Singing in the rain...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCpOKtN8ME Cool, no? :))

However, finding a raincoat brings me the shivers each year. It's still a mystery to me why major retailers, designers or whoever makes raincoats available in the big stores, think I'm willing to add black to the abundant dark grey around. Or that I can spend an hour in the muddy park happily hopping in the puddles while graciously wearing a snow white apparel... Hm. Weird. So, each year I start browsing the web with my tummy feeling a bit rumbly, as Pooh says, in uneasy expectation of more black. Today was not an exception. And just when I had almost swallowed this piece to the right...


things started to brighten up! Look what I found:
Marigold raincoat from http://www.modcloth.com/

This is an Old Navy piece but I can't find it on the Canadian website and I'm planning an in-store invasion:

Gorgeous bright red with a hat at Kaboodle!

Poppies and blooming fields at http://www.raincoat-supplier.com/ :)))











And my Land of Candies appears to be Lands' End instead! LOL Just look how many colours are available for each of their raincoats! http://www.landsend.com/ix/womens-clothing/Women/Outerwear/index.html?seq=1~2~3&catNumbers=83~141&visible=1~2~1&store=le&sort=Recommended&tab=2&setPageSize=72

I'm definitely getting the coral blush and a Cancun coral! :))) And I will happily hop in the puddles indeed, wearing my favorite rubber boots! LOL

I love these Endless, Victorian style, old fashioned boots: http://www.endless.com/dp/B0026P4U0I/177-1355244-1612650?ie=UTF8&creative=395261&suppressRedirect=1&linkCode=asn&tag=prontocom146810-20&creativeASIN=B0026P4U0I

Coach are cheering everyone up!

And, of course, Target has such a selection!










All at http://www.target.com/Rain-Boots-Womens-Shoes/b?ie=UTF8&node=13913321#searchSize=30&searchRank=pmrank&searchView=grid5&searchPage=3

One can even stay anchored, no fear of the flood. LOL http://www.target.com/Womens-Anchor-Rain-Boots-Navy/dp/B003QBVSWE/ref=br_1_19?ie=UTF8&node=13913321&sessionID=176-4177466-0639627&searchSize=30&searchView=grid3&searchPage=1&sr=1-19&qid=1301182262&rh=&searchBinNameList=target_com_shoe_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Cpattern_name-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchRank=salesrank&frombrowse=1

Very cute and classic neutral: http://www.target.com/Zetta-Tall-Rain-Boots-Gray/dp/B001DCP8G0/ref=br_1_5?ie=UTF8&node=13913321&sessionID=176-4177466-0639627&searchSize=30&searchView=grid3&searchPage=2&sr=1-5&qid=1301182499&rh=&searchBinNameList=target_com_shoe_size-bin%2Ctarget_com_primary_color-bin%2Cpattern_name-bin%2Ctarget_com_brand-bin&searchRank=salesrank&frombrowse=1

They also have one of my all times favorites - the Denise Rain Drops:

And Adi's Floral designs which come in different color combinations, I love the raspberry taste of this one. :)







And so on, and so on... My rainy days are safe from black, I'm relieved. Now, if only the rain and the spring could come. LOL Oh, how I miss Toronto! And especially High Park! It simply screams for a very stylish rain gear. :))))

One of the Great left us

I'm silent today. Quiet. I remain in state of timelessness as one of the Great is travelling her last journey to eternity. I honour Elizabeth Taylor for her inspiring beauty, for her powerful presence, for her way of challenging life, time and rules, for breaking the rules... I am grateful to her for the way she loved, rose, and died... The best epiphany anyone will ever be able to think of her was already written. By Richard Burton.

"There is no life without you, I'm afraid."

Their love story, the troublesome catastrophic passion, the explosion of their feelings has been an inspiration to me for ages. Now they are both gone. As gone as energy may be. Another one was born somewhere at the exact same minute... Another Burton will meet another Taylor in years... Will I know them, will I hear of them? Probably not. But their own love story will also change the world. And none of them will ever regret the ecstatic, though painful birth of a supernova. Just like Edith Piaf, another Great one, didn't regret and loved, and lived, and died in the flames of her own eternal glory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YGXsw3XK9I&feature=related

These two women are connected in my mind in most remarkable and miraculous ways... And I think today I'll celebrate them both. Thank you for having been there... where I am now.

Stars vs netiquette

This guy looks troubled, doesn't he? No wonder, since his issues with social media keep going on and on. LOL As most of you probably know from my ramblings here, I'm a total fan of this man on the left, David Bisbal. I also happen to have quite an experience in PR. Last but not least, I'm all about social media and its influence on modern day advertising and PR. Put it all together and you'll know why I find it so intriguing each time an A-lister fails publicly in netiquette.

