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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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 :)

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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!

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What do you think? Any suggestions?

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Okay, here's the organization.

Each month.

A disabled group.

It's October.

The subject is 'family'.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

Take a really close look # 8

Dear all,

I'm planning to have this series end at 10.

This is the eighth round, but before I present you with this precious picture I made for you to guess over, let me tell you the results of the seventh quiz. I'd like to ask you to go and check the original picure HERE!

We had four contestants, Hoodie, Anniina, Bobealia and Ello.

On a side-note to one of my curious fellow-bloggers: Beth was NOT taking part.

Guesses ranged from 'don't know' (heehee) to berries, figs, sunflowers, pinecones - and the more impressed ventured into saying heads of bald crows even!!! Wow!

I'd like to bow in front of the creativity of Anniina for this guess.

I wish I HAD the chance to make photos of bald crows.

I wish I really did.

I wonder at what circumstances one can make a photo of bald crows.

It really makes one's imagination soar, doesn't it?

Anyway...the WINNER is....

Hoodie, with sunflower!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS, Hoodie!!

Here's the proof:

And here's another pic of the same thing - this photo used to be my desktop wall-paper for quite a time. I love the colors, the rythym, the winding of the curves...

How can be someone NOT obsessed with such a perfection?

And now it's time for the EIGHTH RUN:

And here's a second photo of the SAME thing.

What is it? This time, the more detailed your guess is, the better your chances are.

on horses, drugs and the state of my ankle

As my kind readers have surely noticed, I'm back from that survival trip I referred to in my last post. There were about 200-250 fellow hikers, some of them covered 20 kms, like we did, some others went 35, and behold - some opted for the 60kms version.

I went for this trip for various reasons. I wished to brush off my melancholy - check, well done.

I wished to spend hours, uniterrupted in the autumn forest - check, well done.

I also came down with a periostitis, which was an unfortunate addition to my check-list.

At this moment some old people enter my imagination, who, with hazed eyes, marvel into the upholstery and start sentences with...when I was young...

And at this moment, I'm joining their club....

When I was young(er), walking 20kms was not a big deal. Now I seem to have fallen out of practice, which is a shame, and I must render the situation right. I must return to the habit of having a 10-25 km walk in every month or two. That keeps one in shape and avoids nasty things to one's ankle.

In fact, my ankle was quite allright after the tour, but a mis-step on the floor of the bathroom proved wrong. I was unable to place my weight on my left ankle and had to keep limping. For the sake of getting things done at home, thanks for the question.

What painkillers I did take?

You must be joking.

This is exactly one of the cases when one should NOT take any.

I took none, but to avoid pain, I rested my leg. I simply HAD TO rest it. I even wrapped it into a sack made of wool. That thing kept my ankle warm. If the sensation of pain had been taken away by drugs, I wouldn't have been able to rest. Now, 3 days after the trip my leg is almost back to normal.

All right, let's hear about our 20km trip.

It started in the middle of the town and after some wondering into the nearby valleys and forests, the route went right back to the starting point.

The location of the town I live in neglects any high mountains and/or dangerous rocks/waters...Some might say it's dull. Others might say it's comforting and gives you the feeling of a friendly environment. Those who feel there's no challenge in a surrounding like this should try walking 60 kms within it. 20kms took less than 6 hours for me. I walked in a pace that is rather relaxing than exhausting. For honesty, I have to add that the total elevation during these 6 hours was about 200-400 metres.

A six-hour walk in the High Tatras is something of a completely different experience. An enjoyable one at that, but different. We plan to get there in 2009, btw.

Each participant was given a map of the tour. We were following various forest trails. We followed the red for a while, than switched to the yellow mark and so on. Tourist trails are quite well marked throughout Hungary - most of the trails go in and out forests, through meadows but some lead to famous places in towns. I said well marked, and if you click to enlargen this particular photo you'll see the red sign and above, a green dot. The red is a line, which means trail, dot means a natural/artificial well/spring of a water, a cross means intersection of different trails and so on. I said well marked, but those who painted those lines upon trees trusted the tourists and have definitely left something for the imagination. At some places the tourist need to rely on his/her compass, map or instinct. Education at its best, hm?

But as there are settlements practically everywhere in the country, noone can get completely lost and eaten by angry wild animals - mainly because those are extinct.

