Another day in Paradise, a tribute to homeless.

Three years ago, a giant of artist was retired. Phil Collins was and always will be an amazing musician, not only for the songs but for the lyrics. One of my favorites is precisely “Another day in paradise”. This song was the first single of his LP ‘But seriously’(1989) and was kept on the top along four weeks, between 80’s and 90’s, so we can consider one of the most popular high hits in both decades. It is a tribute to homeless, as it were. A very beautiful way to explain that all of us are in the same fix, our situation can be changed in a moment. Even if sometimes we are not aware of it. Now, very close to Christmas time, we should make a self-reflection of our situation. Stop thinking about us, stop complaining about everything. It is time to believe in us, as the same universal thing. It is time to stare at the present, face to every problem, enjoy with your people. It is time to live another day in paradise for you and me.

My speech

I was thinking about sharing to you the speeh I prepared for you. As you can see, all these words have not told, but all these things that the ones I wanted to speak about. You can see here how different are the thing that you want to say, and the things that you really say...

Cutbacks

Today I would like to speak about two things we are worried about, things that are affected by cutbacks: these are health service and education.

The first point I’d like to comment is about health service. You know that guy who go to the doctor and say… ? Doctor, I cannot eat, I cannot sleep, I cannot drink anything… what´s wrong with me? And the doctor tells him. Sir, you are hungry, you are thirsty and you are tired.  Jokes apart from that, this is the feeling we have when we go to the hospital. We feel lost and it seems anyone cares about us. I’d like to tell you two stories.

The first one is about me. I went to the doctor because of some panic attacks. The pretty knowing disease of 21 century: the anxiety. I like my doctor a lot. He has been with my family for ages and I trust him. In that case, I think that this man loves his job, but the solution was: buy a treatment for your hair that the social security doesn’t pay, which is cost 90 euros, because it is falling due to your anxiety. After that, take a lot of pills which are going to cover you problems and keep you sleepy all day. If you can, pay a psychologist and end with that. The same answer I got in Madrid. The second one is about my sister. She has stones in her vesicle. After three days going to ER with her because of terrible pains, they decided hospitalized. She spent 6 days there, with a weekend in the middle. In those days, my brother in law and I had to be care of her with no information about the situation. I remember everybody saying nothing, my sister overwhelmed and we so worried. The last day it was supposed her blood had to be analyzed, so I had to go to remember the nurse she couldn’t eat anything. She said she had no order to analyze anything, so she had to advise to the doctor. All the hell we lived there made me asking some questions: what’s happened with people who work here? Are they happy? Are they worried about the patients, or about their money? Fortunately not all of them seemed so unmotivated. But you were there and noticed the desperation, the apathy, they didn’t want to work in these conditions, I understand, but who is blame here? They, us, other people? I don’t know if the problem is less money, more work hours, maybe humans, we want everything at the moment and we are worried just about pleasure and material things.

The words mentioned below are connected with the other thing I would like to speak: education, with another story, of course. When I was at the university studying to be a special educational needs teacher, a discussion emerged. The question was… can be happy children with special educational needs, like autism, or kind of syndrome, or maybe some living with a wheelchair. It was awesome!!!! Most of the pupils said no. They cannot be happy because they probably prefer being normal. Define normal, I said. I saw the link speaking about Jacob, the link in Emilio’s blog. If you have seen it, do you think this child is unhappy? Because he doesn’t look like that. I realized that most of people there thought that children with “problems” have to be treated as a problem into itself. Poor children, we have to speak with them making disgusting noises like ohh, my dear… poor, wait, please! They are different among them, most of them are not silly, they just have difficulties making some kind of things, but so developed to do others…  The point here is that some people are not ready to deal with the profession that they have chosen. In case of education, you must have clear that this is what you want to do, because you have a huge responsibility. The child nowadays will be the man tomorrow.

