Loving You Is Easy....

The newest song by Sarah Maclachlan. I was privileged to hear the rough cut live last year at Brett Wilson's Garden Party. I knew then that it was going to be a hit!!!

They Should Have Worn Yellow......

When I discovered that Brazil would be playing Holland in the World Cup quarter finals, I was imagining a game of yellow and orange shirts chasing a white ball on a green pitch. Colorful...Citric! Bright!

I tuned into the game just as the two captains were exchanging pre game handshakes and much to my dismay, the 'Selecao' were in blue.....bleu....azzurri... Don't get me wrong, I love the colour blue: just not on the backs of the "Canarios".

The Brazil soccer team jersey is yellow. Not blue, not green. Yellow.

The Dutch soccer team jersey is orange. Not white, not black. Orange.

Would yellow and orange be too confusing for the eyes?

I think the game would have been more beautiful to watch with Brazil wearing their yellow jerseys.

It is sad to see your team be defeated. I cheer for Brazil, and have for many years. Long before I lived in Brazil..

They just should have worn yellow.....

The Rant of a Modern Woman....

I read this chronicle in Portuguese a few years back and decided to translate it into English. Let me know your thoughts...



"It's 6am ...

The alarm clock shocks me out of my slumber, and I have no strength to throw it against the wall ...
I'm so tired ... I do not want to work today ...
I want to stay at home, cooking, listening to music, singing ...
If I had children, spend the morning playing with them, if I had a dog, walking him around the neighborhood ...
Aquarium? Watch the fish swim ...
If I had time ... I would like to stretch ...
Make sweets...

Anything but get out of bed and having to engage first gear and put my brain to function.
I wonder who was the fool, the unhappy mother of feminists who had the stupid idea of claiming rights of women ... I wonder
WHY she did this to us who were born after her ...
Everything was so good at the time of our grandparents ... they did embroidery, exchanged recipes with friends, taught each other secrets of sauces and seasonings, home remedies, read good books from the libraries
of their husbands, decorated the house, pruned trees, planted flowers, picked vegetables from the gardens, raised children, attended soirees, FINALLY, life was a great course of crafts, alternative medicine and cooking.

Then came the army of Erica's and Susan's who did not like their bra nor corset, and infected a number of other inconsequential rebels with fancy ideas about " conquering our space"!
What space, my dear lady??
You had the whole house, the neighborhood, and the world at your feet.
Had complete dominion over men, they depended on you to eat, to get dressed, for everything! What kind of rights did you claim?
As a consequence of their bra burning activities and such, all men are confused, they do not know what roles to play in society, avoiding us like the devil flees from the cross ...
This game of yours has just increased the number of our daily errands and duties, that is. And has thrown us into the dungeon of acute singleness. Previously, marriages lasted forever...

WHY WHY ???.. The female sex had it all and better, they just needed to be fragile and delicate, to be ladies. What possessed them to compete with the male sex ? Look at the size of their biceps, and look at the size of ours. On that observation alone, it was obvious that it would not work!

I can not stand being forced to make daily ritual of brushing my hair, makeup, moisturizers , choosing what clothes to wear, what shoes match, what accessories to use ...
So tired of having to hide my mood, to leave my sanctuary of my home,
always running, to be put at risk of being robbed, run over to die, spend the day siting in front of the computer with the phone to my ear, solving problems that are not mine!

And as if that were not enough, be monitored and criticized (even by myself) to be always in shape without stretch marks or cellulite, shaved,waxed(ouch) smiling, smelling nice, with nails done, not to mention the impeccable resume, filled with masters degrees, doctorates, and specialties (ufffffffffffffffffff !!!!!!!). ..

We have become these superwomen robots that still continue to earn less than men ...
Wasn't it much better just knitting in a rocking chair?

ENOUGH ALREADY !!!... I want someone to pay my bills, open the door,
pull the chair for me to sit down, send me flowers, cards
full of poetry, serenade me at my window ... oh, my God, it's already 6:30, I have to get up !...,
There's more, I want someone who comes home from a hard day of work, sits on the couch, put his feet up and says
"Baby, bring me some coffee please?"
I discovered that I was born to serve.
You think I'm joking about this? I'm serious! I am resigning from my position of "modern woman" ....I'm DONE!

I will switch with Suzy Homemaker. Anyone else interested?

Love..

Quick question...Is there such a thing called love at first sight?

Pass the Ball

This is a great video that CNN asked the public to send in their footie skills....

Car Tunes...

I love this song!!! If you see some crazy person in a car singing this with their windows open, it's probably me...

Makes me want to go to Safeway....






