08 December, 2010
le sucre à côté
Un après-midi là, dans la rue du jourdain,
on peut dire qu'on était bien,
assis à la terrasse du café d'en face
on voyait notre appartement.
Je ne sais plus si nous nous étions tus
ou si nous parlions tout bas là au café d'en bas,
mais je revois très bien la table et tes mains,
le thé, le café et le sucre à côté.
Puis d'un coup c'est parti, tout s'est effondré,
on n'a pas bien compris, tout a continué,
tandis qu'entre nous s'en allait l'équilibre,
plus jamais tranquilles, nous tombions du fil.
Cet après-midi là, dans la rue du jourdain,
en fait tout n'allait pas si bien,
assis à la terrasse du café d'en face
on voyait notre appartement,
si triste finalement avec nous dedans
on peut dire qu'on était bien,
assis à la terrasse du café d'en face
on voyait notre appartement.
Je ne sais plus si nous nous étions tus
ou si nous parlions tout bas là au café d'en bas,
mais je revois très bien la table et tes mains,
le thé, le café et le sucre à côté.
Puis d'un coup c'est parti, tout s'est effondré,
on n'a pas bien compris, tout a continué,
tandis qu'entre nous s'en allait l'équilibre,
plus jamais tranquilles, nous tombions du fil.
Cet après-midi là, dans la rue du jourdain,
en fait tout n'allait pas si bien,
assis à la terrasse du café d'en face
on voyait notre appartement,
si triste finalement avec nous dedans
04 December, 2010
01 December, 2010
30 November, 2010
29 November, 2010
27 November, 2010
25 November, 2010
avantgardist core
"How do we recognize a genuine avant-gardist? A genuine avant-gardist does not let himself to a trend, wondering where this new wave will take him: this is simply a liberal conformist. The genuine avant-gardist tries to reflect upon how to preserve the very heart of the old even purer than it was before." Slavoj Zizek
24 November, 2010
23 November, 2010
22 November, 2010
21 November, 2010
a vantagem de ser bobo é ter boa-fé
"O bobo, por não se ocupar com ambições, tem tempo para ver, ouvir e tocar no mundo. O bobo é capaz de ficar sentado quase sem se mexer por duas horas. Se perguntado por que não faz alguma coisa, responde: "Estou fazendo. Estou pensando."
Ser bobo às vezes oferece um mundo de saída porque os espertos só se lembram de sair por meio da esperteza, e o bobo tem originalidade, espontaneamente lhe vem a idéia.
O bobo tem oportunidade de ver coisas que os espertos não vêem. Os espertos estão sempre tão atentos às espertezas alheias que se descontraem diante dos bobos, e estes os vêem como simples pessoas humanas. O bobo ganha liberdade e sabedoria para viver. O bobo nunca parece ter tido vez. No entanto, muitas vezes, o bobo é um Dostoievski.
Há desvantagem, obviamente. Uma boba, por exemplo, confiou na palavra de um desconhecido para a compra de um ar refrigerado de segunda mão: ele disse que o aparelho era novo, praticamente sem uso porque se mudara para a Gávea onde é fresco. Vai a boba e compra o aparelho sem vê-lo sequer. Resultado: não funciona. Chamado um técnico, a opinião deste era de que o aparelho estava tão estragado que o conserto seria caríssimo: mais valia comprar outro. Mas, em contrapartida, a vantagem de ser bobo é ter boa-fé, não desconfiar, e portanto estar tranqüilo. Enquanto o esperto não dorme à noite com medo de ser ludibriado. O esperto vence com úlcera no estômago. O bobo não percebe que venceu.
Aviso: não confundir bobos com burros. Desvantagem: pode receber uma punhalada de quem menos espera. É uma das tristezas que o bobo não prevê. César terminou dizendo a célebre frase: "Até tu, Brutus?"
Bobo não reclama. Em compensação, como exclama!
Os bobos, com todas as suas palhaçadas, devem estar todos no céu. Se Cristo tivesse sido esperto não teria morrido na cruz.
O bobo é sempre tão simpático que há espertos que se fazem passar por bobos. Ser bobo é uma criatividade e, como toda criação, é difícil. Por isso é que os espertos não conseguem passar por bobos. Os espertos ganham dos outros. Em compensação os bobos ganham vida. Bem-aventurados os bobos porque sabem sem que ninguém desconfie. Aliás não se importam que saibam que eles sabem.
Há lugares que facilitam mais as pessoas serem bobas (não confundir bobo com burro, como tolo, como fútil). Minas Gerais, por exemplo, facilita ser bobo. Ah, quantos perdem por não nascer em Minas!
