a chronology of stupidity

The Artist

2012-02-18T20:48:00.000-08:00

tonight i smiled after leaving the theater

i smiled, cried, and smiled again

what a lovely film!

The Artist deserves this year's Oscar

and deserves to be watched!

the nicest tribute to the Silent Film era

and to cute dogs on the big screen

it will capture your heart!

a lovely reminder of why we love films

Valentine's day

2012-02-14T07:37:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's day
glücklich Valentinstag
Feliz Día del Amor y la Amistad

a little post from The Guardian
these Valentine's Day: The 10 best love letters
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/gallery/2012/feb/14/valentines-day-best-love-letters

and there is also this very lovely collection
of Love Poems
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/interactive/2012/feb/13/best-love-poems-interactive
and that is where i got this one
that reminds me of all that is love...

great films to make you cry and smile

2012-02-13T17:45:00.000-08:00

i watched two great films this weekend
preparing for the Oscars? maybe?
A Better Life with Demian Bichir was excellent!
close to home, well-known scenarios from L.A.
beautiful sunny gardens and
the familiar faces gardening them
the music is quite a revelation too
and yes, I cried a lot, highly recommended!
You will practice you español y el inglés too

the other one was The Help
]great story, great acting, straight to the heart
and yes, I cried a lot too...
this film is nominated for best picture for the Oscars
after watching it i understood why
http://thehelpmovie.com/us/
don't miss it either!

Google + Creative Kit 60's

2012-02-08T23:42:00.000-08:00

domingo por la tarde

2012-02-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

on Sunday evening
am Sonntag Abend
en domingo* por la tarde

so the weekend came to an end
and i went for a little Sunday evening walk

*and no, we don't capitalize weekdays in Spanish,
unlike in English und Deutsch

no more "Kissing" in San Diego bay front

2012-02-03T16:16:00.000-08:00

no more Kissing at the San Diego bay front!
sadly this month, "Unconditional Surrender"
the Big Kiss sculpture is leaving San Diego
when my mom visits we always go to
The Fish Market and then visit "The Kiss"
we are going to miss it!
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/jan/04/kissing-sailor-scheduled-depart/

I am sure I have better pictures of this sculpture
when Herr Thilo was here, we took a bunch

but for the time being

here are these from a couple of weeks ago

with my mom

my mom looking up at the 'Kissers'

my mom and I after a nice dinner at The Fish Market

The Limits of Control, an e-mail/review

2012-02-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

a couple of weeks ago i watched
The Limits of Control, directed by Jim Jarmusch
he's one of my preferred directors
so I sent an e-mail to a couple of friends about it
I guess I am too lazy to re-write my review
and usually re-written stuff comes out wrong for me
so here, a couple of copy-pasted e-mails regarding the film

talking about masters of American 'something'

watched yesterday Jim Jarmusch latest film... The Limits of Control

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Limits_Of_Control

worth watching but not for everybody... it reminded me a lot of his Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai film

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Dog:_The_Way_of_the_Samurai

this The Limits of Control, is not among the 'fun' movies he makes, yes, sure Bill Murray is there, but in a very short and obscure apparance...

the film is superb visually!! superb, as in really really good! and the Flamenco scenes are amazing!!

but over all the film has a really really slow feel to it... and YES the plot is a thriller that keeps you wondering what is about so much that actually feels like a David Lynch film

the acting by Isaach de Bankole is just amazing!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaach_De_Bankol%C3%A9

do watch it, but not late at night 'cause if you are not used to obscure slow films you might fall asleep and if you watch it do pay attention to every single line and detail, it will all make sense at the end... at the very very end

i personally loved it, but then again, i am used to this weird stuff, glad to know Jim Jarmusch is still himself

re: 2
oh forgot! is all filmed in beautiful Spain, from a high-tech looking Madrid to the back desert of Extremadura, beautiful photography!

re: 3

was reading about the soundtrack too! has Bad Rabbit, and LCD Soundsystem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Limits_Of_Control#Soundtrack

the film is worth it, my favorite film ever i think is actually Dead Man by Jarmusch with Neil Young guitar playing soundtrack, i love his films! Night on Earth from 1991 was the 1st Jarmusch film i watched, i still have fun watching now!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_On_Earth

tea and cement flower

2012-01-30T07:05:00.000-08:00

i've been missing my blog again
i've been sick for over a week
cold, cough, cough, cough, sore throat
and more cough
on Thursday i went to the doctor
looking for help, just got some cough syrup
and more sadness...

yet, the sun was stroking my back for a bit
and i got to seat on this pretty bench
with cement flowers on it

and i sipped from this yogi tea
the kind that comes with labels with quotes
remember my tea-advice series?
here comes a little addition to it

and by now, i feel a little better
and i can always sip, breath (even if with difficulty) and read

eating shark

2012-01-25T22:57:00.000-08:00

eating shark
Hai gegessen
comiendo tiburón

i have never tried shark before
the other day at the Fish Market i saw it
it was local Southern California shark
either Thresher or Bonito

it was actually pretty good
not a very strong fish flavor
more on the mild side, white lean meat
and very soft, i guess is the freshness too
that made it so soft, the Fish Market has
really fresh fish to go

I cooked with a non-chef proof recipe
olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh ground white pepper
and sea salt, on a pan fried about 5 minutes on each side
it was easy, quick and tasty
for side dish, some grape tomatoes with
home-made dressing of balsamic vinegar, olive oil and rosemary

now i guess the only concern on eating shark
is that apparently has high levels of mercury
too bad 'cause i really liked it and it's very affordable

man in action

2012-01-21T12:35:00.001-08:00

photographer, to take!

The Thilo camera in hand
from our Bielefeld / Herford adventure
in Deutschland, free days traveling around just chasing photos

check here for other
Bielefeld and Herford photos

caprese flowers

2012-01-20T15:34:00.001-08:00

these little Caprese flowers are based
on my favorite Italian salad, Insalata Caprese

i found at Henry's, i mean, Sprouts
these mozzarella balls, made by BelGioioso
a superb brand of cheese

so from the little mozzarella balls and the grape tomatoes
i got the idea of combining them on top of basil leaves
to form little flowers instead just tossing them on the salad

in my version of Caprese flowers, i added fresh-cut rosemary
to the dressing, which i made with Olive Oil,
balsamic vinegar, fresh-ground black pepper and chopped garlic

the result was delicious! the taste is a bit different
from a 'regular' Insalata Caprese, as with the flowers
you have to bite each little ball of mozzarella
and the grape tomatoes, so they feel different in your mouth
now i like my version better than the original!

give it a try!

Kodak no more

2012-01-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

as Kodak files for bankruptcy, The Guardian releases
this lovely collection of images from the legendary company

visit the entire collection
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/gallery/2012/jan/19/women-in-focus-kodak-girl-in-pictures

and as the world went digital

for a while, and still, i keep on photographing

with 35mm film, some of it Kodak film

[i do photograph digital too]

35mm Kodak film, grainy, old, familiar stuff

the infamous T-MAX film black & white

and some random 35mm film

with my good old friend Nikkormat

here all my Kodak film photos on 23hq

http://www.23hq.com/bere/kodak

here some of my own photos shedding a little

digital tear for yet another company lost

love the feeling of film, cannot be recreated by any digital camera

on my way

2012-01-13T05:53:00.000-08:00

yesterday's morning
every morning
on my way to work

Washington Street in the morning

and the feeling reminds me of this
old Tom Waits song, Old 55

Edward Hopper

2012-01-11T21:42:00.000-08:00

my mom discovered Edward Hopper's art tonight
she only knew a few pieces of his art

Morning Sun

browsing through this catalog online
i realized i knew only a little of his work too
superb browsing

the first post of 2012

2012-01-06T18:24:00.000-08:00

and what more suitable than talking about my lovely
National Gallery of Art 2012 Softcover Engagement Calendar
this is the second year that i order this agenda

since 1999, i've been writing in little agendas
it is sort of a short journal
i use them for engagements, but also to track
from happy events, to dreams, and even medications

i document there little and big daily events
it's sort of fun to be able to open a page of
let's say... June 13, 2003 and found out a quick outline
of what i did

these editions of the National Gallery are superb looking
every week, a new piece of art, wonderful paper too!
inspirational indeed!

wish you a wonderful 2012
full of art, love, and health

2011/2012

2011-12-31T20:58:00.000-08:00

2011 was indeed a great year!

it had many downs, but mostly ups

is the year that i got a new home

and the year that i stopped working with my best friend

is the year that i became a bit more adult

and a bit more thankful for being alive...

i receive 2012 full of hope

in my new home

accompanied by my beautiful mom

and many-times blogged

Herr Gato and Frau Kitty

we already had some delicious swordfish cooked

with olive oil, rice and bell peppers

and we wait for midnight to celebrate

the arrival of 2012

i haven't blogged much lately

the moving, the new home

the holidays, but i hope for 2012

to have more time to photograph

to blog, and to keep in touch

with the wonderful friends i have met

even if only electronically through this blog...

you know who you are!

