End of the world as depicted by The Economist
As this is probably my last sober weekend this year I might just as well use it and do a rundown on 2006 as seen by Pengovsky.
POLITICS:
Political life in 2006 was dominated both by Janez Janša’s government consolidating its power in every aspect possible. The consolidation started late in the year as the first half of the year was dominated by the resignation of minister in charge of reforms Jože P. Damijan. Janša however bounced back from this blow and set about prepairing terrain for the hoped-for victory in municipal elections. The victory more or less materialised, but not in Ljubljana, where Zoran Janković won with a landslide and pretty much upset the murky political pond of Slovenia. Whether it was for better or for worse remains to be seen
On a global scale of things it does feel nice that the people in the USA finally realised what the rest of the world (save Tony Blair) was telling them all along.
SOCIETY:
When looking back on 2006 one cannot ignore the rise of racism and the dissolution of the rule of law, both of which were paintfully manifested during Ambrus crisis. I’ve posted at lenght on this issue, so let it just be said that the matter is far from resolved. For the time being it seems that single-digit temperatures have cooled down the racist rage of the Ambrus population, but when the ice will have thawed time will be up for the government which will want to provide some sort of viable approach to ensuring that Slovenia will become a country of and for all of its people, regardless of ethnicity – which includes the Roma.
On that note: People seem to want simple and fast solutions these days, which is probably one of the reasons Janković got elected. Someone should be brave enough to tell them that simple and fast solutions often create just more of the same problems.
PROFESSION:
The Firm™ survived yet another year, which I’m very proud of. The media market in Slovenia is a true dog-eat-dog world and just having survived for four years is good, but having finally picked up the pace in increasing number of visitors/users/listeners proves, that we were right all along and that our programming and other services perform their respective functions. Just a quick example. In January 06 the Firm’s website recorded 9690 visits, while in November (last full month as of this writing) the number of unique visitors jumped to 83.500 visits.
I continued writing for SBR, which can sometimes be time consuming, especially when I don’t have the foggiest what the fuck I’m writing about. It happened when I was given medicine as a subject of my article and I virtually pissed blood for a month (much like on the two projects I’m finishing now). But in the end it turned out to be an excellent article and I was even commended for it by dr. Vinko V. Dolenc, the world renowned neuro-surgeon, which was kind of nice.
I also returned to Cutty Sark Pub as a DJ after becoming single again (see below) as I quit the year befoe in the name of love. I missed the place, and although it can be a bit frustrating at times when people don’t respond to music, I still love working there. The staff are great, they know how to pour a Guinness and when people start really partying it trully is a sight to see.
PERSONAL:
Well, I became single again this year. As of February Pengovsky is on the market 😀 I met a couple of really fine women since then (one in particular) but it never came to developing a deeper relationship. I got used to being single, but there are two things about it I don’t like: 1) even if you solve your own problems, you still need someone intimate to talk to – and there is noone, and 2) you don’t get laid as much as you’d like to. True, I also fucked up this year at one point but I’ve only myself to blame for that one, so I hope she forgave me.
And of course, I started writing this very blog. 😀
OVERALL:
It was a year to remember, no doubt. But so much happened that I have the feeling I’ve been living it on fast-forward. Of course I’m tired accordingly. Both physically and emotionally. And there’s no indication that 2007 will be a lot different. Whether it was a good year or a bad one, remains to be seen, but my gut instinct teels me that this year was not one of the brightest. I just hope were not headed for a political, economic, military and social trainwreck. Globaly, I mean.
Pengovsky is on the market…tempting! Especially after those foxy photos of yourself that you posted (well, except the one with the ciggybutt). If you were about twenty years older the anti-Condi would probably ask you out:
http://mojavas.blogspot.com/2006/06/i-am-anti-condi.html
Good luck in 2007.
Damn!… Twenty years older, you say. Shit! Namely: ideological compatibility is right there at the top of the short list of requirements my future ex-wife must have 😀 OK, I’m kidding about the “future ex-wife”. but dead serious about “ideological compatibility”.
Thanks for the good thoughts. And likewise, of course!
