Thursday, December 31, 2009

Happy New Year 2010!


I wish to thank y'all for being always around me, watching my work, and most of all, supporting my work with your kind comments!
Best wishes for 2010!
Happy New Year!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Nickajack Lake


It was really early in the morning when I stopped here to take several shots... Nickajack Lake is located in Tennessee, off I-24, about 20 miles west of Chattanooga, TN.

Today's joke:

A very old man lay dying in his bed. In death's doorway, he suddenly smelled the aroma of his favorite chocolate chip cookie wafting up the stairs.
He gathered his remaining strength and lifted himself from the bed. Leaning against the wall, he slowly made his way out of the bedroom, and with even greater effort forced himself down the stairs, gripping the railing with both hands.
With labored breath, he leaned against the door frame, gazing into the kitchen. Were it not for death's agony, he would have thought himself already in heaven.
There, spread out on newspapers on the kitchen table were literally hundreds of his favorite chocolate chip cookies.
Was it heaven? Or was it one final act of heroic love from his devoted wife, seeing to it that he left this world a happy man?
Mustering one great final effort, he threw himself toward the table. The aged and withered hand, shaking, made its way to a cookie at the edge of the table, when he was suddenly smacked with a spatula by his wife.
"Stay out of those," she said. "They're for the funeral.

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Musicar


I met the guy somewhere near Abilene, TX. He was going to some weird cars show, well, he told me that show's real name, but I simply don't remember it. And no, there are no manipulations on this image!

And speaking about cars, did you know that the words "race car" spelled backward spells "race car"? :D

Today's joke:

If you've ever worked for a boss who reacts before getting the facts and thinking things through, you will love this!

Arcelor-Mittal Steel, feeling it was time for a shake up, hired a new CEO. The new boss was determined to rid the company of all slackers. On a tour of the facilities, the CEO noticed a guy leaning against a wall. The room was full of workers and he wanted to let them know that he meant business. He asked the guy, "How much money do you make a week?"

A little surprised, the young man looked at him and said, "I make $400 a week. Why?"
The CEO said, "Wait right here." He walked back to his office, came back in two minutes, and handed the guy $1,600 in cash and said, "Here's four weeks' pay. Now GET OUT and don't come back."

Feeling pretty good about himself, the CEO looked around the room and asked, "Does anyone want to tell me what that goof-ball did here?" From across the room a voice said, "Pizza delivery guy from Domino's."

Monday, December 28, 2009

Am I cool or am I cool?


He was outside that cold night, just like me... me because I was smoking (No smoking allowed inside), and he because he was dog (No pets allowed inside). But don't worry, he had his place inside the garage, where it was as warm as inside the house. So, while having my smoke, I took some shots of this cute puppy, and here's one of 'em!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Galleria


Last night I went to downtown in Houston, looking for the traditional Christmas lights decorations, but seriously, the downtown was looking more like an abandoned city than a city on Christmas. Just a very few walkers, some more homeless dudes, and that's it! Then my brother proposed Galleria, a town next to Houston, a place where he said is inhabited by rich people and for sure the City Hall spent more money to put some Christmas decorations on streets. And he was right!

And a joke for the cold season!

Did you hear about the two blondes who froze to death in a drive-in movie?
They had gone to see "Closed for the Winter"!

Friday, December 25, 2009

Christianity


An important moment in everyone's life: the baptizing day. So it was here, in the City of Alba Iulia, the daughter of a good friend of mine getting baptized.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas!


To all my friends, "followers" and everyone who opens this page, I wish y'all a Merry Christmas!

Saturday, December 19, 2009

Pink'n'blu


Have y'all a pleasant weekend!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Santa Comes To School


I took this shot tonight at a school from the neighborhood...

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Hermannstadt


Hermannstadt is the old name of the City of Sibiu, Romania. The first official record referring to the Sibiu area comes from 1191, when Pope Celestine III confirmed the existence of the free prepositure of the German settlers in Transylvania, the prepositure having its headquarters in Sibiu, named Cibinium at that time, later becoming Hermanstadt. It was probably built near a Roman settlement, that's why the name of Cibinium

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Holsten


Actually the place is called PUB 13 and it is located inside the historical fortress of Alba Iulia, Romania

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Forza Dynamo!


This is a mixture of some shots, including the Dynamo Girl (she's a cheerleader), taken last summer at Robertson Stadium...

Today's joke:

An Irishman goes into the confessional box after years of being away from the Church.
There's a fully equipped bar with Guinness on tap. On the other wall is a dazzling array of the finest cigars and chocolates. Then the priest comes in.
"Father, forgive me, for it's been a very long time since I've been to confession, but I must first admit that the confessional box is much more inviting than it used to be."
The priest replies:
"Get out. You're in my side!"

Monday, December 14, 2009

Christmas time


Even if there are ten more days til this major event, it seems that everybody is ready for it!
Shot taken in the City of Sibiu (Romania) in December '07

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Have a candy!


