Then Valborg 2009 was off the checklist, haha. Valborg is April 30th every year and is celebrated to welcome the spring. Here in Uppsala it's one of the biggest "happenings" each year, because it is a studentstad (student town). Mostly, all of the young people (and often also the "wanna be young again") get drunk...However, there are also lots of other stuff happening. But they are not as important as to get drunk here, I guess. Hahaha...As you see, I am not as some wild and crazy after party, but it doesn't really bother me at all. I had a great day with some friends in town, and the sun was shining so brightly. The only downside with it all was, that the sun was shining so brightly. Because, now my face has started to become really brownish and since I am going to Asia this summer...it's not suppose to! Oh my goodness, I have become so typically Chinese!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Help! Alguém pode me ajudar com o Feng Shui?
Meninas, estou trabalhando para que meu escritório fique aconchegante sem gastar muito (na verdade, quero custo quase zero, hehe). Mas ontem, eu coloquei o baguá sobre a planta do escritório. Pra começar, coloquei a área do Trabalho na porta de entrada (entrada do escritório, saindo da loja). A área da Educação caiu sobre um armário embutido, onde guardo documentos, apostilas e material de trabalho. Minha mesa ficou na área do Sucesso, mas bem próxima ao centro. A outra mesa ficou na área do Relacionamento, divisa com a Criatividade. Na área dos amigos está um basculante que permanece fechado quase o tempo todo (do outro lado desta parede tem um vestiário).
Vamos às dúvidas:
1 – Devo realmente colocar a área do trabalho na porta de entrada ou devo ver a posição Norte/ Sul/Leste/Oeste?
2 – Não tenho nenhuma janela, como neutralizar esse problema?
3 – No canto da parede onde está o Relacionamento, tenho um cofre e um fax, que não tenho como tirar deste lugar. Há problema nisso?
4 – Como usar as cores certas em cada área, num espaço tão pequeno?
Please, se alguém entende um pouco mais que eu (bom, isso é fácil...), me dá uma luz!!!
Beijos!
Help! Alguém pode me ajudar com o Feng Shui?
Meninas, estou trabalhando para que meu escritório fique aconchegante sem gastar muito (na verdade, quero custo quase zero, hehe). Mas ontem, eu coloquei o baguá sobre a planta do escritório. Pra começar, coloquei a área do Trabalho na porta de entrada (entrada do escritório, saindo da loja). A área da Educação caiu sobre um armário embutido, onde guardo documentos, apostilas e material de trabalho. Minha mesa ficou na área do Sucesso, mas bem próxima ao centro. A outra mesa ficou na área do Relacionamento, divisa com a Criatividade. Na área dos amigos está um basculante que permanece fechado quase o tempo todo (do outro lado desta parede tem um vestiário).
Vamos às dúvidas:
1 – Devo realmente colocar a área do trabalho na porta de entrada ou devo ver a posição Norte/ Sul/Leste/Oeste?
2 – Não tenho nenhuma janela, como neutralizar esse problema?
3 – No canto da parede onde está o Relacionamento, tenho um cofre e um fax, que não tenho como tirar deste lugar. Há problema nisso?
4 – Como usar as cores certas em cada área, num espaço tão pequeno?
Please, se alguém entende um pouco mais que eu (bom, isso é fácil...), me dá uma luz!!!
Beijos!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Sad Stories of Hoover and Lotto
Ten years ago, a young man of my acquaintance made an interesting decision. Well, two interesting decisions. The first was to experimentally apply a vacuum cleaner for the purposes of sexual release. The second was to tell all his high school buddies about it.
It must have come as a big surprise to this young man that his friends didn't think his idea to be as clever and revolutionary as he did. Rather than congratulating his creativity, they merely pissed themselves laughing, dubbed him "Hoover", and continued to call him that until the end of high school.
My Very Clever Polyamorous Friend notes a similar situation which arose in his single-sex boarding school. Apparently a young man was overheard telling an unknown party on his mobile phone that; "I've had a look around, and I'm pretty sure I've got the biggest one in year 9". The unfortunate youth was evermore known as "Lotto" (The Big One).
High school was riddled with bizarre and cruel nomenclature, which prompts me to wonder; what would you do if the world at large knew your high school nickname? Could Hoover, an attorney nowadays, still hold up his head at the office if his colleagues knew?
Here are a few other examples which might be difficult to explain:
- Clever Sister's friend "Babs" (thus named for looking "like he works in a kebab shop")
- Clever Bitch's ex-boyfriend "Scrotum" (so named, ironically, by a peer support leader who looked down on the shivering year 7 and guffawed; "Hey, this kid looks like a scrotum!").
- Clever Bitch's friend "Bald Eagle" (a word to the wise - never let your friends see your junk until there's some grass on the pitch).
Luckily, Babs had a shave and Eagle grew some pubes. Scrotum still looks a little like one, but is a financial adviser nowadays. Still, I wonder if any of them live in vague unrest, fearing the day that someone finds out their high-school nicknames. Those things stuck for five years - if you let them back in now, they could be for life.
What are the worst nicknames you recall from your high school?
It must have come as a big surprise to this young man that his friends didn't think his idea to be as clever and revolutionary as he did. Rather than congratulating his creativity, they merely pissed themselves laughing, dubbed him "Hoover", and continued to call him that until the end of high school.
My Very Clever Polyamorous Friend notes a similar situation which arose in his single-sex boarding school. Apparently a young man was overheard telling an unknown party on his mobile phone that; "I've had a look around, and I'm pretty sure I've got the biggest one in year 9". The unfortunate youth was evermore known as "Lotto" (The Big One).
High school was riddled with bizarre and cruel nomenclature, which prompts me to wonder; what would you do if the world at large knew your high school nickname? Could Hoover, an attorney nowadays, still hold up his head at the office if his colleagues knew?
Here are a few other examples which might be difficult to explain:
- Clever Sister's friend "Babs" (thus named for looking "like he works in a kebab shop")
- Clever Bitch's ex-boyfriend "Scrotum" (so named, ironically, by a peer support leader who looked down on the shivering year 7 and guffawed; "Hey, this kid looks like a scrotum!").
- Clever Bitch's friend "Bald Eagle" (a word to the wise - never let your friends see your junk until there's some grass on the pitch).
Luckily, Babs had a shave and Eagle grew some pubes. Scrotum still looks a little like one, but is a financial adviser nowadays. Still, I wonder if any of them live in vague unrest, fearing the day that someone finds out their high-school nicknames. Those things stuck for five years - if you let them back in now, they could be for life.
What are the worst nicknames you recall from your high school?
