few interesting events

BlogWorld took place 20-21st of September, so I strongly advice the website and the blog.

Future of Web Apps is planned for 8-10 of October in London. Souns like a niche event, but might be interesting for all bloggers.


Internet Hungary (14-15th of October) is a great idea for Hungarian speaking bloggers, like me, but it struck me that the website has no translation in English - at least I can't find it. Am I so blond?And do not forget that 15th of October is the Blog Action Day 2008, this year commited to the issue of poverty.

Twestival

What a great idea! It's one of those events that makes me really, really sad that I cannot attend! Damn! It looks like few of my friends are going so at least I can be happy for them and have a chat afterwards, but it really annoys me that I am stuck at home that night. (I feel like a bad teenager who needs to do the homework instead...that annoyed). Anyway, do have a look at their website, and do try to sign up for it. It really looks like a cool place to be for all Twitter and social media fans. And to meet people like @ihatemorningsdotcom:

Ethics - interesting sites

For those interested in issues of ethical trade there is an event happening in London soon.

Corruption is an ethical issue which is and always will be actual. I am glad that places like Transparency International educate the global audience on facts.

Ethics Resource Center seems to be more focussed on US business ethics, still you can find cool reports on UK issues as well.

If you are interested in actual events and international ethics go to this site.

But most of all I advice you to check the London based Institute of Business Ethics, where previous European Conference of Business Ethics was hosted. The site gives great insights into basics of implementation of ethical code and policy in a generic way - any business friendly. They link to great sources of Ethics studies, also mention upcoming events and most of all - train people interested in business ethics.
I am actually planning to attend this one, on the 30th of October. If anyone is planning it too, please let me know!

Polish moods

Tonight I am resting...thinking of the free ticket I was offered for Sunday concert of Polish music on Wembley...and the fact I was running, celebrating Birthday and was needed somehere else...th more I think of it, waiting for Magda's post with pictures from event on Bar Mleczny (our initiative to open a milk bar in Oxford to promote Polish arts:)), the more I miss bits a pieces like those below...ech...I do miss Poland and Polish language sometimes:)
Raz dwa trzy - Trudno nie wierzyć w nic

Cesaria Evora & Dorota Miśkiewicz - Um Pincelada

Dorota Miśkiewicz - POZA CZASEM

Maria Peszek - Nie mam czasu na seks

justyna steczkowska- grawitacja

Tam, gdzie nie siega wzrok - Anna Maria Jopek


I hope I managed to finish with a less abstract song;) And I hope you enjoyed this short intro to the Polish music.

InterNations - Women Expats Lives - meet-up

On Saturday, before the run, I was invited to a small meet-up of members of InterNations Women Expat Lives group in one of London's private clubs where I met 7 extremely intelligent and interesting women. I really regret that I had to leave earlier to be able to wake up the next day and complete the run, nevertheless I really enjoyed sharing expat experiences, posting on-line from the club and simply having a chat with newly met women.

I did not however enjoy the situation on the bus on a way there, when I had to stop a robber from taking a wallet out of a girl's bag just in front of me, on a rather empty bus! I was soooo annoyed that this guy even dared to try to do it assuming I will not say a word (scared, trying to blend in, one of a crowd?), that I though I MYSELF will turn into a criminal and hit him! I managed to control myself not to cause myself trouble, still - it did make me very, very angry. I simply have seen enough of this in large cities like Warsaw, Budapest, Barcelona and I do not want to cope with it inhere...it is unacceptable...

Evening turned out to be perfectly pleasant though and I hope to see the ladies again quite soon;)

State of panic...

..is what I am in! I am not able to run 5 km without stopping! Why is it so difficult?! I spent my summer training as much as I can, but I do not think it's enough. OK, I did nothing for 3 years, still, I am not 60! I do not smoke! I hardly ever drink! I changed my diet and I eat properly! And, oh Lord! - I GAVE UP CHOCOLATE!
I am so annoyed with my own body!