In short, earlier Bisbal made a not very clever remark about the lack of tourists in Egypt (the country was in war) and last week he ended a few of his tweets with #prayforjapan, while the tweets themselves were promoting his concerts and addressed to his friends. (You can find more on the web, translate via Google from Spanish if you need to).

My not so humble opinion is that 1. the storm is exaggerated to an unbelievable extent as many people at the same time ended their tweets with the same hashtag showing support for Japan while writing about all kinds of stuff; 2. the man made a genuine or not so genuine effort to show compassion and pushed a bit too hard - one tweet per day with #prayforjapan and nothing else would have been quite enough and saved him lots of trouble; 3. who is his PR???

The thing is that these days the world seems to support the high/low discrimination more than ever. I've commented on this before in relation to  blogging vs. creative writing, now I'm confirming my opinion when it comes to PR. In case you haven't been there, in the industry are still those who believe social media is for students and college girls who spend their days mainly nail polishing, biting, and nail polishing again. Eventually, going to the mall.

These PR dinosaurs are not much concerned even when their A-list clients cause waves of sincere laughter on the web whose influence may be comparable to a tsunami, one never knows. They will say they know, of course. The truth is they couldn't. No matter how much we want to measure public reaction it has proven itself impressively difficult and surprising. Naturally, we still measure all the time. And it still surprises us. It's especially true with social media and the remarkable power it possesses. I doubt we even realize what era we are living in. One could rule the world. All it takes is a strong tweet. Or a Youtube video. Or a message to shake the foundation on Facebook. Everything happens in seconds, it goes around the globe before we have finished editing... Sadly, same is true about the negatives.

I've been monitoring Twitter, specifically, for quite a while. It's part of my professional curiosity to follow how those in the spotlight are managing, and overall I think the need of Social Media PR is already evident. Netiquette should be part of those stars daily routine. But it's not their job to know it, it's their PR's job. It's not David Bisbal to be intelligent, clever, smart, etc. - traits he's been accused to lack. He is here to sing well. Noone should expect him to conquer Oxford. If he does, all the better but we don't buy his CDs for his degree, right? However, all those who are ranked "stars", "below stars" or "to-be-stars", must be aware how social media functions, what looks good and what doesn't. It's another story that many of them refuse to listen to anyone about anything but somehow I don't think this is the case now. I hope Bisbal's decision to pretend nothing happened was the right one although I'm not particularly fond of this crisis strategy.

Cheering up with Gong Hee Fot Choy

Thought I would share with you my most favorite link with Gong Hee Fot Choy: http://www.mysticscripts.com/oracle/gong-hee-fot-choy/ . Now, of all the online Gong oracles I've tried, this is the one that always, always promises my wishes will come true. And I've tried it with my most daring ones, trust me. If you need a boost, that's it. :)))))))

P.S. Gong Hee Fot Choy is a divination system which in reality is not that generous. LOL It requires from you to wish for something as the reading will be explaining if your wish will become true or not, plus many more things. So, wish big! :)))))))

Answers

I received a few very carefully phrased questions and realised I may be touching on sensitive topics while people are not sure if their comments will automatically pop up on the blog, the answer is no. The comments are moderated and if you ever want to ask or comment without it being published, just let me know.

So, here are some answers to what I got as questions:

Marriage for money? No. While I'm the last person to proclaim living in poverty (if it's not a personal choice) which, in my opinion, debilitates people, me included, I still don't find myself capable of staying in any kind of relationship (and I've been there) for money only. I must be independent or I pack the bags, which I'll have to do soon if I don't hit it big.

Faith? Yes. You must have faith and you must take good care of it. We often take it for granted, something you either have or not, but I beg to differ. Faith, like all other things, needs maintenance. Fix it when it's broken. If you'll go to church or stare at the ocean, find your own way, the one thing that makes you believe that all is possible and you're taken good care of. Faith brings trust.

Prayers? Yes. I do believe in the power of prayer. It doesn't mean you have to be religious. You may pray to energy, nature, faeries, pagan Gods and Goddesses, whoever suits your mood and understanding. Prayer focuses the mind on your dreams and wishes, it's the easiest form of meditation I know.

Divorce? Yes. To me, the most ethical thing to do when things are not well, when the spark is clearly gone, is to free yourself and the other person, and give both of you the chance to meet someone better. I don't consider any excuses like the kids, the money, the security, the house, the expenses or similar as valuable. These are not good reasons to keep yourself and the other one prisoners.

