Is X-mas all around?

When Christmas feel like any other weekend something is not right. Well this year there ain't Christmas spirit that can catch and touch me!!!
It was a tight weekend like any other, a big mess all around anywhere you'd need to go for lunch(in the days before), an aunt (which I don't see that often) went on holidays to Brazil and most of all absolutely no feeling of peace, love, understanding and forgiveness!!!
Only 3 things made me actually feel like Christmas: the look in Americo's eyes when he opened his gift, being around my granny and a party with some new old friends I didn't see for a while!

If this weekend was Christmas I start to believe Xutos & Pontapés (a Portuguese rock group) are right and the world is actually upside down.

Well... maybe not!!!

Merry Christmas

(c) Risto Klint

I'd like to wish a Merry Christmas full of peace and may you have a great new year!!!

Well... maybe not!!!

Is it just me?

Quiz question?
What would you answer when your dear brother asks you: Can I borrow your car?
Before you answer let me give you some data sheet: my car left yesterday from the garage after staying there for 3 days (during which I took 1 h by public transportation or asked a few colleagues to give me ride to/from work), for an almost 600€ paint job repair, of some scratch he did to it, against a wall (of course is paying it)!!!
Ok! I know it's Christmas but I'm not on the mood...I'm not on the spirit yet!!! Sorry!


Well... maybe not!!!

Até os comemos

Como dizia um senhor sentado na fila atrás da minha:" esta m*rda é um inferno, c*r*lho!!!!
e parece que foi mesmo!!!!

aqui ficam os highlights da coisa!!! ->

Ou então... não!!!

X-mas

Christmas is coming whether you feel it or not!!! Every shop keeps you reminded but somehow is doesn't feel like Christmas at all!
X-mas was having time!!! Time to think about family, time to think about gifts, time to look for something special or something different, time to surprise someone!
X-mas was 5 days or scouting, getting home and enjoy family time! X-mas was gathering your family, was having time to visit your friends.
X-mas used to taste differently!
Well x-mas can always be time to forgive, to start up again, to renew something!
Maybe what changed wasn't X-mas! Maybe is still the same and I was the one who lost time!!! Well I can always still make things new!

Well... maybe not!!!

Grito

Há alturas na vida
Em que se sente o pior
Como que uma saída
Refúgio na dôr

E ao olhar para trás
Pensar no que aconteceu
O que se vê não apraz
Não gritou mas escondeu

E salta a fúria em nós
Rebenta o ser mais calado
Querer puxar pela voz
Mostrar que está revoltado

À espera o tempo a passar
A desesperar
Ganhar a coragem de gritar e gritar

E é nestas alturas
Sou eu mesmo que o digo
Repensamos na falta
Que nos faz um amigo

Alguém que nos mostre a luz
E nos estenda uma mão
Diga que a vida não é cruz
Olhar para trás pedir perdão

E salta a fúria em nós
Rebenta o ser mais calado
Querer puxar pela voz
Mostrar que está revoltado

À espera o tempo a passar
A desesperar
Ganhar a a coragem de gritar e gritar

by Pólo Norte

Well... maybe not!!!

Ser Homem

O texto não é meu mas...

"O SER HOMEM ............
sentir a dor física de uma bolada nos tomates;
a tortura de ter de usar fato e gravata no Verão;
o suplício de fazer a barba todos os dias;
o desespero das cuecas apertadas;
a loucura que é fingir indiferença diante de uma mulher sem soutien;
a loucura de resistir olhar para umas pernas com uma mini-saia;
ir à praia e resistir olhar para aquele mulherão que está deitada ao lado;
viver sob o permanente risco de ter de andar à porrada;
vigiar o grelhador no churrasco ao fim de semana, enquanto todos se divertem;
ter sempre de resolver os problemas do carro;
ter de reparar na roupa nova dela;
ter de reparar que ela mudou de perfume;
ter de reparar que ela mudou a tinta do cabelo de Imedia 713 para 731 loiro/bege;
ter de reparar que ela cortou o cabelo, mesmo que seja só 1cm;
ter de jamais reparar que ela está com um pouco de celulite;
ter de jamais dizer que ela engordou, mesmo que seja a pura verdade;
desviar os olhos do decote da secretária, que se faz distraída e deixa a blusa desabotoada até ao umbigo;
ter a obrigação de ser um atleta sexual;
ter a suspeita de que ela, com todos aqueles suspiros e gemidos, só está a tentar incentivar-nos;
ouvir um NÃO, virar para o lado conformado e dormir, apesar da vontade de partir o quarto todo e fazer um escândalo;
ter de ouvi-la dizer que está sem roupa;
ter de almoçar aos domingos na casa dos sogros, discutir política com aquele velho reaça, tratar bem os sobrinhos e controlar-se para não olhar para o decote da irmã dela, não dar na cara do irmão dela, sacana do caraças, que vem sempre pedir dinheiro emprestado.

Depois elas ainda acham que é fácil, só porque NÃO TEMOS O PERÍODO!!!...."


Well... maybe not!!!

Times change

I'm the kind of person who doesn't write much, at least regular (snail) mail. I'm a little fan of technology so I rather keep on writing e-mails to friends, and like people collect letter from friends, I collect e-mails. Usually I keep either really funny stuff or really personal mails from some special people or occasions.
I was saving some stuff the other night I decided to check on my records to see some memories and clear some stuff that ain't worth saving anymore...
I got stunned with some of the stuff I saved. I didn't remember some of the things I still had and it spooked me how much everything has changed since a few mails only some months old, others 1 year or 2. Really spooked. Like the world flipped upside down in some cases...
Perhaps that a characteristic of my age group or the phase I'm been living in the last 1 or 2 years...
If you're one of those people that collect stuff like that, try and take a look at it...
Well... maybe not!!!

