Adolfo Suárez

After watching the video that Emilio left, I remember two things. One of them is that I have no idea about politic, the other one is that in my family this man is loved and my sister has a photo with him. I don't care if we speak about him or not in class, but I 'm sure I will investigate more about that person, just in case I lost something good. I should say that I think he was loved because of good actions.

A bad feeling about nothing

Today is my birthday. I am not sure if is a good thing or not. Only in that day does my heart throb in a different way. I do not find a reason to be happy or sad. I feel confused. You know you have one year more; you are aware that you are alive. Furthermore, I should say that I have everything I have always wanted to. In fact, it is often believed that you ought to be glad expecting a ‘happy birthday’ and some presents. However, what the matter is I have no idea, but I can not feel anything. I wish it didn't exist this day, neither the next, nor also the previous.

Gym culture

It’s said that you should keep fit, not only your body but your mind. When you go to the gym every day, you realize how different people are.

Firstly, you can find those who go every day, like you. Some of them are normal people who would like to keep fit. Others would be those who want to meet people there. Most of them are those who love their body. What the goal is I have no idea, but you always can see into the gym someone who usually watches himself in the mirror. He (or she) has a sculptural structure; however, they want more.

In order to personality, you have everything there. A person who doesn’t speak with anybody, he or she is just thinking. Nothing more. Others talk with everyone; sometimes is fantastic, sometimes not. It can be annoyed. There are guys who make noise, speak loud, joking about nonsense, maybe bothering to the others. These are my favourites. They are an entertainment different to the TV.

Looking farther, you have there those who want to get fit for the summer. They appear in February or March, when it’s getting hotter and you are worried for your bikini. It’s a little bit funny considering that they are the new people, but it’s seemed they were in the group since ever. They have so much energy… The same they pass around. Though, they could come the whole year because of the space. We are so many bodies in a small place!

To sum up, different kind of people can be found in a gym, different behaviors. Nevertheless, gym culture is growing up. More each time people go to the gym to be fit as oppose to exercise outdoors. Personally I prefer, you can find interesting persons there; so you are not alone…

Lead from the front

 ‘Even from the sidelines, Mandela was leading from the front’. It’s a very nice sentence, which implies the consideration as a hero by the person who wrote it. This was one of my favorite chapters, maybe because I am in the same line.

In that case, Stengel shows several ways to lead from the front. The most interesting could be ‘being accountable’. You should have the courage of having responsibilities about the things you do. Under no circumstances is it arguable.

Other interesting impression by the author is the fact to ‘seize the initiative.’ If you joined this idea with ‘never let your colleagues get too far behind’, you would have a leader here. Both of them connect the situation of being a really boss for other people without losing their trust.

However, I’d rather this one: ‘you ought to do things that did not necessary attract attention’, which is means ‘not accepting any special preferences and doing the same tasks as others’. Even in education this is the best rule. With education I mean at school and home. You always have to teach with your example. If you do the same things as others, they will consider you one more guy in their group. You must lead among them.

Last but not least, I consider the point to 'change your mind when the circumstances change'. This is a good reference to be able to move on. Rarely does a sensible person admit to coming back in his or her precepts. People tend to remain firm in their decisions, but sometimes you should be honest with yourself and change them. Lead from the front means to be aware of all the possibilities; indeed, it also means to be able to use other movements.   

What is done is done, isn’t it?

 ‘If I’m sincere today, what does it matter if I regret it tomorrow?,’ said José Saramago. Have you ever had any kind of regrets? I used to have. Not only for things I had done, but for things I couldn’t. Then, I learnt this sentence I chose as a title: what is done is done.

You maybe think that you are agreeing with me. However, it can be something that you believe but not do it. It’s assumed that everyone did whatever they want, though it is not true. The way to face that is easy. If I were you, I regretted about the things I could do it but I didn’t. This is the rule.

Rarely does a person admit to having remorse. Taking into account that, people goes through life feigning to be strong, without anything to make them feeling guilty. Nevertheless, they have it. So, please, let the cat out of the bag. Just don’t feel bad for something that happened in the past. Actually, you don’t need to pretend anymore.

Having a brief look to the other side, regrets are not so bad if they teach you to move on. In that case, you should try to get over the things you are dealing with. Let them go after learning about them.

I specially recommend you to live according to your daily routine. The only thing that it’s true is your present. Don’t look at the past, don’t expect the future. Just enjoy your own life. After all, what is done is done, isn’t it?

If only we knew what will happen after death…

Unfortunately I have just known that the father of one of my best friend died. After a week thinking about he would be here only a few months, it has been a bad surprise; in fact, this is an event I cannot deal with. I am so affected that I realize how lucky religious people are. Not only Catholicism but Buddhism, Islamic fundamentalism or whatever is able to find a kind of consolation in death. However, if you are not a true believer, if you think that everything finish when you die, you have to say goodbye to a close friend, to your relatives, to your family. So, how could you console a person who is suffering by his or her lost? You simply cannot. In no way does this man or woman feel some kind of relax. This person is moving on, you should respect that. Whether you gave him or her space, you would be the best friend. Don’t forget being close in case of necessity.

In addition to this, I come back to the idea of life after death. What future can be there? What is expecting us? I am so sorry about the answer… I don’t know. I have been trying very hard to find a response, but I couldn’t. For that reason I envy the other’s beliefs. I wish I had the certainty of a different way of life, in order to reply the questions that someone did me. It’s horrible, terrible, hideous. Nevertheless, there is a hope in that desolation. When you decide to live each day as the last in your life, when you seize the day, you let them know that you should enjoy every moment; you ought to live and learnt. Every day is a present that life gave to us. Don’t waste your time. Just live. You will never know how inmense the universe is. 

Babette’s feast

I have been gratefully surprised by this film. I have never watched, but I love it. Babette’s feast is not only about food, is about feelings. No sooner have you started the film than you realize how intense it is. You can appreciate the power of the singing, how the religion involves everything, or how the passage of time works on people. Going further, I could see, as Sabina sang once, future in pupils of mature men (and women). In the last scene, when they are having dinner, you ought to gaze at the expression of their faces. It seems they had a blank stare, thinking about the past, about something they lost. Nevertheless, they are happy. They look like teenagers full of life. It is amazing. Though, the most important business here is food. Babette wants to be grateful, so spends the whole money in a dinner to do honor to father’s ladies’ name. You can see the moment of the change, how that feast becomes better than was at the beginning, when they thought that could be a sin. The taste of drinks and dishes changes the faces of people, making them happier, more human, understanding with the others, capable of forgiveness.

Another film I strongly recommend is ‘Like water for chocolate’, by Laura Esquivel. I watched in my twenties and I fell in love with it. It is about food, the whole scene. And love. A young girl has to give up on love in order to take care of her mother because she is the little sister. So she put all her love on cooking for her family, and for her man, who has married with her elder’s sister. It is essential for us to understand how love and food are connected here. The final picture is awesome. You should watch if you have time. Let me give you part of the film, where Tita, the girl, receives some flowers that she must throw because they are from her husband’s sister. However, she cooks a delicious dish with them. Love is the most powerful weapon. Learn the lesson.