Sunday 4 December 2016

GOODREADS 2017 READING CHALLENGE: MY 12 LONG BOOKS

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As the 2016 is drawing to an end and I've started to wonder about the number of books I am going to read in 2017 within the Goodreads 2017 Reading Challenge, I became a bit frustrated. Well, I love to read and I'd love to read as many books as I could BUT I am rather a slow reader, savoring books rather than devouring them AND I am one of those bookworms who love long, thick books. And I haven't read one for a pretty long time and I really miss it.
I am not sure how my 2017 is going to look like (my 2016 turned out to be totally different from what I planned it to be (it actually turned out to be even better than I planned ;) though with less time for reading) and from my original target of reading 25 books I had to retreat to 12 (in the end I've managed to read 13 well before the end of 2016). Moreover, next year I also plan to go through my European integration library (only a shelf actually ;) consisting of some real bricks (especially when placed into a women handbag).
So all in all for 2017 I've again decided to go for 12 books (leaving larger amounts for some calmer years - I definitely have to go for 100 books some time ;) though, not claiming exactness of the number or that all books I am going to read in 2017 are going to be long but the small target will finally allow me to include some heavyweights into my TBR list too. Yes! :)



Sunday 24 April 2016

DEWEY’S 24-HOUR READ-A-THON: SPRING EDITION 2016 - WRAP-UP (EN)

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During the spring 2016 edition of the Dewey's 24-hour Read-a-thon I finally managed to read 5 books of my former TBR list of 7. Though this year it was an extraordinary combination of academic literature on European integration, classics, Nobel Prize fiction and probably the best YA fantasy ever. So quite a pick ;)

  1. Dinan, Desmond: Ever Closer Union. Written by one of my favourite analysts of the European integration, the book actually has two bookmarks placed inside. One marking my progress from the beginning of the book and the second one, my progress through chapters on foreign aspects of European integration. During Read-a-thon I managed to finish the chapter on Internal and External Security. (pages read 10)
  2. Leskov, Nikolay: Steel Flea. Wonderful short tale about Russian nature, praising human inventiveness and craftsmanship more than perfection. (pages read 64 - the entire book)
  3. Munro, Alice: The Love of a Good Woman. I've been planning to read a book by Munro, the 2015 Nobel Prize winner for quite a time and now I read the first short story in Slovak translation. Peculiar writing style... I am curious about the next couple of short stories. (pages read 89)
  4. Howorth, Jolyon: Security and Defence Policy in the European Union. Chapters of the first edition of this book were also part of a course on European foreign and defence policies during my university studies of Political Science. (pages read 21)
  5. Rowling, J.K.: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Fourth book of the famous series, I've been intending to start to read for last few months, though French and European integration took the majority of my spare time. And after all those academic political science literature it was really funny to read about Percy Weasley working at the Department of International Magical Co-operation of the Ministry of Magic, preparing a report to standardise cauldron thickness. Thumbs-up, Mrs Rowling :) (pages read 55)
Total number of pages read during Read-a-thon: 239
Hours slept: 3:45

I love Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon. It is such a great excuse to make time to read all the books you want :) (and eat sweets in the midnight ;)
So my thanks goes to the whole Read-a-thon team for inventing, organising and sustaining this wonderful, international event for all bookworms like me :)



Saturday 23 April 2016

DEWEY’S 24-HOUR READ-A-THON: SPRING EDITION 2016 (EN)

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Since I've been pretty busy for the last few days and hours, here finally comes my last minute blog post of my TBR list for this year's spring edition of the Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon.


14:00 - I grabbed Desmond Dinan's Ever Closer Union and got absorbed by building of foreign policy of the EU = my favourite field of study.

16:12 - Just finished the chapter on Internal and External Security of Ever Closer Union by Desmond Dinan. Time for a short break.

17:14 - publishing photos of my brand new additional bookcase. I love white bookcase, it compliments all beautiful books so much.






17:45 - social media updated. Takes so long. Continuing with The Steel Flea by Nikolay Leskov.

20:27 - just finished The Steel Flea by Nikolay Leskov. It is a wonderful short tale about Russian nature praising human inventiveness and craftsmanship more than perfection. I should definitely purchase Leskov's book The Enchanted Wanderer and Other Stories.

