Another non-stop horror day. I'd better not tell. And the nightmare will not end until at least, Friday 10 December. Now I mention Friday, I "have been offered" as volunteer to help in the mumps immunisation programme for University students. Yes, you heard that. Mumps. University students. I couldn't believe it either. But it seems that because lots of British parents do not want to give the MMR (triple vaccination, including mumps) to their children since the autism scare some years ago (although it has not been scientifically proved and the scientist who made those allegations has now lost his reputation), now many children get mumps. And pass them to older siblings at University. Shocking!


Otro dia de horror sin limites. Mejor no lo cuento. Y la historia no se acabara hasta por lo menos, el viernes 10 de Diciembre. Hablando de viernes, me han "ofrecido" voluntari@ para ayudar en la vacunacion de paperas a los estudiantes universitarios. Lo que ois. Paperas. Universitarios. No es una alucinacion. Yo tampoco me lo creia. Pero es cierto. Desde que muchos padres dejaron de vacunar a sus hijos/as con la triple vacuna MMR (que incluye las paperas). Y eso ocurrio porque se publico un articulo donde se relacionaba la triple vacuna con el autismo. Y aunque ahora a ese cientifico se le ha desacreditado, algunos padres siguen sin vacunar a sus hijos. Y los ninios pillan las paperas y las pasan a los hermanos mayores. Que van a la Universidad y contagian a sus companieros. Penoso!


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
9C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the East Southeast at 8 mph
Dew Point: 3C
Humidity: 68%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,010.5 mb

My two bosses and I happen to share the same Zodiac sign : Saggittarius. One of our common traits is to leave everything for the last minute. Having my job to do plus the tasks they give to me, it means there are always 3 last-minute projects on my hands. I have therefore become an ogre, asking them for things two weeks in advance:
- Give it to me, NOW!
- But it's two weeks early!
- NOW, I want it NOW!!!!
It seems I don't scare them enough. That's why I am now amending some bloody statistics for the third time in a month and of course, we are late!


Mis dos jefes y yo compartimos el mismo signo del zodiaco : Sagitario. Una de nuestras caracteristicas comunes es que siempre lo dejamos todo para el ultimo momento. Asi que si tengo mi trabajo por hacer, ademas siempre habran las tareas que ellos me encomiendan. Lo que quiere decir que siempre hay tres proyectos pendientes en el ultimo momento. Esta situacion me ha llevado a convertirme en un ogro que se pasa el dia gritando y pidiendo que me pasen tareas dos semanas antes de lo previsto :
- Damelo AHORA!
- Si aun faltan dos semanas..!!
- AHORA, que me lo des AHORA!!!
Y aun asi, no les asusto lo suficiente. Por eso ahora mismo estoy arreglando unas jodidas estadisticas por tercera vez en un mes y, por supuesto, con retraso!


The weather today:
Partly Cloudy
10C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the North Northeast at 6 mph
Dew Point: 4C
Humidity: 68%
Visibility: 9 miles
Barometer: 1,017.9 mb

I can see a beautiful sunset over the harbour from my window at the office. Which doesn't have anything to do with what I was going to say in this post, but for one day that there is a sunset, instead of rain and clouds, I might as well mention it!
What I was going to say is that we have already booked our tickets to fly to Germany on the 12-13 February for Michael's birthday. The cheapest flights are with Air Berlin . I just hope we have some money left to go to Athens in Easter!


Ahora mismo estoy viendo una bella puesta de sol en la direccion del puerto desde la ventana de mi oficina. Lo cual no tiene nada que ver con el tema del que iba a hablar en este post, pero por un dia en que veo la puesta de sol, en lugar de lluvia y nubes grises, pues lo menciono, no?
Lo que realmente iba a decir es que ya hemos comprado los billetes para volar a Alemania los dias 12 y 13 de Febrero, para el cumpleanios de Michael . Los vuelos mas baratos son con Air Berlin . Solo espero que nos quede algo de dinero para ir a Atenas en Semana Santa!


