Make an impression – fast

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

I remember playing poker with more than 30 people a couple of years ago. In the beginning there where 3 tables of players, then best 10 players moved together. I was the only woman. People did not notice how I won my way until there. Everyone was focused on the favorite players of the night, guys that used to get together and play poker every Friday evening. When I won, they looked more than surprised.

Just a couple of months later and no poker meanwhile, I started playing again with 4 other people. New people, older people – and that made me want to impress. I won everything: money, jewelry, sad smiles. Quite a nice memory they offered me.

Then it came the 3^rd and 4^th time of me playing poker. I’ve lost. Very fast. I was the first player out.

I lived similar experiences with board games, strategy games, team games, individual games. From minigolf to fifa, from paintball to swimming. One big win with one game. If I want another win, I need to change the game and the people.

I am horrible winner. I am loud and happy and laud again. That’s because I love winning and one can only benefit of the beginner’s luck – once.

I’ve tried to explain myself why I cannot win the same games over an over again. Of course, there is the part with the luck, with your co-players not having high expectations from you and you benefiting of the surprise element.

On the other hand, it’s also true that I do not see any sense in having the same experience with the same people over and over again. I am very enthusiastic with games when I play them for the first time. I’ve won a poker competition with over 30 participants. Winning another one will take time and the enthusiasm is not the same. No real motivation over there. So why repeat it?

Note: this post is referring only to games. No hidden message inside

Fears that I do not want to get rid of

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

I am afraid of high speed, drunk people, heights (over 2m), dogs and most of the things that can cause pain, accidents or death.

Recently I have spent an entire Sunday in Phantasia Land, an amusement park near Bonn.

The park recreates regions of the world, so you travel from Asia to Africa in less than one day. I enjoyed the food, the background music, shooting mousses with chocolate and taking a ride in a 3/4/5 D room. Really loved the the water carousel. I am a good swimmer and looking at the carousel, even if one fells in the water, the consequences will be very small.

The most dangerous thing I tried was a carousel named: Colorado. It did not look dangerous and I was already feeling bad about always being the coward of the group. Bad choice, wrong decision. I kept my eyes closed all the time and I was hoping to reach the finish line asap. It was horrible. My body hurt, my soul hurt, I was afraid and I couldn’t say a word. I was hearing people screaming. They were not afraid, they were enjoying it. I was just upset with my decision; I regretted all the way and promised myself to never do it again … as I always do when I am in a carousel.

I wish I could say I overcome my fears, but my visit to Phantansia Land just reconfirmed that I prefer a different kind of amusement. I believe it’s good fear. I cannot imagine a situation in which taking a ride in a carousel will save the world.

There is some fun for me in amusement parks. I can always enjoy a nice ice-cream while taking pictures of my brave friends that are stressing their minds and bodies for a type of entertainment that I cannot understand or get pleasure from.

All in all – the day was very good. People made it good

3 Famous Romanians that I Admire

Posted on August 26, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

The only thing they have in common is that they are all Romanians… and I like them.

Mugur Isărescu – the Governor of the National Bank of Romania, a great Economist and Politician. I have a huge respect for him and if I will have the change, I would love to vote for him as the President of Romania. He has been the Prime Minister of Romania in 2000 and run for President the same year. Băsescu won.

Dragoş Bucur – handsome, young, talented actor. I follow his development since I was a teenager. He amazes me with every release. He usually starts in Romanian productions, but the international public can see him in The Way Back.

Inna - actually all Romanian house/pop/club/hot singers: Andreea Bănică, Alexandra Stan, Akcent, Fly Project and some others that I don’t know until I hear their beat. Without putting them in the same category with the ones above, I am happy that they exist. I was in Sweden a couple of weeks ago and I listened to Inna all day long. The hosts did not play it for me; they are listening to Romanian “productions” most of the time.

While living in Romania, I always though that mass media exaggerates when it says Romanian house music is famous in Turkey, The Netherlands, Greece and Belgium. I never listen to their music before, because I was/am fan of French music. But now I feel happy every time an Asian, and African or a Latin American sings some cool clubby Romanian music. I get a uncontrollable smile on my face every time Romanian music is played on German radios or when in clubs and parties most of the time I recognize the distinctive Romanian accent. And of course – when my neighbors say “Romanian? Ah, Inna!”… because to be honest I was getting tired of ”Romanian? Ah, gypsies, thieves, Dacia, Dracula, Hagi, Năstase and Nadia!” (great symbols but we need some diversity).

Save the best for the last

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

Hell no!

When I was 8 I received a very important advice from one of my father’s friends. When it comes to food, always start with the best piece on your plate.

The logic is simple – you might get fed up meanwhile with stuff that you don’t really want.

Life’s easy

Comparing apples to apple trees

Posted on August 8, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

Everything starts when you are a child. You are compared to the best, to the pretties, to the smartest, to the fasted, to the luckiest, to the most charismatic, to the bravest, to the first.

All these make a young person aim high and invest a lot of time and energy in getting to a higher position in a group.

