Some funnies

Thought of leaving you in this period with wishes of a Prosperous, Healthy and Lovely Year in general for you guys, may 2007 bring all your desires to your front door!

Thought also of leaving you with some comic strips to put a smile on your face whilst I'm gone.

Holidays/Vacaciones/Férias

I'm going on holidays tomorrow, the blog will be closed for inventory!

Me voy de vacaciones mañana, el blog estara cerrado para inventario!

Vou de férias amanhã, o blog vai estar fechado para inventário!

What a JOY! ¡Qué PASADA! Que BOM!

Countries

create your own visited country map

These are the countries I've visited and lived so far...
African and South America are future targets :)

Lebanon

Before the year ends, I just wanted to remember about the war in Lebanon that got us all shocked and feeling helpless whilst watching children die on tv, like in any other stupid war.

I've been to Lebanon once and was impressed by how beautiful it is, not only Beirut, but its surroundings, like Tyr, Byblos, Tripoli and of course, the great Baalbek with its amazing Roman temples still standing.

The kindness of the people was also a very nice surprise, as everyone was happy to help and curious to speak with us.

The food was also very good, with a few vegetable dishes toping my list of favourites (falafel, goat cheese pastries) and not even mentioning the sweets, which follow the Arab tradition and are as rich as the Emirs and Princes of the region... They are baked with so much honey and butter it's impossible you don't like them, as they melt in your mouth.

The wine, yes, the wine is also very good. We only basically know Chateau Kefraya but apparentely it's one of the best of the country.

Having said so, I quote The Observer which analyses the pivotal moments of 2006, from which I took this.

14 August

Israel takes aim at Lebanon, but ends up exposing its vulnerability as Hizbollah goes from strength to strength

Thirty-four days of war, 1,400 dead - the majority in Lebanon, and almost $4bn in damage to Lebanon's infrastructure alone by the Israeli bombing. There have been arguments about the causes of the conflict of Lebanon's Summer War, and whether a raid by Hizbollah to capture Israeli soldiers to trade for prisoners on 12 July should be seen as the start point. What is certain now is how far reaching the consequences have been since the ceasefire.

Both the raid and Israel's massive military response were characterised by huge strategic misjudgments, a fact that Hizbollah was quicker to recognise than Israel. The war was pointlessly shocking, as both sides blindly bombed and rocketed civilian centres. It is the aftermath of the war, however, that has changed the political and military landscape.

For the month of war has punctured two abiding myths in the Middle East that have attached themselves to Israel's strength of arms. The first is that a country with massive military and technological superiority will win a conventional war. The second is that of the invulnerability of Israeli arms. The ability of Hizbollah's lightly armed fighters to destroy the heavily armed Israeli Merkava tanks has become a potent symbol across the region.

That myth of invulnerability was always one of Israel's most powerful deterrents. Suddenly the Israeli Defence Forces look vulnerable. To Islamists it seems Israeli soldiers, in contrast to Hizbollah, are interlopers who lack the stomach to die for what they believe. Having declared its victory over the Israelis, Hizbollah is now threatening to lead Lebanon into a new civil war, as it tries to bring down the country's government and take a more powerful role in its affairs.

But the consequences are likely to be more widely felt than solely in Israel and Lebanon. Hizbollah's most powerful sponsor, Iran, saw its greatest international foe sink in Iraq. Now it has seen Israel falter. It marks another important step in Iran's rise as a regional power. For the Lebanese war represents a check for Israel that makes it less likely that Israel would risk an attack on Iran's nuclear sites, with Hizbollah still intact on its northern border and still, in relative terms, lightly policed by the beefed-up UNIFIL peace mission.

Christmas is over...

Christmas is over, with a few leftovers for next days' meals, some nice presents unwrapped and some more grams (not to say Kilos) to live with.

Although I'm sounding very nostalgic, I enjoyed Xmas this year here in Madrid. We had all the typical food and appetite as before, so what changed was the view out of the window and the un-illuminated tree...

Because we are such a small family (this year without any boyfriend attached), it goes very smoothly and quick.

I'm glad we can be together, no matter where :)

Some Christmas questions answered...part 2

How does a teaspoon inserted into an opened bottle of champagne ensure it keeps its fizz overnight?

