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All the texts and some pictures are Copyright by Maria L. Castejon 2007-2009.



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Schmap guides

November 21st, 2009 by Cornflakegirl

english spanish 

This picture has been chosen to be included in the new edition of the Schmap Prague guide. Although this picture is not the best one I’ve made, I’m very proud. I’m looking forward to seeing the new edition.

Posted in the place where I belong | 5 Comments »

Just a loaded gun

November 15th, 2009 by Cornflakegirl

english spanish 

Last Saturday, I attended the seminar Getting Published in CFC and it was very interesting. Some writer, publishers and agents came to talk about their “side” of the story and of course, gave some advised and opinions. They strongly indicated how important is the quality of the works but the remarked as well that writing is a craft but publishing is a business.

I went out with thounsand ideas in my head; wishing I could have the time to write them down but I was wondering why I was writing. If I put all the common anwers and the coolest ones on one side; I hardly know why. As Bukowski said once, if I stop writing, the rats would eat me from inside.

I´m scared of the silence and the void, I´m afraid I might lose my life noise and I wouldn´t get it back. In this nonsense waiting, I need the warmth of company of my fictions or should I say my own voice? I spent a lot of time searching until I found it and now, I just can´t lose it. I would be alone, surrounded by the rats.

Picture from suckatlife.com

Posted in Inner places | 4 Comments »

My Top-10: Irish writers

November 7th, 2009 by Cornflakegirl

english spanish 

I must confess that I’ve a soft spot for making lists for anything and I’ve realised that I didn’t include any in the blog so far. So I’ve made up my mind and I will write my Top 10. It’s true that Guillermo’s and Zhu’s post have been inspiring for it. Here it goes, my Top-10 of my favorite Irish writers.

  1. John Connolly.
    This Dubliner hook me up with his Charlie Parker’s saga. I’m reading the second book and I’m glad because I still have many of them pending to be read!
  2. Sammuel Beckett.
    Another dubliner who made me wait long time for Godot. And I still do.
  3. Garth Ennis.
    I know, he is a comic scriptwriter and he was born in Northern Ireland but I really loved his Preacher saga so, here he is.
  4. Oscar Wilde.
    Of course.
  5. George Bernard Shaw.
    Because of his articles and his black sense of humour. ok, fair enough, because of his Pygmalion as well.
  6. Lord Dunsany.
    I liked his short stories
  7. Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.
    Camilla. What else do I have to say?
  8. Bram Stoker.
    Any question about why he’s in the list?
  9. James Joyce.
    Although I only read his Ulysses and in Spanish, not in English, I don’t know if I would include him.
  10. Roddy Doyle
    Because of his Barrytown triology (The Commitments and The Snapper are two of them).

And what about you? Do you like any writer from your new (or not so new) country?

Posted in the place where I belong | 5 Comments »

Banks in Ireland

November 1st, 2009 by Cornflakegirl

english spanish 

When we arrived in Dublin, Miguel in 2005 and me in 2006; opening a bank account was the hardest and most difficult thing we faced at that time. Although we only needed a passport and any document to confirm the address like  PPS number letter(personal public service) ; it depends on the bank and on the branch in the end. In our case, they didn´t accept my PSS number letter (you can request your PPS number from a hostel or from a host family home or whenever but we requested from the studio where we were living). Even more, they didn´t accept our job contracts. After requesting many letters and other documents, they only accepted a tax certificate and we could open the bank accounts.

After more than three years, almost four, I´ve made up my mind and decided to change my accounts to a new bank because of the previous´bank products. They aren´t very good and I have to pay for account maintenance. I postponed the moment to search for a new bank because I didn´t want to face so many issues again. However, I couldn´t belive when I dropped by the new bank branch and it was very easy. No application was needed just fill two application form and the account was almost done! I wasn´t there, I wouldn´t believe it!

Even now I´m surprised how easyly it´s goin on!

Posted in the place where I belong | 6 Comments »