Hug a Pug!

2003-12-15T03:04:00.000-02:00

The return of the living dead
So, this blog practically died because I'm the only one posting seeing that Gwen is just too busy with her own stuff. But anyway, long story short: I got my portuguese passport - that doesn't require visa to enter in US - so I'm finally able to meet her in New York on december 18 to spend four 'freezing' days there and then head up to Seattle to her place. I'll return on january 17. That's one month of vacation! I don't have that for like 5 or 6 years! I'm so excited! Can hardly wait! :)

I'll hopefully buy a digital camera so I can take a lot of pictures to feed my fotolog, which is already filled with a bunch of crap. Hahaha.

So that's it. Bon voyage to me! ;)

2003-11-06T16:02:00.000-02:00

"Huh, what?"
This is just a little homage to Peaches, the queen of the nonsense, for performing the funniest show I have ever been to! Hahaha! She is so fucked up! Me and my friends just couldn't stop dancing and giggling the entire time! :) She undressed on each song - she asked for food and when someone threw a disgusting-half-eaten sandwhich, she fucking ate it! - she fake-puked fake-blood - she asked everyone to follow her by licking their own armpits - and finally: during "Fuck the Pain Away" she asked two girls to sing with her on stage and then she tongue kissed both while the crowd went nuts! Needless to say that the show RULED!

"IUD SIS - Stay in school, coz it's the best"

2003-11-01T17:54:00.000-02:00

Today makes one year that the two members of this dead blog met!
We met in a halloween party that I wasn't really invited because I was the friend of the friend of the friend. Yeah, that's right! Hehe. It was very funny. Interesting drunk people speaking other languages, lots of alcohool, friends making out on the toilet seat! (haha - gold!), a Madonna cover singing, pissed off neighbors, a cock that wouldn't shut the hell up, the same people from the bathroom having sex in the bedroom of someone they don't even know. Tsk tsk tsk. :-P

The highlight was when me and Gwen left the party and went to the street to get something to eat and we ended up sitting on the beach kissing, talking about life and watching that sunrise with the weirdest-beatufil sky where it was sun on the left and rain on the right and us in the very middle.

I know we were only literally together for 5 months and a half, but we sure know how to make time spent together worth it. So to celebrate, I will post some pictures of our great trip to Argentina a couple of months ago that we had so a great time.

Caminito:

The rule of the place is that you have to paint your house in a lot of different colors. It's like a fake scenery of a child movie. Very interesting!

Casa Rosada:

Plaza de Mayo. You can see Evita Perón feeding the pigeons here. :-P

Flower in Recoleta:

This flower opens in the day and slowly closes as the night comes. You can't really see the size of it in this picture but I will tell you: It's huge!

Av. 9 de Julio:

Largest road I've ever seen! It's like 2 minutes to cross it. You can barely see the Obelisco in the background.

Anyway, Argentina kicks ass! We should definitely go back there someday, and this time I won't lose my camera. :-P
This is trip one of many others yet to come! :)

Now listening: Mr. Scruff - Chipmunk

2003-10-10T17:16:00.000-03:00

BBC: Vatican says that condoms don't stop HIV
Acording to the british TV, the church is changing a moral argument for a clinic.

Yeah sure! Because priests are the best source for contraceptives, right? Give me a break!

2003-10-09T13:02:00.000-03:00

2003-10-08T13:56:00.000-03:00

Today marks another pathetic political faux pas in the United States...

Yes folks, Arnold Schwarzenegger is the next Governor of the Sunshine State, California. Which demographic put him in power? It wasn't the god-fearing conservative right. It wasn't the socially responsible dem left. It wasn't the latino vote. And, it sure as hell wasn't Hollywood.

So, who let this atrocity mar further the American public image of circus-ring politics and privileged, incompetent leaders????

TERMINATOR FANS EVERYWHERE

Now listening to: Black Eyed Peas "Karma"
"Ain't no runnin' from, KARMA, ain't no runnin'"
Let this be a message for the American people... bear in mind 2004 is the Presidential election...

2003-10-06T00:04:00.000-03:00

Now that she's back...
Is that what's going on at Smith college? Is there any explanation for this? Because I sure demand one!

Nice kiss! :-P

2003-10-05T21:02:00.000-03:00

Guess who's back, back again...

So, I have been on hiatus for long enough.
School = masochistic insanity, US$38,000 per year.
Social life = dramatic, US$3 - 7 per drink, 3 - 5 drinks a night, 3 nights a week.
Getting through college in one piece and with two bachelor's degree = priceless.

OK, so I am exaggerating a bit. Getting all of my stuff done has a very exhilarating. Soon, I will be 'done' and returning to my lovely João in lovely Brasil on a Fulbright grant.

Here's hoping...

Now listening to: "São Paulo" by Morcheeba

(pra variar, Né)

2003-10-02T15:08:00.000-03:00

Don't forget Scrubs today
MY AMERICAN GIRL - Season Premiere
8:32pm 2003-10-02 - ALL NEW!

hehe

2003-10-02T00:51:00.000-03:00

Is everyone getting pregnant?
It seems like this is the year of pregnancy for people around me. There's like 5 persons that I know and the most shocking one is my former best friend during childhood which happened to get his 3 months(!) girlfriend pregnant! Ouch! Needless to say that he's desperate...

2003-09-28T18:54:00.000-03:00

Poor Nemo

That's just some entertainment to disguise that today makes exact a month that Gwen left Rio and I returned to this real life (read: boredom). *sigh*

2003-09-16T23:03:00.000-03:00

How interesting!
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

2003-09-09T01:44:00.000-03:00

Professional photographer wannabe
Sometimes it's good to have a brother with a brand new digital camera pretending to be a professional photographer. These pictures were taken on my building's balcony with us trying to look serious. Hehe.

Actually, I think he did quite a great job! I'll post more pictures later and I will try not to turn this blog into those ones I hate. Hehehe. Ok, that might be hard...

Saudades!

2003-09-04T19:45:00.000-03:00

Beatles - Things We Said Today

You say you will love me,
If I have to go.
You'll be thinking of me,
Somehow I will know.
Someday when I'm lonely,
Wishing you weren't so far away,
Then I will remember,
The things we said today.
You say you'll be mine, girl,
Until the end of time.
These days such a kind girl
Seems so hard to find.
Someday when we're dreaming,
Deep in love, not a lot to say.
Then we will remember
The things we said today.
Me, I'm just the lucky kind.
Love to hear you say that love is luck.
And, though we may be blind,
Love is here to stay. And that's enough
To make you mine, girl,
Be the only one.
Love me all the time, girl.
We'll go on and on.
Someday when we're dreaming,
Deep in love, not a lot to say.
Then we will remember
The things we said today.
Love me all the time, girl.
We'll go on and on.
Someday when we're dreaming,
Deep in love, not a lot to say.
Then we will remember
The things we said today.

2003-06-19T18:50:00.000-03:00

in Rio... with the one and only João Miguel Alves de Azevedo Raposo do Amaral

Enough said!

2003-06-02T14:30:00.000-03:00

Yeah yeah yeah... I am 21. For some reason, the birthday joy has worn off a bit. I just can't believe that I am getting that old. SO, I don't really have much to say. I am alive at least... missing a few useless teeth and full of allergies... oh yeah, and my hair is recently shorn.

So, without further ado...

Don't worry... I will be responsible!

2003-06-02T04:00:00.000-03:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
This cute little girl on the left is now turning 21 years old today! Congratulations! It's like reaching a new level in your life to do the stuff - that you previously used to do anyway, hehe - legally. (entering in certain places and driking, that is). :-P Seriously, I'm so happy for you! It would be awesome if I could fly up there to surprise you and give myself as your birthday present, but you know it's not that easy unfortunately. The look in your face would surely be one of those "priceless" moments though.

A big toast from me, all my family and friends who know you, in the name of your happiness and upcoming years of life. We will have to celebrate your birthday with a four days delay, but I will try to make it "worth the wait" because that is exactly the way I feel about you.

2003-05-20T02:41:00.000-03:00

Yo yo yo - yo yo - yo yo! (as in "Red Alert") I'm glad that my baby is back at her hometown Seattle, and is now with the company of her family, friends and dog (B, Be, Bee, Bi - you choose). Hopefully she won't feel as lonely as she used to feel in the lesbo-land - Smith College, that is. Just let the pain from the wisdom teeth removal pass and she will feel pretty great for being there. Plus, her 21st birthday is very near, so that's another thing to look foward too. :)

Big familly news: My brother Filipe has finally proposed his girlfriend Juliana after eight years of realationship! My father says he was just being jealous because I'm leaving the house first... Hahahaha! No, seriously, I think it's about time for them to get officially together and to live by themselves. I'm very happy for them and I wish all the love and happiness that every couple should have.
The wedding will be at a very beautiful mansion (not church) here in my city Niterói. I went to a friend's wedding last year at this same place and I was completely amazed on how cool and beautiful the place was. Can you say perfect?
They plan on getting married around mid-November this year and I'll be one of the best man.
I can't wait to be the "cool uncle João that likes music with funny-weird sounds"! Hehehe.

