Gicu isn’t a cuddler. He’s a respect-my-personal-space kind of dog – stoic, dignified, and deeply uninterested in human neediness, unless a treat is involved. Some say he’s part cat, or at least spiritually feline. Maybe it’s all the time he spent with Bill the Cat, who apparently taught him the fine art of ignoring people…… Continue reading Living with Dogs – Episode 190
Living with dogs – episode 189
At exactly 4:00 a.m., Baloo let out some soft, tragic whimpers in the living room, the sort that scream, “I’m dying.” Naturally, I launched out of bed like some sort of barefoot superhero wannabe, convinced he’d poisoned himself again with his usual street delicacies: some dubious leftovers from a fast food bag and something that…… Continue reading Living with dogs – episode 189
The Legend of Day Four
Eight years ago, after my father rushed to be with my mother, my friend Mișu convinced me to promise that I’d try to lose weight. At 5 foot 7 inches, I was 273 pounds. A lot. Way too much. Énorme, as the very distinguished French gentleman would say when explaining that 80% of car accidents are…… Continue reading The Legend of Day Four
Legenda Zilei a Patra
decât muncă în zadar, mai bine încet și rar.decât muncă fără rost,mai bine încet și prost.(din înțelepciunea muncitorilor români) Acum opt ani, după ce tatăl meu a plecat repejor după mama, prietenul Mișu a făcut ce-a făcut, m-a păcălit și m-a convins să-i promit că voi slăbi. Aveam 273 de pounds, adică aproape 124 de…… Continue reading Legenda Zilei a Patra
Pyr Paw
It was a quiet, scorching Sunday morning, the kind where the sun filters stealthfully through the curtains and plants seem to wilt to death in front of your eyes. Stan Pendula, freshly returned from his morning routine – dog walking, cabbage shopping, dog feeding, coffee making – suddenly, and without premeditation, decided to scoot over…… Continue reading Pyr Paw
The Long Game of Mr. Cosmin
My father played sports. My uncle, his brother, played sports. My cousins, my uncle’s boys, also play sports. They all have the opposite of Dad bodies. They’re the standard for their clothing sizes. You know those catalog notes: “The model is 5’9” and wears a size M”? That’s them. And then there’s me. Pear-shaped, decidedly…… Continue reading The Long Game of Mr. Cosmin
The Big Book Of Grief
This is an apology post. Well, not quite. I spent two years writing this book/magazine. When I finally declared it finished, I sent it by email to some of you. And then, being a product of the Facebook generation, I waited for feedback. And waited. And waited… impatiently. One reply came quickly, tearful and kind.…… Continue reading The Big Book Of Grief
Wings, Whiskers, and Fireflies
A non-believer’s guide to signs After my mom died, maybe three or four months later, my father found a baby pigeon on the sidewalk, barely alive. He took it home and, slowly, patiently, nursed it back to life. He named it Dosoftei and kept it in the kitchen for months. When I visited that fall,…… Continue reading Wings, Whiskers, and Fireflies
The Very Short and Sad Life of The Rodenstock Eyeglasses
When the average monthly salary in Romania was around 2,500 lei, my mother bought me a pair of eyeglasses that cost 475. That was almost a fifth of a monthly income. And yet, without hesitation, she paid every little penny so I could walk out of that optical store wearing a pair of Rodenstocks, German…… Continue reading The Very Short and Sad Life of The Rodenstock Eyeglasses
The Weathermen
Once upon a time, a young family moved to Brooklyn, New York. It was meant to be temporary, just for a year. A school year. A quick detour in the grand plan of life. They had come from Staten Island, uprooting their son from the only school he had ever known and dropping him into…… Continue reading The Weathermen
The Parsley Principle
The Parsley Principle applies when there’s no real need to buy anything. The only “need” is to escape the house. Enter the parsley. “Woman, I’m going to get some parsley!” my father’s voice would boom as he stepped out the door. Or, “Fah, what do I have to buy today?” he’d shout from the hallway,…… Continue reading The Parsley Principle
The day when I got lost in Wild West Mercantile store…
… and I played with hats. And filters. No filter Noir Vintage Instant Sepia Sepia
My Fathers “Bomb”
The so-called “bomb” is, in fact, a spherical outdoor wooden stove-slash-grill, a reasonably priced cast-iron contraption my father bought from Walmart. Hence its enduring nickname: Grandpa’s Bomb. Over the years, many movers have raised eyebrows when we assured them, “Don’t worry about the bomb. We know how to dismantle it. We’ll put it in a…… Continue reading My Fathers “Bomb”
Total Wine & More Therapy
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
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.
De ce nu voi intra niciodată în politică (și de ce e mai bine așa)
Acum vreo patru-cinci ani, un prieten mi-a zis, oarecum ciupit, cu un aer de mare vizionar:”Dacă intri vreodată în politică, jur că te votez.” Cred că făcea mișto de mine, dar eram și eu tot semi-beat și el tocmai trecea printr-o perioadă în care mă iubea, și îl iubeam și eu. (Au mai fost și…… Continue reading De ce nu voi intra niciodată în politică (și de ce e mai bine așa)
Why Politics Isn’t for Me: A Comedic Reflection
Four or five years ago, a friend of mine told me something along the lines of, “If you ever get into politics, I’d vote for you.” We were both mildly toasted. He was in one of those life chapters where he loved me. (In others, he hated me. I’ve never been entirely sure whether it…… Continue reading Why Politics Isn’t for Me: A Comedic Reflection
Covid – Episode 4
My Covid #4 (April 2025) was like my Covid #2 (2022): sniffles, surprise positive, tested only because she insisted. My wife’s Covid #2 (April 2025) was like my Covid #3 (August 2023): brutal, absolutely wrecking us, with after-effects dragging on for weeks after testing negative. Her mom’s Covid #1 (April 2025) was like my Covid #3 (and…… Continue reading Covid – Episode 4
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
Nea Fane - Un Biet Român Pripășit în America / A Hapless Romanian Stuck in The US 