21:35 - starting The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro. I had to add Slovak translation on Goodreads first. I enjoy being virtual librarian :)

0:30 - page 67 of The Love of a Good Woman and time for Lindt chocolate... Yum :)

1:20 - just finished the first short story of The Love of a Good Woman by Alice Munro. I've been planning to read a book by Munro, the 2015 Nobel Prize winner for quite a time and now I read the first short story in Slovak translation. Peculiar writing style... I am curious about the next couple of short stories.
Though, now it seems like a perfect time for some academic literature ;)

3:45 - went to take a short nap.

7:30 - postponing my alarm clock until deciding that 7:30 am is the right time for breakfast and another few pages of Jolyon Howorth, to be able to eventually grab Harry Potter! :)

10:46 - done with Howorth and academic literature for now and starting Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.


14:00 - ended Read-a-thon on page 56 of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I love Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon. It is such a great excuse to make time to read all the books you want :)




Thursday 7 April 2016

GLOBAL BLOG TOUR - JULIE BUXBAUM: TELL ME THREE THINGS

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Published by Delacorte Press on April 5, 2016. ISBN: 9780399552939


(please scroll down for English text ;)

Keď som sa rozhodla zúčastniť sa Tell Me Three Things Global Blog Tour a podieľať sa na recenzovaný, nevedela som čo presne mám očakávať. Dostať pre napísanie recenzie kópiu knihy pred jej oficiálnym vydaním, bolo mojim snom už keď som začínala tento blog. Prebehla som si stručný opis deja na Goodreads a mala som pocit, že v knihe sa autorka zaoberá ťažkými životnými otázkami, ktoré ma priťahujú najviac. Čo je čiastočne pravda. Faktom, ktorý som pri rozhodnutí recenzovať túto knihu osobne trocha podcenila je, že ide o knihu pre dospievajúcu mládež (young adult - YA). Niekoľko kníh z tohto žánru som prečítala nielen v období svojho dospievania, ale aj iba pár mesiacov dozadu a mnohé sa mi mimoriadne páčili. Preto som nevidela dôvod, prečo by som to nemohla skúsiť aj s touto knihou, navyše obohatenou o záhadu, ktorá je jednou z hlavných dejových línii. A práve vďaka tejto dejovej línii, som hneď na prvých stranách objavila aj opis, ktorý je mne osobne hlboko vlastný.

Slovenský preklad úryvku:
"Vo Vennovom diagrame môjho života sa moja pomyselná a skutočná osobnosť nikdy nespojili. Avšak prostredníctvom e-mailu a správ mám niekoľko okamihov navyše, ktoré potrebujem na to, aby som bola lepšou, upravenou verziou seba samej. Aby som bola tým dievčaťom, ktoré je v tom úžasnom prieniku."

Hlavnou postavou knihy je 16-ročná Jessie Holmesová, ktorej mama podľahla rakovine. Po dvoch rokoch sa jej otec oženil opäť a presťahovali sa z Chicaga, kde Jessie prežila celé svoje detstvo, do honosnej vily otcovej novej manželky v Los Angeles. Znie to ako začiatok rozprávky, nie však pre Jessie, ktorá musela opustiť rodné mesto, najlepšiu priateľku Scarlet, zvyknúť si nielen na nové prostredie, školu a spolužiakov, ale aj na nevlastnú matku a brata, no predovšetkým na neprítomnosť mamy a to práve v tých najťažších chvíľach jej dospievania.

Slovenský preklad úryvku:
"Ideálne dni sú pre ľudí s malými, uskutočniteľnými snami. Alebo možno pre nás všetkých existujú len pri spätnom pohľade; len teraz sú ideálne, pretože obsahujú niečo neodvolateľne a nenapraviteľne stratené."

A v tomto momente, na novom mieste, plnom neistoty a cudzích ľudí, dostáva Jessie, akoby zázrakom, virtuálneho priateľa, chlapca z novej školy v Los Angeles, ktorý jej krátko po príchode napíše e-mail pod pseudonymom Somebody Nobody (Niekto Nikto) alebo SN. A tak Jessie ani netuší o koho ide. SN sa postupne stáva jej oporou a dôverným priateľom, ktorý jej rozumie. Na rozlúštenie záhady kto je SN, však autorka necháva čitateľa čakať až do posledných strán.



