The electronic version of my diary

Best of 2010

2011-05-20T20:43:00.000+02:00

I have to say and recognize, it may come a bit late and soon some bloggers will be talking about the first six months of 2011, but, on my own behalf, i will say that I was digesting new cds I have discovered, I have been very busy at work and studying Finnish. But well, this is it, a fermented list, with what I think is really the best of last year in music. I really have listenend a lot to make this list and I thank all those unknown bloggers that made the list before me on time. I have enjoyed it better this way, it is always like this. Otherwise I would had missed a lot of good cds.

If you have read my lists from other years, you already know that this is not based in any reason such: this is a so good album because is so eclectic and because the guitars here have a very special sound or because bla bla bla. I do not like that. If I have liked an album I will just write it in here and that is it. No reasons, just plain opinion about likes and dislikes.

Another innovatin is that I will try to locate the albums in Spotify and Grooveshark so you, reader, can listen to them easily. Who would have told me this 10 years ago? Awesome.
So here it is (no order of preference, why should it be an order? Based on what?):

Best Coast "Crazy for you"

Someone still loves you Boris Yeltsin "Let it sway"

Titus Andronicus "The monitor"
Frightened Rabbit "The Winter of mixed drinks"
Weezer "Hurley"
Les Savy Fav "Root for ruin"
The Thermals "Personal life"
Superchunk "Majesty shredding"
Tokyo Police club " Champ"
Mistery jets "Serotonin"
Spoon "Transference"
Broken Social Scene "Forgiveness rock record"
Japandroids "No singles"
Wintersleep "New inheritors"
Ginger ninja "Wicked map"
Sad day for puppets "Pale silver & Shiny gold"
Paper "Coming for you" (Single)
The Soft pack "st"
Hypernova "Through the chaos"
Aloha " Home acres"
Grinderman "Grinderman 2"
Now, Now "Neighbors"
Klaxons "Surfing The Void"
Lapko "A new Bohemia"
Atlantic line "Exit to intro"
Deerhunter "Halcyon digest"
Common loon "The long dream of birds"
Weekend "Sports"
Chapel club "Palace"
Love like fire "Dust"
Teenagers in Tokyo "Sacrifice"
The kissaway trail "Sleep mountain"
Blood red shoes "Fire like this"
Ted Leo and the pharmacists "The brutalist bricks"
Surfer blood "Astro coast"
Disco Ensemble " The island of Disco ensemble"
We are scientists "Barbara"
New young opony club "The optimist"
Team ghost "You never did anything wrong to me EP"

I will update the links and will maybe add some band that I have forgotte But now, I feel so embarrased that is the middle of the year already and I hadn't done this.
Oh, and soon the best songs too!

Capitalism...

2011-03-20T13:46:00.005+01:00

It may be the best of all the systems, the best of the worst (because this World is wrongly designed), but definitely it is based on things that are not possible, and the day that everything explodes and comes back 100 years in time is closer... approaching seriously I believe.The sick consumption that we are experiencing gets crazier and crazier every day, well it may have stopped a little bit with the actual World economic crisis, but I think people are waiting for things to get back to "normal" and start buying compulsively again.

I got the idea of this post originally from here. Interesting point of view indeed. An idea that has always round my head. Among my friends, there have been always typical sentences when seomething gets broken (and these things were not suppposed to get broken). Some examples are"Before cd players were made really solid and lasted much longer than now" or "Ihave to get a new x, because the old one is not working anymore". Well, now I have found an interesting report about why these things happen. And it comes that what we all suspected is true, capitalism is a concept that will end up with us if we do not do something about it.
Sorry the video is in mainly in Spanish, but those of you who understand it it will be revealing.

The question is also, what is the alternative? Are there other ways to live in this Planet without destroyinh it and in a sustainable way? I believe yes, but taking into account that we are close to be 7000 million inhabitants in Planet Earth makes it a little bit difficult. Only in food we will crash natural resources in few time. But well, at least we can fight agains the system in many ways. I like to way this guy in the video fights against what the dealers impose and actually ends up fiding out why his printer doe snot work anymore. We all should fight against it in that way at least.
In my case, I try not to buy things that I really do not need. Sometimes I fail, yeah, sometimes I let myself in the tornado of the system. At least I use things until their last possible minute of life and I try to buy second hand stuff as much as I can afford and as much as it is worth.

Consequences are already out there and maybe hidden. We are already paying a toll about this and we will pay it much longer. For example, contamination caused by progress is already a fact that concerns to many. You are probably eating contaminated fish and people are not aware of that. And we are passing these contaminats to our children, and these may casue really nasty diseases 15-20 years later. Hell, we are destroying ourselves.

Where it all started...

2010-12-31T21:47:00.000+01:00

Digging in some old papers i have found what can be one of my first exams (if not the first) at University, back in February 1995. I started in September 1994 at the Universidad Nacional de Educacion a Distancia (UNED, meant for people who can not attend daily lectures) and I had my first exams at the end of that semester, in 1995.
This scanned exam I have posted here is about General Physics (obviously is only in Spanish), one of the must-take courses and luckily, not as bad as later signatures I had. I do not remember the grades I got, maybe good ones, I am not sure. Anyway, it was pretty more or less the same what we had in the previous year in high school.

Now, almost 16 years later, I have no idea of how to solve these problems and I am happy that I am still at University instead of private sector. My field is completely different, although at least I am using some Chemistry.
Well, a post related to personal history is always a pleasure because I love where I am now and things have changed quite a bit since that times.

And Happy 2011 to everyone!

Freedom

2010-12-08T20:27:00.003+01:00

It is really a pity that what we all suspected and somehow knew it is the real truth and it is only the tip of the iceberg, I am sure. Conspiracy, lies, and hidden agenda that we all watch on TV, for example in the X -files has come to the first pages of all the newspapers of the World. It should be an scandal, bigger than it is.
Julian Assange and his WikiLeaks have brought to light some of the secrets that are bothering the most important Governments of the World. Not only the "cablegate", but video of "Collateral murder" and some other leaks have put this man into the spot.
And do you know what I think? In my opinion, they are going to kill him, to shut his mouth up or something like that. This man, a representative of those who want the truth to be told, is telling a lot of things that others did not dare to tell. And he is arrested. God, we should build a statue of him, name streets, squares and so on and he is in jail. And these two girls who are accusing him of rape. Someone has read what they are saying? Well, do it here or here. Ridiculous. The Interpol was looking for him because of that. I wonder what will they do with the real terrorist....

Truth. Such pure word, but somehow so absent in modern politics, WikiLeaks is bringing it to us. I hope it is still coming and I am sure we have seen nothing but children lies.
What will come next?

It would be a joke of this guy ends up in jail in Sweden because of what he has een accused of. But he will probably. Sweden has no hands now and is acting as a puppet in hte hands of USA.
Anyway, long life to Julian Assange and WikiLeaks!!!!

Previous two months

2010-11-13T14:05:00.000+01:00

I have been in hell and in heaven last two months. It has been really difficult days, uos and downs and paranoias and depression (a bit) and I have felt I was substituted, like a player who is doing shit in game and gets substituted when only 30 minutes of the game have passed.
No one said living in Finland was easy. It is not, besides that I have adapted quite well, there is always something where I still feel a foreigner.
Also my future, now that I got one more extra year to finish my PhD I am quite more relaxed about it and not thinking much, just focusing in my job and in getting the manuscripts done. It is also hard but I will manage in this time.
I guess in a way it is one more year of agony, one year living in a place I love to live at, but knowing that probably I will need to go further away without the certainty that I will ever return to my beloved Joensuu.
I know at first was difficult but when you get used to it and having a job (difficult these days) it is one of the most marvellous places to live at.

After sauna....

Well, as always it means just to adapt to possible new situations that may come and hope for the best, look for the best. I am sure it will be the best possible for me.

Sometimes the nowadays situations makes you think what will be your future life for you, when and where will you establish, will you form a family? And it is hard. Moving and moving and moving. That is what scientists require but sometimes what they do not want when they have reached a certain age. Traveling without a family is great, the greater with the younger you are, but at some point to belong to a place is a damn necessary feeling. Otherwise it feels like if you are just a traveller. Anyway, time will tell for good. And remember that you are able to decide. So do it!

That language...

Living in a foreing country

2010-10-05T19:46:00.002+02:00

Is hard.... yes it is.
You may adapt well, very well, even look like a local, and kind of speak the language until levels that can even surprise you. You can learn the culture, the habits, how to treat people, etc.
But the most difficult part is to learn how people think, and why. And adapt to that is one of the challenges that a foreigner confronts when coming to another country.
It may take forever. You may not learn that in your whole stay. You'll think your way, and they'll think theirs, the problem is acting and what it looks like. You will act according to your thoughts, that possibly are very different thatn the locals'. And still, even if you are adapted perfectly and so on, they will not understand. And you will not understand them. or maybe after some years.
Also, to understand people's feelings is hard. They may not express them as in your country. They may not express them at all. Or hide them.

So damn long time without posting anything... my apologies and a picture as a compensation.
Busy times and lazy too....

I had forgotten these feelings and emotions

2010-05-01T20:41:00.007+02:00

If I remember right, if it is the only European final Atletico has played since I was born, it was one day when I was a child, if people say 24 years ago I was then 9 years old, at school and I clearly remember the ABC cover. Three spansih teams went into their respective final: Real Madrid in UEFA, Atletico in Cup Winners Cup and Barcelona in Europe's Cup. Only Real Madrid brought their Cup home but it was an historical day for Spanish football anyway. When football was real football and not a business.
We (Atletico) lost that game against Dinamo Kiev 3-0. I did not even watch the game. Better like that because it would have been painful. Besides, I was not so much into football at that time. i was Atletic fan already, that I remember. School mates mock at me because all of them were Atletico supporters. I guess the fact that I was like the "weirdo" in my classroom has also built my character. I don't care. I was happy to be almost the only Atletico fan among Real's. And I am happy now that I am not supporting Barcelona, when everybody has got into "their marvellous play".
Anyway, 14 years later, like in 1996, we have the chance to win two Cups: Europe League and Spanish Cup. I hope we bring them both to Madrid. We really needed this. We almost had forgotten about it.

I am sorry that it was Liverpool the team we needed to beat to pass through. It is a team I really like and a spirit many other teams would like for them. It is my team in England, but well, i think we were better overall and deserved to pass. We should already had left the play off 3-0 in Madrid, but only a1-0 was making me nervous.The second leg was a really hard game to play. I consider that we shoul not had got into extra time, but we did and it all happened in there. Forlán scored ours and we will face Fullham for the title. A night to enjoy, a night to dream, although at the end is only football.

Gol de Forlán (Liverpool 2-Atlético 1)

We are the Champions!

2010-03-31T00:00:00.009+02:00

Me and The Cup behind

Last week, just seven days ago tuesday 23rd March, we were celebrating Jokipojat's third victory agains DTeam that gave them the final victory in Mestis playoffs. Was kind of rmotional to feel the center of ice-hockey at least in Finland. These guys deserved it so badly after the last year loose against Vaasa Sport.
Jokipojat made the perfect playoffs, winning quarter finals, semifinals and finals by a 3-0. Besides, our great goalie, Mikko Rämö was declared as Most Valuable Player pf the playoffs.
We attended the games of the final in Joensuu. Exciting, at least the last one, where D-team really forced Joensuu players to put their best into the ice. Some of Jokipojat's goals were just amazing. The 3-2 just made me jump from my seat, what a goal by Jarkko Malinen, pass by Scott Matzka, one of the two foreigners we currently have. The last one, 6-3 for us was also a really beautiful goal by Scott.
The first two legs of the finals were quite tight, we beated them in Mehtimäki 4-3 and 2-3 in Jyväskylä, but were able to crush them in the third leg 6-3 making really beautiful hockey.

Then, celebrations, the delivery of the Cup, the players came to the same bar as we were and we saw them very close, also the Cup (see picture above).

Anyway, something again special that I have lived in this marvellous city, Joensuu. It would be stupid, but if ice hockey opens the city to the rest of Finland it would be awesome. Tampere Ilves already leads the battle for promotion 1-0 but they will sweat blood to stay in SM Liiga. Welcome to Joensuu!!!

Jokipojat

2010-03-23T06:23:00.003+01:00

Jokipojat is the ice hockey team from Joensuu. When I got here I thought it would be a very small team, not so important anyway. But I proved to be wrong, at least partially.
Jokipojat is an important part of the city, at least in terms of hockey. Ice hockey is one of the national prides of Finland and sometimes even a religion. And indeed it is cool to have your "own" Ice hockey team in the city I am living in. Do you like ice hockey? Yes, sure. So which team do you support? Maple Leafs? Tampa Bay? Anaheim maybe? Well, hell yeah, I like Anaheim because Teemu Selänne, one of finnish legends plays there, but I like Jokipojat... and no, it is not a NHL team. Not even SM-Liiga. Hopefully next year. Yes We can!!!

Last year we lost the finals against Vaasa Sport, a team that has become one my "hated teams" and this year we are involved there too, with more possibilities.

Today they play the third leg (best of five) of the finals of Mestis (Finnish second division) against D-team. We lead it 2-0, so if we win today, we are Champions. Then, promotion to get into SM-liiga against Tampere Ilves will be played. But that is another thing.

And some videos of their win against LeKi 7-1

GO JOKIPOJAT!!!!

Trio of aces

2010-02-23T22:28:00.005+01:00

Not so long ago, less than a month, I took a look at the recommendations that last.fm “calculates“ based on the music that you have been listening to during your “scrobbling life”.

Lucky me, I got the names and went to Grooveshark, my latest discovery in web-based free and legal music players. And it was (it IS) amazing how those bands sound. Straight to my “Best of 2009” without any doubts. Two songs each band and already between 100 and 200 plays in my library. Maybe in a month. It is true that I usually get very excited with new bands at the beginning, but this time is one of these times that the band really stays and ends up being a classic or entering your cd collection. And they have not entered it yet because I have a very expensive priority I want to buy, so they will need to wait.

Their names are “The Boxer Rebellion”, “Red light Company” and "The Joy Formidable”, and I copy here some of their videos and links to their songs through Grooveshark (they are not in Spotify I think).

Red Light Company "Meccano"

Red Light Company "Scheme Eugene" .... I love this song

The Joy Formidable "Austere" . There is a moment when this song explodes... I get crazy.

They are really formidable.... Ostrich live... included in Best of 2009, I won't say more.

And the Boxer Rebellion, "Evacuate" also included in "Best of 2009"

This is maybe my favourite of them all, "Forces" live by The Boxer Rebellion

And to listen to them through Grooveshark:

Is it too much to dream that I will see them live soon? I hope not. Sometimes when you play poker, Three aces are enough to win. These are for sure a must-win. Enjoy the music!

Yellow!!!

2010-02-11T19:48:00.002+01:00

My new YELLOW Onitsuka Tiger Mexico 66 came on Saturday.I just have to say that I love them, here some pictures.

Best music of 2009

2010-02-01T21:38:00.003+01:00

As every year (or almost) since I have this blog, the end of January-beginning of February is a good month to write about what was best for me in music the previous year, 2oo9 in this case.
When all the holy music bloggers (Thank you!) tend to already start looking the year back in November or the beginning of December I start looking at their blogs instead. I like to take the advantage of that.

Get

And there is always, A-l-w-a-y-s! good surprises that I have missed for any reason. Maybe half of the songs that are shaping "mnilu's Best of 2009" are based on these discovers I have made thanks to them.
This year I started compiling the songs in Spotify, but lastly, about two weeks ago, I discovered a web based player, and seems that I like it a lot: Grooveshark, a marvellous web based (yes, essential if you can't install software at work, for example).

your

Let's talk a little about Grooveshark, I guess most of the people will already know about Spotify. It is something like a streaming p2p, although I think that legal, because I think they have agreements with record companies, and literally p2p: you can upload your songs. So, most of the songs I did not find with Spotify I found them in Grooveshark.
Another important thing, for those who do not like to register in sites and bla bla bla, this site does not require registration. But of course I am freak enough to do it and even put my picture in my personal web. Same as in Sp, you can create playlists, you can love tracks, be fan of an user or bands of course.
Grooveshark also has commercials, yes, but not between the songs, just flash ads at the right of the main screen. I recommend it very much.
Anyway, I have been listening to a lot of music and choosing one or two songs from every album if I had liked them enough.
Sixty songs, I think more than three hours of playing, some of them really new bands for me, but what new bands...! some of them are amazing...
Here is the link I hope you do not have any problems in loading Grooveshark, if you even want to register please let me know and let's follow each other!

mnilu's best of 2009

and the songs I found in Spotify, just if you do not want to bother the Shark...

Spotify's mnilu's best of 2009

Soon best albums and live acts will be posted, now I am tired and I have to go to have dinner and then to rest. By the way, if you have a Google account, you can now follow the blog, press the link at the right column ! and...

enjoy the music!

damn headphones !!!!!!!!!!!

Once upon a time in 1992....

2010-01-10T15:39:00.002+01:00

...Nirvana played in the Mtv music awards. I remember that luckily, although I dont have so many detailed memories of it, I got to see it live (or was a replay?) that year, when I just came home briefly in Villalba after probably some skating.
The story behind it tells that Kurt wanted to play "Rape me" and that Mtv had absolutely prohibited it. They were upset and the band were told thousands of times not to do so.
After all, the band decided to play some initial chords of "Rape me", just to piss Mtv's directors. Then they switched to Lithium, played it through to end up destroying the equipment.
Also, Krist Novoselic hit his head when he threw his bass guitar 25 feet over him and missjudged its fall.
Here is the video, worth watching

Nothing like these things happen nowadays. It is also good to see how they mock Mtv at the end of the video, when they receive the "Best New Band award". They had attitude. They were awesome. How many good tunes Kurt would had composed in all these years if he would had been alive. Anyway, we miss you, rest in peace.

Me and my poster version New Orleans

2010-01-04T01:55:00.001+01:00

My first time overseas

2009-12-29T01:58:00.000+01:00

Photo post

2009-08-12T21:18:00.007+02:00

Roskilde's harbor, quite beautiful place to go for a walk when the sun goes down.
Roskide, Denmark, July 2009

Speed
Suvantosilta, Joensuu, Finland, December 2008

66
Under Suvantosilta, railway tracks, Joensuu, Finland, December 2008

Movement
Kukkosensaari, facing to Pyhäselkä Lake, Joensuu, Finland, October 2008 with Alberto

Railo
Pyhäselkä Lake, Joensuu, March 2009

Sunset
Pyhäselkä Lake, Joensuu, Finland, April 2009

Roskilde Festival

2009-08-05T21:00:00.000+02:00

One of the most famous and considered festivals around the World. Could be. Possibly is. But they made some bad decisions in my opinion.
They want to make the festival different, booking some "non typical bands" that play in every other festival. Well, maybe they are right, they have been out there for 39 years now and counting, and nobody is going to discuss with them about what they should do or not. Agree.
It is precisely that what saves them. I have been seriously thinking these days that there is a lot of people who attend the festival who may only see the closing band or not even that. I am serious. With the typical thieves hanging around, they may not want to leave their expensive speakers or audio systems alone.
May I be speaking without a knowledge? Well, it is also possible that they make turns staying with the stereo.
I could not believe that a person pays 240 euros just to stay in a camping playing techno music. And those are the people who save RF every year, those who do not care about the bands, in general. Of course I expect that they have seen Oasis, Coldplay and some other bands, but more than that?
What I mainly mean is that some people attend RF because it is RF.
After all, I had fun, a lot of fun and I saw many damn good bands but I expected more. A pity because it cost more than I am ever going to pay again for a festival and there were not even toilets in the camping site.
Here is the list of the bands I saw. I missed some others I wanted to see, due to timetable (who the hell thought about setting ...and you will know us by the trail of dead at 14:30?) and my working days-conditions (I had to go every day to feed teh shrimps):

Veto (although they played on Friday in CPH, I consider them as part the festival)
Twins Twins (Excellent show! Even bought an EP)
Rubberhead Banditz (maybe the best show in the festival)
Men among animals
The Telstar sound Drone
Giana Factory (I think!)
Social Distortion
Fucked up
The Gaslight Anthem (great show)
I missed Mew because it was as full as it could be, although I listened to some songs)
Baddies (very good)
Friendly Fires (Liked it a lot)
Frightened Rabbit
Three first songs of Skambank
Oasis
The Soft Pack
I got you on Tape
Cut off your hands (also one of the best shows)
Quite a lot of The Chap, and surprisingly I liked it
The Pains of being pure at heart
Pet shop boys
White Lies
The Bronx
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Coldplay

That makes a total of 22 bands of which I saw, at least, the major part of the show. Not bad, but still, 240/22 makes 10.9 per show with free camping, which is not bad. Of course the camping is not a great thing. I may not return there if I ever come back to RF... dsgusting.

