Ideas and execution

I seem to be one of those people who have a top of ideas, but get bored mid-task and never really finish it. Ideas have never been my problem. It's always been execution. But I do have the rare moments when something really inspires me and motivates me to actually power through and get to the finish line.
It's never really been about grades or social approval. It's more about being able to create a finished product that I am particularly proud of. Something that I can look at and be really content with. And to be honest, that is a lot harder to do that getting a good grade or having a stranger come up and say he likes your work. The self is always more demanding that the others. 
But when I have managed to conclude a project and reach the desired outcome... you can't compare it to anything else. It gives me a sense of pride- like I have finally achieved this. And did so out of nothing- just creativity and a teardrop of enthusiasm and motivation. It is truly an amazing feeling. And yes, that does happen rarely. Most of the time I fail miserably and admit it.
But does that mean that I shouldn't be allowed to fail in my own way. No. It doesn't. That is my main problem with most educational systems- the limitations put on a person's creativity. It really kills the flow.
If a professor tells you that your idea is all over the place and not good enough. He is more than hinting that he disapproves and you should change it. Like right now. Change it. But I like to stick to most of my projects. With most of them, I am quite passionate about the subject. I am not going for the grade, but for the opportunity to say something. Or better yet- show something to people. I am not attempting to teach or show that I have learnt. I am trying to convey feelings, emotions and ideas. That's it.

Home

One of my friends always believed that "Home is where your heart is". He believed it so firmly that he permanently inked it on his chest. But does that mean that you only get one home? Or do you have multiple homes? I guess it depends on the person. I think that if home is where your heart is, then I must have about a dozen. Of course, I love my home in London and the one in Bulgaria- that's where my loved ones are. But that does not really exhaust all my "homes". 



I think that every time you visit a new place, and you thoroughly enjoy it, you leave a piece of you heart there and you'll always imagine returning there. You can't help but think about what your life would be if you got the courage and moved there to pursue new adventures in a new environment. It's just one of those things that people like to fantasize about, but rarely have the balls to do. 
You go to Paris and you see the stylish Parisian ladies casually drinking their coffee, while enjoying a cigarette. And they make it seem like the most effortless thing in the world. And yet they look like they have come out of a vintage photograph taken by a person who gets paid by Vogue. One of those photo shoots that will be spread across the glossy pages of the magazine in order to make all normal women feel insufficient. 
You start to notice these little cultural things and then you are unable to stop. Everywhere you go, you attempt to spot them and it gives you a sort of perverse excitement every time you spot a descriptive habit. You end up imagining yourself being in their place. Doing what they do. Dressing the way they dress. Is it absurd to believe that a part of your heart is left there? That's what dreaming symbolizes after all- your heart's desires.

Saturday morning

Sometimes all a person needs is pancakes. Especially on your day off. Especially when they are shaped like hearts. For some reason this always makes me happy. Having your food look good is more than just a waste of time. It's an art form that is an integral part of your life, influencing you at least 3 times a day. 

November 2014 part 2

There is something very strange about living in a city like London. Especially if you've been born and brought up in a place very different from it. At first you go there and you attempt to explore every little corner of your new habitat. You want to see everything, meet everyone and let it all sink in. Then you take your impressions and create this romanticized perception of the city. You fall in love with the amazing views, the richness of the history and the plethora of opportunities that are there for you to just reach out and grab. And then there is a gentle transition to something else.
 You start going to school or work (or both). You make a bunch of friends and you find your favorite spots to hang out. Your days get filled up with arrangements and chores. You find the stores you like and the ones you hate. You find the fastest route to class. And all the magic starts to evaporate. You become familiar with your surroundings and they no longer impress you or even grab your attention. You get on the tube when you have to get somewhere because it's the fastest and most efficient way  to travel. If not, you take the bus- it might be longer, but it's also cheaper. On the rare occasions when you do walk, you take the fastest way and perhaps stop for coffee or to buy some groceries. You already have the loyalty card- you're there every day. You say "hello" to the salesman, who is more like your best friend these days. You do see him at least once every 48hrs after all. You conduct the small talk that is expected, you get the products you need for tonight's dish and get on your way. You get home, kiss your loved one, thank God for TiVo and do what you've been looking forward to all day- a big, fat nothing.
And the romance between you and the city is lost.  You used to walk and get inspired by everything. The tourist bus would take you to see all the things that are supposedly worth your time. But then you would satisfy the thirst for more by searching for the little places that would be particularly interesting to you. You would find them and they would be amazing. Everything was. Everyone was new, interesting and full of adventure. You would take cabs, because you wouldn't know where things were and when you were in a hurry it was kind of justified. Strangely enough, it is so much  easier to admire the beauty of the city through the window of a taxi. The colors are different when you see them through the dirty one of a bus. They are not as expressive and that same beauty seems faded. The history makes it seem old. The diversity is nothing more than smelly food on the tube next to you. The small streets become nothing more than death traps full of tourists. The boutique bakeries and afternoon tea become more than luxuries- they become redundant in the fast-paced life where necessity is the only justifiable reason behind most actions. Adventure and inspiration take a back seat, while needs, time and hunger to prove yourself are behind the wheel. Everything seizes to appear as though created by Superhumans. Now it's just the place where you live.


