MARINA SOKOLOVA

Christmas eve.

Jim, few of our friends, and I have spent christmas eve in The Brook  in Southampton. The Silver Beatles were playing. I took a chance to test my new camera, which I was given as a gift for this christmas. It takes photos and HD videos. I am really happy with it:

 

 

 

Trips to Beaulieu.

Jim and I had some time off this week and did some local sightseeing. We went to a place we haven't been before – the Beaulieu estate. Yep, totally unreadable and unpronounceable. I call it Bulyo. If you live nearby and have time, it is worth asking for a return ticket, which is the same price as a normal one. There is enough entertainment to spend two days there. The park and the house have people dressed in Victorian costumes. We saw a guy riding a monocycle in the garden and people singing by a piano in the house. For an extra £1, we received a tour of some private rooms by the housekeeper.

We also rode the monorail and popped into the car museum.

But what we enjoyed the most were probably the falconry presentations. I found it especially interesting, because my last name is derived from falconer, just like Smith is derived from blacksmith. Sokol means falcon in Russian. In old times falconers in Russia were as common as, for example, blacksmiths in old England. Due to an abundance of space and forests, hunting with falcons in old Russia was not a posh past time like in some other parts of the world, but a regular source of food for many people. Hence last name Sokolova (Sokolov for male - same last name in Russian language changes according to one's gender) is as common in Russian-speaking world as Smith in English-speaking world. But as many modern day Smiths have never seen a blacksmith, I never seen a falconer before.

Piracy for charity.

Recently, an acquaintance of mine expressed shock from seeing me throwing books in a trash bin. “You should never throw books!” she exclaimed. “But I finished reading them and I no longer need them,” I said. “You should at least donate them to charity,” she said.

Today I was walking by Oxfam book shop in Eastleigh and I remembered the conversation. It is a spacious shop with wall to wall shelves filled with donated books everywhere an eye can see. I asked a sales person, whether like public libraries they also pay anything to the authors. She wasn't sure what I meant. So I explained that public libraries in UK pay something to the authors every time someone checks out the book and I am curious about how charity shops compensate the authors. Is it the same or different? She thought that it was an interesting question, became curious about it herself, and asked the manager of the shop.

The manager explained to her and me: “Yes, libraries do pay authors – it is called public lending rights. For these books authors are paid one time, when books are bought new.” I asked: “So if I buy a book here, author gets nothing?” She frowned and explained again that an author does get paid once, when the book is bought new before it is donated. I said: “If I buy an electronic copy of a book and share it with people – that is piracy and is illegal. People donate books here, you sell them. Other people read, donate. You sell. Authors get nothing. Don't you see it is as same as piracy on the internet?” She disagreed. I sensed that we were starting to get into an argument and it was getting uncomfortable. So I said: “Thanks, I was just curious,” and left.

As I am typing this I noticed on my table another paperback, which I finished reading this week. I think that after I post this I will go and throw the book in a trash bin. I feel uncomfortable doing charity, while at the same time stealing from another person's pocket.

Surprise Show.

Jim and I went to the Royal Victoria Country Park today. We coincidently arrived just before the World War 2 aeroplanes show was about to happen, about which we didn't even know. We sat on our picnic blanket and watched these aeroplanes flying right above us. I thought about how scary it must have been for other people in the past to see these exact aeroplanes just like this, above their heads, but knowing that they were either going to drop a bomb or shoot at them.

Then we watched 3 cruise ships going by leaving the port and one entering it.

Bournemouth beach.

We went to the Bournemouth beach this weekend. I was laying on it and thinking that it feels neither democratic (very few free benches, elevators are a bit overpriced for pensioners and parents with prams, etc) nor it is upscale (no serious resort businesses, looks slightly run down). I was wondering why don’t they develop it (there are plenty of space for beach cafes, restaurants, water sports, etc) and make it prettier. Then I remembered the fact that all the beaches in UK are private. And for people to lay on them local councils have to pay hefty rents to the owners. Yes there are some town parks owned by councils, but no beaches. So it is up to the private owner to develop or upgrade the beach, which is a huge task for one person or one family, who probably can happily live on just the rent from the beach anyway.

Another thing: we have spotted 2 paedophiles in just 2 hours on the beach. They were so openly trying to approach schoolgirls that it was hard not to notice them. I guess all those language schools in town, where kids come to spend part of their summer break, make this place very interesting for freaks.  They should really have some kind of CCTV or a higher police presence there for kids’ safety.

I guess, we have USA neighbours, because I just had a pleasure of watching a nice fireworks display from my balcony. It is funny that they celebrate their independence from Britain in Britain.

Ikea opened in Southampton.

There is an enormous Ikea store opened in town. Huge choice for reasonable prices. The store is packed with people. The managers of empty neighbouring furniture stores are probably crying at night.