tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45312496218116914722024-02-08T02:11:41.538+00:00Mine of ideasLive. Observe. Share. By Joanna Sopylo-FirrisaJoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-6619007760705175582015-04-04T17:54:00.002+01:002015-04-13T20:00:32.268+01:00What to do in the morning? Go for a walk<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b>Cool air, freshness of the morning and fairly empty streets. I honestly cannot think of a better way to start a spring day than going on a walk with a friend. Freshly brewed coffee and a favourite magazine could compete? Nay. There is nothing better than a morning walk. </b><br />
<b><br /></b>Recently, I went back to my home-town Warszawa to spend time with family and friends. It was a great time filled with reflection, laughter, relax, interesting chats and, of course, walking. I couldn’t resist. </div>
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On the last day of the stay I met a very good friend for last one morning meeting before going back to England. We met at 8am, to be precise, and headed to a local park – Morskie Oko*.<br />
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We walked, we chatted, and we breathed in the morning atmosphere, reflecting on motherhood, work and life. Children going (or rather scootering) to school, brave morning runners and dog owners with their pets – that all surrounded us. Idyllic.<br />
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Morskie Oko has a special place in my life as this is the park that my dad went to as a child, our parents took me and my brother to when we were young and later on I strolled there with my friends during high school and uni years. On one of the visit my husband met there another Ethiopian who ended up being best man on our wedding and a good friend of the family. The park is always on the way and guarantees a place to escape from one of the busiest streets in the city. So strolling across this park with a friend, looking over the hills and ponds is one of essential things for me while being in Warsaw.</div>
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But the morning walk can be done anywhere. Even if you stroll along <a href="http://oxfordstreet.co.uk/">Oxford Street</a>, if you can call that strolling, or have only ten minutes to wander around your local park it’s worthy to use the opportunity. Maybe you can walk through back streets and grab a coffee and a croissant (in Warsaw I would grab one of the sweet buns with poppy seed, cheese or curd...mmm)? Or look above your head and admire the architecture or a blue sky on a good day? Maybe, like me every day, you can only walk along the canal, watch cats playing and ducks wandering too far from the water? Appreciate that! The morning walk, no matter how long or how short, how beautiful or how ugly will give you a time to concentrate before a busy day, <a href="http://www.morningwalkmedia.com/">pray, think</a>, meditate and start the day afresh, filled with new energy. And <a href="http://healthnbodytips.com/4-great-advantages-and-health-benefits-of-early-morning-walk.html/">morning walk benefits</a> go way beyond just that - it may even change your life like in one Bollywood movie with surprising title... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morning_Walk">"Morning Walk"</a>.</div>
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After the stroll around the Morskie Oko, I went to a bakery to buy fresh bread and in another shop I bought fresh lettuce and tomato for <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/blog-challenge-day-2-b-is-for-breakfast.html">breakfast</a>. O, how different they tasted after such a great beginning. And how different the next day looked when the same friend asked by me how her day began, replied that it wasn't as good as the one before. I couldn’t agree more.</div>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">*I’ll not attempt to translate the name but you can look it up – just write in google ‘Morskie Oko Warszawa’. If you write the name without the city you will probably be transferred to a website about Morskie Oko in Tatry Mountains on the other end of Poland.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-24743336247203865552015-03-26T11:37:00.001+00:002015-03-26T11:37:55.138+00:00Let’s talk: It's "Time to change" <div style="text-align: justify;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whether you are with a friend on a walk or sitting next to a stranger on a park bench make a conversation. It'll make a positive change.<br />
Picture from pexels.com</td></tr>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB">I (and not only I) encourage Londoners to talk and be more open. </span></b></div>
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I was having a coffee in Starbucks at Kings Road when a lady next to me, also having her coffee, pulled out a map of London, clearly looking for something. I thought to help her find the place. At first. Second thought was: maybe not, she will be alright. Next ones: why do I bother, she will think I treat her like ‘a tourist’ and patronising her. In the end, I didn’t speak to her. She left the coffee shop and left me thinking what would happen if I did. I missed an opportunity to talk to somebody, make them feel less alone, help them, have a chat and leave a positive memory in their mind.</div>
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On another occasion, just recently, I was reading <a href="http://newafricanmagazine.com/">“New African”</a> on the tube. A man next to me was clearly reading over my shoulder. It’s usually me doing it, so I wasn’t annoyed but rather wanted to offer him to read it properly. We could then discuss the content of the article or he could even take the magazine home. I thought it would cause a funny confusion. But I did neither of these. The man got off before me and we’ve never spoken about elections in Nigeria. </div>
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I had more chances to talk to strangers – to engage with them, to make them and myself feel better, to feel that we’re not strangers but fellow passengers, fellow wanderers or fellow human beings. There were occasions that I used – to chat with a gentleman in the doctor’s waiting room or with a lady buying a wallet, who couldn’t read if it was made of leather. Even though we rather complain about missed opportunities than rejoice over what we’ve achieved I appreciate the difference that those conversations made. That’s why I regret the ones I didn’t make. </div>
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Talking on a purpose makes a difference and it’s not only me who encourage doing it. “1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem in any year. Talking about mental health doesn’t need to be difficult but can make a difference.” This is what those behind <a href="http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/">“Time to change” campaign</a> say. Mental health issues are a serious problem but facing the stigma related to them can be even worse. That’s why two leading mental health charities <a href="http://www.mind.org.uk/">Mind</a> and <a href="http://www.rethink.org/home">Rethink</a> has started campaign “Time to change”. On the website they say: “We want to empower people with mental health problems to feel confident talking about the issue without facing discrimination. And we want the three quarters of the population who know someone with a mental health problem to talk about it too”. </div>
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You'll ask: but how? I don't know how to talk to a friend of mine and you want me to talk to a stranger? About what? How to start? Both charities give you a helping hand - "Conversation Starter". It's a simple pack containing some suggestions what you could talk about to other people, whether it is a stranger or your colleague at work. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Conversation starter - part of "Time to change" campaign</td></tr>
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Let’s talk – to people on the train, neighbours, people in the line at the post-office, our colleagues, our families and friends. How many times we just keep quiet in the office, or call our parents for 5 minutes once a month, or only text our friends. I also struggle to start a conversation and need to overcome many barriers in my mind but “Time to change” conversatin starter is great to begin with.</div>
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The initiative is praiseworthy. Whenever I talk to a stranger, even if it’s just a small talk, it brings a smile on my face and leaves a warm feeling in my heart. Think that a conversation you make with that lady in the line in a shop can be the only conversation she has that day or that it can be your only conversation. Imagine how it can change your lives. You never know when you make a friend. </div>
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Surely, you heard that anecdote about a man who was driving in a car with his wife and smiling all the time to the people in other cars and to passers-by. When asked by the wife why he had been doing that 'silly' thing, he replied that he had heard that most people who consider commiting a suicide wouldn’t do it if someone smiled to them once! If a smile can change that much, how much more a simple conversation could do. </div>
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I myself am not a great conversation starter and I always regret it. I would like to have more meaningful conversation with people around and unite not only in complaining, when train or tube is late. I would like to know if they’re really alright, what they think about certain issues and how do they feel. Let’s not ignore each other, because of different backgrounds, appearances, habits or fashion choices but let’s talk. And when is a better time than when you are on a walk. You never know who you’ll meet on your way. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-74790496490812457872015-03-03T20:53:00.000+00:002015-03-03T20:53:48.191+00:00Bloomsbury & Fitzrovia: re-discovering love for LondonIt was great to be back to London several days ago, not just for work but for leisure, and of course some walking. The reason for that was a conference about media and image of Africa at the University of London. For some it may sound like work but for me it was relaxing and took me away from daily routine. Such time always gives me space to breath and helps to look at everyday life from another perspective. It shows me another way of thinking, opens different opportunities and reminds me about a need to go out of a comfort zone.<br />
Leaving the conference a bit earlier was a great excuse to go for a walk around Bloomsbury and Fitzrovia. I was only able to experience them on the surface but it still gave me a better idea about both areas and a much needed boost of energy. As they are so close to Oxford Street I am still wondering why I haven’t explored them before.<br />
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Bloomsbury is located east of and Fitzrovia west of wide Tottenham Court Road. At the sound of this name, I can only picture tube station with the same name and an old sky-scraper that is grey and boring. But actually as you further along Tottenham Court Road (towards Euston Rd) it becomes much more enjoyable. I like its wide pavements, plenty of furniture shops and, of course <a href="http://www.tapcoffee.co.uk/shops.html">Tap Coffee</a>. There are also some other food places worth visiting – <a href="http://www.francomanca.co.uk/restaurants/tottenham-court-road/">Franco Manca</a> with its sourdough pizza, <a href="http://loaf.uk.com/">Raw Loaf</a> and <a href="http://www.thejapanesecanteen.co.uk/locations.html">Japanese Canteen</a> and one of my favourite chain bakeries <a href="http://www.kamps.co.uk/the-heart-of-fine-baking/">Kamps</a>. Tottenham Court Road links together Oxford Street and Marylebone Road/Euston Road and that’s like being a bridge between two different worlds – hustle and bustle of Oxford Street and seriousness of Euston.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Tap Coffee</td></tr>
