Always on the Move

People are constantly moving, it's a trait of the fast pace world we live in. New jobs, new members to their family, new climate needed or just an urge to change something, all these can lead to a relocation. Most of the times, I think of moving to a different city in a very bohemian way: pack everything, strive hard to make it all fit in your car, then drive away in the sunset.

Well, it actually is a little more complicated than that! Relocation is not just another simple process for all those who have to do it. It sometimes involves mortgage refinancing, spending days looking for apartments to rent (I have quite a few horror stories to share with you on this matter) or keeping an eye on bank foreclosures and hoping to get a great deal.

It is amazing how, after one relocation of my own, another one that shook my world pretty bad and about 12 times moving around Bucharest, I still see the idyllic aspect of this sometimes painful process. And yes, I know my car is a Peugeot 107 and it will take at least 3 drives to move all my stuff :)

And because I know all of this, next time I relocate or have to move from one side of Bucharest to another (sometimes having movers help you with this might take less when relocating, thanks to our lovely traffic), I hope to see a service such as National Relocations. I'd like to see all my options in one place, one that is clear and simple to use and has all details close by. I am quite tired of real estate agencies that offer no additional information, although it would really help them get more clients. By the way, I've never heard of a moving company around here. Is it because there are none, or because they have no idea how to promote themselves?

Oh no!

The other day I was in the opticians, getting fitted for some new contact lenses. I was sat at a little desk, in front of a mirror while I put the lenses in.

As I got up and smiled at the assistant, I caught sight of my reflection.

"Where did those come from?!"

By 'those', I mean heinous crow's feet. I looked at my face. I knew I had a mobile forehead, but I'd never noticed the agricultural scale furrows in it.

This is not good. I still get spots (sometimes), surely on the grounds of fairness, I should be spared wrinkles?

I repaired to the chemist, in order to purchase one of those overpriced beauty creams that the sensible adult in me doubts the effectiveness of.

It's either that or Botox and having an immobile face creeps me out more then wrinkles.

After wincing at the price of the indeed overpriced beauty cream and then being comforted by the free gift, I realised that showering and the occasional slathering with moisturiser does not really constitute a beauty routine. I consider applying hair conditioner to be the height of pampering. Laziness disguised as being low maintenance is a key trait of mine.

I also have a terrible habit of buying these beauty products and only using them a few times. There is not yet a product that works via osmosis, merely by being on your bathroom shelf. If such a product existed, I would be the first to buy it. The cosmetic companies should definitely work on that.

France, the Country of Romantic Vacations

Maybe because of my background (Romanians have always had this thing for France and Bucharest was known as Little Paris, plus novels, movies and other vacation offers from tourism agencies), I see France, and especially Paris, as the place for romantic getaways. Yes, museums and art galleries are a big attraction and I'd go see them all. But have you seen the dancing on the Eiffel Tower scene from the Highlander series? Nothing more romantic than that!
What I really want to see in Paris, besides the Versailles with all its range of famous attractions, is the Luxembourg garden. I read about in high-school, during the French classes. A excerpt from Anatole France if I remember correctly and the feeling I need to go there when I have the chance stayed with me.
I also plan to see each major city or at least pass through it when I get to France. Nice ranks high on the must see list, along with Cannes. For those planning a similar trip to mine, maybe some practical advice is in order. So have your pick of France hotels, Paris hotels, Nice hotels, and feel free to look around for accommodation in whichever city, resort or village you're attracted to.

Entry sponsored by CheaperThanHotels.com

Why Do Women Wear Gold Jewelry?

For Romanian so-called clothing/perfume/jewelry designer and vendor Janine ex-Sarbu, this question has a simple answer: women wear such jewelry to show their man's power!!! No kidding! I heard that in a radio ad. This is the idea she employs to promote her new diamond and gold jewelry line, Janine Joyeaux.

Oh, and in case you did not know, this power Janine is talking about also shows how her husband is tender and loving and whatever else he is... Never mind her own pleasure or taste in jewelry or her personality or getting gold jewels from someone else. It's all about men and their power.

Janine, who ever manages your campaign for the jewelry line should be fired. I could always do a better job...

Tarzan...

Call me old fashioned, but somehow, I picture the perfect relationship between a man and woman to have some of the Jane/Tarzan element. The strong man on which the woman, when she feels she needs to, can lean on him for support. The big strong man that will take care of her, that would protect her, that would advise her, and of course to comfort her. Yes of course, a woman also provides comfort, love and nurturing to the man, but from some aspects she would like to feel that he is more capable than her, so she can lean there when needed. Like wanting more physical strength; I would like to call on my husband to open a stubborn jar, and not vice versa. I would like to be able to take his opinion and respect it and be able to listen to it.

What happens when the women are too self sufficient in these areas? The world today puts us through ordeals that make us as capable as, if not more, than a lot of men. Modernized or not, a woman would like to feel that although she is happy and able to share the load, if she wants to lay back and just let him take care of her, he can. That is the point, not if he will, because most of us would like to share responsibility, but that HE CAN. Every woman occasionally takes a step back and looks at her husband with Jane’s eyes, and evaluates her Tarzan. Content that he has it in him, she would happily take the step forward again into the modern world where we stand hand in hand.

