Velos, filtros, versiones...

Listen to the French version


À la claire fontaine, m'en allant promener,
J'ai trouvé l'eau si belle que je m'y suis baigné.
Il y a lontemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai.
Sous les feuilles d'un chêne, je me suis fait sécher.
Il y a lontemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai.
Sur la plus haute branche, un rossignol chantait.
Il y a lontemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai.
Chante, rossignol, chante, toi qui as le coeur gai;
Tu as le coeur à rire, moi je l'ai à pleurer.
Il y a lontemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai.
J'ai perdu mon ami sans l'avoir mérité.
Pour un bouquet de roses que je lui refusai.
Il y a lontemps que je t'aime, jamais je ne t'oublierai.
Je voudrais que la rose fût encore au rosier,
Et que mon douce ami fût encore à m'aimer


Listen to the Chinese version

By the clear running fountain
I strayed one summer day.
The water looked so cooling
I bathed without delay.
Refrain:
Many long years have I loved you,
Ever in my heart you'll stay.
Beneath an oak tree shady
I dried myself that day
When from the topmost branch
A bird's song came my way.
Sing, nightingale, keep singing,
Your heart is always gay.
You have no cares to grieve you,
While I could weep today.
You have no cares to grieve you,
While I could weep today,
For I have lost my loved one
In such a senseless way.
She wanted some red roses
But I did rudely say
She could not have the roses
That I had picked that day.
Now I wish those red roses
Were on their bush today,
While I and my beloved
Still went our old sweet way.

I bought this DVD not knowing it was filmed in China. I knew it was a story that happened somewhre in Asia. It could happen anywhere. At some point one of the characters tells the other something like: 'it was silly of us looking for qualities in each other that we never had'. It made me think how many times I have been in a similar situation.Expecting others to be something they are not, not wanting to see the reality, blinding myself, refusing to see the obvious. And also, how many times I still want to find qualities in myself which I do not have, instead of opening my eyes and accepting myself the way I am.

So far, so close

Click here to watch video



CHINA

China all the way to New York

I can feel the distance getting close
You're right next to me
But I need an airplane
I can feel the DISTANCE as you breathe...

Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes

Another beautiful song from Marco's music calendar 7th week. It is freaky. So far, all the songs chosen relate to my mood at the time of listening to them. It feels as if he is next to me, feels my mood and plays a song. The reality is that he prepared this calendar many weeks ago. Today it moved me more than before, maybe because I feel a little bit more sensitive than other days. I know I do.

Shanghai...again

La ultima de Ang Lee.


click here to watch trailer

Empanadilla de noche...

The Three Basic Listening Modes

Competitive or Combative Listening happens when we are more interested in promoting our own point of view than in understanding or exploring someone else’s view. We either listen for openings to take the floor, or for flaws or weak points we can attack. As we pretend to pay attention we are impatiently waiting for an opening, or internally formulating our rebuttal and planning our devastating comeback that will destroy their argument and make us the victor.
In Passive or Attentive Listening we are genuinely interested in hearing and understanding the other person’s point of view. We are attentive and passively listen. We assume that we heard and understand correctly. but stay passive and do not verify it.
Active or Reflective Listening is the single most useful and important listening skill. In active listening we are also genuinely interested in understanding what the other person is thinking, feeling, wanting or what the message means, and we are active in checking out our understanding before we respond with our own new message. We restate or paraphrase our understanding of their message and reflect it back to the sender for verification. This verification or feedback process is what distinguishes active listening and makes it effective.

I have been thinking about this for the last few days. How many times people talk to me and I just hear what I want to hear, not what they are telling me! I believe that to be able to listen to someone is difficult. Sometimes I am not even able to listen to myself, let alone someone else. I am going to try to notice my conversations over the next few days, to find out when I am really listening and see what difference do I notice when I change the way I listen.

Shanghai Triad

There is nothing like a bit of old glamour.I saw this film years ago and I loved it. The story, the era,the atmosphere,the clothes, the music, Gong Li are fantastic!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8R-pE8OQ_A

Shanghai Triad. Zhang Zimou (1995) .

Another boardgame?

Courtship, traditionally the wooing of a female by a male, includes activities such as dating (dinner and a movie, a picnic, or general "hanging out"), along with other forms of activity, such as meeting online (also known as virtual dating), chatting on-line, sending text messages or picture messages, conversing over the phone, writing each other letters, and sending each other flowers, songs, and gifts. Courting usually involves getting to know the family (especially the parents) of the one you are courting. Most of the time courting will be done somewhere public, to lower the chances of anything going on between the couple. Some couples who court do not even kiss until marriage.
Do you think our relationship is less of a relationship because temporarily we are no physically together?

You are good at boardgames, I'm sure you will win this one!

Bird's eye view

One evening we went to the Hyatt to drink Cosmopolitans and Dry Martinis. We looked at the city from up there and we talked about her, him, you, me, the past, now, the future. We talked about expectations, commitment, deception, hope, happiness.

Tokyo

I always thought Tokyo was a big city full of big buildings and lots of neon lights everywhere. There are some areas like that but I was pleasantly surprised to discover Shimokitazawa, where Yoshiko lives. It is like a little village, with lots of trees, narrow streets, small houses and a smell in the air that reminded me of burning logs in the fire place. I had a week off, so I decided to visit Yoshiko. She took care of me all the time, showing me around her city. I felt very loved and special.

Love bicycles

Click here for video

Nine Million bicycles.

There are nine million bicycles in Beijing
That's a fact,
It's a thing we can't deny
Like the fact that I will love you till I die.

We are twelve billion light years from the edge,
That's a guess,
No-one can ever say it's true
But I know that I will always be with you.

I'm warmed by the fire of your love everyday
So don't call me a liar,
Just believe everything that I say

There are six BILLION people in the world
More or less
and it makes me feel quite small
But you're the one I love the most of all

[INTERLUDE]
We're high on the wire
With the world in our sight
And I'll never tire,
Of the love that you give me every night

There are nine million bicycles in Beijing
That's a Fact,
it's a thing we can't deny
Like the fact that I will love you till I die

And there are nine million bicycles in Beijing
And you know that I will love you till I die!

Katie Melua

Leaving my flat every morning is an adventure because I don't know whether I am going to get to work or to the hospital, after being run over by a car, bus or bicycle. In this city, nobody respects cebra crossings or traffic lights neither drivers nor pedestrians. I am learning not to respect anything either. In theory the biggest vehicle has the right to go first. This is every man for his own. Salvese quien pueda es la ley de la selva!