A philosopher in Roman Egypt. A famous woman pilot. A father trying to reconnect with his children spread across the country. A couple looking for the perfect place to raise a family. An inspirational rugby match. Mastering the art of French cuisine. A movie director going through an existential crisis. The original (and most famous) sleuth.
Lots of movies (I can't believe last week I actually went 3 nights in a row!) and lots of diversity in the subjects! But I can tell I'm no longer in Li�ge: almost no non-US/UK movies (except for one, and that was filmed in English), sigh! Oh well, at least we're entering my favourite part of the year: that of excellent films hitting the screens in such abundance that it's almost Solomonic having to choose between them because you know you can't possibly catch them all (but I'm doing my best, lol!)
I haven't been too prolific around here since 2010 started. It's odd that I actually blogged more when I didn't have internet access at home, and have written practically nothing since I got the apartment hooked up again! I must be tired, I've definitely been feeling listless. I had planned to start up Fishy Fridays again this month... oops! (hopefully next week) I had intended to write up a progress report on my New Year's Resolutions(hoping that by doing so at the end of each month would maybe help me actually fulfil them for once, lol!), but since all I've managed to do on that list is play a tennis match and sign up for the gym (but only been twice), well it's not too encouraging. I haven't even been writing my little book reports whenever I've finished reading each book (for Monthly Reading) so I'm going to have to write them all up at once. Damn!
Most of this month has been uncharacteristically grey and rainy around here, which is definitely an energy-drain (isn't it amazing how much livelier one feels on a bright sunny day?), but the one nice thing about storms and cloudy skies (looking for that silver lining!) are the very interesting seas and skies you get right after a storm:
and the sunsets!
(Click on the pics for a bigger view. They were all taken from my balcony. When we first moved here we used to have conversations about the winter sunsets!)
Here's to hoping February brings better spirits and more inspiration!
Hace algunas semanas me encontr� con esta entrada en La Frikoteca que me hizo recordar cierta obra poco conocida, pero a la que tengo un especial cari�o por ser la primera que me acerc� a la fantas�a heroica: Doneval, de Graham Dunstan Martin. En realidad, esta novela es la primera de una duolog�a que qued� completa con Favila -nombre de la protagonista femenina- del mismo autor. Las dos formaban parte de la Colecci�n Austral Juvenil, que se pod�a conseguir en los kioskos har� algo m�s de veinte a�os y de la que formaban parte tambi�n obras tan conocidas en su d�a como El misterio de la isla de T�kland, de Joan Manuel Gisbert.
Estas novelas juveniles fueron especiales por varios motivos; aparte de ser mi primera aproximaci�n a la fantas�a como g�nero, hay que destacar tambi�n la forma en que est�n narradas las aventuras y la manera en que trata algunos temas que no se ven con mucha frecuencia en la literatura dirigida a estas edades. Porque Doneval no es s�lo la t�pica novela de fantas�a con h�roe adolescente -Evan- que salva un reino -o dos- y con alg�n gui�o a la obra de Tolkien -Falsardo tiene bastante de Saruman-, es tambi�n una historia en la que los magos discuten con �l algunos aspectos de la magia que resultan ser de lo m�s interesantes ya que, en ella, el fondo es mucho m�s importante que las formas y la luz y la oscuridad -o las dudas y las sombras- van siempre unidas y no es buena idea querer separarlas.
Porque la oscuridad son dudas, incertidumbres. Si destierras la duda, si crees que est�s en lo cierto todas las veces y no corres riesgo de equivocarte, f�jate el mal que podr�as hacer.
