Deadlines...

Do you keep your deadlines.
I think I know very few people who always manage to stick to them.
So - this is for all of us, who have sometimes missed a deadline (even if it is only for an hour or two) - if I have to paraphrase the famous saying - Life is what happens while we are struggling to meet deadlines.

La vie en rose...or some reasons for me to be happy

No, I am not in love, as supposed by the Edith Piaf lyrics :)
But I have some reasons to be happy:
-I have a french exam tomorrow. Don't ask.Not so much prepared as I should be. Yet I am not giving up the French, not because everyone is mocking me "what is that special interest in French" and "are you studying oral French only":)

- After the exam I might go to a "Cuban night" at a very nice bar - tea house. I heard some interesting things about the event. Will put some pics on flikr if I go:)



- On sunday - I have a ticket for the Ice-skating show by the Bulgarian star-couple - Albena Denkova and Maxim Stavinski. They just came back with a bronze medal from the European championship ( I heard it was not a very fair decision for the Russians to win the silver, but I would rather not comment, as I really do not understand the criteria and besides - haven't watched the competition). I cannot wait to see the show - promises to be really beautiful.

- There is an exhibition of Leaonardo Da Vinci's works - presenting him not as an artis,but as a scientist. I will find some time and visit it.

And...well, it seems finally the winter is here. The cold wind is blowing. No snow yet:(I hope it will soon come, though my shoes just let me down yesterday:)

AI 2007/2008 Candidates

44 people applying and so many people I like and care about on the list:)
It seems I will have to read lots of applications (thank God they have some limits to their writing:)
So - PAI candidates
Hm...Nice surprise with Jarda - I think he is a very smart and balanced guy so - he is a strong one:) Go CEE!!!
Gabica - well - that is cool - I dunno when AIESEC had a woman president for the last time.
Ryan - I don't know him very well, but my impressions from the IPM 2006 presentation and talks during the conference - he is also a strong candidate.
Dey - no comment. I cannot say i am surprised. I always believed that repeating mandates contributes to sustainability in AIESEC :)

Directors:
Some people - I knew they were going to run for that - Deniss and Ali.I already wished them good luck, I will do it again now. But Ioana, Ivan, JC, Lars and Tamer were a surprise:)

Vice-presidents:
Here I cannot be objective:) especially in the ER field. Irka, I believe in you, I wish you to show the best of you at the presentation. I know that if you wish for something really strong - it happens :)

So- good luck to all. I am really sad that I won't be able to see the speeches, cos the ones on IPM 2006 held some of the most inspiring minutes in my AIESEC career.

Nevermind. Let the right people be at the right positions - to move AIESEC forward. Or to move the rest of the world forward too...

Warholise Me

I found this sweet application (made again by guess who - Google of course:) )
And decided to worholise myself - the result is rather funny:)

I just felt like hugging

Sometimes a hug is what I really need.
Like now...
I am so tired of people being so artificial and official.
That's why I want you to watch this and imagine as if I am giving you a big hug :)

I just wanted to remind you a few things bout life...

Lovely, isn't it?
And so true!
Enjoy the day:)

The truth about dinosaurs :)

Bulgaria-trying to brand itself as a country - not very successful so far...

I have been to at least 10 discussions (including university, specialised tourism conferences, private conversations etc.) where the vague image of Bulgaria was commented.So I was really happy when I heard of a website, givving the opportunity to young people to show there image of Bulgaria, to change something if they do not like it.
I was really curious and inspired...Until I found this video. It has the ambition to show the country from a different angle, it is really funny indeed, yet I am not sure what I would think for that country if I was a foreigner...
For sure I will think "what a strange place"...and feel a pity for the people living there...
There are, of course, some "PR clips" of the country - like this one.
Yet...they seem to me a bit too artificial.
As are the Bulgarian EU accession videos - like this - I like the beginning,but at the end it really skrews up the whole thing...Why do I, as a Bulgarian, need someone to place a huge dot in the middle of Europe and tell me that "I am there" (that is what the words in the dot mean in Bulgarian).Will this make me feel "more" European.
I doubt it...especially when I can see such scenes in my country...
Doesn't it look a bit more Oriental to you :)

Shorties

I took the famous BBC Brain sex test on Saturdy and...the most interesting of the results are:
-my brain is balanced man and woman thinking ( I knew that I am a real man from the start)
- I like more feminine faces ( haha - what a surprise:P , whou would guess...)
***
On Sunday the new MCP of AIESEC in Bulgaria was elected. His name, as you already know is Ivaylo Dimov - a nice young man, which I bet is quite hardworking and ambitious. It was a rather calm election procedure (compared to the ones I have seen) though I was once again convinced this is not the AIESEC I was happy of being a part of.Tout est cool, mais...some things are just not done like that...
***
Touday I got really upset that my Dad seems to be soo worried that I do not have a serious boyfriend. I got an offer from a friend to present him as a "fake" one. I also didn't get the support of another friend. Men...