Now listening: Mekon - Please Stay (Röyksopp Remix)

2003-05-14T20:38:00.000-03:00

R.I.P.

Jeremy Houk has been missing for two and a half months. He was a good friend of mine. His body was found this morning. Cause of death is yet to be determined.

You can read about it, if you feel so inclined. Seattle Post Intelligecer Article

now listening to Sigur Ros "Nothing Song"

2003-05-14T03:18:00.000-03:00

I am finally back from the unintentional blog-break. Heh. I was basically busy with a lot of time consuming and pain in the ass stuff, like upgrading my computer / installing the Windows XP (read: eXtra Profit) and new computer parts (Hooray for the new DVD/CD-burner and a 80Gb HD - all in the name of good piracy, of course). I had also managed to finally find a decent place for us to live with basically everything we wanted and hoped for an apartment. Something tells me that we'll survive pretty well for these 3 months. I can hardly wait! :)

I've been watching and enjoying SCRUBS a lot lately. It's pretty funny in a dumb smart way... It reminds of a very old show called 'Paker Lewis' (Which I think me and my sister were the only viewers, hehe) but based in a hospital. I would define SCRUBS as a goofy show with a sort of sentimental meaning in the end. It's basically pretty much like myself, ain't it? :-P

Ok, enough with the "basicallys" for now. I think I may have been infected with the basic virus too! Crap, that was so unfunny that only the smilie is really laughing. Hahaha. After that I have to stop here and go to bed.

Now turning off what I was listening: Eminem - Superman, along with the sound of my brother snoring.

2003-05-11T23:09:00.000-03:00

Alright... I just wrote a bunch of shit and my computer genious self erased it all. Oops. Quick summary: halle-FUCKING-lujah: one year away from two bachelor degrees and an induction into the world of law school brat elite policy-making. does that mean that i lose my halo? of course not! this patron saint of well-being is here for the good fight waged on behalf of the global south and the underprivileged!

GO OUT AND CHANGE THE WORLD!
And now for something COMPLETELY different.

Am I the only person on the planet that thinks that wrestling is completely homo erotic???

This could be you sweetie!

HUH?

This could be the GROSSEST SITE EVER! Please, enter at your OWN risk!

I guess that is that for now... UNTIL THE NEXT ONE!!

2003-05-02T00:07:00.000-03:00

Why can I NOT focus on ANYTHING???

2003-05-01T18:17:00.000-03:00

HAH! I think that I would be Red Forman or even Steve Hyde, but the result turned out to be ERIC!

Eric Forman, the level-headed 17-year-old who is
the center of the retro view of Wisconsin on.
which that 70's show character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Ok, maybe I am Eric after all. But I'm pretty sure that I'm Fez when it comes to english accent.

Now playing: Radiohead - 2 + 2 = 5

2003-05-01T13:53:00.000-03:00

Who comes up with the shit... no, I mean REALLY? Who has the time...

>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^| ||
| BEER TRUCK | ||'|";\,___. *beep*
|_..._...______===|=||_|__|...,] |
"(@)'(@)""""*|(@)(@)*****(@)

Ummm.... beer... cheaper than water in most parts of the world... ten times the fun too!

Now Listening to: Counting Crows "All my friends" (if you don't have this song... you should! I deem it so!)

2003-04-30T23:38:00.000-03:00

OK - so, not that I really have time to be "wasting" on online quizzes and shit that doesn't really mean anything... but, on the That 70's Show Quiz... I am Donna!!!!

Donna Pinciotti, the red-headed tomboy who lives
next door to her boyfriend Eric.
which that 70's show character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
How do you like them apples???

Now listening to ... Fernanda Porto "De Costas Pro Mundo"

2003-04-27T19:08:00.000-03:00

"come and kiss me sweetly
ride the telephone
drag the miles to me
I am yours alone"

- An excerpt from "Pug" by The Smashing Pumpkins.
I think it fits quite well in here ;-)

2003-04-25T23:42:00.000-03:00

Friday night, same old drama. As if the back-breaking workloads and close quarter living was not enough... a boring Friday night ensues and everytone is at wach other's throats. Except for me of course. Innocent bystander? Conscientious objector? No, anti-social. This is the hip new game link. Tell your friends.

Saw Anger Management. Not quite what I was expecting... entertaining nonetheless.

Finally bought my ticket to Rio... Yessssirrrrreee. I am returning to my "homeland". Bwhahahahaha.

Next stop: the Yucatan Peninsula.... Bienvenido al paraiso, senorita!

Yowza.

Oh - and about David Bowie's crotch...now, as much as I love the Goblin King and am not aiming to disrespect... Rocky Horror has surely got him beat.
Three words: gold lame (lah-may) fabric!

(No offense, honey!!!)

Now listening to: Basement Jaxx "Stop 4 Love"

2003-04-23T19:47:00.000-03:00

"You remind me of the babe!"
"What babe?"
"The babe with the power!"
"WHAT POWER?"
"The power of VOODOO!"
"Who do?"
"You do!"
"Do what?"
"Remind me of the babe!"

This man is my god...
"As the world falls down!"

2003-04-21T21:25:00.000-03:00

The search continues:

Rio Accommodation Center

Classificados - O Globo

Imovel Web

Classificados - O Dia

APSA

A&T - Apart Hotéis

Precisão Adm

Cadê - Aluguel por Temporada

2003-04-20T16:54:00.000-03:00

Happy Easter everyone!
This is the egg that I'm 'virtually' sending to everyone who reads this. I hope it tastes amazingly good like the Cadbury mini eggs mentioned earlier on this blog. Yummy! So um, I just had the delicious-traditional-famous codfish (yeah!) made by my mom (sorry Vitor, we ate it all - hehehe) for the easter lunch with the family. Now I'm sitting here with a full stomach writing this post in my bedroom trying to hide from the live bad music that is coming from a church nearby. Have I mentioned before that I simply cannot stand church music? It slowly kills me! *plays any mp3 in the computer to smother the sound*
Yes, I'm a catholic guy, but I can't help but say that this church pisses me off deply! Haha. I'm sure going to hell now, no doubt about that! But um, how can I not be pissed off by waking up at 7 am because the priest decided to throw fireworks in the air in a sunday morning? This is against the human rights! Heh.

So, since this is almost a Radiohead related blog (haha), I'm posting here the cover of the new "Hail to the Thief" album. I didn't like it that much. I dunno, there's just too many colours on it which isn't really the mood of the album. Yes, you guessed right, it's depressing. Still amazing though!

Gwendolyn dear, song recommendation for you to download: Fatboy Slim - Michael Jackson. It's an old song from his first album called "Better Living Thru Chemistry" (my Fatboy Slim favourite album) and it is awesome! I'm sure you'll love it. :-)

Now playing: Groove Armada - Sex and the City Theme (Remix)

2003-04-20T15:39:00.000-03:00

FASTER PUSSYCAT KILL KILL! (uhm, as in the movie!)

2003-04-20T12:12:00.000-03:00

Hey you out there in la-la land...

HAPPY F***ing EASTER!

Wise words from a Wacko-Jacko wannabe:
"Every relationship I've been in, I've overwhelmed the girl. They just can't handle all the love. " ~Justin Timberlake

Simply fabu...

Now listening to: M4J "Um Baiao"

2003-04-20T11:39:00.000-03:00

WHAT???

2003-04-13T14:58:00.000-03:00

This is in hommage to my Radiohead addicted lover and compadre, João Miguel, who has recently discovered the fabuloud Paranoid Android (which just happenes to be my favorite Radiohead song on my favorite Radiohead album, OK Computer)

This image was taken from the video, which is almost six minutes of bizarre amoral animation... a.k.a ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! It is their only hand animated video and was directed by Magnus Carlsson. Worth grabbing off of Kazaa if you ask me...

Moment of ZEN?
Here ya go:

Now listening to: Radiohead "No Surprises" (also off of OK Computer!)

2003-04-10T18:03:00.000-03:00

This is Juan Soldado. Mexican patron saint protecting travellers reach their final destinations, dreams and desires happy and unharmed. Juan is making sure that I will be on a plane to Rio this summer... he came to me in a dream.

