"A FEW" SAUDADES!

been youtubing lately

from 2005

Let us blog until our fingertips bleed...

According to a survey on a site of business technology, PERSEUS, there are about 5 billion blogs subscribed now. In 2005, 45 million have been started so far. 10 million blogs were created just during the first 4 months of this year. Following some math logics, by the end of 2005, the web will have stored 50 million new blogs. This non-stop growth in blogging is given to the easy process of acquiring one: fast steps, some clicks away, already-made templates, then "bam" - 'your blog has been published.'

Undoubtly, that is a huge number! There are many...no no no, too many blogs floating in the world wide web. Can all these spots really exist? How many bloggers would be posting right now simultaneously with me? What about readers? Do we have enough readers to compensate all the efforts for being here in front of a computer screen managing topics, tagging, uploading pictures, and doing whatever takes to have a post in the end? Who are these bloggers anyway?

The site survey states that most bloggers are female young students (51% - young male + female). They make use of this tool to post as many things as they wish, which are normally their daily school activities or any other personal fact. The posts will be read by their peers, fellow students, or family members; those are readers that the site calls "nanoaudiences." These young folks do not blog for a professional, religious, or any concrete purposes. A typical teen blogger will post twice a month about happenings in their lives by using a mix of lowercase and caps lock letters, overusing typos and abbreviations, and misspelling the words deliberately so they will appear the way they sound.

Right below them, there I am. ...Or better typing, there WE ARE (44% - male+female adults) -- since most of my readers fit in this group-- Blogging is a social phenomenon among young adults. Most adult bloggers are individuals under the age of 30. Women are majority here again. The reason female folks create more blogs is countless, but one thing is certain: male bloggers are more likely than female ones to abandon blogs. This is maybe because these spots are so easy to be created and free from charge mostly that there is a lack of commitment in keeping them updated. Only in my list of links located on the left of your screen, there are probably 8 or 9 dormant spots - three of them are mine.

Those 5 billion blogs do exist, however there are not as many bloggers posting as there are those spots. That means, many blogs are started but later on they are abandoned. Since there are so many non-active blogs, out of 5 billion subscriptions, 20 million only are actually in use - information based on that site I previously mentioned in this entry. So, there is a slight chance that 10 million people might be posting now. And yet, one million give up blogging a day, among these folks are Sassy, Kris, Bulb, Roberto, Lu, me... Let's get back on posting guys!!!

Let us blog more and more until our fingertips bleed...

Shoplifted these words from...

...there.

Dearest Mr. X,

(I'm having dreams about you...)

I know everything is always the same. I know I always tell you the same things, using the same words. There is nothing I can do about it, it is unavoidable. It has not changed, I guess it never will. When something does not change, how can I express myself differently? The only thing left for me to do is scream(aboutyou) and try to see if I can call you back to me, if I can make you concrete in my house, my purse, my shoes, everywhere. But you are never real. You are, but here you are not. Here you are madness, here you are fever. And my body aches, my heart skips beats. So I go on with my monologues, trying to see if talking to myself I can reach you, can whisper in your ear.

And I have this habit of thinking everything I see in you is about me -- this habit of mirroring everything I feel when I am here, locked behind these doors, me, my secrets and you, this scent that just does not go away. I read and I think and I conclude that it is always me, just like here it is always you, always you, even when it could not be you, it should not. But it is. And I cannot help it. That is what I said, you are insanity, you are fever. And mirrors.

There is always this longing, there is always something inside that screams (screamsaboutyou) your name when everything else is silent. Like a disease, a curse, there is something, there is you and your presence, everything that will not fade.

I know there are times in which we do not talk (dowereallyhaveto?) for a while, but, in a way or another, it does not matter. There is a silent communication, some sort of morbid telepathy that connects me to you and that just will not me be free. But then, at the same time, I allow myself to be possessed by this ghost, by this obsession of what I could have had, of what I can have one day. It is almost like hope, like a dream, like a desire that will never be fulfilled, maybe that is why I cling to it so often and so desperately. And then I think to myself and ponder if everything is worth it, if I am not hallucinating. But then the fever comes back and my body aches, screaming your name, saying that however much this may hurt me, that such pain is what makes me alive, is what makes me breathe. Living and longing for this desire, for the day in which we will talk again, that day in which I will not be able to let you go again, in which I will talk for hours, and I will be drunk with your presence, swimming in your aura.

