Groovy

I belong to the seventies.

It's my kind of vintage. There are two things that I like most about it: music and fashion. I love the style of all of the music genres of that decade. There's something about the characteristic flourish of violins in the background of disco songs that always electrifies me; I think it must be the drama. And the congos going mad, giving good flavor. This brings to mind the role African-American culture played in the development of seventies music, its soulful spirit, and this is actually the key aspect that makes me like it so much. Motown! That old sound and groove, it always gets me going! After that there's Bee Gees and ABBA...one last thing that I love is the little twinkle sound effect that was really common back then. Sparkle, sparkle!

I listen to seventies music, and I think of Old Navy (actually, music usually makes me think of clothes or brands). I don't remember if Old Navy was founded in the era, but at least I've often heard seventies-style music on the speakers at the store. Anyways, despite that fashion at the time was a little crazy--combinations of prints and textures that were maybe distasteful--there are many looks and pieces that I really like. I like the combination of orange with blue jeans, the big round sunglasses, the long necklaces. Right now, I can't remember much what else I liked...if I find photos, I'll add them here.

*Another example of the feel that I like about 70s music, but from a really weird movie that I don't recommend if you don't want to go on a spooky acid trip.

Princess of the Nebula

In a distant hazy nebula, many light years away, lies a kingdom. It was prosperous but now and then there would be a disturbance in certain planets, attacks from outsiders or monsters or conflicts among citizens. In the center of the nebula was a wise star who provided protection to the entire kingdom. To her the kings would speak face to face for advice in very rare, grave situations. In some extremely rare cases, she would rise to fight large enemies or dangerous phenomena.

In this kingdom lived the Princess Andromeda. She had a very unique quality: she could speak with the stars. This was a great advantage for the kingdom, for the stars were the wisest beings in the universe, holding deep secrets, and they could acquire knowledge from any of them any time they wanted. However, the kingdom's star herself asked for the princess to be brought to her, so that she could give her special training and in certain mysterious arts as well as to foment good judgement in the use of her knowledge. 

Andromeda would come for her sessions in the round crystal capsule she used for traveling. Besides this, she enjoyed wandering through the kingdom, visiting planets and encountering her subjects. One time she flew too far away from the nebula, and encountered a black hole, which deeply appalled her, this colossal monster that swallowed all, but what frightened her most was that it swallowed light as well. Not even the power of light could withstand this terrible monster?

There came a point in her life in which she overcame a powerful, metaphysical obstacle, one that gave her maturity. The battle was so intense and profound that she acquired a new special ability: to fly about space without capsule nor suit. She used this power to further serve and preserve her kingdom.

I'm so cool I can define hipsters

Hipster is all about CULTURE.

It likes to be stylish, by vintage standards. Looking like anything iconic from the past: 50s, 60s retro, up to the 90s. It cares most about the looks.

Its activities are all related to culture: the arts, photography (don't forget, it's gotta look vintage), writing, books, and anything that goes well with those, like coffee, for example.

Which brings us to food. It loves foods that look cool, like macaroons, frappes, soft-colored cupcakes or ice cream.

The last important thing is the entertainment part. It loves old, unpopular OR iconic movies, books, music, videogames, etc, (that sooner or later become popular cause now half the world is hipster). 

Sometimes, when people found someone into fandoms such as LOTR, Harry Potter, Supernatural, Doctor Who, Star Wars, even Legend of Zelda , or say, authors like Jane Austen, Lewis Caroll,etc.(note: here Geek comes in and intertwines with Hipster), they would answer "wow, that person's pretty hip!" as in saying "he's fun/cool!" And from that evolved the word.

One last thing! Internet. Lots and lots and lots of blogging and commenting on the internet.

Now the Hipster world has become pretty mainstream. It's hard to keep up, because that means getting into all those fandoms or cult followings.

On the whole, its attitude is cold and snobbish, even if the people who follow it don't intend it. 

The important thing is not to focus on this lifestyle so much. Life is not just about culture, though it is really important. Look at the people around you. Make sure they're happy. Now that's what life's about.

