Slacker Rant & Generation L

this guy did a great job laying out what is such a simple concept.

This is from http://www.jayandjack.com/

Future Forums

Friday Nt Forums in the Future:
on June 5: we will continue with the 912 principles & the Declaration of Independence
note: bring enough food for your family and guests.. we will eat "covered dish style" from 6-7 and then talk from 7-9.


Future topics for the forum are likely to include: the Church & the government, Influence of Arts on world, Obamanomics, The Great Depression, Raising kids in our entitlement society, Universal Healthcare, Gay Marriage and embracing diversity, Rich v. Poor in U.S.A. , Green future... Socialism, Fascism in Our time/town...

who knows we may even have some guest experts..

What is the problem? Friday Forum 053009

The results of the first Friday nt Forum are in:

Food: Chicken, Pizza, Pasta, Fruit, Chocolate cakes, YUMMMM

Friends: were plenty and the fellowship was fun.. I don't know exactly how many kids were upstairs but it was a bunch.. 15-16?? this will be easier when everything outside isn't wet from the rain. It was also exciting to be able to bring people together who don't know each other and use the food and forum to strengthen our relationships "in community".

FUN: we talked about just about everything under the sun except Gay Marriage and Abortion.. We'll have to leave those for another day..at least for now. The framework that I used for discussion was the 9 principles from 912project.com

FEW central ideas arose last night:
1. We need to be able to clearly articulate what our problems are and not just uniformly blame the "system"
2. Current republic is limited because we don't have a method to enforce term limits, nor do we have a method to actually get them put into law.
3. Jeff raised again and again that he was concerned about the out of control spending of the last decade and the lack of accountability for future implications. Ultimately, this could/will lead us into another WAR.

References/Idea and discussion starters Jeff used last night:

912 Project.com
The Daily Me - Nicholas D. Kristof
Conservatives and Liberals - Nicholas D. Kristof
Amazing Science Fiction "miracle has to come from us"

Facebook in reverse

I was just thinking.. In the last year or so, the only substantive debates I have actively carried on on topics from religion, to politics, to family to finances, have all taken place on Facebook. The forums we are hosting on Friday nights, are exactly the reverse of that.

We are coming together as friends, colleagues, and neighbors, to just "talk". What a concept. I plan to talk tonight about what are the principles that tend to unite us versus dividing us and just see where the discussion flows from there.. Should be fun.

Very 912project...and exciting!

Friday Night Forum for Food and Fun

Friday Night Forums begin tonight.. If you are a friend or colleague, please thing about calling us and coming on out to spend some time. Tracee and I have decided to open our home on Friday nights during the Summer for a discussion forum of sorts. Who knows what might come out of this...

for 5/29: plan to discuss some guiding principles.. (maybe 912project driven), and think about what the right framework for productive discussions is...

2321 Olde Stone Road Midlothian, VA 23113

Starts tomorrow night: 5/29/09.. 6-9ish
FOOD: covered dish, so please bring enough to cover your crew.. we have plenty of paper plates, silverware, etc..
Please RSVP so we know you are coming.. via telephone or email..

You are cordially invited... to the Prillaman's home for an "openhouse" discussion forum of sorts for each Friday night thoughout the Summer.. We will be ready and willing and hopeful that you and your family can join us for some fun time to talk and fellowship in "community".. We will plan to eat "whatever there is" between 6 & 7 and then fellowship and discuss between 7& 9. Kids are welcome, plenty of places for them to play, read, watch a movie.. etc.. we will adapt on the fly and just have fun. If you have friends or neighbors who you think might enjoy the discussion, feel free to bring them with you..(just let us know they are coming) There is no standing agenda, other than "we just might talk about anything, from politics, to religion, to family to finance.. maybe even a little opera in there for good measure"

People this would be a good fit for.....

• Would like to catch up with the Prillamans before this years Big Daddy Bash on Aug 22 (hint hint)
• Think that someone else need to talk to/with Jeff to give Tracee & the kids a break.
• Are you fed up with watching the news alone and not being able to actually "talk" about any of this stuff?
• Do you think that musicians can make a difference in the world?
• Do you wish you had more time to just talk with friends at work about something other than work?
• Do you think that that last Sunday School lesson didn't quite get everything you wanted to talk about?
• Do you remember a time when you were close to your friends, but not sure how to get back there?
• Politics, Religion, Family and even Finances are topics you are a little afraid of...
• Wonder what is happening in our world these days.
• Think you have a plan to fix it all and want to talk about it.

Discussion topics for now, will be decided by who shows up, the food plan is "covered dish".. and the Fun is guaranteed.. (jeff said sooo ;-) We may decide on some "theme" nights if we get a large uptake. Who knows, if a bunch of musicians come, we may end up just singing for our supper..

