Life is about people

Bueno, voy a probar algo nuevo... voy a escribir el post completamente en castellano y ver cómo va... pero primero...

Ok... I apologize in advance to those of you who don't speak Spanish, but I need the practice. Try Google Translate. It really doesn't butcher the meaning too badly. And hey! You may learn some new vocabulary! :)

Ahora...

La verdad es que tengo un montón de temas en que he pensado escribir... han sido unos 10 días más o menos mágicos. Increíbles. Podría hablar o del fin de semana anterior en Nieva de Cameros con la maravillosa gente de Couchsurfing, o de mi primer Thanksgiving y los majos con los cuales lo pasé, o de la continuación de la diversión este finde...

Nieva de Cameros, La Rioja Couchsurfing Rural Meeting, November 2012

Podría hablar sin fin de la felicidad que me he sentido, de las amistades que han crecido-- tanto las nuevas como las que ya existían.

La cena de Thanksgiving en mi casa... mira la comida!

Podría hablar sin fin, pero al mismo tiempo, no tengo las palabras para describir lo que me está pasando, ni en español, ni en inglés. Quizás por eso hablaría sin fin... constantamente intentando a acercarme a la verdadera verdad, pero sin éxito total, y entonces, sin fin. Interesante cómo las cosas que nos parecen tan importantes, tan emotivas a veces son las más difíciles de explicar...

De todos modos, lo que quería decir es que en estos 10 días, he llegado a sentir más cómoda, más a gusto aquí en España, pero específicamente Logroño, que nunca durante el año pasado. No es que pasé el año pasado tan mal... simplemente que ahora, siento que Logroño es más un hogar. Tengo amigos aquí que son divertidos, cómicos, interesantes, pero sobre todo, que son buenas personas.

Qué monos... en los dos sentidos :P
La Comida de "Jóvenes en Conserva" el 24 de noviembre

Alguna vez, me dijo un amigo mío algo que siempre me he acordado... y seguro que lo hemos oído dicho de muchas maneras, pero lo digo yo así:
La vida se trata de las personas. Life is about people.
Se trata de las personas con quienes pasamos el tiempo, el cual, para todos, es la moneda más preciosa. Se trata de cómo tratamos a estas personas de nuestra vida. Hay una cita (cómo las quiero :) ) de la película "Shall We Dance" en que la esposa (Susan Sarandon) del protagonista (Richard Gere) le habla a él de la importancia de tener un testigo de la vida. En el momento, habla específicamente del matrimonio, pero creo que se puede extender la idea a todas nuestras relaciones:

We need a witness to our lives. There's a billion people on the planet... I mean, what does any one life really mean? But in a marriage, you're promising to care about everything. The good things, the bad things, the terrible things, the mundane things... all of it, all of the time, every day. You're saying, "Your life will not go unnoticed because I will notice it. Your life will not go un-witnessed because I will be your witness."

Con tantas personas en este mundo tan grande, una vida, desde perspectiva amplia, no significa mucho. Claro que existen unas gran personas que cambian el curso de la historia, pero la mayoría de nosotros no somos ellos. Yo no soy persona muy importante mundialmente y si me muriera mañana, hay casi un mundo entero que no lo notaría. Pero las personas de mi mundo, sí, lo notarían. Como dice la cita, las personas de mi vida son testigos de mi vida. Son la evidencia de mi existencia.

¿Qué pensáis? ¿Cómo veis a vuestras existencias? ¿Y a las personas en vuestras vidas?
...
(15 minutos después)
Me he perdido un poco... en las nubes. Estoy cansada, pero el resumen:
Si las personas que están participando en mi vida ahora son indicativas de cómo soy yo... pues, qué suerte he tenido! No podría estar más agradecida... a todos que he conocido en estas últimas semanas, pero especialmente a la "comuna hippie"-- os conocéis quienes sóis. :)

La comuna hippie... es decir los majos invitados de Thanksgiving (faltan dos)
:)

 Ahora, a la cama. ¡Hasta mañana!

I'm Not Procrastinating; or Thoughts on The Pilgrimage

I know I've only promised one post a week, but it's Wednesday night, and I feel like writing. And yes, there is a long list of other things I could be doing right now, from the should-not-be-postponed-any-longer (buying plane tickets!) to the menial (making my bed... I know, it's sad). Some of you may call this productive procrastination. You know... when there are things you should be doing, like sorting out your bills or responding to emails, but you decide that it's the perfect time to completely reorganize your music library or re-customize your blog, or... really do anything other than what you should. I hear you. And I've productively procrastinated like a pro... but this is different. I promise, and I'll explain...

