Simple songs.. Serenade..

Isn't is interesting that such simple songs are so effective at communicating and encouraging that most complex of human emotions. Love... Singing is sharing my soul. Singing a simple song, allows me to share more, not less of myself. So the secret sauce is to love others and share that love through my singing. How about you?

Laws of Simplicity

Perhaps the solution to our economic problems today is to simply love and care for one another. One person at a time, one song at a time, one opportunity at a time. We can let God save the world, while we just care about our colleagues, family, neighbors, friends and the people we interact with each day. Love and beauty are true! Simple things are what matter from melody to money.

Springs in science.

In Friday's showing assembly we talked about springs and showed examples of the different kinds of springs there are to be found in everyday objects.We learnt that there are two main types of springs. Compression springs as used in biros and staplers, and extension springs as used in trampolines and Newton meters.

You are unique!!!

Over today's lunch, I went into a rather interesting discussion with one of my dear friends. It was about a very handsome, smart and charming person's inability to see how good that person really is. It sounds so strange right? That you can be all of those things and not realize it yourself. It is like you have the full right to feel so good about youself, but you don't. Because, you don't see what other people see in you. I believe that every person has something good in them, it is just that we have to learn to see that side and that uniqueness ourselves.

People can tell you that you are pretty, but that doesn't really matter in the end, does it? If you don't feel pretty within yourself, you will feel miserable, and if you feel miserable your life will become horrible, and then you will end up thinking of why you didn't see yourself as pretty, because then that life that just passed you by would have been worth living! So, please feel pretty and stay happy, and if someone does tell you that you're pretty...- Use it to boost your ego!

Someday, when I get the opportunity I am going to tell that handsome person how good he really is.

O quarto da Chris e o quarto do Rafa

Meninas, estou em Belo Horizonte. E qual não foi a minha surpresa quando vi o quarto dos meus primos.
A Chris tem 14 anos e adora tudo o que vem do Japão, principalmente a música. Participa de festivais, tem cosplay e é totalmente fascinada com o Kyo. O quarto não podia ser diferente, todo estilo japa:

Já o Rafinha tem 11 anos, e é o tipo adolescente precoce:

Achei superlegal duas coisas:

1- Eles mesmos decoraram seus quartos, com criatividade, e muita personalidade.

2 - Eles tiveram permissão pra isso!

Parabéns meninos, adorei!

O quarto da Chris e o quarto do Rafa

Meninas, estou em Belo Horizonte. E qual não foi a minha surpresa quando vi o quarto dos meus primos.
A Chris tem 14 anos e adora tudo o que vem do Japão, principalmente a música. Participa de festivais, tem cosplay e é totalmente fascinada com o Kyo. O quarto não podia ser diferente, todo estilo japa:

Já o Rafinha tem 11 anos, e é o tipo adolescente precoce:

Achei superlegal duas coisas:

1- Eles mesmos decoraram seus quartos, com criatividade, e muita personalidade.

2 - Eles tiveram permissão pra isso!

Parabéns meninos, adorei!

Say muuu to the word!

So, now we are in the year of the cow, representing solemn hard work and prosperity. Muuu, is what I have to say :P It did start pretty well, but it had a rather bad ending. Like, I mentioned we went out to eat at...Forno Romano (the weather didn't allow any long distance journey), and everything was really delicious and so on. However, my sis ordered some kind of salami pizza, which I considered to eat (lucky I didn't!). She ended up food poisoned, and puked the whole night...-.- I mean, what if I really had taken a pizza like that? Then I would lay so much behind in school! Since I've started the IB my life is like a poor factory worker in China - litteraly - everything is working out perfect, but it's completely dependent on my health, just like all of those other people...If just a small change interfers, everything becomes a mess. Nevertheless, she is becoming better...

Oh, and before I am off for my beauty sleep...some pictures from the beginning of 牛年

Sis - now I say "don't eat that, don't eat it! I'm serious!!!"

CNY's dress-for-success :)

Serenades in Richmond

You are cordially invited

to three upcoming Jeff Prillaman, tenor events right here in the Richmond region. I hope that you will consider making the time to attend one (or even all ;-) of these concerts and that you know how much it would mean for me to see you in the audience. If you do come, please be sure to stay and say Hi after the concert. I would be honored to talk with you and hear your reaction to the programs and the cultural ideas we explored.