It doesn't. This is an urban myth perpetuated by uncontrolled experimentation. People leave spoons in their bottles and find that the wine is still fizzy the next day, so they presume the teaspoon was the reason. However, if you leave an opened bottle of champagne overnight with no teaspoon in the neck it will be just as fizzy. The truth is that champagne takes a long time to lose its fizz. It's not uncommon to attach significance to apparently linked events, which is why science always uses controls to separate real data from presumed data. This experiment works just as well with cava, and as two bottles are needed, it's significantly cheaper that way.

Go on and try it out, buy Champagne and Cava... leave some overnight and drink the rest next day... Put the spoon in and the other let it sit there. Drink it. Taste it. Enjoy it.
All for the cause of Science!

Some Christmas questions answered...part 1

Why do people always feel sleepy after eating Christmas lunch?

After a meal, the levels of glucose in the blood are obviously high, and high blood glucose levels can switch off the brain cells that normally keep us awake and alert. Orexin neurons in the brain produce proteins, called orexins, which play a pivotal role in wakefulness. Glucose inhibits orexin neurons, making us feel more sleepy.
Sleepiness is the body's way of telling us to relax and conserve energy once we have found and eaten our food, and probably developed as an evolutionary response to being seated after a meal. By the same token, when we are hungry, the neurons are not inhibited, and we are alert enough to go in search of food - a sensible evolutionary precaution.

Did it explain your latent doubts or didn't I go into enough detail?
Hungry anyone?...

Bears aren't hibernating anymore....

Global warming is changing habits in animal behaviour, as the winters are getting milder and it's energetically worthwile to stay awake to hunt for food instead of sleeping...

This article I took from The Independent and it really is amazing how the weather is gradually in fact, changing so many aspects of our world.

"Bears have stopped hibernating in the mountains of northern Spain, scientists revealed yesterday, in what may be one of the strongest signals yet of how much climate change is affecting the natural world.
In a December in which bumblebees, butterflies and even swallows have been on the wing in Britain, European brown bears have been lumbering through the forests of Spain's Cantabrian mountains, when normally they would already be in their long, annual sleep.
Bears are supposed to slumber throughout the winter, slowing their body rhythms to a minimum and drawing on stored resources, because frozen weather makes food too scarce to find. The barely breathing creatures can lose up to 40 per cent of their body weight before warmer springtime weather rouses them back to life.
But many of the 130 bears in Spain's northern cordillera - which have a slightly different genetic identity from bear populations elsewhere in the world - have remained active throughout recent winters, naturalists from Spain's Brown Bear Foundation (La Fundación Oso Pardo - FOP) said yesterday."

Impressive, han?

Spirit

Christmas is coming! I'm starting to feel a bit of the spirit (I smell it nearby...) Maybe if I go to the city centre and see all those nice illuminations and thousands of people busily shopping, then I'll get it. So far, not so much - need to get out more!

Phobias

I was reading an interesting article on the free mag that I got on my bus to work the other day.

They say the 2 most common phobias are claustrophobia, where one is afraid of small places and its opposite, agoraphobia, phobia of open spaces.

Nonetheless there are thousands of registered phobias which aren't as usual and which seem strange, to say the least.

For example:

• triskaidekaphobia - fear of the number 13;
• soceraphobia - fear of parents-in-law (aren't we all afraid of them? :) )
• chromotephobia - fear of money (Apparentely, it's not the universal fear of loosing it, but HAVING it!!!)
• hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia - panic of long words!

The list goes on, but I leave you with these ones only, for you not to become fearful of reading this blog, for it's too boring! Blogphobia!

Gucci

This is going to be my Xmas gift to myself...

Do you like it?

Xmas party

Our Xmas party was yesterday.

We left the office on a bus direccion the karting circuit where we were going to race 100 laps in teams.

We had a light lunch at the kartdome, and after some drinks, fresher's singing Xmas carrols and distribution of symbolic presents (yes, that's what they must be called, I don't think a freebie from my company, namely a fleece sweater, is a proper Xmas gift! But that's gamble, our names were ruffled and that's what I got anyway!). Today we had the proper official present which is a wine kit box (our customers presents are better!).

Anyway, we were then set to train a bit and the adrenalin was high as we dressed up our red racing suits and helmets! We looked very professional, except for the shoes (it was a surprise party, therefore nobody knew what would be the appropriated clothes to wear. I had high heels on, which made me look weird, all sporty and helmeted on black stilletos, hihihihi).

