¡Nunca pares de brillar!

Inidiscutiblemente, hay veces en que te levantas a duras penas de la cama, y que pareciera que el espejo consipa en tu contra. Lo único que quieres, es volver a la cama y no salir a la calle el resto del día... y en caso de ser estrictamente necesario, ponerte una bolsa con hoyitos para respirar, o una casa de perro (como la mascota de MicroMan).

Es cierto que existen esos días. Y también existen esos en que pareciera que el espejo está fotoshop-iándote, porque chitas que te ves bien. Es cierto. También existen esos días.

Pero lo maravilloso está en los días comunes y corrientes, que - como sabemos - son la gran mayoría. En esos días, nos levantamos, y hacemos lo que sea que se supone que hacemos. A veces las cosas cotidianas pasan desapercibidas, y me parece que ese es un gran error. Evidentemente, una vez que te has restregado por la cara el recorrido del tren/micro/auto/metro que te lleva a donde sea que vayas cotidianamente, una y otra y otra vez, puede que te agobie solo pensar en eso. Pero ahí está la maravilla. Si puedes leer estas líneas, eres capaz de mucho más que solo agobiarte. La gracia está en descubrir cosas nuevas, y buscarle un sentido a lo que te toca vivir.

Sé que a estas alturas parezco predicadora, pero lo importante es que parto por mí, y escribo estas líneas para recordarme a mí misma un par de cosas que parecen importantes. ¿Cómo no admirar a la Bruni? La misma primera dama francesa que se levantó a las 4 a.m. para acompañar a su marido en una visita al mercado de abastos (que dicen que es el más grande de Europa). Ella brilla. Puede parecer fácil, ya que ese es su "trabajo", pero lo cierto es que la admiro.

Hoy son 10 meses desde que decidimos estar juntos con mi Javi. No niego que me gustaría tenerlo acá el día entero. Abrazarlo fuerte y no soltarlo más. Pero no puede ser así, y ya. Nada que hacerle, pero hoy sigue siendo un día especial. Lo que hago es lo mismo de siempre: lo llevo conmigo a todas partes, como todos los días.

Adiós y gracias, señor Pollack

Jamás supe de su existencia, sino hasta el día en que por primera vez vi "Africa mía" ("Out of Africa"). La peli es del 85, y yo nací el 84. Pero la ví y quedé hechizada.
La historia es mágica, y Sydney Pollack pudo hacerla resaltar hasta su máxima expresión... la baronesa dueña de una plantación en la Kenya colonial, en el siglo XX. Su romance con un aventurero cazador. La escena sobre el avión, y el lugar que los leones visitan siempre son algo conmovedor. Se basa en una historia real, lo que la hace mucho más atrayente.
Hoy me enteré de su muerte. No sé si era casado, si tenía hijos, si fumaba, si se levantaba temprano. Quizás nuca lo sabré, pero sí que sé que con "África mía" me enseñó a volar...



I never knew this man existed, until the day I saw "Out of Africa" for the first time. The movie was made on 1985, and i was born a year earlier, but i saw it a while ago, and i was bewitched.
The story is magical, and Sydney Pollack brought it to the top of what it could be. In 20th century colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness/plantation owner has a passionate but ultimately doomed love affair with a free-sprited hunter. It's based on a real story, which makes it even more interesting.
Today i found out Mr. Pollack died. I don't know whether he was married or had any children. I don't know if he was a smoker or if he woke up early everyday. Maybe i'l never know, but i do know that he taught me how to fly with "Out of Africa".

"Dis-moi oui"

Ese era el nombre del último anillo de compromiso de la princesa Diana. Hay algo en las historias de amor, que las hace parecer cuentos de hadas. Cualquiera sea la "estirpe" de los enamorados, sean verdaderos príncipes o sean mendigos de tomo y lomo.

Hoy, como todos los domingos, llegó el mercurio de Santiago. ¿Yo qué hice?, lo mismo de siempre con los diarios de papel (porque con los electrónicos, no tiene caso). Me puse a buscar desesperadamente en el diario algo que no fuera política, economía, farándula... nada que gritara "hola!, soy yo, lo mismo de siempre".

