A beautiful weekend video

Hi Lovelies

I hope you enjoy this song and video. I mentioned it a little earlier... its very peaceful and happy.

How has your week been?

Enjoy

El xx

Women in India- 'Thus far and no more' by Abhishek Shanker Anand

An acquaintance of mine from facebook living in India wrote this powerful and deep response to the rape crisis occurring there. I m sharing here in the hope that people will read it and love it, and share it on! Thanks El x

Thus far…  and no more

-By  Abhishek Shanker Anand

A burglar breaks into a bank and says he was “provoked” by the huge amount of money kept there.Is his explanation accepted? No. When a person is murdered, and the murderer says he was “provoked”, is he left scot-free? No. Corporal Punishment is condemned and many teachers who meted out inhumane punishments have been brought to book. And if they say they were provoked by the students behaviour,is it accepted? Never.

Then why do men think it is acceptable in the  case of rape? And yet, that was the exact reaction that came from many quarters especially from policemen when the shocking gang rape of a 23-year-old in Delhi came to light. And shockingly, most women too, think that victims of rape and molestation bring it upon themselves.

This attitude is deeply rooted in our patriarchal system, where the male alone gets to make all the decisions and where the women are forced into submission and are made to believe that they have no right to live their lives for themselves,the way they want to.  And if they violate this decree, they are asking for trouble. And what is more, the women who are submissive will force other women too into submission.

It starts right in our families, where the son is given more importance than a daughter, and a free reign.A boy’s bad behavior is most likely to be dismissed “as typical of a male”. And what do we get? We get men who think that any kind of behaviour is acceptable, including violence, and he can get away with it, simply because he is a male. They think it is the women who should know their limits, and not the men. And it is certainly this attitude that exists in homes, which blames the girl entirely and encourages such incidences in our country.

When sexual abuse occurs within a family, the women who are closely related to the victim create a false impression that the responsibility rests with the victim alone. This creates feelings of guilt, depression and hopelessness in the victim, and she will find no support, even from her own mother, to complain again the culprits. The question is, Why do we disfigure women as a form of revenge?

There are limits to a womans patience and tolerance, and men have far exceeded these limits. It is time that women stop taking blame for mens crimes. It is time that women realise that it is never their fault. That they alone have the right over their bodies and dignity,  and that no man has the right to touch them even without their permission. It is time that women spoke out, fearlessly. It is time that women were provoked, provoked to fight back.

The bystander phenomenon have gone on long enough in India. This is a plea to all women- STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, STAND UP FOR OTHER WOMEN. You see some girl in trouble, immediately go to her aid- each and every woman in the crowd- reach there, mob the molester, give him a public lesson that he will never forget. Start doing this, and you will see the bullies cower.

A bully lasts only as long as his victim fears him. Woman power has always been under-estimated. Power doesn’t lie in muscles. Power lies in RETALIATING TOGETHER. This act does not need a bill to be passed by the parliament. It needs no law to be enforced. It needs only COURAGE.

As for the so called “educated men”, who believe that this situation is a result  of women crossing their limits in their dressing, let me remind them of an incident in the Ramayana when Sita was abducted by Ravan and her ornaments were shown to her husband Ram and brother in law Lakshman. Lakshman could only identify her anklets. Because he only looked at her feet, out of RESPECT. And this respect for women is what lacking in men today. Before you criticise women for loosing their morals and not emulating Sita, remember that you have lost your values and do not respect women anymore. There is still a lot to cry over in the country, so please change the your thinking, your mentality, CHANGE YOURSELF FIRST…

contact : abhi21anand@gmail.com

'I am Light'- Inspiration.xx

(image: adventoutpost.com)

India Arie, one of my favourite singers has just released her new album 'Songversation'. Its so beautiful and healing, I advise all of you to youtube, soundcloud, google this album! Go and Listen. In fact listen to all of India's music. She has helped me through hard times and her mission is to heal people through music, to uplift the soul :)

I just wanted to share some of her lyrics from her new song, I am Light. I hope they inspire you today as they did me!! If you are sad or broken, remember these words. With love. xxx


I am light, I am light 

I am not the things my family did
I am not the voices in my head
I am not the pieces of the brokenness inside

I am light, I am light 

I'm not the mistakes that I have made or any of the things that caused me pain
I am not the pieces of the dream I left behind

I am light, I am light 

I am not the colour of my eyes
I am not the skin on the outside
I am not my age, I am not my race, my soul inside is all light

All light, all light 
I am light, I am light

I am divinity defined
I am the God on the inside
I am a star, a piece of it all
I am light

Ellie Goulding- New Song!

