Colourful world

It will probably not be a surprise for you to know that the colours that surrounds us have a huge influence on the way we feel and act. They are widely used in advertising industry as an efficient tool of persuasion or even manipulation,  because we subconsciously attach a meaning to every colour. Sometimes, it is obvious, for example, it is a common knowledge that green is associated with calm and nature, but not all the meanings  are not so easy to guess:

• Blue, apart from coldness and peace, may be associated with boredom, conservatism and professionalism
• Yellow- summer, energy, liveliness but also -which is surprising-  cowardice, conflict and hunger ( I thought it was more optimistic!)
• Orange- creativity, affordability, aggression, food
• Purple - a royal colour, means also mystery, power, and luxury. 
• Red - determination, speed, strength, desire

By the colours that we love or hate, it is possible to define our personality.
My favourite ones are: blue, green, purple and yellow.  I decided to find out if this choice is really a reflection of who I am and here's what I found:

• Green - a good listener, a peacemaker, just, but also possessive
• Blue - reliable, responsible, wise, calm
• Purple - creative, imaginative, a daydreamer
• Yellow - practcal, enthousiastic, optimistic, impulsive

Well, apart from creativity and one funny contradiction (how can I possibly be a daydreamer and practical at the same time?:)), I have to admit that in general these colours describe me quite well. Isn't it interesting? Colours have always been quite important to me, but I would have never thought they can so much reflect one's personality. I am curious to know if we like certain colours because of our qualities or just the other way round- we are who we are due to the colours we love.

Anyway, I think it is good to pay attention to the colours around us. They affect us to such extend that we can easily calm down or get motivated simply by changing what we have in sight :)

Click&help

There are many forms of helping people in need- from donating a certain sum to charity to becoming a volunteer in one of the charity organisations. I admire people who share with those who have less. Unfortunately, there are still many people who use the lack of time or money as an excuse for being indifferent. The truth is we all can help to fight for a better world everyday, without even leaving the house. How? By one, simple click!
How does it work? It's easy- you visit a website where you click on the picture and this way you donate some money to support the organisation's aims. Of course, this sum is usually very, very small(let's say, 5 gr), but when you look at the statistics, it turns out that thousands of people have already clicked too; as a result, the collected sum is quite significant.
I would like to present 3 such websites which I've been using for many years:
1. Pajacyk- a Polish site whose aim is to help malnourished children, not only in Poland. I've learnt that the organisation also improve the living conditions in poor African countries. So far, they've built a clinic in South Sudan and they take care of starving childen and pregnant women in Somalia. You can click once a day.
2. The Hunger Site - an American charity site where you have to click the button to donate money to fight against famine. In fact, once you visit this site, you can see it's one of many similar sites with different aims, for example helping animals, rainforests or those who suffer from diabetes. Apart from clicking, you have an opportunity to sign a petition to show that your voice matters (unfortunately, not every petition is available for people outside the US).
3. Free Rice - my favourite charity site. It's a kind of game, a test- you choose the subject (for example, English, French, the capitals of the world) and with every correct anwer they donate 10 grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Programme. What I love about Free Rice, is that you can help feed the others and the site helps you to improve your language skills or general knowledge.  You don't have to create an account, but I advise you to do it- then you can see how many grains you have donated from the very beginning. It's motivating!;-)

I'm perfectly aware of the fact that a simple click can't solve all the problems of the world. I just don't want us to be indifferent. One click may ecourage us to become involved in other forms of charity. It may be the first step to change somebody's life.

