It doesn't happen every day

Elena

2008-08-19T07:53:00.002+02:00

I have to share this with everyone....I went to a party last Saturday and I met there an incredible person, Elena Habicher. She is an artist, and an amazing one on top of that. You can visit her website www.elena-habicher.com if you don't believe me and want to see for yourself :-) Looking at her art made me feel soooo untalented, but even so, thanks Elena for giving me the pleasure to get to know you!

here another link where you can read an article published in "Inside Switzerland" about her.

Weekend in Paris

2008-06-17T12:23:00.003+02:00

So i went this weekend to Paris to have a little quality time with my mom, do some shopping and walk around this amazing city (not necesarrily in that particular order) :-) In the end, it was all great, the weather was kind to us - didn't rain -, we did a loooot of shopping (especially me, spending tons of money on makeup, which i hope i will use, because i usually end up not putting it on), and we also got to walk around Paris, after speding way too much time in line at La Durée - the famous parisian pastry/macarons/chocolate cakes shop. But when I tried (and eventually succeeded) in getting back to Zurich, the adventure started: from the hotel to the airport I had to change 3 metro lines, but since the nice people were on strike (mind you, they didn't announce it in advance), I had to wait 20 minutes for a train to take me to the Gare du Nord, where apparently they had trains that were replacing the RER to the airports. The only problem was, i wasn't the only one in the same situation, so I literally had to fight my way to get into that train...then at the airport the adventure continued: after waiting in line for the security for our gate, the changed the gate and apparently at the amazing Charles de Gaulle Airport, there is a security point for every other 2 gates. So "luckily", I had to wait again for another 10 minutes for another security check at the other gate. And they didn't want to start the boarding till everyone found out about it (they didn't think of announcing it) and passed security. So i arrived in ZH with 1 hour delay :-) BUT, the bright side was that they didn't lose my luggage..... :-\

pics to follow soon....

Waiting for Godot....

2008-06-01T20:29:00.001+02:00

have you ever had the feeling when you are waiting for someone, that the wait is all in vain? when you get overwhelmed by all these negative emotions, premonitions and sensations that no matter what you do, no matter how long you are ready to wait, it's still not going to work? And then at the same moment you are asking yourself, if it all isn't just a waste of your time...

...one of his songs...

2007-11-25T19:25:00.000+01:00

...That I Would Be Good...

...that was the song that Jeff sent me after we had our first (totally) silly fight...

Goodbye...

2007-11-08T11:36:00.002+01:00

There are no words to describe what you meant to me

There are no words to describe what an amazing person you were

There are no words to describe how much we will miss you

There are no words...so I hope you can see us

From where you are...

Happy Ending??!!...

2007-09-10T00:28:00.000+02:00

You probably all know Mika's song "Happy Ending"... I'm totally relating to the lyrics at this point in my life...sometimes I wonder whether I'm the only one in this kind of situation and then there are songs like this, where you just have to say, you're not the first and you won't be the last to go through this...let's see if it will have a happy ending...

Mika - Happy Ending

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.

Wake up in the morning, stumble on my life
Can't get no love without sacrifice
If anything should happen, I guess I wish you well
A little bit of heaven, but a little bit of hell

This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wastin'
And I'm wastin' everyday

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.

2 o'clock in the morning, something's on my mind
Can't get no rest; keep walkin' around
If I pretend that nothin' ever went wrong, I can get to my sleep
I can think that we just carried on

This is the hardest story that I've ever told
No hope, or love, or glory
Happy endings gone forever more
I feel as if I feel as if I'm wastin'
And I'm wastin' everyday

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
Then live the rest of our life,
But not together.

A Little bit of love, little bit of love
Little bit of love, little bit of love

I feel as if I feel as if I'm wastin'
And I'm wastin' everyday

This is the way you left me,
I'm not pretending.
No hope, no love, no glory,
No Happy Ending.
This is the way that we love,
Like it's forever.
To live the rest of our life,
But not together.

And My Nickname Is....

2007-07-30T15:30:00.000+02:00

Gorgeous...yeah, that right, u're reading right, that's my new nickname. And no, it's not a result of the oh so known "what's your shopping style - eating manner - book character"-quizzes...It just sounded nice when I heared it from a friend and decided to keep it :-) yeah...talk about modesty Sorana...

Still Alive...

2007-07-24T10:10:00.001+02:00

Just because I was really lazy (or working too much) and I didn't have time to unpack all my clothes and I'm still literally lliving out of the boxes, that does not mean I can't do these kind of tests,right?

Your Fashion Style is Trendy

You love fashion and live to shopAnd keeping up with the latest trends is what you love bestYou know what's in, out, about to be in, and about to be outYou love to dress your friends and would make a killer celebrity stylist

What Kind of Fashionable Woman Are You?

I Wanna Look Into Your Eyes Again...

2007-05-18T19:05:00.000+02:00

I've been trying to write a new post for the past few days now, but I can't figure out exactly what I want to say. Do I want to say I'm happy? Am I sad? Is it both? Can you feel both happiness and sadness at the same time? I am not scared of what I'm feeling, I just want to figure out what exactly it is...

Why Life Is Great

2007-05-09T08:53:00.001+02:00

I'm afraid this will be one of "those" post where I go on about how amazing life is and how happy I am...I know, you might find it silly, but since I've been sharing a lot of stuff with you in the past, I figured, why should this situation be different?
So I just wanted to let you know I'm really happy with myself, with my life right now...and what I find really weird, is that I wasn't expecting this, rather I was trying to say "look on the bright side". I think it's those feelings that come unexpected, that knock you off your feet, right? Those you can't predict, but those which, when arriving, you realize THIS is exactly what you've been needing and longing for.
Don't know if you will find this as appropriate as I did, but I've been listening to the Cascada's "Bad Boy" for the past week and I find it totall awesome!!

