What's in my bag?

When I first started watching Youtube, these type of videos were my favorite to watch. When I discovered the blogging world, posts with this title always caught my attention. Lets be honest, we girls love to see what other women are carrying in their bags. And it is a mystery for me why, but oh well, probably some women psychological thing.

In my last year of school and in uni I used to carry bigger bags that would fit my books and notebooks. Now, when I am not a student anymore, I prefer smaller bags. Although on the picture it looks big, I assure you it is not. I would call it a medium size. It is a new bag that I got last week. I needed a new bag, but I couldn't find one that I like. It was a spontaneous decision. I was feeling down that day, I went to the store to warm up after a walk, saw it and bought it, simple as that. And let me tell you, not only it made me feel better that day, I don't regret buying it, because I really like it. So, what is in my bag?

• wallet
• keys
• Kindle
• earphones
• tissues
• pen
• painkillers
• comb
• lip butter from The Body Shop in Mango
• Lipstick from Essence in the color 07 Natural Beauty
• ladies box
• phone

 That is it. Not much, but enough. 

Reading challenge 2016 - Update

This year I am taking part in the Goodreads Reading challenge 2016. I was participating last year as well. In 2015 my goal was to read 24 books and I've completed the challenge by reading 26 books. I was happy and proud of myself that I've managed to achieve my goal. Also, it was fun so I decided to take part in this year's challenge.

This year my goal is a bit lower - I want to read 20 books in 2016. So far, so good - I've read 17 books and as the Goodreads claims, it is 2 books ahead of schedule. Here are those books (in the order I have read them):

H.Amin "Reunited in the Desert"
J.Picoult "The Pact" *
L.F.Baum "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"
H.Hesse "The Journey to the East"
N.Gaiman "American Gods"
J.P.Sartre "Nausea"
A.Munthe "The Story of San Michele" *
D.Chamberlain "The Good Father"
C.M.Dominguez "The House of Paper"
L.Kepler "The Hypnotist"
J.Austen "Sense and Sensibility"
H.Murakami "A Wild Sheep Chase"
J.Fowles "The Collector" *
B.Sher "Wishcraft: How to Get What You Really Want"
D.Keyes "Flowers for Algernon" *
S.Maitland "A Book of Silence" *
J.Gray "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus"

Books marked with a star I liked the most. Most of them I've read on Kindle, because it is easier to take it with me to work. Usually I read on my way to/from work and when I have some free time there. Sometimes I read at home and then I prefer paper books.

Only 3 books left until my goal and more than 2 months to reach it, so I am sure I can complete the challenge. Wish me luck :)

Sweater weather TAG

Long time no see!
It has been a long time since I've updated my blog but here I am again, trying to write again. Not much has changed in my life but let's talk about that later.
Today I would like celebrate my favorite season - autumn! And for that I picked up the Sweater weather tag, because I love autumn and I love tags!

1. Favorite candle scent? I don't a specific candle scent for autumn. In the summertime I don't like to burn candles, the autumn and winter is my candle season. I pick up what I am in the mood for that season but usually in autumn I pick woody, cinnamon, apple scented candles.

2. Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? Tea. I like coffee any time of the year and drink it every morning but in autumn I especially like teas to warm up and get cozy.

3. What’s the best fall memory you have? Nothing comes to my mind now. Maybe visiting my brother his family almost every year in autumn (he lives in other country). Also, when I was younger, I went on a scout camp first weekend of October every year.

4. Best fragrance for fall? Woody, cinnamony scents.

5. Favorite Thanksgiving food? We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in our country.

6. What is autumn weather like where you live? It's chilly, in September mostly sunny but in October it starts to rain.

7. Most worn sweater? It changes every season. This year I'm into wearing nude color clothing.

8. Football games or jumping in leaf piles? Jumping in leaf piles.

9. Skinny jeans or leggings? Skinny jeans. I don't wear leggings anyway.

10. Combat boots or Uggs? Combat boots. Although I don't have ones, I don't like uggs.

11. Is pumpkin spice worth the hype? Not for me, I don't like pumpkins and pumpkin flavored food. Yes, I exist.

12. Favorite fall TV show? This season I am watching Suits. For me autumn is that time when I pick up new tv shows. After summer, when the weather is getting colder and days are shorter, it is nice to cozy up in bed  in the evenings with a cup of tea and watch a lot of tv shows.

