Another great birthday party!

Last weekend my beautiful friend Bettina and I celebrated our joined birthday party. She turned 29 on the 29th of August and I turned 27 on the 2nd of September.

It was an amazing party! For few weeks people came to me to tell how much they were looking forward to my party and I that made me feel very excited and loved as well.

As per usual, every time I plan a party I get a bit stressed out during the day because I am a Virgo and I believe in perfection. Everything has to be perfect and has to go well. However, as soon as everybody started to show up I felt more relaxed and I really enjoyed it. To look around and see all my friends enjoying themselves and having a great time in my home, made my day, or should I say night?!

After the gathering in my beautiful house, we made our way to one of our favorite night clubs where we had a V.I.P. lounge reserved. The music was great and every where I went, I saw my invitees having a blast!

After few more hours drinking and dancing we went to another night club. It was amazing to watch people dancing and have a good time.

As for the presents, I got a lot of alcohol which I don't complain. However I don't get why people think I am an alcoholic.. (hahaha) and I also got a foot and scalp massage which I will be using it pretty soon. B gave me a key ring with a whale tale which she brought from her trip to New Zealand and a voucher to have a day at a spa plus a night out with martinis and dancing! I will be cashing that one very soon I suppose.

I think what I am really looking forward to is to take that evil girl underwater with some of our friends. It will be a fantastic day. We are going on a boat trip and have a couple of dives. It should be great! Perheaps we will even spot some sharks, although I think I am the only one looking forward to it!

With every passing year I enjoy my parties even more. I cannot wait to see what will happen next year.

For those of you that couldn't be there, here are some more great pictures.

See you soon!!

My SPRING view

Neguinho is gone!!

Today I woke up and made a decision of buying my scuba gear. It would have been the perfect day if after I finished work I'd saw my scooter parked where I left but it wasn't there anymore. Someone stole it and now I'm just sad. I cannot do anything about it but contact my insurance. However, my precisous first scooter is gone and even though I can get a brand new one, no one will replace the happy memories that I had on it...

It's a bitersweet day today!

I WANT IT AND I WANT IT NOW!!

Sometimes I feel like a child on the supermarket or toy store. I want it and I want it now! I think that we have stablished that I am extremely stuborn and when I put something in my mind it will stay there until I do it.

Diving was like that. For so many years I wanted to do the dive course and now that it is done I want more. I want to go all the way to at least - and I am saying the least - Dive Master. I want to master this sport and do it over and over again. When I meet people that have over 10.000 dives logged I feel jealous, I want to kick their asses but at the same time I want them as dive buddies. Crazy I know but that's just me. I am a geek - which I believe we have also stablished - and when I say that I'm a geek, it's not in the sense that I love to sit down and study for hours but it's in the sense that I want to learn more, to discover more to MASTER more things! It's all about the experience.

It took me about 6-8 weeks to decide which fins I should get and now that I've got it I'm going to my next step - by the BCD, regs and computer. I went to the 2 dive stores in town twice in less than 7 days so I could try them on, learn about it and make up my mind about which one I should get. I spent hours going through the costs and the catalogues to see which one was the best for me and my pocket and I finally came to a conclusion, I made my choice (and it only took me 1 week!!). Mind you that I wasn't going to buy anything before November but my birthday is on Sunday so I am very tempted to get it as my Birthday present. I don't have that kind of money laying around the house just waiting to be spent but I don't care, I WANT IT AND I WANT IT NOW!

Maybe I can go diving soon with my brand spanking new gear! It will be awesome!

Winter requires chimarrao

I know the winter is almost over in this part of the world and slow as I am, only today I had my first chimarrao of the year.

For those of you who have no idea what I am talking about, chimarrao is the typical drink amongst the gauchos. Ok, let's slow down a bit. Gauchos are people who live in the Pampas which is where the best meat of the world come from. This area is located in the south of Brazil, North of Argentina and Uruguay. Geography lessons a part, chimarrao is a green tea that you drink with a metallic straw and a cuica which is made with a dried and hollow fruit. If you have been to those parts of the world you would have seen people drinking it while waiting for the bus, while at the parks or even driving to go to work. Now you may ask - Why a girl that was brought up in Sao Paulo, a city that is 18 hrs drive away from the south is so concern about not have drunken it this winter when we had awfully cold weeks this year? The answer is simple. Because I'm too slow. I forgot that such a drink has ever existed even though that when I was in London, facing harsh weather I asked my dad to send the cuia and 2kg of the herb every winter.

