Connect the Dots

Yo no buscaba nadie y te vi.
-Fito Páez, Un Vestido y Un Amor

It’s better to leave than to be left behind.
-REM, Leaving New York

Sometimes it is harder to deprive oneself of a pain than of a pleasure.
-Francis Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is The Night

We don’t like you; we just want to try you.
-Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

There used to be a real me, but I had it surgically removed.
-Peter Sellers

Non, je n’ai rien oublié.
-Charles Aznavour

¿Sabrá tu novia que escuchamos Morrissey?
-Leo García, Morrissey

I am blue, and unwell.
-Joanna Newsom, Peach Plum Pear
***
Feel free to add your own/Agrega los tuyos, si quieres.

NEW

I took advantage of Blogger's new stuff that was in Beta for a while, what do you think? I wanted to combine the linked lists (see blogs to the right) with the option to post feeds, but that's not an available option. It would be nice to see which of those blogs over there has recently been updated, wouldn't it?

I can also show you a picture from my, ahem, archive. PhotoShare is my own word, by the way.

Anyway, I hope dividing the linked blogs by subject helps.

I'm waiting for Sarah's call now to head over to Ottawa and hang out with Anna et Fred. And their cats. We'll be watching Sarah run a half marathon in sub freezing temperatures tomorrow. Don't I miss the Chilean summer right about now.

Birthday celebrations -Parts I & II- were a huge success and I have to thank Mary & Mary, and Grae for the use and abuse of their apartments and kindness. I got lots of cozy, yummy, useful, and beautiful gifts. I replied to so many emails, I got sick of my friends "!" and ":)" I love my birthday. Which is also Grae's, Niki's, Scully's, Andrea's, Rebecca's, Liz's and Ximena's. And Virginia Woolf's, and Alicia Keys's, and Robbie Burns's. And
Corazon Aquino's too.

Besides that, things are going well. I've gotten over the new year anxiety hump and am taking things in stride and with confidence, so I'm happy. Anxiety, I figure, is great for initiating plans, but it's of no use long-term. I'm taking the long view.

Here's MSTRKRFT, Got Love To Kill, Juliet & the Licks Remix

post cumpleanero

Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.
-- Mae West, Klondike Annie (1936 film)

Hay dos cosas -entre muchas otras- que me encantan. Serian: mi cumpleanos y hacer algo por primera vez. Como dice la Mariana, pienso en mi cumpleanos empezamos un mes antes, y luego hablo de el durante un mes despues. Quizas porque las fiestas infantiles que nos hacia mi mama me siguen trayendo buenos recuerdos. Quizas porque era para esta fecha que podiamos al fin comer cereal azucarado (y no solo Corn Flakes, que entiendo habria sido en si mismo un lujo si hubieramos vivido en Chile en la epoca). O quizas porque, siendo la egocentrica que soy, me encanta el dia en que juro que todo es acerca de MI.

Hablo mucho de "nosotros" porque el cumpleanos de mi hermano cae una semana antes del mio y por lo tanto muchas cosas las haciamos juntos. Tengo un poco sindrome de mellizo quizas por eso tambien. Si hasta nos vistieron igual alguna vez!

Empezando a los 18 hice grandes fiestas para celebrar mi noche especial. La primera fue en la Blondie, donde Marino me presto una salita privada y me regalo una botella de champagna para la ocasion. Comimos una torta de queque de naranja que nunca encontrare en Canada. Carlos me regalo una pelota que en realidad es juguete de gato. No se que hacia Carlos ahi, realmente, si esto fue anyo anyisimos antes de que fueramos realmente amigos. Pero ahi estaba, miau!

Luego me empece a celebrar con Juan Luis, que esta de aniversario un par de dias antes (feliz cumpleanos, amigo! nos vemos en NY). Esas SI que eran producciones, organizadas semanas antes, incluyendo sesion de fotos disfrazados a cargo de Bubi, y con invitaciones creadas por profesionales, como la Pia Manzur o la Carola Redondo. JL me mando hace poco una foto de las que nos sacamos para algun cumpleanos. El sale onda El Graduado, sobre mi motoneta, y yo salgo onda Desayuno en Tiffany's. Me acuerdo que fuimos a una fiesta en el techo del antiguo Sheraton (?) del centro a tomarnos fotos... sensacion!

