¿Cómo Es? - How Come?

¿Cómo es que el amor hiere?

¿Cómo es que hay arte que es feo?

¿Cómo es que algunas mentiras son benévolas?

¿Cómo es que la guerra puede traer la paz?

¿Cómo es que la explotación de muchos es buena para los negocios?

¿Cómo es que la violencia puede enseñar una lección?

¿Cómo es que el capital, la ganancia, la libertad y la democracia son parte del mismo sistema?

¿Cómo es que los derechos humanos no están garantizados para cada ser humano?

¿Cómo es que el castigo se utiliza para reformar?

¿Cómo es que la gente pelea por los derechos de los (otros) animales más que por los derechos de gente diferente?

¿Cómo es que los niños casi no tienen tiempo de jugar?

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How come love hurts?

How come there’s art that is ugly?

How come some lies are benevolent?

How come war can make peace?

How come exploitation of many is good for business?

How come violence can teach a lesson?

How come capital, profit, freedom and democracy are part of the same system?

How come human rights are not guaranteed for every human?

How come punishment is used to reform?

How come people fight for (other) animal rights more than for other humans’ rights?

How come children have almost no time to play?

Divino - Divine

Prefiero a los humanos antes que a las deidades y a lo terrenal antes que a lo celestial, una y mil veces. Me gusta pensar que la energía que nos conecta unos con otros o con vidas pasadas, presentes y futuras, no es un aura que flota en el aire, sino una fuerza que empuja desde el suelo, de las raíces, alimentándonos con memorias y sueños y deseos de todos los humanos que caminaron este planeta antes que nosotros. Me gusta pensar que mis ideas no vienen de mi cerebro sino de mi corazón, el intermitente tambor que lleva y trae en un rítmico fluir la corriente de mis ancestros junto con las infinitas posibilidades de vidas futuras que podrían crecer en mí. No hay nada mas divino que lo humano. No hay lugar más paradisíaco que la Tierra. Nada es más razonable que el amor y nada tiene más sentido que lo que podemos imaginar. No hay nada más evidente que el misterio de la belleza que nos envuelve desde afuera y desde adentro también.

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I choose humans over deities, earthly to heavenly, a thousand times over. I like to think that the energy that connects us with each other or with our past, present and future lives, is not an aura that floats in the air, but a force that pushes from the ground, through our roots, feeding us with memories and dreams and hopes of all those humans who have walked this planet before us. I like to think that my thoughts come not from my brain but from my heart, the intermittent drum carrying the beating flow of my ancestors together with the infinite possibilities of future lives that might grow from me. There’s nothing more divine than humans. There’s no place more heavenly than Earth. Nothing is more reasonable than love and nothing makes more sense than what we can imagine. There’s nothing more obvious than the mystery of the infinite beauty that comes from all around us and from inside of us too.

Duelo - Grief

Ando haciendo el duelo de algunas de las personas que podría haber sido, pero decidí no ser. No me arrepiento de quien me volví, pero a veces extraño esas otras mujeres que no soy. Desearía cada tanto poder hacerles un lugarcito en mi vida en lugar de matarlas, pero puede ser que esto sencillamente no sea posible.

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I'm grieving for some of the persons I could have been, but decided not to be. I don't regret who I became, but some times I miss those other women I am not. I wish I could make some space in my life to be them every once in a while instead of killing them, but maybe this is just not possible.

Futuro - Future

Siempre he sentido nostalgia por el futuro. No extraño el pasado, sino un tiempo mejor que vendrá, en el que soy más libre y estoy en paz. No espero por él; el momento espera por mí allá adelante. Por eso avanzo… y mejor me apuro.

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I’ve always felt nostalgia for the future. I do not miss the past, but a better time that will come, in which I am a freer and I am at peace. I’m not waiting for it; that moment is waiting for me ahead. That’s why I move forward… and I better keep up.

Pensamientos al Azar - Random Thoughts

El azar es escencial para la vida.

La genética es azaroza.

La diversidad fortalece la especie.

Cuanto más diversa la genética, más posibilidades de supervivencia.

La vida no es clasificable.

Lo que alguna vez fue inmoral es lo que determina el progreso.

Lo que se adhiere a lo establecido está destinado a morir.

Algunas personas son genéticamente progresistas, porque son atraídas por otros diferentes. Gracias a ellas, nos mezclamos. De ellas depende la evolución de nuestra especie..

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Randomness is essential for life.

Genetics is random.

Diversity strengthen the species.

The more diverse the genetics, the more the possibilities of survival.

Life is not classifiable.

What once was immoral is what determines progress.

