CringedIn

I have four reasons to use LinkedIn daily:
1) Mini Sudoku,
2) Queens,
3) Tango,
4) ZIP.
The numbers assigned are not incidental, since my routine is to play those four logical games in that very order. Besides, I have recently updated my profile so that people who check who I am are not confused.

For several years I used to keep away from LI for months and upon logging I discovered job proposal sent nearly a year earlier.

LinkedIn has developed in a similar way other social platforms have done. From a collection of people's CVs it has evolved into a combination of blogs, discussion groups, but most of all, bragging about members' professional (but not only) accomplishments. Unlike in most other social media, number of followers does not monetise in proceeds from advertising, but translates into new business opportunities in real life. In certain professions promoting oneself and building a "personal brand" (this phrase sucks) is inevitable and those who shun it, sadly lag behind.

The above is not my cup of tea, so I consider myself lucky to be prohibited (banking secrecy law prevents me from boasting of my achievements) from playing this lousy game. My professional value is shaped by how my workmates perceive me. Being a reliable and supportive leader and knowledgeable and trustworthy partner in dealmaking defines me, not a number of shitty self-flattering on LinkedIn.

Given the above, no wonder some sort of people overly active on LI are commonly mocked. The most renowned Polish page on platform making fun of horrific self-adoration practices in KrindżedIn (CringedIn). Their sense of humour takes my fancy.

At the end of the day, we work to live (it up), not the other way round. Definitely it feels better if your job brings you satisfaction, but working only to earn money is not a crime. Keep then in mind the essence of your life should be out of your workplace.

Warfare enters its fifth year

The special three-day operation of taking over Ukraine has gone on for more than four years. Four years ago nearly nobody expected that war to last that long, nor believed Ukraine would be capable of resisting the invader and keeping the frontline basically unchanged for months.

The Western countries have shaken off the shock quickly and launched a stream of military and financial aid to Ukraine, often depleting their defensive resources. The invasion has been a wake-up call for those still deluding themselves Russia would not infringe principles set out in the civilised world.

Hollow promises of the US president have not brought a ceasefire for more than a year and little implies there is a chance for warfare suspension in near future. This buys time for Western Europe for preparation for a war with Russia, while the tsar's country slowly bleeds out instead of growing stronger. 

In early 2026 Ukrainians have endured a first harsh winter since the onset of war. As the oppressor focused on destroying the country's energy infrastructure, millions of them have lived through a humanitarian disaster living in blocks of flats devoid of electricity, central heating and running water (except for that from heating pipes cracking when frozen over).

The nation as a whole remains valiant, though it is worth underlining civilians living far from the frontline are not as severely affected as during typical warfare. Ukrainians have got used to (as one can get used to everything) to blackouts, cold and having to run to shelters a few times a week, but except for that, their lives are not at constant peril. The enemy's missiles, rockets and drones target infrastructure, but to a much lesser extent, residential areas.

Over the past months the frontline has not moved much west, while in the recent weeks, thank to disruption of Starlink connection, Ukrainians have regained control over some minor areas (which are burnt grounds anyway). Peace talks are going nowhere and nothing is going to change in this respect, as the invader is not a trustworthy partner.

As four years ago the outbreak of war was beyond our imagination, these days the vision of end of war is also equally hard to imagine. I realise it is a controversial assertion, yet I keep fingers crossed for continuation of warfare. Firstly, since I fear Russia, devoid of the burden of warfare and (heaven forfend) with sanctions lifted will be able to step up preparations for a war with NATO. Secondly, the Polish labour market, deprived of only part of the Ukrainian workforce, will plunge into a structural crisis, as most low-paid jobs have been taken up by migrants (or refugees) from Ukraine. Poles are no longer interested in many of those occupations, so to fill the gap, if some of Ukrainians head home, substantial pay rises would be necessary, triggering a spike in inflation.

#StandWithUkraine

#UkraineStayStrong

More than a hangover

Blogging continuity is a virtue itself, so despite headwinds I am leaving hereby a short note, saving for posterity the outcomes of my folly. On Friday a few lads came over to my place. We emptied too many bottles. This resulted in a severe punishment from my body, which on Saturday refused to put up with the excessive alcohol intake the evening before.

The entire day wasted, so with other duties to get on with during the weekend I need to put back my posting on the Ukraine until next weekend. Already roughly fine, but still feel the effects of noting eating a crumb yesterday and having my digestive system irritated by throwing up the Friday evening’s content yesterday morning. A proper poisoning past me.

Not asking for sympathy, just facing the music. Past this bout of crass stupidity I will hold back from going overboard with alcohol for a long time.

Any room left for romantic love?

The timing of the post, i.e. one day after the commercial festival of celebrating romantic love which should be fostered every day, is haphazard. Also, it is not linked to the 17th anniversary of launching PES (dammit, this blog spans nearly my entire adult life and in four years, if I carry on, it will cover a half of my lifetime).