We are infinite

High school years are fortunately behind me, but I still enjoy watching movies which present the life of teenagers - of course, only if they're well-made. The one I've watched recently - "The Perks of Being a Wallflower"- definitely falls into this category. It's a 2012 American drama whose main character is 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman) The boy starts high school as an outsider, being unaccepted and lost; his best friend commited suicide and he suffers from mental illness. His miserable life changes suddenly when he meets two seniors - Patrick(Ezra Miller) and his stepsister Sam(Emma Watson) who he falls in love with; he's accepted by their group of friends and he slowly starts to believe he found the place where he belongs. Their life is not perfect, either; Patrick is a secret relationship with Brad, a football player, and Sam was sexually abused as a child. Each of them try to cope with their problems and traumatic experiences.
The movie is thought-provoking, but I can't say it's sad; it shows perfectely how bittersweet life could be. The characters are not overdrawn; I do like the way they try to find their place, how they seek happiness and courage to face life, however hard it may be. The film is filled with really good music; one of my favourite scenes is when the 3 go through the tunnel, listening to "Heroes" by David Bowie; that's when Charlie says: "I feel infinite". I feel this way too when I watch it :)

"If you want to kill me, you'd better hurry, because I'm 100 years old."

Earlier this week, I felt like watching a film and when I was searching for something interesting on the Internet, I came across a 2013 Swedish comedy "The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared". The movie is so full with absurdism that it can cheer up even the most pessimistic person.

Allan Karlsson, who lives in a care home, is supossed to celebrate his 100th birthday. Despite his age, Allan is able to take care of himself and when he sees a little boy who plays in a slightly unusual way, he climbs out the window and... this is how his adventures begin. 

Accidentally, he steals the suitcase which belongs to a motorcycle gang member, so obviously he tries to get it back, but it turns out it's not so simple. Let's just say that there are some dead bodies in the film, but the victims are killed in such stupid ways that it's impossible not to laugh. Allan and his companions are the most ridiculously incompatible and inept group of people I've ever seen, but somehow they always manage to stay safe and sound. 

The film is also full of Allan's memories, rather extraordinary ones, I would say, including saving general's Franco life, helping the Americans with an atom bomb (yes, it was Allan Karlsson, everyone, who actually created it), etc. One big historical mess, but such a funny one! :)

To sum up - when you have a bad day, don't each chocolate; you'll only put on weight. Just watch this movie. 

WARNING:  Many uncontrollable bursts of laughter highly probable while watching. 

"However bad life may seem, when there is life, there's hope"

During the break after the exams, I saw "The theory of everything" the movie presenting the story of Jane and Stephen Hawking, the famous cosmologist. Although I'd heard about him before I went to the cinema, I've never been really interested in his life and achievements. In fact, the choice of the film was a sheer coincidence. I don't regret it. I have to admit that I can't recall the last time I saw such a beautiful film.
"The theory of everything", despite the slightly scientific title, focuses more on the the Hawking's struggle with the serious neurological disease  rather than on his actual work. What I particulary like about this film, is that the characters are not overdrawn. Stephen Hawking (played by Eddie Redmayne) and his wife Jane (Felicity Jones)  try to live like a normal family, as far as it's possible; there are moments of sadness and of happiness. The movie presents well the way their relationship changes over the years; the ending may be slightly surprising.
Another reason why this film is exceptional, is the outstanding acting of Eddie Redmayne. While watching the movie, I had the impression he wasn't playing but he was Stephen Hawking. No wonder he won the Academy Award for Actor in a Leading Role. He really deserved it.
I don't forget about the music; the sountrack, composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson, perfectly expresses the atmosphere in every scene. It's so beautiful that I keep listening to it over and over again;  moving, but also giving hope; sometimes making me cry, sometimes cheering me up - like the whole movie.

Moya Brennan

As the winter exam session is getting closer, it is high time I got back to listening Irish folk music. My brain needs it whenever I need to learn something by heart, especially when there is snow outside, because it helps me to concentrate. Besides, I strongly believe that this kind of music has a positive influence on my results, considering that last year, I was literally obsessed with Enya's songs and I passed all of my exams :)

This year, apart from all possible forms of relaxing music, which I wrote about some time ago and which is absolutely my number 1 when it comes to studying, I've decided to listen to Moya( Máire) Brennan, Enya's older and no less talented sister.

I have no intention to write her biography here, you can find it on Wikipedia or anywhere on the Internet. I just want to mention that she was a member  of the family band, Clannad, before starting her solo career 23 years ago and that she is called “The First Lady of Celtic Music”. Her songs were included in the soundtracks for many films, like “King Arthur”.  She is not only a singer, but also a harpist.