Monday, April 27, 2009
Meu escritório
Acho que vocês já viram a história do incêndio no blog da Margaret, então não vou repetir. Fato é que remontei meu escritório com móveis que ganhei ou comprei bem baratinho, pra voltar a trabalhar. Consequência: ficou aquela misturada, sem nenhum padrão. Mas não me incomodava tanto. Até outro dia. É que como fiquei desde o começo do ano por conta de tirar carteira, e só trabalhava 2 ou 3 horas por dia, aquilo ficou um horror! Abandonaram o meu cantinho! Ninguém caprichava na limpeza (só uma vassourinha básica), os papéis foram se amontoaando, misturando, minha cadeira giratória quebrou e foi substituída por uma de madeira sem almofada, uma das lâmpadas queimou e ninguém trocou, tudo foi piorando... Quando cheguei para trabalhar na sexta-feira, pirei! Então, munida de alguns materiais e várias idéias na cabeça, comecei uma reforma total! E bem no estilo Ruby: custo quase zero, aproveitamento máximo do que tenho em casa. Até agora só gastei com papel e minha nova cadeirinha. Espero terminar rapidinho minha reforma, mas como também tenho que trabalhar, ainda deve durar uns dois ou três dias. Até lá vou visitando vocês em busca de idéias para deixar meu escritório menos impessoal e mais com a minha cara. E não vou mostrar nada do que já fiz até agora porque não quero estragar o antes e depois... Mas se alguém tiver qualquer idéia legal principalmente para as paredes...
Beijos!
Meu escritório
Acho que vocês já viram a história do incêndio no blog da Margaret, então não vou repetir. Fato é que remontei meu escritório com móveis que ganhei ou comprei bem baratinho, pra voltar a trabalhar. Consequência: ficou aquela misturada, sem nenhum padrão. Mas não me incomodava tanto. Até outro dia. É que como fiquei desde o começo do ano por conta de tirar carteira, e só trabalhava 2 ou 3 horas por dia, aquilo ficou um horror! Abandonaram o meu cantinho! Ninguém caprichava na limpeza (só uma vassourinha básica), os papéis foram se amontoaando, misturando, minha cadeira giratória quebrou e foi substituída por uma de madeira sem almofada, uma das lâmpadas queimou e ninguém trocou, tudo foi piorando... Quando cheguei para trabalhar na sexta-feira, pirei! Então, munida de alguns materiais e várias idéias na cabeça, comecei uma reforma total! E bem no estilo Ruby: custo quase zero, aproveitamento máximo do que tenho em casa. Até agora só gastei com papel e minha nova cadeirinha. Espero terminar rapidinho minha reforma, mas como também tenho que trabalhar, ainda deve durar uns dois ou três dias. Até lá vou visitando vocês em busca de idéias para deixar meu escritório menos impessoal e mais com a minha cara. E não vou mostrar nada do que já fiz até agora porque não quero estragar o antes e depois... Mas se alguém tiver qualquer idéia legal principalmente para as paredes...
Beijos!
Our first "business lunch"
After a lot of confusions and a lot of cancelled plans, the ladies and I finally got our "business lunch" that we have been talking about for ages. And I have to say, that I wouldn't have wished to spend my lunch in any other way than with my Oh-So-Lovely-Friends, close to the buffet table at Dragon Palace. I'm really considering to fulfill the pop-up idea that I just got now, of a buffet revolution in Uppsala! Hahaha...Goodness I'm crazy. Sandra come to common sense now and realize that if we would make a buffet revolution, and try out all the buffets here in Uppsala, we would probably roll down the hill instead of running down the hill when we graduate! Haha, and with that in mind...I think I'll pass -.-
Shill and I was terrified over the biology test this morning.
Don't we just love group pics? - Yes, we do.
So what girls do we have here? One sucking her spoon and another one marketing a bread crumb?
The real reason I went to the place! Hahahaha xD
Friday, April 24, 2009
Green Fingers
This term Y3G are finding out all about plants in science and will be growing them from seed.
On Tuesday the 21st April (which was the first day back for the children after the Easter holidays) we all planted a sunflower seed in a pot of damp compost. We are gong to keep a record of how each seed germinates and how the plant develops and we will keep you posted with our results on the blogspot.
Eventually we will be planting our sunflowers in the border at the front of the school like we did last year.
We must remember to take some photographs this year!
On Tuesday the 21st April (which was the first day back for the children after the Easter holidays) we all planted a sunflower seed in a pot of damp compost. We are gong to keep a record of how each seed germinates and how the plant develops and we will keep you posted with our results on the blogspot.
Eventually we will be planting our sunflowers in the border at the front of the school like we did last year.
We must remember to take some photographs this year!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
What goes around comes around
Today I came to the point of really realizing that, what is out on the Internet - is out on the Internet! I had a big laugh with the girls after school when I told them about the shocking, but funny tête-à-tête I faced with my teacher Ric Sims, just minutes earlier. (However, I wonder who laughed the most...!)
So, what he told me was first of all "Hello Mei Mei!", and all I could think of at that approach was 'Sounds familiar...'. Then, he told me that he had read about my Romeo and Juliet that I wrote about earlier this year, and that he had a part in, here.When I first heard that, I was a bit shocked. But, when he continued by saying that he felt honoured, I became my usual humble-Dalai-Lama-character again...Hahaha! No, I'm not really as humble as Dalai Lama but on the other hand, I felt a bit honoured myself, for being the source of something that made him feel honoured.
Anyway, I think it was pretty cool of him to tell me that he had read my blog. - And, the fact that he felt honoured must have been good karma on my behalf, right?! =) (I really want to believe it was!)
So, what he told me was first of all "Hello Mei Mei!", and all I could think of at that approach was 'Sounds familiar...'. Then, he told me that he had read about my Romeo and Juliet that I wrote about earlier this year, and that he had a part in, here.When I first heard that, I was a bit shocked. But, when he continued by saying that he felt honoured, I became my usual humble-Dalai-Lama-character again...Hahaha! No, I'm not really as humble as Dalai Lama but on the other hand, I felt a bit honoured myself, for being the source of something that made him feel honoured.
Anyway, I think it was pretty cool of him to tell me that he had read my blog. - And, the fact that he felt honoured must have been good karma on my behalf, right?! =) (I really want to believe it was!)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Detestable day
What a horrible, horrible day. I could almost sense it from the moment I opened my eyes this morning. At first I tried to deny it, but seeing huge bags developing under your eyes is not really the best morning experience you can get, right...-Ok, never mind, as aunty Jessica says. But then I went to school, even though I had a sleep in, so that I could work on a French presentation with my friend. But guess what!? The damn lesson was cancelled!!! -Ok, never mind. Well, after that, I screwed up big time at a French conversation with some French guy, that is here for God knows what reason actually!? Listen to how my French SUCKS!!!??? -Ok, never mind. And last but not least, I am now completely sure of the fact that I have a virus infecting my usual superbody; leaving me snoring and tired. In short, I have bags under my eyes (which never happens to me!). I totally made a fool out of myself today in French, when the only thing I could say correctly was "Je m'appelle Alexsandra" (which is what what you learn in the first French course - I'm in the THIRD). Also, I've got a cold. And it's spring.
I'm depressed. -.- ---- I'm not sure if I should say Ok, never mind here...
The only thing good today
A turma da IB
Essas meninas são 10! Uma noite com elas é sinal de pura diversão, muitas risadas e fim do stress!
Paulinha, Lili, Lu, eu e Ida.
Paulinha, Lili, Lu, eu e Ida.Ah, e esta é a entrada da casinha que quero decorar...
Beijos!
