Cav's Place

One thing’s clear during this Euro: Matches definitely are played all the way to the final whistle and there’s a lot of late drama, usually in the form of the favorites scoring late goals to win or at least seal the victory in matches during which their rivals had put up a great fight. Admittedly, there was one notable exception, where a goal was scored against the favorite team and the match ended in a draw because of it, but that sure is the odd one out at this point.
It all started from the opening France – Romania match, where France scored in minute 89 to win 2-1. And then they left it even later in their match against Albania, where the first goal only came in minute 90, before making it 2-0 in minute 90+6.
England was on both sides of the late drama, on the other hand, first conceding a goal in minute 90+2 in their match against Russia, which ended 1-1, but then scoring in minute 90+2 themselves in their match against Wales, to win 2-1 earlier today.
As for Wales, you may also say they left it late in their match against Slovakia, but I’m not sure that match had a favorite and that goal that made it 2-1 was scored in minute 81, so perhaps not quite so late.
It definitely was late in the Spain – Czech Republic match when Spain scored though, winning 1-0 thanks to a goal in minute 87.
Past this, there were a few cases of sealing the win late: In Germany – Ukraine, Germany made it 2-0 in minute 90+2. Then Italy also made it 2-0, this time in minute 90+3, in their match against Belgium. And Hungary left it late to make it 2-0 in their match against Austria, scoring in minute 87 for what others considered quite a surprise, though I didn’t see either team as really being a favorite in that match.

One conclusion so far seems to be that, if you’re a smaller team trying to hold on in front of a bigger one, not to mention if you already fell behind and are trying to equalize, you most probably won’t make it. Of course, the Portugal – Iceland match is the obvious and quite shocking exception to this rule, but so far the only one.

Posted this now both because it was starting to get hard to keep track of all these matches and because the last ones were clear examples and it’d have been a bit weird to post it later if things will change from now on. But let’s see what will actually happen.

Later edit: I shouldn’t have worried about things changing when it comes to late goals, or at least not right away. Add another one to wins sealed late, Northern Ireland making it 2-0 in their match against Ukraine in minute 90+6.

Euro 2016 started last evening, with Romania losing 2-1 to France after France scored the second goal in the 89th minute. But it’s not the match I’m writing this quick post about, but the conditions under which the competition takes place… And the situation viewers here have to face as well, with the exception of those who are subscribed to a cable company that offers the channels that do broadcast all matches.

Admittedly, unlike other cases in the past, it couldn’t have been known at the time it was selected to host this competition that France will find itself in such a situation during it, but between floods, strikes and outrageous security measures, this may well end up being a more troubled edition of a major competition than some which were expected as such from the moment the host country was selected. And, to state the obvious even more, the floods are at least in part caused, and definitely worsened, by man-made climate change, the strikes are entirely justified by the dreadful measures and general direction of development supported by most governments, the fact that the French one had actually done so perhaps slightly less than others being probably part of the reason why the French people tend to react more than most to being shat on, and while the security measures are admittedly in part justified by a real terrorist threat, they’re to an even greater extent a sign of things to come under the excuse of a greatly exaggerated terrorist threat, especially when the real potential impact of even some successful attacks is weighed against other threats that result from the failings of governments, or which are simply facts of life.
Under those circumstances, one would be tempted to say that it’ll be less about football and more about the other problems it can highlight and the causes it can become a platform for. And perhaps that’s exactly what should happen, even if it’s not exactly a “fair” thing to wish for. Far too many people will be watching, both in Europe and elsewhere, and the powers that be, without being limited to the French authorities or even the European Union, are watching too closely for this opportunity to be wasted.

To also turn to Romania before the end of this post, TVR’s situation meant that they are unable to broadcast the competition, all matches only being shown on a private sports channel owned by one cable provider and not available from all others. However, at least PRO TV grabbed the “free to air” package, consisting of one match per day, obviously including all of Romania’s matches and otherwise what they consider as the most interesting match of the day on days when Romania isn’t playing. In addition, a large screen was set up in a park and people will be able to watch matches there, but only the first half of the last ones taking place each day. That’s supposedly due to needing to keep the noise down after 11 PM, according to the law, but I’ll simply call it terribly stupid and leave it at that.