What I love about her songs, is the harmonic, beautiful melody, due to instruments such as violin or harp (thanks to Moya Brennan it has become my favourite instrument), but also her voice, which seems to come from other dimension, like the echo in the mountains.  Despite the fact that the majority of her songs is calm, they are very emotional. I do not know why, but whatever the lyrics are about, they make me think of nature: a calm sea, a forest with rustling leaves, the raindrops on a window…  they are truly magical.

So…I have to go back to studying and I hope Moya Brennan’s music will help me to memorize everything J

Christmas spirit?

Our long (but still too short) winter break is still not over, even Christmas is still not over, but somehow I'm sad and  I've got a strange feeling of missing something intangible. I'm not in the mood of listening Christmas songs, I don't feel this joy which should accompany me these days. At the beginning I thought it was because of the tiredness, hurry, preparations or constant necessity to learn something, but later I realised that even when I have everything done, I still feel frustrated. Christmas time is said to be the time for reflexion, so I've been reflecting and I eventually came to a conclusion that it's me who is responsible for this situation. My lack of self-confidence, my self-loathing at times, the fact that I'm never satisfied with my successes; I always want something more, I want to be better, smarter, prettier, etc. 

I'm aware of the fact I'm not perfect and I will never be, but lately I've decided to change my attitude towards myself. I know it won't be easy, but at least I want to try as we have only one life and a right to be happy. It's my New Year's resolution :)

Countdown...

no, not to Christmas :) Despite the fact that it's my favourite festival and every year I'm glad when it finally comes, for me it's too early to think about right now; I mean, how is it possible to feel this very special atmosphere of Christimas in the third week of November?
No, what I'm really looking forward to at the moment, is something much more mundane- the premieres of some movies which have caught my attention.
The first to come is "Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies"-(sadly) the last part of Bilbo Baggins adventures, which I'm going to see during this extremely long Christmas break. I'm so excited! And I promise to share my impressions on the film; after watching the trailer, I'm almost sure they'll be positive.
Another must-see for me is "The Imitation Game", stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightely. This movie presents a story of Alan Turing, a British mathematician who helped to break the Enigma code during the Second World War.
And of course, new, special Christmas episode of "Sherlock"- 90 minutes with the genius in a funny hat, his loyal friend John Watson and their enthralling adventures- which is premiered in 2 months
Did I mention patience is definitely not one of my strengths? I think I should probably study more to occupy my mind with something, because this waiting is killing me :)

Music vs. studying

When I was younger, in primary shool and later in junior high, I  just couldn't stand music playing in the background while I was preparing for a test or writing an essay; all I needed was absolute silence. However, later my attitude has changed; in fact, I'm not able to focus on what I'm reading or writing when all I hear is the sound of my clock (signum temporis, I would say :) We're used to sounds literally attacking us everyhere so the silence makes us feel strange and uneasy). 

The question is, what kind of music is the best to listen to while studying? I can only answer on my own behalf; for me, it's relaxing music, which I 'discovered' last year. 

'Relaxing music' is a vast genre, which contains instrumental music, nature sounds, traditional music (e.g.Chinese, Indian, Irish), etc. It's great, because every time I can choose something new, depending on my mood. It helps me to focus on the task or the book I read, because there are no lyrics, just pure, harmonic sounds. This kind of music also help me to calm down and relax after 4 days spent at university. 

I strongly recommend it to everyone. Of course, I like different music genres too, I would be bored to death or fall asleep otherwise, because honestly, relaxing music is not very lively, just the opposite. When it comes to studying, though, I belive there is nothing better:) 

Hello again :)

Maybe it'a a cliché but time really passes so fast. After wonderful 3 months it's time to start my second year at the university and despite all of the exams I'm going to take in a few months and a heap of books at my desk after just 2 days I must admit that I am excited.

