Lions unite

I am humbled: The Shameless Lions Writing Circle, via Church Lady has given me the award called 'A Roar For Powerful Words'!

I would like to express my thanks to Church Lady for acknowledging my efforts.

I like that she says I have an earthy spirit - this is one of the nicest compliments I have ever been given. Plus, as a dedicated pagan this means oh-so-much to me. She likes my creativity and freshness - well, I like those as well, provided, there's any within me.

I have grown enough inside now to cast this praise away and say I'm not worth it...There were times when I acted like this. But as I grew more mature, I take it with a little blush and try to keep on working and living up to this standard.

Thank you, Church Lady!

Now, there's something about the award:

It was founded by Seamus Kearney. It's aim is to find, initiate and celebrate high-quality and powerful writing.

I am now to give three main characteristics I find of utmost importance in writing.

These are:

1. Depth and outcome and a potential help. There's no use reading/writing about things/people/events that do not explore some parts of the human (or other) soul. No matter how light or serious the subject of the writing is, no matter how long or short the writing is, it has to have a message and preferably, a positive one. Some encouragement. Some pshycological insight. Some help. Otherwise, one might grab and read a manual or a telephone book as well. Violence and pain is accepted - it's not that I can not tolerate them. But they have to have a well grounded meaning within the story. Perhaps it's not right to focus on this point, but meaningless violence and evil in writing hurts and spreads discomfort. And it does not help fight against violence.

2. A careful selection of words. I like when there are exciting or even exotic words in a writing, but...enough is enough. Since I consider myself more of a poet-in-training than a writer of prose, I like new combinations and expressions that make themselves resonate within the reader's mind. I like when reading a poem I feel the need to read it aloud for more pleasure.

3. Accuracy and determination. A purpose. Uhm, I'm sort of confused... How to put it? A writing that comes from true inspiration, that was fished from deep within, was written with honesty, not for a special market but to fulfill the need to write it. The relief the writer must have felt. It's even better when the reader gets some of this alleviation of pains.

And now, here are my list of bloggers/writers I wish to give the award to:

1. Vesper. Her words are powerful. My favourite poem by her is this. Please follow the link. But even when, for whatever reason, her voice is not that peaceful, the reader does get the meaning. She carefully plays with words and forms of poetry.

2. Bernita Harris. She makes readers think. She makes readers think about writing in general and also, she helps working out on some minor details as well. It's not that she provides readers with complex solutions - but she opens up our eyes to look and find and look and find again with the final goal of improving ourselves.

3. Jason Evans. He's quite complex talent provides readers with powerful writings including, but not limited to poetry, vignettes and short stories. I also heart his contests, but most of all I like his attention towards his readers. (The same goes to Bernita and Vesper as well!)

4. Paul at Strugglingwriter. He's definitely got that 'cheerful' touch to his writing. He's down-to-earth mentality is combined with spirituality and kindness. Too bad that his prose is hardly available in this site of his. Readers would clearly need more :)

5. Steve on the Slow Train. I have to admit that I do not read all of his posts. Shame on me, I know. His honesty and dedication toward any topic shows through his writing. His words are powerful. He digs deep and presents us with his findings. Most, if not all of his entries are non-fiction. Well, I love non fiction just as much as I do fiction.

Thank you again, and spread the word!

Recall the close look

This is some statistics I gathered around the 'Take a close look' photo quiz.

It's not that I can't let it go...I just wish to recall once again the fun it contained, and which, as it seemed, we all shared.

Well, I did my part: made macro-shots and that was all.

The best part was on my readers' side: they came and came again to look at my photographs, guess and guess again.

I wish to thank you all for taking part. You fantastic contribution in the comments section truly have made my job worthwile.

Here comes the statistics part of this entry.

Between 28 June and 22 November, there were 10 rounds.

Overall number of players: 62

Average number of players per round: 6,2

Number of individual players: 23

Total number of guesses:95

Average number of guesses per rounds:9,5
Number of guesses per players throughout the whole game: 4,13

A complete list of players, listed according to their order of appearance: Em, Bart, Lanternlight, Jason Evans, Kenju, Hails, Aniina, Bo, Beth, Husband to Bo, Melly, Wordnerd, Hoodie, IllMan, Angelique, Mr. Schprock, Soph, Ello, Church Lady, Pacatrue, Aine, Steve, Kathleen.

Each turn, a winner was announced.

SzélsőFa's now presenting you the winners galore!!!

Em (partial jawbone and teeth), Beth (with porous rock for limestone), Melly (feather), Beth (tree trunk), Beth (mushroom), Beth (soil), Hoodie (sunflower seeds), Jason Evans (moulded pufball mushroom), Aine (deep-fried coating), IllMan (cat fur on cat)

Winners took my compliments and admiration - but, no fancy stuff was sent out. I meant this to be fun, without any obligation on any part.

And after all these data, let me hand out some MORE awards:

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Faith award goes out to the player who took part in the largest number of rounds: Beth (eight)

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Wits and Eye to the player who won the most rounds: Beth, winning rounds 2, 4, 5 and 6.

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Eye and Eye Alone award goes to the player who guessed round Number 8 which turned out to be the toughest one: Jason Evans (rotten puffball mushroom).

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Fair Play award is going to the player who just kept guessing and guessing even while acknowledging she was wrong at guessing : Ello

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The Weird Eye is got by the player who had the strangest guess: Anniina (in round seven with 'heads of bald crows' for sunflower seeds).

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The Funny Eye award goes to the player who had the funniest guess: Hoodie (petrified alligator head in round eight)

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The Scientific Eye to the player with the most scientific guess (for a mushroom top in round five): Mr. Schprock with ***Okay, I am going to guess this is the much-anticipated fifth cranial node an adolescent Venutian male develops just prior to becoming a tertiary stage thrak. What gives it away are the tiny hairs growing out of the node's vespore, a sure sign of Venutian maturation. Females never grow a fifth node, often resulting in classic "node envy."***

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The Close to the Forest Award, with extra points to the player who noticed all my themes were related to nature: Em (in round six).

