CALIFORNIA

Currently in the Los Angeles area. I am coming up with ideas and making plans for my next week here. One place in mind is a well-known Polish restaurant in Santa Monica called WARSZAWA (appropriate after my recent time abroad :-P ).

http://www.warszawarestaurant.com/index.html

My sister did not have a good enough fill of Polish food during her short stay at home in New York, so I have been wondering if we should check this place out (it would be a first time for both of us). Other than the chance to go here, we also have plans for going to the movies (new Conan O'Brien documentary released today), heading to Disney (Land and California Adventure, of course ;) ), seeing a Tim Burton art exhibit at LACMA (Los Angeles County Museum of Art), maybe seeing one event at the Los Angeles Film Festival (an event about music videos directed by Eric Wareheim from "Tim & Eric Awesome Show: Great Job!"), and playing lazer tag. I will be on the lookout for more to do (possible plans to maybe see an LA Dodgers game were one item scrapped). So far I have gone to visit my sister's work (fun cooking supply and more store), helped with shopping and unpacking/apartment setup, and went to MENCHIE'S for frozen yogurt fun. We love Menchie's. :)

Little cups to try frozen yogurt flavors; do-it-yourself soft-serve and topping bar... :-D There are even fun spoons now

http://menchies.com/

More later. :)

Fall

Still a bit jet-lagged, but now is the time to finish up my work from the spring semester. I have two more papers to complete (one entire paper for Polish politics and less than half left to finish for the other in Central European - mainly Polish - history). Some aspects of Europe have been maintained at home, such as eating borscht a couple of days after coming back when my Babcia/grandma made it. Also, I still drink some sparkling water and eat salads/surowki. But I have also welcomed back items I did not have abroad: Kashi cereal, almond milk, On Demand television...

I spent the last few days catching up on a few television shows (The Office, Parks & Recreation, some Castle, United States of Tara...) and beginning Game of Thrones.

There is a lot to like and some that I do not like about this show. I like some characters (Ned Stark, Jon Snow, Tyrion Lannister, Arya Stark, the dire wolves, Samwell), while others are terrible. Some parts of the storyline are a bit strange or gross, but the show still remains to be good as I watch around the scenes where you wonder if certain views are necessary...

There are also some movies I need to catch up on. The Hangover Part II was quite good, but used an identical model to the first movie with a few changes. However, the writers know what worked for the first film, so why do too much differently for the second film; this is about entertainment at the end of the day. And everyone laughed a lot in my theatre.

Once I finish my two papers, I will read a lot more. I finished a few magazines, but I have books I need to go back to. I also have new Polish instructors and homework: my mother and grandmother are now going to give me written work out of the book and workbook I used during the spring, plus I was told to watch Polish television and practice more speaking and listening.

Something for travelers:
These trips sound really interesting
http://escapetoshape.com/

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

So, there it is, 4 months in Poland are now complete. Woke up at 3 AM (but it was light out when we took the taxi at 4 AM) on Wednesday. The first part was quick (check-in and security). We had tea and coffee at the airport and then took our first flight from Warsaw to Amsterdam. This was quick and we were given a couple of little sandwiches: one had mystery meat with butter on grain bread (weird since I am not a processed meat lover or butter fan) and curried egg salad on brown bread (not bad). We were later given biscuit cookie sandwiches with caramel filling (also not bad; the biscuit part tasted a bit graham cracker-like and the caramel was mainly just sweet). On this flight I read some of my Oprah magazine. The layover at Amsterdam was short. We flew from there to Paris (Charles De Gaulle) and had a selection of baked goods at one time during the flight (I had a regular croissant, but there were also pain au chocolat - chocolate-filled croissant - or some kind of pastry that looked to have maybe nuts and apple? from which to select), which looks a lot nicer since the last time I was there (there are fewer renovations and the complete ones make the airport look better, but it is still not an easy experience since the layout is confusing and the security check is annoying). At this airport, I had a chance to go to the airport lounge for frequent fliers. This lounge is nicer than the only other one I had seen (which is also very nice) in Detroit. I had some good fruit salad, canned Pellegrino, and a little vegetarian sandwich (all tasty). This longer flight from Paris to Philadelphia was not as nice an experience as my last transatlantic flight. There was a baby that cried a lot and a little boy (probably her brother) moaning, while a few other people were strange and/or difficult and/or complaining a lot. We each had personal TV screens in our seats, which was nice. I watched Tron: Legacy (I liked it a lot, or maybe it was just the nerd in me having a fun time for the Daft Punk music and video game-like aspects... who knows), The Green Hornet (only for Christoph Waltz), Samantha Brown's Passport to Great Weekends: LA, an episode of The Big Bang Theory, some of Biutiful (I was falling asleep, but was not successful taking a nap when I turned the movie off because the baby was crying and I was not comfortable) and some of the pilot episode of The Borgias. Pretty sure there was a girl who had been on America's Next Top Model on this flight. After we made it through all of the security, customs, and passport checks in Philadelphia, we picked up our luggage and our car before a drive home (I slept through most of it), making it back at almost 10 PM. I had been up almost a day (or more for others).

