Already for more than a month unusual frosty winter remain! I remember when I was 9 – 10 year old boy such kind of winter was most common thing, but nowadays is rarity to see deep heaps of snows in our latitudes. I take advantage of this and about 2 or 3 times a weak go skiing on skiing track of Rīgas Uzvaras parks. Next month i plan to take part of couple competitions. In 6-th of February Skiing of Apkārt Alaukstam and in 21-st of February Skiing of Sigulda will occur. Skiing of Apkārt Alaukstam is most exited form me. I remember 10 – 15 years ago I take part of this even every year. A lots of inhabitants of Vecpiebalga including my classmates emulate between each other and then walked around corridors of school and showed off, after master of physical training marked him three tens in his diary. .

New year came in my job with new unpleasant surprises, for example there is no health insurance anymore which gave me 100% discount in sports clubs, now my only physical activity is skiing and I hope frosty weather remain 2 or 3 month more. But health insurance actually is smaller matter, biggest worry is about my job responsibilities and salary. Considering of decreased budget of Riga city a lot’s of people is fired from job, and those who stay are forcing now to work with lower salary.

Few weeks ago rumor was spread in our office rooms. Starting from New Year there will not be available health insurance anymore. Just a month was remained till New Year and of course like as everyone as I wanted to take advantage of bonuses that is left available. I make a registration to dentist and orthopedist with an idea to get assignment to rehabilitation center of Jaunkemeri. Our health insurance provides 150 lats limit of concrete measures of rehabilitation. I was lucky with orthopedist. He was nice fellow and sign assignment without the questions. After a several more formalities with insurance company I was on my way to Jūrmala ready to different health improving procedures.
Rehabilitation continues 6 days and now is annual evening when I play video game, read book, watch TV, write something in English or do something else. Here is no internet and I am forced to write in simple MS word document. To be more exact here is an internet but it is available only near registration area on two very slow looking PC’s and price is just awful – 2 lats per hour.
After checking here in Jaunkemeri I should visited two more doctors to establish my diagnose. Actually I am not too ill as it seems, I only have small injury in bottom of my legs. Different procedures had set up for me, for example mud applications, swimming pool, magnet therapy, gymnastic, fitness, sulphureted bathtubs, underwater massage, which was charged procedure and I have to pay additional 10 lats for it. Procedures is very enjoyable, and I certainly feel much better.
Feed here is for free, breakfast, dinner and supper, but portions is too small for me, luckily one of my coworker after procedures go home to Riga often in the afternoon and then she go back in next morning to procedures. We sit at one kitchen table so her portion then goes to me . Every resident here live in double rooms, I don’t know maybe few single rooms is available but they wasn’t offer to me. I live with guy named Jurijs. I am talking with him in Russian and he lived and worked in Norway last 3 or 4 years and came to Latvia to treat his hand. Jurijs is big chatterbox. Mainly he talks about his life and work in Norway, how he lost his job there, about Norway’s and Finland’s nature. He showed me thousands of pictures of Norway’s nature and his exjob area. He even demonstrated PC software for me, which is used in his exjob. Software is about how to model different components of steal. He often talks about how bad is here in Latvia and how good is there in Norway or Finland. I notice that is recently quite popular subject between many peoples.
Only 2 days left here in Jaunķemeri for me. Ice hockey game Latvia vs Denmark will show by TV in this evening. TV set here is much smaller than my previous one in old flat, so it will be difficult to spot something. Maybe I change my mind and will go and play with another’s coworkers some card game in the opposite room. During those days here in Jaunkemeri there was a lot of snow fallen. Finally! Definitely I will be on skies this Saturday and rushing around skiing track of Torņakalns.

My coworker Arnis called me about two month ago, and offers to hire his one-room flat for acceptable price. I agree together with Elza to see around his flat.  Initially flat was under construction and there was no quite vision of what will it looks like. But my friend Arnis promised that all be all right. I imagined that it was much better for me considering the flat which i hire already, isn’t in best condition and prize is a little bit higher.

