September heat

The recent wave of anomalous heat is the second such event in Poland in 2023, however much less impressive than New Year's Day when temperature in Warsaw topped at +18.9C, breaking a previous country-wide record by 2 Celsius degrees and setting a level which will not be beaten for years, despite the global warming. On the first day of 2023 temperature was some 15 Celsius degrees higher than long-term average for that day, while recently the positive anomaly reached "mere" 8 Celsius degrees.

Summer months of 2023 were the hottest on earth since records began, but Poland was not as badly affected by heat as southern Europe, with summer-time high in Warsaw of +34.3C reported on 15 August 2023.

Early days of September were quite normal temperature-wise. Heat came in on 6 September 2023 - from that day on day-time highs exceeded +26C. A veritable heat wave haunted Warsaw at the beginning of the second decade of September, with day-time highs above +28C on the 11th and 12th day of the month, then hitting +30.4C on 13 September 2023. It was the second-latest incidence of heat (upał, defined as maximum temperature exceeding +30C) the capital of Poland, not far from beating the record set on 14 September 1951.

Next days brought relief from the sultry air, but on 17 September 2023 and 18 September 2023 the African air struck again, though not so spectalularly, with +28C in the afternoon on the latter day.

On the two first days of the third decade of September the heat was even less intense, with temperature topping +26C and azure blue skies.

The last week of the month is to bring another spell of abnormal warmth, with day-time highs expected to reach around +25C in Warsaw.

The September heat has not been unusuaul in recent years, as I wrote commenting Michael's post. I can add on top the third decade of September also brought temperatues well above +25C - such was the case in 2003.

On 11 September 2021 temperature topped at +26.0C - not much cooler.

In 2020 heat continued much longer, with month-time high of +28.7C on 16 September.

In 2018 temperature topped above +28C on 12 September and on 20 September.

In 2016 day-time highs above +29C were recorded for 4 days in a row from 9 September to 12 September.

On 17 September 2015 temperature reached +29.9C.

From 12 September 2014 to 14 September 2014 maximum readouts exceeded +26C.

Finally, on 11 September 2012 we had heat (upał) in Warsaw (+30.4C).

The heat wave has been so prolonged that it is now more than sure September 2023 will be the warmest since records began in Poland, with positive deviation from the mean reaching even 4 Celsius degrees. In Warsaw where average temperature for September is +14.0C (1991-2020), it will be warmer than in 1892 (+16.5C), 1967 and 2016 (both +16.4C).

The Warsaw's record of the latest heat is unlikely to be beaten, but the countrywide one, set on 27 September 2012, does stand such chance to be broken. In Warsaw I see a major chance of beating the record of the highest mimimum temperature (currently +7.0C recorded in September 2006) and a tiny chance of setting a new record of maximum temperature in October (currently +25.9C set on 5 October 1966).

Since at this time of year days are shorter, evenings, nights and morning are markedly colder, September heat is easy to endure, as you can take shelter from it indoors if you cool it down at night, without having to recourse to air-conditioning. But those masses of air flowed in July, we would have suffered...

The marvellous spell of late summer definitely lifts spirits, but in fact there is no reason to be cheerful, as the global warming leaves its stamp on us again.

Post written from the smartphone, while travelling in business.

Off to Italy for 12 days tomorrow, where according to the forecasts, I am likely to experience temperatures from +20C to +26C and full sunshine over the entire stay. Photo catch-up due on 22 October 2023, while a week earlier is the election day.

A tram to Wilanów

Railway public transport, given all circumstances, is a future of modern cities. Warsaw finishes construction of its second underground line, but in the recent quarters focused much on developing a network of overground rail connections. One of such links is the tram track running to the posh district of Wilanów.

Frankly speaking, I have never understood why the location was so desirable among the capital’s middle class. The estate is reasonably good-looking, however buildings are too close to one another and the commute to the city centre, regardless of means of transport used, takes currently around an hour. For a comparison, a door-to-door journey to Rondo Dmowskiego from my dwelling takes some 35 minutes.

