The deaf and the mute

For the simple fact that we can speak and hear, does not mean we can properly communicate. There are abnormalities, treacherous situations when we wrongly believe we are in control, or on the contrary, when we want to give up, although the fight should not be over.
On the one hand, there is the "dialogue of the deaf"- people may speak, they may use the same vocabulary, still their language is different, words do not stir the same mental concepts for both of them. It's the illusion of communication...using the same vocabulary, and even talking for hours won't get them to any consent or understanding. And the worst part is... they don't even know they speak different languages, they can't even begin to imagine they are two foreigners who just met on the ground of a common vocabulary. Consequently, they start blaming each other for their useless and meaningless conversations, failing to realize that together they are both deaf, each trapped in the world of their own language.
On other other hand, there is the "dialogue of the mute"- between those people there are the subtle signs of a common language, yet at a nonverbal level. Those signs are never verbalized because of two possible reasons: people either do not share the same vocabulary (one speaks Japanese, the other Romanian), or they avoid using it. Due to real or imaginary constraints, they can't put their latent common language into words. They let it float into a realm of silent understanding, deciphering each other beyond words.
Can the deaf and the mute be cured and which of them has more chances? Hard to answer...perhaps the mute are more likely to recover, as they are at least aware of their problem. They know they lack the common vocabulary, or the verbal communication. The deaf, however, think they are properly healthy, they don't even know what they need. The deaf should start by admitting they are not in control and that none of them holds the ultimate truth, while the mute should not cease to seek for a way to verbalize their conversations.
These are not pathological cases, they are part of the universe of our interactions. It all comes down to this: we are all deaf to some people and mute to others...

Hooverphonic - My Child

The New

The first new year with a new vibe, the first true New Year's Eve. We always say that entering a new year will make us implement certain decisions, will make us improve ourselves, but does always the new year imply experiencing the new? Or is it just another year of indulging in some old habits, dwelling old feelings or still hiding old desires? Don't know what the year will bring, but the Eve was truly new, like it hasn't been for a while.
It might be that it was just another day in the calendar, or just another fun party to remember, but it made me see that inevitably the new comes. Sometimes it's unwanted, sometimes it's craved for, sometimes it's premeditated, sometimes it's unexpected. Either way it is what makes live fun and worthy. So raise the glasses for The New!

The Arcade Fire - Wake Up

Warmness on the inside

Christmas is my favorite part of the year after summer and it's even better since I live in Bucharest and have a place to come home for Christmas. The first night at your cozy home, after a long journey by train is one of the best feelings one can have. And the more freezing outsite is, the warmer you feel home. The blizzard outside, the fire and the lights inside, the friends by my side and warmness on my inside...

Mario Lanza - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Old stone....

A song for the old stones that we think were swept away by the waves of daily living. A song for the people who still stumble over such a stone.

Laura Marling - Old Stone

Idle days

I haven' posted for quite a while and it's not that I've been terribly busy. It's just that I couldn't collect my flow of thoughts into a consistent text. I moved back to Bucharest, and as I was trying to get back into the rhythm of college life, I lost track of the days which have past since my last post. I lost track of some of some of my older preoccupations too. Things that one day seemed clear, got blurry the next day. The lifecarouselle didn't stop spinning, but it seemed that nothing could get trapped in it. Instead, everything flew by and now a new clear horizon seems to appear in front of my eyes.
One thing that didn't flew by was my decision to get involved into a ONG, a students' organization more precisely. So following my desire of getting involved into a project outside faculty and hopefully gain some more practical experience, I went to some interviews and I am now waiting for the answer. I did get involved in some extracurricular activities last year, like conferences and workshops and they proved to be very useful for my personal and professional development. Which is why I decided that this year I should get involved more. Another important thing was my old wish to learn French from zero, since the two foreign languages I know are English and German. I guess my admiration for French music, movies and figure skaters, plus my Romanian - Canadian little cousin enhanced this ambition of mine and I am now happily attending French courses at the French Institute in Bucharest.
Apart from those things, my other activities were not as coherent. There are moments when you feel tired after past struggles and when you just want to rest, repair old defections and and enjoy the idle days of a clear horizon, before new dreams rise in front of you and claim for fulfillment.

Beirut - Mount Wroclai (Idle Days)

Morning Glory

On my way to Bucharest I was lucky to catch a great sunrise and simply had to stop the car and take some photos. The little church in the middle of the field looked marvelous too. These were taken an hour and a half before sunrise and I admired the rest of the morning spectacle from inside the car, as I was rushing to Bucharest and couldn't afford to lose any time.
However, it was a great morning to leave home, cause it made my day brighter, despite feeling sad for my departure.

Enya- Morning Glory

Creating Happiness

I opened a fortune cookie on Facebook today (I know, it might sound silly) but found something which I've many times thought about, yet never managed to put it so simple. It said "Some pursue happiness. You create it." I don't know if I create it but I really struggle to do so.
If happiness is only about obtaining, then it may not be attainable, cause you will always have needs. In this case going for happiness is a never ending pursuit. On the other hand, if happiness is your creation, it means you've managed to see the bright side of the things you already have.Even if you don't get a certain thing, creating happiness means squeezing the best of your current situation, enjoying them and setting new goals.
When you try to create your happiness is doesn 't mean you stop fighting, or that you settle for less. It means cherishing the things you have, while pursuing the things you want, and not focusing only on the outcome. Lets' face it, the whole universe is not always plotting to make a strong wish of yours come true. Sometimes it may not come true at all. So what's left to do then? Declare that you are not happy? From my point of view that is the point where you you start to create your happiness. Analyzing what you have might get you to discover things that you have forgotten about during your pursuit, and might offer you resources for new dreams and new plans.
I guess happiness depends more on us than on the other people or things. Like a friend of mine said: nothing and no one is irreplaceable. So let's become artists and try to create our happiness from anything that we have, whether it's gold or ash.

Cat Power - Maybe Not