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The wedding

Here's a
link and a few thumbs to the wedding gallery:

Still chilling ...

The last month was quite chilled out. No work, pure holidays, pure laziness. This reminds me that polishing and perfecting my CV has to come to an end very soon and I need to get to actual applying for a job. :)

The main highlights of the last month were:
1. Spending a weekend in Jizerske hory (mountains) with friends. The original plan was to go cycling and hiking. Instead it was rather big drinking party. - It was permanently raining the whole weekend. Despite this it was a decent trip.

2. My friends went completely mad. Everybody's getting married. As of now I know of approximately 10 weddings of my friends that already happened this summer or are scheduled to happen within the next 3 months! WTF ? Now this is what you call a 'peer pressure' ;-)). However I'm gonna take my time.

3. Thus another highlight was Szymon's wedding in Lodz, Poland. We combined it with a very brief visit to the IC 2006 site in Warsaw. As I expected, except for several MCPs and AI, I hardly knew 15 delegates altogether. Added to this it was a legislation night, so also all these people were locked in a plenary. Despite this I met there quite unexpectedly a couple of very good old friends. The party was ok, but the setting reminded me more of a techno-party than an AIESEC conference.
The wedding ceremony and party was great and again quite a lot of old AI friends showed up.

4. Another weekend was spent at a Trutnov Festival. It's a smaller festival (15-20k people) in the north of the Czech Republic. It was a very pleasant feeling to soak in the festival atmosphere - beer, water pipe, girls, po-going in front of the stage, messed-up toilets, the omnipresent smell of burning weed. The best acts were: Presidents of the USA and Hudba Praha. Suprisingly also Vypsana Fixa gave a good show. Quite a big disappointment were Living Colour, not in terms of music, but the way their set was pulled together. Switching rock and electronic pieces just didn't work and destroyed the concert atmosphere.

5. Body Count released a long-awaited new album !

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For Sirle: THAT day worked out excellent. However a few days later, I realized it will be much more difficult than I thought.

Done

Today was my last day on the last job. The transition was as always a bit stressful - making sure that you give everything over to the others complete.

How do I feel ? Somewhat relieved and somewhat happy that I can start with a clean table again. Almost worried to choose what the next thing be rigth away, and possibly do a wrong decision. The best scenario would be to find a job within a month and start it in a 2 months' time, taking some time off. Some time to think a bit and search for the right place for at least the next 2-3 years.

Last weekend I went to Pita's wedding (the PAI from the AI0304 team) to Lisabon. I had a really good time there. Both because about 30 people from the previous AI teams and portuguese mcs showed up, as well as the wedding was simply cool - probably the best I've been to so far (I haven't been to mine yet :).

See for yourself:

9

9. That's the number of working days remaining in my current job. I am taking some time off for holidays and a new job search - some travelling will be involved. My plan is to get into something more interesting, international, and diverse than pure IT and technology company, though it's definitely been a valuable experience so far.

Here's a book that's become my bible for at least a few next weeks. The title says it. It has very cheesy cover and photos :), but really good explanations and instructions on how to exercise and get results. The good thing is that I've overcome initial resistance, and now do - not just the reading part ;-).

My whole body hurts :).

Weekend in Berlin

After many years I visited Berlin again. I went with 3 friends of mine to visit another old friend Matt in Berlin, where he's been doing a research for his studies in Oxford.

And so we had a place to crash in east Berlin. The east Berlin still has its magic - I don't know many places where you can meet so many punkers, Nick Cave like hairstyles, or Depeche Mode like people in black jackets :).

We did some sightseeing both days, saw the main tourist places, as well as some obscure, but cozy pubs and bars. And we went to Potsdam to see the Sansoussi gardens and palace. I still remember being there 20 years ago with my parents. This time my legs didn't hurt :), and so it was more enjoyable.

I realized again, how much I miss living abroad. Including turkish outlets with tasty 'durums' ;-)).

Here are some photos from Berlin and Potsdam:

State

Although, normally I dislike citing quotes as it seems a bit pretentious/hypocritical to me :), this is a good one:
 
"You will find that the State is the kind of organization which, though it does big things badly,
does small things badly too."
 