Success? Hm... Last time I was successful (based on my criteria and it's pretty high) was about five years ago and it felt like heaven. Still, it depends what kind of person you are and what success means to you. I'm still investigating if it's true that when you do what you love, success comes for sure. Nothing to report yet. In general, I think it's human nature to like being appreciated, regardless if it's only by your family members or by multimillion audience. The moment I feel I'm taken for granted, I pack the bags again. Lots of packing in my life, that's for sure.

Fear? Oh, I can write an encyclopedia on this. I know so many sides of fear. There is no way of denying its presence. I'm still fighting my fears on daily basis. I learned to admit them. I say to myself "Yes, I'm terribly afraid of.... , I accept it, and I release it now!" It's been working. Try to find your way. I sometimes imagine stuffing the fear in a balloon and watching it flying away.

Wealth? It comes and goes. I was a teen when I first saw how in literally one night all the wealth I thought we possessed just disappeared. And I mean, all of it. I found myself at a bottom I couldn't recognize, I was a child. Yet, I crept back to the surface. Easy? Not at all. But it's possible. The most challenging thing for me personally was, and still is, to accept the idea of wealth as energy that is constantly floating around. Also, I make quite an effort to learn how to manage this energy without freaking out each time I lose and without turning insane each time I win. Up till now, I've found it's a question of training the mind. As we go to the gym, we should exercise our mind too.

Positive thinking results? Yes, there are results. I've had some pretty good ones, yet my failures are more to this point. It's my deeply rooted disbelief, the "oh, it won't happen to me" when it comes to really good and big things. Like, wishing to win the jackpot but somewhere down there the little voice is mocking and giggling. To me, personally, the key is repeating daily to myself that it is possible (whatever you wish for) and I deserve it. But, really, this must be a daily ritual. Our mind believes our mouth.

Single parenting? Parenting is tough anyways and "single parent" doesn't necessarily mean one must be separated or divorced. I'd been a single parent before I got separated. But, as I said, regardless how tough it is, I don't find the kids a good reason to stay in an illusion of a kind. The moment we give them life is the moment they are already a separate identity. They have their own life. We must care for ours, I've never seen happy children raised by depressed parents.

And that's all for today, folks. :)))

P.S. Yesterday I received a spam letter signed "R.B., Esquire". It's funny he immediately popped up in my mind - a hero of a book, just born to be in it. Gloomily hanging hair, too long and too straight of a nose, eyes of a spaniel... Yep, if only there was time to write.

I'm ashamed

As much as I was proud to be an European when the European Union banned the seal products and thus saved lives of baby seals in Canada, even more I'm ashamed today by the attempt of Steven Harper's government to REVERSE this act of humanity! I'm speechless. Really, what money justifies what happens in the north? Whose salary is not high enough and needs bloody fields? Who of all those there in Ottawa has given life to think they can take lives away? Who are you, after all? Gods?

I'm truly sick of this, it's been going on and on for ages, I've been part of it since I don't remember when and somehow we never seem to be able to gather enough votes against it in Canada!!! It's unbelievable how 27 nations in EU united while here people are... indifferent? Are we? I don't want to believe it.

I'm counting my last month and a half in Canada... It will be a tough transition, it will tear me apart... I wish I could see this campaign achieving success before I go. It would make me very happy. It would add another dimension to the meaning of all the time I spent here.

Please, take a step and support us once again to fight against the attempt of the government to reverse the EU ban! https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=4964&s_src=hsicaemail&sub_src=031511

Merry, merry, how does your luck grow?

To paraphrase a little. :)))) So, how does your luck grow? Is it abundant? Is it ripe yet? Do you water it regularly or do you trust nature to bring what has to be born? St. Patrick's day is just around the corner and while I'm not Irish, I'm in love with all the green that truly brings spring into my house! We've already bought tons of green balloons, sparkling four-leaf clovers, garlands of emerald beer mugs (wisely chosen by my 3-year old son!), table cloth covered with all kinds of spring plants in bloom, and even green scented candles! Now, only a pot of gold is needed to complete the picture. :)))))

I read a couple of days ago a bunch of posts on some pretty famous new age blogs about luck. I got a bit tired of seeing the same old phrase "luck is when preparation meets opportunity" again and again. It seems some of our most acclaimed positive thinking authors can not come up with anything truly new.

In fact, luck does exist. There are millions of extremely well prepared people out there and tons of good opportunities flying around, yet only some will be at the right place at the right time. That's what luck is. And the other way around - some of the not so well prepared people seem to attract all kinds of opportunities. We may get prepared in the best possible way and never meet the opportunity we prepared so well for. That's what luck is. All the rest is just blah-blah to me. If anyone can enlighten me what Paris Hilton, for example, was well prepared for, please. Or we may dive deep in spiritual thought and assume that Paris Hilton's soul was excellently prepared to be born in this particular family but I am not that spiritual and to me this is pure luck.