Hi everyone,

I am loving Ellie Gouldings music at the mo! She has just released this cover of a Leona Lewis song and it is totally brilliant, very summery and festival inspired. Can imagine dancing to this :) Very addictive!

Enjoy xxx

Hello, My Birthday, Life, Summer- I'm Back today xxx

Dear Wonderful Readers,

I decided to take a blog hiatus because of what was going on in my personal life. Thank god I am starting to feel a bit brighter again and I wanted to give you a little update!

Yesterday was my 25th Birthday! I had a fab day with my best friends taking me out for lunch. One of them has a baby daughter who is so gorgeous, was lovely having cuddles with her! I also saw my aunt and cousin and was so nice to get all my birthday messages, cards, texts etc. I am planning to go to the Harry Potter film studios with friends at the end of the month as I am a big fan and they are so close to me here in London. 

I just wanted to write to send love and to say I hope to post more regularly again!!!!

Much love and light,

El xxxxxxx

Blog Hiatus for a short time.

Hello lovely followers

I am so sorry I have been neglecting you all- have been finding things hard as of late. I have decided to have a short break but may be back soon!!

Lots of love and hope everyone is well.

El xxx 

Its okay not to be okay

(image: tumblr)


xx

Loves of this week.

Sharing my loves with you all :)



This beautiful hair colour:

(image: blog)

This picture:

(image:weheartit.com)

These pictures of Zooey Deschanel dressed up in vintage, 1920s beach style: 

(image:womenofvintage.com)

(image: blog)

Happy Thursday and Friday friends!!! What are you loving?

xx

To be content.

(image: weheartit.com)

Today, I am feeling content with life. Blessed and happy.

I got my Ghana pictures printed of the women I worked with back in 2010. I feel so blessed and honoured to have worked there and my heart is happy as I look back at those memories. I hope and pray they are living happy lives. 

How are you today?

xxx

A Friday Photo

Welcome to Friday. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend and enjoy this photo:

This pic is from website VintageStyleMe and features a gorgeous headscarf. She looks so pretty in it. I also love her 1940s fringe and tattoo!: 

(image: VintageStyleMe website)

Vintage Style Me is a UK website selling vintage dresses and fashion. You can now get 15 percent off with the code MAILTHANKS. 

Have a good weekend lovelies!

El xxx

My loves.

(image: imgfave.com)

Hi everyone,

The past few days have been wonderful. Spent a lot of time with family and friends  celebrating Passover and eating a ridiculous amount. Us Jews seem to eat a lot, and drink very little!! I really had such a good and uplifting time. I hope all my friends in the blog world are doing well and enjoyed their easter. Spring is nearly here!

(image: laviejamie.com)

My current loves:

-my hair in a top knot
- red nail polish
 - my new cath kidston blue and yellow notebooks
 - my quote from mother teresa poster from charlotte.

(image: weheartit.com)

What about you?


xxxxxxx

Easter greetings and Passover fun.

(image: blog)


Hello my lovelies,

Just a little note to wish all those celebrating a very Happy Easter. I hope you enjoy your chocolate eggs and any celebrations you may be having. :)

As mentioned, us Jews are in the middle of Passover. It has been a busy time with lots of friends and family and my mum frantically cooking! This blog will resume normal posting in a couple of days.

Happy holidays friends. 

xxx

A few days break- Passover

Dear friends,

This week is the Jewish festival of Passover, where we remember the Jewish people being freed from slavery in Ancient Egypt (as told in the Torah and Bible). We commemorate this and other persecutions that have enslaved us around the world and enslave others. The first two days and end last days are holy days, meaning I won't be online to blog.

Passover is a lovely festival, we eat delicious food and gather with family and friends. We change our diet for the whole week of Passover and do not eat anything that has 'risen' with wheat/ been leavened, as the Israelites did not have time for their bread to rise as they hurredly left Egypt. We commemorate this by eating differently for the week. For anyone interested, we eat a cracker called matza... and various other dishes, mainly fish, meat, eggs (but sadly no bread or pasta).

If you would like to know more, ask away below and I will tell you.

Back in a few days!

Lots of Love

xxxxxx

Liebster Award :)

Hello everyone! :) My blog has been nominated for a Liebster Award by the wonderful Lisa from the blog Pixie Diaries. Thanks Lisa :) x

So, here is how it works: 

1. When you receive the award, you post 11 random facts about yourself
2. You must answer 11 questions from the person who nominated you.
3. Pass the award onto 11 other blogs
4. Ask them 11 questions.
5. You are not allowed to nominate the blogger who nominated you!