Anyway, today I am having my first one this winter and I'm quiet proud of myself because I introduced chimarrao to a gaucha (girl from the south of Brazil!) and I think I can get her addicted to it!! ;-)

Cheers!!

Diving, diving and more diving!!

Ok, let's face it!! I get extremely annoying when I put an idea in my head. I'm very stubborn and I focus too much on things that shouldn't receive that much focus.

My lovely flatmates, Paula and Bettina had to hear about my idea of going SCUBA diving for 7 weeks until I did it and then another 3 weeks after (I firmily believe that I drove Paula insane and that's why she moved out!!). Aright, it was something that I wanted to do for 12 years of my life, mind you I'm only 26 so it's almost half of my life, but does anyone spend 4 weeks deciding between 2 wet suits or which fins should get or which colour of the mask would go better with the wetsuit and the fins that it hasn't been decided yet which to get? I get excited with these little things. I love the preparation, the enthusiasm of starting something new, the changes in life. I embrace it all!!

My next 'challenge' is to go shark diving!! I love sharks, I want to be a shark Biologist. Sharks are everywhere in my bedroom, I've got a tiger shark tattoo in my waist (Lélly) and I have a stuffed tigger shark called Johnny which by the way, my lovely friend B loves to bitch slap!! Poor B, she's already putting up with my insane ideas of scuba diving AGAIN!!!!

If I survive this shark dive, which is a birthday present to myself, I promise to put a photo and annoy you with the tale. In the mean time, I leave you with this photo of me swimming away from a Bull Shark!!

I'm ALIVE!!

I LOOOOve to feel!! I believe that th feelings that you have makes you feel alive!

I left my marriage because there wasn't any feeling involved in it any longer. Really sad but shit happens! However, today in a great night out with friends I felt so alive! I met great people! I danced with a couple of my greatest friends and yes girls, I'm bringing him to the conversaion - I didn't feel anything for him (you know who he is!). When I found out that he was there, I was uneasy because it's when I'm drunk or... that I send stupid text messages or say things that I shouldn't. I saw him and didn't feel anything towards him but a great deal of gratetude!

I saw some really hot guys that could be sharing my bed now with me but the end of the day, I was completed! I felt all the love that my friends have towards me and this is very fulfilling!

I'm ALIVE and I can feel it!

It is good to be a woman:

1. We got off the Titanic first.

2. We can scare male bosses with the mysterious gynecological disorder excuses.

3 Taxis stop for us.

4. We don't look like a frog in a blender when dancing.

5. No fashion faux pas we make, could ever rival the Speedo.

6. We don't have to pass gas to amuse ourselves.

7. If we forget to shave, no one has to know.

8. We can congratulate our teammate without ever touching her rear end.

9. We never have to reach down every so often to make sure our privates are still there.

10. We have the ability to dress ourselves.

11. We can talk to the opposite sex without having to picture them naked

12. If we marry someone 20 years younger, we are aware that we will look like an idiot.

13. There are times when chocolate really can solve all your problems.

PAULISTANA IS BACK!!

Hey girls, I think this is the easiest way to tell you the news!! Nothing big or major, but quite funny and surprisingly exciting!!

The hottie text me yesterday around 10:30 and we were sening messages to one another until 1:30 when I decided that I wasn't going to meet him for a couple of hours of dancing (he invitated!!)

Anyway, that's all!! See you lindas during the week!!
Beijos

My new love and I

Today I was riding my little beast or for those who ar close to it, neguinho and I don't know what happened to make me feel like the way I felt. I had the biggest smile in my face!! People were looking at me. I think it was the energy that I was passing on or maybe because a japonese woman with long legs was riding this tiny black scooter with a big smile on her face or maybe I had my pants undone and I didn't realized. Whatever it was, it was a great feeling, like when you were a kig and you ran so much that you thought your legs would fall off!!

