Our first picture from the Wedding

This is the first wedding picture that we got our "mouse" on.

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Proud to be Romanian

Although there are hundreds of reasons for not being proud of belonging to the Romanian people (and we Romanians excel in finding them), there are things that make me proud about my country and my people. Here are some of them:
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1. I am proud of being part of the seventh largest nation in Europe – Romania is the seventh largest country in Europe in terms of surface area and population.
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2. I am proud of belonging to one of the most beautiful countries in Europe – Romania has equal proportions of plains, hills and mountains; also Romania has an opening to the Black Sea and most important we have the Danube Delta which is a unique landscape in all of Europe.
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3. I am proud that we have unique architecture in the “Bucovina” region where are the old medieval orthodox monasteries that are true art wonders.
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4. I am proud that the Romanians preserved our mainly Latin language (Romanian is 60% Latin) in a geographic area dominated by slavish languages (not that there is anything bad about these languages).
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5. I am proud of the Romanian wines (the original old ones) that can’t be compared to any other wine I drank.
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6. I am proud that Romania exists, because somehow we managed to establish an independent country at the crossroads of three big empires (Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian and Russian).
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7. I am proud of the Romanian parties and our party music and the way we always find reasons to celebrate something.
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8. I am proud of the overall Romanian history. There are many things in the Romanian history that make me feel not proud or even ashamed, but overall we have to be proud that the Romanians played their role in many important historical moments.
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9. I am proud of our overall openness and friendliness towards foreigners.
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10. I am proud that Romania had a Royal dynasty that understood that the country needs resources to develop and thus, after the independence, the Romanian kings reigned with a crown made of steel instead of gold. Too bad that the leaders that followed after WW II didn’t have the same attitude.
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11. I am proud that Romanian citizens of any ethnic origin, overall, live in peace and harmony and in Romania there are 18 ethnic minorities.
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12. I am proud of the Romanian movies and movie makers. In the last years Romanian movies wan many prizes at film festivals, including the Palm d’Or for “Four months, three weeks and two days”. Also during the communist regime the Romanian director Sergiu Nicolaescu made superb movies that were blocked from going out to the west. Last year, one of his movies – Michael the Brave – was ranked the third best historical movie of all times worldwide.
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13. I am proud that even if Romania is a rather small and poor country we had top scientists and artists like Eugene Ionesco (drama writer), Constantin Brancusi (sculptor), Petrache Poenaru (the inventor of the fountain pen), Nicolae Paulescu (inventor of the insulin) George Enescu (composer and violinist), Henri Coanda (inventor of the jet engine), Mircea Eliade (philosopher, writer and the author of the first complete history of religions) and many others.
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14. I am proud that Romania gave the sports world many athletes that had a saying in sport’s history. The most known one is Nadia Comaneci that “invented” the perfect 10 in women’s gymnastics. Others are Helmut Duckadam the first goal keeper that defended four consecutives penalty kicks in a football game. His performance brought the European Champions Cup to Bucharest; Leonard Doroftei, Mihai Leu and Lucian Bute all of them world champions in professional boxing, Ștefan Kovács the Romanian football coach that wan the European Champions Cup with Ajax Amsterdam, Mircea Lucescu that wan the UEFA Cup and the Super Cup of Europe with the Ucranian team Sahtior. Also, not to forget the Romanian feminin gimnastics team that ruled the world championships and olimpics for many years and the handball team „Oltchim” that is a big power in european handball competitions. There are many others that deserve to be mentioned...
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15. Last, but not least, I am proud of the Romanian humor. We make jokes and lough at anything, even at bad things. It’s our way of dealing with things. Many people don’t understand our humor, but we love it. Imagine only that Romania has the only Happy Cemitery in the world and you will start to understand.
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Now… I ask my fellow Romanians to write on their blogs, post on their facebook accounts and on tweeter or anywhere why they are proud to be Romanians. Multumesc (Thank you).

What I have accomplished in the 28th year of my life

Today is the last day of my 28^th year. These are the last hours when I’ll ever be 27.

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Well, I can say that 27 (3 at the 3^rd power) was a good age, a year of grate change. A little before turning 27 I’ve decided to make a big change in my life – going back to school at a world class university and preparing for an academic career. At the beginning I had only a blind faith and a lot of desperation, but that actually helped. Soon after I turned 27 I took the TOEFL. It was a success (111 out of 120). Then came the GMAT… that was a lot harder than I expected, but after a lot of hard work and banging my head on the walls (literally) it was a success …

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Well after that I restarted my (small) business. It was a short revival, but still it worked for some months.