The well I referred to is here below - sorry for the quality. Those two kids are my son and a friend. Fortunately, most of the time we were alone in the forest. I went with my girlfriend and we both had our elder sons with us.

This is a trap the boys found. They were really excited about it. Our trip at 13-15 kms wandered around a famous horse-farm. In fact this is where one of our four-time world champion coach-driving team is located, and is called an Equestrian Park. This is where they keep their animals and train horses and drivers. They run shows for the public as well. This little lady here was training, but judging from the way she was sitting, she was rather having fun, than a serious stress. I bet this girl in the seat was younger than 18. And she managed this drive of four horses.
Besides horses, said farm keeps cattle. There are two varieties, both endemic to the Carpathian basin. The brownish ones in the front are Hungarian Speckled ones, while the lighter-colored ones are Hungarian Grey Cattles. While the speckled variety is a good milker, the more sturdier-built Greys have excellent meat qualities. The trip went right beside the farm's boundaries. A coach pulled by four black horses was driving near the tourists.

We arrived home safe, with some normal pain in our muscles :)

Liver

At the beginning of July, I wrote about how I make our bread. It's not that I never buy bread in shops, but most of the time what we eat as bread, is what I make and bake in the regular oven. At present we do not have a home-made oven. But I think this sentence needs a 'yet' at the end.

At the end of that post I promised to write about what comes on top of the bread.

Here we go.

Liver spread. I've heard that some people find eating the inner parts of an animal disgusting. If you are one of those, skip this entry, but please inform me about the situation. I am not a fan of inmeats, but I like liver-spread. And since I don't trust those sold in shops, I prefer to make my own.

Ingredients:

- liver, fresh, sliced or chunked (I do this here with chicken, but I think swine liver works quite nicely as well)

- onion, finely chopped (about half the volume of liver)

- bacon, finely diced (about a quarter of the volume of the liver)

-salt (according to taste)

- some seasoning according to taste. (I suggest marjoram, oregano, basil, black pepper, chopped garlic, parsley leaves, a combination of these, or anything else you like.)

- water (depends on how thick you would like the spread to be)

- oil (not really much)

Preparation:

1. Sauté the bacon in oil. When almost all its fat comes out, add the onion.


2. Sauté the onion until translucent.

3. Add liver. Stir frequently until all the sides of the liver chunks are turned brown. Soon enough, the liver will release some water and you don't really have to worry about the spread being burnt, but eventually, you'll have to add some water to the mix.

4. When the whole thing turns brown, cook for about 20-25 minutes. Stir from time to time. Make sure not to burn it.

5. When it is ready, use a mixer and make a smooth creme.

6. Store in a fridge/deep-freezer. What you put in the fridge must be used within the next 2-3 days.

What is life is like on 6 October

This time, Church Lady polled us on our view of life....

Check the site for some funny insights.

Here are my versions.

- Life is like the coming and going of seasons. Only that spring with all its buds and lovely scents and also summer, with all those juicy fruits last much shorter than winter, when you have to do everything you can to protect you from freezing to death.

- Life is like dreaming. Faintly, deep within, you know of a much stronger reality, but everything around you seems to make you forget about it.

I admit, these reflect my present state of being.

But honestly, I'm thinking of flipping the bird towards depression.

I'm sick of it.

I'm trying to get rid of it.

All possible means come to my head.

Like doing a 'survival trip' this Saturday, when participants has to walk 20 kms. The trip goes partly within the small town, but basically it's about touring the forests and hills around it.

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This is a memorial tour in rememberance of 6 October.

October 6 is one of our national holidays.

Hungarians fought a great Revolution and War of Independence between 1848 and 1849. There were enthusiastic peagants and well-kept soldiers in our troops. Part of the fame of the Hungarian 'husars' is dating back to that period. They fought for freedom.

The opposite side, the Austrian army was at the verge of loosing the war, when, out of the sudden they let the Russian army in.

The fresh foreign soldiers easily broke our resistance.

The war was lost.

But the horror did not end here.

To make sure that no such rebel would take place in the foreseeable future, all the 13 generals were executed in the town of Arad, Transsylvania.

Some of them were hung, some shot.

As an extra treat, the Prime Minister of the time was also executed.

