Once You Go Black, Never Turn Back

If you keep asking the question "WHAT IF?", it basically means that your life is driven by regret and instead of focusing on the new, you are preoccupied with the past. Holding grudges and living backwards juggle a meaningless life with no rational values. If you hold on to your past, in all likelihood, you'll only devalue your new experiences. We all stumble over the truth from time to time. The only way to put our past behind is to look one way: forward and never look back. It may seem cynical, but we should be content in the present. For instance, I met a really wonderful person yesterday, but I won't meet this individual again. Life is a ride with no fixed destination. That's what I firmly believe in and that is what drives me every day of my life. We should always try to be above reproach, no matter what.

Sometimes I project myself playing football. Does it mean that I lean on the past? I do not consider my departure from football much of a loss, as I never quite lived up to my potential here in the Czech Republic. With my high school years thumping in the rear-view mirror, I have grown weary of the endless acccolades directed at my gridiron years, which were, let's face it, nothing but poor in every sense of the word. To conclude, those years played such a small part in my life and didn't enrich me the way some people believe they did. I started to blossom after football. Haha.

If there is one thing I partly regret, it is definitely my departure from track & field. One of the most qualified trainers and simply the best coach I have ever had almost begged me to return on the field multiple times. My cockiness and youthful indiscretion took its toll and created a hole I now need to prop up regularly. I have always been a bit frisky and have never astutely followed through on a task. The ability to spark off the edge each day, I partly owe to him. One thing remains certain: If ifs and buts were candy and nuts, we'd have Easter every day.

When The Levee Breaks

Yop, my blotter runneth over. It took me a week to find out what the place where magic happens is. Since the time of my first grade in Elementary school, that place has been a rug. The absolute best part about being at school was the time spent on a rug. I don't have to be Aladdin to understand that the place surrounded by the most magic happens to be a rug. Why so? During a recess, we could wrestle and fight on this rug with fervor only boys have. Fine breaks like these demonstrably cut down on misbehavior and make you focus while studying a little bit more. True magic.

That is not the place I'd like to expatiate on, of course. Though I'd love to have my own rug in the place I am going to depict.

For active readers of this blog, my factors determining the choice of a site are more or less obvious. Mississippi, the home of the Delta Bee, is a southern state of the USA. The Magnolia state is bordered on the west by Louisiana and Arkansas, on the north by Tennessee and on the east by Alabama. As usual, southern states are predominantly socially conservative, and Mississippi ain't no exception. This place is with wonder often neglected by tourists which stems partly from the fact that the state is the poorest in the nation. On the other hand, the place is notoriously known for exceptionally alluring viridity woodlands that create a feeling of cosiness, magnolia flower with the unique creamy sweet scent with a light citrus nuance, and the largest river in the nation with trees planted by the water - I shall not be moved. What a harmonic blend for living.

There ain't no place for the Wicked

If you ask me what is my "magical" or favourite place, I definitely need some time to contemplate about an appropriate answer. Simply put, I don't think like that. I am no longer a 5 year old kid playing at a playground, which might justify my initial tepid reaction. Don't get me wrong, I have grown up in a quite controversial neighborhood and haven't had the opportunity to meet bevy of wonders of the world so far.

While there are several places I really like, only a few are truly worthy of the "favorite" designation. As for now, I think that it is safe to say that I prefer mountains to flat lowlands and waterfalls to seas. Fresh air along with dangerous but equally beautiful untouched nature. That is an ideal picture that has remained ingrained in my mind since the time of my early childhood. Though I will once more say that I don't like long–drawn–out lying on the beach, I don't necessarily condemn such travel destinations. Spending time on the beach may be fine for a few hours, unfortunately, not for days.

For instance, Poprad in Slovakia matches all of the above mentioned expectations. This city is surrounded by beautiful mountains, nature and it is also a place I'd love to come back to.

The Art of Making Sense out of Nonsense

I believe that not many people understand divinatory and tawdry ocult teachings presented in TV. Even I have never got a solid grasp of the esoteric principles up until now. Given that I am now clearly able to clear this issue up, let me break it down for you...

