Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
I Enjoyed This Fine Spring Day With a New Kite
The wind was blowing nicely today so after my haircut I stopped at the hobby shop and bought a new stunt kite. I love being a kid.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Extreme Sheep Hearding
Light-Up Sheep Art - Watch more Funny Videos
This is a great video that is really an advertisement for Samsung TV's. Viral marketing at it's best.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
For My Facebook Friends
I hated the new layout so much I couldn't take it anymore and since FB doesn't want to listen to there users I removed everything but my friends and a few bits of info to find me here.
And to be honest I am somewhat of a narcissist to begin with and FB only feeds that more and I don't like that about me so back to the blog.
And to be honest I am somewhat of a narcissist to begin with and FB only feeds that more and I don't like that about me so back to the blog.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
What to Write?
Again I am at a place where I feel as if I have something to say but am not sure exactly what. So I will just start to write and see what falls out.
I really don't know where I should begin, so many different things floating in my soup (read brain) right now that there is no cohesion yet to the flotsam and jetsam because they run the gambit from the world economy to my needing a new flatmate, with lots of fun stuff in between. So I am hoping that by stirring the soup I can get some cohesion and ladle out some wisdom. (The missing cohesion ingredient may be some nicotine, I will see what happens, back in 5 min with the results.)Yup, as always, that did the trick, but it took two to do it.
So topics to be covered will include the following:
Why I live in Slovakia and plan to stay here.
My thoughts on current events in The United States.
My plans for my new blogging style, to give you more updates.
and other random crap that will come out, like turn ashes into ice cream.
A Stranger in a Strange Land.
I love this feeling. I will do my best to explain why. If you have the U2 album October listen to the song. But really it is about the fact that I am doing things and interacting with people in a language and culture that are not my own. The challenges I face everyday from the simple things like what bus to I need to take to, is the cashier going to ask me something in Slovak I will not understand? I enjoy meeting people and even if they don't understand English well we both still try and communicate. I am a true believer in you never know what lessons you may learn from the random people that drift into and out of one's life. I do still get asked questions by people at the bus stops in Slovak, which means I don't look like a complete foreigner but I still feel like I stick out but most of that is in my head. I love that I don't have a car here. Sure there are a few weekends it would be nice to get out of the city for the weekend but a rental car does the trick when needed. I have a bus pass now and can get just about anywhere I need in the city in less than 35-40 minutes. Some mornings I get on my bus for work and I can get a seat no problem, other days the same bus I am like a sardine two stops after mine for the next 10 minutes. I like to people watch and a bus is a great place to do it. And because of bus only lanes the buses are faster than driving a car during rush hour. The other advantage of not having a car is I walk so much more now and feel I am in the best shape of my life now. Even with the smoking. I also think that is one reason people here are skinny and in such good shape, everyone walks a lot. Which brings me to another reason I love it here. The women are amazing, plain and simple. For me they are the best looking women I have ever seen, and I have traveled the world looking. But if I had to narrow it down to one major reason it would be this, I am doing something that so many people wish they could but either don't have the opportunity or they are to scared to take the chance and live their life. All I can say is, if it is the first reason I understand but the second reason is weak, fear should never stop you from living the life you want. The other reasons will be covered in the next topic.
It is Easier to Watch a Train Wreck from a Distance.
And in this case it is doing so in slow motion, thus making it harder to watch. To say that only "W" started us down the wrong path is incorrect, to say he sped things up maybe more accurate. We have been on the wrong track for years and I will explain why. The United States Congress, that's why. And they are the reason the country is in the shape it is in. Until we throw them out on the street things will only get worse. Trust me, they know that the party is over and Rome is burning but they want to keep pretending like not only can they keep the party going they can make it better for everyone. I could explain this in much greater detail but I won't. Those of you who know what the words "bicameral legislature" already know what I am talking about and those who don't know what it means would most likely be confused no matter what I write. (if you know the meaning then you most likely stay more current with what happens in D.C, then what is on E.T. and Hollywood insider.) I am sorry but I don't see how to solve our national debt and credit issues by going deeper into debt and making credit easy to get again. To me it is the same as saying, take more heroin to get over your addiction to heroin. That kind of logic works in the addicts brain but not in the brains of rational people. And since I love the idea of The United States of America but hate what 545 individuals in D.C. are doing to it so I left and don't plan on returning. Remember how a bunch of celebrities where going to leave the country if "W" got re-elected, well they where all pussies. I did something about it. Not because the "O" got elected but because the stupidity that is so ingrained into the average american I just could not take it anymore. The stereotype of fat, lazy and stupid is only a stereotype because it is true. They know more about Brangelina than they do about there own country and that makes me sad. As for the fat part, it is simple stop putting so much food into your pie hole and you will lose weight. I lost 90 pounds that way so do tell me it's genetics because that is bullshit for all but about 3% of the fat people population. The rest just eat too much food and are too lazy to do anything about it. Enough of this rant, moving on.
