Little things I love about London

I want one of those!!!! Everytime I see one, I can't hold the girlie screams. They are so cute, so fluffy, so aaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnn! Squirells can be seen in every park in London and some of them come to you expecting some food (like the buddy on the left).

Another cutchi-cuthi animal is fox. After hunting was forbidden in this country, they have spread all over. Sometimes you can see 3, 4 foxes checking rubish bins for food. They are so lovely! aaawwwwnnnn. But it's more difficult to get a picture of them. Too shy.

I'm listening to Pandora, Pearl Jam radio. They've included Guns 'N Roses' Mr. Brownstone in the same selection. I've never seen similarities between PJ and GNR. I like this song though. "I used to do a little but a little wouldn't do so the little got more and more. I just keep trying to get a little better, said a little better than before".

When I compare my life in London with my life in Rio I can't help thinking that this city is sucking my energies. Or that I getting old. Or both. I remember when I lived in Laranjeiras, worked in Barra da Tijuca, went everyday to work by bus, after work I used to go to gym - from Monday to Friday - then I decided I could also attend a three month course in between work and gym, and left around 22h to get a bus back home. Every Saturday I used to go religiously to the beauty saloon very early in the morning, so I could spent my weekend feeling gorgeous. Between 2003 and 2004 I also did a post graduation course every Saturday. I was always looking for something to occupy my time.

In London I just go from home to work and then home again. I try to do something after work just not to feel so bad about not doing much, but I have to confess that sometimes I can barely breath. I feel awfully tired, suffocated, sleepy, legs in pain...

The weather doesn't help much. This is the first time in my 30 years of existence that I don't have summer. The temperatures didn't go above 20°C since April. Nobody is dying because of the heat. People still stinks in the tubes, but this is a hygienic matter. It is unbelievable that the temperatures here are the same as in São Paulo - but it's winter there! Anyway, I'm getting used to the cold, I just think that part of my lack of energy can be because of that.

The thing is: if you don't do things because of the weather here, you won't do anything at all. We went to London Zoo one of these days. It rained cats and dogs while we were there, but we decided to make the most of it and we even manage to see almost everything. I so wanted to see the Komodo dragon. I couldn't see the adults, but I saw the baby that was conceived without sex. Nature has its funny ways to surprise us. The pic on the right is Cipri buying ice cream! As Vodafone says: make the most of now.

Some of you know that I have a new job since June 6th. It was supposed to be a temporary contract, for a couple of months or so. But on the 20th I received an offer to work permanently and I accepted. I was enjoying the job, the company, the people, it was a good opportunity to learn new stuff, the proposal was good and - although I enjoy popping from a place to another - I wanted to get a perm job so I could plan my life. Now that I know how much I will be making per month and where I will work, I can plan better my holidays and where to live. Oh yeah, because when you are on a temp position, it is almost impossible to predict when you will be able to get a couple of weeks to travel somewhere and choosing the perfect location is a tough task. I forgot to explain the photo on the left. It was the first time I wore those shoes and the bag. I'm not a huge fan of yellow or golden things, but I bought those for special ocasions, where I would probably have to dress as and look like someone I was not. This day I was going to an interview for a job that I had great expectations. I wanted to wear something new to bring me good luck. I've never made it to the interview, because I received the offer this very same day and accepted it almost straight away.

And because I think I am a bit masochist, I think I've "chosen" this job because there I am working like a slave. I don't think I've worked that much before, not even in Brazil. Maybe in Brazil yes, for a small period of my life. Same period I was having problems to sleep and having loads of stressful nightmares. It's all happening again. I brought some work home because I don't have time to do everything at work. But I don't have much time at home either. Today I decided to download the photos from my camera and surprise surprise: photos from Munich and Oslo(May) still there. The photo on the right was taken in a park in Munich. Check out the size of the 'pint' there: one liter. I wanted to bring the glass with me, but I didn't have space in my luggage. Next time.

The photo on the left shows how Germans - unlike popular belief - know to make the most of life. I was quite surprise to see how they were playfull and looked so happy - as opposed to the grumpy people living in London, myself included. This is a sort of canal/river where youngsters practice some surfing. It's for free (and forbidden) and you just need to take your surfing board - or rent one - and give a try. We spent one hour or so just looking at them. Did I ever mention that when I was younger (hmmm, 12-14, I guess) I wanted to marry a surfer. I thought their life style was so cool, so relaxed and at the same time to exciting. And they are all fit, fearless, ecologically correct,...

