Purrflation We used to think that our relationship is very complicated because of the difference in human personalities. But even between good friends and lovers with time changes occur. They no longer enjoy situations or attention that were pleasant to them times ago. Why it's happening? Let’s take my cat for example. At first, when I took him from the street he very appreciated it. He was purring for each little reason because he wanted to show how he values my attention. He was purring when I took him on my hands, when he wanted me to feed him, when I stroked him. When he came to me in bed at night I heard his soft “purr-purr” beside my pillow. But with time the situation changed. At first, he started to think that his fur is too important to allow me stroking it when I want. Then he started looking at me with a let-me-go glance when I took him on my hands. Is he purring when he wants to eat? No. He sits beside his bowls and looks at me “hurry up, girl! I am hungry!” As we see eventually our good attitude is depreciating. And if you want more attitudes you need to pay more attention. It's like an inflation. An inflation of purring. Purrflation.

recipe of good relationship Today I found another one interesting idiom: “take it with a pinch of salt”. As I understand it means “don’t completely believe what you told”. I remembered in Russia there are idioms with a word “salt” too. We say: “ate a pound of salt together”. What does it mean? It’s an interesting story. It came to us from old times. It was said to the newlyweds. It means that a mutual understanding and full trust (I think and love too) will appear only when passed a long time. Approximately as much as would be enough to eat a pound of salt together. Oh yeah, it is a lot of time. In our days one pound of salt is sufficed for three divorces :) Today we use this idiom when we talk about good friends. Like: they ate together a pound of salt. It means that they passed through many situations and problems and still real friends. Good friends to each of you!

Pronunciation Today, when I read my favorite Harry Potter I thought that will be funny if I examine my pronunciation. I turned on a recorder and read aloud. I read like I never read before. With a magic voice, beautiful intonation and meaningful pauses. Finished, I was full of pride. I sat more comfortable, made a cup of tea, took a chocolate candy and prepared to enjoy. Then I turned on my tape. But what I heard…. My tea boiled from horror in my cup. My candy melted from these sounds. My cat ran off at a speed of light. I wouldn’t say that it was too horrible. But if I will send this tape to Hollywood I will be invited for a horror film. To sound a maniac… or a ghost-killer from a dark basement… or broken one-eyed baby doll with a knife… Where others see obstacles, I see opportunities :)

"this is" vs "it is" "This is" and "it is" are the same? If not what rules to use both of them? (If I made mistakes in my question - correct me too, please:)

New Year 2 The climax of children party – is the appearance of the main hero. The one, who symbolized the New Year. It is the Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost?:-). He is a big old man in red coat and a fur hat with a huge stick and sack full of presents. All children love him. Because he paints beautiful patterns on the window. He freezes lakes and other ponds, and everyone can skate on them. He wraps all country with a snow and children can make snowmen and play snowballs. He very good and kind! That is why everybody likes him. Ah! There is a little one reason I forgot to mention! He gives presents! He comes to New Year party only if all children call him loudly. And not only once. Three times it is a minimum! Maybe he too old and don’t hear with the first time. I don’t know. He usually comes not alone but with his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow-Maiden?). Both of them play with children and gave them gifts and candies but not free. If you want a gift you should sing a song, tell a verse or dance. That’s how he learns children that for all the good in this life you need to pay :-)

New Year In Russia (and all post-Soviet countries I think) New Year is a most important and long-awaited holiday. Okay, it is second, after Birthday. Children love this celebration more than everyone else. And this is not surprising. All kindergartens and schools spend for children special performances. In the middle of the hall is set a big Christmas tree decorated with balls, garlands and other toys. On the top of the tree, there is usually a big star. All children come dressed in different costumes. Earlier it was costumes of forest’s animals like a rabbit, fox or wolf; heroes different cartoons or fairy tales. More and more recently children choose the costumes of heroes from comics and Hollywood films. The most important thing in this party is to light the lights of the tree. But what is happening? They are not working! And they can’t. Without magic words! All children must stand together and shout “One-two-three! Shine, the Christmas tree!” Oh! This is a miracle! All lights on the tree starting shining brightly. Children play different games, see a special show, run and take a fun. Another traditional entertainment – round dance (horovod). All children stand around the Christmas tree, take each other arm created a big human chain and dance around the tree. In the end, is happening the culmination of the party. But it will be tomorrow, not today:)

The power of art When I was in Moscow I and my friend were going to the Moscow Theatre of Musical. We watched musical “Princess of the circus”. The action of the performance (or play?) takes place at the circus arena. The protagonist is a mysterious Mr. X, who performs dangerous tricks only wearing a mask, and nobody knows who he is. In this performance played not only actors. For some scenes were invited real circus artists, the acrobats mostly. And the main character performed complex (complicated?) trick – he was balancing on the top of the mountain of the chairs. The subject (story?) of the play is simple and uncomplicated. But acrobatic tricks, immersion in circus atmosphere and love story, of course, did this play very interesting and entertaining. In the end, my friend said, “I want to go in a circus”. This is the power of art:-)

The English language doesn’t stop wondering me. Today I found one interesting word: wife-beater. What was my surprise when I found out that this is a white t-shirt. What a formidable nation! :-) I wondered why these clothes have such strange name. And I found information that a long time ago police arrested a man who has been beating his wife. It was a very rare and horrible case, therefore, his photo was publicized in every newspaper. Exactly! He was in a white t-shirt. Since then the shirt has such a terrible name. Russia is quite another matter. We call this shirt with the cutest and sweetest word in the world. This word is like a song. This word is like a twittering of cheerful birds. This word is like a murmur of an unhurried brook. We call it “alcoholichka”. It’s like female-alcoholic. Why? The Russian language doesn’t stop wondering me too. P.S. Photo from the greatest old Soviet movie “Gentlemen of fortune”.

without internet Today we don’t have electricity. Already more than three hours. In such moments you understand how we are dependent on technical progress. All benefits of civilization are like air for us, we use them without thinking. And starting to notice only when lost them. We don’t know how the internet works, what a long process is taking to get clean water in our taps, and how is good to live in a warm house in the winter. It is the nature of people – don’t notice what important to them. All that we interested - new devices and nice dresses. We are losing our knowledge, we are losing our history, we are losing our…. Oh! I have the internet again. Hooray! Goodbye to everybody :-)