Now that Brazil has seen the Michael Jackson video... it's only fitting that I make this our moment of ZEN:

YES! That little black boy in the front IS Michael. Now that Jacko is Wacko... people are documenting the process that got him there! This website, and I am being 100% serious here, charts the progression of Michael's face. From little black boy to chiseld white woman, or white genderless species. Whatever he is, its on this site. The HIStory of Michael Jackson's Face

Listening to: Lauryn Hill "Mr.Intentional"
boo-YAH

2003-04-10T00:20:00.000-03:00

The homework has halted... momentarily. When I say halted, I mean that I have no immediate assignments due... until Friday at least. The stress of getting my passport and visa for Rio this summer is another unwanted obligation. But, all for a good cause, right? I never heard from CEJIL about my internship. Instead, I have accepted a postion at the NGO The Dreams Can Be Foundation They do lotsa good stuff for underprivileged children in Rio. Namely, they work on social development and education, finding sponsor groups to donate and promote theater, boxing and dance clubs. insert halo here.

I just finished watching a documentary on Ciudad Juarez in Mexico. Juarez is home to American-run Maquiladoras, factories that employ young Mexican women for industrial labor. In the past decade, somewhere between 250 and 400 women aged 14-25 have been brutally raped and murdered. There are no leeds. The police in Mexico have been linked to some of the most disturbing crimes, and the local Mexican government is involved in the cover-up with a "those women deserved what they got" mentality. Questions of race, accountability and human rights encircle the epidemic. I am writing an 8-12 page paper on the issue... if you feel so inclined to get involved or find out more information, this documentary, Senorita Extraviada, site provides some links.

Sometimes the weight of what goes on in the world is tooooooo much for a young light-hearted supergirl to handle. *sigh*

Between my humanitarian missions and paper rants - am I really making a difference in the world? When is wishful thinking not good enough?

Now for my moment of ZEN:

Leave it to Frida. My patron-saint.

Listening to: Radiohead "My Iron Lung"

2003-04-08T02:13:00.000-03:00

As some of you noticed, I've been unreachable for the past weekend. No, it wasn't my internet connection's fault this time... I was actually at Arraial do Cabo with people from my work for a weekend of diving for the first time with a scuba gear in this wonderful place! What is the best of all? All expenses paid by the company! Yep! Definitely a must-go kinda thing! :-D

I dove three times - that was like 2 hours underneath the water with three cylinders of oxygen spent in that beautiful and peaceful world that is below water. Diving is like watching a documentary on the Discovery Channel, but in real life - it is so amazing that sometimes you even wonder if you are really there. It feels like you can fly with the fishes.
We were very lucky on this weekend, because the water was warm (which I later found out is unusual for Arraial) and crystal clear. Not to mention the sunny weather that the forecast predicted as a 90% of chance of rain and broken clouds for the whole weekend. I'm glad that the forecast is always wrong! :-)

I saw many species of fish and strange creatures I've never seen before, I played volleyball with a co-worker underwater with a blowfish (hahaha), but the highlight was the big turtle - just like this one on the picture - that I saw. I could literally ride her. I grabbed the turtle and we started to swim together! How cool is that? Ok, cool for me... I'm sure the turtle was very pissed off. Sorry! Hehe.

Anyway, diving rules and it is definitely something worth doing again. Shall we? Maybe we'll swim with the dolphins next time. ;-)

2003-04-06T03:50:00.000-03:00

Yes, it's me: the disappearing act! Hoo-RAH.
Aside from my copious amounts of work ... and the a capella gestapo, this is all I can think about

I love you madly!

2003-04-04T01:28:00.000-03:00

Have I ever told you how much I love the internet? I bet you can imagine! I love the fact that you can easily get an album that is not even released (or even 100% finished for that matter). Yesterday it was brought to my attention that the new Radiohead album called "Hail to the Thief" was leaked. I instantly stopped everything I was doing and went straight to the "hunt-mode". After a couple of minutes, I found it here (if you'll download, rename all files to *.mp3). I was at work at the time, but I HAD to download it so I didn't care to use all the connection bandwith for me - that means that eveyone there was without internet connection for a while whilst I was downloading the mp3s. Oops! hehe. The album is amazing! I currently can't stop listening to some songs from it. It's definitely a worth-buying one.

I've seen the new 'controversial' Madonna video for "American Life" yesterday for the last time on MTV. Last time because Madonna has decided not to air it anymore saying: "It was filmed before the war started, and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time". Well, if you see the video, you'll understand what she means, because it is indeed too heavy for nowadays. The video begins with models decked in military gear strutting down a fashion runway while images of warplanes in flight splash across the walls. During the chorus, Madonna sings against a black screen as orange fireballs erupt over her shoulders. The clip also depicts shots of Arabic peasants in the street. In the final scene, a George Bush look-alike catches a grenade thrown by Madonna, then lights his cigar with the weapon. After a video like that, all you can say is "Woah!".

Now playing: Radiohead - "Where I End And You Begin"
(This song is orgasmic! I wanna have sex to it, hehe)

2003-03-28T02:56:00.000-03:00

"Take a little jouney..."
I'm back from having the sequel to the best days of my life. It was so superbly amazing! After months of loneliness, saudades and even suffering, the dream came true and I was finally together with my dear Gwen for 10 days which we spent in a very wonderful way. I just wanted it to never end. Never!

The highlights:

The first glance and kiss, of course.

The look on Gwen's face receiving the hard to find "Lovage" cd by Dan automator.

The "Ooh la la" poodle. ;)

Car music spinned by DJ Gwen. Of course the highlight was the song "Live at Dominoes" by The Avalanches, which had to be played everyday to make us even happier. It was/is the best song. No doubt about that.

Being 240 straight hours together.

Listening to Layo & Bushwacka's "Love Story" at Cozumel? Ok, this deserves to be highlighted! Oh, I also liked the place. What a surprise!

The Zoolander, Austin Powers 3, Mcdonald's (and the search for pennies) day. It just feels so good to be with Gwen in my own home. Especially when we're alone there. :)

Making plans for the future.

Friends + drum n' bass + free beers at Loud.

Watching my car (aka "our son" or "my pug") surviving the flood in Copacabana and getting safely into the mall. Of course we had to take a picture of that.

Cervantes (since you already mentioned Spoleto)

The 'trip' to Vitor's house for the "churrasco" with everyone.

The "hotel" nights, except for one. Hehehe. Well, it was funny at least. :-D

Búzios was so good that it deserves its own highlights:

"Zulu Lounge". I'd say: perfect company, perfect place, perfect music, perfect food, perfect ambient, perfect two bottles of wine, perfect 'after-party'... Aw, everything was just perfect on that night. :)

The argentinean "Don Juan" place for lunch.

That cuban place called "Havana" at night, even though that was where we were when the war started, so we kinda felt wierd at that time.

The shy sun which showed up just for us, while it was raining in the whole of Rio de Janeiro state.

The beaches.

It's so great to know now that Gwen is coming back in June even if she doesn't get a job here - which I doubt that will happen. So only two moths left! It will pass very fast. Um, I guess I will have to put the 'countdown' on this blog again. :-D

More details and pictures soon!

Now praying: Ave Maria.

2003-03-26T02:11:00.000-03:00

That was the best vacation of my life! It was so relaxing to be on the beach in Búzios ... in the rain in Rio ... wherever, whenever: the company was perfect! Since leaving Brazil in December, I had been scheming on how and when I could return. I am so in love ... Now, I am stuck missing my dearest João Miguel not knowing where I am going to be this summer. Last night, amidst tears, I decided that regardless of where I work, I need to be in Rio this summer. I will get into Law School no matter what I do this summer... the important thing is being where I am happy!!

Seeing Vitor, Mônica , Rapha and Tati confirmed that my true friends are in Brazil! I am so obsessed with Rio! Is it possible that I lived there in a past life???

Trip Highlights ~
- The first hug, kiss and ...
- Cadbury Chocolate Eggs!!!

- Churrasco @ Vitor's
- The Rainy day alone at João's apartment
- all the bedroom time...
- Zulu Lounge in Búzios... more drinking less thinking
- Samantha, the kitty we took pictures of
- shrimp pastels on Ferradura e Tartaruga beaches ...
- two sunburnt lovers... João's red nose and Gwen's striped leg
- Cozumel with Monica, and *gasp* João!
- the "chic hotel" in Niterói (huauahhuahauhauhauha)
- "almoço" with João's whole fam
- DJ Gwen mixing it up in the car
- Spoleto, Spoleto, Spoleto

- 8 Mile (ultima sessao da noite...)
- Loud! Gwen peeing in the parking lot... and falling down the stairs
- the fruit cocktail at Marius
so many other things...

Can't wait to go back. MANY more memories to be had! June is SOOOO soon. PRAY for CEJIL!

Now Playing: Cyndi Lauper "I drove all night"

2003-03-13T20:16:00.000-03:00

No more waiting! :-)
This blog is on vacation until march 24.
Bye.

2003-03-11T15:19:00.000-03:00

HALLELUJAH!
"I'll stop the world and melt with you!" And indeed I shall! This li'l blondie is running off to Rio... and not just for spring break! It is my pleasure to announce that CEJIL has decided to offer Gwennie Dear a job in their Rio office for the months of June, July and August ... which means that I will be in Rio for Johnny Angel's birthday! Maybe I just just apply for a dual citizenship right now...even Jesus is waiting for me with open arms!