 It will be a very challenging year for me because in January I'm going to France as an Erasmus student. I wonder what it will be like to study abroad.  For sure, I'll have an exceptional opportunity to improve my language skills (or, speaking straight from the shoulder, I'll be forced to communicate in French to survive) which is the main reason I can't wait to go. But for now, I should focus on my exams here, in Poland, which I have to take earlier(because of my depart). Wish me luck :)

TV- entertaining or not?

Today, I want to share with you some reflections on TV and its entertaining role.

As a child, I used to spend several hours in front of a screen, which was nothing exceptional that time, I think. There were so many cartoons and tales worth watching then! My favourite ones were those produced  in the Czech Republic, simple, with basic graphics, which stimulated my imagination. Nowadays,although the variety of tales for children on TV is even greater, they're so detailed and colourful that the youngest are just passive viewers; well, I don't want to say these programmes are void of educational values, but I've got an impression they're not as stimulating&thought-provoking as in the past.

The quality of TV programmes is getting lower and lower in general. At home, I have quite a lot of channels, but there's nothing interesting to watch, really. Maybe I'm a demanding viewer, but come on, who wants to watch some stupid TV series repeating again and again or films which might not be so stupid, but you can't stand even thinking about them as they have been on so many times before... Honestly, I rarely watch TV (I don't have a TV set in Poznań) and when I need some entertainment on Friday evening, I can choose : never-ending commercials/serials for idiots/some weird films I do not want to watch. What do we pay for?!

To sum up: Thanks God I have acces to the Internet.

Looking forward to holidays(or not)

I've been so busy recently, because, as every student know, the exam session is getting closer and closer. I don't know whose idea it was to make poor young people to cram in May and June, when the weather outside enourages us to do just the opposite, but, to be honest, I can't come up with any better solution, so just ignore my complaining :) I just want to add that I  WANT to study, inasmuch as we have quite a lot to learn, including literature and history of France; I really do. Just give me some more time, please... I'm fed up with all homeworks, tests, ect. It may seem that it doesn't take a lot of time to prepare for the courses, but surprisingly I always have something to do. At the moment I'm a frustrated, tired, desponded person; when my dad told me yesterday that in a month there are holidays, I said I wasn't able to think about such distant future. I hope you're more optimistic than me ;)

Elementary, my dear Watson

Today, as you may guess from the title, I'm going to write about someone who has been for years among my favourite book (and film) characters- Sherlock Holmes, created by sir Arthur Conan Doyle in the nineteenth century. He is a genius detective who lives at 221B, Baker Street in London with his friend, dr John Watson.

If I wanted to write even a short description of each story and film adaptation that was inspired by their adventures, I would have to spend hours in front of the computer, so I've decided to confine to the last TV series "Sherlock" which, as my family and friends know very well, I just adore(I've seen all the 9 episodes several times which makes me feel it's nearly an obsession).

It's totally different from every film about Sherlock Holmes produced previously, because it's set in modern London- with skyscrapers, mobile phones, computers, etc. Sherlock (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a 'consulting detective' (he cooperates with the police) and a 'high-functionning sociopath' as he describes himself. In the first episode, John Watson(Martin Freeman), who has just come back from Afghanistan, becomes his flatmate and this is when an adventure begins. Their characters and dispositions are completely different which is a source of many hilarious situations (for example, when dr Watson opens a fridge to find a human head inside and he express his surprise, Sherlock asks him for tea). 

I do like the way the themes from the stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle are used here. For example, the title of each episode is a slightly changed  title of the original case(for instance, instead of "The empty house" there's "The empty hearse"). What may be surprising is that, although in general one episode presents one crime, there are the elements of many others which are mentioned or shortly presented from time to time. It's hard to explain it, you must watch to understand what I mean. 