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the West Southwest at 16 mph
Dew Point: 10°C
Humidity: 88%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,019.0 mb

The geographical situation of our city is such that sometimes it feels like living in an island. Ferries, a road and a motorway connect us to the county. If there is a major accident on the motorway, we are trapped in our city. Which is what happened this evening. A crash some miles away made the city centre stand still. Cars and buses were stuck, nobody could move. It started at around three o'clock in the afternoon and nothing moved until almost eight o'clock in the evening. Walking home I saw all those people, trapped in their cars, bored, nervous, talking on their mobile phones, trying to make sense out of it. They were trapped. I was free.


La situacion geografica de nuestra ciudad hace que, a veces, de la sensacion de que vivimos en una isla. Los ferries, una carretera y la autopista nos conectan con el resto del condado. Si ocurre un accidente de trafico grave en la autopista, nosotros estamos atrapados en la ciudad. Justo lo que paso esta trade. Un accidente a unas millas fuera de la ciudad hizo que toda la ciudad se paralizara. Coches y autobuses parados, nadie se movia. Empezo hacia las tres y no se empezo a solucionar hasta hace poco, a las ocho de la tarde. Andando a casa vi a toda la gente en los coches, aburridos, nerviosos, hablando por los telefonos moviles,intentando saber lo que sucedia, entender lo que estaba pasando.Estaban atrapados.Y yo era libre.

I read in the Lonely Planet guide to Florida :
" Cassadaga : About 20 minutes north of Winter Park, this sleepy little town is home to the Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp, established in 1884 by George P Colby. today it's a federally registered historic district. The camp houses a group of about 25 spiritualist-mediums who live an dwork in privately owned homes on church-owned land. The church, the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meting Association, believes in infinite intelligence, everlasting life on many planes of existence, and the precepts of prophecy and healing. For what it's worth, we believe that these folks genuinely believe in what they are doing and aren't charlatans. Their goalis to spread the word as opposed to line their pockets. They don't practise witchcraft or black magic; they don't condone hypnotism or promise to tell you your future; and they don't call themselves psychics but rather mediums".

Maybe this is the place where I will find my mum's auntie Maria. If she is anywhere, she is here. She always said it didnt' matter what happened to her body after she had died. The body would be just a corpse, irrelevant. The spirit however, would roam free forever. She was a believer in Spiritualism. A shame she lived in Spain under 40 years of dictatorship and Catholic respression. She had to hide her beliefs. She would have been happy living in Cassadaga (Florida).



Leo en la guia Lonely Planet de Florida:
" Cassadaga : A unos 20 minutos al norte de Winter Park, esta tranquila ciudad es la base del Campamento Espiritualista de Cassadaga, fundado en 1884 por George P Colby. Hoy en dia esta declarado distrito historico por las autoridades federales. El campamento es el hogar de 25 espiritualistas-mediums que viven y trabajan en sus casas particulares en tierras propiedad de la iglesias. La iglesia, llamada Asociacion Surenia Grupo Espiritualista de Cassadaga, cree en la inteligencia infinita, la vida en el mas alla en otros planos de existencia y en los preceptos de la profecia y la curacion. Segun Lonely Planet, estos mediums son genuinos, creen en lo que hacen y no son un puniado de charlatanes. Su ideal es darse a conocer a cuanta mas gente mejor y no el afan de lucro. No practican brujeria ni magia negra; no condonan el hipnotismo ni prometen adivinar el futuro. Y no se llaman a si mismos 'psiquicos' sino 'mediums'".

Quiza este sea el lugar donde encontrar a mi tia abuela (tia de mi madre) Maria. Si esta en 'otro plano de existencia' seguro que es en Cassadaga. Siempre dijo que le daba igual lo que ocurriera con su cuerpo cuando muriera, el cuerpo era solo eso, un cadaver. El espiritu, sin embargo, seria libre para siempre. Realmente ella creia en el espiritualismo. Lamentablemente, viviendo en Espania y bajo cuarenta anios de dictadura y represion catolica, ella tuvo que esconder sus creencias. Cassadaga (Florida) le hubiera gustado.


