Haven't sat and written about things in a while.
Whether consequence of that, or something else, plenty of things have been on my mind.
One month without blogging. I felt like it had run its course, I guess. I was feeling okay, I was focusing on living my life rather than writing about it (as anybody with access to my facebook page clearly saw), and I was upbeat. Quick pause: I still am upbeat. I have a tremendous amount of positive people, places, experiences, and growth to focus on.
Last week or two I haven't been shy about getting emotional and letting things off my chest. Not that I was holding things in for the months before, mind you. And not that anything specific or radically different has happened in the last few days to set me off. I'm just ... more mindful of how I feel, and a little less concerned with the why. I can psychoanalyze the why to my heart's content if I choose. Heck, I can walk over to Sigmund Freud Park and ask deep personal questions there, or buy a ticket to his former office now-restored (minus the couch: That went with him to London and remains there). The last ten days have felt more down than the time before. That's okay, and I suppose its even to be expected given everything.
I haven't written about things lately because I guess I didn't feel the need to. I'm more cognizant of the readers I've invited to see this space. What started out as someplace for me to get thoughts and feelings out into the open grew into a place for me to accept more risk, and be honest with others in a semi-anonymous manner (you readers know me, but I don't know who actually reads this). I don't want to be thinking of that when I'm writing. But, it shouldn't matter. It doesn't matter.
If I'm not comfortable sharing something then I won't type it here, it's as simple as that.
Yet I didn't share how I was doing for a while.
I'm not sure if you can picture the furrow in my brow as I think about those last statements. Trust me, it's there. The cause of the furrow is, well, I didn't sit down and type and express when I was feeling lonely, or really emotional and sad, or detached ... but not because I was uncomfortable telling anybody. I just, didn't write.
Okay.
Now that I put some grey matter behind it and think a little, I do believe that people around here have been a little tougher to connect with in the last ten days. I've certainly reached out to others. This Sunday I sent texts, phone calls, emails, and facebook messages trying to meet up with people here. Admittedly, many of them were in no physical condition to respond after Oktoberfest on Saturday (and, admittedly, I would not have been in a physical condition to respond if someone tried to get a hold of me ... yikes ...).
I can sense that I'm ready to come back to the States. Vienna has been great, it remains wonderful, and there is no denying that it was the right opportunity in the right place at the right time, when it was needed the most. It's just not "real life." The work isn't as early, the pace isn't as fast, the people aren't the same, the focus isn't as sharp. That doesn't make it bad. It doesn't make the States good. It's just different. I'm proud of the way I've adapted and thrived. It's been fun. However, returning to the US to me feels like Moving Forward. Staying here feels like Standing Still. An escape from "real life" as I know it.
"We are men of action. Lies do not become us."
... well ... this has been a long and ultimately inconclusive "stream of consciousness" post. Will others follow? Not sure.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Saturday, August 31, 2013
A draft and a stroll
The 2013 West Suburban Fantasy Football League draft is in the books. For those who care about the awesomeness that is this 16-team scoring only league, the New York Jets (picking 15th overall) will start the season as follows:
QB:
Russell Wilson, Seattle
Ryan Tannehill, Miami
RB:
Stevan Ridlay, New England
David Wilson, New York Giants
Darren Sproles, New Orleans
Rashard Mendenhall, Arizona
WR:
Mike Williams, Tampa Bay
Anquan Boldin, SanFrancisco
Michael Floyd, Arizona
TE:
Owen Daniels, Houston
K:
Matt Bryant, Atlanta
Shayne Graham, Cleveland
For those who read this far and for those who skipped right over the fantasy football, I am still awake as I type this. This fact is only significant as I've been awake for 30 hours or so. After the draft ended after 6 am local time, I got up, got out, and visited Vienna's famous "Naschmarkt" for a stroll through the Saturday flea market. Kind of fun, kind of cool, and since I was neither seeking to rummage through people's garbage nor did I have any extra luggage space to carry crap home, I just browsed and left.
The sunny and pleasant morning continued with a reverse stroll back through the market - Vienna's outdoor fresh market and restaurant alley, if you will. The bright colors and captivating smells were delightful: fresh flowers and spices of paprika and saffron and chili and more created an enticing olfactory experience. Feeling hungry (as I hadn't eaten since dinner last night around 9 pm and it was now 8 am ... and you'd be hungry too if you smelled everything j smelled!) I stopped at Neni, a Jewish owned and operated restaurant at the markt. A wonderful and expertly prepared slice of challa bread French toast with stewed peaches was my treat to myself for getting out of the apartment and exploring instead of going to sleep.
Just another experience I get to check off the list; ironically, thanks to fantasy football and the seven hour time difference to back home, or else there is no way I'm at the markets while the shopping areas are still passable or the fresh produce sellers are thriving or the restaurants are just opening and getting prepped for the day! :-)
(Oh, and on the off-chance that anybody from the league is reading this post, I WILL be kicking all of your asses all the way from Europe. You can't stop me. You can't even hope to contain me.)
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Hallstatt - Part III
Sunday morning, rain is falling.
(I love how that last one turned out -- it's the symbol on the ground in the center of that helix thing, with a little Vibrant and Depth of Field filters in Camera+ followed by a White Grit frame. Love it!)
Like, downpour at times. Blah.
After a nice breakfast courtesy of the B&B, we set out to find a bus that took us to a place called the Dachstein: a series of summits and features where we would spend most of the day.
The first gondola took us up to 1300 meters, where we hiked several kilometers in the strong rain to find the Dachstein ice cave: a naturally occurring formation of rock and ice that was "only” 600 years old in most places. Like, 10-25 meters thick ice, and temperatures that ranged from ambient (mid 50's) down to the low 30's -- perfect for trudging through with a daypack and soaked clothes, right? Anyways, our tour guide made a point of saying (in very good English) that photograph was prohibited, which matched the signage. BUT, I was pretty confident that I heard her say that photography was permitted without flash just a moment later. Of course, that second statement was in German but I think I got the gist.
Besides, we've established that I'm American and therefore their rules don't apply to me. Of course. For the next hour I was stunned at the underground formations and magnitude of the ice development. I also can't wait to see how all my photos turned out!
Despite the rain, after the ice cave we stayed up on the mountain to get a quick lunch at the middle station, and then rode two additional gondolas up to different points near the peak: 2100 meters (over 6700 feet) in elevation. More hiking. More conquering the worst and most hectic weather that Mother Nature herself could muster! (Or, just more rain and wind actually) After some exploring we found another UNESCO site: a kind of "helix" with great views over the entire range!
Not that we could enjoy them in the thick fog ... But whatever! The adventure was worth it. The hiking gear I had held up great; I stayed warm and safe; had a blast wandering wherever there was to explore.
Returning to our boy Tolkien, who wrote that "Not all those who wander are lost."
Hallstatt - Part II
Quick recap of Saturday in Hallstatt:
Taking the ferry across the lake was breathtaking, but not quite as much as some of the views to be experienced simply walking in and around this lakeside town. Shallow and narrow ground, picturesque views, and a lake that was so still and calm it was positively reflective unless disturbed by boat or animal, surrounded by lush green forestry on almost all sides.
Landing in the town we set off to explore, dropped off our luggage at the bed and breakfast we were staying at, and promptly grabbed the cameras to take advantage of the practically perfect weather. Our first stop was a funicular tram up to about 700 meters, to explore a few kilometers of trail connecting the tram station to an old salt mine. We didn't go in because we didn't really care about the salt mine -- the UNESCO World Heritage Site photography ledge, on the other hand, was completely in our plans. After some amazing photos off the ledge and over Lake Hallstatt we found a winding trail that looped behind the mountain and mirrored some waterfalls down the back of the mountain. We explored around the south end of town and found an island beach where we decided to take a breather. I may or may not have been persuaded to wade out into the [frickin' cold!] water, but it was great.
Because apparently that wasn't enough, we enjoyed a delightful dinner along the water with some roasted trout that was caught from the lake itself, and then finished off the evening with some gorgeous night shots of the village.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Hallstatt - Part I
This place is stunningly beautiful.
Nestled between mountain ranges, along side a pristine lake, surrounded by lush green forests, This is the Austria you're thinking of. This is the valley behind "the hills are alive" or something like that.
Any posts I have about Hallstatt are going to be short simply because words don't do this place justice. Tolkien said it best:
The greatest adventure is what lies ahead.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Three! Three Months! A-ha-ha...
That's The Count counting how long I've been in Vienna.
It is NOT the Owl figuring out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
Just in case you were wondering.