HEH!

A couple days ago - after a weekend of TOO much alcohol and numerous memos from my liver telling me to "Fuck myself in the most uncomfortable way possible for making me work overtime!" - I was sooooooo upset. I wanted to stay in my bed forever, listening to Radiohead and other music that validates wrist slitting (no worries, I am being sarcastic!). Now, I am almost done with midterms, and in two days time I will be heading to Rio and my boy's awaiting arms! And... I will be there this summer as well working my tookus to protect the rights of underprivilaged and exploited Latin America! *sigh* What a patron-saint in the making...

Now if only I looked like this:

Oh wait, I DO!!!!!

Life is fucking great.

Now playing: Radiohead "Amazing Sounds of Orgy" (PS - NOT in wrist slit mode!)

2003-03-09T18:37:00.000-03:00

Röyksopp - Melody A.M.
Every once in a while an album comes along that I just can't stop listening to! First with Flaming Lips' Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, as you already know because I keep saying this over and over like a scratched record, but now it's time for my ears to have "Melody A.M." by Röyksopp. Yes, you probably never heard of it before like me, but this is actually a 2001 album made by a norwegian duo (hence their odd name) released under the Astralwerks label. The album is an stylish masterpiece. It will sweep you along at a canter sufficient to get your feet tapping and put a smile on your face. Although harmonious, Röyksopp have created a diversity of tracks quite rare in modern electronica. You'll love it! :-)

2003-03-07T18:52:00.000-03:00

Cast Away is now back home
The fun carnaval days are over and I'm back to the usual daily routine - sitting in front of a computer all day, that is. Not that I'm complaining about it, because that's how I make the money I use to have this kind of fun. It's just that sometimes being away from the world of technology and disconnecting from everything to go to a small village is exactly what you need. The only thing I really wanted from the 'outside world', which is talking to my beloved, couldn't happen because my mobile phone didn't work there. Bummer! That was frustrating.

There was not much to do in Tarituba (the name of the place) because it is such a small place. But still, hanging out with your friends, having a warm beach in front of the house, playing guitar, drinking beer, eating shrimp pastels, listening to good music (sometimes), visting a creepy cemetery at night, entering a foam-spray war, counting stars on Capeside's wharf, fishing for a couple of hours in a boat at night in the middle of nowhere during a thunderstorm... along with a very bizarre and phantasmagoric family, rainy barbecue, seeking crabs at night with a torch, and of course: laughing most of the time over the shit we said to each other was good enough for carnival. :)

Of course I had to have my Cast Away moment when I went in a boat with Vitor and Mônica to a small island. We got there safely, but on our way back the "almighty unsinkable boat" sank. Hahaha. That was hilarious!

Cast Away's island overview

Notice that next friday, around this time, we'll be together. Yay!!! Time flies really fast! Fortunately it makes waiting less painful.

Song (title) of the day: Radiohead - True Love Waits

2003-03-05T19:38:00.000-03:00

Holy Guacamole (did I actually just write that...?) I am Ms. Stress. What's new? I am waiting to hear back from CEJIL to see whether or not I will be spending this summer in lovely Rio. But, they are slow and a might unprofessional and I have not heard ANYTHING since my second e-mail :-(

The United States' covert actions in Iraq are starting to surface and the pressure pot in the Middle East is waiting to explode! There was a nation wide campus walk out today. I did not walk out. While I wore red in solidarity, I consciously decided that NO external forces such as such activism are going to change the inevitability of this conflict. Hmph. One day, I will be the one in charge.

Can we talk about something fun? OK - so the Smith College and Five College Luso-Brazilian groups actually put on a decent Carnaval!!!

I had a great time at the Saturday night party. I loaned a lot of my music... they played a lot of Suba and Fernanda Porto...with the help of some Brazilian students I tried to teach Forro!! HAH. I made a new friend too named Corey who is deciding between Salvador and Rio for next year's study abroad...I told him he HAD to go to Rio.

I hope that my Brazilian best and beloved had a drunken, exhilirating Carnaval 2003!!!

And now, for you moment of zen... for the record, what was Mocidade THINKING???????

2003-02-28T13:39:00.000-03:00

Don't forget that I'll be thinking about you the whole time because I love you so much that I can't get you out of my head! So, if you feel sad and alone, just think about that. ;) Feel free to call me whenever you want because that would be great! Really! When I get back, next thrusday, it will be only 8 days until you will be here, think about that too. :)
Have fun with all the caipiroskas at that party!

I love you!

2003-02-26T19:34:00.000-03:00

HI! I am back from the "Underworld" of self-pitying blah blah blah. Well, the last time I wrote, my fucking computer decided to hate me and erased everything ... so, in summary. I saw an amazing film, The Life of David Gale

This film paradoxically depicts the process of self sacrifice and self actualization through seemingly narcissistic characters. It got crappy reviews, but when was the last time that I trusted anything that critics have to say? NEVER.

Being away from Rio has made me a pathetic, jealous monster! I wish that I had gone to Fernanda Porto who I ADORE...I wish that I had been a part of the whole Crystal Method debauchery thang...and I wish that I was going to Tarituba for Carnaval with my best and beloved!!! Instead, I am writing papers and taking tests. SO, for the record... this is me:

At least some chicas from Smith are organizing some events here to commemorate Carnaval...like a party that ends at 1am?!?!?!?!?!?! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??? WHO ENDS A PARTY BEFORE IT EVEN HAS A CHANCE TO START??? I am going to make a "CHEGUEI" appearance. Heh. Most likely, I will be trash drunk. There is NO Cachaça here...so it will be a Caipiroska night...uhmmm.

What is this basket case of a girl listening to: Lauryn Hill "Adam Lives in Theory"

I am also working on a dope SPRING BREAK RIO CD! I am spending too much time on it...time that should be spent studying. Yes, I study. That is about all I do...besides fantasize about my boy and the amazing sex that we are going to have in two weeks...ROUGH! Ooh baby...

2003-02-23T21:29:00.000-03:00

What a surreal day yesterday was! I spend practically the whole day with the guys from The Crystal Method together with my friend Vitor. That happened because I (used to) run this website, and that made me able to get in touch with them so we turned out to be friends. I also won a remix contest in their official site. That was awesome! They said they are going to put my remix on their site when they will update it with the new layout. Cool eh? But ok, enough of this shameless self promotion.
I had a really great time yesterady! We went to their hotel and Ken Jordan showed me some demo tracks of their upcoming new album, which will probably be out around september. Needless to say that the songs, even unfinished, sounded pretty great. Then we get to go to the Rio Sul mall for some shopping. I drove them in my car. How come they trusted in my driving skills? Heh. After that, they went to the hotel for some rest, and me and Vitor went to Mônica's place to hang out a bit. We ordered some pizza there. While we were eating, Ken called me again telling me that he thinks that he forgot his credit card in a store at the mall. Damn, we had to call the stores and luckily we found it - then we drove back to the mall to get it.

Afterwards, we met the guys again in the hotel and we went out for dinner, but me and Vitor had already previously eaten so we just drank some. After that we went with the guys to the show in their van. Getting there, we put our VIP passes on and got in and I met my brothers and some friends immediately and we went straight to a crappy room but filled with some food and lots of drinks. I think that supposed to be the 'backstage'.

The DJ set was wicked! Everyone was pretty happy whilst Ken was playing. He threw a remix of Micheal Jackson's "Billy Jean" that everyone just went insane! :-D But the best part of the show was that I was allowed to come up to the stage and request some songs which he did play it! That fucking ruled! All my friends were like "What the fuck is he doing up there with Ken?". hahaha.

The thought of yesterday was: "Being a nerd has finally paid off!"

2003-02-18T20:32:00.000-03:00

Woo-hoo! I finally sent you a package in the mail yesterday - a few weeks late aren't I? - and I hope that a package from me will reach the USA this time. I say this because I have sent two packages before to the United States and none of them made it to their destinations. Damn, and it wasn't even in the 'Anthrax days'... Oh well, I paid for the best and fastest service they have so it might work this time. :-)

Honey, I hope you don't freeze yourself over there with this blizzard. Just make sure to dress like an eskimo when you leave the house and you're fine. ;-)

Now playing: Flaming Lips - It's Summertime

2003-02-17T22:34:00.000-03:00

Well, I remember being a wee little girl (OH wait! I still am a "little" girl...) and PRAYING for Snow Days (sledding, hot chocolate, snuggling!). Ahhh yes, those special unpredictable days that always came when you needed them. Unfortunately for me, Seattle is the rain capital of the States...snow followed by rain made my snow days minimal if not non-existent. Needless to say, it has been what feels like decades since my last snow day...UNTIL TODAY WHEN NEW ENGLAND AND THE GREATER NORTHERN ATLANTIC REGION GOT DUMPED WITH NEARLY TWO FEET OF SNOW AND IT IS STILL GOING STRONG!!!! I am a junior (that is third year for those who might not know) in college...and my classes were cancelled because of the weather...even though we ALL live on campus! So, I thought that I would show y'all some photos of Blizzard '03! From NYC to Boston BeanTown and out to D.C. people all over the greater Northeastern area are capitalizing on their freedom...and enjoying the snow!

people sled down a capital building in Virginia

a man skis in NYC

what the snow is REALLY all about: being annoying and throwing it in people's unsuspecting faces...

