Michael Jackson!

I was going to share our cake selection story and what was involved in this process, but .... Michael Jackson died. :( I can not really believe I am writing this. I couldn't peel myself away from the TV with Lary King's show on devoted to MJ. I couldn't hold back the tears.

All genius people have a weird side to them. May be this happens due to the forces of balance - if you are extraordinary good at something, you are also extraordinary bad at something else. But I wish this wasn't happening, I wish talented people really understood they had to preserve their talent for more people to enjoy it, get inspired from it, benefit from it.

To me Michal Jackson was talent, inspiration, example of excellence.

I was about 12, when even from our television signal challenged apartment house my dad managed to catch us the first commercial channel. Even on the best day the signal was weak and the picture was fuzzy, but we watched it anyways. Right after I came back from school the music videos were on. This is when I first saw, what remain my favorite videos by Michal Jackson.

Bridesmaids Dresses: what I like

One of the brightest traditions of American wedding is having a "court" - wedding party. Usually all bridesmaids and groomsmen in the wedding party are wearing the same outfits. Every girl in the party is wearing the same dress, and of course, not everybody is happy. Hence, the movie "27 Dresses".

I thought having my girlfriends wearing the same dresses would be very cute. But after thinking about fitting all the girls in the same shape and form, I felt this would be a little unfair. It is my special day, but I do want all of my friends feel beautiful and special too. Besides all traditional bridesmaids dresses are kind of plain to mine and my girls tastes.

So my bridesmaids will wear similar dresses - similar color and fabric, but not the same. See, I am not brideszilla!

This wedding party is very close to what I picture so far:

Photos by magnificent Jessica Claire

Update: one more example!

This wonderful implementation is via Emily Photo

Good Morning in 2009!

If somewhere at a trivia game show there was a question about what most of the Russian speaking population does at the late morning hours on January 1st, the right answer would be - nothing, you would find everybody asleep. New Year's is a big party in modern Eastern European culture, so I am writing out of my bed, barely woken up, and it is 12:20 pm already!

We have been up all night (till 5 in the morning!) - celebrating, eating, drinking, calling friends and wishing them Happy New Year! I also got to be known as "paparazzi" now that I had been holding my Canon 20D - fully professional camera in my hands all night - the best photos are coming soon!

Happy New Year 2009!

Let this year be of successful new beginnings, let it be full of love and filled with memorable moments!
(Andrey and I have the latest wish already covered, and with a set date - September 6!)

A Halloween Career Lesson

I have been told I look like Paris Hilton on multiple occasions. I never took that as a compliment - Paris's list of accomplishments isn't to be proud of. However, I got a free dinner from a fancy restaurant in Jacksonville, FL, and a sight of a cashier at Lowe's and in Panera Bread losing their composure, as they thought Paris or her sister Nicky visited them.

When it was time to come up with a costume for a Halloween party this year, my resemblance with Paris history came to mind. I decided - yes, I am not fond of that comparison, but how can I not use it for my Halloween transformation?

I went to the mall and picked up a luminescent pink fishnets, a pair of shorty shorts, a pink shirt, a small purse with a Playboy logo, huge hoop earrings, plenty of bracelets for extra Bling, and finally and most importantly - a blond wig!!!

I thought this was the most creative costume of the party - Sarah Palin

Here I was working my "Paris Look"

I also met some pirates

Well, let me tell you - it was a very ordinary night for Paris - she enjoyed total and complete attention!!! :) For me - the Halloween outing was a lot of fun. This whole experience got me thinking ....

... Career lesson: sometimes people around us recognize our talents we might not find important. If you know about any, take a closer look at them - perhaps you are missing out on an easy opportunity?

Thanksgiving

I like Thanksgiving better than Christmas.

• It kicks the holidays off rather than ends it.
• It is a distinctly American holiday, and it comes from an old Indian tradition passed on to the new settlers.
  
• It is even more symbolic for our family as we celebrate it together with our American host family: we are the new settlers, and they are the "Indians" that taught us to cook turkey.
• Main colors of Thanksgiving are fall harvest colors - yellow, orange, red. Orange is one of my favorite colors. (Guess what I am considering to be one of the wedding colors?)
  

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A note for my Belorussian and Russian readers

I bet you already knew everything I mentioned about Thanksgiving. But, I am pretty sure you didn't know one more American tradition of modern days. It comes the Friday after Thanksgiving, called Black Friday.

On Black Friday many consumer products stores open really early - 4 or 5 o'clock in the morning, and determined shoppers pour into the stores in hopes to catch that plasma TV set for 80% off. The line to enter the store forms the night before, I guess the first people in line eat their turkey dinner and leave to get in front.
The catch is - there are only 10 or 20 TVs available for that whole crowd. If you are lucky enough to grab one of those you'd need to rush back immediately to the check out line, or you can be stuck there forever. Elbows and bodyweight are used widely during the store maneuvering, and the politeness is not present during Black Friday.

When I first learned about this tradition, I tried to participate: studied the promotions printed in the local newspaper the night before, planned out my stores visits, and headed out as early as I could - 7 am!!! :) ... It was already too late, the only sign of the great deals was the tail of the check out line. :( ...:) Never again!

