Silvia and Victor

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Boston University Campus

Timpul

Spring Colors

Finally Spring

We had to wait a lot this year for spring to finally come and clean the wounds of a too stubborn winter. But now finally the sun and the colors are back, reminding me of a dear song: "troubles will come but also eventually go away..."

Boston I Feel

If I would have to name something I still did not find in Boston, I would probably say a moment of calm, a moment of peace. Almost two years now, since I am always in a hurry, always stressed, always trying to plan the future and to make it more predictable, always somehow failing to do so. I am making lists with things waiting to be finished, I am struggling to meet deadline after deadline, I am running to arrive somewhere in time. And none of these brings me any kind of satisfaction, nor allows me to stop for at least a moment and enjoy the ephemeral victories. Sometimes I even feel that the victories here are actually defeats as there is never time to stop and celebrate; something else appears as more important and more urgent.

I think of my relationship with Boston as a marriage that is not working anymore (and in fact it never really did) but in which the parents decided to stay together for the sake of the child, in this case, my Ph.D. I try not to think of all the other things I could have done with all this time, I try not to think of the absurdity of my assignments. And somehow, almost miraculously, I still enjoy what I am reading and doing and hope that all the struggle will finally be worth it.

Vera

Leapsa

Aceasta e prima leapsa pe care o primesc cu bucurie de la Chris: "opt lucruri aleatorii despre tine".

1. Incep si eu tot cu litera buclucasa "r". La care le adaug pe "g" si "c" si iata lista completa a literelor pe care nu le-am putut pronunta pana la 7 ani. Din ce mi se povesteste, vorbeam foarte mult, foarte repede si stalcind fiecare al doilea cuvant eram un deliciu. In loc sa ma corecteze parintii si bunicii au imprumutat si ei din cuvintele care sunau cel mai amuzant si astfel supararea copilariei mele a devenit parte din folclorul familiei.

2. Sarind mult in timp si spatiu, dar ramanand la suparari, ma scot din sarite cei care ma intreaba imediat dupa ce le spun ce studiez: "Dar ce, politica e o stiinta?". Aoleu. Din 2000 incoace, cred ca am auzit deja intrebarea asta sub zeci de forme si am incercat mai mereu sa o tratez cu seriozitate. Foarte mult timp am pus tonul (evident rauvoitor) al intrebarii pe seama mostenirii triste a scolii de la Stefan Gheorghiu si a lipsei educatiei civice si politice. Acum pur si simplu nu mai am rabdare si nici timp sa gasesc scuze.

3. In Martie 2003 am fost la Carnavalul de la Venetia costumata in Dracula. Asta dupa ce din Septembrie, cand ajunsesem in Italia, toata lumea ma intreaba despre acest personaj. Am fost atat de inspirata in alegerea machiajului incat am speriat-o de moarte pe colega mea de camera. In plus, nu am citit cu atentie instructiunile care spuneau ca pasta alba (ce tinea loc de fond de ten) trebuia indepartata dupa maximum 3 ore si am avut pe fata o eruptie care a tinut saptamani intregi.

4. De-a lungul istoriei mi-au fost furate, am pierdut, am electrocutat sau distrus (prin alte metode) 6 aparate foto. Tot la acest capitol, pot adauga faptul ca am ars electromotorul masinei lui tata in prima zi dupa ce am luat permisul de conducere.

5. In copilarie, am avut o pisica pe care o chema "nananu" (de la "motanu" prin procedeul de simplificare descris la punctul 1). Imi amintesc foarte bine cum am primit-o peste gard de la un vecin si cum ma astepta pe stalpul portii in fiecare zi cand veneam de la gradinita. A disparut misterios si nu m-am mai atasat de atunci de nici un animal.

6. As da orice sa ma mai pot intoarce la anii de liceu. Cu prieteni dragi si buni,cu lipsa grijilor mari, cu interminabilele olimpiade, cu petreceri nebune si cu oameni sinceri si calzi in jurul meu. Ceva din mine inca nu poate accepta ca acea atmosfera nu va mai fi de gasit, desi evident am inteles din prima saptamana de studentie la Bucuresti ca regulile s-au schimbat...