Eu não resisti...

Olá meninas!
Eu tinha dito que só mostraria o escritório completinho, mas não aguento...
Também não dava pra continuar sem postar!
Pra começar, vejam como estava o caos total que eu encontrei:

E agora, só algumas coisinhas que fiz...

Um organizador de diversos tipos de clips:

E um relógio-propaganda ganha nova cara:

Jô, obrigada pelas dicas, foram ótimas! E Paula, ainda estou organizando as coisas (ai como eu demoro!), mas em breve te conto os resultados. Uma coisa é certa: meu trabalho está rendendo muuuuuiiiito mais!

Espero que tenham gostado. Amanhã tem mais um pouquinho.

Beijos!

Eu não resisti...

Olá meninas!
Eu tinha dito que só mostraria o escritório completinho, mas não aguento...
Também não dava pra continuar sem postar!
Pra começar, vejam como estava o caos total que eu encontrei:

E agora, só algumas coisinhas que fiz...

Um organizador de diversos tipos de clips:

E um relógio-propaganda ganha nova cara:

Jô, obrigada pelas dicas, foram ótimas! E Paula, ainda estou organizando as coisas (ai como eu demoro!), mas em breve te conto os resultados. Uma coisa é certa: meu trabalho está rendendo muuuuuiiiito mais!

Espero que tenham gostado. Amanhã tem mais um pouquinho.

Beijos!

Pre-summer break

My goodness, finally the day before the day has arrived. Tomorrow I will be leaving dull Sweden for the beautiful city of Budapest. Mum told me the other day that I've been there before when I was little, but how am I possibly suppose to remember that? Haha. Anyhow, we won't be staying at any fancy hotel since my godfather lives there, but a trip to Austria is included in the travelling kit and that's more than fine! So, this is my last post for a while then...or until Wednesday when I am back in Sweden, to be more specific. Oops, better get ready for bed. I don't want to look like a dead (wo)man walking. However, all I can think of right now is the fact of me wearing sneakers to the airport instead of a pair of fierce heels, like usual. That thought kinds of frighten me now, haha. Well, I just have to work those sneakers I guess! Ciao.

Best Monday ever ;P

Usually, I'm not a big fan of Mondays. It's the day which reminds you that duty is calling and also, it's the only day of the week where the time seems to stop. However, God bless this Monday! It was the first Monday in my life where I went home with such a big smile one my face. Why?

Well, not only did I pass the physics course, I GOT AN A ON THE FINAL MATH TEST! I have never in my entire life got an A on a math test so I was shocked (still am though), but in a good way of course. I think this is the part when I tell myself that studying hard will give a reward (just came up with that, and it even rhymed!).

Sandra, get over it!

Good morning, little blog!

Last night I barely slept at all. All I could think of was what to bring to Project B. on Friday and my history essays I've got back last Monday. Good lord, those essays! I just can't get over it, can I!? I've been told several times that you only learn from mistakes, and I know that. But by knowing myself, I also know that not sticking to the subject and bringing up very irrelevant ideas are something I'm an expert at. In many ways it can be a good quality though, because I am thinking outside the box however, sometimes I get a bit too far away from the box...meaning I'm out on the ocean not even seeing the box anymore. And that is what I really have to work on. Unfortunately, it might be a bit difficult because the quality seems to run in the genes since my dear mother can be exactly the same, hehe...

Anyhow, sooner or later I'm going to get some nice Sunday breakast with the family (which is the only good thing about Sundays..oh, except that Gossip Girl is aired!) and then, hopefully, open up my wardrobe and start to go crazy!

Folding socks

I think I am becoming better and better at helping mum do the laundry. And the thing is, that I don't even see it as something boring. I do it because I want to. Maybe people would call me insane if I would walk around and tell everyone that I actually enjoy folding...socks, but I am perfectly serious when I say that I find it quite relaxing. Hahaha! My goodness, this is really something you cannot tell people you've just met, that would be like:

- Oh, so what are you up to doing when you're free?

- Weeelll...I'm into folding laundry sometimes, you know...

Seriously, some people would do anything to escape doing their laundry and here am I, doing it for fun!? But maybe this is just a phase, or maybe it's not. All I know is that I find helping and folding the laundry is kind of cozy...Okay, I just realized that I might be a bit "one of a kindish" now, haha!

Water and ice-cream

Wohoo, I made it! I feel so proud of myself for managing those 100 lenghts in the pool earlier today. It feels like I haven't done that for ages. Everything was a little bit blur afterwards though, but I am still in one piece as you can see. Ooohh, I'm so proud proud proud! xD

But maybe I shouldn't have celebrated with that ice-cream, because now I am overloaded.

