To whom it may concern

   HERMAN HESSE:
“There is no escape. You can't be a vagabond and an artist and still be a solid citizen, a wholesome, upstanding man. You want to get drunk, so you have to accept the hangover. You say yes to the sunlight and pure fantasies, so you have to say yes to the filth and the nausea. Everything is within you, gold and mud, happiness and pain, the laughter of childhood and the apprehension of death. Say yes to everything, shirk nothing. Don't try to lie to yourself. You are not a solid citizen. ... You are not harmonious, or the master of yourself. You are a bird in the storm. Let it storm! Let it drive you! ..."

The ABC

I'm learning the ABC ... again.

The Alphabet 2 from n9ve on Vimeo.

One more vocab test

   I've been reading the EFL.ru feed for quite a number of years now.  There a lot of Russian guys there, who, instead of actually speaking the language or requesting second opinion or something post links like this . And guys like me actually follow these links and test themselves.
    What is interesting is the criteria for the results are based on something that reeks of digested high-caloried food. How would you then account for the fact that a week ago, around 9:00 p.m. my vocabulary was slightly over 17000 (according to this super site http://testyourvocab.com/ )
 

Your estimated vocabulary size: 7000

You've answered 50 of 50 questions.

29 Nine Ways to be Creative

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

I would add a couple of techniques here like:
1. Objects unrelated
2. You = Me
3. No limits.

The Murder

About ordinary things

My favourite site never fails to inform me of the things I use every day but have never known how or through whom they appeared in the world. Take this for instance. A three-course meal. How did that come into being and who was it 'advocated' by? The listverse has the answer. This was introduced by a slave. Yes, a slave , Ziryab (789-857 AD), a Persian polymath (вот вам и словцо интересное, означающее эрудит): a poet, musician, singer, cosmetologist, fashion designer, celebrity, trendsetter (красиво звучит - законодатель моды), strategist, astronomer, botanis, geographer and former slave. Most people have never heard of Ziryab, yet at least two of his innovations remain to this day:
1. he introduced the idea of a three course meal (soup, main course, pudding) and
2. he introduced the use of crystal for drinking glasses (previously metal was the primary material).
3. He introduced asparagus and other vegetables into society, and made significant changes and additions to the music world. He had numerous children, all of whom became musicians, and spread his legacy throughout Europe. He could perhaps be considered an ancient Bach.
The list of societal changes Ziryab made is immense –
1. he popularized short hair and shaving for men, and wore different clothes based on the seasons.
2. He created a pleasant tasting toothpaste which helped personal hygeine (and longevity) in the region, and
3. also invented an underarm deodorant. He also promoted bathing twice a day. 

Guess the activity

Image via Wikipedia

Let's see if you can guess the activity described in this article. (The key words have been taken out)

... is one of the most popular forms of ..., and it's easy to see why. The only equipment you really need is ... , and you can go for a ... just about anywhere. Plus, it's meditative, burns calories, builds your endurance and tones your body.
Many people find the activity addictive. You've probably heard of the so-called "... high".
... releases endorphins into the brain, and endorphins are responsible for mood changes. The harder you ... , the more endorphins released, and the giddier your "high." Some studies show that this endorphin rush allows people to continue ... even when injured.
And that brings us to the point of this article -- why people continue their ... even when they're sick. Most of us curl up in bed with some chicken soup and the remote control when we're under the weather. But ... do not. Are they helping or hurting themselves by ... with a cold? How do you know when it's OK to ... and when it's better to take off ... and climb in bed?
The best way to decide whether you should ... is to employ what doctors call the "neck check." Feel free to ... if your cold is "above the neck." Above-the-neck symptoms include:
Runny nose
Nasal congestion
Sneezing
Sore throat
Doctors advise against proceeding with ... if your symptoms are "below the neck," however. These symptoms include:
Chest congestion
Hacking cough
Nausea or upset stomach
High fever
Fatigue
Body and muscle aches

Some people think that ... in cold temperatures will actually make them sick. But this isn't really true. You can't freeze your lungs or windpipe. When the air is particularly cold, you may feel a burning in your chest as you inhale. If that's the case, try covering your mouth. That'll help heat up the air before you inhale. But if you have a simple head cold, it should be fine to ... , even if it's cold outside. The adrenaline ... provides can even help clear up a stuffy head.
(The article was taken from HowStuffWorks.com and edited a bit to make it hotter)

Fall-flat Jokes

Two fish were in a tank. One said to the other, "Do you know how to drive this thing?"

Did I ever tell you the story about the broken pencil? It had no point.

I was reading a book about adhesive the other day. I just couldn’t put it down.

Q: What’s the friendliest school?
A: Hi school.

Q: What’s black, white, black, white, and green?
A: Two skunks fighting over a pickle.

Q: What do you give a dog with a fever?
A: Mustard. (It’s good for hot dogs.)

Q: What do you call a bass vocalist who sings by himself?
A: So-low.

Q: Where do books eat dinner?
A: At the table of contents.

Q: Why were the suspenders arrested?
A: For holding up a pair of pants.

Q: What do you get if you cross a cow with a camel?
A: A lumpy milkshake.

Q; What did the angry inflatable teacher say to the irresponsible inflatable child in the inflatable school?
A: Not only have you let me down, you’ve let yourself down, and you’ve let the whole school down!

Q: Why was the broom late?
A: Because he overswept.

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Joke of the Day

A virile, young Italian man was relaxing at his favourite bar in Milan, when he managed to attract a spectacular young blonde.

Things progressed to the point where he invited her back to his apartment, and after some small talk, they retired to his bedroom for sex. After a pleasant interlude, he asked with a smile, "So... you finish?"

She paused for a second, frowned, and replied, "No."

Surprised, the young man reached for her and the love-making resumed. This time she thrashes about wildly and there are screams of passion. The love-making ends, and again, the young man smiles, and again he asks,

"Now, you finish?"

And again, after a short pause, she returns his smile, cuddles closer to him, and softly says, "No."

Stunned, but damned if this woman is going to outlast him, the young man reaches for the woman again.

Using the last of his strength, he barely manages it, but they climax simultaneously, screaming, bucking, clawing and ripping the bed sheets. The exhausted Italian falls onto his back, gasping. Barely able to turn his head, he l ooks into her eyes, smiles proudly, and asks again, "You finish?"

Barely able to speak, she whispers in his ear,

"No, I Swedish!"