To conclude, and joint the two points mentioned before, I have to explain why I think it was important the stories I’ve just told you. Both of them speak about people who don’t care about their job. About people who cannot see the magnificence of the world. Education is a primary resource, health service, too. Government must spend more money in things we are going to prepare to the future. We’re grown with the idea that we can get all that we want, this cannot be good. Everything is like a chain. If you invest in education, you will make good adults who can be able to govern. If you invest in health and medicine, you can look after these children who will be your future. If we become good citizen, smart, worried, ecologist, searching for the good and not the bad, whatever… we could create a better world. Regretfully, all of these are not in our hands, but we can start with a little step, peering around and helping in every moment we were required. Indeed, we can stop to close our eyes and talk so aloud that someone has to hear us. 

Life again

He works

He has a young lost glance in an old face

He won once

He is not going to do anymore

Time flies, he could not hold it back

He had everything we wanted to, but now…

Now he has nothing

He tries again and again, tries to catch the air, but he is blowing in the wind

He lost her, he lost the most

He wanders through a narrow path looking for an eternal youth, 

wondering if she was there, waiting for him, like always did.

A mirror in the sky

A few years ago I watched a film named ‘Kathmandu, a mirror in the sky’. The film is about a teacher who moves there to volunteer in a local school. There is a scene where a man, who she had married out of convenience, told her that everyone has their own place on Earth, which at the same time is a mirror in the sky. In fact, every person must find it. I was wondering if it could be real or not. I have ever believed that we do belong to nowhere; we are part of the planet, so we should stay wherever we want to.

            All these thoughts take me to consider about our goal in life. When I was younger I would have liked to go fighting against poverty to another country: helping people to build houses, farming lands with them, whatever. It only was one of my dreams. I would have visited Buthan, (I did not know what is called, for instance), just for the Buddhism idea, or some other paradise on Earth. I have read a lot about this kind of thinking; living as a Buddhism monk could be interesting as the same time as close to perfection. I will add that many ideas come into my brain, like being a writer locked into my room, being a tourist forever, travelling forwards to the East lands by transsiberian train, I do not know…

            According to these points, I realize that I do not really want this way of life. I would not wish to live as a hippie, or as the mother Theresa, or be a traveller. I want to be free (as Queen said) and just me. I am not sure what is the future preparing to me, but I am going to catch a brief glimpse of the fate. Wherever I will settle, I wish I found my own way, so I will have my mirror, the one which moves on with me.

          I strongly recommend this film. If you want to know a curiosity about it, the director and the main character are not getting on well with each other, or something of that I have heard. The rest, you should discover yourself.

SHE

        The light is so weak; dawn is about to break, a crisp winter morning is coming. She is standing opposite the sea, with a blank stare. The sound of the waves splashing quietly surrounds her. She keeps her eyes closed for a moment, waiting for something. However, nothing at all is happening. Her eyes open slowly, but now, everything is blinding; the sea is sparkling, the sand is brightening. It is starting to rain, she hears some drops trickling. The day is getting darker. The desperation returns as an old memory. Her heart throbs like a drum, into a magic melody which she knows pretty well. A thunder rumbles far away from her, but clearly. Suddenly, it is raining cats and dogs, a very strong storm happens, she is soaking wet. She grimaces into a little smile and thinks… ’Everything will go on, the downpour sweeps along my problems. Our whole life changes like the weather does.’ The rain stops but the sky is full of fluffy clouds. Seagulls cry above her. She lays on the hard, wet sand and breathe for the first time. Everything will go on. All her life will be right. 

When science is useful for something more than money

    It is my pleasure present for you a video about an important discovery nowadays. I saw when I was surfing by the net, on facebook, by the way. I started to investigate because I have not usually believed in everything I read and, surprise!! It was true!!

    The point is that a very young boy has discovered a method to detect pancreatic cancer in a quick and cheap way, with a paper sensor!! This guy was only 15 years in that moment and has really given to us an extraordinary gift. I do not know how this awesome revelation will have been taken by pharmatical industry or whatever is being making money with this kind of things.

    I guess is the same with the bulb which never turns off, or the panties which cannot be broken. Gossips we have heard about once at least. Actually, we are round of powerful people’s interest, aren’t we?

http://www.ted.com/talks/jack_andraka_a_promising_test_for_pancreatic_cancer_from_a_teenager.html

This little big  man called Jack Andraka, from Maryland, has shown that more could be done with a bit effort and interest. 

