Time To Be Happy?

'Tis the season to be jolly, tra, la, la, la...' and so on.

The question is why do we have to be 'jolly'?

Okay, I don't want to be all pessimistic and a party pooper but I find that when there is a lot of peer pressure on me to do something, I have a tendency to not want to do it.

Spending time with people, eating and drinking until you feel like exploding are all enjoyable and the fact that this type of debauchery is allowed at this time of the year is a bonus, but what about those who don't like listening to Christmas songs like me? There you go, I have said it and I'm not taking it back. I'm particularly worn out when it comes to 'Fairytale in New York' and even the words 'scumbag', 'faggot' and 'arse' don't excite me anymore like the way they did as a child. This is something that does not make me 'jolly' and neither does the stress involved with shopping for presents and being surrounded by hundreds of other anxious, fed up and worn out people who probably wish it was somehow easier and knowing that the prices will all be dropped as soon as the madness is over.

Why all the fuss for such a short period of time? Bah humbug. Roll on summer days.

And On It Goes...

It's embarrassing to continue reading about Ireland being such sore losers against France. Granted, it should not have been allowed and the referee was at fault in a massive way for allowing such a blatant act of cheating to stand.
It didn't stop there though and asking for the French to be noble and agree to a replay was ridiculous enough. Would we have agreed to such a request? I don't think I need to answer that.

Secondly asking for an extra place to be made for our little country was daring and also pushing thins too far. Of course if we were allocated a place, then of course another country would also have to be given a place to make the numbers even meaning that there could have been a battle on to decide which other poor country lost in the most unjust manner.

I am disappointed that I can't cheer on my country in the next World Cup and even my adopted country will not be there - probably a good thing considering that the hooligans will have no reason to kill if they lose as if they need this anyway - but I think that all of this is a farce. The performance was great and I felt that everything was given. Can we not be proud of that rather than continue clutching at straws and behaving like really sore losers when you consider that had the goal not been given it still didn't guarantee Ireland qualification at 1-1 on aggregate?

Moan For Today

Having had a problem for some time with what I consider to be my 'Black Speed Demon' - not to be mistaken with my 'Black Beauty' - I decided to try to get if fixed. The problem was with the pedal which was loose and in danger of coming off. After a lot of careful consideration I figured that the risk of becoming a road decoration was too high so I finally resolved to do something about it.

The first shop I entered was full of happy helping people who even held open the door for me as I struggled inside with my injured steel horse. Upon further inquiry I was informed that she would be restored to her former glory and ready to be ridden again in no time once for the modest cost of 110zl including a new basket as the old was was broken like an exposed blade.
'Pan mozna zostawic rower ale przyjechadz znowu w Poniedzialek' ('Sir may leave behind his bicycle or return again on Monday') I was informed because the piece I needed was not yet available but there was no need to fret their warm smiles told me and after again having the door held open for me, the day seemed so much brighter than before bringing a smile to my own face.

Cruising home in no great rush I decided to check the competition and to see if they were as charming. The door was not held open for me which was a bad start and gave them a minus rating. There were no smiles but the gruff man took the bike and got to work straight away which was something that hadn't happened earlier - interesting. I waited patiently while he worked away and, prosze bardzo - it was fixed. How much? 10zl.

I felt so happy that I also decided to buy a back light and a new basket. Riding on my wheels in her full beauty, I couldn't believe how close I had been to being ripped off until I got home and realised that after the short journey I had the same problem again. At least I have a new basket and light I suppose.

A Song

You've got the eyes to control the night
and the sense to use them well.
You feign indifference when it suits you
and can't resist the touch of my hand.

If I could get inside that head of yours
who knows just what I'd find?
There's wisdom in the posture that you choose
so are you really that wild?

At this stage you may think I am writing about my girlfriend which would be weird of you so please continue reading

If I was at your level what would I see?
And with nimble feet what would I scale?
It seems a simple day to me to spend strolling around
There's no lack of what you need but is there more to you than that?

Getting closer...?

Let it go don't make a scene I'm trying to host some company
Your tricks and moves won't work on me or anyone within this room
So close your mouth.

I'm trying hard to work all these things up against a wall
I see they're on their knees, you're on the ground rolling on the floor.




Yes it's him - Have a listen to the song "kot" on Myspace

Relationships

Being with a partner is not always easy and the two most important words necessary to remember are possibly - compromise and perspective.

Recently, after having some discussions with various acquaintances, who like me have a passion for music, I have come to the conclusion that these two words can be just as important when it comes to playing in a band. There is a big commitment in coming together with a group of people in order to share a common sound or noise, depending on your perspective. It can lead to arguments, unfaithfulness and to being stood up on occasions but, on the other hand, as one friend quite rightly put it, singing is like making love. If this is the case, sharing this with a combination of other instruments could be perceived as being an orgy.

