Rödahuset (International Edition ;) )

"Happy" New Year

2008-01-13T05:56:00.000-08:00

Hi there...

I hope there's still people reading. So.. here we have another year that finishes and a new one ahead. And like many other people I sort of did my own recount of what 2007 brought and what I leave behind, and what I expect of 2008, or better said... what I would like to achieve (as I don't expect anything anymore).

So 2007 has left me with a few good things behind, like my great academic situation with the perfect advisor and things sort of moving forward. Also on the list of good things I would say are the great improvements on my boarding skills (snow, surf, skate...), but more important than anything else, the feeling that no matter where I go, and no matter how long I'm away, I have the best friends in the world and the best family ever that are always there loving me like they always did.

But of course like all the other years it has had its bad things. Many economic problems that thanks god are getting solved (thanks Bush for that one... 1 Euro=1.5 Dollar, and my mum... ;)), chaos in school until I got the right advisor, and of course... the constant... all those girls! Now, I guess part of my problem is I'm starting to get obsessed with the idea that I'm getting old, and I might end up alone. But if I look at the facts... well, this hasn't been the best year. I lied hope in two girls, the first lied, cheated and finally dumped me. The second... well the second gave me the worst beginning of the year, and destroyed all my feelings in less than a week. Moreover, I have learnt that I don't get over certain ones, I never really do, no matter how hard I try to forget...

So 2008 is here and I have to say I started it with a lesson, maybe a reminder, could even be a guiding sign. What I learned from this very few days of 2008 is to stop searching, or expecting. I tend to let life and the powerful forces of the universe guide my life, but I think I also "expect" too much many times. I'm going to stop "expecting", not from myself, but from the rest of the people. I suppose at this point in life we all become selfish. I have tried not to, and probably I'm of the few that can "afford" it. So I understand that selfish behaviour, it's life pushing you around, making you settle, compromise for someone, compromise for your future... Then what do I "expect" of myself in 2008...

I want to achieve many academic goals, advance to candidacy, publish some more papers, and learn a bunch more of math. I want to achieve sentimental stability, steady and not seasonal, be ok with the idea of a future on my own, get over so many past stories...

I expect of me to be a better person, the best that I can be. Show more often how much I love and miss my family. And last but not least get fit, and healthier, put more sport in my life, as much as possible, cause it has become clear that endorphins and adrenaline are the best painkillers for the soul.

One last note... if you guys wonder wtf am I doing posting at 6.30 am... well... I though it was jetlag, now I'm starting to wonder if all this work and sentimental stress has caused me a mild insomnia (coz I just slept barely 4 hours).

So let me know guys anything I should add to my lists... or what is in yours...

I miss you guys!

SoCal Burning

2007-10-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

First things first, I got two comments on the previous post, which leads me to think that some of you still check this... so I'll try to keep updating more often.

And the topic of the day, or the week is.... FIRE!
Some of you might have seen it on the news. California, actually southern California (so called SoCal), is burning. And its burning a lot!

Just so that you guys can get the picture check out this link: San Diego fires.
And that link is just the fires on San Diego county. In LA county there's a few more: Malibu, San Bernardino,...

Where I live is still safe, so you guys dont have to worry, I'll still be kicking for a long while!. Now, the air is getting thicker this days. You can actually feel and smell the smoke. The sky that used to be blue is brown. And the heat doesn't help.

People are starting to get a bit pissed off, cause the National Guard is not here... guess where?... Same story as in New Orleans, but this time rich white folk involved. I think this will develop into a shitstorm over D.C. soon... we'll see!

And for those conspiracy theorists.... an idea, could it be a Terrorist Attack? So many fires in different places, many with unidentified causes... Well, my guess is simpler, with the right media this could have been contained faster, but as the people that should be helping here is helping some rich old guys make money over middle East... well... California gets effed... once more!

Alright, now you can't complain I do not post ah?

Til the next one... be good!

Back to Blog!

2007-10-22T09:26:00.000-07:00

Long time without blogging anything at all ah?. Well, I though it would be time to retake the idea. I hope I still have a few of you checking the blog from time to time.
Actually, let's check that!.. whoever is reading this post... can you drop a comment?, anything just a "hi" is enough.

It is kindda weird how many things have happened since my last post here, and how little I really have to say. Or maybe it is because its 9:30 am, I'm in school making time, waiting for my 10 am class. Yes... you read right!... I came 30 min earlier for a morning class!!, you see... people change! Not really!, this is nearly an accident hehe!

Anyways, for those that I haven't seen or talked to in the last... 6 months, a quick update:

I changed advisor at university, now I work with a much younger professor from Portugal, so it nearly feels like being at home. So on the school side everything looks so much brighter now. On the other side/s of my life... nothing really new! I met some girls, most of them are not here anymore (here is LA), some talk to me from time to time, some don't. So... nothing essentially new. I keep surfing, and hopefully soon snowboarding again.

Ah... and I cut my long hair, so now I have a mowhawk. I'll try to post pictures soon... I promise! hehe.

On the recent happenings... I am overloaded with work! (big news ah?). I'm working on a conference paper, reviewing for a conference, fixing a journal paper, and more stuff that I forget (I even started to use a calendar!).

Alright, I think this should be enough for a first post. Hopefully soon my style gets better and my posts more interesting!

Kisses to the gals and hugs to the guys! ;)

Baja Trips

2007-02-05T17:12:00.000-08:00

Hi people...

I know I never post pictures... I am lazy!!! But my surfing mates are not as lazy and the DO upload some pictures, so here comes a couple of links:

Baja Trip with Daniel (the first one)

Baja Trip with Mike and Eric (retracing the steps)

At least the second link includes some text explanations about the trip.

Reasons to hate

2007-01-09T16:56:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in like... many many months. In the meantime a lot of shit has been occuring. My good best mate I made in Australia (Daniel- aka the Swede) came to visit me, and we had a blast surfing like pros for 3 straight weeks... I must say... Thanks man, you made my life brighter and really happier those days!.

Then I've also been back to Spain, where I spent again probably the best days of this whole last year. I met my great family, which is always there supporting me and reading between lines to find out how I feel through the wall I build around myself. And my friends... the best on the whole world!! Each of them with their peculiarities, each of them a jewel. They are the ones that make me miss Spain more than anything in this world. A week in Andorra snowboarding with them and playing that addictive Guitar Hero! I miss all of u, the crazy dinners being loud and obnoxious, our jokes, the jokes about me, laughthing at myself... I miss all of you guys!

And now I am again back to LA. Which brings me to the title. Reasons to hate... why do I feel today like I have so much hate inside. I hate LA, for many reasons... and I cant explain or enumerate them. I think it is the fact that you make some friends... but you dont get to hang out with them so much, so you never get to the level of trust to be able to discuss with them all what bothers you. And at the end of the day... it seems like all the people you know are party friends, people to go and do things, but not really share your life with. It is a city too big and it feels like it lost any sort of soul while growing.

I am hating people... I am hating people I loved, people I think I still love. And again... the reasons nearly escape my understanding. I guess a big piece is learning that when people say they love you, a lot of times they dont really mean it. Or it is something that is not a "forever" thing. I am very naive, or maybe I have watched a lot of movies... and I expect too much when someone says they love me. Maybe it was being time (at my 27) to discover that you cant deposit too much trust in someone that you have known only for a year or two or not even three. Just because they say they love you, or because you have shared the most intimate experiences means they are not going to stab you from the back, or leave you when things get complicated. I guess when you find all that out suddenly you start to hate. I personally hate that those girls that said they would never forget me, just remember me once or twice a year... mostly when I write them something. Or when they decide to break up plans... cause they seem too complicated or just cause it is more realistic to not even try.

Whatever... at the end of the day... I'll have to deal with this world of fake people, of hypocrites, of lying chicks, of incompetent administrations, of stupid burocracy... And my plan... as of today... IGNORE all that shit! I'll go surfing, clean my mind and my soul of all that hate feeling that eats me from the inside, and I'll try to be me... maybe one day some people will regret acting the way they did... I won't...

Wow... this has been quite a treapeutical post... I dont think anyone is gonna read it all!! Ok.. promised... next post is pictures!

I love you my friends! And I miss you more than you can imagine!

My Van

2006-08-16T01:19:00.000-07:00

So here it is the long waited picture of my van. This is at El Porto (Manhattan Beach), the surf spot that I frequent.

My great luck

2006-08-15T01:09:00.000-07:00

So... I finally got my insurance for the Van. I managed finally to get a good price for it and all. And then I decided to go out with the van with some friends to have a drink at a close bar. Well... with all my great luck, I stop in a traffic light waiting to turn left... and neither me nor my co-pilot notice we were standing in the wrong lane... so light goes green, and cars start honking me... and I am like "WTF??" 20 sec. later... COPS show up... and I am like "WTH!!!!???"... then I notice apparently I am in the wrong lane.. but hey!... too late. So yeah I finally turn left stop on a side, the cop comes... and I get a fine!!! Can you believe it?!?! Quoting: "Impeding traffic"... No idea how much it will cost me... hopefully less than a 100 bucks (crossing fingers!). And then to remove it from my record I'll have to spend a few hours in fron of the computer filling a stupid test! I am still in shock... god! In Spain at most they will give you a warning!! So yeah... one more of the great experiences this "land of freedom" brings me. Everyday that passes by I am more and more convinced that I dont wanna spend here a single day more than those neccessary to get my PhD...

Anyhow... I try to think its not a big deal, nothing a few bucks can't solve... but my budget is kind of tight so... well no partying in a while I guess!!

I'll post pictures of the van very soon... I know... I said that already, but good things require some patience.

Hope the luck of you guys is working better than mine!! I think I'll need some surfing to clean my karma!

Good night!

Mood Update

2006-07-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Hey people...

Long time since the last post eh?. Well around here there is not so much to say and at the same time a lot. I finally got my van... a VW Eurovan from 93 (like the european Multivan). I just need to get the insurance for it and I'll be ready to go surfing much more often!, actually I think I might start going every single day!

Talking about surfing... my skills are getting a big improvement. Now I catch quite a few waves everyday I get out, still some little problems with turning but at least I can catch both lefts and rights so I guess that is good!

Also I got a new appartment, a bit bigger and quite cheaper. Not only that, but with the renewal of my fellowship I am gonna get more money every month wich will make my life so much more comfortable!

On the work side... well, as many of you already know I am still waiting for JPL (NASA) to fixthe papers so that I can start working there soon. It is quite fucked up coz I have been waiting for over a month and I am stuck here in LA as nobody knows when thery will be ready, but its fine... I can surf here! ;)

And on the sentimental side... well... lets say too much crap as usual. But I am fine... I am looking at life in a different way now (i guess this change started happening a couple of weeks ago). I just try to keep my karma in balance... and I think I am doing fine.

What else... well I hope I manage to get some pics worth posting here soon, so that you all can see how I look now, quite different from what u all remember me. Now my hair is very long, I am tanned and fitter... and still I dont get any girls... can u understand that?!?! haha

Anyway people, I hope you all are doing fine wherever you guys are. Sorry if I forget to reply any of the mails you send me... you know.. I am a lazy bastard!

As always... Have fun! and be good!