I always wonder

When I see a missed call or a ringtone of someone with an hidden or unidentified number!!!
I always know that someone is thinking about me or needs to talk to me. Who?! Well I think if he or she really wants or needs something from me, will try again.

This is almost as good as those really nice SMS you receive saying: " Hi! How are you? This is my new number! Forget the previous! Thanks kiss /hugs..."
Can you find anything missing? Sometimes even with an hidden number...

Well... maybe not!!!

How does it feel

Well can you imagine does it feel of leaving work at a decent hour?
For the last weeks I've been working late most of tims so i hadn't had much time to take a walk downtown... I t has been long since I went there last time. It really felt good to walk down the Liberdade Avenue in the end of yhe afternoon!!! It was a habbit I had few years ago after university classes to go walk down a while!
If feels good to do it again... maybe I should find time to do it more often!

Well... maybe not!!!

What if...

For those who weren't told yet my brother is finally on holidays. And decided to go to heat and sun so he flew to Brazil!!! The journey wasn't expensive, it's low season so it was easy to find where to stay... He had just a small detail... noone to go with him...
I called him just to check how things were and to relax my mind from work (pushing really hard season), he complained he is fed up of being alone!!! and asked hey why don't you get yourself inside a plane and come and join me...
And as you might think is really sounds tempting... I really could use a brake from work... I'm not so well on finances but it wouldn't be that expensive (and my dear bro could always make me a loan...). I could get some days off but I think my boss would threw me off the window (this time for good!!!) when I'd be back...

Ahhh better stay and work... besides I think I'll have a surprise in December....
Well... maybe not!!!

48th Jamboree On The Air & 9th Jamboree On The Internet

Imagine a day where a few million people connect over to find and meet other people all around!!!
This is the feeling that gather scouts in a weekend to try and share experiences. The funny thing is that you don't leave your home for it.
The idea is trying to communicate with people with a radio or more recently thru the internet and trying to see how far you can meet new people...
It may sound funny to radio someone in the other side of the world for example!!!!
Stay tuned!!!

Well... maybe not!!!

Felgueiras

Alguém consegue explicar-me como é que alguém que fugiu da justiça para o Brasil, regressa com a maior das facilidades e é reeleito para um cargo, o qual é o motivo das andanças com a justiça...

Talvez se fosse um outro comum dos mortais a coisa seria diferente.... Ou então Não!!!!

Well... maybe not!!!

Who are you?

Ever since I saw you
I want to hold you
Like you were the one

It sees right through me
A bullet it comes and takes me
And I love you I love you
I want you but I fear you

Who are u ?
who are u?

Ever since I saw you
I want to hold you
Like you were the one

You feet rest on my shoes
I sing this song for you
Just to see you smile

And I love you I love you
I love you but I fear you

Who are u?
who are u?

For how long
How strong do I still have to be?
How come you mean so much to me?

For how long
How strong do I still have to be?
How come you mean so much to me?

And I love you I love you
I want you but I fear you

Who are u?
who are you?(x4)

For how long
How strong do I still have to be?
How come you mean so much to me?

For how long
How strong do I still have to be?



by David Fonseca

Well... maybe not!!!

Perfect end of a lazy holiday at home?

The official language of the EU :-)

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.


As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".


In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.


The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f" This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z"
and "w" with "v".

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou"
and
after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

If zis mad you smil,
pleas pas on to oza pepl



Well... maybe not!!!

Chocolate

If a bar of chocolate makes one person to smile imagine a backpack full of it weighting about 8kg...
That were more than 50 chocolate bars...
If you're not smiling yet wait because your turn might be coming soon!!!

Well... maybe not!!!

Coincidences

In 1981

1. Prince Charles married
2. Liverpool was European Champion
3. The Pope died.


In 2005

1. Prince Charles married (again...)
2. Liverpool was European Champion (again...)
3. The Pope died.

So be aware... if Prince Charles wants to marry again and Liverpool qualifies for the Champions League final.... Please, someone warn the POPE!!!

Well... maybe not!!!

Home Alone again this week

(after helping a friend not being alone at home... ->
it knows who....)

The title is an answer to a friends BLOG!!!
Well as I said I back home again. Last week I finally took some time to relax from summer hard work at the lab and get some deserved holidays!!!
This time I joined the useful to the pleasant and I went Zurich for a few days, visiting a good friend, in the way for the wedding of a common friend! By other words I visited Judith and we both went to Carola's wedding!!!!
Zurich is a very beautiful city and of course totally different from what I'm used to around here!!! It's very nice, very open, very clear city with a lot of green spaces and a nice forest to walk around very very close.
After spending some days in Zurich, a few places around, visiting the top of Santis (2502m), we went to Germany to a city called Spesbach near Landsthul, in the area of Kaiserlautern.
There were a few differences in the wedding compared with things around here!!! For a start my friend is Protestant (I'm catholic) so the ceremony is a bit different from what I'm used to. German apparently use their weeding ring on their right hand (left hand here in Portugal)!!! Instead of a very large party for the ceremony, they have something more cozy, and all their friends and know people have a party a few days before the wedding.

Ok I'll leave some photos as usual!!!

Judy's "office"


A lake


Zurich's Fraumunster


Limmat river in Zurich


Zurich seen from Polyterrasse


Zurich


Santis


Shelter / restaurant at the top of Santis


a walk in the forest around Zurich


Zurichsee


Chocolate fruits





PS - in that german area there a very strong presence of Americans due to the presence of a large US military airport, hospital and so on... Somehow I only had a song in my mind....

