the talking bear

Habemus Papam... Amen.

One thing has been really getting on my wick recently...

There is an incredible amount of speculation about the new Pope, not only here in Poland, but worldwide. Whilst I must admit that I was not 'backing' the current Pope, Benedict XVI, who am I to say that the decision was wrong? I am glad that we, as Roman Catholics, have a Pope to begin with!

The media frenzy surrounding the election and Conclave was truly disraceful. Whereas I understand that the media did its job in advertising the candidates, and that it did well, it had no right to speculate on the final decision. One must remember that it is the Holy Spirit that chooses who should be Pope, and via the cardinals the final decision. Most Roman Catholics would agree with me on this one.

It is not an election like the ones we see on television in the USA, nor will it be like the one that will happen in the UK next month. The RC church is not run by votes. It is not an open election. Therefore, I say to the media: report on what goes on in the Holy See, but don't then speculate on something that you, just as I, have no power over. Benedict XVI is a messenger of Christ. A human, yes, but a human with higher moral standing and piety than us.

Let him do his job as prescribed by God and the Church. Amen.

Excuses, excuses...

Having been harrassed by certain members of my family to post sooner, I have been forced into writing this post. Not that I didn't want to, but I'm sure my past silence will become clearer to you all now that... I'm posting this. I apologise in advance if some of my (forthright) views offend.

POLAND (then)

Poland is starting to get back to normal after the events of the past few weeks. I was (and am) in no way qualified to speak about such a great man. The news that has been broadcast around the world has done this job for me, and besides I would have said much the same jibber jabber that has been pumped out during this totally crass media fenzy that we have been forced to watch. All the channels here in Poland pumped out the same old same old. To begin with, I must admit it was the right thing to do. After a few days, however, I was beginning to wonder if this was really necessary (the answer, in retrospect, being yes, sort of). The only news Poland got was about the Pope, meanwhile I'm sure other important things were happening around the globe. May Karol Wojtyła requiescat in pace, as they say. He is in a better place now, anyway. Poles have to come to terms that they no longer have a Pope of their blood - let us hope and pray that the upcoming conclave is able to nominate someone who is suitable for the job. I'm interested to see whether the popehood comes back to an Italian or if someone from further afield will continue the role of St. Peter.

TSCHERMANEE (GERMANY)

Maybe my slight distance to what's been going on in Poland was the fact that on the Tuesday after the Pope's death I had to go to Frankfurt/Main (for the Musikmesse) to translate for one of the bods I work for here in Kraków. Whilst Poland was in national mourning, I had to discuss distribution contracts with top-wallahs from the UK and the USA about bringing their products to the Polish people via this shop (that I work for...). It was tiring, and although I was admittedly in a constant state of meditation about what was going on at home, I had to sit there and mediate about things that, to be honest, could have been done over the 'phone. Our party left for home on Friday morning - I wholeheartedly regret that I was not able to see the funeral on the box. Instead we had to put up with trashy German pop and the occassional news-flash about what was going on in the Vatican.

POLAND (now)

Back to life. Back to work. Back to living. Back to translations. Back to school (so, how messy/scruffy/manicured is your bedroom?). Watering plants. Tidying balcony. Making supper. Doing the laundry. Having an afternoon ziz (I never know how to spell this one). Smoking a ciglet. Drinking tea. Going out for a walk. Possibly an afternoon vodka (Żurawinówka, natch). Thinking about me. Thinking about those I love. Thinking about those I don't love. Thinking about my waistline.

Thinking of you.