Hope to see you soon & Happy New Year!
Jeff

==============================

==============

SERENADE: Sunday Feb 8, 2009 4:00 PM
Jeff Prillaman, Tenor, Charles Hulin, Piano
Second Sunday South of the James series
Bon Air Presbyterian Church
info call: 804 272-7514 or click here for flyer
In this exciting concert, Tenor Jeff Prillaman and Pianist Charles Hulin will explore the many facets and cultural ideas of "Serenade" with selections ranging from Canzone to Aria and from Barber of Seville to Boheme to Carousel and even the Student Prince. The program includes tributes and favorites from great serenaders such as Luciano Pavarotti and Mario Lanza.


SERENADE: Friday Feb 13, 2009 7:00 PM
Jeff Prillaman, Tenor, Charles Hulin, Piano
St Paul's Episcopal Church, Petersburg VA
info call: 804 733 3415
In this exciting concert, Tenor Jeff Prillaman and Pianist Charles Hulin will explore the many facets and cultural ideas of "Serenade" with selections ranging from Canzone to Aria and from Barber of Seville to Boheme to Carousel and even the Student Prince. The program includes tributes and favorites from great serenaders such as Luciano Pavarotti and Mario Lanza.

=====================================

Love, Death, Art: Saturday, Feb 28, 2009 2:00 PM

GELLMAN CONCERTS RICHMOND PUBLIC LIBRARY
101 East Franklin St
Info contact Pamela McClain at pjm1952@aol.com

The event at the Richmond public library features a rare public performance (all Russian) of a Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet duet. Collaboration with Soprano Lisa Edwards-Burrs, and Pianist Pamela McClain. This program is an exploration of Russian music assembled by Pamela McClain. and featuring several other wonderful artists.. Daphne Gerling, viola, James Lynn, bass-baritone, and Carole Wyncoop, soprano

--
Jeff Prillaman
Executive Director, Da Capo Institute
http:www.dacapoinstitute.org

The Princess Litmus Test

I'm by no means the first person to note the problems with what fairy-tales could be teaching kids. Veritably, fairy-tales are rife with infanticide (Hansel and Gretel), incest (Many Furs), cannibalism (Hansel and Gretel again), genetic determinism based on birth order (anything featuring a Seventh-Son or -Daughter) and maleficent or outright murderous step-family (Cinderella, Snow White, etc.). Some of the more unpalatable devices have been omitted from public consumption in recent years; for instance, it's difficult to find a current copy of Cinderella, which depicts the public torture of the evil-stepmother and -stepsisters which featured at the end of original versions. In another act of housekeeping by Disney, Ariel the Little Mermaid traded her voice for legs, whilst Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid endured legs which were paid for in agonising pain - every step she took on them was enchanted to feel that she was walking on upturned knives.

What the modern fairy-tales don't omit, however, is what I consider to be the most dangerous device of all - the notion of innate royalty. And, more frighteningly, how royalty is operationalised to children to, socialised by ideas of tiaras, pretty dresses, castles and white horses, are taught to aspire to it.

The Princess and the Pea instructs young readers that a Princess can easily be identified from a "commoner" through the application of a simple test - a Princess Litmus Test - where she is put to bed on a boiled pea beneath twenty mattresses and twenty feathered-eiderdowns. The take-home points from this engaging story, regarding the properties of a Princess (that is, as repeatedly emphasised, a true Princess), are as follows:

a) She will be beautiful (with tiny hands and feet, flaxen hair, and skin as white as milk, in most translations), mild-mannered, and pliable enough to allow herself to be subjected to bizarre experiments designed to determine her lineage.
b) She will be "delicate" - to the point where she is unable to sleep on a boiled pea, even when this pea is underneath twenty mattresses and twenty eiderdowns.
c) She will suffer from a bizarre skin condition which will cause her to break out in bruises after spending a sleepless night in said pea/mattress/eiderdown arrangement.
d) She will complain heartily of her mental and physical stress from the event, in front of the people who did her a favour by putting her up for the night.
ERGO: This will hook her a royal wedding and "happily ever after", as only a true Princess could exhibit such delicacy and fragility.

