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martes, 13 de diciembre de 2011

Shakespeare's Sonnets

Sonnet number 3:

Look in thy glass, and tell the face thou viewest
Now is the time that face should form another,
Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest
Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother.
For where is she so fair whose uneared womb
5
Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?
Or who is he so fond will be the tomb
Of his self-love, to stop posterity?
Thou art thy mother's glass, and she in thee
Calls back the lovely April of her prime:
10
So thou through windows of thine age shalt see,
Despite of wrinkles, this thy golden time.
But if thou live remembered not to be,
Die single, and thine image dies with thee.

Di al rostro que ves en el espejo
que ese rostro ya debe formar otro,
Pues si hoy tu lozanía no renuevas,
Defraudarás al mundo, y a una madre.
¿Pues dónde está la bella cuyo vientre,
Siendo virgen, rehúse esa labranza?
¿O quién tan neciamente será tumba
De su posteridad por amor propio?
Reflejas a tu madre, que en ti evoca
El abril de su grácil primavera;
Así, por la ventana de los años,
Verás en la vejez tu edad dorada
Más si prefieres no ser recordado
Muere soltero, y matarás tu imagen.

sábado, 13 de agosto de 2011

Music: Bryan Adams "If I had You"

I don't Know what I'd do if I had you...It's just that I don't want to think about it because I know my dream will never come true ... so, as Calderon once said, "Dreams...dreams are"...Keep on dreaming

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugS9YF7qJs4

jueves, 28 de julio de 2011

Music : Alison Krauss & Union Station "My love follows you where you go"

Queen of bluegrass with a stunning song from her latest album "Paper Planes".

My Love Follows You Where You Go

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DeQzeou4lM

More wishes than a thousand hearts can count for you
More smiles than a merry-go-round
The sweetest ending to a bed time story told
My love follows you where you go

More laughter than a kindergarten out to play
One Sunday morning song that says it all
More Summer than the California beach can hold
My love follows you where you go

Future like a promise, your city of gold
Stubborn in your bones and Jesus in your soul
Seeing you stand there staring at the unknown
I won't pretend that it's not killing me watching you walk away slow

Take forgiveness take a prayer or take the deepest breath
And take the answers in your heart
When you wake up and the world is cruel and cold
My love follows you where you go

Future like a promise, your city of gold
Stubborn in your bones and Jesus in your soul
Seeing you stand there staring at the unknown
I won't pretend that it's not killing me watching you walk away slow

More freedom than a field of flowers in a wind
More beauty than a morning after rain
Up the steepest hill, the dark and crooked road
My love follows you where you go

Future like a promise, your city of gold
Stubborn in your bones and Jesus in your soul
Seeing you stand there staring at the unknown
I won't pretend that it's not killing me watching you walk away slow

lunes, 25 de julio de 2011

Topic: Summertime

It's summertime and everybody heads for the beaches or seaside resorts to spend their summer vacations.
Some prefer to go to the mountains rather than the beach but what it counts is to relax and try not to stress out about the daily grind of the cities.

On the beach, we cannot forget to carry with us a beach umbrella, sun lotion or towels in order to lie on the white sand while reading an interesting book or sunbathing. Try avoiding the sunny hours when the sun shines the most, you risk getting sunburnt or suffering from a sunstroke. To avoid this, do not forget to use sun lotion on your skin so that you won't get burnt. Otherwise, after sun lotion is required. Other parts of the body sensitive to the sun are our eyes so using sunglasses is a must.

And when thirsty! Drink enough water so that your body won't become dehydrated!

to head for : dirigirse hacia
to stress out : estresarse
daily grind: rutina
beach umbrella: sombrilla
sun lotion: crema solar
towel: toalla
to sunbathe: tomar el sol
to get sunburnt: quemarse
sunstroke: insolación
otherwise: (linking adverb)de otro modo
to become dehydrated: deshidratarse

domingo, 10 de julio de 2011

Song: Jennifer Paige "Stranded"

Jennifer Paige " Stranded" = Varado

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEBUBO3Jt9k

You know it only breaks my heart
To see you standing in the dark
Alone waiting there for me to come back
I'm too afraid to show

If it's coming over you
Like it's coming over me
I'm crashing like a tidal wave
That drags me out to sea
I wanna be with you
If you wanna be with me
Crashing like a tidal wave
I don't want to be
Stranded
Stranded
Stranded
Stranded
Stranded
So baby come back to me [Stranded]
So baby come back to me [Stranded]

I can only take so much
These tears are turning me to rust
I know you're waiting there for me to come back
I'm too afraid to show