Listening to: Jack Johnson - Staple It Together

Tired of School

2006-05-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

Shit... my brain is on vacations!! I have shit loads of work to do, and I am so tired of school... It has been a couple of crazy weeks with parties and heavy drinking and now... I don't feel like doing shit! I just feel like chilling!

Anyway... I guess I should do some more work... just 3 weeks more and this is over!

But.. this long weekend is gonna be a surfing weekend with camping in the beach!! Yeah!!

Birthdays oh birthdays...

2006-05-04T22:18:00.000-07:00

So yeah... the 3rd was my bday. That is... yesterday. And man.. we managed to make out of a gathering a party, and what a nice party!! For first time in a damn long while the ratio women/man was the unusual way... about 2 girls per guy! yay!!

I think there are some pictures, I cant really say for certain but I remember Darren taking some, so I will try to upload a few one of these days.

Damn!! Spring is great!! haha And tomorrow surf, and saturday the real birthday party!! I expect that one to be bigger and wilder!! Let's say that yesterday I contained my self in many ways... but saturday I won't have excuses!

Anyway... I really wish that all you in Sweden, Spain, Australia or anywhwere else could be here in LA for this party... but... don't worry I expect to live long and have one of this parties every year of my life haha!!

Listening to: Magic Dirt - Dirty Jeans

Loving spring!!

2006-04-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Hej hej!!!

This weekedn is being sooo good!! So yeah, Thursday I ended up pretty wasted... really wasted... But.. I met some really cool new people!!!

Just say that I went to bed at 6 am... and then I woke up at 10:45... took a shower and went surfing with Raul. Just a couple of hours, but enough to make me feel new! And then after that obviously it was time for some beers and whiskies at Summer's happy hour! ;)

It is sooooo nice weather lately, that I barely feel like doing anything!! I could spend the whole weekend lying on the beach, surfing and drinking beer... But unfortunately I have piles of exercises to do. I will try to do it this afternoon so tonite I can go out and party again! haha

Alright... time to start my day... right at noon! nice!

l8r sk8r!

Listening to: Anti-Flag - This is the End (For You my friend)

420

2006-04-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

Its 420 day!! (translation: 20th of April)... more translation... 4:20... the time when kids got out of highschool (if they had to stay longer as punishment), and thus.. prefect time to roll a spliff, a joint, a blunt... call it whatever u want, you all know what I mean!

So yeah, today is the day when students and activists stick it to the man by.. smoking a buch of pot!!...

Moreover.. its spring in California... nice weather, chicks in smaller tees and shorter skirts... warmth... and obviously, last thing I feel like doing is homework or study!

More more... tomorrow.. surf day!!! Yayyayya!!!

Gotta go now... I'll post more.. some other time!

Listening to: Anti-Flag - One Trillion Dollars

Last music discoveries

2006-04-05T00:46:00.000-07:00

hey hey!!

Right after I posted the lyrics of that great Ramones song that is Poison Heart, Marta (aka Basileia) sent me a file.. amazing just incredible... HIM making a cover of that same song!!! If you have the opportunity check it out coz it is simply amazing!!

And then... well I've been lately listening a lot to bands from Finland... not for the reaons you think, but mostly coz of BAM Margera compilations "Viva La Bands"... and wow.. I discovered this band.. "NEGATIVE"... check it out coz it is amaaaaazing. Actually here it comes a list of videos

What else... oh yeah.. recomended any of the last albums from Apocalyptica (yes those playing Metallica with celos... their own songs.. amazing!!). Also... "The 69 eyes" last album: Devils, and if u like punk... Turbonegro!! (not finish... this ones are norwegian).

alright... I'll keep listening to Negative...

I'll keep u posted!

The sad side of nomadic life

2006-04-03T04:34:00.000-07:00

Hi...

I havent posted in a while. The reasons... various, but mostly the end of quarter with a bunch of homeworks and projects and diverse stuff that as usual is procastrinated to the extreme. Then the finals came... and this past week of rest. Not very exciting stuff has happened. I think since my last update I went snowboarding one or two times.. and that has been it! Ah.. and I spent the weekedn after finals down in San Diego (actually Rancho Santa Fe), at Darren's parents place... nice house with jacuzzi outside and stuff. What did we do?.. get drunk and jump and sing punk! :P

So... well the Title of the post... u might be wonderig.. what's that about?!

Not so long ago I was talking to Babsi (my german friend from Australia). She was kind of sad becoz of leaving and leaving the people you meet abroad behind. I tried to make her feel better... I have already been through that a few times. All the people I met in Switzerland, then in Sweden 3 years with people coming and going... then Australia... And its always sad, no matter what u try and how excited you are of the new place awaiting you... it's always sad! But that is not the most sad... the saddest part is when you start to feel deattached from your friends from all your life.

When you come back "home" (if there is anything called that anymore), and you see the change in the lifes of your friends, and you notice how different your world is. When you start missing important things... like weddings!, or radical changes on people... and somehow, you feel a bit like a stranger.

I guess I just try to express how much I miss you all, not only my friends in spain (which I specially miss), but all the people I have met abroad... those that were somehow special. I miss you all!

Time to bed... the sun is about to rise and we vampires do not like it!! :P

Listening to: The 69 eyes - Stolen Season

Update about my life

2006-03-06T19:25:00.000-08:00

So.. it has been a while since my last update eh?.

What has been going on... A few things actually. This quarter is starting to kill me... good that it is just 2 weeks to go. So many homeworks so many projects and shit to do... So last two weeks I have been working hard all week and then weekends going to snowboard to relax. My snow-fear is nearly gone totally. I am doing jumps again, and it feels so good! So now I can jump and land properly, at least in the terrain parks. I even tried rails, with not much luck... all I got was pain in my cyborg-arm (the one with 7 screws and a piece of metal in it), but... better that pain than a lot of stress that could kill my soul!

So yeah Jorge, if u read this... keep training coz next time in Spain we are gonna roole the mountain dude!! When the quarter is over I am gonna go for the 180. Going fakey is not a problem anymore, so I can try the 180 soon.. and who knows?.. maybe a 360 before the season ends!

That is all about snowboard. Surfing is a bit aside for now, I might go in the spring break to Baja or somewhere nicer than around here and try to improve a bit my surfing too.

The studies, as I said... well.. they are going their way. I am positive I'll get again all As.. I hope, coz I hope this bunch of work at least leads somewhere!. I am really getting pissed off at the professors too, specially the guy assuming we dont know shit that always assumes we are wrong... just coz he doesnt listen, or mayb he doesnt undrstand english. Also the fact that my field in the department looks like left to its own luck with all (2) the proffesor about to retire... well thats a different story... someday I'll discharge all my anger about that!

There is some other things going on in my life... lets say I am more emotionally stable... I wont get in more details. But part of it is definitelly the fact that I am starting to enjoy California, being able to snowboard and surf the same day... it doesnt have a price!

Alright people.. I really need to keep working!... So .. maybe next posting will be in about...2 or 3 weeks!!

Have fun, and as usual... by good!! ;)

Una Filosofia

2006-02-09T00:47:00.000-08:00

Navegando por las paginas de un antiguo profesor de mi escuela en España encontre este texto suyo.. q me ha gustado bastante, y ademas supone una reafirmacion a una filosofia de vida q tanto yo como otros tantos con los q me he cruzado en mi travesia personal por el mundo compartimos. Aqui va el texto:

He llegado a la conclusión de que la vida es muy corta, o tan breve que el saber que uno ha acumulado a lo largo de los años se perderá irremediablemente en las cenizas, ese estado termodinámico irreversible y del que no se puede extraer información alguna.

Abandonarlo todo es casi siempre una posibilidad, aunque casi siempre sea un sueño imposible de realizar, salvo muriendo.

Dejarse llevar por las circunstancias es otra de tantas, pero es una a la que me resisto, como me resisto a la muerte y a la esclavitud.

Si además uno cree que el sistema en el que vive no responde a las propias expectativas, entonces puede elegir entre nadar contra la corriente, salirse del cauce o resistir el empuje navegando por nuevos afluentes.

La primera alternativa es agotadora, y posiblemente poco fructífera.
La segunda le deja a uno, no en el margen sino en la marginación.
La tercera se abre a lo desconocido, es una aventura que tarde o temprano terminará en el mar.

Las páginas que comienzo a escribir pretenden caminar al margen abriendo mis puertas a quienes quieran atravesarlas, transversándolas.

El objetivo es sencillo: abrir un espacio virtual a mis haceres, actualizando mi memoria en documentos liberados de toda pretensión de lucro y totalización.

Caminar al margen no es marginarse ni aislarse sino afirmar una alternativa a la realidad que se nos quiere imponer. Ponerse al margen es entrar en la marginalidad como exterioridad del límite, es también señalar, mostrar, enseñar que además de Uno hay Otro.

Noviembre de 2004.

Y me pregunto, ¿es esto posible?¿Y si tan solo fuese ese frecuente autoengaño de creer que se resiste por el mero hecho de pararse a contemplar la vida como si fuese un espectáculo que no va con uno, sino con otro? No estoy seguro, pero lo que sí creo es que el margen es elástico, se expande y se contrae, sufre empujes verticales y horizontales, como el vórtice de un remolino, y con el tiempo se pliega, se arruga como un fractal.

Entender lo que ocurre siempre va más lento que los mismos acontecimientos que se pretenden entender, o al menos siempre -y de esto no cabe duda- cuando parece entreverse alguna luz, va por detrás. Entender es ya un acontecimiento, y entonces ¿cómo entender que entendemos?

Finales de noviembre de 2004.

Credito para Félix Monasterio

The Cartoons of rage!

2006-02-04T10:39:00.000-08:00

Wow! I have been reading the newspapers these last 4 days and all they talk about is about the famous cartoons published in the danish Jyllans Posten and the reaction in the "muslim world".

I consider my self very respectful to different cultures, basically coz I am respectful to different people, and well I think I have a pretty multicultural group of friends. So yeah, I think my self the cartoons themself were basically disrespectful, irresponsible and bad... like poor in quality I mean. If you haven't seen them, well the few I saw are pathetic provocations, and I can see a xenofobic point behind them (remember it was publish in a right wing newspaper as long as I know).

But, if I may say more... watching the reaction of the muslim countries, well is even more pathetic. Complaining about a cartoon that is portraying muslims as uncivilized and terrorist by burning embassys and rioting in front of them... isn't it just like supporting the cartoons?

Evenmore what I consider more sad is how far they have managed in islamic countries to control people through religion. Simply astonishing! Sure, Spain was not much different from Iran 50 years ago, with our crazy official religion banning whatever they though sinful! But hey... people back then hated so many bans, they wanted freedom (or I wanna think that!). I was just looking at http://www.muslimwakeup.com/ and well... they pretty much defend my same point of view!

I just hope the moderate muslims will raise their voices more and fight back those radical ones. Occident should stop messing with the muslim world for their petrol... we shouldnt need the petrol anymore, and help the moderate muslims take over control of their countries.

Summarizing... the stupid fight of a dumb-ass provoking a jerk full of hate!

