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Translation of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

2009-11-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more."

Érase una medianoche lúgubre, mientras reflexionaba, débil y cansado,
sobre una buena cantidad de curiosas leyendas populares,
mientras cabeceaba, casi dormido, de repente me llegó un repiqueteo,
algo así como un suave golpeteo, golpeteo en la puerta de mi aposento.
"Debe de ser algún visitante", murmuré, "repiqueteando en la puerta de mi aposento.
Sólo eso, y nada más".

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

Ah, recuerdo de manera clara y distinta que estábamos en el crudo Diciembre,
y cada brasa agonizante despertaba su fantasma al caer al suelo.
Ansiosamente deseé la mañana; vanamente había intentado pedir prestado
a mis libros el cese de mi pena -pena por la perdida Lenore-
por la rara y radiante mujer a quien los ángeles llaman Lenore -
Sin nombre ahora para siempre jamás.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more."

Y el sedoso, triste, incierto crujido de cada cortina púrpura
me aterrorizaba - me llenaba de terrores fantásticos nunca sentidos antes;
Así que ahora, para calmar el golpeteo de mi corazón, me levanté repitiendo,
"Debe de ser algún visitante suplicando entrar a la puerta de mi aposento
-algún visitante de última hora suplicando entrar a la puerta de mi aposento;-
Eso es, y nada más".

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Mientras tanto mi alma se hizo más fuerte; y ya no dudé por más tiempo,
"Señor", dije, "o señora, verdaderamente imploro tu perdón;
pero el hecho es que me estaba durmiendo, y tan suavemente viniste golpeteando,
que apenas estaba seguro de haberte oído" -y entonces abrí completamente la puerta;
y sólo había oscuridad, y nada más....

The Beckham Family

2009-09-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

Last time I saw the Beckham Family I still was working for an adventure travel agency which was situated in the core of El Rastro and they -the Beckham Family- used to pass the shop window while working at mid-day. They liked to look at me just the last second before plonging into the nothingness. For me, the Beckham Family was the bad copy, the exact opposite of the Real Beckham Family. The husband of the fake one did not show a tattoo with his son's name next to his bottom, as the real Beckham did. He was made of a monumental Valley, I mean... belly, upon which there was a billiard ball with a seventies moustache in it. The family’s wife was an ugly dumb aged doll who liked to scream from time to time who knows what she did that for. Finally, the children. He looks like his father. She looks like her mother. The team was done.

I don't know if the father worked or not, if the mother sewed for an illegal company or not, if the children did not go to school or they did. I just know that they were all day long wandering around the district's pourest and dirtiest cafeterias, messing about doing nothing apart from looking at anything, at anyone, doing nothing, but doing alright because they seemed to be happy being the way they were, being as grotesque as they liked to be, being the exact opposite of the Real Beckham Family.

I never knew why they were called the Beckham Family. The true thing is that the husband never was blond and athletic and good-looking and famous, the truest thing is that the wife will never be as posh as the real Beckham's wife is. And the children... I never could have imagined that they would be running after his famous parents' tracks -if their parents would have been the famous one-, as the Real Beckham Family's children would do for sure. I only know that the Real Beckham Family is a fairy tale. They will always be brilliant and young and terrific, they will always be in the spotlight, while the others will always be in the spotshadow...

Anyway, the fake Beckham Family is more real than the real one. I can see their flesh ruining, their wrinkles deeper day after day. However, the Real Beckham Family will never die. I cannot imagine their coffins at the gates of the stadium. As a matter of fact, I cannot imagine a standing minute of silence for the real Beckhams, as I observed for the fake Beckham Family's husband when I heard about his dead. A sudden heart attack killed him while seating in a bus stop looking at anything, at anyone, waiting for any coming bus.

LEVART

2009-06-30T07:48:00.001-07:00

Stevenson says (I quote by heart): "Even the longest journey starts by the first step". But what would happen if we decided to step back, to return to the dark nothingness of the past, to the somber kingdom which doesn't belong to us anymore, which is as misterious as our own future, which shows faces and landscapes which we never saw before? If we wanted to travel back, we would have to take the letter L, and then the E, and then the V, and then the A and the R and, finally, flow into the T of "Turning back to the beginning".

Long time ago, October the 20th 2000, we landed in Amsterdam, not just for smoking marihuana in our Red Lights District's favourite coffee shop, but for windowshoppining before taking the next plane to Moscow.

Even we saw Lenin's mummy. Yes, we were in Moscow just for praying the Our Lenin before Kropotkin and Gogol's graves.

