After I had received a few phone calls from customs about what was in the package that was coming over from the States, I started realising that maybe I was going to have to pay some import taxes. I just hadn't thought of that before.
So I called Mónica's mom (they were going to deliver the package to her place), to warn her that she was probably going to have to pay some taxes, but that I would refund her later.
I thought it could never be more than 4 dollars. Until I got the message that the package had arrived, and that the taxes were an amount of 44 dollars! That is more than 1/3 of the price of what I bought!
So I did some research on the internet, and found out that what I have to pay are customs duty and goods and services taxes.
You better keep that in mind whenever you buy something on the internet.
And to demonstrate the effectivity of Spanish couriers: It took 2 days to get the package from Dallas, Texas to Madrid. And it took another 2 days to get the package from Madrid to Asturias (5 hours by car).
Friday, October 28, 2005
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
Tracking the shipment
Oh, I'm a real technology freak. I love gadgets, and I am aware of all the cool new things that are being invented around the world. I read about them every day.
So now I bought myself a little early birthday gift on Amazon. It has to be shipped over from the US, because apparently it is not for sale in Europe (I hope it will work here though).
You know what is great about UPS shipping? That you can track your package online across the globe. And it's sooo addictive! So now I'm checking my tracking number every 15 minutes on the internet to find out where my package is.
On monday evening it was sent in Dallas, Texas. On tuesday morning it was received in Louisville, Kentucky and sent to Cologne in Germany. And this morning it arrived already in Madrid! So I should get it by tomorrow. Woohoo!
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's UPS.
So now I bought myself a little early birthday gift on Amazon. It has to be shipped over from the US, because apparently it is not for sale in Europe (I hope it will work here though).
You know what is great about UPS shipping? That you can track your package online across the globe. And it's sooo addictive! So now I'm checking my tracking number every 15 minutes on the internet to find out where my package is.
On monday evening it was sent in Dallas, Texas. On tuesday morning it was received in Louisville, Kentucky and sent to Cologne in Germany. And this morning it arrived already in Madrid! So I should get it by tomorrow. Woohoo!
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's UPS.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
August, 1991
It was the summer of 91. One of the hottest summers I can remember. I was 17 years old.
My dad ordered me to mow the lawn, cut the hedge and paint the garage doors, like he would every summer. He couldn't stand the idea that we didn't have to go to school for two months.
I was working in the garden, when he suddenly came up to me and said that I had to stay home that afternoon, because someone was coming to see me.
When I asked who, he said that a man was coming to talk to me about a holiday in France, to learn French.
My heart skipped some beats. I was stunned. He wanted to send me on a boring holiday in France to learn French?? And he never even talked to me about it until now?? He'd better think again, because I wasn't going. Nope. Nuh uh. Never.
When a guy in a suit showed up that afternoon, sat down at our livingroom table and presented some papers for my father to sign, I realized what was going on. It had all been decided already behind my back. The papers were ready to sign, and I could just as well start packing my bags. I hated my dad for not even discussing this trip with me. I was sure that I was going to have the worst time of my life.
A few weeks later, I was waiting for the bus to arrive on an abandoned market place at 6 o'clock in the morning. The bus would stop at different cities throughout belgium, to pick up other people of my age that were being sent to the same hell in France.
In my town, only the first two victims had to get on the bus, a girl and me. She was very extrovert, came to sit next to me on the bus, introduced herself and started talking very spontaneously. We got along quite well. Later that day, other participants had the idea that she and I had known each other for years.
We were all staying with local families in Tours, France. We had to attend classes in the morning and would go on excursions in the afternoon, visiting castles and vineyards. On some days, we would have the afternoon off.
A small group of participants became very close in just a few days time. We were young, wanted to have fun, and were decided to make the best of this holiday.
My French parents were very modern, very trusting. They told me that the Belgians had the reputation of going out all night. So who was I to break with that tradition.
And so some of us came together every night and went to the clubs until they closed at 3 in the morning. Afterwards, we would buy a few bottles of wine and gather at the banks of the river Loire. By the time the baker started working in the morning, we would knock on the door of his workplace for fresh bread, and when it started to get light again, we would walk home for a few hours of rest before we had to go to class again.
We had a great time. We got drunk at the vineyards, drove from one club to another in cars of total strangers that we didn't understand, mislead our supervisors by getting into cabs and getting out again at the end of the street.
