WEEK 3: My Twenty Minute Interview

WEEK 2: Daily Photo Assignment

AMATEURS AND PROS

I spent the past weekend shooting pictures and video of mountain bikers. I probably took over 100 pictures and this is the only one I would consider decent. I have always wanted to learn photography, but learning how to use a camera on manual settings is turning out to be a lot more difficult than I had expected! However, I plan to keep working at it until I can consider myself an expert rather than an amateur.

On the other hand, unlike photography, mountain biking is not exactly something that should be attempted by an amateur. The guys and gal who participated in the downhill race I shot on Sunday were intense (or should I say insane?) -- My camera captured several crashes, and it's astounding to see how quickly the riders recovered from the painful tumbles! What's even more astounding is the fact that most of the contestants rode their bikes down the steep trail of soft dirt, broken branches, and loose rocks without any protective gear (except for the helmet, which is basically required by law). The idea that anyone would be so careless with his or her body makes me cringe! It's basically like riding a car without a seat belt or sky diving without a parachute -- Yes, it's absurd! But then again, that's probably why these guys can call themselves pros!

LIFE IN/OF CEMETERIES
"If Only . . . Those must be the two saddest words in the world"

On Monday, while running on the trail around the Pioneer Cemetery for my Jog/Run class, I noticed some bright pink flowers right by a grave: They appeared to be in perfect condition, which I found quite odd! I could not figure out how the flowers had managed to survive the freezing temperatures of the past week. Yes, I was very curious indeed, especially since my lungs were practically collapsing from the cold air as I was running :)

I did not have a chance to stop and glimpse at the flowers, but decided that I would come back and take pictures of them specifically for this assignment. Most people who know me are aware of the fact that aside from babies, flowers are my second favorite thing on the planet! Not only do I love taking pictures of them, but I basically prefer them over jewelry, chocolate, presents, or any other thing!

I came back to the cemetery a few days later to take pictures of the flowers, and to my surprise they were still there -- still in mint condition! At this point I became a little suspicious about these flowers! As I knelt down to take a picture, the mystery was finally solved. I could not help but chuckle once I realized that the flowers were made of plastic. I felt pretty silly for not realizing it sooner; after all, it made perfect sense -- Every other plant in that cemetery was completely dried out!

As I took pictures of the pink flowers, my eyes caught a glimpse of others scattered across the cemetery from grave to grave. Suddenly, I could not help but notice that many of the graves were in dire need of maintenance. The observation depressed me a little, especially once it dawned on me that some of the graves had probably not been visited in years. As I sat pondering about the condition of the graves, it got dark and foggy -- so, I left in a hurry. Being in a cemetery when it gets dark is not exactly my thing!

The oddest thing happened a few hours later -- My mom called to tell me to go buy a phone card and call my grandma in Romania because she was suddenly passing away. The timing of the awful news really disturbed me! Nevertheless, I ran to 7/11, got a phone card and drove over to my sister's apartment -- My grandma wanted to speak to all her grandchildren before she died, so my sister and I decided to call her at the same time. I had a brief conversation with my grandma before my aunt grabbed the phone from her to inform me that my grandma was falling in and out of consciousness. If I had known then that it would be my last conversation with my grandma, I would have pleaded with my aunt to allow me to speak with her a little bit longer.

A few days later my grandma passed away peacefully. The worst part is not the fact that she passed away, but rather the timing of her passing. My mom and all my other siblings (minus my brother who still lived in Romania until recently) have not seen my grandma in exactly one decade -- and it makes me so angry that they did not get a chance to reunite on more time. My grandma did not even get a chance to ever meet her great-grandson, my nephew :( What's even more upsetting is that my family has a trip planned to Romania for this summer. I am the only person in my family who has seen my grandma recently and my regret runs even deeper than theirs. The last sentence requires quite a lengthy explanation, but I just realized that I have probably written way too much for this assignment already, so I will just stop here. Let's just say that it will probably be quite some time, and I will probably shed a few more tears before I come to terms with this unfortunate and unexpected event!

SORORITY HOUSES

I just realized that this is going to be the most depressing blog ever, so I apologize in advance if these photo captions ruin your current mood! So, what's so depressing about sorority houses? Well, I walk by all the Greek houses at least twice a day, and each time I cannot help but wonder what would have been different about my college career if I had lived in one of these houses. That's not the depressing part!

