If Plato were alive today he could add matchmaking mogul to his list of achievements.
Put aside his important philosophical dialogues, his studies of logic, mathematics and rhetoric. Never mind his intense musings with teacher Socrates or his stern lectures to student Aristotle. Plato knew something far more valuable. He supplied us with a basic truth about humankind.
“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
But somewhere over the centuries we got confused. We began to analyze our illogical behaviours, our irrational desires for chick flicks and chocolate. We went to great lengths to find good research, sometimes going as far as Mars or Venus. We developed complicated online surveys to quantify and locate our perfect soulmates. We invented speed dating, blind dating, pub dating and lunch dating. Essentially we took all the fun out of what should be the most spontaneous wonder; we made finding human connection the ultimate goal.
uma hora do jogo ~ one hour of play
This week’s chick<8000clicks>chick is all about capturing that one hour of play. I’m grooving to the tunes of DJ Penfold in Disco@Cabril on the left while djbeat is in Vancouver listening to sweet tones of ‘The Big Hungry Bear’ on the right.
Plato knew that play dates aren’t just for kids.
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PS: Obrigadinha to Daddy P, djbeat, 70steen, daisyfae, Penfold, Sue, St Jude, KPX, Emma and Priscilla for their comments on It’s Not Quite a Jaguar.
I’ve never been without a car since I was 16 years old. Living without my own form of transportation was unthinkable; driving represented freedom and independence. A transportation snob through and through, I experienced public transit when necessary but never by choice. I’ve always been happiest behind the wheel, whether for a short drive or for a marathon road trip.
Then I moved to Portugal. Sem rodas. And I’ve been without my own form of transportation ever since. I’ve learned to live without the convenience of my own wheels, to rely on others for rides, to experience immobilization and to genuinely appreciate the freedom I no longer had.
Citroën Love
After months of research I learned about the outrageously slow rate of depreciation and unfairly sky-high import duty for automobiles in Portugal. I made spreadsheets and charts and finally, after excruciating analysis and indecision, I did it. Earlier this week I brought home my new (to me) car. It is tiny, unglamorous, overpriced and even a little bit ugly.
I’ve never loved a car quite so much.
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PS: Muito obrigada to Penfold, daisyfae, Alice, Jen, djbeat, and KPX for their comments on Blue Monday 2010.
Today is allegedly the most depressing day of the year.
where W = weather, d = debt, T = time since Christmas, Q = time since failing our new year’s resolutions, M = low motivational levels and Na = the feeling of a need to take action (D is not defined).
Factors contributing to segunda-feira azul in Cabril are as follows:
- my fingers are like bratwurst sausages from rheumatoid arthritis brought on by too much knitting (once considered impossible since I have not progressed beyond the maturity of a 20-year-old);
- we still have no telephone line after three weeks;
- the sky is still grey;
- the ground is still mucky; and
- Penfold’s sinus cavities are still mucky.
But enough is enough! We are breaking our state of hibernation!
Penfold has just begun to tackle the barn roof, making way for a rush of productivity and progress. It’s time to get back to work, to achieve a few goals, to finally get this year started!
Goodbye gloomy days of winter, this may be Blue Monday but I see nothing but blue skies ahead …
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PS: Obrigada to DaddyP, daisyfae, Sue, Stinkypaw, St Jude, surftwin, Penfold and KPX for their comments on Hibernation.
Britain is covered in snow and the rest of Europe is preoccupied with weather warnings. Thanks to Santa Bravo we now have accurate indoor/outdoor temperature readings, barometric pressure forecasts, historical min/max records, humidity measurements and current lunar phases. Our weather data comes to us with Germanic speed and precision and we always know when to put another sweater (or three) on.
Yesterday morning it snowed (I use the term “snow” lightly) and by afternoon the blowing sleet was horizontal. For the second time this year we’ve lost our telephone and ADSL connection. As Dancing on Ice disappoints and our satellite signal wavers there is only one thing left to do.
Hibernate until spring.
hibernação ~ hibernation
This week’s theme for chick<8000clicks>chick couldn’t be more appropriate. Penfold just put another log on the fire and we’re making our way through Christmas presents on the left while djbeat is nursing her Vancouver hibernation hangover on the right.
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PS: Muito obrigada to Alice, Sue, daisyfae, surftwin, Stinkypaw, Shannon, Emma and Somnambulist for their warm and encouraging comments on Marmite Socks.
It’s raining. I’m knitting. It’s pouring. I’m knitting.
The sky is grey and the ground is sopping wet. The Christmas decorations have come down and the holiday festivities have come to a screeching halt. A momentous decade ended and we slipped into 2010 with a small but slushy thud.
This is winter in Central Portugal and even though I know that the season is mercifully short here, the cold and wet blanket that has covered Cabril makes it difficult to get motivated. But sales are growing (woohoo!) and so I continue to knit. And knit.
