Read the Five

1. What is your favorite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)?
I love reading. I read flyers, posters, magazines, medicine prospects, and tons of books. Generally it's novels i feed upon but lately i've been going through a couple of poetry books.

2. What is your favorite novel?
Probably, the one i'm working on. Then my top list includes 'On Heroes and Tombs', by Ernesto Sábato; 'Nada', by Carmen Laforet, 'The last of the Savages', by Jay McInerney (can i be like this guy when i finally grow up?) and Mario Benedetti's 'Inventario Uno'.

3. Do you have a favorite poem? (Share it!)
... Y esa luz? Es tu sombra...
(Dulce María Loynaz)

4. What is one thing you've always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read?
I've always wanted to read an Oscar acceptance speach.

5. What are you currently reading?
I've just finished 'The Lovely Bones', by Alice Sebold (airplane kind of reading) and i've just started 'Me talk pretty one day', by David Sedaris.

Sunny days
Whoa, what a great trip this was! Miami is blooming with my idea of summer: heatwave, smiling faces, friendly strangers, devoted friends, delicious food and sunny cocktails. I've done almost everything one could imagine considering the little time i had and the uncomfortable jet-lag.

I strolled around Lincoln Avenue, i closed my eyes and laughed for four brilliant hours at The Beach, i sipped nice little cocktails that left me a taste of vanilla lingering on at Delano and i discovered what hell and heaven look like together in Club Deuce.

Miami is all about music (concerts are advertised via plane flying over your head while you sunbathe and hip hop comes out from one in every three convertible cars), fun weather (will it rain tonight or shall i stick a fan in my bag?) and basically fun for the holiday visitor like me.

I needed this break and i made a point of enjoying every single minute with LovelyV. Boy, was it worth it.

Sorry, darlings



(Rest of pics and all the stories coming up right after the jet lag...)

Winter break
I probably could, but i won't be blogging in the next few days. Tomorrow i'll be boarding a 10 hour long flight that's taking me to a paradise lost, but not forgotten.

Miami has never been the city of my dreams, but home is where the heart is and fun is where a friend awaits, so i'll have a genuine smile on my face the whole time.

Thus i'm travelling for a weekend express into the land of strange cubans, peach coloured buildings and fresh orange juice. I'll follow the sun that takes me to the city of blue waters and heavy air conditioning, the place where i stole my first (and last) pair of jeans.

Above all, i'll be sharing long talks and short drinks with Lovely V, before saying goodbye to Florida and saluting, who knows, the biggest apple of them all.

The hours
This is my second day of sickness and the snow keeps falling around the house. I'm tired, achy, feverish and confused.

But what really bothers me, much more than my runny nose, is the fact that this cold/flu situation comes at the worst of times: i'm jumping on a plane on Friday morning and this wasn't exactly what i meant by 'dozing away the whole trip'. Anyway, let's hope the drugs work this time.



Talking about trips and little time (did i tell you this is a Friday-to-Monday-night-kind-of-escapade?), i've discovered a brilliant idea designed for men who travel, look good and have no idea how to pack.

It's the 96-hour Puma kit, described by the company as "a collection of individual pieces that combine effortlessly and endlessly for the modern 'business gypsy'", and it comes with a cute silver suitcase.

It's always disturbing to find new reasons for hating the male.

10
I won't ramble on about how time flies and how her birthday makes her grow and leaves me being just older. Instead, i will tell you the way she has been waiting for this day to happen, longing for her two figure number in her age and not really knowing what she'd like for a present. The biggest of the M&m's is 10 years old today.

She'll have a children's party next Friday but it's today when the decade comes up to her face. She is now closer to those dreaded teenage years, but i think she will handle them all right, with a little help from her friends and a couple of songs coming out of her sax.

She likes listening to her own notes while rehearsing for music class but she loves playing Shakira and David Bisbal full volume in her room. Meanwhile, she'll be making appartments for her big-headed dolls on the floor, or counting her sticker collection again. Harry Potter and his pals stare for M's school merchandise and her fashionable clothes wait in the wardrobe for their turn to be used, knowing it will never happen.

I love the way everything is mixed up in her mind right now.
And let's face it, i love being her one and only aunt...

Hot and cold
It was cold in Madrid yesterday afternoon. Freezing, almost. A chilly city with extremely warm citizens. Me marched for a few hours among over a million people.

We shouted our 'no to war', we laughed, we insulted the press and we jumped up and down. It was fun and it felt good to be there, but most of all it was very moving to watch the elder, the children, everybody rallying together.

And not just in Madrid, of course. It's so great to feel this united.

It's happening on a street near you

United for Peace
Not in my name
Contrainformación
Foro Social de Madrid
IndyMedia
Stop the war

Jinxed generation
This is a very bad friday. I feel jinxed. I am tired. Lack of sleep and hope is going to drive me out of myself. What is not wrong with me? I need major changes in this weird little life around me. I need new faces, new freedom, new challenges. This is not a matter of wanting, it's a question of pure need at this stage.

I had an interesting chat with a friend of mine yesterday. It was good to hear i'm not alone in this restless state of mind, but listening to him gave me chills. The way he let me know he was feeling empty too. 'Sometimes i think i'm just old and underachieved', he said.

