DITCH YOUR PHONE AND START READING!

The amazing benefits of reading

Good morning my fellow bloggers,

I know it has been a long time since I last wrote something, but I have been busy and, let’s just say…life happened! However, although busy, I was able to dedicate some of my spare time to reading. Some of the stuff I read was so inspiring that it got me thinking, so I have decided to dedicate one full post to the reading experience. Not sure what your opinion is on this, but books can definitely enrich both mind and soul.

In fact, recently, I got so hooked on reading that I’m in the process of finish reading four books this month: one in Spanish, two in Italian and, only today I finished one in English. To me, reading is a free ticket to new, wonderful worlds where your imagination can ride wildly whilst giving you the opportunity to be creative. You are free to use your imagination when flipping through the pages and it helps you reflect. I have read on the “Healthline” website (https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books) that reading, apart from the fact that it makes you naturally more knowledgeable, can be used as a form of relaxation. Sometimes, I also think of it as a sort of meditation technique, don’t you agree?  Reading is culture – it stimulates your sense of curiosity and can elevate your speaking.

And if you are planning to learn or improve a foreign language (like I am), reading in a foreign language can certainly help expand your vocabulary whilst improving your grammar.

One of the books I’m currently reading is called “Pariremos con placer” by Casilda Rodrigañez and it is about the physiology of the uterus and its key role in female sexuality; Sorry, the book is in Spanish and as there isn’t a translated version of it, I can alternatively recommend you “Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth” by Ina May Gaskin which has got a similar content.

Not sure about you, but I’m really into spirituality and if you are into this topic as well another book I recommend is “La vita che sei” by Barbara Pozzo. It highlights the importance of living with joy and our connection with the Universe and our soul. Same here, no English translation, but I can recommend you a book with the same or similar content: “Good vibes, good life” by Vex King. The third book is the Italian version of “Supernatural” by Joe Dispenza (same title in English) and talks about being “supernatural” through our conscious thoughts and actions.

Finally, ” Big magic” by Elizabeth Gilbert is about living life with positivity and finding the magic in it, this is achievable by letting our conscience look for the magic in the small things in our everyday life. This last book gives emphasis on creativity and explains how we can use it in every single moment. Very Inspiring!  As I am a kind of spiritual person, connected to my soul and the Universe, I highly recommend them because they take you away from the reality.

Thus, my fellow bloggers let’s set time aside to read. I personally think children should be more encouraged to do so. Parents should be stricter about it instead of allowing their kids to waste all their time on phones and video games. Technology should not be used or “abused” at such an early stage in children’s life because it damages their brains and makes them more passive.

What are you currently reading? Anything interesting? Feel free to share with me your favorite books and any highlights of your reading experience.

Sharing is caring 🙂

gregoracetranslationsLeave a comment

You have to read this!

Hello everyone!

Still in lockdown? Here in Norway, we still are 😦

There are a lot of things we could do at home, but one thing I adore is to pick up a nice book to read. What about you?

Lately I have been reading books about the philosophy of life which makes me see things more rationally and positively. This way of thinking helps a lot especially if you are going through some hard times.

The book I would like to mention to you today tells the story of a woman, with three children, struggling to juggle her everyday responsibilities as both a wife and a mother. Throughout the story, which is written in the form of a diary, we witness her attempt to improve intimacy with her husband, regrettably in vain. The events unfold as we go through the main character’s reflections and as we flip through the pages, we are reeled into her world and feelings which make the book more realistic. What I liked the most was her spontaneity in telling the events and her way of showing her real identity through her thoughts, which are the essence of this story. Her name is Paz and the title of the book is “Mama’ en busca del polvo perdido” (English: Mom in search of lost sex) by Jessica Gomez, a Spanish author.

First, I would like to share with you the news that I am part of two groups of Spanish women who talk about female sexuality and the period. During our meetings, we can speak freely about all sorts of things that revolve around the intimate phases of our life. The groups’ names are “Sex community” & “Mis 4 lunas” (My 4 moons), and sometimes our leaders suggest us reading  a book as homework.

Here below, you’ll find a paragraph of the book I chose to read, and this is the part I want to share with you. This way, you may have a better idea of the content in case you are looking for similar books to read. 😊

Source

MONDAY,

January 13th.

You ask when did everything start? I wouldn’t know when.

Well, doing a quick review of my memory, going back to the movie of my life, I would first stop on the moment when, sitting at the kitchen table, a couple of years ago, I was shocked when I saw the positive pregnancy test of my third child. Or rewinding a bit more, I would stop at another moment, seven years before, when I got paralyzed and speechless for more than half an hour while I was looking at the positive pregnancy test of my middle daughter. At that time, I was sitting on the couch. If I turn back a little more, I can stop the movie at the moment when my oldest son was born, ten years ago, and I see myself there: exhausted but smiling with a baby in my arms. And a bit before that, seeing the happiness of a positive pregnancy test, and a bit earlier when Didier and I decided to be parents.

And now that we are at this point, I could go back to the day when we went to live together, to the day when we met each other, to the first time that I got the period or to the exact moment inside of the uterus of my mother where my double X decided to give me functional ovaries.

But let’s not try to look for the guilty.

Are you asking me when it all started? I suppose that, by being practical- my mom, that woman, able to put lacquer on that carded hair for half an hour, already told me that: ” Daughter, you must be practical”-, I could say that the massacre was unleashed eleven days ago. And the thing happened as follows.