When I saw Black Friday in action, one thing came to mind: if our older Russian speaking population here is nostalgic about Soviet times, I'd encourage them to participate in Black Friday - never ending lines are completely real, and it should bring back the memories. Besides, there are years of line standing experience they could've put to use - a clear advantage increasing the chances to actually be the lucky owner of that 80% off TV set.
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This Thanksgiving my fiance, my family, my host family, my friends (near and far) made me feel whole. Thank you so much for being ingredients of my happiness. I've recharged. I am now again ready to create, share, inspire, get inspired, learn and teach, care and be cared for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Miami Trip (+ some tips for first time Miami visit)

That Thursday was a very rainy, gray and wet. Any visitors to my work desk, however, were startled to see me grinning from one ear to another ear. :) <-- Just like that. My coworkers, though, understood: they knew I was flying to sunny and summery Orlando that evening. And, what was even better - driving to Miami the next day. I really could not keep the grin off my face any time I turned around to look out the window. I saw drizzle, but I was seeing palm trees.

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

And turquoise water....

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

This was our first time in Miami, and frankly, I didn't expect Miami to be a city. Like New York City, but on the ocean. Miami is a mix of city - clubs, restaurants, well dressed people, shopping and the sun bleached beach. The combination I never saw before, and it kept confusing me.

So, for those traveling to Miami for the first time, here are 4 tips for your trip planning:
1) Bring dressy clothes. Dressy, but beachy. Girls - stilettos will find their occasion easily.
2) To be in the center of action, stay at one of the boutique hotels in South Beach. (See the map below - we noted a few). If you want a quieter atmosphere, North Miami Beach will be your fit.
3) Staying north or south - make a trip to the Ocean Drive at night and enjoy the never ending party.
4) Go to Miami in a company of friends, as mentioned above - it is a party kind of place.

Below are some mapped tips


View Larger Map

I arrived to Orlando to meet my fiance that spent the whole week at a conference there. After a brief tour of a small part of the place (Rosen Shingle Creek) I mentally marked my calendar for next year - it was decided I will travel to this conference as well. 5 pools! Sunshine, palm trees! :)

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

When we drove closer to our hotel in North Miami Beach, condos rose on each side of the road and along the coast.

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

This is my favorite:

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

I was armed with an almost professional camera, so Andrey had no choice, but to become my model for this trip.

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

From Miami, Florida - November 2008

See a complete slide show of our trip with comments to the photos here:

The Orange Season

While my fiance sees his second dream, fighting the cold he brought from his trip to Belarus, I decided to vier off to the blog word.

This whole week I wanted to share my feelings towards the "orange season", as I call it, that happens right now in America. I guess this whole week will be devoted to my American life, rather than the progress on our wedding planing. But that topic is coming up and will be on the agenda again and again very shortly - promise!

I call it the "orange season", as this is the color dominating decorations in people homes and stores all over. It starts in the beginning of October, peaks on Halloween and stays through November up to Thanksgiving. Orange is one of my favorite colors to decorate and wear in the fall and winter, as it reminds me of sun and energy and compensates for the grayness and darkness of winter. It is sort of a "sun concentrate".



When I first came to the USA, it was right at Halloween time, and I could not believe how orange are the pumpkins here - we never ever had them so orange in Belarus!



This is why it was so much fun to take my grandmas to a pumpkin patch couple of weeks ago. One of my grandmas is an experienced gardener, and she was very impressed. Here is a small slide show from that sunny, orangy day.

Today I voted for the president of the USA!

Just seating on the couch, watching CNN, tears in my eyes every three seconds - people who are speaking and being interviewed are just so emotional tonight! (Disclaimer: I am tearful even just listening to the radio driving to work in the morning, if I happen to catch especially touching story on NPR). I have never participated in an election of an American president before, so this feels a little like my evening too.

We have elected Barack Obama!

.... Several tears again - John McCain spoke to congratulate the future president. Very good speech. He had the harder one of the speeches tonight and did it with so much respect and dignity!

Back in the voting booth I fought myself not to take a picture of the poling machine, with all its cute little handles and red arrows. You'd think that with everything computerized in this country the machines will look a bit more sophisticated - but no, they could belong to 1962, just as fine, yet are still used - must be very good ones! While I was absorbed by the process of turning handles, a line formed outside the booth waiting for their turn to turn - apparently I was taking too much time!

.... Tears again - Barack Obama is speaking. Barack Obama, caught my attention at first because he branded himself, created a slogan, and carried them both well through his campaign. This historic night shows - Marketing is important. :)

My New Right

It was a very interesting experience to become an American. I almost separated into two people - one was sworn in to become a new American citizen and another one was a scientist studying the first person's reactions on how it feels to become a citizen of another country, while staying very devoted to people and culture of the home country, Belarus.
The scientist learnt: the subject simply remains a very responsible person. You see, the only difference between a permanent resident (also known as an alien or a green card holder) and a citizen of the USA is that a citizen has a right to vote. To the subject that means impacting the course of the country for at least the next 4 years. Therefore, she feels this is not a right, but a responsibility to participate and vote, especially in the country, where this right seems to be as powerful and as honest as it can get.
Thus I am picking up this really cool video from Jessica Clair's blog to pass along to all new and old citizens of the USA. The message there is: if you decided to vote, you have only a few days to register to vote. Proceed to this site, please.