Vividly scketched! All those bad-tempered people. Besides, we were not able to understand a bloody thing. We only wanted to purchase a ticket for following the legendary tracks of Miguel Strogoff, Dostoievski and Zhivago's soles. But it was impossible.

A miracle! Yeah, we finally got a ticket from an Anna Karenina-like clerk. This is why we were rubbing our hands together in front of Baikal lake three days and a half later. By the way, you could cross the lake on a sleigh or by using a pair of ice skates (hands at your back, a scarf around your neck), and going all the way whistling a borrowed tune.

Rolling around the wind. We left Irkutz and then such a city returned to its place in the You-will-never-be-there maps.

To Kyzyl, the capital of Tuva. After a dangerous trip driving around the mountains and steppes of the broken throats' country, we crossed the border to Kazakhstan by train.

---
Foto de Marina Fernández Bielsa.

LATELY

2009-06-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

I don't know what is happening lately.
There is something dark beyond my control.
My inner self is a mole,
blind-blind-blind-blind-blind.
I miss my savoir faire badly.
I don't know what has happened lately.
Maybe a puffed cloud, perhaps a new Pearl Harbour.
I just know that nobody trusts anybody
(I am not talking about the underground).
Yesterday, I crossed eyes with a businessman
in a restaurant,
nails and boiled eggs as in the eigthies
(I swallowed a spoonful of sweet evil).
I don't know what happened lately.

EL MERCADO ES DE TODAS

2009-04-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION CHRONOLOGY

2009-04-10T05:41:00.000-07:00

1.William Blake
2.Aldous Huxley
3.The Doors

'If the doors of perception were cleansed, every thing would appear to man as it is: infinite.'
(WILLIAM BLAKE)

'Most visualizers are transformed by mescalin into visionaries. Some of them--and they are Perhaps more numerous than is generally supposed--require no transformation; they are visionaries all the time. The mental species to which Blake belonged is fairly widely distributed even in the urban-industrial societies of the present day. The poet-artist's uniqueness does not consist in the fact that (to quote from his Descriptive Catalogue) he actually saw those wonderful originals called in the Sacred Scriptures the Cherubim.'
(The Doors of Perception, by ALDOUS HUXLEY)

BETWEEN THE CAPITALISM AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

2009-04-02T06:46:00.000-07:00

When Nietzsche asserted that 'God is dead", the capitalism took his torch and went ahead. From then on, the golden calf became the only God we could worship. However, nobody, not even the most conspicuous members of that congregation, could understand his nature totally. This is why Madoff and others as mean as him misunderstood the Divine Message and this is why mankind is now between the capitalism and the deep blue sea.

So brothers, why don't we 'sail on summer breeze and skip over the ocean like a stone'?

AS (Acronym Soup)

2009-02-27T20:01:00.001-08:00

BOFH BUMP, CMIIW, AFAICR AYBABTU, BBIAB. BTW, BBQ, ATEOOTD. CU.

THE PINK ONE 1

2008-12-22T05:40:00.001-08:00

I was very fond of jellied cels, cockles and winkles and fish and chip shops. She was not.

“Take them to him”, she said.

“Bring them to me”, I said.

“Read it to me!”, my niece said.

“Get to the point”, the reader said.

So it was entirely up to me.

Business-wise, a conference centre is a great idea but parting is such sweet sorrow!

“Keep up the good work”, my ex wife said.

“What are you planning to do?”, I said.

“So far, so good”, she said.

“When buying fabric for curtains, you have to allow for an extra 5 centimetres for hems”.

“You are right”, I said. “The sooner we get it over with, the better”.

He had been up and doing. All my effort went down the drain.

“You don’t mean to say that he’s settled down at last. You must be joking or you will have your little joke or you’re pulling my leg or you’re having me, aren’t you? No, seriously though. I must be dreaming. Pinch me somebody. Well I’m darned or well I’am blowed. Wonders will never cease. Well I’ll go to the foot of our stairs.

Young people are often thoughtless without meaning to be:

“I took it for granted the salary you quoted was net”.

“They made me do it”.

“Supper will be ready in a tick” (VOICE OVER).

“For the time being, I’m happy living alone” (ME).

“We’ll have to sort out all those papers” (SHE).

They seem have sorted out their problems.

Bomb scare at Kennedy Airport.

I’m not in the mood for seeing people.

The children are very quiet.

I wonder what they’re up to?

His spell of duty was almost up.

We got down in earnest to each other.

Years before I’d been down an out.

The firm started to go downhill.

He himself was soon down to his last penny.

His family was convinced it was all up with him.

I’d been sold down the river.

Good heavens good gracious good grief golly.

I’m sorry I don’t quite follow.

That song reminds me of my first love

whatever the weather may be like.