When I came to the UofO for IntroDucktion right before the start of my freshmen year, I was set on joining a sorority and decided to go on a house tour. Right as the sorority tour was about to start, my mom called to tell me to meet her back at the EMU because we had to go home immediately -- Apparently, my aunt, uncle, and three of my cousins had been tragically killed in a car accident. We drove straight to Portland only to find out that three of my cousins had survived the accident, but two were in a coma. In the chaos that ensued after the accident, I completely forgot about sororities, pledging, or anything that had to do with Greek life. I spent the rest of the summer in hospitals, praying and hoping that my young cousins would recover. [Two of them recovered completely, but Emma, who was twelve at the time, would spend nearly the next two years in a coma.]

It's crazy how our lives can take such unexpected twists! Tragedies such as these have taught me that making plans for the future is practically a waste of time. As cliche as it sounds, one's time truly is better spent living the present rather than dreaming of the future. It's sad to think of it, but tomorrow is not guaranteed to anyone!

11:11 THEORY

This picture is pretty self-explanatory. Catching a glimpse of the clock at exactly 11:11 -- whether it's on the microwave, computer, cell phone, or any other electronic device -- happens to me on a daily basis! It used to freak me out because it happened so often. For example, on one occassion I wrote a message on my friend's Facebook wall to tell her that we had both joined the "11:11 Theory" group, only to notice minutes later that she had responded to my post about seeing 11:11 all the time at exactly 11:11 (I know, it may be a bit confusing -- Sorry!). I thought I was unique in terms of this phenomenon, but apparently it's quite common -- So common in fact, that it has given birth to several theories. Most of the theories are pretty confusing and quite ridiculous, in my opinion, so I will not bother to explain them. However, if you are curious to find out more, just google "11:11 theory," and you'll find out what I am talking about.

GOT JESUS?
"The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians, who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, then walk out the door, and deny Him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable."

I've always admired people who are not afraid to publicly profess their religious beliefs -- I find it quite brave and refreshing, especially in this day and age! I secretely (Well, I guess it's no longer a secret.) wish and pray that one day I will be able to display such courage regardless of the situation.

I do not, however, admire the individuals who sit on street corners shouting at, judging, and condemning every person who walks by him or her. There's nothing wrong with sharing one's beliefs, but I've always found it quite distasteful when one forces his or her beliefs unto others.

ROMANIAN CUISINE

One of the things I miss most about Romania and about living with my parents -- Nope, it's not people, it's the food ;) Romanian cuisine is delicious (Just look at these two albums if you don't believe me -- Yummy Romanian Dishes & Why the Holidays Make People Fat -- and then reconsider!). All my friends regard my mom as the greatest chef/baker they have ever encountered and are constantly nagging her about opening a restaurant. One of my goals is to open a Romanian restaurant at some point in my life. I wouldn't do it to generate income for myself or my family, but simply just to have Romanian food within reach at all times and to share the awesome cuisine of my country with Americans!

If the restaurant business does not happen, then I would like to publish a Romanian cookbook with my mom's recipes. This summer I started writing down some of my mom's recipes and taking pictures of the step-by-step process of making various dishes, desserts, etc. For example, check out this album to learn how to make plum dumplings.

Before I forget, the picture above is of Romanian meatballs topped with cranberry sauce. I made both this week -- and they were delicious! I will never be able to figure out why anyone would ever eat pre-cooked frozen meatballs or cranberry sauce out of a can, when making both is so terribly simple that a five-year-old could figure it out!

So, I guess this is what they call an online scrapbook?

OK, so this is my first attempt at an online scrapbook. It was going to be much cooler, until I realized that I have yet to install Adobe Photoshop on my new MacBook Pro, which left me with few options when it came to creativity. With my assignment deadline less than a few hours away, taking the time to install Photoshop did not seem to be the sensible solution, so instead of a scrapbook-like collage, I posted each photo individually with a caption.

Umm, no thanks! I'll stick to drinking my grape juice rather than diluting it in my shampoo bottle. I just have a feeling that there are so many things that could go wrong with this beauty tip, and yet I still ripped it out of the magazine because in the end, curiosity always gets the best of me :)

So, what's up with this picture? Well, I love this model's eye makeup! Purple eyeshadow is my absolute favorite and the technique they used here is something I hope to achieve as soon as I can convince my younger sister to permanently lend me her set of purple Estee Lauder eyeshadows :)

I have always wanted to wear eyeliner, but have never been able to put it on because I am "functionally blind" in my right eye -- If you're confused, it basically means that my brain ignores my right eye because of "self-inflicted" trauma I suffered as a child (And by this I mean, being a five-year-old who ignored her parents' warnings when it came to climbing things, only to find out that hitting one's head on cement after falling from a considerable height is actually not that fun nor smart.). Anyhow, I saw this makeup tip and ripped it out of Cosmopolitan or Self magazine -- and decided to give it a try!

