Day 55. Sweet ending

   Endings are usually bitter, but this day was pure sweetness. It was the last day of a moody month and we all needed this day like fresh air. It felt like all the sunshine  gathered inside a bottle as the month was passing by and today the bottle burst out with a lot of sparkle and smiles. 

   Don't tell me sunshine doesn't make you feel more optimistic than cloudy, gloomy days. I won't believe you. 

   Today was all about happiness for me. I found some awesome stickers for the walls of my office and I can already envision the beauty of it after it will be ready:) I love the fact that I can put there all my childish thoughts and nobody actually judges me. 

   My inner child is still grinning. Tomorrow's gonna be a good day! I'm looking for Christmas decorations... Maybe November will be sweet afterall:)

Day 54. Perfection vs Excellence

"Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence." 

Vince Lombardi 

   I've always been a perfectionist. My father instilled it into me. Always to take the highest grade, to study and be the best, to make the best out of everything. I bet some of you have been raised the same. 

   Today I met someone just like me and I remembered how even now, while being a psychologist, I still want to make everything perfect. I am aware I can't being still at the beginning but I can't help feeling disappointed with myself from time to time because I know I could do better but I don't know how. 

   The lack of experience in the working field makes me have a low self esteem (and it hurts like hell) but the good thing is that I never give up. I want to know more, to get better. Maybe this is the case for reaching excellence:) So maybe, just maybe wanting perfection is a good thing. 

   Nevertheless, there are some irrational thoughts behind and I KNOW they have to be put away, but boy, that's so hard... 

Note to self: You'll never be able to reach perfection so just settle for doing your best with what you have:)

Day 53. Eternal youth

   I wanted to have a different title today, namely "Rain rain go away come around another day" since it's definitely suitable for this weather, but something more important happened today. 

   While reading on bus I was approached by two old men who came to sit by me. They first said they liked I was using my time wisely by reading on the bus and then, slowly we started to talk about life, people and places:) I've always admired old people and these two old men of 85 and 82 were pretty amazing. 

   The thing that remained in my mind was their happy faces and them being enthusiastic, positive and smiling and not complaining about their life (like old people ususally do). And they were coming from a funeral!:) I told you they were amazing. 

  One of them said the key to achieve that age is having positive thoughts, a close relationship with God and physical exercises. 

What can you want more than reach that age and have THAT attitude? 

They're my role models now:)

Day 52. PMSing autumn

   Gloomy day today. The worst part is that Autumn is moody. She can't make up her mind if she feels like shedding tears or just PMS about whatever is troubling her. Oh well, I guess she's just a regular girl like all of us. 

   I wonder if there are guys who are "PMSing" too. Hmmm... That would make the world an unbearable place. Let's hope just half of the population goes through this weird period when they are annoyed about everything and they annoy everyone with their mood. 

   I can't help wondering: Are there girls out there who are calm and zen in their PMSing period? I know I'm nothing like that and I'm ashamed to admit it:) Poor boyfriend of mine. This is one of the situations that make me appreciate him more and more each time:)

Girls, be grateful to your boyfriend for his abilities to bear with you in that gloomy time of the month:)

Later edit: there ARE guys who are "PMSing" (Look for "Irritable male syndrome") Interesting stuff:P

Day 51. Duolingo

   Duolingo helps me have fun while catching up with my Spanish:) I love spending my free time learning new words and using both Spanish and English at the same time:) 
   Here's to some free time spent well;)

Day 50. 50 shades of gray

   We all walk through life with our very own perspective and there are few times when we can really put ourselves in other people's shoes. Well, when you're sick AND the weather is gloomy you see how some people envision life: no matter if it's sunny outside or how many reasons they could find to be happy, all they do is keep their eyes closed to all the beauty and opened to all the mess in the world. It's a big burden some have to carry around...

   So, Friday seemed pretty awful to me and even the beautiful leaves carpet I adored days before, reminded me of death among plants. How sad it is when leaves fall off their secure and nurturing branch. That's exactly the same with us. We're connected to our secure and nurturing network of family and friends and when the time is right, we fall to the ground and leave behind the rest of the leaves that are to fall sometime too. Nevertheless, if we watch everything from a different perspective, there's nothing more bohemian and romantic than autumn sceneries with leaves floating in the air and touching the ground to form a large colorful blanket. 

    In the end, beauty is in the eye of the beholder!:)

Day 49. Sleepover

    On Thursday night I went to my best friend's place for our anual sleepover:) We use to do that once a year when we have the house to ourselves in order to watch our favourite TV Shows and talk about everything till we can't keep our eyes open. But it was a long day until the evening came. 

