Love is all around

From AI Reunion

2008-07-17T22:34:00.005+03:00

An open question addressed to the participants of the meeting in Brussels in June: what is the single most important trend in the world today that leaders in every sector need to pay attention to? I liked the answers from Jeremyn Brooks, beautifully displayed on the wall by our facilitators:
1. Climate change
2. Energy crisis
3. Poverty gap
4. Return to nationalism
5. Crisis in democracy
6. Financial crisis

And others triggered from this one: how can we actually manage to solve the current environmental crisis (pressure on natural resources, climate change) and in the same time solve the poverty gap, cover the social needs and the consequent equity issue? Are actually our human endless needs the key to this dilemma...?

'Forced' reflections

2008-07-13T22:25:00.006+03:00

Going recently through a medical intervention I had some moments of reflection... I was thinking how fragile are we, human beings... We think we can achieve many things, we aim high, striving to accomplish these goals and suddenly we realise how life can stop us. And then the next day one simple thing you were taking for granted is not possible anymore... Being aware of these personal limits gives a feeling of weakness, but also, strangely, one of peace, in taking things step by step.

It was not a pleasant process for sure, but I should be grateful for this pause. Because time goes slower you actually notice and appreciate differently simple daily moments or gestures. This reminded me of the time spent in the Buddhist center at the Zen River, when you slow down and are able to focus on small, simple things and actions that can form a beautiful life. Buddhism has many invitations to reflect on the impermanence of life, but often this can remain at an intellectual level.

I don't have the ability to express the pain that exist in this hospital. And still many people have the courage to smile, to hope that the disease will be defeated, to support each-other and to ask from their heart 'How are you?'...Maybe in difficult moments people are more open to stick with each-other... People were asking themselves where are all these diseases coming from? And tried to find their own answers... I was thinking at the pollution surrounding us, at the stressed lives we have and maybe at the connection with our heart, that can become ill also, when we are angry, selfish and indifferent about others.

Pe Arges in gios...

2008-05-12T23:23:00.016+03:00

Some pictures from my process of (re)discovering Romania, with its beauty, lights and shadows:

the freshness of its landscape

the old beautiful monasteries (some built in the rock of the mountains)

and also, unfortunately, our carelessness

Another year...wiser? more capable to love?

2008-01-15T22:41:00.000+02:00

Once a year we like to bring all people dear to us a bit closer...to cherish a moment of joy with them and feel again the fact that time passes over all of us...hoping we became a bit wiser and more capable to love...

Friday party in El Grande Comandante was 'most beautiful' as someone would say, together with dear friends...new and old ones...

We should take time to do this more often...every day we should remember that our existence is limited (at least in its current form)... By bringing death in our reflections, the way the Zen Buddhism encourages us to do, we might be able to live our lives more insightfully...

Like a beautiful, sensual, amazing dance that we don't know when, how or why it ends...

Adopt a tree...

2007-12-26T21:49:00.000+02:00

How beautiful is to invest in planting a tree at Christmas versus buying a cut one to only throw it away after couple of days?! Maybe you want to joing the campaign Adopt a tree of Viitor Plus... www.viitorplus.ro/adoptauncopac

Climate change and poverty

2007-12-05T21:34:00.000+02:00

From the Human Development Report 2007-2008
http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2007-2008/

"Climate change is the defining human development challenge of the 21st Century. Failure to respond to that challenge will stall and then reverse international efforts to reduce poverty. The poorest countries and most vulnerable citizens will suffer the earliest and most damaging setbacks, even though they have contributed least to the problem. Looking to the future, no country—however wealthy or powerful—will be immune to the impact of global warming.

The Human Development Report 2007/2008 shows that climate change is not just a future scenario. Increased exposure to droughts, floods and storms is already destroying opportunity and reinforcing inequality. Meanwhile, there is now overwhelming scientific evidence that the world is moving towards the point at which irreversible ecological catastrophe becomes unavoidable. Business-as-usual climate change points in a clear direction: unprecedented reversal in human development in our lifetime, and acute risks for our children and their grandchildren.

There is a window of opportunity for avoiding the most damaging climate change impacts, but that window is closing: the world has less than a decade to change course. Actions taken—or not taken—in the years ahead will have a profound bearing on the future course of human development. The world lacks neither the financial resources nor the technological capabilities to act. What is missing is a sense of urgency, human solidarity and collective interest.

