Buy cheap, buy twice

A long time ago I heard a woman who could be ranked among lower-middle class (in Poland there are no standards of social stratification, hence such assignment was purely judgemental) claiming she “could not afford to buy cheap stuff”. At that time I thought she was showing off she could afford some decent items to make up for her inability to buy more expensive durable goods, such as more comfortable dwelling. With hindsight, I recognise the wisdom in such attitude.

The musings should begin with a question whether there is a positive correlation between price and quality. I would argue it exists, yet not really strong. If you buy expensive items, you might be let down by their poor quality, yet if you buy cheap items, it is far more likely the cost of acquiring them reflects their shoddiness. There are bargains you might chase, but laws of economics remain unwavering – products or services of high quality might be attractively priced only for a short time, then the market will drift towards equilibrium.

With age (and rising earnings) I lean towards buying more expensive durable goods and my higher disposable income is not a core reason. I like using stuff for several years, I realise such consumer habits are good for the planet, I detest producing rubbish and I generally dislike shopping, so if I buy something that serves me for many years, it saves me hassle which replacing a defective or worn-out item involves. Besides, the comfort of using quality stuff is usually higher. Such approach requires a larger initial expenditure. As I point out, I pay more up-front, but over years I do not spend more money by replacing one shoddy item with another. Quite sadly, the initial outlay is the biggest barrier for the poorer who for financial reasons are stuck in a vicious circle of buying cheap stuff: furniture which fall apart after a few years, clothes which look like rags after a few washes, etc.

One would say it is contrary to manufacturers’ interest to put out durable objects, as capitalism is driven by ongoing, never-ending demand. Bosch brand, being a symbol of quality gives lie to this. My dishwasher has never let me down over 7 years. By dint of high quality, I have come by a driller, a universal brush, a wire detector and a washing machine, all manufactured by Bosch, which since decades has been a renowned producer of reliable and durable machinery. It earns on clients recurring to buy a different product, not to replace an item they bought a few years ago.

In purely economic terms, the strategy of buying expensive items does not always make sense, especially when quality does not go together with practical properties of an item or if you are going to use an item once in a blue moon. In the latter situation, sharing economy should be the answer, nevertheless despite some progress, Poland still lacks a well-organised platform for renting / borrowing stuff (such as tools used once a year or less often).

Forward-looking optimism?

Well, not actually. I'm moving ahead, as this is a part of my nature. I soldier on, against all odds and numerous headwinds I seem to be facing.

The world we are living in does not fill with hope. The biggest empire of the old world is ruled by a lunatic. His doubtful crackdown on lousy regimes does not fill one with compassion for dictators in Venezuela or Iran, but will bring little improvement for inhabitants of those countries. The orange bastard has still too much patience for the tsar. Despite allegedly good relationships with the tsar, the US ruler has not convinced him to agree on a ceasefire under conditions reflecting the pre-invasion order. The most dreadful is the vision of the orange dumbhead warranting to conquer Greenland, triggering an immediate NATO disintegration, a scenario desired most by Kremlin. Reassuringly, the system of checks and balances in the USA works well and hence the orange guy will be effectively held back.

Russia keeps bombarding Ukraine and the vision of peace is distant. I feel awfully sorry for the Ukrainian people (especially now, as they are coping with harsh frost below –20C), but on the other hand I realise while waging a war, Russia gets weaker, while a period of peace would let the tsar's country set itself up for a war against Western Europe.

In Poland I shun the online world, as my jaw drops open at the crass stupidity of those who bloat there the most. AI has made it even worse and the least clever part of society put credence in all deepfake content they come across. The two right-wing anti-EU parties have a total support of roughly 25% in the current polls, while the democratic coalition, standing for values of the civilised world, enjoys a total support above 40%. Not a bad outcome, given how it was envisaged to fall apart in the wake of the lost presidential election and in the world drifting right.

Family-wise, my parents are getting older, a phenomenon inevitable, expected and irreversible. Their health is around the average for their age, they still basically get on with daily life on their own, mostly thanks to my father's stamina (albeit his underlying diseases are a ticking bomb). Observing their mental aging gets me down most. They no longer have a can-do attitude and perceive matters which just have to be handled as problems. Watching them sliding slowly towards senility fills me with more pessimism than coming to terms with them being less physically fit and the realisation the moments they pass away are not in a distant future.

Work-wise, I think I'm getting ahead in the new role, but ask myself what it is for. If I don't raise a family and spending money does not give me particular joy, what is the point in earning more money? I will accumulate savings, hoping one day they will come in handy, but with little conviction there is a justification for chasing higher wages.

