Alexandra Bogdanovic's Blog: That's life..., page 2

New York Values

Poor New York. Better yet, poor old New York City.
It just keeps getting dumped on.
First Ted Cruz calls The Donald out on his "New York Values." Then a blizzard dumps a few inches of snow on the place.
Talk about a rough couple of weeks.
Please don't get me wrong. Please don't stop reading in disgust. This is not a political commentary. Frankly I couldn't care less about Cruz and I'm hardly a fan of The Trumpster -- or whatever he is calling himself these days.
I am a proud child of the New York City suburbs and an admitted New York City snob. I make no apologies for either. Frankly there is nothing for which to apologize.
Are you offended yet? If so. Too bad. That's your decision. I have no control over your reactions.
The truth of the matter is that I hold a dual citizenship and I am fairly well traveled. I've been all over western Europe and I've been to Australia more times than I can count. I also lived in Virginia for nearly nine years and have seen a good chunk of the United States -- at least the East Coast.
As far as I am concerned New York City is the single greatest city on the face of the planet. Full stop. Period. End of discussion.
That's not to say it's perfect. It's hot and humid in the summer and freezing in the winter. It is dirty, gritty and overcrowded. There's nothing quite like the smell of the subway in mid-July or the sight of garbage bags spilling onto the sidewalks on the weekends.
It is ridiculously expensive.
It can be dangerous... and if you're not careful, it will swallow you whole and then spit you out. It is not a place for the weak or timid.
It is a place where stars are born and dreams die.
The people are... egotistical, brash and perhaps a bit gruff, to put it mildly. But the singular quest for survival in America's biggest and toughest concrete jungle leaves little time for pleasantries among each other much less polite chitchat with tourists. We'll happily take their money, though.
And yet beneath the surface, in a place few seldom see, lies a collective heart of gold. New Yorkers are generous. They are kind. They are loyal. When the proverbial chips are down, they put their own needs and differences aside to help each other out. That got lots of press when it happened after 9/11 and in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. It happens all over the City everyday, but for the most part it goes unnoticed then.
It happened when my car broke down in the middle of The Bronx a few years ago. I was driving home from Virginia with my cat along for the ride. Much to my disgust, the alternator went kaput and I was stranded.
As I called 911 in a panic, several people stopped to offer assistance. They helped get my car to the shoulder and offered to call 911 themselves. Some asked if I was OK, and offered to call a tow truck. Some offered to keep me company until it arrived.
In one way or another, they all had my back -- and it didn't come as a surprise.
Until next time, "That's life..."

I've got a secret

Pssst....
Come here. I've got a secret. And I'm only sharing it with my closest friends. Actually, I'm only sharing it with those of you who are into books.
So here it is.
I know this place where you can get as many books as you want -- for free. And no, it's not the library. Or the Internet.
It's a small, red building called the Book Shed -- and it's at my local dump. The Book Shed is staffed by volunteers, who sort the books that people drop off on Friday and Saturday mornings.
The books are sorted by fiction and non-fiction categories, and by author. Most of them are the alphabetized and kept on floor-to-ceiling shelves lining the inside of the shed. A few are also kept in boxes outside.
I've lost track of how long I've been visiting the shed. It's been a long time though. I love it there. Where else could you get a free hardcover penned by a best-selling author that originally listed for $26 to $30 or even more?
It's not just a great place to get books. It's also a great way to donate them. Let's face it, as much as we love books, and even with the advent of technology that allows us to read them on our tablets, etc., there's no way that we can keep every single book we've ever purchased. To be honest, most of us probably don't want to keep every single book we've ever purchased, anyhow. But that's another story for another time.
I for one am just happy that there's some place I can take old books so others can appreciate and enjoy them.
There is a downside though. For one thing, rumors surfaced that the town wants to relocate the shed to make more room for the Department of Public Works and other activities at the landfill. For another thing, the shed is only open for a limited time. Then there's a matter of exclusivity.
Because the Book Shed is located at a town facility, only residents with proper permits, have access to the dump. So the Book Shed serves a limited number of people.
All I can say about that is, "only in Greenwich..."
Until next time, "That's life..."

