A cool, meaningful phrase, wouldn't you say?
It's just one of the simple, yet very powerful things I heard yesterday during a very nice workshop about the creation of a Phoenix civilization, reborn from dust - something that would enhance the advantages of 2 socio-systems unsuccesfully co-existing today in the world:
- The Yellow system - corporate driven, it is built around PROFIT and VALUE creation, with insufficient regard to the environment;
- The Green system - socially driven, it puts PEOPLE and PLANET at the center of all concerns and militates for environmental awareness, but drives no real value and is extremely inefficient in bringing a coherent message to the world.
The cohesion of the 2 systems will derive in a superior form, engaging the Yellow efficiency in the Green aims.
As you can notice, I still haven't articulated my thoughts around this very well, but it seems like a fascinating subject that I will look deeper into. In the meantime, I would love to talk to you about this/any alternative of global mindset changing attempt.
Go to www.renaissance2.eu to get more about the organization that delivered the workshop yesterday and please, feel free to leave any comments on the matter, regardless of alignment/misalignment with what they want to do or what I think is right. I am up for a serious debate!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Half a bread per capita
Hey! With some delay, I managed to finish translating the first communist article - a memorable piece of day-to-day life during those times. I have inserted a number of notes for easier understanding and context of the foreigners reading this.
Special message for my Romanian friends: please, comment, I don't know how clear my translation is and if there's relevant aspects I am leaving out. It's an interview of a Romanian middle class citizen who used to be a child during that time.
Valentina Anghel from Oltenita (note: a 100.000 inhabitants town, 30 km south of Bucharest) turned 10 in January 1989.
"I remember going and coming back from school. They were the most frightening, as the rest of the time we spent in the classrooms. Boys used to chase us with snowballs, I was less of a target as I was chief of group in my class. Anyways, we could run around the classroom as we pleased, the teacher didn't bother much.
I can't brag about having a real teacher, good thing I had my mother. Our teacher's understanding of homework and home study was copying the lesson from the book and transcribing it on our notebooks. We never really had anything to study and my mother found that hard to believe, so she made me study, regardless of what the teacher said."
Our teacher was quite old, we actually knew she would retire after we were done with primary school. Maybe that's why she was so little preoccupied with us. During sport class, we just got out in the yard and ran around. In music class, me and 2 other colleagues used to get out in front of the class and teach the other ones what we had learned in Pioneers Club (note: "pioneer" was the name used to define communist students between 2nd and 12th grade. There used to be a huge celebration in every 2nd grader's life when they turned "pioneers" and some specific uniforms were granted for use after that moment. A whole hierarchy in school groups was defined after the "pioneering" moment).
But our teacher did love gifts. It was a given that you HAD to bring something for Christmas and New Year. And we had some colleagues who could afford to do that. One of them had his father working on a truck and frequently traveling to Germany. The mother of another one owned a flower shop and another one worked for the bread factory (note: a very good positioning at that time, since bread was such a scarce resource, it was used as bribe for small deals). And that WAS something, in those times when everything was given on a “CARTELA” and we were only allowed ½ bread per day per capita (note: the individual card that everyone had and used for buying basic goods – bread, milk, eggs. A daily ratio was given per capita to every citizen and was monitored based on this “CARTELA”). And that is how many of us managed to get extraordinary grades in our school!
Since I mentioned the “CARTELA”, it was exactly like I said. And the thing we most hated – the 3 kids in my family – was that we had to go get the bread every day and the lady at the bread shop only found dry, burnt or rotten bread for us! And we had to queue for so long, especially if the supply would end while we were there and we had to wait for the next shipment. I can see even today the car parking at the back-entrance from “Gospodina” (note: “Gospodina” - a chain of communist stores, private shops were not allowed and all the food supply in the state shops was centrally planned and coordinated). Our apartment was very close to the shop and we could see it from our window. So if I could see any queue, it was clear we had to hurry down there, because something was selling and maybe we could even get oranges! (note: the shops didn’t keep stocks, they were usually empty and when supply came in, everyone in the neighborhood was informed by “word of mouth” and the products were gone in a matter of minutes. Fruits were extremely scarce and supply for imported fruits, like oranges or bananas, was only done for holidays).