I enjoy messing about in boats.

Needless to say I always use the stairs.

My word you frightened the living daylights out of me. Goodness me, you almost made me jump out of my skin. How you startled me. You know, you gave me quite a turn. If you go round creeping about like that anymore, you’ll frighten someone to death.

It’s useful to have a few phrases at the ready:

a)What do you want to do when you grow up?

b)How long will it take?

You could have knocked me down with a feather. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. My stomach turned right over. I went all weak at the knees.

“What’s the scoop?”.

You’ll be glad to know that everything was ok.

It was thoughtful of them to send flowers.

“This gesture seemed to go down well.

We had quite a chat. I didn’t quite trust her”.

LITERAL MEANINGLESS 2

2008-12-01T05:59:00.000-08:00

Pattern: x.Idiom: Meaning (literal meaningless)

11.He's the salt of the earth: He's a very good person (She's the sugar of the moon, so she's a femme fatale)

12.She's worth her salt: She's a valuable employee (He's worth her sugar, so he is her henpecked husband).

13.They're two peas in a pod: If you see one you see the other (They are ecologists and use the same iPod).

14.I'm nuts about you: I'm in love with you (I'm a squirrel because of you).

15.It's a piece of cake: It's quite simple (The birthday of a moron).

16.You can't have your cake and eat it too: You can't use it and save it (The birthday of another moron).

17.He's a real ham: He's a frustrated actor (He is from Jabugo).

18.It's a hard nut to crack: It's a difficult problem to solve (I'm not a squirrel anymore because of you).

19.Let's talk turkey: Let's talk seriously (We are planning Christmas dinner).

20.He's a bad egg: He cannot be trusted (He is a yellow chicken submarine).

Acróstico 2008

2008-11-18T03:55:00.000-08:00

2 (DOS) 2008 ha sido un año bisiesto, pero no por ello me he echado la siesta dos veces. He escrito una novela, un ensayo y he conocido el amor. Además, mi grupo de música, Dos (http://www.dospop.blogspot.com/), ha consolidado su formación y ha empezado a dar conciertos regularmente.

0 (CERO) Cuando empieza 2008, me estreno como parado (http://www.inem.es/). Otra vez a empezar de cero. Zapatero asegura que la crisis no existe.

0 (CERO) Acaba el año, y vuelvo a estar sin un duro. Los ceros, en mi cuenta, pasan del lado derecho de la cifra al izquierdo (http://www.casinogranmadrid.es/). Zapatero conviene en que la crisis es un hecho.

8 (OCHO) En lugar de tumbar el ocho y hacerlo infinito, le añadimos medio número, y así obtenemos el título de la película homónima de Federico Fellini, lo que aprovecho para recomendar un blog de cine: (http://lanavajaenelojo.blogspot.com/). Mc Cain ha conseguido un meritorio segundo lugar en las presidenciales norteamericanas.

La otra noche soñé que me tocaba un viaje a Nueva York. Lo realizaré en 2009.

Grupo Dos: Soy el primero por la derecha (Foto de Verónica Mas)

LITERAL MEANINGLESS 1

2008-11-17T03:19:00.000-08:00

Pattern: x.Idiom: Meaning (literal meaningless)

1.She is a peach: She is sweet and helpful (I am going to eat you even the bones).

2.He's full of beans: He's not telling the truth (He is a bagpipes).

3.It's not my cup of tea: I don't care for that (It's your teacap).

4.He's full of baloney: He doesn't know what he's talking about (He's a silly balloon).

5.It's just sour grapes: They have resentment (It's a moody juice).

6.That's corny: It's sentimental (That's when you go to the movies alone and have popcorn).

7.I'm in a pickle: I'm in a dilemma (You are in a bad mood because the pickle is in vinegar).

8.He brings home the bacon: He brings home the family money (he's fit but fat too).

9.She's in a stew: She's upset (I am going to eat you again baby).

10.He's the top banana: He's the headman (He's the top cucumber).

¡HABRASE BRISTOL!

2008-09-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

I have just come home from Bristol. I love this city, but I am in love with Wells and, above all, Glastonbury. I climbed up to the Tor and then knew who I was. King Arthur, druid magic, Sir Lancelott, Guinevière... Avalon was true!... Then Mother Nature came to me and gave me all her power.

One day before I was singing in Wells the Swan Song:

"Here in the garden, water and shadows.
People and landscape threading and weaving.
Out on the benches someone is sitting
holding their memories".

Cheers!!!