Each year on 6 October, good Hungarians remember the 'Arad Thirteen', the lost case of the war of independence, the way they were captured and killed.

Life moves on and we do not mourn over the loss for long. But we do stop and bow our heads. It is our duty to do so.

another look on global warming

This is what I found.

Grief and Disbelief

After the last mellow fruit has fallen
and the bright mantle of summer is shed

nothing else's there to offer but

branches torn by winds and bent beneath the burden

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how many leaves does a tree has to loose before it dies

where does its hope come from

that there will be budtime again

why is its faith

in the face of the bare fangs of winter

into the void eyes of snow

why does it sleep and dream

instead of asking for the final steel

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And so, the Sun has tumbled away

falling behind the dark side of the world

say goodbye to

whatever now

your skeleton is what you have

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and what am I supposed to do with

the fresh foam of troubled anger?

with a cold sweep of shadowed water?

without a body?

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Health quiz - a step-by-step solution

Yes, I am kind.
Taken from the previous post, with solution after each sentence!!!
This was the question!!!!

Which of the items listed below does SzélsőFa have?

(Solutions capitalized, in brackets - with some explanations here and there)

x.) National Health Care Insurance (FALSE - as I am not a registered employee, I'm not covered. So far so good.)

c.) A wish to see the doctor's (FALSE - I'd have to be really sick to go to see the doctor. A broken bone might take me to the office for example. I'm 37 and have not broken ANY of my bones. So far so good.)

a.) (an) infected ear(s), an infected throat (TRUE - oh yes.)

a.) a wish to read 'The Wind in the Door' (TRUE - *waves a friendly Hello to Chris, in Maryland*)

u.) a neutered male cat named Berci (FALSE - Berci used to be a female. I think I wrote about that some time earlier. Or not.)

i.) a neutered female cat named Berci (TRUE - see above.)

h.) a friend in Japan (TRUE - see the sidebar for links)

y.) friends in the USA (TRUE - chances are, you, yes you are one of those people.)

e.) a former high-school class mate in the USA (TRUE - okay, this was difficult.)

w.) a subscription to 'Medical news' in Hungarian (FALSE - this was the one I thought the most easiest one.)

p.) a trust in doctors (FALSE - you must be kidding.)

n.) a positive attitude when being sick (TRUE - why the hell else would I be writing this post?)

o.) belief in modern day medicines (FALSE - no comment.)

r.) belief in older-day medicines, like herbs and natural ointments (TRUE - sure. I am old-fashioned. I am a tree.)

v.) a friend who can actually make illnesses go away by touching (TRUE - I think this was a bit tough. He's not.)

Now, you have all those letters in front of the sentences marked (TRUE)

Pick the letters, and you have

a,a,i,h,y,e,n,r and v.

Can you make 2 words out of them?

Thank you for playing.

Do you think it was boring?

Take a closer look #7

Well, my vow binds me to go on with the series, so, here we go. Round six proved really easy, my friends and dear visitors.

We had 4 players this time, with six guesses. The most interesting guess was by Hoodie, who thought it was a toad. I think she was looking at some minor detail of the picture, though...

Others voted for earth, sand, rock surface, sugar on top of a muffin...

Well, what am I to say...other that Beth was playing and she was guessing first, so ....

BETH got it right again! Congratulations!

Here's the proof - this is a similar photo, although there's this lovely beetle walking past my camera.

I swear there's no secret deal between the two of us, but on a second thought, I don't think anybody would have thought about that in the first place. If there were prices, valuable ones...

But there aren't any.

It's just for fun.

If you like it, join us.

Find out what's on the next photo.

Round seven is a-starting now.

On a side note: I'm having aches in bones and muscles I've never known they existed in the first place all over my body, so I guess I'm sick. In fact, I have a severe head/throat/ear/whatever else's in my head-infection.

A little health quiz:

Rules:

Answer the below question by picking which things I DO HAVE.

If you got all the answers correctly, you'll be having a pile of letters.

Combine those to make an English word. Or two. Use up all letters.

Write that into the comments section.