If it's coming over you
Like it's coming over me
I'm crashing like a tidal wave
That drags me out to sea
I wanna be with you
If you wanna be with me
Crashing like a tidal wave
I don't wanna be
(Stranded)It's coming over you
(Stranded)It's coming over me
(Stranded)It's coming over you
(Stranded)Yeah yeah yeah

I miss you
I need you
Without you
I'm stranded
I love you
So come back
I'm not afraid to show

Crashing like a tidal wave
Drags me out to sea
I wanna be with you
You wanna be with me
Crashing like a tidal wave
I don't wanna
Stranded
It's coming over you [Stranded]
It's coming over me [Stranded]
It's coming over you [Stranded]
Stranded
Stranded
Stranded

So baby come back to me [Stranded]
So baby come back to me [Stranded]

(Stranded)Coming over you
(Stranded)Coming over you
(Stranded)Coming over me
(StrandedComing over you

domingo, 3 de julio de 2011

THANK YOU!

1, 0000 visits! Way to Go! Thanks everyone for having a look at this blog. It's always a pleasure to share every entry with you!

lunes, 27 de junio de 2011

Bookaholic: "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L.Frank Baum

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" tells the story about a girl, Dorothy, who is carried away by a cyclone to the land of Oz. Among the characters she bumps into, there's the Cowardly Lion, the Scarecrow or the Tin Woodman. This gang heads for the land of Oz in order to get something in return ( Dorothy's wish is to go back home). On their way, they will have to face plenty of dangerous beings such as the Winged Monkeys or the Wicked witches.

Here's an excerpt from chapter 7 "The Journey to the Great Oz":

They were obliged to camp out that night under a large tree in the forest, for there were no houses near. The tree made a good, thick covering to protect them from the dew, and the Tin Woodman chopped a great pile of wood with his axe and Dorothy built a splendid fire that warmed her and made her feel less lonely. She and Toto ate the last of their bread, and now she did not know what they would do for breakfast.

'If you wish', said the Lion. 'I will go into the forest and kill a deer for you. You can roast it by the fire, since your tastes are so peculiar that you prefer cooked food, and then you will have a very good breakfast.'

'Don't! Please don't,' begged the Tin Woodman. 'I should certainly weep if you killed a poor deer, an then my jaws would rust again.'

But the Lion went away into the forest and found his own supper, and no one ever knew what it was, for he didn't mention it. And the Scarecrow found a tree full of nuts and filled Dorothy's basket with them, so that she would not be hungry for a long time.

P.d. Watermelon, espero que lo entiendas :)

to bump into /bamp intu/ : encontrarse con
Scarecrow /ske:rcrou/: espantapájaros
Tin Woodman /tin wu:dmaen/ : literalmente El leñador de hojalata (hombre de hojalata
gang /gaen/: grupo
to head for /hed for/: dirigirse hacia
in return /in ritern/: a cambio
Wicked witches /wikid witchiz/: brujas malvadas
dew /diu:/: rocío de la mañana
to chop: talar, picar, cortar
axe /eiks/: hacha
deer /dier/: ciervo
to roast /roust/: asar
to beg: suplicar
jaws /djo:s/: mandíbulas
to rust /rast/: oxidarse
nuts: /nats/ castañas
supper /saper/: cena


miércoles, 15 de junio de 2011

Topic: The damage is done

Sometimes human beings can reach a level of unxecpected cruelty. Selfishness become the only path to follow leaving people you love behind. It's getting increasingly difficult to take the thorn out of my heart. The damage is done

miércoles, 18 de mayo de 2011

Vocabulary : Discovery & Adventure

To climb mountains, to paddle down rivers, to trek in the jungle, or...to stay at home!

Rucksack, knapsack, backpack = mochila
road map = mapa de carreteras
hitch-hiker = autostopista
to trek = caminar con dificultad
a trek = una excursión
to climb = escalar
compass = brújula
snake = serpiente
to snake = serpentear
diving = submarinismo
diving board = trampolín
cruise = crucero
globe-trotter = trotamundos
flippers = aletas
crossing = travesía
customs = aduana
hike = excursión a pie
to roam = vagar
to stop over = hacer escala
to take a trip = irse de viaje
tripper = excursionista
to wander = ir a la aventura, deambular
thirst for adventure = sed de aventuras

miércoles, 11 de mayo de 2011

Topic: Mind, body and spirit

Below there are some questions concerning mind, body and spirit. Among these questions there are body idioms and sayings that has to do with this topic.

