I am in the library at the facultad writing my essay on Lorca's La casa de Bernarda Alba. I wish it would just write itself, as I have no motivation to do it. At least I am sitting in front of a big window and I can look outside and see the Coca-Cola building that overlooks Plaça Universitat on the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes. There aren't a lot of people in here in the library, or at the faculty, because mostly everyone has cleared out for the holidays. I hear the rain gently falling outside, and it would be completely peaceful if it wasn't for the ambulances that parade down the Gran Via every few hours. Oh, the woes of living in a metropolis.
Nonetheless, I like just hanging around Barcelona when I have nothing to do (except that I have a lot to do in terms of essays and reading). It's been around 37 degrees and rainy here. The chill snaps you in the ass when you're walking, you're hands are constantly wet from holding your damn umbrella, and my apartment is so chilly that I have to pile on layers of clothes and stand by the stove every now and then to reignite some of my own body heat. All the same, I enjoy it. I'll be in France in a few days where I'll experience the type of cold that I'm supposed to be "used to" from living in Illinois. Well let me tell you something, being cold is never something that you ever really get "used to," but it's something that you get better at handling, I suppose. Anyway, back to the essay... That is, if I can focus.
Right now I just want to see Paris under the snow.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Cuquina
Yesterday I spent 20 minutes of my life cleaning dog shit from the bottom of my shoe. Thank you, Cuquina, for giving me such a wonderful Christmas present. We all give gifts within our own capacities and it's always nice to know when someone is thinking of you.
(My camera makes it look like Cuquina is a ghost dog. See how her tail is disappearing?)
Cuquina is a stylin' pooch. As you can see she wears sweaters to keep her warm in the winter. I'd say she is better dressed than some people. All of her sweaters look like something that you could buy for yourself or your small child from Zara. For those of you that do not know, Zara is a Spanish brand clothing store. Perhaps Cuquina could be their muse for an entirely new canine line. I think the line would be quite popular here in Spain where people are so dog-crazy. Marlene told me that she spent 50 euros on one of Cuquina's outfits. "Wow," I thought. I know the sweater is quite unique with it's embroidered image of Snoopy and Woodstock, but I don't know if I'd spend 50 euros on it. Then again, Marlene doesn't have children, so she has to spoil someone I suppose.
I have a ton of things going on this break. Lots of traveling and my friend Grace is visiting me. Thus, I am aiming to finish all my homework (which consists of writing two 8 page essays and reading 2 novels) before I leave for Paris. Naturally, I am hard at work on those things right now, as I'm updating my blog. I think I can finish them though. I'm not so worried about reading the novels, as I can attack those on the planes, but I MUST write those essays. I think I'm going to bring my laptop with me to Paris, so maybe I'll update this blog when I'm there too.
Okay, it's time to read the final act in Lorca's La Casa de Bernarda Alba. I probably will come back to my computer and make another blog update, as I can only focus so much at a time. Blogging is always a fun excuse to stop whatever you're doing, pausing your life so that you can take a step back and write about it. Whether you're admiring the outdoor Christmas markets all over Barcelona or the beautiful lights that adorn the city, or whether you're scorning the dog shit that has found a home on the bottom of your Birkenstock clogs, it's all worth noting. It's all part of understanding. And sometimes, you just need to stop to understand.
(My camera makes it look like Cuquina is a ghost dog. See how her tail is disappearing?)
Cuquina is a stylin' pooch. As you can see she wears sweaters to keep her warm in the winter. I'd say she is better dressed than some people. All of her sweaters look like something that you could buy for yourself or your small child from Zara. For those of you that do not know, Zara is a Spanish brand clothing store. Perhaps Cuquina could be their muse for an entirely new canine line. I think the line would be quite popular here in Spain where people are so dog-crazy. Marlene told me that she spent 50 euros on one of Cuquina's outfits. "Wow," I thought. I know the sweater is quite unique with it's embroidered image of Snoopy and Woodstock, but I don't know if I'd spend 50 euros on it. Then again, Marlene doesn't have children, so she has to spoil someone I suppose.