Skutočnosť, že ide o YA román, mi však trocha spôsobovala problém úplne sa vžiť do pocitov a konania Jessie, ktorá sa mi zároveň miestami zdala ako tínedžerka, a miestami ako dospelá žena. A to druhé najmä v častiach kde Jessie uvažuje a kde autorka vkladá svoje vlastné myšlienky. Je ale pravdou, že strata tak blízkeho človeka, akou je matka, o ktorú prišla aj samotná Julie Buxbaum, prinúti aj veľmi mladého človeka pozerať sa na svet trocha inak a predčasne dospieť. Možno aj preto mi román nebol úplne cudzí a miestami dokázala Jessie dokonale vstúpiť aj do môjho vlastného vnímania a uvažovania.

Slovenský preklad úryvku:
"Určité skutočnosti robia všetko ostatné nepodstatným."

Čo mi ale v príbehu trocha chýbalo, bol väčší spád a gradácia. V príbehu sa síce deje niekoľko vecí, no zápletky sa riešia akosi rýchlo a priamočiaro. V deji mi chýbala trocha dramatickejšia a komplikovanejšia zápletka. Na druhej strane autorka v príbehu opisuje situácie, v ktorých sa dievča v Jessienom veku a okolnostiach môže veľmi ľahko nájsť a identifikovať sa s nimi. Čo je jedna z najväčších predností tejto knihy. Vzhľadom na to, že ide o prvý YA román z pera Julie Buxbaum, musím uznať, že sa s ním popasovala výborne.

A na záver recenzie pripájam ešte jednu myšlienku z knihy, ktorou autorka dokonale vystihla aj moje vlastné pocity.

Slovenský preklad úryvku:
"Možno domov nemusí byť miesto."

Nie, to naozaj nemusí, pretože ani pre mňa nie je domov miesto. Domov je pocit.



English

When I decided to take part in the Tell Me Three Things blog tour and apply for the review, I didn't know what to expect. To receive an ARC for a review has been my dream ever since I started this blog. I ran through the short description on Goodreads and the book seemed to deal with though questions I like the most. Which is partially true. Though, when I decided to apply for the review, I somehow underestimated the fact that it's an YA book. I've already read several YA books and not only in my teenage times but only few months ago and I really liked many of them. So I didn't see any reason why I should not give this one a try. The more it comprised a mystery, which forms one of the central themes of the book. And thanks to this theme, on the very first pages I've discovered a description, which also provides one of the deepest characteristics of my own personality.

"In the Venn diagram of my life, my imagined personality and my real personality have never converged. Over email and text, though, I am given those few additional beats I need to be better, edited version of myself. To be that girl in the glorious intersection."

The main character of the book is 16-years old Jessie Holmes whose mother died of cancer. After two years her father married again and so they moved from Chicago, where Jessie spent her whole childhood, to an opulent mansion of her stepmother in Los Angeles. It sounds like a beginning of a fairytale but not for Jessie, who had to leave behind her hometown, her best friend Scarlet, get used not only to the new place, school and classmates but also to her stepmother and stepbrother, but mainly to absence of her mother during the hardest times of her adolescence.

"Perfect days are for people with small, realizable dreams. Or maybe for all of us, they just happen in retrospect; they're only now perfect because they contain something irrevocably and irretrievably lost."

And in this moment, in a new place full of uncertainties and strange people, Jessie is given, as if by a miracle, a virtual friend, a guy from her new school in Los Angeles, who shortly after her arrival, sends her an e-mail under the pseudonym Somebody Nobody or SN. So that Jessie has no idea who is it. SN gradually becomes her moral support and confidant who understands her. The author lets readers wait until the very last page in order to unveil the mystery of who SN really is.