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Some personal remarks:

I thought round number 3 with feather was the easiest. It really proved to be the one. I thought mushroom head was also easy in round 5, but people came up with various funny ideas and that was a true delight in the history of the game. Sunflower seeds produced the scariest misguess of the whole game, and the player was honored by a special award. Aine's guess (closeup of wolf fur in round 10 for cat fur also made me think some, btw.)

My favourite photos were round 4 (close up of a walnut tree) and round 8 (rotten puffball mushroom). I enjoyed how difficult they proved to my kind readers.

All photos were made by me, between 21 June and 3 August 2007. All, except for soil in round 6, were made in or around our house.

And for the future?

I do NOT plan to continue this contest, at least not in the foreseeable blogging future. If time and inspiration suggest otherwise I am ready to take the challenge again.

But now I have something else in my mind. Another contest. Now, it's also about pictures, but in a different way. More about that when at least 60% of the contest material is available for me.

And you?

Which photos/rounds were your favourites? Did you like the idea at all? Did you like the photos in general? Do you like taking part in fun contests? Do you mind if there are no prizes?

Cheers from behind the lense,

To the Skies I Cry

I feared the fire
And I became the blaze
I feared drowning
And I became the ocean
I feared dissolving
So I flew away
But I never feared earth
And to her, I return

Hiking in the hills

Starting point: Tokod, a small city in the Gerecse Mountains.

Destination: Kesztölc, a small city in the Pilis Mountains.

Distance covered:15kms - convert from metric HERE.

Highest peak: Nagy-Gete 455m.

Weather: clear, sometimes sunny, 5-8 degrees centigrade.

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Worst experience: My son complaining about how dull and pointless hiking in general is. Later he exclaimed he wished to eat one of the berries he knew were poisonous so that he would die.

Best experience: The view from the top. Also, my son saying at the end that it was an interesting day.

Worst hiking experience: Having to go uphill at a 25-40 degrees slope for 90 minutes.

Best hiking experience: I was just as much panting as anyone in the group. Plus, I did climb it, after all. Also, the mactro shots I made.

Enjoy the photos.

We all took a close look

Those who participated at any point of the 'take a closer look' photo contest surely do know what the title of this entry refers to.
Between 28 June and 11 November, there were 10 rounds, and the winner of the tenth one is still obscure.

Let's shout out congratulations into the blogosphere to the person who got this object right - you might wish to check back to refresh your memory for the original photo.

In round 10, there were 10 players!!! We had as much as 18 (eighteen) guesses.

Your ideas ranged from 'fallen snow' through 'animal fur' to 'someone who needs a shave' to various dried objects including 'hay', 'thistle', 'grass', pine needles'. The brave ventured into saying 'feathers'.

Well, my friends, this turned out to be funnier than it really was.

I'd say Beth was quite close with 'animal fur' and Aine with 'wolf' (- on a side note: I wish I were in friendly terms with a wolf enough to make a photo this close to his fur).

But the winner got it completely right:

It was a close up of a cat.

Congratulations, IllMan!

Here's proof. This is Berci (Behr-tzie)

--- to be continued.

I'm planning to write a small statistics on the complete course of the game; to be posted soon.

Mad Tree

CAUTION:

Some readers might find some of the upcoming photos and outright truth disturbing. One might wish to avert his/her eyes and perception. One might choose to see and understand. You have been warned.

Angelique commented to the last post:

'It sounds to me like a metamorphosis is taking shape before our very eyes. I cannot wait to see what exciting things are in store for you, dear blogging buddy. I know they'll be incredibly fulfilling.'

I'd like to dedicate a post to answering this.

We all face changes during the course of our lives. Sometimes a change comes dramatically, within a period of a few days or weeks, or even hours (?). Some changes evolve much more slowlier.

Now, I feel I'm changing somehow, but do not understand the new path completely, do not see the direction clearly.

The change must have started already, which accounts for my anxiety and slight discomfort. I have not reached menopause nor am I pregnant, nor am I on any medication, so these potential factors are ruled out.

What are the factors that are still within sight?

1. My kids are growing and I surely have to adjust my attitude towards them. I have new tasks around them. My younger one has started school this September and my older one is getting into the much-dreaded pre-teenager period. I was a horrible teenager. I did NOT make any mistakes like drugs and fake friends and early stupid sex, but I was a pain in the ass to my mother. I'm afraid I am to expect the same. Or something similar.

2. Our house is under reconstruction. We do the jobs, literally, with our hands. Now it has reached a phase when my help comes much more into the picture. I have to help more in building and renovating, which is all right at one hand. We'll have a nice house. But you know, I was never that help offering person. I have to learn to give more. Of my time, of my energy. Now, if you asked my husband, he would surely mention all the things I have already done around the house. But now I think I must, like double my efforts.

3. I have been writing poems and short stories. I still have to learn so many things in this field. The writing contests, be them small or somewhat bigger, and also your valuable, constructive comments are extremely helpful in developing my skills. But also, I have to learn to nurture my well of inspiration. The question of 'why am I doing it' is always up front. I have to learn to accept that some of my writing are yes, they are good, while some others are, well, not so much. I have to learn that good and bad comes together.

4. I have started reading a book called Women Who Run with the Wolves by C. P. Estés. It is lent to me by a friend, who knows I'm open to almost any esoteric pathways and solutions. This book is a guidebook to women to help them to get familiar with their feminine side, instincts, how to use them and so on. I'm at page 43, so I can't tell you more. Feminity has always been a difficult issue for me. I'm NOT deviated sexually, physically from the average, but I have/had some issues. Some of you might recall my entries about kinesiology sessions I took part around the turn of 2006/2007. I keep on reading this book seeing where it will take me.

5. Sometimes I just feel plain tired. The number of husband and wife special occassions (I refer here to evenings in a theater, at a classical music concert, hiking in the mountain) has been apprioaching zero recently. Well, in recent years. We are each other's best friend and can debate any, yes, ANY issue ranging from his uhm...interesting dreams through his boss's new habits through school issues, through my participating in a writing contests to religion, to politics and all. I blame it on the house. I love this house and I love that it's all ours, NO BANK credit involved. But....

