A bomb? Are you kidding me?

I'm amazed about people's lack of consciousness. Yesterday we were in our Language class discussing some issues, and a man entered the room saying that we had to leave the building. They had received a message saying that there was a bomb in our school.
WHAT THE HELL THE TWISTED MIND WHO CALLED WAS THINKING WHEN IT DID SUCH STUPID THING??????
Once more, I proved myself to be a balanced person when something goes wrong. But when I was at home, after kissing my son, who was already sleeping, I started shivering, and my heart wanted to jump out from my chest in despair.
I have to recognize that at the moment in which we were asked to leave the building, I only cared for one of my closest friends to be calmed. I didn't want to loose her in the crowd, because I knew that she was shocked.
This was the first time in my 28 years in which something like this happens to me. Of course I have heard many times about practical jokes like this, which were done in some institutions. However, since we are among adults, I couldn't believe people's stupidity. The news of a bomb threat came to us when the building was almost empty. We are in a wing which is almost forgotten. So, if the bomb really existed, I wouldn't be here writing at this moment.
I wonder how can someone be as careless as to threat people in this way.
When I decided to start writing about this, I was quite upset, my nose was bleeding out of rage. I couldn't understand anything. I was too upset to think in my own health. I felt impotence at its highest rate, I wanted to find someone responsible for all this, and punch his or her in the face.
Now I'm calmer. However, I still cannot understand the situation, and this is not good for me. I always look for understanding everything, even when I do not accept it... I need to understand, I need a rational answer for everything that happens (or not) to me and to the ones I care for.
Does anyone have an answer? I would be quite thankful if someone explains all this in a reasonable way.

Finally...I passed

I passed my Language exam, and of course, I'm happy about it. Even when I didn't consider the possibility of passing, I never lost faith. I believe only three of us passed it.
I felt at ease, but I also felt anxiety again. I have studied. I have studied the four units of our course book. The vocabulary and the grammar. I even made a list of words and idioms on a special notebook. I studied a lot. I passed my language exam. I still cannot believe it.
The bad part is that I will have to sit for a final exam on December. Exactly what I didn't want to do. The idea of having my whole family and friends knowing that I'm going to sit for the last exam to have my teacher's degree, is like a lot of pressure on my shoulders. I really hope this pressure doesn't become a mountain on my way. I hope this pressure vanishes from now until the day I have to sit for my final examination. I'm full of hope. I wish I finish my examination with a nice 'congratulations colleague' from the exam board.
I'm already dreaming about that day. I'm having awful nightmares as well. I hope this becomes one of those things you laugh at when you recall them.
The ultimate happiness would be that all of my classmates sitting for the same exam also pass it. We will be partying without end.
I really, truly hope that every stone on our way vanishes, or at least gives us the chance to pass it through. I believe that our effort will be rewarded in the end.
By now, having received a "Good discussion Patricia" as feedback for my essay writing is like the hand I needed on my shoulder to encourage me to go on. Those three simple words meant the world to me. It was the satisfaction of finally doing something good. They were an open door that leads me to keep on improving myself. Even when they were only three words, only twenty letters...they were more motivating than if my teacher would have written something more elaborated. I don't expect more from him. He is a great teacher, but I still believe that I'm a pain in the neck for him, that he doesn't like me at all. However, I know for sure that I will be absolutely certain that he will never gift me a passing mark. If I have one, it's because of my effort, it's because I have earned a passing mark.
I don't deny that I would like that we could build a bond that unifies us in a close teacher-students relationship, but in time I have learnt that not all of my teachers can do it. I mean, I don't want us to become friends, but at least feel the freedom of being comfortable in our classes. I don't know why, but whenever he crosses our classroom threshold, my affective filter is higher, as well as my anxiety.
I wish this can change before we finish our classes, if not, it was a pleasure having met such a great teacher. Thank you for pushing me hard enough as to help me become the best English teacher I can.

August - Just a windy month?

There's an old urban legends which says that August takes some lives away. I've always laughed at this, but this year the legend is being frighteningly near some relatives.
Last week was a different week. On Sunday I realized that my son had chickenpox. I was quite worried, sad and desperate because I'm not accustomed to have my son sick. He is a healthy boy who only got minimum flues and some coughing from time to time. So, having him with blisters all over his body, and even worst, in his throat, it was pretty unbearable for me. I didn't know what to do to help him feel better, he wouldn't eat anything because of the pain, but he was hungry anyway. I was helpless. I bought him some yogurt, and part of the problem was solved.
By Thursday, my husband's mother called him to say that a healthy relative had just passed away. We stayed puzzled. The woman who died, was not one of my favourite relatives from my husband's side, but she was a person, a healthy person. Why should she die? And more important, why should she die out of the blue? Without notice, without being sick, out of the blue. She started feeling a strong stomachache a week before, and the doctor advised her to have some medicines. She took the medicines and started a healthy diet. At 4 a.m. on Thursday, she told her husband that she was suffering a splitting headache, and by the time her husband went to look for the car keys to take her to the hospital, she lost consciousness.
The weird thing is that the whole family was expecting the husband to pass away, because of his diabetes and the problems he has had for not being careful enough with his health.
Anyway, by Friday, my husband went on a minor surgery from one of his toes. So, instead of having one Leo male sick, I had TWO. Leo males are quite demanding when they are sick. They tend to be extremely attached to their mothers, which meant that I had my husband's mother more often than I wished. What's worse, I had my husband's mother 'suggesting' ways of treatment for her son and her grandson. My God! I thank everyday for the patience I have. If not, I would have sent her to hell and I would probably have had many quarrels with my husband.
Of course, I didn't go to school on Friday, but one of my friends sent me a message asking about my family's health and told me about one of her friends' father who had died that day.
For this series of unfortunate events, I started wondering about the urban legend that I've always heard from old women about this strange characteristic of August. Is it true, or just a weird coincidence? As i said, I've always laughed at this and every urban legend, but this year I decided to doubt, and not be one hundred percent certain of the non-existance of such possibility.