New Blogging Style
The main reason that I have been so lame about posting things here is because of Facebook. I started to use it about 6 months ago and really enjoyed the ease in which I could write something quick or upload a photo or two and share it with friends. But facebook has made some design changes that have made me decide that I need to go back to my roots and the people who have been faithful readers. So I will try and make the blog a little like facebook was for me. I will post status messages like I would on FB and anything else I would share on FB I will just share here. The other reason for this change is simple. I think I am somewhat of a narcissist to begin with and with FB one projects that out to all there friends, so my friends are forced to see what I am doing. If I do it on the blog then they have to come here to read about me because they want to not because I want them to.
As for ashes to ice cream, that I will save for another post as I am tired and don't feel much like writing anymore.
I really don't know where I should begin, so many different things floating in my soup (read brain) right now that there is no cohesion yet to the flotsam and jetsam because they run the gambit from the world economy to my needing a new flatmate, with lots of fun stuff in between. So I am hoping that by stirring the soup I can get some cohesion and ladle out some wisdom. (The missing cohesion ingredient may be some nicotine, I will see what happens, back in 5 min with the results.)Yup, as always, that did the trick, but it took two to do it.
So topics to be covered will include the following:
Why I live in Slovakia and plan to stay here.
My thoughts on current events in The United States.
My plans for my new blogging style, to give you more updates.
and other random crap that will come out, like turn ashes into ice cream.
A Stranger in a Strange Land.
I love this feeling. I will do my best to explain why. If you have the U2 album October listen to the song. But really it is about the fact that I am doing things and interacting with people in a language and culture that are not my own. The challenges I face everyday from the simple things like what bus to I need to take to, is the cashier going to ask me something in Slovak I will not understand? I enjoy meeting people and even if they don't understand English well we both still try and communicate. I am a true believer in you never know what lessons you may learn from the random people that drift into and out of one's life. I do still get asked questions by people at the bus stops in Slovak, which means I don't look like a complete foreigner but I still feel like I stick out but most of that is in my head. I love that I don't have a car here. Sure there are a few weekends it would be nice to get out of the city for the weekend but a rental car does the trick when needed. I have a bus pass now and can get just about anywhere I need in the city in less than 35-40 minutes. Some mornings I get on my bus for work and I can get a seat no problem, other days the same bus I am like a sardine two stops after mine for the next 10 minutes. I like to people watch and a bus is a great place to do it. And because of bus only lanes the buses are faster than driving a car during rush hour. The other advantage of not having a car is I walk so much more now and feel I am in the best shape of my life now. Even with the smoking. I also think that is one reason people here are skinny and in such good shape, everyone walks a lot. Which brings me to another reason I love it here. The women are amazing, plain and simple. For me they are the best looking women I have ever seen, and I have traveled the world looking. But if I had to narrow it down to one major reason it would be this, I am doing something that so many people wish they could but either don't have the opportunity or they are to scared to take the chance and live their life. All I can say is, if it is the first reason I understand but the second reason is weak, fear should never stop you from living the life you want. The other reasons will be covered in the next topic.
It is Easier to Watch a Train Wreck from a Distance.
