“Life is one” and today is not going to be tomorrow!

Talk to you about my time at this period of my life makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable because it means stress. It makes me think about my attitude towards life. So, I would defined myself to you as a tense person because I thing I’m not calm although I consider myself down-to earth. These thoughts probably are because I’ve got too much to do and everything I do I try to do the best as possible. I know theory about managing my time very well but the problem becomes when you haven’t learnt to say “NO”, and you don’t want to give anything up.

Nowadays, there have been many changes since those days. We live in a society that it’s always in a hurry and everybody seems to have coped with it. The more things you do, the best you are! We mustn’t forget to sit back and have a breather once in a while.

I think I can not say “I make a good use of my time”. This is not my personal perception. I occasionally have time to look myself in the mirror. In spite of the belief that there are lots of things that help you to organise your time as keep a diary, don’t procrastinate things to do or don’t leave assignments until the last minute, I never feel completely satisfied. In connection with this development, it is clear my personal problem with time is taking on too much.

To conclude I would like to said that management of time it’s a question of personality. “I wish the day had forty eight hours”, it’s a thought we would try to avoid. Personally, I wish I could learn to manage my time better and I wish it’d be soon!

Don’t forget: “Life is one” and today is not going to be tomorrow!

HAVE YOU EVER WALKED IN FIELDS OF BARLEY?

FIELDS OF GOLD by Eva Cassidy

You'll remember me when the west wind moves

Upon the fields of barley

You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky

As we walk in the fields of gold
So she took her love

For to gaze awhile

Upon the fields of barley

In his arms she fell as her hair came down

Among the fields of gold
Will you stay with me, will you be my love

Among the fields of barley

We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky

As we lie in the fields of gold

See the west wind move like a lover so

Upon the fields of barley

Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth

Among the fields of goldI never made promises lightly

And there have been some that I've broken

But I swear in the days still left

We'll walk in the fields of gold
Many years have passed since those summer days

Among the fields of barley

See the children run as the sun goes down

Among the fields of gold

You'll remember me when the west wind moves

Upon the fields of barley

You can tell the sun in his jealous sky

When we walked in the fields of gold

When we walked in the fields of gold

It's raining cats and dogs!

"The next time it begins to rain... lie down on your belly,nestle your chin into the grass, and get a frog's-eyeview of how raindrops fall... The sight of hundreds ofblades of grass bowing down and popping back uplike piano keys strikes me as one of the merriest sightsin the world."

"Malcolm Margolin"

Annoying things! ENVIRONMENT!

Talking about environment I would like to mention an important item that really worries me and I’m sure most people also and it is the lack of water. As the population grows, water is used more and more, and some places are running out of it. This is what is happening in my city, Barcelona. Recently the city has received a ship full of water from another place in the country. The city has suffered a long winter with no rain and this could happen again in the future as a terrible hot summer without water. This is a serious problem that the government should anticipate and prevent in order to solve it, but this is not enough if people aren’t aware of the problem. They have to regulate water distribution and use but we as good citizens must be very conscious of the problem, making the best use of it.

Obviously, everybody knows how to respect nature and a clean environment is synonymous of a “better life”. Personally, I try to do lots of things to improve my behaviour against pollution or environmental disasters doing things such as recycle the rubbish, to save water and electricity, to use public transport as much as possible but these measures are not enough. Probably, the problem is how much we perceive or how these problems affect us directly. As far as I’m concerned about problems such as air, rivers and sea pollution or the destruction of the ozone layer, I feel sensible with these near problems. On the other hand, I have to realise that these are just as important problems as waste disposal, overpopulation and the effects of famine or the greenhouse effect.

To finish, just to remember how important are our individual actions are if we want to improve our quality of life. Little by little, step by step we can have a better world or al least don’t destroy it more.

Another way of ART !!!!!! BODIES !!!!!!

I don’t agree with the idea that people are obsessed with having a toned body. However, I agree with the idea that people are excessively busy with having a slim body. In my opinion, the idea of being thin has grown up around the cult of celebrities. It’s a real fact that the worry and mania that is involving our society around the topic of not putting on weight is increasing.

