Creative Mischief

Look at the cute little darlin. Most of the days, we just chill, and when i'm in the apartment with him, he's just sleepin at my feet , which is nice, he's not up and buggin me all the time. And one of his favorite pasttimes woul be playin with his big green water bottles (as seen in the picture above). He'll just take them around the place. It's funny, and here I caught him when he was gnawin on it, and then fell asleep or got tired with it still partly in his mouth. Isn't it just the cutest? Needless to say, despite the lack of real dog toys :) we survive and have a hell of a time. :) One thing I'm never gonna buy my dog is those darned squeaking toys. I still don't understand why people buy those things. Actually, in all honesty, I was in the pet store shortly after i got Benji (it's been 4 weeks now) and i was gettin some toys, and I contemplated it, thinkin "hm... he might like that. It squeaks!" But then i caught myself, "Yea maybe he will like it, and then I'm gonna shoot myself". Thus, he get's old water bottles....

A Weekend for the Ages!

After being in the Czech Republic for over a month now, I was due up for some real excitement, you think. Heck ya, so, this past weekend, I made it for myselif. First starting off with a killer awesome concert put on by the infamous Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam! It was totally awesome. What was awesome about it? Well... it wasn't the fact that they sang all their new songs, most of which i knew a little, but not very well, but it was everything else. Their image on stage was awesome. And they were able to sing my three favorite songs as I had hoped! it was slick. And also what was funny was listening to Eddie Vedder try and speak Czech. It was really cool. So I went with my friend Stephen and although our seats were way up in the top, it was cool, cuz we were on the front row of the balcony front and center (thanks Peta for the rockin seat selection) and jammin out with all the fools around us. Wow, not really much better way to describe it except that it was really freakin awesome.

But that wasn't the end of my weekend, it was just the beginning. On Saturday I went to the city of Melnik which I've been to a few times before because of the Foreign Police. It's a beautiful city established on top of this hill that overlooks the Czech Republic and in Melnik is where the Elbe and the Vltava merge, so it's a really beautiful city, and every year they have a huge festival centered around wine and something called burčák (boor-chok). This, (as pictured below, is a drink that is only harvested 3 or 4 weeks out of the year. It is called in English "new wine". What it is is wine that isn't completely fermented, and actually is still in the process of fermentation while it is sitting in your fridge. It really doesn't even taste like alcohol. And as you can see, it looks more like a juice, and it really tastes so also. It's good, I like it.



So, at the festival I walked around with my co-worker Jarda and his friend and it was a really fun night. It was really just like a fair. There were rides everywhere, and different treats and foods and wines and everything that you could imagine. But it was a fun time. And thus ended my weekend. My first weekend away from Benji (though i was only gone firday and most of saturday), it was good. So, hope things are going well for everyone. Hope to catch up with you soon. peace.

Today's the Day

yea, today's the day I've been waitin for ever since I listened to my first Pearl Jam song when I was 6 or 7 (I think) when my brother played me "Jeremy". It instantly became my favorite song. And after having listened to I think all of the songs now over the years, I can still say that it hasn't changed spots, maybe for nostalgic reasons a bit. But I'd have to say one or two have joined it at the top spot, those being the infamous song "Better Man" about his stepfather, and the maybe not as infamous (Elderly Woman). So, they're releasing their new album and all, but maybe if I'm lucky, I'll get to hear at least one of those tonight. Either way, it's gonna freakin rock. sweet, ok, peace

Choir

So as of recently, I've just become the new musical phenom as it goes. Dancing, and now choir. Somehow, i've gotten dragged into music and choir classes! I don't really know how this happened, but I've been going. So it's the music teacher and me, and all the students. And... I guess I would figure this, for some reason, the music teacher gave me all the solos! Really now, I thought school clubs were for the students to participate it. Why am i (a teacher, not a student) getting all the benefits (unwanted ones at that) as the students. Do they all think I'm a student? I'm confused. And the music teacher has even stopped trying to speak to me in English. What's going on here? I don't really know what to do. I hope they don't expect me to go to their performances. Hm... this could be an interesting year...

Hey, it's That Time of the Year... Time to Dance...