I guess I will always consider oranges to be tastier during winter (note: association with having them only for Christmas) and every time I will buy bananas, I will remember how I used to put them on the stove so they would ripe (note: on top of being scarce, such fruits didn’t not in best quality, they were often green or rotten). Back then, we only had oranges during winter, for holidays. My father used to peel them nicely and we used to keep the flower-looking like peel in the house for a long time so we would sense the smell of the fruit at least. Anyways, those were also given as a ratio, I think 1kg/capita and huge scandals used to arise during queuing when several members of the same family were in the queue.
But I was so used to queuing. In our town there was no central gas supply, we used gas tanks. The most important queue! The gas tanks center was outside the city and there were certain days when the truck used to come with tanks supply. Especially during the winter, the queue started the evening before. People went and left a bag, a chair, assign that they had been there and they would definitely return the next morning to take the gas tank that was vital for having heating, warm water and cooked food, for that matter.
We also had a stove in the bedroom. One that used wood. We almost set our wooden TV on fire once because of it. Although a bit “steamed up” our black/white TV managed to see the revolutionJ. It was so cold at home back then! I remember coming back from school and getting straight into bed. I would write my homework well tucked in, holding my notebook on my knees and many times even using gloves.
I was also a child – Santa used to come to me as well. At least “Mos Gerila” (note: the communist version of Santa Claus, disconnected from the association with Christmas which was not an allowed celebration). My mother used to bake cookies. One of our neighbors worked in a pastry shop and we used to eat a lot of powder milk. I used to enjoy my childhood, just the way it was. Queuing for crackers, cheese and chicken until my mother got out of work and she would replace me in the queue. Playing around in my neighborhood, snow fighting, going caroling. That is something I never liked doing, it always felt like begging ( note: traditionally, groups of kids would go caroling around the neighborhood and people would give them cookies, bagels or money in exchange for their performances. Similar to Trick-or Treating).
My mother used to get prepared for holidays long time in advance. And she baked the best cake ever (note: the vast majority of the population would spend Christmas/New Year visiting friends/relatives, everything was prepared at home based on a general menu you could find virtually in every home. No “outgoing” activities were generally available – restaurants, clubs, traveling abroad were almost impossible). Even if we were the ones going to visit someone else’s house, we never left our home empty-handed. And parties used to go beyond midnight, especially since they also started quite late. My parents worked in shifts, including Saturdays (note: Romania had a 6 working days week during communism). I remember them coming home at 10pm and we would get ready in a few minutes and run so we could sing “Happy New Year!” when the right time came. I remember dearly those moments, weird as it may sound. Because I remember a lot of music and dancing. I can see it now, people around a big table in the living room, a pick-up somewhere in a corner, a lot of pick-up disks (note: the pck-up was the only available technology even in late 80’s when Western Europe was already over tape-players and was entering the CD-era), especially with folkloric music (note: there was very little access to international music and the Romanian music was heavily restricted and lyrics were always validated by the communist party so they wouldn’t transmit revolutionary messages). I don’t remember ever anyone saying “Keep it down!” or having any neighbor complain. Everyone had exactly the same party.”
Special message for my Romanian friends: please, comment, I don't know how clear my translation is and if there's relevant aspects I am leaving out. It's an interview of a Romanian middle class citizen who used to be a child during that time.
Valentina Anghel from Oltenita (note: a 100.000 inhabitants town, 30 km south of Bucharest) turned 10 in January 1989.
"I remember going and coming back from school. They were the most frightening, as the rest of the time we spent in the classrooms. Boys used to chase us with snowballs, I was less of a target as I was chief of group in my class. Anyways, we could run around the classroom as we pleased, the teacher didn't bother much.
I can't brag about having a real teacher, good thing I had my mother. Our teacher's understanding of homework and home study was copying the lesson from the book and transcribing it on our notebooks. We never really had anything to study and my mother found that hard to believe, so she made me study, regardless of what the teacher said."