The Arctic - Drawing lines in melting ice

http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9660012

Reading Report 26

Title: The Arctic - Drawing lines in melting ice
Source: http://www.economist.com/world/international/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9660012
Date: Aug 16th 2007


Vocabulary:
Swathe: an enveloping bandage
Seabed: The floor of the sea or the ocean
Icebound: obstructed or shut off by ice
Foray: a quick raid, usually for the purpose of taking plunder
Cacophony: a discordant and meaningless mixture of sounds
Trodden: to set down the foot or feet in walking
Hobbled: to impede; hamper the progress of
Preclude: to prevent the presence, existence, or occurrence of; make impossible
Retorts: To reply, especially to answer in a quick, caustic, or witty manner
Tiff: a slight fit of annoyance, bad mood, or the like
Gravel: small stones and pebbles, or a mixture of these with sand
Intractability: not easily controlled or directed; not docile or manageable

Summary:
The Artic is becoming a fashionable destination for tourism. The problem comes when the different countries want to gain possession over it. It is well known the richness of this region, but thanks to the soil’s intractability, this remains safe from exploitation. Nevertheless, day by day The Artic is melting down, which would make possible for the fishing industry to go deeper, and make it a profitable area due to its many resources.


Personal Reaction:
It’s a quite sad image the one that shows a humongous greed over the planet’s virgin soil. Sometimes I cannot believe the way in which the different countries go to war over a piece of land, over its richness. Greed is a capital sin. I wonder why it has become a common disease nowadays.
Sadly enough, I believe that some day in this race of conquer, the biggest countries will end up destroying some parts of the planet for the sake of their own interests. The part that they won’t be able to set their flags on, will be destroyed to avoid someone else’s ownership. I hope the already mentioned greed doesn’t end up killing the beautiful place in which we are living.
Also by exploiting virgin soil, I think we are running out our own resources for future generations. This is closely related to the fact that these countries are drying out all their reservoirs which feed them, and they’ll only realise about the huge damage when it’s too late to revert such consequences.

Adiós to poverty, hola to consumption

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9645142#top

Reading Report 25

Title: Adiós to poverty, hola to consumption
Source: http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9645142#top
Date: Aug 16th 2007

Vocabulary:
Winding: bending or turning; sinuous
Depots: A warehouse or storehouse
Amid: in the middle of; surrounded by; among
Grinding: To shape, sharpen, or refine with friction
Ubiquitous: existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent
Ply: a unit of yarn
Plethora: overabundance; excess
Nadir: the lowest point; point of greatest adversity or despair
Remittances: The sending of money to someone at a distance
Abjured: to avoid or shun
Clawed: To scratch, dig, tear, or pull with or as if with claws


Summary:
During the last years, Latin American governments have maintained an average stability which allowed a big amount of poor people to improve their lifestyle. These people have reached a new level among social classes, broadening the circle which embraces a middle class community. Those who are now part of this middle class society are the ones who spend more money consuming goods. The sad part is that in the same way, lot of people suffered a top-down change by becoming poor. In Latin American countries the main problem resides in the incredible fragility of the economic system.


Personal Reaction:
I don’t know quite much where lays the dividing line between middle class and poor people. In my particular case, my husband has a great salary, I think. We can live our lives worrying less than others about reaching to the end of each month. If needed, we can borrow some money, knowing that we will be able to give it back in short time. We have our own house and van, which also is more than the average expected. Among the people we know, none of them being our age have neither the things we already have, nor the possibility of having them soon. In fact, even when my husband doesn’t have such positive perspective, he is free to go hunting and fishing every other weekend, or several times a year. What’s more, I can also decide going to seminars in other provinces without doubting if we would have the means or not. Of course, I agree on the aspect of living in a time of high consumerism, but if you don’t take advantage of the possibilities you may have, what’s the sense in saving forever and ever, by depriving your family and yourself of things that, urgently needed or not, provoke some kind of pleasure which is priceless.

Are We Failing Our Geniuses?

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1653653,00.html

Reading Report 24

Title: Are We Failing Our Geniuses?
Source: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1653653,00.html
Date: Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007

Vocabulary:
Stringing: to connect in or as in a line; arrange in a series or succession
Witty: possessing wit in speech or writing; amusingly clever in perception and expression
Squandering: To fail to take advantage of; lose a chance for
Tabulated: to put or arrange in a tabular, systematic, or condensed form
Battered: damaged especially by hard usage
Acuity: sharpness; acuteness; keenness
Aloof: reserved or reticent; indifferent; disinterested
Akin: Having a similar quality or character; analogous
Unbidden: Not invited, asked, or requested; unasked
Peremptory: leaving no opportunity for denial or refusal; imperative
Promontory: a prominent or protuberant part
Cliquish: associating exclusively with the members of one's own clique; clannish.
Traits: A genetically determined characteristic or condition
Pitfalls: An unapparent source of trouble or danger; a hidden hazard
Chafed: to irritate; annoy

Summary:
This article is about gifted students whose IQ tests are higher than average. It criticizes the way in which schools do not allow gifted students to skip courses. In this article, we can also find a contrast between the amounts of money spent on below standard students, and on highly gifted ones. It says that the programme “No child left behind” is actually doing a lot of harm on those who need to skip courses.
Gifted students in the U.S. have the possibility to attend a school especially created for them, in which the curriculum is divided into three levels, instead of the many courses regular schools have. Anyway, it has been argued that in this way, those students are still being isolated; they are still being treated in a different way which is not completely healthy for them.