7. Zilele trecute am gasit intamplator uitandu-ma prin niste fotografii dintr-un album online un comentariu al unui vechi prieten din Trieste: "Pe masura ce trece timpul, devii tot mai frumoasa." Chiar daca nu e adevarat ce a scris, m-a facut sa zambesc si sa imi aduc aminte de lucruri frumoase. Multumesc fotografului.

8. Ma uit in fiecare zi pe net la jurnalele de stiri si la talk show-urile politice ale televiziunilor din Romania. In primul rand pentru ca americanii au cele mai sinistre, partinitoare si limitate stiri din cate exista si nu rezist cu televizorul deschis mai mult de 1 minut. In al doilea rand pentru ca nu vreau sa ma amagesc ca lucrurile merg acasa in directia cea buna.

Va urma o scurta pauza de 2 saptamani. I will be back.

200 Things (You Might Have Done)

...or not. :-) I only did 71:

01) Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02) Swam with wild dolphins
03) Climbed a mountain (back in high school, I don’t think I can do it again)
04) Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05) Been inside the Great Pyramid
06) Held a tarantula.
07) Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08) Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09) Hugged a tree (inspired by Maitreyi’s sister)
10) Done a striptease
11) Bungee jumped
12)Visited Paris (many times and madly loving it)
13) Watched a lightning storm at sea
14) Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise
15) Seen the Northern Lights
16) Gone to a huge sports game (and I regret it)
17) Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18) Grown and eaten your own vegetables (with the help of my grandparents)
19) Touched an iceberg
20) Slept under the stars
21) Changed a baby’s diaper
22) Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23) Watched a meteor shower (plus waited for hours for it to start)
24) Gotten drunk on champagne
25) Given more than you can afford to charity
26) Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27) Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28) Had a food fight
29) Bet on a winning horse
30) Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (another high school story)
31) Asked out a stranger
32) Had a snowball fight (so many…)
33) Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier
34) Screamed as loudly as you possibly can (some family members are almost deaf)
35) Held a lamb (even baptized one, namely Mugurel)
36) Enacted a favorite fantasy
37) Taken a midnight skinny dip
38) Taken an ice cold bath
39) Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40) Seen a total eclipse
41) Ridden a roller coaster
42) Hit a home run
43) Fit three weeks miraculously into three days (before any important exam)
44) Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45) Adopted an accent for an entire day (my lovely Russian accent)
46) Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47) Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment (in Paris…)
48) Had two hard drives for your computer (one being of course portable)
49) Visited all 50 states of USA
50) Loved your job for all accounts
51) Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52) Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53) Had amazing friends
54) Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55) Watched wild whales
56) Stolen a sign (and I still have it at home, it was a sign from an international train)
57) Backpacked in Europe
58) Taken a road-trip (the most recent one, on the Pacific coast)
59) Rock climbing
60) Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice
61) Midnight walk on the beach
62) Sky diving
63) Visited Ireland
64) Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65) In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
66) Visited Japan
67) Benchpressed your own weight
68) Milked a cow (it takes a lot of strength)
69) Alphabetized your records
70) Pretended to be a superhero
71) Sung karaoke (only once though and it was Joe Dassin)
72) Lounged around in bed all day (jet lagged)
73) Posed nude in front of strangers
74) Scuba diving
75) Got it on to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye
76) Kissed in the rain
77) Played in the mud
78) Played in the rain
79) Gone to a drive-in theater
80) Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it
81) Visited the Great Wall of China
82) Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog.
83) Dropped Windows in favor of something better (temporarily)
84) Started a business
85) Fallen in love and not had your heart broken (with a pet)
86) Toured ancient sites (my favorite: Ancient Olympia, Greece)
87) Taken a martial arts class
88) Sword fought for the honor of a woman
89) Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90) Gotten engaged
91) Been in a movie
92) Crashed a party
93) Loved someone you shouldn’t have
94) Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95) Gotten married
96) Had sex at the office
97) Gone without food for 5 days
98) Made cookies from scratch
99) Won first prize in a costume contest
100) Ridden a gondola in Venice
101) Gotten a tattoo
102) Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103) Gotten divorced
104) Been on television news programs as an “expert”
105) Got flowers for no reason
106) Masturbated in a public place
107) Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108) Taken illegal drugs
109) Performed on stage
110) Been to Las Vegas
111) Recorded music
112) Eaten shark
113) Had a one-night stand
114) Gone to Thailand
115) Seen Siouxsie live
116) Bought a house
117) Been in a combat zone
118) Buried one/both of your parents
119) Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off
120) Been on a cruise ship
121) Spoken more than one language fluently
122) Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone (it happens all the time)
123) Bounced a check
124) Performed in Rocky Horror
125) Read - and understood - your credit report (it is really user friendly)
126) Raised children.
127) Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy.
128) Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129) Created and named your own constellation of stars
130) Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
131) Found out something significant that your ancestors did.
132) Called or written your Congress person
133) Picked up and moved to another city to just start over. (4 times already)
134) …more than once? - More than twice?
135) Walked the Golden Gate Bridge (actually I was in the car...but nobody’s perfect)
136) Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
137) Had an abortion or your female partner did
138) Had plastic surgery
139) Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.
140) Wrote articles for a large publication
141) Lost over 100 pounds
142) Held someone while they were having a flashback
143) Piloted an airplane
144) Petted a stingray
145) Broken someone’s heart
146) Helped an animal give birth
147) Been fired or laid off from a job
148) Won money on a T.V. game show
149) Broken a bone (a small one, of a toe)
150) Killed a human being
151) Gone on an African photo safari
152) Ridden a motorcycle
153) Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
154) Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155) Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
156) Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157) Ridden a horse
158) Had major surgery
159) Had sex on a moving train
160) Had a snake as a pet
161) Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162) Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
163) Slept for more than 30 hours
164) Visited lots of foreign countries
165) Visited all 7 continents
166) Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167) Eaten kangaroo meat
168) Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
169) Been a sperm or egg donor
170) Eaten sushi (and did not like it at all)
171) Had your picture in the newspaper (in a very local newspaper)
172) Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173) Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
174) Gotten someone fired for their actions
175) Gone back to school (I am still in school and it will never end)
176) Parasailed
177) Changed your name
178) Petted a cockroach
179) Eaten fried green tomatoes.
180) Read The Iliad (in Romanian, Italian and English)
181) Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read (Marx )
182) Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183) …and gotten 86′ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184) Taught yourself an art from scratch
185) Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186) Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187) Skipped all your school reunions
188) Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189) Been elected to public office
190) Written your own computer language
191) Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream (only for a very short while, after I was accepted in a PhD program)
192) Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193) Built your own PC from parts
194) Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
195) Had a booth at a street fair
196) Dyed your hair (blonde, red, orange, black and other combinations)
197) Been a DJ (for my friends)
198) Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199) Written your own role playing game (when I was playing in childhood with my brother)
200) Been arrested.

