Happy new year 2009!

Happy New Year 2009 to you all my blog readers! To begin with, let us take a look at the past year - 2008...

As a matter of fact, I had wanted to start this post with a phrase from one of my favorite games, Command&Conquer Generals - "Congratulations, General! You have been promoted!".

You'll probably want to know more...well, effectively I have been appointed manager for the auctions department of the company I've been working for since 2001 - ETA2U. It will undoubtably be one of the greatest challenges of my professional life, but I am determined to learn with patience and to go forward. On the other hand, I am satisfied that my efforts have finally been recognized by the top-management, and that they decided to invest their confidence in my strength and skills. I hope and pray that God be by my side at every step, and the rest shall be just fine.

On the other hand, the vacation I've been waiting for is almost over...Soizic and Didier have been here in a visit, and we have seen virtually half of Transylvania. Of course, we have begun our journey in Timisoara, with a short 1-day visit. They found the city very beautiful, although the visit took place in a very, very hot day which chased us directely to a terrace so we can have some refreshments...this is where Didier realised that his favorite drink, Coca-Cola mint was not available, so he ordered a Coca-Cola and some mint syrup. Well...I guess I'll still keep my beer in the future! :)

They were impressed - you may not believe it, but it's very true - by the countdown clocks under the traffic lights that indicated the remaining time of each color, green and red. Especially Didier found this element very useful and interesting. Surprinsingly for all of us, this "traffic accessory" cannot be found in Nantes. Or, at least, not yet!

We continued our journey by going to Oradea to visit Alina's parents and our little Daria. They were all glad to see us again, and I had the chance to meet - absolutely by chance - some of my old acquiantances in Oradea. We didn't spend much time in Oradea either, as we were on our way to Arieseni mountain resort. We have visited Bran and we made a tour of the region - Brasov, Poiana Brasov, Peles, Sinaia, Busteni. Finally, we ended our journey with a quick stop to Baile Herculane and finally Resita, my home town.

On the other hand, the event that has marked my last year and my life more than any other thing was my marriage. Yes, you read it right, I got married in september to Alina, and things are settling down. How is it? After 3 months of marriage I can tell that it is conforting, quiet and it gives me a feeling of belonging to a place, a feeling of silence and stability. A feeling of home. A feeling of family. I should also mention that the little Daria makes the picture complete, we're getting along very well and, yes, sometimes we even play together! And you may find a picture of the three of us in the day of my marriage with Alina, below.

...and a quick reference to my bachelor party and to my friends - Horea, Marius "Merce", Ovidiu and Gabi! :)

The rest? I do not know. It has been a year of tourment, a year of up's and down's, of certainty and uncertainty, of war and peace, a year of life at its climax. I think it helped me grow wiser, find a little bit of what I've lost of me in the past years, a year when I actually re-invented a part of myself. And a part of me is still yearning for those past years when I was young and careless, deep in thinking and feelings, believing that there is only one love and one way to God.

Am I going in the right direction? I do not know. Am I doing the right things? Again, I do not know. I just hope and pray for enlightment so that things work out just fine.

I wish to be able to live my dreams, to touch the sky and never crash to the ground. I wish for love and peace. I wish...I wish for this year to bring me health, wisdom and progress in my profession, to prove to be a year of stability and quietness, a year of good things and peace, to bring blessings over my house and my new family. I will keep my faith in God and will put all my hopes and dreams in His hands.

Peace&Love to You!

The Wolf

Crossroads

April 8th, 2008...a day like any other, yet something changed today. I cannot identify exactly what is different now, but I simply feel that a change has occured deep down inside.

Let's start by reviewing what has happened since my last post. Alina and I are planning to get married, I proposed on her on new year's eve and she said "Yes". I am very happy that things seem to move with her beside me. She makes me want for more, rises the ambition in me and makes me see new possibilities. But one of the most important things is the fact that she does not let me linger. She knows how to make me get up and move. And that's precisely what I need in life - someone or something to make me take the next step. For example - right now we are considering buying a car...thrilling, right?

I feel once again a little confused about my professional life. Apart from some successes that the company has recognized by awarding me with the "Dream team" distinction and a free, all-expenses paid trip to Egypt - which, by the way, was wonderful, I must confess. But right now things are not as good as they should be. The steps I have taken in the last months have not brought the expected results. OK, I cannot complain, things are just fine right now, but I feel the somehow there's a feeling of discontent between me and my job at this point. But maybe I'm just having a bad day, that's all...I am glad that my ex-colleague from college, Viki Veress, is calling me from time to time to work with her as an interpreter. This makes me particualry happy, the only problem is that it happes quite rarely...But I feel apreciated and I myself feel that I do a good job on this!

On the other hand, Soizic, the girl I've been pen-pal with since high school, is coming this summer, in august, to visit me for the second time. And this time she'll come with her husband Didier, which is a very, I mean very funny guy! I can hardly wait to see them both, after two years (in 2006 it was me who paid them a visit in France - very nice country indeed!). You know, she's one of the few friends that I've kept in touch with for so many years...15 years and counting. It's a lot to be said about this subject, but I guess I'll leave it for later.

Last but not least, a few words about the band - and yes, the Paladins still exist! Although this week I've performed for a colleague in eta2u with Freak, I've lost any hope that he'd be joining us sooner or later. He likes playing from time to time, but he's no enthousiastic, that's for sure. Or maybe he's too much for a family man? Nevertheless, Tommy and I will keep playing. Yes, we will!

In the end - I wish for peace. Once again. I wish to be in good health and to see the day when I will rest. I feel that life is sometimes overwhelming, but I know God is on my side ahd He'll help me whenever I need it.

Peace and Love to You!

Wolf

The beginning of another year

Greetings to all of you blog readers,



First of all, I wish you a happy new year 2008, good health and all the best in life!



I have begun this year by looking back at what 2007 has meant to me. And I can say it's been one of the most challenging years of my life, so far. I have had many up's and down's, many accomplishments and many crashes, but in the end that's what life is all about. You live, you learn...you fall down, you get up again, and keep moving while you still have breath. Struggling to keep my faith, looking for love and trying to make it to the next step. But I think that, after all, I have begun to re-shape my values and to appreciate what I have and what I should build.



I do not know whether I am wiser or stronger in spirit now. I do not believe I am a different person from what I was one year ago. Yet, I believe I have learnt some important lessons, that I must apply in my everyday life.



I am satisfied with my career and my personal progress. There are good and bad days, but I understand now that I must look at the future all the time. All that matters is the next step, the rest is but an option.



But the most important event that marked the beginning of this year is, without any doubt, my trip to Egypt. My company has decided to send me and Gabi, one of my colleagues, to an all-expenses-paid trip to this country. It's a country of extremes. The pyramids and the sphinx are superb, but the country is in a very bad shape. Poverty is everywhere. People are fighting to make a living, trying to sell whatever they can...the bedouins, for example. Personally, I've never seen poorer people in my life.



On the other hand, for the tourists it's a real paradise. It's much cheaper than many traditional destinations, and the conditions are more than acceptable. The landscape is a little devastating, but once you go snorkeling, you change your opinion on everything. Once you swim close to the fish and touch the corals, and after riding a camel, things seem so exotic and exciting that you're certainly gonna want to come back again. And soon!



What pissed me most - everyone was expecting a "baksheesh", a tip. For everything. For any information, any door opened. For doing their job...it's incredible sometimes but...that's the way it is.



What I wish for this year? Peace and health. Nothing more that that. I shall solve the rest, God willing.



That would be all for now. I'm a little out of inspiration tonight. Some pictures...later.

Peace&Love to You!

Wolf