The weather today:
Cloudy
11C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the Southeast at 6 mph
Dew Point: 8C
Humidity: 82%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,030.1 mb

I recovered the capacity of communication with the outside world during office time thanks to Hightoro , who told me about MSN Messenger in Beta version . It is a simpler version of Messenger where there is no need to download any programme to the computer but the box chats are new Explorer windows. Especially useful when the company/institution you work for has banned the downloading of Messenger! Anyways...just as well that today I didn't have much work to do...because I spent the whole morning talking to one of my cousins and the rest of the afternoon talking to Hightoro. Oh my gosh and now another one of my cousins has arrived! Result: no theme for today's post (unless it's family gossip, I would not inflict you with that!) and productivity at Zero level. Ah well... it's almost Xmas! Don't they say Xmas is time to spend with your family? I do it with Messenger!


Recobre la capacidad de comunicacion con el mundo exterior durante el tiempo que paso en la oficina garcias a Hightoro , que paso la informacion sobre la version Beta de MSN Messenger . Beta es una version mas sencilla del Messenger normal, que no precisa que el usuario se baje el programa a su ordenador, sino que abre las ventanas de los chats en Explorer. Muy util cuando la empresa/institucion para la que trabajas ha bloqueado la posibilidad de bajarte Messenger. Sin embargo... hoy me he pasado la maniana hablando con uno de mis primos y parte de la tarde hablando con Hightoro. Y ahora veo que entra otro de mis primos!! Resultado: que no tengo tema para el post de hoy (a menos que sea cotilleo familiar, a que punto hemos llegado)y productividad laboral a nivel Cero. Aunque...mirad, 'casi' es Navidad! Y no dicen que la Navidad es tiempo de pasarlo en familia? Pues yo paso tiempo con mi familia en Messenger!


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
11C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: calm
Dew Point: 9C
Humidity: 89%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,027.4 mb

This is the building where I work. It was built between 1901 and 1908, starting as the city's Technical School and Public Library and eventually becoming the main building for the Faculy of Humanities and Social Sciences. And we have two ghosts! Apparently, when the building was a Public Library in the 30s, one male librarian was having an "illicit" affair with a female librarian. I guess by "illicit" they mean adultery but who knows...anyways, the male librarian felt very guilty about it until he couldn't stand it anymore and committed suicide. The female librarian, upon finding her lover's corpse, committed suicide too. What a shame they didn't tell me how. But I imagine him hanging himself from a ceiling beam and she jumping from the third floor landing to the basement. Through the stairs, just where there is the lift nowadays. That would explain why the lift is always out of order. Now they say her shadow can be seen at the canteen in the basement and his footsteps can be heard late at night on the third floor. That's all right, then if they stay where they are. I am based on the 4th floor and my internet radio is always playing quite loud.


Este es el edificio donde trabajo. Se construyo entre el 1901 y el 1908, siendo en un principio la Escuela Tecnica de la ciudad y Biblioteca Publica. Anios despues, se convirtio en el edificio principal de la Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias Sociales. Y tenemos dos fantasmas! Segun me han dicho esta maniana, cuando el edificio era una biblioteca en los anios 30, un bibliotecario tuvo un affair "ilicito" con una bibliotecaria. Supongo que con 'ilicito' quieren decir 'adulterio', aunque nunca se sabe... el problema es que el bibliotecario se sentia terriblemente culpable. Tanto, que un dia no pudo soportar mas su 'gran pecado' y se suicido. Al encontrar el cadaver de su amante, la bibliotecaria, desesperada, tambien se suicido. Lastima que no digan como. Yo me lo imagino a el colgado de una viga en el tercer piso y a ella saltando por el hueco de la escalera desde el tercer piso hasta el sotano. En ese hueco justo donde ahora tenemos el ascensor. Eso explicaria que el ascensor se nos estropee cada semana. Dicen que la sombra de la bibliotecaria se ve a veces en la cantina del sotano. Y que los pasos del bibliotecario resuenan en el tercer piso cada noche. Y a mi me parece muy bien mientras se queden donde estan. Yo estoy en el cuarto piso y siempre tengo la radio de internet a maximo volumen.