Personal Reaction:
I’m not quite sure about the reason, but I have always felt pity on little geniuses. Maybe it’s because they are almost one hundred percent of the times living in environments in which they are not at ease. It’s as if they could never find the perfect place in which they can feel comfortable.
I remember when I was a child; I truly wanted to be different, more intelligent than the rest, to know more, and to be able to pass my courses without much studying. This wishes lasted until one day I came across with an article which described gifted children as potentially crazy people, with a great tendency towards having some kind of mental disorder.
I think that we are all different in a way or another, but being that different must be a real burden in someone’s life. It seems that there are opposite realities between those who are really smart, and those who are gifted at some sport or artistically. The first ones have a higher risk to suffer from discrimination. The last ones have greater opportunities to shine.

Reaction Paper on Jaim Etcheverry's presentation

We were undeniably there - From left to right: Patricia Romano, Jesica Suparo, Carlos Lizárraga and Raquel Soria


When Dr Jaim Etcheverry started his presentation, I felt at ease. The pace of his talking and the rhythm of his voice were captivating. From the beginning to its end, the talk was great. He said things that caught my attention, and some others in which I couldn't agree more.

When he said he would start with a parable, I thought he was going to do something like a mass, where the priest starts reading something from the bible, and then comes the whole sermon. However, I was nicely surprised when I realized that he had changed the parable to make it fit in the main topic of his lecture.

With this parable, I remembered all the things that we have been learning in some of our subjects at teacher training college. Lesson plans, projects, contents, etc were all known to me, but in his words, they sound like a real burden for the teaching practise.

My classmates and me were the youngest people in the audience, which left me with a big question mark in front of my face. I started wondering about the big amount of people who would have been benefited for such incredible, real, and rough comments on Argentinean education system.

All in all, he didn't say many new things. It was the way in which he said everything that was really shocking. I mean, we all know about the divorce between the institutions of family and school, but it's like one of those secrets that everyone knows, although no one does anything or even speak about it.

Personally, seeing education as a way to dimension our own possibilities, was adding one good aspect of it in my life. In other words, for me education is essentially needed and I have never considered it in the way Dr Jaim Etcheverry put it.

I couldn't agree more with the fact that schools have become an accreditation agency, in fact, this was the main reason why I resigned my job two months ago. I tested my students' knowledge and put them the marks that they deserved. In some particular cases, I decided to gift them an opportunity by not giving them the absolute failing mark. Anyway, the head of the English department, in alliance with the school's principal, decided to change almost 80% of the marks of the two courses in which I was in charge. The worst part is that I found out about this criminal act, because of my students' naiveness when they thanked me for giving them a passing mark on their reports even when they had a plain one in the two tests they did.

Another shocking thing is the realization of a black future without education. The fact that we won't be able to live our lives in a safe environment due to others' ignorance and fearless attitude is anguishing. As I always say, my biggest worry is related to the world in which my son will have to live. It's not only caring and being concerned about our future, it's pre-occupying, and actually doing something, for the sake of those younger than us.

It was a great talk. In fact once more, we as a group at teacher training college, have been using our power to ask for more useful education. For example, yesterday we gave one of our teachers some suggestions in relation to a subject that we have during this term. We asked for a better quality in the material used, in this way we will improve our knowledge.

Although Dr Jaim Etcheverry said that he prefers to be quite optimistic regarding our future. At some point I see educational improvement as nothing different from an idealistic utopia. On one hand, because of governments' lack of interest on the topic, and family's tendency to be on the fast lane. On the other hand, because if we want to change the system as it is, we have to start by modifying people's minds. Education takes time, and sadly enough, day by day we find less people willing to accept those conditions. I tried to stand against the system, and the system ended up closing one of its doors to me.

Guillermo Jaim Etcheverry's lecture

Dr. Guillermo Jaim Etcheverry is a doctor who has written a book called "La tragedia Educativa", and who has devoted his life to teaching and to neurobiology investigation.

We went to one of his talks about the Argentinean educational situation yesterday, and he started it with a very funny parable, which says something like this:
"In those times, Jesus came to the mountain, sat on a stone, and let his disciples and followers approach him; 'Happy those who are hungry and thirsty of justice, the merciful, the chased because of justice...'That was when Pedro interrupted him to say: 'Do we have to learn it by heart?'; and Andrés said: 'Do we have to write it down?'; and Santiago said: 'Are you going to test us with that?'; and Tomás said: Do we have to write a monograph?'; and Marcos said: 'And what is this useful for?'. So one of the followers present there, inquired Jesus about his lesson plan, and in front of the master's amazement, he queried in these terms: 'What's the name of your classroom project?; Which are the strategies?; Which are the conceptual, attitudinal, and proceeding contents?; Have you given encounter spaces to coordinate transverse actions?.' Jesus eyes were full of tears; he looked towards the sky, and said: 'Father, why is it that you have abandoned me?'

