It must be read every morning

No Regrets … Growth. Give yourself credit.

Everybody is different. Their view of you may not be correct.

Does it really matter? Who matters? You.

Who do you love? What do you know that no else knows? Take a chance.

Talk, listen, cry. You know how to laugh. Make a fool of yourself.

Honesty.

Enjoy the highs, appreciate the lows … they are humbling.

Learn, learn about you. Be aware. Patience. Be Positive. Be hopeful.

Don’t ever let anyone destroy who you are and what you believe.

Be open to change and evolution. Accept. Reach out. Ask questions.

Hear the answers. Are they right?

Live for the moment but anticipate the future. A good one. You deserve it.

Work very hard. Don’t stop. Admit weakness … your strengths will speak for themselves.

Use your gifts. Yes, you have gifts. Forgive. Let go. Swallow your pride.

But spit it up when you’re done to make sure it’s still intact.

Be gentle. Strong. Kiss. Kissing is wonderful.

Keep a promise. Conquer a fear. Don’t be perfect, be excellent.

Falter. Balance. Be grateful. Be real.

Never give up. Don’t be afraid. I believe in you.

(c) Alanis Morissette

It's time to wake up

Вот уже почти год, как я пустилась в свободное плавание, буквально сбежав со своей малой родины. По-прежнему люблю Муром, но странною любовью, как говаривал классик. Мне нравится приезжать на пару дней, но, как правило, еще больше люблю отъезды - и не потому, что уезжаю конкретно из этого города - я вообще люблю "пускаться в путь". Собрать рюкзак, сумку, повычеркивать всё из списка того, что взять в дорогу, проверить все перед выходом, стоять ночью у платформы поезда, дрожать от холода, получать удовольствие предвкушая дорогу - и чем дальше она, тем острее чувство, что впереди приключения, люди, события..

Искусство?

Продолжаются мои московские приключения.. Часто задумываюсь – надо ли оно мне и нашла ли я в Москве то, что искала. Иногда думаю – может заработать тут денег на квартиру в Муроме и вернуться в родные места, где я столько всего успевала, где куча времени и родные лица.. но когда выхожу по выходным на прогулки по Волхонке или ночной набережной Москвы-реки – мысли текут совсем по-другому, красивые старинные здания, уличное освещение, делающее из города сказку просто завораживают, обволакивают, связывают мысли о бегстве в маленький Муром крепкими путами и прячут их далеко..

"В Москве люди плохие" или рушим стереотипы

Очень часто я слышу от жителей моего родного города и других небольших городов "А я Москву не люблю. Там люди плохие". А меня Москва удивляет с каждым днем. Сегодня за кассой магазина (в который я захожу каждое утро, чтобы купить йогурт на вечер) стоял мужчина в костюме и с галстуком и, отпустив мне товар, сказал "Счастья Вам и доброго здоровья. И не вздумайте грустить! А то буду штрафовать, заведу на Вас учетную карточку в магазине.. Улыбайтесь и чтобы глаза блестели как у воробушка!", на что я улыбнулась, утонув на минуту в его глазах, сказала спасибо и пошла на работу, улыбаясь как дурак ))
Такой вот отличный заряд на весь день получила с самого утра. Это мне за то, что я такая наивная, по-прежнему люблю людей и заранее не жду от них плохого))

Technically-minded people can do anything?!

Recently I’ve finished my first “fat” book in unadapted English. That fantastic book is called “Surely you are joking Mr. Feynman” (And now I know many terms in nuclear physics area though have no idea what I will do with that :) )

It was an American physicist known for his tremendous contribution to science, especially to theoretical physics. He received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965. But Feynman was not only physicist, he didn’t set limits for himself – so he became an artist, a musician, a biologist, a safecracker all-in-one. Somebody could say “He is just naturally gifted”.. Well, may be.. but reading that book you are being persuaded how much he used to work. And it didn’t look like work actually but like game he used to play.