Party - take 1 and 2

2007-05-06T00:49:00.000+02:00

So this week was pretty full, got home from work on Thursday at around 12, at 1 a.m. I was at Vlad's dorm, left my car there and went to party in Prestige till around 4 a.m. Friday was Vlad's B'day (this is why we started partying on Thursday night/Friday morning)...Vlad's party started at around 7 and believe me IT WAS A LOT OF FUN! (Vlad, we really need to coordinate better next time the pizzas :-)...this way we won't be forced to run up the stairs to the kitchen like maniacs and scratch the black burned part on top of the pizzas :-) )

Plus, there was A LOT of russian music!!!! which, FYI, I LOVED! So I asked Vlad for a compilation cd. I mean, the groove is just amazing, even if I don't understand the words! But I'll work w/ Vlad on that, maybe he can translate them for me.

Here are some of the pics I took...as soon as I get the rest of the pics that Sascha and Vlad took, I'll post them...ENJOY (we know we did)

HAPPY B'DAY VLAD!!!

"Mergeţi la vot şi votaţi aşa cum vă dictează conştiinţa!"

2007-05-03T14:21:00.000+02:00

Sorry guys, this post is for my romanian friends :-) GO AND VOTE

http://blog.probasescu.us/archive/2007/04/28/citeste-si-da-mai-departe.aspx

Articol din www.Realitatea.net, 23 Aprilie 2007

"Mergeţi la vot şi votaţi aşa cum vă dictează conştiinţa!", i-a îndemnat Traian Băsescu pe oamenii din Piaţa Constituţiei, veniţi să-l susţină. "Am marea rugăminte să vă prezentaţi la referendum, nu vă lăsaţi păcăliţi de cei care spun că neprezentarea înseamnă câştigarea referendumului", a spus Traian Băsescu. "Aşa este, dar preşedintele care nu are votul este un preşedinte slab", a adăugat acesta."Sunt oameni care nu iau în considerare voinţa poporului", a spus preşedintele suspendat despre parlamentarii care au votat suspendarea sa. "Nu sunt trădători, doar au pierdut contactul cu realitatea", a mai spus Traian Băsescu."Cu ce am supărat eu acest grup de 322 de membri ai Parlamentului? Am cerut ca învăţământul să fie performant. Am greşit? N-am greşit. Am cerut ca reforma în sănătate să se facă pentru oameni. Am greşit? N-am greşit. Am condamnat crimele regimului comunist. Am greşit? N-am greşit. Am transferat dosarele fostei Securităţi. Am greşit? N-am greşit. Am atenţionat Guvernul că nu-şi făcea treaba la inundaţii. Am greşit? N-am greşit. Am cerut Parlamentului să introducă votul uninominal. Am greşit? N-am greşit", a spus Traian Băsescu."Parlamentul trebuie să primească la referendum un singur răspuns: NU!, a declarat Traian Băsescu. Nu mă deranjează că au hotărât să mă aducă în faţa electoratului, dar aş vrea ca artizanii acestei suspendări - Voiculescu, Geoană, Hrebenciuc, Olteanu - să fie aici", a declarat Traian Băsescu."Vă asigur că după referendum nimic din atitudinea mea nu se va schimba în raport cu partidele politice", a spus Traian Băsescu. Eu sunt gata să discut cu partidele, dar pentru interesele românilor, nu pentru interesele oligarhilor, a mai spus acesta."Nu sunt reprezentantul vreunui partid sau vreunui grup, ci reprezentantul românilor, a declarat Traian Băsescu. Îmi place să ies între oameni. Singurul loc în care mă încarc cu putere este printre oameni, a spus Traian Băsescu. Sunt un politician care ştie că obligaţia mea este să fiu sănătos şi mai ştiu că puterea nu vine de la mine, ci de la oameni", a adăugat preşedintele suspendat.Vă asigur că dacă în avizul Curţii Constituţionale ar fi fost o singură recunoaştere a încălcării Constituţiei, aş fi venit în faţa dumneavoastră şi a Parlamentului să-mi cer scuze, a declarat Traian Băsescu.Înainte ca preşedintele suspendat să se adreseze mulţimii din Piaţa Constituţiei, a ţinut un discurs şi fostul ministru al Justiţiei, Monica Macovei. "O parte din politicienii care au votat au fost trimişi în judecată, alţii sunt în cercetări. Au arătat că le e frică de reforma clasei politice, pentru că asta înseamnă plecarea lor acasă", a declarat Monica Macovei. "Nu sunt solidară cu ei, sunt solidară cu dumneavoastră", a mai spus aceasta.

What a Polish Dinner Looks Like....

2007-04-28T17:23:00.000+02:00

My dear and awesome friend Joanna prepared last Saturday yummy stuff :-) Here it is:

that's the wonderful and talented Joanna :-)

Celebrity Look-Alikes?

2007-04-28T16:52:00.003+02:00

come on, you can't be serious?!!!

http://www.myheritage.com

Poveste sentimentala - Sentimental Story

2007-04-27T19:03:00.000+02:00

This is my really really unsuccessful try of translating a poem by Nichita Stanescu, my favorite Romanian poet....and if it doesn't make sense to you, don't worry, that's Nichita Stanescu

-----------------------

Then we started seeing each other more often

I was sitting on one side of the hour

you, on the other side

like two solitary handles of an amphora.

Only words were flying between us

Back and forth.

You could almost see them swirling...

Suddenly

I fell on my knees

I plunged with my elbow deep into the grass

Just to watch it

Being bent by a word,

The same way it bends when a lion is running.

The words were swirling, swirling back and forth

And the more I loved you

The faster they went, repeating

The structure of the matter...as it was in the beginning

WiSo Fest

2007-04-22T12:18:00.000+02:00

As announced earlier in one of my posts, last night was the WiSo Fest, in Kornhaus. Had to wait for Vlad to get off work and at around 1 a.m. we hit the party, eager to dance... don't wanna say that the music sucked, but.... okay, I WILL say it: the music sucked, but it was still a lot of fun (especially after Vlad had to go to get Roger in, past the security guards)...needless to say that Roger was barely putting 2 words together :-)

...and it all ended at 6 a.m. after a night of partying, having fun, playing darts and talking about taxation in Switzerland.

here, for your amuzement, some pics

Reema Samaha

2007-04-19T19:48:00.000+02:00

Watch this story: it really impressed me!...it all makes no sense...