Bobo é Chagall, que põe vaca no espaço, voando por cima das casas. É quase impossível evitar o excesso de amor que um bobo provoca. É que só o bobo é capaz de excesso de amor. E só o amor faz o bobo.
Das Vantagens de Ser Bobo - Clarice Lispector
Ser bobo às vezes oferece um mundo de saída porque os espertos só se lembram de sair por meio da esperteza, e o bobo tem originalidade, espontaneamente lhe vem a idéia.
O bobo tem oportunidade de ver coisas que os espertos não vêem. Os espertos estão sempre tão atentos às espertezas alheias que se descontraem diante dos bobos, e estes os vêem como simples pessoas humanas. O bobo ganha liberdade e sabedoria para viver. O bobo nunca parece ter tido vez. No entanto, muitas vezes, o bobo é um Dostoievski.
Há desvantagem, obviamente. Uma boba, por exemplo, confiou na palavra de um desconhecido para a compra de um ar refrigerado de segunda mão: ele disse que o aparelho era novo, praticamente sem uso porque se mudara para a Gávea onde é fresco. Vai a boba e compra o aparelho sem vê-lo sequer. Resultado: não funciona. Chamado um técnico, a opinião deste era de que o aparelho estava tão estragado que o conserto seria caríssimo: mais valia comprar outro. Mas, em contrapartida, a vantagem de ser bobo é ter boa-fé, não desconfiar, e portanto estar tranqüilo. Enquanto o esperto não dorme à noite com medo de ser ludibriado. O esperto vence com úlcera no estômago. O bobo não percebe que venceu.
Aviso: não confundir bobos com burros. Desvantagem: pode receber uma punhalada de quem menos espera. É uma das tristezas que o bobo não prevê. César terminou dizendo a célebre frase: "Até tu, Brutus?"
Bobo não reclama. Em compensação, como exclama!
Os bobos, com todas as suas palhaçadas, devem estar todos no céu. Se Cristo tivesse sido esperto não teria morrido na cruz.
O bobo é sempre tão simpático que há espertos que se fazem passar por bobos. Ser bobo é uma criatividade e, como toda criação, é difícil. Por isso é que os espertos não conseguem passar por bobos. Os espertos ganham dos outros. Em compensação os bobos ganham vida. Bem-aventurados os bobos porque sabem sem que ninguém desconfie. Aliás não se importam que saibam que eles sabem.
Há lugares que facilitam mais as pessoas serem bobas (não confundir bobo com burro, como tolo, como fútil). Minas Gerais, por exemplo, facilita ser bobo. Ah, quantos perdem por não nascer em Minas!
Bobo é Chagall, que põe vaca no espaço, voando por cima das casas. É quase impossível evitar o excesso de amor que um bobo provoca. É que só o bobo é capaz de excesso de amor. E só o amor faz o bobo.
Das Vantagens de Ser Bobo - Clarice Lispector
20 November, 2010
it's real.
“To be a performance artist, you have to hate theatre," (...)"Theatre is fake… The knife is not real, the blood is not real, and the emotions are not real. Performance is just the opposite: the knife is real, the blood is real, and the emotions are real."
Marina Abramovic
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/oct/03/interview-marina-abramovic-performance-artist
Marina Abramovic
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2010/oct/03/interview-marina-abramovic-performance-artist
15 November, 2010
14 November, 2010
social entropy
I would rather vanish then staying here.
there is no wisdom left.
no hope. no dream. no love. no forgiveness. no picture. no touch. no moments. no music. no meeting. no smiles. no confessions. no rain. no light. no buildings. no museums. no walks. no spaces. no art. no aroma. no taste. no memory. no endearment. no affection. no possibility. no way. no way. never. never again. it's done. it's gone.
there is no wisdom left.
no hope. no dream. no love. no forgiveness. no picture. no touch. no moments. no music. no meeting. no smiles. no confessions. no rain. no light. no buildings. no museums. no walks. no spaces. no art. no aroma. no taste. no memory. no endearment. no affection. no possibility. no way. no way. never. never again. it's done. it's gone.
10 November, 2010
08 November, 2010
die tatsache ist, dass...
