milenacakic

Have you ever had a day that was so good it was hard to believe it was true? The day stars aligned your way, and everything was just perfect. Wouldn't you just love to re-live the day? Once, twice, a dozen of times? On the other hands, were there the days you did something wrong, something that changed your life so things could never ever be the same? Wouldn't you love to have a chance to re-live the day and fix those mistakes? Once, twice, a dozen of times, until you are finally satisfied with the way things worked out? The movie 'Groundhog Day' speaks of that. The story centers about a man having to re-live one day over and over again, until he does everything right and the time starts flowing again. The concept was used in several TV show episodes as well. In 1st case, if it was the best day of your life, it was the best as you did not know for sure how it would turn out, and were happily surprised. So reliving it would be fun few times, but after t

When I was younger, I enjoyed reading books. I'd join the local library and borrow books on weekly basis. But somewhere along the way, school got in the way. We had required reading and I did not enjoy much in books school forced us to read. Also, with years came much more studying, and much less time for reading, to the point I couldn't even stand looking at another book, let alone reading it. But that changed about 2 months ago, when my cousin borrowed me a book saying it is interesting and I should check it out. And I did. I finished it in 3 days, and I was impressed. It was amazing! So I renewed my membership to library, borrowed some more books from cousin, and even bought some on my own. Every day, I'd read at least 50 to 100 pages, except at last 100 or so pages, when I couldn't put it down until I finished it. Reading is really good, as it lets you escape reality. In order to read the book, you need to be fully concentrated, and it is not allowin

On my most recent visit to library, I noticed an interesting book on one of the shelves. It was 'Mr Mercedes' by Stephen King. Now if anyone knew me well, they'd know I stay as far away as possible from anything related to horror - movies, TV shows, and even books. And the author is well known for his horror stories. I am not sure what influenced me to get that book - maybe because I saw the particular book a week or 2 before in a book store and it was quite expensive, but the description seemed interesting to me. Anyway, I went home with it, promising myself I would stop if I felt uncomfortable reading it. But I didn't. It just drew me to read more and more, and I finished it in 3 days. So now I am more inclined to any books that have 'horror' in their genre. (Note: The book may not be suitable for younger audiences, I only used it as an example.) My point is, you sometimes may feel anxious or scared of trying new things, and you may be ruining yo

Last Friday, I watched the very last episode of my favorite TV show - The Vampire Diaries. The show I watched from the very beginning, for 8 years. Never missed a single episode, grown to like characters and enjoyed in their adventures, shed an occasional tear, survived waiting week by week for a new episode, and the way too long summer hiatuses. The show I started watching in my teen years, the show that taught me love, friendship, but most importantly, the unbreakable bond of family. I don't think I will ever love a show like this one. It came right when I needed it and was there when life was bad, to remind me there is always hope. And I will keep watching shows, keep falling for characters, but never will be one like The Vampire Diaries. At least not for me. You know, it made me think. Even time seems to go slow, it actually runs surprisingly fast. For example, one day, you are at school, waking up every day, go to school, study, and you think it is going to be fo

Parents are some of the most important people in our lives. They teach us life, they give us advice and guidance, but most importantly, unconditional love. Of course, not all parents are perfect. They are human, and they have their own lives that don't affect us directly. And there will be cases when they will have some disagreements. Now I know there are some dysfunctional families, divorced parents, or worse cases. This time I won't be talking about those. I want to focus on 'ordinary' families and ordinary arguments. So, you hear your parents are starting to argue about something. What should you do? First, try to ignore it. Like I said, they may have some issues that don't affect you directly, their personal issues. So go to your room, turn on some music and try to ignore the argument. Or go outside and take a walk. By the time you are back, in most cases, they will settle the issue by themselves. Don't take it too personal. Anger tends to c

Elementary school wasn't the most pleasant experience of my life. I did many wrong things, made wrong choices, things I regret. Years after, looking back at those days, made me realize what should I have done better. This is dedicated to you, who may be struggling or wondering what are you doing wrong. - One bad grade doesn't mean it's the end of the world. If you came unprepared for test and got a low score, no need to cry about it. You can study harder and improve it next time. But you also have to remember final grades will have a significant impact on your future life. - Don't let them use you. If you see some 'friends' hanging out with you only when they need a help for a test or homework, never be afraid to say 'no'. You may feel you'd be losing friends, but frankly, they were never friends at all. - It is okay not to know all the answers. Those years may be sensitive, and you may have millions of questions. Talk to your older

