ONE LAST POST

Dear all,
This is the end of NOBODY LIKES CODFISH. I've received threats to put an end to this blog,they said that if I didn't close this blog I would suffer painful consequences.There are hidden interests in all this issue,some of which I can't tell.I may come back next year with another blog,with a different name,perhaps with interesting things to say....I gotta say thank you to all those who supported me all along this experience,Pablo Canabal,Pablo Mates and of course...all of the students who contributed to make this possible....Juvenile Delinquent,Ceciclia,Sam,López,etc... (Etc means there are no more!!!)
nobody likes codfish will be exterminated in three...two...one....

HOW DID IT GO???

So...how about it???If you have some spare time,log in and tell me whether you found the exams easy or difficult,tell me about the English exam,etc...I hope you did well...anyway,hope to see/talk to you soon,guys.
Tc,

Mr.Tight

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN

Dear all,

We're just a few days away from the finish line,and it is exactly now when we have to make a greater effort.Nothing in this life is as rewarding as feeling you've given all you had,no matter if you win or lose.When I do my very best I don't really care about winning or losing,because I know deep inside that I've already won.

Do your best...and may the force be with you.....

SORRY...

I'm sorry if I let you down,guys.I didn't go for the drink because I knew the place would packed (=abarrotado) as it finally was (or so I've heard).I can't stand being in the middle of a crowd,I get nervous,my blood pressure drops automatically and I've even passed out(=desmayarse) on previous occassions.That's why I avoid crowds,that's why I avoid demonstrations (=manifestaciones),concerts,shopping malls at Christmas and megadinners.I'm sure you all understand.I have to say I did have a nice time during the dinner,except those times when a group of guys from 2ºA came to say hello to Rocío gathering (=reuniéndose) around me,that I didn't like.Anyway,it's time to get back to work a.s.a.p. (as soon as possible),we're just two weeks away from the end of the road and we have to give all we've got.So....do it.

AS CHANCE WOULD HAVE IT...

As chance would have it (=por obra del azar) I ran into(=me encontré con) an old friend last Sunday afternoon.We went to university together,yet we weren't really close.We decided to go for a coffee.She started to tell me about her whereabouts (=sus idas y venidas) in English academies.She then asked me what I was doing. When I said I was working in a state school (=colegio público) she looked at me as if I were an alien.

-"Seriously??? -she asked-I mean,don't you have problems with the students???Isn't it dangerous???"

-"Not really,-I replied-in over three years I haven't had to repair car scratches(=arañazos de coche),or slashed tyres(=ruedas pinchadas)" (That's because I walk to school, I thought).

-"Wow, Mr.Tight,you must really have some patience!!!" ("yes,with you!!!"- I thought)

At this point I got really mad,because I've heard that crap far too many times:

-"Look,mammal!!(=mamífero), I love my job and I truly think it's a joke that I even get paid to do what I love to do,if you don't like state schools,good,don't apply for the job,but stoooop iiit!!!!!!!!DEAL WITH IT!!!!!!(=TE AGUAAANTAAASSS!!!!)

I know I shouldn't have called her "mammal", but she made me lost my temper,I'm sorry.

"JR. GONG" MARLEY

Dear All,

For the last six months,I've become a real fan of Damian Marley,I love his music and strongly recommend that you check it out whenever you get a couple of minutes to listen to some of his songs ("welcome to jamrock" ,"Pimpass' Paradise"or "There for you" are among my favourites).

Damian was two years old when his father Bob Marley died; he is the only child born to Marley and Cindy Breakspeare, Miss World 1976. Damian's nickname Junior Gong is derived from his father's nickname of Tuff Gong. Marley has been performing since the age of 13. He shares, along with most of his family, a full-time career in music. Unlike his brothers and sisters, however, his musical specialty is "toasting", a Jamaican vocal technique that is a predecessor to rapping.Welcome to Jamrock was considered the best reggae song of the decade by the New York Times. He has 12 siblings total; 10 on his father's side and 2 on his mother's side. Damian was two years old when his father died, killed by the spread of melanoma to his lungs and brain, at 36 years of age. Marley has been in the music business since he was a child. He began performing as the vocalist for a group called The Shepherds.his music reflects both his beliefs and the Rastafari guiding principles of one love, one planet, and freedom for all nations.