I am sorry not to have any pictures, but I was afraid of getting my camera stolen, as it could have been very possible, so that is a justified excuse.

About two weeks ago I saw Kaiser Chiefs at Tivoli in Copenhagen, excellent show and only average attendees, and the next stop was Tv on the Radio on Wednesday 29.07 (one of the best shows I have attended) and Beat Day in the middle of August. Maybe others but I am not sure yet.

At least Copenhagen and Roskilde are great cities regarding to concerts. I love Vega!

We won't catch them again this time

2009-07-29T08:51:00.002+02:00

I am referring to one of my favourite bands ever, Sunny Day Rea Estate. I remember the first time I listened to them on Radio 3, I was amazed about the first LP, "Diary", but it was not until some years later that I really had access to all their work. The Rising Tide is, simply one of the best albums of all time and let's say the best in the 2000 decade that is almost about to finish. And it was my 25 birthday's present.
Now, they are on a reunion tour to be held in North America starting in September, 20 dates that if people are wise, will be sold out. Again, wel will miss them, and maybe for the last time. A worship band, I hope they will tour Europe or they will change their minds. Two of the bands I have missed, Nirvana and them, two of the greatests.

Tick tick tick tick tick tick Tickets!

2009-04-05T21:11:00.005+02:00

This is the second post about concert tickets. Some of those shows will be always in my heart, special moments that will be remembered forever.

I saw Last Days of April just one day before my debut with Rakiss Meiniss. It was a great show and we won the following day also, it was a game at 9:00.

Teenage Fanclub, one of the ebst live shows I have seen in Tavastia, my favourite venue in Helsinki! Definitely astonishing!

The first time I saw Kent live was in Stockholm. That tour (Turné 19) was awesome, and Du & jag döden was a fantastic album!

Sonorama 2005. Mogwai, Maga, etc,

I was not supposed to attend this show, but a friend could not go, and I got the ticket. I liked it a lot though! I would like to see Bloc Party again soon.

And this could have been the best show I have ever attended! Magic The Posies in Madrid. One of the bands of my life.

And two of the festivals I went to last summer, I had a lot of fun in those! Great!

Besides, I will still attend concerts when possible. This summer I have already planned a couple of festivals and maybe some concerts. Let's see if there is a third chapter soon!!!

Give me a ticket !!!!

2009-03-23T21:57:00.003+01:00

Este fue mi primer concierto serio: Los Planetas acababan de lanzar "Pop" y me encantaban.

These are some of the shows (better, the tickets that gave access to them) I have enjoyed most in nearly 15 years attending to concerts. I really have good feelings and memories about these concerts. Somehow are part of my life. It is very strange that some bands I have seen maybe ten years ago are still there and that, after 10 years we may "meet" again in a show (like the Foo Fighters last summer or maybe Placebo this next?) and see how have they grown up and feel how much have I grown too. For example, I saw Embrace, the british band when they released their first record, "The good will out" in 1998! and now, today I am listening to them again. It was a warm friday morning maybe ten or eleven years ago, I was in Villalba and they were playing at Los Conciertos de Radio 3, quite far away. My grandmother (I miss you today more than ever) told me not to go, but as stubborn I am, I said I was going. And I went and it was good. Also played on TV later. They played six songs and I liked it. Oh my god. Maybe I was 22 or 23.
Anyway, here are som historical tickets. Some of them may be older than you are. Some of these moments are probably before you started to listen to music. Ahhhh, it is sooo easy to go to a gig today, you can listen the songs freely and even become a fan without buying any cd...anyway, here they are.

That day I finished september exams, I think I had Thermodynamics or something like that... horrible... anyway, it is the warmest concert I have ever been to: meaning TEMPERATURE. Outside it was +18 and the glasses of the venue were steamed up.. seriously in was embarrasing, girls were fainting...paint of the walls stuck to t-shirts.. hell.. anyway, it was a damn good show by Weezer and The Posies.

Another glorious day...

Nada Surf have been one of my favourites also... 12 years ago already.

The first in the line ... yes I am a freak!

U-ru-sei Yat-su-ra! There always will be only one Urusei Yatsura

I really enjoyed this show and I am proud I attended to see one of the best spanish bands ever: El Niño Gusano. D.E.P. Sergio Algora. Genio!

Look at those three! They have to play in Roskilde!!!! They play in Provinssi rock... fuck!

And soon, a second chapter.

Best songs of 2008

2009-01-24T00:12:00.007+01:00

I have been compiling songs that I consider as best of 2008. I made a playlist in last.fm, so I recommend everyonr who reads this post to go and check it. The website does not allow you to listen to the whole song in some cases (maybe I am too weird choosing the songs). Anyway, if you want to listen to the whole playlist, these songs may be available elsewhere.The playlist probably contains only 30 secs streaming that could be enough to discover if you like the song. Enjoy.

http://www.last.fm/user/mnilu/library/playlists/2e22g_best_of_2008

y como adelanto un par de videos

Disco Ensemble live @ Paradiso, Amsterdam

Realmente este grupo merece unos cuantos galardones este año: single del año por "Bad Luck Charm" o "Headphones" y probablemente al mejor directo por su concierto en Joensuu.

Pero otro video que quiero postear es el de Blood Red Shoes - Its Getting Boring By The Sea

Best albums of 2008

2008-12-26T02:06:00.005+01:00

New technologies are great to develop a better world. New techniques are applied in research, normal life, construction, etc, to develop better tasks and to develop the World in general. That is what happens with the mp3 technologies and the internet. It allows you to listen to thousands of bands that would never had been reached you if internet was not there. So that is the point. After listen to an album I may buy it if I find a reasonable seller that sells it at a reasonable price.
Anyway, as I am listening to music all days, this list may be long, but that is thanks to the new technologies. And believe me I have bought quite a lot of those cds. But I can not buy everything I listen to. Impossible.
As always, no order established, just the best ones of 2008.

Tv on the radio "Dear Science"
Blood Red Shoes "Box of secrets"
Feeder " Silent cry"
British Sea Power "Do you like rock music?"
Duels "The barbarians move in"
Girls in Hawaii "Plan your scape"
Sons and Daughters "This gift"
Last shadow puppets "Age of the understatement"
Underwater sleeping Society "The dead Vegas"
¡Forward, Russia! "Life processes"
Disco Ensemble "Magic recoveries"
Tiger Lou " A partial print"
Die! Die! Die! "Promises promises"
Snow Patrol "A hundred million suns"
Bob Mould "District line"
The Music "Strength in numbers"
The Subways "All or nothing"
Frightened rabbit "The midnight organ fight"
Von Hertzen Brothers "Love remains the same"
Fucked up "The chemistry of common life"
R.E.M. " Accelerate"
Santogold "st"
The Departure "Inventions"
We are Scientists "Brain thrust mastery"
Beck "Modern guilt"
Tokyo Police club " Elefant shell"
Foals "Antidotes"
The Ting Tings "We started nothing"
Oasis "Dig out your soul"
We are Scientists " Brain Thrust Mastery"
The Rascals "Rascalize"

Sons and Daughters live

2008-12-24T16:40:00.003+01:00

The authors of one of the best albums of this year that comes to an end were recorded and added to a famous website. Here it is:

Giving up

2008-12-12T23:47:00.003+01:00

I guess there is a moment that you do. I can think that there is a moment you are so pissed off of living this life that you agree dying. I can not think about any other time you give up. You may give up in learning finnish or english or looking for a job that would suit you and still live your life happily. But the true moment is when you are absolutely tired of suffering, or when you feel you do not have anything else to do here. That is the trick I guess. Don't learn the trick. I will never give up. I miss the old Christmas days with you and the family, grandma. Don't give up. I love you.

Summer 2008... is gone

2008-09-09T21:28:00.010+02:00

Omnipresentes Peces durante este verano. Solo 3 días falté para darles de comer...

Summer 2008 is over... a long time ago that is over here in Joensuu...in fact I don't know if it has come this year or it was just an illusion... anyway it was a good summer, and here are some pictures and a video about it. Enjoy.

Una de mis fotos preferidas en conicertos este verano: Kent y su despedida del Ankkarock 2008

Loco con Kashmir..

Kashmir en Ilosaari Rock 2008. El mejor concierto probablemente en mi opinión

Uno de los grupos del verano...

Y se acabó...

Provinssi Rock, Seinäjoki, 13-15th June 2008

2008-06-21T07:45:00.020+02:00

It all started with a long trip by bus from Joensuu, a full bus organized by Joensuun Pop Musikot ry, a music organization in Joensuu that also organizes Ilosaari Rock Festival every year. Great effort and, athough bus is not my favourite mode of transport, anyway it was great to have that possibility. Thanks.
We got to Seinäjoki, at around 18:30 and I already was a little nervous because we had to look for the camping, then a place to set our tent and run to see if we could manage to see Dinosaur Jr. at 21:15 and Coheed and Cambria at 20:15.

Coheed and Cambria

Finding a suitable and nice place to set our tent after paying the 20 euros for the camping (I will never understand why is not included in the ticket for the festival) was impossible. After going along all the camping area, and once checked that getting a quiet, calm or just nice place was impossible, we chose to set it in a place were some colleagues were dismatling their tents to transport them somewhere else. not a good place at all, but at the end it was just enough.
After setting the tent and leaving our stuff there, we almost ran to look for the festival gates to see if we still managed to see some bands that were about to start playing. We got our bracelet, attached to the wrist with a menthod I have never seen before (see the picture), and we got into the festival area.

We lost some minutes already in place ourselves in the map, but finally we got quite close of the main stage to see Coheed and Cambria.

Too bad that I did not know their songs, because it was a quite good concert, including an Iron Maiden tease, well, in fact, it was half of the song. Surprising.
Then we ran to the Saari Stage (Island stage) to see one of the groups I decided to travel to Provinssi: Dinosaur Jr.
I have not been a real fan, but probably they performed one of the best concerts at
Provinssi, if not the best. It was a pleasure to be seeing two of the best representative musicians of what I call indie-rock, or what it has been called lo-fi, or whatever, maybe underground rock from the USA. Mr. J. Mascis and Mr. Lou Barlow. It was the moment of the festival when it was raining most, like hell, I may say, I covered my head with my hood and enjoy, dancing a lot. We had in front of us two of the most important heads in underground rock music of the last 15 years, and I will remember it for a long time. That Provinssi 2008....maybe my only one.

The first big name of the festival played that day at 22:30: Linkin Park. Simple show: ALL the hits and they left. I do not know, I am not a fan, I just like some songs. I have to say that their hits are great and I do like them very much, but it was nothing special in their performance, in my opinion. Good to see them, however, because probably I will never go to their concerts on purpose. They are that typical band that you see in a festival rather than in a solo concert. Because festivals are meant for that. To see bands you probably will not go to see on purpose. And to see those that you would go for sure. All of them. Friday was closed with The Friend, finnish band playing something like dance pop, that was very good and then leading to the tent.

Mr. Lou Barlow hitting his bass. Amazing sound.

With the first "night" the first surprise came, someone had opened our tent. Luckily, nothing was missing, as they probably were looking for alcohol or got into the wrong tent by accident because of previously intaken alcohol. Anyway. It was quite cold, still raining a bit and I got into the sleeping bag with my winter wool cap, that one black and white. Well, at the end I slept something, but better on saturday.

On satuday morning sun was shining, at least harder than the previous day and at the end, during some occassions we even had 20 degrees. Great compared to what we had last night.
After going to one of the various stands to have a coffee and some kind of deserved breakfast, we hanged arounf for some time and got into the festival area at about 16:00.
We headed to the YleX stage, covered, to check for something, Scandinavian Music Group was performing at 16:30 and we got quite close of the stage to see. Well, maybe not my style, more pop than rock songs, some pictures and we left in the middle of the concert.
Apulanta was the next band we wanted to see. In Finland there is the habit (I will not say if good or bad) that all years more or less the same finnish bands play in more or less all the festivals around Finland. Especially those who sing in finnish, as it is the only country in the World where they do understand them. That is the case with Apulanta. I have seen them maybe 3 or 4 times. They keep on releasing new cd's which are not my style if they do not have a great single like in my old times in Finland, in 2005, when everything was marvellous and I was touched by Pahempi toistaan ( and it still touches me) and Vasten mun kasvojani. But not with the new songs. Of course every timethey play the hits I am pleased and touched and they bring me so good memories that I can't bear and it touches me until having goose bumps. Really. But last year's cd is so bad in my opinion that I have lost all interest. At least they still play Jumala, the two mentioned and some others I really like. And an acoustic set also this time. Interesting and touched with Pahempi toistaan and Vasten, of course. Then Ismo Alanko was playing in Saarilava, but we just listen to him while we had some rest. A festival is tiring. Anyway I saw him in Joensuu already in April. Then it was a coincidence that we saw Danko Jones playing in the main stage and it was a concert that really surprised us for his attitude. Claims for rock and roll and complains about pop and provoking people to rock. It was good concert.
Then at least me, don't have many other bands I was interested in, just The Sounds in the late evening, and nothing much interesting. Serj Tankian, ex System of a Down singer, played at the same time, but as I was not interested in his songs, I went to see Maija and the rest. Just before The Dø played in the small stage. Frech-Finnish couple that has had a relative success with their last songs. It was nice performance, altough I left earlier to get a good place for The Sounds.
The concert was more or less the same as the one they played in Ankkarock last year, in which I enjoyed much more than this one. Maybe it was because there was too many people and too many crazy of them, like tinned sardines.... a pity because I think they played quite good, although no new songs. Maybe it't time for them to release a new album. I think she mentioned that they were composing it. Quite good pictures, in my opinion, here you have some.
Saturday night did not let us any surprise but I did sleep very good for being a camping. Snuday was cloudy and we repeated the coffeee in street with some cookies and then we left for the festival area after leaving the things in the bus also. This was the big day, the real day when Foo Fighters played. My first time with the Foo in 12 years. Many things have happened since that July 1996 or 1997. Anyway,, there were other bands I was interested in, first oga ll we got to check Paula Koivuniemi, but we left and ended up seeing the whole performance of Downstairs. Quite good I may say, much better than other times I have seen performing when warming up for other bands like Lapko.

Downstairs

Then until Paramore, that was playing at 16:00 in YleX stage we hanged around having some energetic drinks, because we were very tired, and I think we ate a pizza out of the festival area.
YleX stage was really crowded for Paramore and we were really far away from the stage, meaning that it was impossible to take any good pictures of them. But anyway, great songs and very nice people. Their singer kept on moving all the time in the stage making the concert better, like filling the empty space. Very good and recommendable.

Paramore's singer, not the best location to take pictures

And then Biully Talent was playing in the main stage at 16:45. I only got to see a couple of songs and I liked them. I ahd no idea of what Billy Talent did before sawing their name in the pre-festival program, and I regretted not to know more. Anyway, I left to see Disco Ensemble, a month later than they played in Joensuu, but still I wanted to see them live so badly. Maybe a mistake. I knew that going to see D. E. may mean not to get a good place to see F.F., but I still did not care. I stayed until the left the first time and missed the encore. But anyway. They played a quite energetic set, including "Magic recoveries", a classic start of the tour, the so called by me songle of the year "Bad Luck charm", and some old songs like the hit "We might fall apart" or "This is my head exploding". Still, I did not enjoy as with the one in Joensuu, but I guess there were other circumstances, like taking pictures and F.F. show just about to begin. Pretty exciting to just enjoy D.E. Anyway I more or less did. More pictures of them:

Miikka Koivisto doesn't believe in magic recoveries

Miikka and Jussi Ylikoski, guitar player

Jussi, feeling every single note

Lasse Lindfors, bass player

And then, before the encore, I left to Foo Fighters, that was starting only 30 minutes later. We tried to get the closest place we could, and I think at the end it was enough considering how many people was there. It was a almost-2-hours-set. They started with their last hit, "The Pretender" and old and new hits followed. As they say in their myspace website : "You may have heard one of our songs on the radio". The complete setlist was something like this

1.The Pretender
2.Times Like These
3.No Way Back
4.Cheer Up Boys(Your Make Up Is Running)
5.Learn To Fly
6.This Is A Call
7.Dave Talks
8.Long Road To Ruin
9.Breakout
10.Stacked Actors
11.Skin & Bones
12.Marigold
13.My Hero
14.Cold Day In The Sun
15.But,Honestly
16.Everlong
17.Monkey Wrench
18.All My Life
19.Best Of You

which I consider a very good one. I was kind of crazy and people made a space between me and them. I ran out of mind absolutely with "All my life", but it is a song I love and I was looking for that moment for a long time. It was amazing. Dave was amazingly charming and nice during the whole concert and there were guitar competitions, jokes, and the only one triangle solo that I have ever seen. Courtesy of one of the musicians they bring during the tour. A great evening to remember. And more pics, not close, but...

Solo...!

and until the next time, Foo Fighters!! A pleasure!!!

Me and my poster

2008-06-19T18:35:00.002+02:00

I know is almost a month late, but finally, after Provinssi Rock festival I have transferred all the pics I had in my camera to the external hard drive, so I can use them now however I want. Here is the"elegant and intelectual" Victor with his poster in the SETAC XVIII European congress in Warsaw, May 28th, 2008. I like this picture. It represents what I've been doing in the last year and I feel proud of it, although I will feel more proud when I will publish (hopefully soon) the article.

A big city, beautiful girls and my first question in a scientific talk

2008-05-26T22:58:00.004+02:00

I am part of the SETAC XVIII meeting in Warsaw, Poland.
I started a little bit shy, like overwhelmed by all the personalities of Science that are here, by all the people that have been working in this field during half or their lives.
I, just finished my first year as a PhD student, have never lived a meeting like this. many people from almost all the corners of the World, many talks and scientific points of view. A lot of posters, some of them marvellous with excellent scientific issues, and some others bad, but not for that less important maybe, just bad designed. One of those will be mine. On wednesday, I will "defend" a part of the work I have been doing the last year of my life. And I think is a good poster with some hints of some new things. Well, my wheel at the end is running. Let's hope it will never stop again.

Where and how you will be in 30 years.......

2008-05-15T23:48:00.002+02:00

I wonder if I will remember this night, I wonder if I will remember the concert I have just been to. Disco Ensemble has rocked Joensuu's kellari today and I was there to enjo. A good way to start your 33th year. 32 years ago you just were born or about to be born. I think I was born at 6:00. More than 30 years have passed and I guess my mother has not forgotten. And she never will.
I was coming home from Karjalantalo and I just have started to think this, where will I be in 30 years...? will I still be alive? Will I be happy with the life I have spent in already 62 years.... ?
I don't know.
Sometimes it seems that we do not enjoy life. And I mean every single moment of it. That's why I wanted a job where I would enjoy, and luckily I do have it now.
I'll try to remember all these days, all that people and all that situations that have built my life somehow. The puzzle of my life. All that situations, all that people are little pieces of the puzzle I am making. It is a beautiful one. Please, don't miss it, you a re a valuable piece and without it the puzzle is not complete. Do you understand? For good or evil, all of you have been already pieces of my puzzle, and I hope I am/was/have been a piece of yours. That's how we make this world run.
I hope that I will be proud of myself and whatever I have done in my life. I am now, I think, why shouldn't I? I am.
Good night.

This band deserves a lot

2008-05-12T07:01:00.002+02:00

Disco Ensemble's , Magic Recoveries new album is out. In my opinion, best live act in Finland. Really. Here is the new single, "Bad luck charm", a hit single. I love it, it's amazing. They come to Joensuu on thursday, so I am going to be there for sure to see them for the third time. The other w times I've seen them, probably one of th best concerts I have seen from a finnish band, specially the last one in Ankkarock, 2007. I couldn't stop dancing and they put as much energy as they could it was unbelievable.

Anyway, enjoy: Single of the month without any doubts:

More ski

2008-03-10T21:15:00.004+01:00

Podeis apostar dónde estoy esquiando en este momento.... Mirad el "big crack" que tengo debajo de mis Salomon...

As ski has become my favourite sport lastly, and I ask my friends to take pictures and videos at me, I post them here, for all of you to see them. Let's see about the pics from other finnnish typical thing I did.Let's see!

Bueno, como el esquí se ha convertido en mi deporte favorito últimamente, y le pido a mis amigos que me graben o me hagan fotos, pues aqui las tenéis. Y a ver si consigo fotos de otra cosa típica finlandesa que hice. Más impresionante si cabe. A ver a ver....

Pese a comentarios añadidos, os puedo echar una carrera si quereis ..... últimamente prefiero el ski moderno, aunque es muy duro...
Heli, that f****ing comment is not polite from a Finnish-independent-woman-that-works-in-K-market-and-her-horse-
is-more-expensive-than-my car ... ;)

I'm so fucking good!!!!

I am the boy from nowhere

2008-03-10T10:55:00.003+01:00

Hello everybody. I have probably listen to this song over 50 times in the last 2 weeks. It is amazing. Here is it, give it a listen and read the lyrics.
Enjoy!
Pedazo de canción. Tened el placer de escuchadla aquí.