Take-home points for little girls (who are taught to idolise Princesses) include:

a) Princesses really are a whole different species to you and me.
b) Princesses are, without question, beautiful (and blonde, and thin, and white).
c) Princesses should not be able to cope with anything.
ERGO: The ultimate aspiration presented to little girls is to be pretty, wear a nice dress, and marry a prince after demonstrating the ultimate in physical inferiority and self-indulgent hysteria over creature comforts.

Recently, when I asked some little girls I was taking care of for the afternoon what they wanted to play. The answer was, of course, "Princesses!", and was the same when I asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. I caught myself, for one moment, trying to explain to a five-year old in a pink tulle dress-up skirt that Princesses are just like you and me, but with more expensive outfits.

"They're not," I explained,"really any different to other people. You're just the same as them."

The little girl didn't believe me. Why would she, when everyday, imagined princesses are presented to her in their rosy, golden glory, complete with storybook Prince. I suddenly had a sneaky idea. I pulled out a glossy magazine from another room, and flicked through until I found a royal; Princess Beatrice, looking pallid and unattractive at a London event.

The little girls were unanimous in declaring that she didn't look like a Princess at all. Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, playing with her children in a parka on a beach, was judged the same way. In fact, the only person that the little girls agreed did look like a Princess was Hilary Duff, in a pink dress on a red carpet.

Even real Princesses were failing the Litmus Test.

In the end, I don't think I managed to rid those little girls of their illusions about royalty. In their hearts, they know quite well that Princesses are beautiful, pink-clad, and better than real people. Instead, I think that the only take-home point I provided to the little girls that day was that they wanted to be Hilary Duff. OK by me, so long as it doesn't imply skin trauma from sleeping on a boiled legume.

Procura-se um decalque desesperadamente!

Meninas, fiz todo um planejamento pra umas cadeiras, comecei a pintar e eis que me deparo com um problema: não consigo achar decalque! Sabe aqueles decalques de fruta, que eram tão comuns? Alguém sabe onde acho?

Procura-se um decalque desesperadamente!

Meninas, fiz todo um planejamento pra umas cadeiras, comecei a pintar e eis que me deparo com um problema: não consigo achar decalque! Sabe aqueles decalques de fruta, que eram tão comuns? Alguém sabe onde acho?

CNY tomorrow!!!

Ooh, as life goes on, so does the years. I am so excited for Chinese New Year tomorrow! Haha, I know I am not a pure Chinese, and we usually don't celebrate big time like they do down there...But I am half-Chinese and that means that I have the completely right to celebrate half-CNY here in Sweden. xD

My family does not really prepare anything else than ourselves the day before the big day. You see, mother has started noticing that eating out on days like these are much more chill than she spending 5 hours in the kitchen, preparing for a less than 30 minutes meal (even though it turns out to be better than any other food, most of the time). I am glad she realized that, because then we have more time to spend as a family...Which is the most important part of everything. However, the most funny part with CNY is to decide what new clothes to wear. =) Which is also a very important feature. I think I quite have figured out my outfit, but it will remain a secret until tomorrow, hehehehehe...Gosh, it sounds like I am going to show up in a gown to school...-.-

Haiz...dreaming is over, now I have to get back to French grammar...-.-

sis and mama at Pangor Island, last summer

Context for relationships

I have really short thought today.. I have a very broad context of relationships set up in my life. From talking with Scott at the basketball game, to the Tchaikovsky rehearsal with Pamela and Lisa last night, to breakfast as Dwayne's place this am, to more BB as the coach of the Fever in about an hour.. I do a ton of different stuff, but the primary reason is so that I can stay in touch with people of many types, personalities and abilities. What is exhausting to some, is actually exhillarating to me. I don't know what I'd do without my many, many lives and the associated, many many friends.

Relationships are a blessing. Now if I can just figure out how to keep up with it all.

A Casa de Madeira

Meninas, no blog Vi por aí me deparei com a questão: optar ou não numa casa de madeira?

