Happy Independence Day to Ukraine. We hope that our love letter to Kyiv inspires people to want to learn more about Ukraine. This film journey started in 2018 and it is finally live on YouTube – please watch it. It has been an intense labour of love, and this story is only in the middle.
Chapter 1 – The Ukrainian dream (before the full scale invasion) Chapter 2 – It’ll be over in three days (war) Chapter 3 – Holding onto the summer (hope) Chapter 4 (in the near future) – Darkest before dawn (exhaustion)
Today is my birthday, but more interestingly, it is also the day we are finishing the post production work on our Ukraine film project, which is now called Kyiv Of Mine.
This intense labour of love started in 2018 and this weekend it will go live on YouTube. Our motivation is this: Ukraine deserves a better conversation in the world.
We hope that our work here stimulates some new interest and support for Ukraine.
If anyone of you reading this wants to do something nice for my birthday then please share this trailer link with all your friends, family, and people you work with. It all helps.
These days you don’t need Netflix or any other kind of entertainment service. The news is more than enough. Hollywood doesn’t write scripts this out there.
Since Trump entered politics the term “fake news” is now commonplace. We used to trust certain things in life. I trust the doctor. The pilot flying the plane. The news company reporting on current events. I trust the chef at the restaurant. I trust the teachers looking after the Bunster at kindergarten. We used to trust a lot of people. But in today’s world of crazy conspiracy theories and deranged politicians, we have all become less trusting.
Imagine if I did not like what the doctor told me and started shouting “Fake doctor”. This is what is happening with the media. Yes, the media is often way too opinionated. Their purpose is to report the news. And so many journalists have become famous with big online followings, that they seem to be bigger than the actual news. But that does not mean they are making up facts and figures.
It is a calm, quiet night in Kyiv. I imagine most people are fast asleep. I didn’t sleep much. Yesterday was a stressful and intense day of work and I was over tired and over wired. I have been up for a few hours. At 9:30 am I will leave the Nest to go to a meeting. Another busy day ahead. And yes, life goes on, bombs and all. But it is anything but normal.
The night before was the opposite of a calm and quiet night. Reading the local news updates, the Wednesday attack was one of the biggest yet on Ukraine’s capital, and it lasted 10 hours. I was in the basement shelter until the sun came up and then went to bed at 5 am and woke up two hours later, and started to work. It was a long, busy day yesterday.
The attack on Wednesday night was hundreds of Shahed drones and there were also a bunch of ballistic missiles. It is all insane, and everyone is so exhausted. The thing about these killer drones is that they are not like the size of toy drones like you see in the shops. The Shahed is huge. When one of these things get knocked out of the sky you don’t want to be down below. The falling debris can be lethal.
How can this be happening in this modern world?! It is pure evil. Ukraine will survive and thrive one day. But there is a lot more pain still to come. The attacks on Kyiv are getting bigger and more frequent. Please God this insane war comes to an end. It will, but not anytime soon.
I am on route to Kyiv. What used to be a 3 hour flight just a few years ago is now a 26 hour journey.
I am going “home” for a couple of weeks. I was in Kyiv last just over 2 months ago. The war is still raging on and the attacks on Kyiv, and other Ukrainian cities, have intensified. I know I will be spending many nights not sleeping. I am not unfamiliar with spending nights in a bomb shelter, but the scale of the recent attacks sounds truly terrifying. From all our friends and family in Kyiv we get updates when the strikes happen and we get the air raid siren alert on our phones, so we are always in the loop. But again, the scale of the attacks have increased and the bombardment from Thursday night last week was the biggest one yet. I am not scared. But I am a bit anxious.
My luggage is always packed full when I travel to Ukraine, and when I leave Kyiv my luggage is pretty light. There is a reason for this. I am putting stuff in our home. Books, Bunster things we want to keep (that he has outgrown), and other bits and pieces. I know it may sound a bit crazy, but Kyiv is the place I call home. Of course, nothing is simple or easy now and I know it is going to be stressful being at home.
