i love you, you imbecile

Oh well. My camera died again (I haven't yet bought the camera I really want... I decided to buy a laptop instead!)... so, I don't know when I'll be back.

But isn't this song too cute for words?

Life-changing fiction

So, I read about this on one of my favorite blogs, the girl who married a bear, which is written by Milla. (On a side note, if you haven't read her blog yet, do so, she's in my bloglist. It's just such a great escape when the 'real' world seems a bit too.... mundane).

Milla read about this on one of her favorite blogs, ran by author Lauren Groff. Ms. Groff narates something that happened to another author, Brendan Halpin. You can go back blog by blog to read the full story (told in a much more ingenious way than I could ever possibly dream of) but to make the story short...

Mr. Halpin had used the term "life-changing fiction" to refer to his own work in a post in his blog. To his, Milla's, Ms. Groff's and my surprise, he was approached by self proclaimed NY Times best selling author Karen Kingsbury who informed him the term was copyrighted and that it could only be applied to her own works (inspirational Christian writing if you were wondering).

Yup. That's right.

Life is, indeed, sometimes weirder than fiction. So, I'm joining the sabotage to Ms. Kingsbury pretentious attitude and dedicating this post to what I consider is truly LIFE-CHANGING FICTION.

I encourage everyone who was ever moved by a book created by someone other than dear Ms. Kingsbury should to join in.

So... here's my small contribution to the life-changing fiction cause (in my humble, young and inexperienced opinion). Some of the books I'm mentioning here were originally written in Spanish but have great English translations. I highly recommend them.

By the way, Dear Ms. Kingsbury, this is only a tiny fraction of LIFE-CHANGING FICTION I can think of, off the top of my head and having been sick for the past 5 days. I bet everyone I know could probably come up with their own list and we wouldn't even have the need to start repeating books. That's how many great books there are in this world of ours. That's how much life changing fiction has been written.

Los Detectives Salvajes, Roberto Bolaño.

(The English translation, the Savage Detectives has just come out and was chosen by the NY Times as one of the 10 Best Books of 2007. This book is what I would call ultimate life-changing fiction)

Ficciones, Jorge Luis Borges

So, what has been, in your experience, life-changing fiction? I'm dying to know.

Ever since I saw this image on The Sartorialist, I fell in love with this girl (and her outfit, of course). Its simple and clean, yet with a certain edge to it. Unfortunately, I do not own such a fantastic skirt or such a great top. I can't really think why not, considering I live in the fashion capital of the world... (I hope my sarcasm doesn't go unnoticed here).


Yet, looking through my closets I managed to come up with my own (winter) version of this great great (great!!) outfit. Instead of stripes and dots I thought of horizontal and vertical stripes.

I feel terribly self-conscious in this top. Its way too tight for me, yet I've had it for a year and never worn it before, so I thought it was the right time to give it a try. I've got a fun party to go to now... I'm still considering whether to wear this to go. I feel weird wearing fitted tops.

Later alligator.

(Last minute edit) - I just realized, its winter. So I can wear a long vest over the whole thing to get rid of the tightness factor.

I'm late for the party, so no fancy photoshoping for this photo!

(currently listening to 10 contados - CéU.

check post below)

CéU

I should be back blogging soon.

Meanwhile, you could listen to wonderful CéU and her amazing music.

- for the loneliness you foster, I suggest Paul Auster -

(Sure. I like the flowers and tiny butterflies on this cardigan I thrifted for less than two dollars.

But what I like the most is the soft cashmere its made of)

Fionn Regan, by the way, is amazing. His lyrics are intelligent and heart warming. And I love how he mentions Paul Auster in the Put a Penny in the Slot lyrics. Auster is one of my favorite writers.

I love how Iago always finds a way to sneak into my photos.

Into the wild

I just finished watching Into the Wild, a movie directed by Sean Penn. Many thoughts run through my mind as I write this. I had read the book several months ago and fell in love with it inmediately.

Although I'm more in tune with my mellow side on my day to day life, there is a part of me that knows some of the best things in life will not be found anywhere you can ride your car without any effort. I guess, like with everything in my life, I go through cycles. While I enjoy spending my nights at home, knitting, reading, drinking chamomille and writing, there is this urge that I can't really control (it may go away as unexpectedly as it arrives) to get out of my usual comfort zone. In the seeemingly masochistic act that renouncing to showers, hot food and a comfortable bed might be, there are great rewards to be found. Moreover, I don't think the insightful experiences one goes through when 'out in the wild' could ever be found without this uncomfortableness. It's not only about nature, it's also about leaving behind those things that make us fall into a dream-like state.

I'm not radical on this. I could never be like Chris McCandless, yet, I still think life becomes a whole different experience when one can appreciate sunsets in a deserted mountain or wake up in a cold morning next to a lake. Spend an afternoon on your own on a nearby forest or lake, its too easy to just sit and wait for days to pass.

I'm starting to feel the urge to get my backpack back on my shoulders, at least for a few days. I'll let you know if I decide to go away.

Meanwhile I'm spending my days in the park nearby my house, watching Iago run around in a mad happiness. Oh... and thrifting.

Will show my finds in next post.

By the way, I recommend reading the book more than I do watching the movie. The book is full of great insights by the writer that could, of course, not be captured on screen. Still, the movie is beautiful. Watch it if you get a chance.

This is not a love song

(Long distance relationships are hard. I don't feel like going into detail today, maybe I will tomorrow.)

So tonight I'm going dancing with some friends. This is what I'll be wearing. My friends are taking too long to arrive, so I'm using this opportunity to snap a quick and painless outfit-photo. They are coming to my house first. It's already half past twelve and they are not here, so I guess it will be a late night this time.

A cigarette and a beer will do me good tonight.

(I'm sorry if the photo effects bother you. I hope they don't. I just discovered them so they are fun to use)