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