Discurso de aceptacion de Premio Nobel (Ernest Hemingway)

Hemingway consumido con su obra

Teniendo ninguna facilidad en el arte de discursos y ninguna maestria en el oratorio ni dominacion en retorica, deseo darle las gracias a los administradores de la generosidad de Alfred Nobel por este Premio.

Ningun escritor que conoce a los gran escritores que no recibieron el Premio puede aceptarlo sin nada mas que humilidad. No hay necesidad de mencionar a estos escritores. Todo el mundo puede crear su propia lista segun su sabiduria y conciencia.

Seria imposible pedirle al embajador de mi pais leer un discurso en que un escritor diga todas las cosas dentro de su corazon. Puede que las cosas no sean inmediatamente discernibles en lo que un hombre escriba, y en esto el algunas veces es afortunado; pero eventualmente son sumamente plenas y, a traves de estas y el grado de alquimia que el posee, el aguantara--o sera olvidado.

La escritura, en su mejoria, es una vida solitaria. Organizaciones de escritores plestan ayuda a la soledad del escritor, pero dudo que mejoren su escritura. El crece en estatura publica mientras sacude su soledad, y muchas veces su obra empeora. El hace su trabajo solo y, si el es un escritor realmente cumbre, tendra que asombrar la eternidad, o su falta, cada dia.

Para un escritor real cada libro debe ser un nuevo comienzo donde el intenta de nuevo algo que es inalcancable. El siempre debe intentar algo que nunca se ha hecho, o que otros han intentado y han fracasado. Luego algunas veces, con gran suerte, el sera exitoso.

Que simple seria la escritura de literatura si solamente fuera necesario escribir de otra manera lo que ya se ha escrito bien. Es porque hemos tenido tan buenos escritores en el pasado que un escritor es empujado mas alla de donde puede ir, donde ya nadie lo puede ayudar.

He hablado mucho por un escritor. Un escritor debe escribir lo que tiene que decir y no decirlo. De nuevo, les doy las gracias.

Give Him Credit

Tim Tebow tebowing. "Tebowing" has become a sensation all around the world

I’m not so sure how I feel about Tim Tebow the athlete; the quarterback with a viable NFL future. Not so sure if this kid has what it takes. Not sure than he can weather even a handful of seasons in the gritty sport. How I feel about him as a man, however, is an entirely different matter.

In the world of professional sports, where athletes mire their lives in controversy and are only role models strictly within the confines of the sport and not in their personal lives, where sexual improprieties, drug allegations, nightclub shootings, dog fighting scandals, gross mismanagement of money, and even recently in the case of former Washington Wizards guard Javaris Crittenton even murder hold sway, it is refreshing to finally see an athlete that conducts himself in a clean and upstanding way. Here’s someone that you can say is a positive role model in the full sense of the word, without having to make glaring exceptions of his personal character.

I’m sure Tim Tebow is not perfect; however, on the other hand, I’m all but sure he’ll never shame his way into the headlines by driving drunk and killing a pedestrian (Donte Stallworth), or choking and holding his wife at gunpoint (Allen Iverson). I’m pretty sure he’ll never shoot himself in the foot at a nightclub, like Plaxico Burress’ historically dumb blunder to end all dumb blunders. (He gives a whole new, LITERAL meaning to shooting yourself in the foot.)

Even Michael Jordan, who will always remain one of my favorite athletes and had a pretty clean cut image throughout his career, was known outside the court for his infidelities and gambling (he famously lost 1.2 million on the golf course in a gambling spree against Richard Esquinas). A ten-year-old can hang a poster of Tim Tebow on his bedroom wall without having to wince at a slew of tattoos and body ink that adorn his arms like barbed wire. Not that I have anything against tattoos (a tattoo can be classy, tasteful, and even meaningful), but how easily we forget that in American culture tattoos, especially when they cover 95% of your body, have traditionally symbolized gangs and prison life. Oh, and not to forget, lack of social upward mobility.

Again, Tim Tebow the athlete, I’m not so sure about. He may be around for a year or two, and permanently fall off the radar. But give him credit for taking his job as a role model and a source of inspiration to so many millions seriously. This alone makes me wish that he succeeds. At least if he does, I might proudly wear a Broncos jersey. Hell, at this point I might wear one even if he bombs.