From a book I want to read 01

From the book A Calendar of Wisdom, where we find "Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul", Leo Tolstoy quotes from Confucius: 

"Cowardice is knowing what you should do and then not doing it. Confucius"

A Calendar of Wisdom - Leo Tolstoy

Does that mean, then, that we are all - most of us? - , in one way or another, cowards?

YouTube - Experimental Typography - SunDial style

YouTube -  Experimental Typography - SunDial style

This is what I call an excellent idea. Simplicity and ingeniousness together can create beauties like this one.

Also, the chosen poem could not be more appropriate!

It does not take forever.

Check it out when you have a spare minute. 

First days of January

It's been a very long time since I last published something here. I decided to restart posting from time to time, and I expect it to be more often.

As a Christmas gift I received a desk calendar from a friend at work and I find that there are some curious things in it so Ill be posting some of the ones I find more interesting here. Ah, the calendar is a Page-A-Day Schott's Miscellany 2009.

At January 1st, the calendar talks about the word January:

The Latin month Ianuarius derives from iannua ("door"), since it was the opening of the year. It was also associated with Janus, the two-faced Roman god of doors and openings who guarded the gates of heaven. Janus could simultaneously face the year past and the year to come.

I have never heard about this Roman god named Janus, but good old Wikipedia has a small description of him, and also a photo of his statue.

Since we are talking about "somebody" who watches over twice as much as we do, I'd also like to put here two sayings. One is from January 3, the other from January 4:

Pleasure is very seldom found where it is sought;
Our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks.
Samuel Johnson (1709-84)

If we had no faults of our own,
We would not take so much pleasure
In noticing those of others.
Duc de la Rochefoucauld (1613-80)

May everyone have a bright 2009.

Brazil in Family

Mackenzie, Maxymme, Hendrick, and Jacob.
Melo and Brazilians.
Natal/RN/Brazil - December 29, 2005

After eight years without joining every member of our family together, last year during Holidays season, we could manage do to that. What a great way to cheer the arrival of the new year.

Without any previous consent or agreement on clothes, we all went to the party at our dad's home with shirts resembling the colors of the Brazilian flag (click to see it). We only noticed that when we stood together for the "official" photos.

Green, Yellow, Blue, and White. There we are, in a handsome photo (not because of the men, although some think we are :D), but because of the joy and happiness we all felt this day.

A huge kiss from Brazil.

Mutts

I always loved Comics. Since I was a kid (am I not still one?) , I used to read all sorts of comic books. Gladly enough, my parents were always very supportive and I read from Superman to Spider-man, ranging to Disney's, Monica (an excellent Brazilian comic - click the link for the english website), some Asterix and the list goes on and on.


When I first saw Garfield and 'his' comic strips, I fell in love immediately. I laughed my heart out with his stories and his humor, sometimes a bit dark, but always very good. The other day, I was browsing one of the Building 19 stores when I saw the comics section. That's when I first saw Mutts.


I still don't know specifically why it caught my attention; maybe only because I love comics. Well, anyways, I know that I took the book and started looking at it. I couldn't help but laugh by its comicalness filled with a sort of philosophic meaning in some of them.


Naturally (?), I bought both books I found about 'him'. Today I decided to post some of the comic strips I found on the internet that show a little bit of why I think this comic is a great one that brings us not only fun but some thought on our responsibility while here on Earth.

If you can't read the strips here, simply click on them and you'll be able to see a bigger version.

To know more
Mutts Official Web Site

Cat saves baby's life

Cat saves baby's life | Reuters.com

This photo is not from the actual news article, but I think it has its own meaning related to what I just read.

I don't like cats. At least in the sense of having one. If I were to choose between a cat and a dog, I would definitely have a dog. I would fight like a lion in order to not having a cat.

This fact, though, doesn't mean that they are useless or that they don't have their own grace and beauty. They are indeed very elegant and kitties are usually very cute. Here I also include all the felidae class, that means tigers, lions, panthers, etc.