What agrees with the establishment is destined to die.

Some people are genetically progressive, because they are attracted to those who are different. Thanks to them, we mix. The evolution of our species depends on them.

Secretos - Secrets

Me gustan los secretos. No los que te digo a vos y vos le contás a ella y ella a él y luego de un tiempo dejan de ser secretos; los que se mantienen secretos.

Dos personas compartiendo un secreto ya son suficiente. No tiene que ser un pedazo importante de información detallada acerca de vos o de mí, puede ser simplemente cómo me miraste aquella vez cuando por una fracción de segundo fuimos testigos de que algo especial estaba sucediendo. Siempre y cuando no se desparrame, o sea olvidado, o usado para manipulación, ese secreto nos acercará más uno al otro.

Particularmente disfruto los secretos que son sólo míos, los que nunca han salido de mí. Esos son tesoros escondidos bien protegidos. Es cierto que la idea de no compartirlos a veces me hace sentir un poco sola, pero saber que nadie puede acceder a ellos sin mi consentimiento me hace sentir entera. Ni una disección de mi cerebro ni una tortura invasiva podría descubrirlos jamás. Esos secretos son quién soy.

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I like secrets. Not the ones that I tell you and you tell her and she tells him and after a while are not secrets anymore; real secrets that stay secret.

Two people sharing a secret are already enough. It doesn’t have to be an important piece of detailed information about you or about me, it can be just how you looked at me once when for a fraction of second we both witnessed that something special was happening. As long as it doesn’t spread, or it is forgotten, or it is used for manipulation, that secret will bring us closer.

I particularly enjoy the secrets that are only mine, that never got out of me. Those are well protected hidden treasures. It’s true that the idea of not sharing them might feel kind of lonely some times, but knowing that no one can access without my consent makes me feel whole. No dissection of my brain, no invasive torture would ever uncover them. Those secrets are who I am.

Belleza - Beauty

Lo bello nos llama la atención y captura nuestro interés, y por eso el arte es tan importante. Es un milagro confirmar cuántos de nosotros respondemos a lo bello, particularmente porque siendo completamente inexplicable aun así nos hace detenernos admirados, dejándonos conmover y conectar el uno con el otro. Ser testigo de esto me da esperanza. Me inspira a seguir haciendo lo que hago.

La belleza nos despierta. Si ella no salva a la humanidad, nada lo hará.

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Beauty calls to our attention and captures our interest, and that’s why art is so important. It is a miracle to confirm how many of us respond to what's beautiful, particularly because it is completely inexplicable yet it still makes us stand in awe letting ourselves be moved and connect to one another. Witnessing this reaction gives me hope. It inspires me to keep doing what I do.

Beauty awakens us. If she doesn't save the human kind, nothing will.

Alien

De vez en cuando me siento como si hubiera sido arrojada aquí, en este planeta, y luego abandonada. No estoy segura de dónde me trajeron, pero lo que es claro es que soy una total alienígena. Desorientada. Discapacitada. Imposibilitada para entender cosas básicas alrededor mío o para decodificar los símbolos que veo; anonadada por las enigmáticas actividades en que estos seres extraños llamados humanos -con quienes no siento ningun vínculo- funcionan diariamente. Una rara e incomprensible civilización a la cual tengo el presentimiento que nunca podré adaptarme. Afortunadamente para mí, esto sólo me sucede de vez en cuando.

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Every once in a while, I feel like I was thrown here, in this planet, and then abandoned. I am not sure where they brought me from, but what is clear is that I am a complete alien. Disoriented. Disable. Unable to understand basic things around me or to decode the symbols I see; overwhelmed by the enigmatic activities in which these strange beings called human -with whom I can't relate at all- function daily. A weird and unintelligible civilization to which I have the feeling I'll never be able to adapt. Fortunately for me, this just happens every once in a while.

Tambor - Drum

Mi corazón es un tambor al que toca un tamborilerito. Sus manos mantienen el tempo y a mi vida le dan ritmo.

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My heart is a drum and a little drummer plays it. His hands give rhythm to my life and keep the beat steady.

Sueño - Dream

Quiero dormirme y amarte en un sueño, quien sea que sos y de donde sea que venís, como sea que nos conocimos y cuando sea posible.

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I want to sleep and love you in a dream, whoever you are and wherever you come from, however we met and whenever it's possible.

Dolor - Ache

Me duele el cuerpo por lo que quiere y mi mente no quiere hacer. Me duele el corazón por lo que desea y mi mente ha decidido no buscar.

Si hago lo que mi cuerpo pide... ¿me dolerá el corazón? No lo creo. Si sigo los deseos de mi corazón... ¿sufrirá mi cuerpo? Seguro que no.