A turma da IB
Essas meninas são 10! Uma noite com elas é sinal de pura diversão, muitas risadas e fim do stress!Paulinha, Lili, Lu, eu e Ida.
Paulinha, Lili, Lu, eu e Ida.Ah, e esta é a entrada da casinha que quero decorar...
Beijos!
Minha aura é lavanda!
Incrível! Descobri em um teste que minha aura é lavanda...
A cor da sua aura é:
Lavanda: Serenidade, individualismo e capacidade de sonhar. Está sempre com a cabeça nas nuvens, tem uma alma artística e gosta de se expressar em palavras escritas. Sua missão é viver mais no mundo real e menos no da fantasia.
E isso tem tudo a ver comigo. E mais: Sempre que vou ao supermercado comprar material de limpeza, qual é a fragância que sempre escolho? Lavanda!
E você, sabe qual é a cor da sua?
Beijos!
A cor da sua aura é:
Lavanda: Serenidade, individualismo e capacidade de sonhar. Está sempre com a cabeça nas nuvens, tem uma alma artística e gosta de se expressar em palavras escritas. Sua missão é viver mais no mundo real e menos no da fantasia.
E isso tem tudo a ver comigo. E mais: Sempre que vou ao supermercado comprar material de limpeza, qual é a fragância que sempre escolho? Lavanda!
E você, sabe qual é a cor da sua?
Beijos!
Minha aura é lavanda!
Incrível! Descobri em um teste que minha aura é lavanda...
A cor da sua aura é:
Lavanda: Serenidade, individualismo e capacidade de sonhar. Está sempre com a cabeça nas nuvens, tem uma alma artística e gosta de se expressar em palavras escritas. Sua missão é viver mais no mundo real e menos no da fantasia.
E isso tem tudo a ver comigo. E mais: Sempre que vou ao supermercado comprar material de limpeza, qual é a fragância que sempre escolho? Lavanda!
E você, sabe qual é a cor da sua?
Beijos!
A cor da sua aura é:
Lavanda: Serenidade, individualismo e capacidade de sonhar. Está sempre com a cabeça nas nuvens, tem uma alma artística e gosta de se expressar em palavras escritas. Sua missão é viver mais no mundo real e menos no da fantasia.
E isso tem tudo a ver comigo. E mais: Sempre que vou ao supermercado comprar material de limpeza, qual é a fragância que sempre escolho? Lavanda!
E você, sabe qual é a cor da sua?
Beijos!
Monday, April 20, 2009
"Straight Preferred"
The advertisement hanging at my local cafe was one of those handmade types with little tear-off phone number tabs at the bottom. Someone was looking for a new flatmate, and specified some important information for potential applicants; price, location, and "preferred criteria" for the new roomie. He or she should speak English, hold a professional job, have no pets, and only smoke outside. And then, my mouth fell open. Did that really say "straight"?
It did. Someone had, apparently without shame, publicly stated their unwillingness to consider a gay person as a flatmate. Not content with simply meeting some applicants and having a chat, the advertiser was so uncomfortable with or afraid of homosexuality that he felt the need to deter gay applicants at the first opportunity.
To some minds, this is fair enough, as the advertiser has a right to choose their new flatmate, and that they might as well get their prejudices out in the open in order to spare any potential gay applicants the time and trouble.* To me, it feels like plain old discrimination. Let's not forget that we have laws against this type of thing; if the advertiser had have been looking for an employee rather than a flatmate, his eligibility criteria would have gotten him into a lot of trouble. However it appears that whilst his prejudice would not be tolerated in a professional context, it is entirely acceptable in his personal life. And the fact that he didn't hesitate to post a discriminatory advertisement in an inner-city coffee shop speaks volumes about the attitudes towards homosexuality in our society.
The elephant in the room here is that discrimination against homosexuals has in recent years become far more socially acceptable than the old-school bastions of racism or sexism. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Opinion pages of the broadsheet newspapers. Whereas no respectable paper would dream of publishing a radical treatise on why women are inferior to men, or white people smarter than black people, it is all too common to flick the papers open and find a long-winded article or letter defining homosexuality as a sin, linking it to paedophilia, or declaring it a mental illness. Despite our legislation, it seems that gays are an easy target, particularly when you invoke your religion as an excuse for your prejudice.
Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about the kind of person who has a blanket opposition to gays, or any other minority group other than tolerate them in the way that they refuse to tolerate others.
Or maybe just scribble "Hate Criminal!" at the bottom of their advertisement.
* The situation is similar at my university, where international students commonly advertise for flatmates, specifying "Asian preferred" on the posters. If this is defensible, it is so on the basis that people may feel more comfortable living with people who are from culturally similar backgrounds, however I somehow doubt that this argument would save me from being called racist if I had posted an advertisement stating "white preferred".
Is it reasonable to specify your preference for a particular racial group or sexual orientation when advertising for flatmates, or is it just discrimination?
It did. Someone had, apparently without shame, publicly stated their unwillingness to consider a gay person as a flatmate. Not content with simply meeting some applicants and having a chat, the advertiser was so uncomfortable with or afraid of homosexuality that he felt the need to deter gay applicants at the first opportunity.
To some minds, this is fair enough, as the advertiser has a right to choose their new flatmate, and that they might as well get their prejudices out in the open in order to spare any potential gay applicants the time and trouble.* To me, it feels like plain old discrimination. Let's not forget that we have laws against this type of thing; if the advertiser had have been looking for an employee rather than a flatmate, his eligibility criteria would have gotten him into a lot of trouble. However it appears that whilst his prejudice would not be tolerated in a professional context, it is entirely acceptable in his personal life. And the fact that he didn't hesitate to post a discriminatory advertisement in an inner-city coffee shop speaks volumes about the attitudes towards homosexuality in our society.
The elephant in the room here is that discrimination against homosexuals has in recent years become far more socially acceptable than the old-school bastions of racism or sexism. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the Opinion pages of the broadsheet newspapers. Whereas no respectable paper would dream of publishing a radical treatise on why women are inferior to men, or white people smarter than black people, it is all too common to flick the papers open and find a long-winded article or letter defining homosexuality as a sin, linking it to paedophilia, or declaring it a mental illness. Despite our legislation, it seems that gays are an easy target, particularly when you invoke your religion as an excuse for your prejudice.
Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do about the kind of person who has a blanket opposition to gays, or any other minority group other than tolerate them in the way that they refuse to tolerate others.
Or maybe just scribble "Hate Criminal!" at the bottom of their advertisement.
* The situation is similar at my university, where international students commonly advertise for flatmates, specifying "Asian preferred" on the posters. If this is defensible, it is so on the basis that people may feel more comfortable living with people who are from culturally similar backgrounds, however I somehow doubt that this argument would save me from being called racist if I had posted an advertisement stating "white preferred".
Is it reasonable to specify your preference for a particular racial group or sexual orientation when advertising for flatmates, or is it just discrimination?
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Mais SelinhoSSS!!!
erandRecebi esse selinho da Estela, do Guardados e Achados. Obrigada Estela por ser sempre tão carinhosa.
São estes os desafios
1º desafio: postar a 3ª foto no seu 3º arquivo e falar sobre ela.
