Private Memoirs of Bimbus

December 27, 2008

2008-12-27T03:47:00.000-08:00

Good to hear from you - so since your hard drive crapped out, use the one I

I still got one, but it's misbehaving a bit and not sure how long it will last, after it fell out of my bag once and onto the pavement. Anyway, online may be the way to go. these webhost companies do double redundancies and all that shamooz, so it's pretty safe, and ftp on web is an easy way to transfer. The internet will only get faster and cheaper, but portable harddrive is definitely good for transfering if in the same location, which I'm usually not anymore.

Do you mind downloading through http? I generally only give ftp access for uploading only, and then I can copy the files to my webdownload folder, as some people could screw up and accidentally erase everything. My internet (got a new 3G modem so am happy to have high speed internet right on the beach) is a bit slow at the moment, so will send you the details once I got faster internet. In the meantime, you can check out what I got at:

http://kenax.hypermart.net/web.programs/

Just uploaded about 50 gigs and I'll transfer that to this same folder once my internet is faster (am lazy about opening the backdoor at the moment to put my modem outside).

So you wanna start a business? Would be interested to hear what about.

You use avaxhome.ws for downloading movies etc? They're selling 500 gigs of space for some 54 Euro a year, and with that you get to download like a mfkr, so I might do that once I get cash again. Right now I got their free account thing and downloading can be choppy, but I'm still busy downloading the 50 gigs, which I only discovered recently, so I'm downloading from avax in between.

Attaching your file to show what movies I'd be interested in, if you'd be up to uploading them. Can send ftp details later.

Yah, still write my travel blob once in a while. Made a shortcut link through kenax.net/travel, so not sure what you read last. Not sure it's ready to make me any money yet. Downloaded a bunch of seo programs recently so we'll see if that can produce anything.

Maybe I could help you brainstorm with some of your ideas. I think that one very important key of success in business is not to give up. I refuse to, because I absolutely detest the office environment and never want to return to it. I'd rather shovel shit or much rather do construction work. But I did apply to google, after reading about their corporate culture. If I could work in my shorts, no tie (which Ilike to call a corporate leash) and can work whenever I want, sometimes from home, then I'd consider working in an office. I like that google has foosball tables there, and I would suggest setting up a volleyball session out on the lawn to break up a shift. Otherwise, with 8 hours straight, I find people just get tired, go home and watch TV. I'd rather break up the shift, and then work later.

Well, have a good one. Tell me how fast it was downloading from my site. Am curious.

gave you :-) sure, I'll download whatever I can get my hands on. I have the following - not sure the best way to get them up for you but could figure something out. I have been using Rapidshare and I think they're pretty good. Life here in Prague is the usual work life it has been for me. Busy busy, but at the moment not as insanely busy as I was before, which is good. I've also been trying to invest more of my time into things that make sense for me. Have been thinking through a couple ideas, but nothing in formation yet. I always have the problem that I have the idea and then find million reasons not to do it - over-analyze it. I plan to spend some time off end of year to think it through - write down all the advantages and disadvantages I can think of for each idea and then just go and do it. For now, still at Monster. Monetizing your website skills makes sense. I tell you, you really should put together a blog for your travels. That's probably the most head-turner thought that jumps out through all of what you're doing right now, and you know yourself that hardly anyone is doing it. Why not write all about it for us office-folks to read and envy over :-) you're good at writing stories and I'm sure you could monetize that. You're right about the focus though - anything like this you definitely need to commit to and keep doing for a year or so. My problem is that I always have the idea but then lack the focus to execute on it. Be well, and let me know how things go for you with the eventual drive over to new location - take care.

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yah, I think it just further satisfies me as to my situation. First of all, translations are pretty well always needed and I have never somehow felt connected to these global or domestic economic swings. Second of all, with no rental or electricity bills and the ability to survive on roughly 10 bucks a day, I think I could survive a global depression. Not to mention that I'm creative and I can always find work, and survive with such low costs. And third of all, I can always rev up the beautiful ol' engine and drive somewhere else, such as for example urban areas where these riots and unrest develop. I think people on islands are more chill, perhaps grow their own food, and that's where I'll gladly make my home for the next many years. I was practically shocked at what came over Vancouver when I was visiting there. It used to be such a mellow town and now its infested by a bunch of aggressive crackheads. I think I'm gladly done with big cities. People can party just as hard in small villages, except they tend to be more genuine and truthful. They say villages can become a sesspool of gossip, but I found the cities easily worse. Then again, perhaps Prague really is only just a village. In any case, the language barrier probably saves me from this problem. I'll always find good people wherever I go and really don't need to concern myself with these weak gossipping types.

well they're having race riots in Russia right now, the people want all immigrants removed (for taking their jobs). The same thing happened in Germany last year, and in Paris (I think two years ago) when the very poor neighbourhoods, the ones with the Algerians and Morrocans, were set on fire. When times get tough people close ranks and look for any excuse to be hostile the the other guy. The US is looking towards a very difficult decade; usually for an economic crisis like this it takes seven years to recover (unless the government embarks on a plan of inflation, it might be three to five years). The US is simply printing money, it may solve some things now but in two years when they have to make payments on $1.8 trillion things will get very dicey. Meanwhile securities and financial people are finally being investigated, only now are authorities starting to discover people who, over several years, ripped off like RBC Capital Investments, CIBC, some big bank in the States, Stephen Spielberg, etc., for billions of dollars. More horrifying news will come out in the New Year I am sure. From my contact Les at DowJones . . . "WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--Home construction took its biggest tumble in 24 years during November, falling to a record low, while a sign of future building also plummeted. Housing starts decreased 18.9% to a seasonally adjusted 625,000 annual rate compared to the prior month, after dropping 6.4% in October to 771,000, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. Originally, Commerce reported October starts fell 4.5% to 791,000. The November decrease was much bigger than Wall Street expected. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires forecast a 5.2% drop to an annual rate of 750,000. The 18.9% drop was the sharpest since 26.4% in March 1984 and carried housing starts to a record low. Year over year, housing starts were 47.0% below the level of construction in November 2007. Financing for construction is becoming harder to secure. Also, builders are restrained by plunging sales. The latest government data, issued about three weeks ago, showed new-home sales dropped 5.3% to 433,000 in October. Year over year, sales were 40.1% lower. Sales are dropping because prices are tumbling. High inventory of unsold homes are depressing prices.

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now that you are in Prague i was wondering if you would be so kind as to set up a bank account for me. I grew to realise that ebanka was slowly increasing its prices and I was paying some 330Kc a month, which when I converted one day to USD worked out to some 20$ a month, which is absolutely ridiculous. I told them they could take these charges and shove it deep up their arse, but fortunately miracles happen in my life and I got into a peculiar situation where my account is free of charges for one year. After that I will no longer have a bank account in the Czech Republic, or Europe for that matter. Which could negatively affect my business if I start to get a lot of work again, or have to pay other translators. Already I've run into some problems because of this. When in Greece I will try to drive to Bulgaria at some point, as a translator of mine recommended a bank there that does not charge anything for holding onto my money. People in Czech told me that there is a new bank Mbank (I think mbank.cz) which also does not charge anything to hold onto my money. Over the years, not earning so much, I've been reducing my costs here and there, and now own several bank accounts around the world which do not charge me anything, except for Bank of America, which charges 6$ a month and it is well worth it, for several reasons. I don't see why any bank should charge me to hold onto my money and they are all a bunch of thieves. Anyway, no stress or rush, since my ebanka is now free for a year, but if it isnt too much hassle, maybe you could drop by one of their branches once and see if it would be possible for you to open an account for me.

Hope that guy buys my treeplanting software so that I can get to Greece and have that stable backup income. Still struggling with internet on the Greek side of this island, because it turns out that the 3G modem I bought on the Turkish side is locked, and I am trying to get it unlocked. Otherwise I'll probably buy another one somewhere, but make sure it is unlocked, and hopefully the Turks will give me my money back or something. They said they should give me an answer this week and I've been walking across the border occasionally, as I am in the capital city on the island for the purpose of resolving this problem.

So at the moment I have crappy internet, going to the internet cafe for an hour a day to check my email etc. But as you can see I can STILL run my business, as I am translating a job right now. Of course it is better that I have some means to check my email once every hour while in the truck, as I have for the past two years, but with my new 3G modem locked and Ruskin having broken my pocketpc, I simply do not have that luxury at the moment. But I can still operate, so that you do not think something silly like I cant etc.

latero

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wow, that is insane. Werent they talking about global warming all this time? But I guess a general warming can easily result in ocean currents changing and weather patterns changing as a result in different parts of the globe. The arctic is generally melting but who knows. As long as the big ocean belt does not stop moving, which it apparently does once in a while, and lead to The Day After. Ever seen that movie? Bush tried to ban in while in office. Scary shit, and can happen.

But at least it seems you had a nice white Christmas, and sitting around a toasty fire after shoveling snow. I always dig that. My Christmas will probably be walking around Nicosia, where I am now, trying to resolve my internet problems, walking around in my shorts with a beer in my hand. The town can become a bit of a zoo. My Czech-American friend from the Turkish side occasionally drives up so we can play chess. That's my Christmas, but not really complaining. I just keep working and that's fine with me. Except now my CD player isn't working and I can't play movies, boohoo. Will have to fix that soon.

this is insane. I don't know what's going to happen later today, but right now we have a total whiteout. I had everything shovelled, my house Marie's house and Zohar's house, completely yesterday. I even dug out Mark's car, just in case we got a freeze and his car turned into a popsicle for three weeks. It's fun I don't mind doing it, I get good exercise and have an excuse to be outside in this weather. Today it doesn't even look like I did anything. And its supposed to go on all day. Here is a shot of what Burrard Bridge looks like right now . . . I'll take some photos of the house later, I am running out of places to put all the snow!! If I can get down the hill this afternoon I will go to Jarmilla's they are expecting me. But if something bad happens (power failure, traffic accident, etc.) I'm just gonna stay here. They are suggesting to people unless you really need to get somewhere, just stay home. Either way it's fun for me, I'm just not enjoying this particular dump as much as last time because I know it is getting to be rather a hardship for other people. Walked down the hill yesterday for some firewood and beer, so can hunker down at Marie's and have a lovely time if I have to. Hope you are enjoying where you are, finding some good Christmas times. It's so peaceful and quiet here with all the snow, it kind of feels like the beginning of time.

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days to Morava with a friend. My copmuter acts funny, capitals were not intended but I donot feel like erasing and starting agian.

What capitals? Letters? Don't understand.

Weather is not good but dry so we can walk. little cold. But it is winter in Praha. There is a calamity in Vancouver. I am sure Keta reprots to yu. She did not make to Jarmila for Jezisek after all as well as Dvoraks did not go. I do not remember anything likethat in Vancouver. Little sorry I am not there but it would not be fun at all in that unfinished house with impossible driveway.

Sounds like it would be fun for me in Van. I like crazy stuff like that. Nice for a short visit anyway.

Where were you for Jezisek. ? I made a fish soup just for you. It is in the freezer now,maybe you haveit later. :):)

Will drink it in my brain. Nothing happened for Christmas eve, but the day before my Czech-American friend drove up from the north side to party and play chess in the capital, where I'm parked now, trying to resolve my internet problems.

Vlad is still sick, OK in the morning but bad by the evening., I am getting it. But fighting. Never had Christmas like that. So what it is with you walking across the border from Greece to Turkey? Where is the blue box? Take care of it.

Safe on the south side and wont take it across to the north anymore, since too many problems there. Walking across is okay. Am trying to resolve my internet, which is why I'm in the capital at the moment, the last divided capital in the world. Walking across is easy enough. With a car its a bigger problem, especially with my beast.

Did the treeplanting company paid you everything???? If not ask for retainer or full price before youstart working. Be careful, people do not pay now. Often they can not!!!!! Taliking from experience, we had to break the lease on the apartment. I hate doing it but I have no money to pay for it. And do not feel sorry for the guy who owns it, he has lots of my money beforehand anyway. But people do not pay their bills now. everywhere. so do what you want but do not believe in promises. Money up front.

As I thought I explained, I'm just selling the software I had already developed over the summer, so no extra work. My plan is to send it to him, then he pays me a thousand bucks, then I develop it more (since he wants me to incorporate something), then I ask him to pay the rest before I send him the update. We'll see. But will be nice to do something intelligent. Would rather switch to stuff like this, with translations self operating on the side. What I've been shooting for for the last couple of years, just hasn't materialised yet. But when I get a job like this, it always excites me.

NOthing to report from here. Will go to see Cisariks on Friday afternoon. I walk Prague as much as I can. I almost enjoy it most when I amalone. Can think and remember people when I want and pay attention only to myself. Did not do much of that in my life. Went to cemeterny to mama a tata and lkit the candle for all of us.. Mainly Jana. Going to call her now, if anything new I willwrite again. You write and tell me about you whenever you get to the internet. And do not be mad at me all the time. I mean well I just think diferently than you. thank goodnesssssss

Well, we all think differently, like Simona says, which is what makes the world more interesting. I guess I was in a rush because at the internet cafe on limited time and felt I needed to answer right away, rather than later on in peace in the truck. Sounded like preaching again, plus I'm rather sensitive about that response, because that's what Jens said and it really angered me. Long story but I know my situation and such naïve interpretations that it's because of less accessible internet... I've been comparing my situation a bit to Job, and been actually reading it recently. Some guy is having problems and everyone judges him at face value, assuming that his suffering must be because of some sin. But it is a lot deeper than that. Complex story, as are the various arguments. I find my predicament absurd and assume there must be some complex God reason behind it all. just too many hurdles in my way all the time and it doesn't make sense.

And I think my CSOB charges me 50 Kc a month for my account. I need details.

I used to have CSOB. Anyway, I don't want to pay anything. Why should I? We'll see if we can sort something out, otherwise perhaps I'll go up to Bulgaria and open something myself. With the internet transfers should cost next to nothing and I should not have to pay anything for someone to hold onto my money. adio

November 27, 2008

2008-11-26T00:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, your link would show up on every page/post on the side, under "Featured Links". The total of 3 months includes the free month so let's say you start in December then your "contract" would expire at the end of February. Also, do you translate from English to Czech as well?

Hi Tanja,

no, I don't, but I got lots of translators and contacts in my database.

Took a closer look at your offer and I see my link out would be from your links page, the links on every page linking to this link page and not to me, which is what it seemed from your ad. This is a big difference. Furthermore, your links page has a nonexistent page rank, which is very important for a linkout. Do all those companies on your links page pay for the link? I perused your site and it seems more like a blog. Not sure if this will benefit me for the investment. Right now I'm second on google for "Czech to English translator" and, once and if I start to get a juicy stream of income, I might consider investing into your page, but for now I'm a bit too poor to try this investment.

Alternatively, perhaps I could add a blog article for you, as I also do that, and link out to my page from that. Perhaps you'd find it interesting, about a Czech who escaped with his parents in 1968, grew up in Canada, moved back to Prague after university to live through the early and interesting times while trying to build up a waterbed emporium, but my import/export business did not get off the ground and resorted to translations to survive, which eventually became successful, until the time when I moved from Prague (15 years was plenty) into a truck so I can finally travel around the world. Got solar panels on my roof, 3G mobile travel internet and other means of hooking up, and run my translation agency while parked on various lovely beaches. Many customers were afraid to give me translation work because I was no longer in Prague, but that's just stupid Czech Republic mentality. Now I'm approaching the international community because I'm tired of dealing with Czechs, and not getting paid. Now I'm in Cyprus, a nice place to spend the winter. I could even link to your page if you like, as I have a lot of Czech Republic pages myself. A good starting point for you might be Czech festivals where my Europe travel pages start through http://kenax.net/travel. So linking to you from my pages could help you as well and be a good link exchange, in addition to an article I could write for you.

While checking out your pages I saw your picture, and must say it is nice to see the consistency of beautiful Czech women. In which city do you live in California? My exgirlfriend lives in LA and she's sorta a superstar. Think you two might get along and can hookya up if you like. She used to be "Senior Pub Coordinator" at Oscar mobile network in Prague (now Vodaphone or something) and she's a great blast to be with.

Anyway, now I have this new and fast internet right on the beach, I want to finish a movie I recently downloaded and which I started last night before falling asleep: Lasky Sedm Krasky. Think I'll download all of Forman's flicks. And after chatting with you, in between this flick, I feel all tingly and Czechy. Maybe I'll have myself a knedlik! Oh, by the way, I'm a bit of a fantastic cook myself and put my recipies on the internet as well. have a good one!

www.czechmatediary.com Hi Tanja, okay, I'd like to try it. Managed to get my website Websitehttp://001yourtranslationservice.com/me/CV/czech-to-english-

translator.html in third place now on google for they keywords Czech to English translator and I'd like to start investing into some good backlinks to keep it up there. I'd like to link out from the keywords Czech to English Translations Translator I read your advertisement page below and it seemed to say my text link, for 10$ a month, would be put "site-wide". Does that mean on every page? If not then on which page(s). If I pay for three months you say I get the first month free, meaning four months total? I'd like to try it. This would be my first purchased backlink. Have a nice day, > >

Good to hear from you. I agree, your services would do very well if advertised on Czechmate Diary. Unfortunately I only exchange links with some non-profit organizations. Businesses like yours are welcome to advertise under a very reasonable monthly fee. I am also currently running a special where the first month is free of charge if you sign up for 3 months or more. You can find more information right here: http://czechmatediary.com/advertise/

I´m a native English speaker, born in Prague, grew up in North America, and have translated from Czech to English for more than a decade. Most recently I set up a Czech translation office in Chicago, and working on one in Saint Paul Minnesota as well, where there are sizable Czech populations. I have created many interesting pages about the Czech Republic, where I have lived for the past fifteen years, and you can check out these pages through the links found at the bottom of my translation CV: http://001yourtranslationservice.com/me/CV/czech-to-english-translat or.html Through those pages you can find links to some of my other Czech pages, and near the top right a link to my Chicago office. I was wondering if you would be interested in some sort of link exchange with your website http://czechmatediary.com/ This page was listed on Wiki´s Czech-American page, which is why I am approaching you. I am presently near the top of google in such keywords as "Czech to English translator" and think a link out to your website could serve it well. Looking forward to hearing from you,

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Yah, think we've gone over this a few times. In synopsis, she lived in a dreamworld, her parents died when she was still fairly young and she was the youngest of three sibblings, so it probably affected her and gave her a deep imprint, and she's always looking back to the those glorious times, where the mushrooms and strawberries are the biggest in the world, because she didn't get old enough to find faults in her parents and realise they are just people. It was probably very beautiful times, as I saw from the pictures, and then came a long period of hell and suffering, moving to Canada, breaking up with dad, having to raise us to children and eating the left over fat off my plate because she was hungry but made sure we had enough to eat, and went to summer camp every year, then she had to deal with me as I became an uncontrollable adolescent. Now when Mala Jana met her she admitted to Lucka that she has become self inflated. Perhaps she holds onto that as some sort of comfort after suffering for so long. Perhaps she feels like she has gotten back to those glorious days of her youth, when everything was carefree and fun. Yah, living in a dreamworld, and I can see her mind could snap as she gets older. I realise you must of had significantly more of the brunt end of the stick than I had. I only had to deal with Vladimir. Many others, like Mala Jana and Liba, felt sorry for me when I was a kid saying that mom was quite neglectful, and that it must have affected me deeply, but I don't feel that. Perhaps things just wash off me like soap. What concerns Vladimir, by forgiving him in my head and trying to have a nice relationship with him, I have effectively rid myself of that burning hatred and anger that I have carried with me for many years, and feel a lot better. Just trying to follow Jesus's words and now see the wisdom behind it. I guess you got a lot more chips on your shoulder to deal with and hope you will sort that out at some point, for your own benefit. One might not see so well how these chips can harm one's psychie until they have gotten rid of them, feel a much lighter load and feel so much more carefree, and only then look back and see how hindering etc. it was. Personally mom seems caring to me, worried about me and willing to lend money and all that. Dad certainly didn't want to bother, and I believe he has plenty means. I'm disappointed but I guess just another relationship to downgrade, and shoot the shit if I ever go to Prague again. Generally don't want to carry chips around with me. I had a kzillion chips when I left Prague, sickened by how gossipy everyone was turning and repulsed by many who I thought were my friends, but managed to wash that away as well, and feel a lot less poison in me. That is my eternal goal, because the poison has a tendency to keep building up, even with new people I met. Perhaps one can tend to become a grumpy old fart and jaded with age, but I'd like to avoid this. One of the reasons I like to hang around younger people, because they have such a fresh outlook on things.

Anyway, I guess it can drive you batty also because mom is in the same city and you have to deal with it more.

On an end note, found this website you might find useful: http://www.roundedcornr.com/

It makes rounded corner script with images for you, if you ever want to add such stuff to your website. I've also figured out how to do it quickly from scratch, and will continue to use that, because I'd like to develop the skill and be able to control the specifics more, rather than just produce some generic thing based on limited variables. I can tell you how I did it, as it's not that complicated, or perhaps make some fancy custom ones for you if you link out to my graphics design page or something.

Anyway, have a good on.

Oh yah, and I seriously hope you start to respond to your emails better. It probably takes me longer to scan through an entire letter looking for where you start to respond to me, rather than you just pressing ENTER twice and separating it somehow. I find it rather lazy and ignorant. Do you respond like this to your customers? Very unprofessional. Hotmail is garbage. With gmail you get 7 gigs of space, and you can forward your mail, forward copies, pop download from other providers, pop download from gmail itself, all of which Hotmail will charge you for. I can even set you up keta@kenax.net if you like.

I think this could be good for them, a little more modesty. Unfortunately they are not normal in the way they look at things. I was there yesterday to help mum go through stuff, she has to give away all the duplicates and extras. While we were going through it she was talking about how "those days are over" that she can't just go buy whatever, or see something and just buy it whether she needs it or not. She's said that to me before a couple of times . . . I can't help thinking how its inappropriate to say that to me when, included in that time she's talking about, is my university days when they didn't help me AT ALL and it was the choice between having dinner or taking the bus to school.I mean it wasn't terrible, like I had more than enough beer on many days, but I was really poor. And that's fine, going to school was my choice but listening to my MOTHER complain about not having money any more and recalling the "good old days" when those days were very difficult for me just doesn't seem . . proper. There were times when I lived on 12th when I was struggling to figure out how I was going to pay for my books and mum would show up, one of the rare times because I didn't see her often in those days she was always cancelling lunches and visits with me because some business meeting or opportunity came up (and she wonders now why I am stand-offish and not very liberal with my time with her, I mean that's how she raised me, that's how she was to me, that's how she created our relationship), anyways I was just trying to figure out how to pay for books and she dropped by in her Mercedes with her fur coat and posh hat on and I was all grubby in my ripped clothes you know, just looking at her like, "Who are you??" it didn't even seem like she was related to me. Not so much because she was all done up and I was not, but because there didn't seem to be any actual connection between us, in reality. So anyways yesterday we were having tea after going through her stuff and she was being a stress case, kind of like how she was when you were leaving, the exact same actually except she was really trying to keep a lid on it after you and I gave her a hard time for yelling at me at her house and after I hung up the phone on her the day after you left because she was being, let's face it, a total bitch. I was doing my best to help her maintain the calm mood, you know she goes on about how she can't sleep and stuff but here we are in a quiet moment and she starts talking about everything she has to do and gets all nervosni and holding her head in her hands, so I was like, "Ok ok we won't talk about it now, you have 10 minutes we'll be quiet and calm and you can have this time to relax before you have to do stuff again." She actually started yawning and I said, "good, see, now after I leave don't get all running around again, just do a couple of things but stay calm and quiet and tonight you should be able to sleep." She said, "yeah" and kind of tried. I know the reason she's a stress case is because she doesn't do any of these simple exercises to handle it. She just keeps running away and going on, then when it's bed time it's all milling around in her head and she can't sleep. Of course that didn't last long and she started talking about all the stuff she had to do again, sitting forward on the couch with her elbows on her knees and head in her hands. I said, "Come on mum you've done this before, moving from West Point Place or to Whistler or whatever just before a trip." She said, "But every other time the place I was moving to was finished!" ok, that's a good point, the monster house is still being worked on, floors put in etc. Then she goes, "Besides, then I had money. This is the first time I am doing it without money!" and looked at me pointedly, like, "feel sorry for me" or "my life is so hard" or whatever. I mean this has to be sixth or seventh time she has said something like that recently and it's just hard to hear for me. So I looked back at her, right in the eyes, and raised my hand and said, "Hello? Welcome to my entire life." And she just blew it off, I mean didn't even like reflect for a second then reject the thought, or consider in any way the fact that my teenage state or early adulthood lack of money had anything to do with her at all. And just started talking about something else.About herself. She only ever wants to talk about herself and can barely contain her impatience if I manage to squeak in 2 minutes about me or something I am doing. I interviewed the Minister of Forests the other day for the second time, I mean that's interesting! She can't wait to get off me and talk about herself again. Its really getting worse, even than before.So then I was leaving and at the door I said, "You don't need the Imelda Marcos closet with all the shoes anymore. And stop buying two of everything!" She made a face at me about the shoe comment, and replied, "My father bought THREE of everything!!" with that "I am a Princess from Prague" look on her face.I just turned away and went to the elevator. What do you say to a person like that? I don't even know, I'm pretty much out of ideas. Now it's just a matter of getting through the conversation. To me its not rational, I personally if I was in her situation would 1) take a lesson that this way of making money is so high-stress and so risky, its speculation basically and change, and 2) be happy with all the wads of money I made in the past and the trips to Hawaii and skiing in Switzerland and all the parties and The Klub and the lifestyle basically and be quite satisfied and happy to downgrade now and enjoy the memories.I said 2) to her before and she just shot back, "But I want the money now too." I don't think they are going to learn and become modest or anything. I think they will continue to struggle and try to get it back, I think they will continue to fight with each other and drive friends away, I think they will become more and more irrational and inaccessible and full of nonsense and I think they will end up VERY bitter.We'll see, but I'm probably right. I get her real self, she saves her anquish and bitter complaining just for me. I respond with moderate comments, trying to get her to see the big picture but she stubbornly refuses.Anyways this is really long and rambly, I was just waiting for my morning radio show to finish, I'm off to get sweaty.talk later!

Cool shit. Hey, can I take out the economics non-family stuff of this letter and put it up on my web, and point a link to you? Always looking for new content, and have gotten good at categorising it, some in very dark and secret corners where people who know me wont find it but which will get indexed by google and help my other pages. Considering this below, reminds me of one of my many dreams, which is to get some international investors etc. and buy some coastal valley in BC, build a big log cabin hotel complex, and rent it out like a resort where people can excape from work, but where there will be highspeed travel internet and they can keep working, but away from the hustle bussle. Rent bycicles to ride around in the forest trails, perhaps horses, walking trails through the forests, and every night live guitar around a campfire. The people making the trails and playing music could be a community of love freaks living in tents or whatever off to the side, and it would be a lovely marriage between the rich and the bohemians around the campfire at night. I'd build up a database and make sure to never invite back those wankers who cause problems and think they can shit on everyone else just because they have money. It would be a sort of commerical commune, the rich paying the way for the poor, me making some money of course (but primarily enjoying making trails and planting trees etc.), and everyone happy. Maybe we could combine it with your cabin idea, heh heh. Yah, I'm sure they'll have to swallow defeat, but humility is good. I've been living it the last two years and whenever I do go down into the slumps, I always realise I never needed all that shit and haave found simple spiritual happiness, which can be difficult when you got shit coming outa your arse, as the bible says. I think this could be good for them, a little more modesty.

They buy certain name brands out of the fear that they might not be accepted in their work/social group. They work hard to get a bigger house than the Jones´s for the same reason.yeah and it's these very people that are going to have an extremely difficult next 2-5 years given what is going on with the global economies. all of that vanity, all of that inflated sense of self worth which was based on the THINGS they could buy and how other perceived them due to that (our parents are a perfect example) are going to feel like crawling down a little hole.the whole system, and this collapse, was based on the stock market and people trading worthless paper (asset backed commercial paper) .. . "backed" by those zero-interest mortgages, you know, the ones that everyone is defaulting on now. That commercial paper was repackaged and resold up to five different times, it went on for so long with so many people making money, making money at doing NOTHING, making money at trading on peoples' dreams of owning a BIGGER HOUSE, it came down to a situation of hot potato. Whoever was left holding that piece of paper - because they were often traded on 60 day terms, 60 days for a 10% to 20% return, I mean wouldn't you ASK, is this a solid investment?? they didn't because they were greedy - is the one that lost everything. And now can't get even one cent back.the system was doomed to collapse at some point, where three months ago the economists and analysts were saying, "What the hell . . ?" and "We don't know what happened." they are now saying its surprising it lasted as long as it did, and that once it is determined exactly how far it went, how high (probably after the New Year I figure for all of this to sort itself out, for sure once the Obama government has a proper look at the books) that is what will tell us how low it is going to go, how bad.I am watching copper very closely right now, if it goes any lower we are in for several years of very bad times. if it stays level or even goes up a bit then only the people that manipulated the system and basically tried to rip everyone off, "Oh but we didn't know!!" yeah right, you just didn't ask, will suffer. At the moment the US job situation is very, very bad but that could also just be a temporary blip.It's unfortunate that a lot of hard working, normal people got caught up in this and also lost or will lose their homes but to my mind an absolute crash, a total cleansing and rebuild, is what is needed to straighten things out again. There is only work, you know? I don't know where mum and Vlad and people like that got the idea that there is some magic ride to being a millionaire. You just work, you build something, you make something REAL not an illusion, and if you do it right and nothing bad happens when you are older you have something solid that can support you. > >

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hmm, makes me think that you might consider forwarding your email part below to mom. It's not written vindictively or angrily, and simply writes in clear terms your feelings. When I was going to Prague for Christmas and was supposed to live with them for a month and a half, I was paranoid as shit and sent threats that I have lots of friends I can stay with and if she gets on my case she will certainly see much less of me. And I said I don't need Vladimir blowing up in my face over whatever nonsense. Not sure if it was because of that, but the entire month and a half went remarkably smooth. Perhaps you should just try to convey your feelings. I think mom would rather focus on the things that bother you to make sure you are happier seeing her than to focus on some selfish need to unload her miseries on you. You could write it nicely in an email, if you feel it is impossible to bring things up to her in person. But the below email seems nice enough to me. Just leave my comments out. Maybe its a women thing that they don't bring things out in the open like guys do and forever dance around each other. From your very different points of view several years ago, I felt I needed to step in and mediate. You initially complained that I was opening an old can of worms, but this I feel is precisely what is necessary - to bring things out in the open and talk about it. Otherwise it seems you guys were drifting apart and almost out of reach of each other, so I wanted to quickly step in and get the worms out in the open.

When I was in Vancouver I had absolutely no problem about waiting on the sidewalk for mom. After all, she went shopping and was bringing tons of food, so why on earth would I not want to do such a small favour in exchange and make sure I would be right there to help her bring in the groceries, and not force her to look for parking, then carry a bunch of bags like a slave to important me who's watching TV or whatever. Seemed like a perfectly normal and decent thing to do. And when we were all together things seemed normal enough. Seems that you are generally sensitive about certain things, and you don't need to, and it would be better to express, even if in email, the concerns you mentioned. If you don't express it, I think you hold it in and become sensitive to things, and it strains your relationship. personally while I was in Vancouver i didn't see any problems. Sure, mom is hectic etc., and rushing here and there, but whenever we were sitting around the table I felt relaxed enough, so I think you are getting agitated because you are sensitive to certain things because you are not bringing it out into the open. Maybe you should just try the email thing, if you cannot get a word in once you two do hook up. Try to write it nicely. Too bad though that she is leaving now. Maybe you should wait until she gets back and has been in Vancouver for about a month. Now it will bother her and she will go to Prague worried that she could have patched things up better but now she can't, cause she's in Prague, and she will only worry more and sleep less. k

I know we've been over this before and I like that you acknowledge how it was different, difficult in a different way, for me when we were kids. But rather than thinking I am carrying a chip on my shoulder I think you should understand that - while in my writing I bring up the past - the important thing for me is that it is still going on. Not like the neglected childhood or irrational Vladimir or whatever but mum and all her weirdness. It is a fact of my life every day. Don't be mistaken in thinking that the way she phones here, declares she is coming and that I should go outside to meet her on the sidewalk in 20 minutes was only for when you were here! That's how it is, and, progressively more this past year, the conversations are solely about Vlasta and all her troubles. Its a very one-sided "relationship" where I am meant to listen to the complaints of a 'poor little rich girl', however the same courtesy is not extended to me. Do you see what I mean? Normally for me in a friendship there is balance; whatever is going on in either person's life gets generally equal weight, so there is an exchange between talking about each other. This way we share in each other's lives equally. Of course when there is a particular crisis going on that person gets more attention until there is some solution or resolution. And that's where mum takes over, she grabs the maximum of focus for herself, by either fabricating or actually having some crisis going on pretty much constantly. I have sympathy and listen and try to help but also I get a bit . . . not frustrated but disinterested because its endless and its all stuff she did herself. the position she is in right now is a direct result of the way she has lived her life and the decisions she has made so she really shouldn't be complaining.I'm not sure you realize what a drain she is on my positivity and my psyche. Of course it is up to me to not allow people to use or abuse me and I don't let her, but the fact is that I KNOW every single time I see her she will be laying on me a list of woes while at the same time actively dictating that I am not allowed to talk about any slightest trouble I might be having makes me . .. basically makes me glad she's going away for a long while because it gives me a break. There is little to nothing I can do to help her, sometimes I am able to offer advice she actually takes but that's not what she wants. She just wants to unload on me, spread around the worry and stress, make herself feel a bit better. It smacks very much of her trying to make me feel bad, quite frankly, so I am always a bit on the defensive when I see her. Its pretty much once a week, with another small meeting in between, so its not like I am completely drained, but it is a fact I have to deal with on a regular basis.I hope it doesn't seem to you like I am doing the same to you, using you to dump my problems with mum on! Remember before when I said that when I write I am deliberately trying to convey the feelings of what I am talking about: if I recall a memory from childhood that made me angry it comes across as anger on the screen because that's how it was, but it doesn't mean I am still carrying anger now. (for some things I probably am, but much less than I was a couple of years ago when you and I first started talking about all this stuff). I tell you all this because I only thinks its fair that you know what is going on as it happens. I probably don't have to go on in such detail or with such a stark language but, hey! you're a good listener so that's what you get, haha.

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> glad some business is coming your way.

Well, not much, and things are strangely quiet at the moment, but at least my Czech translation pages are at the top of google and waiting like a fish bait in water for something to bite. I check the rankings every day and so far it is holding. Will keep doing what I am doing to keep it up there, and now to just wait until more work comes in.

When are you leaving and will you be safe?

My bills are paid for on this half of the island until around the 23rd of December, which is when I plan to leave. Once on the Greek side I will drive to the port and see about getting over to Greece. Being around Christmas I doubt ships will be leaving much, so everything depends those variables.

Why would I not be safe? The Turkish part of this island is definitely more safe than Vancouver or many other places. Couldn't believe all those crackheads I saw in Vancouver. The Greek side is still safe, although people generally more aggressive there than here. Can't imagine it being unsafe on the ferry. And I imagine Greece should be safe.

You were concerned in your last mail. You are sorry to leave the island and your beach but you are not going there forever and also on that beach you could go hungry with low income.

Well, the beach doesn't really have anything to do with it. I'm doing exactly the same work as I was doing in Prague. The only thing that the beach has to do with it is that some idiot Czechs stopped sending me work when they realised I worked on a beach, even though I have internet here etc. So I stopped telling idiot Czechs (basically any Czech) what I am doing. They never met me before when I was sending them work, so why should it matter to them where I am? In any case, if I was in Prague, paying 14,000Kc a month for rent etc., I'm sure I would have starved to death a long time ago. With total costs of 10bucks a day on a beach, I think my survival has a better chance. Anyway, hope work starts coming in at some point again. Once it does, with my really low costs, I should be able to put most of it into the bank etc.

Make sure you eat properly as much as possible. There is nothing new here except I am already packing (and I hate boxes) having trouble renting this place, have no money and banks are very very noncooperative. Vlad is doing almost impossible wer keep hoping that at the end it will not be a total disaster.

Oh yes, today it occurred to me if he has any webpages. I've learned some fancy stuff recently and think I can whip up something really nice for him. Like a present for Czech Christmas or something, and perhaps it will help him find work, if he has a really nice presentation for his past work. I can check out what pages he has now, and if I think I can make something substantially nicer, I can create it for him, and if he likes it, he can incorporate it into his present website etc.

I do not sleep and useless to tell me not to be stressed in this stupid situation, nobody expectedthis hell.

