Even an iddler finds unmittigateable pain in the seemengly consoling thought of not being disliked by all. From Rhymes with Orange.
And among my innumerable random passing thoughts, few of the recurrent ones of the past few hours:
1. I want to sleep 24 hours in a row 2. When I will fit into a.,b.,c.,d.,...half of my clothes again? 3. Why on earth prostitution and drugs are not yet legalized? 4. I heart opinionated people who respect oposition 5. Most troubles in the world could be solved if only more women were educated, and had less children 6. How I will entertain JF in Madrid? 7. Every mother has a favorite child. Every person has a favorite someone. Every favorite someone of any person is favored with undeserved (or not) chances and compassionate benevolence. 8. I blame human inability to admit its own stupidity for mostly everything 9. I will prepare again nami-nami chocolate cake. 10. Why blogs so very good and interesting are not more popular? I found a fantastic one here. few of their scanned images below:
Hoy ha sido un dia hermoso, feliz. Me encanta TODO lo que hice, lo que pensé, lo que encontré, lo que sentí! Today was a wonderful day. I loved everything I did, I saw, I thought, I found, I felt. Spring is a miracle.
Tanto, pero tanto que no pude seguir con mi entrada pasada. Primero, por el abrupto alto al que se vió sometida la campaña electoral en España; un asesinato que conmociona al país. Imperdonable.
Segundo, por el circo presenciado en República Dominicana donde el presidente Uribe se dejó dar una paliza dialéctica y política tremenda y no se puso para la foto pero si para los abrazos que le siguieron al drama. No entendí nada de nada. Era la oportunidad de usar el JUJITSU de la negociación y volcar los argumentos ajenos, a su favor. Era hora de cuestionamientos y de exigencias airadas y convincentes como las de Correa, un presidente que recobra su imágen y dignidad en este encuentro, dándole la espalda al nuestro y diciendo la última palabra. ¿Por qué no se demandó la colaboración de los paises "hermanos" y "vecinos" como les gusta llamarse, contra las asquerosas y nunca mejor ponderadas FARC? Me parecía mas digno el silencio, la ausencia, un lenguaje de presidente, como el que también sabe usar muy bien. A este nivel y con una interlocutora como Cristina Fernandez, el discurso no puede ser el de un buen padre de familia al peor estilo del codigo civil colombiano y de aquel glamoroso siglo! "Atónita en Madrid"
GLOSARIO:
Jujitsu: Entre las artes marciales, especialmente el Judo, el conjunto de técnicas que usa la fuerza del oponente en contra de aquel. No oponer resistencia, por ejemplo es una de ellas pero sola no suficiente. La idea es que la fuerza obligue al que la despliega al desfallecimiento y nunca mejor dicho con la gentil "ayuda" del que emplea esta táctica. Atonita: estupefacta. "Sin voz", sin nada que decir.
- Has anybody came up yet with a device, application or even a simpler WAY that could manage the amount of names, nicks, keywords and passwords that one is imposed to utilize around the internet? Nowadays even a cat wants to "associate" only with "associates" and demands in its blog/site a registration plus the chunk of memory that goes away with it! (I do have to make a concious effort, an enormous one due to the insignificance of the issue, to remember the way I registered my participation in any site I needed, wanted or just happened to visit) I rarely want to commit so much as to go through a registration process that even though most of the times is free becomes a time waste spectacular after counting the many times per day that one needs to do it. I decided to keep track in writing, yes, to write them on PAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!! And because I did not want to use any corner of any page I decided to purchase a little notebook for the purpose. A total nonsense. Should not we devote a serious effort to achieve simplicity when an issue does not ask for more than that? It seems a matter of elementary efficiency.
-I started from the wrong end. I was not cool about having to sit for 2 hours going back and forth from my mail account to 4 different sites today to finally reach the conclusion that I actually did not feel any interest for their content. I did join a fifth one where I hope to be in touch with my cousins, friends and university course mates from very long ago. I won´t create a pitch on it now because it needs a lot of explaining and one long registration process. An undeserved pain. To be checked as soon as I have the time and the will to perform redundant tasks: Internations.org; A site for ex pats, with connections around the globe. And EUFASA, the European Union Foreign Affairs Spouses Association...I will need some time for these! Low and high context for the afternoon break. I am a full time mother today with both Emil and Juulia Aliide at home, sick with the flu!
