Donna Tartt - The Goldfinch

Despite the fact that almost every blog, portal or magazine I read mentioned this book at least ten times for the past year, I managed to not find out one thing about plot or characters, I was a blank slate for reading it, a tabula rasa. The only information I had was provided by my Kindle - I had 43 hours and 10 minutes of reading till the end. The book is amazing and I won't tell anything else, no previews. Every few hundred pages you can go wow! and I'll hear you.

;)

*Serbian

Lament for Summer

So, we said some things to this Summer and there might have been some expletives involved. We called it crazy, bipolar, it made us feel cheated, let down, we told it to leave and never come back. But the Summer doesn't care, it's stays distinctly unsummery. At least it's consistent...

I even said THANK YOU at one point. There was no vacation time for me this year, no beach, and I still hear my inconsolable bathing suit sadly sobbing whenever I go near the closet. So, thank you, Summer, for being distinctly unsummery - it was easier to survive the city.

Though when August finally managed to smuggle some sun in, I finally manged to wear a few skirts. Ok, Summer, we'll survive this year, but the next... better not make us wait...

Shirt - 100% linen, bought in a second hand store a few years ago, cheap, intended for less glamorous purposes. Quickly became a summer favourite despite the long sleeves. And yes, it's always this wrinkled, and yes it still looks new, it's the most pleasant shirt to wear and also the favourite one

Skirt - also bought in a second hand store a few years ago, cheap, intended for less glamorous purposes. It was mostly stuck in the back of the closet, got out on a few less than glamorous opportunities (mostly of babysitting nature). Then it suddenly got rediscovered and rebirthed after it mysteriously ended up in the vacation suitcase two years ago. It conquered Greece and kept ruling summers since then.

Sandals - called The Saviors. Last year the hurt-foot-a-month-of-bed-rest-buy-normal-footwear debacle happened... Yeah, I don't want to talk about it. So, I finally had to buy better (also more expensive) shoes and that's how the era of BQS (Buy Quality Shoes) started and BATS (Buy All That's Shiny) era ended.

Bag - a product of the aforementioned, month long, bed rest, there was time to kill, let me tell you.

Sunglasses - I already bored you with that story.

Rings - from H&M, loved and adored! But you can find similar, well, everywhere.

;)

*Serbian

Neil Gaiman - The Ocean at the End of the Lane

How do I know I'm a grown-up? Well, besides the fact that my roots get pretty white once a month before I dye them red again and the fact that I had to get reading glasses this year, I don't actually (I'm definitely not a grown up)! I also still read fairy tales like the one above and picture myself as Lettie Hempstock. And then I go around pestering people about how great this book is and how Miyazaki should make a film of it. I would so like to see that one...

 ;)

*Serbian

Time to Dance

Three minutes of perfection. I was watching entranced and then I rewatched again and again to see what each of them was doing in the background and to listen to the music. If only I were this cool as kid, actually if only I were this cool ever [le sigh!]

p.s. Original song and video

:)

*Serbian

Worn (out)

I've told you about the hat and glasses.
I've told you about the sandals.
I've told you about the patterned trousers.
You've seen this top before.
I'll tell you about the bag and the pendant soon.

This is what how I look almost every day this summer... How about you?

;)

*Serbian

A Very Nice Cat

I meet her a few times a week. She is one of those nice cats that always let you touch them although she won't be too thrilled someone's messing with her perfectly fluffy fur. You'll find her on the stairs to a hair salon or resting on a hood of a car parked nearby. She'll just squint at you inquisitively but she'll get up for food only. So if you need a daily those of cat, she's there, you can pet her, she won't look like she's enjoying too much (but you will ~^..^).