Watch student's father remember his daughter's love for dance

A Hero - Israeli professor killed in US attack and "I'm just glad I can be here"

2007-04-19T19:22:00.000+02:00

The title should say Romanian professor, as Liviu Librescu was born and raised in Focsani, Romania, emigrating with his family to Israel in 1978. This news really shocked me and made me think a lot of the things happening in my life over...

....................................................................................................................

Apr. 17, 2007 7:17 Updated Apr. 17, 2007 17:22

Israeli professor killed in US attack

By JPOST.COM STAFF AND AP

As Jews worldwide honored on Monday the memory of those who were murdered in the Holocaust, a 76-year-old survivor sacrificed his life to save his students in Monday's shooting at Virginia Tech College that left 33 dead and over two dozen wounded.

Professor Liviu Librescu, 76, threw himself in front of the shooter when the man attempted to enter his classroom. The Israeli mechanics and engineering lecturer was shot to death, "but all the students lived - because of him," Virginia Tech student Asael Arad - also an Israeli - told Army Radio.

Several of Librescu's other students sent e-mails to his wife, Marlena, telling of how he had blocked the gunman's way and saved their lives, said Librescu's son, Joe.

"My father blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee," Joe Librescu said in a telephone interview from his home outside of Tel Aviv. "Students started opening windows and jumping out."

And here is what you see when accessing the Virgina Tech University Homepage, Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics:

http://www.esm.vt.edu/

May he rest in peace...

Watch CNN's coverage - I AM JUST GLAD I CAN BE HERE

Things I've Recently Found Out

2007-04-15T17:53:00.000+02:00

Should I start with the last thing I found out?...or with the first?... here's a list of things I've recently realized (not necessarily in this order)
1. Looking for a new app. is no easy job...
2. You could probably (...probably) succeed in teaching a dog how to count/ spin/ sit/ wave/ bow/ roll over/ retrieve/ .... (you can fill in if you want), but YOU CAN'T succeed in changing a man rsp. make him do what you'd want him to do... If anybody has any idea on how to do it, PLEASE PLEASE let me know
3. I am still not sure what this is all about, but recently I've been thinking why in the beginning of a certain situation I feel totally eager to experience something, I can hardly control it... but once I've experienced it, I feel no desire to further pursue that thing/situation...I know, I'm really vague in explaining it...
4. My friend Medi is smart, beautiful, generous, calm, nice, compassionate...and has since yesterday a new haircut :-)

All Around the World

2007-04-02T10:23:00.000+02:00

For those of you who didn't know that yet, I love Barry White :-) (plus, as you can see, my mood's kinda lighten up)

Te Busque

2007-03-13T17:15:00.000+01:00

Again, another song that got me thinking...and even if you listen to it and it seems that it's more of a love song, it got me thinking about a friend, who I haven't seen in five years! yeah, you're reading it right: 5 years...it's benn a long time and even though I can't really say we haven't kept in touch, nothing compares to when you are able to see the person, to talk face to face...so I miss her, I really miss her. If you add to that the fact that we have been friends since kindergarten and always did everything together, spent the holidays together, being there for each other, told one another everything, talked about every single feeling, you can imagine how it feels to be apart for such a long time

for the spanish version

quiero sentirme mejor...

here are a few pics of us taken between 1994-1997

Fairytale Gone Bad...

2007-03-08T18:24:00.000+01:00

I finally managed to turn in the last paper, last night @ about 2 a.m. And before going to bed, I stumbled upon Sunrise Avenue's song "Fairytale Gone Bad"...and it's not bad actually...if I think about it, it's really good in fact.
There is nothing wrong with admitting to yourself and the world that something ended, there's nothing to be ashamed of admitting a relationship you were in - be it friendship, marriage, romantic relationship - ended. People change, circumstances alter, characters don't stay the same and people continue to be stubborn and stay in a relationship, just because they are afraid or ashamed of letting the world know...yes, some could see it as a failure, but what are we, if not the result of our successes and failures? What would we be without our mistakes? It's the failures and the mistakes we make that help us grow and make better choices next time.
So for all of you out there, afraid of giving up: wake up, cry if you have to, but MOVE ON. Like a dear friend of mine once said: You know it was good, if you are sad when it's over. Start over, but don't forget; move on, but remember why you did it.

Listen to the song and you'll see why I think it's so great. This one goes to a recent friendship that ended...it was really a fairytale...and...

"We need to swallow all our pride
And leave this mess behind
....
They all make mistakes and so did we
But we did something we can never turn back right
.....
Leave and don't look back. I won't follow
We have nothing left...It's the end of our time"

I'm sorry for all the mistakes I made my dear friend...

Prague...best B'day present ever!

2007-02-27T12:14:00.000+01:00

so yeah, I can say it was the best b'day present I got so far :-) (but as I always say there is always room for improvement, right?) Seriously now, we had the best time, the city is amazing, people are funny, and you don't feel like a complete dummy because there are sooooo many other tourists just like you all over the place.

and here is - for those who have wondered what I'd be eating while over there...this is for you guys :-)

more pics to follow soon :-)

Karlsruhe Weekend....shopping and relaxing...

2007-02-10T21:54:00.000+01:00

Heidelberg...on my way to Starbucks

What does your B'date mean?