Good reasons to visit Bulgaria

According to the Bulgarian news site Novinite, foreigners are going to flock to Bulgaria to buy the magic breast-growing "boza" drink.
Well, for those who don't know - it usually goes with the "banichka" (a kind of traditional and very oily pastry).
The survival test for trainees coming to Bulgaria is having "banichka" and "boza". If thew do not puke, they will survive...

Slow down week

Are you feeling a bit stressed lately?
How much time are u spending with your friends and loved ones?
Do you actually take time to think bout that?
Well, it seems that some good people have invented the "Slow down week" which happens to be just next week:)
What better time to stop and enjoy life - over a cappucino with friends, a long walk or a good book.
Check the flash of the "Slow down week" here :)

Cuban dreams

Here is a song that sounds so Cuban to me and makes me dream so much of visiting Cuba...Enjoy:)

Memorable print ads :)

Some fun on the internet...

Here are two nice things I found on the internet:)
The first one is a website called "kawaii not", which I learned means something like "not sweet". It has some really cute cartoons, with some really nasty ideas behind them.Check it out:)
The second site is of the conceptual photographer Dave Nitsche. A bit freaky, yet I like it:)

More music...Nina Simone (or how beauty can save you from madness)

Ain't got no/I got lifeAin't got no home, ain't got no shoes
Ain't got no money, ain't got no class
Ain't got no skirts, ain't got no sweater
Ain't got no perfume, ain't got no beer
Ain't got no man

Ain't got no mother, ain't got no culture
Ain't got no friends, ain't got no schooling
Ain't got no love, ain't got no name
Ain't got no ticket, ain't got no token
Ain't got no God

What about God?
Why am I alive anyway?
Yeah, what about God?
Nobody can take away

I got my hair, I got my head
I got my brains, I got my ears
I got my eyes, I got my nose
I got my mouth, I got my smile
I got my tongue, I got my chin
I got my neck, I got my boobs

I got my heart, I got my soul
I got my back, I got my sex
I got my arms, I got my hands
I got my fingers, Got my legs
I got my feet, I got my toes
I got my liver, Got my blood

I've got life , I've got my freedom
I've got the life

And I'm gonna keep it
I've got the life
And nobody's gonna take it away
I've got the life

Why do I need love?

I need love not to make my world more beautiful and my life more meaningful.
I need love to help me believe in miracles again...

Since I started with music today...

I am posting a video of one of my favourite Bulgarian bands - Ostava.
It is called "President" and it was released just before I became a Member committee president.
Is't ironic:)
Enjoy

Melancholic love song

Yesterday, while searching for some songs of Sergio Mendes, I found this lovely melancholic love song "Please Baby Don't". Such songs (like Jazzamor's "Way Back") make me feel so much in love, without anyone being the reason of it...
Here are the lyrics and you can hear a bit of it here:

Please Baby Dont (Sergio Mendes ft. John Legend)

Please Baby Don’t - Sergio Mendes
Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me
Please baby don't (baby don't)
You know my history
See honey I (honey I)
I'm just trying to warn you (let me warn you)
Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me

Don't fall in love with me

I've been cruisin down this road for a while now,
I should tell the truth...
Girl you've been so good to me but I know
I'm no good for you
You should run while you can
Find yourself a better man
'Cause I'm known for brief romance
And breakin hearts across the land

Yes I've been known to have a few temptations
Out there on the road
And let's say hypothetically I've slipped and
Took a couple home
Girl I know that's not fair
You need someone who'll be there
So just get away before it's too late
and you're pain is too much to bear

Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me
Please baby don't (baby don't)
You know my history
[ these lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com ]

See honey I (honey I'm)
I'm just trying to warn you (let me warn you)
Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me

(rhodes piano solo)

Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me
Please baby don't (baby don't)
You know my history
See honey I'm (honey I'm)
I'm just trying to warn you (let me warn you)
Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me

Now on second thought maybe we'll give
This love another try
'Cause I can't see you with no one else
I'm selfish I can't lie
So let's go, let's go slow
You know all you need to know
It could end one day but
Let's just say we'll see how far it goes

Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me
Please baby don't (baby don't)
You know my history
See honey I'm (honey I'm)
I'm just trying to warn you (let me warn you)
Please baby don't (baby don't)
Don't fall in love with me

Freaky stuff

Today I received two rather freaky offers:

I was invited to go to a trans-sexual party on Saturday with a gay and some guy I do not even know

Yet, that was not all

I was offered by a gay to become a mother of his in-vitro child as soon as possible!

