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Archive for May, 2012
Work for Money over Mobile Internet
2012
05.25
05.25
Correspondence while I travel, about traveling.
So I’m rather excited because today I finally managed to get a contract for cheaper internet. now I can surf in my toasty pension and not have to muscle my way for a spot at the cafe, where people giggle at my shorts in the cold and it gets too busy in the afternoon. Now I can do internet all the time, and reserve the cafe for only heavy downloads, cause I can only transfer some 5 gigs a month. But in the end I’ll save money, cause I wont have to drink all those beers in the cafe either, and I’ll even save on the internet, because its ridiculously expensive if off a prepaid package.
So I got a year contract now and looks like I’ll probably stay about a year in this country. Might even get a resident card, which apparently gives me as much rights as a regular citizen. Costs 7.5 Euro, good for five years, and all I need is two EU ID and a bank account. I have one here for free, and super cheap. Cost an unbelievable 50 cents to open, transfers to Czech are cheap, and they don’t charge me anything to keep my money there. Sometimes I wonder how cheaply these Bulgarians work. A free bank! They been around for 15 years so are set in stone here. Could turn out useful.
So my plan is to stay here until shortly after New Years and then drive east where my friend will get back fromChina, so I can stay at his place for free and he can offer me some construction work as well. Only half the pay what Rog was giving me, but it doesn’t really matter, because I could probably work for an hour or two a day, develop some muscle tone, pay for food and maybe some beers, and just chill out with a friend as we work on the place together. He’ll be there for some six months I think and then I was thinking of driving up theBlack Seaonce its warm enough. Have some contacts I could visit inRomaniaand theUkraine. Otherwise it will be great to be able to cruise at will aroundBulgariaand the coast with my fast and cheap internet: up to 3G in some places (last place on the market), otherwise fast enough elsewhere, 5 gigs a month (quite a bit) for 18 Euro a month. Guess I can’t complain. Looking forward to the coast!
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just read your email on my mobile and will respond again later once I download it to my computer. Maybe I’ll be lucky and do that today. Still haven’t figured out how to get internet from my mobile to my computer, which should hinge on installing the software which I got when I bought the mobile. But my CD thing broke about a year ago, so I couldn’t install it from the CD. Want to buy an external DVD/CD burner but waiting to earn some more money. So the only other way is to borrow some laptop etc., which can be pretty scarce in this village. Fortunately Roger invited me out for dinner last night so I texted him to bring his laptop, and through that I copied the CDs to my mobile and today I will install the software and hopefully figure it out. That way I will be able to stay in my room more and not depend on the internet cafe so much, where I was “forced” to buy beers every day in the mornings, to justify my internet use there. This will help me save money. With the contract I will also save money, because I get 5 gigs a month for 18 Euro, which is less than I was spending before with the prepaid program, and probably downloading less than half a megabyte. I hope the EU breaks these mobile operator prices. They are ridiculous. Was talking about it with Roger last night and it is apparent that they charge ridiculous prices for internet because they consider it “business clientelle” who need it and charge an arm and a leg. And why do I consider it expensive? Well, I know you are not IT savvy, but perhaps you will understand that to transfer voice (a regular phone call) consumes much more data transfer (it’s all just ones and zeros) than internet. And it has to be live (immediate). So it is ridiculous to charge more for internet than regular phone call. But that is my life. I guess within about five years internet on the mobile will be normal and it will be much more affordable, and fast, by then.
I had to pay a deposit for the contract (since I do not have a Bulgarian citizenship – although I can get that for 7 Euro and probably will in a few months), so I am very low on cash at the moment, but should be getting money soon, and expect to receive a total of 700 Euro over the next few weeks, which can technically last me two months in this country.
Ran into a stumbling block with my tree planting software because I cannot seem to make it compatible with the industry’s standard. They are apparently too smart for us, but maybe my Siberian programmer will be able to figure something out. Fortunately my client said he is still interested in it, now that I’ve reduced the price from 1500 to 300 Cdn. Even if only five customers eventually buy the software it will be worth all my efforts, so I am glad to keep working on it, and if I eventually find enough success, I will consider approaching other industries, because I enjoy this software development – more interesting and a better use of my intelligence than translating.
Still haven’t started translating from French yet and already have one customer banging on my door asking me when I will finally complete the sample. I explained that I feel too rusty and that, almost every day, I have been reading a French online newspaper to practice and beef up my vocabulary. I have some translators who have agreed to help me with the French, so hopefully it will not take too long before I get that going. There is aLOTmore work in that language combination, and it pays twice as well as Czech to English, so it could become a good base income for me once I get that going. Then I will be able to realize all my dreams because I could hire others to do the hundreds of tasks I’ve piled up over the years. By translating for a Czech agency, at most I can hope to make maybe 1500 Euro a month. Technically not so bad, but because I usually end up translating about sewers, car parts and other terribly boring subjects, full time of translating that is about enough to make me jump out the window. I think that French translations could be more interesting. Anyway, obviously I way too old to be working for subsistence wages, so I hope this French thing will turn into an opening to better times, finally. I know I have the intelligence and skills to make lots of cash, and my costs are very low, so I hope one day things will kick in for me. Otherwise I’ve been enjoying my travels and I like the variety, so even though I’m a poor sod at the moment, I’m relatively happy, and that is more important than anything.