Let me start with this week’s run, which was two days ago. Seven kilometers again and managed a time I didn’t believe possible until over five kilometers into it. I mean, was thinking it’ll be fine if I’ll just stick to something similar to what I managed last time, since even a 35:30 would require both laps matching the time managed in the second lap then, while still having enough to match the time in that final portion as well. But then I found myself doing the first lap in 16:10, with intermediate times of 4:38, 5:25 and 6:07, respectively, and this made me aim for a time under 35:30 after all. Then, in the second lap, after a pretty good sector one time of 4:35, it was when I saw the 5:15 managed in sector two that I realized I may just get under 35 minutes if I really pushed. Sector three was covered in 6:06, making for a lap time of 15:56 which isn’t only the best lap time for any run longer than what used to be the usual 4.1 kilometers but seems to be the fifth or sixth best lap time overall. That still seemed to leave me with too little to spare, but I just pushed as hard as I could, sprinted for the final part, and managed a 2:52 for the final sector, for a final time of 34:58!
Should probably dig up the posts about runs and list the best times somewhere, or maybe even all times. For those on the track, I pretty much only have the total time, as for laps I only have some rough times, rounded to a number of seconds divisible by five, but I guess I could post the best of those as well. As for the park, until recently I listed the total time it took to reach a sector, so if I’m to list actual sector times I’ll need to calculate them. Not sure which is better, listing sectors separately or the total time to reach a certain “checkpoint”. Will definitely list lap times separately though, but then it’s only recently that a run started including more than one lap, after all.

Moving on, yesterday I went out again. Had three trips left on the ten-trip metro card bought six months ago for the times when I’d really need to use the metro and dad would need his monthly pass as well, and since the card expired today I decided to use them to explore a little more, the first destination being the park close to where my grandmother lives. Don’t even know if I was taken there more than a few times when I was a little kid and actually lived there, and certainly haven’t been in it since, so I said I might as well, since one of the metro lines was extended to that point in 2011.
It’s a pretty small place, compared to the parks I’m used to, but seemed nice enough. Paths far too wide for my liking and was wondering why at some point I was seeing benches only on one side, but the feeling I got from it was nice enough during the 15 minutes I spent there, before quite unexpectedly finding myself back at the entrance across the street from the metro station, having obviously gone all around already despite taking it slowly.
Was feeling rather down though, and I knew I was holding off another crash for quite some time, so was wondering whether I’ll just break down somewhere in public as I made my way to the next destination. And I guess this made me decide what that next destination even was, since I initially meant to hop off the metro at Tineretului but was sort of thinking of making my way to Carol Park from there, but that suddenly didn’t seem like a good idea anymore. I did enjoy Carol Park the few times I went there, but I felt like in a bit of a race against time and that park also carries some memories that’d have only made it worse, so I decided to just go in Tineretului after all.
Not that I wasn’t completely at a loss there too, just entering and looking around, wondering what the fuck am I doing there, or anywhere for that matter. Spotted a narrow dirt path climbing on the surrounding hills from the insanely wide path starting from the main entrance, going around the stairs, and I just made my way up there. Looked around again and saw a young couple sitting near the top of the next section of stairs, obviously seeking privacy, so at first I meant to head in the other direction, but just couldn’t get myself to move much… And the bittersweet feeling caused by seeing them, added to seeing two others hugging and kissing in front of me in the metro, resulted in something that was neither bitter nor sweet, but just terribly sad and disheartening.
Walked towards them after all, but only after noticing another narrow path created by others right next to the stairs, allowing me to climb while hoping I won’t intrude upon their little world. Once at the next level, if I may use the term, I met a few guys coming down, one of whom greeted me two or three times, before I nodded back and then was left staring at their backs in confusion, since I definitely didn’t recall having seen any of them before. It did tell me that others were exploring that area, and also that there was something worth exploring, since the rough paths I saw were leading pretty much into a forest… Which on the one hand is a nice thing to find in a city, but on the other made me feel quite anxious, mainly worried about somebody rushing from behind a tree to mug me or beat me up or who knows what else.
Still, picked one path and kept going, finding myself utterly alone until I saw a homeless person that I assume was sleeping on the stairs leading down to another entrance. Then, as I ignored those stairs and kept going, I was once again alone until I saw a guy climb up somewhere ahead, where that path finally ended in a corner of the park. But making my way to the sidewalk there didn’t mean I was heading back, as I got back in the park at those stairs I had spotted earlier, using another narrow dirt path to get back up without actually walking past the homeless person, and then took the other path starting in the spot where that guy had greeted me.
Since this path ran alongside that wide one starting from the park’s main entrance, I did see a few people sitting at the top of the stairs leading down, and then also a larger group somewhere above, letting me know that there was something interesting there too. And, after walking a little further to avoid them, I reached that even higher path by using another narrow dirt one to climb a slope that was just about as steep as I possibly could climb without using my hands as well, my feet slipping quite a few times.
This highest path was running alongside the park fence on that side and I did spot a couple of runners, a cyclist or two, an old man walking his dog and another couple walking past, acting as another painful reminder that I can’t share any of it with her. As I got to the part where the concrete and stone wall made way for metal fences and the aging or even ruined buildings on the other side made way for pretty nice houses, with entrances leading from this path to the streets running between them, I even saw one or two parents with children. Got out at that point too, using one of those streets and then making my way back to the metro station… Which involved going all the way back on the sidewalk instead of simply turning around and staying in the park as I made my way back to the entrance.
And then I did pretty much nothing, and still couldn’t even cry. Finally crawled in bed around 9:15 PM or so and eventually fell asleep, woke up a few minutes before 11 PM, managed to get up some time later, then spent about half an hour pretty much simply standing there, occasionally pacing around my room, but didn’t even do much of that. So barely managed to read two pages, if even that, of this other book I started now, which is also quite a responsibility since it’s not released and I guess I’m sort of helping edit it. Or, more exactly, I was just asked to read it, give an honest opinion and point out anything I feel should be pointed out, but I can’t just read it in this case, switched to this other mode and this means I can barely get through a few pages per day and feel even worse because of it with each passing moment, being another thing I obviously suck at.