A big flat TV set was my biggest eagerness for a long time, but my exflat’s furniture arrangement was too oppressive for new TV set and, instead i have to bear discomfort of old small Russian made TV set and TV signal was as terrible as i should seat about 1,5 m away from television tube to watch ice hockey game.  Straight away i started looking for different kind of TV set models for my new dwelling place.  My requirements were FULL HD, 42 inch diagonal, USB input and prize under 500 Lats.  I started looking for cheapest Samsung and LG TV sets, because Gastonz already have LG one and recognized as good one.  After a week of searching I decided to choose Panasonic Viera TX-P42S10E. And partly I was assured by this guy.

In despite of higher price comparing with LG and others,  with similar equipment Panasonic had very sharp and warm colors.  Maybe is this because Panasonic is plasma TV set!

When TV set were bought, necessity of FULL HD player appeared.  Initially I was ready to purchase new home cinema equipment, but then I change my mind and bought new laptop Acer Aspire 5738, with powerful Pentium Dual Core 2.1 CPU and ATI M Radeon HD 4530 VGA

When was time to checking into new flat, Arnis still renovated it.  Some paint bucket and brushes was placed in the kitchen and was not taken away till next day of living there. There was no kitchen cabinets at all only one top of the table of kitchen with several table legs.  So I already ordered my own kitchen cabinets. But in general flat is very nice and comfortable, much better than previous one. I hope Arnis will allow me to live there more than one year in spite of contract that we signed to one year.

My friends to salt-bred evening will be invited only after my new kitchen will be setting up.

Yesterday I had an opportunity to attend Marylin Manson concert in arena Riga. Thanks to Maris, who gave me 2 tickets one day before. He apparently didn’t prefer that kind of music . And I didn’t either, but some of Manson’s song’s is quite close to my heart, especially stunners like Sweat Dreams, Rock is dead, Coma white, This is the New Shit. I started listen Manson’s music in the time when I lived in RTU hostel together with Martiņš, who often used to heard Manson. I am quite home-sitter person commonly, that’s way the last time when I attended such foreigner artist was 3 or 4 years ago, when band Rasmus sang on stage of Mežparks.
I and Elza were a little bit late and there was already warm up band took a floor. Then we took our seats and after warm up group there was quite long break, when stage for Manson was going to prepared. After a while, black Devil comes out and some sickly fans almost fall unconscious. Honestly, I don’t like stage artists, hard rockers like Manson, but he is unique showman and awesome personality and definitely earn my respect. I had a quiver on my skin in some moments how awful and fearful he was. Of course the pronunciation of Manson was way of perfect and even when I knew words of some song, I didn’t quite understood what he sang about. But it’s understandable, I even wander how he could spoke a word after such mad screaming.
Of course it’s a last time when I attend Manson concert, but he leaved great impression on me!

To make life more colorful I spent some time with fotoshop and create new background image for my blog. I realized I have a lack of images and it’s hard to choose quality images which could be useful for web design. Maybe it’s time to by such photo camera, to cultivate my hidden designer and artist talent . Of course this is not a final version and as soon as I get proper images, I will try to make some improvements.
Although this wordpress theme restrict a little bit my ideas. Of course it is possible to create my own wordpress theme or even my own blog engine, but unfortunately I didn’t code HTML and PHP for a while and it probably take more time that I can afford.
Today is my birthday. First greeters was my friends in skype early in the morning. Later my co-workers come to visit me and give me a present card of Zelta bowling hall. Now I am on my way home where I planned to spent evening together with Elza. In those days I had eaten cakes more than in rest of the year.

About 3 month ago I got small leg muscle injury when ran Kuldīgas half marathon, but unfortunately it continued prey on me. And then I decided to buy bicycle and go in for sports in that way. I bought it 1.5 month ago but i found much much bigger excitement rather than in simple running. Actually I owned bicycle last summer, but unfortunately it had been stolen 5 month after purchasing. F***ing robbers! I was in loved in that bike a lot, and even now my heart crying sometimes.
Often I ride 3 – 4 laps in Biķernieku motor race track. But when I am in mood and have a free time I take longer ride. Last Saturday I and my friend Mārtiņš took a ride to beacon of Mangaļsala. Our root you can see in my google maps Ride was aprox 60 km long. When we are on our way back, Mārtiņš’s bike caught a peace of glass and ruined hist tyre. Happily we met some guys with pump. Quickly pumped up tyre and rushed to next gas station to pumped up again. And till sunset we luckily reached home.
Today I planned even farther trip through unknown woodlands and streets. I accurately studied map. The most tricky place was woodlands between Bukulti and Carnikova. My plan was use lakes as reference point. I did not want to take map with me because its too uncomfortable so only my orient tool was compass. But as you can see in my root in google map, despite of compass in some places I choose little bit wrong direction and never encounter any lakes. Some death ends privet properties and burial-ground also was a problem as a result of I should choose more unfavorable root. My odometer say’s that trip distance was about 80 km long.

