Maritza in English

Restless times

2011-08-01T11:51:00.000-07:00

Doesn´t it seem to you that history is getting faster and faster? Don´t you think that technical advances are changing by the minute? Isn´t true that what it looked impossible to change could now dissapear in a second? As examples:

- Almost ten years ago we suffered the views of the Twin Towers falling down in NY. This was an excuse for the Afganistan war, Irak invasion, the execution of Sadam Hussein and the other day the killing of Osama Bin Laden by the Americans.

- The other day, as sort of speak, if we wanted to share a file to be modified (like data bases), we had to save the changes and close it in a shared net, so the colleague could make his/her own changes in his/her computer. Now there´s no need for a specific computer: two or more people can work at the same time with a file, withouth the shared net. This will be the dead of pendrives... And this is only an example: I haven´t mentioned the changes in the use of the portables/cells in this last four or five years...

- Many of the Muslim political regimes have been an average of 20 years without anyone or anything put an obstacle in their decisions, even when they have attacked their own people. The awaken consciousness, the long suffering and, why not saying, the people´s conexion through social network have facilitated that a regime so settled than the Egyptian has been wiped away... Well, we don´t know yet the outcome. We hope is for a good reason...

On May 15th there has been a joint demonstration in more than 54 cities in Spain. The main slogan has been the indignation that people feel for bankers and polititians. The reason? Because they treat people as merchandising. Youngsters (and not so) have nothing to lose for many reasons: many have no jobs, others with unstable jobs, no possesions to lose but with the willing of changing the situation and become Islanders. I haven´t been able to participate in the Santa Cruz de Tenerife´s demonstration but I´m glad to know that lots of people went and just a few decided to act like a fool...

And in a week, here in Spain we will celebrate municipal and local elections. All around the country, the biggest political parties are fighting for their domains, as if they are the only ones. I want to believe that time is changing, that it should change: we have to break this bipolar way of making politics that we have been suffering from the beginning of our democracy. Many more people are not conviced by the slogans like "give me the chance to govern, because those in power are to blame for the situation", nor "give us more time to see that everything will improve". No fighting arguments, no defensive ones: many of us think "Enough is enough!". I think that our responsibility as possible voters should be to be informed of the alternatives and decide the following:

- To vote any other option apart from the main political parties (and, in the Canary Islands I would also include in the black list another party that has Canary in its name: in other words, those parties that have the power).

- To choose a non-valid vote, what brings the occasion to show your discontent, making your decision useless for any political party.

- Vote without ballot in the envelope, an option that brings your vote to the most voted political party (I personally don´t recommend this option but it´s there to choose).

What I don´t want to do next May 22nd is stayning home and let others to decide: I want to have the cance to complaint in case the polititians we chose don´t do what they promised. It´s true, we live on a disillusionment time but our patience has a limit. Time are restless and I´m not afraid: the ones that have lots to lose are...

(First published on May 15th 2011 on http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com)

Duran Duran in my life

2011-04-18T12:25:00.000-07:00

I have to admit it: I´ve been loving English music form most of my life. I still remember when I visited some of my mum´s cousins (I was seven or eight, like my daughter). They had a room all covered with 70´s posters and loads of LPs put away in special boxes. In that room my brother and I listened for the first time to groups like Queen, Supertramp, Yes, Marillion, Chicago, Rolling Stones... My cousins talked about the songs and sometimes they made us hear a bass, a guitar solo, a hoarse-harsh voice... That place was magic for me: at the same time, my ear got used to the English, pop music became my favourite.

When I was growing up, I had my own criteria. The "Movida Madrileña" began in the 80s. Miguel Ríos had a successful tour and even the Canarian group "Palmera" had some singles that were heard all the time. I remember that I wanted to go to concerts, as if I was an adult. I was lucky that my mum had the correct judgemente and she didn´t let me go (I was 12)... It wasn´t the right time.

When I had to go to High School I heard a song that I loved: "The reflex". I found out which group played it and that´s how I knew Duran Duran. I bought the single right away: I still keep it. In the cover you can see a photo of those five Birmingham guys with a very 80s look, in agreement with their tag: new romantics. I felt in love with them and their music in a minute. They began to be part of my life... and my family´s as well, dizzy of hearing the songs once and once again... Ups, I think that my daughter has inherited that vice: I shouldn´t be so mad at her. Anyway, I think I´m responsible for the creation of such a similar creature to me in that sense.