Believe it or not, I was a bit disappointed with Oslo. I guess I was expecting something that would transport me to the Vikings era. The city is ok, cute, but not lovely. People don't look Scandinavian - talk and blond - on the contrary. Loads of homeless people begging on the streets, everything so pricy, nothing really great to do in town. If you plan to go to Norway, go to the coast. I saw pics and some friends said it is like living a dream. Gorgeous. One of my favourite programms in Oslo was visiting the cemitery (Ibsen and Munch are buried there - but it is also quiet and cute) and the Munch Museum. I admire some of Munch's work, but learning about his life made them even more special. You can almost feel the pain, live the traumas, see the tragedies in his life. First time I saw one of the versions of The Scream, I thought I was looking through my soul. It is exactly what I feel like doing sometimes and that way.

We are trying to catch up with the films that are screening. We missed so many films that I can't even remember which ones I wanted to see. These last weeks we saw The Fantastic Four 2 (it was ok, I loved the silver surfer!), a chinese film I can't remember the name (but it was good), Ocean's Thirteen (nhém), the Shrek 3 (I laughed loads - specially with the donkey and the cat), new Harry Potter (it's Harry Potter, waht else can I say?), Die Hard 4.0 (awesome!), Transformers (great special effects, some funny moments, but I almost threw up with that the-humans-deserve-a-second-chance-because-they-know-love-and-friendship bullshit - where's the mute buttom?) and The Simpsons movie (funny, like the TV series, and maybe because of this, we could have seen it on DVD).

Who said it would be easy??

Time is flying. Summer has never come. I said 'no' to one and 'yes' to another. Couldn't be happier. I need a driving license. I need driving lessons. I'm buying a car. I'm moving soon. I'm working harder than ever. Not complaining, I like it, but I'm tired. My sweetie is going to New York on Sunday. My to do list is huge. I keep forgetting things. Important things. Like to write or call my beloved friend Cris Portella on her birthday. I loved Die Hard 4.0 - Bruce Willis rocks! Not sure about Harry Potter. I'm going to Thorpe Park in August - nightmares have started. I miss my friends. I love my job. I love my life. I love to complain. I love changing. I love stability. I love instability. Already thinking about Christmas. And Brazil. And so many other things that I can remember them all. Good night!

So much to do, so much to say

I don't drink (at least I haven't been drinking lately), I don't smoke, but I feel that lately I'm loosing a bunch of brain cells and they are not being substituted. Funny thing is that I realised that because I have to think in two different languages, I feel like I have more stuff to do than I actually have. And I panic. Oh, yeah, I panic when I am under pressure, when I run out of time, when I have ten urgent things to do at once. I panic, I blog, I write e-mails, I panic a little bit more, and inbetween all these, I also do the stuff I have to. In the end everything goes fine. Some people might say that the stress was for nothing, but I think it is the opposite. Things only work right and on time with me because I get stressed and I make a big deal out of it. And just between you and me: I loved being stressed. It makes me feel useful and busy.

Lately my life has been turning around work, work, work, lots of work, preparing myself to work, being a little bit with Cipri, going to bed and work, work, work. This week I managed to meet Meytal for a quick drink, I went to Rafaela for our English class-massage session, and that's it. I was a bit moody, a bit unpatient, a bit unbearable to be honest.

Now I'm fine. Still at work, finishing some stuff before heading home to do some homework. *sign*

30, but looking like 7!

Marco sent me those pics today! There are from my surpise b-day party, June 22nd, at Cipri's place.

You can see that I am far from looking 30 years old, especially with that hawaiian thingy on my head. That drink near me is called PIMM's and I guess it is typically British. It's a quite refreshing summer drink. It wasn't so warm this year, but you have to keep up with the traditions and have it at this time of the year.

On the back you can see Roberto, Maggie and Edu. I was talking to Maryam, if I'm not mistaken. It was a great evening, friends around, nice food, nice music, nie trip the day after... like birthdays should always be. :-) Below are more of the same.

The time will come...

... when I will be able to write one post per day!