I'm having dreams about you. Wannascreamaboutyou.

A.

Lucas playing with Tibby

week endSS

Don't wanna talk about business. I wanna post photos of fun. These are some shoots from the last two weeks: there's a winery visit, a lunch out, and a wedding.

This is my.... hu-hub... my VALENTINE

http://www.britart.com/

Last night's dinner: Scrambled Ostrich Egg* and Caprese Salad

*Thanks Lucas for providing us the egg. Not that he had laid that egg (LOL) but because his family has an ostrich ranch and he gave us that huge master piece.

CAPRESE SALAD LAILA'S STYLE
Ingredients:
1/2 pound fresh bufallo mozzarella cheese
3 medium ripe tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Salt
Chopped fresh garlic (1 clove)
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Balsamic Vinegar at taste

How to make it:
Chopp and crush the garlic clove and add balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, and olive oil. Peel the tomatoes, slice them and let them marinate. Slice the mozzarela and tear fresh basil leaves. In a semi-circular shape, fix the salad on the side of a serving plate, alternating mozzarella slices, with basil leaves, and sliced tomatoes, overlapping for effect.
Add more salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Pour some more olive oil and vinegar to create a seasoned look.

SCRAMBLED OSTRICH EGG LAILA'S STYLE:
Ingredients:
Schredded mozzarela cheese
Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 diced large Spanish onion
1 diced green bell pepper
Sliced fresh mushroom
Black pepper
Butter
Olive oil
Salt
1 cup of milk
1 ostrich egg

How to make it:
Chop the onion, mix it with sliced mushrooms and diced bell pepper, season it and put it aside. In a large bowl, crack the ostrich egg (ask for help if it is needed), and beat it and stir it thoroughly adding salt, parmesan cheese, and milk (heavy cream can be also used). Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a pan. Medium heat works fine. Place that mixture in this hot HUGE frying pan (I used a paella pan which was the largest I got at home). And with a silicone spatula, I gently scrambled the cooking egg. When it is almost cooked, it is needed to drag the egg to the side in order to leave some room in this hot pan. Then pour the veggies and let them cook on the side. When the onion is translucid, mix everything gently. Turn off the heat and sprinkle the schredded cheese. Serve it hot.

"Mis Conejitos" de Ecuador

Estava con una gripe y pensaba que no podía estar mas jodida. Entonces, buscava algo en la internet para reir… y encontré "LOS CONQUISTADORES". Me compadezco con las personas deste grupo musical de Ecuador. Creo que para hacer esta cancion/ videoclip/ coreografia hay que estar muy enfermo. Por favor, fijaros en lo feo que puede llegar a ser el cantante del grupo. Pero no feo de estos que dices, "che… es que es un poco difícil de mirar", no no, FEO de cojones. Tiene una boca que parece que duerma con un plato metido en la cara todas las noches. Pero no es el único, sus coreógrafos también tienen sus puntos, aquí no se salva ni dios. Y habéis visto sus trajes…por el amor de dios, que llevan unos gorros con orejas de conejo y un rabo a juego todo eso acompañado de un precioso baile al mas puro estilo de pisadores de uva.

CONCLUSIÓN - SON LOS MEJORES

i'm so going back there... Where? AFRICA lol

No kidding. I've been already arranging my next vacation. It'll take place in Jeffrey's Bay, darlings. I've had enough of winter.

http://">http://canvasthearts.blogspot.com

huahauhauhaua

One-week vacation in Brazil - part 1

These are photos of an old car collection show on the streets and free rock concerts plus cold beers to everyone... I am not into cars but I do care for cold beer and good music. It was a great hot hippie afternoon!

~~oh my god shoes~~

I painted this mirror myself

The new shoes

Have never posted pictures taken in my bathroom, I guess

I decided to go band T-shirt shopping yesterday*. I bought two Ramones T-shirts, one for Roberto and the other for Lucas (oh! Maybe I have never mentioned Lucas but he works with us. He's my co-worker, associate, beer buddy, teacher helper, right-hand multi-task workmate, and a while-Laila-is-away-in-Europe catminder and more)... Actually I'd bought those Ts before Christmas because they were my X-mas gifts to them. I started this post at that time*. I also got myself a Ramones jacket.