I'm not surprised, not everything lasts
I've broken my heart so many times, I stopped keeping track
Talk myself in, I talk myself out
I get all worked up, then I let myself down

I tried so very hard not to lose it
I came up with a million excuses
I thought, I thought of every possibility

And I know someday that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, that I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

I might have to wait, I'll never give up
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck
Wherever you are, whenever it's right
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life

And I know that we can be so amazing
And, baby, your love is gonna change me
And now I can see every possibility

And somehow I know that it'll all turn out
You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out
And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get
I just haven't met you yet

They say all's fair
In love and war
But I won't need to fight it
We'll get it right and we'll be united

And I know that we can be so amazing
And being in your life is gonna change me
And now I can see every single possibility

And someday I know it'll all turn out
And I'll work to work it out
Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get
Than I get, than I get, than I get

Oh, you know it'll all turn out
And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out
And I promise you kid to give so much more than I get
Yeah, I just haven't met you yet

I just haven't met you yet
Oh, promise you, kid
To give so much more than I get

I said love, love, love, love
Love, love, love, love
(I just haven't met you yet)
Love, love, love, love
Love, love
I just haven't met you yet

COUNTDOWN TO THE CUP!!!!

Apparently the video I posted is no longer available. Two weeks until my month long obsession of soccer begins!!! I have already sussed out the local bars that will open at 5 am and that accept kids. Breakfast, footie and then school. How perfect is that???
Hopefully one day, Canada will be in the World Cup. They got thrashed by Argentina 5-0 this weekend...Not good!

Brazil and Canada....Opportunities Abound!

This past Wednesday, I went to a seminar on doing business in Brazil. It was hosted by the Global Centre, an initiative of Calgary Economic Development. The speakers included the Brazilian consul of International Trade from the consulate in Toronto, David Mears of Blackwatch Energy, Fabricio Lima of the Alberta Government and Joey St. Pierre of Export Development of Canada.

Bottom line: BRAZIL NEEDS INFRASTRUCTURE!!!!!! If your company has something unique that is needed in the energy sector, the opportunity is there!

Rio de Janeiro Antigo

Spring Has Finally Arrived

In Canada, the change of seasons are quite distinct. After living for over a decade in South America, where there are two seasons, hot and hotter, it is refreshing to be able to feel the change of the seasons here in Canada. For starters, the sunlight changes. Days get longer, the sun gets higher in the sky and there is a warmth in the air. The first signs of my tulips are starting to appear.

This past weekend was all about getting my yard ready for summer. Dethatching the front lawn, trimming down the dried plants form last year. I am done! I don't have a high maintenance yard. I am not high maintenance, so why should my yard be? I will never understand the Calgary gardener who spends hundreds of dollars every year at Sunnyside Garden Centre buying anuuals that are not even grown for our climate, and then spend the whole summer worried about their garden. Not a very good return on investment in my opinion.... I have potintella(spell check please), raspberries and low juniper bushes. Lawn maintenance is once every two weeks and I have underground sprinklers..

I want to spend my summer enjoying my yard, not toiling over it obsessively!

Have a great day!!

A Little Bit of France ...in Calgary

I had the wonderful opportunity of having dinner at a great little French bistro here in Calgary called 'Fleur de Sel'. It is located in the old Tivoli cinema building on 4th Street SW. Quaint, yet bustling with the nervous energy that only the French can pull off with pure grace, this little place is the perfect setting for a romantic dinner. Low light and candles on every table, I felt like I was transported back to the days when I lived in Paris. The maitre d'hote was French and I was able to practice my rusty French. A velvety smooth bottle of Saint Emilion accompanied my Steak au Poivre avec des Frites. C'etait magnifique!!!

Backwards Baseball Caps Cause Baldness

I have come up with a theory that I think will make all baseball cap wearing men to STOP wearing them. Baseball caps should only be worn one way (with the brim in the front) and in the following situation:

1. While playing baseball

I will never understand the purpose of wearing a baseball cap backwards (unless you are a catcher on a baseball team). It looks stupid.

My theory It causes the blood flow to stop going to the head and subsequently causes baldness....

Inspiration

I am not sure what is going on with me, but lately I have been very uninspired to write anything in my blog. I don't feel like rehashing current events. I don't particularly feel like sharing anything regarding my personal life for fear of it coming back and biting me in the behind( and also to protect the innocent...)

Luckily, my children(correction: my teenagers) work and school are filling up my time, but I feel like something is askew. I am lucky in many ways but there is that inkling that something is missing. I know that I am in trouble when i start to gravitate towards the self help section at the library. That is not a good sign. Books screaming from the shelves,enticing me with titles such as, "Bitches, and the Men That Love Them', " Rich Dad, Poor Dad'(how about No Dad), The Girlfriends Guide To Dating in Your 40's"...for the love of Pete, who writes this crap??

Oprah has made millions on the psychosis of inadequacy. Self help books contradict each other. Whether it be for raising good kids, investing money wisely or finding the man of your dreams,there is always an expert.

I don;t need a self help book. I know what is wrong. I am in a rut. Simple as that.

What to do?

ROADTRIP!!!!!!!

Panorama

 

This is a panoramic photo taken from half way up the Pedra Aguda in RIo de Janeiro State, Brazil. Granite rock. Name of the route..Quati.