Well, as I always say, stress does not solve anything. In fact, it can make things worse, because you think less clearly when you are stressed, and you cannot function as well when you don't sleep well. Whenever things got totally stressed in Prague I would just grab a joint, and it would help me forget about everything. I kinda didn't give a crap about anything, and would just sit there, take a five minute break, slow down in my breathing, and then get back to work in a relaxed manner. While traveling and it looks like I will die of starvation and I am getting all stressed and anxious, I say, "What the crap," buy myself a beer I cannot afford, and just sip it while sitting by the side of the sea, forget about all my problems, and enjoy my beer like it is the only thing in the world. And then I can go back to work without stress. That is why I've always suggested you two go to some meditation class or something. Your stress obviously does not solve anything and only endangers getting a heart attack and all that stuff. But it seems to me that you both enjoy the stress or something. It is obviously your choice, or perhaps you both will need at least one or two more heart attacks before it comes to your senses. Just think about it. You can still work hard when you are not stressed. And you can work better if you sleep better. You can change these things. It's called mind over matter, and breathing exercises, and there are all sorts of tricks you can learn to control this and your life. Just letting yourself get carried away by stress is like a chicken with its head cut off. It's like those people who shreak and scream in times of panick. They seize up and become absolutely useless. They can freeze and not be able to move while a buldozer moves slowly towards them, while someone who has learned how to manage their feelings can think and react. It is similar. But you guys are always so convinced that you are right, to your own detriment bohuzel.

We are toooooo old for this. I am hanging up ,my license for 4 months as it costs me 500/month, no need to pay when I am not here anyway. Try to save on every item. On my way to buy lottery.:):):):) Send me 6 lucky numbers.

Yah, I've been knocking out items for the past two years and realising what a bunch of unnecessary fat and baggage I've had as business expenses. Always thought it was necessary, but this situation has taught me otherwise. For example, I recently stopped paying my Czech bank 20 bucks a month for holding my money. What a ridiculous waste of money. There are many banks now who do not charge for holding your money, and they certainly should not at all.

Hope next letter will be more enthusiastic. I am just very tired. Jana is like a rock but she is probably overdosed and has bad side-effects and is very concerned about it. So am I. It is not easy to talk to her ( I call every day) thankgoodness for Skype. Thinking of you very often and hope that all will be well in Greece and you get there safely. xxxxxxooooooooooooomamamamama Hope it all works out best for y'all!

November 26, 2008

2008-11-25T23:55:00.000-08:00

okay, I'll Skype America and see if I can get it sorted. Think they also sell it in the UK but probably much more expensive than the US. Will research everything as soon as I get back to the north side and have my fast internet again. Basically, without the technical details, I now get fast internet through my new mobile modem thing, so I don't have to drive somewhere, which costs gas money and time, and is a pain in the arse (looking for a signal etc.). The problem is that, for the travel internet to be fast, the signal has to be strong. Like I have to be parked close to one of their transmitters, which is unlikely on a remote beach, where I usually like to be, or at that house we are supposed to reconstruct. Since he wants me to work for him for 40 to 60 hours a week, I wont have much time to drive places and look for fast internet etc. I need fast internet for a lot of my work. So I'm just trying to plan ahead and make sure I have a good strong signal at his house. Or my remote beach somewhere in the future. This is where this box come in. You put a good antenna on your roof or outside or whatever, the box catches the signal, then it amplifies it and either broadcasts it within the house, or you hook it up directly to your mobile phone etc (the best and strongest option). Apparently it can multiply a signal by up to 15 times!! So very good for the situation I am in. With this job I am sure I'll be able to pay you back quickly. Need your postal address where to send the stuff! Should I use the following still?

I can imagine that this housing/financial crisis does not do you guys well, and that the only person who would buy it is a capitalising millionaire who will offer half price or something. I have several friends who develop property in the US and Europe, perhaps I could ask them if they have any contacts or advice? One of them I will be working for. He has six properties in Bulgaria, 6 in Czech, something in Portugal, and have no clue how much else he has throughout Europe. He is a bit of my mentor, because he gave me great advice how to survive on the road, since he does roughly the same driving between all his European investment property. So of COURSE he knows what he is doing. If not, that's his problem, cause he's paying me for my time anyway. He's the guy who accidentally sent me 40,000Kc instead of 4,000Kc, when I was driving through Croatia. Gotta thank the old farts who are not used to online banking. But one friend who knows him says he probably did it on purpose, to help me out. So I gotta pay that off as well.

Yah, Ilona is a cow. Some customer owes me more than 2,000Kc, but now that I do not have a bank account in Czech Republic anymore, I wrote her an email if she could pick it up from him. She did not respond at all. I asked David, and he explained that "on nema klast podminky na mne ale ja na nim". So she's a lazy arse cow who can't lift her finger. At least I was sending her more cash than I was supposed to for several years, but now when I'm down, she cant lift a finger. That is fine. When I have cash again, I'll send her the minimum, and any more David will have to work for. At least we have a nice email relationship together, and I hope to travel with him one day, or perhaps I'll suffer another season of treeplanting so that he can make good cash and learn something valuable about life.

OK. I was just going to write you that I really do not have any money. when you new mail came. it is quite drastic now, I never thought it would come to this. But it is not just us, it is everybody around. Our stupid timing got us in extremely dangerous position as ALL we have is in the house, there is an enormous mortgage on in and we have no income other than selling our projects. It worked reasonably well and would continue should this global thing did not come upon us. Our danger is that not only diminishing value of the project but also that nothing like that is selling. We do not have staying power to hold onto that gorgeous, unfinished house. WE will finish only part. Anyway I do have some credit on my card left and I will help you out but I will really need it back when I am in Prague as we will live on credit there and on what I luckily stashed away last time. NOt much though. So lets go for it but it is a short time loan. This time I am not kidding. We fly on points therefore free. Apartment is ours and Hamets, we can not rent it out, it is not ours only. We are lucky that we have it. So lets hope that somebody will fall in love with the design of that beast which sits on top of the rock, looks down on the beautiful Vancouver and the Bay and is hungry. For money. Every time I pick up the mail there is another bill. I would really like to live in in it for a while. It was the plan. So lets hope. Tell me more about that little box which is so important (no technical details, I think I got that) but practicality. HOw to get it, where are you ordring from.....Will solicit Keta's help. And sorry about being so gloomy, I am very tired today, did not sleep but I will be better tomorrow again. I have my last German to french lesson, have no funds and time now, will bring tapes with me to Prague so I can excercice my lazy brain :):):) I am also cancelling my real estate license for 4 months so I can save on my fees. Tomorrow I will buy lottery. Keep your fingers crossed. But most importantly lets all stay healthy, nothing is more important and while we are healthy we can help each other. I wish you all the luck with your crazy project in Greece, I hope you guys know what you are doing. And careful with your "byteckovy auto" Did you hear from David? Do not tell them I am coming, I am really pissed off with Ilona and will have to decide if I will call them at all. Sorry for David it is not his fault hope he will sort it out when he grows up a bit. So Karlicku, kralicku take care and stay well. > maminkaxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooomamamamamamama

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It costs around 300 bucks, I'll order it, and all you need to do is bring it to travel Europeand then send it to me. But if that is a pain don't worry about it. I can pay for it now but, if you have the means, I'd ask if you can lend me the money, to make sure I have enough to get to Greece. Once I'm there I will not be paying for food or rent and be earning something, even more if some translation work comes in. If I will be out somewhere remote working on his cottage, I think this mobile signal booster will possibly be necessary, for my translation work etc. Don't think it's available in Europe yet. Sender Allowed have no idea what are you talking about, forwarding it to Keta so she can decifer for me. What is it you want me to do and what does it cost and where do I get it....... Keta help please..

oh yah, and forgot to mention concerning the mobile signal booster. I'd have to research it, but it seems difficult to get where I am, or in Europe in general. New technology I think and some US company. If you think you might be interested in helping me out, I can do the following: - find out if in fact it works for Europe (1800 MHz) - find out the total cost, get it sent to your house. It's a small box and I can find out the exact dimensions for you (you can take it out of the box), so of course one factor is if you'll have room in your luggage or the desire to deal with this at all - I have money in my account now, but I'm worried if I'll have enough to get to Greece. Once and if I make it to Greece I'll have my room and board paid for, so I should be able to pay you back quickly. Or perhaps my costs to get to Greece wont be so high and I will be able to pay you right away. I'm just worried about having enough to get to Greece, and seeing you are coming to Europe, thought I'd try to nab the opportunity and see about getting this device sent to me. It can be quite a tedious pain to constantly have to drive somewhere to a good signal. If I had this booster, I could probably just work construction on my friends rubble house, in between go to my room or caravan truck to check if any translation work comes in, and work on my webpage designs at night after work etc. We already agreed I could stop construction and do translations if anything comes in. So having this good internet right at his place would be pretty nifty. Anyway, it might be possible to get it shipped to Europe as well. Just exploring my various options, so no need to stress about it at all. lateroo > >> >

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promin ze mi to bere tak dlouho nez jsem se dostala k tomu abych ti odepsala....Trvalo mi dost dlouho nez jsem si vubec neco precetla z tvych cestopisu, ale abych pravdu rekla moc jsem tomu cas nedala, protoze jsem stale zamestnana nejakymi vecmi, ktere hori ....

No problem. Hope you get everything sorted.

I took a quick look at the web link you sent me and if I understand it correctly, you didn't make enough money while tree planting... I also didn't understand why you finished earlier than originally planned - was it because it was not well organized or because you couldn't keep up with the speed?

Well, there's summer planting and then there's spring and fall treeplanting on the coast. Generally if you want to plant in the fall you need to start with a treeplanting company on the coast in the spring. It is much more difficult to plant on the coast, as you can probably imagine from the pictures on my hardcoretreeplanters site. But I've done it before and I can probably get on again, but I need to act early. I didn't think of starting the treeplanting job until it was too late. I almost got onto the coast with a company I used to work for, but they changed their mind at the last minute. But if I would want to do this again, and I'm thinking about it, I would simply have to apply earlier. I got a full summer season in and tried to get onto the coast, but nothing was for certain and I didn't have the money to just hang around Vancouver and see what happens. I already had a plane back, so I just jumped on it. So not only did I not earn the 500$ a day everyone promised but I only put in three months, which got me 10,500$ but not enough to pay for the plane tickets and everything and make it all that worthwhile. Furthermore my boss jipped me out of a lot of cash, so that was unfortunate as well and seems the story of my life.

In any case, got an offer from a friend to help him recostruct the attached house. Seems like it will be a challenge and good learning experience. I think I'd like to do the same one day in the future once I make some good cash again. He has properties all over Europe and this one is in Greece. Hope to leave there in about a month and work on it over the winter, perhaps continuing with his crew onto Bulgaria during the summer. He says I can stop working any time if I get some translation work. Will get free room and board and 7 Euro an hour, so good backup cash. But it seems I might not even have that much time to reconstruct (although I'd like to at least do two hours a day, to get some exercise and learn something new) because my Czech translator pages have finally climbed to near the top of google. Just checked today and I am happy to find that it is THIRD on google for the keyword search "Czech to English translator". So my latest search engine optimization strategies are working well and I hope to push it up higher. Already I've started to receive new orders and hope to soon have a regular income. The past two years I have been learning about SEO (search engine optimization) and things are finally paying off, as I imagined they eventually would, but didn't think it would take so long. It seems that almost everyone I know assumed I was just wasting my time and frolicking on the beach, but no one really knows what I have been working on. This SEO is a very complex business, and highly competitive, yet I have finally become successful at it and now to slowly translate that into cash. But that I find is usually the case with struggling entrepreneurs - everyone looks down on them when they are struggling, but they continue their work diligently and with uncompromising perserverence, and once they get over the top and become successful, only then do people have faith in them, because they can actually see the results. A successful entrepreneur has faith in himself and often has to face all the troubles alone, but that is just the price of success, and I always knew I don't want to be some dork who works for someone else. This is something I refuse to do and will go to the ends of the earth to achieve my dreams. Once I achieve them, then everyone claps and pats me on the back. It is sad that no one has faith in me when I need it, but I have grown accustomed to that and don't hold it against them.

Also I read somewhere at your link that you borrowed money from some of your old friend and that friend is going to stay with you now at the Cyprus island? So is he there now? What are you doing now? Did you find some job or do you do some translations? I felt sorry when I read that you made web page for some Czech restaurant in Cyrus without a proper contract with the real owner :(

My friend was here and now he is gone. It was nice playing a lot of tennis.

Yes, sad that restaurant did not pay me and I really needed the cash at that time (which is one of the reasons I got so desperate and decided to go treeplanting), but I am using the site for my own resume, am glad to have finally learned Flash, and the site will benefit me in other ways. I think I will also add some more info to it, as my recently visiting friend suggested, pointing to tourist locations in the northern, Turkish half of the island. The Greeks, such as those who did not pay me, absolutely hate the Turks, and it will be funny to anger them by advertising where to go on their Greek website. I paid for the domain for three years, and will probably renew it, as it only costs 30$, so this site will remain a thorn in their side and bad advertisement about their pub until some time in the future when they might decide to pay me for my services.

David rikal, ze od tebe dlouho neslysel. Nutim ho vice mluvit, letos jsem najela na jiny styl a chci aby vice mluvil, problem je v tom, ze on toho nerekne moc ani v cestine. Po prazdnicnach jsem mu rekla aby si pripravil 15 min speech o tom co delal v lete.... on ale dalsi tyden neprisel a poslal SMS ze ho boli hlava :) Ten dalsi tyden prisel a mluvil jen 5 minut. Vidim ale, ze je to pro neho dobry exercise, protoze ho mohu opravit na miste ...take ted musi psat 2 az 3 vety na kazde nove slovo, ktere probereme. To mi ukaze jestli tomu rozumi a hned ho mohu opravit.

Cool about the lessons and hope to take him traveling with me one day, or maybe treeplanting. I write to him occasionally but he doesn't write much back. If he wants a relationship with me he has to make an effort as well. It was by my effort that I first contacted dad and we renewed our relationship. He is becoming an adult. I know that his mom might encourage him to be mazany jako vsechny dalsi Cechy, but this is something he simply has to learn. In any case, I think we have a good email relationship and hopefully we'll be able to hookup once he's older. It is out of the question that he goes to Canada and stays with my mom or sister. In fact, because of the recent housing crash, my parents can't even stay in Canada anymore and are moving to Czech Republic to save on costs.

Good to talk to you and that you are getting my emails now. Will send another short one to make sure you are getting them. k

Myslim si stale, ze nejlepsi by bylo pro Davida, byt alespon na pul roku v Kanadske skole. Jsi si jist ze by ho tam mama nevzala? A co Marketa, ta by to nemohla pro tebe udelat? Ona je snad stale single a pracuje z domova, ne? He would become completely different person and would be greatly challenged by this experience. Pak by asi take i jinak pristupoval k te anglictine, mel by vetsi zajem, kdyz by videl jak tu anglictinu muze pouzivat. Myslime na Tebe Kajo a nezapominame se za Tebe modlit. We hope that God is with you and showing you His love and light ... - xxoo Liba

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when my vision becomes reality, and then all the little folks around say, "congratulations. How did you do it? Connections through your daddy or something?"

Yup, funny shit. Oh, by the way, what happened to your emailing system a few days ago? Since then I’ve had to fumble through your mails to find where my email ends and yours starts. Using a new email program or something?

Just checked and this morning I was third, and now I’m SECOND on google for “Czech to English translator”. Amazing. And 24^th for “Czech to English translations”. Hope to keep climbing and nice to see I’m so far ahead of the big Czech agencies. Just today I agreed to pay 10 bucks a month to have text links to my translator CV page from some Czech pages in the US. So basically the same price as I just got for one outlink from some of my other pages. This will be my first paid back link. The good thing is that my outlink is supposed to be “site-wide”, which I’m thinking might mean it will be on every one of their pages. If so that would be great. It’s also good that they have a PR of something like 6, so that should really help my PR, and they get something like 6,000 unique visitors a month. Mostly Czech Americans I guess, so not only will the outlink help my page rankings, but it could lead to actual business as well. If this strategy works I’ll keep spending more on other backlinks. Getting rather excited at the prospect of receiving lots of work. I also set up an “affiliate office” in Chicago, and working on one in Saint Paul (same google postcard thing you did for me – I got friends all over the world), the two largest Czech-American populations in the US. So I’m really strategizing and am anxious to find out how this will all work. These local sites will of course point to the translator CV page, so it should be a further help. Then I’m trying to set up a new subdomain like czechtoenglishtranslator.kenax.cz, and submit that to the top directories (I found they do not like buried pages, like kenax.cz/stuff/czechtoenglishtranslator.html), and once that is accepted into them, I will make a link to my Czech cv page, and other Czech Republic pages, so that will be a further boost. Meaning that all this planned work should only solidify my position on google for a long period of time, in addition to all the other stuff I plan to keep on doing, so I’m really looking forward to see if it will all work. If I start to get a lot of work, figure I should totally beautify the page to death and apply all my new css/html and flash knowledge, and make it look totally hotrod.

Concerning what you said below, kind of reminds me of Anne Rand’s “The Fountainhead”, I believe it was called. Think you would dig that book. Rather famous. They’re just small little people and I guess we should just feel sorry for the poor little miserable bastards, heh heh.

oh man, I know exactly what you mean. people are idiots and don't see the obvious outside of what they have known all their lives or how people have always done things . . . "isn't that what people do??" when I ask, why are you marrying THAT guy? or, why do you stay in that job then if it's so crappy?for me I'm glad I 'came into my own' when I'm a bit older because - while you may get asked about connections through your daddy - I get the look, "there must be a husband or boyfriend behind this, there is no way a young lady can go buy her own computer and know how to work it" not to mention the photography stuff which I had a guy, the only time it happened and of course it had to be a guy that asked, whether I myself took those photos. he stared at me in absolute wonder like it could never have occurred to his (small) mind before that a female person would take such photographs of such a subject.I guess he thought a female and photography can only be about studio lighting and makeup, not about standing around outside for hours in the cold or in the surf to get that one great shot.What I take away from it is, what is THAT person doing? If I come across someone that questions my methods or my ability and they are, say a published writer or professional journalist or something credible, then I might think about it. But it never is, in fact quite the opposite when I do come across people like that either in working for Madison's or my eagle stuff they invariably are positive and encouraging and offer me advice/suggestions/critique for how to do things more correctly. The small minded people when they toss doubt or try to undermine my confidence or try to get me to question my abilities (it's so ridiculous, to doubt something that I am already doing! and have been for years. but I guess it's as you say, I am not wearing flashy clothes or operating with an asshole - ego - attitude so I must not be doing well) I just look at them directly, barely nod, hold it for a brief second then move on. Almost always when, if, I come across that person again they are still doing the same old thing they were the first time, no happier no more fulfilled, no growth or progress, while I can say, "Oh yeah I did that, now I am doing this other thing."All I care about is being productive. I don't consider the vast majority of effort most people do as productive, they're really just filling time. They wait for the boss to tell them what to do, the family to determine how the weekend time goes, and have no initiative or drive of their own.Mum and Jana are the old generation, in fact in the business world they are two generations ago. Literally from the last millenium! not even the last century, but last millenium.

November 14, 2008

2008-11-13T16:03:00.000-08:00

> Ahooj! Great to hear the "English lessons" are working out for you!

well, not yet. School will start soon and I'll drop some ads within the next couple of days.

Konstantinos seemed normal enough to me. Then again, didn't talk to him much, and I'm a bit crazy myself I think! Then again, I think crazy is more normal than "normal" people, who seem more concerned about being "normal", which is essentially doing what everyone else does, because they are scared little babies who fear rejection and ridicule. So all the weak copy one another, and when someone else does something different, just because they feel like it and it seems normal to them, the week feel threatened, or envy the person's freedom, and start to badmouth and gossip about them. So I cannot consider them normal at all but just a bunch of cowards.

What's new with me? Well a big trouble make is coming to visit me. Long story, but didn't want to see him ever again. But he lent me cash for a plane ticket to go treeplanting and I feel I owe him one, so I invited him for a visit. Now he will be here for a full month. He loves to get drunk, occasionally into fights, and he is a big womaniser. In any case, I think my next month should at least be interesting, but I'm a bit scared! Will have to ask him to control himself.

Did any research on that tulip bulb you brought with you? Curious if you can get it to grow. It rains a bit now during the fall, and maybe winter. They bloom during the fall, and somehow survive 50C temperatures in burning dry sand over the summer. Amazing thing! byebaby

Tell me more. I want to write longer email but since i got back from Cyprus i have a friend visiting and i didnt have much time for myself not speaking to write emails. Please give me few more days, she is leaving on Friday. I miss you, i miss the sun and sea, I miss the weather and of course, i miss Konstantinos too, even though he is crazy and if we were living together i would have to kill him soon! I am currently in Brussels and the weather sucks as usual, dark and raining, oh today is also a bit windy... good chocolate though. So let me know what is new with you!!! looking forward to hear from you. and remember even though i am not writing emails every day you are on my mind alot!!!take care. hugs,bananaK

Yah, I enjoyed your visit too. Can't find your other letter but I remember you were saying something about understanding solitude. Well, actually did find some friends here. Play chess regularly with a Czech-American, and every day I spend in an air conditioned office with free internet at my Iranian friend, who needs to practice English. Have found that putting up fliers offering free English lessons in exchange for beer has turned out to be a great strategy. Actually, plan to print out some more fliers tomorrow, this time though saying "Nice Canadian boy willing to give FREE ENGLISH LESSONS to nice girl(s) - boys buy me beers." Heh heh. The girls seem all hot and yearning at the start of every school year, looking for new boyfriends. Anyway, I'm mostly just interested in female company, as I like to have a balanced life and social network. Otherwise, have grown tired of constant blabber. The last few years in Prague I would sit in the pub, sipping on my beer and listening to the conversation, and it seemed to amount to absolutely nothing. Little jokes responded by giggles and other little jokes, so I've actually learned to appreciate being much more productive by myself, working pretty well whenever I'm awake and choosing what I want to "work on" at any time. My life also gets sprinkled occasionally by travellers I meet etc. But I would like to know a few more people, because one does need a certain amount of interaction to remain sensible and sane. What stories were you talking about? Will try to see your flick. I write my regular blobs on the internet, and have been trying to write better every time. Now I want to starts a "travel reflections" page for tidbits and ideas I cannot squeeze into my regular stories of my travels. All part of my mad science to help me get more customers (search engines like text), find co-travellers, and make money off of writing in other ways if possible. Have always felt I wanted to be a writer one day, so I guess the translations and learning how to type fast has been good partial training for that. Hope your tulip works out! This is the time of year when they bloom. During the summer the bulbs are in burning hot and arid sand. Pine cones only turn to seed and grow another tree during a fire. Maybe you should research it on the net, as apparently these don't grow anywhere else. Have a good one. :o)

i really enjoyed seeing you and talking to you again as well! i wish i could come more often but it is not that easy. i think i was pretty lucky to get the ticket, the prices doesnt go below 400EUro per ticket. Anyway, i hope to be back some time and hopefully soon. i brought the shell you gave me and the sand and the bulb and i will try to grow it here, it is my project now. i also think that yu should keep writting the stories you were telling me about. i like it. i think you should see the "WALLY" movie. you would like it. thank you for inviting me/us for an exciting trip through the norther island, it sounds great and who knows, maybe it will happen. i miss it so much. it is 11C now and finally a little bit of sun but not for long i am sure. enjoy it there for me! take care. hugs,k

was good to seeya again banana! If ya ever wanna come for longer and you can tolerate my sardine can, you're welcome to stay here for free. Even your friend. We can boot around the Turkish side. Maybe later I'll get insurance for the south side as well. My friend is coming from the 8th of October to the 8th of November. So early November the weather may still be a bit tolerable for a swim in the ocean.

-------------------------------------------------

> Ahoj! Tak jak to jde?? Vse ok? Nebo jsi v pruserech az po usi?! Ozvi

> se, pa

just finished driving around the island (Turkish part, because I don't have insurance for the Greek part), and on the way the police stopped me and I discovered that all this time I was supposed to be paying some customs or something on the caravan truck. So now I owe something like a thousand bucks in fines. Will stay put on my beach until I can afford to pay something like that. At least I have insurance on this side.

We drove to Kyrenia and then all the way up the Karpaz, to the very farthest point of the peninsula, where I swam 10 metres to the next island. Was thinking of trying the next island out too, but the first island was too sharp to walk on barefoot. But at least that was all fun.

Things settling down with my friend, as the island seems to pacify people. As long as I pay him what I owe him, he said he'll probably cover all my beers while I'm here, so that's nice. Otherwise, he likes to drink a lot and it would be painful not to be able to join him. He admits he's saving a lot not having to pay for a hotel, and he's loving the beach and sun here. Made a bit of money over last weekend so financially I'm getting better. Need more work though. Have a good one!

---------------------------------

Ted prave odesel David z anglictiny.... Promin ze jsem se drive neozvala ale dostala jsem od tebe dva kratke emaily v dobe kdy jsme byli v Coloradu a od te doby co jsem prijeli (mid Sep) jsem v jednom kole ... Babicku jsem prestehovala do Senior home a mam s tim mnoho prace, old people have difficulties to udjust to a new surroundings.... She is doing well for her age but of course she is fragile. I have to keep her spirits up going there often now, till she acclimatizes ...

Hope everything goes well with her. Must be tough getting old like that.

Take jsem cekala az zacneme s anglictinu, abych ti mohla reportovat jak to jde Davidovi. Ptala jsem se jestli mu pises a rekl mi ze uz dlouho od tebe neslysel ale naposled ze jsi psal ze hledas praci.... Davidovi to jde dobre ale ted ho nutim aby vice se mnou mluvil anglicky. Zacala jsem jinou metodu krome cteni primo z knihy... Pri prvni hodine jsem mu rekla aby priste si pripravil 10 min speech about his summer activities. Den kdy mel prijet poslal SMS ze neprijde, protoze ho boli hlava ... ale priste prisel a bylo vse v pohode, mluvil ale kratce. Takto vidim kde dela chyby a co je treba vylepsit. Dnes uz je vice relaxed about it. Jinak je chytry a slusny kluk....delam vse pro to, aby se u nas citil dobre. Zda se mi, ze ta mama o nej dobre pecuje, dela proste co muze. Ja se snazim ho nasmerovat tak, aby mel plan studovat IT na vysoke skole a ne jen nejake stredni skole, nebot takto bude mit potom vice moznosti ... Bezpochyby ma na studie vsechny predpoklady.

That's cool that you're helping him with English and I try to write to him in English, translating certain words in < > brackets etc. to make it easier for him, but he just seems lazy and doesn't even read my emails. So I stopped that approach. Maybe I could resume it at some point in the future. Or speak to him in English if I ever make enough cash to bring him with me on my travels a bit. I thought it would be good for him to try treeplanting, if I were ever to do that again. He would get strong, learn what work is, practice his English, meet other cultures etc.

No a jak to vypada u Tebe Kajo? Ted jsi mohl byt opet s Marketou a mamou, doufam ze jsi si to uzil a mel cas si straightened out your priorities a myslet about your future.

Well, I think I reflect on my priorities, think about my future enough, and know what I want to do with my life. I was rather angry the entire summer, and still am a bit, how you guys responded to me. Not wanting to help me is one thing, but judging me in such a harsh way I found rather unreasonable. You can check out

http://hardcoretreeplanters.com/

if you are interested to learn what treeplanting is truly about (I made that webpage), instead of judging them as a bunch of beer drinkers. Where did you find that, on the internet or something? They are mostly young kids who know how to push themselves, so they can make big bucks and get through university. They are also more independent thinking. Most people couldn't even dream of doing such work and just quit, so they can sit in an office and do what someone else tells them to do. They are the kind of people I relate to and this job, which I have done for six years while going to university, has shaped a lot of my character, so I take it with offense when people make such naïve judgements. Anyway, I already wrote a few long letters to you about this, and it seems you did not get any of them. I am guessing that you use some spam filtering system that throws certain mail into your spam or junkbox, triggered by some words. So the longer I write my emails, perhaps the greater the probability that it might end in your junkbox or something. You should add my email address to your whitelist, to make sure you get all of them, otherwise I just end up wasting my time writing. So what I have started to do, with certain people who occasionally do not get my emails, is that I send a second email only with the text “did you get it?”. Hopefully that one with few text gets through. If you did not get my long letter than I try to send it another way. But you really should set your filter so you get all my emails. Maybe you are paranoid and have all your spam and protection settings on maximum security, but you can train these things and tell them that certain sites are okay. For example, my travel stories. They are definitely safe and I know a lot about computers.

Jake bylo tree planting? Mam tu od tebe dva kratke emaily, ten jeden jsi napsal uz snad z Londyna, nekdy v srpnu, ze jsi na ceste zpet to the island ... Myslela jsem si, ze budes sazet stromky az do konce zari. Vydelal jsi si nejake penize? Psal jsi v tom prvnim kratkem emailu jak tezko si si zvykal na tu praci - to si dovedu predstavit, je to tezka prace. Co ted delas? Nasel jsi si nejakou praci? Jak to vsechno vidis....

I made about 10,500$ over three months and averaged 250$ a day, but I could not get more work and the total earned was kind of low when you consider the plane cost out there and some equipment purchases. Or the fact that I had to stay in hotels sometimes, and other costs. I guess I would need to do it for about five months to make it worthwhile. But hopefully I wouldn’t have to do it again. There are also other jobs I could do in BC. Perhaps I could work hard for many months and save up enough cash to survive comfortably for the rest of the year. I like developing my company and learn a lot while doing it. I’m also looking into other options. Treeplanting is good because it gives me quick survival cash.

Modlim se za Tebe aby jsi byl zdravy a spokojeny a financne nezavisly. Neni to jednoduche, ale jsi jeste mlady, roky pribyvaji a pak je to cim dal tezsi... Dnes ta ekonomicka situace to nedela pro nikoho jednoduche, ani pro nas.

Well, I figured out how to live for 10 bucks a day. I don’t pay rent, or electricity in my caravan (because I have solar panels), yet many people seem to look at me like I would be better of in Prague, paying 14,000Kc a month for rent and all sorts of other costs, with friends constantly tempting me to go out for beer. I have become quite more productive while on the road, because there isn’t that much to do. But I enjoy being more productive, and having low costs. I’ve had enough of Prague and I generally love being on some lovely beach. I work much more, and then I go for a barefoot job and a swim, then continue to work. There is nothing wrong with that and it seems quite sensible to me.

later

> Ozvi se mi, modlim se, xxoo Liba

----------------------------------------

yah, I know. I've talked with friends about this. One stopped drinking totally, but says that after a year he doesn't feel any smarter. It is an age thing mostly, although drinking can certainly affect things for the worse. I've generally slowed down and just stick to moderate amounts of beer. But life is life and more enjoyable than being worried about being a little bit stupider. We kill a hundred thousand brain cells just by sneezing. Did a research and smoking dope has no long term affects on cognitive ability, although the affects alcohol consumption can be compounded over time. The acceptable drug of the masses, like cigarettes, which is more addictive than heroin. One of the reasons why smoking dope may be illegal is that it makes you think, and question authority. Apparently in Maine US or something like that you can be charged with conspiracy against the government if caught high on LSD.

good luck anyway, and I mean it a kind way. Have some fun at the same time, do not drink much it destroys the brain. I took up french again after 35 years. Well what I start to remember from before comes to me but what is new to me today I will forget by tomorrow. Now I understand Ciki when she complains she doesn't know in the morning what she read the previous evening. And she dos not drink now at all and before, well, she did maybe like me. The age is stupid and it shows. So take it easy with drinks so you can keep your brain little longer :):):) talk to you after a week. going to bed now but will check the machine tomorrow.

-----------------------------------------

I hope you have more dreams like that!!! I would defend you in real as well you know. BTW, i sent you halloween card but it bounced back again, i guess it is because i sent i from my yahoo account? anyway, today is your name day according to czech Republic calendar...SO HAPPY NAMEDAY!!!! do you still have the visiter around there? and anyway, whats NEW?!! Will write more soon, promise. Kisses, bananKa

Thanks my favourite banana! Didn't even know it was my nameday. Guess I'll have to find some online calendar thing to remind me of these things, cause all my harddrive keeps frying and I lose all this information. I think your birthday was a month before mine or something like that? Do you use some online calendar service?

Friend is still here and we have reached a remarkable and peaceful symbiosis, playing tennis every day and drinking only a couple of beers, playing chess on the beach and stuff like that. So it's been rather pleasant and enjoyable.

For your Yahoo address, did you get a challenge message asking you to go to some website and verify you are a real person and not spam? That would add your address to my whitelist, otherwise if you tell me your address, I can just send an email to it and that apparently adds it to my whitelist.

Have a good one, and thanks for defending me! Actually, after I got tired about 4:30 in the morning I went back to sleep and was setting my mind to have nice dreams with you again. But the next time they were slightly on the weird side, although still innocent of course! Have a good one banana!

> hi my favourite banana,

> just woke up from a beautiful and innocent dream with you where

> everyone was

> crapping on me but you were the only one defending me. I'm still all

> fuzzy

> with

> happy feelings. Thanks for saving me banana!

-------------------------------------

That’s pretty funny and well articulated. I’m surprised Vladimir got a heart attack before she did, but I guess this all makes sense because of his short temper, quickness to explode, and be angry at every dog damn pichovina. So they are doing this to themselves. I’ve said it many times to her. Or like when I mentioned to both of them once, “Why are you working? It is so that you can spend your earnings and enjoy it, no?” Referring to how they seem to work like dogs, first and foremost, like from some childhood indoctrination that is so sacred one should never even consider questioning it. Like the majority of this planet it seems, who rush into the rat race and buy garbage in between as if they were under a hypnotic spell and are simply too rushed or busy escaping their own thoughts and feelings that they would take a moment on the tram to reflect on their entire life. And their response to my simple question was that they simultaneously rolled their eyes and said, “Yes, we know your theories.” I mean, this is so basic, it had to confound me that someone wouldn’t see its blatant simplicity. But since then I’ve grown to understand that so many people are just too scared to reflect on their lives. They buy certain name brands out of the fear that they might not be accepted in their work/social group. They work hard to get a bigger house than the Jones’s for the same reason. All their actions and entire life is practically based on fear, including the prospect of self-reflection, lest they realize what an utter farce and waste of time their entire life is. How horrific it must be when these people lie on their death bed and finally realize the stupidity of it all, realise that it is too late to do anything about it now, and only regret that they had not come to their senses earlier. How they live their life over entirely differently if they only good. So now they just lie their in fear and trepidation before they will have to stand before God.

Oh, by the way, mom forwarded you a request I made to her. Reminds me of all those times you don’t understand my emails and call me a stoner. My emails seem to make total sense to me and I think you must just read them fast, or cant be bothered to figure them out. What do you want, point form explanations for like a kindergarten kid?

