i have a love-hate relationship with saving the world

Did you know that my apartment is fueled by solar energy? Pretty cool, huh?
Yes, I thought so too. Everyday my shower was toasty warm and I could feel good that mother nature was heating my body. How "organic", right?? I thought so when the weather was hot. I thought so when the sun was shining. I thought so when there was a streak of over 120 days without rain.

But now, we've had about a week straight of rain. Every....single...day. And it is cooooold. Just the other day we had a hail storm. Oh, the best part is, the houses are designed to keep cool in and heat out. So, you can imagine how toasty warm it is. Imagine late October weather in a ceramic building with no heating system. Oh, yeah baby. And then, you want to step into a nice, warm shower, but noooo. You get in and swear ice cubes are falling from the shower head. It's nice saving the Earth and all, but I wouldn't mind not freezing my balls off. Let me just paint a picture for you all. You get in, turn on the water, wait, wait, wait. Hoping that it will heat up. But it doesn't. So you hold your breath. Get as wet as you can as fast as you can and then get out of the line of fire. Soap up your entire body and hair out of reach of the shower head. Then, once again, hold your breath. (Breath out, its gonna be ok). Breath in again and hold, rinse rinse rinse (while jumping up and down) and finally, get out.

Now, I know why women wax here. Can you imagine shaving on all those goosebumps? ouch! So, actually, I'm saving the earth in 3 ways 1) no electricity to heat my shower 2) significantly reduced shower time 3) less showers as a result of shear fear and dread. Woo hoo! Beat that green footprint bitches.



I'm not making fun of those who are eco-friendly. My boyfriend is an environmental engineer, so he can be Captain Planet all he wants. Just give me my hot shower.

is this me or what?

So, something really creepy happened to me yesterday. I was preparing the lesson for my english students and decided to do a lesson on the Zodiac. I was reading what it said about Sagitarrius and was SCARED!!!! Not only does everything have to do with me (the good and the ugly) but I was talking the DAY BEFORE with my sister about many of the attributes I have and was only confirmed by this.

Now, you all read it and if you know me, comment, because I think it is true.

Sagittarius / November 22 - December 21
Sagittarius is the ninth sign of the Zodiac and associated with travel and expansion. Individuals born under this sign are thought to have a straight-forward, dynamic, highly intelligent, extremely clever, ethical, humorous, generous, open-hearted, compassionate, and energetic character, but one which is also prone to restlessness, impulsiveness, impatience, recklessness, and kiddishness.

Positive
Optimistic and freedom-loving

Jovial and good-humored

Honest and straightforward

Intellectual and philosophical

Negative
Blindly optimistic and careless

Irresponsible and superficial

Tactless and restless

Also, one of my students read a book that catagorizes your personality down to the day you were born. I would like to read that now. Just for shits.

can I complain really quick?

Let me just say that:

I hate roosters. I don't know if people keep them in their backyard for fun or something, but they start crowing at 5 in the morning. Regardless, however put them near my window, I want to punch them in their Cock-adoodledoos.

Oh yeah, and sometimes, you get a crazy rooster that thinks that it is five in the morning at midnight and they start crowing. And then! All of the dogs start barking. It is so great!

On a happier note, I found a TV show that I really like. I watch it when I'm cooling down at the gym. It is a cooking talk-show, like Martha Stewart. But better! Why? Just think of a hotter Martha loaded with botox. So much botox that her face doesn't move. When she tries her desserts, you can't really tell if she likes it or not! haha. Oh yeah, and the best part is that she has a side-kick. A giant green parrot. It is as big as a cockerspaniel! It is great. He says the funniest stuff (I think).

Anyways, she makes the best desserts! See what I'm talking about and:

Watch a little of her show!

i speak portuspanish

I haven't written in awhile, so I decided to update y'all. I don't even know if anyone reads this.

So, new things with me:

1. I started teaching English. At first I didn't know if I was going to like it, but I really do. My students are fabulous. One is an absolute genius. She is going to be finishing her master's in biochemistry and she is only 21!!!!



2. We all moved to a bigger apartment. It is a new building and it is green. There are a lot of green things here. Our building sits on top of a hill. I always think of the emerald city from wizard of oz because to get up there, we have to climb this huge ass hill and I'm always relieved to see it! Gustavo and I have a balcony in our room. It is so kick ass.



3. My new nickname is Courtney W. Bush. (thanks to Gustavo's dad)



4. I'm starting to speak a variation of Portuguese I like to call portuspanish!

As most of you know, if you know me, is that I have a crazy stomach. I have been to doctor after doctor about my "lil' Silva" (the name I give my stomach ache when it comes. Silva is a Ultimate Fighting champion from Brazil). Since I have been in Brazil, it has gotten considerably worse. So I went to a Gastroenterologist to see what is up. He has put me on a strict diet and I will have to have an endoscopic examination next week (he's going to put a camera down my throat to look at my insides). The strict diet (or the "no fair" diet as I like to call it) consists of eating 6 small meals a day, no or very little fat, lots of water, and..... NO COFFEE!!! ..... This is day 2 of the 'no fair' diet. So yesterday I was going through some wicked caffeine withdrawal. Gustavo's mom made a cake yesterday to, but I couldn't eat it. Wait, she made two cakes....a carrot one and a coconut one. No FAIR!! Gustavo has been good about hiding the coffee from me when he drinks it, how sweet....I can still smell it on his breath.

I got some really great news from the US last week. My big sister is getting married! I am so excited for her! I am going to be the maid-of-honor, so I will be back in the States sooner than I had anticipated.

I am starting to meet lots of people. Going to the gym is one of my favorite things to do. Everyone is the same age and they are all into sports so its easy to start a conversation. I met someone that is studying Food Science and they are going to help me get a researching position at the University. He said it would be with food microbiology. That is soooo freaking awesome! I love food and I love micro.

Last weekend we celebrated Gustavo's grandma's birthday. He has a huge family, just like me. On his mom's side there are 11 brothers and sisters. So, the whole family got together for a barbecue at his aunt's house in the country. These aren't like American barbecues, they are Brazilian style. They buy a ton of different meat and salt it up and put it in this huge oven, fire thing and roast it for a long time. While everyone is drinking beers, someone cuts the meat into little pieces and passes it all around. The parties go from about 2 in the afternoon til late at night. You drink beer and eat all day long. There is other food and dessert too. Gustavo's aunt is a fabulous cook/baker and she made some dessert. Something with Dulce De leche (doce de leite) and also made a passion fruit mousse (which was to die for!). When I come back to the States, I'm definitely going to have a Brazilian churrasco (barbecue) for all to enjoy!

Gustavo took me to a Bossa Nova concert. It was so wonderful! The female singer had the most beautiful voice and sounded perfect live. He knows most of the people that played because he took classical guitar lessons for so long. I beg him everyday to play "beautiful Brazilian" music to me. He is awesome! This picture is of us enjoying a couple caiparinhas and other cocktails. Those things catch up to you fast. The picture underneath is after a couple caiparinhas. I thought I was looking extra cute in that picture too....hahahaha.

That's all for now!

I got waxed again

So, I got waxed again.

And it was..... FINE! People promised me that it wouldn't hurt as bad the second time, and it didn't.

So, I'm never shaving again. And, I have about 50% less hair that grows back than before.

peace