New Year's Resolutions

It is the time to think about them, to plan them, to write them down, to do whatever you think will work this time around, because, this year, you are going to stick to your resolutions. Or are you?

Today, 28th December, we Spaniards celebrate el Día de los Inocentes. It's what you might know as 'April Fools' Day', but in Spain it is celebrated in December. 'Spain is different', they say. A good day to think about 2014's resolutions, because who are we fooling? Most of them will forever remain as good intentions.

This year I am not making any lists, I won't trick myself into thinking that a new year can trigger a new life. After all, every day is a fresh start, every single day is an opportunity to become a better version of myself. 

This year I aim to stick to my sole and only resolution: do more of what makes me happy. 

As simple as that. No unachievable idealisms. No becoming someone that I am not. I'll water 2014 with white wine, clear it of toxic people and fill it of shared moments with family and real friends. The soundtrack will be that of the loudest laughters.

I hereby commit to investing all of my energy, time, effort and other resources in being happy.

Sick of Being Sick

Stages of being ill:

1. Colleague at work starts sneezing. Sneezer-Colleague
2. 'I told you so'-Colleague says: "you should have had the flu shot this year"
3. You brag about not having caught a cold in over 6 years
4. Hypochondriac-Colleague starts coughing
5. Sneezer-Colleague calls in sick
6. You start sneezing... No!
7. 'I told you so'-Colleague says: "you should have had the flu shot this year"
8. Your head aches
9. Your skin turns the shade of grey that no makeup can hide
10. Cautious-Colleague recommends you to go home
11. No! you won't succumb to a cold. You brag about not having caught a cold in over 6 years and  try to fight symptoms by taking vitamins, eating oranges, wearing layers... But it's too late
12. Your nose starts running. Constantly
13. You take a box of tissues to every meeting
14. Your nose blocks
15. You start breathing with your mouth. As a consequence, you are thirsty all of the time
16. Food loses its taste
17. You're told to go home. You resist
18. Your voice becomes manly. And echoed...
19. Your eyes start watering without reason
20. Ears stop registering sounds
21. Welcome to life in a bubble!
22. Your brain doesn't catch up with the outer-bubble world making your sentences incoherent
23. Your skin begins to ache
24. You surrender, admit that you're sick and go home
25. Feeling vulnerable, you crawl into bed with the sole aim of not getting out
26. Mummy!!!!
27. You toss and turn in bed, your cough impeding you to get any sleep
28. You're bored
29. Change base camp to sofa
30. You're bored
31. Change base camp to bed. Can't sleep
32. You're bored
33. Mummy!!!
34. You're so bored and miserable that you go back to work
35. Cautious-Colleague asks whether it is a good idea for you to be back so soon
36. You pretend to be 100% recovered
37. An ear pops. You feel the happiest person in the world
38. A nostril decongests. Yey!!
39. Cautious-Colleague starts sneezing and gives you a killer look

Christmas Coming

December is tomorrow (wait, what?!!) and with it the final countdown towards Christmas arrives. Notice how I emphasised 'final' in that previous sentence there, the countdown towards Christmas started the day Halloween was over. At least in Europe. In the US they had Thanksgiving in between. But that came last Thursday - happy Thanksgiving US friends - and it's over now as well. Hence, my initial point: 

December = Christmas

Although my childhood days are way - way, way, way - gone (read my "On the Verge" post for reference), I admit that I still get that childlike grin in my face when I go out and see all of the colourful decorations, twinkling lights, Christmas trees... Ah, Christmas... Needless to say that I really like this time of the year. I love spending time with my family and seeing the look in their faces when they open their presents. 

Unfortunately, the fact that I'm no longer a kid, allows me to see the other side of the festive days: the Preparation. Yes, it deserves a capital letter. And it's own part in the previously shared equation, or otherwise I would be lying to all of you. Dear friends, it is with great concern that I open your eyes to reality:

December = Christmas = chaos + queues + panic + entangled Christmas lights + to do lists + to buy lists + Christmas carols infinitely following you everywhere you go + dreadful social engagements + unimaginable expenses + claustrophobically crowded shopping centres + you name it...

So, my humble suggestion to all of you, who like me, have your child days behind, is to hold your braces and pull through this month with a big smile on your face and a huge sleigh full of patience.

Ho, ho, ho!

Halloween's Coming

Tomorrow is Halloween, or as the song would say "Halloween's coming, Halloween's coming..."

Fear not, unlike the song, however, skeletons won't be after you, but rather sexy nurses, hot policewomen, sensual pirates, overly exaggerated breasted men (why do men always like to dress up as women?) and so on. Just make a search for 'Halloween costumes' on the web, the results are priceless. Actually, scratch that: do fear!

I do get the children's side to dressing up and getting sweets. I mean, it can't get better than being allowed to a sugar-high at the age of 6. And they do look cute in their pumpkin costumes and so on. What worries me is the adult (and increasing) part of this day.

If it were up to me, Halloween should be renamed to "dressing for who you'd like to be". It's basically the day were you are allowed to remain undisturbed with your appearance and what it might reveal, which, judging from the cleavage in some of those costumes, it is sometimes more that what others might want to see... It's not even any more about dressing up as zombies and ghosts (which I already find quite distasteful and senseless)!

The development, or rather, the deterioration of Halloween truly amazes me. As a Spaniard, I have been raised to believe that this is the day were we should remember and pay our respects to the loved ones who have sadly left. It is a tribute to those who were once physically close and now live solely in our memories. Families congregate in cemeteries to put fresh flowers on tombs, say a little prayer and shade a little tear or two. If you know how that might relate to a provocative pizza slice (how can those 3 words be together?), please let me know.

Happy Halloween people! (or whatever)