If you really want to hear about it...

I have finally finished reading The Catcher in the Rye for my Reading Dangerously Challenge. As I said, I read this years ago in Spanish, but I most definitely didn't get it, and in fact, could not remember very much of it.
"To tell you the truth", I was not impressed at first this time either. I just wasn't interested in Holden's ramblings and was losing all my patience with him. But suddenly, after his conversation with a cab driver about where the ducks go in winter, I was strangely hooked. I was back on my teenage years, and I felt the pain of feeling that nobody cared, that nobody understood, and that I was alone. I found myself nodding when he said things like

"All you have to do is say something nobody understands and they'll do practically anything you want them to."

Because it's just so true. And the pain, the confusion, and the self-awareness is so real.
Towards the end, though, I started getting tired of the self-pity. I could see how Holden was spiraling out of control, and I lost my patience with him. I could not understand his resistance to grow up, and I wonder if that comes when reading this book now, because I now know that, despite the fact that adult/real life is, it's so much better than being a insecure teenager with an identity crisis.
If it's a while since you read this, read the digested version from The Guardian here. Hilarious.

Twitter and cool graphics

I love Twitter, and I know the basics of how it works (although I know there is sooooo much more you can do with it that I haven't grasped yet. I'm still learning...) This video only explains the basics, but it's so well explained and the graphics are so cool and sweet, that I've already watched it several times.

Twitter in Plain English from leelefever on Vimeo.

From Noquedanblogs

Sesame Street

Of course, I looooved Sesame Street when I was a child, except I knew it as Barrio Sesamo, which translates as Sesame Neighborhood. Funny, uh? This was huge everywhere and of course, Spain was no exception! But I didn't know until recently that this wasn't a Spanish product. I think it was an episode of Friends, where Phoebe is watching it with little Ben, that made me finally accept it. I think I didn't want to know before, really.
We had all the American characters, but with different names, either translated into Spanish (Cookie Monster was El monstruo de las galletas) or with different Spanish names (Bert and Ernie were Epi and Blas). We also had some local recurring characters! And even though now I'm all for watching the original version of films and TV programmes, and I don't mind subtitles, this is the one thing I don't like in its original English. It feels WRONG! Epi and Blas did not talk like that! I don't want to change my childhood memories of it!
So, anyway, the reason I was thinking about this was this article on CNN about the background of some of the characters. It's pretty surreal.

Made me smile...

Via Swissmiss

Sit and experience

"I fear we no longer take the time to sit and experience"

From Poetry for You, @ Blurb

She had decided to stop, to look around her, to feel, to laugh and cry. To pay attention. But, after a while, everything was a blur, life rushed back in, and she couldn't stop. She didn't have time to look around anymore. No time for flowers, or colours. Stones or tress. No time for lazy breakfasts and long walks. No time to enjoy.
And then, she remembered. She had to take the time to sit and experience.

Stuff

Like so many others in the blogesphere, I'm trying to consume less, starting with a month of not buying anything. If I'm tempted, I'll watch this video again and I know I'll change my mind straight away. To watch and know where your possessions come from, click here.

Some of those films: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

I've just seen The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. A magic story about time, love, family, American history... About life and death. About old age, and young age. About someone aging backwards while all the people he loves grow older. About mortality, and the importance of making the most of life.
The fact that Brad Pitt's character ages backwards is actually not that important for most of the film, as he seemed to go through the same stages of life that a boy growing old would do. It's only when he becomes a father that he starts really thinking about the consequences of growing younger. I felt that was one of the problems with the film, the characters were rather uninteresting, bland, with nothing much to say. So much so, that not even great performances by Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett could save them.
The film is beautifully shot, and the images sometimes told the story better than words... and perhaps that was the problem. During the film, I kept thinking there was something wrong, something banal, boring about it. Of course, it was only when I read that the screenwriter was Eric Roth, who also wrote the most boring film in cinema history ever (yes, Forrest Gump) that I understood. As much I was enjoying the cinematography and the acting, there were several moments when I just wanted the movie to end. I looked at my watch (of course, never a good sign) about an hour and a half into the film and thought, OMG, and the love affair hasn't even started yet!
There were, however, charming scenes, and the sad but beautiful ending made leave the cinema thinking about life, the randomness... and the beauty of it.

Beautiful Oxford is covered in snow...

If you really want to hear about it...

Yep, I have finally started my year of reading dangerously with The Catcher in the Rye. I've actually read this book already, many years ago. I can't say that I didn't like it, but I definitely didn't get it, or at least, I didn't get as much from it, as many other people seem to have. Perhaps I was too young, perhaps it wasn't the right moment in my life, perhaps the Spanish translation I picked up wasn't very good.
I'm intrigued to see if my experience this time is similar or completely different. I'm a different person in so many ways that I wouldn't be surprised if it was. I'm much more centered now that I used to be, I'm more aware of everything around me (or at least, I like to think I'm), but, above all, I'm so much more open to other people's experiences, opinions and ideas, and so much more confident that being challenged is not longer a threat but a very welcoming experience.
So, I'm off to read and will let you know what happens.

A pretty red umbrella

It´s raining outside and I hide behind the window, not wanting to face reality. If I had a pretty red umbrella to cheer me up, I could venture in the rain. If I was feeling stronger, I would fight the black umbrellas. My red umbrella and a smile is all I need.

Photo @ Overflowing via Vespertinal