Wish you have a Beyonce 2014!

Meaning I wish you keep your mouth shut when critics fiercely bark on your back, while doing great work.

Let's all pull at least one beyonce this year. Let's humbly focus on what we do, let's have a point, let's deliver more quality and less shitvertising.

Let's all believe in our fucking selves more, while totally being honest with who we are.

Let's challenge concepts that really need changing. Let's keep more good habits. Let's be humble and thankful for what we've got.

Let's enjoy life, its nowness, let's smile more, let's move our asses on the dance floor, let's be sexy and let's just aspire to be happy.

I got your message, baby.

Happy anniversary, baby.

Exactly two years ago, something important happened to me. And I'm sure the world doesn't care that much about what was it and that's fine. But to put it in context, I won two medals at a swimming competition. Gold and silver. Of course it was very cool to be number one, but being number two made me think about being second best, about staying hungry, staying fearful, about always staying humble.

So I decided that the 27th of November will be a special day for me. An anchor to always remind me that I'm not the absolute best, that there are good things to come, that effort always pays off and that generally life is good.

We can't walk on water or fly or be personal Jesuses for somebody else, we can't change how the world spins, we can't know it all, we have limited resources, we can't be someone else overnight and that's fine with me.

But we can create our own anniversaries, we can establish our own traditions. We can change toxic habits with healthy ones, and by doing so, small steps every day, hopefully become better versions of ourselves.

That's being true to meaningful events in your life, keeping your eyes wide open. That's allowing the world to pass through you as input and let it form-ulate you, without over thinking too much, though.

Today I am celebrating two years passing ever since, the end of a cycle, the beginning of a new cycle. 

And if you are celebrating something today as well, take a moment, think about what you're celebrating, smile and be thankful for what you've got. 

Happy anniversary, baby.

Jay-Z is Great Gatsby's real director.

The Great Gatsby has pretty colors, has CGI, "cool"actors" pools and champagne. Perfect you might say. It's so boringly flat, I had to force myself to make it to the end. It lacks pretty much everything that a good movie needs.

There's no build up, there's no rhythm, nothing sexy and decadent about it, characters looked all the same to me, costumes were boring.

I mean guys, it's a love story in the 20s NY decadence...champagne and some pool splashes? 

When I first saw the names on "The Great Gatsby"s soundtrack I was in total awe.

Dark Jack White plus Beyonce covering Amy Winehouse plus Florence and the Machine plus Bryan Ferry plus Sia plus Emeli Sande covering Beyonce? with a splash of The XX? Oh, my, I could feel my brain shiver on the verge of an explosion.

Over the years, Jay-Z showed himself as a brilliant producer cause like it or not, he is to blame after all, for ubertalented wifey's constant success. 

But now, he simply reveals how much music he knows, creating this beautiful aural landscape, yours to fill with the plot. Just take some time off, play the soundtrack, add some 20s decadence with a dash of love and I really don't want to know what's inside that secret cinema that your brain possesses.

I'm sure it's eons better than what I saw last night.

Practice makes perfect.

I read something that I really liked.

" It's only when you are alone that you can engage in Deliberate Practice, which was identified as the key to exceptional achievement. When you practice deliberately you identify the tasks or knowledge that are just out of your reach, strive to upgrade your performance, monitor your progress and revise accordingly"

Quiet by Susan Cain

Just keep swimming

Sambata 6 iulie, particip alaturi de Andreea, Aiana si Octav la Swimathon.
Inot pentru Aliat. Pentru ca am incredere in Mihai si munca minunata pe care o face pentru persoanele cu consum problematic de substante.

Vrem sa strangem 3000 de euro pentru modulul de terapie alternativa (prin arta). Vestea buna e ca puteti dona anonim. Aici.


"ALIAT derulează în prezent primul program din România de asistare gratuită a persoanelor cu un consum problematic de alcool. În cei 3 ani de derulare a proiectului nostru, aproximativ 1.000 de persoane cu un consum problematic de alcool au beneficiat de tratament specializat în Centrele noastre din București și Târgoviște (asistare psihiatrică, consiliere psihologică, psihoterapie individuală și de grup, mediere și asistență în vederea obținerii unui loc de muncă și consiliere juridică). În tot acest timp, am urmărit să identificăm nevoia reală de tratament pentru persoanele cu un consum problematic de alcool. Am ajuns să oferim servicii gratuite și confidențiale și pentru partenerii de viață și copiii sau rudele beneficiarilor direcți. Pentru a-i ajuta pe aceștia să mențină schimbările pozitive pe care au reușit să le producă în viața lor, am identificat nevoia unor grupuri de suport și terapii alternative. Ținând cont că resursele noastre (umane și financiare) sunt limitate dorim să generăm un departament nou în organizația noastră: un departament de terapie prin artă."