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The secret, however, is in the backstage. Even if the front looks interesting and wants to tempt you to stay, it is at the backstage that things are happening. And so, east from TCR there is Bloomsbury with its famous houses. None of them go higher than 3-4 storeys, I believe, and they are all finished with dark graphite bricks with creamy additions. Among them there is (not so) hidden University of London (with its massive senate building), British Museum and lots of hotels. Once you enter the area it seems to be another world from the rest of the city. It’s a very touristic area but definitely worth visiting in your spare time – gardens around Bloomsbury are open to the public and there are also free walks offered from time to time. Bloomsbury Festival that takes place in the Autumn is a great way to explore the area and get to know its history.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gower Street in Bloomsbury with characteristic buildings</td></tr>
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If you go to the other direction of TCR you will find yourself in Fitzrovia. This name has always been attracting me – the reason for that is that it probably doesn’t sound very English to me (much like its other –via sister – Belgravia). And the area itself has been to me a bit of a mystery.<br />
It’s much more eclectic than Bloomsbury and more concentrated on the business than learning. The historically bohemian area was once home to such writers as Virginia Woolf, George Bernard Shaw and Arthur Rimbaud. <br />
You’ll see quite a few of business buildings - old and new, and you can have sneak peek into some of them, like I did at the one below...<br />
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Mortimer Street seems to be the main one but this time I didn’t actually have a chance to explore it, but I will be back. I love the fact that you can stroll around narrow streets and feel a bit like in a labyrinth. You can be sure that no matter which way you turn you will find something if not a toy museum than a great newspaper kiosk with lots of interesting magazines you cannot get anywhere else. <br />
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Fitzrovia boasts with a lot of art galleries and food places. I tried butternut squash and sweet potato soup with amazing sourdough bread at <a href="http://www.leavetheherdbehind.com/">The Black Sheep Coffee</a> - absolutely loved the place after spending their only few minutes. Two girls that were serving me and other customers were friendly and chatty and even appreciated my new ‘friend’ who now goes with me for walks (aka my DSLR). Their coffee and menu of sandwiches, cocktails and quiches looked very tempting as well and I am a fan of the claim they put on the paper cups - "Leave the herd behind". Weather permitting you can enjoy food and coffee outside sitting by the window sills. Next door, for those in more carnivorous mood, is the <a href="http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/wild-game-co">Wild Game Co, once very well reviewed by Time Out</a>. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Black Sheep Coffee</td></tr>
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This walk was special in different ways. For those who don’t know, a few weeks ago I and my husband moved to Reading. I still come to London for work but don’t get that many chances to breathe in the atmosphere of the capital. So this walk gave me a new energy. It also came in a right moment – probably a few days earlier, being still a bit anxious and rushing everywhere, I wouldn’t have time for it or wouldn’t appreciate it that much. But that day God granted me with peace and acceptance for the things around. That morning I prayed and I’ve been thinking on what thoughts I let in to my mind (“<em>We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”</em> <a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2+Corinthians+10:4-5">2 Corinthians 10:4-5</a>). Thanks to the influence of these words I looked at everyday situations in more realistic way. I was able to slow down and appreciate more. Since moving out from London I’ve been feeling a bit anxious with all new places around me and things to get used to, so going back to what I love was a perfect remedy.<br />
<br />JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-39627909127838659852014-12-12T19:22:00.001+00:002014-12-12T19:22:10.551+00:00How to celebrate (Christmas)? Your own way.<strong>Celebrating different occasions and moments in your life is not easy. But once you master it, it can actually become an art.</strong><br /><br /> On your set! Ready! Go! Off they went and the Christmas race has begun. As soon as Halloween’s decorations and sales are taken down Christmas appears. It’s time to be in a Christmas mood, enjoy every party you attend, get drunk and do something silly that you’ll not even remember, stand in long queues and at the end get grumpy and complain that it all doesn’t make sense. Really? Is that what Christmas is about? That’s what everyone around is trying to convince others about. But I say ‘no’ to that and go back to the roots of Christmas to find its meaning and my own way to celebrate this time of the year.<br /><br /> The reason for the season is Jesus and you cannot deny it. Hanuka, Ramadan and Dewali have reasons behind them and so does Christmas. Is Christmas really about getting stressed? Arguing with your family? And buying gifts that people will not like? No, it’s not. It’s just what culture makes to believe in. Christmas is a God’s birthday celebration and that’s not another boring point from a religious talk. It’s about God who decided to come down to this world to save His people from dark, meaningless, boring and unfulfilling life and instead give them (means every one of us) life that is full of everything we need. It’s not just a celebration of winter holiday and nice time to give gifts to each other. There is more to it and that’s why I like to listen to the lyrics of Christmas carols and Christmas messages, because it all has meaning and take the stress out of our life.<br /><br /> I enjoy weeks leading up to Christmas. I like Christmas markets (at least some of them), Christmas food and traditions. I love the fact that people forget all the wrongdoings during that time and are more likely to forgive and I think we should celebrate Christmas but let’s not add some artificial stuff to it. So what’s the way to celebrate? Of course there are many and everyone is free to choose their own. Actually, it’s not easy to celebrate in general, so let’s have a look at celebrations in our life.<br /><br /> When we are children it is easy to celebrate birthdays, Christmas, and even our parents’ wedding anniversaries, because everything is always new and exciting – things we do and gifts we give. But when we grow up (not yet old) it all becomes a bit different, less meaningful. How you can make 30th Christmas amazing and original? How birthday can be different than the previous one and how you can still surprise the loved ones?<br /><br /> I like when someone else is celebrating and I usually try to remember about friends and family’s special days and write a nice card or present a gift. I want them to feel special and let them know they are remembered and important to me. The problem I have is with my own celebrations. Birthday is a special day. After all, it reminds me of the day I came to this world, though I don’t really remember the day itself. I don’t want to make the celebration a must – a day when you have to be happy and sometimes pretend that it’s special. So when my birthday is coming up I am always thinking it’s a day like any other, I can celebrate any other time. It’s a bit like waiting for the New Year’s Eve – it’s the same every year and it’s only a night. You wait for the whole year, or maybe only since Christmas, wait for that countdown, fireworks but really it’s a night like any other. It’s only the fact that we add a celebration to it and we think we must have fun.<br /><br /> But we should be celebrating. Life is hard, life is busy, life is a routine and celebration days are meant to be the ones that make a difference. So what are the ways to celebrate in (creative) style but without creating unreal atmosphere? <br />
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<br /><br /><strong>1. Pray</strong><br />Your birthday, Christmas and any other celebration is the day God has made and it commemorates something different than other days. This is something to be thankful for. Even if you don’t pray or you’re not a Christian, just say few words into the air. Maybe someone will hear. It is the moment to stop and say “thank you” for all those years that passed and for all those that will come.<br /><br /><strong>2. Plan or ... be spontaneous </strong><br />That doesn’t sound like the best advice ever. I know. But we are all different. Some will feel better by planning and some by being spontaneous. Whichever options you choose don’t think about the upcoming celebration as something big that you must celebrate. <br /><br /><strong>3. …do what you like and be with those you like</strong><br />Don’t throw a huge party if you are not a party person. Invite few good friends and just be with them, laugh and enjoy life. Be with those you like and love but if you prefer to be alone and read a book and then eat a piece of birthday cake, then do it. Have me time, time to slow down, think and look into the future. <br /><br /><strong>4. Go back to the basics</strong><br />To find out what you really would like to do on that special day, remind yourself about its meaning. Christmas is not about shopping but it is about celebrating Christ’s birth and that has a lot of meanings. Birthday is about remembering the day your life began in this world; anniversaries are to remember those milestone moments in our lives. So what are things really associated with them?<br /><br /><strong>5. Relax and remember why you are celebrating in the first place</strong><br /><br /> JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-14711932967107232462014-12-05T22:06:00.002+00:002014-12-05T22:06:32.229+00:00Oxford Circus: Don’t judge the place by its cover<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>If you think about Oxford Circus only in terms of crowds, shops that sell nothing out of ordinary, your daily commute and packed tube entrances then, think again.</strong> <br /><br />There are small but beautiful green spaces, inspiring churches, historical places and great coffee shops around Oxford Circus. You don’t have to walk far to feel a different vibe of this area. It doesn’t sound like I am describing the area between Oxford Street and Regent Street and Piccadily Circus but it is true. Whether you work around here, live nearby or just pass by from time to time you don’t have stay away anymore, because here comes a handy guide where to go to enjoy Oxford Circus. I’ll repeat: to ENJOY Oxford Circus. I would never think that one of my posts will be about the most touristic place in London, the place I usually avoid and every time I go there I get upset with the crowds that are not letting me to walk faster than one step per minute. But one of the busiest junctions in the world can be an interesting place to visit, have a walk, relax (sic!) and admire the architecture of Central London. <br /><br />I start the walk in Cavendish Square Gardens – at the north-west side of the circus. A friend of mine took me there once in the summer for lunch. Since then, every time I visit Oxford Street and I am looking for a place to unwind I go there. It is a small garden in the area that doesn’t have many green spaces and hidden just behind Debenhams is a perfect spot for people working in surrounding buildings to have their lunch or for you to have a rest after exhausting shopping. Cavendish Square Gardens are surrounded with great architecture and some noble institutions such as The King’s Fund, Medical Society of London, Royal College of Nursing and the Convent of the Holy Child. <br />What always catches my attention though is the statue of William Duke of Cumberland, in a complete state of devastation. I have never seen such a pitiful statue that actually makes me smile. Great general towering over those small gardens is going to fall apart in a moment. Bizarre. Not that I know his military achievements but thanks to him I learnt how (some of) the monuments are built. I always thought they’re sculpted in the stone but it seems that’s not true, as you can see on the picture.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monument of William Duke of Cumberland,in a very poor condition</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tailors at work at Henry Pool & Co at Saville Row</td></tr>