What happens when a woman is really smart? One very tricky situation is when she is much smarter than him. Though it would probably help her win a lot of arguments, and be able to get what she wants, I do not know if it will satisfy her as a woman. To feel that she is the wiser one, the one to guide him, and I guess ultimately, it makes sense that she will assume leadership. is It not difficult t follow when you feel that you are more capable that your leader?
I sometimes feel that maybe part of what makes me feel this way is my star sign. Being a Pisces , the romantic side usually outweighs my practical side. Idealistic images in my mind of a relationship where the man is the mentor, protector, lover and provider, plus of course partner and bestest friend. My romantic Utopia I guess, or shall I better name it “La La land”?

All in the Details

Some would argue that a home design you love is based on paying attention to details. Therefore, your house would be surrounded by all the things you love. So there is no surprise a store can offer over a thousand models of residential mailboxes. If you get a lot of mail, and mailboxes are what you see at least everyday, why not chose one that pleases your eyes and in turn says something about yourself?

Having a certain mailbox can be a powerful statement. It's sometimes the first thing people see when coming to your house. So why not tell them you're stylish or trendy or just alternative? No reason not to, and that's why the commercial mailboxes business is expanding. Think about it: we personalize email inboxes with colors and everything. It seems only natural that some of us would take great interest in front door mailboxes too.

I for on love this model. I'd love to see it someone's yard on my way to work. And the company selling them also has a very nice affliate program. Efficient too: they pay you to join. Why? Probably because every other business offers such a program and they know they should go the extra step to convince you to join theirs.

This is a sponsored post.

Recommended Reading: On False Values

I've just run into an extremely interesting post on the false values and tactics today's musicians and magazines are promoting in what women's behavior and their relationships should be. The post depicts the very trendy belief that we are free to go for everything we might want, regardless of who else we harm. Go take a peak and tell us what you think!

I Now Pronounce You Robot and Woman

Humans might marry and have sexual relationships with robots within the century, according to an MSNBC article.

"My forecast is that around 2050, the state of Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize marriages with robots," artificial intelligence researcher David Levy at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands told LiveScience.

What is the theory based on? Technological breakthroughs of course, but also ancient Greek myths and current behavior of people being attracted to computer programs:

Not only has science fiction explored this idea, but 40 years ago, scientists noticed that students at times became unusually attracted to ELIZA, a computer program designed to ask questions and mimic a psychotherapist.

Would that be an actual answer to gender differences and issues? And will humanity accept it easier than same sex marriage? Would gender count at this point? And what about babies? Will we cut all blood relationship between the baby and at least one of the parents? These are the questions I leave you with.

Comment the issue on Slashdot as well.

Skateboards, my loves

Why I love skateboards that much? Well easy! As I was growing up, up until secondary when we rediscovered ourselves, girls and boys had a golden rule of never mixing. Why was that an issue to me? Well, I liked football, tennis, climbing trees and other such "girlie" things. And I had a hard time convincing boys to let me play. And all this lasted until my step dead got me my first skateboard! It was cool, with incredible colors and none of us knew how to use it. But because I was the privileged one on our block, I was allowed to play with boys.

Now when I look at what skateboards are available, I am seriously taken aback. And look at the names, it's like talking about spaceships: California Advanced CAB 20 Scream Complete Skateboard, or Sector 9 38" Trylam Professional Longboard Deck Only, or Remote Control Raptor 2.2 Electric Skateboard (this one is my absolute favorite). And if this is not enough, you have some cool skateboarding equipment to help you practice, again with futuristic names: Factor X Quarter Pipe and Razor Punk Ramp.

These all look extremely addictive and if you have time to look, the prices are not that high. Especially when I compare them with what they used to cost here when I was a kid.

After School Assisted Learning

When children start school, most education is done within school premises. But it does not also end there. Homework preparation, getting ready for exams, it's all part of the same process. Most children do just great on their own and with some occasional help from their parents. But others need tutoring, not necessarily because they lack the ability to learn, but because they need more time doing so, or they don't pay enough attention in school or they simply reject some subjects.

When I was about to finish secondary school, most of us took Maths tutoring to prepare for our first major exam (the one before high-school). That was the trend, and needed or not, parents thought it was a great idea. Algebra, geometry, they all seemed to scare us all. But what I really needed homework help with was Physics, as most of us had trouble getting any of it from my first Physics teacher.

Now that we live in a technological paradise, online tutoring is also available. I guess it is a good idea, given that anything computer-related tends to attract children and teenagers more than a classical tutor.

Entry sponsored by TutorVista.com

Thinking of Moving Together with the One?

