Ode to Italki I wonder do you have any social sites connecting classmates of your countries? We have our national "Odnoklassniki". I find it very addictive, besides I consider it something like a "vanity fair" with constant showing off from one side and envy from the other. I do not quite understand those having hundreds of so called "friends" and thousands of photos in their profiles, that is why I stopped being a member of it. "Italki" is what my doctor prescribed me. It is intelligent and useful. My respects!!!

Music, SOS! When I feel a bit depressed or I am in low spirits, music can help and soothe me. It is like a remedy capable to uplift my body and mind. So singing is what my doctor prescribed to me. And it does not matter whether I sing alone in a shower or together with my dear people sitting on a sofa with a microphone in front of a DVD karaoke, it is sure to make me happy and raise my energy up to the highest level. La, la, la … Sing along with me!

Brave That is the name of the cartoon I have just watched. I am happy to have experienced three kinds of emotions while watching: at first a great fun and laughter, then fright and finally tears of tenderness for the happy end. I like the final words, pronounced by the main heroine: "Our destiny lives inside us and we just need some courage to make it out." Great!

Hurry to Make a Snowman! Nobody knows how and when our lives will end. It will be important only: if it was filled with sense and love to people or not, if we gave our helpful hand to those who had asked for it or not, if we tried to change our habits and bahaviour for the better or not, if we raised the decent children or not. Are we happy or we only try to meet other people"s expectations? Are we close to our families and friends? Are we satisfied and pleased with our jobs or we only make money? This is what we should think about every day. That is why it is absolutely useless to watch a programme about different intrigues and investigations in the10th time. What we really need is to get off the couch and make a huge Snowman with children in winter or do something with our hands anytime!

What is the difference between "other" and "another"? Hello. Could anyone explain to me the difference between "other" and "another"? In the following context: "I would like to live in ____ country, have _____ job, talk to _____ people". I mean something different, not like I had before. Thanks in advance.

"Do what you must and let it be as it will" (translated from an article) It often happens that we waste our time expecting the future. We calm ourselves that the best life is nearby, somewhere behind the corner. The only thing we need is just to wait and we are waiting for Monday to start eating correctly. That is why today we can afford having 2 pieces of cake. We have no time to read a book to the children at weekdays and soothe ourselves that there is going to be weekends for that. We dwell upon if we had been younger, cleverer, richer, our lives would have been different: at other work, in an other country, with an other man... Puttinf off all the unpleasant, boring and difficult affairs for the latest moment. We constantly expect our dear people, nabours, the President to cook dinner, clean the entrance of the house and regularly raise the salary at last. It is nonsense! So the motto for 2012 should be: "Do what you must and let it be as it will".

But "tis the times, and the fashion!" I like to compare my school years with these of the modern children. And I find a lot of differences: 1. We were more independent from our parents in the questions of studies. A large deal of homework was done on our own without anyone"s help. Nowadays children" s homework is under their parents" absolute controle. A step to the left, a step to the right are prohibited. 2. We spent more time outside playing hopscotch, hide-and-seek or tag - very simple but mobile games. The present children are stuck to their "telies", "handies" and "comps", moveless. Bad eye-sight becomes a norm. 3. Money was something abstract for us. Now children have a taste for it. They require it more and more to satisfy their increasing needs. 4. We were dreaming of some romance and a pure mutual love. Today romance and love dream about them. But "tis the times, and the fashion!"

How do you use your imagination?

I try to use my imagination with a benefit. I draw in my mind different "vision boards" that help me to collect my thoughts and focus them on something definite. But it is not a common imaginating I try to do my best to achieve my goals in reality and make my dreams come true as quick as possible.

Russian "Pleasures" of September September is a special month here in Russia when it is cold both outside and inside our homes. As the central heating has not turned on yet. And all the "pleasures" of it are present: poor health and a slight depression because of lack of sun and warmth. The electric radiator is working day and night to improve the situation. If you do not have such problems, enjoy yourselves!