WHY I DON'T LIKE MEGADINNERS

I don't like megadinners (to me more than 6 people is already a megadinner) because people talk.Silence is underrated(=infravalorado).Weird people say weird things and normal people....well,normal people say weird things too.It's not easy to be a social being,and being social isn't one of the things I'm best at, if you know what I mean. I usually drive everywhere,so I don't usually drink at these events.If you are sober(=sobrio) and the person you're talking to is kinda tipsy (=chispilla), whatever he/she says won't make much sense,they will hug you and say how much they love you,and really, I don't like to be hugged by strangers.So...I don't really know how to say this without being disrespectful....uhhhh....the less our dinner resembles the photograph above,the better.

WILLPOWER

Dear all,

The Spanish league is about to end,it's just 90 minutes away.As you probably know,only two teams can win,Barcelona and Real Madrid.Barcelona has led (=ha liderado)the league all through the championship.All along,Real madrid has been doing their best to catch up with (=seguirle el ritmo a) Barcelona, they didn't want to fall behind (=quedarse rezagado).You all know how I support Atlético,who have also done a very good season (we may end up winning more titles than anyone else in Spain!!!).As a result,I couldn't care less (=no me puede importar menos) about who wins the league.

Nevertheless,one thing is for certain; Whoever (=quienquiera que) wins, they will deserve it.Both teams have fought really hard,and it takes a lot of willpower (=fuerza de voluntad) to keep on fighting when you see that you competitor wins every single match.Therefore,even if they lose,I would like to congratulate Real Madrid for their fabulous season.However,as you know,only one team can be the champions.I truly think that that team must be F.C.Barcelona.They've played a much more spectacular football than Real Madrid.It wasn't as good as last season,but still they played much better and, as a result, they deserve the championship.

UNTITLED

Don't look for an answer.No one's to blame.we definitely aren't.No one is.Sometimes I think we've been thrown into this mayhem and chaos for no reason at all.Some days I think it's just a matter of chance.Really hard to understand,I know,but that's the way it is. Don't look around,don't look back...not even in anger.

NO DUMBER THAN YOU,PARTNER

Dear dudenesses,

Nobody will say up front "I'm dumb". Nobody will ever recognize they are dumb,even though we all know (or by this time you should've already seen) there are thousands out there.I've met many,in all walks of life,really.I've been one actually.In fact...I AM one.Yes,I am dumb.Believe it or not,those who don't like you think you are dumb.I know there are some people who don't like me,and I'm sure they have a blast (=to have a good time) criticizing me or calling me dumb.

Mike Tyson once said: "Everybody thinks they're more intelligent than me...until I punch them in the face". To a certain degree I agree with him,please don't understand this as an apology of violence,I will always condemn firmly all kinds of violence and even violent sports...wink,wink.My point is,I think I'm not dumber than anyone around me,nor am I smarter than them,of course.I'm just the way I am,which,believe me,is something hard to do.Far too many people will show you a face,many times something similar to a character from a TV series...sad but true.Whenever I meet one of these actors....D'you know what I think???

"I'm no dumber than you,partner!!!"

PROM KING

Dear All,

Prom night's getting closer.For Americans,it's one of the most important nights of their lives and,even if you deny it,I know you are excited about it too.One of the most famous American traditions is choosing a Prom King and a Prom Queen who, as you must have seen in many teen movies (=pelis de adolescentes yankees), head the ball (=encabezan el baile) after their names have been announced.Now,many questions pop up (=surgen) in my mind.Who's the prom king and queen in 2º Bachillerato B??? you can vote here. I've attached a photograph of my prom night, that's me when I was 17,believe it or not....

MY OWN PRIVATE TRIBUTE TO HANK

a smile to remember ,by Charles Bukowski

we had goldfish and they circled around and around

in the bowl on the table near the heavy drapes

covering the picture window andmy mother, always smiling, wanting us all

to be happy, told me, "be happy Henry!"

and she was right: it's better to be happy if you

can

but my father continued to beat her and me several times a week while

raging inside his 6-foot-two frame because he couldn't

understand what was attacking him from within.

my mother, poor fish,wanting to be happy, beaten two or three times a

week, telling me to be happy: "Henry, smile!why don't you ever smile?"