As for last week, had happened to look up at the ceiling a couple of weeks before and spotted mold, apparently starting above my door and having spread from there. Ceiling hadn’t usually been affected before, and if there was a little mold on it, it wasn’t there, so that was weird and also difficult to do something about, but dad bought something to cover the bed with and after I put the books on the desk and moved the bookcase next to the window, he sprayed that area… Only to then notice that it had spread even further on the ceiling, a few spots being in this area above the desk as well, where we couldn’t spray at the time, and we didn’t have enough stuff left to spray with anyway.
Not sure when we’ll spray this area too, and now I’m seeing mold on the wall as well, above the desk, though what’s strange is that I’m not seeing anything if I try to look behind the desk. Not the first time this happens, but it seems no less odd. So I guess I’ll need to take the computer out and move the desk again, and doing different parts of the room at such different times obviously means I’m not doing much of anything and simply allowing the mold to move from one place to another, but I don’t care that much anymore… Though it makes me sad that it’s obvious that the books have been affected too. But that’s nothing new; not by a long shot.
Actually kept the books on the desk for a couple of days; think it was only Friday night that I put them back, and then only Saturday that I cleaned the rest of the room a little. And this was after spraying on Wednesday, when I went out as I waited for the smell and vapors to clear, first trying to look for a firm which should be nearby but which I couldn’t find, then having a quick walk through the park next to the stadium, where I don’t usually go, also ending up on a high path and then making my way down on a steep one that I just barely managed to stay on my feet on. Also had a quick look at this other park nearby on my way back, but only spent a few minutes there, though I have to admit that at least the small areas between the unreasonably large number of paved paths are finally starting to slowly look like a park, after the entire relatively “wild” area was initially cleared away in order to plant new trees, which will obviously need decades before they’ll have as much to offer as those that were butchered in such a manner.
As for Thursday, went to the book fair. Found a few interesting things, but had no money on me, so simply went to have a look, and was already in a rather poor state as I got there because I didn’t check the map again before leaving and, since I only go in that part of the city once per year, for this fair, I forgot how to get there and spent quite some time trying to figure it out, since of course none of the information kiosks in the area worked. And then I was also recognized by the person manning the stand of this on-line bookstore I tend to buy from, who greeted me quite enthusiastically as I was walking past.
That messed me up right then and there. Shaky, sweaty, heart racing and pretty much just awkwardly standing there until a pen or something of that sort fell under the table and I picked it up, as she was exchanging contact details with someone with a camera. Probably shouldn’t have, since that made her thank me, also saying my name, and asking me to sit or at least have a look, which I sort of just pretended to do for a few seconds, before waving and walking away, in no state to spend much more time there.
Hadn’t checked many of the other smaller stands though, so I pretty much just wandered around a little longer, only glancing around quickly, making sure nobody could consider me interested enough to say anything, and then got out, ignoring the larger stands I had left for the end. Not that there would have been anything interesting for me there, but did mean to at least spend some time looking if I wouldn’t have been shaking and nauseous.

