THE BEAUTY OF LOSING

Losing is one of the best things that could ever happen to you.If you win,you feel good,I know (or so I've heard),you feel superior and good.Nevertheless, winners will never learn anything.If you lose,you can see where you were wrong,you can see your mistakes so as not to make them again.Winners don't learn.Losers do.Winners probably have nothing to learn,you may say.But...if I had nothing to learn I think I would blow my brains out,really.

I pity winners,really.And if they feel like winners I pity them twice as much.Sometimes people tend to patronize you,with that air looking down upon you,but I feel rather amused whenever I come across one of those.One of those who think they're always right.Good for you,winner,I'd rather be a loser.It's so much fun...

THIS IS JUST TO LET YOU KNOW I'M ALIVE

Dear all,I'm really busy,I can't tell you what happened to me yesterday,I sure will.Survive without my posts for a couple more days,I'm sure you will.In the meantime (=mientras tanto),I post this awesome picture.It was taken the last time I went to the sanctuary.(At.Madrid 3 Valencia 1).

D'YOU WANNA BET???

It all struck my mind like lightning.It's roughly three months to the examination.I've encouraged you to do your best many times.I've told you to push your limits and to give all you've got until everything is over.Now I'm gonna take another step forward. I'm going to go through it all with you guys...I'm going to push MY limits. How? I'm going to learn ITALIAN.Without teachers,without attending classes,just by myself.Just with the multimedia resources that are available on the internet.I'm determined to speak Italian in three months.

Don't ask me why I'm doing this...I don't really know...I'm just doing it.I want to suffer next to you,I'm your tutor,so it is my responsibility to endure the rough times as much as we've enjoyed the good times before.We'll do it all together,dudes.But...If I see you're not giving as much as I'm going to give...well,hold on tight.

WHEN THE CAT'S AWAY THE MICE WILL PLAY

An English saying goes: "When the cat's away,the mice will play". It essentially tells us that when our supervisors (boss,tutor,police,etc..)are not within earshot (=a distancia que se nos pueda oír) we feel at ease (=cómodos) and tend to relax and do the things we would do if we were on our own (=alone).

That was exactly what happened to me last week; I was at the staff room fooling around (=bromeando) with Mr.Albalad and Mr.Palmis, we were laughing about a scene in the movie "The silence of the lambs",when suddenly Charo asked me to stop.She wanted to introduce us to the new pedagogical inspector.I could feel the earth moving beneath (=under) my feet, because I knew she would assess (=evaluar) my job!!! Luckily enough,Charo helped me feel less uncomfortable.The minute I saw the inspector there I thought: "When the cat's away, the mice will play"

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

Dear all,the end is just around the corner, it's essentially a couple of months.I encourage you to give all you've got inside,try yourselves out...challenge yourselves.You gotta be your worst enemy.The results have been slightly better than in the first term, and I'm pretty sure it´ll all be even better for the last,because I know you're going to do your best,I know you're going to do your utmost to get the best results.

It's just one last effort,guys. There's an English saying that says: NO PAIN, NO GAIN (=sin dolor no hay ganancia).Last December, I ran a 21km track. The last 5 or 10 km I was in real pain, I felt like giving up more than once,I saw many people passing me by,I saw many people giving up,abandoning the fight.All my time references told me I was going to get a much worse time than the one I had got two years ago, but still...I kept on fighting.

Bottom line: keep on fighting...don't give up.

THE DUDE

Dear All,
The Dude has made it happen.The dude,a.k.a His Dudeness,a.k.a Jeff Bridges,was awarded with the Oscar for the best leading actor performance.He should have received that award for his performance in "The Big Lebowski", but it's better late than never.Now I suggest that you go to your library and rent the movie.really something to write a postcard home about.....a "must-see".

THE FREAKS STRIKE AGAIN

Dear All,

You all know by know how I admire the United States of America.Every now and then I tell you about American customs,traditions,etc...If the USA didn't exist,someone should invent them,in other words.The problem comes when I start to feel (I've had this feeling for over three years now) that Spain is dangerously starting to behave like Americans.Yesterday I was at the supermarket doing the shopping,like every Monday...cookies,OJ (=Orange Juice), coffee, codfish (haha,I'm kidding,of course), some fruit (strawberries, pears, clementines and lemons), some vegetables and my chocolate treat (=capricho, recompensa). Then I go on to get the cured ham (for my Friday night's ham pizza) and see there's a line (=BR English=queue) of two other women. I saw that neither (=ninguna de las dos) had taken a turn ticket, so I asked: "Who's the last to order?" One of the two girls turns to me and says: "WE're about to finish (making it obvious they were together), is it so difficult for a man to know when two girls are having together or do you have any problem with it?" Wow...they were a couple but...how ON EARTH am I supposed to know???On the other hand, her remark (=comentario) was kind of rude, so I replied (=respondí): "I have no problem with nothing, ma'am,don't take it personally,the society don't hate you, although you may love feeling like it". WHAAAT'S WRONNNGGG!!!!

I don't see why all the freaks (Needless to say(=sobra decir)I talk about freaks because of her reply, not about her condition) should come up to me and rub their mud ON MY FACEEEE!!!!