Recomended Reading from MUSLIMWAKEUP

Poison Heart

2006-01-17T11:24:00.000-08:00

I was listening The Ramones... one of the best bands ever as all you should know! hehe ;)

Anyway... I got through this song: Poison Heart... sooo good, so I though I should share with you a piece of their lyrics:

Well, I just want to walk right out of this world,
'Cause everybody has a poison heart.
I just want to walk right out of this world,
'Cause everybody has a poison heart,
a poison heart, a poison heart, a poison heart ... yeah!

You know that life really takes its toll
And a poet's gut reaction is to search his very soul
So much damn confusion before my eyes,
But nothing seems to phase me and this one still survives.

So guys... no you know, run and get this song... coz its soooo good! Especially in certain days, not like today, but other days when you feel like you just wanna live this world and go far away coz u don't like anything of what u see around. Whatever... now the fact is... I need to rush to my 4 hours of lectures!! :(

Have fun!

Party weekend...

2006-01-16T23:32:00.000-08:00

So... my life is back on track! I had this crazy weekend, only drawback... money problems!

So after 15 days of fun in Spain and 15 days of fun in LA... half my scholarship for January has disappeared! Anyway... I'll do fine, I always will have the last resource of selling my body for a few bucks! hehe

It started on Thursday, Raul and me went on rampage, especially Raul who was wasted for about... dunno... many hours... and with hicups for about 3 hours!! funny! I was wasted for a while too. The fact is that we ended up in Terrys place by the beach, a Swedish guy passed by and we invited him (there was another Swedish girl in our party)... and when the people started to flee... we ended up again in another bar that was closed, but they open to us and served us a beer and nice conversation.

So friday was a day of recovering. But then again... Sunday (monday is Marthin Luther King day, so its hollyday). Darrens brother left today for Germany, so we had another party. Lets sumarize it in.. Tequila Shots and Mexican beers... sooo again wasted! But it was worth it! And today.. work! Actually now.. coz I woke up at 2 pm.. still half drunk!

Anyway.. looks like things start to work out finally, I know more people, and Darren is starting to get recovered so.. maybe this quarter will be much better. Just a few things to fix, get my california driving licence and my van... and all days will be shinny then!

Alright... back to work!, I'll keep u posted!

My Snowboard

2006-01-12T16:33:00.000-08:00

This posting is basically for you Jorge... I GOT MY SNOWBOARD and the rest ofthe equipment back... Bad luck eh? They found it, so... I wont get a bunch of money to get a new board so that I can kick your ass downslope... but anyhow I'll train enough so that you wont pass by me like a faster bullet! ;)

I am gathering some guys that like to ski and snowboard and hopefully we'll start going regularly to ride some snow on the weekends.

Well dudes.. thats pretty much all about what I had to say now. I need to take a shower, finish my laundry... and then relax a bit hitting some pubs... maybe some chicks??... its time to get back on track with my life... hehe!

Have fun and be good!

Un Poema...

2006-01-09T19:05:00.000-08:00

This one is in Spanish!. Viendo el video de Extremoduro - Standby, al principio Robe Iniesta nos deleita con un poema... me ha parecido un poema increible asi q... aqui os lo comparto:

IDEARIO

Me da vértigo el punto muerto
y la marcha atrás,
vivir en los atascos,
los frenos automáticos y el olor a gasoil.

Me angustia el cruce de miradas
la doble dirección de las palabras
y el obsceno guiñar de los semáforos.

Me da pena la vida, los cambios de sentido,
las señales de stop y los pasos perdidos.

Me agobian las medianas,
las frases que están hechas,
los que nunca saludan y los malos profetas.

Me fatigan los dioses bajados del Olimpo
a conquistar la Tierra
y los necios de espíritu.

Me entristecen quienes me venden kleenex
en los pasos de cebra,
los que enferman de cáncer
y los que sólo son simples marionetas.

Me aplasta la hermosura
de los cuerpos perfectos,
las sirenas que ululan en las noches de fiesta,
los códigos de barras,
el baile de etiquetas.

Me arruinan las prisas y las faltas de estilo,
el paso obligatorio, las tardes de domingo
y hasta la línea recta.

Me enervan los que no tienen dudas
y aquellos que se aferran
a sus ideales sobre los de cualquiera.

Me cansa tanto tráfico
y tanto sinsentido,
parado frente al mar mientras que el mundo gira.

Extraido del libro "Cuenta atrás" de Francisco M. Ortega Palomares

Some pictures from Brussels

2006-01-05T10:24:00.000-08:00

Here You can see some of the pics I took during my adventure in Brussels... I should have taken one of my vagabound mode... but u will have to enjoy just the nice views!

That is the main square where you can see a few amazing barroque (I think) buildings.

A piece of one of those amazing buildings.

Me proving I was there!

The famous kid pissing (mannen kenpiss, or smthng like that)

Don Quixote and Sancho in Brussels... feeling like at home eh?!

A nice church or cathedral by the house of parliament (I think it was that...)

The impressive tower governing old Brussels skyline, with an amazing night illumination! (It is barroque isnt it?)

There might be much more to see in Brussels... thats about all I could find without a map or guide... and I think it is quite ok to get a taste of it!

P.S.: For more pictures check my flicker album. Link on the right side of my blog.

Listening to: HIM - The Sacrament

Hell of a trip

2006-01-04T08:44:00.000-08:00

Finally... back "home" (to call it something) in my apartment in LA. I have already slept through the night and now I am rest and ready for the stupid english exam I have to take again today (long story... but to be pretty angry about actually).

So my trip... my trip was an adventure and a big big piece of crap! more than 30 hours in airports, planes and streets... it was faster to get to Australia!!

Summarizing all the shit that happened:

1) Brussels is the only city that closes their central train station from 1 am to 4 am.. so I spent a few hours in Homeless mode wandering the streets looking for a good spot to camp and protect my self from the minus few degrees cold.

2) NY-JFK airport and the US chaos. They force me take out my luggage in NY and check it in again (it was fast though). Then... my plane got some mechanical problem so we had to change planes and got delayed like... 3 hours!!

3) LA airport... more chaos. All happy in LA... finally I got here.. but hey.. American Airlines couldnt wait to fuck all that hapiness. Somehow... they managed to loose my snowboard in their way from NY to LA... so they will send it to me today (or thats what they say!). If they cant find it... I swear I will get as much money as I can from them... I cannot say how much all the equipment in the snowboard bag is worth.. but I will ask for around a thousand bucks.. as if all were new!

So... as you can see I had a funny trip eh?. I will post some pictures of me in Brussels (before becoming a hommie) later. Now I should take a shower, unpack, buy food... take the bloody exam... and later I have some party to go to... Keeping busy is good now!

Have fun people and.. ah! HAPPY 2006... I wish you all the best in this new year!

In my way there!!!

2005-12-17T03:50:00.000-08:00

Ok.. the last exam is over (and it was a total disaster... but for all not just me, I might have done over the average... but I am not that sure!) anyways... I am flying back home in a few hours!! So I wont be posting for a while I guess coz once in Spain... its gonna be busy busy... meeting people enjoying my friends and family, snowboarding... Ohhh I cant wait!!

Ok.. Gotta fix little last time stuff...

Cya soon (to those in Alcala at least!)

Nearly there...

2005-12-15T18:19:00.000-08:00

One last exam... tomorrow... and then.. Saturday early in the morning starts my adventure trip back home! I will arrive on Sunday afternoon after spending the whole morning in Brussels... I guess I'll have to enjoy a few good Belgian Beers... hummm Duvel... hummmmmmmm!!! hehe

So get ready my ol'spanish friends... coz I come ready to rumble!!! hehehe

I cant wait to meet Pedro (aka More) again and see how his trip around south america went, and move on for another hippie snowboarders trip with Jorge, and him.. and Kamacho!!! yeah mean!!! Anyone else is planning to join the troop?! We can guarantee fun!

Alright... time to do this last effort and get ready to optimize whatever tomorrow! (studying Linear programming aka Linear Optimization).

Have fun and as usual.. be good boys and girls! ;)

Listening to: Fito y los Fitipaldis - Feo

Yoga mornings

2005-12-12T04:43:00.000-08:00

Helloooo

Some of u have probably noticed the flikr animation on the right side of the blog. Clicking there u can see the pics that I upload on flikr. Hopefully now with that flikr account I will post more pics, as from Linux it will be much easier now to put pics on the blog through flikr.

Anyway...u might be wondering.. what about that Yoga thing?!?... well, I have decided that to save time, but still exercise I will start doing Yoga this week. That way I can exercise at my room in the morning without having to go all the way to the gym, so I can save time to study... or at least to try to study! I will probably stick to the yoga thing after this week too, looks like pretty cool exercise to do every morning.

Humm...what else?.. yeah! 7 days left right? in a week I am back to SPAIN!! Cant wait!!

Back to study!

Listening to: Fito y los Fitipaldis

El Pais vs El mundo

2005-12-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

Hi people.. This post comes in Spanish as it's about Spain and its politics and just those spanish would understand it.

Si leeis esto a tiempo podreis comparar las portadas del El Pais y de El Mundo. Decidme si no percibis una pequeña diferencia en lo q se considera importante en uno y en el otro. Resulta q en El Pais se publica como en El Estado Mayor hay datos que corroboran nuestra participacion ACTIVA en la guerra en IRAK, es decir.. q nuestro soldaditos dispararon y recibieron disparos... huy... no decia el gobierno q solo estabamos como apoyo logistico con un barquito hospital y poco mas?!?!. Lo mejor es q hay otra noticia mas (parece q se las han guardado para el Sabado cuando mas gente lee el periodico eh? )... esta sobre el Prestige y como la decision de alejarlo se tomo antes de la famosa "comision de expertos", lo q hace pensar q ni comision de expertos ni nada, fue mas bien un... como nos deshacemos del marron... y se engancharon un buen paquete negro q llegaba cada dia! (galletitas de plastilina negra por todas nuestras costas).

Estas dos noticias, de apenas importancia para la ciudadania española son obviadas totalmente por El Mundo... curioso??... para nada! Pedro J. q tanto habla de su criticismo a cualquier gobierno y de q esa es su mision y bla,bla,bla... pues eso... mucho hablamos pero cuando hay q criticar al gobierno del PP.. mas bien se hace la vista gorda.

La verdad... tuvimos por gobernantes a una pandilla de aficcionados para lo serio, o de profesionales del mangoneo y q encima mentian como bellacos. Ahora.. la verdad es q el gobierno no me convence mucho mas... son bastante afficionados y hacen politica de velocidad... cuando deberia ser algo q se hace con mas paciencia. Y lo peor... alguien conoce a alguien de nuestra generacion q vaya a estar involucrado en politica en el gobierno??... Porq todo lo q se me ocurre es q seran los niños de papa q hereden negocios gordos y les toque defenderlos.. en la arena politica. Osea... nuestro proximo presidente PPero cuando tengamos nosotros unos 45 sera aquel capullo cocainomano engominado q tanto asco nos daba (al menos a mi),... lo q mas me preocupa es q por el lado del PSOE no me imagino siquiera q tipo de engendro sera... De IU ni me preocupo, porq esos son siempre iguales y ya no cuentan!

Salud, y a seguir estudiando para mis examenes.

Nos vemo en 6 dias!

Noon feeling like evening nearly..

2005-12-01T12:08:00.000-08:00

Hey...

