Since before the New Year, I’ve been hearing about January Dry. Or Dry January. Or something like that. I didn’t pay much attention until January 7th approached: Saint John’s Day (Sfântul Ioan), a very important religious observation and celebration in Romania. So important, in fact, that Romanians typically are encouraged to take time off work…… Continue reading Lost in translation III
Category: Familia
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
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. …
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
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
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
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
Visuri
Azi noapte l-am visat pe Cosmin. Al doilea vis în doi ani. În primul vis, se făcea că era cu Bunicii lui ‘cei mai iubiți’, și făceau bagaje. Niște bagaje, nu știm ale cui. Poate chiar ale mele. Eram și eu acolo și le spuneam: “faceți bagaje doar pentru voi, eu nu vin.” “Nu, nu,…… Continue reading Visuri
Prima Mașină – 1998
Staten Island, 1998 Ideea principală a acestei scrisori e că mi-am luat mașină, după multă chinuială și ani mulți de așteptare și dorință, că mă simțeam ca fata aia din “Luceafărul” care tânjea ca proasta după stele(?). Sentimentul se acutiza pe fiecare zi ce trecea, după ce în România mă ofticam când o vedeam pe…… Continue reading Prima Mașină – 1998
Tata – 7 ani
Acum șapte ani, pe 15 ale Lunii lui Cuptor, în 2017, Tatăl meu, citez: “ne-a tras clapa și a dat fuga” la Bunica. Când m-a luat Mișu în Deltă, ca să-mi mai schimbe gândurile, am contribuit și eu la menținerea nivelului de hidratare, cu niște sticle din vasta colecție a Tatii. Într-un mod absolut surprinzător…… Continue reading Tata – 7 ani
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
Paștele 2024
Sfânta zi de Paște a început (pentru mine) pe la cinci dimineața, când Baloo a început să fie foarte neliniștit, în sufragerie. Ăsta e programul lui zilnic, dar de obicei se neliniștește și ne face serenade pe la și jumate, nu la fix. Și-a mutat cântarea, din sufragerie în fața ușii de la conjugal, și…… Continue reading Paștele 2024
Miscelanee de Aprilie
Acum câteva zile a fost NFL Draft, adică fiecare echipă de fotbal american și-a ales noi jucatori, pentru sezonul următor. Am avut senzația că asistam la un modern târg de sclavi: o grămadă de albi foarte bogați alegeau dintr-o grămadă de negri tineri, puternici, și foarte rapizi. Mașina de manipulare este atât de bine pusă…… Continue reading Miscelanee de Aprilie
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
He is Always on my mind
Today, during my regular bargain hunting trip, I found a product called ‘brioche pretzel’. My first instinct was to buy one for Cosmin too, so we could taste it together and enjoy a good laugh. And then, the gut punch came…
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
The Twenty-Ninth Anniversary
As the Americans would put it, it was all about beach hopping! This meant cruising from one beach to another, from city to city, non-stop, for three whole days, just the way My Lady loves it. We set off at the crack of dawn and rolled in at night, making every minute count.
Nea Fane - Un Biet Român Pripășit în America / A Hapless Romanian Stuck in The US 