Moving together is something couples always look forward to. The privacy, the enormous time together, the play family game and the freedom to act as you both feel like. But what happens when things happen the wrong way? Not as in not getting along, but as in mishaps and wrong doings that generate an enormous amount of stress for both of you. Well, I came up with a list after this weekend of moving:

• breathe
• breathe again
• remember you are both tired and possibly cranky
• go over the reasons for doing this again
• think of the finish line
• forget about how the place looks with all the stuff inside, that will definitely change
• yes, you don't have everything you need, that happens
• yes, you will forget to buy everything in on the list at the supermarket, so breathe some more
• if you fight, remember it's because of the stress
• physical work helps with tension and frustration, and you have plenty of that coming your way
• think of that celebration dinner coming your way
• think of all the advantages of the new place's location
• breathe again
• and breathe some more
• cry if you have to
• remember you are also exaggerating

That's all folks! Have fun while at it :) I did!

Online Shopping with Coupon Chief

Coupon Chief is the place to go for those who believe that shopping at a lower price is better than a trip to the stores. I have to say more of those I've been talking to wish they could have all their shopping done online and delivered home, given the general lack of time that seems to affect all of us. Coupon Chief collaborates with all the online stores that matters, so there's no chance to miss out on what you are looking for: books, food and wine, computers, clothes, shoes, flowers, gifts or jewelry. All of these at a lover price.

I took a look at the HP Store. As you might now, I am a big fan. I love my HP notebook and have a bad habit of taking it everywhere with me, although sometimes I don't even go near the power button.

Given my current mood, waiting for desert after dinner, the Fanny May coupons to get delicious candy. Basically, everything you wanted is there, at a mouse click. I'd see this as the place to go for quick shopping, if you only see the need fulfilling part of it. If you see shopping as a social act, well, that's a different story.

Sponsored by Coupon Chief

GPS Inside Information

GPS systems can turn out to be life saviors when you have no idea where you're going exactly or how to get there. This was their original purpose, to safely lead people from one point to another without all the fuss that came along with asking for direction, learning how to find your way using a normal map or calling someone at your destination to guide you through.

As it happens with other gadgets and systems, their original purpose changed. Somehow, software and hardware GPS tracking systems shifted focus and turned into a security tool: personal or corporate. Personal as GPS is used to locate stolen cars or to track company owned cars and their drivers. GPS Insight for example helps employers make sure their drivers are not doing something else instead of working. As they are closely monitored, their location being updated every 2 minutes. What does the company gain: they don't waste money on wasted time, they make sure no fuel is stolen and make sure the route taken is the best available one. The provided maps are highly customizable and come in high resolution so that monitoring a few dozen vehicles does not turn into a torture. But their true differentiator, what makes them really stand out, is their unique ability to provide direct engine diagnoses. That means providing data regarding fault codes, speed, fuel consumption, odometer readings, idle time and so on.
The system does come with its costs, as we all know there never is any free lunch. The price, of about 1,5-2 USD per vehicle/per day is however justified by the benefits the product offers. GPS Insight also comes with support services and, something I found interesting, covers a number of incidents for each monitored truck or car.

The company targets service and trucking companies mostly, of any sizes, but it can easily be integrated in any field requiring transportation. I see hardware and software based GPS tracking services as highly important not only to prevent losses resulting from specific, planned action of employees. It is also necessary to prevent little errors (such as not avoiding a way to crowded route, or taking a longer one) which, if computed, amount to quite important losses.

GPS Insight has a very clean site, offering all the information you might need and a large number of product screenshots and live demo. The product also comes with a 30 days money back guarantee.

Entry sponsored by GPS Insight

Intelligent You Say?

I got this on my email, in a list of adds tagged ad (very) intelligent. I'd say funny at most. Does this look intelligent to you? Does it annoy you to see this stupid image of a woman being angry on another one because of her bigger breasts? I'll stick to my Canon for now and am not planning to ever buy a Nikon.

If you are a man reading this blog, does this make you want to buy the product?

The Heartless Corporate Woman Cliche

There's a story that has been going around by email about this corporate hot shot, admired by everybody, who suddenly starts crying in the bathroom. She then pours her heart out about wanting to have a child and not actually having time for the actual procreation. The moral of the story? Focusing on your career will make you miss out on so many things.

What is wrong with this story? One simple fact: the husband in the story is also too tired to procreate. So I don't really get how she'll do it all on her own if she stops focusing that much on her job.

Now I know that ideally we should all work 5 days a week, from 9 to 5 and then have enough time left to enjoy all the other pleasures life has to offer. All good till now, but that is still only an idealistic approach. In the Real Romania, it works like that for a lucky elite only. The rest of us women have to put more effort into making enough money to first afford other treats and only then make time for them.

And no one thinks about long term state of affairs. Ok, she has the child and gives up her job for the hubby and baby and all. Should I remind you all that in Romania the wife gets no monthly sums of money? Only the child does, and not always enough. Should I also remind you that a break of a few years can make getting back into the work field can be really hard? For most of us, there is no either/or. As generally women with an ongoing career still have a hard time raising children on their own.