TENGO GRIPA, HASTA QUE ME SIENTA UN POCO MEJOR!.../I WILL UPDATE THE ENTRY WHEN I FEEL A BIT BETTER. I`VE GOT THE FLU.
Para donde vamos
De donde venimos:
XKCD me encanta sobretodo por que manifiestan nociones de copyright que comparto. Es de libre uso y distribución. Preparo la pequeña explicación sobre high and low context culture para esta tarde o mañana y completo la entrada entonces, con avances del mosaico -si, mi tema recurrente-
Although relying on them in the long run kills the natural ability that we all have -if not anywhere else very deep inside- to find our own way to do things. And if "the fun is in the process" why to reduce it to simply follow instructions? I, the prototype militant of a high context culture, simply cannnnnnnot! I still purchase an artefact, figure how to assemble it and then, only then, realize there where leaflets with step to step guides and "how tos." (My next post on high and low culture contexts, I will not procrastinate any longer!) THIS characteristic I greatly appreciate for it does not mean indiscipline but resourcefulness. It all depends how to look at it, right? Anyway it is hard to share a life with a low context culture icon who still consults the map to go to work every morning, and builds up his schedule around the weather channel recommendations... On the other hand, when even creative processes become rationalized, explained, organized, and almost legislated nothing out of the ordinary remains in them. Any activity devaluates when it is put into a catalogue, a yellow and black for dummies book, and compilations "in a nut shell." I am disappointed at the mere thought of finding a manual to make blogs popular or interesting. Are not blogs precisely about being whatever it is not already defined? I do not want to see the decline of the spirit of blogging. Popular or not, with traffic or without, green, yellow and daring pink as well! Uniformity, standardization and commonalities should not be promoted in this spaces that are created in strict exercise of the freedom of expression!
Today I was feeling in the clouds thinking in clichés and friendship, love and human kind-kind and then received a crushing email that literally transpired rage. It was not about me, nor against me but it completely turned me off. Words have the power of transmitting emotions, and emotions can be contagious! No more listening to The Carpenters or Air Supply today (How could I dare anyway???) But I am not angry, just turned off. Down to earth...Why she is doing that anyway???
This sampler is brought from Italy and hangs at Lula´s place. She is the one that teaches Roman mosaic techniques. She also collects heads and limbs made of clay, displayed around her house in little urns, waiting for me to take discrete pictures one of these days.
CASO 1: El caso es que la gente sigue histérica con la campaña de personalidades que mantiene el país en el vilo de la incertidumbre emocional, por que la polémica (como casi todo en España) está sentada sobre la base de lo que se siente y no de lo que se razona, y por que no existen nociones generalizadas (algunos, sin mucha audiencia si que las tienen y muy claras) sobre lo que es mejor para el país. Los periodistas, histriónicos y posudos, siguen siendo los que peor informan sobre la situación nacional, mas enfocados en su protagonismo que en las expectativas de los "patriarcas" aspirantes a presidente para el próximo período y como siempre dándole mas importancia de la que tiene a las palabras fuera de contexto, a los moderadores de debates, a los modelitos de cada noticiario o a los escenarios televisivos y las condescendientes observaciones de los políticos que saben muy bien que es lo que juegan. Aqui se juega el juego de gustarle a los medios. El contenido de las propuestas de los partidos ya no es sustantivo. Reitero, me reitero!, enfatizo y sigo con mi impopular línea de pensamiento: Los españoles no piensan a la hora de participar. Se relacionan a nivel del cerebelum. Se casan con los partidos políticos, se lanzan en conjeturas, se enamoran de las imágenes que proyectan los implicados y se limitan al anecdotario personal: "Es que pago mucho mas por la leche de lo que pagaba hace un año y dos y cuatro!". Parece que este se convirtió en el problema nacional prioritario... ¿Será que necesitan un presidente que ponga la leche a un buen precio y nada mas? ¿En que planeta viven? ¿Acaso es distinto en alguna otra parte del mundo?. El universo son ellos! Como los teocráticos. Para cada uno de los españoles su tragedia es la que el gobierno tiene que atender y no otra. Una respuesta típica que le darían a lo que refiero aquí sería mas o menos como sigue: -¿Y de donde eres tu? (si, tutean a todo el mundo, así es la