Miss Clueless

"I like good strong words that mean something." "Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty." "I want to do something splendid before I go into my castle, something heroic or wonderful that won't be forgotten after I'm dead. I don't know what, but I'm on the watch for it, and mean to astonish you all some day." "If we are all alive ten years hence, let's meet, and see how many of us have got our wishes, or how much nearer we are then than now." "Love is a great beautifier." "When we make little sacrifices we like to have them appreciated, at least." "You have grown abominably lazy, you like gossip, and waste time on frivolous things, you are contented to be petted and admired by silly ...

So I recently watched the 2017 Russian adaptation of Anna Karenina , an eight-part series by Mosfilm (one of the largest and oldest film studios in the Russian Federation and in Europe, according to Wikipedia). This one takes a unique narrative approach, presenting the story from Vronsky’s perspective.  Let me tell you—I was absolutely enthralled. From the acting to the costumes, the sets to the overall production quality, I liked almost everything about this adaptation, except for a few scenes and bits here and there. The performances felt authentic and moving, capturing the essence of the novel’s characters with remarkable fidelity. So satisfying was this adaptation that I’m not eager to seek out others. Somehow, I feel that no other version could match the artistry of this one. I’d like to explore more films and series by this studio, and I most certainly will. And I don't know why it's got such low ratings: 6.3/10 on IMDb and 17% on Rotten Tomatoes. It DESERVES much higher!...

It was a joy reading Upstream by Mary Oliver  and here are a few quotes and phrases from the book that I want to remember. "you must not, ever, give anyone else the responsibility for your life" "I quickly found for myself two such blessings- the natural world, and the world of writing: literature. These were the gates through which I vanished from a difficult place." "Reading, then writing, then desiring to write well, shaped in me that most joyful of circumstances- a passion for work." "..having chosen to claim my life, I have made for myself, out of work and love, a handsome life" "And that I did not give to anyone the responsibility for my life. It is mine. I made it. And can do what I want to with it. Live it. Give it back, someday, without bitterness, to the wild and weedy dunes." "Creative work needs solitude. It needs concentration, without interruptions. It needs the whole sky to fly in, and no eye watching until it comes ...

“Don’t you wonder sometimes, what might have happened if you tried?” “She always wanted to believe in things.” “All children have to be deceived if they are to grow up without trauma.” “You say you’re sure? Sure that you’re in love? How can you know it? You think love is so simple? ” “The problem, as I see it, is that you've been told and not told. You've been told, but none of you really understand, and I dare say, some people are quite happy to leave it that way.” “I saw a new world coming rapidly. More scientific, efficient, yes. More cures for the old sicknesses. Very good. But a harsh, cruel, world. And I saw a little girl, her eyes tightly closed, holding to her breast the old kind world, one that she knew in her heart could not remain, and she was holding it and pleading, never to let her go.” "I could make out in the mid-distance, near where the field began to fall away, Tommy's figure, raging, shouting, flinging his fists and kicking out. I caught a glimpse of...

 " If you will stay close to nature, to its simplicity, to the small things hardly noticeable, those things can unexpectedly become great and immeasurable. If you will love what seems to be insignificant and will in an unassuming manner, as a servant, seek to win the confidence of what seems poor, then everything will become easier, more harmonious, and somehow more conciliatory, not for your intellect - that will most likely remain behind, astonished - but for your innermost consciousness, your awakeness, and your inner knowing." "dear friend, embrace your solitude and love it." "Your innermost happening is worth all your love." "Do not expend too much courage or time to clarify your position to others." "We must embrace struggle. Every living thing conforms to it. Everything in nature grows and struggles in its own way, establishing its own identity, insisting on it at all cost, against all resistance." "To love is also good, fo...

" Piranesi " is set in a strange, dreamlike world called the House, an endless labyrinth of halls filled with statues. The protagonist, Piranesi, lives alone here, meticulously recording his observations in journals. He believes only one other person exists—the mysterious "Other," who meets him to discuss a search for "Great and Secret Knowledge." As the story unfolds, Piranesi begins to uncover the hidden truths about the House, his identity, and the unsettling reality behind his existence. The novel explores themes of memory, identity, isolation, and the nature of reality. It delves into how our surroundings shape who we are and challenges the idea of reality itself, while also examining humanity’s relentless pursuit of knowledge and the risks that come with it. Is It Worth Reading? Absolutely. " Piranesi " is a richly atmospheric, beautifully written novel that pulls readers into a unique, mysterious world. Though I found the first quarter o...

  Opening Line:  "Everyone now knows how to find the meaning of life within himself." I read Kurt Vonnegut’s The Sirens of Titan , and there’s one thing I need to talk about: the chrono-synclastic infundibulum .  In the novel, the chrono-synclastic infundibulum is described as a region of space where different truths coexist simultaneously, and all perspectives are equally valid. It's a sort of cosmic zone where time, space, and reality bend in such a way that contradictory ideas can exist together without conflict. Within this region, the linear, singular perspective of time and reality breaks down, allowing for multiple realities to overlap. The character, Winston Niles Rumfoord, becomes permanently stuck in a chrono-synclastic infundibulum while on a space journey. As a result, he is no longer a solid being in one place or time but exists as a wave that can materialize on Earth, Mars, and Titan whenever these planets align with his wave trajectory. This gives Rumfoord ...