Classy: dinner (soup from Whole Foods eaten in the car) and a movie (Half Nelson).
The movie: an inner city girl with a killer smile, a teacher trying to teach his kids about dialectics, while his life is falling apart because of a nasty drug habit. Social justice lessons. A drug dealer you'd hate to admit you like. The interrupting cow joke I still don't get, despite Michael's diagram. A stars and stripes band-aid. A movie about opposites. And best of all, the conversation between two older ladies walking out of the movie theater:
Old lady 1: "So what was that music?"
Old lady 2: "Broken Social Scene"
Old lady 1: "Nice"
sâmbătă, septembrie 30, 2006
joi, septembrie 28, 2006
Three
No other season has the power to bring back memories as does fall. All I want to do is get under the covers in bed, with the windows open, stare outside, and think of past falls. Fall is wicked. My limbs ache.
Michael has a new Mexican kid in his class. While in Mexico, he used to help his family members, who were street musicians. Now, whenever Michael says something in class like "Let's open the books to page 45!", he screams: "OK, people! Let's give him a hand!". It's the only English he knows.
Michael's mum is also a teacher. She teaches five-year olds. For most, it's their first time away from home, without their mommy. At the beginning of this year, one boy cried hysterically during the first day. The second day, he cried a little less, and then asked his teacher "Can we do this another day? I need to go see my mum now". How reasonable.
Michael has a new Mexican kid in his class. While in Mexico, he used to help his family members, who were street musicians. Now, whenever Michael says something in class like "Let's open the books to page 45!", he screams: "OK, people! Let's give him a hand!". It's the only English he knows.
Michael's mum is also a teacher. She teaches five-year olds. For most, it's their first time away from home, without their mommy. At the beginning of this year, one boy cried hysterically during the first day. The second day, he cried a little less, and then asked his teacher "Can we do this another day? I need to go see my mum now". How reasonable.
marți, septembrie 26, 2006
Books, people, and trees
I hate the word 'project'. But I certainly love a good, smart, and noble project. Especially when it comes from Romania, where, unfortunately I was used too much to hearing about bogus projects. Few of them were initiated by people who really believed in them. Most were just pretexts to make money on the short term.
Not this one. 100 intrebari. Plantezi o idee, plantezi un copac (A hundred questions. Plant an idea, plant a tree) seems to be a smart project, with positive outcomes for everybody, even you grandchildren. Here's how it goes: you go on 100 Intrebari and answer at least one question (it is in Romanian, so only those who know the language can participate). Your answer will be kept in the knowledge archive of 100 Intrebari and it will, most likely, encourage the communication of ideas. Moreover, for every person who posts an answer, a tree will be planted.
I have already answered one question, on a topic that is important and dear to my heart, that of gender inequalities. I plan to answer a lot more when I have some time. I am looking forward to a IonukaTree. (A second one, actually. The first one is a wallnut-tree that my grandmother planted the day I was born).
Books are made of trees and people
People are made of books and trees
Trees are made of books and people
Not this one. 100 intrebari. Plantezi o idee, plantezi un copac (A hundred questions. Plant an idea, plant a tree) seems to be a smart project, with positive outcomes for everybody, even you grandchildren. Here's how it goes: you go on 100 Intrebari and answer at least one question (it is in Romanian, so only those who know the language can participate). Your answer will be kept in the knowledge archive of 100 Intrebari and it will, most likely, encourage the communication of ideas. Moreover, for every person who posts an answer, a tree will be planted.
I have already answered one question, on a topic that is important and dear to my heart, that of gender inequalities. I plan to answer a lot more when I have some time. I am looking forward to a IonukaTree. (A second one, actually. The first one is a wallnut-tree that my grandmother planted the day I was born).
Books are made of trees and people
People are made of books and trees
Trees are made of books and people
luni, septembrie 25, 2006
Regula si Exceptia
Nu am inteles niciodata expresia "exceptia care intareste regula". Dupa aproape 20 de ani pe bancile scolii ma chinui sa inteleg. De ce o exceptie ar intari regula?
M-am gandit ca e poate legat de principiul de falsifiablity (imi cer scuze, ca nu stiu traducerea in romana a acestui cuvant, desi am cautat-o in dictionare; astept sugestii). Dar nu poate sa fie asta, pentru ca odata gasit un contraexemplu, propozitia nu mai sta in picioare.
M-am mai gandit ca poate e ceva specific romanesc. Ceva legat de logica noastra care e adesea intoarsa pe dos (gen: de ziua ta trebuie sa faci cinste, daca te urzici e sanatos, etc). Nu stiu nici un idiom in engleza care sa insemne acelasi lucru. Ceva gen "the exception that makes the rule stronger". Hihi.
Asadar, fac apel mintilor stralucite care citesc acest blogusor. Explicati-mi si mie aceasta expresie. Aaaaaaaajutati!