usanza), -Echando mano a las irrelevancias de siempre, lo no argumentativo- No eres de America del Sur? -Saben muy bien que si, que soy colombiana, por mi acento único y característico, pese a lo cual les concedo el beneficio de la duda y respondo con un escueto si, soy suramericana! -Pues en tu país tiene que ser peor! SIEMPRE me hacen el mismo comentario estos sofistas empedernidos, escapistas profesionales, etnocéntricos en crónica negación, ¿Pero qué tendra esto que ver? ¿Pero quién dijo que tenía que ser peor en cualquier otra parte y como los consuela semejante especulación? ¿Será simplemente un intento racionalizador??? Si yo fuera igual de simplista no optaría por el candidato PATERFAMILIAS que juega a estar indignado por todo, el que tan tranquilamente ha triturado la confianza de los ciudadanos en el gobierno, que sea como haya sido debió haber recibido apoyo en lo fundamental. El gobierno socialista que no me representa, ni es de ideas que comparta sin objeciónes ha sido obstaculizado por una oposición en campaña hace ya cuatro años. En el plano no político pero consumible, y consumido igual (o más) existen personajes como Maria Patiño o Karmele, pseudo periodistas que los seres pensantes no sabemos como catalogar mas alla de su penosa apariencia física, y exclusivamente por que eso es lo que mas parece importarles. Lo peor es que convocan! Esto solo demuestra mi tésis sobre la antropología cultural española. De razonamientos nada de nada!
CASO 2: El caso es que siguen llamando consumición al consumo, incidencia al incidente y reclamo a la publicidad. Aceptados por la Real Academia o no estos son los términos HORROR del lenguaje. Si éste tiene que evolucionar por que lo tiene que hacer en esa dirección? De dequeismo negativo ni hablo. "Estoy seguro que" ignorando que a la pregunta ¿DE que estas seguro? la respuesta acertada sería: "Estoy seguro DE que....y blablablabla... No soy experta pero si doliente, hispanoparlante. Me equivoco y mucho pero rectifico en lo posible.
CASO 3: Joonas va a cumplir tres años y no deja de llamar LULILA a la libélula, TALALA a la ensalada o AGGGRRRO al arroz. ¿ En que momento es oportuno consultar a un fonoaudiólogo?
La foto es de Carolina mi cuñada y Valentina su hija en La Finca La Picona, La Pintada, Antioquia, Colombia. La criatura que protagoniza la imagen es Emilio, y no, no vuela, es perro!
1. I bought a seasonal magazine (Much more thematic than February ELLE) 2. I plan to visit the Cathedral of LUGO (Have I mentioned earlier how very little I appreciate these type of edifices?) 3. I read and spoke about Isabel la Católica, and even tried to find something positive about her adventures in foreign policy and other"wise," 4. I will try to eat more fish despite its escalating market value (Fresh MERLUZA at the unprecedented price of 116EUR per kilo in the closest shop which by the way I thought was a discount food chain (¿?STILL PUZZLED¿?), 5. I am using mostly PURPLE in our new blog ( www.maromasdeltorpe.blogspot.com). Is not purple a lenty-like color? It is not an easter one, certainly...mmmhhh... 6. I am making discrete sacrifices daily. For example, yesterday I refrained from making a fabulous chocolate cake; it was too easy. I decided to make it later, and much more complicated, 7. I have noticed it at all ( YES! LENT!) despite the negligible impact it has always had on my practical life (It did disturbed me a little not to be able to dispute the imposition of the wet ashes cross on my clean forehead when I was a child. I did not carry it with grace...I must admit though, that some classmates seemed more beautiful with that "symbol on top" -more than without-)
Not too many, just enough, but I still can apply for redemption later.
Driving every day along the Potomac River Josefina Alexandria´s pier and Art Studios Ice creams on lazy Sunday Afternoons (In Alexandria!) Living in a quiet street of Mclean, only half hour away from Middlesburg A community center where I could purchase virtually any magazine for 10cents a piece Book fairs at the same community center Toddler group meetings Colourful gardens Playgrounds A very International Community The Mongolian Barbecue Estate sales Barnes and Nobel in "M" street open every day of the week until midnight Its coffee shop Good deals any time, anywhere Traffic rules that make sense Careful driving Sutton place´s roast beef sandwiches Reasonable utility bills Barbara and the girls A newborn Juulia "Sequoia" Weekend Brunches in the Kennedy Center The Washington College of Law
JAAN: I too miss things from Washington: Cactus Cantina on Wisconcin Ave. Sam Adams beer Brickskeller Public golf course at Potomac river Cherry blossoms around National Cathedral area list will be updated...