We're the boys turning inside out
Overwrite so tight without a doubt
We're the boys always wrong
And always right

We are the boys from nowhere
And we're going home tonight

Meet us on the outside
Where the darkness shines so bright
On the autobahn where we first found our souls

Cuz when the world is over
We're still the boys from nowhere
And tonight, tonight we're coming home
Yeah - Yeah!

We're the boys heavier than light
So beyond repair
Born out of spite
Far away is near
The only becon is the night

Scarier than fear
But that's alright

See you on the outskirts
Where the wasteland meets the night
By the rainbow tracks
We first found our souls

Cuz when the world is over
We're still the boys from nowhere
And tonight, tonight we're coming home
I gotta go!

What are you doin'
We don't know
Where are you goin'
We don't care

No, no, no...

You'll never know

Meet us on the highway
Where the headlights shine so bright
By the gas station
When we first found our souls

Cuz when the world is over
We're still the boys from nowhere
And tonight, tonight we're coming home
Yeah - Yeah!

Tonight, tonight we're coming home
Oh, tonight, tonight we're coming
We're comin' home

So c'mon

Tavallinen suomalainen viikonloppu

2008-02-28T19:47:00.008+01:00

O, traduciendo a nuestro fácil idioma castellano: Típico fin de semana Finlandés. De momento, os dejo algunas fotos y un video de mi reciente afición por esquiar (esquí de fondo, se entiende). Esto fue el domingo, el sábado hice otra cosa aún más finlandesa y más loca..a ver si me pasan las fotos y lo puedo postear. Estad atentos a este post!!

Well, translating into the easy english language: Typical Finnish Weekend. By now, some pictures and a video of my recent hobby ski is (cross country). This was on sunday, on saturday I did a even more typical finnish thing, that I will post soon, if I receive the pictures and videos.
Keep your eyes peeled to this post!!

Para llevar tan poco tiempo con el estilo moderno no se me da mal, eh!!
Well, I don't ski that bad, taken into account that I have recently started with this modern style!

Aunque, por supuesto, siempre hay caidas más feas de lo que en realidad fueron.
Of course, there were falls, uglier than they were in reality.

Best albums of 2007

2008-02-01T21:35:00.001+01:00

A good year. This list does not pretend to be a bible or something like that. This is just my opinion, taking into account that I am not able to listen to all the released cd's. But, despite the fact that I have been quite busy with my PhD and with all the things I have been up to, I have listened to quite a lot. I am sure that there are more, but I am not the only one music freak that writes a review for the best albums of 2007!
Lastly, I listen to a lot of music, and I mean a lot. I have to admit that I download music, yes, but I still buy cd's also. I can not buy everything I listen to. Anyway, here is the list. Neither has it an order or something. There are not definitions with which we can define an album is better than another, simply, this reflects if I have liked the cd a lot or not. Here it is:

Albums of 2007

Bloc Party [A weekend in the city]
Dog Day [Night Group]
Vhs or Beta [Bring on the comets]
Lapko [Young Desire]
Pinback [Autumn of the seraphs]
Rubik [Bad conscience patrol]
Band of Horses [Cease to begin]
The Enemy [We'll live and die in these towns]
The National [Boxer]
Interpol [Our Love To Admire]
Klaxons [Myths of the near future]
The Automatic [Not accepted anywhere]
Biffy Clyro [Puzzle]
Pigeon Detectives [Wait For Me]
Editors [An End Has A Start]
Travis [The boy with no name]
Rilo Kiley [Under the blacklight]
Arcade Fire [Neon bible]
[Idlewild] Make another world
Triangulo de amor bizarro [s/t]
Manic Street Preachers [Send Away the tigers]
The Orders [Guilt & Confusion]
Tegan and Sara [The Con]
Smashing Pumpkins [Zeitgeist]
Arctic Monkeys [Favourite Worst Nightmare]
Rogue Wave [Asleep At Heaven's Gate]
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club [Baby 81]
The Perishers [Victorious]

It is a quite good list, I guess. There have been others as well, but first let's talk a little about the list I wrote above.
There are albums I have really been impressed by, like "A weekend in the city", criticized by a lot of people for being different or worst than "Silent alarm", their debut LP. "AWITC" makes a step forward in the evolution of Bloc Party. More mature, rich and worked, definitely, among the top 10 of the year. It would also win the best cover, as I really like those night pictures of cities. Worth buying the deluxe edition, incluiding a DVD with videos and a live performance at Reading festival.
Another cd I love is Dog Day "Nigh group" . The canadian band got my attention witht their song "Lydia", which I listened to in a compilation. Then, I listened to the whole cd, and then I bough it, last Christmas. Another top ten of the year. Here is one mp3 available thanks to their website "Oh dead life". One of the bands of the moment. And I will not mention why they do not come to Spain. Neither to Finland.

Dog Day portrait by Chris Frey
From left to right: Crystal Thili, Seth Smith, Nancy Urich and Casey Spidle.

Another big surprised was "Bring on the Comets" by VHS or Beta, with a danceable atmosphere that includes the, I must say, HIT singles, She Says and Burn it all down.

Lapko live by Ville Yli-Knuutila

One of the cds I have listened to most this year is "Young desire" by Lapko. Also the band that I have seen more times: 4. But I really feel this is one of the finnish cds of the year, with of course, other of the great discoveries: The Orders and their magnificent Guilt & Confusion.
And there have been returns, like Arctic Monkeys, still in the crest of the wave with "Favourite worst nightmare" and manic Street Preachers, with "Send away the tigers", debuts, like "Myths of the near future" by Klaxons or The Automatic with "Not accepted anywhere". In the case of Arctic Monkeys, it has been an honorable continuation to "Whatever people say I am.....", if we think about all the pressure they must have had. They have toured almost all around the world, and, with the exception of festivals, they are now used to play 1 hour. No encores at all. An hour of pure adrenaline and watts, but nothing else, as I had the opportunity to check in their pre-tour concert in Barcelona.
Smashing Pumpkins have returned. yes it is not the same, they should not be called SP anymore. Maybe. but the truth is that, despite all this, is a good cd to return. Let's see what follows!
And well, I could continue this post for ages, even until next year, the albums are there, in the list, so, I should not say more. Just listen to them. And give your opinion. Tell me if I have forgotten any. Thanks.

Mr. United States of America live at Pinkpop Festival, May 28th 2007 (Greetsia Tent/ Hyperphoto/ WireImage.com)

Paradojas de la vida

2008-01-21T21:34:00.001+01:00

De nada sirvió. Fuente As

Del espacio-tiempo, de la vida, del estar tan lejos, en fin, que mas da. Cómo pongo este título en inglés? Tambien da igual. Lleva dos días nevando sobre Joensuu, por fin, estoy bebiendo un poco de vino con unas velas en plan "Wine & candles" como una amiga me dijo. Sin embargo, ayer, mientras yo aún animaba a los míos en el inicion del enésimo derby, mientras aún gritaba KunKunKunKun, vamos Kun!! Vamos Forlanito! probablemente, por las ilegalidades de la tecnología internetera (al verlo en Sopcast lleva uns minutos de retraso) Raúl ya habría marcado el 0-1 de dicho partido, que de manera cierta, se acabó ahí. Este tipo de goles deberían anular el resto del partido, simplemente fue una pérdida de tiempo por mi parte y por parte de todos los que lo vieron y jugaron, mejor que hubiesen decansado para el partido de Copa el miercoles.
Nunca aprenderemos a decir "Nos van a ganar 0-6", o "El Madrid es favorito porque yo casi no había nacido desde la última vez que les ganamos", o "La última vez que les ganamos bajamos a segunda, asi que por mi que nos metan 6 y que al final estemos en Champions". Nunca nadie dice eso, siempre la gente se cree que les vamos a ganar. Y nunca pasa. Tenemos tanta rabia por ganar al Madrid que nos ciega de ver la realidad: Que a dia de hoy somos peores. Que no hay color. Por mucho que joda. Hay una ola de odio puro, algunas veces mutuo, que no se de donde ha venido y que hace mucho daño, especialmente a nosotros. Digo yo que sera bueno llevarse bien con el vecino y desearle lo mejor. El año pasado, preferir que nos gane el Barcelona para perjudicar al Madrid, pues toma! 0-6. No puede ser.
Que hay que tener los pies en el suelo aún. Que por muy bien que vayamos hoy, a 18 partidos del final de Liga, muchas cosas pueden pasar y muchos partidos se pueden perder. Y mucho se puede bajar en la clasificacion y quedar como los ultimos 10 años. La vida cambia en días. En segundos, si me apuras. A mí me ha pasado. A todos nos pasa.

Nähdään, Madrid!

2008-01-05T02:37:00.000+01:00

Llegó el día de vuelta a Joensuu, llegó el día de dejar atrás de nuevo a seres queridos y grandes momentos de ocio. Me gusta Madrid, si, quizás deteste la gran urbe en la que se está conviertiendo y las gentes no muy honestas que cada vez mas la invaden. Pero tiene algo aún, claro...Aunque sobren la mitad de sus habitantes...me atrevo a decirlo porque es lo que pienso. No deberia haber tanta gente aqui.
Mañana en Joensuu, si la prediccion del Tiempo acierta, me encontrare temperaturas en torno a -20º C. Mirad la figura adjunta arriba (Sat corresponde a mañana sabado). Y creo haber perdido los .... guantes. Mierda.
Bye bye Madrid!

Life is as a supermarket

2008-01-01T20:39:00.000+01:00

Picture's Source

The moment you get in the supermarket is equivalent to when you are born. Then, life offers you different options, depending on the supermarket you are born at, and you choose or you are forced to choose what to buy- what to live. Once in the queue to pay what you have bought, you -again- can choose what cash desk you want your stuff to be paid at. This is like choosing your path in life, it will all lead to the same end -death=exit- but, depending on what cash desk you choose, you will reach the exit sooner, later, in a more successful manner, or in the most unnoticed. Sometimes you change the line because you believe the one you are moving to is going to be better - faster- and then you might find you were right and you have made the right choice for your purpose. Other occasions, you find that the checkout line you were in is faster and you realize that you have made the wrong choice, and that it is impossible to return. Anyway, make the right decision when choosing the line is essential in the duration of the path to reach the exit. I would not say that you must not change the queue if you are not satisfied with the cashier, neither would I say that you must change to another line or that you should leave without paying. It depends on you.

---------------------
El momento de entrar en el supermercado es equivalente a cuando se nace. Entonces, la vida te ofrece opciones diferentes, dependiendo del supermercado en el que has nacido, y escoges o te fuerzan a escoger qué comprar - qué vivir. Una vez en la cola para pagar lo que has comprado, - otra-vez - puedes escoger en que caja quieres que tu compra sea pagada. Esto se parece al escogimiento de tu camino en la vida, esto conducirá todo al mismo final-la muerte=salida-, pero, dependiendo de la caja que escojas, alcanzarás la salida más pronto, más tarde, en una manera más acertada, o de lamás inadvertida. A veces cambias de cola porque crees el que será mejor - más rápida - y luego usted podría encontrar que tienes razón y has elegido la opción correcta para tu objetivo. Otras ocasiones, encuentras que la cola que estabas es más rápida y usted comprende que has elegido la opción incorrecta, y que es imposible volver.
De todos modos, escoger la decisión correcta al elegir la línea es esencial en la duración del camino para alcanzar la salida. Yo no diría que no se debas cambiar a otra cola si estas satisfecho con el cajero, tampoco digo que te cambies a otra cola o que deberías marcharte sin pagar. Esto depende de tí.

Embarrassing

2007-12-29T15:48:00.000+01:00

Una puñetera vergüenza que tengamos que aguantar esto en un pais que se supone esta desarrollado y que presumne de tener el mejor metro de Europa y uno de los mejores del mundo entero. Pinchad aquí y observad como se las gastan algunos.

No niego a nadie el derecho a hacer huelga. No niego que se proteste para alcanzar mejores condiciones economicas. Pero que se tome el pelo de esta manera a los usuarios del metro, costando lo que cuesta el servicio, y, por qué no decirlo, sin que nos importe un carajo el sueldo de estos trabajadores. En fin. La pena es que conseguiran el aumento de sueldo o lo que pidan, los muy miserables. Me pregunto que haría el metro si decidieramos no pagar, porque el servicio que se nos ofrece no es el adecuado ni mucho menos. En fin, mientras en España siga habiendo este tipo de gentuza, así nos irá.

------------------------

For those who have not had the pleasure of visit the marvelous city that Madrid is, nowadays there is an embarrassing strike that makes us feel as being in the Third World. A city that considers itself to have the best subway in the entire Europe can not bear this conditions. Please, follow the link and press play, although it is in Spanish, there can be clearly seen that some people are throwing garbage on purpose in the subway, in order to make the conditions of dirtiness worst. Click here and judge yourselves.

I do not deny anybody the right to go on strike, or to ask for better working conditions, but laughing at us , cheating on us, fooling us in this way is one of the worst things a man can do. The worst thing is that they will probably reach what they have asked for, more money or whatever. A shame. I can not understand that in the XXI century there are still people acting like this and maybe even feeling proud of what they do. Why us, who pay a very expensive service, have to bear this people, if we do not care about their payment or about them?
Yes, meanwhile this kind of riffraff still exists in Spain, we will have proportional consequences.

A year later // Un año después

2007-12-25T03:36:00.000+01:00

Many things have changed. I am listening to Ash "Twilight to the innocents", I am not drinking anything and I am going to sleep soon. I am having my vacations, deserved vacations, and I have my own project and money to work at least until the end of march, 2009. It has been a good year in that sense. I had also the opportunity to travel and move to Finland, one of my dreams of the last years. I am doing it now and it feels weird. I am happy there, many things could be better but, overall, I am happy there. I don't want to complain and I am not going to do it. No way. It is what I wanted. What I asked for.
Life goes on, and life gets bad news when you get older. I wish my grandmother to be here with us, being all that healthy she has been for almost all her life until a couple of years ago. Laughing and playing cards as we did all Christmas and New Year's Eves of all my life. But, as I said, things change and your life does it as well. Past times will never come again. That's life.

-----------------
Muchas cosas han cambiado. Estoy escuchando a Ash, su último cd "Twilight of the innocents". No estoy bebiendo nada y pronto me iré a la cama. Estoy de vacaciones, merecidas vacaciones, y tengo mi proyecto y dinero al menos hasta el final de marzo de 2009. Ha sido un buen año en ese sentido. He tenido la oportunidad de viajar y mudarme a Finlandia, uno de mis sueños durante los últimos años. Se ha hecho realidad y es extraño, de algún modo. Estoy feliz allí, muchas cosas podrían ser mejor, pero, en general, estoy contento allí. No quiero protestar ni lo voy a hacer. Ni por asomo. Es lo que quería. Lo que pedí.
La vida avanza y la vida trae consigo malas noticias cuando creces. Desearía que mi abulea estuviera aquí con nosotros, tan bien de salud como ella ha estado hasta hace un par de años. Riendo y jugando a las cartas como hicimos durante todas las Nochebuenas y Fines de Año de toda mi vida. Pero, como he dicho, las cosas cambian y tu vida lo hace también. Tiempos pasados nunca volverán. Eso es la vida.

Madrid, here I go

2007-12-20T04:35:00.000+01:00

I am about to start traveling to Madrid. It will be something like 13 long hours, but it will be great to be there after almost 9 months.

Madrid allá voy.

A little chaos in Helsinki airport. This was my plane to Amsterdam "Delayed"

Winter comes and leaves as it pleases

2007-12-07T20:59:00.000+01:00

Invierno-Winter-Talvi

Bueno, que título más bonito y poético me ha salido!!!!

Porque ya va siendo hora desde el último post y porque lo piden desde España, un tal Dan, este es mi nuevo post, sencillito, a veces las fotos dicen mas que mil palabras, si, la verdad. Estan todas las representativas del invierno que tengo pero vendrán más, faltan de esquí, de los neumáticos de invierno tambien para la bici, de el "puerto" helado, de lagos inmensos congelados... y de el termómetro marcando -30. Todas esas fotos quedan por hacer en Joensuu.... muchas.

Un día alguien me dijo: Necesitas calcetines de calidad, señalando a los que llevaba entonces. Casi se me congelan los pies en Noruega. Literal.
Pura lana, pura artesanía.

Más calcetines. Mi primer regalo de Navidad.

Foto hecha un sabado cualquiera de ....Noviembre. In the Cold, November Snow.

The Darkness. Lo peor, sin duda, que anochezca a las 14:30-15:00 o algo así.

Constitución en España e Itsenäisyyspäivä en Finlandia. 90 años ya del pais. Felicidades!!!

Y, siguiendo con el frio....

Pulgueros!!!!

Once it was autumn in Finland....

2007-11-17T10:56:00.001+01:00

Fall, autumn, a season to prepare winter, a sign that winter is coming, sooner than expected sometimes. In Finland, seasons are very remarked, very intense, summer can give us a 30 degrees day (or even more lastly), and winter can reach -30 quite easily. And in the 2 seasons that serve as transit to those two, intensity is brought with colours, ruska in fall, and all the flowering in spring, if it has a defined colour. I like that. I like to know what to expect more or less and I like to see nature in its 4 different states. I have been very lucky, the day these pictures were taken was probably the last warm day of fall, and I was very lucky to admire the birds migration, really worth it. Here are some pictures.

And yes, winter has come, -10 at 11:00 this morning, 17th novembre 2007. Better to take care!

Version española !

Otoño, una estacion para preparar el invierno, una seña de que este esta cada vez más cerca, quizás mas cerca de lo que te esperas a veces. En Finlandia, las estaciones están muy marcadas, muy intensas, el verano puede darte un dia de 30 grados e incluso mas ultimamente y en invierno se pueden alcanzar -30 facilmente. Y en las dos estaciones que sirven de tránsito a esas dos, la intensidad es expresada en colores, ruska en otño, y la floración en primavera. Me gusta eso. Me gusta saber que esperar mas o menos de cada estacion. Y me gusta ver los extremos de las 4 estaciones. Fui muy afortunado que el dia que tome las fotos fue probablemente el ultimo dia con temperaturas normales y soleado a la vez, fui afortunado tambien de admirar la migracion de los pajaros, realmente merece la pena.
Y, si, el invierno ha llegado, -10 a la 11:00 de este 17 de noviembre, y -14 o menos de madrugada mientras me tomaba unas birras por ahi. Mas vale prepararse bien!

Silence !!!!

2007-11-16T21:47:00.000+01:00

Shut the fuck up, Victor!!!!

Friday night, today, 22:36 local Finnish hour. I am playing guitar, quite loud or not, I don´t know, maybe. The bell rings for the first time in the 6 months I have been living here-not many visits, that´s sad and true-, I check, a man I have never seen, I open, ok, I guess, I have bothered him. Yes, yes, Minä en puhu paljon suomea. Jos puhut hitaasti... Kitara? OK, ok, en soita.
What the fuck!!!!?? It is friday night and slightly more than 22:30 and I can not play guitar??? But... respect is the first thing, so of course I stop playing. I am not kind of person who likes to fight his neighbours.
P.S.: Ther picture is not taken on purpose, I took it last week and it is my profile pic in Facebook and last.fm. Another coincidence....

Viernes noche, hoy, 22:36, tocando la guitarra, alto o no, no sé, quizás. El timbre suena por vez primera en 6 meses que llevo aqui viviendo, no muchos vistantes-triste y verdad- voy a ver, y es un vecino, apuesto a que quiere que deje de tocar, le he molestado. Anteeksi, en ymmärrä, en puhu paljon suomea. Joo joo, kitara?, ok, ok, En soita.
Qué coj....! que es viernes noche y un tio se viene a quejar a poco más de las 22:30, y entonces si hago una fiesta un dia?? pero, no soy del tipo de personas combativas con los vecinos, asi que dejo de tocar y pongo música bajito.
P.D.: La foto no esta ni mucho menos hecha aposta, la hice la semana pasada durate una sesion de autoretratos... y es la foto que me he puesto en Facebook y en last.fm, otra coincidencia mas. Callate de una p***a vez, Victor!!!!! Para recordar.

My Paranoia coming back

2007-11-10T21:45:00.000+01:00

Este es un post en el que destapo lo paranoico que puedo ser a veces, aunque puede que mas de una vez tenga razón.
El lunes pasado, 5 de noviembre, partiamos para la reunión anual del "Colegio" de Ciencias ambientales de Finlandia (EnSTe). Tenía una presentación. La verdad es que no la interpreté bien, y lo que consideré general resultó ser que podía haber expuesto algo de mi propia investigación sin ningún tipo de problema. Aparte de nervios, etc, porque era mi primera presentacion medianamente importante. Fue un desastre. Iba viendo como avanzaba y las sensaciones eran muy malas, la veía estúpida, demasiado general. En fin, al final, als pergutas o peticiones tampoco fueron demasiaod bien. No sé. Solo me queda levantarme de nuevo y seguir, seguir seguir. Life is about not giving up...Lo sabes.
El resto del viaje fue muy placentero, pero el lunes quedó marcado por la terrible presentación.
El concierto de Kent estuvo bien, aunque quizás ya no sea lo mismo sin Harri.

