When you REALLY have to go, do you want to be hanging around playing guessing games on which door is right for you?
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Monday, October 01, 2012
When You REALLY Have to Go
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Sunday, September 30, 2012
Milestone 2025
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I have hit a milestone. I have hit the 2,025th blog post since starting this blog. I would have hit it much faster, but in 2005 and 2006, I was really a slug, ignoring it almost completely. However, that has turned around considerably.
I have turned off the counter for Google analytics to count my own page views, so this is real data without any interference from me.
Two thousand and twenty-five published posts. I was going to post this at 2,000, but then realized for some holidays, all I posted were holiday greetings. To be fair, I waited until I had enough to balance it out.
Mi a Magyar? What is Hungarian?
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When we finally settled on today, it seemed set in stone, but alas that was not to be either. Virginia and I made it. Ron had to stay home to await guests who never provided an arrival time.
Had I read the introduction in the brochure I had picked up a couple of weeks ago, I would not have been as surprised or disappointed as I was initially. I don't ever recall being inside the Műcsarnok exhibit hall before, so it did not occur to me upon entering how extensive this exposition could be. Upon entering there is a movie, animated, but extremely engaging. It is a retelling of a Hungarian legend of a deer, but there appears to be a deer mother and deer father. Mother deer bears six children from her back, but has six legs to support herself. None of this story was familiar.
As we continued through, it became apparent that this was all modern art by Hungarian artists. Some of it was delightful, other pieces left me scratching my head asking "Why would anyone do this and who funded it?"
The exhibit is on until October 14th, so if you are in the city, you should afford yourself of the opportunity.
Elephant Sized Art Work
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Someone had posted this picture on Facebook stating this was made by a sleeping elephant in a zoo, but couldn't remember their source. Many naysayers said it was impossible for an elephant to do this. Reasons given were that
1.) the formation was not concave, but instead convex in nature.
2.) the eye would not have created such a perfect shape
3.) elephants do not sleep lying down, but only standing
Aside from the reasons whether they were deemed true or false, I thought this was an excellent piece of art. Before reading the Facebook note, I thought it may be a fossil found.
Rather than believe the person who posted it outright and not wanting to automatically give credence to the boo-hoo society, I did some checking on my own. This is what I found.
"This incredible image shows the imprint of Sundara, an eight-year-old Asian elephant, where it fell asleep in the sand at Chester Zoo." This was from the Daily Mail, a British newspaper online. I have to say, those British elephants do make beautiful art.
If you are curious about elephant sleeping habits, read more about it here.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Top Budapest Interview
1 commentsI submitted to an interview. Generally, I don't like these types of interviews, because the questions are vacuous, leading me to ask "Who gives a rat's %#@^ about it." However, this one had something I could work with and after I explained that I had been here over 11 years, she was still interested.
It is uncertain how Anna, the publisher found me; I forgot to ask. Regardless, she was gracious to include my mental health therapy and life coaching with a link to my site, so I was appreciative.
You can read the interview here. This is a site I will keep handy for reference.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Creepy Crawly in British Theaters
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I can just imagine someone like this sneaking up on a person while viewing a horror movie. Where is the responsibility placed for sudden heart attacks?
Monday, September 24, 2012
For a Cheap Hotel Stay, Budapest Has It
0 commentsAccording to the article in MTI Econews, which was then reported in Realdeal.hu, Budapest is at the lower rungs of the ladder in hotel occupancy and cost.
"Budapest hotels ranked in the bottom half of STR Global’s survey of occupancy rate, average net room price and revenue per available room (RevPAR) in 31 major European cities during the first seven months of 2012, the Hungarian Hotel and Restaurant Association announced on Friday."
For occupancy, they ranked 27th out of 31 European cities.
For average net room price they fell to 29th place, which is good for the tourist.
For a cheap sleep, come to Budapest!
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Grand Announcement - My Future Plans
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If you are interested in my other professional credentials, they are on my curriculum vitae, which is on my life coaching and mental health website Renovation of a Life.
For a number of years, in addition to having been a therapist, I extended my skills to life coaching when the client did not need therapy, but still needed guidance. My life coaching career had not ended when we left the United States, as life coaching can be accomplished through e-mail, phone calls or in person. However, due to initially adjusting to a new culture, followed by initiating a variety of other pursuits in addition to teaching university full time, I had not advertised beyond word of mouth, keeping my practice minimal.
At this point in time, I am able to make a commitment to creating a limited practice for up to five therapy clients a week in addition to a maximum of eight life coaching clients. There may be some flexibility for balancing these numbers, but since I continue to be a full time university instructor, I have to balance my time as well.
For those living in Budapest, I will be able to provide face to face mental health therapy at an office located in the First Site Business Center at Kossuth Lajos utca 7, district V, Budapest. Further information is available on my website Renovation of a Life. Mental health clients must be adults. Although I have worked with children in the past, it is not an area of expertise.