So last night when I was with Roger the foreman (G – don’t even want to pronounce his name) was there. Wasn’t too keen to see him, but he started some conversations, and after Roger left with his girlfriend our desire for girls led us to agree to go to the local disco afterwards. So we drank together a bit and I guess we are on speaking terms again. Who knows, perhaps they will invite me back, but I am not very keen on the idea because the entire experience is rather soured for me. But on Jan 5 another friend will come back fromChinaand he said he could hire me as well. He’s a Brit too and bought a house in the eastern part ofBulgaria. He will be there for about 6 months. Unfortunately he pays about half of what Roger does, but it doesn’t really matter because I prefer to only work a few hours a day anyway (just to stay a little bit in shape) and spend the rest of it on the computer, which can pay so much more than even Roger can offer me. I will have a free place to stay, make a little bit of money to cover my minimal costs, and work on my computer as much as I want. One problem is that G the foreman seemed to be constantly jealous that I was so free and could combine things with my computer, and kept pressuring me to work for him more. This way I will have more freedom and less pressure, and can just hang out and enjoy myself. The only thing I regret is that I did not have the opportunity to learn more about the reconstruction, because eventually I thought I’d like to reconstruct my own house.
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Nice to here from you. I remember something symphonic going on in the film score to Stargate and that it was done fairly well. I’ll take note of it next time if I hear it. I think I actually have Stargate here. I remember it to be in the Wagnerian film score style, i.e. something in direction of John Williams’s score for Star Wars. I love the part where the big soldiers give the twerp “that look” when he pulls out his candy bars on the distant planet. I’m no expert on film music, but I remember the scores to Taxi Driver andAlteredStatesas ones I really like.
Oh yes, and that reminds me of the first Alien movie. I had one fanatic friend who had a tape of that soundtrack and he played it for me once in a treeplanting camp. It was a hot day, full sun, middle of the day, and we were sitting in the truck listening to it. In the middle of a dirt patch they were using for parking. An absolutely boring site, but even so listening to the music scared the shit out of me. You totally don’t notice it cause you are engrossed so much in the scary movie, but I must admit I’ve never heard any classical music like that. Could be good for you to check that out as well. Don’t think they had the same conposer for the other Alien movies though.
What’s happening with you these days? Let me know what’s happening. I finally send off my article for proofs, i.e. the one about communist era musical culture. I showed it to you at one time, but now I’ve polished the text head-to toe. You can take a look in the attachment here if you’re interested; it will be on-line with the pix and musical examples in January:
Checked it out quickly and sounds good. Actually, when I think about it, it’s a pretty interesting subject and perhaps you should consider marketing it through other angles as well. Sure, go the usual magazine route, but perhaps try to approach specific groups interested in studying about brainwashing the masses. They might never think about picking up a magazine about music etc. Always market yourself from as many angles as you can, and then you’d be surprised what doors could open for you, rather than stick to some traditional and confined approach.
Otherwise, I’m trying to get motivated for new projects and I am really feeling the lack of motivation. Haven’t wanted to do anything for a number of days! Got stuff I should really be doing to, like preparing for a conference inNorwayin a months time. I wonder why I do this to myself…
What I like to do is create a To Do list. It’s now around 600 long. I put it in an Excel file in various categories etc. (mostly for when I’m online, and then offline work). When I have paying work I do that, but the rest is “development” work. So whenever I do development work, often I’ll prioritise it, such as looking for more work etc., but many times I’ll just go through my long list and do what I feel like at that particular moment. This way almost all the time I’m interested in what I’m doing, therefore I enjoy it and then the motivation comes by itself. But I understand that what I do can be rather diverse and across the spectrum, so I have quite a lot to choose from. Nevertheless, if you started focusing more on marketing and less on production, as I last suggested, you could start to branch out in other areas and you might find the variety more interesting, and easier to motivate productive use of your time. And focusing on marketing could lead to interesting and surprising fruits!
At the moment still in Shiroka Laka, just west of Smolyan, and start of new year I plan to move to eastern Bulgaria, and during the summer drive up the Black Sea. Just yesterday I signed a contract for a year, so I will have cheap internet throughout Bulgaria and through my mobile. Am looking forward to discovering the country and heard there are many beautiful parts. Would be cool if you could hook up at some point! Could arrange some wifi router internet for you as well, so you could do some research or work maybe. latergator
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oh I’m so happy, a customer just sent me 150 bucks as a deposit for my software. So far my programmer couldn’t make it compatible with the industry’s monster program, so I had to drop my price to 300, but if I sell at least five it will be well worth all the effort I put into it, and hopefully I’ll be able to sell more of it. I certainly know it will save a lot of time compared to piddling around with Excel, like I’m sure most people do. And this money came just as I had less than 20 Euro to my name, and all my bank accounts cleaned out empty. But within a week or two I expect to receive about 700 Euro from different sources, so that should be plenty to survive for two months in this country, even though I’m staying in a pension. Once I move to my friend’s place after the New Year’s it would be four months. But I assume I’ll have lost of work by that time. Just wanted to share the great news with someone!