English version

Last monday, november 5th, we left for the Annual meeting on The Environmental Science and Technology School in Finland (EnSTe). It was in the boat Gabriella to Stockholm, and I had a presentatin I thought to be more general. I completely misunderstood it and it was, as I said to my supervisor, " a crap". I was very nervous, not at the beginning, but then, when i started and I did not gt a good feeling about it. I saw it very stupid, too general. At the end, questions and requests did not go well also...so, my sensations were quite bad after it. Very bad. I felt like stupid and all my paranoia came, thinking that I am going to be fired, that I do not deserve this. Sometimes I still think that I am not here, in my dream job, doing one of the things I like. But it is not going to happen, I am going to finish this PhD, that is for sure.
The rest of the trip went well, but monday was cursed by my feelings about the presentation. But I only have to stand up again and continue. You know, life is about not giving up.
Kent´s show was alright, but I did not like it as much as in 2005. Maybe it is not the same without Harri.

Tilbaka til samtiden

2007-10-20T18:36:00.000+02:00

Finally, on Wednesday, I could go to the shops and see that "Tilbaka till samtiden" the exciting new Kent´s LP, was already on sale. I was looking for the special edition, well, 5 euros more expensive, but at the end, it is like a little treasure to keep for the rest of your life and, also, because I am a collector. The special edition contains a book (well, in fact it is a book), with I may say, 70-80 pictures of some artists, and the lyrics. Well, the truth is that I was a little disappointed about it, but now I like it.
Regarding to the musically speaking part of the LP, a first listening made me feel a little cold: "It is not the same". It is true that "Du & jag döden" really impacted me, it is in my opinion, their best cd ever, so the pressure this time was huge. And "Tlbaka till samtiden" is not their best cd, maybe, but it is a really good cd, which I like. Maybe a transition to other music genres? It has less guitars, obviously, after Harri, one of the guitarist, left. But still. I have a special weakness for this band, as a have a weaknjess with Scandinavia. The best band in Scandinavia, without any doubts. And maybe one of the best bands in the whole world.

Of course, as it should be, they are touring Scandinavia in November and December, at first it was a rather small tour, that they were obliged to expand, due to the demand their tickets got. Originallt there was only one date in Helsinki, 2 in Stockholm, 2 in Göteborg, 1 in Oslo, Trondheim, Lund and Copenhagen. Now, take a look how it is. The tickets in Stockholm and Göteborg were sold out in ......... 16 minutes!!! Un-be-li-va-ble!

Source: kent.nu

And of course, I bought a ticket fot their first date in Hki, that it is their first date of the tour. Great!

Diferencias en las Universidades

2007-09-30T20:36:00.000+02:00

Bienvenidos a la research vessel Muikku
A ver dónde te llevan a un curso asi en España

Esta semana que acaba de terminar he tenido la oportunidad de asistir a mi segundo curso de doctorado, ya que además de mi proyecto, he de completar un total de 60 créditos, que me llevarán a ser Doctor.
Habiendo hecho una carrera entera en España, en la UAM, más concretamente, y ahora habiendo asistido a lo que son un par de cursos aquí, puedo hacer la comparación, siempre pueden ser odiosas, sí, pero me parece interesante hacerla.
Es bastante típico que los cursos en Finlandia (al menos) duren 1 semana, o un semestre/año, pero sólo yendo una vez por semana. Es normal que los estudiantes finlandeses sólo tengan que ir a clases 2 o´3 veces por semana y que cuando les dices que en España hay 3, 4 o más clases al día se sorprendan bastante. Para ellos es bastante agobiante ir a clase todos los días, porque casi todo el mundo trabaja también.
De todas formas, la diferencia más destacable es la interactividad. Aún recuerdo lo poco motivado que estaba para ir a clase y copiar copiar copiar apuntes para luego estudiarlos y vomitarlos en el examen de turno al final del curso. Aquí, no.
Puede que haya un examen, si, pero principalmente lo que te dicen el primer día es que al final del curso deberás hacer una presentación, en inglés por supuesto, ya que son cursos en inglés a los que me estoy apuntando. Y nada, te dan a elegir un tema para exponer, y Hala! Cúrratelo tú, chaval, que ya eres mayorcito. A leer artículos, buscar información, a veces redactar un report también, para después exponer el citado tema por muy nervioso que estés o poco nivel de inglés que tengas. Te jodes.
Interactividad, por favor, interactividad!!!
De todas formas, las circunstancias son diferentes y son países distintos, pero deberíamos aprender de otros muchas veces, que luego nos quejamos del trabajo que tenemos, de lo mal que hablamos inglés, de que no sabemos hablar en público.... en fin, como yo sea algún día profesor en España voy a implementar mi propio sistema en mis clases. Verás que sí.
Otra cosa a favor es que, al tener que prepararte la exposición, y por supuesto, posibles preguntas, los conceptos te los aprendes antes, por la cuenta que te trae. No vaya a ser que haya preguntas que no sepas contestar. Y por supuesto, al final, te llevas tu aplauso, si se tercia.

What and Who I am

2007-09-14T18:42:00.001+02:00

Here I am, in the picture and in the reality, trying to finish some experiment I don´t want to let for tomorrow. This is the laboratory where I mainly work, at this time of, already, night empty as hell. Listening to last.fm, similar artists to Kent and trying not to desperate, because, although I love this work, I want to go home and rest.
Maybe, and I hope so, soon I will have a band in Joensuu. This is starting to take shape. Hoepefully, I will have fun and everything will be alright, I mean results with my PhD studentship, resutls that will allow me to continue in this world of Science.
See you soon, internet addicts!!!!

Ankkarock, day 2

2007-08-20T07:11:00.000+02:00

Soon an english version!!!!

El domingo, día 2 empezaba la jornada festivalera vago, decidiendo llegar un poco más tarde a ver a Disco Ensemble, sin hacerlo para Damn Seagulls. Además, visto el precio de las cervezas dentro del recinto, decidí tomarme una antes de entrar., en plan liegal, aunque más de uno hizo lo mismo que yo. Una vez dentro, de nuevo el maravilloso césped del Puistolava estaba esperandome para que me sentara sobre el y que tomara una especie de tentempie para lo que venía después: el rock de Disco Ensemble que me hizo saltar y bailar como un poseso dos años atrás, pero en el escernario pequeño.

Este año les tocaba abrir el grande a las 14:00 con un solintempestivo (sí, en Finlandia) y la gran mayoría con una resaca del tres al cuarto, de hecho el cantante preguntó si teniamos krapula=resaca). Pues majo, yo no.

This is my head exploding....

El concierto fue brutal, perfectos en la ejecución y un buen set de canciones, incluyendo alguna nueva. Muchas fotos y bailes también. De lo mejor. Y siguen creciendo.
Después del concierto, obligada visita a un vesipiste, punto de agua literalmente traducido. Qué calor hacía!!! Llené mi botellita de medio litro, un medio litro que se hacía más que insuficiente. Hubo jun pequeño cambio, y, Lapko y Mando Diao cambiaban sus horas, tocanod los suecos a las 15:10 en el escenario pequeño, Rocklava, y Lapko a las 20:05 en el mismo.
Los Ruotsalaiset se hicieron esperar, unos 15 minutos horribles de calor a pleno sol, vamos que me pegtaba en toda la cara y el agua se iba agotando. ni siquiera las intermitentes regadas con manguera me llegaban, y los Mando no empezaban.....

Que se besen que se besen...!

Y al fin, llegaron me puse los tapones, por el volumen alto que recuerdo de la última vez en Madrid. No sé qué fue, si el calor, si no los cogí con tantas ganas como en Madrid, o si eran ellos que no estaban motivados, pero no me calaron tan hondo. Me lo pasé bien, pero no me convencieron. Después me salté obviamente a Dir en Grey, banda japonesa de metal, y que experimenté que tiene muchos fans en Finlandia, al ver a los que creo dos de sus componentes seguidos de niñatas histéricas chillando. Qué horror!
Me dirigí a la zona de bebidas, aquí en Finlandia la zona donde puedes tomarte unas cervezas está separada de la zona normal, por eso de que los menores puedan entrar al festival también a ver sólo música. Luego ya se buscan la vida por otro lado, pero al menos alcohol en el recinto no les sirven. Está bien, porque en otros paises no está permitida la entrada a menores en conciertos y me parece una soberana estupidez. Aquí vienen padres hasta con sus bebés protegidos por esos auriculares que no dejan pasar sonidos. Pues desde allí, escuché algunos himnos de 69 eyes, algunas de las canciones que me acompañaron hace dos años durante mi estancia en Vantaa, ya que la radio es muy usual en el laboratorio día a día. Recomendables.
Después tocaban Poets of the fall en el escenario pequeño, ya les ví dos veces antes, entonces, aprovechando que una banda de esas que puede que no vuelvas a ver en tu vida, Millencolin, tocaban a la misma hora, me fui a verlos, de nuevo al Puistolava. La verdad es que no había hecho los deberes y ni siquiera me sonó ninguna de las canciones que tocaron, aunque me parece que repasaron sus mas viejos temas, porque no reconocí ni Afghan, ni Novo, ni ninguna de sus mas recientes canciones que me encantan... El concierto estuvo bien, cómodo y muchas fotos.

Si, Millencolin con una acústica...

Y al acabar, ya con The Ark empezado, otra ves una cerveza para descansar mientras veía parte de su concierto. Muy graciosos, muy "pelotas" con el público finlandés, y algunas grandes canciones. "Let your body decide" "One of us in gonna die young" y muchísimas de su último trabajo, "Prayer for the weekend". The Ark se han ganado el país, al menos Helsinki, con sus conciertos, discos y (quizas fingida) cercanía. Llenaron 3 noches consecutivas el Tavastia el pasado otoño. De
cualquier manera, recomendables, más que recomendables, nunca he sido un gran fan, pero las dos veces que les ví en Ankkarock me lo pasé genial.

El final del concierto lo vi, después de pasar de nuevo por un vesipiste, desde el escenario pequeño, donde iban a empezar Lapko, una de mis bandas de este año.

Lapko's Drummer

"Young desire" simplemente puede ser uno de mis discos del 2007 y esta era la cuarta vez que les veía en directo. Joensuu, Tavastia @Hki, Sulo Klubi @ Ilosaari Rock & Ankkarock. Y fue un poco decepción, porque fue la vez que menos me gustaron, no sé si quizás un poco de saturación. Aún así, no deje de corear las cancines, mayoritariamente de su último trabajo (por qué no tocarán ya Mary the Queer por ejemplo?).
Y aquí el festival para mí había más o menos acabado, porque no soy demasiado fan de las bandas que quedaban, Nine inch nails y PMMP. Al principio queria ver un poco de PMMP y luego a los Nine, pero al final me decante por los finnhits de PMMP y me lo pasé en grande. Qué estribillos!!!! Canciones grandísimas que si fueran cantadas en inglés serían superventas en todo el mundo, pero cantan en finés y tienen poca salida en el extranjero. Una pena lo que os perdeis. La banda está liderada por dos mujeres que cantan, y puede que sean denominadas el grupo de chicas de Finlandia.

Panorámica del Puistolava mientras PMMP tocaban

Vaya diferencia, las mierdas de grupos de chicas que sacan en España y lo rockeras que son estas que parece que te van a vomitar encima con alguna canción. Creo que pararan ahora de alguna manera porque la morena esta embarazada y tiene que tener al hij@, sin dar esos chillidos y sin bailar tanto, que, imagino no será bueno para el feto.

Dos chicas superventas en Finlandia

Y después fuegos artificiales, que, al parecer estropearon un poco el concierto de Nine, y de vuelta a Hki. Quedaba el lunes para dar una vuelta por tal maravillosa ciudad y después, vuelta a Joensuu by plane.

Próxima parada: KENT @Kultturitalo, Hki, 4 de noviembre. Estoy deseando verles y escuchar su nuevo material.

Ankkarock day 1

2007-08-11T23:00:00.000+02:00

Que ruido hacen las hélices!!!!

ENGLISH VERSION HERE!!!!

Ya hace hace dos años que visité por vez primera un festival finlandés en toda regla, aunque en aquella ocasion estaba viviendo en la misma ciudad en la que se celebra, Vantaa. Este año me acerqué desde Joensuu sólo para el citado evento, con muy buenos grupos este año. Me decidi a ir por The Sounds, Lapko, Mando Diao, Disco Ensemble, Rubik y Millencolin, aunque como siempre hago, aprovecharía para ver a más bandas. Esta vez abandoné Joensuu en avión, dado el desmesurado precio de los trenes, que hace que cuesten casi lo mismo que el medio aéreo. Asi que, por unos pocos euros más, tarde 3 horas y media menos en llegar a Helsinki. Asi que el viernes me dirigi al areopuerto de Joensuu, imaginad si es pequeño que no te dan ni tarjeta de embarque!! El avión era de hélices, aunque no por ello peor.
El sábado por la mañana cogi el tren K y alli me presente a eso de las 12:30 el primer dia, perdiendome la mitad de la actuacion de Rubik. Lo que pude ver me agradó muchísmo, al igual que último trabajo "Bad conscience patrol". La verdad es que el festival tenía buena pinta. Un tiempo envidiable, y unas instalaciones excepcionales, especialmente las del escenario Puistolava, con un césped más que tentador que me acogió durante los dos días en más de una ocasión. y eso es lo que hice tras la actuación de Rubik, sentarme en la hierba a comer unos sandwitches y tomar un poco el sol, aun agradable a esas horas.
Lo siguiente fue ir a dar una vuelta por el recinto festivalero, mirar el stand del merchandising y seguir las recomendaciones de una conocida y ver un trozo de Kotiteollisus, antes de irme a ver-de nuevo- a Jonna Teervomaa (les habia visto hacia 10 días en Joensuu).

Kotiteollisuus es un grupo de metal finlandés , originales de Laappenranta y con bastante seguidores en el país. Personalmente, no me gustan. No es mi estilo. Aunque, lo tengo que decir, una cancion muy popular me gusta y otra que tuve oportunidad de oir en el concierto, me puso la carne de gallina. Una pena que hayan enfocado mal su estilo. Si fueran pop-rock serian un multi ventas y seguramente seria fan suyo. Pero....

Una panorámica del escenario Puistolava

Ya de vuelta en Puistolava, me relajé para ver a Jonna y los suyos, sentado en el césped cómodamente, me quité las deportivas y los calcetines y a disfrutar. Me dediqué a tararear las canciones que ya me sonaban y a sacarla muchas fotos. Guapísima cantante y maravillosa voz. Buenas canciones. Buen concierto.

Jonna Tervomaa, dejándose el alma en la actuación

Después, pocos grupos más ví hasta la ansiada actuación de The Sounds. Estuve descansando con algunos amigos y ví parte de Maija Vilkkumaa, no es santo de mi devoción, precisamente. Y ya ni siquiera me dirigí a ver 0arte de Hanoi Rocks, si no que me quedé en Puistolava de nuevo para coger sitio y ver a The Sounds. De nuevo un tentempié y la camara preparada para tan esperado evento. Y a las 19:30 llegaron Maja y sus secuaces, Maja estaba tremenda con unos shorts más que provocadores que hicierons mis delicias. Y empezaron los hits: Living in America fue la primera y después fueron cayendo una tras otra canciones de sus dos magníficos álbumes: Living in America y Dying to say this to you: Seven days a week, Rock´n´Roll, Dance with me (una de mis preferidas), Tony the beat, Queen of Apology, Song with a mission, y otras, hasta que se despidieron con "Ego", descrita por Maja como su favorita esa noche. Saqué muchísimas fotos, alguns de las cuales están aquí. Para mí, lo mejor del festival junto con otros grupos del domingo. Tenía muchas ganas de verlos.

Si, hija, si, You are hot!!!

Johan Bengtsson & Jesper Anderberg, bajo y teclados

Félix Rodríguez, el español de grupo

Qué bonito...!

Y la tarde continuaba, quedaban Apulanta y The Gathering, apetecerme me apetecia mas ver a los primeros, aunque ya los había visto hacía 15 días, pero era la última actuación de The Gathering con su cantante, Annekke. Y me dividí. Ví media hora del concierto de Apulanta, me quedé contento porque habían tocado un hit que les quedó en la actuación del Sulo Klubi en Joensuu: Vasten Mun kasvojani.

Apulanta rules!!!!

Y así me fui a ver a The Gathering. Cuando llegué todo lo que había escuchado en disco antes me pareció diferente, más heavy quizás, aunque lo que ví al final si que me convenció. Es una pena no haberlos descubierto antes, porque son muy buenos.... o eran, veremos ahora sin la cantante....
El juego de luces fue espectacular ya qui capté algunas de las mejores fotos del festival. Aquí teneis algunas.

La verdad es que fue muy emotivo, y, antes del bis, Annekke salió a decir unas palabras muy bien filmadas por un internauta y despues colgadas en YouTube:

Y dicho así, tocaron Liberty Bell y se despidieron. Me dejo muy buen sabor de boca. Además esa fue la única canción que conocía de lo que ví. Muy buena.
Y nada, próxima entrega del día 2. Estad atentos!!!

Man in black

2007-07-26T23:12:00.000+02:00

Pues si, jamás he ido tan arreglado en toda mi vida, esto es un traje y lo demás tonterías. Tuve que ir vestido así por una fiesta de final de doctorado, ya que aquí es tradición ir arreglado en ellas. Sin más, os dejo con ellas. La verdad es que con lentillas ganaría más, pero este no era el dia real de la fiesta, es más de una mes después.

Yes, I have never dressed that elegant in my whole life, this is a suit and the rest is bullshit. I had to go dressed like this due to a Doctoral Party, here is a tradition to go like that. I leave you with the pics. The truth is that with contacts I am better, but this is not the very same day of the party, I was wearing them, of course.

Look at those poshy shoes!!! but the truth is that I like them!

My washing machine

2007-07-13T07:59:00.000+02:00

En Finlandia, existe la costumbre, dado el tamaño de algunos pisos (yksiö= piso para una sola persona, usualmente de 1 habitación y de menos de 30 metros cuadrados), ya que la gente vive sola desde más temprano y más frecuentemente , muchos pisos carecen de lavadora, por falta de espacio y para ahorrar agua y costes. Entonces, al igual que las saunas, la lavadora suele ser comunal, para todo un edificio y con un mínimo coste por lavado o incluso gratis. Y, aunque en la mayoría de los edificios, suelen ser modernas, en el mío tengo la que podeis ver en las fotos. Creíais que habíais visto cosas viejas??Esta lavadora debe ser de los años 50 mínimo. Pero la cuestió es que lava bien, y punto. Eso si, tú decides cuanto tiempo lavas, cuando aclaras y si centrifugas o no, todo manualmente. La llenas de agua con un grifo, hasta u determinado nivel y después la pones en marcha. Es de risa, pero joder, funciona muy bien!

In Finland, due to the size of some flats (yksiö = a flat for an single person, usually of 1 room and of less than 30 square meters), since the people live alone from more early and more frequently, many flats lack a washing machine, in order to save space, water and costs. Then, as the saunas, the washing machine is communal, for the whole building and with a minimal cost for wash or even free. And, though in the majority of the buildings, they have modern ones, in mine I have the one that can be seen in the photos. Di you thinkj that you had seen old things?? This washer must be of the fifties at least. But the main thing is that it washes well. You decide the time you wash, and if you centrifuge or not, all manually. You fill it with tap-water, up to a determined level and later you put it on. yes, laugh if you want, but it works quite well!

Filling it with water

I can not get tired of Koli

2007-07-09T23:10:00.000+02:00

Viajé y pasé la noche en el Parque Nacional de Koli, uno de los sitios mas bonitos en los que he estado nuca, el 24 de junio, y fue increíble. Realmente no me canso de Koli!

I travelled and spent the night in the National Park of Koli, one of the most beautiful places I have been, the 24th of June and it was superb. I can not get enough of Koli!

Blue apples fall

2007-07-01T17:54:00.000+02:00

The title is just paraphrasing one of the sentences in the last cd by Lapko, one of my favourites this year and that I am currently listening to.
This picture is taken today at about 2:15 in Joensuu, Finland. Calmness and quietness. Almost a dead place... And I got my fresh air.

El titulo parafrasea a una de lass frases del ultimo cd de Lapko, el cual estoy escuchando ahora mismo, y uno de mis favoritos.
Esta foto fue hecha ayer a las 2:15 aproximadamente en Joensuu, Finlandia. Calma y silencio. Casi un lugar muerto. Y respiré mi aire fresco.