Actually they're bubble gum!
Shot taken tonight at Almeda Mall in Houston, TX

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Crowded bridges


Shot taken on I-10 in Louisiana, on the Basin Bridge.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Sleeping Bootsy



Boots taking a nap under the Christmas Tree

Monday, December 7, 2009

Flight of the Navigator



Another shot of the "frozen" egret. She took off when I tried to get closer for a better shot...

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Solitude


An image from the Galveston Bay.
Not too many boaters at water, for sure due to the cold weather...

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Freezing



It was sunny, but freezing... it was the next day after those two inches of fallen snow in Houston...
Shot taken on Dec. 5th in Shoreacres, TX

Today's joke... well, it has to be a joke! Just got it from a friend... a Chicagoan friend...

John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock
(MADE IN JAPAN)
for 6 am. While his coffeepot
(MADE IN CHINA)
was perking, he shaved with his electric razor
(MADE IN HONG KONG)
he put on a dress shirt
(MADE IN SRI LANKA)
designer jeans
(MADE IN SINGAPORE)
and tennis shoes
(MADE IN KOREA)
After cooking his breakfast in his new electric skillet
(MADE IN INDIA)
he sat down with his calculator
(MADE IN MEXICO)
to see how much he could spend today.
After setting his watch
(MADE IN TAIWAN)
to the radio
(MADE IN INDIA)
he got in his car
(MADE IN GERMANY)
filled it with GAS
(from Saudi Arabia )
and continued his search for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.
At the end of yet another discouraging and fruitless day checking his Computer
(MADE in MALAYSIA)
, John decided to relax for a while. He put on his sandals
(MADE IN BRAZIL)
, poured himself a glass of wine
(MADE IN FRANCE)
and turned on his TV
(MADE IN INDONESIA)
, and then wondered why he can't find a good paying job in AMERICA
AND NOW HE'S HOPING HE CAN GET HELP FROM A PRESIDENT
(MADE IN KENYA)

Friday, December 4, 2009

Winter knocked at the door



No, this image isn't from Houston, but it's snowing! You can see some pics from Houston that I took this morning at http://bdintrainactiune.blogspot.com/2009/12/raritati-texane.html

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Dreaming of Springtime


Every day is getting colder and colder, even right here in Houston. The meteorologist promised us some white stuff for tomorrow... I just hope he is wrong!

Today's joke:

The teacher asks the first graders what do they know about medication, if they know some drugs and what are they for.
First one to answer is Tommy. He says "Advil".
- Excellent, Tommy! says the teacher. Do you know what's that for?
- For cold and headache, answers the kid.
- Very good, Tommy! how about you, Mike? continues the teacher.
- Robitussin, says Mike.
- Good choice, Mike! And what's that for?
- For cough, answers Mike.
- Very good, Mike! says the teacher again. How about you, Johnny?
- Viagra, says little Johnny.
- Gosh, says the teacher, you amaze me, Johnny! Where in the world did you hear about this and if you mentioned it, what's that for?
- It's for diarrhea!
- Johnny, who told you it is for that?
- I heard my mom telling my father "why don't you get a Viagra, maybe that piece of s*it will harden!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Rametz Monastery



The front entrance of the new church



The old church

The monastery is located in the proximity of village of Rametz, Alba County, Romania (about 20 km off the State Route 1 from the city of Teius), in the Rametz Gorges, by the Stremt River (Trascau Mountains). The Rametz Gorges are extremely narrow, with steep walls. The region was declared natural reservation.

Today's joke:

An elderly Italian man who lived on the outskirts of Rimini (Italy, of course!), went to the local church for confession. When the priest slid open the panel in the confessional, the man said:
"Father.. During World War II, a beautiful Jewish woman from our neighborhood knocked urgently on my door and asked me to hide her from the Nazis So I hid her in my attic."
The priest replied: "That was a wonderful thing you did, and you have no need to confess that."
"There is more to tell, Father.. She started to repay me with sexual favors. This happened several times a week, and sometimes twice on Sundays."
The priest said:
"That was a long time ago and by doing what you did, you placed the two of you in great danger, but two people under those circumstances can easily succumb to the weakness of the flesh. However, if you are truly sorry for your actions, you are indeed forgiven."
"Thank you, Father. That's a great load off my mind. I do have one more question."
"And what is that?" asked the priest.
"Should I tell her the war is over?''

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

La multi ani, Romania!



Romanian and EU flags



Romanian map in 1918



Military parade on December 1st

Today is the Romania's National Day! It used to be May 10th while Romania was a kingdom, then the communists changed it to August 23rd, the day when they seized the power and turned against Nazis, and finally after the fall of communism, the gov't changed it to December 1st, the day when back in 1918 the missing part of Romania, Transylvania, became once again part of Romania.