Happy New Year

Glückliches neues Jahr

Feliz Año Nuevo

2011-12-25T15:33:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas-Feliz Navidad, hugs. Bere

new and old

2011-12-13T12:13:00.000-08:00

new home
older life

finally moved into the new home
still lingers the smell and the keys from the older home
a hint of sadness of leaving the old home in my heart
yet the warmness of the new one dissolves it every new night
a new hope, a new beginning, but without appreciating
the old days...

the only regret, the plants left behind
those that i planted from small pots into the ground
that so widely spread and i cannot bring with me
the big old palm tree, that saw me so many times smile
and a couple cry too
i will miss you my friend, most of all, and the little purple flowers
of the bush around who i planted too

if i could bring you with me and water you again
i apologize for leaving you back, i will miss you my leafy friends...

moving

2011-11-27T14:30:00.000-08:00

moving is just crazy!

i never thought that emptying such a small place

would be such a hassle

but looking forward to start 2012 on a new home...

and in the meantime, my mom & i move

boxes, books, clean plants, and clear the karma

of years of collecting useless stuff...

Herr Gato takes refugee on my neighbor's deck

what a week! and i still cannot move

but before this year ends...

Herr Gato at Jessica's deck hiding from the moving mess

Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T13:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

this year, as always, more things to be thankful for

just the fact of being alive is the biggest gift i got

and then a new home

and my mom's company

and the clouds, and the moon, and the stars

and the sun... i sound like a John Lennon song

Friends and Enemies: I bought a Fridge today

2011-11-17T16:56:00.000-08:00

today I bought a refrigerator for the 1st time in my life

i always rented houses that had a fridge
or in the case of my Mexico City apartment
i used one my ex-boyfriend had

i feel a little more 'adult' today...
yaaay!

the Friends and Enemies is not only the intro to the post
but also a pretty good song from the
Everything But The Girl compilation, Back to Mine

11-11-11

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

a magical number

a magical date

and for me, today at noon

a door to a new life will open

endlessly, to life, i thank...

today has started as a cloudy day
but by now, it's sunny, coldish and
a beautiful day to live in San Diego, California!

a rainbow and a song

2011-11-08T19:45:00.000-08:00

der Regenbogen
the rainbow
el arcoiris

- funny how, both German and English refer to the rain and the shape, in Spanish is about the shape too, but instead of the rain, the iris is mentioned, light

sights and sounds!

what else? if there's none!

und
das Lied
the song
la canción

mogwai fears satan, and i do too!

2011-11-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

i think i have posted this song before
but now there's this version live in youtube
one of my favorite Mogwai songs ever!

the very first live concert i saw in San Diego
was Mogwai's... that night, after moving to a foreigner country
where i knew anybody, where i have been away from home
from friends, and live music
i saw this LIVE! this exact song opening the concert
and then i met one of my best friends ever
the so-called Perro

it was a bit over 10 years ago
but i still get goosebumps listening to it

Mogwai fears Satan, and i do too!
enjoy this beautiful video!

abandoned Halloween

2011-10-31T07:11:00.000-07:00

35th Street, Normal Heights - San Diego, California

my poor blog has been abandoned for long
that is spooky!
between the plans of getting a new home
busyness at work, allergies and maladies
but today i stopped and took some bad photos
of a 'bad' Halloween home
hope you have a spooky one!

35th Street - I am glad I am not helping with the laundry...

Chloe Dewe Mathews photography

2011-10-19T07:11:00.000-07:00

i've never heard before of this wonderful photographer
today i saw an article on The Guardian about her
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/oct/19/oil-chloe-dewe-mathews-caspian

visited her website
http://www.chloedewemathews.com/

i am amazed by this british photographer, images worth watching!

Steve Jobs dies

2011-10-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

and i am sad...

and yes, my first computer was a Mac

a Macintosh II

and even though i don't have a Mac anymore

nor an iPhone, i think the world has missed a genius

RIP Steve Jobs

if you had an old Mac, you'll recognize this icon

it was the 'bluescreen' for the Mac...

if you got one of these when you turned your computer

it was dead!

the classics

2011-09-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

this little post
i started so many days ago
life taking over the blog again
but today, i need this little classic break
'modern' people seem to forget
the beauty of 'classics'
for me, any 'old classic' art
brings a breath of timeless breath
i think of Dickens, when i read this little
ghost story, walking around London so long ago
and Mendelssohn writing his music
and i like to think
that so many lives has past between them and me
that i feel little, but in a good way
and my maladies seem small, not big
so here here sharing today this
"Song" Lieder, Op. Posth Pagenlied, Felix Mendelssohn
singer: Maria Mohrmann-Messing

the Charles Dickens Ghost Story
To Be Taken with a Grain of Salt
or The Trial for Murder as it's called here
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext98/3ghst10h.htm#3

from this wonderful little collection
The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories
Selected and Introduced by Michael Cox and R. A. Gilbert

secundaria femenil

2011-09-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

junior high
Mittelstufe
secundaria

one of the good things about Facebook
is that you can connect with old friends
really really old friends!
from age 12 to age 15i attended an all-girl Catholic school
in Guadalajara, Mexico
today some of my girlfriends posted a picture of us
i wonder if you can recognize me...great memories!

9/11/11

2011-09-11T22:18:00.000-07:00

remembering after 10 years
you can visit the memorial online
http://www.911memorial.org/

find the names
visit the site via photos & animations
back in 2001 in 9/11

near Ground Zero, Sept. 9, 2001

i was working at the San Diego Blood Bank
the reaction of blood donors and help from Sandiegans
was impressive, people formed such a long line
that went all around the Blood Bank, it was like that
for many days, demonstrating the strength and unity
of the American people

9/11 Memorial, Sept. 9, 2011

the San Diego blackout of 2011

2011-09-09T08:49:00.000-07:00

i am sure this is how yesterday will be remembered
yesterday around 3:30pm the lights just went off
i was in the office, doing some Photoshop
when the screen went black, i am a compulsive 'saver'
so i didn't loose any changes...

around 4:10pm we decided to leave the office and go home
when we realized we were not the only ones without power
and good thing i left then 'cause about 2 hrs into the blackout
the freeways started getting jammed, with no street lights
and tons of police officers deployed to more 'serious' emergencies

thanks to my little battery operated radio and to the AM radio transmitting
from KOGO 600 AM, i knew that the outages spread to all of San Diego county,
western Arizona and even northern Mexico! wow, now that was massive

right away all the big stores closed, so the San Diego airport
hundreds of people were trapped on elevators in buildings downtown
but unless there was a health issue, the police just won't have
the force to unlock them all...

my little triple A battery radio, great help!

around my home, on Adams Ave. while daylight still reigned
a lot of people were hanging out on the streets, two liquors stores
were still open, using calculators to charge for water, beer, ice
these were the items most people were buying

there was a certain mix of feelings on Adams Ave. some people seemed
cheerful but other seemed confused, buying gallons of water
fearing the worse, i guess...

by the time dark settled, the silence reigned in my neighborhood
all the kids went to bed and the crickets were much louder
there was a beautiful very bright sky! we were able to see
the stars and the moon was so bright that i wondered why we
ever invented electricity (heh heh)

a recount of news gathered by the L.A. Times

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/blackout/

around 11pm power came back home, but still a couple of areas
have no electricity, San Diego is pretty much back to normal today
ah! except for schools, all schools canceled classes today
and thankfully the heat wave is over too! so no more sweating
all it's in its right place now, and i just worry
about my food in the fridge and to buy more triple A batteries
for my little radio, it was great company!

i forgot to mention, right after the blackout, ALL the radio stations
were gone! including Tijuana Mexican radio stations, only KOGO
kept on transmitting...

a little adventure indeed, and it reminded me my days of
childhood in my Grandma's town, Autlan, when i was 10 years old
and visited during the summer, the blackouts were sort of common
after the usual electric storms of the summer, time to read and play
shadow games with candles with my cousins

for more info on other areas of San Diego, read mister Smorg's post!
http://smorgzone.blogspot.com/2011/09/eventful-thursday.html

and here some interesting photos
http://framework.latimes.com/2011/09/08/massive-blackout-san-diego/#/0

mixed teas and a little piece

2011-09-05T21:23:00.000-07:00

it's been so long since i wrote here

life took over

the summer, my mom's visit

the search for a new home, Monday organ concerts,

cats, work, walks

but one thing in common had my summer nights

trying new mixed teas, herbal loose teas

or technically correct, infusions

my mom found this Rose tea (made of little rose buds)

at 99 Ranch, the all-Asian store

and i started mixing it with chamomile, lavender,

even green sencha tea

the results, marvelous!

the rose buds tea has many properties, throat soother

mood enhancer, etc. and with a bit of honey is great

green sencha tea with rose buds and tea bag

fluffy tea bag with fragrant tea

pretty and tasty tea, the discovery of the summer

chamomile, the good old remedy

chamomile, the good old remedy, a perfect mix for rose buds

chamomile and lavender, another fragrant elixir for quiet nights

lavender tea is another long-time remedy with many benefits

one of my favorite cups to brew tea

ah! and here 'A Little Piece' literally

from a lovely compilation of classical music

for the piano designed to soothing your pets

(Herr Gato and Frau Kitty sure seem to like it!)

