Catching Up

This past two weeks life has been getting busier and busier, and I have trouble finding an hour here or there to write about all that has been going on. Apparently long Saturday mornings and even longer Sunday evenings are the only time when I can spare a couple of hours and sit down to scribble a bit.  I guess I really should take a time-management course, because minutes,  hours, and days are slipping through my fingers ever so fast,  and in no time I will find myself in 2012…

Anyway, in the past two weeks I 

got hold of my new glasses, and had fun reenacting Jess's "Hot guy alert" move in New Girl

took long walks and played tourist downtown, and - once again - fell in love with chilly but beautiul winterish Budapest

played paparrazi and shot people who had the luck of taking the places by the window

enjoyed the last colorful days of autumn in the city

went to browse books in Red Bus, and couldn't resist purchasing a couple of volumes

started focusing on portrait photographing again - because, you know, people are the most interesting subjects

listened to my mates' guitar jam, and got the chance to take a few nice macro shots of their instruments

was taken to a secret wool/yarn-store, where I got breathless looking at all those beautiful and colorful yarns

found the perfect beret hat.  I feel very much like a bohemian French painter-girl when I'm wearing it. Well, after all, I'd like to think of myself as a bohemian Hungarian writer-wannabe, so maybe I'm not so far from the truth?

enjoyed another lazy and sunny Saturday in the city walking around on the streets of District 8, finding fascinating details in the architecture

also started going to the cinema regularly again, and attending Saturday afternoon showings are becoming a tradition, that I enjoy fairly much,

and I am taken back officially into the hostel; hence, I'm no homeless, neither theoretically nor practically. I guess my so called adult-life is all on track now, finally!

 

Random (and Neat) Moments of Tumblr Happiness

The following post is dedicated to pure egotism, vanity, and pride. So please excuse my attutide. Yet, what's a personal blog supposed to be about, if not ME ME ME, eh?

On that nice Saturday morning when I went pumpkin hunting with Csilla, then found the perfect candidate, and turned him into our very own Tóbiás, I took quite a few photos of the pumpkin carving process. As I was playing around with my camera, and shooting His Great Pumpkinness from all angles, a blog called Things Organized Neatly popped into my mind. Have you heard about this site? Well, if you haven't you should definitely check it out, as they post rather unique, and often very creative photos of things that are organized exceptionally neatly. I have been following this page for quite some time, and admiring the photos, because, you know, they are so very neat. So as Csilla and co. was carving the pumpkin and I was fiddling around with my favorite toy, the neatest of all neat thoughts has occurred to me: why not organize neatly this not so messy mess we gathered up while creating Tobiás? Now that would be really very creative, not to mention, how neat! Oh, and how unique! I had never seen a picture like that before. I got utterly excited, and could hardly pace my fingers from clicking the shutter button six gazillion times, while I couldn't help but think: am I a creative genius or what?

I ended up with the following photograph. It's quite neat, isn't it?

Then I uploaded it to my photoblog and submitted to Things Organized Neatly. A couple of days later I went back to the latter blog to check whether they decided to post it, but not really hoping much. To my greatest surprise, they did post the photo. As a matter of fact, shortly after it was posted it already had 1600+ notes, meaning that more than 1600 people have liked and/or reblogged my photo. If you are not familiar with the tumblr-universe (and not as addicted to it as I am), you should know (or I should think) that a photo that has over a thousand notes counts as a fairly popular one, so it's sort of a big deal. Especially to me, and especially since my photos hardly ever reach the threshold of 50 notes. So it may sound ridiculous, but having my photo published on such a well-known and popular site as Things Organized Neatly, and having 1600+ notes is a big deal and great success to me.  In fact, it's probably the greatest success I have ever achieved with my photos. Being over the moon for gaining 1600+ notes may also sound ridiculous (or pathetic even?), but since this is the age of likes and dislikes (oh, how I wish this lájking and diszlájking things would be over already!), this most certainly can be a measure of success. (Or I would like to think so.)

Anyhow, as of today, the above mentioned photo has 1900+ notes, and still counting. 

 

(The only thing I feel a teeny bit negative about is that my name or the url of my photoblog was never mentioned in TON's post, it was an anonymous submission. I should have payed more attention to sticking my name into the corner of the photo. Lesson learned for life. [By the way, thank you Árpi for the compliment regarding the ©!])

