A cosmopolitan's short narratives.

“Welcome to the kingdom of my imagination. Welcome to the world of the unpredictable reality. I live in Florida (sometimes in Sweden). My country of birth doesn’t exist anymore (SSSR). I am writing in English and Russian about my day-to-day life and the experience of living in different countries, observation of people’s life, traveling and fashion. Welcome,” jelena717@gmail.com.

October 27, 2010

Go for the vitamins!!!

Do you recognize the feeling when you are constantly tired and weary? Sometimes it appears to me all my might and energy just evaporates from my body, but I have so much to give. I sleep long hours, I eat healthy, I exercise and the sun abundant here. What could be the reason of it?
There is no another explanation that my body has shortage of some vitamins. I always was a believer of not interfering in the natural process of our metabolism, but apparently I have to be open minded on this subject as well. Human body needs a big variety different vitamins and complementary of organic substances which suppose to be extracted from our daily food. In our hectic time when a person has to eat less and less and perform more and more, it makes challenging to balance the need. In addition, we all live in a century when you MUST look at least ten years younger than you are and perform your job as you were in your twenties. It sucks, isn’t it?

 
I asked my grandmother, who is by the way 82 and was a participant in the 2nd World War, about her worries on this subject. She couldn’t really understand the dilemma. In her time the important things were children, bred on the table and a place to live, and if God bestowed you with a natural beauty it was a gift. When it is in nowadays, people take command over their natural complexions and appearing by performing plastic and weight loss surgery.

And guess what? I do NOT judge the new generation which shoulders the heavy burden of desirable standards and norms. I am one of them.

I swallowed my pride and went to the “Whole Food” and bought a couple of vitamin jars and a liquid iron. So far so good, I like the fact that I am not constantly tired anymore which leads to diminishing intake of snack’s habit (I had them all the time before when I felt tired).
Go for the vitamins!!!

October 21, 2010

Не бывает худа без добра

Сегодня, уставшая после вчерашней вечеринки с моей подругой, я долго размышляла над парадоксом человеческой натуры: умышленно вытеснять всё плохое из памяти и помнить только хорошее. Как, например, сколько раз я себе  зарекалась быть очень осторожной с вкусным вином (когда вино не вкусное, оно и не идёт) и ограничиваться одним фужером. Мне хватает двух фужеров вина, что бы на следующий день я боролась с вялостью и не свежестью мозговой деятельности.

Я заметила, что с годами, способность человеческого организма перерабатывать спиртные напитки, ухудшается заметно. А когда я вспоминаю мою двадцатилетнюю молодость, да ещё на Украине, то я просто поражаюсь выживательными способностями нашего человеческого организма.

Я, как-то, наткнулась на поэму французского писателя, посвященную вину, его волшебным свойствам и прелестям. «Одна чаша вина,- по словам поэта,-срывает человеческие цепи, разрушает преграды, освобождает душу и окрыляет музу каждого индивида. Вино,-это коварный источник наслаждения и блаженства. Но, как только, человеческая алчность переступает пределы дозволенного (границы очень ссудные),-продолжает поэт-вино становится твоим непосредственным врагом».

«Правильно поэт заметил»,-рассуждала я, занимаясь домашней уборкой, вымывая и вычищая всё в доме, потому что на больше меня сегодня не хватило. Но зато, наконец-то, я выскребла все туалеты до блеска. Да, не бывает худа без добра, как у нас на Руси говорят, хоть в доме прибралась. Да и к тому же, хватило времени пофилософствовать, во время чистки туалетов…. или чистки своей грызущей совести?

October 17, 2010

Miami trip

Today I gave myself the second try to experience the pleasure of the going on a boat. The first one didn’t go so well because the boat got broken in the middle of channel and we were floating for a couple of hours. I didn’t pay so much attention to this little incident and gladly accept the invitation of my Miami friends to explore the local marina.



The weather was perfect: not too hot and the ocean breeze was adding the refreshment. The most popular entertainment is the gliding around different islands, enjoying the view and of cause, admiring of the enormous houses of the famous people. “Star Island” is the nest of many Hollywood stars and billionaires. Local entrepreneurs even offer different boat guide tours where you can get a gleam of the glamour life of American celebrities.

I got a picture of the house of the Cuban American singer, songwriter and actress Gloria Estefan.
 





This is the largest house on the "Star Island" (as I got known) of the pharmaceutical billionaire Phillip Frost, it has even a huge tennis court. How do you like it?




The Miami view from the water is stunning. The bright sun makes all the pictures blurred, but can’t conceal the breathtaking perspect.  




This is a Miami’s James L. Knight International Center where we saw a CIRCO DE LOS HORRORES yesterday.


After one hour drive through the Miami's water canals we moored to the local cozy restaurant Casablanca (400 NW North River Dr Miami) and indulged ourselves with a delish and praiseworthy lunch.



The day seemed to be too perfect to be true. Everything was great and on our way back I was recollecting the beautiful moments when I heard the scream that our boat was sinking. I could believe what I just heard!

You can imagine the panic and the chaos! Luckily, just in the last couple of seconds before the boat had started scooping water we jumped out from it in safety. We also managed to rescue the boat and identify the leak.

Driving home from Miami I was pondering the obvious fact that I have no luck with boats.

October 15, 2010

My Bikram Yoga

Yesterday I lost 960 calories during my Bikram Yoga pass.


