A little about me
They say that any proper website should include an “About Me” page so that visitors can see who is behind it. Although writing is close to my heart, putting together this page gave me a hard time. I’m not a famous celebrity or a world-class star, so it’s not clear to me why anyone would want to read it… Well, duty must be done. Here, dear reader, is as comprehensive description of myself as I was able to write. Do not die of boredom (consider yourself warned).
Once upon a time...
I was born in a year when the Czechoslovakia was plagued by a toilet paper shortage, Luton Town FC beat Arsenal in the Littlewoods Cup final at Wembley, and Trent Reznor started to promote nine-inch nails in Cleveland. Fate took me to many places that taught me many things. Among the most important milestones of my life undoubtedly belongs attending a small Moravian high school in Holešov. To this day, I am still amazed that the teachers survived us. Teaching a bunch of kids who are prone to any mischief had to be a great ordeal.
...beyond 18 bridges...
After we left the school to roam the wide world and learn how to make ourselves useful, my steps led me to Palacký University in Olomouc.
An unforgettable time spent studying Molecular Biology, foreign languages and, strangely enough, ornithology – given my work in the Laboratory of Population Genetics, where we studied DNA and determined the paternity of pelicans, flamingos and other members of Pelicaniformaes.
At one lecture, my heart was captured by Immunology. This infatuation took me to Prague, after I graduated. And Prague has been my home ever since. For many years I worked in the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology of Czech Academy of Sciences, where I learnt not only the ways of human health, but also the ways of human creativity, stubbornness and courage to get up and try again and again.
...lived a scientist
A lot of sweat, a lot of hard work, and a tremendous amount of luck brought me two degrees in Immunology, a handful of grey strands, and the realization that you don’t go to a psychologist because you’re crazy – you go to a psychologist to avoid becoming crazy.
Science is a beautiful but cruel and vain companion requiring your full attention. You run out of breath after some time, especially if you are no longer alone in the world and you see your eyes in your little copy looking at you.
Happily ever after?
What now? Well, I happen to be a part of various beautiful projects. So what exactly do I do?
- play the editor-in-chief of a small blogletter project Tvůrcovské noviny and podcast project Tvůrcovské radio;
- co-own and lead the Lelkárna Publishing House;
- help as a co-founder of the Tišina Foundation Fund;
- illustrate, lecture immunology, write scientific blogletter and a few other content newsletters, scribble poems and stories from life and human imagination.
My life in dates
a.k.a. not so interesting but the axis spins!
Run for your life
Leaving grammar school, joining the high school.
They did not get us!
Surprisingly, we survived the final exams and left to see the world.
Nevermore!
The year I swore that my bachelor’s thesis in Population Genetics would be my first and last professional thesis written in Czech, because translating English terms into Czech is hell.
Among the grown-ups
I joined the Czech Immunological Society.
Hooray!
My family gave me a sewing machine as a reward for bringing home a piece of paper with a Latin narrative that featured the words Immunologia and Magistri.
Cloning in practice
I made a little clone of myself and was hit by the desire to learn more about the development of the immune system and the urge to pass this knowledge on.
Nothing much interesting here
I created my first website, broke my oath from 2010 and started translating scientific articles about development of immunity and writing popularization texts in Czech (I also got a certificate as a swimming instructor and applied for a business license).
Also quite boring
I got a certificate as a masseuse. And I finished my PhD studies.
Everything packed, off to the no man's land
Leaving laboratory, joining the corporate world.
Let's give it a try
The year I dove back into writing, met a lot of people and started creating the popularization blogletter along with other projects that are still evolving.
How it began...
It was a year when the world was normal and the most bizarre thing you could see on TV was the speech of the Czech castle spokesman. Ziggy Stardust’s musical star lit up the sky and the keen eyes of American astronomers gazing into the deep darkness of the multiverse discoverd a new planet somewhere beyond Neptune. Our Prime Minister was surprised by mysterious hackers leaking his personal correspondence to the public. Jarda became the second most productive player in NHL history, Gábina became a female biathlon star, Lukáš brought home the golden medal from Rio… It was a very busy year, with events of world importance (Brangelina broke up!).
Many things were born back then, including The Inspiration and The Idea, which led me to create my first website dedicated to popularizing immunology and the development of child immunity, a year later. As time passed, The Inspiration grew and The Idea evolved.
The Inspiration sits here with me today, helping me to write for you, create new stories and paint illustrations that accompany them.
The Idea has morphed into the form of content newsletters and projects, stories, poems and much more, yet unwritten.