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May 2009
Final Brno Blog :-(
29 May 2009 - 21:48
Well my friends and faithful readers, yes, both of you, it is with my deepest sorrow that I must write this final blog as a resident of the great city of Brno. My time left here is gut wrenchingly short. The worst part of it all is that it has gone by so fast. On Sunday, in approximately thirty-six hours, I will board my bus to Prague, officially ending my residency.
Of course, I am very much looking forward to traveling around with my sister. On a funny side note, I just found out that she booked her flight home one month earlier than she was supposed to. If you can do the math, that leaves her approximately twenty hours to enjoy Europe before going home. If you consider all the delays and mishaps that happen at airports, and factor in the required early arrival time before your flight, I would estimate her time to in Europe to be about twenty-eight minutes and six seconds.
Now, all my bags are packed and I'm ready to go. I'm standing here outside your door. I hate to wake you up, but it's time to go. (John Denver anyone??) Seriously though, my crap is packed. Most of my stuff is actually currently being stored at a great friend of mine's apartment. Many thanks to you Petr!! The only things I have left in Vinarska are the clothes are will be wearing in the coming month and all the things I'll need - my camera, a .45 revolver, a bottle of whiskey and a large boot knife.
Since there is nothing in my room, practically, I'm wasting all of my time in the computer lab in the faculty of medicine. Yes, it is almost ten and I should be going out, but I think I could use a night off after last night's crazy-awesome birthday party for a Norwegian guy I know. During the day today, I woke up a bit after one in the afternoon with a slight fuzzy feeling in my head. Then, I quickly got dressed so that I could gather my deposit money from Vinarska. Yay! I have money now. Boo! I really need to save it for my final days in this great country.
After a quick shower, I finalized the packing and took my things to Petr's place. I stayed there for a few hours shooting the breeze and day-dreaming. Then around six-ish I made my way to McDonalds so I could celebrate my having of money and because that stuff always makes your head feel better after a night of drinking, though not my stomach as of right now. Finally, I made my way to the lab here where I have been watching Mythbusters online and reading up on Wiki.
I suppose I should venture out into the cold (it's kinda' chilly today, oddly) and find something to eat before everything closes. I love that, but sometimes its annoying when almost everything shuts down between nine and ten at night, except bars. I'm feeling like some pizza, but dunno' if I could get that now. Well, I could get some at the "hungry window", but I'm not entirely sure what that "pizza" actually is...
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Life Starts Today
19 May 2009 - 12:16
Open your eyes...
One step forward...
Take a new direction...
Life starts today!
I've been struck with a blunt awakening. To sum it up, I need to get off my butt and do something with myself! I constantly tell myself that I am "living the life". True, I do currently have exactly what I've dreamed about for quite sometime and things are going great. However, despite it all, I'm not doing anything with my life. Nothing.
Sure, I have a few goals in mind, many I will make and a few I simply life will. Such is life. But, I'm not going anywhere or doing anything. I'm not being the difference in the world I want to see. I'm not doing anything great. I guess that would be my ultimate goal in life, 'to do something great'. Currently, I'm not heading in that direction, not even close. Enough so to say that I'm going the exact opposite way.
The first two things I have to overcome on the conquest are simple, yet the most difficult. They've been a part of me for so long it will be hard to change, but that time it now. No more! First, I have to stop being full of such 'talk'. I know I say a lot sometimes and then it never happens. I must start small and work my way up, but I have to stop this. I have to only say what I know I'm actually going to go through with. This included, though it will be quite difficult. Small steps. Second, I have to stop being so lazy. Let's face it. All of those who really know me, know just how lazy I am. Conversely, when it comes to things I'm truly passionate about and what I fully contribute myself to, you should also be aware of how stubborn and bull-headed I am. I need to be able to push myself in the directions I know I should with the same force as those I want.
Where is all this going to take me? Well, that I cannot say. Firstly, I don't really know yet. Largely because I'm not one to make such large goals, that far out, because of the unpredictability of life. I don't like saying how I think things should be further than five years out. Let's be honest, five years ago, I would have NEVER believed I'd be living in the Czech Republic, nor being so passionate about another place such as this.
Secondly, that which has made me realize all this, is far too big of a goal for me to be talking about at this moment because I currently have no way of achieving it from where I sit. Let's just compare it to climbing Everest. In addition, climbing Everest isn't what I have in mind anyway, though it would be awesome and very BAMF-like. I'll just file that idea under 'Possibilities For My Future' and let that be the end of it for now. However, I do have something in mind which would be that 'great' thing I could do with my life. But again, I can't be talking about it because it's just an idea, not currently a goal or a dream or really even a direction for me.