That reminds me of Berlin Ramones museum which we visited while we were backpacking in Europe. It is about time to post here some photos of my trip but I have got to gather them, organize them and only after that I'll upload them all on FLICKR or PHOTOBUCKET. If you click here, you'll see few photos only.

I am not a good photographer so most of the photos I took suck real bad. Besides that, while being abroad, I preferred socializing and getting to know more about the cultures of the places we went to rather than standing, observing places and photographing them. That does not appeal to me.

The most curious thing about Europe IMAO was its confusing traffic (especially in London and Dublin where people drive on the left-hand side of the road). I was really surprised by the confusing traffic and such narrow streets in all cities. I have never seen so many bikes and trams in the same place before in my life. That sort of confusion made me realize that Brazilian traffic is way calmer. Although, Brazilian streets are 10 thousand times noisier with horn hunking, old and new buses and huge trucks polluting the air everywhere.

I was thrilled by the weather, except for London and Dublin which were the wettest sights. But honestly, I've never felt so comfortable in winter since there there is heater in all places and that does not happen in Brazil. The winter time down here get as cold temperatures as we got in Berlin or Amsterdam and in here it is completely dreadful as we don't find heaters anywhere. Are we stronger people just for that? I guess NOOOT!

Taxis are a huge rip-off in Amsterdam and they are really wicked in London. "Wicked!"I like this word. It reminds me of Harry Potter books.

I was expecting more difficulties at the language since I am not keen on British accent but I nailed any conversation. At least that is what I think. I took lessons at "English in Dublin" and my teacher Stephen was grand. I tried to speak like Dubliners do but it was not easy, except when I was swallowing my 5th pint... then all the accents would show up. The school is for the teaching of English as a foreign language and teachers' training.

When I lived in the US, I had the opportunity to take my studies at "Tomlinson Adult Learning Center." I don't want to compare the schools and I won't. The only thing I can say is that I learned from them both a great deal.

Now I want to travel to hot countries: Barbados, Mexico, Cuba, or South Africa. Those places will be cheaper for me. As a matter of fact, I would rather stay in a Spanish speaking country to take up Spanish at any international school. My Spanish is awful and that is quite sad as most of our neighbor countries speak this language.

My B-day was yesterday and I celebrated it by buying shoes, going to three different beauty parlors to have my hair died black, cut, and blown dried, besides my legs and bikini area waxed, and nails manicured. Later last night, Roberto took me to one of the best Italian places in town and I ate like a lion. I googled the restaurant name but they don't seem to have a website. It would not be their style because they work in a more old-fashioned way. The restaurant is older than I am and since yesterday I have been 33 years old.

Happy belated b-day to me.

I'm back

Sooooo, I've finally stomped my feet on European soil. The countries of choice were outstanding. We visited The Netherlands, Germany, back to The Netherlands, Ireland, England, and back to Ireland again. We went twice to the countries which got more popular among the backpackers. I wonder why. We were seven travelers.

My number one place was Berlin. I am definitely going back there.

What I learned from this trip is that Europe is not all that as many people preach about; and it also made me realize that the USA is far much better than Europe for tourism and tourists. The USA is cheaper and it offers way better hospitality services. European cities are just as dirty as a few Brazilian ones. English folks are not snob at all. Au contraire, they are hilarious. Italian tourists are a bunch of posers and a lot inconvinient. Dubliners are the nicest people ever. And Amsterdam is the trash can of the Muslim world (so sorry!).

European historical buildings are fascinating and the weather is not that bad in winter. We get the same kinds of temperature when it is winter down here. I couldn't even see snowing (quite sad!). I do want to travel abroad again. Maybe in 2010, I'll be able to afford another trip. We've been considering South Africa or Barbados, or maybe both (LOL).

PS: Be aware... not everything I mentioned about EUROPE was based on deep visit or throrough knowledge.

Hiya

I'm back home!!!
there will be lotsa stories here soon... very SOON