Our teacher was quite old, we actually knew she would retire after we were done with primary school. Maybe that's why she was so little preoccupied with us. During sport class, we just got out in the yard and ran around. In music class, me and 2 other colleagues used to get out in front of the class and teach the other ones what we had learned in Pioneers Club (note: "pioneer" was the name used to define communist students between 2nd and 12th grade. There used to be a huge celebration in every 2nd grader's life when they turned "pioneers" and some specific uniforms were granted for use after that moment. A whole hierarchy in school groups was defined after the "pioneering" moment).
But our teacher did love gifts. It was a given that you HAD to bring something for Christmas and New Year. And we had some colleagues who could afford to do that. One of them had his father working on a truck and frequently traveling to Germany. The mother of another one owned a flower shop and another one worked for the bread factory (note: a very good positioning at that time, since bread was such a scarce resource, it was used as bribe for small deals). And that WAS something, in those times when everything was given on a “CARTELA” and we were only allowed ½ bread per day per capita (note: the individual card that everyone had and used for buying basic goods – bread, milk, eggs. A daily ratio was given per capita to every citizen and was monitored based on this “CARTELA”). And that is how many of us managed to get extraordinary grades in our school!
Since I mentioned the “CARTELA”, it was exactly like I said. And the thing we most hated – the 3 kids in my family – was that we had to go get the bread every day and the lady at the bread shop only found dry, burnt or rotten bread for us! And we had to queue for so long, especially if the supply would end while we were there and we had to wait for the next shipment. I can see even today the car parking at the back-entrance from “Gospodina” (note: “Gospodina” - a chain of communist stores, private shops were not allowed and all the food supply in the state shops was centrally planned and coordinated). Our apartment was very close to the shop and we could see it from our window. So if I could see any queue, it was clear we had to hurry down there, because something was selling and maybe we could even get oranges! (note: the shops didn’t keep stocks, they were usually empty and when supply came in, everyone in the neighborhood was informed by “word of mouth” and the products were gone in a matter of minutes. Fruits were extremely scarce and supply for imported fruits, like oranges or bananas, was only done for holidays).
I guess I will always consider oranges to be tastier during winter (note: association with having them only for Christmas) and every time I will buy bananas, I will remember how I used to put them on the stove so they would ripe (note: on top of being scarce, such fruits didn’t not in best quality, they were often green or rotten). Back then, we only had oranges during winter, for holidays. My father used to peel them nicely and we used to keep the flower-looking like peel in the house for a long time so we would sense the smell of the fruit at least. Anyways, those were also given as a ratio, I think 1kg/capita and huge scandals used to arise during queuing when several members of the same family were in the queue.
But I was so used to queuing. In our town there was no central gas supply, we used gas tanks. The most important queue! The gas tanks center was outside the city and there were certain days when the truck used to come with tanks supply. Especially during the winter, the queue started the evening before. People went and left a bag, a chair, assign that they had been there and they would definitely return the next morning to take the gas tank that was vital for having heating, warm water and cooked food, for that matter.
We also had a stove in the bedroom. One that used wood. We almost set our wooden TV on fire once because of it. Although a bit “steamed up” our black/white TV managed to see the revolutionJ. It was so cold at home back then! I remember coming back from school and getting straight into bed. I would write my homework well tucked in, holding my notebook on my knees and many times even using gloves.
I was also a child – Santa used to come to me as well. At least “Mos Gerila” (note: the communist version of Santa Claus, disconnected from the association with Christmas which was not an allowed celebration). My mother used to bake cookies. One of our neighbors worked in a pastry shop and we used to eat a lot of powder milk. I used to enjoy my childhood, just the way it was. Queuing for crackers, cheese and chicken until my mother got out of work and she would replace me in the queue. Playing around in my neighborhood, snow fighting, going caroling. That is something I never liked doing, it always felt like begging ( note: traditionally, groups of kids would go caroling around the neighborhood and people would give them cookies, bagels or money in exchange for their performances. Similar to Trick-or Treating).