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In the same time I applied for different study programs at foreign universities. A lot of paper (or digital paper) work. Well, again it was a success considering that I got admitted at my second option program at my first option university.

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After this luck struck! I met the most wonderful woman (for me of course). To make a long story short, we moved together to The Netherlands and we have a wonderful relationship.

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After that again a lot of paperwork for my application to the “Opened Horizons” scholarship. It also was a success.

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Now I am in The Netherlands for almost a month. Things are not super glamorous, but they are all right.

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I can say that 27 was a good age for me.

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For this I also have to thank some important people. First I have to thank my parents and my close family for supporting me in this radical journey. Then I have to thank C. (my former girlfriend) for standing by me and supporting me through a very difficult period of my life (26 and half of 27). I also have to thank all of my (true) friends that in one way or the other had trust in me and helped me each in his or her own way.

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Last, but not least, I have to thank Cornelia (my girfriend) for all that she is.

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I hope that 28 will be at least as good as 27 and I wish you all to be healthy, lucky and hard working.

Numai bun pentru condus prin Bucuresti la 12 noaptea

Cel mai frumos compliment

Azi am primit cel mai frumos compliment: "cred ca am murit si am ajuns in rai"

Creativitate versus cunostinte, proceduri si algoritmi

De foarte multe ori am fost perceput ca un adversar al creativitatii. Nu am nimic impotriva creativitatii atat timp cat ea este folosita cand trebuie. Mai degraba cred ca este supralicitata creativitatea.

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Creativitatea este ridicata mult mult prea sus si spun asta nu pentru ca nu ar fi importanta, ci pentru ca ea da rezultate maxime doar dupa ce au fost acumulate cunostintele, invatate procedurile si intelesi algoritmii.

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Daca o persoana creativa, dar care nu are suficiente cunostinte sau nu cunoaste proceduri (cum se face ceva... orice), isi va folosi creativitatea pentru a crea ceva ce deja exista - proceduri. Este exact ca si cand un inventator s-ar mandri ca a descoperit apa calda.

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Pe de alta parte daca o persoana creativa are si un bogat bagaj de cunostinte, cunoaste proceduri si intelege algoritmii de functionare, isi va folosi creativitatea va produce ceva cu adevarat deosebit.

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Exista foarte multe exemple care sustin aceasta teorie: Sa luam un bun jucator de fotbal care este considerat a fi creativ: Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinio, Hagi, Zidane etc. Oricare dintre acestia a facut scoala de fotbal si a invatat cum se pune stop, cum se face un stop pe piept, cum se loveste mingea la o lovitura libera, care e tactica de joc etc. Creativitatea lor a dus la faze exceptionale pentru ca ei stiau deja cum e cu mingea de fotbal.

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Un al exemplu poate fi un acrobat de circ. Creativitatea lui in crearea numarului de acrobatie este utila doar pentru ca stie sa execute fiecare componenta a acrobatiei.

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Creativitatea unui pictor poate aparea doar daca acesta stie cum sa combine culorile, cum sa foloseasca pensulele si vopselurile etc.

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Oricat de creativa ar fi o persoana, fara o buna pregatire (cunostinte, proceduri, algoritmi), nu va putea face performanta. Creativitatea in absenta cunostintelor duce la inutilitati sau chiar la lucruri care dauneaza.

Lucruri... multe lucruri

Zilele acestea am fost pus in situatia de a imi reforma si reorganiza istoria mea din ultimii 15 ani.

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Trebuie sa eliberez fosta mea camera, doar ca nu pot muta majoritatea Lucrurilor in noul meu apartament intru-cat ma voi muta din acesta in 2-3 luni.... asa ca a trebuit (si inca mai trebuie) sa fac reforma in lucrurile pe care le am.

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Am constatat ca am enorm de multe Lucruri... foarte multe... multa mai multe decat as putea stoca in conditii normale. Plus ca sunt o multime de Lucruri care imi sunt dragi, dar perfect inutile (apropos de ce sa faci cadou....).