Health-wise I realise I have reached the age range when my conduct (nutrition, physical exercise, lifestyle, hours of doing sport per week) determines my health when I grow older. So far the spine is the only long-lasting predicament and I need to take preventive steps to keep it in reasonably condition, but I keep in mind what my orthopaedist once told me, namely it is not a questions whether my ailment recurs, but when and how badly it hits me.

My involvement in charity has worn me down. If downsides prevail over upsides, one needs to think over whether, regardless of benefits for the disadvantaged, such energy drain makes sense. As of now, I have not resolved whether to carry on with the Paczka next year, but with each next day I tilt towards giving up on it.

Relationship-wise, my attitude of being deprived of hope and belief that regardless of my efforts, mating attempts will get me nowhere, is disturbing. I may try to elaborate on this in some time, but my observations of single women in their 30s approach to romantic relationships can be summarised with one question reflecting their mindsets: “why do I need a man at all?” Full stop. Maybe with time and new chapter in online dating opened my I will change my mind. Whatever the fate brings, right-on is the approach to do my bit, as only interesting people are (sexually) attractive.

2026 will be a year of looking for a meaning in life. At some stage, humans choose among different ways of drowning out the feeling of emptiness. Until recently the most popular one was raising a family which consumed money and time, took away a lot of free time and set long-term milestones humans aimed at. With lifestyle shift in place, pursuit of hobbies, travelling, doing sports, indulging in pleasures and many other ways of increasing one’s dopamine levels have grown in popularity, but they still have a common denominator – they let forget about the overwhelming existential hollow.

Is my mindset depicted above as sign of relapsing depression? I hazard a guess it does not qualify as a mental disorder. It is a natural reaction to a chain of mostly bitter experiences which have come down on me in recent months. As an intelligent human being, I emotionally respond to them. My drive and self-esteem are in order and I retain the ability to cherish joyful moments, despite being overcome by long-term dejection. No need to take medications to get to grips with it. Time will either heal it or bring what I need to reconcile with I have no impact on.

Roll on spring! Warmth and longer days will do their bit in lifting me up.

Not a winter (wonderland) we have got used to

One of the goals of my annual winter timelines, written since 2010/11 season, is keeping track of day-to-day weather changes in one of two periods of a year most affected by climate changes. The sixteenth one is hence in the making. Winters generally tend to be warmer, wetter, with more rainfall and less snow. But as the atmosphere gets warmer, the risk of extreme events rises. As some regions of the world are facing unprecedented for this time of year heat (such is the case for most of the USA since around Christmas), others must counterbalance this with periods of abnormal cold.

Temperature-wise, we have been far from record-breaking chill. In the first days of January temperatures were close to long-term average for the period. Just recently it got markedly colder, yet even with temperature decreasing to –15.4C yesterday morning, Warszawa Okęcie weather station readouts have barely hits their 5-year lows (–20.6C was measured here on 18 January 2021) and are still well above twenty-first century records (–27.1C on 23 January 2006) or low officially reported in post-war period (–30.7C on 8 January 1987).

Snow-wise, after a series of snow-sparse winters, recent conditions are what we are no longer accustomed to. One must also say precipitation of 50 centimetres daily as reported in several places across northern Poland are not what we capable of combating. Such amounts of snowfalls have statistically been witnessed around twice in a century and were not, unlike some claim, typical several decades ago. In Warsaw snow cover got higher than 40 centimetres only three times after 1951:
- in 1970: between 22 February and 5 March (the 1969/70 winter was all-in-all the harshest in post-war history of Poland),
- in 1979: between 6 January and 8 January, between 18 January and 20 January, then between 30 January and 27 February,
- in 2010: between 13 February and 19 February.

This year, hitting such mark is not particularly likely. The snow fallen in late December and early January has already subsided, brining snow cover below 20 centimetres. The current forecasts suggest we may count on some snow top-up, but in a few days it will begin to melt. I keep fingers crossed for a thaw setting in.

I am not one of those fond of proper winter. I do not feel sorry for motorists (including myself, as roads are salted too well in comparison to slippery pavements), but this is a nuisance for people having to move about in general, pedestrians (who again, appear to be second-class citizens), all workers doing their jobs in the open air, elderly and disabled people often stuck at home due to the weather. I also feel sorry for those who cannot afford to heat their dwellings properly and to protect themselves from frostbites recourse to lousy incineration inputs. Many folks do so and you need no sensor to deteck awful air quality. On Friday I ran some 30 metres to catch a bus and I could feel the smell of hells knows what shit burnts in my lungs. Costs and inconvenience of harsh winter is hence borne by everyone, while few benefit or cherish it. On the other hand, harsh conditions shape tough people, so let’s cope with winter with fortitude!

