| Ana's profileANA JARAMILLOBlogListsNetwork |  Tools  Help |
|
|
September 29 Esto sí es climaDespués de unos cuantos días a temperaturas record en Austin for fín el clima decidió darnos un respiro. Veníamos a temperaturas por encima de 100*F (alrededor de 40*C) y en este momento estamos a maravillosos 79*F (26*C). Pero parece ser que el calor volverá en un par de días.
Mientras que en Albany mis amigos me cuentan que las hojas ya están cambiando de color y la temperatura esta por debajo de 60*F, aquí el verano sigue como si no se diera cuenta de que ya casi es Octubre!
Los huracanes, el calentamiento global, quién sabe a quién rayos hay que echarle la culpa, pero lo cierto es que nunca pensé que fuera a sobrevivir un verano tan largo. Luego de 24 años de vivir en una ciudad con temperatura promedio de 75*F todo el año, y un año de vivir al norte donde 90*F es la temperatura máxima de unos pocos días al año vine a esta ciudad donde el verano dura 3/4 partes del año.
Ahora sólo espero que el "invierno" nos traiga un buen clima, y poderme vestir más a gusto. Los que me conocen saben que nunca he sido el tipo de nena que tiene cargas de ropa en su guardaropa. Usualmente un par de jeans me bastan, un par de zapatos cómodos de cuero (algún par de sandalias, tacones y tennis esperan en el guardaropa para ocasiones especiales), y un surtido de camisetas no muy a la moda que duran siglos porque no me canso de ellas. Pero eso sí, las chaquetas son mi debilidad. No las chaquetas de invierno, porque invierno no tenemos en Medellín, simplemente una capa más para protegerse de un viento suave o la lluvia. Así que necesito unos 20*F menos para ser feliz! Espero decirle adiós a este verano, y pronto!!!! September 28 Favorite American IconAdvertising Week 2005 just finished and after people voted for months for their favorite icons, the winners were announced. This year's american favorite icon is...
JUAN VALDEZ!
I have to say that I'm surprised. I never expected the Colombian Coffee icon to be america's favorite, compared to last year's winner, the M&M candy. Congratulations Juan!!!
Other links:
September 13 Martes 13Todos en mayor o menor medida creemos en la suerte, sea de base religiosa, filosófica o supersticiosa, pero de dónde vienen estas creencias? El Martes 13 es un día reconocido de mala suerte o buena suerte y eso ha venido a nosotros a través de muchos años de historia.
La cultura anglosajona tiene como creencia el día Viernes 13 para la mala suerte y con la influencia que han tenido en nuestros países ya hemos adoptado esta creencia. Tal vez eso mismo haya convertido al Martes 13 en augurio de buena suerte, en oposición al Viernes 13.
Cuando estaba en el colegio recuerdo que en Martes 13 escribíamos 13 deseos en pedazos de papel y a las 13:13 había que meterse debajo de una mesa y comerse todos los papelitos. Así, los que uno se alcanzara a comer en ese minuto se cumplirían.
Yo actualmente no soy muy supersticiosa pero recuerdo haber tenido algo de susto cuando a los 16 años me programaron una pequeña cirujía en Martes 13. Todo resultó de maravilla así que si he de creer en la suerte de este día, creeré que sea buena y no mala. Como dicen por ahi: Yo no creo en las brujas pero que las hay, las hay.
Crucen los dedos, toquen madera, y que el día de hoy nos traiga mucha suerte!!!
September 12 Austin's Nightlife ReviewI've been a month in Austin already and of course I've had the chance to go to many places during the weekend nights, so here's what I think:
Fadó is an Irish Pub. My brother's favorite and I must say I agree. They have live music, celtic bands and other types. There is an indoor and an outdoor bar that they keep cool during the summer with fans, and the band plays in the middle of both so you don't miss it. Good variety of imported beers of course, and usually no cover. The bad part is that it's usually very crowded so it's hard to get in, specially to the outdoor area.
The Elephant Room is a Jazz Bar that has live music almost every day of the year. It's located in a basement and the bar is not particularly nice, but the music is great. I went on saturday night and Blaze was playing. A band composed by: Drumms, Bass, Tennor Sax, Flute, Trompet and a DJ that added a special touch with the turning tables. The band played from 9:30 to 12 with a little recess, and then I left the bar but they were gonna play more after another break!
Draught House Pub and Brewery is of course a good option for beer lovers. I actually went on a sunday afternoon after the last summer game of the NI Eagles, and not precisely to celebrate :( but at night you can see all the people sitting outside in the parking lot, sitting in folding chairs that they bring. Why would you wanna sit in a parking lot when there are nice bars with live music? well, they must have very good beer but also the fact that it's not downtown helps bringing a different crowd.
The Foundation is a bar built in an old warehouse. It's spacious and it has a second floor balcony that looks over the first floor at the rear. The atmosphere is nice but the music is extremely loud for conversation which makes no sense since there is no dancing in the place, and the music is not live. You end up yelling at someone's ear and smiling at people with a drink in your hand.
