Sorry for Sinking Your Ship

I wonder why the human race wasn’t reduced to ashes a long time ago. We are so ferocious, so incapable of forgiving; we are mad dogs with an elephant’s memory.

What if the US had decided to place hundreds of nuclear bombs wherever there were conflicts… What would be left? The US? What’s the use of subjugating people that way, if there will be no people left after the attack? No people, no plants, no animals, except for a bunch of cockroaches and indelible pictures of those who stood before the walls. Were YOU fighting to keep the cockroaches?

I despise patriotism. It’s such a harmful idea, that of thinking it’s a good deed to protect a spoonful of earth which represents this idea, and this idea, and this idea… Politicians fight for their ever-so-abstract ideals, for the stupid piece of earth they fell on when they were dropped from a womb, thinking it’s worthy enough to die for it. Too bad they’re NOT the ones who end up dying.

People used to say Japanese soldiers in the Pacific War were so loyal to the Emperor, their last words were dedicated to him.

Minori told me the story of a soldier who was about to die in the field. The last words he uttered were “Okasan, okasan…”

(“Mother, mother…”)

Where are the tears,

Little boy,

Of your pearl-shiny

Almonds?

This is something I wrote while I lived in Iowa. I find it strange that it’s not written anywhere, but it remains in my memory as a sweet treasure.

Ah, nostalgia…

Ultimate Boredom

So yeah, I’m so bored I’m going to answer a long quiz about myself, whether you like it or not. Hey everybody, I know you NEVER read this website, so what the heck!

Full Name: Laura Camila Acosta Amín / Olavia Kite

Nicknames: Laurita, Lauri, Lars, Acosta Sensei, Lau, Lauchan

Age: 19

Birthday: July 5

Astrological Sign: Cancer

Chinese Zodiac Sign: Rat, last time I checked

Pets: None, I’m allergic to dog/cat hair. I used to have an insect-eating plant, though. Her name was Molly. I also had this bird, Tallahassee, but she died and I didn’t notice.

Height: officially, 1.67m.

Weight: around 60kg

Eye Color: dark brown

Hair: very very dark brown, some people call it black

Piercing: one on each earlobe

Tattoos: None!!!!!

Favorite Color: green/blue/purple/certain shades of pink & red

Birthplace: Bogotá, Colombia

Been in love: Hai

Been to Europe: nope

Been toilet papering: nope

Been toliet papered: nope

Loved somebody some much it made you cry: Love is not supposed to make you cry… but certain circumstances actually make you do so, so yeah

Been in a car crash: yeah, in front of an all-boys’ school. Very embarrassing.

Color of socks: right now? blue with an orange fishie

Favorite Number: 4 & 7

Movie: TRON, Shrek, Star Wars (the original trilogy, specially), Spirited Away

Food: Japanese, Arabian, Colombian (mainly from the Atlantic coast)

Days of the week: I don’t care right now

TV Shows: that top ten they do on People & Arts, Technopolis, Futurama, Daria… oh and those cute independent short animations they have on Locomotion

Toothpaste: Colgate, oh and this lemon-mint Close-Up, it tasted like Ricola!

Favorite flower: magnolia, or almost any other flower

Sport to watch: olympic gymnastics

Fast Food Restaurant: none; that crappy food messes up my stomach

Favorite drink: any juice is more than fine

What color is your bedroom carpet?: white

Where do you see yourself in ten years?: Uh… in Japan?

What do you do when you’re bored?: THIS

Friend who lives the farthest away: in this very moment, Takizawa Kotaro and Kamakshi Mubarak

Most annoying thing?: right now, the cold weather and some people’s attitude

Best thing: sunny days

Bedtime: like 2am

What book are you reading now?: Un Uomo, by Oriana Fallaci (the Spanish translated version, though)

What’s on your mousepad?: the mouse, of course

Favorite board game?: Othello

Favorite magazine?: Muy Interesante

Favorite smell?: the smell of good food!!!

Least favorite smell?: most of them

Worst feeling in the world?: disappointment & impotence (you know, like the world is crumbling and you can’t do ANYTHING about it!?)

What is the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?: “What time is it?”

Do you type with your fingers on the right keys?: Oh yeah!

How many rings before you answer the phone?: one or two

What is the most important thing in life?: knowledge

Storms, scary or cool?: Cool if they don’t happen in Iowa

Do you like to drive fast?: NO

Is the glass half empty or half full?: it’s got water, that’s all that matters

What’s under your bed?: my Beatles Anthology book

If you could meet one person in the world, who would it be?: like for the first time? uh… uh… uh… I’m not that eager to meet people. Let’s say Honda Yu.