Additionally, I have received my number and the actual route of the run. I feel shitty about myself but I hope I will be able to try it out at least the day before:/ (to see the point where I will stop and start walking?! ahhh!). I must admit that this whole idea of collecting money for charity really works - I might not do much, but my own daily sacrifice and the frustration I have to put up - if only I could measure it in £'s! - is enormous! My dear friends, like Javi, donate to keep me going because they know my personal experience of slight domestic violence and they understand my reasons.
They keep telling me it's not about running the run. Still, no matter how funny the idea of becoming the last person to arrive is - I will burn in shame if I do not deliver. Burn, like the Amnesty candle on my t-shirt:P

If you still want to support Amnesty, do donate though! I am going through all this humiliation just to help few people out! You can as well...

London - the way I like it

Is there:


I am glad I've discovered it all by myself. And I will continue visiting it - there...:)

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Being blond pays off...

..even if men think you are stupid, hehe...I got to take an earlier bus, than the booked one. I got to have my bag carried in London (hellou? I never thought this would happen!) and I got served properly and quickly in a fast food...all this with a silly blond smile!
Worked!

I decided to keep the hair color and use this tactics more often from now on! Hell yes, why not!

(BTW - why? can someone tell me why??? maybe an educated feminist, please?;))

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charming morning

My usually peaceful, charming morning in London was almost completely destroyed by stupidity and genuine anger of the girl from my favorite bar in Nothing Hill...
With perspective of a long day in London (my son is off to Plymouth for a few days to see his granny) I decided to kick-off the day with few coffees. Started with Starbucks - only place opened before 10AM! Shocking...
Managed to read a bit.
Moved on to walk around the Gothic church and stumbled upon a lovely, tiny park hidden behind it, where I could sit down in the sunshine and write my heart out in Hungarian, language which somehow due to its structure and sensuality helps me to deal with my emotions.
Satsfied went over to my favorite bar to post it and have another coffee - the very needed second kick..entered, ordered cappuccino, sat down next to the plug,  made myself comfortable and as I received my coffee I  got almost shouted at for using electricity.
Tell you what - I did  use my laptop there once already, so I was shocked but this girl seems to be the owner's kid, so who knows what's the problem...anyway I was more than upset to see here standing above me with a stiff face asking me to switch IT off at once'. I think the fact I needed to shot the laptop down before unplugging it made her even more angry, but for heaven's sake - how am I supposed to know she has her period, hates working on Sunday morning and the place has high electricity bills (only few reasons I could come up with to justify her behavior). Few months ago I would apologize, pay and leave. Today I could calmly explain what I am doing, that I will not pay for the coffee and that she just lost a customer, and leave without saying goodbye to show how unfair she was.
How much of the message did she get I have no idea, but she was lucky I DECIDED to have a nice morning:) She almost made me feel stupid though.

Learnings: always ASK if you can use a laptop. Always stay calm when talking to working people on Sunday morning. And always explain your point of view RATIONALLY to psychotic women:P You will have a chance to leave without Police being called  (based on the level of her anger I think she was at the verge of calling them!)
Oh well, I will have a nicer day then her - I decided;)

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Smth I wanted to post on Sunday

I apologize, my work takes us all my time, you probably all know the feeling, so I hope you will understand.

'I have discovered a cute little 'my kind of a place' in London now - just behind a corner for Jv so I can have my breakfast here whenever on a way home. Yes, I actually LOVE to have it on my own. I admire Jv for his ability to stay silent and still mark the space with his presence. But silence is not equal with solitude, which I very often seek. I always did.

I think the slowly weekend mornings should kick off gradually...if I need to rest properly, I need to boot slowly...Even now, I am sitting in this place opposite the mirror, seeing as the shadows from below my eyes gradually fade away as I sip my morning coffee. I cannot eat my croissant yet...

First time I saw this place, I was already happy. You can see them, like little spots hidden in between giants of consumer life - huge shops and offices. They stand still, and bring joy to those Londoners, who still remember the times of morning coffees and newspaper read in the local coffee shop. This one used to be an antique shop and looks really extravagant and slightly disturbing. No, I cannot call it eclectic - it's just bizarre, warm, friendly, and I bet most of the posh locals would hate it just seeing the worn out chairs and floor (old, wooden floor with paint coming off it! - where do you see that?). But, where do you get to see the smile of the serving girl, read morning newspaper or a philosophy book (just because it was left there) or listen to French chanson - quite surprisingly matching with the pictures of Chinese aristocracy on the walls!