Caravan Security
2012
05.25
05.25
When I first set out on my trip I was a bit scared but my friend Roger offered some great caravan survival tips, which included matters concerning security, but over the years while on the road I’ve picked up some juicy tricks myself. I’ll throw them off my head as they come up.
First of all a good alarm system would be advisable, even though I haven’t bothered to use mine in the safe countries I’ve been traveling through. In particular because I’m always sleeping inside! Or I’ll park the truck in a safe place.
But an alarm system can definitely be an advisable backup. Not only do the new systems have incorporated GPS units which can help you track down your vehicle if it ever gets stolen, but you can activate your alarm in times of peril to help scare away attackers. Even the blinking red light on the dashboard can serve a useful purpose. For activation in times of peril, I glued a Velcro strip onto the movement sensor and generally keep that in the glove box. If I plan to sleep elsewhere and am worried about security, I can pull it out and stick it into its place, activate the alarm and leave. If I am under attack while inside, I can turn on the alarm (or keep it running if I am uncertain about my surroundings) and pull open the glove box to activate it.
Otherwise, in such times of peril, a scruffy and scary face with bulged out eyeballs can go a long way. Many times I would be sleeping quietly in the back when I would hear someone blatantly try to open the door. Because I like to park anywhere without being harassed by the police, I designed my caravan so that it does not look like one but rather like a regular delivery truck, and most such curious persons would never think someone is actually sleeping inside. Which is when I stealthily sneak up towards the front, and as they are talking to their friends trying to figure out how to get inside, my scary scruffy face slowly appears in the side window, appearing out of the darkness like some ghost. You can be assured that the assailants are often a hair short of a heart attack and would rather just get the heck out of there as fast as they could. If you combine this with the alarm, perhaps some harmless fireworks or a flare gun (as Roger suggested – I even keep a long kitchen knife handy for extra show), and a well practiced and crazed look, you should be pretty safe.
But what if it’s not some thief who’s trying to break in but yourself, seeing your keys fell out of your pocket while swimming in the ocean? For such a case it is advisable to get some duct tape and store an entrance key in a carefully concealed place somewhere outside the vehicle. But you didn’t hear me mention that, did you? Obviously you should have several spares inside the truck, especially if you have visiting friends, and keep the originals carefully stored away, in case you need to make more copies.
Besides storing extra copies of your keys somewhere hidden inside your caravan, you should use your secret hiding place to also store all your important documents, such as your passports and credit cards, and a reasonable amount of cash and/or traveller’s cheques in case you lose your wallet, damage your credit card, or other such calamity. Sometimes my card is blocked just because I use it in a geographic location other than my permanent residence, and it can take a few days to get it reset, so make sure you do not have to sell your bumbum to survive!
I generally try to avoid carrying my credit cards with me, and for that matter, any other important documents, such as my health insurance card. If you happen to lose your wallet, how are you going to replace such valuable documents when so far away from home? On the other hand, what is the point of having health insurance if you are not carrying it on you in time of need? To solve this I simply took a digital picture of such important documentation and went to a print shop and got laminated copies made. Before bringing the files on a usb memory stick, I like to add the text “This is a copy – the originals are in my truck”. Unless you are in cut-throat capitalistAmerica, most hospitals will not turn you away in emergency situations, especially if you have something like this on you. They can always use the ID number and verify something over the phone.
And speaking of printing out copies of originals, I did the same for my license plates. Sure, technically illegal to be driving around the world with printed copies of your license plates, but I find that the police are not the most intelligent lot, under a layer of dirt it really does not look that different (the license plates, not the police), and if they do happen to catch you (the police), you simply show them the originals and explain to them my story, how I had a roommate in university who loved collecting vehicle license plates and had about 30 of them pinned up on his wall from all over America. Great and authentic looking collector’s items, but certainly not an interesting matter to arrange a replacement, some several thousand kilometers from home.
And what if you are a drunken dork and get all your credit cards stolen while on a binge around town? I suppose you can keep important credit card cancellation information somewhere in your caravan, but what if that is one the items which were stolen?! I already do this as a rule for my business, since my work is internet and computer based, but generally I like to store all such information somewhere on the internet. If you are not as savvy as I am, with a secure server and login webpages where I store all my backups and sensitive information, you can do something simple like write all the information in a Word file, perhaps zip/compress that into an archive if you are extra paranoid, and send it to yourself or from some other email account, to your Hotmail or other address, and store that incoming email in some obscure folder. The subject of the email can be “here is a picture of my little kitten”, or something else which would seem totally uninteresting to a criminal, if they did manage to break into your email account. If you ever access your account from an internet café, always make sure to clear the passwords from the browser. Many internet cafes are momma poppa dime operations who don’t have a clue how to set up a network and their browsers could be set to automatically store passwords. Or better yet, set yourself up a second email account and use that only for security purposes, keeping your regular account for general mail and regular logins at internet cafes. Otherwise you might once forget the tedious process of clearing the password, or the internet café can have some malicious software installed as explained in my internet connection while traveling page – no need for unnecessary security breaches.
For a scary and suspenseful story you might like to read how I managed to stave off attacking criminals while in Croatia.
I don’t like to deal with the added responsibility, but even the most laid back rottweiler fastened by a thick chain to your front entrance will stop most from even considering. Even an annoying and yapping little dog left inside while you’re out partying can act as a great alarm system.