Before I get too carried away, I want to come back to the feeling of being cheated on. This happened to me yesterday and I suspect that an affair is taking place behind my back. In fact I know that this is the case and that I am being cheated on. The guilty party even informed quite plainly that he spent last evening with his girlfriend which left me with a sour taste in my mouth which is still proving extremely difficult to wash away.

Sentiments

I have always been a sentimental person and it is something that I often feel is a burden and that to break off the restraints of this useless emotion would spur me forwards and not backwards but at what cost?

A good example of this sentimentality was on display yesterday when I was rummaging through my old CD's and I found footage of my brother and I performing to a camera about three years ago. In this short documentary which is completely overshadowed by my brother's drums, - not a bad thing considering that I look like I am playing on a child's guitar both in appearance and in sound, we both look fresh faced without the scraggles of hair we have allowed to exist on our faces. We also look innocent which is something that I don't feel qualified to comment on at this current time.

The point is that watching this I felt as if I had lost something. It is true that I am no longer the owner of the guitar but it was something else that I felt was missing and this has to be put down to the emotion that started off this rambling. A lot has changed since this session but on the whole it has changed for the better so why this feeling of lacking? It is a similar sensation I have when looking at photographs. Does it mean that I am scared of going further from what has been or does it simply mean that I am a human and there is no need to analyse it any further?

Wroclaw

Five days in the west of Poland with my parents was really nice. Wroclaw is a city I had already visited twice before but it is a place I could go back to on many occasions. It is similar to Krakow due to the fact that its main attraction is also a large market square and the beautiful architecture that surrounds it.
The city has a lot of quirky elements to it including the collection of gnomes which can be found randomly scattered around. Originally, they were used as a protest to the Communist system but now they function as a tourist hunting attraction. Another more Romantic element can be seen on Tumski Bridge where padlocks line both sides of the bridge. First of all I thought that it must be a prime area for bike thieves but upon further inspection I saw that each padlock had the names of men and women inscribed on them which brought back memories of the same quirkiness in Vilnius. Before getting married, this custom is carried out and the key is thrown into the river to symbolize the love of the couple. We were also in time to see a pumpkin festival which took place in the Botanic Gardens and showed how creative people can be with this strange vegetable.

Rather surprisingly, there are some areas not far from the tourist attractions which badly need investment and the city's hosting of the European Championships will surely see a lot of improvements taking place outside the attractive Market Square. Like every city in Poland there are the remains of Communism which can still be seen. One example can be seen above. I don't think it needs a comment.

Zakaz Gry na Instumentach Muzycznych

For those of you who don't understand Polish, this sign which was located in the Old Town in Warsaw means 'No Playing Musical Instruments' or in other words ' No Busking Here'.

The first recorded instance of laws affecting buskers were in ancient Rome in 462 BC. The Law of the Twelve Tables made it a crime to sing about or make parodies of the government or its officials in public places; the penalty was death (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busking). Nowadays it is not always necessary but in some countries you do need to have a permit to play. Nowadays, it seems to depend on each city and the local councils. In Germany, it is necessary in some cities to pay for the right to busk and you may even need a work permit as it is considered a job. I've read that in some cities you can get permission to play for certain periods of time and have to pay up to 10 Euros to do so.

In my busking days, I never looked for a permit and I always just took out my guitar and started playing. In Vienna I was told to move on by the Police after first being asked for a license which I didn't have. Playing dumb worked in this situation. In Krakow, I never had any problems with busking and the Police never interrogated me although I was asked to move once or twice by residents. Even though I've never really tried it, in Ireland busking seems to be tolerated and a license is not always necessary. I even read that begging was legalized in 2007 which brings me to an important question - is busking similar to begging?

In my opinion, it is not similar as this is, or at least should be, a creative act for which the performer should be rewarded if the passerby has the desire to do so. For this reason, I dislike being approached by people who are trying to collect money for the performer. This, in my opinion, is a form of begging. Once, when I was playing, a man asked if he could do this and later on we would split the proceeds between us but I declined as I believe that there should be no pressure on the passersby to pay for the performance and the busker should play for the fun of playing. Of course, the sound of a coin hitting being thrown into my guitar case was always welcoming but it was usually not the amount that mattered but the feeling of being appreciated that was satisfying.

Busking is appreciated by the number of busking festivals which take place every year and promote street artists. You may call them a nuisance which clocks up streets and creates a racket or an attraction which creates some magic in the air. I for one believe that it takes a lot of courage to perform in public and everyone should have the chance to do try so I hope that I don't see too many more of these signs in the future.