John Kenneth Galbraith
 
Now, if you know the czech political situation, you know what I mean.

Music

I've been always quite a big fan of music. Which style ? Pretty much everything you can imagine.

When I was a kid I listened to Beatles, Bee Gees, Simon& Garfunkel, Boney M., Abba - my parents' discotheque. Also a lot of czech music from those times. As I wasn't yet able to catch the lyrics well (not even in czech songs) I often made up quite funny dummy lyrics just so I could sing it. When I joined the high school I started listening to radio.

My first ever casette was Queen: The Greatest Hits II, a gift from my parents. That tape was worn out very soon. My second tape was Guns'n'Roses. Surprisingly, this was also a gift from my parents. In any case this was a sign something's going wrong with me. Next came Nirvana. At that period a lot of people at school were into czech punk bands. I wasn't much into that at that time, but at least discovered the style.

My first big concert at the age of 16 was Roxette :). Nevertheless even when Nevermind was at the top of charts, Bee Gees still belonged to my favourites :).

Later I started digging more into heavier music, as well as things such as britpop: Oasis, Pulp, Soundgarden, Body Count, Midnight Oil. I also started listening to some alternative and electronic stuff: Renegade Soundwave, Prodigy, Chemical Brothers, Bjork, Nick Cave.

Then I discovered (welsh/irish) stuff - Pogues. There came my first open-air festivals, and I became a fan of world music and mix of it with electronics - Transglobal Underground, Fun'da'mental, Vartinna, Ole Lukkoye.

Then I got into heavier period again: Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Sepultura, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Dead Kennedys, Lard, Metallica, Pearl Jam. Then came AIESEC, - at that time I liked Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan very much.

I also discovered african music - a band called Imbizo from Zimbabwe which I saw at a Womad festival in Prague (listen to Paul Simon's Graceland album for a sample). Very cool live performance a'capella. Actually probably the best performance I ever saw.

Quite late at university I discovered Rollins Band, Alice In Chains, Leftfield, Leonard Cohen, Cypress Hill, Levellers, Massive Attack, Porthishead, Radiohead, Skunk Anansie, Toy Dolls, Underworld, Apocalyptica, Bob Marley, Propellerheads, Wu Tang Clan, Cornershop, U2, Primal Scream, No Means No, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd.

Recently I had a period of checking out my parents' discotheque again: Glenn Miller, Ennio Morricone. And on that note, I like some shitty music too! - 2 Unlimited, Toto Cotugno, New Kids On The Block, Vanilla Ice.

The list of bands could continue for a couple of more pages. The point is: my collection of music in past 15 years became so big, that I'd have to listen approx. for 2,5 months, 24/7 to hear every single song once. I did a calculation a couple of weeks ago. But it's money and time well spent. Now you also understand why I haven't been listening to a radio for the last 4 years. :) It's quite useless thing for me.

Business, Networking ?

I recently dusted off my intentions to run my own business in the future. I already thought of it seriously once - right after my return from MC term in Estonia back in 2002. I studied again, it didn't take me a whole lot of time, and so I had time to make great plans :). The whole idea was to utilize my network of friends in the Baltics, and particularly in Estonia and create a kind of market research company, possibly online search directory for czech firms seeking their counterparts in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and possibly vice versa later on. And later add more services to it.

I did some research, and found out that besides one state-ran agency there were a few companies working in the same field already. It did look like quite an interesting field to start a business in despite that. However my plans had to be put aside quite soon after that, as I got elected to AIESEC International.

Since then I did not think about doing any specific business.

These days I am dusting off those thoughts again, and I am setting time aside to get together with a few friends of mine and brainstorm on what we could do together, and what we're good at - that we could build on.

The idea is to play a bit together. See if we can find something exciting and worthwhile for at least two of us. If yes, we'll try to make it happen. If not, it's cool, it just means the time is not yet right, and we will wait until the next time.

What are your business plans ?