6. There are messages about a serious economical breakdown in Hungary. It is supposed to come early next year. It might mean that there will be no electricity and shops, to name the two most important things. My husband hears forecasts not unlike to the vision displayed in the Mad Max series. This, combined with the forecats about a total world control, with minor details such as the verichip and Nais for animals in the USA, totally freak me out. Am I a freak to feel frightened? I just can not put my head into sand, pretending it's quite all right. What is the world heading to? What am I to do? Do something that will be remembered, risking my family - not really my style...or is it? Do more appropriate things to save myself and my beloved? Like keeping more chicken, having more veggies of our own, learning sewing clothes and all? Preparing for Mad Hungary and Mad World? Will it really come? Have I gone mad? OR have the world gone blind?

Now, as my bedtime story is over, pull up the blankets my dear and have a good night. Sleep tight. Or you may also opt for reading the poem I wrote on 21 Nov.

UPDATE. You are so kind and honest with me with your comments. I'm still taking a rest, but will be back soon - I already have plans! :)

Here's Mad World by Gary Jules. I don't know much about the singer, but his simple devotion and humble performance gets my admiration. The song is a bit monotonous, and for some, can feel boring, too, but now it's just matches my mood.

Cry

I walked up the attic

gathered the smothering and abortive refuse

in one big sack waved into the filaments of my heart

I took them to the market

where an old beggar in shreds

took them away for drips of diamonds

I laughed and felt easy

and I cried on the way home, I mourned the loss

I will never be the same again

I will be dancing among the clouds and

clawing down into the dirt with my bare hands

until they bleed

until my nails break

embracing the elves within

knowing this one will be me,

stepping out and standing proud -

myself

myself

a small break

Dear all,
A small break is needed.
I will be visiting your sites all the same.
---
In other news, I'm stuck.
It's time again to break some of my own barriers. Only yet again, I don't know which those are.

I do wish to stand out, but just as much to 'blend in', to accommodate. To be able to live a governable, reliable life. Am I getting old? At the same time I want to get old, too.

Where am I going?

Besides going up and up again, where do I go?

What tasks do I miss performing while perfecting at others?

---

Can you hear my wings whirring? I'm off.

witness

I'm engaged in watching the 'Witness for the Prosecution', a 1957 Billy Wilder film, based on Agatha Christie's story.

I'm watching these old films on YouTube while they are on.

I'll be soon up with the solution for round 10 in the Take a close look photo contest. Please feel free to return and cast your guesses.

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I have been witnessing school events directly in the classroom as two days in this week were dedicated to showing parents, grandparents and anyone interested just exactly what is going on in the classroom during a lesson.

In Hungary, classrooms are closed except for the teacher and his/her pupils. No one is allowed there. But there are exceptions. The most important are these 'Open Days' I have just mentioned.

Kids are excited, and the parents, too.

But a parent might visit any other class outside of the frame of these Open Days, when said parent and the teacher involved mutually agrees upon it. I, mother of a suspected case of serious AD/HD son, have been allowed to watch the 'horrible actions' my son is capable of while in class. Those times are seem to have gone, my son is getting older and more mature.

When he was transferred to his now third school, the Headress (word?) of the School looked upon him and asked: Oh, so he's the boy with the serious case of AD/HD, isn't he?

My son was infamous all over the city BEFORE he entered this 3rd school.

After all, it all turned out for the better.

Son has started to show noticable improvement in the behaviour section, finally.

Almost all of his teachers have proved to be tolerant, understanding and loving, and the list includes the Head of the school as well.

They accept him and are constructive in helping him to overcome his difficulties.

---

I attended 2 of my son's classes and 3 of my daughter's.

My daughter is now 7.5 years old and is in the first grade. They are learning the alphabet, including those funny Hungarian characters as well :)

One of the tasks these first graders faced was reading out a word aloud. Once they did this, each of them had to embed it into a sentence.

The word was hó (snow). A very easy word to decipher, I guess.

Most of the kids came up with sentences like:

- We make snowballs in the garden.

- There is snow on the road.

- A car slips in the snow.

But behold when it comes to my daughter; her version was something along this:

- It is snowing outside and we are throwing snowballs, and are building a snowman, who is standing in the snowcastle we have just made from the snow and it is still snowing.

Talking about love of words? And showing?

Here's a drawing she recently made:

cost and outcome

I've already written about the Restless Dawn Short Story contest at Jason's site. First of all I would like to acknowledge the enormous work hosting a contest surely must mean. Thank you Jason for the opportunity. This the second writing contest I enter at his site and the third I enter in my life. These help me a lot. Discarding words, finding the unnecessary ones to reach the word limit is a very important tool to improve. I tend to write way too much.

My entry, titled Restless Dawn is at number 16. I guess most of my regular readers have read and commented over there. Therefore I'm not going to publish it over here.

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I read all the entries. I keep reading them as they appear.
Most of them are quite interesting, sometimes surprising, and most of all, almost all of them are technically excellent.

I recall how hard it was to cast my vote on one single entry when I was asked, when all contestants were asked (by Jason) to name one, just one for the 'Reader's Choice' Award. I have my favourites now and choosing will be tough again.

Stories I like strike a chord within me. I marvel at the story AND the way it is told.

Because the way is just as much important.

I don't think there's any doubt that bad writing makes any *insert adjective here (heartbreaking/clever/intelligent/surprising/warming/charming)* story bad/dull/uninteresting/hard-to-chew.

Yet, there are stories where writing is brilliant, and a complete galore of technical skills are displayed. The WAY the story is told gets into one's mind and lingers within. It makes you think, it gets under your skin. That is right, except that the premise and the characters are sick.

No, I don't wish to re-run my whinges about disgusting characters and subjects. I did that part a while ago here.

I'm into a more general thing now: I happen to believe that we are wired for the need to feel catharsis when reading. A climax, a solution. To see the bad punished, to be left with something that eases any pain that had been created, to see the 'good' remain happy after all, and so on.