Warszawa

History blights this city which is a mixture of old and new - the old having been reconstructed after World War II. This concrete sprawl conjures up happy feelings and others of the frustration of being lost and unprepared. On this particular trip, I also got lost and had to take the easy way out by taking a cab to the place I needed to be but I also enjoyed the city which is so different from Krakow.
Many people say that Warsaw is just a city for those who want to make money and while this is a general statement which of course cannot be allowed to include everyone, I definitely got a sense of the openness and dynamism which exists in the Polish capital and it was refreshing. It is more multicultural than where I live and is also much bigger and higher than my adopted home city with signs that the construction of skyscrapers will continue, with Złota 44, the unusually shaped structure to the right of the Palace of Culture, planned to be finished next year.
Previously I felt that it would be a shame to dominate the skyline with modern buildings that seem to try to hide the Palace of Culture but now I have changed my opinion and I often found myself feeling rather surprisingly impressed by the height of the city. It shows the new face of the city and the optimism and hope for the present and the future.
On the other hand, the Uprising Museum is a stark reminder of the past and how much devastation was caused in the city. Just like in Krakow, this sombre period of history is not allowed to be forgotten. The Old Town is strange and it is often dismissed because, unlike Krakow's Old Town, Warsaw's is not the heart of the city and it is not original despite it being very attractive.
My heart is still in Krakow but I will much more easily persuaded to visit Warsaw in the future.

Native Confusion

The term 'Native Speaker' is one that has worked in my favour since my arrival into Poland approximately four years ago. At first I thought it sounded like the name of a someone in a cult or something else quite suspicious and being addressed by this title was often the source of amusement and discomfort, I was never able to decide what feelings it produced.
On the one hand, it meant being able to teach English with a qualification given to me courtesy of my upbringing but on the other hand, it often led to school management expecting me to be the ideal candidate to work with students on their speaking skills. This is often more difficult than teacher grammar, a area which I have grown to enjoy teaching and it is a bit insulting as it is not really teaching in my opinion but practicing speaking. For me a teacher should be able to practice all the skills and not just specialise in one.
Having been here for some time and having come to grips with the Polish language relatively well, it is now hard to be a 'Native Speaker' who is expected not to use or understand for that matter any Polish in the classroom. I should not translate or react to Polish even if there are sly comments aimed at me by students who think they have the upper hand with which to impress the others in the class.
It is a pickle and I had a big test yesterday with a new group of teenagers. I pretended to be a 'Native Speaker' in the true sense of the word but at times I really wanted to shout out that 'I can help you!', 'I understand!' - but I could not. Thankfully, there were no insults hurled at me to defend myself against and to betray my progression from being a 'Native Speaker' to being whatever it is I now am.

Fighting it on my own

Due to my stubborness or perhaps due to a continuing lifestyle flaw, I have been feeling less than perfect for the last few days. My girlfriend insists that it is the former while I am convinced it is the latter and that my body will work with me and not against me once I give it the encouragement and the ingredients necessary to do so.
Put simply, I have a common cold (Acute viral rhinopharyngitis, or acute coryza) which I have read is commonly caused by lack of sleep, lack of vitamin D and exposure to cold weather. From the same Internet source (Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_cold) I have also read that it is the most common disease suffered by humans of which there is no cure but thankfully, it is rarely fatal.
The fact that there is no cure is interesting. Of course, Wikipedia is not a scientific journal but it seems to support my argument and suggests that medication helps but only alleviates suffering while the body must do the bulk of the work by itself. According to the same site, in the US more 'than one-third of patients who saw a doctor received an antibiotic prescription, which has implications for antibiotic resistance from overuse of such drugs'.
The recovery process usually takes between 7 - 10 days but can take longer. I am on day 7 so I am feeling optimistic.

Back to School

'Back to School'

The words that mean the end of the summer and the end of the holidays. These are the words that prophesize the oncoming doom which awaits children and teenagers throughout the country. As a child signs similar to those above annually sank my spirits and the search for new pens, copybooks and the bland grey uniform was always an affair of bribery for my mother.

'After we get try on those trousers, we'll go for an ice-cream' or 'Just one more shop and then we can go home' are some examples of the tactics used in my case.
Even the thought of meeting all my school buddies didn't raise my spirits for two reasons;

1. Those friends I liked from school I saw outside of school and
2. There were so many things you had to beware of from so called 'friends.

