I know a country (impossible to translate)

Portugal vale a pena

Eu conheço um país que tem uma das mais baixas taxas de mortalidade de recém-nascidos do mundo, melhor que a média da União Europeia.
Eu conheço um país onde tem sede uma empresa que é líder mundial de tecnologia de transformadores.
Mas onde outra é líder mundial na produção de feltros para chapéus. Eu conheço um país que tem uma empresa que inventa jogos para telemóveis e os vende para mais de meia centena de mercados.
E que tem também outra empresa que concebeu um sistema através do qual você pode escolher, pelo seu telemóvel, a sala de cinema onde quer ir, o filme que quer ver e a cadeira onde se quer sentar.
Eu conheço um país que inventou um sistema biométrico de pagamentos nas bombas de gasolina e uma bilha de gás muito leve que já ganhou vários prémios internacionais.
E que tem um dos melhores sistemas de Multibanco a nível mundial, onde se fazem operações que não é possível fazer na Alemanha, Inglaterra ou Estados Unidos.
Que fez mesmo uma revolução no sistema financeiro e tem as melhores agências bancárias da Europa (três bancos nos cinco primeiros).
Eu conheço um país que está avançadíssimo na investigação da produção de energia através das ondas do mar. E que tem uma empresa que analisa o ADN de plantas e animais e envia os resultados para os clientes de toda a Europa por via informática.
Eu conheço um país que tem um conjunto de empresas que desenvolveram sistemas de gestão inovadores de clientes e de stocks, dirigidos a>pequenas e médias empresas.
Eu conheço um país que conta com várias empresas a trabalhar para a NASA ou para outros clientes internacionais com o mesmo grau de exigência.
Ou que desenvolveu um sistema muito cómodo de passar nas portagens das auto-estradas.
Ou que vai lançar um medicamento anti-epiléptico no mercado mundial.
Ou que é líder mundial na produção de rolhas de cortiça.
Ou que produz um vinho que "bateu" em duas provas vários dos melhores vinhos espanhóis.
E que conta já com um núcleo de várias empresas a trabalhar para a Agência Espacial Europeia.
Ou que inventou e desenvolveu o melhor sistema mundial de pagamentos de cartões pré-pagos para telemóveis.
E que está a construir ou já construiu um conjunto de projectos hoteleiros de excelente qualidade um pouco por todo o mundo.
O leitor, possivelmente, não reconhece neste País aquele em que vive - Portugal.
Mas é verdade. Tudo o que leu acima foi feito por empresas fundadas por portugueses, desenvolvidas por portugueses, dirigidas por portugueses, com sede em Portugal, que funcionam com técnicos e trabalhadores portugueses.
Chamam-se, por ordem, Efacec, Fepsa, Ydreams, Mobycomp, GALP, SIBS, BPI,BCP, Totta, BES, CGD, Stab Vida, Altitude Software, Primavera Software,Critical Software, Out Systems, WeDo, Brisa, Bial, Grupo Amorim, Quinta do Monte d'Oiro, Activespace Technologies, Deimos Engenharia, Lusospace, Skysoft, Space Services. E, obviamente, Portugal Telecom Inovação. Mas também dos grupos Pestana, Vila Galé, Porto Bay, BES Turismo e Amorim Turismo.
E depois há ainda grandes empresas multinacionais instaladas no País, mas dirigidas por portugueses, trabalhando com técnicos portugueses, que há anos e anos obtêm grande sucesso junto das casas mãe, como a Siemens Portugal, Bosch, Vulcano, Alcatel, BP Portugal, McDonalds (que desenvolveu em Portugal um sistema em tempo real que permite saber quantas refeições e de que tipo são vendidas em cada estabelecimento da cadeia norte-americana).

É este o País em que também vivemos.
É este o País de sucesso que convive com o País estatisticamente sempre na cauda da Europa, sempre com péssimos índices na educação, e com problemas na saúde, no ambiente, etc.
Mas nós só falamos do País que está mal. Daquele que não acompanhou o progresso. Do que se atrasou em relação à média europeia.
Está na altura de olharmos para o que de muito bom temos feito. De nos orgulharmos disso. De mostrarmos ao mundo os nossos sucessos - e não invariavelmente o que não corre bem, acompanhado por uma fotografia de uma velhinha vestida de preto, puxando pela arreata um burro que, por sua vez, puxa uma carroça cheia de palha. E ao mostrarmos ao mundo os nossos sucessos, não só futebolísticos, colocamo-nos também na situação de levar muitos outros portugueses a tentarem replicar o que de bom se tem feito.
Porque, na verdade, se os maus exemplos são imitados,porque não hão-de os>bons serem também seguidos?