En Canada, me he celebrado un par de veces con Grae, un alto y rubio jovencito de Calgary que cumple hoy 27. Bueno, les cuento lo que fueron nuestras aventuras del anyo. Hicimos la fiesta el fin de semana pasado porque este sabado voy a Ottawa a ver a una amiga correr una media maraton. Nos reunimos en la tarde en un estacionamiento vacio a jugar... hockey callejero! Nunca en mi vida habia jugado, y aunque pense que no me interesaria, lo pase super bien y me meti dos veces al partido. Eso si, habia que abrigarse harto porque les encargo el frio. En un minuto deje de sentir los dedos de las manos. Brrr! Pero estabamos preparados, y despues del hockey, habia chocolate caliente con Bailey's en la casa de Grae, a pocas cuadras. La tematica era fiesta infantil, por lo que habiamos colgado globos y habia mucha comida con azucar :D En la noche me lleve a algunos y me reuni con otras y fuimos a ver un recital, del canadiense Joel Plaskett. Estuvo excelente e inolvidable, como debe ser.

Esta noche, que es mi *verdadero* cumpleanos, una amiga me presto su departamento para hacer una comida en grande. Me espero algo muy relajado, en que varios aportaran platos, todos traen botellas de vino, y nos repartiremos en los sillones, sofas y sillas, a comer y conversar y ver donde nos lleva la noche. Cumplir anyos nunca se sintio tan bien.

Originalmente publicado por Axel Brinck en su blog

Critica a un restaurant: Rai Providencia Chile

El dia 15 de enero, 2007, fui al RAI, un restaurant ubicado detras de la Esso de Eleodoro Yanez.
Es un restaurant llamado de autor, con un interesante look entre San Pedro de Atacama (restaurants de ahi me refiero), en fin. A eso no voy.

Pedi un rollizo, mi madre jaiva, y mi prima el atun de isla de pascua.
Estaba todo bien.

Hasta que tome un segundo bocado del atun.
Se me incrusto al masticar un pedazo del hueso del pescado en el paladar cerca del canino izquierdo. Una espina es algo chico, esto era sentir como te atrevesaba parte de tu boca.

Puse la servilleta contra la herida, luego de sacar la espina/hueso, y tenia sangre, y mas y mas.
Not so nice.

Llame al mozo. Le conte. Estaba un poco pasado la linea de paciencia. Se fue corriendo para adentro. Despues de un buen rato, llego otro de los mozos. Parece que se reunieron de emergencia. Se llevo la espina (creo que no hay que dejar que se lleven la evidencia, pero no estaba en estado de preocuparme).
Al final me pare y fui donde estaban los tres, con cara de "que hacemos".

Para mi, corresponde lo siguiente:
1) tomar accion, luego disculpas. Significa que el restaurant RAI deberia haberme ofrecido atencion medica, si es que yo consideraba que era lo necesario. Ellos no tenian como saber exactamente que me paso. Ni yo sabia.
No lo hicieron.
2)Me dijeron que el pescado tiene espinas y que habia que tener cuidado. Eso me provoco mas que un poco, asi que les pregunte, con un grado de vehemencia, si era mi culpa... no, por supuesto que no fue la respuesta.
3) al final me dijeron, en que podemos compensarte este mal rato? Te podemos ofrecer un bajativo gratis (!).

En fin. eso fue mi experiencia (dolorosa) en el Rai de Providencia.


Caveat Emptor

Why is everyone so afraid of confirming the racism poll? I've heard dozens of opinions in the media -starting with the Premier of Quebec- insisting that, although 60% of us *admitted* to being racist, we are not. What's going on?

