The Book. Page 1.

One crazy morning after two days spent at sea, I started it. The book I've long since planned on writing. My personal quest to sort out all demons inside and line them on paper. Just publishing the first page wirtten so as not to forget I committed myself to something. Do not expect more, soon... as it will come, you will know ;).


She looked around. The hand that was intended to grab the bag from beneath the chair remained empty. She felt a slight dizziness as she moved her eyes around, with enhanced intensity, looking for the same thing. But the bag was gone. Her temples starting throbbing and she felt as if a wall of fog was installing between her and the world. The reality was obvious: she just had been robbed. Her brain though, refused to acknowledge and was pulling back from the striking reality. She got up. She had to get up. The waitress was coming along with a large smile.

Two hours later, dizziness turned massive headache, she was sitting aimlessly on a shaded kerb just outside Rambla del Raval. Tears were rolling down and a cigarette was burning itself in her hand. Part of her still refused to believe what had just happened. After being robbed she had to go to the police. The tricky part was that she had no phone, no cash and cards, no ID and no plane ticket any longer. Her flight was just taking off, but she could not be there as she had nothing now that could have got her on that plane. She was racking her brains for the correct number of her father’s since she had no clue whom else to call, her boyfriend’s number was something she could never remember and most unfortunately Anna’s number as well. She felt more torn inside than ever and she was so pissed off she couldn’t stop her tears of bitterness from falling.

“The damn bastard! I bloody hate the damn bastard!” All she was left with were her green backpack with the clothes and stuff, the cigarettes and a lighter. That was what drove her nuts the most. “Who the hell am I? I embark on this crazy ‘quest’ and now that I managed nothing I succeed in being nobody! How the f*** am I getting any money back and get out of this hell hole?” she was screaming inside her brain.

Just as she was trying to solve the complicated riddle she had gotten herself into – probably mumbling to herself – she lift her eyes up and the shock of seeing the girl looking down at her made her jump up in panic, palms and back glued to the wall… if the episode before was surreal, this was a nightmare! She tried to get herself together and smiled faintly. “Hey…"

Si totusi scriu...

Reflectia brandului tau

Publicat la data de 25.07.2008 www.121.ro

Una dintre cele zece lectii de 'supravietuire' ale brandului personal recomandate de unul dintre cei mai mari guru in management ai timpurilor noastre, Tom Peters, este 'Cultiva-ti reteaua de Prieteni'! Daca in urma cu ceva ani eram toti concentrati pe 'relatia verticala' si loialitatea noastra fata de un sef si o organizatie, ceea ce spune cele mai multe despre noi si cat de multe putem face in ziua de astazi este reteaua mai degraba orizontala pe care o avem, reteaua de prieteni. de Alexandra Georgescu, HumanInvest

In lumea de azi, in continua miscare, conteaza din ce in ce mai mult cu cine iti petreci timpul si pe cine cunosti. E lumea in care succesul depinde de puterea brandului tau personal si brandul tau personal este dat de reputatia pe care o ai in cercul tau de cunoscuti. Sunt convinsa ca stiti macar un exemplu in care cineva, cu un post super-tentant de oferit intreaba: 'Stii pe cineva potrivit?'. Iar intrebarea e: cate persoane - cercul tau de cunoscuti - vor spune despre tine: 'Daca vrei idei noi si multa energie, sun-o pe Maria! Sunt putini oameni atat de dedicati si care isi stiu atat de bine munca! Plus, e foarte tare sa lucrezi cu ea!'

Ce spune reteaua pe care o ai despre tine? Pentru ca, asa cum am mai scris, brandul personal este reflectia noastra regasita fidel intr-o radiografie a cercului nostru de prieteni. Si daca asta pare abstract, mai bine o poveste care sa va indemne la o scurta analiza! O analiza cu voi insiva, sincera si la rece. Mai bine mai tarziu decat niciodata :)!

Povestea nu stiu cand incepe... intriga i se pierde in negura timpului si primele lucruri de care imi amintesc sunt deja desfasurarea actiunii: eram in Galati, copilaria la bloc, si ma imprieteneam cu toata lumea: de la fetele de varsta mea pana la copiii tigani din cartierul din spatele blocului. La bunica-mea, tot la bloc, eram prietena cu fetele, baietii, adolescentele si tinerele mame ale blocului. Tot in lista de favoriti intrau si prietenele bunicii, iar seara la povesti pe banca de la bloc eram la catarama! In cercul meu se aglomerau de-a valma fete si baieti, tineri si batrani, oameni cu atatea stiluri de viata, obiceiuri si realitati!

