07-07-10 Wed. UNO

"UNO is easy to learn but offers players plenty of twists and surprises – making it one of the most popular card games in the world. The goal in UNO is to play all of your cards first by matching cards with the same color or symbol as the top card in the discard pile. Use Draw, Reverse, Skip, and Wild command cards to improve your chances of winning. Just remember to call 'UNO!' when you're down to your last card." Source.

Yeah, it sounds easy. But I found out that it can take hours and hours for someone to win.

July 6. Tue. Trivia.

Does this finger look broken to you?

If yes, send a text message to +1 617 800 5221. If not, send a text message to the same number.

Get ready! You can be our next winner!

07.05.10. Monday. Holiday.

Person #1 to #2: Hey, I am jumping in the shower and will come over in a few minutes.
Person #2 to #1: Ok, I am going to take a shower as well.
Person #3 to #2: What is there to do in Raleigh?
Person #1 to #4: Want to take me shopping?
#2 to #3: #1 is coming here and then we are going to have lunch in the city.
#3 to #4: #1 is meeting up with #2 for lunch.
#4 to #3: We are going shopping with #1.
#1 to #4: I am going over to #2 and then we are going to have lunch somewhere.
#4 to #1: Oh, ok, and picking us up on the way?
#1 to #2: Hey bro, we are picking the broads up.
#2: What? What are we going to do with them?

This was the troubled beginning of what turned out to be a very nice day.

#1 and #2 found a brewery that oversees the city.
During lunch, #1-#4 discussed their future as TV stars and producers: Raleigh is the perfect setting for a reality show. #1-#4 already have vacation plans and itineraries to follow.

After lunch, #1-#4 went to a studio to start working on the soundtrack of their new show, which has all it takes to become a huge success.

Their minds flew in different directions as the music played in the background on the way to the airport. It was time for #3 to go.

Back it up, girl.

04 July. Sun. 4th

irectly from Wikipedia: Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.

And to celebrate such an important date, nothing better than a group of friends gathered at 9h00am + a cool boat + a warm lake + a beautiful day + cold beer + a delicious cookout + 2 lovely kids + 2 cute dogs + some pretty excitingly risky fireworks + a ride back home full of text messages + a pool game... and a few other events in between.

07.03. Sat. Filipa.

Some people come into our lives with a role to play. Some reveal their importance early in our relationship. Others take several months or even years to fulfill their mission. Some have a long and arduous work to finish and when our destinies cross, it is the beginning of a long walk side by side. Filipa is one of the latter, one of whom is here to stay.

The canceled flight on Friday delayed the arrival of this dear friend, who landed on southeastern ground early afternoon today. With a sweet smile and a lovely hand-wave, this sweet soul who came to brighten the weekend, was picked up at the airport.

The first hours of the afternoon were devoted to updates and gossips by the pool. The following couple of hours were dedicated to long chats and a walk to the supermarket. A two hour power nap ended the afternoon and our lovely evening started with a delicious southern BBQ at The Pit... Funny, I am still amazed at the hospitality of the waiters in North Carolina...

The final hours of the day were devoted to music, laughter, drinks and excellent company in a trendy nightclub in the city.

July 2nd. Time. Friday.

Brazil crash out to Netherlands in World Cup quarterfinals

Do they really have to write it like this? In such huge fonts? Don't they know some people get sad? Don't they have a heart?

To drown my sorrow and laugh a little, I had a lovely dinner with the other interns.

To forget my tears and laugh more, I was invited to go to the lake with Kelli and the boys.

To end the day, I think I might have broken a finger.

Lake @ Yahoo! Video

070110. Thu. PHISH.

source

SET ONE
Llama (4:12)
Roses Are Free (5:15)
Kill Devil Falls (9:33)
Time Loves a Hero (6:04)
Alaska (9:23)
Water in the Sky (3:28)
Runaway Jim (7:46)
The Moma Dance (7:58)
The Divided Sky (16:09)
Cavern (4:52)

SET TWO
Backwards Down the Number Line (8:51)
Halley's Comet (5:57)
Light (13:46)
Fluffhead (14:59)
Have Mercy (4:08)
Light Up or Leave Me Alone (7:53)
Free (7:00)
Wading in the Velvet Sea (6:36)
The Squirming Coil (7:50)
Suzy Greenberg (7:09)

ENCORE
Boogie On Reggae Woman (10:19)

Thank you Adam.