And in this case it is doing so in slow motion, thus making it harder to watch. To say that only "W" started us down the wrong path is incorrect, to say he sped things up maybe more accurate. We have been on the wrong track for years and I will explain why. The United States Congress, that's why. And they are the reason the country is in the shape it is in. Until we throw them out on the street things will only get worse. Trust me, they know that the party is over and Rome is burning but they want to keep pretending like not only can they keep the party going they can make it better for everyone. I could explain this in much greater detail but I won't. Those of you who know what the words "bicameral legislature" already know what I am talking about and those who don't know what it means would most likely be confused no matter what I write. (if you know the meaning then you most likely stay more current with what happens in D.C, then what is on E.T. and Hollywood insider.) I am sorry but I don't see how to solve our national debt and credit issues by going deeper into debt and making credit easy to get again. To me it is the same as saying, take more heroin to get over your addiction to heroin. That kind of logic works in the addicts brain but not in the brains of rational people. And since I love the idea of The United States of America but hate what 545 individuals in D.C. are doing to it so I left and don't plan on returning. Remember how a bunch of celebrities where going to leave the country if "W" got re-elected, well they where all pussies. I did something about it. Not because the "O" got elected but because the stupidity that is so ingrained into the average american I just could not take it anymore. The stereotype of fat, lazy and stupid is only a stereotype because it is true. They know more about Brangelina than they do about there own country and that makes me sad. As for the fat part, it is simple stop putting so much food into your pie hole and you will lose weight. I lost 90 pounds that way so do tell me it's genetics because that is bullshit for all but about 3% of the fat people population. The rest just eat too much food and are too lazy to do anything about it. Enough of this rant, moving on.
New Blogging Style
The main reason that I have been so lame about posting things here is because of Facebook. I started to use it about 6 months ago and really enjoyed the ease in which I could write something quick or upload a photo or two and share it with friends. But facebook has made some design changes that have made me decide that I need to go back to my roots and the people who have been faithful readers. So I will try and make the blog a little like facebook was for me. I will post status messages like I would on FB and anything else I would share on FB I will just share here. The other reason for this change is simple. I think I am somewhat of a narcissist to begin with and with FB one projects that out to all there friends, so my friends are forced to see what I am doing. If I do it on the blog then they have to come here to read about me because they want to not because I want them to.
As for ashes to ice cream, that I will save for another post as I am tired and don't feel much like writing anymore.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Thunder-Snow on St. Patrick's Day in Bratislava
I am experiencing Thunder-Snow for the first time. It is 7c (45f) and snowing. The snow is more like a fetal hail stone that did not have enough time to freeze. I did only see lightning once and the thunder that followed it.
Just another cool experience for me. It was a great day today but I will not celebrate S.P.D. until I get together with my friends in mid April. We understand that S.P.D. is a feeling not a date on the calender.
I hope you all enjoyed you S.P.D.
erin go braless
Just another cool experience for me. It was a great day today but I will not celebrate S.P.D. until I get together with my friends in mid April. We understand that S.P.D. is a feeling not a date on the calender.
I hope you all enjoyed you S.P.D.
erin go braless
Sunday, March 15, 2009
The Slacker is Back
It's been awhile, I know. Sorry about that, my only defense is I am lazy. It's not a good defense, just my only defense so I pin my hopes for forgiveness on it.
The Past:
I love teaching, I enjoy it so much I am doing much more of it than I thought I would like to. Right now I am working about 16 hours per week, which I find to be the right amount of hours. Anymore than that and I am very tired, any less and I have a really strange broken up week that makes it hard for me to get on a set schedule. I know you are thinking, what teaching more than 16 hours per week makes you tired? Yes, it does, any teacher will agree with me, it is not easy work. After a two hour class I am mentally tired. It is hard to explain but because I have to read exactly what is in the book to the students, I must also remember to speak as clearly and concisely as I can. It is important that the students hear the separation in the words. Then listen to each word they say and correct the pronunciation when needed, etc. It is funny because when I am speaking with them after class I tend to turn that part of my brain off and go back to my old habits of speaking faster and "eating my words" as they like to say.
I teach classes on Tuesdays at 8:15 - 9:00 then catch a bus for the 30 min ride to my next class at 10:00 -11:30. Thursdays at 8:15 - 9:00 bus ride home or to the mall to hang out and chill for about an hour then back out for a 12:00 - 13:30 class. My early class is four adults and I have so much fun with them. My later class is teaching to young woman at a small company, I have had just a few classes with them and also enjoy teaching them. This class is not the "Callan Method" like my others but is a more free form, in the sprit of Spinal Tap Mark II. I do have a book we use for vocabulary and some basic conversation but we are trying out different ideas until we find a combination that works for them. That is why I prefer my morning classes to the night ones.