Cred ca in timp, facand parte din mine, obiceiul a devenit normalitate si la varsta la care am inceput sa pot palpa notiunea de valori personale, diversitatea a tronat la rang inalt ca un mod de a face lucrurile, de a trai viata. Au fost episoade in care am infruntat cu bravura certurile alor mei ca umblu cu 'neispraviti' (a se intelege 'prea putin intelectuali'). Au fost momente in care am invatat enorm doar pentru ca am trait langa un om atat de diferit, momente in care m-am indragostit fulgerator doar pentru ca simteam diversitatea in spatele unor ochi.

Au fost momente in care toata diversitatea relatiilor mele a durut transformandu-se volatil in diferente de intelegere si ajungand un perete de strapuns cu ambitie si mainile goale! Dar in toate aceste momente, daca cineva avea nevoie de un dram de pasiune si de nebunie pentru un proiect sau o idee mai ciudata, stiu ca se gandeau la mine: 'Intreab-o pe Alexandra! A mai facut ceva de genul asta!', 'Vezi ce zice Alexandra! Sigur i s-ar parea interesant!'. Si asa, am ajuns sa fac radio in liceu, revista liceului, petreceri, discursuri, munca de ONG in facultate, joburi part-time pe langa facultate si voluntariat, sa fiu implicata in conferinte, initiative de invatare, noi fundatii si un internship in India.

Si pentru ca brandul personal e reflectat in ceea ce traiesti, ceea ce respiri si ceea ce simti, in continuare cercul meu de prieteni e divers 'aruncat' pe glob din Singapore pana in nordul Americii. Adunati la un loc, suntem un Babel contemporan cu povesti combinate, intretaiate si seamanand doar marginal. E ceva magic, atat de mult din mine in fiecare dintre ei si atat de mult din ei in eul si brandul meu personal! E sifonierul meu cu haine in atatea stiluri din atatea colturi de lume, e pasiunea mea pentru oameni, locuri, tari si zbor. E meseria mea care implica atatea interactiuni, atatia oameni, de orice varsta, de oriunde si oricum.

Si deocamdata, povestea se opreste acum... De deasupra unei mari albastre, din avion, in drum spre alti prieteni dragi. Circumstantial dependenta de zbor si iremediabil dependenta de diversitate.

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Ca de obicei incerc sa "ma scot" cu lucruri pe care le-am scris e drept, prin alte locuri insa :P...

Gasiti ultimele doua seturi de ganduri personale aici:

Paradoxul Alegerilor http://www.121.ro/content/show_article.php3?article_id=5739&page_nr=1

Dead-line-uri imposibile? http://www.feminis.ro/feminis/cariera/cum-sa-faci-fata-unor-dead-line-uri-imposibile-614

si ca sa nu fiu total nasoala, ganduri despre viata si alegeri... cum ar trebui sa alegem ceea ce ni se potriveste?

Cred ca busola care ne poate da in mod definitoriu sentimentul de satisfactie sau dimpotriva cel de lipsa de satisfactie intr-un loc de munca este cea emotionala. Cred foarte mult in capacitatea acestei „busole” interne de a ne arata mereu „nordul” chiar si atunci cand nu avem toata informatia sau toate argumentele pragmatice.

Ce este foarte important, ca atunci cand simtim emotional ca locul nostru nu mai e acolo unde suntem acum sau ca inclinam catre un anumit post, o anumita organizatie, sa nu uitam sa dublam tendinta emotionala de un set de argumente pragmatice foarte importante pentru noi! Dar in aceasta ordine si nu invers. Pentru ca daca incepem cu o decizie strict pragmatica pe care apoi incercam sa o sondam la nivel emotional rezultatele s-ar putea sa fie viciate doar de simplul fapt ca deja „intelectual” am luat o decizie si, de fapt, nu mai suntem deschisi la orice solutie!

