When you look for sth here

Sunday 31 May 2015

Insane - beauty related

Last evening was again one of these when I watched few tutorials on applying the perfect concealer for tired eyes. Until late. Ironically again, trying to fall asleep instead - as obviously the healthiest option of all - didn't occur to me.

Today I followed my mini 'todo' list for this weekend, by sorting all the stuff I apparently use as part of my morning / evening skincare and makeup routine. Looks like I believe all eye cream manufacturers in the world are planning to cease their production anytime soon, until further notice, but 6-7 months at a minimum. No spare bar of soap though.

No chocolate bars (left) either:_) which is reassuring - my bikini set may see daylight this summer actually.

This May was packed with online activities, which is new to me, but interesting at the same time. I had a chance to read so many wittily written short stories, and poems, all inspiring, and all motivational to the full.

Finally, it's been a month where I was selfish more often than usual. And it was a great experience for me, not so great for my family though, as one can imagine.

The longer I live, the more I see how easy it is to loose track, focus and attention. How other people you meet can either lift you up, or drawn you in their own problems, and expect you to feel their misery. Not saying that we should all be compassion-free, but there are limits. It's just a question of becoming aware of that need for your own 'stop' sign, searching for the perfect spot to put it up, and keep reminding yourself where it is placed.

Monday 18 May 2015

No hablo espanol? NO LONGER THE CASE, AND A GIVEAWAY

I love Spain. I love many countries, some of which I never had a chance to visit (yet:_), but there is something magical, inspirational, and mysterious about Spain that makes me think of it most.


So far I visited Ordessa, Grenada, and Tenerife, and in short you might label this triplet: 'from survival to luxury'. Well, almost; the first was a 2-week hike with 13kg backpack of survival kit:_), the last: a pool at a side and a multi-course breakfast.
Yet, I've always missed the fact the only proper phrase I could say there was: 'No hablo espanol'

Therefore, when I had a chance to enter uTalk world, my first and instant decision was to try out and learn Spanish from there.


uTalk is an app available for all iPad and/or iPhone users to help you learn language in the least stressful way possible – by playing a game. Or two:_)

Like most people, I am all eyes when absorbing information. And I like to see things in a nice way - esthetic, you see... The uTalk is 100% for me in that aspect alone. Clear, concise (not an easy thing to achieve with 120 languages available:_), and carefully designed.


First, let's go the free way, available, yes, you read it correctly, at NO cost: 'Starter Words'.

It is not your easy path to achieve proficiency level in a language – it is a path from which you can easily spot other possibilities, to learn more, to strengthen your will to want more.

There is 1 topic associated, with several options, starting from practice, to various games (easy, hard, memory), to recall of what you have been able to learn so far. All that in an easy, non-time consuming way, allowing you to play 5 mins at at time, fitting in your busy/free/laid back/super-organised approach. Brilliant!

You learn 15 basic phrases (including the one I already knew: I don't understand, and a word for a restroom, which is again genius, and so practical, not only when you are traveling with kids:_)

If you get hooked (and probably you will), you are welcome to buy 2 paid options: Essentials (with 11 topics, pretty decent amount of material to dig into), and/or Premium (37 topics).

I went the full Monty route, and for £11.99 I was gone. Actually, it took me a while to convince myself to switch from 'Vacation' to writing this little opinion of mine.

To be honest, I am still building el castillo de arena a la playa. Watching la puesta del sol. After all day playing with el frisbee.

Not to worry that I miss a word – the Premium option has a built-in dictionary, 1000+ phrases and words.


You see?:_) I am hooked...

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uTalk is developed by EuroTalk, publishers of language learning software and apps in 135 languages.
http://eurotalk.com/.  They recently launched new mobile website. To celebrate that launch, I have THREE PREMIUM CODES of the uTalk application to giveaway. Hurrah! Just in time for your next holiday!!!

COMPETITION CLOSED

AND THE WINNER IS:)))
Darkus,
who will be contacted soon to have the code received, and be able to test uTalk to the full:)))

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If you fancy getting one of the Premium codes, in a language of YOUR choice, just leave a comment below with your preferred language, and share this blog post on Google+
(The example of an entry then would be a comment like this: 'Indonesian')

You are welcome to like my Facebook page, too.

You may be anywhere in the world :)

Just make sure you make it before the deadline: 12PM BST (that is British Summer Time) on Friday, 29th May.

