Many years ago, I have developed a simple strategy of facing compliments, because they have always made me uncomfortable: it does not matter whether I believe what is being said about me, it only matters if I believe that the person who compliments me is sincere and genuine. If they are, then it is an honour to be seen in such a way through their ( Read more... )

Давайте поиграем в небольшую экологическую игру.

1. В любом помещении, в котором вы регулярно пребываете (на работе или в любой комнате дома, например) посмотрите вокруг и посчитайте, сколько вы видите пластиковых предметов (не нужно открывать шкафы и заглядывать в ящики столов, - просто на поверхностях). Смотрите внимательнее - некоторые ( Read more... )

1.1. The police in the Soviet Union, and later, in Russia, were called militia until several years ago. A slogan about them, popularized by newspapers and movies, read "Our native (own) militia keeps us safe".

I have never had much to do with the militia. I have been to a precinct thrice of my own volition: at 18, to receive my first passport; at ( Read more... )

A short comic is floating around online these days*. In it, a stick figure is crawling up a mountain, which is drawn like a ragged line that almost, but not quite, reaches the top of the panel. "Getting there," says the figure in the first panel titled "high school". "Almost done," it mutters as it approaches the top in the next frame labelled " ( Read more... )

...and in the midst of her turmoil he sent a demon of his to tempt her. And came the demon, and stood it invisible by her side, and whispered it in her ear, soft as a breath of air, light as an inspiration, clear as the best of thoughts: ”It does not need to be so hard, you know. Your college department is pressing you so hard to publish another ( Read more... )

DRAFT.

[Finished entry postted September 28]
...and in the midst of her turmoil he sent a demon of his to tempt her. And came the demon, and stood it invisible by her side, and whispered it in her ear, soft as a breath of air, light as an inspiration, clear as the best of thoughts: the man who you feel you are failing, he who you don't know how to talk with, he who had gifted you with ( Read more... )

This is my 7th season of LJ Idol, and yet introduction never gets easier.

Hello, my name is Elena.

These are of my favourite things: my new fandom Good Omens, stressing over the PhD dissertation that I need to finish, but struggle with very much, my new favourite actor and nice person Michael Sheen, stressing over having to teach physics to ( Read more... )

Being a writer is like having homework
every night for the rest of your life.
Lawrence Kasdan.

The ultimate paradox of learning is this ( Read more... )

"Salad days" is a Shakespearean idiomatic expression meaning a youthful time, accompanied by the inexperience, enthusiasm, idealism, innocence, or indiscretion that one associates with a young person. In Anthony and Cleopatra, Cleopatra says, "...My salad days, / When I was green in judgment, cold in blood..."

~Wiki

When I was young and my granny ( Read more... )

Content warning: some period talk ( Read more... )