The new of the week in the NBA: Allen Iverson finally goes to Denver Nuggets. After spending 11 years with the Philadelphia 76ers, Allen Iverson "The Answer", finally decided to move forward into his career and go to a more competitive team with higher aspirations than the 76ers. He is a legend in Philadelphia, I hope he can continue it in Denver. He will meet there with Carmelo Anthony and Marcus Camby, we'll see how they work together... but it's promising.

I personally love Iverson... is that kind of players that does it nearly all, and does it well, the kind who can stand up a whole crowd, one that makes the ticket's price worth it. I am willing to see him in action when Carmelo returns in later January after his suspenssion.

On the Spanish side... Yesterday I saw Memphis Grizzlies VS New Orleans Hornetts, which the later won in the extra time. Gasol is back, though not at 100%, but he did an awesome game with 28 points (or so) and 10 rebounds (or so, I can't remember and am not willing to look for it). What seems obvious is that Memphis depends on him, and that he needs to move to other team if he wants his career to progress. Boston seems each day the best and most factible option... we'll see.

Well... good luck Iverson, good luck Gasol. This is the NBA... I love this game!

Quote of the day: "If I don't believe it, then they don't need me on the court. I've just got to believe that in my heart. " - Allen Iverson

 

The catcher in the rye

Posted In: . By Cobo


A couple of weeks ago I finished reading this awesome book. I read it in English which I think it was quite a good decission due to what I've heard from people who read it in Spanish.

This was a pretty controversial book when it was first edited around the 50s. I didn't find it sooooo outrageous... but I suppose you always have to figure the time and social context there was back there.

I enjoyed it a lot, either the style, the characters, and the story. There are parts in it you just laugh wheter you're in a crowded bus or at home, and others where it makes you travel to other place in your mind, and finally some other where you can't help feeling sorry.
Anyway, I recommend it to anyone who hasn't read it yet.

As you can always learn something through Wikipedia... there some side-notes who helped the black legend of the book grow even more. This are... John Lenon's killer, Mark David Chapman, had this book with him when he killed the music star. Besides, John Hinckley Jr., the man who supposedly shot Ronald Reagan was also kind of obssesed with this book. I don't personally believe in all these "you know this amazing thing?!?!?!?!?", but there they are for whoever who cares.

The book, at present, is an obligatory reading in most of USA high-schools.


Quote of the day: "I hate cameras. They are so much more sure than I am about everything." - John Steinbeck

 

¿Futuro? Esperanza...

Posted In: . By Cobo


ESPERANZA

Esperanza,
araña negra del atardecer.
Tu paras
no lejos de mi cuerpo
abandonado, andas
en torno a mí,
tejiendo, rápida,
inconsistentes hilos invisibles,
te acercas, obstinada,
y me acaricias casi con tu sombra
pesada
y leve a un tiempo.

Agazapada
bajo las piedras y las horas,
esperaste, paciente, la llegada
de esta tarde
en la que nada
es ya posible...
Mi corazón:
tu nido.
Muerde en él, esperanza.

- Ángel González -


 

Just got back from an outstanding concert!

Inlogic is the band a friend of mine plays in, formed here, in Madrid. They sing in English (yay!), and produce quite an easy-to-listen rock. From happy songs to some other deeper ones, absolutely everyone is excellent and authentic.
That's one of the things I appreciate more of them, their authenticity. Being in one of their concerts is like going out with friends to just have fun. Oscar, the lead singer, and from whom I knew about the band makes the people be part of the concert, always encouraging the people to move, sing and the most important part: have fun. And they all really achieved that this night.
They were presenting their first released record and played all the songs from it, plus two new songs and three outstanding versions of very well known songs.
Oh! And we also could watch their first videoclip, from the song "Sweet little girl". Really, it was an amazing piece of fun and good music tonight.

The concert was held in "Sala Moby Dick" one of Madrid's most important ones, and it was full of people, press, and friends. It's a shame I didn't take any picture, but I promise to do it next time.

Hope this is just the beginning of a long road... They really deserve it. You can listen to some of their songs in their official webpage and their myspace.

Rock on!