As the Human Development Report 2007/2008 argues, climate change poses challenges at many levels. In a divided but ecologically interdependent world, it challenges all people to reflect upon how we manage the environment of the one thing that we share in common: planet Earth. It challenges us to reflect on social justice and human rights across countries and generations. It challenges political leaders and people in rich nations to acknowledge their historic responsibility for the problem, and to initiate deep and early cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Above all, it challenges the entire human community to undertake prompt and strong collective action based on shared values and a shared vision."

Climate change: risk for non-action

2007-12-02T14:48:00.000+02:00

Inspiration

2007-11-26T23:48:00.000+02:00

If you haven't had the chance to listen some TED speeches so far, it is more than worthed to...http://www.ted.com/index.php/

Recently I found out about their initiative TED Prize: through which they award three winners per year for their achievements and how they inspired others to make a difference...beyond this, the unique aspect is the prize: the winners are granted with a wish - as big and ambitious it can be; and afterwards TED community is encouraged to give support in order to make it real... found the whole idea really inspiring...

Searching for ways to make a positive contribution?

2007-11-25T23:07:00.000+02:00

I guess most of us think from time to time about doing more for the ones around, especially for the ones less fortunate...maybe in hope for a better society around (a utopia, some may say), or maybe in a conscious desire to satisfy a superior need: the one to contribute and to help.

But also often we find ourselves trapped in excuses for not following this thought to the end and make it real... making a little bit extra than our job requires us to: not enough time, not having a framework at hand, not knowing where to start or what to focus on, planning to do it tomorrow, and so on.

Having these challenges or patterns in mind, as I experienced them myself, I would like to express my sincere admiration for a group of people that managed to take forward an idea and make it happen...I'm talking about the FOR Children initiative (www.iforchildren.org) that encourages individuals and organizations to support projects in Romania dedicated to children with different needs.

They already managed to get their first in-kind donation - several computers for partner organizations in Romania; it seems that these will reach Romania before Christmas! They also have 20 people signed in to become an Ambassador, by encouraging other to make a difference...

As I personally cannot involve anymore directly in the management of this initiative by moving to Romania, I decided at least to support it by being an Ambassador myself and I guess writing about it is another way to recommend it to you:)

Maybe we all have to learn that sometimes bringing a positive contribution is actually easier than we thought...

Some updates and very interesting reading

2007-10-21T18:09:00.000+03:00

I have already three weeks in Bucharest and it feels like three days...I am still accommodating with the new job, the new responsibilities and work environment. Already started with several presentations in the country on the topic of sustainable development, some seminars and conferences, planning and continuing different initiatives...quite exciting altogether!

Trying to accommodate with the city, searching for a place to stay...have one now:):) and trying to connect with old/ new friends. Slowly I am getting there and going over that period of 'how nice it was in Amsterdam...' and keep it in my heart as a beautiful memory, but move on - in this new present.

I am trying to allocate time to continuously read on sustainability on different perspectives to keep myself up to date; in this context I have just read a very interesting study about sustainable consumption "I will if you will" and I recommend it; some very nice insights about the role of different actors to make a difference (companies, government and individuals), also about the barriers and solutions for change in individual behavior and some long term challenges in connection with consumption and sustainable development.
http://www.sd-commission.org.uk/publications/downloads/I_Will_If_You_Will.pdf

Embrancing change in my life

2007-09-18T00:24:00.000+03:00

I always thought I will sometimes go back to Romania, but I did not see this change coming..or let's say it came earlier than I thought... But I am very happy and looking forward to go back in less than two weeks to Bucharest and work there in the area of sustainable development!!! As a good friend pointed out: 'triple bottom line' - Romania, a good job on sustainability and increased happiness:):)

I know it will not be easy to work in this area taking into account how much more we need to learn in the Romanian society about concepts related with SD, but that's all the beauty of it...to be a part of the effort and to do it at home. I know this 'home' can be challenged nowadays, where you can make your home anywhere - but at the end it is a personal choice for each of us. And I believe the location is less important - compared with the purpose...

And talking about home - I have a weird feeling about leaving Netherlands again - mostly thinking at the team I worked with and the friends I made in the last eight months...I guess when you're going through not easy times you develop these strong connections...But still I have few more days to enjoy Amsterdam and be with them...

