A hill of things happening, specially at home. Brlja reports that SPS and JUL held a solemn session (he said a commemorative [one]) on the city's liberation day, to which they didn't invite the opposition deputees. Though, the definition is questionable, they're out of power now, the former authority. One of the two famous lady reporters in town, a fiery JULian (whom we'll meet again on 18-I-2013.), started reciting the monologue of Nina from Čehov's „Three sisters“, during which the reporter writing the account has left the building. The dairy plant director was the only guy from SPS who got elected this time, must have been doling out wheels of cheese in Dudara again. Though, the gambit backfired last time, as the rest of his burrough was pissed off for not getting any cheese, why is Dudara better than the rest of us, so they fucked him off. He reports further that „came from the meeting. It seems that I got my Serbs (& others) erected all the way up. Ruckus all over our coutry homeland. Some guy who put his car into the blockade line had his tags removed by cops and taken away and the guy becunted and went and took off tags from a police car:-)))“.
Dad complains about košava, it gusts up to 95km/h, while the temperature is +20... must be crazy. A power shortage is announced because the Kolubara [coal] mine is on strike, but the mine's director says that's bullshit, the TENT has a 20 days reserve in stock. Yeah, right, last time like that at end of 1993 they had six hours of stock.
As far as he can see, there's a strike in KuPro, one plant of naftagas, šećerana, kombinat's Komerc (once a giant, miserable now), which is a good excuse as they got nothing to do anyway, the theatre, many (maybe all) schools. All roads out of town are blocked, even to Elemir, so the (caou)choucara can't work because most of its workers live in town. The only passable road is from Melenci to Bečej. Radio Zrenjanin claimed its faithfulness to the SPS around noon, and then in the evening announced that the buses for tomorrow's protest at the federal parliament are available, apply for seats at these phone numbers - which means that there was a change of staff in these few hours.
Joška reports that Avai is practically on strike too, working from home and limiting field work to inside town. Starting in november, half of it will mostly be here - Brlja comes early in the month, Joška and V. mid month, and they should all stay here until the winter holiday mess, to sneak back home before it begins. Back home it becomes messy only in january-february, when the ledgers are closed and the annual reporting is due. Which is not really a problem, it was done successfully this year, it's all written and polished long ago. The firms which are on regular maintenance are no problem; one would arise if a new customer would appear, which didn't happen in quite a while. And most of the firm can't stand Vanji, they differ only in that Brlja and Pali would give anything just to never see him again, while Joja and Laza are actively seeking a different job. On top of that, a skeleton from a closet popped up, the Wood app, those furniture makers, whom Vanji sued over some debt, now demand that the app be completed as per the contract... and nobody ever touched that beast but me, not even the customer did, they weren't using it much while I was at hand. What made him poke that nest...
Zero gave me a raise... from 50 to 52000 per annum. They first promised between 55 and 60, then found excuses in the cost of bringing me here. I think it's, at least partially, Ford's fingers in the stwe... so I also started thinking about raising the anchor.
I thought I'd have to drive to the airport again to meet Pali and Željko, but there they were at the door. It seems that Ford was on shuttle duty this time. Leanne sent me the words for „starkle starkle little twink“ - a kids' ditty in alcoholic version, which she recited for me last year, for future reference.
STARKLE, STARKLE LITTLE TWINK
WHO THE HECK I ARE YOU THINK
I’M NOT UNDER THE ALKAFLUENCE OF INKAHOLICS
LIKE SOME THINKLES MAY PEEP I AM
I YIST HAD TEE MARTOONIS AND I FOOL SO FEELISH
THE DRUNKER I STAND HERE THE LONGER I GET.
Looking at it today, it ain't much, but when she recited it, it did leave an impression.
Third. Brlja reports power problems, or rather lack of power, because it seems the EPS is also in general strike, like most of the firms, so „if you don't hear from us, so you know why“.
21-I-2025 - 6-II-2026