:)

*Serbian

Sunglasses and the City Hat

Fine! I admit it, when I bought the hat it wasn't officially summer but when I bought the sunglasses… well, that’s another story…

It was the end of May when my old sunglasses broke. It wasn't officially summer but it was 35°C in shade and the summer was obviously telling us this was how we’d play until September. So I was left without my favourite sunglasses and a few other pairs I had at home weren't gonna cut it. Blame it on the age, (im)maturity, whatever, but I needed the same (or extremely similar) pair. Since I bought them from a random street stall chances to find the same pair were close to none so the extremely similar pair it was. And thus the Big Sunglasses Search of 2014 began. It had to be this particular size, but they were all too small. It had to be this particular colour, but suddenly everyone made them pink. I needed them to have metal temples but suddenly everything was plastic. And not to forget I wanted all the UVA, UVB, ATM, USB, and the rest of the alphabet protections.

Long story short I found them, the extremely similar pair (of much better quality I must add). As I was standing in a checkout line, my heart still hurt for the old pair (my wallet also hurt a little for the price tag) and I was still wondering if the super glue was the better solution (it wasn't). It was a sunny Friday afternoon and I was happily testing the new extremely similar pair of better quality sunglasses on my way home, happy for the promising warm and sunny weekend. It started raining the next day… indefinitely…

So, tell me - this can't be only happening to me: if I buy a pair of sandals the great flood ensues; if I buy a pair of boots suddenly spring arrives right in the middle of December. If you say it does only happen to me you are all lying!

————————————————————————————————————————

Ok, I’m coming back after a few deep breaths with the story about the hat. This is a new type of hat discovered by moi, for toi (or it can stay just for moi and you do as you like it).

For example if this was a telemarketing commercial it would go something like this:

-Are you sick and tired of walking around town with that parasol of a wide rimmed hat on your head?

-Are you sick and tired of being late because you and your too wide rim of a wide rimmed hat couldn’t fit into a bus?

-Are you also sick and tired of lugging that same parasol/hat after the Sun goes down and you’d like to walk around on a pleasant evening for a little longer?

(I know there is more than one sane answer to this dilemma. Lady, buy a baseball hat or just stop lugging that monstrosity around etc. But for the sake of this tiny, barely sane thought experiment bare with me, don’t change the channel.)

We present to you The City Hat. It’s rim is significantly smaller than your standard boho wide rim so it won’t poke your fellow bus passengers in the eye. If you stop to look at a shop window at least three more ladies will be able to stand next to you and at least one more man will still be able to walk around you all. And when the Sun goes down you don't have to go home, just put your City Hat in your bag and you can continue your summer walk carefree and luggage free.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I love my wide rimmed monstrosities and I own both the winter and summer version, but last summer on vacation in Greece I got tired of dragging a giant hat with me so the idea of the city hat was born. I spent half the vacation searching for the smaller hat that I could easily stuff into my bag and guess what - it proved to be impossible to find even in beach town stores full of hats of all shapes but apparently not all sizes. 

I found this one in April and it’s almost perfect and I don’t have to wear a baseball hat so it’s perfect enough. I can walk around on extremely sunny days of summer doing my business, get on a bus, stuff the hat in a bag and not get my hair all sweaty or occupy three seats with my hat. It is a little bulky but fits most of my tote bags and considering the elusiveness of a pretty and functional city hat and the hard life of us telemarketing visionaries discovering such things I’m satisfied... The End

:)

*Serbian 

The Cat and the Rain

Belgrade, April 9th, 2014

It was Tuesday. It wasn't raining when we left the apartment but the rain started soon. We forgot to bring the umbrella, naturally. Our dad was waiting for us at the Belgrade Bus Station but we had to stop and buy an umbrella. Our dad was waiting for us but we saw this black and white cat napping on a narrow wall protected from rain and we had to try our luck. We always try our luck with cats, be it rain or shine, some are happy to see us some run away as fast as they can. This one was happy to see us and we gave her exactly two minutes of our time and then we went on to the Belgrade bus Station as fast as we could.

;)

*Serbian

Rings and Things

What have I been up to lately... hm:

1. Small things - you know how when a season drags out and you just want it to be over you go into survival mode; no complaining, no crying, not even depression, just pure robot mode; at the time I forget I'm human, I wear the same things over and over again, I don't even open the closet, first chair around is the closet for the week; I also forget I own jewelry, don't wear earrings, don't care about rings; then comes spring and waking up I rediscover the collection.