Mostly, I've heard people argue the semantics of the survey. How maybe it's different to "discriminate" or to be "xenophobic" than to be racist. I don't really get that. And most of all, I don't get why it's so important to deny it. Especially after people have been so frank as to acknowledge it, even slightly.

The reason I accept the poll is because, in myself, I consider any amount of discrimination, xenophobia, and judgement equivalent to racism. Maybe someone could explain what racism is and how it differs significantly from those things. I've heard a lot about how, oh, maybe we have some negative views but we're not, like, problematic racists, ie Archie Bunker. If you ask me, most of us already said we were "slightly" racist (43% according to the poll) and that doesn't make it much better.

The racism I see in myself is when I notice my reaction to someone is different, for better or for worse, based exclusively on the person's origin or background. Not being colourblind and believing in generalizations is racism, in whatever degree, in my opinion, and referring to my own reactions.

When a man on a plane tells me I'm "clearly South American" because of my facial features, I have to laugh. Because just as many people have asked me if I'm French, or Eastern European. When a woman tries to explain to me that a native Canadian can't "possibly" know anything about making Edwardian costumes, it's not funny. And when Bernard Landry talks on the radio about first generation Canadians not being "fully integrated" because our accent (???) is still there, I get mad. Yup, I'm going to say there is racism alive and kicking, even if, as Mr. Bunker used to say "Uh, no intense offended there".

Archie: Good going there, Pedro.
Carlos Mendoza: My name is Carlos.
Archie: Carlos it is, Pedro.
***

"Only 17 when all your dreams came true"

The title is from an OMD song I used to listen to when I was seventeen. All my dreams really did come true when I was that age. But then I had new dreams. Now I'm about to turn 32 and I thought I was through with those. At least, the wild and crazy, "are you sure?" kind. But... I'm not.

One of the best things I got back for myself in the last 6 months was space to play out my sense of ambition and motivation. I don't often want things badly, but when I do, I can get pretty obsessive. And now, between a new year and the beginning of the Chinese year of the Pig or Ox, there's something I want so badly, I cannot stop thinking about how I'm going to get it. And no, I'm not telling.

My dream, though, is full of obstacles. Real, hardcore, financial and legal obstacles. I admit, I admire and respect risk. The taking of risks. I feel a life without it is disappointing, but it's also comfortable and sensible. I was wondering who else has wanted something like that so much, and what have they done to get it. Like Rimbaud* walking for three days to get to Paris, what's the most you'd give to get what you want? And have you ever wanted something that much?

*in the picture

That's what you get for clubbing it...

...you can't go home and go to bed, because it hasn't worn off yet, and now it's morning... -Pulp, Bar Italia

I have nothing to do at work. This isn't a secret so I don't mind posting it. This, plus the fact that I love having a project is just an explanation of how I was able to find all kinds of clubs in and around Montreal. I figured, if they're not what I'm looking for, maybe they're what someone else is looking for. I tried to only pick ones that have meetings and activities.

Here goes:

Beaconsfield Garden Club: http://beaconsfieldgardenclub.blogspot.com
I wish there was a garden club near me. I love gardening.

Club D'Amateurs D'Oiseaux de Montreal: http://clubamateursoiseauxdemontreal.com/
Bird lovers. Cute design.

Club D'Apnee Sprotive de Montreal: http://www.casm.info/
Not related to sleep apnea, except in the sense that they also hold their breath (on purpose, to dive).

Club de Bridge Arc-en-Ciel: http://bridge.jmp.qc.ca/
If you're gay and you play bridge.

Club Felin de Montreal: http://www.clubfelindemontreal.com/
They like cats.

Club de Rire Montreal: http://www.clubderirequebec.com/clubdemontreal.html
They are into therapeutic laughter.

Le Club Mac de Montreal: http://www.lcmm.qc.ca/
Macs like computers, not hamburgers. Pa-rum-pum!

Federation Quebecoise des Echecs: http://www.fqechecs.qc.ca/index.php?entite=43
Chess for fanatics. Obviously, there's a banner ad from Cafe Pi.