Can we help it? Yes and no. What we can do is to be well prepared (really). Study, seek opportunities, risk, have faith, etc. But don't despair if it didn't happen in two, six or twelve months. I know it's extremely hard. I'm still going through a five year period of incredible chain of failures. My medicine is to wake up each morning and recite "I'm lucky to be here" and "I'm grateful to be here". Just so. Just because I'm alive. Know that if there is anything truly powerful in our possession, it's the power of gratitude. If luck will knock on my door today? I have no idea but somehow the mantra I created for myself is still keeping my faith strong - something I couldn't manage to do otherwise.

I also believe in all kinds of angels, magic, faeries, leprechauns and so on. This part of my imagination is another major player in my battle with the lack of "preparation meets opportunity". It's nice to have a fairy or unicorn to talk to. Especially when talking with "adults" on the subject is almost heretic. So be it.

*Mark Roberts' Leprechaun Elf

In two words, get your hands on lots of green and four-leaf clovers, add a significant dose of sparkle, turn your place into a magical cave of spring refreshing abundance, and who knows... Saint Patrick may stop right in front of your door and he may even take a pot of gold out of his hat. ;) Cheers! :)))))

P.S. Anyone remember this movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0205214/ ? A favorite spring treat of mine! :))

Support for Humane Society Canada in their continuous battle

Please, take a minute to support the HSI - Canada in their long-term battle to stop the senseless and incredible cruelty related to seal hunting when thousands of baby seals are literally smashed on the ice each year! http://e-activist.com/ea-campaign/clientcampaign.do?ea.client.id=104&ea.campaign.id=9691

It takes so little and it makes such a difference!

Have you ever thought of dating...

I'm literally under the chair in histerical laughter, check it out: http://www.innerself.com/Astrology/never_date.htm#Taurus

And... OK, guilty. :))))) My favorite part:

"If so, you've found your match -- or, actually, they've found you. They'll continue finding you, too, no matter where you hide. Just look out back in those bushes. That's them in the black tights -- with the binoculars. Oh, it might seem a bit psychotic at first, but you'll get used to it. Keeping you in their sights is just Scorpio's way of saying, I Love You."

But hey, my black tights are such a gorgeous piece! LOL And I don't have binoculars... OK, I do, but I use them in the theatre. :))))))


Kim Rogers-Gallagher is among my most favorite astrologers. I also subscribed on http://www.astrology.com/ for her daily horoscopes only to get a doze of her remarkable humour each morning! She is one of a kind! LOL

An Orient Express for my father

I'd like to apologize in advance if this sounds too sad, yet I want to write it. My father passed away too long ago. Too early, too unexpectedly. It's been too raw of a wound for too many years. Surprisingly (or not) it didn't become any easier with the time. Whoever said "time heals everything", apparently was trying to be clever but had never lost a world. I did. An entire, beautifully built, finely touched, impressive, warm and funny world. Something like a Disneyworld made for me, only. I didn't lose a parent, one of two. I lost the definition of "parenthood", the sense of what it means or should mean, and I lost it forever. Now, with my own child, I face the challenge to redefine and reinvent it every single day. Because I don't remember what it means. And in loving memory of this man, and partially to somehow push away the sorrow attacking me these days, I dedicate this post to him. :)

The Orient Express... The ever lasting glory of Hercule Poirot, the seductive glow of diamonds, the sparkling evening dresses, the charm of the past that never returns... Yet, still travelling, still living. I've been involved in his journey since I was born as my father was the first person who brought the train of dreams beyond the "iron curtain" of the communism. He was selling dreams. I looked in wonder at the pictures and couldn't imagine what it would be to sit on velvet, dress for dinner, and... I became Agatha Christie fan. :)))) It was far easier than to buy a ticket. Of course, I did travel on it later as a daughter of my father but those early impressions are still alive in me. I had intentionally buried the train in my mind but fate sometimes plays nasty tricks on us and a couple of days ago I literally bumped into a travel magazine featuring precisely this train on its pages...

*Photo courtesy of www.jaunted.com

Aside from my uncontrollable emotions, the Orient Express can be found here: http://www.orient-express.com/ . There are different journey options to choose from and each separate destination opens a new page, so you won't lose the list. Here is one of my favorite: London - Venice http://www.orient-express.com/web/vsoe/booking_step_1.jsp?station=Venice&type=arrivals or visit Scotland and get lost in the raw romance of the Highlands http://www.orient-express.com/collection/trains/the_royal_scotsman.jsp . Naturally, it's an expensive treat. But... if you ever have this money to spend on a trip, go for it. Take your evening gowns, touch your skin with the nicest perfume you have, borrow (if you don't own) a bold diamond necklace and live, even only for a couple of nights, a dream.

