high school - 1st issue - december
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
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Christmas
- music - movies - Christmas gift
Technology - iPhone 5 - applications
Where to eat
- Karmello
- my’o’my
Fashion
- winter style
Reviews
- Coldplay concert - John William’s
concert
What the hell is
- Gangnam Style - Belgian Fries
High
School
Book review
- With or Without you
2
Table of contents
3 Christmas: songs
4 Christmas: movies
6 Christmas: winter activities
7 Christmas: decorations
8 Winter Fashion
12 a Gift idea – Polaroid 300
14 Where to Eat: my’o’my
14 Where to Eat: Karmello
15 review: Coldplay concert
17 review: John William’s
concert
20 Gangnam Style
21 Belgian Fries
22 iPhone 5
22 2 iPhone Applications
24 Book review
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Ho-ho-holidays are
coming…
Judge me all you want. Call me out, tell me I’m
stupid and don’t understand the real meaning of
this holiday but you won’t change a thing.
Because even though this time of the year is
about family, friends and forgiveness, for me it
just doesn’t exist without the commercial side.
Xmas, ladies and gentlemen.
Now, when it’s settled that I’m such an America
mass-media monster, we can make my must-
have xmas list (in no particular order because
every single thing is equally important).
Songs
Who are we kidding? Christmas does not exist
without all these songs they make us listen to
on the radio. But I’m not complaining. In fact,
there is basically nothing I’m waiting for more
right now then to be able to press play on my
iPod Glee Christmas playlist without feeling
guilty that I’m rushing things. So let’s see what
we have on the first place.
“Last Christmas” by Wham! is just a legit classic.
Every year when I hear it for the first time it
feels like my heart is swelling with a sudden
affection. Just a simple, almost lame, song, one
would say. What’s so special about a guy (who,
in fact, was gay, but if you know me, you know it
just makes things way more exciting) whose
heart got broken during his winter trip and now
he meets this lost lover again? Technically,
nothing. But it’s become an anthem so we do
not argue and enjoy till our ears bleed.
Another song you’ll have pleasure to hear is
obviously “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
performed by Mariah Carey. It’s not even classy
since it’s dripping with pop-ness but we forgive
it because she’s beautiful and can hit these
horrifying notes I don’t even dare dreaming
about.
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And then, there’s “Baby It’s Cold Outside”. It’s
not the original that won my heart, because, to
be honest, I find it kind of lame and boring, too
slow and just not right (with all the respect to
the artist). It’s the Glee’s version that makes my
heart melt and goofy grin grow on my face
every time because of two different voices that
fit oh so beautifully and perfectly together (and
the scene, oh the scene, but, really, you don’t
have to watch it to love the song itself). The
lyrics is basically about one lover asking the
other to stay with them where’s cozy and warm
instead of leaving because there are better
things they could be doing then walking in the
cold weather (like, talking for example. Of
course I meant that. What did you think about?
Wanky!). So brace yourself because I’m planning
to attack the school’s radio and sing my babies’
song till you’re throwing up with rainbows.
Okay, I see how long it took me and it’s only the
beginning so just don’t forget about “Let It
Snow!”, “Rocking Around Christmas Tree” and
“Jingle Bell’s Rock”.
Movies
Without unnecessary introductions: “Home
Alone” and “Home Alone 2”. But only the first
two parts, the rest is just the most crappy way
of earning money I’ve ever seen. No Christmas
without Kevin, you can all go home. You may
laugh at “They took my Kevin, I took their lives”
but this is not a joke. I really am capable of
committing serious crimes if you make me be
late or (fear to think!) prevent me from
watching. It’s not even the fact that it’s funny (I
mean, how many times can you laugh at two
dump men getting their ass kicked by a kid?) but
the magic that it brings. It just feels like
Christmas. And Macaulay Culkin is just so sweet
with his big blue eyes, mischievous smirk and
messy blond hair (oh sorry, he was, now he
looks like a drug addict).
I know writing about a move you haven’t seen
(yet!) doesn’t really make much sense but I just
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had to. Because “Love, Actually” deserves a
place in here even if shame on me for not
watching it, but I’m really planning to do it and
with all the gifs I’ve seen I can safely say I get
the plot. And Alan Rickman starred in this so I
don’t have more questions. Sweet, wanky
comedy with a Christmas background. What’s
not to love?
Now, it’s time to meet a great villain that
changes thanks to the Christmas magic which
literally can do anything (like turn you back from
a snowman into a human or make you forgive
your boyfriend for cheating, just saying).
Whenever you’re watching the animated
version or the one with brilliant Jim Carrey,
Grinch stays the same and wins every heart
thanks to his grumpy self. Personally, I’m very
fond of the animated one and I absolutely adore
“You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch” (that also
figures on my A Very Glee Christmas Playlist, but
it’s beside the point).
Obviously the list could go with no end because
of all these Christmas-related hits (that most of
the time are not so good, but who’s
complaining?) but I’d just like to add “Charlie
and The Chocolate Factory” that I just can’t get
tired of. Maybe it’s because of all these candies
or catchy songs or creepy Umpaloompas or
simply Johnny Deep, I don’t know but I’m
certain I’ll find myself sitting on my couch with a
cup of tea (by the way, did you know that
adding lemons to tea causes the Alzheimer's
disease?) also this year, no doubt about that.
