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Tue, 8th Oct. 2013, 23:13
This got me laughing out loud

I guess you might need to have the context (one of the characters is a professional drawer, the other is a professional writer) — but I think that anyone who writes for a living can relate.

Mon, 22nd Apr. 2013, 20:59

On any weekend, your inner Bree van de Kamp might suggest that your baseboards need to be repainted.

Learn from my fail and tell her to bake some pies instead.

Sat, 20th Apr. 2013, 00:40
Vanity investments

It's been just 5 weeks that I've started my program at the gym, so I've been quite surprised when my trainer gave me some free weights instead of the all machines regimen. I should add that, at the ripe age of 34, it's the first time I touch free weights in my life.

Although the results are still barely visible, I can already feel them --- and two of my colleagues have commented that I'm "loosing weight" although my actual weight has been stable. Might I already be looking less flabby ? I am going to the gym almost every work day: it's my wind down from the craziness of the University life.

* * *

The drawback of so much exercise is that my sweet tooth has turned into a sweet chainsaw: I started reading some labels --- something that I should had done beforehand, and not post hoc, I know --- and realized that "chocolate" is now my main food group as per caloric intake. Well, it was fun while it lasted: back to a more reasonable diet.

If I can resist temptation.

Sat, 30th Mar. 2013, 17:29
Red tide

I am usually cynical about online symbolic gestures but the mega-meme of the red-pink HRC avatar in FaceBook really warms my heart. 

Thu, 22nd Nov. 2012, 18:13

How come Latin Americans, who are all about extended family, have not yet invented some excuse to invite everybody and stuff their faces ?

I'm jealous.

Tue, 6th Nov. 2012, 23:13

My heart is racing. I never feel that anxious on Brazilian elections. It is so not fair that I should worry about that... I wish I didn't care.

Sun, 30th Sep. 2012, 23:20
You know two professors live in the same house...

...when all red pens you find are out of ink.

Thu, 13th Sep. 2012, 10:59
Serious People

I'm in the convenience store of my local gas station while the change the oil of my car. The small store has 6 tables, five of which are occupied with people doing business in their laptops (including me) and cellphones. I'm sure this is a common sighting in North America, but in Campinas it's almost humorous.

Mon, 10th Sep. 2012, 02:28

So that place, Deluxe, is really nice ---- large, empty warehouse, no-frills, but with some incongruous cristal chandeliers and louis xv chairs. There is an small open-air fumoir on the back, with a small bar. Large, mostly unkempt restrooms. And a big bar close to the main dance area. 

The sweet spot of the dancefloor is surprisingly small, due the postioning of the speakers --- only there you really few the power of the bass, but boy, when you are there ! It's perfect for that kind of music you have to hear with the body, "with the butt", like Tom Zé says. In the beginning I've found it incredibly loud, unbereably loud even, but much more balanced than in most Brazilian clubs (and certainly much more rounded than most Brazilian gay clubs). I've put my earplugs before coming in (--- one of the signs, according to some American gay magazine,  that you are "behaving like a 40-years old whilst in your 30s"). Through the night I've got used to the loudness enough to pull the plugs a bit, but never to remove them completely.

I was there long enough to enjoy three different sets, which were between nice and very good. It was, as I expected, dry electronic dance music, very well architectured, with a careful build ups and resolutions (although in the first set, the resolutions where somewhat formulaic and repetitive --- it got better in the other sets). I am not, unfortunately, knowlegeable enough to say what it was. To me it sounded like something between electro and drum n' bass, or maybe a very dry electrance. (I wish there was a clearer difference between those stuff, or, conversely, a soberer nomenclature).

The crowd was reasonably diverse, except for age. I wasn't --- maybe --- the oldest person there, but I was certaintly on the 90-percentile. But maybe that was because the place was deserted: their nominal capacity is for 350 people, and we were, at the peak of the night, 35. It would be nicer if there were a hundred people there, but I can't even imagine the chaos of that place when it's filled to capacity. As I suspected, the place is gay friendly, but not exactly gay. I've seen at least two straight couples, and one lesbian couple kissing. Boys slightly outnumbered girls, but I didn't remark any of the boys interacting among themselves. The dress code is very relaxed : some people were dressed chic, most were very casual, even with délavé jeans and sneakers. I worn a chic new blue jeans and a smart white polo with... heavy leather work shoes. I could had perfectly worn my favorite bright orange t-shirt, my usual jeans and my all-star sneakers and I would blend right in.

With your name in the list, you can convert the US$ 20 cover charge into credits for the bar tab. I hadn't bothered sending my name to their list, but we were so few the hostess did it for me as well. This is the kind of activity you can enjoy sober, but you will enjoy much more drugged, and I've found myself having much more fun after the second (and last) drink.

I had a marvelous time. So much that I am seriously considering going back next Friday (they open only on Fridays and the night before Holidays) ---- and usually I go to nightclubs at most once a month !

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