Idag satt jag och läste en stund vid utsiktsplatsen, el mirador, här i Arequipa. Där var det lugnt och fint och luften kändes ren. Arequipa är mysigt och vackert, men trafiken är jobbig och det stinker avgaser. Och tutandet! De tutar precis hela tiden! Om en bil står efter en annan bil vid rött ljus, så tutar bilen bakom på bilen framför för att han bilen framför ska köra, trots att han rimligen borde se att det fortfarande är rött ljus! Han vill förmodligen bara säga: Sitt inte där och såsa till, för snart ska vi köra!, men det är otroligt irriterande. Tycker jag.

Idag hade jag den stora lyckan att finna en vegetarisk restaurang, Dia Verde, för lunch. De gjorde finfin reklam för sig på bottenvåningen, men diverse skyltar där det stod att de hade en vegetarisk restaurang på ovanvåningen. Glad i hågen traskade jag upp och bad om menyn. För att vara en vegetarisk restaurang så hade de väldigt mycket kött och kyckling på menyn, ca 90%. Men servitrisen förklarade att dagens lunch (menú) var vegetarisk, så den beställde jag. Först fick jag en jättetallrik med bastant majssoppa. Det låg dessutom två hela kokta potatisar och en morot begravda i soppan, om ifall en halvliter majssoppa inte skulle vara tillräckligt som aptitretare. Sedan kom huvudrätten bestående av en pocketboksstor broccoli- och blomkålsbiff, ett berg med ris med grönsaker i och grönsallad. Och givetvis bröd till, för att stilla hungern. Till efterrätt fick jag en bunke med någon slags gelefrukt, men eftersom jag inte är en grovjobbare som hade varit uppe och burit sten sedan klockan fem, så fick jag avstå den samt ungefär 2/3 av maten ovan. För detta kalas fick jag punga ut med 5 soles (= ca 12.50 SEK).

Sedan så gick jag på ett läskigt museum. Inkafolket offrade oskyldiga och vackra barn och ungdomar till bergsgudarna, och några av dessa barn har hittats så gott som intakta eftersom de har legat under snö och is i femhundra år. Den mest kända är Juanita som hittades på vulkanen Ampato 1995. Nu finns Juanita utställd i en frusen monter på Museo Santuarios Andinos här i Arequipa, tillsammans med föremål och kläder som också har hittats vid dessa offerplatser. Stackars lilla flicka.

El Mirador

Plaza de Armas Arequipa

Väldigt många duvor på Plaza de Armas

Arequipa

Arequipa

Η παράξενη σχέση που συνδέει τον Mike και την Kathrine θα αναστατώσει τη Susan, με αποτέλεσμα ένα τεράστιο ερωτηματικό να πλανιέται πάνω από τον γάμο της. Η Gabrielle είναι αποφασισμένη να βάλε την Juanita σε Καθολικό σχολείο και αλοίμονο σε όποιον τολμήσει να μπει στον δρόμο της. Εν τω μεταξύ η προσπάθειες της Lynette να κρύψει την εγκυμοσύνη της τελειώνουν σιγά σιγά. Τέλος η Angie θα ανακαλύψει ότι ο γάμος του Orson και της Bree δεν είναι τελικά τόσο τέλειος όσο φαίνεται.

Bueno en esta ocasión os traigo un trailer del domingo, exactamente de Mujeres desesperadas que corresponde al episodio 8 de la sexta temporada que tiene por título “The coffee cup”.

Sinopsis: Susan descubre una conexion entre Katherine y Mike, y comienza a cuestionar a Mike como resultado. Además, Susan y Katherine son castigadas a realizar servicios para la comunidad debido al disparo de Susan. Los esfuerzos de Bree para ocultar su aventura parecen ser envano cuando alguien la descubre: Angie. Gabrielle no se detiene ante nada para que Juanita entre a la escuela catolica. El embarazo de Lynette se vuelve imposible de ocultar.

Η Susan αρχίζει να υποπτεύεται την Katherine σχετικά με την απόπειρα στραγγαλισμού της κόρης της, Juliet, αλλά η Lynette προσανατολίζεται προς αλλά κατεύθυνση σχετικά με την ταυτότητα του δράστη. Η Gabrielle έχει ρίχτει στη μάχη για την εύρεση σχολείου για την Juanita. Ένα γεύμα θα παραθέσουν οι Bolen στους Hodge, ενώ η Angie θα προσπαθήσει να αποσπάσει ένα μυστικό από τον σύζυγό της.

“Oh yes, Mister Shylar, you move your knights well but you shall succumb to my superior intellect.” Alejandra thinks as she sits down for a post-pool game of chess. She is not annoyed by the fact that she will not inherit the house and become heiress, in fact she doesn’t even know if she would reproduce at all. So, uh, she plays chess in her togs. The reasoning may not be clear but she will have some good reason why she is doing so. Jeez what a silly sentence.

No, Domingo did not wet himself, he just did what a lot of Zanthias seem to be doing of late, he broke the dishwasher. And he is trying to clean up the puddles until the repairman/repairwoman can come and fix it. He looks at the window and wonders why the window doesn’t break like the dishwasher.

“Domingo, you’re lucky, you got the art gene.” Alejandra complimented. “Do you want to get married?” Domingo thought, and replied; “Well, Alfonso isn’t married to Vanessa Espinosa so I definately want to marry someone so I can beat him. ” Esmeralda scratched her leg and replied “Well, I want to ask Juanita if I can stay here until I achieve my dreams and then I could go into a nice retirement villa somewhere.” Domingo just nodded in silent agreement.

In an unusual twist of events, Devon ends up sleeping with Carlos. Men, I will never understand them, especially SimMen. Oh well, at least in-laws are bonding (but in a kinda creepyish way)

While Alejandra and Juanita are locked in an intense battle of wit…

they are quickly called away for a DOUBLE birthday. Devon moves into Adulthood and Domingo becomes a young adult behind him.