"Gari" has a whole new meaning

What did I do for my snow day??? Absolutely NOTHING! It was fabulous. What, I did make a "Top 7" list. I couldn't narrow my fav. films down to just five, so, once again, I am cheating!!!!
Here goes...complete with directors and screenwriters!

Gwen's Top 7 flicks!
1. Chasing Amy
written & directed by: Kevin Smith
2. Royal Tenenbaums
directed by: Wes Anderson
written by: Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson
3. Magnolia
written & directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
4. Le Fableux Destin d'Amelie Poulin
directed by: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
written by: Guillame Laurant
5. Wet Hot American Summer
directed by: David Wain
written by: Michael Showalter & David Wain
6. Big Lebowski
directed by: Joel Coen
written by: Joel & Ethan Coen
7. High Fidelity
directed by: Stephen Frears
written by: John Cusack (et al.)

Alright, BASTA!

2003-02-15T15:59:00.000-02:00

Hello out there in NerdLand... well, for those of us couped up in North America, yesterday was Valentine's Day. Oh yes, the Hallmark holiday designating a romantic rendezvous with a significant other...only to try and win their affections for some bedroom slutfest. Hmmm. I don't need a holiday to tell me how to love. SO, how did our little anti-Hallmark heroine spend her "holiday"?
HAHAHAHA.
Naw, really...horniness aside, I spent the night by myself. And I enjoyed it. Not only was I my own date to the creepy modern dance show, I finally cleaned my pig sty of a room then treated myself to order out food and a cheesy DVD. Sometimes there is nothing better than having "alone" time...even if it falls on a day when there is definitely someone that you want to be with. *sigh* (by the way, i edited your last blog dear) Hoo-rah for super me! HUAH-CHAAAAAA! Take that you happy fools!

and today there is a protest at the U.N.

What am I listening to???
Madonna: Secret

2003-02-14T02:13:00.000-02:00

Shit, the war is indeed inevitable by now... And I can't believe that we are in the year 2003 and still have such primate things like war. I mean, is killing people really the solution? These chemical/biological war threats are really worrying me.

I saw this movie called "The Ring" (portuguese title: "O Chamado") and I think it's very cool. It's a movie about a video tape that whoever watches it, will die. That's it, I'm not telling anything else. :) It's a horror movie that really scares you, not another lame teen attempt at a scary movie with actors like the cast of Dawson's Creek or something similar. I say this because these 'teen scary movies' from nowadays are so dumb that they make me laugh instead of feeling scared. I guess it doesn't even scares the teen public.
I think only three horror/suspense movies from the last years are worth seeing. "The Sixth Sense", "The Others" and "The Ring".

Sorry for not posting here more often, it's been a very busy week to me and I had other priorities as you must know, like FINISHING YOUR CDS!!! ;)))

Now playing: Air - Sex Born Poison

2003-02-11T04:50:00.000-02:00

So...although the U.S. has not officially declared war with Iraq, the fact that the country has delegated 16,000+ troops to the Persian Gulf, the war is inevitable. While Bush-lite claimed in his State of the Union Address that the U.S. is concerned with the "humanity" at stake and the human rights abuses being committed by the Iraqui dictator, Hussein, I am taking it upon myself to dispell this myth. This, my friends, is the REAL reason that the U.S. will engage...as if it were a mystery!

The U.S. is tapping its veins just like a heroin addict..."GIVE ME OIL, MAN! I JUST NEED ONE HIT!"
If you think that this American president is ridiculous and committing crimes in the name of the free-world, or feel so inclined to witness other mockeries at the expense of the Bush Administration, then follow me! I promise, you'll laugh!

Peace on Earth. You can't say it enough...One love. We were not made to hate or abuse one another!

2003-02-08T15:48:00.000-02:00

Another sobering Saturday ... sleep in until you wake up naturally, of your own accord. Well, I would have done that had it not been for the nightmares plaguing my slumber...or the off-campus long-distance call I received that turned out to be a WRONG number. Humph. After a day of mental challenges and self-implosion, I decided to make a "happy list" ... and y'all out in net land get to see it.

Things I love:

Orange Lillies

Botero Paintings

Pugs, ominous pugs

Manu Chao (oh yes, he is a frenchie of spanish decendence)

And, of course the fantabulous Zooass.com

But, THE BEST OF ALL... my boy!

Now listening to: Fernanda Porto "Tudo de bom"

Enjoy the visuals...maybe it will brighten someone else's day as well...

2003-02-08T04:38:00.000-02:00

Yesterday at work:

2003-02-04T15:37:00.000-02:00

Hooray! Now we have a countdown so we don't have to keep calculating how many days are left until... you know :)
I made that thingy using Flash and it will only show the true days left if the date of your computer is correct.
Cool huh? ;-)

Now playing:: Fatboy Slim - Give the Po'Man a Break!

2003-02-03T20:54:00.000-02:00

Yo! So - I come to you as Gwenhartha, the enlightened one. Naw, really, all zen jokes aside. What a fabulous day. I mean, there is the fact that I woke up at 7am by a firedrill...or the reality of having to work until midnight at the library on 5 hours of sleep...but then there is happy (and that is without meds!) me being confident and participatory in all of my classes. Even to the point of the professores referring back to my comments in further discussion. Sigh, the future foreign policy/advocacy goddess gets her start through humble begginnings (unless you count being a legislative aide for City Council...)

Now listening to: Transglobal Underground "This is the Army of Forgotten Souls" A great ecclectic mix of house and world music...nice arabic influence! See, not all Americans are anti-arab influence!

STOP THE WAR! (sign the petition!!!)

2003-02-03T02:33:00.000-02:00

This is what you do when you don't have much to say today:

Top 5 tv series!

1- Seinfeld
2- Married With Children
3- Friends
4- That 70's Show
5- Saturday Night Live

Seinfeld: Just excellent! It's probably the most intelligent sitcom that I've seen! In case you never seen it, give it a try. You will probably don't like it at first, but you have to keep watching until you get to know the characters and its storylines. The situations of each character are always intertwined. It's so funny! Can't wait for a DVD release of it :-)

Married With Children: Al Bundy is just my master, what else can I say? Hahaha. This show is so funny that even the dubbed version is hilarious and this is comming from a person who just cannot stand dubbed stuff! :-P

Friends: An easy-to-like tv show with highlights and downfalls. The firsts seasons are the best, in my opinion. Then the show went downhill for a season or two and now it's funny again. :-) But I think that maybe they shouldn't make the characters to overreact all the time in every situation like they are doing lately... They used to be normal people in normal situations. But not anymore. I don't know if you get it because it's kinda hard to explain in english...

That 70's Show: Very funny! I'm thinking that this show needs to up some spots on this top 5 crap. I mean, I've never seen a single episode which wasn't extremely funny. It's amazing! Plus, I never thought I would ever see Boddicker (Kurtwood Smith) from Robocop doing a comedy show! Hahaha.

Saturday Night Live: Sometimes very funny - sometimes just dumb. I still love it anyway! :-) Highlights: Will Ferrel, Kevin Nealon, Jimmy Fallon, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider ("The Richmeister", "Making copies!", hahaha), oh too many to mention ;-)

Now playing: Daft Punk - Night Vision
(Sweet slow song. Yes, you read slow correctly! :-)

2003-02-02T15:29:00.000-02:00

Strange day. You wake up with your mother saying that she heard that something went wrong with the landing of the space shuttle Columbia and then you get up to turn on the TV on CNN and you see one of the biggest icons of the 80's like a fireball disintegrating in the sky at six times the speed of sound killing seven astronauts onboard. These things happen unfortunately. Yeah, sad but true. But the initial possibility of a terrorist attack just plains ridiculous to me. I mean, come on, wouldn't it be easier to throw another plane into the Sears Tower or something? Plus they already seen that something went wrong with the space shuttle take off, so it's just a fatal accident. That's it, no Bin Landens attached.

R.I.P.

2003-01-31T20:10:00.000-02:00

Ha! I remember talking to you about this joke, while we were at the Cervantes having that delicious junk food (mmmm, yummy), do you remember?

