Monday, August 31, 2009

Review: "P.S I love you"



"P.S I love you" is an American drama, directed by Richard Lagravenese. It is set in the lower east side of Manhattan. The main characters are Holly, played by Hilary Swank, and Gerry, played by Gerard Butter.





In the film, they are a happily married couple. The story begins with a dramatic climax when Gerry is diagnosed a terminal brain tumor. Knowing he only has a short time to live, Gerry writes Holly a series of letter that will help her cope with grief and will accompany her in her new future. Besides, he always sings off each letter with the phrase: "P.S I love you"

Despite the fact that Holly's mother and friends think these humorous messages are keeping Holly bound to the past, the truth is that she learns to enjoy life again after the death of her husband.

This is definitely a chick flick that will make you not only cry but also laugh. Gerard was excellent in his part and Hilary did a fine job as well. She makes you feel her pain. Her acting is outstanding. You shold definitely see it!





In my personal opinion it is the best romantic comedy in a very long time because of its originality and the touching story.





Florencia Di Martino

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Singapore!!!

I chose an article about Singapore, in which the author explains that this place has a stunning landscape which can take your breath away. Every block has trees and flowers, and the island's entire east coast is a string of parks and beaches.

No litter mars a walk through Singapore's streets, because a litterbug must pay a fine and undergo counselling.

People who live in Singapore believe taht the government loves to make rules. The walls of buildings are plastered with rules, telling people what they can't do and how much they have to pay if they dare to try it. The fines represent considerably more than a slap on the wrist, and they're enforced often enough to make miscreants think twice.

To conclude, the Prime Minister was interviewed about the rules and fines in Singapore and said that he hope to move into a position where people don't need to have all those fines put up.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Sedentary Life!

I looked for an article and it is about the effects of sedentary life on people´s health.
When people are inactive they can get older genetically faster. A recent study has proved that people who were physically active appeared biologically younger than sedentary ones.
Telomeres, that are key pieces of D.N.A., can get reduced more quickly in inactive people causing faster cellular ageing.
Beside, people doing regular exercise have less probabilities of suffering from cardiovascular deseases, diabetes and cancer.
People´s telomeres become shorter while getting older. Cells are more susceptible to damage and death but if a person is active the telomeres last longer in the D.N.A.
It is advisable to do about two hundred minutes a week of physical activities such as running, tennis or aerobics.
Furthemore, active people under high levels of stress can reduce its impact and damage better and faster.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

This is a writing prompt

Some direction for those easing back into the blogging world after a long winter break!

Step 1) Comment on one of the two August posts (found directly below this one!).

Respond with a few sentences or a chain of paragraphs—just click on the comment link at the bottom of the post and write whatever floats your boat (that’s whatever you desire or feel like typing).

Step 2) Create your own post! (Seek me out if you need assistance).

Here are a few ideas to inspire you. Pick one and write about it, or come up with a topic of your own. Either way, your published post should include a title and a body of text with a minimum of two paragraphs. See me if you have any questions or if you want me to read over your composition before you click “publish post.”

A few ideas to help get you started:

Write a Review—Have you seen any movies recently? Eaten in any nice (or not so nice) restaurants? Tell me about it. Describe a movie/restaurant/book/music/hotel, describe its positive and negative points, and write whether or not you would recommend it.

Write about the News—Has something interesting happened in Rosario (or anywhere in the world) recently? Do you have a strong opinion on a current event? Write about it!

Tell a Story—Did something funny or exciting happen to you or a friend over the break? Do you have something you’re really looking forward to in the future (for instance, the Argentina-Brazil game?) Tell me all about it, whatever it is.

So there you have it. Still stuck for ideas? Talk through possible options with a friend or seek me out for assistance. Remember, this is a chance to practice your writing, relax, and have fun. No need to stress.

Alsooo! The next time you find yourself browsing the internet, don’t forget to return to this blog! Read some of your classmates’ posts and comment on the ones that move you. I will be reading and commenting on all of your posts, in case that motivates you in any way. So go for it!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Bagels & more


If you weren’t in Language II today, you missed a bagel party. Plain and cinnamon raisin, with cream cheese and all. Here’s a picture of a variety of bagels so you know what you could have had (just rubbing it in—I’ll bring them again. As long as they’re fresh). You can order your own (24 hours in advance) and have them delivered to you in Buenos Aires by checking out http://elbagelazo.blogspot.com/. Sooo close to the real thing without traveling back to the States.

As promised, here’s a link to investigate Fulbright opportunities for Argentines: http://www.fulbright.edu.ar/esp/becas_1_3.asp. That should bring you directly to a page which outlines the language assistant scholarship program (the reverse of mine! Note: you will be a Spanish language assistant). Look around the site to learn about specific requirements, scholarship duration, application requirements and who to contact and when. Let me know what you find out. I’d be happy to help you work on the application when it comes time.

That's all for now, or at least until I receive a sign that someone is reading (hint hint)! In any case, it was so nice to see some of you today! It's good to be back.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Anyone out there??

Chicos! How’s it goin? It’s been so long since I’ve seen you (well, most of you)! I hope that your hard work is paying off and that you’re able to strike a healthy balance between studying hard and relaxing during such an intense exam period. I’d love to hear how you’re doing and what you’ve been up to over the past month. You can wait until we return to classes… or you can write to me here! (Which would obviously thrill me, as you can guess). Also, let me know if you need help or just want to get back into the swing of things by practicing English. Avisame!

I thought I’d leave you with a picture from my July journey to the north. I took advantage of the school closings and winter break to explore Tucuman, Salta, Jujuy and Iguazu. This picture shows my friend Fareed and me running through the salt fields of Salinas Grandes. We rented a car (along with my boyfriend, Andrew, and Fareed’s sister, Sheeva) to drive through Salta and Jujuy and stop at the towns of Humahuaca, Tilcara and Pumamarca. Quite a dangerous drive full of twists and turns along the curves of the mountains (and of course the occasional horse and cow blocking the way), but the view was—to say the least—incredible. The rest of the trip involved bike rides to wineries and cheese factories, wine ice cream, humita en plato AND chala, folklore dancing, a hike to cave drawings, 3 different gargantas del diablo, and, well, you’ll have to wait to hear more.

In the meantime, write to me! Tell me what’s new. Can’t wait to see you again!