face - Sell firewood door to door...in Atlantis
- Found the TLO (Toledo Liberation Organization)
- Play nuclear chicken with a small third world nation
- Raise professional certified racing turnips
- Give your grandmother a raise and another day of paid vacation
- Lead an aerobics class...for patients of the I.C.U.
- Go to a drive-in movie in a tank
- Go to a non-drive-in movie in a tank and drive in anyway
- Send President Reagan an alarm clock...wind it up first
- Found a cockroach stable and stud ranch
- Send your goldfish to obedience school
- Free the oppressed toasters of America
- Weave a tablecloth out of copper tubing
- Give your cat a suntan...in the microwave
- Park your car...with a friend
- Park your car...with a group of friends
- Frame your first statement of bankruptcy
- Place it on the wall of your office
- Solve the population problem (x^2 + y^2 = population...solve for x)
- Contribute to the population problem
- Wear a T-shirt that says "I'll walk on you to see The Who" and a peace sign
- Practice the Aztec method of heart removal on your professor
- Find out who made the super glue commercials and give them your Ginsu knife
- Get Ronco and K-tel to merge...they sell the same stuff anyway
- Sneak into a nuclear physics lab and stay the night
- Play with anything that looks interesting
- Drop piston engines on two people and see who squishes first
- See if your goldfish can live in Coors rather than water
- Try to ignite water...the Mississippi might work
- Draw Venn diagrams...screw them up
- State fallacies as fact (like, "peanuts grow on bushes")
- Visit the Architecture building...loudly criticize its design
- Make a schematic drawing...of a rock
- Wallpaper your laundry room...with pages from books you don't like
- See if diamonds really do cut glass...on everything in your neighbor's house
- Tenderize your tongue...chew on it for a while
- See how long you can stare at a fluorescent light...try green
- Bronze your sister's turtle
- See how long it takes for her to notice
- See what she does when she notices
- Bronze your sister- If you lose, stop watering it and try again.
- Increase your territorial holdings by force
- Find out how many ways there really are to skin a cat
- Boldly go where no man has gone before
- Be a threat to the American way of life
- Do research into the cause of World War III
- Be a threat to the Northwestern Tibetan way of life
- Re-establish the Roman Empire...in Pittsburgh

Ride a Horse!

     It wasn't planned, and it wasn't at all as I wanted it to be. But I did it, and I can happily announce I am checking another thing off my list!

     It was a very interesting experience. I never knew it will be that hard! I have no idea what would I do if somehow I woke up in another time, where riding a horse was the best mean of transportation! I do not ever want to ride a horse again! Or at least not anytime soon!!! Why? 

BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO EVEN SIT NORMALLY! I ALMOST FELL DOWN WHILE I WAS TRYING TO GET ON THE HORSE!

     Wanna know the details... Here they go! 

     I was on Zlatibor and I was walking with my family... And we see horses! And, of course, my sister insists we ride them... We ask how much, and my mum says, come on, go... I will pay. And so I go. I stand next to my horse, and just than notice how tall she is! In the picture below, she looks rather tiny, but that is only because I am 6 feet!!! And the man says he will guide her, I need not worry. And I am all ok, cool! I will do it, it will be fun! Yay, another thing of my list!!! I put my foot in that thing you put your foot in when you want to climb up. And i start climbing, with my leg in the air, above the horse. And my body goes all the way up... With my upper body to the other side, with me almost falling off the horse! Yes... Almost with my face to the ground! -.-

While I was trying to not fall down, my hat went down so i couldn't see, and as everyone would do in that situation, i cried out! Not for too long, because the man held me, and helped me get in the seat properly. I was now sitting and getting ready for him to guide the horse... Luckily, the nightmare ends there, and the rest of the experience was quite nice, after I relaxed and the feeling I will fall down went away. It was a short ride, with that man holding the rope of the horse all the time, and me praying I will be able to get down safely. I did enjoy it a bit, it was not bad at all... But I wouldn't dare riding her alone. Not her or any other horse! I climbed down easily, and said goodbye to her. Her name is Cassandra, and she is beautiful!!! A really mild horse.. 