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I leave the world of Saville Row and turn to Vigo Street that leads me to Glasshouse Street and later Brewer St. I find myself almost at Piccadilly Circus and also running out of time. So I am trying to quickly find Nordic Bakery. If I see on the map a word “bakery” you can be sure that I’ll get there at some point. Now I know where it is and next time will pop in for coffee and a treat and take them to a bench in Golden Square to relax. It’s amazing what power green space, even very small, has. Even if everything around you is spinning, crowds are running, when you enter a small garden and sit on a bench you will travel into another world. I cannot stop being amazed at that and I’ll not stop loving and spotting those places, because we need to treasure them.<br /><br /> I head back to the heart of Oxford Circus via Carnaby Street passing an amazing coffee house where I tried coffee a day before. It’s <a href="http://speakeasycoffee.co.uk/">Speakeasy</a>. Make sure you try their a little bit bitter, fruity and thick cappuccino or latte. I finish at famous Oxford Circus underground station but richer in new experience. If I had a bit more time I would go and take a deep breath at All Souls at Langham Place just few steps north from the station. Next time.<br /><br /> There is something intriguing about discovering places that seem so obvious. I pass through Oxford Circus almost every day changing from Central line to Victoria on my way to work. It's mainly a changing point. Even if I want to see it in a different way, my prejudices has been winning. Many times I wanted to get off here for an after work walk but I was always thinking “There is nothing to see there and nowhere to go and I will only waste my time”. So I was either choosing to get off at another station or to just go straight home. Hopefully, I’ll not make that mistake again. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-87982790285093761752014-11-13T17:48:00.002+00:002014-11-13T17:48:23.103+00:00L’Epicerie et Cie: What does make a restaurant really special?What does make a restaurant more special than other? Food? Atmosphere? Location? Add-ons? Every person you ask will have a different opinion on this subject. But there are places that everyone would agree are special. When you enter one of them, from the very beginning you have a feeling that something new and exciting is coming up. That is what I can say about L’Epicerie et Cie, family run restaurant at Place d’Emile Zola in Dijon, France. <br /><br />When we were going to visit our friends in Dijon, we knew we would like to invite them to a special restaurant to celebrate their wedding that we had not attended as well as the birth of their first baby. Those two occasions deserved a special treatment and we found it in L’Epicerie et Cie. On our first day in Dijon we set off on a journey around vineyards and asked our guide which restaurant he could recommend to eat good local food. Without hesitation he suggested L’Epicerie saying that that is the place he goes for late night dinners with his friends and family. That very day we looked it up online and went to see if it would suit our tastes as well. We liked it from the first sight but we didn’t know that inside there was even more to appreciate. <br /><br />On the day we arrived for the meal we’ve been greeted warmly, even despite language barriers, and served in a professional way. First thing I noticed was the interiors. When you enter L’Epicerie you feel at home. It’s also like travelling in time to the times when a local restaurant was something more than a place to eat. In L’Epicerie there are lots of old objects on the shelves and on the walls – adverts, home appliances, balance, and packaging. And you appreciate that someone collected so many of them. There is everything you can imagine. That’s how my room looked when I was younger. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The counter at L'Epicerie et Cie</td></tr>
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<br />Following instructions given by our guide we ordered four starters and only two mains. The starters at L’Epicerie are big and I would also say more original than the mains. For the beginning we had an egg cooked in red wine, snails in creamy sauce, Dijon quiche served with original local mustard and an egg cooked with ham and local Comte cheese – forgive me for not quoting all the French names but I am not that advanced learner. Food was served in a beautiful way – e.g. in a preserve jar, and it gave us a flavour of local tradition. For mains we tried more classic chicken breast and a steak but they were also delicious. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The food we ordered (from the left): Dijon quiche, egg, ham & cheese, snails and egg cooked in red wine</td></tr>
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<br />Between starters and mains we had time to walk around the restaurant and see the rest of the space. It was like a visit to a castle from a fairy tale, where children are opening secret doors to find a magical room and another one and another one. Apart from a small room where we were seated which was quite simple in décor, there was also children’s area stylised as an old style classroom, huge room in style of belle époque which looked like a ballroom and another room which also resembled a classroom. Even toilets were arranged in a special way. I was the first to set off on that journey around and soon I called my husband and friends to come and see as well. When you find a treasure, you want to share it rather than keep it for yourself (at least in my case). </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me and the motorcycle ourside of the restaurant</td></tr>
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Some of the restaurants offer amazing food, some of them stunning design or service or maybe even something more but I think it is the experience that counts. If food is great but the rest is not, you’ll only remember the food but you’re not likely to return. If you enter to a place that create an experience and make you feel for a moment like you’re in a different place you will be coming to that place again and again to experience that feeling once more. <br /><br />We left L’Epicerie et Cie and walked back through the old town and peaceful streets of Dijon. It was a warm September night, people were enjoying themselves and company of their friends. It was different. It was a beautiful evening. And we will return. <br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /> </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-15162269429874010092014-11-04T07:34:00.000+00:002014-11-04T07:34:09.700+00:00Creative walks: Acton Central to Hammersmith<div style="text-align: justify;">
<strong>Walk from Acton Central to Hammersmith and get surprised</strong><br /><br />Independent shops and cafes, well supplied charity shops, lots of green spaces and stunning houses – that’s what 4 km from Acton Central to Hammersmith is full of. You can find it everywhere, you will say, but it’s not just that. It’s about nice surprises that those inconspicuous neighbourhoods hold.<br /><br /> The walk starts at Churchfield Road, an inspiring street that left me with lots of things to think about for the rest of the way. That day I went out for a walk after spending morning and early afternoon at home, so seeing Churchfield Road in its fullness was a real pleasure and changed my mood instantly. Acton Central station is a dividing point between Churchfield Road and East Churchfield Road but it’s the first one that is like a big box with lots of different gifts inside. Its variety of shops and cafes is amazing. You can start with a coffee in Lavelli Bakery or Cafe Oak Tree, have lunch at The Station House or The Rocket, dessert (pancakes and ice cream) at Bake Me, and fresh juice at Angela Malik Delicatessen. If that’s not yet enough you can buy a bottle of wine to take home at Park and Bridge. There are also a flower shop, butcher and lots of different second hand shops that sell furniture, jewellery and other home stuff. In Cape Charity Shop I bought one of best deal of charity shops ever – black, perfectly tailored Massimo Dutti blazer for... ₤10! If you’re looking for a gift, especially for a kid, there is The Village Trading Store. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of second hand shops in Churchfield Road</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Village TRading Store</td></tr>
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Getting dizzy from just reading about them? Go and unwind in nearby Acton Park just on the opposite side of Acton Central Station. Looking at its vast green space and having a calming tea in the park cafe will help before setting off on the rest of the walk. In this fairly big park there are hills, lots of benches, playground for adventurous children and ponds which are a rare place to observe wildlife in the middle of London. There is a hedge, a large pond and wildflower meadow area as well as many significant trees. Early summer, when Acton carnival takes place, the park gets full of stalls and colourful attractions. All year round you can play tennis on the courts in south side of the park, close to the ponds. It’s free and works on first come, first served basis. Refreshed? Let’s continue. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSo17eAkb_Ztby3B2Gq1Ji2llw9SfWYqAvbC-N-1OmRKg9q64Qh19QPcvFEWwVC8SxAn6-on2K2mmSZiFl-Y2eNJvExxu-t57DMEibyPqz9R0CoP4307QtJIM257Gf5W2bcgZ3Qajnsmz/s1600/WP_000383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSo17eAkb_Ztby3B2Gq1Ji2llw9SfWYqAvbC-N-1OmRKg9q64Qh19QPcvFEWwVC8SxAn6-on2K2mmSZiFl-Y2eNJvExxu-t57DMEibyPqz9R0CoP4307QtJIM257Gf5W2bcgZ3Qajnsmz/s1600/WP_000383.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entrance to Wendell Park</td></tr>