(And don’t forget about Christmas episodes of
your favorite tv shows. Never forget about
them. They are as important as Kevin. It’s
unlikely that they’ll finish with a cliffhanger so
they won’t ruin people’s Christmas. At least I
hope they’re not such a heartless dumbasses
but with tv show writers you never know)
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Winter activities
I don’t believe that you don’t have at least one
funny slash horrifying story about sledding.
Mine, for example, is about hitting the bench.
Or my mum pushing me (not on purpose, of
course) and my legs tangling so my face was in
contact with the ground and snow half the ride
(and may I add, that hill is high as hell, just
saying). See? Fun, fun, fun. So grab this product
of Satan and run up the hill because it’s all fun
and games.
Since we never know whether it’s going to snow
or not, we all should enjoy this white cold trash
that wets our clothes while it lasts. And there’s
nothing better than a good snow fight.
It all starts with a soft laughter and harmless
threats, just like Monopoly. But we all know
how this family game ends (or rather that it
never does) so it’s not hard to predict the result
of this activity. Who cares if you’re wearing
gloves or not, have new pants or high heels that
make escaping through the thick snow rather
impossible. It’s a war and the rules are simple.
Get out of this cold and wet or not at all.
Another thing you cannot avoid that is literally a
legit activity is Christmas shopping. It’s stressful
as hell, real torture and most of the time you
leave it till the last minute so you run around
the mall, entering the same store for the fourth
time, hoping maybe this time a perfect present
will pop out of nowhere and sweep you off your
feet with its awesomeness and nice prize. Don’t
be naïve, it never happens.
And now something nice and calm. Ice-skating.
You have to go. Just once. No one cares that you
can’t and the vision of your ass hitting ice hard is
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not appealing at all. And c’mon, is there
something more cliché then ice-skating in the
evenings, with “Last Christmas” blasting from
the speakers and the love of your life holding
tightly your hand? (if you’re socially awkward
and 5ever alone, just like me, we can skip the
last part. But one can dream, right?).
Tacky decorations and all
this Christmas-related crap
I’m not going to lie, every year I throw myself at
the decorations in Carrefour just to hug them
for a moment because it feels like seeing an old
friend. Bright red and baubles in every
imaginable style everywhere, Christmas lights,
fake snow with snowflakes and “Angel’s Hair”.
And other stuff. And by “stuff”, I really mean
that. Mugs, tablecloths, candles, bedclothes,
pens, watches etc. And clothes. Oh Christmas
clothes. You know this kind of tacky Christmas
sweater with matching fuzzy socks with
reindeers and snowflakes?
My absolute top must-have. Add to the set a
see-through Starbucks’ cup with a snowman and
I’m all over the moon. Fine, you’re right that I
would live without all these useless things and
all I do is giving big companies more money. So
what? Life is short, I want to enjoy it even if it
means being happy for stupid reasons like
decorating my room with expensive and
ridiculous decorations I’m going to put to the
boxes in a couple of months anyway. I regret
nothing.
And one more this.
Coke’s commercial.
I cannot even express in words how mad and
scandalized I was with it last year when found
out they had changed it. Are you kidding me?
Where’s my “Holiday Is Coming”(that also I
should have mentioned in the “Songs” category
but decided the whole thing deserves
discussing)? The first time they air it is like
Christmas’ official opening sign. Where’s my
adored lorry? Where’s my favorite commercial
ever? Did you really think I would buy this shitty
snow-ball one? Well, hell to the no.
So have yourself a merry little Christmas as the
beautiful songs says, don’t be a Grinch but enjoy
the most wonderful time of the year!
Merry Christmas,
PS
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AUTUMN/WINTER season 2012
Fashion people have it harder. Always have,
always will. We get up at the crack of dawn, just to
make sure our outfit is undeniably perfect, we look
through fashion blogs every day, even though we
have a long list of extracurricular activities and
homework, we don’t whine when our legs hurt
from walking around too much in shopping centers
and we certainly don’t regret any penny we spent
on the newest collection in stores. Our devotion has
no boundaries. But winter... Winter is the one and
only exception to the rule. Every November through
February morning, we wake up feeling nothing but
the coziness of our warm bed and the baleful air
waiting for us right the moment we step out of it.
Automatically, we don’t care about the perfect
outfit, hanging beautifully on the wall, which we
spent half an hour of the previous night to choose.
Strangely, just looking at this flawless dress and a
thin sweater, makes us unbelievably cold from
inside out. We cast a last glance at it, shaking our
heads ‘no’, because all we can manage, is to grab
the warmest hoodie and the first pair of jeans that
horridly do not even match, but altogether, almost
seem to give us the effect of the tucking downy
duvet. Then, all the way at school, when after the
first period you start to come around and go to the
bathroom, you look at yourself in the mirror and
with every inch of your heart you regret the choice
of your outfit (or the unacceptable lack of it). This
this not the way it should be. And you, more than
anyone, should know that.
