Christmas isn't over!

Just a reminder that you guys all have Three Kings day+ ahead of you... so don't put away your güiro!

Navidad season

Last year about this time I wrote a whole lot about the Christmas season in Puerto Rico, which I recommend you read. Anyways, today's Yenny comic is about aguinaldos and the ridiculousness of the lyrics... in both English and Spanish.

Puerto Rican cinema and the youth

I'm not sure if it's appropriate to refer to people my age as "youth". I suppose it's okay.

Anyways, El Nuevo Día has an interesting article about Puerto Rican students who are getting involved in cinema and what implications that may have for the national industry. I'm a big fan of their revitalization efforts so I was happy to hear about that.

Spanish food in San Juan

The Washington Post had an article this weekend about Spanish food in San Juan. Glance it over perhaps? It's a little too much octopus for my taste I think...

Julia de Burgos - Íntima

This is one of my favorite poems by Julia de Burgos; I think the reason behind that statement should be clear. If you need a translation, there's one here. I personally don't want to risk the copyright violation (the translation is from Song of the Simple Truth: Obra poética completa/the complete poems of Julia de Burgos by Jack Agüeros).

Íntima
Se recogió la vida para verme pasar.
Me fui perdiendo átomo por átomo de mi carne
y fui resbalándome poco a poco al alma.

Peregrina en mí misma, me anduve un largo instante.
Me prolongué en el rumbo de aquel camino errante
que se abría en mi interior,
y me llegué hasta mí, íntima.

Conmigo cabalgando seguí por la sombra del tiempo
y me hice paisaje lejos de mi visión.

Me conocí mensaje lejos de la palabra.
Me sentí vida al reverso de una superficie de colores y formas.
Y me vi claridad ahuyentando la sombra vaciada en la tierra desde el hombre.

--------

Ha sonado un reloj la hora escogida de todos.
¿La hora? Cualquiera. Todas en una misma.
Las cosas circundantes reconquistan color y forma.
Los hombres se mueven ajenos a sí mismos
para agarrar ese minuto índice
que los conduce por varias direcciones estáticas.

Siempre la misma carne apretándose muda a lo ya hecho.
Me busco. Estoy aún en el paisaje lejos de mi visión.
Sigo siendo mensaje lejos de la palabra.

La forma que se aleja y que fue mía un instante
me ha dejado íntima.
Y me veo claridad ahuyentando la sombra vaciada en la tierra desde el hombre.

And some somber news...

To follow that last upbeat post, apparently there has been a plane accident in El Yunque, killing the pilot and two (American) passengers. Q.E.P.D.

A hilarious video on Puerto Rico

When I need something funny, I usually look for "Spanish projects" on Youtube, with the results usually being quite satisfying. I chanced upon this video today and thought everyone might like a laugh. I'm coming up on finals so I can say I definitely needed it. Enjoy!!

... huh?!

Aníbal has got 15 of the 24 charges against him dropped. Really? How...?

I'm just going to keep looking at the pictures of girls trying to win a Taíno beauty pageant instead (along with another article by Damien Cave--seems he's in Puerto Rico for now, seeing as this is the second article by him in the last couple of days about the island).