Quickie
Hey, people are still reading the blog! Ain't that a shocker...;^)
This one will be quick, but I'll get back later in the day with something at least a bit interesting to say.
So, yesterday, IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) released what is, so far, the broadest study in the development of our country (socially, economically, cultural...) during the 20th century.
It covers from the migrations and populational growth in the big urban centers to the increased participation of women in the economical life of families. It covers exportation rates, increasing of the number of people covered by our public health system, cultural and behavioral developments in our society.
And I still have not hearing a single mention about gay people, or alternative families, or the (increasing) violence against minorities in here.
"Shock. Horror."
So, I have the whole joint to myself…
Hey, there, everyone.
I'm James, writing from Brasilia (probably the city with the most f*-up weather in the world, but I'll get to that in a minute).
I'll be standing in for Jon while he enjoys his existential holiday at sunny Ibiza.
I don't have much to say right now, so I'll just throw in a couple of random thoughts, ok?
-Technology hates me. No, really. Last week, Jon asks me if I can manage the blog for him while he's away. "Of course!", I say. So, the next morning, without a warning or any kind of sign (yeah, because where would be the fun in *that*?), my computer crashes. For the second time this month. The damn thing won't even turn on. And I promised to take care of Jon's place.
"Ho, hum".
-The weather here is acting up again. It's usually very sunny and hot in Brasilia, the dry kind of hot. A couple of days ago, we reached the hottest day of the year so far, with the temperature looming over 34∞, and the umidity of the air at pathetic 13%. It's like trying to breathe solid air or something.
But, yesterday, rain started to fall. Hard. And cold.
It's getting to the point where you can't leave the house without a small suitcase, containing clothing for every season.
Anyway, enough bitching.
I should start to think of funny things to say, or I'll scare away all of Jon's audience.
....
....
Oh, God, Jon is so screwed...
Ibiza Baby!
Right, that's it, I'm finally ready to go off on my existential holiday.
James will be by on Monday sometime.
Have a great week all.
Well This Is Interesting Too
Okay - the update on the holiday situation:
Weirdly, we are still going away tomorrow.
More weirdly still, in an almost existential twist, we're going on our holiday. We're taking the flights we were going to be on, and staying in the same apartments we were going to be in . Obviously they all suddenly became available when the company we had booked with wasn't there anymore, so we have them through a different company. It's all had to be paid for twice of course, but we'll get back payment one somewhere along the line.
So we're going on the same trip to the same place at the same time as we would have been, but on another level, it's a completely different trip.
See - deeply existential.
Well This Is Interesting
You know those stories you hear of people who book holidays and then the holiday company goes bust, so some people end up stuck in their holiday destination and other people who haven't departed get the whole thing cancelled, sometimes only just before they're due to leave?
Can you see where I'm going with this?
The *Great* Thing About The Internet….
.... is the one that people often overlook. It's the fact that I can sit here in the UK and men all over the world, straight men at that, seem more than willing to show me their arses.
It's truly a magical world we've created for ourselves.
Guest Blogging From The Southern Hemisphere
Long-standing readers will remember that when I went away for what was supposed to be a week this time last year, I handed this place over to the Mystery Guest Blogger, whose Figure Project ended up assembling a composite More a way of life.... reader. This one, in fact.
This year, as I jet off to sunnier climes, I'm handing custodianship over quite openly to James.
James is the creative genius behind the artistic endeavours which have graced this place recently. He lives in Brasilia, and I'm giving him a free reign to post about whatever he likes.
I'll get him to introduce himself, but in the meantime, please make him feel welcome.
Guest Blogger
Just thought I'd mention that I'm lining up a guest blogger for next week while I'm away. I'm hoping to be able to announce the recipient of this rare honour shortly.
Getting things sorted out at work and home before I go is occupying me pretty fully at the moment, so sorry I'm a bit quiet. When I come back all rested and refreshed you won't know what's hit you.
People I Hate
Number one of an occasional series.
People who manage still to be in perfrectly uncreased shirts at the *end* of the working day.
More Fun With Blaine
Warning: Do not click on this link if you find the idea of a game based around shooting mock-celebrities hanging in boxes distasteful or offensive.
If you don't have a problem with it, however: Fire Away.
[Cheers to Pete for the link]