So this is Christmas

So this is Christmas, probably the best part of a whole year, especially for hungry students. ;) But the time of preparation may be a bit stressful or even frustrating. There is always something more to clean up, something more to cook or bake, someone more to make a gift for and to visit, someone more to send a Christmas card to. Well, all those gestures require time and work but for me they are really precious and I believe that those are the things that remain in memory for a very long time. It is the 23th of December and I have already been to three Christmass Eve's parties - at the University, with comunity I partecipate and at Dylemat Cafe, mentioned already a couple of times. The last one was really special for me even though I wasn't able to stay there for a long time as I was going home the next day. 

It all started with an artistic part, as always. But this time it was all about Christmas. There were carols sung by everyone but also songs performed by the solists. All of them were beautifully amazing. As always I was completely impressed by the group of musicians who played so perfectly each piece. I was really happy to hear a song "Mary, did you know?" sung in Polish by a friend of mine, Ania. The first Polish version was made by Kuba Badach, a man of one of the warmest voices ever. You just have to check it:

I have also chosen a beautiful song, the one I wanted to sing since I was a little girl. I believe you all know the CD made by Kayah and Goran Bregovic. I have decided to sing "Nie ma, nie ma ciebie". 

Even though there was no snow (lyrics start with "Zima na ramiona moje spadła, niewinnością, białym śniegiem...)... I was really worried, because I've noticed too late that it's a preatty difficult one, maybe too difficult for me. What is more, we didn't manage to try my song during the first rehearsal... But well, in the end, I believe it went pretty well. Actually, it was the atmosphere that was the most important thing that evening, and not the perfect interpretation of the song. 

Wishing you all the most beautiful Christmas of all times spent with the people you love I would like to invite you to listen to a very beautiful but also very sad carol, sung by Margaret. It is about the Christmas 76 years ago, when there was the II World War. I think it's the one that really makes you think and appreciate whatever you have, understanding that the only things you need to be happy is peace and love of the people that are close to you.

Merry Christmas everyone! Let the Love fulfill your hearts and homes! :)

Time limits.

Oh my... It's been a month already since I have written my last post here. Shame on me. But the truth is I have been a very occupied person during that while. As the Christmas is coming I've been dedicated to the preparation of gifts for my family and friends and I have decided to make the most of them on my own with decoupage technique... but to it I will dedicate another post. Today I could not publicate my works, for obvious reasons. 

I must say that my life became lately a bit deprived of music. For a long time I haven't been singing in Dylemat caffe, I was not playing instruments a lot and so on. But last week I had an awesome opportunity to listen to the Music Academy's students singing mostly in italian during the course they were partecipating. I was there because I was asked to help those students with a pronunciation and meaning of italians lyrics which means for me great occasion to unite my two passions in one "work". 

Last Sunday I also went to the festival in the new concert hall "Jordanki" in Toruń, where a special edition of Luxfest, already described in my further posts, was organised. The event was gratuitous but you had to catch the tickets when they were distributed on the website. The point is that after an hour all of them were out. Fortunately I got them for me and my boyfriend and so we had an opportunity to listen non only to Luxtorpeda but also Pięć Dwa, Grubson and Lao Che. What made me really fascinated was the fact that for the first time I was able to hear live Luxtorpeda's "44 dni" dedicated to the children not born. I was really touched while listening intently to it's lyrics. And the same thing refers to the Lao Che's "Wojenka" already mentioned a month ago. 

I cannot say that my life is fulfilled with music currently, but as you see, as the time permits, I still find a few moments to enjoy what I love so much. 

If she came to us...

November is a very important month for the polish people. We start that period with the day of commemorating our loved ones that have already passed away. But it is not only a sad, nostalgic day but also the time of hope for the christians and what is more, opportunity of gathering together with your family or friends. And exactly ten days later there comes another important holiday, which is a National Indipendence Day celebrated in Poland on the 11th of November. This year we were celebrating already 98th anniversary of reclaiming our indipendence after 123 years of occupation. That is why I would like to share with you a few patriotic songs, not related to the First World War, but talking about the reality of people who have experienced the war or occupation in general.