Why Gay Marriage is Good for the US Economy...

I have alot of gay friends. Male and female. Some of them are bisexual too.

I love them all to death. At one point or another, each and every one of them has either made me laugh, let me cry on their shoulders over a man(they are guys too, remember?) or have given me killer fashion/decorating ideas.They too have their 'Martha moments'.
In the USA, there has been alot of hoopla over same sex marriage. I really don't know what the big deal is? If two people love each other and decide to get married, why should it matter if they are hetero or homosexual?
Hell, my chances of getting married again are probably the same as getting killed in a terrorist attack. Trust me, the day I get married, it will be announced on CNN and Reuters! or maybe even Ripleys Believe It or Not.....

I love a good wedding. We need more weddings. They stimulate the economy. Photographers, event venues, dressmakers,hairdressers, makeup artists, caterers, hotels and resorts, jewelers etc all depend on people getting married....

Conclusion: LEGALIZE once and for all same sex marriages. The economy will thank you.

PS. I want to stimulate the economy and not be a statistic..

Embracing Life...

John Lennon said it best,: Life happens when you are making plans...

Two and a half months into 2010, our resolutions that we drunkenly make on December 31 have all gone to hell in a handbasket. Why wait until New Year's to make a resolution? Why set yourself up for failure? The majority of New Years resolutions never make it to fruition anyways...

I think its better to start when you want to, not when the Gregorian calendar says so. Less pressure, better chance for success.

In the end I truly believe that we should all just embrace life. Whatever your life is, or where you are in your life, just stop for five minutes and sit back and think of all of the positive things there are in your life. ..... Ok I can hear the detractors....Think...Everyone has something positive in their life!

For starters, you are reading this blog( and I thank you). That means that you can read! Do you know how many people are functionally illiterate in both Brazil and Canada? It would blow your mind! Could you imagine not being able to read street signs? a recipe? a book? Imagine being thrown into downtown Beijing with everything written in Chinese. Can you read Chinese symbols? Thats how some people live everyday.

This blog is on a computer, so that means that you have access to the internet. How many people in this world don't?

You can write a commentary and voice you opinions and or objections. How many people have been tortured in the past because they voiced their opinions against totalitarian regimes? Freedom of speech is taken for granted and is in danger of being picked away by our governments in the name of 'national security'. Don't let this happen...

We all want something that sometimes is unattainable. That's ok. Just be happy for the simple things in life that have no monetary value, yet are worth more that anything that money can't even buy it.

A baby's smile
A rainbow after a thunderstorm
a heartfelt thank you
doing something for someone else.

Have a great weekend

The Canarioca

Olympics Hangover

The Olympics in Vancouver are over and the flame is out. It was a fun ride. Unless you have been living under a rock, Canada had its best showing at the games ever and won more gold medals than any other country in Winter Olympic history.
After 17 days of pure Canadian patriot love, Canada has gone back to talking about the weather and kvetching about politics. There were highlights and lowlights of these games. When Alexandre Bilodeau won his gold medal, I cried and cheered. His brother (who suffers from cerebral palsy) was his inspiration and he said that the medal was just as much his. There had seemed to be a drought of medals from the Canadian team and the British press started to question the organizing committee and the Games in general. By the end of week two, Canada shut them up. Most of the events where Canada was expected to win gold were in the last week anyway. They came through with flying colours! Ice dancing! The first time in my lifetime that the Russians didn't win. Short track skating. It was like roller derby! Snowboard cross, ski cross! The X Games became the Olympics!
The gold medal hockey game. I felt like I was watching a World Cup final. Canada vs. the USA. When the USA scored to tie the game with 30 seconds left, there was a lull that went from Victoria to Saint John's. It had to go into overtime. Golden goal. Who scored first would win the gold! Overtime started. Puck passed back and forth. Gladiators hitting the glass with a thud that could raise the dead. Then, at 7 minutes, the puck went to Crosby, who passed it to Iginla, who passed it back to Crosby as he was brought down by the USA defense. One flick of the wrist and boom...GGGOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!! The Kid got the winning goal. The whole country went NUTS!!! Flashes of the reactions of Canadians were on tv sets around the world. WE WON HOCKEY GOLD!!!! Sidney Crosby, 22 years old, became a national hero. He has been touted as the next Gretsky. For me, he is the original Crosby. Reebok is offering a reward to the idiot who stole Crosby's gloves post game. They are definitely worth a fortune.
Lowlights of the games?
The unfortunate death of the Georgian luger on the first day.
Having to suffer through 17 days of Brian Williams on CTV with his annoying commentary. In Brazil there is Galvao Bueno, Briam Williams is Canada's version....
The closing ceremony. Shame on you Will Ferguson, you are a better writer than that!!! Mounties and moose and beavers??? Then it became a showcase of second rate Canadian talent. It got so bad that the athletes were leaving before it was over. The last showpiece was just plain lame.
The Olympics are over, spring is coming. How do we know spring is coming in Canada? Because Canada's national coffeehouse, Tim Hortons, has started its annual 'Roll Up the Rim to Win' promotion....
Have a good day eh?