“Your babies are cute, Orlando and Fioruccio are the best two young lads I have met in my life. Must be our genes.” Domingo explained. Carlos ate his cake and smiled sneakily, remembering the days before he met Maia, when he was a free, flirty young man that girls could not keep their eyes off.  Devon interrupts his thought by responding “I hope one of them can understand quantam physics.” Alejandra smirked to herself, that was a secret she was keeping to tell everyone on her deathbed, if they still cared about her.

Domingo was given a suave look, I think his fifth trait was Flirty so hopefully he will be the new babe on the block (after Carlos) but you might need to work on those eyebrows, man, you can’t go around looking like that and be Mr Swank.

“Ocne, no backspace… once upon a Simiverse, there was a bee with a really large sting and really small wings.” Juanita thought, then thought again, that concept had been done, both on Dumbo and Finding Nemo! Thank goodness she’s only practicing her writing and enjoying the view from the large window in front of her.

“NOBODY ELSE CLEANS THE TOILET AROUND HERE!” Maia grumbles, showing signs of age. “AND I KEEP SEEING THE WALLS DISAPPEARING, WHAT’S WRONG WITH THAT?” Don’t worry, Maia, Alejandra’s a trained optician in her teenage years, she can help you get some nice contact lenses.

Alejandra wants to be a Robot Cross-Breeder so she is working on the family garden. She finds it nice and relaxing to get outdoors and watch the plants grow day by day. Away from Domingo anyway, that guy has been starting to practice his moves on his younger sister!

But Fioruccio’s birthday came around while Orlando looks up at Maia. Ooh ze sparkles!

FIORUCCIO HAS HAIR! And the brothers play together in peace. Ah… peace. That won’t last, they’re Sims. “Mum and Dad love me.” Orlando stated, being the talking toddler. “And they love you too.” Fioruccio replied with a giggle and a high A flat. He already knew. Perhaps our virtuoso is trying to speak through music? Or is he looking at the nice, big, red couch?

“Let’s think about ourselves and hold hands honey” Maia says, and Carlos agrees to have a cute old romantic moment of nostalgia.

Carlos then goes and composes a song about his undying love for Maia. Talking about undying, aren’t you, like, 115, Señor Gonzalez? “Yes, I’m about that, and I’m still alive and kicking. You’ll see, I’ll live forever.” Doubt it, you got rid of your Death Flowers hehehehe. I think you may want to think about moving on before you see evil spawn. Of course, Carlos can not hear me, so he goes on living.

Instead he goes and dyes his hair red and yellow, the colours of España. And a new, more swirly style.

It was lucky that Devon didn’t laugh at his father in law, probably because (hemhem) of their secret? No, there’s no secret. Devon was too tired and the beds are similar so he crashed in the wrong one by accident.

Ooh, a birthday, whose? Juanita or Orlando? Or maybe Alejandra?

One very awkward growth spurt later for Orlando… (spaghetti legs)

And he gets one of the most interesting traits in all of SimLand- EVIL (mwahahaha) and his first wicked deed is to break the dishwasher. “Mwahahaha now you suckers have to use the sink old school!”

“Oh no, an evil child! He made the sink break too!” Carlos frets. “I should not have dedicated my married life to family, athletics and my garden, it is increasing my life too much!”

Oh, deary me, Carlos, enjoy your (loooooong) elderhood, because soon it’ll be snatched away from you!

Will Carlos pass on before or after his wife? How will the family cope with the new child?

CHECK IT OUT LATER ON THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF THE ZANTHIA LEGACY!

]]> http://combinaseries.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/trailer-de-mujeres-desesperadas-6x07/ Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:44:26 +0000 Iván Martínez http://combinaseries.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/trailer-de-mujeres-desesperadas-6x07/

Por primera vez también os dejo el trailer del episodio 7 de la sexta temporada de Mujeres desesperadas, que se titutla “Careful the things you say”. Perdonar por la calidad del mismo pero no lo he encontrado mejor…

Sinopsis: Bree quiere aparentar ser italo-americana y contrata a Angie en su negocio. Al parecer Gabrielle tiene problemas al ayudar a Juanita con las matematicas y busca la ayuda de su ayudante europea que resulta tener un doctorado. Susan está muy molesta porque aun no descubre quién estranguló a Julie y busca la ayuda de la policía, una mujer policía resulta de ayuda. Lo que no sabe es que ya conocía a esta mujer del instituto…Lynette tiene sus propias sospechas sobre el estrangulamiento de Julie. Angie se enfrenta con Nick por su secreto.

TODA LA RAZA DE TODOS LOS Q Y TAMBIEN LOS QUE NO SON

¡TODOS APOYEMOS A EDSON Y JUANITA!

APOYEMOS A LA RAZA DEL “VQ”

YA TODOS LOS SABEN !!!

JUANITA Y EDSON!!!

FILE – In a Thursday, Aug. 3, 2006 file photo, Juanita Castro, the sister of Cuban leader Fidel Castro, talks to reporters about her brother in Miami. Castro, 76, Fidel Castro’s younger sister, told Univision’s WLTV-23 station in Miami late Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009 that she collaborated with the CIA in 1964 following the Cuban revolution. She said she initially supported her brother’s 1959 overthrow of the Batista dictatorship but quickly became disillusioned by the revolution’s vast number of executions and rampant expropriation of private property. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File)

via The Associated Press: Castro’s sister says she collaborated with CIA.

It is five years ago now since I was in Arequipa and I don’t think I’ve forgotten a moment of it. Of all the places we visited in Peru Arequipa was by far my favourite. Perhaps it was those first few moments that did it, getting off the plane, walking across the tarmac with my bag in hand, into an open space full of blue sky and sunshine and surrounded by volcanoes. I fell in love with it straight away. After a dirty, damp and fog ridden Lima it was paradise, and almost every day of the year in Arequipa is just as perfect. Inside the little terminal there was a Peruvian band waiting to welcome us and even the fact that someone tried to steal one of our bags didn’t make me feel unsafe. I had to learn that from the list of streets that it wasn’t wise to walk down and from the armed guards policing the main square, and more than anything from a fellow guest at our hostel who was strangle mugged and left helpless in the road with her glasses broken and her money and valuables taken.