LOL or "TO BE IN LOL"

2008-09-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

I know this abbreviation means "laugh out loud" or "lots of laughs". But actually I mean Love Old Love again... I know when this thing happens because is so rare as a gem. And now I am singing with The Jayhawks:

I'm in love with the girl that I'm talking about
I'm in love with the girl that I can't live without
I'm in love but I sure picked a bad time to be in love, to be in love.
let her be somebody else's queen
I don't want to hear about it
there's too many others who know what I mean
and that's why I got to live without it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkZh2NgF4Ho
However, she is looking at me from my screen saver all the time. She is beautiful, inside and outside. I can see the twinkle in her eyes. I am in Lol with you, Girl.

TRAVELS WITH VARASEK

2008-06-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

That train went on to Uzbekistan and I was not there. But I knew our shadows were like DNA chains. Life is a journey and we would be together again along the road. However, I have forgotten this truth so many times during the last years...

Fortunately, last San Juan's night, Varasek said to me I was a rusted boat. And I said:

"You're right. Friendship is an alarm-clock".

Nasdarovié, mariscal!!!

UK MAP

2008-05-20T07:53:00.000-07:00

I have an UK map on my wall.
One morning I woke up with a huge hangover and fixed my eyes on it. Then I saw a lot of animals... Below, a rat. Over the rat, a pig, and over the pig a dog (or maybe a witch with a Robin Hood hat on) looking fiercely at the Ulster. And the Ulster seems a dog too.

Jó, ¡qué noche!

2008-04-30T07:36:00.000-07:00

After-hours, by Martin Scorsese, is one of my favourite films. The title was translated to Spanish as Jó, ¡qué noche! I hate this expression. It is too much posh... But the film was released in 1985. Then, the expression After-hours was unusual... If the film had come out in our days, I am pretty sure the title wouldn't have changed. You know... Spaniards are very fond of nightlife and, since the mid-nineties, very fond of afterhour too, as we know this period which starts at six o'clok in the morning.
Anyway, I prefer the working title of the film: A Night in Soho.

One more thing. Don't miss out Shine a Light. Scorsese + Rolling Stones.

INGLES DE VALLECAS

2008-04-29T08:48:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I visited my mother's house, as I do once a week, on saturdays to be strictly accurate. After having lunch, I usually take a stroll with my sister Pilar and her daughter, my cute little niece, and as long as the Wild Carmela, as she likes calling herself, goes on the swings, my sister and I talk away for hours. Last saturday, I boasted about my high level of English. However, when I started singing Because the Night, by Patti Smith, my sister said categorically: "Ok, high level, but this is inglés de Vallecas".

If you don't know what I mean, please, hear the song Aquarius (Raphael's cover, of course), and you will know why...

LOST IN TRANSLATION

2008-04-07T05:35:00.000-07:00

This morning I have been to the hospital with my friend Raquel. While waiting for the results -fortunately, she is OK: 18 out of 30-, I have come across a fun sign above the toilets: "Ass Cab". Some vandal taxi-hater had removed several letters from the Spanish original: "Aseos Caballeros".

SHOP LIST

2008-04-04T09:25:00.000-07:00

1.Riding a balloon.

2.Watching the sunset.

3.Writing poetry.

4.Going to the movies with you.

5.Travelling.

6.Saying I Love You in Spanish, English, French and Italian.

7.Being in love again.

8.Taking poem-pictures.

9.Feeling the Eastern Wind in my face.

10.Living in New York.

FAHRENHEIT 451

2008-03-26T10:29:00.000-07:00

I never wished to save people from a fire.

I never wished to appear naked in a calendar.

I never wished to be a hero.

I never wished to be a fireman.

I first read Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, when I was thirteen-year-old. So being a fireman meant to be an enemy of books, an enemy of knowledge, an enemy of mankind.

Anyway, I never liked that warning on the wall:

"Uso exclusivo bomberos"

EL GENERAL PEREZOSO

2008-03-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, there was a Spanish general of Irish origin who was executed by firing squad not because of his surname. Quite the opposite, he was a very active and liberal career soldier. In fact, he defended the Spanish Constitution of 1812.

But if you don't know his biography you will think he was an idle person. According to a Spanish saying, "Cría fama y échate a dormir". The English translation would be: "Give a dog a bad name". A friend of mine who lives quite near to Reina Sofía Museum, said to me last night he felt a bit lazy when started walking by General Lacy street on his way home.

The funny thing is that Lacy is not a corruption of the word Lazy. So actually that general was very transparent, as his deeds and literal surname show. This is why I like go walking by that street at sunset. Then I feel light as a feather.