Arlene Dickinson's Hair, Brett Wilson's Girlfriend and What to Wear in Rio

These are the three biggest searches that arrive on my blog. With the success of Dragon's Den, people want to know more about the Dragons themselves. I wish I could be of more help to these queries.
I think Arlene looks better now that she has lost weight and straightened her hair. I must admit,looking back on older seasons of the Den, she did look a smidge frumpy. The white streak in her hair could be natural, or she could be all white and dyes the rest red and just leaves the front white. I think it looks cool.
As for Brett, I am no expert on his love life. He used to date my friend Norma, but they broke up last summer. He was apparently dating Sarah Maclachlan(the singer), but who knows what is going on there. Brett's hair was a mess this past season. They tried to tone down the grey a bit and ended up giving him the Grecian formula look. I think he looks much better with shorter hair and the salt and pepper look. You can see the difference between this season and last years Den. I'm just sayin'.....
As for the What to Wear in Rio? department, I looked back at the original blog and it still holds true. This summer was abnormally hot and now the rains of March have arrived in Rio.

Acai

The new super food that everyone raves about is actually a berry from the acai palm in the Amazon. This is the way it should be consumed. It has the consistency of melting sorbet and is eaten with a spoon. It is super high in antioxidants and it became popular in Rio de Janeiro in the early 90's with the surfing and jiu jitsu crowd. Now you can buy acai at Costco, but it is mixed with other juices. Not the same thing...at all. IF you want to find acai in its purest form, go to the store Brasil with S just off of Macleod Trail and 57th avenue in Calgary.

Couldn't Have Said It Better

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always persevers.
Love never fails.

Sacha Guitry

This is one of my favorite quotes by a French writer, Sacha Guitry:

LES FEMMES SE PLEIGNENT QUE LES HOMMES SONT TOUS PAREILLES, C'EST PARCE QU'ELLES SE COMPORTENT DE LA MEME FACON AVEC TOUT LES HOMMES

Translation:

WOMEN THAT COMPLAIN THAT ALL MEN ARE THE SAME IT IS BECAUSE THEY BEHAVE THE SAME WAY WITH ALL MEN.

It's a Jungle Out There!

I had a very interesting evening a few Fridays ago. At 8 pm, I was at Market Mall with my kids and by 9 pm I was at the 'Met' in downtown Calgary, giving moral support to my girlfriend 'J', who had just had the dating experience from hell.
She had been set up on a blind date through a dating service that charges an arm and a leg for people to meet. Her dating 'coach' (now everyone seems to be a coach,life coach, sports coach,intimacy coach now dating coach...but I digress) told her that the 'prospect' was a successful person in his field and apparently a 'hottie'.
So imagining that she was going to meet the local George Clooney, she called me for fashion advice and got her hair and makeup done in anticipation for her date. Needless to say, the guy was a total waste of makeup (yes, that great stuff by Bobbie Brown at Sephora ain't cheap) BALD and FAT..Not even attractive..I know, but I will explain why I know this later on in this post.
We were sitting at the bar with two other girlfriends having a few drinks and looking around at the scenery. It was quite fun to look at people and see how they interact with each other. There was the cliched 'cougar' on the prowl and the never ending parade of the 'bump', that horrific Amy Winehouse inspired mass of hair on the crown of your head. In the corner, at the end of the bar was the typical group of guys with no woman around, making crude comments as each woman passed them by (and they wonder why they aren't 'gettin' any). As I passed by to go to the washroom, I had to endure a crude and inappropriate comment by one of them. I glared at him and told him to go 'fly a kite' in Portuguese.
Where do guys get off speaking to women in such a way? Did I miss something? Have chivalry and basic respect gone the way of the dodo bird? I have two boys and they would get one big asswhooping from me if I ever got wind that they spoke to a girl that way. And they can be 30 years old and I would still do it.
After a while we decided to change venues and went to Vintage. Definitely an older crowd and a live jazz band was playing. The Met had just gotten too, how can I say this....gangster. We didn't stay long and as we were leaving, the un George Clooney walked up to 'J' and said " How are the kids?" Unfortunately she had used the " I have to get home to the kids" excuse to get out of her date and she was subsequently busted by Un George himself. Put a bummer on her already bummer evening. We couldnt get out of there fast enough. Was he stalking her? Who knows, but he was SOOOO not hot.
We ended up having a late dinner at Joe's on 17th and I went home at 2 am.
The next day I watched the show on Slice called 'Millionaire Matchmaker'. I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a guy who was an agist. He was 39, never married and refused to date girls over the age of 25. The matchmaker tried to set him up with a beautiful young hearted 35 year old that fit into his profile, but after one date, they never saw each other again.
As a pre-cougar,single in Calgary, the possibilities in this town are limited. I have high standards and it is hard to compete against the 'bump' crowd of 25 year olds ready to 'give it up' at a drop of a hat. That's not me.
One thing for sure, its a jungle out there.