After the laughing of all the audience, Dr. Jaim Etcheverry referred to the need of reflection on the broken bounds between the school and the family, he said that we are experiencing an increasing carelessness towards the teaching process. It seems that there's a fear to teach.
Sadly, he explained, society is influencing the teaching practise, and our society nowadays is embracing the idea of youth as a goal, not a phase, which everyone wants to achieve.

Youth applies to the ones who are chronologically young, nevertheless, the rest is constantly seeking for it. It is said that young people already know everything, which in a way leaves an obsolete mark on education, but we have to reflect on this because we can all agree on the fact that in the technological field they have a greater knowledge. However, we can also agree on the fact that nowadays, a biggest intellectual capacity is required to write something than to handle technology.

We are urged to understand which our responsibility on education is. We have to think that we are putting in the young ones' hands a huge inheritance, which is the whole creativity corpus that we have been leaving to them.

The education is a way to dimension our own possibilities, with a correct education we can answer questions like: What can we do?, What are we good at?. Its acquisition is worldwide admitted to be mainly fruit of our own personal effort, which gives in other words a maths operation as the following:
Personal effort + Teachers = Long term satisfaction.
The problem in this society is that satisfaction is required immediately, which generates a big obstacle to the ones who want to teach.

Nowadays the main goal is to make the learning process something fun. We are losing the real aim of going to school. Students should go to school to be interested, to allow teachers build interest on them, not to have fun.
The problem is that there are no students neither willing nor with a positive attitude to learn, and parents have become allies of their children against school. What's more, secondary school has become a long preparation for their final trip to Bariloche.

This crisis lives within our houses' walls. The school is nowadays only an accreditation agency, in which the conquest of a certificate is the main goal. Both, parents and students only want to have a passing mark in every subject, they don't care about learning. That is why the level of knowledge is decreasing faster than ever before.

There's a decapitalization of knowledge, well backed up by psychological theories which state that knowledge grows faster than the learning process, which is why when students finish studying something, that something is already old.

Even to be a rebel, you have to know. This is not taken into account anymore. If you don't know about the problem, how would you know why or against what are we rebelling to.

Today the teaching practise is rejected because of the asymmetric relationship that this requires. This crisis in knowledge transmission is the basis of the problem. Teacher's authority is biggest than what is thought. The teacher has to be responsible for the world that is being transmitted to the students. So, the teacher should transmit knowledge, but in our modern schools a teacher is only a group entertainer.
The worst part is that not even the ones who are in a position to value their education, are willing to do it. Students, whose parents can aspire to a better education, also hold the already mentioned tendency to find relief by passing the subjects without knowing anything. In fact, those in need are the ones who consider education as a possibility of improvement.

Our Argentinean society is a reluctant society towards rules, and education is essentially a teaching of rules, which is why, our youth is having less knowledge every day.
People who have learnt in the 'old-fashioned way', can easily adapt to the new technologies because of the background knowledge that they have.
Egalitarian democracy is not suitable for all types of institutions. In the family, and at school, you cannot have a democracy, because equality will kill them.

Unfortunately, teachers are baby-sitters. Nowadays, schools are seen as a nursery where parents leave their children to have someone taking care of them. Teachers, of course, are those entitled for such job. The most important goal of going to school has been lost.

Every child has the same possibility to be taught. One of the big problems in our society is related to the exclusion of poor people. This exclusion is not applied to poor people who are still hopeful of finding a way out. This exclusion refers to those who have lost all their possibilities to improve. Sarmiento said: "If you don't want to educate them for charity, at least do it for fear." Some years from now, we will have a society which will be impossible to hold, because we would have created a group of people who have no values. Our life depends on the quality of the ones we have in front of us. If we don't take care of those, we won't be able to live our lives, because we would have created people who have nothing to lose.

We have to give people the elements to think, and to have an approach to reality from different perspectives. No one knows what is going to be used and when, because the education tries to build up every person as complete as possible, plus give them tools to find a way to get a place in society.

If we keep on thinking that today is good, and what was before is useless, we will end up having an empty life, because today we are the past of our future. That is why we have to effort ourselves to construct in the best possible way the future children. We have to save them, and save ourselves from the black future that presupposes having ignorant people around us.

Dream or nighmare?

I was talking with you, it was a sunny Spring day. We were discussing some important issues regarding the topic that concerns us, world’s education. You asked me to join in a four block’s walk towards your house. Your right hand was holding a little girl’s hand. In a strange way, that little girl’s face was familiar. It reminded me of myself when I was 5 years old. I agreed on your plea, and we started walking side by side. I was by your left side, and after the fifth step…you held my hand.
For a microsecond, my heart stopped, and a freezing feeling traveled through my veins from top to bottom. I kept on walking, speechless looking at an imaginary horizon. What was I doing? I’m married, and you’re not my husband. Am I cheating on him just by letting you hold my hand? What is happening? Why is it that you held my hand in such a tender and synergic way? Is this a symbolism of you willingness to help me go on? Is it that you already know that day by day my unwillingness to continue is becoming stronger? What is this? What am I doing? You’re not like this, you’re a nice guy, but you never show your feelings. Why are you doing it with me? I’m married, and you know it. You have to know it.
The four blocks seemed endless, our first block was endless. Our silence seemed an ocean between us, and your silence was deafening. I decided to continue walking in the same speechless way. I started looking at the people around us. Would anyone recognize me? Would any of these people tell my husband that I was walking hand by hand with another man? What would I say to him? I felt I was the worst cheater in the world, just by not cleaning my hand out of yours. At some point you stopped walking, as if in the previous steps you were trying to find sufficient confidence. You stopped, released your hand from the little girl, and looked at me. You were speechless and I was quite uncomfortable. My feeling of guilt was increasing at gigantic steps. My heart was beating as a steam machine that was about to explode. You didn’t want to look at me, and you seemed embarrassed by something I couldn’t get.
Softly, your warm and tender left hand released mine. I didn’t want to look at you. I started feeling shyness as part of me. My heart had the same butterflies that I used to have in my teenage days. The same butterflies that were coming and going through my stomach. I’m married, I’m married, I’m mar…
Your lips approached mine in the most delicate way. You said “I’m sorry”, but your words were flying in the air, far away from me. I wanted to kiss you back, but I’m married, we are in the middle of the street. What am I doing? Why did you do that? Am I losing my mind? Why are you doing this to me?
Tears caressed my cheeks, and as a contagious disease, your eyes started to show a mist of tears. We stayed there looking at each other in anguish, as if we knew for certain that we were hurting someone else.
Our sad eyes finally encountered in an unbreakable bond, and my only need was to hug you, and have you hugging me back.
In that emotional embrace of souls, as fate decreeing that we would never find each other again, my alarm clock started ringing and I woke up this morning feeling bitterness at its biggest extent.