Yes, it's me under that black hell of a helmet! Ali looks all professional, no? Like Ayrton!

I run 50 laps, tried my best, was hit several times on the laps, hit a few times on the laps (that was fun, coming from behind our boss and slam him against the rails!!!), did really good times on each lap (the best of my team!!!!) and had a great time in general. Loved the races.
We didn't end well, as one of my team had a bit of an accident and that delayed everything! I tried my best to compensate, but it was too late, it was a loner's last effort :)
Here's the big boss who ended up first (of course, he's the boss!), Ali's team ended up second and the macho boys third.

We then had a bit of a dance and more drinks and ended up the night singing flamenco songs on the bus home....oh Dear!

Today, we have a few missing, allegedly sick, and the ones here at the office are rather hurt (the karts kill, our arms and legs and back are hurting, it feels the karts run us over!!!). We got other presents coming in today and more Xmas cards, so the day isn't as bad as it might have looked in the morning, while dragging our ached bones out of the bed!

I have 4 bottles of Champagne, 3 boxes of chocolates, a wine set and 15 kg of oranges to take home. All in the public transportation... I think I will miss the gym for a few days, my ached body can't take any more tumbles!

Work and other things

Sorry for not updatind this Candy Room recently, but between Xmas and personal shopping, resting, watching TV and working like a madwoman, I haven't had that quality little time I need to write here. I may have had time, but I must be on the mood :)

Also, went to the eye doctor who persuaded me to go to surgery for this little thing on my eyelid :( Do I need to say that I didn't get that excited? Like I usually say: Pooohhhh!!!

Superwoman

I always have plenty to wear. For any occasion, really. I'm quite organized and tend to predict all sorts of situations for which I will need different gear. Thus, I own a ski suit, a safari shirt, a polar jacket, trekking boots, windbreakers, jogging pants, black dresses... I have an assorted wardrobe and I'm proud of it. That way I can adapt to any eventuality in a blink of an eye...Just like Superwoman :)

Dr House

Who doesn't love watching Dr House? It's a Tuesday night classic, a must see, a delicious 2 episode night. We get our munchies, our tea, our sofa blanket and get comfortable. No interruptions are expected.

Another tresour is Las Vegas, another TV show on our Saturday nights (for us who don't have any interesting social life!). Danny McCoy is a hunk!!! Whoa!

Estado do Mundo

A minha mãezinha enviou-me este email há uns tempos e tem a sua piada. Ora leiam:

RELATÓRIO DO ESTADO DO MUNDO

Se a população da Terra fosse reduzida à dimensão de uma pequena cidade de 100 pessoas, poderia observar-se a seguinte distribuição:

57 Asiáticos
21 Europeus
14 Americanos (norte e sul)
8 Africanos

52 mulheres
48 homens

70 pessoas de côr
30 caucasianos

89 hetero***uais
11 homo***uais

6 pessoas seriam donas de 59% de toda a riqueza e todos eles seriam dos Estados Unidos da América

80 pessoas viveriam em más condições

70 não teriam recebido qualquer instrução escolar

50 passariam fome

1 morreria

2 nasceriam

1 teria um computador

1 (apenas um) teria instrução escolar superior

Quando olhas para o mundo nesta perspectiva, consegues perceber a real necessidade de solidariedade, compreensão e educação?
Pensa também no seguinte:

Esta manhã, se acordaste de saúde, então és mais feliz do que 1 milhão de pessoas que não vão sobreviver até ao final da próxima semana.

Se nunca sofreste os efeitos da guerra ,
a solidão de uma cela, a agonia da tortura,

ou fome,

então és mais feliz do que outras 500 milhões de pessoas do mundo.

Se podes entrar numa igreja (ou mesquita) sem medo de ser preso ou morto, és mais feliz do que outras 3 milhões de pessoas do mundo.


Se tens comida no frigorífico,
tens sapatos e roupa,

tens uma cama e tecto,

és mais rico do que 75% das outras pessoas do mundo.

Se tens uma conta bancária, dinheiro na carteira e algumas moedas num mealheiro,
pertences ao pequeno grupo de 8% de pessoas do mundo que estão bem na vida.

Se estás a ler esta mensagem, és triplamente abençoado, pois:

1. Alguém acabou de lembrar-se de ti.
2. Não fazes parte do grupo de 200 milhões de pessoas que não sabe ler.

3 . e... tens um computador!