Reminds me of Szimpla in Budapest so much! Every village, town, city has its 'Szimpla's. In Budapest it is a down to earth, slightly alternative coffeeshop-pub located int he heart of the Jewish quarter. I used to live in the same street, and spend all summer evenings, and weekend mornings (note: ehm, as a student morning started at 11AM!) there. There were other places too. There were the summer gardens set up each year in a different empty house not to disturb the neighbors(Hungarians are nuts about noise - your neighbors will call police at 10AM sharp if you have a house party, even though you have left them a note about it a week earlier in their postbox, police will arrive and ask you to lower the volume and smile saying 'well, we know, but we need to do that:)) And we are talking about really cultural level of 'noise'). There are the seasonal pubs opened usually by of the Boheme foreigners. I used to like to go to those, even if I disliked getting involved in the whole Boheme life - simply because of my origin I was a part of it anyway. All this was the SPACE of my writing, and I enjoyed the unconditional nature of it all very, very much...
Today, even though my life has run a few circles, I discover that I am still the same.:)
And even though I love UK, I miss Budapest, like I miss Mexico and few people from both of those places who left a mark on my personality...

Yes, it's another side of me. Not the gadget lover, not much of a blogger or photographer, just the quiet Sylwia. Oh well, la donna e mobile.'

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Join our demonstration

Dear friend,

The Amnesty UK community has blown away all expectations. Together, we've gathered well over 10,000 petition signatures for the Tiananmen Mothers and chipped in for hundreds of bouquets -simply amazing. Now it's time to take our message straight to the Chinese Authorities, and we need your help.

Please join us this Wednesday, 4th June to deliver our petition and place over 10,000 roses outside the Chinese embassy-each one representing another Amnesty supporter standing up for justice with the Tiananmen mothers. The international press will be on hand and the Chinese government will be watching closely, so we need a big crowd to show overwhelming public support. Can you join us this Wednesday evening in London?

WHAT: Demonstration for the Tiananmen Mothers and human rights in China
WHEN: Wednesday, June 4th. 6:00 - 7:00 PM.
WHERE: Chinese Embassy, 49-51 Portland Place, London W1B 1JL. Click here for map.
(Near the Regents Park & Great Portland St. Tubes on the Bakerloo, Circle, Metropolitan, and Hammersmith & City lines)
MAJOR SPEAKERS: Wei Jingsheng, Overseas Chinese Democracy Coalition; Xie Ze, Director, Friends of Tiananmen Mothers in the UK; and Shao Jiang, former student leader from Tiananmen Square 1989.

Please join us to add your voice to this crucial event. You're also encouraged to bring a rose, and make a flag, a headband or a t-shirt, instructions and templates are available for download here. And don't forget to forward the invitation to your friends and family who might also be interested in standing in solidarity with the Tiananmen Mothers.

Can't make it to London? Click here to see a list of local demos planned in other cities across the UK.

This Wednesday is the 19-year anniversary of the brutal crackdown in Tiananmen Square. We gather on this day to appeal for justice for the Tiananmen mothers and all the Chinese people whose human rights are in jeopardy. The Director of Friends of the Tiananmen Mothers UK, Xie Ze, describes it below:

"In 1989 hundreds of people, including my cousin Wang Nan, were killed because they stood up for justice and equality. Every day since, their families have sought justice. We are still waiting...

What we have lost can never be restored. But this gathering today shows that we are not alone."

This is a huge opportunity for people all over the world to show just how much support the Tiananmen Mothers really have. They have waited 19 years for justice - we want that wait to end. Please join us on Wednesday evening, in London or at a city near you.

Together, we can begin to transform this day from a tragic anniversary into a historic step forward for human rights in China, in Britain and around the world.

I hope to see you there.