Fue así como llegué al suplemento "Domingo", que más de una vez me ha invitado a soñar, a viajar lejos de donde la mente me tiene enfrascada cotidianamente. Fue así como llegué a la última página del suplemento, y encontré un artículo muy curioso: En el espacio llamado "Chile Top Ten", el artículo se llama <10 rincones donde pedir matrimonio>**. Notable. El encabezado reza: "Son sensuales, son discretos, son los mejores lugares de Chile donde pedir un sí. ¿Alguien lo duda? Chile es un país romántico (al menos, uno con récord de novelas rosa leídas) y éstos son los sitios que convendría visitar antes del gran viaje al altar".

Antes de echarle una mirada a la enumeración, no puedo evitar preguntarme: ¿Es Chile un país romántico? Me atormenta el tema. No hace mucho conozco en persona a Don Romance, pero lo cierto es que no me queda claro que seamos un país de románticos. ¡Que no se malinterprete! A mi no me ha faltado, pero sé de muchos (y muchas) que nacen con el romance mutilado. ¿Es Chile un país de románticos? Quizás eso explicaría porqué la gente se sigue casando... y quizás también explique el que tantos estén en proceso de divorcio, o ya divorciados.

Y bueno. Los "rincones" son: "Llifén" (en el Lago Ranco), Playa Corazones (al sur de Arica), Roca de los enamorados (Constitución, cuenta la leyenda que "cada vez que una pareja de novios o pololos cruza tomados de la mano el denominado “Arco o Roca de los Enamorados”, ubicado cerca de la piedra de la Iglesia de Constitución, siente un gran hechizo de amor. Tal fuerza los motiva que en el transcurso de un año contraen matrimonio. Los que así lo hagan, aunque se han visto unos desilusionados, enviando furiosas miradas al imponente “Arco de los Enamorados” y se casen derivados de esta mágica circunstancia y tendrán una familia muy numerosa y robusta y serán felices toda la vida…"), Ahu Tahai (en Rapa Nui), Playa de los Enamorados (Quintero, al lado de la playa Las Conchitas), Aeropuerto de Santiago (Pudahuel, R.M.), Ventisquero Francés (Torres del Paine), Mirador Atkinson (Valparaíso), Hornitos (a 93 Km. de Antofagasta), y por último, el Cerro la Campana (1 Km. al noreste de Olmué).

La enumeración es notable y, en lo personal, muchos de estos lugares me quedan a poco tiempo de casa, sea en tren, micro o bus. Sin embargo, creo firmemente que lo más importante es sacarle el sí a la persona, teniendo a la vista todos los méritos del proceso (sorry! Se me sale a veces :P). Y màs que el "SÍ", es lo que viene después, que parece que es más difícil.

Si bien el lugar es un bonito detalle, no pasa de ser eso: un bonito detalle. Sea en un terminal de buses, o en el estacionamiento de un supermercado, tiene que ser conversado previamente. Acordado como el más intrincado de los TLC. Es la única forma de no caer en formalismos, que a veces nos hace tanto mal.

Y como dice Adele, "I could hold you for a million years, to make you feel my love".

** Artículo de Sergio Paz.

That rainy day is here II

Así se ve desde mi "rincón" cuando llueve. De fondo suena la versión de Koop para el clásico de Astrud Gilberto: Here's that rainy day, que forma parte de mi soundtrack de lluvia.

Imposible no disfrutarlo. Saludos, y disfruten este día de lluvia.

Here's that rainy day.

I just love that song... specially the version by Astrud Gilberto.

Last night i fell asleep with the sound of the raindrops falling on the earth. I know it brings suffering to some people, but still, there's something about rain that's always moved me.

I like all seasons, and i believe that there's something special about everyday, even if it is cloudy and cold. I like the sun, and the rain, and the clouds, and the wind, and the colours they paint on the sky, and in every person.

Today i see the trees dancing with the wind, and it looks like it's going to rain a little bit more. I even have a playlist with "rain songs"... BJ Thomas plays there, Astrud Gilberto, and others... by now, Corinne Bailey Rae: "Another rainy day"

Oscar Pistorius, the fastest man on no legs.