Tal como alguém uma vez disse:

- " trabalha como se não precisasses do dinheiro ,
- ama como se nunca tivesses sido magoado,

- dança como se niguém estivesse a ver-te,

- canta como se ninguém te estivesse a ouvir,

- vive como se a terra fosse o Paraíso ."

Weather and bla bla

The weather is still showing us what Winter is like, with rain (plenty of it) and wind.

Already got some Xmas presents (hooray) and hopefully this week some more, that way I avoid the huge queues in the shops and still have my patience intact!

We never know what to give to our closest, it's always easier for the people we have not so much intimacy but enough to buy them presents. A candle, a photo frame, a book... For parents and siblings, the thing gets tough and we always despair and then, at the last minute, we end up buying something on pressure and not so original or perfect as we intended at the first place.

This week here in Spain is a 'puente' from Wednesday on, as it's got two holidays, the 6th and the 8th. Many people took vacations or are taking advantage and start shopping. Me and Ali have to come and work on Wednesday in a deserted office of around 300 m2. It's sad.

In the meantime, I'm also looking for a new job. One year at this company is enough...I've seen it all already :)

Lista de Natal

Poeminha de Natal by A pipoca mais doce

Um Manolo, um Jimmy Choo,

Uma Prada, um Jacobzinho,

Um Dolce & um Gabbana

Tudo no meu sapatinho

Chega de Zaras e Bershkas

De agendas e de velas

Molduras, essas, nem vê-las

Neste Natal coisas belas

Nada de panos da loiça

Garfo, faca ou colher

Pijamas, colchas, lençóis

Quero ver tudo a arder

Uns livros, uns dvd,

Venham eles, que alegria

Mas merdas pró enxoval

Diz que dão grande alergia

Tias, avós, gente chata

Nunca sabem o que dar

Problema resolvido

Quero um carro e um andar

Nesta quadra tão bonita

Que comove o mundo inteiro

Deixem todos de ser sonsos

Que o que dá jeito é dinheiro

Que haja sopinha para todos

Ah, e tal queremos é paz

Quanto a mim quero é sapatos

E um homem que seja capaz

Summary

1 - Thursday night went to see the Borat film. I don't even know where to start. This is very far from Ali G's racists comments. This crosses even more moral lines. I was defending the guy before, but after I watched this film, I'm actually a bit shocked, as it's humour with an edge. A dangerous edge where you don't know whether it's even appropriated to laugh. You know what I mean? It's pushing the envelope a bit too far, in my opinion.
It is funny, there are moments you just crack up, because you are either grossed out (like the naked scene) or because you are a bit ashamed (like in the scene with the Jews). Some scenes were indeed funny, but you are shocked the whole film through. I must say Sasha is really good and deserves what he got (being it the popularity or the spells). He makes fun out of certain groups and, although we know it's only a joke, it's still not political correct to say certain things in certain contexts.
I suggest you watch it just to know what is it and make up your own mind. My final verdict is that this film isn't funny, it's shocking most of all.

2 - The party. Well, I didn't win anything out of those 40 prizes they were giving away by lottery. Also, I was let down by my closest colleagues who didn't go and ended up with the 'other' colleagues, the ones I don't hang out with usually (I reconfirmed my opinion and I still won't hang out with them in the future, I just don't click). So, all in all, we stayed till 2 am and then I found an excuse not to join them afterwards - that would be that inch too much confratenization...

And today it's saturday, gotta start - finally - with Xmas shopping. Lately the bank account has been going through a very steep way down, I must rescue it before it totally crashes! Hopefully, after the 1st of January things will look better...financially. As for other things, they are good already! ;)

Weekend

And I'm off, for a long weekend! Hoooray!

Tomorrow for a Christmas dinner with the Finnish companies and Embassadors and two more days to rest/clean/shop/cook and watch films on tv :)

It paid off...

Surfing through my favourite blogs, I came across this piece of information. Again, about China (Pedro, nothing personal!).