In High School I met a girl of my age that also liked the music of this just discovered by me: This made us feel closer. One day I met her cousin, two years younger: from that time she has played my best friend´s role. Each one of us chose the favourite one in the band: my colleague chose John Taylor; my friend, Nick Rhodes and I Simon Le Bon (Hey, you can dream: it´s free and it doesn´t harm anyone, isn´t it?). This time of my life can be described as the most fanatic one... We couldn´t be blamed for: we were 12-16 year-old girls. I still remember to cover those boring, blue folders with photos of actors, singers but, above all, Duran Duran member... And I also laminated them! They were works of art... I think I have any of them lost at my parent´s home still... or in a box at the entrance of my small flat that I need to classify yet...

The first LP that I got was "Seven and the ragged tiger". Then, "Duran Duran" y "Río" followed, discovering years later some songs that were a success in anglosaxon speaking countries. I also keep at my parent´s home the live LP "Arena"... Ah, and the single "A view to a kill", a song made for James Bond´s movie of the same name.

The time passes, this fanatism went away and a sane admiration for them and their music arrived. It was the time when Roger Taylor (drums) had to leave the band for medical reasons and took care of his new created family. Andy Taylor (guitar) had some differences with the rest of the band, so the fab five became a trio. That´s when of "Notorious", an LP with more mature music and "Big Thing", at the end of the 80s. Before there were two bands that were created from the five original members: "The Power Station", with Andy and John Taylor and "Arcadia", with Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and Roger Taylor (before his retirement). I personally liked the Arcadia approach: I suppose because of my romantic side made an influence in me to have this point of view.

Time flew and I was doing my University Career. Duran Duran wasn´t heard on the radio and wasn´t seen on Spanish TV, so I suppose that this project either was abandoned or they didn´t released a successful album. I didn´t forget them and I still kept my LPs No me olvidé de ellos y seguía conservando mis LPs like a treasures, hearing them once in a while.

Suddenly, some of their songs were heard: "Ordinary World" and "Come undone". Music and lirics were similar to them but much more matured. I was impressed that their music touched me so deeply after a long time of silence.

When I finished my University Career, I decided to go to Germany for a year and then to England. I lived in Warwickshire, a county very close to Birmingham, the city were the band was founded. When I went to the city, I wondered if they used to walk the same streets as I and how the saw it. In my almost four years living in their same country, I hardly knew about them. It was the time of the launching of "The Wedding Album", "Meddazaland" and "Thank you", where the song "Perfect day", Lou Reed´s original song. If they were on TV or some of their songs where heard on the radio and never had the opportunity to see or hear them. I studied my second University Career, having just one year left to graduate: nevertheless, I´ve got a diploma... Not bad for someone that hasn´t English as the mother language.

The year 2000 took me back to Tenerife, where my daughter was born and my newly created family when my baby was less than six months-old. It also coincided with changes in work, so those years were very important in my life. My life changed when my daughter was born. Meanwhile, Duran Duran decided to reunited and the original members launched the album "Astronaut". For me, all their songs are very good. I can hear them at home, in the car and even hum them while I walk Venus and I am the happiest woman on earth...

After the fab five ephemeral reunion, Duran Duran and Andy Taylor can´t overcome their differences and split up. After that, the album "Red Carpet Massacre" was released, which included the song "Falling down", co-written with Justin Timberlake (another group´s fan) or "Skin divers", co-written with Timbaland. It´s an album that needs more exploration by me.

A month ago they published their latest album. The only song that I´ve been able to hear "All you need is now" complete, the one with the same title as the album. It sounds like "Rio", in 1982 (according to the critics and myself). They still have the fresh sound than the 80´s, even when they are "oldies", as my partner calls them.

I just knew about them thanks to the new technologies: starting by Facebook, going on to Twitter, ITunes, Youtube... They belong to the few bands that have constant news´ updates: They have always been avant-garde in this sense and take advantage of what Internet offers them. I think they have to thank new technologies for making their fans follow their adventure... And it also seems that new technologies were thought so they can exploit them... I would do whatever to have this innovations when I was 14 - 15 years-old!

I have to thank a lot to these "oldies":

- Learn English, written and spoken... I did it liking it.

- Their music gave moments of joy, of dancing and singing.

- I´ve met wonderful people through them.

- I haven´t given up in my worst moments: They haven´t and were an example to me.

- I have a positive message for any precise moment.

- ... And so many other things!

The other day I inspired myself this article while I was hearing them o my MP4 walking Venus: I looked at the sky and I said to myself that Duran Duran has influenced me in many aspects of my life but, above all, they have always cheered me up in my good and bad moments. I´ve always heard and understood the lyrics and inspired me to make me feel better. There´s a part of the song "(reach up for the) Sunrise" that made me feel good about the actual situation I´m living:

Only change will bring you out of the darkness

In this moment everything is born again

I hope to get out of the darkness through chance, when everything reborns... And I hope this year will be the one that I will go to see them playing with my best friend!