Today is relax day. Last night, I went to bed regular time (around midnight) after going on the Internet and watching some television. This morning I woke up early because of my weird sleep schedule (nap in car and going to sleep before, plus not being used to time change and jet-lag yet) and our cat's meow cries on-and-off from early this morning until early this afternoon (he is so needy and was lonely I guess :-P silly boy - but also looking older and bigger). I am caught up with Community as of this morning, but made a list of other shows and movies to catch up on. I also have two more papers to complete the next couple of weeks so that I will then really be on summer vacation. Too bad the weird phone call from an army recruiter earlier this afternoon did not know he was calling someone without interest. :-/

Being back in America is still very recent. I will reflect more on being back, my time abroad, trips, and the future soon. For now, I will relax and finish up the work for the spring semester before looking too far ahead or behind. One recent thought is about persons, places, and things I miss. It has been strange being home without our dog Maggie, but not much else seems different yet. I also know that a trip in the next couple of months to California sounds very exciting. :) I will soon begin planning activities for the summer, such as deciding places to go and books to read and things to do. I just have to fit in some time for my work on Polish before it escapes me and to learn more. In the near future, I will be watching The Hangover Part II and X-Men: First Class (maybe).

Transatlanticism

Today was the last full day in Warsaw (and Poland). After breakfast at the hotel, we took a bus to city center and went to the observation deck of the Palace of Culture and Science.

I had not been there since February, so it was interesting seeing all over the city now that it is nearly summer. I liked being able to see places from above (even figuring out directions and sites from the 30th floor of this famous building) and the piano key crosswalks nearby. After the palace, we walked to Saski (Saxon) Garden/Park and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was a pretty day as the sun shined, the temperature rose, and flowers looked colorful. I also appreciated all of the lovely fountains around the city. We walked from the tomb down Krakowskie Przedmiescie Street (stopping for a break and some drinks at the restaurant at Kino Kultura [http://www.kinokultura.pl/page.php?pid=6] to Old Town and New Town, before going back to Krakowskie Przedmiescie Street for lunch at Literatka [http://www.literatka.com.pl/; I had a fish soup and the grilled salmon salad]. We then walked along this street and Nowy Swiat Street, ending on Chmielna to buy paczki and ice cream for my Mom. We took a bus back to our hotel to relax and to cool off after this trip. This evening, I went for a walk to buy some items for a light dinner, which we ate while watching the news. Now I am watching TV after taking a shower since we have a quiet night before an early trip tomorrow. We have one flight Warsaw to Amsterdam, then Amsterdam to Paris, then Paris to Philadelphia, which is followed by a car drive home. Taxis, Planes, and cars home. :-P We have had a lot of great meals, great experiences, and great weather the last couple of weeks (and I have had the greatest time this semester). I am almost beginning to miss Warsaw, Poland, and Europe before even leaving yet. I hope to be back in the near future, but I have to finish up at Fairfield first of course. :) And I have completed the work for three out of five classes this semester (two papers to complete when I am back at home in NY). Back to the USA soon...