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In marea majoritate a cazurilor aplic un principiu pe care il am "Daca nu stii niciodata cand iti poate fi de folos, inseamna ca nu iti va fi de folos" sau, dupa cum spune Cromi, "daca nu l-ai folosit in ultimii doi ani e clar ca nu iti mai e de folos".

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Si totusi e o munca ifernala... sa stai sa gasesti Lucruri vechi (unele chiar nefolosite) si sa decizi daca le pastrezi sau nu...

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Ramane ideea: cate lucruri am putut aduna (si am mai facut reforme - nu chiar atat de drastice ca aceasta -) pana la nici 28 de ani (daca era cineva curios cati ani am)....

Efectul Piata Unirii din Timisoara

Ieri am revenit in Timisoara (orasul meu favorit din Romania)... si am ajuns aici incarcat cu ceva energii negative... dar cand am ajuns in Piata Unirii toate energiile rele au disparut si au fost inlocuite de unele pozitive. Sa numim acesta "Efectul Piata Unirii".

Felicitari Prefectura Bucuresti - se poate !

Azi mi-am schimbat permisul auto. A durat in total cam 5 ore ... adica documentat, descarcat un formular, completat formularul, ajuns la sediul unde se schimba permisele, facut proceduri, intors acasa, rezolvat alte probleme si intors pentru a ridica permisul + intors acasa.

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Totul a fost super civilizat, foarte rapid, functionari amabili (nu m-au luat in brate, dar chiar nu am nimic de reprosat), curatenie, timp scurt, putine acte cerute si Birou CEC pt a plati taxele fara sa mai mergi pana la primul CEC de la 5 statii distanta.

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Prin iarna mi-am schimbat pasaportul. Acolo a durat putin mai mult (10 zile) pt ca mi-am facut pasaport electronic aka biometric (si inca nu am avut probleme cu necuratul). Totusi din nou, civilizat, functionari amabili, putine acte, CEC la 10 minute de mers pe jos (e o agentie in piata Amzei) si un termen rezonabil de eliberare - 10 - 14 zile.

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Constat aceste schimbari si de cand aceste servicii au fost preluate de Prefectura Bucuresti. Am aflat ca au fost preluate pentru ca acum apar pe site-ul prefecturabucuresti.ro (care e destul de user friendly).

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N-as vrea sa laud normalitatea, dar in Romania normalitatea este exceptia. Felicitari pentru niste servicii ultra OK.

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PS. Pentru prima data am simtit ca taxele platite (pt pasaport si permis) nu au fost degeaba...

Surprize Placute

Cred cu tarie in puterea modelelor (tiparelor) sociale si comportamentale. Marea majoritate a tot ceea ce ne inconjoara (din punct de vedere social) se incadreaza in anumite tipare comportamentale.

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Uneori, de extrem de putine ori, aceste modele socio-comportamentale nu se respecta. Situatiile de exceptie duc fie la lucruri odioase, fie la lucruri extrem de frumoase.

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Personal am o experienta recenta cu nerespectarea tiparelor socio-comportamentale... si e al naibii de fain :) !!!

Noul tic verbal national...

Am remarcat aparitia unui nou tic verbal ultra raspandit - "Ceva de genul..." sau "de genu' " (varianta scurta).

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De asemenea remacr o scadere in ticul verbal "Ma'ntelegi?" si in "deci"

O duminica minunata

Dupa cateva zile care au avut dificultatile lor, am avut parte de o duminica minunata. De mult nu am mai avut asa o zi frumoasa...

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Multumesc (se stie cui)!

Pe cine poti suna la 12 noaptea ?

Acum mi-am dat seama ca din toata agenda mea sunt extrem de putine persoane pe care le pot suna la 12 noaptea pt a primi la greu o vorba buna.

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La tine cati sunt?

Schimbari radicale

Cel mai probabil sunt unul dintre cei care face rar schimbari. Probabil pentru ca odata ce am gasit ceva ce imi place vreau sa primesc acea placere in continuare. Totusi, chiar daca placerea nu a disparut, mi se intampla sa fac schimbari... si nu orice fel de schimbari. Unele schimbari radicale.

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Nu am sa fac acum istoricul schimbarilor din radacini pe care le-am facut in ultimii 10 ani. Tot ce pot spune este ca ele au fost cele mai inspirate lucruri pe care le-am facut vreodata.