It's been a little over three months, to be precise. And exactly three months at work. So we're close enough for international government work. And keeping with the positive vibes of some of the past few posts, it's been an incredible three months. So, a few questions and potential answers:
Does it feel like time has flown by? No, not really. It feels like three months have passed. The days have been filled whenever possible with exploring, adventures, new friends, interesting work, international travel, and anything I can get my hands on to learn in this new culture. I still remember living out of the hotel wondering how I was going to make things work so that ends met ... and I am still incredibly optimistic and excited for what comes next, whatever that may be.
When are you coming back? I'm working on that; give me a little, eh?
What has been the best part of your first three months living abroad? There have been a lot of "best parts" so I'll boil them down to the internal answer first - - the feeling of "I got this." What the heck does that mean? It means, there have been a number of best experiences and best parts: from traveling and exploring new cultures, to learning about Vienna and starting to feel somewhat like a "local," to the food, to the friends, to the experiences ... it's all been great. But what has been the best part is the knowledge that I'm closer to feeling how I want to feel than I have in a long, long time. I was genuinely afraid that this part of me had walked out the door last year, and that's not true at all. I let myself lose this feeling. It petered-out slowly over a period of time that it was almost imperceptible to me, even when evidence was put directly in front of me. It's a conscious and deliberate push to feel good, and not just think about feeling good or think about having fun (you get the point). Everything else that I've done, some wacky, some a little crazy [surprising even myself!], some smart, some not so smart, stems from that feeling.
What has been the toughest part of your first three months living abroad? Nothing has really been "bad," but trying to figure out financials and budget for effectively two lives -- accounts and commitments back in the States as well as living a full life here -- that's been a challenge. Not an insurmountable one, but something I continue to keep an eye on to make sure I'm not costing myself something bad now or in the future. Once tax season rolls around next year, then I'll surely feel a pinch for my adventure here ... but, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, eh?
Why do you keep saying "eh?" You're in Vienna, not Canada, right? Yes, that's true. But a Canadian supervisor came into the office a little while ago and I have some Canadian friends and I was thinking about a trip to see the Blackhawks at an away game next February so hockey was on my mind and wait a minute leave me alone why do you care what I type? This is my blog!
What now? Now ... now I need to get back to work. I'm taking Monday off so a friend and I can explore the Austrian mountains south of Salzburg at a town called Hallstatt. Look it up online if you want. I'm excited to bust out my hiking gear and DSLR, to see how everything handles in a real outdoors environment!
Also, Prague photos are online, but because I uploaded several dozen pics I decided not to put them here. Look for a public photo album on my Facebook page for those of you who have Facebook; that's where I put the high def images and comments. Otherwise, I think this is a link to the Picasa and/or Google+ image library where I have them as well (I have no idea how Picasa / G+ works; it's weird).
https://plus.google.com/photos/112554637864868191494/albums/5913903034858700113
It is NOT the Owl figuring out how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.
Just in case you were wondering.
It's been a little over three months, to be precise. And exactly three months at work. So we're close enough for international government work. And keeping with the positive vibes of some of the past few posts, it's been an incredible three months. So, a few questions and potential answers:
Does it feel like time has flown by? No, not really. It feels like three months have passed. The days have been filled whenever possible with exploring, adventures, new friends, interesting work, international travel, and anything I can get my hands on to learn in this new culture. I still remember living out of the hotel wondering how I was going to make things work so that ends met ... and I am still incredibly optimistic and excited for what comes next, whatever that may be.
When are you coming back? I'm working on that; give me a little, eh?
What has been the best part of your first three months living abroad? There have been a lot of "best parts" so I'll boil them down to the internal answer first - - the feeling of "I got this." What the heck does that mean? It means, there have been a number of best experiences and best parts: from traveling and exploring new cultures, to learning about Vienna and starting to feel somewhat like a "local," to the food, to the friends, to the experiences ... it's all been great. But what has been the best part is the knowledge that I'm closer to feeling how I want to feel than I have in a long, long time. I was genuinely afraid that this part of me had walked out the door last year, and that's not true at all. I let myself lose this feeling. It petered-out slowly over a period of time that it was almost imperceptible to me, even when evidence was put directly in front of me. It's a conscious and deliberate push to feel good, and not just think about feeling good or think about having fun (you get the point). Everything else that I've done, some wacky, some a little crazy [surprising even myself!], some smart, some not so smart, stems from that feeling.
What has been the toughest part of your first three months living abroad? Nothing has really been "bad," but trying to figure out financials and budget for effectively two lives -- accounts and commitments back in the States as well as living a full life here -- that's been a challenge. Not an insurmountable one, but something I continue to keep an eye on to make sure I'm not costing myself something bad now or in the future. Once tax season rolls around next year, then I'll surely feel a pinch for my adventure here ... but, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, eh?
Why do you keep saying "eh?" You're in Vienna, not Canada, right? Yes, that's true. But a Canadian supervisor came into the office a little while ago and I have some Canadian friends and I was thinking about a trip to see the Blackhawks at an away game next February so hockey was on my mind and wait a minute leave me alone why do you care what I type? This is my blog!
What now? Now ... now I need to get back to work. I'm taking Monday off so a friend and I can explore the Austrian mountains south of Salzburg at a town called Hallstatt. Look it up online if you want. I'm excited to bust out my hiking gear and DSLR, to see how everything handles in a real outdoors environment!
Also, Prague photos are online, but because I uploaded several dozen pics I decided not to put them here. Look for a public photo album on my Facebook page for those of you who have Facebook; that's where I put the high def images and comments. Otherwise, I think this is a link to the Picasa and/or Google+ image library where I have them as well (I have no idea how Picasa / G+ works; it's weird).
https://plus.google.com/photos/112554637864868191494/albums/5913903034858700113
Thursday, August 15, 2013
What a Difference a Year Makes
One year
ago was August 15, 2012.
Which
means that was 365 days ago.
Thinking
back over the past 365 days, I’m really astonished at the range of highs and
lows that I've experienced. It hasn't
been easy. It certainly hasn't been
quick. The lows were places I’d never felt
before, and hope not only to never experience again but that no one else has to
go through.
The past
365 days have taken me from those depths to amazing professional and
experiences all over Europe, with more in the pipeline. They've been the time I needed to focus on
myself: my needs, my wants, and my happiness. Taking that time and working
tirelessly to make things better isn't a linear trend: things don’t improve (or
degrade) in a straight line. Instead,
life is made up of incrementally small ups and downs … but the trick is,
looking at a zoomed-out view and trying to make the trend a positive one. Like the stock market (ideally, at least).
I don’t
think I've been shy about thanking the friends and family in my life that have
helped me. I also don’t think it would
be an overstatement to suggest that I wouldn't be where I am without that love
and support and understanding.
There
will always be uncertainty, and there will always be doubts, about the future
as well as the past. But I know that I’m
in a really good place: My trend has been positive for a while and I have the
highest confidence that I am better prepared to handle whatever the next 365
days throws at me.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
48 Hours in Prague: Part IV
As suspected, 48 hours was it enough in Prague. I'll have to go back.
This conclusion is not upsetting.
Saturday I mostly walked and bombed around Prague until my bus left. The museum. Wenceslas Square. Random streets. There feels like a huge wealth of areas and places to discover in this city, each with a unique vibe all of its own. And I barely left the first three districts, so I didn't get to explore anything much across the river aside from the Senate and a bit of Lesser Town!
Comparing Prague to Vienna, where I have since returned, is revealing. Vienna is more quiet, more laid back, easier to navigate, more cultural in an arts and performance kind of way. Prague feels more steeped in history, with lots to explore, a bit more excitement, and more 'grand' as a European city. Vienna has more modern benefits but Prague has a richer sense of tradition. Which is better? They're different, and that works just fine for this traveler.
I've only got a few hundred pictures to review, straighten, crop, and conduct basic editing on ... So please forgive me if some time passes before I post any here. But don't worry, I wasn't shy on the shutter. And boy did some turn out spectacular.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
48 Hours in Prague: Interlude
In which our author becomes a travel equipment review guide.
So its not waterproof but its comfortable, breathable, light weight, packable, has a nice hood, has good thumb-hole cuffs, and can probably be used anywhere from raining at 80 degrees to windy at 50 degrees to chilly at 20 degrees (with a good base or mid layer).
Because I only started to get into backpacking and outdoors activities last summer, I'm fairly new to and easily impressed by the tech that goes into good, high quality travel equipment. Essential for this trip were a few pieces I acquired:
Osprey Manta 30 backpack with 3 L hydration system included. I removed the hydration system for weight reduction for this trip, and the ripstop nylon bag easily held three days worth of clothes and toiletries and charging plugs.