I need to get out

2007-07-01T00:47:00.000+02:00

I just need to get out and breathe some fresh air for a moment. It´s late, but I am going out with my camera to see what can I do now that I am inspired (I hope).
I miss so much people today and I feel I have to burn this sorrow away,.
Later (or tomorrow) I will post the resluts, if there is any.

Everything is still the very same as it always has been.

Good night!

Necesito salir y respirar aire fresco por un rato. Es tarde, pero me voy con mi camara a ver que puedo hacer ahora que estoy inspirado (espero).
Echo de menos a tanta gente hoy y siento que tengo que quemar esta tristeza.
Más tarde postearé los relutados, si es que hay alguno.

Aun todo es igual que siempre ha sido.

Buenas noches!

Connected

2007-06-28T17:38:00.000+02:00

Moi!
Finally, after a month of endless calls without answers, today my internet works and quite fast.
I will post something soon, I promise.
Meanwhile, a funny picture for you to enjoy!
Nähdään!

Hola!
Al fin, después de un mes de llamadas sin final y sin respuestas, hoy mi conexión a internet funciona, y es bastante rápida. Prometo postear algo en breve.
Mientras aquí tenéis una foto divertida para que os riáis un poco.

Nos vemos!

Una Pesadilla // A nightmare

2007-05-20T22:49:00.000+02:00

Sé que el fútbol no es algo demasiado importante en nuestras vidas, al menos debería ser algo tan sólo secundario, un hobby. Para mí lo es, pero lo de hoy ha sido demasiado deprimente, y, justo tras acabar el partido Atlético de Madrid- F.C. Barcelona he decidido escribir estas líneas para quemar mi frustración. El resultado ha sido 0-6. No recuerdo nadie que haya ganado 0-6 en el estadio Vicente Calderón. Nadie había ganado 0-6 en el Calderón. Si, para aquellos que querían que perdiera su propio equipo, el Atlético, para perjudicar al Real Madrid, esta derrota es para vosotros, no merecéis ser de este equipo. Disfrutadla. En fin, es sólo fútbol. Buenas noches desde Finlandia.

P.D.: Lo que más me jode es oir al ........ de Laporta jactándose de lo bien que ha jugado su equipo. En fin. El tiempo le pondrá en su sitio a él y a su equipo.

Foto del diario El Mundo

English

I know that football is not anything too important in our lives, at least it should be something only secondary, a hobby. For me it is, but today it has been too depressing, and, just after the end of the game Atlético de Madrid- F.C. Barcelona, I have decided to write down these lines to burn my frustration out. The result has been 0-6. I do not remember any team that has beaten Atlético 0-6 in our stadium. Nobody has won 0-6 in the Calderón. Yes, for those who wanted that Atlético loose today, just to harm Real Madrid, this defeat is for all of you, you do not deserve to be part of the fans of the team. Enjoy it. Well, in the end, it is only football. Good night from Finland.

Helatorstai (La Ascensión)

2007-05-17T21:55:00.000+02:00

Hoy, pese a levantarme cansado, con sueño y con algo de resaca debido a la celebración cumpleañera de ayer, ha sido un día para recordar. He sido invitado a una kesämökki, una casita de verano finlandesa. Carne de reno, cervezas (pocas), café, sauna, hoguera, salchichas y lagos donde perder la mirada para siempre. Esto si que es 100% Finlandia. Disfrutadlas desde la distancia. Merece la pena. Algún día os llevaré a un sitio así. A todos.

Koli

2007-05-05T22:12:00.000+02:00

Este lugar está considerada como la postal típica de Finlandia, la vista de Koli, el punto mas alto del sur de Finlandia, no supera los 400 metros, pero no le hace falta mas para ser un sitio de visita obligada si estás cerca. Impresionante. Aún no puedo colgar fotos mejores, porque olvide el software de la cámara, pero mietras tanto tengo ésta que podeis ver mas abajo. Había oido cosas de este sitio, pero hasta que no lo ves no sabes que puedes esperar. Aqui está, señoras y señores: Koli, (con un ser humano estorbando la vista).

This place is considered to be the typical postcard of Finland, Koli's sight, the highest point of the southern Finland, it does not overcome 400 meters, but it does not need more to be a place of obliged visit if you are nearby. Impressive. I cannot upload better photos yet, because I forgot the software of the camera, but, meanwhile, I have this one you can see at the top of this text. I had heard opinions about this place, but until you do not see it, you do not know what can you expect. Here it is, ladies and gentlemen: Koli, (with a human being hindering the sight).

And finally, the destination is...... Joensuu

2007-04-01T21:03:00.000+02:00

Por fin, he sido elegido para cursar estudios de doctorado, para continuar con mi carrera científica. Mi destino final es la Universidad de Joensuu, en Finlandia, para que veais donde está, la he señalado en el mapa con un rectángulo. La verdad es que está lejos comparado con donde estuve anteriormente, en Vantaa, cerca de Helsinki. Es un proyecto muy bueno, con unas condiciones también muy buenas y espero que además todo lo exterior al "trabajo" sea excelente. Ha sido todo muy rápido y me marcho el 10 de abril, habiendo recibido la noticia el 8 de marzo. No hay tiempo para apenas nada. Así que por fin lo he conseguido. Espero que me vaya todo bien.

Finally, I have been chosen to enrol doctorate studies, to continue with my scientific career. My final destination is the University of Joensuu, in Finland, I have signallled it on the map with a rectangle for a better understanding of where it is. The truth is that it is quite far away from where I lived previously in my first stay in Finland, in Vantaa, near Helsinki. It is a very good project, with also good conditions, and I hope everything out of the"job" will be excellent. Everything has happened very fast and I leave the 10th of April, receiving the e-mails with the news on march, 8th. There is barely time for anything. Finally I have done it. I hope everything will be fine for me.

New pics at Only Pictures

2007-03-31T17:10:00.000+02:00

Today, I have updated with some pictures my Photoblog, Only pictures, please, pay a visit if you wish. Thanks and enjoy!
Hoy he actualizado my Photoblog, Only pictures con algunas fotografías. Si quieres, visitarlo, pincha el link. Gracias y que te gusten!!

Weirdness

2007-03-25T17:35:00.000+02:00

On thursday I went out at night and I came back walking, as I have done so many times, enjoying the calmnees of Madrid on a week night for one of the last times. At some point of the walk, I noticed I was walking along part of the same street I walked ¡¡15 years!! ago in my way to high-school (institute). I stopped and looked at the same newstand, exactly the same aspect as it had before, and those mirrors, I use to take a look at to see my reflection. And suddenly I thought how much have I changed in all these years and how many things I have lived. And where could be now that girl I saw everyday at more or less that newstand, in her way to school too, with her uniform and her folder and back bag. I hope life has treated her as good as it has treated me. I am still here and with a promising future, I hope.

El jueves salí de noche y volví a casa andando, como he hecho tantas veces, disfrutando de la tranquilidad de Madrid durante una noche de semana por una de las últimas veces. En algún punto del paseo, noté que estaba andando a lo largo de parte de la misma calle por la cual anduve hace ¡ ¡ 15 años!! en mi camino al instituto. Me paré y miré al mismo quiosco de periodicos, con exactamente el mismo aspecto que tenía antes, y aquellos espejos, que solía mirar para ver mi reflejo. Y de repente pensé cuanto he cambiado en todos estos años y cuantas cosas he vivido. Y donde podría estar ahora esa chica que yo veia casi diariamente a la altura del quiosco en su camino al colegio también, con su uniforme, su carpeta y mochila. Espero la vida la haya tratado tan bien como a mi. Estoy todavía aquí y con un futuro prometedor, espero.

This town is a different town today

2007-03-20T17:10:00.000+01:00

This town's a different town today
This town's a different town to what it was last night
You couldn't have done that on a Sunday

That girl's a different girl today That girl's a different girl to her you kissed last night You couldn't have done that on a Sunday

El sabado 17 de marzo asistí a el concierto de Arctic Monkeys en Barcelona. Fue algo parecido a una preview de su inminente gira para presentar su también inminente "Favourite worst nightmare". El primer single del disco es Brianstorm, no, no es Brainstorm, es Brianstorm, y aquí teneis el video

Fue un gran concierto, en el que repasaron hits de su "Whatever people say I am, that's what I'm not", así como presentaron temas del que va a ser su segundo largo "Favourite worst nightmare", del que eligieron 2 temas para empezar para después seguir con "I bet you look good on..." para delirio de los presentes en la sala Razzmatazz.

When the sun goes down live

Tienen ritmo, son originales, tocan bien, son jóvenes y, hasta ahora, sus canciones son muy buenas, esperando cómo será su segundo LP. Podemos estar ante uno de los grupos míticos de está época de la música. Sólo les falta seguir así. Y seguir dejándose la piel en la carretera y sacando disco por año. Están en una época de su vida my creativa y espero que la aprovechen. Los "twenties" están influenciados por esa inquietud no ya adolescente, pero de ver más allá de tus 16 imberbes años, ver la vida en si misma y, por ello es una época especial.

Parallelisms

2007-03-01T12:43:00.000+01:00

El pasado sábado tuvo lugar un partido de fútbol, que era más que eso. No porque fuera un derby, lo era por eso, por supuesto, porque estos partidos siempre me han atraido especialmente, pero el resultado y el desarrollo del mismo tienen un cierto paralelismo conmigo.
El partido fue un baño del Atlético de Madrid a su rival, cohabitante de la capital, el Real. Pero no ganamos. Dejamos escapar una oportunidad de oro. Qué se le va a hacer.
Yendo al grano, en mi vida, a mi juicio siempre, merezco más de lo que tengo, merezco ganar mi particular partido y hasta ahora no lo he hecho. He metido tambien algunos goles y me han robado otros. También es cierto que si no los metes aún teniendo la oportunidad la "culpa" es tuya, o del destino, quien sabe si el no meterlos te guardará algo mejor para el futuro. También, si los metes y te los anulan aún mereciéndolos y siendo legales...¿qué puedes hacer? Solo seguir hacia delantes sin perder la esperanza, sin dejar de vivir (jugar) y poniendo el 100% de tí mismo en los aspectos de la vida que te importan.
Y, por otra parte, el "chaval", Fernando Torres, marcó por fin, frente al Real Madrid. Criticado por la gran mayoria de aficionados (excepto los del propio Atlético de Madrid), ningún otro jugador había sido machacado por la prensa y aficionados sobre este tema. Marcó y cerró por fin muchas bocas, aunque no conseguimos ganar. Realmente me alegré de que fuera él, uno de mis jugadores favoritos, quien marcara el 1-0. Y en fin.... ya les ganaremos.

English

Last Saturday a football match took place, which was more than it. Not only because it was a local derby, it was because of it, certainly, these games have always attracted me specially, but the result and the development of it have a certain parallelism with me. Atletico trashed its rival, cohabitant of the capital, the Real. But we did not win. We left escape a golden opportunity. But life goes on.
But coming to the point, in my life, always under my point of view, I deserve more than I have, I deserve to win my individual game and until now I have not done it. I have scored also some goals and some others that someone has stolen from me. Also it is true that if you do not score, having the opportunity it is your fault, or destiny's, who knows if not score will save for you something better for the future. Also, if you score and someone does not give it as valid, deserving it and being legal ... what can you do? You can only go on, without loosing hope and living (playing), putting 100% of you in the things that matter.
And, in other hand, the "Kid", Fernando Torres, finally scored against Real Madrid. Critisized by the majority of football fans (with the exception of Atlético de Madrid's), no other player had been harped on like he has been by press and fans. He scored and made many people to shut up, although we did not manage to win. I was really happy that he scored the 1-0, one of my favourite players,. And, well, we will trash and win them, someday...

Kalevalanpäivä

2007-02-28T16:56:00.000+01:00

Jack Frost, son of Blast
felt ruin coming, and he
began to beg for mercy;
he uttered a word, spoke thus:
"let us make a pact
not to hurt one another
ever in this world
not in a month of Sundays!
If you hear I'm chilling things
or up to mischief again
thrust me into the fireplace
tame me in the flame
down among the smith's embers
down in Ilmarinen's forge
or take my mouth to the south
and mu tongue to summer's home
so that I'll never get out
never in this world be free!"

Hoy es el día del Kalevala.
Todays is Kalevala´s day.
Tänään on Kalevalanpäivä.

Musical post for year 2006

2007-02-06T02:29:00.000+01:00

English speakers, scroll down, please!

Como ya hice el año pasado, voy a dar la que es mi humilde y personal opinión sobre la mejor música del pasado año 2006, y, ¿por qué no? también de la música que no pertenece a esta año categóricamente, pero que,eso si, he descubierto a lo largo del mismo.
Empezando por lo más fácil: conciertos. Este año, desafortunadamente, no he ido a demasiados. The Soundtrack of our Lives en enero y We are Scientists en Febrero. Después, en Finlandia ví a Poets of the fall en el escenario de Esplanadi, y a Damn Seagulls en Tavastia. De ellos, quizas el mejor fue el de Soundtrack of our Lives, pero de todas formas, como son tan pocos, merecen ser recordados todos. En cuanto a discos, aquí la cosa está más jugosa, he tenido la oportunidad de escuchar toneladas de música y de discos. Ahí van unos cuantos de los mejores discos de 2006. Estoy seguro que con el tiempo descubriré más, pero a día de hoy, es lo que hay:

Ya es difícil mejorar un primer álbum que ha tenido una repercusión mundial y que ha sido alabado por muchisíma gente, [Hot fuss] les lanzó a la fama, con temas como Somebody told me, [Sam's town] ha sido en mi opinión un discazo, mejor incluso que el mencionado multiventas. The Killers han conseguido eso que tanto cuesta a muchos grupos, sacar un segundo disco equiparable al primero, e incluso mejor.
Pero este año he tenido algunas cuantas pequeñas debilidades en forma de disco: Yeah Yeah Yeahs y su flamante [Show your bones] hits como Gold Lion, Honeybear, The Sweets, Turn into y Cheated hearts hacen de este disco una maravilla; Placebo ha logrado con [Meds] lo que, en mi opinión (muy discutida, cierto) no lograban desde su primer album hacía 10 años. Para mí, todo había sido empeorar. Hasta éste. Genial. Ved aquí "Drag" Live @Rock am Ring, y aquí el video de Meds. Por otro lado, Mogwai lanzaban éste año un nuevo disco, [Mr.Beast], nueva cita después del fabuloso [Happy songs for happy people], es un disco que sigue en su línea, quizás un poco más cañera y distorsionada que el anterior. En mi opinión son discos similares en calidad y estructura. No me pidáis que les saque cosas negativas, desde que escuché su ya mencionado "Happy songs..." en Noruega, tan pausadamente después de levantarme un sábado por la mañana sin prestar atención a otra cosa ya no pude dejar de admirar sus canciones. Friend of the night es mi favorita del disco, también primer single. Antes me gustaban, pero ahora....me encantan. También este año han reazado un disco homenaje a Zidane, anunque un poco más espeso y sin muchas escuchas por mi parte aún.
Y dos más dentro de estas pequeñas debilidades: los daneses Nephew con [Inter Kom ind], una continuación tremenda para el ya bueno [USAdsb]. Nephew cantan en una original mezcla de danés e inglés, con muy buenos reesultados. Es curioso cómo desde las tierras escandinavas salen cientos de grupos que merecerían estar en el top 10 de toda Europa, pero que, raramente consiguen incluso hacer un tour que llegue hasta el sur de la misma. Casi nunca vienen a España. Una pena, porque nos perdemos grandes conciertos, como he tenido oportunidad de comprobar, aunque no con Nephew. Ved algunos videos en su página web. Desde Leeds llegan ¡Forward Russia! , nombre particular donde los haya, con su [Give me a wall]. Este grupo reúne una mezcla de estilos punk, lo-fi, melódico y bailable que los hace especiales. Se podría dar a conocer como el grupo de los números, porque, hasta ahora todas sus canciones se llaman como números: Nineteen, Fifteen pt.2, Nine, Eighteen, y así sucesivamente. Hubo un par de meses en los que los oía a diario.
Desde la compañía de discos en la que debutaron nada más y nada menos que Nirvana, Sub Pop, llegan dos grupos que están en la mayoría de los "reviews" musicales del pasado año, y también en el mío: The Thermals, con su disco [The the body, the blood, the machine] y Band of Horses con [Everything all the time]. El primero, más guitarrero y sucio, más underground, pero con unas canciones geniales. Los descubrí gracias a "A Pillar of Salt" primer single del disco. En cuanto a los segundos, son más pausados, pero siguen teniendo algo de guarro en sus guitarras. Aqui el video para The Funeral.
Este resumen se está haciendo muy largo, así que voy a ir resumiendo. Me gustaría mencionar a los grandes triunfadores de 2006: Arctic Monkeys con su multimillonarias ventas de [Whatever people say I am that's what I am not], ahora el disco se ha convertido en un imprescindible, y, por lo que parece, no sólo para mí, he tenido la oportunidad de ver y oír su repertorio en el festival de Reading y la aceptación que tienen entre el público inglés es la que tiene una banda de culto. Todos cantando las letras de memoria. Aqui podeis ver "I bet you look good on the dancefloor" en directo en dicho festival.
Y algunos discos más sobre los cuales no quiero escribir porque esto se haría larguísimo:

Dashboard Confessional [Dusk and summer]
Franz Ferdinand [You could have it so much better with ....]
Amusement Parks on fire[Out of angels]

The Frames [The cost]

Jack's Mannequin [Everything in transit]
Windermere [No one wins]
Bloomington [Activando la disidencia]
Catpeople [Reel#1]
RHCP [Stadium arcadium]
Sonic Youth [Rather ripped]
Snow Patrol [Eyes open]
Dover [Follow The City Lights]
Muse [Black holes and revelations]
TV on the radio [Return to cookie mountain]
Wolfmother [self titled]
The horror The horror [Self titled]
The Kooks [Inside in inside out]
David and the citizens [Stop the tape! stop the tape!]
The Frank and Walters [A renewed interest in happiness]
The Decemberists [The crane wife]
Damien Rice [9]
Mando Diao [Ode to ochrasy]
Catpeople [Reel#1]
Silversun Pickups [Carnavas]
Maga [Self Titled]
Jon Auer [Songs from the year of our demise]
Poets of the fall [Carnival of rust]
Sexy Sadie [translate]
Bloomington [Activando la disidencia]
The Sounds [Dying to say this to you]
Feeder [The Singles]
Russian Circles [Enter]
Jeremy Enigk [World waits]
Foo Fighters [Skin and bones]

Aquí me gustaría hacer una mención especial a Minus the Bear, (ver imagen) que ha lanzado en España una edción especial de [Menos el Oso], disco originariamente de 2005, pero que, pese a esto, está incluído en el resumen dada la repercusión que ha tenido en mí esta banda.

Y creo que, por ahora, eso es todo. de todas formas hay muchos más grupos que he descubierto este año, pero que no han sacado nada, haré un mix también para que la gente los descubra.