The main square in Arequipa is glorious. The Spanish influenced colonial buildings are built from a white volcanic rock, sillar, which sparkles in the sun and the surfaces are decorated in baroque style, with confidence and bravura. Once again danger is lurking, the two towers of the cathedral are made from plastic because of damage from regular earthquakes although you would never know it, even when somebody points it out. You can walk through the colonades and archways and across the gardens among Peruvians of all ages who love being outside and socialising. If you are lucky enough to be there on a saints day, as I was, you will see the whole of Arequipa on parade, chefs in their whites and tall hats, children showing off their pets, representatives of every part of the community demonstrating their pride in their work, their beliefs and their city. A Peruvian will always dress in the best that they can afford, with colour and style.

One of the glories of Arequipa is Santa Catalina Monastery. This is a beautiful still haven of coloured courtyards and flowers in which you can wander around and lose yourself, exploring hidden corners, taking photographs or settling down to read a good book.

There is need all around. Tiny children are selling matches and toting around shoeshine kits and if you sit in one of the streetside cafes for a sandwich you may find yourself, as I did, giving the remains of your food to a elderly man who begs from you, holding out his sack politely for anything you may not want. The cafes are well used to this system and will wrap your leftovers so that they can be passed on. We visited a children’s home and school, Casar Hogar San Jose where street children are helped, taught, and given a chance for a fresh start. They were brilliant, full of life, energy and creativity and they loved the English country dancing which I taught them. Some of their stories were heartbreaking. The girls are brought down into the city when their desperate families are promised that they will be given an education and looked after. This promise can turn into a life of slave labour and sometimes abuse which causes them to flee onto the streets.

I was able to visit one of the most famous of the Inca mummies, who is kept in a small museum in the city. When you are given the chance to look into the face of a 12 year old girl who was given as an offering to the Gods and died up on the slopes of Mount Ampato somewhere around 1440 it is quite heartstopping. You can’t help but wonder about her last journey and her final thoughts and feelings. Juanita is beautifully preserved and sits curled up in a glass case. There is a sense of calm around her now, a sense that she is waiting for something or someone and if you look for long enough you begin to feel that she might move.

It is a magical place and I long to go back.

família Castro no casório de Juanita: Fidel e Raúl ao fundo

As suspeitas de alguns historiadores se confirmaram: Juanita Castro, irmã de Fidel e Raúl, colaborou com a CIA. Na verdade, ela se tornou uma agente a serviço dos EUA, sob o codinome “Donna”, e chegou a servir de ponte para o envio de suprimentos a espiões americanos que tramavam, de dentro da ilha comunista, a queda de Fidel.

Juanita conta toda a armação contra sua própria “famiglia” (não sei por que me veio o Poderoso Chefão na cabeça) em um livro que acaba de lançar nos EUA.

E o Brasil está metido na trama. A irmã de Fidel teria sido recrutada pela mulher do então embaixador brasileiro em Havana, Vasco Leitão da Cunha. As curvas do destino levaram Leitão da Cunha a ser o primeiro chanceler do regime militar, servindo no governo Castello Branco. Era um defensor inveterado da aliança com os EUA no contexto da Guerra Fria e, uma vez à frente da chancelaria, tratou de desmantelar a Política Externa Independente (PEI), de Jânio Quadros e Jango.

Her brother Raul might have saved her life with a Mexican passport:

‘The sister of Fidel and Raúl Castro worked with the CIA in the 1960s, while the agency was planning to assassinate Fidel and overthrow the revolutionary government. In a new book, Juanita Castro, who now lives in Miami, reveals that she hid opponents of her brothers’ regime in her home and that their mother frequently interceded with Raúl to help political prisoners. “The CIA wanted to talk with me,” Castro says. “I was left half-shocked, but in any case I told them yes.”

‘When their mother died in 1963, Juanita Castro felt she lost some of her protection against her brothers’ regime, reports the Miami Herald. According to her co-author, it was Raúl who liked Juanita best of his four sisters—who obtained a visa for her to travel to Mexico the next year. She quickly denounced the revolution in a news conference and made her way to the US, where she opened a pharmacy. Her new book, out today, has been shipped in sealed boxes and embargoed in the manner of a Harry Potter release.’ -Miami Herald

Η Gabrielle θα περάσει μία ακόμα κρίση σχετικά με το πόσο καλή μητέρα είναι, λόγω μιας απροσεξίας της την ώρα που η Juanita έπαιζε με μία φίλη της. Το γεγονός αυτό θα τη βάλει σε μία διαδικασία να πείσει τους πάντες για το αντίθετο. Η Bree θα ενοχληθεί από την κριτική μίας καμαριέρας για την σχέση της με τον Karl Mayer και εννοείται πως δεν θα το αφήσει να περάσει έτσι. Η Lynette θα συγκρουστεί με τον νέο της επιστάτη, Roy Bender, καθώς επιμένει να παίρνει την έγκριση του Tom για ότιδήποτε κάνει. Όσο για την Angie και τον Nick θα κλιθούν να καλύψουν τα καλά κρυμμένα τους μυστικά που δεν θα αργήσουν να βγουν στην επιφάνεια.

Desperate Housewives - 6.04 "The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues"

Gabrielle: “What do you got there?”
Juanita: “Mints!”
Gabrielle: “Mints? Mints that are… ripped for her pleasure?!”
Juanita: “Yeah, we found a whole box of them under Ana’s bed.”
Gabrielle: “Ana!!”
Juanita: “Can I have them before dinner?”
Gabrielle: “No! No, you can’t eat these! These aren’t mints. They’re… balloons.”
Celia: “Yeeey!”
Gabrielle: “Grown-up balloons.”
Juanita: “Do you and daddy play with them?”
Gabrielle: “If we did, you and I wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

Desperate Housewives - 6.04 "The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues"

Carlos: “Sorry, Lynette, I just… I know!”
Lynette: “You know what?”
Carlos: “Your little secret.”
Lynette: “God! You know about the twins?”
Carlos: “Well, I mean, yeah! I have eyes!”
Lynette: “First of all, this was not planned.”
Carlos: “It wasn’t?”
Lynette: “God, no! Tom and I went out to dinner, he got me drunk and the next thing I knew…”
Carlos: “So Tom’s responsible for all this?”
Lynette: “Well… Who else?”
Carlos: “God, you are such a good wife! I  wish you talked to Gabi, make her jump in the band wagon.”
Lynette: “Doesn’t Gabi have her hands full with the two she’s got?”
Carlos: “They’re okay… I always thought we can do better…”
Lynette: “What!?!”
Carlos: “You know, Gabi really looks up to you. If she knew you got a boob job, she might consider it.”

