Are you crazy?

I work in PR&advertising&communication. This is why people tend to think there are some (limited) ways I should behave: dress serioussly, talk corporate-like, know VIPs and be able to slip in anything in newspapers. Wrong, people!!! I love jeans and trainers, coloured dresses and stockings, artsy and unconventional apparels (involving or not the high heels), baroque chats about anything that's interesting, I KNOW MANY WORDS AND LOVE TO USE AS MANY, I don't call famous people unless it's really relevant for the communication project I'm working on (and also only if the project is relevant to the vip in question) and I don't do "little PR" nor "free advertising". Communication and PR is not only about media relations and, yes, PR has a lot to do with strategy and planning!!!! d'oh! I still believe in the advantages of being different as opposed to moving in heards. I believe in questioning more than in fallowing. And I think that taking chances, putiing yourself out-there and busting your ass to be the best at what you do or the first to do something is better than staying on the safe side and fallowing others' rules. So, when a fellow PR practitioner asks me "are you crazy?" I say "ma'am, I sure hope so!" Hurray for the crazy, restless inds!

Back in business!

1. long time no see! that's because we're living busy times and sometimes your own personal, intimate thoughts get lost in the clutter of what you should be thinking, resolving, organizing and implementing!We become multi-tasking only to find ourselves less and less free to think about ourselves!
2. It's autumn. although unexpectedly warmth is coming after equally unexpected cold weather. Summer's been long but fuzzy. I recently re-postponed my trip to Rome for reasons that shouldn't be even remembered. frustrating it is! So long, generous long days. Hello falling leaves, autumn dust, day-long traffic jams, polution triggered astma, cold feet, running nose (or no nose), loads of work, back to school, teachers carring flowers on the school opening day ( I meant to write about this earlier this month), students queuing to pay for tuition or for a room in the dorm, fresh wine and lamb pastrami, higher rents for poorer and poorer lodging conditions in over-saturated Bucharest.
3. I hate flat-owners in Bucharest! I hate those who ask you if you want to prolongue the contract and ask you to sign the papers "urgently" but omit to inform you that they decided to raise the rent twice as much as you have recently negociated. I hate that they have "zillions of better offers for this apartment" and that they consider that "this raise is nothing compared to what it could be"!!!! I hate the owners who have three shabby apartments and get away with living a good life merely on letting people live in those three flats. I hate it that we are so many in Bucharest and so desperate to pay as much as it takes for merely poisoning and imprisoning ourselves. I hate that we're not leaving for a greener, merrier place leaving Bucharest flat owners alone in their grey, small, 500 Euro/month "mobilat clasic" or 800 Euro/month "mobilat lux" apartments. The rents have exploded. The living conditions offered worsen. The offer-demand law of capitalism got things a bit ilogic. At the end of the day, one (who has been a longterm, quiet, I-need-an-apartment-where-I-can deposit-my-things-and-sleep-5/6 hours-per-night type of tennant) has to pay a 40% higher rent benefiting from 0 investments made in the apartment he's trying to hang on too. I'm from outside of Bucharest, studying and/or working in Bucharest for the last 6 years. I changed my "home" 5 times in the meantime and I'm currently screaming for a place of my own.

Tori the mighty dog

This is the dog and at the same time the reason I haven't really had any spare time for getting thoughts together, not to mention for blogging. Tori is a Labrador. Versatile and playful. And she never gets exhausted. Tori chews, as all little puppies do. And she grows. Quite beautifully. This is a recent picture. But it doesn't say shit about what it's like to have a dog like that.

truly true

Budăi beer as "true" for some Moldavians (in RO) as Budweiser for the guys who said Whazzeeaaap!

this is my church

take a look (but more over take a moment to think about it) at Kessels Kramer's headquarters. An advertising agency having a church for their office building. How about Creatives in the Chancel?

Happy birthday Tori

she is 44 and fabulous today. Today's soundtrack: Bouncing Off Clouds - American Doll Posse. Enjoy!