So yeah, I did it! I woke up at 5 am, and right before the sun rose we were there at El Porto Beach... 6 am light came up, a bit foggy though. And shiiiiiit!! those were big motherf**ker waves!! We guessed they were about 8 feet, say a bit over head height. Not like I managed to charge any of those, I had my good troubles trying to get out!, with my minimal is impossible to duck-dive, and the eskimo roll doesnt help much, so I really had to struggle to get to the line.

Anyways I catched a couple of good ones, but still I have trouble turning, at least with this big waves... I guess is a matter of time and practice!! I will wait a bit more and then I will change to a 6 feet one... maybe I'll have more fun with a shortboard!

I am sooo stoked!! I met these three guys Shaunt, Kevin and Dave. And Shaunt will keep mailing us whenever he plans to go surfing, so... looks like I'll have a plan for surfing until I buy my own ride! how cool ey?!

Well, its noon and it already feels like if it were 5 pm!! I was back home from surfing at 9.30 pm... then I rushed to my lecture after a really quick shower, and now I am starving!!! So... cya l8r dudes... I need to eat!!

Listening to: Ulrish Schnauss - Blumenwiese Neben Autobahn (at Digitally Imported Radio)

Surfing early morning!! yay!!

2005-11-30T18:52:00.000-08:00

Whats up?!

I was going to go to the gym again today... but.. I got a much much better plan!!!... Surfing at 5.30 am!! yay!!! How great is that? I joined this mailing list at UCLA for surfing and this guy wanna go surfing at 5.30 am, so that we can make it to the lectures at 10 am (9.30 am for him). How cool is that!??! That way I'll meet someone new hehe!!

I'm back in track!!

Ok... I should work a bit on my exercises... cannot get too excited or I won't do any work!! And I have to sleep early today!

Listening to: DIGITALLY IMPORTED - Deep and Chilled Euphoria (internet Radio, chillout)

Morning Anger, afternoon indiference, evening weekness...

2005-11-30T12:32:00.000-08:00

And so run my days... Wake up angry, actually bitter-sad, and developes to angriness. Run into the afternoon careless of all, inmersed in my thoughts and my sad/angry music... and then on the evening all that leads to a strange feeling that overwhelms me... It's the night when u find yourself with what u did, what u solved that day and what u left unsolved... and then tired of another day is when my weekness leaves me more vulnerable for a slide down the wave... But if there is anything I am proud of... is my inner strength, with no energy I will fight back!

So... I am gonna adopt this morning anger as my strength and.. F**K IT ALL!! Nothing can hurt me anymore! (Hey Javi... I'm doing it again!.. slef convincing myself!!... its my survival kit!)

Alright... over with the psycho-post!

I'll post more later... maybe!!

Enjoy your uncertainty!

Listening to: NOFX - Soul Doubt

UCLA and drugs...

2005-11-30T01:55:00.000-08:00

I just read this when I came out of the gym (at 12 in the night... funny that its open that late!):

1 out of 39 UCLA students used Cocaine in the last year
and 1 out of 5 used Marihuana...

Put that together with the fact that 1/3 of UCLA students are grad students... well.. looks like good research and pot might have a connection!!

Alright... I am too tired to keep posting and its late.

Listening to: Urtz - Bai Ala Ez

RSS, Atom...

2005-11-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

Following a request from Xavi and Pepepe... Here you get two links that will help you keep updated on what happens on my blog:

The first one is an RSS feeder, you can subscribe through the following webpage:

http://feeds.feedburner.com/rodahuset

And then this other one for those that wanna spend time figuring out how to make it work, is the Atom (might be something like an RSS) that blogger provides: http://rodahuset.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Well, I guess that will make happy more than one eh?!

Not much to tell right now, just that I am starting to feel the stress of the exams coming and I might start studying seriously, starting from today.

Ah... Also.. I am in an EMO fase (not about music!), so... I miss you all a lot!!

Have fun and be good!

Thanksgiving and future plans...

2005-11-27T23:48:00.000-08:00

I will try to condense in this post two things, my Thanksgiving experience and some plans I have in my head now...

First about Thanksgiving... My impression is that it is like our Christmas in Spain. A night when all family gathers together and talks and eats heaps and then you eventually get drunk and the old people too... It can be funny! It was funny with Raul, Tanya and her family. Tanya's family is abig one.. as you can appreciate in the pictures of Thanksgiving in her site.

Said all I wnated to say about Thanksgiving... my future plans. First, I'll be back home to Spain on the 18th...and I will be just 2 weeks so, I will have to meet you all fast!! And... as usual in my Christmas visits, I will need to go snowboarding. So I am discussing some plans... but this year I feel like Sierra Nevada... anyone feels like joining?!?!

In a larger scope... I have three objectives: Hawaii, Venezuela and Peru. Ordered by cost of teh flight from here they are Hawaii (Oahu), Venezuela (Caracas) and Peru (Lima). What do they all share... SURF!! hehe. And execpt Hawaii that I have friends there!. I think Hawaii has the odds I just need to save some money and convince someone to enjoy this trip with me... thoug I dont mind go on my own... So again... if anyone wanna join... hehe

Alright... not much more to say. I am a bit tired from today's surf so I better go to sleep early today.. it's gonna be a busy week!

Have fun and be good!

Church self-destruction...

2005-11-22T16:17:00.000-08:00

Hi,

I just read this new in a spanish newspaper (the new is in spanish). Anyway it just says that it has been today released a document in which the catholic church forbids gays from being priests... Humm.. they should probably check before releasing such papers how many of their priests are gay... cause they might run into some problems if they make such prohibition retroactive... they would have to expulse a big bunch of priests!!

I am ok with the idea of having TOTALLY asexuated beings as priests, but then.. once we remove sex (totally) from church... why can't women be priests?!... Kind of weird that after studying that book called Bible for sooo long, they still run into this stupid discussions. Again one more proof that the Catholic church interprets the Bible in a very strange fashion.

Anyone can provide me with any answer to this nonsense?

Still glad to know that those christians that still are christians have options in some more advance churches, just pick the right one ... don't become an evangelic!!

Back from holy matters to day-by-day life... do my laundry, and then RUN to PASADENA!

Happy Thanksgiving (one more nonsense... I'll discuss it in another post!)!

Have fun and be good!

Venice,Surf,Thanksgiving...

2005-11-22T01:11:00.000-08:00

Update coming...

So right now I have been the whole evening playing online, and solving one exercise... And I cant get to the final result!!!.. whatever.. I feel dizzy now... happy dizzy you know! :P

I will leave the exercise for tomorrow morning... I gotta do laundry anyway! So tomorrow plan is to wake at 8am do laundry/exercise, go to lecture at 10 am... finish exercise in lecture?! :P Then... more lectures (maybe, if I like to go...), and rush to Pasadena. Why to Pasadena?, well.. Thanksgiving is Thursday, and Wednesday morning me and Raul gotta get early this Pumpinks cakes.. long to explain but that is typical for Thanksgiving. Then all week end (long due to Thanksgiving) in Pasadena and maybe surfing with Jordan.

So, this weekend I went to Venice with Raul, to Terry's place. I tried surfing right in front of his house (in front of the beach, just separated by the bums!)... it happened to be a terrible place to surf. The waves were to steep... and quite violent. I didnt really noticed, Ithough it was just me that was bad... but some guy told Raul, and that I was waiting just for the bigs... and they were quite dangerous... well.. u know how I am.. I didnt noticed! hehe :P

Then Terry's place... hehe... kindda like the Rödahuset... but with some extras... like the bums in front of the terrace and the policeman arresting someone when the evening got into play!... Funny night anyway!

Humm.. i think I pretty much updated you! Sorry for not posting pics... I am too lazy to take them in first place... and then, to upload them I gotta switch to Windows... I don't feel like doing sooo much effort, so I leave the picture to your imagination! hehe

Kisses (for the girls) and hugs (for all them)!

Peace!

Listening to: Dark Light (Album) - HIM

Surf surf surf...

2005-11-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

I wanna surf!!!! I just watched this movie: Blue Crush... and I want so much to surf!!! It actually like I might have a good surf plan for this weekend. Friday Raul will pick me up, and we will chill at Venice, at Terry's place (right by the beach). So while they have some beers I'll try to charge some waves... I need some training!, I definitely need to pactice, get better and switch to a short-board soon. So I cannot let these oportunities go... not until I get my own car and can go every morning. So well... Blue Crush is not an amazing movie, but it is definitely worth watching if you wanna get an idea on what surfing is. It puts you on, under, in the wave... you can feel sometimes even the fear when the waave swallows you and u go out to the surface and another wave hits you down... I can relate to that! (Daniel knows that! hehe).

Anyway... I'll keep you posted on how my surf is going! Right now... my skating is going pretty well... but its not the same! And hehe... when I go back to spain for christmas... time for snow!!! Yay!! Can't wait to ride some waves and some snow!!!

Alright... I better get some work done!
Be brave and have fun!

Marx predicted...

2005-11-14T13:30:00.000-08:00

I was reading the news... and I couldn't believe it what is going on in France!! Me and Darren were discussing about it for a while yesterday. Nobody knows what exactly is the reason for those riots, and the people rioting don't have specific demands... they are just fed up with the system they have to deal with, and they just wanna destroy it. And they are in their right. Maybe it should extend all over the world and change our political system, taking back the power to people. In those riots, those young guys with no future are proving that at the end... the people still have power to show to the state. Darren and me ended up agreeing that what happens in France now... is the prediction of Marx, the workers revolution... it wasn't the Soviet Revolution (that one was a forced one), this one in France... is a consequence of a capitalist system exploiting the poor ones in favour of a few rich... We can hope the whole European Union get some lesson aprehended after this... Maybe more real social opportunities won't be a bad thing to set up... adn well... the USA should also look to the other side of the ocean and wonder if that could happen here too... I doubt it, but it could!

Time to swtich to maths and go to uni for a lesson!

Be happy and be brave (to be happy)!

Pingus...

2005-11-11T12:15:00.000-08:00

Good morning... sure you all know the famous penguin games right?. Well today surfing the web I found this one (I had already played it before, anyway...) so I gave it a couple of rounds... Man... while I am writing this I am still waiting for the penguin to stop bouncing... I gave it this really low angle so it went straight parallel to the ground... and started bouncing in a perfect way... I dunno how to explain.. I'll wait and give you the distance (right now it has been bouncing for about... 7 min!!). The link to the game is: Penguin game.

My distance: Well.. after more that 10 minutes: 7335.8 (I assume its meters!)

Cya

P.S.: I tried it again... looks like those penguins are on esteroids.. coz they keep on bouncing and bouncing for ever!! So if u are bad at that game and wanna feel good... try the link above!

Late night...

2005-11-11T03:24:00.000-08:00

Late night with.. ME!... It's like those popular TV shows here in the USA... How much I miss the old europe!!! I spent most of the night doing absolutely nothing (well.. playing Enemy Territory and watching TV). I didnt feel like doing anything at all... mayb I should have done some work.. or at least go to sleep earlier.. now its 3.27 am... still awake. But I'll go and try to sleep straight away after this late night posting.

