Gas prices in Texas

I was in Austin, Texas for a few days this week, and boy, gas prices sure are lower than in California!

This translates to 0.41Eur/l for unleaded petrol!

We voted

Technically it was Rita that voted. I'm not a citizen so I can't vote (can you say "taxation without representation"?).
So, being the loving couple that we are, we shared the vote. We poured over all the booklets that we received that detailed the pros and cons of the different propositions (25 different choices to make in this ballot, from the President to the local board of education).

On Saturday we took advantage of the opportunity to cast our ballot early. We waited in line for one hour, and then Rita filled the boxes and sealed the envelope.

If you can and you haven't yet, go vote! 

Where we're at

We apologize for the long pause and will work on resuming normal posting soon.

Trying to explain why it's been so long. I guess the novelty of the new place has worn off. Now we just want to hang out with our friends. Our friends are half a world away. We feel a half a world away from ourselves.

Getting in the routine. Too much time spent in the car, in the highway. Too little time spent with silly people, with loving people.

I guess we have things to say. News on new jobs, new projects, new plans. We just need to figure it all out and adjust. Find out what we really feel about it. I definitely need to get back the cathartic feeling of posting.

Saudade

This video makes me miss Portugal like crazy...



... and friends, and beer, and just plain having a blast!

Aquela luz da madrugada no Porto, parece que a consigo cheirar: fria, fresca, limpa. A varrer a minha roupa, a minha pele, os meus pulmoes de uma noite longa num bar. E aquela sensação de ter libertado tudo o que estava preso, como um grito. Dancing the pain away...

Theo Jansen's kinetic scuptures

Amazing.

Nos States, até Portugal funciona melhor

Ontem fui ao Consulado Geral de Portugal em São Francisco realizar a inscrição consular. Ao contrário de Londres, não foi preciso marcar uma hora, nem havia fila à porta. Cheguei e fui logo atendido, preenchi uma ficha muito curta e dei-lhes o meu passaporte, BI, green card e carta de condução da Califórnia para eles meterem a informação no computador.

Primeira nota positiva: não tive de copiar toda a informação destes documentos para uma ficha. Dei o documentos ao funcionário e ele tratou de deles retirar os dados que precisava para o seu computador.

Quando ja ia a sair mencionei a uma outra funcionária, muito simpática, que gostaria de actualizar o meu recenseamento eleitoral dado que agora estou a morar nos EUA. Ela dá-me uma ficha para a mão, daquelas bem longas, com muitos campos para preencher. Estava eu a preparar-me para passar os 10 minutos seguintes a debitar os nomes da família toda, freguesia de nascimento, etc. quando ela me diz:

"Só precisa de assinar. Nós agora temos aqui os seus dados, e preenchemos isso por si."

O meu queixo caiu. Apanhei-o, desejei um bom dia a todos e saí deste universo alternativo de burocracia simplificada de volta para o mundo real.

American pet peevs (II)

You go to an upscale (or not so upscale) restaurant in the US and the menu is divided this way:

- Appetizers

- Entrées

- Desserts

At first I thought: "Wow, they have two types of starters here! But they are really expensive... Where are the mains?"

I'm all for using french words in culinary, I think it sounds great and is oh so much more chic! But can anyone please hand them a French-English dictionary so they can know that "entrée" does not mean main course?? It's everywhere! Can they not see the resemblance to the word "entry"??

Ethnicity

Every time I apply for a job I am asked this:

Ethnicity:

	Caucasian - All persons having origin in any of the original peoples of Europe, Northern Africa or the Middle East, not of Hispanic origin.
	African American - All persons having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa, not of Hispanic origin.
	Hispanic - All persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
	Asian or Pacific Islander - All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the subcontinent of India, or the Pacific Islands. This area includes, for example, China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands and Samoa.
	Native American/Alaskan Native - All persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America, and who maintain cultural identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.
	Decline to Self Identify

Who are the "original people of Europe"?

Are Spanish not "original people of Europe"? If they are, are they not of Hispanic origin?

What about Brazilians? Where do they fit?

And I'm sure there are Africans that are not American...

I'm confused...

Fairy tale of the 21st century

DO NOT miss this movie!



(I think he looks a little bit like Vasco)

Couve flores ou flores de couve?

In english: Cauliflowers or flowers of cauli?

Aniversário

Parabéns a nós,
Nesta data querida,
Muitas felicidades,
Muitos anos de casados!

Queremos agradecer ao povo do Norte por ter festejado o nosso aniversário com tanta garra, e pedimos desculpa por não termos podido festejar convosco. Vontade não faltou!

Viagem 'a Europlândia (II)

E a seguir, Portugal!

Em Portugal estivemos uns 7 dias, e nesses 7 dias:
- visitamos 4 bebés em 2 cidades diferentes
- tivemos 2 festas de anos
- 5 jantares/almoços de família
- 2 jantares com amigos
- 1 casamento em Espanha (um total de 1100 Km)
- 2 anúncios de bebés novos (mais bebés!)
- 1 francesinha (soube a pouco)
- 2 mariscadas (soube a muito para o Vasco)

Não vamos pôr aqui as fotos dos bebés, mas não posso deixar de referir que são todos muito lindos e bem comportadinhos!