M-am gandit ca e poate legat de principiul de falsifiablity (imi cer scuze, ca nu stiu traducerea in romana a acestui cuvant, desi am cautat-o in dictionare; astept sugestii). Dar nu poate sa fie asta, pentru ca odata gasit un contraexemplu, propozitia nu mai sta in picioare.
M-am mai gandit ca poate e ceva specific romanesc. Ceva legat de logica noastra care e adesea intoarsa pe dos (gen: de ziua ta trebuie sa faci cinste, daca te urzici e sanatos, etc). Nu stiu nici un idiom in engleza care sa insemne acelasi lucru. Ceva gen "the exception that makes the rule stronger". Hihi.
Asadar, fac apel mintilor stralucite care citesc acest blogusor. Explicati-mi si mie aceasta expresie. Aaaaaaaajutati!
marți, septembrie 19, 2006
Stats-romantic
Some bloggers are self-proclaimed stats-whores. In my understanding, that means that they check their stats often and they'd do anything to get more visitors.
I am a stats-romantic. I get attached to the people who read my blog, even if I've never met them. I have little crushes on people I identify with IP addresses: "hmmm... I wonder what IP 8788.877.xxx is doing now. Is IP 8788.977.xxx reading my blog now?". I can actually tell, if I stare long enough at my stats.
The peak of my stats-romanticism came one hot Georgian night, a couple of weeks ago. This frequent visitor I've never met or known (and whose IP address shall remain anonymous) was not visiting me anymore, even though I had lots of virtual cookies and plenty of milk around. For a week, then two weeks. After too many days of absence, I had a nightmare that the person died of complications from malaria. I woke up in sweat and wanted to call somebody. And I thought how cool it would be for the IP address to be a function of that visitor's phone number, so I could call and ask if everything was ok.
The point of my confession is:
Dear readers,
let me know if you're going away on vacation, if you're moving houses and don't have internet connection for a while, or if you simply got tired of reading my blog. Otherwise, I worry about you.
Love,
Ionuka
PS. and thank you for reading my blog
I am a stats-romantic. I get attached to the people who read my blog, even if I've never met them. I have little crushes on people I identify with IP addresses: "hmmm... I wonder what IP 8788.877.xxx is doing now. Is IP 8788.977.xxx reading my blog now?". I can actually tell, if I stare long enough at my stats.
The peak of my stats-romanticism came one hot Georgian night, a couple of weeks ago. This frequent visitor I've never met or known (and whose IP address shall remain anonymous) was not visiting me anymore, even though I had lots of virtual cookies and plenty of milk around. For a week, then two weeks. After too many days of absence, I had a nightmare that the person died of complications from malaria. I woke up in sweat and wanted to call somebody. And I thought how cool it would be for the IP address to be a function of that visitor's phone number, so I could call and ask if everything was ok.
The point of my confession is:
Dear readers,
let me know if you're going away on vacation, if you're moving houses and don't have internet connection for a while, or if you simply got tired of reading my blog. Otherwise, I worry about you.
Love,
Ionuka
PS. and thank you for reading my blog
marți, septembrie 12, 2006
Casnica
In ultima vreme ma tenteaza sa ma fac casnica. O casnica moderna. M-am saturat de scoala, si mai ales de atmosfera academica. M-am saturat de entuziasmul academic, de oameni care declara in gura mare cat de mult iubesc cercetarea. M-am saturat de umorul academic, gen glume cu fotoni.
In calitate de casnica, eu m-as trezi in fiecare zi la ora noua fix, fara ceas. Dupa care mi-as prepara un mic-dejun copios, care ar include croissant cu unt, oua, sunca, branza de vaca, suc de portocale, si cafea. Dupa micul dejun m-as juca un pic cu Stella. Dupa Stella, as dechide calculatorul si as citi emailuri si bloguri. O a doua ceasca de cafea ar acompania aceasta activitate. Apoi m-as apuca de lucru in gradina sau in jurul casei: tuns iarba, greblat, maturat, pus tigle, orice. Munca fizica nu ma sperie. Dupa ce pun casa noastra la punct, i-as ajuta si pe vecini. Dupa munca, as face un dus si m-as pune pe citit. M-as apuca, pe rand, de clasicii pe care i-am ratat. As incepe probabil cu Muntele Vrajit. Cand esti in campul muncii nici nu visezi sa te apuci de Muntele Vrajit. In acelasi timp, m-as preocupa oarecum de mancare, pe cand vine M acasa, desi acest aspect nu ma incanta. In rest, as citi si as adormi pe canapea. Seara as merge la biblioteca si as ajuta copiii din cartier cu tema de casa la matematica. Dupa care as alerga cinci kilometri. Dupa care acasa m-as uita la un film, as bea o bere, si i-as povesti lui M despre Muntele Vrajit. Si cel mai probabil as adormi visand sa fac un doctorat in psihologie sociala.