Then again, did any of us stop to think why certain women (house wives) stay in dysfunctional marriages? Why they accept to be beaten, cheated on or treated as servants? Simply because they cannot afford to do something else. So having to postpone a pregnancy is not the worst thing that can happen to a woman. Why do we blow it out of proportions? Why do we keep fighting the successful career woman? Isn't it high time we stopped?

College Attendance Made Easier

College is not always easy to attend and within reach for all social classes. For a lot of young men and women, the fees are way too much and scholarships are not that many. So what to do in such a case? Student loan consolidation might be a solution. But what is that exactly? Student loan consolidation means you have some options when it comes to pay for college - you mix available scholarships with federal aid and with the most advantageous private student loans.

Such loans address parents, future college students and also graduate students, those having or looking for student loans. The NestStudent services in this area have an interesting slogan: college funding made easy. And this is something everyone would need, I guess. Material details sorted out so that they concentrate on what's really important: their education and their future career.

I haven't seen any real student loan consolidation services in Romania. But I am sure they'd be quite useful for a lot of college graduates whose parents cannot afford to pay for their education. Sure, there are some scholarships (most of them granted if students have great results during college), but there are still transportation, housing, meals and other such issues to worry about.

Post sponsored by NextSudent

Cliches in Tourism

Being a regular viewer of Euronews means that you watch a different variety of adverts compared to your average terrestrial channel.

The
tourism adverts are especially unusual, with destinations like Iran
(The slogan for there should be "Iran...enjoy it while you can"),
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Montenegro and Sochi (Russia) being featured.

How ever, pretty much every advert features the same scene:

A
lady in "traditional dress" proffering a bowl of fruit. I call this,
the Prithee Fair Maiden
Shot.

It's a cheesy cliche that smacks of "Come to our country, filled with comely wenches who will wait on your every need" .

Sell what you have to offer, not your self respect.

Eating Disorders, Again

As you all know, this is actually a topic I keep my eyes on. Mostly because I've come across people facing such issues and because it is a problem most people (those who suffer from it and their families) tend to ignore in some parts of the world. Romania is such an example, with no extensive studies being performed and with parents still seeing such disorders as a way to get more attention.

I've accidentally come across and article on the Change Therapy blog. featuring the results of a research performed on teenagers with bulimia. The results show that parents play a key role in their children's getting better. Read the article to find out more on the research and for additional information on such disorders.

Who Are the Women Who Rule the World?

Feel like getting to know powerful women in the world? Then Forbes has the right answer for you. A list of the most powerful women in the world. I've only got to see the first 30, but it all seems quite interesting. Enjoy reading.

Creating the Right Light

I am the type of girl who thinks light plays a key role in how I feel in a certain room. That is why I love rooms with enormous windows and why I am very careful in choosing the lighting for the nights I spend there.

Farreys. com gives you quite a large number of options for lighting and lamps. You have plenty to see and to choose from. But if you already know what you are looking for you can use the site's lighting search tool to help you narrow down your options.
My eye was particularly caught by the fine art lamps collection (from which I have taken the photos) and by the House of Troy lighting section. But there are a hundreds of possibilities on the site, to fit any type of room you might want to further decorate.
I am not all that crazy about their logo or their site look, they should work a little on those. But there are a few lamps I've seen that are really amazing. Take a look and tell me what you think.

Entry sponsored by Farreys.Com

Recommended Reading: "Men are very bad for women really"

BBC News published a very interesting article on reasons why women moving in with their partner gain weight. It was recommended by a friend and turned out to be a quite useful read. Therefore I am sharing it with you.

Among the most important reasons couples leaving (especially the women forming them) together gain weight are:

• the new found habit of eating male size portions
• more often meals at the restaurant
• replacing fruits and veggies with treats and more complicated dishes
• skipping the daily workout to spend more time with the significant other
• sharing the house chores
• going on the pill
• multiple pregnancies

As obesity expert Dr Haslam concludes, men are actually very bad for women :D. I believe it is more about self discipline and setting the correct priorities. Going to the gym together can be a perfect mix of time spent together and work outs.

What Women Really Want

...or be careful how you state your wishes :P

Recommended Reading: Top Ten Tips for Men Leading Women

The brain differences between men and women, meaning their different ways of thinking and approaching certain topics or situations, are subject to a lot of research being made and the findings are usually aimed at making you rethink your strategy. I do recommend this article giving advice to male leader to help them better manage the women in their team. It will give you a whole new perspective.

To be honest, I recommend keeping a close eye on Dr Ellen Webber's blog entires. From the few posts I've read, having a BrainBased activity can really help you create and maintain a focused and prosperous business.

Recommended Reading: Powerful Women

The online edition of Channel Web includes this interesting article on Powerful Women of the Channel. Stop by to red about some very powerful business women and their accomplishments.

How Far Would You Go to Shop for Free?