Desperate Housewives - 6.04 "The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me Blues"

Carlos: “Whoa! Check out the dress! It’s fantastic! What did it cost?”
Lynette: “My dignity.”
Carlos: “Worth every penny!”

Les muestro la entrada a la Escuela Primaria “18 de Marzo”.

Fachada de la Escuela Primaria “18 de marzo”

Esta foto la dedico a nuestros maestros, gracias por sus consejos, por ayudarnos a educar y a conocer día a día nuevas cosas, gracias a ustedes maestros he llegado a ser una gran persona y un profesionista.

Gracias Maestro Martin, Maestra Martina, Maestra Juanita, Maestra Carmen, Director Eugenio y a los de mas maestros y maestras que no tuve el gusto de integrarme en sus grupos.

Atentamente

Ing. Computación Janiel Reynoso Landin

Ser el marido de una ex modelo no es nada fácil, aquí en el barrio todos saben que pasamos por momentos buenos y momentos realmente malos pero al final ahí estamos, con dos hijas que me llenan de orgullo y me dejan vacíos los bolsillos de llenarles la nevera.

Juanchita es mi favorita, podría decirse que es una mezcla de su madre y mía, de mi familia cogió la robustez , esa a la que Gaby llama obesidad, y de ella, la mirada de malvada que se le pone cuando no quiere hacer algo que le mandamos y pretende salirse con la suya de cualquier manera posible.

Cualquier hombre estaría loco por poder estar casado con una mujer así pero tengo que confesar que a veces es muy difícil; tenerla contenta a veces requiere grandes esfuerzos, ella está acostumbrada al mundo del lujo y el glamour y yo cuando me casé con ella prometí serle fiel , mantenerla siempre rodeado de cosas bellas, ropa de marca, coches deportivos y una casa en la mejor  zona de Asturview.

Hasta ahora lo hemos conseguido todo pero no sin esfuerzo; todavia me duele cuando pienso en sus escarceos con el jardinero, desde entonces saco tiempo de donde puedo pero aqui no vuelve nadie a cortar mi jardín; reconozco que yo también hice el tonto y que mantuve una relación con Eddie pero eso fue cuando pensaba que todo estaba acabado, aunque para mi Gaby siempre seguirá siendo única.

El trabajo es agotador y noto que mi superior me mira de una manera rara y me hace muchas preguntas sobre mi mujer; no creo que quiera tener nada con ella pero como el mundo está loco ya no estoy seguro de nada.

El otro dia Gaby me llamó en medio de una reunión; había que llevar a las niñas a un cumleaños y ella no podía; yo le djie que en ese momento me resultaba imposible salir de la oficina y me contestó que no me quejara cuando viese a mis hijas llorando en el sofá por no tener amigas, que ella no queria esa responsabilidad… Siempre acaba usando estas estrategias para hacerme sentir mal; al final , ¿qué hice?, correr a recoger a mis dos retoños vestidas de princesas, que más bien parecian novias a juzgar por la talla de los vestidos y pasar la tarde viendo como comían tarta sin parar, mientras las demás jugaban; “hijas, ¿no queréis jugar con el resto?, es un cumpleaños, no un concurso de comer tartas” ante lo cual  la  única respuesta  fue: “papá, ¿cuándo podremos celebrar una fiesta en casa y llenar la casa de tartas?“, un dia mientras duermo éstas me comen un pie..

Al volver a acasa estaba agotado de ver tanta princesa junta y ¿qué me encuentro? a mi mujer sentada en el salón tomando una margarita con Eddie. Yo todavia me sonrojo cuando las veo juntas pero tengo que admitir que me parece maravilloso que entre ellas siga la amistad.

“Hola Carlos“, me dice Eddie, “ya me contó Gabi que estabas haciendo de niñera, me resulta encantador por tu parte; sobre todo viendo aquí a tu mujercita sin hacer otra cosa que limarse las uñas“; Gaby la miró con odio “vamos Eddie, todos nos acordamos cuando dejabas a tu hijo con Carlos todo el dia y al final lo devolviste a su padre“.

Eddie se levantó ofendida y sin decir nada abrió la puerta y se fué; ” qué delicado lo tiene“, dijo Gaby; “yo no soy una mala madre ¿verdad amor?“; yo en estos casos prefiero no contestar, no es que piense que es mala madre, pero anteponer una cita con el masajista o ir de compras a pasar el dia con tus hijas tampoco es para tirar cohetes, ¿o no?, pero estas cosas mejor pensarlas que decirlas en alto;  mejor me limito a sonreir y darle una palmadita en culo.

“Ay Carlos, la gente de hoy no sabe educar “; ahí ya aprieto los puños fuertemente antes de que la sangre me suba a la cabeza y soltar algo que podría costarme muy caro, como un deportivo nuevo que haga juego con sus nuevos zapatos o una casa en la playa de Colungaview.

¿Quién dijo que los hombres no teniamos paciencia?…

Looking back, it makes sense that my first ever post was about Manyana, when I set up this blog in June 2008.  Fast forward a year and five months later, I haven’t abandoned this blog and more importantly this first band I blogged about now get a second post.

Manyana is a name you may not be familiar with. Having changed the name in late 2008, the band is now known as Georgia Fair.