Everyone in Kyiv, and throughout Ukraine, is exhausted. And the war has no end in sight. So much has changed over the past 3 years and so much is still changing. I was going to share some thoughts around this from my last visit home but I am still thinking about everything. The mood in the past month has shifted again, as the intensity and frequency of the attacks on Ukraine’s capital have increased. Russia’s evil knows no limits and Putin will not stop, unless he is stopped. And of course, Donald Trump is not making things any easier. It is all so unfair and tragic. It is a tragedy not just for Ukraine (although Ukrainians are suffering and are traumatized) but for the whole world. And if you think that this war cannot develop further and spread, then you are dreaming (as I once was).
I have a lot to do in Kyiv, and if all goes according to our work schedule then next month we will go live with our film series project “Kyiv of Mine”. We will launch it on YouTube around Ukraine’s Independence Day. We are all hoping this storytelling adventure makes a difference.
We told the Bunster yesterday that I was going to Kyiv. He knows he is from Ukraine but he doesn’t understand where I am heading. Thank God. But he did cry a few times during the day and said that he is going to miss daddy. When I put him to bed last night he sounded sad. I promised him I will be back soon. Marta and the Bunster need me. And I need them.
Most people we know in Kyiv used to sometimes be a bit casual when the air raid sirens went off but not recently. The scale of the attacks and the evilness of it all, has gone up. I know I will be spending many long nights not sleeping, in the shelter. I know I have to have my “go bag” (passport, phone, laptop, wallet, power bank, bottle of water) ready and I will not mess around.
I am currently in Poland. The journey started in the small hours this morning. If all goes according to plan I should get to Kyiv around 10 am tomorrow.
Marta and I often wonder if the Bunster will ever get to know the place he is from. I have faith. I believe he will. He spent the first year and a half of his life at home in Kyiv but of course he doesn’t remember. And he doesn’t know about the evil in the world. Thank God.
Some of the best memories of my life are in Kyiv. It is a soulful, magical place. I hope the Bun man gets to experience all of this one day. I hope this evil war ends this year.
The Bunster does not stop delighting us. Every parent we chat with says the same thing, that this time, between the ages of 4 and 6, is a lot of fun. They are right. What comes of the Bun’s mouth is often just so funny and sometimes pretty amazing. He is a learning machine. And he has a sense of humour, with a mischievous streak, and he enjoys magic.
This morning he did some kind of a magic trick, where he crossed his legs and his left and right shoes changed positions. He had has us smiling. This little man likes to entertain people and to make us all laugh.
I have enjoyed learning magic for over a decade now. Because of the war in Ukraine and all the trauma I didn’t spend much time learning any new magic during the past few years, but lately I have started again. The Bunster has a lot to do with this. He is starting to understand things more and he is keen to learn how to perform some magic too. And he loves storytelling.
I was reading something a magician wrote a few days ago: When it feels impossible, think like a magician.
Imagine someone asks two people, a magician and a non-magician, to make a lady float.
The non-magician says, “That’s impossible.”
The magician thinks, “What would that look like?” And then creates an illusion where it appears the woman is floating.
The non-magician responds, “But she’s not really floating.”
The magician says: “That was never the point.”
It’s a powerful reminder: while some people stop at “impossible,” creators, magicians, see possibilities. We ask different questions. We build what others don’t expect. We say, “yes, and…”
So if you’re facing a roadblock this week, think like a magician. Be bold. Be inventive. You have a set of skills that others don’t.
There is a lot of wisdom in this text. I am not a magician but I do enjoy the art of magic. It is a very cool hobby, and there are endless avenues to explore. And as the Bunster gets a bit older he is going to be easier to teach some cool magic tricks to. I can see he is very keen.
I hope the Bunster embraces the art of magic as he grows older. The world sure could do with more magic, especially in these darker times. And also, as this magician articulated above, this art form also inspires people to think outside of the box.
The Bunster is a very loved little boy. Marta and I pour everything into him, and we can see how confident and enthusiastic he always is. It makes our souls smile. The Bunster, child and all, has a lot of wisdom to offer us adults too. As this image below captures. This is what makes the Bun man happy. To spend time with mommy and daddy. The Bunster is a magical little man.