CLEAR SKIES OF LOVE

2008-03-09T08:09:00.000-07:00

One week ago, my six-year-old niece Carmela gave me a bunch of little mushrooms she had come across in the park. Carmela's mother, my beloved sister Pilar, said immediately those mushrooms were fairies. So I could make a wish. Of course, I did... Last new moon, the clear skies of love left its doors wide open.

*Dibujo de Carmela.

YOU ARE NOT IN KANSAS ANYMORE

2008-03-06T09:17:00.000-08:00

You are not Peter Pan anymore. You are in Madrid now. You have to be "logical, responsible, practical" (SUPERTRAMP).
However, I get back to Kansas every time I open the first page of In Cold Blood, by Truman Capote, and read:
"The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call 'out there'".
So "get back to where you once belong" (The Beatles)

Literature is always 'out there' whispering in your ears:
"I wonder if I shall fall right through the earth! How funny it'll seem to come out among the people that walk with their heads downwards" (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll)
"It is the fairy language. You ordinary children can never hear it, but if you were to hear it you would know that you had heard it once before" (Peter Pan, by J.M.Barrie)
"Si tu aimes une fleur qui se trouve dans un étoile, c'est doux, la nuit, de regarder le ciel" (Le Petit Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
"I'am seventeen and I'm crazy" (Clarisse to Guy Montag in Farenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury).
"He never stopped talking, and what was awful was, he never said anything you wanted to hear in the first place" (The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger).
I believe in Literature even more than in Billy Wilder. So I will always live in Kansas.

*You are not in Kansas anymore es una popular expresión de El Mago de Oz que viene a significar algo así como: "Vamos, crece, madura, ya no eres un crío".

STAMPED LOVE

2008-03-05T07:19:00.000-08:00

I had been working for that travel agency since the early 2000's and I felt really bored of my job. Besides, it was in the middle of the busy season of tourism. Totally disgusting, but one day S. came out of the blue.
S. was young blood, fresh air and all this kind of stereotyped shit. Nineteen years old and nineteen years younger than me. At the time, my last girlfriend and I had just split up and I felt a little hopeless. So it was very easy to fall in love with that newcomer workmate. S. was not only young but pretty, a really cute angel with brand-new wings. Unfortunately, she was always talking about her handsome boyfriend, their trips to the mountain on the weekends making barbacues and stuff like that.
S. used to come to my desk to take the stamp of the agency once or twice an hour. I was the person in charge of keeping the stamp in good fit. To top, I had to go after the stamp when my workmates forgot to give it back to me. This sort of repetitive deeds forges our daily and sad reality, but we are always hoping a miracle, a sexual miracle at least. But miracles are for believers and I only believed in Billy Wilder (as Fernando Trueba said Oscar in hand).

However, the miracle began to crystalise when S. changed the pace of her visits to my desk. Now she came four or five times an hour. At first, I thought she was mocking me. But one week later I noticed she watched me much more than the usual.

One night I had a dream. I could see S. naked in the toilets of the office. Se was laid on the cold floor, pointing at me with a sensual finger. Her long painted nail was a scorpion's tail inviting me to go for a dip.

I got undressed and one minute later fell down upon her. I could notice her tiny and tender breast below me. Suddenly I realised that my lips had stamped kisses of ink on her whole body. Then I knew she would always be mine.

Next morning, S. didn't go to work. At the end of the day, someone called to the office and said that S. was dead. She had been found in her apartment totally naked. My company's name was stamped all over her body.

ACEPTA

2008-03-03T08:30:00.001-08:00

Everyday I make a short walk before starting to write. I am embarked on a fantasy novel. I have already finished two out of three parts of it. Apart from the novel, there are a lot of things nagging in my mind: money, love... It's always the same story. Fortunately, I saw this morning a writing on a wall: "Acepta". That's true. I am fighting for my dreams. I am a richman who don't have anything. That's all.

DOVE'S LOVE

2008-03-02T08:11:00.000-08:00

It was on a sunny sunday afternoon of March. I was in a park close to my apartment reading The Times as I do every sunday since I discovered it is more useful to learn English than to read Shakespeare's works. So I was reading Alice Miles' article when I realized that a cock pigeon tried fucking a nice dove. As a backdrop, there was a gang of tramps fighting for a bottle of plonk*.
I felt a mix of happiness and bitterness. On one hand, the weather was marvelous, but on the other, a strong feeling of hopelessness began to dominate my mind. At the time, I was fed up with living alone. I had lived alone for two years and I couldn't stand it anymore. Then, I cried to myself, "Is there anybody out there?".
(silence)
Suddenly, I was the defeated cock pigeon or, maybe, I was the tramp fighting for a burning sip of plonk. The nice dove flew away into the sky.

*Vino peleón. Me gusta porque refuerza la idea de lucha.