Keeping your truck modest looking, a little dirty and no visible bells and whistles would less likely generate any interest. Such as keeping the visible front driver’s seat a little untidy. I like to keep a roll of toilet paper on the dashboard because I’m constantly blowing my nose, but from the outside, it seems to make the entire truck appear worthless and uninteresting.
And a good attitude can easily tip the scales. By being humble and nice to locals, they might warn you about something or suggest better places to park. On the other hand, if you’re a cocky son of a bitch who likes to throw money around the bar, you will certainly attract attention and might find at least one person following behind you in the darkness while you stagger your way back to your vehicle.
If you are extra paranoid and traveling through some dark and scary places, keeping a bible visible on the front passenger seat could also tip the scales. Even desperate criminals can have a conscience, or be just plain ol’ superstitious. Or consider you a modest and good brother and they’d rather save their desperate attacks for the cocky sons of a bitches.
If you are going away for a longer period of time, or are super paranoid, I like to keep all my expensive electronics and other gadgets in a super treasure safe located under (and the size of) my bed and which has been bolted firm through the undercarriage of the vehicle.
Following these various tactics, I’ve found myself fairly safe over the past two years, while many of my friends have reported their homes being robbed right from under their noses, while sleeping! Houses can be a much more lucrative and attractive target than a beat up old truck, out of which a scruffy, unkempt, modest and amiable individual crawls out every morning.
Back to How to Design a Caravan
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If You Care Enough People Can Have a Good Time
2012
05.25
05.25
From the Private Memoirs of Bimbus.
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Hey, if you’re looking for Bimbus Programmer, just email me at [email protected].
Great, gald you are happy. Is that program NEVER be compatible???? Is that you hoped for 1,500?? anyway, good progress, .
If I can make it compatible then I could probably charge between 1500 and 2500 for the software and would probably get a lot of people interested. Perhaps my programmer will still succeed, but losing faith. In any case I’m glad that I will get at least 300 and that the 150 came now when I’m practically out of cash.
You said you will have lost of work. Did you mean lots of work.?
I guess lots.
Will Roger not take you back? What did he say anyway? just curious. If you go chasing girls with that brute it make not much sense to me.
As I expected Roger does not want to jeopardise his operations and that brute is a whining baby and just does not want me there. I don’t really want to be there no either. Roger invited me out for dinner and he was there. Didn’t really want to talk to him but boys are boys and its better to just be civil and ignore the unpleasantness.
Are you alone in that pension?
The woman who owns the house lives downstairs and I basically have the upstairs to myself.
is that the people who had to go toEnglandand you housesit?
The woman is still working on going to England but I think she found someone else to housesit for you. In any case I should be able to afford this pension for a couple of months, and then I’ll be at my friend’s in the east part of Bulgaria.
Oh, by the way, I’m excited to have arranged a contract for internet on my mobile, so it’s cheap and I can be online all the time. 18 Euro a month for 5 gigs of transfer. Should be enough. Now I can look forward to driving up the Black Sea coast in the summer and checking out Bulgaria, which is supposed to have many beautiful parts. And it is very cheap here, so I think it will be a fun year.
Keep having good time, good luck and lots of work. It started to rain here, Vlad is working on the yard like crazy, now pressurewashing the rocks, could use you here. I am not at all interested in this future garden since it is not going to be mine and I worked so hard on so many already, even projects I used to like,. But I left my heart at West Point Place garden and can not get enthusiastic about any now. But as far as the house is concerned it is really beautiful, I do not have enough furniture and decorarions, Vlad will not allow anything remotly “peasant” or “cute”. It is all packed in so many boxes downstairs. I need a country house. Well, keep on dreaming Vlasta. But with Christmas approaching I am ready to mess up Vlads design here and pull out all my junk, as K called it once “your insane amount of Christmas decoration” ha ha ha. As far as K is concerned she has a selected memory and twists it the way that she always come out as the injured one. She does not care about anybody else anyway. Last week when Vlad had brithday she did not even call him. And she said “he does not care anyway” Well I know that he is the one who care more than anybody else I know. It is fine for him to give here presents. Anyway I do not know what is she talking about that I made here scrub my floors and baseboards. The ONLY time she ever helped me was when I was moving from West Point Place (and that was a huge move) and she came and help to prepare it for new owner,. She did excellent job but she charged me for it hugely. I wanted to give her something anyway but this was a typed invoice for hundreds of dollars. But when she runned out of money and called, in tears, that Hydro is going to switch off the power that evening and her computer will not work …… and the bill for unpaid service was 800, I paid that within half an hour, got thank you telephone call and never even mention “hey mom you paid that stuff, there is something back. or can I help you with something………. ?Vlad does not know about this. Nobody does except Ciki when I was once very upset. Ciki could not believe what I was telling her. I normally am quiet about that because I do not want people to know and hold it against her. Enough what people see. Ach jo. And this is for your eyes only!.
Yah, I guess she can be selfish and self concerned. Its one thing that rather massively annoyed me while she was staying with me in Cyprus. She would chew me out that I was supposed to come back to the island earlier so I could make things more comfortable for her, etc. etc. etc. It just seems fairly obvious that she’s self concerned, and I can see how she would twist things in her head. We’d have discussions about things and her perspective seemed quite perverted and twisted often. In any case I’m glad I have a good relationship with her now.