Ok, I think I'm going to hell now!
Mwhahaha! :-D

2003-01-31T13:38:00.000-02:00

Blue Friday! Done with my first week of school...still not completely moved in...bank account feels about $500 lighter than I would like it to...if i don't leave the house, I won't spend money...the below freezing temperature makes me not want to bathe...I am addicted to dowloading music...and that addiction has prevented me from getting a study routine...which brings me great guilt...so, I take a nap. Ahhh, college life. Very cause and effect.

Tonight is VIBES night. Yesirre, your little north-american popstar wannabe is braving the stage once again for a night of music and ... well, drinking. What else??? A nice little departure from a rough first week. See this hair pulling (even though the pic is an infant???) THAT is me times 10.

Oy vay.

What am I listening to? Heh...a hot li'l number a la Blu Cantrell called "Breathe" . Gotta Love the beat! HOT HOT HOT!

I am going to throw my naked body into the shower...it is time. Wish someone was here to wash me down...
I guess that I will have to settle for the ferret...

Laughter is the best medicine. HUAH!

2003-01-30T02:49:00.000-02:00

Schmucky li'l me! WEll, while I would like to be living the dream life of angels, I am stuck trying desperately to weave my way back into academia! DAMN! A lot harder than this fallen angel had anticipated...

I have been preoccupied with the thoughts of my country going to war, and the threat of nuclear war. For my political science course "U.S. Foreign Policy" I read about this concept of the "American Century", naming post cold war U.S. as the new zeitgeist. Well, whether or not I agree with that statement...it means that this country is an empire doomed to fall. And this fall could happen in my life time. The U.S.'s preemptive vision with Iraq and North Korea could be the downfall of this country. Our obsession with intervention and unilateralism could be the death of millions of people...ALL OVER THE WORLD. I am trying to relax...but, how can I? I am just another silent voice in democracy... SO, if anyone is feeling like being globally conscious, World News is a great site, with links to newspapers all over the world in many languages.

Now, for something uplifting...or just plain sick and unecessary!

Dreams of peace...or just sweet dreams.

2003-01-29T02:49:00.000-02:00

Ugh! My rest days are over and I'm back at work at last. I feel happy and sad at the same time. Happy to live your normal life back again, and sad because I am now back in the 'I don't have time for nothing' way of life. But why I am complaining about the same problem that everyone has too? :-P
The good part about my geeky job is that I can work and chat with Gwen and my friends (God bless the "Instant Messengers"!) most of the time. Plus I filled my work computer with 11Gb of my finest mp3s, so when I'm bored I just put my headphones on and listen to music while I chat with people - so it doesn't feel like you're at work working at all! (I hope my boss doesn't snoop into on my browser's history, to find out what sites I've been visiting lately, and find this blog. haha. But in case you are reading this: Hi there!)

I finally saw the new Lord of the Rings movie yesterday called "The Two Towers" (mmm, WTC anyone?) and I think it's awesome! I like it way better than the first one "The Fellowship of the Ring", because it has more action and far less explanations (read: bla bla bla). The problem of the first one is that when the movie is finally growing up and you feel that the good part is about to come, the movie ends!!! I was like: What the fuck?! I paid to see a movie, not 1/3 of it! hehe
Anyway, if you saw the first one, go see it this new one if you can, because that's the kind of movie that you can't miss seeing on a theater. You know, it longs for a huge screen and of course a Dolby Digital Surround sound. :)

Now quietly listening: Sonic Youth - Bull in the Heather

ENOUGH WITH WARS!

Peace on (this fucked up) earth,

2003-01-28T19:15:00.000-02:00

Do you live in the USA? Wanna receive U$20 without doing a thing? Then read this, because the record companies owe you money!
Portuguese version here.

2003-01-27T22:32:00.000-02:00

Well. I disappeared. Now that I am back to the realm of intense academia, I find that the time I would normally use for blogging is spent cleaning, doing laundry, eating and studying. Yes, after my first day of classes, I already have BEAUCOUP work. Not to mention the ENORMOUS dent in my wallet...the US$440 dent spent on REQUIRED reading for this semester. I know that thesebooks really beef up my personal library...but come on? Who spends that much on school supplies for ONE semester? That is the price of a plane ticket purchased in advance to almost ANYWHERE...so, if you are looking for places to piss away your money? try Smith College. Great education at an ABSURD expense.

Bigger and better things? I am only OBSESSED with my new ballet class...Gwen in tights and leg-warmers. Heh. I feel like an '80's aerobic pro...or maybe like FLASHDANCE! "I'm a maniac, maniac on the floor...and I'm dancin' like I've never danced before..."

Now listening to: the soundtrack from the french film La Haine ... song track: "La Haine" by IAM
This film MOS DEF (hehe, hip hop-isms) would make it into my top five films list. Gripping. Shocking. And, FOREIGN.
BUt, this film is VERY hard to get your paws on. C'est vrai, infelizment.

Bon baisers! (mais oui, tu vas aprendre le francais!)

2003-01-26T22:28:00.000-02:00

"Hands up!"

2003-01-26T21:31:00.000-02:00

Thought of the day:
You know what is the best time to regard who are really your friends? When you are in a hospital for two weeks... It's good to know who are going to be there for you when things go bad:

Edit:
1-The one you love and is above any kind of friend:
Who would call me more than one time from another country and talk for almost an hour just to make me feel better? Who would send me a personalized cd which took days and patience to finish it, pictures and a lovely letter sent by no snail mail, but fast/expensive mail? Who would even talk to my mother in the phone and my sister thru e-mail to hear the news about me?
Honey, keep in mind that you are not just a friend to me, which was the purpose of that list. You are way beyond that! I mean, you're GWEN for God's sake!!! You're above it all, my dear. ;-)
2-Brother-like friends:
Go visit you in the hospital more than one time and call you everyday to see how you're making it.
3-True friends:
Go visit you in the hospital one time or in home afterwards.
4-Good friends:
Gives you a call asking how are you and all about it.
5-Friends:
Sends you an e-mail with recovery wishes.
6-"Colleagues":
Sends you a 'hello' using another person.

The ones who don't care about you are the ones that say that are going to call you and then they never do. Also the ones who say something like "Oh yeah? *changes subject* Look I gotta tell you something that happen to me yadda yadda yadda" and then they say something totally irrelevant to you.

Now playing: Basement Jaxx - Red Alert

2003-01-25T01:45:00.000-02:00

"Hot in
So hot in herrre!"

Hehe, I had to open today's post with Jimmy Fallon singing that alternate version of "Hot in Herre" because today was indeed the "so hot in here" day! Sorry, I know you are freezing up there with this unbelievable -20C, which is a temperature that I can't even begin to imagine how it feels. Maybe I should try locking myself into a freezer for about 20 minutes to emulate the sensation of being in the north pole, erm, I mean, Massachussets. hehehe.
Just a reminder: If you ever need to defrost yourself, you can come to Brasil whenever you want to stay with me and I'll make sure to warm you up in many many ways. (I didn't find a kinky smilie, hahaha)

I found a txt file in here with the tracklist of that "Various Artists 4" (aka "The Barbecue Cd") that I gave you, so in case you want to print it:

01 - Apollo 440 - Stop the Rock (Mint Royale Mix)
02 - S. I. Futures - This is the way
03 - Basement Jaxx - Where's Your Head At
04 - (Unknown artist - mislabeled as Daft Punk) - Electronic Funk
05 - Elvis Presley - A Little Less Conversation (Junkie XL Remix)
06 - Beastie Boys - Body Movin' (Fatboy Slim Remix)
07 - Basement Jaxx - Just One Kiss
08 - Daft Punk - Crescendolls
09 - DJ Patife & DJ Marky - Carolina Carol Bela (Original)
10 - DJ Patife & Fernanda Porto - Só Tinha Que Ser Com Você
11 - Fernanda Porto - Sambassim (DJ Patife Remix - Radio Edit)
12 - Fatboy Slim - Sunset (Darren Emerson Remix)
13 - Phats and Small - Respect the Cock (Magnolia)
14 - Rage Against The Machine - Renegades of Funk
15 - Stardust - Music Sounds Better With You

PS: I changed the blog time from Seattle's time, since you are not there anymore, to the brazilian time. So remember, all posts are -3 hours for you.

Now playing: Radiohead - Talk Show Host

2003-01-23T01:13:00.000-02:00

Gwen's cellular phone is the coolest thing ever! I mean, come on! There's a camera in it, which you can pull it off, of course and she can send me pictures from anywhere in the United States and anytime she wants and it goes directly to my e-mail. How cool is that? (I had to put the picture I just received in here, hehe).

