Emergency Ward 10

Added on 04 December 2008

A couple of weeks ago I hurt my hand. I knew instantly that A) it was bloody sore and B) there was probably a cracked bone in there. However, I'm A) a bloke, and therefore naturally reluctant to give myself up to the medical profession and B) living in Poland, and therefore even more reluctant to gi...

It Happened In Slovakia

Added on 03 December 2008

The one benefit of sitting in traffic every morning on the way to school is being able to listen to the World Service, so that the kids can learn from a young age just how stupid and fucked up our planet is. The little jingle that plays every five minutes or so during the morning news has the same f...

The Miffyanic Legacy - Part 1

Added on 02 December 2008

What is it that connects an internationally popular children’s character to a dark and secretive society intent on enslaving Europe in a Soviet-style dictatorship? Probably nothing, but read on anyway. My Ethnic Polish Friend (EPF) has recently translated three Miffy books into Polish to intro...

An Incredibly Exciting Business Update

Added on 01 December 2008

On the box of the jigsaw which I currently have sitting on the kitchen table for moments of stress and existential angst, the people at Ravensburger have written: doing a puzzle is a bit like doing yoga exercise.... a very welcome relaxation from your daily routine. There are another couple of sente...

Don't Bring Me Down

Added on 28 November 2008

A bleak, crappy, depressive morning. Too much laundry, too many books to send off, too much paperwork and too many dishes to wash and endless crap piled up everywhere and books to write and songs to fine tune. One of those days when it feels like someone is tightening a knot on your brain. This may ...