So, following up on Michael Stephen's sabbatical comments, I now get this reply from my friend Tomasz in Warsaw:
David, the 'sabbatical' word - when heard for the first time, meant something completely different than it really is.
In my language 'sabat' means gathering of all witches on their special occasions. They jump on their brooms and head for 'Łysa Góra' (Bold Mountain), which really exists in Świętokrzyskie Mountains in Poland (it is very close to the place my Dad was born and I have visited it), where they used to play and debate all witch issues and staff - probably discussing new spells and other sorts of witchcraft, maybe talking about the world order that needs to be rebuilt!!! - God wish to know that!
So I hope that after your visit to Warsaw you will have a plenty of pics (I'll take care of that) to show Michael Stephens that on your sabbatical you worked hard and played hard, as the real witch ;) !!!
Note: I will be in Poland on other unrelated travels in May and August 2011.
How to stop a Greyhound bus without emergency cord.....
My first bus "episode"....
About an hour and a half out of Winnipeg a woman starting screaming that someone on the bus had died, they weren't breathing. Needless to say the bus driver stopped and went to the back of the bus. Thankfully no one had died -- and the woman was in fact just having an argument with another person on the bus. Certainly was an effective way to get the bus to stop. Rest of the overnight trip was uneventful.
Thunder Bay on Tuesday, April 26
San Quentin, you've been livin' hell to me
You've hosted me since nineteen sixty three
I've seen 'em come and go and I've seen 'em die
And long ago I stopped askin' why
San Quentin, I hate every inch of you.
You've cut me and you've scarred me thru an' thru.
And I'll walk out a wiser, weaker man;
Mister Congressman, why can't you understand?
San Quentin, what good do you think you do?
Do you think that I'll be different when you're through?
You bend my heart and mind and you warp my soul,
your stone walls turn my blood a little cold.
San Quentin, may you rot and burn in hell.
May your walls fall and may I live to tell.
May all the world forget you ever stood.
And the whole world regret you did no good.
San Quentin, you've been living hell to me
My friend Michael Stephens, a community developer extraordinaire, emailed me this recently, criticizing my use of my 10-month sabbatical!
Perhaps no-one has ever explained to you the definition of 'sabbatical'. 'Sabbath', means rest and worship i.e. sit on your ass and worship your free time. But I guess you have picked up on the 'atical' part of the word, as in 'radical' and have turned the definition on its head.
PS-- I am completely reporting you to the Union of sabbatical takers.