As I grow older, I also turn less romantic and more pragmatic. I would probably be unable to fall in love like a teenager, but circumstances permitting, the chemistry in my brain would do its job for a while, but I would put it down to mostly to sexual drive, not just to pure affection. As the fellow blogger posits, understand your biology, then rise above it.

Even if I don't stay at home and grab opportunities to meet new people, rules of statistics are against me. Even if I get to know 20 new people each week, which looks like a decent outcome, statistically half of them are men, most women are not in the age range of my lookout, those who are in their 30s might be in relationships, might not be physically attractive, might not find me attractive, might not be interested in raising a family. And so the next filters relentlessly narrow down the circle of potential life companions.

My generation is the first one not to feel the coercion to raise a family, which now looms as an option only for those who instinctually don't want our species to extinct. We are also witnessing a generation of independent women, cherishing equal rights, with the side effect of realising having a man by their side does not have to add value. Being in a relationship is viewed as beneficial if drawbacks of giving up on a woman's independence are offset with a surplus by what a man contributes to the relationship. Otherwise a male life companion is (for a growing fraction of women) a ball and chain. With the bar raised that high, a growing majority of men do not live up to women's expectations, some even give up on trying.

For many reasons, including the above, we observe a growing percentage of singletons in the society, many of whom have never been in a serious (involving making commitments or living under one roof) relationship, thus many lacking relationship-building competencies. Once you get used to living on your own and not minding anyone, letting in somebody to your life, changing habits, routines and plans involves some effort. This remark applies to me. In my life filled with work, volunteering, friends, helping parents, doing sports and other stuff, I also need to choose to make room to let somebody in.

Women and men are sadly at war today. The most common explanation, which is true, but not universal, is that women have moved ahead with their social advancement, while men have not caught up. In more complicated cases it turns out even those men who do not lag behind are insufficient, since they meet only 90% of women’s expectations are hence are not knights on white horses. Women are sick of bitter experiences inflicted by immature men, men are sick of women’s exorbitant requirements. Their picture of the conflict between females and males is grossly simplified. Besides, movements such as MGTOW (Men Going Their Own Way) are not fix. Taking umbrage with how the world has moved on and blaming women for their own backwardness and other intellectual hollow is an approach I will never embrace (mark my words).

Stowarzyszenie Wiosna brought to account

My charity involvement experience in 2025 - has already been comprehensively summarised and since then, I have not changed my mind with respect to far-reaching criticism towards Szlachetna Paczka's arrangers. The 2025 edition will be finalised for me in late March 2026, when a sofa, ordered just recently and replacing a shoddy one bought online by donators and returned to the shop, is delivered.

In one of the discussions past the final weekend, the leader asked about Stowarzyszenie Wiosna's financial statement. The penny dropped, while I dropped everything to look into publicly available financials of the organisation for 2024.

The key findings are perplexing:
- In 2024 Stowarzyszenia Wiosna raised over PLN 31 million from private and corporate donators.
- Expenses for aid to those in need reached to more than PLN 4.5 million.
- As a non-profit organisation, it regularly produced operating profit of over PLN 6 million yearly and earned interest income of over PLN 1 million yearly from financial assets it held.
- At the end of 2024 the entity behind Szlachetna Paczka accumulated PLN 28 million in cash and bank deposits and PLN 6 million in corporate and government bonds. Financial assets increased by PLN 7 million vs. end of 2023.

Jaw drops open. Why has nobody made a mess about those numbers if the figures are within everyone's reach?

In early January 2026 I received an open invitation for an in-person meeting with Stowarzyszenia Wiosna's representatives in Warsaw, held yesterday. I signed up for it, wondering how much room for a genuine and open discussion would be given by the event's hosts.

It turned out the four-hour event was attended by mere 60 people and over most of its time we were split into five groups. The teamwork we had been meant to do was not fully done, as short discussion panels morphed into bitter experience sharing and I did not shun taking part in it. Stowarzyszenie Wiosna's employees listened carefully to all regrets spoken out during the sessions. Time will tell, if they take it to hearts. 

With respect to cash-richness of Stowarzyszenia Wiosna, I raised my reservations in person to one of executives after the event ended. We had a frank discussion, however I do not buy in the explanation that PLN 34 million is an atomic-case scenario reserve to carry on with the next edition if zero donations are made next year. Firstly because during 15 years of my hands-on experience in corporate finance I have never seen proceeds of any organisation going down by 100%, nor any entity bracing for such scenario. Secondly, because yearly running costs of Stowarzyszenie Wiosna are some PLN 10 million lower than its cash cushion, hence at least some room for depletion is given.

My mission is completed. I have accomplished more or less as much planned, i.e. spoke up, were audible, with little hope anything is going to change. Fighting itself ought to be a virtue even if you are fighting a losing battle. Sometimes you don't lay down your weapons just to assure yourself when you look in the mirror, you see a face of a man who acts righteously.