I got this information via email, along with the photos, so I have no idea if they are copyright protected or if the information is accurate. A quick search did not return relevant enough information.
St. Petersburg (Russia), The "Glamour" magazine organized a high-heel sprint where women had to run wearing shoes with a minimum height of 3.5 inches to win a shopping voucher worth $2,000.
As you can see here, it wasn't what I'd call a breeze. These women were subdued to quite a lot of pain, I imagine, both from running and falling down.
According to this site and this video, the same thing was organized in Amsterdam, for 10,000 EUR this time. To be honest, I would not try it! I am not that desperate for freebies to take the pain. Would you?

Recommended Reading: The Women and The Men of SEO

I am launching a new GBC category today: Recommended Reading. I will use this new label to point out reading that I find interesting and consider to be somehow connected to the topic and target of this blog.

Today, the recommendation is for a very interesting post written by Mihaela Lica on SEO, its women and its men. You will find subtle differences in working habits of men and women, no prejudice or misconceptions whatsoever. Enjoy your read!

Are These the Only Visible Things Women Do?

This was supposed to be funny. I find it offensive to be honest. So, we never meet any of our friends, we only spend time on the phone. We never go out, see a movie, read a book or anything like that. And of course, all women in this universe are housewives. And have no children, cause I see not picking them from school or going to see the teacher.
Oh, and this women - clock is so accurate, it completely overlooks another cliche: the enormous amount of time women spend shopping. Anyway, it did get me a bit pissed off.

Should Aunt Irma Stop Visiting?

I thought of bringing a story published by New York Times to your attention. First, here are some (quite a few) excerpts from the article:

For many women, a birth control pill that eliminates monthly menstruation might seem a welcome milestone.

But others view their periods as fundamental symbols of fertility and health, researchers have found. Rather than loathing their periods, women evidently carry on complex love-hate relationships with them.

The Food and Drug Administration agency is expected to approve the first contraceptive pill that is designed to eliminate periods as long as a woman takes it.

The drug’s maker, Wyeth, said yesterday that it was expecting F.D.A. approval in May, but has declined to discuss its marketing plans.

The company’s research shows that nearly two-thirds of women it surveyed expressed an interest in giving up their periods. That dovetails with the findings of similar research conducted by Linda C. Andrist, a professor at MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston.

“We don’t want to confront our bodily functions anymore,” Ms. Andrist said. “We’re too busy.” Doctors say they know of no medical reason women taking birth control pills need to have a period. The monthly bleeding that women on pills experience is not a real period, in fact.

Ms. Chesler, who teaches documentary making at the University of California, San Diego, said she became concerned about efforts to eliminate menstruation when she first heard about the idea several years ago.

“Women are not sick,” she said. “They don’t need to control their periods for 30 or 40 years.”

Eliminating menstruation is not a completely new concept. Women who take any kind of oral contraceptive do not have real periods.

Menstrual suppression may be particularly appealing to women who suffer severe pain, heavy bleeding or emotional problems during their periods. A study by Canadian researchers found that women afflicted by heavy menstrual bleeding give up $1,692 a year in lost wages.

Views about menstruation have long been mixed. Some cultures have banished menstruating women to huts or required special baths after periods. Others believed that menstruating women had special powers.

Wyeth's therapeutic director for women’s health, Dr. Ginger D. Constantine, cited company-financed research indicating that women often feel less effective at work and school during their periods. They limit sexual activity and exercise, wear dark clothes and stay home more, resulting in absenteeism, she said.

I must say I have no idea what I would choose, given the option. To be honest, before having it, I went crazy waiting for my period. Other girls around me were already talking about this issue and I felt left out and such a child. I would now said I was way too ignorant of the matter. I got it, I was happy, for about two months. Then I faced the real problems of it: impossible timing, extra care needed, all the ill-feeling sometimes associated with it. I do not have an actual PMS. But I do feel fat and ugly while it lasts.

Now I have to think of complete freedom. If using normal pills leaves me with a fake period, why keep it? Is that what makes me feel like a woman? Far from it... I think I would be more inclined to say yes to such an option, after monitoring the issue for a while (a year or so would be enough to see if any health issues arise).

What would you do in this case?

Barbie Magazine, stairway to eating disorders

People ask themselves why anorexia is becoming a problem in Romania. Well, I guess it has a lot to do with patterns we import from other countries. The most frequently seen are the dozens of women's magazines, containing clothes, makeup and diets and photos of very thin women. But it starts way sooner!

Those of you living in Bucharest have surely seen the Barbie magazine ads. I tried looking up a site of this magazine but failed. Anyway, the ad that always makes me mad is the one displayed at the entrace of the Brancoveanu metro station. It shows a 10 (12 maximum) year old girl, with a complicated hairdo, makeup and a really tight dress. She is trying a sexy look (yes, I am serious) and it simply looks scary to me.

The slogan is "Barbie, your best friend". Is that the friend mothers want for their daughters? A skinny looking doll whose proportions are physically impossible? And who allowed that girl to be photographed like that? Does she not have a mother? Is she not too young to be trapped in the shallowness of how important looks are?

Teenagers are the most common victims of eating disorders. Maybe more of us should thing twice before making models out of our young girls and before buying them such magazines.