Courage is not the absence of fear

                “Newspaper was not talking about you…” Joaquín Sabina sang, also María Jiménez. News does not say anything about us, we are not important to the media. So, how to deal with the fact that we are not relevant? What is the purpose of our life? Someone commented once that we should be famous in life to live forever. True enough. However, I ask to myself whether this is the reason of my days: being remembering, or being happy.

               This controversy can suppose a big trouble for some people, not me. I know exactly what I prefer. I choose happiness. The thing is… how to get it? I am going to give you some clues, if you do not mind.

• Yourself: who you would like to be. I strongly believe that all of us have a mission to complete before dying. Find yours. You will do if you look into your heart. Watching yourself will reach this knowledge. When you have it, fight to finish it. This is the way you are gazing at the man in the mirror.
• Hobbies: How you do enjoy in your daily routine. Easily, if you do not discover how to get enough time to feel pleasure, just let things happen. Do something for you, so some tasks will be done tomorrow (uups, pity!). Read, fly, go skiing, wander along lost streets, whatever… but do something. Find everyday this moment for you before getting crazy.
• Job: do you really love your job? How do you feel on that? Steve Jobs made an interesting speech where he advised we have to love our way to earn money. Indeed, he does. Do not work in your company whether you are not fulfilling. You might change if you would have the courage of looking forwards.
• Family: in my opinion you have to put a great deal of effort into your relation with them. No matter parents, children, partner… any relatives, even roommates. You must try to get on well with them, no matter what, because of your quietness. Neither proud nor being right are to achieve a good coexistence.

               To conclude, according to the title of this reflection I would like to point that, for sure, courage is not the absence of fear, as Nelson Mandela used to express. All that I mentioned above is about being courageous. Nevertheless, fear is an innate talent. We should feel frightened when we face the facts. In other way, we would never run if we saw a lion. So do not be afraid of changing anything in your life, as much as people try to beat you. Probably it is because of envy, or jealous, or simply they hate you, perhaps they are scared. Please, do not think in anyone when your happiness is in play.

Through the window...

Waiting in a hospital, desperating by unknowledge; just thinking. Maybe the most agonizing moment when you understand nothing at all, you only peer through the window, with a blank stare.

Everything you have considered important until now has disappeared, leaving an empty feeling in your heart. Remember those days when you used to dance with her. Oh, God… she seemed so light. You could hold your wife’s gaze while you were talking to her, she was so brave, so clever… she has always known how to convince you about any point. But now, now she is not able to. Now she is far away from you, she wanders around another world where you will not reach anymore. You only peer at the distant beach landscape. You just gaze at the sea of roofs. Let yourself to stop thinking about. Believe.

No sooner had you gone out of that room, than your life came back. There will be a future for both of you. You are aware of that. Or not. Maybe the possibility of living is not in the Universe’s plan. The fate. Do you really believe in that? Maybe this is the last opportunity to say goodbye. Tell her that you have loved her more than any other person in or out your life. Tell her that she had been the most important woman in your heart. Tell her… or just look into her eyes, frightened, scared, stunned… lost without your sweetie love.

Resources...

I found this website. I hope you like it!

http://lectorvirtual.com/

And I would like to add more...

http://www.synonym.com/

http://www.howjsay.com/ (pronuntiation website)

Anything else but thoughts...

(Put the video on at the end of this writing while you are reading... it is an stimulating soundtrack )

Have you ever asked to yourself what is life about? Where are you going to? How can you move on every time you falled? What is the purpose which keep you at? I wonder if people is preoccupied with that as much as I do.

Taking into account that we have to die some day in the future, we should choose two ways of thinking. We have the possibility to be depressed humans who only stare at Death’s eyes, not enjoying, not crying, just looking at it. Or maybe we could take a peek every moment in life, seize the day, live in a terrible bliss.

Every way you took, the idea is finding the depth of the instant and fulfilling yourself. Joaquín Sabina, Kurt Cobain, Leonard Cohen… Almost great writers and artists try to express this bunch of infuriating feelings without control or sense.