Thank you Meghan.

Thank you Billy Ray.

Wed. June 30. Mosaic.

I was feeling a little sad today.
Lonely, a little depressed, perhaps a little homesick.
Oddly, because I don't really have another home other than the one next to the lake.

But things happen at the right time.
And I keep forgetting that.

I left my kick-boxing class half hour before it was over. Wasn't feeling it.

And I grabbed my phone to hear a funny message from Kelli who had eaten a double chocolate cake or ice cream with triple chocolate sauce and little pieces of chocolate and chocolate topping. Bottom line, I had10 minutes to get ready. The night was just about to start.

And it started at Mosaic, a pub/restaurant with a very interesting Moroccan decoration, where we had a delicious dinner, some nice wine and listened to good music.

Then, it moved on to Ugly Monkey, a dive bar with not so good looking younger people and bizarre pieces of ornaments, where we had two horrible beers, tried to play pool and learned some dancing moves with our new friends.

And it ended at the famous Lynwood Grill, our neighborhood bar that has $2 beers and some of the best food ever.

June 29. Tuesday. Dinner.

Vito is a funny Italian New Yorker who lives in Raleigh and came over for dinner.

28/06. Monday. Work.

Real Estate Financing Has Already Surpassed R$ 100 Billion

Source

According to data from the Brazilian Central Bank (BC), the amount of credit directed to housing finance in the country has surpassed R$ 100 billion and grew 3.5% in May alone and 51.1% in the past 12 months. The specialists have different opinion when analyzing this scenario: some believe in a bubble in the long run, others do not.

Another ingredient to spice up the discussion is in regards to the banks. Real estate financing is the type of credit that has shown the fastest growth in every financial institution. One example is Bradesco bank, that grew 180% when comparing the first quarter of 2010 against 2009. The bank estimates that it will break the barrier of R$ 7 billion in December. In a competing bank Itau Unibanco, the real estate portfolio showed an increase of 41.7% when comparing the first quarter of both years. The institution projects to reach R$ 10 billion at the end of 2010.

One reason for banks to open their coffers to finance real estate is the loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. The LTV measures the ratio of outstanding loan against the assessed value of the property financed. In most of the cases the ratio is around 60%. In 2005, Bradesco provided R$ 700 million in credit. In one month this year, it already put R$ 800 million in the market. Brazil is experiencing a unique moment in the history of mortgages. According to Claudio Borges, from Bradesco, the reasons are more flexible terms, lower interest rates and high employment and income.

The guarantee of the bank in Brazil is called the deed of trust, a type of agreement between the lender and the bank, in which the ownership of the property is given to the bank in case of default. Prior to that, the default was around 10%, and today it is 1.5%. The risk is lower. Brazilian families are using real estate financing more and more to buy their homes. A few years ago, they would rather save most of the resources to buy a home. Now, the tendency is to fund around 60% in value.

06.27 Sunday. Blargh.

Sat. 06.26.10 Partay.

PaulaPOOLza 2.

Mirage.

06-25-10. Friday. Wal Mart.

Meeting canceled.
Game canceled. Brazil 0 x Portugal 0.

Long lunch. Delicious sesame tuna salad.

Takeaways:
- communicate well.
- create a life story that makes sense.
- things change.

Didn't win the raffle.
Long conference call. Lots of information.
Ice cream cake. Coffee.
Meeting canceled.
PPT.
Short bike, broken seat.
Hot day.
Issues at the gym.
Tanning.
Wal-Mart... Which was actually the highlight of my day. Strange - I hope there are no Hispanics reading this blog, but I must say that I saw more Mexicans in the store than in Playa del Carmen during spring break... And they would stop in the middle of the corridors for a long debate over what to do during the weekend. Or get into a serious argument with a boyfriend on the phone. And I never saw so many kids running around staring at me. And I promise I wasn't making funny faces. There was a couple that I still don't know their gender. And for some reason I was feeling inebriated in that environment and I ended up purchasing some strange items.
I just reread this post. I am getting boring.
Time to do my laundry.