Cinderella of the 21st Century - Glossary

Bimbo: Plural Bimboes/Bimbos. Slang. An attractive but stupid young woman, especially one with loose morals
Iniquitous: Characterized by injustice or wickedness
Cinderella: A person or thing of merit, undeservedly neglected or forced into a wretched or obscure existence
Brainy: Intelligent; clever; intellectual
Manolo Blahnik: Famous shoe designer. In the year 2000, the popularity of the HBO TV series Sex And The City makes Manolo Blahnik a household name in the US
Infatuation: A foolish, unreasoning, or extravagant passion or attraction
Stylish: characterized by or conforming to style or the fashionable standard; fashionably elegant; smart or chic
Nerd: Slang. Pejorative applied to anyone with an above-average IQ, who knows what's really important and interesting and doesn't care to be distracted by trivial chatter and silly status games.

Sources:
http://dictionary.reference.com/
http://www.designmuseum.org/design/manolo-blahnik

Cinderella of the 21st Century

There was once a very busy businessman whose wife, tired of his constant trips, asked him to choose between his family and his traveller miles. The couple divorced after thirteen years of marriage and one beautiful daughter.
The businessman married again two years later. The second wife was a very pretty and shallow woman who already had a pair of bimboes as daughters, who were as pretty and shallow as herself. The businessman’s first daughter, whose custody he gained after a long legal dispute, was a sweet, intelligent and well-educated girl, just like her real mother.
The new wife hated feeling inferior than her stepdaughter, because she was as perfect as to make them look ugly and stupid. So the iniquitous woman gave her the hardest work to do in the house, the flawless girl was ordered to make her stepsisters look smart.
She slept on the floor between the stepsisters’ beds, and after the day’s work was done or the sisters were tired, which generally happened first, she was obliged to sit and watch silly soap-operas at her eyes’ ends. Because of this, the two sisters decided to call her Cinderella.
When Cinderella was 21, she saw her opportunity to run away from the torture she was suffering day after day with the two sisters. She thought about fleeing to a different country in which her father could visit her during one of his trips. Sadly, the stepmother learnt about her intentions, and stole her passport. By this action, this mean woman obstructed Cinders plan to find relief.
The week after the robbery, an invitation to a dance arrived at the house. It was sent to the family, and since neither the stepmother nor the two sisters had learn to read so well yet, Cinders opened and read it. King Charles invited all the important people in the country with their unmarried daughters, because he wanted to find a wife for his older son William.
The sisters couldn’t decide what to wear.
“I’ll wear my Versace’s Pink quilted silk satin, silk georgette with long lace,” said the eldest.
“I’ll wear my Armani’s black viscose evening gown with a sexy open back, and beautifully beaded detail,” said the youngest. “Of course, Cinderella must help us get ready and talk brainy.”
So Cinders worked hard for her stepsisters, rushing to the drycleaner’s, downloading updated information from the internet, and trying to match their dresses with some shoes and jewellery. She even arranged their hairdressers’ appointments for them, and although she was secretly longing to go to the ball herself, she didn’t once complain that she had been left out.
As the sisters left for the royal palace, Cinders sat down in front of her old laptop, and while visiting The History Channel on the web, she began to cry. She had so wanted to go dancing and meet the prince.,,
Suddenly, her mother appeared. She was wearing a Jacky Kennedy’s suit and a beautiful pair of matching-with-the-purse shoes.

...TO BE CONTINUED...

Cinderella of the 21st Century(cont)