Ok, since you already got the preview of the Cupid de Locke cover, I won't be posting here anymore because it's just embarrassing to know that all of these people might listen to it. Yes, people actually read this, hehe. I dunno, it's just too personal to be spreading it like that and plus I made that one specially for you.
Ok, I'm a weirdo - it's official now.>

Now playing: Beatles - Hey Bulldog

2003-01-22T22:41:00.000-02:00

one last pre-departure post...and it has to be a top five list. top six if you count me cheating by being indecisive and throwing an extra on the list. which makes me wonder...why don't i just do a top six...or top seven? what is the human obsession with numbers divisible by 5???? hmmm...things to ponder.

so here goes, Gwen's Top Five Albums that she listens to oh-so-often...***this list is subject to change, on a regular basis in direct correlation to her (that would be my) compulsion to BUY more CDs...
take it from the top:

1. "Magnolia" - Aimee Mann
2. "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" - Flaming Lips
3. "Since I Left You" - The Avalanches
4. "Soundtrack: Royal Tenenbaums" - Various Artists / Mark Mothersbaugh
5. "Come Away With Me" - Norah Jones

and that sneaky number 6...
6. "Proxima Estacion...Esperanza" - Manu Chao

enjoy. a tantalizing treat for the musically inclined...broad spectrum to encompass every mood.

kiss kiss kiss

2003-01-22T21:20:00.000-02:00

Bizzarre "Miguel" Jackson:

Turn on your speakers and hit play on the Flash animation above. Sorry guys, this is for portuguese speaking people only but you might find it funny even if you don't understand shit.>

Your friend is nuts! Tininha (on the left) is not the ET, she's just a human cat. Varginha (on the right), in the other way, is the alien. I think her name speaks for itself. :-P

Have a nice trip to um, Massachusets! :-D

2003-01-22T17:25:00.000-02:00

It's raining buckets! I have to pack. Tomorrow, I am back at Smith College a.k.a. "The Smith", a.k.a. "LesboLand" a.k.a. "The Bubble"...*sigh* I have a check list of about 897 things that I need to accomplish...like buying phone cards, finding (and paying!) bills, washing every article of clothes that I intend on using as to avoid paying to do my laundry at Smith. Speaking of clothing, I think that I am going to have to put my title of "Fasihon police" to rest as this fashionista heads into western Mass, where the low temperatures are reaching -8F, that would be -22C. If I had testicles, balls, nuts ...heheh, always time for obscenity...i think that they would freeze off. Seriously.

Just bought a new CD case so that I can bring all of muzak with me...the song of the day "Brain" by N.E.R.D. I like the beat...and the idea that some men are not just interested in sex and dumb women.

Movie Rec: Wet Hot American Summer ... and yes, this flick is DEFINTIELY as steamy as it sounds.

So, my dear: don't be sad. I know weather, dogs barking, remembering the dead loved ones...those are all valid things to be sad about...BUT don't swell in them! Think of Buzios, my hijinks, music, Tininha...HAPPY THINGS! Or, you could just look at this for awhile and LAUGH like a maluco!

Or, you can play this silly little thing. Heh. Kick a guy in the nuts just go to wacky postcards and "that's gotta hurt"

Hats off to a new semester!

2003-01-22T02:25:00.000-02:00

Hello there! This João Miguel Amaral (I wish my name was that short) having a grumpy-boring-sad-day. Perhaps it's because of: 1) this fucking rain. 2) the annoying loud dogs from a house right in front of my building which are barking non-stop (yep, the ones you heard on the phone) since forever. 3) the fact that I had to go to the church to pray for the 3 years anniversary of the death of my grandmother. (Saudades!). Ok, I'm sad and bored already so there is no need for sentimentalism now. I'll talk about something else instead:

Top 5 movies!

1- Being John Malkovich (1999)
2- Memento (2000)
3- Run Lola Run (1998)
4- Empire of the Sun (1987)
5- High Fidelity (2000)

This is my current top 5 favourite movies. This list changes once in a while though. I wish I had a place to put Vanilla Sky in there because it's great. But this is not a movie for the general public. It is a "love it" or "hate it" kind of movie. For the hates: I think some people had trouble understanding things which are not meant to be understood. Or maybe the reality/real-life mixture thing gave these people a bad headache.
I'll never know...

I downloaded - since it's not released yet - the whole new Zwan album today called "Mary Star Of The Sea". In case you didn't know, this is Billy Corgan's (aka Smashing Pumpkins' front man) new band. Now beware because this is coming from a very-die-hard-pumpkins-fan: This is boring! It's the kind of album that you listen once and you don't feel like listening to it again for a long time. Of course there's a couple of tracks which are listenable - for slightly reminding the good guitarwise Pumpkins era - but the overall just sucks. Billy has lost it. Since "Machina/The Machines of God" Mr. Corgan has been singing diferently and in a bad way, in my opinion. It sounds annoying and uninspired. Some people say that I should give this album some time so it could grow on me, but I'm afraid this is not going to happen.
I remember watching "The Osbournes" and seeing Kelly Osbourne going to a Zwan show and then saying that it sounded like elevator music. I'd say it's almost as boring.

Now playing: Underworld - Trim

PS: This "top 5" (*cough* High Fidelity *cough*) thing will happen a lot here, so you'll have to get used to it. :)

2003-01-21T19:51:00.000-02:00

Bonjour! Kind of, sort of. Miss Maluca (crrrraaaazzzzyyyy, for all y'all non-portuguese speakers), a.k.a. Gwendolyn Mae Murray is "crazy in the coconut". So, I lasted until 20 without having a cavity...except for the one that I got filled an HOUR ago. My face is numb and silly...and when I was trying to eat, it took about 10 minutes for me to figure out that I was chewing my cheek instead of my food...heh.

Word to the wise? I HIGHLY recommend NOT watching the film "Novocaine", drinking a bottle of champagne (by yourself) and falling asleep drunk the night before ANY sort of dental visit. Twisted-fearful, hungover and nauseous: not the way to go the dentist.

On a more personal note: yesterday, I found out that conception is going to be nearly impossible for me due to my hereditary angioedema disease...and the f***ing anabolic steroids I take as prevention. On a purely biological note, a human's purpose is reproduction and evolution. I might not have that anymore. Basically, procreation is just a really big risk for me. *Sigh*

OK - enough self-pitying. I found an AWESOME (woah, like totally tubular) site today. Discogs, self-proclaimed as "building the definitive database of electronic music..." I could spend hours nerding around in there! Hope you like it, Honey! (if you haven't already heard of it...)

Whatamilisteningto? Heh... The Avalanches ! Yo, so "Frontier Psychiatrist" is a DOPE track. But, there are some other delights on this disk as well...very good background music for the eccletic and adventuresome. And, maybe eccentric, too. If you like Dan the Automator...you'll LUV it.

Back to my wedding magazine! BEIJOS

2003-01-21T03:52:00.000-02:00

Ok, anyone can leave an unfunny comment for each post now, because I just installed this "leave a comment" thing. :)
(thanks for the site recommendation, Mônica!)

* Nerd mode OFF *

2003-01-20T15:55:00.000-02:00

Bummer, I didn't go to the Layo & Bushwacka show last night, too bad. It's the second time, or maybe third, that they come to Brasil and I always miss them. They played in Brasil last year in a big electronic music festival called Skol Beats in São Paulo. It had dozens of great DJs and bands, including Groove Armada (which of course was the highlight of the event). All of my friends went there, except me. I was afraid of spending money (plane ticket, concert ticket and stuff) to go because I just had bought my first car and I was kinda low on money at the time and I still had some things to be bought. Now I regret for not going, because I see today that money wasn't really the issue... *sigh*
(I know, I'm a show off, but the Peugeot 206 is just the car of my dreams and now I have it! :cheers:)

But somehow I'm also glad that I stayed in home last night because of that serious talk that I had with you, Gwen. I think I finally could clear up some things for you. Things from your past that bothers you but you shouldn't be so hard on yourself today about it. It's past, it's done, it's gone, it's not coming back, period. Ok, I'll talk more about it in the e-mail, because this is just not the right place.

Now playing:
Tuck Andress & Patti - Castles Made of Sand/Little Wing.

Hug a Pug!
Luv you too!

2003-01-20T03:57:00.000-02:00

Meu ANJINHO:

"Night and day, you are the one
Only you 'neath the moon or under the sun
Whether near to me or far
It's no matter, darling, where you are
I think of you day and night"
Preview! Aaaaahhhh, sing it Blue Eyes!

Te amo MUITISSIMO (that goes for you too Frank Sinatra!)

2003-01-20T00:33:00.000-02:00

Need I say more???

I love you!

2003-01-19T21:03:00.000-02:00

After eating a four course lunch, I am changing my name to exploding oompa loompa girl!

I think that this is the first time in my entire life that I have had to unbutton my pants in order to be more comfortable...NO I AM NOT GAINING WEIGHT! Just a lot of pie :-)

If I was listening to music right now, the first song i would put on would be..."Digital Love" by Daft Punk. Everytime I hear it I want to do the robot and break dance in a page-boy hat and bowling shoes. I guess I have a tainted ideal of entertainment.