When we got back to Belgium two weeks later, some of us broke down in tears while saying goodbye. For many of us, it was the first time that we had experienced independence. And although I may not have learned a lot of French during those two weeks, I DID learn a lot about myself.
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My dad ordered me to mow the lawn, cut the hedge and paint the garage doors, like he would every summer. He couldn't stand the idea that we didn't have to go to school for two months.
I was working in the garden, when he suddenly came up to me and said that I had to stay home that afternoon, because someone was coming to see me.
When I asked who, he said that a man was coming to talk to me about a holiday in France, to learn French.
My heart skipped some beats. I was stunned. He wanted to send me on a boring holiday in France to learn French?? And he never even talked to me about it until now?? He'd better think again, because I wasn't going. Nope. Nuh uh. Never.
When a guy in a suit showed up that afternoon, sat down at our livingroom table and presented some papers for my father to sign, I realized what was going on. It had all been decided already behind my back. The papers were ready to sign, and I could just as well start packing my bags. I hated my dad for not even discussing this trip with me. I was sure that I was going to have the worst time of my life.
A few weeks later, I was waiting for the bus to arrive on an abandoned market place at 6 o'clock in the morning. The bus would stop at different cities throughout belgium, to pick up other people of my age that were being sent to the same hell in France.
In my town, only the first two victims had to get on the bus, a girl and me. She was very extrovert, came to sit next to me on the bus, introduced herself and started talking very spontaneously. We got along quite well. Later that day, other participants had the idea that she and I had known each other for years.
We were all staying with local families in Tours, France. We had to attend classes in the morning and would go on excursions in the afternoon, visiting castles and vineyards. On some days, we would have the afternoon off.
A small group of participants became very close in just a few days time. We were young, wanted to have fun, and were decided to make the best of this holiday.
My French parents were very modern, very trusting. They told me that the Belgians had the reputation of going out all night. So who was I to break with that tradition.
And so some of us came together every night and went to the clubs until they closed at 3 in the morning. Afterwards, we would buy a few bottles of wine and gather at the banks of the river Loire. By the time the baker started working in the morning, we would knock on the door of his workplace for fresh bread, and when it started to get light again, we would walk home for a few hours of rest before we had to go to class again.
We had a great time. We got drunk at the vineyards, drove from one club to another in cars of total strangers that we didn't understand, mislead our supervisors by getting into cabs and getting out again at the end of the street.
When we got back to Belgium two weeks later, some of us broke down in tears while saying goodbye. For many of us, it was the first time that we had experienced independence. And although I may not have learned a lot of French during those two weeks, I DID learn a lot about myself.
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Wednesday, October 19, 2005
1 year
Happy birthday, blog!
Yes, it has been 1 year since I wrote my first post on this blog, although the URL and name were different at that time. My nosy colleagues forced me to go undercover a little while ago. Too bad, because the number of visitors declined with it.
Or that could also be because of the level of my posts, of course.
Anyway, I will be back at full force as soon as things at work slow down a little.
Yes, it has been 1 year since I wrote my first post on this blog, although the URL and name were different at that time. My nosy colleagues forced me to go undercover a little while ago. Too bad, because the number of visitors declined with it.
Or that could also be because of the level of my posts, of course.
Anyway, I will be back at full force as soon as things at work slow down a little.
Monday, October 17, 2005
The Matrix
Proof that I am living in a virtual, controlled world:
- All the wishes that I did on the falling stars of the Perseid meteor showers that reoccur every year in August, have come true.
- I finished two college degrees successfully, despite the fact that I was partying all the time, and only started studying and copying notes two weeks before the exams started.
- I was offered a job in Spain after one 10 minute job interview on the phone, only 6 kilometers from the city where Mónica was living. Spain is BIG. I had been looking for a job in Spain for less than 2 weeks. I was still living in Belgium.
- I went to Spanish classes twice a week for only 3 months before I moved to Spain. I started working in a team of Spanish people and the language was never a problem for me. Now I speak Spanish fluently.
- Mónica and I moved in together, after only meeting each other 5 times in 10 years, on holidays that lasted less than two weeks. We are having a great relationship.
Does your life sometimes seem strange to you?
- All the wishes that I did on the falling stars of the Perseid meteor showers that reoccur every year in August, have come true.
- I finished two college degrees successfully, despite the fact that I was partying all the time, and only started studying and copying notes two weeks before the exams started.
