Modern anthropology

It's what i'm brutally good at: observing people, knowing their stories (bartenders, club managers, consumers and even 'bosses'), mix and match as i call it. Got several drinks for free tonight that prove it, attended a staff meeting at a club as well... The theme was me.Qed

Today I start!!!

Fiction: You smell good

'You smell good' 
'You taste good'
'Are you trying to get into my pants already?'
'I wouldn't say that'
'Is that because I'm wearing a skirt?'
'Probably'

Christmas. . . As it should be

Family together, tears of happiness and joy. . . And presents, of course.

...but nothing you can do about handling

Stopped. Simply stopped. Crossing fingers by now.

When all those hours at airports finally pay up

You must have heard of the mess at heathrow already: tents outside the terminals, you need to wait outside etc. Today my knowledge of heathrow paid up. Went in through the queens building between terminals 1 and 2, going to the business center and finally got to zone r for the ba executive club check-in. Felt proud at the end and my latin genes once again felt alive with such wits.

@ Fifty

The picture is not from fifty per se but anyway. Still my urban safari. Still this strange place where the club manager argues with me on which women are of negotiable affections and which are not. The place where you need to spend too much money to sit at a table at the club and maria just gets it to me for the price of a gin and tonic. Cool

Venting

I want to vent. I have now been in london for a couple of days and how i love this city. Why isn't my new home as nice? Why doesn't it have this glamour? Why can't girls be as nice (nice i said)? Why can't clubs be as fun and relaxed? Why can't i have fun when and how i want to as i do in london? Cognitive dissonance would say a friend of mine. Bastard, i would tell him.

Of pillows . . . again

Ok, they left me a couple of presents in true christmas style. The service is perfect, but the pillows: four of two different where all combinations do not work. With three it becomes too high and with two it becomes too low. Come on guys, just get it right so i can enjoy my jet-lag.

London again

Cold, foggy, but oh so "civilized"

Fiction: Through the corner of the eye and between the fingers

And he looked once again and wished this time it would be more than a 'meet and leave'. While watching her, he had lost all sense of self once again. Through the corner of his eye he saw her and between his fingers he tried not to lose her

Unfriendly

I have been slightly unfriendly in the last few days or rather reclusive: I don't make the effort to talk much to people around me; don't try being too nice.

Just today I had the office Christmas party and I wasn't down, sad or whatever, but just didn't care too much about the people around me. I did interact, but not strongly, not in a strong way. Yet, I had the feeling people wanted to interact more than it's usual with me... strange.

I will keep this half-unfriendly attitude for a couple more days (just until Christmas at home) and see how it goes... I think it's time to try something different.

First karaoke experience

There it is. I know the time would come

P.S.: This is my first "mobile blog" post, courtesy of Blogger and SonyEricsson with its K800i. Just from the different format of title you will know which is mobile and which is let's say "more" fixed :-)

A quote by James Thurber

"It is better to know some of the questions than all of the answers."

That's basically what I need... less answers and more questions?

Short story: Non-fiction writing

"Romeo y Julieta. No. 1 de Luxe"
"Yes, sir"
"Oh and a Kaipirinha. Brazil-style, please"
"Sorry, sir?!"
"Forget it. You wouldn't understand"
He wouldn't.
I sat down and started writing something about the New Year and suddenly it hit me: why not write something fictional about this situation? why not write it in the first person.

I sipped the Kaipirinha.
"Not bad. Actually quite good"
"Thank you sir"
I lighted my cigar. Better yet, waited for it to be torched.
I looked at the girl in the mini-skirt walking around.
Looked back at the moleskine and started writing again.
"Wait a sec, this is not fiction" - he thought - "Let's start then"

I saw her through the corner of my eye.
There she was as I reminded her: doll-like face, "compact" body, very close to perfection... no, wait, or was it long hair, stretched face, beautiful eyes, "I don't care too much" pose, looking down on me with her own unique way.