Adivina cual es diferente de las otras, antes que termine de cantar...
Todas estas fotos son del album de Marrakech, pero aunque repetidas me encantan por que se ven tan contentos...son niños felices! Sobre el espíritu de la cuaresma aqui, por que tenemos un nuevo blog, un experimento! Para los que tengan tiempo y/o interes en leer mas allá de ésto! http://maromasdeltorpe.blogspot.com/
On an attic, in Lyon, France. Then displayed on "her" ryad in Marrakesh, where we stayed last January. The painting impressed me because of the precarious state in which men where fighting during that war (WWI). Not that war is a safe activity ever, but the first image portrays in a pathetic way what being a soldier meant at the time. He is there all alone and his life rests on his back. The second photo is a card that shows the fights of armed and empowered men. They are more violent, for the struggle is manifest, but contrary to the other, it shows power, strength and vitality. The tragic war and the art of war.
Pero no resisto una pelea mas por comida. Con el niño de esta casa es imposible relajarse; no sirve ninguna regla, no hay táctica ni política que funcione por que es una persona completamente fuera de lo común, increiblemente obstinada, y con una voluntad y un orgullo como el que no he conocido en mis casi 40 años de vida. Con el no se razona ni se logra compromiso alguno. La lista de no quiero/no me gusta/no voy a comer eso fue aplicada esta semana a los siguientes grupos alimenticios: Cereales no: avena, arroz, maiz, pan integral, galletas integrales Lacteos no: leche, queso blanco, queso havarti, queso feta, mantequilla Proteinas ni riesgos: huevos/pescados por ningun motivo y todo lo anterior Frutas jamás: naranja, kiwi, uva Otros productos no: sopas de cualquier tipo (lo favorito por los últimos 12 meses de su corta vida), pasta, mayonesa, salsas, condimentos, etc. Comió: pasas. Tomó: Agua y jugo de melocotón. Leyó: Trenes, de Richard Scarry "Busytown"; Durmió muy bien.
Yo, por mi parte encontraría consuelo en una receta como estacomo solía en Washington DC.
Y si, claro que sigo con el mosaico. Esta semana después de 5 meses de intenso trabajose ve el pobre todavia muy a medias y asi:
Brainstorm in their most memorable moments: the videos of "My star," and "maybe." I could not find the song they play in "Lotte" but sooner or later I will. For those from the other side of the Atlantic: They are the signature band of Latvian pop music, although probably they would rather be in the rock, more traditional side...or would have, it has seemed to me. In any case, Emil likes them and the rest of us sort of enjoy their music also...but the very best ones are more recent such as the two at the end of this post: "a thunder without rain" and "a day before tomorrow." Enjoy!