Which things most stress you out? What stresses me out the most is being bothered whenever I am in the middle of something important, i.e, working on a report, studying or listening carefully to a foreign-language song on the radio. Generally speaking, I could say that I need a lot of concentration because I tend to get distracted very easily. Some other things that stress me out are having to deal with a lot of noise in the streets when I am at work (road works) and having to work on weekends.

Do you take any notice of superstition? Sometimes. Not necessarily superstition but déjà vus. I am prone to have dèjá vus, it is some kind of sensation lived repeatedly. It seems that everything I am living at a moment's notice is something I have already lived. I often feel this sensation and I cannot find any answer to it, maybe it is because I want to relate everything.

Have you ever had your palm read? No, never. And I've never thought about it. Actually, I don't think I believe in those things. I know there are fortune tellers and faith healers with their clientele but, personally, I wouldn't visit one. From my point of view, they only want to make money by making people hear what they want to hear and sometimes they guess right by asking too many questions to their customers. As for faith healers, that's something we should take seriously since it's not only money what is brought into game but people's health also.

Healthy body, healthy mind = mens sane in corpore sane

The eyes are the window to the soul = la cara es el espejo del alma

You are what you eat = eres lo que comes

Man does not live by bread alone = no sólo de pan vive el hombre

No pain no gain = todo se consigue a base de esfuerzos

jueves, 7 de abril de 2011

Bookaholic : "A CONNECTICUT YANKEE IN KING ARTHUR'S COURT"

"A Connecticut yankee in King Arthur's court" by Mark Twain sets the story in the 6th century. The main character travels through time (although at first sight it's unknown how) and finds himself in Camelot. He is compared to Merlin due to his knowledge of the upcoming future and his arts (those of a nineteenth-century man). Not only does he become the sidekick of king Arthur but he also takes part in battles alongside the Knights of the Table Round. On his way throughout Europe he comes across a lot of odd people. Archaic words are used making the reading kind of tedious.

Here's an excerpt of chapter 29 "The smallpox hut" (our man is travelling alongside king Arthur, who is in desguise so that nobody can recognize him, and get to a hut where a woman in rags begs for mercy since she caught smallpox and nobody seems to help her. This woman referring to his late husband ):

"This morning was he out of his mind, and in his fancy we were boy and girl again and wandering in the happy fields; and so in that innocent glad converse wandered he far and farther, still lightly gossiping, and entered into those other fields we know not of, and was shut away from mortal sight."



miércoles, 6 de abril de 2011

Grammar spot: Adverbs I

AWAY (adverb of Place or Motion) ; away from (preposition)

1. Place : away = "not her or not here"

E.g. "Is Mr. Cannon there?" - "No, I'm sorry, he's away on business"
       "Keep away!! This animal is dangerous"
       "I live thirty miles away"

2. Motion : away (from) = the opposite of "towards here" or "towards there"

E.g. "The dog was afraid, and ran away"
       "Please go away, I'm busy"

3. Away from (preposition) means the opposite of at or towards.

E.g. "He kicked the ball towards the goalkeeper, who fortunately headed it away from the goal"



  

viernes, 25 de marzo de 2011

Miscellaneous : Elizabeth Taylor 1932 - 2011

Elizabeth Taylor died at 1:28 AM at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles ... where she had been hospitalized for the past couple of weeks.  A private funeral will be held later this week.

Taylor's publicist says she was "surrounded by her children -- Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton."

Taylor's rep says the actress died "peacefully" from congestive heart failure, "a condition with which she had struggled with for many years." The rep adds, "Though she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was hoped that she would be able to return home.  Sadly, this was not to be."

Source : http://www.tmz.com/

Elizabeth Taylor stars in Giant, Cleopatra, Cat on a hot tin roof, Who's afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and many others.

                                           Elizabeth Taylor alongside James Dean in "Giant"

jueves, 17 de marzo de 2011

Vocabulary : Jobs

Here are some words concerning different jobs and careers.

Lawyer : abogado
hairdresser : peluquera
teacher : profesor
professor : profesor (universidad)
cook : cocinero
fireman : bombero
doctor : médico
family doctor : médico de cabecera
vet : veterinario
nurse : enfermera
baker : panadero
air stewardess : azafata
steward : auxiliar de vuelo
ticket collector : revisor (trenes)
surgeon : cirujano
pilot : piloto
salesman : vendedor
computer scientist : informático
ballet dancer : bailarín
musician : músico
painter : pintor
gardener : jardinero
butcher : carnicero
grocer : tendero
architect : arquitecto

viernes, 4 de marzo de 2011

Song : Dixie Chicks "Travelin Soldier"

Here's one of the best country songs ever by Dixie Chicks, "Travelin Soldier". It's based on the Iraq War which took place in 2003.

