LET NATURE TAKE ITS COURSE

Das einzige Mittel, den Irrtum zu vermeiden, ist die Unwissenheit. Jean-Jacques Rousseau

La mariposa al cerrar las alas pellizca dulcemente el aire. R.G. de la Serna

Some people can just sing. They don't need make up. They don't need to appear semi-naked on stage. Not a huge band. Nor an impressive ballet behind them. They just make it with their voice. And I admire singers like THESE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rZbvi6Tj6E

Hace pocas semanas, en el programa de rtve En noches como ésta , Juan Ramón Lucas entrevistaba al Premio Nobel de Literatura J. Saramago. No seré yo quien me interese por sus ideas políticas o religiosas especialmente, pero mucho por su literatura. Decía Saramago explícitamente "que no nos merecemos la vida". Que en algún momento de la Historia, quizá incluso de la Prehistoria, había varias opciones y tomamos la incorrecta. Tiene razón, vivimos en un mundo muy infeliz, un auténtico desastre. Todos los días nos levantamos y conseguimos olvidarlo. Hoy me declaro pesimista que no pierde la esperanza. Pero tengo miedo de que dejemos de preguntarnos adónde vamos.

Photo by Alper Tunç Si quieres conocer a una persona, sólo tienes que verla escoger.

Mañana es el primer día del resto de mi vida.

Some days it is just hard to be away from home. Not because something bad has happened, but just because this feeling heats you hard. It is not that you miss your family and friends. It is already years that you and them got used to follow separate pathways. It is not that you miss your national food, your national weather... It is even not the reason that you miss your old bedroom. It is just that some days you just feel you don't belong in here. But then you look at the sky, in a beautiful night like this, and you realize that one can see the same moon no matter where you are. And suddenly, this feeling of been a citizen of the world does come mysteriosly back to you.

Cuando el tiempo tiende a cero, el rendimiento tiende a infinito.

If you are a girl... Before you reach for the kohl eyeliner and play the Bangles' "Walk like an Egyptian", what do you know about Cleopatra beyong the bewitching eyes, pretty nose and that she bathed in asses' milk? Well, not only did she seduce two of the greatest Roman leaders, she was a powerful leader in her own right and remains one of the most iconic women in history. She is proof that you can have brains and beauty, and that it's only a man's world if you let it be . Intelligent and feminine, femme fatale and pharaoh- Cleopatra had it all, and was doing it BC. The philosopher Cicero wrote, "Her character was utterly spellbinding". She always got what she wanted, and knew hot to mix business with pleasure. She was a feminist long before the title was even invented, juggled childcare and a career, and had a name that purred seduction. Her ambition: to rule the world. The result: eternal fame. Camilla Morton

Some substances become mythical. They transcend their physical and chemical materiality and manifest themselves in our minds as symbols, as qualities. In the collective unconscious of a culture, their material constitution becomes secondary to their symbolic value. Gold, to the alchemists, was more than a metal - it was perfection, the goal of a spiritual quest. It is not enough to describe fire as a luminescing gas, and there is something vital and irrevocable about blood that makes it no mere colloidal suspension. In general, a scientific account of mythical substances is bound to disappoint. With water, the need not be so. Even when we remove its symbolic trappings, its association with purity, with the soul, with the maternal and with life and youth, when we reduce it to a laboratory chemical or a geological phenomenon, water continues to fascinate. At first glance a simple molecule, water still offers up profound challenges to science. Philip Ball, A Biography of Water I recommen...

Man sollte die Chance nicht verpassen, zu lieben was einem in den Weg kommt. (Ilse Aichinger) Und deswegen verpasse ich meine Chance nicht.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. (Mark Twain)

La gente olvidará lo que hiciste. La gente olvidará lo que dijiste. Pero nunca olvidará cómo los hiciste sentir...

Lo bueno nunca acaba si hay algo que te lo recuerda...

Das Schicksal mischt die Karten, wir spielen. (Arthur Schopenhauer)

Some people are just special from the moment they knock on your door. And they will remain this way forever.