Common musical tastes and a passion for exploring and writing music drew Jordan Wilson (lead vocals, guitar and harmonica) and Ben Riley (vocals and guitar) together, which later resulted in Georgia Fair; an acoustic folk band with a unique sound.

2009 has seen this Sydney band support the likes of Alex Lloyd and most recently Oh Mercy, gain national attention with new single Picture Frames on the Masters (or Moove) tv ad, receive Triple J airplay and release a video for Picture Frames.

This month will see the release of Georgia Fair’s self titled EP; its release highly anticipated by both new and old fans. Special thanks to David Hume and Georgia Fair for sending me an advanced copy.

Opening with hit single, Picture Frames the EP grabs your attention at first listen while the upbeat second song, Real Man Hiding encourages you to keep listening. The new version of Something Easy will have you singing along in no time, the production and arrangement a huge improvement on the first demo. Baby Blues is one of the slower songs, which adds a refreshing change to the EP but before you get to relaxed, Juanita starts, and with its upbeat catchy lyrics it’s soon to be a favourite. Final song December has also received a make over, so to speak, suggesting Georgia Fair have grown as songwriters and performers. Just when you think the EP is over, bonus track Simple Man begins, it’s somewhat candid recording shows a more organic side to Georgia Fair. As the song ends you’re left wanting to hear more; a perfect ending for this debut EP.  

 Tracklisting:

1. Picture Frames
2. Real Man Hiding
3. Something Easy
4. Baby Blues
5. Juanita
6. December
7. Simple Man (hidden bonus track)

The EP is out October 16th but you can pre-order now from JB Hi-Fi. And while you wait for it to arrive, why not buy Picture Frames from Itunes.

I compared Jordan’s voice to Whitley in my first post and now you can see Georgia Fair support Whitley – Nov 23th, 24th, 25th and 27th but it doesn’t stop there, they’ll support Kate Miller-Heidke on Nov 13th, 15th, 20th, 22nd, 28th. Full gig details on myspace.

Next month will mark 2 years since the first listen and as I reflect on what I wrote in my first post “(Something Easy) is a small sample of what the band could achieve in the future, just give them a few more years to really refine their lyrics and music” it seems Georgia Fair are proving me right.

I can’t tell if you can tell, dear reader, but I’ve been crazed lately.  Because yesterday?  Was the first-ever Benefit Consignment sale for my kids’ school.  Which I chaired.  And which was, if I do say so myself, quite the success.  I’ve been neglecting the housekeeping here at AppMtn, for which you have my sincerest regrets.  (But seriously, I could NOT sell one more candy bar.)  And it’s a great school, so it was worth every minute of sorting gently-worn 2T tees.

The sale did make me think of something – you’d REALLY better like your kids’ names, because at some point, you will almost certainly introduce yourself as “Jackson’s mom, Ellen,” or be greeted as “you must be Ivy’s mom!”  In some small way, your kids’ names become your name, too.

While I was otherwise engaged, it was a weighty week in the Baby Names ‘verse:

• First, check out a few quotes about naming over at Babynamelover’s blog – yes, there’s Shakespeare.  But there’s also Salman Rushdie;
• Heard the one about Le-a, pronounced Ledasha?  For a look at names, race and culture there’s Laura Wattenberg’s series on all of those urban legends about babies with outlandish monikers;
• I appreciated Nancy’s comments on the TIME magazine story Adios, Juan and Juanita – Jeffrey Kluger got it wrong, wrong, wrong – Juan and Juanita might be fading, but plenty of other Latino names are on the rise.  He dismissed the rise of Diego as  nothing more than parents inspired by Dora the Explorer’s cousin.  Only trouble?  Go, Diego, Go! debuted in 2005, and Diego’s rise started years earlier.

Perhaps the most intriguing thing was his “Juan and Juanita” construction.  Wonder if he’s aware it is a nod towards the Nameberry duo’s Jennifer and Jason?

On a lighter note:

• Bewildertrix spotted this sibset: new baby Frankie, a brother for Tiarn, Sam, Sunny, Jet, Elwood and Ace.  That’s two superheroes, a Blues Brother, a hippie chick plus two geezers and an Irishman – what a dinner table!  
• She also reported a Curtin and a Tasmine.  I love Tamsin, could really do without Jasmine and can’t help think of Tasmania when I see this one. 

Lights, cameras, babies:

• Grandduggar Mackynzie Renee arrived in Arkansas, the first of what could be a veritable tribe of offspring produced by the television mega-family.  Parents are Duggar firstborn Josh and wife Anna;
• Actors DB Woodside and Golden Brooks welcomed a daughter, Dakota Tao;
• General Hospital’s Tyler Christopher and wife Brienne Pedigo welcomed a son named Greysun James.  Nope, that’s not a typo – it’s “sun” with a u.

I’ll be catching up with Names of the Day and all sorts of things in the next week or two – but tune in tomorrow for Zane.  And, as always, thanks for reading!