That would be my first goal, to find my direction. However, because of the turbulence that my life is facing immediately upon my return to the States, I cannot say anything about anything. This is largely due to the fact that I cannot even begin to make a prediction about where I will be in even three months. And the next three months for me is basically this. I have about two weeks left in Brno. Then, I will travel about for one month with my sister. Then, I will be home for the summer and that is give or take a month. Then, who knows!? So in three months there is no way to tell how life will be. That is all just knowing what I know from where I sit now. None of this accounts for that 'situation' that is at home. So, I've no way to even begin to tell how that will affect things even.
I still have not heard anything from NKU regarding my acceptance or rejection for the swiftly approaching fall semester. Therefore, I cannot acquire housing nor a job, though I have been searching already, just in case. Since NKU was, in a certain sense, already my 'Plan B', I don't really have backup for a backup plan. I suppose that I would take the semester to focus on working my butt off to earn some cash. And I would also pick up some classes at the community college, just so I'm still in school. Honestly, that wouldn't be such a bad thing either, considering I'm in no way passionate about NKU and I am broke. So, either way, I'll get by. No worries here. Just gotta' get there first, wherever 'there' is...
So, that's where things stand for me. I'm fully motivated once again and ready to take life by the horns no matter what direction I'm headed, though it will be much easier when I figure it out. Now, I'm encouraging all of you who read this to take even a small part of my motivation for yourself. First, I'm asking that you, right now, go outside and go for a short walk. Just get away from these awful things called computers. If it isn't possible, for whatever reason, to do right now, then do it before the day is over. I'm not kidding, just do it. Don't think about it, do it. Second, I'm asking that you set some other, very small, goal for yourself to do this week, before Friday night at midnight (in your local time). It must be easily accomplished and nothing too fancy.
Anyone who does these things, leave a comment on my blog and tell me what you've did and what you thought about on your short walk today, or what you saw or whatever. It doesn't matter, just do it!
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Smokin' The Ganga
13 May 2009 - 19:20
The other day, I had a very interesting dream. Because I have nothing else interesting to blog about, I'm just gonna' summarize it here.
Let's start by getting everyone on the same page. You know, when you've been drinking, that guy who has had way, way too much to drink and is so completely obliterated he doesn't know which way is up? Yeah, that guy. That's the general idea we need to have in our heads to understand how I felt in this dream. That complete lack of coherence or understanding of any language, real or fictional, or being able to lie onto the floor without holding on for dear life.
Now, how this relates to my dream. For some reason, I had finally broke down and decided to smoke some dope. In real life, I've still never tried this, nor do I have any intention to do so. However, I know many who have and have been around those while under the influence. Not only that, but most of us simply know that the effects really aren't that serious at all. Bottom line, at the end of the night of a bunch of smoking, everything should be just fine.
But, in this particular dream, after trying the stuff, I decided I like it and I liked it a lot! Because it was a dream and nothing like the real thing, this pot made me become as if I were as drunk as 'that guy' I mentioned before. I was completely wasted! I could not function. I had no idea which was what up. Honestly, I didn't even know what 'up' was. It was that bad of a situation.
I must mention that being drunk/high/or whatever was going on in a dream, is totally different than in real life. For one, it was from a third person view. So, it was hilarious to watch myself being so smashed. Second, it felt pretty real. Luckily, I didn't wake up with a hang over, else I would have been pretty pissed. Still, it was hilarious!
I'm not a dream expert or anything, but if I had to guess, I'd say this has something to do with my more frequent amounts of drinking this year as compared to earlier years. Still, I'm not able to understand why it was 'pot' which made me 'drunk', but whatever. Who's to decided what strange things go down deep inside my subconscious? If you said Chuck Norris fighting a bear with a flaming sword, you'd be correct. That's who gets to decide!
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Metal Health
12 May 2009 - 15:11
Yes, it will drive you mad, but it will also leave you with a sore as hell neck! Just be warned. More on that in a bit. For now, let's roll back to Saturday - one of the best days I've had in Brno!
My Finnish neighbor had planned an outing for all of us, a picnic at the lake. It was epic-awesome! A few of us arrived about 1-ish. When we first got there, we discovered a HUGE dead fish sitting by the water. It was worth taking some photos of.
After that, we busted out some snacks and then a few more Americans arrived. At this point there were us, some Fins, some Dutch and a Greek. We were later joined by some Poles, a Slovak, some French and two Tajik's (link: Wiki - Tajikistan).
At this point, I was offered some wine. I wasn't really planning on drinking (at least not like that) this particular day. However, once the cork was popped, it wasn't long before the whole bottle was gone and I was buzzin'. Such is life, eh? That reminds me, I do owe Kevin a bottle of wine now.