Toma Coconea si romanii

Ziceam in multe imprejurari ca nu ne meritam oamenii mari. Ca nu meritam sa avem alte modele decat Becali si Mutu. Aveam de fiecare dreptate, oricat de ingaduitoare as vrea sa fiu cu natia asta, ale carei randuri le ingros. Ieri, Toma Coconea i-a invitat pe jurnalistii romani sa-l cunoasca si mai ales sa-i afle isprava de la RedBull X-Alps. Jurnalistii de sport din mareata noastra capitala n-au onorat invitatia. S-au dus in schimb sa asculte ce avea de spus (a cata oara?!) Becali la intoarcerea in tara a fotbalistilor de la Steaua. Nimic gresit in interesul oamenilor de sport pentru fotbal - un sport de departe rege atat la noi cat si aiurea. Foarte trist este insa faptul ca pentru atleti exemplari precum Toma Coconea nu se gasesc manuitori de condeie in redactiile ziarelor de sport. Noroc cu mai sufletistii jurnalisti din provincie. Si mai sunt si sportmag si bolggerii.
Aseara l-am cunoscut pe Toma Coconea si m-a uimit inca o data prin modestie, bun simt si cumpatare. Am vorbit despre zbor, despre munte, despre oamenii care le indragesc pe amandoua, despre X-Alps, despre oamenii care l-au sustinut (zambeste cand afla ca exista bloggeri care l-au urmarit indeaproape si care au scris despre el) despre Hoffer, Martin, Urs (parapantistii din tara ceasurilor si a neutralitatii) si Aidan (britanicul caruia Toma i-a dat bateriile lui de GPS fara de care Aidan ar fi fost descalificat). Vorbeste simplu despre o reusita care noua ni se pare de domeniul SF-ului. 1000 km hiking prin Alpi, 300 km in zbor cu parapanta - totul in doar 14 zile. E realist si perfectionist. Viseaza si crede. E bucuros de rezultat dar mai ales de faptul ca a reusit sa se autodepaseasca. Ceea ce va face si la urmatorul RedBull X-Alps: "o sa fiu si mai antrenat, si mai puternic - fizic si mental. o sa ma antrenez mai mult in Alpi, o sa gresesc mai putin, o sa vreau si mai mult" E slabit dupa cursa dar e extrem de tonic: "ma refac repede!" Lucrurile care-l tin sunt prietenii si o vorba pe care o spune cu naduf: "Nu exista nu se poate!" Asa le-a spus si organizatorilor X-Alps si oamenilor (francezi, elevetieni, italieni) care il insoteau pe traseu sa-l sustina. Nu credea nimeni ca dupa o zi intreaga de mers va mai putea zbura. Dar Tomi a zburat si a intrat in plutonul conducator. Mai multe despre experienta lui cu Alpii aici. Bravo sis!
Pe Toma il gasiti de astazi in Parang cu parapanta, in elementul lui. E trist pentru ca oamenii de la noi din tara nu inteleg sportul pe care el il iubeste. Si-ar dori ca mai multi romani sa afle cat de minunat poate fi zborul cu parapanta si cum "stirile de la ora 5" care povestesc doar despre accidente (stupide si in genere cauzate de oameni neprofesionisti, nepregatiti) construiesc o impresie gresita despre acest sport. Am indraznit sa-l sfatuiesc sa vorbeasca, sa-si povesteasca pe larg experienta din Alpi, sperand ca asa mai multi romani se vor molipsi de exemplul lui. Cred ca avem nevoie de asemenea exemple ca sa indraznim sa visam si (mai ales) sa luptam mai mult. Inca o data, multumesc Tomitza!
PS: postul asta e in romana pentru ca e scris pentru romani. Strainii il stiu bine pe toma si-l apreciaza.

Toma Coconea is the RedBull X-Alps Man

for his never-say-die spirit reads the competition's site. Toma Coconea, the Romanian stamina king (as described by a French journalist), came in second, but proved that persistence can get you there. Something Romanians should take after more often. Congrats Toma! Congrats Alex! Thanks for the great lesson!

Bune si rele

Ieri a murit Motu. vocea de la Teleenciclopedia. cu care am crescut. pentru care prindeam mai usor documentarele despre animale. de la care am invatat cum trebuie sa sune o voce profesionista. pe care-l imitau amicii mei baieti strigand "sunt tanar, doamna!" S-a dus. S-a dus inca un reper, inca o figura care ma incuraja sa cred ca lumea e la fel ca atunci cand eram copil si urcam in fuga scarile blocului sa ascult Teleenciclopedia.

astazi insa, un tanar despre care am mai vorbit, Toma Coconea, a incheiat al doilea o cursa incredibila in Alpi. implinind un vis si arborand un zambet dupa doua saptamani de incrancenare. ma bucur ca la Monaco l-au asteptat prietenii lui si ca acum sarbatoresc o mare victorie. si ca pe lista lui de discutii pe site-ul competitiei s-au adunat sa-l sustina foarte multi romani inimosi.
am stat toata ziua intre doua emotii grele.life's full.

today's soundtrack

Jamie Lidell. Great performer. Seen him in Bucharest, last winter. He made a freezing-cold evening get really warm and magnetized Studio Martin, the performance venue. Here's Multiply, a track that I love and used recently to match up my thoughts.

Filminute

Filminute (besides a great name) is the international one-minute film festival. I love the idea, I hope I can make it and write a one-minute-film script, and then shoot, and then submit ..and finally finish something I start.
Last year, Anton's film won. Anton (Grooves) is a Brit that lives and works in Romania. And you can see his film, the Line ,on the festival's official site. Just enter the screening room.
This one-minute-film concept reminds me a lot about how you have to deliver an info and persuade in only 30 second of a TV commercial. Anton has also directed and filmed commercials in Romania. In costly advertising, less is best. Reduction. Common sense simplicity. Make every moment count.But don't make the logo bigger. Just this time.

We could stop global warming ...

Wired features a great article about how we could hack the atmosphere, engineer the climate changes ... as long as we're in it longterm! So impossible for the far-from-sigle-minded human nature.