The Light Bar is also a well designed place with a nice atmosphere, but I can't say much cause I actually went for a Salsa party at the roof top. They had a band playing all night and the view is great from that terrace.
The Oasis is a restaurant with a magnificent lake view perfect to enjoy the sunset. On sundays there is a Salsa band playing from 7 to 10. Great way to end the weekend. The down point is that it's far; but it's always full so that must mean something!
Spider House Cafe is a very nice place to have a relaxing time. The indoor rooms and the patio have a great artistic touch. It offers live music sometimes. The down point is that "Cafe" is only the name, it's more of a bar. They don't have a selection of coffee drinks as one might think. But you can have a beer and enjoy the place.
Sam's Boat is a restaurant-bar with very unexpensive options before 8, so it's a good happy-hour spot. Friday afternoon it gets really crowded. It has a good location up north, for people living far from downtown.
Cap City Comedy Club is a different option. Just sit down an have a good laugh. Local comedians, invitees, and even amateurs in the open mic nigths.
Darwin's Pub is a nice bar on 6th street. They have live music several days a week, plus you can enjoy a pool or darts game. The band Fun Ball plays there often and two of the guys in the band are friends with my brother so it's like the downtown get-together place to begin the night.
Shakespeare's Pub has three different atmospheres: the bar, with large TV screens playing the favorite games; the patio, very cozy with stone walls and live music; and in the middle of both the place for players, the pool table and wall games.
Cedar Street Courtyard is another live music place. The stage is outdoors where you can sit under the trees and enjoy a cool night, or you can also be in the bar inside if the night is not that pleasant.
Cat Alley is a piano bar. The pianist performs and entertains all night accompanied by a drummer with a good selection of oldies. Well, I don't actually know if it's always the same duet and I couldn't find any info on the web, but I enjoyed the night there.
The Tilted Kilt is not exactly an irish pub, as you might think by the name. It's a traditional American Pub with the waitresses dressed in an Irish-sexy style. The place is nice and well located also in the north but I had the worst experience there. When we entered the place the waitress asked for IDs. I, of course, have my NY state ID so she showed it to the manager (I guess that's what he was) and then she said I wasn't allowed to get into the place. I asked why, looking at the manager and he signaled me to ask a police officer who was standing there. I asked him and he explained that the fake IDs always come from different states so they decided not to let anyone with those. I couldn't believe that they wouldn't allow anyone from out of texas and realizing my frustration the officer asked me if I had a different kind of ID. I showed him my Visa which is a card from the IRS authorizing me to work in the USA, he showed it to the manager and the guy said something to him and left. The officer told me that I couldn't get in anyway. I insisted in knowing why, so he said that it was actually ok with him, but the manager said that nothing but Texas IDs were allowed. I still can't believe that such discrimination takes place anywhere. So, if you're not a Texas resident don't even try to go there!
Well, those are most of the places that I've visited and I'll update this review if there's something very good of very bad to tell. In the mean time, I'll keep enjoying Austin's Nightlife! June 24 TattoosTattoos have become a very popular type of art. You can find all types of them: names, brands, pictures of celebrities, animals, creatures, Chinese or other characters, plants, logos, full sentences, Greek gods... anything imaginable! Every person's tattoo symbolizes something about themselves and you can find some of those that people are gonna regret one day because some things are not forever. Finding a symbol that you are completely sure are gonna like for the rest of your life, to have it printed on you, and also be sure to have it in a place of your body that is not gonna change much through the years is not so easy. I was coming back home in the bus when I saw a really creative tattoo (I'm not saying that necessarily in a good way!): The guy had a microphone tattooed in his arm, close to his shoulder, and the cable of it going down and around his arm to his hand, but I couldn't see much more detail on how it ended because I didn't want to stare. I was thinking, "hey, I should have one of those, as an acoustician!" he he he. I wonder what it represents for him, is he a singer, or a sound engineer, or he simply thinks mics are cool. There is someone I know that got a tattoo together with the rest of his sport team. They chose 3 kanji characters that mean something like 'freedom' (I don't remember exactly), and everyone had them tattooed. With a little mistake of the well intentioned tattoer the last character they got actually means 'fruit'. Probably some of the fruit team still doesn't know why some Asian people laughs at them on the street! It's funny how after writing this I ended up getting a tatoo the next day, check it! But don't you worry, it's only temporary...