A veces uno necesita irse para descubrir cuántos amigos le quedan...

The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility! Oscar Wilde The importance of Being Earnest, 1895

"I do not want people to be agreeable, as it saves me the trouble of liking them". "Where so many hours have been spent in convincing myself that I am right, is there not some reason to fear I may be wrong?". "There are certainly not so many men of large fortune in the world as there are pretty women to deserve them". Jane Austen

Lately, I have been thinking about power. Without any pejorative connotation. Only the concept of power itself. Even if we deny it, the search for power happens to play an important role in our lives. Many relationships are based on an exchange of power. What is so special about it? Is it growing so much related to the acquisition of power? And if not… what makes us feel so satisfied when we achieve it? Money is power. Beauty is power. Language is power. Knowledge is power. Age is power. What else? And then I can’t help but wonder: Does the acquisition of power necessarily mean that we want to consider ourselves better than other people? Or can we just, or better said, should we just use our power to provide help to the others?

Dice el gran Joaquín Sabina: "Al lugar donde fuiste feliz no debieras intentar volver"... Yo, por una vez, no voy a hacerle caso.

Odio a la gente egoísta.

This is just a reminder: in life, you are alone. No matter how many good or not so good friends you have, how beloved your parents are, how self-confident or successful you are, how deeply you are into someone or someone into you… It is only you who has to take tough decisions, who needs to administer your money, who feels sad without an apparent reason or who would like to disappear for a while… There are no mixed messages in life. Don’t be confused, don’t rely on apparently supportive signals. You are on your own. Just try to enjoy your loneliness.

Somedays I wonder: What is the difference between a person who wakes up every morning knowing that he/she will never win the Nobel Prize (as he does not belong to any of the categories) and someone who wakes up everyday thinking that he/she is supposed to win the Nobel Prize but will never win it? And the answer that I find is: None.

It´s not worthwhile you share a tear, you need more time and then you´ll see we are going to find our little place and there you´ll make shine everything. You just have to let things flow and then you´ll see how good things come, I´ll give you reasons to believe, don´t you see you are not alone? It takes a while before you realize that everything you want to do is right and finally you will make your dreams come true. In days like today, one realizes that it is impossible to fight against time... He is always running in front of you. So the only thing to do is enjoy it.

Cuando el no ser queda en suspenso, se abre la vida, ese paréntesis, con un vagido universal de hambre. Somos hambrientos desde el vamos y lo seremos hasta el vámonos. Después de mucho descubrir y brevemente amar y acostumbrarnos a la fallida eternidad. La vida se clausura en vida la vida, ese paréntesis, también se cierra, incurre en un vagido uiniversal, el último. y entonces, sólo entonces, el no ser sigue para siempre. Mario Benedetti

En la vida resulta a veces muy difícil saber lo que realmente nos gusta, lo que nos motiva, lo que nos hace disfrutar. Sin embargo, decidir qué cosas NO nos gustan es mucho más simple y rápido. Y ocurre que en ocasiones no hay ni razones ni motivos. No nos gusta algo y no podemos explicar por qué. ¿Es esto justo? ¿Merecen las cosas/personas/ciudades ser incluidas en un cajón no deseable sin que ninguna justificación acompañe el proceso? Quizá es lo que distingue al verbo "gustar" de muchos otros, puede que su absolutismo le haga especial. Anyway, I wish I could know better what I really like...

Hoy he visto caer a trozos la barrera del sonido, y brotar de entre los escombros horizontes hasta ayer prohibidos. Caminos hacia el frío, calor futuro. Hoy he visto lanzar la flecha y llover fuego del cielo, recordando que del espacio el principio-fin está en el suelo. He sentido cómo ruge el mar y la tierra abrirse de par en par, un abismo que sonríe e invita a entrar en un juego sin legalizar. No me iré mañana, no sin antes algo más que ver, no me iré mañana, aún es pronto para envejecer. No me iré mañana, no sin nadie más que conocer... Caminos hacia el frío, calor futuro, mirar este mundo en paz y nunca de reojo más. Con cariño, de Antonio Vega para Antonio Vega