Nevertheless, the classy housing estate occupies swathes of land which 30 years ago were endless meadows. Needless to say infrastructure lagged behind residential developments. The city authorities for years had promised a tram connection and a few quarters ago the plans began turning into reality.

On 11 September, having knocked off relatively early (i.e. not doing overtime) I jumped on my bike and cycled to the neighbouring district to inspect the progress of work. As I was leaving home, temperature was still above +25C. More on the remarkable September heat next week.

Ursynów has great cycling infrastructure, so without having to use a pavement nor a road, I reach the intersection of al. Rzecz-pospolitej and ul. Branickiego. Preparatory works have begun here, but I see no track of a future terminues, which most likely will be located next to Medicover hospital at the southern end of al. Rzeczpospolitej.

For the period of construction, al. Rzecz-pospolitej has lost the status of a dual carriageway and has been narrowed to one lane in each direction. One can make out tram tracks will run between the southbound and the northbound road.

Somewhat closer to al. Wilanowska, there are sections where tracks have been already laid. Note the façade of a typical residential building, with shops on ground level. Currently, Wilanów is virtually self-sufficient, with facilities meeting needs of the upper-middle class located next to the district’s throughfares.

I pass the dug-up intersection of al. Wilanowska and ul. Sobieskiego, glad I do not have to cross this area regularly. Ul. Sobieskiego, once having three lanes in each direction, then two regular lanes and a bus lane, currently has only one lane per direction. Oddly enough during late rush hour on a school day the traffic jams were not heavy, while traffic on a cycling path running parallel to the street was quite dense.

Approaching ul. Bonifacego in Stegny, I realise the progress of works is very uneven and wonder what is behind the difference in pace of construction on different sections. Note a family in front of me – good to see parents teach children to move in a healthy and environment-friendly manner.

The last shot taken from the intersection of ul. Sobieskiego and ul. Bonifacego. Staring at the skyline of Warsaw’s skyscrapers and a pedestrian footpath above ul. Sobieskiego. Warsaw slowly gives up on them and on underground passages, as convenience of motorists is no longer a priority. The elderly, disabled, parents with prams – they should soon have the obstacles in moving around removed altogether.

Setting the sliders

Inspired by a cycle of eight "Setting the sliders" notes dated March 2011, by Michael.

Life is an endless quest for a balance. As part of the nature, humans naturally search for it. The most popular type of balance these days is the work-life balance, being a theoretical response to ruthless corporations exploiting their staff much longer than during customary nine-to-five cycles. The corporations claim to foster the work-life balance, but since their declarations are hollow, the EU institutions have attempted to regulate it. Then the corporations will aim to circumvent those laws. Well, it is a topic for a separate post...

In this one I struggle to find trade-offs in manifold areas of life.

Getting involved in a romantic relationship, one gives up on a part of their independence. Being with some means minding their feelings and needs and undertaking commitments towards a life companion. This takes striving, but should not take bending over backwards. People pair up since benefits of being together outweigh nuisances of making concessions. I believe one should strike a balance between their autonomy as an individual and some indispensable sacrifices.

A part of turning an adult is taking responsibility for one's deeds and life. Psychologists posit those contraventing such scheme are afflicted by Peter Pan syndrome, attributed usually to males who refuse to grow up and farewell the carefree days of childhood. For me being responsible is a crucial part of adulthood and proves a man's maturity. Nevertheless, carefree moments ought to be pursued in life and cherished, bearing in mind life is not a bed of roses.

The above brings to mind the idiom "business before pleasure", which sadly has no equivalent in Polish. As a child, not prompted by my parents, after coming from school I firstly did my homework and then played. An adult life involves duties and doing them with humility is a part of our existence. With affluence, people tend to work more to shift the most mundane duties to others. The growing popularity of farming out house cleaning or ordering food catering boxes instead of cooking confirms such trend. But is it just convenience and making use of one's money to enhance the comfort of life, or... shunning duties?