What is the weather? Can not believe you wanted to escape Praha’s winter and now you are in the mountains. Do you have enough warm stuff?
Didn’t plan it myself, but simply didn’t have enough gas money to make it to Sicily or somewhere warm. Where it would probably be more expensive to live, even though I wouldn’t be paying for this pension. And my battery seems to be dying. So, now that I’m here, I think it will be cool to spend a winter in fluffy snow, as long as I’m toasty warm. Better than staying in stinky Prague. I was really growing sick of that place, although its nice to be there once in a while and party with my friends. But after a while I start to get tired of that. Happier to be more productive and kinder on my body (I simply drink too much in Prague).
and I want your telephone so I can call. I have now about 6 numbers and do not know what to use. And do you have postal address? Good luck with your machines, with your work and with your life.,
Yes, now that I got a new sim card for internet data, I cannot receive or make phone calls anymore – only text message and internet. Which rather defeats the purpose of buying a fancy phone.
In any case, if you really want to call me, I can put my older sim card in my other phone and keep that on me. Will have to dig it out of the truck and charge it up.
Nice to be able to respond right away! Toodloo
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look at the stuff I’m starting to download. Too bad we couldn’t pretend practice on the Turkish beach eh? Wondering if I can learn such stuff from a video. Generally interested in it. http://avaxhome.ws/video/systema_hand_to_hand.html
karel – got an additional email sense. will respond on that one later. very interesting. i hope you never challenge someone who has these skills!! generally people that can do this are quite passive and only if your being a total ass do you get it. obviously the brit did not have these skills. i believe your getting older and there is a time to get aggressive and there is a time to be a diplomat. i learned my lesson to drunk in mala strana, first time i didn’t come out on the right side of the stick. playing around on the beach in cyprus is different from being in a situation where its time to fuck somebody up. take care and go easy. cau jim
cau dude, yah, I realise a lot of that. Think I’ve been quite diplomatic most of my life, but lately I’ve grown tired of idiots. My primary reason for wanting to learn martial arts is because I enjoy it. Reminds me of gymnastics and I like the sense of body and balance. But it can also come in handy. Not that I am looking for trouble, but sometimes trouble comes, and sometimes people need a hard lesson, so I’d rather have the skills. Or I might need to help a girl from being raped by a gang or something. Otherwise I can usually size up a situation well and know if I should step back, or sometimes I need to step forward and defend someone. Anyway, I enjoy the martial arts thing.
For you, I noticed in Cyprus that whenever you had your fourth beer of the evening you started to get very cynical and negative, and the more you drank the more aggressive you got. I don’t find I have that problem and you might consider reflecting on it as a potential problem. Alcohol is a poison and I find it increases aggression. The next day after drinking a lot I often find I am full of anger. Maybe one of the reasons I like to smoke dope, which tends to pacify instead. Dope smokers in general are much more passive, and I believe tend to think more against the establishment and for themselves, where active drinkers just want to forget about whatever problems they have.
But the beach invitation was a follow up on your initial one, and primarily that I cant imagine learning from a video alone.
Anyway, have a good one.
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Bulgaria sounds like a good haven for you. Slowly, you are establishing a lifestyle that fits your wandering ways. Never boring, always something…keep the faith
I studied Jung extensively in grad school. He reaffirmed the power of dreams, symbols and altered states to explore the wilderness within. That is why I use the exploration of personal symbols in the therapy I do. Besides it feels good to do this creatively, often way more powerful than words. My clients say they get a lot out of this method.
Lily and lex gone now to Cali. She has a short term job until dec in a brewery, bought a truck and she and jeff are renting a house in sonoma that needs a lot of landscaping. He will be in peru and Costa Rica until mid january. She joins him in Costa Rica for a month (her 30th birthday) and Brigid and I will go down there Jan 9-24th. Plenty new horizons for all of us in 2010 I think.
Prague is cold, grey and my time here will only last another year I think. Glad you wrote and I will pass on the news to miss lily. She is happy, creating a new life, but still is not and may never be a communicator…..Oh well
hey Belle,
it was interesting reading Jung and about what fine nuances he must have been arguing about with Freud. Must admit that its a new area for me but recently I’ve been getting more into psychology, I guess primarily because I was annoyed how some people seemed to perceive me as a dumdum or something like that. But your healing thing sounds cool, although I can’t really imagine it so well. Psychology and mind stuff is an entire area I never took seriously and it certainly makes for interesting reading.
I hear you on getting a bit old with Prague weather. And I guess with Lili gone there’s that much less holding you there. I like the place during the summer and for about two months at a time, otherwise I definitely appreciate changes in my life now and looks like we’re all livin the interesting, which is cool.
Take care, say hi to the folks and pocket some ball for me! C
People are good I think, time is money.