A casa de madeira realmente é linda de se ver e parece muito aconchegante. MAS... Bom, eu já falei que moro numa casa de uns 200 anos, então tem muita madeira, assoalho, forro, estrutura... O fato é que estou traumatizada com madeira! Tive uma invasão de cupins! Já imaginaram o que é cupim numa casa assim? Os criados do meu quarto foram embora (as gavetas eram forradas com contact e quando eu vi, já era), virou lixo mesmo! Meu sofá também foi pro lixo. Esse tudo bem, eu já queria trocar mesmo. E agora estou revezando os móveis que vão pra área de serviço receber cupinicida. Nesse momento, tudo o que eu queria era uma casa sem nenhuma madeira, nenhuma madeira mesmo, até os móveis tubulares estão me encantando mais! Não entendam isso como revolta com a minha casa! A revolta é só com os cupins. Talvez, quando eu vencer essa guerra eu até olhe com mais boa vontade pra uma casa de madeira...

A Casa de Madeira

Meninas, no blog Vi por aí me deparei com a questão: optar ou não numa casa de madeira?

A casa de madeira realmente é linda de se ver e parece muito aconchegante. MAS... Bom, eu já falei que moro numa casa de uns 200 anos, então tem muita madeira, assoalho, forro, estrutura... O fato é que estou traumatizada com madeira! Tive uma invasão de cupins! Já imaginaram o que é cupim numa casa assim? Os criados do meu quarto foram embora (as gavetas eram forradas com contact e quando eu vi, já era), virou lixo mesmo! Meu sofá também foi pro lixo. Esse tudo bem, eu já queria trocar mesmo. E agora estou revezando os móveis que vão pra área de serviço receber cupinicida. Nesse momento, tudo o que eu queria era uma casa sem nenhuma madeira, nenhuma madeira mesmo, até os móveis tubulares estão me encantando mais! Não entendam isso como revolta com a minha casa! A revolta é só com os cupins. Talvez, quando eu vencer essa guerra eu até olhe com mais boa vontade pra uma casa de madeira...

Please, wake me up -.-

This fall, I am honestly considering to do the Pre-IB again or starting at Thoren Business School (Uppsala's sloppiest school). But, who really cares?! At least they have what I can't have.

I know this year isn't suppose to be about the negative and I am sorry for taking out my mini-depression (that's actually tremendously big, so please if you have the number to a good shrink...-.-) on this little poor blog. The thing is, that I just cannot and do not want to believe that I can't choose to study business and management in year 2...It feels like my dreams are slipping through my fingers and getting further and further away from me.

Meus primeiros selinhos

Recebi estes selinhos da Rosana, do Filhas da Pucka, o que me deixou muito feliz, já que sou tão novinha por aqui.

E como tenho que repassá-lo para 8 amigas blogueiras, nada mais justo que repassá-los a quem me inspirou a começar a blogar:

Mari Mari - Brincando de Casinha

Viviany - Dona House

Elisa - Ela fala e sai andando

Vi por aí

Ana - Prendadas
Lú - Stúdio da Lú

Isabella Kastrup - Arrumadíssimo

Mel - Casa da Mel

Obrigada pela inspiração!

Meus primeiros selinhos

Recebi estes selinhos da Rosana, do Filhas da Pucka, o que me deixou muito feliz, já que sou tão novinha por aqui.

E como tenho que repassá-lo para 8 amigas blogueiras, nada mais justo que repassá-los a quem me inspirou a começar a blogar:

Mari Mari - Brincando de Casinha

Viviany - Dona House

Elisa - Ela fala e sai andando

Vi por aí

Ana - Prendadas
Lú - Stúdio da Lú

Isabella Kastrup - Arrumadíssimo

Mel - Casa da Mel

Obrigada pela inspiração!

Play with me

Why you talking all that talk Who you trying to impress Think you better check your style That might have worked beforebut I ain't having it Show me that you got the touch Hear the words that I don't say Gotta read between the lines You gotta learn this song

Cause I wanna be played
like a sweet guitar

Played like a slow jam in the dark

Gotta find the groove

You know what to do to get to meI wanna be played like a violin

Make the strings talkwith your finger tips

Never go to fast

Gotta understand

The way I need too be played

So much drama, girl!

Ooh, I don't know where to start. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was truly a Halleluja moment! Like I said earlier, I am not exactly a VIP person at the cinemas, and when I actually show up there - I never really go for drama. Romantic comedies (as the girlish girly girl I am) has always suited me perfect, and sad stories, horror stories and looooooong love stories have never really made any kind of impact on me. I don't know if it is because I am becoming older or if I am just in a period of change, but let me just tell you; I have never ever been into the genre drama - until now.