"Failing to prepare is preparing to fail" - some say. Preparing involves planning and planning clashes with spontainety. Spontainety symbolises carefree life, lack of limitations and boundaries. Should we give on spotainety altogether? Do not dare to do so, don't let your daily routine underwhelm you, let in the element of thrill to your life, but whatever you do, do it prudently and mind the outcome.

Unless your ancestors were wealthy and thrifty, you have to work to earn a livelihood. Your wage is usually a combination of education, skills, luck, but not only. A correlation between how hard you work and financial gains maybe is not very strong, yet apparently positive. Having spent over 13 years in the corporate reality, I observe the propensity to work harder than others declines with age. This is perfectly in line with the curve of earnings, increasing with years of experience, rising affluence (a marginal utility of each next unit of income is lower), human body's lower tolerance for intensive working, but particularly with priorities changing over lifetime. The more you have accumulated, the more you cherish the time spent with family, friends, physical activity or fostering hobbies.

If you earn little, most likely your have to watch every penny before spending and barely make ends meet. When your income rises, you might spend more, but not necessarily have to. Day-to-day survival gives way to planning and long-term goals. One has to make a choice what portion on the current income to consume and how much to aside for the future and with what purpose in mind. Saving for the very sake of saving and spending for a very sake of spending are both no good. Both spending and saving (which means not just putting aside money, but looking for ways for paying less for something) deserve a wise, emotion-free approach.

While interacting with other humans one makes mistakes. A noble man can admit their mistakes and, if possible, make up for them. A noble man's trait is modesty too. Boasting of one's accomplishments outside the corporate world is not the most commendable method of underlining one's presence. A prudent man also knows their limitations and does not overestimate their skills. Humility then is a great virtue I believe, the one which helps one attain long-term goals.

Lofty ideas of a perfect world are cruelly confronted with imperfect reality. Life involves compromising, yet it should have some limits, with moral principals (universal or subjective) setting boundary of how far can we give up on ideal solutions we long for. Not every price is worth paying, but freeriding as sneaking through life without effort is not worthwhile too.

No extreme is good. Keep it in mind when making your daily choices, but also when going to the polls in five weeks...

Pre-election gloom

As the end of the current parliament term draws near, I realise Poles have endured nearly 8 years of PiS in power. I also realise the period covers almost a half of my formal adulthood. As they were winning the election in October 2015, I was 27, single, rank-and-file analyst and still lived with my parents in Nowa Iwiczna. As of now I am in the third serious relationship since then, after two promotions, residing in my own flat in Ursynów – basically except for being 8 years older, I seem better off. A pity in many realms Poland is worse off or made steps back in development.

In early years of PiS in power people would take to the streets in masses to stand up for democratic principles. With time, as the marches did not undermine the unfettered authority of the ruling party, the intensity of street demonstrations faded. There were some spurts, as the protest against rigorous pro-life law changes in October 2020, a stay-in-the-EU march in October 2021 – which I both attended. This year I did not take part in the opposition’s march on 4 June (I was in Wisła) and on account of holidaying in Italy I will not join the crowds on the streets of Warsaw on 1 October, two weeks before the election.

Fatigue is a natural form of adjustment to how my country is being slowly demolished. Just like with any disruptive situation – the first reaction is a shock (recall the examples of COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020 or the invasion to Ukraine in February 2022) then the public get accustomed to what is going on, event if this involves hundreds of deaths daily. PiS in power does not kill humans, but in most Poles it eradicated the hope that the country might be run in a better way.

The current polls indicate PiS is going to win the election, but very few surveys give the party a majority of seats in the lower house of the parliament. The three parties of the democratic opposition, provided they all (hopefully) pass the parliament entry threshold, are also unlikely to get the majority. This means Konfederacja, the far-right-wind freak grouping currently rising to become the third player in the Polish politics, will be in a position to tip the scales during the key votes in the parliament. As Konfederosja declares to be an anti-systemic creature, it currently does not intend to enter a coalition with anyone, which looms a post-election stand-off and a possibility of next parliamentary election called in early 2024.