“I’m your mother, what is your wish?” she said.
“If only I could go to the ball,” whispered Cinders. “But I have no dress, no car to take me, and my credit cards have been cancelled.”
“I can arrange that,” replied the mother. And she sent Cinders into the wine cellar to look for the best bottle she could find. The mother made some calls with her cell phone, and instantly a white Rolls Royce appeared. Six unemployed police officers became proud servants to escort her in case someone wanted to abduct her and ask for a reward, and the friendly butler became her chauffeur.
“Oh, but that is wonderful,” gasped Cinders pouring some wine, and serving it to her mother. “But I have nothing to wear!” she said, looking at her torn old blue jeans.
“Nonsense child!” cried the mother. And with another phone call Oscar de la Renta appeared helping Cinders with the most beautiful white crystal embroidered gown with tulle full skirt, and sterling satin ribbon, from his spring 2008 collection. On her feet were the daintiest diamond encrusted sandals you have ever seen, especially delivered by Manolo Blahnik.
“Go and enjoy yourself,” said the mother. “But remember! You must be back before midnight, otherwise all your fine things will be taken away by the entire police force. Everything has been lent you only for a few hours, if you don’t come back, they will think that you want to steal them.
When Cinderella arrived at the palace, there was a sudden hush in the hall. No one knew who this beautiful lady was. Prince William saw her at once, and sent away all the top models that were around him. The music suddenly changed from hip-hop to the sweetest soft melody ever. Prince William asked Cinderella to dance with him, and for the rest of the evening they danced the whole time together, while talking about their preferences in music, art, and many other things.
Just before midnight the guests went to eat at a wonderful feast prepared by the most prestigious cook in the world. The prince was so infatuated with Cinders that he insisted on fetching food for her himself. But as the clock began to strike, Cinders remembered the mother’s warning. With a cry she ran out of the ballroom and disappeared into the night, leaving one of her expensive sandals behind.
The prince was astonished to see her go, and sent someone to find her. However, he stayed shocked wondering what was wrong with him to cause such reaction. The guards at the gate said they had only seen a nudist girl trying to cover her “parts” with some bushes, and the palace servants could only find a diamond encrusted sandal.
So the prince began to search the whole country for this beautiful woman he had fallen in love with. On national television, he announced that he would marry the owner of the stylish sandal. Princesses tried on the sandal and then all the grand ladies in the region. Then all the daughters of rich gentlemen in the town also tried. But none could squeeze their foot into the tiny shoe.
Finally the royal messenger arrived at Cinderella’s home and offered the slipper to the stupid sisters. Neither one could fit it on her foot, in spite of all their pushing and pinching. Cinders then came forward and asked if she might try the sandal on.
“Of course not!” exclaimed her stepmother. “This shoe is not for nerds. Go back to the library where you belong!”
But the royal messenger looked at her carefully. He saw how pretty she was behind the glasses, messy hair, and ragged jeans, and how small her feet were. He gave her the shoe and watched as Cinderella’s foot slipped into it perfectly.
The sisters cried out with jealousy and anger as Cinders brought the other shoe. So that was who the mysterious beautiful woman was…their very own Cinders!
In a magic second, and at a wave of her cell phone, the mother once more gave Cinderella a Beautiful dress, and when she met the prince he immediately asked her to marry him. When Cinders answered a shy “I’ll think about it”, they agreed on start dating first and think about marriage some time later.After a year and a half, Prince William and Grace (Cinderella’s real name) set a date, got married in a luxurious wedding, and lived happily ever after.

- THE END -

(I’ve written this story for a pair of great teachers who honored me by asking for it)

Feeling Proud of myself

Yeasterday one of my former teachers asked me a favour that even when it requires a lot of work, I'm so proud that she had thought about me for such task.
The idea is that she gave me the original version of the short story "Cinderella", and asked me to write a modern version of it. Can you imagine my proudness? And that's not the end. My version is going to be presented in a lecture next week!
I can't believe it...
Of course this is a great challenge, because I was given an enormous responsibility, but I cannot feel other thing than happiness. I love writing, and I love writing modern and funny versions of old and gloomy things.
I hope her expectations are fulfiled by my job. I've been thinking about some ideas I could include in my writing, and who knows, maybe it becomes a nice piece of work.
With things like this, I start wondering why is it that I experience so many feelings at the same time. On one hand, I cannot pass an exam which was basically writing, and on the other hand, a teacher asks me to write something for her, based on my previous works.
The fact that at least one of my teachers has such a good concept about me, is like a tender caress to my heart. It's like putting a hand on my shoulder to push my soul to go on. As if they were telling me, "Come on! You can do it! You can overcome every obstacle!"
I really wish I can do it as I'm expected to.
I feel honoured...
When I finish writing my new version of "Cinderella" you'll have it posted. Until then, I may disappear (or not) for a few days.

Self boycotting

During my three years of psychotherapy, my shrink tried and tried to help me avoid this damaging tendency of self-boycotting myself.
At that time, I thought I could overcome such need, but yesterday I realized I didn't. For the last months, I thought that my academic life was great. A lot of hard work which was giving its fruits. However, yesterday I started to think about the unthinkable. I'm not going to get my degree neither when I wanted, nor as I imagined.
I'm having a little tiny stone on my way which is in fact a big mountain for me. Since anxiety has become my worst disease, the idea of not having passed one of my exams is just killing my soul.
I know for sure that I'm wrong. I should take this as it is: just a little tiny stone on my way...but I can't.
I deny the idea of thinking too much about something, because in general terms, everything ends up being something one hundred percent different. But in terms of getting my degree, I think I've been dreaming for a long time. And I shouldn't. This is not due to a high level of negativity in my blood, but because I started to believe in the idea of dealing with things the best way I can at the precise moment in which they happen to me.
I wish I could be different in this aspect, I wish I didn't have this tendency to self-boycotting, but what can I do? Everthing has been so difficult to get, that sometimes I cannot believe that my life is a great gift. I cannot understand why God has given me so many good experiences to be proud of. There's something wrong when the world becomes a perfect rounded circle.
Someone said yesterday, that when you really want something, and you think about it, it is almost certain that you're going to get it...I don't know if I'm completely wrong, but I don't think so. My experience tells me that it's not that easy. It's not only a matter of sending "good energy" and receiving back your wishes accomplished...
I should be a rabbit mum, full of children if that was the case.
I don't know, I don't want to be pesimistic, because I know that my friends are going to tell me off, but I don't know what can I do.
Today my mother was very upset when I told her about my exam. She almost shouted that I was an intelligent person, and I shouldn't be so worried until I have certainty. I don't know...maybe she's right. But my experience writing essays in this subject hasn't been encouraging. Almost every written production that I presented was a failing mark.
Which are my possibilities to pass this exam?...
Almost zero
Time will say.