Personally, I strongly believe that life is short, and particular, and extremely amazing. I defend the dream that you must squeeze the juice out of each decision, of each opportunity. Do not be afraid of being rebellious, fight against anything you consider unfair, have courage to be yourself. Actually, no one else would do for you.

Wake up in the morning like this was just your present; act as if the happiness were in your face and body. Gaze at the world with no fear, saunter through your path until the end of your days. 

I would like to give you a desperate song about a man who did not know how to find himself. The original version was written by David Bowie, but I prefer Nirvana, because of the sound of his voice. I hope you enjoy as much as I do…

A Fairy Tale...

Once upon a time, a very beautiful girl, with a very beautiful long hair, beautiful blue eyes, beautiful heart, beautiful soul met a very ugly boy, with a very ugly nose, an ugly personality and ugly manners. They looked each other with curious and fear. Both of them had lived terrible lifes, with a cruel family and a lot of problems with the world. However, she was an optimistic person, who decided once to put up a brave front. He was a pessimistic, he was into the dark. 

Hour by hour, day by day, they were making known each other and they got a real friendship. They played a lot, sharing every thougt, every secret, everything. After that, they obviously falled in love with.

Girl's family did not wish a marriage because he was an ugly man. Boy's family did not accept her into them, because she was so poor that she could not bring anything to their new life. 

One day, after a lot of fights and crying jags, the boy asked to the girl's mother why did she not like him. She said: "You are so ugly that my grands will be horrible. My family is so beautiful... I can not stand it!".  "This is no problem," answered the boy, "We would not like to be parents."

The girl asked then "Why can I not get married with him? I am a pretty girl."

Boy's family replied that she was so poor that she could not help to her husband to feed a new family. So she started to laugh until she cried. "But what's up if we are only two and my love boy has a good work! We will be allrigth!," she shouted. 

With no conviction, both families consented with the union and they got married in summer. 

Because when love is in the middle of two crazies' anybody can stop it. In fact, love is the power of life, the power of heart, the maximun power in the world. If you feel a real love, anybody can stop you. 

In the end of their days, they will have had three daughters and two sons. Surprisingly, they will have been very happy, the children will have been no handsome, no ugly. They will have been normal. They will have no needed money or help from their families. Fortunately, life is the consequence of our thoughts and our actions, and this both knew how to do it well. 

Sincerely, you should strongly believe that you are able to get anything you wanted, if is a real wish.

And this... is the end of a fairy tale, so real than a real situation; so happy as you wanted to do it.

Who am I?

After taking a look at the interesting reading about travellers and tourists written by Kerrin Rousset, I realized that it is so hard being between both terms. My last opinion was the next one:

"The main idea is that, in spite of tourist is a quick, luxury, coward (in order to escape) taker of photographs who seems not to enjoy but see the most part of places that he could, and the traveller is the romantic discover of a deep sense of the area he is visiting, both of terms are equals. No matter who you are or what your name is, but how you enjoy yorself with the country where you are."

However, I have a new doubt about my own reasons. Who am I? Next wednesday I will be flying to Liverpool as a... I don't really know: a tourist or a traveller. So, how could I describe to myself?

I would like to be a traveller. I want to be just one person among the crowd of people over there. Discovering magical places, listening alive concerts, improvising things to do... I dream with exciting experiences there and make some photos which have never made before.

Nevertheless, we should be realistics. I have only four days to stay there. I haven't been yet. Don't you think I will try to visit the more I could in a few days? Even Manchester whether I have the oportunity? Therefore, I 'll probably be a tourist. I'm going to see the main things I should do, and drink how much beer I can afford. And that's it, folks. But I promise that, even without backpack, I will be no suffering there. So... Beatles..., there we go!

London, Springsteen & I

                

         

How can I describe a perfect journey where I enjoyed with music, friends and bloody marys in a few days? Easy… I can tell you step by step my long weekend in London in the first days of July.

All started when my friend Maite and I caught the bus at 4:00 a.m. in the morning and we saw my workmate walking along the street through the window’s vehicle. Amazing! I knew in that moment that it would be a fantastic travel. Why? Because meeting someone in Madrid by chance is like looking for a needle in a haystack. It is extremely rare. So It was a signal, I am sure.

