NOVEMBER 2010
SINCE 1998
www.katiabrazil.blogspot.com
Beyond this endless straight road between Iowa and Kansas is where I
belong. No clue where this place may be, but my joyful heart is there
already. I want to say I don’t worry about “belonging” anymore, but I
still do sometimes. On my left side is Keith, our bus driver who just
retired from the Army after more than 25 years. He’s a specialist in
everything about tanks, and just turned 50 years old. He wears a cap
with the logo of the bus company (Wind Stars) to hide his baldness,
has a very well trimmed moustache and a cool sense of humor. His only son is working on 3 majors at the Iowa State University: International Relations, Economy ad Political Science. The talent boy speaks Spanish and German and is learning Russian. I joke with the driver saying his son is already a spy at 18 years old.
Iowa woke up today with a new governor, actually, an “old” governor.
The guy already served 4 turns here. He’s affectionately called
“governor for life.”
During the first part of this trip I listen to my yoga teacher and
feel my lower intestine cramp. The food I ate last night upset my
tired body. Pizza at midnight was not a good choice. Pattonsburg…Here I am: Hwy 35, mile 77, around 80 miles to Kansas. So far I only saw scattered farmhouses and resting areas with the usual McDonald, gas station ($2.59 per gallon here) and empty cornfields along both sides of the 2-lane road. It’s a beautiful day with a blue sky and a fresh/cold wind swaying the 49-seat bus side to side. I’ve seen at least 6 dead raccoons by the side of the road. Oops! Make it 7 now. The bus is turning to the west blinding my eyes. I already turned off my laptop because I couldn’t see the screen. I’m glad I did. I feel calmer listening to my yoga teacher chanting while I write. Gallatin, Maysville…Exotic names, but my favorite so far is Tonganoxie. A flock of robins announce the next stop: Cameron. Ahead of us are 2 trailers and a State Park. My gut is still complaining once in a while. I better drink lots of water from now on. Time? It’s about 4:06pm and my Brazilian heart feels universal.
NEXT SHOW
Wednesday, November 17th at 9pm @ Conga Room
Opening for Jair Oliveira (son of legendary Brazilian singer Jair Rodrigues)
http://www.congaroom.com/?p=
Note: The Tonight Show experience was very cool. I sang three songs
from Sambaguru’s CD TRIBO and they aired 3 seconds of it. Hahahahahah!
I’m grateful that Rickey Minor (the band’s musical director) invited
me, and for the respect of the musicians and production crew.
AROUND LOS ANGELES
Friday, November 5th @ Nokia
Great singer/songwriter Djavan
www.braziliannites.com
MOVIE
“Raul Seixas, O Início, o Fim e o Meio” is about the famous rock
musician who changed Brazilian Rock forever. The writer Paulo Coelho
was one of his musical partners.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
“Social Network” and “The Girls who kicked the Hornet’s Nest”
(Trilogy) are very cool. I highly recommend.
BRAZILIAN BOOK
1822 by Laurentino Gomes
“How a wise man, a sad princess and a money crazy Scotsman helped D.
Pedro create Brazil, a country that had everything to go wrong.” The
book is dedicated to all Brazilian history teachers. “1822” is the
year Brasil got its Independence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
HISTORY
“(…) In 1787, when Thomas Jefferson was still ambassador in Paris, a Brazilian student from the University of Montpellier called Jose Joaquim da Maia (a.k.a. Vandek) asked him a question. He wanted help from the U.S. to make a revolution in Brazil. Jefferson, who had other more urgent concerns, refused, but made sure to report the case to the State Department.”
(Quote from “1822” by Laurentino Gomes)
FOR YOU
“(…) Tentei passar um mês sem rir
Conter o instinto sexual
Falar tanto sem me repetir
Fingir que sou bom sendo mau,
Tentando descobrir o jeito
De achar o amor perfeito
Essa coisa que não há.”
I tried to spend a month without laughing
To contain my sexual instinct
To pretend that I’m good being bad,
All that to find a way
To discover the perfect love
That love that doesn’t exist.
(From a song composed by Ivan Santos talking about his love/hate
relationship with Rio de Janeiro)
http://www.ivansantos.de/
Peace and Love,
Katia : )