2007-02-08T21:55:00.000+01:00

Your Birthdate: February 15

You take life as it is, and you find happiness in a variety of things.You tend to be close to family and friends. But it's hard to get into your inner circle.Making the little things wonderful is important to you, and you probably have an inviting home.You seek harmony with others, but occasionally you have a very stubborn streak.
Your strength: Your intense optimism
Your weakness: You shy away from exploring your talents
Your power color: Jade
Your power symbol: Flower
Your power month: June

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Memories of My Melancholy Whores

2007-01-20T19:06:00.000+01:00

Memoria de mis putas tristes

by Gabriel García Márquez

"I have never gone to bed with a woman I didn't pay"

I fell in love with Márquez's writing style after reading In Evil Hour (La Mala Hora, 1961) and his last book - which I enjoyed a lot - was published in 2002, Living to Tell the Tale (Vivir Para Contarla) and it left me wanting more...
I started reading this book this afternoon at Starbucks (it was something that I haven't done in a while, just sit back, relax with a cup of coffee in front of me and give in to a book's atmosphere)...In case you already read the book, needless to say that I totally forgot what time it was. The novel was written by Marquez in 2004, translated in English in 2005...and I had my doubts buying it because all of the rather negative reviews it got: "The scenes and descriptions when the writing ignites are fewer and further between than in any earlier Garcia Marquez." (Amanda Hopkinson, The Independent ) or "Mr. García Márquez expects the reader to salute an ancient man's victory over a child, rather than see it as pathetic or monstrous" (Adam Kirsch, The New York Sun) or this one "It feels like a brittle little fable composed on automatic pilot." (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times )

My review? I've always like Márquez's writing style and I thought to myself, I won't let a bunch of negative reviews influence me in not buying/reading his last novel. And I was right: I really enjoyed the book, its authenticity, its simple but powerful language, its purity if you will. And like every other book Márquez wrote, this one is about obsession as well...what kind? That I will let you discover on your own...

JUHUUUU Kiehl's!! WELCOME!

2007-01-15T22:23:00.000+01:00

YES YES YES YES ... no, i'm not making these sounds because I'm having an...well, no, the answer is still NO :-) It's because finally KIEHL'S opened the first store in Switzerland, in Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse / Rennweg 23. So I guess now I have one more reason to go to work in Zh full of enthusiasm, knowing that after work I can have a cup of coffee at Starbucks, while admiring the pretty expensive stuff I'll buy from Kiehl's (you wouldn't believe the difference in prices New York - Zurich)
...so celebrate with me :-)))

What's the meaning of it?

2007-01-09T00:51:00.000+01:00

Have you recently listened to Coldplay Trouble? I don't know why, but tonight, sleepless, this song started sending me a totally different message than it did before. Maybe it's because so much is happening in my life right now, maybe it's because - like I've told one of my friends the other day - I have this feeling that I am waiting for something to happen, but I don't know what it is, I can't put my finger on it. I got the wonderful answer that few things in life need to be analyzed, and something like this feeling I have surely doesn't deserve to belong to those few things. Nothing good can come out of analyzing it, or so I've heard.

Who spun a web for me?

Not your typical First Day of the Year - Post

2007-01-01T18:34:00.000+01:00

Some of you guys know how much I enjoyed The Colbert Report while in the US :-)
And others know that I've recently started to read more and more about Deepak Chopra and absolutely love the guy.
Now put those 2 together and you'll get this: Enjoy!!

Part 1

Part 2

2007 is coooooomiiiiiiiiing people!!!

2006-12-29T15:22:00.000+01:00

Get free graphics at BlingyBlob.com!

Funny Xmas stuff from Krunal

2006-12-24T14:58:00.000+01:00

hehe, so funny what Krunal wrote on my facebook wall:
"If one night

A fat man comes

And stuffs you in a bag

... do not freak.

I told Santa

I wanted you for Christmas. (;

Merry X mas and Happy New Year."

So, Merry Xmas and a great New Year everyone!!!!
(as for my american friends, I miss you guys sooooo much!!!)

Can hardly wait to read this one...

2006-12-22T21:53:00.000+01:00

Mansarda la Paris cu vedere spre moarte de Matei Visniec sau cum il readucem pe Cioran printre noi

"Orbul cu telescopul: Pe scurt, suntem o asociatie de depresivi, de anxiosi, de nefericiti, de ratacitori fara religie fixa, de atei debili, de apaticimaladivi, de prosti carora le lipseste in mod vital tandretea, de sceptici bornati, de complexati si de handicapati afectiv...Deci, sa uram la multi ani Asociatiei noastre. Domnule Cioran, vreti sa suflati dumneavoastra in lumanari?"

Realizezi ca traiesti in anul 2006 daca... (de la Iulia citire)

2006-12-21T12:40:00.000+01:00

1. tastezi numarul PIN, fara sa vrei, la cuptorul cu microunde.

2. de ani de zile nu ai mai jucat solitaire cu carti reale

3. ai o lista cu 15 numere de telefon ca sa iti suni familia formata din 3 persoane

4. trimiti un mail colegului care sta linga tine

5. ai pierdut contactul cu prietenii fiindca nu ai adresele lor de e-mail

6. te intorci dupa o zi lunga de lucru acasa si raspunzi la telefon cu numele firmei

7. formezi 0 la telefon ca sa primesti informatii

8. esti de 4 ani la locul tau de munca, dar pentru 3 firme diferite

10. toate reclamele de la TV arata si o adresa de web

11. intri in panica cind realizezi ca ai plecat de acasa fara mobil si te intorci din drum ca sa-l iei

12. te trezesti de dimineata si deschizi outlook-ul inainte sa bei cafeaua

13. inclini capul, ca sa zimbesti ;-)

14. citesti textul asta si rinjesti

15. mai rau, stii deja ca vei trimite mailul acesta mai departe

16. esti prea ocupat ca sa iti dai seama ca din lista lipseste punctul 9

17. te mai uiti o data pe lista, ca sa vezi daca intr-adevar punctul 9 lipseste

.... si acum rizi....

Apropos:

Un om de stiinta sud-american a descoperit, dupa cercetari indelungate si complicate, ca persoanele care nu sint sexual active isi citesc e-mail-urile cu mina pe mouse.

