Dumała's Gentle

Today I started a new course

about Theory and history of music

and thanks to it I have something interesting to post

- A Gentle Creature 

animation by Piotr Dubała

based on Dostoevsky's short story

(we were analyzing music in it).

I used to be a big fan of Dostoevsky..

Well in fact I am still..,

but I try not to read his books too often,

because they have too strong influence on me...

Never mind.

I wanted to post this incredible animation.

It definitely has this thick atmosphere of Dostoevsky's books.

Just silence. And he was too deep in his own feelings and images.

He thought that she would wait. 

Silence was growing.

In fact, I purposely deferred the climax: 

what had happened was meanwhile, 

enough for my peace of mind 

and provided a great number of pictures and materials for my dreams. 

That is what is wrong, that I am a dreamer: 

I had enough material for my dreams, and about her, I thought she could wait.

Two o'clock at night. 

Her little shoes are standing by the little bed, as though waiting for her.... 

No, seriously, when they take her away tomorrow, what will become of me?

Watch it all here.

Read here.

Look at the interesting animation technique -

scratching images into painted plaster.

Alice and Lolita - are they really similar?

Some time ago I read Alice I have been by Melanie Benjamin,

a story freely based on the life of Alice Liddell

which is supposed to be an inspiration for Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Usually I am not really interested in stories behind books.

I prefer to enjoy a story as a world in itself

and don't try to find what made an author write it.

This time the story of 'real Alice' really appealed me,

but I don't really care how much truth is in it

(and if the book's Alice is really based on Alice Liddell

or on her sister or any other Carroll's little friend).

I am just going to write about one thought

which I found really fascinating when reading the book.

Let's assume that an ideal Alice is like Alice Liddell.

What kind of a person Alice as a child was?

Well, in spite of her sisters she didn't want to be a proper lady.

She hated all this Victorian etiquette, fixed rules and bans.

She always got dirty when playing and hated wearing frilly dresses

which prevented her from feeling free and natural.

Let's follow the Melanie Benjamin's fantasy and say that if Alice had entered her Wonderland

she would have run barefoot on grass in casual clothes or even in rags

(in reference to infamous photography I post below).

How can such a person be a role model for Lifestyle Lolitas

who in fact try very often to behave exactly according to rules that Alice hated?

There is one way to connect it.

Quite easy one, sounding like a cliche: to be the way you want to be.

Alice wanted to behave informally, wear comfortably clothes,

play outdoor and get dirty when doing it.

Lolitas want to behave, dress and live like ladies in a world when informality is approved.

Nowadays being a tomboy is okay, 
but being feminine is very often considered anti-feminist.

Being/ becoming Alice would metaphorically mean behaving in a way you truly are.

The society has changed and also rules how to fit it has changed

so in the consequence contemporary Alices are so much different.

But the mechanism stays the same.

Happy Cat Day!

Happy Cat Day!

For this occasion an amazing poem 

of Polish poet Wisława Szymborska

Cat in an Empty apartment

Die—you can’t do that to a cat.

Since what can a cat do

in an empty apartment?

Climb the walls?

Rub up against the furniture?

Nothing seems different here

but nothing is the same.

Nothing’s been moved

but there’s more space.

And at nighttime no lamps are lit.

Footsteps on the staircase,

but they’re new ones.

The hand that puts fish on the saucer

has changed, too.

Something doesn’t start 

at its usual time.

Something doesn’t happen

as it should.

Someone was always, always here,

then suddenly disappeared

and stubbornly stays disappeared.

Every closet’s been examined.

Every shelf has been explored.

Excavations under the carpet turned up nothing.

A commandment was even broken:

papers scattered everywhere.

What remains to be done.

Just sleep and wait.

Just wait till he turns up,

just let him show his face.

Will he ever get a lesson

on what not to do to a cat.

Sidle toward him

as if unwilling

and ever so slow

on visibly offended paws,

and no leaps or squeals at least to start.

Translation taken from here.

Me and my friend went to see an exhibition about this poet

(it is one year since her death now)

and seems like she really loved cats!

She had a lot of knick-knacks with cats,

postcards and cut-outs.

Just a few picks from the exhibition.

I forgot to take my camera

so pics have mobile-quality.

(all taken by my friend)

It just reminded me Susan Herbert

I wrote about here. 

Cats- our eternal love :3

Jewels

Let's start with a quote

from one of the most important books in my life:

The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Form is absolutely essential to it. 

It should have the dignity of a ceremony, 

as well as its unreality, 

and should combine the insincere character of a romantic play 

with the wit and beauty that make such plays delightful to us. 

Is insincerity such a terrible thing? I think not. 

It is merely a method by which we can multiply our personalities.

I just found a performance

that is a perfect illustration for it :)

Jewels choreographed by Balanchine.

They outfits are based on different jewels:

emeralds (my fav), rubies and diamonds.

It is an abstract ballet

so you can fully concentrate on a form.

Unreal and insincere.

Pompous like a ceremony.

The essence of  pure art.

(part of it here)

At the old cinema

Today I went to see the dance performance

At the old cinema together with my grandma.

In fact I saw it for the 2nd time xD

(as always I was distributing programs).

I tried to make my outfit look vintage.

Sexy version and elegant version.

I wore 2nd one. 1st is just for fun xD

Now my head is full of old Polish songs...

Like this one.

It is almost impossible to believe how perfect dance 

can bring back times which seemed gone. 

Suddenly the soul of it is back.

This is why I attend so many performances -

this world is not enough.

I need to visit more of them. 

These which already disappeared 

and these which never really existed 

or at least not in such an idealized form. 

(Cracovia Danza)

Chinese New Year Card and iphone pics...

Happy Chinese New Year :)

Here is a lovely card I received from my uni friend

who comes from Taiwan^^

Thank you once again my Dear :)

I love this song for New Year so much :3

And now two pics for daily spam :3

Me, my friend and our newest hobby (sic!)..

I mean... sweet photos xD

One is from the opera, the second from random meet-up ^^

Exams, winter and small loli meet-up

Long time no writing.

It was because of this...

...yes... exams...

but I passed all of them.

In fact better than I thought

and now have time for daydreaming, no-lifing

and other things I love ^.^

(But thanks to exams I lost some weight!)

Hard time, but at least beautiful winter

and my infatuation for an..opera singer

made this time a little easier xD

Shopping?

Yes, of course during exams session

I always buy too many things

to reveal my pressure...

The famous skeleton tights are

my biggest achievement this time xD

Stradivarius blazer

(OMG they have so many gorgeous blazers *.*)

and hair accessory for hime hairstyle

Today we had a small Lolita meet-up ^_^

As one of Lolitas just came back from China

and had many stories to tell.

Here is her cutest bear in panda outfit

which accompanied us today and...

drank all chocolate!

More pics ^^

Elluin so dark!

And the cutest one :3