new vocabulary

Almost ready to prepare my bag for holls, I feel too happy to worry about any matter that is not really urgent.

So, even if my phone keeps ringing, my friends keep calling me, my work is finished on time, but my boss just wants to talk to me, I began to say a great word I learnt during the past year: NO! (believe me when I say that sometimes this word is more than necessary).

For instance, what if my crystal glasses are stored in a box in a furniture (after moving in)? My mother had to accept that I won't put those glasses on shelves until I come back.

But, if you feel a little bit guilty as I do after saying no to her (she's a wonderful caring person), what would you give her as a present (that you could bring back from your holls?)...

If you happen to see the IT guy, could you please let him know that my PC needs a new memory, so I can still have the back-up I requested him a month ago? (Of course I said NO when I was too busy working at that moment when he was free). By the way, I don't feel guilty about that. Now, I feel it's necessary to say yes.

wishes from Ushuaia to Spain

Just a quick note:

Thanks to each and all of you for your wishes for my birthday.

I'm a year older, but happier and wiser.

Pity that some of you couldn't try my birthday cake!

happiest than ever

Remember that in my last post I decided to count on a caterer for my party? No, I didn't change my mind. But as the weather is quite bereable at this moment, I decided to go to the kitchen and do something for my day. I'll be 34 in a day and I don't want to spend it cooking.

So, taking into account that I should be very happy at this time of the year, though what I really feel is that I'm tired-super-tired, tomorrow I'll be pampering myself: it'll be a spa day! (my birthday party will take place on Sunday, no need to worry about laying the table tomorrow).

There are two thoughts at the back of my (sick) mind: a) Either the spa will make me feel renewed or b) I'll be sleeping like a baby in no time at all. Let's hope I won't snore (zzzzz) while the masseuse is doing her best. Ok, I should paraphrase: let's hope I won't snore (like an old bat!) at all. Nobody has ever complained about it, if you really really needed to know.

almost 34 and a week away

I'm sorry I couldn't post during the last ten days, but I've been preparing myself for my birthday and holidays (besides I've been taking care of those final details at home after moving in, sightseeing with my friends coming from the North, working a lot, plenty of stuff has been done!) .

Concerning my birthday, for the first time in my life, I've decided not to pay attention to home made meals, and count on a caterer. In regards to my holls, this is the place where I'll be scubadiving, oh yeah.

As you can see, some changes were made. Of course, some of them are pretty shallow, but some others are more profound... The thing is that I realize that this year has to be different to the past one (may be it's the hot weather -it felt like 44 centigrades or 111 Farenheit yesterday- that is changing my brain cells). Am I turning into a spiritual being? (I'm sure I'm just melting down).

23 horas y un dia

Para muchos contar las horas es fundamental en sus vidas. Vivir pendientes de lo que dicta nuestro calendario también.

Es cierto que todos llegamos a este punto: un dia de veintitres horas nos agota. Aunque pensar en aprovechar la luz del día sea algo positivo!

Por ese mismo motivo, y sólo a un día de cambiar de calendario, aprovecho para saludarlos a todos y cada uno de ustedes (los que leen este blog, los que no tienen idea, los que dijeron que estaba bueno, los que comentan y los que leen en silencio). Que todos sus deseos se puedan comenzar a cumplir con el inicio de un nuevo almanaque!

¡Salud, pesetas y amor, como decía algún familiar entrado en años! (y vaya a saber por qué en ese orden)

Un último comentario del año: un ser cibernético contestando un mensaje de texto saliendo de toilette de damas, se mete por error en el de caballeros, al ver que el camino parecía no seguir, levantó la vista y se dio cuenta de la situación, mientras le pedía disculpas al hombre que vio desde el espejo para seguir enviando su mensaje de texto... ¿no saben de quien podría tratarse, verdad?

Christmas fever

Fever facts (highly contagious, be aware!):

Everybody seems to be busy trying to buy some gifts. But, why can't they do it a month earlier? It's a sea of people out there and not exactly a sea of love, if you know what I mean. Result: it's impossible to walk as a normal person while the others are pushing, elbowing their way to the shops or malls.

If you didn't have time during the year to see your friends, should you crowd restaurants, pubs and other places just for the sake of making toasts? Oh, come on... It's one more season's time, not the end of the world.