Problems appear when you try to be better than everybody on everything. Your friend is a good volley player. Another one has the upper hand with mathematics. Another one is more into creative fields. And you try and try to be better than all of them.

I struggled because I was comparing myself to very talented people. I remember that most of my childhood I did not understand how some children have all these beautiful artistic skills and I can’t sing, draw or dance. The struggle continued when I’ve got my fist job … and the second and the third and the forth… every time my boss and some of my colleagues were way better than me. It hurt and it kept me awake at night. Literary! But, one day I will be as good.

Comparing yourself to people that are older and smarter than you awakes the need of continuous improvement … even though in the same time it might bring frustration and low self esteem.

On the other hand, I think is very lame to compare yourself to people that are 10 years younger than you. To be proud of the fact that you have more knowledge in your field than others when they are interacting with your area just at a superficial level. To be cocky and ironical with people that are one generation too young to be your peers.

Boston Rob – winner of Survivor 22 and best player ever

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

Never been a Backstreet Boys fan, or Brad Pitt or whatever other well known star. So, never before did I experience the feeling of admiration for a person that I see on tv.

I do love Boston Rob (Mariano) and I was sad every time when he left Survivor too fast.

He came back and become the winner of season 22 and in my mind the best player ever. This time he did not only win 1 million dollars because he was voted by his fellow tribe mates, but also 100.000 dollars as being voted by the American public as most loved player of the season.

He was reintroduced in the game for the forth time after being eliminated very fast because other players were afraid of his people skills. He is amazingly fast with puzzles and puts a lot of energy in physical challenges.

Unlike most Survivor players that were leading the Survivor tribes, Rob rarely said anything bad about the other people in the game in the private interviews that are seen by the players only after Survivor end and they have casted their votes.

Boston Rob married Amber, another Survivor winner. Together they also participated in The Amazing Race, however Rob is way more “Survivor” material.

Died and went to Heaven

Posted on April 28, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

Actually I was pretty much alive and went to Knock, a Belgium town at the North Sea.

This year, I decided to spend Easter with my friends in Belgium. Luck made the temperature outside 26 degrees. The Sun was up, the beach was nice, the sand was perfect, and the water was cold and clean. Courage and the cheering of a friend made me take a bath and a short swim into the North Sea. I’ve also got the first marks of my 2011 tan.

However, the impressive part, started when we wanted something to eat because we need to leave the beach and to dive deep into the town. I will try to express with words something that left me speechless.

It looked like everybody was incredibly beautiful and rich. All ladies on the street (from 12 years old to 70) looked perfect, elegant, healthy, and slim. Girls had the most perfect legs I have ever seen before. Everybody was dressed in light colors and looked like cut out from fashion magazines… royal fashion magazines. They were moving around, shopping in the Easter Saturday, riding their bicycles or their Ferrari and just being perfect. The predominant color of the town was white and the only colored color was the green of nature.

Unfortunately, I have pictures only from the sea side. Gladly, the memories will hunt me forever.

Kinder Surprise – before and after

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

Before:

Continue reading →

Colored weekend for a grey winter

Posted on February 2, 2011 by Claudia Ciută

Last weekend I had a fast visit to Frankfurt. It was my second time in this German town and my expectations were pretty low.

If I would have take the train alone, it would have cost me something between 34 and 72 euros. We were a group of 5 ladies and so we paid only 8 euros each for the train ticket because Germany has this cool system that encourages travelling in groups of 5. Another friend got there a night before by bus and paid 12 euros (still a really good deal for Germany).

So, 4 hours later we were already in our host house (another nice Romanian guy from Botosani) and got ready to explore the city.

First stop:
City Center (Obviously). We took pictures with the bear and the bull and of course with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange building. Next important stop: top of the Main building (we went up 200 m and saw the entire city). It was windy, impressive, but most important: beautiful. All in all, we spent more than 5 hours in the city center so there are a lot of things to see and a lot of pictures to take.

Second Stop:
McKinsey party. Once a month, at the 25th floor of the McKinsey Business Building in Frankfurt there is a party that is opened to everyone. Most of the clubs are underground, but from this one you can see the entire town. Good music, good drinks, good people, good atmosphere.

Last and Best Stop:
Second day. Palmengarten, the Botanic Garden. Beautiful colored flowers everywhere in an immense park of plants. Because its winter most of the plants that grow outside were not awake yet, but the building of the continents its one thing to remember. So, imagine: you pass from one room to another and see and feel different atmosphere, air and vegetation. My favorite: Asia.

We had one small incident: we forgot the group ticket at our host house and got a fine in the tram when the controller? (guy that asks for you ticket) came. This is how I discovered a big difference between Bonn and Frankfurt. I live in Bonn for 4 months now and only once I have met these guys. They were wearing read coats on which it was written: Bus and Tram Controller. The ones in Frankfurt reminded me of our Romanian special agents that hunt you down. So, the fine is 40 euros and I am not sure yet if I need to pay it and where. The group ticket has only has one of our 5 names on it and the other 4 people cannot prove that we own the ticket before the fee or … we just bought it from some random person in the train station.