This year the election will be accompanied by a ludicrous referendum, which actually will be a barometer of support to the current government. As the opposition urges its electorate to boycott the plebiscite by refusing the to take the referendum card (otherwise a voter boosts turnout), the vote will effectively not be confidential. Since 50% turnout will not be achieved, I advise if opposition’s voters fear reactions of the communities in provincial polling stations, they should take the referendum cards – to cast a vote in line with one’s conscience is more important that boycotting the plebiscite.

The election will also not be equal. Numbers of lower house deputies elected from specific constituencies has not been revised since 2011. Over that time the number of voters in cities increased, so they are under-represented in the lower house, while in provincial Poland – decreased. This might mean a few more seats for PiS, much more popular far from big cities. The fix for it for a voters from Warsaw will be to pick up a certificate entitling to vote anywhere in Poland, not just in your local polling station. So on 15 October quite probably I will not be proudly boosting the turnout in Ursynów, but will venture to a place where my vote will have a bigger weight than I Warsaw.

Those more involved might become scrutineers, overseeing the voting and vote counting in polling stations.

The campaign is going to kick off for good after this weekend, with the end of school holidays. I fear it will be predictable, lacklustre and full of below-the-belt blows dealt by the ruling party. I suppose the outcome might be impacted by an event on the home straight, less than a week before the vote. I also keep fingers crossed for bad weather. In provincial Poland fewer people might take the trouble to go to polling stations, while inhabitants of big cities will not venture beyond town to make use of the last gasps of late summer and will not risk skipping their civic duty.

Eclectic Praga Północ

After more than a year of dating a woman residing in Nowa Praga, I have finally resolved to get to know the area better. The neighbourhood which in mind had been a squalid and off-putting place turned out to only partly reflect my image.

For about a decade the central part of Praga Północ has been undergoing a transformation from a god-forsaken, shady district into a modern, even posh area. The vicinity to the city centre which is just across Most Śląsko-Dąbrowski has definitely catalysed the un-coordinated modernisation. One of such examples are the buildings between ul. Stalowa, ul. Czynszowa and ul. Strzelecka. The modern one to the left has been squeezed between run-down, no longer inhabited tenements. The one to the right definitely is up-and-coming with its renovation potential.

While walking across the district (on Sunday, 6 August 2023) I made my way into a desolated courtyard by ul. Stalowa. The gate leads to a typical shrine put up at the very centre of the spot. I was a bit of scared while roaming there, as no living soul was around. Actually it benefitted me, as no scoundrel hang around. The tenement is not inhabited and the snap does not render the smell of excrements I had to endure.

 

The shot from ul. Równa depicts a typical landscape of Praga with all its elements - from the left:

- a relatively new block of flats built in the 1990s, with a quaint wall painting and graffiti,

- not too fancy cars parked on what used to be grass,

- a tall, yet narrow partly inhabited tenement with a dark gate passage,

- stand-alone rubbish containers (odour in the summer guaranteed),

- terraced garages (built in tines when car theft were a plague here) overgrown by ivy.

The only missing elements are inebriated pan Heniek and pan Ziutek sipping a beverage bought in a nearby monopolowy.

 

Ul. Czynszowa. The tram terminus resembles Italy. A narrow street, balconies typical for housing estates in Rome, a tramway in a symbiosis with the road and the pavement. Enlarge the photo to find out each of the buildings was erected in a different decade - the oldest blocks date back to pre-war times, some remember the communist era, while the newest were put up in 1990s and early 2000s.

 

The corner of ul. Równa and ul. Czynszowa, just next to the tram terminus is the essence of the district's climate. The Marian shrine looks like it is looked after by locals residents. The old mattress and pieces of furniture had laid there for weeks. A rubbish container calls for a roofed box. In the background, an old couple rambling towards the nearby church for a Sunday mass.