Music My Pet

this piece is called Stückchen,

Album For The Young in C Major, Op. 6: V. Stückchen

that means in German, Small Piece

written by Robert Schumman

enjoy! if your dog or cat is not relaxed already

i hope you are!

mesmerizing Liszt, masterful Romero

2011-07-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

yesterday i saw one of the best piano concerts
i've seen in my life!
a selection of Franz Liszt works by pianist Gustavo Romero

[i have a life-long love relationship with classical piano playing
i started studying classical piano, fortuitously, almost not by choice
at age 8... one day i was very sick and my mom thought
i needed something to cheer me up
3 houses from mine in Mexico City, there was a small piano study,
Ludwig Van Beethoven, was called and Dolores Solís Amezcua
was my teacher for many years to come...
but back to Liszt and Gustavo Romero]

so yesterday my mom and I, along with our friends
M & J Conner, we were able to attend to one of the
4 concerts series organized by
La Jolla Athenaeum commemorating the bicentenary
of the birth of Franz Liszt

the selection of Liszt pieces varied from the romanticism
and beautifully spaced pieces that Liszt composed
to the incredibly hard and complicated compositions
that made of Liszt so well know for his technically advanced
almost impossible to play pieces, such as the Hungarian Rhapsodies

the complete program for Sunday, July 24, 4 PM

Cantique d'amour (S.173/10)
Andante lagrimoso (S.173/9)
Invocation (S.173/1)
Funérailles (S.173/7)
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6
----
Sonetto 47 del Petrarca (S.161/4)
Sonetto 104 del Petrarca (S.161/5)
Sonetto 123 del Petrarca (S.161/6)
Harmonies du soir (S.139/11)
Spozalizio (S.161/1)
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 15 "Rákóczi March"

more than ever, now I know why Liszt is considered one
of the greatest pianist of all times, and why Gustavo Romero
is considered one of the best piano interpreters alive
his interpretation is just stellar! technically superb
while soulful and introspective
I am lucky to have seen him play!

the opening piece, Cantique d’amour, brought back such emotions
and memories of piano playing to my heart that literally
brought me to tears... thank you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoqJ46ljjVI

you can read yesterday's notes here
http://www.ljathenaeum.org/musicfest.html#three

Gustavo Romero photographed outside The Neurosciences Institute

my mom, yesterday outside the Neurosciences Institute too

another view

Liszt and Romero, what a pair!

I had tickets for only 1 of the 4 concerts
but I think I am repeating next week...
last week Romero played a selection of obscure Liszt piece
that sadly i missed, but next week's closing series
sounds rather promising, includes the famous Liebesträume No. 3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liebestr%C3%A4ume

it's that amazing
if you live in San Diego, you must attend to at least one
of this concerts of the summer series, last year was Chopin
and before Beethoven, Mozart, Hayden and Mendelssohn
i think i just found out what to do every summer around here

a list of past Athenaeum Summer Festivals by year

1999 Chopin
2000 Bach
2001 Beethoven
2002 Beethoven
2003 Mozart
2004 Mozart
2005 Schubert
2006 Schumann
2007 Brahms
2008 Ten Years, Seven Composers, One Pianist
2009 Haydn and Mendelssohn
2010 Frédéric François Chopin
2011 Franz Liszt

I wonder who will be interpreted next year?

by the way, these were our seats
apart from being able to see exquisite Romero's hands playing
we could hear him breath...

Monday nights with an outdoor organ

2011-07-19T15:02:00.000-07:00

Balboa park is hosting this lovely summer organ festival
http://sosorgan.org/festival2011sked.htm
Twilight in the Park

it is free with many international guests
on July 11 we saw Scott Dettra
the Organist Of The National Cathedral, Washington, DC

he was delightful to listen to, and he introduced every piece he played

these free concerts are a wonderful way to end a Monday night
they are still through the end of August

[click on the panoramic to see full size]

La la la (etc.)

2011-06-29T07:20:00.000-07:00

i haven't posted any tea-tags advices in a while
maybe because i haven't been drinking bagged tea
and the few i drink, don't have a tag

but today on this Detox tea
there is one, and yes, i usually follow my heart myself
that's why i come across as emotional,
a bit hysteric, and a lot sensitive, or so i feel like
do you follow your heart? your stomach? or your head?

a little song by Low to go with the tea, and the post

As a child I hid between the pages
Cutting secret phrases overhead
But things we turn our back on when we're older
Only drag us back into our bed

Something's turning over
You'd better get out while you can
Something's turning over

Angels setting fire to the ocean
Pirates making liars out of men
No, I don't think we'll ever see their faces
I don't think we'll ever see the end

Something's turning over
You'd better get out while you can
Something's turning over

Get out while you're young

Every now and then I feel them breathing
Moving through the rooms so quietly
And just because you never hear their voices
Don't mean they won't kill you in your sleep

La la la, [etc]

infection

2011-06-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

i am not happy
i have a kidneys infection
apart from the back pain and other maladies
i have a bad case of the blues

blues blues blues

ah [sigh]

after a long day

2011-06-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

i've so busy!!
conference at work all of last week
took over 800 photos of it
made galleries, website
etc. etc. etc.

and tonight
so tired
and these two
look like they've been having a long day
too

Herr Gato, too much mouse playing

Frau Kitty, ready for bed

overcast Sunday at Ocean Beach

2011-06-19T21:20:00.000-07:00

another kind of silence

2011-06-05T14:53:00.000-07:00

there's a certain sadness to finishing a book
a little hole in the heart left
after many afternoons shared
like when an old friend moves away
or when a summer romance ends

i finished Let It Come Down
a couple of days ago
i've been flirting with other new books
fresh projects, of alligators and mysteries
and challenges of over 1,000 pages

but now & then, i wish i hadn't finished
my old book, it was comforting to know
i would read a little of it every day
i knew the characters
but i never knew how the plot
would end...
it's a great book but also it's not the best book
i've read, i just know i miss it

and then i realized
that almost every time i finish a book
i feel the same little sweet pain
the little déjà vu
a subtle melancholy's there

yes, like another short love story
that has come to an end

another kind of silence
Paul Bowles would've said

now to start another romance
to engage page by page

me and death

2011-06-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

i try to forget about her
but she keeps on appearing, everywhere

there's a small young possum dead
trapped under my back door
half body in, half body out
but completely dead

and my neighbor's cat...
and this mysterious pain in my breast

when i breath
when i care
when, for the cats, i search

i keep on being reminded
of how fragile life is
and of the constant menace
she is, always

'cause where there's life
and there's hope
she likes to lurk
to ensnare!

i wish i could
about her, forget
but as soon as i misrecollect her
she comes forth again!

she's a constant threat

please please
oh death!
do go away
i'd like to breath
i'd like to forget

the city and the sea

2011-06-02T07:43:00.000-07:00

on a coldish Sunday of June
i took my friend to the Coronado island
this is the view of San Diego from Coronado

and a smooth electronic song, Deep Blue Sea
written by my best friend (d.j.ix aka perro)
under his musical-pen name Looprication

to go with the imagery

[click on the panorama to see full size]

before and after, the sprawl

2011-05-27T13:52:00.000-07:00

back in 2005 i moved my now-a-days home
it had a little palm up front...
one day, it looked dry, so i watered it
then the next day i watered again...

another day, she looked a little sad
so i put a little plant food
and watered it again

i kept on watering her, at least every other day
&
now the little palm is bigger than the house!

only 5 years have passed
but when i see her magnificent leaves
and seat and read under her shade
i cannot stop from smiling and being thankful
to her, she has grown so tall and big
we take care of each other
that is our plant-human deal

i dedicate to her one of my favorite
Arcade Fire songs, The Sprawl II
the palm does know about sprawling, huh?

They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock,
These days, my life, I feel it has no purpose,
But late at night the feelings swim to the surface.
Cause on the surface the city lights shine,
They're calling at me, "come and find your kind."

Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

We rode our bikes to the nearest park,
Sat under the swings, we kissed in the dark,
We shield our eyes from the police lights,
We run away, but we don't know why,
And like a mirror these city lights shine,
They're screaming at us, "we don't need your kind."

Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
That we can never get away from the sprawl,
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

They heard me singing and they told me to stop,
Quit these pretentious things and just punch the clock.

