Kaleidoscope - english

M'énerve!

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Sat, 26 May 2007 01:20:00 -0400

Bon, j'ai des tas de trucs à raconter (mon père visite demain, ma journée à Toronto, Lily est partie, j'ai découvert Facebook), mais je n'avais pas de temps jusqu'à ce soir pour écrire quoi que ce soit de moyennement long, étant donné que j'ai plein de trucs à dire et que mes émotions, mes pensées, mes états d'âme font les montagnes russes!!!

Comble de tout, y'en a marre de BlogSpirit! Le nom est bien joli, mais je suis arrivée à la limite de mon service gratuit! Alors je veux déménager de blog, mais personne ne m'explique comment exporter! Pourtant chuis pas conne, j'ai lu tous les FAQ du "service", mais ils sont pas fichu de me donner une p'tite adresse email pour m'éclaircir! Il n'y même pas de forum, c'est fou!

Alors cher lecteurs, chères lectrices, soyez patients... Je vais faire un gros dodo et je reviendrais avec des nouvelles fraîches et une quiche au jambon! (ça c'est si je trouve un moment à moi demain!)

*

Dear all,

I will likely change of blog service as soon as I figure out how to export/import my files. Haven't found anything for the moment, and since my dad is visiting the next couple of days, it will probably take some time.

Stay tuned! I'll be back!

lalala!

Good Bye Lily!

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Mon, 21 May 2007 19:45:00 -0400

Having a pet is a big decision.

Before getting a bunny from the store, I read many sites about how to take care of a bunny, if one could have one in an appartment, etc. I knew there would be some inconvenients, but then having an animal, being in a relationship or not, being an expat or not, all has inconvenients. If so many people had a bunny, a real one, why not me?

First, she started chewing on cables. The computer microphone's cable, D fixed it. The internet cable, D fixed it. The electric thermometre in the kitchen, he still hasn't fixed it. I would laugh, he would call her "the pest". I started worring when she got a liking for my digital piano's cable. That's less funny.

Then, she somehow got stuck behind the fridge and had a bleeding ear! Oh my, I couldn't think what would be next. Would she die electrocuted while eating a power cable? Shit.

You can see the little cut on her left ear -and Malok watching- eheh

Something eventualy had to be done, but I didn't want to! She is my first pet! A cute bunny with big ears!

Friday morning, we realized that the phone was dead. No tone. Was it the answering machine? The phone itself? The line? No.
Lily had cut the wire of the answering machine.
Since D is looking for a summer job, I was afraid someone might have called him while we weren't home, fortunatly one of us had always been inside the day before...

A rabbit doesn't belong inside. Unless you have your home entirely rabbitproofed.

I called Sophia, the mum of a student, who is living in the countryside and was thinking of having rabbits in a shed for the kids. They have three small homeschooled kids and are foster parents as well. To my relief after discussing my proposition with her husband, she told me that they would take Lily back home with them after the music lesson Thursday.

I am a little sad, but at the same time I think Lily will be much happier in the country, eating grass and dandelions. :)

Badminton!

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Thu, 10 May 2007 22:24:46 -0400

Since the beginning of the week we've had a great summery weather with temperatures higher than 20°C and the accompanying humidity. We realized yesterday that it was probably cooler outside than inside our apartment (because we don't want to put the air conditioner just yet), so after a short trip to the Dollar store, we biked to the park where we played badminton with the cheap rackets and shuttlecock.

It was fun! We are very poor players, but with a little practice we got to exchange 20 birdies (with an overall of two exchanges! eheh).

Let the sun shine in!

Spring chaos

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Tue, 08 May 2007 23:20:00 -0400

I'm sorry not to have the time to post lately, but it has been one thing after the other. Have you ever noticed that funny thing in life, you either have nothing to do and are bored to death, or every "special event" happens at the same time?

Next week I'm taking time off, but before that I have students preparing exams, others singing in a local festival and all of them will participate at the little recital that I am organizing for them Saturday afternoon. I think I get more nervous as a teacher than I would as a performer! I'd like everything to go smoothly, but so many things don't depend on me!

At the same time, I am looking around to see if we can find a two-bedroom apartment. I would like to be able to teach in my "music room" rather than the living room as we are doing actually. A balcony or a yard would be a bonus. If we don't find anything better (the price is a big factor too), then I won't mind staying though. Our place is no so bad, I really like my living room window and the trees in front of it.