Acum nu mai are sens sa iei mina de pe mouse, e prea tirziu

Head of the U.N. for 10 years

2006-12-21T09:42:00.000+01:00

You all probably know all about it already, but it was today that I got to thinking about the fact that Kofi Annan, who has been the secretary-general of the U.N. for the past decade, is retiring. After his farewell speech in Missouri last week the spirits were highly devided: some say thaat it's a shame such a man is leaving, some are happy to see him gone, considering that he used his last speech to speak his mind, once more, about how wrong the taken approach on the Iraq war was.
I don't know what you think about this, but in my opinion, a man who has done so much for the past 10 years of his life, does not deserve to be mocked and ridiculed as several newspapers/journalists did in the past week. And despite what some say, Kofi Annan WILL be missed @ the U.N.

Newsflash

2006-12-14T19:02:00.000+01:00

Yeah, that's right, I already have some news:
1. Yesterday was Iulia's B'day and we went together to get a coffee and a cappuccino. We only spent about 30 minutes together, but it was good, really good...considering that the last time she tried calling me, I hung up :-)
2. Karoly kicked ass AGAIN and his team won the water polo match :-) YAY
3. I have yet to discover how to let some things go and how to take a break from time to time (what do I mean by that? take last night for example - I came home and promised myself I won't turn on my work laptop, I won't even look at it:-) What was the result of my genious plan? I went to bed at 1:30 am after working my ass off...yeah, I turned on the laptop). Get it?
:-)

still somewhat great :-)

2006-12-13T09:46:00.000+01:00

First of all I would like to start this post by wishing my friend Iulia a very very happy b'day:-) Enjoy it honey!!
Second of all...actually now that I think about it, there was no second. But since I'm too lazy to scroll down and push the "publish post" button, I'll write some more: on the one hand school's been really crazy, a lot of projects, term papers and classes that seem to never end. On the other hand, work has been surprinsingly fulfilling lately: a lot of new responsibilities, which showed me once again (in case I needed to be convinced, which I didn't) that with responsibility comes a great deal of pressure hanging over you. But thanks to a great colleague at work I have been able up till now to handle the pressure and transform the whole situation to my advantage (so thanks a lot Karoly!). What else? oh, Xmas is coming up and I DID NOT buy ANY presents yet, which totally freaks me out, because I don't want to leave it for the last minute. But as Romanians say "de ce te temi, de aia nu scapi", so I guess I'll take Karoly's advice once more and "let things be and not worry too much about all these little things".
So, if you already bought your presents, then you're really cool . If you're in my situation, then join me in the "let things flow"-groove...

still great

2006-12-01T22:17:00.000+01:00

yeah, that's right, life's still great :-) I have been really happy lately, even if I can't really put my finger on the reason why...Fact is that I am more at peace than I ever was. Again, do not ask me why, because I can't tell you. But I guess it has something to do with my friends (with a dear one in particular :-) ).
So I hope y'all are as happy as I am coz it's the best feeling :-)
later
s.

Life's great

2006-11-30T12:24:00.000+01:00

For those of you who are interested: my life is really great at the moment. I am literally working my ass off, both at school and at my job, but it's really awesome! I also had a great talk with one of my friends last night, plus another good friend of mine won a water polo match yesterday! YAY, good for him, he's awesome :-))
later
s.

As vrea sa stii...Keo rocks

2006-11-26T17:57:00.000+01:00

...
"Azi am decis sa zic ce-am de zis
As vrea sa stii
Ca mi-ai placut din prima zi cand te-am vazut
N-am indraznit si am tacut
Daca as jura, poate nu-ti place
Si-ai prefera sa-ti sau pace
Dar eu nebun, chiar daca taci
Iti spun cat de mult imi placi"

When the End is Near

2006-11-23T18:46:00.000+01:00

You absolutely know when something is about to end and I'm not talking necessarily about relationships. It can be a friendship, a situation you felt comfortable with (or not), a feeling, hey, even a party :-)
So my question here to you is should one try to do something to stop it from happening?(now I'm strictly referring to relationships, be it between you and a loved one or between you and a very dear friend). Should one desperately cling to the hope that things can be worked out? Does one still call his/her friend, in the desperate illusion that one call will recreate the sense of intimacy and happiness that those 2 friends once shared? Or should one just give up and "move on"? I mean, one can find other friends, right? One just needs to know how to open up again to another person and there you have it: a new best friend, a new human being whose shoulder one can borrow and cry on. Is letting go and giving up a sign that you're growing up and you are now able to manage a situation with dignity and accept the hard facts?
Ending something is never fun. The end of a friendship is both the beginning of a mourning period and of a healing process. If you're on the receiving end, meaning if you were the person that was "dumped", you feel crappy and rejected at best and wonder what went wrong and whether it was your fault. If instead you're the one that ends it, you keep asking yourself, whether you did the right thing or maybe the most horrible mistake in your entire life.
I guess most of the time the end comes from growing apart, you stop calling or you're waiting to see how long it takes for your friend to call and while waiting you start doing other things, realize there are other people you can have fun with on the planet and if your friend doesn't care about you, why should you?
So what should one do? I'm not sure I have the answer, but I'm really inclining to say the word "closure"...I just don't want to say it out loud

why?

2006-11-22T20:49:00.000+01:00

Maybe it's because I start writing on a post mostly in the evening, after being under so much stress during the day and under the pressure of knowing that I have a ton of other things that need to be finished, but I can't escape the feeling that people in general have no idea what happiness is. They have no idea what makes them happy, or maybe they do, but they're just afraid to act on it. Am I happy? I guess. Have I always been happy? No. What do I do to be happy? I have no idea. Why? Because I don't take the time to think about it. I am afraid that if I do it, I'll unleash demons that shouldn't see the light of day and I'll realize I've been fooling myself all along. Sure, I enjoy a good talk with a dear friend (you know who you are and you know how much your advice means to me), and after that I can say I am happy, but as one of my good friends the other day said: YOU make happiness happen. Sometimes I wonder, what is it that I want? Why do I keep pushing myself and others around me? Why am I so unhappy when a certain person just does not want to be helped? Why can't I accept people just the way they are? Why do I get upset when certain "friends" only call me when they need something? Why does it bother me when a certain someone didn't tell me the truth about a situation? Why does it bother me when I get the feeling that the same person doesn't really care about me?