And somehow good friends stay with you no matter where you are and how far you go, but sometimes you just realise you left too much time to get in between...At the wedding of Cristina and Dragos I had such a good time in being with good old friends: Ioana, Lavi, Pixi, Cornelia, Pode, Adriana...

Time for questions...

2007-08-07T00:28:00.000+03:00

Many things are happening lately around here in Amsterdam...
On Thursday a mini AI re-union took place, as the AI 06-07 has just finished their term... Brodie, Petroula, Laura, Petr, Arthur and myself, we got together around a good Belgian beer (actually it was much more than one;)) and had a good chat like in the good times:):) A moment to close a chapter and to look forward for next steps...Hope many more chances to connect like this are to come!

On Friday I had a Team Day with my current team from work... just realised one more time how lucky I am to have the chance to work with such amazing people... It was intense to learn about each-other, to understand how we can work better together and what is our legacy for this year. Mazzy was a star to help us pull this thing together!
Plus loads of fun during the beautiful trip with the boat on the canals in the fields somewhere close to Amsterdam...and the lovely dinner with many questions:)

On Saturday we watched the Gay Pride on the canals in the heart of Amsterdam...quite crazy:) I need to acknowledge some boats that just ruled the entire parade...like the one where they had an orchestra singing on the boat... Perfect weather, good wine and many friends to enjoy with...

On Sunday we came back to the questions arena...at the barbecue organized by Anna, as she is a true Australian:) Very nice afternoon and evening...with very lively conversations about compromises and decisions in relationships, about the crazy things we have done, about sustainability (of course...), religion, ourselves and the power or the need to change who we are...

Love and transformation

2007-08-02T01:19:00.000+03:00

I am reading now the book 'The Prophet', by Kahlil Gibran - it seems from the description on its cover - the most famous work of religious fiction of the twentieth century... I guess there are too wise thought for me to dare to comment upon, I just want to quote some of the things written on love in the first chapter...most beautiful...

"When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions might hurt you.
And when he speaks believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for you your growth so is for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He shifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become scared bread for God's sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears."

Trip to London

2007-07-21T01:54:00.001+03:00

I wished for some time to visit London and I have been given the chance recently, for work purpose and also for fun:)

The best part of the whole trip was actually to hang out with the former AI people living there!

And of course I made my duty and behave 100% as a tourist:) how else could you explain us taking pictures with Johhny Depp wanna be?!

Pledges to stop Climate Change

2007-07-07T13:58:00.001+03:00

I recently listened to a video of Al Gore with the occasion of Earth Live Concert and I agree that we need to create more awareness about the evidence and consequences of global warming, as many people may have heard about this, but do not believe. It is amazing how much momentum people like him could create...and we need even more to put more pressure on governments and business.
There is another category of people: the ones that know, but don't change their daily actions... I have seen many people talking about sustainability and not being aware of these 'small' details. I see at myself how difficult is to change such behaviours, that's why I think it is useful to have such principles reminded and also to keep sharing them with people around us that can support us in this process.

Demand that my country join an international treaty within the next two years that cuts global warming pollution by 90 percent in developed countries and by more than half worldwide in time for the next generation to inherit a healthy earth.
Take personal action to help solve the climate crises by reducing my own C02 pollution as much as I can and offsetting the rest to become “carbon neutral”.
Fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store the C02.
Work for a dramatic increase in the energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship, and means of transportation.
Fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal.
Plant new trees and to join with others in preserving and protecting forests.
Buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to solving the climate crises and building a sustainable, just and prosperous world for the 21st century.

Beauty serving a good purpose...

2007-07-01T22:01:00.000+03:00

Many times we don't picture the effects, the impacts, the consequences of our actions - both in the negative and positive way...
Beyond using words, we should not forget to look into the reality directly - ourselves or helped by others, through their eyes or experiences...
The two exhibitions organized by WWF in Amsterdam and in Den Hague want to create awareness about sustainable development in relations with oceans and animals by using beauty, color and photography in an open, accessible space. They touch issues such as climate change, bio-diversity, poverty, pressure on natural resources, pollution...

Crazy Amsterdam for Queen's Day

2007-05-19T01:46:00.000+03:00

I thought I know how Queen's Day is from last year...I was wrong again...INCREDIBLE number of people in once city in the same time...add up colour (especially orange, of course), music, boats on the canal, beer and beer again, old things to sell, including books (two for 50 cents!) and huge amount of garbage...Although I have to mention an initiative to re-use your plastic cups, and it works, as there is a (small) incentive for people to bring back their used cup...