And another random moment of tumblr happiness: someone complimenting me while reblogging my photo. Ever so flattering.:)

When I grow up, I want to a photographer.

I think.

No. I know. 

Because this is love, true love, my friends.

...and that's the end of today's edition of Vanity Fair.:)

2 years, 1 week, and 3 days

...ago, in the mist of one lazy autumn break and craving for productivity I started this very blog. Then one week and three days ago, on a beautfiul autumn Wednesday Scriboholic and its random thoughts celebrated its 2nd birthday, and turned from a baby into a toddler. But I was so busy living and enjoying life that I could never scrape up  the few minutes to wish it a happy birthday. So now, one week and three days later, on a crispy Saturday morning, in the mist of one lazy autumn break I am wishing Scriboholic a

Happy Belated Birthday!

May your next 2 years, 1 week, and 3 days be as jolly, colorful, creative,  and eventful (and maybe a little less stressful and a little more productive?) as the past 741 days have been!

In the Past Two Weeks

...life has gotten a lot busier than it had been in the previous months. I have started (or at least tried) to worry  less, enjoy life again, hanging out and going out with friends more, exploring the city, attending exhibitions, going to the cinema, roaming the streets, seizing the day, you know.:)

• Where the hell is Matt was in town and we went to see him. My friends danced along with the enormous crowd that gathered at Halászbástya, while I did the photographing part.

• Then on our way home, as we were walking down to Moszkva tér from the castle, we bumped into a huge container with a massive bunch of books in it, all left behind and abandoned. Poor old, abandoned books! We stopped right there, without the slightest doubt crossing our minds, Zsö jumped into the bin and we dug in... Then the best, most interesting volumes we carried home with us. I still wonder why would anyone throw out their books in such a fashion? Why didn't they put them in a cardboard box and leave them by the bin?

• As the weather has turned colder and more autumnish, I witnessed some really pretty, crispy, and foggy mornings. 

• Then one Saturday morning I went pumpkin hunting with my friend Csilla. We discovered a new market (well, the market itself isn't so new, but it is for us...) where they sell all sorts of marvellous Cserpes products. I am completely taken aback by Cserpes goodies, especially their Trudi and flavoured yogurts. I'll surely make almost-daily pilgrimages to the place. (Which is Cédrus Piac on Örs vezér tere.)

• Then once we put our hands on the most handsome pumpkin, we turned him into the most handsome jack-o-lantern, and named him Tóbiás. Unfortunately Tobiás has passed away since then, may him rest in peace. Still, he lived a short but utterly happy life, during which he was loved and admired by an entire floor of university students. Isn't he simply gorgeous?

 

• I discovered a new cafe with my friend Joci. Well, actually - just like in the case of the market - the place itself isn't so new, but it was a new experience for us. It's Szatyor on Bartók Béla street, which used to be Karinthy's haunt. It seemed like a lighter, a bit more sophisticated edition of Csendes. 

• I also went to Sugar Shop, the design confectionary around Oktogon, with my friends Meli and Anita, where we treated ourselves with some truly tastebud-watering and heavenly cakes. (This place definitely deserves its own post!)

• In the spirit of Halloween and as October was the month of the pumpkin, Meli and I made pumpkin pie, a delicacy I had wanted to try for a long time. Unfortunately it ended up being kind of a disappointment. No, actually, it was a definite disappointment. But I'm still not sure what went wrong: did I use the wrong kind of condensed milk? Did I use too little sugar or too much spicing? The taste just wasn't good, that's for sure.

• I went to see Into the Wild which is (one of) my favorite movie(s), but surely the most inspiring one I have ever seen. I admire it, but I hadn't seen it in the cinema, on the big screen yet. Every once in a while they do show it in random cinemas, but somehow I always let my last chance slip by. Well, this time, I didn't miss my chance. And how glad I am, I didn't! I still find Into the Wild an exceptionally beautiful, breathtaking film, not to mention its perfect soundtrack by Eddie Vedder.

photo via google images

• I also attended the Wold Press Photo exhibition in Néprajzi Múzeum. As you can assume I enjoy going to photo exhibitions, and this was a truly exceptional and inspiring one, grabbing attention and casting light on devastating natural disasters, catastrophies, and religious and civil wars that occured in the world in 2010. There were such tremendous and breathtaking photos that they even brought tears into my eyes. (There were some pretty funny ones too, as you can see from the photo below.)