Nicolau Santos, Director - adjunto do Jornal Expresso
In Revista Exportar

This is winter in Portugal :-)

Portinho da Arrábida...

The Day after Christmas

The traffic was just wonderful! :-) It was lovely to drive to the office, and I hope it is still as light when I go home this evening.

Shame is so few people are here at the office...
Is anybody else working today?!

Here Marketing didn't stop :-)

A Marketing mistake

England is not a traditional a place as it used to be, tsk, tsk!

PAT

Our world is getting wider

40 countries :D

South Africa, India, Bulgaria, Mexico, Croatia/Hrvatska, Qatar and Denmark

I'm getting older...

two days in a row...

Natal 2007 em Portugal

"Este ano não vai haver presépio!
A vaca está louca não se segura nas patas;
Os reis magos não podem vir porque os camelos estao no governo;
O burro está na escola a dar aulas de substituição;
a Nossa Senhora e S. José foram meter os papeis para o rendimento minimo;
a ASAE fechou o estábulo por falta de condições ;
e o tribunal dos menores ordenou a entrega do menino Jesus ao pai biologico!"

(Portuguese joke no funny if translated)

Phone

I am 35% addicted to my cell phone!

Right on the spot!

A ver se é desta.... Ambrosio apetece-me algo...

Our latest addiction... Raclettes....

India

In 1498 was Vasco da Gama. In 19th December 2007 it is Ciao Amici blog turn to reach India. ;)

Rainy winter

I had lunch here last Saturday. It was hot and sunny and we ate outside. Today i miss it...

Portuguese Christmas Traditions II

On Christmas Eve Portuguese families gather around the Christmas tree and the Crèche to celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Traditionally, children are in charge of collecting materials for the Crèche.
While some families only display the three main figures, Infant Jesus, Virgin Mary and St. Joseph, others create large scenes with the three figures, the Three Wise Kings, the shepherd and the sheep, lakes (made with mirrors) and hills (made with stones, moss, and clay).

Most children write letters to Infant Jesus asking for presents rather than to Santa Claus. (Not so true anymore because of all the advertising around Christmas speacially on TV)

On Christmas Eve, supper (called "Consoada") consists of codfish with boiled potatoes and cabbage.
After the meal, people eat traditional fried desserts (very healthy ;) ): "filhoses or filhós", "rabanadas", "azevias", and "aletria" wich is a vermicelli sweet with eggs (typical of Douro and Minho region). Another traditional dessert is "Bolo Rei".
In addition to these desserts there are many other that differ from region to region.

Some families attend the Midnight Mass (called "Missa do Galo"). After the Mass people gather around the table and have supper (called "Ceia de Natal").

In some regions of the country, carolers sing Christmas carols (called "Janeiras") in the streets.

Some families will open the presents (that are displayed around the Christmas tree) on Christmas Eve around midnight.
Others open them in the morning of the 25th, Christmas Day.
Some families put one shoe ("sapatinho") of each child next to the chimney (since most of the kitchens in Portugal have one) or next to the fireplace instead of a stocking.

On Christmas Day, people eat stuffed turkey for lunch and the traditional desserts.

During the holiday season towns are decorated with lights.

The festivities end on January 6, "Dia de Reis".

Portuguese Christmas Traditions I

Bolo-Rei , or King Cake, is a Portuguese seasonal specialty. The traditional Christmas bread of the nation, Bolo-Rei is a fruitcake shaped in a ring to symbolize the crowns of the Magi. In the cake there are two surprises: one is a little present like a fake ring, or a little doll, or a medal. The other is not as welcomed. There is a raw broad bean. Whoever finds the charm must buy next year's Bolo-Rei and share it with all those present when the original charm was discovered.

Even though it is said in Portugal that there are 365 recipes for cod (one for each day of the year), for Christmas Eve the tradition is to serve simple boiled cod. From the northern part of the country to the south, even among non-Catholic families, you will find cod accompanied by potatoes and cabbage and sometimes chickpeas.