Yeah, IC (ideological compatibility) is more important than IQ (and EQ–emotional intelligence–probably tops the list). And I don’t even hold your membership in Drni’s gibanje against you–I’m skeptical of the New Age flakiness, but I think the principles are basically sound. My future ex-husband, in addition to being kind, generous, humane, politically enlightened and just generally wonderful, must also have a lot of practical skills (chopping wood, mucking barns, renovating houses, unplugging an occasional clogged drain, cooking, etc.), superb love-making techniques, and not mind sleeping with dogs.
That’s just for starters. I’m sure I’ll have no trouble finding my dream man–why, men like that are a dime a dozen, aren’t they? And all unmarried.
Could be that many people share your global predictions for 2007. But some people say it could be a good year personally … 🙂
@Jean: I understand that you were talking about your future ex-husband, but why are you describing me? 😀 OK, seriously now… I agree with you on IC and EQ being way more important than IQ. Even more so, I think IC is just a part of EQ, so that’s settled. As far as Drle and his Movement are concerned… I’m sceptical of the way this whole thing has turned into shamanic convention, but what I like about it is that Drle opened up new areas of public debate. And if nothing more comes out of Gibanje, I think he has already performed above and beyond the call of duty.
@alcessa: Well, I hope so… I mean, I’m quite capable of holding my own in face of adversity, but an occasional good year wouldn’t hurt 🙂 I’m not prophecising global doom in 2007, but I’m worried by the trend that is slowly emerging: A few disgruntled countries in the world that are punching way above their league, somewhat tired superpowers, trying to fend off the superpowers-to-be. Combined with the obvious lack of natural resources (the gooey black thing, you know) I fear we can have a great calamity on our hands shortly.
The world has been at peace (minus all the regional warfare of the past 20 years) for too long and things are slowly begining to look like 1914 all over again. I’m worried.
I think I’ve been silently worrying all along… the language of my worries slowly changing, from the childish protest to “psychologisizing” of a teenager to slowly adapting some political and (alas!) sometimes even New Ageish vocabulary, but nevertheless. And now they (German media) even tell me I belong to the great worrying mass of people, mainstream, so to speak, which makes it OK for me not to be even interested into tunnels, let alone the light at their end.
At the same time I am able to live my personal optimism in my personal environment and be a happy person…
Shitty, isn’t it… Marx said that history repeats itself: It’s a tragedy the first time around, but a farce the second time. How do you call it happening third time in a row?
Tragedy of/for the Learn-resistant, of course…
Obviously, but those are thick on the ground everywhere. Even in Britain, it would seem, although I held that country in high regard as far as historical memory was concerned. But times have apparently changed.
@Pengovsky: Will you marry me? But I insist on sole custody of the dogs when we divorce.
Deal. I’ll have my hands full with the family golden retriever anyway 🙂
Here is a bit of good advice that just has to be given: have a good look at each other’s mother-in-law… 🙂
Hm in this case I think that the dogs might be a deciding factor 😉
My mother’s dead, unfortunately. She was a brilliant, fascinating and wonderful if somewhat eccentric woman, and I’m sure Pengovsky would have loved her even more than me (or the dogs). Especially since she lived on the other side of the ocean.
Don’t get me started on mothers-in-law–I had to live with mine (first husband’s mother) in the same household for twelve years, and she was a major reason why he and I ended up splitting. Alcessa’s advice is indeed worth considering.
Well, that’s why we have a saying that one should live just far enough from parents (or in-laws) that they couldn’t come visit wearing their pajamas.
It’s funny, isn’t it? Allow me to simplify a bit: there are so many nice people out there, who are on the whole easy to deal with, like, no problem, but whose in-laws just can’t really stomach them.
The German weekly Spiegel once wrote about mothers-in-law and they said the wife’s dragon-in-law was per default more terrible, because, gasp, she would always have doubts about the origin of her grandchildren (her SON’S children), while she needn’t doubt about her blood being present in her DAUGHTER’s children. Sounds scheisse, doesn’t it?
Blut und boden, is it? :)… the “dragon-in-law” reminds me of an old joke: A guy runs an ad in classifieds, saying “Will exchange mother-in-law for a new set of batteries. Reply to: “Zmaj-2-Zmaj”