Notícias do escritório

Olá meninas!

Nesse momento meu escritório está uma verdadeira bagunça! É balde, lata de tinta, escada, forro no chão...ufa! Mas a coisa tá andando...
Prometi a mim mesma que não iria postar nenhuma foto antes que fique pronto e é com muita dificuldade que me esforço para cumprir essa promessa! Essa arrumação já vai levando bem mais que os três dias que eu pensei a princípio, mas eu também já vou inventando mais coisa... É aquela história: difícil é começar, mas quando começa não dá vontade de parar. Cada hora surge mais uma idéia na minha fértil cabecinha e aí é mais um dia de bagunça arrumação.

Tenho visitado vocês, mas sem deixar recado por causa da correria que estou no trabalho, nem tenho feito hora de almoço... Então, me desculpem e continuem me visitando e deixando os recadinhos que eu tanto gosto de ler.

Beijos!

Notícias do escritório

Olá meninas!

Nesse momento meu escritório está uma verdadeira bagunça! É balde, lata de tinta, escada, forro no chão...ufa! Mas a coisa tá andando...
Prometi a mim mesma que não iria postar nenhuma foto antes que fique pronto e é com muita dificuldade que me esforço para cumprir essa promessa! Essa arrumação já vai levando bem mais que os três dias que eu pensei a princípio, mas eu também já vou inventando mais coisa... É aquela história: difícil é começar, mas quando começa não dá vontade de parar. Cada hora surge mais uma idéia na minha fértil cabecinha e aí é mais um dia de bagunça arrumação.

Tenho visitado vocês, mas sem deixar recado por causa da correria que estou no trabalho, nem tenho feito hora de almoço... Então, me desculpem e continuem me visitando e deixando os recadinhos que eu tanto gosto de ler.

Beijos!

Addiction

I don't know if what I feel at this point is a sign of an itsy-bitsy-tiny addiction to sudoku or if...if what actually? Who am I fooling? I am an itsy-bitsy-tiny sudoku addict, however I cannot be one of the worst, I mean I didn't even know how to solve one without guessing, using some kind of addition strategy or asking someone to solve it for me a couple of weeks ago! I was fully sudoku clean before French class got so boring and Carl Philip (who does everything else besides French during the lessons :P) introduced me over to the dark?/bright? side...Or maybe, it wasn't only him, it was him accompanied by my dear friend Sabina (aka my sudoku coach - yes, I have a sudoku coach that thought me all the skills, haha).

Anyhow, how was I suppose to know that I would want to be the all time sudoku champion just weeks later? But it can't be that bad, right? A sudoku or a crossword a day is told to keep you mind and memory in good shape so three sudokus and one crossword will only make my mind even sharper, right? RIGHT!?

Mummy'n'Sandra Day

How nice, another Mummy'n'Sandra Day. It was a while since we last had one so I'm extremely satisfied with Vicki being out of the house! Haha, just kidding :). However, I must admit that it actually was quite a while since I spent some alone time with mum. Nevertheless, this feeling of not getting enough time together that I have at the moment, will eventually turn into the state of "leave me alone!" sooner or later this summer. Hahaha...Spending time with each other almost 24 hours/ day in two months time is slowly going to make us go mad with each other...But that is another issue to deal with later because for the rest of the day I am going to spend in my dear mother's company (and hopefully in the company of some ice-cream and martini as well! :P).

Mummy with a very blonde Sandra last summer :)

Curly questions 1: Heaven and Morality

A particular type of religious person will always wish to believe that they have a monopoly on morality. I referred to a couple of these types last month in Jim and the Indians - you know, the type who use religion as an excuse to stop thinking. You've seen these people - they're often the ones wearing a beatific smile and vacant gaze, usually in conjunction with either a WWJD? bracelet, or a t-shirt emblazoned; "Ask me how to be saved!" They have all the answers to everything. Just ask them.

One thing that they will tell you without hesitation is that they cannot conceive of any reason that non-believers (such as myself) should feel the need to act morally. An old friend of mine, "Rebecca" was a prime example. "Why," she said, "would you worry about being a good person if it's all chaos out there? If you're not trying to get into Heaven, or to avoid Hell, then what reason have you got to be a good person? You can do anything you want, and nothing will happen after you're dead." Rebecca's chubby jowls wobbled as she shook her head obstinately. "If it wasn't for God, why would people bother to lead good lives?"

I didn't break it to Rebecca that she had just identified herself as both a moral and an intellectual weakling. What Rebecca still doesn't know, is that morality comes about in stages, and that she's stuck on the very bottom rungs.

Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987) was an American psychologist who theorised that there are six stages (which can be divided into 3 levels) of moral development. In level 1 (pre-conventional), people orient their behaviour in such as way as to avoid punishment (stage 1) and then to reap rewards (stage 2). These two stages are known as Pre-conventional morality. In level 2, people come to an understanding of rules as social norms which allow them to fit in (3) and then as important in terms of preserving authory, law and order (4). Stages 4 and 5 can be termed as Conventional morality. Finally, an individual surmounts these orientations by first recognising the importance of social contracts of behaviour (5) and finally, universal ethical principles which can be applied for the greatest good (6). These are known as Post-conventional morality.

Worryingly, although all children start at Pre-conventional levels, only a minority of individuals reach Post-conventional morality. My friend Rebecca certainly didn't. Her argument (which, to give her the benefit of the doubt, she probably learned at Sunday School rather than formulating for herself) only served to show that she had no fundamental understanding of what morality is. Allowing fear of punishment and hope of reward to shape behaviour has nothing to do with morality at all - it's pure self interest along the lines of the carrot and stick approach. And, frankly, you can teach a rat to behave that way.

Poor Rebecca. She was not only stuck in pre-conventional moral development, she assumed everyone else is, too. She found it impossible to believe that I, as an unbeliever, would wish to behave morally, as there was no overt incentive to do so, or disincentive for running psychopathically amok. Far from religion being conducive to morality in this case, it actually stunted Rebecca's moral development by leading her to believe that the reason for being good is going to Heaven. Amen. Have a carrot.

I like to think that most religious people out there are smarter than Rebecca, and do good for its own sake rather than merely to moderate the consequences. Putting God into the equation doesn't have to cancel out morality in its true sense, but it can frighteningly distort the picture if the motives become mixed. In the end, how can you claim to be acting morally if the driving force behind your behaviour is self-interest?

Do you think religion is conducive to morality?

Me want those genes...

Why do these Balkan ladies have to be so God damn beautiful?! I can't say that I hate my own features, however, I must admit that I envy the Victoria's Secret model genes that seems to run so (unfairly) through the south eastern blood of Europe...

I am not a lesbian but if that girl Aysel (competed for Azerbaijan in Eurovision the other day) was ever to ask me out, I wouldn't make any objections whatsoever! Oh gosh, it's not fair that some people have to be so gorgeous...It really isn't...

Here we go again

Can't believe that a year has already passed by and that I am sitting here again, waiting for Eurovision Song Contest to begin. Actually, I am not that into the whole "Eurovision spirit" or whatever you should call it but it would be a sin to miss it! This year they are Moscow and the woman that represent Sweden is the opera singing Malena Ernman, a very unpredictable candidate according to me. We usually don't send opera singers --- and I just saw that it has already began.

So now it's time for the shocking bad jokes of the hosts and some "Eurovision spirit" for an hour or more to come...Also, I just heard that Malena is singing as number four and if we see it from the Chinese point of view - NOT GOOD!

She is 30+ something but she looks like 40+ something!!! I wonder how this is going to go...-.-

Friday

Good evening little blog! It was a long time since I dropped a few lines I can recall. And from those last lines I dropped there, I was not at my best mood...But as we all know, life has it ups and downs and you just have to find a way to deal with it. Life can't always be in harmony I have learned. And by putting out my own thoughts and road through life in this little blog, I have found one of many ways to cope. Anyhow, now I'm going to crash in the couch with a round of Martini with some lime. Mmmhmm, is my respond to that...My new favourite drink!

Charlie Blast's Territory

Charlie's Blast's Territory, a game made by Kemco, could be described best as a mix between Bomberman and a box moving game(those puzzlegames that you can find on your mobile phones and other small devices). The goal in the game is to blow up all bombs in a level and try not to blow yourself up in the process. Your character is looking like a builder with his yellow helmet and his pants just hanging low enough to see his crack.
There are 2 modes in the game, singleplayer and multiplayer.

I'll start with singleplayer. Singleplayer is where the game really stands out, it's challenging and it requires you to think before you do something. And if that's not all, you'll have to do under a certain time limit. The levels get harder and give you less time the further you get through the game. The singleplayer contains 60 levels.

Now about the multiplayer, in my opinion it's the worst part of the game, if you would happen to come across this game and you're able to buy it at a cheap price, just do it but only for the singleplayer. I shall explain why, in multiplayer the goal is too conquer more ground than your opponent, you're doing this by blowing up bombs which will color the ground beneath it to the colour of the guy who put it on fire. But there also lies the weak point, because it is just doomed to happen that everyone stacks there bombs at one place and that people are standing around the bomb that's going to set the chain reaction on, and they will all be lighting it until the time runs out and they all blow up.