If you feel that you may benefit from life coaching, it is something I can provide regardless of where you are living: here in Budapest or anywhere else in the world. In this age of technology, my life coaching is readily available to you without limitations. If you are in Budapest, we can meet face to face in the First Site Business Center office if you so choose.
For more information, visit my website Renovation of a Life where you will find free assessment forms and brochures that explain more about the process of life coaching.
Because this blog reaches readers of all types: those just interested, ex-pats, armchair travelers, and others who happen to come upon it by accident, it is with this in mind that this is a resource that reaches out to you regardless of your life transitions or where you call home.
Nationality is of no importance as long as you, the potential client is comfortable communicating in English.
Hold it, Hold it, Hold it
0 commentsWhen you go for a chest x-ray, the technician tells you to take a deep breath and then "hold it, hold it, hold it!" while they shoot the picture.
Well, these days when you call any company for customer service you may as well prepare yourself for a wait. I honestly think that this is why someone invented speaker phones. They were tired of holding the phone to their ear. Over our eleven years, I or someone else has complained about the quality of customer service here in Hungary. I have, however, qualified it with "Well, I cannot really complain because when I lived in California..." and I would continue with some disastrous lack of achievement there to show the parallel circumstances. Responses were and still would be the same from other ex-pats or Hungarians: "Oh, that must have been an isolated incident, because things are so much better in the US."
Interestingly, one of our dear former Fulbrighters posted this on her Facebook today. She is in the US. I am keeping this as proof that I was not alone and no, it has not improved. I guess it is worldwide if you look at the related articles below.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Children at Play, Adults Lose a Playground
0 commentsWe were out walking along the river yesterday, when we came across children playing. We thought we were green with envy by their youthful games, but it seems they were more so. They seemed to be having a good time, but they really are cold little boys and a girl. We named the dog Bronzy, the ball buster.
As we returned home, Ron shared some less cheery news. The famous Old Man's Pub that is across the street has closed for good. The last sign I found on the door was that they were closed for the month of August for the summer holiday. I had to go see for myself. Sure enough...
It has been in existence since 1996 according to the site here. All good things must come to an end. I will miss knowing it is there with live music every night, but honestly, the street has been much quieter at night for the last couple of months.
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Friday, September 21, 2012
Stumble on This
0 commentsRon and I were out walking the other day and we came across double Stumble Stones at Rákóczi út 68. I have seen these stones all over the city, but never this far outside of the old Jewish district in this direction. Also, this is the first time I have ever seen a double one with a husband and wife. It took my breath away, gave me more than a moment to pause and reflect on their memory and feel more than a pang of sadness.
These 'stones' were the brainchild of a German artist to memorialise those that were deported and killed during the Holocaust. They are now stones in multiple countries, but the first three placed in Hungary were installed on Ráday utca in 2007. Their numbers have mushroomed ever since. Originally they were for the Jews that were deported, but shortly thereafter, there were two stones installed for Jehovah's Witnesses. These were followed by stones for Roma, homosexuals, and all others taken away by the Nazis.
Each stone starts with "here lived" followed by the person's name, year of birth and the fate, as well as the dates of deportation and death, if known. Some stones include the person's occupation as well.
From what I could find, there are stones placed in thirteen cities within Hungary alone. Others are in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, and the Ukraine. The cost to place one is 120 Euros.
When you stumble across one, stop and think a bit about the crimes of man against man.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
What do the Masai Mara and Wooly Pigs Have in Common?
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| Sunset silhouetting acacia trees in Masai Mara, Kenya, 1993. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Today I received a notice from YouTube stating that some of my videos have become so popular, they suggest I monetize them. I couldn't figure out which they meant, but when I checked it out, I was surprised. It seems that my videos
Masai Tribe Men Jumping December 22 has 2,364 views,
Masai Tribe Women Dancing 2 December 22 garnered 2,101,
Masai Tribe Women Dancing December 22 had 1,520 look-sees, and
Budapest Mangalica Festival February 6, 2011 has received 1,100 views.Okay, so this does not make 'going viral' status, but heck, these are just short little videos I did for the fun of it. If you check them out, click on the ads next to them. I am curious what ads appear where. How insulting it would be to have butcher tools advertised with the pigs or Bed, Bath and Beyond with the Masai.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Blue Elephants
0 commentsI could really have gone for more beer sampling, but oh those calories, plus I have to watch my sugar intake too.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
He Is At It Again
0 commentsOne of my students, who I am reasonably sure likes me, creates videos, which include something about my teaching. Funny, he asked me if I lived a particular pastry, which I thought he had intended to make and share with me. However, I told him I had to watch my sugar intake, so this video arrived instead.
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