(First published on http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com on January 7th 2011)

Superguanajas

2011-01-12T08:22:00.000-08:00

Before I start, I have to explain the meaning of this adopted Canarian word: "guanajo/a". It comes from the arahuaco language and it´s used in Cuba and the Dominican Republic. It designates contemptuously a silly and/or stupid person*... Pronounce it like this: "supawanahas"...

This Sunday I finally felt down: it´s not easy to assimilate that you are going to be without a job and you have to look for another one in no time. You feel guilty because you think you are responsible of many matters at the same time and you want the people that surrounds you to be happy... and you believe (with no scientific explanation at all) that you take all the merits. Normally this weight on my shoulders is not a problem but it seems that my body needed to say "Enough is enough!" and I had to cry to relieve tension. Yes, I am a woman after all: when I finished crying, even when I didn´t have a solution to my problem, I felt relieved. I know that men do not understand this reasoning, which has no reason at all, but I reccommend you to do what my partner did: he just held me in his arms. We do not need anymore (Damn! I should have made you pay for this piece of advice!)

Yesterday afternoon I laid down on the couch watching realities. In one of them you can be witness of the birth of a baby and what surrounds it. One of the cases I saw was about a couple that already had a two year-old baby and they were expecting their second kid. The father on one side was worrier about his best friend´s stag night than the birth of the baby; the mother on the other side, histeric, weighing up everything, with unhealthy remorse, because she felt she wasn´t doing things as well as she would like to. Her guilt made me feel sorry for her. Finally, we have the typical end: the mother tied up with both babies (thank God her mum was not as histeric as she was and she helped her out); The father went to the stag night one day after his second and last baby was born but only had a beer and came back early home. In the end, the father toed the line and colaborated with her: he took care of the two year-old baby so she could go to the gymn to get fit. When the programme finished, I was exhausted.

I decided to take Venus for a walk, trying to stop thinking about all I have to do to be a superwoman: the house, my daughter´s school, pay my debts, work, look for a job, recycle myself, learn new things, do exercise, make myself up, be a good cook, be a good citizen, good manager, good friend, good lover, good daughter, good mother, good pack leader... I took my new MP4 and I heard my all-time favourite band´s music (Duran Duran), went out and cleared my head a bit. I could do it and I was happy for a moment: I needed nothing else.

I saw a friend of mine during my walk. Last week she was sick and she didn´t think about going back to work yet, even when she is self-employed and this is one of the best seasons for her job (all of us spend what we don´t have on Christmas time). When I sat down with her she explained me she has suffered from ansiety´s attacks because all she had to get out in her daily life: house, husband, daughter, job... Many women don´t know how to explode by crying and she´s one of them. Luckily I can. She needed to have acupuncture done on her.

At the end, we agreed that today´s women have a strong pressure to be a superwoman: a woman that is successful in all aspects of her life... When we were saying goodbye, she declared this statement: "We are not Superwomen but Superguanajas!". I guess I don´t have to explain the meaning of this word right now.

There are women that think the best situation is to stay at home and wait for the men to bring the money. The complications are not many and you don´t have the responsibility of all the spendings on top of your head... The only thing you have to worry about is to take care of the rest of the family, to be a good cook, mum, wife, friend, lover, household manager, stunning, take care of yourself, have the house tidy and clean... It´s not too much, isn´t it?

If you ask me, I don´t want to renounce to my work career. I come from a family full of fighter, brave and hard-working women. I couldn´t be at home, when I can develop other aspects of my personality in a job. I bought the idea of a more fulfilled woman is the one that also works outside home... The truth is that she is more tied up also!

I didn´t have a New Year´s good intention but this is going to be one of them: I will stop being a "Superguanaja" trying to be a Superwoman and be a simple mortal, with her defects and obsession. To achieve this good intention I have to let other help me more, I have to learn not to wait for everything to be as I expected, not to be perfectionist with myself, be thankful with what life has given me so far and leaving away those remorse feelings... This only good intention is going to take me a long time, so I´m not promised myself anything else...

*http://www.deperu.com/diccionario/?pal=guanajo

(First published on http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/ on December 28th 2010)

Reflexions when you turn 40

2011-01-11T05:03:00.000-08:00

This year I began my fourth decade. Last year, just six months before, I called my best friend and asked her to organize a "surprise" birthday party for me. As always, she did as promised and it was celebrated in a rural accommodation in the south part of Tenerife island.