Let's talk about the graphics, I didn't find the graphics very appealing in this game. The characters were all weird-looking and stereotypes. You had the builder like I mentioned, you have a pimplooking guy with sunglasses and a few other characters who were just to exaggerated.

The sound is another thing that doesn't really deserves to be mentioned, it were just simple sounds like some screaming and jumping noises. The only non-irritating music was the main screen song.

The save-function isn't that great either, it's just a password-system with 5 cards, so you have to write the codes down just like you had to do that on most NES games.

So if you like puzzlegames that you can do on your own when you have a couple of free hours in the evening, Charlie Blast's Territory is fit for you, don't pay too much for it though.

Super Mario 64

Most people know Super Mario 64, since it was one of the games which were packed with the Nintendo 64. A lot of people call it the best game on the N64. Some even call it the best platformer ever made. Any way you look at it, the game was revolutionary.

With a beautiful 3D environment Super Mario 64 took a big step ahead of the competition.
The graphics were plain and simple, but still nice. The gameplay was very great(the best part in my opinion), you could have hours of fun, while you were just jumping around, sliding, running and showing of tricks. The controls were very easy, even your great granddad could play this.

The coin and star collecting added a lot to the game, because it sort of pushed you to explore the whole level and not blaze through all of them. All the levels in this game are also challenging and sometimes even a bit too hard ( For example, Rainbow Ride, is a real pain because if you fall of the rug, it will cost you a life).

The music and the environment fitted nicely and the songs were catchy and were great composed. You could play just for hours, days, even years (I've played it for 10 years, my whole childhood). And when you defeat the the last bowser, you'll get a very nice ending. Which is worth all the playing if you ask me.

But hey, the fun's not over yet! You can still try and catch 120 stars and meet your old buddy Yoshi on the roof. And even then you can play further if you like ( Try to get the maximum amount of coins in a course, or just fly around a bit or beat all bosses again).

This game is going to take a lot of free time, but don't worry, it will be fun all the way.

Riddle poems

In Y3, we have been writing animal riddle poems.We chose an animal, and wrote some clues to describe the animal.Can you guess what the animal in the poem below is? How many clues did you need?

Riddles poem

I have sharp claws,
and I sometimes growl.

I have big jaws,
and I like to prowl.

I have a golden coat of fur,
I like to eat meat.


I am a lion!!

Dia das Mães

Me considero uma pessoa pirivilegiada. Não tive uma mãe, mas sim três! Pode parecer estranho à primeira vista, mas vou esplicar minhas mães, uma a uma:

1 – Minha mãe: Minha mãe é fantástica, admiro-a demais por tudo o que fez e pelo que deixou de fazer por ela para que nós tivéssemos algo a mais. Com 54 anos, é uma pessoa que faz questão de aprender sempre, seja o significado de palavras até então desconhecidas de um livro, seja um assunto de "cultura de boteco", estudo de religião, culinária, qualquer coisa. E mantém um espírito jovem, se enturma numa roda só com amigos meus e dos meus irmãos mais novos, e daí a pouco são todos amigos dela! Quando começamos a conversar, perdemos a noção do tempo. Quantas vezes nos assustamos com o dia clareando e a gente ainda rindo e batendo papo! É na casa dela que me desligo do mundo, que descanso, recarrego as baterias...

2 – Minha avó: Sempre moramos junto com minha avó e eu era declaradamente a neta predileta. Sempre fui protegida, mimada, mas não "estragada". Ela mudou de condição quando eu tinha 15 anos. Digo mudou de condição porque sei que não partiu. Sinto minha avó presente o tempo todo, mas principalmente quando mais preciso. Num dia muito triste, quando abri o guarda-roupa, caiu um pacote de cartões, e de dentro do pacote caiu um, o último que ela me deu. Nele estava escrito: "Não importa onde eu esteja, estarei sempre cuidando de você. Vovó Lourdes"

3 – Minha tia/madrinha: Sabe aquela pessoa que você sabe que pode contar? Minha tia demorou a ter filhos, enquanto se dedicava à carreira dizia que não precisava ter filhos porque tinha a mim como filha. A filha mais velha dela é da idade do meu filho mais velho. Por ter, na época, as manhãs livres, era com ela que eu ia para o clube todos os dias, e só ela tinha a paciência necessária para ir às matinês do Carnaval do Barroca levando uma certa ciganinha à tiracolo... Temos uma relação extremamente próximas. Moramos a 200km de distância, mas conversamos pelo menos duas vezes por semana por mais de 1hora.

No Dia das Mães, é impossível não pensar nas três. Mulheres normais, com qualidades e defeitos, com garra e fraquezas, com momentos de alegria, de impaciência, de tudo o que representaram e representam na minha vida, e no quanto foram importantes para que eu me tornasse que eu sou hoje.