photo via

• After the exhibition I took part in the demonstration against the new educational bill/law. It was the first demonstration I have ever attended or taken photos of. The whole event was completely peaceful and free of political manifestation; yet, I had been sort of nervous about the demonstration turning into a violent fight against the authorities. Luckily, it did not. Nevertheless, I feel know that I have to toughen it up if I ever want to become serious about photojournalism. Anyhow, let's hope that the demonstration will be effective, and the next generation will also have the chance to attend college without being punished for wanting to get an education.

• I had some new glasses made. Fortunately, my eyes did not get worse, I just got bored of my old rim. The pair I am getting is not the exact same pair as in the picture, but something very similar. (And please excuse that odd expression I am wearing on my face.) (A photo may come later.)
  
  And now all I need is the perfect red beret hat to be ready for winter.:)

          And snow, of course, snow. I need lots and lots of snow!

Happy Halloween Ya'll!

Am I only imagining it, or is Halloween really a bigger deal this year than previously, especially in Hungary? Both my facebook and tumblr dashboard, and, of course, google reader stream are full of pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and all sorts of spooky and orange things. I don't mind it at all, but I don't remember Halloween being so all-over-the-place last year. Or am I mistaken?

(FYI: New posts are under construction, both in my mind & on the pages of my notebook.)

Last Week in Pictures

On Tuesday afternoon I felt like dragging myself out of the previously mentioned drudgery. I just felt like I needed some creative-time and some cheering up, so I decided to take a photowalk downtown. I ended up on Ferenc Körút, where I wandered down into the underground and started shooting. Have I mentioned how much I love the underground? I think it's pure perfection. I don't think I will ever get bored of photographing the underground and all the other means of public transportation. Metro cars, trams, buses, trollies, and ships simply mesmerize me!

On Wednesday - in the pursuit of finding the older, more cheerful me, I went to Red Bus, which is still my favorite second hand book shop. Naturally, the original plan was only to browse the books. Yet, as usual, I could resist anything but the temptation of purchasing a few books...

Then in the afternoon I fooled around with my camera in the dorm, and took a couple of shots of Zsö that I actually like. Is that pure creativity or what?

 

On Thursday I had a few rather annoying errands that I had to run and get done; but to my great surprise, I found Pajtás, the canteen-style restaurant which was featured in my favorite Hungarian film, Moszkva tér. This restaurant has been open for decades, and its social realistic style (you know, good old szocreál menza) had hardly changed until Pajtás was recently refurbished. Nevertheless, it is still on my list of Must go & try out places. Obviously, the experience would have been more Moszkva tér-like had I found it and went to Pajtás before the refurbishment, but you know, better late than never. 

Friday - as it has become usual lately - was all about  getting my lessons done in the morning, then running like Forrest Gump to catch my train. Once I was at home again in the comfort of our warm and cosy flat, creativity hit me again. I wrote a poem, or at least its first raugh draft. (A photo may come later.)

Saturday afternoon the weather was perfect autumnish, and - once again - I felt inspired to be creative, and create something. So I decided to go on a photo walk in the park nearby. However, by the time I got ready, and arrived at the park  all the sunshine had already disappeared and bright and crispy autumn was nowhere to be found... Nevertheless, I walked on, and looked for the interesting details.

Then all of a sudden I bumbed into an enormous pile of SNOW!!! Can you imagine my surprise? I was completely taken aback! ...then a moment later I realized that it wasn't actual, real snow, it was only fake-snow, or rather ice from the ice-rink right behind the pile.

I also came across some interesting graffities.

On Sunday I went to see my Grandma who surprised me with some marvellous strudels.  

It was absolutely yummy!

...and now let's see what this week will bring to me, or rather what I shall bring into this week.

The First Sentence Is The Hardest...

