25 or so things about me (from my facebook notes)

I. Ho imparrato dalla mia nonna di essere fiera di essere donna, e di essere fiera del mio corpo. Accanto a lei non mi sono mai sentita brutta, ne in imbarazzo, ma ho sentito che la nudita e naturale. “A chi non piace, non deve guardare” mi diceva lei...

II. I don’t believe in fate, good luck, bad luck, horoscopes, palm reading, etc. We do not have things “destined” for us in this world (no matter how much that story can sell in Hollywood). We are endowed with free will, and we make choices in life – everything is a choice, everything. Read Sartre for more on this.

III. I believe in miracles. This goes from the suspension of the laws of physics, to the existence of trees, to the fact that we perceive colour where there is simply an electromagnetic radiation…

IV. I am a person of faith. Some might call me religious – I sure hope I’m not a bigot. I have my own issues with religion, however I try to focus on the good things, and hope to always be able to respect the beliefs of others.

V. Je crois vraiment que, en amour, comme à la guerre, tous les coups sont permis. C’est pour ça que j’ai compris et pardonné les infidélités des autres et aussi les miennes.

VI. Je crois aussi que, si on s’aime, on a tous les droits sur l’autre personne. Et puis, si on s’aime vraiment, on va faire tout ce qu’on peut pour le bien-être de l’autre…

VII. I don’t get grossed out. That would’ve probably helped had I become a doctor as I was planning in high school.

VIII. Ich habe niemahls Zeit versteht. Ich hasse Uhren und ich fühle mich nicht verletzt wenn jemand spät ist. (Yes, I had a crush on my German teacher - grade 7).

IX. The first memory I have is of me on the back seats of a car, facing backwards, looking at this fantastic cake that was resting on the back shelf. I was two, on my way to a photo studio, with a cake I wasn’t allowed to touch yet!

X. First guy I ever had a thing for was named Ciprian, and we were probably about 3-4 years old back then. He was oblivious to my existence; he used to play with my best friend (I think she liked him too…) A few years down the road he moved to Germany. Story of my life, right there! ( I still have a pic of us in the same class! So cute!)

XI. In liceu in clasa a 9-a am avut nota scazuta la purtare! Eram eleva de serviciu pe scoala cu o colega – o zi intreaga, iar la sfarsit ni se cerea sa completam o condica in care sa notam eventualele intamplari neobisnuite din timpul zilei. Cum nu ni se intamplase nimic spectacular, si cum toata condica era plina de mazgalituri, desene si tampenii, ne-am hotarat sa scriem o mica povestioara despre cum liceul nostru a fost vizitat de extraterestri. Fiindca am avut dintotdeauna simtul copyright-ului, am semnat mica mea capodopera... Mai e nevoie sa va spun ce s-a intamplat a doua zi la ora de dirigentie? (diriga era si directoarea liceului...)

XII. I think Portuguese is probably the sexiest language ever... I understand so little of it, and love it so much! This might be Saramago’s fault – my favourite writer, who happens to be Portuguese… (I would’ve written this in Portuguese, had I known how…)

XIII. From all of the years spent in school, I am most fond of my philosophy classes. That’s where I’ve learned that there are so many different takes on this world, and that they each have their own logic. It’s how I’ve grown to love debating, and if you see me get very passionate about defending an opinion, please don’t take it personal – I love playing devil’s advocate till you take all my weapons away… at which point please don’t think you’ve convinced me your opinion is correct, cause you probably haven’t :P

XIV. I’ve taught myself how to swim when I was about 6. I love doing that ever since. Pretty much anything that involves a large body of water and some sun would represent an offer I wouldn’t be able to refuse.

XV. Growing up in a Communist country, I feel like kids today have it too easy – nothing to fight against. I was so proud to wake up at 5AM just to go wait in line for milk for hours, to learn by heart ridiculous poems glorifying a dictator, and to wear my little communist pupil uniform... Now there’s home delivery, freedom of speech, and no sense of fashion…
Bring on that economic crisis I say! Eviva la revolucion!

XVI. I used to work as a promoter for a short time. In Romania that includes bar hopping, see-through dresses, and limousine rides. Greatest time I ever had working!

XVII. I never smoked – not one puff. I never got drunk – dizzy, yes, but never drunk. I dare anybody to make me have to go back on this item and change it!

XVIII. My brother is the biggest bully I ever had to face. Nothing I did was cool enough for him. He dared me to do things like calling 911 and tell them I dropped a matchstick in my pants, throw eggs at passersby from our balcony, dive head forward in shallow water, jump from the top of our biggest wardrobe onto the bed… Of course I had no idea what the fire-department was, nor what damage an egg falling from the 5th floor might cause, I planted my head into the bottom of the lake, and yes, I missed the bed and landed on the floor. I love him terribly though!

XIX. I adore horses. I think they are beautiful, wild, free-spirited creatures. I’ve only been horse-riding once, but oh, what a great experience! The biggest extravagance I can think of is owning a stable with a couple of purebreds.

XX. Sunt foarte mandra ca sunt romanca. Pretuiesc valorile romanesti autentice, de la carul cu roti de lemn a’ lu’ Garaoi din Cacaceni – ulita copilariei mele, la stilul brancovenesc, la felul in care stim sa facem haz de necaz, la Brancusi, la mamaliga cu balmos, la Enescu, la Voronet, la poezia lui Nichita Stanescu, mi-s toate la inima cu mult dor!

XXI. My dad is like a spring of knowledge for me. There’s always something for me to learn from him – he’s a walking wikipedia! Looking at myself through time, I have noticed I only loved people I had things to learn from – you can psychoanalyze this all you want!

XXII. Sunt genul de om care tine inauntru lucrurile care il deranjeaza, si doar din cand in cand explodez si nimeni nu intelege de ce. Seaman cu mama la chestia asta.

XXIII. I know how to use a hoe (no, not that kind! Gardening! Gardening!), a scythe, a pitchfork, a loom, a sowing machine, how to knit, how to pluck a hen, how to milk a cow, how to make home-made alcohol & soap & starch, how to smoke meat, how to start a fire…. I’m telling you, agriculture is the future! I’m moving to the countryside!

XXIV. Although I have fallen many times, I haven’t broken anything so far. I’m talking about my bones!

XXV. I think people need to return to more basic ways of communicating, what’s up with all this virtual stuff... nobody gives anybody a call anymore, and what happened with dropping in uninvited, visiting friends and ending up living at their place for a couple weeks, throwing a party just because it’s Friday night, having coffee at midnight just because someone wanted to chat in person! There’s so much more you can find out that way! ;)