"Die Ersatzbefriedigung, die die Kulturindustrie den Menschen bereitet, indem sie das Wohlgefühl erweckt, die Welt sei in eben der Ordnung, die sie ihnen suggerieren will, betrügt sie um das Glück, das sie ihnen vorschwindelt. Der Gesamteffekt der Kulturindustrie ist der einer Anti-Aufklärung; in ihr wird, wie Horkheimer und ich es nannten, Aufklärung, nämlich die fortschreitende technische Naturbeherrschung, zum Massenbetrug, zum Mittel der Fesselung des Bewußtseins. Sie verhindert die Bildung autonomer, selbständiger, bewußt urteilender und sich entscheidender Individuen. Die aber wären die Voraussetzung einer demokratischen Gesellschaft, die nur in Mündigen sich erhalten und entfalten kann. Werden die Massen, zu Unrecht, von oben her als Massen geschmäht, so ist es nicht zum letzten die Kulturindustrie, die sie zu den Massen macht, die sie dann verachtet, und sie an der Emanzipation verhindert, zu der die Menschen selbst so reif wären, wie die produktiven Kräfte des Zeitalters sie erlaubten." T. Adorno, Résumé über die Kulturindustrie
07 November, 2010
different radio program!
RBMA Radio - RBMA Radio Live (Lisbon, Portugal) - RBMA Live - Lisbon Loves - Live from LX Taster '09 Pt 1
RBMA Radio - RBMA Radio Live (Lisbon, Portugal) - RBMA Live - Lisbon Loves - Live from LX Taster '09 Pt 1
RBMA Radio - RBMA Radio Live (Lisbon, Portugal) - RBMA Live - Lisbon Loves - Live from LX Taster '09 Pt 1
04 November, 2010
miranda july's hallway makes me smile
The Hallway from The Hallway on Vimeo.
walk through the hallway for a few minutes... you'll never be the same again
02 November, 2010
01 November, 2010
patch adams himself!!!
Patch Adams is an amazing person. Hearing his words made my day.
No actually my week and probably my entire month.
Everytime I feel shallow I try to remember his words. The lecture was long and I would need pages and pages to write about what I learned from him.
He has really good values, some of them are really extreme, but definitely rare in our days.
His story and his life choice touched me...
This interview does not do any justice to the person he is, but it is still a bit of information I thought I might just share.
For the least impressionable or just the curious: there is footage from Patch on a trip to Caboul's children hospital. watch it and be prepared to realize how futile our western society has become...
so-yummy-it's-a-sin brownie
Ingredients
* 1 cup ovomaltine or 1/2 cup cocoa powder
* 3/4 cup butter
* 2 cups white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Melt the butter and add the ovomaltine or cocoa. Remove pan from heat.
3. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Mix in eggs. Stir in flour and nuts. You might want to add a teaspoon of baking powder.
4. Spread in greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes.
5. sprinkle powdered sugar on top, serve warm.
* 1 cup ovomaltine or 1/2 cup cocoa powder
* 3/4 cup butter
* 2 cups white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Melt the butter and add the ovomaltine or cocoa. Remove pan from heat.
3. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Mix in eggs. Stir in flour and nuts. You might want to add a teaspoon of baking powder.
4. Spread in greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes.
5. sprinkle powdered sugar on top, serve warm.
25 October, 2010
yummy brownie
Ingredients
* 1 cup ovomaltine or 1/2 cup cocoa powder
* 3/4 cup butter
* 2 cups white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Melt the butter and add the ovomaltine or cocoa. Remove pan from heat.
3. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Mix in eggs. Stir in flour and nuts. You might want to add a teaspoon of baking powder.
4. Spread in greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes.
* 1 cup ovomaltine or 1/2 cup cocoa powder
* 3/4 cup butter
* 2 cups white sugar
* 3 eggs
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Melt the butter and add the ovomaltine or cocoa. Remove pan from heat.
3. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar. Mix in eggs. Stir in flour and nuts. You might want to add a teaspoon of baking powder.
4. Spread in greased pan. Bake for 35 minutes.
22 September, 2010
21 September, 2010
contado ninguém acredita!!!!
Ai contado ninguém acredita
Quando eu vou na procissão
Não há moça mais bonita
Ai contado ninguém acredita
Vão os santos pelo chão
E eu no andor da santinha
Que é milagre
Diz quem sabe
Eu não sei
Mas até a virgem mãe
Me gabou a casaquinha
Que é milagre
Diz quem sabe
Eu não sei
De tão bela até ganhei
Um altar na capelinha
Ó mas ainda não sou Deus
Para reinar nos olhos teus
Que veneram o Divino
E eu tão bela e imaculada
Só não sou idolatrada
Por quem eu mais admiro
Ai contado ninguém acredita
Quando eu vou na procissão
Até o menino assobia
Ai contado ninguém acredita
Os homens em multidão
Fazem a mim romaria
Que é milagre
Diz quem sabe
Eu não sei
Se é das unhas que pintei
Se é da luz que me alumia
Que é milagre
Diz quem sabe
Eu não sei
todos dizem que o meu bem
Lhes dá mais sentido à vida
Ó mas ainda não sou Deus
Para reinar nos olhos teus
Que veneram o Divino
E eu tão bela e imaculada
Só não sou idolatrada
Por quem eu mais admiro
16 September, 2010
old traditions and multicultural ceremony
So me and some friends are preparing a big birthday party for a friend.