Pasi concreti: Analizeaza cum te simti in primul rand cu alegerea pe care o ai de facut: ce te atrage, ce ti se pare „sexy”, ce iti face inima sa bata mai repede, care e chimia. Da, exact ca la un inceput de relatie! Dupa ce simti ca intelegi care este inclinatia ta emotionala, verifica optiune prin niste filtre pragmatice. De exemplu, te atrage o organizatie dar pragmatic nu ti se potriveste postul care ti se ofera. Ai grija totusi ca filtrele pragmatice sa nu „omoare” decizia. Mai degraba incearca sa testezi optiunea de care te simti atrasa. Profita daca se poate de o perioada de proba sau de vizite la locul in care vei lucra, discutii cu viitorul manager, viitorii colegi etc.

hugs,
lexy

Calatorie in timp...

Sau altfel spus, un alt articol! De gasit aici: http://www.121.ro/content/show_article.php3?article_id=5610 sau mai jos...

Cateodata ma gandesc ca e ceva in neregula cu perceptia pe care o avem despre scoala... sau despre maturizare...

Imi amintesc (destul de vag) ca inainte sa intru la scoala multa lume ma intreba "ce vreau sa ma fac cand voi fi mare?" si la vremea aceea dadeam raspunsuri fundamentate exclusiv pe latura emotionala: "vreau sa ma fac actrita" apoi "vreau sa devin balerina" cand deja incepusem cursurile de balet. Va amintiti si voi perioada asta? E perioada in care majoritatea copiilor iti vor da un raspuns direct din suflet, bazat pe ceea ce ii inspira si ii conecteaza emotional. De cate ori nu ati auzit un "vreau sa ma fac doctor", "vreau sa devin fotbalist", "vreau sa fiu pilot de formula 1" sau "vreau sa ma fac superman" ori "vreau sa devin printesa"? In perioada de care vorbim, vi s-au parut vreodata absurde raspunsurile de mai sus? Ei bine, poate superman sau printesa mai smulgeau cate un zambet dar niciodata, niciodata la varsta aia, nu erau contestate!

Mai clar imi amintesc ziua in care nu am putut sa mai merg la balet! Eram deja la scoala si parea ca prefer sa dansez mai degraba decat sa fac teme. Alerta! Pentru ca scoala era cea mai importanta, bineinteles ca s-a terminat povestea cu baletul si a trebuit sa "ma tin" de scoala! Revin, cred ca e ceva in neregula cu perceptia noastra despre scoala... e momentul in care balerinele trebuie sa se aseze si sa stea cuminti in banca, in care pilotii trebuie sa sa-si adune gandurile si sa demonstreze cel mult intelectual cum forta centripeta te poate destabiliza pe ipotetica pista de curse. E momentul in care fotbalistii tinuti in casa la teme "mor", ca sa se faca ingineri si printesele invata ca doar daca devii contabil ai siguranta zilei de maine.

Ulterior, unii din noi evadeaza! Pilotii de formula 1 sunt IT-isti campioni la nfs si lfs (n.a. need for speed si live for speed- jocuri PC), supermanii au ajuns campioni la World of Warcraft, iar printesele lasa jumatate de salariu lunar in mall ca sa uite de cat de mult s-au indepartat de ceea ce si-au dorit si cat de mult le displace "job-ul". Si aici ajung si la "maturizare"... Definitia mea? Maturizarea este perioada aia ciudata, in care toata lumea incearca sa iti spuna ca trebuie sa ai siguranta zilei de maine si ca iti trebuie o specializare care sa iti dea un post sigur, la o firma mare, cunoscuta. Maturizarea este perioada aceia in care toata lumea din jurul tau stie mai bine decat tine ce ar trebui tu sa faci si cum si cand si de ce! Maturizarea este momentul in care iti uiti visele, cedezi "presiunilor" si te consolezi rational cu ideea ca e normal ceea ce ti se intampla pentru ca li se intampla si multor altora din jurul tau!

Si totusi, ce faci atunci cand, intr-un mare moment de sinceritate, singur cu tine insuti, admiti ca ceea ce faci nu ti se potriveste? Primul sfat? Uita de rational! Vocea aceia interioara care incearca sa te convinga de cat de logic e ceea ce faci, e prima care trebuie sa taca! Numarul doi? Uita de ce vor altii de la tine si aminteste-ti de ce vrei tu de la tine! Ca individ vei fi cu adevarat valoros facand in primul rand ceea ce-ti place tie, ce te energizeaza, ce te pasioneaza si te "aprinde" din interior ca dragostea la prima vedere! Numarul trei? Aminteste-ti ca prea tarziu nu e niciodata azi!