Which of the items listed below does SzélsőFa have?

x.) National Health Care Insurance

c.) A wish to see the doctor's

a.) (an) infected ear(s), an infected throat

a.) a wish to read 'The Wind in the Door'

u.) a neutered male cat named Berci

i.) a neutered female cat named Berci

h.) a friend in Japan

y.) friends in the USA

e.) a former high-school class mate in the USA

w.) a subscription to 'Medical news' in Hungarian

p.) a trust in doctors

n.) a positive attitude when being sick

o.) belief in modern day medicines

r.) belief in older-day medicines, like herbs and natural ointments

v.) a friend who can actually make illnesses go away by touching

Writing exercise

This writing exercise was brought to us by the Church Lady.

Limitations: a maximum of 250 words, a picture of a falcon, and the words: hunt, trickle, reflection, carpet and seer.

On a side note: The hawk Falco lanarius was/is one of the emblematic animals of the ancient Hungarians.

Here's my story. Digest, if you please.

*************************************************

The Seer

Hunt started with the first trickles of sunlight.
A chafer shoved out from under a leaf. It cracked and was crunched the next minute.

Minutes or hours passed. There he sat, toes firmly on the branch. His tree, at the side of the meadow was slightly bent over a creek.
Their reflection was trembling in the morning wind.

He watched the meadow.
Tracks and holes were practically overwhelming.
After some careful examination, he took off. That ground squirrel was slow enough to meet the end. Oh, that nicely rounded, long, fat body. Oh, those lovely button-eyes.

Another squirrel later, he got on to the tree again. A large, abandoned nest, near the top, easily clarified him about the forthcoming weeks. He let the mumble enter his mind. Home, it said. This meadow is thick. No signs of hunger to fear.

Hours passed. The Sun was gone now and the carpet of night was slowly descending upon the world. Food was dissolving. The particles were falling apart and telling stories of the future.
With eyes closed he let the tree whisper again.
The mate of yesteryear…Delicate eggs…Youngsters, two or three of them… wavering impatiently for the next portion…beaks, strong and curved… gulping down whatever they are given…sharp claws…bright eyes …
Behind his squeezed eyelids they were there again, somewhat larger now, closely to each other on a larger branch, trying out their wings. Maturity….
One by one, they took off and circled above the meadow, their homeland.

Life, made complete.
*************************************************

Two haiku

update: The Haiku writing Month is this October.

Summer's gone away

and so have I, dying here

into my vision

Floating silver threads

- Upon crisp crimson carpet -

Hum about winter

my weekend

This weekend we attended the 8th Annual Hungarian Arachnological Conference - and it is always a family event. There are not many arachnologists in our country, and those who have family, usually bring their kids and spouses along. The Conference is almost always located in a small village, where wildlife (including spiders of the wild) can be studied immediately and within easy reach.

The schedule usually goes like this: Everyone arrives at Friday, late afternoon. On Saturday, the researchers have their 10 minute-speaches. It usually takes the first part of Saturday, and then we are free for the rest of the weekend - adults are usually having fun, while kids voluntarily enter the see how much dirt can you get into your clothes within an hour contest. We all head home with tonnes of muddy, dripping clothes by Sunday...

This year, we were canoeing in a still back water brach of River Duna (Danube/Donau) in the North-Western corner of our present country.

Enjoy the pictures!

A friendly horse in one of the nearby yards. All the younger kids felt compelled to feed her.

A friendly volley-ball game. The kids enjoyed falling into the sand, not caring reall much about the direction of the ball itself. One of the adults playing was a professional volleyball tranier - I really respect her staying with us during the game!

One of the things I adore in backwater branches: that your brain sometimes is more needed than your sheer force of hands - the latter is also required, though.

A simple part of the river - and about one fourth of the total crew aboard.

Life in a lifeless log. My favourite picture of the collection.

We made felt spiders using sheep's fleece.

The kids, especially the little girls enjoyed this activity very much. All the spiders pictured above were made according to field guide books of spiders, so, apart from minor details, they all depict an actual specimen. At the bottom left corner, there's the one I made. It is a Crab spider (Misumena vatia). Also photograped: some balls, two weasels of different colors, and four more spiders.

Writing Exercise - two entries and a question

Chris has another writing exercise. The word count limit is 250; with a theme inpiration being ' A rose is but a rose'.

Check her site and feel invited to write your own entry, too. Below are my two entries - hope you enjoy both.