Ana, of Coisas da net e não só came across this in The Enquirer:

Fake Chinese electronics perform better than originals
Can’t even buy them out

CHINESE MANUFACTURING outfits are cloning fake goods which are proving better than those of the original companies.
According to IT Wire, the clones are being made and distributed in China so fast that by the time the real gear arrives it is being treated as if it was an expensive fake.
LG was so slow in getting its Chocolate phone released in China that the pirates put some excellent copies into the shops. When LG did release the phone, it failed because the discerning Chinese punters thought they were fakes copying the 'original' Chinese version.
Chinese pirates cloned the PSP fairly successfully and even chucked in a stack of pirated Nintendo games to go with it.
IT Wire reports that one clone outfit so impressed Samsung that they offered them a job and a chance to go legitimate. However, the pirates said no thanks as they made more money flogging pirated gear.

Didn't I tell you guys that it really is worth to go and set up a bargaining scene for the sake of a few fakes? Shame I didn't get the.... (get ready)... (H)ipod! For only 30€! Pedro.... :) Xmas is coming, my boy!!!

My colleagues at the office are going to ask (for the second time) for a whole new batch of fake watches from here. The first ones arrived and they looked so amazing, everyone wanted one!

Which one would you choose?

Borat's in trouble

I haven't gone to the cinema to see Borat's adventures in the US, but by the repercussion involving this new film, I guess it's worth to have a go.

Besides being beaten in NY by a man who didn't enjoy his film, Sasha Cohen is now at hands with a legal action by 2 Romanians who appear on the film as rapists and criminals and who ask fo 30€ million as compensation for 'moral damage'... They also said the gypsies casted a bad spell on him. Poor guy.

He is also persona non grata in Kazaquistan, thanks to this Borat character...

He really is funny and I think we should think we are in 2006 and not in the old Ages and that we live in democracy, therefore we should be allowed to have our say as long we don't hurt anyone's feelings. This is a film, a comedy and it should be seen like that, not as a serious thing!

Let us laugh (not on anyone's expense, though). This is not the case! This is fun!

Enneagram Personality Test

The Helper

The caring, interpersonal type. Twos are empathetic, sincere, and warm-hearted. They are friendly, generous, and self-sacrificing, but can also be sentimental, flattering, and people-pleasing. They are well-meaning and driven to be close to others, but can slip into doing things for others in order to be needed. They typically have problems with possessiveness and with acknowledging their own needs.

At their Best: unselfish and altruistic, they have unconditional love for others.

The Functions of Empathy and Altruism— the potential for other-directedness, thoughtfulness for others, genuine self-sacrifice, generosity, and nurturance. Negatively, the potential for intrusiveness, possessiveness, manipulation, and self-deception.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This test is considered by Time magazine one of the hottest Personality tests in the world.

You can do it and discover a little bit more about yourself (apparentely this one is a bit more credible than the ones I've posted some time ago, like 'what colour are you?'... :)

Friday feeling

Hooray, it's Friday! (...and the weather is still crap!)

Wonderslips

Apparentely this slip is a huge success in Australia where it was created to uplift the...hmmm...yes, THAT!

This time it will be us, girls, the ones to be deceived! Damn!

Some reflections

Ok, first things first:

- Lebanon: as many of you already deducted by the photo I posted before and by my recent life events and discoveries (hihihi), I'm going to Beirut for New Year's... The events that have been taking place recently do not help me visualise a perfect holiday over there, at that beautiful place. W., nonetheless, gives me his own experienced opinion that things will stir for a while, but then eventually will get back to normal (whatever normal means there), just like after Mr Hariri was killed last year. For my own peace of mind, I really hope so. Lebanon deserves peace... permanentely.

- 7 New Wonders: I read somewhere that the Coloseum is already on the 21 finalists to be elected as the new great 7... (I voted for it...Yesssss!) - Please refer to my post The New 7 Wonders on October the 19th if you want to know more about this amazing selection.

- Genes: The Independent has as front page the news of a new breakthrough discovery about the genetic differences between humans. To summarise it (for those lazy of you out there!), it seems that our genome (our commonly called 'book of life', which describes our recipe, the way we are) is different one to another. "They have found that each of us is more different genetically than we previously believed. Instead of being 99.9 per cent identical, it may turn out to be more like 99 per cent identical - enough of a difference to explain many variations in human traits. Instead of having just two copies of every gene - one from each parent - we have some genes that are multiplied several times. Furthermore these "multiple copy numbers" differ from one person to another, which could explain human physical and even mental variation".

The practical relevance of these findings is that it can help understand some of the most difficult and incurable diseases. "Scientists are predicting for instance that the knowledge could lead to new diagnostic tests for such diseases as cancer".