The first song, "Jeśli nie wrócę", is related to the Warsaw Uprising. It is a part of a CD "Morowe Panny" which is a story of the capital told by the young women with their problems, thoughts and observations about the event. The artists like Halina Młynkowa, Anita Lipnicka, Paulina Przybysz, Katarzyna Groniec and the others are singing their authorial lyrics. Responsible for the whole project is Darek Malejonek with a band Maleo Reggae Rockers. I recommend all the CD, and also it's continuation "Panny Wyklęte" which is also a perfect, musically diversified album.

And the other song that is pretty fresh not only because it is new but also because it is pretty original is "Wojenka" by Lao Che. That piece comes from the album "Dzieciom", which is also good but that song is the one that has really enchanted me. It is a real manifest against the war, with the appeals to the Second World War and to the popular polish TV series - "Czterej pancerni i pies". 

Vintage Edition, unlimited pleasure.

Today I'd like to dedicate a while to a friend of mine, who is a great artist. I was planning that for a very long time, maybe waiting for a proper moment. His song "Here and now" is the one I'm sinking in. Somehow it just makes you feel well. Maybe it's because it's author has the same influence on people. He's simply putting everyone he meets in a good mood, he makes you feel calm and happy, somehow. What is more, some sounds of this song brings on my mind Robbie Williams' "Angels", which is so beautiful too!

As I said, Grzegorz who is an author of Vintage Edition project, is not only a very gifted musician who is creating all his songs, including lyrics, on his own, but he's also very charismatic person. All the clips of his songs are just a perfect addition to his pieces. Created usually in the autumnal atmosphere, showing the beauty of the cities and of the nature they correspond very well to the nostalgic songs. I really like walking in park or in the old towns with the headphones on my ears sinking in the extremely beautiful composition of sounds of "Lies" for example.

Anyway, not all of his songs are so nostalgic and poetic. Listening to his songs you can see that creating music is for Grzegorz also a great fun. In general he's an enthusiastic person and his songs like "I'm from Poland" definetely show his character. It also shows his love for the place he lives in. If you're from Poznań you'll deffinetely enjoy watching in the clip places you know for sure.

There are a few more songs completely created by Vintage Edition you can find on YouTube and I must say, although each of them is totally different, they are all amazingly inspiring and catchy. I recommend you to listen to them, warning at the same time that you can assuredly fall in love! 

Lovesong's top 10.

How come am I writing a music blog without having ever created any toplist here?! Well, time to change this fact finaly. I would like to share with you the toplist of the most interresting or significant songs for me. There are ten songs because it's a tipical toplist's number, I guess, but it's order is quite casual. So let it begin! I nominate to my lovesong's toplist: 

1. Elton John with "Can you feel the love tonight?" - because everyone loves this song and knowns it since like forever.  Although I must say, I prefer the polish version of this song, it's just closer to me and it reminds me not only my childhood, but also the time spent in Bari on Erasmus.

2. Jem with "Falling for you" - because it's really beautiful but also sad and nostalgic. I also appreciate it for it's music's simpleness and for the complexity of the problems it concerns. 

3. Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown with "Fix me up" - because it's beautiful when very young people love each other with such a mature love. And because it's really autobiografic - the author of the song knew that he was going to die soon, that she coudn't fix him up.

4. Poluzjanci with "Prosta piosenka" - for the magic and simpleness of it's text and tone, for Kuba Badach's warm voice and for the vast scale of his vocal capacity.

5. Chantal Kreviazuk with "Feels like home" - because since I have seen "The Notebook" I've been dreaming of finding the one I could sing these words to. 

6. Hey with "Mimo wszystko" - mostly because of the clip. In only 5 minutes it shows the reality, even the cruel reality of love, It makes the one who is listening to the song think, that you don't love somebody because of something but in spite of something. In spite of everything.

7. Voo Voo with "Gdybym"  -  because this song contrasts the reality of nowadays, showing that the real love is one in your life. Because I love...no, I ADORE mature men singing about the fact of being happy in their marriages. About the fact of falling in love with their wives again and again, everyday. Because these are the examples that young people really need nowadays. 