WORDS FOUND IN MADRID

2008-02-25T17:11:00.000-08:00

I read in In Madrid the article Three Great Dates for Valentine's Day, by Pritheeva Rasaratnam. It turns to be a good source to learn a lot of idioms and words:

1.If you are "strapped for cash" es que andas corto de dinero.

2."To be a little pampered" es que te mimen un poquito.

3."Blame it on Lionel Ritchie". Échale la culpa a Lionel Ritchie. ¡Y a José Luis Perales!

4."The most hapless of suitors". El más desgraciado de los pretendientes. Seguro que mordía...

5."Soulful jazz"= enternecedora, conmovedora música de jazz. Me encanta esta expresión. Me hace pensar en el soul como alma del jazz.

6.Humbug! = ¡Paparruchas! Como diría Míster Scrooge.

7."Let your imagination run riot"= Da rienda suelta a tu imaginación. ¡Arre!...

8."An innocuous building a stone's throw from the Opera House"= Es decir, un edificio a tiro de Stone (MICK o KEITH) de la Ópera.

9."A discerning customer"= Un cliente exigente. Un imbécil, seguro...

10."Your average bar" = Tu bar de siempre. El "Ricla", en la calle Cuchilleros.

11.Fittings= Accesorios. Esta palabra sobra, ya lo sé.

UB40

2008-02-25T16:32:00.000-08:00

In UK most of people has a very keen sense of humor. A band was named after the UB40 (Unemployment Benefit, Form 40). However, there are names that are not at all funny. I am thinking of B-29 Enola Gay. Anyway, it deserved a song by OMD. I mean... Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. When I think of this name, I can't help seeing myself in the dark of a cinema kissing my first love. The atom bomb of reality is falling outside.

MY FIRST WORDS IN ENGLISH

2008-02-22T16:01:00.000-08:00

The first words I learned from English were Yes and No. From one word to another there was un unknown but fascinating world. So I decided to look for more words. Where? Of course, in the books. At first, I read a lot of best-sellers. Children of Tender Years, by Ted Allbeury, for example, was very useful to me. These are some of the words I learned from it:
1.Tears
2.Cello
3.Spring
4.Upset
5.Soggy
6.Soil
7.Displeased
8.Dirt cheap
9.Tearoom
10.Cigar box

Of course, I used those words to make up a brief tale:
"It was a luminous spring morning, but the soil was soggy. In tune with that, I felt upset and displeased. With tears in my eyes, I took my dirt cheap cigar box out from my pocket and lit a cigarette. When I got in the tearoom, she started playing her cello".

JARRING

2008-02-22T14:58:00.000-08:00

Jarring: Discordante. No se puede aplicar, sin embargo, a las composiciones de Jean Michel Jarre.
Crab: Cangrejo. Crabs: Ladillas. La pluralidad no siempre es buena.
The Mob: La Mafia. Moby Dick: La ballena mafiosa de los mares del sur. Esa ballena era la polla (dick). But that is a different kettle of fish.

A blank question means "una pregunta directa". So, would you like to marry me?
SHE: I would if you didn't wear tank tops. Your armpit smells like herring.
ME: Sorry?
SHE: I was just trying to divert your boredom.
ME: In that case, why don't you go to hell?
SHE: Ok... You are out of humor.
ME: Not exactly, but I’m not in the mood for jokes. Besides, my proposal of marriage was sincere.
SHE: Oh, I see... Well. I accept it.

A.

2008-02-20T16:01:00.001-08:00

It is more than a movie by Woody Allen. I met you last summer. You were my teacher and I was your devoted student. You said I had pronounced the word success perfectly well. But we are both losers. You are a cute-cool painter who is drifting far from her crenelated country, and I am a wanderer writer without homeland and flag. I wonder if you would like to share the next trip to nowhere with me.

DEL GRIS A GREASE

2008-02-18T16:32:00.000-08:00

I went with my uncle Mariano and my cousins Ana & Inesita to the premiere of Grease. It was in 1978. Since then, this movie has been one of my favourite films. Of course, it is uncool if you are a fan of Bergman as I am myself. But this movie has had as influence on my life and artistic taste as The Seven Seal.
I know almost note by note Grease soundtrack. But I never understood well its lyrics.
Now, you can compare what I understood then from You're the One That I Want and what the lyrics really mean.

TRAVOLTA: I got chills. / They're multiplyin'. / And I'm losin' control.
ME AS A CHILD: I catch you / this maladjustment. / And I'm blue as a troll.

TRAVOLTA: 'Cause the power you're supplyin', / it's electrifyin'! /
ME AS A CHILD: Close the flower with a player. / It's Alan being fire.