Two days past eighteen
He was waiting for the bus in his army green
Sat down in a booth at a cafe there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He's a little shy so she gives him a smile
And he said would you mind sittin' down for a while
And talking to me,
I'm feeling a little low
She said I'm off in an hour and I know where we can go

So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend but I don't care
I got no one to send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back here to you

Chorus: I cry
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
Too young for him they told her
Waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier
Our love will never end
Waitin' for the soldier to come back again
Never Born to be alone when the letter said
Soldier's coming home

So the letters came from an army camp

From california then vietnam
And he told her of his heart
It might be love and all of the things he was so scared of
He said when it's getting kinda rough over here
I think of that day sittin' down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don't worry but I won't be able to write for awhile

[Chorus]

One friday night at a football game
The lord's prayer said and the anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player in the marching band
And one name read and nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair

I cried never gonna hold the hand of another guy too young for him they told her waitin' for the love of a travelin' soldier our love will never end waitin' for the soldier to come back again never more to be alone when the letter said soldier's coming, {repeat chorus}

lunes, 21 de febrero de 2011

Bookaholic: FRANKENSTEIN

Here's an excerpt from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus, which makes reference to the creator of this so-called beast. The excerpt I'm about to post talks about how Frankenstein Jr feels when he realizes he's different from any other person he's encountered. So he asks his creator to make another being just like him in order to feel comfortable and accompanied.

"For some days I haunted the spot where these scenes had taken place, sometimes wishing to see you, sometimes resolved to quit the world and its miseries forever. At length I wandered towards these mountains, and have ranged through their immense recesses, consumed by a burning passion which you alone can gratify. We may not part until you have promised to comply with my requisition. I am alone and miserable; man will not associate with me; but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me. My companion must be of the same species and have the same defects. This being you must create".


miércoles, 9 de febrero de 2011

Miscellaneous : Just curiosity

Do you know when the expression "fuck"was used for the first time? and why? Or maybe the real origin of O.K. which might be considered the most used word worldwide and whose meaning has to be with the agreement of something.

FUCK :  Nowadays it's a term used to emphasize a state of rage or discontent. It has its origins in the old British Kingdom, where no one could make love without the consent of the king. When a couple wanted to have a child, an authorization by the king was required. The latter would give to the couple a plaque in order to be hung outside on the door while they were making love. The plaque would read "Fornication Under Consent of the King". So this is the origin of such a well-known word.

O.K : Throughout the American Civil War, when troops would go back to their headquarters without casualties they used to write on a blackboard  "0 killed". Hence the origin of this expression to say everything's all right.

GRINGO : During the war between the USA and Mexico in 1847, the american troops used to wear green uniform and the mexican troops used to shout at them by saying "Green go home".

SANDWICH : John Montagu, forth count of Sandwich (England) was a compulsive player and used to spend a lot of time at the table playing. One day, at lunch time, he was so engrossed in his playing that he ordered his servant to bring him "anything to eat in the open air". So the servant came with a tray full of food.

YOU ARE FIRED! : The members of the clans, many centuries ago, used to get rid of undesirable people by burning down their houses. That's why this expression is used in English for dismissing someone from his job.

SLOGAN : It is an English term that comes from Gaelic and its original form is "slaugh claim" from the old Scottish clans.


martes, 1 de febrero de 2011

Grammar spot: PERFECT TENSES

USES OF PRESENT PERFECT

We use this verb tense to talk about things that took place:

- during a period that includes past and present: They've been waiting for us an hour.

- in the past, but we're not saying exactly when: Don't tell me he's bought another new car!

- in the past with an effect or result in the present: I'm afraid I've forgotten my key

- with the time adverb "just" meaning " a short time ago": She's just gone out.

USES OF PAST PERFECT

- before something else in the past: I took the decision after I had spoken to John.

- during a period before an event in the past: All day I'd been feeling nervous but the feeling vanished.

USES OF FUTURE PERFECT

- something that will be finished before a specified time in the future: I'll have signed nearly 100 letters.

CHECK YOUR GRAMMAR!

Correct these sentences:
1. It's the third time he missed a meeting.
2. As soon as he will finish, he's going home.
3. This is the best lasagne I eve have.
4. Since we've Known each other, he always shows impeccable manners.
5. Since I've met her, I've never seen her lose her temper.