- I was offered a job in Spain after one 10 minute job interview on the phone, only 6 kilometers from the city where Mónica was living. Spain is BIG. I had been looking for a job in Spain for less than 2 weeks. I was still living in Belgium.
- I went to Spanish classes twice a week for only 3 months before I moved to Spain. I started working in a team of Spanish people and the language was never a problem for me. Now I speak Spanish fluently.
- Mónica and I moved in together, after only meeting each other 5 times in 10 years, on holidays that lasted less than two weeks. We are having a great relationship.
Does your life sometimes seem strange to you?
Friday, October 14, 2005
Thank god it's Friday
Thank god it's Friday. And unlike last weekend, I will finally be able to rest and relax for two days.
I really need the rest after this tiresome week of showing my parents around in Asturias.
They arrived on Friday afternoon last week with a few hours of delay, and until they left on Wednesday morning, we have been travelling around constantly. We showed them Covadonga and the lakes, Oviedo, Gijon, Aviles and Salinas.
We were especially lucky with the weather. It felt like summer all the time they were here. It started raining a few hours after they left for Belgium on Wednesday, and it hasn't stopped since.
My parents seemed impressed by the beauty of Asturias, and the pride and traditions of the people that live here. My mom kept saying that we're living in a great place.
I really need the rest after this tiresome week of showing my parents around in Asturias.
They arrived on Friday afternoon last week with a few hours of delay, and until they left on Wednesday morning, we have been travelling around constantly. We showed them Covadonga and the lakes, Oviedo, Gijon, Aviles and Salinas.
We were especially lucky with the weather. It felt like summer all the time they were here. It started raining a few hours after they left for Belgium on Wednesday, and it hasn't stopped since.
My parents seemed impressed by the beauty of Asturias, and the pride and traditions of the people that live here. My mom kept saying that we're living in a great place.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Family visit
My parents are coming over today to visit us for a couple of days. It is the second time that they are coming.
That is if they get here, because I hear there is a big strike in Belgium today, and part of the airport staff doesn't seem to be working. My mom will probably be nervous already.
The next couple of days I will be guiding them around, showing them the nicest places of Asturias. The last time they came it was february, and freezing cold. So they didn't see much then.
But now it seems we are having luck with the weather, with temperatures up to 24C/75F and sun.
I will be taking my camera along. The result will be up around next thursday.
See ya.
That is if they get here, because I hear there is a big strike in Belgium today, and part of the airport staff doesn't seem to be working. My mom will probably be nervous already.
The next couple of days I will be guiding them around, showing them the nicest places of Asturias. The last time they came it was february, and freezing cold. So they didn't see much then.
But now it seems we are having luck with the weather, with temperatures up to 24C/75F and sun.
I will be taking my camera along. The result will be up around next thursday.
See ya.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Driving
Like I mentioned in an earlier post, Mónica is taking driving lessons again. She got her driver's license about 9 years ago, but since she never owned a car, she never drove again after getting her license. Big mistake.
Since 9 years is a long time, she practically had to start from zero again now.
Her biggest problem however is her fear. She tends to panic in a difficult situation. And Spanish drivers are not exactly the most considerate drivers there are.
Anyway, since the classes were going well, we decided to take my car for a spin yesterday afternoon. I think she wanted to show me the progress she had been making. We drove off to a quiet urbanization, and we changed seats. She drove off and I was impressed with how well she was doing.
But then...
She had to pass a parked car and at that moment another car came from the opposite direction at a high speed. Mónica miscalculated her speed, and not being used to the steering of my car, we ended up on the sidewalk and she managed to hit the breaks just in time for us not to hit a lamppost. It was a bit of a scare, and she was in panic.
After comforting her, I took over the wheel again, and we drove home. She felt awful all afternoon. I tried to comfort her, convince her that it only happened because she wasn't used to the car.
I only hope that this incident won't increase her fear.
Since 9 years is a long time, she practically had to start from zero again now.
Her biggest problem however is her fear. She tends to panic in a difficult situation. And Spanish drivers are not exactly the most considerate drivers there are.
Anyway, since the classes were going well, we decided to take my car for a spin yesterday afternoon. I think she wanted to show me the progress she had been making. We drove off to a quiet urbanization, and we changed seats. She drove off and I was impressed with how well she was doing.
But then...