...and it sucks the most, but here it goes:

So, I guess, once again I try to gather myself and start writing after an entire month of putting the darn thing off. I will probably play the game of catching up in this post, as I still don't feel like writing, and have the feeling of nothing to say. Or maybe my mind is just simply too numb and too lazy to start thinking again? Yep, that is so, most likely.

photo via

Anyhow, September listened to my begging, and he was, indeed, pretty kind to me. Even though I still live unofficially in the dorm (so I should probably not be blogging about it, but hardly anyone reads this blog anyway), I do have a roof over my head and a proper bed under my butt every night, so technically I am not homeless. Yet, my rooming situation is as unstable as it can be, so I have spent the last six weeks nine months stressed out (and still counting). Let's hope my situation will finally be resolved in the next couple of weeks, and I can get rid of that sick up my butt at last. 

On work front things have most certainly got better, as  I have a number of new students now, I give about 12 lessons per week, plus I have a couple of private students as well. (But I could definitely take a few more. If you want me to teach you English, drop me a line. I'm the best teacher EVA! Seriously! I will charm you with my marvellous fake British accent right on the spot!) So at least I don't have to worry (too much) about money. Yet, life has started to resemble to some sort of a drudgery in which from Tuesday till Friday I get up in the morning worn-out, get ready and dressed, get my lessons done without taking any effort to make them the slightest bit more interesting or entertaining, go back to the dorm, have lunch, sleep in the afternoon or get stuck in front of the internet, I give a couple of more lessons in the afternoon if I have to, go straight back to the dorm, have dinner, then get stuck in our lounge/dining room and do nothing but hang out (meaning: sit and stare out of my numb mind) until about midnight when I finally climb back into bed. Fun routine, isn't it? Especially when my days are spiced up by unbearable migraines and insomnia.

Then on Friday, right after my lessons are done in the early afternoon I rush to Keleti, hop on the train, and come home. I have been home every single weekend in the last month and a half - a habit I had never had before. Since I don't teach on Mondays, I only go back to Budapest on Monday evening, but the only thing I have been doing on Mondays is getting on the train and going back to the dorm, therefore, Mondays have been completely omitted from my life recently. They have become a second Sunday of some sort when I really don't do anything useful. 

Anyway, my point is, that I have grown rather numb in this drudgery since early September. It feels like I have been hibernated, like my entire life has been put on hold.  But when will the on hold-mode end? When shall I de-hibernate myself? And how? I know I should gather myself, and start doing some things other than going to work, giving a few lessons, rushing home, and spending long hours in front of the bloody internet. What bothers me the most though, is that I have also developed a surfeit of words. What I mean is that I just cannot read. This is not the first time I am experiencing this, so I know this shall pass too, yet, it is so so annoying. It occurs when I had read too much in a short period of time,  when my mind puts out the sign of "Full up! Please wait patiently until there is some free space again." 

Nevertheless, I have an enormous "To Be Read" pile of books on my shelf, but I just cannot read them, I am fed up with words, lines, and lines, and endless lines of letters. I cannot get lost in them, there's no story that could grab my attention, that could entertain me, or simply capture me for even the shortest amount of time, for that matter. Hence I have to take all the fascinating volumes back to the library, all unread. Now, taking back books unread to the library is one of the saddest and most disappointing feelings I have ever experienced.

So, until I have the hunger for words again, I will only look at the pictures in the magazines, and read no articles or books; and, naturally, I have to find some other means of entertainment. Thank God the proper, real Autumn has finally arrived with its marvellous shades, colors, lights, crispiness, chilliness, and bright blue skies! Autumn is the season that inspires me and warms my soul the most. Isn't it just splendid? I hope it will help me find my way back to the old(er) me: the previous, less bored and boring, more fun, entertaining, and creative me.

Henceforth, I am going to try to live at least slightly larger and make my life a bit more fun, entertainment and culture-filled, because I miss the good old days of carpe diem, outside of the drudgery. 

"I don’t have many friends, not the living, breathing sort at any rate. And I don’t mean that in a sad and lonely way; I’m just not the type of person who accumulates friends or enjoys crowds. I’m good with words, but not spoken kind; I’ve often thought what a marvelous thing it would be if I could only conduct relationships on paper. And I suppose, in a sense, that’s what I do, for I’ve hundreds of the other sort, the friends contained within bindings, pages after glorious pages of ink, stories that unfold the same way every time but never lose their joy, that take me by the hand and lead me through doorways into worlds of great terror and rapturous delight. Exciting, worthy, reliable companions—full of wise counsel, some of them—but sadly ill-equipped to offer the use of a spare bedroom for a month or two." Kate Morton 

via Zsö and booklover