This gives me an idea: Verbal Kombat! where contestants are given a topic they aren't very good at, and one who argues the best wins... some sort of a drawn trophy to put into the bio.Nobody really fights around here anymore.
It's an interesting time for me. I'm gaining some fame over VK, the Russian social network. I've been posting comments to places, and those've been appreciated: I'm still receiving notifications about a new "like" every once in a while. Just now, someone has reposted one of my wall's posts - one of the longer, thoughtful ones - to theirs. First time my writing has been shared online. Feels good to be appreciated. I've been more in tune with myself lately. More focused on goals, more willing to put in effort to achieve them, more expressive and confident. More willing to move forward, whether to move on from someone or to get closer to something. It feels completely normal, yet it's far from what I've been like even a week before. Recognizing I've not been the best person helped me become kinder and stronger. I did something big today, though it feels perfectly normal: I complimented a girl. Someone I didn't know or have ever seen before. We were riding the same bus, opposite each other, and our eyes met a few times. Either of her irides was an emerald, no less: rich and beautiful. I told the girl as much, concisely. It feels right to say what you think, more so when it makes another person feel good. You let go of it; it being unexpressed bothers you no longer. Imparting good faith makes you a better person. There's more, but I don't think you're going to be excited to hear my ramble about personal discoveries. Have it well, Hubski. It's a great place.
I feel like just leaving the empty space as is. The colorful Hubski logo takes all the attention to itself.
Oh, cool. A Pubski in my timezone. The Russian Hubski meetup is getting closer to reality. You know those cool lectures on various subjects from the uni you see on the Internet? I've just had one in real life. We started Theory of Language today, and today's lecturer was an old American by the name of Patrick Dennis Maloney. He was quite frail physically, but his head worked just fine. I've missed most of the lesson by the curse of running around the uni trying to get the bureaucracy sorted for as simple a task as finding someone capable of helping us work with the projector, but the parts that I caught were cool. He was funny and engaging. I got to speak to Mr. Maloney after the class. I wondered if it was okay if I ask him about himself; he said "Sure, what do you wanna know?". I fanboy'd the whole way through: you know, like fangirling, only more emotionally restrained. He's a cool old guy, with several advanced degrees in various subjects - law and engineering among them. He's in Tomsk because of his wife, who is Russian: she moved back home from living with him in Anchorage, AK, because her mother was sick. She still has father here, which is why they both stay; the father is 91, so Mr. Maloney said he doesn't "expect him to be there for much longer"; once that is settled with in one way or another, he said they'd rather move to somewhere warmer in Russia, like Gelendzhik by the Black Sea. He also hosts "Open English" lessons in a nearby university, where anyone can attend freely and for free, just to get whatever English education they might need (like preparing for speaking on an English-as-second-language qualification exam, or just sharpening one's knowledge in grammar). Seeing how we're clearly interested in languages, he said that if enough people are interested, he'd organize Open English classes for us, here in TSU. I'm looking forward to attending those. I may or may not have a date today, but I don't want to talk about it just yet. EDIT: nevermind. The uni's been engaging and interesting, what with the few new subjects that introduce one to deeper concepts of language and linguistics, and it's also suprisingly tiring. I come home quite exhausted, and between that and taking the necessary rest, I'm left with just a few hours of potential productive work. Back when I didn't engage with education and homework as much, it didn't seem like a big deal, but now that I want to get into it, it becomes obvious that I need a better manner of work. Working out has been going well for me. Having my body and mind improve from exercising has been an awesome experience; seeing that a run that used to break me down after a minute now feels like a breezy walk fills me with joy. I'm getting used to contacting with my uni group much less. Since I'm no longer as interested in them, it's easier to disengage from conversations aiming at a cheap laughter and complaining over trivial matters. There are limits to when my compassion is applicable, and I've reached them with the group. That's about as much as I have to tell so far. I'm tired, so I might be missing something else important. You can ask me if you want to know something.
Not diplomats: spies. See The Americans and "rezidentura" for more. Damn. The title scared me. Made me think the US is suddenly cutting all ties with Russia, which isn't the case, a dive in relationships between two countries that it is.
EDIT #2: The original comment was me complaining how my life isn't turning around and I don't know what I want. The truth is: I do. But I guess vocalizing it in any matter would mean committing to it, and I didn't have it in me to commit to something to any big degree lately. Maybe it's because I was expecting things to turn out for me on their own, like I thought they always did. This time, I intend to put effort into turning my life around. It is very easy to neglect tending to one's condition after a stumble or a fall. Yet, proper nurture takes effort, and applying strength, as far as our mind is concerned, breeds strength. I've recently learned a very simple guideline to living a good life: "Do what makes you proud". I believe that one becomes proud by applying their strength to what they desire. I intend to do my best to live by this principle in 2017. By this time next year, it's going to become a habit. Hell yeah to that. [On the sidenote, I'm writing this while The Dave Brubeck Quartet's rendition of There'll Be Some Changes Made plays. It's a beautiful song, much like many from Dave Brubeck's discography. The song itself has a beautiful Wikipedia entry.] MY GOALS FOR 2017 (a draft) - get fit: lose the belly, gain stamina - finish at least one medium/long story, possibly the fanfic series I've got my nickname from - finish three web games - start working as a freelance language teacher, whether it's Russian or English - attend at least one social club, preferably IRL, but online is fine, too - learn more social skills - take a walk for at least 120 days of the year, which is about 33% - start a podcast - improve German to B1 - make rich lemonade at least once a season - make a bow and arrows and successfully shoot it - begin waking up at 05:30 AM Plus a couple of others, which will be TMI.