I do feel piled higher and deeper these days...I just love this phrase. I also happen to be a great fan of the comic. Actually, it is the only comic I have entirely read. Yes, people, their whole archive! From day one. And then registered to receive emails every time they upload something new. Why do I relate to this particular comic? Should I remind you I've kept postponing turning my paper in for...ummm...two years? True, I have a different type of job and a second University whose classes I attend, or pretend to attend, but still...Procrastination is no stranger to me.

In other news, I love signing email with this shiny, grand looking, job title. I am actually doing that job, kind of, I have the tasks and the responsibilities. It seems a bit unreal still. But I love it. I love getting home dead tired, I love not knowing when the time flew by and it's 5 pm already. I am sure, however, I will love it more when I will actually believe I know what I am doing.

What I love most? Keeping in touch with the press...Ironic, isn't it?

My Saturday did not start all that well. Actually, it started at around 10 with one neighbor doing some repairing involving a hammer and lots of noise. Did I mention I had fallen asleep at 4 am? Anyway, while I was trying to pretend I could still sleep if I tried hard enough, my phone rang. Vibrated actually, cause I keep forgetting it on silent mode this days. It was Cris Z, asking what plans Silviana and I had made. We had none, so we decided to meet at Unirea and decide on the spot.

We were late, so changed the meeting point from the overrated "in front of Mc" to "in front of Gregory's" where we then helped ourselves to huge recipients of coffee. I had Cherry Mocha again, of course. Then we started walking. The first stop was in the park just in front of the National Theater.
We then started wandering on random streets. I was the party leader, that meant I chose one street and they followed because they could not be bothered to choose on their own. More important talking to do, relax and everything. And my decisions, well, they were based on a "uuuu, shinny" feeling :P Actually it was more like where can I get a nice photo? This house in ruins was a good example.
Although I pretty much knew where we were, we were soon walking on narrow streets we had never been on. It was an interesting feeling actually, have not experienced it in a while.
We then felt like sitting down and resting for a few minutes. So we entered the Cismigiu Park. My favorite one in Bucharest, for some reason. More photos, more walking, fresh air, flowers and trees. The great outdoor. Or a little peace of outdoor in the middle of Bucharest.
After lots of food (I had a huge pizza) and some lemonade, we decided to walk home (it takes an hour and some change). And so we did, but during our trip back to the apartment we made one last stop in another park, Tineretului. This is an extremely large park with a beautiful lake in the middle. I could only take a couple of photos, as my camera needed its rest, so its battery died.
It was a perfect day after all, filled with everything I needed: fresh air, relaxation, my friends to share the experience with me. And my camera as well. As I lost most of my photos, I really have to fill my hard drive with new ones. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend as much as I am.

It's been raining all day today. And it's been a long while since I've enjoyed rain so much. So I still linger in this morning's memories of warm drops on my face, the wind messing with my hair and my hopeless attempts to stop it. What I love most about spring rain is the flower petals that get mixed between the rain drops. They usually turn my surroundings into this dreamy, fairytale scenery. And everything suddenly becomes possible...

What I would actually love to do on such a day, instead of going to work, is to go for a walk. I'd take my transparent umbrella, but I forgot it in Ploiesti a while ago. I'd walk the streets of Bucharest, contrasting with the rest of the people, who are generally in a hurry. Funny thing, the first drops of rain make everyone speed up, like they're about to run.

When I'd tire of so much wandering, I'd enter a coffee shop. I'd ask for a huge coffee, with cream and everything. Cherry Mocha, maybe? Yes, I am truly obsessed with that! I'd pull out my book and start reading for a few hours. Then, when I'm all warmed up and my clothes are dry, I'd get back to my walk.

As I am sure I'd eventually grow tired again, I'd take myself to a movie, all by myself. I guess I'd select the movie during my walk, as I would pass by several cinemas. I don't think I've ever been to a movie by myself. I have no idea how that feels.

I'd then love to meet a friend, or more of my friends, for an evening drink and maybe dinner. Then I'd go home and back to my book after an extremely long shower.

Reading back, I can say this is a great plan to spend a day. I cannot make sure it's a rainy one, but I have a good idea of when to schedule the rest. If you decide to spend a day all alone, which would be the perfect plan for it?

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The AXIGEN team had a three-day team building experience in Predeal, a beautiful mountain resort in Prahova Valley. So that explains my silence over the weekend. I was busy climbing Everest, aka Chomolungma. Yes, that is right, the name of our adventure was "Conquering Everest"!

We left Bucharest on Friday, with a bit of delay, but still, before 10 am. About 3 hours later we were in Predeal, checking in. The hotel's name was Eden. A good name I think, given the fact that you might reach the real Eden if you try climbing such a dangerous mountain. After lunch, we started making money for the trip. Divided into 7 teams of six, which then formed 3 larger teams, we spent about 5 hours outside, trying to get the sum we needed, about 3000 dollars.

Team names? Well, mine was called Undisclosed Recipients. The others were Highlanders, No Name, Faith, Nepal Death, AxiGentoo and Galactics. I loved them all!

Did I mention it was quite cold and that there was a lot of snow? Oh, and that it was, for most of us, the first real encounter with winter and its cold weather this year? Still we managed quite well. And pleasantly surprised myself with the courage and initiative I had to go running around Predeal to get crazy things like used train tickets or yesterday's paper. I was not alone in this. My team-mate Serban convinced a taxi driver to lend us his spare tire for about 5 minutes, while the rest of the gang collected insects (live ones), paintings, spoons, mirrors etc.

We then had dinner and a nice little party with music and lots of drinks. I had to say pass though because all that running around got me really tired and I hadn't had that much sleep before getting there.

The second day was dedicated to the actual ascension. Which happened indoors :) We had a map, our budgets (Undisclosed Recipients had 3070 dollars), a list of supplies we could buy, people we could hire and a nice little old man giving tips and tricks for a certain amount of time spent with him. and John Powers who was buying rocks from the top of the mountain, 10000 dollars a kilo.

The purpose of the game "Make as much money as possible". And the fun part started. No Name won (with about 200.000 dollars), Undisclosed Recipients was second, with 170310 dollars. And two teams died out there. What we really didn't understand was the actual purpose. Which did not mean a team should win as much as possible. No, it was all about the whole team of AXIGEN coming back with the largest amount possible.

Yes, we can all see it now, it was a genuine team building game. Designed to make you wonder a little, learn something and also have some fun. And we had lots of fun, that was the greatest achievement of the game, if you asked me.

FOOD
The meals at the hotel were not that hot. But not half bad either. However, we went to "Taverna Sarbului" (Serbian's Den) on Saturday night and to "Cabana Schiorilor" on Sunday, both in Sinaia. And that my friends was pure pleasure.

ADRENALINE RUSH
There were no extreme sports this year. But the two trips to Sinaia compensated, they did so more than enough. Our huge bus drove on some roads I wasn't sure I would drive on with my tiny Little Mushroom. There were moments when we all stopped breathing. And the guys also had to move a car (lift it and move it to the left) .

All in all, it was a great experience. I was really glad I could manage some real outdoor action. And learn some really interesting details on mount Everest.

The rest of the photos here!