The Suburbs

Legnica was fun as usual. :) It was nice to see more of it from my last two visits and to experience the town with family again. We spent some time hanging out with friends of my mother's on Saturday (went to their house, saw a swimming trophy award ceremony and business picnic, and back to their house - including a great soccer match) and Sunday (going to a really nice public park and local palace for lunch [http://www.palackrotoszyce.pl/; I had bullion soup with little meat dumplings and then a salad made of green beans, sliced turkey, and sun-dried tomatoes] before hanging out in their backyard garden for the afternoon/evening (I also played around with a mini golf set with the young daughter)). It was sad to say goodbye, as usual, but there are always possibilities to return sooner for more visits (and maybe even a closer location to western Poland than months in Warsaw).  Sunday afternoon and night I watched my first partial episodes of "The Flintstones" in Polish and Polish "X-Factor," which is basically "American Idol" with some differences. Monday was spent mostly traveling back to Warsaw after hotel breakfast (seeing mostly countryside and small towns after a brief trip through some of Wroclaw early on), with a stop at a fruit stand and a lunch bar along the way (I had red borscht and a sampling of different sides/surowki - shredded beets, shredded carrots, and a little salad). The weather has been lovely the last few days with warm temperatures and sunshine. We now have given up the rented car, collected all of our luggage (including what I stored in Warsaw at school), and arrived at our final hotel near the airport (after some brief issues on the road with traffic and/or construction). Tomorrow is our last full day in Warsaw before an early flight on Wednesday morning. I have some school work to do and a bit of planning for the final day, along with relaxing in the hotel room (such as watching Polish TV).

Maps

"Wait, they don't love you like I love you... maps..."

My thoughts today were about the song "Maps" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It can sometimes be easier to stick to a bus ride when you want to go somewhere than to figure out alternatives on-the-spot (sometimes luck or something else comes into play and a map is not needed, but that did not happen today for me). The weather was gray, cool, and rainy (more so in the afternoon a little bit after I decided to venture out). I wanted to do something today other than schoolwork, so I decided to go to Wilanow Palace since the palace has free entry on Sundays and most of my ideas would require the outdoors, but this one had a chance of being inside as well. I was out and did not grab a bus near me, so I took a Metro ride and some walking before giving up in the rain and heading back using a long bus and then tram ride. :-P. Saw some of the city and had a lot of rain on me, but it is okay.

Tomorrow is the beginning of the last school week (and the last Monday). Time for me to head back to working on this silly, lazy Sunday. Just learned not to forget my map next time I go someplace where I may need it. :-P Before I left, I did catch up on "Parks & Recreation" and "The Office," plus a little "Community" (I am a bit more behind on that one).

On To The Next One

Feeling a bit of travel/train lag today. :-P I need to finishing preparing for my program's trip to Krakow tomorrow midday.

The few days I had in western Poland went by quickly: visiting "Jesus," seeing around Swiebodzin or Lagow or Sieniawa or Legnica or Wroclaw, Easter family visit/meals/gifts, music video channels, bus rides, train rides, watching movies ("Chloe" and "Limitless"), first time at Pizza Hut in Poland (it's fancy here :-P) and first gofry (with strawberry jam), shopping, listening to organ music, learning Polish, and being able to see people who had not seen in a while.

Backyard Garden in Legnica :-D

Now I am resting and preparing for a few days in the Krakow area. :-D I am also looking more at where I will be going in about a year when I finish up in Fairfield. Right now I think I might be interested in pursuing a Masters in International Management/Business. Since I am thinking Europe might be less expensive and more sensical than the US, I am researching schools mainly on this side of the Atlantic... particularly because I am in the process of earning a Polish Passport. This would mean probably going to Warsaw again or to Krakow or to Poznan [I am thinking using English and being able to continue learning more Polish while being close to friends and family again]. Some prospects include:
http://www.kozminski.edu.pl/index.php/en/graduate_ma/abe_international_master_in_mana [mostly in Warsaw, but also time in other parts of the European Union]
-maybe back to the school I am at now (SGH/Warsaw School of Economics)
-maybe the school of economics in Poznan or Wroclaw or Krakow