I have a ton of things going on this break. Lots of traveling and my friend Grace is visiting me. Thus, I am aiming to finish all my homework (which consists of writing two 8 page essays and reading 2 novels) before I leave for Paris. Naturally, I am hard at work on those things right now, as I'm updating my blog. I think I can finish them though. I'm not so worried about reading the novels, as I can attack those on the planes, but I MUST write those essays. I think I'm going to bring my laptop with me to Paris, so maybe I'll update this blog when I'm there too.
Okay, it's time to read the final act in Lorca's La Casa de Bernarda Alba. I probably will come back to my computer and make another blog update, as I can only focus so much at a time. Blogging is always a fun excuse to stop whatever you're doing, pausing your life so that you can take a step back and write about it. Whether you're admiring the outdoor Christmas markets all over Barcelona or the beautiful lights that adorn the city, or whether you're scorning the dog shit that has found a home on the bottom of your Birkenstock clogs, it's all worth noting. It's all part of understanding. And sometimes, you just need to stop to understand.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Snowflakes and Christmas Trees
Not sure if it feels like it, but it sure looks a lot like Christmas in these parts.
Both photos were taken in Sevilla. The first photo is actually the wall of the Spanish department store, The Corte Inglés. It was so pretty being all decorated for Christmas. The Corte Inglés has every department imginable on the planet (if you cannot find what you need here, it does not exist in Spain. Seriously.) and they are located all over the country. The store is pretty much the only thing that the Spanish people can agree on. People that live here don't all agree on speaking Spanish, nor do they agree on politics (to be expected since very essence of politics is to argue), and Cataluña and País Vasco want to separate from the country entirely. Yet, everyone has The Corte Inglés membership card in his or her wallet. So if Spanish patriotism exists at all it's derived from the presence of The Corte Inglés. Thus, in addition to offering overpriced designer clothes and chic kitchenware (I could spend hours just looking at the different colored frying pans), The Corte Inglés serves a crucial social function for the country.
The second photo is self explanitory. Christmas trees are pretty universal, if you celebrate Christmas, that is. I love Christmas...
...and eating ham.
I am such a good Jew.
Both photos were taken in Sevilla. The first photo is actually the wall of the Spanish department store, The Corte Inglés. It was so pretty being all decorated for Christmas. The Corte Inglés has every department imginable on the planet (if you cannot find what you need here, it does not exist in Spain. Seriously.) and they are located all over the country. The store is pretty much the only thing that the Spanish people can agree on. People that live here don't all agree on speaking Spanish, nor do they agree on politics (to be expected since very essence of politics is to argue), and Cataluña and País Vasco want to separate from the country entirely. Yet, everyone has The Corte Inglés membership card in his or her wallet. So if Spanish patriotism exists at all it's derived from the presence of The Corte Inglés. Thus, in addition to offering overpriced designer clothes and chic kitchenware (I could spend hours just looking at the different colored frying pans), The Corte Inglés serves a crucial social function for the country.
The second photo is self explanitory. Christmas trees are pretty universal, if you celebrate Christmas, that is. I love Christmas...
...and eating ham.
I am such a good Jew.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Serious Webcam Portraits
I dare you to take me seriously. I've got on a serious face and am holding a serious lollypop to match. Please see the prototype of being serious in the photo below.
That's right, it's down to business now...
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?
The world will never know...
That's right, it's down to business now...
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?
The world will never know...
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Sevilla Cows and Muddled Meditations
Right now my life is a jumble of fresh laundry that I still need to hang on the clothesline outside the window, cleaning products, old metro tickets and maps, lemons and honey for my "té de manzanilla," tissues (I'm a bit under the weather right now), candles, unread novels (including the beaten copy of The Pillars of the Earth that I pilfered from the hostel in Sevilla), the linguistics homework that I still need to finish, scattered thoughts about visiting Paris for Christmas and daydreams of touring Budapest and Vienna in January.
The picture above is another one from Sevilla. They had this whole area dedicated to selling these little figuritas. I was partial to the cows.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Flamenco
I love the rawness of these images. You get the initmate feeling that was this performance. All 200 of us had to be completely silent so that we could hear the music and tapping. There was no microphone.
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