So… I took my time and found few books on Dutch. And also went through them a bit carelessly, stopping at major grammar points.
Well, it didn’t seem that hard to me. Actually, it looked like a sweet and nice grammar book compared to my French grammar books. Another good thing is that pronunciation is much easier than French (for me, at least).
Dutch grammar looked to me as a mix of German, French and English grammar ^^. A simplified mix. And that’s great. Now I have faith that if only I put some efforts I’d get some pretty good results in Dutch.
The bad thing is I have no time for Dutch now, not in-between my Japanese lessons and trying not to forget English and basics of French…
But I’m a bit relieved. Now I’m sure I’d be able to do it xD.
Tuesday, February 22
Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers
Few days ago my friend put a new song on for me to listen and was very shocked that I started laughing at it.
Well, the song was The 69 eyes ‘Dead ‘n gone’, not exactly a song to make you laugh.
Here you can listen to it:
http://www.4shared.com/file/125493851/53d4866b/03-the_69_eyes-dead_n_gone.html
Like I said I was laughing when I heard it. Why? Actually it reminded me of opening of famous Disney’s cartoon series, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers.
So when I heard that ‘D-d-dead ‘n gone’ I was expecting to hear ‘rescue rangers’ next xD.
As in Disney’s opening: ‘Ch-ch-chip ‘n Dale Rescue rangers’... xD
I still laugh when I think about it.
Here’s that opening at youtube:
video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS_-u84TFds
Have you ever watched ‘Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers’ series?
I loved those series when I was a kid. So many good memories associated with it… And the opening sure is catchy ^^.
They don’t do that kind of stuff now, they just don’t…
Well, the song was The 69 eyes ‘Dead ‘n gone’, not exactly a song to make you laugh.
Here you can listen to it:
http://www.4shared.com/file/125493851/53d4866b/03-the_69_eyes-dead_n_gone.html
Like I said I was laughing when I heard it. Why? Actually it reminded me of opening of famous Disney’s cartoon series, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers.
So when I heard that ‘D-d-dead ‘n gone’ I was expecting to hear ‘rescue rangers’ next xD.
As in Disney’s opening: ‘Ch-ch-chip ‘n Dale Rescue rangers’... xD
I still laugh when I think about it.
Here’s that opening at youtube:
video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS_-u84TFds
Have you ever watched ‘Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers’ series?
I loved those series when I was a kid. So many good memories associated with it… And the opening sure is catchy ^^.
They don’t do that kind of stuff now, they just don’t…
What I hate about heroes
Since it’s time for a small vacation of mine, I allowed myself to play videogames a little.
Actually, I haven’t played them at all for about two months. Almost forgot how it’s done xD.
I had a big choice of games to play (the ones that I didn’t have time to finish before) that included Mirror’s Edge (I regret buying it – a waste of money, didn’t like it at all), Drakensang (a good old-fashioned RPG, but with a bit slow story), The Lost Crown (stylized horror-quest) and The Last Remnant (J-RPG I played for an hour or so before I put it aside).
I felt an urge for some action, so I started The Last Remnant. I’m used to think that J-RPG is a balanced choice between action and RPG.
Urghhh… I couldn’t stand the behaviour of the main hero (Rush) of The Last Remnant. Someone told me that he’s ‘all that’s good in J-RPG characters’. Well, if you picture idiocy as ‘good’...
For me there’s nothing more irritating than ‘all good and fluffy’ character, and there’s nothing worse than ‘oh this world can’t be as bad as you say it is’ or ‘oh how I wish I could make a change… and I will!’ attitude. Also I think the image of ‘raised in just and pure climate’ hero which happens to contact ‘impure and unjust world’ has outlived itself, at least in a setting where he seems to never learn… Rush is behaving like a 10-years old child being 16 (OK, J-RPG usually features teens, let it be)...
Children must grow up someday, don’t you think? And grow up faster when they are forced to…
Anyhow, I couldn’t stand it, couldn’t hear ‘oh Irina!’ anymore, couldn’t watch cutscenes where a child is Rushing around making a mess ^^ ...
Did I become too old or something?