Easter Weekend

Wesołych Świąt Wielkanocnych! Wszystkiego Najlepszego z okazji Wielkanocy i Smacznego Jajka.
[My rough translation: Happy Easter! All the best on the Easter occasion and tasty eggs! - The last part is a Polish phrase for the holiday. :-P]

I am here in Świebodzin (the place of my mother's birth, close to the Polish-German border and the Polish cities Poznan and Zielona Gora) celebrating Easter with family (my first Easter in Poland, of course). Yesterday I packed and took the train; I have a guest room at the house of my mother's cousin (his house with his wife and daughters is very nice and they are all wonderful hosts). Today I visited the famous Jesus statue here and walked around the town a bit (lunch included a seafood soup and Nicoise-like salad at an Italian restaurant; I liked the soup since I quite enjoy anything with tomatoes - broth, sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, cooked tomatoes, raw tomatoes... - and seafood).

The BIG Jesus statue of Swiebodzin, walking distance from where I am staying right now and a good "person" to celebrate the holiday with... since it is HIS death and rebirth ;) [picture from Internet, but I do have a few pictures with it from today with me and others as well - too bad I look funny with the wind blowing my hair around :-/]

I watched the movie "Chloe" at my relatives' house and we chatted a bit; I showed some pictures of friends, family, and other students here. We hung around the house (lots of Polish practice :-D ) and relaxed (now watching "Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events" dubbed in Polish on TV) since tomorrow a lot more family members are coming to visit. I think Monday we may go out somewhere if the weather is nice - cannot remember the name of the place - and then I take a bus to Legnica on Tuesday.

I am in the process of earning Polish citizenship (dual with my natural US citizenship) so that I can be part of the European Union, which would mean cheaper tuition in member states in case I decide to go to a graduate school here. It also means easier travel between countries.

I am very excited for certain people in the US to join me here in Europe. ;) I am also the only one on my program who has yet to leave Poland for at least a couple of days (I do not mind this fact), but being taken out of the country (as my family will take me) is a lot easier than doing it myself alone or with other students here. :-P

Under Pressure

Watched the movie "It's Kind Of A Funny Story" earlier and now "Under Pressure" is in my head. :-P I watched "Modern Family" from last night and now I am about to catch up with "United States of Tara." I packed and depart for Gdansk tomorrow morning.

A couple of the photos from Wroclaw:

Marcin and I

Pawel, me, and animal statues

I am looking forward to watching Thursday NBC shows sometime after the Gdansk trip. I also have the Spring Break and Krakow area travels that I am excited about coming very soon. :)

Neat travel blog I heard about today: http://anywherethereisanairport.com/

The Scientist

"Nic o nas bez nas."
["Nothing about us without us."]


Two days (the "tougher"/longer ones) of classes complete. :-P I had Polish history in the morning and then a break since this is the first of two weeks without my politics course. During my break, I watched one of the recent "How I Met Your Mother" episodes I had yet to watch ("Desperation Day") and it was really good. I later discussed "Promised Land" in literature class and received some reading for our next class (which will be in a week because our Thursday class is cancelled, which means my weekend starts tomorrow. :-D Maybe we will push the idea on this teacher that we do not need to make up this missed class... one can hope.) I then had my Jews in Poland course before heading back to the dorm for the night. It was there that I noticed how I am receiving more and more emails about registration for fall courses at Fairfield. It is weird to think that housing and course registration is being done already since it seems so soon. :-P I looked over what I have completed and what I have remaining and I think if I do some work over the summer and then have a regular schedule in the fall, I might be able to complete my requirements for graduation in December. This is tempting since then maybe I would take the spring off to work and apply for graduate schools. It seems both far and close. Gee. I emailed my advisor about some of my thoughts and questions, so we will see where it all goes! I even received my pin for online registration already and will be picking classes on April 12th (2:30pm my time, 8:30am Fairfield's).

