a soulmate

How should a soulmate be like?

Everyone talks about love and soulmates, everyone expects to find or become a prince charming... Do we all have somewhere out there our better half?

Whether it exists or not, we all think obout it and even have some ideas about how would it be... So do I. For this essay I've had to think about myself and someone who could complement me. After a long reflection, I think I may have found some characteristics someone must gather to be my soulmate.

The first thing that came to my mind was that she must love the sea: there's no way we could ever be together if my soulmate disliked the sea. Sea gives me energy, purifies my mind, sea makes me fly... The sea is my life. However, a soulmate is not only someone who shares your passion, a soulmate is someone who makes you feel safe, at home, someone reliable who looks after you and someone whom you want to look after to too. 

In addition to that, I guess my soulmate shoud be someone easy-going but critical at the same time, funny and ironic but thoughtful. Open-minded. I'd like someone down-to-earth but with its head far away: someone challenging for me, someone enthusiastic, and, why not, a bit childlike. This person must be passionate too, and even though I've had problems to admit my simplicity, attractive. My soulmate must be adventurous, someone non-conformist, someone who surprises me every day and someone able to see the little point of happines in the worst situations...

I reckon it won't be an easy task to try to find someone like this, but who knows if I might meet a person who'd change all my life within a glance? Who knows if I'll meet someone who'll redefine my idea of love? Time will tell!

  

google news

Google news has been removed from Spanish networks.

A recent change in the Spanish law has caused the closure of the Google news service in Spain. This new legislation obliges every publication to charge any website for sharing it, even if only a tiniest title is shown. Therefore, services like google news, which doesn't make money of its activity, have been forced to remove their portals. 

From my point of view, this new legislation, which theoretically tries to protect the authors and help them get money from their articles, is doing nothing but holding up the access to information. The lack of this wide used service is an obstacle when trying to find what's happening in the world... To sum up, a new maneuver from the Spanish government to control the information and keep us, the Spanish citizens, putting up with everything they say or do. 

In addition to that, the Spanish newspapers are now more difficult to find online, therefore, some of them (especially those read by a minority) are struggling to keep up with the global media and are now likely to disappear.

You can find the "boe" on that concern here. And the whole news on this link.

is internet making the world a better place?

Imagine a world without internet. Try to figure out how would our lives be if we went back to the 80's... Do you start realizing the influence that this revolutionary tool has on our lifestyle?

Internet has not only launched a new way of communication, it is creating a huge library, a massive source of data avaliable for all of us. The oportunities that this tool offers to our society are so amazing that we even forget about the drawbacks.Yet they exist.

I'll start talking about the benefits of this network, some of which I've already introduced above. In first place, I have to mention the data that this brilliant resource offers. The times of looking up words in a thick filthy book are gone, as well as buying expensive enciclopedias that fill our bookshelves with dust and thousands of heavy A-to-Z-books. Now we find all this knowledge with a click on the mouse within seconds. Time is money, and internet helps saving time... Besides, the knowledge you find online is so extensive we couldn't write it all down: we find more information in less time. The only drawback here is that there is so much info we sometimes find untrustable data, therefore we have to contrast it and try to look up only in official sites.

In addition to this online library, we find a fast and easy way of communication. A lot of websites and social networks such as Skype, Facebook, etc. enable us to find people and meet online with friends and family, and even strangers... and here is where the con starts: who could these stranger be? Chatting and sharing with our social circles is absolutely harmless, however, when we start publishing about ourselves online, we miss any control on this info we share and it becomes public. Public means that it belongs to no one and to everyone, then we are exposing all our life to the dangers of being stolen and misused.

Related to both of the points I've analyzed so far, I must add that the information is not only knowledge kept in online enciclopedias. The speed of this resource allows us to use it as a newsfeed: the era of immediate information is here. Although physical newspapers are threatened by online services and might even disappear, I reckon "up-to-second" information is better. Furthermore, with the devices currently available we can reach different sources and contrast them without needing to buy annoying newspapers (at least for me, 'cause I'm not able to read a paper without ending with a lot of odd pages flying around!).

