floatingsheep: Internet access as a human right

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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