The first thing we did was to visit London a little bit. We had been there before, so we concentrated in the North area. Candem market is awesome! I would say it is a colour explosion of cloths, people and weird things. You can find over there all that you can imagine. After some shopping we ate in a New Orleans restaurant with bloody mary and spicy food. In the evening we walked by the center area and bought two tickets for a musical called ‘We will rock you’, which main plot was about a future’s gang fighting for freedom, setting by Queen’s music.

Next day we went to the Boss’ concert, Bruce Springsteen. We ate in a Japanese restaurant in the mall near the stadium where the show would be celebrated. Once the doors were crossed, we had the time of our life. We got the most of the day. We saw four concerts alive, including Springsteen’s, lying on the artificial grass and singing as two crazy girls. No words for it.

Our last day there we spent visiting the center area again, but we found an unexpected gay party because this day was the Gay Pride Day, so we could go for a walk by streets with no cars but a lot of people. After this we caught a bus to see the South area and came back to the hostal. I should confirm that we drunk bloody mary again, just in case you doubt. Finally, we went to the musical, which was terribly good, and then we went out with some English friends. I realized that I could speak English well because they didn’t speak Spanish, ha, ha. Maybe I should go there more than I do.

The day we came back we had breakfast in a beautiful place, bought the newspaper, ate near the hostal, with our trip’s drink, and took the plane to Madrid, not without meet some nice guys in the way, but this… is another interesting story. 

Walk on the Beach (1909)

This oil on canvas painting portrays two women walking on a beach in Valencia.

The focal point of the work is the light. In fact, the author, Joaquín Sorolla, was called the painter of the light because he was able to capture this element in every painting he created.

The two central figures represent his loved wife in the left and his older daughter in the right. Both of them have on a pair of white and sheer dresses, which create a perfect atmosphere of light. The wife wears a wide-brimmed sun hat with a beautiful tulle waving in the wind, and an opened umbrella on her left hand. We appreciate that both objects are playing with the breeze, one of the artist's pursuits. Besides, it is shown us the amazing well-painted shadows of them. Not only the one over the white dress but the dark on her face. The younger woman has a similar position, walking over the sand and against the wind. She carries her hat on the right hand, letting us to be aware of her lost look as she was inmersed within her thoughts.

On the background a piece of clear and peaceful sea comes and goes until the shadows of the women over the sand. However, all we can admire is the portrait of his so much loved wife Clotilde and his daughter María Clotilde bathed by the light and covered by fresh and lively air.

As I said before, Joaquín Sorolla was known by the light on his works. He exhibited on his canvas this play of light and shadows making us fell that we are into the picture.

What would you do if you were rich?

According to the new age, everyone wants to be rich. People only speaks about crisis, being short of money or being unemployed. Even if they live comfortably and work in a good place, they complain about everything. It's fashionable! But... what would they really do if they were wealthy? What would you do in that case?

In my opinion, people would not know what would they do in that case. Everybody dreams about a huge mansion, a luxury car, expensive dinners... whatever, but... they have not exactly thought about what complicated could be having a life like that.

In my case, if I were rich I would set up a charity school where children would have to be worried about nothing. Moreover, I would try not only educate but feed and show them how to get important things in life. However, I am not ready to open a business like this one. I would not know how to start, or what material I would need, or people I would have to meet. So I guess that others could have the same problem. All of us would have to learn how to do the best. Not always easy, by the way. In fact, It is easier to spend money than to keep it.

Talking about other important things in life, I should say that everything that you can get in a free way, is always better. Enjoying a sunset with someone special, reading a good book, learning about yourself, being alone, listening to relax music, playing the guitar (or an instrument)... these are the things that make the life is worth it. It is probably that you have money to burn, but if you not enjoy with the Nature world, with love or firendship, even with your own company, I strongly believe that you will not happy. 

To sum up, I would have no idea about what would I do, I am an inexperienced woman. I suppose I would have to improvise something, but... what would you do if you were in the money?