She had to pass a parked car and at that moment another car came from the opposite direction at a high speed. Mónica miscalculated her speed, and not being used to the steering of my car, we ended up on the sidewalk and she managed to hit the breaks just in time for us not to hit a lamppost. It was a bit of a scare, and she was in panic.
After comforting her, I took over the wheel again, and we drove home. She felt awful all afternoon. I tried to comfort her, convince her that it only happened because she wasn't used to the car.
I only hope that this incident won't increase her fear.
Friday, September 30, 2005
About yesterday
Well, the sticky hearts were a success. So were the gifts. And dinner.
When I got home after work, Mónica arrived at exactly the same moment as I did. So she hadn't seen the hearts yet. She had been spending the afternoon with her parents and grandparents.
I tried to act naturally and let her open the door to the apartment. I could see that she knew that something was going to happen. She was stunned when she saw the decoration and read what I had written.
Afterwards, I got her my gifts that I had been storing in the attic. I gave her a watch, a gift voucher from her favourite shop and an aromatic gift set with bath oil, bath salt, lotion and perfume.
Later, I took her to dinner at Delabra. The place was beautiful, the service was excellent, and the food was great. I should take my parents for dinner there when they come to visit me next week.
We had a wonderful evening.
When I got home after work, Mónica arrived at exactly the same moment as I did. So she hadn't seen the hearts yet. She had been spending the afternoon with her parents and grandparents.
I tried to act naturally and let her open the door to the apartment. I could see that she knew that something was going to happen. She was stunned when she saw the decoration and read what I had written.
Afterwards, I got her my gifts that I had been storing in the attic. I gave her a watch, a gift voucher from her favourite shop and an aromatic gift set with bath oil, bath salt, lotion and perfume.
Later, I took her to dinner at Delabra. The place was beautiful, the service was excellent, and the food was great. I should take my parents for dinner there when they come to visit me next week.
We had a wonderful evening.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
B-day
It's Mónica's birthday today.
I got up early this morning, right after she left for work, and started sticking 180-something post-its to the wall. The ones that come in the shape of a heart (You can click on the pic).
I had never seen those post-its before, but I spotted them in the supermarket the other day and thought it was a nice way to decorate the hallway for her birthday. I try to think of a different decoration for each occasion.
I hope they keep sticking until she gets home this afternoon. The ones on the doors seemed to let loose easily. And I didn't know that post-its don't stick on glass.
Although it seems like an easy job, I was sweating like a pig when I left for work 35 minutes late.
I would love to see her face when she walks in. She is probably expecting something though, because she knows I decorate the place every time.
Tonight we will be going to dinner at Ronaldo's fine restaurant. Yes, the famous soccer player opened an exclusive restaurant in Oviedo a while ago, and we will be checking the place out tonight. I'll let you know how it was.
I got up early this morning, right after she left for work, and started sticking 180-something post-its to the wall. The ones that come in the shape of a heart (You can click on the pic).
I had never seen those post-its before, but I spotted them in the supermarket the other day and thought it was a nice way to decorate the hallway for her birthday. I try to think of a different decoration for each occasion.
I hope they keep sticking until she gets home this afternoon. The ones on the doors seemed to let loose easily. And I didn't know that post-its don't stick on glass.
Although it seems like an easy job, I was sweating like a pig when I left for work 35 minutes late.
I would love to see her face when she walks in. She is probably expecting something though, because she knows I decorate the place every time.
Tonight we will be going to dinner at Ronaldo's fine restaurant. Yes, the famous soccer player opened an exclusive restaurant in Oviedo a while ago, and we will be checking the place out tonight. I'll let you know how it was.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
On a quest
Sometimes I depress myself.
Like I said, I am looking for a birthday present for Mónica. I went to the shopping mall yesterday after work, while she was taking driving classes. About 2 hours later, I drove home with one stupid little item she once dropped a hint about. But I cant possibly give her only that.
I am terrible at buying gifts. Indecisive. An eternal doubter.
So Ill be off again after work, to continue my quest.
On Saturday, we were invited for dinner at Mónica's aunt and uncle's place. We were both a little nervous, because I hadn't met them yet and Mónica hadn't seen them in years. But they turned out to be the nicest and sweetest people, and we had a great time. Her aunt kept saying what a great looking couple we were, and how beautiful our children are going to be. And we were both so surprised when they suddenly showed up with an early birthday cake for Mónica.
