day after.

Procrastination took over, again. If it all goes smoothly I'm finishing this academic year on Thursday and then getting drunk in the evening. For every single time that I managed to get out of my warm morning bath and actually go out to face the people, that major and my inner insecurities. 

My girlfriends & I decided to celebrate the Kupala Night last weekend. It was the first time for me, mostly because we don't really relate to that date in any specific way in the area I live. Now that I moved to a city over 200 kms from my home I get to experience a bunch of craziness I'd never thought I would!

{Kupala Night is celebrated in Ukraine, Belarus, Poland (Mazowsze and Podlasie) and Russia currently on the night of 6/7 July in the Gregorian or New Style calendar, which is 23/24 June in the Julian or Old Style calendar still used by many Orthodox Churches. The celebration relates to the summer solstice when nights are the shortest and includes a number of fascinating Pagan rituals.}

We were supposed to all dress up in white gowns (I wore something totally not appropriate because my wardrobe seriously lacks in simple while dresses [here I am] ) -- make some flower chains and "find" ourselves hubbies.

"On the eve of Ivan Kupala, the girls are weaving wreaths of forest and wild flowers. Midsummer wreath - is not just a decoration, a talisman against evil spirits and evil eye, symbolizing the cycle of natural forces and infinity. In the evening, at sunset, making a wish, a wreath is lowered to the water surface of a lake or river. If he would sail off into the distance - the desire to come true, if after a short time, stick to the shore near the place where it was lowered into the water - the desire is not fulfilled. Stick to the opposite shore - "in the side of your fate," will pop up in the middle of the pond - a year will pass without problems.

By wreath guess and betrothed. Shall put a wreath on the river, watch how he will behave. Sinking a wreath was a bad omen, "Garland drowned - pretty cheated." If the crown comes apart, pulled the chain and broke up into separate colors - so the girl not to get married this year."

So basically we drank some, we smoked some and then we went to the nearest river to be eaten alive by mosquitos. I certainly was. Ouch. We also went to a gig later that night, but that & the whole process of setting the wreaths on the water still needs to be developed since my GP B&W 400 film apparently requires some extra care. (1week+)

If I were to give an opinion on Kodak 200 Gold - well, it definitely needs some solid light. And it doesn't quite handle inside pictures without a strong source of light either. I wanted to try it because Nat took some amazing snaps with it in Tenerife earlier this month. Well, it's not my favourite but the pictures are indeed edgy! That's kind of cool.