At the same time I'd like to point out that ambiguity is quite fine with me and it is almost a must in some of the genres.

Rotten characters, evil actions, a no-winner-no-hope situation DOES have an effect on the reader. In most of the times, the effect can be a bigger one than that of a reassuring and calm story. I think most of us are mischievous like that.

So, what's up with that?

You've been exposed and experienced a shock/terror. It reached your guts for sure. The experience is strong. Is this called a 'great' experience? Do we really, really NEED for SUCH experiences?

While most writers want to get the attention of the readers, to really shake them, I do think the WAY writers achieve his/her goal matters.

Do you know the saying that translates to something like: 'the objective endorses the method'.

I think this is one of the biggest lies in history.

Take a really close look #10

This is the last round in the series of guessing the object of a close-up photograph.

In the previous game number 9, we had 6 players (Aine, Beth, Jason, The Quoibler, Church Lady and Ello; and since multiple guesses are allowed, 14 deviations. First of all, I'd like to thank all of who for playing along !

I suggest you take a short glance back to the original photo HERE.

-

Your ideas ranged from a simple pumpkin skin to the more sizzling 'freshly baken bread', 'cheese on casserole top', 'sugar muffin', or 'cornbread'.

I am really sorry to say that this time NONE of you were EXACTLY right.

In order to avoid the much dreaded 'no winner(s)' situation, I had some time deciding which of the guesses came CLOSE ENOUGH.

I discarded suggestions involving and/or referring to simple and shiny surfaces and/or objects; since the original thing did not have such characteristics. 'Pizza' and 'baked cheese' (separate entries) however, do come closer a bit, but not close enough.

And while 'sugar cookies' are anything but close to the reality, the phrase 'crystalline' got me.

-

And therefore yes, we have a WINNER.

Congratulations, Aine.

And just what exactly this photo was about?
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Voilá: A coat of fried breadcrumbs on a slice of a giant puffball.

Here's the proof:

This is how it is done: Mushroom slices are coated with flour, beaten whole eggs and breadcrumbs, in this order. Coated slices are then fried in oil. This process results in a crunchy, salty coating that hides the inner softer part.
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Before moving onto the last photo, hear my bonus questions:
Is everyone familiar with this type of cooking? Do you have a special name attached to it?

And now, this is the end, my friends:
What exactly this might be?
Take a closer look.

Have fun!

Pork with sauerkraut

While other people have fun partying, I'm providing you with a recipe to one of the most popular dishes in Hungary. I'm doing it partly because I, although might look the opposite, like to party as well, so basically my mind is occupied by just listening to the sizzling OUT THERE.

Update: I have entered Jason's contest with a 249-word piece. According to rules, I can only post it here as soon as it is up over there.

So, to celebrate all that buzz that's going around I thought I'd give a hearty, though virtual meal to all those meat-lovers out there.

This is called toroskáposzta (toh-rosh-kah-pos-tah) where 'toros' refers to this meal being prepared during the slaughter of a house-reared pig, while 'káposzta' simply means 'cabbage'.

In proper households this meal is made with home made sauerkraut, while those who have no sense make it with sweet cabbage. But the results are nowhere similar. This has to be done with sauerkraut. Period.

Ingredients for 6 person:

1 kg of pork, possibly organic, diced

3 large onions, diced

3 Tbsp red pepper powder, also known as paprika

1 kg sauerkraut (depending on the acidity some let said mighty substance soak in water prior to use. Well, there are more decent cooks than those who allow such horrible actions to take place. A well-made sauerkraut is pleasant to taste, not overly sour, and thus it should not be allowed to bear the sufferings of being soaked and drained and such.)

a LARGE pot

4-5 Tbsp oil

100g plain bacon, diced

Beware: salt is NOT needed

Perhaps you have already noticed how simple this thing is : The weight of cabbage equals that of the meat, while onion is about one-third of this amount.

Here's how to prepare this goodness:

Step 1. sauté onion and bacon on oil
And this is how it should look when it's ready for the next step:

Step 2. Add the red paprika powder and be careful to keep stirring it - burnt paprika becomes bitter in a bad way. Do not spoil your lunch. This is the toughest part. If in doubts, the best you can do is not to do Step 2 longer than a few seconds, but this step is the shortest one anyway. It shouldn't take more than a minute.

Step 3. Add meat and keep stirring. When the meat has changed it's color, proceed to Step 4.
Step 4. Add sauerkraut. Stir in and make a thorough mix. Since cabbage will release some of it's own liquid, you may not need to add water. But you do have to watch and be careful so as not to burn it. Yes, you may add some water every now and then. Depending on the size of meat-cubes and the age of swine, the acidity of cabbage, cooking will take 1-1,5 hours.
Step 5. You know it's ready when the meat cubes are soft, and the red color of the paprika has worn off a bit.
Step 6. Serve with bread. People who serve it with anything else than bread are bordering blasphemy. Don't ever trust them. Toroskáposzta should come with bread.

Pictured here with my own, hand made bread. But it is just as fine with white bread one gets in shops.

Step 7 (Optional). Have another helping.

Step 8. Since sauerkraut if well made contains helpful bacteria, you can safely keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Which means you can still have this fine thing on a second day. Also, you can put it in a deep freezer. A very reasonable option!

The Joke that not everyone gets

in my last entry I let you read a joke, assuming that almost noone would find it funny.

I considered it as a cultural and/or social research and I would like to say words of appreciation for everyone who's taken part, and time to read the 'joke' through and to provide me with thoughts.

If you have NOT read it yet, please feel free to do so. And don't forget to comment :)

---

I think I owe you some explanation, which I will give now, but I don't think anyone not having found the joke funny in the first place would feel like laughing.

During the soviet regime people were burdened with a perplexing set of seemingly random laws and regulations. The chances of completely observing these less-than-intelligently articulated, unnecessary and cumbersome rules was next to nothing. Yet people survived because there have been those shortcuts, u-turns and indirect routes everyone knew of, yet noone has spoken of. If one knew the how of things, the place of the secret door to hide away, one was safe.