So, maybe I've mentioned it to some of you, but they have this tradition about dancing that's been carried over for over a hundred years or so. So, all of the first year high school students take formal dance lessons, and almost all of them really do it also. So last year I taught some first year students and after a few months, we were pretty friendly with each other and therefore, they invited me to their "tanecni" (dance lesson) classes. Here, they learn all the major ballroom dances. And they all have to dress in suits and bowties with white gloves and the girls in formal dresses, and if i even want to go and watch, I have to wear a suit. So, I went quite a bit last year, because it's fun to go to and watch and they really like it when i go, and i have nothing better to do on sunday evening. So it makes for a good time. And there are a few real dances where they can show off their awesome dance skills. It' fun. So I attended this event almost all year round, and the moment I stepped back into CZ, also i stepped into the tanecni dance classes. How is it possible? Simple. I also taught the 8th graders last year and this year they are first year students in high school also! And it's been fun. I already been to 3 of them this year.

Which brings me to another reason in which i am writing about. I've never one to be selected for some kind of dance-off, or a dance-a-thon. I basically can't dance at all. Not that I don't want to. I've just never had the opportunity or the chance to take part in this leisure activity. Ballroom dancing isn't really part of the pop culture scene in America, so i never thought it was necessary. But after visiting 13 different dances last year, I see more of an importance to it. But the dilemma is that I still can't dance and don't have the opportunity to learn. After going and watching and seeing the kids learn, it's made me more interested in dancing.

Which brings me to the real reason I'm wrting about. Today I sat in on the music class with some of my students today ( by the way, it's really pathetic. All they do is go to class and sing songs. That's it. Nothing else, just go and sing hip american songs), and after the class, one of my students came to me showing me a cd she had and it had all the formal dances on it (waltz, blues, cha cha, etc...) about 20 dances. And she insisted that she was going to teach me how to dance! wow! it's great! So today I had my first real dance class. And I think I'm gonna learn how to dance. Today i learned the three dances listed inthe parethetical references. I think I'll need some review, but I think I'm well on my way, and I'm kinda excited about it. So. I'm a dancer it seems to be. Cool, peace

Another future Addition

So, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, we added another member to the Barnes family, Benji. Well, it just so happens that our family seems to be growing at an unreal rate of time, because as of yesterday, we seem to have another addition coming to join the "Good Side" in the light of my sister's recent engagement to Justin Lebeau. It did come on a sad day when our beloved Sooners got screwed over by bad calls and last second touchdowns up in Oregon, but I think that this makes everything all better. So, congratulate the latest addition to the family which never sleeps.

I promise, they're really standing up. They're not layin down. No!! ReallY!!! They're not!!! I promise!!! Believe me already!! :)



The brave, fearless 5-some (that's what us Barnes 5 like to be called). We got there, my brother (Rennie) and his boy (Ty), Christina's husband and my brother-in-law (Justin H), the beautiful me (Zach) and Cathleen's future husband and my future brother-in-law (also Justin, but Justin L, not H)

First Week Down

So, just finished the first week of school, and lemme tell ya, it's gonna be an interesting year, and by interesting, I hope I mean... freakin awesome. We'll see. I'm teaching a lot of new fools, so we'll see how it goes trying to know all their names and whatnot. I'm not too worried about it, but I'm lookin forward to the challenge, as this year's teaching schedule is unlike last years completely. No biggie. Benji is doin good. It's a busy thing takin care of him and always bein with him, but then again, that's why i got him, ya? yea, of course! He's my friend, and we're gonna rock it together. So, as for school this year, 10 different classes at the high school could be different from 4 classes last year, so I'm gonna need a lot of ideas, so if you got anything, throw it my way. Any good project ideas or anything of that sort. cool. So, let me know. Any new news lately... um... none that i can think of. The big countdown has begun. T minus 12 days until the greatest concert ever in Prague. Pearl Jam at it's best! Be waiting for an extreme update for that. I was at my students yesterday and we were singing "Better Man" and it almost brought tears to my eyes. It's gonna be great! I'm going with my friend Stephen, another American teaching just south of Prague. It'll be totally rad. Ready or not, here i come. Til later. keep it real.

My Time in Karlovy Vary

As, promised... or maybe not promised, I'm posting some pics of Karlovy Vary where i was about 2 or 3 weeks ago with my students Kamila and Lucka.