On Sunday afternoon we went to the movies, to see Wes Craven's new thriller, red eye. Afterwards, we drove to Mónica's parents, to watch Fernando Alonso become the new F1 world champion together. The streets in Oviedo, hometown of Alonso, were filled with people celebrating.
Like I said, I am looking for a birthday present for Mónica. I went to the shopping mall yesterday after work, while she was taking driving classes. About 2 hours later, I drove home with one stupid little item she once dropped a hint about. But I cant possibly give her only that.
I am terrible at buying gifts. Indecisive. An eternal doubter.
So Ill be off again after work, to continue my quest.
On Saturday, we were invited for dinner at Mónica's aunt and uncle's place. We were both a little nervous, because I hadn't met them yet and Mónica hadn't seen them in years. But they turned out to be the nicest and sweetest people, and we had a great time. Her aunt kept saying what a great looking couple we were, and how beautiful our children are going to be. And we were both so surprised when they suddenly showed up with an early birthday cake for Mónica.
On Sunday afternoon we went to the movies, to see Wes Craven's new thriller, red eye. Afterwards, we drove to Mónica's parents, to watch Fernando Alonso become the new F1 world champion together. The streets in Oviedo, hometown of Alonso, were filled with people celebrating.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Just fooling around
Why isn't it possible to create categories in Blogger?
A few colleagues at work had been creating a blog on myblogsite. So I decided to try it out as well and created another blog for my colleagues to read, posting funny links I come across surfing the web. It's nice to be able to create categories for these kind of posts.
But the bloghost has been giving us nothing but trouble from the start. Now I appreciate Blogger even more. If they could only introduce categories soon. Please?
Oh, here's a google link to that other blog of mine. I won't post a direct link, because I know some colleagues are checking out my stats and I don't want them to find this site again.
And in the meantime, I'm trying to figure out what to buy for Mónica's birthday next week. Suggestions are always welcome. I should think about some decoration for the apartment too.
I will have more time to do some secret shopping, because she is taking driving lessons during the evenings now.
She already has her licence, but she hasn't driven a car in 9 years. So she is taking some classes again, in case a job offer would come up and she would need to drive again.
So, how about some ideas?
A few colleagues at work had been creating a blog on myblogsite. So I decided to try it out as well and created another blog for my colleagues to read, posting funny links I come across surfing the web. It's nice to be able to create categories for these kind of posts.
But the bloghost has been giving us nothing but trouble from the start. Now I appreciate Blogger even more. If they could only introduce categories soon. Please?
Oh, here's a google link to that other blog of mine. I won't post a direct link, because I know some colleagues are checking out my stats and I don't want them to find this site again.
And in the meantime, I'm trying to figure out what to buy for Mónica's birthday next week. Suggestions are always welcome. I should think about some decoration for the apartment too.
I will have more time to do some secret shopping, because she is taking driving lessons during the evenings now.
She already has her licence, but she hasn't driven a car in 9 years. So she is taking some classes again, in case a job offer would come up and she would need to drive again.
So, how about some ideas?
Thursday, September 15, 2005
The lakes of Covadonga
All spanish cities and villages have their own local holidays. Yesterday was a local holiday of the village that the company that I work for belongs to, so we had a day off.
The good thing about these local holidays is that one can calmly visit the beautiful places that are normally filled with hoards of loud tourists. That's why I decided to drive to Covadonga to visit the famous mountain lakes which I - shame on me - still hadn't seen yet.
All summer it had been forbidden to drive up to the lakes by car to avoid chaos on the small, winding roads.
People had been obliged to leave the car in the village and pay 6 euros for a terrifying bus trip. But that summer arrangement ended this week, so I was lucky and could do the 1200 meter climb by car.
Goats, sheep, horses and cows walk around freely in this natural paradise. It was amusing to have to stop for some crossing horses and cows on the way up.
The lakes have something magical. It feels like you have ended up in a different, peaceful world, and would expect some fairies to show up every moment.
It's a must see for every tourist visiting Asturias.
Click on the picture to see more.
The good thing about these local holidays is that one can calmly visit the beautiful places that are normally filled with hoards of loud tourists. That's why I decided to drive to Covadonga to visit the famous mountain lakes which I - shame on me - still hadn't seen yet.
All summer it had been forbidden to drive up to the lakes by car to avoid chaos on the small, winding roads.
People had been obliged to leave the car in the village and pay 6 euros for a terrifying bus trip. But that summer arrangement ended this week, so I was lucky and could do the 1200 meter climb by car.