2º desafio: citar três coisas que você gosta de fazer.
3º desafio: abrir o livro que está lendo, aleatoriamente e copiar o 3º parágrafo da página.
Escolher pelo menos três pessoas pra mandar o selo desafio e avisá-las.
A foto:
Novembro de 2007, meu filho "surfando" na praia de Ipanema. Pouco surf, muita pose... (Ai se ele me pega falando isso!)
Três coisas que gosto de fazer:
Aproveitar o tempo com meus filhos e o maridão.
Viajar.
Cantar, de preferência acompanhada pelo meu primo Léo no violão.
O livro: Comer Rezar Amar, de Elizabeth Gilbert - pág. 187
As regras são:
Beijos!
São estes os desafios1º desafio: postar a 3ª foto no seu 3º arquivo e falar sobre ela.
2º desafio: citar três coisas que você gosta de fazer.
3º desafio: abrir o livro que está lendo, aleatoriamente e copiar o 3º parágrafo da página.
Escolher pelo menos três pessoas pra mandar o selo desafio e avisá-las.
A foto:
Novembro de 2007, meu filho "surfando" na praia de Ipanema. Pouco surf, muita pose... (Ai se ele me pega falando isso!)Três coisas que gosto de fazer:
Aproveitar o tempo com meus filhos e o maridão.
Viajar.
Cantar, de preferência acompanhada pelo meu primo Léo no violão.
O livro: Comer Rezar Amar, de Elizabeth Gilbert - pág. 187
"Essa é a minha missão, e ela nunca vai terminar."
As regras são:
Escrever uma frase, citar um título ou contar uma historinha sobre seis assuntos nos seguintes segmentos: VIDA, CINEMA, LITERATURA, VIAGEM, AMOR E SEXO;
• Convidar seis colegas de blogs que você realmente considere femininas e inteligentes;
• Convidar seis colegas de blogs que você realmente considere femininas e inteligentes;
• Linkar o blog que a convidou;
• Postar as regras para que outros as repassem;
• Inserir o selinho que você recebeu ....
Vida: é pra ser MUITO bem vivida, afinal é uma só!
Cinema: um bom filme, um grande pacote de pipocas, um imenso copo de refri, e no fim, um gosto de quero mais...
Literatura: indispensável
Viagem: Amo, amo,amo! Se ganhar na loteria talvez consiga ir a todos os lugares que sonho ir.
Amor: impressindível
Sexo: deve-se administrar doses diárias regadas a muita paixão
Minhas indicações:
Beijos!
Mais SelinhoSSS!!!
erandRecebi esse selinho da Estela, do Guardados e Achados. Obrigada Estela por ser sempre tão carinhosa.
São estes os desafios
1º desafio: postar a 3ª foto no seu 3º arquivo e falar sobre ela.
2º desafio: citar três coisas que você gosta de fazer.
3º desafio: abrir o livro que está lendo, aleatoriamente e copiar o 3º parágrafo da página.
Escolher pelo menos três pessoas pra mandar o selo desafio e avisá-las.
A foto:
Novembro de 2007, meu filho "surfando" na praia de Ipanema. Pouco surf, muita pose... (Ai se ele me pega falando isso!)
Três coisas que gosto de fazer:
Aproveitar o tempo com meus filhos e o maridão.
Viajar.
Cantar, de preferência acompanhada pelo meu primo Léo no violão.
O livro: Comer Rezar Amar, de Elizabeth Gilbert - pág. 187
As regras são:
Beijos!
São estes os desafios1º desafio: postar a 3ª foto no seu 3º arquivo e falar sobre ela.
2º desafio: citar três coisas que você gosta de fazer.
3º desafio: abrir o livro que está lendo, aleatoriamente e copiar o 3º parágrafo da página.
Escolher pelo menos três pessoas pra mandar o selo desafio e avisá-las.
A foto:
Novembro de 2007, meu filho "surfando" na praia de Ipanema. Pouco surf, muita pose... (Ai se ele me pega falando isso!)Três coisas que gosto de fazer:
Aproveitar o tempo com meus filhos e o maridão.
Viajar.
Cantar, de preferência acompanhada pelo meu primo Léo no violão.
O livro: Comer Rezar Amar, de Elizabeth Gilbert - pág. 187
"Essa é a minha missão, e ela nunca vai terminar."
As regras são:
Escrever uma frase, citar um título ou contar uma historinha sobre seis assuntos nos seguintes segmentos: VIDA, CINEMA, LITERATURA, VIAGEM, AMOR E SEXO;
• Convidar seis colegas de blogs que você realmente considere femininas e inteligentes;
• Convidar seis colegas de blogs que você realmente considere femininas e inteligentes;
• Linkar o blog que a convidou;
• Postar as regras para que outros as repassem;
• Inserir o selinho que você recebeu ....
Vida: é pra ser MUITO bem vivida, afinal é uma só!
Cinema: um bom filme, um grande pacote de pipocas, um imenso copo de refri, e no fim, um gosto de quero mais...
Literatura: indispensável
Viagem: Amo, amo,amo! Se ganhar na loteria talvez consiga ir a todos os lugares que sonho ir.
Amor: impressindível
Sexo: deve-se administrar doses diárias regadas a muita paixão
Minhas indicações:
Beijos!
Material Girls
It's always funny when pretty and smart girls play stupidosYesterday, I watched this hilariously ridiculous movie - Material Girls, starring Hilary and Haylie Duff. Honestly, I have nothing against chick flicks - I mean, I've watched Mean Girls around 20 times by now, but this one...A serious disaster, hahaha...That's why it was so funny, because it was so "jj"!!!
For the people that thought that Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton already covered it all for the genre bimbo, think again! And the worst part is that, even though it's a story made up with exaggeration (???) and humour I believe that parts of it must be true. Recently, I read an interview with a Swedish comedian, Petra Mede and she said that, "behind every joke there's some truth". Because, otherwise we wouldn't think in those terms right? So, even though this movie was so ridiculous and as shallow as it could possible be, and even though I had some serious breathing difficulties from all the laughs last night, it's scary that what I see as an impossible joke of a girl may be a possible character in reality.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Sex and the Cereal
Straight from the annals of weird history, this story is sure to make your breakfast taste less good.
Dr John Harvey Kellogg (born 1852) was a man of peculiar fixations. A man of his day, he warned his patients against novel-reading, the waltz, honeymoons, and the consumption of meat or alcohol in order to protect against sexual excitation and its most deplorable handmaiden - masturbation. His particular obsession was eradicating the scourge of female masturbation, which would apparently destroy both body and mind. He made a twelve-point list of symptoms which would denote a young woman's descent into this "vicious habit", including everything from a marked change in disposition, to a fondness for spices and vinegars, to nail-biting, languor and lassitude, heart palpitations, ulcerated hands and nails - and, my personal favourites; "unnatural baldness", "loose or easy manner in company with boys", and "a blank, dull, expressionless eye surrounded by a dark ring".
