Things to change

Why my 14 year old believes (with cult/like passion) that he needs a phone that could overtake his life and simplify every possible activity to the point of turning him into an inert entity, unable to operate, survive and be satisfied without the object (the phone) that provides him with instant satisfaction and accessibility to everything at any time, anywhere? Every other child in this country is spoiled with the most advanced technology at such age. What they will be even able to desire few years later, if anything? I predict a short span of attention, very little satisfaction, lack of appreciation of what really matters, reduced emphaty, and insatiable appetite for gadgets. This is all programming them to have unlimited money *needs* and therefore to turn their parents into slaves to their demands.
Why people do not notice this happening? It seems that I am the only one around refusing to purchase an iphone or a nokia N900 while I still keep my many years old simple calling device...
Instead I wish to go to the Autumn show at the Kyoto palace in Japan, also to Spain to see our friend Eva and her family. Jaan hopes to make the pilgrimage to Santiago, and Joonas is OK with a chocolate candy every evening. Juulia cannot make up her mind, she is at the threshold of adolescence sometimes happy with very little and others feeling terrible for the misfortune of everyday routines but in general, she finds comfort in anime drawing and crafting. It is the boy, at 14 who out of the sudden wants nothing else but things, very expensive and unnecessary ones.

Dream Eater Merry will be turned into anime, at last. Maria watches over us is a best selling manga that has been turned into a real life characters movie. We like it!
Not understanding the appeal of the works by kengo Hanazawa. Just too tragic to comment on the lousiness of loosers and other ordinary people...Should this be funny?

No, the blog is not abandoned

We had 6 weeks of happy reunion with laabueladeemil. Here having a view of Russia, from the Estonian border.

We are just postponing. 2010 continues being a challenging year. No planning possible. Just waiting to see how things are week by week. I am, for example, 5 weeks away from finishing the semester! Wishing to be in Spain again, happy and hopeful. Unaware.

Thinking a lot about friends and family even in the absence of letters and phone-calls. We are busy beyond words.

Want to stitch more, learn how to sew, eat food prepared by someone else, have a dust free house, my own business connected to books somehow, travel to Spain, the UK, and stop aging so fast. There is plenty to do but just one very complicated life to schedule it all.

Recuerdos

Un insuperable recuerdo de un quesito envuelto en hoja de platano -Uno de los mejores y mas escasos (hasta en Medellin) sabores del pasado-, los pasteles del tejadito (todavia existe? En miami abrieron alguno -Autentica colonizacion paisa en USA-), la pizza de rumo's, las jugadas de catapis de segundo de primaria a "primero de bachillerato," las finquiadas en todos los niveles de comodidad o incomodidad posibles, las levantadas con olor a arepa donde fuera, obleas con arequipe, chitos de los de Jack snacks cuando salian tostados, morenitas de la rosa, sapitos del Astor, las lejanisimas crispetas dulces y empanadas de la iglesia Santa Teresita, los primeros palitos de queso de solo frutas, salpicones de la primera frutera; con de todo y miel, perritos calientes con guacamole de San Diego, eran los 80s!!!! El olor de la costa despues de 6 horas de viaje en carro, si aire acondicionado, el fresco de la noche en Cartagena, pescado frito con nada mas que limon, patacones!!!!!!!! Kola Roman o Premio (ya no lo venden?), los cuadernos nuevos el primer dia de colegio, los prismacolors con las puntas irremediablemente quebradas, los borradores rompehojas, mis primeras cosas de Sanrio en los 70s, con Little Twin Stars y My Melody, colecciones de calcomanias, plaza sesamo con Abelardo, los que no podian botar la basura en la caneca, el waltz del minuto y el conde contar, no con Big Bird, Elmo y Co. , mi primera "mejor amiga" en la que todavia pienso hoy, los papas perfectos que le iban a durar a uno toda la vida...la niñez.

Joonas, acumulando los propios recuerdos. Verano, 2010, Purtse, Ida Virumaa, Estonia.

Many more suns

Joonas at Kristi's too self concious already to allow a natural capture

Juulia at Kristi's unaware of the camera, concentrating

Joonas, Juulia, Jaan last Sunday

30-32 degrees in here. We are enjoying another Summer with J. while others are never to be seen again. I have a sore throat from last week despite the temperatures. No interesting events other than having a full house with 3 kids at home permanently for the next 2 months. We have survived 6 weeks, done everything possible at our reach, including dentist visits, baking, gardening, hiking and sleeping far too long and counting...

A must read

"Everything was better back when everything was worse" We miss Spain.

