far too much writing, far too many photos Monday, January 07, 2002 This morning: the first day of class. (What nitwit decided to hold instruction on a date the rest of Spain considers a holiday?) Being the inaugural session, a bunch of us got tested for level placement. An hour-long exam. Good thing I'd cracked the books for a while yesterday or I would have been roadkill. As it was, they threw all but one of us in a class together anyway, and I can tell you we are not all at the same level. The upside: I came out of the day feeling like I've actually learned some Spanish in my time here, especially compared with the other male in the class, a 60ish attorney from Chicago with an outrageous American accent and some serious distance to go with the language. In addition to us, the class consisted of two young women from Germany, a woman from Hungary, a woman from Belgium. An interesting group. The streets of Madrid were basically deserted on the way to school. When I stepped outside at the class break, just after 11 a.m., a few humans had been flushed from hiding to stagger slowly down the sidewalks. After classes, around 1 p.m., the city was abustle with Spaniards out enjoying a beautiful January day. Shopping. January and August are major sales months here ("¡Rebajas! ¡Rebajas!"), something the locals seem to consider a national sport. Add that to today being the final day of the holiday season and the general vibe was very alive, nice to be around. When I emerged from the Metro into the mid-afternoon light in la Plaza de Chueca, I found a crowd of people standing around in front of Angel Sierra, the bar/tapas joint situated immediately across la Calle de Gravina from the plaza -- food and drinks in hand, talking quietly, soaking up the sunlight. Appearing content, sedate -- mellow even, befitting the day. It's a quirky little establishment, Angel Sierra, around for many decades, with owners smart enough to preserve its old-world look -- the exterior done in dark wood, the signage in faded gold letters on black background. The name: 'sierra' means either saw (as in cross-cut and hack) or mountain range -- I'm assuming here it refers to mountains, as the idea of Angel Cutting Tool makes no apparent sense. Along with that name, painted in letters of a style of some antiquity above the front of the establishment are the words "Sidra, Champaña" (Cider, Champagne) and "Refrescos Espumosos" (Foaming Refreshments). Foaming refreshments! Is that a peerless bit of advertising phraseology or what? rws 1:55 PM [+] BLATHERINGS August 2001 September 2001 October 2001 November 2001 December 2001 January 2002 February 2002 March 2002 April 2002 May 2002 June 2002 July 2002 August 2002 September 2002 October 2002 November 2002 December 2002 January 2003 February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 February 2005 March 2005 April 2005 May 2005 June 2005 July 2005 August 2005 September 2005 October 2005 November 2005 December 2005 January 2006 February 2006 March 2006 April 2006 May 2006 June 2006 July 2006 August 2006 September 2006 October 2006 November 2006 December 2006 January 2007 February 2007 March 2007 April 2007 May 2007 June 2007 July 2007 August 2007 September 2007 October 2007 November 2007 December 2007 January 2008 February 2008 March 2008 April 2008 May 2008 June 2008 July 2008 August 2008 September 2008 October 2008 November 2008 December 2008 January 2009 February 2009 March 2009 April 2009 June 2009 July 2009 .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . MORE FOCUSED BLATHERINGS Travels: London '01 Pamplona Italy '03 U.K. '03 Sevilla Casablanca Stoke-on-Trent Barcelona Québec/Ottawa Boston/Lisbon/Madrid Italy '04 Montréal La Sierra Events: Madrid -- arrival 9/11 Emergency Room I Holidays 2001 Holidays 2002 Holidays 2003 Holidays 2004 Holidays 2005 A neighbor's passing Madrid -- March 11 bombings   and aftermath Emergency Room II Israeli friend/Madrid Marathon Madrid -- Royal Wedding The DELE exam GONE, a novel: Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 THE BASTARD CHILDREN OF JOE ROCCO, a novella: -- Part 1 -- Part 2 -- Part 3 BURBANK SHRUGGED, a screenplay: -- Part 1 -- Part 2 -- Part 3 -- Part 4 Short stories: Murphy's Wife Another Autumn La Queja de Una   Hermanastra Muy Conocida Autobiography -- Personal History -- Hormones On Parade -- Accidents, Random Mishaps,     Personal Problems .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . OTHER SOURCES OF WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT People/Weblogs: dooce foxvox fudge it fear not rebekka bookslut 802online idle words madhaiku wockerjabby grow-a-brain rebel market letting me be out and about kung fu grippe fanatical apathy baghdad burning wfuv's music blog kexp's music blog mimi smartypants between the miles just a hippie gypsy the impossible cool tomato can brushes vermont homestead sugar mountain farm Good Clean Fun: gizmodo futurismic postsecret dave barry human clock mcsweeney's spaceweather book-a-minute internet archive self-portrait day my cat hates you out of context quotes surrealist compliment   generator strindberg and helium Makin' Musical Whoopee: last fm stereo8 pandora soma fm .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . ABOUT RWS/CONTACT This page and all its contents copyright © 2001-2011 by runswithscissors unless otherwise noted. runswithscissors would like to thank everyone who's ever lived for everything they've ever done. 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