Besides, once snow ceases to fall and sun brightens up short days, winter has its charm. Snaps dated 5 January 2026, from my first, post-flu short amble.

To the right, ul. Moczydłowska, serving mostly as a pedestrian precinct running towards Las Kabacki. Such standard of keeping non-major roads is absolutely sufficient. Other local roads kept in similar standard, with no salt in use.

The cabbage field between ul. Perkalowa and ul. Ziemska is a fascinating phenomenon. If sold for zillions, it could accommodate an estate of splendid terraced or semi-detached houses. But a local farmer prefers to grow vegetables here (note the spot is less than 15 minutes on foot from Metro Natolin).

The Kazurka hill was not chock full of children sliding down. Note benches and other objects downhill are covered with hay to prevent deadly incidents. I felt like scrambling up the hill, yet such effort could thwart my post-flu recovery.

The track running to Warsaw underground depot seems to have been out of use in early January, with snow trampled by walkers only. I still await the moment I catch a railcar on the infrequently used track.

The Oczko wodne Moczydełko pond has frozen over and is capped with snow. I would not hazard, however walking on it. Three days after the last thaw and with no double-digit frost since then, stepping on its icy surface seemed premature.

Out on another field, a man-made snowman, with eyes fallen off below nose. Plenty of other snow crafting works of art were erected in Ursynów during early days of the month, yet I felt still too weak to venture for a longer walk. Hope I catch up soon.

Down with flu

As a teenager and then as an adult I used to fall ill very seldom. Since joining the current employer, I took a sick leave once, in September 2024, owing to serious problems with spine, but all sparse infections I have had were mild enough to work from home. Even my COVID-19, contracted stupidly on a housewarming party, was a mild, though uncanny cold with no complications thereafter.

If the are familiar with previous post, you are most likely aware the fourth quarter of 2025 was a kind of tiresome for me. From the 20 December each night I slept between 8 and 10 hours, vs. long-term optimum of 7 hours sufficient for my body to regenerate. It was desperately calling for rest and regeneration and I did not resist it. But long-term fatigue might have played havoc with my immune system as well.

I a rush of the last quarter of 2025 I have not taken a vaccination against flu, a mistake I am not going to repeat, especially since medical plan paid by my employer offers large supply of doses available at any centre, at any time slot. But for several years, despite being exposed to people infected with flu, I would never come down with it. I had such vaccine once, in 2022.

On 22 December my father went to the hospital in Piaseczno to pick up his medical examination results. He claimed he had waited 15 minutes or so in a corridor full of coughing people. Most likely the story began there. My father was the first to be laid down to bed, complaining about fever, shivers and other symptoms on a Christmas day. He has come out of it relatively quickly, most likely with high body temperature he has combatted the illness fast, but remains weak until now.

My mother felt off-colour on 26 December. On that day it occurred to me except for buying medicines for parents, I should drop in on my dwelling to pick up infection combo tests. I tested my father and the indication was clear – influenza A. My mother got knocked down by the illness. On 27 December I ordered her a telemedicine appointment and she got prescribed anti-flu pills. I drove to town in the evening to get the prescribed medicines despite not feeling particularly well.

On 28 December I returned home, pottered about and thought I would get off it lightly. No such luck. Next two days I felt unwell, yet not tragically, but worked from bed.

On 30 December the fever rose, I would not sleep the whole night, so in the morning I caught a slot with a doctor, my parents’ GP. Thus on New Year’s Eve I fell officially into nationwide statistics of flu infections and got my set of pills. The GP said it would go away within 2 or 3 days, a vivid overpromise (back then and with hindsight). The last day of December was also the worst day, with all bones and joints aching, a headache, cough and runny nose, this all accompanied by fever of roughly +37.5C.

This must have been a turning point, since on 1 January I did not feel that awful, yet tremendously frail. I recalled stories from the worst 2020/21 COVID winter of people getting so tired with a walk to the toilet and back that they had to sleep it off for 12 hours. My state was nowhere as bad, but far worse than any other infection I have had at least in a decade.

On Friday and yesterday I was slowly pulling through. Most symptoms, including fever, are gone, yet I still feel terribly weak. Most likely I will be on the mend for a fortnight, before I am back in top form.

Take care of yourselves!