   My flu said she didn't want to let me go so, by the time I was celebrating Coldrex scared her away, she made a big comeback with intense throat pain and a lot of coughing. So, I went to see the doctor like I said the previous day, and she gave me new pills. Long story short, the pills made me soooo sleepy I could barely stay awake for half of the day. Imagine the joy of going to see the kids and them being all energetic while all I wanted to do was sleeeep. The day went by weirdly with alternative moments of being ok and moments of intense need of a good sleep. At the end of the work day, all I really wanted was to be flu-less again!!!:(

   So the evening came and maybe I should have stayed in bed, at home, but I couldn't have missed such an event so I went to see my best friend:) We had a lot of fun and we cooked and drank a lot of tea and milk and in the end the flu didn't matter so much anymore. I had my best friend with me and that helped a lot. That's why, even if we don't see our friends very often, it's always nice to know they are still there and willing to catch up with us and be around to make our life prettier:)

   I <3 my friends:)

Day 48. A few pages a day

   ... keep boredom away:) No matter where I go, I always keep a book in my bag. You never know when you'll end up having to wait. And on top of it, I have a pretty long way towards work so guess what I am doing every morning on the bus:) 

   One one hand there are the people who wonder why I'm doing it when you could simply sit and chill until you reach your destination but on the other side there are the peek-ers:) They are so curious what you're reading that they turn their head to the left or to the right to read the title. I smiled in my mind at the thought of their reaction to the title of my last book: "I'll kill myself some other time" :)) I guess that sounded interesting enough:) 

    Today, while waiting to get checked by my physician, I read. I knew I was going to have to wait so I smiled at the thought of reading (it helps if you really like the book, otherwise it's a drag). You could see the difference. People around me were getting nervous and were starting to complain about having to wait for so long. Right then I felt blessed. I had a book with me. Something to save me from boredom. Something to make me dream wild and forget about everything else:)

Day 47. Highschool memories

   Today was the second time I met the 3rd graders from my ex highschool (see photo) for a course about emotional development. It's nice to see we're bonding:) I found out they like drawing and they're in love and not afraid to say it. They are so different from what my generation used to be in the 3rd grade. It's all about the technological development. 

   Wandering around the halls of the building that was once my highschool brought back happy memories:) I met the teacher that started my love for psychology and made me want to follow this path. My favourite teacher. She, unlike the 3rd graders, is the same. Smiling and vibrant as always and that's what I loved about her the most. You could tell when somebody's in love with their job. That's what I wanted to reach and here I am now, living it:) 

Tip of the day: When you know what you want, the process of getting it seems a lot less confusing:)

Day 46. Dear October

    I love love love your special blankets made of leaves!:) They make me smile every morning and it's not because they're silly or funny but because I know how much you struggle to make them as perfect as they look:) 

   I also know you love sunshine as much as I do. I would love to see more of that sunshine until it's too late and your sister November comes around. I don't even know why they call her "sweet" cos she isn't. I can totally foresee it. Lots of rain, cold weather and the desire to always stay indoors. 

   So, could we keep the blankets and the sunshine around as much as we can so I can be happy every morning?:)

Love,

Dana

Day 45. Lady of the mists

    Mornings have always fascinated me, especially the ones bathed in sun or fog. 

  This morning I was pretty lucky:) I opened my eyes to an amazing scenery that should have made my day. Nevertheless, sometimes, no matter how hard we try during the day, we have moments of... boredom... and I guess that's normal. I was booored today. Bored and not in the mood for beautiful walks in nature even though it was a perfect day for such a thing (been there done that way too much with my family and now it doesn't feel special).

   I guess there are days and days and we shouldn't force ourselves to do things that we don't feel like doing but then again there are opportunities that arise and that should be taken into consideration before it's too late:)

Day 44. Sunbathed

   It was one of those Saturdays when everything was flooded with sunshine and it surely felt like a lazy Sunday:) That kind of Sunday when you feel like laying back and reading a book while bathing in the sun. 