I was working out the other evening and I usually let my thoughts run around free in my head during training. And I found myself running faster and faster because that gave me the feeling that I was in total control and that I was getting rid of all the negative energy...

yeah, i know, a friend of mine, after reading this post, would remind me of the "98% rule", but it's just something I have been thinking about.

so it seems I'm a career girl...

2006-11-22T10:57:00.000+01:00

I know some of you might think these quizzes are at least in the vicinity of silly, but I still like to take them

You are a Career Girl!

You may not be a CEO yet, but you're well on your way to success.
You take your career seriously, and you wouldn't stop working for any guy!
An independent woman, you pay for your own car, clothes, and housing.
And men appreciate that - at least, the ones as driven as you are.

What Kind of Girl Are You?

OH YEAH!!!

2006-11-19T20:02:00.000+01:00

Your 80s Heartthrob Is

John Stamos

Who's Your 80's Heartthrob?

I totally subscribe to this

2006-11-17T11:04:00.000+01:00

I found a really interesting post about fashion, the do's and the don'ts...here it is: a letter to the editor

TnT - Eu si Tu

2006-11-16T19:35:00.000+01:00

I love this band...the lyrics aren't too bright,but even so, I'm always listening to it before going to a party; it puts you in a really good mood :-)
bytheway party...Festa Ticinese again, next Thursday!! YAY!!!

Isn't/Wasn't it obvious?

2006-11-16T17:22:00.000+01:00

So I took this test that's supposed to tell me whether I'm a shopaholic or not...come on people, don't make me state the obvious :-) I know at least one person who was totally appalled (!!!!) that I spent $25 on a keychain...you know who you are :-)))))

You Are A Total Shopaholic!

You have a keen eye for spotting trends before they are hot
And sometimes your credit rating takes a beating as a result
Consider a job in retail to subsidize your gorgeous outfits
Over time, you could become a famous stylist or designer!

Are You a Shopaholic?

Happy Birthday...

2006-11-13T10:07:00.000+01:00

Today is the birthday of one of my dearest dearest friends, so let's wish him Happy B'day :-)
Happy Birthday Jeff! Love ya!

All Alone...

2006-11-10T09:12:00.000+01:00

so it's Friday again, which basically is a day which you want to pass as quickly as possible so the real fun can begin:) Still, I had to come to work this morning (yeah, that right, get up early, take the train to Zurich, etc) coz i have a lot of meetings lined up. And when entering the building and the elevator I was amazed how not cramed it was:) the downside of it though is that I am almost all alone here. If you can imagine, I was even able to get a desk by the window (which btw, if u were working here is a HUGE deal :-) ). So I'm going to get a coffee and enjoy it at my desk, looking out the window from the 10th floor...

Another one

2006-10-29T19:21:00.000+01:00

I love this little girl...I really like her dad's songs too, but she's reallllly talented

So Funny...thanks Anya

2006-10-29T19:09:00.000+01:00

I found this video on a friend's facebook notes. it's soooo funny :-)

Another Weekend...

2006-10-27T23:25:00.000+02:00

So another week, or rather work-week passed and I always try on Friday nights not to go too early to bed. This way I try to enjoy the fact that I don't have to wake up early the next day and try to do stuff that are not possible during week nights, like surfing on the internet, watching a really bad movie on SF2 (sorry, not a really "Seabiscuit" fan), talking to my friends in the U.S. or Canada...yeah, Friday nights offer a loooot of opportunities.
Yeah...not a lot of news really...school started again this week, not too many classes like last semester, but a loooot of studying to do...yuck, I think I prefer the Seabiscuit right now :-)

On Being a Woman in Today's World

2006-10-20T09:37:00.000+02:00

To what degree does it matter being a woman in today's world?
This post is not going to be one of those where I go on and on about how great it is to be a woman, how great it feels to be able to give birth to a child, how sensitive and insightful we women are, how men would be lost without us...No, this post will only focus on what it means to be a woman in today's business world: is it fair? are we being discriminated against? are we given a hint to go back to our vacuum cleaners? or are WE our worst enemy?

I honestly have to say that I have been outraged when Eva Herman published her new book "Das Eva Prinzip". I haven't read the whole book myself (how could I when I was freaking out just hearing that it was on the bookstands???), but I have read the introduction and what the book wants to accomplish. Basically Ms. Herman puts it like this: Feminism was a horrible, women-misleading mistake. Nowadays women are not only emancipated, but also frustrated and more helpless than they ever were before. Do you see now why my blood pressure went up just by reading a title? (I'm telling you, there are not a lot of books out there which can achieve that).
But let's go back to the poor helpless, frustrated, running in the dark-woman (does she suggest we need a man to light up a candle and guide us?). Ms. Herman strongly believes that women today feel that they are loosing / lost something along the way, meaning their happiness; they forgot to be feminine and have passed the opportunity to have children. So in her book she sets forth to shed some light for the "oh so lost" human being (we can't call her a woman anymore, can we, since she has no children, isn't feminine?) and promises to solve the dilemma, by showing us "what is really important". Ok, I have to admit, I was kind of curious to read what she thinks is important, but I figured I'm only 23, I don't want to be taking pills for my "after reading this book all I got is a heart condition".
The author goes on to say that she discovered the reason why many women suffer from postpartal depression: it is again this crule world which twisted the woman's senses and now because of it, the poor woman is suffering from depression because she is not able to mentally connect with her baby. Why? Because the world has disrupted this bond. Wow, then we should introduce Eva Herman to the millions of doctors all over the world, to help them with their diagnosis. Who knows, maybe she'll even find a cure for other depressions as well.

So dear readers, to sum up, you got what she wanted to say: women whould concentrate on having children, educating them, taking care of the household and stop longing for a Vice President Position in a company or even worse (CFO, CEO, pick a box). Who needs that when you can wake up every morning, put your apron on and be the CEO of your own household? Do not get me wrong, I respect every woman's decision: if she wants to stay home and take care first hand of her children and their education, she is 100% entitled to do so, and no one should judge her. But having a career, wanting both kinds and work-related satisfaction, does not make the rest of us heartless, disoriented, frustrated, lonely, childless, or irresponsible.

