Thursday, October 27, 2005

Today is the greatest


Today is the greatest...it's been exactly 4 years that I've been dating my boyfriend Alexandre! I don't need to say he is the sweetest person I have ever met and my best friend!
To prove you that I really am a great fan of the Samshing Pumpkins, here go the lyrics of one my favorite songs:
Today
Smashing Pumpkins
Today is the greatest
Day I've ever known
Can't live for tomorrow,
Tomorrow's much too long
I'll burn my eyes out
Before I get out
I wanted more
Than life could ever grant me
Bored by the chore
Of saving face
Today is the greatest
Day I've never known
Can't wait for tomorrow
I might not have that long
I'll tear my heart out
Before I get out
Pink ribbon scarsT
hat never forget
I tried so hard
To cleanse these regrets
My angel wings
Were bruised and restrained
My belly stings
Today is
Today isToday is
The greatest day
I want to turn you on
I want to turn you onI
want to turn you on
I want to turn you
Today is the greatest
Today is the greatest day
Today is the greatest day
That I have ever really known

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Speaking of disarmament...
Smashing Pumpkins
Disarm

Disarm you with a smile
And cut you like you want me to
Cut that little child
Inside of me and such a part of you
Ooh, the years burn
I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes
And what I choose is my choice
What’s a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you
My love
I send this smile over to you
Disarm you with a smile
And leave you like they left me here
To wither in denial
The bitterness of one who’s left alone
Ooh, the years burn
Ooh, the years burn, burn, burn
I used to be a little boy
So old in my shoes
And what I choose is my voice
What’s a boy supposed to do?
The killer in me is the killer in you
My love
I send this smile over to you
The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you
The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you
The killer in me is the killer in you
Send this smile over to you

referendum


It's been a while since my last post! I'm terribly sorry about that, but these days have been just crazy! Well, this post is not going to be a long one (are you feeling relieved?) because today I don't have much time. Ok, the fact is I have so many things I want to post here, but no time to do it...but, it's been a while since I wanted to post something on a big event that we had here in Brazil: a referendum. For those who don't have a clear idea on what this is, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Referendum. What was this referendum about? It was about disarmament. If you agreed with disarmament (i.e., if you didn't want people to have guns at home any more), you had to (and when I say HAD TO, I really mean it, since here in Brazil the vote is not a right but a duty of the citizens) vote YES; if you were against disarmament, then you had to vote NO. Guess who won? The NO, of course, and I'm not very happy with it. I really don't think disarmamente would have been a solution, but I don't agree with people carrying guns wherever and whenever they want to. I bet you guessed by now that I voted YES. Well, I just hope Brazil won't get more violent than it already is (in spite of evidence showing the contrary)... What do you think about it? If you were a Brazilian, what would have you voted for? Post a comment on it! (if you want more info on that, just go to: http://www.guardian.co.uk/brazil/story/0,12462,1599331,00.html)

Monday, October 17, 2005

Children's day and Teacher's day


More posts! I was briefly researching on the holidays of October 12th to tell a little about it to my ibunka friends, and I found such interesting things, that it might be worthy sharing with you all (by saying this, it seems thousands people visit my blog, which is certainly not the case, at least for now ^-^...but you that visit it, this is just to let you know how important you are!). So let's start with Children's day: here in Brazil it is celebrated on 12th October. It was "invented" by a politician (Galdino do Valle Filho) in the 1920s. However, it really started making success in th 1960s when a Brazilian toy factory promoted the event with advertisement. Nowadays all Brazilian children get plenty of toys from their relatives on this special day and many schools take the whole week off. Brazilians just love holidays...=)
October the 12th is also an important day because we celebrate "Nossa Senhora Aparecida", patron Saint of Brazil. This saint has a quite interesting story: in 1717 some Brazilian fishermen were fishing in the Paraiba river, but they were out of luck: they kept throwing the nets in the river, but when they got them back, there was nothing. Once, at getting the nets back, they found an image of a saint, but without the head. They kept "fishing" and they found the head of the saint. They went on fishing and a miracle happened: thousands of fish were coming up with the nets. This is considered her first miracle. A curious thing about "Nossa Senhora Aparecida" is that her skin is black. If you want to know more about it, go to: http://www.portaldafamilia.org/datas/criancas/diadascriancas.shtml
Finally, I recently found out that on 15th October we celebrate Teacher's Day. Everything started back in 1827, when, on 15th October they created the first "General Law" for the elementary school. In this law, some issues concerning the teachers were also dealt with, and this is why the 15th October is now remembered as Teacher's Day. (For more info you can access: http://www.sabido.com.br/artigo.asp?art=1383). On this day students should give presents to the teacher, OF COURSE ^-^! And I can't complain because my students took a great "focaccia" to my class =) Sometimes being a teacher really pays off...=)

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Anime Festival


...I almost forgot!! I was there speaking of "interculturalism" and Japan and I remembered that this weekend there is the Anime Festival here in Belo Horizonte. I went there yesterday: it was very good. Sadly, it was a bit expensive so I couldn't buy everything I wanted. There were plenty of Manga there and I bought three (Sakura Card's Captor, of course!), but I wish I could have bought some Slayer manga too...and Slam Dunk... and Peach Girl! Yeah, ok, you can see I'm a big fan of mangas and comics in general...
Ok, for those who can, go and check it up! There is also a "Pump it up" tournament...