She told me she sent you an email last night when she couldn't sleep so you probably know all this now but I'll send to you as well. She went to Dominican Republic for a week last week, it was really for Vladimir's birthday. They got some super deal I don't know. Anyways she came back mid-afternoon Friday, called me. I was out having lunch, had had a pretty crazy week and didn't feel like talking to ANYBODY. Took a bath. She called again in the evening, I don't answer my phone in the evening because it is always charities or sales people. Saturday morning I went straight to get a blood test (just a simple thing for thyroid my doctor thought might be good) because you can't eat or drink before. Then I went for my coffee. I got home at just before 11:00 and there were two more messages from her. Each more frantic than the last, finally her saying, all winded, "I'm coming there! this is crazy. "I called her back they were like three block away. I told her not to be a freak. She came here, met me at the side of the house practically decomposing, all teary and gasping for breath, "don't do this to me *sob* " grabbed on to me in a big hug like I had just come back from a year away. I just chuckled at her dramatics, then said, "You need to examine why you are so insane about this." "yeah yeah yeah" she said. Then she said she wants Marie's number! I said "No Way!" The last thing Marie needs, while trying to be in three places at once driving those boys all over to extra school lessons and sports is my mum calling all weird and freaked out, "have you seen my daughter I haven't heard from her since yesterday!" I mean really. What if one of the boys answered the phone, they'd might get scared. Anyways I think the whole thing is symptomatic of what you and I were talking about, how there is so much dwelling in her psyche she doesn't even have perspective anymore. I said, "What the hell is the matter with you?? I didn't go away anywhere, what reason do you have for this exaggerated worry??" She knew I was going to ask and was ready, "Well the one time you moved and hurt your back and couldn't get up for three days . . . " and some other time I was sick and couldn't even go to Safeway to get juice so I called her. Remind me not to do that again!! I said, "Even if I had hurt my back again, it's no reason to get so agitated." she just "Pfft." her usual dismissive motion. Part of it I know is panic of losing Jana, to mum Jana is the last touch with her childhood past, the good times when her dad was alive and they were stinking rich. the motivation behind all this constant effort to get back into a position like that, or at least LOOK like they are in a position like that. So she has given notice on the apartment, will store everything in the garage at the site, booked a ticket to Prague for Dec. 13 for three months. To 'save money'. Of course, she was having a pedicure at the moment she was telling me all this! It's so perverse, and she doesn't even realize it. I kind of have to laugh, you know? I think out of everyone you understand that the most. She said she will go see Jana during the time they are in Prague, which I think is very good. I know mum doesn't want to go to Prague now, or for that long, but I actually think it will be better to be away from here with all the "work", just running around really, and being confronted with the missed opportunities, and having to face the fact that really they should just retire and chill the freak out. anyways, it's Remembrance Day, exactly 11:00am here so I am having my moment of silence. later,

October 1, 2008

2008-10-01T02:24:00.000-07:00

well, got my first translation job back. Actually, a few days before that I was offered 16 pages, which would have almost paid for an entire month of expensive, but because my pocket pc is still broken (thank you Ruskin) I could not respond to my email fast enough and they ended up giving it to someone else. But my friend here gave me his old phone, through which I can also email and even hook up my computer to the internet, so I will spend today setting that up and hopefully soon fully back on track. Then I will send an email to the Texas woman telling her I am available to take work from her as well. In the meantime I decided to throw 30 bucks at google for one month and sees if that leads to something. My ads will now show up in the US next to searches like "Czech to English translations" and "Czech to English translator". So far about 20 people actually clicked on my webpage because of this, which cost me about 4.5$, but still nothing, boohoo. Speaking of google money, such ads on my own site have now brought me earning of 170$, so that could come in handy one day. Still only revenues of about a dollar a day, but that's 360$ a year and better than nothing. Hoping that will increase over time, but the point is, it doesn't really cost me any work and just keeps accumulating.

Found some new sites where to look for Czech to English translation work, and responded to one ad on a major site, which ended up giving me the last work. Rather a hell job and attaching it for your interest. But it's an Indian translation agency, so hopefully I'll get paid for that. About one day's work and should be enough to cover more than half a month of costs.

On another front, my treeplanting boss is holding onto 1200$, so I am trying to muscle that money out of him.

And still on another front, my friend here says there are lots of jobs he could find me, and one in particular (plan to apply on Monday), apparently I just sit there and do practically nothing all day, and make about a 900 dollars a month. If that is the case I can keep working on kenax while at work. That will probably have to be the condition of employment for me and will have to think about that. But even at such a low wage, I should be able to pay off some debts over the winter and save up for another plane ticket to hopefully put in a longer season next summer. Already emailing with some treeplanting companies. But I'd prefer to make much more than that over the winter, and not even have to go back treeplanting, although I'm already forgetting what a brutal job it was and remembering some nice moments.

Oh, finally put up my first draft website for treeplanting at http://hardcoretreeplanters.com/, if you'd like to check out some of the pics. Put up my treeplanting accounting software there as well, if you'd like to give me your opinion about that setup. Tried to make it as easy to understand as possible.

Well, off to see if I can get email now on my mobile.

-------------------------

> I understand what you do is very difficult and I believe it could be usefull. However it wasn't at the time. You did miss May 16th on the cheques which meant I had to pay a huge bill in august with the letter to everyone. you also missed Carlie.

Well, there was a lot of things going around, I thought back on this, and in my murky memory I thought you asked me not to deal with her at that time. Not sure. I remember erasing my data from the table you wanted to send to your accountant, and I think that perhaps you said you will deal with Carlie's, so I erased her name from the table as well. In her case it was a simple matter of adding up the number of days times 300 or whatever. Perhaps the same as Jim's. But I'm sure I didn't erase her name from the table on my own initiative alone.

A lot of things were happening in the shuffle and I never really felt I was "your accountant", to take things fully by the horns, so to speak. You never really paid for any of my time, when I offered to give you a 30 minute presentation how the Access works you always seemed to make an expression like you have a million other things you need to do and really would rather not deal with it. When I asked for the records of who you gave advances to etc., so that I could finalise the Access accounting so that you could compare the output against what you have in Excel, you seemed quite disinterested and didn't even respond to me. That night when you asked me to take the bull by the horns more and help Carlie with the accounting, it seemed to me she had it roughly under control and I didn't want to be belligerent on top of her work. That day when I was working on the block in the truck on the computer, I saw where many of the holes were. What needed to be done is to point out those holes so that the foremen could look in their notes or whatever and complete the tallies. Carlie was saying the same thing. I've been reflecting on this and I guess one of the problems is that I have spent the last 15 years working by myself and communicating to people through email alone. Promising when to deliver something, getting it done (in turn telling people what to do, through email), checking the work, and delivering it. I am simply not used to being in an "office environment" where I have to deal with multiple people on the spot, and the dynamics of it. So I grew to realize over the summer that, if I were to be working in such an environment again, I have to learn to be more assertive and take the bull by the horns more. Furthermore, I like Carlie and I felt I would be trodding all over her work, and making her look bad. Which is why I left that night, and she told me later that everything turned out good.

Perhaps it is the same with whatever I did on your accounting. I should have pushed myself more, and maybe been more in your face about it. I generally do not like being in people's faces at all. Or for example, when I was roomies with Jim on that four day contract with him, he was ready to write down his tallies, right next to me as I had my laptop open. He asked about it and I said, "Sure, all the tallies can be punched into the computer no problem." His eyes kind of wandered around the room a bit, then he proceeded to write down the tallies on paper. Perhaps instead I should have said, "Yes Jim, let me punch the figures for you in the computer, right here, right now." Seems that perhaps our boats have been grazing each other all summer but never really connecting, and I guess I have to learn to get more assertive in an "office environment" or something.

Nevertheless, I guess it is all water under the bridge now and I have to chalk it up as a learning experience.

Since I don't like wasting my efforts, I'm willing to help you transfer to Access, as I truly feel it will save you a lot of work. And as I said at the start of the summer, I've been wanting to move in this logistics consultation direction for many years, so learning how to deal with customers on this level is important to me. Already one of the treeplanting companies I approached complimented me on my software, saying they use PlantWizard and have grown accustomed to it, but after looking through my website re my accounting software, he said it looks like I single handedly put together pretty much the same package, by myself, over a summer while treeplanting, what the PlantWizard team of programmers has put together over several years. I am just citing what he told me and haven't had a chance to look at their software yet, but from a logistics point of view, it all gets down to only a few simple points: how much work does it take to punch in the data, and what output and results will the software generate. My system outputs everything I thought would be useful (and more can be easily added, depending on what people tell me they need), and you cannot save more time punching tallies than the system I devised, lest they have computers which can read your mind and do that for you.

What concerns the below, well, I'll just blow it off. I was told that, with income of only 10,000$ a year, I wouldn't have to pay any taxes. The rest of the year I'm surviving off a string budget of 10$ a day, not having any rent, electricity or other such bills to pay. I've had a recent string of bad luck with the occasional customer who has not paid me, and I haven't been earning much over the past two years, which is why I was forced to go treeplanting. So even if I added my income for the rest of the year, not sure I would have to pay much. But what I make outside of Canada I consider my business. I also have Czech citizenship and I'm not a fan of big brother and every government needing to know what I do in other countries etc. So I'd like to leave Canadian taxes separate, for when I occasionally go back there and work.

I don't believe I ever asked you to pay me under the table. I was suggesting an invoice, as I have a legitimate business in the Czech Republic. It is no strange thing to outsource one's work overseas. It is the way of globalization and an absolutely normal affair. I did afterall do some work for you (the accounting), so there is some legitimate justification for this. But towards the very end of the summer you said that you cannot justify more than 2500$ on invoice, being the small company that you are. I said fine, and indicated that we can pump the rest through Revenue Canada. I never once anticipated that you would pay me under the table and that some percentage of my pay would go towards your corporate taxes. I very well understand this concept and the problematics of paying someone under the table, which would increase your profits and hence taxable income, since you cannot write off the legitimate expense. That is why I never dreamed of asking this of you. I did not consider issuing you an invoice for webwork as a risk to you, but if you felt uncomfortable about that, I would have just done it through Revenue Canada. It's just that I had no time once getting off the plane to research my situation (having been gone from Canada so long etc.), so I was simply looking for alternative options.

> I don't pay anybody elses tax. nobody pays my taxes. I truely don't understand why I'd pay your tax upon doing you a favor, paying you off the books, as you asked of me.

Concerning "You did miss May 16th on the cheques which meant I had to pay a huge bill in august with the letter to everyone", I have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. Perhaps this is an indication of where our boats grazed but missed each other. I never felt you gave me an official position, you never paid me for anything, I didn't get cooperation from you, I guess I should have been more assertive, and perhaps you should have been more assertive and talked to me in 1s and 0s what exactly I was supposed to do.

Anyway, hope you don't have any hard feelings because of all this. I was rather depressed the entire summer, having to go back to grunt work in such a late point in my life. Perhaps another reason why I didn't take things by the bull more, who knows. Over the past decade I've made some good cash, my best being 100,000USD of profits in one month for a large translation project I did for Dupont, and my system is much better developed now than it was back then. So I see there is good potential for me. Now just to pull my head out of my arse and hopefully make something out of my life. later

------------------------

Treeplanting,huh? Saving the planet? :) ( I guess I am only eating meat very rarely, not printing emails and going to work by mass transportation means..:P)

yes, treeplanting was fun. You can check out some pictures at http://hardcoretreeplanters.com/ if you like, a website I put together myself and through which I hope to make some money. I'm pretty green as well. I do all my reading on the laptop and don't think I use any paper at all, solar electricity, laundry using sea water in a bucket with a bit of shampoo... But I guess the diesel is the last problem, although they say my old caravan truck can handle frenchfrie grease. Will have to research that first.

Thanks for the bank tip and will check it out.

Concerning the server thing, I guess the only thing I can think of import is the email addresses you collected, such as of the Chinese companies.

Have a good time in Hungary. If you ever go up to Prague, which I'd say might be the world's most beautiful city, I can hook you up with my friends.

Well, I am not too good about banks, but I do know that OTP Bank does accept opening accounts, etc with a passport. Actually I know this because I found a job in Budapest and I am moving there and was also looking for a bank that does not complicate my life too much.This OTP is a Hungarian bank, I know it is present in Hungary and Romania, I do not know about Czech Republic. But after all Budapest is close to Prague :) About your server, well, first of all, I am very sorry for it, but what exactly emails you need? I know I sent them from the gmail address so should be here in the Sent folder somewhere, I can look for them.

my bank ebanka.cz was bought out by Refeisen, they did a lot of changes while I was gone treeplanting to Canada for the past three months, failed to inform me of them because they were sending their emails from a new email address, which did not get through my spamguard and they did not respond to my automatic spamguard challenges, so I was not able to make their requested changes and now they closed my bank account. But that is probably good, because I realised their higher charges now add up to 20$ a month, which I consider quite ridiculous for someone to hold onto my money. Do you know of any banks in Rumania or elsewhere in Europe where I can open a bank account online using my Canadian passport? I just need a basic (and preferably inexpensive) service through which I can login online to send money to translators within Europe and other parts of the world. How are things going with you?

---------------------------

> nice to hear from you and even nicer to hear that you plant trees in Canada. Hope you will carry on with this noble activity in Europe.

thanks for the tip. Tried Mbank already but I have to have a residence in the country. Will keep trying.

I'm still in Cyprus so will not be able to join you for beers, boohoo.

Have a good one,

There has been a quite a large advertisement campaign for Mbank, www.mbank.sk or www.mbank.cz, keeping accounts free of charge and providing some very nice services such as withdrawal with the credit card abroad free of charge also. And it is a subsidiary of Commerzbank, which should be a sort of solid German bank. I know that this MBank was waiting to their international SWIFT code a couple of months ago, but I think they already have it and they should be fully operational. I have no idea as to the formalities of opening an account with them. I do think they are too selective when it comes to passports. I use tatrabanka, www.tatrabanka.sk which is a subsidiary of Reiffeisen in Slovakia, it is good but quite expensive too. I am in Prague now, until the end of October or November, than going to Brussels. If you show up in the meantime, I'd like to invite you for a beer and have some real chat with you. Hope to see you soon,

-----------------------------

> You hankering down for the winter, or what? Work? Hobby?

Cool tips below and wish I had money to burn to play in the stock market and all that. Put some of my economics education to use, but I find it interesting anyway.

Back on the island and aggressively looking for work. After slamming all those trees into the ground had plenty of time to reflect on things and decided to be more practical about my approach to getting customers. But building on my previous work and trying to tie it all together, so hopefully something will work out. About a month left of decent weather and then "winter" starts creeping in. Ol' Jimbo coming down for a month visit. Hope we don't kill each other. Owe him the favour since he lent me planefare to get out planting. If things don't pan out after a month may start to look for manual work or something on the south side. Need to save up for another plane fare for hopefully a longer season of planting, perhaps five months, so that I can save something. But would rather avoid all that and become successful at this. Crossin my fingers. If I get enough work but not too much, some construction work for you sounds like a great way to keep the circulation going. :0)

Ok, so you're catching up.. the USD ANd GBP have been overvalued for years, so they're only getting what they deserve! and it's gonna get worse. The days of US influence are waning, and world is going to be calling in all those debts over the next few years. Mr Bush and his invasion of Afghan/Iraq/Pakistan have driven confidence in US policy to an all-time low, from which it will not recover. as far as buyers market is concerned.. if you want to buy into US housing and take a huge risk, now could be exciting... BUT When there is a crunch, the realists sell up and get out; others hang on and see what happens... its when this latter bunch start to chicken out that you get the real bargains.. i reckon next year will be interesting! You hankering down for the winter, or what? Work? Hobby?

been catching up on news after being in the bush for the summer and find this credit crunch rather interesting. Gather you would have considered that right about now it might be a good buyers market out there, if you have spare cash?

good to hear you back in the real world and found the bus intact, i guess! Here in Bulgaria mountains it never really gets too hot, and nature is supreme, so think you would like it.. Bear it in mind for next year coz i hate to think of a crazy mind like yours stuck into tree planting when i have lots of real constructive stuff to do! At least it's not too far away if you want to give it a go. Will probably kick off about March, depending on the weather. Have also got winter work going on in the Greek island of Thasos, which is about 100kms due south of here, but much warmer of course Have good winter but HOPEFULLY now have a small team up and running and the work is moving!

well, finally back on my island and slowly getting set up again. My nephew broke my fancy mobile phone and now I'm a bit screwed with work, since I cannot check my email regularly and other things. But hooked up the fancy antenna and was surprised to find that I can actually catch several wifi connections right on the beach. So will have to research that and see if I can set up an account with one of them. Have a new strategy to help me find work, so hopefully that will pan out. If things go moderately well, perhaps I could drive up next summer and help you with construction. Either for free or sustenance survival, depending on how much work I will have at that point. But this Canadian blood cant handle much above 33C. How's the weather up there during the summer? Or perhaps I could help out when the temperature is something I can handle? Will keep in touch. Not sure if I would want too much more of this treeplanting work, and if so, would need to put in a longer season than only three months. Your shag stories were funny. You're a regular writer! If you need to promote some website, you might consider starting a blog and use the text to link to your sites. I use all my old outgoing emails for that. Some anonymous google blog account which links to my various pages from key words. People don't even have to read it for positive results, but definitely helps if it is interesting. No links back to the blog, so that none of your friends could find out your deep dark secrets, heh heh. laterbro

September 03, 2008

2008-09-11T05:51:00.000-07:00

September 03, 2008

well, at least hopefully one smarter idea occurred to me. Occasionally locals would ask me what I do for a job. Often the police. I would always say translations. But whenever I may have accidentally said "computers", their ears would always perk. So from now on I'm just going to say computers and web design, and say I'm looking for work. My wage can always adjust according to the local rate, because the cost of living there adjusts with it. After spending hours trying to teach the simplest thing to Jana, or setting up Simona's home entertainment system, hooked up to her stereo and everything, I realised that most people simply are clueless about these technical things and I can branch out anywhere with these skills. And while helping them, I can give them a salespitch of all the other things I do, such as the webdesign. And try to spread my name locally. I did this yesterday to a local place where they will be fixing my phones. The guy wants to meet sometime. He was asking about hacking into some systems. I don't know that area, but I know people who do. So with my resource of dudes I can pretty well do anything relating to the computer. Once my phone is fixed I'll send him an sms and see where that takes me. But most importantly is to learn how to be more assertive and forward, and mention these things to people I meet. Being used to working behind the computer so much, I've become a bit meek and passive in this area. But after a summer of treeplanting and dealing with people directly, I learned that I must be more assertive if I want to become more successful among a group or when dealing with people face to face. Things are going rather interestingly on the webfront as well. If you like you can check out
czech to english translator
It is my seo big push to get high on google in searches for "Czech to English translations" or "translator" at end. I will also do the same for its equivalent Czech version, for the Czech Republic market. If I can succeed in that I can start doing the same for all the other world languages. Hopefully I'll have uploaded the latest update, which I spent writing last night. There should be a lot of text on the bottom. Half of it I wrote and the other half I found on the internet but reworded it the best I could.

Hey, do you happen to have my last mobile number in Prague, the one I had there over Christmas? I need it to promote the site (register a local number with google - important for searches). latero

Sept 6

Good website. But some paragraphs are too long continuous blocks of text. Split them up into smaller blocks with some empty lines between. If you're going to be doing more websites you might consider learning css style sheets as it makes the site easier to format and manage and looks better too.

Yah, I know all that stuff, and I have Dreamweaver too. What I usually do is write down all my thoughts, often in a stream, then proofread it (unfortunately a lot of my work on the text, including a good thorough proofread, got lost when my harddrive burned out recently), then I copy it from Word into Frontpage for dummies, and eventually might move to css. I can work fast with Frontpage and I usually end up doing the prettying later in the future, if I feel there is a need for it. Right now I'm most concerned about the text and getting to the top of google. It's good to work on pages from time to time, because the search engines like pages which update often. Recently I added a bunch of pictures, if you'd like to look at it again. But I realise there is still a lot of work to do on it. I have to rewrite a lot of text which was lost, the the thorough proofread, then interlink to the various terms etc., and then I will need the css for the little explanation boxes which I want to pop up next to certain words, when defining them. Mostly the text is getting to the top of google and its purpose is to sell the treeplanting accounting software, maybe to sell some advertising space for treeplanting shovels etc. So its those pages I want to focus on more and the first two is more like front text to get to the top of google. I'm busy enough with different work to wrap my life around training rookie treeplanters, but I do intend to continue working on the site over time.

Anyway, I went to that Eltek shop today finally. The guy said they're working on putting the correct CPU in the laptop. It should be ready in about a week. I'll check with them periodically and will let you know what's happening.

That's sort of a problem, because I just wanted to get an estimate and then work out a battle plan based on my budget. Still waiting for the last cheque, so about a quarter what I earned this summer, and it seems half of that will go to taxes and I will not get the rest until spring of next year. I have to be careful and I am busy looking for work. Right now I am focusing on my Czech to English translation page and I have some excellent new strategies. For example, intend to set up my own wiki page and become one of their translators. Can't imagine much demand, but the link back to my page should be very good. I've also started experimenting with adwords. If the laptop costs around 250 bucks to fix, like he said, I think I can scrape that together and pay you by PayPal. Then we can talk about the possibility of sending it here, although I'm a bit skeptical about that.

Other than that work is crazy right now and summer is just a distant memory. But I HAVE A PLAN! Hehe, not really, but I've pretty much made a decision not to travel to Europe this year and instead go on a tropical all inclusive vacation somewhere in Mexico or around there for about a week. I figure sometime in later November.

Benito goes there every winter, over the winter. Want me to hook you up with him? You can go to La Vente, where I stayed. Really nice place, lots of English speakers, southern tip of Baha, best windsurfing in the world during the winters. Nice relaxed place. Can get wild and potentially dangerous in places on the mainland.

And then if everything goes well I'll go visit family in Czech Republic next year. I hope you can come treeplanting again next year. But come earlier, like in February so you get to do the coastal planting and then have a break in summer so I have a buddy to go play chess with on the beach.

Yah, plan to communicate with treeplanting companies over the winter about that, while I also try to sell them my accounting software. Have a bunch of friends who might like to try planting with me, so would want to find a good company which could absorb my "zoo crew".

> Hopefully next week I'll have some time to start with the email chess.

Chess was fun and Keta indicated that I may have caught some of the best of Vancouver weather. Caught some good stuff in London as well, and now the best of Cyprus, during September and October. Precisely according to my plan when I left Prague! Had enough of shitty and cold weather.

Have a good one bud!

September 6, 2008

> Still here!
> You around?

Nope. Was there for a month and a half over Christmas cause my mommy wanted to see me and forked up the cash for the plane ticket, but pretty well done with Prague and any cold weather. And stinky inversions and car exhaust. Want to treat myself for the second half of my life and feel I worked hard enough for the first half.

While in Prague I ran into a hasher, who usually has a cheery and amiable reaction to me whenever we meet, but her reaction this time was substantially different, and I could think of only one reason why that would be. One of the reasons why I was glad to leave Prague was because of all the horrid and incestuous gossip. I like to have honest and open relationships with people in my life. I always felt I treated you fairly and honestly. One thing which bothers me about gossip is that many people are too cowardly to confront someone with a problem and instead prefer to confide in their suspicions and just badmouth them to everyone. I know it doesn’t make too much sense to confront you with this, since I’m not in Prague any more, but if I do choose to harbour suspicions, I want to make sure I’m correct about them. If I’m wrong, I apologise, but at least I confronted you about it and know I’m wrong.

The only reason why I thought she would treat me differently was if you forwarded, either verbally or by email, my suggestions to improve the Prague hash. I realize I may have ranted a bit, but that could have been a product of my growing disgust with the Prague scene in general, and the way the Prague hash was moving. You yourself noticed how much it can be when you visited another hash. I visited a few hashes and they were certainly a lot more fun. One great hasher who has traveled the world pegged Prague’s hash by far as the most boring. But none of my comments were directed at the people personally. I went to the hashes because I like the people, otherwise I really do not need to waste my time. I can and did jog regularly by myself. Actually, I don’t have a problem with ANYone on the hash. As a GM you should respect such suggestions as confidential. I did not like how you did not forward my invitation to my going away party (twice). I see the useless crap you invested your time to forward, and it seemed that you judged in your mind that none of the hash would be interested. Or you like to play elite and god or something. I think there were definitely a few hashers who would have liked to see me before I left. A good GM should not play elitist like this.

But if you forwarded my suggestions and made it look like I personally had something against the hashers, on a personal level, that would be an ultra wanker thing to do and I would take great offence at that. If you did something like that, I think you owe me a favour and go back to all those people and reverse it. I have decided in this later part of my life not to tolerate certain things. If I have a problem with someone I can go up to them and say it myself. If you did not do something like that, again, I apologise, but I do not understand why she would treat me so much differently. It is scarring my relationship with others and a despicable thing to do, if you did it. I believe I have always treated everyone on the hash with respect, as with everyone in Prague in general, but it seems that these little badmouth leaks get out, circulate a bit, people start hearing it from several sources, and soon enough everyone accepts it as fact. Prague has changed significantly since I first moved there. I used to try and maintain my good and cheery disposition, but recently decided I am not going to sit idle while my reputation is scarred unjustifiably like this. It is a lot of harm to my relationship with people, and you would only stand to make yourself look good for about one minute’s worth of conversation. A big price to pay. Yes, I was ranting, but I also wanted to improve the hash. I’ve been trying to do that for many years. I’d invite friends and they’d never come back after listening to Skodovka and Bouncing Czech argue bitterly over some senseless administration point. Like some power struggle in a kindergarden school yard. Childish and totally sours the experience for new people, and not what the hash should be at all. But this does not at all imply that I do not like or care about either of them. I do like them, and enjoy their company. So rather than these suspiciouns just percolate in my head, I want to find out the truth. And no need to not tell me the truth in fear of some retribution. Perhaps this is a dead issue and I shouldn’t bother about it, but the thought does bother me from time to time. Either I will be proven wrong, or you will do justice and reverse the ugly slander which has served to harm my relationship with certain people. Even though I am not there anymore. But I imagine I will be passing through Prague from time to time. I had a nice time there with my friends. Laterdude

September 07

hey dude,

how's it hangin? Getting back into my routine and waiting for my last cheque. At present I'm surviving on 300$ and working hard looking for work. In the meantime, long story, but ebanka switched over to Reiffeisen, my account number changed because someone in the obviously more important Austrian or whatever circles had the same number as me, so as compensation they promised that they would not charge me for their services for a period of one year. I went treeplanting but this turned out not to be correct. Came back with a minus balance of 1600$. Perhaps I overwithdrew while trying to get to Canada. They sent me emails informing me, but since they changed to @rb.cz, that domain was not in my list of approved senders, in which case my email spamguard blocked it and sent the standard automatic response asking them to go to a certain webpage and punch in some visible numbers to prove they are human and not some spam robot. This text is in English, and obviously it was ignored, so the letter did not get through to me, as I could have tried to resolve this while planting, somehow. Their three months limit is up and they closed my corporate account. I was talking to them on the phone trying to resolve it, but apparently too late. But I think they did me a favour, because I realised that their new price of 330 Kc a month works out to about 20 bucks, at the current exchange rate, which is highway robber and totally ridiculous. Hence I no longer have a Czech bank account, and don't really care anyway. The nation is apparently near the top of the world in terms of expensive bank fees, and I have generally been pulling out all my services from the country.

So, to make a long story try to be shorter, I'm still conscious of my debt to you and working on it, but in the meantime perhaps we can discuss some other form of payment. One is by cheque from Bank of America, but this will be more labour intensive for the both of us, not to mention that it would probably take about 6 weeks for the funds to get through once you receive the cheque by post. Then there is PayPal.com and Moneybookers.com, both of which are now hooked up to the Czech Republic. I think Moneybookers will be better for you, because PayPal has fairly high fees when transferring cash overseas, as my PayPal account is located in the US.

Anyway, just wanted to touch base with you. Have a good one,

Sept 8

This is it...studying again after long and short summer. These "eternal studies" make me laugh...I guess you share the same feeling? I mean this: This is my 13. year at the university - those who came in after 2006 have the limit (5 + 2 years)...we earlier types don´t have that limit at all...yet...it´s better to knock the wooden chair.

When I went to university there were people there we'd call "professional students". It's as if they wouldn't want to leave. However, I do have to admit that school was for me one of the most times of my life, and the thought of remaining in the bubble is/was appealing. I could play squash and sports for real cheap, services would be cheap, there would be many young and lively students on campus, including girls, everyone would have a fresh outlook on life, I myself would feel younger, and it was overall fun. And learning things is fun too.

Now I don’t want to cast judgement on you or anything – I’m just speaking my thoughts. But the universe is grand indeed, and the information within it infinite, and during our limited time on this earth we will never have the opportunity to consume all the information. Our intellectual capacity probably wouldn’t even allow it even if we did have the time. So then it becomes an exercise in choosing what information to absorb, and then to apply it, most preferably by doing something that we enjoy. Lest we will face God at the end of our lives, and the heaven’s courts, and the question will resound: What have we accomplished during our lives.

I think it is great that you can milk the government and stay in school, but it seems you are lacking direction. Do you have a clear plan what you want to accomplish with your education? It can be a very comfortable existence in school, away from the harsh world where you have to produce something in exchange for rent money. But if you stay there too long it might become harmful perhaps, because one needs practical experience when building up a career. You can come out of school with 10 doctorates yet still start at the bottom of the totem pole in a company, because the company wants to see HOW you work and what good you can produce for them. The education is just a starting ticket, a diploma piece of paper which gets you into the door at a certain position. But moving up the ladder in your career or within a company depends on your abilities and input, and it is a totally different world than in school. I am not saying this to judge you but these are just thoughts which flow from my head. You can also keep learning WHILE you have a career. Everything I’ve learned on the computer, and I know a LOT, I learned by myself, by reading the help files, surfing the internet, occasionally asking friends and people around me. I have also read about world history over the past few years and am interested in that. So it is important to keep pursuing greater knowledge, but preferably while you are building up something at the same time.

This town - Rovaniemi - is such a funny place...somehow so arctic somehow so normal "town of the south". The services are quite okay but of course we don´t have many things like in Helsinki, our capital...that normal system you know. This is also my 5. year in Rovaniemi after my second coming to here. And I have not been abroad since 2002. Yee...some feelings about these coming years. I can tell you that I have decided to stay here next 2½ years...if everything goes well...and finally become The Master of Arts. We will see what will happen? Yesterday one type became The Doctor of Arts. Here in Finland we have a lot of unemployeed doctors. The lady has however already a job at University of Lapland, my home university, so it´s good for her. The Doctor of Arts is my dream in future. Why? I like that sort of understanding... understanding media, society and so on. But no pressures. Some day in some kingdom?Yes...small steps forward - that´s life.

Well, that’s pretty cool. So I guess you just keep amassing knowledge in university, until one day you are paid to teach what you’ve learned. And stay on campus. University truly was a fun time of my life and I can see the appeal of wanting to stay there. University professors apparently have a pretty cushy life, being paid well, four months off a year, relaxed existence.

I hope you have had a great time wherever you have been. I enjoy relatively myself of being here on The Arctic Circle...actually this circle is 4-5 kilometres to the north from my home...I have been there just once during the years.

I haven’t been earning much for the past two years, but surviving, primarily here on the beach in warm weather, which has long been my dream. After spending the first half of my life in Canada and Prague, I decided I wanted to spend the second half in warm climate. I have grown quite sick of the cold, so it seems we are a bit opposite, aren’t we?! But I would like to accomplish more. It has been rather frustrating. But I have been busy learning and developing things, and praying to be useful, and exploring new possibilities. Hopefully something interesting will happen at some point. Otherwise, the existence is pretty comfortable and I am happy with what I am doing.

Hey, if you have time, perhaps you could check out a new website I made:
treeplanting
After a grueling summer of planting trees in Canada. Ran out of money and needed the cash injection. Still a first draft website and will need to work on it for quite some time, but at least a starting point. I have always romanticized that job, and the people who work in it, although when actually working there I would detest much of my hours labouring. It is mindless and endless work which brutalizes the body, but the nature is nice.

Have a good one bud.

Here "a short glimpse" from Rovaniemi. Have a nice day and starting week! Now to one exhibition in The Arctic Centre (unofficial name) where I am writing this text. Cheers! Your finnish friend, Anssi

Sept 11

just got back from a few days in bulgaria and a weekend of partying :) dont have your old number, the only one i have for you is 194 413. havent been playing too much squash because it would interfere with the nurturing of my beer belly but i do have to get back on the squash bus. i miss it and i miss our afternoon sessions. good times...

Yup, they were fun. One big downside of traveling is that it is more difficult to round up some good 'ol scumbags for volleyball and other sports/social party activities. Although I have hopes of doing something similar:
outdoor parties
unfortunately nothing of the sort has materialised yet. Guess I need to run into the right crowd or something.
Bulgaria sounds fun. I travelled there a few times with an exgirlfriend. A little bit corrupted though, but the chicks can be hot.

how are you doing in your travels? i recently came to the realization of how much prague and prague people suck so im moving to perth at the end of january. you should come visit, you'd like it there :) any plans on a return to prague before the end of the year?

As in Australia? My long term plans including getting onto that 'island', by ferry hopping over the Polynesians etc. Got a few tricky borders to get across first, and earn some gas money. Might have to resort to flying. Got at least one friend there, I think in Sydney.

Prague, yes, it's been turning into an incestuant wankerville over the past few years. One of the reasons why I chose to exit stage left. Needed to get rid of some excess poison. The alcoholic poisoning I could handle, because at least there there were some fringe benefits, but the other not. It would just stay within me, fester and build up, and combined with all dope I think my cheery disposition was waining.

---------

4413 That's the number I have for you and I'd say it's the one you had last year as I've managed to keep the same phone,amazingly,for while now.

Wow, you becoming a responsible geezard or something? Scary thought! Don't give up on thyself, my friend!

I think the only Michael I know is some tall acting dude. Say hi to him if it's not the same guy. Yah, I was slinking around town for a while, with baseball cap. But I was hiding from the authorities, after I had wrestled two cops to the ground on Old Town. Eventually went to pick up my passport and they only charged me a 500 Kc fine for the incident. Thought they were swell chap. Perhaps because I slowed down my sprint enough for the tall skinny one to get close enough to me with his madly flailing baton. Give them some satisfaction, so to speak, to avoid greater problems later. Perhaps such satisfaction was why the fine was so low, after he had publicly "beat" me like that...

What's up with me ? I'm not living with my ex-girlfriend and just stopped being homeless. She did that old trick of kicking me out as I ran out of moey and renewing her relationship with the canadian guy she had an affair with last january, you know the guy she had the abortion with after stealing the money off me to pay for it. Did you know him? His name is michael and used to live here for a while and comes back now and again. He was running scared last time wearing a hoodie and a scarf in summer hah. He also stopped going to Acropolis on sunday because I put it about that I would beat the shit out of him if I saw him. I got him in a way because his holiday couldn't have been made very fun looking over his shoulder for someone he wouldn't even recognise anyway. And the fact that he stopped going to his favourite night out said it all. Still want to kick his arse though. I'm stilll without a passport but I think I'll get it in a month teaching now and other stuff treeplanting sounds like what I need . will think about it. see you for now

--------------

nice. :-) Consider going to Norway or Finland - I was told that it is no problem to find a well-paying job there. I asked about the apple picking - the guy does not want to recommend anyone, he has bad experiences with it. He said you should just go there and if you know how to work, you will easily find something to do and get 1500-2500 € per month.

Like long term or something? I have a friend who lives in Finland, and one in Norway. Perhaps I will approach them for next summer and see if I could wing something. But I imagine the costs could be ridiculous there, such that I wouldn't save so much. Would have to do it during the summer and stay in a tent or something.

As for my debt - where are you now? Still in Canada? I would like to buy a Roland VG-99 ( http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Roland-VG99-VGuitar-Multi -Effects-Processor-System-wGK3-Pickup?sku=150243) and some Joe Barden pickups. Of course, money would be better at the moment because I could invest it, but maybe we could sort it out this way. Let me know.

I'm back on Cyprus and left Canada about a month ago. I have a Czech friend going on tour there soonish and perhaps I could ask him, but he's like the manager as well as guitar slut, and he usually seems too busy to do such extra errands. But I can ask him. We have a mutual guitar playing friend in Toronto as well, so perhaps he could pick it up ahead of time. The Czech guy is quite slow at responding to emails. I think you guys might enjoy jamming with each other one day. He likes to play with his Fatty Lumpkin band occasionally in Cesky Raj, so perhaps you could organise a gig or something for him in Morava, and in that way befriend him and ask him to get the guitar. He should be going to Canada in November I think. He tours occasionally around Europe and I imagine he'd like to play in Moravia. That's where you are, right?

My life is good now, I am a travelling salesman, and so I travel and talk to people about drugs... :-)

Sounds absolutely fantastic. I'm sure you occasionally have to offer some sales samples, and try it out mutually? |-o

Travel log - March 5

2008-03-11T05:13:00.001-07:00

I like your webpage. I am reading it but it takes time! I miss pictures from Cyprus thought!!

That should be on the last chapter in the Navigation page, and when you're at the last chapter, you will find some "gallery" links to lots of pictures. Like Salamis and Gazi Magusa. Those are the main picks of Cyprus. Hope to have a lot more once I put up the next chapter. Cool you are reading it. I'm trying to make the writing more interesting as I go along, as some people have suggested to me. I'm trying to avoid putting a bunch of endless crap on the net, but new content is good for rankings apparently, and I hope that these webpages will help me find co-travellers eventually, because it is much more fun travelling with good people occasionally.