Some people seem to have it all. You see photos of them on various, beautiful places in the world, always perfectly dressed, with a big smile on their face, surrounded by people they love. Some people seem to have figured out the life. You hear about them having great jobs, lots of friends, they travel the world, eat delicious food, and have a lot of fun. Some people seem just so perfect. You may wonder what is their secret? I believe I have figured it out. The thing is, they only show things they want people to see. They will never post about their parents arguing, a horrible headache they had last night, that they friend they have known for years betrayed them for no reason, that they hate going to the same job every single day. NO. They don't want to seem fragile, vulnerable. They are just trying to present the best image of themselves. Keep that in mind, in case you sometimes get depressed believing everyone has better life than you. Nobody, nobody in th

You are laying in your bed, trying to fall asleep, but your mind just won't shut off? Instead of trying to get some rest and get ready for the following day, your mind wanders from mistakes you made in past, to issues you will have to face in the future. Well, I guess you realize you are overthinking. See, while at day, when we are busy doing other things - eating, socializing, playing online games, watching TV, listening to music, reading - we are often focused on those things and our mind does not have the need to wander. At night, however, when we get alone with our thoughts - well, it can be a problem. Over-thinkers tend to over analyze their past. While it may be helpful to rethink of a mistake you made and make a lesson out of it, thinking of it over and over again, annoyed at yourself why you did not do it other way, it can only be harmful for you. Having an important exam tomorrow? Worrying how will you do, a hundred 'what if's', 'should ha

So you love reading, right? But how do you like to read books, from reading device or in paperback? Let's analyze pros and cons of each version. PRICE & AVAILABILITY Obviously, e-books are usually much cheaper than their version in paperback. Also, you do need to pay shipping fees and they will get delivered to you in an instant, almost anywhere in a world. TRAVELING If you plan to go on a vacation, you would probably want to bring something to read. While choosing which paperback books to bring, you may end up a nice pile which will take up space in your suitcase. Also, you will need to worry if they get damaged. With e-books is much easier, you will just need a reading device - a tablet or Kindle, and you can store hundreds of books, so you have much wider choice. CALM FACTOR Reading before sleep is one of the best ways to help you fall asleep faster, and this is where paperbacks take a victory, since it is much more relaxing reading from paper compa

You are sitting on a boring class, you've been listening to professor presenting an important but soo boring lesson for half an hour already, and time goes by so slowly. But you know, after class finishes, you will have a break and grab a coffee with your best friend, while discussing random stuff. Maybe you are tired from school overall, but no need to worry - holidays are approaching and you will get (hopefully) at least a short break. When you are at your workplace, and you have tons of work to do, think of that lunch break you will have soon. Think of that new book you recently bought and you will read once you come home. Think of that phone call you will make, calling a friend you haven't heard from in a while. See time goes by, and there is no way you can stop it. So you can either complain of too long work hours, even if you work regular 8 hours, but you know it will eventually pass and you will be sitting at home with a cup of coffee or tea, browsing In

'Skipping Christmas' is a short novel by John Grisham, an author widely popular for his legal thriller books. This one is rather a comedy though. The story focuses on Luther and Nora Krank, a husband and wife, who, after their daughter leaves for Peru for a year, decide not to celebrate Christmas this year. They calculate the costs it take and considering all the hassle around organizing a nice holiday, opt out to spend money on a 10 day Caribbean cruise instead. How will story unfold, and whether things will go as planned - you will have to read the book to find out. This is really nice, light reading, perfect for upcoming holiday season. Trust me, you will laugh, and you will enjoy every minute of reading this fantastic novel. Well, at least I did. Anyway, I want to wish you happy holidays, whether is Christmas or some other holiday(s) you are celebrating. Spend some quality time with friends or family, and just enjoy. Also, if you'd like some other book