Stealing pencil cases was one and while you were hopelessly trying to retrieve this essential by running around the classroom, your bag and everything in it was soon going in another direction. The worst thing of all is that your efforts to get back your belongings were often scorned by the teacher.
'Sit down and stop disrupting the class' shouted the teacher while smug grins were discerned on the faces of your 'friends'.
Checking the seat before you sat on it was always a good way to provide landing on a piece of chewing gum or something sharper and it was always necessary to be on the lookout for flying objects such as paper ball, sandwiches and metal pointed compasses. So you can see why returning to this environment was not a pleasing prospect.

Nowadays I'm on the other side of the desk and the prospect is still not as pleasing. Okay, the groups I have are smaller than 30, I haven't been attacked or bullied by students (yet). I also have the power of language over my students which can be a powerful weapon, but my nerves still tingle before stepping up in front of a group for the first time trying to convince them that I mean business before 'Mr Soanes' is soon replaced by 'Phil' and the routine kicks in like before.

The words 'Back to School' still unnerve me but at least I still have a month to prepare for this return.

Water, kayaking and Kielbasa

Kayaking was something I have never tried before and something I wasn't sure I would be able to handle without capsizing but throughout the whole trip to Mazury, it didn't happen once. I spent a total of seven days cruising through beautiful canals and lakes with a group consisting of 3 Latvians, an American, an Irishman, 7 Poles and 'Homer' the Labrador, who loved teasing us with sticks which he held with a vice-like grip in his teeth.
The dangers we faced in the wild came from hissing swans who threatened us by arching their wings and swimming close by with their young ones. The other threat was the torrential rain which unfortunately made life difficult over the last three days. Glimmers of sunshine soon morphed into apocalyptic clouds which burst upon us at regular intervals. Sometimes we were able to find shelter under nearby trees but on a couple of occasions I remember feeling so wet that I lost the will to care about sheltering.
Mosquito's were plenty in this part of Poland and despite using 'OFF', I think we all struggled a little with bites and itches.
Despite being far from towns and cities, we weren't totally away from civilisation as there were many bars on the camping sites and many locals who sold cakes and other locally produced goods along the banks of the canals.
There was also a sense of normality by having a daily routine. The first most important thing upon arrival was to set up our tents and then to find firewood for the cooking of sausages or potatoes, toast and cheese for the vegetarians, of which there were surprisingly a high number.
When I came home from this trip, Asia insisted I have two showers to wash away the stench of the accumulation of sausage and smoke which covered my clothes. It was something I had become so used to that I couldn't smell it at all. So now it is back to civilisation and daily showers.

Home in a Foreign Land

What makes one city different from another and why does one place have more than another?
Is it due to man's influence alone or is there something else involved. In Krakow there is a rumour which could be tourist influenced that at Wawel Castle there is one of the seven chakra points in the world. I have often observed people standing there at the assigned spot looking like they are waiting for something miraculous to happen.
I have never tried to tap into Krakow's power in this way but I do know that when I stepped off the train from Brno I felt something stir within me.
I didn't feel the same thing in Prague or in Brno despite their beauty and numerous attractions. Prague especially is like a fairytale city which lacks realism in many ways.
I enjoyed Brno as it is smaller and less tourist infested than the Czech Republic's most famous city, so famous in fact, that I have met many travellers who believe it is a country.
Despite being in these places and the city I was born and lived most of my life in, I only felt at home when I arrived in Krakow so perhaps there is some chakra connection after all.

Exploring Tunnels

Today, under the guidance of my brother, I explored a tunnel on the Irish coast in the town of Dalkey. Earlier we explored the island but today we went underground for the sake of some photos. This tunnel is connected to a castle 75 metres away from the entrance and was so dark inside that it was easy for the mind to conjure up strange and unnerving images in what seemed like an endless distance ahead. The entrance was quite small and we were a little afraid that the tide would rise trapping us inside the narrow tunnel. I was happy to get out of it alive. Earlier that day I took some much more pleasant photos of the town I work in - Bray.

Coastal Trip

The sea is something that is strange to see having been living in the south of Poland for so long. In Dublin the vast blue Irish sea is not too far away and Dalkey island is a place I had never been to. The coastal areas of Dublin are very different from anything in the city. Places like Dalkey and Blackrock are like small villages with their own unique atmospheres. Dalkey especially is a place I had never been to before but only heard about as it is famous for being where Bono lives or at least has a house. My brother and I took the train (DART) out there and a boat to the island which contains the ruins of a tower built in preparation of an attack by Napoleon which never materialised. It is also the home to the ruins of a 7 - 10 th century church and another fortress. Goats live there as well as many squawking seagulls. I didn't venture too close as they were well armed.
The weather was also amazing. It's amazing that I get sunbrnt here and not in Europe. Fortunately I used suncream beforehand and only suffered from a small strip of sunburn near my wrist.