Sometimes I wonder if the world's so small,
Can we ever get away from the sprawl?
Living in the sprawl,
Dead shopping malls rise like mountains beyond mountains,
And there's no end in sight,
I need the darkness someone please cut the lights.

old dark photo

2011-05-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

last night my neighbor's cat Penny
got sting by a bee
she got into Anaphylactic shock
and almost died

she's still fighting for her
little meowing life

so today is a dark day

but, even if veterinary bills are
over expensive, we hope that she
can see the little at the end of a
very dark tunnel

which reminded me of this very old photo
i took through my dirty window

please say a prayer for little Penny

fluffy cloud and song

2011-05-17T22:54:00.000-07:00

all morning mild rain fell from the sky,
– today
the snails came out to play,
they walked the sidewalks,
bathed again

a little song started to play:
Some songs feel like butter
Some songs sound like cake

later, the sun came out,
scared the snails
and the rain away

but a big fluffy cloud blew
on its yellow face!

and the sun sadly said:
Cry me a river
So I can float over to you
The bearer to deliver the news
I'm over the moon
And underfoot
All these elixirs would be moot

now it is the night
the snails are gone
the sun, and the cloud, también
the little song has finished, oh!

now, is all, again, the same

'Cause if we knew where we belong.
There'd be no doubt where we're from.
But as it stands, we don't have a clue.
Especially me and probably you.

art of photography show

2011-05-10T23:36:00.000-07:00

thinking of submitting two or three old photos
to the Art of Photography Show in San Diego
i don't think i'll win, or maybe?
but it would be great fun to see one of my photos hanging
on an exhibition wall instead of just on a website for a change
exciting!

thinking of these 2
one from this golden Ocean Beach sunset

and the San Diego Bay view from the Cabrillo Monument

and maybe some from Autlán

wish me luck! i have until May 17 to decide...
what do you think? do i have a chance?

3 albums + 1 lovely cat

2011-05-07T21:31:00.000-07:00

i haven't bought music in a while
today i went to M-Theory to pick up
Low's new album C'Mon,
and then i saw Kurt Vile's Childish Prodigy
(i have a tix to see him in July w/Thurston Moore
and been hearing rave reviews...)
and well i didn't have the new Mogwai album either
Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
it's so dangerous to go to record stores

i have plenty of music to listen to
& Frau Kitty seems comfortable with
having 3 cds by her...

here i share with you a couple of songs from
Kurt Vile Blackberry Song

and Heart Attack

and from Low
Try To Sleep

i am going to do that now...

Es gibt manchmal...

2011-05-02T07:18:00.000-07:00

"Es gibt manchmal so viel Schönheit auf der Welt, dass ich sie fast nicht ertragen kann. Und mein Herz droht dann daran zu zerbrechen."

i found this quote from American Beauty (one of my favorite films) written in German, translation:

"Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in."

und... i found this picture from back when it was cool here in San Diego

3/21/2011 at 8:35am

i like taking photos early in the morning, even when it takes me months to post them
beauty on an early morning dirty water pool shows that there is beauty almost anywhere if you look the 'right' way...

Easter

2011-04-25T20:24:00.001-07:00

yesterday was Easter Sunday
my friends m&m shared a wonderful
American Easter Sunday feast
it was a lovely day, thank you!

our dinner of: Ham with pineapples, Macaroni and Cheese,
Mashed potatoes, Green collards, fresh baked rolls,
and pumpkin pie (not photo here)

the ham was so sweet, hope the pork forgives me

Mione's macaroni and cheese were the tastiest surprise
stronger cheese flavor without all the melted cheese
perfectly crunchy!

the nice hosts

Gibby, the 16 year-old nephew-cat

Indio, the lustrous cool cat

Russian Google Doodle

2011-04-25T18:59:00.000-07:00

the other day while taking a look at the most recent
Google Doodles
i came across this Google Doodle from the Russian Google

it is the first Google Doodle i see divided on four parts
arrows & all...
it seems to tell the story about some happy village
then a black big bad wolf, who gets tamed, and they all live
happily ever after, they even have a 'Frau Kitty' heh heh in every drawing

i clicked on the link and the explanation was, well, in Russian

even though most of the Google Doogles have a western & somewhat
'generalized' celebration, it is great to see the more 'regional' ones
like this one...

in case you want to check out more international Google sites
this link provides a list with the links

it's funny to see the Google tabs from the Homepage
spelled in so different character from all these languages
neat!

update:& after clicking on the Google Doodle history i
found out that the Russian Goodle Doodle from April 13
at www.google.ru/
was the 120th of Birthday of Sergey Prokofiev!
so, yes, it's Peter and the Wolf
in 4 doodles, great!

42

2011-04-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

we all already know that 42 is the
"Ultimate Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe, and Everything"
as Deep Thought pointed on
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

but also 42 is the number of Earth years
that i become today...

yeah! already 42 & thankfully for being alive today
and smiling

it has been a 'regular' day
i came to work and even if parties haven't been planned
i did get to eat some birthday cake
my friend Rebecca at work just came back from New York City
and she brought me a little cupcake from the infamous
Magnolia bakery in NYC
that works as my b-day cake today...

i only wish for my life to keep on being this mellow
& good, i have a semi-OK health
but i have a job, semi-OK too, but at least i design there
a lovely mother and family
two terrific furry companions
many wild birds that visit me every morning & evening
a place to practice yoga
and i live in one of the cities with best weather
in the world!

ah also, i have some white hairs already
but no plans to die my hair... not just yet

so i am lucky! and i am 42 too
Happy Birthday to me!

how to film a mocking bird

2011-04-14T07:29:00.000-07:00

on Tuesday i arrived home to the tune
of this lovely bird

i have a bird feeder
mostly visited by mourning doves
blue jays and some elusive singing birds

but on Tuesday, this little guy
was giving us a concert! please listen to him...

now, the movie is bad quality
so while he sung
i grabbed my photo-camera
and photographed him too

and i wasn't the only one
listening, here some of his vivacious public

now, i assume he's a mocking bird
because he sings in so many pretty styles!
but if you reading this know about birds
please let me know if you know what kind he is

also, it would be helpful is you knew...
how to film a mocking bird!

two italian films

2011-04-12T07:50:00.000-07:00

recently i watched two Italian films
my Netflix queue seems to be all about Italy these days...

the first one was a classic film great italian film!
Mafioso

a noir comedy about the Sicilian mafia on the 60's
directed by Alberto Lattuada
who i read was an architect before being a film director
which explains the beautifully framed framed
and the aesthetically timed scenes

it featured Italian star Alberto Sordi
who does an excellent job in this noir comedy
really enjoyable performance!
Mafioso is a hidden jewel, showcasing
every Sicilian and mobster cliche you can think of
but... just when you are about to get tired
of Sicilian old ladies and so much 'baciamo la mano'
(kissing of the hand)
the film offers a superb visual & musical twist...
do not miss it!

the other film is much more contemporary
is a subtle comedy about old age, good food,
wine drinking, all happening in Rome
during Ferragosto...
Pranzo di Ferragosto
or as they called it here
Mid-August Lunch

this film is not a strong film
but it's lovely in its subtlety, it's delightful one!
i watched on a perfect schedule
on my TV at home, during this past warm Sunday
while sipping wine and preparing a late snack
this is a perfect setting for this film
you don't want to watch this film late at night
you want to watch it on a light warm day
while sipping wine (believe me you'll want some)
and with a light snack, at least...

Pranzo di Ferragosto or Mid-August Lunch
is one of those little films that probably you'll forget
and that sometimes seems pointless but just like
a good magazine article, it will keep you fulfilled
while you watch... and it will make you smile
many times... lovely little film
great film for an outdoor summer day...

the return of the Literary Gato

2011-03-31T07:28:00.000-07:00

Herr Gato favorites another book

now he's been cuddling on my Paul Bowles'
Let It Come Down copy
that is a very entertaining reading
rather dark with long existential passages
written under the influence of kief

i am afraid Herr Gato's getting
a little high himself with all these Moroccan
adventures & dark characters that Bowles creates...
i mean those big dark dilated pupils are not a natural thing
i say...

he likes good books! remember?

paths upon which travel occurs (mine in this case)

2011-03-21T07:30:00.000-07:00

Normal Heights sidewalk

Los Angeles Metro, subway system

the great white ocean

2011-03-20T13:25:00.000-07:00

i've been away from the blog
for too long
days are busy, tiring
Herr Gato got into a fight
lots of vets visits, compresses
no yoga, stress at work
but the saddest, the Japanese news
and now Libya and so on
so little humans, we struggle, we do
but from the pain comes art, and inspiration
and survival, and love
this little song about death, about love
to the victims of Japan and all earthquakes
i dedicate with love

Swim with me my mama when I die
In the ocean of death I will cry
If I am not with my family
You could be my friend eternally