Lyrics ©2004 Rammstein. (translation)

We're all living in Amerika
Amerika ist wunderbar
We're all living in Amerika
Amerika, Amerika

Wenn getanzt wird will ich führen
auch wenn ihr euch alleine dreht
Lasst euch ein wenig kontrollieren
Ich zeige euch wie es richtig geht
Wir bilden einen lieben Reigen
Die Freiheit spielt auf allen Geigen
Musik kommt aus dem Weißen Haus
und vor Paris steht Micky Maus

We're all living in Amerika
Amerika ist wunderbar
We're all living in Amerika
Amerika, Amerika

Ich kenne Schritte die sehr nützen
und werde euch vor Fehltritt schützen
Und wer nicht tanzen will am Schluss
weiß noch nicht dass er tanzen muss
Wir bilden einen lieben Reigen
Ich werde euch die Richtung zeigen
Nach Afrika kommt Santa Claus
und vor Paris steht Micky Maus

We're all living in Amerika
Amerika ist wunderbar
We're all living in Amerika
Amerika, Amerika

We're all living in Amerika
Coca-Cola, Wonderbra
We're all living in Amerika
Amerika, Amerika

This is not a love song
This is not a love song
I don't sing my mother tongue
No, this is not a love song

We're all living in Amerika
Amerika ist wunderbar
We're all living in Amerika
Amerika, Amerika

We're all living in Amerika
Coca-Cola, sometimes war
We're all living in Amerika
Amerika, Amerika


Well... maybe not!!!

Still Katrina

Quoting a New Orleans inhabitant to a TV network:
"We see those tragedies on TV and we pray to God for those people....
But we're convinced that is never going to happen to us!!!!
Well... maybe not!!!

Katrina

Without wanting to put more wood in the fire just 2 simple ideas keep puzzling my mind:
- why is that rich people continue to build wooden houses specially in hurricane areas

- perhaps it's about time some people realize that Kyoto protocol (or something similar) is not so fool after all and some serious concern must be done about the environment...

"Open your eyes, open your mind
(...) don't pretend to be blind "
Guano Apes

I suggest a movie called "the day after tomorrow"

Well... maybe not!!!

Working away for a few days

For those who are acquainted with cientific lifestyle, know that cientific meetings are one of the ways or showing your work and discussing new ideas about it.
So that was my work last week: an international conference on Biophysics in Montpellier.
Ok you'll start thinking nice way to work... Well you can always skip some areas which the subjects don't relate so much with your area of interest and do some sightseeing... but I think that is also part of the job.
I decided to go by car to the meeting (ok long travel of 3500kms going & return) and also enjoyed an afternoon trip to Marseille and few stops in the way back in Andorra and Madrid...
As usual I leave you some pics...



"Le Corum" conference center



Montpellier's place de la comedie



overview of Marseille (from Notre Dame de la Garde)



Madrid's Plaza Mayor

Fire chapter log 1 324 509 459

It's always abou the same!!!
Every year the same problem and the same lack of working solutions!!!
In the last 5 years ate least teh equivalent to over 100 000 football pitches burn. whether it's a hot year or cold, whether it rains a lot or not!!!
To give a hint I found in the NASA website satellite images of a satellite dedicated to take pictures and outline hospots!!!
More comments for what?

Image courtesy of MODIS Rapid Response Project at NASA/GSFC
click to see a more detailed image at the MODIS website

Well... maybe not!!!

Ainda o concerto dos U2

Está um blog criado pelo sapo onde o pessoal tem posto as opiniões sobre o concerto. Ideia, opiniões e polémicas à parte sempre tem fotos do espectáculo que dão para ter uma ideia geral.
Aqui fica o link ->

Entretanto ponho o link de algumas das fotos lá colocadas






Well... maybe not!!!

Dismantling the atomic Bomb

First of all: why is that when you really need your digital camera, you're out of battery? Maybe that's another of those Murphy laws about battery devices....

After that and almost loosing hope of getting a ticket 3 days before the most wanted concert of the year a friend makes the most simple question of them all? Do you want a ticket for U2? Ok it was stupid expensive, but was an opportunity of a lifetime.
So there I was on Alvalade Stadium with 52000 people. You can easily hear another languages to be spoken around like Spanish or English with some funny accents.

In the end it really worth the money. I just stay with 2 mental notes: Being on the bench is not that bad since you're having you seat marked and you won't have to go there too early to get inside; and never again stay next to some snob like people who went there just because they could afford a ticket an in any other good concert would stay at home. Somehow I felt like I has the only jumping around all the time and did not sit down after 30min in good area around me.

To the organizers: stop playing with people and don't take so long to bring them back to us again. (by the way next time can you give us 2 nights instead of just one?) You're joking on our faces...
Well... maybe not!!!

Financial Times Article 24-Jul-1999

FRONT PAGE - WEEKEND FT:

Today's generation of high-earning professionals maintain that their
personal fulfilment comes from their jobs and the hours they work. They
should grow up, says Thomas Barlow Financial Times ;

A friend of mine recently met a young American woman who was studying on a
Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford. She already had two degrees from top US
universities, had worked as a lawyer and as a social worker in the US, and
somewhere along the way had acquired a black belt in kung fu.

Now, however, her course at Oxford was coming to an end and she was
thoroughly angst-ridden about what to do next. Her problem was no ordinary
one. She couldn't decide whether she should make a lot of money as a
corporate lawyer/management consultant, devote herself to charity work
helping battered wives in disadvantaged communities, or go to Hollywood to
work as a stunt double in kung fu films.