The fact that this is a YA book made it a bit harder for me to put myself into Jessie's feelings and acting, who sometimes appeared to me as a teenage girl and the other times as a mature woman. And the later mainly in those parts where Jessie reflects and where author puts in her own thoughts. However, the truth is that loss of such a close person as mother, Julie Buxbaum herself lost her mother too, makes even very young person to see the world from a different perspective and grow up prematurely. Maybe that's also why the novel was not completely strange to me and sometimes Jessie made it perfectly to my own perception and thoughts.

"Certain facts tend to render everything else irrelevant."

But what I was missing a bit was greater momentum and gradation. Though several things happen in the story, plots are solved too fast and straightforwardly. I missed slightly more dramatic and more complicated plot. On the other hand the author portrays situations with which a girl of Jessie's age and in her circumstances can easily find herself and identify with them. Which is one of the largest strengths of this book. Forasmuch as this is the first YA novel by Julie Buxbaum I have to admit that she managed excellently.

And I would like to close my review with another thought from the book, by which author perfectly described also my own feelings.

"Maybe home doesn't have to be a place."
No, it really doesn't have to be a place, because for me too home isn't a place. It is a feeling.



Moje hodnotenie / My rating:




Other blogs participating in the Tell Me Three Things Global Blog Tour

05/04/2016 - www.marjoleinbookblog.blogspot.com
06/04/2016 - The Nocturnal Library
08/04/2016 - http://www.oopsireadabookagain.com/
09/04/2016 - beatricelearnstoread.wordpress.com
10/04/2016 - The Lifelong Bookworm
11/04/2016 - Musings of the Bookaholic Fairies
12/04/2016 - Home of a Book Lover
13/04/2016 - https://jasminepearlreads.wordpress.com
14/04/2016 - BIBLIOPHILE SOPRANO
15/04/2016 - When Books Defy Gravity
16/04/2016 - Amaterasu Reads
17/04/2016 - Defiantly Deviant
18/04/2016 - http://staybookish.net/
19/04/2016 - The Soul Sisters
20/04/2016 - tinesreviews.wordpress.com
21/04/2016 - https://bookbloggingwithricah.wordpress.com/
22/04/2016 - http://thebookaholicblurbs.blogspot.com/
23/04/2016 - Mr. Book Wonder
24/04/2016 - http://celestialpages.blogspot.com/
25/04/2016 - https://bookwormaniac.wordpress.com/





Sunday 7 February 2016

10+ NAJKRAJŠÍCH VÝROKOV Z PINTERESTU / 10+ PINTERESTING QUOTES #2

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Dnes prinášam ďalší príspevok zo série, ktorá vždy zahŕňa 10 najkrajších výrokov a citátov, ktoré som medzičasom našla prostredníctvom sociálnej siete Pinterest. A ako to už býva zvykom, aj tento príspevok obsahuje aj bonus navyše, a dnes nie jeden, ale hneď dve originálne, graficky spracované myšlienky od Desires & Mishaps :) Jednu v angličtine a jednu v slovenčine. Verím, že vás aspoň niektorá z myšlienok nižšie podnieti k novému začiatku.

English
Here comes another post from the series comprising each time 10 most beautiful sayings and quotes I've found in the meantime on Pinterest. As usually, this post too includes an extra saying, and not only one but two typographics originally made by Desires & Mishaps :) An English one and another one in Slovak. I hope that at least one of them will encourage you to a brand new beginning.


1. "Ak na to stále myslíš, potom stojí za to, aby si sa o to pokúsil/a."



2. "Buď odvážny/a v úsilí o to čo zapaľuje tvoju dušu."





3. Iný pohľad.



4. "Veci, ktoré ťa nadchýnajú nie sú náhodné, sú tvojim volaním." - Fabienne Fredricson 



5. "Život začína na konci tvojej komfortnej zóny."



6. "Najdesivejšia chvíľa je vždy presne predtým ako začneš."



7. "Ľudia sú najkrajší keď hovoria o niečom čo majú skutočne radi s vášňou v očiach."


8. "Jediné ozajstné chyby sú tie, z ktorých sa nepoučíme."


9. "Robiť to čo máš rád, je sloboda. Mať rád to čo robíš, je šťastie."