It was the 2nd of January, a fateful Thursday. Well, to be honest, it was a normal Thursday, but I have always wanted to begin a story by saying that it was a fateful day because it looks very professional. As I was saying, it was Thursday, the 2nd, and I still had the remains of the New Year’s Eve dinner rolling around the living room table. They were consistent especially in grape seeds that did not stop appearing glued everywhere with pieces of nougat well sucked by someone- nobody knew by whom-; with the feeling of sadness to throw it away even if it sucked to eat it, but my strategy was to leave them there till the dog could “accidentally” eat them or, in their case, they could have their own life and you could throw them away without any remorse.

(…)

How does it sound to you? I hope you’ll get a chance to read it whether in Spanish or in English. I’ll leave here below the links in case you are interested:

mamá En Busca Del Polvo perdido: Amazon.es: Gómez, Jessica: Libros

Also you can search for Ana Galvez Rodriguez and Laura Solas Fernandez on Facebook and Instagram 🙂 if you want to learn more about their interesting female world 🙂

Ana Gálvez Rodríguez | Facebook

Laura Solas Fernandez | Facebook

HAPPY READING!

Source

gregoracetranslationsLeave a comment

PAPARAZZI

Hello everyone!

One year has passed since Covid-19 and it is still ruling over our lives like day one. Allow me to say that we all have reached a point where we no longer know what we want and live our lives blindly in the hope to figure something out eventually…

I know it has been a while since my last post, but here I am with this new content that got inspired from a random evening with friends and our conversation about “paparazzi phenomenon.”

The word “paparazzi” reminded me of “papera” (duck in Italian) said in a derogatory way and due to its annoying and repetitive sound, I could relate it to the clicks of the cameras. I shared this thought with my friends who went and look for the etymology online. Mr. Google quickly revealed that the word comes from the epic Italian film, Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita,” and its photographer character, whose name is Paparazzo.

My curiosity did not stop there. I continued to look into it and found out that this word could come from “paparazze“- giant clams sighted on the coast of Croatia in the Adriatic Sea and according to an online article “they bring the snap of the shells closer to that of the camera shutter.” How funny!

Another theory presented by Fellini’s wife Giulietta Masina suggests that Paparazzi hails from Italian word pappataci (mosquitos) to indicate an annoying, blood-sucking sand-fly.

As you can see there’s not an official theory that confirms the origin of this word, however, I do believe that it came from the name of a character in Fellini’s film La Dolce Vita released in 1960s.

I love learning new things, so if you know any other theory that you wish to share, by all means, go ahead. You know what they say: develop a passion to learning and you’ll never stop to grow.

 I wish you all a nice week, stay safe and let’s stay connected 😊

Source

gregoracetranslationsLeave a comment

CORONA NEW VOCABULARY

Good morning, everyone, and happy New Year once again!

As we find ourselves still in the midst of this ongoing lockdown season, it feels as though time has stood still. I understand that it’s a challenging time for us all, but let’s continue to remain strong and hold onto hope.

While we may not be able to return to our normal routines just yet, perhaps we can view this period as an opportunity to truly appreciate life and its simple joys. What do you think?

Today, I want to explore how the meaning of certain words has shifted during this time. Have you noticed it too? Words that once held positive connotations now carry a different weight in light of the pandemic.

For instance, we used to praise positivity, but now being around a “positive” person can be risky due to the potential for infection. Even something as fundamental as human touch has taken on a different meaning, as we navigate the necessity of social distancing.

Words like “quarantine,” “restrictions,” “closed,” “ambulance,” “hospital,” “vaccine,” “infected,” and “dead” have become a part of our daily vocabulary, evoking feelings of stress, depression, and anxiety.

However, amidst these challenging times, there are words that continue to offer hope and strength. While they may be familiar, let’s not overlook their significance:

“Home,” “family,” “Earth,” “savings,” “love,” “hugs,” “health,” and many more. Let’s hold onto these words, as they can serve as sources of motivation in our daily lives.

Perhaps the most important word right now is “patience.” We must remain patient as we wait for better days ahead and approach this situation with a positive mindset. Additionally, let’s not forget the importance of gratitude. Despite the difficulties, we can be grateful for what we have, including the ability to connect with loved ones through social media.

My heart goes out to those who have lost loved ones or livelihoods due to this virus. Know that you are not alone, and I stand with you during these challenging times. Personally, I am grateful for my health, my family, and the everyday comforts that I have.

Let’s continue to hold onto hope and strive for a better future.

Good luck to each and every one of you!

Source

gregoracetranslations2 Comments

UNFORGETTABLE CHRISTMAS!

Hey everyone,

I won’t be talking about languages or cool cultures today. Instead, I want to send positive vibes your way and wish you all the best for the future, especially after everything we’ve been through!

Let’s spread love, help one another, and most importantly, share with each other.
Kind and gentle words have so much power, so let’s use them.

Stay safe and cherish the little things in life!


MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
BUON NATALE E FELICE ANNO NUOVO
FELIZ NAVIDAD Y FELIZ AÑO NUEVO
FELIZ NATAL E FELIZ ANO NOVO
GOD JUL OG GODT NYTTÅR
Federica
Gregorace Translations

gregoracetranslationsLeave a comment