Man's Search for Meaning (the second book from the top) is a book that I have wanted to read for ages. Once I am done with my two current reads --> Mere Christianity and But That I Can't Believe, I will be sure to move on to this one. By the way, this is a page I ripped out of the Oprah Magazine :)

Awesome artwork by the talented cartoonists at The Oregonian :)

This was the quote on my first ever cup of Starbucks black coffee! I thought it didn't make any sense at all, but then I read it again and remembered how my mom always jokes that I have given her all her gray hairs, and that's when it made perfect sense -- Children are chaotic! No further explanation required :)

For Mr. Mark Blaine -- Assignment #1

FOR THE AUDIO FILE OF THIS BLOG ENTRY, GO HERE:
http://uoregon.edu/~rpurice/PreFlux/Blog1forBlaine.mov

So you couldn't listen, could you? Now, was it just mere curiosity that got the best of you, or were you simply tempted by the idea that I might actually steal your soul? Or perhaps, it was your curiosity that led you into temptation. You know, they do say curiosity killed the cat, but do you know what they say about temptation? “Temptation is like a knife, that may either cut the meat or the throat of a man; it may be his food or his poison, his exercise or his destruction.” Hmmm, neither option sounds that great, so, I just thought I'd give you a fair warning.

Now, let's begin, shall we?

Falling asleep at six o'clock in the evening is not exactly on my list of "Great Ways to Start Out the New Year" -- Not that I have such a list, but if I did, it wouldn't be on there. Lo and behold though, in spite of heavy protests against my own body, I found myself dozing off into dreamland way before my bedtime nearly every day this week. By mid-week, I had had enough! So, after twenty-two years of abstinence, I decided that it was about time to finally give in to everyone's drug of choice -- The bitter potion we can thank the Arab world for -- No, not oil, caffeine. Yes, Mr. Howard Schultz and all his Starbucks employees could have gone to sleep peacefully on Tuesday knowing that they may have corrupted yet another soul into a life-long addiction -- But thankfully that wasn't the case, so let's not jump to conclusions before I tell you the rest of my story.

So, after ordering my first cup of black coffee at Starbucks -- Yes, it was such a momentous occasion that not only did the barista feel compelled to congratulate me, he nearly broke out in a "Happy Birthday" tune, until he realized it was not exactly the appropriate song for the occasion. Come to think of it, perhaps someone should come up with a song for Starbucks coffee virgins! But before we get even more side tracked, what did actually happen after I bravely consumed my first Starbucks black coffee without any sugar at all? Well, the bitter antidote that seems to perk up the rest of America in the morning didn't have quite the same effect on me. Let's just say that within 15 minutes of consuming my $1.40, 8 ounce-cup of utter bitterness, I practically transcended from a sleepy state into a sleep coma. The caffeine put me to sleep quicker than a baby's lullaby or a warm cup of milk. Perhaps, I need not worry about that long-life addiction after all! I am serious, I crashed on my living room couch only to wake up a stomachache and a bad taste in my mouth about two hours later.

Hopefully one can easily see why it didn't take me long to give up on caffeine. The next day I decided to finally start implementing what I have been avoiding since my freshman year of college -- A rigorous exercise program that would give me the much needed energy my body has lately been failing to produce. So not only did I sign up for a weightlifting, a yoga, a fitness, and a jogging classes, I decided to also keep track of everything I eat. My plan is to go see a nutritionist in a few weeks to make sure I am eating enough of the foods that usually keep one energized past six o'clock in the evening. Although, I am pretty sure that it's the lack of exercise in my life and not my diet that's making me tired. I've always eaten quite healthy actually, except perhaps my junior year of college when I gained thirty-five pounds -- but I have certainly learned from that mistake. Never again will I order take-out at three in the morning! Mark my words: Never again!

