As Woody Allen said, the heart wants what it wants. So, why are you here?

This is a collection of the more "artistic" pictures I have from Romania. "Artistic" is in quotes because "artistic" may also mean "bad but endearing photography." I've always felt photography is somewhat comparable to much of modern art: if you can't be good, be memorable. I'm going to stop this tirade quickly, though, because I actually didn't take any of these pictures myself, and some of them were taken by my dear mum, to whom I owe a great deal of money as a result of a forementioned ticket fiasco. So, it's best to stay on her good side.

It's fair to note that this is my favorite page of pictures. I'm very drawn to these shots, and I don't know why.


Dia.


Geta.


Gabi looking happy. Emil looking very happy. Daria looking dazed. I love this picture.


Pamela looking very lovely and not evil at all, which is not the truth. The workers several times presented me with Pamela as a gift, saying "take her to America with you. Please." We were both disappointed that I didn't take her.


And on take forty, Sanda finally looking photogenic.


Budapest on a blurry night. Or it might be the camera.


This picture looks like one of those "after" pictures in those "drinking impairs your reflexes" manuals that cops use when they're trying to convince kids that drinking isn't cool by showing them blurry pictures. Let no one say that D.A.R.E. was ever a waste of taxpayers money. Heck, sold me. After seeing this picture, I'll never drink again.


I like this picture. I'm going to use it for something someday somehow sometime soon.


Because "artistic" and "sheep" go together.


Me and Adam. I really like this one.


Gabi, the world's cutest and most evil child. I wanted to take her home, too.


Unlike Gabi, Alina is this cute all the time. She's not evil at all.


Maria in bed, where the workers love to leave the kids. One of the volunteers this summer, Beth, is studying neo-natology (I might have made that up. I called her a neuro-natologist for a while, and when she confronted me on it, announced that I knew all the time that she was a neo-natologist, but that I was writing a script involving neuro-natology - the study of the brainwave patterns of infants. She didn't buy it, but it did give me one more script idea to not pan out at all) and worked with Maria this summer to teach her to walk. When Beth left, Maria started teaching herself, so that she could learn to climb out of her crib. Now, that's vivacity. The other two babies just lay there like slugs, the lazy bums.


Dora, helping put away the clothes. The workers love Dora because she helps them do their work so that they can sit around and do nothing. As a result, she's getting awfully spoiled, but her foster family told me that they're gonna make sure that stops once she leaves the orphanage. I think that's a good sign.


Emilia, the world's only living Cabbage Patch Doll.


And this is my new favorite picture.