Thanksgiving Episode on HIMYM - Slapsgiving

Before they broke up, Ted and Robin used to share a running joke that involved both of them saluting every time someone would say a word homonymous to a military rank used before another word in a sentence, such as 'general knowledge'. But now, as Future Ted points out, being around each other is difficult and since their breakup, whenever there would be a moment to use the joke, they would simply look at each other, remaining silent. So, naturally, when Ted and Robin are the only ones to show up at Robin's place to make Thanksgiving pies, things get awkward between the two. And it gets worse when Ted realizes they are making a pie for Bob, a guy Robin has started seeing lately. Later, they decide not to see each other again after the Thanksgiving dinner because things are just too weird between them.

The next day, the gang gathers for the big holiday, or the two big holidays, as Marshall told Barney earlier he would use his third slap meant for Barney on Thanksgiving, precisely at 3 p.m. – jokingly referring to the event as 'Slapsgiving'. Barney, admitting that actually knowing when the next slap would occur is far worse than not knowing, is being terrorized by Marshall up to the point when Lily decides there would be no slapping anyone on Thanksgiving.

When Bob mentions the words 'major buzzkill' over the dinner, both Robin and Ted salute without hesitation, realizing they can stay friends with each other. Future Ted tells his kids that they had a wonderful dinner and it has since become a tradition for them to meet on Thanksgiving every year. Barney proceeds to taunt Marshall, making Lily go back on her word in the last seconds of the slap countdown, and she tells Marshall he can slap Barney. Marshall happily does so, and then sings a song composed by himself called 'You Just Got Slapped'.

At the end of the episode, the group is cleaning up and Ted utters a phrase 'major clean-up' causing everyone to salute. When Robin uses 'general idea' a while later, it's apparent that the joke is now going to stick with everyone.

Despite being vastly commercialized, holidays like Thanksgiving are quite important nowadays because they allow us to gather together and share a few moments with our loved ones. They are possibly even giving us a chance to reconcile, similarly to this episode.

On the other hand, though, I believe that holidays shouldn't give you an excuse for not caring about others during the rest of the year. Sure, some people may simply get overwhelmed with work, school, and whatnot, and forget about everything else easily. And I guess for those people, every holiday counts. Especially one like Thanksgiving. But really, do find time for those you care about, even when there isn't a holiday going on at the moment. Because at the end of the day, you never know what holiday is going to be your last.

Instructions on How to... Be Happy?

Being happy can be a tricky thing. Some people always seem to be happy, while others are always in a state of depression and helplessness. So, how do you get to be happy, especially considering the world as it is today? Well, it definitely isn't as easy as swallowing a bottle of happy pills. But my belief is that nothing – short of scientifically impossible things – is impossible.

First and foremost, embrace whoever you are. That's the stepping stone right there. We've all done things we're not proud of – no single human being can honestly proclaim he or she is innocent, and that's a fact. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't respect the law and go nuts when it's really inappropriate. However, do stand by your opinion, whether it might alienate a few people around you or not.

Second, and this one's sort of based on the previous point: DO. NOT. SWEAT IT. Seriously, just don't. So you screwed up. Screw that! There'll always be another chance to make things right. What certain people need to understand is that we humans are far from perfect. In fact, chances are you're one of the few who are much better at getting it right and you don't even know it.

Finally, always try to assess what went wrong in the past, and learn from it, so you avoid repeating the mistake in the future. While this may be a little hard at first, don't be afraid to give it time. Sooner or later you'll realize that every cloud has a silver lining. 

These are only a few tidbits on how to be happy and by no means will they make happy everyone out there. Still, it worked for me, kind of. Just remember: be yourself and take it easy. You only have one life, live it to the fullest!

I'll Always Remember... February 14

A few years ago, February 14 was the day when I, possibly for the first time in my life, followed my heart and didn't try to reason with it. I decided not to look back. I chose to believe in something more, something supernatural. For once in my life I dismissed the idea of being a realist – when I woke up on that fateful day, for at least the next 24 hours, I decided to become an optimist.

February 14, known as Valentine's Day in many countries throughout the world is actually not (officially) celebrated here in my country. That was partially the reason why I picked this day to be the day I'd just go for it and do my best to surprise her. To make her happy when she'd least expect it. Allegedly, as she never shied away from showing her dislike of the "damn American holiday." Wait, I didn't tell you? It's about a girl. I mean, it always somehow is, isn't it? Moving on.