Finally, Internet is creating a new way of trading and a lot of business are being founded thanks to the new opportunities it offers. Publicity is very important sector that keeps funding our favorite websites. A new way of trading means, at the same time, a new way of swindling, therefore, we have to be aware that not all that glitters is gold and must watch carefully what we do...

To sum up, Internet is definitely making the world a better place, but at the same time it can become very dangerous and we have to be cautious when surfing the net!

about the presentation

In the last post I told you about my research paper and how I did it. Furthermore, I added the prezi about it. What I didn't mention, though, is that that presentation had a clear purpose: some days after handing in the project we had to present it orally and defend it. 

The prezi that you can find just scrolling the page a bit down is the resource I used to enhance my oral presentation translated to English. This translation's got a reason: I did the presentation in English as well for my classmates!

By now I'm not able to post the video here due to technical problems with my phone (I've changed it since I recorded myself), however, I'll briefly resume my performance.

Basing on my personal impression and on my mates' comments I think that I did the presentation quite well, there were some things to improve, though. In first place, I perhaps talked a bit too fast at some points of the presentation. In contrast, I went blank twice, what triggered an uncomfortable silence. In my opinion, my presentation was really interesting an I performed a nice body language according to the situation, in spite of that, when I was about to reach the end, I noticed some boredom among my audience, what makes me guess that it was probably a bit too long.

Regarding the language and the pronunciation, I wouldn't like to sound pretentious, but I guess I almost nailed it because some of my mates congratulated me and I was feeling confident about that;) 

Overall, I think I did a nice presentation, I must add, however, that I've done some others better and that I still must improve a lot if I want to become a brilliant presenter. 

beyond the last page

What is there beyond the novels we read? This idea used to come to my mind whenever I read a book, therefore, this has been the driving question of my research paper. To find and answer to it, I've written my own text so that I could live the writing experience. 

My project starts by briefly defining the different genres of literature, focusing on the novel, the tale and the nouvelle. Once the different characteristics of each are set, you can find a comparison between them and an analysis of two tales from well known authors (Joseph Conrad's Karain, a memory and Ernest Hemingway's The killers) also comparing the style of this two masters. To finish this theoretical block, my own text is contextualized in the genres commented above.

The practical block consists on my own text, titled L'última pàgina (the last page), and an exhaustive analysis of how have i written it. In this analysis you can discover how the planning, writing and revision processes are. In addition, I developed a quick guide to start writing with some commandments and tips I considered useful.

Afterwards you can find the conclusions of the research (which are based on my experience, an interview to a reputed catalan author and the reading of both theoretical and literary books) and some attached documents, such as a log book that reflects down to the last detail the writing process, a deleted scene from my story and the first drafts I did to develop the plot of The last page.

Here you can find the presentation of Beyond the last page.

class dialogue

HYPOCRISY

A: Gladis, Gladis!

Gladis: What is it my Sir? (mexican accent, clumsy noises in the background)

A: Clumsy maid… I told you I was going to need the car this morning, why is it not ready?

Gladis: I’m sorry my Sir, I had to- (interruption)

A: It’s OK, next time you’re fired. Call a taxi.

(The taxi has arrived)

Taxi driver: Where are we going? (redneck voice)

A: Actually, I am going, you just drive…  to Harrods, quickly! (disgusted voice)

(pause)

A: I’ve got an appointment with my fellow B. It’s been years since we last met... Last time we saw each other he was suffering a terrible course of some member of the club... his nose operation went wrong and his face was an absolute disaster….

Taxi driver: Such a drama...

A: Oh absolutely!, because he used to… (taxi driver speaks over A, with an irritated voice)

Taxi driver: It’s OK, we’re here. 28 pounds please.

A: Where’s that slubberdegullion?, always late....

B: A! I’m here. (B had been around there since A stepped out of the taxi)

A: Oh my goodness! You look so gorgeous I didn’t recognize you at first.