In this news that I just read, a cat in Berlin found a baby in the doorstep of a house and then started to meow very loud until someone woke up and found the baby.

Nobody knows by know the identity of the mother, but the baby is fine and the article doesn't mention what will happen to him. I hope they can find a better home for the baby.

Here comes my old question again: "Are humans really rational animals?"

This question, though, is not made for us to answer thinking about other people's actions. This question is suited, perfectly suited actually, for us to question ourselves. Are we really being rational when we choose our decisions in life?

Sometimes I think that for some of us, me included, it would somehow be better if we were irrational animals. At least we would have the excuse of "really" being irrational...

I hope the cat story can help us think about ourselves and our own decisions.

A feline hug in erverybody.

Family

I don't remember posting any photo of my brothers and sisters around here, so I decided to do so now. Even more when I promissed a dear frind of mine that I would post it for her to know them. :)

Here are the photos Connie, as promissed. A little late, but they finally came... :)

Christmas Celebration - 12/29/2005 - Natal RN, Brazil
From left to right:
Allena (sister), Evelïssa (sister), Mackenzie (me), Kahdynn (sister), Jacob (dad), Maxymme (brother) and Hendrick (brother).

New Years Eve Celebration - 12/31/2005 - Natal RN, Brazil
From left to right:
Mackenzie (me) , Kahdynn (sister), Hendrick (brother), Adilene (mother), Allena (sister), Evelïssa (sister) and Maxymme (brother).

There we were, all six brothers and sisters reunited (after almost eight years wihtout being all of us at the same place and at the same time together) having a very pleasant Holiday celebration.

Sara Wheeler

Sara Wheeler at Bunker Hill Community College

Last week, while in school, I had the chance to listen to this great singer. Sometimes BHCC provides its students with cultural presentations and invites some artists to show their talent.

And what a talent we saw last thursday. Her name was Sara Wheeler. These photos I took while watching her.

With only her divine voice and guitar in an intimate acoustic presentation, she captivated the audience of a few, but highly interested, students that were passing through the hall.

With good lyrics and an awesome musicality - her songs (yes, all songs are her compositions) she provided us with a great acoustic guitar player performance. I was even more surprised when she used her guitar to play one song in a non conventional way. Instead of playing with its strings, she turned it backwards and used it as a percussion instrument. Awesome.

Sara Wheeler at Bunker Hill Community College

We also had a snack provided my the school and I had the chance to buy one of her cds that she was selling at the time. Moonlight Dancers. Very good CD. If you like songs with lyrics in a kind of celtic mood, sung by a very good voice, I don't know what you are waiting for.

If you want to have a taste of her musicality, you can check her official website to listen do some of her songs and also to check a little bit of her career and other information about her life and projects.

http://www.sarawheeler.com

This is my musical suggestion of the week. I hope you enjoy it as I sure did and still do.

A musical kiss to everybody.

P.s.: Today is march 11, 2026. It has been almost 20 years from the day I posted this. I am now updating it post to add a link to the other post where I talked about Sara, but this time on my other blog, in Portuguese. It is basically the same text, so, this is just for cross reference, since only toady I remembered that I had done this. :) Time flies and apparently memory goes down the drain... :) Here is the link to the portuguese version: Sara Wheeler.

Yellow or darker?

Yellow or dark humor?

If you can't read the lines, click on the figure.

Very funny!

Citröen C4

I don't know about you, but I really love TV adver- tisement. Although I know that they are made with one big purpose on mind - stuff things on our throat - I always have a great time watching the good ones.

Today, while surfing I found a link to a Citröen C4 advertisement on the web (the cars to the left). This is not the best car advertisement I've ever seen, but it is very well done and it is very musical.

I hope at least one of you enjoy wathing it. Below is the link.