Getting it 'write'

What do the world's best movies, books, plays, musicals and television shows have in common?
The answer is simple: great writing.
You can have all sorts of cutting edge technology, the latest in special effects, CGI, and so forth. But without great writing, you have nothing.
It's something that's been true since human beings scrawled the first images on cave walls, and something that's not likely to change anytime soon. People just love a good story. Or more accurately, they love a good story that is told well.
So what goes into great writing? Well, as I just said, you've got to start with a good story -- one that people can -- or want to buy into. It can be a tragedy, a comedy, a quest story, or some semblance thereof. It doesn't really matter.
What is just as important, if not more so, is the characters. They must be credible and the audience must be able to relate to them. For that matter, the world the writer puts them in must also be believable.
Throw in a healthy dose of conflict and you've got all of the basic ingredients.
The rest is a matter of talent -- or luck -- -- or training -- or some combination thereof. I suppose it depends on whom you ask. Many turn to the masters for the answers. And personally I wouldn't mind picking Julian Fellowes' brain... True he writes for TV (or at least that's what he's been doing most recently) and I write books (among other things). But he's responsible for creating one of my most favorite TV shows, (Downton Abbey) and one of my all-time favorite characters, the Dowager Countess -- who has uttered some of the most awesome lines in the history of TV.
In closing, here are just a few:
- "Vulgarity is no substitute for wit."
- "I don't dislike him. I just don't like him. Which is quite different."
- "Don't be defeatist, dear, it's very middle class."
- “Is this an instrument of communication or torture?”
- “It always happens when you give these little people power, it goes to their heads like strong drink.”
- “There can be too much truth in any relationship."
- “If I were to search for logic, I would not look for it among the English upper class.”
Until next time, "That's life..."

Game on

As many of you know, a challenge is issued on goodreads.com each January.
Members are invited to join an annual reading "competition" in which they estimate the number of books they think they can read in a calendar year and then try to meet that goal.
This year I'll be participating for the first time. Given the demands of my day job and writing my second book, I set a rather lofty goal of 100 books. I'm hardly a math major, but I believe that means I'll have to read a little less than two books per week. Coincidentally, I've also got 100 books on my Goodreads "to-read" shelf.
To be honest I probably won't get around to reading all of these. I'll be reading some that I haven't bothered to shelf. For example, I am currently reading The Sigma Protocol by Robert Ludlum, which isn't on the shelf.
Here, in no particular order, are a few books from my "to-read" shelf that I do plan on tacking this year:
- Critical Condition by CJ Lyons
- The Empress of Australia by Harry Leslie Smith
- Playing Dead by Allison Brennan
- The Prey by Allison Brennan
-Smoky Mountain Tracks by Donna Ball
-No One Left to Tell by Jordan Dane
-Cry Wolf by Tami Hoag
-Where There is Evil by Sandra Brown
-The Arsonist by Sue Miller
-The Light Horseman's Daughter by David Crookes
What about you? How many books can you read in a year? What do you like to read? Do you follow recommendations from friends, base your choices on reviews, or just on what's popular? Do you prefer fiction or non-fiction? What is your favorite genre?
Let me know in the comments below, on Google + or on Twitter.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Embracing the holiday spirit

There's something about the holidays that inspires creativity.
They've influenced literary types, film makers and musicians. They've influenced the designers tasked with creating festive window displays at some of the largest and best-known department stores in the United States, and homeowners responsible for the indoor and outdoor decorations.
Personally I have always found that decorating the Christmas Tree is a wonderful creative outlet.
It's something I started doing when I was little. Back then we got a real tree. When I got married, I opted for practicality and bought an artificial tree. No matter. I was still in charge of decorating it.
The tradition continued when I lived in Virginia and came home for the holidays and when I came home for good in 2012.
Last year, I decided to create a new tradition. Inspired by the "alternative Christmas Tree trend" I decided to "make" and decorate an eco-friendly, DIY, "Charlie Brown" Christmas Tree with sticks and branches from my yard. The new tradition continued this year.
I started by finding the perfect tree limbs and a vase to put them in (pictured here).

Then I added some ornaments. Since I've been a fan of loft living and industrial decor since before it became trendy, I decided to give this year's tree a bit of an edge. In addition to traditional ornaments, I decided to use some ball and chain I had sitting around as garland. The work in progress can be seen in the following photo.

On Christmas morning, added the finishing touch by putting all of the presents around the tree. The only thing that's missing is some sort of tree topper (like and angel or a star). Oh, and my cat. For some reason he didn't feel like joining in the festivities this year (he was sleeping). In any case, I like the final product.

What do you think? Let me know in the comment section below, on Twitter or Google+.
Until next time, "That's life..."

I have seen the light

Not too long ago, I started watching Premier League Football. Now I'm hooked.
For those of you who have been living under a rock and don't know what it is, Premier League Football is soccer. To be precise, it is British soccer - played by men from all over the world.
Thanks to the time difference the Saturday afternoon and night games played across The Pond air in the morning and early afternoon here. To be honest, that's why I started watching in the first place. What else is on at 7:30 a.m.?
There are other reasons to get into the game. For one things, the teams play in stadiums with really cool names like Stamford Bridge, Vicarage Road and Old Trafford.
The commentators have awesome English accents.
The fight songs and chants are amazing.
The rivalries are intense.
Some of the managers or head coaches provide endless entertainment (Jose Mourinho).
And at the end of the day, anything is better than watching the New York Giants this season.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Happiness is...

