Again and again and again … that still, small voice

In this Sargasso Sea of fantasy and fraud, how can I or anyone else hope to swim unencumbered? How can I learn to see through, not with the eye? Take off my own motley, wash away the makeup, raise the iron shutter, put out the studio lights, silence the sound effects and put the camera to sleep? Watch the sun rise on Sunset Boulevard, and set over Forest Lawn?

Find furniture in the studio props, silence in a discotheque, love in a strip tease? Read truth off an auto cue, catch it on a screen, chase it on the wings of muzak? View it in living color with the news, hear it in living sound along the motorways? Not in the wind that rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks; not in the earthquake that followed, nor in the fire that followed the earthquake. In a still, small voice. Not in the screeching of tires, either, or in the grinding of brakes; nor in the roar of jets or the whistle of sirens, or the howl of trombones, or the rattle of drums, or the chanting of demo voices. Again, that still, small voice – if one could catch it.

-Malcolm Muggeridge, The Green Stick: A Chronicle of Wasted Years.

Illusions of memory

Don’t talk to me of the “illusions” of memory. Why should what we see at the moment be more “real” than what we see from ten years’ distance? It is indeed an illusion to believe that the blue hills on the horizon would still look blue if you went to them. But the fact that they are blue five miles away, and the fact that they are green when you are on them, are equally good facts. (C.S.Lewis – Letters to Malcolm)

“No, no no,” she said. “You don’t understand.”

“It was when I was happiest that I longed most. It was on happy days when we were up there on the hills, the three of us, with the wind and the sunshine … where you couldn’t see Glome or the palace. Do you remember? The colour and the smell, and looking at the Grey Mountain in the distance? And because it was so beautiful, it set me longing, always longing. Somewhere else there must be more of it. Everything seemed to be saying, Psyche come! But I couldn’t (not yet) come and I didn’t know where I was to come to. It almost hurt me. I felt like a bird in a cage when the other birds of its kind are flying home.”

– Psyche, Till we have faces –  C.S.Lewis

– Rodnei, 2009

The highest does not stand without the lowest

Cate poze din saptamana mea de “mountain survival” in Negoiul, alaturi de cei de la pdf.

 

A whisper, which memory will warehouse as shout…

Super cool survival team forever :D

First day – team games
Prima zi – jocuri de echipa

Stash all the nails on the vertical nail

I’ll try it too!

Yeeeeey!!! We did it!!!

Second day’s task: make a map of Timi’s property

Ziua a doua: realizati o harta a proprietatii lui Timi

 

Oh! No no! The leaders don’t have any difficulties 😛
Ah! Nu Nu! Liderii n-au nici o problema 😛

And the result:
Si resultatul:

After supper announcement: “Get ready. In 15 minutes we are leaving! We’ll spend the night outside.”
Dupa cina. Anunt: “Faceti-va bagajul. In 15 minute plecam. Vom innopta afara.”

 

And the big day has come. First day on the mountain.
Ziua cea mare a sosit: Prima zi pe munte.

Building the first shelter. Each one is helping.
Construind primul adapost. Fiecare ajuta cu ce poate.

Trying to befriend the cow, to give us some milk 😀
Incercand sa ne imprietenim cu vaca.. poate poate ne da ceva lapte 😀

Delightful supper:
Cina noastra delicioasa:

 

Don’t waste anything! Especially food 😀
Nimic nu se pierde! In special mancarea 😀

Almost the end of the first day..
Aproape de sfarsitul primei zile..

But wait! before going to sleep we have to find a cave..
Dar stai! inainte de a merge la somn mai trebuie sa gasim o pestere..

Second day: Cheile Somesului Cald
Ziua a doua: Cheile Somesului Cald

“Are you sure you know the way?”
“Esti sigura ca stii drumul?”

Look! Some backpacks 😀
Uite! Niste rucsaci 😀

Natural slide 😀 Yupyyyyy
Topogan natural 😀 Yupyyyyy

Lunch: Omnomnom, we’ve got ketchup! (Just pretend we also got pizza :P)
Pranz:Omnomnom, avem ketchup! (Imaginati-va ca avem si pizza :P)

 

We know precisely where we are!
Stim sigur unde ne aflam!

Or not?
Sau nu?

At Gura Botii cave
La pestera gura botii

Caught in the action: putting rocks into the other team’s backpack.
Prins in flagrant: in timp ce punea bolovani in rucsacul celeilalte echipe.

We can’t find the way…again!
Iarasi nu stim incotro sa mergem!

Third day: Leaders’ morning.
Ziua a treia: dimineata liderilor.