2012
05.25
05.25
From the Private Memoirs of Bimbus.
great to see how excited you are. hope all will be good. I have to think how to respond so I would not sound overworried which I am. Far too many drunks and shady characters around you, punching, fighting, drinking, so I have to let it sit in my mind for a day or so and then have my comments. Stay safe and healthy and stay in touch. xxxxxxxoooooooomamamama
don’t forget that potentially I’m the town’s third alcoholic!!! But I’ve managed to control myself. Although it is true that I did have an “adjustment period” with the local home brewed Rakia (will kill ya). Will put it up on the web later. Now I know just to sip, and generally stay away from the stuff. Workin hard. k
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One morning one. 🙂 If U R so desperate visit www.amateri.cz … lots of pretty amateur Czech chicks … my favourite site. :-)))
yuck, just checked it out. Have a friend who’s been on there for a while, got his wife to join him in threesomes and everything, but that was not enough for him and she eventually caught him screwing some chick by himself, so the show was over. I’m not into porno but looking for a nice and wholesome relationship chick. So far only satisfied with lide, although the responses are pretty meagre. Figure i need to earn enough cash to hire a girl to move in with me. Otherwise can’t see how it would work.
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I am more than happy in your reply for in my mail, how is your day today i hope all is well and fine with you including your health and job. My name is Miss Rosy Dorin kassala and i am 24 years, single and never been married, i am from PostSudan,Sudanin Africa and presently residing in the missionary here inSenegalwhere i ran for refuge due to the political civil war in my country. I am in sufferings and pains here in this missionary and i really need help from a man by encouraging me and good advice in life and to help me to come out from this situation, and again to help me get my money, because my late father deposited some amount of money for me in the Bank and he used my name as the next of kin. My late father Dr. David Ellison Kassala, who was CEO of (E T I C PLC), inPort SudaninSudan. During the war, the rebel loyal to one of the greedy business associate of my late father attacked our house one early morning and killed my mother and father in a cold blood. It is only me that is alive now and i managed to make my way to this country Senegal by the help of UN army where i am living now in the missionary, headed by a Reverend Father, i used his office computer to send you this email and i only enter his office when he is less busy in his office I would like to know more about you, your likes dislikes and your hobbies and what you are doing presently, i like to meet understanding, loyal, sincere, truthfully, kindly and friendly and more to that, a man of vision and truth. I will tell you more about myself in my next mail. Attached here is my picture, i will be hoping to hear from you again. I remain yours Rosy
Hi Rosy,
I once bought a book for a hundred bucks for this organisation which is supporting the people of Darfur and Sudan, written by some guy who escaped from slavery by a family in the north. Was a horrible story and generally what is going on in Africa is sad. I am trying to help in my small way by starting a certain project which I thought could be useful:
http://africa-charity-project.org/
From that page you can go to my travel pages and learn more about me if you like.
I’ve also written a lot on my christ.kenax.cz pages.
Nice talking to you, but hope your motivation for writing to me is not associated with one of those Nigerian etc. scams which talks about 25 million dollars in some fund etc etc and need help getting that money. I get those emails all the time. Presently I’m in a financially poor situation, but when I have money I have a shelter for children in Nairobi where I like to send a little bit of money, when I have it. Take care, Karel
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hey babyflower, so I’m proud to say I finally set up my google calendar and quite happy with it. Just part of my process of putting everything online, since I just don’t trust electronics anymore (used to save such data on my mobile phone). So if you would like to be my first personal entry, just tell me when is your exact birthday! Another fun project I’m working on is completing certain webpages such that I can approach and write an email to certain translators online only, in case for some reason a project comes in and I cannot gain access to my laptop etc. That will be a fun project and something I’ve been meditating on for almost a decade. latergateronie
Well, it is an honor to be the first one in you calendar! Ok, my birthday is on January 26th and if you must know I will be reaching the Christ age next year, as they say.
I like that year, cause I like to say that is when we all have our ressurection and start from zero. Hence you will be newly born and I am only 11 years old!
> How are you and where are you now?
Still in bg, near to where I was working with Roger. In a pension with warm wood fire stove paying 5 Euro a night until Archie gets back from China shortly after the new year. Then I guess I go there and hang out for a while, and cruise up the Black Sea coast once it’s warm enough. Today I just bought a year’s contract for internet through my mobile, so I plan to stay here I guess until fall next year. If going up the bg coast will be getting close to you, so maybe we could hookup! Roger taking me out to dinner tomorrow night. Hope we can resolve everything.
WE went for a short hike in Sinaia last weekend and it was just superb. Except that it got really cold and we were not very well equipped. Plus all these poor stray animals everywhere. And train was 2 hours delayed, yep. The hike was great thought and people are nice. Tomorrow i am going to a charity mixer so i hope i will find some contacts there… i’ d like to volunteer in animals welfare somehow here. You wouldnt believe this, i was trying to contact few of them via email and even calling them but no response…i am not sure what i do wrong.. well, i shall see tomorrow.
You might find better success at the charity mixer and let me. For years I practically killed myself trying to offer my charity volunteer services but there just isn’t a culture for that in eastern Europe, which is a shame. Must have wrote to a hundred people and perhaps only one responded, and then they made me jump through hoops and loops and go to interviews, get police records, and by the time that was all done it was almost time to move into my truck, so it was too late!
> Good luck with your project and keep me updated! have a great day.
> kisses,
> kveta
u2 flowerpower!
