Vīrieši par sievietēm

Pirms kāda pusotra gada manā rīcībā nokļuva aizraujoša lasāmviela, kas bija (gandrīz) autobiogrāfisks stāsts par kādu puisi-vīrieti, kurš no vairāk-vai-mazāk jefiņa kļuva par vienu no sieviešu iekārojamākajiem objektiem, kurš zināja, kā jebkuru sievieti dabūt sevi. Angliski šo mākslu un specus sauc par "pick-up artist", latviski tiem nosaukums man nav zināms.

Ar lielu interesi izlasīju šo grāmatu tāpat kā citas neparastas grāmatas, kas ir balstītas uz patiesiem stāstiem. Atzīšos, ka līdz tam nezināju, ka ir tāda "suga" (ja tā var teikt) un ka tā ir gan māksla (viņu uztverē), gan arī labs naudas pelnīšanas bizness, mācot to citiem.

Pirms dažām nedēļām veiksmīgi dabūju arī realitātes šova ar tādu pašu nosaukumu sērijas, kur astoņi neveiksminieki (kā viņi tiek pasniegti), tostarp arī 45 gadus vecs un vēl nevainīgs vīrietis, tiek apmācīti trīs šādu "pick-up artists" pavadībā. Kā jau katrā šovā, katrā sērijā kāds tiek izbalsots, ir balvas un visi pārējie pribambasi.

Diemžēl vismaz pirmās divas sērijas nebija tik interesantas, kā es to biju cerējusi. Pārāk daudz šova elementu un atkārtošanās... Grāmatai ne klāt nestāv. Tomēr kā izklaides līdzeklis vakarā - droši! Ar vīna vai kādu citu glāzi un labu kompāniju, ar ko kopā pasmieties :)

Once

Memories. Good film.

Open-air cinema

You know what is one of the things I love the most about Amsterdam?

The huge amount of cultural events, possibilities and things to do. I can't get enough of it!

Especially I love those free open-air cinema evenings, when it is dark outside, loads of people sitting together, having fun and watching great films on a big screen. Random people pass by, stop and stay even without planning to do so.

Why didn't we have such things back home?

One of the first open-air films I saw two years ago in the festival "Pluk de Nacht" - when I was living in Amsterdam for the first time.

This summer I was sure I want to enjoy the festival again as last year I missed it. So two weeks ago we want to see a nice French film "Les Emotifs Anonymes". We arrived two hours before to make sure we had a good spot and had a great time with champagne bottle from home and pancakes bought on the spot.

Yesterday we went to another festival with another open-air film - this time it was World Cinema Amsterdam and Israeli/Mexican film "Salsa Tel Aviv". So amazing, laughing all the time! Even a bit of rain didn't spoil it.

Now just need to find another film - I am sure there are some more in the upcoming weeks, e.g., in Het Ketelhuis etc.

Die Welle

I am quite picky about good films, but yesterday I saw a film which is definitely worth mentioning - German film "Die Welle" ("The Wave") from 2008.

First - watch the film.

Second - read the background about the film.

Third - tell me where can I borrow the book! After seeing the film I want to read the book on which the film is based!

Goviral

Not a long time ago a friend of mine said she is now working for goviral network and asked me to join and post some of their videos on my blog. Apparently I can also get some money for that!

I am not sure how is it working, but posting the first video to see how it goes.

Here comes the library

Almost two weeks ago I finally subscribed for OBA (library).

More than half a year ago I won a year long free membership card (worth around 25-27 EUR) for the library (thanks to I amsterdam!), but turned out that only registered Amsterdammers are able to subscribe.

When I finally registered as living here, I immediately wanted to use the opportunity to subscribe. All I needed - the present voucher, my passport and the letter from the city council stating that I am registered here.

I have been to OBA quite a lot of times - studying Dutch, showing friends the nice view from the top and escaping from the rain. Now I will also be able to take books, films and CDs home! And it is really great, because one can take books for three weeks for free and films & CDs for a week for just one euro. Great service and big choice!