Anyhow, if you read the comments that the magazines and newspapers say about Benjamin Button, you might end up a bit confused "ageing backwards", I mean WHAT'S THAT? And they might even say that it is something missing in between the lines or some other nonsense...But I say, GO SEE IT! I didn't really know myself what it was all about, but I'm so happy I saw it because it truly was an amazing movie...and Mr. Pitt was devine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saldo do Fim de Semana

Meninas, este fim de semana resolvi encarar minha velha máquina de bordar ( e olha que já ganhei dinheiro com ela). Nos últimos meses eu olhava pra ela, ela olhava pra mim, e eu corria! Mas no sábado venci o desânimo!Resultado: dois panos de prato prontos e um pela metade. Só não reparem as fotos, porque não tinha nem lavado pra tirar a marca do risco, que dirá passar...(ansiosa...)!

Espero que tenham gostado. Beijo a todas!

Saldo do Fim de Semana

Meninas, este fim de semana resolvi encarar minha velha máquina de bordar ( e olha que já ganhei dinheiro com ela). Nos últimos meses eu olhava pra ela, ela olhava pra mim, e eu corria! Mas no sábado venci o desânimo!Resultado: dois panos de prato prontos e um pela metade. Só não reparem as fotos, porque não tinha nem lavado pra tirar a marca do risco, que dirá passar...(ansiosa...)!

Espero que tenham gostado. Beijo a todas!

Vengeance Is Mine Inc.

Life being what it is, one dreams of revenge.
-- Paul Gaugain

Just recently, I came across a short story by Roald Dahl entitled "Vengeance Is Mine, Inc.". The story centres around a couple of guys who think they can make a quick buck by carrying out revenge on behalf of third parties. You even get your choice of vengeance - with options ranging from a punch in the nose to letting a de-venomed rattlesnake loose in the car of the person who wronged you. Even though the scheme ultimately fails and drives the guys out of town, I couldn't help but think it was a bloody good idea for a business. It's probably a sad indictment of my personality that when Clever Boyfriend asked me if I had any New Year's Resolutions, I immediately thought of revenging myself upon an ex-boss who ruined my finances and self-esteem in 2008.

I've been warned that revenge is unsatisfying, but then again it can't be universally unsatisfying thanks to the numerous immortal quotes on the subject. For example, the Japanese say that revenge is a dish best served cold. The Talmud says that living well is the best revenge, and even JFK said "don't get mad, get even". Many others disagree, including Juvenal, who stated that revenge is for fools - but did express his belief that "noone rejoices in revenge more than woman".

Oh, snap.

Clever Father usually pledges the Eastern solution - don't fuck your karma up with hate, and forgive your enemies. In theory. He got the best quick revenge I've ever seen done - and enjoyed it enough to cast some serious doubt upon Juvenal's little theory of gender disparity.

Years ago, when I was a teenager, my parents lived in a semi-rural area, where you have to go up a long bush driveway to the house. It also happens to be near a church, so on Sundays the quiet little street is packed with cars. And one Sunday night there was a vicious thunderstorm. I had driven my old banger back from uni, squinting through the rain, only to find that someone had parked across our driveway, blocking access in and out as completely as if the road didn't exist. I swore and cursed a lot as I tried to rain-proof myself and my textbooks for the long walk up the driveway.

I needn't have bothered. I was soaked before I was halfway up. It was pitch dark, and impossible to avoid the ankle-deep puddles snaking through the mud driveway, which was half demolished with rain. By the time I got to the house, my books were stuck together. Clever Father opened the door for me with a bemused smile.

"Dad. Some complete prick has parked across our driveway."

"I know," he says, continuing to smile. "Did you get a look at his tyres?"

Dad hadn't gone so far as slashing them, but it turns out he had let them all down. We had a great laugh over that as I wrung the rain out of my hair and spread my notes in front of the heater to dry. Revenge can be extremely satisfying. Just watch Kill Bill. In this case though, revenge was best served smokin' hot.

So, would you be tempted to use a service such as Vengeance Is Mine Inc.?

And is Juvenal correct when he says that women enjoy vengeance more than men?

To the movies...