Here are the planed (blue) and actual (red) roots.

View Velo_marshruts_31.10.2009 in a larger map

At last I receive pictures from Maris and Aļonas wedding.

Entering the church. Pastor was very funny man. Often we couldn’t stay calm, and started laugh about his jokes.

Childhood gates for Newly weds. Both should remembered one naughtiness from their childhood.

Crock hammering. This exercise Maris done very well. Almost every crock smashed in first attempt.

With this balance log Newly weds should drew line of their future. Line was calm and deep.

Last gates. Newly weds should said many dishes each other and promise that it will bee cook in future as many times as it possible

Traditional apple biting

Dances all night …

Who has lost their brass?

My dance with new Bride

All guests should showed accuracy and patience for Newly weds

Tried to flew air latterns. Non of any know how to do that. Initially we used small candles to warm up air. Thanks to someone, who red instruction first.

Alumīnija tortīte (Aluminium cake).

Mičošanas ceremony. All guests sang “Līgodama upe nesa”

Last weekend my sister married with her  beloved friend Maris. I and Elza were official witnesses of weddings.  In Latvian traditional weddings are official witnesses called vedējmāte and vedējtēvs as well, or in English it means sponsors of weddings, but they are not really the sponsors rather they are the persons who organize all activity as they should bee like an old Latvians peasant weddings . So it means that our responsibility was to help to organize every bit of detail of that event.

Wedding ceremony took a place in Orthodox Church somewhere in Torņakalns in Riga. After official ceremony when New couple exchanged rings and then all guests heaped up us with flowers. After church ceremony we went to Līgatne where some activities where prepared for Māris and Aļona,  crock hammering, childhood gates, life line drawing and many more.  On the way to main celebration place Jumurda, we were surprised by some friends who made a “gate” over the road. New Pair had to change underwear of  puppet.  Pants of puppet was dirt of lubricant of something, as if it was smelly shit .

Some of guests where in  quite a cheerful and funny mood,  when we arrived in Jumurda and checked in guest rooms, because many of them ride to Jumurda with rented bus and apparently started celebrating in bus . I and Elza were quite nervous because we were evening managers. I had to said first tost, which i made up out of the blue in the very last moment before I said it.  Despite some guests cheerful moods, initially atmosphere of evening was quite still. Thanks to musiciants who made the guests feel less tensed.  Till midnight continues dances and different games was played. And after as usual and according to traditions “mičošanas” ceremony took place. Newly weds red promises and wore a special attributes, all guest stood around newly weds and sang a song “Līgodama upe nesa” and burned candles.

After midnight newly weds cut cake and musicians sang funny song about “alumīnija tortīte” (aluminum cake) . Dances continued and different games were played till midnight.  At 3 – 4 am part of the guest gradually went to their room and fell asleep, including newly weds. The next morning was quite still. I and Elza oversleep a little bit, because of my mobile phone battery was low.  So new bride and bridegroom rose before us and traditional wake up ceremony didn’t take place. All guests ate breakfast and wrote bequest in newly weds bequest book.  All guest thanked for the great evening and slowly went home one by one.

Strange feeling now. My little sister is 4 years younger and married before me.  I wish to my sister and her husband Maris harmony, joy and many children.  And of course love for each other.

(Pictures will be available soon..)

Nearly 6 years ago, when I was 2-nd year student and went to Riga by buss one day, I met Dzintars and we start talking about student corporations. I had no idea what was that, and with Dzintars I also not being acquainted well.  But he started talk with me in such a way he nearly was my best friend  . Of course initially I hardly could understood things what Dzintars was talking about, for instant i had a sparkle in my mind that all that is bullshit or  some sort of  Sect. But we arranged that we encounter some day in  his student corporation,  Selonija.  After day or two Dzintars called me and invited me to “guest evening”. One man (oldermanis) explained for all guests what is Selonija, about traditions and so on. I didn’t like this all and pretended that I am a busy man,  my priority is university,  and i’ll have no time for such things.