English

As I already did last year, I am going to give my personal opinion about the best music of last year 2006, and, why not? Also (although in other post) of the music that does not belong to this one year categorically, but that, it if, I have discovered along the same one.
Beginning for the easiest thing: concerts. This year, unfortunately, I have not attend too many. The Soundtrack of our Lives in January and We are Scientists in February. Later, in Finland I saw Poets of the fall in Esplanadi's stage, and Damn Seagulls in Tavastia. Of them, probably the best was Soundtrack of our Lives, but of all forms, since they not so many, they all deserve to be remembered. As for records, here the thing is more interesting, I have had the opportunity to listen to tons of music and cd's. Here they go a few of the best discs of 2006. I am sure that with the time I will discover more, but a today, it is what I have considered:

It is very difficult to release a seconf album better than a first that has had a world repercussion and that has been praised for a lot of people: [Hot fuss] threw them into the mainstream, with songs as Somebody told me, but [Sam's town] has been in my opinion a great cd, even better than the multisales mentioned. The Killers have reached what is so difficult for many bands: to release a second album comparable to the first one, and even better.
But this year I have had some small weaknesses in the shape of album: Yeah Yeah Yeahs and their fabulous [Show your bones]. Hits like Gold Lion, Honeybear, The Sweets, Turn into and Cheated hearts make this cd a wonder; Placebo has obtained with [Meds] what, in my opinion (very discussed, certainly) did not obtain since their first album 10 years ago. For me, every single cd they released seemed to get worse. Until this. Brilliant. You can see here “Drag” Live @Rock am Ring, and here the video shoot for “Meds”.
On the other hand, Mogwai also released new disc, [Mr.Beast], new appointment after the fabulous [Happy songs happy people], is a disc that follows its sound, maybe a little more energetic and distorted that the previous one. In my opinion both are similar discs in quality and structure.Do not ask me to tell negative things about them; since I listened to the already mentioned “Happy songs…” in Norway, after waking up a saturday morning without paying attention to any other thing, I could not give up loving their songs. Friend of the night is my favorite of the disc, also first single. Before I liked them, but now… I admire Mogwai. This year, it has been released a disc tribute to Zidane as well, although a little thicker and still without so many listenings.
And two more cd's within these little weaknesses: the danish Nephew with [Inter Kom ind], a tremendous continuation for the already good [USAdsb]. Nephew sings in an original mixture of English and Danish, with very good results. It is strange, as from Scandinavian lands hundreds of bands exist that deserve to be in the top 10 of all Europe, but they are rarely able even to tour around the Old Continent, and it is very weird that they tour in Spain. A pity, because we lose great concerts, since I have had opportunity to verify, although not with Nephew. You see some videos in their website. And from Leeds arrives ¡Forward Russia!, particular name, with their [Give me a wall]. This band reunites a mixture of punk, lo-fi, melodic and dancing styles that make them special. I could happened to be known as the group of the numbers, because, until now all their songs are called like numbers: Nineteen, Fifteen pt.2, Nine, Eighteen, and some more. There were a couple of months when I listened to them every day.
From the same label in which Nirvana made history in rock, Sub Pop, also arrive two bands that are mentioned in most of the musical reviews of the past year, and in mine as well: The Thermals, with [The the body, the blood, the machine] and Band of Horses with [Everything all the Time]. The first, more energy in their guitars and dirtier, more underground, but with brilliant songs. I discovered them thanks to “A Pillar of Salt” first single of the record. About the second, they are slower, more calm but they still have something dirty in their guitars. Here the video for The Funeral.
This review is getting very long, so I am summarizing. I would like to mention the great winners of 2006: Arctic Monkeys with their multimillionaire sales of [Whatever people say I am that's what I am not], becoming famous all around the world. Now the album has become an essential, it seems that not only for me, I have had the opportunity to see and to hear its performance at Reading festival and the support they have among the English audience is the same as a cult band has. Everybody singing along the lyrics by heart. Here you can see “I bet you look good on the dancefloor” live in this festival.
And some other cd's which I do not want to write about because this would get so long:

Dashboard Confessional [Dusk and summer]
Franz Ferdinand [You could have it so much better with ....]
Amusement Parks on fire[Out of angels]
The Frames [The cost]
Jack's Mannequin [Everything in transit]
Windermere [No one wins]
Bloomington [Activando la disidencia]
Catpeople [Reel#1]
RHCP [Stadium arcadium]
Sonic Youth [Rather ripped]
Snow Patrol [Eyes open]
Dover [Follow The City Lights]
Muse [Black holes and revelations]
TV on the radio [Return to cookie mountain]
Wolfmother [self titled]
The horror The horror [Self titled]
The Kooks [Inside in inside out]
David and the citizens [Stop the tape! stop the tape!]
The Frank and Walters [A renewed interest in happiness]
The Decemberists [The crane wife]
Damien Rice [9]
Mando Diao [Ode to ochrasy]
Catpeople [Reel#1]
Silversun Pickups [Carnavas]
Maga [Self Titled]
Jon Auer [Songs from the year of our demise]
Poets of the fall [Carnival of rust]
Sexy Sadie [translate]
Bloomington [Activando la disidencia]
The Sounds [Dying to say this to you]
Feeder [The Singles]
Russian Circles [Enter]
Jeremy Enigk [World waits]
Foo Fighters [Skin and bones]

Here, I would like to mention the band Minus the Bear, that have released a special edition of [Menos el Oso], that, although it is not properly an album from 2005, I want to consider it here, due to the effect it has had on me. A great band!

I think that, by now, it is everything I have to talk about. There are many more bands I have discovered this year, but They have not released any record. Iwill select a mix with some of their songs for the people to discover them.

2006 MUSIC!

2007-01-17T00:24:00.000+01:00

Muy pronto , de hecho ya esta bastante redactado, voy a publicar un post con mi opinion sobre la mejor musica de 2006. ¡¡Estad atentos!!

Very soon I will publish a post with what it has been, in my opinion, the best music for year 2006.
Stay tuned!

January the 10th will always be special

2007-01-10T14:48:00.000+01:00

Hoy es 10 de enero. Este día siempre será especial porque un diez de enero de 2005 me encaminaba a Finlandia para mi primer trabajo serio y relacionado con mi trabajo. He recordado ese día como si fuera ayer, lo que hice el anterior, como me despedí de la gente y a quién conocí esa fecha.
Y quién me iba a decir que dos años después iba a estar etiquetando zapatos en un curro que no me importa lo más mínimo. In it for the money.
Y valiente y afortunado quien tenga una ocupacion diaria que le guste y que disfrute con ella. Espero que sea yo el elegido dentro de poco. Prometo no volver a quejarme para ir a trabajar.

English version

Today is January, the 10th. this date will be important the rest of my life because a january the 10th 2005 I left Madrid to go to Finland, to work in my first serious and related to my studies job. I have remembered that day as if it were yesterday, who I met, what I did the previous day and how I said goodbye.
And who could have told me that 2 years later I would be ordering and labelling some shoes in a job that I do give a f**k about. In in for the money, I may say. Yes!
Brave and lucky those who have a job that like and enjoy.
I hope I will be the chosen one soon. I promise not to complain anymore when I will have to go to work.

Today will never come again

2006-12-25T02:16:00.000+01:00

Today is already Christmas Day, 25th Decembre 2006. Today will not come again, it will not pass again in the whole history of the world. It is an unique day as the others. But Christmas Eve used to be a special day some years ago. And it really was.
Today I have felt very worried about future, maybe for the first time. Many "What if's" have covered my mind and make me feel very bad.
As I am drinking some red wine and listening to The Appleseed Cast I know this moment will never come back, and I know that every time I will remember "that Christmas Eve when I was 30", I will remember how horrible it has been, and I will never be able to change it.
Live your life as happy as you can feel, and do not ruin any day of your life or another's, do not ruin special days, they will never come again.

Hyvää Joulua kaikille!!!

Genetic Memory // Memoria Genética

2006-12-20T00:41:00.000+01:00

As usually: Scroll down to read the english version

Hace unos 10 días, tuve la oportunidad de ver un documental sobre un tema científico muy interesante, la verdad es que decir eso sería poco.
La cuestión suena absurda, planteada desde el punto de vista del ciudadano de a pie, pero para un cientifífico, podria tener un significado mucho más serio, y, por qué no, preocupante. La pregunta es simple: ¿Podrían nuestros comportamientos o condiciones de vida influir en el normal desarrollo de nuestra descendencia? Y ese ciudadano normal y corriente diría: No, ¿por que me habrían de influenciar las condiciones de vida que llevó mi padre o mi madre a mí hoy en dia?
Pero la respuesta podria no ser tan sencilla. Investigadores han descubierto evidencias que demuestran que, por ejemplo, las siguientes generaciones de los individuos nacidos en un ambiente de hambruna, aún sin estar en las mismas condiciones que sus padres, desarrollan las características que llevarían a pensar que tienen poca comida a su disposición. Este caso concreto fue estudiado en un remoto pueblo de Suecia, aislado en los largos inviernos lapones, u, por consiguiente, con un bajo suministro de comida. Se descubrió que, las generaciones consecuentes desarrollaban los mismos detalles fisiológicos característicos de la hambruna, aquellos que sus progenitores ya poseían, y, esto es importante: incluso sin estar expuestos a esa hambruna.
¿Cuál puede ser la clave que lleva a heredar estas características, por otra parte, tan poco deseables?
El cuerpo humano está compuesto de células, millones de ellas y de muchas clases, que dan lugar a los diferentes tejidos. Cada célula por sí sola contiene la información genética que nos define: el ADN (plegado formando los cromosomas), en 2 copias, excepto los gametos: las células que están destinadas a la reproducción: poseen una única copia de la información genética.
A grandes rasgos, el ADN está formado por genes, que más tarde, en dos procesos llamados transcripción y traducción, da lugar a las proteínas, que, a su vez, tienen, cada una, una función específica en la célula o fuera de ella.
Existen millones de genes, cada uno da lugar a una proteina diferente o incluso a más, con lo cual la complejidad de la red es grandísima. No sé si alguna vez se llegará a conocer completamente. Pero no todos los genes que existen se traducen en proteinas: hay genes que llamamos latentes: no se expresan bajo condiciones normales, con lo cual, no se ve el efecto que causaría si diese lugar a la proteina que codifica.
Ahora bien, imaginemos que recibimos un estimulo externo que hace que un gen que NO se expresa normalmente lo haga. Hasta aquí todo sería normal, el gen se expresaría con o sin un efecto en nuestro organismo. El cambio de la teoría está en que la expresión de ese gen sería heredable, es decir, se daría una Memoria Genética, transmitiéndose a nuestra descendencia. La posible explicación a este fenómeno estaría en que ese estímulo incidiría en todas las células del cuerpo humano, incluidos los gametos que serán utilizados más tarde en la reproducción, con lo cual, los hijos o hijas del individuo en cuestión tendrían un gran probabilidad de presentar los mismos síntomas que el o los progenitores.
Ilustremos esto con otro ejemplo. Se investigó en mujeres embarazadas más de 7 meses el efecto que podía tner el estrés en sus vidas, y en las de sus futuros hijos. El estrés al que se sometieron las madres debido a sus ajetreadas vidas tuvo el efecto de producir Cortisol en su organismo, y, de algún modo, ese Cortisol introdujo un cambio en la expresión de un gen, demostrándose después que los hijos eran propensos a sentir estrés, incluso si las condiciones no eran adecuadas para ello.
Y, extrapolando a las consecuencias más desastrosas que éste descubrimiento tendría: abuelos expuestos a un agente externo que causa una enfermedad alterando el ADN pasarían ese gen mutado o sobrexpresado a su descedencia, con lo cual, sus nietos, por ejemplo, tendrían una más alta probabilidad de sufrir esa enfermedad que el resto de la población normal, sin estar expuestos a ese agente externo.
Ya no sólo nosotros tendríamos que preocuparnos de que lo que hacemos sea perjudicial para nosotros, tendríamos que preocuparnos de las consecuencias que podríamos provocar en nuestra descendencia.

English

About 10 days ago, I had the opportunity to watch a documentary on a very interesting scientific topic, the truth is that saying very interesting could be a little adjetive.
The question sounds absurd, raised from the point of view of the normal citizens, but for a researcher, it could have a much more serious meaning, and, why not, worrying. The question is simple: did our behaviors or conditions of life may influence the normal development of our offspring? And this normal citizen would say: Why should I be influenced by the actions of my parents?

But the response might not be so simple. Investigators have discovered evidences that demonstrate that, for example, the following generations of the individuals born in an environment of famine, yet without being in the same conditions that their parents, develop the characteristics that would lead to think that they have little food at their disposition. This concrete case was studied in a remote village of Sweden, isolated in the long winters of Lapland, and, consequently, with a low supply of food. It was discovered that, the following generations were developing the same physiological details typical of the famine, those that their progenitors already were possessing, and, this is important: even without being exposed to this famine.

What can be the key that leads to inheriting these characteristics, on the other hand, so little desirable?
The human body is composed of cells, millions of them and of many classes, which give place to the different tissues. Every single cell contains the genetic information that defines us: the ADN (folded forming the cromosomas), in 2 copies, except the gametes: the cells that are destined for the reproduction: they possess the only copy of the genetic information.
To big features, the ADN is formed by genes, which later, in two processes called transcription and translation, form the proteins, which, in turn, have, each one, a specific function in the cell or out of it.

Millions of genes exist, each one gives place to a different protein or even to more, with which the complexity of the net is the biggest. maybe it won't be completely known . But not all the genes that exist are translated in proteins: there are genes that we call latent: they do not express under normal conditions, so, we do not see the effect that it would cause if it forms the protein that it codifies.
Now then, let's imagine that we receive an external stimulus that makes a gene that does not express normally to express. Hitherto everything would be normal, the gene would express with or without an effect in our organism.The change of the theory is that this change in the gene expression would be inheritable, that is to say, a Genetic Memory, being transmitted to our descent. The possible explanation to this phenomenon would be in that this stimulus would affect in all the cells of the human body, included the gametes that will be used later in the reproduction, with which, the children or daughters of the individual in question would have one great probability of presenting the same symptoms that the progenitors.
Let's illustrate this with another example. There was investigated in pregnant women, more than 7 months, the effect that stress could have in their lives, and in those of their future children. The stress to which the mothers surrendered due to treir harassed lives had the effect of producing Cortisol in their organisms, and, somehow, this Cortisol introduced a change in the expression of a gene, being demonstrated later that the children were inclined to feel stress, even if the conditions were not adapted for it.
And, getting close to the more disastrous consequences that this discovery would have: grandparents exposed to an external agent which causes a disease altering the DNA would pass this mutated or everexposed gene to their offspring, and their grandsons, for example, would have a higher probability of suffering this disease than the rest of the normal population, even without being exposed to this external agent.

Already not only we would have to worry that what we do in our life is harmful to us, we also would have to worry about the consequences that we might provoke in our descent.

The Lake House

2006-11-24T00:44:00.000+01:00

I watched "The lake House" last thursday night. It was a very good film, full of love, magic and coincidencies, in this case with me.
It is the story about a man and a woman, who live in the same house (a marvellous one, by the way, see the picture) , but with 2 years of difference, and, somehow, they deliver letters to each other in real-time, just leaving the letters or messages in the letter box, also present in the picture.
But that is not the important thing to know, and, besides, if I tell you more about the film, I would ruin a possible attendance to the cinema.
On thursday I recovered a book I had to read since a long time ago. It is "Persuasion" by Jane Austen, a book that me and my class mates had to read 2 years back in time during Christmas 2004/05, just when I knew I was leaving to Finland. Of course, I did not read the book, I was lazy andI was getting prepared for my trip, and also I was reading "Pride and prejudice", also by Jane Austen, so I had enough, for me they are quite difficult books to read, so, I was not going to read 2 at the same time , No way! But then I tried twice or three t¡mes without a success until thursday, I started in the underground while I was coming back from visiting my grandma, and it grabbed me!
Then, in the film it is the favourite book of one of the main characters. What a coincidence! It seems that the book is about 2 persons that fall in love but could not be together at that period of their lifes, and then, after some years, they meet again. Some of the sentences Keanu Reeves pronounces could have been said for me some months ago. Sometimes things like this happen, a film then exactly shows something similar to what you lived, and of course touches you... it is normal.
So, definitely, I am determined to read the novel, also to practice my english after my graduation (now I am only going to finnish). And see what does it have for me, what things can I learn from the novel. You always get good things and new experiences from everything, that is why I like to do many different things.
I hope all the coincidences are back in my life. I need to believe in them again (I still do, but I have not seen them in some months), I need to believe that I will be happy in life. Let's believe and choose the right way.
Good night.

Autumn finally... or something like that

2006-11-20T02:13:00.000+01:00

Finally, after months of a more than usual warmer temperature for october and november, it seems that the begining of the winter is here. It is true that it has rained a lot ( what a relief!) but the temperature was really warm for this period of the year. Now, more or less for a week, temperatures have dropped a little bit, although they would be similar to those during spring in Europe or even summer. Today was sunny (it is already dark, at 18:25), and temperatures were nicer, at least for me. I can' stand when the weather is not what is supposed to be in a period of the year. Something like 10 days ago I felt like wearing my coats, but I obviously couln't, it was 20 or even more. Climate change I guess.
I played 90 minutes footbal game with my team, and it was horrible, with more reason because I also played with hangover. Maybe this was the very reason I felt so bad.
Anyway, here you have the link to see the weather forecast for Madrid.
I know that for many people in Europe this would be a stupid complaint, but I need a little bit of coldness down here in Spain. I am sorry!

Blogger beta..., good or bad?

2006-11-16T01:42:00.000+01:00

Bueno, al principio, cuando mi amigo Litri nos comunico que se había pasado a la versión beta de blogger en nuestro querido blog del Rakiss Meiniss, una punzada de incertidumbre rondó todas mis ideas acerca del diseño de la página, patrimonio de todos los jugadores y fans, y, a la vez, de mi blog, éste que estáis leyendo ahora. Realmente pasé horas hasta que "diseñé" uno que realmente me gustara y en personalizarlo, poner mil y un enlaces y códigos web de los que poco sé. Miles y miles de pruebas y presionados de ese "Vista previa". Y ahora, alarmado, veo como otros internautas se echan las manos a la cabeza y cuentan cómo han perdido TODO su blog al actualizar a la dichosa versión beta. Aparte de la incompatibilidad de algunas de las plantillas, sobre todo las más complicadas. Y la mía opertenece a ése rango, quité algo de aquí, sustituí los tamaños de algo, el color, etc etc etc. Incluso conseguí después de mucho trajín hacerlo de 3 columnas.
Con el paso de las horas, leyendo auún más comentarios y páginas web con toneladas de información sobre el tema, creo que no es tan preocupante, al menos en cuanto al diseño, más fácil, quizás, porque te permite cambiar y añadir cosas sin tener que tocar el template, cosa que tuve que hacer en este blog. De hecho ya he encontrado un template de 3 columnas muy interesante y que actualmente estoy testeando.
El problema puede resumirse en que mi blog, de 1 año y 4 meses de antiguedad, desaparezca por completo en cualquier agujero negro de la programación html. Y ahora que me acuerdo, tengo también un par de blogs más, secundarios, uno de fotografias que me gusta mucho, donde sólo posteo eso, fotografías, y otro de categorías que probablemente desaparezca con el nuevo estilo. Veremos.

Nueva cuenta adscrita a Google y más de una queja

Una cosa que no me gusta, aunque en principio carece de cierta importancia, es que tu nueva cuenta es la misma que la que posees en google (gmail), y, si no tienes una, has de crearla obligatoriamente. Un buen truco de Google para hacerse con más usuarios para su servivio de correo electrónico. Pero ya se sabe, a más grande y rica una compañía es, más tratará de serlo. Lo raro es que el rey de las búsquedas en internet no hubiera hecho nada hasta ahora con blogger, ya que fue comprado en el año 2003. Google crece sin parar, hace poco compraba también You Tube, servicio de almacenamiento de videos por excellencia del web.

No han sido ni uno ni dos los internautas que he comprobado que no gustan de Blogger beta. Algunos, obligados, por la traumática desaparición de su espacio web, y otros, simplemente porque no les ha gustado el cambio.El tema trae cola en los foros desde el momento en que se produjeron las primeras migraciones.

Recomendaciones

Mis consejos y recomendaciones son sencillos, hemos de tener paciencia con el cambio. No cambies sin estar seguro de que tu plantilla va a ser soportada sin ninguna alteración. Más vale un poco de investigación y lectura en internet y tardar un poco más en cambiar (aún no es obligatorio el cambio pero lo será en un par de meses, dicen) que encontrarte con que has perdido tu plantilla o, peor todavía, tu blog entero.
Haz un backup de TODO tu blog. Hay herramientas que lo permiten, basta tan sólo con echar un vistaz en ñblog , excelente web para utilidades de blogs. Aquí se explica fácilmente cómo hacerlo.

English version

Well, initially, when my friend Litri reported to us that Blogger had passed to beta version in our beloved blog of the Rakiss Meiniss, a twinge of uncertainty was getting about all my ideas over the designing of the website, patrimony of all the players and fans, and, simultaneously, about my blog, this one that you are reading now. Really, I spent hours until I "designed" one blog that I really liked and thousands of hours also in personalizing it. Thousands and thousands of tests and pressed of the "preview " button.

And now, alarmed, I see as other internet users throw the hands to the head and tell how they have lost ALL their blogsdue to having updated to the new version thread. Apart from the incompatibility of some of the templates, especially the most complicated. And mine belongs to those, I took something from that one of here, replaced the sizes of something, the color, etc etc etc. Even I managed, after many hours spent, to do it of 3 columns.

With the step of the hours, reading even more commentaries and web pages with tons of information about the topic, I believe that itis not so worrying, at least as for the design, easier, probably, because it allows yourself to change and to add things without having to touch control yourself, thing that I had to do in this blog. In fact, I have already found a template of 3 columns very interesting and that nowadays I am testing.
The problem can be summarized in that my blog, of 1 year and 4 months of exage, should disappear completely in any black hole of the programming html. And now that I remember, I have also a couple of blogs more, secondary, one of photographies who me pleases much, where only posteo it, you come out in photographs, and other one categories that probably it(he,she) eliminates with the new style. We will see.

New account assigned to Google and more than one complaint

A thing that I do not like, though at first lacks certain importance, is that your new account is the same that the one that you possess in google (gmail), and, if you do not have one, you have to create it obligatorily. Google's good trick to be done by more users for its e-mail service. But already it is known, the bigger and rich a company is, the more it will try to be. The strange thing is that the king of the searches on the Internet had not done anything untill now with blogger, since it was bought in the year 2003. Google grows steadily, they bought also You Tube, most famous service of storage of videos in the web.