 

What it takes to make a gooood coffee 😀
Uite asa se face o cafea buuuuna 😀

 

Task: make a backpack and a pair of shoes from natural elements!
Sarcina: construiti-va un rucsac si o pereche de papuci din elemente naturale!

And then the imagination went wild:
Iar apoi imaginatia lor a luat-o razna:

Building a solid foundation
Construind o baza solida

for our awesome supper (and much more)
pentru cina noastra delicioasa (si pentru multe altele)

That’s Erik, if you had any doubts 😛
Daca va intrebati ce inseamna, e Erik 😛

After dinner: a good cup of hot tea and “long-expected” debriefing time:
Dupa cina: o ceasca buna de ceai fierbinte si “mult asteptata” reflexie

A new day. A glorious morning 🙂
O zi noua. O dimineata glorioasa 🙂

Okay.. maybe not that glorious
Okay…poate nu-i asa de glorioasa

But we had something new for breakfast: toasted bread and tea in the Finetti  jar. (Told ya: Nothing is wasted!)
Dar am avut ceva nou pentru micul dejun: paine prajita si ceai servit in borcanul cu finetii. (V-am mai zis: Nimic nu se pierde!)

Morning lesson
Lectia de dimineata

While waiting for Erik and the guys to set up the ropes for climbing and repelling, the team had to make a square from the cordelina:
I timp ce asteptam Dupa Erik si ceilalti baieti sa instaleze corzile pt catarare si rapelare, echipa trebuie sa faca un patrat din cordelina:

Helping Ana to make a right angle. A bit difficult when you’re blindfolded 😛
Incercand sa o ajute pe Ana sa faca un unghi drept. Un pic cam dificil cand esti legat la ochi 😛

And then a “helmet-wanna-be” (more like a crown)
Iar apoi o “intentie-de -casca” (mai bine zis o coronita)

Auch!

Next goal: Cetatile Ponorului
Urmatoarea tinta: Cetatile Ponorului

In the Dolina
In Dolina

Pffu, finally on the other side of Cetatile Ponorului cave..
Pfuu, in sfarsit am ajuns la capatul celalalt al pesterii..

And now: up we go!
Iar de acum: Hai sus!

Imaginary cord – psychological help 🙂
Coarda imaginara – ajutor psihologic 🙂

It was worth it! At Balcoane.
S-a meritat! La Balcoane.

 

Next goal: Pestera Barsei
Motto: if we loose the trail, we make our own trail 😉
Urmatoarea tinta: Pestera Barsei
Motto: daca pierdem poteca, ne facem propria poteca 😉

Sunset at Piatra Galbena
Apusul la Piatra Galbena

Last day (on our own, again, because we got rid of our leaders)
Ultima zi (singuri, din nou, pentru ca ne-am scapat de lideri)

Last meal:
Ultima masa:

[vimeo vimeo.com/73369768]

The conclusion:
Concluzia:

Making fun of the leaders:

Thank you Ebe, PDF, Timi, the other leaders and all of the participants for this year’s Survival!
Multumesc lui Ebe, PDF, lui Timi, celorlalti lideri si tuturor participantilor pentru acest Survival!

Survival 2012 – echipa Ciuci

La baza: jocuri de grup

Totul este calculat:

Dupa pascutul de afine si merisoare:

Si cu bocancul in mana si cu periuta in gura. That’s the spirit! 🙂

Uite Ema cum stau fetele in genunchi in fata ta ;))

Dreapta imparteala

Fie omu cat de mic, dupa masa doarme un pic!

Biscuiti cu crema de ciocolata si zmeura. Delicatesa 🙂

Stand up!

Sit ciuci!

Echipa Ciuci deshidratata pe varful Omu

Dimineata urmatoare. Liderii si canuta cu … ceva buun.

Simulare de prim ajutor: Sorin a “cazut de pe stanci si s-a lovit la cap”

Echipa intra in actiune:

Ufff, da greu ii!!

APAAAAA!!

Concursul de construit obiecte de supravietuire din ducktape

Momentul adevarului:testu

Care picura mai tare?

Fashion

….and pizza 😀

Varful Lancea 🙂

Micul dejun pe varful Lancea 🙂

Multumesc Ebbe si echipa PDF pentru acest Survival!

Mari si Mici Mari Amici

Pe 1 iunie, de ziua copilului, am avut bucuria de a fotografia un grup de multi, multi Amici.  🙂

Mai jos sunt cateva fotografii si cateva detalii despre proiect.

Proiectul Mari si Mici Mari Amici este desfasurat de Fundatia Crestina de Ajutorare in colaborare cu Asociatia Preventis.