What most struck my friend was not the disparity of this woman's choices,
but the earnestness and bad grace with which she ruminated on them. It was
almost as though she begrudged her own talents, opportunities and freedom -
as though the world had treated her unkindly by forcing her to make such a
hard choice.

Her case is symptomatic of our times. In recent years, there has grown up a
culture of discontent among the highly educated young something that seems
to flare up, especially, when people reach their late 20s and early 30s. It
arises not from frustration caused by lack of opportunity, as may have been
true in the past, but from an excess of possibilities.

Most theories of adult developmental psychology have a special category for
those in their late 20s and early 30s. Whereas the early to mid-20s are
seen as a time to establish one's mode of living, the late 20s to early 30s
are often considered a period of reappraisal. In a society where people
marry and have children young, where financial burdens accumulate early,
and where job markets are inflexible, such reappraisals may not last long.
But when people manage to remain free of financial or family burdens, and
where the perceived opportunities for alternative careers are many, the
reappraisal is likely to be angst-ridden and long lasting.

Among no social group is this more true than the modern, international,
professional elite: that tribe of young bankers, lawyers, consultants and
managers for whom financial, familial, personal, corporate and
(increasingly) national ties have become irrelevant. Often they grew up in
one country, were educated in another, and are now working in a third. They
are independent, well paid, and enriched by experiences that many of their
parents could only dream of.

Yet, by their late 20s, many carry a sense of disappointment: that for all
their opportunities, freedoms and achievements, life has not delivered
quite what they had hoped. At the heart of this disillusionment lies a new
attitude towards work. The idea has grown up, in recent years, that work
should not be just a means to an end a way to make money, support a family,
or gain social prestige - but should provide a rich and fulfilling
experience in and of itself. Jobs are no longer just jobs; they are
lifestyle options.


Recruiters at financial companies, consultancies and law firms have
promoted this conception of work. Job advertisements promise challenge,
wide experiences, opportunities for travel and relentless personal
development.

Michael is a 33-year-old management consultant who has bought into this
vision of late-20th century work. Intelligent and well-educated - with
three degrees, including a doctorate - he works in Munich, and has a
"stable, long-distance relationship" with a woman living in California. He
takes 140 flights a year and works an average of 80 hours a week. Some
weeks he works more than 100 hours. When asked if he likes his job, he will
say: "I enjoy what I'm doing in terms of the intellectual challenges."
Although he earns a lot, he doesn't spend much. He rents a small apartment,
though he is rarely there, and has accumulated very few possessions. He
justifies the long hours not in terms of wealth-acquisition, but
solely as part of a "learning experience". This attitude to work has
several interesting implications, mostly to do with the shifting balance
between work and non-work, employment and leisure. Because fulfilling and
engrossing work - the sort that is thought to provide the most intense
learning experience - often requires long hours or captivates the
imagination for long periods of time, it is easy to slip into the idea that
the converse is also true: that just by working long hours, one is also
engaging in fulfilling and engrossing work. This leads to the popular
fallacy that you can measure the value of your job (and, therefore, the
amount you are learning from it) by the amount of time you spend on it.
And, incidentally, when a premium is placed on learning rather than
earning, people are particularly susceptible to this form of self-deceit.
Thus, whereas in the past, when people in their 20s or 30s spoke
disparagingly about nine-to-five jobs it was invariably because they were
seen as too routine, too unimaginative, or too bourgeois. Now, it is simply
because they don't contain enough hours.

Young professionals have not suddenly developed a distaste for leisure, but
they have solidly bought into the belief that a 45-hour week necessarily
signifies an unfulfilling job. Jane, a 29-year-old corporate lawyer who
works in the City of London, tells a story about working on a deal with
another lawyer, a young man in his early 30s. At about 3am, he leant over
the boardroom desk and said: "Isn't this great? This is when I really love
my job." What most struck her about the remark was that the work was
irrelevant (she says it was actually rather boring); her colleague simply
liked the idea of working late. "It's as though he was validated, or making
his life important by this," she says.

Unfortunately, when people can convince themselves that all they need do in
order to lead fulfilled and happy lives is to work long hours, they can
quickly start to lose reasons for their existence. As they start to think
of their employment as a lifestyle, fulfilling and rewarding of itself -
and in which the reward is proportional to hours worked - people rapidly
begin to substitute work for other aspects of their lives.


Michael, the management consultant, is a good example of this phenomenon.
He is prepared to trade (his word) not just goods and time for the
experience afforded by his work, but also a substantial measure of
commitment in his personal relationships. In a few months, he is being
transferred to San Francisco, where he will move in with his girlfriend.
But he's not sure that living in the same house is actually going to change
the amount of time he spends on his relationship. "Once I move over, my
time involvement on my relationship will not change significantly. My job
takes up most of my time and pretty much dominates what I do, when, where
and how I do it," he says. Moreover, the reluctance to commit time to a
relationship because they are learning so much, and having such an intense
and fulfilling time at work is compounded, for some young professionals, by
a reluctance to have a long-term relationship at all.

Today, by the time someone reaches 30, they could easily have had three or
four jobs in as many different cities - which is not, as it is often
portrayed, a function of an insecure global job-market, but of choice.
Robert is 30 years old. He has three degrees and has worked on three
continents. He is currently working for the United Nations in Geneva. For
him, the most significant deterrent when deciding whether to enter into a
relationship is the likely transient nature of the rest of his life. "What
is the point in investing all this emotional energy and exposing myself in
a relationship, if I am leaving in two months, or if I do not know what I
am doing next year?" he says.