Again, here I am, me with myself and noone else. I think I am gonna learn to love me. If there is a bad time in anyones life to be alone... is now. Maybe I am self imposing this isolation.. the fact is that I spend about 70% of the week on my own. Watching tellie, studying or just listening to music and meditating about life. This fucked up time change with Europe is killing me!! I stay till late hoping to get some email or comments on the blog or just catching someone online to chat with... and 90% of the days... none of those happen.

alright... I am tired and I am just typing stupid nonsense... tomorrow will be a better day, at least I'll be with Raul hanging around.. mayb i'll get drunk... yay!!

Good night folks!

Listening to: Marea - Mojama

24

2005-11-10T22:28:00.000-08:00

Wow... So I got hooked to this show Twenty-Four in Australia, thanks to Will, and his DVDs of Season 2. Then I came to the states and since I am here I've watched full season 1, and today I finished Season 3... Man... that show is worst that the worst drug!!. If you stop and think about it.. it looks a bit dorky, too much fiction maybe (that is what I hope), but still its soooo thrilling!!! I came back from my crappy exam and I just felt like relaxing.... so I finished my Vodka bottle (Absolut obviously), while watching about 5 hours in a row... and, I don't really feel relaxed, that show kills my nervs!! So... I recomend it to all you, especially Xavi... he got me hooked into Alias for a while! Anyhow... I think I deserved a bit of a relax before going back to my optimization and Linear Dynamical Systems.

Well.. thats all about today's late update!. Still too early to find someone to chat... so it's maybe time to sleep so I can wake up early tomorrow and work a bit. Or... I could godown to Maloneys... and try to meet some nice coeds kids (by that I mean .. chicks! hehe)... I am toolazy for that, all you know. So its gonna be either sleep or gaming! hehe

Alright... not more to say! See you all soon (I whish eh!?)... seriously, I'll see you soon... at least some of you!!

Keep it real and overall... be happy!!

73/100

2005-11-10T16:36:00.000-08:00

Shit!.. I didnt do as good as I expected in this exam... It was this kind of exam that you know how to do all, but you get a bit stuck somewhere.. then you lost 3 min (just 3!!) but 3 min are precious when you get just 2 hours and the exam is like 3 pages long (just the text of the problems!). So then you have to rush.. a sign here fucks all.. and so on... So.. I have calculated my grade.. and approx 73/100... which is not that bad, but not enough... I should get over 80 % at least... Did I say before I hate this course... I didnt study much, coz I already knew the stuff.. but this guy.. he doesnt teach and then sets up this exam!?!?... It is totally incredible. Bright side.. most of the people did as me more or less, and all complained about the same... if you try to think.. you wont finish that exam!, it was made for people to know the stuff by hard... I hate that! Anyway... a glass of vodka and some 24... and relax for the rest of the day... Tomorrow I'll try the take home exam... 6 hours... and I think I'll use about 3 only... thats the way it should be!

No music right now... just a funny video waiting in still image: LINK (thanks to Xavi)

To study or not to study

2005-11-09T22:24:00.000-08:00

That is the question!. I have an exam tomorrow. The other guys at my class where freaking out today... they gathered together at the library and study.. meanwhile.. I was at home, chilling! Then I took a look to some problems... they look fairly easy. I think I know how to do most of the stuff... but then I discover some of them dont have solution (typo or on purpose), I also noticed that these problems.. doesnt have much to do with what they teach us in the lectures.. well.. they have something in common.. its kind of Hilbrt Spaces... that is why I dont study, coz I took my exam on Hilbert Spaces (in a real course) about 3 months ago, and got a Distinction (Australian grades!)... So I shouldnt worry much. But in a way... I am kind of afraid of the exam... coz I have no clue on what to expect!! I will let u know tomorrow how did it go... meanwhile.. I will read a bit more over the notes... not for too long... I will relax... I know I wont learn anything today... at most refresh!...

Shittt.. how much I hate this course!!! I think it is the main reason why I am already thinking on getting a Leave on Absence and spend 6 months of total chilling in some remote place in the world.

BTW... I was checking flights to Spain for Christmas... and Oh MY F*** GOD!!! 1700 bucks?!?!... I dunno if I can afford that (well... right now I can... if I forget about buying any kind of vehicle!!)... so.. I dont really know if its worth it! We'll see .. I'll keep u informed.

Ok ok.. I'll go and try to study now... (but I dont want to!!)

Stay strong and be brave!

A Swedish alike day...

2005-11-09T12:46:00.000-08:00

Good morning! (actually... afternoon!)

I woke up really late. The first songs playing on my list... Kent... Then I look on my computer, it says its raining in Santa Monica, i look trhough the window... yes, its grey outside and all looks wet. Then I look around my room... total chaos, I did my laundry and I havent folded and placed the stuff in its place yet... papers spread around the floor (I try to study!), finished candles lying around too and then in the middle of the picture I think... this looks so much like the Rödahuset... To be honest... could even be my first university room in Stockholm... or even the last too, anyhow all them were my asylum... So is this one. It feels like a melancolic day. It would be a good day to stay in bed and watch tellie or listen to music... Unfortunately, I have an exam tomorrow and today I have to go to lectures and get my take-home exam (weird american stuff). So its probably gonna be more of a work day! I wonder if I could skate back today... I guess I can.

Listening to: Kent - Sverige

Wow...

2005-11-08T16:14:00.000-08:00

hey... first thing. Those that might think I will get down becoz of the paper thing... dont worry, I totally expected it, it is one of those things... that has happened the way they should. I knew it was not good enough, we wrote it in a rush... we had to try! So, some extra work on it when I am a bit more free and it might go through in some other conference!.

More stuff... yeah, I am getting extremelly surprised with how many people follow this postings... It would be great if when you post comments (b_69) could give me some better hint than a cryptic nickname (i.e. b_69). Though... direct mesage for b_69... I suspect I know who you are! hehe

Anyhow... comments are very welcome. I will try to post some more interesting things and not only what is happening around here (which is not much actually!)

I think i said all I wanted to say by now... maybe I'll post some more stuff later!

have fun and be good boys and girls!

Denial...

2005-11-07T16:23:00.000-08:00

Ah... a quick update on today. My throat is feeling a bit better (looks like the orange juice, the honey and the homeopatic pills work!), so I am glad I am getting better without the use of any chemicals!. Then... I received the.. DENIAL!... yeah, my paper for SYSID06 in Newcastle has not been accepted. I kind of expected that outcome, cause I myself though it was way too little contribution.. among other issues. So I will leave that paper aside, and mayb retake that work at some point in the near future, once I am better established here and things are completelly settled.

What else... ah yeah!, I just translated the song below from Swedish to English, you can find it in the comments of the previous post. I assume that would be enough for most of you, if still someone has problems and wants it in Spanish I can do an extra effort (Italian too.. but that wont be a perfrect translation!).

So now I should concentrate on finishing my assignment for tomorrow, and then do some extra exercises for Thursdays exams.

Have fun, and smile, cause life looks better with smiley people around!! :)

Listening to: kent - Pärlor

Rödljus II

2005-11-06T21:36:00.000-08:00

My blog is called Rödahuset as a tribute to those old days in the old Stockholm... Well in days like today, the songs that better fits of all my collection happen to be from Kent. And right now.. the one I am listening to gets a lot of meanings in my head. So well.. for those that understand Swedish here comes the lyrics:

(best if listening to it with medium light... maybe candles...)

RÖDLJUS II

Här kommer jag som aldrig stannar
Röda ögon glider över gatan

Det spelar ingen roll alls vad dom speglar
Dom är min ursäkt för att blunda

Säg det högt, tala högre du som inte bryr dig om
vad mina händer gör
Utanpå, och inuti jag visste inte att man kunde gå
så långt

Tala om vem du är denna gången
Vem tror du att du är denna gången
Tala om vem du är denna gången
Vem tror du att du är

I den här sången....

Där är du som aldrig kommer
Här är jag som din skugga är
Säg nånting jag inte vet om dig

Allt är detsamma vare sig du vill det eller ej

Säg det högt, tala högre du som inte bryr dig om
vad mina händer gör
Utanpå, och inuti jag visste inte att man kunde gå
så långt

Tala om vem du är denna gången
Vem tror du att du är denna gången
Tala om vem du är denna gången
Vem tror du att du är

I den här sången,
I den här sången
I den här sången,
I den här sången

Tala om vem du är denna gången
Vem tror du att du är denna gången
Tala om vem du är denna gången
Vem tror du att du är
I den här sången

(If the public requires it I am open to do my best to translate it... but not right now!)

Listening to: Kent - Rödljus II

Homesick

2005-11-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

As you know from the previous post... I am sick,.. bloody flu!. Not only that but I also feel homesick... and when I feel homesick its fucked up! Actually I feel homesick of Spain, of Sweden in the Lappis community, and Australia! It's kind of boring when you are sick and alone (Darren is in San Diego, they will be back tonight I guess). And still even when Darren and Marsha are here... its not the same as it was in Lappis... with all the crew around, or in Australia with the mates, here it is just we three...

Anyway... its probably this bloody dark and chilly evening, mix with the flu and knowing I should be doing some exercises... aghhh!!!

Lets try to concentrate!!

Listening to: Secret Lab - Some day (DIGITALLY IMPORTED CHILLOUT , on-line radio)

Stay hooked...

2005-11-06T15:43:00.000-08:00

Just so you keep hooked on my life... Today I was walking down the street to buy some basic stuff, and I see this incredible chick coming towards me... beautiful green/blueish eyes... sporty body... kindda tanned... and she smiles at me, I smile back and she stops by me!! Man I might be lucky today Ithink.. and yeah... not a single word she grabs me and starts kising me!! Can you believe it?!?! This country is crazy!!... Well, if you have read this you might think.. what a turnover on his life eh??... I wish that would be real, I was just trying to get you hooked on my "culebron" hehe.

Nah.. so serious, reality is a bit different. I am studying, doing exercises and yesterday I got this fucked up flu... the best you can get when u have to take exams! I dont want to take any drugs... so I will buy some honey, but if it doesnt work.. fuck it, I will go for some farmaceutical drugs... I think I have a bit of fever... shittttt!!!

And BTW, the first paragraph was fiction, but I tell you guys... that could easily happen around here. It wouldnt surprise me. And well.. amazing chicks.. I see a few everyday!

Alright... shower and shopping!

Finding excuses...

2005-11-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

So... I am supposed to study a bit of Linear Algebra today. I've taken a look to the middterm from teh Spring quarter... and I know how to do it without studying at all.. so I am working on solving the exam to remember a bit that stuff. You would wonder.. how come u dont remember if u have been going to the lectures??... well.. I have gone to just half of the lectures... after one hour, I got bored and dissapointed, that teacher... was confusing people!! So... well, actually instead studying all the time (I cant get concentrated) I manage to find stupid excuses to avoid it, like cooking, go and buy orange juice (so I can skate a bit to the shop), hack my linux box to try make work "waste"... Anything!! Like now... blogging!! hehe, always a good option! Nah... I think I am gonna finish that exam, read the notes from the past quarter (you should see the ones from this quarter... vectors without parentesis or anything, no suprscripts... total bullshit!)... maybe do the homework for the other course... yeah.. lets try to do that!. Actually now I have all teh night, as finally we cant go surfing, coz Jordan has a pile of work for Monday and .. well.. I preffer it this way, actually I think I am getting some small flu... Lets hope it will be over by Friday, coz I am gonna go then to a friends house right by Venice Beach, maybe I can surf then!

