Snow Flakes

The snow today was beautiful. I love looking at the trees. The contrast of the brown bark against the snowy white crystals is startling. I was hoping for canceled classes, but no such cigar.

In other news, I am upset that the University now charges us to print. I missed the email and already used up a big chunk of my quota unknowingly. What's with the charging for everything? We pay so many thousands of dollars to go there and they can't even let us print for free? Even stuff that we are required to print for classes, because of the whole online, Blackboard craze anyway? I can not read endless articles on the computer screen. My eyes already suffer from too much screen-staring. And I cannot proofread as well in Word as on paper. Booooo.

Keep your STDs over there, thank you

Christopher Columbus and his seamen did bring syphilis into Europe from the new world.

Emily C. has been insisting that since she did research for Mirabile Inventu, studying the Renaissance accross Europe this summer. And if you don't take her word for it then you'd have to take MSNBC's word for it.

...the study lends credence to the "Columbian theory," which links the first recorded European syphilis epidemic in 1495 to the return of Columbus and his crew.

In case you were wondering.

I'm guessing that would be one not-fun disease.

Shakira Translation

As requested (by Emily) from this post a few days ago, here are the lyrics for Shakira's song, La Despedida, in Spanish and then in English:

No hay mas cielo , no hay
No hay mas vida, no hay
No hay mas vida, no hay
No hay mas lluvia, no hay
No hay mas brisa, no hay
No hay mas risa, no hay
No hay mas llanto, no hay
No hay mas miedo, no hay
No hay mas canto, no hay

Llévame donde estés, llévame
Llévame donde estés, llévame
Cuando alguien se va, él que se queda
Sufre más
Cuando alguien se va, él que se queda
Sufre más

No hay mas viento, no hay
No hay mas hielo, no hay
No hay mas fuego, no hay
No hay mas vida, no hay
No hay mas vida, no hay
No hay mas rabia, no hay
No hay mas sueño, no hay

Llévame donde estés, llévame
Llévame donde estés, llévame
Cuando alguien se va, él que se queda
Sufre más
Cuando alguien se va, él que se queda
Sufre más...
Sufre más....

Lyrics from Complete Album Lyrics

Now here's my translation into English:

The Farewell

There is no more life, there is none
There is no more life, there is none
There is no more rain, there is none
There is no more breeze, there is none
There is no more laughter, there is none
There is no more crying, there is none
There is no more fear, there is none
There is no more song, there is none

Carry me to where you are, carry me.
Carry me to where you are, carry me
When someone leaves, he who stays
suffers more
When someone leaves, he who stays
suffers more

There is no more sky, there is none
There is no more wind, there is none
There is no more ice, there is none
There is no more fire, there is none
There is no more life, there is none
There is no more life, there is none
There is no more rage, there is none
There is no more dreaming, there is none

Carry me to where you are, carry me.
Carry me to where you are, carry me
When someone leaves, he who stays
suffers more...
When someone leaves, he who stays
suffers more...

Also check out her song, Hay Amores (There are loves), which is almost equally moving. Here's the YouTube link to both songs in one video.

Good People

My faith has been restored in humanity. Today I went into the post office, got up to the counter, and realized my wallet was not in my purse. I went home, ripped the house apart and could not find it. I remembered I had been in the computer lab on Sunday so I ran in there asked if someone had turned in a wallet. And surprisingly it was there, along with all my credit cards, license, ID, and cash. I was shocked. I was preparing to call the bank and credit card companies to tell them to freeze my accounts. An honest person found my wallet. I got lucky. The world does have good people in it, and these are the ones who never get thanked, even for doing something as small, yet significant as turning in a wallet. I want to thank that person whereever they are, whoever they are. If only more people in the world were like you...

In more good news, I finally compiled the final parts of my Penn State application and sent it rush delivery from the post office. Whoooooo. Here's to hoping I get in! One grad school down, three more to go.

Faces Everywhere

Apparently there is a big artistic sub-culture out there that searches for faces. Faces in household items, shopping malls, vehicles, houses, clothing, appliances, nature, and the list goes on. There are actually many people who make it their hobby to search for unintended smileys and photograph them. Francois and Jean Robert created a book out of their findings, and many others follow in their footsteps. Sifting through the photos is actually kind of fun and make me think, hmmmm, maybe I could find some faces around my house or neighborhood.
I've come across bunches of sites that are face finding fans, but here are just a few links to get you started if you are interested:

Tricks and Illusions
A pbase Collection
Faces in Places

Don't Worry, I'll Photoshop You In Later

I am a big fan of Photoshop, and so are a lot of other artists out there. Worth100.com hosts regular contests to encourage submissions on a particular topic. The photos are such fun to look through. People can make the added elements look flawless. Sometimes, I would swear that it the image is real, if they weren't so absurd. I am quite impressed. I have a feeling the key is in the shadows. The quality of the shadowing is how you can tell beginer from an expert. I think it has a lot to do with integration too. The lines blending the new element and the old have to be the same level of intensity as the rest of the photo. That is where a lot of people go wrong. I'm also amazed by people's wittiness for the contests. He he. This site makes me smile. Maybe I'll submit something someday.

A few of my favorite advanced Photoshop contests include:
Death takes a Holiday
Planet of the Apes
Color Blind
How do you hide an elephant?

♥ Virtual Love

Have you been wondering how to type those cute little hearts in your text while typing?

Yeah. Me neither. But I learned by accident, and now I can use a ♥ any time I want to. I can soften all my words with one little symbol.

I can say for example: "Screw You!♥," "Loser♥" and the popular "I ♥ you, not."

Really. I don't have issues.

But the secret is: Push Alt and then press the 3 on the number pad.
♥♥♥

I heart blogging!

La Despedida

Shakira steals our hearts again. I love her music. It is passionate and beautiful and moving. She is a first class artista. In addition, she is always sweet in her interviews and always presenting herself well. I am a huge fan of Spanish music and always a fan of Shakira.

Here is a clip of her new song that she recorded for the movie version of Love in the Time of Cholera, which I have not seen yet. But, I certainly have downloaded La Despedida which is an absolutely gorgeous song. I could listen to it a thousand times.