Another day in Para-Life

"its like Phil Collins, but not as we know it..."

I have been trapped indoors for 3 days now and I am going well loopy. This flu thing is just so old fashion and so over rated. I really need to discover next seasons New Black.

An angel bearing beer came to my door today and that is always nice. Ironically this town is not connected to Mains Gas so I run my stove on a gas cylinder and it has served me well these last 11 and a half months but this morning I found it empty half way through cooking something... a good run but I am still outta gas and tomorrow is not a work day in Poland and so I will have to wait until the 2nd on Jan to do anything about it.

Another dilemma, a student and a good friend has started developing an uncomfortable interest in me and it seems everyone around her notices this except her. Her husband whom I am also friends with has been rather short and gruff of late and it is because he knows of his wife's attraction to me. I have no idea if it has been discussed but no one has asked me and I think that is an important factor - strangely... I will have to deal with this in a sensitive but professional way... I will work it out.

I am so angry of late, fuelled by frustration. This town has reached its limits with me and I am ready to spread my wings and get the hell outta Dodge. I have some friends here, but nothing to tie me down. So I must make a plan or even 3 plans.

Today I spent with my tissues and sniffly nose on my sofa with a copy of 19th century prose. Nothing distracts you from a good headache more than a complex and paradoxical verse with excellent use of word and imagery. I am sure some of my friends out there are calling me a few feminine names but hey, read the stuff and tell me it isn't relevant in some form of fashion to your life.

I had a good chat with my old students in Moscow yesterday, I miss those kooky girls, when I left they were wildly distracted 15 year olds. Now them seem to be maturing as I can tell from their thoughts and ideas. Some sweet kids.

London Calling - I have a burning urge to go somewhere I can read the signs and news papers and get fish and chips, understand people and just generally get away from it all. realise it or not, there is a daily pressure that hangs on my head, the fact that everything is in a different paradigm than mine. Culture tradition, language and style, I cope with this daily but it does take its own kind of effort to get through...

I spoke to my mate in Moscow today and the wedding is set for the end of April, it will be great to see the old town again and all my friends.

Lots of Christmas photos were taken and I like 90% of them. I have yet to see the ones of me in a Santa suit giving gifts to children, but I am sure they will be great!!

Two great things about Poland are their strawberries and tomatoes. They are the best I have ever had in my life.

I have been scouring Facebook, or as my close friend likes to call it Crackbook, it is interesting, but to be honest I would much rather design my own web page and get things done than the way Facebook is put together, far too many gimmicky things that would only truly appeal to 14 year old Japanese teenagers and misguided Chinese kids. The rest of us should have a clue that passing on Zooks and rating hotties is a huuuge waste of time and belittles our brain capacities. But hey kids, if the shoe fits ya, then wear it...

I have been reconnected to MSN ICQ and Skype the last few days and it is good to be able to bounce off satellites and whiz around the globe from my chair and chat with friends. I made a new friend whom I am hoping will become a close friend, I have a good instinct about her, but only time will tell, she seems like she has a rich and active life that covers so much and is filled with great happiness. I look forward to learning more about her and her island home.

Caught up with an dear old High School friend the other day, he is doing remarkably well in life and business. I always knew he would do well, he had that focus on what he wanted in the future look about him, even in high school. I am proud to know him and I am sure my life will only benefit from having him in it.

Another old high school friend met an Aussie girl and married her in my home city last week. Wow - what are the odds of that, considering I went to High School on the other side of the planet in the Valley of Silicon in California. I wish him well in his new country and new life. Live in love forever my friend you deserve it!

My beard that I have been growing for the past month now is getting out of hand. I need a professional trim bad. Yes folks I ma spoilt, my dad is a retired barber and so I would always have a ready professional to trim up my face art any time I needed it. But here in Po-land I don't have that luxury. so I will ask my hairdresser if she can't NOT destroy my face with her clippers... next year.

So folks that is my lot for the day, I am bored enough to write for another 3 hours but I don't wanna punish you by making you read it all. PEACE - OBI

too cute at 5am...