To conclude an experiment, I found my Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (someone mentioned it here not so long ago) and started it via pcsx2… Even with emulator’s lags it was like a balm for my nerves. A hero with some common sense! Hurray! xD
Actually, I haven’t played them at all for about two months. Almost forgot how it’s done xD.
I had a big choice of games to play (the ones that I didn’t have time to finish before) that included Mirror’s Edge (I regret buying it – a waste of money, didn’t like it at all), Drakensang (a good old-fashioned RPG, but with a bit slow story), The Lost Crown (stylized horror-quest) and The Last Remnant (J-RPG I played for an hour or so before I put it aside).
I felt an urge for some action, so I started The Last Remnant. I’m used to think that J-RPG is a balanced choice between action and RPG.
Urghhh… I couldn’t stand the behaviour of the main hero (Rush) of The Last Remnant. Someone told me that he’s ‘all that’s good in J-RPG characters’. Well, if you picture idiocy as ‘good’...
For me there’s nothing more irritating than ‘all good and fluffy’ character, and there’s nothing worse than ‘oh this world can’t be as bad as you say it is’ or ‘oh how I wish I could make a change… and I will!’ attitude. Also I think the image of ‘raised in just and pure climate’ hero which happens to contact ‘impure and unjust world’ has outlived itself, at least in a setting where he seems to never learn… Rush is behaving like a 10-years old child being 16 (OK, J-RPG usually features teens, let it be)...
Children must grow up someday, don’t you think? And grow up faster when they are forced to…
Anyhow, I couldn’t stand it, couldn’t hear ‘oh Irina!’ anymore, couldn’t watch cutscenes where a child is Rushing around making a mess ^^ ...
Did I become too old or something?
To conclude an experiment, I found my Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (someone mentioned it here not so long ago) and started it via pcsx2… Even with emulator’s lags it was like a balm for my nerves. A hero with some common sense! Hurray! xD
Games, parental advisory and future
y previous post about games put me onto interesting trail of thought…
About games…
I feel that current marketing and ‘parental advisory’ strategies of publishers are deteriorating game industry in general. Take Fallout series for example… Fallout 1 and 2 were megabombs, even if they featured some violence, blood, drugs, s.e.x. and alcohol references… Fallout 3 with strong parental advisory isn’t Fallout at all. Cyber punk without violence, blood, etc. isn’t cyber punk. ^^
There’re more examples with the same outcome…
Btw, what do publishers want to achieve ‘shielding children’ from violence etc. in games? They just cut game audience in two or three. And anyhow children do make contact with violence and blood (etc.) in everyday life, there’s no way to avoid it. Parents that comfort themselves with illusions that their child ‘is protected’ from negative influence of ‘outside’ world are only fooling themselves and making things worse.
Children that were in close contact with animals during their early childhood aren’t likely to develop animal fur allergy… Then why do we have to prevent our children from contact with factors they will surely contact in their future life?
Isn’t it better to teach your child how to deal with a problem than avoid it?
I remember how my parents taught me how to deal with alcohol, drugs and s.e.x. … it wasn’t a path of denial or over-protection. And I turned out quite fine, I don’t smoke, don’t drink excessively (I can drink a bottle of beer with friends or drink some wine), don’t abuse drugs, and I’m OK in the area of intimate relationships. ^^
And no one made me ‘avoid’ games and movies with violence, alcohol reference, etc. I was my own adviser.
So… I think this ‘parental advisory’ thing is over-protecting and absurd. No telling how I pity teens whose parents take it too seriously.
… also we must remember that the stronger we deny the right to try to our children, the more they want to try…
About games…
I feel that current marketing and ‘parental advisory’ strategies of publishers are deteriorating game industry in general. Take Fallout series for example… Fallout 1 and 2 were megabombs, even if they featured some violence, blood, drugs, s.e.x. and alcohol references… Fallout 3 with strong parental advisory isn’t Fallout at all. Cyber punk without violence, blood, etc. isn’t cyber punk. ^^
There’re more examples with the same outcome…
Btw, what do publishers want to achieve ‘shielding children’ from violence etc. in games? They just cut game audience in two or three. And anyhow children do make contact with violence and blood (etc.) in everyday life, there’s no way to avoid it. Parents that comfort themselves with illusions that their child ‘is protected’ from negative influence of ‘outside’ world are only fooling themselves and making things worse.