ANSWERS:
1.he has missed
2.he has finished/ he finishes
3.I've ever had
4.he has always shown
5.Since I met her

miércoles, 26 de enero de 2011

Bookaholic: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM by Shakespeare

This magical play comprises five acts in which Shakespeare makes us let our imagination run wild in a forest full of mithological creatures such as Oberon and Titania, king and queen of the fairies. This plays focuses on two lovers, Hermia and Lisander who run away to a nearby wood in Athens. They are followed by Helena and Demetrius. The cause of their escape is that Hermia's father, Egeus, wants her to marry someone she doesn't love. Meanwhile, Oberon is aware of this and decides to play a trick on the lovers by pouring some sort of love potion in their ears. The result is a real love confusion among these fours characters while all the fascinating creatures have a good time watching them arguing and having trouble with each other. Finally love is restored.

Lysander : Ay, by my life; and never did desire to see thee more; therefore be out of hope, of question, of doubt; be certain, nothing truer: tis no jest; that I do hate thee, and love Helena.

Hermia: O me, you juggler, you canker-blossom, you thief of love; what, have you come by night, and stolen my love's heart from him?

Helena : Fine i' faith: have you no modesty, no maiden shame, no touch of bashfulness? What, will you tear impatient answers from my gentle tongue? Fie, fie, you counterfeit, you puppet, you.


jueves, 20 de enero de 2011

Grammar spot : What do you look like?

When describing someone's physical appearances we must bear in mind a few words concerning physical descripton. Every question has its answer as follows:

What do you look like? (Cómo eres?)
I am tall and thin. / I am short and fat
How tall are you? / What height are you?
I am 5.8 feet tall / I'm one metre seventy tall
How much do you weigh?/ What do you weigh?
65 kg
What color are your eyes?
My eyes are blue color
I have long brunette hair  (pelo largo castaño) / straight hair (pelo liso) / curly hair (rizado) /crew-cut hair (pelo rapado) / pony tail (cola) / bun (moño) / plaits (trenzas)
To lose weight (perder peso) / to slim (adelgazar)
To put on weight (ganar peso) / to get fat (engordar)
To gain height (ganar altura) / to lose height (perder altura)

What are you like? <== To ask about personality
I am a shy person (soy una persona tímida) / I'm an extrovert person (extrovertido)

How would you describe yourself? <== This question could refer to both - as it is explained above - and could prevent you from making a mistake when it is not that clear.

sábado, 15 de enero de 2011

Topic: Yankees win

After reading about the American Civil War a few days ago, it crossed my mind that I should write about it or at least some remarks.

When we refer to the American War - well, is known by everybody that the USA has been involved in a few (the war of Independance, the I & II World War) - I mean the one which brought the Unionists and the Confederacy face to face (it is also known as the War between the States) . This war lasted for 5 years - 1861-65 - and the cause was that eleven southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America, also known as "the Confederacy", which was led by Jefferson Davis. They fought agains the Unionists, which formed the free states. Abraham Lincoln, president of the Republican Party, campaigned against slavery and tried to stop it from going beyond the borders.

Seven Deep South cotton states seceded by February 1861, starting with South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas. These seven states formed the Confederate States of America (February 4, 1861), with Jefferson Davis as president. Hostilities by the Conferedate forces in South Carolina lighted the fuse.



There were about 620,000 dead soldiers. Victory for the North meant the end of the Confederacy and of slavery in the United States.

martes, 4 de enero de 2011

Music: Shania Twain "Leaving is the only way out"

Shania has recently reported she has lost her ability to sing and after losing her voice, as she has said, she doesnt feel comfortable singing in front of people any more :(

LEAVING IS THE ONLY WAY OUT
I'm not sayin' I have all the answers
And I don't care who's right or wrong
I'm tryin' to pick up the pieces already fallen
And put them back where they belong

So slow down your horses
Stop draggin' me around
And if cryin' is the only way into your heart
Then leavin' is the only way out

We've slammed every door in anger
And we've opened wounds we can't mend
And one night lonely is one night too many
Don't wanna wake up to one more night that won't end

So slow down your horses
Stop draggin' me around
And if cryin' is the only way into your heart
Then leavin' is the only way out

When late nights and long lies came knockin'
You just invited them in
And our voices got too loud for talkin'
Then my heart hit the floor
But your feet just kept walkin'

And if cryin' is the only way you hear me hurtin'
For the lovin' that I can't live without
And if lovin' ain't the only way into your heart
Then leavin' is the only way out