get off to a good start

After some hard time, with so many changes (for good - fortunately!), I just want to restart my life in the best way... Healthy, surrounded by friends, with love and a job.

I was never someone very ambitious, wanting to be rich, famous or was always seeking what is not made for me, what I can't or should not have... My worries were other ones. I've always looked for well-being.

Now, my time has just arrived, and I think I have the right to, and I am not asking too much (!) : happiness, satisfaction, peace of mind, faith, goodness and a world of new and great possibilities, with less injustice, violence and illness. 

Each one writes his own history. I've just start a new chapter... a new life even. Maybe that one it is going to the best one. We never know... I hope write for that, funny and delight words. 

My 2015 resolution is being happy - totally possible! Thank God. Amen.

     

controversy

the original cover, in Portuguese

Yesterday, exaclty two years ago, Moacyr Scliar died. Independently of any discussion, unfortunately, without see his story being nominated for 11 Oscars, winning 4 of them.

Many may ask, for which movie? Well, the answer is easy, and true: Life of Pi, by (the 2013 'best director') Ang Lee.

The homonym novel by Yann Martel was clearly (and admittedly) inspired by Max and the Cats, of the Brazilian jew authour.

Some say it was a plagiarism; others, that it was not - between them, even Scliar, who, in fact, shortly, finished just not to aprove Martel behaviour while saying he used "a good idea that had been spoiled by a Brazilian writer". I understand. Martel was, at least, hostil. After all, I really don't know if he would be capable to write something similar with such talent under the same circumstances, case in point: a dictatorial censorship. 

The fact is that... this same thing he said he didn't read the original, just an unfavorable review, even so, he decided to copy it. Judge other's work without know exactly what is and use it later sounds me strange. Isn't it?! Well, lucky him I'm not a Scliar...

Apart of all this scene, on the question of the quality of both opus, I strongly believe that is worth read these two books and watch the film. That's what I'll do.

Ckeck this video out, where Moacyr Scliar comment the fuss.

Read more about it:

Booker winner in plagiarism row

Tiger in a Lifeboat, Panther in a Lifeboat: A Furor Over a Novel

'Life of Pi': Brazilian story of boy and jaguar on a boat that inspired Yann Martel

just waiting...

Between lies and love,
deception, surrender, regret,
improvement, relapses, prosperity,
doubts, choices, dreams and hope.
Songs, books, movies and records.
French, English and Portuguese.
Home and libraries.
Past, present and future.
Feelings and reality.
Family and friends,
me and him.

o melhor presente

“Wouldn’t be awesome the world if libraries were more important than banks?”

In this spirit, inspired, I combine "business with pleasure"... Without consumption, in favour of knowledge!

Thus, today, on the National Readers Day in Brazil, I give a tip for my ideal birthday gifts: BOOKS. The secondhand ones, cheaper.

in French:


Anaïs Nin

Henry et June
Vénus érotica 
 

Biz (Loco Locass)

La chute de Sparte


Gérald Godin 

Ils ne demandaient qu'à brûler 


Jean de La Fontaine

Fables
 

Jules Verne

Le tour du monde en quatre-vingts jours
Vingt mille lieues sous les mers
 

in English:


Jane Austen

Sense and Sensibility
Pride and Prejudice
Persuasion

in Portuguese:


José Saramago

Ensaio sobre a Cegueira
 

no matter the idiom:


Eduardo Galeano

As veias abertas da América Latina 

Les veines ouvertes de l'Amérique latine 

Open Veins of Latin America


Gabriel García Marquéz

Cem anos de solidão 

Cent ans de solitude

One Hundred Years of Solitude

Do amor e outros demônios 

De l'amour et autres démons 

Of Love and Other Demons

Memória de minhas putas tristes

Mémoire de mes putains tristes

Memories of My Melancholy Whores  


Isabel Allende

Afrodite 

Aphrodite, Contes recettes et autres aphrodisiaques 

Aphrodite: A Memoir of the Senses

___________________________________________________________ 

 

Where to buy it in Montreal:

Bouquinerie du Plateau - 799 Mont Royal Avenue East;

Boutique Volume, 277 Sainte-Catherine Street East;
L'Echange - 713  Mont Royal Avenue East;
The Renaissance Bookstore - 1310 Mont Royal Avenue East; *(a bargain!)

or in a place behind Quebec National Library, on Savoie Avenue. Unfortunately, I don't know its name...

that's true!

