Crisis

We usually tend to find life difficult, until some bad thing happen and makes things truly difficult.

A few weeks ago, I was in one more of my usual business trips to the US, when I learned that my mom was at the hospital for a heart surgery. She is actually pretty lucky to be alive. She had a test made which monitored her heart for 24 hours and the doctors learned that her heart stopped 24 times in that timeframe. Tell me about scary.

Well, I took the first flight I could from the US to Porto Alegre, to stay with her. I had a feeling that if I was there, she wouldn't be allowed to leave me. Or leave us.

She is fine now, and a happy owner of a pacemaker. She looks healthier than before. It is amazing how being healthy is always stamped on your forehead, but we just don't give a shit about it. We don't read the signs from our own body.

Anyway, in the middle of that crisis, which has passed but still affects daily life for all of us, I had the chance, for the first time in a few years, of spending 15 consecutive days with my family. I call that quality time. We were united again, we felt like a team again. Well, at least most of us did, I am sure.

I think I can say that two weeks ago I had one of the largest crisis in my life. I am so glad I had so many people I love and who loves me around, and that they also took care of me when I had to take care of others. That's how it is in the end. One helps the other and everybody gets stronger that way.

Now I am back to Zurich, to work, and trying to get my daily routine back to normal. It is hard, but I will get there.

Valentine's Day! Show your love for Free Software!

FSFE started a campaign last year, which I think is the most positive campaign for Free Software I've seen. So, let's join and show your love for Free Software!

"These things happen"

In November, me and B were on our way to Zurich, waiting for a connecting flight in the Guarulhos airport, and B went to the ATM from Caixa (a federal bank where he has his account) to grab some cash. He did that.

Once he was back from Zurich, he learned his account had been cracked by some people using the ATM at the Guarulhos Airport. Ironic thing is that this ATM is just by the side (and I really mean door to door) of the police station at the airport. The people took around 1500 USD from his account. The bank detected the fraud and blocked his account. They said they would give his money back. As far as I know, he is still waiting.

Today, I went for manicure at the airport, since I had around 10 hours of waiting time between connecting flights. On my way to the saloon, which is next door to the police station as well, but to the other side, I saw two guys doing "stuff" at the ATM. They were talking as who take instructions from the mobile phone conversation they had, and typing some numbers, waiting, doing it again, going to the next ATM, doing the same, talking on the phone. And I couldn't help but wonder "What the hell are they doing there?". Probably they were again, doing some shit to the ATM and to some other people's bank accounts.

I got my manicure and pedicure done. It took me around 1 hour. When I got out of there I was surprised that one of the dudes was still (or again) there at the ATMs. Same thing: talking on the phone, getting instructions, doing whatever, typing stuff on the numeric keyboard, walking to the next ATM, doing the same, and so on.

I stopped at the Crepe shop which is around the same area, and stayed there paying attention to what the guy was doing. He finished his "stuff" and walked away.

After I was done with my Crepe, and was sure the dude was gone, I went to the police station.

I told them my boyfriend had his account cracked a few weeks ago from activity in that same ATM, and that I thought it was a bit ironic the fact that the ATM is next door to the police station. I asked whether they ever paid attention to the "activity" in the ATM. Also I told them about the dudes that probably spent 1 hour at the ATM machines today while I was getting my finger nails done.

There were 5 cops at that room. Not sure if there were more in the back rooms. They were all watching TV, except by a woman who was doing something on the computer.

They said it was pretty impossible to know what was going on there because they had other things to do, and that the staff doing machine maintenance in the ATMs was very likely to be involved in something like that. He said they knew it happened twice in that particular ATM in the past month. The dude didn't seem embarrassed at all by the fact that the ATM in question was just by the side of the police station where he is paid to be a policeman at.

And then he said "You know, these things happen".

I wonder when the police in Sao Paulo stopped feeling that crime is the problem their jobs is meant to solve.

After that, I left the station, and went walking very fast passed the passport control, where I knew my security would no longer be in those people's hands.

Two, one, go!

So, tomorrow is my flight to Sao Paulo, so I decided to post a two-in-one song today, since I foresee a busy busy day, with almost no chance to another blog post. I am so looking forward to this trip, that its more than 1am, I woke up at 6:30am today, and I am wide awake.

It has been a lot of fun to work on this "A song a day" project, and for sure it has helped me to work through the time and the distance. I hope people didn't unsubscribe from my (now) cheesy blog.

Anyway. So today's song is Beatles - When I get home.