My mother used to get prepared for holidays long time in advance. And she baked the best cake ever (note: the vast majority of the population would spend Christmas/New Year visiting friends/relatives, everything was prepared at home based on a general menu you could find virtually in every home. No “outgoing” activities were generally available – restaurants, clubs, traveling abroad were almost impossible). Even if we were the ones going to visit someone else’s house, we never left our home empty-handed. And parties used to go beyond midnight, especially since they also started quite late. My parents worked in shifts, including Saturdays (note: Romania had a 6 working days week during communism). I remember them coming home at 10pm and we would get ready in a few minutes and run so we could sing “Happy New Year!” when the right time came. I remember dearly those moments, weird as it may sound. Because I remember a lot of music and dancing. I can see it now, people around a big table in the living room, a pick-up somewhere in a corner, a lot of pick-up disks (note: the pck-up was the only available technology even in late 80’s when Western Europe was already over tape-players and was entering the CD-era), especially with folkloric music (note: there was very little access to international music and the Romanian music was heavily restricted and lyrics were always validated by the communist party so they wouldn’t transmit revolutionary messages). I don’t remember ever anyone saying “Keep it down!” or having any neighbor complain. Everyone had exactly the same party.”
Saturday, January 10, 2009
What I want is what I've got!
Good morning!
While jogging this morning, my Ipod started playing this song... that will be my song for the year!! Easy, yet strong lyrics on a quite pleasant beat - just the right combination to boost me up when I forget where I'm heading!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPn0q60wows
Lyrics are:
All that i want in my life
Is the feeling of peace deep within me truly
I took a chance, I let go
I promised myself that it wouldn't scare me
Miracles appear I know
Now I can see it show 'cause I
Found out what I dreamt of and I looked it up
At this very moment what I want is what I've got
Found out what was missing and I looked it up and
At this very moment what I want is what I've got
Life is too short to hold back
I won't live in the past being lonely, now I know
This is the time of my life
Yes I'm sure what I want is what I've got
Comments, anyone? I am open to anything from "Boy band inspiring you for a whole year?? Bad!" to "These blonde guys are very cute!" (although I can strongly argue on both statements:))
While jogging this morning, my Ipod started playing this song... that will be my song for the year!! Easy, yet strong lyrics on a quite pleasant beat - just the right combination to boost me up when I forget where I'm heading!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPn0q60wows
Lyrics are:
All that i want in my life
Is the feeling of peace deep within me truly
I took a chance, I let go
I promised myself that it wouldn't scare me
Miracles appear I know
Now I can see it show 'cause I
Found out what I dreamt of and I looked it up
At this very moment what I want is what I've got
Found out what was missing and I looked it up and
At this very moment what I want is what I've got
Life is too short to hold back
I won't live in the past being lonely, now I know
This is the time of my life
Yes I'm sure what I want is what I've got
Comments, anyone? I am open to anything from "Boy band inspiring you for a whole year?? Bad!" to "These blonde guys are very cute!" (although I can strongly argue on both statements:))
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
The diary of 1989 - the last communist year of Romania
Guys,
as usual, "Jurnalul National" - my favourite newspaper in Romania - comes with a surprising, innovative and impressively professional concept. 20 years after the anti-communist revolution (December 22nd, 1989), the end of the 47 years communist era of Nicolae Ceausescu, they decided to write the honest, bare naked reality day-by-day from the last year of the regime.
Social climate, agriculture, oppression of religion, school system - they will all be presented as they were at that time. By the end of the year, all followers of the diary will be able to get a very clear glimpse of what life was like, understand why our parents have a certain attitude towards today's society and, why not, understand Romanians better as a nation.
I have dropped a note to the chief editor of the newspaper - to ask for an English version of everything - unfortunately they seem to be out of translating resources. So I have decided to choose the most relevant article of the week, translate it myself and post it here. For those who are interested for more, we can talk about it :)
http://www.jurnalul.ro/rubrici/28/istoria-comunismului. Enjoy!
as usual, "Jurnalul National" - my favourite newspaper in Romania - comes with a surprising, innovative and impressively professional concept. 20 years after the anti-communist revolution (December 22nd, 1989), the end of the 47 years communist era of Nicolae Ceausescu, they decided to write the honest, bare naked reality day-by-day from the last year of the regime.
Social climate, agriculture, oppression of religion, school system - they will all be presented as they were at that time. By the end of the year, all followers of the diary will be able to get a very clear glimpse of what life was like, understand why our parents have a certain attitude towards today's society and, why not, understand Romanians better as a nation.