Swim with me my Sister when I die
In the great white ocean we must try
Try to find a way that we can see
See each others faces in the sea

Swim with me my Brother when I die
I don't ever want to say good-bye
If you do go first or if it's me
Oh my darling brother, swim with me

Swim to me my Father when I die
Please remember Father, we must try
Try not to forget our family
Oh my darling Father, rescue me

Google Earth's picture of Japan after the quake

a related book

After the Quake by Haruki Murakami

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

View all my reviews

Monday's lively clouds

2011-02-28T12:08:00.000-08:00

hola dear blog
i haven't written on you for so long
a lot has happened,
but yet nothing really at all...
i went to L.A., back & forth
i worked, i rested
i inhaled, and exhaled,
i did both

and here another Monday on a calendar
the pages of time come & go
as my little life seems to float on
nights, and days,
lunches, dinners,
walking, sleeping, smiling, crying, and so on

but these lovely clouds
fidgety at their best
as time, they don't stop
but i capture them with the camera 'cause

Monday morning clouds, oh so why not?
and then click on publish post

my first stare at the sea in 2011

2011-02-22T18:51:00.001-08:00

Monday was my during-the-week day off
i love to have a day off during the week
it was cold but sunny, so i grabbed my sweater
my book, and my orange tennis shoes
and drove to Mission bay
here some waves playing to a Brian Eno's song

can't wait for my next day off
nothing like reading and seating at the beach

the treacherous art of keeping it simple

2011-02-08T23:02:00.000-08:00

“I am convinced, both by faith and experience, that to maintain one’s self on this earth is not a hardship but a pastime, if we live simply and wisely…”
–Henry David Thoreau

i came across this quote at my yoga studios' blog

http://www.pilgrimageyoga.com/blog/living-simply/

it's accompanied by a wise comment by sujantra
(the founder of the studio)
he writes:
"So often our society sends us the the message that life has problems that only more complexity and machinery can solve. Oh, how wrong our society may be. To find out for yourself try living a little more simply and wisely and see how it feels… my bet is with Thoreau!"

and then i remember this another quote about simplicity that i keep in my refrigerator
i cut it from a tea box, and every time i feel i am making things 'complicated'
i go back and read it... from my fridge to your screen

and now try to keep it simple
it's hard but worth it

Art Project by Google

2011-02-03T19:23:00.000-08:00

i much rather see art live
nothing like the textures, the real colors
of a beloved painting
but since i doubt i'll make it any time soon
to the Museum Kampa in Prague Czech Republic

i find the Art Project by Google
quiet outstanding!
a little preview of how you navigate through the galleries
of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

here's the The Cathedral, František Kupka from the Kampa

if you have a beloved piece of art, i'd recommend you to go
and search for it at the Art Project
and the sigh of relief and smile of happiness

also, have a terrific weekend full of colors and art

the stars of San Diego sky

2011-02-01T21:29:00.000-08:00

it's good to step out and watch the stars

Kelly did it too and Air wrote a song of that

i love San Diego starry skies!

the last one of january

2011-01-31T22:18:00.001-08:00

ah! these days
the beginnings
the endings
the time
the work
the routine
the days
ah! these days
they are so strange
and then again, the same
the life
this static adventure
that moves fast
and the feels like it stopped

and a song
and january is gone
of 2011
every second is of it, is gone
is less

and the sounds
and the time spent
with eyes closed at home
or bored of stress behind a desk
where we type tiny black letters
that never make sense

more action! less tears!
from pretty little lighting paw

tiny black letters
to mark how lived in this Earth

Ghalab El Hawa, ginger snaps, and chardonnay

2011-01-25T21:47:00.000-08:00

i started writing this last night
and then i didn't finished it
i miss my blog, i miss my life
i miss my mom, and sure going to miss my boss!

this January really started with some core changes to my life
my boss of 6, almost 7 years, that btw, has been my best friend
of 10 years, is quitting the job
tomorrow is his last day, and even if he's a fair person
and doesn't let me get away with 'bad' behavior at work
surely it has been great to have your best friend as boss

now all will change, i am on my own in this company
i know the co-workers very well now, and most of them
are really nice and understandable people, yet
being a small non-profit company we tend to be
a bit on the disorganized side

oh well...

and then i miss my mom like hell
she was here with me for a bit over a month
she was sooo much help! she took care of the Gatos
of the food, of the cleaning, and was always waiting
for me with a warm plate of home re-friend beans
and whole grain bread and tortillas
and a hot cup of rooibos tea

i've always been a fairly independent person
i am much of a loner, and i always had some
sort of trouble towards authoritative figures

and now... i cannot believe i am missing
my mom, and my boss

oh well, life does change

so last night i was curing myself
by drinking little sips of cheap chardonnay
accompanied of ginger snaps while listening
to this moody Iranian (?) song
Ghalab El Hawa

and contemplating some photos of my mom
i took in December, like this one where she's holding
a San Francisco de Asis photography book

those were the times!
now, only 1 month later, all has changed

floatingsheep: Internet access as a human right

2011-01-18T20:00:00.000-08:00

very interesting article regarding something that encumbers you
as you are on the internet right now, huh?
floatingsheep: Internet access as a human right:
"Five countries have now declared internet access as a fundamental human right.
Four of these countries are in Europe (Estonia, Finland, Fra..."

Pulse by Julian Barnes, coming soon yet

2011-01-14T07:43:00.000-08:00

yet yet not soon enough
Julian Barnes is one of my preferred authors
i love his cleverness and subtle graceful sarcasm
i've read a couple of his books
the wonderful collection of short stories
The Lemon Table
his 'tour de France' Flaubert's Parrot

one of my favorite novels ever
Arthur & George
based on a real-life case of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's life

with every book, Barnes keeps his voice and talent flawless
yet every books is so different from the other one

truly a genius of our now-a-days literature

his new collection of short stories, Pulse
is already being read in England
it won't be published here in the US until May 2011
but that is OK, i still have one of his books in
my bookshelf waiting to be read
Nothing to Be Frightened Of

so i won't be frightened of not having enough Barnes book to read
and i will wait patiently for the next...

in the meantime i am actually reading this other book
Room by Emma Donoghue
a dark dark tale, but more on that later

TIME magazine's best blogs of 2010

2011-01-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

oh my! we have competition
some very interesting blogs listed here

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1999770_1999761,00.html

the first one has to be about birds

2011-01-04T15:49:00.000-08:00

finally the first post of the year!

sharing the good things of the last & few new days
like the little view from our table at the
Fish Market's Top of the Market
restaurant, where my mom & i
celebrated our New Year's Eve dinner
wonderful view with excellent food

and this 'ambiance' tune courtesy
of one of my preferred musicians
mister Brian Eno, Emerald And Stone from his new album
[one of my Christmas gifts]
Small Craft On A Milk Sea

and a little poem by Emily Dickinson
and the row of mourning doves
waiting for me to fill the feeder

and i can only hope that this year is
full of birds, and lovely sounds,
and good food, great views, and
good loving company
for all of you, and for me...

A Bird came down the Walk (328)

A Bird came down the Walk—
He did not know I saw—
He bit an Angleworm in halves
And ate the fellow, raw,

And then he drank a Dew
From a convenient Grass—
And then hopped sidewise to the Wall
To let a Beetle pass—

He glanced with rapid eyes
That hurried all around—
They looked like frightened Beads, I thought—
He stirred his Velvet Head

Like one in danger, Cautious,
I offered him a Crumb
And he unrolled his feathers
And rowed him softer home—

Than Oars divide the Ocean,
Too silver for a seam—
Or Butterflies, off Banks of Noon
Leap, plashless as they swim.

by Emily Dickinson

the last post of the year

2010-12-31T09:54:00.000-08:00

A Happy New Year 2011
Ein glückliches neues Jahr 2011!
Un Feliz Año Nuevo 2011

is my wish to you all

this morning San Diego is beautifully sunny and cold
the city smiled at us once again with its golden smile
this has been a good year
as i feel my years have been lately in spite of it all
no matter if sick, mad, tired, or broke
lately i enjoy more of life
of the enjoy of being alive
so i hope i can share with you this feeling
of no matter what being thankful for being alive

i hope 2011 brings you peace, health, love, and plenty
of smiles, even if those silly ones that your mouth draws
without an apparent reason, those are the best

this morning, i took this close-up of a mourning dove
she wasn't mourning but getting ready to celebrate the beginning
of a new year in our lives!

