Smile!!!

Well, it's official: winter in Poland is over!
Goodbye snow. Didn't make it with my snowman plan. Again. Next time, I'll decide to flunk one of my finals, just to make sure I finally play with the snow a little. Goodbye freezing temperatures, I'm not sad you didn't haunt me, yet I hope next winter you will help me wake up in the mornings, when it's dark, just so I will feel cold enough to close the window (and start the day, not snooze it up like this year...). I'm pretty sure all the farmers curse you for being a bad visitor this season. Goodbye ... wait, that's it. All the rest stays: gray skies, slippery ground, dark mornings, heavy pressure, strong and impossible-to-breathe-with wind... oh shoot...

So along comes the time of season when winter's behind us, but it's not yet spring. In Polish this is called przedwiośnie, meaning pre-spring, or before-spring. And where's the best place to start looking for fun? I can't guarantee this will work this year; anyone familiar with United Nation's announcement today? Yeah... there you go... But this worked in previous years, maybe it will be just as good this time.

My favorite first sign of the coming spring is the warm breeze, comparing to the mega-cold winter hair-killer. The energy it brings makes me simply drop the idea of taking a bus and I decide to walk my way through. I think of the flowers that will soon be blooming, and the sole thought of that makes me smile. And that's the starting point of funhaving. If you want to begin in anything, you gotta get into the right mood. The truth is: you can't even begin to have a good time unless you let the "funness" in, and you won't let it in if you can't put that smile on your face. Do that, and the rest will come much easier.

When I think spring, I think of wanting to run, jump all around and sing. Ever tried singing while walking in town? I know very few people who do that, counting me. I used to skip around as well. But now that it got slippery I'm saving that for another time. The thing is: why not just enjoy the day as it is, for no specific reason? Is it that "childish" to simply be happy, smile to others and wish them a nice day? I used to think Poland is the land of grumps. Can you imagine how shocked I was to see people respond to a simple silly small talk? You'd be surprised. And THAT gives you fun, AND make a day seem like it couldn't be better.

Yes, I am serious. These are the basics!