You would imagine balloons, pop music and presents, right?
WRONG!
We will be doing something very different!
We are celebrating a religious ceremony, which in an anthropological kind of way, makes me really excited and curious!
I can't write more about it now, because it will be kept a secret!!!
In a recent trip to the muslim world, I often observed the rituals of washing before prayer and it fascinated me! (in an anthropological kind of way)
The Halal food (for muslims), The Kashrut (kosher food for jews), were laws to keep first and foremost the best hygiene conditions possible.
Since pork meat is a kind of meat that, unless well preserved makes people easily ill, the eating laws for the religions in warm countries stated that pork should be banished.
With the same train of thought, cleanliness was also achieved by instituting the laws of cleaning before prayer etc.
Isn't it genius?
At that time, I think it was the best self-preservation rule they could have come up with.
The next best invention of humanity was probably SOAP and not the wheel.
Ok. I may be slightly inaccurate with the time lines, tradition origins, cultures and facts, but in a drop, this is what actually happened...
The story of the head scarf is equally interesting! Since at the time, the ruling behavior was immorality, the religion ordered men and women to cover their bodies.
the thing, was women had to mask and hide the shapes of their bodies, so the immorality would stop!
pretty interesting, since I would not consider this a self-preserving measure, but a question of moral!
21 August, 2010
living in a small studio/loft/ one-room apartment/ bachelor's pad
It is a challenge living in a small one-level loft. Here are some ideas that might come in handy:
*When choosing a dining or a work table, buy one with wheels. This makes it more versatile if you need it for different purposes!
here is an example of this great tip:
*Extra storage is a thing you should keep in mind when choosing your furniture: beds with drawers, a wooden chest at the end of the bed, or sofas that have storage space under the seats can be really helpful!
*Ikea sells metal racks, which can be useful in your kitchen and bathroom. You can put your towels or cooking pans high up above your head leaving extra space underneath for tables or a clean wall without any clutter.
*Ensuring that you have a cosy and good-looking home has a lot to do with tidy surfaces. Keep counter tops in your kitchen free for cooking or dining, as well as your work space and tables.
*Keep a clear division of spaces, through a different furniture display, or by adding objects or draping. You should feel like, although there are no walls, there are different rooms.
*The last tip I have might sound a little crazy but I find it helpful! Navigate through some hotel websites and check how they decorated their suites. They have plenty of pictures of bedrooms/living rooms all in one, so check them out!
10 August, 2010
BAD movie!
I had never seen anything from Paulo Branco before.
BUT i did not like this movie... what a waist of money :(
The Inner Life of Martin Frost is basically a story from Paul Auster that should have been a book and not a film.
That's the most common mistake that writers make. They visualize their works on the big screen and don't feel like making any changes. They don't see that there is a difference between both art forms, which needs to be understood and kept. The movie has no visual interest whatsoever. I think the movie would have done a little better without a narrator and if the camera angles would have been picked more carefully.
The things I liked about it were the soundtrack, the two male actors and finally the short singing of Sophie Auster at the end of the film.
Her appearance in the film is a bit forced, but in the end you embrace her character just because she brings a little twist and fun to the film (by her singing)
here is a trailer:
BUT i did not like this movie... what a waist of money :(
The Inner Life of Martin Frost is basically a story from Paul Auster that should have been a book and not a film.
That's the most common mistake that writers make. They visualize their works on the big screen and don't feel like making any changes. They don't see that there is a difference between both art forms, which needs to be understood and kept. The movie has no visual interest whatsoever. I think the movie would have done a little better without a narrator and if the camera angles would have been picked more carefully.
The things I liked about it were the soundtrack, the two male actors and finally the short singing of Sophie Auster at the end of the film.
Her appearance in the film is a bit forced, but in the end you embrace her character just because she brings a little twist and fun to the film (by her singing)
here is a trailer:
working the weakness out!
When I'm depressed I feel really miserable and I tend not to move out of my room for days. But the best way to combat that misery is to workout and start feeling better in no time.