On that note, here's a cool site that I recommend you to visit if you're looking for some fresh ideas, not only on doing business:
Change This.
 
You can try to have a look at a few examples here:
Bob Allard: The care and feeding of your network
Tom Peters: 111 Ridiculously Obvious Thoughts on Selling
Tom Peters, The Professional Services Firm is Everything
Tom Peters: 100 Ways to Help You Succeed/Make Money, Part 1
Tom Peters, This I Believe! - Tom's 60 TIBs
Tom Peters: Tomato, Toma[h]to

Interesting experience :)

When I was at IPM back in the Netherlands, I could not resist the temptation to smoke weed at least once. - Again after almost 8 months. From time to time it's quite an enlightening and interesting thing. I came to the party afterwards and observed what's happening there for a while before the 'thing' fades away. What happened was a second time such thing happened to me:

You see people enjoying the party, dancing. - ... ok, that's the normal part. ;-))

And then you start noticing details, which you normally don't. Not in such extent: mimics in people's face, emotion, how different people act, who they're 'hitting on' ... And suddenly you realize that you can tell exactly who's after who tonite, who's gonna get lucky tonite, who's pretending, who's cheating on another - who's also at the conference ... and many more things. (You know who's after you, too, - although at that moment you're a bit slowed down ;-). And you can tell THIS - pretty much for every single person at the party. You see 'under the cover'. You see the 'animal' underneath, in everyone.

This is a pretty cool stuff to see once, although I'm not sure whether I'd like to live in a world, where you could see this directly (that is: without the 'thick sauce' on it): sometimes it's better when you don't see the 'animals' (or 'machines' if you will) people are - when you don't see the REAL motives behind what people do. One doesn't become so disillusioned about how things work in this world.

Comments ? Similar experiences ? ;-)))

First in 2006

This is my first post in 2006. Hopefully not the last one. I just returned from IPM from the Netherlands, where I spent the last weekend. It was a good feeling to meet my former teammates, as well as lots of MCP currents. In a way it surprised me that I still knew so many people there. On the other hand it felt a bit superficial - coming only for two days, exchanging a few words with many people, but having only a couple of really meaningful conversations (meaning not just for the sake of talking with somebody and spending the time at hand).

The AI reunion agenda exceeded my expectations (I set them very low for myself in the beginning), and although I slept quite long each morning, I think the discussions we had gave me something I can bring back into my life. The reunion also confirmed my previous thoughts: that only a few of us are really feeling 'at home' in their new jobs and traineeships, and it's certainly gonna take a few months, perhaps years before we all find the right thing to do and place to be at, and before we start feeling comfortable in our post-AIESEC lives.

This is also my case. Although I definitely can't say that I feel to be in the wrong place, doing wrong things, the truth of the thing is that I felt some unease in my mind since I left the Netherlands, started a job, started meeting different set of people.

Perhaps reintegration. Not in the sense of moving from one country to another. More about switching completely the community and context you're living in, if this is the right word to call it.

To conclude it: this year will very likely be a defining year for my next life. Defining in the sense - whether I get stuck, or get over initial difficulties and get outside the black box I've stepped into.

Slowly forgetting english

After having almost forgotten some czech words during 2,5 years in Rotterdam, this time I am realizing how fast I am forgetting the english speaking skills.

I went to an Expro tram party, last friday - with other AIESEC people and trainees. It took me about 15 minutes before I was able to speak fluently again. Strange.

The party was a good fun. Didn't even realize where the tram was going. Arthur J. who was here for the weekend was there too. Guess he drank way too much the night before, and he looked really sick (and also damn funny) the whole ride. I couldn't help but laugh, when I was looking at him sometimes. You know those homeless guys riding on trams at night ;-)) ?

... yes, that's exactly how he was looking that night ;-)).

(Sorry, dude !)

That night I drank a lot of becherovka (continuing in a good tradition of our former PM M.Zeman ;-). After that we continued to some clubs in the old town, don't remember their names, but we ended up in a cuban bar near the river with some trainees, and then headed home.