Thu/24-June/Otter.

Wed-June-23-Fish

Lunch and Learn activities are opportunities for the interns to learn about the company, get some words of wisdom from renowned professionals, interact with our fellow interns and do some thinking about future goals and career paths.

Today was the first one, scheduled to take place at a sports bar.  Little had our guest known that we would have reached the bar in the last 4 minutes of the apprehensive game of US and Algeria. Indeed, a great lunch.

The end of the night, nem mesmo na língua do Pê. Essa parte vai só para os amigos... Dicas abaixo. Mas garanto que não é nada do que vocês imaginarem... Beeeeeeem melhor. E muito mais engraçado.

Tues/06/22/2010/PPT

Long, long, long day at work.
Many, many, many things to do.
Lots, lots, lots to read.
So much to learn.

Suddenly, for some reason, having two summer jobs and writing a pair of blogs seem a little overwhelming.

I think I am going to pick my classes for the fall. For some reason I love doing that.

21.06.10 Monday... Monday...

93.9 is the radio station I listen to...

...A random testimonial found on google:

"WKSL or "Kiss" 93.9 is the local soft rock station. They play inoffensive adult contemporary with a focus on the eighties R&B stuff like Prince and Janet Jackson, with some concessions to modern music like Nelly Furtado , Britney Spears or Justin Timberlake.


I'm often forced to listen to this station at work, and while it is owned by Clear Channel and therefore a thing of great evil, the occasional great song will sometimes come on and that can really justify the whole listening experience.


All in all, not my favorite station, but there are certainly worse out there."

I am not forced to listen to it.
But I do enjoy its repertoire of 7 songs.
And I can proudly say that I know all of the words and can sing along...

Sunday - Jun/20 - Vuvuzela

Ok, so the couch wasn't that comfy. And I am not used to eating so much meat anymore. And I probably shouldn't have had cachaça out of the bottle. And that shot of vodka at the W might have been unnecessary... but, back to our topic of the day: Vuvuzela.

A little inconvenient sometimes. But at other times, all we need.

source

Brazil x Ivory Coast: We lost Kaka. And half of Elano. Some lost their minds. Others their patience. We lost some faults. And lost respect. Some lost goals. But we didn't lose the match...

 

...the afternoon ended with a delightful skyline boat ride...

...and the weekend ended where it started.

Thanks to a tornado.

PS: I have a confession to make. I wrote a text message and decided to send it to someone and right after I pushed send I changed my mind so I had the great idea of removing the battery from my phone. If that ever crosses your mind, my friend, don't do that. The message went through, of course, and the address book on my Blackberry has mysteriously disappeared. At least now I won't send any unwanted messages. Nor will I talk to any of my friends. Unless someone can fix this for me?

Jun19. Sat. Beach.

I didn't know Chicago was such a huge city.
Or that it had a lake.
Nor that the lake looks like the ocean.

I didn't know that in Chicago there was a beach.
Or that it had sand.
Nor that it gets crowded with hot guys (and girls) on Saturdays.

But I did know that we were going to a barbecue in the afternoon.
And that it was organized by Brazilians.
So there would be plenty of meat and beer.

But I had forgotten how nice Brazilians are.
And that the party is only over when the last person leaves.
So it might last long hours...

And I had forgotten that these long hours are fun.
So we eat and drink and laugh and cry.
But leave with a smile and a hug.

And I keep forgetting that drunk people have the best ideas.
Such as making a wish at the Chicago River on the way home.
Or a 1am dive in the hot tub.

source

Fri-Jun-18-Tornado

Lucija was one of the housemates in the House Of Ten. She is getting married tomorrow at 11h00am in Omaha, Nebraska, which, according to Wikipedia, is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles (30 km) north of the mouth of the Platte River. Vivi, Jordan, Matteo, Nick, Caroline, Lesley, Wolf, Adam and Jessamy are going to be there. I already have a beautiful summer dress and a lovely hat – the perfect outfit. I am leaving Raleigh at around 6pm, meeting Adam in Chicago at around 8pm and then flying to Omaha where Brendan and Matteo are going to be waiting for us at a bar! We have already made reservations at the hotel and I’ve just checked the weather, it couldn’t be better. Well, it could only be better, if there weren’t a tornado in Chicago.