Feminism

Have you ever noticed how judgmental feminists are? Yeah, what you're doing is cool and yes, you do not have to conform to the social norms that have been put there by men. But does that mean that we all need to agree? Does it mean that we all need to make the same choices and have the same preferences as you? Nah. We don't. Isn't that what feminism is supposed to be about? Making the right choices for yourself? Otherwise, it's a bit hypocritical...
Believing that feminism is about fighting for your rights and heart's desires is a good way to go. But I think that what you want could be anything and nothing at all. You might want to have a career and never get married or maybe you want to have 10 kids and raise them yourself. That doesn't mean that you don't appreciate the importance of feminine power and so on. Women should not be defined by the word feminism, but by their wants and needs. 
The social synonym for a feminist is man-hater. That doesn't have to be that way. Not all feminists detest the opposite gender or sex for that matter. It's the decision to follow their path regardless of judgement that makes them strong. Believing that a lady can achieve anything she sets her mind to because that's what she wanted is what makes her a feminist. And if you ask me, the word feminist is redundant these days. In today's globalized society, the word describing females living with this attitude should just be "women".

November 2014

Recently I realized something very important. It's not freedom that people are aiming for. It's independence. It gives you a sense of accomplishment and pride. That is probably why they say that rich people are self-absorbed. Well, they made it- they got what they were going for and it's really not all that surprising (or shouldn't be) that they are like themselves right now. I do kinda get their attitude looking at it like that. Kinda though.
Anyways, nothing is as easy as it seems. But enough with the generalizations and lets get on with the more specific stuff. People always ask me why I like baking so much when most times I don't even eat the things I created. Well it's quite simple actually. Having all these ingredients in front of you and being able to mix them up into something that brings people pleasure and makes them happy...it's a satisfying feeling. Knowing that every single smile was brought on by your decisions to tweak the recipe in a specific way. Or create a new one. Or follow an old one. It doesn't really matter. 
And don't let this fool you. It's not just a selfless act to make people happy. It's actually a lot more complicated than that. It's the same feeling a painter gets when his new project is finished. Or an author when his book is being published. It's not just the acknowledgement of others. It's also the self-praise and the recognition that you did this and people appreciate it and enjoy it. You had all the control and you created something that came from your creativity, steady hand and patience (and mixer, oven and wallet...that's besides the point though). It's about an idea that turned out to be just as great once executed as it was in your head.
Any artist can tell you the feeling you get once you've finished a project. And even though baking and cooking should technically be reserved for women who have no bigger and more important dreams and aspirations, I am here to tell you that it is actually one of the things that makes me the happiest. It's a lot cheaper than therapy, but achieves more or less the same results. I've messed up a NUMEROUS amount of recipes, but now and then I will get it all right. I will have the results in from of me and the bonus- the satisfaction I get from seeing other people enjoying what I made. That sounded a bit pervy...

People are very different. Our past experiences, our culture, our upbringing, our language and many more things that we don’t even consider define us all. But the things that put us all in the same pile are even less noticeable. One of them is heartbreak. It’s something that most of us have experienced and it has shaped us into the individuals that we are today. It has molded our past and present relationships with friends, family and partners and turned them into a reflection of our inner flora and fauna.Once you’re heart has been shattered one time by a person who you trusted, it is important to find someone to put it back together. Some of us are lucky enough to find that someone, but others aren’t. And they are blamed for it. We judge them for their actions and the way they treat others, but it’s not always their fault. They don’t trust and doubt everyone and everything. I’m not trying to make excuses for them. I’m not saying they are not wrong. I am not saying that them breaking someone else will ever make up for their own hurt. But it’s the cycle of life. It’s the things they never tell anyone that have made them into the individuals that they are today.We all seek appreciation and love in one way or another. We are all looking for something to make us worthy of what we want. Otherwise we might just end up losing it. People might see though our masks and realize that we aren’t as good as we want to seem we are. We aren’t all that people expect us to be. Maybe inside we’re just lost. Lost in our thoughts, our problems and dilemmas. And no one ever find out unless they really care. Unless they dig deeper, because they want to know the real person beneath the socially acceptable mask.


On my reading list right now:

  • Jane Austen- Pride and Prejudice
  • Lena Dunham- Not that kind of girl
  • Sophie Kinsella- Shopaholic to the stars

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