After year my room-mate in student hostile Groovy asked me if  I know everything about student corps. He already attended many guest evenings of different student corps, so I remember my encounter with Dzintars. And for fun i agreed with Groovy and Reaalais attend another guest party, because bear is for free . So, in that year i changed my mind about student corps and join to Selonija, because there was few my acquaintances from Vecpiebalga. Groovy and Reaalais joined to corporation named Patria, because i think there were a lot of bear parties rather that other corps including Selonija.

In first year after I joined my status was “new one”,  called also as godson, freshman, fellow and so on. So my tasks was quite simple singing, dancing, fencing,  uncorking bear bottles, and studying history and traditions of Selonija.  So it was as it is in restaurant where you are waiter and others is owners of the restaurant, and quite often there comes restaurant clients from other student corporations. There are a lot’s of grades and professions of members of the corps. As i mention i was “new one”, after one or two years you become a comilton (com!) and after a while a filister (fil!). com! are being putted in professions. Each profession take care of different tasks, for example olderman (care of new one members), senior (main face of student corp) fencing master, and so on.

After i become a com! in same time i become a fencing master. So I realy loved fencing and with excitement I taught younger members. There was a lot’s of activities for example travel to Germany and Estonia to visit student corps there. A lot’s of friends and so on. But then i loose a special feeling and soon decided to leave. This was about 2 years ago, but few days ago I chated with Māris from Selonija  in skype, and he asked me “Where i have been lost?” And soon decided that I wonder to bee taken back.

…(to be continue)

Last weekend I visit Kuldīga to take part in half marathon. For this competition I was prepared myself all summer long and was ready good result. As I describe before my target was 1hour 20 minutes. When we (I and Elza) arrived in Kuldīga I was quite optimistic despite hot whether, temperature about 30 by Celsius.
Here are my comment by spits of distance.
Start: Starting in 5 – 6 row. All runners start rushing up. Room for a maneuvers is a quite little.
1 km: Over bridge, speed is quite high.
2 km: Local inhabitants makes shower over runners. Again over bridge. Surface very rough.
3 km: Up hill. Surprisingly overtake 5 – 8 competitors.
4 km: Again roughly surface about 50 m, slowing down. A lot of sharp turns.
5 km: Long straight lines, tempo is normal, saving my strengths.
6 km: 1-st circle time is 21 min. (Plan is 20 min per circle). Drinking point, pour 2 bottles on my head (big mistake)
7 km: Again bridge again rough surface. Heat is deadly. Running though shower (big mistake). My T-shirt is about 1 kg heavy. I see Elza, my only fan!
8 km: Up hill. Tempo is little lower. Saving strengths. My plan is to make up tempo from 10 km
9 km: Heat is killing me.
10 km Make up tempo. Overtake about 5 runners.
11 km Time of 2-nd circle 22:30. What a hell? Drinking point! Drink out 2 bottles (to much water, stomach is like boat)
12 km Can’t bear heat, aches in stomach! Start to walk . Try to struggle and somehow start run again. Where is Elza with energy drink bottles?
13 km: Up hill! I see Elza! She is my Savior!
14 km: Try to brake my self and start to push a tempo.
15 km: 3-rd circle 25:00. Auch.
16 km: Again this fucking bridge. Feel pain in my ankles. No excitement.
17 km: still…
18 km: Try to push up against up hill…, Somehow make it.
19 km: Seams like i have had opened my 2-nd breath. Tempo is solid. I have been overtaken by lap by winner of the competition. Who cares..
20 km: Overtake 10 – 15 runners, most of them by lap.
21 km: Count every step.
Finish: No strength for sprint. Brain is boiling. I hope my time is under 1:30.

My chip time 1:32:21 which of course didn’t satisfy me. For comparison Rīgas half marathon my time was exactly the same. And after all trainings there is no improvements. No doubt I have not achieve sufficient body state to start in Daugavpils marathon, which occur in end of this summer after few weeks.
After competitions we went to Ventspils. It was my first time to visit this city. We went to direct way to harbor street where some actions take place in honour of festival of the city. Taste some local foods and drinks and watch on band from New Zea-land Red Rain and local group Melo-m. But soon we are on our way to Riga.