A unique experience altogether...

With Cornelia at Zanvoort an Zee & Haarlem

2007-05-19T01:26:00.001+03:00

I could not agree more that friends should be near you when you most need them...and this is not easy in the world we live in today, so global and changing so fast...That is why we should be grateful when we have the chance to meet some old friends that can help us forget difficult moments and the pain...

Sf. Gheorghe

2007-05-19T01:13:00.000+03:00

On my name's day, St. George, that we celebrate on 23rd April, I was very nicely surprised by Sivliu, my dear friend and flat mate with a huge present: a flower for my room!!! How cool is that?! Thank you, Silviu!

Pentru tata...

2007-05-19T00:10:00.000+03:00

Copiii nu-nteleg ce vor:
A plânge-i cumintia lor.

Dar lucrul cel mat las în lume
E un bărbat tinguitor.

Nimic nu-i mai de ris ca plinsul
In ochii unui luptător.

O luptă-i viata; deci te luptă
Cu dragoste de ea, cu dor.

Pe seama cui ? Esti un nemernic
Cînd n-ai un tel hotaritor.

Tu ai pe-ai tăi ! De n-ai pe nimeni,
Te lupti pe seama tuturor.

E tragedie-năltătoare
Cînd, biruiti, ostenii mor,

Dar sint eroi de epopee
Când bratul li-e biruitor.

Comediant e cel ce plânge
Si-i un neom, că-i dezertor.

Oricare-ar fi sfirsitul luptei,
Să stai luptind, căci esti dator.

Traiesc acei ce vreau să lupte,
Iar cei fricosi se plâng si mor.

De-i vezi murind, să-i lasi să moară,
Căci moartea e menirea lor.

The place where I live now

2007-02-24T04:02:00.000+02:00

Was I thinking that after one year in the Netherlands there is no cultural shock for me?! Wrong answer!!!

As you can see here, I have the chance to live on a boat, actually a cruise-ship, for the first month of my internship here:) The conditions are ok, it's like any other hostel, it is just very different... You have only a small round window, it is near the shore, we even have a sort of restaurant with a small piano...After few glasses of a red wine one might think it's an expedition:)

Of course my current neighborhood (as I will move soon together with Silviu in another place) confirms the Dutch style, which I find quite peaceful and beautiful...

In the Netherlands again:)

2007-02-15T20:02:00.000+02:00

I did not planned it, but it seems that life has reserved this for me...Back through Schipol, between Dutch people and their bikes, to enjoy peaceful canals and delicious apple pies... I feel very good to be back and it seems somehow Netherlands has transformed into another home for me…

This upcoming year I will be live in Amsterdam and I will be working for a one year as an intern at ABN Amro HQ. I really happy I have got this chance, on working in the area I wanted, sustainable development, in an organization key leader in this field.

I have just started and I have still many things to discover within the organization, but each day since I came here I am learning new things about the key issues in the world now in different industries. It is really exciting to get an in-depth understanding of these issues and to work with people who have experience in this area! This is exactly what I needed, to gain the content and the knowledge that in last years I didn’t have enough time for.

I feel that this world would gain so much more if every one of us would do that thing he/she is passionate about and therefore would be able to bring a positive contribution in our own way…Especially because we have a limited time here, on earth, why should we waste time caring about other insignificant things or money or other people's opinion?

I start to understand better that changing things around us starts with ourselves and this is damn difficult, I have to say! It is hard to be clear in vision, disciplined in each day, to be honest with yourself, keep up the values and in the same time not to be too harsh/ critical, so fun and joy is also part of the game...Hope this traineeship will also help me make some steps on this journey…

Proud to be Romanian!

2007-01-17T21:42:00.000+02:00

At 1st January 2007 Romania has joined European Union together with Bulgaria, expanding the union to 27 states. It is an historical moment in my view, taking into account how much time we have spent hoping for a better fate for this people and the 50 years of communism that kept Romania backwards compared with the rest of Europe. Let us not forget the restrictions in terms of freedom, the lack of access for basic things and fear.

Beyond the unavoidable short-term costs and benefits of this process, I see this integration as a major chance for Romania to rise from inertia, to rise up the standards for working and living. We have the chance to learn from western side of Europe how to be more efficient and to do business, in the same time keeping our genuine way of living in peace with nature and our valuable spirituality. It is our chance to attract back in Romania our lightened people in all fields and to transform our society, as in a similar way as in the interwar period, when Bucharest was the little Paris!