Mai multe informatii despre proiect puteti gasi aici:

MMMA

Puteti sustine financiar un copil, devenind “Nasul” lui. Cum? Cititi aici: NASUL.

Survival 2011

Precum am promis, tabara de “Mountain Survival” in cateva poze si cuvinte:

Incepem in forta, la baza, in Rasnov: Ropes course 😀

A fost o seara, si apoi a fost o dimineata: aceasta a fost ziua intai 🙂

Trei zile dupa, echipati cu tot ce ne trebuie, ne pornim spre munte.

(fragment din imnul echipei noastre):
“O ce plimbare
Printre serpentine
Spre balea ne-am pornit
Pe drum am obosit
Sorin conduce
Ce smucit ne duce
Si ametiti ajungem sus la lac”

– before survival

– pornind in forta

“(Cristi):
O ce carare
Ce munte mare
Cinci zile-n soare
Om rezista ?”

“(Dani):
Hai ca putem
Avem mancare
Vointa mare
Vom reusi”

-poza de grup cu lacul Caltun

“Enter” Struga Dracului

“(Toti):
In fata noastra
Strunga ne-nfioara
De lanturi ne-apucam
Mult n-o sa rezistam
Facem si-o poza
Negoiu asteapta
Talpile arse ce-n sfarsit ajung”

“(Maria):
O ce durere
Gambele mele
Ce vanataie
Am capatat”

“(Toti):
Lasa, Marie
Lasa vrajeala
O eugenie
Te-a rezolvat”

“Exit” Strunga Dracului

Cucerind Negoiul

 

luand pranzul pe Negoiul

Maria

Eu

Fie omul cat de mic, dupa masa doarme-un pic. 🙂

Coborand pe valea Saratii

Primul nostru adapost, “bine inchegat”, iar in zare adaposturile celorlalte echipe.

“(Dani): Pune prelata
(Stefan): Pune-o pe mine
(Maria): Ca noaptea vine, Si n-am campat”

“(Toti):
Matul m-anunta
Ca foamea-i mare
Scoate branzica si pateu acum”

Poza de grup cu cascada Saratii

E greu …

“O eugenia
Ce buna esti
Te pretuim
Ca ne hranesti

Tu salvatoarea
Iti stim valoarea
Ce calorii
Ne daruiesti”

Scurt moment de relaxare 🙂

Somnul de amiaz reloaded

Zorii celei de-a treia zi, la poalele cascadei Negoiu

Invatand din greselile trecute

“Ziua buna se cunoaste de dimineata” – ziua de odihna

baietii trezindu-se

Micul dejun

Alex, din echipa “racheta depasita”

Mihai

Dan, balibanul

The puzzle

It’s complicated!

Miruna, talibanca

Scrasnind din dinti

Si fetele 😀

Miha

Topoganul natural

 

Un dus rece

Balaceala

Cu burta la soare

Linistea dinaintea furtunii

Uscandu-ne

Poza de revista

Atacul

Apararea

Cuptorul

Aluatul pentru pizza

 

si pizza 😀

intre timp …

facem si malai copt

And…voila 🙂

 

 

Yammyyyyy

Pizza vecinilor (a noastra a fost mai buna) 😉

Prajitura cu afine … yammy inca odata

Si se lasa soarele peste cea dea treia zi

“Trei zile dupa
Painea e tot multa
Dar dintr-o data
Ebbe o ia toata
Sus pe carare
Uite-o cum dispare
Doar luminite printre brazi zarim”

“(Maria):
Nici eugenie
Nici paine tare
Doar mamaliga
Ne-a mai ramas”

Poza de grup…cu oile, la cascada Negoiul

 

Pe Saua Cleopatrei

Negoiul, inca odata 🙂

Coborand prin strunga Dracului

“(toti):
Doar afina
Si zmeurica
Foamea cea mare
Ne-au alinat”

“Pierduti in vale
Stanca e prea mare
Prin padure o luam
Depozitul ratam
Suntem frustrati
Si cam plouati
Miha si Ebbe sunt cam disperati”

In zorii ultimei zile:

Ebbe 🙂

Din seria “La toti ni greu”

 

Ultima urcare grea

La final, o leaca de ceata si nori… sa stim ca am fost pe Negoiul

Ultimul pranz

Paine cu maggy

Echipa Eugenia si echipa fara nume

Doar echipa Eugenia

“O eugenia
Ce soarta aspra
In deriva ai mers
Dar ai rezistat

N-ai expirat
N-ai renuntat
Cu fruntea sus
Ai finalizat”

Multumesc echipei PDF

Look right through me

Hida, Decembrie 2010