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Once you leave the park, the area becomes more industrial. You can choose to go east via Uxbridge Road and turn to Askew Road, again full of shops (another Lavelli Bakery here). There is a butcher, couple of cafes and some other places worthwhile. Despite all those attractions, I prefer to walk at the back of Uxbridge Road, via Warple Way, parallel to Askew Road. There are some pretty buildings with lofts and offices to rent. Turn to Cobbold Road. After few minutes you will get to Wendell Park, small but full of people. It’s squeezed in between two streets full of stunning houses. A perfect place for a local community to get together. Cross the park and turn left to Wendell Road where a big surprise is waiting for fan of food and drinks - Leiths School of Food and Wine. I was completely shocked when I saw it there and couldn’t really believe that I stumble upon it in such a random way. How many times I saw products marked with their name in a supermarket but never thought it really existed. I thought it was just a marketing trick. They offer courses for professionals as well as for enthusiasts of cooking. You can learn how to prepare food and drinks but also how to write about them or manage a food business. It doesn’t matter whether you are 13 or 30 there is something for everyone.<br /><br /> Walking through those little streets in residential areas got me to Ravenscourt Park. Not that I didn’t know it was there but I never expected such huge green space in that area. I walked quite fast but I think it took me about half an hour to cross it. It was a beautiful sunny summer day, so kids were splashing the water in a pool, lots of young mums was strolling through and it was like I was outside of London – very idyllic. Next time, I’ll be looking for a park to go to on a weekend I’ll know where to head to. On my way, I noticed a little monument. I read what it said: </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjBEXqTEGWTd4PhqeADJtGXtWn4usZQAuwJ-Y6NXTms8wTduymn1N6ZDTgdIF4SMcuwtsDghSwsgZoHwSU5yFD6xTQlYVsp0jpCOqlwGg7qSzBd0L409dHPf9KunxLauY2-xPaIhV8JQY/s1600/WP_000385.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjBEXqTEGWTd4PhqeADJtGXtWn4usZQAuwJ-Y6NXTms8wTduymn1N6ZDTgdIF4SMcuwtsDghSwsgZoHwSU5yFD6xTQlYVsp0jpCOqlwGg7qSzBd0L409dHPf9KunxLauY2-xPaIhV8JQY/s1600/WP_000385.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-small;"><strong>In memory of<br /><br />Giles Vernon Hart<br /><br />A lifelong campaigner for freedom and human rights<br /><br />Honoured by NSZZ “Solidarnosc”<br /><br />As one who supported Poland in her hour of need<br /><br />Born 20 November 1949<br /><br />Killed in the Tavistock Square bombing.<br /><br />London 7 July 2005<br /><br />“Be the change you want to see in this world” – Mahatma Gandhi.</strong></span></div>
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<br /><br />I pondered for a moment on life of Giles Vernon Hart whom I’ve just met. I am Polish and leaving away from my country brings different kinds of feelings. I never was a patriot, in a traditional sense of this word, but I can say I love my country and I am grateful to people who shaped it to be the way it is now. I can add one more person to that list and say thank you, Giles. I am sorry I got to know you in such circumstances. Rest in peace. It left me with something to think about for the rest of the walk and I am still coming back to that memorial. There is still so much to learn and discover. <br /><br />Leaving Ravenscourt Park behind I walked King Street towards Hammersmith where my walk was ending. The biggest joy of that part was finding an organic shop with good supplies and decent prices – Bushwacker Wholefoods. What I’ll remember from there is that I bought tahini to make my first home-made hummous. </div>
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-Joanna Sopylo-Firrisa<br /><br /> </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-26387980410094946352014-10-25T20:32:00.000+01:002014-10-25T20:32:35.835+01:00More or less: life made simpler<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOM9hTfcfwU93FGvYaemBUjO65fUXl8jRfcwAshwshs3rceffPip13R937_s8ABkbux4XrDpo3LzAkUOLSTleAd4BVhPywZ53HrFjI_TTrSlx0yWsarwj364KjGL9mkPEryeHvMk7zxVe/s1600/LESS+(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBOM9hTfcfwU93FGvYaemBUjO65fUXl8jRfcwAshwshs3rceffPip13R937_s8ABkbux4XrDpo3LzAkUOLSTleAd4BVhPywZ53HrFjI_TTrSlx0yWsarwj364KjGL9mkPEryeHvMk7zxVe/s1600/LESS+(2).png" height="452" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">I wouldn't sent “ok” and “yes” texts if I hadn't have unlimited texts on my plan, I wouldn’t take so many pictures of one object if I hadn’t have a digital camera, and I wouldn't browse the Internet that much I if I hadn't have unlimited data. I would create more if I had less money. If some things weren’t unlimited we would appreciate and cherish them more than we do.</span><br />
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Sometimes, less is more. Less connection more freedom, less pictures more concentration, less choices, more peace of mind, less money more creativity, less things to do more time to think and concentrate on specific projects. It’s not always true but many times in my life I came to a conclusion that when there is less of something, there will be more of another thing, and usually the second one is beneficial for me. It seems to be a rule that can be applied to different areas of life. Look at those words describing how children played in 1920s east London from a book I am reading at the moment <a href="http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9780140259506,00.html">“My East End. Memories of Life in Cockney London” by Gilda O’Neil</a>l:</div>
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<i>“My childhood was happy. We were not surrounded by a lot of children with wonderful toys making us envious [and] there were no big stores filled with unobtainable goodies. (...) Instead we made our own amusement. We had marbles, some clay and others more valuable, called glarnies...”</i></div>
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There is something in having less and not wanting that makes life easier, simple and more beautiful. First time I realised that when I was a child. I didn’t have too much pocket money but I still wanted to buy gifts for Christmas for my loved ones, so I created them. If I had enough money, I would just go to a shop. I always wanted to have more than my family could afford (like most of us) but thanks to less money, I learnt how to spend them, I became more responsible and I knew how to search and buy to get more. It actually helped me later with other things in life.</div>
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When I’ve grown up, I realised that you don’t have to put too many funky clothes together. Something simple can say so much more. Less work means more time. Less talking from my side means listening more to the other person. And less projects on my shoulder means that I can think more, process more information and be more effective. In my faith, less of me is more of God and that brings peace and fulfilment. In marriage less of me mean healthier relationship.</div>
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What started from a small thing in a child’s mind has grown into a thing that gives more meaning to life. Less brought me freedom. It may not be exactly the same for you but when you choose to do more, think if doing less wouldn’t actually say so much more.</div>
<br />JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-45852198545632605472014-10-10T20:50:00.002+01:002014-10-10T20:50:34.849+01:00Restaurants that give you more than just a receipt<h4>
Paying the bill in the restaurant doesn’t have to be a boring obligation but can be a creative discovery. </h4>
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So is there anything that can make paying the bill at a restaurant more enjoyable or even fun? Yes, there is and I am not necessarily talking about financial bonuses such as discounts or meal deals but I am talking about creative ways of presenting a receipt to the customers, like the one below from <a href="http://murielskitchen.co.uk/">Muriel's Kitchen in South Kensington</a>, London. It goes together with the style of the place and its menu which relates to traditional recipes of family's granny. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcccAkJBhJmrkaQo0PCwD4uop7DvSSqDhxa25p22m0_wrou-NsTnH6y5-kmYt6qrPmyQ9LVqG88R_2jbGzC-JbHn0_XzlbVsz_0OkeFFBR8vPjconwy-pnAGjCh5rTrkSYQ5fP-UAJ34e/s1600/receipts_muriels2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcccAkJBhJmrkaQo0PCwD4uop7DvSSqDhxa25p22m0_wrou-NsTnH6y5-kmYt6qrPmyQ9LVqG88R_2jbGzC-JbHn0_XzlbVsz_0OkeFFBR8vPjconwy-pnAGjCh5rTrkSYQ5fP-UAJ34e/s1600/receipts_muriels2.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receipt in a pink bucket from Muriel's Kitchen in South Kensington, London</td></tr>
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<span lang="EN-GB">Any restaurant
can give you just a bill in a black leather pouch or cover and pass an ordinary message to you and other customers: “could you
just please pay for the meal”. But not any and every place can make an effort and present the
receipt in a different way. I think that those that do, rather say to their
customers “we really enjoyed your visit today and we’re glad you chose us and
not our competition; we know that paying the bill is not most interesting part of it,
so we want to make it a bit nicer by bringing the bill in a bit different way;
we hope you enjoy it and will came back to us again and again”. Doesn’t it
sound better? </span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB">Even if it’s only marketing trick which is supposed to
encourage us, the customers, to come again and spend some more money, I prefer
to spend more money in a place that “likes me” than in a place which doesn’t
even bother to think outside the box.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">On my various
visits to restaurants in London and beyond I came across different ways of
bringing the receipts to the customers and I am not ashamed to give you the
names of the restaurants, because if they’re doing something creative and
different, why not.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB">I especially like the one I saw in Dijon, France. They not only put receipt in a candy bag but add a candy for each guest. Just to make paying a bit sweeter (or less bitter). </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdze5VxoNo5vHAijsPe9H09_1w3UR7UqrefRgMSIQp_aD8mSvf6M8rc9fSS75GDHFhFI-NU1RiAe-ccWWO287gagSA33e5s7h-Djap7tkd66M5JjER2ayo9qNbtpISXdL1efSVdoSlsQjI/s1600/CLOSED.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdze5VxoNo5vHAijsPe9H09_1w3UR7UqrefRgMSIQp_aD8mSvf6M8rc9fSS75GDHFhFI-NU1RiAe-ccWWO287gagSA33e5s7h-Djap7tkd66M5JjER2ayo9qNbtpISXdL1efSVdoSlsQjI/s1600/CLOSED.jpg" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receipt in a candy bag from L'Epicerie et Cie in Dijon, France</td></tr>
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Sometimes, you don't have to think a lot to come up with something interesting, like those who run <a href="http://www.burghhouse.org.uk/visit/buttery-cafe">Buttery Cafe in Burgh House in London</a>. They're giving a receipt in a shot size glass. So simple, yet different than usual. </div>
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But everything started in <a href="https://www.askitalian.co.uk/restaurants/oxford">Ask Italian branch in Oxford</a>. When I saw they way the give the receipts to their customer (see below) something clicked in my mind and I thought that I would start collecting them. I found this one interesting, because (again) it fits in with the idea of the restaurant (cork from wine and the shape of pizza) and is simple but functional - it displays the name of the restaurant and has space for the money/card.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx5JjoR-qAGCkGARz4AeEDjKDmOHqzTIcQANdGHPVblyaFZ-wCa3Szwdjd1J20dpZ7jQcMcdj5H5Tt6U01ztz9WUPmxgPCJGowTPFoJDnRLonmFfHH4kUEq-xVud30g_YxwAPmNmE-vBU/s1600/WP_000344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCx5JjoR-qAGCkGARz4AeEDjKDmOHqzTIcQANdGHPVblyaFZ-wCa3Szwdjd1J20dpZ7jQcMcdj5H5Tt6U01ztz9WUPmxgPCJGowTPFoJDnRLonmFfHH4kUEq-xVud30g_YxwAPmNmE-vBU/s1600/WP_000344.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Receipt in a cork from Ask Italian, branch in Oxford</td></tr>
