far too much writing, far too many photos

runswithscissors


Tuesday, February 26, 2002

Walking through la Plaza de Chueca yesterday, the focal point for a lot of activity and energy in the barrio, I noticed the banners hanging from many balcones (since last spring) had changed. [See journal entry of September 16, 2001.] The old ones read VIVIMOS AQUI -- CONTROLA EL RUIDO (WE LIVE HERE –- CONTROL THE NOISE), their number dwindling since the original burst of anger re: nighttime noise that resulted from intense all-night partying in last year's Orgullo Gay (Gay Pride) weekend. The new banners say: PELIGRO: ZONA CONTAMINADO POR RUIDOS (DANGER: ZONE CONTAMINATED/POLLUTED BY NOISE), they hang from balcones all around the plaza, including an enormous one that spans three or four balcones. The slow settling in of spring has increased the nocturnal revelry during this last month, with a corresponding rise in noise, but I guess I hadn't realized the extent of it. I'm down the street from the plaza and up five flights. Must be a whole different experience for people in the buildings that ring the plaza.

A number of "Se Vende" ("For Sale") banners have also appeared. Clearly, a bunch of someones recently decided they'd had enough.

Life. So much drama.

*************

I've been neglecting my Simpsons calendar, but happened to glance at it today and noticed that a horde of heavy-hitters were born this month, among them:

Johnny "Guitar" Watson, b. 3 Feb., 1935
Rosa Lee Parks, b. 4 Feb., 1913
Betty Frieden, b. 4 Feb., 1921
Hank Aaron, b. 5 Feb., 1934
Rip Torn, b. 6 Feb., 1931
Francois Truffaut, b. 6 Feb. 1932
Bob Marley, b. 6 Feb., 1945
Charles Dickens, b. 7 Feb., 1812
James Dean, b. 8 Feb., 1931
Lon Chaney, b. 10 Feb., 1905
Abraham Lincoln, b. 12 Feb., 1809
Christina Ricci, b. 12 Feb., 1980
Art Spiegelman, b. 15 Feb., 1948
Matt Groening, b. 15 Feb., 1954
Michael Jordan, b. 17 Feb., 1963
Toni Morrison, b. 18 Feb., 1931
Amy Tan, b. 19 Feb., 1952
Nina Simone, b. 21 Feb., 1933
W.E.B. DuBois, b. 23 Feb., 1925
Johnny Winter, b. 23 Feb., 1944
Winslow Homer, b. 24 Feb., 1836

There are lots more listed, of course, but it's a funny thing about this calendar -– the featured birthday folks are overwhelmingly male. What's up with that?

rws 1:51 PM [+]

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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
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June 2003
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August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
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November 2004
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April 2007
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July 2007
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October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008

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MORE FOCUSED BLATHERINGS

Personal History



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

Excerpts from GONE, a novel:
Chapter 1 (complete)
Chapter 6 (complete)
Chapter 8 (excerpt)
Chapter 9 (excerpt)
Chapter 9 (excerpt)

Screenplay excerpt:
BURBANK SHRUGGED

Short stories:
Murphy's Wife
Another Autumn
Queja de Una Hermanastra
  Muy Conocida

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OTHER SOURCES OF WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT

People/Weblogs:
dooce
foxvox
fudge it
fear not
rebekka
bookslut
802online
idle words
madhaiku
wockerjabby
grow-a-brain
digital camel
letting me be
kung fu grippe
franklin avenue
fanatical apathy
baghdad burning
the happy booker
mimi smartypants
between the miles
just a hippie gypsy
tomato can brushes
playing with my food
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:
muxtape
soma fm
pandora
last fm

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ABOUT RWS/CONTACT





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runswithscissors would like to thank everyone who's ever lived for everything they've ever done.



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