What else can I add... Action-packed, with great music which suits perfectly to each scene and humorous, it's really worth watching. Of course, I could write much more about this interesting and well-made BBC series, but it's not intention to describe episode after episode, scene after scene. I just want to encourage you all to watch it- even if you feel that detective stories are not your cup of tea, I believe you will like it, as much as I do :)

A special day

Today is the day of canonization of 2 great popes- John Paul II and John XXIII- a celebration not only for the Christan Church, but also for confessors of other religions who feel their lives were influenced by these 2 exceptional people. I've just watched the transmission of the solemn Mass from Vatican and I'm really moved. I can't express how proud and happy I am because our compatriot is offically Saint John Paul II. For the Poles He was (and still is) a role model, an example of a person who is truly close to God, who gives hope, who was taking care of a family and young people and who shows that everyone can be saint.
I don't forget about Pope John XXIII who organised the Second Vatical Council and started the dialogue with other religions, showing the respect for them, but for me, as a Pole, Saint John Paul II will be always closer.  I must confess that every time I think about his life, I want my faith to be as strong and unshakable as his and to be a good person.
I'm so grateful to God for these two great people who changed for sure the Catolic Church and lives of millions of people all over the world, who gave us the example of humility and piety.

Back to work:)

Every year it's the same thing. First, we look forward to Easter, which I'm sure most students associate with free time and relax, we have so many plans for these several days off and then... before we realise, we must return to our daily routine. At least, this is what I experience annually and I must confess that the older I am, the more difficult it is to accept this sad fact. Fortunately, some celebrations are still yet to come- in 2 weeks time, there's another break because of the Labour Day (and I'm very happy about that, because I want to finish reading "Sense and sensible" by Jane Austen :) )
There's one more thing which repeats every year- before Easter I can't wait to eat sweets(because I avoid them during the Lent); when I see chocolate or cookies, it seems to me there's nothing else I need, but when the Lent it over, I hardly can swallow a lump of chocolate since my body has already weaned off such an amount of sugar. Well, I'm wondering what to do with all these chocolate bars now... I hope that after going back at university, I'll need more carbohydrates; otherwise, I'll start up a shop:P

The Railway Man

Another film review today! This time it's a war film/drama "The Railway Man" with one of my favorite actors Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman.
This is a story of a former soldier Eric Lomax (C.Firth). During the II World War, he was forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway as an engineer. He falls in love and marries Patti (N.Kidman), the woman who he meets in the train. Their life is very difficult, because, as Patti soon discovers, her husband still can't cope with the war experiences and have terryfying visions- for example, it seems to him that he sees one of the Japanese Kempetai officers, Takashi Nagase, who was mostly responsible for the tortures and suffering of Eric.
His best friend, Finley, tries to convince him he should find Nagase and kill him, because he believes it will help Eric to forget about the pain; When after their conversation Finley commits suicide, Lomax decides to go and find his enemy. It turns out he's a guide in a war museum. Eric is furious and want to revenge...
The ending is surprising and very moving; I have to confess I was near to tears at the cinema.
This film is based on a true story- Eric Lomax died in 2012, a year later than Takashi Nagase, at the age of 91. In 1995, he wrote a book on his war experiences.
If you're wondering which film you want to see at the cinema, I recommend you "The Railway Man". It presents how war may influence on a man's mentality, but also gives an opportunity to think over the role of true love and revenge.

Breton music

In case you still don't know it,  I'm a great fan of celtic music. My fascination started several months ago, I suppose, but to be honest, as a child I also used to listen to Enya, whose voice I adore to this day. I must confess that, until recently, when I thought about celtic music, I thought only about Ireland. How much I was wrong! Last time, thanks to the course of listening comprehension, I discoverd totally new dimension of this kind of music- Breton music. Brittany is the region of France which in the past was inhabited by Celts and the signs of their culture are still visible there.There are many Breton singers and bands who play traditional instruments (for example harp) and sings about...Hmmm...it's hard to describe the topic of their songs in one word, but mostly about nature and some stories from the past, legends, etc. Breton artists sing in not only in French, but also in English(these 2 cultures are connected, because Celts lived in the Ireland as well) and in Breton, celtic language, which I find really difficult to speak. 

I love celtic music, because when I listen to it, I can forget about my problems, bad mood, tiredness and imagine I'm somewhere else. I strongly reccommend it to you, it's magical :) 

Here's a song "Tri Martolod" by Alan Stivell, hope you enjoy it :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z593IhlhR4s 

The time traveler's wife

Today, I want to recommend to you the film I've seen last time on TV. It's a 2009 American romantic drama "The time traveler's wife", stars Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana.