Another Quote

People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. but people will never for get how you made them feel

Random Quotes

Be polite to all, but intimate with few. -Thomas Jefferson

Brazil Update

I have been very behind on my blog updates over the past few weeks as I was in Brazil itself and needed material to blog about...
Since my last visit, there have been many chnages in Brazil. Here is a small list of what is happening:

1. Justice has been served. David Goldman has finally taken his son home where he belongs. Exciting as it is, the Brazilian family is planning on appealing the court decision. What could have been a peaceful 'handover' of Sean to his father David at the American embassy on December 24th, it became a media circus as the Brazilian family refused to heed to the Embassy's offer of allowing Sean to arrive through the garage, and chose to parade him down the street in front of the melee of journalists and onlookers. Really a caring attitude to protect the young boy.....NOT!

2.The prices of restaurants! I was in shock to see how much a 'queijo quente'(grilled cheese sandwich) has gone up. It used to cost around $4,50, and I have seen 'lanchonetes' serving them for $9!!! What happenend? If anything, the prices should go down. the dollar is down against the real, so blaming the dollar doesnt gel anymore. $10-$15 reais for a caipirinha!!! $4,50 for draft beer!!!

3. Obesity. Go to the local food court and it makes you want to cry. So much wonderful fruit at the market and I see people wolfing down fast food like there is no tomorrow. I just came back form Rio, ate fruit and fresh food until I was blue in the face and I LOST 4kg!!! This has been a trend worldwide and has hit the shores of Brazil since some time, but this last trip I noticed that it has gotten worse..

4. Obeying rules. I went to McD to get a 'cafe americano'(basically black watered down coffee) and I asked the girl for some milk. Nope. Couldn't do it. If I wanted milk I had to order a cafe com leite(coffee with milk). Asked why, her answer was because she was being filmed and couldn't give me any milk. So much for 'jeitinho'. More like '1984' by George Orwell.

5.Traffic. The traffic before Christmas was INSANE. Hours to get around. Reason? It is easier now more than ever to get car financing, so every Tom Dick and Harry( or rather Joao, Marcello e Carlos) is buying one. Result? Traffic jams that were never there before.

Brazil's economy has been stable for awhile now and the recession that hit everywhere else barely touched Brazil. For now...

Christmas Has Come For David Goldman

In a decision last night, the Federal Supreme Court of Brazil has ruled has that Sean Goldman is to be returned to his biological father David Goldman on Friday December 24th at 9 a.m. at the American Embassy in Rio de Janeiro.
After five years of jumping through the hoops of the Brazilian justice(?) system, David Goldman will finally be able to pass Christmas with his son, and bring him back home to the United States.
This case has mobilized Brazilian public opinion(in favor of David Goldman) and has brought to light the plight of children everywhere who have been illegally abducted by one of the parents.
International pressure has mounted in the past week against the Brazilian family who has illegally held Sean in Brazil since 2004.Possible economic sanctions from the USA against Brazil were in the works.
Once the ´wheels have lifted´(a term used by Mr Goldman referring to the wheels on the airplane leaving Brazil with his son in tow), I hope that the district attorney and the local Bar association will further investigate the Brazilian family. The stepfather and maternal grandmother are accomplices in international kidnapping. The Lins e Silva family used their influence with high level judges to quash and appeal every decision made in favor of David Goldman.
I can only imagine the joy that David Goldman must be feeling right now to know that he will finally be able to have his son back. I was praying for this moment since I saw the clip on the NBC Today show last September.Those prayers have been answered.
MERRY CHRISTMAS DAVID!!!!

Update on David Goldman

In an earlier post, I wrote about an American father by the name of David Goldman and the never ending struggle to get his son back.
This week it looked like it was going to happen as a high court in Brazil ruled that David´s son Sean was to be returned to the USA within 48 hours. This was on Monday. By Thursday,David Goldman had touched down in Rio de Janeiro ready to take his son home. Once again his hopes were dashed by a motion of habeus corpus done by the maternal grandmother that once again is delaying the rightful return of Sean to his biological father in the United States.
This Brazilian family has gone above and beyond to make David Goldman look like a bad father, that he was a leech off of his ex wife and to make matters worse, told the boy Sean that his father never came to Brazil to visit him in the 5 years he has been in Brazil.ALL LIES!!! They are simply causing the justice system to be even slower than it already is until Sean will be older and the full psychological separation will be complete. Apparently he wrote a poster saying that he wants to stay in Brazil forever. Well if his Brazilian family has been lying to him about his father´s love, of course he is going to want to stay in Brazil.
Mr. Goldman, if you ever read my blog, please know that I support your efforts whole heartedly and I am ashamed of the Brazilian justice system!!!

Newsworthy???