My Revolution

This is my first post here, and although the title of it sounds pretentious or lame, that only the whole story will reveal.
I want to talk about how it is like to come out of your shell sometimes, even though, weirdly enough, you are far from being shy. It needs some courage and a bit of spark, at the right moment. I had this spark today, therefore, I made my revolution, thank you to my sweetest friend Alina, who taught me that "you are the one in charge when it comes to what you feel". But hey, what am I talking about here, you might all wonder by now, if you haven't rolled your eyes already. :)

I am asking you, how do you feel when you are nice and the nicer you get, the uglier people behave around you, just like a downward spiral with a bad end. Oh well, I have this "friend" or better said, acquaintance, and she always felt the need to attack me somehow, when it comes to my skills, to my appearance, to anything else under the sun. You know.... with those silly remarks you can hardly have an intelligent answer for, go figure.
Today, I told her what I feel about something she wanted to be praised for, I told her the truth, that it was crappy, in short, I felt I am fed up to be nice and show her only the good side when there was hardly any of it, I was harsh and critique. She took it badly and her arguments were so poor that it made me wonder, why do I wanna be "friends" with someone I feel no connection with, instead I am trying to make a connection by giving but not receiving. I had this smirk on my face, of coming out as my true self and tell people the truth as they deserve it, just like I tell it to myself, so too many times.

She is not important for me, I am not important for her, I am sure we have already replaced each other by now, she, with a moaning about my behavior, me, with this wonderful blog I can pour my silly thoughts into. And, I smile to this screen, I feel that after few years of trying to be nice I can almost be mean with those who deserve it, I feel the days in which I go in a corner to feel bad as I didn't have the right answer to an attack, are slowly going away....
It is like you face bullying more or less, I was too blind to see it, until ....today. Some of you might ask, was that woman deserving your bluntness? Oh, yeah, my answer would be, as I made my revolution today, and I started with the right person.

ps:
Thank you Alina and each one of you I know very little yet, for giving me a peice of your blog, to share my world with you. :)

New Girl in the Club

Important notice!!!
GBC has the great pleasure of presenting its newest member, Beatrice. Besides blogging fervently from now on, she also designs great logos. You can see a link to her own company on our sidebar.
Let's all welcome her and wish her a pleasant stay at GBC!

Simply Unacceptable!

We all worry about a little unwanted comment-spam, we complain about blog stalkers that criticize everything we read, write or do. That kind of comes with blogging and can be ignored and handled quite successfully. But what happens when there is no limit? When you are treated like a mere object and you receive death threats as comments or emails? A post on Dio's Quasi Fictional brought this problem to my attention.

A female blogger, very successful one might I add, is experiencing all these. Go to her blog for more details on how such a situation affects the victim. Because in this case she actually is a victim, nothing less. It is not just some text, it is still a threat and should be treated exactly as an old school letter.

I feel rage, disgust, but helplessness is the dominant sensation. I would like to help, and there is now way for me to do that. Therefore, I can only show my support. I can actually say I understand how it feels, but only to some extent. I've had a knife held to my neck, but only for a few minutes. I have no idea how I'd handle such a prolonged experience. I think she is doing great in this situation.

Boring Stuff for Boys

Brain dead tv. The television programmes you can turn off your brain and just watch, no thinking required.

My favourite type of brain dead tv is the music channels. I'm not so bad now, but in my student days I could watch these for hours.

Although, if I'm honest, working life isn't the only reason I watch these channels less now.

The truth is, I find a lot of music videos unbearable to watch. They've gone from having pretty girls dancing, to having pretty girls looking and acting like porn stars. Fly girls are now "video ho's". Inventivness has been lost to the desire to make every single promo video look like soft porn, with the boundaries being pushed back further and further.

A graphic example is the plethora of "knicker shots", where the model is wearing tiny knickers and showing as much flesh as possible. Or they'll just set the video in a lap dancing club.

I find these videos not just offensive and demeaning to women, but boring. These videos are a wave of erstaz sexuality aimed at the "lad" demographic. Why should I watch them, when they so blatantly aren't made for me or other any women.

Music videos used to be (and sometimes still are, check out the works of Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze or Sophie Muller) an inventive marriage of sound and vision. One of my earliest childhood memories is watching Michael Jackson's Billie Jean video, seeing the paving stones light up and thinking it was the coolest thing ever.

I want that sort of imaginative visual back, rather then this continued slide into sleaze.

Something like this:

Fun for the Girls

A woman is incomplete until she is married. Then she is finished.

As my friend Ryan noted, the same theory may prove true for men as well.

Different perspectives

Have you noticed that when saying something really naughty, almost dirty, a boy and a girl are looked at differently? If a few girls are walking and making comments (not always innocent) on boys they see, they are always regarded as evil doers, unlike boys doing the very same.

Why is that? We can all have such playful, hunter feelings. No one imagines women are blind, deaf and always obsessing on one man alone. As long as they don't say it, it is all very appropriate. Thinking it does not matter, just keep it to yourself. That is so wrong though.