Note

"Technology Is the Answer, But What Was the Question?"
Cedric Price

*****

I very much like this piece by Adrian Paci.

"A video installation following a piece of marble getting carved out of a rock in China and traveling to the exhibition space in Paris. On the boat, during the trip, the marble stone gets transformed into a classical column by Chinese sculptors. The column is then presented outside of the exhibition space, while the video of the journey is presented inside."

The space behind my eyes.

There's not much left to say after a week-end spent with people you love, in a beautiful place.
Only that you're thankful and the place is simply out of this world.
Enjoy the view

.

Welcome to my realm.

Music to my ears.

"I instantly and irreversibly block based on @replies I find even slightly annoying. Yes, it’s selfish. Yes, it’s about me. That’s the whole point. It’s not that I care about your brilliant reply or who reads my posts. You could very well be “right.” I just don’t care. I don’t want to hear it. I have no patience for conflict junkies or hyper-argumentative people polluting my stream. I don’t want to debate you. I don’t want to trade clever put-downs. I don’t want to go back and forth trying to get the last word. I don’t like to be trolled, nitpicked, insulted or bothered. If I happen to see something annoying, I immediately block without first getting in some clever remark of my own. This is a personal account. You’re not paying for it. Shocking: I don’t like to get hassled, and will block to avoid it. I’m not the guy to satisfy your need for epic battles, flame wars, or online validation. There are plenty of people itching for a fight, just not me. Go be annoying, rude, combative or your positive spin on those things somewhere else. I will ruthlessly curate my online experience to selfishly satisfy my own sensibilities and make it fun for me, period."

"I sense my writing displeases you. I suggest not reading it."

via gorgeously smart Deea

I can smell your essence

The too long awaited Daft Punk's album is going to rock your soul.
Can you feel it? They teased us like a proper lover would and I reckon the album is going to caress our ears for many months to come.
It features hot Pharrell and genius Chilly Gonzales. What else is there to say?

It's been a while since I've waited for an album like I'm waiting for Random Access Memories.
Give it to me baby.

And seeing all these brilliant musicians talking about the record and the band with so much respect and awe, doesn't make the waiting any easier.

A match made in heaven.

Am primit de la Madi o pelerina. (Madi este minunata mama a dragei Maria )
Cand m-a sunat si mi-a spus ca are ceva pentru mine, eram sigura ca o sa fie o piesa. Dar nu ma gandeam ca va fi asa o piesa.
Am primit-o acum o luna si n-am purtat-o pentru ca fost frig. Am asteptat cu nerabdare sa vina ziua cu soare in care sa o arat lumii. Tot timpul asta a stat pe umeras. M-am uitat la ea in fiecare zi si am asteptat.

M-am intrebat timp de o luna, care dintre hainele mele sunt atat de pretioase incat sa le pot da mai departe. Care dintre lucrurile pe care le adunam, o sa reziste timpului. Care se vor degrada/umple frumos? Pe care dintre ele le vom da mai departe cu drag stiind ca vor aduce bucurie sau cel putin un  prilej de reflectie?

Nu cred ca ipodul de prima generatie, iPhone-ul vechi sau ceasul Suunto prezinta interes. Insa, poate cineva, candva se va bucura sa primeasca cele 2 yukata pe care le am. Pentru ca nu sunt doar niste bucati de bumbac, ca un kimono e mai frumos cand il primesti, ca imbracarea lui e un proces care ia timp sau pentru ca legarea unui obi inseamna atentie si rabdare. 

Poate. Sper.

Multumesc nespus Madi, sper ca am asortat-o frumos. 
 

Cerere - in trei exemplare, stampilate si legalizate.

Motivul pentru care scriu in engleza e ca am cam 3 cititori care nu inteleg romana. Si pentru ca ii respect si nu vreau sa-i las pe mana lui gugal transleit, incerc sa scriu cat mai bine in engleza.

