The blue glove

Cuando tienes 5 años y la cabeza abierta con una brecha que palpita y que arde, no quieres que te grapen la herida o te la desinfecten.
No entiendes la utilidad del dolor.
Pataleas. Gritas. 

No quieres que tu padre o tu tío, o tu hermano, te digan que debes ser valiente. ¿Es menos valiente el que llora? 

Quieres una caricia, un abrazo, alguien que, con su sonrisa de volcán que todo lo inunda, sepa darle vida a un aséptico guante sanitario azul esterilizado y convertirlo en un extraño compañero al que agarrarte al sentir el miedo y el dolor cuando ella hace lo que tiene que hacer.

Así son las personas que sacan adelante el Rosalie Rendú Medical Center de Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince. Haití.

When you are five and you have an open head wound throbbing and burning, you do not want anybody to stapled or disinfected it.

You do not understand the utility of pain.

you Kick non-stop. You scream.

You do not want your father or your uncle or your brother, to say that you must be brave. Does it crying made you less brave?

You want cuddle and hugs, someone with a smile like a volcano that can flooded everything. Someone who knows how to bring an aseptic blue sterilized medical glove into life and turn it into an odd companion to hold on to when you feel the fear and the pain that came when he/she does what it has to be done.

So this is how the people in charge of the Rosalie Rendu Medical Center in Cite Soleil, Port-au-Prince. Haití looks like.

Travel photographer

"From time to time, I get surrounded by this sense of insecurity out of nowhere. This insecurity is not that of real life, rather this is more ambiguous. It's this deep feeling of guild for living such an eventless life and suddenly I am so dissatisfied with everything that is around. A flow of disturbing emotions isolated from all contexts. This disturbing emotions gradually form into something like a black mass and their heavy weight comes onto my head and my shoulders until I can no longer stand it. Just like that, my journey beings, as if to run away from this agony.
I choose the most unfamiliar place and walk around in remote area and shoot with my camera aimlessly. This behavior is so illogical and it is the exact opposite of being productive, however, my heart can stay calm while taking pictures. I go around shooting and fantasize about the lives of other people. I think about everyday life in unknown places like a mountain village or a small town near the ocean, I think about living in different time period or different gender or generation. I long for all sorts of emotions that I have not yet experienced.
All of this leads me to sheer confusion. Lost without a destination. In my photos, I search for clues, but photos are always dark and fuzzy and they are strangely lacking the time element such as "when and where." What was once a reality in front of my own eyes is captured as if it is someone else's perspective from a long time ago. And I'll be forced to stay in the dark room facing this sense of insecurity all over again, and I'll be back on the road leading to the bottom of my heart from there on once and again".


"On the way" Masato Hattori

Invincible Summer

2013. Ulvsvåg, Artic Circle. Norway.

“In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.”
Albert Camus


"En las profundidades del invierno finalmente aprendí que en mi interior habitaba un verano invencible".
Albert Camus

Wonderful Things

“ At first I could see nothing, the hot air escaping from the chamber causing the candle flame to flicker, but presently, as my eyes grew accustomed to the light, details of the room within emerged slowly from the mist, strange animals, statues, and gold - everywhere the glint of gold.

For the moment - an eternity it must have seemed to the others standing by -

I was struck dumb with amazement, and when Lord Carnarvon, unable to stand the suspense any longer, inquired anxiously, 

'Can you see anything?'

it was all I could do to get out the words, 

'Yes, wonderful things.” 

Howard Carter, The Tomb of Tutankamen

“Transcurrió bastante tiempo hasta que pude ver algo, el aire caliente del interior provocaba que la llama del candil se agitara, pero tan pronto mis ojos se acostumbraron a la luz tenue del interior de la cámara, poco a poco fue apareciendo ante mí una extraña y maravillosa mezcla de objetos bellísimos y extraordinarios amontonados unos sobre otros.

Naturalmente hubo un cierto suspense para aquellas personas presentes allí que no podían ver nada, hasta que Lord Carnarvon me preguntó 
“¿Puede usted ver algo?”. 
Y le respondí

“Sí, cosas maravillosas”. 

