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Post by Bonobo on Dec 6, 2009 22:31:24 GMT 1
It seems we have run into another regional difference ;D In Mazowsze all receive presents not just the children. A little one and just one on Mikołajki (6th December) and larger ones and not nessecarily one on Wigilia night, after the ceremonial supper (24th December) I am not sure if it is regional. It could also be a family custom. Besides, it is easier to persuade children it is secret Santa who comes at night and leaves presents next to the bed or directly on the pillow. I still remember that thrilling emotion of waking up in the early morning and feeling sth hard pressing on my face. It was like climax. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Yes, that unforgettable excitement. First coming from expectations, then from touching the hard packages with presents lying on your bed, trying to discover the contents in the dark room. Some presents which my parents gave us/me that I still remember today: An accoustic guitar, ski sledge, multiple books and sweets.   In early childhood I got a book with poems about Krakow, I described it here: polandsite.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=polishblog&action=display&thread=207&page=3#7217But the most memorable present was a toy action figure of a scuba diver. Probably bought for hard currency in Pewex stores. Made of high quality materials in Spain, it was incredibly detailed, with all sky diving gear, special rubber material imitated skin, the beard was real plastic hair, he even had a pink scar on his cheek, many points of articulation too. His fingers were elastic and could be extended to fit in a spear gun. I spent wonderful hours playing with it. Nowadays, sometimes, I go through toy aisles in hypermarkets and try to find a similar toy. But all those Action heroes are made of pathetic hard plastic and lack these wonderful details I remember. Has cheap Chinese production completely taken over  Here is a poor modern rendition of my beloved toy  |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 12, 2020 18:06:42 GMT 1
I wanted chemistry sets and artist's stuff. Thanks for reminding me about it. One year we got a chemistry set for children, made in the USSR. It contained substances in test tubes and a book of experiments. I remember doing fascinating things with it together with my sister. Here it is: I still have the book.  |
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Post by naukowiec on Jan 15, 2020 20:32:31 GMT 1
Some presents which my parents gave us/me that I still remember today: An accoustic guitar, ski sledge, multiple You did well given the times! Did your parents ever visit pewex shops?  Hahaha, just scrolled down to read that your scuba diver probably came from one......how did I guess! Has cheap Chinese production completely taken over Probably yes! They are set for world domination......people want cheap crap basically  Here it is: I still have the book. Wow, look at that! I always wanted one of those! Wish I knew what is in those tubes! The blue substance is probably copper sulphate, but the others could be anything. Wooden test tube rack, filter funnel, evaporating dish........ I remember doing fascinating things with it together with my sister. Probably nothing too dangerous though. Shame. I remember getting a spirograph set and being over the moon:  You can still get them today. I was a huge lego fan too, but back then, lego was pretty basic compared with what you can buy today...  |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 18, 2020 22:50:38 GMT 1
how did I guess! Did your parents ever visit pewex shops? people want cheap crap basically Wow, look at that! I always wanted one of those! Wish I knew what is in those tubes! The blue substance is probably copper sulphate, but the others could be anything. Probably nothing too dangerous though. I remember getting a spirograph set and being over the moon: I was a huge lego fan too, but back then, lego was pretty basic compared with what you can buy today... Coz you are exceptionally clever? Of course they did. I still remember their discussions about buying dollars in the black market. How much, where and how to avoid secret police agents snooping around coz the activity was illegal.  Yes, although my colleague once said: I can`t afford buying cheap stuff. (I used gerund on purpose). One tube was very heavy, filled with black powder, ground iron, I imagine. I can look for the book and check its contents to tell you the names of substances. Nothing dangerous at home but at school it was different. I had problems when I burnt red phosphorus in class without the teacher`s knowledge. Spirograph wasn`t a toy in my childhood - I have never seen that thing. Original LEGO blocks were practically unavailable in communism. We used simple standardised blocks and still had our fun. What is imagination for? |
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Post by naukowiec on Jan 19, 2020 11:13:50 GMT 1
I still remember their discussions about buying dollars in the black market. How much, where and how to avoid secret police agents snooping around coz the activity was illega It all sounds so......clandestine and sort of exciting at the same time! I'm sure the reality was anything but though. Coz you are exceptionally clever? Coz you are exceptionally sarcastic? One tube was very heavy, filled with black powder, ground iron, I imagine It could be although Iron powder is more of a grey colour. I'm dying to know what was in those tubes. I had problems when I burnt red phosphorus in class without the teacher`s knowledge. This is why I want to know what's in those tubes! Red Phosphorus is never used in schools these days, although it's nowhere near as dangerous as white phosphorus. Benzene use was very common at one time but it's carcinogenic. Original LEGO blocks were practically unavailable in communism. It was expensive even in the UK. We had a large bucket of the basic blocks, but that was it. Not available even from Pewex shops? |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 19, 2020 16:48:56 GMT 1