Kellogg's obsession with preventing "self-abuse" led him to prescribe some pretty interesting preventions and cures. Mothers were urged to "instruct their daughters respecting the importance of regularly relieving the bowels and bladder at a certain time each day", as failing to do so would lead to the organs becoming "irritable" and would induce "abnormal excitement". He urged vegetarianism and vigorous exercise coupled with Bible reading, and occasionally cool enemas or salt baths. When these failed, he urged (and often carried out) a clitoridectomy.
At some point, Kellogg must have realised that there wasn't time for him to excise the sexual organs of every masturbating woman in America, and produced the brainchild which the world best remembers - a bland and inoffensive breakfast cereal which would help patients keep their hands from straying below the belt; Cornflakes.
And here's the kicker. If a patient doesn't want to actually eat them, they can also be administered in enema form.
Thankfully, most of Kellogg's recommendations for female sexuality followed him to his grave, but we may have to suspect that he was onto something about cornflakes and exercise. John Kellogg died at age 91. Now - who wants breakfast?
-- All direct quotations from History Laid Bare by Richard Zacks.
Any thoughts on masturbation, quack cures, or breakfast cereals?
Dr John Harvey Kellogg (born 1852) was a man of peculiar fixations. A man of his day, he warned his patients against novel-reading, the waltz, honeymoons, and the consumption of meat or alcohol in order to protect against sexual excitation and its most deplorable handmaiden - masturbation. His particular obsession was eradicating the scourge of female masturbation, which would apparently destroy both body and mind. He made a twelve-point list of symptoms which would denote a young woman's descent into this "vicious habit", including everything from a marked change in disposition, to a fondness for spices and vinegars, to nail-biting, languor and lassitude, heart palpitations, ulcerated hands and nails - and, my personal favourites; "unnatural baldness", "loose or easy manner in company with boys", and "a blank, dull, expressionless eye surrounded by a dark ring".
Kellogg's obsession with preventing "self-abuse" led him to prescribe some pretty interesting preventions and cures. Mothers were urged to "instruct their daughters respecting the importance of regularly relieving the bowels and bladder at a certain time each day", as failing to do so would lead to the organs becoming "irritable" and would induce "abnormal excitement". He urged vegetarianism and vigorous exercise coupled with Bible reading, and occasionally cool enemas or salt baths. When these failed, he urged (and often carried out) a clitoridectomy.
At some point, Kellogg must have realised that there wasn't time for him to excise the sexual organs of every masturbating woman in America, and produced the brainchild which the world best remembers - a bland and inoffensive breakfast cereal which would help patients keep their hands from straying below the belt; Cornflakes.
And here's the kicker. If a patient doesn't want to actually eat them, they can also be administered in enema form.
Thankfully, most of Kellogg's recommendations for female sexuality followed him to his grave, but we may have to suspect that he was onto something about cornflakes and exercise. John Kellogg died at age 91. Now - who wants breakfast?
-- All direct quotations from History Laid Bare by Richard Zacks.
Any thoughts on masturbation, quack cures, or breakfast cereals?
Selinho novo!
Recebi este selinho da Edna, do Jardim das Alamandras. Obrigada pelo carinho Edna!
Vamos lá as regras:
1 - Exiba a imagem do selo que você acabou de ganhar
2 - Poste o link do blog que te indicou.
3- Indique até 10 blogs de sua preferência.
E este selinho vai para... (tãrãrãrã...)
Pena não poder ser pra todo mundo... Peraí, quem falou que não pode? Tá passando por aqui? Pega pra você também, é seu!
Beijos!
Selinho novo!
Recebi este selinho da Edna, do Jardim das Alamandras. Obrigada pelo carinho Edna!
Vamos lá as regras:
1 - Exiba a imagem do selo que você acabou de ganhar
2 - Poste o link do blog que te indicou.
3- Indique até 10 blogs de sua preferência.
E este selinho vai para... (tãrãrãrã...)
Pena não poder ser pra todo mundo... Peraí, quem falou que não pode? Tá passando por aqui? Pega pra você também, é seu!
Beijos!
Aaaahhhh! xD
Today's Dress-for-success: pike shirt-Hush Puppies, jeans-Diesel, green bling bling watch-VOIR Aaah! I am so happy! Yesterday, I got back my Swedish essay about the era of realism and naturalism, and...I got 4+ (out of 5)!!! The "jj" grin on my face has still not disappeared and I assume that it is going to last for a while to come. See, the new refridgerator arrived today; that means that it's hopefully going to be loaded with celebration ice-cream for this weekend! xD
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Promoção da Margaret
Meninas, hoje foi publicada a minha história no blog da Margaret. Então, por favor, passem por lá e deixem um comentário!
Beijos!
Link da Margaret: http://margaretss.blogspot.com/
Beijos!
Link da Margaret: http://margaretss.blogspot.com/
Promoção da Margaret
Meninas, hoje foi publicada a minha história no blog da Margaret. Então, por favor, passem por lá e deixem um comentário!
Beijos!
Link da Margaret: http://margaretss.blogspot.com/
Beijos!
Link da Margaret: http://margaretss.blogspot.com/
Monday, April 13, 2009
Enjoying the day
When I woke up this morning I had a choice. I could either lay there and feel miserable the whole day or I could enjoy the hours I had left of freedom. I chose the last alternative and so far the day has been great. First, me and sis watched yesterday’s recorded One Three Hill and Gossip Girl (I love it when you can just skip the commercial breaks!) over breakfast. Then we went down town with the mission of eating Uppsala’s best mjukglass (soft ice-cream). We each bought the medium size and double the cost of it that was SEK 15 you will get the height of it in cm! It was so big that I had to sit down to eat it, because after a few seconds it started becoming the Leaning Tower of Pisa - and I am serious! I don’t really know what the kiosk is called but it is at Gågatan in town, just beside H&M. However, it is impossible to miss it during the spring/summer season because the length of the line…
Already being in town, we did some shopping too. I bought a gorgeous white and black dress from H&M that I didn’t snap on a picture. On the other hand I snapped one at a super-duper-cutie top in organic cotton that I found but decided not to buy, because of the price tag. I simply refused to pay SEK 200 for a H&M top that I can get half a pair of Levi’s jeans in Malaysia for! Hahaha, hilarious…I am so spoilt by the Asian prices these days…
Already being in town, we did some shopping too. I bought a gorgeous white and black dress from H&M that I didn’t snap on a picture. On the other hand I snapped one at a super-duper-cutie top in organic cotton that I found but decided not to buy, because of the price tag. I simply refused to pay SEK 200 for a H&M top that I can get half a pair of Levi’s jeans in Malaysia for! Hahaha, hilarious…I am so spoilt by the Asian prices these days…
Anyhow, dinner is calling my name. Baked potato with egg, Skageröra (Skagen mixture) and sallad…and for dessert STRAWBERRIES!!! Yummi yum yum!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Easter dinner
Stressed, stressed, stressed. Just got home from an Easter dinner at Trudel. Tired as hell, but still have at least 20 minutes of physics to do (my friend Sabina and I - yes, the one that backstabbed me with the Facebook deal - made a study deal about doing at least 20 minutes of physics every day during the Easter break. And, so far I've managed pretty well. Meaning that I haven't started on antidepressives yet -.-). However, I'm lucky that the place wasn't full of screaming children running around all over the place, like some earlier visits...This time it was only three!