Because we're young

Sometimes I think about how the possibilites one could envisage don't really grow into opportunities. And they say we're young and that there's time. I wonder.

Been listenin' to Suede's So young

Science of sleep and my friends

It's damn hot. Got some writing to work at and can't get passed the title (which has already been set, now how great is that?!)Instead I escape to random thoughts and memories, amongst which there's this flashback, from Gondry's "Science of sleep", a lovely surrealist film I managed to see in a rather empty baloon-cinema at TIFF in Sibiu. Stephan (the main character) said at some point "I worked hard allday ... in my dreams". (Of course, it sounds so much better en francais!)Stephan has this great ability of getting, or better still, staying in touch with his deepest dreams. Stephanie, the girl next door, makes things with her hands. Beautiful things. She reminds me of Oana and Cristina, two of my friends who make beautiful things with their hands.
Here's some footage from the film, just to rememorize and get in the mood...of having dreams.

and there was Tori Amos (2)

a very good video and a great example of how she communicated with the audience in Bucharest. Loved it.

And there was Tori Amos

Tori Amos, simply amazing at the Friday concert, more than a simple, feeble video could say.

she breaks indeed, the siren

Clyde

one of the five Tori American Doll Posse Tour stage personna

Waiting to get toridazzled

Tori Amos is going to perform tomorrow (actually, today as it's way past midnight now and I can't seem to get myself in bed)in Bucharest. I,ve been so busy that it's only now that I got the butterflies and started to anticipate. By looking at the gigs so far, I get shivers up my spine and I'm fervently searching for more videos on you tube, playing my tori playlist and keep on guessing on the songs we're going to hear so soon. I'm a little bit numb ... I'm basically sleep-searching&posting.

Earlier this evening I came back from work and rushed to my playlist and saw a most liquid sky with the liquid dimonds as soundtrack. Who know just how many moments I'll have at the concert. I just realised how much I've waited for this performer to come, I somehow still don't believe I'm gonna see and listen to Tori Amos live in a few hours. Any experience, I will share. Hope I can get a little footage too :)Stay around.
Me's going to sleep with butterflies.... Nighty-night!
May'be I'll dream on what she will be. See below how cruel Santa can get.

Storm

Bucharest is being devastated by a not-ever-seen-before-here storm. It's been lasting for over 40 minutes. Furious wind turned into dust (of which there's plenty)and waste tornado making it hard to see one's feet while walking. I have never seen such a swirl of dust and garbage and such violent sweeping. It's dark like hell and even huge, new buildings don't seem safe. Open windows to houses of people that work or stay out until late at night are dangerous and keep bumping violently into walls. It's a creepy sound of harsh wind blowing through every little breach. Sirens are blowing everywhere. Thunders come repeteadly and loud. Trees have fallen over cars, even trains, all of these derailed, streets are full with water that still falls violently. Bucharest has the most terrible sewage system so now it looks like a most unfortunate Venice. A bombed, end-of-world underwater city. And I was just about to write about the extreme heat we experienced today. And about the horrible smell that dwells upon this city. Coming back from a short but very meaningful trip to Paris and London, I could not overlook the way this dirty European capital stinks. Pavements are staineed and sticky from God-knows what. Liquid garbage, plants and fruits fallen and forgotten on the sidewalks entered in decay, people - poor and uncivilized...all is being ruthlessly boiled by the steamy heat giving off the most unbearable scent. That of a rotten city ...with ugly dirty people forgetting to wash, and forgotten waste gladly taking their best revenge - rotting, fermenting at the unbearable 40something degrees, expanding through gas, poisoning the air, making people notice.

All this city seems to dangerously indulge in dumb oblivion, walking robotically through the maddening heat, giving off their worst scents. This is terribly unbearable, especially after seeing and being surrounded by all those beautiful people, coquette orcool , having red wine at lunch and goodloughs and times after work, drinking loudly in their office suits (well, actually there's a longer story here...)but most of all, talking to each other, connecting, socializing, enjoying life and respecting themselves. The clean streets, the crowded but yet not smelly underground, the well groomed buildings, the so well mentained beauty.

Tonight, news say a man died from a fallen tree&fallen wall. The storm has made victims, apart from that train that derailed and the so many cars that were destroied.

The water is still falling violently on the ground, so persistently, so loud, so furious, as if to sweep away all the dirt of this city. And if it works, there could also be less people. after the rain.

feelin' like writing

i seem to have this vivid attention towards little stuff that goes by. and an almost maddning interest in details, gestures... stuff with little importance..in the great scheme of things. Like the smoke swirl in that mid 40s sad guy, or the slow, descriptive way the gipsy florist's girl wond her black curly hair in a bun, letting her rich hips show in the tight pair of jeans, or the joy on the little gipsy boy's face while looking at his sister being carried in a carriege by his father - the beauty of that smile upon that grey, dirty poor assembly of faces ... all this while the yellow cab passed by. with me in it.