Stuffed in a cool expandable space between the main and secondary pockets was my jacket. More on that in a second. Most valuable during this trip was probably the integrated rain shield which has its own pocket at the bottom of the backpack. When the skies opened over Prague, my camera, tablet, and documents stayed nicely dry.
As for that jacket ... I'm not sure how to describe it. By name its the First Ascent (Eddie Bauer) Accelerant Jacket. But I usually call it frickin amazing.
It's a lightweight material with a water repellent finish so precipitation beads up on the outside rather than penetrating the jacket. The darker color under the arms is a breathable fleece. Underneath the lighter grey is a primaloft insulation.
Also key this trip: nylon travel pants from
REI. Yes, in my size. I know! Gotta love REI. No pictures shown because, lets face it: they're khakis. Really long khakis. Just use your imagination.
48 Hours in Prague: Part III
Prague at night takes on an entirely different feel. It is one of the many reasons that I feel like this city may be better or greater to explore and experience than Vienna. The city didn't feel scary or unsafe (although only a fool would think that such areas didn't exist in any major city), but instead felt like a different side of the same coin. Landmarks and sights took on a different feel. The streets had a different energy. Performers and exhibitions catered to a different crowd. What a fun place to explore and wander around!
Speaking of wander, I managed to do quite a bit of that, thanks in part to one (or more) (consecutive) (compounding) (and/or confusing) wrong turn(s). I never felt unsafe but I definitely got to experience parts of the city that are most likely for locals only, and that's where my perspective above comes from.
I tried to take lots of pictures of places at night, including the Powder Gate, the Opera house, Prague Castle, and the gates to the Charles Bridge. Tried is the operative word, here, as steady rain of fluctuating strength hampered my efforts whenever possible. Still, I think I managed to secure a couple of good pictures before my lens became difficult to clean and I feared for damaging the camera body itself.
Another selfie, at night; not to be mistaken for one of the "good shots"
I alluded to above.
One last order of business for the evening: a Czech beer in a local pub. I don't know the name of the place (I'm not sure it had one!) and I don't remember the name of the beer they brought me (if they even told me), but again: a damn good pilsner. Maybe I'm missing something with pilsners, since I'm not a beer snob unlike some friends ... But to me, they always just taste "like beer" until they reach a point where they're too warm or too bitter for me to enjoy. The beers here were good, I enjoyed them, and they suffered from the above criticisms far less than comparable beers back in the states. But still, if someone who knows what I should be experiencing and/or expecting more with a pils wants to enlighten me, please feel free.
After a long day of dodging rain and exploring the city, I collapsed back at my hotel. 48 hours may be far too little or this city after all ...
Friday, August 9, 2013
48 Hours in Prague: Part II
Exploring Prague I am struck immediately by the feeling that this is a great city, full of depth and history. I'm not sure that this city would be better to live in than Vienna ... But with such a short sample I don't know which city is "better" in a general sense of the term.
Television adverts for the Czech Republic claim that this is a city where time stands still. While that claim obviously isn't true (look no further than the proliferation of American fast food restaurants or luxury high-end shopping among others), but Prague does not have quite the same modern integration that Vienna enjoys. Like so many major European cities, the urban infrastructure is developed on higher ground around a major river.
Getting on the road early this morning I took the metro to the station nearest to the Jewish town. But that was not my first destination; instead, I walked around the city's concert hall, crossed the river, and explored the areas around Prague Castle, the Czech Senate, and the area called "Lesser Town." Then I grabbed a quick bite of local food before scaling a good ten stories up a tower that overlooked the famous Charles Bridge.
There's a selfie looking back towards Prague Castle on the tower. Then across the Charles Bridge itself: a wide swath of historic stones and statues populated by minor shops and faux artists who hawk their wares hoping to prey upon tourists. The breeze over the river was delightful on this cool day though, and I stopped to enjoy a delightful jazz quartet playing on the bridge and that consisted of an upright bass, trumpet, steel guitar, and - I think - an oboe. Surprising blend of sound and harmony, and it made me stop my efforts to navigate through the sea of humanity, enjoy the breeze, and listen to their smooth sound. Their song at that moment: "What a Wonderful World." How appropriate.
After getting away from the mass of tourists at the Charles Bridge, I ran into a lesser mass of tourists in the Jewish town. Since I didn't know where to start,
I started at the Old Cemetery. Because laws prohibited the Jews from expanding the cemetery over time, people were buried on top of each other ... Sometimes as many as 12 deep. It was moving, walking through the halls, because they have written the names of as many people as they could identify on the walls grouped by home town or last place of residence before being shipped off to camps. Imagine large rooms, with wall panels stretching from the floor to about 8-9 feet off the ground, full of names after names written in no bigger than 14 or 16 point font. My gaze happened to fix upon one name with the dates of 1938 - 1944. A six year old boy. Who never knew a world without war.
We must never forget.
Trying to pivot to happier thoughts, my ticket got me into seven or eight other key sites in the Jewish town, and I tried I take advantage of all of them. No pictures here, or forthcoming, because I respected the signs saying no photos or videos. Except for the Spanish Synagogue from the late 19th century. I was flatly stunned at how pretty it was and had to capture some kind of lasting image.
The blue lamp in the eternal light means that this is an active, Reform synagogue. Unlike the other historic sites I saw that featured a red lamp, meaning an active, Orthodox synagogue. At the Spanish Synagogue I was stunned at the opulent yet incredible level of detail all around, including the skylight.
The megen David you see is actually a hanging chandelier, with a complementary stained glass skylight above it. Just incredible.
Many of the historic sites in Jewish town have historical artifacts and treasures that were saved from the Nazis before and during World War II; however, some sites actually survived intact, such as the Old-New Synagogue, which has been active for almost 700 years. Amazing.
After the synagogues I explored the grand open spaces of Prague's old town squares ... Well, they would have been open if not for the throngs of people at every turn. Undaunted I saw the famous astrological clock, Powder gate, and other wonderful parts of this great city.
If you're getting tired just reading this you can imagine how tired I was getting walking and exploring and climbing! Apparently it was time for a break, as the clouds gathered and let loose a torrent of rain accompanied by booming claps of thunder. I retreated to the hotel to rest, recover, and type this blog entry (of course!). If the weather calms down I'll explore the city at night; but the forecast is calling for heavy rain all evening, so it may have to be an early morning to make up time tomorrow. Lets hope it dries out!
48 Hours in Prague: Part I
Arrived in Prague in Thursday night, after an uneventful and perfectly adequate bus trip - by which I mean it was fine and cost effective. The Dark Knight Rises on the iPad was quite helpful over the four hour ride. But, there was lots of beautiful scenery outside Vienna - the kind that would not capture well on film and so I simply enjoyed it myself.
The first order of business, after finding the hotel and dropping off my backpack? That would be food and the so-called world famous Czech beer. The result was probably the best burger I've had in Europe and a damn good pilsner:
The public transportation in this city is nice. It may not top Vienna but its clean, easy enough to follow, and effective. Three underground subway lines each labelled with a different color and letter (creatively named A, B, and C). Busses and surface trams are also decently organized, easy to access, and clean.
Friday I woke up early and hit the sights I wanted to see. That will follow in Part II.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
48 Hours in Prague: Intro
Looking to continue on the critical reviews of "24 Hours in Budapest," and hoping to recover from the under-appreciated "Bratislava, Slovakia," comes the next summer travel adventure: "48 Hours in Prague."
This trip is simultaneously long scheduled and incredibly last minute. This weekend was always penciled in for an excursion to the Czech Republic and a continuation of the (unintentional) counter-clockwise rotation of travel through Europe; however, anyone who knows me at all knows that I like to plan. To prepare. To have an idea ahead of time.
Not so in this case.
Yesterday after work I decided this trip was going to happen, even though other friends all backed out due to concerns about cost, or other activities they had scheduled over the weekend, or other reasons. Inspired, I waited for a combined two hours in two different train station ticket offices trying to secure train tickets to Prague. Both efforts failed because the cost-effective fare (with public transportation pass within Prague included) were sold out, and I could not in good conscious afford the full fare ticket prices they were asking. Then, after fearing that hope was lost, I talked to some friends and family who shared a common message: Go!
And just like that, I was off to the bus station.
... well, not "just like that," actually. My travel misery continued when I had forgotten my passport and needed to return home in order to get it and book the trip.
And so, today, I packed and figured out where I'm going and how I'm going to get there and shortly I'll be en route to Prague. Maybe not "last minute" but definitely "last hour" and that readers is so not me.