I have no idea what I should be starting with today, I am not a reliable narrator. Thoughts cling in between lines, and the events get lost in badly choosen expressions. I have a terrible English day! But my mind is imploding and I will give it a try given that we have not been very communicative lately; Without any special introduction let´s say that it was Saturday, very late in the evening when my deepest thoughts then immersed in a festive decorating mood, a real wave of creativity and daydreaming collided with real life concerns. First of them (chronologically speaking, for it was not the most important matter of the past week) a coughing attack; A late indication of the respiratory condition of Joonas...The three children, in mathematical sequence, got ill and incorporated their cranky beings to my daily (on duty 24 hours) routine. They are afflicted by bronchitis. The second, more compelling and thought provoking, a terrible case of domestic abuse. I was swimming in a pool of illustrations, prints and drawings, surfing the internet and bookmarking inspiring sites, reading decorating dramas on the web and touched by remodelling experiences for less than 500EUR (A self induced nirvana for the kind, my kind), when a woman who was in down town Madrid, with a one year old baby in her arms, trying to escape her abusive partner, with no more than 2EUR in her pocket called to J. She was sore and bruised all over her body and had just arrived in a train from a different province of the country. She wanted to go back to Estonia and feared that the man, like he had done before in 2 occasions, would find them and bring them back home by the hair only to recruit her back as his personal slave. There are too many details to the story but surely not needed to reflect on what that meant to us. This entry is not about her story but about the moral dilemma that situations like these pose to people who´s lives are disrupted only by heavy traffic, a rude neighbour, or a dish too salty. How to define social responsibility, or else, whatever it is that a person who lives a comfortable, if not a perfect life has to assume when there is a call from someone in need? It does not have to be a telephone call, as we received, it could very well be a realization of the ridicule one could perform if letting small constrains and negligible mishaps disturb us. People suffer, really suffer very much and about most of that suffering we cannot do much. Sudan is too far, the Bosnian victims unreachable, we have no call to go on missions or to participate in charitable events. Some of us do not march against terrorism, but we could do something else. It is not about morals alone, but about practical living. The world would be better if we cared a bit more for the happiness (satisfaction?) of those around us. Why we afford depriving close relatives and friends from the minimum care and affection? Why we get busy with crap (most TV programming for example, gossiping, being mean and resentful, etc.) instead of sharing more of our time and efforts in constructive deeds? What a boring living room, an old sofa or an unsymmetrical wall mean when people suffer such tragedies? Can one be absent from the world miseries and concentrate in those small, superfluous details? Should one not be at least, if not engaged with projects or charity directly, be more concious, kinder, solidary, generous and at least less frivolous when choosing how to spend our worrying energy about? This case completely removed me from the decoration emergency I was experiencing, and up to now I have been unable to get into cool design or wonderful cuisine blogs again. The woman and the child stayed with us a couple of days (It was not only shocking but also very educational to Emil, Juulia and even Joonas who showed excess attention withdrawal symptoms) and finally was escorted to the plane by J. this morning. Her tragedy is far from over. A woman who enters and stays years in an abusive relationship thinks very little about her self and has plenty of self esteem issues to deal with before she recovers her dignity and can manage to establish healthy relationships. Now, even more than before, stripped from self worth she is vulnerable to fall into another abusive cycle. People like her are struggling a lifetime with these problems, often with very little help/support. Others spend (waste?) years of their lives worrying about things: clothes, furniture, ornaments, cosmetics, wall paper, etc... and get sponsored, endorsed, and admired. I like objects as well, beautiful ones. I tend to like them too much, and I feel sorry to concentrate on that exclusively, sometimes. It really happens only sometimes. I am taking pictures of the letter E to use later in print, maybe even to include them in the book that one day I hope to publish with Emil´s recipes. I had taken many, but they are lost with the laptop´s hard drive. I was left with only with these 3:
As announced, Brainstorm again. More "mature" and consolidated 1. Thunder without rain and 2. A day before tomorrow:
The use of Home Vista OP! Starting this weekend we will be blogging again. In the meantime, check out our links, they are very nice, browse www.flickr.com or get entertained making a photo book of your family for not much: www.blurb.com I am reading this: http://sideroadsofeurope.blogspot.com/ http://pettheprettythings.com/ and this http://www.elise.com/ When Joonas allows... I found a forgotten photo file in Emil`s computer which included these pieces from 2004:
Looking for a nice beach in North Estonia
Alajoe, Ida Virumaa, Peipsi lake, grandfather`s Summer house: Collecting "mustsostra" (agraz??) and there at the shore. With her father in Pirita, Tallinn, her first time with skates.
Disco duro indetectable: no tenemos computador. Fotos del ultimo ano: todas perdidas. Libro de Jaan: victima mas preciada; desaparecido y sin remedio.
Lecciones: 1. Renovar las licencias de Kasperski que sospecho facilito este accidente por haber ignorado sus ruegos durante 2 meses solicitando el pago de la renovacion anual. CUESTA MUCHO, 2. Hacer copia de todos los archivos, una vez, o dos o tres. No cuesta tanto!, 3. Conseguir un disco duro externo para musica, fotos y videos de unas 250G. 300EUR, 4. No confiar ciegamente en la tecnologia. Como revisitar nuestra excursion a Cataluna? Las unicas fotos que quedan son las que hemos puesto en este blog!