Mah-jong Montreal: http://mah-jong.dfdanse.com/acceuil/english/
They welcome beginners. I used to love this game on my dad's 286 computer.

MarketingProfs Book Club: http://www.marketingprofs.com/bookclub/faq.asp
Pretty specific.

Montreal 4D Club: http://www.macapa.com/4dmtl/
This is hilarious. 4D is the database that both companies I've worked for in Montreal have used. If you'd used it, you'd find this funny too.

Montreal Amateur Radio Club: http://www.marc.qc.ca/

Montreal Anglers and Hunters: http://www.fqechecs.qc.ca/index.php?entite=43
They have a link to Turkey Shoot 2006.

Montreal Business Book Club: http://montrealpreludeclub.com/index.php
Similar to the MarkekingProfs book club, but run by someone I once met: Mitch from Twist Image and not only for a specific profession.

Montreal Camera Club: http://www.montrealcameraclub.com/Camera/

Montreal Gem & Mineral Club: http://www.clubfelindemontreal.com/

Montrealmini.com: http://www.montrealmini.com/
Not at all mini. They modify trucks. Must see.

Montreal Scrabble Club: http://www.golding.ca/montrealsc/
Oh yeah.

Montreal Silver Blades: http://www.lamesargentees.com/home.html
Figure skating for grown-ups since 1948.

Montreal Skeet Club: http://www.losttarget.com/montreal.html
My ex-fiancee dad's was an Olympic skeet shooter. You can't do if you drink; your hands get wobbly.

Roller Montreal: http://www.roller-montreal.com/
Bilingual, for in-line skaters.

Royal Montreal Curling Club: http://www.royalmontrealcurling.ca/portal/index.php
Apparently, and expensive and therefore elite sport.

The Tall Club of Montreal: http://www.grandiose.ca/
I read a great article in Nerve.com about how even some tall men have tall women fetishes.

The Traffic Club of Montreal: http://www.tcmtl.com
It took me a while to figure out who they are. They have a Valentine's Day Dinner.

The University Club: http://www.ucmontreal.ca
Site says: "Enjoying the good life? Sharing F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous maxim that 'living well is the best revenge'?...The University Club of Montreal is for you." Anyone who is still hanging on to the ideal of an author who went broke drinking is worth meeting, I say!

I left out a lot of rugby, martial arts and other sport clubs, clubs for different car fanatics (Corvette, Subaru, Honda Prelude, Integra, VWs). I'm most amazed by the car people. They even have Christmas dinners together. Amazing.

Quiero

I want to:

* do something for Africa.

* join a club.

* start a club.

* complete my New Year's resolution (not saying, you'd have to ask)

* add something new to my CV.

* save more money.

* get my hair cut before it gets any drier (although the Pantene comb-in stuff is really great for that).

----

I'm glad that I:

+ did the recycling thing at work.

+ didn't date for almost six months.

+ kept going to yoga.

+ cooked my own food and fed it to other people too.

+ went to that YulBlog thing that time.

+ invited my mom to Montreal, took out that line of credit, went to visit Amy in Toronto, helped that man across the street, met the people I met... bought the CDs I bought, went to the shows I went to...

Para que sepan, el año nuevo chino empieza el 18 de febrero. Ahí sí que empieza el ciclo. Esta época, entre un año nuevo y otro, es sólo para que se vayan preparando.

Leaving New York

It's like Michael Stipe said: "leaving New York, never easy". Actually, it only requires crossing the Lincoln Tunnel, but I don't think that's what he meant. During the beginning of my bus ride back to Montreal, my New York memories were definitely the overpowering ones. But, like a tug of war of imagery, the Montreal thoughts of things to come started gaining ground as the bus got further away from NYC and closer to home. I fell asleep and when I woke up, we were in the Adirondacks. This magnificent mountain range sort of symbolizes that whole region of the Northeastern US to me. The highway cuts through forests of huge pine trees, 12 metres tall and maybe more, and because it goes right through the mountains, there are also big chunks of rock on either side of the road, and hills all around. All of this was covered by snow. Very Narnia-esque.