About salads

I just got back from Whole Foods. Every time I go grocery shopping to Whole Foods I am amazed by the number of salad ingredients they carry. When I grew up it used to be simple. The usual salads my mom made would be the side for the main course and would contain either green salad, cucumber and onion or tomatoes, cucumbers and onion. Dressing was always oil and vinegar. In season she would make cabbage salad (for Americans the season for cabbage is late summer, not year round), same dressing. We had these salads only during summer (due to season, of course). During winter we had a wide variety of pickles, which I really miss. Most of these came from my grandmother’s garden. Or cellar, depending on the season. Life was simple and natural.

I will never forget, when I first came to America some colleagues from school took me to Fresh Choice. Fresh Choice has a salad bar and you get to build your own salad, you can choose the ingredients you want to put in it. At the time I wondered: Why? …and how? Sesame seeds? Boiled eggs? Carrots? Some weird looking stuff? Sunflower seeds? Pumpkin seeds? Raisins? Some more weird looking stuff? And among all these, I was happy to see some of the ingredients I was familiar with, tomatoes, cucumbers, green salad.

The dressing options were at the end of the bar. So, I kept the wondering state: What is dressing? What do I do with it? I see some white sour looking stuff, and some other creamy stuff, and then some oily fluid with things floating in it, and something pinkish, and some creamy reddish. I wanted to yell for help. Is this a test? A contest? Do they have a hidden camera? Am I supposed to know what to do with all these? It was frustrating, to say the least.

Nevertheless, I was hungry. I asked my friends several questions about how to make my salad, in hope I will understand what’s going on, but I only got one answer: “Whatever you like.” What do they mean, whatever I like? I could like them all, just not in my salad. How do I make the right salad? Isn’t there a right way to make a salad? Clearly, they did not understand this question. So, having no choice, I did what I knew and I ended up with the simplest and smallest salad at the table. Of course, at the time, I did not know that the salad was actually the main course. So, I left the restaurant hungry and still puzzled with the feeling that I was doing something wrong.

Since then, I learned a lot. Now I go to the produce section and if I don’t find exactly the sprouts and seeds and nuts I want to add to my salad today, I complain. I am used to having salads as main course and I know how to make sophisticated salads. Aside from the classic ingredients that my mom used, I add a selection of, depending on the salad, alfalfa sprouts, broccoli sprouts, beans sprouts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds, black sesame seeds, walnuts, pecans, shaved almonds, raisins, dried cranberries, avocado, several types of cheese, numerous types of olives, capers, several herbs, enzymes, and I wonder how I can remember all of them. It was a time when I used dressing, not anymore, I know better now, I make my own natural, just two types of lemon juice, or lime juice, and special olive oil. And they are so good!

Oh, I must go now. I am going to make a salad. Remember, I shopped at Whole Foods today! By the way they have duck and goose eggs. And sheep and goat yogurt. Oh, I love this store!

About compassion

I just finished translating a TED talk about compassion, which was very inspiring and I recommend it to everyone, Karen Armstrong: Let's revive the Golden Rule.
This made me think about the irony of the fact that living in Romania drained me out of compassion, even though, when I think consciously about it, I realize this is where I should actually act in a more compassionate way then anywhere else. Life here should inspire one to be so. Nevertheless, some Romanians have this amazing ability to bring out the worst in me. Don’t judge me, I know I am not Mother Teresa, I have a worst part and I don’t admit it lightly.
For example, one day I realized there are some taxes I should pay for some property, --something that you don’t deal with every day and it’s not just common knowledge -- so I go to the Circa Financiara to find out where and how I can pay and how much. Keep in mind, I was trying to give them money. Did you read Kafka? It was like that, but much worse. A big woman (should I say lady?), who seemed to be the self-proclaimed queen of the counter looked down on me, first, in a very disappointed way, and gave me something that she considered to be a sufficient answer. I speak Romanian pretty well I think, but I couldn’t make much sense of what she said, so, in my assertive style, I attempt asking additional questions. She probably got the feeling, --accurate of course,-- that I ignore the majesty of her position of power, so from there, our conversation went downhill. Her disappointed gaze transformed into a bitter one and eventually a mad one. And me, I knew I was right, and when I am right... as I was saying earlier, some people just bring out the worst in you. Now I have a new mantra: doesn’t matter if I am right, just be gentle. Be gentle! Deep breaths.
Eventually, I did not win. Sometimes I do, but not this time. Did I mention she was a big woman? Some people who were waiting in line were kind enough to give me the information I was looking for, so, eventually I solved my problem.
And this is not the only example I have. There have been plenty.
Hence now, because I cannot find in my heart the warmth to be compassionate all the time, I must think about it intellectually and decide consciously to be that way. And that works better. For now. Maybe by practice, I’ll get back on track and be a natural.

Here is the talk, enjoy

Impressed by Romanians at TED

About two weeks ago I officially became a TED translator. The days prior, I have had the chance to watch some amazing TED talks, -- which immediately I posted on FB -- and they had great impact on me. I didn’t know much about TED at the time, so I checked the website to find out more. Checking the website I found out I can volunteer to be a TED translator, which I did in a blink. Since then I translated about 13 talks, so I make my contribution pretty regularly.

How does the translation process work? Well, one person does the translation and a second person has to review the translation. If there is a conflict between the two persons, first they should try and solve it together and if that doesn’t work, they should ask someone at TED to arbitrate. Did not happen to me. Yet!

One thing that I was totally amazed by is how active the Romanian translators are. Not only active, but hardworking, motivated, detail oriented, very good at what they do. I must say, I was surprisingly well impressed. Did you know that Romanian is among the languages with most translations on TED? That was very pleasing for the Romanian part of my soul. And also, there is a Romanian guy among the top TED translators? Wow! And there is another one who took it upon herself to translate a TED a day, which is a huge enterprise, I believe. She is in her third month.

I will keep on doing my part and I hope there are people in Romania who will watch all the translated TED talks. If I convinced you to give it a try, here is the TED address and if you want to see the talks I recommend, you can find them on my profile.

I am a TED translator and proud of it!

One of the talks, randomly chosen

TED

TED is one of my new loves. I knew about it for some time, but I did not pay much attention at the beginning. Lately, I came across more information about it, and as I had some time on my hands I started spending it on TED. I enter a state of awe every time I have a TED experience and it’s like an addiction, the more I have the more I want. I started writing about it, quoting it, revisiting it, taking notes and hope that soon I will become an active part of the collective TED conscience. Ideas worth spreading…

Learning new things

I have decided, and I have a long list of compelling reasons why, the most important of which is my attempt to delay the aging of my brain, to learn something new on a regular basis. And when I don’t have the time or drive to learn something new, I will do some brain building exercises, to satisfy at least one of the reasons on the list.
Some time ago I came across a Sudoku collection and, as I had nothing better to do, I tried to solve one, just to realize that I don’t know how. Meantime I learned it and ever since then I progressed, I am now at level 4. I believe there are 5 levels total. But Sudoku and other similar games don’t suffice for my plan. So, I will start today by creating a list of things I want to learn and if you have any suggestions as to what I could add to the list, please let me know.

1. SQL
2. Compressing and archiving documents on my computer
3. Photoshop
4. Advanced excel (programming)
5. Drawing

That’s all that comes to mind. I’m going now to learn how to clean up my computer.  It will look so nice and clean tomorrow!