Back to studying!

Listening to: The Latin Kings - Snubben trodde han va cool

You Godful people of the United States... listen!

2005-11-04T16:28:00.000-08:00

Read this link. Looks like finally some voices in the Catholic Church arise and start to take steps forward to an understanding with science. I am a Catholic culturally, I was born in a catholic family, and so I was baptised and followed most of their sacraments.. till I got tired of all the theatre, and discovered I didnt have that special gift called faith. I have a problem with believing things that cant be proved or at least that doesnt follow some logic. So... like that cardinal says in that article... I think religion and science should mind just their bussiness... and of course when science gets into the moral discussion... well, religious groups should get into the discussion, as they represent the moral values of many people. But that should be all... and come on!... INTELLIGENT DESIGN!?!?... that sounds more like a joke than a real theory!. Who in his mind, with enough education to talk about theories can say I.D. is a theory and put it at the same level of Evolution... well, plain ridiculous for most of us "educated" people. So hey... you religious american freaks... revisit your beloved John Paul II's words... he happened to be quite well educated, and the POPE!

There is a shine of hope in the Catholic Church... cross your fingers, coz Bush might lead another Evangelics crusade... this time against the unfaithful Catholics!! Seems crazy?? Well.. so does him and his decissions!

Time to go to work on my assignments... away from unprovable stuff to the beauty of maths! ;)

Emotion...

2005-11-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

YAY!!! Someone found my cell phone!! GREAT!!! I just received an email saying I can pick it up somewhere at the Uni... I just have no clue where it got lost, I'll ask this girl where she found it! Ok... one good readon to be happy today!! I'll let you know more later!

:(

2005-11-03T19:08:00.000-08:00

:( Today I feel tired, stressed (not too much but a bit), and sad... Not a great combination... I think I need some rest and after next week all is gonna be much better... I hate having to care about taking exams!! And my cell phone... still lost... let's hope t-mobile can tell me at least where it is located... a hint to continue the search! I think I am gonna take a nap.. and hope all will look brighter afterwards!

Like a wave...

2005-11-02T19:12:00.000-08:00

Such is happiness... comes pushes you... fades away. Probably that is the meaning of happiness... it gotta fade away for you to notice when it is back. Good thing... if you are a good rider of the happiness waves, you can get to extend those happiness peaks to the max... and... sometimes even make a new wave come. I am not especially sad nowadays, just a bit pissed off. Why? well.. there are many reasons, most of them got reduced to an "expectation not fulfilth". You know when given certain previous facts you expect something to be in a way coz it is the most natural thing to be... and then... it does not happen that way! Well.. that pisses me off a lot. Maybe coz I wanna have the exclusive right to break those natural rules... who knows!

Well, tonite, we are gonna celebrate something that happened the way it should. Marsha got her job at Google, so we got a bottle of Absolut Vodka (unfortunately Darren cant drink) and we will drink it all.

Be happy... my angriness will fade in a glass of Vodka!

Listening to: Ramones - Glad To See You Go

How sad?

2005-11-02T11:24:00.000-08:00

How sad can it be let your life slip between your fingers cause you tried to contain it in your hands like water. How sad it is to let days pass by with nothing especial to say about them? I guess people get used to their sad lifes and are too scared to go out of their routine and fix their sad lifes. I have been here about two months... and many days I feel like I am just letting my life slip in between my fingers. One day a copy of the one before... I never let it last more than 4 days... but I cant avoid the picture of a routinary life... and if that is what waits in the future of all of us... I wanna be with good friends when that moment comes, at least a conversation will make the day worthy. I am lucky that my roommate and his girlfriend at least... make my days worthy with their conversation...

I am gonna start this new thing of letting you know what I am listening while posting, so here is the first one:

Listening to: Guano Apes - Get Busy

Lost Mobile

2005-11-01T17:42:00.000-08:00

Shit!... It looked like today was going to b a good day... but no! I have to screw it up always in some strange way eh?!... Well, I lost my mobile... or someone stole it... I actually dont know! I always have it in this pocket of my backpack... and I actually dont remember taking it out for anything... All I know.. is I have been to all single places I was this morning and nothing!. I'll go and ask again at lost and found tomorrow... but I dont think I'll be lucky. I keep on ringing to it but nobody answers... I even sent an sms... I'll check the calls so if I notice they rang someone... I can ring that someone... we'll see how my luck turns!

That thing before...

2005-11-01T02:54:00.000-08:00

Hey... just so nobody elses gets confused... that posting before... wasn't aimed at anyone... it was just the result of sleeping little and waiking up in bad mood.. that's it!... Okej, time to go to bed before is too late... I dont wanna start tomorrow with another rude posting eh?.

Peace!

FUCK YOU!

2005-10-31T12:15:00.000-08:00

I really felt like saying that. Not for anything or anyone in particular... just for personal relief for all the fucked up feelings and duties...

Sooooo

2005-10-31T12:08:00.000-08:00

Soooo it looks like I pretty much dont follow any of my plans... I should have studied much more this weekend... SHIT! Well, I will try to recover today.

I try to share stuff here with all you (especially those I know reading it) and I am starting to feel like maybe it is not such a great idea to write excatly what I think and what I feel each day.

Today... I dont really know what I feel or what I am thinking.. I am way too tired possibly?... I will leave this posting stuff for later. I guess I need a shower!

Me Not Understand

2005-10-28T17:35:00.000-07:00

Hi buddies!

This morning I met this woman (I am pretty sure she is German BTW) from the English department to check what went wrong in my exam... You wanna guess? There was a reading comprehension, a listening, and an essay to write... I though it might have been the essay coz I might have made some mistakes with the ortography and prepositions... Well.. this people will never stop surprising me!! My essay was marked with the max, my reading also... but my listening... 19/30!!! I dont know... I think either I am dumb and marked all the questions shifted one column (or for the matter one row), or the machine screwed big time. The fact is that I will have to retake the fucking exam the 3rd of January!! So it will pretty much fuck my christmas vacations big time. I just noticed I should have told her to check the answer sheet (the one that u fill and the machine reads...)... who knows!.

So now guys... you know... speak slowly to me, coz I do not understand english very well. I should probably start watching the movies with subtitles again... oh shit!, and the tellie... and... fuck... should I double check my lecture notes!?!? I am probably copying stupid things and I dont notice it!

I cant believe that coz something got screwed with that listening, when I have about 280 in TOEFL and they should know the listening of TOEFL is much harder than their... I cant believe they set me for that stupid course on .. how to write!! One more american non-sense for the list of soooo many!

Alright, time to go back to my assignments!

My roommate(s) and my "veggie" paella

2005-10-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

Marsha (Darren's gfriend) and Darren (my roommate) ejoying my paella and the great Rioja wine I bought for the spanish meal night that was tonite!.

2005-10-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

My first "vegetarian paella", and first paella I cook on my own (without Pedro) in LA.

Fell asleep!!

2005-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

S**t!!!!

I just woke up... 10 am, I've been switching off my mobile alarm for.. 2 hours!!! And I forgot to raise the volume of my laptop so that I would notice the music alarm!. I have a lecture from 10 to 12... well, fortunately I have the slides, and I think I'll make it to the second hour. Looking to the bright side... I needed to sleep, it has been a crazy week, and I was exhausted.

Alright, I will take my shower and go to uni. I dont like to get in the middle of the lecture so I'll wait for the break.

L8r!

Hooked to my laptop

2005-10-26T12:17:00.000-07:00

G'day!

I have discovered I am starting to live hooked on my laptop. Trying to see friends to chat. Waiting for emails that might nevr come... Buying stuff, working... Again... I need some surf!

I am actually waiting for a couple of emails that can change my life here. One is from this girl Crystal that left signs around the lecture rooms asking for people that would like to go surfing on the mornings around 5 or 6 am. I dropped her a mail, I hope she will reply, coz then I'll be saved until I buy my van. Then, the other one is from this guy that has a VW van that wants to sell it... that could be mine!! Then I obviously expect also to get personal emails from friends from time to time, but this week is being quite dry on emails dropping...

Oh well... I think I will get dressed, have a little food, check my post... and uni for a couple of hours...

You guys know I miss you all right?!... How amazing would it be if one could gathr all his friends at once at the same place... IMAGINE THE PARTY!! heheeh

Ok... back to real life!, I'll post some more later!

Facts

2005-10-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

I came back from uni about 1 hour ago... I have skipped once more the second hour of this course... Oh my god!... Some facts they seem to not know at the uni here:

- Being a great researcher doesn't mean you are a good teacher too.
- If they set so high standards to get in for grad school... they could assume we know how to multiply matrices, calculate determinants...
- It's cool to be an engineer (I am one), but if you are teaching maths be a bit more mathematician-like, don't be chaotic, and follow some logical order!
- It's ok to leave a lecture room when you are wasting your time (and it is a good indirect message for a teacher when people leave).
- Mathematica is not for presentations, for that you have latex!!

Well... not that this is generalized, but man, I could never expect a grad course in EE where you will spend 4 weeks in stupid matrix algebra... explained in the most confusing way ever... Reminds me those ofuscated C programming contests...

Yeah I got a bit pissed off coz we r having our middterm in 2 weeks, and I dont know what to expect. I will read the stuff he gave us, but I still don't know what the midterm is gonna be... finding matrices that are n-nilpotent??

Ok, I'll go to read some stuff. Cya

More of HIM

2005-10-23T14:12:00.000-07:00

Hi all...

So I woke up after all this day of extreme happiness... and.. I'm still feeling the same way!! This is great! I woke up listening to Guano Apes, and now HIM is again in my playlist playing loud!!

Don't misunderstand me... I am not in any way sad or anything, but I love this song. I think I have listened to it every single time I lost someone I loved, and hey, the lyrics are so simple that they represent how I think most people feel after a break-up. So especially dedicated to all those girls I have been with, cause each of you in your especial way meant a lot for me, and you all made me grew up inside...

"Lose You Tonight"

Don't run away
I can't live without you
Please stay
And I learn to love you right

I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
I've been crying for you
Dying for you all this time
I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I ain't gonna
Lose you tonight
No, I ain't gonna lose you tonight

Don't run away
I never wanted to hide you
Please stay
And I learn to treat you right

I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I've been crying for you
Dying for you all this time
I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I ain't gonna
Lose you tonight

I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I've been crying for you
Dying for you all this time
I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I ain't gonna
Lose you tonight

I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life

Oh, I can't live without you

And I've been crying for you
Dying for you all this time

I never want adore you

I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I ain't gonna
Lose you tonight

I ain't gonna lose you tonight

I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I've been crying for you
Dying for you all this time
I was waiting for you
Waiting for all my life
And I ain't gonna
Lose you tonight

I AM SOOOOOOO HAPPY!!!!

2005-10-22T23:43:00.000-07:00

I though you all should know... I AM FELLING 100/100 in hapinness... why?.. no clue!!... but who cares!. It might have been going surfing, or meeting Jordan and expanding my group of friends here in LA... might be just... I have started to follow my own preaching!