I have been quite uninspired to write in my blog lately. I don't want to be writing about sad stories, but it seems like lately there is more bad news in the world than good news.
Which of course brings me to my beef about the 'news'. What is considered newsorthy these days? Do we feel better knowing that Tiger Woods is not the golden boy, and that he too has his own problems? Whatever is going on between the four walls of his bedroom is really none of our business. But when you are a celebrity, your private life becomes public. It used to be that only the British Royal Family had to deal with the media and the paparrazzi. Sports figures were only photographed doing their sport. Over the years, the public has become more and more interested in the private lives of the rich and famous. "This is Robin Leach......."
One trip to the grocery store checkout and you are able to get InTouch with all of your celebrity gossip. Its OK, celebs are People too,they're just like US. These days everyone wants to be a Star!and InStyle!
Brangelina, Jon and Kate, now Tiger Woods!
You ask anyone and they know who Brad PItt is. Do they know who their member of parliament is? (I do,its Rob Anders and I didnt vote for him...)Do they know what is happening in the Arctic passage? (The Polar cap is shrinking so there are descrepencies about borders between Canada and Russia..)
The line between reality and fiction is becoming more and more blurry.The hunger for fame has gone beyond !!! My kids listen to a song by Hedley that really says it best

Grappling with Tragedy

I read the news from around the world everyday. Calgary Herald, Le Monde, New York Times, O Globo are all on my favorites.
I read about the war in Afghanistan, kidnappers in Somalia, human rights issues and so on. Human triumphs and tragedies. I am distanced from these stories because they 'happen to other people'.
That all changed over the weekend. I received the horrible news that one of my son's soccer teammates was a victim of a murder on Friday night. Today is Monday and I am still coming to terms with what happened. The boy's father was charged with second degree murder.
Just last Thursday, the young boy was playing what was to be his last soccer game. Who would have imagined that the man who was standing next to me when the boys came out of the dressing room at the end of the game would be the one who put an end to his son's life only 24 hours later? Why didn't I see a sign of something wrong? Everything looked so completely normal between father and son.
The soccer team is devastated and a grief counsellor is on call for the boys and the families to help us through this grieving time.
Tragedy can and will strike close to home. You just always believe that bad things only happen to other people....It doesn't.

Dragons Den...Update

In a post I wrote about a year ago, I talked about the Dragons Den on CBC. I did a rundown on each one of the Dragons, based solely on the persona they portray on the Den. I am proud to say that I think I got them all right.
My two favorite Dragons are Arlene Dickinson and Brett Wilson. Since my first post about the Den, I had the pleasure of meeting Brett Wilson, and he really is the same guy on television as he is in real life. He invests in people, not just products and ideas. If he doesnt do a deal, and says he is out, at least he has good reasons for his decisions and he doesnt belittle the contestants or humiliate them like Kevin OLeary does. Brett is tough ,yet fair.
Arlene is also tough yet fair and I like that she does give constructive criticism to the contestants. She sees the pitches with aa marketing eye, and I think she really knows her stuff.She also sticks up for single moms!!! I have had alot of people asking me about her white streak of hair. I wish I knew what to tell them, but it is either a natural streak or she paints it...only her hairdresser knows.

News From Brazil

O Rio de Janeiro, my adopted hometown, so many great things will be happening to Rio in the next few years, my hope is that is will finally come back to the glamourous city that it once was.
Decades of military rule followed by incompetent government both on the municipal and state level has left Rio an empty shell of what it once was. Crime, intertwined with corruption, hasnt helped either.
With the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016, Rio will be at the forefront of international attention. Hopefully the news will be positive.
Here is a list of some of the news from Brazil over the past few weeks.


1. Madonna just spent a week in Rio de Janeiro and secured a 7 million USD donation from local billionaire Eike Batista for her foundation in Malawi. Madoona is the patron saint of cougars....

2. The popular sports of frescoball and soccer have been banned on the beaches in Rio between 8 am and 5 pm until March. Overcrowding and stray balls add up to injuries during the summer. Its unfortunate because they are both popular sports and are part of the beach culture. Some of my friends consider it a human rights issue!

3.Want to spend a week in Rio de Janeiro in style during Carnaval? If you can muster up the money, this penthouse on Copacabana Beach is fit for a king.

4.Petrobras (the national oil company) is showing its strength and is now the 4th largest oil company in the world. Their off shore blocks are proving to be very rich in reserves. Their stock has now rebounded to pre crisis levels.