A Happy New Year 2011
Ein glückliches neues Jahr 2011!
Un Feliz Año Nuevo 2011

hope to see you around here next year!

and a little boy was born

2010-12-27T20:00:00.000-08:00

i was raised as a catholic
and even though my behavior inclines
more towards the sinner side than to the
holiness and respect of church and catholic rules
i do feel a profound respect for Jesus Christ
not so much for the church institution yet...

i don't question myself if he's the "one"
our "savior" or just another "prophet"
but i sure know he was one of the 'coolest' men
on Earth ever, and has influenced our culture
more than most historical characters

and sure why not? deep in my heart
when i struggle, i find myself, even to my own surprise
repeating his name

yes! i admire him and i am thankful to be able to celebrate
his birthday, that winter day when a little boy was born
to change the face of Earth

happy birthday little baby Jesus and
Merry Christmas to you all!

one of my favorite Christmas songs
by one of my favorite bands is this little song about
offering the little that you have in life with all
the love you can, just like this drummer boy
that has nothing else to offer but his drum playing

& also here my little Nativity scene
"Nacimiento" as we call it in Spanish
for days i've been so busy, & i keep on procrastinating
on decorating the little card-stock box that holds it
but about a week ago, i realized Jesus taught humility
so what can be more humble than a card-stock box
with some Mexican crafts representing the scene?

i am glad this year i placed my Nativity scene
and was able to share these cozy days with
my beloved mother and my two cats

¡Feliz Navidad!

i started writing this on December 24
but didn't add the photo until now
as usual, am a little late
hope you are having a good ending of 2010

wishlist 2010, item 3, Nadav Kander's Yangtze – The Long River

2010-12-22T22:41:00.000-08:00

my third wish list item for this year's list
is yet another beautiful book
Nadav Kander: Yangtze, The Long River

this is a wish that might come true next year
depending on my economical situation
the book is not that expensive, but is not out yet in the US
actually, i would love to only be able to watch
the wonderful prints, more than even own the book

here some information on photographer Nadav Kander
and his website http://www.nadavkander.com/

The Guardian UK has a very interesting review of the book
"The river," writes Kander, "is embedded in the consciousness of the Chinese, even for those who live thousands of miles from it. It plays a significant role in the spiritual and physical life of the people."
read the whole article here

and to see some of the beautiful prints
visit this site
http://www.prixpictet.com/2009/view/605

now if you feel compelled to send this book as a
Christmas or New Year's gift for your friend blogger here
please send me an e-mail and i will send you back
my mailing address ;)

Christmas is almost here! and i still believe in Santa
i've been a good woman all year, so this book and the other
wishes from the list, might just appear at my doorstep
on Christmas morning, eh?

just like Christmas

2010-12-14T23:25:00.000-08:00

enjoying these little Christmas chores:
writing cards for friends

Herr Gato playing with a little Rosemary tree

and listening to modern Christmas songs
from this lovely Low Christmas album

and so far this Christmas feels
yep, just like Christmas...

arbolito de Navidad, the little Christmas tree

2010-12-07T21:48:00.000-08:00

my same old little Christmas tree
has been up for a couple of days now
Frau Kitty enjoys the Christmas spirit

and i found a Herr Gato's ornament!

but sadly, Herr Gato doesn't seem to be touched
by the kindness of Christmas
he killed yet another mouse...
somethings never change {ah sigh...}

i hope you enjoy a little Christmas too!
hanging a little ornament or two
is always a good thing
and don't follow psychokiller Gato's example!

wishlist 2010, item 2, A History of the World in 100 Objects book

2010-12-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

this book is my 2nd item of the wishlist

A History of the World in 100 Objects
by Neil MacGregor, who has been Director of the British Museum since 2002

an incredible book based on the BBC radio show

(which i haven't listened to but sound wonderful)

here a review of the book

and more information about this exciting

compilation of the objects that have made us humans

do click on these samples of pages

they look better on bigger resolution

Synopsis from Penguin Books
A chipped stone that was one of the first things ever made by human hands; a clay tablet telling the story of the great flood centuries before the Bible; a broken hunter's spear dropped by one of the earliest settlers in America; a hoard of gold abandoned in the Wars of the Roses ... every object tells a story.

Neil MacGregor's radio series A History of the World in 100 Objects has been a unique event that has set a new benchmark for public service broadcasting in the UK and across the world. This book will be the tie-in to that event, faithfully reproducing the scripts describing the objects that made us who we are, with pictures of the objects themselves, as they were discussed in each episode. It will also be a kaleidoscopic book of history that tells the story of human civilization in an unprecedented way.

and why i keep this wonderful book as a wish
and not go ahead and buy it??
well, it's too big, and sort of expensive
and i don't have much space at home for bigger books anymore
nor much money, and what if i have to move next year?
will be another thing to drag
but i am looking forward to seeing it 'live'
with a good cup of coffee at Borders or Barnes & Noble soon

wishlist 2010

2010-11-24T07:05:00.000-08:00

Wired magazined published the wishlist 2010
plenty of neat items
i already want item #1 of their list!
this lovely Hario V60 Buono Kettle
stylish, so pretty!

but i already have a kettle, so i won't buy it
nor request it
but i like the wishlist idea
i will keep on adding items from here to December
that i wish i had, but chances are i won't get
as gifts, nor i will buy
so they will always be that: wishes...

for once i will be unlike most Americans
i will wish, but not attempt to posses
only on the blog as pictures
very much like the lovely blog of our german lady friend
Geisslein, who updates every day her blog
with lovely images, stylish rooms, and products

Lennon days

2010-11-22T21:55:00.000-08:00

yesterday watched Lennon Naked
this British documentary at PBS' Contemporary Masterpiece
interesting but nothing like tonight's edition
of American Masters
Lennon NYC, hope you are watching or watch too

amazing story, great interviews, Yoko included
of John's time in NYC and LA

what a wonderful man he was!
all genius, so sincere, what a big heart

Watch the full episode. See more American Masters.

Lennon on Sunday
Lennon on Monday
i could take it all days of all months
of all weeks

der Regen ist la Lluvia when it rains

2010-11-21T14:27:00.000-08:00

masculine in German
feminine in Spanish
neutral auf Englisch

he/she/it has been installed in San Diego
for the weekend

la Lluvia

der Regen

& it rains rains rains

under construction

2010-11-16T23:16:00.000-08:00

as my little life seems always to be
be be be, and then it bes again

[this photo="" from="" across="" my="" street=""][/this]

and a song to accompany the mood, sure thing!
another Arcade Fire, the Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)

this to honor the always-under-construction
neighborhood of my heart & souls
as it goes:

And if the snow buries my,
my neighborhood.
And if my parents are crying
then I’ll dig a tunnel
from my window to yours,
yeah a tunnel from my window to yours.
You climb out the chimney
and meet me in the middle,
the middle of town.
And since there’s no one else around,
we let our hair grow long
and forget all we used to know,
then our skin gets thicker
from living out in the snow.

You change all the lead
sleepin’ in my head,
as the day grows dim
I hear you sing a golden hymn.

Then we tried to name our babies,
but we forgot all the names that,
the names we used to know.
But sometimes, we remember our bedrooms,
and our parent’s bedrooms,
and the bedrooms of our friends.
Then we think of our parents,
well what ever happened to them?!

You change all the lead
sleepin’ in my head to gold,
as the day grows dim,
I hear you sing a golden hymn,
the song I’ve been trying to say.

Purify the colors, purify my mind.
Purify the colors, purify my mind,
and spread the ashes of the colors
over this heart of mine!

they are coming!

2010-11-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

Mysterious Missile Launch Off California Coast

WASHINGTON - Whatever it was, it didn't represent a threat to the United States.

That's according to a statement from the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, about what appeared to be a missile launched Monday off the coast of Southern California.

The agency says there was no launch by any foreign military.

U.S. military officials say they're looking into a video that appears to show an object shooting across the sky and leaving a large vapor trail.

A Pentagon spokesman says nobody has been able to explain what the vapor trail is, or what caused it. He says "all indications" are that the Defense Department wasn't involved, and that it might have been created by something flown by a private company.

Missile tests are common off Southern California, from vessels and platforms. Normally, they would require notification so mariners and pilots could be warned.

A KCBS news helicopter crew captured footage late Monday of what appeared to be a missile in the sky northwest of Catalina Island. The video shows a point of light moving through the sky followed by a contrail, similar to a missile being launched.

"We're looking into it," said Ian Gregor of the Federal Aviation Administration. "We did not approve of any commercial launches in that area Monday."

The North American Aerospace Defense Command and the United States Northern Command issued a statement saying federal authorities were aware of the "unexplained contrail."

"At this time, we are unable to provide specific details, but we are working to determine the exact nature of this event," according to the statement. "We can confirm that there is no threat to our nation and from all indications this was not a launch by a foreign military. We will provide more information as it becomes available."

Officials at Vandenberg Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Point Mugu told the Los Angeles Times they were not responsible for the launch.