And then, of course, Sunday I voted, again going early… And finding the “newspaper” promoting PSD’s candidate in the notice board, which is locked so I couldn’t get it out. However, since it’s illegal to have campaign materials in public even on the day before election day, not to mention on the day itself, and I definitely oppose that candidate, after coming back I grabbed my camera, paper, sticky tape and scissors and, after taking a “before” picture, covered the bottom of the notice board. Was awkward when a neighbor came in and obviously saw what I was doing, but neither of us said anything as he waited for the elevator and I waited for him to leave, then took an “after” picture, decided to put more tape, took another picture and went back inside.
Got back out a couple of hours later and saw the paper torn away. Had the materials with me, expecting just such a situation, but too many people were going in and out by then and didn’t cover it again, though I then kept wondering whether I shouldn’t have written something on the paper, such as the polling station where the people living here should vote. Would have been useful information, so they won’t have to look it up once there, and may have been left there in that case, but was already too late. And that candidate sadly won anyway, as it was clear she would, but the good news is that the new party I supported got a result that was better than expected as well and this translated into a fair number of people in all councils.

This book was obviously meant as the first in a series that never continued, the sequel promised for 2012 never seeing the light of day, or at least not yet. However, this is no extended introduction, quite the contrary, as it definitely doesn’t lack in action and does complete its part of the story satisfyingly enough. And I can’t complain about the writing style or any lack of polish either.
Would have needed to be at the very least twice the size for any chance at a better rating though, and to have filled that space with more information about the world and characters, and in fact with more characters, places and events. As it is, it’s a well-written but too short single adventure, taking place in a single location and involving one small group and one problem. It hints at epic fantasy and some interesting twists, but in fact offers only plain sword and sorcery and feels perhaps a bit rushed even for that.

Rating: 3/5

Unless I’ll skip ahead from where the previous post left off, I don’t see how I’ll manage to post much of anything this week, so I’ll leave what I did for the rest of the day after the half marathon and how I felt after that for some other time and skip straight to Saturday, May 21, which was the first time I went out after that run, to a “fair” of NGOs taking place in Herastrau Park. Proved to have been for no reason, made even worse by the fact that I was sort of thinking of attending a debate scheduled for 10 AM, so I slept very little in order to be there on time and then pretty much ended up wandering around until about 11:30 AM, deciding to not even try to attend anything else, obviously not showing enough interest in anything to be approached and eventually heading back with just wasted time and sleep. Headed back on foot too, after taking the metro to get there.

Otherwise, since I spent a week and a half just with dad and he was out most of the time, I poked around the kitchen for quite a while and, on top of the usual stuff, I also tried to cook two things for the first time. One was Sunday, May 22, when I cooked some rice with mushrooms, which I then had to drain since I guess I had put too much water and then also noticed that not putting in salt makes it taste odd even for me, though despite liking to munch on salty things I often skip salt in food and think that what my parents cook has far too much. The other I’m pretty sure was the following Sunday, when I found some fusilli in a drawer and decided to cook some of that, and what I mixed in there, which included the probably half a serving of peas that were left, made the result better than I was expecting. Was quite quick too, so I may well do that again now.