Tu eres mi religión - Maná

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 14:05:00 -0400

Una canción de rock latino en castellano, con la traducción en inglés... ¡Para ver si no me olvidé nada del idioma maternal! :P

Tambien, algo interessante, se nota la influencia idolatra que uno puede tener de un "amor"... ¡ ¡ Esperamos en el caso de la canción que esta pasión sea mutual!! jaja

A latin rock song from the band Maná that I like very much. The lyrics are pretty neat, although they illustrate a love that is a bit too idolatrous for my taste (and my faith!). So I made a translation to prove myself that I knew enough of my mother's language ;)

The lead singer and composer, Fher Olvera is the one who wrote Corazón Espinado in Carlos Santana's Supernatural album.

Eres Mi Religión – Maná

Iba caminando por las calles empapadas en olvido,
iba por los parques con fantasmas y con ángeles caídos,
iba sin luz, iba sin sol, iba sin un sentido, iba muriéndome.
Iba volando sobre el mar con las alas rotas.

I was walking by the streets soaked in forgetfulness
I went by the parks with ghosts and fallen angels,
I went without light, went without sun, went dying
I was flying over the sea with broken wings.

Ay, amor, apareciste en mi vida y me curaste las heridas.
Ay, amor, eres mi luna, eres mi sol, eres mi pán de cada día.

Ay love, you appeared in my life and you cured my wounds.
Ay love, you are my moon, you are my sun, you are my bread of every day.

Apareciste con tu luz,
No nunca te vayas, no, no te vayas no.
Eres la gloria de los dos, hasta la muerte.
You appeared with your light,
no, never go away, no, don’t go, no.
Your are the glory of us both, till death.

En un mundo de ilusión, yo estaba desahuciado, estaba abandonado,
vivía sin sentido, pero llegaste tú.

In a world of illusions, I was expelled, I was abandoned
I was living without sense, but you arrived, you.

Ay, amor, tú eres mi religión.
Tu eres luz, tu eres mi sol,
abre el corazón, abre el corazón.
Ay love, you are my religion.
You are light, you are my sun,
it opens the heart, opens the heart.

Hace tanto tiempo corazón, viví en dolor y en el olvido.
Ay, amor, eres mi bendición, mi religión, eres mi sol que cura el frío
Apareciste con tu luz,
No, no, no me abandones, no nunca, mi amor.

For so much time, my heart, I lived in pain and forgetfulness
Ay love, you are my blessing my religion
you are my sun that cures the cold
And you appeared with your light
No, no, no don’t abandon me, no never, my love.

Gloria de los dos, tu eres sol, tu eres mi todo
Todo, tu eres bendición.

Glory of us both you are, you are the sun, you are my whole
all your you are blessing.

En un mundo de ilusión, yo estaba desahuciado, estaba abandonado,
vivía sin sentido, pero llegaste tú.

In a world of illusions, I was expelled, I was abandoned
I was living without sense, but you arrived, you.

Ay, amor, tú eres mi religión.
Tu eres luz, tu eres mi sol,
abre el corazón, abre el corazón.
Ay love, you are my religion.
You are light, you are my sun,
it opens the heart, opens the heart.

Ay, amor, tú eres mi bendición.
Tu eres luz, tu eres mi sol,
abre el corazón, abre, abre el corazón.

Ay love, you are my blessing
you are light, your you are my sun
it opens the heart, opens the heart.

Viviré siempre a tu lado con tu luz,
moriré estando a tu lado, eres gloria y bendición.
Eres tu mi bendición, eres tu mi religión, yeah.
Eres tu mi eternidad y asta eres salvación.

I will always live by your side with your light,
I will die by your side, you are glory and blessing.
You are your my blessing, you are your my religion
your my eternity and even (!) my salvation.

No tenia nada, y hoy te tengo con la gloria,
con la gloria, con la gloria, amor, amor, amor, amor, amor.
Eres tu mi bendición, eres mi luz eres mi sol.

I had nothing and today I have with glory
with the glory with the glory love, love, love
you are my blessing, you are my light, you are my sun.

Limping

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 13:40:00 -0400

Lily is limping. I don't know what happened, did she jump too high? Fell down from the sofa? Get her foot caught in the cage while she was going out for a walk?

I'm worried, but I've read there to wait 24h in case of a sprain to see if it gets better before bringing her to the vet.