Obi is quite odd at this time of day I am sure my regular readers will forgive this foray into the toxically cute...

70th Birthdays

My father had his 70th birthday and I could not be there. Quite disappointing but I know he would have had a good time last night. It was a catered party and all his old friends and close family were present. They all had a great time while I slept with a raging fever in my bed in Poland.

Today is saturday and at least a week since I worked, I am going loopy. I have discovered sadly that I need structure in my life I need work and I need somewhere to be to motivate me. Now that is sad! Considering I have been modelling myself all my life as a lazy bugger!

Another disturbing observation I have noticed is that I talk to myself. Yes I live alone and spend many of my evenings alone but this whole talking to myself is getting out of hand! Firstly more often now it is in Polish and secondly I don't always agree with myelf...

I definitely need a change of pace in my life and I HOPE the new year will bring something worthwhile my way. Other wise I am just a aging English Teacher that is wasting himself in a small corner of Poland...

In the grip of the grippa!

Gripa folks is The flu in Polish... Seems I have wandered over the border of sniffles into the full blown fever and aches of the Gripa!!

My boss had invited me today to his home for Christmas but I declined and told him I was busy. I still have to get that new contract translated and ready to give to my boss. I have 4 weeks and here that means I have really a week - coz trying to get stuff organised in a foreign country is extremely difficult. The nearest official translator is 60km away and I have no idea of the address...

Well I dunno what else to say today i am just all flopsy and sniffing, so at 8.30pm I am off to bed!~

Wish me luck

Obi Out

Wunny nose

Well its official - I have my first cold in 12 months. I know I can't believe it either.

A good day actually I was up early and had the kettle on at 6.30, did the washing and got everything done that needed to be done and then when to a specially scheduled class. I came home and did a victory lap around the living room then went to sleep for another 4 hours.

Hey - never said I was Captain Engergetic - haha!

Made some plans and organised myself and I feel good. I very quiet day and I am happy. The phone went off a few times and it is amazing how hard it is to ignore! I learned some new vocabulary and I even have a learn Polish MP3 and book for Christmas... A very Mild Christmas no snow at all and only minus 5.

Started reading some 18th and 19th century poetry books that I have collected, I really like to just sit down with tea and just read and enjoy the verse and word. Call me goofy but I like it from time to time.

I was invited on a group tour to Egypt in March, its only $700 all inclusive from here for a week so I thought it a good idea! I am still considering - I have a lot on the table so to speak and I will have to go day by day...

Well I am smiling and sniffling - and whooo said I wasn't a multi-tasker??

Obi Tissue hog!

Come and Gone

Christmas has come and gone in every corner of the globe and the wave of Christmas cheer has subsided and the tides return. The full moon has peaked and now wanes and so too me.
Christmas was difficult this year, the obligations of the new culture I am in and the expectations of the season were a lot harder to manage than I anticipated. Today, Boxing Day I found myself alone and in a big empty flat and silence from the street below. The rooms were empty except for my thoughts which fulled every crevasse and nook. I sat quietly this evening and found myself in tears as I looked out my window. I wish I was as strong as I used to be, I wish I was as flexible and resilient, the simple fact is that I am not.
I grew a beard this season, as much to hide behind as to keep my face warm in the minus temperatures. The gray is showing so much more in my beard these days than I remember, probably why I don't grow a beard as often as I used to... Much like my beard I find this season has wash me clean of all the colour I had. I will be so happy to be back at work tomorrow. Discussing Hofstede and his national comparsions. I need a break from me.
Don't get me wrong I am not sad, or more to the point I can't distinguish sad from anything else these days, which in my situation is a blessing and not a curse. So reader please don't concern yourself too much with my daily goings ons. I am just a pebble in the big scheme of it all and I know it. I just choose to share there transient thoughts with you as they wander across my mind.
Penny Century had her estranged husband come home and I was yesterdays news. Playing happy families is a key element of the season as we all know and do in our own way. So in all the aspect that count I was alone this year, as usual, tho this new year I have nothing to look forward to as I did last year. I can't believe a year has gone by, can you? I do sincerely hope that those closest to my heart had the Christmas they really wanted and had worked hard for. One perons in particular deserves a reconciliation with her family, I do hope in some form or fashion it happened for her and her heart is just that little lighter of the huge burden she has placed upon her soul. Christmas is the time for miracles, so I can only hope it brought her some relief.