Yahoo Videos - Citröen C4

Ah, and by the way, I never had a Citröen, nor I'm planning to buy or sell any car... I'm kind of happy with my white Civic 1994. :)

MSN, Viagra and Stallion

German court prescribes Viagra for stallion

I could not help laughing when I read this news.

This happened on Germany. The stalion was not working properly, at least that's what the man who bought it said. He also said that the horse did not have one of his testicles.

A veterinarian examined it and saw that it was not true. He could find the body part. And about the horse's duty? Well, the drug was administered and everybody was happy in the end.

Well, not everybody, because the one who bought had then to pay the whole price of the horse, around $4,900, and it seems that he was pledging defect to pay only 10% of the original price.

In portuguese when we receive something for free we usually say as a proverb that "when you receive a free horse, we don't inspect its teeth."

As this one was not free, every part of him had to be inspected carefully. So had the bad intentions of the buyer. :)

Pietro & Family 2

"Well, mommy really needs a rest. While she rests, I'll rest a little bit more too... :)"
"Yeah, this is my daddy that loves me sooo much and that I also love a lot!"
"Let me think a little bit about of what I'll do with my life... Well, while I don't decide myself, let me sleep again..."
"While my cousin Narcyza and my Aunt Célia pose to this photo, I prepare myself to do the third thing I love the most in life: eating! The first and the second, you may ask... Well, stay with my parents and sleep! :D"
"Ah, this is my grand-daddy Jacob, that arrived here the day I was supposed to be born. However, to "upset" everyone, I was born two days ahead! :D"
"Mommy, Daddy and Grandpa! Ah, and me, of course!"
"My cousin Sthephanya, beautiful as ever and helping me to keep clean. I enjoyed so much when she changed my diapers that I didn't even cry!"
"To finish my thinks for today, here is my Daddy taking a nap while I also nap myself. He deserves it. What an example of a Father!"

Pietro & Family

Pietro in one of his first moments in the outside world

We can already see the lights on him. :)

In this photo, particularly, I see something that I didn't know. The Umbilical cord is not made of flesh as our skin. I though it was. As people always say, living and learning. This lady holding Pietro is the surgeon (if I'm not mistaken).

Would you say that Pietro is already thinking about life? :)

Well, thinking I'm not so sure, however, I know that now he is taking a pick at the world, oh ye... :)

As happy as a family can get!

Close-up on the Star on a leading role: Pietro, the smooth tough boy! :)

Pietro with his hand on his face thinking: "Oh my goodness, why did you give me an uncle like this! Look at what he gave me. An yellow sponge with a smile on its face... I think my uncle is not normal..."

This is my first photographic hommage to my third nephew and to the newest parents in our family. I'm proud to be called Pietro's Uncle, Hendrick's brother and Dani's brother-in-law.

May God's blessings that have always been around, keep falling, and that you as a family can always perceive and be open to them so you can have them as a way of giving you more energy to keep moving (like Duracell). Even more now because with the new son, growth and evolution are showing their way.

A big kiss with all my love and my heart, from a not so normal uncle. :D

NPR : Always Go to the Funeral

NPR : Always Go to the Funeral

My father didn't teach me what Deirdre Sullivan's dad taught her. Now she taught me.

Within her text she says

"Always go to the funeral" means that I have to do the right thing when I really, really don't feel like it."

That's a very powerful assignment for each one of us. We always forget that we have to do what we have to do, it doesn't matter what it takes. The right thing is always the right thing to do.

I hope you can take a little time to read the text. It's worth it.

Tired tires

Michele Turre - portfolio

I'm not so sure if there is somebody still visiting my blog, but I'll post this link here anyway.

The only thing I'm going to tell you though, is that I was not tired of posting here. But I'm giving much more attention to my other blog (in portuguese).

If you like the link and the "visual photo-text-poetry" please, let me know. I found it very interesting!

