Rediscovering the Rhodopes

I spent the weekend travelling around the mountains. It was amazing. We went to the Rhodopes -- my favorite mountain of graceful hills and green slopes, rocky gorges and rivers full of trout. There is no other place like the Rhodopes.

I entered two caves – the Devil’s Throat and the Yagodina cave, I also ate honey made of pines, played with a few cows and drank oily milk.

We saw some truly awesome dams, one of them – Antonivanovci – is on the picture* above. Some people have built their houses in the waters of the very reservoir keeping them on the surface by attaching huge barrels under their floor. This resulted in the effect of tiny raft-homes floating around. One day, I will have one of these too.

* The picture was taken a few months ago by ivgin.

Spin. The Movie.

Spin is a short movie telling the story of an angel sent to the earth with his DJ gear to correct a series of accidents. To do so, he uses his turntables as time machines – change the flow, change the speed and here come the new events of the City Square. Spin was penned, shot, chopped & scired by Jamin Winans. Produced by Joe Sekiya. Director of Photography Jeff Pointer. Featuring Hayze II as the Angel. If the name Jamin Winans sounds familiar to you, maybe that's becasue he's the director of the movie 11:59.

Talk to me, babe

The announcement of Google's instant messenger lately renewed the discussion of the invisible hand and the actual cost of the so-called freedom.

Yesterday New York Times published an article Relax, Bill Gates; It's Google's Turn as the Villain putting in focus the similarities between the blue-eyed-boy Google and the time of the 80-90's when Microsoft was not as infamous as it is nowadays.

The truth is that me too am a little upset of the temps of development of the Google empire; however, I am using its services. When yesterday I saw the Flag on the Nav-bar of this blog, I was disappointed, but I swallowed it. This morning I even tried to install the Google Talk. It did not work because of my OS and I felt a sort of relief.

You use Google to search, advertise, blog, email, sms or something else and you like it.
Okay, I want to hear your top two reasons to like it. Talk to me.

One year ago...

One year ago I started this blog. I had no idea that I will keep it alive so long.

Where am I a year later? On the same page obviously; with the slight difference that my intentions and interests grew a little.

"Happy birthday, dear blog."

Mistery

I’ve just finish an amazing Clementoni jigsaw puzzle made of cork – an old Roman map. There is only one problem – one piece is missing. I purchased the puzzle three weeks ago and it was quietly lying on the sofa waiting for my attention and me waiting for some free time. I don’t remember throwing anything from there while doing the house cleaning. However, the piece is missing and I'm afraid that this is not due to a fabric defect.

Go!

While listening to Moby’s Go, I am sitting right here in the middle on the room sorting the black and white pieces of my new game. The Chinese connection in my apartment grew bigger today with the purchase of Go. (How many pieces does the set usually have? I counted 138 from each color in mine and there are a few broken ones left.)

The other game I have but have never played for real is the Chinese Chess. It is wooden and totally useless. What’s the point of having a game if no one of your friends wants to learn the rules?

However I have not given this up. My next purchase will be Mahjong. Actually it is one of my favourite games and I wonder why I still haven’t got a real one instead of spending so much time clicking in front of the monitor.

All this reminds me of Shan Sa's The Girl Who Played Go. I think I will spend the night reading extracts from it.

P.S. One additional question: Why all Chinese things I have are totally unbranded?

Me, myself and my Neopet

Kacheek and its petpet Mazzew

The emotional outburst with the Neopets reached its peak.

My best friend, who is now living in Philadelphia a week or so ago sent me a Neopet plushy – a Cloud Kacheek. Today I went to the post office to take the package and oh, amazing creatures, inside there was this Neopet toy and a petpet clip with Mazzew on it.

Usually I do not fall into the plush too much, and the cuddle toys do not put me out of control, however, as this is a very special present from a very special someone, I can’t helps myself tum-tuming Neopet, Cloud Kacheek Neopet.

intoto

Neat and tidy

Cleaning. You just can't skip it.

The official Big cleaning day at home is Sunday. I have selected it just because its the day before Monday, a kind of early start up for the entire dirt that usually comes when you appear after two days in the office.

So today, while brightening the bathroom I thought how many Unilever products I actually use. This led me to www.unilever.com which turned out to be quite fresh website without any scent or dim vision of Sodium Hypochlorite and Stearic Acid. In addition, Unilever offer some hints how to make the mopping, brushing and dredging easier.

In the Brands section you will find 31 well known brand names. Products of how many of them do you have in your counter? I just counted 12 in mine.

:: myactivedriveway ::

FluxCentral

Ordox

Es un juego. El nivel #13 me parece fatal:

Cat names

When speaking of cat names, which it the weird one you can think of?

Today a friend of mine confessed that his favorite cat name is Rum Tum Tugger. No doubt, it sounds nice, but how do you call your cat then when you have something to say? "Rum Tum Tugger, get down the table and leave the roasted chicken!"

Here comes the story:

T.S. Eliot - The Rum Tum Tugger

The Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat:
If you offer him pheasant he would rather have grouse.
If you put him in a house he would much prefer a flat,
If you put him in a flat then he'd rather have a house.
If you set him on a mouse then he only wants a rat,
If you set him on a rat then he'd rather chase a mouse.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat--
And there isn't any call for me to shout it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!

The Rum Tum Tugger is a terrible bore:
When you let him in, then he wants to be out;
He's always on the wrong side of every door,
And as soon as he's at home, then he'd like to get about.
He likes to lie in the bureau drawer,
But he makes such a fuss if he can't get out.

Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat--
And there isn't any use for you to doubt it:
For he will do
As he do do
And there's no doing anything about it!

The Rum Tum Tugger is a curious beast:
His disobliging ways are a matter of habit.
If you offer him fish then he always wants a feast;
When there isn't any fish then he won't eat rabbit.
If you offer him cream then he sniffs and sneers,
For he only likes what he finds for himself;

So you'll catch him in it right up to the ears,
If you put it away on the larder shelf.
The Rum Tum Tugger is artful and knowing,
The Rum Tum Tugger doesn't care for a cuddle;
But he'll leap on your lap in the middle of your sewing,
For there's nothing he enjoys like a horrible muddle.
Yes the Rum Tum Tugger is a Curious Cat--
And there isn't any need for me to spout it:
For he will do
As he do do
And theres no doing anything about it!

Via www.americanpoems.com

Honey, it's a honeycomb