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Urmeaza o noua schimbare. Una mare (sper).

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Inca o data voi lasa totul si o voi lua pe un alt drum... Habar nu am unde duce acest drum, dar nu am stiut unde duc drumurile pe care mai demult am decis sa le urmez in defavoarea celor pe care eram. Si nu am de ce sa ma plang pentru deciziile luate.

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Asta cumva imi aduce aminte de aborigenii australieni care dau (dadeau) foc deliberat la paduri o data la cativa ani. Pare absurd, dar nu este. Semintele celor mai multe plante din acele paduri au un invelis protector care nu rezista la foc, dar rezista la multi alti factori si practic in absenta focului semintele nu germineaza.

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Cumva aceste schimbari radicale inseamna o regenerare...

Dilema autobuzului

Sunt un bun consumator de transport in comun si spre deosebire de multi pe care ii cunosc prefer transportul in comun mersului cu masina prin Bucuresti.

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In multele mele drumuri cu autobuzul (mai ales linia 300) am intalnit obsesiv de des situatii in care calatori (mai ales cei care au urcat la ultima statie sau cei care coboara la urmatoarea) incep sa se miste prin masina si mai ales sa se ridice de pe scaune fix cand autobuzul face un viraj. Este fascinant cum atat de multi oameni de toate varstele nu intuiesc o lege banala a fizicii - inertia.

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E posibil sa fie foarte foarte multi masochisti care vor sa isi intinda sau rupa incheieturile sau pur si simplu le place sa se imbulzeasca unii in altii cand chiar nu e cazul.

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Eu la fizica am fost un elev prost si cu greu evitam corijentele, dar macar am invatat sa evit aceasta problema in mersul cu autobuzul. :)

Back in Business

Spuneam in postul precedent ca februarie a fost mai bun decat mai asteptam. Ei bine, pe langa multele activitati derulate si cei cativa banutzi castigati am mai inregistrat doua noi succese.

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In primul rand simt ca am revenit la forma "de alta data" ca trainer... mi-am reintrat in mana si functionez la 90-110% din capacitate. E foarte fain sa simti ca ai toate puterile inapoi.

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In al doilea rand, dar nu mai putin important, este ca am descoperit o traineritza de exceptie: Ioana Mucenic. Ea nu e trainer de meserie, dar tine traininguri la PICANT. Astazi mi-a depasit cu mult asteptarile. A fost exceptionala si cumva imi pare rau ca nu a avut mai mult de o zi la dispozitie pentru a livra ceea ce si-a propus.

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Multumesc si Dianei Catana pt un "joculetz" de training pe care m-a invatat si pe care l-am folosit astazi pentru a creste energia din sala. A functionat foarte bine.

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So... Back in business... let's hope there will be more business.

Un Februarie Prolific

Da... Februarie 2010 este o luna prolifica... 5 traininguri in cele 4 saptamani ale acestei luni.

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Ramane de vazut cum va fi Martie, care momentan mai are de confirmat.

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Oricum un inceput de an bun.

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Revin cand voi avea mai mult timp de blogerit.

Teoria Hartiei

Faci hartii ca sa obtii hartii, pentru a depune hartii, pentru a primi alte hartii... iar la final rezultatul este o hartie.

e-Plugusor

Anul care vine sa aduca tuturor:

- Intelepciune,

- Sanatate,

- Putere de munca,

- Bucurii,

- Realizari,

- Succese,

- Noi orizonturi,

- Calatorii pe noi drumuri,

- Daruri,

- Darnicie,

- Liniste si

- AMBITIE!

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Va multumesc tuturor pentru anul 2009 si fie ca 2010 sa fie mai bun!

Banc cu traineri

Am auzit acest banc de la Diana Catana. Ea spune ca e unul dintre cele doua bancuri cu traineri. Iata-l:

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Un trainer foarte suparat si deprimat se dadea cu capul de flipchart si in acelasi timp se lovea cu markerul in cap. In tot acest timp repeta disperat "Nu inteleg! Nu Inteleg! Nu inteleg!". Un alt trainer trece prin preajma si il intreaba pe primul:

- Ce s-a intamplat?

- Nu inteleg! Nu inteleg! Nu inteleg!

- Stai linistit! Iti explic eu.

- Nu! Sa explic pot si eu, dar NU INTELEG!!!