My night classes are good as well but because the "Callan Method" wants the students to have the chance to hear different teachers to help improve their pronunciation I don't get to teach the same students as much as I would like. This makes it harder to get to know them and their individual level of English. My night class schedule changes every week but I teach most weeks, Monday nights from 17:00 - 21:00, Tuesday nights from 17:00 - 19:00 and the same Wednesdays. Most of my night classes are small 3 - 5 students which is nice because I can focus on them more than with my larger classes. 10 is the most I teach at one time and have only had that once. I do have one class I get to teach at least once per week that I enjoy for two simple reasons. The first is the fact it is just 4 woman who are all at a high intermediate level and they understand 90% of what I say to them. The second is I have a student, who can only be described as, the most beautiful woman I have ever met. She comes to class as if she was about to step onto the set of a movie or TV show. Her hair, makeup and clothes are perfect and the latest fashion. That is the only 2 hour class that seems to take 20 minutes.
The weather in Bratislava has been typical for the winter and not to cold. Other than the almost absolute lack of sun light over the last few months, spring is in the air and my winter mood is lifting and my summer mood is arriving. The lack of sun light sucks but it is not as bad as last year. I think the longest I went with out seeing the sun this year was about 14 days. I went 2 months without seeing the moon which was a shock when I did see it, I had forgotten it was up there, it was a strange feeling that night. We had a nice covering of snow for most of January and February which always makes the an city look better. Right now we are in the ugly phase of the transformation from winter to spring, a lot of rain and mud.
I have been working on my Slovak and I now know the alphabet which is half the battle with pronunciation. Trust me, it's not easy. My flatmate Eva has been helping me learn. I also use the vocabulary from my teaching books to make flash cards for me to learn basic words and phrases, on my laptop. I feel like I am about make a big step in my language skills. I just need to study more.
The Present:
now, well it was.
The Future:
I would like to see if I can pick up a few more hours teaching at companies in the mornings. I would like to get a few classes on Mondays and Wednesday's mornings and then just teach one 2 hour class, Monday through Wednesday nights. I will see if it happen
Maria and Eva have decided to move out of the flat at the end of the month and get a new place with two of there friends. Katka and I are now looking to find a replacement flatmate. We have decided to only have three of us living here, it is a 75m (800 sq. ft.) flat and three is a good number. I am not worried, I think we will find someone we know to move in
I return to the US on the April 8th and will be home for 11 days total. I arrive in to Newark on the 8th and will stay the night at my dad's in NJ. The 9th - 12th I will be in Richmond at my mom's for Easter. I plan on visiting a friend in DC for a night before returning to NJ for a few days in Bay Head with friends. I fly back to Slovakia on the 19th. As the trip gets closer and I have a better idea of my time frame I will try and make plans to see as many people as I can.
As for driving this year at camp, I will not go back this summer. I am sad about this but I need to stay here for the summer, work and make sure I get my visa paperwork done. And it doesn't make sense to get a 1 year visa and spend the first 2 months not in the country. Not after what I am going through to get the visa. I have every intention on returning to camp next summer.
Thanks for your patience with me and my lack of posts. Spring is coming which means more pictures and more stories. Stick around, I will try and keep you entertained.
The Past:
I love teaching, I enjoy it so much I am doing much more of it than I thought I would like to. Right now I am working about 16 hours per week, which I find to be the right amount of hours. Anymore than that and I am very tired, any less and I have a really strange broken up week that makes it hard for me to get on a set schedule. I know you are thinking, what teaching more than 16 hours per week makes you tired? Yes, it does, any teacher will agree with me, it is not easy work. After a two hour class I am mentally tired. It is hard to explain but because I have to read exactly what is in the book to the students, I must also remember to speak as clearly and concisely as I can. It is important that the students hear the separation in the words. Then listen to each word they say and correct the pronunciation when needed, etc. It is funny because when I am speaking with them after class I tend to turn that part of my brain off and go back to my old habits of speaking faster and "eating my words" as they like to say.