As far as I can tell, being in love, in a relationship, and committed to your feelings and your relationship does not mean you will never have opinions on the opposite sex. It does not mean anyone else is purely non-attractive to you. It only means you are genuinely not interested. You make a choice (you commit to a person) and stick with that choice.

And if you are not in a relationship, not seeing someone and definitely looking, well than you have the same opinions on the opposite sex. A man would seem attractive or not in both circumstances, only that you may choose to take an interest. Or not. For your own reasons.

If when seeing someone you smile and you have that "I am definitely into you" look and also dare to say something about it to your friends and you also happen to be in a public place, you'd better not be a woman! Cause people will definitely look down on you! If you only think it, that's just ok!

If you feel like going a little over the line when talking to your friends, then again, make sure you are behind closed doors or that you are a man. Otherwise, you can have results ranging from people in complete shock, not being able to continue whatever they were previously doing, to serious accidents. And the look, the "You are so going to burn in hell look", well, I just love that!

So here is how I see it: there should not be any difference in judging what people (as in men and women alike) are thinking and saying. It is just the same. Keeping it to yourself or to close friends will not make you better. The difference is between thinking of something and doing it. That's all!

Death by Starvation

The EVZ daily paper has published a story on anorexia today. It presents a few facts about the victims the disease has made in Romania, the reasons to get sick, psychological aspects and a few statistics.

Romania has been kept safe from this disease up to know, but in the past few years, the cases of anorexia have become more and more common. Experts say refusing to eat will become a public health problem in the next 5 or 6 years.

Anorexia is frequent among women aged 13 to 20, and it is encountered in men also, very rarely. Relationships of mothers with their children, school mates and promoted standards (mostly by the fashion industry) are a few of the reasons this frightening disease exists. Other than teenage girls, people depending on their image for a living (models, ballerinas, actresses etc) and old people who have lost their will to live can also be affected by it.

Similar to the case of bulimia, medical treatment is almost impossible for those suffering from anorexia. An entire board of doctors (including a psychologist and a psychiatrist) is needed to treat such a patient. The disease can only be treated within hospitals, as people suffering from anorexia also become suicidal.

There are no relevant statistics regarding this disease in Romania, nor for bulimia. The reason? They have recently started to be considered an issue requiring such attention.

Story in Romanian and a summary in English.

The part of this story that made me really angry was the interview with the owner of the largest modeling company in Romania, also published by EVZ. He denies the fact that models and the fashion industry have any impact on or responsibility towards those suffering from anorexia.

He states normal models, not skinny and fitting some impossible standards, would make fat people contempt with themselves. Yes, in some cases, being fat is a problem; it can lead to severe illnesses. Other than that, not being perfectly slim is really nooo problem.

And besides, if anyone wants to loose weight, they should go exercise, eat healthy and generally lead a healthy life. Starving yourself to death will bring you just that: death. No beauty in turning into dust, is there?

How’s the situation in other countries? Do you have any relevant data to share?

What is a photo?

I am rediscovering the power of photos these days. Nothing attracts better your visitors' attention than a photo. I have to admit I have published photos quite often. They help making a story more expressive and yes, they do tend to catch the readers' eyes.

Personal photos, portraits especially, have an even greater power. I have posted a few photos of myself on my own blog several days ago. Well, it's been the third day in a row when they have been most popular links. I would like new visitors to be attracted by my blog's content, but it seems my photos do a better job.

George said once that posting a girl photo on my profile had a lot to do with new visitors. He was right, after that, I had a lot more profile views.

For the new photos, if I exclude friends who commented as they had not seen me in my new look, I am still left with way too many clicks directed to those photos.

Why is that? Why do new posts remain without comments although they bring quite interesting or important news or talk about a movie or a book or other experiences, while those photos are still commented on? Are we all so tributary to physical appearance? Does it feel the same for male photos? From George's comments, I understood it doesn't.

Anyway, this was a good exercise. My decision, not to post any other photos soon.

Fun for the Girls

Enjoy!

The New Girl in the Club

Ladies and Gentlemen!!!!!!!

The Girl's Blogosphere Club is proud to introduce its new member:

Om Luji!

You are hereby invited to keep an eye on her work, both here and on her own blog.

Welcome.

Is the Eternal Feminine at Bay?

Yesterday I came across another online magazine for women. I browsed to it, as I usually do with such magazines, and then I never return. Unless I am really bored and there is nothing else to do.

Their attitude does annoy me. Even if they are aimed at career women, the attitude is a bit wrong. They still promote diets. None focuses more on careers, on experiences, on real accounts on everything. They still all make a purpose of discovering what’s behind the masculine mind. Well I don’t care about that when reading such a magazine. I want to read about women. How they handle stuff. Not a psychologist’s opinion on how men think.

Anyway, back to the respective magazine. I loved the slogan: for women who successfully combine their career and family life. Great! I need some advice on that. Then I saw the sections. Career is fourth, after Home, Family and Beauty??? And the square in front of it has the ugliest, least attractive colors of all: a gray of some sort.