*******************

I’ve just arrived at the park, when a man hailed and popped into the backseat. The car slightly creaked. The passenger was not heavy, but his movements were somewhat clumsy. The smell of aftershave advanced trough the air towards me. Looking into the mirror, I smiled and nodded at him.
To the National Stadium, please. – His voice was trembling.
The engine buzzed and we were soon heading West.
As it was a sunny afternoon, I had the sunshields turned down, but still I was squinting from the brightness that entered my cab.
Are you a football fan?
He startled and shied.
This afternoon’s expected to be a big final between the Devils and the Stars. Have you heard about that?
Actually, I am to meet someone there – he finally said.
That was when I noticed the white rose beside him.
Oh, ladies do like roses, don’t they?
With shaking hands, the man loosened his tie and said nothing.
Finally, the car pulled along. Hardly waiting for a stop, he gave me more than a usual tip and was opening the door and began making his way toward the building.
He was running for a few steps and then abruptly halted and slowed his pace. His fingers run through his hair.
This was when our eyes meet. The rose was still there on the backseat.
I got out of the car and handed it over to him.
Have a good afternoon and good luck!
He was barely 20.

************

The above photo goes off to Beth, who requested me posting a photo of ivy. Here you go, Beth.

************

A rose is but a rose #2

He was barely 20 and freshly rejected.
His hands were clutching to the thorns so tightly that little red rivulets have begun making their way towards his wrist down on the inside of his palm. He took no notice, though. His heart was bleeding, too.

I do not wish to see you anymore.
The way home seemed longer than usual. He took a detour towards the old bridge.
The water was troubled. Waves chased each other and the level was high.
Yellow leaves were blown into the stir – they danced on the surface and were drown in before a gasp of air, leaving soft bubbles a-floating.

I do not wish to see you anymore.
He took the rose and placed it on the railing. The wind began rolling it, too, but he positioned his fingers on the stem. The velvet petals were shaking in the cold.
Mist was creeping out from among the bushes.

I do not wish to see you anymore.
He took a petal, put his lips upon it and let it fall. It whirled and began descending. When it hit the bottom, the river took it peacefully. It was nowhere to be seen in the next second.

I do not wish to see you anymore.
Another petal. The veins run like little roads, drifting disorderly in an abandoned land. He took off all the petals and collected them into his left hand. He saw no directions and his mind was empty. He was simply following the rose.

*****************

Oh my, this was the first time I killed my protagonist. To think about it, I find it strange that I have been waiting so much to do so. I mean I wrote some material and this is the first death. Hmm.

YOUR TURN:

Question 1. How many of your characters have died, because you wanted them to die?

Question 2. Which of my entries did you like more? 'none' makes an eligible answer, too, but in that case, constructive support of such answer is definitely required.

Take a really close look #6

allright, time's up.

I said here that since there had been no correct answers to QUIZ#5, I would be waiting for another day. I asked you to revise your stand and come up with another guess for the mysterious photo #5. The day's gone.

Only one person has changed her mind and took a second guess. Mind you, she said something in the first place then ADDED quote I almost want to say something completely different quote ends. Funny, isn't she?

Well, second guesses are sometimes better than first ones.

In the fifth run of the quiz series, there were 8 guesses from 7 people, and only one was correct. The Hesitant One.

Incorrect guesses this time, were somehow within a limited range of imaginery - gourd/squash/flower.

I especially liked the approach presented by Hoodie who said it was colder than the witches' tit.

And if there was a special honor to the most fantastic explanation that would surely go to Mr. Schprock, who took the quiz into a whole new level by adding a little story about Venutians.

Okay.

The winner is Beth (again), who, in her second guess said the right answer: mushroom.

She also said this was the toughest one for her and I liked that, too.

For the original photo, check back here:

And for proof of it's being a mushroom, take a look at here below:

The photo in the contest pictured the same mushroom from above.

And now, into the sixth. What's this?

It must be the easiest one, I bet.

experiencing the night

with the cold, slapping, starless blanket above me

hard and cold steel lines in the horizon

weight and velocity

thrumming in front of my slow motioned body

mesmerized about the dream

steel on steel

strength, power and freedom

steel on flesh

air

movement

flesh on steel

breathe in

the river is about to break the dam

Take a really close look #5 and a half

Wow, this series has quite a history now.

There were photos that were so easy to find out that they bordered bordom, and yet others that were so difficult that no one, well except the winner was able to figure out the correct answer.