We had rules, and we had to have the knowledge to disobey them.

This knowledge is what the rabbit has in the joke.

The rabbit is well aware that if he follows the rule he will be dead.

But he tries anything to save his life.

'Can the rules be overlooked just for me, just for now, please, oh mighty bear, whom I fear?' - this is what he has in his voice. And also: 'Can't you just posibly look away, pretending I don't even exist?'

Awful laws, seeking for alleviation in a personal way, corruption, misery and mischief - all condensed into one single political joke.

Some of you found this joke disturbing. Now you know why.

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Surfing through the web I came accross this vocabulary quiz. All you have to do is find a synonym to a word. There are four options to choose from. If you don't find the correct match, nothing happens. But if you do, 10 grains (not grams, grains) are donated to someone in a poor country in the framework of the World Food Programme.

Give it a try.

I played today and raised 680 grains by matching and mis-matching words with their synonims. My knowledge fits somewhere between levels 28-32. The higher the level, the more difficult/strange the words are.

UPDATE: I played again and gained 800 grains. My vocabulary keeps expanding!

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and if you've done your part, grab your keyboard and what's left of your brain and head towards The Clarity of Night, where another short fiction writing contest is up and effective as of this Wednesday, 7 November.

Don't miss it.

I'm on 286, dang. Cut, cut and cut.

different perceptions

Last weekend, Ello has posted a videoclip she found funny.

Having read the comments, I think I was the only one who did not care much about it.

I know that people have a different sense of humor. Not everyone likes jokes about the dead for example, or jokes that include bad language.

But there's more to that - I think there are cultural differences, too.

To supply my theory, I have only one example. Which is not wuite supportive, but let's see.

Everytime my DH goes abroad and/or into a group of people, where politics is a debated issue, he discharges one of his favourite jokes (read above).

He found that all people living in any of the countries that had been occupied by the former soviet regime find it hilarious. They laugh, but it is also an ironic laugh. He also found that if the same joke is told to anyone outside said regions, no laughs depart the lips of the audience. Only a slight 'wow, that must be funny' is expected.

I let you read the joke.

Please tell me your reaction. Was it funny, sardonic, sad, perhaps? Or anything else that enters your mind.

****

The inhabitants of the forest are informed that the bear has created a 'death-list'. The death list contains names of animals and those who are listed will be personally killed (and eaten) by the bear itself.

The wolf is really scred, too. He decides to meet the bear in it's cave, asking about the list.

He enters the cave, calling out to the bear: Is there really a list of death, of great bear?

Oh yes growls the bear.

Am I on the list, my bear?

The same growl comes as a response.

Would I be killed, too?

The bear growls and catchtes the wolf in the same instant, garbs him and kills him instantly.

Another day, the fox becomes scared, too. He also desices to visit the bear.

Am I on your death list? the fox asks in a small voice.

Yes.

Will I be killed?

Yes, comes the quick answer and off the fox's head goes. The fox is eaten by the bear the same minute.

The other day the rabbit find himself wondering about his own fate. He decides to go up to the cave and ask the bear.

Am I on the list, bear?

Yes, comes the mighty roar.

Is it possible to remove my name from the list, bear?

Yes, answers the bear, and deletes 'Rabbit' from the list.

***

Memories recharged - Argos

This is a writing exercise. I think I fled a bit (?!) far from the original settings of the Church Lady. These are her very words, describing the task:

Create and name a God. Describe him or her. This God has powers. What are they? Someone prays to this God's powers. Who? Describe this person.Is there a ceremony? In what kind of temple? What will archeologists find years later?

With no set word count limit, my entry was flowing away a bit. I've outlined it, written it in two goes, re-writing it once. It's got 610 words.

Here you go.

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------
- Are you there?
- Yes, well, I think I am.
- How old are you?
- Almost eleven. My name is Ewen. It’s warm outside and I’m kneeling beside the barn. I have company, my younger sister, Jenny. She’s five.
- Go on, Eric.

‘A day before my 11th birthday Argos died. Jenny was so upset she hardly spoke. She even did not talk to her corn-doll anymore before going to bed. Now, that was a sign, Mom said. She allowed us to bury him in the garden. Jenny wanted to spread flowers on top so I decided to make a tomb she can decorate.

We went to the meadow to get some earth to make the tomb.
- Come on, dig harder, we’ve almost done.
- But my spade is broken.
- Here’s mine, take it.

We kept on digging until the cart was full.
Jenny said we should top the heap off so that I could carry her back in the cart but I rejected.
- Think about Argos, you stupid.
- I’ll tell Momma.
- Just go ahead. Argos is big. He needs a big tomb. Go, get some flowers instead. I’m not carrying you.

I brought the cart beside the barn. There lied Argos, eyes closed. He has not moved an inch since yesterday. He was dead. Jenny returned with a basket in her hand.
- Look what I brought.
- All right.
- I’ve got daisies, lilies, dandelions, look, a whole bunch of dandelions.
- Mom will kill you for picking her lilies for a dog.
- No, Mom likes Argos, too.
- Liked. He is dead.
- No, he’s just….- Jenny’s voice was dangerously weak and trembling now.
- All right. Don’t cry. Argos will be all right.

Argos’s rag was placed at the bottom and we arranged him as if he were asleep. Dad allowed me to use some of those big stones to make a tomb around Argos.
- Ewen, when will Argos awake now?
- He will not.
- But, how do we know he’s all right? That he’s got his meat every day.
- He does not need food anymore, don’t you see? He’s dead.

Jenny shook her head in disbelief.
- But his favorite bone. He will miss it.
- Go and get it if you want.

When she returned I was almost ready. Jenny put the bone in and I shoveled the soil on top of him. Those large stones I carried here in the morning made a good stand. I covered them with soil, too. My body and forehead were hot with all that hard work. Jenny put the flowers there on top.
- But Ewen, who will take care of Argos, down there?
- An angel.
- Let’s pray to the angel to be a good master.’

- Mr. Rogers I think the memory is over.
- That is completely all right, Eric. I will be counting from five to one and you return to this very day. I’m starting now.

