…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. …
Category: English
Don Steffano – Confessions Of A Romanian Chatterbox
My Midlife Crisis
It started at 6:00 AM on August 6, 2009, after I drove my wife and mother-in-law to the airport for their three-week trip to the motherland. By 6:25 AM, I had my head perfectly shaved and was ready to take on the next adventure. I was considering buying a Harley or a red convertible with…… Continue reading My Midlife Crisis
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
An Englishman in Las Vegas: A Cultural Journey To Be
You can take a Popescu out of Romania, but you just can’t take Romania – or its old habits – out of a Popescu. So, we (Mom, Dad, Uncle, Auntie Lala, and Yours Truly) left for Vegas at 6 a.m., to beat the morning rush. Allegedly, the drive was supposed to take four and a half hours. Naturally, we made…… Continue reading An Englishman in Las Vegas: A Cultural Journey To Be
My Very Unique Sense of Humor
One It was the early 2000s, and the British company I was working for merged with a Wall Street Giant. They told us it was a “Merger between equals.” Maybe they kept me on the team because of my skills, or maybe because I was always working on weekends, who knows. Anyway, I ended up…… Continue reading My Very Unique Sense of Humor
9/11/2001
In early May of 1997, I received my first paycheck in the United States. I was very proud of it. I took my wife with me and we stopped at the first bank on the left, located on the lower concourse of the World Trade Center, to open an account. It was part of our…… Continue reading 9/11/2001
Grief Awareness Day
Today (August 30th) is National Grief Awareness Day. For me, this is called “every day”. I could write pages about grief, but if the last 18 months taught me something is that grief never ends and it’s uniquely personal. I learned to live with it, and even if sometimes I laugh or smile, it doesn’t…… Continue reading Grief Awareness Day
The Carpathian Master Driver, Romanian Edition
This post is an exercise in imagination and any resemblance to real characters is purely coincidental Once upon a time, there were two men, quite mature and in their sixties, the Carpathian Master Driver and his Companion. The companion’s name was Puffy. They decided to take the tar.dutch RE, hook it up to an Engine,…… Continue reading The Carpathian Master Driver, Romanian Edition
Dreams
Last night, I dreamed of Cosmin. It was the second dream in two years. In the first dream, he was with his ‘most beloved’ grandparents, and they were packing bags. Some bags, I didn’t know whose bags they were, maybe even mine. I was there too and I told them: “Pack only for yourselves, I’m…… Continue reading Dreams
LPSB – Little Plastic Shopping Bags
For half of the return flight, I explained to an American woman, who was around the same age as me, about the “plastic shopping bag syndrome,” a common phenomenon among Romanians. This involves carrying lots of bags with more bags stuffed inside. The more sophisticated Romanians, however, have graduated to the “plastic food containers” syndrome.…… Continue reading LPSB – Little Plastic Shopping Bags
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
Mother’s Day
BREAKING NWES: as a consequence of this post and more, the car is now in the garage. ****** I found this on Facebook, on one of the Grieving Parents groups: I considered sharing this on social media or sending it to friends and family, but it felt too personal. So, here it is, posted on…… Continue reading Mother’s Day
Rolling Stones
As I was saying a couple of posts ago, I had to go see the Rolling Stones. We got a pair of tickets for free, and since the guys are in their 80s, I was like, “Sure, let’s go!” The gig was epic, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and Ronnie Wood totally rocked it as usual.…… Continue reading Rolling Stones
The After Loss
This grief is crushing. I miss my old life, the joy I had with my family and with my friends. Now I’m filled with sadness, anxiety, and fear. I’m tired of pretending to be strong. It feels impossible to keep carrying on when everything feels meaningless. Trying to find hope again feels like a constant…… Continue reading The After Loss
Eclipse 2024
(As seen on TV – ABC Network) The Sun looks down upon us and, embarrassed by the sorry state of humanity, it hides behind the Moon. He thought, “Let’s show these insignificant beings what living in complete darkness feels like, even if just for four to five minutes.” The path of total darkness(Arizona was 65%,…… Continue reading Eclipse 2024
The Endless Emptiness
At the end of March, in 2024, we geared up to mark the second Easter without Cosmin. This year, we accepted our relatives’ invitation and found ourselves in a house bustling with two toddlers, two very pregnant mothers, one young girl in her late teens, and another young girl, navigating her journey through life. Never…… Continue reading The Endless Emptiness
The Unexpected Effect of Oprah Generosity
“You’ll get my car! And you’ll GET my car! And YOU’LL GET MY CAR!” Irina declared three weeks ago, after her favorite nephew (TFN, if you’re keeping score at home) had casually asked to borrow it – for just five days. The other favorite nephew—let’s call him TOFN—races his Beemer every other weekend at the…… Continue reading The Unexpected Effect of Oprah Generosity
Love and Longing – Memorial Saturday. Holy 40 Martyrs of Sebaste.
March 9th, 2024 Instead of Introduction Detailed Glossary of Terms and Customs Coliva (koliva)a dish based on boiled wheat that is used liturgically in the Eastern Orthodox Church for commemorations of the dead. Coliva is blessed during funerals, as well as during the memorial service that is performed at various intervals after a person’s death…… Continue reading Love and Longing – Memorial Saturday. Holy 40 Martyrs of Sebaste.
Operation: Scorpion
Tempe, Arizona, 2016 My internet research revealed a surprising fact (although, let’s be honest, the internet isn’t always flawless). Apparently, in a household with both cats and chickens you shouldn’t have any scorpions. Now, I understand that knowledge is power, but in this case, my feathered and feline friends seemed blissfully unaware of their scorpion-slaying…… Continue reading Operation: Scorpion
My Doctor
In the doctor’s office. Doctor: “Eat well? Drink well?” Stefan: “Yes, I do. Too well.” D: “You’re fat. Do you exercise?” S: “I walk my dogs.” D: “Not enough. Do more.” …and that was it…
Nea Fane - Un Biet Român Pripășit în America / A Hapless Romanian Stuck in The US 