Guess what. This time, picture number five is about the belong to the latter category - except that there is NOT a correct answer this time.

I suggest all of you lurking and de-lurking here to take a second guess.

Try to stay away from the picture and get into reality.

If noone's coming up with at least one single (another) guess I give up and show the solution to the world. Right here.

I'm waiting, you all.

For another day, allright?

Until you all wait AND GUESS!!

I'm leaving you with these, non-quiz, absolutely random photos. I made them between 11 August and 3 September, 2007.

Enjoy!

writing contest

Kaitlyn F. Gallagher has a writing contest for anyone who's wishing to take part.

The limitations are:

- maximum of 500 words

- the piece has to contain, at one point or another the following line: ***I am sister to the serious octopus***, in honor of the very words of her little daughter.

For more information about the contest go here.

Below is my entry. I have already sent it to Kaitlyn over email, so I'm free to post it over here as well.

Strugglingwriter has also entered the competition. Check his version as well, it's sure will be a good fun to read.

Chances are that you are still able to enter....? The deadline is Friday midnight, in a timezone not mine, so please ask Kaitlyn for details.

Hope you enjoy my piece. Constructive comments are always welcomed.

***************************

A vegetarian in the making

The afternoon sun peeked inside. It illuminated the table, where our future dinner was rested.

The knife has been sharpened just today and the blade was shining. Cuts fell easily on the board. One after another, soon there was a small pile of chunks, waiting to be gathered into a bowl. Piles after another, the bowl was filling. Finished.

The oil was slowly warming up. The chopped green paprika slices began sizzling. The distinct smell of sautéed pepper gave away it was time for the meat to enter the fat. Whoooops, in you go! The oil fizzled.

Every now and then, scattered voices of children reached the kitchen throughout the open French window. Giggles, some shouting, and the inevitable stamping of feet on the pavement. The curtain was moving with the wind. A small bush was shaking for a moment as someone passed it by hurriedly. Chuckles and excited murmurs again.

The watch on the wall disclosed the passing of time. Man, has summer gone away already! Ten minutes to six. All right, I have another forty minutes to go. That will do.

‘Hey Leah, it was really nice of you to invite us! Say farewell to the summer – Great idea.’ Ally entered the kitchen. Her straw sandals slipped softly on the stone. ‘So, how’re you doing with this very special something?’
Fine, I am. I have just watched a show on seafood the other day.
‘How’ bout the kids?’
They did not believe it. It is so rare that we get to eat fish or something like that. And an octopus….They thought I was joking. I had to tell them Mommy was being serious.
‘I guess Timmy knows what that is…But how about Karen?’
She did not seem to like the idea of eating one in the first place. She has this little puppet of hers, you know.
‘The one she takes sometimes to kindergarten?’
Yup.

The stew needed some stirring. The fragrance came up in small puffs from behind the lid.
Ally moaned: ‘Wow, I love that smell. I often keep smelling food while…’

The voices now became intolerable. A combination of cries and laughter. Who do they tease again? ‘Momma! Momma!’ – Karen’s weakened voice came closer and closer and finally she was all in, sobbing, her face dirty with streaks of sand mixed with salty teardrops.
‘Momma, Dave’s saying we have Octi for dinner. It ain’t so, is it, Mommy?’
Dear baby, of course not. Octi is sitting on your bed – go and check if you please.
‘No Momma, they say we eat Octi all right.’
Karen, your Octi is unharmed. Want Mommy to get him for you? This one’s here’s another one. An animal that was once alive but now is not. It’s meat.
She was now crying and her words were hardly clear.
‘You told me this is a serious octopus and I am sister to the serious octopus. I can’t….We just can’t let…. us eat…. my brother.’