   There are times for working and times for relaxing. You gotta know when to take a time off, sit back and enjoy the golden moments when time seems like stopping and bathing in the sun itself:) 

Day 43. Long days

... are not necessarily tiring:) You can hear life stories, learn new things from children who see life differently and then seal the day with a kiss that reminds you how much you love. I want more days like this one:)

   Tip of the day: Sometimes life exceedes your expectations:) 

Day 42. Summery autumn

   You wouldn't say this is a sunset in the middle of autumn, would you?:) Now this is the kind of autumn I love. Lovely mornings, sun shining through the yellow leaves during the day, beautiful sunsets and all warm and cozy:)   

   I had a really great day today. Many activities, absolutely adorable kids and productive parent meetings. 
   Every day I rediscover the childhood ME through my kids and it feels like I'm living my childhood once again with them.  

Note to self: You can't solve all the problems in the kindergarten in the first months of work. You need patience, patience, patience!:)

Day 41. Everything seems brighter...

   ... when you're fit as a fiddle again after some days of taking pills and staying in bed!:) That's how I felt today after getting off the bus:) I have to be honest, the sun was promising to shine so we got on the same page quickly, I guess:) Nevertheless, even the little details that I didn't pay attention to before were now beautiful and I felt so lucky to be able to be back on track so shortly:) Yaaay, a new day of working with the kids:D (Oh, btw, a girl came to me today and hugged me and told me she loved me. See? THAT'S why I want to work with them every single day!:) )

    So my day was awesome and I could feel it was going to be like that since I opened my book on the bus and I had a big hunger for reading again. Now that was a good sign! And then the desire to take photos, dance and eat followed quickly:) 

   Again, when there's a will there's a way:)

Day 40. Bed sweet bed

   Tuesday, second day of flu hell. Things just got serious. It was about time I started using a more serious pill because I really wanted to go back to work the other day (I know how silly that sounds). 

  It was all about bed, bed and some more bed for me on Tuesday. I wasn't used to having fever anymore. I didn't have a fever since childhood, but yet, it was never to late to meet her again. And I was happy. Because that meant my body was fighting:)

  At the end of the day I was proud to have succeeded going to work and having had a beautiful class with some kids in my ex highschool. 

    

   TIP of the day: when there's a will, there's a way!

Day 39. And then there were pills

   This Monday a serious flu turned me upside down and made me be the person I'm usually not: not in the mood for anything, not wanting to eat anything at all even if I was in the mall's foodcourt with all kinds of food around me, that kind of feeling when you just want a bed and hot tea, that moment when you're sick as a dog (however that might be). It was dreadful, but that was just the beginning... 

Note to self: When you're that sick that you know you gotta take pills to be healthy again, take them properly, not just once in a while! 

Day 38. Cinnamon Sunday

   Cloudy Sunday today, so we don't have many options. I choose to stay indoors, enjoy my favourite cappucino and catch up with my TV Shows. In the end, I think every kind of weather has its purpose. 

   I'm not in my best mood today (since I love seeing the sun), but at least I get to stay in my cozy room, covered with a warm blanket and immerse in the lands of my favourite characters. And that makes it a good day as well:)

Day 37. October canvas

   Today I found a black apple among the ones we brought from the countryside. I loved taking shots of it and then I decided to add some grapes from my "vineyard" and there you go, October canvas painted by autumn itself:) 

   I have to agree with Arghezi. We can find beauty in ugly things too. It depends how we look at them and how we portray them to take the beauty out of them:)

Day 36. Cuteness overload

   

   I know everybody loves cats, but I can't say I do. I'm so much into dogs I could never choose a cat instead, BUT yesterday I had the chance to cuddle with my boyfriend's little ball of fur and my heart melted. Now that was the real deal with the cuteness overload everybody's talking about:) 

   So I guess now I like cats too. You can't not love baby animals, they're sooo adorable:)

Day 35. About scents and flavours

   Seems like it rained last night. This morning, after getting off the bus towards work I was at first sad by the grey vail that fell over the city because of the clouds that were still sticking around, but then, as I was walking, I inhaled that special scent that can be felt after rain. That special scent that you HAVE to love:) 

   I immediately thought about how much I'd love to be able to preserve scents and even flavours I liked during my lifetime and put them in small, beautiful bottles and then fill a big chest with them and open one or two during hard times. Man, how would that change my mood in an instance:) Or even better, link a story to every bottle and then tell the stories to my children and grandchildren:) I'd love that very much. 

   So, here's the next best thing: a wannabe pond:P Wouldn't you love to preserve special scents as well? Scents that have a story behind are the best scents ever:)

Day 34. They call me the wild berry

   I've always been intrigued by the wild fruits in the trees be it wild apples or wild berries, haven't you? It's interesting how they look so much like the ones we eat but are still untouchable. I wonder what they taste like, all these wild wild fruits (don't worry, I won't try though, I don't want to end up in the hospital:P). 