Obsessed. It's not healthy... [source]

One thing I've learned is that I, as well as most people, am much more productive when I'm doing something that I want to do. I don't mean those impulsive wants (i.e. streaming the most recent episode of Dexter(!!!) or eating those oh-so-delicious Lotus cookies... which I may or may not have sitting next to my laptop as I type).
 I mean the things-- the desires that have already been on my to-do list for some time... the things I've wanted to improve, wanted to try, wanted to just do.
Here's the (very) short list:

• Practice (more like learn how to play) my guitar.
• Write more letters/postcards/emails. Just be better at keeping in touch.
• Read more. Much more. And much more en español.
• Plan lessons and be the kick-ass teacher I know I could be if I just tried.
• Exercise (SO much more difficult now that the weather is cold)
• And last but not least, give the blogging thing another shot (check!)

So yes, I may be procrastinating more pressing items on my to-do list, but like I said, I feel like writing. And you know what? It's on my list too. So I won't feel bad about it. What needs to be done will get done precisely because it must be done... even if I have to stay up late to do it. In the meantime, it's better not to fight the momentum. Go with the flow.
Moving on...

 ____________________________

I'm reading a book right now called The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho. While it's not his most famous novel, it was his first. How appropriate then that it is the first of his that I'm reading. So far, I love it! This is in part because the story is set along my beloved Camino de Santiago-- Coelho has done his research well, and the proof is in the little details... the ones that make me smile and reminisce.

SEMPRE NO CAMIÑO is Gallego for
Always on the Path. True statement.

But aside from this nostalgia, the book is inspiring me to reexamine myself and to meditate on what my dreams are and what it is that I want out of this life... important questions that should not to be answered quickly... if at all... 

Something I needed to say

Hello there.

Well, as you can see for yourself, or rather, as you haven't seen for yourself, my absolutely fickle dedication to getting you all caught up on my life here in Spain and surrounding areas has failed miserably and most of you, unless you've contacted me by some other means, have not a clue what has happened to me since my birthday over 5 months ago... that's more than half of the time that I've actually spent here. My sincerest and much-too-often-relayed apologies. Someday, you will hear all the stories between then and now. 

Mine should go to 4... or maybe 11. [source]

As for now, however, I have some other things on my mind. Within the last two weeks, my life here has gone through quite a few changes, the biggest of which is this: I have moved from Logroño to Calahorra. For those of you not in the know, Logroño is the capital of (and biggest city in) my region of La Rioja. Calahorra, while the second biggest, has about 120,000 less people. It is where I teach, but I'm sure you can imagine why I chose to live where I did at the start: more transportation options, more nightlife, more people... just more period. Anyway, without going into all of the details, I had my reasons for making the move. The most immediate of which was a very uncomfortable roommate situation that made what should've been my home feel more like a place where I needed to tiptoe around without leaving a trace. If you want more information, ask. The other reason was that I've started dating someone who lives in Calahorra, and as I'm sick of doing the long-distance thing, the idea of being in the same place as a person for once was extremely appealing. All of the pieces seemed to fit, I had a place to stay, the moment was right, so I made the move.

Remember this picture? Multiply this by three or four and that's how much stuff I (and two lovely souls-- shout out to Ash and Tom) had to pack up and move. How quickly it accumulates...

That was two weeks ago. After being in limbo for about a week living out of a suitcase, I finally moved in and had a home this past Tuesday. And I'm finally realizing how much of a toll having an uncomfortable home-life was taking on me. I'm also realizing how awful I've been at staying in touch I've been... with friends in Logroño, with friends back home, with family. I can't even remember the last time I talked to my brother. I think it was back when we saw each other in person at Christmastime. That is sad.

Anyway, the topic I really wanted to talk about in this entry, but from which I have digressed somewhat is my madre (that's mother for you non-Spanish speakers). 

With Mother's Day coming up tomorrow, I suppose that's only natural, but with everything that's been going on these last few months, but the last couple of weeks in particular, I have been particularly distant... much more distant than I would like to be. The worst part is that I can't help but fear that she's felt that somewhat. If you have, Mom, I am so sorry. It's a terrible excuse, but as I said before, I've been generally awful at staying in touch, even with my best friend.

In honor of tomorrow, I was looking for a good quotation for the occasion and I stumbled upon this gem:

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."  Washington Irving

Now, I know that unfortunately not everyone can say this is true for them, and that reminds me all the more of how fortunate I am to have been blessed with the woman whom I call Mom. It also makes me feel foolish for not remembering what this quote says on my own: when I'm feeling a little grey, the way I happen to feel now, one conversation and I almost instantly feel weight lifting off my shoulders... 'dark clouds dissipating' and 'peace in my heart.' She reminds me that I'm always my own worst critic, that I put way too much pressure on myself, that I can accomplish anything I set my mind and my heart to. She's known me longer than anyone, even myself, and she is and will always be my biggest fan. And I am so lucky.