Shoot, shoot, shoot. Got to hurry up solving those physics questions now, cause mum and sis are sitting and waiting for me to get ready for some Oprah...Nighty!!!
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wax On, Wax Off
Clever Bitch had a nasty cold the last few days, and spent some time recuperating in front of re-runs of Sex and the City. Leaving aside the question of what a feminist is doing watching that particular show, there's a moment in the second season where Samantha, having recently trimmed her hedges, wonders aloud just what is so appealing to men about women with no hair "down there". Miranda, ever the cynic, responds acidly; "Because they want little girls."
I've never had a Brazilian, less on moral grounds than due to the triple deterrents of pain, expense, and humiliation (think getting down on all fours so that a stranger can rip hairs out of your arse-crack - then paying for the privilege). However, a girl I know (let's called her "Christine") marches into the beauty salon every fourth Tuesday and parts with forty-five dollars to have her pubic hair ripped out with hot wax. I've met Christine a few times after emerging from her ordeal - wiping her eyes, muttering in a horrified tone of the expense and wincing in recollection of the pain. Yet, Christine insists, she has the Brazilian for herself. I've never been brave enough to point out to her that she never used to wax "for herself", until she started dating Angry Restauranteur.
So, why precisely do both women and men want to wipe Tassie off the map? It's not a modern phenomenon- ancient Greek women depilated their entire bodies, including pubic hair, and various cultures have been doing the same ever since. It's as popular in high art as low-grade porn, with solicitors and strippers, with mothers and maidens. The artist John Ruskin never consummated his marriage with his first wife due to a general disgust with her body, and in particular her pubic hair. In all his years examining art, he had never seen such a thing depicted in a statue or painting and found it repulsive on his wedding-night. From these fascinations spring an entire industry to groom women's pubes into submission - but why?
Desmond Morris, the author of The Naked Ape and The Naked Woman amongst others, writes that women's bodies have evolved to be more neotonous - that is, resembling their childlike forms - than men's. Women's bodies are softer and rounder, our body hair finer, sparser, and paler in colour. Because males are instinctively protective towards children, they are suckers for women who look like children. Most women and men have even played this card consciously - women love men's clothes both for the comfort and also because they point out to the man just how little we are in comparison to them - just how vulnerable and cute - the little woman drowning in the giant track-pants.
So what about pubic hair? Morris also dispels the myth that pubic hair serves a protective or hygienic function. In fact, he states that pubic hair is entirely useless to a woman - it is there solely as a "flag" to indicate sexual maturity to males, much as the man's beard indicates maturity to females.
So, here we find ourselves at an impasse - men love women who look like children, but use pubic hair as a marker that they're not in fact children and can be approached in a sexual manner. Women want to look neotonous, so they shave their legs and underarms, and wax off their maturity flag. Bringing us back to Miranda's question - is the net result of all the pain, effort and trouble anything other than to look like a little girl?
Ladies and gentlemen - what do you think about Brazilians? What are your reasons for getting one or not getting one?
I've never had a Brazilian, less on moral grounds than due to the triple deterrents of pain, expense, and humiliation (think getting down on all fours so that a stranger can rip hairs out of your arse-crack - then paying for the privilege). However, a girl I know (let's called her "Christine") marches into the beauty salon every fourth Tuesday and parts with forty-five dollars to have her pubic hair ripped out with hot wax. I've met Christine a few times after emerging from her ordeal - wiping her eyes, muttering in a horrified tone of the expense and wincing in recollection of the pain. Yet, Christine insists, she has the Brazilian for herself. I've never been brave enough to point out to her that she never used to wax "for herself", until she started dating Angry Restauranteur.
So, why precisely do both women and men want to wipe Tassie off the map? It's not a modern phenomenon- ancient Greek women depilated their entire bodies, including pubic hair, and various cultures have been doing the same ever since. It's as popular in high art as low-grade porn, with solicitors and strippers, with mothers and maidens. The artist John Ruskin never consummated his marriage with his first wife due to a general disgust with her body, and in particular her pubic hair. In all his years examining art, he had never seen such a thing depicted in a statue or painting and found it repulsive on his wedding-night. From these fascinations spring an entire industry to groom women's pubes into submission - but why?
Desmond Morris, the author of The Naked Ape and The Naked Woman amongst others, writes that women's bodies have evolved to be more neotonous - that is, resembling their childlike forms - than men's. Women's bodies are softer and rounder, our body hair finer, sparser, and paler in colour. Because males are instinctively protective towards children, they are suckers for women who look like children. Most women and men have even played this card consciously - women love men's clothes both for the comfort and also because they point out to the man just how little we are in comparison to them - just how vulnerable and cute - the little woman drowning in the giant track-pants.
So what about pubic hair? Morris also dispels the myth that pubic hair serves a protective or hygienic function. In fact, he states that pubic hair is entirely useless to a woman - it is there solely as a "flag" to indicate sexual maturity to males, much as the man's beard indicates maturity to females.
So, here we find ourselves at an impasse - men love women who look like children, but use pubic hair as a marker that they're not in fact children and can be approached in a sexual manner. Women want to look neotonous, so they shave their legs and underarms, and wax off their maturity flag. Bringing us back to Miranda's question - is the net result of all the pain, effort and trouble anything other than to look like a little girl?
Ladies and gentlemen - what do you think about Brazilians? What are your reasons for getting one or not getting one?
Hot pink
I’ve decided to put the record straight. People constantly ask me “Do you wear something pink every day?”, and I look at myself and realize that I actually do wear something pink every day. It is definitely not something I plan on daily basis. However, I won’t try to defend my favourite color. I mean after all it is my favourite color!
Every morning when I get up I make my choice of outfit (which is a really tough job sometimes! At several occasions I just want to be six years old again and have mum pick out white tights, a green dress with apples on it and matching socks…) and unconsciously I always manage to grab something pink. It’s like there is some kind of magic attraction that the color pink has on me, I suppose. Even some days when my friends are like “Hey, look at you. No pink today!”, and I look at myself and go like “Yeah!”. Awesome, I think until I do a double bubble check and realize that either my socks, my panties or some hair accessory is in pink…But on the other hand, I also feel relief. Because, I have come to understand that I’m a Pink Lady and that, that is who I am.
Pink things make me happy and it shows my personality. In addition, it has helped me a lot with the one question that I’ve never really been able to answer “What is your style?”. Now I can just say “Wear something with a pink touch to it, and you are ready to go!”
Every morning when I get up I make my choice of outfit (which is a really tough job sometimes! At several occasions I just want to be six years old again and have mum pick out white tights, a green dress with apples on it and matching socks…) and unconsciously I always manage to grab something pink. It’s like there is some kind of magic attraction that the color pink has on me, I suppose. Even some days when my friends are like “Hey, look at you. No pink today!”, and I look at myself and go like “Yeah!”. Awesome, I think until I do a double bubble check and realize that either my socks, my panties or some hair accessory is in pink…But on the other hand, I also feel relief. Because, I have come to understand that I’m a Pink Lady and that, that is who I am.