Furthermore, people believe in drugs that are able to produce the benefits of a diet and exercise without hard work. It’s a wonder you don’t believe everything all these drugs promise in their advertisements. Despite the fact that most of these drugs are expensive and useless, people still buy them. Nonetheless, after a period of taking them to achieve some results, they realise that there’s very little success losing weight if they don’t take care of their staple diet.

On the other hand, I have to admit all surgeries I know to obtain a beautiful body have so far ended in failure. I think it is young people who go along with this idea don’t get me wrong. But, they choose surgery in breast, nose or lips without keeping an eye on their effects on their future health.

Taking everything into account, we have to accept that drugs and surgery are an attractive and an easy way for people who want to cheat their way to being beautiful. But it’s important not to forget that if you combine exercise and diet, this will surely be the best way to improve your beauty, happiness and life!

After Easter Week

One special holiday morning last week, I was having breakfast in my favourite coffee shop when I couldn’t avoid to listen to the conversation between two women talking about how long has been Easter week for some families, specially if they have children. There were only few people in the coffee shop but three children, about five or six years old, more or less, were doing the noise of hundred. Generation of spoiled brats, I thought! .Their mothers where talking about a usual topic that teachers hate at all: Teachers have too many holidays. It was too difficult don’t take part in their conversation.

Nowadays, I don’t think parents spend enough time with their children, and when they have time, most of them, don’t know how to manage them. This, sound terrible, but it’s a reality. In my opinion, this is the main reason to justify traditional family is history. Life is difficult. Parents need to spend too many hours working just to pay off. So, it isn’t a surprise the increase of small families. Debts give rise to big problems, and this is of course, a cause of divorce. Society is changing and traditional family has lots of difficulties to survive.

I agree with the idea of how the nuclear family is being substituted by other models. It means to emphasize the role of grandparents in our society. There is no point in discussing how grandparents’ functions have been increased and changed. They give undivided attention to grandchildren and sons and daughters, but we have to recognize how parents don’t give to grandparents the authority in upbringing their children in spite of the fact that most of them spent twenty four hour with them. They are accused of spoil the children. To finish I would like to say, that it’ll worth giving them all the respect they deserve to.

Modern hero!

Talking about "Modern day survivors" I would like to mention David Meca who in spite of hasn’t taken part in reality shows, he seems to do that with his heroic deed.

As you surely know, two years ago, he decided to be the first man to cross swimming the Mediterranean Sea. He used his charm and energy to raise fame. The hazardous feat made him more popular. The more than thirty hours ordeal, soaked and suffering from exhaustion, ran into trouble with dangerous weather. I think, instead of achieving a glorious arrival, he faced a gruelling trial of survival.

I’d quite like to swim more than I do but I wouldn’t cross a Sea even if you paid me a lot of millions! I’d be scared of risky animals. Despite, David Meca’s heroic survival against the odds, people showed little interest, probably because they had other matters on their minds. I am sure, had he known in advance, he wouldn’t have done. So, in conclusion, it doesn’t worth it!

Nowadays, the hero’s concept has changed. I never believed I’d actually listen to names as Jonas’s Brother, Bekan or Barbie being heroes. Children have heroes like these characters that dull their minds, causing them overlook important details of life. I’d rather they knew Eleanor Roosevelt, or Teresa de Calcutta but they don’t. It’s time we think about it carefully!

NOT UNCANNY BUT THE WORST HORROR STORY!

Hello classmates,

The story I am going to tell you it is not really an uncanny story but it is the scariest and the worst horror story you could imagine.

Eight years ago, I got up early in the morning to go to my job. At that time, I was working fifteen minutes driving from the place I live. That morning, my car made strange sounds. They were as a ghost moaning or a door creaking, so I decided not to take my car. The best and the cheaper transport were to take the train. I went to the nearest train station in my town. I never had taken the train to go to work. However, I decided it as the best solution for that day. Even though the train was the best transport for me because I am always in a rush and the car stresses me, I didn’t get used to catch it.