2. Then some much bigger things, like trying to be a better teacher. That's what I do for quite some time now and sometimes still feel like a beginner. Lately I tend to lose my self into hours of texts and videos on teaching, curriculum, classroom management, discipline, and then the next lesson seems easier and the next one is hard again. It goes up and down, but most times it's fun.

3. And more bigger things, like me... Like me getting into a dress for a friend's wedding. Like a miscalculated too early purchase of the dress and then miscalculated amount of food during Easter weekend. Like endless browsing for a new dress that can storage a lot of boob (I also feel for the people with the opposite problem, which again makes me wonder is there such a thing like a normal sized boobs or is this some kind of conspiracy...). Also endless wondering why girls on Zara site have such weirdly photoshopped legs. Just look at the section with skirts or dresses. Does someone have a fetish for disfigured legs there?

4. And some random things like walks and walks when the weather is nice. Killing some more plants (I'm down to one at the moment). Reading. Stalking some cats and taking pictures of them on Instagram. And also blog procrastinating.

And what have you been up to lately?

*Serbian

The One With Spring

Dear Australia, I really like you and I can't wait to meet you. Sorry for the Spring though, it's our turn now, we deserved it, seriously. Your winters are never really that mean anyway so be patient for a few months.

Dear 3 2 remaining plants still living in strategically chosen positions in my apartment, I'm sorry for constantly killing your brothers and sisters. I know I'm already on parole, but it was plantslaughter, completely unintentional, I swear! I admit killing the cactus and the succulent(s) (and have no idea how that keeps happening), but the Dracaena and the thing with purple leaves are still alive and well. I believe that the third one, the Painted Nettle, went to visit his relatives last week and never called, that case has nothing to do with me...

Dear book, I hope I'm going to start liking you, because everyone says you're great. Maybe it's the translation, maybe it's me, but we didn't have a great start. Anyway the plants gave me a second chance so I'll give one to you.

Dear 30th birthday, I'm ready for you, no drama, promise. I just ask you for a nice day so I can go to the zoo*, and also those shoes I'm waiting for, you know. Ok, maybe some wisdom, remember? The one I was so sure I get when I turn 30 - if you still have some extra I'm here. I can wait some time but I decided I can call myself a woman, not a girl, when I'm 30 and I don't want to embarrass myself early on... so, you know.

*You get free entry to Belgrade Zoo for two on your birthday. I use it every year, except last year it was freaking snowing at the end of March, but it seems that this year Australia already took care of cold seasons.

;)

*Serbian

A Pinteresting Thing

Remember how we used to keep 'inspirational' folders on our hard drives (not so) long time ago. So many gigabytes cluttered with pictures of cats, shoes, outfits, tropical islands, or perfect kitchens. So many times did I hit save as, save as, save as... What happened with those pictures I mostly have no idea. I know that once I bought the shoes that looked just like the ones from the folder Shoes, except they were blue, and I felt like meeting a celebrity from the picture.

And also once I made an album on Facebook titled My Imagined Life, in which I combined perfect outfits, homes, kitchens, a small tropical island, Mini Cooper, all uploaded directly from my hard drive. In this album I claimed I'd get married three times: first husband prince Harry, for the crown jewels, of course; the second, Jamie Oliver, because he's cute and because cooking, people; and the third, Ewan McGregor because Arrrgh! And all the while I'd keep my boyfriend as a lover, because I adore him. Yeah, that's not public any more...

Any way, that was then, and now we have Pinterest. No more cluttered gigabytes (although, ironically, hard drives are bigger than ever). And I dedicate hours to Pinterest and all guilt free. It's a place where my desires live. It's cats, books, and wardrobes, all in one place. And I love when days go by and I have no time to even peek there, and then I finally show up with a cup of hot beverage and I scroll away.

Although at times it does get a bit frustrating, don't you think? All those someone has and I have a picture of it. Really? No, no! It's suppose to be inspiring. So, I decide I should get inspired, make something out of all my perfect boards, have something Pinteresting.

So it happened that I had this necklace pinned on my jewels board, and I had this chain thingy from this post, in my (not-really-working) jewelry box, that never really claimed it was a necklace.