13. What song really gets you into the fall spirit? I don't have particular song for autumn, it changes every year but it is always calm music.

14. What do you want to be for Halloween? I don't celebrate Halloween.

15. Hats or scarves? Scarves.

16. What’s your #1 favorite thing about fall? Colorful leaves. When I see those trees, I feel so calm and relaxed, it makes me happy instantly. Autumn is so beautiful.

How to spend time alone

To start with, I am an introvert which means that I recharge and gain energy by being alone. And it doesn't mean that I am unsocial, don't like people or spend time with them. No, not at all. But only those who are an introvert knows what I am talking about.

So I often spend time alone, sometimes because I need it and sometimes because there is no one to meet. And I know that feeling when you don't know what to do, how to spend time. Lately I stopped worrying about it and decided just to enjoy myself. Here are a couple of my ideas what to do while being alone:

Read.
The ability to live a hundred of lifes and visit different worlds. And you don't want company in these journeys, believe me. But of course, not everyone likes to read.

Watch tv-series.
Or movies. But I prefer tv-series to watch alone. I am just obsessed with them, almost live with the characters. Today there are so many shows so that everyone can find something they like.

DIY projects.
Why not to be crafty sometimes and express yourself?

Color.
It's a new popular thing - coloring therapy, helps to relax, relief stress. Special coloring books for adults can be found in bookstores.

Ride a bicycle.
You can ride in your own speed, where you want and how much you want.

Go for a walk.
I prefer walks with someone else but lonely evening walks are nice and helps me relax, rethink, reset my mind.

Cook/bake.
It is great to try out some new recipe by yourself. You won't be embarrassed if it doesn't come out well, because no one apart you will not try it.

Experiment with makeup.
Sometimes I like to try out some new makeup looks on me. Practice makes perfect, also it is a great way to discover what looks good on you and learn something new.

Meditate.
Or just have some time to think about the current day, what are you grateful for, put your thoughts together, restart your mind.

Go through old photographs.
Bring those memories back. And appreciate them once more.

Redecorate room, reorganize bookshelves, sort out the clothes.
Why not to take that alone time not only to sort out yourself but also your things? With good music in the background and a cup of hot tea on the side. Helps me also to put my thoughts together.

Got any other ideas? Share them in the comments below.

Best books of 2015 so far | Update on reading challenges

It is July already that means half a year has gone now (whaaaat?). As always I don't believe in it, it is not real probably (yeah right, Victoria, it's just your imagination..)

In today's post I want to talk about my progress in reading challenges and share best books that I've read this year so far. 

Firstly, the Goodreads 2015 Reading challenge. This year I set a goal for myself to read 24 books. It should be about 1 book per 2 weeks. So far I've read 12 books and according to Goodreads I'm right on track. I've been ahead most of the time but last month or so I am having a huge reading slump and I can't get back on track with reading. Hopefully this will go away soon. Maybe there is some suggestions how to get over the reading slump? Share it! I would like to know.

Second challenge that I decided to take this year is the 2015 Reading challenge by Popsugar. I've wrote about it in one of my posts here. 

My result so far is 18/50. Not a lot, I know but I don't seek to cross off everything on that list. I know already that some of them I won't complete, so it's not my main priority. I don't even choose books by this list, I read a book and then mark if it applies to something from that list. 

Now to the best books I've read this year. 

Cross roads by Wm. P. Young

This was the first book this read as well. It is about a rich man who loves only himself but after felling into coma, he find himself in this strange state when he can appear in other peoples mind, can communicate with them. He has given a chance to make a difference in life. 

My rating: 5/5 stars.

Source: goodreads.com

Second glance by J.Picoult

I like J. Picoult's books. This time it is about ghosts. Very interesting story that keeps you read more. Rating: 5/5 stars.