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After the first one, I had to wait awhile to find another creative example but it was worthy waiting. In the <a href="http://www.paul-uk.com/shop/en-UK/Category/Le-Restaurant-de-PAUL_69">Restaurant de Paul in Covent Garden</a>, London I've got this gem. At the end of an amazing meal comes another surprise and that is the receipt hidden in a book. I found it discrete and stylish. Even if the waiter or waitress bring the receipt you may not notice it, because it is done in such a gentle way. What's more, it encourages you to spend more time in the restaurant, reading, if you know French, of course. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMfHlbOgniWMEabc4k7u_3BMgf7B0kReLsSUZy_ol7JCK5AAVKe7gLQNAGNDiaAlCjJZrUGoZcWwuCsZ56xzbHkM_PhmGykya-zpwydbGBntywZs300DWE2GCiGJo78beaQ0MvvweR1zk/s1600/WP_000368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNMfHlbOgniWMEabc4k7u_3BMgf7B0kReLsSUZy_ol7JCK5AAVKe7gLQNAGNDiaAlCjJZrUGoZcWwuCsZ56xzbHkM_PhmGykya-zpwydbGBntywZs300DWE2GCiGJo78beaQ0MvvweR1zk/s1600/WP_000368.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of my favourite - receipt in a French book in Le Restaurant de Paul</td></tr>
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I had a lot of fun searching for those different ways of bringing a receipt to the customers in restaurants and I'll keep searching and telling you not only where you can get a tasty meal but also, where you can enjoy being in a creative environment with people who, even tough they want your money, can say it in a very kind or funny way.</div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0London, UK51.5073509 -0.1277582999999822351.1912379 -0.77320529999998222 51.8234639 0.51768870000001777tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-15947614124638011892014-10-03T20:36:00.002+01:002014-10-03T20:36:33.931+01:00Life is to Enjoy! Enjoy!Another day off and another thought on life. Life is not be stressed but have a good cup of coffee. Life is not to be spent at work but with those close to your heart. Life is a God-given gift to be used for His glory. To paraphrase Eddy Merckx quote about cycling:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VJwUAbq5bnbMe7yBAx0p6n-pnJYtUTfD117QfY5pe1KvZIz70J7J3f7t6ba9yzZZMkqdcjU4cVamfKvH7I6biAAWVFVacuJVX2PalNLr8BpCQk0NLu56ZHNt7XBimLNVwLtTJNXLz5YC/s1600/IS+A+HABIT.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4VJwUAbq5bnbMe7yBAx0p6n-pnJYtUTfD117QfY5pe1KvZIz70J7J3f7t6ba9yzZZMkqdcjU4cVamfKvH7I6biAAWVFVacuJVX2PalNLr8BpCQk0NLu56ZHNt7XBimLNVwLtTJNXLz5YC/s1600/IS+A+HABIT.png" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-34029350947802266492014-09-26T20:26:00.000+01:002014-09-26T20:26:44.409+01:00Surprise of the day: Jams of Notting Hill<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<strong>In our complicated world, simple things such are what makes life so amazing.</strong></div>
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We were walking with a friend of mine from Notting Hill up to Notting Hill Gate while our conversation was interrupted by an unusual view in one of the yards. It was a nothing-out-of-ordinary house and a chair close by the gate. What made it extra ordinary was the fact that there were several jars with home-made jams and preserves on top of the chair and a note saying please leave ₤3.50 in the post box. Out of an interest, at first, and later out of a need to buy one, we started looking for a post box which actually turned out to be in the door. We dropped the money and continue our walk heavier with a jar of fig jam.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUY5M85AcFW-CjvIzQvFfBDV0TPQJ3D-VnvIhrzCRG9F5fTD2kPmK8AxlWtB5P2RKp7QDa1olcuUXhYVudc65rSFvR-hhHRTnvX02ORYxOBirla__y6R9PURtxNfinRx6hJ8WoHAYiBZ1/s1600/jam4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUUY5M85AcFW-CjvIzQvFfBDV0TPQJ3D-VnvIhrzCRG9F5fTD2kPmK8AxlWtB5P2RKp7QDa1olcuUXhYVudc65rSFvR-hhHRTnvX02ORYxOBirla__y6R9PURtxNfinRx6hJ8WoHAYiBZ1/s1600/jam4.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The jar we bough and a piece of paper saying: Home-Made preserves ; 3.50 per pot, Please put money in a letter box. Thank you (and bring jars back)</td></tr>
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What amazed me in that thing was that we were in the middle of one of the biggest city in the world where international trade is thriving yet someone decided to produce jams at home and sell them off the chair. That someone didn’t even sit outside of the house and encourage customers to buy a jar but he or she just left them there trusting in people’s good will and honesty (I don’t think there was CCTV installed there to check if people actually drop the money in to the post box). It was so unexpected on our walk that we had to buy one. It’s amazing how in our complicated and complex world there still simple things which make us to smile and surprise us in the middle of such a normal day. And my friend took the jam back to Poland and swept it up within three days. I think now it’s my turn.JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-43215348989632950732014-09-18T10:51:00.001+01:002014-09-18T11:56:11.867+01:00Creativity a la francaise - what creative things I've seen in Paris and Dijon (Part 2)As I mentioned in the previous post, before going to France I didn’t really expect to find many inspirations for writing (ah, prejudices!). As to my surprise I gathered a nice collection of pictures presenting what creativity means in the small part of France I visited. <br />
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Since we left the Paris Nord train station where we arrived from London with Eurostar, my head couldn’t stop moving and my mind processing. As always, when I am in a new place, I want to grasp its atmosphere and see as many things and places as possible, so I was very keen on walking from one train station to another to see a little bit of a “real” Paris. <br />
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First stop on our walk was <a href="http://cafe-craft.com/home/">Café Craft at Rue de Vinaigriers</a> (for courious ones, "vinaigrier" is a <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=vinaigrier&biw=1680&bih=937&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=3psaVJnZBafT7AbMuIHwCA&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ">vinegar bottle</a>). Couple of weeks before our trip a friend of mine (and a faithful reader of this blog) had sent me a link to <a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/yezminvillarreal/coffeeshops-you-need-to-see-before-you-die#2sg4v1i">an article about coffee houses around the world that one has to visit in life</a>. What a coincidence that one of them was Café Craft, located 15 minutes walk from the train station where we arrived!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuBC42rvfDTexJWVdgQReCBpN1C_IQHzhM2RT5USy48pQ06hsAsXf4gP7KZYuggjcEOT39-YhcEBgioK4Co8OF56P381IpSsi3SfiIARpFfDjJuLDAu518DYsxcOJOJZLyb21JhSBDLqt/s1600/Organic+Roast.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSuBC42rvfDTexJWVdgQReCBpN1C_IQHzhM2RT5USy48pQ06hsAsXf4gP7KZYuggjcEOT39-YhcEBgioK4Co8OF56P381IpSsi3SfiIARpFfDjJuLDAu518DYsxcOJOJZLyb21JhSBDLqt/s1600/Organic+Roast.png" height="512" width="640" /></a></div>
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It is a tiny place which combines a coffee house and co-working space. They have a few tables outside and maybe up to 10 seats inside, plus about 10 computers designated only for those who wish to spend their working hours there. When we came the queue was formed of some local people – two of them looking like they work in the area, another lady looking like a scholar and a few tourists (seems like more people read the same article ;-) Only one person was serving a whole bunch of people thirsty for a delicious cup of coffee. He was a quiet man who made hundreds of flowers on latte made and who looked like he really loved coffee. We took our lattes away and enjoyed walking through the rest of Rue de Vinaigriers which seems to be a creative place with artisan boulangerie on the corner, art shops, restaurants and other cafes. It’s a place which asks you to stay for longer and to revel in its artistic atmosphere. <br />
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During our further walk through the streets of Paris I was surprised by couple of things: how many people use scooters as a mean of transport, that a stereotype of French people caring fresh baguettes in their hands IS real, homeless camps in the city centre and creative accents. Last group included a hand-made bike basket, tables and chairs made out of carton in a grill bar, inscriptions on the shop (showed in the previous post) and more. <br />
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Our final destination however wasn’t Paris but Dijon in north-east France in the region of Burgundy. It’s a place known not only for great wines but also traditional (and hot) mustard. It welcomed us warmly with tidy streets, bread smelling from every corner, good coffee, picturesque parks and again signs of creativity. One of them impressed me in a special way. It was a live advert of table tennis playing in one of the parks. Two men were walking with a small table tennis table up the main street and playing along the way. At the same time, a girl was handing out leaflets inviting to play table tennis in one of the parks that weekend. What really attracted me in that one was an effort they made to advertise the initiative and also how they used, theoretically, a simple objects and surrounding to attract passers-by. <br />
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What I really like to find are examples of creativity in daily life and in public spaces. That’s why I couldn’t stop myself from photographing this post box made of an old wine barrel. Also, I really like that in the <a href="http://mba.dijon.fr/">Museum of Fine Arts</a> they put an easel with papers for the amateur draught people to showcase their skills. Even my husband tried to draw few lines. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1HtYnaurYXrw1gkeCPXARBBHJSGF4mb5GDAY1KbdCGJ8yVPMbmTVQ0jVJ0_s9WhZCboOnrKMzW92mNbB1MTc1iId-0d_kMYHwv0RgOsQjzfWszU16PEB8lQHpeJctS8JAi0zVGqUm8__/s1600/Creative+daily+life.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc1HtYnaurYXrw1gkeCPXARBBHJSGF4mb5GDAY1KbdCGJ8yVPMbmTVQ0jVJ0_s9WhZCboOnrKMzW92mNbB1MTc1iId-0d_kMYHwv0RgOsQjzfWszU16PEB8lQHpeJctS8JAi0zVGqUm8__/s1600/Creative+daily+life.png" height="512" width="640" /></a></div>
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Some other examples I found in the food industry. Burgundy is not only about wine and beef but there are many other great examples. If you ever get to Dijon I recommend you visit restaurant <a href="http://pl.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187111-d1588260-Reviews-L_Epicerie_Cie-Dijon_Cote_d_Or_Burgundy.html">L’Epicerie et Cie</a> which I’ll describe in details in next post but what also caught my attention was black & white pasta, a great base for creative dishes. <br />
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While we stayed in France the weather was beautiful, time with our friends amazing and the experience of getting to know French creativity encouraging. I already can’t wait to board Eurostar again and explore Paris and other places in more details. Et voila! <br />
<br />JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-42184927592523279222014-09-11T15:51:00.003+01:002014-09-18T10:51:11.885+01:00Creativity à la française – what creative things I’ve seen in Paris and DijonParis and France, in general perception, are stylish, elegant and artistic. They also have a label of destinations for food and drink lovers. But those are not the only reasons you may want to visit the country of beautiful coasts, historic architecture and such famous actor as Gerard Depardieu. France is actually a region of Europe that shows lots of creativity. Some of it is displayed in the way people dress up, arrange shop windows and make their lifestyle. Another part is shown in the rising number of start-ups, creative streets or areas. Some other are single examples located in (sometimes) unexpected places. <br />
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During my brief visit to this stunning country I had my eyes open and was on the lookout on any sign of French creativity.