*UPDATE* April 7, 2007: I decided not to take her to the vet because 1) it's too expensive, 2) bunnies in the nature don't have anyone who takes x-rays for a sprained ankle. She just got out of her cage hopping around with all her legs, but once in a while with her "bad" leg up again... I think she is getting better, just not at the top of her shape yet. :)

Mamita blah blah grrr

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:50:00 -0400

My mum called. She has always hated cats and had convinced me up to very recently that I didn't like them either. This is the conversation that issued:

Me: Oh! (I was probably changing topic from another unpleasant one) Did I tell you we have a cat too?!
Her: Yes, you emailed me and I answered you, don't you remember? (She would have probably killed me with her sight if we were face to face)
M: Oh yeah right... Well he is very sweet. Lily and him chase each other, it's really funny!
H: You know that I've never liked cats (and I shouldn't either), they give illnesses to pregnant women.
M: (?) ... We are not planing to have kids before a couple of years anyway.
H: Oh, really? What a shame! (as if I was telling her terrible news)
M: (WTF?) Aren't you the one that told me four years ago that I was too young to marry?
H: Yes, but now I have friends who are the same age as me and are already grandma you know... (more mourning) A married woman who has no children it's very sad.

First, if the cats have been domesticated for thousands of years, I don't think they are a mortal threat to pregnant women. Unless they are allergic, but it's not my case (and I'm not pregnant).

Second, did I tell her I never wanted to have kids? No. As far as I know, D and I have been very clear with everyone, since before getting married, saying to everyone that we would wait years and years before having kids. It was a relief for her then, why does it become so important now? Because her friends are grandma. She wants to be able to brag about her own grandchildren.

I think that when we'll be parents, our children will be ours before anyone's grandkids. Also, I think that parents must realize that kids (or grandkids) don't belong to anyone. We/they grow up, get educated and eventually leave the house to start our/their own family.

My darling is my family now.

A Good Year

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 23:45:00 -0400

Saturday evening we wanted to go watch 300 at the movies, but being St. Pat's day and the end of the March break it was jammed packed with people, although as is our custom we arrived early! So instead to turn directly back home, we decided to rent a couple of DVDs: Borat, Ricky Bobby and A Good Year.

The two first ones are as we expected brainlessly funny. It's always refreshing to have a good laugh, and this kind of movie can be appreciated at home, no need watch on the big screen.

A Good Year is more meaningful. Based on Peter Mayle's bestseller of the same name, the story is of a workaholic British guy, Max Skinner (Russell Crowe), who inherits a property in Southern France. He travels from London to Provence to visit the gorgeous, overgrown vineyard which belonged to his late uncle Henry. Slowly, the women (especially Fanny Chenal, played by Marion Cotillard), wine, and Mediterranean climate transforms him from a soulless, unloved miser into a warm-hearted man able to appreciate the world and the simple pleasures of life he's let pass by him far too long.

Some books make me want to see the movie, sometimes the opposite happens too.

What I should have said...

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 22:05:00 -0500

... instead of the polite message: "Agh... I'm too tired to come too work today too. I need to rest".

"My head is full of shit, I can't think, I don't know what I'm saying. I'm sick and tired of being sick."

This was my thought on Thursday before crashing on my bed for the whole day (and sleeping 14 hours that night).

My voice is slowly coming back now. :)

More snow and stuff

noreply@blogspirit.com (Lady Iphigenia) — Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:50:00 -0500

My office job starts every morning at 9:00 during week days (I'm lucky enough to have my week-ends completely off: no office, no teaching). It's only 10 minutes away by car, 15-20 minutes with the bike (not a nice way though, busy road with lots of crazy cars and stupid trucks), or 1 hour walking (only tried once).

This morning I got out of the house half an hour earlier to start the car and brush off the snow. The parking lot behind our building wasn't cleaned. After a good 15 minutes, I get behind the wheel to finally leave for work, but the wheels of the car are stuck in the snow! Sh*t, I'm gonna be late. Get out again, shovel more ice/dirt from behind the front wheels, doesn't work! Ok, what's next? Think, think... Salt! The landlord always leaves a bucket of salt beside the back door. I go get some salt that I through behind both front tires. Still stuck. I can't wait, I'm late already! Go back inside, call the job to inform that I will be late because I have no choice but to take the bike, "OK, that's fine" says Jo.

Good thing my bike has been staying inside for the past month, I won't have my butt all wet today (when the bike sleeps outside and the bike seat is humid, I feel my butt wet the whole day, not nice). Surprise, surprise... What do I see then? The back wheel is completely flat! Oh no, and where is the pump? (Usually that's D's job) Think, think, think... Oh yeah, in the car's trunk! (because it's closer to the bikes in normal time). So I get back outside, take the pump in my hands and think that it would be worth trying one more time to see if I could drive to work instead of fighting with the pump, the flat tire, my bike in the snow... One last chance, pleeease, could the salt have reacted by now? Yeees it worked!