I manned up, hastily managed to buy the few things I needed to make it perfect, and made her presumably the simplest gift ever - didn't matter it was simple, though. I did it with passion. After what seemed to be hours of just making a mess with glue and wrapping paper, I left the neatly wrapped package on the girl's front porch later that day. I rang at her door and I went home not long after the sunset… and you know what? I knocked it out of the park. Or so I've heard. Well, in fact I've heard I made both the girl and her mom cry so I'd say that's something.

Nevertheless, I'm not going to tell you what it is I gave her. Because if there's one thing I got out of all this, it's that it is never about the ending, it's about the journey. And it took me months to realize it wasn't about me getting the girl, no. It was about the fun I had doing all the crazy things and how it made my life a bit more worthwhile. It was ultimately a dead-end relationship; it never really took off to begin with. But since I came to the realization, I've chosen to hold on to this memory of mine, as in the end it only made me stronger. That's why… I will never forget February 14.

Me & Music

The Wikipedia article on music says that "music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence." I'm sure such description is perfectly fine when you're into technicalities and couldn't possibly care less what music truly is about. I just don't feel like it captures the true meaning behind music and what it arguably means to a lot of people. Don't get me wrong, Wikipedia's definition is nice and all, but it simply can't convey the, ah I don't know, that thing. That feeling. You know, the one when you blast that one song that makes you drop whatever it is you're doing and go crazier than the residents of your local mental institution – arms flailing playing air guitar or even air drums.. Yeah, you know what I mean.

For me, music is like what religion is for religious people. I can't live without it. I guess you could say I'm addicted to it, in a way. It doesn't matter what I'm doing – or if I'm doing anything at all – at any given moment, whenever it's possible for me to listen to songs I like, you bet I do. It's just like one Thirty Seconds to Mars fan said: "Some people believe in God, I believe in music. Some people pray, I turn up the radio." That's exactly how I feel about music. It's always going to be an integral part of my life, no matter where I'll be or who I'll be with – I'll always have music.

Social Commentary on War

"War never changes." Or does it? Perhaps the most iconic phrase of the Fallout video game fame is not something we should discredit simply because it has been used in a game, quite the contrary – it’s an issue everyone should have a think about.

One would think that after everything the humanity has been through the word "war" would be long forgotten. The two world wars in the last century , the Mongol conquests in the thirteenth and fourteenth century, the Thirty Years‘ War in the first half of the seventeenth century – all had death toll in millions. And yet, when you look at the world today you can’t but notice it’s still at war. It’s constantly at war. It always has been. And most likely will be for at least decades to come. The question is why?

Because it’s in the human nature, how humans were "programmed", if you will: to keep desiring more and more, even if we don’t necessarily need more. That naturally leads to conflicts which then escalate to all-out wars. This problem is only going to get worse as we start running out of resources such as oil and coal.

Just like Albert Einstein once said: "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones." For the instruments of war may change, however the war, as in war being a part of human nature, never does – since people never do.

First Impressions of the University

Frankly, when it comes to college, I had no idea what to expect and given the fact that I'm someone whose expectations are rarely more than pretty much nonexistent, the university in Pardubice came out as a pleasant surprise indeed. Week four is about to start and I’d say so far so good. There are bound to be, without a doubt, at least some problems because nothing is perfect in this world, but the classes and the professors are quite all right. Even the food in the canteen is digestible for the most part… I’m kidding, save for one vegetarian dish I once chose by mistake (one that I’ll never make again), I enjoyed all the meals that I had there, I just don’t want to look like someone who has low food standards (people love to judge, you know).

There isn’t really anything that I don’t like in particular, nothing I could come up with off the top of my head at least. Some don’t like the building we have most of our classes in and, hey, I get it, it does look bad. But it doesn’t matter. What matters is that it has functioning elevators and heating, right? And though I was worried a little what the literature class would be like and that was, like, my main concern - because, let’s be honest, I’m not the keenest reader out there - I found it fairly interesting in the end.

Maybe I’m weird, maybe I was simply way too long out of school, but all in all, I do like the university.