Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 28oC, hot and sunny. OK, it is Sunday, and the flat is full of women. Sunday is usually a sacred day for me, on which I either like to do something for myself or stay quiet. As the flat is full of people, mainly women, I thought it better to accept a barbecue and birthday invitation […]
Saturday the 10th of June 2023:“The Importance of Food and Hospitality in Brazilian Culture: A Saturday Celebration in Rio de Janeiro”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 28oC, hot and sunny. It is Saturday, and today will be a full house. Yasmin’s aunts, Nalva’s sisters, and one of Yasmin’s cousins, Caio, will be coming to commemorate her birthday. I got up at 7 am and worked out for about an hour and a half at the park. On the way back, I had […]
Thursday the 8th of June 2023:“Exploring the Intersection of Faith, Government, and Personal Growth”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, hottish and sunny. It is Corpus Christi, a religious bank holiday that I do not know what it represents in the Roman Catholic religion as I am neither Catholic nor very religious. Traditionally, the Brazilian population was Catholic, with the most prominent Catholic following out of Italy. I believe today that the Catholic following has […]
Wednesday the 7th of June 2023:“Yasmin’s Sixteenth Birthday”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 24oC, warmish, sunny, and slightly overcast. It is Yasmin’s birthday; she is sixteen today; where has the time gone? The issue in the morning was that as she had school in the morning, I wanted to see her before she went, but I did not want to miss doing my exercise. So, I got up at […]
Tuesday the 6th of June 2023:“Reflections on Brazil, Family and Survival: A Birthday Eve Story”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, hottish, sunny, and slightly overcast. It is Tuesday, the eve of Yasmin’s birthday, and two days before a long bank holiday. On Thursday, it is Corpus Christi of the Roman Catholic religion, and Friday is a dead day for many people. All government offices and institutions will be closed, and only the poor will have […]
Sunday the 4th of June 2023:“Sunday Reflections in Rio”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 24oC, hottish and beautifully sunny. I am writing this entry one day late, on Monday, June 5th. I am writing my journal at 9 am on a concrete bench and table in Carmen Miranda Park in front of Aterro and the Bay. The only benches with tables in the park are on an elevated hill overlooking […]
Saturday the 3rd of June 2023:“Circus Tarpaulins and Delicious Food: A Unique Experience in Flamengo”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 24oC, hottish, sunny, and slightly overcast. What an enjoyable Saturday! We went to a new cooperative outdoor food truck that looked more like a circus tent from a distance. Since I have been living in Botafogo/Flamengo, I have noticed that at the weekends, a food truck with circus tarpaulins is erected in the square at the […]
Friday the 2nd of June 2023:“Reflecting on Life and Helping Those We Care About”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, hot, sunny, and slightly overcast. Today is Friday, the second day of the new month. It’s been almost a month since I started living with my ex-wife and daughter. Living with Yasmin is not a problem, even with her mood swings. It’s bearable, and interestingly enough, living with Nalva is not so bad either. We […]
Thursday the 1st of June 2023:“My Three Pillars of Teaching: Quality, Entertainment, and Reliability”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 25oC, sunny and slightly overcast. Thursday, the 1st of June, May closes, and June opens. Summing up the month of May, I did two hundred and one classes. To do so many classes, all at the same elevated level, and to keep that level of quality all the time is not easy, but I can do […]
Wednesday the 31st of May 2023:“Winging It-Navigating Life’s Highs and Lows”!!!
Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 22oC, overcast, and raining. Wednesday is the middle of the week and the last day of the month, and what a month! Life is full of highs and lows, mostly highs but a few lows. It is never perfectly balanced; if someone says it is, it is either because they are on a roll or lying. […]