Postul asta nu-i priveste.

Pentru ca ei traiesc in orase normale, cu evenimente normale, cu parteneriate cu primaria, metrorexul lor si asa mai departe. Ei stiu ca pot sa iasa in oras in timpul saptamanii la concerte, pentru ca ele vor incepe, asa cum scrie pe flyer, cand scrie pe flyer.

Sunt crescuta in the good old 80-90z. Si ma mandresc cu faptul ca am crescut in provincie cu multa muzica. Cu timp sa ascult muzica. Asta inseamna ca muzica inseamna mult.

Cand ceva se fixeaza, in afara timpului, in afara muzicii, ca un moment, atunci cand trupa/interpretul vor veni in orasul tau, chiar daca va fi trecut mult timp, chiar daca vei fi foarte obosit, vei merge la concert. Vei plati cat scrie pe bilet. Deja ai crescut, castigi niste bani. E ok. Pe bilet scrie ca trupa pentru care ai veni incepe la 12. Te gandesti putin - daca incep la 12, termina la 1, cat ajung acasa - adorm la 2. Ok. Ma duc. Pot sa sacrific 2 ore de somn/somnul de frumusete, (pentru ca fetelor, somnul de frumusete conteaza enorm).

Ajungi la eveniment. Bei niste bauturi usor alcoolizate pentru ca maine trebuie sa te trezesti, sa fii fresh, pentru ca tara are nevoie de tine. Afli ca trupa pentru care ai venit o sa intre cu o ora mai tarziu, pentru ca, iti explica organizatorii, toti artistii au intrat mai tarziu, pentru ca nu s-a adunat lume.

Nu nu si nu. E un eveniment obscur, cu muzica, care inca, din pacate, e considerata, experimentala, intr-un loc in care, pentru muzica respectiva, pentru publicul nu foarte numeros ( nu ca asta ar fi ceva rau ) nu s-a adus inginerul de sunet potrivit.

Daca tu, organizatorule, ma mai vrei acolo, pe mine, omul care stie despre ce e vorba in muzica aia, care plateste bilet la intrare, care poate sa treaca peste faptul ca nu se aude perfect si ca e foarte mult fum, care mai si bea niste bauturi de la care, evident sa nu-l doara capul, deci mai scumpe, te rog sa respecti strict programul pe care il publici pe facebook si la care da lumea like.

Si ce ma enerveaza cel mai tare, e ca e asa la toate evenimentele din Romania. Totul intr-o nebuloasa. Eu vreau sa stiu macar cand incepe. +/- 15 minute de cum e anuntat. E respect pentru public, oricat de putin numeros ar fi.

Pentru mine Plaid inseamna Transalpina. Inainte sa fie construita. E un moment pretios, fixat, in cinema-ul secret al mintii mele, cu Plaid.

Si daca n-ati inteles despre ce vorbesc, mi-ar placea sa cititi ultimul Monocle, dedicat Germaniei, lucrului facut la timp. Si sa ne gandim toti la cum am putea, pentru ca, ne place sau nu, traim aici, sa facem dracului niste schimbari mici. Gen, daca scriem o ora pe afis, sa incepem cand scrie pe afis.

Am fost la Royal Albert Hall la concertul aniversar al Ninja Tune. Evenimentul incepea la 19:30. Am intrat in sala la 19:15 si era aproape goala. Ma gandeam ca va fi ca la noi, ca va incepe cu o ora intarziere. Concertul a inceput, cu sala plina la 19:30. O chelareasa a venit la 19:30, a verificat loja si a inchis-o cu o cheie imensa. Construirea traditiilor incepe cu prima zi.

Multumesc.

Like. No other.

I should say that all appreciation for whatever I do, matters. Likes, comments on my posts, praises of my clothes. But to be onest, some likes matter more.

My mentor, who strongly believes I'm a talented photographer, managed, through his infinite patience to convince me to continue taking pictures.

Over the past 2 years, I build an instagram account that has little over 500 followers. Some of them are photographers I deeply admire. And when one of them likes my work, it's a good day.
 

Slow down, baby.

I've always taken care of my feet. This means always getting the comfiest shoes available. Sneakers, flats and flip-flops.