According to the information on the internet any type of Yoga is a source of healing of the human body and mind, but in my experience, it is not always. I got less impressive experience when I firth tried Yoga back in 2004 in Malmo on the Grynbodgatan 17. It was boring, uninspiring, depressing, the teacher was not dedicated to his students and he didn’t correct the wrong Yoga postures. I didn’t get any benefits from it, apart from a little stretching. Moreover I witnessed an awkward gathering of young girls in the teacher room, they were giggling and sneering at the students all the time. People can get a wrong impression. I was there almost one year and I can’t even remember the name of the type of Yoga, because the teacher didn’t highlight nor emphasized the movement. In other words, I didn’t like it, even more; such bad start evaporated all my zeal to learn more about it.

Now, living here and be surrounded by the best Yoga studious, I am actively involved in Yoga activities. My friend introduced me to a Bikram method of Yoga and I was swept away. This is the best new experience that so far happened with me here in the US. I love it! I feel so good! My studio is located on 1119 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale and I am a frequent visitor there.

Bikram Yoga has been the subject of much debate as to whether or not performing strenuous exercise in a room over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38C) is safe. The positive news: Heavy sweating helps detoxify the body, the circulatory system is cleared, the output of cells which fight infection is increased, the heart rate is elevated AND you lose 960 calories during one pass.

October 9, 2010

Марш против грудного рака

Все культурно-массовые и народные мероприятия
в Америке всегда начинаются
с национального гимна.
Сегодняшний марш против рака груди прошел очень интенсивно. Мне пришлось подняться в 6:30 утра, да к тому же в субботу. Вика и я решили пройтись пешком через весь городишко до места сбора, из-за плохой возможности парковки.

Сам марш, это подобие русского парада или демонстрации, хотя мне больше напоминает массовое гуляние. Людей было очень много и, несмотря на раннее утро, многие были с маленькими детьми и с собаками.

Дистанция похода, - приблизительно 5 миль, на километры, это где-то 8. Конечно же, это не так уж и много, по русским понятиям, но для американцев, это достаточно большое расстояние. Идея таких мероприятий, прежде всего, это привлечь внимание общественности и местных властей к колоссальной распространенности женского грудного рака, и во-вторых, привлечь новых спонсоров и пожертвование денег на науку по излечению это болезни.


Такие мероприятия, тоже очень важны для американской социальной жизни. За частую, это всё организуется с работы, и у людей есть прекрасная возможность социально пообщаться в расслабленной атмосфере, принимая участие в чём-то полезном. Конечно же, общение общению рознь, и что в нашем русском понятии считается пустоплётсвом, то здесь, во Флориде, считается светскими беседами. Для справедливости должна заметить, что социальные нормы и традиции Америки очень различаются в зависимости от района и штата. Во Флориде, все живут стилем «социальной бабочки», что совсем противоположит, например, Бостону.

Я хочу вам признаться, что это не так уж и легко говорить с человеком ни о чём на протяжении долгого времени. Этому надо поучиться. Местная публика успешно маневрирует между неглубокими темами природы, погоды, шопинга и ресторанов, с изощренным искусством, не выдавать своего истинного мнения и не затрагивать серьёзных тем.













Мне этому надо поучиться, тогда когда же Вика, энергии у которой хоть отнимай, галантно парирует на все темы «разговоров» направо и налево. Непринужденно общаться с незнакомцами, предоставляет мне некоторые неудобства, но после часика или два, меня попускает и моя речь становится меньше скованной.

После этой «прогулки», Вика уговорила меня пойти на йогу, что добавило дополнительных полтора часа усильных физических занятий. Когда я приползла домой, я просто рухнулась в постель, принять дневной тихий час. Я проспала два часа и проснулась, когда мне приснилась Вика, которая упорно пыталась меня уговорить на дополнительный класс вечерний йоги.

October 8, 2010

My car got broken ..

My car got broken yesterday evening, exactly an hour before me driving to college. It was almost a disaster because in the US a man can’t do much without a car. I left my car where it was (in the parking garage) and kindly asked my husband to borrow his to the college, which he did. So, today I am completely stranded, I couldn’t even go to my Pilates or Yoga. The BMW service guy came around 10 o’clock (it took three hours on the phone to find a right person through the insurance) and he towed my car. He has also mentioned that all the tires should be changed. They always find something extra!!! I hope it will be fixed by Monday.
Tomorrow Victoria (my lovely Russian friend) and I are going to participate in “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk”, thus I have to get up early. I am looking forward it!! All updatings about it are tomorrow.
Today’s dinner

October 7, 2010

The mundane activities

O my Lord, it is almost two weeks since I  updated my blog! I am sorry for this; I hope You, my dear reader, understand that writing for me is a pleasure and enjoyment. I can’t just publish a post for the sake of publishing; it has to be more than that. Writing is my therapy of happiness, practicing in wit and sharing my soul. Sometimes my lines exclude  these mentioned traits, but they are still created with pleasure.
My job hunting goes on; I have had so many phone interviews that I don’t count them anymore. Every week I delete approximately 200 emails with my applications and not even ¾ of them are answered by classical ”No, thank you.” The unhappy truth is that all job’s openings in my field of expertise are located in the different states. Here in Florida, the only jobs that can be found are in the real state, retirement, banking and medical service. And I am a little bit old to change my profession; furthermore I love what I am doing.

No well, I have taken up my college courses; and three evenings every week I am spending in my studies. The remaining time goes to my job hunting, exercises and all those nitty-gritty things which surround us in life.

Today’s confession: I did something very…. different, for the lack of better word. I applied for a part-time as a Sales Associate in Bloomingdale’s. I have had an interview in person and I omitted some things about me in fear to be “overqualified.” I appreciate every job on this planet, especially when nobody in the whole world is helping me in this battle.

This beautiful picture I took from the “Aventure theatres” outside balcony last weekend in Miami when I was watching a ballet concert.

The Miami prospect at night is amassing.