Some not-yet-conceived fixed law of the universe give certain people the ability to gain insight into other people's current and future situations. The people with such power are called soothsayers or more often than that, in our cultural circles, they are erroneously reffered to as naysayers. They are always right on the money and solve your problems in detail, while maintaining maximum precision. The workers of this craft system are always highly skilled, but only the best of the best can work in TV and charge for their highly valuable services. If you don't know what to do, call them immediately. They're better at life and know exactly what to do with limited beings.

Learn from the best in the biz

Don't be misled, there are always two sides to every coin. It is always a lot more convenient to be dependent  on other people, especially if they possess the divine power. This leads me to the conclusion that there is no other side of the argument, which means one thing and one thing only. There ain't nothin' bad about esoteric tv programmes as long as you've got a sense of humour.

Slip and break the 1st Athletic Commandment

My former sports coaches and coordinators used to tell me that regular stretching is as important as exercise itself. Stretching  is the best pre-race warm-up and the best way to improve your performance. It should also help you to avoid some muscle injuries.

I have to admit, I neglected this essential aspect of a usual athletic regime on everyday basis, except for championship and race events. I could stretch for nearly 4 consecutive hours before a race started. What I lacked in consistency, I needed to make up for in intensity. I always felt extremely stiff after stretching my legs and I knew even at the time that it slowed me down. I can't see by any stretch (haha) that it could increase my range of motion as well.

Recently I read a scientific article about revealing that stretching before a run can result in a 5 percent reduction of efficiency. WHAT? I was right all along! Stretching is counterproductive! Aha-haha-ha, coaches, who shot ya'? The sad truth about this is that the world familiarizes itself with this fact too late. That's a huge emotional letdown.

I have never stretched since 2009 anyway. The bee can fly without any preparation.

Link to the research

Just another Swagger Tirade

For as long as I can remember, I have never seen a TV rant receiving such an intense backlash. Sherman's one post-game interview sent ripples across the world and set off a firestorm on social networks right after it aired on televison. I really did not understand why would it create such venom in public view at first. But then I have come to realize that not many people know that Sherman has always been a polarizing figure among professional athletes. Furthermore, one thing cannot be denied: Sure, he talks a lot. But he always backs his trash talking up.

Who is Richard Sherman actually? He comes straight outta Compton, has a master's degree from Stanford university and is an outstanding athlete, "a true shutdown corner". All in all, he was right on cue here and anybody who says otherwise probably does not know the difference between swagger and arrogance. All he did was good for the sake of entertainment and I certainly don't think that there's anything wrong with having this drive. Besides, his actions here are completely justified because he has to play in the loudest stadium in the world on a weekly basis. Haha. During sports events, tirades like these just put the icing on the cake. It is always pleasure to hear Sherman talk and quotes like "I've seen better legs on a snake." or "Aha, you suck! You wanna this knowin'. You wanna this knowin'." will never get old. A big fan of Richard Sherman here. "And that's the result you're gonna get. Don't you ever talk about the best. LOB."

Keepin' it real.

got draped?

As I put my last encounter with the 6 Mad Men consecutive seasons squarely in the rear-view mirror, my conclusion was that I sure as hell had not started to watch this show for its cultural authenticity and illustrious historical precision. However, my initial interest in it has remained unknown ever since...

Be that as it may, let's just cut to the chase... The main plot revolves around an advertising agency on Madison Avenue in New York City and it depicts the urban life of Americans in the Sixties. It shows how this particular period of time has changed and shaped the cultural landscape of contemporary America; its consciousness, its stereotypes and social mores. You won't find too many TV shows of this kind. Concisely, ever-present nostalgic mood that permeates the show along with richly drawn characters that provide highly dramatic and congruent television content are just a few out of many unique elements I have never seen in a television series before. And I'm not even mentioning that ravishing storytelling which is quite extraordinary among current popular TV shows.

 One of the show's best scenes.  
                                          

Bearing in mind the complexity of the story and how the series is deeply sophisticated, I realize that Mad Men is not for everybody. But at the same time, the last two seasons did not boast the staggering features which their predecessors had initially introduced. Another season begins next month and I have a feeling that this will be just another show that faded down the stretch. A strong start but weak end.