 
In fact I think it started the career as a belt on a purple leopard print skimpy dress under a tent on an annual village fair somewhere in the East of Serbia back in the 90s (meaning this: nsfw). But you know, I could see the potential finally, thanks to the Pinterest. So I grabbed the pliers and removed the bigger rings and left only those with more geometric-Pinterest quality. I think it totally worked. And my necklace, I swear, it totally forgot it's previous career as a belt, and works full time for me now, as a necklace.

                                                                                 ;)

*Serbian

Wes Anderson And Some Bacon

* In real life diet and exercise for me, in dream life this:

* This guy is so incredibly awesome that I won't even mention his name here out of fear that his reputation might get ruined after being seen in a place with so many photos of kittens and flowers and an occasional outfit post. If you have spare 20 minutes to die laughing watch this video and see how healthy competition works in rock'n'roll.

* We're finally watching The Grand Budapest  Hotel this week and it's a chance to test this theory. Let's see if Anderson's characters have really lost the freedom of movement...

;)

*Serbian

Of Kindle With Love

'Just sending you another proof we didn't make a mistake!' he was yelling from across the room or sending me a message from the office, for many weeks after our Kindle Paperwhite had arrived, accompanied by a link leading to another proof of how awesomely fantastic the Kindle Paperwhite was.

And me? I already knew it from the moment I'd read my first book on it. And it's not fair to say we didn't make a mistake, now, because he didn't make a mistake (You didn't!!!). I, on the other hand, wasn't that sure about the whole thing - it's too much money, but I wanna buy books, how can a gadget replace a real book! I was mostly worried about the money part, but even more about buying real books part (so much about my ways to save money).

At the beginning of December, when we were finally unpacking it I observed the thing with apprehension. Too pretty, all black, minimalistic, plastic. While he was adjusting and tampering, uploading and downloading and whatevering it, I was in the other room stroking our real books, comforting them that everything's going to be ok, and they could never ever be replaced.

And then it happened. He said 'Look at all the books we've got on it!', and I was like 'Uuuuuuuu!(wide eyes, not blinking) Roald Dahl! Can I just take a quick look at Mathilda, I've always wanted to read it!!!' And I did, and then I read it in two days. And then I read Silent Witness by Agatha Christie, and then I read A Moveable Feast and The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway. (And don't worry, I did by 3 new real books since then, so I'm fine.)

And then our Kindle came to life, it became our pet, our companion. At night we put it by the bed, we make schedules of who's taking it out (to work, to a skiing trip, short trip, long trip, park..). And if I see it left on the edge of a chair, desk, or a shelf, I turn into a monster because WHAT IF IT FELL OFF!!! My greatest fear is still falling asleep with it. Paperwhite has that back light, so I don't need a lamp, but then it's easier to fall asleep and squish it and break it. I had a few nightmares on this subject, me dropping it from the bed, rolling over and destroying it while sleeping, and every time it'd break like it was of the most delicate glass and I was left holding the pieces and crying (very dramatic and traumatic). One night I even woke up suddenly and started looking for it in panic only to realize that I'd turned it off and went to bed about two hours earlier. So, you can write that down as the only little disadvantage I discovered so far.

There was also the question of dressing it up, of course and Pinterest gave us endless options, Belgrade on the other hand, not so much. We searched and searched, and in 10 stores only 2 people knew what Kindle was and only 1 had some poor excuse for a case with an inexcusable price tag. So I had to take things in my own hands:

Oh, and one more thing! Please don't ask why we didn't just buy a tablet because that question throws me into a raging fit. It's different and while I recover from the last fit someone smarter and more composed than me explained why, and also all the other great advantages of this magical gadget. By the way he doesn't mention the disadvantage I discovered, so take that into account if you like...

;)

*Serbian

Coming Back

Hopefully, there will be at least one person still left here. I didn't have much to say for the last few months or I didn't think anyone cared. But the blogger identity crisis is done and over with and this little place is still not ready to retire. It's a nice feeling to write a post and hit Publish again. Thank you if you are still here and to celebrate the comeback I give you some cats.  

;)

*Serbian