Playing with Fire- Theoren Fleury

I just finished reading the memoirs of Theoren Fleury. For those of you who have never heard of him, he was probably one of the greatest hockey players to play in the NHL.
The book is written in a very raw and in your face kind of way. He is no James Joyce, but the way it is written draws you in regardless. It's almost like he is sitting down with you over a cup of coffee and telling you his story.
Believe me, what a story!
Originally from Russell, Manitoba, Fleury worked his way through the ranks of minor hockey to be part of the 1989 Flames team that won the Stanley Cup. His experiences as a young player were tarnished by the sick pedophilic advances of his coach when he was 14 years old. The damage left behind on Fleury's psyche from the sexual abuse continually haunted him and caused him to spiral down and literally blow away millions of dollars on drugs, gambling and strippers. He recounts how he would party all night, come back at 6 a.m, and score a hat trick that night on the ice.
I remember when the fashion shows were happening in Milan, the professional soccer players were always backstage hanging around. They wanted to see and be seen with the gorgeous women wearing the fabulous clothes. I met a few, both in Italy and in Brazil and there was always one vein that was common to them all. They were just normal guys with the same insecurities that people have, thrown into the spotlight and having to perform for huge crowds weekly. They were passionate about the game, its all they really knew. Unfortunately, there were always the 'dark' elements waiting for them to bring them down, the hangers-on, the 'entourage', the money hungry gold diggers. I saw this so many times I have lost count.
There is a parralel between pro athletes and fashion models and the fact that they end up going out with each other is because they 'get it'. They both have to deal with the same 'dark' elements. How many young girls in Paris starting out as models were abused by their agents? More than anyone will ever know. I know of a few and I had to fend off my agent when I was 17. Reading Fleury's book brought that memory back to me. The same fear factor that Fleury's coach used on him was used on me and other girls in Paris. Luckily I was able to get out the situation before it became severely damaging to my psyche and moved on with my life. I didn't go down the same path as Fleury, but I know a lot of girls that did.
Young, far from family and familiarity. A recipe for disaster and perfect for the soul stealers and vampires to pounce.
Fleury has beem clean and sober for four years. He tried a comeback with the Flames, but was cut from the team. He retired a Flame.
He wrote that the reason he wrote this memoir was to bring to light the abuse that happens on a daily basis in the sports world. He is to be commended for comng forward and exposing parts of his life to total strangers.
I always loved how he was a tough cookie on the ice and was fearless against the 'goon squads' of the NHL. His tenacity is his greatest strength.
Thank you Mr. Fleury for sharing you life story. If your book stops even one child from being abused in the future, you have scored the best goal of your life.

Rio's new Olympic rings are expensive - Winnipeg Free Press

I am happy that Rio de Janeiro has been given the chance to host the 2016 Olympics. They really have ther work cut out for them though. Huge infrastructure projects and better transportation will need to be implemented immediately.
I hope that this will give Rio a chance to get out of its current state of affairs and put it back on the map as a destination for travellers.

EVERY GIRL AND WOMAN SHOULD WATCH THIS!!!!!!

Having been a fashion model in my former life(before kids), I feel it is my obligation to young girls everywhere to show what really happens these days with retouching and Photoshop.

Determination.....

Irving Penn...the Last Great Photographer

Being a fashion model in the late 80's and 90's, I had the opportunity to work with some of the best photographers out there. There are not many people who can say that they have worked with Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, Albert Watson, Patrick Demarchelier, Steven Meisel and Mario Testino. But there was one photographer who I considered the best over and above all the others. Irving Penn. Unfortunately I never had the opportunity to work with him. He passed away yesterday at the age of 92.
He was known for being a perfectionist and it shows in his photos. The lighting, the aesthetic, the poses, were all just so amazing. I remember seeing his still lifes in Vogue and was always in awe at the simplicity of the image, but with the knowledge of what goes on behind the scenes to get the shot(remember, this was before Photoshop and onsite editing). Everyone has seen at least one of his adverts for Clinique.
There will never be another Irving Penn. The New York Times did a wonderful story on his life and his work.
He will continue to set the standard for photographers and art directors for years to come.But there will never be another Penn.

Seasons

Rio de Janeiro Olympic Host City 2016

FINALLY!!!
After two unsuccessful bids to host the Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro came out on top of Chicago, Tokyo and Madrid to win.

Chicago and Tokyo were eliminated in earlier voting and even after a last ditch effort by Juan Samaranch to woo the votes for Madrid, Rio was declared the winner with a 3-1 margin in the total tally of votes.

This is a very exciting venture for the people of Rio de Janeiro and for the rest of Brazil.
It is the first time that the Olympic Games will be held in South America. They picked a great city.

Needless to say they have their work cut out for them. There will have to be major overhaul throughout the whole city to be able to accomodate the traffic and the sheer amount of spectators expected to attend.
Brazil has the money to fund the Olympics, just from the oil royalties off of the coast of Rio. They have the skilled labour to build the stadiums, the roads and the venues. My only suggestion would be to increase the amount of machinery to build the roads faster. They tend to do everything manually, which is alot more time consuming.

This is the chance for Rio to clean up its act and hopefully there will not be insane amounts of palm greasing. The only things that could destroy the Olympic dream for Rio are corruption and greed from politicians.

It's up to the people of Rio and Brazil to not let this happen.