Here are some examples from the streets of Paris and Dijon. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp7YZ3KSnmwNYyMa3p1gNedQQSAnMz22pYIMFRxhBBjytcyNChqI02ksL-ViIstYODpagdC0FKqMD0L-xKlHhDBrQ6QVUHTKT891D709h23RUaG1P2IiVpGCTipUkHC4wGav7UPG5qJyc/s1600/Creativity+a+la+carte.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzp7YZ3KSnmwNYyMa3p1gNedQQSAnMz22pYIMFRxhBBjytcyNChqI02ksL-ViIstYODpagdC0FKqMD0L-xKlHhDBrQ6QVUHTKT891D709h23RUaG1P2IiVpGCTipUkHC4wGav7UPG5qJyc/s1600/Creativity+a+la+carte.png" height="582" width="640" /></a></div>
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I was attracted by the inscription above the shop entrance. I may not reciprocate the love but I would like the shop to know my name and me to know the name of the shop. It doesn't often happen that shop windows "talk" to the passers by and I find this one particularly engaging. Yes, I'm in... the shop. <br />
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I saw window paintings and paintings imitating life before but this one specifically drew my attention, because the window is actually there; it's only the scene that is painted. <br />
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And the building with lots of French word is another "speaking" construction. It reminds me many wall paintings which are showing things without words. This one is more direct but the font and the background of the building spoke to me. Plus, the building is located near the train station and mentiones journey and other nationalities. Those are the motives I like. <br />
More creative example from France to follow. JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-84246469885883766252014-08-27T08:06:00.000+01:002014-08-27T08:06:13.091+01:00Blog Challenge: Why is it worthy to start one?<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xqbUp_OXUDrU4CC73GAGjS0nfJ7HHeuemhVMFOELNxwxD0ma_rHNjgXrVfOdzX_Dil3WPdA8r9SCDppsYVpW9OWHu3P-QkMvffWnJU21bXXLLa3if9Wg5KZjeg_xNC22KgQO5oPsy0E5/s1600/TEXT+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_xqbUp_OXUDrU4CC73GAGjS0nfJ7HHeuemhVMFOELNxwxD0ma_rHNjgXrVfOdzX_Dil3WPdA8r9SCDppsYVpW9OWHu3P-QkMvffWnJU21bXXLLa3if9Wg5KZjeg_xNC22KgQO5oPsy0E5/s1600/TEXT+(3).jpg" height="305" width="400" /></a><strong>Blog challenge is completed. It took 26 days and brought 24 posts, all letters of alphabet included. On the I've learnt things, which will encourage you to challenge yourself.</strong> </div>
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26+ days ago I didn’t know that a challenge I got myself into will show me so many thing, not only related to writing and blogging but also to my personality, a way of expressing myself and topics that matter to me. To my surprise I didn’t even need to wait until I reached letter "Z" as already by "D" I saw how much I could learn from it. <br />
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The sheer fact of taking the challenge was already exciting. From the very beginning I was determined not only to begin but also to finish, and to do it well. In the beginning I had doubts (and you will have them too): I couldn't imagine myself writing every single day for next month or so, always having and idea and enough strength to write. I didn’t want to start the challenge and stop half-way. But, as to my surprise, after only few days it became natural. The more I wrote the easier it was to continue. Even though there were days when I felt it would more convenient not to write, I kept doing it. I persevered. My husband all off you, readers were great encouragement with all suggestions and comments. I realised that I can actually write much more often than I used to. For the purpose of the challenge I wrote every day and even though after it finished I may not be able to write so often, I know I can write once or twice a week and not like before - once a month if not less often. That’s also because I realised there are so many things in life to share about that you don't have to wait for the perfect topic. There will be things that will attract the bigger audience but there will be those which will matter only to you but you still need to write about them and have courage to speak up.<br />
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The variety of subjects I wrote about, on the other hand, taught me how to express my thoughts and present my opinions. When I was setting up “Mine of Ideas” the main purpose was to write about creative businesses and people. I wanted to continue what I started when I was a full-time journalist. Once I started, I realised I could add more posts about creative thinking and processes behind it but I was thinking I should stick to the original idea. Now I see that it doesn’t have to be the case. I still want to write about all that creative side of business and life but there also other things I can have my say on and which people would like to read about. It helped me to establish a few main areas I want to write about and it may as well turn into another project. </div>
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I suddenly realised and I can write about what really matters to me and people will be interested in it and it gave me again a sense of freedom. At the end I felt I want to encourage everyone to take up on a challenge of any kind. If you want to explore a new idea or teach yourself a new habit, start a challenge. Maybe you have a great idea in your mind and you are worrying if it will work, you want to learn to play an instrument, start a group, want to start a new hobby, you want to move to another town or you want to start a new project and you're not sure if that is something for you. Give yourself a trial period by starting a challenge. Just choose a reasonable amount of time not to make it too long.</div>
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I encourage you to consider taking on any challenge. It doesn’t have to be writing but can be related to doing acts of kindness, helping others, working out, eating, reading or anything else you want to be better at. It’ll give you a chance to have a look into yourself, review your actions, come up with new ideas and once you complete it, you’ll really have a sense you achieved something. JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-69608101279431864242014-08-22T21:44:00.001+01:002014-08-27T08:11:05.752+01:00Blog Challenge Day 24-26: X, Y and Z are for... <div class="ecxMsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As in the children alphabet song, so in my blog challenge last three letters of the alphabet come in one go. It's not a case of laziness or being tired of the challenge but I thought that there is a meaning in putting those three letters together. They are last three letters of the alphabet and as known trio as A, B, C but while ABC stands for basics or beginnings, XYZ is kind of an addition, which means "and all the rest", a bit of bubbling about not very important things. The letters of this set are quite tricky to write about as there are not many words that begin with them. That's why I put them together and created a twisted ending to this challenge giving you also a chance to read three days in one. It has been great 26 days of writing that taught me a lot and I'll share it all with you all very soon and hopefully encourage you to do something similar on your blogs. <br />
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<b>X is for Xylophone</b></div>
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X is really random. It is for X-ray, X-files, X-rated. Usually it means something with restricted access but can also stand for something excessive like XLarge or even XXXL. It's used to mark someone's presence on the list or to tick the box on the form. From among all those it's only X-Ray that somehow influenced my life when I broke a bone in my foot last year, so ... I decided to write about something completely random. It's first thing that came to my mind when I was thinking about letter "X" for this challenge and that is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylophone">xylophone</a>... I don't know if you were expecting that or not but I wasn't really. Xylophone is a musical instrument but I don't play any instrument and even more the xylophone. But I thought it's lovely, because it's random. Something surprising and unexpected. I love such random things suddenly jumping out of nowhere, appearing without a notice and messing up the order. Even the name sounds a bit quirky and for me that's the fun. So from now on X is for random things. As I don't know much about xylophone, if I was to write you the story of this instrument I would just copy and paste a page from wikipedia. Doesn't make sense, so you better read it yourself and I present you the sound of xylophone from YouTube. <br />
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<strong>Y is for Yesterday</strong><br />
Today is today. It's still active and present but yesterday - seems so far away to quote a lyrics from The Beatles song. Yesterday is a closed issue, something that is finished and something you cannot change. If yesterday went well it can give you only great memories you'll remember not only today but also tomorrow. But if at one of the moments you made a wrong decision, you cannot change it anymore and if you cannot change something, you need to find a solution how to fix it and move on. If you offended someone yesterday, say sorry today. If you didn't say thank you yesterday, make sure you do it today... twice. If you made a mistake yesterday, rectify it today. If you lied yesterday, admit it today and say the truth. <br />
After yesterday comes today and you can change things and even make them better. Don't <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-20-t-is-for-thinking.html">think</a> you cannot change the future, because of the past, because if you have enough courage and you think and not only act, still today you can bring a better tomorrow despite of a bad yesterday. <br />
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<strong>Z is for Zinjibil</strong><br />
Zinjibil is an Amharic (language of Ethiopia for those who don't know) word. Some of you think they know what zinjibil but today you'll find out its new and surprising meaning.<br />
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In Amharic the word "zinjibil" literally means "ginger". If that was the end of the story there wouldn't be anything surprising. But as my husband and some of his friends like twisting things they came up with a whole new meaning for this word. In our marriage we started using it as a substitute for almost everything and we came up with a whole lot of shorter versions and nicknames for zinjibil. So, what you're just about to read is not an official version of Amharic word "zinjibil". Don't ask any Ethiopian about it or don't try to proove that you actually know something more about their culture, because of that little word. It's totally personal thing. "Zinjibil" can mean someone who does something with wrong reasons, a little thief. But there is another meaning to it which is a loving way of saying that someone is a bit tricky, a bit stubborn, always chooses their own way and it also describes an approach to life. A person who spieces things up and add them original flavour, like real ginger does to your meals. I and <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-8-h-is-for-husband.html">my husband</a> use the word when we call each other. It carries much more emotions than our names or any sweet word such as honey, kochanie (from Polish "darling") or any other. It says all about our love and also about each others independence in our relationship but also about interdependence. <br />
It is also a great way to sum up this blog challenge in which I wrote about things important to me and those important to other people, which creates my world and my worldview, which are interesting to me and show my approach to life. And I think everyone of us have a bit of zinjibil in their character. That what makes the life colourful ;-) </div>
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JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-2625785178565759072014-08-20T20:04:00.001+01:002014-08-20T20:04:50.800+01:00Blog Challenge Day 23: W is for Work<div style="text-align: justify;">
One Friday night I sat down at the window and began my time of observation and thinking. I came tired from work and was really looking forward to the weekend - two days of glorious free time. Quickly, a thought came to my mind: why do we have to work and work much more than we actually rest. Possible answers came quickly - if we didn't work we wouldn't appreciate rest as much as we do and it wouldn't taste as sweet as it does, if we didn't work someone else would have to do our job or work twice as much, that how the system works and we need to pay the bills etc. </div>
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Those are things everyone says just to quiet down other thoughts and deal with lack of satisfaction or tiredness. They are superficial and people don't find satisfaction in them. That's why many of them perceive work in a wrong way. They weren't a satisfactory for me either. I wanted to know why work is necesarry in life, where is it coming from. I dug deeper. And then I thought about the Book of Genesis, first book of the Bible which describes, among other stories, description of God's work. Work has been with the human kind since its beginning. There is therefore nothing weird or enslaving in the idea of work itself. What God made was good, so if He created something good throughout six days and He rested on the seventh, so will I. Ask yourself a question what good do you want to do for six days and how you want to rest on the seventh. What would it be?<br /><br />There are many Fridays ahead of me and many more times I'll sit down at the window and think how great is to have the weekend. But when I think about Monday now I'll not complain but will think that I am starting my six days of doing good and at the finish line there is a prize of a good rest. Don't look at your work like at the enemy. This is where you spend most of your days, this is where many of your relationships are made, this is where you'll have memories from. If it's that important better make a friend of it. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-36036940016217001612014-08-19T20:23:00.000+01:002014-08-19T20:23:26.289+01:00Blog Challenge Day 22: V is for Victory<div style="text-align: justify;">
You win when you get up from the bed on Monday morning instead of complaining how awful this world is. You win when you help that annoying colleague at work. You help when you're patient. You win when you help a blind person to board a train. You win when you go beyond your weaknesses and persevere. You win when you help that teenager with their homework. </div>