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the movie I will watch later today with Vicki. I can't even remember when was the last time I went to the cinema, isn't that funny? People in my age tend to go to the cinema like 5 times a month (ok, perhaps not eveyone, but you get the idea) and then there's me; with my 1-2 times a year -.- LOL...

And the reason why I am going is because we have these movie gift vouchers that are soon going to be expired. Even more jeje, right?! :P Actually, I wanted to see the Revolutionary Road with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, but since it doesn't air until two weeks Brad Pitt can cover, haha...

Tell you later how the film was. Toodels!

My Romeo and Juliet moment

I've always wondered if dreams have something to do with faith. That it's the reason why we dream what we do. Ever since I can remember my mum has told me that if I dream a bad dream about someone I should never tell that person about it, because it may come true. The first time she told me that I was so scared of going to bed every night, wishing so badly not to dream of someone around me getting hurt. But then I realized that that wasn't really going to be an issue.

Usually, I never remember my dreams (means I must sleep quite well, according to sis). However, the one I had Tuesday night can't get out of my system, so I've decided just to tell it. I mean, it must had meant something if I remembered it...until today! Everything was somehow so real and the main scenes (especially the one in the end I remember very clearly :D)...Anyhow, this is how it goes:

Christina (my English teacher) had told us to set up the play Romeo and Juliet, thereafter perform it for the entire school on some event before holidays. I get to be Julia (LOL...I know, right?!) and Mr. Cute somehow gets all the votes for playing Romeo. all the sudden we're backstage. it's suppose to be at our school's assembly hall, but this stage is magnificant and there are seats forming a big C all around it. Soon, every seat is taken and everyone is ready to watch IB1C performing their version of the devine Romeo and Juliet. I'm behind the curtains getting ready. Tarane is doing my makeup (working that eyeliner on me :P), Shill (?) fixes my hair and Lewar telling me that I should remember my lines by now. The thing is - I haven't practised...at all. all the sudden mini-Maria, Sabina and Ric Sims (!!!) are in the picture, telling me I'll do great. Then, I'm out. I do absolutely nothing right, but the audience is very satisfied. And then there's the ending. The ending when I'm not really dead, but Romeo thinks I am. That's the best part, because the kiss before we both die is soooooo great. After the play, that was a total success, I'm given Aladdin (assorted chocolates) from Minna (!) in my class, before ending up in the arms of Mr. Cute again...

Crap, that's when we die again! Or he dies, or I don't know. We can't be together. It just wasn't meant to be.

De dar água na boca!

uAdoro cozinha! E cozinhar também. Mas nada de arroz-com-feijão. O que eu gosto mesmo é de reunir os amigos e fazer várias comidinhas gostosas. Por isso mesmo, considero a cozinha um dos lugares mais alegres da casa.
Que tal começar o dia com essas carinhas?
E se resolver ter uma porcelana diferente, que tal uma estampada pelo tatuador da Angelina Jolie?

Conhece algum porta-faca mais divertido?

Viajar pelo mundo enquanto bebe? Agora já é possível...

Não se engane, legítima Porcelana Schimidit...

Louças para todos os gostos e ocasiões:

Porta copos:

Que mimo...e tem asas!!!!!

De dar água na boca!

uAdoro cozinha! E cozinhar também. Mas nada de arroz-com-feijão. O que eu gosto mesmo é de reunir os amigos e fazer várias comidinhas gostosas. Por isso mesmo, considero a cozinha um dos lugares mais alegres da casa.
Que tal começar o dia com essas carinhas?
E se resolver ter uma porcelana diferente, que tal uma estampada pelo tatuador da Angelina Jolie?

Conhece algum porta-faca mais divertido?

Viajar pelo mundo enquanto bebe? Agora já é possível...

Não se engane, legítima Porcelana Schimidit...

Louças para todos os gostos e ocasiões:

Porta copos:

Que mimo...e tem asas!!!!!

Sharing assembly 16-1-09

Y3G are finding out all about magnets and magnetism in science during the first half of this term. Kymani, Bernice, Charlie,Gracjan,Geevitha and Nathan talked about what our class had learnt during assembly. We had found out that most metals are non magnetic and only four are attracted to a magnet, two familiar metals iron and steel, and two not so familiar, nickel and cobalt.