The forecast for Prague calls for 80% chance of T-Storms in the afternoon, up from 50% yesterday. Combined with the difficulties in actually getting the trip assembled and the fact that everyone else is not going with me, there's a part of me that wonders if the trip is a bad idea. Budapest and Bratislava just worked, things just clicked, every step. Here ... quite the opposite. It has felt like an uphill battle at times. I want to go, I want to get out of this country for a few days, I want to see someplace new and awesome and have this experience. I just can't help but feel a little hesitant in light of the above.
Regardless, I'm trying to take the attitude that "whatever will be, will be." Getting to see so much of Europe like this is no automatic or given; it's something that I want to do and that means working for it a little, right? It means overcoming challenges to experience greater things. I'm excited, and looking forward to the next few days on the road.
This trip is simultaneously long scheduled and incredibly last minute. This weekend was always penciled in for an excursion to the Czech Republic and a continuation of the (unintentional) counter-clockwise rotation of travel through Europe; however, anyone who knows me at all knows that I like to plan. To prepare. To have an idea ahead of time.
Not so in this case.
Yesterday after work I decided this trip was going to happen, even though other friends all backed out due to concerns about cost, or other activities they had scheduled over the weekend, or other reasons. Inspired, I waited for a combined two hours in two different train station ticket offices trying to secure train tickets to Prague. Both efforts failed because the cost-effective fare (with public transportation pass within Prague included) were sold out, and I could not in good conscious afford the full fare ticket prices they were asking. Then, after fearing that hope was lost, I talked to some friends and family who shared a common message: Go!
And just like that, I was off to the bus station.
... well, not "just like that," actually. My travel misery continued when I had forgotten my passport and needed to return home in order to get it and book the trip.
And so, today, I packed and figured out where I'm going and how I'm going to get there and shortly I'll be en route to Prague. Maybe not "last minute" but definitely "last hour" and that readers is so not me.
The forecast for Prague calls for 80% chance of T-Storms in the afternoon, up from 50% yesterday. Combined with the difficulties in actually getting the trip assembled and the fact that everyone else is not going with me, there's a part of me that wonders if the trip is a bad idea. Budapest and Bratislava just worked, things just clicked, every step. Here ... quite the opposite. It has felt like an uphill battle at times. I want to go, I want to get out of this country for a few days, I want to see someplace new and awesome and have this experience. I just can't help but feel a little hesitant in light of the above.
Regardless, I'm trying to take the attitude that "whatever will be, will be." Getting to see so much of Europe like this is no automatic or given; it's something that I want to do and that means working for it a little, right? It means overcoming challenges to experience greater things. I'm excited, and looking forward to the next few days on the road.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Activate Traveling Matt
(50 bonus points to anyone who gets the title reference on their own [no searching online] ... excluding family members, who will lose 50 points if they don't get the title reference immediately)
In my old age it's important for me to stay limber and spry, so that I can beat the crowds for a good seat in the dining room for the Early Bird Special.
... wait ... I already trotted out that joke in the last post. Blast! I guess my memory is starting to fade in my old age ...
Anyways, jokes aside, I'm trying to be more active here in Europe. Not just socially, with going out and hanging with friends and traveling, but also from a physical fitness perspective. There's a lot you can say about this new-fangled "internet" contraption, but it certainly does provide a wealth of information in response to even simple searches.
So, a few times a week, I complete an arms + core program of calisthenics at my place. On other days of the week, I try to find new or different things, such as running, rock climbing, yoga, or other cardio activities. I've also ditched elevators and/or escalators at work, in my apartment building, and at subway stations unless they are unavoidable or unreasonably long distances. The benefit: the eight flights of stairs to my apartment? I can knock it out quickly and with a much shorter recovery time than last month.
Anyways, I'm trying to stay motivated, because like any program of physical activities there are days when I just want to sit on my laptop in front of the air conditioner and eat cake (hello weekend plans!). So I printed out monthly calendars and I'm trying to build and maintain streaks: continuous days of doing something. I'm pretty happy with July; it wasn't perfect, but from when I started at the beginning of the month I only had a few days of total inactivity, and then only one or two sequences of consecutive days off. For August I'm trying to have no more than one day off at a time (i.e. no two or three day breaks) and a greater variety of non-home workout activities. We'll see how it goes!
In my old age it's important for me to stay limber and spry, so that I can beat the crowds for a good seat in the dining room for the Early Bird Special.
... wait ... I already trotted out that joke in the last post. Blast! I guess my memory is starting to fade in my old age ...
Anyways, jokes aside, I'm trying to be more active here in Europe. Not just socially, with going out and hanging with friends and traveling, but also from a physical fitness perspective. There's a lot you can say about this new-fangled "internet" contraption, but it certainly does provide a wealth of information in response to even simple searches.
So, a few times a week, I complete an arms + core program of calisthenics at my place. On other days of the week, I try to find new or different things, such as running, rock climbing, yoga, or other cardio activities. I've also ditched elevators and/or escalators at work, in my apartment building, and at subway stations unless they are unavoidable or unreasonably long distances. The benefit: the eight flights of stairs to my apartment? I can knock it out quickly and with a much shorter recovery time than last month.
Anyways, I'm trying to stay motivated, because like any program of physical activities there are days when I just want to sit on my laptop in front of the air conditioner and eat cake (hello weekend plans!). So I printed out monthly calendars and I'm trying to build and maintain streaks: continuous days of doing something. I'm pretty happy with July; it wasn't perfect, but from when I started at the beginning of the month I only had a few days of total inactivity, and then only one or two sequences of consecutive days off. For August I'm trying to have no more than one day off at a time (i.e. no two or three day breaks) and a greater variety of non-home workout activities. We'll see how it goes!
Monday, July 29, 2013
30 for 30
It's a few hours early where I am ... but since it's a few hours later in some other part of the world, it seems just as appropriate to type this post now than some time tomorrow: I'm 30.
Get comfortable sports fans ... this one's gonna be long.
Needless to say, the question that people have already asked is the one that I've been thinking about the most. How do I feel? What does turning 30 mean to me? The answer has changed over the last few weeks, and taken turns that I didn't really expect.
My first response was a glib response, to absolutely nobody's surprise that knows me even in the slightest. "I'm not happy about the thought of turning 30," I told people, "but I can't wait for 29 to be over, so it's got to be an improvement." Or some variation of that.
I'd be playing into a typical Leo stereotype if I said something like "the last year has been the worst year of my life." I don't know how I would define that, or how anybody would for that matter. It's a subjective statement with absolutely no way to really evaluate and ultimately means nothing. I can say more correctly that some of the lowest times that I can remember occurred in the last year. Some of the darkest times, the worst feelings, the saddest experiences. Is it really fair to call that "the worst year of my life?" I don't know. Because I've also grown out of those times, overcome those feelings, and learned from those experiences. Who am I to say that I would be better off if I wiped this year from existence?
And what about the people around me? If the last twelve months didn't exist, would I be as open and trusting with my friends? My family? The people who mean the most to me? Would I be writing a blog that semi-openly discusses major events in my life and how I feel about them? (Hint: not a chance in hell) In opening up to people I experienced an influx of love and support that I always kind of craved, but never really enabled. "I'm fine." "Don't worry about me." "It's cool." It's closed. It's impersonal. It's off-putting.
And ultimately it's lonely.
I can't imagine feeling worse than I did at times over the last year, but thinking about going through everything alone is quite frankly a terrifying thought. There were times when I couldn't leave the house ... people come and got me. There were times when I didn't know how to express what I was feeling ... people sat, and listened, and empathized. There were times when I wondered if the pain that I had inflicted, simply by living, had hurt others so badly that neither I nor they could ever be repaired ... people convinced me that was not true. And they were right.
So then, my initial and pithy remark about 30 seems inappropriate. That's why I haven't been saying it much over the last few days.
Interacting with people here in Vienna, going out with friends and strangers, of all ages and backgrounds, its helped to shift my perspective on many things. And one of those things is - surprise - turning 30.
I feel fortunate that I have accomplished so much to date; but that feeling is informed by the knowledge that I've worked my ass off to achieve those things. I feel like I have a better understanding of myself. I used to have a certain attitude, a swagger, back in college, because I was somewhere between "above average" and "the best ever" at a large range of things ... but that feeling's been gone for a while, because the second part of that sentence just isn't true anymore. Thinking about turning 30, I'm of two minds: because I want that feeling back, but I'm also less concerned about getting that feeling back.
Confused? We'll make jackets.
For a long time, I've unintentionally bought into that classic Leo stereotype about caring disproportionately what others think of me. I believe that is what led me to always project the strong, brooding, silent leader type. Well, I do think of myself as a leader, and if I type that I don't say that to be selfish it's not because I don't want you to think of me badly; it's because that's what I feel to be true. There, in that sentence, is the dichotomy of what I'm writing about: I want to get to a different place than when I was in college. I want the feeling of knowing where I stand and what my abilities and strengths are, but I'm less concerned what people think about me in the process.