Step 1: The trick is finding a workout you like (DVD, youtube etc.), or a person who you can workout with.
this will keep you extra motivated and will make you want to workout more often
step 2: Do it regularly. (EVERY DAY IF YOU CAN)
step 3: boost your motivation by telling everyone you are doing a workout routine everyday. Or just start saying to yourself or others before you workout how you love it and how bad you need it.
(this is just a little psychological trick you can play with your mind. Trust me! it works!)
So now in front of your laptop start by searching what workout videos you enjoy
(fight, dance or aerobics)
There is a lot of offer out there. I found one you can download directly (free) here
keep in mind that the important thing is to start right away
or else you'll forget!!! Start to workout and feel GREAT!
01 August, 2010
machinarium is ART
I never thought I would ever write about a computer game on this blog. But this game deserves more than just a few lines...
Machinarium is poetry
Machinarium is art
The game consists of several rooms where you have to help a robot find his robot-girlfriend and help other characters in a very weird futuristic world, by pointing and clicking.
Sounds boring? It is not!
You will fall in love with the characters just as I did...
AND all of them are machines!
In some way they all have character and some of them radiate so much sadness that it's incredible...
I really felt sorry for the robots, and wanted to save the city and could not explore other rooms until I had helped them. I wanted to make them happy, so I could feel happier. Only then I felt like I could move on and explore the world some more.
Since all I wanted to do is help my poor robot and the other friendly robots the fastest I could, I basically stopped looking for the answers and solutions all by my self and went straight to the help guide that every room includes. This helped me solve the game in just a few days of playing.
I was so committed to helping him that I invested a lot of my time into the game... I guess...But don't think this was a stressful experience.
On the contrary.
Playing machinarium was my escape-moment of the day.
While playing you are submerged in a flash created world where there is real beauty in every place you go to.
Adding to the wonderfully designed scenarios and solutions, which are really fun, the soundtrack of the game is just addicting. The man Tomas Dvorak is a genius composer
The music just adds a ton of emotion to the scenes, and playing the game just becomes a wonderful experience.
The robots seem to come alive and it's an adventure to meet them and help them.
I have to say, this has definitely become my favorite computer game (also available for mac)
I strongly recommend you take a look at this
hopefully you will fall in love too =)
have a great day!
p.s. for the people who are stuck in one room and don't know what to do, even after checking the help guide of the game, there are walkthroughs on youtube for each level. But do not use them unless you are desperate!
I don't know how reducing they must be, but the fun of playing machinarium is also being creative and trying out every option for yourself.
There are no rights or wrongs, just save the game and try playing with objects and seeing what happens!
Have fun!
28 May, 2010
learning languages taking the time
"Teach yourself polyglottery for beginners - a short course
At this point you already know all the secrets of the polyglots, and we can now talk as equals, as colleagues. And yet, by way of concluding, allow me to offer you some simple and precise instructions. In fact, if you come to feel doubtful about some of them, trust the author: all that will be discussed here is firmly based on science and many years of experience by the polyglots.
Try to follow all the recommendations in the form and in the sequence in which they appear. This is important, for without some of the parts being offered to you, the mechanism may not work. In the details, however, you have complete freedom. For example, it might say that you must memorize a list of words, preferably by yourself, from a notebook. But if you absorb better aurally, ask a family member to read it to you, if you are more visual - write the words in color on a sheet of paper and hang it over your bed. Keep trying different things, keep exploring yourself, but somehow you've got to master that list. For what is recommended, is for everyone, and it's up to you to adapt it to your own personality and talents. The latter are guaranteed to exist. And while you are looking for them, the most important thing is to not torture yourself, to not wear yourself out. Remember: the only type of labor that works with a language is the kind that requires daily, but not strenuous, effort. It's great when you derive pleasure from the effort. If your find this feeling appear momentarily in your studies, "capture" it, try to remember and reproduce it. This is the key to success, while the rest of the tricks are merely assistants. And so, despite the concise and practical nature of this chapter, I will ask you to listen to an ancient fable.
There was once a farmer, who sowed some grain and was hoping for a quick crop. So, as soon as he saw the shoots appear out of the ground, he started pulling on them, so as to make them grow faster. The roots clung to the ground for a while and ... tore off. The shoots dried out, and the impatient farmer went hungry. The moral of the story is: all living things grow gradually, and one can only speed up their development to a point.
As you understand, of course, it's not the plants we are concerned with here. The same can be said of mental health. Its essential ingredient is love of one's own language and respect for someone's else's. That's why we've already said and will say it again, that interest and ability in languages is neither a profession nor a hobby, but a character trait. It goes with this that in your studies you will not have to labor hard, but neither will you get to laze around.