That morning, while I was waiting the train I started looking around me. The platform was plenty of people. Too many people on the platform, teenagers going to the school, men carrying computers, women reading books,.. . Suddenly a big whistle was listened. It was the train. But it was not my train. It was a goods’ train. When that train was arriving to the station a teenager boy, probably in his fifteen, jumped into the railway station. The driver could not stop the train in time to avoid the impact and crashed into the boy, who died instantly.

Imagine the chaos! Everybody was shocked. The train stopped some metres from the platform after a sudden brake. Quickly the police arrived and cleared the platform station of people. I don’t known what happened then. Still shaking, I looked for a taxi. Despite my shock, I had to work all day. I couldn’t concentrate during all day and I’m sure all people that were there that morning in the station didn’t either.

At night I could watch the suicide on the local TV channel. It was not a prank or a nightmare. I had an eerie sensation and weird feeling while I was listening to the news. It still comes to my mind. I wish I hadn’t been there, that day. I will never forget it. It sounds creepy, if you have children or work with them. This suicide was the buzz in my town for some days. A rumour said it was the end of a love relationship. It was a huge tragedy!

CELEBRITIES!

I think that the press should be respectful with celebrities but I personally believe they don’t have the right to privacy.

Firstly, I have to say I am not especially interested in “heart’s press”, but it’s very difficult to stay away from prying eyes of the news. Nowadays, the media put on celebrity’s lives to us. It’s very easy to set out to know everything about them, although you don’t keen on it.

Moreover, it’s important to say that not all celebrities start off with the same fame. Everybody knows micro-celebrities, look-alike and wannabe starts that give up their right to privacy when the sell their lives to take on the appearance of being a big star or pretending to be a legend.

To finish, I would like to say that what I find most absurd is when I am listening about complains as Telma Ortiz did, some months ago. She is surely surrounded by an entourage of bodyguards at her side. The public has the right to know what happens to everybody who is in the public eye. So, it doesn’t sound as much terrible that she has lost her personal trial against the press.

Don’t you think so?

MORE ABOUT SHOPING!

Nowadays, it’s a real fact international goods have become an important part of our shopping list. In my opinion we should support local and national industries but we can’t overlook the international ones.

I am keen on shopping, which means I like going shopping to cheer myself up. I go shopping to have a breather once a while. Yesterday I bought some clothes. As a curious fact, reading the labels I realised the trousers are made in China and the shoes are made in Portugal. I wish my clothes were from Spain. However, I take advantage of this situation thinking I have paid a good price.

As an anecdote, I would like to tell you how there are people in Barcelona, the city where I live, who not only refuse to buy international products, but also Spanish products. Unless the products are labelled in Catalan they are not included in their shopping list. I find it amusing that these people pay crippling supermarkets bills. They entertain the idea of a backlash against goods produced abroad, even in Spain!

To conclude, and talking about food products, I would like to mention the idea of the slow food movement. This movement defends the philosophy that production has to be cultivated and produced respecting the environment. It encourages respect for animals which are in danger of disappearing. Concluding with this idea, I think we should support products that take care of the environment more than worrying about where these products come from.

Best wishes!

Happiness and Shoping

Hello classmates!

I love shopping! But I’m not a shopaholic. Shoping is something makes me happy. Days ago I made an online test about shopping and personality and the result of the test confirmed I don’t cross the line of shopping insanity. I agree with the result as a person who is not easily sucked into shopping. The test also says that I deserve to have fun. I don’t agree with this idea because I know “It is not happier who has more but it is who needs less”.

I accept that there are different ways of shopping. Firstly, shopping as a need. Everybody needs to buy things such as food, clothes, hygienic products or medicines. Secondly, shopping on a whim, that means buying things that are not necessary or not necessary enough. I don’t agree with how some people buy things with credit cards using money they haven’t got.

My favourite shops are delicatessen shops. I can spend lots of hours looking at lovely displays with new products, new goods from different countries, sauces, wines, sweets, amongst others. There is no doubt that it is impossible to resist the temptation to buy something and sometimes overspent. This kind of shopping is an enjoyable way to relax myself most of the time. It wouldn’t be exaggerating to say that the longer I walk the aisles in a delicatessen shop, the more I relax.