They have been neither one nor two the internet users who I have verified that they do not please Blogger beta. Some, obliged, for the traumatic disappearance of their blogs, and others, simply because they have not liked the change. The topic brings tail in the forums from the moment in which the first migrations took place.

Recommendations

My advices and recommendations are simple, we have to be patience with the change. Do not change without being sure that your template is going to be supported without any alteration. More it is worth a bit of investigation and reading on the Internet and being late a bit more in changing (still the change is not obligatory but it will be in a couple of months, they say) that to check that you have lost your template or, worst still, your entire blog.
Do a backup of ALL your blog. There are tools that allow it, it is enough to take a look in ñblog, excellent web for utilitiesfor blogs. Here it explains easily how to do it.

Maaaaybe tomorrow, I find my waaaay hooome

2006-11-09T01:12:00.000+01:00

Acabo de terminar de ver la película "Crash", la verdad es que me ha dejado impresionado, realmente ha sido una muy buena, después de la cual me tengo que replantear seriamente por qué no veo más cine. En fin, y ¿por qué el título de este post? Cuando el film acaba, la canción "Maybe tomorrow" de Stereophonics comienza a sonar, y es una canción que me gusta especialemente, parece que definiera mi búsqueda. El largometraje da una lección a los espectadores, esos, por qué no decir todos, que juzgamos a los personajes que encarnan los actores, y con similitud con la vida real, donde no paramos de juzgar. No sé si alguien tendrá derecho a ello, a juzgar a las personas por lo que hacen, los jueces lo tienen, cierto, pero no siempre aciertan, ni siempre juzgan moralmente.
Procuro no juzgar a nadie, trato de veras de no hacerlo, porque eso significa encasillar a la otra persona para ya difícilmente dejarla salir de ese juicio. Y qué dificil es, si, realmente lo es. Personas en este mundo hay 6000 millones, más, y creciendo. No todas son personas muy buenas, otras muchas no han nacido en el lugar ni el tiempo adecuados, pero no las juzguemos por sólo 10 segundos de aparición en pantalla, si acaso molestemonos en ver el resto de su película.

I have just watched the film "Crash", the truth is that I am impressed, it really was a good film, after which I have to seriously reconsider why do not I watch more films. Well, and, what about the title of the post? When the motion picture ends, the song "Maybe tomorrow" by Stereophonics, starts to being played, and it is a song that I truly like, it looks like it defines my search..
The movie teaches the audience a lesson, those, why not saying everyone, we judge the characters whose are performed by the actors, and with a similitude the real life, where we do not stop judging. I do not know if somebody has the right to do it, to judge the people due to the things they do, Judges have the right, but they are not always right, and they do not always judge morally.
I try not to juzgar anybody, I truly try not to do it, because that means to type-cast the other person and he/she would hardly find a way to get out that judgement. And how difficult it is, yes, it really is. Persons in this world are more than 6000 millions and growing. Not every of them are good persons, many others were not born in the correct place and period of life, but let’s not judge them just for 10 seconds of appearance on the screen, let's better take a look at the rest of his/her film.

"So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home
So maybe tomorrow
I'll find my way home"

Promised pictures of Norway

2006-11-02T17:46:00.000+01:00

Ridderspranget, with its impossible shapes of ice, November 2003

Aqui están dos reproducciones de las fotos que tengo en diapositivas de mi estancia en Noruega. La primera es en Ridderspranget, un lugar atravesado por un río y con una montaña(en realidad no recuerdo si era el nombre de la montaña). Hay numerosos desniveles y cañones y unos saltos de agua espectaculares. Imprescindible una visita si estás cerca. En verano, hasta se baña la gente. En invierno, como podeis comprobar aqui, ya en noviembre parte de río está congelado y las paredes del cañón son vestidas por extrañas, pero preciosas formas imposiblesde hielo.
Allí donde criaturas de leyenda como los trolls, y animales tan reales como el alce habitan, sin embargo, igualmente difíciles de avistar que los primeros. Un lugar mágico. La segunda es de una mini-excursión que hicimos a las puertas del parque nacional Jotunheimen, este es un lago inmenso que delimitaba el parque. Al fondo se pueden ver las grandes cumbres del parque, entre las que se encuentra el más alto de Noruega.
Las fotos no están muy bien escaneadas, pero, de todas formas dan una visión de lo descrito.
En el post "Three years ago"cogué otra foto tomada en Noruega. Disfrutad!

The pictures are not so well scanned, but, however, they give a view of what is described.

These are two reproductions of the pictures I have as slides, taken during my stay in Norway. The first one is Ridderspranget, a place crossed by a river and with a near mountain (in fact I am not sure if the name corresponds to the mountain). There are many drops and canyons and some spectacular water falls. Indispensable to visit if you are nearby. In summer people even have a bath there. In winter, as you can notice, here, even in november, part of the river is frozen and the canyon's walls are dressed with strange, but beautiful and impossible ice shapes.
There, where creatures of legend like trolls and animals as real as moose live, however, equally difficult to see. A magic place. The secong picture was taken in a mini expedition to the doors of the national Park Jotunheimen, that was an inmense lake that borders the Park. In the background of the image can be seen the high peaks of the Park, among them is the highest mountain in Norway, Galghøpiggen.

In the post "Three years ago" you can find another picture I took there as well. Enjoy!

New Posts

2006-10-21T14:34:00.000+02:00

I have been quite busy in the last month, due to that I have not written anything. Now I have 2 new posts and some new pictures at Only pictures. I hope that all you visitors will enjoy them!
Thank you!!

He estado bastante ocupado durante el último mes y no he podido escribir nada. Ahora tengo 2 nuevos posts y algunas fotos nuevas en Only Pictures. Espero que toso vosotros, visitantes de esta página las disfruteis.
¡Muchas gracias!

Three years ago

2006-10-21T14:17:00.000+02:00

Three years ago I was in Lusæter gård, Heidal community, in the middle of Norway, yes, and also in the middle of nowhere, for 6 months. The farm is quite near the Galdhøpiggen, the highest peak in the country, you can check the map above.
It was the perfect spiritual retreat that I needed in that moment. It changed my life forever, and I am very proud that it did change it. I learned many things, I saw many things, impossible to see anywhere else, I made forever new friends. I saw the Aurora Borealis, Northern Lights, moreorless 3 years ago exactly. I met nature and I saw its cruelty and its love towards all things that are inside it.
And one of the most important things I have ever done or met: Freedom. I met Freedom and I will never forget it, and I will be forever thankful to whom showed it to me. A thing that every single human being should meet in his/her life, and should look for it at least once in his/her life.

Near Lusæter gård, ascending to the little mountain Gråhø, with a magnific view

I learned the correct value of things like milk in a great and warm breakfast, milk that you had previously milk from the cows. Heat in a really cold winter. Listening to music or watching a film was the best things we could do, and I was very pleased that for once in my life I had real peacefulness and silence. And that I could see the stars every cloudless night, taking pictures of them just walking away a few metres from the room I lived in. Marvellous.
I took there very good pictures with my old-fashioned (I don't mind) film camera. It was still a good one to learn. Hopefully, let's see if I can digitalize some of the slides I took.
Norway, Norway, Norway, I have you in my thoughts every day. Maybe we will meet again for a long or a short time soon.

Madness

2006-10-20T11:05:00.000+02:00

Yes, I think it is the name of a band, but this will not be referred to it, this will be referred to how mad and insane some persons are. I just do not understand why some people act as they do, and why this kind of things happen. Mankind is absolutely insane.

Si, es el nombre de un grupo de música, pero no me voy a referir a él, esto va referido a lo loco y lo poco cuerdas que algunas personas son. No entiendo por qué alguna gente actua como lo hacen, y por qué este tipo de cosas pasan. La humanidad está absolutamente loca.

Read about what happened:
Source: click here:

Protests over new golf course in Avila, Spain

Ecologists appeal to Regional Government to prevent the destruction of a pine forest in Avila, Spain.The Spanish trade union CCOO and Centaurea, an association of ecologists, are trying to force the regional government of Castilla y Leon to respect a sentence passed by the Supreme Tribunal Court and to stop all building activity in the Golf course Ciudad del Golf in Las Navas del Marqués. The regional government supports the construction of this new golf course and leisure complex in Avila, even though it involves the destruction of an extensive natural area of pine forests which are home to some of Spain's rarest bird breeds, including the black stork, imperial eagle and the black vulture.CCOO and Centaura have published a press release accusing the regional government of deliberately ignoring the sentence which was passed at the end of last week. According to the two associations, and contrary to the orders of the Supreme Tribunal Courts, this weekend the construction company has continued to cut down hundreds of trees and and other vegetation. The land belongs to a private company set up in 2000 by the regional administration of which 70 percent belongs to the local council, 20 percent to the Castilla y Leon Regional Government and 10 percent to the Provincial Government. All authorities are governed by the Popular Party. The ecologists and trade union representatives say that the decision of the company to carry on with its plans represents an act of "scorn towards social and legal order" and "revenge for the decision of the Courts, two days after sentence was passed protecting in the public's interest the very area damaged this weekend, because of its natural, environmental, landscape and ecological worth".Protests over new golf course in Avila, Spain
Ecologists appeal to Regional Government to prevent the destruction of a pine forest in Avila, Spain.The Spanish trade union CCOO and Centaurea, an association of ecologists, are trying to force the regional government of Castilla y Leon to respect a sentence passed by the Supreme Tribunal Court and to stop all building activity in the Golf course Ciudad del Golf in Las Navas del Marqués. The regional government supports the construction of this new golf course and leisure complex in Avila, even though it involves the destruction of an extensive natural area of pine forests which are home to some of Spain's rarest bird breeds, including the black stork, imperial eagle and the black vulture.CCOO and Centaura have published a press release accusing the regional government of deliberately ignoring the sentence which was passed at the end of last week. According to the two associations, and contrary to the orders of the Supreme Tribunal Courts, this weekend the construction company has continued to cut down hundreds of trees and and other vegetation. The land belongs to a private company set up in 2000 by the regional administration of which 70 percent belongs to the local council, 20 percent to the Castilla y Leon Regional Government and 10 percent to the Provincial Government. All authorities are governed by the Popular Party. The ecologists and trade union representatives say that the decision of the company to carry on with its plans represents an act of "scorn towards social and legal order" and "revenge for the decision of the Courts, two days after sentence was passed protecting in the public's interest the very area damaged this weekend, because of its natural, environmental, landscape and ecological worth".

En resumidas cuentas, ahora ya en mi lengua materna, y dando mi opinión personal: se cargaron una zona de alto valor ecológico (y quieren seguir cargándosela) para construir un maldito campo de golf para que los que les gusta este deporte (afición que yo, personalmente, detesto, pero perfectamente respetable) y unos cuantos chalets seguro que ni siquiera para vivir durante todo el año, sólo como segunda o tercera casa.... ¿En que se está convirtiendo este mundo?

Una puta locura.

Helsinki sessions

2006-09-20T01:01:00.000+02:00

Una de las cosas que me traje de mi última visita a Helsinki es un cd con 5 temas grabados en el estudio de la Kirjasto 10, biblioteca espectacular donde las haya, que, entre otras cosas e instalaciones, tiene un "estudio" donde grabar lo que te dé la gana con la sola condición de que poseas el carnet que te acredite vivir en la ciudad. Maravilloso. Una vez confirmado el hecho, y, tras la reserva pertinente, me dirigí el pasado día 4 de septiembre a dicha biblioteca, y me quedé anonadado. Una mujer perteneciente al personal de la misma me condujo a la habitación, llamemósla del pánico, y la vista era impresionante: una mesa de sonido en vertical con, lo menos, 150 botones, ésta conectada a un 8 pistas, y este conectado a un ordenador con 2 monitores TFT. Además, altavoces, micrófonos, dvd y tele, plato, una caja de ritmos (intuyo que era eso), y algo mas que no recuerdo. Y le rogué a la mujer que me explicara lo básico para poder grabar, como es costumbre, yo solo, sin agobios para tal íntimo momento. Y llamo a otra persona y en resumidas cuentas llegaron a estar 3 empleados en la sala conmigo hablando en finés y yo esperando a ver si se aclaraba cómo se utilizaba eso, y después de 1 hora y media, nada, me comunican que me tengo que ir, que reserve para otro día y que esperan que el problema se solucione.
Reservé entonces para el miércoles 6, justo un día antes de que abandonara el país. Era poco margen, pero no había otra forma. Las canciones creo que las llevaba bien preparadas, estaba bastante seguro de que la grabación iba a ser decente, no tenía ninguna presión. Había una canción que había acabado en el bus media hora antes de entrar aquel lunes, pero no importaba. La letra donde la he escrito esta escaneada aquí, la verdad es que mola el caos de escritura que hice, pocas veces he sido tan caótico escribiendo una canción, pero es que cambié y añadí cosas por doquier. Me gusta mucho esa canción, es muy buena.
El miércoles más de lo mismo, pero afortunadamente, entre que yo me habia leído un poco un manual del Pro-tools (el programa grabador) y que el chaval que vino sabia un poco más y que tuvimos un poco de suerte (todo hay que decirlo), conseguimos que aquello funcionara. Y después, tocando yo un poco más me hice con lo básico. Añadir nueva pista. Lo malo es que me quedaba una hora y media solo. Grabé 1 ó 2 en directo, sólo 1 pista y otras 2 con guitarra y voz separadamente. Quedó decente, estoy bastante contento de cómo se oye para lo malo que era el micrófono y estar yo sólo grabando sin un técnico. Y dieron las 15:00 y me tuve que ir porque otra persona había reservado de nuevo el estudio...y tenía que volver a grabar el cd!!! El día siguiente, afortunadamente tenían espacio de las 12:00 a las 14:00, o sea que echando de nuevo un vistazo a un manual del programa conseguí grabar en un cd. Además, como tenía tiempo grabé una versión acústica de "Ballenas". Querría haber grabado una nueva que tenía hace tiempo que es un hit, pero no recordaba la letra demasiado bien.
Y así abandoné Helsinki, oyendo la "más que demo" en mis cascos y mirando por última vez, quién sabe hasta cuando, las calles y suburbios de la capital finlandesa. Se oye muy bajo, pero está bien. Las "Helsinki Sessions".

One of the things I have brought from my last visit to Helsinki was a cd with 5 songs recorded at the studio that belongs to the Kirjasto 10, amazing library, that has, between other things and facilities, a "studio" where you can record whatever you want, with the only condition of having a library card that proves that you live in the city. Marvellous. Once confirmed the fact, and after the compulsory reservation, I went towards the "Bibliotek" the past september 4th and I was just astonished. A woman who belongs to the personnel led me to the room, let's call it the "panic room", and the view was impressive: a vertical soundboard with at least 150 buttons, connected to an 8-track, and this connected to a PC with 2 TFT screens. Besides, speakers, microphones, a dvd with its tv, rhythm box (I guess it was that) and something more I do not remember. I requested the woman to teach me the basics to record, as the habit is there, alone, without any stress for that intimate moment. And she called another person and, to sum up, 3 employees were in a moment at the same time with me in the room, speaking in finnish and,trying to solve the problem. In my case, just waiting to see if they clarify how to use the machine. And after one hour and a half they just said that I had to leave, that I should reserve for another day and that they expect that the problem will be fixed.
Then I reserved for the 6th , just a day before I had to leave the country. It was no so much leeway, but there was not another way. The songs I was sure that I prepared them quite good and I was quite sure too that the recording will be decent, I had no pressure. There was a song that I finished in the bus just half an hour before getting in the library, but I was not worried. The sheet where I have written it is scanned here, it is cool how chaotic the writing is, not so many times I have been that chaotic while writing a song, but this time I changed and added a lot of new sentences meanwhile. I really like this song, it is very good one, in my opinion.
On wednesday there were more problems, but, fortunately, I had read some about Pro-tools, the software I used, the kid who came knew more about it, and, with a little bit of luck, we managed to make it work properly. Then, tring other things by myself, I managed to get the basics. The worst part is that there was only one and a half hour left. I recorded 1 or 2 live, singing and playing at the same time and the rest in 2 tracks, voice and guitar separately. I am quite haoppy about the results, because the micro was a bad one and I did not have a technician.
And the clock struck 15:00 and another person came to record, and I had to come back to record a cd!! The following day fortunately they had space between 12 and 14 and I got to record on a cd. Furthermore, I had time, so, I recorded an acoustic version of "Ballenas"; I wanted to record an old song I consider a hit, but I did not remember the lyrics.
And I left Helsinki listening to the "more than a demo" in my headphones at the bus and looking through the window for the last time, until who knows when, the streets and suburbs of the finnish capital. It is not so loud, but it is ok. The "Helsinki sessions".

The sound of Silence...and rain

2006-08-29T12:42:00.000+02:00

The sky does not have a proper colour...!!

Scroll down to read the english version!!!!!

Hoy he estado en el Parque Nacional Nuuxio, en Espoo, cerca de Helsinki, una vez mas. Que belleza!! Paisajes preciosos y el verdadero sonido de el Silencio. Acogedor y a la vez impresionante. EL sonido de la naturaleza en su estado puro, solo perturbada por los molestos aviones aproximandose a Vantaa lentoasema.
No tengo sufiecientes palabras para describir lo que se siente. Pequeñez, tal vez, sí, seguro, pero es una sentimiento mas profundo que eso, te hace re-encontrarte con lo que un día fuiste en otra vida: parte de esa naturaleza, perteneciendo a ella con todas sus consecuencias, las buenas y las malas. Y que Paz... Uno se siente pequeno y afortunado de que aun existan sitios asi y que se puedan visitar.
Y despues: Lluvia. El sonido de millones de gotas cayendo a la vez. Que manera de llover! Y esto no es muy grato si estas en medio del bosque, como he dicho antes, sin refugio alguno, formando parte del medio al 100%, calado hasta los huesos como animal libre que vive en el parque.
Y al menos, me dio tiempo a dar la vuelta, completamente calado llegue al refugio donde habia comido mi bocadillo tan solo unos momentos antes. He echado de menos unas cerillas o un mechero para encender un fuego en el sitio adecuado y secar mi ropa y mi cuerpo. Al menos no era invierno, y la temperatura era agradable. Y estaba sacudiendo mi ropa sin camiseta.... pero no se seco. Y corri como nunca habia corrido hacia el autobus, a unos 3 km de distancia, parte cuesta arriba, y con solo 20 minutos de margen para cogerlo. Y lo hice, casi sin aliento, medio mareado y sudando a todo mas sudar. Ayer hice mi comienzo de pre temporada para el Rakiss. Casi me muero.
Y en casa, una ducha reparadora, una cerveza, buena musica y algo de picar. Despues un paseo disfrutando de la noche en VIikki, y vuelta a casa. Un dia para recordar.

"Marvellous landscapes"

I have been today in Nuuxio National Park, in Espoo, nearby Helsinki, another time. What a beauty!!! Marvellous landscapes and the true sound of Silence. Warm and at the same time impressive. The sound of nature in its pure state, only perturbed by the annoying sounds of the planes arriving to Vantaa airport.
I do not have enough words to describe what can be felt there. Small, you feel small, maybe, yes, sure, but it is a deeper feeling than that, it makes you find again what you were one day in another life, part of that nature and belonging to it with all its consecuences, good and bad ones. And what a Peace.... One feels small and fortunate that still places like this exist and that we can visit them.
And then: Rain. The sound of millions of drops falling at the same time. What a way of raining! And this is not very pleasant if you are in the middle of the forest, like I have said before, being part of the nature at a 100%, with no shelter to cover at, and soaked to death, like free animal that lives in the park.
And at least I had time to go back and I walked back the way I had already walked, until the shelter where I had had my lunch just few moments before. I have missed some matches or a lighter to light a bonfire, there was a place designated to do it, in order to dry myself and my clothes. At least it was not winter, and the temperature was pleasant. I was shaking off my t-shirt...but it did not dry.... And then I had to take the bus, and I ran like I had never run before, something like 3 km uphill and with only 20 minutes left to do it. And I did it, out of breath, half dizzy, and sweating to death. Yesterday I did my pre season for Rakiss, I almost die.
And at home, a shower to get my strength back, a beer, good music and something to eat. Then, a walk enjoying the night in Viikki and back home. A day to remember.

Self portraits

2006-08-18T20:13:00.000+02:00

What are you thinking about Vik?

Like painters in their days did and still do nowadays, I am some kind of maniac of self portraits, i like them, not the way I am "reproduced" in the pictures, because most of the times I don´t like them, but I do like the feeling of creation, the feeling of leaving behind a part of me that will hopefully last for a long time ...anyway... Enjoy this one, or hate it.... It is a funny one, in my opinion.

Cd´s I have borrowed

2006-08-18T19:54:00.000+02:00

I have borrowed all these cd´s from Kirjasto 10 in Helsinki. Wonderful collection of music that they have. All kind of cd´s, al considered as culture. As it should be.

