Courchevel, France

Im standing in front of the Tourist Information Office here in the ski resort at Courchevel 1650. Its not very cold, although the day was quite chilly. My brothers and I went snowboarding in the 3 Valleys, and it was quite a good and tiring day. Im happy.

Im just making some time now while a few podcasts are completing downloading…still 14 mins. The wireless here at the Tourist info office is quite shitty. Instead im connected to this other one, that is slower, but with a constant signal.

Starting tomorrow, i’ll be 30 in 30 days. Makes me think about a few things…i’m getting old

So far, life’s sweet for me and i even if i get angry sometimes or annoyed by little things, i know deep down inside, i could not ask for a better life right now. More stuff? Sure…but im also starting to feel a bit stressed by all the material things around me. Im not saying i dont like things, but too much is not good sometims. I need to wipe it all off my sight to keep a clear view and not get distracted by un-important things.

8 minutes…my fingers are starting to get cold.

There is a funny music im listening to right now: “Ice ice baby…” haha…I guess someone should tell that bar owner right in front to get a new tape or something

Well well, the end of the year. How’s it been for you? Any comments, impressions…I dont know. Anything you’d like to write about, i will gladly enjoy the time reading it.

30 secs… Im outta here boys & girls. Enjoy new year’s eve and try not to spend the whole first day of 2009 in bed!

Bright and Clear

The past weeks, I’ve been travelling, moving around the south of spain for pleasure and work. I love the sensation of travelling, sleeping one day here and the next somewhere else. Moving.

There are many things happening in my life at this moment and i am back in a good mood. I started to realise how useful i am, reliable and efficient. I love the sensation of getting things done. How I  feel when, at the end of the day, I can sayto myself  ”Today was a damn good day. I did a lot of things and i made things work. I’m moving forward and I can’t wait for tomorrow to get started.  I’ve really squeezed and made the most of my time today”

 

This is basically what i’ve been telling  to myself before going to sleep in the past days.  I go to sleep happy and wake up looking forward to face the challenging situations ahead. I’m confident i can take care of them. Whatever they are, nothing is impossible, and everything can be solved sooner or later. Sometimes somethings go wrong, sure but the overall is great.

I feel very positive these days. Everything is an opportunity, a chance to make something bigger or better. In every situation i can basically take anything positive out of it in less than 10 seconds. Bad things seem smaller and the opportunity in every action, every move, every situation shines bright and clear right now.

Its starting to happen

I know i dont blog as much as before now, but i am just doing what i said on the first place: I would only write whenever i felt like and not as an obligation. And a lot of things have happened lately, i’ve been working quite hard and wasnt really in the mood to write.

I have been so busy i couldnt be living and then writing, because the time i spent writing was a time i wansnt going to spend living, and time is precious. I became aware of that again with the job that i do. What if money wasnt a problem but time was. Like:

-Can you do this?

-Yeah, i’ll get it done in 1 week for $100

-How much do you want to get it done in 5h?

-I would need then 3 more people to help me out

-Ok, call them, tell me the price and get it done in 5h.

Its amazing. A brand new state of mind for me where time is the biggest value.

Anyways, as i was saying, due to all this work that im doing lately i’m starting to feel not in the mood to go out as much as before. The reasons are basically that i like the job that i do and i want to enjoy it as much as i can, and for that, i cant be sleepy or hangover. I love learning in a practical way. I learn everyday how to fix this or that, i feel im wiser, i know more and I get things more quickly.

That’s the second biggest value: Knowledge. Well, more than knowledge is the ability to read a manual, understand it and be able to put it into practice in a real life situation. Read a book with many variables and be able to set them all to make something work. It may sound as the easiest thing to do (follow instructions), but it is not always that way.

Well, a long post after a long while…So, to sum up: Life is good, im satisfied, dont need anything else but more knowledge and a little bit more time. The second i’ll be able to get it as soon as i get more knowledge, so i can solve problems faster and have more time for myself.