8. Luxtorpeda - "Tajne znaki" - for the same reasons I ascribed to the previous song.

9. Pidżama Porno - "Dzień dobry, kocham cię" - because like two days ago it helped me understand again how wise my father was. I'm still impressed of the way he explained it's chorus to me when we were listening to it driving a car. He told me that the man who sings the song is so in love, that he thinks of the woman he loves right from the start of the day. That the bread without anything becomes tasty when you think of the one you love. That when you're that poor that you have nothing to cover a slice of bread with, there is love that makes you rich. 

10. Joe Cocker - "You are so beautiful" - because every woman needs to realize that she is beautiful and worthy but also she needs to find the one who makes her feel the most beautiful in the world. And because I already did. 

How to survive a foul weather time...

The autumnal period might be very tough. For me it's already an everyday fight to get up from my warm and cosy bed. Even if my classes start after eleven it is almost mission impossible to get at the university on time. On the other hand there are a lot of things you can do during that rainy period. Well, most of them you can do also in the summer, but what for?

Let's start with the part I love the most, which is the autumnal and winter cuisine. Well, you must agree that there is no better way to warm up than cooking - or I'd rather say - baking. At first, the oven is getting warmer and warmer when you're preparing a cake. Then you put it into the oven and every 5 minuts you watch it growing up feeling that it also warms your heart up. And the best part is when the cake is ready, you take it off, you cut a proper piece and you eat it warming up your belly. Oh, I love that feeling! It's also necessary to remember about the spices. For me the smell and the taste of these days is the one of cinnamon. I could add it to anything I eat, I think: to a cake, of course, to coffee or tea, to an oatmeal and so on... 

And last but not least of the culinary hits for rainy or snowy days - hot chocolate. You must agree that the colder it is outside, the better it tastes. 

Last year I have also found a passion, that makes me accept the fact that the temperature is in the continous decline which is ice skating. Yesterday I went to the ice rink for the first time after a long, long break and I didn't break anything at all! :) I really like this sport and I recommend it to everyone, especially if you often get cold. Yesterday morning I was feeling pretty bad, I was sure I would be ill the next day. But after the ice skating I was feeling very well and so am I today. I believe that the sport in quite low temperature helps you build your selfresistance. 

I won't write about music today, although it's one of the best ways to sweeten you the long evenings spent at home, because it's just obvious. So the last thing I would recommend you, if you have some free time, is to find you a good book, a nice TV series or an animated movie and to get under the blanket with a cup of tea/coffee/hot chocolate and just enjoy the autumn or the winter. The one I associate with this period is the Life with Louie. I invite you to watch the first episode and I'm sure you're gonna love it. That's the cartoon I've watched since my childhood but I still think it's just awesome. I've tried to watch it in English today, but the Polish dubbing is incomparably better.

I will drive 500 miles!

It's really nice to come back here after such a long break with a pretty good news. But before going to the point, few words of an introduction. 

About three and a half mounths ago I started my holiday. But it wasn't a very relaxing time and I didn't spend it lasily at all. Right after the beginning of the holiday I called few driving schools to find the one where I could start my course as soon as possible. I still had to wait more than a week but finally I started to learn the theory. And again about a week after the first part I started my practice lessons. 

I was really hoping to pass all the exams before the new academic year but it wasn't that obvious with the two weeks pilgrimage at the beginning of August I was going to participate , with my brother's wedding on the 4th of September, with the resit of the History of Italian Cinema, with the weekends spent with my boyfriend. But there's nothing impossible to the one who believes.  2 weeks ago I passed the theory exam, unfortunatelly failing on the practice one. I moved back to Poznań to continue my studies, but on Friday I went to Gdańsk to retry the exam. I was a bit affraid and uncertain because there was no opportunity for me to take some extra lessons in the driving school. Fortunately, with my boyfriends and my friends support I made it out. So now, in 2 weeks from now I'll probably get my driving licence and I'll be able to make my little dream come true. I'll be able to drive a car listening and singing with Ted and Marshall:

So if you're a driver too, I recommend you to listen to The Proclaimerses hit and to 'invite' them to accompany your trips! Just the way I'm going to! :)

Enjoy your Sunday!