My night now after a message is well Pienkna - kocham was moją wesołość translation here.

Merry Christmas all

To those near and far... Hmm... To those far and further, I wish a good Christmas season and a safe and joyous celebration with family and friends.

I am having a good Christmas tho I can't stand the holiday myself. I was asked to a colleagues home to celebrate with his wife and 2 year old son. First we went to his parents for a traditional Polish Christmas, quite nice. then across town to his wife's family when I donned the Santa suit and beard for the 5 children under 5 present and gave them all gifts and they sat on my knee and we took photos. it is such a great feeling to see the terrified and excited looks on their faces when you call their name and pull a huge barbie doll house out of a sack for them. The were so happy and loved all the gifts.

A modest helping of Christmas food, to be honest a selection of pickled fish isn't my idea of tasty fare. But when in Rome...

My Colleagues parents didn't speak English and my Polish is pathetic so we conversed in German. which worked out well considering I understand a bit of that! No drinking tonight until i cracked a well earned beer back at home and sat down to call my parents at home, sadly my telephone card was cut off and I didn't get to chat to my mum as long as my dad.

So now I sit on my sofa listening to the hum of trucks in the traffic outside and watch my episode of Bones and think about the people I most care about.

Someone I love dearly said she would be in the states for Christmas, so I hope she is enjoying her cultural experience.

Another is all alone in Dublin, I dunno why she went there from London, but she did, she will find a friendly crew and sink a lot of beer and have fun no doubt about it. Another lives in Canada and I am sure is having a stressful Christmas, but I hope she makes the best of it and has lots of fun and new pressies from her loved ones.

So here is my sign off to all you out there. as Bill and Ted said, "Be excellent to each other..."

Have an ooooobee chrishmaaas....

Football to some...

united kingdom 1

poland 1

I seem to be hanging around the wrong net. The action seems to be at the other end of the field. I can't see that far, but I know someone was carded.

Its quiet at my end and I can only hope the ball comes down my end one day, otherwise I am standing here in the cold all alone in some silly looking shorts... Winning isn't the name of the game, being part of something special is.

Obi pulling up his socks...

Aaah Christmas...

Merry Christmas All...

Vast Touched

Always a haunting song that gives me goosebumps, but essentially quite saddening, he sings of love and loss and recognition of the unique and preciousness of someone and their love... - well that is how I see it, you may have a different view, watch it and tell me...
Lyrics

Obi - thinking about the love he lost

Women

The more I learn the less I know....

For example. My current paramour Penny Century is becoming much like another I had about 10 years ago and she had a nervous breakdown.

Am I a serial monogomist? I doubt it but I have had enough relationships to know that I can spot character traits a mile away. Penny is coming up short - neither stable, balanced nor totally sane. This all just makes me miss the last one all the more. In fact I recognise that I have never loved anyone more than her, or ever will. She never criticised me or belittled me or was negative in anyway. Yup, I lost a diamond there ladies and gentleman.

I am scarred for life with the memory of her and happily so. Tho I am doomed to be alone because she is too busy to be with me no matter what I do or where I go I will be haunted by an English Rose.

I can't say I mind, I would rather the memory of lost love than the current situation of a mental manipulative woman. I think I should go gay, send me the application form, where do I sign??

Please mow the lovelorn... it is getting outta hand - Obi

Tae Kwon Do

I seemed to be falling into ever smaller circles and falling back to my roots.

When I was quite young I was into Tae Kwon do. I followed this sport for many years and loved being part of it. Tho there were many days I hated it. Much thanks to my parents persistence in getting me there on time and picking me up afterward.

The only regret is that I was not clearer in mind or offered an overview of the sport the tradition or the philosophy of it all. But hey, I was 12... what can ya do...

