A Quiet Toast to the Son We Will Always Carry Another Mother’s Day Without Cosmin … I knew the level of sadness would be off the charts, so I tried to make it a little better, just a little, by buying some of my wife’s favorite beers. I know that drinking isn’t a solution, but…… Continue reading Total Wine & More Therapy
Category: Arizona Life
Chaos, Candidates, and Cleavage: Notes from the Diaspora
As Romanians around the world cast their votes in a presidential election that feels more like political improv, this Arizona-based expat reflects on televised debates, family drama, and the unexpected power of agreeing on something, anything, in the age of outrage.
Un weekend foarte special
Weekendul meu a început joi dis de dimineață, cu o plimbare în mahala, când băieții mei cei dragi au tras de mine atât de rău încât am căzut în față și în cap. Mi-am stricat ochelarii și m-am umplut de zgârieturi și de bube. Povestea pe larg, aici, în engleză însă. Joi – Ziua 0,…… Continue reading Un weekend foarte special
Physics Of A Bungee Leash
A. The Happening Picture this: a 220-pound man, two 90-pound dogs, and two deceptively innocent 4-foot bungee leashes (stretching to 6 feet under duress). The exact spring mechanisms are unknown and erratic, but trust me, they don’t stretch without a fight. It was a peaceful early morning stroll through a “clean” neighborhood, meaning no rogue…… Continue reading Physics Of A Bungee Leash
So Much for a Quiet Evening
Tonight, I was rushed out on an urgent mission for some very specific ladies’ care items. “And nothing else, Stefan, don’t come home with half of the store”. On my way to the checkout, I grabbed a bottle of ice-cold sparkling wine. And, this time, nothing else. With just those two items in my cart,…… Continue reading So Much for a Quiet Evening
Déjà Written: Reflections
Being the considerate, polite, and well-educated guy that I am, I thought about translating the short piece on Barley and Speed Drinking Wine (which some people actually found funny), for my American friends and for my Romanian friends who just want to sharpen their English (or to sharply correct me). But as I flexed my…… Continue reading Déjà Written: Reflections
De la arpacaș la Busuioacă
Sâmbăta noastră a început de vineri, când mi s-a spus că “Ce-ar fi sa facem mâine o colivă pentru Pomenirea Morților”? Dar nu mai aveam arpacaș, nuci, lămâi, bomboane. Ba nu, bomboane aveam, dar tot am mai cumpărat, pentru că nu am văzut mesajul la timp. Fiind încă începător în ale mariajului, chiar și după…… Continue reading De la arpacaș la Busuioacă
Chicken Run
Last evening, as I returned from my errands, I stumbled upon a full-blown commotion on my street. Two rugged men, armed with brooms and wearing work gloves, were in hot pursuit of a white chicken. It was dusk, the worst time for a chicken, since they don’t see well in low light, and the poor…… Continue reading Chicken Run
Snapshots
One There was a French guy from Vendée selling his baguettes and pastries – the best of the best, not only at the Farmer’s Market, but also in the Valley of the Sun. The line was so long that he was asked to move his booth near one of the exits so it could extend…… Continue reading Snapshots
A Failed Christmas Facebook Experiment…
… and other considerations What’s a Grieving Parent to Do During the Holidays? With the holidays closing in, I pulled out my old Christmas uniform, a plaid Henley and a Santa hat. Remarkably, they still fit, though my spirit felt two sizes too small. Dressed for the occasion, I made my daily trip to visit…… Continue reading A Failed Christmas Facebook Experiment…
A Non-Hallmark Christmas Story
Cosmin didn’t like Christmas. He had enjoyed it a long time ago, back when he was younger and his beloved Grandma was still with us. They even attempted caroling at one point, but being Popescus, they quickly realized their limitations and ended up simply reading the words—plenty of feeling, but no singing. Last Christmas with…… Continue reading A Non-Hallmark Christmas Story
The End of An Era
Loving Memory of Bill The late October air was soft that year, the kind of days you find only in Arizona. At the St. Francis festival, Franciscan monks gathered to bless pets that people had brought to be consecrated. For those without a pet, there was no issue: you could adopt one right on the…… Continue reading The End of An Era
Living with Dogs – episode 122
At 5:56 AM, Baloo woke me with a gentle nose nudge and a firm shake of his head.By 5:57, I was out of bed.At 5:58, Baloo was in my spot, snoring like a lumberjack. Dog owner mystery of the universe: Why does a 100-pound dog feel like an antique dresser when he’s asleep on your…… Continue reading Living with Dogs – episode 122
Supă de pui
Acum vreo patru-cinci zile, am umblat la lada frigorifică să scoatem una-alta și să mai vedem ce mai era pe acolo. Am făcut un mini-inventar, am scos ce era de scos și ne-am văzut de treabă. După vreo două zile, #CâineleNumitGicu, Prințișorul din Mesa, molfăia ceva pe lângă congelator, sub atenta supraveghere a lui Baloo,…… Continue reading Supă de pui
Lost in Translation – II
It wasn’t until my second visit to The Perch – five years later – that I finally understood why we had to wait an hour for our food, and why, when it arrived, it tasted a bit off. I was wearing this shirt, and it turns out that The Perch is not only a brewery,…… Continue reading Lost in Translation – II
Diana Krall or the $35 Sleeping Pill
…She got right down to business, making fun of the many saguaros and other prickly plants in Phoenix (to prove, I guess, she actually knew where she was performing), sharing stories about her two sons, and making some absolutely unnecessary remarks about how hot it was outside. …
The Great Cat Escape: A Funny Tale
Translated from Romanian (originally posted in January, 2011), in the memory of our beloved Bill, who crossed the rainbow bridge on October 22, 2024 One day, in the chilly Arizona morning air (a surprisingly cold 48F), while I was about to take the poor sick Lucy, our dog, out for her business, the door burst…… Continue reading The Great Cat Escape: A Funny Tale
Umorul Meu Special
Unu Era începutul anilor 2000 și tocmai avusese loc Marele Merger între compania britanică la care lucram și un Gigant de pe Wall Street. Ne-au spus că era un “Merger between equals”. Poate că eram eu bun, poate că le plăcea că lucram și în weekend, dar m-au păstrat în echipă. Așa că am trecut…… Continue reading Umorul Meu Special
The Heirloom Wine
This wasn’t just any bottle of wine; it was a 2013 vintage from my father’s collection, a prized possession that made the long journey from Romania seven years ago. We’d been saving it for a special occasion, joyous or otherwise. Stored meticulously at the perfect temperature and on its side, it awaited its moment to…… Continue reading The Heirloom Wine
Flocoșenia
Astăzi, în parc, la plimbarea de dimineață, ne întâlnim cu unii cu o flocoșenie mică și gri, care tot trăgea spre noi. El, stăpânul, către mine: “cățelușul meu vrea să se joace cu câinii tăi”. Eu, spontan, ca niciodată: “câinii mei vor să mănânce cățelușul tău”.
Nea Fane - Un Biet Român Pripășit în America / A Hapless Romanian Stuck in The US 