11 Facts About Me: 

1. My middle name is Rachel but I also have the hebrew names of Ilana Raiza, named after my late great grandmother Rose. 
2. I travelled to India with my best friends when I was 20 and was an extra in a Bollywood movie with the actor Shahid Kapoor.
3. I lived in the Ghanaian village of Fuo for 7 weeks in 2010, when i was volunteering with the development charity Tzedek. I worked as a teacher at an NGO, with 8 other volunteers.
4. My first degree was in Drama and English Literature and my second is in Applied Theatre (Drama in community). I'd love to work for a theatre. 
5. My favourite movies are The Notebook and Titanic
6. I am a hopeless romantic 
7. My favourite food is my mums chicken noodle soup. 
8. I am Jewish and my grandfather is a refugee from Germany (now living in the UK).
9. I pierced my nose when i was 20 but it got infected and only lasted 6 months, Sad times 
10. I love soul music, especially Motown and neo-soul. My favourite singers are Joss stone, india arie and stevie wonder. 
11. I love animals and really want a dog when I have my own home.

My 11 Questions from Lisa:



1. If you could be any animal, what would you be and why?

If I was an animal I would be a fluffy little duck/ baby chick, because they are small and cute! 


2. What is your favourite breakfast food?

I love to eat chocolate cereals, although recently I have found porridge with sugar to be yummy.

3. Where did you go on your last vacation/ trip?

Believe it or not I havnt been away since 2010 when I went to Ghana, West Africa for 7 weeks. It was a life changing experience and I had such an amazing time.

4. What is your favourite movie?

I think my favourite movie ever would have to be the Notebook. It is such a beautiful and romantic film and I cry whenever I watch it.

5. Who would you want to play you in a movie about your life?

I would want Rachel McAdams or Natalie Portman to play me in a movie about my life because they are both amazing actresses with a lot of range!

6. If there was a zombie apocalypse and you had to choose between staying in your home with ample food, but little protection (meaning you don't have the supplies to board yourself in completely) or hitting the road with a full tank of gas, but very limited supplies, what would your coarse of action be? 

I think I would stay in my house as everyone needs food to survive. A hard question Lisa!

7.  Are you a cat or a dog person? Why?

I am a dog person although believe it or not as a child I was scared of them. I used to be a cat person when I was younger but not I find dogs to be friendlier and cuter. I would like a dog at some point.

8.   What is the worst book you have ever read?

Gosh, I have read a lot of books but I think perhaps Frankenstein  by Mary Shelley. I didnt enjoy it. 

9. If you could go back in time, what year would you go to and why?

I would like to go back to the 1920s in America and go to illegal jazz parties as a flapper just because I think that would be so much fun! 

10. Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?

I hope that I am in a career I love or am with somebody I love, hoping I will settle down and start a family, but who knows what God has in store!

11. Do you drink coffee or tea? (I'm team tea)

Right with you Lisa, I'm team tea too!! Its wonderful to wake up in the morning with a cup of tea.

My 11 Nominees for the award:

Anna at Little Reminders of Love

Michelle at Oh Mishka

Catherine at A Time to Create

Keith at Unapologetic Dreamer

Kizzy at the Dainty Dolls House

Carly Watts Art and Illustration

Ally at All Things Sweet

Courtney at Vintch

Deirdre at Decoybetty

Chloe Moon at Argo...

Selina at Ginger and Chestnut

My 11 questions for them:

1. If you could live in any country other than the one you are in where would you live?

2. Chocolate or marshmellow?

3. If you could buy clothes from only one shop for the rest of your life what would it be?

4. What is the coolest place you have travelled to?

5. If you had a pet what animal would it be and what would you name it?

6. Which celebrity would be your ideal lover?

7. If you could be a 1950s film star who would you be and why?

8.  What is your favourite song and why?

9.  What songs would make up the soundtrack to your life?

10. Can you speak a foreign language and if so which ones?

11. If you could be a fruit, what would you be?

Hope you enjoyed and thanks again Lisa. Eleanor xxx   

Inspirational Quote of the week.

'We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities'.- Ralph Waldo Emerson 


(image: queenofturqouise.blogspot.com)

Moving to BlogLovin

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Dear readers. Important notice :) 

Due to Google Reader closing (where you can see my number of followers), I am making sure you can all follow me on BlogLovin.  To follow me and sign up to follow your other blogs click above xxx

Relaxing weekend and Katherine Heigl movies

Hello all. Hope everyones doing well and you've had a good weekend. I had such a relaxing weekend at my Dads. I slept a lot, watched tv and really just chilled out. Sometimes its good to just be still and sit with a cup of tea, a family member and a good tv show!