Another traditional sweets are Filhoses, Sonhos (dreams) that consist in diferent kinds of fried dought, some of them filled with sweet potato or sweet chickpea home made filling, and sprinkled with sugar and cinamom.

Sabores de Natal da Popota

Portuguese girls have you bought? It is a great book and it is only 2€ to help the elder and the Red Cross.

A Popota e a RTP juntaram-se na campanha “Causa Maior” para apoiar a população sénior, em conjunto com a Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa. O livro “Sabores de Natal da Popota” custa apenas 2€, revertendo metade para os fundos desta causa. Este livro foi uma autêntica surpresa, tem receitas e fotografias lindíssimas e uma história de Natal escrita por Sónia Araújo. Vale sempre a pena ajudar esta causa, ainda para mais desta vez recebemos este magnífico livro, de óptima qualidade!

Ciao-amici Blog

We went from 22 countries to 33 countries in 4 days

It looks like the "Around the world in 80 days", I think our blog visits maps is better then ours :)


Portugal
United States of America
United Kingdom
France
Canada
Spain
Brazil
Germany
Austria
Greece
Australia
Chile
Thailand
Slovak Republic
Belgium
Italy
Iran
Indonesia
Japan
Lithuania
Latvia
Malaysia
Netherlands
Norway
Philippines
Poland
Estonia
Romania
Singapore
Cote D'Ivoire
Czech Republic
Dominican Republic
Satellite ( from the moon?)

IN SHOCK......

Lisbon was elected as the 2nd best place to visit by The New York Times... and if you read carefully the reson why ..... designer hotels..... the one i did.... that is not a reason to come to visit this beautifull city, that is one reason to stay away :o ... i'm in shock.....

None of the thingS they mention is import for the city and for our lifes... maybe the Berardo Collection.... i'm shocked...

Lisbon is more than this.... much more....

What a great week-end!

Ambrosio apetece-me algo...

Vamos ver se comigo tb funciona ou é só com a senhora da televisão.

It is time to offer and to recieve....

Our lastest toy!

Wii

I WAS RIGHT...

I was rigth we have a spy....

He is armed (Wii weapon) and he is dangerous, but i manage to get his robot-portrait...

If you find him please call me ;)

In my way......

Cocoa Brownies (With Walnuts!) - It is not my fault!!!! this recipe was in my way and i had to share it with you ;)

Soft butter, for greasing the pan

Flour, for dusting the buttered pan

4 large eggs

1 cup sugar, sifted

1 cup brown sugar, sifted

8 ounces melted butter

11/4 cups cocoa, sifted

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup flour, sifted

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.1 cup of crushed walnutsIn a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the eggs at medium speed until fluffy and light yellow. Add both sugars. Add remaining ingredients, and mix to combine.Pour the batter into a greased and floured 8-inch square pan and bake for 45 minutes. Check for doneness with the tried-and-true toothpick method: a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan should come out clean. When it's done, remove to a rack to cool. Resist the temptation to cut into it until it's mostly cool.

Quiz

I'm in a quiz competion and doing well :D

Of course i'm Pat :)

blog do quiz

PS - I just found out the Quiz "works" on weekends. So if i want to keep in pace with the others, my next weekend will not be computer free...

When i thought i've bought them all...

I need 3 more to finish this year Christmas Shopping

Ps1 - As my mum is not able do shop this year i'm shopping for everybody...

Ps2 - i didn't bought any for me :(.... yet :)

Our fan club is getting widder;)

Visits from:
Portugal
United States of America
United Kingdom
France
Canada
Germany
Brazil
Spain
Thailand
Chile
Iran
Italy
Japan
Latvia
Malaysia
Philippines
Australia
Romania
Singapore
Slovak Republic
Belgium
Austria

Does anyone have any doubts?

Need an online diccionary? Check out www.wordreference.com

Ok, so far you are covered for English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.
Maybe in 2010 we'll have the remaining one ;-)

Hairy Portuguese Women :-P

Giulio Zucchini - Lisbon - 12.12.2007
Donne portoghesi: baffute o piaciute?