I mentioned that I'm feeling a bit grey today, and you're probably wondering now, well, why haven't you called her?! I wanted too, honest. But as I'm sitting in a café with loud music and strangers all around, that wasn't an option-- I will try her later or, if not, definitely tomorrow. This entry was my next best option... and I think it has helped cheer me up.

Now, those of you who have finished reading this and feel so moved, go call your mom, send her an email or, if she's nearby, give her a great big hug... and feel your troubles melt away, or at the very least, watch them become a little less insurmountable. Tell her you love her.

 

Love you, Madre. :)

A day early :)

10 More Random Ramblings...

... to revive a blog that's been neglected for over half a year.

1. I opened my KINDLE today!!! I haven't yet explored or taken advantage of all its capabilities, but saying that I'm excited would be quite an understatement. Two of my favorite words when next to each other: Public domain. Looks like I will be catching up on the classics as I travel across Europe... which leads me to...

2. I AM GOING TO SPAIN! This September, I will be leaving for an as-of-now-unknown city in the La Rioja autonomous region of Spain. I will be helping teach Spanish kids of some age how to speak English 12-16 hours a week. The rest of the time is mine. My plan for this extravagant free time: 1) become a highly successful private English tutor; 2) experience as much of Europe as possible; 3) learn a third language (français? deutsch?); and 4) apparently catch up on the classics.

3. Speaking of classic literature, I am rereading The Hobbit. I was going to simply move on to The Lord of the Rings, but since it's been... around 9 years (wow) since I've read the prequel, I figured it best to start from the very beginning. J.R.R. Tolkien, I appreciate you much more now than I did in the 8th grade.

4. The fact that I can easily remember things from a decade ago makes me feel old. Another realization: I am almost halfway toward my 10 year high school reunion. Wow.

5. Have you ever had a song that you've listened to for years and then all of a sudden, you listen to it for the ump-teenth time and you finally hear it? That happened to me today. Regina Spektor's "Ghost of Corporate Future." I suppose I owe the revelation to my current status as a recent graduate averse to getting sucked into the cubicle starting block of the 'real world' rat race. Perhaps that's a cynical way to put it... I could be excited about a cubicle if I was excited about the work I was doing in the cubicle... what that might be, I still don't know.

6. My cubicle would be the coolest cubicle on the block. :P

7. I'd really rather not have a cubicle, awesome as mine would be. A non-traditional work-place would suit me much better, I think... again, if only I knew what that meant.

8. I need to write more. Here, in my journal, and just in general. Letters. Yes, I need to write more of those as well.

9. I remember a William Blake quote that I actually first heard in a movie ("P.S. I Love You"): "I must create a system or be enslaved by another man's; I will not reason and compare: my business is to create." I've always wanted to identify with that...


10. I will write again tomorrow.


Good night, blog.


Bonus rambling:
11. Perhaps my blog should have a name. I just named my Kindle 'Lewis' after a favorite author (C.S., not Carroll). Perhaps tomorrow.

More Lincoln

 This isn't inherently inspiring, but for some reason it struck me. Italics were not imposed by me. From Team of Rivals:

He understood, he told Speed later, that in times of anxiety it is critical to "avoid being idle," that "business and conversation of friends: were necessary to give the mind "rest from that intensity of thought, which will some times wear the sweetest idea threadbare and turn it to the bitterness of death" (Goodwin 100).

The following is an interesting video from TED talks... I've been kind of addicted to them lately for a very simple reason: they're just interesting!

In this one, British Ad man Rory Sutherland talks about how, if we want to live in a world with fewer material goods, we are going to have to increase the relative proportion of the intangible or perceived value in relation to its "real" or material value. His idea is that it's much easier (and potentially much better) to change people's perceptions than it is to change their realities.

I love the quotes at the end:

"Poetry is when you make new things familiar and familiar things new."

and

"We are perishing for want of wonder, not for want of wonders." GK Chesterton

And then his closing statement:

When you learn to place material value on what you've previously discounted for being intangible-- a thing not seen, you'll find out that you're really much wealthier than you could've ever imagined.

So true.

Count your blessings! God has given you all that you need. You just need to look at them the right way.

a fresh start

“As you begin to pay attention to your own stories and what they say about you, you will enter into the exciting process of becoming, as you should be, the author of your own life, the creator of your own possibilities.” Mandy Aftel

San José, Costa Rica, 2009