The main character, Henry, has a genetical disorder which enables him to travel in time; however, he can' t control it. He discovers it by chance during a car travel with his mother, when he's a child. They have a car accident and his mother dies; he survives, though, because he travels 2 weeks back and then he meets the older version of himself.
Many years later, in a library, Henry meets Clare, who, to his surprise, recognize him. It turns out they've met many times before and he's informed her that he's a time traveler. As the story develops, they, of course, fall in love with each other, but their relationship is not easy as he often disappears in significant moments, for example just before the wedding - and when he finally gets back, he's the older version of himself.
Their complicated life starts to be even more difficult when Clare becomes pregnant; after several miscarriages, they discover the child can't be born since he/she has a genetical disorder too and also travels in time. Fortunately, a miracle happens and Clare finally manages to give birth to a girl, Alba. Unfortunately, before she's born, Henry travels forward in time and meets 10-year-old Alba; she informs him he died when she was 5; later he, Clare and their friends see the older version of Henry, dying on the floor... If you wan't to know how it all ends, you must watch the film :)

I think this movie is worth watching, because I really like the way it was made- the events are not put in the chronological order, but past, present and future are mixed and connected with one another, so you have to watch carefully not to loose the thread. What's more, I find it thought-provoking- Henry is not able to change anything that either had already happened or will happen, which, in my opinion, shows that we should reconcile ourselves to what happens to us and try to be happy as long as it possible, not to regret any moment of our lives.I hope my post will convince you to see this film :)

Hello, my dear spring:)

Looking through the window today, I dare to say spring has already come, more than a week before the official date (21st of March). I hope the weather won't let me down and the whole week will be also so marvellous. I don't know if it's only a delusion and I'm the only person who feels it, but today, on my way home I felt the beautiful, ephemeral smell, characteristic only for the spring- I can't say what it was, but it made me very optimistic and full of energy, so even the time I've spent at university was a pleasure for me. 

Now there'a s special time for me because I'm looking forward to Easter and the 40 days which go before this Christian celebration, called Lent, is traditionally the time when people make different resolutions to change something in their lives for better. My resolution is not to eat sweets. I know, maybe it's childish, but I believe, truly, that  it will help me to strengthen my self- determination. I must tell you, by the way, it's not as easy as it seems, especially when my flatmates buy chocolate and cookies... Wish me luck, then:)

Yesterday, My friend and I participated in the lecture about the Irish language and the short lesson of it. Despite the fact I don't remember anything apart from 'How are you?' and 'My name is...' , I must confess it was a great experience and I'm glad that such events take place at our university. Inspired by this beautiful Celtic language, I'm attaching a link to a beautiful song sung by Enya, my favourite singer (from Ireland! :))

 Enya- How can I keep from singing

A little bit of complaining at a beginning :)

A short self- presentation at the beginning:  I'm a 19-year-old student of French philology, who loves reading Agatha Christie's books and listening to film music. This blog doesn't have any particular subject- I'm going to write about everything that comes to my mind. So, let's start! :)

What a tiring day was yesterday! PE early in the morning, then the history of France, literature and English.  Of course, I’m not complaining – I really like all the subjects we have , thanks to them I enrich my knowledge of different areas. I just want to say that, although it’s already the second week of a new semester, I still find it quite difficult to accept the fact we have to study hard (again !)- and I'm sure I'm not the only one :)  That’s probably the effect of 3- week break after the exam session- I’ve become lazy because of doing nothing connected with my studies at home. To make matters worse, the changing weather , as well as the fact, that I ‘ve been ill since 2 weeks and I haven’t recovered completely yet, caused a terrible headache and a lack of energy. Hmm... Did i claim at the beginning I was not complainig ? Well, I’m starting to believe I’m a really gloomy person J

The only comfort is that it’ s nearly spring. You can feel it in the air-it’s warmer and warmer every day, the birds sing, some trees are already in bloom...so I hope to become more cheerful soon :) 

And what's your mood in the early spring?