Winners will be announced here, in this very post, on Monday, 1st June. So keep that date in mind, and come back for an update then, just in case!

Friday 15 May 2015

Cry Me A River

Sometimes, there can only be one word, just one, that gathers all the possible clouds over my head, and makes me feel like a bad person, undevoted mother, ungrateful woman, and selfish wife.

Is it really my problem, that I am over sensitive sometimes? Not harsh enough?
Since when my vulnerability gives others the right to judge, control, and scare me?

So much free will to rule, get, and label. It is tiresome.



'Mum, why do you feel tired? You haven't done anything today.'

Exactly...

Wednesday 13 May 2015

Independence Day

This is not about the most important celebration of any country.

This is about my little one turning 2 this week...

No, I do not feel older, awkward, or not at ease with that fact; I'm surprisingly OK.
It is, however, astonishing to me, that this birthday literally made my MiniMan a young fellow, who would happily walk on his own, say hello to people (including our neighbour on a morning rush to school), and such a not-a-baby sometimes...

Yes, the tantrums have also arrived. I loose my temper although I do try to keep my voice down (if my husband is reading this right now, he is probably shaking his head...:_).

As yet another bonus, our SuperSpiderGirl became a real big sister; the result being they started to play with each other, and - kind of - hang around. While she is a bit more cautious then she used to be, he is more happy to follow her no matter what. Well, almost.

I guess jaw-dropping is with me more often these days....


Saturday 9 May 2015

the quote from the Affair - my new mantra

'I suppress a shudder, instead forming my face into what I’m hoping is a charming smile. You never know who your source is going to be'
The Affair by Emma Kavanagh

It's a short story about a murder.
Not a very optimistic intro, I know. Then again, this is not an uplifting, fake, and photoshopped version of me. This blog is me. And the lines I put here are me, too.


I remember when I read Prince by Machiavelli for the first time, I was quite shocked. OK, who am I kidding, I have not read it all. I just glanced at some parts, remembered few cliche phrases, and was ready for a debate (secondary school years, sweet and innocent, in a way).

But anyways, what I meant to write was I am not really that sneaky, overly clever, and looking for nothing but benefit everywhere. Yes, I can spot occassional profit, but usually am not original enough to be there first.

Average.

Therefore, when I read The Affair, that line about source was an enlightenment to me.
That's it!

I always had this complex of suiting everyone, pleasing everyone. And when there was a single case of cruelty, even with no reason behind, I was deep in depression. World was ending.

With a family of my own now, it's slightly better - you have that balance of two sweet little monsters requiring attention, no time for self-pity I wrote about few times here already.

But still, its a very sad feeling.

Fairly recently, I have been offended in public (on FB, nowadays it's public), just because I pointed out a mistake the offender made.
At first, I couldn't believe it - denial.
Then, I was devastated - exaggerataion.
Finally, there is anger - awakening:_)
  


Still, I try to form my face in a charming (ekhm) smile quite often. Too often.




Tuesday 5 May 2015

Third sense

I love smelling my children.

I know this is probably weird, but not uncommon. Although a bit from the tribes era, I know it's one of those things someone in love may easily understand - a smell of your loved ones is something you can carry throughout your live.

So, when there's sleeping time, and cuddling time, I just love that moment when I can experience scents of tiredness, milk (that's the younger one), sand (that's the older one, the younger one is slowly getting there, though), wind and sun. The smell of food and fun. The best ever;)

Friday 1 May 2015

In perspective

There were 2 of them. Calm, like if nothing bothered them. Which was probably the case now.
Lying peacefully, in contrast to their slightly twisted bodies.
They cared no more. But hardly anyone gathered around envied them their zen approach to life. Well, theirs was already gone, at least there and then.

It was a busy midweek morning. We were catching every minute to comb long hair, put some makeup on (that's me...), find matching shoes (that's everybody). Until I saw them, near the zebra crossing we always take on our way to school, no longer here but here at the same time, happy and not happy at the same time, I was angry with everything. We were running late.

It's sad and cruel, and probably socially unacceptable. But someone else's misery, pain, or death can put you in perspective. And makes you see the bigger picture. Happy faces. Alive. Words spoken to you here and now. Laughter and joy.

It could have been us. That van could have been running late, too. 15 minutes between us and the end of it all...