Si ca sa va dau curaj, am sa inchei cu paragraful de admiratie: o admir pe prietena mea Ana, care satula de explorari in joburi cu multe ore de munca si prea putina pasiune, s-a intors la un vis si va termina curand facultatea de design, specializarea fashion marketing! Iar ca recomandari? Mie mi-a prins tare bine acum ceva timp sa citesc Ayn Rand - "The Fountainhead" si s-a completat bine cu Malcom Gladwell -"Blink" (in romana "(S)clipirea").

Dependenta de munca

Cineva mi-a pus cateva intrebari pentru un articol... parte din ele interesante :). m-am distrat raspunzand si mai jos... rezultatul. (romanian this time around...)

Este succesul in cariera = workaholism?

Cu certitudine succesul in cariera nu este echivalent cu “dependenta de munca” sau workaholism! In acelasi timp este adevarat ca este foarte prezent “folclorul” conform caruia cele doua sunt dependente si direct proportionale.

Daca privim din punctul de vedere al angajatului -al individului- succesul profesional consolidat se obtine din echilibrul intre viata personala si cea profesionala. Din perspectiva organizationala “mecanica”, este o alta ecuatie simpla: cu cat mai multe ore de munca cu atat mai mare “productia”.

Dilema eterna de management: organizatia mecanism sau organism?

Este organizatia un mecanism de “exploatat” la maxim de capacitate productiva pentru a genera profit cat mai mare pana in momentul in care uzura il face de nefolosit sau este organizatia un organism viu care trebuie “udat”, tinut la “lumina” si ingrijit constant pentru a da roade si a creste de la an la an, mai lent dar mai sustenabil?

Presiunea vremurilor pe care le traim si rata schimbarilor ne cere de multe ori atat de multa energie pentru prezent incat nu reusim sa mai pastram si pentru a vedea in viitorul pe termen mediu sau lung. E ca si cum am merge cu privirea in jos ca sa nu ne udam pantofii dar ne-am lovi cu crestetul de un indicator pentru ca nu am apucat sa ne uitam si in sus.

In ce masura depinde succesul in cariera de o doza de workaholism?

In aceeasi masura in care depinde nevoia de a incepe o cura de slabire de ceea ce percepem noi ca si “standard de frumusete”!

Exista organizatii care implicit pun o presiune tip “90-60-90” pe angajati: daca nu petreci suficient de multe ore la birou si nu faci sacrificii personale, nu esti “in tipare”. Ceea ce este chinuitor chiar daca ajungi la “dimensiunile” dorite.
Exista organizatii in care poti fi “si grasa si frumoasa” si asta de multe ori te aduce si mai devreme acasa :).
Cele mai consistente si puternice organizatii, rare insa, sunt cele care au capacitatea sa inspire un stil de viata sanatos dar si o convingere interioara puternica in a alege cele mai potrivite metode de a-ti atinge obiectivele! E decizia de a manca mai sanatos pentru ca VREI sa ai mai multa energie nu pentru ca TREBUIE sa ai mai putine kilograme.

Cat de greu este sa faci distinctia intre cei doi termeni?

Din nou, depinde foarte mult de mediul in care lucrezi. Asa cum spuneam, in unele organizatii cultura implica echivalenta dintre cei doi termeni. Si este ca un cerc vicios: intri intr-o organizatie, realizezi ca masura succesului tine de cat de “dependent” poti fi de munca ta, incepi sa acorzi din ce in ce mai mult timp serviciului si asta iti lasa din ce in ce mai putina energie si timp pentru a observa cat de mult ti s-a distorsionat perspectiva! E ca si cum te-ai inchide in casa preocupat sa acoperi fisurile din tencuiala fara a realiza ca din afara, vecinii vad cum casa ta e luata de o alunecare de teren.

Dependenta de munca este in aceeasi masura o cale catre succes cat este dependenta de alcool o cale catre fericire: stare de bine garantata dar cu dureri de cap si riduri premature.

De ce unele companii din Romania incurajeaza workaholismul?

In mare masura datorita presiunilor din mediu si a ratei de schimbare foarte ridicate. Factorii de mai sus genereaza mai departe presiune pe nivelul de efort impus fiecarui angajat, genereaza o doza mare de reactivitate si impiedica indivizii si organizatiile din a mai gasi timp si energie pentru eforturi proactive de anticipare si gandire pe termen mediu si lung.

