Vencek

Hello with my widest smile to you! :) I´m just so so happy right now. It´s because of all the wonderful memories I have and the great feeling that came back to me after reminding myself about one unforgetable evening/night. Of course, I don´t remember everything, but I can recall the smell of my antiperspirant, the pain in my legs, that soft touch of powder on my sweaty body, ...no commercials, but I use Rimmel London Stay Matte powder, great one..., my nervous heart beating, the aroma of the hairspray the hair-dresser used on my curled hair, firm grip of my partner, taste of that disgusting (sorry, for using such an expression on food, but if you had a chance to try it, you´d think the same) polish chocolate and many other things, but above all I remember that great sentiment about all of us, my body and the music.



Sounds like a great occasion, doesn´t it? :D It´s all about this event, "Venček", that took a place in April, 5th. ...Yeah, yeah, I know, I have to explain what that "Venček" thing is. I´ll try my best... In Slovakia (don´t know how it is in other countries), students of high schools have this opportunity to attend courses of ballroom dancing and as we are (my class) students of gymnasium, it is a more like tradition to take it. So, we had 10 courses and then it all finished with this evening when we had something like ball, or however I can call it, we just performed what we have learnd to our paretns who paid all that, not really cheap, stuff (courses, clothing, tickets, gifts = for me it was nearly 200 €). That´s venček. If you´d like to see some more pictures or read more vistit my schoolmate´s blog.

We learned 10 dances! English and Viennese Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot, Blues, Jive, Cha Cha, Czech Polka, Twist and Country.

First we had a parade and exhibition of all dances. Then there was dance with parents and some dances performed by professionals. And after this, COMPETITION TIME! 30 pairs, only 6 of them could go ahead trouhg theese: English and Viennese Waltz, Polka, Jive and Cha Cha. Try to guess, who was in this "first 6"! :) So there was another round and after every dance number judge revealed the valuation. And according to it, my partner and me, we won the 3th place! ...I still can´t believe that!...

Most of the friends just rolle their eyes when I say I was surprised or that I really didn´t think it could happen, not after so much mistakes I made, but nevermind. It was definately thanks to my great partner. Just like my sister said: "He was leading and you were smiling" :) ...And isn´t it how it should be?...(note from my 24yo self -No. That is not how it should be.)

Then there was a competition just for boys. One long track, girls running from one boy to another, having a short dance with them and pinning a small decorative ring-shaped wreaths (in Slovak "venček") on their suit. And the guy who had most of them, and so danced with the highes number of girls won. Would you believe me, if I say that MY partner won it? ...No matter if you would, he really did!... After that, it was boy´s turn to pick Miss Sympa by giving us flowers and chocolates, but it wasn´t a dancing competition, because if it were, we all would know who´d win it :) My great great friend Zuzike, who, surprisingly, won the 6th palce in the pair contest. And now, the most important thing for me was about to be told. I´m not hiding that my biggest ambition was to win as a creator of the prittiest "wreath". And I did! That was the most beautiful moment of all. ...I´m so fucking proud of myself!...

What happend next, I didn´t really care about, the ambitions have been satisfied. The end of the "ball", disco, saying goodbye, way to home and bed. Enough. Falling asleep as the happiest person in the world.

So that´s it. It wans´t such a big deal, but I felt like absolute lady. And you can see it in the pictures, it was all very elegant and classy, and I don´t know, I think most of us just like to enjoy that kind of atmophere once in a long time. And also, thanks  to pictures, this seems to be my first OUTFIT and make-up, hair and nails post :) As you can see, I was wearing beautiful black and cherryred dress from Bonprix, hair curled and pinned on side, nails painted on red, earrings from Lindex, regular foundation routine + red blush + Lasting Finish by Kate lipstick in 09 "Rosseto" was a great choise for a long night. ...What elese should I say?...

Oh, yes! I must thank to my great partner Denis, who was the best leader and who I´d never thought I could get so far without. And for that wonderful bouquet of roses he gave to me. My height and my maladroid legs were a problem, but he faced all the troubles (those I mentioned and plus his own sore ankle) with courage and our venček was a manifique feast for eyes of all in the hall.

"And now, I teach you to dance, so you know what to do when you feel infinitely easy but also undeathably heavy."

Mother (Tanec medzi Črepinami)

Adam František Kollár Part I.

"Slovak Socrates"

Today, I´m more than proud to present you this great man in every word meaning as this day is the 295. anniversey of his birth. He is quite lucky to belong to those slovak historical characters, about who children are still learning in school and so he is still remembered. And I´d like you, to know about him even more than some good friend could tell you :)

   Two Slovaks from Terchová

Adam František Kollár was born this day, again, in 1718 in Terchová (small village in central Slovakia now, formerly Terhely, Turózs county in Kingdom of Hungary). There have been born two great personages of our history in Terchová: A.F. Kollár and Juraj Jánošík (my post) who was hanged on a rib exactly 3 years and a month before Kollár´s date of birth. Two completly different (maybe even opposite) men as an image of Slovak nation. And now you can finally compare them on my blog. But anyway, he was born to the family of lower nobleman Matej Kolárik and his wife Regína Koláriková (born Myslovská).