No soy una democracia; mi razón es una tiranía.

¿Se rebelarán alguna vez mi cuerpo y mi corazón? ¿Lo harán por medio de una apasionado levantamiento o un doloroso derramamiento de sangre? El fin, ¿justificará el conflicto o será simplemente un vergonzoso e improductivo acto de venganza?

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My body aches for what it wants to do and my mind doesn't want to do. My heart aches for what it desires and my mind has decided not to follow.

If I do what my body asks... will my heart ache? I do not think so. If I follow my heart's desires... will my body suffer? I'm sure not.

I am not a democracy; my reason is a tyrant.

Will my body and my heart ever rebel against it? Will it be through a passionate uprising or a painful bloodshed? Will the end justify the conflict or will it be just a shameful and unproductive act of vengeance?

Against

I’m against pain unless it’s necessary to create life or to learn a lesson of survival; I’m against dying young unless that’s really what somebody wished for themselves; I’m against little dogs barking with a high pitch; I’m against having sex unwillingly and I’m against not having it when I want it; I’m against heartbreak; I’m against setting the alarm clock and I’m against waking up from a wonderful dream; I’m against feeling hungry or unsatisfied in any of my other physiological needs; I’m against not following one’s desires; I’m against social mandates; I’m against dressing up for a party I don’t want to go to; I’m against bride’s white gowns and definitely against tuxedos; I’m against high hills and ties; I’m against corsets and any kind of undergarment with wires; I’m against Valentine’s Day and Women’s Day; I’m against engagement rings and wedding rings and I’m against becoming “Mrs. Someone” once I'm married; I'm against plastic flowers; I'm against porn; I’m against advertisement and I’m against seeing women’s breast and butts virtually everywhere; I’m against silence in the museums; I’m against art that doesn’t say anything; I’m against elitism; I’m against schools not having colorful walls; I’m against the smell of hospitals; I’m against rain for more than a week and I’m against not having rain for months; I’m against feeling sick; I’m against flakey friends; I’m against married friends setting up dates for single friends; I’m against online dating services; I’m against bullshit; I’m against disappointment and deception; I’m against having to smile when I want to cry; I’m against feeling pressure and I’m against stress; I’m against owing money to the bank; I’m against private property and I’m against a monetary system; I’m against not having enough; I’m against not being good enough; I’m against feeling ugly; I’m against anyone who makes me feel like an idiot; I’m against being ignored; I’m against having to make sense; I’m against psychological manipulation; I’m against dogmatic thinking; I’m against not making questions and I’m against needing to have all the answers; I’m against slow internet connection; I’m against “this service is not available at the moment, try again later, sorry for the inconveniences”; I’m against security checkpoints; I’m against fast food and fast cars; I’m against flying on a plane; I’m against grownups hitting children and husbands hitting their wives; I’m against judging people by their appearance; I’m against being expected to behave like a lady; fuck, I’m against not using bad words; I’m against you snoring if you're sleeping beside me; I’m against getting completely wasted and I’m against hangover; I’m against the music being so loud I have to scream to have a conversation; I’m against the AC being too damn high; I’m against losing precious memories; I'm against sweating too much except when I'm sick, working out, or having crazy sex; I’m against anti-age cream; I’m against small apartments and I’m against huge mansions; I’m against disparity and discrimination; by all means I’m against war; I'm against prison; I'm against slavery and any kind of human exploitation; I’m against cancer; I’m against being rewarded for kissing ass and being punished for speaking up; I’m against unfair laws and any kind of torture or violence; I'm against obedience and against punishment; I’m against misunderstandings and wrong conclusions; I’m against not having passion but I’m also against obsession; I’m against arrogant pricks; I’m against long guitar solos; I’m against people not having any sense of rhythm; I’m against singing out of tune; I’m against Hawaiian shirts; I’m against leopard tights and gold shoes matching a gold purse; I’m against too much jewelry and too much makeup; I’m against being too normal; I’m against not having imagination; I’m against friends not showing up for my birthday party; I’m against not hearing “and you?” after I asked “how are you?”; I’m against not returning calls; I’m against sharing my dessert; I’m against cakes with artificial colors and flavors; I’m against microwave cooking; I’m against people who don’t know but teach; I’m against arbitrary rules and prohibitions and I’m against not being able to make an exception; I’m against filling out forms; I’m against strict classifications; I’m against narrow minded public office employees; I’m against being stopped by the police and I’m against having to have a police at all; I’m against borders; I’m against casinos; I’m against having to pay for basic needs like water, food, housing, health and education; I’m against abandonment; I’m against bombs and fire arms of any kind; I’m against hunting for sports; I’m against being competitive and always wanting to win; I’m against not looking at the moon when it’s up there; I’m against being inside on a sunny day; I’m against not having vacations in the summer; I’m against having my period when I go to the beach; I’m against hair removal; I’m against fake blondes and fake boobs; I’m against anorexic models; I’m against rock stars and movie stars; I’m against authority in general; I’m against birds shitting right on my head and I’m against stepping on dog’s poop; I’m against waiting in line, particularly for the ladies’ toilette when the men’s room is empty; I’m against waiting too long to order food when I'm hungry and I’m definitely against the waiter asking me if everything tastes good every five minutes; I’m against having to tip when service wasn’t that good; I’m against being asked for my ID to buy alcohol, tobacco, spray paint or glue; I’m against a power outage; I’m against being chased in a nightmare; I’m against following a strict plan; I’m against having fear; I’m against feeling sad; I’m against being powerless; I’m against talking too much when there’s really nothing more to say.