Children that were in close contact with animals during their early childhood aren’t likely to develop animal fur allergy… Then why do we have to prevent our children from contact with factors they will surely contact in their future life?
Isn’t it better to teach your child how to deal with a problem than avoid it?
I remember how my parents taught me how to deal with alcohol, drugs and s.e.x. … it wasn’t a path of denial or over-protection. And I turned out quite fine, I don’t smoke, don’t drink excessively (I can drink a bottle of beer with friends or drink some wine), don’t abuse drugs, and I’m OK in the area of intimate relationships. ^^
And no one made me ‘avoid’ games and movies with violence, alcohol reference, etc. I was my own adviser.
So… I think this ‘parental advisory’ thing is over-protecting and absurd. No telling how I pity teens whose parents take it too seriously.
… also we must remember that the stronger we deny the right to try to our children, the more they want to try…
My flight
At last I’ve decided to post entry here about my recent activities.
Well, actually I’ve had a small vacation, but couldn’t find time to relax during it. Usually when you get a vacation you have so many things ‘you couldn’t find time to do before’ piled up that you simply can’t find time for a vacation itself… It is sad, but true…
Hm, I checked a calendar and found out that it was Thursday, the 3rd of September when I had an interesting experience with my friends.
We had gathered and had a flight on a balloon. Yep, those big things in the sky with a basket attached to them. :) Here’s the photo where guys from aero club inflate it:
We had a flight at the altitude of about 300 meters and it lasted about an hour. (And it was pretty expensive as I gather).
Before I got ‘onboard’ (inbasket, lol) I thought it might be scary. I’m not very good with heights in the city, I’m getting nervous looking down from the balcony of a 20-storey house.
But in the open space I’m doing ok, for example in mountains, I was doing fine even when I was riding a mountain lift which took us over 700 meters above sea level. Call me city-heights-holic ^^.
So it was ok with me to be 300 meters above ground in a open basket below the balloon…
Here’s a photo of bird’s-eye view of Ukrainian countryside:
And here’s photo of a village we passed (and then landed near it). All the village kids were ours… :)
Another view of a forest and a forest lake. The web-like cover on the surface – lilies and such. Funny, isn’t it? Also they look like veins.
About my impressions… Well, it was fun and maybe I even loved flying.
But there’re multiple cons: a) it is a very expensive passing of time; b) it gets dull after 30 minutes or so, because you get used to scenery and there’s nothing to do up there but look down; c) it takes much time to get to the flying field and back if you live in Kiev (min 1 hour to get there); d) view depends on weather conditions and time of the day; and so on.
Ahead lies field where we’ve landed… There were fewer furrows before us ^^.
Landing was fun… yeah, really it was, though my hands hurt even few days after. When balloon descended and basket touched the ground (upper part being still carried by the wind) we received quite a blow and nearly fell out of the basket which began to overturn… We’ve landed only after 2nd or 3rd hit when our pilot managed to deflate the balloon enough to make it fall under its own weight…
Hmmm… That’s all news for now… And now I’m going back to work.
And now few words about it in Japanese ^^
小さい休暇の中ので、私に短い暇がありました。今、休暇はほとんど終わりました。
月曜日には、きっと大変なことになります。本当の長い休暇が欲しいです・・・この四日で、休めるの可能性を見つけませんでした。
木曜日に、面白い経験をしました。友達と一緒にバルーンで飛びました。高いところが少しだけ怖くて、とても怖い飛行になると思いました。バルーン で300ｍまで上がりました。実際には、楽しかったです。バルーンから土を見て、高い場所の風を感じて、旅の提案を受け入れたのはうれしいです。
飛ぶことが好きになったかもしれません。
水泳が大好きだけど、飛行もいいと感じます。（高いことですけど）
まぁぁ・・・ニュースはここまでです。後で仕事があります。
Well, actually I’ve had a small vacation, but couldn’t find time to relax during it. Usually when you get a vacation you have so many things ‘you couldn’t find time to do before’ piled up that you simply can’t find time for a vacation itself… It is sad, but true…
Hm, I checked a calendar and found out that it was Thursday, the 3rd of September when I had an interesting experience with my friends.