The building at ul. Środkowa 9 was erected in 1869 and for decades played host to Towarzystwo Przyjaciół Dzieci Ulicy. Thoroughly renovated between 2019 and 2021, now serves the same functions as it had done many years ago - is a home to Zespół Ognisk Wychowawczych im. Dziadka Lisieckiego. Note the building in the background. Though it looks like a brand-new block of flats, a careful examination and the study of Google Street View reveals it is an old tenement which has undergone an all-out refurbishment.

Staring at the spot by ul. Środkowa, closer to ul. 11 Listopada, I wondered when the time had stopped here? The pre-war tenements had their windows replaced, most dwelling remain inhabited. For some reason the large wall to the right nearly lacks windows, yet some of them have been bricked over. The terraced garage presumable date back to late communism. The wall paintings are relatively new. Cars parked outside the buildings hint at limited affluence of their dwellers (note the Skoda Octavia on WXT black plates - the vehicles has probably not change headroom since driving out of a dealer's showroom in late 1998). 

A close-up of the wall painting from the previous snap reveals it shows an engine. I wonder what the purport of the artwork is, but I captured the scene mostly to show you a row of already unused loos. Worth keeping in mind sanitary conditions in this area were poor for a long time.

The building at the corner of ul. Konopacka and ul. Stalowa is one of few ones which bear testimony of WW2 fights. Bullet-made holes in the wall have not been filled. Plaster has come off here and there. The shop reminds of a post-war procurement co-operative. Satellite dishes, open windows and laundry hung out to dry indicate some of the dwellings remain inhabited.

The climate of old Praga Północ is slowly fading, but I doubt the pace of transformation speeds up. The district no longer has such untapped potential as two decades ago, but it should take a wise liaison of city authorities and the private sector to make use of it in a way which would benefit the entire community.

Moravian vineyards by bike

Back from the long weekend spent mostly on two leg-powered wheels in South Moravian region. My in-laws hatched the idea of venturing there some time ago, but some issues put paid to their plans and eventually we have put them into practice. 

The region are the former lands held by the Liechtenstein family (the one whose tiny state is squeezed between Austria and Switzerland), yet were expriopriated in 1940s by the communists. Despite passing time the region still stands out in terms of well-preserved architecture which does not resemble a typical ex-communist country.

The South Moravian region is not far from Poland (7 hours of drive from Warsaw with 110 kmph at tempomat) and mere 3 hours from the Silesian agglomeration. Despite its proximity to my homeland, it remains undiscovered by my compatriots and by tourists from other countries too. Despite the mid-August peak of holiday season, the places we visited were anything but crowded. If somebody tells you the region is a little Tuscany, just take it for granted.

On our way there we made a stopover in Olomunec, a former capital of the region and of the entire Czech Republic. The city is now relatively small, but can boast of an epic old town, with eye-pleasing tenements, town hall and several monuments.

We have booked a last-minute stay in Lednice, probably the most enchanting town in the south-eastern corner of the Czech Republic. Four nights in a reasonably well-equipped apartment set us back only PLN 1,300 (or PLN 160 per night per person).

The castle, surrounded by a French garden is the centre of the town. The area must be looked after by cleaners and gardeners, with neatly trimmed lawns and plants enchanting visitors, but as Michael would argue, not moving with the times climate-wise. Oddly enough, the entrance to the gardens is free of charge and the park is not even closed overnight.

The region is famous for its vineyards, despite climate not much warmer than of Warsaw (average temperature across the year in Brno is one Celsius degree higher than in Warsaw). The area is most effectively sightseen by bike, with several trails marked out and many spots not reachable by car.

Valtice, here seen from the distance from a top of a hill overgrown with vitis, is the second most beautiful town in the region. Note excellent visibility on sunny, dry day.

Sonberk is one of the most renowned vineyards in the region, offering both bottled wines, as well as wine tasting on a terrace with a view on vitis trees, fields, lakes and mountains. Looking at the photo only, would you guess it was taken in the Czech Republic?

