https://www.learnship.com/us/news-events/behind-the-scenes-learnships-language-training-rd-team/
May 27th: Sunscreen Day
On May 27th, we celebrate the so called “Sunscreen Day”. I am personally a big fan of it, so I though it is time to show it some appreciation. #SunscreenDay
I believe many people are familiar with the infamous speech from ’99 titled “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)” (a.k.a “The Suncreen Song”).
However, what only few know is that Baz Luhrmann and Kurt Vonnegut take all the credit for it, whilst it was originally written by a Chicago Tribune columnist called Mary Schmich, back on June 1st, 1997. It was originally written in a lesser-known essay named “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young” as a hypothetical commencement speech. The essay was meant to give various pieces of advice on how to live a happier life and avoid common frustrations.
You can find the original video here. Enjoy and don’t forget to wear sunscreen!
On a side-note, if you liked the essay above, I warmly recommend you read the following commencement essay from Marina Keegan: “The Opposite of Loneliness“.
After all the buzz about Marina Keegan a few years ago, last year I finally gave in and read most of her work in one go. I will not go into details about her life and her as a person, because that will only spoil the expectations you have about her work (I did the mistake of googling her before starting to read her word and this was a huge no-go!). Just read her work as an aspiring young writer and remember what it was like when you were young and were feeling infinite!
P.S. I think my favorite work from Marina is a piece called “Why we care about whales“. Enjoy!
Eurotrip with the boys
I tried submitting the following article for the annual “Chicken Soup for the Soul”. I am aware it is nearly not as good enough, but for a first try, I think it is worth sharing on my website. At least just for the sake of it. For the sake that I wrote it to share with people. And for people to read it. So please enjoy!
Писателка в нощта
Аз съм момичето на мама. Ще те обичам, докато не спра да дишам. Докато не се обадиш, и полицията не дойде за да ни раздели.
This poem was inspired by the original English song “Writer in the Dark” by Lorde.
A Thousand Years of Love
Passing through the desert
Comes the light of the forest
And the seven colors of their world, are all flying in the sky
There was something mystical about them
And a grey swirl, that drew me in the fizzle
Could no longer see the blossoms in my hair
The gentleness passed me by without a sound
Going through a thousand years of pain
Only to get a simple result
The shadow you left behind, it guides me on
Through the loneliness on a dark night
A thousand years of sorrow
Knowing you will be waiting in the end
The most beautiful feeling in the world, it will be worthy
Waiting for a lifetime
This poem was inspired by the original Chinese song named “千年之恋” by F.I.R.
Translations of Turkish poetry
- From Ömer Hayyam’s RUBAİLER (Kabalcı Yayınevi) – P. 153:
201.
It is my turn today, to be young
I drink; as it is my delight
Do not judge me; it is pleasant, even if it hurts
It is my life, even if it burns.
- From Aziz Nesin’s AŞK ŞİİRLERİ (Nesin Yayınevi) – P. 79:
FORGIVE ME
I come too early
Just like I came into this place
Or I come too late
Just like loving you at this age
I’m always late to happiness
I always go too early into sadness
It is either too late
Or there has been nothing at all to await
I came into life at a certain time
Early to death, late to love
I was late, forgive me love
Late to death, too late to love
Note:
For the translation of “201.”, the text was almost literary translated. This may have limited the translator to present the real meaning, however the original melody and poetic reading was lost. This was wade to distinguish the following poem, “Forgive Me”, which in contrast was translated to preserve the meter and literary devices. Thus, the original melody and poetic reading was preserved.
Her
Strange.
And a little bit crazy.
She has an opinion about everything, but
is never intruding.
Knows what she wants, and doesn’t wait
around for anybody to give it to her.
She is a sometimes serious and other times
naïve like a kid.
She may be cheeky, but is never arrogant.
Mostly confident, but never self-absorbed.
Always carries a heavy bag,
Because she always has a book or two
accompanying her.
Pretentious, but only towards herself.
And Humble.
Very down to earth, just not this Earth.
This is her.
This will always be her.
Somewhere over there,
that is her.
This poem was inspired by the original Bulgarian poem “Тя” by Dimitar Kalbuhov.
Marina's Joy Box 