Sherlock's chic scarf

2010-11-08T22:27:00.000-08:00

i've never been a fashionista
& these days i wear mostly clothes
i either found on sale and
that don't make me look too fat...
sadly, my fashion sense has been pretty neglected

but as i watched the 3rd episode of Sherlock
which was a dark, more involved plot one
i realized, i am in love with Sherlock's scarf

it looks so soft, but the kind of softness that
comes with use, just like the patina developed
by the 400-year-of-use teapots from episode 2
The Blind Banker...

so trying to find out more about Sherlock's scarf
i did what any pertinent person does these days
i googled it! and what's my surprise
i am not the only one with a passion
for the scarf, the coat, 'Dr. Watson's' look,
or Sherlock's coat neck wear up!
there's even a new fashion-term
Sherlock chic!

check for yourself
on the Sherlocking Forums
http://www.sherlocking.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=12&start=0
and this article at the Independent

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/sherlock-chic-fashion-its-elementary-thanks-to-bbc-2046500.html

so if you see a scarf like the one he's wearing above
please let me know where
i want one, and who knows?
maybe i'll even start 'deducing' stuff myself too

unlikely friends

2010-11-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

my friend mione sent me this
a perfect Sunday morning story
the lovely story of an unlikely friendship
between animals, just see

it's a colder but sunny fall morning in San Diego
a quiet Sunday with cats & friends

love for the printed book

2010-11-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

oh! i will have to get this one for my little library...

Bound to Last: 30 Writers On Their Most Cherished Book
by (Editor) Sean Manning; (Foreword) Ray Bradbury
PUBLISHER
Da Capo Press
©2010
ISBN-10 030681921x
ISBN-13 9780306819216
FORMAT Paperback
From Strand Bookstore

An array of writers come to the passionate defense of the printed book with spirited, never-before-published essays celebrating the hardcover or paperback that matters most to them - not necessarily because of its content, but because of the significance it holds for them as a one-of-a-kind, irreplaceable object. Includes original essays by, among others: Ray Bradbury, Francine Prose, David Hajdu, Wells Tower, Julia Glass. 288p.
Editor Sean Manning appears @STRAND BOOKSTORE >>November 3>>7pm - 8pm.

politics

2010-11-02T22:08:00.000-07:00

i always disliked politics

but as i grow older

i understand the responsibilities of a good citizen

and i appreciate the freedom to vote

so i went out and voted

as i've done for a long time now

as i write this Jerry Brown is being

declared as the new Democratic Governor

of California, i celebrate 'cause he was my choice

let's see how this goes for California

oh poor beautiful state!

while waiting for elections results

i had to distract myself with something

Herr Gato and his politic views helped!

and Herr Gato is much better looking than Jerry too!

little Halloween

2010-10-31T21:00:00.000-07:00

this year i had a very little Halloween

just a couple of quick placed lights

and only 1 group of trick or treaters...

but it was a good day

hope you had a spooky one too!

getting ready to watch the new Sherlock

as i type...

la pantera rosa

2010-10-29T23:16:00.000-07:00

the pink panther doesn't have voices in English

but in Spanish, they talked the signs in English

translated in Spanish, this the Pink Panther

i grew up watching...

sunny again

2010-10-27T11:22:00.001-07:00

after many cloudy & rainy days, it's sunny San Diego again... posting from my $5 old mobile

the new Sherlock

2010-10-25T08:07:00.000-07:00

i haven't been so excited about a TV show
i think since i was a teenager
and since i was teenager too
i've been enamored & have been a big fan
of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's creation
Sherlock Holmes

really, i remember being 10 or 11 years old
and having to stay home sick with a cold
feverish and head-achy, but happy 'cause i would have
the chance to read Las Aventuras de Sherlock Holmes
[i read it in Spanish] instead of going to school

he's always been at the top of the all the mysteries
books i've read, he's always been my inspiration
for science and deduction
in a way, he has spoiled every man for me
'cause i've never found somebody as intelligent
nor dark but still righteous as he is

since long, i've been in love with Sherlock Holmes

and that's why these new series, of Sherlock
re-incarnated for the 21st century, had me a little nervous
sure! i was excited to see him again, on a new actor
but also i was afraid

through the years, i've suffered disappointments
regarding the actors playing Sherlock
probably the saddest, but expected horror
was the last Hollywood version of Sherlock with
Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock, i like Robert
but i HATED the movie, so far from what Sherlock really is

one of my most admired impersonations of Sherlock
has been by Jeremy Brett, he was brilliant as the
'old' Sherlock

Jeremy Brett as Sherlock Holmes

an even older, but great too, was Basil Rathbone
a classy old image of Sherlock

Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes

but on the 'new 21st century' Sherlock
mister Benedict Cumberbatch is definitively
a joy to watch, he distills intelligence, logic,
freakishness, and a great deal of fun,
he's even funny!
the chemistry between him and Martin Freeman
as Dr. John Watson is something spectacular too
also i loved how the really important character
of Dr. Watson recovers his place on these series
in so many he has been overshadowed by Sherlock...

the adaptation of the plots to our times
is rather intelligent too, Sherlock, so fond
of telegrams on his days, now sends text messages on the phone
the carriages have been replaced by cabs
and instead of Sherlock deducing Watson's life
by watching his pocket watch, this time he analyzes
his cellphone

i truly enjoyed the show last night
it is fast paced, clever, super-clever i must say
the acting and settings are superb &...
it was a lot of fun!
like TV is supposed to be!

Benedict Cumberbatch & Martin Freeman play Holmes & Watson

can't wait to see again
mister Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock Holmes
and Martin Freeman asDr. John Watson
if i were to meet them in person
i'd shake their hands and say thank you!

for more reviews and information visit these sites

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2010/oct/21/masterpiece-mystery-sherlock-study-pink/

http://www.ology.com/screen/sherlock-review

http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/sherlock-a-review-of-a-study-in-pink-pbs-masterpiece-mystery/

[update]
on this link, you can find ALL the actors
who have played Sherlock Holmes
http://thenostalgialeague.yuku.com/topic/2392
Benedict Cumberbatch needs to be added to the list

the hawk is back & the sun smells too loud

2010-10-23T16:31:00.000-07:00

the hawk who visits my alley is back

is planning to eat some of these little guys

reminds me of Mogwai's album The Hawk is Howling
and from it, this little lovely track the sun smells too loud

the weekend is here
i hope you enjoy it, and so your life

i despise

2010-10-21T17:42:00.000-07:00

drivers who:

1. do NOT use their turn signals (blinkers, directional lights, whatever you want to call them but PLEASE use them before you change lanes or are about to turn left or right)

2. talk on their stupid cellphone while driving, or even worse, those who text!

3. do NOT give preference to pedestrians, c'mon! you are driving a metal beast, a person walking has all the disadvantages, at least let them go first!

4. desperate, impatience drivers, i used to be a super-fast driver, i still drive fast, but i hate those drivers that are rushing by all the time, even if you are great driver, speed makes everything worse, i've learned by experience

i despise many drivers, but somehow these are the ones i despise the most
and yes! at number 1 are the turn signals denial ones, strangely these are the ones i despise the most!

the darn blinkers are there, the controller so close to your steering wheel!
it takes about 2 seconds to turn your signal, and it's such a courtesy to other drivers
do indicate if you are going right of left, don't be lazy and an idiot!

as you can read, i have a strong opinion about it...

El Secreto de sus ojos

2010-10-16T00:07:00.000-07:00

I've heard about this film a lot
good opinions, and great recommendations,
won the Oscar to best foreign film
and I knew Argentinian films are great,
this one is excellent!

El Secreto de sus Ojos

Mesmerizing, really
you get into the, as i read somewhere,
byzantine plot that interlaces
an unresolved crime with a love story
mixing past time & present
sometimes complex and always elegant script
the photography, the acting
the witty, poetic, and at times,
very funny dialogs, make of it
a complete film, i'd say a masterpiece

it's very well-done in every aspect
without expensive effects, but very classy resources

i'd love to watch more films by this director

i have the lovely advantage
of being a native Spanish speaker
so the fast spoken Argentinian accent
and the 'boludo' slang
weren't a problem but rather a delight

The secret in their eyes

i recommend you that if you need subtitles
do keep the sound in Spanish, there's a lot
to the acting that makes this film

i read a bit of the English subtitles when I was done
i was curious!, and even if they are not literal
[they said: "damn you!"
when is Spanish were saying: "que me cago en ti, boludo."
that is more like, i shit on you, asshole...
which is a common, even if very rude, thing to say in Argentina
in Mexico we have other insults]
this film is worth watching even in its native language

so, highly recommendable!
one of the best murder thrillers I've seen in a while
and a soulful love story

la fotografía y el internet

2010-10-14T18:13:00.000-07:00

my very first love with the internet
was photography, yeah! digital, scanned
film, whatever, but images capturing still
a moving life
my most frequented site was 23hq.com
and somehow has been left behind
the silly Facebook, the blog, those more
instantly rewarding sites have kept me away
from doing more photography
also 'cause i have more limited time
and i have already too many times
photographed my front yard and my chubby cats
i feel i've become repetitive on themes
'cause i don't have much time left on the day
to go out and chase photographs

but anyway, it was refreshing to post
a couple of photos, all 35mm film
taken with my old Nikkormat camera
most taken with black & white film
an iso 100 film Kodak T-Max TMX

i really hope i get myself to photograph more
(i do photograph plenty but i don't post)
but also to do from more interesting themes
that my doorstep, my poor cats, who probably
think i am a Cat-paparazzi, and all the food i eat...

