Back in Cork

Hello again after a few days' break from posting.
I am back, alive and well but getting back to Cork was a fairly easy thing. It is hard to be late for a flight that is delayed after all and it is not much one can do up there but think of ways to kill boredom. One can sleep, read, or converse with another passenger. I was lucky to meet a friend at the airport and we sat in the same row during the flight. We talked for some time but then I tried to sleep or well, I kept my eyes closed and got in a semi-dazed state. Before I did that, I exchanged a few words with the passenger on my right hand side. The guy was from Czech Republic and asked me something about milk served on the plane. MILK MLIKO MLEKO; well I did not chant it as a mantra while in my dazed state; I just remembered now the way he put an accent in the word "mliko". Of course it was different than the accent used by the Polish in "mleko". As you can see I had very "fascinating" thoughts when on this plane ... [German MILCH is way different again]
***
Anyway, I am back in my apartment now; I went back to work on Tuesday morning (half asleep as the plane arrived at c. midnight). I survived the four long days in the office, trying to do my best but it was tough. It is difficult to get back to reality, to the usual after long holidays. I could not muster up enough energy to do things in my usual fast and efficient manner. My brain put up a lot of resistance in face of some tasks.
So I wore this t-shirt today as this week I have been a very good bad example of slackening discipline. It is good then to have an understanding boss with some sense of humour too. He agreed with what my t-shirt said (I bet what he had in mind was that my Polish workmate and I speak Polish when it comes to small talk but it is a different matter).
There will be no mercy next week anyway but I am hoping to be back on the track by Monday.
On Monday, I will be wearing a different t-shirt ;)

leaving ... soon

"Suddenly the night has grown colder..."

I am just listening to "Alexandra Leaving" performed by Leonard Cohen. Somehow this song always comes to my mind when I am about to travel even if the lyrics do not have much in common with my life. I want to apologise here for not providing any link to a youtube movie with this song. The reason is that there is no video clip with song performed by Cohen. I did not like the version I found.

To get back to my travel, all I want is to land safely at my destination. Then there will be a huge sigh of relief and I will be able to go home.

Recently I got a little nice MP3 player. At the airport I may listen to some songs to kill the time before boarding and to kill boredom when flying.

Before listening to Cohen now, I listened to Nick Cave. I then remembered the concert he gave at the Marquee some time ago. I cannot remember the exact date but the concert was very good. Here are youtube links to two of his songs:

Weeping song

People ain't no good

I listened to many more songs than those two by Cave of course and some are more stuck than others.

Now I feel strangely detached; maybe because of this journey. I am a bit stressed out about my flight and I do not want to think that I am leaving so soon. Knock me out before boarding the plane please so it might get easier. I would not like to crash. When I think about some plane crashes, I think the awareness of the inevitable is the worst. I keep telling myself that nothing bad will happen this time either. I also think it is a good time to say good night now; time to get some sleep before tomorrow. "So long, Marianne" Cohen sings (my name is not Marianne, I must add here ;))

The pic of this weeping willow was taken in Wroclaw a few days ago.

Holidays

My holidays in Poland are almost, almost over. After two weeks and something I am going to pack my suitcase again. I am going to pack some good memories too. I did not plan to do much during those holidays and things were just following the general flow. Yet, there some unexpected things that took place but it is a mystery :-)

On a cultural side though there are no mysteries. Here goes a list of some movies I watched and the two books I read. [I took plenty of pictures as well - here goes just this one - of the flowers].

Norwegian wood by Haruki Murakami
(Polish cover on the left; English one on the right. Surely this books has had various covers - not only those too. I must say I like the one on the right more but I am adding the other one to this post just for some kind of balance.)

On the book itself ... I enjoyed reading it until the very last page. The ending was rather a surprise and I was disappointed by it to be honest. I could not know that when I started reading of course :-) but it was all calculated risk: you never know where a given book is gonna take you.




Lala by Jacek Dehnel
At the beginning I found it hard to get into rhythm with this book but then I could not be separated from it until the very last page. Great read. Some kind of compensation for "Norwegian Wood".

Buena Vista Social Club by Wim Wenders

Great music. Nothing more to add.

North by Northwest by Alfred Hitchcock

A fair bit of entertainment in Hitchcock style. Nice and easy for holidays time.

Elizabeth by Shekhar KapurIt was a must - to see "Elizabeth". I was thinking about it for a long time but somehow I never got a chance until a few days ago. She was a strong woman and a feminist. She knew what she wanted and would go for it in spite of all men around. Very often the steps she took were against their advice and she brought England to prosperity. Smart woman.

21 grams by Alejandro Gonzales Inarritu

A must-see. Captivating watch for me from the beginning until the very end. I watched it second time last week.

One Last Dance
No poster here. I found the movie dreadfully boring and lacking in any real emotion. Dance can be so full of emotions and passion but passion was missing from this film big time.

Les Amants by Louis Malle


French lovers escape from settled environment. Nice fairytale but I found it too naive. The female protagonist may have appealed to the viewers back then when the movie was screened in the late 1950's but not so much to me. It was interesting to watch anyway just to have some fun. Yes, I may be too skeptic about love these days but such things just do not happen in real life.
So people will keep going to cinemas, theatres to experience the impossible, the improbable.
For the same reasons the Greeks went to their theatres and the English crowded to see Shakespeare's plays. I realize it is a pretty simplified picture I paint but there is some truth in it, isn't there?

Back to scorching heat.

I made this short video at Garretstown beach near Kinsale. I wish I could be at the seaside now - be it Irish sea or Baltic sea. Anywhere where you can wade in chilling waters.