I find this very interesting and overdue. We are finally reaching through the most elaborate and complex sides of ourselves and hopefully this will keep going at a fast pace. There are too many people dying of diseases... If we can reach the Moon and Mars, why can't we reach our own depths?

Xmas is coming...

(third time that I try to write this damn post, Xmas magic is not working!!!)

Madrid is sparkling and we can already feel Xmas around the corner. The smell of roasted chestnuts, the little lights all over, angels and Santas everywhere, the shopping...yes, Xmas is coming and we need to start thinking about that inherent exhaustive duty of this season: the shopping spree!

For as much as I love shopping, this one is a forced task and that makes me and everyone shiver, just thinking about it! The mere fact it is compulsory makes me want to run... (n.b. - the words 'shopping' and 'run' together in a sentence usually have a very different meaning on my vocabulary, this is the only exception!).

But the looks on our loved one's faces will surely pay off for all the nagging in between :)

I want these...

They would match my new dress ... Perfect for New Year's Eve!

Havaianas

Check these Havaianas...

Aren't they the cutest?

They are mine!

Directly from Brazil... Just need the new golden bikini to match, as our friend said! Obrigada Ali, és o maior!

Ali also brought me a necklace made from Umbu seeds, which resemble hearts. Quite sweet!

The future of air travel

Monday feeling

Any words needed to show my feeling today? The sun was shining and everything, but honestly I wasn't much in the mood to leave bed this morning...

Also, my back hurts. And it's not an excuse, ok?

Wikipedia

Reading the papers, the news that Wikipedia was again blocked in China made me laugh. The ban was lifted for just a week, but the reason the site was censured again didn't come out to public yet. The police uses very sophisticated filters and even officers who monitor web traffic in search of sensitive word entries, like Tibet and Taiwan. When I went to Shanghai I actually needed to use Wikipedia, as I wanted to copy the Chinese symbol for moxa, my massage stuff. I knew the site had it, because I'd seen it here, before I went.

There was no way to actually access it until we found out that if somebody sent us the link with the result via chat or email, we could open the page and read it. So, that way we deceived the little officers in their small rooms looking for trouble! hihihihi Well, I've read it here.

This happens in many countries too, and with a wider spectrum of sites.

Freshly approved vacations and already a destination...

Guess where is this?

This is the place I'm going for New Year's Eve! The sea, the sea...!

(How I miss it!)

Mountain look

Tomorrow will be Timberland boot day!

There! No more funny looks around the office!

These are my boots, you like them? :) Very useful here in this mountain city! No, I bought them in Prague and I think I'll have them all throughout my life, they are so sturdy!

Miniskirt effect

Axe effect, you know this ad? Well, if you do, then you understand my feeling as I'm being observed today like a prey... It's all to do with the fact that I'm wearing a miniskirt dress, which I didn't realise was so short until I went outside!

What is it with miniskirts and men? I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable explaination for the lost looks whenever a woman crosses their way wearing a short skirt or a generous V-neck.

I don't know about other women, but I feel unconfortable being stared at like that, in such a bold and machist way.

Well, whenever a guy wears a fitted shirt with one extra open button, obviously our stares go that way, but it's less compulsive and much more controlled. We don't talk with that chest, men do! We feel like saying: Hello? Look at me, not there!

...Men!

One of those questionnaires

Questionnaire... for you to know me even better (as if you don't by now!). And, please, don't fall asleep, I'm not THAT boring and predictable, ok? (The cat above did, but that's because he spent all day reading that damn book!)

