Memorias de Idhún

Some weeks ago, my teacher posted some covers she likes . They were all classics, and it made me think I have to refine my tastes and to learn a lot, but meanwhile I will keep reading my not so very good but still amusing books.
My favourite book in the world started as a birthday present from my cousin. She told me she and her boyfriend had read it and they had really enjoyed it, and I didn't like to read but I thought I would give it a chance. The book was called "Memorias de Idhún" and at first I thought it would be just another book I would stop reading after the first 30 pages. However, one day I found myself staying awake at night because it was the only moment I could read, and I wanted to know what was going to happen with the characters. It was surprising to me. Me? Enjoying a book with more than 200 pages? I would never have imagined that. 
Regarding the novel, it is devided in 3 books and in the first one I  have to admit that I thought it was the typical teenager story for teenagers. A good guy, funny and handsome, a bad guy, full of secrets and mistery, and of course, the girl. A beautiful, smart, and kind girl. A girl who will drive them all crazy. All of them in world of gods, dragons, unicorns,wizards and all kind of strange creature you can imagine. Althought it is a book of fantasy and worlds that do not exist, it describes quite in detail true relationships. How people react to love,hate, friendship and family bonds.  While reading you find yourself wondering what would you do in such a situation, or at least I did. When I finished my reading the only thing I could think was that neither the good ones are as good as they look, nor the bad ones are as bad as we think, and every time I re-read it I try to understand better the way the characters think. I guess this book really touched my heart. 
You can learn new things everyday, and from my first time reading that book I learnt that sometimes we need perspective to tell who are the goods and bad ones.

Introduction: 
Heraclito said a long time ago " our envy always last longer than the happiness of those we envy", but it seems that centuries later we haven't learnt it yet. Envy is one of the most dangerous feelings and it just reflects our complexes, it leads to a miserable and solitary life and it can make people become their worst enemies.

Conclusion: 
To summarize, we need to try very hard to avoid envy because nothing good can be carried if our strongest feeling is based on not enjoying our own life and not trying to change what we don't like, but just complaining about others' succeed .

Changes

Effort and determination are the keys to succeed. I have seen a lot of times friends complaining about bad marks, blaming the teachers of making the subject difficult and even complaining about life in general, but their lifes are not the problem. The real problem is their attitude. Motivation is a very important part to achieve succeeds as well, and I would say effort determination and motivation walk hand in hand.

In 2011, I was studying a technological bachiller. I still don’t know why did I do that. I guess because I have never enjoyed sciences but neither had I enjoyed letters, so I chose the middle point. The year began and I really wanted to pass my exams, but I hated the subjects and I saw no point in studying something I didn't like at all, so I failed all the subjects related to math and chemistry. At the end of the year, I had to make probably the most important decision I have ever made in my life. I had to choose between passing to the second year of the technological bachiller even though I didn't like, or losing a year and repeat the year but in the letters bachiller. After arguing with my mother and father, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the decision, I did what I felt I had to do, and I decided to repeat the course.

Being honest, it was harder than I thought because it meant to repeat like 4 subjects I had already passed and it was a little boring some times, but I wanted great marks that year. I didn’t want to resign myself with fives and I think that was the year I changed my mind from a “ A mark of 5 is not so bad” to “ If others can have a 9 of 10, I can”, I also started to think that in every bad there is always something good, because that was the year I started to be interested in English. I guess we all change our mentality to better, to a more mature way of thinking perhaps, and probably we won't know that we have changed, but I can assure you that there is a moment in which something changes inside of you. I suppose realising that is just the first step. I already have realised, what will bring the future?

To conclude, I want to show you dear readers, 2 quotes I really like and I think they had a lot to do with the topic I have told you about. 

Outline

I.                   The use of technological devices can be harmful to teenagers because technology is more dangerous than they think and because of the track we can leave when using them.

II.                Technology is dangerous

a.       Anyone with a little bit of computer knowledge can break into our computer or phone

                                                              i.      Personal pictures and videos can be stolen

                                                            ii.       Important dates and appointments would be known by anyone

b.      Our technological devices can be used as a way of  controlling us

                                                              i.      There are apps we download without knowing  made to tell where are you every moment

                                                            ii.      There are apps we download without knowing  to control other devices in a very long distance

III.             We leave a track every time we use  technology

a.       When searching or uploading anything on the Internet it remains almost forever

                                                              i.      Pictures and videos from social networks can be easily found if you know what are you looking

b.      Companies track our research to offer to us their products

                                                              i.      If you search once a brand named product you will find that brand in all the next researches

IV.             Technology is has to be used carefully specifically teenagers because it is more dangerous than it is thought, and because it is very difficult to eliminate anything posted on the internet  

Dogs

Walking in the street and not finding any excrements of dog has become a very rare thing. We found them in the road, parks, and almost everywhere, and it is a problem because of the image it gives to our city and also because it is very disgusting when you are not paying attention and you step on one of them. The only thing you can do in that moment is to think that it will bring you luck, but I am not sure if it works. We could try to solve that problem making the inhabitants with pets of town conscious of  the responsibilities that animals bring with them, starting with a campaign in which the government would give plastic bags to those who had a dog as pet in order to teach them that animals need to do their bodily functions but they are the ones who have to take care about them. However, it would be a really slow solution because it would mean changing a lot people's perspective and if they don't do it now I don't think they would do it later. On the other hand, we could try something more radical like fines. If there were police in places like parks in which people with dogs usually go to walk their pets, and they would fine anyone who let their pets' excrements on the floor the problem would be erradicated much more faster than we think. Nobody likes to pay fines and even less if it is simple to avoid it. To sum up, I really believe that a radical option would be much more effective than any other kinder solution.