Anyway, all I know is that it was a great feeling!! Having a scooter is great!!

PARTY TIME FINALLY REWARDED!!

I MUST admitt that I spent almost all my life partying hard. Sometimes going out Thursday through till sunday. Showing up in class with a clean face, but hair stinking like cigarette as well as my clothes. Funny thing is that I'm pround of it. I'm part of a majority of young people in Sao Paulo that would go out at 10pm and then at 5:30 when the night club was closed, would go to the nearest Fran's cafe (Franchising of 24hrs coffee shops that are in ever single corner in the city - a great friend once told me that it's easier to find a Fran's caffee in one corner than a hooker...!!!) have a coffee, croissant, wash my face and be at school at 7:00am, ready or so I'd like to think, for my Chemistry or Maths class!!

Don't think that this sort of behaviour didn't cost me anything.
Financially: I was never able to save much!
Emotionally: I always had boyfriends so is not as if I was sleeping around and besides, I always taught them to party hard with me!
Intelectually: well... my grades weren't never that great. I was always the average student with few subjects that I was just smart for and didn't need to study to get good grades.

Anyway, life goes on and I kept partying hard. Partyed through Uni and in London. Now I'm partying through TAFE. Althought not as near as hard as I used to but still known in the circles as a PARTY GIRL!!!

To sum up this crap, I mean, scrap... I partyed all my life and for some weird reason, QTAC decided to reward me with an awesome OP which I would never think possible! It means that as long as I fullfill the pre requisites for my course, I can get into any course that I would like to! Guess what I did when I found out about my KICK ASS OP???

I PARTYED!!!!

525.600 minutes...

525.600 minutes ago I discovered feeling that I have long forgotten. It was the first time in many years that I was laughing with completely happiness while watching "Light my candle" on a Rent production in Brisbane. During the play I felt anxious, happy, worried and sad. I had these feelings in different times of the play and when those 2 hours were finished, I realized that my life has changed completely.

I wonder how 2 hours can do that to you? How a play can make you so happy and sad at the same time that you feel so overcome with the rush of emotions and you from that moment on you know that your life has changed drastically. At 18:00 I was getting ready to go to watch A play and at 22:00 I knew I had to make some harsh decisions to get my life back.

The opening act is with all the actors singing “Seasons of Love” and for those who haven’t listened to this song, I will write a bit of it. The song goes:
“525.600 minutes,
525.600 minutes moments so dear.
525.600 how do you measure a year in your life?
In day light? in sunsets? in midnights?
In cups of coffee? in inches? in laughter?…
525.600 minutes how do you measure a year in your life?
How about love?
Measure in love…”

I remember having goose pumps when they sang this song and that’s when my thoughts started to change. I drift away from the play and started to think about my life in general and I remember coming back to earth minutes later when the protagonist couple started to sing “Light my candle”. For some reason, I felt completely immerse on the scene and I couldn’t stop laughing with full happiness. That’s when I realized that I was fully happy for the first time in a long time. Such a thought brought a massive smile in my face which I couldn’t get rid of until they played “No day but today” but I don’t want to get in much details about the sad part, it’s not what I’m writing this for.

My life was a mass before this play and after 525.600 minutes it is still massy but I’m getting it organized, my way, my time (SO VIRGO!!)

So the question is: How do you measure a year in your life?
In 525.600 minutes I bonded with an old friend, made a new very good friend, lost the love of my life, made a dream come true, fell in love, had a heart break, met great people along the way, danced my ass off, drunk a fair bit and rediscovered feeling that have long gone to sleep.

I’m measuring five hundred, twenty five thousand, six hundred minutes in love. Love for my 3 dearest friends who guided me through the rough path of divorced and showed to me that there’s a light in the end of the tunnel. Love for the simple luxuries in life such as shopping and going out for a martini. Love of myself and love itself.