Then I read this article in the Lifestyle section. About successful business women in a man’s world. OK, enough of that. I am tired of people talking about how women become more and more like men when they handle important affairs. How the eternal feminine might be lost on the way to prove their independence, their leadership abilities etc.

Just because women want to do what men do does not mean they won’t bring in their own style. Yes, they might experience lack of time and everything, but as Cris said at a certain point, they still have similar issues when it comes to relationships and life in general. They won’t turn into copies of men in their field. Not all of them anyway. Some might!

So maybe a HowTo on how to stay a woman when doing a man’s job? That would be an interesting subject for me. Or maybe an extensive article about day care (or the lack of it) in Romanian companies? Or more statistics or employed women vs housewives. Or women’s salaries vs men’s salaries. Or Queen Bees in Romania. Do they exist? Single women and single mothers. How to handle all life’s responsibility on your own when clearly the stay at home option is not available? Maybe we should focus on that more and less on pathological fights within a relationship.

Tags: Women, Career Women, Family, Lifestyle, Garbo, Women's Magazines, Journalism

Women- powerful or not?

Today I read many silly articles for women, you know the kind: advice for your relationship, how to meet the perfect man, how to have passionate sex and so on. I know some impressive career women who despite their position, financial status, power, when they meet a man they like, they lose their mind and emotions go wild. From this moment on they become like any other women, maybe even more emotional and needy. They start having some serious security issues. They need their men to hold them, rub them and tell them how special they are for providing them moral, mental and emotional support.

Read more on Visiosphere's "Women- powerful or not?"

Fun: Women vs Men Praying

WOMAN'S POEM:
“Before I lay me down to sleep/
I pray for a man, who's not a creep,/
One who's handsome, smart and strong.
One who loves to listen long,/
One who thinks before he speaks,/
One who'll call, not wait for weeks.
I pray he's gainfully employed,/
When I spend his cash, won't be annoyed.
Pulls out my chair and opens my door,/
Massages my back and begs to do more./
Oh! Send me a man who'll make love to my mind,
Knows what to answer to "how big is my behind?"/
I pray that this man will love me to no end,
And always be my very best friend.”

MAN'S POEM:
“ I pray for a deaf-mute nymphomaniac with huge boobs who owns a liquor store and a golf course. This doesn't rhyme and I don't give a shit.”

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids
each for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.

There is no fast food.

Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean,
correct all homework, complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and
pay a list of "pretend" bills with not enough money.

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each
week.


Rest of the details found here...

US - 51% of Women Are Living Without Spouse

"For what experts say is probably the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with one, according to a New York Times analysis of census results.

In 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse, up from 35 percent in 1950 and 49 percent in 2000.

Coupled with the fact that in 2005 married couples became a minority of all American households for the first time, the trend could ultimately shape social and workplace policies, including the ways government and employers distribute benefits.

Several factors are driving the statistical shift. At one end of the age spectrum, women are marrying later or living with unmarried partners more often and for longer periods. At the other end, women are living longer as widows and, after a divorce, are more likely than men to delay remarriage, sometimes delighting in their newfound freedom.

In addition, marriage rates among black women remain low. Only about 30 percent of black women are living with a spouse, according to the Census Bureau, compared with about 49 percent of Hispanic women, 55 percent of non-Hispanic white women and more than 60 percent of Asian women."

Whole story here.

This is one of those pieces of news that does not surprise me at all. Why? My way of thinking I guess. In a recent conversation with a friend we were discussing how our perceptions of marriage and the right age for having a family have changed over the years.

"A few years ago, I thought that if I were not settled down by the time I turned 30, it would be a complete tragedy", she said. "Now I changed that age to 40 and it feel right." That is how I see it. Until 3o, you have time to complete your education, date enough to know yourself and your tastes, have time to dedicate to building a career and whatever else one need on an individual level. Afterwards, it's time for a relationship, not marriage necessarily, and children.

Being the child of divorced parents, I somehow came to think marriage as a mere paper. It's not the legal bond that holds a couple together. A relationship can last or not regardless of the social and legal aspect that marriage implies.

How do you feel about this percentage, about marriage in general and the basis of a family? Does anyone know of similar surveys from other countries?

Tags: women, marriage, lifestyle, family

Office queen bees hold back women's carrers

FORGET “jobs for the boys”. Women bosses are significantly more likely than men to discriminate against female employees, research has suggested.

The study found that when presented with applications for promotion, women were more likely than men to assess the female candidate as less qualified than the male one.

They were also prone to mark down women’s prospects for promotion and to assess them as more controlling than men in their management style.

The findings, based on experiments carried out among more than 700 people, suggest that the “queen bee syndrome” of female rivalry in the workplace may sometimes be as important as sexism in holding back women’s careers. Full story here.

Why is that? Why do you think women would be so keen on holding down other women. Are they seen as bigger threats career wise? Because I seriously doubt they believe male employees always do such a great job!

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