Dia 1 - Bebe' Leonor e bebé Sofia, as duas muito queridas! Nessa noite, jantar com o meu lado da família.

Dia 2 - Almoço FRANCESINHA!! Jantar MARISCO!! Visita 'a MARIA!! E acho que a Joana e o Lourenço também lá estavam :oP

Ja não me lembro do que fizemos nos entretantos, mas acho que incluiu umas sestinhas e compras.

Dia 3 - Braga. Visitámos outro novo bebé, o Vasquinho. Desta vez até nos deixaram fazer babysitting e o Vasquinho não chorou nem uma vez. Foram 30 minutos de intensiva brincadeira para ter a certeza que ele não chorava nem uma vez. Tenho de dizer que não é para qualquer um... Ao jantar encontramo-nos com mais amigos de Braga na Tasca do Becas. Sentimos a tua falta, Daniela! Esta gente que se manda para o outro lado do mundo, assim sem mais nem senão...

Dia 4 - Anos da Maria José. Foi mimo de manhã até 'a noite para a aniversariante. Começou com um almoço exótico no restaurante japonês Gosho. Eu goshei. 'A tarde, toca de fazer umas comprinhas e 'a noite o jantar de aniversário.

Dia 5 - Salta para o carro fazer 550 Km para ir a um casamento. O casamento foi muito bonito, nós também.

Eu comi esta lagosta.

E esta também.

Dia 6 - Salta para o carro fazer 550 Km que ainda temos de dar de comer a uma cambada de marmanjos que querem ver a bola. Delicioso bacalhau com broa do Caçula (obrigada Abel!), bebidas patrocinadas pela Super Bock (obrigada Tiago!), boa conversa, muita matança de saudades, soube a pouco. Também vimos a Leonor Brandão que nesse dia estava doentinha. Beijinhos para ela.

Dia 7 - Último almoço de família em casa dos pais Marques. Arroz de pato e bolo dos noivos. Devemos esclarecer que o bolo não foi congelado no nosso casamento, e não tinha 1 ano de idade. Houve algumas dúvidas... mas na minha humilde opinião, se essa tradição realmente existe... não devia! 'A tardinha, voo de volta para Amsterdão. Muitos beijinhos com a lagrimita no olho e promessa de voltarmos no Natal.

Our trip to Europland (I)

Our main reason to go to Europe was to attend a friend's wedding in Spain, but we decided to add a few more days to see family and friends. Stress the word few.

So we got our flight from San Francisco to Amsterdam, and got the connecting flight to Portugal separately. This way we could stay a couple of days in Amsterdam and meet with all our friends from around Europe. A special thanks to Ester (and her parents) who arranged for lodging and breakfast for a few of us - we couldn't have done it without you!

First stop: Supplies!

... for a barbecue in Ester's lovely balcony with a beautiful view of the lake.

Later that day, Greg and Sara joined us and we stayed up talking and drinking anything we could get our hands on until 5:00, or was it 20:00? Who knows? I certainly didn't...

The following day we eventually managed to wake up, had a delicious breakfast courtesy of Ester, and headed to Amsterdam to meet the rest of the gang.

From left to right: You can see a little bit of Nat hiding behind me and Greg, then Isobel, Nicky, Ester, Sara, Mauro, (Gwen + 1 had left the table), Wouter in the cool jacket, and Greg who in a few hours would be freezing. You can't see him, but Vasco is behind the camera.

Then we headed off downtown, where we saw nice ladies who looked like they were probably feeling a bit hot but were standing in front of windows that didn't open! The Brits standing in front of them looked like they were enjoying their conundrum, or were planning to in a bit...

And since we were in Amsterdam, we couldn't miss our chance to have a drink in a typical Irish Pub!

We ate dinner at an African restaurant and had a deliciously exotic meal and cocktails!



Amsterdam by night was beautiful, we had a wonderful time...


...thanks guys for meeting us there! The hardest part was saying goodbye.

Hey!

2 days 'till take off.



Ready or not, here we come!

If this is what being grown-up is like, I'd rather not...

I'm not ready. I just can't do it.

I need silliness. Going out in a tangent that has absolutely no interest or purpose apart from making people laugh is what I need. Ranting about something for a long time, listing the absurd reasons why we don't agree with something, but putting yourself out there. Letting yourself go, and then laughing about how ridiculous you sound.

We are all ridiculous, there's no point in trying to be serious, everything is absurd. Don't take life so seriously. Enjoy it, don't plan it. Just plan to enjoy it, that's OK.

If making everything sound really serious and finding ways of convincing people that you are certain of something, that you have a certain subject all figured out, when you really don't, is what being a grown-up is all about, I'd rather not.

Give me 3 hours playing with a child, over 3 hours of a "serious" grown-up conversation anytime!