First of all, we need to accept that winter equals a
totally new tactic of dressing. Unlike the
summertime, when we minded so much about
having multiple dresses, skirts, shorts or god knows
what, now, all we need to focus on, is finding just a
couple of amazing pieces we will wear over and
over throughout the whole season. Which basically
means finding a few perfect sweaters, a few pairs of
perfect jeans and some really comfortable shoes.
by TOPSHOP.
9
Sweaters. The best way to wear them in this particular season is to have a shirt with a characteristic collar
underneath it. Which basically means going back to the ancient times of our parents’ youth. The collar of the
shirt should be studded (the already studded versions of the shirts in stores are way more expensive than the
unstudded models, so I suggest buying your own
studs and ‘doing it yourself’), but both ways are
equally acceptable. The whole thing is beyond
amazing, because it’s both really fashionable and
warm. Which is the exact goal we’re aiming at.
Another advantage is that if you get bored, you can
always throw on a huge necklace, or simply change
the colors of the sweaters and shirts. Also, when
you get overheated, you can simply take off the
sweater and still look nice. Summer was the time to
change the clothing style every day. Now it’s time to
experiment with matching bags, hats or accessories.
As for sweaters, I’d suggest slightly (or not-so-
slightly) oversized ones, because the slim tight ones
are already a bit out of season. Remember to
choose the best ones you can find (the color, style,
material), because it alone is substituting for your
most precious summer skirts or dresses. Have in
mind, that this season is undeniably ruled by plain
sweaters (multiple color fiber is ok), which means
no animals or hearts in the middle, no matter how
cute you think they are. For the shirts, the most
important parts are the collars. Jeans or white is
largely popular, but your creativity here is totally
welcome and highly advised.
Very often, there’s a problem with the sleeves and
what to do with them. There are two stylish
solutions to it – you either roll them up (actually
with sweaters rolling up could not be such a great
option, so what I mean is just to push them up,
without rolling it up) or you leave it normally, but
you expose the shirt sleeves. The second option is
definitely more fashionable and elegant, but the
first one is more comfortable and modern. Choose
either one.
Remember: try to contrast the color of the shirt and the sweater – for example, for a white sweater you should
choose jeans or black shirt, whereas for a black/grey/dark-colored sweater – a white or cream shirt. Sometimes
a white shirt and a cream sweater works too, but you still need to be careful with it – do avoid the similarity of
colors. Dark shirt + a dark sweater is a definite no.
by TOPSHOP
The next important things are jeans. I’d totally suggest Jeggins (super tight ones), simply because they make
your legs look longer and thinner (especially with sweaters). If you wear baggy pants, your figure is going to
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seem heavy and shapeless). As for the color, I’d choose dark ones because, a) obviously, they make your legs
look thinner b) they would emphasize the look of you sweater.
By TOPSHOP
The last (but not least) important thing are the
shoes. For autumn, they can, fortunately, still be
high-heeled. I’d suggest black anklet wedges. They
are super comfy, go great with your dark jeans and
make your legs look longer. But if you already have
long legs and don’t feel the need to emphasize the
fact, you can of course experiment with shoes in
colors different from your jeans (claret, brown). But
have the heels and the whole shoes in the same
color please! Suede is so ridiculously in, so I’d also
stick to that.
The other option for shoes are boots. Apparently
some people dislike wearing heels (can you even
believe that?), claiming that they are too high, too
uncomfortable, too dangerous … I totally refuse to
agree with that, but I can admit that I have seen
some very nice boots in stores that Iook really,
really good. So good, that surely even people who
love heels, would gladly add at least a pair to their
collection.
11
The boots I’m talking about, have a 1-3 cm-thick
heel, are over ankle and are usually black,
sometimes decorated with studs or buckle details.
They are really comfortable. With a leather-sleeved
parka (wait until the next article about all kinds of
outwears!) they make a perfect London look.
Animals go to sleep in winter. Lucky them. But just because we cannot do that doesn’t mean that we
are not allowed to feel a bit lazier and ‘leave me alone’ – er than we usually do. So, instead of
worrying about having different styles every day, how about just sticking to that one set pattern, but
just changing the pieces (shirts, sweaters, jeans and shoes). That way will spare you a lot of trouble
and you’ll still look as perfect as ever.
HS
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300
- Idea for a Christmas present
A friend, companion, art tool and simply the best
gift in the history of all gifts. But honestly - isn’t it
the essential of any modern art lover’s desire? For
some people, the idea of the camera may seem
intimidating, because they know that the society of
people who own it is entirely closed to the involved,
meaning the artistic souls that derive the pleasure
from anything artistically beautiful. In a way, it’s
a sophisticated form of art, because of the
uniqueness of the pictures that cannot be
manufactured. We don’t snap half as many pictures
as on normal cameras, which makes all of the
photographs highly thought-out (well mostly),
reminding us of all the good memories we
captured. Each picture has a story leading to or
following it and it makes you think of people
involved in the particular period of your life. The
magic of this particular camera is downright
irresistible.