OLIVIA: You better shape up*, / 'cause I need a man / and my heart is set on you.
ME AS A CHILD: You Bernstein pop / cozy needle / and my heart is zero on you.

OLIVIA: You better shape up; / you better understand / to my heart I must be true.
ME AS A CHILD: You Bernstein pop / you Bernstein tampax / to my heart I must be cruel.

TRAVOLTA: Nothin' left, nothin' left / for me to do.
ME AS A CHILD: Nothingness, nothingness / for mink to do.

TRAVOLTA AND OLIVIA: You're the one that I want (you are the one i want want), o, o, oo, honey. / The one that I want (you are the one i want want), o, o, oo, honey. / The one that I want(you are the one i want want), o, o, oo. / The one I need. / Oh, yes indeed.
ME AS A CHILD: Joan of Arc that I want (Joan of Arch I want want), o, o, oo, Johnny. / Joan that I want (Joan of Arch I want want), o, o, oo, Johnny. / Joan that I want (Joan of Arch I want want), o, o, oo. / The Joan I miss. / Oh, yes indie.

OLIVIA: If you're filled with affection / you're too shy to convey, / meditate in my direction. / Feel your way.
ME AS A CHILD: If you feel witty fashion / you're two sides two obey, / mayday taste in my deception. / Free George's way.

TRAVOLTA: I better shape up, / 'cause you need a man
OLIVIA: who can keep me satisfied.
ME AS A CHILD: I Bernstein pop / 'cause jonny a mum / who can kill me satisfied.

TRAVOLTA: I better shape up / if I'm gonna prove
OLIVIA: You better prove that my faith is justified.
ME AS A CHILD: I Bernstein pop /is Angola proof / you Vader proof that my face is just a face.

TRAVOLTA: Are you sure?
TRAVOLTA & OLIVIA: Yes, I'm sure down deep inside.
ME AS A CHILD: Are you sugar? Yes, I'am sugar dandy side.

TRAVOLTA AND OLIVIA: You're the one that I want (you are the one i want want), o, o, oo, honey. / The one that I want (you are the one i want want), o, o, oo, honey. / The one that I want(you are the one i want want), o, o, oo. / The one I need. / Oh, yes indeed.
ME AS A CHILD: Joan of Arc that I want (Joan of Arch I want want), o, o, oo, Johnny. / Joan that I want (Joan of Arch I want want), o, o, oo, Johnny. / Joan that I want (Joan of Arch I want want), o, o, oo. / The Joan I miss. / Oh, yes indie.

*Shape up or ship out!= ¡O entras en vereda o te largas!

TRUE FRIENDS

2008-02-18T08:39:00.000-08:00

I would have never seen Friends if I hadn't had to learn English. I am very fond of this series now, almost a fan. It is really good for practise English and learn a lot of idioms.
Let's see the pilot:

ROSE: Stop cleansing my aura.

Of course, Rose is not talking about "spiritual cleansing". Later, he says: "Why does everyone keep fixating on that?".
I think he means: "Come on, guys. Let me alone. My pregnant wife is in love with another woman. You are true friends of mine, I know... but don't nag me all the time".

JOEY: Strip joints!

In Joey's opinion, Rose should pay for a private strep-tease rather than to depress himself. Let alone the literal sense, it is an invitation to look on the bright side of the road.

RACHEL: I was more turned on by this gravy boat than by Barry. And then I really freaked out.

Rachel alucinó (She freaked out). I think the word freak is as freaky in English as in Spanish.

RACHEL: I didn't know where to go, and I know you and I have drifted apart.

I like this word a lot. To drift is "ir a la deriva, sin rumbo". Neil Young sings Comes a time when you're driftin'.
In this case, it means: "distanciarse".

ROSE (To RACHEL): You probably didn't know this, but back in high school I had a major crush on you.

To have a crush on somebody means "estar chiflado por alguien".
I have an orange crush from time to time.

TOM y JONES

2008-02-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

A preguntas necias, respuestas sordas. Pero a veces no te queda más remedio que contestar cuando un desconocido te aborda en medio de la calle y te pregunta:
-Do you know where Tom has gone?
And you reply him:
-I don't, I am sorry. Anyway, it is easy to find out.... But before looking for him, I will tell you a story... I first met Tom shortly after he released his one hit wonder Sex Bomb. "Sexbomb, sexbomb, you're my sexbomb. And baby you can turn me on*". In those days, he wasn't in love with anyone. So he felt horribly unhappy. You could find him in some dirty bar drinking till the break of day. One of those alcoholic nights I approached him. "Dear Tom. I don't want to have your autograph, but I wouldn't refuse a cup from you". "Sure, not problem" (Tom's answer). That first cup was the beginning of a beautiful friendsip**.