One more exciting theme in this book concerns education. He found a huge problem in Brazilian education when he thought there – and when I proclaim it you will understand that that’s what we also have here in Russia. The problem is our lecturers generally give so complicated theory and tell nothing about what to do in practice with that. For example students of radio department can study radio engineering without having an idea how transistors and other things look like. So they can explain what does transistor mean and give you some complicated definition but can’t make any practical examples. Theory without practice is being forgotten in a short period of time and so..  I suppose only about 5-10 percent of graduating students is really able to do something (it’s 5 years of studies!). And only a few can work applying knowledge they have gained.. And I believe it only thanks to their own curiosity and persistence.

Some lines about me. I work as a computer programmer. If someone had told me (When I was finishing the school) that I will be able to program one day I wouldn’t have believed. Because I always thought I was a “humanist” who can apprehend some literary, philosophical and so on things but can’t imagine examining some technical things, learning how it works. Entering the technical university I have tried to challenge myself and now I’m sure we are really able to accomplish whatever we want – that’s the main thing I have learned at the university. During my studies I have been feeling my mind is being put in order, I has began to feel the systematic character of many things. It does not concern only computer and other technological sciences, it has also to do with any aspects of our life (and learning languages “a fortiori”). If we want to know or to do something we just should learn how it works.. to immerse in the sea of information and read and figure out.. to try to derive pleasure from that, at least from learning new things. The more we know, the more we understand this world. It’s very important to keep the mind open and curious.

I shall be glad to know at first hand how it goes on in other countries, how the process of education looks like, do other states have that kind of problem? It’s more interesting to learn such things from native people of other places :) And also perhaps Russian people know some universities which give real knowledge.

Language of love

I think French is one of the languages people would love to learn even without having definite purpose.. Speaking French you are savouring every word and listening to French speech you are enjoying every sound..

I had been learning it at school together with English but shorter period of time, only about three years, and then I had several years of stagnation.. But after visiting France twice with its paved streets, with all those people speaking such a tender, I would say “silk” language .. I’ve decided – I want to speak it!

So now I’m in a process of recalling what I’ve already know and learning new things. Here some books which help me:

The Panorama is the textbook written completely in French, also it has a workbook with exercises and “audio-support” on CD, it provides grammar and vocabulary. Just look at the pages..

And the other textbook (written by Popova, Kazakova) is very useful since it gives grammar in rather systematic way.

I would be glad to learn about your experience in learning French.. may be somebody can advice some interesting and useful manuals, textbooks, sites and other sources.

And what’s really interesting – why do you learn French? How does it happen that you’ve decided to learn it?

Getting rid of perfectionism

That’s what I needed.. to release myself from perfectionism in learning languages. Perhaps it sounds strange but just think about it.

May be I’m exaggerating the situation a bit, however before I used to think: How can I begin reading books in the original if I haven’t learnt English-Russian Dictionary by heart yet? And therewith I don’t remember all the meanings of every word.. And How can I listen to radio in English if I can’t catch every third word? Weeelllllll.. At first I had better do a thousand more exercises and read grammar and.. and.. when I’m absolutely ready I will begin.. Rubbish! It turned out to be a torment, while I should have turned that into pleasure..

Not always and not everything must be ideal.. Now I try to apprehend new languages like a child who has just begun to understand and to speak. I’m try to listen even if I can’t catch every word – just to get used to accent and speed of speech. I read and when a new word occurs – I don’t hurry to look for it in a dictionary, but try to get it out of the context. On the contrary before I would always translate every word on every page.. and you know, if you find fifteen new words on only one page and check it pretty carefully you get bored and neglect the book.. and so on, it concerns not only reading. Now I don’t clutch new words so much, I know that they will still occur many times, though it doesn’t mean I don’t pay attention to new words at all – of course I do, I just limit the quantity in order not to confuse myself.

Learning must be a pleasure!