You would not get it unless you experience it.
First of all, don’t panic when the picture comes out
blank. A minute is all it needs to become visible,
and once it does, the happiness is indescribable.
Every time, the waiting feels like forever, but its
priceless, how the anticipation turns ANYONE into a
little kid, squirreling and cheering for it to ‘go
faster’. It could be really hilarious sometimes.
About the camera itself, it runs on 4 A batteries,
which God knows when are going to run out, so I
suggest always having an extra set along with the
camera. Its refill is sold in a set of 10 pieces (the film
is definitely smaller and more oblong than the
traditional polaroid films) locked in a small plastic
box (usually around 40 zl a pack, but if you can find
those with a close expiration date - they do have an
expiration date, the current regular version is dated
till 2014 - you may purchase them in a lot cheaper
price – I found a place on allegro where you can buy
it with just 25 zl), which you just put in without
unpacking (!). Unlike the real polaroid, it’s really
easy to use, runs on just 4 settings, that differ
themselves with the lighting effect it provides. I
personally think, that the only worth using one is
‘indoor-dark’ (any other makes the pictures really
dark, so use them only when it’s intentional),
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because it gives pictures a vintage effect, with
unnaturally light central points. One important
remark: the room cannot be fully dark (even a place
outside at night, with no or very minor street
lights), because the effect turns out just no good.
Literally, everything here depends on the light you
give, so don’t be surprised, when each and every
picture comes out differently. Be careful with that.
You also might want to know, that the picture you
see though the eye, captures way less than it turns
out on the photograph – once, when I took a
picture with the Palace of Culture and Science, my
friends were sure that it won’t catch the whole
building, but it turned out to not only catch it all,
but also leave a fine space above. Also, not that I
was dumb enough to try, but DO NOT TAKE
PICTURES IN THE MIRROR. Just saying.
If you may wonder, it did survive a fall on the
ground. Just the batteries fell out, but once you
push them back in, the camera works perfectly fine.
Last but not least – don’t take pictures when you’re
alone. Doesn’t matter if the other people aren’t on
the photographs, or even if none of you are on
them. Just have in mind, that the more people you
love are involved in the moment of taking the
picture, the more properly the Polaroid is able to
work its magic.
HS
FujiFilm Instax Mini 7s
Polaroid 300
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1. my’o’my
Szpitalna Street 8 (Wojciecha
Górskiego), Śródmieście, Warsaw.
Food: Tortillas, salads, bagel burgers, toasts + breakfasts till 13:00 Price: 11 zł – 16 zł Everyone is talking about it for a reason.
Outstanding food, helpful staff and the
general magic of the place makes it hard
to resist.
Food: the bagel burger ‘lux’ was so worth the
try (served hot: burger beef meat, cheese,
arugula, tomato, cucumber). The magic lays in
the beef and sauce – I can tell it’s one of the
best burgers I’ve ever eaten.
The place alone is very cute and beautifully
designed; pretty small (garden, first floor and
the second floor), but not crowded, which
makes it a quiet place where you can just relax
or lazily spend a Friday afternoon with friends.
would I come here again: YES (for everything, I
feel a strong urge to try out the whole menu
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2. karmello
Chmielna Street 11, Śródmieście,
Warsaw. Food: Pralines (gift boxes), chocolate bars, fresh croissants, hot and iced chocolates (flavored), coffee’s Price: drinking chocolate, coffee (hot and iced) – 6zł – 10 zl A perfect spot for breakfast. The place is very small - a 10 m2 inside + a 4 table garden on the street. Food: Croissant, even though warm, was not buttery enough. The plus was the great chocolate melted in the separate small bowl, that goes with the croissant. What I’d gladly recommend is the flavored iced chocolate – not only was it beautifully decorated, but also
perfectly seasoned with mint and lemon balm. I don’t like it sickly sweet (like the drinking chocolate in Wedel), so this one here is just ideal for me. Very refreshing.
would I come here again: YES (for the drinking chocolates)
HS
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John Williams
Don’t you feel a shiver down your spine every
time you hear the opening sounds of the Star
Wars’ song? Aren’t your eyes swimming in tears
when “Leaving Hogwarts” starts playing? Oh
and don’t tell me you don’t feel at least a tiny
ache in your chest when you start listening to
“Rose’s Theme”* and think straight away about
the scene when Jack and Rose kiss for the last
time on this unforgettable staircase. Now it’s
time to ask a question who’s behind these
masterpieces and many more. Straight to the
point. John Williams.
(*”Titanic’s” Soundtrack is not Williams’ but James Horner’s
although it was inspired by John’s work.)
I decided to bring up the topic and educate you a
little bit because of the Concert of the Movies’
Music that took place on 14th Oct in the Congress
Hall in honor to John, which I was so lucky to
attend.
According to Wikipedia (let’s face it, where else
would I look for information?) John Towner
Williams (born February 8, 1932) is an American
composer, conductor and pianist. So far he has
won five Academy Awards, four Golden Globe
Awards, seven BAFTA Awards, and 21 Grammy
Awards. With 47 Academy Award nominations,
Williams is the second most nominated person,
after Walt Disney.