On one day we took a tour via a section of the iron curtain cycling trail and rode past Austrian villages. Our biggest discovery there were the crude oil extraction fields operated by OMV. Here, a pumpjack overseen by a matka boska naftowa.

The village of Vrbive can boast of the only wine cellars in the region. In line with the best practices, wine is stored underground, in properly ventillated dark facilities.

On our way back to Poland we dropped in on Brno. The current capital of the region stood little chance to lift my spirits if temperature outside was +34C and actual temperature on paved streets in full sunshine reached probably more than +45C. The Czech Republic still needs to catch up on unpaving its cities and getting the cars of out city centres.

This was my fourth visit to the Czech Republic within 1 year and I am growing fond of the country. It is generally clean and tidy (no litter nor dog turds on streets), people there are friendly, like physical exercising, drivers are considerate and respectful towards cyclists, prices remain affordrable.

If I was to recommend moving around the area I visited, a bicycle (for many an electric one) is an excellent choice, as many picturesque places cannot be even reached by car. Three full days for cycling trips (223 kilometres covered on bikes while the car sat idle) are just enough to visit major attractions of the region.

Megane hit 100,000 kilometres

On 2 August 2023 my Megane III reached a milestone – after twelve years and one month in service its odometer hit 100,000 kilometres. Such mileage is usually reached far earlier, yet if you use a car only if necessary, six-digit readout appears once a vehicle grows older.

The car has been with my family since driving out of dealership showroom. My parents bought it brand-new in July 2011 and they used it for more than five years sparingly for driving around town and intermittent long-distance trips. After more than five years, as my old car was turning less reliable, my parents opted for a new vehicle and handed over their (donated) Megane III to me. The car had just under 30,000 kilometres on the clock at that time.

For around the first year of its usage, it served me for daily commutes to the underground station, but after I moved to Warsaw, I switched to a routine of using it on average two or three times a week, for at least mid-distance journeys and long trips.

I have taken down dates it hit the previous milestones:
- 30,000 kilometres on 14 November 2016 (just upon the handover),
- 40,000 kilometres on 17 November 2017 (a trip to Berlin and Wrocław, to Mazury along the way),
- 50,000 kilometres on 18 August 2018 (trips to Toruń, Bielsko-Biała, Mazury, Vienna, Slovenia and Bratislava, Wrocław along the way),
- 60,000 kilometres on 22 August 2019 (a trip to Dolnośląskie along the way),
- 70,000 kilometres on 15 December 2020 (a trip to Bieszczady along the way),
- 80,000 kilometres on 12 February 2022 (a trip to the seaside along the way),
- 90,000 kilometres on 23 December 2022 (trips to the seaside and to Wisła twice along the way),
over the last 10,000 kilometres trips to Wisła, skiing to Jakuszyce and Prague, Wisła for the long weekend in May, Wisła and Bieszczady in early June and Wisła in July. Note out of 10,000 kilometres driven over seven months nearly 6,000 were driven in long-distance trips.

The car hardly ever sits in traffic jams and is very seldom used for short-distance (below five miles) journeys. With such driving habits the car’s condition remains impeccable. Wear and tear makes itself felt, but part replacements are predictable and do not suck a hole in my wallet. Only the air conditioning has been going bonkers recently and I fear it might be the first costly defect. Given the rising prices of brand-new cars, the car has not depreciated since 3 years – I estimate its resale value at PLN 25,000, yet for a while I am not going to check it out.

I realise given the car’s age (not a mileage), the days of its reliability might be numbered, so I am slowly thinking of a replacement, which would be probably a reliable petrol-fuelled compact estate car, bought brand-new and intended to be kept going for more than a decade too!

Off to Czech Republic to cycle around Moravian wineyards. A write-up with photos due in 2 weeks.