Sincerely,

Kate Allen

P.S. If you haven't signed the petition or contributed for a bouquet, there's still time to be counted before Wednesday's big demonstration. But you have to act fast. You can still add your name here, or follow this link if you have already signed but wish to make a donation.

yesterday, today

Yesterday I have managed to organize my friends and drag them all to Camden Town so that I can do my planned tattoo and convince A. to do hers. Well, I must say it was a lovely afternoon, mainly because of their company, which I am very grateful for! Thanks guys! I met M. too, who perfectly a year ago lived with A. and gave me and my son a home for a few - the most critical - days. It was shocking for all of us to realize it was sooo long time ago!
I was lucky with the tattoo, and experienced quite a post-modern way of 'having it done'. I was sitting there (Camden Piercing and Tattoo Studio, High Street, 02072677876) with two tattooists (one Italian, one...hm..no idea...he was joking throwing different countries, but I think he was Brazilian in the end), listening to them talking a mixture of Spanish-Portuguese - French, speaking to three quite silly American girls and listening Rammstein...but all this proved more than fruitful. I met an interesting person (author of my tattoo) and got a wonderful piece of art on my back (really well done!). It heals extremely quickly: I could sleep on my back and today we could already take quite a good pic of it.
Voila, here's my Fire-Snake symbol and the Chinese Dragon:

After arrival to Wantage and settling Dawid down after weekend away, I opened my inbox and...
wow! I have my first donation! Magda, you are my Angel!:)
It made my day!:) (together with the check for my first sold picture and an sms from dear Jane!)

Day 1, 113 days to day 0.

Day Zero is the 7th of September 2008 when I have to run in the Adidas Women Challenge representing Amnesty International (Amnesty For Women Rights).

Today is the first day of my training. I take it very easy, starting with swimming. It took me two weeks to convince myself to do just that properly, so WELL DONE!
Currently my training possibilities are restricted to one hour of my lunch brake (lunch eaten in front of PC), so I need to make sure I do take it.

Swimming was cool today, I did 10 lengths and I think it helps to set up a daily goal too.
By the 8th I was dying.
The 9th was still hard.
The 10th went smooth and I actually enjoyed it better than the very few at the beginning. How bizarre.

Now I am sitting at my desk and all aching. How not bizarre.


Once I manage to swim every day, I can start jogging in the gym. By the time my parent come over to help me out with Dawid, I will be fit enough to do some serious running.
So I think I am pretty ok, although I still do not know how long the actual run is. I didn't bother checking...I might regret that part:/

As for now I am being strict to myself and sticking to the fist of the top 10 rules of training: RESTING!:)

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Challenge

Yes, I think it will be, but it is a part of a larger picture...
Moved by One Fat Man 08's and Nathan's commitment to their goals and by the atmosphere of London Marathon I have decided to do combine the two. Triggered also by the latest Amnesty International newsletter and 'Stop Violence Against Women' campaign on (if you haven't already, it is worth thinking about donating few pounds a month for this brave organization), with my own story at the back of my head I have entered the London's Adidas Womens Challenge 2008.

I thought I will be happy, maybe even proud of myself.
I am scared!
I thought I will change my lifestyle - eat properly, meditate again, swim and run every single day.
I am sitting in front of Bob, my laptop and blogging!
I thought I will spread the news...subscribed to FriendFeed and Blogged, planning to open a few other accounts...
I have not mentioned a single word to anyone apart from few very close friends:/

Well, in May I will celebrate the first anniversary of a very brave deed myself, so I think I need to pull myself together and ..well at least cook proper dinner tonight;) By September the 7th I will be running...oh, God, what have I done!!!!

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Somerset House, London

Brilliant collection of classics, impressionists and post-impressionists amongst them! Small, but extremely intense; offers fans of Van Gogh,


Renoir, Monet and Kandinsky extraordinary moments. Today I saw the courtyard in rain...



..but I will be back soon to enjoy the sunshine there as well.

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London, on the bus

Two ladies talking behind my back...as I started listening:
' I remember the times when there were no blacks, no Irish, no dogs...and I thought 'I could do with a dog'...

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Yesterday, in London...

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