But all in together i like it a lot with all the comments and tips and the pocket mini dictionary, it is nice and funny too. Hey, I didnt go to Greece just yet, I am going April 16th and will stay for a week. I already bought a lonely planet guide to plan my day trips around Athens and so on. Juan will only be free over the weekend so I will explore a bit of acciant Greece on my own. Tomorrow we are going home for Easter. I cant wait. The weather should be nice and so i will work in the garden. About three weeks ago I went to Amsterdam which recall a lot of memories of 'smoking' your weet and burning my longs...every single time, I just cant smoke!o) Anyway I bought a lot of really nice plants for my parents garden at home and just last weekend Juan and I went to Keukenhof which is also in Holland and it is supposed to be the most beautiful spring garden in the world..and it surely is. Well, there i got bulbs of tulips and narcises and other spring flowers so i will really be busy when i get home. Oh, in Amsterdam i bought some weet and brought it with me to Belgium and i have it in my night bed stand and it smells so nice, i like the smell, it is pretty much enough for me... no burned longs!o)

I was told that cat nip was a good thing to put under your pillow and gives you wild dreams. I like the aroma of weed too. If you feel bold, you might try cooking with it. Break it up into small little pieces and simmer it for half an hour in butter, on low heat making sure not to burn the butter. Or I guess you can use any oil. Then cook anything you want with the oil or butter, like chocolate chip cookies. You get a body high and it can be quite powerful. I've never been so stoned before. Cook spaghetti or whatever you want. It may take up to an hour to give effect, but it will last a lot longer, so I'd start eating some Saturday afternoon, rent some movies with Juan, and plan to stay in baked out of your brains for the evening.

Oh, but most of all i want to wish you a Happy Easter!!! Are you going to make the pomlazka and scare the locals?! ... no, I knnow it is not a very good idea... Let me know whats new with you! And take care. xoxoxo)k

I guess you mean that Czech whip to spank girls with? Don't think that bush grows around here, but maybe I could try with olive branches, heh heh. Easter is almost here, which will mark about 40 days since my birthday when I stopped drinking beer or having any cigarettes. Actually, found out recently that my family has heart problems on my mother's side, and that even one cigarette a day can triple the chance of getting a heart attack, so I hope to never have anymore. But I certainly will look forward to a few beers on easter! This fasting period has been my healthiest yet. Need to start looking after my heart more. It's been feeling strange for the past year or more, like skipping beats, and pains. Don't want to flop out before 50 like a lot of my ancestors. That would suck. Still wanna accomplish a lot during my life. take care and thanks for your nice letters! Happy gardening. I miss that stuff, and tree planting in BC.

Actually, they were using the name CZECHVAR here but it was still my Budvar and at the Czech Bar down the street, they are all Czech so they know the temperature it should be at!!! They told me that they may get Krusovice soon, no match for Budvar of course but it will do on a hot day. You can pretty much get Pils. Urkuel anywhere but I never cared for that much. Oh well being engaged has calmed ny party spirit somewhat, plus it is disheartening to pay $12 for smazak and $5 for a pivo. I both love and hate my local Czech bar, it's like I can't step foot in the place without dropping $40. It just doesn't seem right. I spent a summer in Greece on the island Santorini. I can understand why you like thesoutherncimate, it makes everything else bearable. Are you still hashing? I looked it up a few times but the groups here do not seem very accessible. Thanks for George's address. It's good to hear (read) from you. A

Been emailing with some hashers and have a bunch of groups lined up here on Cyprus, but haven't taken advantage of yet, cause I'm still too poor for gas money. Hopefully that will change at some point, cause I definitely wanna cruise the island. Rich in history and nature. But right now I found free internet, am parked right on the beach, and have a pretty good deal set up where I am, although I'm not happy with how much Turks litter. Big incentive for me to go somewhere else, and everyone keeps talking about the north east corner. A peninsula which juts out into the sea, and where the weather is more moderate and beaches and water totally prestine. Sounds right up my alley, and there are a lot of ruins there too, but just a bunch of villages and I think internet will be a problem. Nevertheless, I'll venture there as soon as I get a bit of cash. Heck, would probably only cost me about 600kc in gas money to get there and back, so could even do a week or weekend thing if wanted to. Sure there will be SOME internet, but for now I'm sucking off the local university. Found an excellent parking spot. Gravel crappy and wobbly, made perfect for the blue beast, which can sureptitiously creep up between the bushes and park right next to one of the departments, where I get a nice strong wifi signal and fairly fast internet. So I'm parked there all day, like some junky delivery vehicle, and step out and cruise the campus when I need to take a dump or buy some snacks. Feels like I'm a student again, heh heh. Even walked around campus with a little binder yesterday, and felt like a young student again, with my entire life ahead of me. Was taping up fliers offering free English lessons in exchange for beer and company, so we'll see how that pans out. Been drooling at their sports facilities, with the squash, tennis courts and all that, so when I hook up with some students, will hopefully get in on some sports action, and be able to use their shower facilities as well. You know, my lifestyle probably aint for a lot of people, but it is true that your skin develops a natural healthy layer at some point. Can you believe I´m showering practically once a month?? I think a lot of people would shit in their pants. I have a solar bag, but during the winter there aren´t so many hot and sunny days. It´s kind of a drag, and sometimes I have to mark my calendar based on my internet research of when it will be a sunny day. then I go for a jog and do the duties, but preferably during the week, as I think Turks don´t like their families, wives and children looking at your half naked body. Especially if I wanna wash my balls. Too much information? Anyway, a nice long hot shower would be great. Shit, living at Luzicka for so long, I can´t remember how many times I´ve had a royal hot bath. Miss that. But during the summer I swim in the ocean a lot, and a lot of these beaches have showers. But yes, once a month it seems now, and I really don´t think I smell. But that could be mostly because I don´t eat shit, but clean veggies and extra virgin olive oil. I wash my clothes in the ocean, in a bucket using shampoo, and vinegar to rinse. Been reading all this green instructions on the net and have turned into possibly the most environmentalist in the world, if you ignore the gas. But once they start selling rape seed oil everywhere, like they´re starting in Holland, I will be super green indeed, cause these old trucks can apparently handle that fuel without conversion. This truck is truly amazing indeed. 1988 and old technology of simple parts, which I can practically fix myself, and I have learned a lot over the months. Big strong simple parts that don´t break down, and only need occasional adjusting, if that. Combine that with my solar panels, I´m a totally self sufficient little planet. Have to laugh at my new lifestyle. Maybe I´m a missionary that the greenest Californian would envy. Well, good writin with ya. Drink some juicy beers for me when in Prague. The beer while travelling has not been entirely impressive.

Good Monday ..Morning(here ..afternoon there) Karl, Thanks for your insights once again! This sounds wonderful. If we aren't able to do all of this...... it is great and fun advice for Brian to do later with his friends. ..ESP the canoe and pubs......he would LOVE that!

I got a good female buddy in Prague, the one working at Red Hot with the steaks, who misses me a lot primarily because I'm the only one who would go out of town like this, and she absolutely loves the outdoor grill place. I used to take her around the country and we'd climb cliffs together. The rest of the people in Prague are like vampires, drinking till very late and getting out of bed in the afternoon. I consider it such a sad waste of a sunny weekend. But I understand the mentality. I think for a lot of expats, Prague is an amazing city, lively, where they can smoke dope, drink delicious beer, and I guess they just can't imagine that it would be comparable outside of the city. But I find it better there. The trains are pretty good, but its difficult to find friends to drag out of town and convince them to get up early enough to make it worthwhile. I would often organise bike trips, and even camping bike trips. I've been told that biking in Czech Republic is possibly the best in the world. You can go to a map store and get ShoCart, my favourite map company. Shows where the pubs and restaurants are, and even has the name of the pub. Easy to follow. Czech Republic is entirely forested, preserved over the centuries by the Catholic church, and all through these forests are endless easily marked trails. Great for hiking or walking, but also good for a bike. I got real good at reading the terrain and blazing new trails. And the great satisfaction of stopping at pubs all along the way, especially those by swimming holes. I bought big bike racks for the beast and managed to get little groups with me on the weekends. But I guess now that I'm gone, everyone is back to waking up at four in the afternoon. Horrible.

got prev letters but you such a cosmopolitan so you could have been back for a re-load of drumskins. Anyway skipped Prague after a look see at Montenegro - pretty but Russian ! Happy Camping . How long u stay in Cyprus ??? ANSWER TO X please

Think I've permanently lost my cosmopolitan desires. Prague was fun, but I think I'm done with the city, sophisticated cosmopolitans, and inhaling the crap air. Nice to party with people occasionally, but really don't need them like I use to. I want to accomplish more in my life now, so I'm happy working more. But while travelling I hook up with groups and that is nice. Right now I found free internet at the university, and put some ads up offering free English lessons, in exchange for beers and an opportunity to meet some locals. Hopefully I'll find some people to play squash or tennis with, or other sports. It's a good campus, and I miss my sports, and a decent shower afterwards. Haven't been getting much work, but my costs here are pretty low, so I plan to stay here a longer time until I pay my debts. Gas is expensive, especially in Turkey, the ferry is expensive, and I need to replace my back four tires before heading out on a longer trip, so I have a feeling I'll be here for a year or something. Hopefully I can endure the hot summers. That scares me, but we'll see. I like Montenegro. I hung around Stoliv, my favourite part, for over a month. But then it was getting too cold. Very peaceful there and I like discovering little pockets where I can live for a period of time. Once I start earning enough money again, it will be nice to start driving around, but this island is interesting too, so as soon as I get gas money, I will have a lot of discovering to do just here. How's business with you? I've been doing seo work, my preferred way of hunting customers (would even like to offer it as a service) and am now in the top ten on many important keywords, so I'll keep plugging away at that. take care,

I've heard that Greece has a real party atmosphere. My first wife was from a Greek family and it is true that she was much better at partying than being married. I don't know about the people down there though.

Yah, they seem bigger partiers than the Turks, and I enjoyed their music too. Stumbled in some bar where all the waitresses were Slavik dancers, and made friends with the Slovakian chick. Was a party indeed. Yah, George is apparently in town and moved a little ways from his previous flat. Would like to see the video, but not sure if I'd want a copy. Not much room in this truck and generally I prefer to downscale as much as I can, as I've grown tired of all the luggage I accumulated in Prague and that sort of accumulating lifestyle. Concerning the Greek thing, keep in mind that I'm in Cyprus. The southern half of the island is part of Greece, and in the EU, and the northern part is some sort of Turkish administered entity against which there is a practical embargo. But it makes things nice and cheap for me. Cyprus is practically next to Syria. Would be nice if you came for a visit, but assume it would be too far from you. You'd have to fly or something. But it's all sandy beaches and great temperature, cheap living and good food, if you ever wanna come this far. I'm probably stuck here until I pay all my debts, so it looks like it will become another long term home for me. But so far I'm pretty happy with it. My greatest peeve is the garbage everywhere. When I make some cash I plan to buy a rake and some big garbage bags, and clean up this beach, like I've already done on a few other beaches during my travels. But this one will require more work. Then I'll be the beaches janitor and try to teach these Turks about respect for nature. later dude and say hi to all the folks for me.

Anyway, I ran into Steve and he says that George is back in town? That would be good because I finally finished his wedding video. Your in it too, so you will probably want a copy. The weather hear isn't so great. I would rather be in Taiwan. Maybe I will come to Greece but as it stands we are planning on Italy this year to see Venice before it goes under.

Travel log - February 28

2008-03-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

> I'd like to leave my name out, but let me know how that sounds.

ok dude, just transferred the below text to the new website, except I included the two other languages Monster sent me, Russian and Mexican. I'll get your final confirm before I go live, and still wanna ask some questions maybe, to make sure everything square. Drove to Lanarca yesterday to negotiate a hospital operation and drove by the airport, so l'm looking forward to when you come. By long weekend I guess you're looking at 4 or 5 days? Wanna slowly talk about it, plan, give me time to research, and work out a possible itinerary guideline, or just come and whing it? I can pick up a south cyprus sim card anytime, so we can cruise around the island anywhere. Cost me roughly a quarter tank to get there and back, so I'm guess around a full tank to drive around the perimeter while dotting inland occasionally to check out special sites. So that would be about 2,000 Kc to do the entire island. In the centre of the south there's supposed to be a major mountainous area with skiing all year round, I think. Another option is to make a b-ish line straight to the best beachy area and just hang and relax, or go out of the way a bit and check some sites. Or just plain 'ol whing it. Leave it up to you, navigator!

Kenax served my company well as part of a website expansion initiative into three countries of Eastern Europe. While the project sounded straightforward enough, it was no easy task given the complexity of our technical integration points and this being our first time having organized a relationship with an outside vendor in the Prague office on such a large scale effort. We chose Kenax as a personal reference and as a solid candidate for cost-effective non-legal translations. While our project was not easy, the company proved flexible enough to work in the non-traditional environment we presented them and developed custom tools to improve the process as we went through several iterations. For this reason we chose them and they performed well for the projects we presented them in 2006. Project Director, Monster.com

Sure, I can do that, though you may want to ask Adam for more credibility if you include name so its not obvious your brother is recommending. Let me know and will do it soon. Adam already said he'd write something up and send me a proposal. Maybe you could add your name to it, and some little comments or something, as your position seems juicy sounding now. I don't advertise my name on my website, but I guess it will be obvious once people start emailing with me. But the testimonial is there for the first bait, after which I think they'll either forget, or it shouldn't really matter. Would be cool if we could hook up on this island. Think you'd like it. Can take you to the Greek side and introduce you to my Slovakian chick friend in the bar of hot dancing Balkan girls. laterman

My advice to you is not to spend more than 6 months in the same country... things start getting serious then and once they start checking on you could go rapidly downhill!

Thanks for tips dude. Seems I may be stuck here a while, and hope I can handle the heat in the summer. Perhaps the police wont mind so much if I convince them I have a job from abroad and am only pumping money into their local economy. Although that can be pretty scanty when my income is low. Even managed to find free internet here. Chicks aint hot here either. Maybe its the cold up north that makes 'em hot. Have a good one in Bulg and happy house workin. I've been working a bit on the truck, but these are puney projects compared to yours. latero

No trouble getting your emails now - both boxes identical so guess prob was not with Hotmail... whatever it was, glad you solved it! AM in southern Portugal now, fixin up piece of land I told you about - brilliant weather, food, wine but not women! time to move on back to Bulgaria, I think, but have been holding off because the weather in central Europe has been foul the last week or so. Guess I won't see you there after all.

Sorry for that inconvenience, I was out of Prague for awhile. On the border they never checked that my emissions are updated. They should be nice to you if you explain that you were out of country for long term. In the worst case they might give you notice and will have to come back when you get new emission tests to show them new stamps on your plate. I don't see a big deal with that. Just make sure you have all valid highway stamps in all countries you connected with motorway. Slovakia, CZ for sure.

Thanks for the response bud. Occurred to me that perhaps they don't even do emissions test here, at least in the Turkish northern half, considering the amount of black or grey smoke coming out of a lot of these cars. I guess it being an island, the wind just blows it elsewhere and they aint stressed about it. It's comforting indeed to feel I can just drive around without being stressed about having to come back to CZ every year. Would prefer to just cut the umbilical chord and just float around where I want. But governments can be assholes, things can be dangerous, and the bureaucratic monsters make everyone's dreams harder. But this island is a pretty good place to be stuck. Too bad my income has been so low so long, otherwise I'd like to just drive around and discover this great earth. So don't think I'll be able to visit CZ in the summer, as I hoped. If you ever have yearnings for some beach action, maybe a plane fare won't cost so much and I'll drive ya around. Say hi to all da folks. Have a good one bud.

That is a big deal at the moment. I hope you well you gentleman of fortune. You must be full of stories, looking forward to see you buddy. Drop me a few lines if you need some more questions. Take it easy dude

cau dude, no stress, but if you ever send the CD, let me know when so that I check the post office. Otherwise I generally don't, even though I'm in town every day. Think I might stay on this island a year, since I found free internet, have greatly reduced my costs, and need to pay a lot of debts. Hopefully I can survive the hot summer, but at night it's supposed to stay cool, which is more important. To get to Czech Republic and back would cost me about 50k, since I should also replace the back four tires. And if I did drive up to Czech Republic for the summer, I'd want to make it to Poland too, to avoid the heat, so it doesn't make so much sense to go up there unless I have enough funds to make the trip proper. My two major concerns for making it back was to extend travel insurance, and for smog tests etc. But no one seems to concern themselves with those little bitty stickers on the licence plates, and it may even be okay here. I'd love it if I could just cut the embilical cord and float around the planet where I please. Maybe in five years when the east gets its shit together, internet is more spread, and they're not so anal at the borders. Anyway, Cyprus is a pretty cool island, and its almost as cheap in the northern half as in Czech Republic, so if anyone ever wants to fly down here, I'll show them the island. I can drive to the Greek half any time I want to extend my stay here, so it's pretty choice here, and I'm parked right on the beach. The island has a rich history and tons of ruins, and quite nice nature. Say hi to all the folks!

don't wanna let you down, but then again, I'll let you know the situation now, in case you wanna visit, so that you have time to save up for a plane fair. Not sure if I'll be able to make it to Cz in the summer, like I hoped. My big push to go back was 1) to renew another year of travel insurance, and 2) for smog etc. test, which needs to be performed once a year on a hog like mine over 3.5 tonnes. But I found I can get insurance in other ways, a fudge the situation as I usually do, and what concerns those little bitty stickers on my licence plate... Well, no one ever looks down there, and it's apparently not such a big deal as I thought. The smog tests seem more a European thing, and when I do get back to Czech Republic, I can apparently just tell them I was travelling abroad for a long time, show them my passport as proof, and get it done there through my usual fudge pudge sources. I intend to avoid Europe anyway, as it is more expensive, and they can take my vehicle away on various technicalities. So I'd rather enjoy it before I take that risk, and stay out here in the cheaper east, where people are more relaxed, not so much the sophisticated snobs, and things are cheaper. Here on Cyprus it seems perfect. Not only have I found free internet and drove my costs down quite a bit, and I'm parked right on a beach, but I can drive over to the Greek side to stamp my passport, stay here longer, or if I need to get to "Europe" to buy anything fancy. Or get an operation at the hospital on my Cz/EU health insurance, for example. Only a quarter tank away. So quite ideal actually. The island is rich in history, has tons of ruins, beautiful nature, apparently a mountain in the south which has snow/skiing all year round, and beaches everywhere. I just hope I can handle the 44C heat in the summer, but apparently it remains cool at night, which is more important. I just need to hang low for a while to pay back all my debts. My back tires are getting thin, so they would need replacing, bringing up the total tab, including gas, ferry, and the trip back, to around 50k to get to Cz and back. But while up there I wanted to check out Poland and the cooler summer ocean there, so that would make it more expensive. Hence a major project and can't see things turning around for me any time soon. I'd rather stay low and pay these debts first. But I'm glad I've cut the umbilical cord and don't have to come back to Czech Republic every year, but be able to float around where I want. If the world wasn't so screwed up and internet undeveloped in certain countries, I think I'd just drive to Thailand. But maybe in five years. These poorer countries don't seem so anal about the regulations, although I guess there is still a risk, and I'll be asking around. But I see a lot of cars spewing out the grossest black stench, so I imagine I should be okay. It's almost as cheap on the north, Turkish side of the island as Czech, so if you manage the air fare, your accommodation will be zero and maybe you'll be up for it. Round up some others if you like and we can do the tent spill over thing. I think Lanarca airport might be the best bet, but I have no clue about prices. My Bro said he plans to fly out here soon. How's the plant? Say hi to the folks. Your buddy, C

Please discontinue any search for me for an accommodation during our stay. Martina has come through and we will be staying at her bro's place on Krakovska and be feeding his pet. We will be arriving on May 10th at 10pm, if you are not at the airport to meet us then you can at least show up at MIKEFEST at midnight, right? See you all soon. Am so excited, if you have a wish list of things you can only get here please email me. Ann

Hey gal, looks like I wont be able to make it out to party with ya, as I've finally realised my big dream and am on the road, now here in Cyprus, where I think I'll stay a longer term, because the winters are fine here, I can cross over to the Greek/EU part any time I want to buy something fancy or get a stamp on my passport to extend my stay here, people are here are relaxed, I park right on the beach, found free internet, so my costs are pretty low and will use the opportunity to pay back all my debts. Not to mention that it would cost me about 50k to get to Czech and back, considering the ferry, expensive gas, and because my back tires are getting thin and I'd need to replace all four of them for such a long treck. But if you're up for a bit of beach action, it's a great island with rich history, lots of ruins, nice nature, and the north is cheap like Czech. Have a good on in cz and say hi to all the folks!

That would be cool doin some euro gig is always a good idea I think. Who knows maybe one day I'll do that myself.. well really I plan to get something eventually in Prague. I still think thats the best city there is.

Yah, I think so too, although it seems to have lost a lot of its charm for me. When I first came it was like Paris after WW2, where a lot of people were enthusiastic about the future, and you could find a lot of interesting expats trying entrepreneurial ventures or just there for the adventure, but it has settled down into suburbia a lot and a lot of those who have remained seem to readily resort to gossip, badmouthing others, or just endless political rhetoric in the cafes to make themselves look good. I just got tired of endless chatter over nothing, even if still over a delicious beer. I think I'm done with cities altogether. People a bit too cosmopolitan and sophisticated for my liking, and don't need to inhale the car exhaust either. Think I'd like to spend the latter part of my life in nature and focusing on more productive things than endless parties. But I'd like to pass through Prague every summer and say hi to the ol' folks, and I invite all my friends to hook up with me on a beach if they ever wanna travel. Otherwise I enjoy running into fresh faces and new experiences, or just being productive and doing something useful. Good to hear from ya and take care.

Where are you at these days? I'm back in Prague and I ran into that friend of yours that works at Red Hot and Blues. I forgot her name, anyway, she says that you may be in Greece?

I guess you mean Lili. Right now I'm in Cyrpus and think I'll stay here until I pay off all my debts. Evenings I'm parked on a sandy beach just outa town and during the day I'm parked at the university campus sucking off their free internet. So my costs are pretty low at the moment, and I dig this island, although I hope I'll be able to endure the hot summers. Although I'm told it is still cool at night, which is more important. I figure I can bag the vehicle registration/smog test. Been asking around and doesn't seem such a big deal as I thought. Would be cool if you can come for a visit. There are squash and tennis courts on campus, and today I distributed fliers of free English lessons, so in time I might know a bunch of students and play some games with them or something, or learn where I can sneak for a free shower. Always testing the angles, as you once said. later dude

I'm trying to get a few squash games together but everybody is afraid to play me. Any tennis courts down there? When you planning to register that vehicle of yours?

March 10

2008-03-11T04:47:00.000-07:00

how's it hangin? Hopefully not like a part of me, heh heh. Right now I'm in

Cyprus and think I'll stay here for a while cause I found free internet, my
costs are really low, I can drive over to the Greek side to get a stamp in my
passport, so things are quite good for me now. It should enable me to cruise the
bottom margin with the low costs so that I can slowly pay back all my debts.
Entered my annual fast recently, but this time I combined it with a parasite
killing program. Seemed real effective, except it caused major
diarrhea
and my guts ended up hanging out something fierce. Been in pain for more than a
week and reminded me of Jason at

karoake when he said he could not sit down. Have basically become an expert
in the subject it seems, as I've been struggling with it for years, if Jason
wants so tips. Didn't want to write to his work address with this subject. I
think one problem is if he eats too much meat. Anyway, hope yer all having a
good one. Hope I'll be able to endure the summer heat here. Think I won't be
able to make it back to Cz until next year, considering my continuing financial
circumstances. adio

We are doing ok. I just had my 30th birthday party and it was huge, bands
and djs and everything. I am working at the tiki bar now days and trying to
make things work a little better. After a year aniversary we finaly have one
month of at least knowing how much money we made ( not much,to even do
anything,by the way :-0 ) well sounds like you are having a great
adventure,too bad you wont be here for summer ... you know summer times in
Prague can be fun :-)

I know and I was looking forward to coming, but I'm still too poor, boohoo.
Sorry i missed your bday party. If I didn't follow my

caravan truck dream, I think I would have opened a bar myself, but more for
a hobby. I'd probably work there with my internet and laptop, and watch to make
sure the staff are doing their jobs. Otherwise everyone steals, and I wouldn't
expect to make a profit. But I'd enjoy it, as it's one of my life's dreams. But
glad you guys are surviving and having fun. My internet is free but very slow
and frustrating. Spending all my time looking for customers, but I plan to set
up a blog on myspace to help push up my
web rankings on
some other sites. Well, look forward to talking about bums and asses with Jason,
heh heh. Take careo

i'll mak sure Jason reads your ass story and you guys can share tips....
anyway get myspace since you have free internet a lot of people are on there.

www.myspace.com/takytiki you can register put your
stuff on there and people can keep in touch w you. Have a good summer . Would
be cool if we could visit you or something but just cant promise anything with
my planing skills beeing crap. kiss Stepa

diky za zajimavy email. Mam ty same pocity jako i ty. Kdyz jsem byla
naposledy v Praze, uplne jsem byla v soku z toho life-style. Myslim, ze lidi
tam musej umrit rychleji.

Well, I heard several times that, among EU countries,

Czech Republic has one of the lowest life expectancy. And it makes sense if
you consider their lifestyle, as you pointed out. But healthy eating and healthy
lifestyle is starting to get more popular, as you can notice on the cooking
shows, and I think this wave will eventually take the planet. Could have easily
started in your neck of the woods. After that, I hope a following wave would be
environmental consideration, and a consumerism wave where people will start to
think about the consequences of each thing that they buy. It's important to
think about one's own body, but also of our planet, as there is getting too many
of us and we are destroying it.

Vsichni, absolutne vsichni, kouri cigara, berou sileny mnozstvi
drog,nemluve o alkoholu. Vsimla jsem si, ze vetsina mych pratel uz ma vrasky
kolem oci a na cele, sednou jim vlasy a taky jim ty vlasy ubyvaj. Ja jeste
vypadam docela mlade, rekla bych, ze na less than 25y/o. Vubec uz bys me Kajo
nepoznal.

People still guess me at my early thirties and I always chuckle when they
raise their eyebrows when I tell them my real age. I think the last fast did
some good and next time I'm going to try some before and after pictures, because
it seemed to make my face shinier and cleaner. Wrinkles are still a problem, but
I guess considering that I use no creams or oil (once in a while I get dry and
desperate and smear one some olive oil), I think I'm doing pretty good. By not
being able to recognise you, you mean by the way you look or your new lifestyle?
I'm actually growing to enjoy taking care of my body. Concentrating on my shit
and adjusting my food the next day to produce the perfect crap. A funny but
enjoyable passtime.

Myslim, jak jsem zmenila life-style. Nechlastam (jen nekdy a to trochu, ale
uz neexistuje, abych se vozrala, jak jsem kdysy byla schopna), vubec, ale
VUBEC nekourim cigarety a nesnasim lidi, co je kouri kolem me (jsem velmi
sensitive to its smell) a drogy uz mi taky nic nerikaji. Mozna jednou za mesic
nebo dva se trosku zhulim. Snazim se chodit do posilovny. Je to tezky, protoze
me stale boli ta moje pata (uz to boli pres rok!). Jim ONLY ORGANIC food a
varim kazdy den doma. Mnam mnam mnam. Snazim se jist jednou az dvakrat denne
salat. Mam routine na jidlo. Nemam doma zadny JUNK food nebo sugars nebo
sracky k jidlu. Snidane je vetsinou smoothie. A to jen berries s vodou, hodne
ORGANIC flax seed a koupila jsem si SUPERFOOD (je to supplement ze zelenych
rostlin). K obedu mam salad anebo neco dobreho, snazim se skoro nejist red
meat a taky pork. Hodne ORGANIC chicken a taky fish (vsechno WILD cought,
velmi malo farm raised). Pouzivam jen trosku butter nebo olive oil, ale ted se
snazim pouzivat jen extra virgin coconut oil (organic, samozrejme).

I'm starting to get into better oils. Heard flax or rapeseed oil is good, and
my impression is that extra virgin olive oil is not harmful but good for you, so
I'm rather liberal with that. Tomorrow I'll cook up super lentils to last a
couple of days. Otherwise it's a lot of salad and not so much meat. Lately I've
been convinced about the benefits of supplementary vitamins, for my heart. Helps
preven aging too. My parents look great. I think I sent you the heart email. But
I definitely like beers from time to time. I'm just trying to make it less
occasional and heal my body in between. I guess I told you about Radek, Tereza's
guy, who screwed up his splean and now is on a strict diet without alcohol for
the rest of his life? That would suck. I definitely like my beer still, but
definitely consuming a lot less.

Kajo, vubec byl nepoznal, jaky je ze me health freak. Taky chci zit co
nejvic to pujde. Mela jsem posledni dva roky deprese ze zivota, nechci abych
nikdy umrela. Ja miluju zivot a taky ho nechci promarnit tak jak jsi psal.
Deti do college, platit hypoteku, new cars and shit... ja chci cestovat, muj
pritel take. Takze zijeme zdrave, nemame moc penez, mame se radi a jsme zdravy.

If you're into super healthy, one thing you might consider is the car exhaust
in cities. There are a lot of dangerous chemicals in that, and apparently your
body can consume air like food, taking the nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
and processing it like food. Of course youngsters wanna party it up in the city,
or one needs it for work, but that was one of the things that bothered me about

Prague, and I always noticed a big difference when I went camping on the
weekend, how wonderfully deep I slept in the forest, and felt my lungs clean
out. That is one of the things I appreciate about my travels, although there
isn't much forest down here and I felt the air was cleaner when I was camping in

Cesky Raj. Trees are life filters. They breath, clean the air, and then
breath out delicious fresh oxygen. I miss that about camping. You can become a
general health freak
and stay away from drugs, but with every breath you inhale in a city, you can be
doing a lot of damage.

To je nejdulezitejsi. Taky jsme si koupili filter do koupelny. Opravdu se
snazime zit zdrave. Dneska je 3. den mojeho cleansu. Kazdy rano mam sileny
cramps v brisku. Ve srani se toho moc nezmenilo. Hovna mi skoro vubec nesmrdi
a jsou krasne fluffy, protoze se snazim jist hodne salads. Uvidim, kdy se to
zacne procistovat. Taky jsem desne vzrusena, jak to dopadne.

So how did it go? The stomach cramps doesn't sound good. I never had such
pains. Maybe you should be drinking more water or something. And when you do
clean yourself like this, it's important to be drinking lots of quality clean
water, not just tap water.

Skola? Major zatim nemam stanoveny, takze prozatim general education
classes. Myslim, ze chci vystudovat international business, protoze v tom
vidim budoucnost. Chapu evropskou mentalitu a ucim se americkou, taky nevim,
kde budu v budoucnosti zit, Afrika zacina byt vyspelejsi, hodne se investuje
do vzdelani a internetu v Africe, takze myslim, ze international business je
pro me nejlepsi volba.

Sounds good, but sounds like you're going into the long haul. Sometimes its
better just to take night classes of business courses or something, rather than
invest into four years, full time and money, of general education, followed by
an MBA, which is almost minimum it seems. Soon enough you're looking at 8 years
of your life, where in 8 years as an entrepreneur, perhaps with some night
classes or self education on the internet, you could have accomplished a lot
more. Look at Bill Gates, a genius who dropped out of school because he realised
it was a waste of time. 8 years is a big chunk of your life, and then you don't
even have experience. You get out and start looking for work, and you might as
well be starting all over again. Not to mention all the money you might still
owe. So I'm not a big fan of this sort of general education. I think a lot of
people take this route because they don't know what they want to do and figure
it will solve that problem for them. Like they will have the knowledge tools
once they get out, and someone will magically offer them a good job. But
experience goes a long way, and one can learn what they need while they work.
Look at all the stuff I learned about computers. I'm practically a guru on the
subject, now learning about programming scripts, system administration, setting
up a server, database... The list goes on.

And I enjoyed learning all that, on my own, for free, sucking it all off the
internet, or asking experts. You can find practically anything on the internet,
and some universities, like MIT, are putting their curriculum for free on the
internet. The way of the future. Does a doctor in a little village in

Africa need a diploma from MIT to save people's lives? I think information
should be free and this could be the new evolution we will be entering on a
global level. Anyway, it's cool you're doing the school thing, but I think it's
better to do it when you actually have a concrete plan. Otherwise it turns out
to be a major investment in your life, both time and money wise, and you can
come out of it with a mountain of debt, and only a piece of paper which an
employee might look at less than 5 years of actual experience. Think about it.
You could be 40 years old, and 8 years is almost one quarter of your life. If
you consider that, up to 20, basically you were at your mommy's living for free
and your ass was practically wiped for you, now you are talking about HALF your
life. When by 40 one can already be president and have a lifetime of
accomplishment behind them if they were diligent and hard working enough. I hope
my next ten years will see much more accomplishment. I'm not very happy what I
accomplished in Prague. A lot of drinking, but I look back with fond memories.
Now though I'd like to get more serious, and hope that by 50 I'll be
significantly more accomplished. I guess I'm thinking in ten year plans. Would
be nice if I could accomplish things in five year plans.

uf, dlouhy email Kajo. Mej se hezky a zase si brzy napiseme.

Yah, I tend to write a lot. I think it might even annoy people, but I'm here
in this

caravan truck by myself, so these letters are a vent for me and like
conversation, where everyone else has people around them and lots of
conversation, so these letters can seem tedious to them. And hence I've been
trying to make them shorter! STOP

We found a place around the corner from our old place, Mr. Kenax Man, and
either or both of you are welcome to stay there pretty much as needed. There's
a bed in a rather large enough kitchen, we'll be sleeping in the living room.
Nice big flat, though some might call it small. Big enough for me, probably
even above average, nothing compared to Strasnice, though. Did ya'll know, by
the way, that Zuzana moved to Florida? She has to support her husband. Ah,
yes, turnabout is indeed fair play.

How's she supporting him? Financially, or just by being there and a good
supportive wife? Not a bad place to live I guess. Think I'd prefer its weather
over Prague any day.

I'm just another homelessak for the next couple of days until we officially
move in. Charlie, FYI, come out my old door, turn left, turn right first
street, it's right there on Slovinska. I guess we weren't desperate enough to
have to call Lucka. What's up with her?

Don't know. We exchanged a few emails once she left, but either she decided
she's not into writing, or her boyfriend was erasing my emails. Our relationship
actually soured a bit the last few weeks. She was starting to piss me off, but
as her departure was approaching, I figured it wouldn't make sense to start
opening a can of worms when there wouldn't be enough time to resolve everything.
But I blew up and couldn't control myself, and there certainly wasn't time to
resolve anything. She seems potentially as selfish as many other people, a
characteristic which is increasingly disgusting me. I really do not feel the
need to be around people like I used to. Sometimes I wonder how much less she
would have hung around me back then if I wasn't rolling in the cash and paying
for much of her drinks, and all her weed. But I'll hold off on the speculation
and let things chrystalise if we ever spend time together again. The honeymoon
was great, and I was happy to have someone new to spend time with rather than
hashing over the same conversation with the same crowd. Was always nice hangin
around you, but many of the other people in

Prague seemed to be dabbling too much into gossip for my liking. Anyway,
thanks for the football. I've found free internet here at the university, and
seems I am settling into a good gig here, and seriously questioning whether I'll
be able to make it to Prague this year. My back for tires are starting to look
like condoms, and I wouldn't dare to make the long drive without replacing them.
So with gas and ferry costs, we're probably looking at around 50k to make it to
Czech
Republic and back. And if I do make it all the way up there, I'd want to go
to Poland as well, so that would make it more expensive. I need to save up money
and pay back debts, so increasingly it looks like I'll stay posted here until
I'm back on my feet again. I'm also wondering if you received my last email. You
seem to get all my emails, but when I need help, seems that from certain of my
friends I get an amazing silent treatment. Like as if I would somehow forget
about the email or request I wrote. I consider this equivalent to someone
casually hanging up the phone on you when they got better things to do. Or
sitting in a pub, and in mid sentence, they turn to someone else and start
another conversation, cutting you off, as if you aren't even there. Many people
do it, like erasing an email requires the press of a little finger and the least
amount of effort. Anyway, I said it would not be a big deal and that I'd
understand if you can't, but what I do not appreciate is just being ignored.
Like someone hoping I'd kind of forget I asked. Anyway, I've decided not too
long ago that I have to separate favours from friendship. If I didn't, I
certainly wouldn't have any friends. Anyway, take care and hopefully I'll be in

Czech Republic next summer. Or if you ever need to get to a beach. My
brother said he should be flying out here at some point. The north part is
almost as cheap as

Czech Republic. later

Yes, Ann, you're welcome even to crash for a few nights. My wife will get
over it. We were roommates a night or two out in Liben, now weren't we? That
was one of the strangest mornings of my life, I must say. And I can also
remember someone saying, "Dump her, throw her overboard" so many, many years
ago. Now who would that have been? My number is still 736 787, Ann, and my new
address is, officially third floor, I think it's number 21. I do believe you
used to live in that hood (bought wine for your party in the building I lived
in about seven or eight years later). That was the fateful night I met
Charlie, and my life has never been the same (ran into him the next day
carrying a guitar as I recall - you remember that - yes, I brought the
football). When are you coming in, Kozmaniac?