Being a dab hand

The 2022 edition of Szlachetna Paczka was seemingly over, until mid-June, when I learnt a new tap in a bathroom of one last year's beneficiaries had not been installed. As a leader I  took over responsibility for seeing it through. Armed with my tool box, I visited the old lady in her flat on Saturday, 1 July. The job turned out to be not just for a plumber, as removing the old tap, stuck for 45 years, was not an easy one. I continued my efforts on Sunday, with additional tools borrowed from my father, but still could not remove the old tap. I reapproached the task with my fellow volunteer (being a builder by professoon) on Monday and within 3 hours we nearly made it (shower hose connection still makeshift). Last Monday I finished the job with my bare hands, with the sense of the mission fulfilled.

A few decades ago a male not taught to handle tools and do basic repairs and construction- or car-related works on his own was a rarity. These days the proportion have not entirely reversed, but the proportion of men having both hands left (is the idiom correctly used here?) In terms of household technical issues has considerably risen.

When looking at the reasons for less common "technical dexterity", I would mention a general trend towards outsourcing and focusing on stuff you specialise in and can do better than others, scarcity of spare time as well as changes in lifestyle (a tilt towards living it up, rather than toiling away).

Reliance on specialists has its bright and dark sides. As a matter of principle you farm out a job to professionals (whose professionalism, credibility and reliability in Poland can often be called into question) who should handle it better and faster than you. On the other hand, no specialist would turn up at your doormat right away, which might be nuisance, if a breakdown calls to be immediately fixed. Besides, such service costs quite a lot of money, yet it propels the wheels of economy.

My fellow volunteer estimated our job in beneficiary's bathroom would set her back between PLN 1,000 and PLN 1,500 (with VAT receipt). Had I spent around 10 hours doing overtime instead of doing it myself, I would have earned around PLN 1,100 after tax, so probably my overtime pay would not cover the full cost of the service.

At first sight it seems expensive, but if you dissect components of the price, you may change your mind. Of PLN 1,250 subtract VAT, income tax, social security contributions, petrol spent (only last time I could cycle, as the tools were too heavy) on getting to a client and back home, depreciation (and risk of damage) of numerous tool, a subcontractor if a task requires assistance. What you get divide by the number of hours sacrificed for the task and you will get something like PLN 40 per hour in cash to a professional's hand. Multiply 40 by 8 hours a day and then by 20 days a month and he will get a net earnings of PLN 6,400, on assumption he has a full backlog of orders. Up to you to judge whether it is a lot in Warsaw...

I must say the alternative of doing overtime insteads of doing it myself is not tempting... For a poor pensioner, over PLN 1,000 spent on the tap replacement and accompanying works would have been a huge part of her modest monthly budget. Therefore skills possessed by the volunteers feed with pride and joy.

Szlachetna Paczka-wise, it is the right moment to announce I will not continue as a leader in the coming edition and make a step back to a rank-and-file volunteer, advising and helping only if asked to do so. I have arrange as successor (she has been just recruited and I have congratulated her on taking over the role) and I am sure she will continue the great job excellently.

Expect the next post in August, once I return from Wisła.

(post written from the underground train during two rides to work).

Fatherhood

Since late adolescence I have been sure one day I want to become a father. Not because it is a socially acceptable model, but out of a primeval instinct, probably not to let my genes go to waste.

My mother was 37 and my father was 38 when I was born. In late 1980s that was considered late parenthood. I actually was not their first child. My mother gave birth to a dead infant nearly 4 years before I was born. The age difference has made itself over my entire lifetime, especially in recent years when my parents' health is no longer enviable. I have always wanted to become a father earlier than my father did and the moment draws near. My goal was to bring up children in good health and not to be a burden for them as long as possible.

You could go on about philosophical consideration on the optimum age a male should become a father. Unlike with women, biology allows men to have offspring into an old age (albeit I believe natural erectile dysfunctions work to prevent this), but I don't think deferring the fatherhood, provided you have a younger female to become a mother, is a preferable solution. A slider needs to be set between maturity and ability to provide for a family (the older, the better) and a male's body ability to regenerate and stamina (the younger, the better).