Today he holds world records in the 100m, 200m and 400m events, but three years ago Oscar Pistorius had never stepped onto a track. He's just as fast as any olympic athlete, but this 20-yrar old southafrican is a duble amputee... "At birth he was missing bones below the knee. After his legs were removed, at the age of one, he learnt to walk on prosthetics, and he believes this pushed him to excel.


On the track, they call him "blade runner" - thanks to his carbon fibre prosthetics, custom-made in Iceland.
He and his blades, called Cheetahs, have run into sporting history, and into controversy.
He has been dogged by claims that the blades give him an extra long stride - something he denies.
The manufacturers, Ossur, say the blades are "passive devices", which lag way behind what biological legs can do.
They insist the Cheetahs are not performance-enhancing, but simply give amputee athletes a fighting chance.
Winning ingredient
Oscar says he is the winning ingredient, not the blades." This is a part of the article published by bbc.co.uk (to see the entire article, check http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6589763.stm) last april 24th.





Basically, the whole thing was about whether allowing him or not to participate in Beijing olympics.





Today papers around the world announce he'll be able to run in the olympics, because the "Court of arbitration for sport" (CAS) reconsidered the decission taken by the IAAF ("International Asociation of Athletics Federation") in order to prohibit his participation in the Games, because his "blades" would be an advantage against the other athletes.





When i first heard of it all, I thought that they made the right decission. In terms of justice - at least -, it sounds - at least - fair that an athlete in different conditions doesm't participate with the others. If you can prove all of that, certainly, it's the right decission to make.





In the other hand, ¿is he in different conditions? He has to "shave one second" of his personal best time for 400m is 46.34 seconds, and he needs no more than 45 seconds to be able to bo to Beijing. ONLY ONE SECOND!!! I know a little about athletics, and I know that one second means the world for many athletes, but this helps us to think that he may not be in a very different condition than the rest of the athletes.



I truly admire people like Oscar Pistorius... they see their goals and chase them no matter what. I admire him, and wish him the best: may your olympic dreams come true! =)

And to everyone who has a dream of the size of an olympic one... just DON'T GIVE UP! This video shows Africa, and something most of us aren't used to... so DON'T GIVE UP!

Babies… it’s all related!

Two days ago our country woke up hearing something horrible: a couple killed at home their newborn with nothing but a scissor, just hours after the baby was born. I think we all agree: far from what this legally means, this is beyond any sort of understanding by any “common” person.

Today the government’s office for children (SENAME) made a public call to everyone in order to “consider adoption” when it comes to non – wished – pregnancies. The woman who killed her baby is 18 years old… technically an adult! Some may say that. I dare to think that in this case, it may not be entirely accurate to say that. I don’t know her, and probably never will, but when it comes to babies, it’s all related.

I’ve never been pregnant, but we all know what’s it all about: changes. Your body, the amounts of hormones inside you, and many other things that biology experts and people who’s been through motherhood know way better than me.

Changes. In order to accept them, and embrace the one that’s coming, we should all be able to plan when and with whom do we want it to happen. But it’s never been like that. The when and the who, are almost always apart: people become mothers too young, or maybe too old, or with the wrong person, or whatever… even worse when someone has been raped.

Lately our Constitutional Court has prohibited the famous “day after pill”, because it MAY BE an abortion system. I’ve studied law, and not biology, and that’s something these judges have forgotten. Please don’t get me wrong: I don’t support abortion! I think there’s no difference between killing a baby outside the uterus with a scissor, and killing a fetus. Anyway, I’ve dedicated some time – and lots of patience – in order to search some information about the “day after pill”, and it turns out that – if taken correctly – it doesn’t have an abortive effect.

So, our Constitutional Court has forbidden the government to give the pill for free in our public health system but, paradoxically, it can be bought at any pharmacy. So the constitutional right to live is expensive… more than the constitutional right to equality. Curious, huh?