Sunny weather is coming to Spain. At last after a few cold and rainy weeks. I hope the sun stays longer this time so i can plan some beach weekends with friends. Wohoo!

Aeroplane

On my way back from barcelona today, i realized i’ve taken 6 flights in the past 8 days…

3 out of 25

March is almost over and I can say i slept in my own bed only 3 times this month. I have been here and there, coming and going from one place to another for the past 3 weeks. Having fun, running, flying (I’ve taken the plane 5 times in 2 weeks already)…

Tomorrow i’ll be going to my first “commissioning” work. Im excited/worried. I’ll be going alone this time and I should be ready to work my way out of the situation and face an unknown problem to me. I’ve never done anything like this before (i’ve seen someone else doing it) and i hope everything works out just fine.

I’ll be going to a ship to check out the engine system and see if everything is in order and what should be changed and what should be left as it is…I’m scared to be honest. Shit. Is not like I-have-no-fucking-idea situation but its pretty close to it. Well, i guess there is one thing i will get for sure: Experince. Another level of knowledge. Higher than the knowledge one gets from books as I see things. Theory put into practice…

Its time for me to get out of my confort zone and get my ass moving a lil bit. I’m sure I’ll love it, but it’s like snowboarding: you dont really get to feel the pleasure of going downhill until you get some experience. I see myself now on top of a mountain, my gear is ready and i’ve seen other people do it. Now is my turn. I’m not afraid of falling but im a bit scared and i just hope i dont break anything when i land my ass on the cold ground, dont make a big deal out of it, stand up again and keep on going.

Let the ride begin.

Hopping around europe

I know its been a while since my last post…i have been here and there non-stop really.

The first week of March, i was on an event held by the company i work in. Quite good but exhausting…The overall result of the week was: Successful but some improvements could be done for the first time. I took it as a first stone, a first step for future coming events.

The second week i was in Stuttgart on a seminar about a device to control diesel engines. Quite interesting too.  One great side thing was that the seminars were 1h away from Tübingen where i know people, and i got the chance to re-meet people again after 2 years.Sweet.

My Easter vacations started on Friday noon after the seminar was over. I had dinner with some friends in stuttgart and then headed down to Tûbingen. Got there, party in the Kucku bar (WHO students residence), saturday i visited the city and walked around, and then at night, party again. Sunday i painted a kitchen (long story), then had dinner at a greek resto. Delicious.

On monday i flew from Stuttgart to Hamburg, where i met some cool people. Friends of Christian, a german guy who is doing his erasmus in Alcalá at the moment and with whom i did some trips already. Great funny easygoing people and also travellers. They were full of great stories and their lives were quite interesting.

This morning, after 2 days in Hamburg, i took a flight to Helsinki where i met with another friend. Its cold and there is snow on the streets…not much but hey!. Its my second time in this city but there are so many things i missed on the first time, i feel this time is goig to be like a second first visit.

I have taken a few pics during these days, so i’ll post them on picassa as soon as im back to madrid.

Express Weekend

This is an idea we had sometime ago. The main idea is to visit a different place in 2-4 days and make the most of it. The experience, the people, the activities…

Its gonna be “the way to go” for me from now on since i dont have much free time during the week and have weekends to spend. any ideas? Who wants to get visited?

So far, “the plan” is doing ok. Started going to switzerland, to Ciudad Real this weekend, in a few weeks, ill be visiting other friends and countries…looking good.

Like the “johnny walker motto”: Keep on walking.

Im happy

Restless weekend

I have spent the last 4 days in Switzerland with Rafa and other friends. Good times.

Eventhough the plans we made on the first place changed competly as soon as we arrived (some flu-virus infected the whole weekend house we were going to go to), we enjoyed it quite as much.

On friday, we left our luggage and took a tour around Zurich. Nice easy walk around the city center and surroundings. Then dinner at my friend’s and back home at 1.