> U IN TOWN

So what's your email address now? Sent you at least one email but didn't get
a response. I'm using Vanquish now, and 30 bucks a year definitely worth it to
totally get rid of all spam. Good system and I like it. you can check out my
travel blob at
travel europe is ya
like. Started a little
European
property investments page. Who knows eh? I mean, I'd be happy to do legwork
for someone just for the gas money and the opportunity to meet people i would
never have met on my own. Right now I'm in

Cyprus and think I'll hang here low for a while, as my costs are very low
here, I've found free internet, and I need to pay back a lot of debts. If you
ever swing by here, send me a note. Got my bongo with me, heh heh.

can't remember if I already wrote about this, but just wanted to thank you
for the presents. You saved my ass, heh heh. Although the oak bark was only
enough for two servings, it seemed to make a big difference. Now I'm fully
healed it seems and regularly working on my back. I'll still go to Greece when
they ask me, but ask if they think it is still necessary. I think it would be
better, because I don't like the trickling see through liquid after every poop,
and it does seem aggravated in general, but I'm glad I'm back to something
resembling normal. Next time I try the parasite cleanse I'll make sure to eat
what they suggest, as the super
diarrhea
seems to have triggered all this. And I will keep with me these super
inflamatories for emergency if there is ever a next time, because they seem to
help a lot as well. I guess the situation was further aggravated by my fast,
because you are supposed to take the anti-inflammatories after a heft meal, so I
couldn't for several days and was in great pain until I started taking those
pills. My salad dressings are much tastier with the caraway seeds and I wear the
new green sweater all the time. I still need to buy some smaller refillable
propane tank for the glukopur, so that will have to wait until I get some cash
again. But I found a good parking spot and now have stable and fast internet for
free every day. That is great, as I can work casually with internet all day
long, and it saves me money. So I spend most of my time on campus, and it feels
neat to be around all the youngsters and feels like I'm back in university, with
my entire life in front of me. Yesterday I even walked around campus with my
little binder in my hand, so I felt even more like a student. And the girl at
the copy shop asked if I was a student. Many times people actually ask me that,
so I have to chuckle. I guess I look young. But I was putting up signs offering
free English lessons in exchange for beers and company, so hopefully I'll start
meeting people at some point. One of the greatest drives to meet people is the
sports hall nearby where I park. I walked through there a few days ago checking
out where they have their showers, so I can sneak in. But I was drooling over
their squash and tennis courts, and it would be a perfect dream if I hooked up
with some sports people and started playing various sports, and then having a
decent shower afterwards. It was practically free when I used to go to
university, so I imagine it could be pretty cheap here. And with free beers,
I'll be settled in quite nicely here. Although I still have the temptation to go
to some other part of the island, because I really don't appreciate the litter
on this beach. Turks are such pigs. Maybe I'll just buy a rake and clean up the
entire beach, and scold any litterbugs. At least that will earn my place on this
beach. Some establishment is under reconstruction here, so my free supply of
water and a toilet has been cut off. I guess they are getting ready for the
summer season. If they see that I clean the beach, which would be good for their
business, maybe they'll appreciate it and not mind that I use their water etc.
Otherwise, further down the road there is a caravan park, but it costs about 30
bucks a week, so too much for my budget. They don't even have hot water, but if
I get rich again, maybe I'll think about it. But if I can't park directly on the
beach facing the sunrise like here, I do not see great benefit of parking there.
Even with my extreme poverty, I'm taking this week off work, because
God indicated I should, and said he will
renew my wealth if I follow all his commands. Hopefully it will turn out like
that. I'm writing down all the days in the calendar when I am supposed to
respect the Sabbath and not work, and all the commandments, and studying them.
Anyway, I'm feeling much more upbeat and just thought I'd send ya an update and
a thanks for the presents. The oak bark truly did save my butt, but not sure if
the oakbark cream does anything. lateroo

how's it hangin? Right now I'm in Cyprus enjoying the weather and think I'll
hang here for a while, as it seems a good place, and my costs are rather low. If
you ever feel an inkling for some sandy beach, let me know and you got a couch
to crash on. Was wondering, do you have the DVD for God Father 2? I converted
mine to avi but lost the subtitles in the process, which are necessary, since
half the movie they speak in italian. If you had the DVD maybe you could email
me the English subtitle file. I found this great program for viewing subtitles
which plays transparently overtop any other program, and with which you can put
the subtitles anywhere you want, and adjust the timing etc. I can send that to
you if ya like. Say hi to the folks. laterman

just read your email on the mobile and will write again if I missed
something. Yah, big annoying guts problem, and thought the only person I would
dare confide this to would be a mother. An extreme case of too much information
and couldn't imagine anyone wanting to read this. But I laced the letter with
humour, and actually sent a smaller version to some friends and they had a good
laugh. Actually decided that I will use my old emails and put them up on various
blobs, for seo
purposes. Links to my various sites, but not to the blob from my sites, because
a lot will be personal (but vetted) outgoing emails that I wouldn't want to
reveal about myself to most people I know. I think I'll call it "Memoirs of
Bimbus" and could be a funny read for the desperate. I imagine there must be
lunatics out there surfing through the endless blobs out there looking for a
read. I can't possibly imagine it interesting me, as I'm not a happy reader, but
I guess other people are. Well, I can send you some of those guts emails if you
really want. Could be a funny read. Otherwise, yah, it was horrible. For one
quick graphic description, I was lying on the beach with this massive plum
hanging out of my ass, and had such a bad case of diarrhea that I'd piss all
over myself out my ass before I could even get into the water. So after a while
I didn't even give a "shit" anymore while I casually walked into the ocean, a
river of gruesome yellow diarrhea pouring down my leg. I guess it was because of
that parasite cleansing. Or half the time I'd crawl in like a crab while filling
up my shorts. Must have looked quite odd to the various people on the beach in
the distance. But it was coldish that day and lay there wet all day in a wool
blanket. At one point the police even came to visit the beach, so I was praying
I wouldn't have a shit event while they were hanging around. And the hemeroids
was extremely painful the whole day. Totally horrible experience. But it seems
to have gotten to some normalish state, and am looking forward to the operation
and hopefully will be totally back to normal. Been fighting these hemoroids long
enough and quite sick of it. Otherwise I'm pretty healthy. But you can imagine
that, with this too much information, mom flipped, went frantic, couldn't sleep,
and started sending me overboard suggestions of flying me back to Prague, of
course with conditions and how she would totally change and rule my life, to see
one of her famous hemmeroid doctors. I have to admit that, after 14 years in
Prague, not ONE of her or even dad's contacts has turned out to be remotely
useful. All this talk about how great they are my entire life, and I was better
off turning to the yellow pages and then depend on their great connections. No
stress though. But I resolved the problem, on my own, as I usually do, without
resorting to any of mom's delirious remedies. Told her I probably shouldn't tell
her such bad news, even though it felt good to confide in someone, but she said
she'd rather know. No big skin off my back, these hysterical emails, but not
healthy her not being able to sleep. But it´s all okay now, basically, so
hopefully she wont be in such a stress anymore. Thanks for expressing concern.
But at least I found out I don´t have to return back to

Czech Republic in July, it seems. That was one rather annoying point, having
to return every year. I figure it would cost me about 50,000Kc, considering I´d
have to replace the back four tires to make it that far, and with gas and ferry.
Shit, I might as well fly to Thailand with that kind of money. But it turns out
I can buy health insurance here, that my normal

Czech Republic health insurance works in the Greek/EU part of the island,
and what concerns the papers for the

caravan truck, that is only for the smog test, and apparently I just tell
them I was away from the country, and show them my passport, and they are cool
with that and give me time to get my shit together. It seems that the smog test
stuff is more for

Czech Republic, and I guess EU, which I generally avoid. I look at the cars
driving on this island, with the totally black smoke coming out, and I wonder if
they even have smog tests here. I still have to research how it works, or if I´m
caught in other countries with these expired stickers. But the stickers are so
tiny, and on the licence plate, I guess no cop will even look at them,
especially if they see the

Czech Republic plates. Hard to say. Shit, I can even go to a printing
company and get something similar printed out myself. Who the hell would know
the difference, if they really cared. So I´m quite glad I´ve totally cut the
umbilical chord, because that was one thing which was rather annoying me about
my new lifestyle. Now I might be able to just cruise around the world as I feel
like, taking my time, going one direction. Of course, I still have to wait for
the world to pull its head out of its ass, with wars going on, screwed up
governments, lack of internet in some places, a pain and ridiculous conditions
to cross some borders. Maybe in five years I´ll be able to drive to Thailand.
That would be a nice dream, but I aint going that direction quite yet. But I
think this island is a pretty good bet, cause 20k away is a border to another
country, so I can just cross over, get a stamp on my passport, and extend my
stay here another month or two. It´s cheap here in the
turkish north,
the weather is good, and I finally found free and fast internet, so my costs are
low, and I think this will be a good base to get back up on my feet and pay back
all my debts. Shit, I must be the leanest and meanest
translation agency in the world. Now to just
get some work. Seems I can work half a week to earn enough to pay for a month.
Too bad I´m getting less work than that. If I can just get enough work, I´d be
sailing real easy like. On the other hand, ever day on the radio I here them
talk about hooking up with the south. That would be a disaster. Don´t know what
I´d do if they did. Maybe try to become a citizen, for I sure don´t have the
cash to get off this island. But my guess is it will still be a while before
they accomplish that, although one never knows. I think the Greek side is pissed
off at the Turks and don´t want to hook up unless certain ridiculous conditions
are fulfilled, which the Turks will never agree to. So I´m crossing my fingers
for that, and am prepared to stay here a year or more if I have to. Hopefully
the police won´t get annoyed with me. But if I show them that my income is from
abroad and explain I am only bringing money to their country, perhaps they wont
mind. Yah, I can see that mom is potentially losing it. I remember once in
Prague mom asked me if she could stay with me if Vlad rolls over. I
instinctively said yes. But that was when I had a flat with an extra room, and
even for that I´m having grave doubts. But in this truck? It´s out of the
question and I have already painted a scenario about how I´d have to listen
every five seconds comments about my driving, and little concerns about this
part of the truck or that. I think I´d go insane and run into the ocean and
drown myself. So I really don´t think I´d have the tolerance to put up with
that. Its okay once in a while, or through emails, but to actually live
together? Out of the question man. Or even visiting them at Christmas, listening
to their constant arguing. I know married couples can get like that, but I
certainly don´t see the point. I can´t imagine wanting to stay with one girl
more than three years. Or ever marrying. The conversation gets old after a
while, and I like to live a crazy life. Certainly can´t imagine wanting to
settle down in one place. I´d much rather get involved in some orphanages, than
raise my own kids. I like kids, but I really don´t need such a stagnant
lifestyle. I used to aspire to getting married, but I can´t imagine it anymore.
And I can´t imagine any girl wanting to put up with this lifestyle. Especially
the recent hell I had to go through, piss shittin into a bucket in the

caravan truck. Who the hell would want to put up with that? Even if it
didn´t really stink. I´m just too eccentric now, and really don´t mind. But I´m
thinking of some travelling chick once in a while. A shorter term thing, and
drop her off at the nearest gas station if she ever gets on my nerves. That
would probably be perfect for me. Vlad and mom can argue all they want, as long
as I don´t have to listen to it. I think it´s sad, but they are the type who
couldn´t handle it alone, so they have to put up with it. Well, guess that´s all
I can think of, and letter long enough, so I´ll end here. Take care dude. Oh
yah, one more thing. Seems I´m almost done with my latest script thing. I´m
quite proud of it. I´ve been trying to accomplish this forever, but never had
enough cash to entice one of my programmers to complete it for me, so I started
learning about programming myself and, with a little help, managed to get it
working. Had to learn from the other scripts, and get the slightest help, but I
must say I find this script stuff and online databases quite interesting. So
much still to learn though, and I have some other charity databases I want to
get running, but at least I got this one running. It´s basically a website where
translators can post comments about

translation agencies´ payment reputation. It needs to be a system where the
user has to log into an online account, because posting such information on the
public domain will leave me exposed to getting sued for libel. There are a few
people doing the same, but my system seems the most intelligent and best out
there, so I hope that it will become popular on the internet. A good way to get
more translators and improve my site´s traffic. But I want to expand the system
to include any company hiring someone out, and then make a similar system
concerning actual products and services. Because if something like this would be
well known enough, concerned consumers, as I like to call them, could research
any product before buying it. We are destroying the planet and we cannot depend
on governments, who are basically controlled by the big corporations, to act
responsibly. The consumer has to take up the slack, and if the consumer knew
that spending x amount of extra cents on a pair of sneakers would do x amount
better what concerns the environment and slave child labour in third world
countries, this would put pressure on the big multinationals. Anyway, just a big
dream of mine, and no one seems to be doing anything like this. The next big
dream database is a voting system, to create a real democracy. Another long
story. Well, just wanted to share with you my joy of finally getting this first
charity database operational. laterman

<<<<<<<<<<< next section

seems. Had a few projects a couple of weeks ago, so a little bit of survival
money. The trip here to

Cyprus must have cost me about 500 bucks. That could have been two months
survival. Oh well. Glad to hear David was talking with you. I was pressuring him
to do so. About turntable, well, it's sad, but I guess sell it. My friend David
makes no effort to write to me and neither do my friends from university.
Everyone gets married and babies and doesn't care about old friendships, but
only on the here and now. It's sad, but I will just not trust people like I used
to. I should have gave that good stereo to you. Working so hard during the
summers treeplanting, buying a new component each year, and building up a great
stereo system. The turntable cost me about 1,500$. But I'm more glad that I had
a more interesting option, of going to

Prague, than staying on boring north america. I can´t imagine even wanting
to settle down anywhere now, as I rather like this lifestyle. I mean, I could be
really rich, and have a house right on the beach, but that would be much more
boring than now, as I am on the beach when I want, and can move to another beach
if bored. A sedate life in one place really bores me, and I hope to live my next
ten to twenty years with a more interesting life than what Prague offered me,
even though Prague could be still the best city in the world. I lived there
through the magic years, when it was like Paris after WW2 and things and people
were interesting there, but the last 4 to 5 years were rather boring. The stereo
I have in the car is pretty good, and more convenient to run things off an mp3
player. The turntable would be neat if I had a permoresidence. But I´m sure they
sell second hand records still, which can be easily cleaned, and there are
probably still audiophiles out there. Perhaps you can run an ad for a longer
time until you find a nut. I wouldn´t go lower than 400 bucks, and perhaps you
could get more. My plum ass is practically back to normal, so no need to send
the oak bark. Hopefully everything will be totally normal after the operation. I
still bleed practically every time I crap, and I´m tired of the daily struggle.
Well, I think I covered your letter. Now for something new, which I am really
excited about. Unfortunately, its technical and probably boring for you, so I´ll
make it short. But there is something I have been struggling with for many
years. I have several charity projects, which require an online database and
some fancy programming. I never had enough money to pay a programmer to put it
together, but I couldn´t wait any longer so started learning some basic
programming myself. Quite an interesting area, and much much much to learn, but
quite interesting. In any case, I learned some basic stuff, and with help from
one of my programmers, it looks like I finally got the first project running. I
was using his language on some previous projects, copy/pasting little snippets
and learning how to do it, so I basically learned enough Perl to get it running.
I learned Pascal in university and all languages basically follow the same
logic, except they say it in different ways. Basically the computer follows the
logic, 1) IF you do this, 2) THEN either do this, 3) ELSE that, OR 4) GO TO this
line and try that. Its just a bunch of IF, THEN etc. statements following some
sort of logic. Quite interesting making something run. Anyway, the first project
is a system where translators can post comments about the payment reputation of
translation agencies. Not getting paid a few times in the past, it always really
angered me and I wanted a good system like this up on the net. There are systems
out there, but they are not so good. Mine is pretty simple but already much
better, so I hope it become popular, because it will be a great way to pick up
new translators and develop a good name for myself. Once I get this up and
running, I can use it as a template for my other projects, with only a little
help from my programmers. So I have been very excited to be working on that the
past week and look forward to when it is fully functional. I guess I´ll write to
all my translators and ask them to contribute something. Doesn´t pay any bills,
but is good for my website. I am now in top ten of many important keywords, so
it looks like I know what I´m doing, and I just need to keep doing that, and
hopefully start to get some work at some point. Well, guess that´s it for now.
latero

How are you? I hope some good angels helped you to improve your financial
situation... Didn't write to you for some time but this has nothing to do with
my payment and do not worry about it at all! These days we are all busy with
Easter celebration and I wonder do you feel lonely? Write when you can. Happy
Easter and a lot of successful projects,

thanks for the Easter wish. Just to let you know that emailing has tired me
out a bit, so I do not always respond so quickly, but I always will respond.
Tend to do things in waves, answering a bunch of a certain type of emails at
once. Don't worry about the payment. This is business and I always pay my

translators. The customer said it should be able to pay "soon", so hopefully
within a couple of weeks. Then I'll pay the rest from future projects. I'll
write to everyone as soon as I get paid. At least everyone working on this
project is relaxed about the payment. But it is my business policy to pay
everyone. Usually I'm rolling in the cash, and this has been an unusually long
dry spell. But at least I'm starting to see good success with my search engine
optimisation, now in the top ten on google in many important keywords. At least
I know what works and now I'll just keep plugging away at that, so I assume I
should start getting new customers at some point. I don't feel lonely because I
like my work, and find that a lot of conversation is a waste of time anyway. Did
plenty of that and drinking in Prague and would like to be more productive now.
But hooking up occasionally with fellow travellers can be fun. So I'm pretty
well happy either way things happen. Recently I put an ad at the university here
offering free

English lessons in exchange for beer, so hopefully I'll meet some students I
can play squash, tennis, or other sports with. That is always a big joy for me.
And an opportunity to have a decent shower.

Saw mum for Easter dinner; she annoyed the hell out of me bossing me around
to clear the table and generally trying to make herself look like a Big Shit
at my expense in front of her Canadian friends. Luckily I seated myself at the
opposite end of the table as her and Vladimir so managed to keep the
irritation to a minimum. She's kind of turning into an old hag, hey?

Yah, I know what you mean about her acting lofty, and so right and all that.
And convinced that the strawberries and mushrooms are the largest in Boskov of
anywhere else in the world. The way I look at it, her parents died when she was
young, she got uprooted to Canada, and yes, she does have a hysterical and
spaced out edge, like she's trying to avoid being honest with herself. I
struggle with the same frustration, but I have learned to be more tolerant and
understanding, almost sympathetic of her situation. I too feel that she could
lose it when getting older, and hope it doesn´t come to that. I´d like to be
there for her if it ever comes to that. She went through hell raising me, as you
did too. We already talked about this, and I can apologise a hundred times, but
not sure if it would mend much. I was screwed up too. I never realised this, but
cousin Lucka says that her mom felt sorry for me when I was a kid, that I was
neglected, and she saw the effect on me. I never really thought that, although
there were times when mom´s attitude etc made me angry, but I don´t feel
particularly scarred by it. But perhaps I was and that contributed to my bad
behaviour. David seems to have the same tendencies, but at an early age I sat
down with him and reasoned with him, explaining to him that he should not blame
his mother for being such an incredibly inept moron, and should not belittle her
like he does, but rather try to grow up faster, be mature, and support her. I
explained how difficult it is to raise a kid on her own, coming home from work
tired and all that, and still have to cook dinner etc. And that if he abuses
her, he will have problems with his relationships, especially with women, later
in life. I think he took this to heart, but I did not have such guidance. It is
natural for a young person to see everything from their own perspective and act
accordingly. Then Vladimir came along and it was total hell. Anyway, my sense is
that you are still holding onto these angers, and that it would hurt you more
than anyone else. Sure, it would hurt mom, and she would feel sad because of the
separation, but these bitter feelings and poison would fester within you on a
more constant level. That is why the bible says that forgiveness heals, like I
once said. I read your blob a bit and you seemed like you were doing a lot of
venting by ranting against mom. I understand the feeling, but feel it could be
unnecessarily destructive for you. Otherwise, I pretty well agree with
everything you wrote here, it´s just that I try not to think of it against mom
in such a negative way but look for ways to help her. Over the past while I´ve
been realising the good things mom went out of her way to help us, like the
summer camps, for example. I see how she makes an effort with David, paying for
his camp, and it reminded me of the same. Everyone has their faults. Heck, even
Jens and Sonya complain about dad. Mala Jana said she hadn´t seen him for 20
years and he just walked by her like a ghost and turned on the TV. Some people
might scream bloody murder. I was disappointed that he did not let me move to
them when I finally had enough with the Vits, packed my stuff and escaped to his
brother Beda in Vancouver. But I let all that slide, visited them in Colorado,
and I now have a nice relationship with all of them. When I see dad, I cannot be
angry at him, because I see that he genuinely cares, but that he´s just not into
this domestic family stuff. So it is better to fully forgive everyone. Shit,
I´ve even done the same with Vladimir, my worst enemy in the world for a long
time. Now we have a tolerable and nice relationship. Once he blew up at me when
I was visiting mom for Christmas, and I wrote her a long letter that if she
wants to see more of me, I will not tolerate such behaviour. I´m tempted to
smack him hard in the face, but that would hurt mom, and cause a lot more harm
then necessary. As long as he understands that I will not want to be around them
if he gets out of line. But he got out of line because I was not helping mom
shovelling snow. Long story. So I understand his

Czech mentality that the male should jump in and help, but he obviously did
not understand that I considered what mom was doing was absolutely retarded, and
I would have a much more intelligent solution to the scenario. Anyway, it is
better to understand both sides like this, and let things slide, or try to
explain ones point of view in a more tact way. It is not good to hold the
poisonous bitterness inside. Then again, you have to deal with them more often,
so perhaps its different. Otherwise, when they were in

Prague, I saw them quite frequently, and everything seemed rather civil. It
was only that one time in Vancouver with the snow, but that was also freshly
after Vlad drove from Whistler, and I could see already, on the way, how he was
building up frustration trying to pass everyone. Probably saved only five
minutes, and practically killed all of us a few times, but these are the
problems of someone like Vladimir with a short fuse. He is blind to this, and
how it is potentially very destructive and damaging to stress and heart attacks
etc., and I wrote this in a long letter to mom as well. Maybe she told him this,
and maybe he took it to heart, because he seems to have settled down a lot. It´s
for his own good. But smacking him around, which has long been a great
temptation, would not benefit anyone, so I am glad I refrained myself. With you
I get an inkling that, if mom were to kick the bucket while you harbour these
feelings, it might eat at you more. Like you won´t be able to make up with her
and it will torment your heart anymore. Don´t want to play the psychologist with
you or anything, but just telling you my impression, even if wrong, cause I´d
want to spare you such torment. I think when people harbour such bitterness,
they hold onto their point of view so much that they can easily become blind to
the harm it causes them. So my suggestion is to try and let go of all these
angers, think of things from her perspective, and perhaps out of sympathy try to
help her. I think they´ve both become much more civil and I can tolerate them
more, but mom definitely seems to have a problem of avoiding the truth, and
Vladimir is still old school and so convinced he´s right about everything. A
rather painful combination, but they´re the ones who have to live with it.
Personally, they have my sympathy, and I´ve decided I´ll even support Vlad if
mom croaks before he does. It would be absolutely devastating for him. I think
for me it would be easy to shun him with a cold shoulder, but I would feel
poison within me and I don´t want it there. I´d rather fully forgive everyone
and clean myself of such bitter feelings. I´ve also grown to appreciate what
Vlad has done for me. I think he wanted kids and cared for us etc., and was
willing to give his all, but under his old school conditions, which is obviously
out of the question. He simply is not good with kids, primarily because he´s so
convinced he´s right and expects the old school respect etc. So he practically
has my sympathy as well. They truly are a sad lot in many respects, but I´d
rather try to help them out than battle directly against them, because this
would be hurting myself as well. When I finally learned to let go of my anger
against Vladimir, I released a lot of anger generally, and was able to get along
with about 30% of the male population who I generally practically want to
pulverise for their masculine stupidity. These types of idiots generally still
rub me the wrong way, and I think it is because of the repression I had to grow
up under that mentality. So in short, although I generally agree with everything
you say, and find your articulation about it rather eloquent and humurous, my
hunch is that you should try to let go of it and try to take a more positive
approach. Have a good one dude.

I mean she always used to be bossy and stuff but now it's lost it's
'charming' 'humourous' edge! I also think that her and Vladimir are fighting
constantly, I haven't brought it up with her because really . . . my own
opinion from the very beginning has been that he was a very bad choice for a
mate. But she saw him as a means to an end, and the rest of everything be
damned! So she's living with the fallout now. Anyways she told me you are
having some serious problems with your digestion. I haven't heard from you in
a couple of weeks . . . you don't only have to write when it's good news, you
know! you can write if you're having trouble with something. So apparently
you've been to a Turkish doctor and are booking into a Greek hospital? Good
thing your insurance covers it, coz that would be a big banana problem. You do
whatever they tell you, I know you're uncomfortable now but these things do
have cures and soon you will be back to normal. I guess you have a problem
though, of needing to have some papers renewed in Prague by July? Any idea how
you're going to do that? Is there someone there that can do it for you? Can
you get a paper notarized giving power of attorney for these specific things?
Let me know, a lot of times I can't get information properly out of mum. She
complains that Jana is all confudleheaded, but she is going that way rapidly
herself. That's one thing for sure I know that's driving Vladimir crazy; at
Christmas he tried to be all like, "You're going to end up like that too."
Looking at me all INSIGHTFUL like. He probably just wanted to get me back
because before that I was all like, "Well, you went and married it all by your
own choice whereas I was born to it." I know I won't end up all confused and
wrapped around inside my head because I have faced my past and live honestly,
while mum has piled the lies and deception so deep she's completely lost her
true self by now. (man that was kind of brutal, I know you won't tell her or
anyone any of this which is good because one small shake and she's going to
unravel entirely. I don't want to be anywhere near the deconstruction when it
happens. I'm just SICK of always being the patient one, always allowing the
indiscretions in the interests of family harmony, of there never being even
the smallest moment of just normal peace & quiet, . . .) I guess I'm finally
growing up properly and coming into my own. Even though sometimes I long for
it, I am SO GLAD I haven't had kids yet because I took our fucked up, upheaval
of a childhood really hard and am just arriving at the truth of my own Self
now! later man, take care of yourself.

It is still
Turkey
right? Talk properly to the doctors about "after operation" procedures. No
infection please!!!!!! And maybe you could take a break from those fasts. You
did harm yourself already.

Yup, still in the Turkish part of

Cyprus. Intersting history. More recently, apparently there was some Greek
backed coup around 1970 or something, they took over the government, and then
the Greek majority were repressing the Turkish minority (about 18% back then),
even committing genocide and atrocities. So the Turks invaded, gobbled up half
the island, including half the capital city (last divided city in the world I
think), and then promoted migration of Turks to the island, such that the
original natives, who speak a slight dialect, are now the total minority. Of
course the Greeks are totally pissed that they lost half the island, and are
using their EU clout to prevent the Turkish side from trading with anyone else.
This has greatly economically repressed the region, but that's okay with me,
because everything is SO much cheaper here than the EU south, only 20 km away.
But last year the GDP in the north increased by 35%, and they are managing to
develop, and establish trade links, and even talk about joining with the south.
Hard to guess what will happen, and I hope they stay separated, which my guess
will be the case for a while still. So technically I am in the TRNC, the

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyrpus, which view countries in the world
acknowledge as a country, which is separate from Turkey, but sort of part of it.
An interesting situation for me, hee hee. Concerning the fast, when did I hurt
myself with it? The ass thing started even before the fast and was, as I already
explained, because of the parasite cleanse and the resulting super diarrhea
because i was not eating the right foods in conjunction with the parasite
cleanse. Once again you are using your famous logic, "See, if you had brushed
your teeth this morning like I told you, you wouldn't have fallen on your chin
right now". You will never be able to "reason" with me, as you say, with such
illogical arguments. If you ever want to learn about the health benefits of
fasting, I can show you the website I am preparing. Until then, you should save
your breath and advice, because you really do not know what you are talking
about. You are following the same logic that I have to hear from everyone else,
even doctors. That logic being: "food is good. One needs food to surivive.
Therefore not eating is not good for you." That's the same logic as Babicka's:
"I look out at the world with my own two eyes, see that its flat, and therefore
refuse to believe it is round." The same logic used for hundreds or thousands of
years, but we both no it not to be true, right? And what do you mean take a
"break" from fasting? I do it once a year for about 8 days, to clean my body of
poison. Why should I not do that for one year. You really don't know what your
talking about and you are just following your own common sense without any
information and research, like I have been researching on the subject for years.
Anyway, I understand your concern, but I know I'm right, as usual, heh heh. Just
wrote to David about his not so great znamky, as you said. Explaining to him his
future options, that he should probably not depend on his mother for advice, and
that he should find out by going to Charles university or something what their
requirements are. I am led to believe that the

Czech government still pays a lot of the education, but that it is exTREMEly
competitive to get accepted, and that they may look at grades in early
highschool or something. Assuming he's not going to bother trying to find out
this information himself, do you know anyone who knows about the requirements
etc.? I think it would be good to have him start thinking about this early. I
told him I'd support him with advice etc. if he wanted to screw university and
podnikat like us, but that running a business requires self motivation much like
that required to get good grades, so he should practice, and that with good
grades he will at least have the choice whether he wants to continue or not.
Well, guess that's that for today's email. Almost finished with my PP site, and
very happy about that. I can show it to you if you like. I'm also getting great
results with my search engine rankings, so I know what needs to be done, and now
simply a matter of keep doing that, and then hopefully start getting some
customers. It's a long struggle indeed. latero

I was planning to tell him something about Jesus during that time, but did
not feel it was appropriate because we weren't alone completely, but I might
do it today after the Easter, asking him how he celebrated it and what's
Easter really means. How was your Easter? You are saying you had some medical
problems? What happened? You need to have an operation? Please tell me more, I
am already praying for you that hopefully you will be healed supernaturally!
Please write more so we can all pray to the right problem...

Howdy do. I'll answer the rest of your letter later when I'm offline. Right
now I'm online stealing, hee hee, the university's free

internet, parked up not very inconspicuously on the grass as close as I can
get to the entrance to this building, where the signal is the strongest. When
the sun goes down around 6 I have to end my internet day, as the wifi tends to
suck a lot of battery power. Then I go offline and do the rest of my work in
that way. I've slowly been talking to David about God, but I'd like to more, and
we get into good discussions by email, better than in person almost, which I was
trying to nurture before I left Prague, so that we can continue to have contact
and I can help in his upbringing. I'll try to talk about
God more, but your personal contribution
would be a good introduction, or good input. My problem? Well, it could be a
massive dose of too much information. But I did send excerpts out to people by
email and they had to laugh. In short, I was trying a parasite cleanse before my
annual fast, I did not follow so well their instructions what I'm supposed to be
eating, and I ended up having the massive case of
diarrhea.
So much so that I basically shit out my

hemorrhoids and it inflamed to level 4 and a horribly painful level. Ever
tried to drive a 4 tonne vehicle standing up? Well I had to do that to get to
the hospital. Anyway, I managed to reduce the inflammation and is basically to
how it was before, which wasn't very satisfying. Frequently bleeding when I take
a crap in the morning. I've been struggling with it for about five years, trying
to heal it naturally, and decided I'm sick of it and will just chop off that
annoying plum. In the southern Greek/EU part of the island, it seems my normal
Czech
Republic insurance works, so it will get done for free, I believe. Maybe
I'll have to work on my stomach for a few days and wont be able to drive back
right away, meaning

work and internet will be a problem. Which may require that I get a Greek
sim card. But I wanted to get that anyway, so I can drive around the island
more. But that will have to wait until I get some work. Still very poor, but
trying my hardest! Will answer more later. latero!

> The website, yes, is kick-ass.

Thanks for the input dude. I admit that I like your testimonial and sounds
real good and serious, and that I sometimes write like a two year old.
Eventually I want to hire someone to fix up the wording and I'll look at your
suggestions closely. Right now I just finished, basically, the payment practices
site, where translators can post their opinions about the

payment reputation of their customers, and view things in general. Been
struggling with it the last few days, and using popup javascripts from your old
application form, and basically copying snippets from all over the place, with
some help from my programmer. Still looks a bit junky, but I'll work on
improving the look and feel more later. Right now I just wanted to get the thing
operating. But speaking of junky ways of expressing myself, I think you might
want to call out the stretcher and white jackets for me on this one. Every time
I look at certain sections I have to burst out laughing. I guess my
uncontrollable desire to not be serious, while venting some anger against
agencies or customers which have not paid me in the past (even the present,
actually). So, if you're up to checking out what a fool I make of myself on the
internet, go to www.kenax.cz, then the

translation resources link, then the

Payment Reputation link. Then you can read that for a good laugh, and get
lubed up for the next stage, by following the View Database Records link. For
your convenience, I'll give you one of the accounts I was playing around with:
username password kJEJnA Before you click on that, you might consider taking a
peak at the new Terms and Conditions of KENAX, near the Continue button at the
bottom, designed to protect me from libel (I hope). But there is a link to those
pages later too. One you log in, click on the Payment Reputation link, and there
you will see my little creation. Unfortunately a bit Perly slow, but it will
have to wait until I can get the mysql thing working later. I think the .ru
server is a bit slow too, but can't dream of migrating things just yet. The
second link to the Terms and Conditions is through the Help link at the top
right. Well, if ya have time to check it out, enjoy. Next project is to make a
similar thing for products and services, as explained in the first Payment
Reputation site through kenax.cz. adio

thanks for the tips on the fan. I checked out the battery settings, and where
I can set the CPU to different speeds and the brightness of the screen, but they
only apply to when I am on battery power. When plugged into AC, which I am
basically all the time, it automatically kicks into maximum CPU mode. Besides, I
question this power maximiser at all. The CPU thing can be good, but I have task
manager running, and when I am not doing any operation, which is most of the
time, it's just idle. And when I need it, I'd rather have it done faster. And if
it is done slower, it will take longer. So possibly the same energy spent in the
long run. A horse pulling a stone a certain distance will probably expend the
same number of juels whether it pulls it there faster or slower. So I guess I'll
have to contact ibm help, and maybe some forums as I noticed, to see if I can
somehow command the fan to keep running, if advisable (wouldn't want to burn out
the ram - but I assume it would be more advisable to burn out and replace that
than burn some component on the motherboard etc.). And I guess I'll rig up some
fan system for the outside. I've been told that the desktop computer fans run on
12V. That would be perfect. Marinas also sell similar but more powerful fans.
Was planning on rigging up such fans throughout the truck. Some sucking in
cooler air from under the truck, to blow on me while sleeping, with others
blowing on the inverters and other electronic equipment, for which I was going
to make a special cabin/closet area. I guess for the comp I'll make a table
thing with desktop fans blowing air from around upwards on the laptops
underside, where it seems the hottest, and then try to program the fan inside to
keep working when its hot. Yesterday was still bareably hot, and already the
underside was scarily hot. Would probably shorten the laptop's life if I keep
abusing it like this. Anyway, it's fun rigging up the truck like this,
customising everything to death. I've been learning that I do not need to rely
on Mercedes parts all the time and that I can get something generic for about
one third the cost, or even manufacture things myself. I've been mending squeeky
parts practically with glue, using wire to hold parts of the truck together.
Recently my muffler fell, and the guys at the shop, who didn't speak

English at all, basically said, "Hey dude, your old truck is rusted shut
tight and we can't get in there to loosen the necessary bolts to work on
replacing your muffler." The owner shop basically stared at me blankly, giving
up and looking sorry. So, as usual, had to save the situation myself, rolled up
my sleeves, got out my WD40 and various tools, and got it solved myself. The
more I'm learning about this simple

caravan truck and engine, the more self sufficient I'm becoming. They were
all marvellling at me, with my little bike etc. tools, saying that with such
technical skills I can truly survive on my own. I think the laptop fan table
will be an interesting invention. One thing I was thinking of getting big white
sheets which can fasten to different parts on the outside, depending on which
angle the sun is hitting the truck. Lift up the sheets a bit so that there is
room to breath under it. With my super insulation, I find it can take up to 2pm
for it to get hot in the truck. Big problem is the back doors, which are not
insulated and which are like a stove when the sun lands on it. With my sheets
and my various fans, I think I could survive this upcoming summer. Will be fun
projects. later

Hope everything is well with you! I am back at work in Sofia after a superb
and brilliant trip visiting two very good friends, George and Jim, who
presently live in China. Plus, I also went to visit the typical tourist sites
of Beijing and Shanghai, and the Terracotta warriors in Xian. What a
fascinating experience!!