Quote of the day: "He felt that his whole life was some kind of dream,
and he sometimes wondered whose it was, and whether they were enjoying it." - Douglas Adams

 

Real Madrid VS F.C. Barcelona: one of the most important sport events in the world, and I just came back from the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
They're both the two most important teams in Spain, and two of the most important in Europe. The traditional rivalry between the two of them adds the spice to this classical match. As I said, it's probably one of the Top5 most important football (soccer for those of you from US) in the world.
I'm not a Real Madrid supporter nor a F.C. Barcelona one, but it's an awesome spectacle to assist a match like this. I went with a friend of mine, who really is a Real Madrid fan, and think he enjoyed it a lot.
Real Madrid won 2-0 with goals of Raúl and Van Nistelrooy, so one can imagine the party round the stadium after that.

With this I've just rubbed out a line of my things-to-do-before-die list.

Quote of the day: "Most of our lives are a series of images, they pass us by like towns on a highway. But sometimes a moment stuns us as it happens and we know that this instant is more than a fleeting image. We know that this moment, every part of it, will live on forever".

 

Tegan and Sara are pretty well-known in the U.S. and Canada (Canada, oh Canada, I love Canada!), and nearly all English-spoken countries, but not so recognized outside those places.
They are two Canadian twins who have been seriously rocking the world for about 6 years now.
They offer more than just concerts, interacting with the croud, giving hilarious speeches (well, except when they came to Spain as the people couldn't understand them, *sigh*), and making feel like you just spent a good time altogether.

I know thery're cute, but you guys better look somewhere else as they're both proud lesbians. They have already had problems with that and some stupid managers, and their condition shouldn't be mentioned at all (as I didn't do, but at least you'll understand the beginning of the first video below).

I love their rock-songwriter style, specially when they go acoustic.
The tones and lyrics are just impressive and let you deep in feelings, from love to hate to a wide range of diverse visions about simple and not so simple life aspects.

A couple of days ago a personal argument with a very special person reminded me of the title of this song: Where does the good go?

Direct link to the video [youtube]
Here I let you some of my preferred songs available in youtube:
Walking with a ghost
I know, I know, I know

If you haven't listened to them, you should really give'em a try. Hope you enjoy!


Quote of the day: "You can't hide from life. Eventually, you gotta live it".

 

¡Hola!

No pensaba escribir tan pronto, pero me acabo de enterar por mi madre de que Álvaro Pombo ha ganado el 55º Premio Planeta de novela.
Me alegro muchísimo por este escritor, para muchos un revolucionario de la literatura española del último cuarto de siglo, del que de momento sólo he podido disfrutar de una de sus novelas: el metro de platino iridiado, que ya ganara el Premio Nacional de la Crítica.

En esta fantástica novela viajaremos a lo largo y ancho de lo cotidiano mientras el autor nos obliga por momentos a parar, cerrar el libro, y hundirnos en las múltiples reflexiones filosóficas que se nos plantean.
En definitiva, es una mezcla de lo más real con la más pura filosofía, guiños de humor que nos recuperan de lo trágico, y una psicología de los personajes perfecta que nos provocan vuelcos inesperados y nos despiertan para mantener atenta la reflexión.
Una lectura totalmente recomendada para los que gustan del género.

Tendré que conseguir alguna obra más de Álvaro Pombo, este santaderino con pintas de lobo de mar, aunque va a ser difícil que me encandile tanto como lo hizo "El metro de platino iridiado". Cuando lea más, ya lo pondré por aquí.

Mientras tanto, felicidades Álvaro.


Cita del día: "Tu mayor competidor es lo que quieres llegar a ser." - Jim Taylor

 

Hi all!

This is the start of my blog (and if you arrived here, you must more or less know me). It will have no other things than just a mess of thoughts, curiosities, or things that happen in my life that I find it worthy to share (or maybe not).
As this is intended to be read by friends, mostly those not living around, the majority of the posts will be written in English (so sorry for possible mistakes), though some others I'll write in Spanish depending on the topic.
So, just, this is a normal personal blog of a nearly normal person at all.

See you guys!



¡Hola!

Aquí empieza mi blog, y si habéis llegado hasta aquí ya deberíais saber quién soy. No contendrá nada demasiado especial, sólo cosillas que me sucedan y me apetezca compartir o que no considere muy aburridas, curiosidades, y en definitiva, cualquier cosa que me apetezca poner sin tema concreto.
Como el blog está destinado sobre todo a que lo lean los amigos y conocidos que no tengo tan cerca, la mayoría de los "posts" los escribiré en inglés, aunque dependiendo del tema podrán estar en español.
Así que nada más... esto no es más que un blog personal, sin más ciencia que esa.

¡Nos vemos!