La vida eterna sólo dura un rato, y es lo que tengo para estar contigo... (Fito)

Qué lento ser ciprés viviendo erguido al cielo y saber que todo en este mundo necesita su tiempo. Qué pena no ser ave de paso ni proa que acuchilla siete mares [...] Busco el ruido de las plazas. Busco en las calles de ciudades que ya no conozco. Busco el aroma de mujeres que pasan a sus cosas, a su lucha, a la tarea que les toca. Guardo una tarde de sol por si hace falta, ese es un tesoro que nadie podrá arrebatarme. [...] Una tarde de sol por si la quieres... (Una tarde de sol, Manolo García)

Ten en cuenta que los grandes amores y logros entrañan un gran riesgo. Si pierdes, no pierdas la lección. Aplica las tres erres: Respétate a tí mismo, Respeta a los demás y Responsabilízate de tus acciones. Recuerda que, a veces, no conseguir lo que quieres es un maravilloso golpe de suerte. Aprende las reglas para que sepas incumplirlas cuando consideres. No permitas que una pequeña discusión empañe una gran relación. Cuando te des cuenta de que has cometido un error, toma inmediatamente las medidas necesarias para corregirlo. Pasa algún tiempo solo todos los días. Abre tus brazos al cambio, pero no abandones tus valores. Y recuerda que, a veces, el silencio es la mejor respuesta.

Esta noche a tu ventana tira piedras la luna. Dice que no llores sola. Que ella quiere compañía, que la noche es larga y fría. Ella en vela pasa las horas. En Vela, La Fuga

Is life only about choices or can we have it ALL?

Soy un catalán que escribe en lengua castellana. Yo nunca vi en ello nada anormal. Y aunque creo que la inmensa mayoría comparte mi opinión, hay sin embargo quién piensa que se trata de una anomalía, un desacuerdo entre lo que soy y represento, y lo que debería haber sido y haber quizá representado. Dicho sea de paso, desacuerdos entre lo que soy y lo que podría haber sido en esta vida, como escritor y como simple individuo, tengo para dar y tomar , o, como decimos en Cataluña, per donar i per vendre. Juan Marsé, Premio Cervantes de Literatura 2008

Die Freiheit des Menschen liegt nicht darin, dass er tun kann, was er will, sondern, dass er nicht tun muss, was er nicht will. Rousseau (La libertad del hombre no consiste en hacer lo que quiera, sino en no tener que hacer lo que no quiere).

I love being a woman. Yes, this said to be the weak sex. The one who is able to work, bring home the groceries, change diapers, clean up the house and still dress up, put on some make up, run in heels and look fabulous. The sex which, together with minorities and disabled people, is particularly encouraged to apply for a job because "X" is an equal opportunity employer. The sex which always shoots for perfection. The one that has feelings and is not afraid to talk about them. The sex which waits by the phone, reads self-help books and cries if someone plays that special song. The one which dreams and makes plans. The one that fell apart so many times, but was always able to start all over again. Dedicated with love to all the amazing women I know, and to all the men who are able to realize how wonderful a woman can be.

Most times in life it is just the moment which counts. We love fast food, quick deliveries and coffees to go... We shop an item regardless of the credit crunch by the end of the month. Because it is carpe diem which matters. And this rule often applies also to people. Friends become those with whom you hang around, with whom you share a table over beers, despite the conversation is not particularly inspiring. That is why it is relieving to sometimes find out that uniquess is still a value, and an important one. That you still have friends who you do not have the chance to see very often, but they remain special. And although you may share your time with other folks, your meetings with your genuine friends are much more exciting. And in terms of love, it is nice to eventually recover the faith you once lost. It simply feels good to be able to believe again that love can still happen and that someone can find you special, despite you are some kilometers away, despite you are not the pre...