PARABENS RIO DE JANEIRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A Day of Atonement

Today is Yom Kippur. It is considered the holiest day within the Jewish faith. It falls ten days after Rosh Hashanah (aka Jewish New Year). I am not Jewish, but as I have many friends that are, I became aware of this day while I lived in New York City.
A day of reflection and forgiveness. It is a solemn day where Jews become closer to God through prayer and fasting. It is also a day of reconciliation. In the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Jews are encouraged to seek out those who have been offended over the past year and genuinely ask for forgiveness. Only on Yom Kippur can one seek forgiveness from God. That is why it is important to 'make it right' in the ten days prior to Yom Kippur.
This holiday always falls in September, which is also the month of the harvest. In my interfaith mixture of beliefs, it makes sense that Yom Kippur falls at this time. Not only are we reaping the benefits of the harvest, it should be a time that we reflect on the past year that has brought us to this day. The saying "You reap what you sow" is very fitting right now.
I may be wrong, but I see it also as a time of renewal to start the New Year with a clean slate. Time to think about what transgressions we have put upon others and to honestly look within ourselves to become better human beings.
Forgiveness is a very important element to be able to move forward.It is also fundamental to achieve peace in this world that is so strife with conflict.

My Rio de Janeiro

Ah que saudades, minha cidade maravilhosa!!!
Oh how I miss you, my marvelous city!!!

One Day...

the toilet paper roll will run out.....

Where Are We Now, 40 Years After the Bras Were Burned

I believe that the TV series " Sex and the City" actually has caused more harm than good for relationships. I admit that I am a fan and have probably seen every episode including the movie. I did relate to some of the story lines and did find myself in the same predicaments as the characters portrayed.
What I find in retrospect is that the characters basically found men to be disposable. They would meet them and basically sleep with them on the first date. Samantha was the worst for this, but she was never shy or hypocritical of what she wanted from men. They were her prey and she was the predator. Miranda would get involved with men but her underlying bitterness and cynicism would get in the way, which in turn caused her to be even more bitter and cynical. Carrie was portrayed as a free spirit but I found that she was shallow and selfish and just used men to get her to where she wanted. Charlotte was dillusional (for this day and age), because she believed in the myth of Prince Charming coming to rescue her. Of the four, I found myself most like Charlotte because of her high standards she held for the men she wanted to be involved with. She had her heart broken more often than the other three. She wanted to fall in love and live happily ever after.
So if the characters of SATC were role models for young single women, where does this leave the men of this world? Unfortunately it has left them even more confused of the female psyche. Men have always played the field because society expects this of them. They are the 'hunters'. Now that women have become 'hunters' in both the workplace and in relationships, it has caused men to become more vain (metrosexuals, increase in cosmetic surgery procedures, grooming product lines expanding etc.). The worst result, I believe, is that men have lost their respect for women. Men do not want 'hunters', they want women to be their supporters and allies in this cruel world.
When the battle of the sexes has finally fnished, could someone let me know?

Beautiful....

There is a sacredness in tears. They are not the mark of weakness, but of power. They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues. They are messengers of overwhelming grief...and unspeakable love." --- Washington Irving

Quote of the Day

Love doesn't make the world go 'round; love is what makes the ride worthwhile.

Saturday's Quote

If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in the library?
Lily Tomlin

Signs

This award winning short film is so heartwarming. I am a hopeless romantic at heart.Enjoy...................

Quote of the Day

"Even broken candy tastes sweet"

Communication Breakdown

A hilarious story of what can happen when people in a relationship have a disconnect...

Infidelity

After my last relationship with a control freak boyfriend, I decided that I needed a break from men and needed to be by myself to figure out and re discover myself. My essence had been quashed by his constant psychosis; he even imagined that I had been having an affair with my son's soccer coach.

I never cheated on my ex husband nor on my boyfriends. Never did, never will. I have seen too many people around me involved in that vicious circle of cheating and all I can say is that its just a bad gig all around.It hurts, and can scar people for life. I have, however been the one cheated on. I honestly believe in karma.

If you are in a relationship and are considering cheating or you are in a situation that could lead to cheating, do ALL of the world a favor: break up with your significant other first. Can't do it? DON"T CHEAT!!! Infidelity is the WORST thing one can do to their partner,regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

People do things to their significant other that they would never do to their friends.Would you 'cheat' on your friends? Would you disrespect your friends?

When you are in a relationship with a person, shouldn't you be friends above all?

I wouldn't date my worst enemy.
Would you?

The Lazy Days of Summer

Summer has shown itself briefly up here in the great white North. Its hot and sunny outside while I am here plugging away at my computer. Who knew that it could actually be hotter here than in Rio de Janeiro?? Even if it is only by one or two degrees.
After living in Rio de Janeiro for the past decade and a bit, I really took the warm weather for granted. There are two seasons on Rio, hot and hotter. In Calgary there are also two seasons, winter and road constrution. Ther are four distinct seasons here in Calgary and that is something that is amiss in Brazil.