I normally shop in local grocer’s, so when I go to a large supermarket it’s like a party.
Buying on the Internet can be amazing, but nowadays this sort of shopping is necessary and compulsory in some occasions. From my personal experience I need to buy lots of plane tickets that would be impossible to buy without the web.
I don’t agree small local shops have limited choice. I think that they are just disadvantaged but these kind of shops offer the advantage of being specialized. I’m sure, good ham or cheese, or the best meat or fish are not in the supermarket or in a large chain store.

To finish, lets just say that it is very important to enjoy everything you do, even shopping for simple things, carrying lots of heavy bags, standing in queues at the checkout. You could probably meet an interesting person there, couldn’t you?

Best wishes!

My poem: From Willian Shakespeare

William Shakespeare - To be, or not to be (from Hamlet 3/1)

To be, or not to be: that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,

Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,

And by opposing end them? To die: to sleep;

No more; and by a sleep to say we end

The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks

That flesh is heir to, 'tis a consummation

Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;

For in that sleep of death what dreams may come

When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,

Must give us pause: there's the respect

That makes calamity of so long life;

For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,

The oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,

The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,

The insolence of office and the spurns

That patient merit of the unworthy takes,

When he himself might his quietus make

With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,

To grunt and sweat under a weary life,

But that the dread of something after death,

The undiscover'd country from whose bourn

No traveller returns, puzzles the will

And makes us rather bear those ills we have

Than fly to others that we know not of?

Thus conscience does make cowards of us all;

And thus the native hue of resolution

Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,

And enterprises of great pith and moment

With this regard their currents turn awry,

And lose the name of action. - Soft you now!

The fair Ophelia! Nymph, in thy orisons

Be all my sins remember'd.

VIOLENCE

Violence, as we can see around us, is a phenomenon that is increasing day by day. Talking about the reasons is very difficult if we think we are living in the 21st century. I mean, we grew up in a society where some values such as tolerance, equality or respect; they must have been in everybody’s mind. The news constantly tells us unbelievable events about abductions, racial discrimination, bullying, physical violence between others. It is a pity, that these events, far of strike at the heard of people, just pass as something very far off them. In my opinion, we don’t give violence any importance or even we don’t take any notice. We are too used to hearing about violent incidents so we put up with them or simply we bury them. On the other hand, when we are conscious of the effects of violence we try to look for the guilty. Could our culture be the one to blame?

I think violence is not just a product of cultural changes, but it is caused by important changes in the social environment in which our children grow up. The numbers of hours children are left alone and the role of television and other electronic media of popular culture have all been well documented.
I agree with there are new values in our society that make us less friendly, less communicative, less sympathetic and more selfish. I think we have to consider seriously if it’s worth it!

To finish, I would like to say that to improve the situation we have a lot to do. It’s time to put an end to violence.

Best wishes!

BE ALWAYS POSITIVE, NEVER NEGATIVE!

Dear classmates,

From my point of view “to look on the bright side” could help you to have your own perception of living a lucky life. In my opinion this is synonymous of being a happy, relaxed and open person. I don’t believe in luck by itself. This is probably because not too many things have been very easy in my life.

Everything I have, I mean, satisfaction and personal achievements, have been supposed personally a constant resilience and awareness of everything I have done.It’s so true that having a positive attitude you get the breaks to improve your objectives in life without carrying anxiety or depression.

It’s all down believing that luck comes alone but I’m sure if you cope with the things that make you feel better they will help you to feel a lucky person. I think this is, in other words, the idea of how mood can influence your luck.

To think some people are luckier than other is a real fact which shows the huge nonconformity in our present society. Other factors that help support this idea, of course I consider very negative, selfish, tense or being afraid in front of the issues and the diversity of situations life present to you.In my experience I have realised the best way to consider yourself a lucky person is to have a high self-esteem.

Lots of people use self-help books to improve their lives. Although I’ve never read none of this genre I believe they help people increase their personal satisfaction.On the other hand I think a self-help book is an easy way to try to find solutions to problems or personal doubts.