We had gathered and had a flight on a balloon. Yep, those big things in the sky with a basket attached to them. :) Here’s the photo where guys from aero club inflate it:
We had a flight at the altitude of about 300 meters and it lasted about an hour. (And it was pretty expensive as I gather).
Before I got ‘onboard’ (inbasket, lol) I thought it might be scary. I’m not very good with heights in the city, I’m getting nervous looking down from the balcony of a 20-storey house.
But in the open space I’m doing ok, for example in mountains, I was doing fine even when I was riding a mountain lift which took us over 700 meters above sea level. Call me city-heights-holic ^^.
So it was ok with me to be 300 meters above ground in a open basket below the balloon…
Here’s a photo of bird’s-eye view of Ukrainian countryside:
And here’s photo of a village we passed (and then landed near it). All the village kids were ours… :)
Another view of a forest and a forest lake. The web-like cover on the surface – lilies and such. Funny, isn’t it? Also they look like veins.
About my impressions… Well, it was fun and maybe I even loved flying.
But there’re multiple cons: a) it is a very expensive passing of time; b) it gets dull after 30 minutes or so, because you get used to scenery and there’s nothing to do up there but look down; c) it takes much time to get to the flying field and back if you live in Kiev (min 1 hour to get there); d) view depends on weather conditions and time of the day; and so on.
Ahead lies field where we’ve landed… There were fewer furrows before us ^^.
Landing was fun… yeah, really it was, though my hands hurt even few days after. When balloon descended and basket touched the ground (upper part being still carried by the wind) we received quite a blow and nearly fell out of the basket which began to overturn… We’ve landed only after 2nd or 3rd hit when our pilot managed to deflate the balloon enough to make it fall under its own weight…
Hmmm… That’s all news for now… And now I’m going back to work.
And now few words about it in Japanese ^^
小さい休暇の中ので、私に短い暇がありました。今、休暇はほとんど終わりました。
月曜日には、きっと大変なことになります。本当の長い休暇が欲しいです・・・この四日で、休めるの可能性を見つけませんでした。
木曜日に、面白い経験をしました。友達と一緒にバルーンで飛びました。高いところが少しだけ怖くて、とても怖い飛行になると思いました。バルーン で300ｍまで上がりました。実際には、楽しかったです。バルーンから土を見て、高い場所の風を感じて、旅の提案を受け入れたのはうれしいです。
飛ぶことが好きになったかもしれません。
水泳が大好きだけど、飛行もいいと感じます。（高いことですけど）
まぁぁ・・・ニュースはここまでです。後で仕事があります。
A.O.A. (Annoying, obtrusive, abusive) service \\\ Or just...
Have you ever prayed and sworn to yourself while thinking about excessive things you were made to buy ‘with’ or ‘get free’ with something? (Of course, they fail to mention that the price of ‘bonus’ is included in total price)
I just had the same experience for the (n+m)’th time .. this time about a flash drive with ‘free software’ that I don’t care about, but which is always in fight with my OS and anti-virus software. And guess what? It’s very hard to switch off…
‘Why sellers are always putting ‘extra software’ in? Hello, I wanted only a flash drive. Why should I go through hell to switch off things I don’t need?’
Urghhh… Beat it… I was very angry… very-very-very angry… again… But now I’m fine. Those are calamities of our world.
Recently I’ve been watching a TV series about the same thing. The series are called ‘Hotel Babylon’ and feature life of a five-star hotel, it’s business and personal life.
And the best thing there is that they have a motto:
‘People must spend big money here. If they don’t want to, MAKE them spend big money here’.
A good example of service that works with A.O.A. It’s a funny show, but if you think about it, it gets sad.
The same things are surrounding us everywhere now.
We are simply MADE to spend money most of the times we go to buy something and even if we don’t, we might end up buying something.
‘Marketing is about satisfying demands of customers’.
Huh. I learned that in uni. As well as another postulate of marketing:
‘It’s always easier to create demands than search for ways of satisfying demands that arose by themselves’.
