Looking for the information you did not even know existed?

It's been quite some time since I've been amazed by a book. To be honest, in the last few years most of the books I've read were for my studies. But there's a little spark of amusement in my literary life now, and it's like nothing I've read before.

The book catches your eye with a rich, unusual purple of it's cover. The title might not be entirely clear at the beginning, but the meaning and origin of the word "quintessential" are explained to us at the introductory part. To make things clear, it means (quoting the Oxford Dictionary) "Representing the most perfect or typical example of a quality or class", while miscellany is a publication that contains various texts and information.

The goal of this book is informing you details of various aspects of life you would not think have any remote importance for you - because, to be honest, they mostly don't. There's little more to it then sheer intelectual/absurd pleasure in reading about how military operation's codenames are created, fictional Eton graduates and April Fool's newspaper hoaxes in the XIX century. It might sound boring, and I can't deny I skip some of them (quotations from some obscure historical characters, mostly), but it's really fun to read or just browse.

I've also found out that Mister Schott has actually published a few more parts of this serie before. It's obvious that I'd be more than glad to somehow find and get them!

Why commuting on bike is the best way to do it

We all live in a constant movement, needing to go to several places each day: to school, to work, to do the shopping, visit our friends ... In effect, we might spend a considerable part of our life commuting. It's wise to actually think about the way how we do it a little, and choose the most beneficial method.

I, for one, am a great fan of commuting on bike. I wasn't able to do it, until recently, as I used to live in the suburbs, and the amount of time it would take to get to university would be absurd. After moving to the centre and finding a job, I decided to give it a try. And I fell in love with it.

First and foremost, it's efficient. It's obviously faster than walking, and although you might be outrun by a tram or a bus, you do not depend on the time tables. In contrast to driving a car, it doesn't get you stuck in traffic. Nor morbidly obese by the age of 40, for that matter.

That's the second advantage of using two wheels instead of four: you can use the time you would otherwise waste to excercise. In my case, it's not much, as I only commute about 2,5 kilometres to my job, and even less to my university, but it still trumps my previous favorite activity, which was evading sports at all costs.

Sure, there are some negatives, such as scarce bike-friendly infrastructure in Poznań. You're forced to either obey the law and use the car lane, which can be pretty scary and dangerous, or (that's what I do) stay on the pavement, risking some bitter remarks on the better days and a possibility of being fined on the worse. Also, while my enthusiasm still lasts in spite of the rain and the temperatures dropping below 10 degrees, I am not entirely sure if I'll be able to ride my bike throughout the entire winter. Some preaparation and gearing up will be requires, but I really hope I'll manage that.