B: You look fabulous too my dear, are those new chin implants?

A: Indeed they are.

B: Oh, how jealous I am! They look wonderful on you!

A: I know. But what about your forehead?! What’s happened here?

B: Oh, you know that amazing plastic surgeon who has operated Kim Kardashian, don’t you?

A: Of course I do.

B: Well, I got an engagement with him, don’t ask how, and he injected me some quality Botox to highlight my previous nose job.

A: That nose job was perfect, wasn’t it?

B: Of course, I only spend my money with professionals.

A: With whom if not? (little pause) Oh, did you see what happened to C for not going with experts?

B: Yep, I did… How horrible!!! (with beaming voice)

(both laughing)

A: Oh my... that was a complete disaster! She will burn with envy when she sees us!

B: She’s already jealous of us.

A: You think so?

B: Definitely

A: Because…

B: Because I told her about this appointment and she was green with envy that she couldn’t join us!

A: We didn’t invite her anyway

B: That’s why I told her not to come!

A: You’re so bad… I love it!

B: Ouhmm,  let’s drink some tea, I’ve heard about a very chic café right at at the top of the mall.

(At the café. There’s a woman of their age in another table sitting alone)

A: Look at that woman over there.

B: Oh my… how she dares to go out in the street, with such wrinkles?

A: How disgusting, a kid could see her and get a trauma.

B: That’s why I visit my surgeon everytime I get a wrinkle.

A: Oh, I can see it in your face, so fabulous!

B: Like you my dear, that’s why everyone loves us.

A: Of course they do!

B: People like her will end up alone... forever!

A: Hahaha! Absolutely right, let’s drink a toast. For our beauty!

(Suddenly a man arrives and kisses the woman with wrinkles and sits with her. They look happy)

B: Look at that woman again!

A: That’s not possible! How can that man be with her?!

B: She has to be filthy rich, otherwise there’s no explanation...

A: Well, honey... money can give you everything. That’s how our sick society works, doesn’t it?

B: Couldn’t agree more… the world is going to hell.

(half an hour later)

B: Well A, it’s been a pleasure to be with you. Now I have to go.

A: Yeah me too, thanks for your time. Hope to see you soon my dear!

B: Kisses to all your beautiful family, I’ll miss you.

A: We stay in touch!

(B’s limousine arrives, his butler Ambrosio is driving)

Ambrosio: How was the meeting my Sir?

B: I don’t pay you to ask me questions!

(little pause)

B: Well, you know, how much I hate A… but I have to be nice with him if I want his father to sell me his estates.

Ambrosio: That’d be a fine business

B: Of course Ambrosio, what did you expect from me? Well, A has always been quite ugly, but now… oh my gosh! his new implants make him look so horrible I wanted to escape.

Ambrosio: She should learn from my Sir...

B: You’re right! That fat old fool is so jealous of me.

(some minutes later)

Ambrosio: We’re home.

B: Finally… I just want to relax… I worked so hard today.

Ambrosio: I’ll be all the night working in the garden, see you tomorrow.

B: Excellent! Oh… if A rings, just tell him I’m not here… for the next five months!

matilda

I'm not very keen on watching humour films, that's why I found so difficult to write this post: I simply couldn't think of a funny film I had watched recently because I hadn't!

However, I kept on trying to remember some funny film I liked when I was little, and I came across with Matilda. Matilda is a film about a little genious girl who is born in an ignorant but rich family. She early shows up interest for books and school, but her parents still believe she is three (when she is actually six) and treat her as a baby. Then, her father, who sells cars at a fraudulent price, meets a terrible headmistress from a very strict school. They decide to take Matilda to that school, and there she starts to develope her amazing mind...

The humour of Matilda is both witty and kind of slapstick.

This hilarious film has some moving scenes and and also a lot of message in it. When you see it as a child you just make fun of the situation, but when you watch it again with some more years you realize how the film is criticizing a society focused on earning money that forget about education and ethics.