Wildbirds&Peacedrums

This is how I met them.

I am very critical for song covers, especially Bjork's one. I have never liked any singer trying to re-sing her songs, but this one is an absolute killer! I was totally addicted. They showed not only a great performance, but their own personal flavor. I wish I could describe better how much I love it! :)

C.R.A.Z.Y.

Here is another wave of French :)

Two nights ago I was just on a way to sink in the land of dreams when Kostas started this movie just to check what is it about. We both were captured instantly.

C.R.A.Z.Y. tells a story about a conservative father and a religious mother who are raising their five sons through three decades in Quebec, Canada. The movie starts with Zac's birth in the 1960, the second youngest in the family and follows closely his own life journey to determine his own sexuality and seek for happiness. This is how much I will tell you about the story.

C.R.A.Z.Y. is a brilliant made movie, I loved every small detail of it, from soundtrack to room decoration, speech and character images. Even the title of the movie is derived from the initials of five brothers.

In my opinion it blows most of US high budget movies!

Pink Martini - Sympathique

Speaking of French, here is another piece of this adorable language. I used to listen to this song a lot last summer. Even now, it still brings me a good mood :) Enjoy it!

J'adore cette chanson! :)

Ultimate French by Living Language

Ce livre est à moi.

Je vous present mon ami français!

C’est vrai, j’apprends le français. Je vien de finir mon leçon et je veux écrire quelque phrases ici. Je n’ai pas un professeur mais j’aime ce livre. Il y a beaucoup de grammaire et des exercices. Les leçons sont très intéressants. Je ne peux pas parler très bien, mais je comprends tout. Je pense apprendre le français et étudier a l'université. Maintenant je n’ai pas le temps de l'apprendre mais je peux écrire quelque chose pour ma vie.

Je vien de la Bulgarie. Il y a quatre ans et demi que j’habite dans une petite ville aux États-Unis. J’aime la musique, les voyages, les sports d’hiver, mes amis et le thé vert. Je bois du thé vert tous les jours. J’adore lire et écrire. Tous les jours je lis quelque chose - un livre, un journal, une page en ligne. J’aime savoir qu’est-ce qui se passe dans le monde et dans la société humaine.

Bon, alors! C’est tout ce soir. Je vais dîner avec mon mari :) À bientôt!

P.S. Que pensez-vous de mon français? Écrivez, s'il vous plaît!

I would like to present you Ultimate French by Living Language. This is a self-learning language program. It has a great source of grammar, vocabulary and exercises. I would recommend it to every beginner who wants to discover more than a language - after every lesson there are cultural notes and highlights on society and lifestyle. It contains 40 lessons with dialogues using everyday language, the grammar explanations are very clear and of course plenty of exercises. I have passed only 24 lessons so far and I can easily write the text above :)

Simplicity

The following piece of poetry came into my mind last winter.It is the first and only one work yet I have written in English.

For different reasons I had a lot of free time and I used to spend it hiking in the closest hill. I had one very favorite spot where I loved to go and just stay, listen and watch the surrounding nature. It made me feel relaxed and pleased to be part of it. Sometimes I want to escape from mankind and be on a place where no human would go.

Both pictures above are from my winter spot.

Simplicity

It's winter.

I walk in the forest and leave tiny footprints behind.

I trample the deep powder and sing a song.

Wind in my ears whispers the sacred lyrics.

I wave my hand to the cold and ask it to come back later

Then I see sun smiling nicely at me

This confused allegory takes me to my secret spot.

Here is the big pine tree – my only one best friend

The generous mute listener to my thoughts and dreams...

Today I will reveal a story, one from the human race

How fondly they tried to concor the Universe's space

Blinded by their greed they dared to stand against Mother Earth

And made merciless effort, never worth

This disillusioment rapes constantly my soul

So I always run away seeking for a dole

Here in the muteness of the immense forest

I find a peace of mind, tranquility of a life very modest

Wildbirds & Peacedrums - My Heart

Wildbirds&Peacedrums are my best discovery for 2010. I still do not know much about them, but absolutely love their music. This love came from first sign, their musical creations are just too magnificent. Especially listening to this song opens unbridled emotions that I can not even explain to myself. This is the charm of the unique music style.

I am totally addicted to Wildbirds&Peacedrums and I can't wait to see them live!

Griffin and Sabine/Грифин и Сабин

My story with this trilogy began two years ago when I was randomly checking a thrift store and accidentally found a box with collectable postcards. Despite the fact I love postcards and stamp, their design was so surrealistic, colorful and mysterious, so I though for $2 this was a bargain deal. I brought my great purchase at home, put it on a place where I instantly forgot about it. Very recently I rediscovered my favorite postcards and decided to find out more about the artist and the reason they were made for. My excitement escalated when I found out they were actually a major part of a book, where two strangers were creating them as a part of their intriguing communication.

I was so delighted to discover and read Griffin and Sabine trilogy. The passion I have about postcards and stamps brought me to this extraordinary story where author Nick Bantock writes and illustrates the correspondence between two lost souls seeking for each other, those of Griffin and Sabine. The dialog between them is circumscribed through unique postcards and letters.