Well. Adoption is what’s considered the best in these cases. I have to say I deeply admire those women who do that. They are like heroines, carrying their children inside them for nine moths, and then giving them away so that they can have a better future, with people that really want them. But can we demand that to all women who are pregnant, and didn’t wanna be? The classical example is pregnancies that are a product of sexual abuse. Can we demand that they carry their babies for nine months, so that later they can give them up for adoption? This is one “ethically complicated case” our Constitutional Court has put us in. I don’t have the answer, and whoever does have it, I’d like to know, because when it comes to babies… it’s all related!

Schools and smokes.

Everyone has gone to school. Everyone has had their school friends and buddies, and also everyone had problems at school. That's true, and that's one thing.

Another thing is to have to make a difference between smokers and non smokers, whic can - on my opinion - save the lives of those who refuse to be addicted to cigarrettes...

But what's really new these days in our beloved country is that school kids who quit smoking will be awarded with the posibility to travel!!! This is an idea of the Health's Ministry, aimed to reduce the addiction to cigarrettes in people between 15 and 18 years old.

The truth is that smoking IS NOT HEALTHY not fot 15 year olds, not for 50 year olds, not for anybody!!! But in Chile, our youg people smoke twice as much as an european or an american kid. At the age of 17, 50 per cent of our young people smoke, and at 14, 33 per cent does it as well. To look "more mature", or to look "smarter", or whatever, they just smoke, and start doing it by the time they are 13 years old.

So the Ministry came up with an idea... "Quit it and Win!" is the name of the contest. The WHO/OMS (Word's Health Organization/Organización Mundial de la salud)is a pioneer when it comes to this matter. In fact, they have a contest (quite simmilar), where any adult (person older than 18) can win the US$2.500 price if they actually quit smoking.

I hate smoking, cigarrettes, smokers (as a group of people, because i know that - as Dr. Izzie Stevens said - "because people do horrible things, it doesn't mean that they're horrible people) and all, and i know that it's an issue to the public health as well, but i wonder, in what degree are parents guilty for their children's smoke? Now it's necesary that the State actually makes a contest and all smokers younger than 18 can participate. But, what i want to say is, Is there actually any real damage in raising kids with healthy habits? i know what's the answer from really big companies, but i'd like to know the one from people who do have kids.

Anyway... just quit smoking! Even if there isn't a price involved.

Mamá

"Y Dios creó a la mujer"... y - en mi opinión - le dió el regalo más hermoso, por el solo hecho de ser tal: la posibilidad de engendrar vida, y de llevarla dentro de sí por nueve meses... Un gran abrazo a quienes son madres, lo han sido alguna vez, o lo serán (tarde o temprano. Me incluyo dentro del primer grupo, por ahora). Y un abrazo enorme a MI mamá, que me ha dado tanto y me ha enseñado más. TQM, Anita. =)

¿Una canción para el día de hoy? Tendría que ser "you gotta be" de Des'ree, porque "todo lo que sé es que el amor salvará tu día". ¡Buen día!

"An God created women"... and - in my opinion - gave her the most precious giftt, just for being a woman: the possibility of giving life, and carrying it inside her for about nine months... A big hug to every mother, and those who have been one, abd for those who will be (sooner or later... right now I'm on the second group). And a huge hug to MY mom, who's given me so much, and taught me even more. I love you, Anita. =)

A song for today? I'd have to say "you gotta be", by Des'ree, because "all i know is, love will save the day". Have a nice day.

TOP OF THE WORLD

La antorcha de Beijing 2008 será recordada por muchos como una de las más polémicas. Pero hoy, en el "techo del mundo", me ha hecho volver a pensar en los podios. ¿Y qué mejor que el mismísimo Everest para evocar dichos pensamientos? Lo cierto es que el deporte olímpico y la política, son como las típicos (as) tíos (as) viejos (as) y pesados (as) que hay en muchas familias: ninguno de los dos se soporta, pero igualmente se sientan a la mesa... juntas, con el resto de la familia.

La tía Tibet, con el tío Beijing, hoy, en una nueva reunión familiar, debieron verse las caras.- Éste intentando mostrar su dominio sobre ella, y ella erguida, en su forma de montaña, dificultando (quizás intencionalmente) el paseo de la antorcha por sus dominios...