Estos son los cd´s que he alquilado en Kirjasto 10 en Helsinki. Allí tienen una gran coleccion de música. Todo tipo de cd´s, todos considerados como cultura, como debería ser.

The Sea

2006-08-16T14:23:00.000+02:00

Maybe it is because I am from a city where the word "Sea " implies a long distance to cover until seeing it, but the truth is that I have never given it the importance that it deserves.
I have always loved the mountains more than the Sea, I still do, because I grew up surronded by mountains, and also because I have never liked so much the facts that "going to the beach" has in Spain. Beach culture during summer. I practiced it during years. Summer by summer, I may say, until I was 16 or 17.
But now, today, in Helsinki, just few metres away from it, I have given it its correct value. That lovely smell, that playful sounds, that sensatin of calmness...
I started to feel better yesterday and today; Today after the course I have found it, at the end of Mariankatu, surrounding Kauppatori, and I have walked towards it. And now I am just there, by its side, enjoying the care it is taking of me. I hope this feeling will last for a long time.

Written in Helsinki, 14 august 2006, 20:20 hrs. approximately.

Rainy day

2006-08-15T14:05:00.000+02:00

Today it is raining in Finland. It is funny than just when I am starting to feel better and that painful sadness is getting away through playing the guitar, writing and "The Sea"
(I will post something about this soon), Finland is crying, like crying its sadness out, like I have done, like cleaning its sadness and at the same time mine. Thank you.

First post in Helsinki

2006-08-06T14:50:00.000+02:00

Now I am just some metres away from The White Cathedral at Senaatintori, Helsinki. It is like it is taking me under its protection to make me feel better. It seems that the whole city helps me to feel better.
But today is just impossible, I feel so down that nothing can cheer me up. Today I hate life. I hope tomorrow I will love it.
My life is just a rollercoaster, always up, then down, up again, referring to my state of mind. Some days I think that everything is marvellous and that I will find my place soon, that it is a matter of a short time. But that never happens, I never reach that. I need a girl, today I need a girl specifically, I need a job I would work for free in, and a need my place. Some moments I feel so tired, of waiting to those things that never come.
I would be a dead man walking if I wouldn really enjoy some moments, like yesterday at Botta, like friday, taking pictures of the sea side here in Helsinki... I have to say thanks for that.
It is time to move to Esplanadi for a while.

Once in Espa, I have not done much, I have just sat down not even looking at the people just thinking, like I usually do, and trying to understand why things happen in my life. I have fallen asleep even, I am tired today, the night was long. Then I came here and I guess I am going home now. I don know. This is so weird, how I feel. So strange.

When the ground spits fire

2006-07-31T13:34:00.000+02:00

It is annoying how warm is Madrid in summer, it is unnatural for me and I can't stand it, it is useless to have a shower just before going out because in 10 minutes you are sweating to death. The ground acummulates heat and it spits it directly to you and to every living being. And then, the sun, fortunately only during the day, it makes impossible for me to stay outside the shade...Unbelievable.
Nowadays I don't have PC at home, so that means that I can not post even if I have ideas to do it...
I am PC junkie, I have to say, maybe, but I am sure that that will disappear when I will be busy working, and the fact that I listen to music in the PC and I am listening to it every single second I am at home, that is the main reason. I have probably lost all my mp3 and DVD's I had in my hard drive... that is a pity.
But, time is running out here in the cyber, so,I hope to see you soon, maybe from Finland.
Moikka!!!

A cup of tea after a long and cold walk

2006-07-18T14:14:00.000+02:00

They had a promise to keep. Both were at the place they promised to meet one day. They both did it, in one or another way, how does not matter anymore. Girl and boy, woman and man, meet in the Harbour, just where all these boats for tourists sail, where both took those boats themselves one day in the past, as travellers they were. It is a sunny saturday morning of a typical winter. It's cold, very, but it does not matter, it is sunny and they both like sunny winter days.
Just a Hello! and an embrace and the couple starts walking along Espa, it is all full of snow, they are walking over it, and, of course, as usual, he has brought his camera. He is talking pictures of everything, incluiding her. She is smiling, in a way, she believes him crazy, but in the good sense. He smiles too. Finally, she is his particular model, well, although he does not consider this conditions as the best to takes pictures of her. He would like it to be in a studio, at her or his place, for example. In a more intimate atmosphere. But today is a first opportunity. The conversation that has already started is great, free and easy, as the first times they talked. They are enjoying it. They really do, and they deserve it, after all the time spent in thinking and looking for an opportunity to see each other.
The station is just a few metres further away, their destination is the National Park near the city. First they are taking a train and then a bus. They will spend there some hours. An easy walking route will be enough.
It takes time to arrive to the Park, but once they are there it's worth the trip. They follow the short route finally, it's about enjoying nature, not being exhausted, maybe they are going out tonight.
The lakes are frozen, for him it is still strange and exciting, and scary, of course, he is from south Europe, and that is not common there. He likes cold, that white and attractive landscapes. When he was young he used to play with snow every occasion that he could. On the contrary, she does not like cold, she is a northern european, she prefers the warm soft summers, but she smiles because she is having fun, and she is happy, all her ghosts, all that state of apathy from the past is gone. She has been smiling all the morning, and he loves to see her on that mood. It is a true smile, it comes from her inside, from her heart.
They walk over the ice, it is not the first time, but it is still exciting. He takes more and more pictures, it is a perfect day for it. It is a perfect day for everything.
They follow the path until they choose a beautiful place, to have something like a "lunch", and some warm drink, coffee, I think. And they continue until they complete the path. It took them almost 3 hours to do it and it was very beautiful. It takes a while until the bus to return home comes, then a train, and, once in the city centre they decided to have a warm tea and more conversation, focusing on it and, why not, rest. They are tired.
They laugh at the pictures again, and he promises to give her a cd with them, or go one day to her place to tranfer them into her PC.

-And what about tonight? Do you feel like going out?
-Yes, although I am tired, but we can recover and sleep tomorrow, it's sunday.
-Ok, great!! Where do you want to go? We could maybe go to the place we met. Do you remember?
-Yes, it would be perfect if we go there. Great!

Europe, Europe, Europe,....

2006-07-13T02:34:00.001+02:00

..., the Old Europe. How beautiful it is, how many lovely hidden places belong to Europe. I was travelling through it during 2 inter rails that I will remember among the best trips of my whole life. And, no, I am not in Europe, we are not in Europe, we are in Spain, part of it geographically, but far away of its culture, respect and facilities, ok, why do I give examples...Of almost everything. Far away from everything,except sun and party. Ands I would change all our sunny days for a better country, I would without any remorse or regret. Europe starts in France, if they do consider themselves as europeans. Why don't we have trams? Why don't we have a more pleasant summer? Why that stupid (but true) sentence "Spain is different"? I am sorry, very sorry, but I am not proud of being spanish. Good night.

In the Matrix

2006-07-09T02:33:00.000+02:00

Last weekend I was talking with a friend about films. I am not very very very fond of cinema or buying Dvd's or collecting special editions. I like it, more and more since I went to Norway, where it was one of our best distractions. But nothing comparable to collecting cd's, I love that. But today it was one of these days that you feel like staying at home watching a film. I felt very bad (emotionally and physically) the entire week so I decided that it would be good to stay at home today. And it was a good choice.
I have watched the game Germany-Portugal first. Nothing really special. Germany won as I expected. Then I wanted to watch "Fargo", one of my favourite films ever, but I realized that I hadn't admired "Matrix" for a long time. Yes, well, many persons like it because their fights and such stuff. I do also, but, the philosophical similarity that it has with our reality is amazing. Just judge yourself. Maybe you like it or not, maybe you find it Science fiction, but further away, I believe, first of all, that this is a philosophical film. And a harsh critic to mankind, and I love it also. We are like a virus!! It sounds disgusting maybe, but, for me, it sounds funny because I think that, in a way, it is what we are.
I like when Morfeus tells Neo something like: "Nobody has to tell you what or who you are, it doesn't have to be prove, you just have to know it yourself" (I insist in "something like that", don't take it as read). In a society like ours, where "What the rest would say" matters, and a lot, this sentece amazes me. We have just to figure out what we are, and know it, believe ourselves important, because we are. KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
Goodnight, inhabitants of the Matrix.

Writings coming back

2006-07-05T02:45:00.000+02:00

Today is has just been a really bad day. 3 nights from the last 6 I have had nightmares. Today I did not, but I had a tremendous headache when I woke up. People in general in Spain don't speak English. Maybe I have figured out what to do this summer finally and maybe work and study. it is sad to say that the best thing has been the World Cup game between Italy and Germany. I've been visiting my grandmother.
But the main subject of this post is this I have written.

Tu voz
se torna ausente
tus letras desaparecen
noto tu ausencia,
pese a que nunca has estado.
Veo tu sonrisa,
en fotos de lugares dorados.
Te echo de menos,
pese a que nunca te tuve en mis brazos.
Y aún tengo (o tenía) planes,
para una visita fugaz,
pero en la que se pare el tiempo
y ya nada importe,
nada.

Me pregunto si aún me esperas,
fumando en la noche,
si aún sueñas con mis besos,
que te harían temblar,
si aún te ríes con mis bromas,
o te las tomas a mal.
Me pregunto tantas cosas,
y no sé ninguna.
Quisiera estar en tantos sitios,
y no estoy en ninguno.
Querría hablar tantas horas contigo
que me quedaría sin voz,
y entonces,
gastaría mi vista sólo en mirarte,
mi tacto en acariciarte,
y así,
hasta quedarme sin sentido alguno.

Your voice
turns absent
your words disappear
I feel your absence,
although you have never been.
I see your smile,
in pictures of golden places.
I miss you,
although I never had you in my arms.
And i still have (or had) plans
for a brief visit,
but, in which the time stops,
and nothing else matters,
nothing.

I ask myself
if you are still waiting for me,
while you smoke in the night,
if you still dream about my kisses,
that would make you shake,
if you still laught with my jokes,
or you take them bad.
I ask myself so many things,
and I don't know any.
I would like to be in many places,
and I am not in any.
I would like to talk so many hours with you,
that I would loose my voice,
and then,
I would consume my sight only in looking at you,
my touch in caress you,
and in that way,
until I had no more senses left.

Back from Bilbao

2006-07-04T22:00:00.000+02:00

Ayer volví de pasar 3 días en Bilbao con los Julios. Gracias desde aquí por lo BIEN que se portaron conmigo. Me hacen sentir como en casa. Pondré alguna foto en "Only Pictures" pronto. Quizás (bueno, sin el quizás) demasiada fiesta y poca visita a Bilbao, pero me tengo que buscar fines de semana en los que no haya fiestas. La proxima vez.

Yesterday I have came back after spending 3 days in Bilbao with the "Julios". Thanks a lot for how pleasant they were with me. They make feel like at home. I will post some pictures at "Only Pictures" soon . Maybe (well, without maybe) too much party and less visits to Bilbao, but I have to go another weekend withoput parties. Next time.

Today is just another day

2006-06-28T01:31:00.000+02:00

Today the calmness and peacefulness I talked about a couple of days ago has gone, lead by the weeping of a city and a nation. I haven't felt as comfortable as other nights. Helicopters, police cars with their sirens, more people than usual. The game against France and the loss of our virginity in this Football World Cup 2006 has caused a little nightmare in Spain. I have felt that all that things have spoilt my quiet and calmness walk with my dog (that is usually only interrupted by the fear he has of other dogs). Many red T-shirts, many conversations about the game. And it is just another beautiful day. And tomorrow it will also. Nothing should change that. Our life will not change just with a game or a result. Forget about it fast and enjoy life. I want to have my calm nights again. Life is not a 90 minutes game. It is just a little longer.

Again here

2006-06-26T00:51:00.000+02:00

It was such a long time with no new posts, I was not so inspired to do it and I have been quite busy.
I am listening to the new Sonic Youth record. It is very good, I guess. It is my first listening.
Just back from getting the dog out. I only find peacefulness, calmness, and, of course, a pleasant temperature at night in this city. The stress of a big city is suddenly gone. I like it. Only a few people walking, or enjoying Madrid's marvellous temperature at night: 24ºC. Many, many, many, cities and their inhabitants would like to have that temperature during the whole summer the day hours. Here, we have it at night. It sounds funny.
I don't know what has changed me. I like calmness and silence in my life. I believe I am asking for too much and Madrid can not pleasantly give me that pleasure. And fresh nights...not anymore. Too big city. I would like it to be half or a fourth its actual size and population. It would be great. there should be a limit, "This city is already full. Only visits." Yep, but maybe that is too radical. I guess. Let the people live where they want. And let me dream about leaving this city.

Mundos opuestos // Opposite Worlds

2006-06-13T01:50:00.000+02:00

Esto fue escrito el pasado día 6 de junio, y ha sido traducido hoy, día 13 del mismo mes.
This was written las 6th of june, and it was translated today, 13th of the same month.

Gran diferencia
la que representa tan sólo un cristal,
una puerta cerrada,
pero aún transparente para algunos.
Dos mundos opuestos
separados sólo por centímetros,
y por libertades contrarias.

Pájaros se dejan mecer fuera en las ramas al sol,
sólo porque lo desean,
personas dentro ni siquiera se dan cuenta,
de lo que son privadas.

Días y días pasar
ninguno de ellos es diferente,
en todos esa misma espera,
esa triste calma,
donde uno a uno todos abandonan el barco,
de pena o arrastrados
por olas de olvido.

Tantos y tan bellos ojos profundos,
ojos que han visto vidas enteras,
y que ahora te miran con pena,
de verse con almas expertas,
pero cuerpos que no responden.

Ojos que recuerdan qué han sido,
cada instante incluído en sus vidas,
que se ven abocados ahora a un final poco digno,
a una sinrazón que sólo ellos no ven lógica.

Big difference
that one represented by only a glass,
a closed door, but still transparent for some.
Two opposite worlds,
only separated by centimetres
and by contrary freedoms.

Birds let themselves being rocked outside in the branches at the sun,
only because they wish it,
people inside don't even notice
of what they are deprived.

Days and days pass,
none of them are different,
all with that same wait,
that sad calmness,
where one by one all drop out of the ship,
of sorrow or swept out
by waves of oblivion.

Many and such beautiful deep eyes,
eyes that have seen entire lifes,
and that now look at you with grief,
of seeing themselves with expert souls,
but bodies that don't respond.

Eyes that remember what have them be,
every instant filmed in their lifes,
that now see themselves doomed to a non worthy end,
to an unreasonableness that only them don't see logic.

The misunderstood (persons)

2006-06-05T01:51:00.000+02:00

It seems to be the title of a film, a sad one, I believe it could be. Every single day of our lives we meet people who, in one way or other, are different and apart of the society. And they are discriminated or treated in different ways because this conditions. It doesn't matter if it is skin colour, or religion, that is obvious, but this fact goes further on, and things less obvious, like those who think different, who have differerent ideas than the rest, those ideas that nobody understand or such conditions nobody care about. For example, where is the limit between a sect and a religion? Or why is a religion considered the evil religion for other religions, if they are all the same? They are trying to look for something they don't have with quite stupid rules sometimes, very stupid rules, I must say. Rules shouldn't exist.
Those people are just put aside of the society, the others don't even try to understand their ideas, the others just judge.
A great example of this are The elderly people. We just don't understand them, Do you know why? Because we are not old, we will only understand them, and we will become part of the Misunderstoods, when we will get older and "nobody" will understand us.
Have you ever been in a Residence for The Elderly? Sad places, like prisons, not because they were guilty of doing anything wrong against the law, just because they are not like the rest, just because they don't fit in the society anymore.
I've been visiting my grandmother today: great and modern facilities, but still, I do not get used to the fact that she is going to spend there the rest of her life...in such an isolated place, with all the sunlight and warm that it was, the surroundings looked like a plot.There are no excuses, of being between a great area of nature, or ot, it doesn't mater, it is not important, they are not going out, they are inside forever, and the feeling of having 2 little bushes inside doesn't help... Such confortable place to live, it should be, but it is like being in jail with all the confortabilities...and of course it doesn't conmpensate. I hate it.
And I have re-discovered today two things about my life:
1.- I can not stand summers in Madrid, mainly because its unbearable hot. How do I like The Sun, yes, but I just can not be under its rays in summer here.
2.-I can see that The elderly can really see my beauty, everytime I go with my grandmother everywhere, they say to her, oh, what a cute grandson you have!! I like it. It makes me smile and it makes smile her.

Almost 13 hours listening to music

2006-05-31T02:53:00.000+02:00

Here, now listening to Jose Gonzalez I have noticed that It is such a huge number of hours. And believe me I haven't cheated anything. I have just stopped to it while I was having lunch and while I wasn't at my room. While studying finnish, while chatting, etc...always listening to Music. Today, from Jose Gonzalez to Sepultura, passing by Mogwai, Shout out Louds, PANIC! at the disco, and many many more....
You can see the list of the songs here, in a word document.
I was obliged to delete the text with the songs because it was too long.

Some moments when everything ....

2006-05-30T03:11:00.000+02:00

when everything just seems to be against you, when nothing you want to work works. It is a sensation of being nothing, nobody. But I still think that everything has a reason, and if those things haven't worked is because something.
Here I am, 3:13 at night listening to The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, at least Winamp works. I wanted to record my voice tonight, I wanted it to be a present, in fact I've been speaking for over 6 minutes without knowing than the microphone didn't work. I looked for the sofware in the internet, I made some tests, but when it had to work it didn't.
I've been also trying to write a Motivation letter for applying for money to do my PhD, I didn't know what to write and I better left it for tomorrow. Tomorrow will be a better day. I really hope I won't have those nightmares I had last night. Horrible, I mean, really horrible, maybe I will write it down some day, it is about to be written in my non-electronical diary. Why?
And that finnish language: God, why wasn't I born Suomalainen? But at least I like it.

I will keep on singing in my dreams, and I hope to dream about u.

"Good good things happen in bad towns" (Yeah yeah yeahs, Honeybear)

What will happen in The Village?

Good night

Lordi did it: They won Eurovision!!!

2006-05-21T19:16:00.000+02:00

Finally, the traditional Eurovision song contest brings something new and different into our homes, that had been punished with no reason year after year with old-fashioned clichés.
And Lordi got into the contest, not without a polemic choice in their home country, Finland, and receiving critics from a clergyman from the Orthodox Church, who said that Lordi "is a stupid joke of Finland".
But still they won.
And I say, why all that criticism?, Why all that accusations of being an incitement to Satanism? Why is still some people in Europe that close-minded?
Ok, it is not my kind of music, neither it is the "typical political cliché" music that we used and use to see at Eurovision, but at least is a REAL band, chosen by the Finns, and that is a reflect of them: Suomi has many fans of hard rock and guitar rock.
And what about Spain? Again and again and again: deplorable in a word. Why always all that spanish guitars, all that latin spirit, there's only left the bullfighter and the bull itself. It sucks. I really wanted Spain to be the last country. A comitteé of experts chose "Las Ketchup" as the candidates, and well, it doesn't get far better when the crowd has the right to do it...
Another thing that was a surprise (although i knew it) was the politic burden this contest has: we got 12!! points from Andorra!!! Al lot of countries surronding Russia voted them and the same with Scandinavians, they voted each other.

Well, and as Helingin Sanomat proclaimed this morning: "It's official: Hell has frozen over. Finland has won". And it is true, nobody who hasn't been in Finland knows how a Finn felt when they were told about their performances in Eurovision. All those years of humilliation and zero points have ended, now they have their winners: Lordi.

Time for writings

2006-05-19T13:37:00.000+02:00

Los tonos cremas de las luces nocturnas

te iluminan mientras fumas.
Tu mirada perdida
delata pensamientos profundos
y mientras, en otro lugar,
con similares luces y parecida belleza,
alguien recuerda tu sonrisa,
alguien piensa en odiar o amar la vida.

Y no sabes por qué no puedo, simplemente
aparecer de la nada en tus calles
y no en las mías;
caer, como la lluvia cae del cielo
y abrazar tus sentidos;
ser Luz que te ilumina
y transformarme luego en hombre;
ser parte de esas calles que admiras,
doblar la esquina

y ver mi cara y la tuya juntas,
y sellar un beso,
por fin,
como amantes de un pasado siglo hicieron,
como amantes de hoy en día hacen.

The night lights' cream colours
illuminate you while you smoke.
Your lost look
betray deep thoughts,
and, meanwhile, in other place,
with similar lights and alike beauty,
somebody remember your smile,
somebody think in hate or love Life.

And you don't know why can't I, simply,
appear from anywhere in your streets,
and not in mine;
fall, like rain falls from heaven,
and embrace your senses;
be Light that illuminates you
and then transform myself in man;
be part of those streets you admire,
turn the corner
and see your face and mine together,
and seal a kiss,
finally,
like lovers from a past century did,
like lovers nowadays do.