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Otherwise life's good. Not much work to do in my new job yet, the projects are only starting now. But hopefully I'll get more busy after the NY. I should be working even on projects for some of the big players in the Telco-industry in the Czech Republic. That should give me a good exposure for the future.

I am slowly figuring out the way formal and unformal relations in the company are working. I certainly don't want to get limited just to the job description of the current position and forget or lay aside what I learned and gained in the past years. I need to figure out the right way how to offer what I have to the company and do it well. The extent to which I am successful at this will determine, "how good" my decision to join a smaller company after AI was, when I look at it back.

Flickr account issues solved

Thanks to Minni's help (!), I resolved my flickr account limitations and now you can have access to over 2000 photos. If you want to see all photos you need to get yourself a free flickr account and become my friend. Approximately half of all photos are publicly viewable. (The better half is not :).

Here's a quick link to all photo sets.

Enjoy !

Ludy Dudy

Organizing my photos ..

This weekend I decided to organize a bit photos I accumulated in the past years and put them online. I realized that I already have more than 6 full DVDs of them !

Well, I finished rather soon, because my free flickr account is way too small, and my credit card unfortunately doesn't work anymore.

Despite that, here are some representative samples :

Paris, May 2004

Flowery Weekend, The Netherlands, 2004

Bombay, May 2004

Dubai, May 2005

IPM 2004, Sri Lanka

Annual Report 2005 Shooting

Enjoy!

TBD

The big shit day really happened ! I failed my exam.

No kidding.

Currently I am trying all means to prevent being expelled from the university, but my chances are small. The hope is always there though.

This thing definitely did not add to my mood. And the Murphy's laws wanted it that this was not the only thing that went wrong in the past 2 weeks.

Nevertheless deppression is always followed by boom (or bloom :). And sure it came very fast. After the exam, I did my best to finish at least the jobhunt well. Doing something makes one (me) immediately feel better, which is why it's good to focus on it and forget all other things, that screw your life :). I had only three job interview with companies so far. But already the second interview now brought me a job offer !!! Today !

Relatively small czech IT start-up company, evaluated as one of the fastest growing start-ups in Eastern Europe by Deloitte & Touche, already second or third year in a row. I am going to negotiate all details with my likely 'future employer' on friday.

So this thing really made my day !

I can already start thinking about where to have my 1-week holidays before I start my job. Some sun, sea and a few good friends around would do me really well. Any ideas ?

Keep them posted on my Comments page :).

Big thanks go to those who sent me message or SMS to support me in my exam (despite its result) ! You know who you are. :)

Cheerio.

Tomorrow's the Day

Tomorrow I have my last try on my last exam in order to get my master's. Therefore, tomorrow will be the BIG DAY ! (hopefully not the BIG SHIT day). Needless to say, I have done all I could for it to be the BIG DAY. I will know the result within the next 14 hours.

Surprisingly, I am not nervous, - just a little bit. I guess what makes me calm is that I have done all I could, and now it's just a question of drawing the right question, and playing a successful game with teachers tomorrow morning.

Regardless of the outcome, I will spend the rest of this week's evenings in pubs with friends :). Either celebrating or trying to forget. If you're around in Prague, make sure to give me a call at +420 728 934 383, and come join the party !

Same day, right after my exam I have another job interview, with a very successful czech startup company, where I'm applying for a project manager.

If all goes well, I might have a good job offer sometimes next week.
And yeah, the degree will help too !! :)

Pray with me ! (yes, even if you're an atheist !!)

Ludek

Notes on jobhunting

Time has come to look for a new job. I have contacted a bunch of HR agencies, as well as I submitted CV to quite a few companies. Day by day new calls keep coming on my mobile and I schedule my interviews.

Many people are afraid of interviews on HR agencies, and to tell the truth I expected something more challenging too. The fact is - the better you present yourself and the more excited "consultant", the better chances are he'll/she'll find an adequate job for you. In any case it's just a play and I know I depend on how good the "consultant" is. So I rather started contacting companies directly.

The good thing about it, is that HR agencies interviews are a good test. You learn what people ask about your CV, where to add more bolstering, what they don't understand, what to highlight to the HR managers later on.