Olhos? Eyes? Brown
Cabelos? Hair? Cinammon :)
Idade? Age? 31 years young
Altura? Height? 1,65 ?
Peso? Weight? 49 kg
Nacionalidade? Nacionality? Portuguese, pois claro!
Alcunhas de Infância? Nicknames? Aninhas
Irmãos e/ou Irmãs? Brothers / Sisters? Sister, Didi
Signo? Star Sign? Cancer, watch out the sides!
Ascendente? Ascendent? Scorpio, watch out the tweezers!
Sapatos que está a usar? Shoes you're wearing? My Turkish house shoes, made of leather and hand-embroidered on rich colours
Medo? Fear? Of not living it all
Objectivo que gostaria de alcançar? Objective you'd wish to accomplish? Basically, can't think of nothing as relevant for me as stay happy :)
Frase que mais uso no msn? Sentence I use the most in msn? Not a sentence, but a smiley :)
Melhor parte do corpo? Best body bit? Legs?...Don't know...
Pepsi ou Coca-Cola? Can I distinguish these 2??? Not a huge fan.
MacDonald’s ou Pizza Hut? The above reply applies here too.
Café ou capuccino? I can distinguish these 2, but still not a huge fan, I rather have tea.
Palavrões? Swear words? Hmm, sometimes ;)
Perfume? A few... DKNY, Organza First light, L'Air du Temps, etc etc...Looove perfumes!
Lado da cama? Side of the bed? Hmm, on the right side...
Canta? Do you sing? Not at all!!!And better not, really!
Toma banho todos os dias? Do you bathe everyday? What kind of question is this???
Gostava da escola? You liked school? I did, yes. But not so much primary, where a boy was always trying to make me eat poisonous berries!!!
Acredita em si mesmo? Do you believe in yourself? Oh yes, like that ad: If I don't, who will??
Dá-se bem com os seus pais? Do you get along with your parents? Perfectly! And proud of it too!
Gosta de tempestades? Do you like storms? I do, they are very powerful and as all powerful sensations, they are unforgettable
Desporto? Sports? Yes, my Curves gym...efficient to keep me on shape.
Passatempos e Hobbies? Not really...besides the normal ones like reading, cinema, drinking tea in the sofa wrapped up on a warm blanket.
Fobias e manias? A bit the fear of being followed, a bit paranoid about dark and lonely places...
Número de filhos? Number of children? Well, I'd like a few...

Como quer morrer? How do you want to die? Ooooh, this question is horrible...
Piercings? No
Tatuagens? Tattoos? No, but quite like to see one in a well-defined bod :)
Do que se arrepende de ter feito? What do you regret having done? Hard question, as I tend not to have to answer that, for always going for things - that way I have no regrets, right?
Cor favorita? Favourite colour? I'm difficult there, I like all, depending on my mood.
Um lugar onde nunca esteve e gostava de ir? A place you never were and would like to go? Some island, on a blue transparent sea...
Manhãs ou Noites? Mornings or Nights? More night girl, but mornings for important things...
O que tem nos bolsos? What do you have in your pockets? No pockets on my PJ's...
Em dez anos imagina-se…… In ten years you imagine yourself... With someone :)

Helloooo, awake? There, it's done, finished, finito, acabado, kaput, over and out!

So, besides knowing a bit more about yours truly, you now practised your English/Portuguese and are also willing to do the same and forward it to me, aren't you, my dears??? Yes, yes...

Not this week...

Well, I didn't win Euromillions.... this week!

Wishful thinking

That's me at work wishing my day to be calm, without phone calls or emails. As soon as I think about it, the phone rings and the emails pop up! I will win Euromillions this week, for sure!

I MUST!

Trapped

Ali's customers got me and trapped me! I'm that cat you see here, completely trapped and with another week and a half to go until my saviour comes and takes over his work and leaves me with my customers only! I love my customers, I really do! Compared to these, mine are sweethearts, they even help me when I make a mistake, not to make me feel bad or increase a cost... It's really different. It may not sound as glamorous as Publishing, but my Packaging department is fantastic! Apart from having the nicest colleagues (it's true, I'm not nagging!), it's got the highest turn-over and, at least in Portugal, has got the nicest clients! They are polite, to say the least.

Anyway, enough of work, today still was a crappy day, it will go on all week, as things are dragging. To top things up, tomorrow is a holiday in Madrid and Miss Ana here will have to go to work, all alone. Added that it will be my first time dealing with the office alarm, you can see how anxious I am!

But I'm going to the gym now, I'll have Barbara there to make me sweat all this tension away! Then, a nice bath, dinner and relax! No more duties today, pliz!

Rainy Days

All in a day's work!

Murphy's law is a bummer! While my colleague is out on vacations for what seems an eternity (hey Ali, enjoy, I'm not complaining!!!), I'm his backup which means I do all my work and all of his. For the first 2 days, I was also backing other colleague... I was selling packages, magazines and wallpaper all juggled at once! Crazy days!