What Eva Herman states in her book comes to join a long list of facts that show us that women in the business world today have to proove themselves even more than their male friends. Like women hadn't had it pretty rough already...

This brings me to the second part of my post, the study conducted by Catalyst, "the leading nonprofit research and advisory organization working to expand opportunities for women at work". Cutting to the chase, these are some of the results:
- more than one-half of the Fortune 500 companies have fewer than three women corporate officers
- Only eight companies in the Fortune 500 were led by a woman CEO in 2005, and none of those companies were among the Fortune 100
- Women held only 6.4 percent of top earner positions
- And fully 75 percent of Fortune 500 companies reported no women as top earners.

I'm not surprised of the results, I mean, the poor women in today's world are so confused, they couldn't even find their way to those companies, right? :-)

YAY...the weekend is coming

2006-10-19T13:23:00.000+02:00

This should usually be a Friday-evening blog, but I just can't wait for the weekend to come.
Lots of great news today: I finished my finals, a good friend of mine got his scan-results back and they look goooood. Plus, Saturday drinks with one of my best friends...so even if I still have to work tomorrow :-/ I'm looking forward to Friday night, Saturday night...yeah, lots of things to celebrate!

Who would make the "mistake" of marrying a career gal...or better yet, who wouldn't, Mr. Noer?

2006-10-18T14:24:00.000+02:00

Interesting article written my Forbes.com editor Michael Noer sometime in August. It caused quite a debate both inside and outside of the corporation. Even ABCNews thought it was important enough to air a comment about it. You can find the full article here. Fortunately, if you read the article, you will find on the right hand side another article, written by one of Michael's colleagues, as a response to what stupidity can generate from a single man's brain.

The main point of his article, as Noer states, is don't you dare make the mistake of marrying a Career Woman. Then he goes on to proove that us career gals are more prone to get divorced, have no kids or be highly dissatisfied with our husbands / boyfriends (=lucky bastards who listened to Noer and were not fooled...yet)

He warns men all over the globe to stay away from us. And he even gives them a piece of advice, telling them not to be fooled by this type of women. Because, in his opinion, successful men are usually attracted to successful women, women who share the same goals, aspirations, and interests ... so, Mr. Successful, you should stay away from gals with a career or a career aspiration, lest your life be totally miserable.

so...what do you think? are we really that bad?

On Basic Business Administration Principles and the Iraq War

2006-10-17T14:12:00.000+02:00

I know, you will probably say I need to chill about this Iraq war issue. And I will, as soon as I will have nothing more to add. But these days it seems I do, so I'll just go ahead and say it.

Those of you who study Business Administration with me at the University of Bern (or really anywhere in the world) know that we are taught a few basic principles that we should keep in mind for our future jobs. One of them is that when analysing a project, and deciding whether to follow through with it or not, one has to take many factors into consideration, like the budget, the needed resources and skills, the target state, etc.
Then it occured to me: what if President Bush were working for a multi-national corporation let's say and he would have gone to his boss and presented him with a new project "How to keep the oil in the Middle East for us". He would probably have developed a great Business Plan and thought of great arguments in favor of the project.
Now let's assume we are the board of directors who stupidly agreed to this project a couple of years ago, thinking "it can't be that bad". During a project one has to continually re-assess the situation, in order to see if the project should be kept alive or not. Well, looking back at these past years, what did this project do for our company? (as a big corporation we are looking to maximize our profit, keep the shareholders happy, take care of our employees, plus the whole "environment-friendly" blah blah, etc.)
- the project was based upon false / falsified (WOW, I did not just say that!!!) data
- the project went 10000.......% over the initially agreed upon budget (you can feel free and complete the dots with as many zeros as you like)
- we have no idea when the project will be finished (and we have been taught "Projects have a definite time limit", otherwise it wouldn't be called a project, it would be called "I wanna invade Iraq, so let's find some arguments that I can fool the people with")
- the project killed 2,772 (and rising) of the U.S. Military employees (information taken from http://icasualties.org/oif/)
- the project wounded & maimed 109,900 (and rising) of the U.S. Military employees - the project caused the death of Iraqi civilians (DEAD men, DEAD women and DEAD CHILDREN - min: 650,500 and rising)
- the project will not only not create value to our corporation, but it will dial the number for bankruptcy
- ....
- ....

For the B.A. students of you, I think I already had you convinced at the budget argument, right?

And in the end, for a last note, or general wonderment if you will: how fired would such a project manager be????

till next time
s.

New Political Party / Project in Romania

2006-10-16T19:05:00.000+02:00

This is going to be a post for my romanian friends, so I apologize to those who don't speak romanian :-(
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liberalul Stolojan vrea o federatie cu PD si PNTCD

Conform Evenimentului Zilei consilierul prezidential Theodor Stolojan a lansat ieri platforma alternativa ce are ca obiectiv "coagularea unui pol de dreapta", cum frumos mai zic autorii articolului.
Printre obiectivele politice ale platformei se numara dezbaterea viitorului si strategiei PNL si, super interesant, adoptarea unor reglementari interne care sa delimiteze politica de afaceri. De asemenea, se pare ca aceasta federatie va fi condusa de "omul politic cu cea mai mare credibilitate electorala" (ramane de vazut dupa ce criterii va fi desemnata aceasta credibilitate electorala)

In Preparation...

2006-10-16T10:29:00.000+02:00

Just to keep you posted and to prepare yourself: as of tomorrow morning at 7:46 ET the United States will become a nation of 300 million people (the U.S. Census Bureau estimation) - taken from cnn.com
That means that the U.S. now joins China and India as the world's third most populous country.
What are the consequences going to be? It depends how you look at it: land-wise, air-pollution, energy. What is known is that the United States consumes a quarter of the world's energy and is the single largest emitter of carbon dioxide in the world (plus - and I can imagine that my american friends will be pissed hearing me mention this - you should keep in mind that the U.S. did not sign the Kyoto Protocol...yet)

I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT....