Ibunka

Today I decided to post something because next week it will be hard for me to access the blog. Hum...I didn't think on what to write, but, since a friend of mine seemed interested in the ibunka project, I'm gonna talk more about this experience. Ibunka is a Japanese word and means "different cultures". Actually, this project is intended for university professors, because to participate you need to have a classroom... Well, so, if your teacher decides to participate, what happens is that you have some tasks to do, like talking about university in your country, talk about culture, news, everything that is actually related to you. There are no tough tasks that require a great deal of research.
After you post your task, you should also have a look at what the other people posted about themselves and their countries and reply to them, ask questions...know the other people! The idea is to "enlarge our horizons", I think...well, in this globalization era things such as boundaries and prejudice between countries and cultures shouldn't exist any more, so I think this project is "tudo de bom" :) (very, very good!). I learnt a lot about Japan (and Japanese food) and Taiwan, but I also wish to make contact with Mexican people.
I think this experience is great! I tried to do something similar with my students (;)) this semester, and I hope they'll like it as much as I do...=D
Well, in short, the experience is great and worthwhile, so, if you are interested, go and tell your teacher!
see ya!

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Here I am again to talk a lttle bit more about my blog. Yes, because, as I told you, this blog wasn't my idea, and I wouldn't have made it if it weren't for my professor Vera Menezes, who asked us to. But, of course, I bet many of you are wondering what a subject makes you create a blog! Well, I must say this is quite an unusual course and it's one of my favourite this semester. It's an online subject - which is good because we can "attend" classes from home, relaxed in confortable clothes, drinking an iced drink and sitting on a comfortable chair (we don't have such a thing as comfortable chairs at university). But, there's also the other side of the coin - the not so positive one. First, we have to learn dealing with Pc's, and I think many will agree that sometimes it's not easy at all. I have already lost hours of work...but now I learnt the lesson: no matter how you enjoy the task, you CAN'T forget reality, i.e. computers lose your work sometimes! So keep saving your work minute after minute! It's the only way to prevent you from having bad experiences and traumas. Well, I depicted this side as a "not-so-positive-one", but I think I might be mistaken. The reality is that nowadays we need computers more and more, and we have to learn how use them in order to become better professionals. My area is teaching, and it's amazing how much help, ideas, support and information you can take from the internet. This course is helping me to overcome my fears against technology, and I must admit that now I'm even enjoying working with my PC a lot! I can't spend one day without checking my inbox.
Ok, now don't think that these tasks we have are all easy ones. They require a great deal of patience, interest, creativity and time! It's good doing them, learning new and different things, make contact with different cultures...but it's not easy! Of course, this is not so bad also, because, in my opinion, if you don't make any efforts to get something, you will probably never REALLY get it! You only give value to things you struggle for...don't you think?
Some of the tasks we had in this subject were: learning how to use computer engines properly, learning how to search the internet for cliparts, researching about hyperlink and netiquette, writing a narrative about our English learning, preparing a classroom activity exploring language functions...well, these are the ones I liked the best. I also love the project we are engaging on: IBUNKA, that is an intercultural exchange of ideas, culture and general information between student of different university from several countries (Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, Namibia). I will write more information about it in my next posts. For now, that's it!! bye!!

Thursday, October 13, 2005

The brothers Grimm



Hello! I told ya I would be back soon...the fact is that from what I understood so far, a blog is a kind of journal online, so it is up to me tu put something we can discuss or talk ora that could be of any interest for anybody. Well, so here it goes: my first experience after creating my blog!
I've just come back from the movies: I saw "The brothers Grimm" and...well, it was a fine movie...but I must admit I was expecting something more than that. The special effect, the quality of sounds and images were good, but the story, the plot, the actors...I think it could have been better. The basic idea was good: putting the Grimm characters insiede the story...it should have been developed or explored more deeply, in my humble opionion...
what do you think? If you like the movie and want to convince me that it was not bad, well, just post a comment! It will be very welcome
:)

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

myself


Hello!!
Who am I? A very simple girl, actually. My name is Adriana, I'm 21 years old and I live in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Why am I starting a blog? Actually, I must say I wouldn't do it if I wasn't attending an online subject at university...but I'm actually loving it. I know, I know...how can I love something that I haven't even started yet? Well, I don't know, but it seems so interesting to share my life with everybody that wants to come and see it...talk about things I like and that others may like too...find Smashing Pumpkins fans all over the world...finda Sakura Card captor's fans too...
I'm sure that'll be nice! Beside, my blog will be in English, this meaning here is another chance I have to improve my skills in this language that I love and I'd love to speak and write properly!! Hope you guys will help me in this task...
Well, actually, to be completely honest with you, I have no idea of how a blog works...so I count on you for this too, ok?
Well, that's enough for now...I'll write more later...bye!!
adriana