April 14 HomelandThere is a place we all call home. In my case that place is inside me. I take it with me wherever I go and that is why I feel comfortable being almost anywhere. Wherever I go I enjoy meeting people and places and build a place that I can call home. But aside from that one there is another place that I'll always call home: Colombia. I was born and always lived in Medellin, until last year. Since the day I arrived to the US I've been talking to people about my country. I'm so proud of it that I can even be a little annoying if you get me started talking about my country. People ask: "Is that an island?" "Do you speak colombian there?" and some other things I don't want to repeat here. So, I just included some links that I found in a 2 minute search on the web so you can have a notion of what Colombia is. Colombia is a country in southamerica. It is located on the NW corner with costlines in both oceans (Pacific and Atlantic). We speak spanish as you migh have noticed in my other writings. We've had a big reputation as drug dealers and robbers, but it's not fair that people keep that image as if there is nothing good about us and our land. First of all, we live in a beautiful land with beaches, jungles, forrests, plains, deserts, high mountains, deep valleys and some small islands. The soil is extremely rich, fruits and vegetables abundant, birds and butterflies colorful, and people... the best. Off course I sound subjective, but colombians are recognized to be friendly, open, happy, enjoyable people that want to share everything they have and everything they know. The country has several cities that are bigger than 1 million people, being Bogota (the capital) the biggest one. These main cities are usually located in the mountains and costs. On the other side, there are hundreds of small towns where the time seems to have stopped long ago. Technology hasn't reach them, neither has the stress of the daily life. Garcia Marquez's writings describe this type of magical places in the most beautiful literary way. Medellin, my city, is the second largest of the country. Located in a valley, at an altitude of 1450 meters above sea level. People are recognized for being funny and talkative. Storytellers and exelent sellers. Humor is a part of the daily life. Women rule at home (ask my father!) and families are really big. We are called Paisas, appellative used not only for people from Medellin, but from the state of Antioquia and other regions around. Paisas are people from the mountain, hard workers and very devoted to the family. We are recognized for being so proud of being paisas that we call our city the world's best paradise. March 31 Virtual Chemistry??Yesterday I was speaking with a friend about the way how many relationships begin in these times. The Internet has created bridges that did not exist before weakening the concept of distance. I always have been very obstinate to believe in long'distance relationships, much less in the virtual ones. Every day we hear stories about relationships that have started in almost umbelivable ways. Those who defend that to begin a relationship through the internet it is a good idea usually compare it with the well-known situation of approaching somebody in a bar. Perhaps at the first moment you have the same information of that person in both cases, but after that first contact things change. The virtual being is there always in a good mood, to tell us what we want to hear. But it is more difficult to pretend face to face. I should make clear that I am aware of the exceptions. There are people who you have dealt with for a long time and you still don't know them, and they keep the greatest secrets without you even imagining it. And there are people who truly honest through the internet and they behave exactly as they are in their daily life in the tangible world. But the virtual lottery still has more numbers to play, and the probabilities of winning are much less. I've met people who are completely different when I treat them personally and when I chat with them through the internet. And I ask myself if it knew them only through the internet, what would I think of them? Perhaps they are really shy but the screen makes them dared and bold. Or perhaps they are not so good at typing but brilliant speakers. In older times the same situations existed, although they were rarer. Some relationships were built through letters, from town to town, and with a pair of visits before fixing the wedding date. How could they work out fine? The few that did it were lucky, like those ones now a days. Ok, but more than to keep on talking I would like to hear your stories and opinions on the matter. Go ahead... Quimica virtual??Ayer estaba hablando con un amigo sobre la manera como comienzan muchas relaciones en estos tiempos. El internet ha creado puentes que no existían antes desvirtuando el concepto de distancia. Yo siempre he sido muy reacia a creer en las relaciones a distancia y mucho menos en las virtuales. Me refiero a relaciones sentimentales, de pareja. Todos los días me llegan historias de conocidos, y conocidos de conocidos, y conocidos de aquellos, en fin, parejas que han nacido de las maneras menos imaginables. Quienes defienden que comenzar una relación a través de la red es una buena idea lo comparan con la tan conocida situación de abordar a alguien en un bar. Claro, en el primer instante tal vez sabes lo mismo de esa persona en ambos casos, (si dejamos a un lado la atracción física que para algunos de nosotros no es importante) pero luego de que se inicia el contacto las cosas cambian. El ser virtual está ahí siempre de buen ánimo, para decirnos lo que queremos escuchar. Pero cara a cara es más difícil pretender. Debo dejar claro que también estoy segura de las excepciones. Hay personas que por más contacto que tengas con ellas nunca llegas a conocer y guardan los secretos más grandes sin que siquiera lo sospeches. Y hay personas que son honestas a través de la red y se muestran exactamente como son en su vida diaria en el mundo tangible. Pero la lotería virtual sigue teniendo más cifras por jugar, y las probablidades de ganar son menos. Yo conozco personas que son completamente diferentes cuando las trato personalmente y cuando chateo con ellas en la red. Me pregunto si las conociera solo a través de la red, que concepto tendría de ellas? Tal vez son exageradamente tímidas pero la pantalla las vuelve osadas y atrevidas. O tal vez no sean hábiles para teclear pero geniales conversadores. En otras épocas existían las mismas situaciones, aunque no eran tan abundantes. Las relaciones que se construyeron por carta, de pueblo a pueblo, y con un par de visitas fijaron la fecha de la boda. Como podrían funcionar? Las pocas que lo hicieron tuvieron suerte, al igual que las de ahora. Bueno, pero más que seguir opinando me gustaría oir sus historias y opiniones al respecto, así que adelante... |
|
|