Waterfalls

This song has come to my mind tonight as well. I was wandering for what reason and I thought about the waterfalls I might be chasing if any. Food for thought.
***
I like the song very much anyway.

"Don’t go chasing waterfalls
please stick to the rivers
and the lakes that you’re used to
I know that you’re gonna have it
your way or nothing at all
but I think you're moving too fast"

RAIN TODAY - part two

one of my favourite songs. it so well defines my inner desires and ambitions.

RAIN TODAY - part one

Natasha Bedingfield - Feel The Rain On Your Skin Lyrics

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your innovations
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Oh, oh, oh

I break tradition, sometimes my tries, are outside the lines
We've been conditioned to not make mistakes, but I can't live that way

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inner visions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inner visions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins

Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten
The rest is still unwritten

Oh, yeah, yeah

source of the lyrics

Too hot to post

Another day of scorching heat in Poland. Weather forecast says there will be thunder storms later today - I hope it is not wrong. Plans for tonight - barbeque party and lot of beer. Rain will not be much of a problem when it comes and it will make a few things easier for us here.
***
The photo is of the roses I gave to my mother this morning.

Another cycling trip this evening

Day tripper

Cieszyn - the name of the city is derived from the verb "cieszyc sie" which means "be joyful about something". A legend says that three brothers met up after a long journey and they were so happy to see each other that they decided to build a town at that location. That is only a legend; actually a town started growing around the Castle in the 8th century (if you click on the link, you will read that it was founded in the 10th century).
Park in Cieszyn.

Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight.

Afternoon Delight Lyrics (one of the songs from Good Will Hunting soundtrack)

Impressions

Sleeping cat in Cobh

Well, coma is not exactly a state I am in. However, I am tired enough and I have decided to suspend blogging until further notice. My brain needs to recover from the effort of taking three exams in three days (the last one was taken after a totally sleepless night). There are some other reasons for taking a break but those will not be disclosed.

Mare and me.

I like this photo a lot - the horse is seen between the fence beams. Good eye; all credit goes to my friend with a broken arm (left one thankfully).

Swans @ Lough

Off to see my friend with broken arm - to talk and get some break from study. We will go to the riding centre together; she will take photos and I will be riding.
***
My apartment - cleaned. Shopping - not done :-( Mood - let's say okay for now. Study books - waiting for me to come back. Ironic - only my books "wait" for me in my flat. I know it is a commonplace but it is really so tough to be single and to live alone. It seems to me today that it is a life sentence and I am growing more and more tired and fed up with it. Does anyone know how to appeal it?

Shamrock for luck

Four - leaved shamrock is supposed to bring luck. Everyone (?) knows shamrock is one of the symbols of Ireland. I hope it will bring luck to me too because I am in Ireland after all. I am off all week now and I am going to study really hard. I have four days left and then here it goes - three exams: on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday respectively. I am so stressed out now. After all is done, I will go to a pub to get a well deserved pint of beer (maybe Murphy to remind myself of that taste).

But now it is time to get the well deserved sleep after this week's maddness in the office.

P.S. I wore this shamrock lapel pin when I went to a pub on Paddy's day.

Cormorants

My friend and I had a quiet Sunday today. We talked and watched some pics together, among other things. It turned out we were taking pictures near the Morrison's Island on separate occasions and that we, most probably, "caught" the same bird. It likes spending its time by the bridge. I saw it there a good couple of times. When I was walking with my camera on a Sunday some time ago, it decided to take a rest on a life ring buoy and was posing for me like a star :)

My friend and I wondered what bird it was.
My knowledge of birds species is really poor. It is a cormorant (the Internet is invaluable).
***
Links:
wildlife of blue flag beaches
Carlingford wildlife page

Sky, blue sky.

Here goes a picture I took while lying in the grass and relaxing - doing almost nothing.
I wish I could do that some time very soon. Sooner than when I am in Poland. There I can use my parents' huge garden.
***
My best friend fell from a horse today. She is in hospital and I do not know what to say. It has been a long, long day. I just arrived home a few minutes ago and I am going to bed now.

City jungle vs. countryside

Since I posted that photo of wagtail last night, I have been thinking how much I actually miss contact with nature. Now I live in the concrete jungle where people are indifferent at best, at worst they smash car windows just because they are drunk (I would be guessing about any other underlying reasons. Let's say I would give the one who did it benefit of doubt after all).

I used to live in a small town, then in a big city (university times) with loads of parks and loughs. Just before I came to Ireland I would live about 500 yards from woods where I could go for walks, spy on birds with binoculars (I shared a house with an ornitologist), and relax. Woods were also an escape from the noise of the school where I used to teach.

I have been thinking about moving out of Cork city for a long time now but ... easier thought than done. Especially for someone who is single, lives alone, and does not want to share with strangers. For someone who has friends but none of them is planning any move any time soon. Well, for someone who is a bit of a free spirit too.

I will move for sure though - sooner or later.

This pic is from times when I used to live in a house with a garden (Cork's south side). I moved just because the atmosphere there was unbearable and the garden was not much of a help or escape.

Here it goes. I am not sure what species of bird it is.
I would ask her but I no longer keep in touch with my ex-housemate.

Study Time

Yes, it is a study time - big time. The final countdown has started: 12 days left till my exams (excluding today as today is ... nearly over). There is less Internet browsing now and less blogging. It is good that there are still two weekends left for studying (Bank Holiday weekend included). To give my brain a break and some more oxygen, I am going horse riding this weekend too.
***
Animals in the city series starts by the way. Yesterday I saw the pheasant in the grass while riding in the countryside. You need to imagine it as I don't have a photo. Tonight, though, here it is - a photo of a bird posing against the grey pavement slabs.