In Autumn

“Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

Chinese proverb.

Last Night’s Run

Distance: apr. 8K. Time: 50 minutes. Result: surprising.

Last night I decided to run to my parents’ house and it was possibly the best run ever. It was chilly (not long ‘till it’ll be snowing  here too!) and dark. After leaving town there weren’t even any street lights so the stars were guiding me.

Amidst twinkling stars and the chilly breeze the running was easy – it’s never been that easy – and I once again remembered why it’s such an amazing activity.

Miłość [Pl: Love]

Czesław Miłosz

Miłość

Miłość to znaczy popatrzeć na siebie,
Tak jak się patrzy na obce nam rzeczy,
Bo jesteś tylko jedną z rzeczy wielu.
A kto tak patrzy, choć sam o tym nie wie,
Ze zmartwień różnych swoje serce leczy,
Ptak mu i drzewo mówią: przyjacielu.
Wtedy i siebie, i rzeczy chce użyć,
Żeby stanęły w wypełnienia łunie.
To nic, że czasem nie wie, czemu służyć:
Nie ten najlepiej służy, kto rozumie.

 

Love means to look at oneself,

as one looks at things foreign to us,

because you are just one of many things.

And the one, watching in such a way, though unaware of it himself,

his heart will be cured of many worries,

The bird and the tree tell him: friend.

Then he will want to use himself, and things,

so that they stand up in the flame of fulfillment. 

It’s fine to sometimes doubt what to serve:

He who serves best is not always the one who understands.

 

 Translation; my own, so you can blame me for any mistakes.

Guten Morgen, Welt!

It will be dark outside for almost two more hours, the coffee cup is warming my hand. The phones are ringing and people are starting to drop into work.

 

I’m hoping for a lovely Wednesday – for myself and also for you, wherever in the world you are!

Things (People) That Annoy Me Today

When are people going to realise that living a so called ”fit life” isn’t about swapping a chocolate bar with lots of calories for a chocolate bar with less calories?

One of the local newspapers had a “big test” where they were comparing “normal” foods with their healthier versions. Since when are chocolate and candy considered staple foods? It makes me so angry that people seem to think that normal food is cake, cookies and pizza.  It’s not. I’m surrounded by people who are constantly dieting (i.e. trying some fad diets) but it would never occur to them to work out. The same people don’t eat sugar but cake is fine! Whaaaat?

 

What did I ever do to you?

There’s one Russian word that I like (among a thousand other Russian words) – Лицемерный. This word could be used to describe quite a few of the people I’m working with. If I wouldn’t be so conflict-shy, I’d like to tell those people the following:

 

• Were you never told that what goes around comes around? Everyone knows what you are doing and they will not respect you for it.
• The only way to create a good atmosphere at work is by cooperating and being nice to people.
• Believe it or not, having a positive attitude towards your workmates – and people in general – will make you happier.
• Usually, if you are worried about somebody’s wellbeing, the best way to show your concern is by asking them directly. Philosophising about another person’s health with everyone else except the person in question will probably not provide you with any satisfactory answers whatsoever.
• I can live without snotty remarks about how very difficult it must be to study and work at the same time. Most students work while they study. But then again, you – without any kind of higher education – probably don’t know what it means to be a university student.
• I believe that they pay you for working, not gossiping with colleagues.

Czeslaw Milosz

One writer whose works have not gained much interest for me before is Czeslaw Milosz. Being a fan of both the Polish language and literature, I have probably been suffering from some unknown malady – I don’t know how else to explain this irrational lack of interest. Not anymore, though. Yesterday I finished a collection of essays written by the Polish Nobel winner, and I was actually stunned. I truly believe that there is nothing quite as beautiful, or powerful, as the written word.  

According to Penguin Classics:

Proud to be a Mammal (1942-97) is Czeslaw Milosz's moving and diverse collection of essays. Among them, he covers his passion for poetry, his love of the Polish language that was so nearly wiped out by the violence of the twentieth century, and his happy childhood. Milosz also includes a letter to his friend in which he voices his concern about the growing indifference to murder and the true value of freedom of thought, as well as a verbal map of Wilno, with each street revealing both a rich local history and intricate, poignant personal memories.

Student Review by Andrea Baltrus, studied English Literature at NUI Galway in Ireland.