Un exemplu graitor este cel al unui departament de resurse umane care datorita fluctuatiei foarte mari de personal (“uzura” rapida) este mult prea ocupat cu recrutarea (rezultat pe termen scurt) pentru a mai putea dezvolta angajatii (rezultat pe termen mediu si lung).

Sau altfel spus, suntem intr-o barca in care intra atat de multa apa incat toata lumea este preocupata si epuizata de aruncatul apei peste bord! Consecinta: nimeni nu mai are timp si energie sa peticeasca barca iar capitanul striga enervat ca daca nu muncim mai mult ne scufundam cu totii!

a state of mind...

as too many thoughts and daily irrelevancies cluttered in lately, i had a nihilist fist last evening... nothing major, just one of those denial phases when you gotta go low enough to feel that you're higher after. one of those phases of mine in which I'd rather feel i don't belong and still be part of it all rather than feel that my belongingness engulfs me in a glittered trap.

at 8 am this morning i started a yogilates class (mixture of yoga and Pilates) that luckily brought me back spiritually into my ballet- classes times. it seems i might have slayed a piece of the demon through this.

tmr on my way to Vienna. meeting most of my former eb, plus boyfriends :). I'm so ready for some long chatting, drinking, provoking nights and days that shall slowly fall into one another as one :).

may you be chilled!

The Biological Monster or Eight Reasons why Babies-Making needs a Gantt

Yesterday was my B’Day. And as always, it’s the usual well-wishing, happily drinking with friends routine. Still, as always, it’s the usual too much introspection, post aging-depression routine.

Conclusion? Each year it’s increasingly surprising and equally intriguing to (re)discover myself and the monster population within :). This year I shall call it the Biological Monster. This year, as never before, the 24 hrs aka 1440 minutes aka 86400 seconds aka a drop in the life of the Universe made a lot of difference and abruptly rose to life a new monster: The Biological Monster.

Definition: The Biological Monster is defined as a form of life generated in the depths of the subconscious. It is empowered by the lengthy family tree that connects me to my cave grand-grand-mother and programmed more accurately than the latest software on my laptop to preserve the species and give birth to the next generation while in bloom and full capacity.

Symptoms: for us “modern urban working women” the Biological Monster usually starts its active life at the bridge between the age of 25 and 26. It slowly but surely gains control by the age of 30 unless systematically eliminated in the meantime and it erupts on your 30th B’day in the form of a generalized and hopeless depression followed by symptoms of diminished self-worth and increased unjustified meaninglessness. Most common ways of extermination are work-alcoholism, alcoholism and/or “no man good enough for me”-ism. Side effects: All above treatments are considered to be radical and potentially harmful for the whole organism up to the potential extermination of the host in case of severe overdose.

The Biological Monster and I. At first (yesterday) it kindda' freaked me out... Than it gave me bad dreams related to the effects of work-alcoholism and “no man good enough for me”-ism. In the morning I decided to accept its presence and make it a nice hut to reside in. During the day I accepted a first defeat by my grand-grand- mothers through their transmissible monster creature: if my being 25 yesterday was plus one year without becoming accidentally pregnant (that in my world equaled tragedy), my being 26 turned into minus four years by the time you GOTTA have a baby! Confusing, huh? It kindda’ feels like starting off on a marathon race and after almost ten long years of running someone pops up and starts screaming: “You stupid!!!!! You have only four more years left to get back where you started off! The bloody ‘starting’ line is actually the ‘finish’ line!!! What? They told you something else ten years ago? Forget about it! Make it back in four years tops! It’s the new strategic PRIORITY!!!”

It’s past midnight and I wonder how in the world would a smart chick like me tear down in four what has been build (and restored and reinforced) in ten... How in the world do you tackle with a ten-year full time job when your boss pops up one random Monday morning and lets you know he’s just figured that your work is crap and you have four more years to undo it all? So... one coffee later it dawns on me: let’s start with a Gantt!


The benefits:

1. Besides being numb, I’m scared. It’s like my first sales meeting. Best way to keep stuff from happening? Take time in planning how they should happen!

2. Never be satisfied with the amount or quality of the info and resources available! And in order for your lack of satisfaction to be justified, make a Gantt to show the challenging needs of such strategic project!