Five. (That heap was one of the secret places in our family. As I grew older, I did not let my friends see it. I pretended not recognizing the tomb at all.)

Four. (The guilt was there. A loss and denial of our beloved Argos. Argos? What a fine name.)

Three. (The guilt has almost gotten me. Not knowing what it was about I felt terrified. I am fine now.)

Two. (I will always have a special place in my heart for Argos now. I will remember him.)

One. (I am fine with my memories. I am here.)

You are here. You are in the present.

Five haiku

Late fall obtains
treasures of trees, casting gold
and ruby on earth.
---

I'm fading back to
you again said a leaf while
floating towards Earth.

---

A lush yellow
carpet welcomes the hiker -
lovers of autumn

---

With light's withdrawal
My heart will raise the fire
To guide through winter

---

A haiku to a leaf

Do you disappear
for good - or to return when
warmth calls upon you?
----

Take a really close look # 9

This is the one before the very last in the series.

I think my readers prefer guessing to reading...? (I don't know. Every time I get no response to a post I start thinking my writing was so horrible it left my readers gasping for fresh air. But it might not be the case. Not all of us spend as much time in front of the computer surfing sites as I do. Shame on me.)

Well, number eight DID seem the toughest one.

Somehow I suspected it would be tough, so I posted two macro-shots, but, as no guess came really close to the subject, I posted a normal shot of the same thing.

I suggest you following the links and seeing again.

Allright, welcome back.

This time there were 9 players!! Wow!

I'm so glad that so many of you took part.

Let me count the guesses: 16 + a number of 'I have no clue'-s, or anything to that effect.

I like how people this time have truly unleashed their imagination - guesses went anything between 'something nasty' through 'insect' to variuos kinds of plants like walnut shell, tree stumps, moss. Some suspected intelligence behind these misterious-looking shapes and surfaces.

Hoodie went into guessing 'petrified alligator head', which sounds really reasonable.

Still she was far from the truth.

But those who mentioned moss, fungus, mold were all right.

It all comes together, the IT is all of the above.

And yes, we have a winner, someone said it must be 'some kind of puffball-like mushroom', and he was absolutely right. I thought the winner would be Ello with 'mushroom', but I'm sorry, puffball mushroom is just exactly what it is, or rather, what is used to be.

It is a puffball mushroom that was covered with mould.

and the winner is....

Jason! Congratulations!

Here are some photos of the very same object, BEFORE. The first two photo were made in 15 July, 2007.

This one was captured two days later. The mushroom has started overgrowing, and the skin was ripping to pieces. To adjust the real size of the pufball, pictured is my hunband's hand.
and now, it's time for the 9th round.

It will be very very easy.
But again, what it is? More than one guess per people is highly recommended.

Brain, off guard you go again.

Approaching the dark side

There's a writing contest at EvilEditor's. The set is: a maximum of 200 words, and the starting first line is given. My freedom was to pick a famous character to take part. I invited Carrie.

I’ve seen the movie some 10-15 years ago, but honestly, I don’t remember if there is a Halloween scene in the movie. I just wished to complete the task. Why I chose Carrie? I think I feel sympathy for her. I remember having kept wondering throughout the film how would this end, what revenge, if any, would Carrie take on her bullies.

Here's my take. Enjoy. Or be afraid. Enjoy being afraid. Or frown at it. Enjoy frowning. Or be afraid to tell me how you frowned. Oh, shut up.

----

It was Halloween night, but there'd been no trick or treaters at the home of Carrie, who was about to go to bed when the doorbell rang.
The blinds were not drawn.
If I poke just one finger ahead and wave the curtain aside a bit, they will not notice. Mom won’t notice either. Sandy and company. You can’t hide. I don’t mind the costumes, I can feel the stench of their cheap perfumes.
You wish you had one of your own, don’t you? Shut up.
I’m not going down. Definitely not. Will not confront. Not now.
Promise me you won’t.
But what if…?
A second rang.
A step closer to the window. Avoiding that stave in the parquetry, Carrie stretched her body to have a good peep.
Daisy’s doing faces and gestures. Mimicking me, being embarrassed, seen that? No, she can’t do that to me.
Eyes wide open now, Carrie quivered.
Daisy’s grabbed her own arm. Another hit. Various hits over her arms and shoulder.
How sweet my power is.
Oh, please. And don’t move or else you’ll be seen.
The wood creaked.
Hushhh. Mom’s asleep.
I wish they went away.
The bunch of youngsters on the street looked confused and surprised.
Stay still.

----

The event on family

Here's our draft for the evening - as you might or might not remember, I have company, two other mothers. My parts are modules 2, 4, 6 and 7.

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1. Introduction of the speakers and, should there be anyone outside of the women's organization, of the organization itself. Chances are that the evening will be held 'only' for the members. I don't really mind that, though. We are the most interested parties, aren't we?

---

2a. An introduction of the subject itself. What do we think a family is? What are its roles? What does it mean to us? I'm thinking of starting this module by showing drawings of 5-graders. Guess what. I asked the head of my son's class to prepare some drawings for the event, for me. She was more than willing to co-operate, saying that schools make their pupils make drawings of families. What a great luck:) A typical 5-grader in Hungary is 11 years old.

---

2b. Conversation about how are the original roles fulfilled, what is dysfunctional and why. I'd like to emphasize the effect of stress, working overtime, bank loans and ethics. Although to some it might seem obvious, I do NOT wish to enter the subject of religion.

---

3. Interesting facts about family as a unit. It will be done by my partner, D. I guess she will bring up issues like the amazingly high number of divorces and singles, the possibilities of working from home, shared and part-time jobs.

---

4. A debate on the size of the family. As I have mentioned earlier, family have meant the co-living of at least three (3) generations. Now it's almost completely gone. Grandparents, for most of the case are either working or too old to help, or are living in a different town. Still, from time to time, there is a chance for the family to re-unite. Living with the old has many pros and cons. I am to use a special method I've heard about somewhere. It goes like this. The group is split into two subgroups: one pro, one against. They would gather their reasons and make a nice speach for and against co-living. When finished their roles flip. The arguments used before are NOT allowed to be recycled. I hope it will spice up the athmosphere a bit :)

---

5. A quiz on facts and things about living in a family. I'm not really familiar with this module. This will be done by K, the 3rd partner.