A life long thanks to Wayne O'Donovan, my teacher for many years. Wayne was a purist, quite the inspiration for a young boy of 12. He was a great teacher and rippled with self discipline and inner strength and a quick right round house. Sadly Wayne hated me. Sometimes in life there are just people you rub the wrong way just by existing, and poor Wayne was afflicted with me.

I was a big kid. No doubt about it and this extra height and weight put me into the senior classes quite quickly. I was happy for this as I needed a challenge. Looking back now I was never the violent or aggressive type. I was however a heavy kicker, not necessarily on purpose but I could take a good kick or 7 in a sparring match and never held a grudge after.

Sadly I gave up on Tae Kwon Do, I could have and should have taken it much further. But as I said at the top - I am finding myself returning to thing things of my childhood and I think I will start to look at Tae Kwon Do again. If only to finish it and attain a black belt which I was only 3 months away from. But it is much more than that. Wayne, you will never read this but I offer my sincere thanks for your guidance and tolerance of me. I did learn a lot and it will always be grateful to you.

My chances of finding a Tae Kwon do instructor in this isolated part of Poland are slim to none but it will happen eventually...

Obi -Do - the art of 'almosts'

Polish People Cant Park Cars!

I have been living here for just on a year now and I must say my first impression was correct. Polish people could NOT park a car properly to save their lives.

Parallel parking and basic geometry as it applies to courteous parking does not apply in this country, I often see the selfish angles people park on and without regard for the next person who must park next to them... and don't get me started on roadside parking. if there isn't enough room to park behind the car in front, the will park diagonally and wedge the car in, even have the front wheels on the footpath.

Now I can imagine in snow it is difficult to see the lines, but there are some opportunities to observe other symmetrical things in the environment, for example - the wall in front of them. Park flush with the wall in a 180 or 90 degree angle. Nope. seems even in winter Poles are selfish parkers.

On the subject they are know to be terrible drivers too, that I cannot blame on any instructors or the testing procedures, I have not seem or met any, other than read in the paper their standards are low. The roads here in Poland I would say are some of the EU's worst. and an average of 60km/h is barely possible with the pot holes in the pot holes...

regardless of all this, reports have shown that in the UK alone in the last 5 years Poles have cause more accidents that any other nationality. Lithuanians head up the biggest percentage increase but still... Get some self respect and respect for OTHERS on the road...

Obi - tryin ta be str8 in a crooked ass wooorld...

Never Gonna Come Back Down

I found this online:

Renowned dance producer BT (whose real name is Brian Transeau) has just released his third solo album, "Movement In Still Life," and the first single from the LP, "Never Gonna Come Back Down," has just cracked the Top 50 at alternative radio, according to "R&R."

"Never Gonna Come Back Down" was a collaborative effort between BT and former Soul Coughing frontman M. Doughty. The two recently discussed the colorfully bizarre track, which includes Biblical allusions as well as references to the comely Charissa Saverio--also known as DJ Rap."It's just great," Doughty told MTV News. "For 'Never Gonna Come Back Down,' he just picks the mic up and is like, 'All right, get on the mic.' So, whatever, I just went off the top of my head, talkin' about stuff, and [BT] was like, 'OK, do it again.' So, again, off the top of my head, just talkin', and then a third time."

"Then I went downstairs," he continued, "watched a little 'Braveheart,' got my Mel Gibson on, and then I came back upstairs and it was this track. It was the least labor intensive thing I've ever done in music, so I was like, 'I gotta get with this guy.'"BT also admitted that he was surprised at the ease at which the song and the vocals came together."Poor Doughty was like, 'Are you sure you don't want me to do more vocals?'" BT remembered. "I was like, 'No, dude, we got it. We're good, trust me.' It was so cool, because each one of the takes--I mean, we literally [only] did three or four takes--and each one of the takes was about completely dissimilar things."

"On one he was talking about the book of Revelation," BT added. "One he was talking about DJ Rap. So, it was just insanity, and cutting them together actually ended up making sense.""Well, the whole first take is me going, 'Oh, DJ Rap, you're so good looking. Brian, give me DJ Rap's phone number, now!" Doughty said. "And the second one is like, 'And the seven thunders uttered from the book of life.'"

