Today, while shopping at SKY, I thought that I’m not gonna take those plastic bags. Don’t know, how did I come up with the idea, looks like it just becomes stylish.

It all began way before the sunset, when I decided to take a walk around Mezhciems and breathe some fresh air. The weather was really wonderful - calm, no wind, not even a cloud,  a typical early Spring. Seems like Mother Nature itslef has sent me a message.. Well, who knows though, maybe that Parex ad?

On my way back, I called at SKY supermarket on Hippocrates street to grab some food. Quick to throw in the cart all needed items, I stood in a short queue and at the cashiers I started to look for some “environment friendly” opportunities this store had to offer. As I didn’t have many goods, I chose one paper bag which looked pretty big and spacious enough to handle all of my Sunday shopping.

And then, a nice surprise was waiting for me - a girl at the cashiers smiled and announced that today, see, is the environment friendly day and big paper bags with a Zaļā Josta (Green Belt) sticker are free. 10 cents saved and I, feeling so happy for the harmony I got with nature, SKY store and the Green Belt campaign, was on my way home.

It became colder in the evening and I thought that I would need the gloves. That’s a small thing of course, because my mood is just perfect + clear skies, full of stars makes it even better. I saw the Orion’s Belt and smiled - life is beautiful after all!

What is left to add is, people often underestimate the abilities of paper (and cotton) bags. Those can lift not just all the 50 lbs, but also your mood! Here’s my truest wish: choose the environment friendly package! Yolkin, how are ya? =)

I was watching LNT’s morning show “900 Seconds” today, when I saw Latvian Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis speaking on inflation.

He has told that Government’s aim by fall ‘08 is to “come to inflation lower than a two-digit number. I can’t  tell you now, whether it’s seven or eight percents, but this is our aim”.

Obviously, Mr. Godmanis meant that the aim is to reach a single digit inflation - I guess 9.9% also falls in that category. I thought, well, sounds alright to me, at least not in the double digits - 9, 8, 7. Let’s see what it brings us to.

Later on, TV*Net came back with a screaming headline like “Godmanis: Our aim is 7 or 8 percent inflation”. Sensational. Let it be it though.

Still, that’s inflation. Unstoppable like a ninja sword, slicing its way through our wallets and bank accounts leaving nothing behind.

Let’s just trust that things are actually gonna get better, thanks to our new primie, the wizard-looking bearded Godmanis (I guess his last name means “good man”?). Don’t let us down G.

Break-up with my girl and a Bima fly to the ditch proved to be fake - Lexxus is here and ain’t goin’ nowhere. Even more, I’m powerful and energized enough to step into New Year surely boldly, yes I know what I’m doin’.

Stay tuned to RigaTalk.com and see y’all.

Matter fact, Happy 2008! Ain’t it gonna be great? ;)

Pēdējā laikā saasinājies šis jautājums, šķiet, lielākai sabiedrības daļai.. Un tieši tai, kas ir jauna, aktīva, hm.. maksātspējīga - vārdu sakot, progresīvākai un perspektīvākai mūsu mazās valstiņas daļai.

Palikt vai nepalikt? Latvija vai Īrija? Lielbritānija? Var būt Spānija? Tur vismaz siltāk..

Šādas domas rodas nepārprotami, apdomājot gan politisko krīzi, jezgu valdībā, inflāciju, gan arī pēdējās ziņas par to, ka turpmāk visus astoņpadsmitgadīgos, redz, bez viņu piekrišanas ieskaitīšot bruņoto spēku rezervē.

Kādas vērtības var sniegt man šī valsts? Jau tā daudzi ir aizbraukuši, var būt arī man pievienoties viņiem? Pavisam noteikti šis jautājums ir apciemojis teju vai katra jauna cilvēka, kas uzsāk savas gaitas skarbajā Latvijas realitātē, prātu.

Bet ja tā visu noliek uz svariem, ja tā visu riktīgi apdomā, tad nemaz nav tik traki. Ir bijuši grūti laiki mūsu senčiem pirms daudziem gadsimtiem, nav bijis viegli pirms dažiem gadu desmitiem, grūti un smagi laiki ir cilvēkiem daudzviet pasaulē arī šodien - jāpateicas Dievam par to, ko Viņš dod, tas jau ir daudz! Un, galu galā, dzīve taču turpinās!

Pēc vakar Turībā notikušās Jāko Lehtonena lekcijas par Latviju kā brendu, par valsts imidža nozīmi nācijas mārketingā, gribās tikai ar optimismu raudzīties nākotnē un ticēt, ka tikai mēs - visi kopā - spēsim padarīt mūsu dzīvi labāku, gan sev pašiem, gan mūsu bērnu mazbērniem. Un bēgšana prom lai paliek viena no gļēvuļu opcijām.