The LA (and actually the whole world) of Snow Crash is a place where people are separate from each other. America is not so much a melting pot as it is a chess or checkerboard–once, people mixed, but now, they all have restrictions on where and how they can move. “…Hiro is black, or at least part black. Can’t take him into New South Africa. And because Y.T. is a Cauc, they can’t go to Metazania. (Stephenson, 83)” Even jobs have taken on the characteristics of traditional ethnic groups–Taxi drivers speak Taxilinga, and accept no one into their ranks who does not also speak it; and as Y.T. says, “…the longtime status of skateboarders as an oppressed ethnic group mean[t] that by now all of them [we]re escape artists to some degree. (Stephenson, 77)” In short, everyone in LA has an identity, based on their genes, jobs, skills, house (or lack thereof) and these things dictate who they speak to, where they can go, and how the Snow Crash drug affects them. Coming from Hawaii, I couldn’t really identify with his depiction of race; true separation of ethnicities is something that is hard to imagine on the island chain (though I will admit it was both a plausible and scary thought). I will say that skin color automatically identifies you as one of three things: Native (which really just means you COULD be native–Filipinos, Samoans, and Micronesians, for example, certainly didn’t colonize the place like the Hawaiians did), Asian (of which there are two classes–Islander Asians and FOBs, the Japanese tourists who are very, very easy to identify), or Haoli (aka, white. Haoli, which means foreigner, is often used to somewhat familiarly but condescendingly describe mainland culture, white tourists, and activities seen as ‘white’). These stereotypes are known everywhere and there are many jokes and assumptions that go along with them. More than once, I have been mistaken for a tourist when out shopping with my mother, even though I’ve lived on Oahu all my life, but it’s never bothered me; rather, I take it as part of the harmless Haoli stereotype. Races mix in Hawaii like they do nowhere else. Ask almost anyone what their race is, and they’ll give you a list that most likely encompasses at least three or four different ethnicities. It’s hard to explain, but back home, race is something that you’re proud of and yet doesn’t matter. “I’m Chinese/Samoan.” “I’m Hawaiian/Indian/French.” “I’m Okinawan/Irish/Korean.” We poke fun at each other’s ethnicities, with those identifications of skin color and race, but they’ve never gotten in the way of a friendship. The total segregation present in Snow Crash was a scary thought. If it was there, I wouldn’t know half the people I do, and even more of them would never have existed in the first place.

Gender depictions in Snow Crash seem a lot less scary. The two main female characters, Y.T. and Juanita, are very different women, and like today’s women, show that you can either accept or reject the notions society gives you about what you should be. Y.T. is very much a product of her society; she sees nothing morally wrong with the way men look at her, or even with the fact that Raven desires and sleeps with a 15 year old girl. She is a girl of the street and goes to jail, breaks out, escapes mad taxi drivers, and makes deliveries as a Kourier, navigating the world of the franchises with ease because that is her world–she was born into it and she embraced it. Juanita, on the other hand, has rejected the traditions now present in franchised-LA. She is a true and devout Catholic when the Reverend Wayne’s Pearly Gates have turned Christianity into a franchised chain, complete with neon Elvises; and she is, in essence, her own person–working on Metaverse facial designs when no one else believed it would go anywhere, divorcing Da5id, despite his success, money, and power, and even discovering the Snow Crash plot–Juanita is her own person, thinking outside the box and using her knowledge and skills to save the world (if only “for a while”). I identify with both women–Juanita, strong, smart, independent, and Y.T., also strong, smart, and independent, but youthful, and headstrong where Juanita is wise and careful. They’re very different people, at different times in their lives, with different backgrounds and responses to the world they live in, but parts of them fit my image of myself; I think everyone can agree that we feel both influenced by society (like Y.T.), but that we also reject parts of it and stand apart (like Juanita). And they show that in Snow Crash, there are many paths you can take, no matter your sex.

Dacia

View of El Misti from my hostel roof

Especially after Puno, Arequipa was a breath of fresh air. The sun shines bright and hot all day long, and there’s never a cloud in the sky. The beautiful snow-topped old volcano El Misti hovers about the city, creating gorgeous views from everywhere (including the rooftop of my hostel!)

In fact, it doesn’t feel anything like Peru. I feel like I’m in Europe. People from Arequipa, they say, don’t even consider them self Peruvians, but first Arequipenos. They call Arequipa “La Ciudad Blanca,” or the White City, because all the buildings are a beautiful white color.

Kid chasing pigeons

The main square, the Plaza de Armas, is absolutely gorgeous. It’s surrounded on all sides by beautiful white European-style buildings, all with balconies, and also a gorgeous cathedral on one side. The plaza is full of benches, pigeons, and people, with a nice fountain in the center. All day, everyday there are people taking up nearly every spot on every bench in the plaza. All day their are old men feeding the pigeons and little kids chasing them.

It seems that Arequipa is a tourist destination for all people, not just foreigners, and there are always groups of people or families gathered in the square, taking pictures in front of the fountain or the cathedral.

On the bus ride from Puno, I was listening to my ipod and the song “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” came on. I felt this incredibly strong urge to have my own dock on some bay somewhere to sit and relax, to feel the breeze of the sea on me, to just unwind and think. I knew Arequipa was inland, and overall just didn’t think there was any chance I’d find such a place here in South America. When I first arrived in the Plaza de Armas and sat on a bench, though, I felt I’d found something pretty close.

Plaza de Armas (the cathedral)

I sat on the plaza nursing an ice cream cone and it felt like all was right with the world. The plaza was my escape. I eventually dragged myself away to walk around the rest of the town — seeing church after church, with a monastery thrown in. But I found myself pulled back to the plaza. Unfortunately, later in the afternoon it seemed that I had some pull as well. Sitting alone on a bench, I soon found Peruvian man after Peruvian man — from a young rock climbing guide to an old man who often seemed to forget what he was in the middle of saying — approaching me to talk, to practice their English.

Obviously this is going to be something common in Peru, but it’s still unfortunate that I always find myself feeling a little suspicious or on edge when someone approaches me to talk.Unfortunately, you hear too many stories of the innocent old men coming to practice his English with you to distract you while someone else robs you. I only had my purse, though, clutched tightly in my lap, and it was daylight in a crowded square so I wasn’t too worried. I did have to draw the line at an invitation to go dancing at a more “local” place out of town — there comes a point when you have to just err on the side of the caution, when you’re a girl traveling alone.

Otherwise, Arequipa has been wonderful, if still annoyingly overpopulated with couples! Yesterday I visited the Museo Santuarios Andinos, where they have the body of “Juanita,” a young girl sacrifice that was preserved in ice at the top of the mountain Ampato. It was a really fascinating tour, full of interesting facts and artifacts (there were many other child sacrifices found as well, but none at the top, or as well-preserved, como Juanita). I couldn’t take any pictures though, as they don’t allow you to bring anything in.

I also went inside the cathedral on the Plaza. I had been having a tough day, feeling lonely and missing people and home, but sitting in the church brought me some calm. They were playing some beautiful, serene music, and I felt like it was Christmas at home, that peace and calm you feel in the Christmas Eve service. I just sat there for a while, half-observing the other tourists strolling through taking pictures or listening to guides explaining different parts of the church. I wasn’t interested in any of that, just in the silence and calm that existed in this huge, nearly empty building — such a different world from the noisy chaos that existed right outside its doors.