We ended up hanging out at the lake until it was pretty late. Then we decided to go back and eat dinner at a place near our dorm, after which we would go to the movies. Dinner was pretty good, and we ended up seeing the movie "Dvoji Hra" which in English is literally "Double Game", but I think the real title is "Duplicity". I dunno'... It was a pretty good film, at least the best pick of our choices.
Sunday was pretty awesome too! Reservations were made at a restaurant called Mamut. It's pretty cool because at each table are four taps and you pour your own beers. Better yet, your tally shows up on a big screen with all the other tables, effectively creating a big competition. How can you say no to that!? I had the "Pilsner Pan" which is a huge dish filled with pork, chicken, potatoes, covered with cheese and then baked. It was awesome and a lot of food! I also had about 5 beers, Toni had 8 and all the girls made up the other 5 or so beers on our tab. At this point most people went home, but some of us went out for another beer at a nearby bar. Then there was something about liking tram rails or something... Ya' know, nothing serious. And then we caught the bus home and that was that.
Yesterday, Monday, I met up with a Slovak buddy of mine to go to Brooklyn, a metal bar. We figured more people would join us, but they all had some lame excuse about studying or writing essays or something like that. So, we opted to go to Paterlord, another Metal bar, before going to meet up with some others who we knew would be there later. Here, I had the worst beer of my life. It was a Kozel Cerny, which usually is an amazing beer. For some reason, it wasn't right. It tasted soapy or something and was flat.
Then we made our way off to Brooklyn. It was still another hour before anyone else we knew showed up. Usually, there is always good music playing but last night it was just kinda' lame. Well, it was still awesome, in comparison to "club" music, but it still wasn't quite my niche in the wonderful world of metal. Only at the very end was it awesome. Still, through it all there was some headbanging, for sure. Perhaps, a bit too much, because today my neck is stiff and hurts like a mother. Enough so to say that it maybe wasn't even worth it, that's how bad.
As for today, I am being a worthless slob. Well, not entirely. I'm not worthless, not a slob. But my neck is rendering my rather useless for the time being. Luckily, I am still able to sit at my computer and do productive things like write blogs and watch youtube videos. Also, I am still doing a bit of research for the upcoming tour around Europe with my sister. I'm creating a small "Plan B" because there is a chance some additional monies may be coming my way. Possibly enough so that we could afford to see two extra countries, neither of which I've been to, Croatia and Slovenia. For the rest of our trip, I have been to Hungry, Austria, Slovakia and of-figgin'-course, the CZECH REPUBLIC!
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Hobbit
08 May 2009 - 12:56
Last night as I was sitting in my room, thinking about going bed early, after having two consecutive late nights. Someone sent me a message inviting me to go out to this bar called 'Hobbit'. I'd been before so I knew the place and I knew the people who would be there. It was certain that I would have an enjoyable and pleasant evening. I didn't expect it was be so legend - wait for it - dary!!!
I replied saying that I might come, but not for certain. After a bit of deliberation and financial assessment, I decided I could afford it and that I would go. So, I headed off to the nearest bus station. I had just missed the bus by minutes and another wouldn't be coming for half an hour. So, I went to a nearby station on a different line. Had a 10 minute wait, so I decided to just walk. I ended up getting there an hour later than when everyone was going to meet, but that really didn't matter.
Everyone was pretty surprised to see me. Petr, the guy who is usually the one who invites me, asked if he had wrote me about it. He already couldn't remember. I sat down at this table for 8 or so, with 11-12 others and the fun began. For some reasons, beers were really slow coming all night. I had to wait about 30 minutes for a beer, which is unacceptable! When I got it, it suddenly didn't matter.
After six beers and a hell of a lot of awesome conversation, I decided it was enough for me. Still, I stuck around. This was 2 or 3 in the morning at this point. We were talking about everything - hunting, "How I Met Your Mother", some epic battle between these two guys over their opinion of Star Wars, the difference between Czech and American girls, and the really bad Czech translation of "sit on my face and tell me that you love me" which someone texted me and prompted me to say to some girl. Just before 4, I had decided that I would take the next bus home.
That didn't happen! I got roped into some other conversation. It's all good because we made plans go out again tonight to some special place where there is a large hill overlooking the whole city. It's BYOB, so I have to find something good to drink. I'm thinking wine since the alcohol to volume percents are much more favorable for hiking uphill. Speaking of, I had a really nice bottle of South African wine the night before. Highly recommended. It was about $3. Who could argue?
Finally, when the bartenders ran us out, we made our way to Ceska, where we could catch our buses and disperse. We had some time to kill and hunger to fill, so we went to the sloppy non-stop there and grabbed some greasy and kinda' tasty, late night snackage. Just as the final night buses were about to run, I noticed the first run of the trams coming about. That's only happened once or twice before. I caught the bus at 5. Got home, didn't feel so tired, surprisingly, and sat down and chatted with some friends. Then, when I laid down, I couldn't sleep. WTF!?