Miedos - Fears

Tengo una colección de miedos; una de las más extensas y completas del mundo. Los he clasificado y etiquetado, y los guardo organizadamente en categorías. Algunos los uso regularmente; otros los he comenzado a explorar recientemente. Es toda una colección y la mantengo escondida. Si pudiera cambiar todos y cada uno de sus volúmenes por algo que deseo, sería doblemente afortunada: estaría rodeada de cosas que quiero, y las disfrutaría sin miedo a perderlas.

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I have a collection of fears; one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. I have classified them and labeled them, and I keep them very organized in categories. Some I use regularly; others I’ve started to explore just recently. It is quite a collection and I keep it hidden. If I could exchange each and every one of the volumes for something I desire, I would be fortunate twice: I’d be surrounded by things I want, and I’d enjoy them without fear of losing them.

Una Obra de Arte - A Piece of Art

Una obra de arte es una obra de ficción que puede revelar una realidad más profunda: quizás una cruda verdad escondida debajo de la superficie de lo visible, o a lo mejor un vistazo de un lugar mejor que podría ser posible. Nos gusta la fantasía porque nos lleva hacia otros lugares donde sentimos que podríamos pertenecer. Esta experiencia nos ayuda a entender, o a soportar mejor, esta realidad en que hemos acordado vivir. Así como los niños desarrollan su personalidad y aprenden a socializar mediante el juego, la ficción nos permite hacer exactamente lo mismo y pasar por ese mismo proceso aun siendo adultos. La voz de un cantante, las palabras de un cuento, una pintura, el gesto de un actor, pueden abrir un portal a otra dimensión donde nos transportamos; así es que sí, el arte es una ilusión, pero es a la vez una experiencia muy real y transformadora.

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A piece of art is a piece of fiction that can reveal a deeper reality: perhaps a crude truth hidden below the surface of what we see, or maybe a glimpse of a better place that might be possible. We like fantasy because it takes us to other places where we feel we might belong. This experience helps us better understand, or stand, this reality we’ve agreed to live in. Just like kids develop their personalities and learn to socialize through their play, fiction allows us to do that exact same thing and go through that process even as adults. The voice of a singer, the words in a story, a painting, an actor’s gesture, they can open a portal to another dimension where we are transported; so yes, art is an illusion, but it is also a very real and transforming experience.

Arte - Art

arte (Del lat. ars, artis, y este calco del gr. τέχνη) amb.

la oportunidad de transmutar toda esta mierda depresiva en una especie de belleza que puede elevarnos

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art [ahrt] –noun:

the opportunity to transmute all this depressing crap into some kind of uplifting beauty

Ciudadanía - Citizenship

Desearía que la Ciudadanía Terrestre fuera una opción; ir y venir libremente por el planeta, escuchar "bienvenidos a casa" en cada lugar donde vamos y poder reclamar el derecho de estadía sin temer a ser echados, especialmente para quienes no están seguros de dónde se encuentra el hogar, o para quienes el hogar del corazón se contradice con el que figura en sus documentos.

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I wish Earth Citizenship was an option; to come and go freely around the planet, to hear "welcome home" anywhere we go and claim the right to stay without the fear of being kicked out, specially for those who aren't sure exactly where home is, or have a home in their hearts that contradicts the one in their document.

CARNAVAL

¡Feliz Carnaval!