Stereotypes:
Hairy Portuguese women
The French and Spanish joke goes that Portuguese women have moustaches.
If Portuguese women have moustaches, it's not because of militant police. The sad stereotype of what beauty should be for the female sex is not a provocation related to the fight for equality, as in Turkey where in May 2007, the women of the Kader association donned fake moustaches to criticise the absence of women in parliament. The hairiness of Portuguese ladies is a strictly Mediterranean criticism.
(thanks to Cafe Babel)

The truth is one my very first conference (in 2000, back in the day;-)), one of the British participants actually commented that he was quite surprise to see that women in Portugal looked nice! And modern! :-P

PS - of course this crap news *had* to be writen by an Italian man
PPS - another steryotype!: all Italian men are machistas

Q&A: The Lisbon Treaty

What are our EU leaders up too with the EU treaty?
Leaders of the European Union's 27 member states meet in Portugal this week to sign what will now become known as the Lisbon Treaty.
check it on BBC

It's Christmas at Cristo Rei in Almada :-)

In a flurry

2nd day in the new job and i'm still in a bit of a flurry. I woke up about 1+1/2 hours before the alarm clock was set to wake me up. In a hour I'll have a meeting to ste my roadmap for the next 6 months and I just feel I should feel more "safe" already.

I organised events; now suddenly I'm product manager!!

I'm a wee bit scared...

I know...

I know that i'm over doing it :D but i like this spy stuff!

The "map amongus" Map doesn't make my day... because when i'm online it says that i'm in Maia, Oporto... but i'm not my internet server is on Expo... So i've add another one the "Feedjit" map to see if we can belive in this one.

Our web fans ;)

Since the 3rd of December

Portugal
67 visits
69.07 %

United Kingdom
14 visits
14.43 %

France
5 visits
5.15%

United States of America
2 visits
2.06%

Philippines
1 visit
1.03%

Germany
1 visit
1.03%

Canada
1 visit
1.03%

Italy
1 visit
1.03%

Spain
1 visit
1.03%

Brazil
1 visit
1.03%

Slovak Republic
1 visit
1.03%

Thailand
1 visit
1.03%

Australia
1 visit
1.03%

Lift off!

Today I left my job.
Monday I start the new one :-)

Like Madonna's song says:

"I'm not afraid of what I face but I'm afraid to stay".

For once, I trully feel like this.

Oops!

Smoos miuto etsrahnos, noã smoos !

De aorcdo com uma peqsiusa de uma uinrvesriddae ignlsea,
não ipomtra
em qaul odrem
as Lteras de uma plravaa etãso,
a úncia csioa iprotmatne
é que a piremria e útmlia Lteras etejasm no lgaur crteo.
O rseto pdoe ser uma bçguana ttaol,
que vcoê anida pdoe ler sem pobrlmea.
Itso é poqrue nós não lmeos cdaa Ltera isladoa,
mas a plravaa cmoo um tdoo.

É pro isos qeu qaundo eu esercvo raipdo e torco as lertas me cnotinaum a enetnder ;)

Countdown

Beautiful people should pay a tax?

That's what the Argentinian writer Gonzalo Otalora defends in his book "Ugly!"

As pretty people seem to get all the breaks, they should be taxed for their "advantage" ;-)

He has presented the proposal of the new law to the Casa Rosada ;-)

See the whole interview to BBC: "Argentina: Ugly people strike back"

Another Christmas Joke

Good news

Tabaco: Maior «shopping» da Península Ibérica livre de fumo

The true Christmas spirit...

I want to let you all know about a cool non-profit that is doing great things: Kiva

Kiva allows individuals to make $25 loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world (microfinance). By doing so, individuals like you provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.

It's a new, direct and sustainable way to fight global poverty, and the way I see it, I get a higher return on $25 helping someone build a future than the interest my checking account pays.
Anyways, please check out the site: KIVA.

Please remeber this i'm talking about loans, that of course will be repaid. The repaid rate is 93,5% of the loans. You have Star rates for the Field's Partners that goes up to 5 stars with a 99,7% repaid rate. After you've been repaid you can collect the money or loan again.

I haven't make my loan yet, but i will do it, but first I have to choose the right business.... hmm i'm thing on something to do with food, maybe a restaurant :D
My friends, that introduce me to KIVA, loaned to an old lady to buy a cow in Azerbaijan ;) cool isn't it?

By popular request, here's mine ;-)

The future

Maybe one day i will get 100% ;)

Make your own

create your own world

And here's my share...

My world

All about fashion!