*****************************

The Dragon in the Sky

Come, said the Dragon in the Sky
leave earthly objectives behind, they are obstacles
peregrinate and let my power infiltrate your feeble body
achieve your own self
let me make you mighty
and change you eternally
you'll never muddle again and'll never feel small
come up to the sky
follow me and the two headed dog
cast away your weakness
---
and so I shaved off my head as I collected
all the brownish fat worms
from the floor of my room
I've been to shop-windows and rejected the steak
stuffed my ears with pieces of clothing
I tore off a moment before
I took my vision
and very rightly so
I claw under the bench under the grass
where I hid my body
so precious ages ago - so meaningless now
all I see are clouds behind
below and above
floating I am cast away
---
Show me no fear I am to help
reach out your hands, further, further yet
---
blind numbness
where's your promise of mightyness?
I'm left on my own
balance
into the void
space without love
b a l a n c e

---
I woke up the other day and I had no heart
---

---
written on 12 September, 2007

Edible mushrooms

Jason posted a photo about a mushroom they usually gather in the forest and eat. We also have chicken mushroom in our forests, but that is really rare over here. The video says it is found on dead logs and occassionally on alive trees. I, on the contrary have never seen this species but on standing and alive trees.

Here are some photos of those mushrooms we collect over here.

Here's the first. Sorry for the quality. It's called Liver mushroom in Hungarian, and it's Latin is Fistulina hepatica. The English name, Beefsteak Fungus is also a good name for this species. It makes a very good stew. (I'm sorry to note but the photo on Wiki is just horrendous.)

This photo below was made in 2004, when we collected quite a range of wild mushrooms in the nearby forest. The largest one in the basket is a Macrolepiota procera, or a Deer's shank Mushroom in Hungarian, but I'm sure everyone knows the Parasol Mushroom. Also pictured are some white Button mushrooms, and some Lepiota leucothies, the Smooth Parasol aka Woman on Motorcycle (isn't it the funniest name ever to a mushroom?). The Hungarians simply call it Stubble Mushroom. These species are excellent in soups, stews, stir-fries and go well with sauteéd potatoes as well. In the years 2006 and 2007, we have found a wonderful species growing right in our garden. It is called Giant puffball in Hungarian and English. I make a finger's width slices of it, cover them in flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumbs and deep-fry it in oil. Yummm.

Other fairly frequent mushrooms we collect include the Gray Funnel (Hungarian), Clytocibe/Lepista nebularis (Latin), and the Blue Funnel/Wood Blewit/Lepista nuda, the Judas's Ears Fungus / Hirneola auricula Judae. I use the latter, crispy mushroom in soups. the other two are great in stir fries or basically, with any sort of meal.

Yup, that's all I could come up with for a new entry. Your ever misoriented friend, SzélsőFa.

I have been around these days, only to find that there's nothing to write about. I am so out of thoughts and even, feelings. It scares me, or rather, it would scare me, if I had feelings.

I know it will pass and I find no particular reason to support my state of this...uhm...intellectual nirvana, well, other than the state of our house during this renovation/recontruction process, plus the beginning of another school year, plus the missing of my husband, who's away for a week to Italy. He's attending a conference and is about to see as much of Italy's landscape as anyone in the next cubicle in an office. Or almost. He called me yesterday evening to tell me that finally, he was able to take a look at the hills, from the outside of the conference building.

Up in the front there's this photo of a puffball mushroom we usually find in our forests, it's called Lycoperdon perlatum in Latin.

Wel, I would like to get your opinion, your solutions:

What do you do when you just have no words around to lean on? When nothing really seems to make you move?

Persons suggesting drugs and faraway places will be banned. Okay, just kidding here, but those would not work for me. I don't take drugs (those pills you know) and faraway places...well, if you had a chance to take a look at my bank account, you'd understand.

Last evening for example, me and my kids went hunting for horse chestnuts. It was a fun walk - or it surely would have been, had to the kids NOT teased each other constantly. The older one was teasing - the younger one was screaming. Also, said younger kid kept falling off her bicycle. Do you consider that inspiring? Dou you think I should go for another walk with those lovely kids again?

So, like...reading an interesting nonfiction book?

Watching some dvd?

Right now, I have started watching 'The Grapes of Wrath' with Henry Fonda, online.

So?

What are your soul-lutions? (typo intended)

Here's some music as well. It's from 1968. This was one of the band's first hits. 'Amikor én még kissrác voltam' means 'When I was a kid'. Basically the song is about what/how he felt as a kid. His life was different, there were open parks with flowers - yet he was afraid of bad-faced people who might have taken him away... He was not allowed to laugh when he was about to cry, to lie honestly... The chorus describes that when he was a young boy, he used to adore adults, watched their activities, used to believe that they were happy and that when he would become an adult, he would feel quite allright, too.