Feliz Dia das Mães às minhas três mães!

E Feliz Dia das Mães à todas vocês que são ou que sonham ser mães!

Beijos!

Dia das Mães

Me considero uma pessoa pirivilegiada. Não tive uma mãe, mas sim três! Pode parecer estranho à primeira vista, mas vou esplicar minhas mães, uma a uma:

1 – Minha mãe: Minha mãe é fantástica, admiro-a demais por tudo o que fez e pelo que deixou de fazer por ela para que nós tivéssemos algo a mais. Com 54 anos, é uma pessoa que faz questão de aprender sempre, seja o significado de palavras até então desconhecidas de um livro, seja um assunto de "cultura de boteco", estudo de religião, culinária, qualquer coisa. E mantém um espírito jovem, se enturma numa roda só com amigos meus e dos meus irmãos mais novos, e daí a pouco são todos amigos dela! Quando começamos a conversar, perdemos a noção do tempo. Quantas vezes nos assustamos com o dia clareando e a gente ainda rindo e batendo papo! É na casa dela que me desligo do mundo, que descanso, recarrego as baterias...

2 – Minha avó: Sempre moramos junto com minha avó e eu era declaradamente a neta predileta. Sempre fui protegida, mimada, mas não "estragada". Ela mudou de condição quando eu tinha 15 anos. Digo mudou de condição porque sei que não partiu. Sinto minha avó presente o tempo todo, mas principalmente quando mais preciso. Num dia muito triste, quando abri o guarda-roupa, caiu um pacote de cartões, e de dentro do pacote caiu um, o último que ela me deu. Nele estava escrito: "Não importa onde eu esteja, estarei sempre cuidando de você. Vovó Lourdes"

3 – Minha tia/madrinha: Sabe aquela pessoa que você sabe que pode contar? Minha tia demorou a ter filhos, enquanto se dedicava à carreira dizia que não precisava ter filhos porque tinha a mim como filha. A filha mais velha dela é da idade do meu filho mais velho. Por ter, na época, as manhãs livres, era com ela que eu ia para o clube todos os dias, e só ela tinha a paciência necessária para ir às matinês do Carnaval do Barroca levando uma certa ciganinha à tiracolo... Temos uma relação extremamente próximas. Moramos a 200km de distância, mas conversamos pelo menos duas vezes por semana por mais de 1hora.

No Dia das Mães, é impossível não pensar nas três. Mulheres normais, com qualidades e defeitos, com garra e fraquezas, com momentos de alegria, de impaciência, de tudo o que representaram e representam na minha vida, e no quanto foram importantes para que eu me tornasse que eu sou hoje.

Feliz Dia das Mães às minhas três mães!

E Feliz Dia das Mães à todas vocês que são ou que sonham ser mães!

Beijos!

Breakdown

I have nothing at all to comment about except that I am so disappointed with myself, and I know that I am not the only one who is going to be...

Those smokers...-.-

Today's normal bike ride to school caught my attention of a matter that I've for quite long time now been longing to bring up, but always forgets to. I am talking about the smokers. Amost everyone knows the awfulness of assuming to go on a nice bike ride, and then you "just happened" to end up behind a garbage truck! (And I know that it's not just me that has been through that breathtaking tradgedy, so don't lie!) According to me, landing up behind a smoker is twice or even more horrible than landing up behind one of those green recycling things.

The garbage truck's smell might give you a present feeling of someone puking just in front of you, but as soon as you overhaul the truck, the yucki sense will also be overhauled. After all, the things we eat are someway produced by the nature's resources so the wind can easily carry it away. Meanwhile, the smell of a cigarette or even worse, a cigar leaves you with not only a whole day of yucki-smelling hair but also, it will torture your lungs in an exceedingly more damaging way than the actual smoker. And by that said, I must say that I really really dislike smokers. Also, I think that they have no right to say that they're not affecting others by their "bad habit", because they had simply decided to do that to their bodies. - Because, they have no idea what they are talking about whatsoever! Second hand smoking is the worst kind of smoking, and the worst part about this fact is that we "second hand smokers" can't do anything about the situation! And like that is not enough, their stupid cigarette butts of course have to be ashed all over the place! -.- Ooh, I get so vexed speaking of these kinds of things.

If you are coughing every 15 minutes, taking serious disassociation from cigarettes when you are pregnant, standing on the balcony with your "beloved one" afraid of the house smelling yucki, or the wallpaper to turn yellow - YOU OBVIOUSLY KNOW THAT SMOKING IS BAD FOR YOU AND THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU! Why won't all smokers just do each other and all of us non-smokers a favor and just stop with your silliness.