Deer's joke

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Donna Maria's album

The launch...
It wasn´t really a launch because the album wasn't for sale in the shops....
The Record Company (EMI) delivered it in the central offices of the major shops... but they didn´t put it for sale yet. We went to Colombo to try and buy it, but we couldn't...
Then we went to see XL Femme. Marisa didn't show (she doesn´t belog to the XL Femme anymore) and the album wasn't for sale... Is the tought that counts... Even so, congratulations Miguel, Ricas e Marisa for the new album :D

The first single's video clip is available in their web site/blog.

DAVID

I dare you to do the same

15 years ago...
1. i was young...
2. inocence
3. changed high school to became an architect

5 years ago...
1. haven´t met my husband :)
2. working with the king of home video ;)
3. 10 kilos less :(

1 year ago...
1. arranging things for my wedding :)
2. turned 30 :s
3. already bought the chirstmas gifts

yesterday...
1. housekeeping
2. dinner with friends
3. try to do a little shoping but i'm not in the christmas mood yet

today...
1. new office
2. lasy
3. David's birthday and Donna Maria album ;)

tomorrow ...
1. lasy
2. christmas shopping
3. i will get my new "BI"

3 things i can live without:
1. air
2. water
3. toilet

3 things i would do/ buy if i had 5000 euros:
1. travel
2. travel, travel
3. travel, travel, travel....

3 scaring things:
1. my boss ;) just kiding
2. dogs
3. that is all i'm a brave girl

3 things i'm wearing:
1. scarf
2. wearings
3. big jacket

3 things i want rigth now:
1. lunch ;)
2. lunch and sleep ;)
3. sleep ;)

3 places to go (travel)
1. NY
2. Tokyo
3. around the world in 80 days

Japonese's hard life

How to dresss a Kimono

My christmas wish....

Bangkok

Bangkok Airport
Street food
Thai cokeSelling fish headless!

Thai Security in construction

Big Buda (3 meters high)

Emerald Buda (too little!)

Laying Buda (46 meters long)

Gods and Devils

King's Palace

Feliz dia da Defenestração! :-P

My dear non Portuguese friends: apologies for the Portuguese (and for doing it for the 2nd time in a row), but, you see, today we celebrate, after 367 years, having thrown the Spanish out of the window - quite literally :-P


Defenestração é o ato de atirar algo por uma janela. Refere-se, contudo, mais especificamente ao acto de atirar pessoas de uma janela com a intenção de as assassinar ou no caso de suicídio.

A defenestração, no caso concreto da aplicação a pessoas, foi uma prática corrente no século XVII (embora já viesse do século anterior, tendo sido usada na matança de São Bartolomeu), nomeadamente na Guerra dos Trinta Anos. Ficou famoso o episódio da «Defenestração de Praga» (1619), tendo os nobres protestantes da Boémia invadido o castelo da capital e arremessando representantes do Governo Imperial pelas janelas. Este foi, a par da demolição de duas Igrejas Luteranas na Boémia por parte das forças católicas do Sacro Império Romano-Germânico, um dos episódios determinantes na deflagração da guerra pela Europa.

Outra defenestração célebre foi a do secretário de Estado Miguel de Vasconcelos na manhã do 1.º de Dezembro de 1640, personagem odioso aos olhos dos portugueses por colaborar com a dinastia filipina e por isso mesmo assassinado dessa forma pelos conjurados que o atiraram das janelas do Paço da Ribeira para o Terreiro do Paço.

Depenestração é a mesma coisa que Defenestração, contudo não pode ser aplicada.

Já antes disso, também em Portugal, nos momentos quentes da crise de 1383-1385, o bispo de Lisboa, D. Martinho, de origem castelhana e por isso suspeito de colaborar com o inimigo, foi atirado pelas janelas da Sé de Lisboa em 1383, pela população enraivecida.

http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defenestra%C3%A7%C3%A3o

Contrasenso?

"Patine hoje pelo ambiente de amanhã!" - no Fórum Algarve...

é que se ainda fosse na Suíça, eu até percebia... há naturalmente sítios para esquiar e para patinar... mas no Fórum Algarve é forçosamente artificial. Pior: num ambiente aquecido como o interior de um centro comercial é preciso manter o gelo congelado. Sou eu que não percebo ou isso significa que é preciso gastar energia adicional para conseguir isto? E não é verdade que o consumo de energia contribui para as emissões de CO2, as mesmas que são a principal razão pelo aquecimento global????