"You're welcome!"
I was interrupted again - "one more Kapirinha" - I thought - "well, back to the story"

"So, where have you been?"
"You mean, apart from your dreams?"
"Yes. Well, you're here and all"
"Yes, not very surprising. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Why not indeed?"
"Will I be in your dreams tonight?"
"Not sure. You see..."
"Don't tell me, you're sharing me with someone else... in your dreams?!"
"Yes"
"You can't make your mind up"
"No, I can't. I don't think I need to. You see..."
"Yes, I do. So, you don't want to be with me any more"
"We were never really together, were we?"
"Indeed, we were not"
"Stop using indeed"
"You started"
"You continued"
"Well, who is she?
"She, who?"
"The dream 'mistress'"
"Not a mistress"
"So you keep telling me"
"What do you want from me?"
"Straight to the point... just the way I like it"
"No, you don't"
"What?"
"Like it. You don't like it when I'm upfront... Are you scared of me?"
"I am. You are ... too deep. You are too much"
"Fair, so you don't really like me?"
"I do. A lot. More than..."
"I'll ever know. I know"
"Trendy pen, what is it?"
"Porsche design, but you are changing conversation again"
"I am, ain't I?"
"You are. Stupid question: what will it take for me to seduce you?"
"Not much"
"What?"
"That you stop trying"
"Don't know how"
"Yeah, forget it. Intense little bugger, aren't you?"
"Big... bugger I do grant you"
"Well"

I reached and kissed her. No time for her to speak as she was just about to. I muffled her words, the sound of her voice, tasted her lips... thin... no, big, voluptuous, chubby, beautiful as lips can... sometimes be.
She slapped me, turned her back on me and left.
She came back.
"So, reconsidered?"
"You wish. Just came back for this"
And left again.
Not before turning back to me and smiling.
I put out my cigar.

In anticipation of a new year

In anticipation of the new year, here go my resolutions:

* Lose massive amount of weight by:
--- leading a healthy life
--- exercising ... at least once in a while
--- eating properly and stop pretending you are eating healthy

* Make new friends
--- stop whining about "London was it!". It was, but that's beyond the point
--- step out of your comfort zone

* Get closer to God
--- absolutely do the things you need to do
--- no compromising
--- get your act back together... yes, the one you used to have

* Don't forget your Family and old friends
--- say "hi" to them whenever you can
--- hope they say "hi" back

*Force yourself to do at least one thing against your will every weekend
--- let it be a good thing
--- enjoy it ... don't have high expectations
--- plan, but don't over-plan

* Stop thinking about your job and professional career in your spare time
--- it's going well enough, so stop complaining
--- it's called "spare time", isn't it?

* Have fun and stop writing these resolution texts

A new start

A re-invigorated start to everything. No more crying for small losses, no regrets for minor decisions in the past.

No tension, no ansiety, no far-fetched personal objectives.

One day at a time, a cliched "Carpe Diem".

No search for anyone, no wait for anyone, no sense of loss for what is not worthile.

The 100th post

I could tell you about the experience of running a blog since 2003 and actually after a failed start in the late 90s.

I could summarize my adventures in the last few years and how my life has changed.

I could tell you about my exceptional friends who have been patient enough to put up with me (quite an achievement, I might add).

But no... I have decided to tell you about the most important in my life: my Family.

My Family has been my true north: always there to remind me where I come from, to show me who I really am and to entice me to be the best I can be.

So, a special ode to them in no particular order:

- To my Grandfather: for showing me that focusing on the future of your family, while trying to keep it together, goes a long way.

- To my Father: for showing me the value of hard work; the value of strong ethics; for giving me my sense of justice; and not letting me be too lazy...which I would be otherwise. Finally, for together with my Mom, having given me freedom to choose my own path in life and always supporting me throughout it.

- To my Mother: for showing me that empathy is a key virtue; that helping others in need is an obligation, not a right; for showing me that easy answers typically are not good answers or the questions were wrong in the first place.

- To my Uncle: for showing me that my potential had to be met; for enticing a spirit of aspiration to become better; for his unconditional support under all circumstances (even teaching me how to love math).

- To my Aunt: for grounding my uncle; for helping him become a better person; for providing the family she adopted with an extreme sense of "calmness" that we would not see in others.

- To my Cousin and Godson: for not being afraid to tell me I'm fat; for being inteligent; for reminding me of how I used to be like.

- To my little Cousin: for asking when I will get a "proper girlfriend"; for treating me at times like a teddy bear.

- To my Sister: for giving me faith in the human race and that there are still genuinely good people in this world, who can also be inteligent and demanding; for being probably the best person I know; for being humble while being effortlessly brilliant; for being herself and even after all that still counting on me.

Thank you all. Although I don't say it often, I love you all.

P.S.: I could not forget my two grandmothers who are gone from this Earth, but I fell are still close to me; my great grandmother who was my first "educator"; and my grandfather who I sadly don't remember.

Beautiful eyes?

I've let myself gain substantial weight over the years. In my stay in Paris and then back home several years I picked up 20 kilos and "never looked back". I can't really say I have ever done a proper diet because mostly (I thought) I never wanted to.