I am reaaaaly starting to think things are getting out of control here:)

2006 reflections and 2007 resolutions

Well, a bit too late - but still :)
The traditional in these days post of "old year's reflections and new year's resolutions".
So, to keep it short and simple:)
My 2006 was rather good I guess
-> I went to IPM in the Netherlands and spend some of the greatest days of my life there. It was really hard after that to think of leaving AIESEC - so much amazing positive energy was flowing around. I was so inspired when I thought that I can help Emo in his MCP preparation, as I didn't have the chance to be present at the IPM with my predecessor. Unfortunately, good intentions are not always enough.
->I thought that it would be great to proceed with AIESEC but I was lost and I didn't know if I want to go on a traineeship or to hold a position again. Now I know it was not a mistake that I didn't choose to proceed with AIESEC. There is a line that you shouldn't cross. Like in love, maybe, in AIESEC u should stay while there is passion for that.
-> I still want to go on a traineeship and I am not giving up. It is just a short delay. I needed to see how is it to work in a "real company". And I had great luck in starting my internship in "Capital" , then being offered a job.
-> The best about the job is that I can meet lots of interesting people and get an insight into a whole and very dynamic market, then also learn how to write better (not that my childhood ambition is to become a writer but still - who knows :) )
- > In terms of personal life...well. Love - I think I managed to survive it somehow. It is still difficult, but I think I am recovering fast:) I met lots of interesting people and went to interesting places...Well not so much outside Bulgaria buuut I can save this for next year:)
So...let's see the 2007 resolutions:
-> I will recover emotionally :) I got the "love" fortune from the Christmas banitza ( I got a "baby" fortune but I am not going to be a mum:) )
-> I will travel a bit - visit Gery, Maggie and some other friends in Belgium in Mayр , then - Mimka in Krakow, and then maybe Croatia for the summer.
-> I will strive to improve my writing and get better in my job. I will most probably start searching for a traineeship :)
-> I have an ambition to get some decent level of French - I mean to be able to lead a general conversation,not to get a degree.
-> I will spare the resolutions like "i will eat less", "i will start excersizing". These must be made silently and just kept.I might consider writing more professionally :)
Well, This was meant to be short and simple. So I stop here.
One thing I hope to keep is - the friends I have, the connections from AIESEC. It is always so nice to come back to that:)

New Year's Eve Party

This New Year's eve celebration proved once more the fact that the best parties come when you do not plan them:) I had no idea exactly with whom I am going to spend the night between 31 December 2006 and the 1 January 2007. A very memorable night for the Bulgarians indeed, as the country is entering the EU.

At the end, I found myself in a very nice apartment in an old apartment building in the very centre of Sofia. The place reminded me of some 60-ies club, or as a friend said "a party from the old bulgarian movies". It was rather hippie-like and cool. I didn't know the hosts,yet we met and the wine easily broke the ice between (if there was any ice). The music was what I can summarize as "alternative", which brought me at least 6 years back to a place in Veliko Turnovo - Spider club - where we used to go and listen to our favourite music ( it's a pity it does not exist any more).

At around 11 p.m. we went to the Batemberg square to watch the lights show that was to celebrate Bulgaria's entry to the Eu.There were around 100 000 at the square - everyone cheerful, drinking wine or champaigne and expecting the final countdown of the last minutes of the year.

Beautiful firewors and lazer lights beamed in the sky - I bet it was the biggest show of its kind ever to be done in Bulgaria.

You might try and have a look at some videos of it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyOQ_9XFqaI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IliWkak1tXY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7JeKE2bikE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEtnBdsIGmU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht2_AZu5RXI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi2B_Nm6-jc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yYa5y6FqTo

It is a pity that the sounds were not as good as the lights and we could not hear almost anything

:(

On our way back we went to a friend and drank a bottle of wine, just "by the way"...

Actually the pictures speak for themselves:)