I miss our friends...

American pet peevs

People who wear headsets constantly. While shopping, going to the supermarket, walking their dog... It's becoming a fashion accessory and I will not stand for it!!

Now and Then

People who drive the same car for a very long time.

Headline of the week

Great tits cope well with warming

25 de Abril

Entrevistas

Voltei a dança das entrevistas. Provavelmente toda a gente que lê este blog sabe o quanto eu detesto entrevistas.

Desta vez era diferente. Era para a empresa para a qual eu mais gostaria de trabalhar. A minha empresa de sonho: Google. Tive uma entrevista telefonica há umas semanas que até correu bem. Passei à fase seguinte, o que foi excelente: mais uma entrevista telefónica, desta vez com uma pessoa directamente ligada à posição à qual me estava a candidatar.

Alas, estraguei tudo. Fiquei muito nervosa durante a segunda entrevista e correu muito mal. Tinha 30 minutos para mostrar que era a pessoa certa para um trabalho de sonho e não consegui. Atrapalhei-me com tanta informação que tinha preparada para dizer. Não consegui seleccionar o que interessava. Foi mesmo mau... Desiludi-me a mim e àqueles que estavam a torcer por mim. Recibi hoje o email de rejeição.

Preciso de um tempinho para apanhar os bocadinhos de mim e voltar à carga. Pensava que esta pausa nas candidaturas tinha passado uma esponja por todas as rejeições que recebi, mas não funciona assim. É sempre a acumular.

Amanhã é outro dia. Volta à luta. Chin up.

Best bumper stickers (4)

Draft SUV drivers first

Sharing an embarrassing thought

This is pretty embarrassing, and that's exactly why I think I should share it with everyone.

I caught myself thinking today: "It would be cool if we could get that before we went to Europe so we could show it off". Maybe not so much "show it off" as "show it to our friends and family". Anyway, I realized this is not the first time I have though that, since we have booked our flight, and decided to journey through an introspection process asking myself the very essence of questioning; the question of questions: "WHAT THE F*CK???". (I don't usually swear, but every once and a while I do inside my mind - just thought you should know...).

Why the hell am I adopting this ridiculous behaviour, that I so often criticized on other emigrant people? I haven't done it while living anywhere else!

And now for the lame excuse:

I think it's because this time was the "big leap". We've risked much more, and also lost much more, for being so far away. Now it's not as easy to just get on a flight to Portugal, or get up and move back to Europe, and we don't go home as frequently. So we (or maybe just me) have a stronger need to show people we are doing alright. Actually, better than alright, we're loving it, albeit the above mentioned downfalls.

However this is no excuse to start being obnoxious, and showing off stuff. So please do make fun of me to my face if I do that. Please put me in my place. I will try to be alert and not do that. But also keep in mind that this is just my way of showing how happy we are. And that should be a good thing.

Cookie Monster Instrospection

Me know. Me have problem.

Me love cookies. Me tend to get out of control when me see cookies. Me know it not natural to react so strongly to cookies, but me have weakness. Me know me do wrong. Me know it isn't normal. Me see disapproving looks. Me see stares. Me hurt inside.

When me get back to apartment, after cookie binge, me can't stand looking in mirror—fur matted with chocolate-chip smears and infested with crumbs. Me try but me never able to wash all of them out. Me don't think me is monster. Me just furry blue person who love cookies too much. Me no ask for it. Me just born that way.

- Andy F. Brian, for the always great McSweeney's. It's worth reading the whole thing.

Go Giants!

On Sunday I went to my first baseball game!
The San Francisco Giants beat the Saint Louis Cardinals 7-4. My friend Joel was kind enough to provide some explanation of what was going on: balls, outs, strikes, innings, etc.
I even saw a home run! I was hoping to see the "bottom of the ninth", after hearing that expression in countless American films and tv series. Alas, the Giants were winning after the top of the ninth, so there was no bottom of the ninth played*.
Fun, sun and hot dogs was had by all.


* Don't worry, two days ago I wouldn't have understood that either.

Shoes I have bought with my employee discount

They are not all for me...

Britpop and Indie Jams

We went to Annie's Social Club yesterday with some friends, and spent a couple of hours dancing to brit pop + indie music. Not at the same level as "Batô" (there's no place like it!), but a great time was had by all. Music played included Pulp, Blur, Clash, Joy Division, James, Radiohead, Stone Roses, Smiths, etc.
It was a young-ish crowd - I felt a bit old; students of different tribes all dancing in harmony. Or at least jumping a lot.


If you're thinking of coming to visit us in San Francisco, remember they organize events like this on the first Saturday of every month.

Yosemite

My parents were visiting us for a couple of weeks. After some local sightseeing around the Bay area, we went a bit farther to Yosemite National Park during Easter weekend.
We hiked on snow and rock, enjoyed the great weather and the magnificent scenery. We were amazed by the rock formations, the waterfalls, the giant sequoias and the clear lakes. (Vasco says: "And breakfast!")