OK less blah and here are the images

the length of the days

2010-10-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

i wish the days were longer
not like in the summer
but like 15 hours longer
making them each 27 hours long

i wish i had to work only 1/4 of that time
and have the rest of the day free
to stare at the clouds, and their capricious shapes
i wish i had 3 hours each morning to make breakfast
to slowly drink café

i wish i could play from 5 to 6 hours with each cat
every day & i wish to embrace a long book
without worrying about this time i waste

i wish to go for a 248 mile walk
without interruptions nor shortness of breath

i wish my life was long
not 70 years or so but
i wish i could live to a 300
with no sickness and no remorse

for the nights
i wish them to still be short
full of colorful dreams and not waking up
by asthma attacks or nightmares or burglars
or sirens of cops or firemen or choppers above

i wish my days were long enough
but sadly, they are not

Monday's gray & House's blue

2010-10-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

clouds of steel &
mild's the rain

this Monday's gray!

fits the mood for
this House of Leaves
to read again

House of Leaves
Mark Z. Danielewski
an old review

re-reading this claustrophobic book

a haunted house's story
horror enclosed on the lay out
the word House always in blue
and other rather experimental fiction
examples of layout, typography,
and footnotes, a whole different narrative
gives you a second novel here
some photo-examples of the book

the cover, smaller than the rest of the book

not all the book has this lay-out but was the story
goes deeper, so the formatting

photos, polaroids, drawings, letter, and poems
complete the book, various Appendixes and an Index too

diagonal printing

and then more clastrophobia on semi-used pages
with XXX's and some with only 1 word...

if you like experimental fiction, give it a try
the story is good...

explosions in the sky

2010-09-30T17:48:00.000-07:00

we've been having pretty strange weather in San Diego
Monday we broke record heat, it was 95°F (35°C) inside my house!!
the poor Gatos and myself were melting...
Tuesday was a little cooler
Wednesday the humidity started gathering in the shape
of wonderful fluffy clouds!!
reminiscent of a wonderful band
Explosions in the Sky

here a sample of their wonderful cinematic music
click on the name to listen to the mp3 on their site
song: Your Hand in Mine
from their 2003 album: "The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place"

i took these photos as i was leaving the office

[click on the photo to see the full size panorama]

today Thursday, we've been having a show off of
thunderstorms and erratic rain
wonder what's in for tomorrow...
Antonio Vivaldi would be happy here this week
4 seasons, one every day of the week

Muse, heute Abend

2010-09-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

i have been sadly away from here
too much work
my cousin visiting
too much reading
etc., etc., etc...

but tonight, i escape and go see live Muse
i don't really know the latest albums from these English guys
but i remember back in 1999, i used to get goosebumps
with their 1st album Showbiz
tonight i see them live for the first time in my life
here in San Diego

Showbiz from Showbiz to blog about...

rock out with this falsetto 'cause
the power of rock music never dies

2010-09-21T12:57:00.001-07:00

been away from my blog for too long, (posting this from my cell)

The vanishing of Katharina Linden

2010-09-07T23:13:00.001-07:00

a couple of Twitter fellows organized and declared September 7
as the National Buy A Book Day

i didn't know this until later that night
yet... on September 7 and after my visit to the bookstore
on Sunday Sept.5 i decided to go back and buy the 2nd book
that called my attention that day
I was thankful to have bought it on Sept. 7
therefore being part of the National movement of supporting
books and dying bookstores

the book is The Vanishing of Katharina Linden

this book sounds so appealing to me
i am like an old lady, and i've been like that since i was 12 years old
i loooove mysteries! and the quirkiest they are
the more i like them

i think my love with mysteries started with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's
Sherlock Holmes, and also with the Edgar Allan Poe short horror stories
which i started reading around age 10
since then, my love for books has evolved, i like to read other
kind of fiction too, i love classic books, and now & then
i will grab a non-fiction book... yet...

Mysteries are my favorites!

this book sounds perfect for me, a mix of fairy tales,
a haunted German town, and school stories
also, it was many words in German, so i can practice my German
the book and writer are British but the location is in Germany
the small town of Bad Münstereifel

and love how the characters are named
Oma Kristel, Onkel Thomas, Tante Britta, etc.
ah! the kids like very much to say Scheiße!

here a video-review of the book

can't wait to read more!

day off, book in

2010-09-07T22:10:00.000-07:00

yesterday i was off work, it was the Labor day holiday
i like these days off to have long/late breakfasts and to read!
and in spite of having so many books to read
i went on Sunday to get yet another one...

i was undecided between two books
but i made up my mind and got this one
[see photo below]
since lately i don't seem to have the time
nor the frame of mind to read a whole book
these European short stories sounded like a good deal

i've read already the 1st one
an Albanian story, hilarious and rather good
then i read the 2nd one, from Austria
rather strange dreams... even more strange literature

i am glad i am getting into the obscure though...

here a review
http://www.theworld.org/2009/12/05/world-books-review-best-european-fiction-2010/

the tea? ah! Rooibos!

pre-Labor day burgers & the fading of the Summer

2010-09-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

i have mostly cut red meat from my diet
but when Sunday night my friend perro & his lovely wife m (m&m)
invited me to have some hamburgers, knowing perro's dedication
and detail to food, i gladly accepted...

so may the cows and pigs forgive me but i ate one of these!
delicious grilled hamburgers made of grass-fed beef
with bacon, grated Gruyere cheese, spicy guacamole,
tomatoes, and served on his own baked kaiser rolls

all made from scratch!

delicious stuff! the finished product below, before i munched it down

now the 3 day weekend is coming to an end
and that melancholy that belongs to Sunday nights
now it's here on a Monday of Labor day
i am glad to have a job, but i would love a couple of extra days off

Labor day marks the end of the Summer
although we barely had a summer here in San Diego
only a handful of days it was hot, most days were cool and some nights
were very cold, i personally prefer cool temperatures
so i was delighted, but the absence of heat made the summer fade faster

today was unusually coldish, gray, and windy, it felt
like the Autumn and having had a Holiday
i ended up thinking of Christmas!!

and to celebrate the end of my summer
which is always wasted, a lovely song
A Summer Wasting by Belle & Sebastian
from one of my most listened albums The Boy with the Arab Strap

Summer in winter,
Winter in springtime,
You heard the birds sing:
Everything will be fine.

I spent the summer wasting,
The time was passed so easily.
But if the summer's wasted
How come that I could feel so free?
I spent the summer wasting,
The sky was blue beyond compare.
A photograph of myself
Is all I have to show for
~A Summer Wasting, Belle & Sebastian

una foto y una canción: neighborhood & kettles

2010-09-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

a photo and a song
ein Bild und ein Lied
una foto y una canción

"I am waitin’ ’til I don’t know when,
cause I’m sure it’s gonna happen then.
Time keeps creepin’ through the neighborhood,
killing old folks, wakin’ up babies just like we knew it would..."
~Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles), Arcade Fire

i love this song!
and to illustrate it
a couple of old pictures i took from my neighborhood
and my kettles....

this house is haunted

2010-08-30T23:43:00.000-07:00

i am in love with these illustrations by
Byron Eggenschwiler

This house is haunted
diesem Haus spukt es
Esta casa está embrujada

you can more of his work here

the last Saturday of August

2010-08-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

this past Saturday good feeling
lined up for me
i went back to yoga after almost 3 weeks...
it was great to stretch the body, the mind
and overall, the soul
later....
i had lunch at my favorite bakery
Bread & Cie, a roasted eggplant & feta cheese sandwich

i never saw the bottom of the paper bags, lovely motto!

later i went to pick up some film photos 35mm
that i took a while ago with my old Nikkormat
a 1972 Japanese camera
here a sample, even if digital cameras are so convenient
i still love the feel of a developed film, the grain
the texture, the contrasts, there are somethings that
technology cannot fool

to top my lovely Saturday, i went to the movies!
i used to go to the movies so often before
these days i watch more DVDs or movies on my computer
just like with cameras, nothing tops the rush of watching
a movie on the big screen...

now it's Monday and i had to work
the memories of that lovely day are just that
memories, and a post on the blog now... ah sighs...

i choose Christopher Nolan's Inception
as i wrote on Facebook:
from the strange, brilliant, and confusing mind of Christopher Nolan, i watched Inception tonight... as i tweeted, you'll either love it or will get a strong headache... if you like Christopher Nolan films, watch Following, his 1st film, noir noir and probably still the best one, Inception is pretty close too, i personally liked it