Many, many, many, infinite many thanks to my sister Ana who was there from the beginning and had to coupe with me bitching about everything and didn’t charge for any of this psychotherapy sessions and most of all: for taking me to watch RENT and making me completely addicted to it!

So have you thought how do you measure a year in your life??? How about LOVE?!?!?!


Ana, Paulinha, B and Sophie you are a sublime gift from the skies and I’m very blessed to have you in my life. LOVE YOU!!

Paulistana: Be or not to be

Paulistana is a woman who was born in São Paulo city. I'm always going to be Paulistana, I was born there, I speak like one and sometimes I behave like one.

To behave like a paulistana means to take the first step, never to wait for the guy to come and talk to you. Always make the first move!

Although today I had the best opportunity ever and my friends helping me out on it (principly Dan and B), I didn't have the courage to do so. This hottie who works on one of the best clubs in town gave me so many openings to act on it and behave like a Paulistana but I didn't take it (fucking stupid!!). I wasn't drunk or high or anything but I didn't have the courage to be myself... I CANNOT BELIEVE!! Being a Paulistana is in my blood and for some weird reason I decided to play naive and I ended up leaving as it was...And now I'm here, at 5:00am writting on this blog getting ready to sleep on my own AGAIN!!!

I just wonder when did I lose the PAULISTANA way of living and became this pussy girl? Anyway, everyday I get stronger and more confident to bring back my Paulistana way or as I'd like to call: Lélly Abranches.

When Lélly Abranches get fully back in town, Brisbane watch out because I'm going to ROCK THIS CITY!!!

The end of the day I'm not sure if he acts like that with every girl or only with me but hopefully I'm soon to find out!!

I HATE my mobile when I'm drunk!!

Throw the first stone who has never called or text someone at 3:00am while you were drunk or too fucked up in a big night out!! I believe it might be an acceptable and even common behaviour when you do it sometimes but the problem is when you do that often and worse, when you text everybody in your phonebook just to tell them that you are having a BLAST!!

My issue is that I cannot control myself and once a while I write things that I rather keep in private but some crazy reason, the serotonine is high and I feel the urge to say what I'm thinking or feeling (FUCKING LATIN BLOOD!!). This practice of random messaging may be considered annoying by some people but most of my friends like it, reply to my messages and worst of all, now they are doing the same. Sometimes I get messages at 3:00am on a friday saying "it's another random message" and that is all...

I supposed I caused a domino effect amongst some of my friends with the random text message so WATCH OUT they might do it to YOU too!! And maybe you get bitten by the hi-tech bug and join the All-nighters Club where you don't have to do anything but send random messages to your friends in very inconveniente times of the morning just to say that you are having a great time while he/she is sleeping (or was!!) and perhaps feel shitty next day not only because you have the worst hangover ever but also because you sent a random message to someone that you shouldn't!! If you have done it before you know the feeling of looking at your mobile and saying: I HATE my mobile when I'm drunk!!

PS.: I know you girls will laugh about this one as you know how much I HATE my mobile when I'm drunk!!! haha

Why I make plans???

Today is my second day off in a row, so no work or TAFE to worry about! When I see a day off in my roster I start to make plans, to idealize what is meant to be a very productive day however it never turns out the way I thought it would!

Take today for instance, here I am in front of the computer creating this blog while I was meant to be studying about mangroves! It's lunch time already and I'm thinking about what I'm going to cook for myself. Afterwards will be time for washing up, having a cig while admiring the view from my varandah and when I come back to earth and check the time, I will most certainly be late to meet Paula at some bar in the city to have a couple of beers before we meet the other girls! I have promised myself that I would go for only 2 beers but I know myself well enough to understand that if I'm having a great time, I will stay there for a while but even if I decide to come back home for any reason, I will be a bit tipsy to try to study. I suppose I studyed enough last night and that should do the trick!

So here is my question: Why do I bother making plans for my days off if in the end I change my mind and do whatever I feel like? I suppose there are two answers and none is wrong: I make plans because I like to have an objective, something to look forward to and I don't normally follow my plans for the simple fact that I CAN!!! I live in my little purple world where I have the power to do so!!