Saturday started at 6h30. We woke up, packed and headed down to Fluesenberger ski resort where we spent the day. Back to Zurich and dinner with some other people.

We woke up at 6h30 again on Sunday. This time we went to Wildhaus. Another village right on the other side of the mountain where we went the day before. This time the slopes were great. Riding downhill, trying some tricks…I fell badly a couple of times. Hit my face, chin, lips, ribs and my arms were pretty damaged too…  On sunday evening we met with my friend Marua and went to this place called “El Lokal”. Quite a good ambience. Great talk and laughs.

Monday morning.7 am. Up again for our last day. We went for a quick visit to Luzern. Walk around the city, some sight-seeing and back to Zurich’s airport to take the plane back. Dead tired, nose dripping, muscles aching…We definedly made the most out of these 4 days.

Tomorrow i gotta go back to work. I hope i make it through the day without falling asleep.

Ego

Sometimes one does things and doesnt ask for money but for a “thanks”.  Have you ever been in that situation?  You do something and the person offers you money in return, and you just say “no, a thank you is enough”. It happens to me a lot.

Each time someone thanks me i feel they are making my ego, my self steem bigger. Sometimes a “thank you” has more value than money. Sometimes one needs to feed the inside more than the material outside.

I have been founding myself these days with the need of a “thank you”. All i do is all im supposed to do, and so there is no place for a thank you as i am doing what i should. But sometimes, it’s nice to hear “thank you”.

I have this “battle” inside me where I want to have a big ego, feel special, feel unique and at the same time, i know having a big ego will blindfold me from many things, so I guess i’ll have to find a middle point. A balance between these two opposite thoughts. An ego with a size big enough, something i feel confortable with and small enough to handle it easily and without problems.  Should i get a size S, M, L or XL?

South of Spain

Its 1h24 am. Im about to go to bed but i wanted to write a few lines before i fall asleep.

Last friday i went to a friend’s party. Awesome time. Out partying till 4h30 am…6 hours later I was on my way down to the south of Spain. Cordoba and Sevilla were great. We visited Cordoba’s Mezquita on saturday afternoon and walked a bit around narrow streets painted in white and with flowers hanging on the walls. Beautiful. We drove to Sevilla later on to meet with another friend and taste a bit the night life in Triana’s neighbourhood, on the other side of the Guadalquivir river.

The following morning we had breakfast at the hostel and then walked to Plaza de España. Nice too. Later, along the river till the Torre del Oro and then a bit further to visit the Maestranza bullring. We took the sightseeing tour and then went for some tapas. Walked a bit around the Cathedral, saw the Giralda and the surrounding neighbourhoods.

We took off back to Madrid at 18h or so, and we were in Madrid 4 and a half hours later.

It was a cool weekend and I enjoyed it very much. So far, in January i already visited Granada, Sevilla and Cordoba…seems like this year I might be able to visit all the Andalucian cities which excites me a lot, since there are actually a few i have never been to.

Tomorrow is working day as usual, but these 2 days were a very nice break.

Driving

Everyone can drive a car. Automatic or manual. It ain’t that difficult. The only thing that is compusory really is being able to see. And with future technology, even blind people will be able to do it. I’m sure.

Driving just a car is not the same as driving in a city or on a high way. The main difference is that when you just drive a car, the only thing you have to worry about is your own car. But when it comes to driving with other people, you also have to apply some basic basic diving rules and also, why not say it, some respect, common sense and understanding.

In spain, traffic accidents were a major issue (still are) and they even came up with some very hard laws for people who speeded on highways. The driving-points system started not so long ago and so far, things are looking good for whoever came up with that great idea (probably just copied from the UK, France or any other european country). Less traffic accidents, the number of people killed in traffic accidents decreased…GREAT.

Anyways, for me speeding is dangerous, of course, but i find EVEN more dangerous people who drive as if they were the only ones on the highway. Im talking about the people who just stay in one lane. Forever. At 90 km/h (limit is set at 120 km/h). They are responsible for many traffic jams and also road rage. I’m sick of them and sick of dealing with these people every single day. Twice.