Such is the character of the modern, international professional, at least
throughout his or her 20s. Spare time, goods and relationships, these are
all willingly traded for the exigencies of work. Nothing is valued so
highly as accumulated experience. Nothing is neglected so much as
commitment. With this work ethic - or perhaps one should call it a
"professional development ethic" - becoming so powerful, the globally
mobile generation now in its late 20s and early 30s has garnered
considerable professional success. At what point, though, does the
experience-seeking end?

Kathryn is a successful American academic, 29, who bucked the trend of her
generation: she recently turned her life round for someone else. She moved
to the UK, specifically, to be with a man, a decision that she says few of
her contemporaries understood. "We're not meant to say: 'I made this
decision for this person. Today, you're meant to do things for yourself. If
you're willing to make sacrifices for others - especially if you're a woman
- that's seen as a kind of weakness. I wonder, though, is doing things for
yourself really empowerment, or is liberty a kind of trap?" she says. For
many, it is a trap that is difficult to break out of, not least because
they are so caught up in a culture of professional development. And spoilt
for choice, some like the American Rhodes Scholar no doubt become paralysed
by their opportunities, unable to do much else in their lives, because they
are so determined not to let a single one of their chances slip. If that
means minimal personal commitments well into their 30s, so be it.
"Loneliness is better than boredom" is Jane's philosophy. And, although she
knows "a lot of professional single women who would give it all up if they
met a rich man to marry", she remains far more concerned herself about
finding fulfilment at work. "I am constantly questioning whether I am doing
the right thing here," she says. "There's an eternal search for a more
challenging and satisfying option, a better lifestyle. You always feel
you're not doing the right thing always feel as if you should be striving
for another goal," she says.


Jane, Michael, Robert and Kathryn grew up as part of a generation with
fewer social constraints determining their futures than has been true for
probably any other generation in history. They were taught at school that
when they grew up they could "do anything", "be anything". It was an idea
that was reinforced by popular culture, in films, books and television. The
notion that one can do anything is clearly liberating. But life without
constraints has also proved a recipe for endless searching, endless
questioning of aspirations. It has made this generation obsessed with
self-development and determined, for as long as possible, to minimise
personal commitments in order to maximise the options open to them. One
might see this as a sign of extended adolescence. Eventually, they will be
forced to realise that living is as much about closing possibilities as it
is about creating them.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited



Well... maybe not!!!

One year after

one year has gone already... can you believe it?
I want it back... but it seems it's not possible...

Well... maybe not!!!

Holidays...

Hi everyone.
I decided to take advantage of our sun and my uncle's house by the pool in Cascais...
Ok I could enjoy more than a week of holidays but work waits to be done...
Anyway I'm going Switzerland and Germany for a wedding in September and enjoying another week of holidays...
That's not that bad...
Well... maybe not!!!

Greves...

É só impressão minha ou uma greve à sexta-feira, ainda por cima véspera de ínicio de férias de muita gente, soa assim a modos que conveniência mais? Principalmente quando a maioria do pessoal da função pública que faz greve não vai para o sítio onde as greves fazem sentido: à porta do local de trabalho....
Se calhar sou eu que estou errado ou sou mesmo do contra....
Well... maybe not!!!

Finally a chance

I think one of the biggest "tortures" I have to stand these days is trying to go to/from work and have to stand traffic jams from people going/coming to the beach...
and the worse part is me having my swimming suit in my car and not being able to go there for a swim....
Well I finally managed it. It took a while but it worth it. I definitively have to do it again and preferably more often...
In the meanwhile I have been going to jog a little in the park next to my house. It feels good to relax a little in the end of the afternoon...
I'd rather go to the beach but maybe I shouldn't complain...
Well... maybe not!!!

It's done...

I still remember the time when I was 6 and Pedro (the guy on the left) was a rover and also help leading my wolf scout unit. It was a long long time ago. First it was his now it was my time to become leader. It's in these situations we start saying were getting old...
It was an interesting ceremony and only who is scout for so long understands the meaning of getting one of these green scarfs. But just when I saw the pictures I actually got spooked with it. It weights tones....
Now it's my time to start teaching kids, those good rover times are over now.....

Welll... maybe not!!!

Planning holidays

Ok ok I admit I've been a very very bad boy lately taunting you with my pictures. I know you're probably thinking about holidays now. I leave you a tip just in case you haven't decided yet or for a future plan.
I had been searching for this for a while and know I found it the movie.
I hope you can enjoy it.
In this link -> you can find out more about Portugal (in several languages).
I just leave an appetizer. I strongly recommend the movies download area...
(c) ITP 2004 -(Portuguese Tourism Institute)
Well... maybe not!!!

This one goes out to....

the ones who live in the cold up north!!!
Just a simple figure: 35ºC!!!


just got away

a triste realidade...

Casas utilizadas por escuteiros vandalizadas

Casas de Drave, uma aldeia no concelho de Arouca que o Corpo Nacional de Escutas (CNE) utiliza como centro escutista, foram queimadas e vandalizadas, disse à Agência Lusa fonte daquele organismo. José Matos, membro da equipa que gere as estadas de fim-de- semana dos escuteiros naquela aldeia típica (de casas feitas de pedra), onde durante a semana não vive ninguém, referiu que os actos de vandalismo terão ocorrido entre domingo e quarta-feira.