To finish I would like to point out the main idea of how important it is to remember we mustn’t forget the positive and great thinking is part of our own luck, and we have to take this into account making it forefront in our minds.

Best wishes!

Bridget Jones' Diary

The title of the film I recommend to you is “Bridget Jones'Diary".

Talking about the main actors and the roles they play in the film we have to mention Renée Zellweger as Bridget Jones, Hugo Grant as Daniel Cleover, her boss and Colin Firth as Mark Darcy, a barrister and a childhood’s friend.

The film was directed by Sharon Maguire and Helen Fielding wrote the screenplay.

Frustrated with her weight, her job at a publishing firm, her continual smoking and drinking, her parents’ wobbly marriage and the outgoing crapness of her relentlessly boyfriend-free love life, Briget Jones decides to start a diary with a view to improve her life. Summarizing the story, you will see how the story shows Briget with a ticking biological clock and a terrible fear that if she doesn’t drop the weight and finds a boyfriend soon she’ll die alone.

The music in the soundtrack is great for emotional uplift. This film is a romantic comedy similar to “Coyote Ugly” where the main character is not happy with her life and decides to make a change.

If you have read the book, the film doesn’t get bogged down in as many details what are prevalent in the book. In the film there are lots of great scenes and even scenes that aren’t in the book.

In my opinion, it is an enjoyable, sweet, well-acted and romantic film worth to see! I recommend this film especially to thirtysomething girls and boys.

The start rating I give to Bridget Jones’ Diary is an EXCELLENT!

HEALTHY LIFE!

These days, I think it is very difficult to live a healthy life. The main problem surely is stress. Stress is present in our lives wherever you look. Reading newspapers you can see that the majority of headlines are about incidents caused by mental problems caused by depression.
I am sure everybody knows how to live a healthy life, but life sometimes is too difficult to live as healthy as we would like. Who has not read advertisements, articles or advice about this topic? We normally agree with everything they tell us but we don’t do anything about it.

If we would be able to consider living a healthy life, we will consequently achieve a better and happier life. Healthy lives involve health, diet and daily routines. But I would like to add the importance of personal relationships.
When I talk about health I am referring to taking care of our body, I mean doing sports, going to the doctor when you don’t feel well or being able to relax after a bad day or having a good personal hygiene. Diet involves eating well, this is, eating healthy food, going for check ups, and not eating excessively. Talking about daily routines we can mention the time we dedicate to work, to sleep or just for free time.

On the other hand, nowadays, there is no point of discussing how important personal relationships are in living a healthy life. This means, try to be positive, interesting, optimistic, friendly, and tolerant.

To finish, I would just stress that, trying to live a healthy life isn’t worth it if you don’t put enthusiasm into everything you want. Even a diet needs enthusiasm! If you can cope with a healthy lifestyle, surely you will be happy!

EXPERIENCE AS A LEARNER!

Talking about my experience as a learner makes me think of the time when I was a little child. I had a really great experience at school. I greatly admired my school teachers and I sadly missed that time when my only problems were going to school. The best I enjoyed learning were the subjects maths and science. I had many difficulties drawing and doing physical education. It was really frightening to walk the tightrope or doing somersaults . What I hated most was music probably because I never understood how to read music and I had invariably failed in playing the flute.

My most important quality as a learner in the past, but also in the present, I think it is to be a hardworking, optimistic and very positive person in the face of new learning.
Analysing the activities that make me learn best, I have to mention the pair work or group work activities and brainstorming doing projects. This gave me a interpersonal intelligence though I also learn with activities related with language which give me a linguistic intelligence. In my opinion it is very difficult to decide just a single type of intelligence in the way of learning.

I would like to emphasise how in general, people think the worst experience in students' life is when they have to repeat a primary course. Nowadays in schools repeating a course has to be a “prize” for students who have learning difficulties and not a negative experience. In my opinion, repeating a course must not be a cause of trouble but of course a nice way to improve learning.

To finish, I would like to say that the most important quality as a learner, is to have motivation, to feel interested or able to cope with difficulties and to be actively engaged in the learning process.