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
13C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the West at 20 mph
Dew Point: 8C
Humidity: 77%
Visibility: Unlimited
Barometer: 1,019.0 mb

We booked our hotel in Washington DC for our Xmas holidays. It's the Best Western Key Bridge hotel . It is a big non-appealing building in Arlington, but the advantage is there is a Metro station across the street and the parking is for free. Before that we checked the reviews at Trip advisor . We saw contradicting reports. Good value and decent hotel. Terrible, ugly and aging. A good report, a bad report. A whole list of reviews like that. Are the clients raving mad? Is it the hotel manager writing the good reports? Really, I don't know. But we have stayed in Best Western hotels before and they were all right, so let's see what happens this time. And yes, we checked other hotels. And the reviews were even worse!! So Best Western Key Bridge it is.


Hemos reservado hotel en Washington DC para nuestras vacaciones de Navidad. Es el Best Western Key Bridge hotel . Es un hotel grande, no muy atractivo exteriormente, situado en Arlington. La ventaja es que hay una estacion de metro nada mas cruzar la calle y el parking es gratis. Antes de reservar miramos las opiniones de ex-clientes en Trip advisor . Las opiniones eran de lo mas contradictorio. Hotel decente y buenos precios. Fatal, feo y viejo. Buen reporte, mal reporte. Y asi toda la lista de opiniones. O los clientes estan locos o bien es el director del hotel el que escribe los buenos reportes! Ni idea, tu. Pero otras veces nos hemos alojado en hoteles Best Western y todos estaban bien, decentitos, asi que a ver que pasa esta vez. Y si, miramos otros hoteles en Trip Advisor. Y las criticas eran incluso peores! Asi que va a ser Best Western Key Bridge y ya me oireis quejarme (o no!) a la vuelta.


The weather today:
Mostly Cloudy
5C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the West Northwest at 7 mph
Dew Point: -1C
Humidity: 65%
Visibility: 6 miles
Barometer: 1,023.0 mb

Too much time spent uploading photos to Flickr . Not enough time to post in my blog!


Demasiado tiempo subiendo fotos a Flickr , asi que no queda tiempo para postear!


The weather today:
Not even enough time for the weather!!

Thanks to Michael and Toro for their help and tips with the re-sizing of the pictures for the Green card application. Michael actually re-sized them for me and Toro gave me a good tip on downloading a programme which may help in the future. Now if we get that green card (we should be sooo lucky! there must be millions of applicants and only 50.000 cards), you are both invited to the US. In the mean time, you are still invited to visit us in the UK, supposing this rainy country is your strange choice for a vacation!


Gracias a Michael y Toro por su ayuda y consejos en el tema de arreglar el tamanio de las fotos. De hecho, Michael me las arreglo en un momento, y Toro me dio la pista de un programa que sera de ayuda en el futuro. Si conseguimos esas green card (y vaya suerte que tendriamos que tener, considerando que hay millones de peticiones y solo 50.000 tarjetas) estas invitados a visitarnos en los US. Mientras tanto, siempre podeis visitarnos en el Reino Unido, suponiendo que seais tan locos de escoger este lluvioso pais como destino para vuestas vacaciones!


The weather today:
Cloudy
13C
UV Index: 0 Low
Wind: From the West at 20 mph
Dew Point: 9C
Humidity: 80%
Visibility: 10 miles
Barometer: 1,021.7 mb