Definitely a birth of a child is a game-changer in life which turns all routines upside down, prompts you to give up for a while on some pastime activities and lose sleep. An infant needs to be looked after 24/7, hence it is a timesuck for parents, but as many of my friends say, also the biggest pride and joy they have had in their lives.

Given the hardship of early years with the offspring might give a hard time, a reliable life companion is crucial. I am still fighting my fear I will be the one who takes care of most things and is burdened with most duties, which is a sort of strange, since such worries are typical for women who statistically less often can count on their partners than the other way round.

Although three paragraphs earlier I mentioned a male's responsibility to ensure financial stability of a family, I am avidly in favour of a modern family model in which partners roughly equally share household and children-related duties.

Currently the biggest pain in the neck of my girlfriend and mine is workload. I have never had to work as much as these days for a prolonged period and never got behind with work despite working 50 - 55 hours a week. When a weekend comes I am exhausted. I need to sort this out before becoming a parent, however have a prospect of a transfer to a different team with the beginning of 2024, with a scope of duties confined to client-related stuff (current I look after a junior analyst and co-ordinate a multinational project on Poland level). Again, I have written this note from the underground train to optimise my time...

Finanse-wise, my current salary is suffient to provide for a family (assuming my girlfriend reduces her wages to mine on account of changing a job to a less time-consuming), with a decent degree of comfort, hence my strategic goal is to save possibly much money for a bigger property and be less burdened by mortgage repayments once children-related expenses appear.

Having written it all, I bear in mind it takes two to tango...

Urban cycling

I have been an active bicycle user for several years - I have used it for leisure, doing sports, socialising (trips of 20 - 80 kilometres with fellow lads and girlfriends), tourism, for moving around Ursynów (or Wisła) or dropping visits to my parents or friends, but never, ever for commuting.

In late May I resolved to try using a bicycle for work-related moving around. First ride - to a client whose office is at the far end of ul. Poleczki, some 5.2 kilometres from home. Too short distance to go by car, too long to take 504 bus and then change it to 148 service, on top due to harsh cost savings, I am not allowed to claim a taxi bill reimbursed. Outcome - I put on a suit and cycle there on my mountain bike. The travel duration was fine - 20 minutes, but in a suit I did not feel comfortable. The temperature then was not particularly high (close to +20C), but the air was humid and on my way home I slightly broke sweat.

Two days later, I took a trip to the office (14 kilometres), that time in casual clothes. I usually have to take a notebook (unless it stays in the office for a few days in a row), packed lunches and some personal stuff. I had to pack it all into a rucksack, which was a bit of heavy and contributed to a stain of sweat on my back (bike bags or a solid handlebar basket could have been a fix for it). Since there is no cycling path along al. Niepodległości, I comfortably cycled along ul. Pileckiego and then ul. Puławska up to the intersection with ul. Dolna where the cycling path ends. The route from there towards Rondo ONZ is a bit of a nuisance, there are few sections of cycling path, while meandering past narrow streets of Mokotów with dense traffic is not a pleasure. Door-to-door ride duration: 1 hour and 5 minutes, some 20 - 25 minutes longer than by public transport, which gives additional 45 minutes per day spent on commuting, but also on physical exercise.

Cycling to work has some limitations, especially pertaining to weather and outfit (casual clothes are much more suitable). Not breaking sweat is possible, yet at the expense of slow pace.

I could definitely consider cycling as attractive commuting option on distances below 5 miles / 8 kilometres and with proper infrastructure (inadequate network of cycling paths in northern Mokotów / southern Śródmieście is a shame). 

For a while bycicle sticks to its previous role, since in mid-June I purchased a 3-month travelcard whose price has not gone up simce 10 years (PLN 250 for 90 days of unlimited riding in Warsaw and around is dirt cheap). I have learnt being a passenger allows me to focus on some down-to-earth stuff via smartphone when moving. Having said that I confess this is the first post I have written using the phone only, during two underground journeys! A shame time has become such a scarce commodity.