Day after day, I realize that I’m not really living. I barely exist. When I lost my job, people rushed in with comforting phrases: “It’s a blessing in disguise.” “Something better will come.”“Everything happens for a reason.” (I heard that one before three years ago – the words are still hollow). And none of them…… Continue reading Barely Existing
The American Athlete
A view by yours truly, in regards to NBC’s broadcasting style The American Athlete is perfect and always deserves a gold medal. Sometimes mistakes are made, and the American athlete loses said gold, not because he or she is not the best, but by mistake, of course, never because a competitor was better. The only…… Continue reading The American Athlete
A Day That Refused to Be Boring
Dear Diary, Today was one of those days. Good and bad. Mostly both. At the same time. It started at 3 a.m., when I woke up to go to the bathroom. Which is a good thing: better to wake up than the alternative. But, stupid me, I checked my email because that bloody phone is…… Continue reading A Day That Refused to Be Boring
Water Fit Class
Alma was rippling with enthusiasm: “Oh my Gooood, water aerobics feels amazing.”Tanti Cici, buried in snow somewhere in Canada: “I’m going, so why aren’t you going?”Irina, at me, with her verdict-delivery tone: “You need it. You’re going!”And me, defeated by the Anvil Chorus of demand: “Fine, fine, I’ll go. Just leave me alone.” It took…… Continue reading Water Fit Class
Clasa de Plutit
Alma își unduia entuziasmul: “Mvaaai, ce bine e la gimnastica în apă.”Irina, cu tonul ei de verdict: “Îți trebuie. Te duci!”Tanti Cici, dintre nămeți, din Canada: “Eu mă duc, tu de ce nu te duci?”Iar eu, învins de corul lor: “Bine, bine, mă duc, numai lăsați-mă în pace.” A durat trei zile până am reușit…… Continue reading Clasa de Plutit
Friends, Farewells, and Running with Toddlers
On a Saturday, at 12:30 p.m., we got invited to a parastas scheduled for 1 p.m. (a memorial service held in remembrance of the departed.) It was for a lady of only 50, taken far too early by cancer. That is all I will say because it is not my story to tell. Her closest…… Continue reading Friends, Farewells, and Running with Toddlers
Kitchen mishaps
Our kitchen remodel has turned into what some might call an expensive, chaotic ordeal, filled with contractors, blunders, and surprising delays. The so-called “kitchen apocalypse” is supposedly chronicled in a separate post (click on post to see it). What I have here is merely a questionable summary with a few main points. What we supposedly…… Continue reading Kitchen mishaps
Turmeric Baguette
For Rita Like any “serious” culinary blog, a recipe always begins with an epic tale, because who doesn’t love a good yarn while waiting for the dough to rise? As I ponder a riveting story that might put you to sleep, here’s the recipe. Ingredients for 4 baguettes 800 g Organic King Arthur Bread Flour…… Continue reading Turmeric Baguette
Playing With AI
I eagerly dove into the captivating world of AI-generated images, and here’s the wonderful journey I’ve experienced! (Intro generated by AI) While “wonderful” might be a stretch, it’s definitely been funny and intriguing! Yours truly, joyfully celebrating the delight of pencil sketches! Well, the doodle may be a stretch to call it a sketch, but…… Continue reading Playing With AI
Un Crăciun (2025)
Doamnelor și domnilor, Crăciunul e după colț, Românul se pregătește. Americanul, și el, face foc, dă cu fum, deși nu e voie. Dar Americanul știe mai bine și ignoră primăria și sfaturile ei “de stânga”. Tot cartierul miroase a foc de, sper, lemne, miros oarecum toxic, gâdilând memorii, readucând tristeți și bucurii.Dar românul nu se…… Continue reading Un Crăciun (2025)
A Very Romanian Christmas in the Land of the Free
Ladies and gentlemen, Christmas is right around the corner, and The Local Romanian is putting on his game face. The American neighbor is out there too, cranking up the fire pits and creating a ton of smoke, even if the City declares “no burn days.” The American neighbor doesn’t care, he knows better. The whole…… Continue reading A Very Romanian Christmas in the Land of the Free
Bulgaria – Chapter 5
The Mixed Bag – Everything Was Under Control Chapter 5 will be a totally mixed bag: from the self-service grocery store in the first village, on the right side of the main street, where you can’t even curse a little bit and you can’t formulate any sort of food strategy because everyone is staring at…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Chapter 5
Bulgaria – Chapter 4
The Watercraft As my father would say, “let’s get things straight” with some official definitions: Kayak – a light, narrow boat, usually propelled by a double-bladed paddle. It has an elongated shape, sits low in the water, and can be open or closed (with a cockpit). Kayaks are used for recreation, sports, expeditions, and navigation…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Chapter 4
Bulgaria – Chapter 3
Washing Away the Blues As everyone knows – or maybe not, but it hardly matters – I was let go from the company where I’d worked for twenty-five years. The news came right before I was set to leave for vacation, which did nothing but bury my morale even deeper, a disposition already collapsed after Cosmin’s passing.…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Chapter 3
Bulgaria – Chapter 2
The Departure My comments from last year about the car and the caravan were taken very seriously. The trip was officially declared a Test Run, and a list was made of everything that needed fixing and/or improving. But as with any list for a caravan (or camping in general), it started multiplying on its own,…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Chapter 2
Bulgaria – Chapter 1
Introducere I’ve been told my texts are too long. I know they are. That’s why my blog is called Nea Fane Bate Câmpii (Old Man Fane Rambles On). It’s because I write a lot and, as some say, often to no particular purpose, but since no one is forced to read, I just keep doing…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Chapter 1
Haiku de Crăciun
O primă tentativă la un haiku, Romanian style.
Bulgaria – Capitolul 5
La cererea expresă a doamnei mele, am citit cele de mai jos. Deci, dacă nu vreți să citiți, aveți 11 minute în care mă puteți asculta. Diverse considerațiuni Capitolul 5 va fi un amestec cu de toate: de la magazinele alimentare cu autoservire, din primul sat, pe dreapta, unde nu poți să înjuri nici măcar…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Capitolul 5
Bulgaria – Capitolul 4
Nautice Ambarcațiunea Cum ar spune Tatăl meu, “hai să punem lucrurile la punct”, cu definiții oficiale: Caiac – ambarcațiune ușoară, îngustă, propulsată de obicei cu o pagă sub formă de vâslă dublă. Are forma alungită, stă aproape de nivelul apei și poate fi deschis sau închis (cu cockpit). Caiacele sunt folosite pentru agrement, sport, expediții…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Capitolul 4
Bulgaria – Capitolul 3
Depresatul din Obor Precum știe toată lumea (sau nu … contează prea puțin), am fost lăsat la vatră de compania la care am lucrat 25 de ani. S-a potrivit că am primit vestea chiar înainte de a pleca în vacanță, ceea ce nu a ajutat la ridicarea moralului meu și la îmbunătățirea stării mele sufletești,…… Continue reading Bulgaria – Capitolul 3
Nea Fane - Un Biet Român Pripășit în America / A Hapless Romanian Stuck in The US 