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You win a smile, <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-7-g-is-for-gratitude.html">words of gratitude</a>, a better day and a sense of achievement. Even tough those awards are not something you can touch and put on your shelf for others to see, they're worthy even more than them. Because they pave your way to real success in life. Success which includes other people, which makes world a better place and is not achieved at somebody's cost. We need big victories and they are important but they're something we sometimes work for months or years to achieve. Little victories of every day are those which make life meaningful and raise an inner winner in us. <br />
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Usually we associate winning with some kind of competition either in sport, at school or at work but life is not a competition and, thankfully, there can be more than one winner. Standing on the top of any podium can be lonely but winning in life goes far beyond that and actually the bigger crowd wins the better. Don't let anyone convince you of something else telling you that those small every day victories don't count and it's career and money or anything "very important" that makes you a winner. </div>
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In today <a href="http://www.htb.org/bioy/commentary/979">Bible in One Year by Nicky Gumbel</a> I've read his words: "I tried following the example of a missionary I once heard about who each day would read the four verses from today’s New Testament passage (1 Corinthians 13), which lists the sixteen characteristics of love. For the word ‘love’ she would substitute her own name. When she reached a characteristic that she knew was not true of her, she had to stop. Her aim was, one day, to get through the whole list." <br />
That's the kind of winning I am talking about. Don't concentrate on winning for yourself, because you'll have no one to celebrate with but concentrate on winning together and for others, because then you'll be able to throw a party and celebrate a real success. </div>
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JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-11946787915968326512014-08-18T08:33:00.001+01:002014-08-18T08:33:40.477+01:00Blog Challenge Day 21: U is for Understanding<div style="text-align: justify;">
I don’t know why there are wars, why people suffer and hate each other instead of loving one another, why we build walls instead of destroying them, why we don’t listen to each other, why don’t we think about each other and encourage each other; why do we blame each other, why can't we forgive, why can't we say things that have to be said, why we avoid responsibility, why do we lie and pretend, why are we not honest, why we don’t care for the world around us, why don’t we respect each other? I don’t know why but I'm trying to understand. <br />
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I don’t understand many of the “whys” and the list above is not exhaustive, and probably you’ll have a long list of yours concerning personal life as well as public. More often I don’t understand than I do. And I am actually quite happy about it - the less I understand, the more I need to search and that's what makes the journey of life exciting. When we're younger we think we know it all but the older we grow the more we know how much we don't actually know. And even if I say I do understand something, it doesn’t necessarily mean that I know or that I do understand, because I may only understand a certain part of it within my own experience, knowledge and horizons. Even if I sympathise with a friend I still don’t know their situation in its fullness, because I only understand what I can relate to my own life, to something I’ve already went through, because if I didn’t go through something I usually would not understand what it really is. And even if I went through it I’ll understand it in a different way that someone else would. Complicated, isn't it?<br />
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Even when you know God in a personal way, you’ll not understand all those and other things, because still you are not God. You may gain a better understanding but not full one. Understanding is not just nodding our head and repeating "yes, I understand", it’s about making an effort and life-long search, about digging dip and trying to get a picture from billions of puzzles of this life. It’s about pursuit, learning a little bit more every day, loving a bit more and helping wherever we can. It’s about talking to other people and seeing other lives and not only your own; it’s about compassion and self-assessment. You don't understand something? Don't worry and welcome to the club - the more of us, the more we can do together. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-85528685247314468162014-08-17T21:14:00.002+01:002014-08-17T21:14:08.157+01:00Blog Challenge Day 20: T is for Thinking<div style="text-align: justify;">
Stop. Look. Listen... Think. This is a modified version of what some of us know from school and some others from a song. We heard the original version from parents, teachers or from the radio but applying it to life is more complicated and I'm not talking only about crossing the street but about living those four words in life. <br />
In order to make a good decision we need to stop in the rush of the day and life, look at and listen to people around us and to ourselves, and finally we need to think. We need to take time to ponder on things, to look into ourselves, concentrate, think about pros and cons and to estimate what the choice is going to bring. When we just rush into a decision or into something without assessing the situation beforehand, life will pass without noticing and we’ll regret most of our decisions. Everything will become one big mix with no differences between one day to another as we run through it not having a time. <br />
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Once in a while I get that moment when I suddenly realise how many things I HAVE TO do. Instead of sitting and planning them according to their priority, I just start doing them in a rush, usually all at the same time. I feel pressurised, I feel that all of them have to be done, because otherwise the world will end. In reality it'll not and even more, my moment of panic will not bring any positive change, only a mess. If I follow that pattern, in the end I am only frustrated that I didn’t do everything. When, I think before I act, on the other hand, I am much more satisfied even if I complete only part of the assignments. I also feel I paid attention to what I’ve done and I did it properly. </div>
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The same is with eating, in my case. Maybe in yours it’ll be something different. Sometimes I feel I HAVE TO eat something (especially something sweet) RIGHT NOW. But it’s only a feeling – in most cases I don’t really need to eat it at that very moment and not even in the next one. Again, if I think before acting I am much more satisfied with my decision. <br />
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Those are only examples but "stop, look, listen... and think" applies really to any situation in life - when we talk to someone, when we buy things we may not really need or in any other situation that maybe coming to your mind now.<br />
You may argue that such approach is way too reasonable and strips life of all of it pleasures and robs it of all of its fun. But I’ll say no. It just prevents you from making impulsive decisions which are a result of an advert or someone else's convincing talk. Especially when that someone is trying to persuade us that if we eat that particular chocolate we'll be happy till the rest of our life. We need to think, use our brain and make our own decisions, which we are convinced in our hearts, are right. This kind of thinking just prevents you from doing silly things we later regret and help little and big pleasures to taste much better and for longer. <br />
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JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-81379842414954667242014-08-15T22:03:00.003+01:002014-08-15T22:07:38.544+01:00Blog Challenge Day 19: S is for Saturday<div style="text-align: justify;">
There is something to Saturday that makes it different from all the other days of the week. It's not like a Friday evening when you unwind after the whole week of work. It's not Sunday, when you go to the <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/blog-challenge-day-3c-is-church.html">church</a>, in my case at least, and concentrate before starting another week. And it's definitely not a Monday when everything looks worse than on any other day of the week. It's not Tuesday either when you actually made it through Monday and you're so proud of yourself you can begin the week. Saturday is no close to a Wednesday when it's half way through but still a way to go and not a Thursday when it's <strong><u>almost </u></strong>a weekend. Saturday doesn't match any pattern, it doesn't force you to do anything. It's hanged somewhere in a vacuum. Whatever happens on Saturday stays on Saturday. </div>
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You wake up on Saturday morning after a nice Friday evening you spent on doing something <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-18-r-is-for-resting.html">funny and relaxing</a> and you mindset is already set on a weekend mode. Suddenly you have time and energy for everything, you make <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/blog-challenge-day-2-b-is-for-breakfast.html">the healthiest and the most tasty breakfast</a> ever and sip your tea or coffee in a slow motion. Then it turns out you have no specific plans for the day and you can do something unplanned. That's what we did <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-8-h-is-for-husband.html">with my husband</a> last Saturday. After a short period of turbulence we were on our way to Hampstead, a perfect spot to spend your Saturday. Yes, we enjoyed the shops, little streets and cafes but it's not what really made our day. We went slightly of the beaten track to enjoy even more. We got to that lovely Buttery Cafe in the Burgh House where we had a conversation about life like we haven't had for awhile. We were relaxed, our minds were open and we reminded ourselves how much and why we love each other. We were sitting and looking into each others eyes and saying how much we love each other. No, we expressed ourselves, discussed things we usually don't have time to discuss, inspired each other, stimulated each other and supported each other. We again wanted to do things together, dream together and keep walking together keeping in our hearts those moments of that Saturday. </div>
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But it' not just the fact that it was Saturday that made that conversation special. And this is the reason why I chose to write today about Saturday and not about smell, surprise, sharing, sacrifice, story or a scheme. It's about being yourself, expressing yourself in an honest way, going out of the bitten tracks, thinking outside of schemes and standards, listening to each other, surprising each other with support, telling your story and many many more... Saturday accommodates them all. </div>
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In reality I don't want to tell you how great are Saturdays, because you probably know it all too well yourself but I want to tell you how amazing is to just be, go and do, not to plan, be grateful and give thanks for what you have and what you've achieved, appreciate others, stop for a moment, don't make yourself subject to the opinion of others, not to think of what others may say, follow your heart and reason in a right balance, relax, don't rush, spend time with others and listen to them. Try and Saturday will happen everyday. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-87859415584441961122014-08-14T21:24:00.001+01:002014-08-14T21:24:24.287+01:00Blog challenge Day 18: R is for Resting<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today, I woke up relaxed and ready to face the day. Oh blessed are the days off - you already know how much I like them but this piece is about how much we all need time of resting and even tough it may sound trivial, by the end of reading this you'll be convinced it's very important and essential to our well-being. </div>
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Thanks to a good night sleep which gave my body and mind a good rest I woke up with an open mind, good thoughts and joy in my heart. That's how I would like to start my day - you'll say and I'll reply yes, you can. , because to rest is a decision everyone of us has to make. After the time of rest my mind and body work differently, I am much happier and open to do the things I don't do usually, I am concentrated, I don't complain. Do you need any more reasons to set aside time to chill out? Here are they. </div>
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I was at my 2nd year of Uni and I wasn't an intern anymore but I was working part-time along studying. So almost everyday, after the classes I would go to the office of the magazine I worked for. My life was about the next interview, next article, doing a research, picking up that press release or a phone call from someone my article was related to. I was either on the phone or on the email and I was busy. How much I started appreciating weekends that time! But Christmas was a real revelation time. Few days before Christmas even media industry slows down (thanks God was working for a monthly magazine) and I finally got time to be with my family, to prepare dishes for Christmas Eve supper and to just get ready for this amazing time of the year. And then Christmas came, we sat together at the table with no calls to pick up, emails to reply or deadlines chasing you here and there. And on Christmas morning we slept as long as we could and we just enjoyed the time. I still remember how much I appreciated my time with the family and peace I had in my heart then. </div>
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Even more difficult time came after a few years. I was working as a freelance journalist, I had to make my living, because I wanted to be a grown-up girl and moved out on my own, I had to write my thesis in journalism and at the same time complete all assignments for the African studies. Pretty tough, huh? </div>