In calitate de casnica, eu m-as trezi in fiecare zi la ora noua fix, fara ceas. Dupa care mi-as prepara un mic-dejun copios, care ar include croissant cu unt, oua, sunca, branza de vaca, suc de portocale, si cafea. Dupa micul dejun m-as juca un pic cu Stella. Dupa Stella, as dechide calculatorul si as citi emailuri si bloguri. O a doua ceasca de cafea ar acompania aceasta activitate. Apoi m-as apuca de lucru in gradina sau in jurul casei: tuns iarba, greblat, maturat, pus tigle, orice. Munca fizica nu ma sperie. Dupa ce pun casa noastra la punct, i-as ajuta si pe vecini. Dupa munca, as face un dus si m-as pune pe citit. M-as apuca, pe rand, de clasicii pe care i-am ratat. As incepe probabil cu Muntele Vrajit. Cand esti in campul muncii nici nu visezi sa te apuci de Muntele Vrajit. In acelasi timp, m-as preocupa oarecum de mancare, pe cand vine M acasa, desi acest aspect nu ma incanta. In rest, as citi si as adormi pe canapea. Seara as merge la biblioteca si as ajuta copiii din cartier cu tema de casa la matematica. Dupa care as alerga cinci kilometri. Dupa care acasa m-as uita la un film, as bea o bere, si i-as povesti lui M despre Muntele Vrajit. Si cel mai probabil as adormi visand sa fac un doctorat in psihologie sociala.
sâmbătă, septembrie 09, 2006
The Perks...
That feeling. That feeling that you can't get out of yourself. That you're starting to have those negative thoughts, obsessions, fears, whatever you want to call them. They're just starting to take over you, and you feel that you need to do something quick, otherwise you fall in and it's so hard to get out. You try to remember beautiful things, just to realize that by remembering them you taint them with your negativity. You realize that they were not beautiful anyway, you were just failing to see the negative stuff at the time. It was all an illusion. And this gets you deeper into it. That feeling, obsession, fear. The world outside seems bright and sunny and light. On the inside it's dark and heavy and you just can't get out of yourself.
This is why I like Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
This is why I like Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
miercuri, septembrie 06, 2006
luni, septembrie 04, 2006
Friends
I was inspired by Cristina G. in writing about my friends. I am 28 and these are some of the people I am closest to:
From top left:
Catalina - my sister and best friend, who can understand every little shade of me. She is honest and full of life, but not in the modern sense of the "full of life," although she occasionally likes to go to clubs. She just feels it ALL. She loves her friends more than they will ever know.
Michael - my husband and other best friend. He is kind, to a fault. He is tender and funnier than any man I know, and the best thing is that he's not trying to be 'funny man.' He reads enormous books like "Magic Mountain" and "Anna Karenina," he makes super-super-sad playlists that he listens to while jogging, and he definitely knows how to entertain kitties.
Ioana - my friend from college, who made me eggplant salad and brownies in 1999. Being around Ioana reminds me of who I am (so I am really happy to visit her in Boston soon). For example, she reminds me of the New Wave/Depeche Mode dancing parties in Timisoara, which were some of the best of my life. She has high demands from her friends and is really (someteimes painfully) honest with them, which makes her a truly good friend. She is really smart about math/statistics, but also very creative. If you want to know about new good music, she's the one. She also makes quite impressive dance playlists.
Oli - my BEST friend, a person like no other, and I really mean that. Her sign is Leo, but she claims to have lost any resemblance with a lion a long time ago. Being around Oli, you have the impression she's been living in this world for at least 250-300 years: nothing surprises her. She does get enthusiastic about drinks and dinner on a patio at twilight, about swimming, and about traveling to see her friends. Most of all, Oli is an amazing friend: once her friend, always her friend. She just knows that and I love her for it.
Cristi - I met Cristi a few months before I came to the US, so ironically we did not get to spend much time together. However, I still feel very close to him. If you know or will ever meet Cristi, you might think he's perfect, but I can assure you that he's not that boring. He has an acute sense of what is beautiful and what is embarrassing, and I'd like to think that I could just look at him and guess what he's thinking. He does not mind spending ridiculous amounts of time in his room reading and he can cook really really good food. Both Michael and I agree that he is the perfect guest. But most of all, he is a thoughtful and loyal friend.
Frances - Frances is one of the nicest people I know. She does not talk trash about people, and she always has something nice to say about others - not in a fake way, but in a really really honest and kind way. She always has nice hairstyles and cute clothes. She likes good food and wine, but is never snobbish about that. Hanging out with her always reminds of good times with friends from home. I also know that even though we are far away, we'll always be close.