The Good-Enough Samaritan

"Have you got a jacket you don't need?", gasped Christine as she tried to catch her breath at my front door; "Or maybe a blanket? There's a girl out here with a ripped shirt... it looks complicated."

About the age of twenty, the girl on the street was very beautiful, and very drugged. She was struggling to pull the shreds of her top far enough together to cover her breasts, muttering to herself and crying inconsolably.

"What happened here?" I asked my friend, seizing a jacket.

"I'm not sure," said Christine. "I was just heading to the station when a guy pulled up and pushed this girl out of his car." Christine's voice lowered. "One of the guys up at the station said he reckoned she had just turned a trick - her first trick. It's awful."

"Christ, I just fucking love my neighborhood, don't you?" I growled, as we emerged onto the street and towards the girl, who was now slumped on the ground with her head in her hands. As she raised her face, I could see blood coagulating around her nose and mouth. Her pupils were pin-pricks, her eyes running into little rivers of black mascara. She sat mutely as we draped the jacket around her shoulders. When we asked what we could do, she murmured "ciggie" without meeting our eyes.

Christine and I helped the girl, "Mia" into my flat, feeling that we couldn't leave her out in the literal cold and rain. Our enquiries were fairly pointless - Mia didn't want to talk, let alone about what awful experience she had just been through. After Christine went on her way, I did what I could for Mia- but beyond a steady supply of cigarettes, that didn't turn out to be much. She ate only a little of the food I heated up, and refused the offer of a shower or clean clothes. I offered to take her to the hospital, or the police station, and nearly sent her flying out the door in terror. I soon ascertained that she had nobody she could call, and nowhere she could safely go.

I started calling women's shelters. Youth shelters. Family assistance centres. I called every number listed in the phone book under Crisis Accomodation, but there was no room at the inn. And, with each phone call that I made, and each time I was told that there were no beds for Mia, the little voice in my head grew louder; Why don't you let her stay here?

I have a spare bed. My fridge is full of food and my cupboard full of spare linen. I have more clothes than I really need. There's more than enough room here to support Mia - but I didn't offer. I was afraid that she would rob me. I was afraid she might trash my house. I was afraid that when she came off whatever she was on, she might punch my lights out. I was afraid for all the reasons that prejudice against her situation dictated. She came from the street.

In the end, that's where she returned. That is, for all I know. After about two hours, she announced her intention of going to the Cross. All I could do was to give her a bag of food and beg her to be careful. I never saw or heard from her again.

Christine tried to cheer me up the following day. "You did enough" she said. "You can't save the world, you know. You did what you could." But I doubted it. I hadn't offered Christine a bed. I'd never turned my back on her for a moment while she was in my house. Even the jacket I gave her was a tatty old thing that I didn't want.

Every day, I walk down my street and see more people like Mia, who need the sort of basic, practical help I could provide, like a hot meal or a bed for the night. But instead, I toss some change, or a piece of fruit from my grocery shopping. Like so many of us, too selfish to risk what is mine in order to give another their rightful due. And, like so many of us, pretending that what I do is good enough.

How far should we go to help someone in need?

Volta Margaret!

A Margaret resolveu largar o blog, abandonar a todas nós! Como assim????

"EU QUERO A MARGARET DE VOLTA!!!"
pq eu, "sou 100% você"!!!
Assim, convido vocês, amigas blogueiras...a fazerem parte deste time...aderirem a campanha...
Eu sei que muuuuuitas de vocês já externaram suas opiniões do blog dela mas...
VAMOS FORÇAR A BARRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BORA VER SE ELA AGUENTA PRESSÃO!!!!!!!!rs...
DÊ UM "Ctrl" C E UM "Ctrl V" no post acima e lance esta campanha também no seu blog!!!
Margaret, volta!!!

Conto com vocês.
Beijos!

Volta Margaret!

A Margaret resolveu largar o blog, abandonar a todas nós! Como assim????

"EU QUERO A MARGARET DE VOLTA!!!"
pq eu, "sou 100% você"!!!
Assim, convido vocês, amigas blogueiras...a fazerem parte deste time...aderirem a campanha...
Eu sei que muuuuuitas de vocês já externaram suas opiniões do blog dela mas...
VAMOS FORÇAR A BARRA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BORA VER SE ELA AGUENTA PRESSÃO!!!!!!!!rs...
DÊ UM "Ctrl" C E UM "Ctrl V" no post acima e lance esta campanha também no seu blog!!!
Margaret, volta!!!

Conto com vocês.
Beijos!

Jealousy is a dangerous spark

I haven't written in a while but I have been very busy. There is a lot going on with the Da Capo Institute and things are definitely crazy at my "day job" for a major financial.