and then she would smile, to show me how, and it was the

Saddest smile I ever saw

one day the goldfish died, all five of them,

they floated on the water, on their sides, their

eyes still open,and when my father got home he threw them to the cat

there on the kitchen floor and we watched as my mother

smiled

THE J-TEAM

Dear All,

I don't know if you remember the A-team.You are far too young to rememeber,when this TV series came out you were just a foetus, or just an idea in your parents' minds. Well,this was about four guys who did good and either captured the bad guys or punished them.In every single chapter there was a massive shootout (=intercambio de disparos), but nobody ever (and I mean EVER) died or even get injured.They also invented a tank or a fighter jet(=avión de guerra) out of rubble (=escombros).Now my colleagues Javier (Matute), Julio and Juanjo and I have been baptized (=hemos sido bautizados) by our colleagues 'the J-team' (our names start with 'J') in analogy with the TV series.My question is...who is who????Who's Hannibal Smith? (the mastermind)????Who's Templeton 'Faceman' Peck (in Spanish 'Fénix'),who's Mr.T Baracus???And...most importantly....Who's Murdock (the dumb/ crazy guy)????Looking forward to your answers...I got it pretty clear,by the way.

WEIRDO MAGNET

I'm a magnet for weirdos.I know,I've said this a thousand times,but I'm starting to get sick and tired of being the gutter of many people's psychological issues.STOOP ITTTT!!!!!!Yes, I'm talking to you,you think you are sooo intelligent,so clever that you have to speak with secret and profound words."Nobody knows anything" or things like that.Well,Mr.Smartash...guess what???I do know something,there it goes:"I like drinking coffee in the morning",don't go around telling people what they haven't asked you.."don't talk unless you are talked to", used to tell me my father, and he sure was right,partner.Don't patronize me with words you don't even understand,words you've borrowed from a movie about teen vampires or God only knows where you've taken them from.You sure need a hobby to make you stop being so weird!!!!Well,guys,this is my shot of morning ranting.Now,look up all the words you didn't understand,do me that favor....do yourselves that favor.

WHAT TYPE ARE YOU???

Dear All,

Last saturday we could see an exciting match.Needless to say, (=innecesario decir) I didn't really care about who would win the game,I just wanted to see an exciting game.I could also see how two different types of people met; On the one hand, an introverted, self-conscious type embodied (=personificado) in Leo Messi.On the other hand, the cocky (=chulito)type represented by CR9.

I personally think Messi is a far better player than the portuguese star, yet Ronaldo himself said at the end of the match that he was better than Messi.Just by saying that I knew Messi was better.Don't get me wrong (=no me malentendáis), I've always thought that there's nothing wrong about adopting a self-confident (=confiado en sí mismo)and even cocky attitude in life.But when you hear them both speaking,they're worlds apart (=como el día y la noche).

Which type are you???Who do you think is the best???

ME,SNOW-WHITE,LONDON

My first day at London Guildhall University was weird.Everybody spoke English.Since I had taken the degree in English studies,I guess I was the weird one.I went to my first class: Creative writing.The teacher assigned a paper for the following day.We had to analyse a text about a boy who detested his girlfriend's breath whenever she kissed him.After the class,the rugby team invited me to join them for a pint (=pinta)of beer...what could I say?I decided to start working at the University pub.I knew I'd meet lots of people and thus have lots of opportunities to speak English,so I applied for the job.

When I returned to my 'home' (a 3x3 dingy(=sucio) bedroom) I started to write my essay.The text was a symbolic version of snow white's(=blancanieves) apple: The apple (the kiss) was luring(=atrayente) and desirable,yet it contained poison (her breath),and similarly many things in life which seem attractive at first sight (=a primera vista) hide a pernicious element underneath (=esconden algo pernicioso por debajo). One week later,the teacher read my essay in front of the rest of the class and praised (=alabó) my work. That was a tough yet good start.

BACK HOME

Dear all,it's Tuesday morning and we're back home...(by 'home' I mean work,you'll understand in a few years).I'm all alone in the teachers' lounge and I have to prepare plenty of things I had left unfinished when I left.My easter holiday was good,I was able to sleep long hours,rest,read (Irvine Welsh's Filth) and see my nephews. They are fine and they say hello to all of you. It's not true,but anyway,I hope that makes you feel better.

I don't really know what I'm writing in this post or why I am writing at all,I need a double shot of coffee or a double shot of Smith n' Wesson, either one will do.My colleagues are now talking too loud,I understand foreigners when they say that Spaniards speak too loud.Well, I guess that means I'm back to work.I hope you don't give a hard time,little brats.See you in a couple of minutes,pranks.

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.