   

Me on Cassandra

     Conclusion:

     I am lucky to live in a time where we drive cars... I am an amazing driver... And I won't bother thinking what would happen if I were to wake up in another time.

6/100 WooHoo

Books I've read in 2012

     As promised in my New Year's Resolutions, I will have a list of all books I've read in 2012! I will not have a separate post about every book, but I will write about those I really like/dislike. 

     The list goes as following (with the dates  when I have finished reading) :

1. The Gathering Storm - Robert Jordan(17th January) 
2. The Beach House - Jane Green
3. The Hunger Games - Suzanne Collins
4. Catching Fire -  Suzanne Collins
5. Mockingjay -  Suzanne Collins

I will also have a list of books I plan on reading this year, and it goes as following:

1. Towers of Midnight - Robert Jordan
2. The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthrone
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. A Song of Ice and Fire (series) - George R.R. Martin
5. ...

Christmas!

     I am Orthodox and even though I don't consider myself very religious, I have a lot of respect for the holidays we celebrate. Christmas being one of my favourite. ^^

     Truth be told, the meaning of the holiday has been lost over the years. Now it is mostly about eating well, and relaxing. But one thing that will never change is that it is the time you spend with your loved ones. With your family!

    Today is the day before Christmas, and tonight my family and I will have dinner, and do some things that are considered a tradition where I come from. 

     We will bring the Yule log into the house. My mum will be at the door, and my dad and i will go up the stairs. I will be pretending to be a chick, and he a chicken, and my mum, as the house wife will welcome us into the house. She will throw some corn at us, we will all laugh, and after we put the yule log under the table, we will sit and have dinner. We will eat well, and then just chilax, eat nuts, and throw them in the corners of our living room.

     We will watch something on TV together, and go to bed earlier than usual, because we have to wake up early on Christmas day!

How does Christmas day look like?

    Thus far it was always the same. But this year, it will get a completely new meaning, because we have two new members of our family celebrating with us! What I know is that I will get up really early, with the sunrise. I will make myself presentable, drink wine and have a "dren". (It's called European Cornel in English, and the dry berry is taken with a sip of wine. We don't chew it, just swallow it, so I can't really tell you anything about the taste) I will eat some white cheese, and I will look at the East, where the sun rises! After performing this "ritual" I will go to my sister's to be "položajnik". I don't think there is an English word for it, so I will explain what that is. A "položajnik" is the first person who comes to visit on Christmas day. You give them gifts, money... serve them something to drink, eat. Last year I was the first to go to my sister's, but this year her nephew (from her husband's side) might come before me, because last year I kinda took his turn. We kids (yes, sometimes I act like a kid =P ) do that a lot. We fight who will go where. I mean, they give us gift and sometimes money! And yes, I am a grown up, but doesn't mean I don't like gifts...
      Anyways, when I get to my sister's REALLY early,. we will go back to my place, so Nadja and Nemanja can get their gifts ^^

     After that, we will have lunch, but it will be slightly different than it used to be... Because... well, we have babies now. It has to be more fun!

    I will let you know how it went, and post some pictures. ^^

     May you all have wonderful time this weekend, whether you celebrate Christmas like I do or not. Enjoy life and spend time with family. <3

Movies I've seen in 2012!!

     As promised in my New Year's Resolutions, I will have a list of all the movies I've watched starting from January 1st, 2012! I will not have a separate post about every movie, but I will write about those I really like/dislike. 

     The list goes as following:

1. What Happens In Vegas (01.01.2012.)
2. Your Highness (02.01.2012.)
3. Spy Kids - All the Time in the World (03.01.2012.)
4. The Last Samurai (07.01.2012.)
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (08.07.2012.)
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (15.01.2012.)
7. Bridesmaids (25.01.2012.)
8. Bridget Jones' Diary (26.01.2012.) 
9. Haywire (30.01.2012.)
10. Anonimus (01.02.2012.)
11. Zookeeper (11.02.2012.)
12. Armageddon (22.02.2012.)
13. The Golden Compass (23.02.2012.)
14. Stick it (03.03.2012.)
15. Street Dance (03.03.2012.)
16. This Means War (03.03.2012.)
17. Iron Lady (18.03.2012.)
18. Mirror, Mirror (23.03.2012.)