In the spirit of the holidays, I've decided to end the year on a positive note. So without further ado, here in no particular order are 50 simple things that bring me joy:
1. The sound of Eli (my cat) purring.
2. Getting "Eli hugs."
3. The sound rain makes on the windows.
4. Photo walks on foggy mornings.
5. Hanging out with Mom.
6. Traveling.
7. Friends.
8. Tim Tams.
9. Australian meat pies.
10. Cherry Ripes.
11. Freshly fallen snow.
12. Photo walks in New York City.
13. Flea Markets.
14. Volunteering at Adopt-a-Dog.
15. Horseback riding.
16. Premiere League football.
17. English accents.
18. Australian accents.
19. Hanging out with Grandpa.
20. Aston Martins.
21. Teslas.
22. The New York Giants (but not this season).
23. The New York Yankees (sometimes).
24. Christmas carols.
25. Jazz.
26. The Peanuts (especially Snoopy).
27. A good book.
28. Coffee.
29. Chocolate.
30. Jeopardy.
31. Barcelona.
32. Belgrade.
33. Barraba.
34. Dogs.
35. A Broadway show.
36. Going to "Dexter's Pile."
37. Classical music.
38. Ballet.
39. A good bottle of wine.
40. Polo.
41. Visiting museums.
42. Rainbows.
43. Nature.
44. The beach.
45. Sailing.
46. Looking for sea glass.
47. Sunrise.
48. Sunset.
49. Silence.
50. Freedom.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Keeping the faith

The day after the terrorist attacks in Paris, I went to the movies.
Seeking comfort, and thinking I might find it in a film featuring characters beloved since my childhood, I considered seeing the new Peanuts movie.
I settled for Spectre instead. In all honesty I wasn't sure I could handle the make-believe violence 24 hours after real life violence claimed the lives of so many innocent people. But I went because I needed reassurance.
In the wake of so much sadness and so much mindless hatred, I wanted to be reassured that the good guys do win. That evil can be vanquished. That the values we cherish in free, civilized societies are worth fighting for. That there are still a few people who are brave enough to defend them.
In the midst of all of the predictable car chases, car crashes and general mayhem that is an integral part of any Bond film, I found what I was looking for. I went to see Spectre and I found "a quantum of solace."
In the weeks since then, more real-life violence erupted, this time in California.
Much like a James Bond martini, my faith has once again been shaken. It feels like the world is upside down, or maybe sideways. Any way you look at it, it's a big, bad, scary place. There's no doubt about it.
But I still have faith. The good guys will win.
It's just a matter of time.
Until next time, "That's life..."

Shifting gears

Hi there everyone. Yes, it's really me. I'm back.
Er, never mind. Most of you probably didn't even know I've been gone. But those of you who have been keeping track know it's been more than a month since my last post.
In all honesty I didn't mean to stay away so long. It's just that I've been a little busy lately. You see, getting your own business off the ground is a full-time job in and of itself. There's a lot to learn and a lot to do.
Among other things, I took a couple of web design classes and built my own site, which I hope to launch by the end of the week. I'm also planning on building a Facebook page for the business, which should be up by the end of the year if everything goes according to plan. Between that and building a client base, I've got a pretty full plate.
For now I'm playing my cards pretty close to the vest; I don't want to divulge too much about the business. Perhaps it's superstition. Or perhaps I'm nervous. It's probably a bit of both.
But don't worry. I won't keep you in the dark for long. I'll tell you as much as I can as soon as I can.
In the meantime,I'll happily keep you informed about my progress on my second book. Yes, I am still working on that. In my free time. Whatever that is.
Until next time, "That's life..."

It's (not) all about me

It happens all the time. A word from pop culture or the common vernacular is "accepted" as part of the English language. With acceptance comes inclusion in all of the "official" English dictionaries.
Today, the online editions of the Merriam-Webster and Oxford dictionaries contain the worst word ever uttered. "Selfie." God, I hate that word. I cringe every time I hear it. It's worse than listening to someone run their fingernails down a chalkboard.
One commonly accepted definition of a "selfie"is: "an image of oneself taken by oneself using a digital camera especially for posting on social networks."
To me it is woefully incomplete. With apologies to my friends who have actually indulged in this activity, my definition is much more accurate. It is: "a digital self-portrait taken by a self-centered, self-absorbed, self-important, narcissistic person with a clearly overblown sense of their own worth and place in the world."
Frankly I couldn't care less about seeing pictures of anyone on social media. And in all fairness, I wouldn't expect that anyone would care about seeing my picture on social media either. That's one reason why I've never taken a "selfie," and I never will. The other reason is pretty obvious -- just look at the picture (taken by another photographer) accompanying this blog. I am not exactly a photogenic girl. I hate having my picture taken, so I would never take my own, much less put it on social media.
At the end of the day, it's not all about me -- or anyone else, for that matter.
Until next time, "That's life..."