Electric Blanket, where are you now?¡

Spring is so annying. Besides the alergic symptoms I'm having (right now), weather changes every minute and I'm suffering from colds and stuffs. Two weeks ago I was using (since june) my favourite piece of technology, THE ELECTRIC BLANKET; but my mother (I should be ashamed of this) took it away from my bed because "the weather is getting hot". Big lie!!! Well, some days maybe could have been nicer than others, but September has always been the most changing month of the year.

My mother got a surgery when I was 10 years old, and she had to buy an electric blanket because of it. She had almost the same surgery that Pinochet had in London (the big difference she wasn't a prisoner of justice after doing it), so it was very important for her to keep warm her back. Then, months later, she realize she had to buy an electric blanket for every one of my brothers to get her bed back; we spent every minute there, specially on winters.

I've never realized how much that piece of technology has helped me. For example, when I work until 5 in the morning, and I'm totally cold, angry (because of being an architecture student with no life) and hyperactive (after all the pills and coffee-cocacola mix I've taken), the electric blanket makes her incredible job, and I don't know anything else of the world.

These past two weeks, nights have been very cold. And I must say, I've been missing my dear electric blanket. Why don't you put it again in your bed?, you might wonder. The truth is that, my mother (again) bought these magical bags from the internet that keep cloth things without air. So it would be a real challenge to persuade my mom to open one of her bags.

Electric blanket

I see you next winter!!!!

How do you take it?

I was just passing by my new favourite section of my new favourite international journal (depuis Liberàtion bien sûr) Lost in Showbiz (something like SQP) in The Guardian newspaper, when I found this pretty interesting article about coffee and diversity. I was looking for more news about Britney or somebody funny, never trying to get involved in a serious (kind of) post.

This article talks about new chains of coffee, like the famous Sturbuks, that have reached small towns in England and they've transformed people's needs. New coffee shops have expanded the diversity of coffee, and they have brought into market so many new ways of drinking what a few years ago was "just a cup of coffe". Anna (the writer) says that she is still fighting against those waitress that aren't aware of these changes, and look at her like an annoying custumer when she fairly demmand for her "complex" sort of coffee. It's just the way she likes to take it, and for that, she says, there must be the exact offert. And not just for her, but for everyone.



People is very clear about exactly how things should be made, and that's how things opperate nowdays. Everyone of us has different needs and options, and coffee is just a medium. I believe that diversity is one of the main causes of democracy, and diversity brings creativity and indivual values. There must be a "cup of coffee" for every particular need, just as with other everyday stuffs.



Anyway, what happen with local cafes? With those local shops that have served for many years (maybe hundreds) our local needs (I remember the "folclórico" word, a classmate uses it very often). Should they change their menu because of the new "global" needs, so they can survive this fight against these new coffee chains?



I'm personally don't drink coffee, not often. It makes me sick because of the caffeine, my stomach suffers. As an architecture student that's rare, because for many of us coffee is a big source of energy for nights of heavy work. But even I don't usually drink it, I like the idea of knowing that if I want to get the most bizarre coffee, I will be able to find it. And that should be work for everything (the same with couples, I hope, hahaha).









And you, how do you take it?





http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/food/2007/10/corporate_coffee_defence.html

Giseeeeeee (review of classmate website)

Today I looked for a good blog. I never look at my classmates blogs, mainly because many of them doesn't write too well and it makes my readings pretty uncounfortable. Now that I looked for one in particular for write about, I find myself very surprised. The blog that I liked the most is Gisela's, mainly because I could read it. Gise's Blog is one of the most completed and dedicated of the class. She writes about interesting things, things that I like, and she always tries to provide an opinion about the theme in discuss, giving us not only an informative text. She has a very creative and funny (and sometimes crazy) point of view. She writes an important amount of words, but not too long, which makes the texts understandable and never boring. And she writes well, I can say she really handle english.

I found the last post very interesting. She sent me that link previously by msn and I freaked out. I believe that I'm going to do the same thing in my blog: post some really freaky links to make it more interactive.

Gise always attaches her texts with a link or two, so we could keep reading about the subjects she writes. I really like the way she writes.

Freedom

Libération, something like "freedom", is a french newspaper that I really like to read. It remins me The Clinic in its early time, when it wasn't that much black homour magazine and a it was a little more serious and informative journal.

Libération is a journal very independent, from the left, and it has always been a source of political and social critics, in an objectif way.

At the same time, it helps me practice my written french. When I learnt french at highschool (Instituto Nacional, by the way one of the only 5 schools in Chile that keep teaching French as a second lenguage), my proffesor, Monsieur Vilches, always showed us different articles to translate in our homes as individual homeworks, and at the same time, the articles were like this "open window" to french culture. I learnt a lot about policy and french society.

When the topics had more interest, monsieur V encouraged us to discuss and to talk openly about those subjects. many times they were subjects that concern our everyday life, such us studies and jobs, sex and drugs, cups troubles, etc.

I remember that day, 3 years ago, when "the morning after pill" was at the top of chilean disscusion. And monsieur V delievered an article that talked about almost the same thing, but in France. We got very interested cause we had the same problem that Europeans! That way our french got so much better.

Nowdays, I don't have much time to practice my oral french, it's not common to find a "francophone" easily. That's why Libération helps me to keep my french intact. I pick any article, not about policy cause I'm now out of it, and then I print it and read it on my travels on subway. If I don't know a word I ask to the french proffesor here at FAU. It's the only way I have to keep practicing and "getting in touch" with France . I try to read around one article a week.