First you have to determine how much you need the chosen language. Whether you are ready to make it your companion in life. Suppose you are not. Then why do you need it?
(...)
Next you will need a textbook of the chosen language. ... It is best to get a textbook for self-learners. ...
(...)
And now, armed with the textbook, patience, and interest, we can move on to the main part - the lesson. Having established the format of the lessons, we will try to stick to it for the most part. In this regard, moderation and diligence are key to success. The format of the lessons consists first of all in their regularity. All polyglots say in unison that one should study daily. I'd like to bring it to your attention that periodicity is a force multiplier: better a short lesson each day of the week than one Sunday from dawn till dusk.
Establish the duration of a lesson. The optimum is 45 minutes a day, only without a minute's break. Usually people want to extend the lesson beyond an hour, they start reading on suburban trains, put in extra time during holidays. However, when they get busy, they make the lessons shorter. I'd like to warn the reader off of such extremes. As far as extending the lessons, at best it's useless, because attention has its limits, and at worst - downright detrimental, for you will quickly get bored with the language. Still, if you have time and desire, plan on a 15-minute or so repeat lesson three to four hours after the main one, and save the appetite for the language until tomorrow. Shortening the lesson also has its known limits - it should last no less than 30 minutes, or the brain just doesn't have enough time to fully kick in. And if you don't have even half an hour, you may wish to take a second look at your life.
So, 45+15 minutes - that's an A+ schedule, 45 minutes - an A, 30 minutes - a C. If your schedule happens to get disrupted, try to get back to the regular routine in the next three to four days. Such a break is not really significant. If, on the other hand, you have stopped for a week or more, there's no choice - start with lesson one.
Try to set a fixed time for your studies and do not vary it needlessly. I understand this may not be easy, but it should be possible nevertheless. According to scientific opinion, the best study time is from 8:30am until 10:30am or from 4:30pm until 6:30pm, and it happens to be the case that in the first case the short-term memory is at its most active, while in the second - the long-term. So, it would be nice to study during these hours, and especially nice if you could do the 45-minute lesson in the morning, and towards the evening repeat it during 15 minutes. By the way, most likely you've been conditioned to this rhythm at school or at work. If not, no big deal - sprinkled through the 24 hours are other, although smaller, productivity peaks. And if you firmly establish any period of time convenient to you and stick to it, one of such peaks will surely happen to be nearby and will shift to your study interval. That's in the nature of things.
Let's establish the location of the studies too. Preferably, it should be fixed. As to where to study, it makes no difference whatsoever. If it's at home or at work, find yourself a comfy spot where you can settle down for half an hour without disturbing anybody; if it's in public transport on the way to work, so much the better! Generations of polyglots, include the author of this book, have studied languages in streetcars and buses and couldn't be happier with it. ... There is only one important thing here - to ride without transfers for half an hour and that there be no one to talk to... Squeeze through to the nearest lamp or window, open the book and bury yourself in the wonder world of languages.
(...)"
read more here
At this point you already know all the secrets of the polyglots, and we can now talk as equals, as colleagues. And yet, by way of concluding, allow me to offer you some simple and precise instructions. In fact, if you come to feel doubtful about some of them, trust the author: all that will be discussed here is firmly based on science and many years of experience by the polyglots.
Try to follow all the recommendations in the form and in the sequence in which they appear. This is important, for without some of the parts being offered to you, the mechanism may not work. In the details, however, you have complete freedom. For example, it might say that you must memorize a list of words, preferably by yourself, from a notebook. But if you absorb better aurally, ask a family member to read it to you, if you are more visual - write the words in color on a sheet of paper and hang it over your bed. Keep trying different things, keep exploring yourself, but somehow you've got to master that list. For what is recommended, is for everyone, and it's up to you to adapt it to your own personality and talents. The latter are guaranteed to exist. And while you are looking for them, the most important thing is to not torture yourself, to not wear yourself out. Remember: the only type of labor that works with a language is the kind that requires daily, but not strenuous, effort. It's great when you derive pleasure from the effort. If your find this feeling appear momentarily in your studies, "capture" it, try to remember and reproduce it. This is the key to success, while the rest of the tricks are merely assistants. And so, despite the concise and practical nature of this chapter, I will ask you to listen to an ancient fable.