Imagination is something. Who is not able to imagine the characters, the main or  secondary ones, from the books? 

Even with some suggested illustrations, eveyone has his own way to bild all personages in his mind. Furthermore, the environement, clothes, objects, furniture and other accessories. Nothing is let aside by our creativity. Even about the future of each story, (fairy)tale or novels don't end, sometimes, as author propose...

Often, we go forward. Writing better, is just one of the advantages of reading.

In a time of babysitter television, short ciphered sentences online or in texts traffic sent by youngs, parents should think about and take it as a tomorrow investment. Beyond doubt: very prosperous. Not only for kids, though...

Knowledge is priceless! It makes all difference. 

___________________________________________________________ 

I simply loved this add from Toronto Public Library!

l'automne est bon pour moi

La phrase est du livre de Mara Tremblay que je suis en train de lire, 'Mon amoureux est une maison d'automne'. Un beau cadeau que j'ai reçu de chers amis.
 

C'est vrai: ce période me fait rêver... Travail, famille, voyages, rencontres, maison, minou, pitou, bébé, enfants. L'avenir de la vie.
 

Tout ça va arriver, mais chacun à la fois, au bon moment. Comme il faut.

Pour une autre saison...

de la culture, n'importe où

18h30 d'un jour de semaine... Il fait tout temps chaud dans le métro.

Il n'y avait pas du monde dans le vagon, seulement 18 personnes.

Une lisait le journal (pas les gratuits), une autre était à feuilleter une revue, et une troisième regardait attentivement un prospectus.

Deux autres écoutaient de la musique sur ses ipods, pendant deux autres jouaient sur ses mobiles (ou checkaient des messages...).

Cependant, ce qui a retenu mon attention, c'était le fait que huit passagers lisaiet des livres... parmi lesquels, plusieus appartenaient à la Grande Biliothèque! (son tampon est tellement apparent qu'il est impossible de ne pas remarquer!)

Les trois dernières ne regardait rien - peut-être les fenêtres, en attendant qui le temps passait vite... C'est pas fou, ça arrive.

La majorité des gens, donc, avait le savoir sur les mains durant le voyage! C'est bien.

J'aime ça d'ici, cette culture. 

___________________________________________________________
 

Des livres, ils nous apportent où bon nous semble. N'importe où.

a gift

It is fairly certain this!

I would like to be one... a model.

On the top of thank all them who transform me (at different levels) in the person I am, not a ordinary one. I became a better me because of them, their lessons I followed.

In the same way, I would like to show people another window of life. Apart from helping them to identify the landscape they see, of course.

Happy Teacher's Day for all!

___________________________________________________________

my contribution

 

I haven't had kid or adopted one yet, or even planted a tree. Nevertheless, nowadays, in my current situation, in my limited universe (but, at the same time wide due to the knowledge), I can help children by reading.

Thus, I finish this post with a Mário Quintana (my favorite poet) quote, which resumes the issue:

“Books don’t change the world. People change the world. Books only change people.”  
  
The secret for a better world, and future.

organic!

Space is required to let libraries breathe.

Like accordions, they enlarge and compress whenever necessary... Much more movement than I could imagine! (for a quiet tranquil place!)

Tellingly, books demand brawn (not just brain!). Good agility, touch and equilibrium also help to handle them.

Enough effort! Surprisingly good. Alive...

the knowledge house

That's what a library is! (even the small ones...)

They are full of wisdom. Most part of answers are there... So many explanations!

Further: magic stories, (fairy)tales, dreams... maps, recipes, tips, meanings, alternatives. Several universes in a single (unique) place!

Its books are its windows for the world, while through each one we can see it in a different way. A lot of possibilities, entire prosperity.

Well, I feel myself comfortable there, secure. I really appreciate only look at this silent and ample paradise (although he tells me a-plenty!).

My safe port. Enriqueta's too (actually, for anyone!).

that comes under another head

Although the book’s name said it is (or would be) “Por uma vida melhor”, in English: in favour of a better life, frankly, I doubt. After all, how using writing in a wrong way as something usual will lead people to this way of life, helping them to do it correctly? I suppose anything but that.

That is MY opinion. Many questions about the effectiveness of this method arise from the moment we are dealing with linguistics, cultural issues and education. It’s too complex.

However, I’m convinced that is better show good examples, mainly if it is for adults - who have more difficult to learn, due to the delay to do that. A little caution is essential in this case.

