Update

Thanks to my very sweet boyfriend, I now have a link where I can see online live the World Cup games, so now I don't have to worry about missing any of them while I'm at work. Talk about someone who knows what I like . Baby, muito obrigada, beijinhos. It was the best Valentine´s Day present EVER! (**last week was the Brazilian Valentine's).

In this spirit, group phase is almost over, until now Argentina makes the game, Italy sucks as always, but I still looooove them, France sucks, which is nice, and Spain seem to have regained their confidence and Raul. I'm still waiting for Ronaldinho to show us what he can really do, as Brazil was kind of boring until now, sorry honey. Portugal vs. Mexico today, don't fight, chicas!

Two weeks more until I start my Portuguese class, it's cool, plus I'll be going with Maria, so we'll be able to meet each other, since lately we haven't as much as we were... I'm only going because it's free and because professional help is never useless; still I'm talking Portuguese every day at work, so this won't be too difficult for me.

What else? Aaahhhh... team building this weekend in Cheia, the company I work for is paying, so this will be soooo cool, I hope, at least, I'll get a little tan and if there's also a TV there so I won't miss the first phase of the eighth finals, everything will be perfect. Yeah, I'm missing the Deftones concert this Saturday at Arenele Romane, but it's not like I had so much money left until next paycheck (I had to pay the rent, I hate my father!!!), so a free weekend in the mountains sounds perfect. Photos will be coming soon.

¿Qué tal, capitán? ¿Seguimos navegando o nos quedamos parados hasta que se acabe el mundial?

Opening for a Magic Month

Of course, as every 4 years for some time, my every cell is connected to the World Cup spectacle, this incredible show that unites all football fans all over the world. I hear people saying ¨what´s the point¨, since Romania is not there... I say, I don´t care. I´m not watching football because Romania is playing or because Italy is playing... I´m watching football because it´s magic. I truly believe it´s the only thing in the world capable of uniting so many millions of people under one flag - that of hope, happiness, or maybe sadness that their team lost, that of admiration for those magic (magic magic magic, I'll repeat this word, because it is the only one that describes this) players that make our hearts bounce when we see them.

This year, every eye is directed to Brazil, to that magnificent attack they have, with 5 "craques" that you don't even know whom to choose - Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Kaká, Robinho and of course, my favorite, Adriano. Will they or will they? Win, of course... there's a myth saying that Brazil never wins when they are favorites. And there's another saying that, according to some predictions made years ago (and which, incredibly, do come true), they will win this year.

As every World Cup or European or whatever, my heart will be next to the Squadra Azzura. I know, everybody tells me they are boring, they don't play Latin football and so on, but who cares? I've been supporting them since a little girl, first because of that Roberto Baggio, whom I always admired for his character in the field and outside the field, and then because I got so used to it that I can't really switch teams, not even when Romania is playing against them. And as every cup, I will passionately love Holland and the Czech Republic, although they have defeated us in the preliminaries, and Argentina, because half of the team plays at Inter. Of course, I will, also passionately, hate France (because I hate Zidane, though I admire him), England (because I hate all of the English players), and Japan (just because, there's no reason for that).

This year, of course, although I have been fighting against my own convictions (that of disliking the Inter traitors - Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos, and that I don't like the teams that always win), a piece of my heart will also be cheering for the "verde-ouro"-s.

But most of all I want to see beautiful football. I don't care who wins, as long as they deserve it. And though the beginning was somehow disappointing, and I only liked Germany and Argentina so far, I do believe this is going to change and I will feel, on the 9th of July after the final, that I have been watching a show with great performers.

To all of you who don't like football, I'm really sorry, but this month is ours and you will only hear us talking about this. So hang in there...

PICTURE FROM EUROSPORT

The Music in My Life

Today I wanted to talk about music. As I was really inspired by Iris' concert last night, it was extraordinary, and what can I say? I missed them, really... True fact : it was raining before they started to sing, it stopped the moment they got on stage. After all, it's IRIS.

So, as I was saying, this post is about music, Feel free not to read it, it will be long, maybe boring. It's about my music, what is it that inspires me, what makes me go through every day. I need music, I have music in my life, I hear it at every step, and I can't live without it. Different days, different moments make me listen to different music. It's just who I am, although some people may criticize this, the lack of one unique style.

I grew up listening to Queen, Kraftwerk, Beatles, Phoenix. My mom loved music and she taught me and my brother appreciate it. I still listen to Queen and Phoenix ; I never understood Kraftwerk, and I hate Beatles.

I started listening to rock in the 3rd grade, it was when I discovered Guns'n'Roses. Then, in the 5th grade, I started listening to Bon Jovi. It was and still is my favorite band. And although I could listen to any rock band, sometimes even punk, I will always return to my first love. It is the only music that makes me find peace, that accompanies me in all my happy and sad moments. I have a friend that asked me one day why I like them, because she thinks they don't make real music... I don't know, I just do. They're poets.

When I wake up in the morning, there are 2 bands I always listen to to put me in a good mood. It is either Cargo, or Rammstein. It's either "Ochii din sertar" or "Sehnsucht". They wake me up and make me start the day smiling. I don't listen to music that makes me feel sad. I think it sucks to drown yourself in depressing thoughts, it makes you a loser. Everything I choose to listen to has the only purpose of making me feel better. Like Pasărea Colibri, they make me happy.

And when I'm angry, really angry and need desperately to calm down, I usually go to Craddle of Filth, Deftones, Marilyn Manson. My boyfriend said I am a suicide girl because I like Craddle of Filth. It's not true, it's not auto-distructive, just anger releasing.

And then there are the classics... I mean, IRIS. No offense to American, English, German rock, but Iris are the best, in my point of view. No additional comments needed. Who knows them, knows what I'm talking about.

There are a lot more, I won't put them in here... I will just say this, I like poetry. And of course, I like music with a message. Poems accompanied by music. And I recently discovered, thanks to Ric, two magnificent poets : Renato Russo and Cazuza. Rock musicians, outcasts of society, POETS. I recommend their bands, Legião Urbana and Barão Vermelho. Of course, you'll need to know Portuguese.

PICTURE© 2006 moonlight