3. A Gantt is trendy and profiles you as knowledgeable! Action is the dusty old school of the cave grand-mother while planning is the buzz of the modern birth-control pills century :).

4. Doing a Gantt shows (again) you DID something! Goals not reached are the victims of the context not the effects of inaction. What? Action? Planning IS action!!!

5. There are some inalienable truths of our times: purses are to match your shoes and incidentally carry your stuff; mobiles are to fit your status and incidentally enable you communicate; Gantts are to show that you care and incidentally lead to action and yes, sex is to give us pleasure and incidentally “produce” babies! Du-u-uh!

6. The Gantt to the action is like sex to babies-making: should get you there or... make you think you’re doing it already!

7. We live in complicated times: I barely get to visit my parents and you tell me I can do more without planning more?

8.Planning well but failing to implement still leaves me with a good plan! Hmmm... I can sell it and become a Babies-Making consultant :)! Who wouldn’t invest some money in order to righteously postpone an action that requires taking full responsibility?

These being said, I feel like the first real chances to kick-ass show up... And if Gantt doesn’t do the job I’ll just start with the Climate Change lessons and the Increased Population Pressure issue on the planet that the ancestral Biological Monster is ignorantly unaware of! Or... maybe I give in one day...

Hugs,
Lexy. Minus four. In denial. Busy planning.

Lady-like Clumsiness?

Till the age of 10 I imagined myself a soon-to-become princess. I had a dead-line and all, that by the age of 16 I shall be one! I was gracefully carrying myself through the 40 sqm flat as if it were a royal palace and trying to be as blue blooded as it gets while in the same time wearing high-heeled double my size shoes.

Till the age of 18 I was posing as the rebellious rock-star-to-be princess. I had the black long boots even at 30 degrees Celsius in the summer, loads of black in my wardrobe and leather bracelets covering my wrists. All that with a precious pose and the hair dyed black. Ah! And with a mum that was almost going nuts since she was not really seeing the princess behind the all-black :)!

In more recent times I grew fond of Amelie the French neighborhood princess, Liv Tyler the elfish princess or Kate Blanchet as queen Elisabeth – more than a princess. In more recent times I wake up some mornings feeling lady-like and go to sleep some evenings feeling child-like. In more recent times I can go for more lady-like clothes but still fall for childish accessories. In more recent times I can do the royal smile more but can’t be clumsy less.

So I ask you: is clumsiness lady-like still? This morning after a four and a half hours sleep and a race against the clock to be out of the house I was asking myself just that after tripping in front of my client’s office at half past eight, cell in one hand and purse in the other. I mean, boots and skirt and purse and cell were all lady-like and shinny on a rainy morning but not being able to keep yourself from falling due to hands full has definitely raised a question!

Who are the princesses of our times? Who are the ladies that are ladies? I mean for sure not the vulgar ones, the clothes too tight and smile too fake ones, the all too Gucci or all too Prada ones, the fake D&G ones and the fake F cup ones... Neither the strident hair dyed ones or the too much make-up ones... But... Could they be the clumsy ones? Could they be the not so perfect ones? Could I be one if after a rough morning I can still get myself off the pavement with a smile :)?

ALEXANDRA by name

Gender: Feminine
Usage: German, Scandinavian, Dutch, English, Greek, Portuguese, Romanian, Czech, Hungarian, Slovak, Ancient Greek
Other Scripts: Αλεξανδρα (Ancient Greek)
Pronounced: ah-lek-SAHN-drah (German), ah-luk-SAHN-drah (Dutch), al-eg-ZAN-dra (English) [key]

Feminine form of ALEXANDER. This was the name of the domineering wife of Nicholas II, the last czar of Russia.

From the Greek name Αλεξανδρος (Alexandros), which meant "defending men" from Greek αλεξω (alexo) "to defend, help" and ανηρ (aner) "man" (genitive ανδρος).

This name was most famously borne by Alexander the Great, King of Macedon. In the 4th century BC he built a huge empire out of Greece, Egypt, Persia, and parts of India. The name was later used by emperors of Russia, kings of Scotland and Yugoslavia, and eight popes. Another notable bearer was Sir Alexander MacKenzie, an explorer of the north and west of Canada in the 18th century.

For those of you celebrating your name by orthodox calendar today: "sa traiti cu numele!" :)