Today I had a first "real" interview at T-Mobile. After series of tests I had with the agencies I was really relaxed and took it rather as fun. And the interview really went well, - mainly because of that. Good feeling. Well, actually it's been a suprising feeling. I don't feel the job is good enough for me !! ;-) Something to think about in the next days. I would like to try more offers, and perhaps try a more creative job, or something where I will be more in contact with different people. The T-Mobile job is a good one though, good company, good starting salary, but ..... not too exciting or anything.

Right now I am thinking - I should really try some high-fly jobs in the coming days - if not anything else, then just for the sake of trying it. I might not get it, but there are chances that it could work. What a different start to my post-AIESEC life would that be ?

In any case, today was a good day, now I know I can get a really good job. Well till the next week :). Now it's high time to open my books and work on preparing myself for the last exam on tuesday 20th. Pray with me !! ;-) I may soon be a Master !

Cheers

Darn, it's a Labour Day

I am lying comfortably on my couch at home on sunday, end am enjoying fresh air coming in through the window, while digesting a late 2pm breakfast.

- It's an International Labour Day !

- No work !!!

May ahead

I'm really looking forward to go to India next week. We're going to Hyderabad with Kamil, my successor for a part of transition. Why Hyderabad ? It's where our provider Azri has its office with all developers. After last year's very positive experience, we continue in the practice of spending 10 days of transition period there, and discussing and going through a draft IS plan for the next year with our project manager and developers.

Besides one-day stop in Dubai next sunday (I hope to get out of the airport and see the place for a few hours), I hope to see more of Hyderabad on the weekend after.

Besides work, I am already making plans to eat as much as possible - specialities of the indian cuisine, and making a few adventurous trips around the city in cool trishas. Some places I have to re-visit : New-Yorker restaurant (for delicious mix of indian and mexican cuisine), the Touch club (a cool dance club said to be illegal due to its late opening hours), and the old town.

May should also be the month, when my last big charge to address the AIESEC.net scalability problems will be done - and we should see the results towards the end of june. The last 6 months pretty much followed the Murphy's laws. Literally. And so I really want to finish my term by putting a nice and long-needed cap on it, and walk away with my head up.

Having internet at home

Three weeks ago I got Internet home ! Finally.

I am quickly realizing the benefits. No more staying in the AI office long after office hours. No more going to the office to send urgent emails. It makes one really lazy :). Everything available in a reach of a few mouse clicks.

Considering the speed (almost 200KB/s) , I now fully realize why it would have been a bad idea to get a slow dial-up connection in the past :). Slow connection is just a waste of time. It's worth paying a little bit more to reap the full value of it.

New AI team

It was quite exciting to be selecting the new people for the AI team, and knowing that there will be good people continuing. In the past few years, it is amazing how much AIESEC moved forward. I would bet that in 5 years, AI's budget will be triple, as well as those of many countries, just due to the new brand, AIESEC XP.

The success lies primarily in continuity ! In continuity in key roles. Imagine what a difference would be made, if people ran for two terms in all important positions ! Financial sustainability ? 200% better accounts retention ? 10,000 exchanges ?

Easily.

Other blogs

Here are blogs of some of my friends, check them out :

Evrimium
Devrim's blog
Asha's blog
Goncalo's blog
Maria's blog

First comments

This is my first blog, so quite a new experience ;). My first thoughts are - how much can I share ? and Will other people ever visit this place for a second time ?

Here's how to help the second one :

In case you use Internet Explorer, as majority of people do,

1. Click on your Favorites Icon (i.e. Bookmarks).
2. Create a new folder called "Bloggers" or similar. (You do it by clicking on "Organize" button on the left browser pane).
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4. Anytime you want to access mine or others' bloggers in the future, just go to the "Bloggers" folder, and pick New Adventures in Wi-Fi.

Alternatively you can subscribe to the postings on this blogger. Then you'll get a notification each time I post something.

Enjoy,

Welcome to the New Adventures in Wi-Fi !

Cheers.