This hope should not let us close the eyes to the downside of current reality right now. We still have a lot of corruption at all levels and which is worse, a lot of acceptance for this phenomenon from everybody. Many people are still waiting for somebody else to come and ‘fix’ their problems and maybe offer them a job ‘on a plate’. The reality at countryside is very far away from Bucharest or other similar places of the EU in terms of infrastructure, investments and access to opportunities. To give just few examples…

Staying in Romania in the last period I got the chance to get more updated with the current reality and I saw many changes happening. This makes me continue to hope and encourages me to be eager to come back and work here. On this note I wanted to share with all of you my proposals for a very interesting campaign launched by Romanian Television called "Proud to be Romanian" around the integration, with my lovely niece and the current team of AIESEC Romania, both of them representing for me this hope and inspiration…

Thoughts of love

2006-11-17T15:23:00.000+02:00

I am now reading the journal of Lev Tolstoi "About God and man" from his last years of his life and I found it just amazing...I think we should all spend on reading this book and reflect on this kind of things, not only when we are old, closer to the end, but now, when we are young, as soon as possible and every day...I just want to quote some lines that I liked (sorry for the English translation from the Romanian version I have):

“In order to live life in joy (as it should be), our purpose must not be ourself, but the actions of love, and all these are outside of us, there are for others.”

“For our wellbeing and in order to be able to serve others, our actual meaning to exist, one needs to have 2 qualities: first, to be content with the external material conditions of existence and, second, to be never satisfied with your spiritual life, the status of your heart and soul.”

“When I do not acknowledge myself, I live an animal life, when I am aware on myself and I act according to my thoughts and soul, I have a human life, and when I have the consciousness of other beings, by loving them, I live a superior life, into God.”

“It seems that we have a lot of things to do. But this is false; there is only one thing, working on yourself, purification, allowing the part of God in you to exist.”

"I made up a prayer for each moment I meet someone: ‘please God, help me to behave with this individual, with the manifestation of yours in this man, with respect and with love and to only think to your judgment and not to the ones of people. And this helps me a lot.’”

Through Paris...

2006-11-16T12:29:00.000+02:00

I am coming back with a piece of news about me, after the many feed-backs and greetings I received...thank you for them:)

I was waiting to have something clear in my life, but it seems it is not the case yet. I was supposed to start my traineeship with Capgemini in Paris for 6 months, but I still have some issues with the legal documents. Right now anything is possible and I am in Romania trying to figure out next steps...We have a saying in Romanian that the plan from home does not always match with the reality in the market:)

In the last month I was in Paris, trying to figure out these issues, involved in several activities with AIESEC France and also trying to explore the beauty of the city... Admiring the sunset over Seine together with dear friends, enjoying a cup of tea or coffee in the Sunday afternoon, contemplating the majesty of Notre Dame de Paris that was build in more than a life time, finding Romanian corners in the heart of Paris with so much beauty and simplicity...

A book to read and remember

2006-09-18T14:54:00.000+03:00

While being at home I managed to catch up with some reading...and I have to share some thought about the book 1984 by George Orwell. This book is incredible in the way it describes a fictional, but so real, totalitarian system.
The scary part is, besides what the books describes, the fact that this was not a fiction, but was inspired from reality, build on things that actually happened.
The fact that people were supervised on what they do on daily basis, that their freedom was allowed in certain boundaries, that neighbours and family betrayed each-other for the party, that intellectual were imprisoned and tortured for thinking, when we had to praise our leader and 'enjoy' what has been prepared for us in media as a tool for manipulation, and so on...and even more from the ones happened and we don't remember or even worse, from the ones that are still happening today...

Back in Romania...

2006-08-23T16:38:00.000+03:00

After wishing so much, here I am, home in my dear Romania and my small city, already famous between my friends, Stei...

It is very good to be home and to rediscover the people you wanted so much to talk, to see, to find out what have they been doing. It is a strange feeling to see that time has passed over them, as it has over you as well, just unnoticed...

It is a very strange feeling to feel as a foreigner in your own country, to make efforts to find the words in your native tongue...I don't know if I like the feeling. But I assume is part of the reintegration process...