Because then I wouldn’t have to wait three hours at the airport without knowing whether or not the connecting flight was also going to be delayed. I wouldn’t have to wait an extra hour sitting on the plane while the woman in front of me told her life story on the phone and the guy to my left yelled out his most interesting life accomplishments. Because then I wouldn’t have to watch a movie about the origin of lighting and thunders and wouldn’t have to wonder if the ones I was seeing outside the plane window would by any chance strike the plane. No, I wouldn’t have to fly around the storm that was devastating Chicago and take a detour to, coincidently, Omaha, Nebraska, since the plane couldn’t land at the O’Hare International Airport. And no, I wouldn’t land in Chicago at 1h00 am on Saturday to find out that the next available flight to Omaha was on Tuesday.

source

But if there were no tornado, then I wouldn’t have had the chance to see Adam tired and cranky, watching Dexter and talking about the Phish concert with a weird friend that he had just met at the airport. And I wouldn’t have had a chance to give him a hug and say goodbye as he closed his eyes and went into sleep mode in a not so comfortable bench at the airport where he decided to stay until 5am and try his luck at the standby list. And I wouldn’t have called Dunia, a friend of mine from Sao Paulo who is getting his MBA at HBS and had just landed in Chicago from a trip to Denver and is one of my guardian angels in this life. And I wouldn’t have found out that Pimenta and Roberta, two of the people I love the most in Sao Paulo but have been living in NY, would be landing in Chicago in the following morning. And if there hadn’t been a tornado, I wouldn’t have had a Stella at the windy patio of Dunia’s new apartment that overlooks the lake.

And the weekend would have been a lot different.

Quinta. 17/Junho. Port.

Pasta.

Sausage.

Garlic bread.

Chardonnay.

Chocolate.

Doritos.

Love my house mate.

Wednesday. 06/16. CrabTree.

Victoria Secret.
the Gap.
Guess.
Godiva.
Ann Taylor.
I love my job. 

Tuesday. Pê. 06.15.

Psim, PisPso PmesPmo, Pvou PesPcrePver Pna PlínPgua Pdo PPê. PCom PesPse PnePgóPciPo Pde
 PGooPgle PTransPlaPte Pa PmiPnha PviPda PparPtiPcuPlar PdeiPxou Pde PePxisPtir.
 PAPgoPra, Pem  PqualPquer PcanPto, Pde PcanPtoPnês Pà PrusPso,
PuPsuPáPrios PaPnôPniPmos PpoPdem Pse  PdePleiPtar Pcom PmiPnhas
PesPtoPrias. PBom, PesPta Pnão, PporPque PesPta Pé Psó PpaPra Pos
 PbraPsiPleiPros. PE Psó PpaPra PaPquePles Pque PfaPlam Pa PlínPgua
Pdo PPê. PE, Pque PaPlém Pde  PtuPdo, Ptem PpaPciPênPcia PpaPra
PdePciPfrar Po Pque PesPtá PesPcriPto. PClaPro Pque PuPma
 PsoPluPção PsePriPa PcoPpiPar Po PtexPto PpaPra Po Pword Pe
PsimPplesPmenPte PsubsPtiPtuPir  PtoPdos Pos PPês Ppor P- Pe PtenPtar
 PaPdiPviPnhar PonPde PfiPcou PfalPtanPdo Pum PPê.
 PEnPquanPto Po PleiPtor PquePriPdo PrePsolPve Pse Pvai
Pler Pou Pnão Pe Pqual Po PproPcePdiPmenPto Pa Pser PaPdoPtaPdo, Peu
PconPtiPnuPo PaPbuPsanPdo Pdo PtePclaPdo Pe PgasPtanPdo Pa
PtePcla PPê. PTamPbém PpenPsei Pem PuPsar PgíPriPa, PsaPbe, PesPcrePver Pum
 Ppost Pcom PpaPlaPvras PtéPcPniPcas Pque Po PgooPgle
PdesPcoPnhePce. PMas PaPí PlemPbrei Pque
 Peu PtamPbém Pas PdesPcoPnhePço.

