Monthly Archives: February 2007

Unfortunately

Unfortunately, I am a much better public speaker than I am a lawyer. Unfortunately, I am not THAT funny and surely not funny enough to make a living doing stand-up. Unfortunately, what I really love to do most is to find ways to express myself through words (public speaking or writing), but I am only pleasant to read or listen to in small doses. Unfortunately, I am fairly shy one on one, but very outgoing when in front of a crowd. Unfortunately, orgies aren’t my thing. Unfortunately, at my age, I still quite haven’t found a place professionally to fully satisfy my “expressive” needs. But, fortunately, I do have a place where I am building something with others and having some fun.

Soon to come are the videos from the FON One Year Anniversary Party, where as seen in the picture (thanks to Teo), I was able to moderate and do a little public speaking. Unfortunately, I am definitely not photogenic and end up looking more of a blurry geek, poser than what I really am.

2 Comments

Filed under Digressions, FON

Another Failed Attempt

A friend and co-worker at FON, (who I will not name) is one of the nicest guys I know. He is also very mature and intelligent for his age, and has a position of considerable importance in the company. But, no matter how hard he tries, he just can’t quite seal the deal.

We have callled many emergency sessions to discuss strategic planning, and yet it is all to no avail. Even Tuesday night at FON’s One Year Anniversary Party where he appeared to have more options than anyone else on the guest list, he returned home empty-handed. My immediate diagnosis would be that he is an “enamoradizo” that distracts him from focusing. Consequenly, I dedicate this classic Beatles’ tune . . .

3 Comments

Filed under FON, Friends / Family

Medina Flight

I just ran across this excellent video that takes the viewer through the medinas of Fez and Marrakech.

1 Comment

Filed under Digressions

Hace ya un año desde que nos fuimos de camping

Hace ya un año desde aquel famoso fin de semana que pasamos de camping en Alcobendas. Fueron tres noches que pasamos hasta las 5 y pico de la mañana en el salón de reuniones de las oficinas de FON para preparar el lanzamiento de nuestra página web y anunciar que FON había recibido unos 18€ milliones de Google, Skype, Index Ventures y Sequoia Capital.

En aquel finde histórico, aún éramos muy pocos: Diego C, Berga, Cobra, Mayte, Guillermo, Joan, Teo, Iurgi y yo. El domingo vinieron a echarnos una mano Martha, los dos Antonios, y Karissa. ¡Que tiempos aquellos! Ahora somos casi 100 empleados en total.

Esta noche hay una fiesta en el Teatro Lara para celebrar el aniversario, y algunos de nosotros los celebraremos de forma muy especial, recordando aquella tienda de campamento en Alcobendas y las siestas echadas de bajo de la mesa de reuniones.

3 Comments

Filed under FON

Rose Superstar Back in Town, Again!

Ayer volvió Rose Superstar a Madrid por segunda vez en tres semanas.  Pero
en esta ocasión ha sido para jugar contra el Rivas Futura donde juega nuestra amiga Elsa. Y ¡vaya partidazo! Aunque el Barça nunca realmente perdió el control del partido, fue un encuentro emocionante donde el Barça ganó 72-83 y nuestra Rose Superstar anotó 15 puntos (12 de los cuales fueron triples) en una actuación brillante.

Después del partido nos fuimos Laura, Rose, Rocío, Fran, Alex, Elio y yo acompañados por Elsa, varias jugadoras del Rivas, Mijana del Barça y otras por ahi de marcha. No recuerdo la última vez que lo pasé tan tan bien, ni que hice tanto el ridiculo.

Leave a comment

Filed under Friends / Family, Rose Superstar

The Widening Gulf

This week’s Economist has an interesting article about the internal battle within the Muslim world between Sunnis and Shiites that is being taken advantage of by various political leaders. As I mentioned in an earlier post about Maalouf’s Samarakand, these tensions have a deep historical tradition. What is particularly curious is how the US, with its support for Sunni governments, toppled Sadam in favor of the Shiite interests in Iraq, inevitably giving rise to Iran’s geopolitical resurgence.

In any event, here is the article:

Continue reading

3 Comments

Filed under Essays

Balancing Words and Sound

Van Gogh: Gaugin's Chair

Since finishing The Idiot on January 2, I have since read Naguib Mahfouz’s Midaq Alley, Amin Maalouf’s Samarkand, Paul Bowles’ The Spider’s House, and The Last Friend, and on Tuesday night I began Amos Oz’s Fima. Yesterday, I just got a package from Amazon with two more books from Maalouf and another from Mahfouz.

Now, I am in a phase where I just can’t stop reading (mainly novels written by or about the Arab world). The problem is that I have trouble striking a balance between my passion for reading and my passion for music. And I can’t do both at the same time. When I listen to music, I can’t concentrate on reading. Furthermore, since Christmas, I have also purchased the following music:

Sam Rivers: Counters; Blue Mitchell: Things to Do; Carole King: Really Rosie; Dee Dee Warwick: I Want to Be with You; Terry Callier: Speak Your Peace; Johnny Cash: Walk the Line; Eric Dolphy: Out There, Last Date, and Outward Bound; Duke Ellington: Black, Brown and Beige, and Such Sweet Thunder; John Coltrane: The Complete Africa/Brass Sessions, The Complete 1961 Village Vanguard Sessions Live, and Coltrane Live at Birdland; The Jazz Renegades: Freedom Samba; and Charles Mingus: The Great Concert of Charles Mingus.

It’s difficult to take advantage of the investment in words and sound all at once, and yet I don’t have the patience to stop surfing Amazon.

3 Comments

Filed under Digressions, Jazz, Literature