 

Proud to be a Mammal is a collection of essays by CzesLaw MiLosz, a writer who was Lithuanian born and of Polish descent. Milosz’s writing is very powerful and quite disturbing at times as he recollects the beginnings of the Soviet Union and the eventual consequences of these actions on the Baltic States and Poland. To begin to comprehend Milosz as a writer, one needs to recognize the shaded past of the endings of World War II and the emergence of Russia as a cruel, greedy superpower. There is humour in Milosz’s writing almost to the extent of using humour as a means to cope but also a code to disguise his disgust at the persecution of a people. Milosz is very philosophical in his writing. He realizes that there are more important matters in life than material goods. What truly has meaning is man’s sense of identity and duty.

Each essay reflects that same message. The essay titled, “The Peace Boundary” is truly poignant and moving. He writes about the annexation of the Baltic nations to Russia. This essay is a reflection of the events that ensue as well as remembering the past of Lithuania in particular. The book is rich in history and attitudes towards those in power. It is a study of the human spirit in difficult and dangerous times. The importance of printing these works of literature into the mainstream is to gain an exposure and to educate a future generation not to create the mistakes of the past. Milosz risked his life with his writing during communist times. It was dangerous due to the fact that a tyrannical government looks to ban books and writing to ward off reprisals and revolt from the people. Books create ideas and self identity as well as a means to defend one’s honour. There is fear of uprising when people are allowed to attain knowledge. Milosz remains true to his Eastern European roots with each of the essays. He gives a voice to those who have gone before him, fighting to their death for freedom and justice.

 

If you would like to comment on this review or join in the discussion of this book, then head over to the Reader's Forum to get involved.

 

Lucky

I have many reasons to consider myself happy. For one, I’m surrounded by some really great people, who really brighten my day. One of my best friends is also the best possible training buddy: we meet a couple of times a week in order to work towards our common goal (with the very descriptive name of Beach 2012). Having a training buddy is good for motivation and it also takes working out to a next level.

Another great person in my life is my boyfriend. I don’t write much about him here on the blog because he has chosen to be an anonymous player in this playground, but I think that everybody should have a person like him in their lives.

  

C’est le weekend

She’s got a lot to say, but now she’ll just make a salad, drink some organic cava and then have a hot bath. The weekend is here!

The Joys Of Living On An Island

As you know, I work in logistics. As you also know, I live on an island. Sometimes combining these two is quite the impossible task. This morning I was greeted by the following mail: “our own cruise passengers E, J and F are in Stockholm”. The cruise passengers (aka colleagues), and a few trucks filled with fresh food, were supposed to show up here this morning. What happened? It was too windy so the ferry continued its journey to Sweden instead of stopping here. Hopefully the boys had a really good time at the bar, because that would be the only positive thing coming out of this.  

It’s not the first time this happens. It also won’t be the last. Now I’m just keeping my fingers crossed that there won’t be any problems with my trip to Sweden tomorrow. The plan is to stay there for two days: tomorrow will be dedicated to walking around in Stockholm, coffee drinking (and maybe some shopping) and on Friday I’ll spend the entire day at uni, listening to lectures on such interesting subjects as probability theory.

Oh. And I need to look for some cute socks and tights.  

I’m Going To Take A Holiday

Yesterday I found out something, which would have been really great news just a couple of years ago. It would have been a huge step on the road to fulfill one of my dreams. However, dreams change as we grow up. Making this decision was difficult because old dreams are almost like old loves: they are melancholically beautiful, and when we bump into them again we are suddenly facing all the “what ifs”.

The only thing that justifies giving up an old dream, is to work hard for the current ones. I’m going to dedicate the next week, maybe even the rest of the month, to work out an action plan. This is going to be a holiday for my body and mind. I’m also going to see a doctor and then pamper myself. All my life has been afraid of being perceived as a “hypochondriac”, and I have always thought that as long as I can stand on my own two legs, I can be considered healthy. For a long time now I have been suffering from fatigue, nauseas, cold sensitivity, chills, strange headaches etc. It’s time to be checked by someone who knows what they are doing.

My body and my mind are a mess and they are in need of rest in the form of light exercise, massages, happy thoughts, meditation and good food. Fortunately I only have three days of work: and on Wednesday I start really early (at 5.30 am, and thus, finish really early) so I’ll have time to meet one of my best friends over lunch at our favourite restaurant. I’ve also scheduled a trip to Stockholm at the end of the week. 

The Books I’ve Been Reading

Soup in pictures

 

My boyfriend went to Helsinki and all I got was…

…exactly what I asked for!

