Everything in moderation, even the moderation

Mem, the mad sufi

Some thoughts:
- everything in moderation, even the moderation
- people are not that greedy, but they always want something more, something different

The art of being yourself

[The art of being yourself, Caroline McHugh]

...individuals who have managed to figure out the unique gift the universe gave them when they incarnated. And then put that to the service of their goals [...]
And it doesn't dictate your choice of job. What it dictates is how you do it.

Si Dieu existe

Je vais continuer de répéter que je suis incroyant et je vais continuer de prier trois fois par jour.

Finalement, oui, si Dieu existe, il habite dans une parole bienveillante.

Beaucoup de filles m'ont dit des mots superbes depuis des mois, Sandrina la première, je ne peux pas les raconter, ça ne se fait pas. J'attends l'amour. J'attends de vivre. Je ne veux pas trop prendre une balle dans la tête. Aujourd'hui, a la capoeira une fille arabe m'a dit la plus belle phrase du monde : "Attends, je vais t'aider." Je l'ai regardée. Je n'ai rien compris, je suis le plus nul de tout le cours, je débute. J'adore débuter. J'adore être nul. J'aime tant qu'on m'aide.

Je veux réveiller Kahena et qu'on crée une autre guerre sainte. Dont le mot d'ordre serait : "Attends, je vais t'aider."

Je te promets. A la fin, c'est l'amour qui gagne.

[Les carnets de Joann Sfar - Si Dieu existe]

life simple

“Many years ago I had a martial arts master from Korea. It was just like in the movies—he’d make me do crazy things like carry buckets of water up flights of stairs. He was very unaccepting of apathy. I was young at the time, so when he’d asked me a question, I’d often answer by shrugging, or saying ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I guess.’ Then one day, he told me: ‘You never give me straight answer. Your life is too complicate. I make simple for you. Do you want to be weak or strong?’
I said, ‘Strong.’
‘Do you want to be slow or fast?’
‘Fast.’
‘Do you want to be smart or stupid?’
‘Smart.’
‘Do you want to be alive or dead?’
‘Alive.’
‘You shrug one more time, you’ll want to be dead.’”

[from here]

Batrani

Romania imbatraneste, aici.

Acesti oameni, un fel de extraterestri, din afara timpului nostru, impartind doar spatiul cu noi... Invatam matematica, fizica, istorie, literatura si toate celelalte. Dar nimeni nu ne invata cum sa cream legaturi intre noi, cum sa empatizam, sa oferim compasiune, sa interactionam, sa (ne) facem bine. Suntem singuri, fiecare in bula lui si nu stim sa ne atingem. Singuri si straini, noi cu totii, indiferent de varsta.

The modern sense of comfort

Notions like taste and practical chic are way too complex to sell today, when much of the world’s population is consumed with either acquisition or basic survival. For that reason it’s tough to talk about comfort and a moral economy of style without sounding grim or like one is trying to promote a car with three wheels (hey, but it drives!). On the other hand, this idea is not so far from something Coco Chanel offered when she arrived in New York, in March 1931. Asked by a reporter to define the fashionable woman, Chanel said, “She dresses well but not remarkably. . . . She disobeys fashion.” Then, perhaps thinking of her rival Elsa Schiaparelli, Chanel added, “But she is not eccentric. I hate eccentricity.” So she was extolling understatement and ease, yes, but also suggesting these choices reflected virtues like self-control and seriousness.

[Sign of the Times | Slave No More, by Cathy Horyn, New York Times]

Still do, no matter how... darkest, lightest...

Glory in the flower

I do

"We are what we repeatedly do.
Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit."
[Aristotle]

In life, we are defined by what we do.

cu picioarele pe pamant.

O serie de sfaturi din categoria "cu picioarele pe pamant" care, desi se vor a viza casnicia, se extind atat de mult peste granita ei (in afara poate de punctele 7 si 8 :-) ). Vorbesc de prietenii, familie, si in general orice fel de relatii sociale la care tii cu adevarat...

"All the crap you read in magazines about honesty, sense of humor, communication, sensitivity, date nights, couples weekends, blah blah blah can be trumped by one word: loyalty."

[The Huffington Post - 15 Ways to Stay Married for 15 Years]

Sunt tristă, dar de tine niciodată...

[Leac pentru îngeri, Constanţa Buzea]

Nothing good gets away

Back in 1958, ❤ John Steinbeck ❤, got a letter from his son Thom, in which he was confessing having fallen in love with a girl, Susan. Steinbeck replied the same day, writing him a wise and wonderful letter...

No style innovation, but personal style search

Piata de bunuri de consum (retail) a explodat o data cu accesul tuturor la orice (thx internet!) si cu ascensiunea Chinei ("Made in China"). Si ca orice industrie capitalista de anvergura mare, si aceasta cauta stabilitate si previzibilitate. Deci, e in interesul lor economic sa pastreze totul asa cum este si sa evite inovatia.
Sau, avem cu totii o reactie colectiva inconstienta la schimbarile continue si profunde pe care le traim pe plan technologic, geopolitic si economic. Si avem cu totii acces la tot (again, thx internet!), atat trecut cat si prezent, si mai mult, instant. Si luand in considerare capacitatea nostra limitata (probabil) de a inghiti "noul", evitam schimbarea - again!
=> no style innovation

In schimb toata lumea se chinuie sa fie chic, stylish, authentic and cool, dar nu neaparat different, ci poate doar la suprafata. Aparent cam asta e singurul personal statement de care suntem in stare, intr-o lume care nu clipeste.
=> personal style search
[Vanity Fair - You say you want a devolution?]

In plus fata de toate astea, minimalismul incepe sa apara din ce in ce mai mult, sub diverse forme: in felul de a se imbraca al oamenilor (cu stilul clasic nu a gresit nimeni niciodata), in mancare (bio, veggi), in decoratiuni interioare (nuante pure: alb, gri, transparente si materiale de baza: lemn, sticla, metal), in lumea interioara a oamenilor (yoga, meditatia, zen, intoarcerea la valori morale clasice - in fine, asta chiar nu ar trebui generalizat :-) ), in modul de organizare a timpului.
Iar asta... mi-o explic ca o reactie adversa la prea multa informatie, prea mult "Made in China", prea mult orice.

Cum tot spun de demult, fara sa ma fi gandit vreodata de ce, dar poate ca nici nu conteaza...

Just simple things!

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication

[Leonardo da Vinci]

Take a smile

It's for free and given with love...

Here you are! :-)

Buna! Ce faci?

Magic Button

(to be used wisely)

Summer, come come!

Dreams of summer...

Candy flowers

Floricele si Chupa-Chups

...for a 8 in 8 Celebration :)

On the road

I'm hitting the road tonight.
With the wind in my hair. And my worries in the freezer.
And my thoughts of far, far away... you, my darling!