Estoy muy limitada y hasta que no pase Enero no se solucionara el problema. Falta la ultima semana, segun los espanoles la mas dura del ano. El dia 24, precisamente hoy, es el mas dificil. Lo explicaron en el radio con formula matematica y todo...Cuales son los factores determinantes? Las primeras cuentas del ano (con subidas) por pagar, la falta de dinero por los excesos cometidos el mes pasado, las resoluciones del nuevo ano ya rotas...quien sabe? A mi no me ha pasado nunca. Como en todo soy una excepcion.
I am thinking...I would thank any, literally ANY suggestion. While in Marrakesh (We leave in less than 48 hours) I will think a bit more). In the next post some ideas and many pictures, I hope. Please,visit our blog after the 19th. Until then no updates will be uploaded. Today the invitation from the "Royal Family" arrived at last, only one week before the event and NOT to my relief we will be in Morocco. Jaan got the famous picture with the king last year, but I did not attend then. In 2009 we will not be honored. Book just finished: El Clan del Oso Cavernario. Reading it left me very tired because I had to read it in one night (no sleep at all) and one morning. My favorite person today was:
He dialogs, participates, gives opinions and politely declines my insistent invitations to try new foods; today the issue was banana dumplings. I tested his patience and asked 16 different times and to each one his answer was a very kind but firm: "No, mami, no! haishash;" Later, after a prudent pause he requested his favorite"Dame ico tomate con agggrro popapo." He got it, I was charmed.
I am also listening to this song that usually takes my sadness away. He was Hawaian; I am sad. The song was sang first by Judy Garland in the classical movie: The Wizard of Oz.
SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW BY ISRAEL KAMAKAWIWÒLE Because the first video is no longer available, here is a link to another one:
Comida rapida: 1. Se pone lo que a uno le guste en la pasta hojaldrada; en este caso espinaca, nueces de pino, feta, havarti, sal, pimienta de limon, oregano y una pizca de mantequilla 2. se envuelve cada pedazo de forma que contenga el queso sin regueros 3. Se lubrica cada pastel con aceite de oliva (se unta un poco por encima) 4. Se pone al horno hasta que dore y huela.
Hay una exposicion bellisima en el Museo De La Ciudad de Madrid de casas de munecas y miniaturas, fui por tercera vez, el tercer ano consecutivo y TODOS los presentes hacian fotos con sus telefonos moviles, pero a mi, cuando me vieron con la camara aunque me escape de la confiscacion, me reprendieron por que las fotos estan prohibidas, luego me persiguieron por el salon para que no hiciera mas. Habia tenido la oportunidad de hacer esta y nada mas que esta, antes de la tajante advertencia;
Eilne (5.01.2008) kolme kuninga (los reyes magos) paraad (cabalgata) Madridis. Kohalike laste jaoks üks aasta suursündmusi, kuhu tullakse toolide, redelitega (et tagumistest ridadest ka midagi näeks) ja kottidega kommide jaoks, mida paraadis mööduvatelt ohtralt kaunistatud ja valgustatud veoautodelt lahkelt loobitakse. Paremad kohad võetakse sisse vist juba hommikul, õhtul kella seitsme ajal tulijatel ei tasu lootagi kohale, kust midagi näeks ka. Mina ja lapsed vaatasime seda rongikäiku erikutsetega tribüüni pealt. Nähtavus oli hea, aga kommisadu meieni ei ulatunud. Ega head ei saagi ju liiga palju olla, eks ole? Mitmetunnise külmetamise (kaks tundi enne algust kohale ja siis veel paar tundi kuni paraad meist lõpuks möödus) mälestusks jäid mõned tumedad fotod, nagu allpool näha. Niipalju veel, et Hispaania lastele toovad kingitusi just kolm kuningat ja jõuluvana ning jeesuslaps kingitoojatena on palju vähem populaarsed.