Tomorrow I have Polish in the morning followed by a break and then a CIEE program-paid lunch in the afternoon (it relates to an assignment involving directions that the Beginning group has to complete). In the evening we are going to a ballet: http://www.teatrwielki.pl/repertuar/balet/kalendarium/nowy_balet.html?kid=528

Some thoughts I have had recently are that, when thinking about or planning or preparing to go abroad, I rarely thought about emotions. The only well-known ideas that are discussed during pre-orientation are culture shock and homesickness when away. Well, lately, I am wondering more about the end of my time here in Europe (Poland specifically) and thinking about how hard it will be to leave, to go back to "reality." There is a lot I am missing right now, but I have already come to terms with the fact that no matter where I am or what I am doing, I will ALWAYS be missing someone or something; there is no way to have everyone and everything I love together with me all of the time. I discussed it with my friends this weekend, how difficult it is for me to settle because of my indecisiveness, dispersed loved ones, and all of the great places I have lived or visited or want to visit. It will not be easy to pick one place or one profession, but now that I know there is no way to make everyone happy, then I can at least think about making decisions based on greater good instead of being stifled by innumerable choices. It is tough to be in a world where I may be able to communicate with people all over the globe, but if I want to see them, I cannot simply "fold a map" as if the world were flat and see them in person whenever I wished.

Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you
Tell you I need you
Tell you I've set you apart

Tell me your secrets
And ask me your questions
Oh, let's go back to the start

Running in circles
Coming up tails
Heads on the science apart

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard

Oh take me back to the start

I was just guessing
At numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart

Questions of science
Science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart

Oh tell me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start



Adjective of the Day for Me: Nieśmiała (timid)
Website of the Day: http://polish.typeit.org/ [helps with typing Polish letters with accents.]

Todd Packer

Today, I went on a bit of a duck hunt... only this duck is gold, wears a crown, and is a monument. :-P Part of my homework for Polish class was to find this monument and to take its picture. I researched online to find its location and headed there before my afternoon class. It took a while since the weather was not the best (pretty windy, gray sky, a bit chilly, no sunshine) and I decided to just jump on one of the first buses to come in front of my dorm. I took it to a stop close to the Wisla River and used a map to make my way in a somewhat zig-zag fashion to the monument. It took some street crossing and step retracing, but I finally found my ducky and took some photos, before heading back to my dorm for a bit. I emailed the shots to my teacher before watching the end of "Promised Land." The film was not bad, but I wish the ending gave a bit more detail about what happened to the three friends or even a couple of the other characters; there was a progression in time shortly before the conclusion and I was hoping we would hear more about the lives of Karol, Max, and Mauryc (we only really saw that Karol married and had a son, but not much more than that; it seems the other two men are still involved with Karol in business and in friendship, but it is unsaid whether they marry or have children or do anything else). It was not a film that seemed to be enjoyed by the other students, but I would say there were points I liked and points that I did not like, as with any film. All-in-all, I am more neutral than being someone who completely disliked it. Now I am catching up on "The Office" (I guess I only missed one episode when it seems to have been some time since the last time I watched it; I guess it was on vacation, too). Then, I have to pack for my trip tomorrow.

Be sure to check out http://twitpic.com/photos/kab1221 for up-to-date photos, even my golden duck.

There Was Something In The Air That Night...

One more slight schedule change is that my Polish class on Wednesdays is actually 11:40AM until 2:05PM. Everything else is about the same. I don't care so much how Monday through Thursday alters since having Fridays off is something I wish to keep. ;-)

Other recent developments include noticing differences with sweet potatoes/yams. The ones I had today (they are still hard to find - must be the season - since there tend to be very few and tucked into a more exotic produce section at times; they also tend to be more pricey of fruits and vegetables and because they are the "exotic" of the supermarket - even though the sign said they are from Poland - they are usually in places with bigger produce sections and have very few to offer that tend to not look so great - thin, small, dirty, old, damaged, etc.) were darker-skinned than I usually have (somewhat red wine-color), but lighter in flesh (almost yellowy-orange - close to a creamsicle maybe). The taste and texture were pretty much the same as normal.

I received some info from Gosia about postage and mail, so I hope to be able to use the post office soon! It is supposed to be VERY cold the next couple of days at least, so I will see how much I will be able to go outside without freezing my face off and making my nose soak. I checked the movies available at the theatre and not much is out that I would see, so I may hold off on that. The weather only limits my outdoor activity since I tend to try my best at figuring out Metro, tram, bus, etc. lines to make it to farther places without having to be out in bad weather. I still have a lot left to do and to see, so I am excited about all of the options and the idea of checking off some every few days.