10. "Nájdi niečo pre čo si zanietený/á a maj o to neustále ohromný záujem." - Julia Child



+1 "Je mi jedno či to niekoho zaujíma. Zaujíma to mňa. A na tom záleží."



+2 "Once... Now"






Saturday 16 January 2016

PRÁVE MÁM RADA / CURRENTLY LOVING #2

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Hoci mám vo zvyku čítať vždy zároveň jednu anglickú a jednu slovenskú knihu, momentálne čítam súčasne dve anglické knihy. Obe som si našla pod vianočným stromčekom.
Jednou z nich je kniha The Snow Queen and Other Winter Tales, z nádhernej edície vydavateľstva Barnes&Noble, viazaná v koži. Je to zbierka, ktorá obsahuje príbehy od takých literárnych majstrov ako Hans Christian Andersen, bratia Grimmovci, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, Oscar Wilde, Andrew Lang, či Alexandre Dumas. Kniha je ideálnym čítaním na dlhé zimné večery pod teplou dekou a s hrnčekom horúceho nápoja. Keďže je už po vianočných sviatkoch, z knihy si na čítanie vyberám hlavne zimné príbehy a tie s vianočnou tématikou si nechávam až na záver tohto roka :)
Ďalšou vynikajúcou knihou, ideálnou na dlhé, zimné večery, ktorú ale netreba bližšie predstavovať, je Harry Potter. Práve čítam tretiu zo série siedmych kníh. Harryho Pottera čítam po prvýkrát a veľmi si túto skutočnosť, tak závidenú fanúšikmi Harryho Pottera, užívam. Knihy sú fantastické a na mňa ešte stále čakajú štyri ďalšie :)

English
Though I use to usually read one English and one Slovak book at the same time, currently I am reading two English books. I found them both under my Christmas tree.
One of them is The Snow Queen and Other Winter Tales, from the wonderful leather-bound series of Barnes&Noble publishing. It's a collection of stories by such masters like Hans Christian Andersen, the Grimm brothers, Charles Dickens, Louisa May Alcott, Oscar Wilde, Andrew Lang, or Alexandre Dumas. The book is ideal reading for long winter evenings, under warm blanket and with cup of hot beverage. Since it's already after Christmas, I pick rather winter stories and I leave the Christmas ones for the end of this year :)
Another outstanding book, destined for long winter evenings, which I don't need to introduce, is Harry Potter. Currently reading the third book Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I am reading Harry Potter for the first time and I am enjoying this fact, so envied by Harry Potter fans, very much. The books are terrific and there are still four books waiting for me :)







Zdroj/Source: Twitter / www.rtvs.sk

Decentný a vyrovnaný prejav, príjemný hlas z rádia, a od zimy 2015 aj nová tvár na televíznej obrazovke, to je mladý moderátor a redaktor, Michal Katuška. A už len tak mimochodom aj môj kamarát a spolužiak z politológie, čo je v podstate veľmi dôležité, keďže jeho politologické vzdelanie a živý záujem o veci verné, ho predurčuje pasovať sa s veľkými témami. Keďže sme s Michalom bývalí spolužiaci, tak som mala skvelú možnosť zažiť ho nielen počas jeho vysokoškolského štúdia, ale z času na čas aj teraz, najmä pri spoločných stretnutiach so spolužiakmi. Michal je aj bez predchádzajúcej prípravy skvelým rozprávačom, ktorého vždy rada počúvam s veľkým záujmom.
Jeho rozhlasová kariéra začala krátko po skončení magisterského štúdia, keď v decembri 2010 nastúpil do Slovenského rozhlasu na pozíciu redaktora regionálneho spravodajstva. Počas tohto obdobia na sebe neustále tvrdo pracoval, zaujímal sa o dianie na Slovensku i vo svete, každý večer po práci si trénoval prejav, čítal nahlas príspevky svoje aj kolegov, nahrával sa, a potom počúval, kde urobil chybu. Tak sa necelý rok po prijatí do Slovenského rozhlasu dostal aj za živý mikrofón do štúdia - začal moderovať krátke správy na Rádiu Regina, neskôr aj celý žurnál a tiež hodinovú diskusnú reláciu Klub komunálnej politiky. V roku 2013 ho Braňo Dobšinský, vtedajší šéf spravodajstva v rozhlase vzal do domácej redakcie. Začal sa venovať veľkým témam, ktoré sú mu aj vďaka politologickému vzdelaniu blízke. Rok 2013 teda začínal ako redaktor domáceho spravodajstva a končil ho už aj ako moderátor aktuálnej publicistickej relácie K veci, moderátor Rádiožurnálu Rádia Slovensko a moderátor relácie Z prvej ruky. Bolo to obdobie, kedy v práci trávil dvojciferné počty hodín a domov sa často chodil len na pár hodín vyspať. Dnes sa sústreďuje predovšetkým na svoju prácu redaktora, moderátora K veci a od zimy moderuje aj ranné a poludnajsie správy RTVS v televízii.
A čo Michala Katušku na práci redaktora a moderátora baví a priťahuje najviac? To Vám prezradí samotný Michal Katuška: "Práca ma nesmierne baví, je veľkou cťou a zároveň veľkou vnútornou motiváciou prinášať ľuďom vecné spravodajstvo o dianí v tejto krajine. Dávať politikom otázky, na ktoré musia, no nie vždy chcú odpovedať. Každý pracovný deň vyzerá inak. Jeden deň som s mikrofónom u bezdomovcov, ďalší na Úrade vlády. Kým je v človeku zvedavosť, tak to má zmysel robiť."

