(Un momento...)

viernes, 7 de noviembre de 2014

Carpe Noctem

Carpe diem

We've all heard the expression. Maybe from a movie such as Dead Poets Society, maybe in some philosophy class, maybe some pompous friend of ours has uttered it while triying to dazzle us with his knowledge (I'm usually that guy).

The aphorism, first coined by Horace in his Odes, is meant to teach us to seize the moment, as time flies away and the bastard thinks very little of us, and doesn't come back when asked to. The future is unknown, for the most part, and Lady Luck is quite the bitch, so you can seldom leave your fate to her. Thus, you should try to change, affect or seize what you actually have within your grasp: today.

I like the concept, if you understand it fully. Makes you bold, but not reckless. Brave, but not stupidly so. You go wild in a party, but not enough to wreck the place. Mad enough to confess to someone, not enough to ask for his or her hand. It's fine, it clicks and has had one hell of a following this last few decades. I do have a problem with the wording, though.

You see, literally "Carpe diem" means "Seize the day". I know it's meant to signify the whole day, but it just bugs me. Days are boring. We live most of our lives by daylight, so plenty of good stuff happens there, of course. But by daylight, we are all, each and everyone of us, too scared. During the day, we think too much, we ask for permission too much, we worry too much. Days are good and all, but nights? 

Nights are cold, and dark, and merciless, sometimes. Nights are times of long shadows, strange noises and phantom lights. So we rise up to the challenge. The best things in life happen at night. We are braver. We think the shadows will mask our faces, our intentions, our nervous smiles and flustered breathing, so we just do things and say things and confess things without thinking. We feel the cold air and stay closer together, and held hands and embraces mean much, much more. We are wilder, and bolder, and reckless. We remember, deep down, a time where big bad wolves weren't part of a fairytale, where a bonfire meant life and warmth and dancing and safe sleep. At night, we declare undying love and oath-kept friendship. We are so much more beautiful, because we, under the cover of Darkness, are truer to ourselves. 

So Carpe Noctem, everyone. Seize the nights.

The days will tend to themselves.




jueves, 6 de noviembre de 2014

To Destroy, to Create

Destroying something is almost always easier to manage than creating something useful. It appeals to our inner animal. It's enticing. It makes you feel powerful. It looks flashy and lovely. We destroy in order to relieve pressure. We destroy to protest. We destroy because we CAN.

It takes a tree years to grow, and a score of seconds to be cut. Humans take some twenty years to be full grown adults, and that can end in a second. It takes months to build a house, and only minutes to demolish it.

Destruction is the work of an afternoon. Creation is the work of a lifetime.

And yet, we create. We keep creating. We never stop. We dare not, lest entropy actually catches up. But it won't.

Will it?

(Pics taken from www.reddit.com/r/DestructionPorn. Some of them are from Kiev, some from Madrid. One is just digital artwork. Best wishes to everyone)

miércoles, 5 de noviembre de 2014

The Dance of the Spirits

I'm a quarter Finnish.

Yeah, I know It doesn't quite show when I look like the hellspawn of Satan and some mediterranean woman, but I swear at some point that blood hadn't ran out on me yet.

But, alas, no blond hair or bright eyes for me. Shame. I did get a few things from them, though. I got pride for the Winter War, savage business as it was. I got a grudging respect for the cold and the snow, even if I love to feel them on my skin. I got a thing for long, dark nights and soft winds. I can drink like nobody's business.

And I FUCKING.LOVE.AURORAS.

I could go on and on the scientific explanation for auroras but I have several reasons not to:

a) We don't understand them fully yet.

b) It would defeat the pupose of this post.

c) That would be telling, and a good magician never ever reveals his secrets.

(Several is defined as "more than two, but not many", so sue me)

So I'm gonna go with the less scientific, more fantastic interpretations, mostly because they are more interesting, beautiful and cool, but also because I'm a sucker for mythology.