Seoul - South Korea - Gyeongbokgung

Seoul - South Korea - Gyeongbokgung

I was browsing through the Wikipedia and then I found this beautiful image in Seoul, South Korea. It caught my attention especially because this semester I made a new and great friend and he is from South Korea.

Se, here is my hommage to our friendship. I hope we can keep it for years to come.

SPAM

Hi. Today I'm talking about SPAM. And here is one recipe with it, provided by RecipeSource:

Title: Gingered Spam Salad
Categories: Salads, Go-withs, Misc.
Yield: 1 Servings

1 cn Spam, sliced matchstick size
1/4 c Finely chopped ginger root
1 ea Small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 ts Garlic powder
1/4 c Freshly squeezed lime juice Zest of 1 lime
1/2 ts Oriental dried chili powder
1/4 c Chopped cilantro leaves
8 ea Cherry tomatoes
Thai bird peppers and
Cilantro sprigs to garnish

Combine all ingredients in a sealed glass or plastic container to marinate.
Refrigerate at least two hours or preferably overnight.
Stir or shake occasionally to evenly coat.
One hour before serving, stir in cilantro.
Serve on a bed of torn lettuce of your choice.
Garnish with quartered cherry tomatoes, Thai bird peppers and cilantro sprigs.

Ah, that was not the spam you were thinking, huh?

However, did you know that the terminology SPAM for the tons of unwanted e-mails we receive everyday came from the spam above? From this website, I got the best description of the first use of the word:

Most people have some vague awareness that it came from at first from the spam skit by Monty Python's Flying Circus. In the sketch, a restaurant serves all its food with lots of spam, and the waitress repeats the word several times in describing how much spam is in the items. When she does this, a group of Vikings (don't ask) in the corner start a song:

"Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, lovely spam! Wonderful spam!"
Until told to shut up.

Thus the meaning of the term at least: something that keeps repeating and repeating to great annoyance. How did the two get connected?

Well, I like SPAM, not spam. How about you?

G.B. Stern

Well, I don't know in which category I would put these sentences, but when I first read them, I became very interested in reading this lady's oeuvres.

I tried to find her photograph to know her, but I couldn't find any. If you have one and can share with me, I'd thank you a lot. This picture is just to illustrate one of ther quotes below. I found it at the NYPL Digital Gallery (worth a visit).

"One thing that's good about procrastination is that you always have something planned for tomorrow."

"Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute."

"Man is a complex being who makes deserts bloom and lakes die"

"Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone."

Sombrero Galaxy

Sombrero Galaxy (Hubble Photograph)

Sombrero Galaxy (Viewed in Infrared)

I was wondering if we could call this galaxy of "God's Hat"?

The wonders of the universe have always enchanted me, since I was a kid. By universe I mean either the macroscopic or the microscopic. We can always see Gods perfection in His marvelous work!

May He bless us all everyday!

What are we doing to our children?

Oddly Enough News Article | Reuters.com

Everybody these days know that most of what the children learn from their parents and colleagues is from mimicking their movements. And this happens not only at early ages. Even as adults, independents as we are, we mimick the big stars, either their look, or their way of behaving.

And even knowing this, we keep asking ourselves why the world is not yet a better place. The answer is one of the following: either we choose to mimick the wrong acts of people around or we are the ones that keep doing the wrong things to be mimicked around by the others.

Why don't we try to mimick the right actions of the right people for a change? Or try to do the right thing to be mimicked by others?

Reading some news the other day, I found that this mimick thing was taken a step further. Well, not too further, but to make cimpanzees mimick our bad habits is like teaching kids the wrong things when they are very small. They will carry the burden of vice or mistreatments for the rest of their lives.

I'll copy here the beginning of the article: "A South African zoo is trying to persuade its star chimpanzee to kick a bad smoking habit".

To invite others to share your vice is the worst kind of vice around.

Be healthy. Think right.

Ah, and by the way, the picture of the smoking chimpanzee is not an actual photo. It was treated by some image processing software. I got it at the internet.