But even I, a tall girl, have 2 pairs of very high heels. I rarely wear them. Because wearing high heels always seems like an ordeal. What am I going to wear them with? I might need to move fast, my walking seems clumsy, etc. All this makes me jump in my comfy casual shoes, and leave the heels for yet another uncertain, forever postponed occasion. Cause we need to perform fast and look casually smart.

And then you find a perfect pair. You feel more comfortable. Your walking improves. But there's this thing. You can't be fast. It takes more time to get from A to B. What an ordeal.

Oh, wait. You listen to more music, your posture changes, your thinking flow changes. The universe doesn't end if you're slow and what looked as a necessary horror ends up a pure delight.

Oh, my, I like it slow. I like more music. I like the islands of time just for me. I like the smiles. I like the new perspective.

Slow down, baby. It's sunny outside.

Happy tree friends.

Facebook made us all friends. We all like each other, we say nice things and we behave. Harmony. We're all correct, sustaining the right causes by a click, liking the food we can't possibly cook in our kitchens and the cats we can't really take care of. Lovely. An uniform mass of lovely, kind creatures, all behaving and smiling. Isn't that cute? 

You might argue that some things, like porn should not be shared, but kept in a secret folder to be tasted from time to time, in small portions that keep you wanting more.

And I agree. I'm a nice creature.

So, the next video is a book adaptation, done for a fashion magazine and it teaches us the value of a clean cold table and other healthy things, like showering and clean sheets.

See you soon.


Mine from Alvaro de la Herrán on Vimeo.

Fashion News

I grew up with them. I fell out and in with love with them.
They are responsible for the way my mind shapes ideas.

You know their work is so different, you think only they can mix it in a concert.
You're very reluctant to any cover.

For anyone whose ears, mind, heart and skin resonated with Depeche Mode, take one hour off and listen to this. Give your mind a Sunday on a Monday.

It haunted me for the weekend. I was selfish enough to keep it to myself. Indulge in it. Remember old things, envision new ones.

Speak to you afterwards.

Speak to you later.

There was a time when you could share stuff with only a handful of people. And that was good cause maybe even a debate would be born from that. Maybe you were making new friends and enemies. It was anyway, a night out, when people shared a good wine and some interesting stories.

Then sharing networks appeared. You would share and share and share and share. Nothing would be just for you anymore. You would get likes and comments and that would make you feel important, validated, liked.
Until you find something that good, you don't want to share it. It's so obscure but brilliantly tasty, perfectly touching your soul, in so many ways, you want to keep it to yourself.

And then you feel uncomfortable.

But that's what usually happens when you change your routines.

Keep that obscure thing obscure for 2 more days. If it's that hip you'll see it on a wall in your face.
But keep it with/within you for a while. Let it haunt you, let it resonate with the other things that, along the time form-ulated you. Let it stay, get its vitamins. Like you do with great food. You don't spit it out, you slowly swallow it, tasting  it, feeling how good it is for you.

Let it form you, still. Listen to it, before you talk about it.

Nope, I'm not sharing it just yet. 2 days. It's, at least for me, painstakingly good.

Blom&Blom

Less facebook, more real intenet routine pays off.

Found Blom&Blom, 2 brothers devoted to forgotten items from forgotten places.

"We collect, restore and redesign industrial lamps and furnishings, in order to give these authentic pieces a new existence. With a particular passion for industrial artefacts from the former DDR, we stroll across East Germany in search of abandoned factories and the stories they hold."

Finding old objects, giving them a new life is far from being a revolution. Respecting their history though, is a tender touch B&B casts by showing old pictures of the objects, in their original location.

Today is a new day.

De cativa ani, ma trezesc cu Guerrilla de dimineata, emisiunea lui Dobro, Oprina si pana de curand a lui Craio. Trebuie sa recunosc ca in ultima vreme, ma enervau glumele de topor preistoric ale lui Craio. Insa cand am aflat ca a plecat de la Guerrilla, m-am intrebat, ca toata lumea, cum va fi emisiunea fara el.

Baietii, asaltati de feedback, incearca de o saptamana, sa se regrupeze si sa reinveteze emisiunea.

Si asta e un lucru minunat. Sa schimbi felul in care faci acelasi lucru, sa nu ramai paralizat de teama schimbarilor care vin uneori fara ca tu sa le fi cerut, sa accepti ca uneori lumina cade si altfel decat vedeai tu.

Asta nu poate sa aiba decat rezultate bune. Trebuie insa sa dai timpului, timp.