The Finnish name for the northern lights is "Revontulet", can be roughly translated as "Foxfire". According to a folk tale, an arctic fox is running far in the north and touching the mountains with its fur, so that sparks fly off into the sky as the northern lights. They also talk of how the snow its tail sweeps gets thrown into the sky, where the sparks and moonlight, reflected in the snow, make such a display

For the Saami (People who live in Lapland, in the artic circle) the northern lights are called Guovssahasah, which means both "The sun glowing in the sky at dawn or dusk" and "The fire lit by the Siberian Jay". This last one comes from the fact that, though no one has been able to confirm it with hard facts, everyone agrees that the aurora produce sounds that sound like a fast clap or a low shriek.

The Inuit in the Hudson Bay area think that the spirits of those who died a voluntary or violent death and, strangely, those of ravens hold torches for everyone else to follow into heaven, thus creating a path through the sky.

The Eskimos in the northern parts of Canada believe that the northern lights are merry spirits dancing and pranking each other because the sun is missing, so they can finally play. They dress themselves in that eerie light and fly through the sky. The dance of the spirits, they call it.

There are many more explanations. Scandinavians thought it was Freya, the goddess, riding her horse. Scots believed the spirits of the fallen in battle kept waging war across the skies. American indians, depending on the tribe, fashioned them as the spirit of their enemies, trying to have one last revenge, a benevolent giant fishing in the northern seas or a God that cared for pregnant women.

The fact is, whatever the explanation or the origin of these wonders, they are a sight to behold. One that most definetely would take anyone's breath away. One to watch with the right person, or people, by your side. Things like this can halt the turning of time. Can bring back faith. Can cast away all loneliness. Can set the world right.

If only for one night, of course. But sometimes, a night is all you need to pick yourself up.

(I've never seen the northern lights. I bolted like a rat the last chance I had. That's a mistake I intend to correct.)



Remember, remember

Remember, remember, the 5th of November
The Gunpowder Treason and plot;
I see of no reason why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.

UK celebrates tonight Guy Fawkes' Night. Fawkes was a catholic who tried to blow up the Parliament on this very day on 1605. Which, if you asked me, those damn pirates deserved. The only thing worse than having a brit for an enemy is having it for an ally. Ask us, we should now from the Napoleonic Wars.

Thanks to V for vendetta, Anonymous and pop culture the guy (see what I did there) has become an icon for rebellion against the goverment, which has nearly nothing to do with Guy's original intent: killing the King and Parliament to put a catholic monarch in place. He was also a pawn, not the head of the conspiracy, but he made for a great scapegoat.

All in all, the whole thing has lost its original meaning and taken on a completely different one. One I couldn't care less about. That is not bad, and it isn't good. It's just the way of things.

On the other hand, this night is also called the Bonfire night. A night to light bonfires, throw fireworks and celebrate just 'cause. A night when the turning of the world stops, when dancing, dreaming, drinking are the norm and fire is a dear friend. Now that I can get behind just fine.

Who wouldn't want to?


sábado, 1 de noviembre de 2014

All Hallow's Eve

Happy Halloween, All Hallows' Eve, Día de todos los Santos, Samhain o whatever you wish to call it.

Tonight, the Darkness shows a wolfish, impish smile. The moon half-shines upon the world and reminds us that the night is cold, and dangerous, and wild. But it's also when we are closer to each other, when we better kiss, and love, and whisper, and talk of forbidden and secret things.

Nothing in the world should hurt us this night. Our loved ones, present or gone, are around us. The family we were born with and the one we've chosen along the way.

Many, many masks and mantles are taken up, or discarded, on this very night. Some dress up and pretend to be other people. Some of us can finally be ourselves.

If you have lost someone recently, I'm very sorry for your loss. I've been there. But do not worry, they are alright and, more importantly, they want you to be. They want you to be merry, play pranks, have a quick wit, a sharp tongue and the season of mists by your side tonight. Be amazing.

Enjoy your night and cherish your loved ones, everyone.

(Even the Sun gave us all a wink and a devilish smile, even if it was 20 days ago, the 8th. Image taken by NASA)