SSS (i.e. Some sis stuff)

"If I had a small piece of land (in Spanish "Terrenito" for those who can catch the hilarity in the word) I would plant my own tomatoes"

M's sister

Only she hates tomatoes...

Following My sister, the online phenomenon, here some little extra insight on said phenomenon.

After making a surprisingly punctual return from Ireland a couple of weeks ago I came to realise my sister is addicted to planting things.

In the last couple of years she has managed to buy/be given the most odd sets of seeds. I have to admit I tend to indulge her planting habits, but all in all, she is always planning what to grow in the few pots we have at home that are not filled with my mom's flowers (must run in our genes, I guess).

At least we are lucky, and most of the things she plants don't even see the light, otherwise my balcony would be full of:

- Giant pumkins (no kidding).
- Cherry tomatoes
- Hundreds of tulips, and...

... The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (or so said the box).

The lack of land has made her look for alternatives, and smaller plants, thankfully. After buying seeds in a match box (that actually had the seeds stuck to actual matches), the last thing she got was a can, the size of one of those airplane cans that are so cute, painted in light blue with golden letters in which you can read:

"Grow your own luck"

You just have to guess what's in it.

And now I'll just press "publish post" cause she has been pretty intense about how much she wants to read her latest blog post.

Here you go, sis, you can keep sleeping on the couch, I'lll stay awake a little while longer, as the song says, it's hard to say I'd rather stay awake when I'm asleep... but you know these things tend to happen at some point in your work life. Damn it! my sleep schemes are totally changed... Such is life!

How did this happen?

How did this happen?

Let's be honest, I am (almost) an adult with some (not many, but some) responsibilities, so how is it possible that I find myself organizing my life and leisure around some virtual crops?

Yeah, you guessed, this post is all about Farmville.

That silly little game has such a powerful aura that you find yourself, most unconciously planning your life around your planting schedule. Sad but true... when you enter the Farmville universe you discover you are capable of constructing sentences such as: "great, I can meet you just after harvesting my crops" or "shit! my crops are going to whither..." or, my favourite "why did I ever plant this if I am not going to make it in time to harvest?"

Why all this crap now?

Simple answer, last night I found myself postponing watching one of my favourite TV shows just because I had to harvest, and, hell, why did I ever decide it would be a good idea to have a 24x24 farm? Aggghhhh... Thank God I have a harvester, a tractor and a seeder, otherwise I would be spending a great deal of time working on my farm. Am I insane? Yeap! seems I am, or else I wouldn't be staying awake only to be able harvest my silly (not so) little farm. I am lucky though and have been blessed with a steward (or sister :P) that takes prodigious care of my crops.

Farmville is a curse that threatens to mess up your life. Your friends are sick of you inviting them to Farmville, your farmville friends quit little by little, and there are times when you yourself are about to quit and then... then the Farmville meanies decide to invent something that will keep you addicted to the game for at least another two months... for instance, since the start of the year I have collected christmas gifts, valentine gifts, Saint Patrick's coins, Easter Eggs... I have built a horse stable, a french farm house, I have started co-op farming and I am dreading what will be next, but at the same time feel oddly curious.

Farmville has it's qualities though, mainly contributing to the internationalisation of all kinds of local celebratrions and popular folklore. No kidding, ever since I started planting I have celebrated the Super Bowl, Christmas, Saint Valentine, the Chinese new year, Mardi Gras (all previous three in the same weekend), Saint Patrick, Easter, and whatever stupid celebration imaginable. Ha.

As I have said, Farmville is a curse, a curse or an addiction, that no matter how busy your life is, always finds a way to crawl in your daily routine. When playing Farmville, one goes through some very common phases that range from anger to pride in a few moments:
1.- Why did I ever started playing this game?
2.- Ok, so I can't stop playing, but why on earth did I decide to expand my farm not once but 4 times????
3.- I hate harvesting, but plowing is even worse!
4.- My farm is not economically viable, why did I want to have a pretty farm when I could have an efficient farm?
5.- Please please, don't make me harvest any more.
6.- I am quitting... wait, is that a new collectable?

Then there are those who are way above the rest of us mortals... those are my favourite Farmaddicts... the members of the group "Farmville: Unlock Industrial Plantation 66x66". Seriously? Why would anyone want to decidedly inflict such torture to one self?????

And just when I thought they couldn't invent anything stupider, my steward informed me of the latest Farmville absurdity: Double Avatar Size... Why? again why? still the spark is lit and I am sure sooner or later I will complain just like the rest... "It is giagantic" or "totally useless, I want my normal avatar back". Aahhh the beauty of this double edged sword that Farmville is, you love it and hate it at the same time!

Anyhow... as much as I complain, here I am, waiting for my crops to grow so that I can finally go to bed and go back to my normal life tomorrow after 10 days of holidays.

Truths universally acknowledged...

I once read it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in posession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife, well that was the XIX century, 200 hundred years later, truths have changed, but are still universal. And I am going to prove my point:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the higher the heels are the prettier (and the more painful in a please-I'd-rather-have-my-feet-cut-off way).

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the more you try to arrive on time the later you are, and it is never your fault.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the night you say you just go out to dinner and a drink you never get back home earlier than 7am.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when your computer dies you feel as if your dog did.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that if a guy doesn't call you, the only reason behind it is he doesn't like you (not that he is shy, or afraid of your brains, or unsure of your feelings or any other he-is-not-that-into-you excuse).

