a spanish update, but not in spanish

So we've spent the past week not doing too much. Miguel has been taking me around to visit friends and family, but so far no extreme shopping. That will all change this afternoon, however. The Dutch Girls (hereafter, DGs) are in town and want to ir a compras. Well, who am I to argue? Poor Miguel - out-estrogened again.

I'm having difficulty finding something witty to write as not a lot has happened yet. We're having a very relaxed vacation - maybe even too relaxed. I think we're heading to Alcalá tomorrow to see Cervantes' house (pero no es). I think we're going to get to Segovia sometime this week as well in order to see the cathedral, but there's nothing in those frescos but a bunch of sausages (jaja).

En fin, time to find comida (I think I've spent this whole time eating) with the DGs.

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM! I'll try to phone tomorrow.. or tonight.. these time changes are destroying my already weak math skills.

friday the 13th

Today's soundtrack:
Proxima Estacion: Esperanza by Manu Chao

On Friday afternoon, I defended my thesis. They weren't the most terrifying two hours of my life, but they were definitely the most intense. I know that the ritual is to go out and drink all night after one of these things, but I was left so mentally and emotionally drained that all I could do was come home and watch Apollo 13 with Miguelito, Mom and (surprise!) Laura. Saturday was the first day in a long time that I felt actually relaxed. Mom said she hadn't seen me so at ease since I started grad school. I don't quite know what that says about grad school.

Mom and Laura are on their way to the airport at the moment and I'm looking at a stack of eight or so first-year papers that need to be graded this week. I have some minor revisions to do on my thesis, but it feels as though all the stress and anxiety is gone. A few more formalities and I'm off to Spain for my first vacation in three years without a thesis hanging around my neck.

all hail the mighty ipod shuffle function!

Today's soundtrack:
Amar es Combatir de Maná

Since Eolan has publicly shamed me into updating, I offer you this. And this is all you're going to get. I defend at the end of this week (on Friday the 13th, no less), so the mere fact that I am blogging should be seen as nothing less than extraordinary.

So I came across this on my knitting blog travels and decided that if I did a post about my iPod, Eolan might get off of my back. So here it is. Feel free to copy and paste it into your blog.

Directions: If your life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?

1. Open your mp3 library
2. Put it on shuffle.
3. Press Play.
4. For every question, type the song that’s playing.
5. When you go to a new question, press the Next button.
6. Don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool.
7. Don’t skip songs.

My Movie:

1. Opening credits: "Barhopper 1" by Kid Koala
2. Waking up: "It Ain't Me, Babe" by Bob Dylan
3. First day of school: "Happiness" by Grant Lee Buffalo
4. Fight song: "Shut Up" by Black Eyed Peas
5. Breaking up: "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown
6. Happiness: "Born a Girl" by Manic Street Preachers
7. Life’s okay: "Hella Good" by No Doubt
8. Mental breakdown: "Eldorado 1997" by Manu Chao
9. Driving: "Reminder" by Radiohead
10. Flashback: "Look What You've Done" by Jet
11. Getting back together: "I Am Aglow" by Sarah Harmer
12. Wedding song: "Way Over Yonder" by Carole King
13. Birth of first child: "Mourning Air" by Portishead
14. Final battle scene: "Eight Easy Steps" by Alanis Morissette
15. Death scene: "Song for the Dumped" by Ben Folds Five
16. Funeral song: "Tangerine" by Moist
17. End credits: "Deeper Than Beauty" by Sloan

Well, that was incredibly odd. Some of those songs are just bang on (#4, 7, 10, 11 and 17), but the rest are just odd. More of a reflection on my iTunes Library than the random shuffle function, I suppose.