So this first picture is me and Kamila with the famous Czech hero, Švejk (pronounced shvaik). He's a legend in Czech Republic for his fictitious accounts during WWI in the army throughout Czech Rep, Slovakia, and Hungary. If you ever have the chance to read this book, called "The Good Soldier Svejk" by Jaroslav Hasek, I greatly reccomend it. It is classic Czech culture and shows the personalities of Czechs. Svejk is considered to be the typical Czech, which i don't know if i can believe, but it's true, that while other people groups have acted harshly from being invaded one after the other, the Czechs have people like Svejk where they find somehow to make the incident into something comical! I mean, just look at him, and tell me you don't love the ol' chap. (picture was taken in front of his own pub in Karlovy Vary)




The second and third pictures were taken on our returning from Karlovy Vary. We went there by car with Lucka's father (who conincidentally was visiting a stamp convention). The trip in a car took about an hour and 45 minutes, which was amazing to me, cus last time i went by train which took an easy 4 hours. I was in awe, yet happy and content. So... we stopped at a few of these small towns, ones that had really nice chateauxs, but it's funny, cuz i don't think we took pictures of the actual chateauxs. The first one was in front of a small brewery next to the chateaux (shows what's important to Czechs) and in front of this strange statue thingy in the center of this strange town which was built on a severe slant. Really strange places, but the chateauxs were cool. I was also able to drive through the small town of Krusovice, which here is made the famous Czech beer Krusovice. It's served all around my region, probably because the town is so close, but it's known as "the working man's beer". It's not bad. Some people don't like it, but it ain't too bad.




So, that's a little more of the fun I had in Karlovy Vary, I hoped you like it. Talk to you later. peace

Hey, School and Benji are here

Hey, so school started today and it was really cool. unfortunately, i have to go again tomorrow and the next day, but i am excited and looking forward to it, really. i havent seen these kids is a few months, so it's a rockin time. so, i am the proud new user of a wireless internet connection in my apartment! Which is way cool by the way! i'm just chillin on my sofa surfin the net. And after having to walk with my comp about 3 minutes to the teacher's lounge (I know it's so far! :) ) i appreciate this even more!! wow, it's so great!! Also! check it, i got a dog yesterday. His name... well i guess i'm making the official name Johnathan Benjamin Barnes, because i really wanted him to be John, but his name was already Benji, so I think i'm gonna have to stick with it. He's a Beagel and about 2 years and really super, except he slobbers everywhere. Ok, I'll attach a few pics for you, but that's all i got for now

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Heeeeere Schoolie Schoolie Schoolie. Here boy.

so, here we are again, at the break of a new school year. wow, it's hard to believe it's finally here again. This past two weeks in CZ has been really long for me, but really good. It's one of those feelings like it feels like a long time has gone by, but it's just been so much fun. Really busy doing all sorts of crazy stuff. My schedule seems to be a lot different than last year so it's gonna be a little tricky transition i think, but i'm lookin forward to it. Last year i taught 8 hours at the high school and like 14 hours at my private school, but this year I'm teachin 17 hours at the high school and 7 at the private school, so it's actually really cool and what i wanted because now I'm gonna be around the school a lot more and gonna be able to hang out with a lot of people a lot more at school during the day, so it's a rockin time. so, other reasons this year is gonna be a lot more crazy... been able to hang out with a lot of people since i've been back and I seemed to have estblished myself at my school. The whole informal/;formal greeting thing has been one thing that I've prided myself on (me and my roommate last year always bragged who we got to greet informally). So, with most of the teachers now I'm on an informal greeting basis, which is kinda cool (since most of them don't really speak english at all. My thoughts are kind of scattered at the moment, I'm listening to all kinds of things in the background so my thuoghts may not make sense, but it's all good. um... i think i'm gonna get a dog tomorrow, we'll see. I've been lookin at this one beagle online and though he may have some anger problems, I think it's gonna happen. Let's just hope that I don't regret this decision. Another thing, I went to the mall today and picked myself out another new phone which will replace my lost one and it's actually pretty freakin awesome, and it was about 10 bucks cheaper than my last one, so i was super pumped. The pic i'm showin don't do it justice, it's really light and really sweet, and if I hold down the star key, it will audibly tell me the time, which is the feature which sold me. More incentive to come and visit me??? huh???? i think so!! ok, cool, I'll hit some more up later. peacers