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I was working around the clock. Going sleep at 2am and waking up only few hours later to continue writing the articles or the thesis. I don't need to tell you how it affected both of them, my health and an ability to rest. I was exhausted. and then it came, like a gift from heaven, a preaching about the importance of rest and how much it is actually a Biblical thing. I understood I had to make time to rest and in my busy schedule I set aside one day - a Sunday. I was going to the church, spending time with family and friends and relaxing. What a change! I suddenly started enjoying the days of work and even though it was still busy I felt better. And still, within six days I was doing as much as I used to do in seven, because when you're tired your productivity declines dramatically. </div>
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Today, I appreciate every hour and every day I can relax and when I feel I am overspending my energy, I find the time to rest and it's my DECISION to do it. I stop thinking of my daily engagements and stresses. I can look at problems and challenges of life in a different way and actually the moments of rest and relax are those when the best ideas come to my mind, when I appreciate myself and the way God works in my life, when I am nicer to others. I've learnt already that on the days that I am tired and stressed I should go back in my mind to those days of relax and remember about real me and the real world, because the world viewed through the glasses of tiredness is not the real one. </div>
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If you're thinking that you cannot rest, because the world needs you right now then what you need is... a proper time of rest. Why? Because many things can and will happen without you and the world doesn't need your tired self. Choose the time when you rest and the way you want to do it, because it's a personal thing. Don’t think that you’ll find fulfilment in your work or in business of life as I used to think. Your value is somewhere else - in much higher place. Resting is not only about the lack of an activity but about appreciation of things that are not temporary, the things which are not only here and now, the things that we don’t see and the things which are out of our control. Rest is good. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-46073633527295033542014-08-13T21:19:00.000+01:002014-08-13T21:19:01.172+01:00Blog Challenge Day 17: Q is for Questions<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's not about the question you ask but how do you answer the one you've been asked. </div>
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Anyone can ask a smart question hoping to surprise the other side but it is the answer that shows how does someone handle a surprise, how much do they know and how to do they cope with stress. Questions should be indirect and should be leaving space for the interviewee. Because questions shouldn't be the art in itself but they should provoque the answers. The answer which brings more understanding and <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-5-e-is-for.html">encourages</a> both sides to a further conversation.</div>
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On the <a href="http://www.alpha.org/">Alpha course</a> and in <a href="http://www.christianityexplored.org/">Christianity Explored</a> the first (or one of the first) question you're being asked is: if you had a chance to ask God one questions, what would it be. Does our question really matter? Being put in a such situation we'll only try to come up with something smarter, trickier and more creative only to show how much we know and how much others don't. </div>
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Or let's say - a journalist asks their interviewee a questions that leaves the person speechless - does it make sense? Yes, the journalist asked a brilliant question, showed up and prooved that knows more than the other person expected but is that the point of conducting an interview? Not necesary, in my opinion at least. You need to be firm when it comes to certain subjects but in general a question shouldn't sound like one but should just be a natural part of the conversation. </div>
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So, you have one and only chance to conduct an interview with yourself. What would you like to be asked today? </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-55200594728584996182014-08-12T20:34:00.002+01:002014-08-12T20:34:46.937+01:00Blog Challenge Day 16: P is for Presence<div style="text-align: justify;">
Today, I started my day with the time of <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-15-o-is-observation.html">observation</a>. I stood at the window and felt cold breeze touching my face waking me up to a new day. Overwhelmed by the beauty of <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-14-n-is-for-nature.html">nature</a> I started praying. I didn't need to kneel down at my bed, play worship songs or do anything else what would make it special. I was standing in the place where I wanted to be and was encountering the presence of God in the nature He created. </div>
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If you're not familiar with faith and having God as your friend it may all appear to you a little bit strange or not usual and you may not be familiar with the things I write about but I encourage you to read. Nothing scary is going to happen and you have nothing to loose. <br />
If you are not familiar with living in the presence of God, you may think that it is something strange, weird or even magical or imaginative. In reality it's simple and straightforward. What's even better everyone can experience the presence of God if they only choose to follow Him in their lives.<br />
I usually feel it in more intense way while praying, thinking or concentrating on nothing else but Him and His truths. Usually I just get deep into the prayer and hear the answers to my questions, feel empowered by His Spirit and ready to face the day. In those moments I know what's really important and what is the things I should do next and I have hope and I believe in the things I cannot see. <br />
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You can experience this presence on your own and in a way that it's special only to you, because God chooses to communicate with you in a unique way. You don't have to force yourself to do anything or rush anything and don't imagine that you should experience it in a certain way. Just wait and be still, invite Jesus into your life and let Him do the rest. </div>
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In the Old Testament times if a person entered the presence of God and had sinned before, they were dying straight away, because the presence of God is holy and couldn't bear any sin. Today, the presence is still holy and we should approach it with reverence and respect but thanks to the perfect plan of God and Jesus's sacrifice on the cross we've been forgiven of all our sins and can be directly connected to God. That's where the source of life is, that's where the source of joy is. I enjoy the moments of being in the presence of God and would like to carry it with me all the time. That's why whenever I get a chance I pray throughout the day, I try to remember verses from the Bible and just want to have my eyes fixed on heaven. It doesn't always work as we live in the world which is far from perfect but the Holy Spirit is there to help me and remind me of its beauty. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-75915240730428425832014-08-11T08:33:00.004+01:002014-08-11T20:08:56.704+01:00Blog Challenge Day 15: O is Observation<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Every evening after dinner <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-8-h-is-for-husband.html">my husband</a> laughs at me and always for the same reason. As soon as I finish eating I turn away from the table to the window and start my daily observation. As our dinning table stands right next to our sloping window it requires only one move from me and I am already looking outside. What do I observe? The streets, the cars passing by, people coming home after work and others walking their dogs in the park, kids playing, adults jogging and everything else what's happening that time. Sometimes, the streets are still and quiet and on the other days they're full of events. </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvyo_ag4Qdr7dbujWkyBHALew7SvQoPREDTnv9-qrbu5WfZkzVspYE8F7K7Y13_WwX5jjKq4m-E-DPHlQqrC9XWVjw7dizOSW5I0j2tSJ1rxDzmOjKXu5fM-s4qlT-ivc-GYG3h8R_-pv/s1600/IMG_7628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisvyo_ag4Qdr7dbujWkyBHALew7SvQoPREDTnv9-qrbu5WfZkzVspYE8F7K7Y13_WwX5jjKq4m-E-DPHlQqrC9XWVjw7dizOSW5I0j2tSJ1rxDzmOjKXu5fM-s4qlT-ivc-GYG3h8R_-pv/s1600/IMG_7628.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from my daily observation point</td></tr>
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Why do I do it? Partially it's to see other people and be a little bit nosy - I see them but they don't see me and I can think of where they're going, where they are coming from and who are they rushing to see without being spotted. The most important reason though is to see what's going on out there, how the world is moving, what's happening at certain times of the day and of the week. Even if there is nothing going on, there is always the <a href="http://mineofideas.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/blog-challenge-day-14-n-is-for-nature.html">nature</a> to observe. We live in the west of London, so usually in the evening we can see the sun going down emanating with purple and orange all over the place. And there is always an option of just looking out far far away and imagining what's there.</div>
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It's not only those window moments that I use for the observation. I love going to the park, sit down on a bench and observe the passers by. Did you know that each park has its own character? Depending on what time of the day you visit, you'll see a different side of it. In the morning you get actie joggers, later on mums relaxing with kids and a bit older but peaceful people and in the evening you get a mix from the neighbourhood. In London, t<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">here are high and mighty royal parks, like Regent’s
Park, there are more public ones, do-what-you-feel-like parks like Hyde Park. At
the bottom of the ladder there are local parks and fields. But they actually take first place in people's hearts. </span><br />
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I observe when I am on the tube. I am always wondering what people are doing when there is nothing to do? Most of them is reading a newspaper or playing games on their phone but some share experience of the day with another person or have different conversations (observing includes listening). <br />
I observe when I am walking on the street or when I am in the church. My eyes are open constantly. Maybe I'll spot something new or original, maybe I'll be able to help somebody or maybe I'll just learn something about people. Because observation is not just about being nosy and spying on people but it's a way to understand what's going on around me, what am I involved in, where is my place in all that and how do I fit in. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4531249621811691472.post-16989818669905158052014-08-10T21:17:00.002+01:002014-08-10T21:17:23.206+01:00Blog Challenge Day 14: N is for Nature<div style="text-align: justify;">
For me, nature sites are places of escape. Every encounter with the nature helps me to find out something about myself, detach from a daily routine and remember that there are more important things than having tasks done. Even if it's only about seeing the trees outside my window I like to be close to the nature. </div>
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Whenever I can, I spend a morning in a park nearby our home. I know parks are man-made but in the concrete jungle they're substitutes of spending time in the bosom of the nature. I like to sit on the bench and look into the greenness of the trees and to the open clear blue sky. I like praying, reading my Bible and thinking about the day which has just started. It helps me to clear my mind and prepare for the upcoming challenges. I am also lucky enough to see the sky as the first thing in the morning after pulling up blinds in our bedroom window. As much as I like living in the city with all of its opportunities, events, places to go and people to meet, I more and more love to get away to the bosom of the nature. Even in the city I try to be as close to the nature as possible. And any time I can get away to the fields of green grass, waters of the sea or a peaceful shadow under the tree I will do it. Visiting places such as Seven Sisters, Boxhill and Westhumble or mountains in Poland changes me in a split second. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHQwIkC3EpanqLidSt_vSgS7ekYCKrAlZoib6SNqyvuJ7efG75uYWe-jx7Wyo4N1HmlCFodb8eNkntfEOAPIkknJZWZs980vyLTIyAgfxfnO8U28BAd7bv3cMUoH35p_u5V6fTKZLmx9G/s1600/20140426_110556.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJHQwIkC3EpanqLidSt_vSgS7ekYCKrAlZoib6SNqyvuJ7efG75uYWe-jx7Wyo4N1HmlCFodb8eNkntfEOAPIkknJZWZs980vyLTIyAgfxfnO8U28BAd7bv3cMUoH35p_u5V6fTKZLmx9G/s1600/20140426_110556.jpg" height="272" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Seven Sisters. Isn't that beautiful?</td></tr>
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What I like in the nature so much is silence, peace, space and time to be with my God and myself. A time to see where am I coming from and where I am heading to. The time to see that opportunities are endless. Nature is simple and original. This is what draws us near to it. It gives us freedom, doesn't have expectations, doesn't create boundaries and give us its best. </div>
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We want to live as natural as possible, eat what comes from the soil and be friends of nature. But we haven't been to good to it in recent years. We hear all over about climate change, global warming, tsunamis and we take it lightly while we shouldn't. I am not an environmental activist in a way that I take part in protests but I am in a sense that I call all of us people to care for nature which has been entrusted to us. A cool shadow or a gentle breeze on a hot day or a razor of sun in a middle of winter that's what we appreciate but let's not forget where is it coming from. </div>
JoannaSFhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08410724609566419239noreply@blogger.com0