Moving on, the first run after the half marathon was Monday, May 23, when I once again ran on the seven-kilometer route used for those two roughly timed runs. There was some work being done again in the spot I had to go around when I had to abort a run due to my watch stopping, but this time only towards the lake, so could use the path immediately behind the fenced area and therefore lost less time than then, though it was probably still a matter of about ten seconds in sector two of each lap.
Was quite difficult to get going at first, feeling quite exhausted for about half a lap before something finally started clicking back in place. In fact, after first being uncertain whether I’ll go for seven kilometers or return to what used to be the usual 4.1 and deciding that I’ll do the latter if I’ll be fast enough, by which I meant completing a lap in around 16 minutes, I quickly started wondering whether I shouldn’t stick to that shorter route simply because I was too slow and tired, covering the first two sectors of the first lap in 4:54 and 5:52, respectively. But then, as I said, things got better, I managed a third sector in 6:13, making for 16:59 for the first lap, then the second lap was covered in 16:19, with sector times of 4:34, 5:30 and 6:15, respectively. Add 3:06 for that final section, including the slope, and the total time was 36:24.
That meant I could consider aiming for a time under 36 minutes if I won’t need to go around that area again, and that was what I did this Tuesday, when I also started much better and managed a 35:44. Covered the first lap in 16:29, with sector times of 4:48, 5:20 and 6:21, respectively, then the second in 16:13, with sector times of 4:43, 5:22 and 6:08, respectively, and that final section in 3:02. Seemed that I ran just about as late as possible to get a first proper time on this actual route though, as there was a truck slowly backing towards that area where work was being done before just as I was passing through it the first time, and then it was stopped right there on the second lap, with something already placed to block what was left of the path around it. A worker also shouted at me to go around as I approached, but they hadn’t actually closed off the entire area yet, so I just went around the blocked path, taking a few steps on the unpaved bit between the path and the lake before returning to the path once past the truck.

Going back a bit, I was curious enough to attend a meeting announced by the sector’s mayor just across the road on May 28. One of many, of course, since the elections are Sunday and he seems to have scheduled a few of these per day as part of the campaign, with announcements posted at the entrances of all buildings in the area. Other candidates couldn’t legally do something like this, or so I’ve been told when I also attended a meeting with the one I support for this sector the next day, but obviously he doesn’t care and has over 50% in polls either way. Still, I was there to see both what he had to say and what the people will say, finding that I had probably around half the average age of those present, likely no more than about 10% being under 50. There were a few who were quite angry and showed it, but a few others seemed very satisfied with him and vocal about it. The rest had specific grievances they wanted him to solve, but the impression I was left with was that they’ll vote for him again either way.
That sure showed the contrast between this bubble created by social media and most of those who actually vote, once again revealing the reason why the old parties and figures keep winning despite the wave of discontent, everything that keeps being revealed about them and all the people who claim they don’t know anyone voting for them. And that other meeting I mentioned above showed it as well, since in spite of the support one can believe exists for Nicusor Dan and his party, heading towards 20% in the polls and being backed by most activists, their candidate for this sector was pretty much ignored at first, volunteers barely managing to direct a few people towards her as she could easily have one-on-one conversations lasting several minutes with each.
Admittedly, I was the second person talking to her and then left, so I’m not sure what happened later, but I doubt it was too different and both she and the volunteer I talked to admitted that they have serious problems in this sector and all they can hope for is to obtain the 5% needed to enter the council. True, the number of people she said they aim to have on the council would require more than 10%, but when she realized that she admitted it’ll be very difficult, mentioning 7% as a more realistic target and again pointing out that even the 5% would be a good start, considering how in control the current mayor is.

And I guess I’ll stop here, since I didn’t finish what was started Wednesday and this is, and took, long enough already. Decided to read another one of those ebooks grabbed for free some time ago this week and it’s short, so despite reading little each day and not at all yesterday, I should easily finish it by the end of the week and the quick review for it will be this week’s second post. No idea when I’ll finally get around to how I felt after that half marathon or what’s going on now. Not that it matters.