Estas explicaciones dar�n m�s juego en la novela Favila, que tiene algunas partes muy curiosas como son las historias de el topo, de Itan�quina -el mundo que habitan todos aquellos que murieron antes de tiempo-, o las historias de Doble / Evan y Estrella / Favila (Inciso: Estrella es la princesa de Ruino y Doble es en realidad Malvenido, hijo de Malfacer, Se�or de Espiajes; ambos tienen en com�n que son en cierto sentido los dobles de los protagonistas, as� como Ruino y Oscuria forman en realidad un solo reino y alg�n caso m�s de doble identidad. Con estas novelas comenz� tambi�n mi fascinaci�n por las historias que tratan el tema de los dobles o doppelg�ngers, no es la primera vez que sale este tema en el blog y quiz�s no sea la �ltima). En fin, no sigo por ah� porque tampoco quiero destripar la historia, con despertar cierto inter�s es suficiente. ;)
No quiero acabar esta entrada sin antes mencionar algunos detalles de la edici�n en espa�ol: por un lado hay que agradecer la traducci�n de Mar�a Luisa Balseiro, llama mucho la atenci�n el cuidado de la misma en general y la traducci�n de los nombres de personajes y lugares en particular, es algo que muchas veces no se hace y me da la sensaci�n que muy pocas se hace bien; por otro, son de agradecer tambi�n las ilustraciones de Juan Carlos Eguillor, algunas de la cuales se pueden ver aqu� y que tienen un estilo muy personal. ;) El trabajo de ambos es fundamental en la imagen que nos hemos creado de este mundo todos los que hemos le�do la historia. La mala noticia es que las dos obras est�n descatalogadas, y es una verdadera l�stima. Estas obras de fantas�a, como algunas ya cl�sicas, tendr�an que estar siempre a disposici�n de todos. Sirva este blog para aportar mi peque�o granito de arena en la tarea de que no caiga en el olvido. ;)
Hace algunas semanas me encontr� con esta entrada en La Frikoteca que me hizo recordar cierta obra poco conocida, pero a la que tengo un especial cari�o por ser la primera que me acerc� a la fantas�a heroica: Doneval, de Graham Dunstan Martin. En realidad, esta novela es la primera de una duolog�a que qued� completa con Favila -nombre de la protagonista femenina- del mismo autor. Las dos formaban parte de la Colecci�n Austral Juvenil, que se pod�a conseguir en los kioskos har� algo m�s de veinte a�os y de la que formaban parte tambi�n obras tan conocidas en su d�a como El misterio de la isla de T�kland, de Joan Manuel Gisbert.
Estas novelas juveniles fueron especiales por varios motivos; aparte de ser mi primera aproximaci�n a la fantas�a como g�nero, hay que destacar tambi�n la forma en que est�n narradas las aventuras y la manera en que trata algunos temas que no se ven con mucha frecuencia en la literatura dirigida a estas edades. Porque Doneval no es s�lo la t�pica novela de fantas�a con h�roe adolescente -Evan- que salva un reino -o dos- y con alg�n gui�o a la obra de Tolkien -Falsardo tiene bastante de Saruman-, es tambi�n una historia en la que los magos discuten con �l algunos aspectos de la magia que resultan ser de lo m�s interesantes ya que, en ella, el fondo es mucho m�s importante que las formas y la luz y la oscuridad -o las dudas y las sombras- van siempre unidas y no es buena idea querer separarlas.
Porque la oscuridad son dudas, incertidumbres. Si destierras la duda, si crees que est�s en lo cierto todas las veces y no corres riesgo de equivocarte, f�jate el mal que podr�as hacer.
Estas explicaciones dar�n m�s juego en la novela Favila, que tiene algunas partes muy curiosas como son las historias de el topo, de Itan�quina -el mundo que habitan todos aquellos que murieron antes de tiempo-, o las historias de Doble / Evan y Estrella / Favila (Inciso: Estrella es la princesa de Ruino y Doble es en realidad Malvenido, hijo de Malfacer, Se�or de Espiajes; ambos tienen en com�n que son en cierto sentido los dobles de los protagonistas, as� como Ruino y Oscuria forman en realidad un solo reino y alg�n caso m�s de doble identidad. Con estas novelas comenz� tambi�n mi fascinaci�n por las historias que tratan el tema de los dobles o doppelg�ngers, no es la primera vez que sale este tema en el blog y quiz�s no sea la �ltima). En fin, no sigo por ah� porque tampoco quiero destripar la historia, con despertar cierto inter�s es suficiente. ;)
No quiero acabar esta entrada sin antes mencionar algunos detalles de la edici�n en espa�ol: por un lado hay que agradecer la traducci�n de Mar�a Luisa Balseiro, llama mucho la atenci�n el cuidado de la misma en general y la traducci�n de los nombres de personajes y lugares en particular, es algo que muchas veces no se hace y me da la sensaci�n que muy pocas se hace bien; por otro, son de agradecer tambi�n las ilustraciones de Juan Carlos Eguillor, algunas de la cuales se pueden ver aqu� y que tienen un estilo muy personal. ;) El trabajo de ambos es fundamental en la imagen que nos hemos creado de este mundo todos los que hemos le�do la historia. La mala noticia es que las dos obras est�n descatalogadas, y es una verdadera l�stima. Estas obras de fantas�a, como algunas ya cl�sicas, tendr�an que estar siempre a disposici�n de todos. Sirva este blog para aportar mi peque�o granito de arena en la tarea de que no caiga en el olvido. ;)
Well, today I got through my first car accident while sitting behind the wheel of the car (I was in a really scary one on the highway 7 years ago, but a friend was the one driving). No big deal. I was stopped at the bottom of a hill behind another car yielding to priority traffic at an intersection, and the car behind me didn't break properly -wet roads- and... BUMP! I must say, that first moment is definitely a heart-stopper, WTF! moment if ever I felt one. Pulled over to the side, got out to check the back of the car and the other driver, not too worried 'cause it looked mainly like bumper work, and then saw that the driver was a good friend of my sister's to whom I'd given conversational English classes last year!