-Parque Juan Carlos, Madrid. Juulia y Jaan-

Simple. Simply one of the best and quickest way around in any occasion:

strawberry-ricotta-graham-tartlets

The past weeks have been characterized by inefficiency. Lost files and pictures from computers, flash drives and external memories, ALL to be exact. The end of the semester with a balance of zero savings, unsuccessfully trying to sell the car (again! We're stuck with it!), not a word from the university regarding the doctorate, very few contacts with friends and family, and no donor for J.

E. is growing with all the pains it implies for the both of us. He has a teen mind with the drives and pretense of adulthood. I also have 3 months of imposed communion with the 3 children; Too many complications ahead...and a pretty video to share:

Con varios proyectos en mente

Para pasar las muchisimas horas de los muchisimos dias de la hospitalizacion de J. que comenzo hoy con el segundo ciclo de FLAG-Ida. Con ganas de sopa de esparragos VERDES, de hacer una quilt para colgar en la sala de Chabliss (Cafe, verde azul y blanca con motivos algo zakka), y si alcanzo escribir una propuesta sobre el control del internet y la propiedad intelectual, el digitalismo y el capitalismo aplicado al mercado del conocimiento...un poquito de todo y mas de lo mismo.

Update

Failed first round of Chemio. Trying a new protocol starting today. If we do not hope then what else? One month and a week from diagnosis we are all the same preoccupied. The children are fine. The winter should be soon coming to an end with loads of melting snow. It has been a weird time. Recalling the previous months is almost surrealistic. We went through Christmas almost without noticing it, and it is already March! No other plans in view to discuss and most happenings around us seem so irrelevant that an interesting post will have to wait. Love and good health to all!

Time to reorganize, reschedule, review and reset

We will be busy and engaged with difficult projects. There will be little time to blog. These sort of journals contain so many cherished memories, that I hope they will be up here forever. The children will read the story of their family, have an insight on everyday details, follow the images of the family life and events that otherwise fade away and nobody remembers. I look around as if I was being given the opportunity to revisit my past, like if my life was already a memory. Everything changes. Changes are supposed to be good and promote growth but my life as it is is fantastic, beautiful, harmonious and priviledged. I have a very good partner, and I want him to grow old together with me. Again, we will be busy trying to maintain this.

Record winter

Snowy, white, cold, very beautiful! All the pictures were taken close to our house by the sea bank of Tabasalu. The images here do not reflect even a bit of these amazing views because we used Juulia's small digital camera during our improvised brisk walk. A sunny day of the very few that we have during the Estonian winter. Everybody was out at the parks, forest, skiing...The ideal nordic season.

Looking forward to dine out today

I am already visualizing an oversized glass of any non home made drink, as different as it can be possible from the gingerbread and spicy wine spectrum, and loaded with ice. I will, for the first time, greatly appreciate the ice on the drink.
A late best wishes message from the sick, completely overloaded with Christmas produce and flavours lady of the house and Co. Seasonal greetings for all!!!!!!
This year we did not manage to get anything ready on time, but still thought about all our friends and relatives with affection and nostalgia. Please, make of 2010 the year of your visit to Estonia.
We will go to Lido (The Latvian export restaurant) this evening to give the kitchen, the cook and all of our stomachs a break!

Yes, because we have mostly bad pictures. Here featuring Kyoko, Joonas and Emil before they went to sledge last weekend.

Few complaints, no offense intended

J. changes the settings of the computer everytime he uses it; mutes its volume invariably despite repeated requests to resist temptation; erases icons that I often use and deletes shortcuts I need. In the car, he moves the mirrors, pushes the sit back and low, heats, and the worst: modifies the memory of the radio making it for me impossible to locate my favorite station again (the only one I appreciate in this country). Note that he uses my car only to fill the fuel tank. I will have (for the peace) to give up trying to show him the reasonability of my petitions to leave everything as is, but it will also mean that I must budget a considerable time waste for the rearrengement of my preferences at least once per week. He takes strange pictures. This year, Joonas saw Santa for the first time and J.´s caption of the experience did not show either Joonas or Santa Claus in full. They are both parted from eachother already, faces unrecognizable...Luckily someone else (I am sure it was not J.) made another photo...The failed pic is is our other blog.

Taken in the International Women Association Christmas Bazaar, where Emil and I were helping with the selling of "pre-owned" books

Almost done with 2009

Lately working and sometimes, just sometimes hand crafting for the holidays. This Sunday, coinciding with the first advent, Monica Elejalde' s birthday and the opening of the Christmas Market of Old Town Tallinn, is the International Women Association Charity Bazaar in which Emil and I will be volunteering. In addition I made this advent calendar in felt for sale at the hand made stand. Only one because it takes many days to finish and mount it so to make any profit with it the cost gets too high...hoping it will sell... On the 2nd change of boiler -it broke for the third time this year- Hey! It is December, the big spending month, on the 7th candle's day, and from then on countless meetings, parties and celebrations.