Surrounded by banana trees, with a swimmingpool, kitchen and common spaces for our own enjoyment, we started to spend the day celebrating my first forty years. Everyone that had to be there was there (except for my family, that couldn´t come over). I´ve got old friends (in time) but also lately I´ve met wonderful people that helped me go ahead and marked me for life... We finished the party early in the morning the next day, playing like kids: I will never forget those shared moments with my loved ones.... Many of them are waiting for my 50th anniversary!

This year I´ve been thinking about all that I´ve lived these years. The conclusion is that I´ve been blessed with many opportunities that made me meet great people along the way...

When I was a child, I imagine myself as a forty year-old person with stability in all dimensions of my life: personal, job...; a person devoted to her stable family after some years of doing the same; a person with a University career that would work to keep the family; a person that wouldn´t need to think about anything else but what to wear or to cook for the next day... That´s how forty year-old people looked like when I was a child.

Time changed this situation.

The reality has been different: I´ve had uncertainty in my personal life (untill a few years ago) and in my work life (today). I didn´t have a stable relationship but many in these last twenty years. The fact that I´ve finished a university career or having a good level or English or German has meant nothing to get a stable job. Kids didn´t arrive but one, because the circumstances doesn´t let me bring a sibling to my daughter. Since I finished school I only had one season of crisis (sometimes harder, somethimes milder)...

Life doesn´t bring you what you want but what your really need. Many people of my age planned their lives so much that, when everything started to fall down, they felt defrauded and disconcerted. It seems that the world goes round faster and faster. We just finish to adapt to the circumstances, when we have to plan new changes in our lives, so we don´t stay behind. One positive thinking: this brings us the opportunity to "extend" our youth, because we have to do what we did when we were younger. That´s why people say that the new forties are like the old thirties.

There is a Chinese curse that says: "I wish you live in time of changes". This is really a bad wish thrown to us: uncertainty, changes, alterations... Anonimam Hombre Anónimo* says in his last poster: "You have to jump" (or something similar)... I don´t think the word "constantly" could fit in.

Well, if at forty I´m reflecting like this, I don´t want to imagine how bore I could become in ten years... I´ll try not to think so much, but I´ll act and update myself every day...

*Anonimam Hombre Anónimo.- An artist that reflects his work of art throught a poster that can be read from the A5 (a motorway in Tenerife).
(First published on http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/ on December 9th 2010)

In time of crisis... show the best of your faces...

2011-01-03T04:44:00.000-08:00

It´s difficult to start this blog´s entrance. Its purpose is trying to encourage everyone in this difficult time, including me. In many ways, most of us are not having the best time of our lives: some with precarious jobs, other with no job at all, others with a salary that last only ten days... What´s the use of enumerate?

As many friends of mine know through my "Facebook" profile, I like to be inform. This effort is not a waste. This is my way to try to understand this fast, ever-changing world. The intention of publishing articles is to help other to take a decision by being informed, to be conscious about that the next step they are going to take is the most correct one possible.... At least, we can say: "Given all possibilities, I chose the best option".

As far as I know, Spain is still the country where the cleverest doesn´t run: he/she flies; where the one that gets the power doesn´t want to leave place to others even when this person has ruined more than a business for his/her bad management, so they can try to solve the situation; where many jobs are not designed according to the market´s needs but to the worker´s need (or "string-pulling"); where, it doesn´t matter how much hard you work, you won´t be compensated with some economical stability... I could say many other examples but I don´t want to bore you to death.

Giving all those reasons, I just want to throw in the towel many times and I wonder why so much effort wasted: I´m going to get to Suspense Blind Alley every time. Then I look to my daughter´s picture, happily and confidently smiling at me and I say to myself: "Even when I return to the same alley, I have to do the impossible to get out of there and find other better way...".

Some years ago I had the pleasure to meet a family with two children: the mother, from Venezuela, the father from USA... both kids austistic. It seems that both parents got the recesive gen and they coudn´t have any other child, having the sure risk of an autistic child. One day I asked him if he didn´t consider his fate unfair: what he answered made me change about misfortunes: "You, latin people, are very influenced by the Catholic Church´s culture: you think that this misfortune is a God´s punishment. I think that we are lucky to raise this special children, that this will make us stronger and we have to be grateful that we are the ones and not any other that can not confront this situation"... What a lesson!