"Queimaram três casas que são de pessoas de Penafiel e apenas as usam durante as férias e entraram em duas nossas. Numa desfizeram tudo que estava numa divisão, noutra partiram vidros", contou, acrescentando que provocaram também estragos noutras casas da aldeia, nomeadamente na última que esteve habitada.

Segundo José Matos, "chegaram ao cúmulo de deixar recados a dizer "Os lobos vão voltar a atacar" e identificando-se como "Alcateia Paivense".

Acompanhado por dois vereadores da Câmara de Arouca, José de Matos apresentou, anteontem à noite, queixa contra desconhecidos na GNR local, depois de ter visitado Drave. Também os particulares de Penafiel apresentaram queixa, na GNR de S. Pedro do Sul, que se deslocou ao local.

Na opinião de José Matos, os actos de vandalismo destinavam-se aos escuteiros, tendo "os outros proprietários apanhado por tabela", porque os vândalos não saberiam distinguir as casas. O CNE comprou algumas casas, currais e terrenos em Drave nos anos 90, que os caminheiros (escuteiros entre os 18 e os 22 anos) têm vindo a recuperar.

In DN online (clica no título para notícia completa)

Mais informações (notícia e fotos ->)

Well... maybe not!!!

Next step...

In our lives there are always moments in which we are compelled to move forward.
In spite of not always wanting or being exactly prepared for them, there are always moments that we have to jump to the next step.
Time has come!!!
I've done my scout leader training almost 2 years ago and the deadline is almost "expiring". I'm 24 now and I according to my scout association rules I cannot stay much longer as scout and is getting time either to say goodbye or become a leader.
In spite of not working directly with younger scouts last year I'm in a great and very active team and I feel that leaving is not an option right now.
So it all means that time has come to move "to the other side". For those who aren't scouts, you might not exactly understand the weight of such step, but for those who made similar path or saw me growing, you know what getting a dark green scarf means... Among other things I'm really getting old!!!
All this gossip just to say that you're all invited to my scout leader compromise ceremony. It's on June 26th in Leiria in S. Pedro church (getting there ->). It should be around 16:00 (I'll confirm later)
Consider yourself invited...
Well... maybe not!!!

Commenting

Hi everyone!
I've noticed that the number of comments has been increasing in blog and I'm really happy for it.
I'd just like to ask for a simple thing: please sign your comments either with your name or a nickname please. Just for a matter of convenience and to be able to understand more properly who saying what.
It's not that hard and you can always use a nick...
Thanks

Olá a todos
Obrigado por todos os comentários que tb enriquecem esta "publicação". Contudo peço-vos que assinem os vossos comentários, seja com o vosso nome ou um nick (como preferirem...)
Obrigado pelo contributo
Well... maybe not!!!

Well... maybe not!!!

Ninguém pára o Benfica...

Onze anos depois... Campeões!!!!!
Para os mais distraídos as fotos são no estádio do Bessa no Porto. A cor vermelha generalizada, mesmo nas bacadas habitualmente destinadas aos adeptos do Boavista representam o quanto o campeonato foi desejado, ao ponto de ter ido mais o meu irmão ao Porto de propósito para ver o jogo. (isto há cada maluco).
Se conseguir ainda partilho os filmes que fiz...
Fica um docinho para amostra....










Well... maybe not!!!

Bessa aqui vou eu

E o meu irmão que resolveu ser um gajo porreiro e arranjou bilhetes para o Boavista FC - SL benfica.... Oh que chatice!...
E tudo porque....

Resta-me desejar boa sorte para a Final da Taça UEFA. Amanhã somos todos lagartos desde pequeninos...
Well... maybe not!!!

Maybe is just a paper, maybe not...

It's a magic thing which carries a very big weight. It represents great times of great living a very new experiences. It's like it has magical powers over some people. The respect it brings over some elder people is amazing. Nowadays it's more common to find people who have something like it but I still don't believe exactelly that I've reach it.
They all carry the same weight but this is not just any paper like some have. It's from one of the oldest institutions, it has a silver seal and it's written in Latin...
I finaly have it one year later...
Here is the picture of my Biochemistry Degree Diploma



Well.... maybe not!!!!

Sorry. I didn't resist to do it again...

Congratulations Mum and Dad

Congratulations!!!
What else can I say. It's been 25 years since they got married!!! It has been a very long way with some happy moments, but also with some tuff obstacles.
It's everyday that you find couples that long married and nowaday is getting harder to find!
As a good son (hey my birthday is not that far...) I made a partnership with my brother and sent the 2 to Vienna for a week!!!! Not bad hum....
Well... maybe not!!!

Habemus papam!!!!

Nothing new I'd say. It's amazing how fast these things go. It's funny to see people who don't care about church or anything related to it are interested in knowing the result of the white smoke...
Ok I'm not as lucky as Zé who could be in Saint Peter Square to welcome Benedictum XVI.
To be honest I'm really disappointed. Josef Ratzinger was the one I didn't want. I was expecting the Joker and not the strong Ace. I was expecting a non-European but I knew it was hard to get.
I had several reasons for it but waited to hear some wise people talking before writing them here.
One thing seems certain: he won't last long. He is just 6 younger that the deceased Karol and already had 2 brain vascular accidents which mean that his health might not be the best.
Health apart, everyone agrees that he is very conservative and I really think this wasn't the moment to stop a certain renovation that was under course. No I'm not saying that the church should give up what it believes and stands for but it was getting closer to younger people and was showing signs of vitality. Asking for forgiveness to Jewish people for not standing for them during the WW2 and the atrocities of Inquisition can be appointed was one of them.
If my memory doesn't fail on me Ratzinger was one of the people who made some claims a few months ago about refusing some innovations that led wider acceptance to different peoples of Africa, Asia and even Europe.
After listening to a wise priest, friend of mine who has stayed in Rome 3 years studying not long ago, this is going to be a transition period. My fear is that instead of slowing down the process that was under movement, it will be completely stopped or even be turned back.
Several people say this is a very bright and intelligent man and gave a lot of support to Joannnes Paulus II, specially in some important documents.
As usual time will tell.
Well... maybe not!!!

