fridges and old iron

I woke up today hearing my house mates voice obviously trying to get something heavy through the door. I also heard another voice helping him. Or a fridge or a washing machine I thought, both we still need and either was good. The guys from Art-Fusion that sorted out out this place for us completely decorated it. Loads of volunteers donated furniture, kitchen stuff trying to make it homely. Bless them! When I stumbled out of bed and walked into the kitchen I saw the latest edition of gifts standing in the corner. Mister fridge has entered the building! Eugen, the volunteer that donated it, stayed a little chat. A very friendly and funny guy. All Art-Fusion people we met so far are great and extremely friendly. Whilst sitting in the kitchen we heard the same yelling as we hear every morning. This gypsy lady passes our block every morning... Selling something? No idea? Eugen told us that she's shouting "Old irion!" to collect and sell it again. Might be a good career swap some day.

Sitting in our kitchen I got hypnotised by the nice big fridge in the corner. Completely covered with handmade stickers of Pluto, Jeremiah cricket, Goofy, Tom & Jerry, Donald Duck....and so on. It's a big fridge and with lots and lots of neon coloured images. Some of them have a silver glow, and if caught staring at them a bit to long they WILL start walking and talking. When I asked who made them my imagination only got crazier. He told us that his mum used to work as a medical worker in Bucharest prison, one of the convicts made them for her. Eugen was not quite sure what kind of crime the man committed, but he sure must have been there a while looking at the detailed drawings.

Yesterday me and Valters -Volunteer from Latvia- checked out The Museum of Romanian Peasants. A beautiful museum with amazing pictures and remainders of a great heritage. It was the European Museum of the year 1996. As a museum-holic I have a bit of an idea what's out there, and trust me, its so worth visiting when your ever around. Maybe it's even a good excuse to come and visit me, cause the old fashioned Romanian ladies look the best!

Concrete heaven

After a very beautiful journey of almost 2 days, through 5 countries and 4 different trains I got safely to my new Home. On the way I didn't have any time to write. I was or sleeping, admiring the view, reading or chatting with people I met on the way. Especially the last train was amazing, brought me from Budapest to Bucharest over night. We, a lady from Bucharest and I, got woken up twice at the border with Romania. For some reason they want to check your passport in Hungary and again 20 minutes later in Romania. It was quite exciting because the lady in Hungary checking my passport was stunning; amazing uniform, beautiful brown eyes with perfect black thick eye-liner that made her look very strict. She thoroughly checked my details and stamps and made me feel like a 6 year old handing in homework....please tell me it's all good and I can move on to the next chapter.

Slept very well, had my earplugs against the noise of the train and was very lucky to only share the coupe with one other lady -the night train from Utrecht to Munich was packed and all the 6 beds were taken. I woke up when just before Brasov, Transylvania, looked outside and...and...didn't do anything or moved. It was the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen, too beautiful to describe or to capture on a photo. Impossible! Just imagine the Carpathians in a reddish glow whilst riding through snowy mountains passing little villages. Will try to explain better soon because we will be going back to this aria on Sunday for a weeks training, staying in a village thats called Predeal that lies on the foot of Romanians highest mountain: Omul, 2050m

Anyway, there I one more thing you need to know about Brasov. It's very funny I think and couldn't believe my eyes. From the centre of Brasow you can see in 'Hollywood style' Brasov written in the hills. The best!

The house I'm living is quite central, close to underground, shops,the office and so on. It's nice, its concrete and I already feel at home.

Credit Crunch.....here comes Baby!

Not everybody is aware of 'the crunch'.
Luckily enough there is still a large amount of little people that cry for other reasons.

Where is my food, where is my blanket, why the hell do my teeth hurt!!! And so on and so on.

If there is one sector not suffering under the financial crisis it will be the nappy manufacturing boys and girls.

Babies are the saviours of our economy,
bit like what Batman did for Gotham City.

He also liked wearing a nappy.

Gooooo Baby!

Better Weather - Kimya Dawson

happy dolls

The new year started for me with a tired head, drippy nose and sleeping most of the day. I think I used all my energy the last couple of months and, although I don't have to leave the house that much, I think I caught something on the way. Feel a bit like wearing one of the Bedtime stories outfits of Viktor & Rolf. Pillow strapped to my back please!

Changing Berlin for Utrecht doesn't mean moving to a less interesting cultural city. Last week me and my sister went to the Centraal Museum to see an exhibition: The house of Viktor & Rolf. The exhibition showed the highlights of the last 15 years of this amazing Dutch designers duo.

Dolls -specially made- wore miniature versions of their designs with in the background projected original runway material. They basically all looked the same, very simple and plain, only their hair and make-up was altered to match the original models as detailed as possible.

I used to work just around the corner, in the education department of The University Museum Utrecht, my longest employer ever. I think I worked there all together for about 5 years. Weird, time is a funny thing. It sounds like a long time, but is it? Four years ago I left Holland to follow my -ex- boyfriend to Wales. Now 4 years later I have lived in 4 different houses, worked for 4 different employers and have 4 different sim cards. I should feel older, that's what time does to you... Or not? When I think about it... I own less then ever, have a little job and spend most of my time on voluntary project.... feel younger than 5 years ago. Time doesn't equal happiness, but it's happiness and the way I allow myself to give in to 'my own' that determines how old I feel, I look and think.

Once in a while I get the feeling of having skipped something in my life, maybe going too fast or not recognising the good or the bad. It's not always possible, but if it is I try to fill this empty space. Tracking down what it is I'm missing, like checking luggage before going on holiday. Defragmenting my own hard disk to be able to install new software, new relationships.
I probably used to have a higher tempo of living that I didn't recognise happiness, even when it hit me in the face -or perhaps I had the tempo I thought others expected me to have. Now my life, my happiness is mine and nobody can dress me like a doll.

http://www.phoebekreutz.com/music/vikingsong.mp3