The rest of my time has been spent relaxing, wandering the town or sitting in the plaza, or lazing in the lounge of my hostel, watching movies with other random travelers. Arequipa is a good place to relax, but tomorrow I will get out of relax mode and into physical mode! I am going to do a three day trek through Colca Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in the world. It’s supposed to be beautiful.

But I almost forgot! When I arrived at my hostel (which was actually my second hostel; I first stayed in another Point, which was quite a ways out of town and just as antisocial — no more staying in The Point hostels for me!) they told me there were two supermarkets in town. I didn’t make much of this, as a supermarket usually means a shelf of sodas, water, cookies, and warm yogurts. I felt like a snack, though, and so headed to the one they’d told me about on the plaza.

I walked in and immediately found myself gaping. It was like the day Becca and I discovered the big supermarket in Florence. I couldn’t believe the choices! There were cereals, a deli, pasta and rice, oils and spices, even personal care products! It was like entering heaven — there was even cold yogurt! I was so overwhelmed with the options that I ended up only purchasing water, cold yogurt (haven’t seen that since Argentina!) and some off-brand M&Ms.

Inca Kola display at Plaza Vea

Later that day I was craving another snack and decided to check out the other supermarket they’d mentioned, Plaza Vea,  just a block downhill from the hostel. Suddenly the first supermarket seemed like NOTHING! It was exactly like the Tesco by where I lived in Thailand — basically a Wal-Mart. They even had big screen TVs and electronics, clothing, everything you could imagine for sale. I walked around with my mouth hanging open, totally unable to believe what I was seeing. There was a huge section just with cheese and meat! It was more than heaven.

I got a huge chunk of cheese for just over $1. That and some crackers ended up being my dinner for two nights in a row. Who would’ve thought that my everyday backpacker’s diet from Europe would end up being the feast of kings for me here in South America? It was sublime. Again, the biggest problem was there was just too much to choose from. I went back today intending to buy something else for dinner tonight, but that’s where I’m again reminded of one of the cons of solo travel: everything is too much. Especially since I’m leaving for a three day trek tomorrow, I couldn’t buy anything that I wouldn’t eat in one day. It wasn’t worth buying bread, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, that I couldn’t possibly eat all on my own in one night. And buying pasta and sauce would just mean cooking alone for one, and then lugging it around from place to place until I could finish it. I’m crossing my fingers that there will exist such a place like Plaza Vea in Cusco, where I will be spending more time.

All in all, Arequipa has been full of wonderful surprise after wonderful surprise. While I still haven’t met any kindred souls to share another part of my journey with, at least I have found a great place to relax and feel a bit more at peace.

Accommodation:

First: The Point Arequipa – (24 soles/nt for biggest dorm) – I stayed because they had wifi (didn’t work) and a hot tub (never used), but the people weren’t friendly at all and there wasn’t any really good place to hang out, just a bunch of too small spaces that weren’t ideal for socializing. The bathrooms were weird too.

Second: Arequipay Backpackers House – (20 soles for 5 bed dorm) – While there’s still not a ton of people to meet here, I like it much better. There’s a decent common room with TV/movies and computers, there’s good wifi, the rooms are decent enough, people are more friendly. Still only maybe 75% on the social scale though (maybe weekends are better?) But it also just depends, I was recommended to stay here from some guys who stayed and had a really great time. People are always coming and going for treks and such, though. I’ll be back on Saturday, so we’ll see if there’s a difference.

In this chapter we welcome Juanita Zanthia as the heiress of the legacy. Esmeralda has married Coby Mueller and taken his name, so she is not officially a Zanthia but she is still family. Looks like our Alfonso does not wish to approve of Devon fliriting with Juanita, or perhaps he does not want to let go of his big sister yet. Also, as you may notice, Juanita’s wearing some maternity clothes so Alfonso may think she’s rushing into this relationship a little too fast. What he doesn’t realise is that Juanita thinks life’s to short to wait around.In the other house (where I sent Juanita and Devon away on their honeymoon to do some, uh, as they say in Mamma Mia, “dot dot dot”) Maia ages up into an old woman, but she is happy that she has a nice family. Esmeralda and Coby Mueller now live here.

Dear old Maia has a bit of a Fashion Fail here, except I didn’t think it was TOO tragic so I continued. She is ready to join Carlos in her elderhood and enjoy her expanding family. Back inside the Zanthia household, Domingo was criticising Alejandra of being an insufferable know-it-all because she beat him in a chess match. Alejandra listens with a criticising ear.

‘She knows that it’s not worth arguing with her elder brother so she takes a dip in the family pool instead, meditating on what a stupid, arrogant jerk he is, and how she looks great in her purple-pink togs (not exactly what people will think she would ponder, huh?) but they are the latest technology in swimwear, so, hmm….

Carlos is immediately excited about the little life growing inside Juanita’s womb, he reckons the child will be as cute as a teddy bear because it will have some of his genes. Good luck, Carlos, but remember that you AND Devon have black hair!

CUE GRANDMA… oooh it kicked! I wonder what gender it is? Ooh I hope Devon is giving you lots of massages! (He is)

“Well mum, Granny bodies are high-mantinence, so you better stay fit!” Juanita replies, and gets Maia on the treadmill. Maia loves to agree, note the matching athletic wear, they can really bond over the treadmill these days.

Domingo, annoyed that Alejandra snubbed him after he criticised her, did his homework with all his might that afternoon, encouraged to pass her in school and get on that honour roll to show that little Alejandra who’s boss (come on, isn’t she only a child? I don’t think it matters much in this family)

Maia can’t get enough of the ol’ treadmill lately, especially since she maxed out the Athletic skill (her certificate is shown on the wall) she has felt more confident in her life and loves to excercise too much today.