This is Just to say

Feeling sick
With aliens in my stomach
I call you
But I don't want to find you
I don't like hurting your feelings
My body is shaking.
I want to see you,
But I don't want you to see me.
And I try to write.
I write endless words in this vicious air,
Surrounded by towels and soap.
I look at the sky trying to find relief.
I breathe,
I take a deep breath...
Speaking is a difficult task.
The mug in my hand spills some tea.
You look at me in amazement,
You wonder what's wrong.
I don't want to hurt your feelings...
I stare at you,
And borrowed words flow aimelessly.
This is just to say...
I don't like your cuisine.

Friend's day

For many years I've had many possibilities during friend's day to go to parties. I don't know if I'm too old for parties, or my life has turned into a different thing, but I prefer the quietness of having only one possibility to go out.

These year I've decided to enjoy that day with my closest friends from school. They have become my pillars for the last years, and if we are lucky enough, we won't be seeing each other every day next year.

I've been pleased to spend the evening with them. I didn't want anything else. Even when I received other invitations for bigger celebrations, I really wanted to be with them. They are like my little brother and sisters. They are always there for me when I'm about to freak out, and I'm always worrying about their well being. We share a careful concern towards each other. We know for sure that we can find in the other, a willing shoulder to lean on when needed.

We are good friends...

We share many things...

Sometimes we do not agree with each other, but show respect in every step of our way. We are respectful of each other's personal space.

Respectful of personal space...

I've always said that this is the real basis of our friendship, of our brotherhood. We are not invaders or intruders who want to be 100% of the time with the other. We are like one, but without losing our individuality. Each of us has his or her life, his or her duties, his or her need to be alone...and we are respectful. For example, we don't burst into Chezik's place just because she lives near school. If it's not agreed on, or really necessary, we don't go there. I'm the one that has more possibilities to go whenever I want, but I have my house, and that's HER place. Why should I spread my "roots" there and be an interference in her everyday lifestyle?

Of course, we have our differences, but I don't remember having big arguments with any of them. We had our little conflicts, but none of them were as important as to break our bonds.

Once more, thank you my friends!!!!

I'm living this last period of the year with the anxiety you already know, but having you by my side is the relaxing pill that I need. I hope my angst doesn't bother you that much.

Love you!!!

Kisses and hugs

Am I a bizarre alien?

I don't understand people's need to mix groups in birthdays or similar celebrations. To my great bad luck, my husband is one of those. He is delighted having huge celebrations, with many...many...MANY people.
I've had the opportunity to show him that when you ask too many persons to come to your house, you end up serving everyone, and you don't have the opportunity to enjoy the moment. You have to be in a hurry, being certain that no one needs anything else, either food or drinks. You have to be continuously checking that everyone is pleased to be in your house.
Here comes my big question: WHY? Why do you need to be like a waiter in your own birthday? Why the need of becoming a slave in your own house?
When I talk about mixing people, I'm saying that if it's not enough to be serving everyone, you have to split your time (because you cannot split yourself) to be at least some minutes with each group!
Thank God I could almost always avoid that feeling of being in your wedding day or your sweet fifteen party, where you want pay attention to everyone so nobody is upset about being in your party without you.
For my birthdays, I never invite anyone. I prefer seeing who remembers my birthday, and who really wants to come. Either way is the same, I'm fully pleased when I have many friends in my house, and I'm not angry with the ones that only call, send a message, an e-mail, and cannot come. Of course this doesn't apply to my dearest friends, whom I'm waiting until I go to sleep.
Last year, my birthday was quite calm, only 9 friends came, and I was happy. I could talk to all of them at the same time, I didn't have to separate my soul and break my heart in several parts to share with all of them. I was happy and enjoying of a great easiness.
Some minutes ago, I received a call from my husband, he told me that at the last minute, he decided to invite more people to celebrate his birthday...TONIGHT!!!
At last minute...we have neither enough food nor drinks.
What the hell are we going to do?????
He cries like a baby that he doesn't have money...and he compels us to spend what we don't have!!!!
Am I a bizarre alien when I ask him to live according to our standard of life? Not to spend 20 when you work for 15? Not to invite many people to your house when you have to relax and enjoy the moment?
I have to pay my laptop and he prefers to feed some friends??????
GRRRRRR!!!!
I'm losing my temper and a killing migraine is knocking on my head's door
...
He has just arrived...
All these words for nothing...
All this acrimony is now wasted...
He gave the thing a little though, and has decreed that he would not invite anyone...
Nice...
I'm feeling a little bit guilty now...it's his birthday after all...
Yes, I have just come to agreement with myself...
I'm definitely, completely, and absolutely a funny bizarre alien.

