Somewhere around 90-91, Adi Uceanu (former Gogan) told me about String, because he knew me fried on SF. It was right after I had started the Polytechnic, at Transport, Road Vehicles. I went with her to the Ecran Club on a Wednesday night and I found it fascinating: up on the 1st floor a group of nerds were imagining planets, galaxies and spaceships, while downstairs they were playing barbut and listening to the story of a gentleman who, while he was reading the newspaper while waiting at the station in Lizeanu, he noticed a blonde young lady passing by, dressed according to the latest fashion. For the next 4 years, I attended String sessions week after week. I had the honor of meeting some of the greatest Romanian SF writers in history: George Anania, Romulus Bărbulescu, Mihai Grămescu, Liviu Radu. Legends. Also there I met dozens of special people, who became my friends, even though now we only talk on FB. You guys know each other! We shared with you imaginary adventures and food heated in a cauldron on Baltă. By 1996, after a few months at RAR as a trainee engineer, I realized that my future career in automotive engineering was a horrible mistake. Fortunately, my writing talent continued to serve me, though not in literature. Now I am one of the seniors of the advertising industry, creative director at the GAV agency. Over the course of my career, I've won over 100 national and international advertising awards, and I'm responsible for some of the things that annoy you when your favorite movie breaks. But sci-fi remained my first love, and I'm still a constant devourer of imaginary worlds. Finally, two more things. Thanks to Ana-Maria for everything she does for Romanian SF, both as a writer and as a "historian". Keep up the good work! And thanks for the one without which String would not have existed. Live long and prosper, Mrs. Mihaela Muraru-Mândrea!