If you have to go through a car accident (however small, it's still jarring), then the best choice is to have it with a friend behind the wheel of the other car and both of you to have insurance (even better when you're not at fault, lol!)! She was definitely a bit freaked out, non-stop apologetic and asking me if I was ok, and I was trying to calm her down and get her to relax and see that "really, no harm done, we just fill out the papers and the insurance companies take care of the rest". Turned out to be a little more complicated for me 'cause when I opened the trunk to see if it worked right... I couldn't close it afterwards! So I had to take my car straight to the repair-shop and am stuck at least a week without it. It's a good thing my English classes are close enough to home I can go by bus! :p
I was pretty surprised at how cool and calm I was taking it all in (after the initial shock and "phone-home" to find out what needed to be done in such a situation), but once the car had been dropped off and my Dad was driving me home, I started feeling fuzzy-brained and totally drained. Typical drop-off after an adrenaline rush. I still feel fuzzy. But all's well that ends well! And at least the both of us know now how to deal with an accident, the kind of info you need to have handy etc. And it gave me an excuse to come write something here! (still no news from the phone company on my internet connection, argh!!!) ;o)
A todos nos ha pasado alguna vez que, en alg�n momento, hemos guardado muy buen recuerdo de algo y, al volver a ver aquello que tanto nos emocion� a�os despu�s, descubrimos que la memoria nos ha traicionado y que no era tan maravilloso o genial o que, sencillamente, nosotros ya no somos los mismos y nuestros gustos, intereses y forma de ver el mundo han cambiado... Pues bien, estas experiencias que nos ense�an que el pasado pasado est� tambi�n se pueden volver en nuestra contra cuando nos impiden, o nos hacen tener un excesivo respeto por, volver a abordar algo o a retomar alg�n tema. Como dije al principio, a todos nos pasa; y en todos los �mbitos de la vida. Pero, como no voy a tratar ning�n gran tema, quiz�s sea bueno que ponga un ejemplo menor pero curioso: esto mismo me viene pasando desde hace un tiempo con las novelas de Rafael Sabatini.
La culpa la tiene el cine: dos de las mejores pel�culas de aventuras que recuerdo est�n basadas en obras suyas: Scaramouche (George Sidney, 1952) y El cisne negro (Henry King, 1942). S� que otros a�adir�an sin pensarlo El capit�n Blood y El halc�n del mar, pero es que a m� las pel�culas de Errol Flynn nunca me interesaron demasiado, qu� se le va a hacer XD. Y ah� est� el problema: guardo muy buenos recuerdos; de hecho, volver a ver estas pel�culas sigue siendo un buen entretenimiento pero asomarme a las novelas, la fuente original, siempre me tir� para atr�s por temor a lo que pudiera encontrar. S� que es algo que no pasar�a si hubiese le�do alguna en su momento, porque es algo que no me sucede con otras; pero tambi�n s� que, por ese mismo motivo, las voy a mirar con otros ojos. Con todo y con eso, como s� que, en este caso particular, la calidad se lo merece, tarde o temprano terminar� cayendo, que es la mejor forma de afrontar este tipo de asuntos. Se puede considerar como un prop�sito de A�o Nuevo, lo que ya no s� es de qu� a�o, exactamente. Pero como esto no deja de ser, al fin y al cabo, mas que una especie de diario personal del siglo XXI, aqu� dejo este apunte para tenerlo presente cuando llegue el momento. ;)
A todos nos ha pasado alguna vez que, en alg�n momento, hemos guardado muy buen recuerdo de algo y, al volver a ver aquello que tanto nos emocion� a�os despu�s, descubrimos que la memoria nos ha traicionado y que no era tan maravilloso o genial o que, sencillamente, nosotros ya no somos los mismos y nuestros gustos, intereses y forma de ver el mundo han cambiado... Pues bien, estas experiencias que nos ense�an que el pasado pasado est� tambi�n se pueden volver en nuestra contra cuando nos impiden, o nos hacen tener un excesivo respeto por, volver a abordar algo o a retomar alg�n tema. Como dije al principio, a todos nos pasa; y en todos los �mbitos de la vida. Pero, como no voy a tratar ning�n gran tema, quiz�s sea bueno que ponga un ejemplo menor pero curioso: esto mismo me viene pasando desde hace un tiempo con las novelas de Rafael Sabatini.