In addition to the already highly emotional post, I want to say here "Thank you!" to someone who wrote me today: "Wherever you go, you have a friend named A." Each time I'm faced with the remarkable generosity of my friends, I'm speechless and feel stupid for not being able to express my gratitude more freely, more openly. They deserve so much and I'm so... reserved usually. So, I will use this blog to tell them I hate the distance between us, yet I am freaked out that I may need to go back... And as cruel as it sounds, I think I still prefer to see them rarely but to move on with my life which, for now, is going to continue I don't know where, I don't know how, only a month and a half before I leave from here... I love them all... but I don't want to go back... And it's difficult for me too. But the fact that they are there, for me... makes a big difference! Thank you all! I hope some day we get on the Orient Express together. :)

How it works sometimes...

I find it fascinating to follow the way our mind works. Like yesterday when I heard this song on the radio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ElORM9O-0U , and immediately in my mind popped up this image of the latest Tom Ford collection I've seen:

* For Vogue

which led to drawing these pieces...

Of course, I have absolutely no idea why, what's behind and what follows but it just makes it all even more exciting! :)))

P.S. I get the feeling Jude Law is going to be the next Bridget Jones with Cate Moss playing the mother... Hellen Fielding may make the most of it. LOL

Late fashion and Tarot thoughts

Ah, where is the world heading these days? Galliano out of Dior? In fact, I am relieved... I am a huge, huge fan of Dior. I've been a fan since I can remember watching and exploring fashion at all. I use their perfumes, their make up, even their cosmetics! (not the best choice BTW) There is nothing more French in the fashion world to me than Dior (sorry, Coco) and Lacroix (before he went under). However, being a non-French, Galliano was a bit too... peacock-ish for me. The moment when a designer turns into a caricature of his own creations is quite overwhelming for my already heavy of thoughts non-blond head. And regardless what he has or has not said, I'll still be relieved to not see his costumes, facial hair styles and showing-off pushes on the catwalk.

This is my opinion of all his colleagues competing with the models for spotlight. It's so... pathetic. They are already as famous as they could possibly be. Is it truly necessary to poke a fan in my nose to impress me with "creativity"? Posing as an overlooked extra from the "Pirates Of the Caribbean"? Mourning over their own lifestyle like someone is pressing them to have it? Come on. Even the Dior movie ads became peacock-ish lately. Not to mention how Dior is Natalie Portman... Ouch. She will certainly make me switch back to "J'Adore". The magazine ads are still first class though. And speaking of class, simplicity equals class and vice versa. That's to make the long story short.

Still, I will miss badly the unquestionable genius who made these clothes:

 So feminine, so gentle, yet dramatic, attracting, grabbing attention! Plain art. I would love to die in these.










And next time I intend to marry in this :))))))

Aside from the drama in my favorite fashion house, get some Tarot sense of humor. LOL

- the Death card appearing in my Past position comment: "You thought the last big change would polish you off but you are still here!" LOL No kidding, I thought it was going to be tragic, yet I'm still moving. :))))))

- Chariot related to friends: "From a position of relative security you may offer advice to friends . They may wish to cast you in the role of savior, a role to be carefully avoided." :ooooooo Love it! :)))))


- "The electricity of the moment provides the basis for the future." - that's the Tower appearing in my Love position (of course!). Ugh. Electricity I know well. With the future things look a liiiitle bit towerish though. LOL
 
- situation starting to heat up in the next position! "It won't be necessary to waste time finding common ground. you and your lover have the same thing in mind. Allow emotions to flow." Oh, wow! Great. Who is he? I mean, apparently we communicate via telepathy 'cause we certainly don't know each other personally. Uranus is to blame, that tricky nerd!
 
- of course, Tarot knows everything - "This card speaks of partnerships: DEATH" - nicely put, short but clear. :))))) "The change serves to eliminate old interpersonal patterns and establish a less self-centered approach to life. Eliminate false modesty. Nobody's buying it anyway." Ay ay ay... Less self-centered? I definitely prefer the eliminating the modesty section. True that noone is buying it anyway. LOL
 
 
If you haven't tried the online super amusing Matrix oracle, you can go to: http://www.astrologysoftware.com/software/download/thankyou.asp?orig=#0 and choose Free Oracle - Tarot at the upper menu. It's really one of a kind and it's free! :)))) Have fun!