Articles written by Maria K. - Page 2

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About me - Maria K.

I am a first-generation Russian-Ukrainian immigrant. I was born and raised in Zaporozhye, Ukraine and came to the United States as an impressionable 19-year-old exchange student in 1994. I earned my Bachelors and Masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering

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Style & Beauty > Hair Care Healthy hair made easy: 1 of 6
All my male friends are probably staring at their computer screens in shock right now, because after articles on communism, extremism and various other -isms I suddenly decided to write about hair. I mean, how much girlier can it get?! Well, sorry guys, I am a girl - there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it, nor wo... More..
Politics, News & Issues > News Industry Making informed decisions on whether to trust the media: 10 of 56
Somewhere out there NASA scientists, engineers and administrators, supported by the general public, had to wage a war to get financing for the Hubble Telescope maintenance mission and, thus, prolong the life of one of the greatest scientific exploration devices in the history of space exploration. In the meantime, somewhere ... More..
Celebrations & Holidays > Wedding Budget Wedding planning on a tight budget: 8 of 41
Almost everyone I know has either gotten married recently, or is getting married, or is related to someone who is getting married or is involved in a wedding. My own wedding is in a little over two months. By the time we are married, Gerry and I will have been engaged for a year and a half. However, as it always happens in s... More..
Style & Beauty > Vintage & Bargain Clothing How to spend less and still look fashionable: 1 of 5
Fashionable wardrobe on a budget begins with the rule of "no": no trends, no fads, no obsessing with designer labels, no trying to squeeze into something that does not fit. Following this rule requires significant discipline for some, but the results are definitely worth it. Having made a solemn promise to follow the rule of... More..
Style & Beauty > Business & Formal Clothing Dressing for casual Fridays: 1 of 5
One of the most traumatic sights in my life was a rather large woman wearing green sweatpants and an orange sweatshirt in Philadelphia airport. The impact of this shocking vision was exacerbated by the fact that I was just on my way home from Paris. While not everyone in Paris looks like he or she had just stepped off the ru... More..
Personal Finance > Smart Spending How to spend wisely on holiday gifts: 3 of 14
We all know that receiving gifts is supposed to be enjoyable. But giving them? Ugh... It can be frustrating even for something as simple as someone's birthday, when you only have to think about one person. Holiday gift giving is that multiplied by twenty and cubed. Who gets gifts and who gets only cards? What to give? When t... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Immigration Issues The US controversy of immigration: 13 of 60
Did you know that the fist thing you see as you enter the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) application office (just off Billy Graham Parkway in Charlotte) is the word "No". I haven't been to any other USCIS application services offices around the country, but that big "No" is what you see at the doo... More..
Creative Writing > Short Stories Short stories: Vacation experiences: 6 of 26
Atlantic in December ==================== Ocean, ocean, the beautiful ocean!.. I love ocean, even in its more frightening stormy incarnation, let alone on a beautiful clear day, when it rolls its crisply white waves just far enough to make a lazy seagull lift off reluctantly and move to higher ground; to snatch a bright pink... More..
Style & Beauty > Clothing Tips & Advice Tips on dressing for special occasions: 1 of 4
There are several reasons why my husband and I adore the BBC version of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. One, it's a superb adaptation - the closest one to the book both in terms of the story and in terms of casting. Two, it shows us a glimpse of an era when people had so much stuff to ... More..
Food & Drink > Food & Drink (Other) Inside a food factory: 1 of 4
First and foremost, a disclaimer: the purpose of this article is not to demonize food industry - on the contrary. I find it interesting that in a culture, where food occupies such an important place, people who are not and have never been involved in the food industry know very little about how some of their favorite foods a... More..