Goats, sheep, horses and cows walk around freely in this natural paradise. It was amusing to have to stop for some crossing horses and cows on the way up.
The lakes have something magical. It feels like you have ended up in a different, peaceful world, and would expect some fairies to show up every moment.
It's a must see for every tourist visiting Asturias.
Click on the picture to see more.
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
The white lilacs
My grandmother used to sing a song called 'Quand refleuriront les lilas blancs' (When will the white lilacs bloom again, 1929) to my mother when she was a little girl.
When I was a kid, my mother used to sing that song when the white lilacs in the garden started blooming in the springtime.
Thanks to some hilarious recordings by me and my sister of my mother singing this song, we never forgot about it.
And now, even my 2 year old niece starts asking her grandmother (my mother) to sing that song of the 'lilas blancs' again for her.
Unfortunately, my mother didn't remember the words of the song. And the rest of the family has never heard the original song.
But thanks to the internet and certain P2P programs, I managed to find it and I sent it to my father.
He sent me a mail saying: 'Thanks for the song! Your mother is feeling 50 years younger today.'
For all of you: Quand refleuriront les lilas blancs
When I was a kid, my mother used to sing that song when the white lilacs in the garden started blooming in the springtime.
Thanks to some hilarious recordings by me and my sister of my mother singing this song, we never forgot about it.
And now, even my 2 year old niece starts asking her grandmother (my mother) to sing that song of the 'lilas blancs' again for her.
Unfortunately, my mother didn't remember the words of the song. And the rest of the family has never heard the original song.
But thanks to the internet and certain P2P programs, I managed to find it and I sent it to my father.
He sent me a mail saying: 'Thanks for the song! Your mother is feeling 50 years younger today.'
For all of you: Quand refleuriront les lilas blancs
Monday, September 12, 2005
Why men are happier than women
Our last name stays put.
The garage is all ours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
We can be President.
We can never be pregnant.
We can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
We can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell us the truth.
The world is our urinal.
We never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
We don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at our chest when we're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle our feet.
One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
We know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
We can open all our own jars.
We get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite us, he or she can still be our friend.
Our underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
We almost never have strap problems in public.
We are unable to see wrinkles in our clothes.
Everything on our face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
We only have to shave your face and neck.
We can play with toys all our life.
Our belly usually hides our big hips.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
We can wear shorts no matter how our legs look.
We can "do" our nails with a pocket knife.
We have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
We can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
go to main page
The garage is all ours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
We can be President.
We can never be pregnant.
We can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
We can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell us the truth.
The world is our urinal.
We never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
We don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.
People never stare at our chest when we're talking to them.
The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle our feet.
One mood all the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.
We know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
We can open all our own jars.
We get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite us, he or she can still be our friend.
Our underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
We almost never have strap problems in public.
We are unable to see wrinkles in our clothes.
Everything on our face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
We only have to shave your face and neck.
We can play with toys all our life.
Our belly usually hides our big hips.
One wallet and one pair of shoes one color for all seasons.
We can wear shorts no matter how our legs look.
We can "do" our nails with a pocket knife.
We have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
We can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.
go to main page
Friday, September 09, 2005
It feels like Monday
Yesterday was an Asturian holiday, so we were given a day off.
We had planned on going to a shopping mall in Santander, but in the end - we were already in the car, turning rounds at the roundabout - we changed our mind because we didn't feel like driving that far.
Instead, we ended up at the movies, watching 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith'. We were both disappointed with the second half of the movie, that consisted of nothing else than unbelievable action scenes.
After the movie, we went for a walk at the newly build port in Aviles. This used to be a stinking river until a couple of years ago, but they managed to drain it and create an attractive pier where people come for a walk in the sun.
Today, it feels a little like Monday, but it is already Friday. It is also the start of the San Mateo celebrations in Oviedo, the last festivities of the summer.
If it doesn't start raining by the end of the day, we will go to Oviedo for the free concert of Bebe.
We had planned on going to a shopping mall in Santander, but in the end - we were already in the car, turning rounds at the roundabout - we changed our mind because we didn't feel like driving that far.
Instead, we ended up at the movies, watching 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith'. We were both disappointed with the second half of the movie, that consisted of nothing else than unbelievable action scenes.
