BRAZILIAN HEART! JANUARY 2009

My friend Melinda Kelly found out that The Brazilian International Press Award nominated me. It's a funny feeling knowing you're nominated. It's cool, but there's an old story that plays in my head that keeps saying I should be humble to the point of ignoring the nomination. This new year I'm deleting old stories that I believe are obstacles to my evolution, so this time I'm consciously and joyfully accepting this Earthy success.

Can you give me your support? It'd be sweet to win as well! You can vote in Category #9 at: http://www.pressaward.com/votacao.php

COPACABANA REVEILLON 2008 PANORAMA by Ayrton Camargo:
http://gobrazil.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=gobrazil&cdn=travel&tm=7&f=11&tt=13&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//ayrton.com/360/fs/reveillon2008f.html

FOOD: MOQUECA
Finally a Brazilian restaurant that serves my favorite dish from Brasil: moqueca (fish stew prepared in a clay pot). My friend Gloria Sarcinelli from Espirito Santo state just opened her dream restaurant. Check it out.
http://www.moquecaresturant.com/

MUSIC AROUND
January 8 and 9 with Airto Moreira & Eyedentity (Zaqir Hussain and other special guests) @ Yoshi's (Oakland)

BOOK
I fell in love with Isabel Allende’s stories after watching the movie “House of Spirits”. Here’s a quote from My Invented Country, A Memoir published in 2003.
“My mixed marriage with a gringo hasn’t gone all that badly; we get along (even though most of the time neither of us has the least idea of what the other is talking about) because we are always ready to give each other the benefit of the doubt. The greatest drawback is that we don’t share a sense of humor. Willie can’t believe that I can be funny in Spanish, and as for me, I never know what the devil he’s laughing about. The one thing that amuses us both at the same time are the off-the-cuff speeches of President George W. Bush.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2008/4/7/chilean_writer_isabel_alllende_on_her

GEOGRAPHY
Let’s see if you know the map of Brasil well!
http://www.cambito.com.br/games/brasil.htm

NUMBER 11 in 2009
“The year 2009 arrives reigns by the Sun, by the Orixa Oxossi and by the numbers 11 and 2. In Numerology the number 11 is a master number for spiritualy elevated people. The numerologist Cibele Lemos says: “2009 will bring the return to spirituality, to religion, something that was left aside.”

BRAZILIAN LANGUAGE
Every Brazilian knows that “Navegar é preciso” (Navigating is necessary), and usually identifies this with Camões, the great Baroque poet of the Portuguese sea voyages of the early modern age, when Europeans discovered Brazil (the full expression actually goes back to the Roman general, Pompey, who said Navigare necesse est, vivere non est necesse!" (Navigating is necessary, life is not necessary!).
http://www.brazilmax.com/news.cfm/tborigem/fe_society/id/25

SMILE
A sign spied at a São Paulo shopping mall: “With each purchase, an anti-blackout kit: a candle and a condom.” (appeared at Gazeta Mercantil Newspaper, June 5, 2001)

A PANDEIRO FESTIVAL! WATCH!
Jackson do Pandeiro from Paraiba state would be celebrating 90 years old this year. For my surprise, one of the best pandeiro players living in Los Angeles (Carlinhos Pandeiro de Ouro) appears in this first YouTube video below with Jackkson do Pandeiro. The second link is a fun duel!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3QQXNgiT2M www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV2IKtEOIzU (Duel of Pandeiros)

FOR YOU
In spring, hundreds of flowers; in autumn, a harvest moon;
In the summer, a refreshing breeze; in winter snow will accompany your.
If useless things do not hang in your mind,
Any season is a good season for you

Peace, Light and Namastê,
Katia : )