Long time no see!

Gosh, I can't believe I was not here for so long...

I'm so so so sorry I was gone. For SO long! Wow! I know many of you still read my blog - and all the info here is for you to use, learn, and so on. :) Feel free. Thanks to all of you, who have written in the past months and who have lost me for a while! I appreciate all your support and insight!

I have TONS of updates, and I won't be able to fit it all in here. But to explain why I have been relatively absent in the past 3-4 months - well, surprise-surprise, it is all my PhD. I know, I have been bragging about it for it seems like half a year. And it seems that for a year by now I have been saying "Hold on, Liuba, it's just a little left!" Then suddenly my supervisor wants me to do a new study - in December! I was supposed to finish everything in December. The worst thing is I really wanted to do that study myself, so I did it. Sigh.

Anyway. I will be back and relatively soon. I am - YES! - planning to submit in May and am working really intensively now revising, revising, revising! After that I will be back. And I will have a few new things to share with you. 

First, I'm gonna add another part to this blog - on health and going natural, as this is what I am doing this year. This was one of my NY resolutions, and I am going to share my journey with you. It will be a mix of some diet and make-up tips and stories.

Second, I have stopped doing TA after Continuity level 6. I never started level 7, though I really love TA (this blog is the proof enough right?!). But I simply couldn't find the time and energy besides my PhD. I am doing some exercise 3 times a week, but it is really low-intensity stuff, like Tracey Mallet barre method (I will try to do a review sometime). Why? Don't get me wrong - I still love TA immensely, but I really like to do it systematically. And when I can't - I feel like it is not worth it in a way. I DO want to proceed from level to level, and if right now I don't have a chance to be consistent and do one level in two weeks, well I'd rather leave it till I can. This is only my thing, and some people don't mind being inconsistent. But I will get back to Continuity in May-June.

Third, I am planning to get a personal trainer on top of TA. Yes, I know, it is not recommended. But I want to learn about this stuff - so that I can understand my body better and know the differences between different workouts. Otherwise, how can I claim that what I'm doing IS the way forward? Huh? :)

So this will be the updates to this blog, check back in soon! I have already prepared some stuff on natural make-up, mineral make-up and make-up for acne-prone skin. So, stay tuned!

Finally, some updates. I moved to Prague! Wohoo! One of the most beautiful cities in the world! But right now - I am having a research stay in Trondheim, Norway (I know it is confusing, but forget about Norway, I'm thinking of myself as based in Prague already!). Trondheim VERY northern, but extremely pretty - any season. In the past months I also did a lot of travelling  we my BF (obviously besides packing up my stuff, selling furniture and leaving my beloved Bremen) - we travelled to Amsterdam, New York, Frankfurt, Heidelberg and Strasbourg. Lots of great memories, wonderful time, great food (YUM!). I am a food freak - I know that now. I LOVE FOOD! French food - delicious! Steak - WOW! We had some nice steak in NY almost every day, as well as had a great one at (not next to AT) the Grand Central at the Michael Jordan Steakhouse. It is quite pricey (like most things NY-style!), but very good and with a very fine view I have to say. :)

NYC skyline... Not just beautiful - breathtaking! I wish camera could really capture it!

Well I just couldn't NOT post this :)))) Funny. It is actually at the Madame Tussauds. 

Have a great rest of the weekend you guys, I will try to check in here more often. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Christmas is close!...

Well, it's  been a long long time since I logged in last and posted an update. Almost two months. Wow. Time flies.

I had a lot of things going on and now wanted to post about many different and perhaps not very related things. Because I am leaving tomorrow and most probably won't have access to Internet for nearly three weeks. Three more weeks is not so much compared to the 7 I have been absent from the blogosphere, but still. :)

TA. Well, I am still holding in. But barely. And it is not about the lack of motivation really. Simply my PhD is taking my life in its own hands and I really can't find enough time. But I did finish level 4 and 5. Now that I am away, I will try to keep active, but I'm afraid I won't be able to work out well and often. When I get back in mid-January, I will start on level 6 of Continuity. Slowly but right ahead.

I had a very sad November. My grandpa died and I couldn't go to the funeral. But at least I managed to say bye to him and see him in October. It took me a little back on my PhD and workouts as well. But I am happy to be travelling to see my family very soon.

I bought a new camera and enjoyed taking it everywhere with me. I took some nice pictures which are more like learning for me. I started out with learning photography from Photography Concentrate. Their "Extremely Essential Camera Skills" is really good and easy for the very beginners! It just gets you going from scratch!

These are some photos I took at my University (Jacobs University Bremen) when it was beautifully snowy for the first time this winter!

Now I read a lot of tips and advice, and really hope I can apply them in practice now on my trip.... We are heading out in a couple - yes - minutes!!!! Have to order a taxi and go! I will be crossing the equator for the first time in my life and will spend a wonderful week with my sweetheart in Seychelles! Can't wait! Christmas with the sand, palms, fruits, sea and lots and lots of sun!

To whoever celebrates what: 

Merry Christmas everyone! Happy New Year! Happy Hanukkah!

"Long time no see"...

I am still alive. :)

It’s just life has been too fast and too busy in the past weeks. I have been working hard on my PhD, travelling to Stockholm for a meeting, and now my mum (along with boyfriend!!!) is visiting me – so I am doing a lot of touristy things, walking around and to be honest, discovering the city from a completely new angle. There is soooo much to do in Bremen and around. I am actually pleasantly surprised. Will write a post on that later - hopefully!

With mum on board of a ship from Bremen to Bremerhaven.

So, a little update about my workout. I have not been able to workout while my mum is here or I was travelling myself. So, while I did do good with level 8 – went till day 6-7, I never managed to finish it. Now I haven’t had a workout for a week!!! I am upset about it, and will try to squeeze at least cardio in today while my mum is sightseeing on her own. But there is nothing else I can do – will just have to jump back into it after my mum leaves. And get going again with level 8. Level 9 is so close and Continuity is not far away either. I am trying to motivate myself and in the meantime – eat healthy and stay away from scales... :) That can only bring frustration. Can’t wait to continue my workouts.

Stay tuned!