Now, I've just hoped out of the shower and really should get myself going. I have to write some of a paper, buy some groceries and booze, and be at the main station by 5. It's 1... See ya'!!!
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Finals and Essays, Finals and Essays
04 May 2009 - 13:43
Finally!!! I feel like doing something useful again! This past weekend, instead of studying for my upcoming exams or writing essays with swiftly approaching deadlines, I sat in my room and did nothing. Not only did I not do what I should've been doing, but I also actually did nothing...
Now, today, I'm bustin' balls! It actually started yesterday when I decided to rearrange some furniture in the room. I guess that happens when you stay in it for an entire weekend. It could also be because of the 'pressure', now that the time is here. My Czech exam is at 18:00 tonight. I feel pretty comfortable with it, though I know I don't know enough and have been studying, productively, today.
Also, the weather has turned to be favorable for studying within the past thirty minutes or so. A storm blew in out of nowhere. So, I certainly won't be using 'good weather' as an excuse to go out. However, it is pretty awesome looking out the window and see the lightning strike off in the distance. Too bad I have to really focus else I would attempt to photograph it after writing this.
Well, that's enough procrastinating for right now. To all those, all over the world, who are in the process of taking exams right now, GOOD LUCK!!! See you on the other side...
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Changes
02 May 2009 - 18:47
I made a few changes to the site today. What do you think? More to come, in a a bit, but nothing too noticeable, mostly some admin stuff. I'm thinking of adding public/anonymous commenting. Opinions? I will also be focusing on stricter anti-spam protection 'cause I'm tired of getting stupid emails from people who don't exist.
That's all!!
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Beer Marathon Recap
01 May 2009 - 15:35
Last night was the "Beer Marathon". I must say, that was a hell of a fun competition! Actually, I learned a lot. Most importantly, I learned that I cannot fit eight beers in my stomach at once. In fact, after five, they start to come back the other way...
Anyway, the basic idea here was for a team of four people to go to eight bars, drink a beer at each bar and then complete a 'task'. That was always something simple like counting objects in the bar, or kissing the balls of a statue. Then, run like hell to the final meeting point.
I was on a team with Toni from Finland, Monika from Hungary and Mateusz from Poland. We are a pretty strong, and crazy, team. Sadly, we didn't "win", but we won because we had the best night possible. We knew in order to be a strong team, we would have to have self-control. So, we made rules for ourselves. The list grew as the night went on, but we started out with 1) Don't laugh and 2) Don't die. From there it went on to add things like "No singing", "No assaulting teammates", and more importantly "Vomit!"
We had the most advantageous start because our first destination was the closest to the start. I surprised everyone by throwing the first one down in the blink of an eye (no lie, I was pretty fast). But, I think that was my main mistake, taking it way too fast and again in subsequent locations, until it was impossible to do. As I said, after we drank our fifth beer, I went straight to find the toilet. It was still cold coming back up. I must also say that I have never felt so much relief at once! It was AMAZING!!!
Then we were off to our next bar, and we were doing quite well. The whole race should take about two hours, roughly thirty minutes per bar. We were leaving the fifth after only an hour. So, we were up pretty well. After that, we had a little setback. However, it did help to ease our stomachs. We had to wait so long for a tram, because it was about the furthest distance between bars, and then we couldn't find the place so quickly after getting off. Then, we had a lot of trouble identifying a statue, our task in the sixth bar.
The last two bars went pretty quick. More or less. The seventh, Rubicon, they wouldn't give us our task until we had finished the beer, which was opposite of the normal. Usually, we could do our task while we were waiting on our beers. Then, throw them down and run. And in the last bar, we had trouble counting aquariums because one was hidden in the end of a long dark hallway filled with things which drunk people, like us, should be nowhere near. The beer at this bar was a small local brewery and it was awful, best I could taste. My sense of taste was fried at that point. I put it down, but only for a few minutes, just long enough to make it to the toilet and see it again.
Finally, we were off like bats outta' hell to Two Faces. We got there in time for a sixth place. That's not bad, but certainly not good because there were only nine teams, one of which never finished... Either way, it was a total blast! There, I finally went pee, for the first time all night. And before I left, I had another beer. Through it all, I wasn't really drunk. I wasn't sober for sure, but I was still walking straight and talking smooth. So, in reality, I was probably stumbling a little bit and speaking a little gibberish.
This morning, I woke up in my own bed, and felt fine. Not even a headache or anything. However, I had no desire at all to get out of bed. I was wide awake at 7:00, but seeing how it's my first weekend in Brno in over a month, there was no way I was going to get out of bed! I ended up laying in bed until 12:40, which kinda' sucks. Now, its almost 16:00 and I've accomplished nothing, but who cares? Actually, I do, but whatever...
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