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6. Towards the end of the evening I'd like to return to module 2b., only this time we'd be focusing on solutions. I'd also like to hear the audience's opinion and suggestions. This is where the most questions and reasoning might come. It will be really long and fairly short as well. I'll see how it goes.

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7. The end would be a poem, or rather, 3 poems read by each of the 3 speakers. The idea is to have a constructive ending. The evening will be too much focused on how dysfunctional and out-of-place family is, so it is there to give a promise at the end. I still don't know which poem will I be reading...I'm searching!

---

What do you think? Any suggestions?

---

October, what will you bring?

On 23 October Hungarians and supportive other people of any nations of the world are to remember the heroes of 1956, who tried as best as they could, to stop the reign of the Soviet Regime within our country. They failed. We have to remember their heroism, bravery and faith that they can achieve something. They overlooked their own personal well being for the well being of a nation. That's what makes a hero, isn't it?

There is a nicely written summary of the events and the similar events that took part in 1968 in Chechoslovakia by Steve.

The reason I suggesting reading his entry is at the end of his 'essay'.

He writes that a regime without a human face was/is the key factor in initiating a revolution and I like this approach.

For in 2006, on the 50th anniversary of 1956, people in their right mind wished to get rid of a goverment that was lying. But that was just the surface...

It might be difficult to understand for those readers of mine who ahve never experienced what we are going through.

Education, the medical system, social network is all failing.

Privatization to no end. Electricity for example is also sold. What comes next? Water supplies sold to foreigners?

Most of our arable lands are already sold.

Does it make any sense knowing the fact that Hungary's most important resource is land?

Have anyone heard of the famous Hungarian mines? Steel industry? Machinery production? Oil? Silicone?

Me neither.

Land. Agriculture.

Wine and vegetables and fruits and grain crops that outsmart any place of production on Europe. Meat of excellent quality. Yes, I have heard of those. Tasted those. Would be proud of offering a taste to anyone, anywhere.

By selling out land, those are at stake.

Raise hands anyone who, thinking of attending a national holiday in one's own country, would be afraid to carry and raise a national flag!

No one?

I wonder why....

Because here if anyone is suspected or seen wearing any sign that resembles any of the national traditional symbols at a street event is risking facing this:

YouTube video represents events of 2006. Update: 53 people were arrested and kept confined for a night. People on the streets were captured by the state police for no articulate reason.

Is it acceptable?

No way.

Giving away our ancestors' land away to strangers, who has no attachment to the land, the despisal and restriction of the use of our national symbols are only parts of the picture.

----

The restrictions are squeezing upon those who care, who see further than their own paychecks and/or kitchentable.

Who wish to retain the fertile land for the future Hungarian generations.

On a side note, I don't mind foreigners buying a land or two, provided they accept the rules, accommodate to our customs and do not start a sect against us :)

But I see some difference between selling one or two plots to some families from another country AND selling village-sized lands to international corporations, whose solitary objective is to exploit the land, the people, and more frighteningly, the mind of those people, too.

---

I know of people who don't care about the flow of events much. As long as they have their share of food, job and housing, which they all do, they don't mind who's in the government.

Well, I do mind.

And I don't like what I see.

I'm not alone with my views.

In the fear of risking my family life and my potential to raise my kids I do not take part in street events, do not join any group at any level of aggression.

I am unsure what will bring the right solution. Will it come at once or step by step? Will it be peaceful or violent? How much will the good Hungarians have to suffer for the final success?

---

The largest party in opposition, Fidesz, is speaking of tolerance and peaceful waiting.

Last night, my DH cited Gandhi in this subject.

Gandhi once said that if he had to choose between cowardice and aggression/fight, he would choose the latter.

This makes me think twice.

I don't believe in violence and Mark Twain's The War Prayer has just strengthened me in this belief.

But Gandhi, oh, the ever-so-peaceful had to say those words of his...

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Take a really close look #8 - REPLAY

Ouch, this is so difficult, I hear you all saying :)
I like it.

In the last 'Take a really close look' post, you'd been given a chance to take a close look at something that was in our garden.
There were some awsome guesses here. Like petrified alligator head.
So, I'll let you have the whole picture.
Guess what it is.

I'll be away until 24 October. As you probably know, 23 October is a National Holiday in Hungary. More on that later.

My kids will be at home, so there's not much of a chance for me to indulge in writing new entries. I'm sorry. Be safe, God bless you all.

I have a family, so I am disabled PART2

Dear readers,
it seems that my words were unclear.

A very unfortunate situation indeed, for I have asked for some thoughts, co-operation and brainstorming. I think you were about to give it, but were hindered by my not-so-clear introduction.

Allow me to have a tabula rasa in this subject.

---

I volunteer at an organization (I recently quitted - another story). Each month this year members and volunteers organize a special evening. Each month is focused on one of the disabled group of people.

If you think of the circle of 'handicapped' people, please think about it in a broader sense. Those who have some serious physical disability (like having no sight for example) are clearly handicapped. The mentally challenged are also. Their place and potential in life is limited, right?

There are the homeless, the poor, the list is endless.

---

It seems to me that somehow, everyone is handicapped in some way. But I DO think it's another story. Well, I have to learn to keep my mouth shut.

---

Okay, here's the organization.

Each month.

A disabled group.

It's October.

The subject is 'family'.

---

Sometime in the spring, it was 'women/women with kids'.

Do you see how they fit into the category of handicapped?

I don't know about your circumstances, but in Hungary a woman gets less salary than a man in the same position in the very same firm.

Women are supposed to work PLUS do all the cooking AND housekeeping and be that lovey-dovey wife, while not being acknowledged for all those tremendeous efforts they usually do for the sake of the family.

---

Feminism put aside, October is about FAMILY.