Another interesting thing is to see a lot of my friends either being already abroad, either wishing so much to go abroad, to make a living, as they think nothing really can be done in Romania. I wander if this is true as Romania seems growing very fast these days. I don't have the answer where is right to settle and live your life. At the end of the day it is an individual choice and it should be right as long as you follow your dreams and contribute to the community, wherever this is...

Tokyo

2006-07-07T09:25:00.000+03:00

I don't think I ever dreamed to see with my own eyes Japan, and still this year I have been given the chance to:) As before I have directly experienced Asia only through Sri Lanka and India, seeing a bit of Japan was such a different world to see.

Tokyo is just amazing and very very different... It has an amazing balance between the traditional part, with its imperial palace, famous gardens, temples or shrines, and the very modern part, with the last technology, busy commercial areas or skyscrapers.

It is strange to feel on your own 'skin' how it is to be in place where you have no idea where you are. Everything becomes more complicated when you can't read the map or the name of the streets:)

More than that I found very strange to be in a sacred place and do not know what to do, what you should do to pay respect to the place…Probably it’s the first time I see a Buddhist temple…

Overall I think what impressed me the most besides beautiful places in the city was the attitude of people, extremely respectful, polite and careful towards you, combined with a power to strive for excellence and be humble in the same time.

The gardens near the Imperial Palace

The Asakusa Temple ( Sensoji)

Meiji Shrine

Tokyo by night

Time to hand-over...

2006-06-30T00:26:00.000+03:00

It seems that it was yesterday when we started our term, when I took the first train from Schipol Amsterdam to Rotterdam and started this awesome journey! This is a picture from more than a year ago...

And this in 2006, me and my successor, Ildi, in Brussels for some meetings in the middle of transition!

It is a strange feeling when you realize you are closing a cycle to look behind and see what has happened with your life in the last 12 months and how's going to be from now on.
It is exciting to think at all the future possibilities and it is scary in the same time, as uncertainty is there...You don't know which are the best decisions, you don't know where can you find such good or even better environment to work in, if or when you'll meet the close friends you've made this year...
Dar vorba ceea, o sa fie bine pana la urma:)

In the same time I am happy to see a new generation coming up, full of energy, enthusiasm and ideas...
And even more when 2 of them are Romanians and dear friends:):)
Bine Coco si Gabiza!

Selfishness is not the best survival trait

2006-06-01T23:45:00.000+03:00

A very interesting article in Financial Times about "co-operation" and "Cheating" in nature, maybe we humans we should learn from it...

"Winners never cheat and cheats never win, so the saying goes. And now there is a scientific evidence to support that adage, at least when it comes to microorganism.

To conduct the study scientists set up a series of competitions between two series of yeast. In one corner were the 'co-operators' which produce energy efficiently by taking in sugar slowly and fully converting into energy.

On the other side were the 'cheaters'which produce energy by taking all the sugar they can and only partially converting into energy - a technique that reduces the resources available for the group as a whole. The researchers found that the cheats accumulated toxins as a direct result of taking in resources more quickly that they could digest them, which limited the level of energy they could derive from the sugar."

Keukenhof

2006-05-11T01:13:00.000+03:00

If you are in the Netherlands in spring time you HAVE to go to this place! It is absolutely beautiful for the ones that love flowers, colour, diversity or beauty. Keukenhof, the famous garden of the Netherlands, http://www.keukenhof.nl/ offers you everything of these and even more...

You can't believe your eyes to the amazing number of different types of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, orchids and other flowers we don't remember their names. Most of them are given names, like "Day Dream":), action that hundreds of people from all over the world are doing there each day...

It's amazing how much human being need beauty around them and still have less proactivity sometimes to change that around them in bigger cities.

Friends are the most important thing in life...

2005-11-02T22:58:00.000+02:00

...It's so true...we all are afraid to be alone as P. Coelho was saying in hist book "The Zahir".

If you don't have them besides you, anything is less meaningful, but when they are near by you can truly enjoy and share anything: from famous places in the world to little things as a coffee and a good chat.

Are all the roads taking to Geneva?

2005-11-02T22:28:00.000+02:00

It seems so, because I managed to meet here some people I haven't seen for some time...

Together with Oana, Irina, Ancu and Teo, enjoyoing a good Romanian wine we remembered some of the good time 2, 3 or more:) years ago with our own teams:)
I think we were quite cute at that time...and definetly younger:):)

2005-10-20T20:46:00.000+03:00

Rotterdam autumn