I just had the same experience for the (n+m)’th time .. this time about a flash drive with ‘free software’ that I don’t care about, but which is always in fight with my OS and anti-virus software. And guess what? It’s very hard to switch off…
‘Why sellers are always putting ‘extra software’ in? Hello, I wanted only a flash drive. Why should I go through hell to switch off things I don’t need?’
Urghhh… Beat it… I was very angry… very-very-very angry… again… But now I’m fine. Those are calamities of our world.
Recently I’ve been watching a TV series about the same thing. The series are called ‘Hotel Babylon’ and feature life of a five-star hotel, it’s business and personal life.
And the best thing there is that they have a motto:
‘People must spend big money here. If they don’t want to, MAKE them spend big money here’.
A good example of service that works with A.O.A. It’s a funny show, but if you think about it, it gets sad.
The same things are surrounding us everywhere now.
We are simply MADE to spend money most of the times we go to buy something and even if we don’t, we might end up buying something.
‘Marketing is about satisfying demands of customers’.
Huh. I learned that in uni. As well as another postulate of marketing:
‘It’s always easier to create demands than search for ways of satisfying demands that arose by themselves’.
on today's posts
today I'll be importing blog posts from smart.fm here since smart.fm closes soon and I don't wanna lose some of my posts there.
Friday, February 18
750 words v2.0
Ok, lemme tell you this straight: the experiment with 750words.com didn't go well.
The site itself is laggy, but I could have tolerated that.
In fact, the only thing that drove me off completely was the fact that the site is unable to save proper formatting of text. Imagine that you enter text:
Yyyy
Xxxxx
Zzz
... and save it on 750words.
You come back and you see
Yyyy Xxxxx Zzz
So, to save your paragraphs and other formatting, you have to save text somewhere else before you leave 750words. What's the point in the website itself then?
You can work in your usual text editor then without any need to get online, or if you are not near your pc, you can use Google docs.
The site itself is laggy, but I could have tolerated that.
In fact, the only thing that drove me off completely was the fact that the site is unable to save proper formatting of text. Imagine that you enter text:
Yyyy
Xxxxx
Zzz
... and save it on 750words.
You come back and you see
Yyyy Xxxxx Zzz
So, to save your paragraphs and other formatting, you have to save text somewhere else before you leave 750words. What's the point in the website itself then?
You can work in your usual text editor then without any need to get online, or if you are not near your pc, you can use Google docs.
Thursday, February 17
snow
Today's morning:
- me sits on a couch near window and drinks coffee;
- my cat sits at the window with air of utmost importance around her and catches every movement of yard-keeper that tries to shovel snow and ice.
Since it's mostly ice, he works slowly and painfully. My cat doesn't even flinch - just stares at him. Every time he turns around to face the window, he faces her dignified figure. In about ten minutes he starts to eye his work and her with anger. In two more minutes he just spits, takes his shovel and strolls off. And so she also strolls off to see to her plate.
Entertainment for both, eh?
- me sits on a couch near window and drinks coffee;
- my cat sits at the window with air of utmost importance around her and catches every movement of yard-keeper that tries to shovel snow and ice.
Since it's mostly ice, he works slowly and painfully. My cat doesn't even flinch - just stares at him. Every time he turns around to face the window, he faces her dignified figure. In about ten minutes he starts to eye his work and her with anger. In two more minutes he just spits, takes his shovel and strolls off. And so she also strolls off to see to her plate.
Entertainment for both, eh?
Wednesday, February 16
Tuesday, February 15
украинофилы
недавно на сайте 5го канала прочла такое новомодное украинское слово "МИСТКИНЯ".
секунд 10 размышляла, что оно такое... а потом до меня дошло!
ну вы поняли, да?
"мисткиня" - это "митець" женского пола. при этом непонятно, где вылезла буква "С".
вы как хотите, а мне противны эти поползновения в идиотизм... выдумывание "главное не таких, как в русском" слов...
оно даже в "милозвучну мову" не лезет никак. "СТК"... чисто украинское слово, ага...
в общем - жуть.
секунд 10 размышляла, что оно такое... а потом до меня дошло!