Changing strategies

There is movie going out in Movie called Hitch with Will Smith. It's one of those relax movies with a simple plot but pays attention to a very interesting detail.
For a very long time society expects the charming knight to flirt the lady on the top of her tower. Well knights' shiny armours have become very much different as well as Lady's towers. Even though, in most cases, men have to overcome their own barriers and try to conquer the one girl in their heart. The movie explores the idea of some guys who are to shy to show what thy feel...
Commenting this whit some friends made me realize that women still have a lot of power concerning this matter. Men are still expected to fight to get the top of the tower. And girls, be honest: you love a guy fighting hard to get to your heart.

Thinking a little made me realize that why is it that men have to do difficult part of taking the 1st step? Well I've decided to change strategy. Let's also give women the chance of trying to get to us... Maybe they'll see what costs to pleasure them... It might fail but in the mean time it may work?!
Well... maybe not!!!

It surely feels good

It's 17:00 and you just left a work seminar...
25ºC degrees... The sun is shining again.
You get in your car, full open your windows, put some nice music and start driving back home. You could take the highway but since you left work earlier today you go for the "by the Tejo" road...
You see some people just playing around at the beach. It sounds nice...
You stop for and ice cream and take a walk around the Belém tower.

You get home in time to catch the sunset...


(click it to enlarge)

It surely feels good to have different day sometimes...

Well... maybe not!!!

"Por um referendo diário sobre o aborto"

"Por um referendo diário sobre o aborto
António Pinheiro Torres


Neste e noutros referendos sobre o aborto a única resposta que faz sentido, corresponde aos desejos do coração humano

São muitos os argumentos para negar pertinência a um novo referendo sobre o aborto.
O direito à vida, como primeiro e condição dos restantes direitos humanos, não pode ser, por uma questão de princípio, objecto de referendo a não ser que desejemos recuar séculos na história e deitar fora todas as noções de dignidade e igualdade das pessoas humanas. Em 1998 o povo português já decidiu e a única coisa que mudou foi a "subida de tom" dos abortistas e o empenho de uma comunicação social que lhes é francamente favorável. Antes do último debate parlamentar em Março de 2004 os partidários do novo referendo andaram oito meses, com exaustiva cobertura dos "media", para recolher 122 mil assinaturas, enquanto aqueles que se opõe a uma modificação da actual lei, reuniram 217 mil assinaturas em apenas quatro semanas. E por ai adiante.
Mas, paradoxalmente, faz falta mais do que um referendo sobre o aborto. Faz falta que a questão se ponha realmente na sociedade portuguesa e de uma vez por todas sejam obtidas respostas inequívocas. Isto é que todos os dias os portugueses, e quem nos governa, se ponham e respondam à questão: "Concorda que em Portugal seja possível uma mulher dizer: "eu abortei porque não encontrei quem me ajudasse"?". Ou "Concorda que o trabalho de apoio às grávidas em dificuldade e no acolhimento de crianças que a sociedade civil desenvolve, não encontre quase nenhum apoio do Estado?". Ou "Concorda que o Estado não sinta qualquer responsabilidade perante uma rapariga pressionada pelos seus parentes ou um namorado irresponsável a abortar, e a deixe sem ninguém a quem recorrer?". Ou "Concorda que o Estado esteja disposto a dar mensalmente 50 contos a uma família de acolhimento de uma criança e os negue aos pais da mesma?".
Como também faz falta outro referendo com a pergunta: "Concorda que o problema do aborto não seja conhecido na sua real extensão, para além dos discursos ideológicos, e que a realização de um estudo, consensual entre todos os partidos, com excepção dos comunistas, se arraste na Assembleia da República?". Na mesma ocasião (seguindo o princípio da poupança eleitoral) se poderia juntar algumas outras perguntas, como, por exemplo: "Concorda que sistematicamente aconteça na sociedade portuguesa que os "técnicos" e os "moderados" digam "vamos consentir nisto como excepção e não como prática recorrente" e depois se verifique, como aconteceu na pílula do dia seguinte, que a prática é generalizada, os números assustadores e se está perante um "rombo" nas políticas de saúde pública?".
Ou então "Concorda que Portugal seja o único país do mundo onde se faz um escândalo pelo facto de mulheres serem julgadas, em claro desrespeito pelos mais elementares princípios da igualdade de género?". Poder-se-ia na mesma ocasião perguntar ainda: "Concorda que grupos de radicais vão para a porta dos tribunais dizerem que fizeram abortos as pessoas que estão lá dentro a defenderem-se da acusação, negando a prática desse crime?" ou "Concorda que seja considerado apenas um assunto de mulheres, a gravidez e o aborto, apesar de ser do mais elementar conhecimento que existem sempre homens envolvidos?".
Por fim, uma última pergunta: "Concorda que um Governo que no seu programa se afirma determinado a mudar o regime legal do aborto, não tem uma linha sobre o apoio social às grávidas em dificuldade e não mais de cinco linhas sobre a educação para a cidadania e a saúde?".
Neste e noutros referendos sobre o aborto a única resposta que faz sentido, corresponde aos desejos do coração humano e não tenta dobrar a realidade a propósitos ideológicos, é a de um rotundo Não! Todos os dias, empenhando as nossas vidas, essa é a campanha que fazemos, num referendo diário, pela defesa da Vida. Movimento Juntos pela Vida"

in Publico.PT 2005/03/28

Well... maybe not!!!