I teach classes on Tuesdays at 8:15 - 9:00 then catch a bus for the 30 min ride to my next class at 10:00 -11:30. Thursdays at 8:15 - 9:00 bus ride home or to the mall to hang out and chill for about an hour then back out for a 12:00 - 13:30 class. My early class is four adults and I have so much fun with them. My later class is teaching to young woman at a small company, I have had just a few classes with them and also enjoy teaching them. This class is not the "Callan Method" like my others but is a more free form, in the sprit of Spinal Tap Mark II. I do have a book we use for vocabulary and some basic conversation but we are trying out different ideas until we find a combination that works for them. That is why I prefer my morning classes to the night ones.
My night classes are good as well but because the "Callan Method" wants the students to have the chance to hear different teachers to help improve their pronunciation I don't get to teach the same students as much as I would like. This makes it harder to get to know them and their individual level of English. My night class schedule changes every week but I teach most weeks, Monday nights from 17:00 - 21:00, Tuesday nights from 17:00 - 19:00 and the same Wednesdays. Most of my night classes are small 3 - 5 students which is nice because I can focus on them more than with my larger classes. 10 is the most I teach at one time and have only had that once. I do have one class I get to teach at least once per week that I enjoy for two simple reasons. The first is the fact it is just 4 woman who are all at a high intermediate level and they understand 90% of what I say to them. The second is I have a student, who can only be described as, the most beautiful woman I have ever met. She comes to class as if she was about to step onto the set of a movie or TV show. Her hair, makeup and clothes are perfect and the latest fashion. That is the only 2 hour class that seems to take 20 minutes.
The weather in Bratislava has been typical for the winter and not to cold. Other than the almost absolute lack of sun light over the last few months, spring is in the air and my winter mood is lifting and my summer mood is arriving. The lack of sun light sucks but it is not as bad as last year. I think the longest I went with out seeing the sun this year was about 14 days. I went 2 months without seeing the moon which was a shock when I did see it, I had forgotten it was up there, it was a strange feeling that night. We had a nice covering of snow for most of January and February which always makes the an city look better. Right now we are in the ugly phase of the transformation from winter to spring, a lot of rain and mud.
I have been working on my Slovak and I now know the alphabet which is half the battle with pronunciation. Trust me, it's not easy. My flatmate Eva has been helping me learn. I also use the vocabulary from my teaching books to make flash cards for me to learn basic words and phrases, on my laptop. I feel like I am about make a big step in my language skills. I just need to study more.
The Present:
now, well it was.
The Future:
I would like to see if I can pick up a few more hours teaching at companies in the mornings. I would like to get a few classes on Mondays and Wednesday's mornings and then just teach one 2 hour class, Monday through Wednesday nights. I will see if it happen
Maria and Eva have decided to move out of the flat at the end of the month and get a new place with two of there friends. Katka and I are now looking to find a replacement flatmate. We have decided to only have three of us living here, it is a 75m (800 sq. ft.) flat and three is a good number. I am not worried, I think we will find someone we know to move in
I return to the US on the April 8th and will be home for 11 days total. I arrive in to Newark on the 8th and will stay the night at my dad's in NJ. The 9th - 12th I will be in Richmond at my mom's for Easter. I plan on visiting a friend in DC for a night before returning to NJ for a few days in Bay Head with friends. I fly back to Slovakia on the 19th. As the trip gets closer and I have a better idea of my time frame I will try and make plans to see as many people as I can.
As for driving this year at camp, I will not go back this summer. I am sad about this but I need to stay here for the summer, work and make sure I get my visa paperwork done. And it doesn't make sense to get a 1 year visa and spend the first 2 months not in the country. Not after what I am going through to get the visa. I have every intention on returning to camp next summer.
Thanks for your patience with me and my lack of posts. Spring is coming which means more pictures and more stories. Stick around, I will try and keep you entertained.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Who is John Galt?
You better find out.
If you understand why people end up at Galt's Gulch you will understand what is going to happen to America over the next few years.
Ayn was before her time.
Enjoy.
If you understand why people end up at Galt's Gulch you will understand what is going to happen to America over the next few years.
Ayn was before her time.
Enjoy.
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