2014 Best Reads

"The Lost Child of Filomena Lee" by Martin Sixsmith

Last year a film under the same title came to cinemas - a story of a woman who gets pregnant young and she is sent to an order as a punishment. She is forced to give up her baby who is adopted by a family from the USA (just after the family pays a nice sum of money to the order). The movie is a touching story of a woman trying to find her child. The book focuses on the character of Filomena's son and describes his struggle with being adopted. Micheal (or Antony, as he was named by Filomena) has a successful carries and is in a hapy relationship. Yet he still has the impression that he is not good enough. Because if he were good, his mother wouldn't have given him up. He does not know that Filomena is looking for him. He also tries to find her. Yet the nuns build the wall of silence. Here the book points out another problem - corruption and callouness of nuns. The book makes an amazing impression and cannot be forgotten. 

"Book thief" by Markus Zusak
Another book on which a film was based. And another that touches something deep inside a human soul. The narrator is Death who describes the life of little Lisel, the title book thief. The background of the story is made of the atrocities of te 2nd World War. I have to admit that I read the book after I watched the film. And I have to say that I do not recall many things about the movie. The book overshadowed it. 


"Thornbirds" by Colleen McCullough
A classic on which I laid my fingers last year. And I regret that it was so late. It is an episodic story about the real life, bitter moments and faint, short moments of happiness. This is a story about hard work and about a house that cannot be left as well as about complicated family relations and dusty stories from the past. 
This is a story of an impossible, wonderful and painful love. Yet having read the book, one can notice that this is only the main story line and the main character is the bitter-sweet life. 

What I'm not going to change in 2015

The beginning of a new year is when we make resolutions about changes that should accompany us throughout the entire year. That's the usual and I'm not going to focus on that. What I'm going to focus on today are the things that I don't want to change. 
It doesn't mean that I'm fully satisfied with me. I'm not and I made my New Year Resolutions, but they will stay secret :) Yet there are some things that I actually enjoy about myself, including:

Strong addiction to books

I love reading and I'm not going to change that. Books are an unseparable part of myself. 

Passion for science
I like learning, it's a great pleasure for me. I'm enthusiastic about my PhD project and reading new aricles is my favourite entertainment. I love conferences, essays, polished-up presentations. I love the work connected with gathering the material.
All this is my passion, my work and my pleasure. 

Sarcasm

Skilfully applied can work miracles :) 

The ability to be happy

Like a child :) A very nice experience, I'm definitely not getting rid of it. 

And what are you not going to change this year? :)

Stop fireworks

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Fireworks and firecrackers are available with no trouble, especially before New Year's Eve. Already before Christmas the "charms" of the end of the year begin - sudden shots giving you a heart attack. They raise to their full power on New Year's Eve and New Year. And just like always, it was ment to be perfect but it ended up the same.

Admission rooms in hospitals are full with those who suffered in accidents with fireworks and pet owners experience moments of horror. Adn for what? A second of boom and a pretty flare?

In many locations fireworks shows are organized. They are prepared by professionals, beautiful and safe. They last just long enough to enjoy wonderful colours and shapes. And it's enough. There's no need for "private shows" the results of which may be tragic, because the mix of fireworks and alcohol is never a good idea. 

It is not a great way to start the new year when you suffer from burnt body or lost limb. It's not cool to look, with tears in your eyes, for a pet which ran away scared by the noise. The New Year shouldn't start like this.

And it's only your choice how it will start.

5 Reasons why I LOVE Christmas

I love Christmas, obviously :) And these are my reasons for it.

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The Magic

Sparkling lights, the big Santa Clause mistery, gifts found underneath the Christmas tree. Christmas is all about magic. And although the magic seems to disappear as get older in order to one day vanish into the thin year, this time of year is the moment when we can experience it once again :)

The Beauty

Everywhere you look, everything is beautiful. Sparkling lights (again :) I just love the light :)), decorations, smiling faces, gifts and gift wrappings.

My Cat

When Christmas comes my Cat is more adorable than usually. Although he is already 8 years old, he just loves Christmas just as much as I do :) He is so excited and enthusiastic. He runs around the house trying to everywhere in one second. He helps me with the decoration of Christmas tree (as I'm dressing one side, he is undressing the other :) ) and he helps in the kitchen (he has to taste everyting - he tries to save us from serving food that is not delicious, so every single thing has to go through his quality control :) ). And of course he helps with the cleaning, leaving his fur in all the already cleaned places. But what he loves the most is the unwrapping of gifts. Than he can play with all the ribbons and wrappings. And after the Christmas dinner we have to carry him upstairs, because he sleeps to tight to do it on his own :)

Being with people

This is the time of year when I can actually take as much time as I want to be with my family. I'm not saying, I dont spend time with them throughout the entire year, I do. But there is always something to do. And during Christmas I don't care about the work or anything else. I just enjoy my real free time.

Making people happy

I love receiving gifts. Well, who doesn't. But what I love even more is giving the gift and looking as the faces light up with joy and seeing people happy

9 days to Christmas and counting :)