It is a truth universally acknowledged that you only need your Bb and a bus ride to come up with a silly blog post...

Now I challenge anyone in the world to refute any of these truths. Volunteers?

Of course I speak out of mere observation and not experience... Such is Life.

The end of the Decade

Hey guys, it's the end of the decade... decade!!! Ten years have passed and I don't think anyone of us realises just how much we have changed. I for one have spent the last ten years getting ready for the next ten, and the trip has been real fun... But enough of this "I am getting old" stuff.

As you all now the year is almost over and I feel compelled to write my now declared traditional end-of-the-year-happy-new-year post. I hope you all spend the next 525.600 minutes in the best way, and that 2010 is just as good as you want it to be.

Looking back, 2009 may have been one of the most decisive years in my life. Studies over, the start of my work life and the end of those good times in which you had 3 months of holidays in the summer. I have to admit to you and myself that I have not been at my best, that sometimes I have tried people's patience with my whinning and complaining, more this year than the years before, and for that I have to send a huge thanks to all those that have suffered me. Starting with my family, specially my bro (yeah, you all know my bro is a sister, but she is my bro), who may be the only member in my family to read this! Then of course my friends, my closest and best of best friends, who are always there for me no matter where we are or who is our boss.

2009 was awesome despite all the drama I've thrown into it. 2009 was Brussels and Croatia and Slovenia, and Prague and Seville, the ever fun Seville... 2009 was the last summer of iddleness and three months without my bro that clashed with the begining of my days as a lawyer... fun and confusing. 2009 has been this blog, with its few faithful readers and some others that drop by from time to time. 2009 has been the TURNING POINT. I think I am ready for the next decade with its own turning points included.

I can't finish this without making some particular aknowledgements... I want to wish the best of the years to all of you, my friends and not so close friends, friends of friends, friend's families and anyone with whom I have exchanged a few words this year (boss included ha!), but specially to these amazing people: Pau, Flagüer, Dul, Ale, Sity, Mary, Claire (no better way to start the year than with you!!) María (my newest friend and Bb partner), María (as always my oldest friend), Inés (for being strong with me), Ana, Inés, Álvaro, Juan... Marielle, Lorraine, Cathaye (we have plans in the next decade girls!!), to all my friends overseas, Sebastian for all you Like clicks, Matias and your plans to come over, to all those I have met in the last few months, those I haven't seen in months. To my ever present and sweet Ro, to all those I have meant to text but never have. To everyone and anyone... HAPPY 2010.

And here it is for one last time this year... Such is Life!

Real life ensuing

I can't believe it's been more than a month since I last updated... I am a very lazy blogger, no surprise actually, I am very well aware that the number of monthly posts is proportional to the amount of spare time I have (by spare time I mean the time I used to spend at school, catching up on TV shows -sad but true- or catching up with life in general -i.e. friends and family-).

I've been very busy lately, I'm done with my two-weeks-and-a-half training period and tomorrow afternoon I'll be meeting my colleagues and boss/es... Needless to say I'm a little nervous (little= drop dead) but I am so tired of classes that I can't wait for the change.

In two weeks and a half my daily life has turned 180º, from the time when my sister woke up every morning before me, woke me up with the noise, made me angry, then left for work and left me to my own devices for the rest of the day to a no longer shared room, a sister living thousands of kilometers away and a daily routine that includes a real job and real responsabilities. I get home late and I have no sis to play Wii with (I haven't used it since she left actually), I watch Malcolm and no one falls asleep in the middle of the episode...

Three paragraphs to say two things:

1. I miss you sis!
2. Please, please, wish me luck!!!

Hey! Here it goes... Such is Life!!!

Diary of a dreadful haircut

August 18th, Day 2

Woke up at 8:30, cleaning lady arrives at 8:45 and I can't be sleeping when she arrives, house rules. Exhausted, nightmares all night dreaming I am completelly bald. I finally get out of bed and walk to the bathroom, check self on the mirror on the way, hair standing on end like a very frightened cartoon.

Unfortunatelly hair doesn't look longer, must check tomorrow again. Just my luck.


August 19th, Day 3

Woke up at 10, no nightmares but hair still not growing any longer, wonder if there's something wrong with my methabolism. Hair standing on end, look for a pin to make it less spiky. Pin works, hair looks less spiky but major new problem, pin makes self look really stupid.

Afternoon in the swimmingpool, extreme heat, decide to go in the water, water freezing cold, off the water, hair dries before I can do anything with it, check myself in a mirror, look like David Bowie in album cover (see Second parts were never good to understand picture). Drive cousin back home wearing a headband, still no improvement. Must try hat tomorrow.


August 20th, Day 4

Doctor's appointment at noon, hair still painfully short. I follow yesterday's self advice and try hat on, hair is so short it looks like I am completely bald under hat. Late for doctor, hair's fault. Find pin in the car on the way back home, try pin on, still looking stupid but at least I don't look like a rockstar, rather look stupid than rockstar. Pin still on hair before lunch, may keep it all afternoon. Huge problem, weekend approaching and social life ensues, too embarrased to take hair out with me, may buy a wig. Just my luck.

Reactions

People are extremelly lazy, me included, and commenting on my blog seems to be causing terrible laziness attacks on my readers, therefore I am making things a lot easier for you and now everytime I post something you just have to click one of the different options I provide you with to give me your opinion. Believe me I would add more options (such as "you are a freak" or "really, why do yoou keep doing this?!") but I had no more space. Sorry.

See? I care for my readers.