Be it this way or the other, the fact is that no one would dispute that the sentence “Nós pega os peixe” (in English, somewhat as “We takes the fish”) is completely erroneous, even if people have used it in their spoken language. It should serve by example about what is not to be done.
 
I hope that the 484.195 Brazilian students who will use this book can distinguee easily what is wrong in writing. Unfortunately, I hardly believe that they will be able to, once they are trying to learn the correct Portuguese when using that material.

At the moment, I don’t care about on who Education Ministery put the blame of had approved this kind of (inadmissible) mistake… On the other hand, I reckon that Heloísa Ramos, the author, was unsuccessful in her wrong words. From now, nothing will erase that of her carreer... 

Thus, I admit that, sometimes, I simply admire exact sciences - such as math or physics… when there is no discussion about either its processes or results, and there it stands. It works very well.

overtopping

Our lives are composed by phases… In which one are you?

I’m enough of everything that is not making me a better person, all those facts which simply don’t bring me happiness nor satisfaction, just happen... without an essential reason that conduce me to farther on I can imagine since limited by mundane facts, nonsense.

As long as adrift, move out is necessary (as move on...), don't "simply" giving up, letting ourselves wherever it go without any motivation. I reckon that Liz had been at the same period by she decided to go into an introspective journey - looking for herself, her life's purpose. Alternatively, mine is professional.

I'm referring to ‘Eat, Pray Love’, a beautiful story of a woman who tried to go farther on and succeeded! (*For men, it wont work… the not only verbs but the (rational) intentions are other for them! Nevertheless,) The movie is quite nice and, thus, I'm planning to read the book soon - It always says that on the screen is never so intense as its written lines… I guess (and hope so!).

sharply curved

In the long run, nobody said that living would be easy as simple!

However I know that every small step is an interesting experience to learn with. Thus, it's important keep walking until arrive wherever you want, making hay while the sun shines... namely, making the most of the opportunity.

God moves in a misterious way. Therefore, I believe that all misses are a blessing in disguise. So… Hey, ho, let's go!

narrow-minded time

Big Brother on TV - Where being stupid is a good stroke done.

It says that next year will be the last time we are going to see a group of people confined (together) into a house, being watched full time. Finally! Enough clowning…

Our BB(B), this year, have just presented a different end compared by the prior others: surprisingly, who won the tv show was a pretty bitch with a good heart and few active neurons - something unlikely before… when only smarter or poor individuals used to become rich.

In fact, Maria took the award as a consequence of being a good person and not because of her nice face or her curved body. Her both sincerely and innocent way, (besides funny) to deal with the emotionally strong situations in the game gave her R$ 1 million and a half - not bad!

The main audience is feminine (who votes online, calls or sends messages by mobile). For the first time, they frankly enjoy a girl-player. Maria is the proof that Globo was looking for something new, unpredicted. After all, a gay and others (more than) three handsome calm guys have stepped out there as champions, or at least as vice. Thus, this time was the women turn.

When George Orwell wrote 1984, in 1948, I guess he never could imagine that his words would be a kind of prophecy, chiefly: "Ignorance is Strength". Nevertheless, it came true while Big Brother is the powerful attraction on TV - mainly in Brazil. Here, the numbers - of votes etc are the highest.

Our population simply loves to participate. It is up to them decide who is the main ephemeral celebrity at the moment in the country. It is like a national passion. Easy to happen once most of us are not prepared to shelter ourselves of this abundance of frivolousness, thoughtlessness and futility.

Maybe they like to see themselves there as on a mirror, bringing about this results. Thinking better, perhaps Orwell had hit home as a result of his conclusion that indeed (this type of) Freedom is Slavery - of our knowledge, instruction, wisdom, erudition or cultural background. In this case, limited not only by being between four walls but due to the low intellectual capacity of the participants and also of the audience.

something unless?

Well, It has been so strange live without television’s "presence" at home…

It is only a matter of time until I take mine back. Before, on the contrary, it was not my decision (inclusively and MAINLY the channel to watch it!). Equally House (of course!), I miss in particular the possibility to watch my movies on DVD.  

It seems like I am wasting my time doing nothing, alone. Nevertheless, I’m using this “free time” to bring up to date blog’s texts that I had written but I couldn't post until now due to technical problems.