He has composed some of the most recognizable
film scores in the history of motion pictures,
including the Star Wars saga, Jaws, Superman,
the Indiana Jones films, E.T. the Extra-
Terrestrial, Home Alone and its sequel (wow, did
you know that?) , Hook, Jurassic Park,
Schindler's List, War Horse, and the first three
Harry Potter films.
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He’s a genius, isn’t he?
Now back to the concert.
The event was a kind of a celebration of the
composer’s 80th birthday (even though he’s got
birthday in February but still) and I’m pretty
sure John even texted (or maybe tweeted?
Would it be appropriate of him to tweet?) the
organizers and the Polish Orchestra Sinfonia
Iuventus to thank them and express how much
it all meant to him. Being able to listen to the
professionals play alive was something
absolutely amazing and breathtaking. There
were people dressed up in Star Wars’ costumes
so when they came on stage during the
performance, the impression was magical.
Almost surrealistic. Also, I have to admit my
eyes watered more than a little bit when they
were playing “My Heart Will Go On”. The only
thing I have to complain about (and I will not
accept the fact that Start Wars were the theme
of the whole concert) is the Harry Potter part. I
mean, c’mon, one piece? Not even “Hedwig’s
Theme” or “Leaving Hogwarts” (maybe good,
that would probably have left me as a sobbing
mess) but “Christmas at Hogwarts”. Not cool
considering the fact that he composed
soundtracks to first three parts of HP. But apart
from that (not so little) disappointment we also
got to listen to “Superman”, “Jurassic Park”,
“Jaws”, “Indiana Jones”, “Gladiator”* and
“Forrest Gump”*.
(*Also, not John’s pieces but Hans Zimmer’s and Alan
Silvestri’s)
I’m glad you know now whom you owe so much
and as soon as you get home, you’ll get (I’m not
saying download though, because it’s illegal,
right? Right?) at least one album of his and
enjoy the music as much as I and the rest of the
world do.
Have a nice day! -PS
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OH MY GOD. THERE'S
GOING TO
BE A CONCERT IN POLAND.
The moment that I found out was... pretty exciting. Well, it's one of my favorite bands so why shouldn't I jump around like a retard? I've waited for it so so long and here it is –within the reach.
~ First thing to do - get money for the ticket. Easy thing - ask parents. ✓Money - checked. What's next? Find a friend to go with you. There's the first obstacle. I have no friends. Yeah. Write to some people I know - nobody likes Coldplay. Damn. Wait, no. One of my friends loves them.
Text her. She doesn't have any money. DAMN.
Okay, found another friend. She agrees. Praise the Lord! (funny thing, I'm an atheist) ✓Get a friend - checked. I want to buy the tickets as soon as possible so they don't get sold out. She hesitates. Hesitates for 5 months. Great. I have to wait with the purchase in case she stands me up. Aaaand she does. Lucky me. ✗Get a friend - unchecked. ✓Lose all the hope and crawl in the hole crying - checked.
~ A few months pass. I already forgot about the concert. Okay, I didn't. It still squeezes my guts when I see the posters. Damn you people, stop putting them everywhere like crazy. And no - I can't go alone. Parents.
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~ New school, new people. Ask Gabrysia if she wants to go. She agrees. OH MY GOD! YESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYESYES. ✓Get a friend - checked. I implode inside. It turns out that a few people from my class are crazy about Coldplay. I love all of you. Like. Really. Run and get the ticket. Still available. ✓Get the ticket - checked. ✓Be the happiest person in the world - checked.
~ Too bad the concert is on Wednesday... Nevermind that, we manage to get to the concert early enough to get a great spot. We get some weird bracelets. Of course - the roof of our national stadium is open. Because asjhjhs you, that's why. People are perfectly fine soaking wet. Meanwhile, my friend gets lost. Of course.
She finds me after about ten minutes.
~
Music starts pouring from the speakers. It's not Coldplay yet but I can feel warmth spreading down my limbs.
✓Survive through support - checked. Okay, that's way too good to be true.
~ Back To The Future theme floods the stadium. OH. MY. GOD. That's funny... everyone should be screaming and jumping all excited but nobody does it. Everyone is standing and watching the shining lights in amazement. Fireworks go off. Hurts Like Heaven blasts everyone's ears. Our bracelets start shining. Some shine red, others blue, pink, white, green, yellow... Stadium turns into a huge wave of blinking lights.
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Outstanding sight, believe me.
People jumping and screaming, tears streaming down their faces (literally)… Band members come out. A few songs pass. Nobody seems to care that our legs are going to fall off from jumping too much. Lovers in Japan come up. Canons burst out with confetti in the shape of flowers, butterflies, teardrops and crowns.
Girls stuff their bras with it. WHAT. Don't ask me. I'm as confused as you are. Everyone is squealing with excitement. The whole concert is full of confetti, lights and amazing music. It's magical.
~ We get out of the stadium. Everyone starts singing the same song. It's beyond amazing.