Tonight I am catching up on reading and "Community." Maybe I will try to work on my Polish, too. :-P I wonder if sleeping to Polish recordings would miraculously make me improve at speaking and at understanding? One can dream.

Dobranoc. :-*

Threat Level Midnight

Yesterday was much more "wintry" than it has been lately; it was snowy and cold. I can't wait for some warmer weather, which will make going outside a lot easier. Today looks to be about the same.

Yesterday I had two classes and then went to a really good play ("Nasze Klasy"). I learned a lot about history and different relationships (Jew-Pole, Pole-Soviet, etc.) in Poland from the 1930s to 1990s. It was an incredibly strong and moving play. I found out I was the only one in my group who does not use glasses or contacts; I like that my eyes worked from almost the last row as we read English super-titles (I also picked out some actual Polish that I could understand). There was a lot of great acting and memorization by the actors. Some of the scenes were really surprising. Everyone in my program who went seemed to be glad to have gone, even if the subject matter was more sombre and thought-provoking rather than funny and cheerful. Gosia mentioned that one of her other jobs is doing Polish subtitles for movies; we talked about differences between the Polish and English and how sub- or super-titles are made. She is different from my Mom, who complains about discrepancies when she understands the Polish spoken text and it does not match the English sub-titles, because Gosia prefers less text so that reading is easier and the general sense is there (she said that there is a saying of translation being either faithful or beautiful). I said I tried to use what I did not know to learn new words, but it is not as easy when the wording is not as faithful or in a different order and she said that she does the same when trying to learn more German from film. One girl in the group did not understand a lot of the humorous times when she heard the audience laugh (some I picked up on and grinned myself); I wondered why she would even bother trying to understand such a foreign humor to her own... how did she expect Gosia to explain Eastern European/Polish humor in a short, simple answer? She did her best though. I am not sure I would have tried as much if I were asked, but I can be mean. :-P

Not sure what I will do today since the weather is not so great and I have no classes. I do have to pick up some reading from Gosia eventually. Other than that, I am pretty much free until Polish on Monday morning. I have some reading and other homework to do, but not too much luckily. I have just started catching up on more American TV, which I will continue to do ["The Office" was pretty funny and silly.]

I Remember a Soldier Sleeping Next to Me...

"I Wish We Could Open Our Eyes
To See In All Directions At The Same Time
Oh, What A Beautiful View
If You Were Never Aware Of What Was Around You
And It Is True What You Say
That I Live Like A Hermit In My Own Head
But When The Sun Shines Again
I'll Pull The Curtains And Blinds To Let The Light In"
Marching Bands of Manhattan by Death Cab for Cutie

Today the sun was shining and the sky was blue... even when I made it outside! :-D Before I left, I watched a soccer (football, if prefered) game outside my window. I can even sit in my window. :-P The guys playing looked to be middle-aged friends from the area (I would assume), playing for fun and maybe for exercise. As can be seen in my previous post, this weather made it a great day for taking pictures. It was a bit chilly out, so I tried to stick to the sunny-side of streets when outside and did use public transport (hooray for student ID with 90-days!). I rode on the Metro and saw tons of fur coats (some could be faux, of course ;) ). A lot of people were leaving church and the nice weather (plus weekend) meant a lot of people were out on the street. I saw everyone's favorite Panda Bear/Chinese restaurant mascot on Nowy Swiat (one of the best streets ever - so many cool places to visit). I checked out another Empik (this one led to its cafe and a SEPHORA, nice. I had to stay away from the books in English... still have a couple more here to finish plus learning more Polish to do) and saw more gorgeous clothes in store windows while window-shopping (saving money for essentials kept me from further browsing and going inside stores to look at prices. Maybe when better weather comes along I will actual buy something(s)). There is a street food that involves Belgian waffles with toppings (gofry) that might be of interest to some people I know. ;) I could both smell it and see people in line for it. I even saw the fake palm tree here (thought it would be a good day to see it with the blue skies and sunshine - better for pictures than the gray sky I am more used to now).

