Claustrophobickeria

Through much trial and error and seeking out of uncomfortable situations I have successfully identified a real fear of Claustrophobickeria.

Claustrophobia:  The fear of having no escape and being closed in small spaces or rooms.

Bickering:  Petty quarreling. Usually considered a childish behaviour, although often applied to adults.

Claustrophobia + Bickering = Claustrophobickeria

Dante - looking forward to his birthday!!!

Pula, Istria, Croatia

I am short on words...

Pula. Coliseum. Temple. Gate.

Lovely. Just lovely.

Rovinj, Istria, Croatia

Spent a cloudy and breezy afternoon in the stunning, charming, delightful city Rovinj.

Check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_Vph2n9ZhY&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Column: Keep America weird

This article is best (and most entertaining) explanation about the mandate I have read to date.

Column: Keep America weird

http://usat.ly/QZngqm

Grožnjan, Istria, Croatia

We went to visit Grožnjan. An amazing little city that is the home of many many local artists!

The towns earliest "stones" date back to 536 AD.

Check out this little video (note the sea in the back ground).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_f52vSMEK0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I had a rakija (brandy) called Ruža (made somehow with roses playing a part - how ... No one knew... But it tasted - and looked - lovely.

Istria - day 2 & 3

Tajci and I (and cousin Duda) drove to Zagreb at 6am yesterday. The GPS (normally my best friend) went craxy and gave us the run around (kept taking us towards Italy).

We arrive to Zagreb late, stressed, tired and hungry. Ran around doing interviews all day and then back to Istria around 7pm (arriving at 10:30pm - tired).

Got up, did homework with kids, worked a bit and then the boys and i played in the pool.

Blais was riding a bike in the yard a bit as well.

We are going to Porič in a bit to give Ivica his car back (he loaned it to us 'cause it is faster and has AC). We will look around, swim and then head to Motovun and other hill towns.

What a life!!!!

What is a master?

Someone just passed this on to me in relation to failure - I wanted to share it with you.

"A master is a person who has made every possible mistake in one very focused field of expertise."

And now Istria!!

52474 Verteneglio, Banisters, Karigador, Croatia

Packed up slowly - Duda (Tajci's awesome and hilarious cousin) showed up around noon and we took off.

Arrived around 3pm to an AMAZING PLACE.

I haven't seen much but it seems that Istria is similar to Zagria (fertile land) coupled with Dalmatia (the sea).

So far - so great!!

Failure is relative

I have a fascinating topic of conversation that seems to come up every couple of days (in Croatia):
Failure.

The fear of failure is very very serious. It seems that failure is seen as a permanent mark - reflects upon the family etc.

In my experience in America I believe failure is viewed MUCH differently. I grew up with stories of various grand and great grand parents and uncles trying every possible endeavors. The "failures" seemed only to clarify the persons fortitude, good humor and tenacity.

How many of us were taught about Abe Lincoln losing every conceivable election - and then winning the Presidency.

I was reminded of these conversations when I stumbled across this quote:

__________________
A man is not finished when he's defeated; he's finished when he quits.

Sljeme by bike

I was feeling a little claustrophobic yesterday and decided that after the kids finished homework and judo I'd take off for a bike ride.

I wanted to ride to Sljeme but wasn't sure of the way... fortunately it is the only mountain and generally if you are going UP you are more than likely going correct.

I took off around 1pm (maybe 1:30).  Rode to the Center.   Then the Cathedral.  Then found the street I was pretty sure went the right way.  Then rode generally uphill.  Then found a little market and bought bread, meat and cheese from the deli (they didn't and wouldn't sell me a sandwich).  Then I found my way to the 'fountain' I'd seen the previous week (with Ivica when we walked to mass).  I asked around but couldn't get a good answer on 'where is the bike trail'.  Found myself in the woods on a very small barely walkable trail pushing the bike (truly no idea where I was but kept heading in the general 'up' direction.  Took a break to think and tried calling Goran for advise (go back... or?)  Then saw a human head FLY by me about 50 yards away.  Knew it much be someone on a bike.  Walked with bike through the woods - found the bike trail and proceeded 'up'.  Walked and rode (about 50/50) to the top. Took quite a while.  Made it to the tippy top and ate a nice bowl of soup.  Was cold, tired and very stiff.  Started home. Took trails - hard to see obstacles due to leaves.  Exciting decent.  Harder physically than expected due to huge need of alertness and tensed to react.  Crashed once - not badly.  Made it down.  Rode to center. Sat and read and people watched.  Rode slowly home.  Showered.  Tajci was very tired so I went out with Goran and Ivanica and talked till around midnight.

Very good day.  Google maps says approx. 22.3 km (one way).  Works out to approx. 27 miles.  1/2 up. 1/2 down.

I will edit my little clips into one video later.

I gave up ...

I just HAD to have something hotter than pepper :)

Old world ... other world

I have to put this down.  I have been talking to Stefica about distances and her father and the way she grew up.  I finally got the bright idea of opening google maps and finding the places and distances (and saving them).

This is a map from her village Vrbno to Lepoglava.  Her father WALKED this route (13.7 km, 2 hours 49 mins) each morning - worked all day - and WALKED home.

It is hard to fathom (and hard to believe) when it is just stories from another time ... but when I look at it in google it is somehow more real!

There is one more that I literally was struggling with the physical possibility of the stories.  It seems that for generations people walk to their local Marian Shrines for "Mali Gospa" (little Mamma - Annunciation) and "Velica Gospa" (big Mamma - Assumption) and in petition (and thanks) for special requests.

Stefica's mother would take her by her hand and for eighteen years of her life (from when she was a baby till she was married) walk with her and her seven brothers and sisters AND ENTIRE VILLAGE to Marija Bistrica.  44.5 kilometers.  They walked from around 10pm till they arrive.  Attended mass (and other stuff I am not clear about) and then walked home.  Everyone seems to agree they sang along the way.  Also that the communists tried very hard to get this process to stop but were unsuccessful.  

And thus - long before - Medjugorie - this country had a very deep and strong love of the Blessed Mother.