It is usually mistaken overspeeding with danger. Lets put it this way, if you have a mercedes, bmw, porsche or any of these high power cars, overspeeding is what you’d probably do. All the security systems wont make you realize how fast you are going. That’s dangerous, i agree, but most of the people who overspeed are very concentrated on their driving. They pay attention to the road and keep away all distractions. They are always alert (at least to see if the police is around or not).

On the other hand, people who just drive in one lane (normally the one most to the left) and just stay there at the same speed forever not caring about anything else but getting back home or to work, are just far more dangerous for me than those who drive fast.

I really could have a 10 h discussion about this but to make this post shorter and not to bore you, let me just send a message from here to all those selfish people who drive along the highway:

Look at the rearview mirror from time to time, leave your cellphone, pay attention to the road, show some respect for everyone around you, speed up and

MOVE TO THE RIGHT LANE ‘COS YOU’RE NOT ALONE MOTHERFUCKER!!!

Comments, thoughts and/or feelings about this will be highly appreciated. Thx

Snowbarding

Its 20 mins past midnight and im about to go to Andorra with my dad, sis & brother for a week in the snow. Riding downhill, enjoying the time and the views.

Hopefully the weather will be good and the snow will be ready waiting for us.

Even if going to the mountain with friends is great, I’ve almost always gone snowboarding with my family and its even better. Nothing can beat it. Definedly its a sport I like ever since I started a long time ago now.

Im going to ride for the first time what is my 4th board. Its brand new and I cant wait to test it. Wohoo.

Happy holidays to y’all!

Travelling

That’s what i had been doing the past 2 weeks.

I went to Andorra for 4 days with some friends. It was a good trip. Fun, laughs and loads of good moments. We snowboarded “a bit” since there wasnt enough snow for all the people who went there. We also chilled and hung around.

3 days after coming back, I flew to Kempen (near Düsseldorf), where i met some interesting people, saw the huge Woodward-SEG fabric and attended to some trainnings and seminars.

The difference between these 2 trips was that the first was for pleasure, and the second for work. A bit different, but still quite fun for me. Both have good sides and I cant really tell the bad, since they are hidden to me. I love travelling and the feeling of going to new places excites me and makes me happy.

Some people have told me i will end up fed up of travelling, but today, i really cant picture that. For now, i’ll enjoy it as much as I can

Back Home

I came back from Nice yesterday. It was overall a great trainning and a experience too. Many stories to tell in just one time…

I’ll make a list of the places I visited briefly and what i did during these 2 weeks:

Monday-Tuesday: Trainning on different products

Wednesday-Thursday: Trainning on repairation and troubleshooting. I visited Cannes and Nice.

Friday: Chemical plant generator’s set up in sisterone. 2 1MW power engines. Huge.

Saturday: Went from Nice all along the Côte d’Azur to San Remo. Visited Monaco and the surroundings.

Sunday: Went to a Clinic in Mougins to set up a mobile generator. Visited Nice.

Monday-Tuesday: Trainning on different concepts of the work.

Wednesday: Trip to Rouen. Woke up at 4, plane to Paris, drive to Rouen. Repair some controlsets in a Pharmaceutical plant and then back.

Thursday: Went to repair/setup some engines in a boat (spirit)

Friday: Trainning about engine control generalities

Saturday: Daytrip to San Remo and sourroundings with my brother Paco

Sunday: Daytrip to Valbone and small villages close to Nice. Back to Madrid.

Enough time well spent. Looking forward for more and eager to keep on learning about engine’s electronic controls.

Sisterone

This is the small village where i went today. I had to wake up at 5h30 to get there on time.

We went to a Chemical Fabric to see 2 generators of 1MW each. Big engines i have to admit.It was freezing outside.

Anyways, i’ll upload some pics soon.