Giedre tyttö Ozista

Before & After

They're about to finish the construction on the other side of our house, but they're just starting this one - right outside of our bedroom window.. Damn the development, damn the civilization and damn the sick drive for "growth" and "making things better"... Its ok during the week, because its already dark when we get home, but on weekends really gets down on us, - how ugly and disgusting humans may be. When they starting tearing down the abandoned house, there was still a lot of green around, we thought (we hoped) that they will respect and keep the old mature trees (many of them were fruit trees!), but no.. Aparently they have some other plans, probably something more "resort style", maybe palm trees and stuff.. I still don't understand why they need to scrape every living green thing from the Earth surface..

In Lithuanian classic literature we have one story (that every child reads in school) about an old wise sheppard who is very good with the animals and kids and is an adorable person in many ways. He has a special relationship with one tree in the village (the tree hosts many bird nests, gives shadow and is huge!). One day the neighbour, that owns the land where the tree grows, cuts it down. The sheppard is so broken hearted that he dies soon after. He says that "if the times have changed so, that people can kill so huge and magnificent trees just like that, there's nothing for me to do in this world anymore." Oh how I share this sentiment with skerdzius Lapinas... If it was up to me, this place would still be a jungle.. Just can't bear to see this destruction...

We're stuck in this apartment till September, but thereafter, I'd just like to pack and leave.. Oh, did I mention the construction noise and dust? Baaah...

Nyt me ihan oikeasti karsimme kulttuurin shokkin. Kaj paljon enemman (ja aikaisemmin) kuin mina, mutta nykyaina minakin naen miten ihmiset teke asiat ja en enaa ajattele etta "ne teke asiat erilla tavalla", mutta vain "ne teke asiat vaaralla tavalla".. :) Kaitsulle on pahempaa, koska hanen toissa ihmiset myos teke kaikki "vaaralla tavalla", mun toissa vain meidan johtaja kaytaytyy vahan oudosti, mutta mun kokkonainen tyoporukka on aina yhdessa ja kaikkea vastaan.. :)

Katsotiin kaitsun kansa leffan "A World Without Thieves". Jos teilla on mahdolisuus, katsokaa. Varmasti te vihdytte, mutta me melkein itkimme, koska se niin tarkasti kuvaa kiinalaistyylin managementia ja ihmissuhdeita ja kaikkea... Ikava! Arvakaa missa Kaitsu on nyt, suununtai iltapaivalla? Ei.. Vaarin.. Se ei maakaa puulin vieressa.. Se on toissa, parka..

Mun hermot useampi mene kun ma luen lehtea.. Taalla on sellainen kasitys etta valtio saa paata, suunnittella ja ohjaa melkein kaikki. Esimerkiksi nyt Leijonakaupunki pitaisi jotenkin kehitta "x-faktorin". Mita se on? Oletteko koskaan kuuleet sellaista "x-faktorista"? Ei? Ei minakin.. Se on jotain "intangible" mika teke paikkan erikoiseksi. Esimerkiksi new yorkilla ja Tokyolla on "x-faktori". Siis Leijonakaupungille nyt taytyy yritta rakenta sen (luuletteko etta NY ja Tokyossa jotkut saanolisesti kehittivat "x-faktorin"?) Kaikki hirveasti ajattelle miten siita vois rakenta. Jotkut sanoo etta Leijonakaupunki ei oo tarpeeksi siisti, siis pitais siivotta enemman. Toiset sanoo etta pitaisi rakenta 2 lisaa shopping mallia Orchard kadulla (jos te olette kayneet talla, taa idea varmasti kuulosta ihan naurettavalta, tassa kauppoja on enemman kuin hiuksia minun paassa (he he, helsingissa on varmasti vahemman kuin hiuksia Kaitsun paassa.. no offence man, just a nice analogy.. :) Mutta hallinto nyt kovasti selitta kuinka tama uusi kasino on tarpeetomaton rakentamaan "x-faktoria". Kuinka se uusi kasino toisi milijonia turisteija ja kuinka se luosi tuhansia tyopaikkoja.. Ja niin pois pain..

Vaikka kaikki ministerit jo tekivat paatoksen (rakenetaan kasinon tai ei) ja koko ajan puhu kuinka siita pitaisi rakenta, ne ei ole ilmoittanut viralisesti tasta paatoksesta ihmisille. Huomenna, maanantaina ne ilmoita ja selita.. Silla valilla ne vain heitta viitseija ja pitaa salaisen ilmion naamassa. Yksi ministeri sai uuden idean ja suunnan: "Tama keskustelu pitaisi keskeytya tyopaikojen luomisessa. Kysymys on - onko meilla mahdolisuus luoda uusia tyopaikkoja ilman kasinoa? Tama on kaikkien tarkein kysymys." Jumala autaa!!!

On the lighter tone - last Friday we had a 15th anniversary party at my work. We had about 1000 people having dinner and "entertainment" in one of the posh hotels in town.

Of course, part of the "entertainment" was dragging unsuspecting people onto the stage and making them do stupid things. And, of course, of course, I didn't have any doubts that I will be on the stage at some point (out of 1000 people, of course, they cannot miss me..) See? (I didn't include any dance moves here (on purpose), Kaj says that he will not be able to meet my colleagues anymore, because he "lost face" ha ha) And for all my effort I didn't receive any prize or gift.. Nothing.. :)

But otherwise it was fun. It was the first time that I had a 10 course Chinese dinner - dishes are brought in one by one, everybody shares and you get your portion in a tiny plate. It was the best Chinese food that I ever had.

I'm taking some leave during next 2 weeks and heading to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand next Wednesday. Kaj can't get off work, so it will be my first trip in Asia "aall by myyyseeelffff". Lets see how it goes, its supposed to be very interesting, you can visit hill tribes, go trekking and there's a lot of temples, ancient architecture and culture (he he..:). But as there's no ocean and beach, Kaj is not interested (plus he doesn't have any holiday, poor man..). I'm sure it will be fine, I've been to Thailand before and people are kind, tourist infrastructure is well developed, food is good, massage is the best in the world.. It'll be fun. I'll probably have internet access and write something from there, so stay tuned! (Btw, you can fly to Chiang Mai both ways for 100 dollars = 50 euros!!! And it is some 3000km away..)