I have learnt today…

..that sticky notes don’t lie

and that the song: Devil Archeist (Bethany Joy) is pretty good!

One piece is missing

I have a huge need to go home (to Slovakia) for a while and I will. I need to live my history, to meet my childhood and also my dreams I had back there in Slovakia.

About happiness and little deeds

I have been thinking recently and I decided to share. I was thinking about small things that can make one happy. And also about how can one make oneself happy. So two different approaches.

The previous “EVS” year, I had a collegue, who had learnt a slovak phrase “pekna si” = “U r pretty”. She used that phrase almost each time we met. It was a small insignificant joke which was actually pretty significant. It created good atmosphere each time. Another example would be from handball when one of my teammates welcomed each player who entered the sport hall in the beginning of the training with a sentence: ”Så kult att just DU är här” = “So cool that particularly YOU are here”. We all knew she repeated it for each and every one but each of us smiled and kept good mood for some time of the training. Again – it was a small thing, maybe even not really meant seriously, but still had a big impact. I think it’s each persons responsibility to be aware of the fact that we do have impact on others around us and we can actually make a day nice for someone. Everyday. Another question is whether we allow ourselves to be happy about small insignificant things and whether we allow others to make us happy.

And that leads me to another point. The first part of this blog was about what we can do for others or what others can do for us to make us happy or feel good. But one should be able to make oneself happy as well. Or find small things that can lighten up the day. When I was little I used be excited about such things like meeting a cute classmate in the school, going for a school trip, being so happy about presents I got that I took them to my bed so I could look at them untill I would fall asleep and then see them as soon I would open my eyes. I used to be happy about each new thing I had learnt that day and the happiness lasted for some time.Then later on at some point all those things became “normal”.  So I wonder. Do we need to long for something to be happy? And for how long does happiness caused by a saturated need last? Would I ever feel that happiness that will make me jump and smile around and dare to do whatever I feel for regardless the people around me if I had everything I needed? Like ever.With no new aims and needs? And when is it that an exciting experience becomes normal? Where is the line between normal and unusual in the frames of our routines?

 

Fame

I have just come home from the cinema. I watched “Fame”. I expected some dancing and singing. I got that. And I also got some thoughts to play with,  inspiration and the most important (to me) - I got into mood to chase for new dreams. Such feelings after watching a movie I like!

I recommend the movie!

Trip to Brussels

So about the Brussels trip. The start was smooth. I slept through the whole flight (missed food which anyway was not vegetarian), landed safe and did not get my luggage. Hope dies last so I was waiting till the belt stopped and then went to report it to the company. To report that my luggage did not arrive and not that the belt stopped  The usual procedure took place, I left the address of my hotel, signed some papers and got to hear that the luggage might be there somewhere on the belt and that it happens that some bags just come like 10 – 15 minutes after the belt has already stopped. So I was waiting (not hoping really) for some 5 more minutes but then I just left otherwise I would be late for the meeting I was heading to. After the meeting, still without luggage, which was actually practical as I did not need to carry it, I went to my hotel. Was walking, it started rain a bit and then it rained more and more but it was not worth it to take some public transport for the rest of the route. Pretty soaked I reached the hotel, which turned to be not my hotel. The question was – which was my hotel then? Went through all the instructions emails and found another hotel mentioned in one of them. Just a name. So I googled (I am really happy with my iPhone) and found a phone number. No they did not have a reservation for my name, but they had booked room for me for the next night. Weird enough I was happy that I had roof for the next night but still wondering where to spent the night to come. After some time I found out I was not the only one and understood that there was  some major mistake done somewhere in communication but was sure it was about to get solved soon. It did =) After some time I got to know that there was actually a third hotel waiting for us to check in. Walking distance, though it rained, still did not have the luggage so just with google maps in my iPhone off  we went.  The hotel (the first one) promised to send my luggage ater me as soon as it would arrive. We happily reached to the right hotel, the receptionist had really fun since the booking was totally messed up and then on the top of everything, my luggage arrived to the address I left on the airport and the hotel did not have means to send it to my new “home” so I just had to turn and go back to pick it. But afterall, everything worked out well. Luggage came in one piece, I got a bed for that night, my roommate was pretty cool and the following two days were giving (but that´s another story) and I got my portion of belgian waffle with strawberries, chocolate and whipped cream. Kinda happy end =)

Reminder

Remind me to blog about my Brussels trip =)

Some moments will live forever

“Most of our life is a serie of images. They pass us by as towns on a highway. But sometimes a moment stuns us as it happens and we know that this instant is more than a fleeting image. We know that this moment, every part of it, will live on forever”

This quote is from One Tree Hill (3rd serie)

Protect your joy

And this picture is mine. Developing the quote. Make sure that the moments won´t become just memories. Let those moments form your future.

Being punched from now and then

When I pass by someone who is smoking, I become a bit grumpy for a while. I do not like the person for a moment and I feel attacked. Walking through the town, talking to friend or being in a hurry and all of sudden getting smashed by the smell of cigarette makes me stop breathing and complain. It´s hard for me to accept my own complaining cause I know many people who smoke and except of that habit they are great persons. BUT I would forbid it all. Smoking should be really allowed only in totally isolated cabins 1mx1m where none else gets punched by that poison.

It´s everyone´s choice to smoke, inhale the crap and destroy his/her own lungs but as soon as other´s are involved it´s not a personal choice. Not mentioning that a destroyed individual (by his/her own choice) is not a separate being disconnected from the family and society.

Hard to understand how smoking can still be so accepted and excused. No it´s not OK to smoke.

Greatness

I love watching people´s greatness. It does not really matter in which field. I have recently watched interview with Elton John. He has never been my favourite. I remeber how people made fun of him because of his wigs and that he was gay. It has all passed (seems like) or I am just not following the “news”. Anyway that is approximately all I registered about him. However I am happy I watched the interview and could see that he is more than a singing machine. It´s great to hear people´s stories to understand a bit better. Not only them but life.

I also enjoy watching sports because of the greatness that shows there.

I enjoy meeting people who hide their greatness in their modesty. Or in their understanding. Or in their sharp mind. I really like being impressed by people.

There is so much greatness around.

Thoughts from Travnik

As promised in the previous entry, I am here publishing small picture collection from Travnik (Bosnia and Herzegovina) where I was some weeks ago. The visit gave me new energy. We planned and wrote an application on starting the process of  designing and implementation of alcohol policy in Bosnia.

I just felt happy to be there. I liked the people and their personalities. It was kind of warmer and more lively there at that meeting. Jokes and seriousness were shifting during the working time. I really enjoyed the motivation and enthusiasm of our partners from Travnik. It was pleasure to be there,  work and get to know the people and the place. 

Walking around I got to see that the time left its traces but it does not stop. Life goes on no matter what. And people adjust to the conditions. They find their happiness and they find things to complain about. Always.

The white stones all around remind of the conflicts that grew big. Conflicts that in ones mind have no logic. Have no relevance and could be solved by a short conversation. Conflicts that in someone´s else´s mind had the highest meaning and have just one and only solution. Yes..that´s how it is between people. We have the gift to see another possible perspective  but we use the gift very rarely. Unfortunately.

Travnik