Hmm, the mobile phone thing is interesting. For my t-mobile service, my alarm
system, which has a sim card in it so that it can ring my phone when the alarm
goes off, has a locator down to about 100m. The newer model of the alarm system
can get it down to inches. But the website below is new information for me. Will
have to check it out, and tell my mom, as she's always worried about my survival
and where I am. Although I only turn on the phone when checking email. I'd be
interested about your experience with China. I feel an increasing calling to
check out Asia. Wish I could just drive there. Maybe eventually. You know
anything about mobile phone internet service? Internet is a big thing for my
work, and the screening of internet in a lot of these backward countries scares
me. For example Burma, which I would have to drive through to get to Thailand.
Maybe in fiveish years. laterman

But, I must admit, one of the most amazing discoveries that I made while I
was in China was this web "mobile phone tracker" on the internet!! I think the
Chinese government uses it but I am not completely sure. Anyway, by using the
Internet, it is now possible to locate a mobile phone within any GSM coverage
in the world!!!! You can check it out by going to:

http://www.sat-gps-locate.com For example, if
you want to locate a friend, their mobile cell phone must be turned ON. Then,
by filling in the country of their GSM service provider and their number, you
will be able to see exactly where they are by the use of this satellite
mapping system which is very similar to Google Maps! Absolutely unbelievable
this new Mobil Phone GPS Tracking site!!! I am very interested in hearing your
comments about this new "big brother" IT advancement!

will respond to your letter again when I download and read it again. Right
now I'm forwarding an email I got from Liba, which seems strangely timely and
topical to our present discussion. Personally I don't feel so scarred as
everyone would make it seem, but then again, one cannot see themselves so well
as others do. My greatest frustration is my inhibition in certain areas, but not
sure if that is a fundamental personality thing or from upbringing.
Nevertheless, as with any hurdle in my life, I always work to bulldoze all my
obstacles and accomplish all that I want. Which is one of the reasons I like
karaoke. I consider it like a rehabilitation fight club sort of thing, forcing
myself to overcome my fears and sing in front of people. Also with acting in
movies or commercials etc. Once in Vancouver, I was getting these vivid images
of me as an angel, with big white wings, but sitting on a hot dry earth, my
wings wilting away, until they were almost gone. Like an angel in hell. When I
was growing up in Eastvale, I felt I was popular among the local kids, like a
grown up hero for them. I would make jokes and remember how people were rolling
on the ground laughing their guts out. I was spontaneous in conversation and
well liked, but once Vladimir moved in, which his constant criticism and
repression, I noticed how I became increasingly secluded, isolated, low
confidence, inhibited, and I can go on. This has been a life long struggle to
climb out of. For a long time, I seemed to be attracted, almost still, to
extroverts, who tended to belittle me and treat me like a dog. It always got to
a point where I stopped being friends with them, after much abuse. Anyway, I can
go on, but this is just the cards I was dealt, and it makes no sense to dwell on
it and stop in my tracks, otherwise I would make no progress. These are simply
hurdles which I work to overcome, approaching it from a purely business and
logical approach. Otherwise, if I held onto it personally, I´m sure I would only
cripple myself and slow down my own healing. And my sense from your last letter,
to repeat, is that you are holding onto these pains, and it is slowing your own
healing. You say that I wont get off that easy, but what harm could you possibly
cause me. Do you think I am crippled with guilt here on the other side of the
planet? Hardly. Sure, I´d like to mend what wrong I did, but my salvation
certainly does not depend on it. The hurdles I work on overcoming have to do
100% with my own inhibitions, and lack of self-confidence, which were created
out of years of criticism. We did not have a nurturing childhood at all. I
remember one day I came home proud, exclaiming to mom I got an A+ in physics or
something, to which she accusingly asked, "Oh yah? And what did you get in
English, or

chemistry?" Knowing that those were my two worst subjects. And then
proceeded to tell me that the best is acceptable, and that second best is
nothing. Now I see that this is rather a joke, considering all that mom is
capable of. Zero on the computer, nothing what concerns musical instruments,
yipdeedoo she took a crash course in realestate, which I can equate with my two
week course in industrial first aid. Basically a lot of criticism but nothing to
show for it herself. When they were in Prague I hooked up with them after
running a marathon. My first one ever. When I told them my time, Vladimir
casually made reference what was the average among the world´s best, in a sweep
basically negligising my accomplishment. Whatever man. What accomplishments,
besides their endless critisising about ever nation in the world, can they show
for themselves? But I just blow off all these comments and move on. It is my own
accomplishment and I do it for myself. Sure, when I was young, their support was
important for me, but no longer. Anyway, you really seem to be holding onto
these grudges. When I was in Vancouver I felt I had to grovel around you, I had
cash back then, and was bringing to your home food and beers, and cooking, and
in the bars you practically commanded me to buy you drinks. Like I owed you from
a life of abuse. And I willingly did it, but after a while it seemed rather
childish. Like as if a lifetime of grovelling would somehow heal you, or that I
would even be interested in continuing with that over the long term. Maybe I
would, who knows. Or when I was partying with you and Keith, a few times Keith
looked at me rather accusingly, like you had filled his ears with horrid tales
of the past, and he couldn´t help but cast an evil, self- righteous judgement
against me. But I just looked up and stared right at him without flinching, and
he couldn´t hold his gaze against me for longer than half a second. And that is
because I felt the past is the past and I had no reason to sit there and grovel
for it. Shit happens man, and if people hold onto the past and chips on their
shoulders like this, they only become jaded and they limit their own selves. You
cannot hurt the person you hate but only yourself. You can fester ill feelings
within you against dad, but do you think he honestly feels it on the other side
of the globe? Or has a cloud of guilt hovering over his head until he goes to
the grave with head hanging low? No, these feelings fester within you, on a
permanent basis, and poison only you. And I feel many people are crippled this
way if they do not learn to let go and fully forgive and forget. It seems to
come with age. The young at heart have a greater tendency to jump into new
experience, which is why I find them refreshing. Anyway, letting go of my hatred
and anger towards Vladimir has truly set me free in many areas. It´s your life
and you choose how to go about it. Through these letters and helping you with
seo and stuff, I´d
like to rekindle some nice relationship with you, and if I were living in
Vancouver, perhaps I´d be willing to grovel over a long period and make you feel
better. Actually, when I was in Vancouver, I found I had to do that, because the
city is so bloody boring, and everyone so boring with their rent a videos, I
found myself exasperated in boredom waiting impatiently for another weekend or
Friday when you would invite me to your place, to watch videos or play computer
games, just so I could have some excitement in my week. I was probably
grovelling more out of total boredom and glad to at least have some social
activity. Which is essentially one of the reasons I moved to Prague anyway.
After one of my university friends told me he´d rather stay home and watch 90125
live broadcast on TV, like as if he didn´t have a VCR, rather than go out
drinking with me on Friday, I decided I´d had enough with that utterly boring
city and country, and after experiencing the utter excitement of Prague, and
Europe in general, I was totally done and relieved from Canada. I actually met a
Canadian in

Prague once who specifically asked me where I thought was more boring,
Canada or

Czech Republic. I thought it was some strange trick question, so I meekly
proposed Canada. And he totally exclaimed agreement. So I don´t even think you
will have the opportunity to receive satisfaction by watching me grovel, because
I don´t think I´ll ever want to spend a significant portion of my life in that
boring city of Vancouver. Anyway, it´s up to you. I think you´re not getting my
point, and don´t really even want to go that direction. And are feeling some
sort of vindication and satisfaction about not forgiving or something. I can
guarantee you that I would never carry with me any guilt because of it. I´m
totally free of all that, to the same degree that I have forgiven those who have
trespassed against me. The only thing you could possibly burden me with is a
sense of pity for you. And this is something I find people think - those who
hold onto grudges, and somehow feel they are getting the person back. Far be
from it. Anyway, I think we did have a nice relationship in the beginning, and
look back with a lot of fondness. Later I realise certain things I feel bad
about. Not that it weighs me down, but I just imagine how it must have felt on
your end, and I feel sorry for causing someone else pain. But these are mostly
isolated cases, where the rest I´d say I was rather annoyed with your way of
thinking. You seemed selfish and uncaring in many ways, and when you lied to me
this really burned me with anger. And like an uncontrollable tyrant, who didn´t
have any sufficient policing force above him before Vladimir came, I simply
exploded as human nature does. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, and
youngsters don´t have the rational and reasoning that an adult might. Yet an
adult could easily become like a spoiled little tyrant if given the opportunity
to dictate. It is simple human nature and you can´t really blame anyone for it.
Anyway, this can become an endless discussion and not sure if my message will
ever sink in, so no point in rambling on my long letters. Many people don´t seem
to have time to read them. I already apologised once, but don´t see any point in
repeating myself, or grovelling forever. I´ve enjoyed the emailing and perhaps
the opportunity to get closer like this remotely, and if it makes you feel
better, I can agree to grovelling, but certainly not out of some self need to
heal my own guilt. I just think it is better to let go of the past and move
forward, for your own sake. I would feel sad and a loss if you became adamant
and unforgiving, and bottled yourself up and closed me out, but I certainly
wouldn´t mope around the planet for the rest of my life, with my head hanging
low, crippled in guilt. I´ve learned to break away from my past and move
forward, and that´s what I would do, no matter how unfortunate I considered it.

Concerning your statements about your creativity, well, that might open
another chapter of discussion, and maybe you should tell me if my letters are
too long. These letters are for me conversation, so I tend to write much longer
letters to everyone than I receive back from them. I type fast, like I´m
talking, and am trying to keep things shorter, as several people have indicated
such a request to me. Anyway, not sure I can offer much insight in this area. I
feel I´m also creative, playing on eleven musical instruments, composing my own
music, with lyrics, dabbling in painting, etc etc, but it has never been a
desire to make a profession out of it. It is simply a joy for me, and if I get
free beers out of organising a jam session and I get to play on various
instruments, I´m more than happy. But some of the things you said remind me of a
photography friend of mine, who would go on and on and on about his creative
juices. How he would choose to teach English rather than prostitute his great
creative energy by taking pictures of weddings, or commercial
photography.
He´d come home after a grinding day teaching English, which he detested, maybe
force himself to go for a walk in the forest or the centre of Prague and take
artsy fartsy pictures (albeit it good quality), but most of the time I saw him
sitting in front of one of my computers playing games. And I had to question his
reasoning, but rather did not say anything. Now he is a
professional wedding
photographer. My feeling now is that it is better to (supposedly) prostitute
oneself if it will give them an opportunity to practice their profession, gain
contacts in it, and learn something in the process. Perhaps use the prostitution
to buy better equipment. That same person can always go on the same walk in the
forest or the centre, and I do not believe that somehow they lose their creative
juices because of this supposed prostitution. When taking pictures of a married
couple, one can be creative too. Or it reminds me of a girl I met in Italy, who
was trying to develop her creative juices by promoting her own depression. Like
it was deepening her soul, which could then come out in her paintings or poems,
or whatever her artsy fartsy aspirations were. I consider these rather silly
arguments. But I really don´t know much about your situation or understand so
well what you are talking about. Sure, don´t sell out to some long term contract
where some dealer would own you or something, but if it is a one or two year
contract which could propell you into some domain, where you can develop
contacts and more experience, why not? But I really don´t know your situation
well and this is purely speculation. But I also have to question your reasoning
about spending 3,000$ on a fancy camera because some guy got 1.5 million hits
from his mobile phone camera. Personally I couldn´t care less about birds and
eagles. Well, generally, I consider myself an environmentalist, and love nature,
and want to preserve nature, and natural habitat for all the animals. Actually,
I´d say I´m a tree guy, and recently decided that I must love trees much more
than humans, who are vile selfish creatures, as the bible says, and I have grown
to learn. But I guess there are people out there who dig eagles. I just can´t
see how taking pictures of them would pay for that much money. But if it does,
hey, total power to you dude. As the bible say, the best that a person can
accomplish in their life is to eat (the
word of God),
drink (from the
Holy Spirit), and be glad with the work of their hands. "This is a

gift from God". So if what you enjoy puts bread on your table, this is one
of the best things you can do for yourself. So many people spend 8 hours doing
what they hate, then about two hours transporting to and from work, then maybe
another two or three hours between shitting, cooking, eating, and other
necessary chores and errands, till it leaves perhaps only a couple of hours a
day to do what they really want. Which often turns out to be turning on the boob
and turning off their brains, so that they can forget about their horrible day.
What a f*cking depressing existence. No wonder people spend so much time getting
wasted in the bar talking about absolutely nothing. Anyway, if this movie
script, and taking pictures of eagles, and painting etc is what gives you joy,
I´m always there to support one hundred percent. One female friend of mine told
me that she wanted to get into photography, to take pictures of nude chicks,
because that was what she felt she wanted to do, and asked me what I thought
about it. While everyone else around her was telling her that it was too late to
start, and that she was just a pretty little girl and should be satisfied with
looking for a husband or something, she said I was the only one who supported
her. I told her, if she felt that´s what she wanted to do, she should definitely
follow her feelings. Now she is sort of famous, with exhibits in Argentina,
Japan, Paris etc. Can´t check now if the link is still active, but her page was

http://www.terezazdavle.tk/ Anyway, I´m glad I
supported her and am proud that she considers my support back then instrumental
to her success. Shit, I´m poorer than a dog now, but I totally enjoy everything
I do. From sun up to sun down. So I think I´m totally better off than the
majority of people, no matter how much money they might make, or big house they
live in, or fancy car they drive. I just want to get more into charity now, for
the joy of it. Getting tired and bored of making money. So whatever you feel is
what you want to do, I would always support that, and believe that the money and
success will follow naturally. Sure, sometimes one might have to work at McD to
pay the rent, but if they keep plugging away at their interest, and are lucky to
spend most of their time doing what they enjoy, the financial end should take
care of itself later. Well, I´ll try to cut short here. Been blabbing endlessly
again. I guess I would just feel it is better to be working in an area you
enjoy, even though you are technically prostituting yourself, whatever that is
supposed to mean, rather than spend eight hours a day working in something you
don´t really enjoy, while spending your free time trying to be pure in what you
like doing, while shooting for the moon. Like leap frogging from ground zero to
the moon, and being uncompromising in the middle, and end up working in some
other area just to pay the rent. This is a mistake I feel my photographer friend
made. And now that he finally is doing this wedding gig shit, he certainly does
not look like he is suffering in creative prostitution. Anyway, I´ll shutup now.
latero

------- Forwarded message follows -------

Sender Allowed

It was interesting to read your concerns about David and his mother Ilona.
Also as you remember how your Mom was treating you (your emotional needs) when
you were growing up. Now you can see how big role plays Mom in the family. Of
course Father is the important figure in the family but Mother is the one who
tends after emotional well being of small child and play a big role in forming a
good traits and character of a person. I feel that Mother plays a bigger role in
a child than father. Sometimes mothers can overdo it or under do it. We all seen
problem I think in Elvis Presley for example (the only child who was so pampered
by his Mother while he had his own father living with him), Elvis slept by side
with his Mother for a long time). He had really strong attachment to his mother.
It's not normal. Mothers can do a lot of damage to their children with how much
they love them or how little they give love to them; However there must be a
good balance. I always felt that you and Marketa did not get enough love from
your Mom. And if there was some, it was in very strange form. Have you ever
heard of "narcist, being narcistic"? These people are the one who love only
themselves and using their own children for their glorification. All must be
done in own way, not taking consideration of children's needs. In case of your
Mom, it had to be done in accordance to her beliefs/desires. She was nor
realistic at all, living in a constant fairy tale dreams. Today I know it had to
be spiritual. She usually had friends close like her but usually weak people
with low esteem. To those she could "minister". I don't think she could have
serous discussion with you while you were growing up. You as children had to
constantly fight for your own identity I think. You, at least, was strong enough
that you didn't accept all that what was imposed on you, but Marketa being
younger, because of it had very confused and foggy outlook on life. I am sure
she was also brainwashed against me/us. Your Mom made your life much more
difficult with her approach. I hope that after all those experiences she is
better Mom to you and Marketa. Re. David, he missed only one lesson so far,
because of stomach flu. He came just before Easter, when I had my Mom and cousin
here with her baby. So I took him to Jens' room for a lesson so we will not be
disturbed. I gave him something to eat at kitchen and my Mother marveled at him,
telling him how good he looks, how beautiful big eyes he has and even a dimple
at his cheek. He really liked that :). I also mention that he is also very smart
after his father! At the end pf lesson, I asked him which English lesson is
better, mine or at school, he said mine; but of course this is irrelevant! We
will see what he learns at the end. I was planning to tell him something about
Jesus during that time, but did not feel it was appropriate because we weren't
alone completely, but I might do it today after the Easter, asking him how he
celebrated it and what's Easter really means.

February 28

2008-03-11T04:37:00.000-07:00

Responding to you last email from memory, and will answer anything I missed
later.

Yesterday I drove to the hospital in Lanarca, on the south, Greek side of the
island. Mainly because I needed some magnesium sulphate for my annual liver
cleanse, so I thought I'd do it all at once. The day before I muscled out of my
doctor here an official statement that I need an operation. When I got to the
hospital, they said I needed to get an appointment with a doctor, and based on
that a potential decision for an operation, which I would have to pay for. So I
quickly got into my "bank mode", which is like a bulldozer and I do not accept
no as an answer, after which she said I had to go to the emergency accident
window and try my luck there. Forced my way in and seems that I'll get an
operation in about a month, and I guess the

Czech Republic insurance will pay for it. I certainly don't have the money
to, and don't feel I should, since I pay for so much health insurance and
nothing is ever wrong with me. And this seems serious enough that it should get
paid. We'll see in a month.

Drove back and the next day was my liver cleanse. With the parasite cleanse
before, this must be my best body cleaning yet, and for next year I will try to
follow the instructions closer and in advance get some more ingredients I
couldn't, even though the south side has much more stuff than the north.

But doing the cleansing was a bit complicated, because it called for lying on
my back, while the
natural
hemorrhoid treatment called for lying on my front. And the frequent
diarrhea
the fasting imposed greatly
aggravated the hemorrhoid problem, and seemed to kick that whole catastrophe off
in the first place. But I'm glad I'm just going to get rid of it and hopefully
come back to a normal existence again. As I was driving back yesterday, I
realised that I was struggling with it for the past 4 to 5 years, hence its been
with me 10% of my life so far. It will be nice to get back to normal again. And
next year to be able to do the cleanse better, without all these complications.

Anyway, compromised it by lying the first 20 minutes on my back, and then
shifting to my side. The instructions say that, after drinking the olive oil
potion, for about 20 minutes you can hear the stones loosen like marbles working
their way down a hose. And that's certainly what it sounded like. I could almost
feel them shifting through my system.

This morning when I continued, at one point felt a little pressure on my
hemorrhoid, like a little hard crap that was lodged in, so I got up to get rid
of that, put the pressure on, and out popped something, making a little popping
sound. I later checked and was amazed to see it was the size of my thumbnail.
Like about 4 times the size of a large red kidney bean, or slightly smaller than
a small peach pit. Examining everything I saw (disgusting yet, but I had to take
a picture), I was calculating how much cholesterol that must have added up to.
It is apparently 100% cholesterol and starts to form when a dead parasite gets
lodged in your liver, with the cholesterol building up around that over time.
Last year I took my largest chunk, which was about the size of three or four
peas, and cut it in half as the instructions suggest. Had roughly the
consistency of light cheese and was dark green in the middle. Haven't researched
this yet, but wondering what direct relation this has on the body's overall
cholesterol levels. Logically I'd imagine a fair bit.

Oh, here is a good section I found:

For many persons, including children, the biliary tubing is choked with
gallstones. Some develop allergies or hives but some have no symptoms. When the
gallbladder is scanned or X-rayed nothing is seen. Typically, they are not in
the gallbladder. Not only that, most are too small and not calcified, a
prerequisite for visibility on an X-ray. There are over half a dozen varieties
of gallstones, most of which have cholesterol crystals in them. They can be
black, red, white, green or tan colored. The green ones get their color from
being coated with bile. Notice in the picture (pg. 545) how many have imbedded
unidentified objects. Are they fluke remains? Notice how man are shaped like
corks with longitudinal grooves below the tops. We can visualize the blocked
bile ducts from such shapes. Other stones are composites- made of many smaller
ones- showing that they regrouped in the bile ducts some time after the last
cleanse.

At the very center of each stone is found a clump of bacteria, according to
scientists, suggesting a dead bit of parasite might have started the stone
forming.

As the stones grow and become more numerous the back pressure on the liver
causes it to make less bile. Imagine the situation if your garden hose had
marbles in it. Much less water would flow, which in turn would decrease the
ability of the hose to squirt out the marbles. With gallstones, much less
cholesterol leaves the body, and cholesterol levels rise.

Gallstones, being porous, can pick up all the bacteria, cysts, viruses and
parasites that are passing through the liver. In this way "nests" of infection
are formed, forever supplying the body with fresh bacteria. No stomach infection
such as ulcers or intestinal bloating can be cured permanently without removing
these gallstones from the liver.

Anyway, I think the method of cholesterol levels you guys are following
requires going to take tests and modifying your eating habits in reaction to it.
But I think if you just flushed out all these stones once a year, as everyone
has them, and I imagine you guys at your age could have a lot, you'd be able to
spend the rest of the year living it up and partying it more. Waddayatink? Your
liver is basically like your body's filter. On a person's car everyone changes
their filter perhaps once a year. Everyone takes care of their car so much, but
tend to ignore their own bodies. Imagine running your car for 50+ years without
changing the filter. So imagine all the junk that would get into the cylinders
and all the other fine parts of the engine. Your body basically works the same
way. I can devise as painless a plan for you if you like. But I must admit,
flushing these green peas out of my system feels great! This must be my best
fast yet, and I feel like a cloth running under a cold tap, being flushed of all
sorts of grime. I even noticed how my face is substantially shinier and cleansed
now, so next year I plan to take before and after pictures, so I can compare
myself, show others, and use it for my doctor karel
general health
website or something.

I think I will take a different approach to fasting. This time I started on
my birthday, aiming for a 40 day cleansing period, to end on Easter. Partied up
on my birthday, and after that, no alcohol, meat, cigarettes, or anything bad.
Just preparing my system. As the fast approached, I was eating less and less,
without any effort. Then the two week parasite cleanse, but next year I'd like
to make it more intense and eat according to the instructions more. This year I
only took about a third of the dosage, and my wrong eating probably triggered
the super diarrhea.

Then when I'm done with the parasite cleanse, I begin my water only fast, a
few days of that, then kick into the kidney cleanse, which is all day eating
only watermelon. Then the next day the liver cleanse.

It's a crazy procedure, but I see the results. You can probably do it without
the water only fast, but I have to admit that, this being day 6 or something, I
feel absolutely zero pain or suffering. Tonight I'll return the movies and buy
some oranges, and start drinking fresh squeezed stuff of that to prepare my
stomach for digestion again. This fast feels like my most cleansing yet, and by
far the most painless. I don't even have my usual cravings for food, so perhaps
starting earlier and going into it slowly has something to do with it.

Anyway, I'm glad I'll get rid of that hemorrhoid.

Czech Republic insurance miraculously sent me a great explanation email, and
it seems I have to use the public service, so your potential contacts in

Cyprus probably won't help me. I've never been a great fan of these contacts
anyway. Sure, they can be useful, but not necessarily. Dad's accountant turned
out to be a flop and I have to say that the 14 years I was in

Prague I cannot think of one single contact that has helped me which I
couldn't do better by opening the Yellow Pages and interviewing people myself.

Anyway, thanks for the concern, and it is good to share these experiences
with someone, but I am wondering if I should not do so with you again. You tell
me. It is unproductive for you to get so worried, and is harmful to you. I can
suffer without the shoulder to cry on.

Have a good one.

tak ten tvuj email me totalne rozsekal... ja se smala, az jsem se za usi
popadala. Musela jsem to prosim te precist svojemu pritelovi.

Yah, I always prefer to find humour in something than let me get me down. A
lot of times I just have to chuckle away here in the truck by myself, at my
often ridiculous predicaments. But it makes life interesting and something to
write about.

S pritelem taky chceme udelat ten parasite cleanse. Ted se ale trosku bojim,
pote cos mi popsal tvuj pripad.

Should be okay if you eat the right foods with it. I think white yoghurt is a
good idea. To get some decent shit action and keep the bacterias alive. This
year's fast was the best yet. Don't even know how it could have been so
painless, yet so cleansing at the same time. Maybe it's because I started
earlier in the sense of not drinking beers, or smoking, or eating meat.
Preparing my body in advance. Perhaps the shock in the past led to all those
cravings, but that was the problem with Prague for me - not being able to say no
to invites for a beer. Just too delicious. But I haven't had one beer since my
birthday, and its so much easier here. Think I'm gonna stop smoking altogether.
Found out that my mom's side of the family has a history of heart problems and
early deaths, and I've been feeling strange pains and flutters in the area for
half a year. Maybe its the greasier diet while travelling, but I'm going to try
and clean up my act in general. Downloaded from the internet some tips for a
healthy heart so will try some changes in my diet.

Zatim zadne novinky ohledne me zelene karty. Budu potrebovat declarations
ohledne toho, ze to bylo good faith marriage a ze jsme spolu zili od co
nejvice lidi. Takze uvidim. Ve skole mi to jde moc dobre. Pritel rika, ze jsem
"teacher's pet". Porad se ucim, delam si ukoly a mam docela pekny znamky. Ve
stredu mi konci english, takze musim psat hodne essays v anglictine +
summaries. Velmi rada tedka hraju scrabble, pomaha mi to se slovni zasobou. No
nic, jdu si lehnout, je uz pozde. V tydnu chodim spat kolem 10pm.

10 eh? Wow. What happened to party Misha? I'm not partying so much either,
but I certainly do every time I find good company.

University was fun for me and glad you are enjoying it. Think it might be
the best time of my life, but my university was a major party university. On the
other hand, I got involved in so many activities. Like on the gymnastics team,
and photographer for the school with free access to the lab and free film. Drama
class and going to school plays. Tons of stuff happening all the time, and
everyone is hopeful. Actually, I found free internet here at the university
here, so I'm there every day, and it reminds me of the times. I even smell the
same aroma of fresh textbooks, or I don't know what it is, but it's also nice to
watch all the young skirts while driving through campus looking for my wifi
parking spot. Will try to put some ads up offering free English lessons, in
exchange for beers, so hopefully will start to meet some people. Been too poor
to hit the bars. Otherwise I'm fairly happy here on the beach. Have a good one!

We leave for Praha next Tuesday. We value your opinions, advice and
experience. We will take your advice. If you think of anything else we areopen
to any and all information.

One idea just occurred to me, almost my favourite place, and its just outside
of Prague. If you have a car its easier, but train works fairly well. The
favourite place is Luca pod Mednikem, and you have to take a train that goes to
Davle and then east to Cercany. Get off at Luca pod Mednikem and go straight to
the pub at the train station. One of my favourite in the country. Then walk back
along the tracks west towards Davle. Wander through the totally cool cottage
country. At one point you'd have to go through a scary tunnel on the tracks, and
then your back on the path which takes you down to the river. Then you can go
straight up to the top of the mountain and find your way back to the train
station where you started by whinging it through the forest. Another option is
to get to Kammeny Privoz and walk along the river east towards Davle. Before
that though make sure to check out the pub on the river bank by the bridge where
all the drunken canoists pull in. Great grill outside, and excellen

Czech Republic cuisine. You might end up spending the entire day there, as I
often do, but give yourself a couple of hours for a nice stroll on the path
along the river (other side from Luca). You can even walk all the way to Davle
area practically, or some point past Luca where you can cross the river to
another train station (forget all the names). Or rent a canoe and start from
Tynec nad Sazavou and go to the end stop, which is the train station at the end
of the previous sentence. A hilarious day going downriver and stopping at every
river pub. We go on 5 day canoe trips around Cesky Krumlov and that is the best,
but a more major commitment.

Otherwise this route above is a great one day trip, so you can take a train
back to Tynec and do it again on Sunday, if you camp out at the end stop. I'm a
big camper. You might find some useful links on my
party site. At least a link to the train
schedules, website also in English.

Thank you very much for taking the time to return my e-mails and to answer
my many questions. I have enjoyed your travel journals as well as your
photography.
Your sister is very pretty. You remind me of my own children.:) May
God Bless you and send His angels to
protect you and guard you in safety and health as you travel. If you ever get
to Omaha Nebraska we shall grill you a "proper" Nebraska steak:)

Sounds enticing. Just finished another fast and looking forward to a big
steak and rice. Haven't had that in a long time. I'm alone in the this truck, so
answering these emails is a pleasant break from the work.

We love nature as well and live in a wooded and secluded area . We take
good care of our birds and little animals. We love to hike , be out doors and
experience all of God's beautiful and amazing creations...... my husband even
has me

camping:) Best to you Karel and again.Thanks!:) Have a Happy
day......sunshine starts from within each of us!:) and radiates out to all we
meet along the way!:) SMILES!:) they warm the planet as well......altho Brian
tells me that few smile or seem happy in Praha..........Blessings !

Yah,

Czechs can be a grumpy, bitter and envious lot. Best to get out of Prague
and in the nice nature areas. Many expats in Prague don't even know this and it
is a crime. Getting wasted and waking up past noon, spending their life in the
pub, like the beer and conversation is any better in Prague pubs. Prague was a
magic time for me in the beginning, when many compared it to Paris after WW2,
but things settled down, people got settled and snobbish, and it lost a lot of
the charm for me. But it's still a great city compared to others, even though
I've lost my zeal for the city life. The nice thing about Prague is that within
45 minutes you are out in nice nature almost in any direction. I think someone
should set up a tour group for expats, because not many

Czechs stay in Prague over the weekend. Anyway, since you were talking so
nicely and spiritually, I guess I'll give you one more page you can peruse at
your leisure: christ.kenax.cz. I work in the virtual world, and now that I'm on
the road its even more than before. I guess its my "craziest" site, but one can
only try to make some positive difference in this world. Take care, Karel

tak je sobota rano a pritela a ja jsme zacali nas colon cleans... nevim, co
ti koupila mama, ale my jsme koupili produkt od Dr. Natura a jmenuje se to
Colonix. Je to mix, colon cleans a parasite cleans. Jsem zvedava, jaky shit ze
me bude strikat. Videla jsem fotky na internetu a ty hovna, co vylezli z lidi
vypadaj opravdu scaaary!

Well, if this is your first time doing this, I'm pretty curious to hear your
reaction as well! Keep in mind that pork lines your intestinal walls, and beef
clogs them. Pretty staple

Czech foods, and if you're not a health nut like me who tries to have enough
fibres and salads throughout the year to regularly clean out the guts, what
might come out of you could be horrific indeed. I like to analyse and smell it,
which is easier here in nature or on a

Czech toilet, heh heh. My shit almost never smells, and when it does, I
ponder over why and what I ate the day before. So if you have a chance to
examine it (although I guess you wouldn't go the extreme like Crazy Steve who
would shit in the bath tub and then rub his shit between his fingers while
smelling and examining it closely), you might realise what crap you have stored
within you, crap which can lead to all sorts of diseases, and start on a new
path. I still love drinking beer but I'm way older than you and my body can't
take the abuse anymore. Even though I'm still quite healthy, and manage to keep
up my sports to a modest amount (very important). Just recently I learned that
my mom's side of the family has a history of heart problems, and I'm feeling
strange pains. So now I've also embarked on a heart healthy crusade. Quite
interesting reading and I attached it, because it applies to many things. In
short, daily vitamins, switch to flax/fish/canola/rapeseed oils, and avoid
certain crap. People still think I'm in my early thirties, and I'd like to be
young and healthy a long time still. I wanna squeeze a lot outa life, and
wasting it in the pub endulging in meaningless conversation isn't part of it.
Although I still enjoy it from time to time, but for a few years before I left
Prague, I would often sit there and listen to the meaningless conversation,
leading nowhere, and wondering what the hell I was doing with my time.
Destroying my body with more alcohol, cigarettes and dope, and wasting time like
this, leading to absolutely nothing. I hope to start a different and equally
interesting chapter in my life. I look back with fondness on all those years of
partying. They were harder partying years before I met you, and also in
university, but I think it's time to move on to more productive things. I want
to get involved more in charity and achieving things. I think I could
technically make 80 and still be healthy enough and active. I can certainly make
it to sixty in good physical shape. So we're talking an additional entire
lifetime to live. Many people seem to hit 22 or 30 and its all downhill from
there - stuck in some job/profession, a 9 to 5 rut, always paying off their
mortgage, trying to put their kids through college, maximising their revenues to
always buy a better car, bigger house, and fill it up with more junk. Until they
find themselves in a comfy padded coffin and wonder what the hell they've
achieved during their life. Nah, that's not for me, and I feel good I've breaken
the chains from

Prague and starting a new leaf. I love turning over leaves and starting over
again, or fresh and new. Makes things so much more interesting. It just sucks
that I'm so poor at the moment and I cannot enjoy it as much, but I'm sure this
will slowly change, and look forward to real interesting times ahead.

Zapomnela jsem se te zeptat, mas skype account? Jaky je tvoje jmeno? Ja
jsem na skype pod misa.kothanova Zkus me najit a pak si te pridam do seznamu.

I think mine is either kenax or kenaxx. I don't use it much, but if you want,
we can work out some time when we can talk. For me it's better during the week
when I can park at the university and use free internet. But it keeps coming in
and out, and I haven't tried Skype yet under those conditions. Not sure if the
system will be able to reconnect or if it will be a hassle to find each other
every time it disconnects. And its better for me while it is light here, so the
solar panels can fire the more demanding wifi. So I guess your morning sometime.
WOuld be fun to try. Otherwise, I decided I will use Skype, possibly with video,
when I expand and want to communicate with my employees. Some things are better
written and sent by email, but some things can be more quickly explained
verbally in combination with written instructions, as all I do is write emails
and some of them are pretty tedious. Would be fun to try!

Jdu trosku poklidit a pak se budu ucit business. Dostali jsme take home
test. Co jineho delat v sobotu rano, ze? Mej se zatim hezky a hodne stesti!

So what are you studying exactly? You have a vision of what you want to learn
and which direction you want to go? School is fun, but it can be a time and
money investment, so it is good to have some overall plan. But I'm practically
jealous of you. I had a great time in university. Felt like I was in a big
bubble away from reality, because everything was already paid for and I was just
going to class and stuff. I worked one or two nights a week as a bartender, to
give me cash, it felt like partying, and I would often drink and get drunk
behind the bar. When I worked at the university pub, I'd thow everyone out at
2am, keep my friends there and we'd play pool for free, open up the bar and
drink whatever we wanted until we got totally wasted. Those were the days!

so long letter, but I will always have my comments and you will always do
what you want, it is an old story but as mother I have the right to say what
is on my heart.

Yah, certainly, and in my aging years I am doing increasingly what I want to
do, obviously. I just question whether it makes sense to confide in you my hard
times if they are going to stress you out and be harmful. It's nice to share my
difficult times with someone, but I'd rather not if it goes overboard. The
operation is supposed to be in about a month and they said they'd call me, and
send me a letter. So I will start to keep my phone on in three weeks and check
the post office regularly. I asked for their telephone number so I can check but
they didn't give it to me, so maybe I'll be forced to drive their if I'm
uncertain. It cost me about a quarter tank of gas there and back, so about
500Kc. Nothing too catastrophic. Small island.

> When do you want to have your operation?? do you have money to get to

Cyprus part you need. Youo must discuss with the doctor the way you live
and condition of your "bathroom facitility" Hygiene will be crutioa part of
postoperating process and Godd forbid you get some infection for lacek of
showers, baths or whatever will be needed.

One thing I wanted to invest into was a small handtowel so that I could wash
my butt and balls area more thoroughly, as I don't shower that often. That's one
drag of this travelling. But when its hot in the summer I tend to swim in the
ocean every day, which requires a rinse off afterwards. Even in Luzicka I missed
having long hot baths.

Could you find some cheep motel or accommodation where you can shower
properly in clean water till you heel? I would be willing to forward some
money for that purpose even if I stronly disagree with the idea.

I get fresh water from a tap into my solar shower bag and shower that way. I
pay for everything as I pay my translators and have been paying everything for
years - via bank transfer through the internet. I'm not in archaic times.

How do you pay for your czech insurance so it is still valid???