~ That concert was that kind of thing that you don't forget. Thousands hearts beating in the same rhythm... People understanding each other because their hearts and minds belong to one band.
✓Have amazing memories - checked ~Suzie
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What The Hell is Gangnam Style?
Gangnam Style is the title of the K-Pop single
performed by the South Korean rapper PSY.
It’s become the most popular song of the year,
beating the much loved and adored ‘Call Me
Maybe’ by Carly Rae Jepsen. Its phenomenon
is based on two major things. The first one is
the newly invented dance style, which is just
destroying the system with its weirdness, fun,
energy and general awesomeness. In a
mysterious way, it quickly made its way into
peoples’ hearts. The second one is obviously
the catchy beat that’s stuck in your head
within a single play on the radio. And, despite
the general opinion, the song itself is not dirty
at all. It’s actually very sweet, having lines like
‘the girl who hides, is way sexier than the one
who shows’. The video was released on July
15th this year and has already reached six
hundred and eighty one million views. it is the
third most viewed video on YouTube and the
first K-Pop music video ever to appear on the
list. It has set the glamorous record as the
most ‘liked’ video in the history of YouTube.
The song has also many parodies, including:
"Jewish Style", "Mitt Romney Style", "Gandalf
Style" and many many, more... Each more
inappropriate than the other.
PSY has performed his famous dance with a
lot of famous people around the world, for
example: Google's executive chairman Eric
Schmidt, the British Prime Minister David
Cameron and the UN Secretary-General Ban
Ki-Moon.
Have You heard it yet? If not, do it right now!
OPA Gangnam Style! - John
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21
What The Hell are Belgian fries?
Asking a Canadian fanatic of Belgian fires, he
explained everything to me in just a 5 minute
long conversation on the phone. “Now, here’s
what you need to know” – a clearly happy
tone, glad he can share his expertise. “There
are some very important characteristics that
differentiate the Belgian from the popular
French fries and simply shame on you, my
friend, if you fail to tell them apart”. He
continued saying, that unlike the ordinary
fries, Belgian variety is always freshly cut and
fried. They’re fried twice; the first time just
after being cut, the next time – without being
frozen in the meantime! - just before being
served. They are way thicker than the usual
fries, but they still have the crispy outside and
the fluffy inside. The rich, fluffy inside makes
them taste like potatoes, which is not a thing
we can say about the ordinary fries.
Doing a little bit of an extra research on its
history, I learned that French fries came from
the southern part of Belgium, which is closer
to France. Unlike the thick, original Belgian
fries, firstly invented by the poorest people in
the country, who could easily stuff themselves
with these huge pieces of fried potatoes, the
southern version was meant to be more classy
and served as an extra to a meal.
The phenomenon of this long-forgotten
version of fries, probably comes from the fact
that we already got tired of the same old
French fries. Also, maybe because we know
that the Belgian ones are way healthier, as the
fluffy part still contains some bits and pieces
of vitamins and nutrition of real potatoes.
Well, sort of.
Right now they are widely popular, which is
why they’re also becoming more and more
known in Poland. The place I like to visit is the
tiny Belgian Fries place, on Złota Street 3
(behind Galeria Centrum), where they serve
9 delicious kinds of fresh fries. Their prices
range from 5 zl (small fires, 200 g) to 12 zl (for
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22
the hugest, 600 g). Besides the fries, you can
also order one kind of burger (14 zl), onion
rings (6 zl), chicken wings (9 zl), nuggets (with
cheese and pepper, 8 zl), jalapeno peppers
with cheese (9 zl), hash browns (6 zl), sweet
fries (8 zl) and Belgian waffles (6 zl). I did enjoy
the Belgian version, my favorites are the
seasoned ones, which makes me think of the
famous beach fries sold in local Taco shops in
the California. I do absolutely plan to go there
for more.
H.
What the hell is iPhone 5?
You may have heard a lot about the new
iPhone 5 in the past few weeks. But do
You know how exactly it differs from the
previous generations of the most popular
smartphone in the world? If you want to
find out, this article is for You.
The biggest visible change in the design is
the screen. All the previous generations
had a 3,5 inch display, but unlike those
models, iPhone 5 has an all-new 4 inch,
1136 by 640 pixels Retina Display. It’s
simply the best you can get on a
smartphone. The second noticeable
difference is the back of the phone. Now,
most of the back panel is covered with a
nice kind of aluminum feel metal. The very
top and bottom remained glass.
The next thing is that the headphone jack
has been moved to the bottom part of the
device and the speakers design has been
slightly changed, which makes it look
more like the ones on the new iPad. Apple
has also introduced a new connector for
iPhone this year and it will become a
standard for other new devices, meaning
iPods and iPads. It’s called Lightning, is a
lot smaller and reversible. If you worry
about your accessories You can always buy
an adapter. Speaking of redesigning, Apple
also redesigned their headphones, which
are now called Earpods. They are said to
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23
be better and more innovative but to me
they simply look like a pair of hairdryers.