Gun ownership

Gun ownership might make some people feel more protected against criminals but what comes with it is taking justice by themselves, violence to fight violence and in long terms a general feeling of insecurity.

The most annoying but addictive game I have ever played.

Today, I want to talk about one of the most annoying games I have ever played. It's name is Flappy Birds, and it is a very simple game. It is about a bird that has to pass trough 2 tubes,  You just have to tap the screen of your mobile phone in order no to touch those tubes. If you stop tapping, the bird falls down and you lose. If the bird touches a tube you lose. Every time you pass through a tube you win a point. It looks quite simple, doesn't it? However I can say that it is one of the most frustrating, difficult ,annoying, and addictive games that have existed ever.
I guess it is so addictive because of its simplicity but it is what makes you want to hit that bird, and throw your phone away. How a game that looks so simple is so difficult?  How is it possible that sometimes I don't even get 1 point? It makes me feel so useless that I want to try again and again. I feel something between love and hate for this game. I hate it because it is impossible to be good at it, but I love it because it is like a challenge. I'm quite competitive in games  and for competitive ones the game is like a nightmare, but being serious, I don't think I will ever delete it from my phone. I suppose that is what a hate-love feeling is .
The game become very famous probably because a lot of people hated it. When people hate things, they usually write it on the internet, and I think we all are very curious, and we want to know why people don't like it. Everyone started to download it, and started to complain about how bad they were playing. It become in a viral game but then, they took the game from the internet, and I think it become much more famous and people even paid a lot of money for phones which had already the game downloaded. Thanks God I  had  it already in my phone.

New driver

Getting my driving license was not as easy as I thought it would be. I passed the theoric exam the first time I did it, but then, the difficult part began. Driving a car, at first, was not as funny as I imagine in my mind. When I used to see my parents or sister driving while talking or singing I used to think,  this is going to be a piece of cake, but when I had to drive I completely changed my mind. I couldn't hear the jokes my teacher told me to break the ice, or the sound of other cars and whistles because I was too focused on not knocking down anyone, not hitting to any car. It was overwhelming.
 When my teacher thought I was ready, I took my exam and I failed it. I was very sad but it wasn't a big deal, I had another opportunity yet and I was sure I was going to make it the next time. Next week I took my exam again, and I was quite self-confident. I felt good driving, I knew how to react to new situations, I guess the only thing I didn't expected was that I wouldn't see the red traffic light in the middle of a roundabout. I had failed again, and I was not fine at all, I just wanted to cry because even though I knew how to drive I had failed, but I didn't. I convinced myself that it was nothing, that I would pass it next time, but i couldn't hold on my tears when I caught my finger between the car and the door. At first I didn't understand what was happening, why couldn't I leave the car? but then it started to hurt more a more and I broke down.
 After that,  my nail started to become between blue and lilac and  the worst thing is that it happened 1 month ago but it still hurts. 2 weeks later, when my finger was a little better, I took my exam again. It was more difficult to pass it because it was raining, it was very early and the street light was switched off, but finally I passed. The only thing I can say after this I guess it's that things happens the way they have to and we have to learn to live with it.

Portaventura

Last weekend my friends and I started an adventure which ended up in Salou, in the famous amusement park Portaventura. It was a weekend trip, so we started it the friday night when we took a bus. The bus trip was exhausting because I couldn't sleep more than two hours non-stop and when we arrived at the hotel we didn't have time to have a nap so we left our suitcases there and we went directly to the park. Once we got there, we were surprised because of the decoration. It was full of huge pumpkins, spiders, spider webs and people dressed up like scary characters from films because we are in halloween time. We went into some terror passages and even though everyone kept telling me they couldn't touch us, I was that scared that I couldn't stop screaming, but it was fun screaming at their faces and I think the guys who were scaring me were having fun too. We got in the newest attraction in which you are just held by something in your waistline called Shambala, which is the highest hypercoaster in Europe, and truth be said once you see yourself almost in a 90 degrees position and the only protection you have is something in your waist the only thing you can think about is: oh my god, what have I done?! However, I'd say it was a fantastic experience and we repeated 3 times.
The hotel we went wasn't very luxurious but we were so tired that we didn't mind, we all felt asleep the moment we touched the bed. The next morning we spend the day in the park too, and we went to the attractions we liked the most the first day. In the evening we said goodbye to the park and we started our returning trip in which we had to fight against some mosquitos that didn't want us to sleep in the bus.
Although it was an exhausting weekend, I met very nice people, we played cards, we sang and screamed all together, and we really had fun and that's why I wouldn't doubt on repeating it. If you like feeling fear, I think you should try Portaventura in halloween at night, the attractions are quite more fearful than ever.
Here I add a picture of My friends and I with the Shambala and the Dragon Khan. Can you imagine which is each one?