Coffee/ice cream?: sometimes coffee, sometimes ice cream!

Chocolate/Vanilla?: chocolate, definitely

Blanket/Stuffed Animal?: stuffed animal, I guess

Silver/gold?: both of them look nice

Tobacco/alcohol?: THEY BOTH SUCK

Coke/Pepsi?: Pepsi, Coke is too sweet

Love/Social Live?: LOVE is ALL YOU NEED!

Do you think you have a lot of friends?: FRIENDS are something I quite don’t have in this country

Are you outgoing?: not really

Are you fun?: depends on who’s asking… in Colombian recently-turned-adult terms, I’m the personification of Boredom

Do you consider yourself better than other people?: sometimes it’s nice to feel on top of the world

Are you popular?: like NO!

Flirty?: nah

Pretty?: you mean commercially pretty? no, not at all

Do people tell you you’re pretty?: HAHAHAHAHAHA you wish!

Who are you crushing on?: crushes are for suckers

How are have you gone?: uh?

Are you negative?: I think so

Hobbies…

Do you attend church?: not anymore

Do you like being around people?: let me reverse the question: do people like being around ME?

Last person you kissed?: my father when he arrived from work, some hours ago

Last thing you said?: “Hasta mañana, Papito!” … my father went up to sleep

Last person you talked to?: my father.

Last person you talked to on the phone?: my sister.

Last person you talked to online?: Minori

Last person you hugged?: can’t remember if it was my father or my mother

Last person you got an email from?: Minori

Who…

Do you argue with the most?: my sister, but it’s typical sister fight. I absolutely LOVE her!

Do you always get along with?: my maternal grandpa!

Is the most trustworthy?: pretty much all of my close relatives

Makes you laugh the most?: my sister!!!

Has the coolest parents?: me!!!

Has the coolest siblings?: me!!!

Is the smartest?: me!!! hahahahaha

In the last 24 hours have you…

Cried?: nah

Been kissed?: on the cheek, yes of course

Felt stupid?: a little

Wanted to tell someone you loved them, but didn’t?: nope

Talked to an ex?: NO

Missed an ex?: like NO NO and NO!!

Talked to someone you have a crush on?: crushes are for suckers who want to suffer

Had a serious talk?: oh yeah

Missed someone?: Of course!!!

Hugged someone?: I think so, yeah

[Spell your first name backwards]: nimA atsocA alimaC aruaL / etiK aivalO

[The story behind your email address]: all of them? it’d be too boring. Okay, one of them: I used to be kind of infatuated with stars, especially with a small group in the Taurus constellation. At that time I was learning Portuguese, so… yeah, that’s how it goes.

Describe your…

Shoes: I’ve got a lot, baby hahahahaha

Favorite Pants: my Abercrombie & Fitch red corduroy pants

CD in stereo right now: lots of Michelle Branch mp3 files

What are you wearing right now: my baggy blue pants, red turtleneck, blue jacket, multicolored shawl

In my mouth: teeth, tongue, and saliva

Wishing: I could go road tripping with Minori and Kotaro again

After this: finish talking to Minori and get a good night’s sleep!

Talking to: Minori!

Some of your favorite movies: TRON, Shrek

Something you’re looking forward to in the upcoming months: University!!!!!!!!!

4 words that sum you up: LAURA CAMILA ACOSTA AMÍN

Las cinco del viernes

1) ¿Te vas de vacaciones este año?¿Dónde?

Tuve ya unas larguísimas vacaciones en Dubuque, Iowa, así que no creo que vaya a salir de nuevo hasta dentro de mucho tiempo.

2) ¿Aprovechas las vacaciones para leer? Si es así, ¿que libros vas a leer este verano?

Estoy terminando Un hombre, de Oriana Fallaci. Me gusta leer todo el tiempo, aunque no lo hice mientras estuve en Dubuque, no sé por qué.

3) ¿Te reunes en vacaciones con familiares y amigos que no ves durante el resto del año o por el contrario, te escapas de los conocidos?

A la familia siempre es grato verla, no desaprovechamos oportunidad para reunirnos. La frecuencia de reuniones no varía de acuerdo al calendario laboral.

Los amigos –o más bien las amigas del colegio– son totalmente impredecibles, y el hecho de no haberlas visto hacía un año no fue suficiente para que al menos fueran amables. Voy a dedicar una entrada del diario a ellas, mis amigas que cambian de actitud como una función senoidal.

4) ¿Cuál es tu plan preferido para perder el tiempo?

Sentarme frente al computador y leer blogs.

5) ¿Si el dinero no fuera problema, cómo disfrutarías 15 días de vacaciones?

Me iría por toda California con Minori, o lo visitaría en Japón.