   Yesterday I happened to pass by such a tree and I couldn't help myself not taking a photo. That RED, now that's the RED girls want in their lipstick. I could imagine a whole photo session with the appropriate model among those berries... oh, the dreams that are left un... attended:)

 

Day 33. Traveling abroad in my own city

   I know, it makes NO sense whatsoever, but I will explain myself. Doesn't this photo look like Tuscany?:D It surely reminds me of those lands:) The lesson for today is: Don't wait to travel abroad to start traveling. Just look around and start your journey by traveling in your own country first. Get to know it better, discover its chest of treasures and appreciate it more and more each day:) I'm in love with Romania!<3

Day 32. Desaturate

   Willingly or not, nature's being desaturated little by little. The chill outside entered my bones and the wind reminded me I have to wear a hat. Oh, dear, it's THAT side of autumn already... I wish she wouldn't be so moody sometimes and just smile daily. That would be cozier, huh?

Day 31. Japanese retreat?

   No, just a beautiful morning in the garden next to my block of flats:) I love admiring the garden that a neighbour takes such good care of. There are always seasonal flowers in there and watching them grow and blossom is a real pleasure:) Not to mention I have continous photographic material:P 

   I'd love to have a beautiful garden myself when I am to live in a cozy house along with a dog, a cat and my family:) That sounds lovely just thinking about it:)

Day 30. Autumn is like a box of chocolates

   ... You never know what you're gonna get:) 
   Why did I replace "life" with "autumn"? Because just the other day while gathering wood for a barbeque I found this tiny pretty flower. I didn't think I'd find flowers around during autumn knowing nature is preparing to enter the long sleep, but there it was, smiling at me so I couldn't ignore it and I smiled back:) 
                               Autumn continues to amaze me each day:)

Day 29. Look up

   On Friday I remembered how important it is to look up from time to time:) We, people, are used to walking ahead and thinking about how to arrive from point A to point B, but we often forget to enjoy the ride, to look around, look UP and notice the small details that can make a difference, that can make our day brighter, that can put a smile upon our face:) 

   Let's look up more often and embrace the amazing nature around us:)

Day 28. The future Johnny Depp

   I can already hear the girls go "OMG he's sooo cute!" I knooow, right? That's how all kindergarten kids are^^ 
   Of course I could have titled this "the future Brad Pitt", coz that's how people know I'm reffering to the handsome man this little one will become one day, but since I like Johnny better, let's just leave it to that:) 

  This beautiful child is the kind of boy you can't help yourself not loving:) I wish my child would be like him. Sooo adorable:)

P.S. Each day I think more and more about the fact that my blog should have been named "With and about kids" instead of My PhotoDiary:P I'm sorry for those of you who might get bored but I discover new parts of childhood every day and I can't help falling in love with my kids:) They're simply lovable:) Say it isn't so:)

(*Photos taken by phone lately. Sorry for the moving little ball of fur and for the poor quality)

Day 27. Remember the old times?

   ... When we were kids like them? Oh, I have some vivid memories. 
   Today I enjoyed seeing the kids play outside and I remembered my own childhood in the kindergarten. These weeks I often found myself trying to see how I looked like when I was little: "I must have looked like her" I tell myself:) 
   I was a good child. I am a good child still. And man, I don't want to grow up!:)

Day 26. She's a lady

   Just like I said, I wore a skirt today. And I looked fancy:) But I think it's not only the skirt that makes a woman look lady like, it's the proper shoes and, very important, the earrings!:) Girls know what I mean. So, we do have a reason to collect/buy as many earrings as possible because there are so many occasions to wear them on! Am I right or am I right?

Day 25. Meet Autumn!

   This morning the bus driver didn't stop in my usual station. I don't know why. It just went by it. At first I wanted to go tell him I need to get off but then I told myself "everything happens for a reason". And so it did. I enjoyed a new path to my workplace (I got bored of the usual one anyway) and I met Autumn. She was so beautiful and eerie!:) I loved her sheer yellow earrings and her long veil all across the sidewalk. All was very lady like. In the end, she made me want to be like her, so... tomorrow I'm wearing a skirt!:) 

Day 24. Think positive!

   There are some people around us who tell us life is tough. Very tough. But I am sure there are also some people on this planet, like me, who want to believe everything is going to be ok. I just know it. No matter what happens along the way, no matter how many problems we will face, we will always find the suitable solutions to solve those problems and we CAN be happy even while finding those solutions. So, let's think positive!:)