When I get home
Whoa-ho, whoa-ho,
I got a whole lot of things to tell her,
when I get home.

Come on, out of my way,
'cos I'm gonna see my baby today,
I've got a whole lot of things I've gotta say to her.

Whoa-ho, whoa-ho,
I got a whole lot of things to tell her,
when I get home.

Come on if you please,
I've got no time for trivialities,
I've got a girl who's waiting home for me tonight.

Whoa-ho, whoa-ho,
I got a whole lot of things to tell her,
when I get home.

When I'm getting home tonight, I'm gonna hold her tight.
I'm gonna love her till the cows come home,
I bet I'll love her more,
till I walk out that door again.

Come on, let me through,
I've got so many things, I've got to do,
I've got no business being here with you this way.

Whoa-ho, whoa-ho,
I've got a whole lot of things to tell her
when I get home - yeah.

Three - Wohoo!

I can't believe that time has passed so fast. Tomorrow I have such a busy day that it will for sure pass by as it were just 24 minutes, and then it will be the packing and running to the airport day.

My flight is already overbooked, which means that I have chances of getting an upgrade, and that will make me get much more fresh to Sao Paulo on Friday.

Anyway, B hates romance in the literary mean. The thing about dying of love and so on. I prefer to ignore the over romantic parts of a song, and just go with the mood of the rest. I was hesitant on posting this song, but I will anyway. Its's "Final Feliz", Jorge Vercillo.

Chega de fingir
Eu não tenho nada a esconder
Agora é pra valer
Haja o que houver

Não tô nem aí
Eu não tô nem aqui pro que dizem
Eu quero é ser feliz
E viver pra ti

Pode me abraçar sem medo
Pode encostar sua mão na minha

Meu amor
Deixa o tempo se arrastar sem fim

Meu amor,
não há mal nenhum gostar assim

Oh, meu bem
Acredite no final feliz
Meu amor
Meu amor

Four - Protest

I hate Claro. B has a mobile phone from Claro, and out of nowhere we now can't exchange SMSes. I can send him SMSes, but his SMSes never reach my mobile. Today for some reason this little communication barrier imposed by Claro made me upset. It sucks.

Anyway, I am having pretty exhaustive days of lots of work, headache, and today my sister had a baby. A little super cute girl. Its impressive how a belly turns into a little human being. Its like magic!

Today's song is Pato Fu, "Por Perto".

Num velho disco a vida se desfaz
Em poucos minutos
Pra onde aquele tempo te levou
Também vou

Pode ser numa canção
Pode ser no coração
Eu so quero ter você por perto

Se é pra tocar o ceu e me lembrar
Do canto de um anjo
Naquele empoeirado LP
Encontro você

Pode ser numa canção
Pode ser no coração
Eu so quero ter você por perto
Eu só quero ter você

Foi-se o tempo em que sozinho
Maltratei meu coração
Me contou um passarinho:
Tristeza é sem razão

Pode ser numa canção
Pode ser do coração
Eu so quero ter você por perto
Eu só quero ter você por perto

Pode ser numa canção
Pode ser do coração
Eu so quero ter você por perto
Eu só quero ter você...

Five - Relaxing day

Today I spent mostly relaxing and doing nothing. I went for lunch at a friend's place, and then came back home. I varnished my outside table and chairs. I didn't have enough varnish for all of them. But I have to say that I really enjoy those "at home by myself" experiences. I spent hours and hours siting outside, making a mess, and doing for once something productive that didn't have a keyboard as input method.

While I was enjoying varnishing my table, I was listening to music and thinking about life. This is one of the songs, very cute. After the daylight was over, I came inside and watched movies, including Thelma and Louise.

Today's song is Tribalistas, Grão de Amor.

Me deixe sim
Mas só se for
Pra ir ali
E pra voltar

Me deixe sim
Meu grão de amor
Mas nunca deixe
De me amar

Agora as noites são tão longas
No escuro eu penso em te encontrar
Me deixe só
Até a hora de voltar

Me esqueça sim
Pra não sofrer
Pra não chorar
Pra não sentir

Me esqueça sim
Que eu quero ver
Você tentar
Sem conseguir

A cama agora está tão fria
Ainda sinto seu calor
Me esqueça sim
Mas nunca esqueça o meu amor

É só você que vem
No meu cantar meu bem
É só pensar que vem

Láia laia

Me cobre mil telefonemas
Depois me cubra de paixão
Me pegue bem
Misture alma e coração