a little bit more about me

Taught silly children English, around 1992. Made handsome money for my age but resolved to tell all parents, sooner than later, that they were wasting money on lazy brats.

Met the internets for the first time in 1993. It seemed magical. That hasn't changed in the least. Finally had my first e-mail address in 1995, I think.

Started in radio in 1994 with Uniplus. Musical news, nights, evenings, morning show—yay!

Translated and wrote articles for Remix (musical magazine) in parallel. Highschool in parallel, too. Proud to have been among the first generations of trained computer scientists (!).

Sold Zepter and Oriflame products. In parallel, how else? Four years in the row.

Bothered with the Education Ministry's School for Audio-Visual Journalism in 1995-1996. It brought about a boring, thus brief collaboration at the state-owned Radio Romania.

Spent 1996 in two more journalism courses, the highlight being the Radio school of the BBC World Training Service. It enabled me to tell the university professors what journalism really was about, that very fall. I was loud and successful at it. Still am.

Wrote occasional articles in the students' newspaper, Contrast. Two years, I believe.

Co-presented ProFM radio's morning show in 1997. Brilliant all the way. Until Mr. Sarbu decided that, like in the U.S. (?), only humans with dicks can do radio. Oh, and university? Piece of cake.

Offered a job at McCann Erickson and another at Prima TV in 1998. Became editor & assistant producer of the morning show at Prima TV—do you see a pattern here? Still wondering why I didn't take the producer job when offered. Had the trust of a CNN producer...

Started DJ-ing in Club A. Alternative Thursdays, if you can believe it, passed on by DJ Rhadoo. Week-ends, too. With a (then) friend. It went on for a while. Years, I guess.

Turned screenplay writer & assistant producer for Your Better Half, a TV show produced by Prime Time World. That was the spring of '99, if memory serves me right.

Moved to Assistant Manager of the International Business Department at Nova Music Entertainment/ BMG Romania. Same year. Later became, in parallel (another pattern) A&R Co-Manager. Convinced Romanian lot and international lot to launch Santana's Corazon Espinado as a single in Romania. Apparently neither lot realised we were a Latin country... Sales did.

Took a week-long trip to Timisoara with a former professor and NY Times journalist, Tom Wood, to investigate what went on ten years after the revolution of 1989. I interpreted for him an endless series of painful stories of bitter people. Won't recall the gruesome details.

Enjoyed being Music & Tourism Editor for D(o)ar de Romania, a webzine now defunct. It must have lasted for three years. All of them non-paid. Could it have been the company?

Became proper, what with all that showbiz! Valentine's Day 2000 saw me at my e-PR Project Coordinator desk with DC Communication. The practice started with me. Sparkling times. Built websites, campaigns, audiences, firsts and highs. Literal highs.

Forged bartending skills at Amsterdam Grand Cafe in 2002. In parallel, of course. Great fun!

Went back to DJ-ing at same Amsterdam Grand Cafe, warm-up nights and private parties. Had to have a name. Ms. Lolita that was, wearing sweet sixteen outfits and giving away pink candies. For several good years. Turns out it was all in vain: the crowd thanks me for the music. I miss that.

Not allowed to move up, I moved lateral in 2003: PR Manager at a boutique advertising agency, United Communications. But a title. I mainly did copywriting & account management.

Took a stint at PR Manager on the client side with a large software company in 2004. Catastrophe!

Returned to DC Communication that same year, as Senior Project Coordinator. No longer e-PR. I'm afraid the latter practice died entirely after my departure. Feels a bit sad.

Began blogging in 2005. Had three blogs at one point. With time I deleted one, froze another, and started a fourth. The whole adventure inspired many to start blogging, too.

Decided to stand on my own feet in 2006. My consultancy, artemis | catching stories had been up and running for three years at that point. It's still going today, with Maria as equal partner.

Met my love that year, too. In fact, he met my blog. Go figure!

Got on Twitter that same year. Had the nerve to request a mobile phone number for Romania. Soon after, they released one for Europe. Yay!

Moved to London in 2007. Took Twitter with me and paraded it. Convinced many souls to follow.

Loved being part of Yahoo's Hack Day the same year. At home with geeks, Coca-Cola, and Kit Kat.

Received two good cameras in the row, 2007 and 2008. Eventually pursuing a lifetime interest.

The only other things worth mentioning: co-founded another company in 2003 but got out in 2004. Had been selling my voice to radio ads for ten years; not my soul, though. I own some ten Internet domains because you have to, or someone else will. Wrote two books, none of them shown to editors, but one shown to a handful of encouraging people. Sleeping on them, obviously.

Today? In transit to a former love, that e-thing above, as a super online whatsit. To be continued.