July 06, 2010

The Hunt is over and the Tv nailed to the wall!

This is Day 2 after the Hunt was over. The Tv has been set up, the ps3 connected to it and the ADSL modem. What more can I ask for? I have all I need right in front of me!

The Hunt for this Tv wasn't easy the second time as well ---->

I left the house just about 30 minutes after my sister did for her Italian course. The most difficult part of the Hunt was getting to the mall. Walking from the house to the bus stop takes about 10 minutes, and let's not forget that the sun was out burning my skin. Then waiting for bus 96 to get to the stop took another 20 minutes. The buses here don't come very often if you live in suburbia like me. And not to mention what the bus ride was like.

The bus, one donated by the people of Japan, had wooden seats which were polished; so whenever the bus made a turn you would slide (thanks to the laws of physics) and bump hard onto the person sitting next to you. On top of that it was Happy Hour, everyone was going home from work so the bus was jam packed! Every cause has an effect, and the effect of sitting in a bus with another say 50 + people is breathing everyones' sweat! NASTY!!!

Well 50 minutes of that, which actually felt like hours, was enough for me. As I stepped out of the bus the cool breeze hit me and I let out a sigh of relief.

After that bus ride nightmare, I found the Tv with out a problem. Payed for it. Got a cab. And went home. I installed it and now I'm enjoying it!! This summer would be different (black and white) if I never bought this TV!

Tomorrow another journey begins...a journey to fix the printer!

July 03, 2010

The Hunt for a New TV begins.....

Today, like any other day, I woke up at around noon and just lounged in the living room until 3pm. I had yesterday's lasagna for lunch, cold and tasteless from the fridge, but at least something to fill me up.

My sister was going out to the mall to shop and meet some of our friends. I decided that this would be a perfect opportunity to buy myself a new flatscreen. This was not a random decision! An old friend of mine is coming soon and is bringing some great new video games that we want to try out on my ps3. But the thing is, my current tv doesnt have an HDMI plug-in. (that sucks)

Alright, fast forwarding to where the adventure begins. ----->

I left my sister in the mall because all the TVs there were mega expensive. I got into this old, more or less world war 2 looking bus to go home. As I got half way home the bus stopped at a station next to the Pancevo bridge. I saw a sign of a huge, cheap shopping center called TEMPO (something like a Serbian Wall-Markt). I quickly got off the bus with a plan to go there. As the bus passed I looked at the sign that said "TEMPO, Left for buyers, Right for delivery trucks". I turned left and stared down this long empty road with no sign of life. I switched on my ipod, put the ear phones on, and confidently began my quest for the Serbian Wall-Markt.

After 10 mins of walking down the same road, I arrived at a round about which i easily crossed due to the lack of vehicles on the road. On the other side of the round about something unexpected was waiting for me. I got to the other side and was watching my DC's (shoes) for the first 10 steps. I was bobbing my head as I was listeing to DMX's "Pump your Fist", as my head rose up I saw a small black figure 20 meters away. My head bobbed down giving me a clear picture of my shoes. Bobbing up again the black figure was closer and moving faster towards me. It was all a blur. I took off my ear phones and all i heard was loud barking from the black figure! I focused on the black figure and realized that it was a big Boxer with sharp teeth and a drueling mouth. I paniked, raised my hands and moved back. The dog backed off top. I moved slowly forward passing a gate on the right where another yellow mixed dog popped out from. I jumped back with anticipation and a bit of fear. The dog wouldn't stop barking. The Boxer returned to "protect" its friend. I started moving forward aggresively and they bounced back. I moved backwards and they bounced back towards me. I turned around and walked away. The black dog began throwing a fit and ran infront of me. My temper rose as I watched a stray dog block my way. I got tired of its barking and started yelling at it. It came for my legs. I twisted my body to the side, and flung my right leg under the dog's belly as a reflex. The dog yelped and moved away.

I was proud of myself and started pumping out my chest to the dog to show that I'm boss. This lady from accross the street starts yelling at me for animal abuse. I was to tired and pissed off to argue with her so i flung my wrist in the air signaling for her to go to hell.

I got to TEMPO just another 20 mins after my encounter with the K9s. There was a crowd just like the ones in Wall-Markt. I went to the Tv section to find myself disapointed. The prices were inflated and the lables were chinese. My eye brows lowered, and I thought to myself "All of this for nothing!"

This is not the end...I will not stop looking for a good flatscreen tv with HDMI. Monday I shall resume my quest in this strange city, with hope of returning with a TV in my hands.

July 02, 2010

Sumer 2010

2010 was said to be the year of new beginings by many of my friends and family; they were right. June 4th marked the end of my life in Abuja, Nigeria; with me graduating and moving back to Europe after 18 long years.

This summer is a summer of change. Supposedly at this point in time I have to be preparing myself for my life in Heidelberg, Germany. By September I am supposed to learn how to make wise decisions, be an adult, and survive (as Nigerians would say). Sure I will be living in a new environment with new people, with more responsibilities, but to me it is more or less the same as it was before; only difference is that I will be alone.

So far this is the second month of summer, and I have to say I'm not enjoying it. Although I have been doing lots of house work to keep myself busy. Chores have become so common that it's a daily routine for me. Not like back home where I almost never did any chores. I wake up, take a shower, check my mail, wash any dishes, vacuum, scrub the bathrooms. The only thing I'm not used to is opening the fridge and finding it empty. But this a change, a good change because I'm learning how things work with out parents so in college I won't make many mistakes.

Right now my biggest concern is making the rest of my summer fun. That's why I have planned to first buy a new TV to be able to play my ps3. Then getting out of the house more often would be the second step. But the problem is, everytime I'm in the city I feel like a tourist because I don't know anyone and don't know many places. I'm more or less a foreigner in my own country, in my home town.
Living here with very little friends also makes it boring, and they are still in school which doubles the boredom.

I still have the rest of this month and August. I need a plan, and it needs to work out. The Summer of 2010 is not meant to be boring but fun!