I think it was yesterday, but there was a guy on the Metro who looked odd; a lot of people were looking at him as he awkwardly tried to sleep on his seat... with blood and Frakenstein-like stitches all over his head... hooligan post-hospital visit maybe? He had on dirty (maybe even blood-stained) clothes. It was a weird sight.

I also found it to be a good day to check out some places I had been meaning to see, such as John Krasinski's possibly ancestral palace/garden grounds (Krasinski Palace & Gardens). I went by the National Opera again. I went back to Golden Terraces Mall; there is a cute cupcake stand there (they are not cheap at 6 PLN each) and I looked at the shirts at Hard Rock Cafe (I have a soft-spot for the local/specific tees they make at each establishment; I did not see any at the Warsaw one. :-( ).

Self-check out - such as at certain grocers - and big bills also make me avoid speaking Polish. :-P I probably should try more sometimes... Once I wanted to make it back to the dorm, of course, the bus I wanted had issues and I had to wait for the next one to come about 20 minutes later (by then it was a bit cold and darkening out). But it is nice seeing the city when the lights come on, especially the rainbow of colors reflecting on the Palace of Culture and Science. :-D I bought more minutes on my phone (provider Heyah! always puts the OutKast song in my head) and I am starting to somewhat understand public transport and the lay-of-the-land... not well, but improving at least. Not becoming worse. ;-) That is where maps come into good usage. I will begin figuring out postage and Skype soon!

I can't wait for Spring! The sunshine and Valentine's Day flowers are making me want the cold wind to go away. I just watched a great "Castle" episode. Last night I finished that "How I Met Your Mother" episode before doing yoga/Pilates/stretching and going to sleep after some noisy neighbors quieted down (or I was just tired enough to fall asleep anyway). Laundry and two classes tomorrow. :-/

"The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you"
Dear Prudence by The Beatles

Riding on the Metro...

Pictures first, details later (I'm in the middle of an episode of "Castle." :-P )

Sweet potatoes. :-D

Electric tea kettle. :-D Tea time coming soon. ;)

John's ancestor?

USA Tri-Fecta: Pizza Hut, KFC, Starbucks

Owl & book love!

National Opera by day

I want to hold your hand.

Krasinski Place

Krasinski Palace

Metal unicorns. :-O

Bag reads: "Gold Digga." I wonder if she knows...

Krasinski Garden

LOVE BAGELS.

My Polish Palm Tree on a sunny, blue-skied day

ELIZABETH

Gofry (on the top right of the menu) = waffles with toppings (I think Jenn might enjoy them)

Not as good as the one at the mall, but still a favorite

TKMAXX = TJMAXX? Why the letter change...?

Uhhh, underground tunnel areas can be strange. Even weirder when you are in these places near drunks or children

Frozen desserts, beautified

Poles know how to display ice cream and sorbet

Polish ice cream

McDonalds makes ketchup now?

Sweet. Potatoes. They were hiding from me. ;) They are not so cheap here right now. :-/

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT

http://www.nataliedee.com/020811/

So, I have been trying to catch up on some shows that I have missed since being TV-less and outside the US (which makes finding shows online a bit more difficult with HULU and network websites - NBC, ABC, etc. - being unavailable out of America). Today I had the time to actually search the Internet and wait a bit for loading in order to watch some TV shows.

Best luck I've had so far has been with Sidereel.

http://www.sidereel.com/

I have caught up on two episodes of "The Office" (they were pretty good! I quite enjoyed Michael with the puppies. :) I like Michael-Holly and I'm pretty sure keeping them together will be part of how Steve Carell will exit the series.) and one episode of "Modern Family" (always great). I think I have left the rest of NBC Thursday shows ("Parks & Recreation," "Community," "30 Rock," "Outsourced," maybe "Perfect Couples"), two SNLs, one episode of "Castle," maybe "L&O:SVU," "Lie To Me," maybe "The Soup," maybe travel and cooking shows, and a "How I Met Your Mother" that I am about to view.