Hit The Road

If you're going to San Francisco...

San Francisco

I irrationally loved San Francisco…A city of contrasts and similarities, of silence and noise, of peace and tremblement. On every hill a breathtaking landscape, at every corner a joyful and surprising discovery. Everything under the amazing Californian sun, that you appreciate even more coming from Massachusetts.

The trip to San Francisco was a chance to enjoy the forgotten little pleasures of life. To look around and feel enthusiastic and young. I cannot wait to go back.

Balada lui Ciprian Porumbescu

Ciprian Porumbescu wrote his ballad thinking of his homeland and of never-ending sorrows. This is a journey to his village and his memorial house, only a few miles away from the place of my childhood.

Spring

“Every year Romanian people knit two little tassels: a white one and a red one. At the beginning of March, they offer this amulet to the girls they love. Red means love for everything that is beautiful and white symbolizes the pureness and health of the snowdrops, the first flowers that appear in spring.

"Martisor" is a custom which symbolizes that spring has come. To emphasize this event better, an amulet has appeared: first a cod made of two threads of cotton, white and red tied to a pierced gold or silver coin. It was offered to children, girls and women. The color red symbolized the blood and life itself, while white, the purity of the sun and the first flowers. The gift was meant to bring health, beauty - in fact the three main conditions of happiness.”

Source:

http://ias-partnership.com/index.php?country=romania&category=Festivals&article=Martisor's%20Custom

Luce

Toujours Trieste

La capatul zilei

Sailing To Byzantium

by William Butler Yeats

I

That is no country for old men. The young
In one another's arms, birds in the trees
- Those dying generations - at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect.

II

An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but studying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.

III

O sages standing in God's holy fire
As in the gold mosaic of a wall,
Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,
And be the singing-masters of my soul.
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal
It knows not what it is; and gather me
Into the artifice of eternity.

IV

Once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing,
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make
Of hammered gold and gold enamelling
To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;
Or set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.

Trieste nel cuore