I'm gonna be happy with what I have... if during the week life sucks.. well, the weekend comes and some surf and some party will pump me back again!! Guys... I'm back! fully loaded, ready to rock this place!!

My first Earthquake!!

2005-10-22T20:48:00.001-07:00

So about 5 min ago... I experienced my first quake! Magnitude 3 or 3.1... and located about a couple of miles from here... Not a big deal, magnitude 3 is soooooo pussyquake!!

I just felt like someone pushing my bed, but behind me it was just the wall! Then I saw a window poping up from Beata (a nice HongKong girl that is like a mum for many new UCLA students) saying.. "earthquake!!" and then she pass me this link: Earthquakes in LA

Ok, now that u know I'm still alive... back to my assignments!

Meeting Jordan and surfing!

2005-10-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hi,

Should I give a happiness score?.. well.. right now... I think 90 would be fairly accurate!!. I met yesterday night Jordan, after... abou 2 years, and he hasn't changed. He is still the tall cool guy I remembered. We went out around Santa Monica/Venice with his friend Andy... well actually we ended up in a pretty typical american place, I'll let your imagination fly! haha

I had such a nice night, having nice chats about Sweden, LA, Australia, trips around the world... it was a great night summarizing. By the way Ivan, Giulio, we talked about you two bastards a bit... give some notice that you are alive guys!

Then, this morning we woke up... and went surfing!! We cruise up north, past Malibu. And there we went into the water. The thing is the day has been pretty cloudy and still is, even some rain, and there was not a very big swell, so we had to wait quite a lot for good sets of waves. For a while it looked like we were not gonna catch any wave... but... then it happend! I got one nice ride, and about 15 min afterwards I lost a wave and from above the wave I could see Jordan riding it... so... MISION ACOMPLISHED!. We were surfing for about 2 hours. Not the best surf ever, but man... it felt like it. Just being in the sea, waiting for the wave, swimming around... I'm soooo stoked!

Now, shower, clean the booties, wetsuit and board, maybe a little short nap... and back to my assignments. Lets see if I manage to do the fast so I can go out tonite to Hollywood with Jordan and Raul... We´ll see... staying at home won't be that bad after this great day!!

Be happy guys... and if you are not... grab your board and go surf, snowboard or skate... relax and enjoy the joys of life!

Cya!

Uni stress

2005-10-21T16:20:00.000-07:00

So here I am, I lost a big part of the morning doing... I DONT KNOW! And now I am feeling a bit of stress with all this assignment work for Tuesday. Pedro is coming on Sunday and we should probably meet Raul and Tanya then for a dinner so that they can say goodbye to Pedro. Then I have just Today, Saturday afternoon, Sunday morning and Monday. I would actually preffer to be done by Sunday midday... so.. doesn't look that bad, if it wouldn't be for the fact that I get tired of it every 15 min. Like now!

Today... my happiness level is around 60 or 70 I think. I just can't avoid the thought of been ruining Caroline's life. At least these last days. Am I being selfish? Hard to answer. I just know I have done what my heart told me to do, and that was to fight for her. If that means she is gonna be deppressed for a bit... well, it might be worth it. Anyhow it looks like in this next week I'll be writting a lot here. I don't want to mail her more or ring her. Now I have to give her space and time, and then... we'll see what happens.

Changing topic again, the sky is overcast today... I just hope it won't come a lightning storm tomorrow morning!! I am ok with surfing under the rain, as long as there are no lightnings. It might be even good if it is not too sunny, so a lot of people will stay home and the waves won't be ultracrowded! We'll see how it goes!

HIM is genius!

2005-10-21T11:04:00.000-07:00

Before I go to the shower... Not that this represents how I feel now or anything, but just for all those that havent discovered HIM yet, so you can understand how how he is... lyrics of one of their songs (maybe not the best... but really good, actually I picked it up coz the lyrics where kind of short!! hehe)

"This Fortress Of Tears"

No one can hurt you now
In this haven safe and sound
No one can save you now
From this grace you are drowning in
Just hold your breath on your way down

This fortress of tears
I've built from my fears for you
This fortress won't fall
I've built it strong for you

No one can free you now
From the chains around your heart
Don't be afraid now
Just dive in this emptiness
And hold your breath on your way down

Put all on Stake and the risk to loose

2005-10-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

Good morning!

My nights are dangerous. It's the moment when my mind gets this flashes and blackouts, confussion and brightness... Why do I say that? Every single night since Monday I've been discharging my feelings on long emails to her, and postings here. Well, the postings as you can imagine... are just so that everyone knows how I feel and for you to give me feedback or understand my weird reactions. The mails... the mails open up my soul, let her know my more intimate feelings. I don't write with rage or anger, I write with sadness mostly.

Yesterday I felt amazingly well all day, and as you saw in my posting I started to see things a bit more clear. That is why when the night came and I couldnt sleep (remember my evening nap.. 3 hours!) I noticed that all my mails this week had been tha same thing that f**ked it up. I wrote with this protection shield, trying to avoid hurting her going around the real stuff. So I fixed that yesterday, I put all on stake. I know it is my last chance with her and I have realized you cant just let the important people in your life go because you didnt show to them your real feelings and your will to commit. I have been doing that all my life since I was 18, and then it was alright, but now.. I am 26, might be time to start being serious at least in these issues.

I let to your imagination the mail I wrote. All I know... is the inmediate result (maybe not from that mail, but the whole week talks)... I got to know that she is also depresed. I wanna think it is not a consecuence of what I say, but a consecuence of "what all this is". How I feel abou that?... NO IDEA!

Now its time to stop for me, all have been said... time to wait. While I wait... tomorrow I'm gonna go surfing, I'll listen to the waves, they'll listen to me... and nature is wise!.. See the gulf coast! Humm.. that reflexion will come in another post!.

Alright, shower.. and my day starts, with HIM playing loud in my laptop!! BTW, Javi.. I bough the box with the special edition of HIMs last album! hehehe!!

In the Quest for happiness...

2005-10-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

Its getting late here, I am about to go to sleep soon, and it feels like the perfect time for bloggin a bit.

Today has been an interesting day. First some lessons in the morning, then... you guess it? I rang her again, then uni again (hilarious lecture btw) and then a nice evening with my roommate and his gfriend. And all in between... lot of thinking about my life, my ex, happiness...

So lets do a quick review.

The morning lectures: nothing to say about em.

My call to her: It started bad... I kept on ringing for 40 min... I knew she was talking to him, but I kind of accepted that better than I expected. Then we talked, I tried to sound happy, which I was in a sense, at least not depresed. But you know how when you just wanna talk to someone but you dont have much to say, or if you do... you don't really want to say those things, but then you start to talk and talk... Well.. that happened, I don't really know how, but I ended up telling her all I didn't like of how we handle our relationship. How I never got used to that cold independence thing we had. How I loved her but needed more hints to notice she did really trust me and loved me. How the best moments with her were when we spent a full week together or those moments when she got sad and cried for something I did coz it was then when I most felt important in her life. I told her how many times I screwd coz I couldn't feel that bind to her. I know there are no excuses valid. Anyhow, I think I probably got a bit rough, I dunno, god (if he exists) know I really dont want to hurt her and I never wanted to. That is why I kept so much inside me, that is why I tried to get used to so many things. Anyway, what I did today took me a bit of courage and will probably even mean that she won't forgive me ever and that she won't want to talk to me more. I don't know what will happen but I felt a little bit of relief when I hanged up, cause I managed to let her know all that was inside me with no cuts.

Afternoon lecture: With all this relief feeling and a bit of sadness inside me. Without having eaten anything (it was 2 pm) but a yougurt I walked to this lecture. It is usually quite boring coz the guy goes toooooo slow and I already know all what he is teaching, and its too basic. Anyhow.. today it cheered me up. This guy was teching some stuff (really basic) and kept on going and going and, he started a mess on the blackboard with indexes all around to explain something that could be explain much easier. It started to get funny when he repeated some stuff (like he forgot what he did 10 min ago, well... he is quite old). Then when I heard the guy next to me say: "Oh, my god!" I draw a smile on my face. A look around... guys doing other stuff, poker faces, boredom, and a few guys with confussion drawn on their faces. I was about to explode and laugh out loud... for a moment I forgot all the stuff of this week. Then the break came and I left. Some guys asked me if I was leaving for real, my answer: " I dont wanna break into laughts in the lecture, that won't be polite", they looked at me with this approval/envy face and I went to print some lecture notes and stuff.

Evening and dinner: Came back home stopping at In-n-out for a quick lunch. Felt really full so I sit inthe sofa att home and chat a bit with Darren and Marsha. I let them know a bit why I had been a bit quiet and staying so much at my room this week, but without getting too deep, they already have their problems. And well, they came with the idea of doing some pizzas tonight and have dinner together. Sounded good, but we were really tired so we went for a nap... that lasted too long. Result, pizza from the pizzeria down the street, and watch soem Comedy Central together. Fair enough!

My thoughts throughout the day: Well... when I walk to uni, apart from listening to music, I try to do some thinking. I though... I should write in my blog a list of hints to be happy. I came out with a few nice points:

1) Be happy with what you have and enjoy everything you do. (a classic eh?)
2) Find your connection with nature and the world and exploit that activity as a reliever from problems, i.e. Surfing (or climbing for others, or...). As pepepe said today... " the waves are always listening eh?" (change wave for rock if u preffer climbing)
3) Find ways to enjoy your closest environment, i.e. Skate!. It is hard to get used to live in a city when u dont like them that much... but there is always ways to enjoy the concrete jungle!
4) Accept and believe that: Happiness is not a goal, happiness is the path.
5) I still have to think more about it!

What else... Ah yeah!... hey guys, I know a lot of you are reading this. If you wanna drop comments.. I read them all, and I appreciate a lot to get some feedback, extra thoughts... whatever, so dont be shy! Afterall, what can be worse than what I write?!

Time to stop!...

Be happy and spread the love!

IT IS MINE NOW!!!

2005-10-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

Yay!!! I won the bid... and they are sending the skateboard... I am soooo stoked!! (do not confuse with stoned!)

By the way, now.. in a scale between 0 and 100, with 0= suicide depression and 100= flying high happiness... I am in about 40... not bad! Maybe 50 or 60... hard to say!

Why the heck I decide to post always 20 min before I have to run to uni or to a meeting... well, that is one of those misterious things without explanation, but the fact is ... I have to run to get dressed, ahve some little breaky and walk (for last time probably) to the uni!

The Lord of the boards

2005-10-19T18:09:00.000-07:00

OK...

So now that I need to force myself to enjoy what I still have left in life (which is a lot!) I have decided to continue in my quest for being a complete Lord of Boards... and... I have just bid for a skateboard on ebay!.... yesss... I know some of you would remember I said that was the first thing I'd do when I get here... and... I am doing it, I coudln't before.. u know.. no money!!

So... I am gonna be so stocked when I get it... check out how nice it looks. It is an Element board with the HIM heartagram from Bam Margera's collection... I think it suits me, as I love HIM, and I like Bam Margera in Jackass too... good combination!!

Well... it's gonna boost my life.. saving time at least in my way back from uni!! Cool.. I'm happy of deciding on spending some money on it!

Uppps... time to pick up my laundry!!