The first book(Griffin and Sabine: An Extraordinary Correspondence) starts with a handmade postcard sent to London artist Griffin Moss from Sabine Strohem who is living in the Sicmon Islands, South Pacific. This stranger called Sabine reveals something no one knows until this moment about Griffin's work… The mysterious correspondence continues and unfolds their individual personalities in their different artistic styles. This is how their relationship begins and becomes ever more romantic, intimate and admirable.

The trilogy is not only a mysterious love dialog, but a piece of wonderful work of art. Each page contains new card or letter, rich with lush colors, brilliant drawing, and widely imaginative creatures and landscapes.

This fascinating visual story brings nothing but joy for its readers! I definitely place Griffin and Sabine among my favorite books :)

Запознанството ми с тази триология започна преди две години, когато разглеждайки случайно магазин за втора употреба, се натъкнах на кутия колекционерски пощенски картички. Въпреки любовта ми към пощенските картички и марки, техният дизайн беше толкова сюрреалистичен, цветен и тайнствен, че за цената от $2 си казах, че това трябва да е далаверата на деня! Донесох великолепната покупка вкъщи, сложих я някъде и моментално забравих за нея. И така до съвсем скоро, когато отново открих любимите си картички и реших, че сега е времето да разбера малко повече за тях. Вълнението ми нарастна още повече, когато открих, че те всъщност са основна част от книга, в която двама непознати ги създават като част от тяхната единствена, но интригуваща комуникация.

Бях толкова възхитена, когато открих и прочетох триологията за Грифин и Сабин. Страстта, която имам към катрички и марки ми донесе тази необикновена история, в която Ник Банток пише и илюстрира кореспонденцията между две изгубени души, търсещи се във времето - тези на Грифин и Сабин. Диаголът между тях е описан единствено чрез уникални картички и писма.

Първата книга(Грифин и Сабин: Една Необикновена Кореспонденция) започва със собственоръчно направена картичка изпратена до лондонския артист Грифин Мос от Сабин Строем, която живее в южнотихоокеански остров. Тази непозната, наречена Сабин, разкрива нещо свързано с работата на Грифин, което никой не знае до този момент... Загадъчната кореспонденция продължава и разгръща техните характери в различните им творчески стилове. Така започва тяхната връзка и става все по-романтична, интимна и възхитителна.

Триологията е не само мистериозен любовен диалог, но и великолепен къс художествено изкувство. Всяка страница съдържа нова картичка или писмо, богато на тучени цветове, прекрасни рисунки и образи, плод на богато въображение.

Тази визуална история не носи нищо друго, освен радост за читателите й. Определено поставям Грифин и Сабин сред любимите ми книги. :)

My name is Red by Orhan Pamuk/Името ми е Червен от Орхан Памук

I just finished the last pages of Orhan Pamuk's "My name is Red". I remained pretty impressed of his know-how to make me like the book.

Being raised in a country that suffered five hundred years under Ottoman oppression, I was very skeptical about this Turkish author. Probably it was only my love to Istanbul that woke up my curiosity to open the book.

The novel tells the story of murder and art in 16th century Istanbul. The author has given a voice to every character, even to subjects like a dog, a gold coin, a horse, a tree, Satan, murderer, victim. "My name is Red" itself could be considered as a short study of Islamic illustration, it is full of stories about the great miniaturists and their lives. Pamuk carefully depicts discussions about form and style and reviews the relationship of art to morality and society and religion. He as well describes the history of Chinese influence, the effect of Western ideas in the future of Ottoman illumination.

Most of the time while reading I was remembering my university classes of art and religion conducted by the same professor. He was explaining widely the Islamic traditions in art.

Growing close to Turkish culture, the novel is highly readable for me, but I am certain Westerners would have difficulties understanding it.

However, I can’t wait to get my hands on another book of Pamuk.

Току-що изчетох и последните сраници на Памуковия роман “Името ми е Червен”. Останах доста впечатлена от умението му да ме накара да харесам книгата.

Израстнала в страна, която е страдала петстотин години под османско робство, бях много скептична към този турски автор. Може би, единствено любовта ми към Истанбул събуди любопитството ми към книгата.

Романът разказва история за убийство и изкувство през 16-ти век в Истанбул. Авторът дава глас на всеки герой, дори и на неудушевени предмети като куче, алтън, кон, дърво, Дявол, убиец, жертва.

“Името ми е Червен” може да бъде сченена и като кратка история на ислямската миниатюрна живопис - пълна е с истории за велики миниатюристи и техните житейски преживелици. Памук внимателно описва дискусии за форма и стил и разглежда връзката между изкувство и морал, общество и религия. Много добре подчертава историята на китайското влияние и ефектът на западните идеи в развитието и бъдещето на Османското миниатюрно изкуство.

През повечето време докато четях се сещах за лекциите по изкувство и религия в университета, водени от един и същ преподавател. Той ни обесняваше на длъж и на шир традициите в ислямското изкувство.

Растейки близо до турска култура, романът е много разбираем за мен, но съм сигурна, че западняците биха се сблъскали с някой трудности относно яснотата на дребни детайли.

И все пак вече нямам търпение да взема в ръцете си друга книга на Орхан Памук. :)