2017 - WHAT WILL THIS YEAR BRING?

2016 HAS BEEN LIKE RIDING A ROLLER COASTER.

WE KNEW FOR SURE THAT
THERE WOULD BE OLYMPICS IN RIO,
AN EXTRA DAY IN FEBRUARY,
AND THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE BARD AND CERVANTES.

WE DIDN'T KNOW A RUG-WEARING DUCK WOULD SHATTER OUR EXPECTATIONS.
SERIOUSLY. KEPT OUR FINGERS CROSSED FOR HILLARY... THEN. WHAM.
OR THAT WE'D LOSE A BLACK STAR, A HEFTY BUD, A SCHOLAR IN THE NAME OF THE ROSE, A YOUNG GUN, PRINCESS LEIA... FOREVER.
VALAR MORGHULIS.

WHAT NEXT?
FROM THE FIRE MONKEY TO...

THE FIRE ROOSTER,

WHICH IS ALSO (CONVENIENTLY) A POKÉMON (BLAZIKEN).

THIS YEAR 2017 WILL BRING:
THE CENTENNIAL OF SPANISH CHILDREN'S POET GLORIA FUERTES
AND OF THE APPARITIONS OF OUR LADY OF FÁTIMA.
ASIDE FROM TRACY CHEVALIER'S PRIMARY-SCHOOL OTHELLO,
THE LIVE-ACTION BEAUTY AND THE BEAST MUSICAL,
AND (MAYBE?) THE WINDS OF WINTER (FINGERS STILL CROSSED).
GODS KNOW WHAT ELSE...

MAYBE THIS CARD SPREAD WILL SHED SOME LIGHT.

XMAS 2016 -- THINGS TO DO

1) Make a wish for the fourth book of the Waterfire Saga (I've got the third book in German, which I got in Warnemünde, and I will soon write a review; including Destrid shipping [My Waterfire OTP], more info on Astrid's lesser-known comrades, Astrid getting into serious trouble --we're talking the Stark kind of family issues--, Ondalinian geography and culture, Ondalinians speaking Swedish and German... Gaaawds, I should type my review for Book 3 sometime around here) to come to me.
2) Finish up my FutureLearn courses (on moons, histology, abdominal anatomy, and the Great War).
3) Write more posts in Spanish, Catalan, and Swedish.
4) Something something yadda yadda fourth centennial yadda yadda...  ***inintelligible***
5) Will there be a Westeros fairytale this Christmas, as usual? Maybe, maybe not.

OBLIVION - SHAKESPEARE IN 8 MINUTES

Even Italian parody musical troupe Oblivion has hopped on the Bard's 4th Centennial bandwagon.
And the result is both redoubtable and hilarious, like any other Oblivion affectionate parody musical.
From Romeo drinking strychnine, to Desdemona stifled by her husband, to Lady M. washing the indelible bloodstains off her hands, to yandere Ophelia plunging into the lake, to Julius Caesar stabbed by the Senate XXIII times, to Cleopatra putting a sacred cobra to her --ehm-- bosom... Oblivion has served us the highlights of Shakespearean tragedy, brilliantly and tongue firmly in cheek as always, on a platinum platter:

CERVANTES - LEFTIES/ZURDOS

NOTA BENE: The man who wrote this play lost his sinister hand in battle (fortunately, like 90% of the human population across the ages, he was right-handed, and thus, his works are known and praised in our days).
In the early modern period, lefties were seen as literally sinister. Forced to use their right hand by their elders and the establishment, they were more likely to be accused of heresy, sorcery, freethought, and other such crimes against the Truth.

CAÑIZARES. Pues ¿no quiere vuesa merced que me pudra y me haga una ponzoña y cruel polilla, si este es un hombre que trae por los caniculares chinelas, y la espada a zurdas?
DOCTOR. Pues ¿que se le da a vuesa merced que el otro traiga la espada a zurdas, ni por los caniculares chinelas?
CAÑIZARES. Pues ¿no se me ha de dar, pesi a mí, si envían a este hombre por gobernador de unos de los mejores lugares desta tierra?
DOCTOR. Ya yo entiendo su pudrición de vuesa merced, y es que pretende vuesa merced el mismo oficio.
CAÑIZARES. ¿Cómo pretender? Ni por pensamiento me ha pasado en toda mi vida; sino sólo me pudro de ver aquellos que han de ser gobernados por la mano deste hombre, que en tal tiempo trae chinelas, que mal podrá despachar los negocios con brevedad; y si es zurdo, no podrá hacer cosa a derechas.