Whilst I was relaxing I also watched two movies as I was flicking through channels and weirdly, they both happened to have Katherine Heigl as the lead actress. Heigl was in Greys Anatomy and shes branched out to do films in recent years. I watched:

27 dresses

(image: wikipedia)

A film about a woman (played by Katherine Heigl) who seems to be a perpetual bridesmaid (hence the 27 dresses...) and what happens when her sister steals the man she has been secretly in love with. Can she find love? It has really funny bits in it and is a good rom-com!   

(image: dbcovers.com)


The other film I watched was:

Knocked Up

(image: sandym325.wordpress.com)

A comedy about a one night stand that turns into a pregnancy. Can the two (played by Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogan) form a relationship? This was good and had some really funny classic moments. 

I would recommend both these movies!!

For more on Katherine Heigl: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Heigl 

Have you seen either movie? Hope you had a good weekend?

xx

Thank you blog friends.

Thank you so much for your love and kindness in leaving me supportive messages to my last post. I gave the internet a break for a few days to clear my head and just be, without technology around me. Today, I logged in and saw those helpful and sweet messages below. You are truly magical xx


How is your week going?

xx

Feeling blue.

Today I feel:

(image: sunnysweetpea.com)

I have been trying to be positive but I am down because the job application process is just so hard with constant long forms and rejections and exhaustion. I also feel that there are other things missing from my life (relationship etc). Trying to find and create new opportunities for myself, but all I feel like doing at this moment in time is:

(image: weheartit.com)


I talked to some great friends of mine tonight and that helped. Lets hope things pick up...

x 

This week, Beware of the Chickens and a Gratitude List..

Good morning! So many thoughts swirling around my brain as I sit down to write this post. Where do I start? Firstly, I had a bit of a bad end to my week. I was feeling quite down over the weekend but now I am feeling a little happier and counting the good things in my life. Here is a gratitude list and a list of happy things that have happened:

- This morning my Dad and I went for a drive along old country lanes just a bit in the suburbs outside of London. We drove past woods and stables with horses, past little cottages which you would never know were there (one had a sign saying 'Beware of the Chickens'!!). I would love to live in a little cottage with a menagerie of animals... hopefully one day I will. The sun was shining and we drove past a lake, glinting in the light as the landscape is beginning to wake up as it moves from winter into spring. It was such a wonderful drive and just what I needed this morning.

(Image: weheartit.com)

- I am thankful for:

- Fresh flowers (at the moment red roses and yellow daffodils are on our table at home and they brighten up our little apartment.

- Watching new films I havnt seen before, last night I watched 'The Tourist' with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie. Its a film about a man who gets caught up and accused of being a gangster.. who meets Angelina Jolies character Elise Ward on a train. Angelina has such classic hollywood beauty. She is stunning as is the rather gorgeous Johnny Depp. A good and complex thriller to watch. 

- My friends. I have been struggling a bit lately and both my friends on and offline have been there. 

- New novels. I am still wading my way through Anna Karenina. It is taking a while and I pick it up and put it down but hopefully I'll finish it soon.

-Crafts such as Knitting...even though I am hopeless at knitting but its relaxing!


Do you like any of the things on my list? Have you seen the film 'The Tourist'? Let me know!
xxxx

The Astonishing Light..

(image: wishmeluxe.blogspot.com)

'I wish I could show you

When you are lonely or in darkness

The Astonishing Light of your own Being!-

                                                  Hafez 'My brilliant Image'

Evening thoughts.

(image:weheartit) 

So I'm just sitting here in my living room on the distressed brown couch that often is my evening home. My sister often goes to sleep early and we currently share a room so I come out here to type. This post is just a collection of little thoughts crossing my brain:

- The thought of waking up early with my mug of tea and listening to my favourite soul singer Joss Stone while still in my pjs...

-Looking at my book of poems that my good friend Charlotte bought me to cheer me up.. called 'Winning words, inspiring poems for every day life'. She has just gone to Korea to teach and bought me the book to make me smile! I already miss her!

- I have a lot of time at the moment as I am job hunting which is often spent scouring arts jobs websites and finding the perfect theatre admin job, or charity job out there. I hope I still have as much time to blog when I am employed..

- And thinking that even though I am only 24, I have ticked off a lot of my little dreams and goals...but the bigger ones are still there shining down at me...