I've never been away so long, or a mula nunca ficou tanto tempo sem rugir…(I always play upon words with the blog‘s name, in Portuguese indeed, because doesn’t make any sense in English) However, at this right moment, I’m at the peak of my glory - of writing my posts in English!

My ‘comps’ is my best present company in addition to the internet being something more powerful than the television was someday. Owing to this, I shouldn't miss it and enjoy this season with something unless (? - No, I don't think so...). 

nothing to lose

As soon as possible, when I will have just finished to up date this blog, I am going to be some kind of monster to these (online) days: I‘ll set aside the internet in my daily life as much as I can to giving a deep dive into some books I want to read. Another hobby I’m going to dedicate myself acutely is going to the cinema more often.

Accessing it everyday, a long period during all the day long, is practically impossible to enjoy these other arts as I’m decided to do. I want to take a cultural shower from these sources. Therefore, it’s necessary give a limit to this new media as mothers did in the past with children who used to stay many hours in front of television…

Books - all the best! (in any time, for everybody…) No restrictions, no waste of time.

enough is enough

I’m tired… Being a good person is not a good choice, after all, we always got our fingers burnt!

Owing to people respect more who doesn’t worth nor what is eaten - It happens professionally and in relationships, it is NOT a good market INDEED. Furthermore, men don’t prefer princesses, but bitches! 

So, why am I butting my head against a wall, insisting to be a looser?  Not anymore [please!].

I'm inclusively reading a Sherry Argov's book/manual to help myself to be worse… ops(!) “better”! It is necessary to be attended nowadays when the values have changed.

Further: good girls go to haven, the bad ones go to Amsterdam!

Thus... 'doei'!

difícil de ignorar

O peso deste relacionamento é palpável. Seja lá em que esfera da vida se manifestar, é uma combinação importante que exige atenção. Não que estes dois sejam pessoas particularmente carentes; ambos podem passar anos trabalhando sem exigir elogios e destaque. No entanto, seu relacionamento é difícil de ignorar. Mesmo que não seja levado a sério por uns tempos, o impacto exercido à sua volta se sentirá mais tarde — às vezes quando não está mais em cena.

Como namorados e esposos, esses parceiros esperam que o outro esteja sempre a postos e faça sua parte. Esse relacionamento leva as coisas a sério quando se trata de cumprir responsabilidades; e de fato, pode ser extremamente rancoroso. Aqui, a expressão sexual geralmente é direta, e talvez algo sem nuances.

Do livro “Linguagem Secreta dos Relacionamentos”, de Gary Goldschneider & Joost Elffers, sobre a possível combinação astrológica entre duas pessoas, numa espécie de sinastria.

Insistências e resistências à parte, está escrito. Pois é, tínhamos TUDO para dar certo, mas, pelo jeito, só vai acontecer quando não for mais (minha) hora... naturalmente. Lamentável.

mais forte que a gente

Um sujeito está dirigindo um luxuoso Mercedes Benz quando o pneu fura. Ao tentar trocá-lo, descobre que falta o macaco.

– Bem, vou até a primeira casa, e peço emprestado – pensa, enquanto caminha em busca de ajuda.
– Talvez o sujeito vendo meu carro, queira me cobrar algo pelo macaco – diz para si mesmo.
– Um carro como estes, e eu precisando de macaco, ele vai me cobrar dez dólares. Não, talvez cobre cinqüenta, porque sabe que eu preciso do macaco. Ele vai se aproveitar, talvez cobre cem dólares

E, à medida que anda, o preço vai subindo. Quando chega na casa, e o dono abre a porta, o sujeito grita:

– Você é um ladrão! Um macaco não vale tanto! Pode ficar com ele!

Qual de nós pode dizer que nunca se comportou desta maneira?

COELHO, Paulo. Maktub. Rio de Janeiro: Rocco, 1994. p. 164.
_______________________________________________________________________

Sobre o questionamento do mago, afirmo (e lamento) que, muitas vezes, armamos-nos contra fantasmas que nós mesmos criamos, internamente, em cima de medos e frustrações pessoais nossas. Esse pré-julgamento individual é ruim porque pode não condizer com o sentimento e intenção alheios, com a troca a se fazer com o outro. É egoísta, covarde, e talvez seja equivocado também.

Reconheço que só perco quando ajo assim porque posso estar sendo injusta, supondo coisas, comportamentos, retornos, respostas... quando não me pertence esse direito. Atacar para se defender é um erro, e sofrer por antecipação só faz mal. Não sou fã do escritor, mas sempre me lembro desse trecho do único livro dele que li, quando crio monstros na minha cabeça.