La culpa la tiene el cine: dos de las mejores pel�culas de aventuras que recuerdo est�n basadas en obras suyas: Scaramouche (George Sidney, 1952) y El cisne negro (Henry King, 1942). S� que otros a�adir�an sin pensarlo El capit�n Blood y El halc�n del mar, pero es que a m� las pel�culas de Errol Flynn nunca me interesaron demasiado, qu� se le va a hacer XD. Y ah� est� el problema: guardo muy buenos recuerdos; de hecho, volver a ver estas pel�culas sigue siendo un buen entretenimiento pero asomarme a las novelas, la fuente original, siempre me tir� para atr�s por temor a lo que pudiera encontrar. S� que es algo que no pasar�a si hubiese le�do alguna en su momento, porque es algo que no me sucede con otras; pero tambi�n s� que, por ese mismo motivo, las voy a mirar con otros ojos. Con todo y con eso, como s� que, en este caso particular, la calidad se lo merece, tarde o temprano terminar� cayendo, que es la mejor forma de afrontar este tipo de asuntos. Se puede considerar como un prop�sito de A�o Nuevo, lo que ya no s� es de qu� a�o, exactamente. Pero como esto no deja de ser, al fin y al cabo, mas que una especie de diario personal del siglo XXI, aqu� dejo este apunte para tenerlo presente cuando llegue el momento. ;)
This would have been "Historical Fiction Month" had it not been for a couple of "vampire" books my sister gave me at Christmas! ;o)
I don't think I've read this much in a single month in a long time! Not since the last time I had some major travelling hours (in planes/trains/cars) to deal with...
Hmm, not much for December! That might have something to do with 5 days spent on the road heading South, or on the Holidays, or on the really busy last couple of weeks in Belgium. Well, at least they were damn good movies! :o)
"This is a story about boy meets girl. This is not a love story."
I like that. I don't quite know why, but I do! And I also really liked this movie! Sweet yet real. Funny. A lovely tale of a relationship that felt quie real to me, both in the good and the bad.
I was a bit worried about the presence of a narrator when the film started, but the device was very well used and served to remind us that this was a story. Someone is telling us a story. No big serious subject to think about. No big empty special-effects driven popcorn movie. Just a story. Between a boy and a girl. We don't get enough of those any more. Reminded me a bit of Once in that sense....
I don't think I've ever seen Zooey Deschanel in a movie, but I can see why people like her so much and I'm very much looking forward to seeing her in the Bones episode coming up this month! (which will be past by the time I post this in early January, lol!) She has some mannerisms that reminded me so much of Emily Deschanel that it was a bit disorienting at times! :p
PS: Great soundtrack
PPS: I've got to get my Dad to see this, he'll love it! ;o)
Wow enough to have seen it twice within a week... once here in Alicante with my Dad (in Spanish) and then a week later in Barcelona (in VO!!!) with some friends... one of whom's sister participated in creating the special effects! Her company (Framestore) in London worked on the helicopters and other aerial vehicles as well as a few other things. Was really cool talking to her about it all after seeing the movie. :o)
I'll admit to having been sceptical about this movie when I saw the first trailer. But the second one started bringing me round. As a big cinema fan I was always going to go see it (what with it probably being a "historical" moment, or "the next big thing" on screens), but I'm so glad it was way better than I expected.