If you don't drink alcohol, why should you worry about getting a Dom bottle in a winery store? Don't you see that it looks shallow, even if you want to make a good impression?

And what about food and all those crazy menus our mothers, aunties and grannies prepare? Hot meals (and high-calorie food)! Italian Panettones and Spanish nougat bars in hot summer days!

And supermarkets changing their prices? (you end up leaving your salary and almost your holidays there!)

I love Christmas time, but I just don't understand certain traditions. It seems I'm immune to the fever, after all.

old stuff

While I was trying to make my home look cosier, I discovered some things:
1) the things you need are never were you left them the previous day.
2) what you are not looking for appears everywhere.
3) all those unnecessary books/magazines/leaflets that were supposed to be discarded/ given away are still laughing at you from your library. Hence there's no room for your precious books and encyclopedias.
4) what is about cushions that dogs love them just to destroy them in a second? and what makes me buy more so as to feed my dog's obsession?
5) what is wrong with all my family that they care about my porcelain/crystal figures and curtains more than anything else?
6) is it possible that whenever someone tries to help you in finding something you need, you lose all your time and patience?
7) why does the super of the building interrupt what I'm doing when he knows I'm very busy?

mobile on the yoghurt

I thought I was the only one who could have an accident such as letting my mobile fall into the street drains. Apparently not.

He was having a yoghurt as a quick snack on the way home after some shopping. Putting the empty container in the bag with the stuff, keys and mobile was the second step towards disaster: the container wasn't completely empty and the liquid flooded everything.

At the following day of such event, I received a text message: "I hear you, but it seems you can't. A yoghurt fell on my mob".

Result: he won the gold medal and I thank God for finishing a runner-up.

nineteen to the dozen and angels

Even if I'm very busy at this time of the year, I can't stop thinking about those Christmas gifts for those I care. Last year I forgot to give a friend a couple of angel figures for her Christmas tree. Then, I moved out and forgot all about it. When I came back home a month ago, I saw one of the figures without the original wrapping on the floor and I felt like I had betrayed my friend. Call me a fool, but I'm sure it was in a box with other stuff. Highly suspicious (remember the working men at my place? guilty as charged!).

So, some days ago I bought new angel figures (my friend still remembers the figures lying on the floor as she was with me the very first day I moved back in). The funny thing is that, this time, the figures are, in fact, candles. And the shop assistant, a very nice man, told me not to light them before Christmas unless I wanted to behead them...

Of course this was not the real subject I wanted to write about. Yesterday a well-known journalist and writer passed away. He wrote all sort of books about angels and he said he came back from death several times after having been operated on his heart many times. I wonder if he actually saw the "white bright light", as he mentioned his own experience and other stories he recorded from ordinary people in his books.

Now, why I connected the not-to-be-beheaded figures before Christmas with the books this man wrote is a mystery to me. Possibly, because I'm working too much and all sort of associations are made in my mind. Definitively, holidays is the key word.

clouds and rain and losing perspective

I'll be all week long behind the screen trying to meet deadlines. But why? Oh well, there's no point in trying to avoid my obligations. Anyway, I can't stop thinking of perfect weekends and spare time, enjoying a rainy day like today.

Because even in a moment like this, I think there's a good reason to do what I do. The thing is that I need to keep focused.

The question is: how will I do that if I'm bored to death from the very beginning?

still breathing

I haven't gone anywhere. I have just started to settle down in my flat, after a looong time waiting for the working men to take off and leave me alone. Still, some little things are "in process" (the painting can wait at least a month while I try to recover from this nasty experience of sharing my life with the plumber and the mason).

While I was covered in dust and construction material, my computer said "no more". Some virus took over my files, but I was prepared: backup is my middle name!

The result of moving in: several boxes still to be opened and checked, furniture still to be brought back home, pen drive still missing, a suspicious broken floor tile in the kitchen, the old-not-so-old lady from the floor underneath mine calling the police to complain about the noise coming from my flat, a policeman ringing my doorbell not knowing what to do (the noise wasn't that bad). And if you think that's all, you're completely, absolutely wrong: I'm still taking part in the "association of flat owners" which means taking care of other problems in the building (lift, lights, the maintenance of the structure of the building, neighbour issues, etc!).

