Soothing jazz...

When I was younger I didn’t actually like jazz music. However, my father is a passionate listener of it. Thus, when I was in high shool he tried to interest me in the music and encouraged me to listen to Diana’s songs with him. However, I always tried to avoid it by all means. When I became older I have changed my opinion about jazz. Although I'm not as passionate listener as my father, I started to appreciate the music. Jazz is not only relaxing and soothing but also enjoyable. Even though I'm presenting only tiny bit of the genre maybe some of you who don't like jazz will come round in person that jazz is not dull:)


Diana Krall is a famous Canadian jazz singer and pianist whose work is woth noticing.













She is married to Elvis Costello.










Diana Krall became famous when her first CD entitled ‘All for You’ was published in 1996. The first album turned out to be a great success. It was nominated to Grammy Award and won.


Here comes "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" from her first album.



Another CD - ‘When I Look in Your Eyes’ also turned out to be successful. It was pronounced the greatest sucess in the history of jazz music, for it was sold in one million copies. Albums of this genre are rarely sold to such a big number of people. The album was nominated to the Grammy Award as The Album of The Year and won.


"Devil May Care" from the album ‘When I Look in Your Eyes’



The next CD entitled ‘The Look of Love’ recorded with London Symphony Orchestra.


Here is the song ‘The Look of Love’ from the the third album I mentioned.



Diana recorded many more CDs, all of them are worth noticing. I wish I could share with you more songs of hers, however there are too many of them. If you become interested in her music you can go to http://www.dianakrall.com/ or you can find some of her songs on youtube.

Even though this type of music may seem not very convincing and involving at the first sight it is worth being noticed. Trust me. Enjoy:)

In five years' time…

It’s hard to say what I will be doing in five years’ time… However, I have certain dreams which I would like to achieve…

I have always dreamed about being a skipper and a tour guide(person who is in charge of the yacht) in Croatia or other exatic country. I would sail with the tourists and show them stunning places and landscapes. Unfortunately, this dream is far from reality... It would be hard to achieve this aim bringing up a family simultaneously. I would have to resign from starting a family. However, having a happy family is my greatest dream.

Another alternative is that I would like to work at a hotel or a company as an organizing manager, a conference manager or wedding planner, …;)It’s rather my dream than possible situation, for it takes time to be promoted to the manager. At the beginning I would have to be a desk clerk or waitress and maybe someday I would be promoted…What is more, this plan would involve move to a bigger city, such as for example Poznan. I wouldn’t like to live in a big city and for me commuting is too much time consuming. However, dreams require sacrifice… Starting a family, working in Poznan and getting promotion to the manager in a hotel is an ambitious and rather unrealistic plan. Anyway I will try to make my dreams come true. Maybe it is possible for me to achieve this goal, however certainly not in the five years’ time.

The more realistic situation is that I will be working as a teacher in a high school or primary school. I will be married, have a family and two children. I would get up at 6.00 every day. I would prepare a breakfast for my husband and then prepare for work. I would start work at 08.00. On my way to work I would drop my children to grandmother. About 4 pm I would finish my work and do shopping. On my way home I would go to my mother or mother-in-law to pick up children. At home I would prepare a dinner. About 6 pm my husband would come home we would have a family dinner. After dinner my husband would take care of the children and I would have a few private lessons. At 9pm I would be free to prepare for the following day’s lessons. When I would finish my husband and I have time to spend time together, for the children are already asleep.

We will see if any of my dreams will come true... :)

A New Era?

The Obama’s oath was undoubtedly historical moment. The USA have the first Afro-American president in their history. I have nothing personal against Obama or the USA and if I were American I would be proud that Obama won. However, as far as I’m concerned, that is where the uniqueness of this presidency ends. I'm rather pessimistic about the Obama's presidency. I think Americans are too excited about the Obama's presidency. Nothing is going to change, especially when we take into account relations between the USA and Poland. The USA have never treated Poland as an equal and respectful partner. President Obama as well as the former president Bush didn’t even think about “making a call” to Polish President because they don’t treat relations with Poland seriously. Apart from this, the American Presidents called French and German Presidents. One striking example how disrespectful Americans are for Poland is the fact that many countries in Eastern Europe received permission to travel to the USA without visas, however, not Poland. Despite the fact that Poles supported American troops in Iraq and cooperate with the USA Poland still is not considered an serious partner. Obama won’t change anything in this area. Maybe for Americans something will change. However, if Obama doesn’t manage to improve economic situation in the USA his greatest supporters will become his bitter enemies. Anyway, the time will show what is going to happen… Hopefully my predictions turn out to be too dramatic. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Obama!

My teaching experience

I have to admit that teaching was a fascinating mystery for me. Before my first lesson I was both terrified and excited. I had a lot of thoughts in my mind. First, I was afraid if I manage to maintain discipline in the classroom. My second serious concern was whether I cope with keeping students interested and involved in the lesson. My friends and some of my family members were making jokes that the students will dominate the lesson and that I wouldn’t manage to conduct a lesson especially in the senior classes of Technikum Samochodowe because the students of these classes were mainly nineteen-years-old boys. My relatives couldn’t imagine myself standing in the front of fifteen boys and making them to listen to me. The reason for my relatives’ jokes was mainly because I make impression of being shy, silent and gentle. Fortunately, their as well as mine concerns turned out to be unnecessary.


