Anyone who ever gave you confidence, you owe them a lot.

Original cast for Breakfast at Tiffany's was Marylin Monroe. I'm pretty sure it would have been a completely different movie. Not sure a better one.

Audrey Hepburn has always been an inspiration for me. Her timelessness, her grace, her style, her sense of humour, her vulnerability but at the same time, her wiseness always gave me confidence. Confidence to wear a little black dress, show some back and pearls and the occasional tiara. Confidence to keep it simple.

Vulnerable and sweet enough to say all those quotes about happiness, pretty girls and kisses you'll see on facebook today, wise&graceful enough to embrace her age by retiring at her best, not ending up as  botox, paralax or whatever old stars put in them to be for ever young.

Guys at Tiffany's know all this. She gracefully endorsed Tiffany's at a time where "product placement" and "brand values" weren't even invented. But Tiffany's are smart. They keep delivering that feeling, even today.
It's true. Nothing bad ever happens there. It's not about feeling like a princess, it's about feeling human, being asked silly questions without feeling questioned while delivering splendid service which makes your necklace, brought there for a fix, a valuable reminder that some stories are real and not fairytales. Great "brand" and "customer care" lesson there. 

She's a constant reminder that only with an open heart, you'll feel all those beautiful things that we all crave for. That it's all about smiling and feeling happy, a visionaire, indeed ( I'm sure Pharrell is a huge fan as well ).

So thank you Audrey for everything, cause at the end of the day we're all a sweet vulnerable bundle of neuroses. And it's ok.

Pain is necessary, suffering is optional.

When I first saw London Marathon's map, wondered how on Earth am I going to move that day, since it's basically by my house.

Woke up today knowing I'm going to see it, although I had no burning desire nor was in a very olympic mood. I needed milk.

I was sure I was going to take some pictures, instagram them, get milk and go home. Got there, found a good spot, took some pictures and it started to come to me. My spot is pretty close to the finish line. But for runners who made it this far, pretty far away. And you see it not in the first 3 hours but after 5 hours in the competition. They almost walk, but they are not stopping.

And it hit me.

Awe, because I've always admired athletes. And my, a marathon is quite a distance. I've always wondered what went throught Phidippides's brain while he did it. What really drove him. Cause back then Nike was just a goddess not something you put your feet in and go train for a marathon.

And for people who run or do any kind of sport, even for short distances, you know how hard it is to tame your brain into doing just another lap. 

And then I felt envious for every single person I saw running today. Because when they cross that line, they will feel, today, a week from now, a month from now, that they can do anything on this planet. That, through hard work, will power and discipline they can achieve anything. At a slower or faster pace. And I remembered how it felt when I did swimming competitions. There was no pleasure there. It was hard work, determination and faith that got me pass the finish line. But life was simple. Good. It had bubbly at the end of the day.

I felt envious for the smiles on their faces when they're going to finish, for their quiet sleep tonight, for the meal that's going to taste like heaven. 

And then I felt humble and inspired. So for every person, superhero and building that did the London Marathon today, I humbly thank you for reminding me that we all run. It's about deciding if we run for or from something. You've been amazing, thank you.

Title of this post taken from Haruki Murakami's book: What I talk when I talk about running.

Van Eyck was here

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.

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.
 

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.

I'm not a huge fan of pink but.....

Stiam ca toata lumea e vulnerabila, fragila, sensibila si facuta din carne si oase. Stiam asta ca pe o axioma. Ceva ce nu trebuie demonstrat si care are o valoare atat de abstracta incat nu ma intereseaza/atinge.

Mult timp mi s-a parut ca a arata ca esti vulnerabil e un semn de slabiciune. Nu se face sa arati ca esti vulnerabil pentru ca asta te face un om slab, nedemn de respectul de sine si al celorlalti.

Si intr-un moment de ceata, o prietena mi-a spus:

" Vezi tu, pana one is not ready to feel vulnerable, one will be knocked down to feel vulnerable. Sa fii vulnerabil emotional si cald cu oamenii nu e slabiciune, e chiar mai usor sa handle relationships with people like this."

And my, was I knocked down. Am aflat asa ca nu e un semn de slabiciune.

Ascunderea vulnerabilitatii proprii, negarea importantei ei e una dintre cele mai mai rele pe care poti sa le faci, tie si celorlalti.