it all sounds so......clandestine and sort of exciting at the same time! I'm sure the reality was anything but though. Coz you are exceptionally sarcastic? It could be although Iron powder is more of a grey colour. I'm dying to know what was in those tubes. This is why I want to know what's in those tubes! Red Phosphorus is never used in schools these days, although it's nowhere near as dangerous as white phosphorus. Not available even from Pewex shops? Yes, exciting today but frightening at the time. Not sarcastic. Who is the best riddle guesser of all? Yes, it was grey but it was close to black. I am trying to locate the book but there are thousands of them in my bedroom. The shelf I thought it was on actually contains a different book by a Soviet author: Fun Magic. Check the modern Young Chemist sets produced today in Russia and read the labels on tubes. I enlarged two photos and those formulas are quite well visible. Red phosphorus wasn`t in the set, I took it from teacher`s lab while we were tidying it up. Then I burnt it in class, producing a lot of smoke and a mini evacuation. Parents were called by the principal. I can`t find pics with Lego blocks in Pewex, probably they were imported but not in 1970s, only later.         |
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Post by naukowiec on Jan 19, 2020 19:03:48 GMT 1
Who is the best riddle guesser of all? It is not difficult when you are the only riddle solver..... read the labels on tubes. I can read quite a few. I can see Ammonia , Siver Nitrate, Hydrochloric Acid, Copper Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide. Scrolling down, I see rather more worrying things......like Magnesium metal ( brilliant very hot white flame if you set it on fire) Cobalt Chloride ( toxic ) What age are these kits aimed at? I can't see things like this being available to kids over here. Great to look at though! I took it from teacher`s lab while we were tidying it up. Then I burnt it in class, producing a lot of smoke and a mini evacuation. Wow! There's always that one special pupil, with the emphasis on special What did your parents say? |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 20, 2020 20:58:09 GMT 1
It is not difficult when you are the only riddle solver..... I can read quite a few. I can see Ammonia , Siver Nitrate, Hydrochloric Acid, Copper Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide. Scrolling down, I see rather more worrying things......like Magnesium metal ( brilliant very hot white flame if you set it on fire) Cobalt Chloride ( toxic ) What age are these kits aimed at? I can't see things like this being available to kids over here. What did your parents say? It doesn`t matter if you are the only or one of many. What counts is to be successful and you mostly are. And when you aren`t, it is normal and nothing to worry about. Those kits are for young users - after all, the name is Young Chemist. Yes, I read some Polish comments which suggest that part of these substances is forbidden in the EU and getting such a kit in Poland today would be impossible. My parents were a bit surprised but not angry at me coz nothing serious happened (but they were mad when they learnt about my membership in a youth gang at the age of 11). And the biology teacher, whose classroom I smoked, didn`t bear a grudge for too long, she gave me B at the end of school. |
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Post by naukowiec on Jan 22, 2020 20:29:31 GMT 1
part of these substances is forbidden in the EU and getting such a kit in Poland today would be impossible. Exactly. Not too many of those would be sent through the post these days, mostly because of terrorism risks. Plus those chemicals aren't too safe for young kids anyway. they were mad when they learnt about my membership in a youth gang at the age of 11 Naughty naughty!! |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 24, 2020 13:03:30 GMT 1
Exactly. Not too many of those would be sent through the post these days, mostly because of terrorism risks. Plus those chemicals aren't too safe for young kids anyway. I must believe you on this coz I am not as keen on chemicals as to know their harmful effects. After initial fascination with Young Chemist kit I realised Chemistry was too boring for me to treat it seriously. The fact that I graduated from my high school after 4 years of being exposed to advanced chemistry (chem-biol profile) was a miracle. |
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Post by naukowiec on Jan 25, 2020 11:27:49 GMT 1
I realised Chemistry was too boring for me to treat it seriously. Sharp intake of breath! Boring? How could you, it's not boring! The fact that I graduated from my high school after 4 years of being exposed to advanced chemistry (chem-biol profile) was a miracle. Did you find it difficult or just boring? |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 25, 2020 23:12:10 GMT 1
Sharp intake of breath! Boring? How could you, it's not boring! Did you find it difficult or just boring? Unfortunately, it is to me. First I found it boring, so I stopped studying it after passing the entrance exam in chemistry. I decided it was enough for me and I knew all I needed. In result, after a few months of complete laziness, I was forced to consider it difficult. Luckily, our senior form tutor knew how to pull strings in school and she was able to defend us against some young teachers` expectations, among them my chemistry teacher`s. I lasted 4 years in this way, I don`t see another explanation for that phenomenon. |
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Post by naukowiec on Jan 26, 2020 9:54:51 GMT 1
our senior form tutor knew how to pull strings in school and she was able to defend us against some young teachers` expectations, She got you through 4 years of study without you doing a stroke of work? |
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Post by Bonobo on Jan 26, 2020 20:30:44 GMT 1
She got you through 4 years of study without you doing a stroke of work? Of course I did some studying but rarely and not enough. I was able to prepare for a last chance test and get a B, later I fell into laziness again. Besides, in the last year, we had to declare our exam choices and later studies. Teachers knew I wanted to study English so the science ones left me alone. |
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Post by naukowiec on Jan 26, 2020 20:50:42 GMT 1
I was able to prepare for a last chance test and get a B, l You did well then, that's a good grade. |
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Hahaha, just scrolled down to read that your scuba diver probably came from one......how did I guess!
