|
EuropeanWanderer
|
read my profile
sign my guestbook
Name: T
Location: Michigan, United States
Birthday: 11/7/1983
Gender: Female
Interests: avacados. and brie. coffee. and chocolate.
literature. and art.
rain. and beauty.
Expertise: how to peel an orange in one go. what good books to read. how to make an almost-gourmet-$3 dinner.
Occupation: Student of Life
Industry: Construction
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
11/17/2003
|
|
SubscriptionsSites I Read
|
|
|
|
| i am having a moment where living in prague feels as glamourous as it is in one's imagination. the diffused sunlight is hitting Prague Castle *just so* and it is shimmering in the distance. i am soaking up the sunshine on my terrace, listening to Beta Band who i just discovered 14 hours ago. (living in a moment that will soon be shattered by a construction crew who must repair the terrace before the winter. i'm not excited about this. but back to to ideal--) i am writing my thoughts onto a stack of blank papers instead of in my journal so i can write freely and throw them away and not worry about somebody else reading them posthumously. i am cracking myself up. and drinking strong coffee, of course.
quietness. no obligations in this day off. much to look forward to.
it's great when the ideal and reality intersect.
| | |
| all the ballyhoo about the mosque at ground zero is driving me crazy FROM BOTH SIDES
is there no one with a reasonable voice in america? it seems impossible to get the real story. if the mosque isn't on the actual ground zero site, then perhaps this is all being blown way out of proportion?
i am so so so tired of the never ending fight between liberal and conservative extremes, and neither side considering a third (or fourth, or fifth) point of view.
i think someone with a pluralistic religious agenda must be driving this story in the media because it seems way out of control--with religious freedom taking the center stage about an issue that is much more related to cultural & historical sensitivity.
also. will the basic right to have a Christian opinion be taken away because there are such weirdy EXTREMISTS who stand outside protesting with hate-filled/ignorant placards in the name of God/Jesus?
i really have no patience for these endless debates. | | |
| I just got back from a delightful three weeks of traveling. Istanbul, Efesus, Santorini, Milos, Athens... Turkey was my favourite, but the whole trip was inundated with beautiful sights, sounds, colours, food, people. I feel thoroughly addicted to seeing more of the world and experiencing new places and cultures. The people of Turkey were so warm. The Mediterranean cuisine was like music to my soul. Now that I am back in Prague, life feels more surreal than ever, as if every place is a stage in a play, a page that can be turned with the flight of a plane. What of this life is real, consistent? The scenery can change in the blink of an eye. So many stories that can be walked in on and tasted. You are with one person in one place, but in an instant that moment is gone. Transformed into a beautiful memory with edges tinged with the glimmer of a sunset, or the strange glow in between the clap of thunder and the onset of the rain.
Who is introducing the characters into my story? And whose story do I get to make an appearance in?
More later, I'll add some photos to the philosophy. I am glad to be back and I feel inspired to dig into my work. ...which is just what a holiday should accomplish!
| | |
| This afternoon I had my second visit with my Czech dentist. First, the dental technician cleaned my teeth and gave me a strict rebuke: I need to be more stringent with my flossing regime, cleaning the inter-dental spaces. As she scraped my teeth she said, "I'm sorry, I'm torturing you" and "This is less pleasant because you need to floss more." I sat there wishing that I would remember the pain of the scraping every night and pick up the floss. If only the pain and annoyance at my lack of discipline would translate into a monthly habit. She wanted me to come back in 3 months, but I told her my insurance didn't cover that. So she made me solemnly promise to floss every day...
Part two with my dentist: He shows me a flip chart of periodontal disease. First, healthy gums. Next, irritated gums with the beginnings of periodontal disease. Finally, periodontal disease that has eroded the bones beneath the gums. I was in the "irritated" part of the chart, an area that is reversible if you floss properly. The thing about periodontal disease (he told me) is that it is painless and therefore many people do not take measures against it until it is too late. He has many elderly patients with teeth that are in great condition, but gums that are deteriorating because of the painless disease.
I thought, he is trying to scare me into being a better flosser (later he admitted this was so). At the end of the checkup he said that they would have very little to do in my appointment if I flossed in between. I said, yes, I hear the warning and I would be happy if there was nothing to clean the next time I came in as a result of me flossing properly. He said, that is a good goal, I will make note of it in your chart and we will ask you next time.
So! Now I have a goal to work towards: healthy gums because I take care of them, not because I go to the dental confessional every 6 months. Speaking of confessionals, my pattern with my teeth makes me think I am similar in other areas of my life, areas that need some discipline. I don't generally like being rebuked, but something in me really appreciated being told sternly that I needed to change my habits. I think I will start asking God (and listening) about those other areas.
| | |
| Tribute to my hairdressers
Today I got my haircut. I am so glad to have a good hairdresser in Prague. It's hard to find someone who understands curly hair; I was really sad to leave Ashley in Philly, but Petra takes good care of my hair here in Prague. Understanding curly hair is not the only thing that makes these women great at what they do. I think hairdressers end up being unofficial therapists and the profession generally attracts women who are good at asking questions and drawing out their clients. So here's to you, Ashley & Petra, for making my life that much better...I feel significantly encouraged when I walk out of your salon, and not just because my hair looks beautiful.
Ever wonder what the Johnny Depp prototype would be like in real life?
I used to wonder this, but since moving to Prague, I have found a man who I think Johnny Depp's dashing vagabond characters are based on. Johnny Depp in real life is not so dashing, but is still quite intriguing.
All year I have noticed a neighbour of mine who frequently sits with his German shepherd on the sidewalk--I think that square of sidewalk is his home. He used to sit near the train station, but since the construction began, he moved to a side street across the tracks. He has a tan, angular, weathered face, shaded by an equally weather-beaten leather hat. He wears old brown leather boots and sits on his worn canvas rucksack and reads a newspaper. He is not menacing in the least--although I think if anyone threatened him, his dog would immediately intervene--and I have seen him chatting with people as they pass by.
Today as I passed him at his usual spot--a sunny patch of cobblestones--I said, "Dobry den" (good day). He replied, not with the reply of "Dobry den" that I am accustomed to, but with "Přijemne den," which I think means "Have a pleasant day." Then, he gave me a lesson--all in Czech--of the appropriate time to use "Dobry den" versus "Přijemne den." As far as I can tell, přijemne can be used at any time of the day and you use it when you are especially pleased with the sunshine and fresh air. He told me to ask my Czech teacher about the phrase and while he explained he used a simple form of Czech so I would understand. He is a good teacher.
So, that's all for now. Two snippets about people who are very different from each other, who all brighten my day.
| | |
|