Getting better??

2005-10-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Okej... a new day start... and its sunny!! Might be a sign. After talking for 2 hours with Caroline... well, I wanna think we (at least me) have been so careful all time with not putting much stress on each other that when a dificulty came, looked like whatever would happen would be ok. Well, It wasn't as Ok as I though... But it is gonna be fine! I wish she is really happy, and I really wish it, coz she is one of the best persons I have evr met in my life and she deserves the best.

I also hope I can come over this whole thing soon and be in touch with her forever... and I know she wants that too, which is a great relief.

Now its time to stop regreting things and go on right?... Hopefully its gonna be sunny for a while!

And now.. again in my usual rush... run to uni for another boring class!

Have fun and be cheerful, cause all you deserve to be happy!

My writting therapy...

2005-10-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody. Sorry for not posting pictures, but I havent taken any so long. First a brief update on my latest adventures:

1) I went to Las Vegas for my friend Raul birthday. It was fun, Vegas has amazing hotels and we got wated a couple of nights... fair enough! ah... and I also started to do some compulsive shopping around there... I have a new set of clothes for another year or two hehe!

2) I am going surfing finally this Saturday with Jordan (for those that met him in Stockholm/Lappis). And right now I really need it...

And now... continuing my therapy. As many of you already know, me and Caroline (my ex) left our relationship on stand-by waiting to see if we could live togetehr here in LA (if she would finally come here or what would happen). I'm gonna be honest... I met some girls meanwhile, but I didnt wnat to get serious cause I still had faith that Caroline would finally come here. I have been asking her nearly every week... And then yesterday when we were talking she dropped the bomb... she had met another guy... So NOW its totally over!

I am having real problems to get used to that idea, and even worst to avoid the idea of her with that other guy. Actually I rang her some minutes ago... and she told me she preffer to talk some other time coz now he was with her at her place...

You all probably know how much you appreciate things when you loose them... that is what isgoing on in my head now. I wish I could solve this whole problem... but looks like this is one of those problems I can't solve.

To finish the depressing stuff, right this two days are getting all cloudy and rainy in LA.. great!... some ambient!!

I guess life goes on... and I should as well, but I think I will need some days to feel totally happy again. Maybe the sea can take away all the sadness, at the end... surfing is becoming my lifestyle... I just need a van to fulfill totally that lifestyle, so I can evade whenever I want.

If you got to this point... you really appreciate me and are interested on my life... so.. thanks for that (I guess most of you that got to this point are pretty important in my life too).

Sorry for the tragic posting, but that is what is going on around here right now!

Cya

Update update...

2005-10-02T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hello people!!

Time for a little update. Not much has happened, so I don't really have much to update on. I finally fixed most of the paperwork, and courses have already started. This Quarter there are not many courses being offered that could be interesting to me, but anyways I have enrolled in 3. Out oth those, I have already studied what they will teach on 2 of them, but it is always good to remember, especially when those are included in the prelim exam I'll have to take in a year from now.

I also took an english exam, and they didnt exempted me from taking English courses, but I am gonna fight against that coz I am tottally sure I did as well as one could do in that (really easy) test. They just want me to take the last course on a series of courses about writting and reading technical stuff. Which to me feels absurd when I have been reading papers, taking courses and even teaching and writting my own papers in English for a while now. It might be coz I wrote very long sentences in my essay?¿??... we'll see! By now I know I have a second opportunity, and then I'll fix the problem (if they let me know what I did wrong!).

As for the rest... well, I stilll havent got a table. I haven't received the money from my fellowship yet... I don't have a car either... But I am still alright with all that. Hopefully I'll get the money soon this week, and then I can purchase a van!!!. Then I'll go and buy some more nice furniture for our appartment. And... I'll go surfing!!! I haven't surf for more than a month now... and... I can't wait anymore... I need to go to the beach and catch some waves!!!

More... I don't really know what else to say... so I'll leave it for another time.

Have fun in the old continent and down under all my little mates!

The City of Angels....

2005-09-06T20:56:00.000-07:00

Helloooo people!!

Yes, my blog is not dead yet!!! I just had to stop posting for a while. In the meantime since last post this is pretty mnuch what has happened:

1) Comando Hippie trip to Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
2) Trip back to SPAIN
3) In Spain... climbing near Vitoria, partying and surfing in San Sebastian, Ferias (huge party) in Alcala (my home town)
4) Move to LA...

So I have been here in LA 7 days... and so long... i gotta admit I like it. I met some people thanks to Raul (an old friend living here) and the people is nice. Pubs look fine and chicks crazy. And the uni... well u've probably seen it on movies, its HUUUUUUGE!!

Right now I am all busy with paper work and such kind of s***t, but hopefully that will be over soon and I can take a weekend trip somewhere to relax from the big city life.

Ah... last but not least... my apartment is amaaaazingly cool, not too big, but cool, and my roommate seems like a cool guy too, i just need some time to get to know him.

I promise I'll post again some pics soon and keep updating the blog regularly, just gimme some days to settle down!

Have fun you all out there, wherever you are my nomad and settled friends!!

Peace!

The Big Empty gap...

2005-07-25T02:00:00.000-07:00

Helloooooo!!!

I know I havent been posting for a long while (about 2 weeks). I will uodate you a bit. As you should know Pedro (aka More) came to visit me. So what happened after that... I had to leave my house after some days and now I am squatting in the living room. Well.. I am working in this paper for a conference, which is pretty much what I have left to do, and there is not big hurries for it. So I am also traveling around with Pedro. We have been camping and climbing at the Blue Mountains, and Nowra (south of Wollongong). Next trip planned is Cairnes and the great barrier reef... But there is not much time left!!! I will be back to Spain the 5th...

What else... Idont think there is much to say here!! I will post some pictures later (I have moved them below this post!)!!

Have fun.. and be nice!!

2005-07-25T01:52:00.000-07:00

More climbing!!

2005-07-25T01:51:00.001-07:00

Mystic nights with fire...

2005-07-25T01:51:00.000-07:00

A message was waiting for us in the Blue Mountains... we followed that long before, but it is always good to get a reminder... Be Happy and Spread the Love!!

2005-07-25T01:50:00.000-07:00

Pedro meets a Kangaroo... with a Joey

2005-07-25T01:49:00.000-07:00

The "Team" on Top of the Cliffs of Nowra...and Australia below us!

2005-07-25T01:46:00.000-07:00

Me climbing at Nowra... 5/6a ???

2005-07-25T01:45:00.000-07:00

Pedro climbing at Nowra... 6b??

2005-07-25T01:43:00.000-07:00

Two caveman!!! Base camp in the climbing area at Nowra

2005-07-25T01:41:00.001-07:00

Pedro Bouldering at Nelson Bay

2005-07-25T01:41:00.000-07:00

More by a roof of the Three Systers (Blue Mt)

2005-07-25T01:40:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in the Blue Mountains...

2005-07-08T23:06:00.000-07:00

A picture taken by More,... that's me surfing a couple of days ago here in Newie... Not my best ride, but one of the best I have had. I'll try to get some better pics ;)

2005-07-08T18:49:00.000-07:00

You have to slide down those dunes to come to the beach... and climb them up to go back to your car... but it's worth it!! (Nice sky eh?)

2005-07-08T18:48:00.001-07:00

A panoramic so you can see how big it was... (Treasure Beach again)

2005-07-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

Me and Daniel, and the huge Treasure Beach at our back...

2005-07-08T18:47:00.000-07:00

First Pic from the surf trip (sorry for the long delay...busy busy!). This is Treasure Beach, having some little snack before the surf!

Surfing da East Coast!... and a Hectic week to come!

2005-07-04T04:33:00.000-07:00

Hi yall!!

This weekend me and Daniel (the swede I live with) decided to go on a Surf trip along the coast heading up north till Coffs Harbour. At the last minute Paz (Juan's wife, Juan is a PhD student at the department I am working) decided to join with her BodyBoard. Saturday was not the best surf, but I must say... we visited one of the most amazing beaches I have ever been to. The sea was a bit messy, mainly becoz of the onshore and sideways wind, but still we did manage to catch some waves, in the morning at Dixon Park in Newcastle, and later in that amazing beach called Treasure Beach, by Seal Rocks. Saturday night we stayed in a cheap motel at Coffs Harbour, so that Sunday morning we could surf at Sapphire Beach (were I was surfing when I did my road trip along the east coast with Tarryn), but again the wind was messing a bit, and eventhough when we arrived early in the morning the surf was cool, at about 2 pm it was too messy, and we too tired to keep trying anymore. And finally monday, after sleeping in the same motel (called AROSA by the way... my life is full of signs!!... serendipity!?!), we decided to surf in the morning at Sandy Beach. Sunday afternoon we checked out some beaches more like Emerald Beach and Park Beach, but Sandy seemed to be the one with best conditions (at least for us!). So yeah... todays morning has been one of the best surf days ever!!!, sunny, great clean waves, with a little bit of offshore wind helping out to clean the sea... well.. amazing!!. The waves were well shaped and gentle, not extremely big (well.. some 2-3 m ones but mostly around 1, 1.5 m) and powerful. So both Daniel and me enjoyed the surf, catching a few waves before they broke and getting some long rides. I reckon Paz enjoyed her BodyBoarding while she stayed in the water... cause she seemed pretty tired (which I understand coz I was too). I think she took some pictures while we surfed, so I'll try to digitalize them when I get to see them.

Anyhow... I'll post some pictures maybe tomorrow... If i get the time to do it coz... right when I arrived.. I check my email and.... Moreno-Bombero... for those that know him... is coming TOMORROW!!!, and the f****er sends me an email on Sunday.... well... thats the adventurous way!. Anyway, anyhow... I'll have to figure out how to do to work and manage to go around, climb, surf and visit sacred rocks as ULURU. I'll keep you updated!

Back to a bit of work... and to sleep.. tomorrow promises to b a looooong day!

Cheers!

In the right moment

2005-06-22T15:01:00.000-07:00

I get sick in the worst moment of the week. I still have my throat giving me a hell all the day. Can barely talk, I have permanently an awful burning pain, and to finish the whole situation... I have to go to uni and work today!. There is an emergency, and I have to finish some corrections... I am gonna take some pills for the fever, correct that stuff as fast as I can, and go back home to bed... I don't really feel any better today!

Well... I must go now.

Sick ! :(

2005-06-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Hi!,

Yesterday night I was feeling it coming, and this morning it was here... I got a f***ing cold... My throat is all sore, and I think I have a bit of temperature... cause all the muscles of my body ache :( We were going to have a little party tomorrow... but that one I can avoid. But Friday we are gonna have a Midsommar party (in our winter here)... and I really wanna go!! Actually is a farewell (kindda) party for some swede friend. Also I wanted to keep on surfing this week... but if the cold doesn't dissapear in two days... its gonna be a no-surf week :(.

Anyway.. I am in bed, trying to work a bit... and avoiding to move much.
Hope you are having a better day!

2005-06-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

That's me in a night coming back from Sydney...

Engineering Wallabees

2005-06-18T21:10:00.000-07:00

A picture I took on Friday (the dolphins day) when I was coming back home from the office. Those are a couple of wallabees that live by the engineering building at the Uni.