The author of a very beautiful blog (the one I recommended in the past entry) proposed to her readers to choose a word that would inspire them during 2008. I even presented my own: FLOW. Superstitious people or rather someone told me that people in Colombia, or better yet, in Colombia, long time ago I learned that...mmmmhhh I can`t find the source of the information that I am to share, but in any case, for some long forgotten reason, people in my country or somewhere linked to it believe that the first 12 days of the year should be the anticipated version of the months to come. Every first of January must reflect in a way how that first month will be like, the second would represent February, and so on...If this contains even a portion of the truth, then I should already be concerned for I have done nothing else but procrastinating the past days. But this seemingly senseless letting go of everything has to do with that FLOW as well! I want the things just to happen, not to push things and people all the time around to obtain what I want, I would prefer the flow to bring good to us, the patience to allow me appreciation for whatever happens, things to fall into place without my conscious and exhausting involvement. It also relates to acceptation, patience, and positivism. A very shallow search of this word using google, yielded that there is a reference to psychology already given to this term, in the very popular online encyclopedia, the best friend of Vacaaxul: Wikipedia here. It defines to some extent my intuitive approach to the state of mind one needs to put "the flow" into motion, but I am convinced that it can be experienced by anyone just by setting the conscious in the right level. When I was younger and less attached to methods, planning, organization, conflict management strategies, and academic thinking, I used to excel at this. I also used in very rudimentary ways and for unimportant purposes but the "power of that flow" never let me down. For example, if I needed to call to a number that I had listened or read only once, long before, if it was just a blurry image in my mind I did not try very hard to remember it using my full capability of detection, nor I went through my "memory files" to find it. I was sure that if I started dialing it in a relaxed and effortless manner I will do it correctly. And it always worked! It simply emerged from my brain when I let the channels open to the flow. It is a matter of inspiration, so to say, a innate skill that we probably dismiss from very early age while pursuing a "correct" approach to learning, and living. Seems to me that when we believe that we can make anything happen ONLY by working very hard on it the cultivation of this ability is abandoned and forgotten. It is easy to conclude that by using our instinct we could be better prepared to choose achievable options, those according to our natural capabilities, and precisely the ones that we are entitled and intended for. Not every person should become a musician, not every child should grow up to mate and become a good parent, not every individual must be a polyglot just like each student must not graduate Magna Cum Laude and be the best, there is only one best, after all. Why people in the tropic use leather boots when it is terribly warm other than because boots are fashionable and a perceived need? Who says that drinking milk is good for everyone? A child always asks for what the body needs, refuses what is unnecessary and stops eating when satisfied enough. An adult would indulge in catastrophic eating habits like this and that. The flow does not distract from what IS and should be as the application of will power and "freedom" of choice would! The past weekend, for the new year eve, in part to compensate the excesses from the Christmas weeks, we prepared a light snack table. The main threat though, was bunuelos, a very rich traditional recipe from Colombia that contributes plenty of calories per portion! These cheese puffs were served with Havarti on top instead of the typical jam or dulce de leche. We also had steamed trout with artichokes sauce, vegetables with a lemon dip, olives, cured Ham (a delicacy from Spain), fresh fruits and peppermint flavored water to toast!
My main interest this year is to understand instead of being understood, to accept before even being accepted, to clear up the way for things to settle down the most efficient way, their way, and appreciate the result in full, seeing beyond the apparent. Is this growing, outgrowing or regressing? MAO will certainly not teach me the TAO but it is in my reading list:
My next post will contain few notes on bunuelo making and also pictures of our BRUNCH today: Spinach and feta turnovers(?), plus a close up of one of the Christmas gifts that Juulia Aliide received and she feels the most proud about: The tea set. This year her birthday celebration will be a tea ceremony for her three friends: Carmen, Blanka and Lucia.
Hoy no se trabaja y guardamos estricta observancia de este precepto; como los Judios durante el Sabat, no desperdiciamos energia fisica y meditamos. De todos modos queria poner aqui cuatro de las canciones que Emil esta oyendo. Este mes cumple 12 y ya tiene cierto gusto musical. A mi tambien me han gustado:
Estopa-"Vacaciones"
Fastball-"Out of my head" 1998
Fastball -"The way" 1998-
El arrebato-"Duele" 2006/7-
Muy aflamencado, de buen ritmo aunque no tan bien "hablao" como buen andaluz que se "rehpete"! por que la mercancia hasta donde yo se no se "DESCAMBIA" o si? Cambiar-descambiar, osea regresar al estado anterior? O como quien dice, y en terminos juridicos nulificar el cambio? Osea que se quiere enfatizar en la tienda del carino la compra del aludido beso? Bueno, insignificancias, por que la cancion no es tan mala como el espanol de Javier Labandon, pero es que es sevillano! Y muy buena gente que es lo que importa.
Me encanto la ultima entrada del siguiente blog, uno de mis favoritos en TODO sentido, lo recomiendo para entretenerse un buen rato: ~(A)~