I think if I could meet anyone from the past, it would be Salvador Dali. I know, how cliche...another college kid who is wrapped up in dropping mainstream artists as conversation starters (heheh, Flaming Lips)...but, I want to crawl inside his brain and tromp in the mush of floating pomegranites (sex symbol??) scaley fish pointless time and surreal nightscapes to hide for awhile. So, go there, and live vicariously through his imagination. I do.

2003-01-19T20:00:00.000-02:00

Sorry, I know the idea of this blog is not to write disgusting things in here, but OH MY GOD! Look what the cleaner guy found in a garbage can at the Rio Sul shopping. Jesus! You were there like everyday, my dear.
Sometimes I think it's better not to read the newspaper, which is always with full of cases like these. I'd rather be a happy-ignorant than a informed-sad-person...

2003-01-18T19:32:00.000-02:00

Bom Dia Comunidade!

Hoo-rah...I am delving into the sleasy world of internet porn and ... well, cyber sex. YES, I am monogamous, meaning my partner is the stud you see on this page (no, not the fuzzy pink robot)!

Like I promised yesterday, I have a new link in the "ways to kill time / be a nerd / "I have NO life" File:
www.whitehouse.org Now, I know that it looks like just another lame-o site about our "beloved" president...but please, my children, READ THE FUCKING FINE PRINT. This site is fabulous - current events mixed with comedy ALTHOUGH, for the record, this is no Daily Show with Jon Stewart (my celebrity obsession! hehehe) But, at least this site is on the right side - the right side being the left side, just like the rest of us who have brains and disagree with the US's "I'll rub your back until I get what I want and then I will fuck you up the ass..." brand of foreign policy.

My darling Joao started something...the "what I am listening to?" update...and since we are both aspiring musicians with broad interests (hehehe, mine is much broader) I thought the world might like to know what Gwendolyn Mae is listening to: "Eu So Quero Um Xodo" by Gilberto Gil. Sorry honey, I know I am much more into Torpicalia than you are...but, this is a fabulous song. Check it out.

K - time to indulge. CD shopping, blatant consummerism in action. Yes, that is right, I am going to a chain store to buy music...but they are the only ones whohave my weird world music. *Sigh* if only the rest of the US were Brasil afficionados...

And a toast to good taste. SALUT!

2003-01-18T16:04:00.000-02:00

You know when you have a bad song stuck inside your head for days and it just won't go away? You probably do. I currently have "Kyle Minogue - Can't Get You Out of My Head" (indeed!) and it's driving me insane! I guess I've never been a big fan of easy-cheesy-4/4-dance-music style where the chorus goes "la la la, la la la la la" and then it repeats. I think I saw this video too much on MTV when I was still in the hospital. Also that Christina Aguilera one (no big surprise, MTV only plays commercial crap nowadays) where she completely looks and acts like a whore. The name of the song is "Dirty" or something like that and the video was on like 5 times a day! Ugh!

But why am I talking about bad music anyway?

Tomorrow one of my favourite 'electronic bands' "Layo & Bushwacka!" is going to perform a live show here in Rio de Janeiro and I'm dying to go! Despite the fact that I probably don't have anyone to go with me (because most of my friends have never heard of the band) and I'm still not in great physical condition to face masses of people pushing each other, I still wanna go even if I'll have to spend most of the time sitting down drinking water (Yeah, water. Can't drink any alcohol yet) and just enjoying the music. I hope my brother and his girlfriend will go, that's my only chance.

Nice Flaming Lips recommendation, Gwen! You already know that this is my current my favourite album. If anyone is willing to check it out, you can buy it here.

Now playing: Mint Royale - From Rusholme With Love.
Another great song that appears in Vanilla Sky and is not on the soundtrack, which could easily be a double cd in my opinion.

Peace out.

2003-01-18T05:24:00.000-02:00

If you are not listening to this, you should be! Guaranteed to make you cool...its a great conversation starter at parties...use it to impress your friends.

Isn't it fabulous when your boyfriend has impeccable taste in music???
This is to you Darling!!!!

"Ai, que saudade
que vontade de ver renascer nossa vida
volta, querido
os teus bracos precisam dos meus
meus abracos precisam dos teus
estou tao sozinha
tenho olhos cansados de olhar para o alem
vem ver a vida
sem voce, meu amor, eu nao sou niguem"

~Vinicius de Moraes

2003-01-18T05:13:00.000-02:00

An homage to the Queen of Pop, also known as "my mother" (Britney ain't got nothing on this lady!)

Salutations! No dear, "blued" is not a word. So, let's see if this pic shows...so this site can get a bit more jazzed up. Heh. Well, I had a fantabulous time in L.A. ... the city of Angels which is so often referred to as "Hell A" Hmm, what irony. Now that my dearest Joao is back on his feet again...I feel the need to put some cheeriness back in my entries.

So, I am devising a list of ways to waste time...you know that if you are out there in nerdy internet land, reading this, that all you need/want/desire is another mindnumbing waste of time link to go to in order to continue your adventures in procrastination. Time waster of the day (possibly the week???)

www.mini.com

Yes'm, that's right kids, custom make your very own euro-car wannabe! Hoo-rah! Now you can have all the individual stylings and detail that you desire without the hassle of PAYING for them. Ah, isn't it great to have dreams???

And, no, that picture below is not a rare shot of Madonna and Enrique Iglesias...but wouldn't that couple make a damn fine porno??? Bondage and motorcycles...hmmm. Calling Ron Jeremy.

BEIJOS

2003-01-18T01:35:00.000-02:00

* Testing attention please *
Um, I suppose I should write my posts in english, therefore you'll have to correct the stupid english mistakes I always make, ok Gwen?
Ok, the test is over. I still have a lot to research on how this Blogger thing works. As you noticed, I changed the layout to a less blued (is that a word?) one. Even though this one is pretty much blue as well, but what the hell, blue is my favourite color anyway. I hope you like it!

2003-01-08T18:00:00.000-02:00

Long time, no documentation. Well, like my darling Brazilian boy, I spent the New Year in the hospital with some breathing complications...yes, that "weird swelling disease" that I have acted up and my lungs were ballooning. What brought on this inflation? A reaction to ortho-tri-cyclen. How many people can actually say that they are allergic to MORE than one kind of birth control. I think that I am doomed to a rubbery sex-life with my monogamous mate. SIGH. It is just not my time to procreate.

Joao is better...and I think that I can breath again. I am not getting nervousy and panicky everytime I think about him being sick and my inability to help the situation.

On other friend fronts: I am on my way to L.A. today. What an awful rhyme. I have never been into So Cal, but if the Rio is to L.A. what Sao Paulo is to New York analogy is accurate, I should enjoy myself thoroughly. ON a bitchy note: I am sick of putting effort into people and relationships that get stuck in the mud until I dive in headfirst with my push over self to try and ameliorate the situation. Namely, I am sick of being the fall back girl. BUT - I am not dwelling in that. I am happy with my manic music cataloging and tropicalia fantasies...not to mention my new cell phone toy that NO ONE DESERVES TO OWN AS A DISTRACTION! It takes photos...hehehe.

Peace on earth. Go out and meditate.
CHEERS

2002-12-31T16:42:00.000-02:00

I am sick as a dog. Does that make me a bitch? If I am responsible, this could be the most uneventful New Year's of my life...I suppose because New Year's only comes, well, no shit Sherlock, once a year, that kicking my own ass out of bed to partake in a little debauchery and maddness only to return to my couch and tylenol on the 1st might not be such a bad idea. BUT - I think that there is something to be said about someone who does not respect their body's conditions in order to smoke some pot or drink some vodka. So, I think that is a "negatory, good buddy"

Pour a libation for me, and all of the other invalids who are unable to get hammared into the ground on this holiest of days, this time to start over again.

The boyfriend is sitting this one out too...only he is in Brazil. If only there was some where we could sit it out together...

2002-12-30T18:50:00.000-02:00

Here I am, back in the US of A. Am i happy about that? Let's not ask stupid questions. Post-holiday blues plus culture shock = fever, cold and general discomfort. What is this pseudo-brazilian humanitarian warrior princess doing to better herself? Nothing. No, literally, I am sitting on my ass reading a book about sexual awakening and drinking expensive Odwalla juices made with imported fruits extorted from our Latin American compadres.

Joao Miguel Alves de Azevedo Raposo do Amaral (that is the boyfriend) is still in the hospital. I want to be there to be a nurse or something, but the $800 plane ticket has given me back a little bit of my common sense. What a way to spend New Year's.

My New Year's has been widdled down to me and a group of guys drinking and smoking j's in some hippie commune co-housing establishment on the west side of town. Interesting. I was hoping for a little more excitment. Don't think my spirit can handle it.

Until the next development.
Peace out and God bless.