Počúvajte a sledujete na RTVS:

Rádio Slovensko:
K veci - publicistická diskusná relácia na aktuálne spoločenské témy, naživo každý pracovný deň o 18:18, alebo v archíve Rádia Slovensko: link tu

Jednotka:
Ranné správy RTVS - naživo každý pracovný deň o 8:00, alebo v archíve Jednotky: link tu
Správy RTVS - naživo každý pracovný deň o 12:00, alebo v archíve Jednotky: link tu

English
For English speaking readers of this blog, this part is about Michal Katuška - young newscaster and reporter of the Radio and Television Slovakia (RTVS), of decent and composed appearance, pleasant voice from the radio and since winter 2015 also a new face of a TV screen. And by the way also my friend and fellow student from Political Science, which is quite important since his Masters Degree in Political Science and avid interest in public affairs predestines him to tackle great topics. Since we are former classmates I had a great opportunity to experience Michal not only during his university studies, but from time to time also now especially during our gatherings of classmates. Michal has a pleasant voice, and even without previous preparation is a great storyteller, whom I always like to listen with great interest.
Shortly after completing his degree in 2010, he started to work as a regional news editor in Slovak Radio. During this time he worked hard, was interested in local and international events, every evening after work started another shift for him since he was practising speech, reading aloud his own contributions and those of his colleagues, recording himself and then listening his own speech checking for mistakes he made. After nearly a year, he was allowed to present live - read short news on one of the regional radio stations, later the whole main news and an hour-long discussion programme about communal politics in Slovakia. In 2013 he moved to the national news section and started to deal with big topics that have always been, also thanks to his university degree, very close to him. He started the year 2013 as a reporter of national news and ended it as a presenter of a programme about current affairs, presenter of the main news and presenter of a discussion programme on the political, civil and social topics of the day. During this time he used to spend double-digit hours at work and went home only to sleep for few hours. Nowadays he concentrates mainly on his job of reporter and presenter and from winter 2015 also on his job as an anchorman of the RTVS Morning News and RTVS News at noon in the TV.
And what likes Michal and attracts him about the work of editor and presenter the most? This will tell you Michal himself: "I immensely enjoy the work, which is a great honor as well as great personal motivation to bring objective news about what is happening in this country. To ask politicians questions that they have to, but do not always want to answer. Every working day is different. One day I am with a microphone with the homeless, next day in the Government Office. As long as you are curious, it is still worth to do."