Howard Carter, La tumba de Tutankamon 

Electric feel

All along the eastern shore

Put your circuits in the sea

This is what the world is for

Making electricity

You can feel it in your mind

Oh, you can do it all the time

Plug it in and change the world

MGMT. "Electric feel"

Sweet new words

Wonderfuly unperfect sleeping

"  -Muy bien. Ahora solo me gustaría que nos contara en qué consiste este más que próspero negocio suyo. ¿Qué es exactamente un separador?
-Mire, a todos nos fascina quedarnos dormidos entre los brazos de una persona y levantarnos a su lado, sin embargo, tenemos que pagar un precio innecesario por ello: soportar ronquidos, despertarnos en mitad del sueño por un movimiento repentino de nuestra pareja, ahogarnos en los calores acumulados bajo las sábanas, ejecutar auténticas posturas de contorsionista para encajar los dos cuerpos… El separador es el trabajador encargado de mover a la pareja una vez se haya quedado dormida, para evitarla estas molestias. Gracias a sus estudios sobre los ritmos del sueño, el separador es capaz de detectar el momento óptimo para desplazar a uno de los dos amantes a otra cama, sin que estos se den cuenta; simplemente, espera a que llegue ese momento y actúa. Después abandona el domicilio.
-Es un trabajo muy bonito, sin duda. ¿Y el juntador?
-El trabajo del juntador es parecido, solo que a la inversa: entra en el domicilio cuando se acerca la hora de despertar y escoge el instante apropiado para situar a las dos personas de nuevo en la misma cama… ¡y abrazados! Eso sí, para trabajar de juntador se requieren varios años de experiencia como separador, porque por las mañanas la pareja es más susceptible de despertarse."

Rafael Mendoza Gaspart "ENTREVISTA AL MAGNATE DE LOS NEGOCIOS J. R. ALBERTOS (Revista mensual Negocios Capitales, número 124)"

"- (E) All right. Now I would like you to explain to us what is your solution. What exactly is a separator?

- (JR A) The separator is the worker responsible of moving the couple once they have fallen asleep. Through his studies on the rhythms of sleep, he is able to detect the optimal time to move one of the two lovers to another bed, without them realizing it. The separator waits for that moment and then acts. He is also trained in Samurai techniques, to move, and move others, stealthesly. Then, after the couple has been separated and each member has been taken to a different bed, the separator, leaves the home. It is a very beautiful job, very Zen, which now is very trendy. A nephew of mine is studying to be one of them.

- (E) [Laughts] And the gatherers?

- (JR A) The gatherers work is similar, only in reverse, entering the home when it is almost time to wake up and choose the best time to put two people back in the same bed and cuddled ... ! However, working as a gatherer will require several years of experience as a separator, because in the morning the couple is more likely to wake up. "

Rafael Mendoza Gaspart "INTERVIEW TO THE BUSINESS TYCOON J. R. ALBERTOS"

Living the search

El océano es como la vida.

Para moverte en él, debes aprender a escuchar, a observar y a sentir ese algo tan antiguo como el mundo. Observar las mareas. Dejarte guiar por el instinto.

 Aun en compañía, la relación con el océano, como con la vida, es exclusiva, es una comunicación directa entre él y tu. Una relación basada en la confianza.

El océano como la vida, es caprichoso y cambiante. las olas amenazantes de una mañana pueden dejar en la tarde una superficia tan plana que pareciera planchada en seco. Dos metros de distancia pueden cambiarlo todo.

Pero la frustracion nunca es parte del plan. Porque él nunca no te da lo que buscas. Sino lo que necesitas.

Aprender de él es un ejercicio de paciencia.Y la paciencia siempre otorga grandes recompensas.

El secreto está en disfrutar de la busqueda.

Ocean is like life. 

If you want to learn how to move in it, you must learn how to listen, observe and feel something as old as the world. Observe the tides. Let yourself be guided by instinct. Even in company, the relationship between ocean and you, as with life, is exclusive, direct communication betwen both of you. A relationship based on trust. 