Si daca as scrie asta doar pentru mine e ca si cum as nega tot ce am zis.

So, nu-mi place rozul foarte tare dar sunt vulnerabila si e perfect in regula.

Publish Post.

Cateva idei interesante despre vulnerabilitate

Tara arde si Oana se piaptana?

Desi ar trebui sa scriu despre minunata si uimitoarea tara imbibata de fabulospirit in care traim ( nu, nu ma plang ca un copil tampit , adica in ce tara statul decide sa ia taxe aberante de la microintreprinderi? doar sa suplimenteze un buget avorton care va trebui sa plateasca viitorul imprumut FMI? cand in alte tari normale acest fel de taxe sunt micsorate sau chiar dispar tocmai pentru a ajuta cumva economia chiar si la nivel micro? oare statul nu-si da seama ca majoritatea administratorilor - angajati in micro vor deveni in curand someri si ghici cine va trebui sa plateasca somaj...u u u tot bugetul de stat, deci cum sa fii atat de tampit? ) o sa pun o poza care m-a facut sa zambesc azi.
Oare am innebunit? Oare ar trebui sa ies in strada si sa fac o demonstratie in fata ministerului de finante? ( nu merita sa scriu cu litera mare )

Carve Your Own Wooden Postcard

Although I should blog about the total illogical and stupid country I live in ( and I have arguments - I mean in a country with an economy close to O the state decides to raise taxes to be payed by small companies like mine just because the state needs a bigger budget to pay the future IMF loan which by the way goes to banks and not to small companies who actually do something for the economy ) I realize that it's a COMPLETE waste of energy. Because it's not going to help. So instead please enjoy this Carve Your Own Wooden Postcard

30 today

30 arata foarte bine. Si se simte bine.
Si pentru toate fetele speriate de varsta, 30 it's a great age. Joy.
La multi si buni ani si voua.

felipov te iubesc revine

Ziceam zilele trecute de un post al Sandrei despre cine si cum ajunge pe blogul ei.
Odiseea felipov te iubesc continua.
Acum si pe blogul Mariei.

felipov te iubesc

Sandra are o serie de posturi despre cine si cum ajunge pe blogul ei.

Azi dimi m-a luminat si pe mine cu una.

Un domn sau o doamna care a ajuns pe blogul ei cautand pe google felipov te iubesc.

sandra intreaba:

"E un admirator/stalker care vrea sa stie daca te mai iubeste cineva in afara de el, sau e un domn atat de timid, singur si solitar incat nu-i poate marturisi decat lui Google simtirea lui?"

redactia raspunde:

Draga mea, ce pot sa mai zic?

Adam, Eva si Marul Cunoasterii

"-O poveste despre Adam, Eva si incercarea lor de a pune mana pe marul cunoasterii. Cei doi sunt pusi in diferite situatii fictive, hotarati sa decida singuri ce este binele si raul.
Povestea nu are un final anume, mai ales ca ei nu reusesc sa guste din marul interzis.
In cazul de fata, nu a existat "izgonirea din Rai" sau ceea ce numim "pacatul originar"-

O poveste de Dragos Platon.
Nu cred ca le-am pus tocmai in ordine, dar daca citez sloganul ipod shuffle "life is random"

blogger's crisis

From time to time blogs I read go through some sort of crisis.
Like 1 authors don't write anymore or 2 they lack inspiration or 3 they don't know why they blog anymore or 4 or 5 or 6... or infinite combinations of reasons leading to this condition.
Let's call it blogger's crisis.

today's artist bjork it's not up to you

I always thought that Bjork's lyrics are the best poetry I've ever heard
"How do I master The perfect day Six glasses of water Seven phonecalls"
live parma italy

deep down i'm very superficial

Listening to latest Faithless.To all new arrivals.
At first I said that's not going to last on *feliPod more than 2 days.it's a week now.

Good album.I don't know why i like it.Is it the lyrics? Well I don't know.

Maybe it got me with cure's lullaby remake

hello back

some pics from snowy holiday.
snow snow snow.less pictures.less words.more snow.

less sun

if 21 of june is happiest day of the year, the final week-end of october is the saddest.
less sun.

took a walk and found banksy

here

been in a beautiful place outside the country

portorose.silent strike.matze.dj.vasile.mika.
and video by matze here

bucuresti soare