V pondelok 11. januára som dostala nádherné prekvapenie, ktoré pre mňa pripravila moja najlepšia kamarátka s rodinkou. Keďže je momentálne na materskej a plne sa venuje svojmu trojmesačnému synčekovi, nemá veľa času na nakupovanie darčekov, čo však ale neznamená, že sa nevie vynájsť a vynájsť sa tým úplne najúžasnejším spôsobom. Vynašla sa aj na Vianoce, keď mi darovala rukou napísaný poukaz na nákup kozmetiky od jednej našej spoločnej známej, ktorá žije v Taliansku. No a na moje meniny si pre mňa pripravila prekvapenie v podobe výnimočného dezertu, zloženého z čerstvých jahôd poliatých pravou belgickou čokoládou a posypaných rôznymi príchuťami. Dezert v peknej krabičke previazanej saténovou mašľou mi priniesol milý pán kuriér priamo od výrobcu a podal mi tak balíček, ako aj všetky dôležité informácie o čerstvom darčeku a jeho spotrebe, a napokon mi aj sám zaželal všetko najlepšie k meninám. Keďže som už bola veľmi zvedavá, priloženú malú, zlatú obálku som otvorila ešte vo výťahu a pod tromi písmenami som rozlúštila iniciály mien troch členov mladej rodinky :) Mala som slzy na krajíčku, keďže tak nádherný a do najmenších detailov premyslený darček som na meniny ešte nedostala. Ďakujem D&E&F <3
Výrobcom nielen týchto delikátnych dezertov, ale aj nádherných ovocných kytíc (jednu som už tiež mala možnosť zahliadnuť aj naživo vo výťahu v práci), je spoločnosť Chutné kytice a tu je ich stránka: http://www.chutnekytice.sk/ Dezerty a kytice si je možné objednať telefonicky, cez internet alebo aj osobne v ich obchode v Bratislave - Trnávke. Je to fantastický darček pre človeka, ktorého chcete potešiť niečím výnimočným.

English
On Monday 11th January I received a wonderful surprise, prepared for me by my best friend with her family. Since she is on maternity leave now and fully devoted to her three-month son, she doesn't have much time to buy presents, though this doesn't mean that she couldn't cope with it and cope with it in the best possible way. For Christmas she managed to give me a handwritten voucher for purchase of cosmetics from one of our common friends, who lives in Italy. And for my name-day she prepared for me surprise in form of a special dessert, consisting of fresh strawberries poured in original Belgian chocolate and scattered with different flavours. The dessert in a beautiful box tied up with satin bow was brought to me by a very kind courier directly from the manufacturer, who gave me not only the packet, but also all important information on the fresh gift and it's usage and eventually he wished me happy name-day himself. Since I was too curious, I've opened the enclosed golden envelope during my way back in a lift and in under three letters I deciphered the initials of the three members of the young family :) I was close to tears, since I've never been given such a wonderful and thoroughly elaborated gift for my name-day.
If you happen to be an English speaker living in Slovakia, and you want to please someone with something special, you can find not only these delicate desserts but also wonderful fruity bouquets (which I also had the pleasure to catch a glimpse of in a lift at work) by the company called Chutné kytice (Delicious Bouquets) and this is their webpage: http://www.chutnekytice.sk/ You can order the desserts and bouquets over the phone, online or personally by visiting their shop in Bratislava - Trnávka.





Jedným z cieľov, ktoré som si stanovila pre rok 2016, je aj cieľ zlepšiť si svoju francúzštinu. Už dávnejšie som však na Instagrame začala sledovať @frenchwords, ktorého zakladateľom je chlapík menom Julien Azarian, žijúci v Paríži. A čo je na Instagrame @frenchwords také zaujímavé? Julien prostredníctvom @frenchwords publikuje každý deň jedno francúzske slovo, slovné spojenie alebo frazeologizmus, v jednotnom dizajne, kde francúzsky výraz hrá ústrednú úlohu, prípadne je doplnený jednoduchou kresbou, ktorá ešte viac pomáha zapamätať si dané slovo. @frenchwords sú mimoriadne obľúbené nielen na Instagrame, ale aj na Pintereste, kde Instagramove príspevky @frenchwords pripínajú a zdieľajú tisíce milovníkov francúzskeho jazyka. Ak máte aj vy v obľube tento nádherný jazyk a chcete sa v ňom trocha zlepšiť, a o @frenchwords ste doteraz ešte nepočuli, vrelo odporúčam, aby ste ho na Instagrame začali sledovať. Ak hovoríte po francúzsky plynule, minimálne vám slovo či fráza denne urobí radosť alebo dokonca vás možno aj rozosmeje (aj také tam sú ;)
A tu je len niekoľko mojich najobľúbenejších:


English
One of the goals I set myself for 2016 is to improve my French. It's been some time since I started to follow @frenchwords on Instagram, the founder of which is a guy called Julien Azarian from Paris. And what's so interesting about the Instagram @frenchwords? By means of @frenchwords Julien publishes daily a French word or phrase, in an unified style, where a French expression plays a centre role, supplemented sometimes by a simple drawing, helping to remember the particular word even better. @frenchwords are extremely popular not only on Instagram but on Pinterest as well, where Instagram posts of @frenchwords are being shared by thousands of lovers of French language. If you also like this wonderful language and you'd like to improve and you haven't heard about @frenchwords yet, I highly recommend you to start to follow it on Instagram. In case you already speak French fluently, one phrase a day can at least cheer you up or even make you laugh ;)
Above you can find a handful of my favourites.




Coldplay - A Head Full of Dreams
(New Album 2015)

Zdroj/Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Posledné dva týždne boli pre mňa mimoriadne náročné a počas oboch som už nedočkavo čakala na víkend, aby som si mohla konečne aspoň trocha oddýchnuť. A keď som sa konečne dopracovala k piatkovému večeru, v mysli mi začala hrať pieseň od Coldplay - Hymn for the Weekend, ktorú som prvýkrát počula keď som po sviatkoch cestovala v aute s bratrancom. Na cesty autom s bratrancom sa vždy veľmi teším, nielen preto, že sa v pohodlí a rýchlo odveziem z jedného konca republiky na druhý, ale tiež preto, že je veľmi príjemným spoločníkom a vždy má pripravený nejaký skvelý playlist :)
Pieseň Hymn for the Weekend pochádza z najnovšieho albumu Coldplay, ktorý vyšiel 4. decembra 2015, pod názvom Head Full of Dreams, a vznikla v spolupráci s Beyoncé. Je to optimistická, energická skladba pre všetkých, ktorí milujú víkendy tak ako ja :)

English
Last two weeks were exceptionally tough for me and I've been impatiently waiting for the weekend to come so I can relax at least a bit. And when I finally managed to reach the Friday evening, my mind started to play the song Hymn for the Weekend by Coldplay, I heard for the first time when after holidays I drove in a car with my cousin. I always look forward to drives with my cousin and not only because I can comfortably commute from one side of the Slovak Republic to the other but also because he is very pleasant companion and has always some excellent playlist at his disposal :)
Song Hymn for the Weekend originates from the new Coldplay album released on 4th December 2015 called Head Full of Dreams, and it is a duet of Chris Martin with Beyoncé. It's a cheerful and energetic song for everyone who loves weekends just like me :)


Celý album si môžete vypočuť prostredníctvom Spotify na tomto linku: / You can listen the whole album via Spotify using the link below:


Na albume tiež nájdete aj ďalšie skvelé piesne. Medzi moje najobľúbenejšie patria: / On the album you can also find other excellent songs. Among my favourites are: 

Adventure of a Lifetime
Army of One
Hymn for the Weekend


Morcheeba - Even Though

Hádam najznámejšou skladbou od britskej hudobnej skupiny Morcheeba, ktorú v súčasnosti tvorí speváčka Skye Edwards a hudobníci a bratia Paul a Ross Godfreyovci, je pieseň Rome Wasn't Build in a Day. Mne sa však nedávno dostala do uší aj ich nádherná skladba Even Though z ich albumu Blood Like Lemonade (2010) a hneď sa dostala na môj zoznam v súčasnosti najobľúbenejších skladieb.

English
Perhaps the most famous song by the British music band Morcheeba, which currently consists of singer Skye Edwards and musicians and brothers Paul and Ross Godfrey, is the song Rome Wasn't Build in a Day. Though I've been recently captured by their other wonderful song Even Though from the album Blood Like Lemonade (2010) and it went straight to the playlist of my currently most favourite songs.