During my first lesson, which I conducted in the forth class of Technikum Samochodowe, I did manage to maintain discipline and conduct the whole lesson. Much to my surprise, students were actually interested and involved in the lesson. However, not every lesson went so smoothly.


When I started teaching at Junior High School I was fearful. Students were rebellious the didn’t pay attention to what the teacher was saying as well as they weren’t following teachers instructions. The worst classes in Junior High were the senior classes. Unfortunately, the first lesson that I was to conduct in Junior High was the lesson with the class 3g. I was petrified as I heard about having lesson with this class. Before the lesson I decided to make impression to be strict, demanding as well as easy-going because I knew from my learning experience that students always respect and obey such teachers. Surprisingly, my strategy was successful. At the beginning of the lesson some of the students were testing my patience. As soon as they realized that I didn’t let them spoil the lesson and that there will be consequences for misbehavior most of the students gave up and focus. Of course the students sometimes became distracted however, that was normal short-term lost of concentration that happens during every lesson. The students were fascinated by the fact that I was talking in English all the time. Their teacher wasn’t talking as much in English as I did. When the lesson finished the students who misbehaved at the beginning of the lesson turned out to like the lesson the most and they asked me when I was going to have next class with them. Apart from the above mentioned, positive memories I have also some unpleasant experience. I will remember my first lesson with class 3h for the rest of my life. Some of the students were rude, vulgar and rebellious. They weren’t following my requests not to mention ignoring what I was saying. Any of my punishments was successful for longer time. There was some time during the lesson when they calmed down but it was only a short break. Despite the difficulties, I managed somehow to finish the lesson. However, I know the lesson wasn’t successful. The students who were trying to learn something didn’t have adequate conditions to focus.


The most pleasant memories that I gained during my teacher practice are the ones that I acquired when I was teaching pupils in primary school. Little students are very grateful for being taught and they have a lot of enthusiasm for learning. I think that maybe in the future I would like to teach children.

Christmas memories

When I was a child we used to spend Christmas at my grandparents. I remember when my grandmother, my aunt and my mum were preparing food for Christmas. There was always a lot of work to do especially a few days before Christmas and I was always helping them to prepare a cake or bake cookies. Everyone has something to do therefore my dad always brought Christmas tree and he prepared carp. There was always a lot of laughter. We used to listen to Christmas songs while we were preparing supper.

I was not willing to believe in Santa Claus but when he finally was about to come I was both excited and a little frightened. However when I was older I became wiser and I was able to immediately identify who was pretending to be Santa Claus. I remember one situation when my aunt was a Santa Claus and as I was sitting on her knees talking to her I saw her watch and I started telling that I know that she is not a Santa Claus that she is my aunt. On the other hand when my dad was a Santa I knew that he was pretending to be Santa Claus but still I was a little bit afraid and I was doing what he told me to do. I had always a task to do, e.g. saying prayer, singing song and I was doing it without any discussion. The mask that my dad was wearing was rather frightening.

When my grandmother was alive we used to sing carols after supper and during next two holidays. We spent a lot of time together. We were playing cards or other games like “Człowieku nie irytuj się”. My grandmother lived in the country and that is why during Christmas we used to spent some time outside. When there was snow we used to build snowman, sledge or there was a huge snowball fight between adults and children.

Christmas has always been a joyful and family time for me.

Sometimes words are not enough...

This song is a wonderful way to celebrate memory of The Great Pole John Paul II. It is special to me because it reminds me of the words that The Pope once said "Szukałem Was, a teraz Wy przyszliście do mnie..."

Szymon Wydra Carpe Diem "Poza czas"

SHANTIES:)

As far as I can remember when I was only a few years old I sang sea songs whenever I can. I have a memory of one particular situation from my childhood when I was spending holidays at my grandparents. One sunny day I was sitting in the hammock with my grandpa and singing shanties with him. I was a little child then and later on I forgot about that situation. After a few years I began to recollect words of the songs at first I didn't know where I knew these words from, I couldn't remember the titles of the songs. In my memories I just saw myself sitting in the hammock with my grandpa and singing these songs but I couldn't remember what are these songs. Only after some time did I realize that the songs which words I was recollecting were shanties. Maybe that is the reason why shanties are so special to me. I find that this music easily catches one's ear. Moreover it is cheerful, danceable and I have great memories from my childhood connected with it:)
Below you have one shantie that I liked singing when I was a child. I have to admit that this see song is still one of my favourite.


Jurek Porębski "Cztery piwka"



Jurek Porębski "Gdzie ta keja"



Apart from shanties I listen to other music as well. I don't have one favourite music type beside shanties. I listen to everything that catches my ear.
Below you have some songs that I like.


The OC season 3 finale "Speeding cars"




Crazy Beautiful movie finale "Perfect"



Love Story




Dżem "Whiskey"




Scarlet "Independent love song"




Bon Jovi "Living on a prayer"