Now, today one of the delivery trucks (Ali's paper!) had an accident or close to one and all the paper it was carrying to the printers got unbalanced on its pallets, which means a severe loss, as the client couldn't even grab the things, for gravity unbalances... Needless to say that the customer wanted the paper today and I had to turn the whole office and mill upside down trying to find a replacement for 18 tons of Allegro Gloss! Tomorrow I will still be on it, that's for sure!

Then, another of Ali's customers is all annoyed we are delivering a truck a day, as he instructed us to do. Couldn't stop another truck being delivered today and another tomorrow! I will have a 3 page email tomorrow, at the pace this is going with these guys!

In the midst of all this, there are my clients with their own existencial doubts! Enquiring, complaining, demanding, asking... In the space of 1 minute I had 2 phone calls asking for my fax number: that usually means either orders or complaints. Well, I had both.

All in all, it was a busy crappy monday... arrived home and relaxed by cooking some chicken and vegetables in the oven, the roasting smell made me forget my day :) And roasted also some chestnuts! Perfect working girl!

Food for weekend thought

Why when people ask you "what three things would you bring with you on a desert island?" no one ever replies, "A BOAT"?

Why are elderly people often called "old people" but children are never called "new people"?

Why is it called the People's Republic Of China when China's not a republic?

Why is it that people duck in the rain, do they really think the rain won't hit them?

Why is there no pine or apple in pineapple?

Why do "cool" and "hot" mean the same thing?

Why does triangularly cut bread taste better than square bread?

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Why is it that when you're driving and looking for an address, you turn down the volume on the radio?

Why is it called 'after dark', when it is really after light?

Why is it called a "building" when it is already built?

Why do we say "bye bye" but not "hi hi"?

Roses at work

Girls, have you ever received flowers at work?
Although it's a bit embarracing, it can nonetheless be the cutest thing!
Thanks, Mr X!

What kind of Chocolate are you?

Found this blog with some girly tests like the one above (i'm a milk chocolate!):

'what colour bikini should you wear?',

'what goddess are you?',

'are you ready to get married?',

'do you go for brains or body?',

'are you a tease?'

...just perfect for a winter afternoon in.

I'm on to do the 'which foreign guy should I date?'....

.... (drums!)...

You Should Date An Italian!

You love for old fashioned romance, with an old fashioned guy An Italian guy is the perfect candidate to be your prince charming If your head doesn't spin enough, just down another espresso with him Invest in a motorcycle helmet - and some carb blocker for all that pasta!

Which Foreign Guy Should You Date?

Jumbled letters

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in what oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a total mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig.

Spanish:
Sgeun un etsduio de una uivenrsdiad ignlsea, no ipmotra el odren en el que las ltears etsan ersciats, la uicna csoa ipormtnate es que la pmrirea y la utlima ltera esten ecsritas en la psiocion cocrrtea. El rsteo peuden estar ttaolmntee mal y aun pordas lerelo sin pobrleams. Etso es pquore no lemeos cada ltera por si msima preo la paalbra es un tdoo.

Portuguese (Brazilian):
De aorcdo com uma pesqiusa de uma uinrvesriddae ignlsea, não ipomtra em qaul odrem as lrteas de uma plravaa etãso, a úncia csioa iprotmatne é que a piremria e útmlia lrteas etejasm no lgaur crteo. O rseto pdoe ser uma ttaol bçguana que vcoê pdoe anida ler sem pobrlmea. Itso é poqrue nós não lmeos cdaa lrtea isladoa, mas a plravaa cmoo um tdoo.

French:
Sleon une édtue de l'Uvinertisé de Cmabrigde, l'odrre des ltteers dnas un mtos n'a pas d'ipmrotncae, la suele coshe ipmrotnate est que la pmeirère et la drenèire soit à la bnnoe pclae. Le rsete peut êrte dnas un dsérorde ttoal et vuos puoevz tujoruos lrie snas porlblème. C'est prace que le creaveu hmauin ne lit pas chuaqe ltetre elle-mmêe, mias le mot cmome un tuot.

(No matter what language it is written and scrambled, we still can figure out what's being said, by the simple positioning of the first and last letter of each word. Nonetheless, psycholinguistics are not too sure about this easy explaination (aren't they shrinks in the first place? There's no easy solutions for them anyway!!), but the truth is that our brain seems only to acknowledge those 2 essential and determinant letters to figure out words...but, how does our brain then distinguishes between salt and slat?...)

Don't you just love these?

Here in Spain, lollypops are taken very seriously! Yummy!!!