Source:goodreads.com

Not without my daughter by B.Mahmoody

A true story about a woman who comes to Iran with her husband and daughter and soon becomes trapped. She tries to escape but she will go only with her daughter which is more difficult. Rating: 5/5.

Source: goodreads.com

Steppenwolf by H.Hesse

A classic and philosophical one. Not really my style but this one had great point about life. I liked the Steppenwolf probably because I can relate some of his traits to me. Rating: 5/5.

Source: goodreads.com

Hopefully my reading slump will go away soon so I could get lost in books again.

Have a great day!

What 3 years at university gave me | Graduation

While writing my last post, I remembered my studies and graduation and some thoughts popped. As I have told before, my time at uni wasn't the best. But beside that I am thankful for that 3 years, because it tough me something.

It was a special moment, I was very happy and proud of myself for doing it, for finding strength to finish something I didn't enjoy and wasn't really interested in. But I didn't give up and graduated. 

Probably I won't work in that area but still a degree is useful to have. It was an experience and those 3 years of studies taught me something. Of course, it gave professional knowledge but also I've learned more important stuff: I've understood what I don't want to do in life, I've learned which are my strong sides and where I am weak at and I accepted myself as I am. I understood that everyone are different, that every person has its own way of working, socializing, living. I've discovered my way and accepted it and now I am not trying to change myself and never want to. Those 3 years thought me that I am strong enough to make something happen, to keep it up and finish what I have started.

Through out that period I met people that made my studies a little easier. We made our own friendship group. I never argued with other people in our class, I would interact with everyone but still I was staying aside, by my own. I remember that the first year I was mostly alone. I tried to make friends but all of them made into other groups. I was upset at first but then I realized that being alone isn't bad. After understanding it, somehow I became friends with other girls that also was a bit aside. And at our last year we where all together, always doing projects together, spending breaks together, while still we were aside from others. But this didn't bother me. 

Those 3 years at uni gave me an understanding that being alone or being different isn't a bad thing. You just need to admit it and embrace. Right people will come eventually. 

Even though I didn't like my studies and major, I am grateful for this experience which changed me. 

I would like to advice all to always, even in the worst cases, search for something good. There is always something useful and positive. 

"Everything happens for a reason" - I believe in it and it makes my life easier.

Picture source: http://www.iliketoquote.com

Update

Hey there!

It's me again. Long time, no post, unfortunately. But it's life, life as it is. So let me tell what have been happening in my life in my absence. It's not a lot but I want to share and try to come back to blogging, starting with this post.

Last time I posted 3 months ago. So, whole 3 months, a quarter of the year, one season. A lot of time but still so little. Those of you who read my blog earlier know that I've graduated in January, after what I started searching for a job. I couldn't find anything for some time. And let me tell you it was a hard time. I felt  useless, down, apathetic. After 2 months of unsuccessful search I lost hope. But not only hope to find job, no, it was worse. I lost hope for everything. To show the situation I should point out that I always was a person that even in the darkest scenarios had hope, I always believed for the best. But at that point in my life I had lost hope. I didn't believe I will find a job, meet love, be happy. Now when I look back, I was probably near to depression (or maybe it was already an early stage). 

But in March everything has changed. I found a job! Everything went really quick: I remember that I send my CV, the other day they called to invite me to an interview, day after I went there and was offered a job which I had accepted and the other week I've started the training.
I couldn't believe my luck. After all that time of unsuccessful tries, time with no offers and no interviews, I have got the job! I was really excited and happy. Even my friend told me that I have changed. Like he said my eyes lightened up again. 

So, I had a month long training and now I am working almost three months already. Time went so fast, I didn't notice. 

Everything is fine now, I like my job, I've met there new people, made some friends. And oh, I got back my hope. Now I hope for the better tomorrow, again, how I used to.

Don't know how my blogging will go on from this point but I would like to start posting again. I will try but I won't put pressure on myself. I have some post ideas that I want to write, so I'll get to them as soon as possible. 

What would really help me is knowing what those who read Minty way would like to see on the blog, what types of posts would you be interested in. Questions are also warmly welcomed. I will answer to all of them.

Hopefully, see you soon.