And once more, defeated by my positivism, I think that every experience will make me stronger and more ready for anything that will come. If I keep up this attitude I will value whatever I will have to live in a just way and it will improve my life... ... There´s no other option possible!

(First published on December 1st in http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/)

What´s the use of roundabouts?

2010-12-27T05:13:00.000-08:00

I wonder every day this question. I have to cross six roundabouts before reach my workplace. Everyone of them causes me tension, nervousnes... It´s normal: almost two years ago I had an accident in one of them. It wasn´t serious but I took the decision to share my point of view with the rest, so I can to rule out I´m not crazy...

I have an answer to this question: They have been created to facilitate and lighten the traffic, to make it fluid. In an intersection the preference is given to the cars that circulate inside the roundabout and the rest wait to move on. There´s no doubt about it. When it comes to choose who has the preference from the ones that circulate inside the roundabout, the discrepancy arises. According to the Spanish "Código de la Circulación", the cars that circulate on the right lane, no matter if they go right, straight ahead or left... Is this normal? Does it give fluency to traffic?

Let´s study an example. We arrive to a roundabout, no matter which lane we are. We find that the car that comes the opposite way that drives on the right lane, decides to go left. All cars that are on its right have to give way until this driver decides to leave the roundabout: this is acceptable. This action also affects to all cars that circulate the opposite way (you and the ones that go the same direction to you... And, above all, this affects to that car that circulates close to it and wants to go straight ahead. This maneuver doesn´t give fluency to traffic, on the contrary: it makes that half of the traffic to waint until this car leaves the roundabout.

Near home is an Avenue (Avenida de los Menceyes, who were the kings of Guanches, people who lived in the Canaries before the Spaniards). A few years ago it was redesigned, so there would be two lanes in every direction. Some arrows were painted: half of them indicating to the driver on the right lane two options, to go right or to go straight ahead; the other haf indicating to the driver on the left lane two options: to go ahead or to turn left. Those arrows, that disipated any doubts, were erased to comply to the actual regulation.

The photo that accompanies this entrance belongs to the roundabout between Stratford-upon-Avon, Birmingham, Coventry, Warwick and London. It is situated over the M40 (a highway in England). I don´t have any information about its daily traffic but I can guess the traffic is quite heavy. I had to cross it more than once a day. This roundabout has four lanes: all of them are signed on the floor, so the driver don´t get lost and reach the right exit. Cars get into the roundabout on the inside lane, they change lanes until they reach their correct way. It works like an LP player but the other way around... I never saw an accident in four years...

If I could do anything to change the way of driving and make people understand this rational way of driving through a roundabout, I´d do it. So far I´m writing this entrance to check what you think about the subject.

The positive part of the accident? I change my old car for a newer one and drive safer in it... As always, I take a positive lecture from, in the beginning, a not so favourable situation...

(First published on November 31th in http//:maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com )

The meaning of Christmas to me

2010-12-24T01:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was in a hurry with my partner to find the presents left to buy. He decided to go to a shopping mall and I was afraid: we would find queues, no place to park, full of people waiting to pay.... We found traffic jam but we were very lucky and, in less than an hour we were out of there. Probably we would have found some things in the area where we live and we would have the opportunity to walk a bit... It´s a matter of taste.

At this time of the year, the kids are waiting for the toys Santa will give to them; The grown ups can´t wait to go out and have fun... I´m not religious but I think we are deviating from the real motive of this celebration. It doesn´t mean waiting for a present, it doesn´t mean going out and get drunk, it doesn´t mean get yourself nuts to find a gift to auntie Geraldine... For the orthodox people, this day is devoted to stay at home, celebrate the birth of Jesus, reunite the family, go to church... I respect both decisions: mi alternative is in the middle of both. My Christmas consists on get together my closest family around a table to have dinner. It´s the only day in the year that I dedicate to my famlily, to be with the loved ones. It´s true that that day we exchange presents (In Spain, the custom is on January 6th, the arrival of the three Wise Men) but for me that is the perfect excuse to rest from everyday´s busy schedule and feel wrapped up by my family. It´s true: singing Carols is not in our agenda but we keep the tradition of being together. Furthermore, since my daughter came to my life, I love seeing her happy face when she discovers what Father Christmas have left next to her shoe. She is awake until late just to check if what she asked for will appear magically...

No matter wich way you choose to celebrate Christmas, I wish you to do it the way you want most... I wish that "Marks & Sparks" or "Seals" don´t rule about what you have to do and how to do it... Live it as you believe it.

Well, on New Year´s Eve I think I´m going to enjoy it to the full: dance until I can´t anymore and laugh until my ribs are hurting me.... And wishing that 2011 will bring me what I think I deserve...