I have dropped a note to the chief editor of the newspaper - to ask for an English version of everything - unfortunately they seem to be out of translating resources. So I have decided to choose the most relevant article of the week, translate it myself and post it here. For those who are interested for more, we can talk about it :)
http://www.jurnalul.ro/rubrici/28/istoria-comunismului. Enjoy!
Monday, January 05, 2009
Bruxelles under the snow!
Guys,
just came back from jogging and THIS is how Bruxelles looks like this morning! It was a running/skating exercise- super cool!
Anyone anxious to get out of the house?:)
Friday, January 02, 2009
Cool poster in the London tube
Guys, a simple, yet powerful message: find your balance in the smallest things in life!
Text of the poster (in case it's not readable):
"Certain was the alarm going off this morning. Not so certain was getting out of bed. Certain is the sun rising. Not so sure is that it will shine. For all life's certainties there are still plenty of uncertainties. We won't even talk about the state of the economy or whether Obama is really up for the job. But fortunately there are some things you can predict. You don't know why they happen, they just do and you can rely on them to happen day in, day out. Take this poster, for instance. Come rain or shine, you can be sure that there will be something here to read, transporting you away for three minutes while you wait for your train. Maybe once you've read it, you can even strike a conversation with the person standing next to you. Then again, maybe not. We know that now and again it's good to have a few constants in your life. One thing you can always be sure of is that this poster, or another one just like it, will be here to fill those few empty moments in your otherwise busy day."
Thursday, January 01, 2009
Happy New Year's resolution!
Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you had a great celebration and you are ready for a whole new year filled with great things coming your ways!
I stepped in 2009 on the crossroad of some random streets (Lower Merton Str. and King Henry's Str.) near Swiss Cottage, in London, UK, while looking for this famous hill that shows you a great panorama of London. We never managed to get to the famous hill in time, but were happy, instead, to spend the magic moment on a charming little road that hosted 15 crazy people for a few minutes and is, probably, hosting now all our new beginning thoughts and feelings. Amazing how life turns and pleasantly surprises you:)
For the last 4 years I have taken advantage of this new beginning to set a resolution for myself, an underlying reason for all the major steps I take throughout the year. This year, I have decided to share my resolution with the world as a sign of extra-commitment to making it happen. But first, a bit of perspective on 2008:
- I have ended my marriage in a difficult, but necessary attempt to let both of our dreams come true. Thank you so much, Marcel, for your unbelievable understanding, maturity and affection! You will always be in my heart and I hope life never keeps us apart, even if we will not share it the way we initially planned!
- I have changed my job and taken over a global function at InBev. Although on the lines of what I was previously doing, this was/is an immense opportunity/challenge and I thank everyone who has believed in me and granted me this chance!
- I have moved out of Romania, my home country and the place that hosts so many people I love. At least for the medium term, my steps have taken me to Brussels, Belgium, a beautiful city filled with hidden charm and wonderful people! I am living with Nico, a curly bundle of joy that managed to be there for me through my hardest times and is making my new life so much better. Thanks, Nico!
The red line that unites everything is my quest for my vocation, for something that I want to spend my life doing. Why am I doing this? Because I feel I have to. Because I owe it to the people that I left behind home. Because I owe it to myself. Because I know the quest makes me happy, even if it might never end, but not questing makes me miserable.
The introduction for the resolution is getting to an end. I have realized that the major changes that have taken place in 2008 have left me physically and mentally vulnerable and, therefore, unprepared to embark on the adventure of my life. In conclusion, the 2009 resolution is: "I will get myself physically and mentally ready for the adventure of my life, whatever that will turn out to be." Fluffy as it sounds, this has some very concrete effects, mentioning just the most important:
- I will expand and fully exercise my networking capacities. To be able to find out what I want to do, I have to have a better view of what is possible and that only comes from people you meet, random moments, events, conversations that click in your mind and turn into your thoughts for the future. Therefore, I will allow myself to have those random moments and, hopefully, by the end of the year, I will be much closer to defining my adventure.