Wenn man zwei Stunden lang mit einem Mädchen zusammensitzt, meint man, es wäre eine Minute. Sitzt man jedoch eine Minute auf einem heißen Ofen, meint man, es wären zwei Stunden. Das ist Relativität. Albert Einstein , 14.03.1879 - 18.04.1955 deutscher Physiker und Nobelpreisträger

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It is the life in your years. And how we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

We are defined by opportunities. Even by the ones we miss. “For what it’s worth, it’s never too late, or in my case too early, to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit….start whenever you want… you can change or stay the same. There are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. I hope you see things that stop you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again.” (The curious case of Benjamin Button)

¿Por qué es tan doloroso ir diciendo la verdad? La palabra se dispara y duele mucho al personal. ¿Por qué hay que pensarlo tanto? ¿Por qué no se siente más? ¿Por qué la vida no es gratis, si estamos para disfrutar? ¿Por qué la melancolía nos traiciona sin parar? ¿Por qué duele el otoño y me vuelve loco de atar? Tantas palabras son falsas, que se acaban por gastar. Tiempo perdido encontrando, algo que no sé buscar . Adivina adivinanza, si puedes adivinar. Una cosa que no se pierde y es difícil encontrar. Adivina adivinanza, si puedes adivinar. Una cosa color verde que nos hace avanzar. Todo es ponerse, Celtas Cortos

There are some people with whom you can talk about football. And also some people with whom you can talk about fashion. And then, there are these people with whom you can talk about life, better said, about what makes life unique. A couple of weeks ago I met one of this special persons for a warm coffee. And we talked about one aspect of nature which has always fascinated us both. Are we really so sure that animals cannot think? What makes the human being so exceptional? Apparently, this big difference between us and them is basically sustained by the fact that our cerebral cortex is 25% denser. I cannot help but be surprised by some animal behaviors. Is it really only instinct who is working? And the most appealing thing is to realize over and over again how similar we are to them. I am sure that most of you, readers, have already watched this video. If not, it is certainly worth to take a look: http://es.youtube.com/watch?v=LU8DDYz68kM Nature will never stop surprising us.

Aunque no soy gran seguidora de la Gran Pantalla, no hace mucho tiempo vi una película que me impresionó. La escogí por su título: "El último Rey de Escocia" ante mi inminente partida a la tierra del tweed y del whisky. El hecho de ver a un hombre negro ( Forest Whitaker ) en la carátula de la cinta, me hizo sospechar que quizás no tuviera mucho que ver con el país de William Wallace. Y en efecto, poco o nada verde puede verse en la cinta. James McAvoy es un recién graduado médico escocés que, como muchos de nosotros, decidió un día dar un gran cambio a su vida. Pensó que el hospital de su barrio era demasiado cómodo y que necesitaba algo más emocionante en lo que invertir sus conocimientos médicos. Así pues, tomó un globo del mundo, lo hizo girar y con los ojos cerrados apuntó un país. Que resultó ser UGANDA. Y se dijo a sí mismo: There we go! Cogió sus cosas y pronto se encontró de misión médica en este país de África. Si el destino realmente existe, podremos entonces decir...

Every man dies, not every man really lives. (William Wallace)

Ocultarlo no sirve de nada, necesitamos amar algo en todo momento. Incluso en los asuntos que nada tienen que ver con el amor, si buscamos, hallaremos el sentimiento porque el ser humano no puede vivir un instante sin él. (Blaise Pascal)

I have always thought that one of the best inventions ever has been the Internet. Almost everything in the world can be reachable by only clicking a mouse. It has for sure changed the way we live to a great extent – a house without an online computer is a much more limited house. We can organize any trip to anywhere in a minute. It has even changed our relationships models. It is easier than anytime before to stay in touch with friends and collegues. Some people even maintain internet-based relationships. Some applications like Facebook allow us to keep the world updated about our emotional status, the parties we go to, the places we visit… Almost nothing is private today and we are always available. We are crazy about technology. Laptops and iphones are a great example of the last most desired treasures. And the main use we give them is to keep in touch with other people. We sometimes prefer technology to relationships, but what we eventually end up doing with this technology is to k...

Hay momentos en la vida que son definitivos. Y ante un momento definitivo, o defines el momento o el momento te define a ti. Tin Cup en la película homónima