Coming to Vienna has been such a blessing: the right opportunity at the right time, and the right amount of work on the front end to yield such a fruitful experience throughout. I wrote before I left something to the effect of "if I can manage this by myself, it will be such a positive experience that proves 'I've still got it; I can still do great things,' and what a boost for my confidence that will be." Well, I'm not even half way through my time in Europe, and that sentiment is being proven true. Only, instead of a feeling of accomplishment at "getting through this by myself," its a feeling of calm pride in getting back to myself. I'm not perfect (my family will be shocked at the admission). But I know the kind of man I am. And I'm less interested in changing the kind of man I am to appease others.
And that's what turning 30 symbolizes to me.
The funny thing is, there's nothing magical about 30. It isn't some elixir that causes feelings of deep introspection and soul searching. I'll be honest with you, readers ... it's more of a convenience for me than anything. It's a day that just so happens to occur while I'm on this journey, and just so happens to coincide with the feelings I'm experiencing above. A happy coincidence.
Much like Vienna. Much like many of the opportunities I've tried my hardest to take advantage of, lately.
I think that those opportunities exist and are more frequent than we tend to believe, as a general statement. "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity" some may say, and that's part of it. Being true to yourself, despite what others think, is a key component, however, because an opportunity for one may be a detriment to another.
I'm 30. I don't feel wiser, or slower, or more pain in my knees, or more dissatisfaction with the world, or a greater inclination to take advantage of the Early Bird Special. I feel more content knowing that I'm working to get back to me. 30 is a milestone but it's a milestone along part of a greater journey.
and I can't wait to explore what's around the first bend.
Get comfortable sports fans ... this one's gonna be long.
Needless to say, the question that people have already asked is the one that I've been thinking about the most. How do I feel? What does turning 30 mean to me? The answer has changed over the last few weeks, and taken turns that I didn't really expect.
My first response was a glib response, to absolutely nobody's surprise that knows me even in the slightest. "I'm not happy about the thought of turning 30," I told people, "but I can't wait for 29 to be over, so it's got to be an improvement." Or some variation of that.
I'd be playing into a typical Leo stereotype if I said something like "the last year has been the worst year of my life." I don't know how I would define that, or how anybody would for that matter. It's a subjective statement with absolutely no way to really evaluate and ultimately means nothing. I can say more correctly that some of the lowest times that I can remember occurred in the last year. Some of the darkest times, the worst feelings, the saddest experiences. Is it really fair to call that "the worst year of my life?" I don't know. Because I've also grown out of those times, overcome those feelings, and learned from those experiences. Who am I to say that I would be better off if I wiped this year from existence?
And what about the people around me? If the last twelve months didn't exist, would I be as open and trusting with my friends? My family? The people who mean the most to me? Would I be writing a blog that semi-openly discusses major events in my life and how I feel about them? (Hint: not a chance in hell) In opening up to people I experienced an influx of love and support that I always kind of craved, but never really enabled. "I'm fine." "Don't worry about me." "It's cool." It's closed. It's impersonal. It's off-putting.
And ultimately it's lonely.
I can't imagine feeling worse than I did at times over the last year, but thinking about going through everything alone is quite frankly a terrifying thought. There were times when I couldn't leave the house ... people come and got me. There were times when I didn't know how to express what I was feeling ... people sat, and listened, and empathized. There were times when I wondered if the pain that I had inflicted, simply by living, had hurt others so badly that neither I nor they could ever be repaired ... people convinced me that was not true. And they were right.
So then, my initial and pithy remark about 30 seems inappropriate. That's why I haven't been saying it much over the last few days.
Interacting with people here in Vienna, going out with friends and strangers, of all ages and backgrounds, its helped to shift my perspective on many things. And one of those things is - surprise - turning 30.
I feel fortunate that I have accomplished so much to date; but that feeling is informed by the knowledge that I've worked my ass off to achieve those things. I feel like I have a better understanding of myself. I used to have a certain attitude, a swagger, back in college, because I was somewhere between "above average" and "the best ever" at a large range of things ... but that feeling's been gone for a while, because the second part of that sentence just isn't true anymore. Thinking about turning 30, I'm of two minds: because I want that feeling back, but I'm also less concerned about getting that feeling back.
Confused? We'll make jackets.
For a long time, I've unintentionally bought into that classic Leo stereotype about caring disproportionately what others think of me. I believe that is what led me to always project the strong, brooding, silent leader type. Well, I do think of myself as a leader, and if I type that I don't say that to be selfish it's not because I don't want you to think of me badly; it's because that's what I feel to be true. There, in that sentence, is the dichotomy of what I'm writing about: I want to get to a different place than when I was in college. I want the feeling of knowing where I stand and what my abilities and strengths are, but I'm less concerned what people think about me in the process.
Coming to Vienna has been such a blessing: the right opportunity at the right time, and the right amount of work on the front end to yield such a fruitful experience throughout. I wrote before I left something to the effect of "if I can manage this by myself, it will be such a positive experience that proves 'I've still got it; I can still do great things,' and what a boost for my confidence that will be." Well, I'm not even half way through my time in Europe, and that sentiment is being proven true. Only, instead of a feeling of accomplishment at "getting through this by myself," its a feeling of calm pride in getting back to myself. I'm not perfect (my family will be shocked at the admission). But I know the kind of man I am. And I'm less interested in changing the kind of man I am to appease others.
And that's what turning 30 symbolizes to me.
The funny thing is, there's nothing magical about 30. It isn't some elixir that causes feelings of deep introspection and soul searching. I'll be honest with you, readers ... it's more of a convenience for me than anything. It's a day that just so happens to occur while I'm on this journey, and just so happens to coincide with the feelings I'm experiencing above. A happy coincidence.
Much like Vienna. Much like many of the opportunities I've tried my hardest to take advantage of, lately.
I think that those opportunities exist and are more frequent than we tend to believe, as a general statement. "Luck is when preparation meets opportunity" some may say, and that's part of it. Being true to yourself, despite what others think, is a key component, however, because an opportunity for one may be a detriment to another.
I'm 30. I don't feel wiser, or slower, or more pain in my knees, or more dissatisfaction with the world, or a greater inclination to take advantage of the Early Bird Special. I feel more content knowing that I'm working to get back to me. 30 is a milestone but it's a milestone along part of a greater journey.
and I can't wait to explore what's around the first bend.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Who Needs Sleep?
I do, apparently.
With a big weekend of nice weather and no obligations coming up, amid much excitement and fanfare about spending time outside with other people...
... I slept.
More or less from 6:30 pm Friday until 12:15 pm Saturday, interrupted only by a small break for leftover Chinese food on Friday evening.
Ouch.
Sleeping hasn't been as difficult as I feared that it would be. I'm doing a good job (so far) staying active, getting out, and not spending a lot of time in my apartment; however, falling asleep at a good time has been a challenge.
For starters, there is no pressure to get in to work at an early hour. If I stroll in at 9:15 am as opposed to 8:30 am as opposed to 8:00 am, nobody cares. In fact, hardly anybody is at work before 9:00 am, so it seems to matter even less! Secondly, everybody else back in the US is awake and just finishing work when I want to be asleep. The temptation to talk, chat, video call, etc., takes a toll on falling asleep. Not that I would trade the time chatting with people for anything - - it's been phenomenal and I hope to continue hearing how everybody back home is doing! Lastly, Tony and Mike on ESPN's Pardon The Interruption starts at 4:30 pm central time, or 11:30 pm here. If I'm awake then -- and let's face it, I usually am -- I want to watch. Which means I don't turn off the iPad until 12:10 am or so. Which means I don't fall asleep until later. Which means I don't wake up as early. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Starting soon (probably not this week) I may institute a "no tech" policy after 10 or 11 pm. I don't mean to be shutting anyone out (see above: I still very much want to stay in touch and hear all the news from back in the States), but sleeping away an entire Friday evening and Saturday morning probably isn't a good pattern to continue in the future. Besides, getting to work earlier = leaving work earlier = more time to go out and explore and be active. So this is a good thing.
Now, if you'll excuse me ... I need to take a nap ;)
With a big weekend of nice weather and no obligations coming up, amid much excitement and fanfare about spending time outside with other people...
... I slept.
More or less from 6:30 pm Friday until 12:15 pm Saturday, interrupted only by a small break for leftover Chinese food on Friday evening.
Ouch.
Sleeping hasn't been as difficult as I feared that it would be. I'm doing a good job (so far) staying active, getting out, and not spending a lot of time in my apartment; however, falling asleep at a good time has been a challenge.