(First published on http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com on December 23rd 2010)

Venus´ Story (Part III)

2010-12-23T03:30:00.000-08:00

Step by step, she became more than a pet (satisfactions and sacrifices included) to be a being that accompanies you even when she only sleeps close to you.

Right now my daughter, Venus and I are sharing a two-bedroom flat with a small garden with my actual partner and, eventually, with his two kids. The dog has become the perfect link for the three kids: they get along quite well. They have something in common: they adore and spoil her.

It doesn´t matter how long she has to be alone at home (work, travel...), Venus always greets me moving her tail and bitting my hand while she cries of happiness. She even adores the person who rescued her from a sure death, her first leader. In the animal kingdom, there are a lot of grateful beings…

Many times we have the perfect reason to go out: walk the dog. It´s the perfect solution when you don´t know where to go with the kids. She doesn´t get sick in cars and it´s very funny to see her when she pops out her head and her ears fly with the wind. Every day, she gets more and more clever: she rests in the car so when she goes out, she has all the energy to run, jump... and chase.

Venus is an expert... lizard hunter. All lizards are afraid when they hear her paws approaching. She has no problems with plants or stones between a lizard and her: She makes holes with her paws and with her head moves the vegetation to get to her prey. Once I had to open her mouth with my hands to free an alive lizard she hunted… My grandfather used to say that she was a born-hunter because of the shape of her ears: He knew why this statement was right.

She has impressed me lately. I realized that everytime I feel sick (headache, discomfort…), she has approached quietly to keep me company. My partner has been surprised by her lying down on the floor next to my bed… Right now she lays down close to me, keeping me company while I write these lines…

There are no reason why she doesn´t like some people from the building. If she hears them coming or going, she´s alert, taking care of her garden: territorial. Many have tried to become her friend but it´s almost impossible: not even with a ham sandwich…

It´s funny that sometimes I feel that it´s not fair that she waits for us outside shops or restaurants. My partner, not an animal lover, considers her part of the family. We understand that it´s not higienic to let dogs enter a restaurant but we feel it´s not fair on her.

That´s why I don´t understand people that buy a pure breed puppy for Christmas or birthdays. In the beginning they are loved because they are the new "toys" at home. After that, they become a problem: where can I leave the dog when I go on holidays? The result? They are abandoned anywhere. This holidays, while we were walking Venus through a forest (La Esperanza, Tenerife), we found the rotten rests of a dead dog. If he had an owner, this person had no enough heart or courage to gain his love, trust and all the satisfaction a pet can give you.

It is also true that there are many places where the dogs can´t get in to walk. I understand that there are misbehaved dogs that do not respect their owners. On the other hand, I understand that dogs are, first of all, animals with their instinct alive… If dogs are minimally well educated, they can´t not be a problem if they walk without leash close to their owner (yesterday Venus crossed ways with a runner and she didn´t care less for him). Maybe it is necessary to warn to those dog owners that leave their dogs without supervision while they are walking them, those who do not clean after their dogs and compensate those dog leaders with well behaved dogs close to one another, as the best human´s friends (as it´s been said).

(First published on September 1st 2009 in http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/)

Venus story (Part II)

2010-12-21T06:54:00.000-08:00

Venus had to confront a decisive time in her life: the arrival of a human baby. She left being the centre of attention to leave the space for the new "intruder". Venus has always been very respectful with her: she knew that everyone was going to be disappointed with her if she would have harmed my daughter.

Soon she changed a leader for another: my partner decided to move on with his life and I had to be her master. We both adapted to the new situation slowly and learned to live together… At that time, all the commands were in French but now she is "bilingual" and she understands Spanish as well. She was taught to sit down, lay down, to shake hands and not to nap on the couch… The normal commands for a dog. It cost me lots of cheese but also patient and love.

Once more, Venus had to change house and left behind a great garden for a huge roof. Those were hard years, where her presence was mostly on that roof and on the street when we walked her. Venus has always accepted changes with stoicism. Her only requirement was that she knew I was around and, if I had to go out, I would be back.

At that time Venus didn´t like others to be her leaders but me. Sometimes she became a little jealous of my daughter but it never was more than a fright (showing teeth and gum and a small bite). Those years were hard and I realized she was part of my small family.

(To be continued)

(First published on August 30th 2009 in http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/)

Venus´ Story (Part I)

2010-12-16T05:03:00.000-08:00

Venus started to be part of my life almost eight years ago. Everything began with a phone call from who was my partner, one Saturday, November 4th:

- Hey, I call you because I just picked a hairy, four- legged bug.
- No way! You know that we have Chico, the cat, at home – he was a six-month old cat that shared our one-bedroom flat with us.
- I know but she´s so cute!