What do you know... it's Friday!

One week ago I was writing how happy I was because it was Friday. I’m just as happy about it as last week.

This morning I got up early and went to the gym. The core class I attended, Cxworx, has been developed by Les Mills, and it was similar to their other workout programmes. This class was slightly shorter (30 minutes) and it mainly focused on the core. It was entertaining, but I’m not sure I’ll give it a second try. Even though I tend to “forget” the abs when strength training (everything else is a lot more fun), I do believe that it’d be more useful for me (and my poor abs) to work on them in a calmer environment. It’s not about speed or quantity – the results will show when you pay attention to the quality. Unfortunately, these group concepts tend to focus on a lot of reps and having a good time.   

And those of you who claim that morning exercise make you a lot more alert… Couldn’t disagree with you more.

 

Normal?

Going to the gym at 7 am on a Friday… or at 10 on a Saturday? Not normal, if you ask me, but well… it’s a bit like challenging myself to do something incredibly heroic, since getting up at that time IS a huge challenge. I’m trying to avoid classes at the gym, and do strength training and/or cardio instead but a couple of sessions of yoga a week is a must, and Cxworx is also supposed to be really good training for the abs, something that I usually don’t train so much on my own.

Now… to the gym

Mademoiselle Bleu

les pensées d’aujourd'hui

 

-          The tea mug is blue, the pants are blue and the sweater is blue. Blue is surely a nice colour, but maybe it would be a good idea to add a touch of something else too, like bright yellow or red.

-          Winter is coming and it’s time to hibernate, like the Moomins. Why wasn’t I born a Moomin-troll instead?

-          Some people have already heard about this, but… my mum thinks I look Chinese.

-          This morning my boss told me he’d be leaving me: so now I’ve got the big office room all to myself. Hah. (he just moved to another room).

-          HIT (high-intensity training) is a great activity for everyone craving for sore muscles. I currently walk like a duck.

-          Yesterday I found a sushi-place here in town. It was quite delicious and I will definitely visit the place again.

-          TT is going away for a couple of days this week: I think I’m going to do the real grown-up thing and invite my brother over to keep me company (or stay at my parents’).

-          Speaking of my brother, one of his best friends is in hospital after being attacked by some drunken idiot. My thoughts are going out to him and his family.

-          Yesterday at 10 pm I realised that I have an assignment which is due today. All my breaks at work will be dedicated to a fascinating book bearing the title “The Horizons of Uncertainty”.

Smile, She Said.

Coffee And Miso Soup

Sunday again. It’s starting to get cold outside, we’re below 10 degrees Celsius now, but it’s also being a very beautiful autumn with lots of colours and sunshine. It’s almost 2 pm and I’m sipping on some miso soup. After three cups of coffee, I suddenly realised how hungry I was. There are plenty of things I should be doing, but I’ll stick to the most necessary to-dos only and just relax the rest of the day.

Yesterday I scribbled a 5-year-plan (in true SU-fashion) on facebook.

1) work with immigrants/immigration issues. Basically, I would like to help foreign people adapt to our society. I think my skills can be useful, and my dissertation will also touch on the subject.
2) help people with motivation, goal-making, wellbeing and decision-making. This is something that interests me personally, and again – isn’t this what decision analysis and psychology almost inevitably leads to?
3) buy a cottage/flat in Hungary so that I can spend as much time as I want there.
4) get fit. Haha, this is something I’ve been trying for a long time… but there’s no point in giving up, right?  
5) travel a lot.
6) write
7) have a flexible and independent life where I can do all the above things and be in control of everything myself

 

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”

Albert Einstein

After The Rain

TGIF!

Every time I see that TGIF somewhere, I think about Tigi (as in shampoo). Anyhow, today I’m extremely pleased that it’s Friday. This week has been nice, there have been new tasks at work and also some good news, but I’m just so tired. I go to bed early, sleep like a stone… and feel like a zombie the day after. Some rest will definitely do me good.

Now, the greatness of this particular Friday does not on depend so much on the opportunity to get some rest, but there are some fun things happening as well. Today one of my best friends is coming to visit us from Norway. Tomorrow we might be going out to check out the local nightlife and (AND!!!!!) I’ll finally get to start planning my dissertation. My tutor accepted my proposal so now it’s time to plan the schedule and get down to business, I’m so excited. Oh yeah.