For starters, there is no pressure to get in to work at an early hour. If I stroll in at 9:15 am as opposed to 8:30 am as opposed to 8:00 am, nobody cares. In fact, hardly anybody is at work before 9:00 am, so it seems to matter even less! Secondly, everybody else back in the US is awake and just finishing work when I want to be asleep. The temptation to talk, chat, video call, etc., takes a toll on falling asleep. Not that I would trade the time chatting with people for anything - - it's been phenomenal and I hope to continue hearing how everybody back home is doing! Lastly, Tony and Mike on ESPN's Pardon The Interruption starts at 4:30 pm central time, or 11:30 pm here. If I'm awake then -- and let's face it, I usually am -- I want to watch. Which means I don't turn off the iPad until 12:10 am or so. Which means I don't fall asleep until later. Which means I don't wake up as early. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Starting soon (probably not this week) I may institute a "no tech" policy after 10 or 11 pm. I don't mean to be shutting anyone out (see above: I still very much want to stay in touch and hear all the news from back in the States), but sleeping away an entire Friday evening and Saturday morning probably isn't a good pattern to continue in the future. Besides, getting to work earlier = leaving work earlier = more time to go out and explore and be active. So this is a good thing.
Now, if you'll excuse me ... I need to take a nap ;)
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Bratislava, Slovakia: Photos
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| Bratislava was pretty clean ... It's a clever way to put the animals to work I suppose |
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| One of the central plazas: pedestrians only |
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| Some great art and sculpture everywhere |
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| Cool bridge over the Danube |
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| More sculpture, in front of the Opera (I think?) |
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| Very classic European feeling |
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| The Presidential Palace. I wish I could make a joke about Slovakians building it on a slant ... but, no, that's my crappy photography skills for you |
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| A slightly better photo, in that it is not slanty |
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| The public gardens behind the palace. This was cool, just being open to the public like this. |
Bratislava, Slovakia
Well! This certainly took long enough to write!
I didn't have nearly as much time in Slovakia to write any impressions while I was there, and the train ride was quick and effortless on either side, so there weren't any opportunities to write there, and then there was stuff going on back here, and... and ...
... and I got no excuses.
Bratislava is the capital city of Slovakia, and it's a lovely little town. Like Vienna and Budapest, it's located right on the Danube River. In fact, there is a high speed boat that connects Wien and Bratislava (although folks have said that going upstream gets rather choppy rather quickly, so I opted for the train. Much cheaper and less risk of hurling ;)
Maybe because it was the weekend, or maybe because of the smaller size, but Bratislava really felt more like a small town compared to the energy and vibe in both Vienna and Budapest. I'm afraid that Vienna's public transportation has ruined the rest of Europe for me because its so clean, well organized, and efficient. Trying to get from the train station in Bratislava to the city center took some exploring (and may or may not have resulted in getting off a bus at the extreme end of said bus line. Important safety tip, kids: never be the last one on a bus or a tram or a train in Europe. There's a reason why everybody else got off the vehicle!)
The city center itself was very nice. Art houses, some lovely architecture, a great village square -- good stuff. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of art and sculpture everywhere in Bratislava. Sculptures in trees. Sculptures around corners. Public art displays. Very engaging ... perhaps because Bratislava was once a destination or "retreat" of sorts for artists in Europe, and so it's retained that part of its identity. It was a lot of fun walking around the city center and seeing what there was to discover.
The outer parts of the city, frankly, reminded me a bit of the Soviet bloc. Large, monochromatic housing structures with almost identical construction and a very Eastern European feel. I could almost feel the difference when exploring near the city's edge versus the more charming and local city center. It was an interesting feeling, and one that I'm sure I'm not capturing well in words.
The sights in Bratislava, unfortunately, don't compare to those in Vienna or Budapest. Bratislava Castle is very nice and has a wonderful view of the river. There were some old churches that were pretty, and the Presidential Palace was nice. ... that's about it.
Of course, most people from Austria don't go to Bratislava for the sights or for the history or for the public transportation ... they have all that here in Vienna ... they go there for the prices! Slovakia is part of the EU, so the Euro is the local denomination (same as Austria). But prices for almost everything are far, far less. I stopped into a McDonald's (not to eat, mind you - just to observe) in Bratislava, and saw that the price for their new summer smoothie concoction was 1.15 Euro. In Vienna, that same concoction sells for 3.50 Euro. And while its not that extreme of a difference across the board, it certainly seems to be indicative of the city. I imagine the huge mall right on the river gets a lot of visits from Austrians looking for a bargain :)
The other strange observation about Bratislava was the prominence of Canadian flags. I mean, there were flags all over the city - U.S., Great Britain, Australia, France, and others ... but there just seemed to be a lot of Canadian flags. Cultural exchange centers, language institutions, businesses, it was strange. No real reason that I could determine, so, is what it is I suppose.
I'll probably go back, since it's such a short (and cheap) hop away from Vienna, and possibly with someone who's been there before and knows more of the places to see. But, for now, check Slovakia off the list! Woo-Hoo! Pictures to follow.
I didn't have nearly as much time in Slovakia to write any impressions while I was there, and the train ride was quick and effortless on either side, so there weren't any opportunities to write there, and then there was stuff going on back here, and... and ...
... and I got no excuses.
Bratislava is the capital city of Slovakia, and it's a lovely little town. Like Vienna and Budapest, it's located right on the Danube River. In fact, there is a high speed boat that connects Wien and Bratislava (although folks have said that going upstream gets rather choppy rather quickly, so I opted for the train. Much cheaper and less risk of hurling ;)
Maybe because it was the weekend, or maybe because of the smaller size, but Bratislava really felt more like a small town compared to the energy and vibe in both Vienna and Budapest. I'm afraid that Vienna's public transportation has ruined the rest of Europe for me because its so clean, well organized, and efficient. Trying to get from the train station in Bratislava to the city center took some exploring (and may or may not have resulted in getting off a bus at the extreme end of said bus line. Important safety tip, kids: never be the last one on a bus or a tram or a train in Europe. There's a reason why everybody else got off the vehicle!)
The city center itself was very nice. Art houses, some lovely architecture, a great village square -- good stuff. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of art and sculpture everywhere in Bratislava. Sculptures in trees. Sculptures around corners. Public art displays. Very engaging ... perhaps because Bratislava was once a destination or "retreat" of sorts for artists in Europe, and so it's retained that part of its identity. It was a lot of fun walking around the city center and seeing what there was to discover.
The outer parts of the city, frankly, reminded me a bit of the Soviet bloc. Large, monochromatic housing structures with almost identical construction and a very Eastern European feel. I could almost feel the difference when exploring near the city's edge versus the more charming and local city center. It was an interesting feeling, and one that I'm sure I'm not capturing well in words.
The sights in Bratislava, unfortunately, don't compare to those in Vienna or Budapest. Bratislava Castle is very nice and has a wonderful view of the river. There were some old churches that were pretty, and the Presidential Palace was nice. ... that's about it.
Of course, most people from Austria don't go to Bratislava for the sights or for the history or for the public transportation ... they have all that here in Vienna ... they go there for the prices! Slovakia is part of the EU, so the Euro is the local denomination (same as Austria). But prices for almost everything are far, far less. I stopped into a McDonald's (not to eat, mind you - just to observe) in Bratislava, and saw that the price for their new summer smoothie concoction was 1.15 Euro. In Vienna, that same concoction sells for 3.50 Euro. And while its not that extreme of a difference across the board, it certainly seems to be indicative of the city. I imagine the huge mall right on the river gets a lot of visits from Austrians looking for a bargain :)
The other strange observation about Bratislava was the prominence of Canadian flags. I mean, there were flags all over the city - U.S., Great Britain, Australia, France, and others ... but there just seemed to be a lot of Canadian flags. Cultural exchange centers, language institutions, businesses, it was strange. No real reason that I could determine, so, is what it is I suppose.
I'll probably go back, since it's such a short (and cheap) hop away from Vienna, and possibly with someone who's been there before and knows more of the places to see. But, for now, check Slovakia off the list! Woo-Hoo! Pictures to follow.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
The Power of Attitude
I promise, this is not a motivational poster.
But first things first: Yes, I have actually been to Slovakia. Yes, I actually have pictures to prove it. Yes, I will actually post them.
Just not tonight. Because it's late. And they aren't ready.
They're camera shy.
... the photos ... are camera shy ....
... wow.
Moving swiftly on!
With apologies for another long gap in posts. Busy living life here in the big V. No ... no, that's terrible. "The Big V?" I don't even want to know what that was supposed to mean.
Moving swiftly on, again!