Esmeralda gossips to her mother about how rude Domigo has been lately to her, saying that she really didn’t mind but she is worried about the ‘lesser-willed, less-intelligent’ family members (huh, so he was telling the truth?) especially Devon, who seemed to be void of all intelligence whatsoever. Don’t worry, Esmeralda

It’s Baby Time! Juanita brought her brothers and parents to the hospital but was only allowed to have Devon with her (here he is about to go inside). Maia and Carlos are arguing what milk they should give this new baby, organic or powdered formula. Domingo and Alfonso just have a friendly chat. It is late at night and the police excuse them for such an urgent family emergency that they do not show up.

All they do is read anyway, no graffitti or burglary from these (geek) teens. Especially as one is thinking about school and the other is thinking about the politics of image displayed in popular magazines.

The first Generation 2 child is born, young Orlando Zanthia who is an insane artist who likes pop music, Stu Suprise and Blue. He sleeps in the same room as his parents while Esmeralda, Alfonso and Domingo are still under the same roof.

Alfonso takes a fancy to the young maid, Vanessa Espinosa, and chats her up in his PJs. Vanessa is half Fijian and half Spanish with sun-bleached hair. She forgets about the unmade bed to talk to Alfonso, so she must be interested.

Vanessa tells Alfonso that Esmeralda is broke, so Alfonso rushes off and checks up on his big sister, and it turns out she is doing fine and has a new computer (Mac, Windows or Linux, we don’t know, but she likes it). Also, Esmeralda has maxed out her logic skill, but Alfonso feel jealous.

Vanessa stays and she boogies down with Alfonso when they return, while Carlos does not want his head in the frame whatsoever.

The Men Of The House bond over some fardening (that means gardening with your father, a Zanthia neologism) the native Zanthias are in their pyjamas so poor Devon feels a little strange, but he gets over himself and helps with the cabbages.

Alfonso decides to call Vanessa over and she agrees to come.

He waits and finds a rock, thinking about how soon he will see his friend.

But as they day gets later, she doesn’t show. Alfonso begins to worry about her, Domingo comes and hangs by the slide and says “I hear she had an aunt’s funeral in Valencia so it was so serious she couldn’t see you, she didn’t even have time to ring because she was so gripped with grief. She’s OK, and she’s coming to see you when she returns.” Alfonso feels a little more relaxed about it, yet sad for Vanessa at the same time.

He rings to check up on her and they have a looong talk about life and death, and he uses his intellect to calm her mind, she is very thankful to have a friend like Alfonso, but does not see his ulterior motives.

Inside, Alejandra’s chess game is interrupted by her birthday.

Alfonso, painting his feelings out, is also given the sparkles treatment. Maia plays the hooter.

Alejandra is first for the makeover room, she is dressed in blue, her favourite colour. She bears the Zanthia ‘do, and Grandma Maia’s Kelptomaniac trait.

Alfonso too, I gave him a casual, carefree look, even though he’s Neurotic (this is from worrying about Vanessa). He goes for the friendly biker look, even though he looks grumpy, that was the studio flash.

That afternoon, Vanessa comes back and rushes into his arms, thanking him for all his help during her troubling time. He is just relieved to find out she is fine, but takes the time to fall in love.

And Alfonso decides to move out so he and Vanessa can continue their relationship away from the prying eyes of the family.

It was about time Maia had a new oufit, she chose this dress. It looks like she doesn’t really care about what she wears, as long as it’s sweat and paint retardent.

Maia is ready in time for Orlando’s birthday, a private family party.

Even the ghosts come and celebrate, and Orlando has A FULL HEAD OF HAIR!!!!!!!!! He is the second Zanthia child (Juanita was the first), and the first Zanthia boy, to be a fully haired toddler. He is hiding from the camera behind his Mum.

The family sits down for cake…

except for carbophobic Juanita, underage xylophoniac Orlando and “living impared” Grandma Maia.

Devon decides to read Orlando an Art book, preparing him for the burden of painting masterpieces ahead of him. With his insanity, he may as well be the next big thing in the art world.

Juanita takes to teaching young Orlando how to walk and to wearing an alternative t-shirt to do so (perhaps Orlando may get muddy feet?)

Also, she taught him to talk, and Devon asked, “what do I get to train Orlando in apart from art?” and got “Well, since you are so keen, take care of the waste management!” Devon thought this meant teaching Orlando how to recycle, so he accepted, but he wasn’t to impressed to discover that “waste management” was a euphamism for potty training!

Grandma Maia came back for a visit this evening to have a check up on the family. Looks like Juanita DID have some cake and look what it did to her!

and she enjoyed playing ‘Space Age Hover Chair” with her oblivious daughter, who was so engrossed in her book.

Uh… what are you and Carlos doing outside the hospital, Maia, talking about flowers? Ah, yes! Of course Juanita didn’t get fat, she was excercising while the family was eating!

Welcome to the family, Fioruccio Zanthia, named after one of your distant Italian relatives, our couch potato virtuoso, which means you will like spending time watching music videos. He likes Indie music, brown and ratatouille (and Remy?)

Will Fioruccio be a bald toddler or a haired one? Will Esmeralda and Alfonso reproduce? Will Juanita have any more babies?

Find out in the next chapter!

Η Bree θα δει, επιτέλους, ότι τα πράγματα με τον Karl σοβαρεύουν και γι’ αυτό θα προσπαθήσει να δώσει ένα τέλος. Αλλά ο Karl δεν είναι διατεθειμένος να την αφήσει να φύγει έτσι απλά. Η Gabrielle θα κλιθεί να αντιμετωπίσει την διευθύντρια του σχολείου της Juanita. Μία κακιά λέξη της κόρης της θα οδηγήσει στην εγκατάλειψη του σχολείου. Η Lynette θα μάθει ένα μυστικό του Tom, ενώ η Katherine θα προσπαθήσει να γίνει φίλη με τη Susan προκειμένου να πλησιάσει και πάλι τον Mike. Τέλος η Angie θα αποκρύψει ένα μυστικό σχετικά με την μητέρα της.