Driving to Ruin

I spent the weekend in Wexford in the 'sunny southeast' as they call it. Between my brother and my dad, we managed to explore some of the forgotten treasures in this part of the country. There were so many crumbling abbeys and castles and some of the houses appeared looked like they were abandoned after the famine of 1847. We were discussing this and wondering when we actually found some evidence of this.
Other highlights were walking along the beach and visiting a fort which had a lot of history connected to it from the rebellious Irish past right up to it being prepared in case Hitler attempted to invade Ireland. It was nice to get out of the big smoke and into the sticks for a bit of adventure.

Back with the Leprechauns

It has been a while since I wrote anything here and I suppose it needed a change of surroundings to inspire new thoughts which I feel like sharing with the world out there. My brothers obsession has moved on from abandoned factories to abandoned castles and other such ruins. It has also taken hold of my parents so my first day back involved tracking down such old bricked ruins some of which are amazingly right next to housing estates.
Of course there were the usual 'Private Property' signs but how can people own such places which are part of our cultural heritage?
Walls and fences were scaled enabling us to snap away at such of these eerie buildings which have long since fallen into neglect. The best preserved is a lead mine which was only missing a few steps and this was perhaps to deter stupidity.
We probably traipsed on numerous graves in the process of adding to our photographic archives but at least these people will be remembered in more ways than one.

Captured in Flight

http://www.krakowcyclechic.com/2009/04/kwietniowi-rowerzysci.html

I unsuspectingly found out that I was captured on a website for bikes. I knew nothing about it but I like the photo. It was the day I saw a bike rally in the Market Square but I was going the other way having work commitments to attend to. It was strange to hear about it but I suppose it is hard to ride a bike in private these days. The comments I have received on it have been nice though.

Easter Ireland

Just back from the land of green and ginger people. It was a nice but brief visit to my homeland where weather takes priority above all else and surprisingly, it was pretty good. We took advantage of this and went to visit Glendalough which is a very picturesque place - for proof look above this. I only went into the city a couple of times and spent most of the time at home or out on drives which turned into long walks. Asia enjoyed herself and into the Easter spirit by sinking her teeth into a bunny. I ate a little too much and felt a bit sick from too much chocolate.

Here comes the summer

Tired of writing my assignment and wasting the first decent weekend of good weather for what seems like a long, long time, I took my bike and hit the road trying not to get myself killed or be sucked into the depths of one of the craters at the sides of the road. I went in the direction of Nowa Huta and kept going not knowing what to expect but determined to burn off some restless energy.
I certainly did so but the thing I enjoyed was the small village I came upon which is not far from the end of one of the tram lines but still hasn't been sucked into the city's suburbs. It lacked all the things that a village lacks such as people, and buildings of interest but it was still nice to do something different. I even came across an abandoned building (don't read this Dave) but I was too scared to venture very far inside. It's too scary when alone.

Rusty - RIP

It is sad when you have to say goodbye to your pet who has become more than a part of the family. Rusty had his evil moments especially when he threatened to sink his teeth into anyone attempting to remove him from various areas in the house and also when he became a little too 'excited' and tried to physically show these strong feelings that he needed to express, but he will be sorely missed. At least he was given the best life humanly possible to give and his life was well documented from his first feature film to the thousands of photographs which captured his many moments.

Travels in the East

Three days in the east of Poland brought me a lot of interesting pleasures. In total I visited four places - Zamosc, Lublin, Nalecow and Kazimerz Dolny, and finally fulfilled an obsession I had had for about three years since I first read about Zamosc.
For the second time in my life, I got to sleep in a football stadium but this time, the sports hall was fully functional and I got to observe the young talent in Zamosc (no perversion intended). The city is a charming place and the people are very hospitable. Despite this, it was enough to spend one day there and admire the aesthetic beauty of the main square.
Following this, I went by minibus to Lublin. Reading a book by one of Poland's and at the moment also my celebrated authors, Ryszard Kapuscinski, was a good idea on the road and was an inspiration despite the poor snowy conditions.
Lublin's old town is a strange place and why so many buildings are neglected is a mystery to me. At least they are renovating some of them. If you suffer from claustrophobia, I wouldn't recommend this city as some of its narrow streets threaten to squeeze you into oblivion and conceal the fact that you or the street ever existed.
Nalecow gave me a chance to drink some foul smelling water and Kazimierz is a charming small town surrounded by nature alongside the Wisla. All in all a good trip and a nice venture into a part of Poland where I didn't hear anyone speaking English despite seeing menus and other information in my native tongue.