It's very common either in English or Spanish to speak more than you should. Esta historia lo demuestra.

*Love has two parts:
First... "Baby, you turn me on".
Later... "You drive me crazy, honey".

**"Let's go for a sip, Tom!"

JUANITO EL OSCURO Y OTROS EBABIES

2008-02-15T08:32:00.001-08:00

Juanito el Oscuro is very fond of Matrix and The Lord of The Rings. He despises bigotry and greed.

Bigotry means fanatismo e intolerancia. Hitler llevaba bigote.

RCV doesn't want anything to do with fibbers.

Fibber means cuentista. I like this expression: The Fibber's Tale.

Merry Li is my dearest chinese friend. She knows choosing the softest words. The subject of her last e-mail was: FLUTTER.

Her words are birds and butterflies fluttering to my heart.

TRUE FRIENDS VERSUS FALSE FRIENDS

2008-02-14T05:32:00.000-08:00

I true friend of mine said to me last night: "¡Qué de phrasal verbs y false friends!".
Es curioso que un amigo verdadero hable de "amigos falsos", ¿no?
Anyway, he is right. Loco English is based on false friends and phrasal verbs in a 70 %.
Of course, false friends here are deliberate.
Anyway, I prefer a true friend who uses false friends to a false friend who speaks English perfectly.

OUT OF LOVE

2008-02-13T15:55:00.000-08:00

If you are not in love, you necessarily are out of love.

MAL IS BAD 1

2008-02-13T10:10:00.000-08:00

MALL is una alameda, un paseo, una calle peatonal.
LP recommended: Alameda, by Alameda (1979)
MALL is un centro comercial.
Film recommended: Mallrats, by Kevin Smith (1995)
BADDISH es bastante malo, más bien malo.
Film recommended: The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, by Tobe Hooper (1974)
BADGER es un tejón, pero también acosar, atormentar (para obtener algo).
Film recommended: Gaslight, by George Cukor (1944)

MAKE UP SONG

2008-02-13T09:56:00.000-08:00

Singsong= Monótono, cantarín. // Salmodia, sonsonete. // concierto espontáneo.

The Simpson's singsong. On February, 1st. Don't miss out!!!
Interpretarán su one hit wonder Make Up Song

Make up es inventar.
But you are making it up! Puro cuento.
Make up es fabricar, reunir una colección, incluso empaquetar.
Make up es redactar (una lista).
Make up es reponer, es compensar.
Make up a quarrel with somebody / Make it up with somebody= Hacer las paces.
But MAKE UP is echar carbón.
Make up is pintarse, maquillarse.
¡Mira ahora, mira ahora, mira ahora, ya puedes mirar!
Pero no me pidas que te traduzca la "resulta" (if you are a Mecano fan. I am not)

EL POP

2008-02-13T09:17:00.000-08:00

Pop up= Aparecer inesperadamente. Paul MacCartney popped up in a pop concert. Redundant singer...
Pop off= Estirar la pata. John Lennon hizo "pop off".
Popish= Papista, católico. George Harrison was more popish than the majara Maharishi.
Pop-eyed= De ojos saltones. Ringo Starr was Popeye. I mean, Pop-eyed...
Popsi= Chica. Beatlemania. Pepsi has just purchased "My girl" rights for its next commercial.
Poppycock!= ¡Tonterías! The Rolling Stones are much better than The Beatles.
Pop in= Entrar de sopetón. Waiter!!! There is a Mick Jagger in my soup!!!
Pop-up toaster= Tostador automático. Keith Richard reminds me of a pop-up toaster. De hecho, sus riffs de guitarra, así como su pelo, parecen recién salidos de la tostadora.
Poplar= Chopo, álamo blanco. The Poplar was a popular one hit wonder during the sixties.
To pop pills= Drogarse con pastillas. Mary Pop-pills. I can't say anymore...

HELLO / HOLA

2008-02-13T08:40:00.000-08:00

El inglés me vuelve loco. I am crazy about English.
Siempre he estudiado inglés a salto de mata. I had always been studying English hand to mouth.
Escribo inglés mejor que lo hablo. Are you sure, Enrique?
I am not sure about what is sure in English... Pero...

De eso se trata, de volverse loco con el inglés, de jugar y, de paso, de aprender todo el inglés que podamos aunque sea a lo loco. You know... My parents didnt' send me abroad when I was fourteen. They wanted me to be a peasant... It is a joke. They hadn't enough money.

Welcome to Loco English!