In the beginning, the idea didn´t seem funny to me but I gave up. I thought that, in the end it could be a good idea, as we were going to live to a house with garden, so we could be more confortable there.

That night I had a celebration and I didn´t have the chance to see the "hairy, four-legged bug” until the next day. When I saw her, the only thing I could do was shrug my shoulders and "fall in love" with her. Her legs and eyebrows were brown and the rest was pitch black. Her wide legs made me think that maybe she was a potential rottweiler… There was nothing far from the truth than that: many people bet that she´s a mix between griffon, beagle and yorkshire.

Her story with me started when an irresponsable person left her abandoned with her siblings inside a carton box in front of a hotel in the south of the island of Tenerife. One of those puppies has the leading role in this story. She was the luckiest one, as I heard… I can´t understand how there are persons that are so cruel and they can live without remorse… but this story is about Venus, the lucky pup.

From that moment on, Venus was part of the family. It was funny to see how Chico and Venus played together. When she first arrived they both had the same size: a month later she was taller than him and her colour was brown. She was a bit naughty but she soon learned that she wasn´t doing the right thing. In December Venus decided to eat my lentils soup (typical food for New Year´s Eve: it brings luck): It wasn´t her fault, it was easily reachable by her. She also had to celebrate the fortune she had that someone took her home… Since she was a puppy she has protected the houses she has lived and barks to what she thinks it´s a threat: I still remember the noisy way she greeted us one day, when we were still moving. She wasn´t three-months old and her barks were strong…

(To be continued)

(First published on August 22nd 2009 in http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/)

Raising the children of the future

2010-12-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

Today, my daughter was invited to a child´s birthday party. An opportunity to meet family and friends. The first thing the birthday girl asked was: “Where are my presents?”… 6 to 10 year-old kid´s sincerity is overwhelming: as soon as she opened the presents, she informed us she wasn´t interested in "High School Musical" anymore as last year (we bought some stuff related to that film). Every time a visit arrived, the question was the same and she was thrilled if the present was what she was waiting for.

Her parents made a huge effort to organize this party, as they do every year. Her mother seems to be another girl planning every detail: special food for kids, for grown-ups, candies, toys, a small swimming pool, a huge place where kids could play… My daughter´s birthday is in January, I can´t plan her party this way, so I have to hire this special services in covered spaces. It´s a different type of "sacrifice" but we all do it for our kids´ happinness.

All of it made me think if we, parents, are doing the right thing. It seems that we are offering a lot of material things, withouth thinking about the consequences. Even when you could be impressed, it is verified that children are happier if they have some references, some limits given by their parents. If we go on this way, what we are going to offer the world will be spoiled people, people that won´t be content with what they have and they will never be happy.

Today I had the opportunity to talk with some mothers while we were having lunch. I realized that all of us were worried about our children´s education. Some of them were worried about the bad behaviour that they can learn in school. In fact, what we have to worry about is what they are learning at their homes. There is the basement of all education. Children are like white sheet that imitate what they have closer: their parents or tutors. If we curse, it´s going to be difficult for them not to do the same; If we don´t correct attitudes and/or aptitudes, they will go on doing things the same way. We are their lighthouse, their guidance, their example: if we do nothing to correct the situation, we can´t complaint tomorrow if they become spoilt brats.

I´m not saying that today´s children do not deserve presents, special attentions... They are kids but not forever: later on they will have to deal with adults´responsibility. Anyhow: we have to make them understand how lucky they are, we have to guide them with understandable rules.

Today´s children, surprisingly enough, prefer more time with their parents than the last Wii game. In spite of the circumstances, I´ll do my best to share some quality time with my daughter. The reward is extraordinary: a human being more human, consistent and generous for the future and a huge smile when I´m with her...I think all of it is worth it.

(Originaly released on August 17th 2009 in http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/)

Fixing the world

2010-12-13T05:09:00.000-08:00

Nowadays, wherever you go, the conversations tend to be about the same subject: crisis. Amongst the unemployed, in the phone calls, in social meetings, even at your home. All of us think we have the magic potion to solve the world problems (me included). The majority of us have suffered, directly or not, the consequences of this situation.