So, more specifically? Well the first time I saw it I was so wowed by the 3D (it all feels so REAL!) that I was worried upon watching it a second time I might realise the story, acting etc. were cr@p or something. But nope, enjoyed it even more! Sure the whole plot is rather simplistic "humans are bad, over-exploiting natural resources, pushing a native people off their lands for the treasure" (loved the name of that mineral: unobtanium?!). Yes it brings to mind Dances With Wolves, Ferngully, The Emerald Forest and any other story of the exploitation/extermination of Indians, Aboriginees etc... But hey, it's a story that's as old as the world, and it still works! I would have preferred some slightly less two-dimensional bad guys, but I so enjoyed everything related to the Na'avi that I'll forgive James Cameron that much. :p
And that's what I really enjoyed, the whole world of the Na'avi. From the magical and ethereal Pandora they live on (a whole planet as a symbiotic organism with one species able to tap into those connections? fabulous!), to their grace and stature, to their culture and relationship with the people/world around them. And I just loved seeing Sigourney Weaver as one of them! ;o)
I'm also thrilled to hear it's doing so well on screens in the US and across the globe. It's nice to see an original movie having such a success (as opposed to the usual chapter X of a franchise or a sequel/prequel thingy). Personally I'd go see it again at least once on the big screen (and definitely in 3D) if it were playing in VO in Alicante. sigh!
On Twelfth Night the Three Kings arrived in Alicante!
As you can see the kids were eagerly awaiting their arrival:
The Cabalgata de Reyes takes place on the evening of January 5th in just about every city and town in Spain. In some places the 3 Kings arrive by helicopter, others by boat... Here in Alicante they landed by helicopter in the bull ring and met up with a bunch of kids and then went up to the main hospital to take presents to the sick kids then headed back down for the parade which started out with a touch of Disney:
followed by dancers and of course a marching band (several of them, always present in any Alicante parade):
Guess who's next? The Virgin Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and a group of shepherds!
Guarded by a Roman century:
and then the reason all these kids are here, the 3 Kings (whose names I don't know in English, lol)!!! Distributing presents and tossing candy left and right.
Melchor:
Gaspar:
Baltasar:
It's definitely an event for the kids, but still it was quite fun! And of course, as per tradition with any local holiday in Alicante, they finished up with some fireworks down by the harbour. ;o)
Video Update on Jan 10.2010: I finally had time to weave some of my video snippets of the Parade together! It's on my new cell phone camera so although to quality is ok it's not great (first time I used it, didn't discover how to zoom until a few das later, lol!)
I really enjoyed my 9th Day of Christmas... but I'm having trouble relating it to the 9th Day of Christmas! :p
Let's see...
I caught a train to a town up the coast and walked along the sea wall.
I commiserated with some friends whose house had been broken into (while they were sleeping!) and tried to think of security ideas.
I went for a short hike up a mountain with great views to the plains behind Barcelona (including Granollers where some of my family lives) and out to see and south towards Barcelona.
We climbed around some Iberian (as in pre-Roman) ruins (stone walls).
We visited a pound looking for a candidate guard dog for our friends (see #2) and I wished I could have taken most of the 300 inhabitants home with me!
We had to jump start a car, panicking 'cause we were late for a movie (to which we had already bought tickets!)
Saw AVATAR in 3-D for the second time (last Saturday), this time un-dubbed, enjoyed it as much (if not more!) than the first time!
Talked on the phone with my kiwi sister and got the scoop on what it feels like to fall out an airplane. :o)
.... ??? Am writing this post!
whew! There you go, 9 things I did on the 9th Day of Christmas!
Hope your first weekend of 2010 is as much fun as mine is so far! :o)
I'm spending 1 day recuperating from the 7th day (or night) of Christmas! 7+1=8 ;o)
Did you eat your 12 grapes last night on the 12 strokes of midnight? We did!
And wishing my kiwi sister (in New Zealand) a Happy Birthday!!! We used to celebrate her birthday right after the twelve strokes of midnight by bringing out a candle-lit cake and then having presents. The year after while after we moved to Spain we started going out for New Year's Eve parties with our friends and then had a New Year's lunch for her birthday... which isn't always as wonderful as it sounds (in spite of the excellent food in the restaurants my dad chooses) due to getting to bed at 7-8 am after imbibing a wee bit too much bubbly and then cubatas (rhum+coke). oops! But for the past couple of years she's been enjoying the benefits of a summer birthday, lucky her! We've got a special surprise for her this year, which I won't specify yet because sometimes she comes around here to read and I don't know exactly when her boyfriend is going to spring it on her! ;o)
And if we can get tickets in a couple of hours we'll be sitting in a beautiful little Gothic church in the Barrio G�tico enjoying a Spanish classical guitar concert! Fingers crossed!