Have you achieved some of your goals?

x 

The festival of Purim :)

Hello lovelies, sorry again that I havnt blogged as frequently. However, I came to tell you about a Jewish festival I am celebrating. Its called Purim and we celebrate the triumph over persecution that nearly took place in Persia of the Jewish people about a thousand (I think) years ago!! Jews were saved and so the day was instituted as a day of feasting, merriment, giving money to charity and dressing up in fancy dress. We also read the story of Purim which was written down in a scroll in synagogue.

Here is this years Purim costume, Me in a saree!:

Happy Purim :) How are you? xxxxxxx

A little list.

Today:

- Bright pink nails

- 600 pages of Anna Karenina to read, but lots of love tales already! and complicated relationships. this book is beautiful.

- Sitting in pjs as the day starts waking up slowly and looking out my window at the red ball that has been in the tree for months, the children forgot to take it down.

- Little black bird sitting on the fence as i write this :)

- Found this gorgeous quote from EE Cummings:

  
(image: weheartit)

How about you and your day? 

x  

Spring, a new week and 100 :)

(image: click here)

Dear my lovelies,

Sorry I havn't blogged in nearly a week now! How is all with you? I am happy as the sun is shining, we are getting BLUE skies (as opposed to grey!) and its all reminding me very much of *Spring*. Its lovely to wake up in the morning with it being light.

Are you up to anything nice this week?

I am so excited that I now have 100 followers (Thank you Amber) on my blog. I love that you are enjoying Mirror Of My World and it is growing, so thank you all.

Not much is new here, just doing job applications and today going to see my best friend and her little girl who is a few months old.

Have a great day and let me know what you are up to/ whether you are enjoying Spring or Summer in your part of the world!! 

x    

The day for hopeless romantics

(image: Ally and Noah, the notebook)

“I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common man with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough..'- Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook

May your day be filled with love from whoever comes into it today.

Happy Valentines 

x

Thank you!

(image: weheartit)

Double post today: Just to say.....

Thank you Mary at Money Making Blog for putting a link up to my blog on your page. I couldn't find a way to get in touch with you but thanks so much!

and thank you readers for bringing continued love to this page.

Eleanor x

Dreaming of Spring: Happy Tuesday!

Good morning everyone, thanks so much for your lovely posts on my weekend post. Great to hear from all of you and I hope you had a good weekend.

Today I have been dreaming of spring. Here in England it is so snowy (but not the kind that settles properly), the skies are grey and honestly, all you feel like doing is curling up with a mug of hot chocolate and a blanket! Note to self: buy hot chocolate.

I thought I would write a list of everything I am enjoying at the moment, and I'd love to hear whether you are also enjoying it or what you are loving at the moment so feel free to comment below.

1. This Cath Kidston strawberry dress that I ordered:

image: cath kidston uk

2. Yellow tulips. They make me happy and remind me of sunshine.

(image: click link here)


3. Anne Hathaway winning the BAFTA (British version of the Oscars) for her portrayal of Fontine in Les Mis. She was amazing.

(image: justjared.com)


4.  Its getting lighter earlier- yey!

(image: weheartit)

And so I will be thinking of these happy things as I apply for jobs and hopefully get job interviews, fingers crossed! 

 Lots of love, have a good Tuesday x

Happy weekend!!

(image: click link here)

And so we have arrived at Friday! I love the Friday feeling... coming home and putting your feet up and just relaxing after a long week. This weekend I plan to relax, perhaps see friends and go to the cinema. I am going to see how I feel but there have been some great films out lately.

What are you up to this weekend? Have a good one!! xx  

Wednesday thoughts.. tea, anna karenina and sunshine.

(image: click link here)


Hi everyone,

You know sometimes you go to your blog and you think ' what can today's post be about?'. Today was one of those mornings. I woke up really early to get me motivated for the day and had cups of tea. You have to love tea in the morning....:) and as I slowly awoke.. and as the UK skies turned from grey and freezing to blue and sunny, I felt happy and grateful for my life this morning.

Now this doesn't always happen. Some mornings I awake feeling miserable and sad about life. So I thank God that today I felt happy. Are you a tea or coffee person and do you have any morning rituals?

Another spooky thing happened this morning. For the past few days I have been thinking I must read a classic book to add to my 'Year in Books' challenge, I am trying to read as much as I can and document it in my page above. That book was 'Anna Karenina', which I think is a beautiful love story....and an advert came on TV announcing that Anna Karenina is coming out as a movie with Keira Knightley for Valentines day. *spooky*

Good morning one and all and I wish you a happy Wednesday. What are you up to today? Have you read Anna Karenina and what did you think?

(image:weheartit) 

xxx