After the movie, we went for a walk at the newly build port in Aviles. This used to be a stinking river until a couple of years ago, but they managed to drain it and create an attractive pier where people come for a walk in the sun.
Today, it feels a little like Monday, but it is already Friday. It is also the start of the San Mateo celebrations in Oviedo, the last festivities of the summer.
If it doesn't start raining by the end of the day, we will go to Oviedo for the free concert of Bebe.
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
The bull
See that animal on top of this page? The bull is some sort of international symbol for Spain, as a result of the numerous bullfights that are still being held in this country every year.
Just like the famous flamenco dance though, the bullfights are especially a southern Spanish custom. Here in the north, bullfights are held only a few times a year, on special festive occasions.
Osborne, A famous wine brand that has a bull as its logo, has been placing over 90 bulls like the one above on hillsides throughout Spain since the year 1956. If you have ever been to Spain, I'm sure you must have seen one. They are quite photogenic.
I was a little insecure to put the Osborne bull on top of my blog though, because the animal also has a very negative meaning here in Spain.
The bull, or the horned one (el cornudo), is also the symbol for a person who is being cheated on by his or her partner. To put the horns on your partner (ponerle los cuernos a alguien) means cheating on your partner.
But just to make sure that there are no misunderstandings: that is not the reason why that bull is up here.
For me, this animal has always been thé symbol of Spain.
Just like the famous flamenco dance though, the bullfights are especially a southern Spanish custom. Here in the north, bullfights are held only a few times a year, on special festive occasions.
Osborne, A famous wine brand that has a bull as its logo, has been placing over 90 bulls like the one above on hillsides throughout Spain since the year 1956. If you have ever been to Spain, I'm sure you must have seen one. They are quite photogenic.
I was a little insecure to put the Osborne bull on top of my blog though, because the animal also has a very negative meaning here in Spain.
The bull, or the horned one (el cornudo), is also the symbol for a person who is being cheated on by his or her partner. To put the horns on your partner (ponerle los cuernos a alguien) means cheating on your partner.
But just to make sure that there are no misunderstandings: that is not the reason why that bull is up here.
For me, this animal has always been thé symbol of Spain.
What really happened
As to why I changed the address of my blog:
The site had become so easy to find on Google, that I caught my colleagues at work reading my posts. Since most of the entries on my blog are rather personal and I didn't like the idea of them reading my online diary, I decided to close down the blog and consider my options. The most obvious thing I could do was move to a new address. And so I did.
I didn't register the new address on search engines or directories. This way they won't find this new blog as easy as the old one. This also means that I won't have as many visitors as I used to have. But I think that people finding my blog on strange Google searches are not easily becoming regular readers anyway.
As I was going to move the blog, I thought it was a good idea to change the layout as well. So I deleted my template and started working on a new one. I was a little afraid that I wasn't going to remember how to program in HTML (I hadn't done it in a long time), but it turned out pretty good. That's why I'm a little proud about this new layout: I created it without any help and with my own inspiration.
And I'm quite pleased with the result.
The site had become so easy to find on Google, that I caught my colleagues at work reading my posts. Since most of the entries on my blog are rather personal and I didn't like the idea of them reading my online diary, I decided to close down the blog and consider my options. The most obvious thing I could do was move to a new address. And so I did.
I didn't register the new address on search engines or directories. This way they won't find this new blog as easy as the old one. This also means that I won't have as many visitors as I used to have. But I think that people finding my blog on strange Google searches are not easily becoming regular readers anyway.
As I was going to move the blog, I thought it was a good idea to change the layout as well. So I deleted my template and started working on a new one. I was a little afraid that I wasn't going to remember how to program in HTML (I hadn't done it in a long time), but it turned out pretty good. That's why I'm a little proud about this new layout: I created it without any help and with my own inspiration.
And I'm quite pleased with the result.
Monday, September 05, 2005
A new address, a new design
Hi, apparently you have found your way to my new site address. Welcome.
How do you like my new blog layout? I'm still working on some changes though.
If you should encounter a problem with the new layout, please let me know.
It seems my links have accidentally been deleted, but they will be up again soon.
Please update your bookmarks and links to my site.
As of tomorrow, everything will be back to normal.
How do you like my new blog layout? I'm still working on some changes though.
If you should encounter a problem with the new layout, please let me know.
It seems my links have accidentally been deleted, but they will be up again soon.
Please update your bookmarks and links to my site.
As of tomorrow, everything will be back to normal.
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