The good news: I'm back home. Planning my holidays!

polishing

I'm back, after a complicated week. Dealing with men that polish floors can be really stressful. Picture myself on bended knees looking at every corner of the rooms, checking for imperfections. The thing is that I paid extra money for the service. And instead of relying on other people, I had to check it myself. I was right: they ended up leaving a wet towel on my dining-room wooden table, and all the corners were less than just fine. They had to do the process again. So now I can say I'm houseproud, as far as it concerns my wooden floor.

local issues

Some rivers in Argentina are about to become contaminated by a factory that produces cellulose in Uruguay, a neighbouring country.

I thought it was useful to link this blog to a webpage in which some facts are explained.

I still can't believe how things work.

pigeons

Dear readers,

I'm back, even though I was "blessed" by a pigeon's green liquid splattering on my tshirt, not exactly the resounding comeback I was expecting to have. "It won't ruin my day or my clothes" was my thought.

Now I'm thinking that I'll dodge all sort of trees if I hear any pigeon around. Grrrrrr.

heads and tails and scripts

Under a pile of papers, I'm overwhelmed while trying to work.
So here I am, keep visiting this blog. I'll be back in no time at all.

suggestion

A friend of mine retells me a conversation he had with a professor I had many years ago:

He: She suggested that I should change my studies, and forget about translating!
Me: She did what?!
He: Those were her words. I can't explain how I felt.You know, I'm not the smartest guy on earth, but I'm doing the best I can.
(we're talking about a guy who's actually working as a tranlator in dubbing, so he has a lot of experience in real literary translations).
Me: And what did you tell her? please tell me you said something to change the subject, there was no point in talking to her. Did you mention your (great) job?
He: Yes, but she insisted on talking about how bad I am at translating, and I added some information about other subjects I took.
Me: Of course you gave her reasons to keep her going... next time, and take my advice seriously, don't tell her anything. She's great at what she does (providing material), but she's a lousy professor (no technique implemented), and if there's something you don't need at this moment is her being judgemental and rude.
He: She also said she didn't know how I managed to do my job...
Me: God! Did she say that? Well, basically because you're excellent at your job. In other words, because you've got the brains!
He: I wonder if she has any real experience beyond college.
Me: I know she does. But where and doing what, who knows... She mentioned some of her works...
He: Oh, new subject to talk about next time I see her!

conversation

Client: Oh, could we arrange a meeting for this week? I want to discuss the project I sent you last month. Can you come to my office?
Me: No, I'm sorry, I can't go, but if you'd like to discuss it now... Any changes on that project?
Client: No, no changes at all. But it would be nice of you if we could have a cup of coffee and talk about it.
Me: If nothing changed, then the project's still on for... let's take a look at my deadline... the end of the month?
Client: That's right (mumbling)...
Me: Allright, then, and the budget was approved last month, so I should continue working on it (very patiently). Unless you need to make changes...
Client: No, no changes. You can continue, but, will have some free time next week?
Me: No, really, I won't; I'll be working all week long so that the deadline will be met on time. Please give me a call if you think there will be changes on the way.
Client: Fine... I'll call you next week... (sigh)

What's the matter with people?! Was I too polite the first time I said no?

birthday girl

Today's my sister birthday!

Happy birthday girl! I wanted other picture, but this was very cute indeed! (taken from her own space, hehe). I'm sorry you're 30 years older! Well, not sorry, but who wouldn't like to be a child again?

pre-teens

One question: will you give your pre-teen daughter a cell for her birthday? I know technology is part of our lives nowadays. But is it a need in a eleven-year old girl? It's not a matter of being communicated with her family. No, it's just a way to show off. So, again, will youy give her a cell for her birthday? I don't have children, so sometimes I can't understand the dynamics of parent-children relationship. What I know is if a pre-teen spends huge amount of hours messaging with friends, why does it seem a requirement to buy her a cell? If she's at home, she doesn't need one (a computer is more than enough). If she's at school, she doesn't need one.

Is it in some sort of way showing she has certain status? But, the most interesting matter, who's trying to prove this, parents or pre-teens?

s-mssing

Look, it was me, I must confess. I was the one who texted "Happy birthday! Hugs!" Who else could have done that? Anyway, I was a bit mysterious, but hey, that's who I am. But aren't we, women supposed to be like that?