I don't know about your circumstances, but in Hungary there's no such a thing as tax by families. We have things like a long maternity leave (for 1,5 YEARS after the baby is born the mother receives 75% of her last salary), a monthly childcare allowance paid by employers.

It may all sound nice, but money-wise that's just about it.

There are 3 of us who are doing this project.

We have the assumption that FAMILY as such is decaying.

---

I don't know about your circumstances, but apart from the XXth century, FAMILY in Hungary used to mean the co-living of generations. Children grew up hard working, yes, that is one side of the coin, BUT they were surrounded not only by their grandparents, but in most cases, by their grand-grandparents as well. Sometimes the very old had to work, too, but they were also there to tell stories, fables and ease any pain the young met.

---

Where are those (grand-) grandparents now?

Where is a normal family now?

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And now, about the word ROOT - that stirred up my kind readers the most.

In the Hungarian language, root (gyökér) refers to

1.) the part of a plant that is within the ground. It is to supply the plant with nutrients and water, right?

2.) quite metaphorically, the very same word refer to one's family.

If you come to think about it was your parents (and grandparents) who have made you come to alive, and they did supply you with all the necessary elements to make you become of what you are now. I'm speaking, as I more often than not, BOTH in the physical, psychological and mental sense. I mean all the three aspects. If one's adopted, one got the body from his real parents, but all the rest must be coming from the adoptive parents, right?

Without a root, a plant dies.

And so do humans without a family.

Anyone disagreeing?

There.

---

Now, the word gyökér (root) has undergone a change in the past few decades.

From being a neutral word, it became a negative judgement about one's mental capacities. A synonim for being dumb, inarticulate, incoherent, unintelligent, ignorant. Thanks Thesaurus, I love you.

I remember when in highschool I was taught the word 'g-a-y'. It was just an ordinary word for me, nothing more. (Special punctuation is for search engines. Or rather, against them.)

Later on I was informed that it had other, very specific connotations attached to it.

Would I, in my right mind use the very same 3-letter word to describe someone who's happy?/animate?/colorful?/bright?

No way!

---

So the word gyökér (root), which used to have a nice feeling around it, for it referred to something nutritive, familiar (I'm playing with words here, people), desireable... Now people see the word as something negative.

I believe in the power of words.

Why else would I be writing this?

If we attach meanings to words, there'll be meaning within them.

---

If we think the very word 'root' is undesireable, then sooner or later we'll begin having the same ideas about the meaning BEHIND the pure combination of four letters. (root).

My hypothesis is that derogating the word 'root' means derogating the meaning behind it, too.

This event will NOT be a linguistic lecture for sure.

It is just an example.

We have started to consider our 'roots' as something negative.

I think this is a TERRIBLE MISTAKE.

---

I love this word: mistake.

For me it means that we mis-take. Choose something falsely.

(Did I mention I was conservative, btw? Perhaps, to mainstream liberalists like those in the leadership of that women's organization my ideas will mean nothing.)

I think that's enough.

Tell me to shoot myself.

I have a family, I am handicapped

TOTALLY UPDATED VERSION. To ELLO!!!I know of a women's organization (I have just quitted membership today, a very sad and political story, nevermind). For this year, they are organizing consciousness-raising events/lectured/gatherings for their members and for anyone interested.

Each month the subject is a group of people that is in some way handicapped in today's society. In January, it was the 'country-people'. (For those who are unfamiliar with the Hungarian state of events these days, it means pheasants and other poor people outside the cities.)

In February and March, it was I don't know.

In April, it was the environmentalists. Do check back to see my opinion about that event. Reference and links in the paragraph below.

Also, I'd like to call Ello's attention to the comment I left on her site re: Al Gore and the Nobel Prize for Peace. Yes, I am one of those lunatics.

In May, it was 'women' - we all know how disabled they/we are: Lower wages for the same job to name the most obvious one.

And this is October and the theme is 'families'.

My hypothesis is that 'family' is a disability.

It is TOTALLY WRONG in every sense, but we have to face the truth.

You must name the beast to be able to tame it, right?

So, this is the new project I'm working on.

The last project I wanted to make was about the state of the environment. This went off, for various reasons. I think I was too crazy about the issue, while my partner-to-be thought a moderate (read nothing really shocking) lecture would just as do. As I firmly believe that nothing shocking is shocking enough when it comes to saving the Earth, I quitted. Well, my partner-to-be dumped me. That was all the better for the two of us.

Now, the main focus is on the family.

I have no troubles seeing 'family' as a unit in danger, as a hindrance in nowadays' hustle.

This time, there are 3 of us doing the topic.

I imagine to have an interactual lecture, to make the listeners think and inter-act with each other.

So far, I have come up with the following ideas:

- in the Hungarian, the word that means 'root' has become a pejorative. Dumb, slow-witted people are often called 'root'.

Before going further, I pray for your opinion:

How is it related to the subject?

Is it a bad or a negligible phenomenon in the language?

Any other opinions?

Photos depict my children on 7 October 2007.

Below is a videoclip, with two songs of the Hungarian band called Kormorán. The band uses traditional elements of folk music and folk instruments as well.

Remembering Octopus

I won a contest.
Kaitlyn F. Gallagher had a writing contest a month ago.
You can read about the task, the limitations and my entry here in my blog.

It was a whole new experience for me, writing in first person POV, I found it challenging and somehow limiting. I imagined the setting in a kitchen, with all those elements that tickle one's senses. The main character is the POV's daughter, since the sentence we had to use I am sister to the serious octopus was originally said by Kaitlyn's daughter. I started working with keeping this in mind and the story was quite at hand from that on, it just unfolded to me.

I liked writing it. I enjoyed working with the senses. It was a truly useful, and most enjoyable exercise to me.

And now, Kaitlyn has announced that I won.

Hurray!

For her commentary and presentation of my entry is available at the link above.

StrugglingWriter has also entered with a funny piece. (If you go and visit his place you'll have the chance to read his entry.)

I would like to thank Kaitlyn for her inspiration!

I'm looking forward to seeing more challenges at her site!