- I will share my thoughts more often. This blog is the first step and you will find (much shorter) posts about all sorts of issues: social matters, politics, nature, philosophy, events, friends. I appreciate you being near me in my seemingly chaotic search and I have realized that I keep many things to myself, forcing this to be an internal, unilateral exercise and that can never bring out the best result.
- I will get physically fit. I will exercise regularly, quit smoking for good, eat healthier and visit the doctor more often. In the tsunami that 2008 has been, I have totally neglected this side of me and the effects are visible on many levels. It would be a pity to find something amazing to do and be physically incapable to pursue it, wouldn't you say?
Thank you for having the patience to read all through this, if no one else, at least I will reffer back to this post as a testimony of what I need to do. Feel free to make me aware if you consider I am not keeping true to what I have committed here.
I would really love to hear about everyone else's thoughts for the new year. I will also appreciate any help I will get from my friends in achieving mine. May we have an amazing year ahead and hope to see you soon!!!
I stepped in 2009 on the crossroad of some random streets (Lower Merton Str. and King Henry's Str.) near Swiss Cottage, in London, UK, while looking for this famous hill that shows you a great panorama of London. We never managed to get to the famous hill in time, but were happy, instead, to spend the magic moment on a charming little road that hosted 15 crazy people for a few minutes and is, probably, hosting now all our new beginning thoughts and feelings. Amazing how life turns and pleasantly surprises you:)
For the last 4 years I have taken advantage of this new beginning to set a resolution for myself, an underlying reason for all the major steps I take throughout the year. This year, I have decided to share my resolution with the world as a sign of extra-commitment to making it happen. But first, a bit of perspective on 2008:
- I have ended my marriage in a difficult, but necessary attempt to let both of our dreams come true. Thank you so much, Marcel, for your unbelievable understanding, maturity and affection! You will always be in my heart and I hope life never keeps us apart, even if we will not share it the way we initially planned!
- I have changed my job and taken over a global function at InBev. Although on the lines of what I was previously doing, this was/is an immense opportunity/challenge and I thank everyone who has believed in me and granted me this chance!
- I have moved out of Romania, my home country and the place that hosts so many people I love. At least for the medium term, my steps have taken me to Brussels, Belgium, a beautiful city filled with hidden charm and wonderful people! I am living with Nico, a curly bundle of joy that managed to be there for me through my hardest times and is making my new life so much better. Thanks, Nico!
The red line that unites everything is my quest for my vocation, for something that I want to spend my life doing. Why am I doing this? Because I feel I have to. Because I owe it to the people that I left behind home. Because I owe it to myself. Because I know the quest makes me happy, even if it might never end, but not questing makes me miserable.
The introduction for the resolution is getting to an end. I have realized that the major changes that have taken place in 2008 have left me physically and mentally vulnerable and, therefore, unprepared to embark on the adventure of my life. In conclusion, the 2009 resolution is: "I will get myself physically and mentally ready for the adventure of my life, whatever that will turn out to be." Fluffy as it sounds, this has some very concrete effects, mentioning just the most important:
- I will expand and fully exercise my networking capacities. To be able to find out what I want to do, I have to have a better view of what is possible and that only comes from people you meet, random moments, events, conversations that click in your mind and turn into your thoughts for the future. Therefore, I will allow myself to have those random moments and, hopefully, by the end of the year, I will be much closer to defining my adventure.
- I will share my thoughts more often. This blog is the first step and you will find (much shorter) posts about all sorts of issues: social matters, politics, nature, philosophy, events, friends. I appreciate you being near me in my seemingly chaotic search and I have realized that I keep many things to myself, forcing this to be an internal, unilateral exercise and that can never bring out the best result.
- I will get physically fit. I will exercise regularly, quit smoking for good, eat healthier and visit the doctor more often. In the tsunami that 2008 has been, I have totally neglected this side of me and the effects are visible on many levels. It would be a pity to find something amazing to do and be physically incapable to pursue it, wouldn't you say?
Thank you for having the patience to read all through this, if no one else, at least I will reffer back to this post as a testimony of what I need to do. Feel free to make me aware if you consider I am not keeping true to what I have committed here.
I would really love to hear about everyone else's thoughts for the new year. I will also appreciate any help I will get from my friends in achieving mine. May we have an amazing year ahead and hope to see you soon!!!
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