I was thinking this morning about what keeps me from connecting with other people. I am a people person, but I often hear that with me it is either all in or all out.. People love me or they hate me. This can be difficult to handle even when I'm among the population who "loves" me. Soooo, I have begun some introspective analysis. What am I doing that influences, enhances, or hinders my relationships. I quickly moved past the big stuff. (e.g. personality, size, volume, passion) Those are the easy targets.

The hard stuff is underneath all that. What really makes me tick? I wonder what Sylar(from NBC's Heroes) would find inside my head. My strengths are likely to be huge weaknesses. I began to think about how I declare success as a performer or even a manager and again I ended up in a quagmire or questions not answers.

I am a recovering control freak who takes every day as an opportunity.
I am ultra competetive and I want to win. (almost no matter the cost)
I am passionately confident about my leadership abilities and my insight/instincts.
I don't have much use for over controlling institutional models. I believe that individuals with communities are the most valuable commodity in the world.
I am jealous of others' successes. Yes I said it. I have an intense desire to do better than everyone else. The problem is that the rules are so subjective and ultimately I am more deconstructionist in my thinking than I admit. Maturity is working on me with that one.
I am passionately committed to my family even when they drive me crrrazy.

I read a post this am about upcoming auditions for the Greater Richmond Children's Choirs and I suddenly realized that I am jealous of GRCC's "success". I don't even know if they are "really" successful nor how to define it, yet I react violently to even reading about them. They actually exist which should be a good thing for Richmond and my musical communities ideal, but I also know that I don't agree with their militaristic expectations and control model in regards to the music. I have seen their performances and they are indeed top notch, but at what cost?

That is the question now isn't it. Even in my own performances, I'm not willing to pay the costs to travel and perform, even assuming I could get the gigs these days. I want to build musicians not just make music. I'm not willing to burn up myself or musicians for performance results even though my methods take longer to produce. I don't like them. I don't agree with their leadership nor their approach but I shouldn't fixate on their acceptance by the cultural elite. Ahhhh, this is a bit of a rant sorry.

I frequently hear about performances of peers and friends on major stages and venues and I am even jealous of them. Why can't I just be happy where I am? Arrgghh

Thou shalt not covet. There it is. I guess I have something else to add to my personal development plan.

Aventuras no mundo da máquina de costura

Cresci com máquina de costura em casa. Minha mãe criou nós três costurando. Mas nunca me interessei em aprender.Há uns anos, a velha máquina foi encostada para dar lugar à outra mais nova e mais moderna. Então trouxe ela aqui pra casa, mas ela continuou encostada. Até ontem. Isso porque ontem resolvi que eu mesma iria montar as almofadinhas para as cadeiras do escritório e outras coisitas mais. E não é que tá dando certo? Estou me descobrindo no mundo da costura! Hahahaha!
Quanto ao escritório, as coisas vão bem mais lentas do que eu esperava. Nem minhas mãos, nem as mãos amigas que preciso que me ajudem conseguem acompanhar o ritmo do meu pensamento. É ter paciência...


Beijos esperançosos!

Aventuras no mundo da máquina de costura

Cresci com máquina de costura em casa. Minha mãe criou nós três costurando. Mas nunca me interessei em aprender.Há uns anos, a velha máquina foi encostada para dar lugar à outra mais nova e mais moderna. Então trouxe ela aqui pra casa, mas ela continuou encostada. Até ontem. Isso porque ontem resolvi que eu mesma iria montar as almofadinhas para as cadeiras do escritório e outras coisitas mais. E não é que tá dando certo? Estou me descobrindo no mundo da costura! Hahahaha!
Quanto ao escritório, as coisas vão bem mais lentas do que eu esperava. Nem minhas mãos, nem as mãos amigas que preciso que me ajudem conseguem acompanhar o ritmo do meu pensamento. É ter paciência...


Beijos esperançosos!

No Britney for me ;(

Buhuhu! I am so ennoyed by the fact that Britney is coming to Sweden on July 13, and that I am not going to be here at that time!!! :( I don't really object against going to my favourite country and second home, but I just feel like a little child not getting what it wants at the moment. -.- Which sucks, if you're not aware of that...I've been longing for her to make her way to Sweden, but only heard that she was going to Amsteredam and London, so I gave up. But now when I have plans going to Malaysia, she just couldn't stay away from making her "Circus Tour" all the way to Sweden...

I remember the first couple of times when I first heard Womanizer. It caught me immediately, and I just knew that I had to go to her concert whenever she would come here. Guess what? My dream just fell into pieces -.- ---Oh, mum just showed me a nice white tank top in organic cotton that she bought me the other day. Now I feel a bit better, I think.