castafiore

My visits

2007-06-19T04:44:00.000-07:00

English version_ Galician version

What will we remember?

2007-05-22T04:36:00.000-07:00

There’s a month to go to the end!

Only just a month, but full of exams, tasks and other things to do, things which we always postpone until the last moment.
In the end we realise that, no matter how hard we try to organise our exams so that we don’t get stressed, we never manage to do it. In the end we always have to take more than one exam a day. But I guess it is something normal since the accademic year is at an end.
And then, the summer…
Next year I’m, studying “1st course Bacharelato” –Sciences-(related to sciences and technology), which is what I like best. A lot of my school mates are dropping out of school next year, and we’ll realise then how much we miss them.

We’ll go out with some other people, we’ll do different things…, but we’ll never experience those moments we have experienced this year: some of them good, some of them bad, some others which could be better, but all of them unrepeatable.
Will we miss all we have been through? Quite likely.
Our lives will change, but we will remember with a smile-I hope, what our class -4º ESO- was like.
I also hope the good friends we’ve made this year last for a long time; such a long time that we never forget the confidence won.
I hope too that you don’t get stressed with your exams.
Good holidays!
See you soon.

This is art

2007-05-08T04:51:00.000-07:00

This is art to me! What they can do is so beautiful...!
This gymnast is one of the best in the world, besides being very good, she shows a characteristic great power in all her performances. She is Natalia Godunko.
When watching this video or looking at pictures of this sport, I remember the time when I did it. I was quite good, and now, I love watching it.
What about you? Do you share my opinion?

The reasons for emigrating

2007-04-23T01:58:00.000-07:00

The other day some Senegalese people came to our "Writing Techniques" class. We wanted to understand the reasons for them to emigrate and its consequences. They were four boys, but only one of them could speak Spanish. He told us that most of them wanted to come to Europe to earn more money than they did in their own country, but they didn’t intend to stay here, in Spain, for a long time.
The ones who have papers come here by plane, but the rest, a lot, by "caiucos". In their countries, the mafias which organize all these trips tell them that they won’t have any problem, that it is really safe, and that when they arrive here they will have a job and (they will) live better.
But reality isn't like this. First the foreign language is a problem, then they don't have a place where to live if they don't know anybody here, besides it isn't easy to find a job...
So, a lot of them say that if they knew what awaited them here, they wouldn't come; because at least in their country they have people who can help them.
Fortunately, there are some associations to help them and these associations are a big support.
See you soon, write me posts!

Do you know what your intelligence quotient is?

2007-02-01T04:52:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what your I.Q. is?
I have! That’s why I have been trying to find a reliable test on the net. At last, I think I’ve found one in Mensa with lots of links to different tests.
I believe, however, that “the mensa test” is too short, since calculating somebody’s intelligence needs a lot!The “mensa test”, called Test CI of Mensa Dinamarca, consists of 39 questions which must be answered in less than 40 minutes. I’ve tried it and I’ve found it quite interesting.
There are also tests you must pay for, and even tests at a low cost. I once spotted one which cost 13€, and just 10€ now. Can you imagine! Sales are everywhere! Evidently, I haven’t tried any of them.
Besides I have found some other two or three short ones repeated in different sites, the problem is that once you finish them and want to check your results, there is no answer, so…you’ve wasted your time!
That’s why I think we should choose the right sites.
At last I’ve found another site where there are different tests which look quite interesting. This is its address: Nicologic’s” Intelligence Tests.
Well, that’s all for now.
If you want to know your I.Q. and always according to these sites- which should never be trusted 100%- you know what you can do.
Kisses, and see you soon!
Thank you.

Match Point, just fantastic

2007-01-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

When I left the cinema, after seeing it, I thought "this film will be one of my favourites"...and it is now.
Match Point is about how the way luck can change everything. Actually, it starts like this: "the man who said "I'd rather be lucky than good" saw deeply into live".
It is a drama about how the obsession, the passion and the ambition can change the point of view to such an extent that they can even commit terrible acts.
I think that it is a brilliant film because it is an original idea very well captured in the film, not only because the actors and actresses perform it beautifully, especially Scarlett Johanson(I also love her performance in "The horse whisperer" and "Lost in Translation"), but also because the film is just fantastic.
Anyway, I know a lot of people who haven't seen this film, so if you are one of those people, don't think it twice, do and see it!
On the other hand, we are talking about Woody Allen, who I think is one of the best directors in the world."Match Point" isn't a comedy, but, however, it is fantastic!

Well, I'm looking forwald to your comments, bye!

The cinema in the classrooms

2007-01-23T04:53:00.000-08:00

At the end of the third evaluation Xoán proposed us to add a new activity called Audiovisual in the classrooms 2006".
We started it in January; the activity was made up of seven two-hour sessions which mainly dealt with cinema.
It was then that we realised how complex the world of cinema is, the accuration needed and the nice time you can spend filming.We also dealt the different types of shots and their importance within a film. We made up a short story by using some photographs taken in different shots and putting them in a different order from the original one, and so we got a complete different plot.
We could also see how the film "Mar Adentro" was filmed; very interesting, indeed!
Anyway, there is still one session left; this time we are going to go to the cinema and see a Galician film.
Obviously, everything can be improved, but taking into account that it is the first time we do something of that kind at school, I consider the experience to be pretty good.
That's all and see you soon!