"So it ends up making sense in some irrational, surreal sort of way," BT interjected."And when we say, 'Never Gonna Come Back Down,' we don't mean drugs," Doughty explained. "Oh, no."

"No, I still don't know what he means," BT said, laughing. "He won't tell me. He was like, 'I'm writing this in code. No one will ever understand.'""Yeah, like 'Doubt will be the fire,'" Doughty said, referring to some of the song's lyrics. "I was thinking about that. What the f*** does 'Doubt will be fire of your delight' mean?""I have no clue," BT answered. "You wrote it, dude.""That's what they tell me," Doughty concluded.BT and Doughty have also teamed up for another track, "The Heat And The Hate," that will be featured on Doughty's forthcoming solo album (see "M. Doughty Talks Solo Plans

a Bright patch, no rain

Well it seems my xrays and examination were all for naught, seems my stone is a roiling stone after all, it has moved on down and I HOPE will go on it's merry way out and be done with me. The Doctor said it would take a month at the longest. So I guess that is my Christmas present... from myself... Hmmm I would have preferred a ticket to London...

my boss has been mysteriously absent the last week, I care not, I have taken good ol uncle Chuck's advice and left that bucket of shit alone. I need to spend more time on hedonistic pursuits, and worry about me not the poor disadvantaged students... I digress...

AN old friend has dropped me a line from London town and said she is gallivanting around the UK and wants to visit, so Easter may be a good time to see old friends. Tho I must prep for my trip to Moscow. and next summer I am definitely going to Sweden!

I am a language teacher, the other day my student wanted me to teach him Mandarin, and he was quite serious too, so I took the challenge and did some research and in one class we covered the basics of hello thanks I want I don't want and other useful phrases...

Yet another student wanted me to teach him Swedish, so again I hit the books and came up with the basics and phrases... I just wanna teach ENGERISH!! whats wrong with that?? I am such an accommodating bugger...

Obi in no pain and back in high spirits!

Kool Keif

Hello All,

A good start to the week where standing straight was possible. Tomorrow is the big day that the Doctor prescribes TREATMENT finally. I hope this is all a bad memory by late January...

My grumpy paranoia from yesterday has subsided but not gone, I am a little grumpy and that will motivate me I think.

I get paid this week so I will be happy to have cash in my hand. I have to save and get ready for a change of scene and in May a trip to Russia. Siiigh - its 6.45pm and I wanna go to bed. haha

brewing storm

Well I know I don't often put smiley face news on here, maybe I am just a glass half empty kinda guy when I write... live with it.

There is a storm brewing and its coming from work...

My boss after all this year of working in the EU project has decided that I cannot supervise the oral exams for all the classes I have. No reason given to me and he actually got another teacher to tell me, (coward!) The students have been preparing for the oral exam are even excited that I am chairing this, because i am really the only person qualified to do this. Tho my mysterious boss says otherwise.

I asked the venerable and wise uncle Chuck, an english teacher here in town that also works for my boss indirectly about the decision, as this affects him too. He was rather gruff and blunt with his answer and said, "Hey, its his bat and ball he can do as he likes... You take this job far too seriously." He went on to call our boss a mercenary cowboy with a touch of the double standards to boot. After thinking about the many small things that I have witnessed over the past year I would say that I have lost a healthy chunk of respect for my boss and really have to consider whether I continue with him or not.

The other side of the coin could be that he has no intention of hiring me for any part of next year and his secretive nature that has developed over the past 3 months compounds my instinct that he well throw me to the wolves at the end of the month. In fact he has told the other Polish teachers to give exams in December, effectively cutting my wages and contract by 2 weeks. The official ending is supposed to be in mid January.

The result is that I am looking for other employment. I have a few friends rallied to search the nearby region (150km) for another school that I can go and work in. not quick enough for my liking but I am keen to get in contact and have a solid plan B...

Plan O-Bee