I genuinely intend to write every few days, or when something of significance happens (such as a trip to another country). Lately things have been good, and as corny as it sounds, I've been choosing my attitude to keep things that way.
Of course, it doesn't hurt to be living in a fantastic European city with temperatures ranging from 70-80 degrees F under sunny skies and lots of activities to do with friends and coworkers. But consciously choosing to make it a good day has become something of a routine, and I plan to make it stick if possible. Literally, as I'm walking down the stairs of my apartment to the subway, I'll think to myself "What can I do to make today great?" Work has been steady, but not overwhelming, so if there's nothing I can significantly advance on my personal project, I'll think of others' projects and try to help them. If I know that someone is going through a rough time, I'll make a point to check in a few times over the day. I'm keeping to a regular schedule of working out and physical activity, and trying to get out with coworkers and friends as much as possible.
I've also continued writing about the NHL, and the Blackhawks in general. Two people have told me that I should pursue sports journalism and cover the 'Hawks. Sounds fun, but also sounds like the dream of people who have degrees in journalism and have been working for such a job for years. For now, I'm just dangling my feet in the waters of whatever the heck it is we dangle our feet in when we want to look like we're serious about something without pissing anybody off.
(and if you can get me the actual quotation Leo McGarry said that'd be swell, too).
At the end of each day, it kinda hits me: Positive attitude. Actually works. Good stuff. Tell your friends ;)
NEXT TIME -- Bratislava, Slovakia. Impressions and photos and all that good stuff.
But first things first: Yes, I have actually been to Slovakia. Yes, I actually have pictures to prove it. Yes, I will actually post them.
Just not tonight. Because it's late. And they aren't ready.
They're camera shy.
... the photos ... are camera shy ....
... wow.
Moving swiftly on!
With apologies for another long gap in posts. Busy living life here in the big V. No ... no, that's terrible. "The Big V?" I don't even want to know what that was supposed to mean.
Moving swiftly on, again!
I genuinely intend to write every few days, or when something of significance happens (such as a trip to another country). Lately things have been good, and as corny as it sounds, I've been choosing my attitude to keep things that way.
Of course, it doesn't hurt to be living in a fantastic European city with temperatures ranging from 70-80 degrees F under sunny skies and lots of activities to do with friends and coworkers. But consciously choosing to make it a good day has become something of a routine, and I plan to make it stick if possible. Literally, as I'm walking down the stairs of my apartment to the subway, I'll think to myself "What can I do to make today great?" Work has been steady, but not overwhelming, so if there's nothing I can significantly advance on my personal project, I'll think of others' projects and try to help them. If I know that someone is going through a rough time, I'll make a point to check in a few times over the day. I'm keeping to a regular schedule of working out and physical activity, and trying to get out with coworkers and friends as much as possible.
I've also continued writing about the NHL, and the Blackhawks in general. Two people have told me that I should pursue sports journalism and cover the 'Hawks. Sounds fun, but also sounds like the dream of people who have degrees in journalism and have been working for such a job for years. For now, I'm just dangling my feet in the waters of whatever the heck it is we dangle our feet in when we want to look like we're serious about something without pissing anybody off.
(and if you can get me the actual quotation Leo McGarry said that'd be swell, too).
At the end of each day, it kinda hits me: Positive attitude. Actually works. Good stuff. Tell your friends ;)
NEXT TIME -- Bratislava, Slovakia. Impressions and photos and all that good stuff.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Quiet night
I should be asleep.
This is the problem with always-on, always-connected technology, mobile apps and the like.
It's 11:45 pm. I should be asleep. Instead I'm writing.
It's a quiet night. Cool. It should be easy to fall asleep. But it's anything but quiet inside right now.
I'm yelling at others with all of the intensity in my minds eye. I'm shouting at myself even louder in my head. My imagination and my memories and my angers are all boiling up right now for no good apparent reason. I can't seem to stop myself from having a different mental shouting match every time my eyes close. There's nothing that's happened, nothing that's wrong, nothing that triggered any of this. So what the hell? Why is it a revolving door of bullshit imaginary argument?
I should be asleep.
I'm hopeful that even typing out these stupid and unnecessarily melodramatic words will somehow help to calm the chaos that's storming inside my head tonight. That somehow it will transfer the useless exaggerations from the confines of my mind to the phone and then the web and finally leave me to get some rest. That could work, right?
It's actually quiet. It's all in my head.
Deep breaths. I can calm this.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Decisions, Decisions...
"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing."
- Theodore Roosevelt
I feel like, for the past few weeks, I've been doing nothing when it comes to my life after this year.
I've dabbled with one possibility, and I've toyed with another. I've dipped my toe in the water of whatever the hell it is we dip our toes into when we're trying not to piss anybody off.
This isn't going to be a long post. Just wanted to vent some general feelings about what I've been wrestling with. I won't go into specifics, so thats going to make it very confusing for anyone reading this.
If it's any consolation, I suspect it will be just as confusing to the author.
But the time has come for me to make a choice about where my life takes me when the calendar turns over from 2013 to 2014. And, sad as it is to consider, that decision will ultimately affect what happens to me well beyond that. It's strange, having to make a decision that doesn't come into effect for months, and basing that decision on what may come more months after that. Long term planning. People can call it whatever they want, but I call it a bitch.
The last six or seven weeks have been a blur. Fast, fun, friends ... I only just got here! Is it so wrong to want to delay making any kind of decision about when it will end and just enjoy these moments? Why does the decision need to happen now? Alas, the brutal honesty of adulthood: we can only put off the rest of our lives for so long.
I do not plan to let today's thoughts diminish what I've done so far, or interrupt what I want to do going forward. This remains a wonderful adventure and one that I intend on continuing to experience and enjoy to the fullest.
In that vein, I'm hoping to get out of the country again this coming weekend. As always, pictures to follow.
Friday, July 5, 2013
Just Another Day in Early July
That’s what July 4th is here in Vienna.
No fireworks. No
parades. No BBQs. And certainly no day off of work.
Being out of the country for Independence Day gave me an
opportunity to think about what it means from a different perspective. I also had the chance to discuss some of
those thoughts with friends over a cold beverage in the bar after work,
accompanied by some live jazz, which was great.
So a few thoughts: (1) We like to fight. We earned our independence through a war, and
we continue to place men and women in the line of fire to defend the freedoms
and opportunities that we enjoy back home.
That’s neither a positive nor a negative – I have far too much respect
and gratitude for those who serve to use this as a platform for any kind of
political statement or debate. It’s just
interesting compared to some of the other voices at my table last night. Canada earned its pseudo-independence by
asking nicely. Great Britain is still
essentially overseen by the Crown, even if the legislature is managed by
Parliament. Japan, like the UK, has
actually seen its holdings shrink over time.
I don’t know where I’m going with this.
Let’s pivot to…
(2) Our reputation precedes us. The international perception of Americans as
overweight, obnoxious, inconsiderate, and generally boorish tourists or
politicians who expect everything they want has been around for some time. I suppose a lot of different perceptions of
Americans have been around for some time.
But at least here, the reputation of Americans seems to be in good
standing at least in part because so many people recognize that we are so
diverse. It’s genuinely difficult to
stereotype an American. Most Canadians
are very polite. Most Brits are proper. Most Japanese are very respectful. Most Australians like to drink. Most Americans … what? There are so many of us, and there are so
many differences between different communities and regions, that it’s nearly
impossible to put us all into one bin. That
diversity is part of what makes our shared national heritage so unique, and I
think it helps our standing internationally when people recognize that.
I think I’ve got nowhere else to go with that line of
thinking so I’ll pivot once more. Being out
of the country for July 4th was … interesting. Not because I have a long history or
tradition of spending it with family, or going out with friends … but because
even as options those weren’t on the table at all. It really was just another day. While we sometimes look at the 4th
as a day off work or a chance to cookout, it made me feel strange when everyone
around me didn’t really distinguish the day as special somehow. Because it is special; it is important. The historical connotation is almost second
to ID4 as part of our national identity, and not having that readily and
unmistakably identified by here felt odd.
The people who did identify it as the 4th and me as American
looked at it more like a curiosity: “So, what do you do on 4 July? Why?”
I’m all for learning about other cultures and sharing mine – that’s been
one of the many fun things about living overseas – but think about that for a
moment: something that we grow up learning about as kids and celebrating or
recognizing every year, and someone walks up to you and asks “So what’s this
all about?”
I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.
Look, I appreciate it if anyone actually read this far. This wasn’t originally intended as a stream
of consciousness type of entry, but it has certainly turned into one and the
stream isn’t going anywhere fast. I
think the best thing to do is to cut it off before it wastes more of anyone’s
day. We’ll just chalk this post up to “needs
more practice” or something like that, okay?