2006-10-14T14:35:00.000+02:00

You Belong in New York City

You're an energetic, ambitious woman.

And only NYC is fast enough for you.

Maybe you'll set yourself up with a killer career.

Or simply take in all the city has to offer.

What City Do You Belong In?

Modern Times Romeo & Juliet...poor guy

2006-10-14T13:36:00.000+02:00

So I have switched my home page on my Internet Browser from blank to cnn.com (a loong time ago)...i guess it's the legacy from my american friends, because up until last year it was just blank. Anyway, so I start reading the news this morning with my usual cup of coffee (those of you who know me well, know I've become addicted :-) ) and I stumble upon this article "Rush to marry ends in tragedy".

"A Pakistani man has committed suicide outside his fiancee's home after he thought he accidentally killed her while trying to persuade her to get married early, police said on Saturday."

Apparently the guy went to his fiancee's home and thought that a drastic act will make her marry him earlier than the date set by their parents (Dec. 25th). So he was shooting his gun in the air and one of the bullets ricocheted off a wall and hit her. The guy thought he killed her, so seconds later he shot himself...life is weird, isn't it?

till next time

You know that you're Romanian if...

2006-10-13T22:15:00.000+02:00

A couple of our romanian friends who are stuyding in the US have created a group on Facebook (this is a network available only to students in the US) and came up with this hilarious, but kinda true list:

You know you're Romanian If:

You grew up on liver sandwiches.... and thought that was normal.

You make your own noodles.

You try and reuse gift wrappers, gift boxes, and of course aluminum foil. - oh so true

You are standing next to the two largest suitcases at the airport

You talk for an hour at the front door when leaving someone's house

You can fit 10 people into a Dacia.

You have rugs covering every inch of your house.

You have or had rugs on your walls.

Your mom tells you you're too skinny even though your 30 pounds overweight.

You ever heard of 'stomach stew'. = asta e ciorba de burta dragilor

Your mom recycles plastic cups and paper plates, and sandwich bags by washing them.

You don’t know how to use a dishwasher.

You have a vinyl tablecloth on your kitchen table.

You use grocery bags to hold garbage

Your dad ever butchered a pig or lamb.

You keep leftover food in your fridge in as many numbers of bowls as possible.

Your parents call you farm animals when you get them mad

Your dad ever told you to smack yourself over the mouth for being disrespectful.

Your mom washes your clothing at 40.

You don't use measuring cups when cooking

You feel like you've gotten a good deal if you didn't pay tax.

You only make long distance calls after 11 p.m.

If you don't live at home, when your parents call, they ask if you've eaten, even if it's midnight.

When your parents meet strangers and talk for a few minutes, you discover you're talking to a distant cousin.

Your parents don't realize phone connections to foreign countries have improved in the last two decades, and still scream at the top of their lungs when making foreign calls.

You have bed sheets on your sofas so as to keep them away from getting dirty.

It's "normal" if your wedding has 600 people.

You dont know half the people at your wedding cuz your parents invited them.

You've seen the ground while inside the lavatory of a train.

You have mastered the art of bargaining in grocery shopping.

You walk out of the grocery store with no less then two packed shopping carts weekly.

You're proud to be Romanian!!!

and of course this last one, which is exclusively for my Romanian friends, written by Ana Maria:

"As adauga ca fiecare roman are o punga cu pungi, ca nu se stie niciodata."

So, my dear romanian friends, got any other ideas to add to that list? :)))

till next time, live it up like the romanians you are:)
s.

First Time

2006-10-13T18:04:00.000+02:00

YAAAY, I finally did it. It is my first time writing such a blog (see, whoever said that your "first time" should happen with someone you love - since you won't get another chance at it - was sooo totally wrong).
I know at least one person who'll be happy I did it. And at least another one who promised will read it:) so i guess it's a good thing.
I was wondering what I should write in here about and then Iulia said I should post on my passions, interests, and so on.
So here it is, for the first post ever, a subject which is now highly controversial in the US (and which will probably set its journey forth to our old Europe pretty soon): gay marriage. For a long time now republicans and democrats have fought over this subject.
I know, you'll probably say it's too forward, too out there for me to be even mentioning it, but let's face it, IT IS something we ought to be concerned about. Should we accept it or not? Is it right or wrong? Is it moral? I'll let you decide, but not before I lay the ground facts:
on February 24th, 2004 George W. Bush called for a Constitutional Amendment protecting Marriage and started his speech by saying : "[...] Eight years ago, Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage for purposes of federal law as the legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.
The Act passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 342 to 67, and the Senate by a vote of 85 to 14. Those congressional votes and the passage of similar defensive marriage laws in 38 states express an overwhelming consensus in our country for protecting the institution of marriage. In recent months, however, some activist judges and local officials have made an aggressive attempt to redefine marriage. In Massachusetts, four judges on the highest court have indicated they will order the issuance of marriage licenses to applicants of the same gender in May of this year. In San Francisco, city officials have issued thousands of marriage licenses to people of the same gender, contrary to the California family code. That code, which clearly defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman, was approved overwhelmingly by the voters of California. A county in New Mexico has also issued marriage licenses to applicants of the same gender. And unless action is taken, we can expect more arbitrary court decisions, more litigation, more defiance of the law by local officials, all of which adds to uncertainty."
Republicans argue that allowing people of the same gender to get married and thus have the same rights as a hetero couple will destroy the sacred institution of marriage, which is a solid foundation of our society.
Let's face it: Republicans aren't too happy right now (after the scandal involving the Republican Congressman from Florida Mark Foley) and are afraid that everything they have been promising will blow in their pretty little faces.
There are so many ramifications of this story, so let's not get lost in details and focus on what I started writing about at the beginning of this post.
I found this really interesting essay written by an american. Though it is long, it's worth reading: Jane Galt

I'm pretty curious what you think!
Till next time
love
s.