There was once a farmer, who sowed some grain and was hoping for a quick crop. So, as soon as he saw the shoots appear out of the ground, he started pulling on them, so as to make them grow faster. The roots clung to the ground for a while and ... tore off. The shoots dried out, and the impatient farmer went hungry. The moral of the story is: all living things grow gradually, and one can only speed up their development to a point.
As you understand, of course, it's not the plants we are concerned with here. The same can be said of mental health. Its essential ingredient is love of one's own language and respect for someone's else's. That's why we've already said and will say it again, that interest and ability in languages is neither a profession nor a hobby, but a character trait. It goes with this that in your studies you will not have to labor hard, but neither will you get to laze around.
First you have to determine how much you need the chosen language. Whether you are ready to make it your companion in life. Suppose you are not. Then why do you need it?
(...)
Next you will need a textbook of the chosen language. ... It is best to get a textbook for self-learners. ...
(...)
And now, armed with the textbook, patience, and interest, we can move on to the main part - the lesson. Having established the format of the lessons, we will try to stick to it for the most part. In this regard, moderation and diligence are key to success. The format of the lessons consists first of all in their regularity. All polyglots say in unison that one should study daily. I'd like to bring it to your attention that periodicity is a force multiplier: better a short lesson each day of the week than one Sunday from dawn till dusk.
Establish the duration of a lesson. The optimum is 45 minutes a day, only without a minute's break. Usually people want to extend the lesson beyond an hour, they start reading on suburban trains, put in extra time during holidays. However, when they get busy, they make the lessons shorter. I'd like to warn the reader off of such extremes. As far as extending the lessons, at best it's useless, because attention has its limits, and at worst - downright detrimental, for you will quickly get bored with the language. Still, if you have time and desire, plan on a 15-minute or so repeat lesson three to four hours after the main one, and save the appetite for the language until tomorrow. Shortening the lesson also has its known limits - it should last no less than 30 minutes, or the brain just doesn't have enough time to fully kick in. And if you don't have even half an hour, you may wish to take a second look at your life.
So, 45+15 minutes - that's an A+ schedule, 45 minutes - an A, 30 minutes - a C. If your schedule happens to get disrupted, try to get back to the regular routine in the next three to four days. Such a break is not really significant. If, on the other hand, you have stopped for a week or more, there's no choice - start with lesson one.
Try to set a fixed time for your studies and do not vary it needlessly. I understand this may not be easy, but it should be possible nevertheless. According to scientific opinion, the best study time is from 8:30am until 10:30am or from 4:30pm until 6:30pm, and it happens to be the case that in the first case the short-term memory is at its most active, while in the second - the long-term. So, it would be nice to study during these hours, and especially nice if you could do the 45-minute lesson in the morning, and towards the evening repeat it during 15 minutes. By the way, most likely you've been conditioned to this rhythm at school or at work. If not, no big deal - sprinkled through the 24 hours are other, although smaller, productivity peaks. And if you firmly establish any period of time convenient to you and stick to it, one of such peaks will surely happen to be nearby and will shift to your study interval. That's in the nature of things.
Let's establish the location of the studies too. Preferably, it should be fixed. As to where to study, it makes no difference whatsoever. If it's at home or at work, find yourself a comfy spot where you can settle down for half an hour without disturbing anybody; if it's in public transport on the way to work, so much the better! Generations of polyglots, include the author of this book, have studied languages in streetcars and buses and couldn't be happier with it. ... There is only one important thing here - to ride without transfers for half an hour and that there be no one to talk to... Squeeze through to the nearest lamp or window, open the book and bury yourself in the wonder world of languages.
(...)"
read more here
17 May, 2010
quelques images du film "le silence de la mer"
Par Pierre Brouton
D'après les nouvelles de Vercors
"Le Silence de la mer"
et
"Ce jour-là"
avec
# Julie Delarme
# Michel Galabru
# Thomas Jouannet
"En 1941, en France, un officier allemand réquisitionne la maison d'un homme et de sa petite-fille pour y loger avec eux..."
Lire sur ce film ici
11 May, 2010
09 May, 2010
03 May, 2010
das lesende mädchen by franz eybl
1850
Franz Eybl (austrian painter)
Das lesende Mädchen (the reading girl)
Belvedere Gallery - Vienna
so sweet! I love this =)
and then a far more known painting
from 1776 by the french painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard
"a young girl reading" (La Liseuse)
National Gallery of Art - Washington D.C.
02 May, 2010
chicken factory
part 1
part 2
shocking documentary about the side most of us don't want to know of how our food is produced.
The part where they talk about Nestlé shocked me as well.
I don't think I will ever buy things from Neslé again.