And knit.
A post-Christmas custom order rush is keeping me unusually busy and I’m grateful for each and every beige, chestnut, grey and taupe order. But I needed some colour, some vibrancy, a break from winter’s earthy tones and the grey skies.
So I made these.
People will either love them or hate them. Kind of like Marmite.
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PS: Obrigada to daisyfae, Stinkypaw, DaddyP, surf-starved Penfold, and KPX for their comments on Ano Novo!
A new day, a new month, a new year … a new decade.
A bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Penfold woke me up with Rabbit Rabbit this morning so we’re off to a good start.
Feliz Ano Novo to all my readers and subscribers from 49 different countries. May 2010 be filled with love, peace, health and laughter for us all. And maybe just a little bit of extra cash.
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PS: Muito obrigada to everyone who left comments here in 2009. I do love hearing from each and everyone – be sure to say hello in 2010!
This chick<8000clicks>chick post might be even sweeter than the last.
My apologies to all those who may gag.
O primeiro dia do Natal ~ The first day of Christmas
I’m baking my way out of a bikini on the left while djbeat is alarmingly close to electrocuting her baby boy on the right.
Feliz Natal to all and to all a boa noite!
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PS: Obrigadinha to Emma, daisyfae, KPX, Sue, DaddyP, Web-Betty and Stinkypaw for their comments on Living the Dream.
When I told my friend, Rob, about my new life in Portugal he replied, “Sounds like you’re living the dream.” It’s been a year since I made the jump across the Atlantic and I’ve never forgotten his words.
It may be incredibly corny, but not a day goes by when I’m not grateful for where I am and who I’m with. It does feel like I’m living my dream. I know I’m genuinely happy because even something as mundane as doing laundry can bring a smile to my face.
This week’s chick<8000clicks>chick was a quote from J.K. Rowling:
It does not do well to dwell on dreams and forget to live.
I’m drying my socks on the right while djbeat is sharing the magical lights on the giant tree in English Bay with her baby boy.
I may be sleepwalking but for now I can’t think of a better way to live the dream.
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PS: Muito obrigada and Feliz Natal to daisyfae, DaddyP, Stinkypaw, djbeat and surftwin for their comments on We’re Doing It.
It’s been so long since I’ve done it. I’m not even sure I remember how to do it.
But this year everything is different. This year I’m doing it. Yes, I’m going to find my Christmas spirit if it kills me. I’ve been inspired to take the reindeer by the horns to get this year’s jolly season started in Cabril.
doing it tangoNovember bravo style
One Vancouver tradition I do remember was the ritual of Christmas cards. It’s the one part of the festive hoopla that I’ve really missed. I have fond memories of making cards with djbeat, neither of us willing to give in to the store-bought variety. We made cards together, we drank Quebec maple whiskey together and we baked the most fantastic snowflake cookies together. I miss those cookies together.
(Oooh, and I really miss that maple whiskey …)
My father and I haven’t celebrated Christmas together in five years. Old Bravo family traditions were laid to rest and now I have the chance to create new ones. I don’t want to forget all my old customs; instead I want to honour them in my own way. I want to keep what was special to me but I want to discover even more traditions that we can enjoy together as a new family.
Christmas is a time when you get homesick – even when you’re home. (Carol Nelson)
As with so many other things this year, this Christmas is going to be different. This year we’d better watch out and we’d better not cry.
This year Daddy Bravo is coming to town.
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PS: Obrigada to daisyfae, DaddyP, St Jude, Stinkypaw, Penfold, KPX and djbeat for their comments on The Tango of Christmas Past.
It’s raining. It’s pouring. I’m filling out a form for Customs Canada.
It was a bleak start to the day.
Once again I’m faced with my stuff. The stuff that is too important to donate or throw away but not important enough to have with you every day. The stuff that is valuable enough to warrant the cost of storage for 12 months. The stuff that is so important it has to be shipped across the Atlantic at great expense. The stuff that is so incredibly critical it evokes a willingness to complete and submit official government customs documentation.
Wooden Boxes by Eishier
Problem is, I don’t even remember what that stuff is. I need to provide a piece count and estimated value of this very important stuff by the end of today. I think there are between 25 – 30 boxes of stuff. Within 30 – 40 days I’ll be reunited with my all-important stuff. Stuff we have no room for.
Oh, look. The rain just stopped and a few rays of sunshine started to poke through the stuffy clouds. Things are starting to look up.
Since I have no idea what’s coming, waiting for this stuff is going to be like waiting for Christmas presents from my past self.
I’m intrigued, I’m excited, I’m scared.
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PS: Obrigadinha to Stinkypaw, daisyfae, KPX, Travelling Sue and DaddyP for their comments on Only in Canada You Say?