In Their Place/A Nightmare

A nightmare.

Everything's distorted, the faces, the body parts. Lines, shapes; creatures, people, objects strewn without order about the space. Shafts of light showing glimpses of chaos, while other sights lurk in the shadows.
Screaming, pain.
Mouths gaping wide, gestures of despair. Dead bodies lying about, knives as well.
It's a window to disaster.

It's Nepal.

A great damage has been done as you hid from the danger.
You come out, you see the result.

Chaos, pain, despair. None of this is happening. Not to you. Why is it? Why??
Everything is destroyed. Your home, your family, your friends. Gone. GONE.

This can't be real.
It's a nightmare.

Know Right Now Video: Nepal Devastated by Earthquake (Time)

Christmas Stories

My favorite Christmas story is the Nutcracker and after that, A Christmas Carol. Among the things I love about The Nutcracker is Tchaikosky's ballet score: it is so enchanting and delightfull, with wonderful, unforgetable melodies and orchestrations that capture the mysterious atmosphere of the story, showing how, for children, Christmas is a time where magic can happen. Besides Tchaikovsky's music, I love the story's setting in Germany around the Romantic era, I think. It must have been so wonderful to celebrate Christmas in a setting like that: a lovely European town arrayed with evergreen garlands, old carols and cheer, filled with elegantly dressed people preparing family feasts, decorating their Tannembaums with candles and ribbons in their warm homes, their children playing with their toys and their friends and relatives arriving in fancy dresses and having cordial conversations. 

One thing I've always thought as curious was the figure of Godfather Drosselmier, the old gentleman wearing an eyepatch who gave the Nutcracker to Marie. I've never understood exactly why does he appear on top of the 
Grandfather Clock when it strikes twelve and the magic spell begins. Was that 

an illusion or was he really there? Did he plan all the events so that Marie could break Nutcracker's spell? That, as well as the backstory about how Nutcraker was actually Drosselmier's nephew, and how he got the curse and earned the hatred of the Mouse King, has always haunted me as something mysterious and 
interesting.


As for Christmas Carol, one of the reasons why I like it is similar to the one I 
had mentioned for the Nutcracker: Christmas in an old European setting, this 
time in England. The other reason is the idea of feeling regret for all the bad 
deeds that one has committed and an honest desire to change, to make up for 
those wrong actions. Every time I'd watch one of the many film adaptations for the novel, I'd enjoy so much the scene where Scrooge wakes up and realizes 
he's alive and it's Christmas morning, and he is brimming with joy, actingcontrarily to his previous behavior! I loved how the joy of that scene was so  palpable, the joy of having been given the chance to set things right, to surprise others with gifts, to help the poor and suffering, to say jokes and cause others 
to laugh and feel merry. Hands down, A Christmas Carol is the most potent 
Christmas story. Charles Dickens: RESPECT!

Lastly, I wanted to mention that my favorite Rankin Bass ABC 25 Days of Christmas special is JACK FROST. It has such a sweet but sad love story!!! A girl 
loves Jack Frost, though she can't see or hear him, and Jack Frost in turn falls in 
love with her, so he decides to become human! BUT as a human he can't tell her that he's Jack Frost! In the end, she gets married to a knight in shining armor 
(literally!!!). When Jack goes to propose to he, he opens the door to see her in 
her bridal gown, arm in arm with her knight. Jack says aside to her father: "I 
thought she loved me!", as he looks down in disappointment. "What?", says her dad, "she told me she loved Jack Frost, but she never told me she loved you." 
This part KILLS ME. I always feel a terrible pang of pity in my heart for poor Jack Frost!! 

Later on, as the newly wed couple steps out of the church, Jack, who returned to his invisible form, lets a snowflake fall on the bride's nose (even though it 
was spring). 
"What was that?", asks the knight.
" An old friend kissed the bride", says the girl as a tear rolls down her cheek. Feels, man.

"You are, Kupla!"