Notes and books and homework oh my!

I have done it again. I am back to school and I smile as my name is mispronounced by my Professor during the roll call and as I awkwardly say hello and introduce myself to the person sitting next to me.

Once a student, always a student – my mom says. It was in one of my school applications that I mentioned my constant thirst for knowledge. No matter what path I try to take with my career it leads me back to pursuing the highest academic degree possible and I am on my way! The road to the PhD is long and so I am taking it just one step at a time. After all, it is the journey that counts not the destination.

I feel refreshed. I am ready to absorb new theories, historic contradictions and classroom debates. I look forward to taking up and tackling the challenges of the ‘difficult’ professors and late nights of papers due the next morning.

Why am I studying public administration? The answer – I am the kind of person that sets a goal and does everything in my power within my spectrum of vision and knowledge to accomplish it. I am the implementator (new word) of my own dreams – and that is so far my proudest realization.

After considering architecture, graphic design, marketing and financial services I turned to the legal world. As an immigrant child my goal was to make my parents proud and prove to them that their brave move to a whole new country with a different culture and language was worth the trip. What parent would be disappointed when their precious one declares that they want to become an attorney? So I did – for my parents – with no afterthought about its hardships.

It was empowering – I was slowly discovering that I can do ANYTHING. More so, I had a newly found curiosity about the kind of contribution I can make to a public interest cause and international possibilities that await for me. So while I struggle and search through my way on becoming the founder of a non-profit organization and a professor I will enjoy the idea that the sky is truly the limit and that possibilities are limitless. I am on my way to fulfilling the American Dream.

Portraits and hands, what an inspiration!

A brief visit to the exhibition opening reception at the Ana Tzarev art gallery in New York City unraveled a collection of inspirational color, culture and serenity. http://www.anatzarev.com/exhibitions.asp

The texture of the paintings creates a 3-D effect popping with rare jewelry pieces that decorate the necks of women of exuberant cultures. These unique and vivacious pieces make you just want to touch, to try on and to own them, or at least borrow them for that one special night.

Vibrant, animated faces linger your thoughts, make you smile, make you proud. Set against the boldest and brightest color combinations of costumes and dress they bring out strength, serenity, wisdom and beauty of the person sitting for their portrait.

Then, a multimedia exhibition from photographer Maria Grazia Facciola focuses on the priceless value of hands. Quotes from composers, artists and firefighters prompt you to think of the last thing you did with yours. Typing away to the world would probably not count, so I have no choice but to pick up a paint brush, a pencil and a canvas and finally fill the empty space on my living room wall.

Splendid suns and black swans

The smell of a fresh crisp book as you open that first page and begin your journey...

It is amazing but refreshing to know that everyone's preference for a novel, a biography, or another non-fiction is so diverse. Why is it still a surprise then that the latest best seller just bores you and makes you fall asleep as you commute on your way to work/home? Yet, the one random book that suddenly strikes your fancy as you browse the multi-faceted covers full of animation, photos or other attractions just sucks you in from the first few words through the end.

The Black Swan -- certainly a useful read, in the least and my most recently completed. What may be inspirational to some is overrated and overhyped to others. In many ways it is controversial and in a few particular ways it is fascinating. Moral of the story -- everyone should stop trying to run to catch the bus/train, which I am happy to say I began doing a little while back.

A Thousand Splendid Suns -- what consumes my current commute and makes a little over an hour seem like a 5 minutes ride. It is surprising, full of foreshadowing. It is historic as it tells the story and the irony of "the other side" in Afganistan's journey of the end of the last century. It is educational, taking a peak into a culture and diversity of the people of the Islamic faith that a foreigner will never fully understand.

I hope to find more of the random books, authors and fate-changing stories.

Olives, Cafe, Duomo....all in Verona

With hunger for life's little pleasures comes the urge to discover new foods and cuisines of the globe.