Happy Easter

Starting work sucks! No more long holidays and available time to participate properly in scout camps.
I must sound crazy but I miss those long walks with my backpack under memorable storms... There is always something funny about it...
By the way I'd like to wish you all a Happy Easter. May the Easter bunny (or you godparent) leave you something sweet.
To my godchildren, patience is a virtue! Just wait and see...

Well... maybe not!!!

Mai nada

in www.abola .pt
Well... maybe not!!!

Trip to Guimarães

Forgot to post the pictures...

Time for nothing

Hi everybody
You probably be wondering where I might be. Do you really miss me already?
Work is being very hard and keeping me very very busy. I don't turn on my computer and barely have time to check mail.
It's very very cold and getting up earlier makes it harder, specially with icy roads.
Last weekend I went up north to Guimarães. It snowed for a while but it melted when it touched the ground. Even tough was funny. It made me relax a little in spite of driving 700km back and forth...

Well... maybe not!!!

Meeting new old friends

Have you ever thought about those people you say one of these days we should get together for a drink or something?
Well I finally managed to meet a friend from University which I promised a cup of coffee since September.
It was interesting to open up with someone I usual didn't do that much with. I missed some of my University friends and I can't remember when the last good conversation I had with them was.
It's funny because now that I see some people less often I feel more attached and more open to talk with. Maybe I'm more mind-opened to welcome some friends.
It is funny to feel like an insider of someone you didn’t expect to become one of.
I hope I can repeat it again sometime soon.
Well... maybe not!!!

Crazy working days back...

Well for those who know a little bit of my work, I just want to say, purifying days are back!!!!
For those who don't, just let me say, that is a long month work from dawn to dusk and so on, and in the end, I lost weight. Imagine 200L of letters soop and in the end you only got the 20mg of N's....
So I'll be tired and annoying again, beware!!!!
Well... maybe not!!!

What the 90's done to you....

1. You try to dial your pin on your microwave display.

2. You don't play solitaire with real cards for ages or never knew other way to do it...

3. You ask the person next door by e-mail if its going for lunch and he replys "give me 5 minutes", also by e-mail.

4. You have 15 different phone numbers for your family of 3 people.

5. The reason for loosing contact with your friends is they changed e-mail...

6. You don't know the price of the standard envelope.

7. For you, being organized is having several kinds of post-its

8. Most jokes you know, got them by e-mail (and laughed them alone)

9. Your tell your company name when you answer your home phone

10. You dial 0 before any call at home

11. You go to work when it's dark and return home when is already dark again

12. When your computer stalls you feel like you heart stopped. You get confused without knowing what to do.

13. You feel naked when you forget your mobile phone

14. You read this list and nod with head on several items

15. You're already thinking who you're going to send this to...

THERE YOU ARE SMILING ALONE AGAIN

Well... maybe not!!!

É MEU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's mine all mine!!!
Finally one of my long waited goals has been achieved. I said around X-mas I would have news and one month later I got it!!! It's mine!!! All mine!!!
As usual here are the photos...

A match worth to watch

For those who aren't aware I a sort football fan specially from Benfica.
Yesterday there was a cup match between my team and the eternal rival Sporting.
It was a great match with 4 goals in the first 20min. Final result 3-3 after overtime and 7-6 after penalty kicks. My team won... Luckily
Here are some pics before the game started....

Luz Stadium before the match


Almost full -> 65000 people...

Degrees of Winter :-)

Degrees of winter:
18C: Hawaiians are taking two blankets into the bed.
10C: Citizens of Helsinki are switching heating systems off.
Russians are growing flowers
2C: Italian cars don't start.
0C: Distilled water freezes.
-1C: Human breath can be seen.
Russians are eating ice cream and drinking cold beer.
-4C: Your dog tries to get into your bed.
-10C: French cars don't start.
-12C: Politicians start to talk about homeless people.
-15C: American cars don't start.
-18C: Citizens of Helsinki are switching heating systems on.
Hawaiians are already frozen.
-20C: Human breath can be heard.
-24C: German cars don't start.
-29C: Your dog tries to get under your pyjamas.
Japanese cars don't start.
-30C: No ordinary, neither Russian cars start.
-39C: Boiling atmosphere at the Congress freezes.
Russians are buttoning up their shirts.
-50C: Your car tries to get into your bed.
-60C: Citizens of Helsinki freeze.
Seals leave Greenland and move to south.
-70C: The hell freezes.
Kuzneck University organizes cross-country running contest.
-72C: The lawyers put their hands into their own pockets.
-75C: Santa Claus leaves the Arctic Circle.
-120C: Alcohol freezes, Russian is pissed off.
-268C: Helium freezes.
-273.15C: Absolute zero. Motion of elementary particles stops. Russian, chewing frozen vodka, hesitantly admits that "it's freaking cold".
Well... maybe not!!!

Always the same...

Have you ever had the feeling that, no matter what you do, you always end up hurting the people you love?
What do you do when you have to choose between hurting this person or that person? Specially if you love those 2... And the worse part is that feel really bad because your putting someone to pain...
Life's a bitch sometimes...
Well... maybe not!!!

Around the sun

Lisbon, Pavilhão Atlântico Jan 7th -> REM tour'05
Speachless
More details -> www.remhq.com
Well... maybe not!!!