If you want to make a person feel better after they sneeze...

You shouldn't say, 'God Bless You.' You should say, 'You're so good-looking!'" (Jerry Seinfeld)

There are several orders of business, today, which must be addressed, starting with a request (by an unnamed female Dominican) for a follow-up from my last entry. Apparently it wasn't altogether clear what a cochlear hair cell is and, due to her persistence to learn, she wants the whole story. Here it is, young grasshopper, simplified & shortened for avid students in all corners of the world:

Cochlear hair cells are found in the cochlea, a fluid-filled tube of the inner ear coiled like a snail's shell & ultimately accountable for hearing. Cochlear hair cells detect sound & are responsible for what's termed mechanoelectrical transduction - or, simply put, the conversion of sound waves (i.e., music) to their equivalent electrical waveform (i.e., the form of Energy appropriate for transmission, via neuronal connections, to the brain for auditory processing).

There's no easy way to explain just what makes these cochlear hair cells lengthen & contract in response to auditory stimuli, but the process involves a membrane protein called prestin, in which a conformational change is induced, thus expanding the cell's surface area. The YouTube video in my last entry highlights the speed of the cell's mechanical response, which is sufficiently fast to produce changes in the cell's shape in synchrony with the sound stimulus (i.e., the song).

And now, moving on to World Issues, in ascending order of importance:

• My laptop is currently in Cyperspace's Intensive Care Unit - please pray to the God/ Force/ Energy of your choice & ask for a full recovery.
• I decided to indulge my antecedent ambitions to become a Film Director (yes, I almost applied to NYU Tisch School of the Arts - but that's a story for another day) & "shoot a movie" on Friday night. Odile debuted in the role of Paul, our alcoholic neighbor who engages in daily prehistoric-sounding roarings. Much to my dismay, however, the video will not be released to the public due to lack of cooperation from... an unnamed female Dominican.
• Led Zeppelin is rumored to play at Bonnaroo 2008? Is this true?
• OUTRAGE! Apparently, there is newly found evidence that the dryer does, in fact, eat your socks!?! It's no myth, peoples! It was explained (in quite some detail) in a German cartoon quite recently - I'll do my best to get my hands on the episode.

The world fascinates me! And now, speaking of outrages, turn up your volume & watch your arm hairs stand on end...

Vitas - Opera #2

Besos.

Boss, I have so much to tell you...

I've never loved a man, more than you. (Zorba the Greek)

Contrary to my somewhat Existentialist conviction that, as humans, we should face ourselves and take responsibility for what we are and what we make ourselves, I'm going to altogether ignore all notions about "existence preceding essence" & defend my worsening condition of musiquitis. "It just ain't my fault" that I'm so possessed by music, when even my cochlear hair cells can't resist a dance to some good, ole' ragtime blues! See for yourself. Go on.

Cochlear Hair Cell - Dancing


And now, a scene from one my all-time favorite movies, Zorba the Greek (a film based on a book I haven't read). The part is played by Anthony Quinn & the theme, Sirtaki, is by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis. It's a classic & Zorba's simple take on life is contageous. And it's just sweet, sweet lovin' for those cochlear hair cells.

A man needs a little madness. Or else, he never dares cut the rope and be free.

Zorba the Greek - Directed by Michael Cacoyannis

Besos.

Oh Baby, Baby, It's a Wild World...

Me han despertado los gritos desesperados de mis vecinos alcohólicos, los típicos pedidos de auxilio que se escuchan en los pasillos de nuestro edificio cuando uno de ellos se cierra afuera sin llaves. Tengo que confesar que son bastante simpáticos (y de muy buen gusto musical) pero tienen tendencias un poco raras, por ejemplo uno de ellos se pone a bramar como un dinosaurio todas las mañanas! No me lo puedo explicar pero quizás tengan uno escondido en su departamento! De todas formas no me quejo porque odio madrugar y entonces los días de semana me sirven sus cantos quiquiriquí como despertador (especialmente cuando apago el mío) - mis profes deberían estar muy agradecidos!

Bueno, cuando uno no se puede dormir hay que encontrar motivos para estallar en carcajadas, porque no hay mejor alivio para la frustración que el olvido que acompaña un ataque de risa convulsa… por eso los dejo con un vídeoclip de “Poné a Francella”. Si es una NEENNAAA!

Poné a Francella – La Nena – Arturo Dirige la Obra

Besos.

A Dónde Van las Miradas...

Que un día partieron? (-Silvio Rodriguez)

Today is the last day of a 3-week holiday vacation. ::Sigh:: All my visitors have now parted & I'm left anxiously awaiting Odile's return from Florida. Although it'll be a difficult 6 months ahead (I actually have to finish my thesis on time!), I'm determined to break it up & get away to the mountains at some point, to the sea when it's warmer... and I'll finally have my long-awaited siccus to soothe my frustrations & feed me sweet tunes. Yay!

I haven't yet been able to watch it, but my brother recommended Ten Questions for the Dalai Lama, a documentary film, not only about the Dalai Lama's life, but also about Tibet's struggle with the Chinese invasion of 1950 & with the political, as well as cultural, oppression that has forced thousands to live in exile from their homeland. It's filmed in his home in India, to where he fled after the collapse of the Tibetan Resistance Movement in '59, & it's won a number of awards. Click here for the film's website, if you wanna check it out. There's been countless newspaper articles published over the past years discussing the extreme censorship that the Chinese government has imposed on its peoples, including the recent agreement by internet search engines like MSN, Yahoo!, & Google to censor certain types of information in China (horrendous, & they claim that it's in exchange for greater "access to information" even though anything even slightly challenging to the government's ideology has been banned & cannot, thus, be accessed!). Just type "China and censorship" into a search engine, & prepare to be horrified.

1 (actually 2) of my all-time favorites, below. The lyrics are amazing.

El que tenga una canción tendrá tormenta
El que tenga compañía, soledad.
El que siga un buen camino tendrá sillas
Peligrosas que lo inviten a parar.

Silvio Rodriguez - A Dónde Van? y Historia de las Sillas


Besos.
Y saltitos de colores.

10, 9, 8...

What a better way to start the new year than with the celebration of a miracle? That's right, folks. I know it's hard to say, I had to practice every syllable in front of the mirror and convince myself that it was true - but Miguel has actually graduated. What?! But he was in the 9 year program, people say. But he attended UCF, or rather, U Can't Finish. But he was so happy taking the ever impressive 4 semester hours per year. But not everyone looks good in a black robe! Well, there he is, surrounded by family members with smiles so big that they were just waiting for someone to say, April Fools, Just Kidding, gotta run to class! The big countdown this year wasn't for New Years, it was for his final grades just a couple of weeks ago, the deciding factor of, not just his future, but his mother's health, given that no one was going to withstand another year of, "Ooooh, not good. Gotta take one more semester." Congrats, Miguel. Honestly, we didn't think you'd make it, but we're so happy you did!

I have to admit that after spending just about every New Years in Buenos Aires, this one was pretty uneventful. I was home early enough for my insomnia to kick in and drive me to turn on my computer. Insomnia on New Years? Yeah, I didn't think it was possible either. Oh, what I did get out of it - well Odile is bringing me my SICCUS when she comes back, and I met someone who can play it well and help me learn... Whoo whooo! Should go well with my neighbors' constant yelps and happy music. Happy New Year!

Besos.