Pero es el cielo, la sensación de haber llegado "más alto, más rápido, más fuerte" a esa cima, lo que rescato en esta ocasión. A los 14 años quise dedicar mi vida al deporte... es una sensación fuerte (y me atrvo a pensar que el "¡NO!" se escuchó hasta el mismísimo Beijing) lo que se siente saber que estás "explotando" de alguna manera útil tus habilidades. Es lindo ver lo que el deporte hace por ti. Bueno, como decía, quise dedicarme al deporte, y en esa época soñaba con maravillar al mundo como la Nadia Comaneci lo hizo en Montreal el año 1976. Soñaba con eso... Sabía entonces el sacrificio que ello implica, y estuve dispuesta a hacerlo. Y, si bien, ahora no lo haría por nada del mundo, siento que pocas cosas en esta vida pueden compararse con lo satisfactorio de recibir una medalla. En mi caso, muy distantes de ser olímpicas, pero que gritaban: "¡Mira lo que eres capaz de lograr, si te lo propones!".

Así que, por ahora, dejaré de lado los asuntos políticos. El espíritu olímpico, la frase "higher, stronger, faster", y el esfuerzo de cada deportista, son lo positivo, y lo que realmente cabe destacar y - por cierto - recordar.

Just dance!

"Music does to a person's soul what gymnastics do to a person's body". This is one of my favourite quotes ever**... Few things in live have had such an impact in my life. Dancing has always been a passion. From ballet to arabic, and my current attempts to salsa, I just can't deny whatever it is that it does to me: it makes me feel happy, like i need nothing else at the time i'm dancing.

Don'te get me wrong! It's quite anoying to go to a club, and try to breath all that smoke while you're trying to dance, but - still - when i'm into it, it's just hard to stop. And it's also hard to stop caring about it... it's just amazing! How can something be so great that it moves you to tears just for watching it? A little while ago, a video came to me. I say that it came to me, because I wasn't looking for it. It's a couple. A very special couple dancing their feelings like enormous rivers running towards the sea.

I just couldn't help it, and some tears showed up... (If you'd like to see the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK29iPaQDbg&feature=related ). Not about sadness!!! Not for being sorry for them!!! Maybe because i felt little. Whatever it was, I'm thankful for it. Many people (like me, sometimes) invent problems so they can have something to worry about... and it's nice to really wake up to reality.

Dance can do that for you... dance can also be a therapy when life really sucks. Let me tell you: you may need to dance it out! Or maybe you'll get a new way to bond with your boyfriend / husband / partner... how does that sound? =)

Well, for me that's ONE little part of what dancing is... It's a part of my life that I'm very glad of, and that is always pushing me to try new things, and learn from different cultures and lifestyles. Hopefully some day soon i'll start learning spanish dance, or ballroom dancing... who knows?

That's what dancing is for me. Fot others, it may not be dancing... It may be painting, running, taking photographs, or another activity... or maybe all that i have mentioned. But i think it's important to have at least one. What about you, friends? What's your dance in life?

** Plato: "Let us describe the education of our men. What then is the education to be? Perhaps we could hardly find a better method than that which the experience of the past has already discovered, which consists, I believe, in gymnastics for the body and music for the mind". The Plato's Republic.

Nature vs. mankind.

With the eruption of the "Chaiten" volcano, it's hard not to think about the destiny of all 4,000 people who live (or lived) in Chaiten. The truth is that, most of them have been evacuated, but right now, many people remain in the town - or even closer to the volcano - because they refuse to leave their belongings: their lands, their houses, their animals, and - above all -, what they've fought for for many years in their lives... it's extremely curious: The fact that most of those who refuse to leave, believe that it's God's will. Whatever happens to them, it's God's will.

So i've wondered... when the ashes fall from the sky, and cover it all in grey colour, how can someone still be faithful? How can someone still believe that, whatever it is that happens to you, it was in God's plan?

I honestly believe that humans are capable to do as much as they want to do, but it's hard not to feel overwhelmed by the power of nature at times. I dedicate this entry to all men and women who strongly believe in what they want, specially to the people suffering with Chaiten's eruption.

** This images are taken from the newspaper "La Tercera". (Galería de imágenes - Catástrofe volcánica en Chaitén).