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Too bad Marketa is so difficult. I guess it is just a woman’s thing. Don’t want to put you two in Ilona’s ballpark, but I came to the conclusion that women are often very envious creatures. Guys beat the shit out of each other, go for a beer and then are friends again, but girls hold venomous anger within them forever, and its rather silly. I told Keta several times that she will regret it one day when you are gone (heaven forbid), but she keeps going on and on about how you made her scrape the baseboards with a toothbrush and clean up the house like a slave. We’ve talked about it extensively and she said I must have lived out my childhood in a dream state. Sure, there were some negative things, but with the help of Jesus I’ve learned to overcome all that. Like the bible says: forgiveness heals. It is a simple concept, and wise, but many people do not see it. If you do not forgive you keep the chip on your shoulder and you walk around for the rest of your life with hangups. It holds you back. Anyway, it seems evident to me that Keta wants to hold onto these silly childhood hangups and simply not forgive you and make you suffer for all the “horrible” cleaning you made her do when a little baby. So, after years of talking with her about this, I suggest you simply fit into her schedule and be pleasant with her. I cannot think of anything else. Except perhaps try not to be “irritating”. She complains a lot about that. I personally have no problems with you but I think that, considering her sensitivity and not wanting to forgive you and want to punish you and make you suffer, she is more irritated by little things. I agree that it is rather childish, but I guess just a woman thing. So I guess the best you can do is just be nice and not try to irritate her. For example by telling her what to do and keep getting into her hair or something like that. I know you like to meddle, but I’ve learned to deal with it. You’ve also toned down substantially over the years. I was surprised that I was able to live with you and Vlad for an entire month inPrague. But I’ve also learned to exercise my tolerance, and you guys have toned down substantially from the past. But I guess Keta is just holding onto these hangups and remains sensitive. I think she is hurting herself and will feel great regret when you’re gone (heaven forbid – just sent a big round of postcards to Jana, by the way), but I guess that will just have to be her problem, unfortunately.
Well, it’s Saturday and I plan to stay in all day today. Kind of tired of the internet café scene. Every day going there and the village interbreeding morons looking at my shorts in this cold. I switched to pants for survival, because my local English speaking representative and fellow alcoholic kept badgering me about it. Village people can be real nice, but many of them are just conservative morons. Long discussion and requires many pages. So I retire to my room like a hermit and live in my internet world. I have a few friends here and get out once in a while. Lots of pretty girls here too causeBulgaria’s biggest music school is in this village. Have been trying to round up some musicians and organize a jam session in the local restaurant, so perhaps through those means I will meet a pretty girl. I think the best solution is to make enough money to be able to offer some bohemian chick a job, so I can sustain her. I will probably never be interested in supporting a girl who is happy to loaf around on her growing fat ass and do nothing, and whine that she is bored and wants to go for another long walk with me. That was the only candidate I could find before I leftPrague, and it would irritate me too much to support a lazy person like this. Once I am earning enough I can put out advertisements and “interview” candidates. Without that it’s practically impossible to hook up with someone. Obviously it will require a lot of interviewing to find a girl that I like, meets my standards, is bohemian and adventurous like me, doesn’t have great aspirations to settle down in some stupid house somewhere forever (which I’m sure I’ll never want to do, although I’ve already thought it could be interesting and possible to start a family in a truck – possibly a larger one), AND be good on the computer. A very tall order to fill. Until then though I don’t feel desperate without a female. I enjoy my work and my lifestyle, but I do realize that having a girl around will make things more interesting, and enable me to interact better with locals. My social scene has always improved substantially when I was with a girl, but my “social scene” is not my priority. My greater aspiration is to accomplish something good while on this planet, so having a girl around is just an added benefit, not a necessity.
Anyway, guess I’ve blabbed on enough. Will skim over your email again once downloaded if I’ve missed anything. Heard a big hurricane was headed your way! toodloo
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> Great to talk to you again! I love it!o)
Heh heh, me too. Can I assume you are unemployed or something? So perhaps you are like me and end up sitting in front of the computer a lot, and writing letters and stuff. In any case, you are one of my top penpals! (next to my mom, sister, and occasionally Misha – otherwise most people just can be bothered it seems).
Hey, we are hearing more and more that Romanian coast is not worth it a least bit. On the contrary the Bulgarian is supposed to be much nicer and cheaper. I still would like to go to check it out anyway, probably not staying there at the sea side resort but i would like to visit Constansa which happens to be at the coast. Anyway, meeting at the Black sea inBulgariasounds very good. And I know it is a pain to travel here as the road infrastructure is pretty bad but there are trains here as well…i am basically trying to invite you to Bucharest:o) You will see, it would be fun!
Right now my plan is to survive the next week or something, after which money should start rolling in from work I’ve done at the end of last month. Losing Roger’s job because of that arsehole foreman was a shock for me because it was immediately after payday and when I paid a bunch of debts, so I didn’t have much cash in my pocket and had to scramble for new work etc. But within a week or two I should be getting about 700 Euro from various sources, and then I should be good to survive several months in this wonderfully cheap country.