I jumped on the subway and his words ran over and over in my mind, mixed with fragments of a conversation i had that same morning with another friend. Jesus Christ, could it be that we are all suffering from some generation worm, creeping inside our souls and despising everything we ever waited for and never showed up in our lives?

Into the other side
I'm dreaming a lot lately.

I fall asleep faster than usual and then my mind rushes into vivid visions from my own parallel universe.

I wake up to find tiny objects that are missing in the real world, people i'll never meet, feelings i'd never allow to come out.

These trips to the other side of myself always give me jet lag.

That day of the year again
The anti-love day is on a Friday this year. I hate Valentine's day. I don't like the concept, the cards, the tacky presents or the idea of buying your way to someone's heart for one day.

Some might say Christmas is more or less the same thing, and longer. I think this whole Lover's Day idea is just another turn of the screw for people following tradition (?) by the book.

Try going into a department store. Giant red hearts made out of cardboard will greet you. Turn the radio on and fifty voices will tell you where to buy a cheap teddy bear with a note. If you see a flower shop, run for your life.

So Cupid Day is on a Friday this year. Beware of 'cocktail for two' hour and music for swinging lovers.

Bold parents
I didn't know -til yesterday- that there was an alternative to baby clothes, something that goes far beyond those classic lacey gowns and is not quite the Gap underwear and hat.



I didn't know anyone could be as cheeky as to design these 'broken condom' or 'Are you my daddy?' t-shirts.



Allthough i'm not sure i'd be able to share my sense of humour to that point with my baby, i love the idea... Offensive children style for bold parents.



Do you want to try it on your child? Others have...

Running after Salma
Believe it or not, I've been running after Salma Hayek for two days. I went to the preview of 'Frida' yesterday morning and then i was supposed to attend the press conference with the actress.

I was excited. It's always brilliant to actually meet a star but i was thrilled because i'm a dedicated follower of Frida Kahlo's art and life.

Salma was so late to her conference (and i note here, it was not her fault) that the press decided to leave the hotel after almost an hour waiting. She finally showed up and offered to have the news conference today.

But the bastard terrorists decided to shoot a policeman this morning, just as i was getting ready to leave the paper.

I shall make no further comments.

Hungry?
Have a Friday Five snack!
1. What did you have for breakfast this morning? If you didn't have breakfast, why not?
I had a nice cup of coffee at seven thirty, before riding into town to see the press preview of 'Frida'. A usual breakfast for quite an unusual morning.

2. What's your favorite cereal?
Corn Flakes. I'm a classic girl when i wake up.

3. How often do you eat out? Do you want that to change?
I generally eat at the newspaper: take away, a home-made sandwich, or pasta salad. Sometimes i eat out, when i feel the urge to get away from the computers.

4. What do you plan on having for dinner tonight? Got a recipe for that?
I have no idea. Whatever's in the fridge , i guess. That could be chicken, pizza or maybe cheese and foie. We'll improvise.

5. What's your favorite restaurant? Why?
Maldeamores used to be a favourite because of the atmosphere, but i consider it a rip off now. So my vote goes to El Jardín de Orfila. They're both in Madrid. Google them up!

No
This war is stupid, pointless and selfish. But it's going to kill people. Many people. So i cannot remain silent. Please, say no. Don't let them use your vote for murder.

Visions of white
Now that the sun is shining for a few minutes, i realize i forgot to show you what my town looks like with the first snow. I warned you before: giving me a digital camera has its price!

Interview with the vampire

Question from Vanity Fair:
- What is your greatest achievement?

Answer from Keith Richards:
- Waking up.



(Vanity Fair, British edition, January issue)

Friends
Take care of your pals. This is my piece of advice for today. Friendship is far too important to overlook or take for granted. I've done it, people have done it to me. A very good friend of mine stopped calling one day, circa 1994, after years of being close. I don't know what happened, but i've always guessed it was too difficult for her to keep touch with me once i moved out of the neighbourhood.

I've been having a silent row via e-mail with another friend of mine these past days. I finally built up the courage to tell him i need to know he is there. I could be living in Stockholm with the second cousin of Shirley Manson, for all he's cared about me the last six months. It's hard to swallow. It's also hard to give out like this, knowing you are compromising a good friendship. I am sad.

How did i get here? Ah, yes, i remember now. Take care of your pals. They are all you truly have. Wish them happy birthday. Call them to see how they're doing. Let them know you give a shit.

Happy birthday, H.

Big night
We had our own Oscar ceremony last night. I watched the Goyas with the entire Mountain Family on their cinema-like television. It was brilliant. We printed ballots and had tons of snacks to follow the three hours of show. Tom guessed most of the awards and mum was the official commentator.

The presenters were fabulous. They were witty, funny, clever and cute. Every single person that got on stage said a big 'No to war'. The whole show was political, glamourous and fair. The definite winner of the night was 'Los lunes al sol', the movie that might represent Spain in Hollywood. If you haven't seen it, turn your computer off and please go to your nearest theater.

This morning i read the newspaper where i work and i find out i'm completely wrong. The ceremony was dark and stupid, the presenters were too full of themselves and it lacked action. Well. There you go. I'm not mainstream. Or maybe i am, and my work partner is too busy being fashionably cool to realize this was a huge effort and an accomplished entertainment.

I had fun last night. I am, oh, so uncool.