Too old to be Skinny

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article2222740.ece

Reading Report 23
Name: Patricia Romano.-
Date: August, 2007.-
Title: Too old to be skinny
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article2222740.ece
Date: August 9, 2007

Vocabulary:
Piling: to accumulate or store
Skewing: To look obliquely or sideways
Onset: a beginning or start
Stigma: a mark of disgrace or infamy; a stain or reproach, as on one's reputation
Outlawed: To place under a ban; prohibit
Outright: complete or total
Emaciation: abnormal thinness caused by lack of nutrition or by disease
Ratcheting down: move by degrees in one direction only
Striving: to exert oneself vigorously; try hard
Mindset: A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations
Emote: to show or pretend emotion
Backlash: a strong or violent reaction, as to some social or political change
Entrenched: To provide with a trench, especially for the purpose of fortifying or defending
Faze: to cause to be disturbed or disconcerted; daunt

Summary:
Anorexia has a broader target nowadays. Due to the image show in famous TV series, and worldwide known actresses, the age of women suffering from this disease has increased up to numbers never imagined before. Some women are reluctant to accept they have a problem, because the majority of the ones interviewed take such eating disorder as a way to control every aspect which is not ok in their lives. They tend to feel that by controlling their eating needs, they are good at least in something. However, it’s been scientifically proved that it’s not only a matter of low self-esteem, but also there’s a gene in some women which increases the probabilities of having an eating disorder.


Personal Reaction:
It’s incredible how influential television can be. Sometimes I surprise myself by thinking about things I wouldn’t consider if I hadn’t seen them displayed on the silly box. However, I’ve always thought, and science has proved my belief, that there’s something else than public images that contributes to eating disorders such as anorexia.
You need to have this inner tendency, this inner need to stop eating. I’ve always been really obsessed with my own perfection, but I could never stop eating per se. Of course some would laugh at this, saying that it’s quite evident, but I sustain still today, that my overweight begun by eating a lot when I was pregnant and continues nowadays due to my extremely sedentary life.
Leaving aside my physical appearance, it’s unbelievable how grown-ups can be easily influenced by popular culture. I used to think that when you are 40, your ideas are more down to earth, and your self-esteem is strengthened in a way. It’s really sad to learn about these things.
Eating disorders have always been related to teenagers and young women, especially top models. The average woman in her forties was not part of this aberration.
It seems that not only prices are rising alarmingly, but also mental diseases among older people. It’s out of this planet to learn that a 68-year-old woman suffers from anorexia. Isn’t it?

Class of 2007

Joy to the world, as in a previous entry, I'm saying, screaming, shouting, shivering, trembling, feeling with many senses...grieving in advance.

We are on the edge...

What's there for us?

Hope, only hope compelling us to continue walking up to the end. Hope of finding a job, hope of keeping in touch with our old fellows.

Love to our classmates, to the people working side by side to help us reach our goals. Love in a way to a building, full of history, full of stories.

Every stair remembers a fall. Every fall, carries concern. Every concern shows friendship.

Our brotherhood of trust will remain in our memories. From now on, we are giving our last steps towards something bigger than us.

Fear of falling before the finishing line. Panic, terror, horror when thinking about it. Dread for considering such possibility.

My glass is scratching the sky in a toast for you.

To you my friends... and to me also...the best of luck!

Salut!

Being myself again

I've spent my holiday days being a lazy woman. I didn't do anything but play burako with my mother and a friend every day in the afternoon. In other words: I've been enjoying my holidays in an unbelievable unproductive way.

This year I didn't do anything special for my son's birthday. Every year I used to prepare a huge birthday party with souvenirs and a piñata. I used to work from early mornings to late nights in many handcrafts. This year I decided to give a chance to my husband's mother and allow her to buy everything. Of course, I went with her to choose the things we were going to buy.

Everything was related with the toy car's brand "Hot Wheels". The cups, the plates, the tablecloths, and the piñata...everything with a printed "Hot Wheels" picture.

My son's birthday was last Friday. The previous Tuesday I decided that I would paint my house, or at least a part of it. There was some paint left since we painted my house before we moved in, and now I had the time to use it. The front of my house was a mess. A well covered mess with many plants. My husband repeated all the time that we would change it when we have money, because his project was to have the walls covered with bricks. The project is great, but we don't have the money yet. Until that happens, it's good to use the resources we already have. That's why I decided to put myself into this action.

When my husband arrived he told me I was crazy. My answer was: "I know these walls are full of humidity, and they really need a great deal of work, but I prefer giving them a little make-up, even if it lasts only one month...so, don't say a word and help me"

Of course, he only helped me in the little things. The biggest work was done with my lady hands, but the satisfaction was greater than tiredness.

My house is different. I also painted some patches in the kitchen with some remaining of paint, so even when the colour is not exactly the same, you have to look at it closely to notice it.

In some weird way during my two painting days, I had the feeling that I was being myself again. Working from early mornings to late nights. Being tired. Feeling useful.

I've discovered that this state of unemployment is great for a while, but I cannot stand being calm for long terms. I need to use my extra energy in something productive. In fact, the more I do, the more energy I have to do more things. This doesn't mean that I want to go back to the hurry times of Lola's deadlines and teachers' pressure, but I need to do something. I need to work. I need to feel that I'm being productive.

I gave up my job for the values and ethics I have, but at some point, I wish things would have happened in a different way. Yesterday, I passed by the school I used to work, and since children were on their break, I saw some of my old students playing. A strong sense of sadness invaded my soul. I started missing them as never before. It's not healthy to be too fond with students, but I cared about them since the very beginning. Even when I left them, I thought I was failing them in a way, because they surely have a teacher who doesn't care as I used to, that gives them passing marks even when they do not know anything. A teacher who only wants a monthly payment. Someone completely different from me.

I'm only two days away from starting my Lola's classes again, and I have the feeling that this term is going to be more difficult than the first one, not only because it's the defining one, but also because of the emotive charge it's going to have. I hope I can fully be myself again, in order to pass all my subjects in the best possible way.