De las ultimas dos semanas

Con Joonas, caminando en Paldisky, una ciudad a 30 kilometros de Tallinn donde hubo industria militar y asentamiento de submarinos durante la ocupacion Sovietica y ahora no hay sino ruinas y estos acantilados



Emil al borde del mismo acantilado

Con Jaan



Lo que queda del Paldisky de la USSR, solo en imagenes

La primera nevada del ano. El primero o 2 de Noviembre. Desde la ventana de la cocina, el jardin de atras.

Not the very same version

I cant get enough of Edith Piaff. What about this one??

Classical design I like to use

On a trench coat, dark blue, I wish it size 8 eventhough unrealistic...

Original design I want to use

By Kim Yong-jim

I am completely into bikes

Y me quiero ir a vivir a Copenhage. El reino de Dinamarca es un pais excepcional. Liberal, tolerante, limpio, su poblacion irreverente pero educada, escepticos con razon; no por sabotear irreflexivamente cualquier idea ni para declararse opositores perpetuos, esta razonablemente conectado con el resto del mundo y su ambiente es especialmente seguro para los ninos que pueden crecer y desarrollar cualquier talento por frivolo e innecesario que parezca y convertirlo en un arte. Los daneses viven y disfrutan de sus libertades! Son activamente libertarios y paradojicamente monarquicos. Una combinacion de dignidad y respeto ideal.
Tambien comparto la estetica del pais, y la preferencia por el trafico economico, ecologico, sano y SILENCIOSO: ZAPATOS BLANCOS CON MEDIAS NEGRAS! Son etapas por las que todos pasamos...

The Danish Poet (Norwegian-Canadian Animation, Nordic in any case!)

Nonsense

My statement today will be sweeping and simple: playlist has ruined its policies. I am moving to hypster where listening to music is NOT YET costly like it became the past year in last.fm, or restricted for unknown, misunderstood or fanatically applied copyright regulations...Playlist will be deserted soon. Could extend interminably on the issue of legitimacy of the laws and the benefits of applying common sense before executing intrusive-biased-disturbing regulations. -Do not get me wrong, I believe in the need for protection of all kinds of intellectual property but also in a balance where we all admit the importance of the fair use doctrine-. But I advanced that today my comment will remain sweeping and simple. No need to convince anyone. Annoyed at the obstacles that states impose to development...
The time for tea and cozy woolen socks has arrived. Now we are thinking on how to cellebrate Christmas with karolain and JF. We do not yet know where...

I wish I could paint this well (here):

And finish projects like this (Zara Home):

With few ideas in mind, though. Juulia is also learning handwork at school. Posts on her creations will necessarily follow!

Behind the scenes

We have been furiously laborious, devoted, industrious and productive. Experiencing the new academic year, schools, routines, bus schedules, commuting arrangements, courses to lecture, and a baby cat has occupied all of our efforts lately. Nothing of it is visible. No photos this time.
Our pledge: as much as this family might grow to love the new pet, the cat will NEVER be the focus of this blog and her pictures shall not turn into the bore of all friends and relatives. A promise easy to keep while our camera batteries continue to be empty! But really, do not animal owners realize that every pet is the cutest only to them, and probably none is so innovative and smart because in fact most do the very same tricks time and time and again?
Why to patronize pet clothes manufacturers?
Why to purchase pet insurances?
Why to designate pet heirs?
Why to bother and spend on pet beauty salons?
Why to waste time arranging for pet psychiatrists?
Why on earth to sponsor charlatans such as pet psychics?
This is not a popular post, is it? But somebody has to dissent from the massive charade that sometimes turns life into absurdity. In a world afflicted with poverty, social injustice, marginalization, security problems and environmental abuse, every unjustified allocation of resources such as purchasing a diamond necklace to a dog or for what it matters any piece of clothing, just as much as taking a trip to outerspace "just for fun" is an insult to the human kind. Are not 20 million dollars too much to pay for a spacecraft ride? Has the person who spends on it already done everything else possible with the cash? I can come up INSTANTLY with innumerable great ideas. Part of it could be put into very good use, for example, improving the inadequate satination situation in countries where children die massively in need of water and other basic resources, helping few families to pay their morgages, sponsoring medical treatment to those who cannot afford it, etc...
It seems difficult to enjoy the pet craze and compulsive attention to animals that some display. Excessive self indulgence defies good taste as well. I tend to prefer people who are good and generous to other people(and other beings) than those animal lovers ill suited to relate to anybody else...
Restatement: Pets need vaccination, care and affection. That is all. No less, no more. less is neglect; more is foolishness.

El proyecto del verano esta casi listo