Ocean as life is capricious. Unexpected. Threatening waves in the morning, can leave an afternoon with a surface as flat as if it was dry ironed ironed. But the frustration is never part of the plan. Because he never gives you what you want. But what you need. Learn from him is an exercise of patience . And patience always gives great rewards. The secret is to enjoy the search.

Swimming lessons. About how to be a hero

 

"I wish you could swim
Like the dolphins

Like dolphins can swim
Though nothing
Will keep us together

We can beat them
For ever and ever

Oh we can be Heroes
Just for one day.

I,

I will be king
And you,
you will be queen

Though nothing
will drive them away

We can beat them,
just for one day

We could steal time,
just for one day.

We can be Heroes,
for ever and ever
What d'you say?

We can be Heroes,
just for one day".

"Heroes". David Bowie. Changes. 

Para Garra, la mejor perra buceadora del planeta. 
Tenerife noviembre 2010

Et in Arcadia ego. People I: John.

Cuando era niño, John formaba parte de un grupo de boy scouts . Un día, el explorador jefe, con la intención de promover en los niños la capacidad de mantener una relación responsable con la naturaleza y disfrutar con ella, otorgó a cada explorador una pequeña planta en una maceta.. Desde ese momento eran responsables de un ser vivo al que había que cuidar y prestar atención. John tenía 12 años. Su planta medía 12 cms. 

John se tomó aquel reto muy en serio. 

Esta es su planta, casi 30 años después. 

Nunca pensé que una planta pudiera describir tan bien el alma de alguien.

Gracias John.

During his childhood, John was part of the boy scouts. One day, the scout leader, as a challenge to promote children's ability to maintain a responsible relationship with nature and enjoy it, gave each scout a small plant in a pot .. after that they have to be responsible of a living creature that needed care and attention. John was 12 at this moment. His plant was 12 cm. tall.
John took that challenge very seriously.
This is his plant, almost 30 years later.


I have never expected that a plant could describe that well somebody's soul.
Thanks John.

Sobre el pensamiento

"Pero los Papalagi (hombres blancos) piensan tanto, porque para ellos el pensar se ha convertido en un hábito, una necesidad y una carencia. Tienen que continuar pensando. Sólo después de muchas dificultades logran realmente no pensar y, en vez de esto, viven de una vez con su cuerpo entero. A menudo viven únicamente con sus cabezas, mientras el resto de sus cuerpos está profundamente dormido, aunque caminen, hablen, coman y rían mientras tanto. [...]

Si el sol está brillando, él piensa todo el tiempo cuán bellamente brilla. Pero cuando el sol brilla, es mejor no pensar absolutamente nada. Un hombre sabio extendería sus miembros a la cálida luz y no produciría ni un pensamiento mientras tanto. Él no absorbería únicamente el sol en su cabeza, sino también con sus manos y pies, su estómago, sus tobillos y todos sus miembros. Dejaría que su piel y sus miembros pensaran por él, pues esas partes piensan también, aunque no del mismo modo que piensa la cabeza."

Los Papalagi. Discursos de Tuiavii de Tiavea recogidos por Erich Scheurmann. 1920

"But Papalagi(white men) think so much, because for them to think has become an habit, a necessity and a lack. They have to continue thinking. Only after much difficulty they really get not to think and live at least with their entire body. They often live only with their heads, while the rest of their bodies are sound asleep, but walking, talking, eating and laughing in between. [...]

If the sun is shining he thinks all the time how beautifully is shining. But when the sun shines, its better not to think about absolutely nothing. A wise man will extend its members to produce warm light and not a thought in the meantime. He will not only absorbed the sun in his head, but also with his hands and feet, his stomach, his ankles and all his members. He would let his skin and his members to think for him, because these parts can also think also, but not the same way the head does. "
The Papalagi: Speeches of Tuiavii of Tiavea, a samoau chief. published in 1920. collected by Erich Scheurmann