As the year nears the end I feel it’s time to reflect upon what this year taught me and the good or not so good things that it brought me. Personally this was a year full of lessons for me, partly because I had to move in more than one occasion for reasons beyond my control, and also because I had a lot of free time and in my boredom I devoted long hours to reading and self-reflection. With respect to moving, I was not saddened by these events as I have learned that stability and security do not come from sitting still. Remaining stationary does not teach us anything about ourselves or our surroundings as our point of reference and hence view never changes. To truly understand the world and ourselves for that matter we need to constantly expand our horizons, to walk in the shoes of others, and to see the world through different eyes.
Throughout my short lifespan I have understood this very well. Some say that we are the senses of the universe and that the universe understands itself through us and other living creatures. If this is true then it makes sense that we can learn more about us by putting ourselves in the shoes of others and looking at things from different perspectives. After all, the universe is a system with constant feedback from us and we in turn receive feedback from it, the more that we change our reference point, the more feedback we get.
The year was also very fruitful and rewarding in other aspects of my life. I had the opportunity to spend time with my nieces and that in itself was the best thing I could have asked for this year. They are a great inspiration and a source of strength; they can turn any suffering into a big smile faster than light can reach my eyes and they also possess a great ability to empty my wallet too hehe. Besides my nieces, I can say it was a great year because my mother and my grandma were with me all the time, not to mention all my good friends and the not so good friends hahaha. I didn’t see my bro this year so that is something that was missing but hopefully next year he’ll be here for a long time.
This year also taught me that I love going to school. Why? You may ask, and the answer is that I love learning but I’m too lazy to do it on my own so school is a good way to force me to do so hehe.
This year was also very hard on many people; some lost their homes and many others their jobs due to a fragile economy and the greed of many others. However, I am confident that we all learned that greed delivers short term richness but prudence, common sense, and sharing with others deliver long term happiness.
I wish all of you a great Christmas and a happy New year and may we start the next year with a big smile.
This was a great weekend to watch football (soccer). On this side of the world we had the Mexican league’s final between Toluca and Cruz Azul. Toluca had previously won the away game 2-0 and had a comfortable lead. Cruz Azul needed to win by 2 goals to force the game into overtime and 3 to win the trophy. Across the Atlantic, Spain’s 2 biggest club and archrivals Real Madrid and Barcelona were playing the classic at the Nou Camp. Real Madrid was coming from a couple defeats and Barcelona from a minor loss in the Champions League due to the coach fielding mostly youngsters and substitutes. The first time however, was massacring pretty much every team they encountered. I watched both games while studying for my upcoming finals, for a soccer fan it would have been a sacrilege to miss these two games. So armed with my books and my laptop I set about on Saturday to enjoy the games and learn as much as I could before I forgot it all.
Cruz Azul forces the overtime but once again it walks away empty-handed
Sunday morning was the decisive day for these two teams. The first segment of the final had been played on Thursday with Toluca beating Cruz Azul 2-0. Cruz Azul played inconsistently throughout the regular season but in the liguilla they got their game together and dispatched all their opponents leaving the impression that this was their year after failing to lift the trophy last season when they lost to Santos. The first half of the game ended 0-0. Toluca maintained its lead and dominance while Cruz Azul was struggling to generate clear scoring opportunities and keep possession of the ball.
For the second half it was all or nothing, the entire season rested on 45 minutes. Despite the odds, they managed to score twice and with that they kept their aspirations alive. It was an intense game but no more goals would come.
It was time for the penalties. Some say it’s all about luck but I agree with those that say it’s about technique. Both teams scored the 5 penalties, something that doesn’t happen that often, and it was time for sudden death. Whoever misses goes home; there are no more second chances. By this time I had my money with Toluca. After seeing how in one penalty the ball hit the horizontal post and then bounced back in after hitting the goalie’s back, I knew that Toluca would take the glory. This is exactly what happened, Cristante stopped the penalty by Vela and with that the game was over. Toluca won the championship and Cruz Azul for the second time in a row walked away with nothing but the satisfaction of making it this far but with the regret of not being first.
Barcelona sinks Real even more and proves it’s the best team in Europe right now
Can anyone beat the Catalans? Apparently not. Real Madrid desperately needed to win in order to keep its title aspirations alive and keep a spot in next year’s Champions League. Barcelona on the other hand wanted some revenge for last year’s defeat to the merengues and to assert themselves as the number one team in Europe and possibly the world. The game started with Barcelona keeping possession of the ball and some good opportunities to score. It was clear that Madrid were more interested in avoiding a massacre than in attacking. Barcelona looked a bit anxious but always stronger than its rival. In the second half, Casillas stopped a penalty to Etoo. Up to that point no one had scored and it seemed as though Madrid were going to walk away undefeated but then Etoo scored along with Messi in the last 10 minutes of the game to seal a clear victory of 2-0. Barcelona is the absolute leader with 12 points of difference with respect to Real. Real moved down to the 6th position right below their other main rivals, Atlético Madrid. For Barcelona the league seems closer than ever, only a tragedy would derail them and deny them the trophy. Now they need to keep the excellent form and level of play they have been displaying and prove they are the best in the Champions League.
Cruz Azul first goal
Cruz Azul Second Goal
Penalties
Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Highlights
A few years ago it would have seemed implausible that the entire financial system of the world could be turned completely upside down. For years, Americans have wholeheartedly embraced the concept of credit. It seems as though for a while people actually believed money grew on trees. That’s the only logical explanation to the idea of borrow today and hopefully repay some day. But now that we have been given a reality check and a big slap in the face, we must cope with the situation and learn to save more, invest wisely, and use credit in a responsible manner.
As the holiday season approaches, it is becoming more evident that sales will suffer significantly. The purchasing power of many has been drastically scaled back, not by choice but rather but the current financial realities. This will undoubtedly be clear during the opening-presents time this Christmas as people will spend less time opening gifts than in previous years.
There is no reason to be happy for these terrible times, but it is unavoidable not to mention a positive byproduct of this crisis. Almost anyone would agree that the traditional meaning of the holidays has been severely diminished. Christmas used to be a time in which people would celebrate Jesus birthday, even if all they did was a mere reference to that, a time in which the family would get together to share fond memories, love, and be united. It used to be a joyful experience in which the least important thing was to buy expensive presents for everyone; Presents that sometimes would be inappropriate for the occasion, or simply disliked by the receiver.
This time around, presents will be relegated to a lower priority status, a place that is more fitting. The number one priority should be family and everything the word entails. However, this can also be an opportunity in which gifts can be bought or made with careful consideration and lots of love. The deciding factor when giving something should not be cost or status but rather how the present will help someone else or how it will make their day a little bit happier than the previous one. Here of course happiness is to be taken in a meaningful context and not the greedy type that comes from the pleasure of owning objects that are stylish and pricey; Gifts should make the soul happy.
Gifts as mentioned above pertain to a level of priority and importance below family but I am in no way against the idea of buying presents for people. In fact, buying is good as it creates jobs and helps the economy. However, I do stand against buying expensive gifts when people can’t afford them. There is no reason to go overboard when buying a present. We should give to the extent that our wallets can take it and not a cent more, even if it is a plastic cent. Those credit card purchases should be done if there will be funds to pay it in the near future and not 5 years later and at twice or more the original cost.
Gifts serve as a mere courtesy during the holidays; something that lets others know we thought of them and also something that can be fun. It is like the appetizer before the main meal and it should not be over emphasized. If you can afford it, then by all means buy it. This Christmas buy gifts you can afford and give the one thing that can’t be bought and that is underrated and almost completely ignored by everyone: “LOVE”.