PEnPfim, PaPté Pjá esqueci o que eu ia contar.

Back to English.

Last night we had Kelli's Stromboli at Scott's house. Soooooooooooooo delicious! I loved it! I can't believe I had never had it before. It looked something like that:

Following our fantastic dinner, I had to go on a veeeeeeeeery important mission. I went to Cary to feed a friend's friend's cat who it turned out not having the need of being fed. At least now I know another town: Cary, Kika; Kika, Cary. Encantada. The drive was nice. Back  home, I couldn't go in because I didn't have the key. Surprising how things like that keep happening with such recurrence in my life - no matter how old and wise I get, certain things I just never learn.

June 15. Monday. Cotidiano.

Fun facts of my daily life.


The house where I live is three storeys high. My room is upstairs and has an adjacent bathroom. It is located in the part of the house that overlooks the street and it has two large windows. I have lived with a serious dilemma these days. If I pee with the bathroom door open, leaving the shutters open and if someone walks on the street looking up, will they be able to see me sitting on the toilet?


As I mentioned before, the gym where I work out has a tanning bed. In fact, it has two different models, one in which the person lies down, another in which the user stands up. The second model is more powerful, so that is the one I use. The maximum I can stay there is 10 minutes. The only mandatory item is a pair of safety goggles. Usually I go into the machine, close the door and stand there as the lights and the fan go on, thinking about life, dancing, shaking my butt... but I have a thought that won't get out of my head: What do people do when they're there?

Sunday. June. 13.

Source

Valentine's Day. June/12. Sat.

In Brazil, Valentine's Day is called "Dia dos Namorados" (lit. "Day of the Enamored", or "Boyfriends'/Girlfriends' Day") and is celebrated on June 12, when couples exchange gifts, chocolates, cards and flower bouquets. This day was chosen probably because it is the day before the "Festa junina" (Saint Anthony's day), known there as the marriage saint, when traditionally many single women perform popular rituals, called simpatias, in order to find a good husband or boyfriend.

The February 14's Valentine's Day is not celebrated at all, mainly for cultural and commercial reasons, since it usually falls too little before or after Carnival, a major floating holiday in Brazil that can fall anywhere from early February to early March. (Wikipedia)

8h15am.

7h00pm.

June-11. Ice cream. Friday.

Raleigh is actually in Brazil. Fact #3: Hot and Humid. Just like home. I am back in the rainforest. 
And I must confess that I keep a jacket in the office.
And sleep under a huge comforter.
Exactly the way I like it...


...


Having technical problems with the remote control. Some things are soooooo complicated... Fact #4.

06.10.10 Thursday. Post-Hump Day.

Work...

Work...

Work...

Work...

Work...

Work...

And fun night with Kathleen and Kelli!

Wed. June 9th. Hump Day.

Happy Hump Day!


"You can call Lynnwood Grill "comfortable excitement.” It’s the kind of place where people know your name... and the bartenders know what you're drinking.

Located beside the Raleigh Grande Theatre, this locally owned bar and grill is the perfect place to grab a bite before or after the movie. It’s also a cozy place to meet friends for drinks, watch a game, or listen to live music. When the weather is nice, enjoy drinking and dining on the outdoor patio.
The Lynnwood Grill staff brings a dedication to outstanding quality, service and, most importantly, a fun time. With fifteen select beers on tap, along with a full bar and wine list, you will be happy with whatever you choose!
The Lynnwood Grill is where you can be yourself... have some great food and drinks... and have a fantastic time!"


A great place to go after work. Even better when your friends decide to play Never Have I Ever...

08/06/10. Tuesday. Items.

Things that I need:
- a lock for the bike.
- a backpack.
So my bike doesn't get stolen and I don't lose my balance when holding on to three different bags.
- a local ID.
So the bouncers don't ask me where I come from.
- a driver's license.
So I can go anywhere at anytime.
Oh, wait, but then what am I going to do with the bike?