So, in my pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, I decided that it's also about time to set things right with the Man upstairs. That's right, I am talking about God! After all, what's healthy body without a healthy mind? And you can't really have a healthy mind if your soul is not at ease! At least, that's my opinion. This week, among the gym, the library was also one of my stops. While browsing the library catalogs for a book called "Man's Search for Meaning," I came across C.S. Lewis' best-selling classic "Mere Christianity," and one not-so-familiar title, "But That I Can't Believe." I had read "Mere Christianity" before or at least I thought I did. A few years ago, I read a book in Romanian whose title translates closely to "Mere Christianity." I never actually finished the Romanian version, and I wanted to find out if this was indeed the same book. When it came to the second book on the shelf, my curiosity got the best of me and made me reach for it -- What was it that the author could not believe? I had to find out!

I started reading both books right and was completely and utterly enthralled. Neither author falls short of genius. I have always been a spiritual person who has struggled with religion somewhat, and so far both of these books are helping me understand my struggle a little bit better. In fact, these books have gotten me so excited that I have been keeping track of my favorite passages, which I plan to post for my friends in a Facebook note. No, I won't post them on this blog, because I don't wish to end up with a bunch of soulless friends! OK, fine, since I brought it up, I might as well explain the name of this blog. I promise I won't steal your soul, even though you didn't listen and went ahead and read this blog. Witchcraft does not fare so well with the Man upstairs and since I am trying to rekindle my relationship with Him, it would not exactly be a good idea to pick up any magic tricks per se. So, rest assured that when you are done reading this blog, you will still have a soul -- That is, of course, if you had one to begin with :) Ouch! OK, that may have been a bit mean, but just in case it may be true, don't worry, I am sure there is hope for you! Come to think of it, reading "Mere Christianity" might actually help alleviate that problem!

OK, that's all I have for now. Until next time, if there shall be such a time -- Wish me luck with my exercise routine and my soul-searching experience! Or even better, just send a little prayer for me to the Big Guy upstairs! Hey, at least you will have done your good deed for the day :)

Remember when your mom said "Don't play with your food?"

I decided to make chicken noodle soup tonight and was in for a surprise after I freed my celery stalks from the bottom of the bunch! I think this is so pretty, and if you don't agree, well then you have NO IMAGINATION!

Speaking of imagination, here's some food for thought! This is a cool quote I read this week in the book "But That I Can't Believe" by John Robinson (He's a bishop apparently. Just thought I should mention it.).

"Imagination is a creative faculty without which we are less than human. Without it we can't entirely grasp truth or share it with each other."

So, if you still don't think my picture is actually pretty nifty, then not only do you not have any imagination -- You must be an alien because you have no imagination :)

It's not the healthy part of HEALTHY EATING that's hard, it's just the EATING :)

Eating healthy is actually quite simple for me because I absolutely adore fruits and veggies! And because I had the privilege of growing up in Europe where people actually enjoy things like plain yogurt, kefir, and pate (aka pork liver spread), which most Americans apparently hate because they, in my opinion, have a misconception about how these foods actually taste. Trust me, not only do they taste delicious, but your body will start loving you much more from the moment you begin swapping your fruit yogurt or hamburgers for these healthy European staples! But you don't have to stop at what Europeans eat -- Fruits and veggies as well as brown rice or oatmeal or oven-baked chicken breasts, which are pretty much universal, are only a few of among your plethora of options when it comes to getting or staying lean.

For me, eating healthy is not the problem. It's my lack of cooking experience that's getting to me. Although I am experimenting with a variety of recipes, by the end of the week I find myself eating the same meals over and over again. Although my stomach may be complacent with the situation, my mind won't stand for it! Getting bored by the stuff inside my fridge equals the temptation to eat out simply to get more variety in my diet. And that is what I call a very vicious cycle :)

Now, if only I had my own personal chef to whip me out a delicious meal every single day! But don't we all? I guess a more realistic approach to the situation is for me to learn more recipes. If I knew how to cook 100 different dishes rather than just 20, then I certainly would be in good shape :)

A LITTLE NOTE FOR ALL YOU GRAMMARIANS OUT THERE (hint, hint :) --> I am well aware that I start a lot of my sentences with "and" or "but", and overuse my commas from time to time, and may throw in a dangling modifier just for fun, which is technically grammatically incorrect. But, according to my dearest Grammar 101 Professor, Mr. Duncan McDonald, to paraphrase it in his own words, "When you come to master the English language or are a published author, you may bend the rules of grammar as you please." Well, since this blog is technically being published -- to the web, I feel compelled to follow Prof. McDonald's advice! After all, rules are meant to be broken :)