Why You Should Not Add Random People You Meet on Social Media

Facebook has grown into a wonderful and useful tool used to connect with other people. It’s a great way to share pictures, links, stories, and just about anything with a group of ‘friends.’ What sucks is that it’s a great way to share pictures, links, stories, and just about anything with a group of ‘friends.’ I want to emphasize that what makes facebook work so well is exactly what makes it terrifyingly awful. Case in point: my new friend…ehhhh let’s call him Oliver. I met Oliver the other day at a pub. I was very excited to speak English with another person, so we had a beer. He was a grandfather and really liked talking about his recent vacation to Thailand. We finished our brews, and I said that I was going to head home. Before I left, we decided to connect through Facebook. I was even the one who suggested it. Yes, I’m an idiot. Mom and Dad, you can reprimand me all you want. I found his profile, added him, and headed home.

 

When I awoke the next morning, I checked my email, twitter, Instagram, and then finally, the book of faces.Holy cow–I kid you not, there were 22 unopened messages from my new friend. And they were all gold. Pieces of artwork that I will present to you–and unveil for the first time in all of their glory. Enjoy.

 

This piece is called “Puppies, They are Everywhere!.” It is an interesting combination of assorted breeds and ages of dogs. I believe the artist intended the variation in order to represent the beauty of difference among all living things of our natural world.

 

This specific piece is entitled “I Wish Your Hair Was Longer, but You Have a Nice Face.” It carries an influence of the Neoclassicism period which endured from roughly 1750-1830. It fuses classical art with fashion, and as you might note, this particular piece showcases a very stylish hat and mauve jacket.

 

Awwwe! This piece is a bit more eccentric than the previous two works. Christened “Giant Floating Face in a Garden of Sea Roses”, this work of art is currently on tour with various museums around Europe. It is praised for its spectacular attention to the lighting detail and exquisite ability to capture an unidentifiable mood.

 

These are just a few of the masterpieces that have graced my inbox. I’m taking a book from the page of diamond-people and only releasing a few in order to create a motif of rarity among these unarguably breathtaking gems. Maybe I’ll release another if you follow my blog or mail me a check for 20 bucks/100 Kč.

 

 

(arguably) Most Recongnizable Words in Czech

I explored the center of town a bit yesterday. With nearly all names and titles of shops in another language, I was surprised to find myself actually acquainted with certain words. So, next time you are in Czech Republic, don’t panic–at least there are five words you will surely find familiar.

 

1. Pilsner

Nothing is quite as American as PBR. A nice bohemian style lager that is crisp, cheap, and doesn’t bash you over the head with advertising. It is a simple American Dream that feeds your nostalgia. This is also one of the original pilsner beers of our young baby country. What exactly is pilsner? Well, duh–it’s beer– just a nice ole breed of beer. So, when I saw a sign that contained the word “pilsner”…I knew. This was my language, my creed, my calling, my beer.

2. Pizza

The history of pizza is actually pretty enthralling. It was originally a food for peasants. A delicious, beautiful, and glorious dish that those of low social status put together when the checkbook was null and void. And I bet they enjoyed the heck out of it…who doesn’t love pizza? That is exactly why I was so thrilled that “pizza”–the holy compilation of mouth-watering ingredients–was one of the words I recognized right away. Through no extraordinary genius (because it is just…the word pizza) I recognized many “pizzas” plastering shops, stands, and cafes all over the center of town, and thanks be to God for it.

  3. Čaj: Tea Tee

So, there wasn’t anything that stuck out to me about the word ‘čaj’. If I were to guess, I would say it was some sort of some cartoon boy plagued by premature male-pattern baldness. Thankfully, čaj was accompanied by other words: tea and tee. So I had no doubt when I walked into that store that I was about to peruse through various types of herbal treasures.

4. Vinotéka

If there is one thing that has been ingrained in my white-lady DNA, it is the ability to recognize all things ‘wine’. I wasted no time flocking to a couple wine stores around town with my astute capabilities in word recognition. Hurá!

5. Gynekolog

Again, might be the white-lady DNA, maybe it could be my dad’s occupation, or maybe it was the lobster joint next door that triggered it, but no matter–I recognized this word. So never fear, even when abroad, a gyno is near!