Recoving our innocence

2007-01-23T04:36:00.000-08:00

It is said that children and elderly people are the ones that come really well in photos.
If you think about it, it's true. Watching a photo of a child, he or she looks very innocent and natural, and the same happens when dealing with elderly people. I don't know why we, teenagers and also adults, complicate ourselves in the photos when we are so natural in the end. However, we are hardly ever satisfied with the result.
I thought about this matter when I looked at this photo. I still can remember when I was taken it. I was at a birthday party when I was eight years old.
When I was a child I used to wear a hairband because my fringe was too long, and later although I wasn't wearing a fringe any longer, I still used to wear a hairband because I had got accustomed to it.
But, that day when I was trying to place my hairband, someone took a photo of me.
It seems to me a clear example of what I’m trying to explain. Without planning it, I looked at the camera and they took a photograph of me. Believe me! It was something spontaneous!
Strangely enough, I am not smiling. When I was a small child, I used to smile whenever I was taken a photo.
This is one of my favourite photos because I didn’t strike a pose.
I think that sometimes we must recover this spontaneous innocence.

The music, a hobby

2006-12-29T05:44:00.000-08:00

This entry is adressed to those who don't know much about me, as well as to those who are interested in my "musical life" and who can't understand why I have dropped out of the "Conservatory".
I began my studies at the "Conservatory" when I was seven years old and I got the "Elementary Degree". I took the "Medium test" to get the degree and I passed it with a good mark.
But to everybody's surprise, I have dropped out of the Conservatory this year. Why? I don't really know why. What I know is that I don't regret taking this decision.
People at the Conservatory were surprised since they still keep on asking me why I had dropped out being so good at music. So I must tell them I'm not so good as they think I am. It's true that I never failed and, on the whole, I used to get good marks, however, I don't think getting good marks means anything.
On the other hand, I was a bit tired. I don't want to devote myself to the piano; it is not my thing!
And once at that level, you really have to like it. I was also asked why not to finish the degree since it would not represent a grear effort on my part. I don't share their point os view. I believe that music is a hobby, something you feel and it shouldn't be considered like a subject you have to pass.
Anyway, I haven't given up music. I belong to the "Chorus of Children of the OSG", where I've been for 8 years, and where I am very happy.
All in all, I believe that music is something you have to like, otherwise, you'd better not practise it.
I love music, but, nowadays from a choral point os view.
What do you think?
See you!
Kisses.

The end of the first evaluation

2006-12-11T10:18:00.000-08:00

How did you pass this long weekend?

I was in Madrid, and I had a very good time there. I suppose that most of my classmates must have been studying at home because we have a lot of exams next week. I have to study quite a lot since I could hardly do it in Madrid. I had to meke the most of my time!
Although we should be fed up with the great number of exams we have to take, I'm not in a bad mood. I guessit must be because there are only two weeks left to Christmas holidays (my favourite ones). I think that we will enjoy ourselves (at least I will!), we will get presents, and all that. Besides we have two weeks off to rest from this first evaluation and have a good time.
But let's wait till Christmas time comes to speak about it.
So, nothing else, best wishes and think that there is only a hard week that we have since the following one will be more relaxing.

listen the silent...

2006-11-23T05:08:00.000-08:00

One day our teacher, called Xoán, proposed us an activity. He told us to find a quite silent place and write everything what we heard there.
He told us that he had once visited a site (escoitar.org)))) where a man (with a recorder) recorded in a very quiet place everything he could hear, so he thought it could be a very good practise for us to do. Instead of recording it, we decided to write it, for two main reasons; 1st there aren't enough recorders for everyone and secondly, this is a ""Writing techniques" class, and this class obviously deals with writing.
In order to understand better the situation, you should know that we were all together sitting on a bench and that one of my classmates called Coral made a noise. Although it was a quite place, we were at school and there was noise.
And now comes my recording:

“-Ssssssssssssssssss...-it is heard constantly, it must be the wind. More intense at times.
-Kruaa, kruaa. ..krua,krua...KRUAA,KRUAA-a bird, sometimes...
-Piiiii-it sounds like a train.
-SSSSSS...-the wind blowing strongly now.Sometimes, it sounds like the sea.
-Ruuruuruu...-a train is passing...
-Pipipipi...- birds singing gently.
-Uuuu...-the wind sounds in my ears.
-KRUAA!KRUAA!-those birds once again.
-KRUAA! KRUAA! -new...
-Click, click, click, click- Coral striking the pen with her nail.
-Ruus..- Xoán shuffling the floor with his shoe. I hear the “Uuu.."of the wind in my ears...
-Bla, bla, bla...-far away, I can hear the students talking.
-Pan, pan, panpan, panpan. ..-someone strikes the bank with his foot.
-Ras, ras, ras. ..-the leaves of the filing cabinet are passing with the wind.
-Sssss.. - The wind, again.
-Ras, ras, RAAAS! -a motorcycle on the road-RAAAAAA...S!
-Pan...pan...pan-Xoán walking.
-¡Clic, click!- the sound of a pen.
-Rass...-another motorcycle.
But there is always the same sound in the brackground...”

As you may see, even in the most silent places, there are lots of different sounds, that's why, from time to time, we should "listen" to the silent, something that can be very interesting.
What do you think about my recording? What about your opinions? How about commenting on what I have written?
Thanks and kisses.

castafiore

2006-11-14T04:57:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody!
First of all, thanks for visiting my blog, which I'm doing at school in my "Writing Techniques" class. I hope you like it. You can write any commentaries on anything you want to and so, share your opinions with my visitors and me.
"Castafiore"... Why? Well, it was quite difficult for me at first to find a title for my blog, but my sister, who sometimes has grear ideas, suggested it. She reminded me that a friend os ours calls us "The Castafiore sisters", since "Castafiore" is one of the characters that appears in "Tintín" and, who, like my sister a me, sings.
You can find further information on the Internet, not only about this character, but also about others...
That's all folks! I hope you enjoy the time you spend on my blog.