Sou só eu que não percebo?

"Este Natal envolva-se numa causa Ambiental "Patine agora pelo ambiente de amanhã" De 10 de Novembro a 6 de Janeiro participe, o montante angariado será utilizado na criação de uma Ecoteca na Biblioteca M. de Faro-Um espaço de estudo sobre o ambiente-distribuição de um Kit ambiente pelas Escolas do Concelho de Faro e por as Bibliotecas do Algarve"

Un centro comercial crea el espacio 'aparca maridos'

El centro comercial Gran Via 2 de L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona) ha puesto en marcha un espacio en el que los clientes pueden descansar y entretenerse mientras sus mujeres realizan las compras y que han denominado aparca maridos.

La idea surgió gracias a la participación de los clientes en el concurso de la web ¿Y por qué no?, en el que se pide a los visitantes que propongan aquello que les gustaría encontrar en el centro.
Un cliente propuso la idea de hacer una guardería gratuita para los maridos que acompañan a sus esposas de compras y que tanto se acababan aburriendo o cansando. La dirección del Gran Via 2 consideró la opción interesante y factible y ahora la ha puesto en marcha.

La nueva zona del centro comercial está equipada con sofás, televisiones y prensa y se plantea como un espacio para desconectar, descansar o bien empezar a mirar la jornada deportiva del fin de semana. Según fuentes de la dirección del complejo comercial, será una zona en continua evolución, puesto que se irán incorporando nuevos servicios.

Fonte: El Pais

Ponemos un micrófono en el "Aparca-maridos" de un centro comercial en Madrid

PAD THAI

Pad Thai recipe, my favorite Thai food

Ingredients (serves 4)

250g Thai-style Rice Noodles
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons palm sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 chicken breast fillets, trimmed, thinly cut across the grain
3 eschalots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chilli, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped
125g beansprouts, trimmed
coriander leaves and lime wedges, to serve

Method

Place noodles in a large bowl. Cover with warm water and stand for 7 minutes or until tender. Drain and refresh under cold water. Combine fish sauce, sugar and lime juice in a jug. Set aside.
Heat wok over high heat until very hot. Add 2 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat. Add a third of chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat twice with with oil and remaining chicken.
Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to wok and swirl to coat. Add eschalots, garlic and chilli. Stir-fry for 1 minute. Push to side. Add eggs and cook until slightly set. Stir eggs to scramble. Add noodles, fish sauce mixture, peanuts, beansprouts and chicken. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve with coriander and lime wedges.

Variation: You could add 200g cooked, peeled prawns in step 3.

Fast Food Maps

website

In search of the world's best souvenirs

video

Donna Maria

E-card

In the shops in the 3rd of December

Architecture as it should be...

example 1

example 2

example 3

Try Out Bollywood's Casting Couch

If you want to see your face on the silver screen, outsource yourself to India. Bollywood's casting agents are scrambling to find foreigners to give their films a cosmopolitan feel.

Without a stable population of Caucasian faces to populate imaginary discothèques, ranks of British soldiers, and Hare Krishna converts, casting agents and film crews often find themselves scouring the city for anyone who looks Western. Some people who had never given a thought to being in films have discovered potential acting careers.

article here

Is this a conspiracy?!

I got this email from a friend today:

«Find the man that calls you lovely instead of "hot"...
That calls you back when you hang up the phone on his face...
That stays awake just to watch you sleeping...
Wait for the man that kisses you on the forehead...
That holds your hand in front of his friends...
Wait for the man that constantly reminds you how much you mean to him and how lucky he is to have you...
Wait for the man that turns to his friends and says "that's the one"...»

awahhhh ... how disgustingly pretty that is, isn't it? It just makes me want to... throw up with "emotion"! :-P

Having had a root canal treatment done today, I'm on unbelievable pain everytime my teeth happen to touch when I close my mouth [Any ideas on how NOT to do that??!!!] ( I've long exceeded the amount of pain killers allowed for the time span) . It was fine during the anestetic though... a bit like "being in love" - it just feels like hell when it "clears off". I just have one thing to say to that: QUIT THE TORTURE!!!! Jeez, people are relentless... DAH!!!

Getting in the season's mood