My record so far was of 23 posts, in May '07. Some may say that blogs are a bit of a waste of time. Some will say that it is a bit depressing: a public diary, a public cry for attention. Oh, well, you know what? When I was a kid, I used to have a private diary, and it became public against my will. So here at least it's my choice. And in 10 years from now, it will be fun to read all the crap I one day wrote. It is already funny to read things I wrote when I was sad, angry, hungry, cold, exhausted, happy, inspired, uninspired... This is the very private part of my public diary: the little secrets only me, myself and I know.

Neither there nor here...

There you are... more girly than I thought. I have to confess one thing though: I did say yes to I go to the manicure and take care of my feet very often, because if I don't do this NOW it is because in this country it is very expensive and I have to do it myself and I suck as a manicure. But in Rio I used to go to the beauty saloon EVERY Saturday at 8 am to have my nails done, eyebrows and hair. So...

You Are 52% Girly

You're a little girly, a little boyish, and probably a whole lot indie. You have your own unique style, and it pretty much defies gender lines.

How Girly Are You?

Changing a little bit!

I'm a bit moody these days, so I decided to change this a bit (either that or I'll punch some stranger).

Look how cancer I am... :-/

You are 80% Cancer

How Cancer Are You?

This Saturday I'm going to Royal Leamington Spa. I've never heard of it before, but checking on the train map, I learned it is on the way to Stratford-upon-Avon (Shakespear's home town), which is a sweet little town not too far away from London. Shame on me, living in London for almost 2 years now and I haven't been to any town outside London (oh, except Brighton, two weekends ago).

I think I might take the opportunity to travel more around the UK, since there are trains to everywhere (I love short trip trains - 3 hours maximum) and I can get discount on the ticket. And there is something really interesting here: if you are a group of 3-4 people, you can get a big discount as well. Oh, just remembered that I went to Maidenvale (where? Yeah, I know - but it's on the way to Reading - Reading Festival, does it ring a bell? - and Oxford) three weeks ago, but it doesn't count as it was a business trip and I didn't have time to explore the place.

So, here is a text about Leamington I've copied from some website that I am too lazy to credit. I'm going there to eat. Oh dear, and I complain that I can't lose weight...

********

Leamington, A small village until the early 1800s, when the mineral spa waters found locally were used to develop a tourist trade and the Royal Pump Rooms were constructed. This generated a profitable local business environment and much of the fine regency architecture dates from this era.

The town is still well presented with good shopping based around the Parade and Warwick Street, plus The Royal Priors Shopping Centre off the main Parade.
The town planners also had the foresight to plan some good parks and right in the center of town is Jephson Gardens, a well laid out formal park with the river Avon passing through on its way to Warwick and Stratford.Also not far away is Newbold Commyn, a lovely large area of park land still in the town, and one of the most picturesque public golf courses in the area, with spectacular views over the town and across to Warwick Castle. Here also can be found the local sports center and swimming pool.

Leamington has a lively arts and entertainments centre, The Royal Spa Centre with a full programme of art and entertainments, and the recently refurbished Royal Pump rooms now houses the art gallery.

The picture on the left is how Clapham (South London) was yesterday, after a hail storm. According to the weather guys, our July will be like this. :-D


Below are images from the flood throughout England.

थिस इस मे त्र्यिंग तो राइट इन हिंदी।ई'वे नेवर नोतिसद थिस फेतुरे ओं ब्लॉगर। Ishalá!

It's getting warmer!!

Celebrate, Britons, summer will arrive. One day. It is 15°C now - warm if you compare to last week.

I remember when I was living in Rio. In winter, I used to wear two long sleeves t-shirts and get quite surprised when the temperature was around 18°C. Now, I am wearing a sleeveless t-shirt and it's alright. It's raining like hell. Just because now I have decided to walk from the train station to work (and vice-versa), the rain won't stop. It doesn't matter, I'm Brazilian and I never give up! By the way, the walk is about 20-25 minutes each way. Not too bad.

Fotolete da Estrela

There you go, Maryam. I forgot to tell you that although we say "fofoletchi", it's spelled fofolete.

The photo on the left is the original version, from the 70's? 80's? I don't know, to be honest, but I remember that I loved them when I was a kid.

The other two images are the "modern" versions. Now they come in a heart shaped box instead of a matchbox. I wonder if it was a anti-cigarette campaign or a feminist act!