Pink things make me happy and it shows my personality. In addition, it has helped me a lot with the one question that I’ve never really been able to answer “What is your style?”. Now I can just say “Wear something with a pink touch to it, and you are ready to go!”
I'm ready to light up dull Sweden in my new hot pink trenchcoat from VILA
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Sofá branco: a opnião de quem teve um
Um dia desses vi um post, mas não lembro de quem, que levantava a dúvida: Comprar ou não comprar um sofá branco?
Eu tive o sonho de ter um sofá branco por anos! Mas com dois meninos em idade de risco ao sofá, fui adiando. Mas enfim, os meninos cresceram e eu pude realizar o meu sonho! Minha sala ficou linda! Meu sofá branco realçava a sala toda e chamava atenção de todos! Não tinha quem não se encantasse com ele. Os meninos, devidamente avisados (ou com medo de ficar sem $), tomavam todo cuidado para não colocar um pezinho sujo nele...
Meses se passaram, até que um dia...decepção: o branco não estava mais branco, estava fosco, quase encardindo... Lavei o sofá e nada! Mas, ele ainda era branco. Podia não chamar atenção como antes, mas era o MEU sofá branco!
Mas, como o que tá ruim tende a piorar...começaram uma obra em frente à minha casa! E ainda por cima tinham que desaterrar o terreno! Carretas e carretas da mais pura terra amarela saindo para dar espaço à obra. Corre pra cobrir o sofá! Corre pra fechar a janela! E adiantou? Que nada! Meu sofá recebeu ainda um pouco daquela poeira e mesmo lavando, acabou, ele encardiu definitivamente! Ficou com aquela cara de coisa velha, suja e feia. Minha sala murchou. Os que chegavam e olhavam para o sofá ficavam com dó dele.
Acabei me desfazendo do sofá. Continuo achando sofá branco lindo, mas vejo que ele também pode se transformar num grande pesadelo. E garanto que não sou a única.
Agora minha sala está vazia. Estou à procura de um novo sofá. Sabe que tem hora que eu acho que eu sou muito chata com sofá? Já vi vááários e nenhum me agradou. Mas de uma coisa tenho certeza: meu sofá não será branco!
E você que tem um sofá branco, o que acha?
Beijos!
Sofá branco: a opnião de quem teve um
Um dia desses vi um post, mas não lembro de quem, que levantava a dúvida: Comprar ou não comprar um sofá branco?
Eu tive o sonho de ter um sofá branco por anos! Mas com dois meninos em idade de risco ao sofá, fui adiando. Mas enfim, os meninos cresceram e eu pude realizar o meu sonho! Minha sala ficou linda! Meu sofá branco realçava a sala toda e chamava atenção de todos! Não tinha quem não se encantasse com ele. Os meninos, devidamente avisados (ou com medo de ficar sem $), tomavam todo cuidado para não colocar um pezinho sujo nele...
Meses se passaram, até que um dia...decepção: o branco não estava mais branco, estava fosco, quase encardindo... Lavei o sofá e nada! Mas, ele ainda era branco. Podia não chamar atenção como antes, mas era o MEU sofá branco!
Mas, como o que tá ruim tende a piorar...começaram uma obra em frente à minha casa! E ainda por cima tinham que desaterrar o terreno! Carretas e carretas da mais pura terra amarela saindo para dar espaço à obra. Corre pra cobrir o sofá! Corre pra fechar a janela! E adiantou? Que nada! Meu sofá recebeu ainda um pouco daquela poeira e mesmo lavando, acabou, ele encardiu definitivamente! Ficou com aquela cara de coisa velha, suja e feia. Minha sala murchou. Os que chegavam e olhavam para o sofá ficavam com dó dele.
Acabei me desfazendo do sofá. Continuo achando sofá branco lindo, mas vejo que ele também pode se transformar num grande pesadelo. E garanto que não sou a única.
Agora minha sala está vazia. Estou à procura de um novo sofá. Sabe que tem hora que eu acho que eu sou muito chata com sofá? Já vi vááários e nenhum me agradou. Mas de uma coisa tenho certeza: meu sofá não será branco!
E você que tem um sofá branco, o que acha?
Beijos!
Putting myself first
Today I am going to be a good girl. Meeting up my little sister (she is my Godsister) Josefine at 11.00 am. (yes, that early) for a swim at Centralbadet and then talk some unimportant shit as well as, important about Mission B...So excited! I haven't had a swim in a very long time, and I haven't met my little sis in a very long time, and I know that my excuse always is the same about my struggle against time...but today I don't care. It is Easter break, and I have to do something for myself. I owe to do something to myself.
However, I don't know how many lenghts I will manage with this bloated stomach, that the breakfast caused me (I knew I shouldn't had taken oatmeal -.-), and the terrible muscle pain I have in my upper arm from the yoga session I did yesterday morning...So I guess there might be some more talking than actually training...which I don't actually mind...:P
However, I don't know how many lenghts I will manage with this bloated stomach, that the breakfast caused me (I knew I shouldn't had taken oatmeal -.-), and the terrible muscle pain I have in my upper arm from the yoga session I did yesterday morning...So I guess there might be some more talking than actually training...which I don't actually mind...:P
See you later alligator!
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Spring time
I'm back! And with me I have a pounding headache caused by the extraordinary UV rays that the sun for once (in a very long time) shone over Uppsala. Usually, I would complain about every "crazy" Swede that walks around in a tank top and surfing shorts like it's 25°C and the middle of June. - Like my sis said "If they look like that now, what happens when it's summer for real? Are they going to walk around in their underwear?!" However, today...I didn't. Because I believe that the summer has arrived. --- Haha, just kidding. I don't believe that summer has actually arrived, but I definitely believe that spring is here. And, that it is here to stay.
Me, myself did not cross the line of wearing hotpants and a halterneck. On the other hand, I did use a pair of my oversized shades just like all the people passing by. I always get stunned by how many hot people there are actually out there when the shades season is here. :P I don't know if it's because they are naturally hot or if it's just the dark sexy sunglasses that make them hot - but honestly I DON'T CARE! :D
My feeling towards spring...and don't worry, it's all on me :P
Friday, April 3, 2009
Faltou calma...
Depois de oito horas de espera, entrei no carro com um examinador que até estava com boa vontade e consegui esbarrar no meio-fio no fim de uma balisa, no mesmo lugar onde eu já havia feito mais de 10 sem errar. Era a última coisa do meu exame e até o examinador assustou, porque eu tinha sido perfeita até ali. Na saída, ao invés de falar sobre o que eu precisava melhorar, o examinador só falou: "Vocês deixam a gente entre a cruz e a espada, mas meio-fio é eliminatória."
Obrigada pela torcida! Daqui a 21 dias encaro mais uma.
Beijos!
Obrigada pela torcida! Daqui a 21 dias encaro mais uma.
Beijos!
Faltou calma...