I have a permanent address in

Czech Republic, am an EU citizen, and have regular insurance based on that.
But travel insurance is a problem and that is due to expire in July. I already
found out I can get insurance here, so I'll figure it out as the time
approaches. After all, the usual miracle can always happen that I get a big job
and can start travelling again, but considering all the debt I owe, I'd rather
stay here for a longer time and use the opportunity to get back up on my feet.
Getting off this island will be expensive, then gas, and the back four tires.
I'd rather cut the umbilical cord outright and float around the world. But it is
still too volatile and internet is not everywhere. Maybe in five years it will
be better, and extended travel insurance will be easier. Well, basically
finished my fast and tomorrow looking forward to a
Turkish
Gyros. Today I made a great salad using mustard in the salad dressing. I like
how each week or day I am improving things a little Recently I made a spice rack
which snuggles and holds on the wall in the closet, and is removeable when I am
cooking. I hope to make a juicy steak sometime soon in post celebration of my
fast. This one has been the best yet, and painless if you do not include the
butt problems. Hope that parasite cleanse you sent me will last another year. I
didn't open the other two bottles yet. Well, its Sunday now, watching the sun go
down on the ships in the harbour, and about to turn on a movie. No more movie
rentals until I have another job. Hope that will be soon. Take careo

As you can see it is important to have it. None of us have enough money for
paying doctors cash in case of something serious. I was paying in Praha last
time when I needed medical attention after my bad ski accident. Though I have
an insurance in
Czech
Republic it is set up that I have to be 6 months away so I do not have to
pay for the whole year. I only had 4 months so I was not covered. Luckilly
Karel Stedry took me so some great guy in Beroun and took care of me for cash
(and wery good care I got) but all the medications and so went for name of Eva
Stedra and for Vlad it went to Karel so at least that was big saving. Ask all
possible questions and be careful. I do not know anyboody at Cyprus, will try
to contact Jana, maybe she knows I thing she used to go there but Vlade things
she used to go the Kreta. So good luck and keep me posted. I am here stuck in
the faraway paradise till April 4. I have about 11 hours diference in time
with you.

The whole time used for the

Dutch project was 3h45', i.e. 11,25 Euro. Added to the sum of 151 Euro,
agreed in our emailing earlier this month, the total stands at 162 Euro. I
hope, this is OK with you too. Thank you!

okay, just updated the records. I think this will be a good way to pay back
the rest, only approaching you with larger projects and always whittling away
the debt. I guess I just get overly optimistic easily. I thought my customer
hunt would find success much faster, but it is turning out to be a much slower
endeavour. But at least I have found a good cheap place to station, with free
internet, and will continue to plug away at things. The search engines are a
much more competitive field than before, so the results take a while, but I see
what works and will continue plugging away at it. And looking for customers in
other ways.

Thanks for that last email. I called the White house regarding Darfur. I
hope it means something. I found this site which seems extremely interesting
to me. You might like it too. http://One.org

Checked it out and looks cool. But we should also be careful about how much
money or whatever gets through to where it is supposed to. There could be a lot
of organisations out there with fancy websites out to make a profit etc. Or they
are bureaucratic and inefficient. Hey, do you know Dana? She finished some
African gig
recently and lived in some really poor village. Think I'll send her my next
contribution when I get up on my feet a bit. Would love to be down in these
places personally, but not with my truck, so a problem. latero

I'm still wallowing in the douldrums of poverty so can't send any cash yet,
but once I'm up on my feet a bit, you're the next one on my list. Just curious,
how much of the money actually gets to where it is needed? I was slowly thinking
of setting up some system which would hopefully get 100% there, with a picture
of the recipient, and maybe their response or something, and set up direct
communication etc. It's kinda a drag throwing money into the virtual world when
you cannot get the enjoyment of when you give it to the person directly, so I
thought something like this could up the motivation for people out there. latero

okay, seems I managed to transfer it successfully to you guys. But now I
noticed that it has expired at the end of February, although I have not been
warned about this. I would not like to lose this domain. How do I pay to renew
it, now that it is under your control? Although it does not seem that it is
fully under your control yet, as I could not automatically renew it. Please
suggest.

Well it's great to hear from you anyway.

Cyprus wow! I think it's a pretty good idea to follow the weather. It's
finally gotten nice again here in Denver. Lots of stuff going on with me and I
am happy to report it is all good. I got a promotion at work so now I am my
own department which has it's definite slacker advantages. My fiance moved in
last month so am trying to get used to sharing my space. Getting married next
March so of course am trying to plan The Best PARTY! The only bad thing is
that they stopped distributing Budvar in Denver. Oh well can't have everything
I suppose.

I believe they settled for some agreement where they sell it under Czechvar.
But I recently read an article that they are actually teaming up for some sort
of distribution deal, so who knows. I think the Czechvar will be part of its
premium distribution offer, but they don't want them to use the name bud on the
n.a. market. Married eh? Wow, never would have thought that of the famous Anne
partier. Wonder if I'll ever one day. Can't imagine it now. Glad to hear work is
going well with ya. Austria is one of the places on my blacklist, because their
totally anal about rules and my truck is totally bohemian. Meaning lots of fudge
on its paperwork and liable to be taken from me if anywhere in the Shingin
agreement, especially in Austria. I'm told if I ever thought of crossing into
Swiss, might as well just hand it to them for recycling. Want to live it up
before I consider trying the west, and take the risk. France appeals to me.
Maybe around the UK and Ireland. Otherwise the east here is cheaper, relaxed,
and plenty fine for me. I generally prefer countries where it's perfectly okay
to cruise through a stop sign, like in Mexico. I just need to start making more
cash so I can drive around more. Otherwise I'm pretty happy as it is. G's email
is x Have a
good time in P and hope to see ya sometime. laterman

Will say hi to Prague for you. Are you planning on heading to Australia at
any point? I am just so happy for you, you're like an employed beach bum with
the open road ahead of you. I LOVE it. Take care buddy. Ann PS. Do you happen
to have George's email?

Good luck with all your problems. Health, money, car. Keep writing , I want
to know even if I disagree or worry. The worst is when I donot know and just
immagine. Do not forget about hygiene I wrote about last time. Where will you
be after the operation?

I was hoping I'd be able to drive back here. If not, I'll get a Greek sim
card and just lie on my stomach a few days till it heals. I guess we're both in
the same boat now, sort of starting from the beginning again. Today I checked
and I'm in the top ten for many important keywords now, so things are looking
up. At least I know what I need to do, and that it just takes a little time. But
once I got some pages in like that, I can use it as good leverage to get others
in there, so hopefully things will pick up speed. I guess you're gonna get some
old house and fix it up etc? Too bad i wasn't there. I rather enjoy such work
and its a pleasant break from the computer all the time. I'm mostly done with
the truck, or don't have cash or available supplies to continue, so no more of
that for the time being. Good luck with the house hunt!

I am not buying internet services over the weekend , it is Sat am now and
it will run out soon. Will connect again on Monday and Tuesday we are going
home. 10 days on the beach is just enough. Time to do something again. And we
have plenty to do now with moving again approaching. Have to be out on July 4.
Wish me luck to find a place to live even if just rental. There is a shortage
of everything now.

2007-09-05T06:36:00.000-07:00

Your horrible letters are very disturbing. That is not to say I wish you to stop. I must know how you are and looking for time when it will improve.

Well, I guess we're both going up and down. But this haemorrhoid stuff is enough and I'm sick of it. Can't imagine that Czech doctors are necessarily better than here. Simply a matter of snip and sow, and the body will heal the rest. My body's pretty good at healing it seems, so it should be okay. They would have to be total monkeys and leave big scissors in my butt or do such a bad sowing job that I bleed into myself. I really doubt something like that would happen. Finally got an email from VZP and they said that the southern Greek part is in the EU, so my regular insurance should work there, on the argument that I "should not have to go back to my home country for an operation like this". Made sorta friends with the Turkish doctor and am negotiating with him to write up a horrible letter than I had a plum hanging out my ass and that I really need the operation. I'll send that around, and assume I'll take that with me to Greece one weekend and get it snipped. It's been troubling me long enough and I just want some peace.

Your health is mostly important and have to be fixed and you must go through tests. Why not to drive back to
the Czech Republic which was your plan anyway and have normal doctors fix you. I am weary of
Turkey ones. Your insurance may not cover. What will it take for you to drive back and escape the heat of the summer? You
need tires and you need money for gas.

I thought I mentioned that it would cost about 50 thousand Kc to get to the
Czech Republic and back, so I think I wont bother and will just hang here for a while, laying low, and pay off all my debts. Absolute worst case scenario, I can maybe permanently park here at the university where I found free internet, so I don't have to pay out for gas (just calculated that it should be about 70$ a month to get to the beach every day) and survive on bread in the hardest times (about 70 cents a day). My internet is now free. My greatest cost now seems to be the
pirated DVDs I rent almost every day, cause I can only work so much. But I've started putting up fliers around campus that I'm willing to teach English for beers and the opportunity to meet people, so that could even save on the DVD renting. I sold our new

apartment in Vancouver and we are looking for some reno job dog house to fix up and start again. Vlad was depressed because 25 years of building business went up the smoke with Tims accident and we did not have any project, had to sell the dream house on the creek and now the apartment. But we are rid of loans and healthy enough to work for few years yet. AS you see dreams are often for dreaming and are good to have but not always work. My dream was to live in Vancouver, have a cottage at Whistler. Had some, lost some.

Well, at least you don't have the debts. You can't get another
project manager? At least you have a good base off of which you can build, so I guess a matter of time. What would life be if it did not have its ups and downs?

So back to you. This will be letter in stages as I am afraid to lose it and start again.

Like I said before, just write all your emails in Word if you have to. You can save the file as you type, so you won't lose anything even if your computer gets unplugged. When you're done, then simply paste it into your email thing, whether online or offline. You can even BCC it to yourself so that you have confirmation it was actually sent out. Once you get that confirmation, you can erase that .doc file. I usually keep mine in a directory called Erase. There's always some solution to the computer - you just need to get creative and explore options.

You have no money for food, asking Natasa for loan. Driving back with very unsafe car is crazy, muffler here, tires there, transmission over there, be stuck in the middle of Montenegro..... I will help but it will have some condition attached and you do not like that but I do not like you to be in the situation you are in. We are in Hawaii on the last moment special to think about our future because we are not distracted by anything and anybody. We have to figure out our life and now we have to figure out what to do about you. I will continue later in the day and then again and tell you what is on my mind. My biggest concern is your health and safety. xxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooooomaminka

Well, at least I got that job and figure I have about another month to survive. So I'll keep looking for customers, and maybe something will come in. That's a month at my old costs where I was paying for internet, so perhaps 1.5 months now. And I can always do the bread thing if I really get
desperate, but I assume enough work should come in to get me through this valley, and then hopefully smooth sailing upwards, once my webwork finally kicks in enough. Been getting great results on a few pages lately, so at least its working.

> You have A LOT of time on your hands :-)

Yup. But like I wrote, sitting in front of this computer all day, one needs to get their mind to something else. You can turn to people at work and chat, or you have your meetings. Imagine sitting in front of the computer at least 8 hours a day, by yourself, in a sardine can, and you can understand why I'm glad to wander off occasionally.

It is an interesting question, and its cool you asked. You're right; the work in the office is much different than what you do at the low level. I've thought of this a lot in relation to what I want to do with myself, because overall I do enjoy my work (to an extent, or rather, there exist aspects of the job that I enjoy, but others that I can't stand). I think when you're in a position of power, you have more ability to influence, to lean, to use, to make happen, and that adds to the overall feeling of contentment. What I don't like is that I'm not building wealth for my own hands. BUT, I have come to realize, that in all likelihood, I'm just not really the best guy to go and start a business. I say that as I have found that what I really excel at is setting process, making order from mess, setting direction, strategy, thinking out of the box when it comes to solution (at least in comparison to a dev audience that thinks very inline), etc. I SUCK at making initial contact, building people contact, selling (as I'm way too truthful), etc. While my goods have a few that are useful in the entrepreneur world, my cons overweigh them, at least until I am able to get over them.

Yah, I think I'm exactly the same way, otherwise I would probably be more successful by now. I always detested the idea of chasing after money when I didn't feel confident in the production end, and its easy to always find something to improve, which I enjoy more anyway. I'm trying to change that with the seo thing, which is a suitable way of finding customers for me, because I don't have to put on a suit, its technical, challenging and interesting, so it's technically a perfect way. Then perhaps pay for some ads if I'm rolling in the dough, or set up branches or something, where someone else can worry about the marketing end and I on the production end. Someone told me that successful businesses are built on partnerships (including employees) where everyone has their own strengths and they work together. So like Bill Gates and his marketing dude, who´s the second richest dude in the world. I guess Bill Gates is more into the production end and upper management or something. Or like Steve Wozniak and the other guy from Apple Computers. I guess we´re just two tech heads and maybe one reason why are partnership didn´t go so well, because we´re doubling up on things. If you ever wanted to try it again, perhaps go in with a marketing oriented partner. But personally I´m pretty allergic to the idea of partnerships. Many people I know hurt relationships with friends, and I like to be in control etc.

So not to turn this into a psychiatrist session about myself, but I think it basically comes down to being in an environment where you can excel. When you can excel, you feel good, and if its in a company like Monster, than fine, you enjoy it. The drudgery DOES happen though, and for me that shows it is time to move. I have that now in Monster, but on the other hand I'm well paid, the work is not as hard as it used to be (as I have learned) and I want to spend some time to visit other parts of my life, enjoy life a bit, etc. and think about the next step, so for right now I'm not actively pursuing climbing the ladder. Will give it some time and just continue making things work as I'm good at in the current position. Money - for now, good, though I could make far more working in sales or something. Stress level - generally, ok, but that to me is a sign that I'm not pushing myself now, which is ok per my current plan. Work hours - it was crazy first 2 months, it is getting better and I feel better. Success - people say I'm successful. I still think I could be much more. For now I just feel comfortable I guess.

So you´re more in people managing and less on the tech end? That sounds more interesting. Good you´re working less, cause balance is good. Life can´t be all work. I think your technical background is good for project management, so I´m curious to see how your skills develop in that area. Would definitely come in handy if you ever wanted to start something yourself. Just find some marketing nut and give him a good commission or something.

Hopefully that gave you a snapshot of what you were asking. I plan to get back to you at some point about visiting
Cyprus. Just too busy to get any planning done but working on it!

It´s getting toasty warm now, but still coolish at night. Was told that it gets around 45 in the summer, but that on the beach at night you still need a blanket. A lot better than Croatia, where I could barely sleep. I think by the time you get organised it will be happily toasty here so you can get a good blast of the beach and sun. Hope I can endure the summer here.

just read your email on my mobile and responding now so that you do not worry. You say you cannot reason with me, but I think this is a classic case. I believe women tend to think on emotions first, and then logic, hence a male, who often thinks more logically, has a problem reasoning with them. Your emotion would like to have me back in
Prague, so you can feel I'm safe, know which pubs I'm frequenting, have a rough idea where I am at any time, so that you can sleep well at night. And are using all possible arguments to bring out such a reality. That is not based on reason at all. I have an engineers brain with high intelligence, so of course you cannot reason with me if this is where your arguments come from. It is a nice feeling that someone out there is thinking about me and worried, but I don't want you to worry like that if it will take away your sleep and torture you. You say you can't go to sleep when facing the darkness, and I imagine that in that darkness your imagination is running wild, because you cannot imagine where I am, or what it is like here, and in your normal nature you paint the worst possible picture of my predicament, and get overly worried. Just think how worried you must have been when I decided to move back to
the
Czech Republic, comparing it to Ethiopia and North Korea. Imagining all the communists who will kidnap me when I step off the plane. This island has practically no crime rate, the people are friendly, and I'd say it is much safer here than in Prague, which I'd say is safer than your Vancouver. You say that my new lifestyle is destroying my health, but that has no logic to it at all. It is my financial situation which is forcing me to consider eating bread and nothing to do with living in a box. If I were to live in Prague now with my income, and have to pay the crazy rent there, and have a million friends tempting me for beers, I would certainly not be able to survive. Sure, food is a little bit cheaper there, but consider the rent and all the other costs. And considering I don't have all those friends tempting me to beer, I am consuming much much less, and overall I'd say my health has a much better chance on the road than in Prague, where everyone offers joints, and I have to inhale that crap air. All that exhaust, and the inversion which happens in the winter, where all the coal heated buildings and car stink coming out of old Ladas hangs in the air, until the government issues warning that in Prague 1 and 2 people should stay inside. As if the air in their apartment is supposed to be much better than outside. So you cannot reason with me because your arguments are not based on reason. Concerning Stedry, tlusty intestines would probably be something like inflated intestines. One problem I recently decided about hemeroids is that it is all jumbled up and inflated at the exit hole that the crap can´t get out so well. And if the crap can´t get out so well, it stays there, which it shouldn´t. Because the body processes the crap we eat, and the liver etc. which removes toxins from our bodies gets rid of it through or pee and through our poo. But if our poo is kinda stuck and hanging around too much, the toxins seep back into our blood stream through the intestinal walls. And if you take the typical Czech diet of tons of pork and beef, which lines and clogs the
intestines and may lead to constipation or other annoying complications, over the years of this situation in a Czech person´s hemeroids can certainly lead to cancer and other problems. But I don´t eat so much meat, and my fasts every year cleanse my system and my intestines. So I really think that an operation here will be much easier than Stedry, so there is really no need to pick out of the hat the worst case you can think of and offer to buy a plane fare and get me the best Czech hemorrhoid < surgeon. If I get into serious trouble, sending me money to supplement my bread with vegetables should be plenty, and certainly cheaper, but I hope I don´t get to that extreme. I hope I don´t even have to borrow from Natasha, as I really do not like to borrow money. You say that I said I have to go back to Czech every year. Another grasping at straws, using any argument to get me "comfortable and safe" back in Prague for your own piece of mind, but since then I´ve been enquiring and 1) I can get health insurance here 2) my normal Czech health insurance works in the Greek half of Cyprus, where I hope to go soon to get my operation, as I don´t think the AXA travel insurance will pay for it here in the Northern,
Turkey side of Cyprus (imagine your health insurance covering you in Toronto, which is probably much farther from Vancouver than Prague from Cyprus), and 3) apparently the little stickers are not such a big deal after all. You can barely see them on the licence plate, perhaps local police would not even know what they mean. Actually, considering the amount of cars I see here on the road which spit out horrible black or grey smoke, perhaps they do not even have
emissions tests here. After all, it is a small island in the Mediterranean, with cleanish breeze blowing the stink in any other direction. And if I drive into Czech, I´m told I can just say I was travelling abroad for a while and that I am working on getting the papers together. I can show them my passport. This is experience from friends who have been there and know. Friends who drive around Europe a lot. And what percentage of police in Czech even bother to look at those little stickers. Well, so at least you have my reasonable logical arguments against your unreasonable illogical fears, and hopefully you can get some sleep now. Oh yes, and the study of mice eating bread that you refer to, how long were they eating bread only? There is a lot of nutrients in bread one can survive on for a long time, but of course it does not have all the nutrients the body needs, so eventually they will die. I cannot imagine I would be eating only bread for that length of time, so once again an unreasonable argument. Well, I guess that about covers it for your letter. You´ve always tried to steer me this way and that, mostly based on illogical arguments. The last time I listened to you is when I wanted to take a year off before going to university, a very reasonable proposition, but you screamed and foamed at the mouth that the brain stops working if not in use for such a long time, and that I will not be able to get back into the regime of learning. That is about the most ridiculous argument one can ever mention. I realised following your advice then was a mistake, I ended up taking three years off, and vowed to never consider your advice with such weight again. I´m here parked on the beach, watching the sun come up over the sea and fill up my little wooden cottage this morning as I type this letter, and I look forward to another happy day in peace. The people here are relaxed and friendly, and I like it. I´m glad I´m away from Prague and the snobs and the gossip, so if you cannot share that enjoyment with me, unfortunately you will have to suffer your own worries yourself. It will not affect my peace. Of course, I hope that you will not worry, because it is potentially more health dangerous than my
hemeroids, but I will not allow it to dictate my life. I will just write this letter and try to reason with YOU, using real logic and sound arguments, to hopefully paint a picture for you that things are really not that horrid as your imagination leads you to. Should I send you some pictures of my daily safe and peaceful life so that you can look at them and feel better? On my last chapter blob you should see a picture of the beach where I am parked, and then a bunch of ruins. If you want, I can take types of pictures I never usually take just so you do not worry. Consider all my arguments, and it is truly nonsense to fly back to Prague. Where would I even stay. And I am certainly not going to go under your wing and rules, and live here or there, and get this or that job, so don´t even think of trying. You are just wasting your breath. I can certainly be a viable option, as one never knows. But in this case, if you examine all the points with a clear mind (and from my perspective, who is actually here and should know more about my surroundings), it is simply nonsense and a waste of money. Anyway, I don´t pay rent, I don´t pay for electricity, and now I don´t even have to pay for internet. This should put my costs down to about 70$ a week with my healthy eating of salads etc. If I were to resort to bread only, and not drive anywhere, I guess I could reduce that to 7 dollars a week, but I really don´t feel I will need to resort to that extreme. I am simply analysing my options. Not a reality you need to use for the horrible fantasies you are painting. Well, hopefully you will not worry anymore, and now back to my nice and peaceful day.

2007-09-05T06:34:00.000-07:00

thanks for the offer. Didn't send the letter to you with the aim of a loan but your offer muchly appreciated. Just received a project to hold me over another month, so we'll see. But my letters to other friends and this relative are being ignored, and this from people I know to have spare cash. It is sad how selfish people seem to be. My whole life I feel I've always been eager and instinctively willing to help everyone around me, and have always been greatly
disappointed those few times I needed something, to have to listen to lame excuses why no one can lift their finger. It always angered me, and now I think I'm just outright sick. I guess it's just my nature, as a Pisces or something, so I shouldn't judge others. But perhaps I have grown a little jaded. Generally I find my instinct takes over before I can even rationally think and I automatically help when someone is in need. This is one thing I've always liked about you, because you seem to have a good and genuine heart, in a world of wolves. But perhaps I am getting more sly in my aged years, and hope to treat favours like business, and keep the friend issue separate. I guess accepting that "friend" a lot of times means someone to drink beer with and entertain each other, but not necessarily some aging concept like "through thick and thin" etc. If I were to take this personally, I doubt I'd have any friends. Anyway, thought you might have enjoyed my goofy
Czech letter, which is why I sent it. But at least I received a few projects recently. And that I am on this island and can drive the 20k to the Greek side. My costs are fairly low here, I've already started looking into local health insurance, but the only remaining problem is the little smog test stickers on the licence plate, which are due to expire around July. But I don't think the police here will really concern themselves, and I don't really have another choice anyway. The fun of living on the edge I guess. But I'll slowly start asking around what is the procedure, the law, and the potential consequence. Otherwise, I think I could stay here indefinitely! latergal

March 20

You uploaded your
Mexico movie but had some serious password security thing going on, so every time I tried to download it I got kicked off part-way through. Remember? So I actually haven't seen that one. If you still have super-security on your server, you can upload it to mine. I'll make a folder for you and give you my password (no mucking about in there!) if that helps.

Oh yah, forgot about that. I got a new ftp server program there now, so lets try again. I'll try to set it up tomorrow. If that fails, I can try to ftp it to you. Read that the youtube thing only allows a hundred megs or five minutes, unless you have some account. Was thinking of trying to torrent some stuff off my server. I got shitloads of space there. Wanna try that for your flicks?

Speaking of my website, I did a re-design of my front page. The 'eagle cam' thing is taking off again this year; most of the nests around here have at least one egg in them. Last year I got thousands and thousands of hits during the mating, nesting and fledging season. I am buying a digital camcorder ($3000, gulp. loan.)

http://www.canon.ca/english/index-

products.asp?lng=en&prodid=317&sgid=5&gid=2&ovr=1 it has approx twice as powerful a macro lens as my still camera. Now I will be going out with both, because the little 'image capture' ability of the camcorder is still not as high quality. We'd be talking $10 000 for that, but the camera is like 4X the size and weight, with all kinds of plug-ins for studio. Plus I'd basically need to take a course to run it! It's not exactly portable. So the one I"m getting is a good in-between. I will be streaming video from my blog as podcasts (need Adobe Premiere, another $900. oy!) and uploading to YouTube. This will gain me ridiculous amounts of exposure and hopefully get me some sponsorship for my efforts.

Forgot, you plan to make money off this or is this an expensive hobby?

Tell me what you think of my new *fancy* main page!
http://www.ketadesign.ca As for the screenplay, I'm almost finished. Last few pages to go. In a nutshell: they live in a barren, desolate canyon because a war on their world several generations ago caused the animals to become mamoth sized and devouring everything in sight. The canyon has been worn into the earth by an acid river, also unleashed by their enemies. In the canyon the only thing that can withstand the acid water are crystalline stallagmites which have caves worn into the top, that's where the people live. It's no longer an acid river, but rather a wall of acidic water that pours through the canyon at intervals. Our heroine, Teone, one day travels further down the canyon than anyone ever has before, stumbles across another community of people living in another group of stallagmites. They gather their resources and send an expedition to the ground surface (because their species will die out if they stay in the canyon), who manage to evade the surface beasts only to find totally forested hillsides with all kinds of food and critters living in it. Various adventures embark, some people die, others get injured, a couple fall in love, one group returns to the canyon with news while another explores further the forested hills then comes across a village of people like them except they do not speak. No language. Probably from the trauma of the war.
blah blah blah etc etc things happen eventually happy ending.

Cool story and would dig watching the movie Lord of the Rings style. Had a nice fresh fantasy feel to it. Oh yah, when I was reading the Lord of the Rings, it was kinda cool in parts, but mostly I really didn´t give a crap about this little fat shit trudging his way through this forest and that. I think I don´t dig reading so much because I guess I´m one of those visual people. Someone told me an interesting theory once how there are three types of people, but you can combine various elements of each. There´s words, feeling, and visual. I think I´m highly shifted towards visual, because I have a sort of photographic memory, and I can imagine things from start to end. The guy who told me this said he can´t imagine anything, and that´s the first time I found out that there are many people out there who simply cannot imagine things visually. It blew my mind. Then I understood why there were porno mags. It never made sense up to that time. And feeling I´m not into. Totally don´t like it when a girlfriend invades my biosphere and wants to hold my hand. So I guess that´s why I´ve just never gotten into reading, no matter how I try. Now, since there´s not much better to do, if I aint watchin a flick or working, I end up reading something useful that I can gain from. I´ve recently been calling a lot of it wiki ketchup, as in catchup on reading after a lifetime of ignorance, drinking alcohol and talking endless gibberish about nothing. But as things occur to me I´ll download various subjects from wiki or possibly the general internet and I´m expanding my scope that way. Recently I´ve even thought about dabbling into psychology 101, to get insight into mental shit, but reading literature is still totally repressively boring for me. Well, guess that´s it. Just rented and saw Freedomland. Pretty intense flick man.

Thanks for the info. I didn't realize that you do most of your work with a pocket PC/ cell phone. For me , my Yahoo account/website is fine for e-mails, just have to delete a lot of shit.

Well, I wouldn't really say I do most of my work through the ppc, but rather more often check my email through it, as I'm at the cafe a maximum of only four hours a day. Then I like to check my email about once an hour, more often if there is some project. So my offline hours are spent doing offline work on the computer, so once I hit the cafe I got pretty intensive internet stuff that I do all at once as fast as possible. Kind of piles up and swings from one extreme to another. If I need to research something, I quickly download a bunch of pages and save them to my computer, to read them at leisure offline later. Took a while to get used to, after I was used to a permanent internet connection, but once I got used to it is really isn't a big problem, although I still miss the constant internet. Without the Vanquish type system I get about a thousand spam a day, not pretty well zero, so it is a definite breather.

well, at least you know one reason why I like the internet so much. Attached is the best info I found on the subject, so perhaps some things you guys didn't know and might prove useful. At least I know certain things to avoid, and I guess I'll start taking multivitamins. And try to knock out even one cigarette a day - heard on the radio recently that even one a day can triple the chance of a heart attack. The rest I'd say I've already implemented. I mostly only use virgin olive oil for cooking, but I'll try some of the other oils. One nice addition I did to the truck recently is to make a spice rack that fits nicely in one of my closets. I can remove it for when cooking, and slowly I've been recorganising things to make cooking a greater pleasure, but I need to buy a smaller refillable propane tank for lighter meals. Otherwise, I generally don't cook at all and eat raw most of the time, which is supposed to be healthier anyway. I usually cook on a Sunday and make enough for two or three days. Usually make dal, which is assorted lentils with delicious spices. Pretty easy stuff. Today I go try the free interent at the university. WIll be great if it works, because that will save me money, I can spend much more time on the internet, and will make
Cyprus so much more an ideal place to live. I'm still worried about the heat during the day, but if I manage to find a shady spot to park and use the fans, it could be okay.

just wondering if you are in regular contact with that customer you sent me. She wrote me, and I responded twice, but she has not responded yet, so I am wondering if she got my emails. My prices are really competitive so I cannot imagine why they would not at least interest her a bit.
Desperately looking for work as usual. Have entered my annual fast and, as usual, I always try to improve on the year before. This time I tried this parasite killer, because ridding your body of parasites beforehand is supposed to make the liver and kidney cleanses much more effective. My mom sent me this stuff Paragone from Vancouver which has all the active natural ingredients to kill the parasites and which I could not find in
the
Czech Republic (various herbs etc.). I only managed to take about one third of the dose, but I guess the stuff is pretty powerful, because after the 15 day period I had the worst diarrhoea I´ve had in my life. It was coming out like runny mustard, and it was burning my butt hole. I was in great pain, so I thought I´d flush it out with a sea salt water intestinal cleanse, and ended up have the worst case of diarrhoea for the rest of the day. Even after switching to regular water. I guess I should have followed the instructions better and ate some yoghurt and other stuff with my diet, but I guess my body was getting rid of all the parasites in it. I was laying like a beach whale in pain on the beach by the waves, running into the water every time the rumbling sound came, and usually it was too late as it would just gush out without warning. Fortunately not much people were on the beach during that weekday, but the constant diarrhoea seemed to have pushed out my intestines. I was in extreme pain and had to drive standing out to the hospital, where they told me I had stage 4 haemorrhoids, so the past week has been sucky indeed, but I have to chuckle at it. Will try to use my Czech health insurance and get a thousand Euro operation, because I´m sick and tired of dealing with it. It all started when I started riding a bike in
the
Czech Republic, and starting on George´s bike and hard seat. I was so excited I wasn´t paying attention that first day I rode 40k. Oh well, shit happens I guess, ha ha. Made some advances with your greencard thing?

glad to have at least one friend who's interested in this stuff and not just 100% for themselves, as many people seem to be. Not any action for you to do here, but I plan to download the reading links and read them sometime, because reading stuff like this can make us appreciate what we have, and perhaps give us motivation to try and do more. It's a big aspiration of mine to move towards this direction more. Unfortunately, I haven't had much work since I left prague and I'm totally smouldering in poorville. But my costs are much cheaper, so once the work kicks in again, I should be in a much better position, not to mention that my system is finally set up for some serious expansion and this is the first time in my career where I can afford to look for new customers on a permanent basis (I had too much work for my capacity before to even think about it). Most of the way I look for customers is seo. So far I have managed to achieve between the top ten and twenty on google in "translation agencies", "translation resources" and "translation agency" (translatingagencies.com is mine too). I find it quite interesting work and hope to offer it as a service on day. Not sure if I'll be able to whip through
Prague in the summer, as I simply do not have the cash at the moment (calculated it would cost me at least 50 grand Czech to make it there and back, considering I have to replace the back four tires as well). But if you feel like and are able to fly over here, it's a great island and I can drive you around. Free accommodation of course. Endless beaches, great nature, a rich history and tons of ruins, nice people and quite cheap on the northern
Turkey half. Think it could make a good long term home for me, as long as the two halves don't join. Then it would be a major problem to drive to another country and extend my visa here every couple of months. have a good one dude and say hi to the folks.

this concept has been dallying in my mind constantly for the past week and each time you came to mind, so I thought I'd write to you about it. Even though I'm smouldering in the doldrums of neverending poorville, I must agree that a good thing about my job, which seems to have been the case over the past several years but with increasing measure, is that I do what "job" I feel like at any time. I found I have gotten sick of answering endless emails over the years, and tend to answer the ones I want when I want. Whenever I finish one task, I always ask myself, "hmm, what to do next". Often followed by, "Nah, I'll do that later. Hmm, this one seems interesting at the moment". So I find that, aside from my general dissatisfaction at my low income at the moment, I'm enjoying what I do whenever I'm working, and lately it has occurred to me that this must by a very rare thing on this planet, with most people having some boss behind their back telling them what they have to do at any moment, telling them when they have to work, etc. etc. Those days are so far behind me and I can hardly remember them. But I'd say you are much more successful than when I was your age. On the other hand, almost every job I've had I never had someone breathing down my neck, whether it be a dishwasher, treeplanter, bartender, or security guard. A lot of times piece work, that as long as I kept up the pace, no one would bother me and I was the king of my little corner. But certainly not successful work like you. So I'm just curious how the new job is working for you and if you are enjoying it and what is the stress level/enjoyment balance to the money/success situation like. I don't think I've ever worked in a large office
environment like you, so I'm only speculating what it might be like.

Well Kajo, that is just how it is. I had a "friend" back at the embassy, i liked her because she was fun and we used to go out together a lot.

I guess you're talking about that girl I met and we partied at your place once? Yah, I've grown tired of people's selfishness too. Decided that I will rather try to treat things often as business, and reserve my charitable nature to charity and people who deserve it, or for a higher purpose. But it seems that I'll get mad, but every time someone asks for a favour, I'll instinctively help anyway, like that if I were to decline something would die inside me and I'd be more depressed or something. So I guess me and you are blessed with the spirit of giving, in that it gives us joy to give, which I think should be more fulfilling than the joy of receiving. I once had a friend who told me he enjoys it when someone cooks for them (he said it jokingly, although I'm sure it was true as well), in response to when I said I enjoy cooking for others. Or I have one realestate friend who was going around asking people if they'd rather live in a Prague flat with a shitty facade on the outside looking out the window at a nice facade, or the other way around. He said he received interesting responses, and I guess it sheds light on a person's character. Whether it is more important the simple joys in life, or glorifying themselves and being selfish or what not. Well, guess that's it for my philosophical discussion for this morning. My blob is

Travel Europe

. I'm trying to improve the writing style as I go. You can check out most of the pics through the "gallery" links. How was Greece? Must have been a fun surprise for Juan. You got a job in Belgium yet? Wrote to Roger without a response yet, but another friend said I shouldn't worry about the little sticker, so
Cyprus could turn out to be a longer term home for me. Just found some free internet, so my costs can be extremely low if I survive a lot on bread and just park on campus instead of driving to the beach every day. Think I'll put up some ads at the university offering English lessons in exchange for beers and the opportunity to meet people. But if I can get some work, I'd rather start driving around this island and exploring a bit. Under these conditions, as long as the two halves do not join, I think I can stay here for a very long time. Now just to find out how I tolerate the warm summers, as I was recently told it can get around 44C, which for a person who wears shorts through Prague winters, can become rather intolerable. As you can imagine, everyone here is in winter clothing and I'm happy in my shorts attire. latergator

And i didnt mind a least bit to let her stay over my apartment with her boyfriends over the weekend and so on, i borrowed her money when she needed (she always paid back) but one day when i decide to leave my job there i asked her to mail me papers from HR so i didnt have to come there (she worked for HR) and all the sudden it was a big deal...this little thing, not mentioning that it was her duty anyway, well i got my pares but i havent heard from her either. I am glad that you got some job and hope that things will get better for you there. But please, let me know if you are in trouble and i will try to help. Can you please send me again the address to your blog please, i would like to read it and pictures from
Cyprus again :o) Recently i found fly ticket to Greece round trip!!! for 2078czk so i bought myself one and will go to Athens for few days (Juan will be there with business so i will surprise him). I still want to come to Cyprus this year again. Also, did you try to talk to Roger "bird's eye" ? He lives on Paxos and he is experienced iam sure with all that car permission crap you are going through now, maybe he have some solution for that matter. Anyway, i am looking forward to spring! After the warm winter we have some cold spring! Take care and keep in touch! xoxoxo)k

thanks for the offer. Didn't send the letter to you with the aim of a loan but your offer muchly appreciated. Just received a project to hold me over another month, so we'll see. But my letters to other friends and this relative are being ignored, and this from people I know to have spare cash. It is sad how selfish people seem to be. My whole life I feel I've always been eager and instinctively willing to help everyone around me, and have always been greatly
disappointed those few times I needed something, to have to listen to lame excuses why no one can lift their finger. It always angered me, and now I think I'm just outright sick. I guess it's just my nature, as a Pisces or something, so I shouldn't judge others. But perhaps I have grown a little jaded. Generally I find my instinct takes over before I can even rationally think and I automatically help when someone is in need. This is one thing I've always liked about you, because you seem to have a good and genuine heart, in a world of wolves. But perhaps I am getting more sly in my aged years, and hope to treat favours like business, and keep the friend issue separate. I guess accepting that "friend" a lot of times means someone to drink beer with and entertain each other, but not necessarily some aging concept like "through thick and thin" etc. If I were to take this personally, I doubt I'd have any friends. Anyway, thought you might have enjoyed my goofy Czech letter, which is why I sent it. But at least I received a few projects recently. And that I am on this island and can drive the 20k to the Greek side. My costs are fairly low here, I've already started looking into local health insurance, but the only remaining problem is the little smog test stickers on the licence plate, which are due to expire around July. But I don't think the police here will really concern themselves, and I don't really have another choice anyway. The fun of living on the edge I guess. But I'll slowly start asking around what is the procedure, the law, and the potential consequence. Otherwise, I think I could stay here indefinitely! latergal

Howdy, thanks for the nice words? Which page did you visit? I guess the queens.kenax.cz one? I have many of them, and right now I'm doing a lot of search engine optimisation to help me get work for my business. If in Czech I'd advise going to Cesky Raj (Czech Paradise). Not too far and my favourite part of the country:

Bohemian Paradise

For steaks the only thing I can think of is Red Hot and Blues behind Kotva, in the centre behind the Obecni Dum. Say hi to Laurie, the owner, Lili, my good buddy, and Marketa, a feisty and fun waitress. Say hi from Charlie from Cyprus. Czechs don't cook western food too well, but if you ask these people they should know where the best place to get it is in town. They're pretty good too. I'd like to sink my teeth in a good steak myself. Perhaps more now that I'm half way through my fast. Take care, Karel

I discovered your absolutely amazing site while doing some research for our upcoming visit to Praha. Our son is teaching English in Praha for this year. We will visit him next week, over Easter. He lives on Reznicka Street and we are staying on the square near to him. We are so excited to see Praha and experience life there. Your pictures are awe inspiring . You captured not only a picture..... you captured a spirit, a feeling an energy. Your writing is very engaging , interesting as well as highly informative. Your spiritual insights are most inspiring. Thanks for all of the work that you put into this. I am appreciative. Brian is a writer as well and I will forward your writing and site to him to enjoy. God Bless You!!! Robert and Ann. Omaha Nebraska (PS Brian misses his great Nebraska steaks...is there a place to get a great steak? We want to enjoy the local cuisine that he also so enjoys but would like for him to get a steak while we are there.