The last external improvement is the
thickness and weight of the phone. Its
thickness has been reduced from 9.2mm
to 7.6mm (17% thinner) and its weight
dropped from 140g to 112g. One ounce
may not seem to be very much but when
you compare those two weights it feels so
much lighter, almost like a toy.
Now it’s time to take a look inside the
iPhone 5. This baby has the newest
generation of Apple processors (A6), a
new, better camera (8MP) which is
capable of shooting 1080p videos at 30 fps
and has a totally new Panorama feature
that allows you to take high resolution
panorama photos. With the new iOS6
preloaded on the iPhone 5 you get
improved Siri, virtual assistant with a few
new features, Apple Maps (unfortunately
not the best, they have a lot of bugs and
Google Maps are way better) and with a
taller screen you can see more of your
applications and web content.
In conclusion, iPhone 5 is one of the best
smartphones ever made, but
unfortunately in Poland it can be quite
pricey. The 16GB starts at about 2800PLN
and a 64GB version costs 3700PLN. But it’s
worth saving for and you should be very
satisfied with both the hardware and the
software system (maybe except the maps
:)). And if you ask, if I’m a fanboy, my
answer is yes, I am.
-John
Two iPhone Apps
1. VideoTUBE I used to be annoyed, whenever I wanted to replay something on YouTube, because with each play, it had to reload all over again. Not to mention, a hell lot of MB’s was consumed, completely unnecessarily, which bothered me when I was using 3G. Thankfully, not anymore, and that’s because of this app. It allows me to download ALL of the videos from YT (even official music videos) straight to my iPhone. I can now watch and re-watch them, make playlists with them.. This app made my life so much easier. Completely free.
2. Akinator
I’d possibly call it the coolest app in the history of apps. It’s magical, wonderful, amazing… But also incredibly scary and intimidating. Though that’s what makes it so cool - I could literally play with it for hours. It basically is a game, in which you have to think of a certain public person (singer, writer, politician) and properly answer all the questions given by at the ‘Akinator’ regarding the person you’re thinking of. If you answer the questions truthfully, the Akinator will always get the person right. For example, I thought about Abel Tesfae (which obviously he guessed correctly). And I honestly don’t think you know him. He’s an incredible singer.
HS
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24
With or Without You by
Brian Farrey
I honestly couldn’t decide whether I wanted to
read faster, anticipating how it’s all going to
turn out, or to use my whole willpower to
slow down and make it last as long as
possible. I failed miserably, finishing it in just
less than two days. Sure enough, when I finally
put the book down, I simply could not stop
thinking about it. It’s the kind of book, that
gives you knowledge about life, you probably
wouldn’t get anywhere else. It makes you
realize things, you’d never realize, if you
hadn’t read this book. And it gives you hope
that even in the darkest times of life, there’s
always a way out, if that’s what you truly
desire.
Asked about the genre of this book, I wouldn’t
say it’s a romance or Young Adult literature, as
Amazon classified it. It may have originally
been aimed at young adults, but I guess it’s
the book’s level of maturity that makes me
think differently. In fact, adults may even
enjoy this book more than teenagers because
I guess, they would be able to understand it
more deeply. But I suppose. In this case it’s
more the type of personality, than the age
that counts. All I can say is that it’s not a book
you’d expect to find on a shelf marked “young
adult literature”. And the only way you can
truly understand that is to read it.
Personally, I would call it a very intelligent
story about love.
The first meaning of love is reserved for lovers
only. The kind of lovers that loved each other
so much, it physically hurt. Who aren’t able to
view their lives without their other half in it
anymore. Who are willing to sacrifice and
forgive anything, because they know that life
without their love would be completely
aimless and just not worth living. You can
actually tell the author is homosexual – no
straight man could afford such gentleness,
writing about love. ‘We made love’, one of the
characters said at one point, which I really
appreciated. He showed us exactly, what a
perfect relationship should look like - the
perfect real relationship, not the surreal
fairytale one - and I think he couldn’t have
done it better. As much as the main characters
were way far from being perfect, in the
mayhem of their imperfections, they were just
flawless together. Love. The author showed us
the true meaning of love. Whenever anything
happened, whenever something was kept
untold, love was always the factor that solved
all the problems. No matter what happened, it
was always able to pull the lovers back
together.
I always wondered what a relationship like
that would really look like. I mean a
heterosexual one. And now I know. From a
more than reliable source. The author was
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25
lucky enough to get married, as he called his
husband ‘his own Erik’. I guess what I love
most about male homosexual relationships is
the way they can afford to be so fully exposed
and vulnerable with themselves. In straight
relationships, the man is supposed to be the
strong one, the protective one that would
never allow himself to cry. But here, they are
equally half a “female” and half a “male” of
the relationship. I have always pictured a gay
relationship to be very strong. Despite having
a hard time dealing with society, general
acceptance, the families, the government,
they still choose to be together. So many
obstacles, yet they are determined to be
together, because love is all they have. That I
call love.
The next kind is strictly meant for friends, the
kind of friends that found each other in the
most lonely moments of life, when they had
absolutely no one. Who stick together “no
matter the weather”, who are by each other’s
sides throughout all of the adventures, feeling
that victory tastes sweeter and pain is less
painful when they are shared. Who love the
other person more than they love themselves.