The last 3 years didn't help: various girlfriends, all very beautiful and for some time I have tried not to think too much about my weight (and health ... granted), except when reminded by good friends and family that it "was not good for me".

Recently and after a couple o months in Asia, I have noticed that several girls have told me I have beautiful eyes. Not sure why they did or if I do have beautiful eyes, but nobody had ever told me that. That led me to think about the way I "appear" to others... my body, in essence.

I have not made another bold decision followed by no implementation whatsoever, because I realized the problem is a bit more profound. It's as if I do not allow myself to look better... maybe even with a senseless masochistic logic, deep down.

So I ponder: how do I want to look like? What is really my goal on my physical appearance? How do I want it to set my relationships with people around me?

People might find this ridiculous but I do not. Go figure.

P.S.: The next post is the 100th. Will be posting something in the next few days.

Saturday after dinner and Sunday after brunch

Film: Quatre Etoiles

A great French comedy... one that I truly laughed to (with) in my latest flight. After "Le diner de cons" which is a truly superb comedy, this one follows in the same line: situational comedy at its best - French style; likeable characters and a hint of humanity that makes us all enjoy it.

The story is not that complex, but it works end-to-end. Isabelle Carré playing Franssou has a "je ne sais quoi" that just works in the comedy but also in the seduction front. Jose Garcia plays his part quite well and Francois Cluzet playing Rene makes comedy synonymous with laughing yourself out next to a group of not very understanding co-travelers.

I just hope that we don't get an adaptation of this to theatre like "Le diner de cons"... Although I quite like her, I just can't imagine Patsy Kensit playing Franssou :-)

Somewhere only we know by Keane

I walked across an empty land,
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand.
I felt the earth beneath my feet,
Sat by the river and it made me complete.
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.
So tell me when you're gonna let me in,
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.

I came across a fallen tree,
I felt the branches of it looking at me
Is this the place we used to love?
Is this the place that I've been dreaming of?
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.
So tell me when you're gonna let me in,
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.

And if you have a minute why don't we go,
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything.
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know,Somewhere only we know.
Oh, simple thing, where have you gone?
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on.
So, tell me when you gonna let me in,I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin.
And if you have a minute why don't we go,
Talk about it somewhere only we know?
This could be the end of everything.
So why don't we go, so why don't we go,

Hmmm yea,

This could be the end of everything.
So why don't we go, somewhere only we know,
Somewhere only we know?Somewhere only we know.

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

P.S.: Not sure I can say I like Keane without the risk of looking uncool or somehing, but I do.

Of prostitutes and punters

He looked around...

"What the hell is this?"

There were girls around him and he felt disgusted. He felt disgusted as part of human kind. For the people. That people that care.... No matter what.

The girls were moving as if there was something expected in return...

After 10 minutes...10 minutes too long. He went to his room. Alone. He felt as if he had been left alone and that these women were not it, not what anyone should be looking for.

He smiled while taking his clothes off. Alone.

He smiled.

Film: Slumming

What can I say to describe this movie?

A guy, well two guys who try to play God once in a while in the "slums" of Austria. The main one actually falls in love (I guess) and realizes what life is all about... in Indonesia (?).

She - the girlfriend - tries to save a homeless guy that does not need saving (?)

And that's it. I liked it. Don't know why, but liked it.

Business as usual

You leave the imposing Petronas Towers after your last meeting of the day at 11 pm.

You get in car headed to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and your driver is almost falling asleep. You wake him up - or so it seems - twice.

You check-in, go to the lounge and then to the gate.

You try to sleep but they won't give you the immigration papers so you can take care of that and effectively relax and go asleep.

You again try to sleep - after the papers are finally handed-in and filled-in - but the apparently newlyweds in front of you order food after more food and whisper. The hostesses do the same.

You finally fall asleep and the air hostess wakes you up not once, but twice. You explain politely that you have a "do not disturb" sticker on your chair. She does not apologize.

You arrive at Shanghai Pu Dong airport and wait in line for 30 very painful minutes before you go through immigration and hear that the luggage delivery for your flight has been delayed. You smile, because you only have hand-luggage.

You are driven through intense traffic into your hotel.

You check-in and get upgraded to a suite. You show no signs of emotion.

You have a shower, get dressed and give your dirty laundry for cleaning.

You get driven to the office and a new day of back-to-back meetings starts.

You look down for a second or maybe two. You are not sure if you are tired, fed-up or both. Then you whisper to yourself: "business as usal" and you get on with it.