Italian and French cooking was considered exotic to my Chinese and Japanese classmates, Chinese food was the exotic choice of the Italians and Germans. Yet we all had something in common. We all have those childhood habits of adoring one thing, while having another thing turn your stomach. In the middle there are those foods that you just never tried. You don't know why, but you just know that you don't even want to. Olives was just that type of food for me. Until recently...

The place -- Cafe Duomo, Verona, Italy.
The time -- lunch.
The choice -- Cafe Duomo Salad.

I have never tried an Olive in my entire life. The very smell of Olives just did not provide an inkling to try one. Yet, I was mesmorized as soon as I saw them arranged in the center and surrounded by real fresh tomatos, mozarella that actually has flavor and chunks of tuna on a bed of lettuce, capers and shredded carrots. I was drawn to its shininess, it's olive color. It just looked so appetizing. I had to try one. Of course, I had to fall in love. I had to wonder why was this the first time that I have tried such a creature, at the same time I was glad that it wasn't too late.

I now love olives. Well, at least the big green ones. I hope to share my love and get a taste of more as I fondly remember that day in Verona, Italy.

Yellow, Green and Brick

What makes Florence, Florence? I think it is the yellow sizzling sun of the brisk November weather, the green misty fields of the Tuscan region and the orange brick rooftops full of hundreds of years of architectural history.

If only it wasn't so touristy :(. Although great shopping for the fashionistas getting the latest of italian leather boots and bags, it is hard to get away from the busy streets and high rocket pricey snack bars and ristorantes.

Yet what makes it all worth it is the Uffizi gallery with the golden locks and innocence of Boticelli's Birth of Venus, and the Galleria Del'Academia with the massiveness of manhood of Michelangelo's David. These are just some of the perks stopping by Florence, even if for half a day.

A whole new world

Why is it that every time you travel to a different country, like the beautiful Italy, you come back refreshed full of energy and of ideas how you may want to change your life.

While walking around the old cities full of modern coffee shops and to die for shopping you start the re-evaluation process. For someone that doesn't come from 'old money' and has a very long way to finding the fortunes of 'new money' the realities of every day hassles and long term goals sink in. Are you really heading to a happy place of the perfect life/work/family balance (in no particular order)?

Whether it is the busy fastish life of Rome or the serenity of Siena and Tuscany all stress just clears out. All that time to think to yourself, without bothering with deadlines, food shopping or personality conflicts. The fresh air of the ideal life style is contagious. The perfect life for the middle size wallet is voracious.

And the food, did I mention the food? Where else would you taste the fresh and savory actual tomatos in the tomato sauce in the slice of pizza that is cut be squares and is paid for by weight? Where else would gelato or ice cream come with real strawberries? It is these little pleasures that make you wonder how one survives on the 5 minute devouring of a lunch by one's desk.

Life is truely beautiful and I plan on taking full advantage of it. All you need to do is live your life, not wait for the life to pass you by while you're on vacation. It's just not long enough.

How it all started...the freeflow of ideas, writing, potential...going back to Summer 1996

The hot, waterless desert
Hot humid summer is unbearable
Not enough fresh air to breath
The Rain is a little better
But it becomes even more humid,
I can barely breathe.
The fire - hot, red, and murderous.
The place I love is far away accross the ocean.
America is beautiful I wouldn't want to walk away.
Remember my grandma's farm.
Can only imagine the cemetery,
hardworking women, men,
War all over the world.
Never really ends,
always conflicts, problems.
The noise of the city unnoticeable
to some, unbearable to others.
War, fighting, death, torture.
We never lived long enough.
Those who come back are reborn.
Fighting, beating, violence.
Can't think when you want
to protect. Falseness, lying,
dishonesty. Only a dream fantasy,
never happened and never will.
Always want to be away at sea.
Can't think don't understand
Noise words doesn't make sense.
Bright light is followed by a
lunatic, noone knows the truth,
is unknown, unfamiliar, unearthly.