Libération

http://www.liberation.fr

The Clinic

http://www.theclinic.cl

Instituto Nacional

http://www.institutonacional.cl

Raw sugar

Not a single song, but a group. One of my favourites, although I don't know much about them (although I don't know much about music). I tried to find out more, but I must admit the official web site was very confused. So I asked to that person who introduced them to me, anyway, the one guy I know who knows them (or at least I thought so...)

¿What do you know about Metric?, I asked him by msn. "I know they're canadians. And they play indie music. Soft rock." That's it? Yes, that was all. I realized I didn't need anything else to get to like their music. Rock, with a female voice. Soft. Fragile and rough at the same time. Something I remembered, but I wasn't sure of what was that, something wasn't like it used to be. Urban, melodic. Sometimes grey, and some other moments very happy, even sexy. About the (our) city. Urban music, about places we once were and sometimes we'd like to go back (place as a space with memories on it). A little bit nostalgic, but never sad. When I listened to it for the first time it was joy and enthusiasm, unknown adventures around streets and parks I didn't know, only on my dreams, very late at night, worried because I had homeworks to do.

Sometimes you love, and you learn, and you move on. And it's good to know that moving on it's ok. Maybe the best part, and if there's music with you, better yet.

Raw Sugar
by Metric
album: Grow Up and Blow Away (2002)

Sort of wonder why no one said a word
Don't you like it on the sly? Don't you like it till it hurts?
Have I been on your mind? What's a voice without a song?
Something in your head you've been fighting all along
I don't want to say it, the news is not so good
We'll never get away, and even if we could
We'd just play the tambourine around an open flame
Oversleep and burn to be back in the game
'Cause summer never comes, nowhere near high noon
And winter never comes, nor the harvest moon
Raw sugar (save that date)
I don't want to die living in a high-rise grave
I’ll pray to call home
Save that date
High-rise grave
Raw sugar
I don't want to die living in a high-rise grave
I’ll pray to call home
Save that date
High-rise grave
No I'm not complaining, yes it could be worse
Ferment on the wishbone, match the lips to the purse
Neighbourhood’s a runway, fry the ass and thighs
Dirty denim dealers, pushed behind the ires
And summer never comes, nowhere near high noon
And winter never comes, nor the harvest moon
Raw sugar
I don't want to die living in a high-rise grave
I’ll pray to call home
Save that date
High-rise grave
Raw sugar
I don't want to die living in a high-rise grave
I’ll pray to call home
Save that date
High-rise grave
Still I wear the red dress, paint my toes and twirl
Take it back to old times when I was still a girl
'Cause now I'm all baboon boys, coochie-coochie-coo
Sort of wondered why, I missed a kiss for you
'Cause summer never comes (save that date)
(High-rise grave)
Winter never comes
(High-rise grave)
'Cause summer never comes (save that date)
(High-rise grave)
Winter never (summer never)
Comes (save that date)
Summer never comes, summer never comes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdZMsbQCcEM

Life is a Rollercoaster

Britney Spears is back. Now, music producers wanted to join Brit and Justin (taking advantage of their old relationship) for a duet written by the fairy godmother Timbalake. But no, Britney did not think that it was a good idea. Something was going wrong, because for everybody her image and Justin's could be a great new source of money.

Someone in The N.Y. Post journal said that their possible reunion was not something that could further Brit's career, and She promptly quitted the idea. And then, of course, this "insider" of music industry talks about her illness. She is sick and she needs help. But he ended saying that if she writes the song the industry could go on vacations somewhere at the Caribbean. hahaha! Isn't that ironic?!

From http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/lostinshowbiz/archives/2007/08/britney_spears_stands_close_to.html#more

Guardian' Blogs : Lost in Showbiz

Da Vinci Code

On March I ended a bad relationship. I needed something to keep my mind away, so one of my best friends told me about reading and its "medical treatments". That's why I started reading it, otherwise I wouldn't. I don't usually read best sellers and "mass things". I'm a TV kind of person. Images, sound, videos, movies. I remember titles as "El Túnel", "Catcher in the Rye" and "Morir en Berlín", but those I read a long time ago, I wouldn't be able to write about them. When I was in high school I read tons of books (I took the languages and social sciences advanced credits), so now I'm a little bit lazy on books. Actually, this isn't my favourite one, though is the last one I (liked) read.

It was very schemer to found out what happen with Jesus's life. This novel tells a story about true organizations (Opus Dei, Sion's Priorate, and the Catholic Church of course) involved in a true subject which is Jesus's possible family. His possible "kingdom". About how religion has transformed his prophecy and his thoughts according his interests. How Christianity has become this political source of power. And about what would happen if 2000 years later we'd realized that all our culture and faith were based on lies. Heavy, ah?

Dan Brown tries to explain all his theories creating this characters that struggle against power and communications. He mix a little of art, science and history, making a novel pretty interesting. Although we know that adventures are fake sometimes, We (I, truly) believe the facts and objective information that the book shows. Places, authors, historical events are named such a Science report. That makes the book a reliable piece, even the story is incredible. Fascinating.

2 months later (I was almost at the end of it) and I was sitting next to my friend (the one who recommended me the book) in a History class. While I was hearing the profesor lecture, about Steel Architecture in Chile (I remember every detail) my dear friend wrote (as a joke) on my notebook the final events of the book! She wrote, with every word, how the book ended. Of course I didn't read it until I completed it. Maybe She was jealous or something, I really got to love that book for 2 months (it's the only excuse I could find for She doing that). I'll never know. Anyway, I won't tell you the book's end either. Read it! And do not watch the movie, it really stinks.