Depois de oito horas de espera, entrei no carro com um examinador que até estava com boa vontade e consegui esbarrar no meio-fio no fim de uma balisa, no mesmo lugar onde eu já havia feito mais de 10 sem errar. Era a última coisa do meu exame e até o examinador assustou, porque eu tinha sido perfeita até ali. Na saída, ao invés de falar sobre o que eu precisava melhorar, o examinador só falou: "Vocês deixam a gente entre a cruz e a espada, mas meio-fio é eliminatória."
Obrigada pela torcida! Daqui a 21 dias encaro mais uma.
Beijos!
Obrigada pela torcida! Daqui a 21 dias encaro mais uma.
Beijos!
Talking Tins!
In our ICT assembly slot today our class demonstrated Talking tins.
We have been using them this term to help us learn Spanish words.
We worked in small groups to learn Spanish words for numbers and colours, we found the talking tins really helpful.
We have been using them this term to help us learn Spanish words.
We worked in small groups to learn Spanish words for numbers and colours, we found the talking tins really helpful.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Jim and the Indians
Picture this: your name is Jim, and you're a botanist exploring the South American jungles. You get horribly lost, spend days walking around in circles, and finally emerge into a tiny village, where you are horrified to see a group of twenty indigenous villagers tied up and facing a firing squad of guerilla soldiers. Then, the soldiers spot you.
You're afraid for your life, but soon it becomes evident that the head guerilla, Paco, has taken a shine to you. He likes you, he says. He likes scientists. He likes foreigners. And he's in a good mood today. So, he'll cut you a deal. He was about to summarily shoot these twenty locals as a warning to the rest of the population, who he claims have been a bit hard to control during the guerilla takeover. But, and here he hands you a pistol - if YOU would like to shoot one, you know, to show your support for the cause, he'll let the rest of them go as a show of goodwill. You look at Paco, then the terrified villagers, and then the gun in your hand. What do you do?
I first came across a version of this classic ethics vignette some years ago, in an undergraduate philosophy class. And it genuinely seemed a no-brainer. I'd shoot one of the Indians to save the other nineteen. I would have thought that almost everyone would agree with me on the point that it was unacceptable to let nineteen people die, just to keep your hands clean. How wrong I was.
A couple of girls from the Campus Bible Study group countered me that killing a person, any person, under any circumstances was murder, against the ten commandments, against God, and merited eternal suffering in hell. Other people, who didn't invoke the will of God, said that they would not be able to live with themselves after killing a person - however they seemed to have no problem with their inaction leading to nineteen further deaths. Jim would apparently show a great deal of moral backbone by refusing to lend ideological support, and watch twenty Indians be shot to death rather than only one.
It largely comes down to how you weigh up sins of commission vs. sins of omission - whether you weigh up things you didn't do as being as morally weighty as the things you did. For me, the consequences of commission were less than the consequences of omission, so I could not fail to act. For others, the actual action of firing the gun made them murderers in a way that walking away and leaving twenty people to die could never make them.
My consistent standpoint that I would shoot one of the Indians led to further questions. Which Indian I would shoot? The nearest one? The oldest one? The one who looked the bravest? And then, the question of whether the remaining Indians would view me as a saviour or a murderer. Would they understand that I committed an awful crime to prevent further awful crimes, or pillion me as a guerilla sympathiser?
This vignette is strikingly similar to one that is often posed to vegetarians; namely, would you eat a chicken if it would save the lives of five other chickens? I once posed both vignettes to a vegetarian flatmate, who paradoxically put it to me that he would shoot a person to save the other nineteen, but would never, ever, under any circumstances consider eating an animal. He preferred blood on his hands, as it were, to blood in his mouth.
Each person has their own feelings about sins of omission, but in my view, no matter what Jim does, he is complicit in murder. His choice is whether the screams of one person keep him awake at night, or the screams of twenty.
What would you do in Jim's place and why?
(And, for the vegetarians out there, would you eat a chicken to save another chicken's life?)
You're afraid for your life, but soon it becomes evident that the head guerilla, Paco, has taken a shine to you. He likes you, he says. He likes scientists. He likes foreigners. And he's in a good mood today. So, he'll cut you a deal. He was about to summarily shoot these twenty locals as a warning to the rest of the population, who he claims have been a bit hard to control during the guerilla takeover. But, and here he hands you a pistol - if YOU would like to shoot one, you know, to show your support for the cause, he'll let the rest of them go as a show of goodwill. You look at Paco, then the terrified villagers, and then the gun in your hand. What do you do?
I first came across a version of this classic ethics vignette some years ago, in an undergraduate philosophy class. And it genuinely seemed a no-brainer. I'd shoot one of the Indians to save the other nineteen. I would have thought that almost everyone would agree with me on the point that it was unacceptable to let nineteen people die, just to keep your hands clean. How wrong I was.
A couple of girls from the Campus Bible Study group countered me that killing a person, any person, under any circumstances was murder, against the ten commandments, against God, and merited eternal suffering in hell. Other people, who didn't invoke the will of God, said that they would not be able to live with themselves after killing a person - however they seemed to have no problem with their inaction leading to nineteen further deaths. Jim would apparently show a great deal of moral backbone by refusing to lend ideological support, and watch twenty Indians be shot to death rather than only one.
It largely comes down to how you weigh up sins of commission vs. sins of omission - whether you weigh up things you didn't do as being as morally weighty as the things you did. For me, the consequences of commission were less than the consequences of omission, so I could not fail to act. For others, the actual action of firing the gun made them murderers in a way that walking away and leaving twenty people to die could never make them.
My consistent standpoint that I would shoot one of the Indians led to further questions. Which Indian I would shoot? The nearest one? The oldest one? The one who looked the bravest? And then, the question of whether the remaining Indians would view me as a saviour or a murderer. Would they understand that I committed an awful crime to prevent further awful crimes, or pillion me as a guerilla sympathiser?
This vignette is strikingly similar to one that is often posed to vegetarians; namely, would you eat a chicken if it would save the lives of five other chickens? I once posed both vignettes to a vegetarian flatmate, who paradoxically put it to me that he would shoot a person to save the other nineteen, but would never, ever, under any circumstances consider eating an animal. He preferred blood on his hands, as it were, to blood in his mouth.
Each person has their own feelings about sins of omission, but in my view, no matter what Jim does, he is complicit in murder. His choice is whether the screams of one person keep him awake at night, or the screams of twenty.
What would you do in Jim's place and why?
(And, for the vegetarians out there, would you eat a chicken to save another chicken's life?)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Torçam por mim
É amanhã. Acabei de fazer a última aula e agora é só esperar até amanhã para ver se consigo minha carteira de habilitação... Ai, tá batendo uma ansiedade! Torçam por mim, para que eu não dê nenhum vacilo, para que eu domine meu nervosismo, e principalmente, para que não entre no meu carro o mesmo examinador mascarado!
Beijos!
Beijos!
Torçam por mim
É amanhã. Acabei de fazer a última aula e agora é só esperar até amanhã para ver se consigo minha carteira de habilitação... Ai, tá batendo uma ansiedade! Torçam por mim, para que eu não dê nenhum vacilo, para que eu domine meu nervosismo, e principalmente, para que não entre no meu carro o mesmo examinador mascarado!
Beijos!
Beijos!
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