What´s the easiest thing to do in this circumstances? Blame others. It´s true that a few took advantage of some persons´ greed to create finantial holes: only God knows where the rock bottom is. The banks have created expetations to the whealthiest through the modests´dreams, those who couldn´t held so many debts and had to leave everything they fought for all their lives…

Globalization has contributed to make the family debts in Alabama influence the bank around the corner, that denies you credits... The reason is because that bank trusted in disguised subprimes and doesn´t know if it will be possible to pay the employer who´s attending you. This had been said many times by the the most respected economists and comediants in the world.… There are some economists that are taking advantage of the crisis: they give conferences around the world, publish books explaining what is going on, you even can see them in a very well known petrol company´s ad... They sell themselves very well!

We forget this is not the first time Capitalism colapses from inside out: in 1979, 1973, 1989-90… It´s true that this time it´s not possible to see the light after the tunnel but, essentially, the basement is the same: some take advantage and many are sacrified… All these crisis were useful to reject what didn´t work, create new situations and businesses adapted to the real social situations. This time the change is going to be deeper than before: there´s the need to find another cheese when ours stinks (“Who moved my cheese?”, Spencer Johnson, recommended reading for now and written more than ten years ago). In other words, if my business doesn´t work, I have to find another way to change the results and, if that doesn´t work, find anything else to do. To do things like always, because it has been done this way for generations is no longer valid: You either change or die… just look at Madonna, the changing queen.

Anyhow, we all have responsibilities, too. Do not look around waiting for a miracle. You need to try. It´s important to know our priorities, leave behind what we can live without... I think that many of us are doing this now.

In any case, for me, the definition of crisis doesn´t mean that I can´t buy the latest TV set, nor flying away. A real crisis means I can´t afford to pay to my kid a roof, education, clothing or food. While those prioritiess are met, the rest of them are not needs. When I go to a shopping mall and I see cafes full of people, lines to get inside of a cinema and shopping carts with the last Wii games, I wonder: Where is the crisis?

An advertising gifts´ company (“Público”) gave us a present with a piece of paper where you could read the following message: “Crisis is a difficult moment where the strongest or cleverest don´t win but the one that best adapts to the environment…” .

(First published on August 16th 2009 in http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/)

DOWNSHIFTING

2010-12-11T14:30:00.000-08:00

People that know me well know that I like to learn foreign languages. The ones that know me very well know also that I defend Spanish (my mother language): the "Spanglish" language that sometimes we speak without noticing it isn´t appropriate for me... Yes, I´m the contradiction made human. Sometimes there are some words that are difficult to express in my mother language: this is one of them.

I knew about the meaning just a few years ago, when I was practising myself and I was glad I wasn´t the only one in the world. Downshifting is a philosophy of life a little bit different from the "hurry-up" of our times. The main law is to downshift and go slower in all of your acts… Many people like me are doing it now,e even when they don´t know the meaning of the word. Many others may wonder how.

As always, the Scandinavians are ahead of everybody. It consists on not being so avaricious when it concerns to work (in other words, stop working as much as you can to get as much money as you can) and be content with enough to live… Right now I´m imagining many of you raising your hands, being surprised, calling me nuts. Its simply as trying to have an austere live, enough to live. No more, no less.

It´s understood that we all are trapped in a consumer society that "oblige" us to buy anything, even when we can live without it. I´m the first one to fall in the system but I try my best not to do it. For me it´s more importat to come back home to be with my family thatn anything else. It´s very important to be productive in your work hours. As some experts say, staying in our work lots of hours doesn´t mean being productive: the work needs to be done.

I was like many of us: I wanted to improve in my career and get lots of money above all. I left a very hard work for an even harder one. The salary that was promised to me was more than OK with a reasonable shift. I thought that I couldn´t offer any better to my (at that time) small family of three (my daughter, my dog and me)... Ath the end, I got to lose one year of my daughter´s life (I lived to work all day) and summons at the court: I was defrauded.

I learned the lessons and I went to a job where I worked less hours but I was proportionally better paid. Of course, I couldn´t afford going out for a drink or diner every weekend but I could spend some more time with my family and for me. I learned to be happy with less money: I ajusted my spendings. I remember like yesterday when I called the credit card company (I only have one): the person that attended me couldn´t believe I wanted to reduce my card´s limit. My answer was clear: "My earnings has lowered, so my limit has to go down as well”.

Right now I have a job where I finish at six and enjoy life (that´s why we work, don´t we?). As a boss of mine used to tell us: “There are many moments in a worker´s life: time to wait for a client to receive us, time for bureaucracy, time to attend clients and time to rest”. And that´s what I do when I finish work: enjoy my (actual) enlarged family.

(First published on December 17th 2008 in http://maritza-gonzalez.blogspot.com/)