2007-09-05T06:29:00.000-07:00

February 13

Yah, well I'm just trying to arrange a trip with David in the summer precisely so I can spend some time with him. When I'll be in Prague I'll have lots of friends to see so not much quality time with David, so this trip will be a good opportunity to get a once a year blast of time with him. And I invited Ilona too so that David will feel more comfortable about the idea and be more likely to say yes, but I wanted to make certain things clear to Ilona that I wouldn't want her around if she will be behaving a certain way. Long story, but basically it was nice with Ilona for a while, and then half way through our relationship it occurred to me that she wanted something more permanent, which is when I told her I wasn't interested in that. I guess North American upbringing is different than Czech. For me, it is rather normal that someone might have different girlfriends before deciding to settle down one day. Anyway, Ilona seems to live in this fantasy of home that I will somehow change my mind and settle down with her. I don't even want to talk about it, but there are many things about her personality which really irritate and which I find in a lot of Czechs and which I'm rather sick of. But I email with David about different things and am trying to break him away from her, otherwise she will slow his growth I believe. Not break away from her completely, but develop some thinking for himself, and I think it will be good for him to spend time with you. Hopefully it will work out. He needs some character police around him, and I think the only thing he learns from Ilona is laziness and mazanost. But I think my emailing with him is good, and think we can discuss heavier things if he wants to. Otherwise, I really won't have much other opportunity with him. We'll see how it works out. Ilona can be right that I am crazy, but everything is relative. We can have a long philosophical discussion on what normal is, but I believe the most general definition of normal is by uncreative people who are too scared to discover things and live an interesting life, and they all live in a little box worried what others think about them, and they all collect around some common denominator and call it normal. For me that is boring, repressive and like giving up on life. So as I age I find I am deviating further from this "normal", getting more eccentric, but each tree continue to grow according to its particular identity. Only most people don't grow that way because they are used to fitting into some accepted norm. I see the same mentality wherever I go. Everyone wears a towel around their head, or this, or that, and then one person comes from a different culture they are shocked and scared. Such little people. Anyway, I wouldn't even really talk to Ilona if it weren't for David. Nice emailing with David , which I read below. Still don't have too much work, but it comes in little spurts. And I seem to be losing motivation. Kind of hard because when I move somewhere else it takes me a while to get into a good routine. And hard to motivate myself so much when I am not very clean. Long story, but I'm adjusting to the new lifestyle, learning, and trying to improve thngs in the meantime. My project in this town where i am now is to fix up the inside and make it cleaner and more homey, finishing the carpentry and other stuff, and then I will drive to the nature peninsula and hang out there for a while. Was in the Greek part of Cyprus recently to get a stamp in my passport and met a Slovakian girl. that was nice. No big aspirations, but I think I'll drive back there on my birthday and celebrate in that bar, and then ask her if she wants to go hiking. there are a lot of nice hiking trails in the mountainous part of this island and I think she was talking about the Tatras and that she likes hiking, so it would be nice to discover the island with someone. Otherwise, I don't have any aspirations for a travel femail friend, because a very difficult position to fill. But it could get interesting at Kadir's when I get there in a month or two. Lots of backpackers go through there and I might be able to hook up with some ozzie chick. I was there a few days and already hooked up with one girl a bit, but wouldn't be interested in anything more with her. But by the end of April
Kadir's Treehouses should be in full swing and i think I'll enjoy hanging out there for a while. lateroo

HI!!!!! SO GREAT TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!! I never got any emails or sms from you recently. This is first one in few months to be honest.

cau dudess, at the internet cafe and feel like responding "live" rather than offline later. I think you missed a lot of my grill parties, and I always enjoyed organising them, although towards the end of my stay I only organised them for my close friends, rather than totally "open house" and "invite all", because it seems that a lot of people in Prague just don't really care much, maybe just show up because something is free, kind of trash my place and I'm forced to spend much of the next day cleaning everything up. But with close friends everyone brings something, or pitches in with some help, or is generally more respectful, and the atmosphere is nice and not so loud. But I look forward to being able to organise something similar while travelling, since I have everything with me for that: portable volleyball net, propane grill, kitchen stuff, super stereo and musical instruments. So it would be cool to organise some bash outside in a field, or by the beach. I rather enjoy organising them. Greek Cyrpus compared to the Turkish part is like Switzerland compared to the Czech Republic po revoluce. Turks are kinda pigs and there's garbage everywhere, but they're nice. They seemed a bit snobbish and rich when I was in the southern half of the island. Also, these "richer" countries can sometimes be more particular about a greasy van and guy like me camping for free by the ocean. Look forward to checking out the peninsula in the north east part, as it is supposed to be beautiful nature. But right now I wanna hang around this
Gazi Magusa whatever bigger town and fix up the truck a bit. Want to complete some carpentry work and make it nicer inside, so I feel more at home. But on the 23rd of this month I may dive back into Greece, to some small town Palmirini or something like that, which is about 35k from Lanarca, because when I was there last time I stumbled on some bar full of Rumanian, Bulgarian and Slavic chicks, and who else would I end up talking with all evening but a Slovakian chick. So I might go back there to celebrate my birthday, although the beer is so much more expensive. But also because I'd like to ask her if she wants to go hiking, cause I think she said she's into that and its certainly more fun with a chick than by oneself. There's supposed to be a bunch of cool hiking trails at the top of the mountain range in the middle of the island. So you got a dog eh? That bored, or practicing the baby thing, heh heh? Well, have a good one and love ya too banana.

Anyway, How have you been? I miss your parties!!! like grilling inside of your living room in February!!!! HA, so much fun. I have a puppy with me now, he travels with me all the time. I love Cyprus, I know it is a robbery to live there regarding the prices but once you figure where to go shopping and so it is ok. The northern part, i've only been to the northern part of Nicosia. I enjoyed it a lot. Last year I went 3 times. Last time i went it was before xmas. I like the climate, the food... lots of fish and vegetables and i love haloumi cheese!!! And people are nice too. Well, enjoy it there for me as well and let me know how it is going. If you are planning a trip to Larnaca anytime soon, let me please know as i may ask a favour. Thank you. Please take care and keep in touch...gotta go to feed the BEAST...his name is BOB and he is two months old welsh corgi! LuvYa, kveta

cool story dudess, and liked the pics. I think you are the only person I know who I'm jealous about what they are doing. The rest are settling into their suburban comfy and repetitive existence, basically the reason I left Canada in the first place that 15 years ago. Prague was fun for about 8 years, but then all the cool and adventurous people left and the remaining seemed to get all gossipy and settled into village life. Still more fun than a lot of cities, but I prefer my existence much more now. The biggest drag of it all is that I'm not making much money, so I have to carefully count my beer money, which hampers meeting people. Or paying gas and exploring nature more. So I tend to hang out in one place at a time and save up gas money to go elsewhere. Now I'm in Cyprus, which is a lot warmer than the mainland, so I'm happy about that. There are lots of ruins and nice nature on the island, and I can drive over to Greece to extend my stay in Turkey every time. So if I stay future winters in Europe, I think this is the place. Hanging out by some larger town, but on the outskirts on a secluded beach, and spending about a week or something buying material i can afford to fix up the truck a bit. Haven't done almost anything since I left Prague, and there's a lot of little beautification things which needs to be done. You know, like when you move into a new flat. You spend perhaps a year beautifying it until it has reached some perfect equilibrium, like that totalne zapicovany byt I used to live in on Luzicka. Then it just stays the same and stagnates for a decade or something until you unearth and make another move. Shit, I enjoy working with wood so much, if someone actually gave me enough for this clunker, I think I'd enjoy selling it and use the cash to make another one, almost making a second career out of it. But I'd need a few years with this one, until I got tired of it. On the other hand, it really was a big project to put it together, but I guess future ones would go faster, and I can unearth and enjoy variety that way. Otherwise, what concerns a backyard, unearthing and changing that requires only a quick cranking of the ignition, and I rather enjoy that sorta gypsey lifestyle. Have a good one and keep sending the pics. Reminds me of when I used to glacier and mountain hike in Alaska and the Yukon. And I got above the clouds like that a few times while treeplanting, although the chopper took care of that. Or perhaps I got as high as you in Whister BC during the summer, but the super fast gondola took care of most of that, and we just hiked the rest of the way. Have a good one.

so finally started working on the caravan truck again, and added sorta disco lights in the front cabin area. Want to add some other circuits of lights, for the closet area, and do a bit of work with wood. Depends on how much money I feel i can spend on this, and how long I want to hang around this town, but I found a nice secluded beach, and I've been wanting to work on the truck for quite some time, so we'll see. It's like beautifying a new house/flat you move into. Sometimes it just takes time. For a long time, not only did I not have the cash, but I felt psychologically drained from the experience, after rushing so much prior to my departure from Prague. But I want to make it more homey in here. Still need to put on some back windows, paint it, and all sorts of other stuff, but that will have to wait a while (already have the paint, but I need to repaint it in conjunction with changing the papers). But looking forward checking out the north east peninsula. Supposed to be really beautiful, and Turks from the city come to beach where I am now and leave all their garbage, so I´d rather be parked at a more secluded beach. And on the radio I heard something about "Cyprus´s best wifi provider", which made me think there could be wifi companies working on a national scale. Will look into it, and if it´s true, could be a better option then spending the gas money every day commuting to some internet café, where I pay by the hour. If that works out, I might find myself on a secluded beach with some wireless internet connection. That would be fantastic. I think within about five years wifi will be much more spread all over the world, so my travelling dream will be much more convenient. Anyway, the reason I´m writing this is because I was taking a second look at my online family tree. Today is Sunday, the day I force myself not to work (often rather painful) so I can read the bible and try to learn how to worship God more or something. I´ll often get ideas while reading and research them more, and today arguments were popping in my mind against Jews who feel confident they are God´s chosen people. Anyway, wanted to know how my Jewish thing is, so looked at my family tree and, according to mala Jana, my great great grandmother was a Jew. Have to admit I´m rather uncomfortable about the idea and didn´t even know I had Jewish blood in me until Jana told me. I feel uncomfortable about even mentioning it. Anyway, because Vlad was putting together a family tree, thought I´d show him how I set mine up (the Excel file), and could offer to help him with his if he likes. The advantage of such a simple Excel file is: 1) you can easily add pics, 2) link to other webpages with more information about each person, which in turn can link out to whatever 3) see the structure of the tree and add to it with ease, 4) use other sheets within the Excel file to start other trees, and link between them, so that by pressing on one link you are immediately zipped to another location, be it another cell on the same sheet, a cell on another sheet, or a cell in a sheet on a different Excel file. If you want, I can make one for Krizan if you send me pics (scanned) and a storey, as Jana did. Or make any corrections or additions to the Kosman part, although I´m sure that history won´t interest either of you. But I thought the structure of the Excel file itself might interest Vladimir. Potentially gruesome computer tech stuff for ya, but it´s definitely useful for the purpose of a family tree. At some point I want to approach all the Kosmans I find on the net and see if we are remotely related, and start expanding the history outwards. Could prove interesting. Well, adios!

Kosman family tree

before I left Prague I surfed the internet a bit looking for English speaking churches I could visit while travelling, and with moderate success, I assumed I would be able to find something while travelling. But that has not worked out, because I find myself quite busy during the week, and once Sunday rolls around, I'll just read the bible etc. So I turned to looking for
Christian reading, since I've read the bible so many times it is getting repressively boring, and I feel it is good to get different perspectives, like listening to a good preacher. To enlighten me on the meaning of some scripture which would probably not come to me if I read it a million times. Anyway, attached is the first inspiring reading I found. A challenging message, and I can send you more if you like, because I assume you too might be too busy to go to church, especially when it is so difficult to find a preacher with a powerful and inspiring message to make the exercise worthwhile. I marked in red those parts I wanted to reflect and focus on for myself, and a letter I wrote to one friend which you can ignore at the bottom. My work situation is rather frustrating. I've never had such a long dry spell. Some
Czech
translation agencies were giving me some work for a while, but stopped for various, what I consider, rather silly reasons. I've approached a bunch of Czech companies with practically negligible response, I'm approaching companies on the internet, I'm continuing with my seo work, although the results of that take time to take effect, and in between I get little spurts of work just enough to help me get by, with the exception that every few months I have to borrow from someone else. It's getting a bit depressing and sometimes I wonder if God is against me. I could go into a long explanation of how I tried this and that in Prague, but I feel I wasn't productive there and had too many temptations I wanted to get away from. Without the rent or electricity my expenses are lower, and I feel I can serve God through the internet, or to people while I'm travelling just as if I were in Prague. Anyway, Prague and Czech was simply getting too depressing for me, and I made my decision to leave. If God gave me something interesting and productive to do there, at least I would have something to consider against. Anyway, please pray for me. I'm trying hard on many fronts and don't know why it has to drag out so long like this. The company is set up for expansion and all I need is some work to get things moving. It sucks on that front, but I'm glad I have the beach and warm weather. Take careo

ahoj, the package left this aft., will take 5-9 days to arrive at the postovvice of your choice. Go and check it out often. It will probably arrive for your birthday:):):):), I know you donot care much but now when you are so much on your own you may like it that someone remembered. Also chick your bank account for a little change for good beer for your birthday.

Tankya muchly. Mostly looking forward to the salmon. Reminds me of BC and gives me happy fuzzy feelings. I like to eat it with squeezed lemon, lots and lots of diced green onions, and pepper. Nothing else, and this seems the best. Everything else doesn't seem to do it justice, and the above seems to bring out the flavour the most. Lately I've been getting into salad a lot. Easy to make, not expensive, and very healthy. I like how the veggies here are nice, robust and fresh, but dismayed that nowhere could I find juicy red tomatoes like I hoped. Maybe its just the globalisation issue, why everything has to taste like plastic. Guess I need to find a natural farmer and pay more or something, but at least tomatoes here taste almost as good as they do in Prague during the summer. Thanks for the cash. Starting to get depressed with my situation. The
seo/search engine work takes a long time to yield results, and will be good once/if I start to get a lot of hits. I am ready for expansion, after spending years setting up my new system, and now I just need some steady work so that I can continue to invest into looking for more customers.

I will send it Friday 16th so it is early for birthday but at least it will be there for the little
celebration. Tell me more about where you are, looking forward to your blobs.

Already started uploading the latest blob update, but the internet was very slow yesterday. Will try to finish it tomorrow, but I've put a whole bunch of new pages. The blob pages are starting to get near the top in some keywords, so hopefully I'll start getting good traffic for that as well. Right now in Cyprus and looking forward to leaving this beach. Tired of the Turk pigs who leave garbage everywhere. Such a beautiful beach destroyed by all this garbage. When it is not so bad I clean up the beach around where I like to park. Then on the weekends the Turks come and everywhere is cans of beer and plastic bottles. Really disgusting. Hopefully I'll find a small town with internet on the peninsula I want to go to. Or perhaps I'll be able to get wifi internet. That would be great, but its a lightly inhabited peninsula with lots of ruins and apparently nice nature, so we'll see. One day I'll meet a fisherman and ask for some tips. I've seen one person (Turks fish a lot with their families on the weekends, and bring out the bbq) with a plastic bottle with fishing line wrapped around it. They spun the lure with their right hand and then released it, and it got out pretty far from shore, so a bulky fishing rod is not necessary. Perfect for my small space. Put sand in the plastic bottle, and you can have several bottles sitting by the shore, running to the first one that starts moving. They did the same way in
Montenegro. Simple and genius. Just need to know what they use for lures. In Montenegro I think they just used chunks of bread. That will be healthy and super cheap, but not looking forward to gutting the fish.

We are leaving for Italy on SAturday 17th, be back on 24th. I will not be able to get to the internet unless I find some cafe there in the mountains. Wanted to buy a helmet but it is sooooooooo
uncomfortable and hot that I decided to be extra careful and forget the helmet. Do not plan to fall for another 15 years.

Falling is not something one can plan for, and the skull is very soft and fragile. I studied first aid for treeplanting and it is always the first thing we look at. Concussion is the most likely to lead to death. Either that or you can study Aikido and how to fall. After some Aikido a rolled out of an accident without even thinking, where naturally one will put their arms out and scrape their palms off. Ouch. You can roll out at fairly high speeds, and that way prevent your skull from smashing.

Weather here is like Vancouver but dry most of the time. 8-12 degrees but it is so dirty and smelly here that I am sick again, something is stuck in my throat and I feel like I am in the coal mines.

Heard it was supposed to be 22 tomorrow and today i was suntanning in shorts, while the Turks still fully dressed up in coats and long pants. I must have been an oddity, with my hot Canadian blood. When I get cash again, one expense is to get a decent fan for when it gets hot. Saw some marine ones that work on 12V. In
Croatia it was hell trying to sleep once it got too hot.

Looking forward to the sweet air of Vancouver.

I remember once on a ferry approaching Vancouver seeing a thick blanket of yellow smog. Cars do all that, although it seems clean once in the city. This is another reason why I left Prague, and the big cities. Heard of a Russian who slept in a forest in a little treehouse, is over a hundred and very healthy, where before he was constantly sick. There must be more than 600 chemicals in car exhaust, and I always remember how well I slept in the forest in Cesky Raj when camping on the weekend. I think I'm done with busy civilisation, and snobby cosmopolitan people. Always rushing everywhere. Rural people are so nice, relaxed and genuine. The Turks keep giving me their food and it is very nice. Looking forward to Kadir's once it warms up. Nice to party with young backpackers.

But there are not theaters, no balls and our friends are so boring and sedative and inactive that it drives us crazy. Here we drive THEM crazy
because nobody can keep up with us and our activities. But I am getting tired and
need some sleep and mountains and Italy will be perfect end of this social marathon visit. So Kajinku I think of you a lot, wish you all the best for your birthday and all your life and hope to see you soon. xxxxxxxxxxxxxooooooooooooomamamamamama

Me too. Hopefully we can hook up somewhere in Europe and plan things. I can arrange accommodation for you guys. Starting to map out Europe like I did
Cesky Raj. Too bad you didn't go with me once there. Very nice part of Czech and my favourite. Looking forward to checking out Moravia on my way back, but not sure how long I'll be in Czech. I think sometime around June. laterama!

<<< divide page here

good to hear from ya. Just read your last mail on my mobile and felt like writing back to you right away. Just finished watching the movie Blow with Johnny Depp and had to reflect on my life, and then read your letter. Feel like a little criminal going down Depp's path, but hope I can straighten it out. Funny I read your letter and you mentioned all those invoices just as I was reflecting on all these things. Well, just for fun, because I'm here on my own in my tin box parked on a beach in
Cyprus with no one to talk to... Got tired of the
Czech
Republic government charging me through their teeth for taxes, and Czechs ripping me off at every corner, and everyone being dishonest. I think one of the reasons it has taken me so long to build up a successful agency (still not there yet) is because I'm so honest. The occasional customer doesn't pay me and I spend a year grovelling like a dog to make sure everyone after me gets paid. Not how many agencies operate. But I have a beautiful reputation on the net and all my translators love me, which is more important for me and going to sleep with a clean conscience than hoarding a bunch of doe. And every year I have to try a new accountant, and every year the new one screws me over again, leading to further delays in payment of taxes, and fines and penalties, and interest on the fines, and penalties on top of the interest. It was ridiculous. And one year I got a big gig, and they were going to pay me around
November, but if I didn't spend the money on business by the end of that year, the government was going to take sixty percent. So that was the last straw and I moved my company offshore. Beliz in fact. Corporation. I'm 'just' a director hired by this company called KENAX Corporation, in charge of controlling the bank accounts and sending myself money to different countries to some guy Karel Kosman with a Canadian passport. Nice guy in fact. So if you meet the new housemates, you can tell them to go camping and make a pleasant little bonfire with all those invoices. I'm done with
the
Czech Republic and all those criminals. Speaking of criminals, I set up a roaming account with t-mobile and they started sending me invoices for 200 Euro. On two occasions was forced to set up a local sim card in two different countries. I know how much internet data I use through that mobile and it became very obvious to me that there is some hacker in t- mobile
Czech who is thieving from me and who knows who else. Wrote the headquarters of t-mobile telling them this, and where they can place their last two invoices. A nation of thieves and I'm practically ashamed I was born in that country. The new tenants should not accept any registered mail on my behalf, but what is done is done. I'll only whip through the country once a year to reregister the vehicle (a criminal enterprise in itself) and sign in for another year of health insurance. Trying to pay up everything and come clean, but I refuse to pay the t-mobile bills. Long story, but I haven't had much work either for a long time and getting a bit depressed about it lately. So we're two old farts who lived like young bucks in the old Chapeau Rouge days, when we felt invincible and the world and women lay before us. I'm starting to feel lazy and running outa steam myself. Sports usually kept me more motivated, but without a convenient shower, I won't create a sweat. Hoping that things will change in the summer, or if I can get a hold of some tap water, which occasionally happens. Sorry to hear of your problems. You at least have a nice relationship with your kid? Hope everything turns out good for ya bud and we'll smoke a fatty when I whip through around June. Smoked only twice since I left. Maybe when I get to
Kadir's
Treehouses it'll be a bigger party. Need some work so I can enjoy myself more, but I'm happy to have escaped the cold and finally see some steady beach action in my life. If you're not busy and working when I swing through we can go on a little trip or something. Been fixing it up a bit lately, and put some cheesey flashy disco lights in the front cabin area. Good to hear from ya and hang in there bud. k

Of course its just a game U ..., but how do U e.g. call chess? Have U ever played?

Well, I've played this Nanuki icecream game starting many years ago, that's how it was introduced to me, and I'm used to calling it Pente. But I didn't study its history etc., so don't know who called it what first. Don't think there is any other name for chess than chess, unless one uses another language. Maybe Pente is the Italian name or something. I'm pretty good at chess and like the game a lot. Think I'll go to "Greece" tomorrow, for my birthday, and say hi to the Slovakian chick. Hopefully she'll be up for some hiking. Would like to check out this island more. Game attached.

Thanks for the paper - heavy duty stuff. I just read a bit and although dated, it seems to talk just the same to
Christians of today.

Yah, as I read deeper into it I realised it was getting pretty dated, but then would get back into
something more usable again. I liked the beginning, because it seemed to get deep into motivation, which I found good to reflect on. Down to the real core of things. Concerning below, for personal contact I have this marketing approach where people anywhere in the world can approach customers and they get a permanent commission on all work sent to me. Kenax can be like the engine, with the virtual office the core of everything, project managers, Czech to English translators, proofreaders and vettors etc. logging into it to exchange files and communicate with one another. Everyone working on different time zones to keep everything operating 24 hours a day. The marketing dude can set up an office and look like an agency, and just forward the files to us. They can put whatever markup they think they need or can get away with. I find my prices pretty competitive. But most people aren't interested in this commission thing and want so salary, so I guess this is something I'll get into in the future once I start getting a solid revenue stream. The important thing is that the scripts for the virtual office are developed and I can start expanding in this way. Now I am focusing on marketing, which I haven't ever, really, but it is just taking longer than I expected. I really enjoy the
seo stuff and am making slow progress. I guess it will just require time. For the God work, that's going slow too. Hard to find charities to get involved in while travelling. When I was in Prague it seemed impossible too. Not much room for volunteers and everyone seems only professional, and when I approached shelters for homeless children, because I've always enjoyed spending time with kids, everyone assumed I was a pervert or something. So I guess I'll have to stick to donating money over the web and focusing on my various web projects, and trying things occasionally on a local level. Well, thanks for the encouragement. Was getting depressed when I sent that letter, and feeling pretty
desperate. But at least my costs are pretty low at the moment. Just trying to accumulate some positive vibes.

I think it's your B-day today, right? I hope that not only today will be a special day for you but also days ahead will be filled with all good things!

Went to the Greek side, only 20km away, to where I met this Slovakian chick and partied with her a bit, but couldn't get cash out of the bank machine so only stayed a short while. She says she works seven days a week and maybe gets one day off a month, so my mission to ask her to go on hiking trips in the mountains failed, although she expressed interest in stuff like that. Got in touch with some hashers (the people who jog and drink beer), so maybe I could find some interested parties through that, otherwise I'll just go myself. It's a nice island nature wise, with lots of historical relics. The way things fall into place for me while travelling, I get strong messages that God is watching over me, but I always get nervous when the money starts running dry. I know I'm not supposed to waiver in doubt, but sometimes it just gets so
desperate I can't help but get depressed. But thanks for the encouraging words, I need them at this time. I just posted my latest travels, with lots of pictures of my drive across the southern Turkish coast. Lots of historical relics. I moved things to another location, so perhaps it will show up now on your browser.

Travel Europe

Otherwise I think I'll make a slide show movie, so I can always show you guys that. But I think the web pics are better because one can stare at the pics as long as they want. One reason why I'd like to be earning more is so that I can travel more, instead of counting pennies and feeling hunger pains in my stomach as I watch the gas meter bob its way down to zero. I enjoy checking out the varied nature, and relics are cool. Occasionally I go jogging through areas, which is nice, and decided I might get myself a paragliding thing. Seems like, if its windy enough, you can take off from the beach and go sailing around in the sky, and land where you want. So could be a great free way to explore area. When I get to Kadir's maybe I'll get some travellers to pitch into gas so we can explore Turkey together. Otherwise, I think my travel website will eventually get a lot of traffic, which will help me find fellow travellers, mostly during the summer. Take care and thanks for the encouraging words. Need them right now. lateronie

Just wanted to let you know that you are in our hearts and prayers daily... hopefully something good comes and you will be Czech to English translating again or whatever Gods wants you to do, you will do it with joy and enthusiasm .... I think you are amazing individual, going so far on your own with trust that God will provide; and He will as what Bible says, you are his child and follower. I am sure he will use you and test you. Life is not easy, only silly can think otherwise......

Things generally fine, except for a persistent lack of work. But I'm making slow progress with the seo stuff, so at least something promising. Didn't realise you were so sick of this stuff, so I'll make sure not to talk about it. Guess I find it interesting because I'm not forced to do it because someone told me to but because it is a way for me to become successful. And then I also find it interesting and how
google and the algorithms work. Anyway, I guess you didn't read the letter, but I was wondering if you had that typing program I could suggest to me translators. Or know of some free downloadable one. Where you living? Actually wanted to ask you that, or if you were still living with your parents. Is dad upset you're not helping him with rent or living with them? Guess now you can go nutso partying. Where you livin? Send me some pics? Otherwise, I should be back around Juneish. Think I'll head to the Polish coast and maybe farther north, as I don't work well in the intense
Croatia heat. And I found Croats rather snotty. Cyprus story was crazy and by far the farthest I've ever gone and most I've ever spent just to get a mobile signal. Kinda hilarious, and the ferry was expensive, but decided this is a good winter hangout because I can drive over to the Greek side to extend my 90 day limit in
Turkey. Nice nature island full of historical relics, and much warmer than the mainland, so I look forward to discovering it. Hope I can get some juicy work one of these days. Obviously to help me pay back debts and invest into expansion, but it almost sucks to be living this dream but have to be so penny pinching with gas. Almost a painful irony, but parking for a long time on a beach isn't something worth complaining about, so I guess things can't be so bad. I'd say now the temperature is almost perfect. Need to save up for gas and ferry money before it gets too hot!

I have not had time to read this document but agree with Dad on the point of personal contact. It's good advice.

cau dude, finally found an antispam system I'm happy with: www.vqme.com About 34$ a year. I need this confirmation approach, because my email addresses are all over the internet and now filter alone could suffice. I wrote dad that the personal contact approach will be handled by others, everywhere in the world, once I have enough cash to pay for that. Right now I am offering the position but commission only. In the meantime I'm doing the seo thing, and when things get rolling, I'll focus on making the machine work and seo and marketing etc. Let us call it upper management. Someone can set up a fancy office in New York, practically call it what they want, and just forward all their work to the Kenax engine. Full details here

Translations in-house jobs employment

if you'd like to read that. Finally kicked in on the seo and am 9th for "translation resources". Should hopefully only improve from here, and will keep adding more and more pages.

how are things going? You seem to be doing well, as I see your webpage all over the place. I've recently restarted seo work and am starting to see some progress. Been too busy with large projects the last seven years to look for customers, but now I have a system set up through which I can expand, externally, like through a virtual office, as I like to work on my own and not in some office with tons of people. Even one secretary annoyed me. So I've followed my big dream, moved myself and my business into a truck, and now I'm travelling freely around the world while working. I guess my details in your database should be correct, although I could not check it. Basically I'm interested in all translators and all customers.

> HEY! isn't it your birthday today??

Yah. I stopped caring a few years back. I think for 10 years I haven't told people around me, not even to get free beer. At one point I tried to stop remembering, so that I could forget my age, but that turned out futile, cause people can be annoying and they often ask, and it's quite retarded to respond "I don't know", so I was forced to abandon that aspiration. So I just don't care, but I guess i'm fortunate cause I still look young, and I'm still pretty fit, although I've been getting lazy lately. But I'm getting back into it, and mostly relies on the ability to find fresh water so I can have my portable shower. Summers are easier because beaches often have showers. Then I can jog happily in the sun, jump in the ocean and swim back with my goggles, or sweat with pushups in the truck before jumping in the ocean. But I've finally found some water here and its warm enough now to take showers outside. But before when I left Prague, I enjoyed TOTALLY kicking everyone's ass in squash, and especially the young sporty looking 21 year olds. They always marvelled how I could run so quickly from one end of the court to another. Actually, makes me not as good a player, because the better players conserve energy, but I enjoyed maxing myself out, so I would slam the ball a lot harder than strategy called for. Now i don't mind telling people my age because I like to see the surprise on their face. Or sometimes I'll do the cheesey thing and ask them to guess. Early thirties is the usual guess, but I can get away with murder in dark romantic bar lighting. Under flourescant lighting in the can it can be a bit of a horror show. Drink a double beer in my honour, because I've started a new fasting routine: starting my birthday until Easter no beer or cigarettes or meat or bad things, doing a full spring cleaning for the traditional 40ish days. I move towards a juice fast, and the near the end try the customary 8 days of water only, during which I do the various herbal cleansing things, to get rid of my kidney and liver stones and all sorts of other stuff. So I come out of it
squeaky clean like a baby. I think that helps as well. laterama

Oh hush. We shall have to stop remembering, that way I can be forever 40 and you forever 42. I think those are good numbers to stay at! Yesterday at work I was talking to a lady that was out sick for quite a while, she said she had Whooping Cough, that the old inoculations wear off and they're thinking of re-boosting everyone. I said, "You're the same age as me, arent' you?" She said, "How old are you?" I was like, " . . .. . 40." such a long pause, I couldn't even say it! She laughed. Anyways, have a good birthday. If I wasn't getting over a BRUTAL cold (hearing about your warm adventures made me somewhat jealous) I would have a beer tonight in your honour. I'm sure I'll be able to suck one down in the next couple of days though!

Hey, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! And enjoy the celebration with that Slovakian chick ... :o). Going today to the mountains, so will have time to have a look at it only later. Well. to the mountains together with Dana and Marketa. :-)

yah, you gonna make a Marty sandwich in the mountains, where your the salami slice? Was fun hanging out with the Slovakian girl, but turns out she only gets one day off a month, so there goes my aspirations of having nice company with which to explore the islands. But I've gotten in touch with some hashers (that crazy group of people who like to jog and drink beer), so maybe I'll find some coexplorers that way (although they're rarely an attractive bunch). But my back tires are getting thin and I'm starting to fear driving anywhere, as it would cost me about a thousand bucks to replace them all. Did ya send the cd yet? I'm considering relocating to another part of the island, although only a couple of hours away. The post office said they'd hold onto the cd for me, but if over a certain size, they'd charge something per day. have a good one.

didn't get a response from you the last time I asked if you could help me with my financial situation. If you sent an sms to my old t-mobile number, it probably did not get through, because their roaming services sucks, and I cancelled with them. I now have a Turkish sim card, but I'm regularly changing sim cards as I travel, until I get back to Czech and open a roaming plan with someone else. It's been crazy lately and I was forced to relocated to
Cyprus, just so that I could cross the border to another country (southern half of the island is Greek). But its a nice island and much warmer here, if you're up for a little break. Lots of cool historical relics, great nature, and friendly people. But the ferry across and other costs hit me hard, and once again I'm forced to ask around for a loan. I've been getting trickles of work here and there, usually enough to get by, and I'm managing to keep my costs low, since I don't pay for rent or electricity, thanks to the great solar panels. I'm living as modestly as I can, yet I'm running dangerously low of cash and I'd appreciate the help if you can spare it. When I don't have work, I've been busy looking for customers every possible way I can. I must admit this is the longest dryish spell I've had, but these things happen sometimes. In any case, I'm glad that I finally have the system set up to enable me to expand. I've been working on that for about five years, and now the virtual office is ready and I can hire as many people as I want externally. In the past I've had inhouse secretaries, but this is not the type of existence I want, for which reason I masterminded the virtual office (not to mention that it is essential for my new travelling existence). I've been approaching customers on the internet, offering my Czech to English translation services again, working to penetrate the Chinese market, and working on webrankings in between work. I've made some progress with the webrankings, now at 9th position for "translating resources" and 25th for "translation agency", and this is where I place much of my hope, but progress is slow. Anyway, hope you can help me out in my time of need. Take care and warm greetings from
Cyprus. I hope to swing through Czech around Junish, as I need to show up there once a year to reregister the truck and for health insurance. Maybe we can plan for some trip once back.

Yes, I use the ignum.cz filter with x.cz. It works fairly well, and there are up-days and down-days as they seem to use a product with a team that actively tries to improve it. It will never be perfect, but I get a fair amount of spam, and it successfully filters through 80-90% of it. Fair amount of spam for me now is probably 30 a day, not that much in some books. You can try it by copying all your mail through your
email address and see how it marks (I use an outlook filter on everything with five or more stars on a scale of 10 in the subject line).

thanks for the offer, but managed to find this Vanquish thing, which I believe I already wrote about. I get about a thousand spam a day, and expect more once/if I start getting a lot of hits, and into the future, so I need something that sends challenge messages to new people. Another good thing about Vanquish is "smart subjects", meaning it will let messages through and with the subject, on a permanent basis or up to a period of 14 days (I can adjust). Which is good for when I post potential jobs on the internet, as many people find these challenge emails simply too "challenging". But still hope to use the kaja address at some point, for super personal and secret emails. latermun