Michii - I would say that Michii is primarily my sister's friend, but I would like to claim her too. Michii makes me feel that life is light, full of beauty and beautiful things. She makes me want to iron my clothes, wear perfume, cook for my husband, and strive for a life that is not only comfortable, but also filled with beauty.
Ariana - Ariana is, no exaggeration, a person like no other. Like Catalina, she is full of life, and like Cristi, she has a strong sense of what's beautiful and what's embarrassing. Her life is filled with adventure - things just happen to her, like the time she met Jeremy Irons, her favorite actor, or other things I am not sure I should write about, because they were so amazing.
Corina - she is Oli's best friend and a good friend of my sister, but, again, I'd like to claim her too. Every time I go back home, I feel closer and closer to her. I could listen to her talk about things for hours and hours. She can speak nonsense Hungarian and she has two very special daughters (her youngest, Ecaterina, is in the picture).
These are some of my friends, and there are others too that I did not talk about, but I will someday. I am who I am because of my friends. And when I get really scared about dying, it's partly because of them - because I am afraid I will never be around them again. My world is unbearably beautiful because they exist.
(I hope I didn't embarrass them)
From top left:
Catalina - my sister and best friend, who can understand every little shade of me. She is honest and full of life, but not in the modern sense of the "full of life," although she occasionally likes to go to clubs. She just feels it ALL. She loves her friends more than they will ever know.
Michael - my husband and other best friend. He is kind, to a fault. He is tender and funnier than any man I know, and the best thing is that he's not trying to be 'funny man.' He reads enormous books like "Magic Mountain" and "Anna Karenina," he makes super-super-sad playlists that he listens to while jogging, and he definitely knows how to entertain kitties.
Ioana - my friend from college, who made me eggplant salad and brownies in 1999. Being around Ioana reminds me of who I am (so I am really happy to visit her in Boston soon). For example, she reminds me of the New Wave/Depeche Mode dancing parties in Timisoara, which were some of the best of my life. She has high demands from her friends and is really (someteimes painfully) honest with them, which makes her a truly good friend. She is really smart about math/statistics, but also very creative. If you want to know about new good music, she's the one. She also makes quite impressive dance playlists.
Oli - my BEST friend, a person like no other, and I really mean that. Her sign is Leo, but she claims to have lost any resemblance with a lion a long time ago. Being around Oli, you have the impression she's been living in this world for at least 250-300 years: nothing surprises her. She does get enthusiastic about drinks and dinner on a patio at twilight, about swimming, and about traveling to see her friends. Most of all, Oli is an amazing friend: once her friend, always her friend. She just knows that and I love her for it.
Cristi - I met Cristi a few months before I came to the US, so ironically we did not get to spend much time together. However, I still feel very close to him. If you know or will ever meet Cristi, you might think he's perfect, but I can assure you that he's not that boring. He has an acute sense of what is beautiful and what is embarrassing, and I'd like to think that I could just look at him and guess what he's thinking. He does not mind spending ridiculous amounts of time in his room reading and he can cook really really good food. Both Michael and I agree that he is the perfect guest. But most of all, he is a thoughtful and loyal friend.
Frances - Frances is one of the nicest people I know. She does not talk trash about people, and she always has something nice to say about others - not in a fake way, but in a really really honest and kind way. She always has nice hairstyles and cute clothes. She likes good food and wine, but is never snobbish about that. Hanging out with her always reminds of good times with friends from home. I also know that even though we are far away, we'll always be close.
Michii - I would say that Michii is primarily my sister's friend, but I would like to claim her too. Michii makes me feel that life is light, full of beauty and beautiful things. She makes me want to iron my clothes, wear perfume, cook for my husband, and strive for a life that is not only comfortable, but also filled with beauty.
Ariana - Ariana is, no exaggeration, a person like no other. Like Catalina, she is full of life, and like Cristi, she has a strong sense of what's beautiful and what's embarrassing. Her life is filled with adventure - things just happen to her, like the time she met Jeremy Irons, her favorite actor, or other things I am not sure I should write about, because they were so amazing.
Corina - she is Oli's best friend and a good friend of my sister, but, again, I'd like to claim her too. Every time I go back home, I feel closer and closer to her. I could listen to her talk about things for hours and hours. She can speak nonsense Hungarian and she has two very special daughters (her youngest, Ecaterina, is in the picture).
These are some of my friends, and there are others too that I did not talk about, but I will someday. I am who I am because of my friends. And when I get really scared about dying, it's partly because of them - because I am afraid I will never be around them again. My world is unbearably beautiful because they exist.
(I hope I didn't embarrass them)
duminică, septembrie 03, 2006
New category
If I could have tags, I would hereby inaugurate the category "Michael is sore". Because this morning he woke up and said: "My eyes are sore. From all the rapid eye movement."
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