Last week we went to the library to take something and we opted for DVD "The Da Vinci Code" because Michael hasn't seen it yet (we watched it on Monday) and we couldn't agree on anything else. Next time - maybe some book? :)

It was amazing that both the registration system for renting the DVD was automatised (put your library card on point A and the DVD on point B) and also paying for it (1 EUR) was possible only in the machine. Great! As far as I remember, at least one gives back the items to a real person. :)

Lie To Me

For the last few days I have been watching TV series "Lie To Me", bringing back memories from my time in Brussels.

It started while I was living in Brussels - every now and then me and a couple of my housemates would get down to the basement, where we had "film screening nights". Together with chocolate and a bottle of wine or bacardi we would be watching various films and TV series. In the first month it was a lot of "How I Met Your Mother", still remember that! Haven't seen the last seasons, so I still do not know how did Ted meet his wife :(

At some point in the end of the year we started to watch "Lie To Me" and I really felt for the series. I am not a huge fan of TV series or even watching films as I often feel like wasting time, but this was both entertaining and useful, you could learn - or you thought you could - about people and psychology.

We never finished "Lie To Me" as we had only the first season and half of the second season available. Now I have found the second and third season as well, so watching them whenever I have time. :)

For those who do not know - "Lie To Me" tells a story about a company who is specialised in figuring out if people are lying or no, as it depends on their body language (what a surprise) and microexpressions on their faces. The good thing is that every time there is a different story (sometimes two in one), so it is not a problem watching one if you have missed the previous one - although the relationship between the main characters in the company develop throughout the film as well.

OF AMSTERDAM

Seems like a great film about Amsterdam, curious when I will have the chance to see it in full lenght. For now - enjoy the trailer!

Septiņas lietas par mani

Pateicoties Ilzei, arī es ieguvu uzdevumu aizpildīt ceļojošo anketu, ko tad nu ar godu arī cenšos darīt.

1. Kas ir pirmā lieta, ko tu iedomājies, kad piecelies no rīta?

Ui, jau tik agrs? Vēl varētu pagulēt. Negribu celties!!!
(pēc tam sastādīju kompāniju brokastīs un aizgāju atpakaļ gulēt uz vēl trīs stundiņām)

2. Pirmā lieta, ko tu pamani pretējā dzimumā?

Rokas un smaidu. Rokām jābūt vīrišķīgām un lielām. Smaidam - īstam un bieži.

3. Pirmā lieta, ko ņemtu līdzi uz neapdzīvotu salu?

Savu mīļoto vīrieti ar domu,. Viņš ir noderīgs :)

4. Kas ir pēdējais, ko tu apēdi?

Divas pēdējās Australian šokolādes konfektītes no (sava) slepenā pielūdzēja.

5. Pēdējais cilvēks, ar kuru tu runāji pa telefonu?

Ui... Neatceros. Jāapskatās telefonā. Izskatās, ka pēdējais zvans bijis piektdien no nepazīstama numura. Atcerējos - atbilde uz manu CV un motivācijas vēstuli, lai paziņotu, ka es, iespējams, esmu pārāk kvalificēta. Viņi gan teicās vēlreiz apdomāt un dot man šonedēļ atbildi. Gaidu.

6. Pēdējā filma, ko tu noskatījies?

Gribēju teikt, ka "Inception", bet tā bija viena no pēdējām, ne pati pēdējā. Varbūt "Into The Wild"? Neatceros. Pirms 1-2 nedēļām skatījāmies vairākas filmas, nu jau aizmirsies, kura bija pēdējā.

7. Pēdējā grāmata, ko tu lasīji?

Vakar iesāku, bet vēl nepabeidzu grāmatu "Black and (A)broad" angliski, ko nopirku no pašas autores - Nīderlandē dzīvojušas amerikānietes.
Pēdējā, ko iesāku un arī pabeidzu? Šķiet, ka Dena Brauna "Zudušais simbols" latviski, ko aizņēmos no vecmāmiņas, kad biju Rīgā.

Tradīcija prasa, ka stafete ir tālāk jānodod trīs cilvēkiem. Nodošu nākamajām pasaules lāpītājam un ceļotājām no AEGEE-Ogre - Agnijai, Anetei un Lindai. Veiksmi!

Secinu, ka man slikta atmiņa uz sīkumiem. Bet varbūt uz nebūtiskām lietām?