I am getting closer to a life of luxury. By the end of this year I aim to be as offline as much can be. I have not had Facebook or Instagram for a few years now, and only use LinkedIn and Twitter to read news updates and perspectives about Ukraine. But it is not just social media, it is online in general. I want to only check WhatsApp and email once a week and eventually once a month – I am on a path to reach this destination. Heaven on earth. Quite ironic, as I was part of the ISP industry in some other lifetime.
The online world is not the dream we all thought it could be. Go to the comments section, for example, on a social media posting, and there is often so much negativity. It seems like people are constantly projecting their anger onto other people. Because they are hidden behind something and they feel a safety in that. All these armchair angry warriors. Toxic.
To be offline is to be happier. Maybe I am wrong, but this is where I am at.
We got such a cool email earlier this week from the kindergarten that the Bunster attends. It made us smile.
David approached the fizzy experiment with wide eyes and an inquisitive mind. What began as a simple reaction quickly turned into a hands-on scientific investigation, and David was ready to take on the challenge.
We began with a basic setup: baking soda, vinegar, and a few drops of food colouring. David observed the fizzing reaction closely, then hypothesised what might happen if we changed one ingredient. With growing confidence, he suggested using more vinegar to see if it would create a bigger reaction, a clear demonstration of his scientific reasoning and prediction skills.
But David didn’t stop there. We added extra layers to challenge his thinking.
Variable testing: David compared reactions using cold vs warm vinegar. He noticed the warm one fizzed faster and immediately began wondering why. He explored the effect of temperature on chemical reactions, an advanced concept for his age.
Timed reactions: With a stopwatch, David measured how long the fizz lasted in different mixtures. He recorded the results with help, learning how to collect and analyse data.
Fizz-powered rockets: David helped build a small container rocket using baking soda and vinegar sealed with a cap. He worked through multiple trials, adjusting amounts and learning about pressure build-up, force, and safety in a controlled environment. He reflected after each launch: “That one went higher, maybe I added too much vinegar last time!”
Through this engaging exploration, David practised:Mathematical thinking (measuring, comparing, estimating amounts).
Language development (using descriptive and scientific vocabulary like “reaction,” “explode,” “pressure,” “observe”).
Cognitive flexibility (adapting ideas, testing different approaches). Persistence and resilience (when the rocket didn’t launch the first time, he calmly reassessed and tried again).
Most importantly, David took ownership of his learning. He asked questions like a true scientist and embraced the messiness of discovery. The activity was more than just fizzy fun; it was a gateway into active learning, problem-solving, and higher-level thinking. Well done David.
As my one friend in Kyiv texted me yesterday : “russians suck cock today”. “Nato now must now join Ukraine.”
Jokes aside, what the Ukrainian military achieved yesterday is simply incredible. Movies will be made about this one day.
“Ukraine’s SBU used advanced FPV drones to strike russian airbases thousands of kilometers deep.
The targets? Strategic bombers that fire cruise missiles at Ukrainian cities. Some were part of russia’s nuclear triad. Gone—without jets, without missiles, without satellites. Damage is estimated at $2 billion already and targets keep burning.
This is next-gen asymmetric warfare in action. Cheap, smart, unstoppable.
If you still think drones are just tactical tools, think again. Ukraine is rewriting military doctrine in real time.”
“This special operation with destruction of over 40 russian strategic bombers (including some capable of carrying nuclear warheads) overshadows the sinking of Moscow battleship. It was accomplished with remotely operated FPV drones launched from the hidden platforms under the roofs of trailer trucks on unsuspecting russian truck drivers.
The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) secretly delivered strike drones into Russia near the ‘Belaya’ airfield and other airfields where A-50, Tu-95, and Tu-22 M3 aircraft were stationed.
In a single moment, on the command of the head of the Security Service of Ukraine, Vasyl Maliuk, the strike drones rose near the airfields and simultaneously hit more than 40 aircraft.
The Russians had no chance to sound the alarm, launch the aircraft into the sky, or protect them from the drones. It all happened in an instant. This unique special operation has no equal. No one in the world has ever done anything like it.”
PrettyApt 