Updated: 3/26/2014 8:44 AM - "Big Leopard", this is just for you:

Far From Any Road

Smoke can be seen for miles and a relatively small portion of field crops is inevitably burned out for good. Still, the lost maize is the least of the Louisiana State Police's concerns. The sinister atmosphere intensifies as the sirens of police cars are coming howling to a large lonesome tree. Some macabre deed just happened here a few hours ago. Two old detectives are about to witness the most baffling and peculiar case in their professional lives. One of the detectives is rather averting his gaze, knowing that the crime scene is just too much for his eyes.  The look on the face of this detective in the foreground appears to be so dejected as well as gloomy that it completely underlines the environment of oppressive ambience.  The other detective, on the other hand, is steadily examining the place near the tree. Some odd-looking twig latticeworks attached to the tree make the whole message of its instigator even more creepy. One detective feels obviously disgusted by all this, but the other seems to be perilously curious and hooked by this case.  Anything but optimistic.

Bright was the day, warm was the ground.

No Marching. The Saints Will Never Come.

I really don't know where the zombie fascination comes from. Some say that it's given by our survival instincts and mentality which we inherited by our ancestors affected by the two world wars. This idea is certainly intriguing: Blood spattered and gruesome looking zombies as a cultural image and a still living reflection of the horrifying witness of our predecessors. I was highly attracted by all this at a very young age in the turn of the 21st century and that's why I am completely able to fathom this skyrocketing obsession and need of fictionalizing the total annihilation of the human race.

And at long last, that's exactly why the AMC's tedious soap called The Walking Dead dramatically increases in its fanbase as well as in pop culture circles.

Yeah, Science, biatch!

Ehm. Argh. Bits and pieces from the recent OJA2 lessons. Haha. From the 1960's to the 1970's the public interest in zombies fluctuated mildly mainly because of the prolific movie industry embodied in Hollywood. From the 1970's to the 1980's the interest increased slightly. The 90's experienced a huge zombie boom and the interest rose dramatically which stemmed from worldwide success of the Resident Evil series. Due to these facts it is more than apparent that the genre of zombie apocalypse has now two chapters: Before Resident Evil and after Resident Evil. From the 90's to these days the interest has not reached its spike yet.

4 Things The Hive Has Taught Me

(Each of the statements below reflects to my precedence and serves as an insight into the hive. Cold slammin' & Dead serious.)

It is not a punishment, it's a gift

It is exactly what it says on the tin. When it comes to priorities, it's always about attitude and commitment.
Each and every single "punishment" inflicted upon me enriched me in some way to some degree. It is easy to just comfortably hide in the corner and complain as opposed to learn from mistakes and grind. At this stage, being comfortable and at ease would be the final nail in the coffin. If I could pass a lesson by virtue of my experiences and mistakes, it would be this: You are gifted, don't waste your talents. Mistakes are inevitable, thankfully. You can either dwell on them or take advantage of them, they shape you one way or another. You can get marred or jacked. It's entirely up to you. If you embrace your struggle, however, no obstacle will be big enough.

I got mine

Society is an unsanitized form of advertisement. It is human nature to create a need. But a need creates insecurity. And insecurity leads to animosity. Everybody has his own distinctive taste and needs.  So why not fulfill and develope those? You need to bear in mind that it is not about what you have, it's rather about how you work with what you have. These following lines accurately and utterly explain the abstract meaning of the word "society": "They stand in line to watch themselves. For themselves. All for one. And none for all." That is not mine. It belongs to Nathan White. I really don't want to dissect a topic of this magnitude, but let's get down to brass tacks: Probably unwittingly, though nearly all of us prize society above individuals. Still, society doesn't stand a chance. But at the same time, each person is better at something. (Just kidding, I'm the best. Haha.)

---

"At this stage, being comfortable and at ease would be the final nail in the coffin."

---

No label, I outright own my material

It's funny how people quickly label and stereotype someone. We all do that. Ultimately, you are what you want to be and that is the only thing that truly matters. You reap what you sow and if someone says disparaging things about your contribution and achievements, he probably does not feel well in his own skin. Don't let these perspicacious detractors and naysayers affect your life.  Just accept them and don't have a negative attitude.

Talk? Nah...Walk? Yahoo!

Actions make a man, words a windbag

I grew up under impression that men should always back their talk up. Besides, talking has always been a privilege of women. I mean, there is nothing more embarrassing than a man that cannot keep his mouth shut. Your actions speak louder than words. Actions are your resume. That is what you should leave it up to. When I'm around a guy who talks a lot, I am on the verge of going away, because of the male embarrassment in the air all around the room we're in. Silence is a valid option.