Then around the beginning of the month go to Archie, then once it warms up start cruising up the Bulgarian coast. A visit to you will certainly be possible, otherwise if you guys visit me that would be cool. You can either “rough” it and crash in the truck, perhaps I could be a great gentleman and sleep in my tent and give you the palace to yourselve, or I could find some perfect little place and a cheap pension for ya. Pick you up from the train station or whatever and drive you to your perfect retreat. That might be the best option, as I assume Juan is making gzillions and you two would prefer the comfort. You could set a price range and comfort zone, I could send pics of the place, or you could just trust me. I’m really looking forward to the Black Sea (BS) in the summer and cruising freely around Bulgaria with my new internet contract. Heard there are a lot of nice places to see and looking forward to discovering bg.
The mixer! I have a very good feeling about it. I met a really nice Canadian lady who actually “export” stray pups toAustriaandGermanyfor adoption. The dogs travels straight to their new homes. Local people do not really give a damn about them. It is sad. and i cant fully process that such nice people here can be so careless. It is not that they would be careless but they have completely wrong approach/attitude to this issue, well from my point of view.
Well, in the west they have organisation which put them into kennles or put them to sleep (basically kill them). Basically just get them off the street. Castrate them etc and find homes for them. This costs money and these countries simply do not have it. In Turkish Cyprus there were dogs everywhere, but in Greek Cyprus it was cats. In Greece dogs were everywhere, here too, and I guess the people just consider them like wild animals, a part of nature, and who have to fend for themselves. In this village I hear a poor dog howling in pain. It must be hungry, and it howles as it gets cold. What can I do? I certainly do not want to invite it into my room. Anyway, when I was in Cyprus, even though I was dirt poor I would still scrape some cash and feed a couple of dogs. Actually turned out to be good security, although it was irritating when the little yapper would bark while I was working inside. Tried to train it, but it was cute how the two dogs would faithfully walk with me every day while I jogged along the beach to the grocery store for my daily food and two beers. But most of the locals find the dogs a nuicance. I think they set traps for them and maybe ate them. Not sure, but heard the dogs barking and howling a few times and saw some being dragged off in a cage. So I understand their mentality that the dogs or cats are just wild, eat out of the garbage bins, and they throw rocks and sticks at them. Other people are compassionate like us and give them some food, or shelter. I found an old rug on the beach and put it under my truck, so “my” dogs had a nice little shelter. I just had to be careful when driving away every day!!
There is another American and Dutch lady who are also in their free time helping so I think/hope I will get involved soon. … It is interesting how people criticize American or the Westeners a lot of times for what they do or not do but they barely realize how much in charity work they do in countries like this and they wouldnt have to care, yet they do… do i make sense to you?! I am having hard time to express myself sometimes.
That was an interesting stream of thought and funny English. I do the same often, but I understand you. I think people in America can be very charitable, with their Christian beliefs too, but the government and that arsehole Bush has done so much damage that I understand why many in the world can be hostile against Americans or people in the west. But it’s cool what you are doing and I have been trying to get involved myself for years. Did I tell you about my latest project?
http://africa-charity-project.org/
Perhaps during your networking you could find some contacts or something. I think its a great idea and I’d love to develop it. I already have a contact in Nairobi Kenya where I try to send money once in a while – a shelter for children. Have a dream of ferrying my truck around Somalia etc. on day and the driving around Kenya setting up villages, eventually to spread out to other countries once things and sponsors etc. pick up. Dreams are what make life juicy, and I love watching them unravel, even though it may take time.
Anyway, it looks like a beautiful day today so I will go to check out some markets. I like these little bity shops with local production…i.e. fruits and vegetables. It is a pity that country with such a agricultural potential doesnt produce their own BIO stuff. So i buy cranberry juice fromSwitzerland(ok, cranberry is not a good example, they do not grow everywhere but come on I grow them in my garden!!!), milk from Germany(!), jam or cereal fromAustria… Really pity.
Yah, these things are generally expensive and the people are too poor to afford such a market. But as in Prague and Czech I think things will improve. Just look at all the health food shops which have practically exploded over time. It takes time for people to start making western money, then to be educated at the various possibilities. It will happen over time. Under communisim there certainly was no “market” for such things. By you being able to afford it and buy it, technically you could be proud that you are helping the situation, because the more you buy, the more the shops will replace the empty shelf, the more others will see it, and the more it will help to drive down the prices and increase supply. Good going you missionary!
Hey, I have now my own little herb garden on my kitchen window sill … so far only rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage and chives. I cant find mint nor basil or oregano here… maybe i’ll grow from seeds. I just am not patient enough for that;o/
Hmm, maybe I’ll try something at Arch’s, although I’ll probably split for the coast as soon as it gets warm enough. Maybe by then I’ll get some more flower pots and try my garden again, and could have something interesting by the time we hook up!
Last weekend Juan and I went for a short hike to Sinaia and it was wonderful, it was cold especially when we reached cote 2000m but it was worth it. Hey, enjoy your time inBulgariaand say hi to Roger from me when you talk to him. I need to send him an email as well, want to ask him something about Paxos.
Drank with him last night, said hi from you, and he was happy to hear it.
Oh, also Juan and I are thinking about promoting one of the local shelters here we got in touch with but there is a language barrier so Juan is
Think I already responded to this, right? Sure, love getting involved with various charities.
> Ok, have a good day and take care. hi to Roger.
>
> love,k
luvyababy!
Green Tea Shop
2012
05.25
05.25
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Hello world!
2012
05.24
05.24
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