   "Slovak I am and Slovak I´ll be"

If you have a chance to see some wrintings of his name, most of the time there is not used the slovak equivalent of it. What you can find is, in Latin Adamo Francisco/ Franciscus or German Franz or Hungarian Ferenc, all as Slovak František. Slovak language wasn´t officialy codified nor accepted in that time. Again, what is nice, that he was very proudly admitting his Slovak origin and developed studying of Slavic history (Slovaks belong to the group of Slavic nations).

   Education

As he is generally called "Slovak Socrates" the education is very important thing to talk about. In 1723 he moved to Banská Bystrica. First, he attended slovak jesuit colleges in Banská Bysrica, Banská Štiavnica and Trnava. This was all in Upper Hungary, now country of Slovakia. Then, in 1740 he started to study in Vienne. Philosophy, laws, classical and oriental languages. But he was learning all his life, thanks to it, he spoke 27 languages.

   Career

In years 1742 - 1745 he worked as a professor of jesuit high school in Liptovský Svätý Mikuláš. His career went on and he became a scribe of Imperial - Royal Library in Vienna in 1748. Then, very clever Kollár was named a second custodian and then the first custodian of IR Library in 1758. In this positions Adam´s work couldn´t end. He, for example, in 1756 completed and published Turkish Grammar Institutiones Linguae Turcicae from Fr. Mesganien - Meninski, or, he made a systematic catalogue of teological prints of the library. In years 1761 - 1762 he also published a collection of unknown documents, annals and chronicles, what get him in line with other well known scolars in the world.

 In 1763 he developed his plans for establishing a Hungarian (Kingdom of Hungary) University of Sciences and also published "Hungaria et Attila, seu de oringinbus gentis Hungariae" (Hugary and Attila, or about the origin of hungarian nation) by Mikuláš Oláh (Hungarian (again not today´s Hungary but Kingdom of Hungary) arcibishop and humanist intellectual of 16. century). Still, he was lecturing and translted Urbar by Maria Theresa (register of vassals´ obligations towards lords) to slovak language, as I mentioned above, the language wasn´t official (the official language of Kingdom of Hungary was hungarian) but it was a laguage of Slovaks, living in upper Hungary (now Slovakia) and without the translation they couldn´t understant it, as hungarian/ german laguage was total lingo for them. In this period, he also finished "De ortu, progressu et incolatu nations Ruthenicae in Hungaria"  about history of Carpathian Ruthenians and their church life.

His star was rising. In 1772, after the death of prefect Gerard van Swieten, Kollár was appointed as a chief of IR Library and from it, it took him only 2 years to became a director of IR Library, member of Iperial - Royal Court Study Commission - board of education and culture, director of all gymnasiums in the realm and, fianlly, Councilor at the Court of, herself, Maria Theresa!

 

What a man, ha? :D And this still isn´t the end! Just wait for PART TWO!!

March favourites

Heey :D I´m back, you see? And today I´d like to share with you, as I promised, stuff that crossed my way throught the cold days of Mach. So, shut up micheska and let´s get started :)

ҩ As a film lover it´s a must to begin with a FAVOURITE FILM of March, which is finally rewatched

• Avatar (2009) I think I don´t have to explain why I love this movie, I watched it the last day of March, it was in TV, there was nothing better in so I told myself ´why not´ and I know I´ve done the right decision. All of those emotions I had form this movie that day in cinema in 2009 went back and I had a really hard time not to cry.

ҩ For FAVOURITE VIDEO I definitly choose this fan video, which I´m absolutely mad about. If you are a fan of Kingdom of Heaven, or at least you´ve seen the movie, I bet you will like the video. Or at least the song, which I personally love well, I´m not really sure If it´s because I love the video or becuse the song itslef or because I´m in love with Guy de Lusignan and the song totally shows his second side...

See for yourslef.

 

ҩ As the FAVORITE SOUNDTRACK of March I present you the one, having music all composed in the second half of 18th century by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

• Amadeus - Special Edition Soundtrack - Director´s Cut CD1+2 and why this? Well, because! And because I was listening to this album everytime I could. And, this is the best, it was my background music everytime I was having a nap. You should try this sometimes, to fall asleep and wake up while some nice music is playing. I admit, I´m listening to this soundtrack right now :)
  If you´d like to know more about soundtrack or the movie Amadeus (1984) , here you go You´ll hear from me about it, I swear

ҩ I have a question for you: Have you heard some classical music today? By a FAVOURITE TRACKS, from the same soundtrack I mentioned above, I´d like to feed your soul´s needs so I´m highlighting these three tracks:

• Zaide; Aria, Ruhe Sanft - this one´s my all time favourite from the whole soundtrack, so I´d like you to listen to it, too, so you have some nice music in the background while reading this :) And plus, this is the track, the CD2 beggins with, so this is the melody I´m falling asleep with :)

• Requirem Lacrimosa just few words: so wonderfuly dramatic, I bet you have alredy heard this melody, at least in the Simpsons (15x11) and when I die, I want this track being played on my funeral!
• Piano Concerto In D Minor, K. 466, 2nd Movement beautiful and calm, just reminding me of the spring we are still waiting for, the sun and warm wind and peaceful singing of little birds, and me walking down the sun-drenched main streen and people are kind and they are smiling and wearing costumes in pale colours ....ach, the new world is waiting for us and we must be the ones who do the fist step as a prove that we want it and deserve it, let´s be the new generation who starts the revolution

ҩ What I always say most of the times just to myself, but nevermind is: Honor the history but be open for the modern as well. So there are my FAVOURITE SONGS of  March, which are much younger than Mozart´s geart works:

• Lana Del Rey - Burning Desire I still don´t know, why the lyrics touched me so much well, maybe because I also do have burning desires for you, baby
• Zaz - Dans ma Rue I was on one competition in one of music schools in my town, where students were singinig in French and there was a girl who sang the song, I knew it before and of course loved it before, but in March it looked like a obsession :)
• Milan Lasica - Skôr než odídeš the slovak evergreen originally sung by František Krištof Veselý, it just gives you this feeling of classic black and white times, girls and women in dress and men in suits, nah, I´m really a fucking deep dreamer :D

ҩ FAOURITE EVENT is the drama competition in Wednesday 6th, which we won with the Bernard Shaw´s Pygmalion. It was a wonderful time we had, so much fun and not a nervous atmosphere, at all. And tomorrow, as we won, we continue and if we win, we step foraward to national round.

ҩ FAVOURITE PICTURES!!!!!

Oldslavic godness Lada (coffee and ink)

 

ҩ And last, but not least, FAVOURITE QUOTE is very well known for those, who have ever danced a tango :) This remins me of a post I have to do for you, guys. About our mine and my fiends´ not yours :P "ball" so I hope we´ll meet in the next article. Until then, stay inspired :)

"S l o w , s l o w , quickquick."

Oh, March!

What the hell is this?! I´m asking. Is this....look at me....is this how March behave like? NO! It´s not! Do you hear me? Bad March, bad bad March.

So I woke up yesterday morning, looked from window and what didn´t I see? Snow. Yes, whole land the man´s eye can see is coverd by snow in April. And what´s happening right now is snow falling. Snowflake after snowflake, or better say thousands snowflakes after thousands and another thousands that one can´t even see forward.

   It´s Easter time, but hey, this is more like Christmas than any other holiday here in Slovakia. And nearly whole Europe. Not even in Christmas we had such a weather. It´s beautiful, I must admit. But it´s risky beauty. There, where I live the nature doesn´t endanger us like it does in other parts of Slovakia. The month was full of dangerous car crashes and deluges and accidents. Yeah, it´s sad, you know, when watching this in TV news everyday, but do you know what touches my heart the most? Than it gets people together. When I see all of them filling the sacks by sand and place them all around the flows of the rivers, old, young, the whole village, doing whatever they can, trying to help, no matter if their houses or properties are in danger or not. And they are still quite positive. It´s so impressive mark of that people are not heartless, even in this times...we all know what this times are, I don´t thing I have to explain how I see it :)

   I´m not complaining, really, I just wanted to express my opinion about the weather. I don´t really care about it because of myself. I do have warm clothes, we do have operative heating system in whole building, water, electricity, there are no problems with transport, just, I´m not cut off from the civilisation. What makes me worry are the influances of the weather, especially on nature. Poor animals are waiting for the spring, they are hungry and tired of all this. And what about farmers. They are trying whole year to cultive something and now, ah, I hope it won´t ruin them...And all those people and animals living on the streets. Those, who have nowhere to hide from the frost.

   Another thing that has made me worry is my new role in play of my two friends as one of them is going to enjoy skiing in Italy. So I´m learning the script during my free time. Well, when I am  free from my other free time activities.The role is quite funny to me, because I find the half of it like if it was written right for me and the other half right contre me :D I just hope I will do it and pass another competition we have on 11. April.

   This is just something that I´m even more exited about than the theatre, and so, Game of Thrones season 3! :O Now I can imagine all of you – GOT fans so so happy and you – let´s say not fans like „heavens, another one of them“ and I´m sorry, I don´t want to make anyone, who´s not already, sick of it. It´s just unspeakable joy :)

   And the last think  wantetd to highlight in this report, is: I´m quite inspired by this "month favourites" stuff so I decided to give it a try. No need to worry, it certainly isn´t going to be about cosmetics and make up, but about thing I love endlessly – ART! + culture, history... So look forward to the next post. :)

"You have strange eyes, you Slavs. Full of fear..."

Odillo (Spring of life)