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runswithscissors


Friday, June 06, 2003

After a few days of fine, slightly cooler weather, high summer has slipped back into Madrid. Went to the main post office at la Plaza de Cibeles around 10 a.m. to mail a box of stuff back to the States, when I returned the air had shifted from nicely mild to warm and getting hot.

The settling-in of summer has been evident around the city center with the increased numbers of tourists. People of all ages pulling big wheeled suitcases, younger folks with backpacks strapped on, most wearing shorts, t-shirt, sandals. Lots of young folks standing at doorways to buildings with hostals, poking at door buzzers, waiting for a reply or calling into the intercom in English and/or Spanish. Snatches of passing conversations in German, French.

After the post office, a quick cup of espresso and a visit to the bakery down the street for the day’s baguette and a couple of their excellent empanadillas, I headed back this way, passing a 50-something gray-haired male strapped into a full backpack, bedroll lashed across the top. He walked slowly, as if weary or not entirely sure of his bearings. Olive green t-shirt, black jeans, running shoes. Neat, but rumpled from travel. The backpack/bedroll were dark blue/gray, a small green stuffed teddy bear hung from the rear of the pack, bobbing a bit with the traveler's steps, its features set in a blank fixed half-smile.

In ten days I’ll also be travelling. Not a thought I'm crazy about, so I think about it as little as possible. Yesterday I called the friendly people at Telefónica in an attempt to get my internet service put on hold during my months back in the States, something they assured me, when I first ordered the service, that would be easy to arrange. BWAAAAAAHAHAHA!!!!! About five minutes into the first attempt -- not proceeding quite as smoothly as I’d hoped -- the woman I was speaking with hung up on me. After a short laughter/cooling-down interval, I called back, spoke with another representative, a guy. A better experience, though Telefónica still wants to make me go through some hoops to get the service suspended. Have not yet decided if it’s worth hurling myself through them to save myself some shekels. Will decide during the next few days.

The fact is that since my arrival in August of 2000 and the subsequent dealing with local utilities to set up my first flat, they (or at least Telefónica) have made major efforts to improve the quality of the experience. Dealing with the power company back then was unbelievably unpleasant, the phone company only slightly better. With my current landlords I don’t have to deal with the power company, for which I give profuse, grovelling thanks. I’ve had to deal with Telefónica, however, and it’s become clear that they have put tremendous effort into being more pleasant, responsive, kind, humane, all of which I sincerely appreciate.

On the other hand, I spoke with a Spanish friend yesterday and mentioned my attempts to get my ADSL service put on hold. She laughed out loud at the very idea, saying (through snorts of hilarity), "It’s impossible!" Impossible? Well, no. Easy? Hmmm -- the word I would use is doable. Doable, with some contortions on my part. We’ll see if I’m up to it.

Passing voices in conversation drift up from the street. A few minutes ago, the bell of a local church rang midday in counterpoint to the beep-beep-beep of a truck backing up into la Calle de Gravina, post-grocery-delivery to one of the shops that ring the plaza.

A quiet Friday morning in Madrid, the hours drifting steadily by, each one warmer than the last.

rws 6:28 AM [+]

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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
May 2003
June 2003
July 2003
August 2003
September 2003
October 2003
November 2003
December 2003
January 2004
February 2004
March 2004
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June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
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November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
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June 2005
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September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
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December 2006
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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

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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

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ABOUT RWS/CONTACT





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