Nesses casos, imaginação fértil pode ser sinônimo de brigas e afastamentos infrutíferos. Uma simples conversa esclarece qualquer dúvida, permite que a vida flua como deve ser - sem grilos, nóias e algumas incertezas. Não devemos alimentar esses devaneios e angústias, porque tendem a ganhar proporções gigantes, dominando-nos, fazendo com que percamos o juízo e a razão.

Cuidado. Pode ser perigoso, arrisacado, prejudicial, ser um(a) gato(a) escaldado(a).

de fé

Hoje é para usar branco, dia de Oxalá!

Para agradar o rei dos orixás, tenho tentado, inclusive, aderir ao costume, buscando um figurino apropriado para o momento mais badalado da semana. É um agito sempre, correria. Muitas vezes se sai direto do trabalho pro happy hour ou para festas e eventos. Vale de tudo, uma peça que seja! (pode ser a calcinha, a cueca...)

Não há uma sexta-feira de samba que não tenha a cor da paz nas vestimentas. Impressionante. Vê-se que o povo é de fé, que respeita. Acho bonito. Será que logo mais Maria Rita não vai fugir à regra dos outros tantos artistas que se apresentaram no Circo Voador nos shows promovidos pela Tam, Paixão pelo Rio? Todos seguiram a tradição. Vale até notinha isso... Assessoria!

A ocasião é perfeita. Dia de se comemorar esse calor todo alvamente, mais do que nunca.

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Por falar em fé... (e em festejos)

O que estava fazendo o Paulo Coelho em Copenhague na grande final da decisão da sede dos jogos olímpicos de 2016? Será que o bruxo estava fazendo uma ‘fézinha’? (E o Lula foi ótimo... Em entrevista ao vivo para o Jornal Hoje já soltou uma dizendo que ele estava lá a vender seus livros... mas nem precisava, né?! Não MESMO). Cada uma...

book-people

Assim, em inglês mesmo, é definido um conceito diferente de cultura na adaptação de François Truffaut para o cinema do romance mundialmente famoso de Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451.

Fiquei boquiaberta ao assistir a esse clássico. Já havia lido alguma coisa interessante a respeito, tanto que resolvi comprar o DVD para ter em casa e poder ver com calma quando quisesse, mas REALMENTE não sabia o que me aguardava. E me arrependi de não tê-lo visto antes.

Lançado em 1966, foi a primeira e única produção em língua inglesa do conceituado diretor francês. Aclamado pela crítica como um dos roteiros mais inteligentes da história, Fahrenheit 451 é uma fábula extraordinária em que a própria raça humana se transforma no terror mais assustador à liberdade intelectual. Com uma estética ousada e linguagem seca, faz uma critica à sociedade.

Num futuro hipotético ler é proibido por um governo totalitário. Livros são então queimados sob o argumento de que tornam a humanidade infeliz e improdutiva. E, semelhante ao que acontece na vida real numa ditadura, pessoas denunciam e entregam quem descumpre a lei. Esses cidadãos são então caçados por bombeiros, que ateiam fogo, ao invés de apaga-lo.

O título do filme é inclusive uma referência à temperatura que os livros são queimados (convertido para Celsius, esta temperatura equivale a 233 graus). Montag é um desses profissionais que perseguem e punem leitores. Ele leva uma vida banal ao lado de sua esposa Linda, uma alienada dona de casa da época, até conhecer Clarisse, que mostra a ele uma outra realidade.

Essa jovem professora consegue faze-lo enxergar de uma nova forma o material que incendiava. Aos poucos, ele se encanta pelo novo universo literário e cultural a ele apresentado e começa a ler cada vez mais e a tentar salvar alguns exemplares para leitura. Dessa forma, fica dividido e passa a se questionar sobre sua conduta moral e sobre aquela condição em que vivia até então.

A parte mais interessante da narrativa, para mim, é a questão dos 'homens-livros' exposta por Clarisse. Fugitivos do sistema, pessoas incorporaram obras literárias inteiras para que suas histórias não se perdessem com tamanha ignorância e perseguição. Genial. Vida, cultura e sociedade num conceito inovador e surpreendente de conhecimento. Fiquei instigada a ler o livro agora. E vou.

Aliás, o que seria de sua vida se você não tivesse o direito de ler? Imagine.