Who feel responsible for the other and are
able to sacrifice so much to save them.
But even such an amazing friendship could
end for the right reason. Which brings us to
the song, that was brought to the story. One
of its few lines goes: “I love you hard enough
to move on”. And that’s what Evan did. For
some people the story may seem somehow
unresolved and unsatisfying, but I can’t
possibly imagine a better ending. It was
exactly how it would have happened in real
life. It hurt, it did, but Evan needed to ‘move
on’. For himself and for Davis. He loved him so
much, but he knew that it would be better for
both of them if he let go. There was absolutely
no future for their relationship. Some could
take it as a selfish act, they may think that he
abandoned the friend and let the fate decide
about his life. But for me, it was just an act of
pure love. It sure hurt him as much or even
more than it hurt Davis. But he knew that
Davis had the right to decide about his own
life. And as much as Evan loved his friend, he
needed to respect that.
The third kind of love, lives within the family.
The love, even seemingly cold and absent, is
always quietly lying in the family members’
hearts no matter what. Parents can act in
various ways, but there is not a parent who
does not love their children. Whatever mess
parents make, they do it out of love. And
that’s for sure.
The genius thing is how the author managed
to include so many important aspects of life
within one book. Love issues are a significant
part of the story but certainly more than that
contributed to the greatness of this book.
One of them, is that the book truthfully
portrayed the life of a gay community. The
author didn’t try to deny any stereotypes
about gay people, nor claim anything specific
views. Instead, he just showed us two aspects
of their world, that couldn’t be possibly more
different from each other. I guess he wanted
to accentuate that everything depends on
what we want to believe, not what it really is
like. One aspect was the community of
bugchasers, who were nothing but stupid,
pathological and sick. They didn’t believe in
true love and viewed sex just as a physical
activity with no feelings attached. The other
kind of it was just a normal, healthy happy
relationship of Evan and Erik. So close,
because they’re both gays, yet so far. Just like
“normal” straight peoples’ relationships. They
too, could be pathological, sick or great. But
oddly enough, no one seems to have a bad
opinion about that.
What also made me think was the denial that
gay people tend to show. All of the hate that
straight people send to gays, makes the
“unsure” gay people think that being gay is
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26
shameful. Nowadays, people are thought to
be more tolerant and open-minded, but still,
there are too many of people in this world,
who are homophobic. That causes a lot of
violence, mostly because the “unsure gays”
are in denial. Like Kenny. It was probably the
author’s way to tell people – show your
acceptance, because one day you might regret
that you didn’t.
I also like it how the book contains bits and
pieces of gay history or art knowledge. It’s
commonly known that the information gained
during reading just any book, tents to stays in
our heads forever. For example, now I know
that Stonewall rebellion, the biggest event in
gay history, started in 1969 . And that Keith
Haring, a great modern artist, who created a
signature radiant baby, died of AIDS.
Speaking of AIDS, he book could also be a loud
appeal to people to be aware of HIV. The
author showed us the struggle of a sick
person, how his health was changing no
matter how regularity the drugs were taken
and body exercised, how unpredictable the
sickness could be. We hear about two people
being happy, and a week later, just out of the
blue, one of them dies. Apart from showing us
the development of this sickness, he also tried
to show us that it’s the attitude of the people
who are infected that counts and how people
from their closest environment should care.
We got to know two of them – Sable and Mr.
Benton, also so close, yet so far. Both of them
got the disease through no fault of their own.
Mr. Benton should be the person who hates it
like no one else, as all of his friends and most
importantly, the love of his life died of it in
just a period of one year, yet still, he is strong
enough to try to fight it. He is a happy and
cheerful person, who would never want
anyone to struggle as much as he does. He
even helps people, by teaching a yoga lessons.
Sable, on the other hand, devoted his life to
revenge. The only person he lost (and still,
even that wasn’t exactly true, as he still lived)
was himself. Still he hated the whole word for
doing this to him, claiming that it was
extremely unfair. Maybe it was, maybe it
wasn’t. But all we know is that even if he
infected thousands of people, he would never
feel happy. Never as happy as Mr. Benton,
who accepted his life just the way it was.
The book itself is very well written. What I
absolutely adore is the choice of words for
describing feelings. It was one of those books
that could make you feel something very
strong, something that’s usually missing in our
everyday life. I love the author’s way of
thinking and the consistence in creating the
plot and characters, which I consider perfect.
They are real and relatable at the same time,
which is not a common thing in literature
nowadays. The amazing thing, is that the book
tells us a story about a taboo subject, but
doesn’t make us uncomfortable while reading
it. That’s a book I would both get for a gay
friend, to comfort him that everything’s going
to be ok, or for an absolute homophobe, to
make him realize that gay people exist. In
fact, I already asked my friend who lives in
New York to buy me a copy, as there’s one
person I’d really want to give this book to as a
Christmas present. I hope it works out. Fingers
crossed, but before my friend reads it, I hope
you do. Because I doubt you’ll regret it.
HS