Que Momo, dios de las burlas, hijo del sueño y de la noche, nos inspire de sarcasmo con su mímica grotesca. Que la crítica de su canción jocosa agudice nuestra mirada, para que el miedo a ser ridiculizados o exiliados del Monte Olimpo, no nos nuble la visión. Que sus máscaras liberen nuestras almas y su ritmo hipnótico nos guíe en un desfile de colores, y el cuerpo se nos desarme de felicidad para renacer en la mañana todavía embriagado de danza y risa. Que su locura bulliciosa nos devuelva la razón.

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Happy Mardi Gras!

May Momo, god of the burlesque, son of the dream and of the night, inspire our sarcasm with his grotesque mime. May his humorous, critical song sharpen our view, so that our fear to be ridiculed or banished from Mount Olympus doesn't blurry our vision. May his masks free our souls and his hypnotic rhythm guide us in a colorful parade, so that our bodies break in pieces of happiness to be reborn in the morning, still drunk with dance and laughter. May his noisy craziness bring us back to our senses.

Engañando - Fooling

Es posible que la mayoría de la gente sea capaz de ver claramente a través de nosotros, y que cuando intentamos engañar a alguien probablemente estemos engañándonos sólo a nosotros mismos.

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It is likely that most people can see clearly through us, and when we try to fool someone we're probably fooling only ourselves.

Deterioro - Decay

Cortamos el pelo y el pasto; recortamos los árboles y las uñas; pintamos la casa y nos cubrimos las ojeras; nos estiramos arrugas y nos levantamos los pechos; arrancamos la maleza, nos afeitamos y nos depilamos; aclaramos los vellos oscuros y oscurecemos las canas; nos blanqueamos los dientes y blanqueamos la pileta, la bañera y las paredes del baño; barremos el polvo y las hojas que cayeron en la noche; nos conseguimos amigos mas jóvenes y si es posible nos volvemos amigos de los amigos de nuestros hijos; cambiamos el auto y el celular por un modelo nuevo; nos gusta todo lo que es nuevo porque nos hace sentir nuevos.

El deterioro –o la evolución orgánica y natural de todas las cosas y de nosotros mismos—nos recuerda algo que haríamos lo que sea por olvidar: el paso del tiempo.

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We cut our hair and the grass; we trim the trees and our nails; we paint the house and cover the dark circles around our eyes; we stretch our wrinkles and push up our breast; we pull out the weed, we shave and wax ourselves; we bleach the dark hairs and darken the white hair; we whiten our teeth and the bathroom sink, bathtub and walls; we wipe the dust and blow the leaves that fell through the night; we get younger friends and if possible we become our kids’ friends’ friends; we change the car and the cell phone for a new model; we love everything new because it makes us feel new.

Decay –or the natural organic evolution of all things and of our own selves—reminds us of something we would do anything to forget: of the passage of time.

Calentamiento - Warming

Lo que quise decir, y no dije; lo que me quedé masticando, lo que me quemó adentro mientras intentaba digerirse; pensé que se había disuelto, pero no. Hay cosas que no salen, que no se van. Quedan ahí aparentando haberse ido y cada tanto reaparecen cuando menos las esperamos, para recordarnos de su incómoda presencia. Bolas de nieve creciendo deformemente, amenazando destruir lo que haya a su paso. Incendios forestales consumiéndome el vientre. Terremotos sacudiendo mi pecho. Erupciones volcánicas invisibles enterrando para siempre antiguos mundos y creaciones. Diluvios y tormentas eléctricas obstruyendo caminos e interrumpiendo las comunicaciones. Desastres ecológicos en pequeña escala. Me aterra pensar en lo que se transformarán si no logro neutralizarlos efectivamente. Llamado de emergencia a un congreso emociopsiquicofísico; necesidad urgente de un acuerdo inmediato entre órganos, ideas y sentimientos, para asegurar la futura supervivencia de las células sanas en riesgo de extinción de este vasto universo que tengo adentro.

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What I wanted to say, but didn't; what I kept chewing, what burned inside while I tried to digest; I thought I was able to dissolve it, but I wasn't. Some things don't leave us, they just don't go away. They stay right there pretending to be gone and every once in a while reappear when we least expect them, to remind us of their uncomfortable presence. Snow balls growing out of proportion, threatening to destroy whatever gets in their way. Wild fires consuming my belly. Earthquakes shaking my chest. Invisible volcanic eruptions burring forever ancient worlds and creations. Thunderstorm and heavy rain obstructing roads and interrupting communications. Ecological disasters in small scale. It scares me to think in what they will become in time if I don't get to neutralize them effectively. Emergency call to an emotionalpsychophysical congress; urgent need of an immediate agreement between organs, thoughts and feelings, to ensure the survival of endangered healthy cells in this vast universe that I have inside.