We Feed the World
Directed by: Erwin Wagenhofer
Language: German
http://www.we-feed-the-world.at/
reblogging not ripping
this is originally from raiscake.tumblr.com
(reblogged image and text)
"To those who are…. single
Love is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. But if you just let it fly, it will come to you when you lease expect it. Love can make you happy but often it hurts, but love’s only special when you give it to someone who is really worth it. So take your time and choose the best.
To those who are…. not so single
Love isn’t about becoming somebody else’s “perfect person”. It’s about finding someone who helps you become the best person you can be.
(...)
To those who are…. heartbroken
Heart breaks as long as you want and cut as deep as you allow them to go. The challenge is not how to survive heartbreaks, but to learn from them.
To those who are…. naive
How to be in love: Fall but don’t stumble, be consistent but not to persistent, share and never be unfair, understand and try not to demand, and get hurt but never keep the pain.
To those who are…. possessive
It breaks your heart to see the one you love happy with someone else, but it’s more painful to know that the one you love is unhappy with you.
(...)"
READ MORE HERE
01 May, 2010
Chemotherapy or a Limousine?
I had a dream
Crispy crispy Benjamin Franklin came over
Baby-sat all four of my kids
Then in my dream
I told the doctor off
He said if you don't want to do it
then you don't have to do it
He said the truth is
You'll be okay, anyway
Then in my dream
Crispy crispy Benjamin Franklin and the doctor
Went and had a talk with my boss
Something about insurance policies
They kept the door closed at all times
I couldnt hear or see
When they came out they said
You'll be okay, anyway
And I smiled cause I'd known it all along.
No thank you no thank you no thank you no thank you
I don't have to pay for this shit
I couldn't afford chemo like I couldn't afford a limo
and on any given day I'd rather ride a limousine
No thank you no thank you no thank you no thank you
I ain't about to to die like this
I couldn't afford chemo like I couldn't afford a limo
And besides this shit is making me tired
it's making me tired
it's making me tired
You know I plan to retire some day,
And I'm gonna go out in style
go out in style
This shit it's making me tired
it's making me tired
it's making me tired
I'm-a gonna go out in style go out in style
When I woke up
My kids were being quiet
I knew it was a dream right away
I called the limousine company
Then I got dressed
I dressed the kids as well
The limousine pulled in
And we piled in
The doctor he asked which way we were headed
I said, Sir, let's just go west and he listened obediently,
Sophie only wants to listen to radio BBC
Michael sat on my knees and whispered to me
All about the meanies
Jacqueline was being such a big girl
with her cup of tea looking out of the window
And Barbara
She looks just like my mom
Oh my god, Barbara
She looks so much like my mom
No thank you no thank you no thank you no thank you
I don't have to pay for this shit
I couldn't afford chemo like I couldn't afford a limo
and on any given day I'd rather ride a limousine
No thank you no thank you no thank you no thank you
I ain't about to die like this
I couldn't afford chemo like I couldn't afford a limo
And besides this shit is making me tired
it's making me tired
it'smaking me die
You know I plan to retire some day,
and I'm-a gonna go out in style
go out in style
This shit it's making me tired
it's making me tired
it's making me die
I'm-a gonna go out in style go out in style
Style
Style
Style?
Style.
Style..?
Style
Style..??
Style.
I had a dream
Crispy crispy Benjamin Franklin came over and
Baby-sat all four of my kids
I had a dream
Crispy crispy Benjamin Franklin came over and
Baby-sat all four of my kids
Sophie only wants to tune us into radio BBC
Michael sat on my knees and whispered to me
All about the meanies
Jacqueline was being such a big girl
with her cup of tea looking out of the window
And Barbara
She looks just like my mom
Oh my god, Barbara
She looks so much like my mom
Oh my god, Barbara
She looks so much just like my mom...
brainfart on the 1st of may
for the first time in my life I inhaled Helium!
Not very exciting but it gave me some good laughs =)
well, guess that was that for the day
Not very exciting but it gave me some good laughs =)
well, guess that was that for the day
21 April, 2010
little fortune
Trying to surround myself with good new things
forget and forgive
seeing how fortunate I am
that the man I was with did not abandon me when it would have been even harder to survive
11 April, 2010
< 3 blogs
Fashion-related
http://raiscake.tumblr.com/
http://www.doedeereblogazine.com/
http://www.fragdiegurus.de/
Kitchen-related
www.closetcooking.com/
Art-related
http://culturalhacking.wordpress.com/
rebelart.net
Empire of the Sun
I have to feature this! These are on my 25 most played on ITunes and they're right on second and third place =)
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