More travels and adventures are on the horizon, and that
means more pictures. Yay for shiny things.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Stuff
Too much stuff.
If you'll recall ... or, if you keep scrolling far enough back in time ... or if you'll take my word for it ... I once wrote that my stuff was problematic. Problematic because there was a finite amount of volume in my luggage. And my stuff, all that precious cargo that needed to travel with me across the ocean, occupied more volume than my luggage could hold.
Yeah, so, remind me to kick my younger self in the ass on that one!
My parents arrived in Vienna recently, and brought with them two full luggage pieces filled with my stuff. I packed them before I left.
... and I'm sending a whole lot of it back to the USA.
In a way, I'm happy about that. In fact, I'd offer that I'm very happy about that. It's a realization that I don't need nearly as much as I thought to thrive here. I have clothes. I have my laptop. I have some tech stuff. I have a few other essentials. I have my skates. I have hiking and backpacking gear.
I'm good!
This isn't meant to criticize or shame anyone who likes having new things. Or lots of things. I like new things. And I like having a lot of things. But when it gets down to it, my experience is helping me realize what I need, versus what I want. I don't need to have 30 button down and/or dress shirts here. Enough for two weeks at work plus a few casual and dressy options is plenty. So why did I have so many shirts at home? Oy vey ...
Getting my skates feels amazing. Incredible. There is only one rink here that has ice all year round, and public skating only one day a week if my German is correct (it's probably not but whatever). But its such an essential extension of me. I need to be on the ice. It's part of who I am, and my skates are the means to do that. You better believe I have a date at that rink just as soon as I can. Very grateful to them for bringing those skates ...
Anyways, overall these experiences help me realize that I want to lighten things up when I get back to the States. Sure, winter things are bulkier and heavier, but I can do more with less. It will help remove clutter and let me see things a little easier. In the end, that frees more time and more space for other things, other activities, other people. Isn't that what stuff is for? To help enable us to share our time with others?
I plan to share the ice with my co-workers. I will share the trails and the mountains here with my hiking boots. And I'll share my time with others here whose company I enjoy.
... just don't mention that my parents will be sharing the weight of my luggage on their return trip ;)
If you'll recall ... or, if you keep scrolling far enough back in time ... or if you'll take my word for it ... I once wrote that my stuff was problematic. Problematic because there was a finite amount of volume in my luggage. And my stuff, all that precious cargo that needed to travel with me across the ocean, occupied more volume than my luggage could hold.
Yeah, so, remind me to kick my younger self in the ass on that one!
My parents arrived in Vienna recently, and brought with them two full luggage pieces filled with my stuff. I packed them before I left.
... and I'm sending a whole lot of it back to the USA.
In a way, I'm happy about that. In fact, I'd offer that I'm very happy about that. It's a realization that I don't need nearly as much as I thought to thrive here. I have clothes. I have my laptop. I have some tech stuff. I have a few other essentials. I have my skates. I have hiking and backpacking gear.
I'm good!
This isn't meant to criticize or shame anyone who likes having new things. Or lots of things. I like new things. And I like having a lot of things. But when it gets down to it, my experience is helping me realize what I need, versus what I want. I don't need to have 30 button down and/or dress shirts here. Enough for two weeks at work plus a few casual and dressy options is plenty. So why did I have so many shirts at home? Oy vey ...
Getting my skates feels amazing. Incredible. There is only one rink here that has ice all year round, and public skating only one day a week if my German is correct (it's probably not but whatever). But its such an essential extension of me. I need to be on the ice. It's part of who I am, and my skates are the means to do that. You better believe I have a date at that rink just as soon as I can. Very grateful to them for bringing those skates ...
Anyways, overall these experiences help me realize that I want to lighten things up when I get back to the States. Sure, winter things are bulkier and heavier, but I can do more with less. It will help remove clutter and let me see things a little easier. In the end, that frees more time and more space for other things, other activities, other people. Isn't that what stuff is for? To help enable us to share our time with others?
I plan to share the ice with my co-workers. I will share the trails and the mountains here with my hiking boots. And I'll share my time with others here whose company I enjoy.
... just don't mention that my parents will be sharing the weight of my luggage on their return trip ;)
Thursday, June 27, 2013
No News Is ... What Again?
Over a week without writing anything here.
Nine days in fact.
I haven't forgotten about writing. In fact, the past few days I've been thinking about everything that's going on and trying to decide what I was going to blog about next. The answer I came up with was ...
... nothing.
So this is just a stream of consciousness, throwing words onto the page, see what direction thoughts go kind of a blog entry. Not your cup of tea? No offense taken. Permission to skip and wait until more photos get posted: granted.
So, carrying on -- things in general have been good. Work is starting to slowly pick up, and the staff and management I'm working for/with seem to like having me around. I've been able to make some small enhancements here already, with my big project slowly lumbering up to speed. Of course, the primary individual I'm working for will be on holiday for two weeks starting on July 8, right as things were going to hit the point where I could start doing some bigger things, but it'll be fine. We'll make it work.
Two of the things I talked about doing and started but never kept-to with any long term success back home were learning to play the bass guitar and working out more regularly. It's funny, because now that I'm here, and I'm routinely out with people after work or on some weekends, I find myself thinking that "I need to work out more" or "I should get a cheap bass guitar and teach myself already." Not only as good physical and mental challenges, respectively, but things to help occupy me when nobody else is around. There is a gym within five minutes walking distance, and a guitar/instrument store within 10 minutes walking distance. I really need to get into both. No excuse not to be doing things over here, is there?
It's also hit me recently that I've been here for over a month. May 14th is when I landed. May 21st is when I started work. On a six month contract, that means I'm over 1/6 finished. Which is crazy, because it still feels like I only just got here. It helps to validate my ambitious goals at work, and also feels like a challenge: I have to make sure I travel to <insert country> or try <insert word> because there's not much time left!
It's been fun. That attitude is healthy, I think, and I hope to keep it with me when I return to the States. There's never enough time we always say, because it's limited. It's fixed. 24 hours in a day: no more. Really understanding that makes for a strong case to get the hell out there and not waste any of them.
And so, if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll end this blog entry abruptly, bail on work a little early, and just get out there myself :)
Nine days in fact.
I haven't forgotten about writing. In fact, the past few days I've been thinking about everything that's going on and trying to decide what I was going to blog about next. The answer I came up with was ...
... nothing.
So this is just a stream of consciousness, throwing words onto the page, see what direction thoughts go kind of a blog entry. Not your cup of tea? No offense taken. Permission to skip and wait until more photos get posted: granted.
So, carrying on -- things in general have been good. Work is starting to slowly pick up, and the staff and management I'm working for/with seem to like having me around. I've been able to make some small enhancements here already, with my big project slowly lumbering up to speed. Of course, the primary individual I'm working for will be on holiday for two weeks starting on July 8, right as things were going to hit the point where I could start doing some bigger things, but it'll be fine. We'll make it work.
Two of the things I talked about doing and started but never kept-to with any long term success back home were learning to play the bass guitar and working out more regularly. It's funny, because now that I'm here, and I'm routinely out with people after work or on some weekends, I find myself thinking that "I need to work out more" or "I should get a cheap bass guitar and teach myself already." Not only as good physical and mental challenges, respectively, but things to help occupy me when nobody else is around. There is a gym within five minutes walking distance, and a guitar/instrument store within 10 minutes walking distance. I really need to get into both. No excuse not to be doing things over here, is there?
It's also hit me recently that I've been here for over a month. May 14th is when I landed. May 21st is when I started work. On a six month contract, that means I'm over 1/6 finished. Which is crazy, because it still feels like I only just got here. It helps to validate my ambitious goals at work, and also feels like a challenge: I have to make sure I travel to <insert country> or try <insert word> because there's not much time left!
It's been fun. That attitude is healthy, I think, and I hope to keep it with me when I return to the States. There's never enough time we always say, because it's limited. It's fixed. 24 hours in a day: no more. Really understanding that makes for a strong case to get the hell out there and not waste any of them.
And so, if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll end this blog entry abruptly, bail on work a little early, and just get out there myself :)
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
24 Hours in Budapest - Photos
As promised. No or minimal touch-ups prior to posting. Enjoy Budapest!
Scenes from walking around Pest:
Walking around on top of Castle Hill, Buda:
Looking across the Danube towards Pest:
Sunset over Buda:
Evening photos towards Pest, and then Buda:
Morning photos towards Buda, around Pest, and in St. Stephen's Basilica:
Scenes from walking around Pest:
The second largest synagogue in the world:
Sunset over Buda:
Evening photos towards Pest, and then Buda:
 |
| one of my favorite photos this entire trip |
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