ну вы поняли, да?
"мисткиня" - это "митець" женского пола. при этом непонятно, где вылезла буква "С".
вы как хотите, а мне противны эти поползновения в идиотизм... выдумывание "главное не таких, как в русском" слов...
оно даже в "милозвучну мову" не лезет никак. "СТК"... чисто украинское слово, ага...
в общем - жуть.
Wednesday, February 9
Roxette 2011
I had listened to a part of live that Roxette run not so long ago in St. Petersburg.
I was surprised and suspicious when they announced they're back and hell yeah I was right to be suspicious.
They were a great band and I love their songs. Really. But what I heard on that recording is... shitty.
With all my love I have to say that.
The sound is awful. They can't sing their songs right - or rather - SHE can't sing. Some songs gave me strong idea Marie didn't want to do it, but something pressed her and now she's a bystander on a show opening her mouth only when there's an urge to.
Such a bummer yeah? But it was expected... after such a long time getting back together is almost impossible. Things will never be the same eh?
Though Per is making all he can to save the sinking boat and it shows. Good luck man.
Monday, January 31
about ART and Hermitage (long post)
Recently I've discovered this: http://gallerix.ru/album/Hermitage-museum-hi-resolution
Paintings from Hermitage in good resolution. Well of course something nagged me until I browsed through it.
Some memories of my art course came to mind, but what's important I remembered how we were "taught" to understand all types of art. As for me, it didn't succeed, because I still can't see some things as art. Even if they are known as art.
For example, take this::
Can you really say you'd pay money for it to hang on your wall? Can you say it's something valuable and precious? Can you see artist's heart and skill in it?
Usually people can't say what's painted here if they can't read the nameplate...
Or, something like this:
No matter how I look at it, I just don't see the skill or the big idea. My 5 y.o. niece could have done it. Is it art just because someone says it's art? Because it hangs on museum wall?
I got strictly criticized for thoughts like this by my art prof. "There're many kinds of art" he used to say. That is true.But I just can't see certain things as art. It may be art for someone else, but not for me.
On the other hand, THIS is art:
I wish I had the ability to draw like that. Colors, details... Just love it. ART in its purest form ^^
Another example:
A nice representation of Napoleon (made in 1797). I believe here he's looking better than used to in real life.
So you won't think I like the dark shading, here's something more lively:
I love coloring and scene here too.I admire the skill of the person who painted it. It is very pleasurable to look at it.
You might have formed an opinion that I admire only "traditional" painting. That is not so.
For example, I like some (not all, that I confess) pieces of Van Gogh and Renoir, as well as many others, not so "classic" painters.
But to illustrate Van Gogh and Renoir here's "Cottages" by Van Gogh and "Two sisters" by Renoir (luckily you can easily guess what's what):
It's not "traditional" painting style as you can see. But it's good-looking.
And this is Renoir.
I encourage you to browse that gallery of Hermitage. It's got a small, but decent collection of art pieces. Well, mostly art pieces ^^. Subjectively speaking :)
Paintings from Hermitage in good resolution. Well of course something nagged me until I browsed through it.
Some memories of my art course came to mind, but what's important I remembered how we were "taught" to understand all types of art. As for me, it didn't succeed, because I still can't see some things as art. Even if they are known as art.
For example, take this::
Usually people can't say what's painted here if they can't read the nameplate...
Or, something like this:
I got strictly criticized for thoughts like this by my art prof. "There're many kinds of art" he used to say. That is true.But I just can't see certain things as art. It may be art for someone else, but not for me.
On the other hand, THIS is art:
Another example:
So you won't think I like the dark shading, here's something more lively:
You might have formed an opinion that I admire only "traditional" painting. That is not so.
For example, I like some (not all, that I confess) pieces of Van Gogh and Renoir, as well as many others, not so "classic" painters.
But to illustrate Van Gogh and Renoir here's "Cottages" by Van Gogh and "Two sisters" by Renoir (luckily you can easily guess what's what):
I encourage you to browse that gallery of Hermitage. It's got a small, but decent collection of art pieces. Well, mostly art pieces ^^. Subjectively speaking :)
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