Ramblings instead of travelings.

I should really calm down with this blog but there are always a few random thoughts in my mind that I want to write down. Living here, there's always something I've noticed, even if it's just a normal day. Today my mood is frustrated. I'm not sure exactly why. I think it's related to my feeling of unproductiveness. It's been the hugest headache trying to obtain tickets to the Alhambra in Granada. Alhambra is basically the reason we're going to that city. I don't even feel like explaining the whole story because it's too annoying. I've been trying to get the tickets since last week and found out today they're sold out. Our only option now is to wait in line at 7:30AM the day we want to go. Not appealing. Ugh, I spent all weekend worrying/trying to get them and it was all for nothing. I almost had them last night but the stupid web site "couldn't complete my transaction" for whatever reason. We're getting in. I'll make sure of that.

I feel too lazy for anything right now. I think I need a siesta. There are many things I need to get done because I'm leaving in less than two days, but I feel too frustrated and tired. I keep so many lists and it's driving me nuts because nothing gets crossed off. I tried not keeping lists here. I tried! And I couldn't manage. I started forgetting important things. Lists are too much a part of me. I remember creating lists that planned out my afternoon by 15 minute intervals when I was in elementary school. My biggest accomplishment is that I stopped writing down my homework assignments. :) I feel like such a rebel.

Happier news: it is possible my Spanish is improving. I finally understand where accent marks go. I remember being totally confused about that until my second/third years of college. Now I can hear words and tell where the accents are...for the most part. I've also met some people here that speak Spanish who've told they notice my fluency has improved. But sometimes it's still really bad. Sometimes I find it impossible to communicate things to Ana. Or I just can't understand what she's telling me. And then once I get too conscious about what I'm trying to say, it's over. There's still such a disconnect between what's going on in my mind and what my mouth is doing. I hear the mistakes come out of my own lips, but I always feel so rushed to finish sentences that I keep going even if it's wrong. Then I get stopped and corrected anyway, even though I know its' wrong. My mind doesn't necessarily immediately think of stuff in Spanish, but it's always trying to translate. I'm getting too accustomed to everything in Spanish. We met some men from England on the way to the soccer game yesterday and it was so weird to speak to someone in public, strangers, not in Spanish. I think it's going to be really odd to go to London and hear so much English again.

Another thing I've gotten used to: smoking. It's not me with the cigarettes, but it doesn't bother me in the same way it once did. Smoking is widely accepted and tolerated here. It seems to be done more in moderation, like people will smoke a couple a day. I personally can't understand the reasons people start smoking and I guess they only continue because of addiction. I just don't ever want to be the old lady with yellow teeth and nails, a wrinkly face and sicknesses. In the meantime I'll continue to inhale the wafts of secondhand smoke swirling around me.

Last night's Barca game was awesome. It went by way too fast though. I'm used to watching baseball games. They crawl compared to how fast soccer matches are played. We learned who the popular players were, did some cheering, made friends with the middle-aged men nearby and left in a tizzy. Soccer fans are pretty wild, even for a low profile game. It's something I'm SO glad I did, but not something I'd do often if I lived here.

Right now I'm saying YES to:
-going to Southern Spain
-productivity
-text messages
-my new boots
-Philip Glass
-pink fingernails

And NO to:
-the pain behind my eyes
-leisure reading
-cold hands
-spending money
-the lack of Halloween in this country
-my lack of Alhambra tickets

Más mañana o más en una semana.