Laptop vs tablet

Nowadays choosing between a laptop or a tablet can be hard. With a laptop you can store a lot more data than in a tablet but it is not always good because the documents you save, pictures and everything  usually get messy. A tablet is smaller and less heavy than a laptop and nowadays the keyboard in not a problem anymore because you can find keyboards for tablets in every electronic shop. Tablets are quicker to use and their systems are more protective to viruses while a laptop needs more time to start to work and they are more exposed to viruses. Laptops usually need to be connected to electricity while tablets can last longer without electric power. The price of a tablet is much lower and it is used for nearly the same as a laptop. For these reasons, if i had to choose between laptop or tablet, the winner would be a tablet.

Look up

Sometimes I think I'm not of this age because while most of the people I know try to have new friends on facebook, to have more followers on twitter or more likes on instagram, I just really don't care about how many likes, photos or followers I have. This netwoks people call social, are  they really social networks? This new inventions are about people saying they like other people's things behind a screen. That's what we call social now, not seeing each other and saying things we probably wouldn't say if we were talking face to face.
I have some friends that are always posting pictures on intagram, and in the pictures they look so happy, full of life and relaxed that you could even feel envy of not having friends like them. Nevertheless, if you get to become a closer friend of them, you will find out it is just an ilusion. When they go out, the atmosphere among them is really awkward. They don't talk or have fun when they hang out, they spend time together looking their own phones. It is like if they wanted to show people that they know how to have fun, that they are sociables and worth to know but it is all fake. It is that what people think that having a friend is?  Does people nowadays have real friends or just friends of photos? I'm still trying to find out the answer.
Other thing I don't like about social networks are lies. I used to watch an MTV program called "Catfish" which was about falling in love on the internet with people they had never seen face to face. I can't understand how people is so foolish to believe everything that an strange tell them. I admit people can also lie to you in the face but it is easier to realize what are they doing than when you can't see their faces.
In sort, I do believe that even though social networks can be useful sometimes, they are creating more unsociable people and it would be wonderful if people didn't care so much about what other can think of you, if people were enough self-confident to not have to care about what others think about you.

I leave here a little video I really enjoyed watching because it expresses quite good my opinion about this topic.

Cristina

I have always looked up my sister because she makes me a better person. She is physically the contrary of me. Her pale skin, her green eyes and his face of good girl could convince anyone to do anything. She is one of the best people i have known. She is reliable, cautious and sympathetic. She always tries to take care of me, even when we have had an argument. She makes me think things twice and makes me a less selfish person. She has always shown that she will be with me whenever I need her. Until now she has always known how to give good pieces of advices. For these reasons, she is the person I trust the most.

Fringe

This is the story of a seventeen years old girl who had never been interested in English. She used to copy the homeworks the teacher asked her class to do, and she didn't feel like learning a new language. She used to think :  What for? why don't foreing people learn Spanish? It would be so much easier. However, one day the girl started to see a new serie which a friend had recommended her. She became in such a big fan that probably saw  3 or 4 seasons in two weeks, but there was a problem, the serie wasn't being emitted on TV so she couldn't find it anywhere in Spanish. One day, she started to see a season in English because there was no choice, she couldn't wait until they emitted it here and she was so surprised because she loved how the voices of the charactes sounded. 

Little by little seeing the series with the original voices became a habit and learning more about that language became a little obsession. 

As you can imagine that girl is me, and I suppose I have to thank my friend for talking me about that serie. JL if you are reading me, I told you someday I would thank you about it!

P.S. As I've said I love that serie which is "Fringe". I've seen all the seasons twice and I can say that it gets better every season. I would absolutely recommend Fringe to those who like crime, science fiction, mystery and love series. Fringe mixes it all.

Fears

Yesterday in class we had to do a list about our fears and I found it really difficult.
Fears? I'm almost 19 and this is going to be my last year of being a teenager. Teenagers are not supposed to be afraid of anything.Until yesterday i hadn't even thought about what my fears are, and that's why I'm not going to upload what I did in class. I'm going to take the alternative the teacher gave us, which is happiness.


Happiness is innocence.
Happiness is silence.
Happiness is noise.
Happiness is when you are alone.
Happiness is when you are with someone.
Happiness is sleeping with him.
Happiness is catching him looking at you.
Happiness is finding out who you are.
Happiness is enjoying your life.
Happiness is what everyone searches.

Token

Anything can become a token. A token of what you've done or what you want to achieve.

Probably, if I said 19, people would think it's just a number, others immediately would think about their partners. However, when I see a 19, I see my years and my life.The good times, the rough ones, all my memories passing trough my eyes.This is what my blog is going to be about. What I remember, what people have told me because I can't remember and the things I consider importants.