World Cup

I was 6 when Brazil became a Champion for the fourth time in the World Cup. I have never been a fan of Soccer and I didn`t really understand what was going on. But I went along with my family and friends and dressed up in green and yellow to go to school. On the dates of the games, of course, we went home earlier to watch it live on TV. We stayed in school for about 2 hours and went out to see the stores closing, the bars crowded and people singing the typical Brazilian songs we sing when we cheer. It was all very exciting. We didn`t have to stay in school and we were allowed to yell and jump and party during the day. I decided I loved the world cup.
That happens every four years. It doesn`t matter if you don`t even like Soccer, when the world cup comes, you will watch every game along with the rest of the country, cheer like a fanatic, sing along and swear when necessary. It`s such an energy it`s really hard to avoid it, even if you tried. Try to ignore a game and get going with your life and you`ll bump into closed banks, stores, restaurants (if they don`t have a big screen to watch the game with the costumers) and any other company.
During the 2006 Cup I was working for a 24-hour call center, for a credit card company. We couldn`t leave the phone so we took turns watching the games. Someone brought a big TV over and half of us could take the day off, arrive late, and do anything to be able to watch the game. We would even celebrate with the costumer on the phone, or ask them how the game was. Of course they were watching the game and only called for emergencies or during the breaks. For every score and for every game we won, we could celebrate with strangers, on the bus on the way home or even on the streets.
I can`t think of anywhere in the world where something like this happens. There is the Super Bowl and many major holidays around the world. But nothing is like the World Cup for Brazil. Such an energy, such a union, I can`t compare to anything. I can`t wait for this year`s Cup, I know is going to be exciting, fun and emotional. If you get the chance to come to Brazil to witness that phenomenon, I promise you won`t regret.

Human Bus Behavior

After years of frequent use of the public transportation in São Paulo, and in a city like this you do spend a lot of time in a bus, I noticed a pattern in how people behave. And this pattern is restricted to buses and its user’s majority; I want to make this clear. I`d like to describe my theory here, and you are welcome to give your opinion about whether I`m right or wrong. Let`s start by the bus stop.
The bus stop is a great spot for reflection. You are just standing there so you are free to think. A million thoughts go through our minds while we are waiting for the bus. And the most interesting thing is that most of these thoughts are related to the bus we are waiting for. If the bus is taking too long, you wonder if you are on the right stop, maybe they`ve changed the route and you don`t know. Then you remember this bus always takes a while, so maybe you should take that other bus and get down on the main avenue where you`ve got more options. But maybe if you take that bus, the one you need will come right after and you will lose the chance to get it. But you are so late already, what if it takes too long? Finally, the bus you need arrives first, and you are taken by a warm feeling in your chest. It`s a momentary feeling of accomplishment, you feel your day started just great and can only get better. You step in the bus and smile to the driver. You are still thrilling when you touch your bus card and pass the ratchet, but then a new stage starts.
It`s time to pick your seat. On this part your subconscious starts working and it follows a sequence of rules so you can pick your seat quickly. You don`t want to take too long or people might notice and be offended because you didn`t pick the available seat next to them. You just take a quick look around and make it look like you chose it randomly, but you are actually minutely picking the most appropriate spot for you. The first rule to follow is: you always take the seat as far as you can from other people in the bus. If you look inside a bus half full of people, you will probably notice the pattern between the empty seats: they are spread. This rule, as any other, has exceptions. One of them is for the hot sunny days. In this case, people tend to avoid the sunny side of the bus and look for a seat on the shade. Eventually, though, the bus will make a turn and all will be back to normal.
The second rule is different for men and women. This stage is based on the people already seated, when there aren`t many available seats. If you are a man, you are going to first look for a seat next to a woman. If this option is not available, you look for a seat next to a man. Last of all, and you only take this one when there is no other option left, you sit next to a good-looking woman. Many men will probably disagree with me on this one. But this is merely their subconscious part of the brain working. Good-looking women are a threat for men, knowing that, they feel very insecure next to them. First of all these women are too confident. For them, in a public transportation, any man is a pervert until the contrary is proven. If, when the bus shakes, he accidently touches the pretty girl next to him, he will be attacked by her censorship look. She might even pretend to be next to her stop, stand up and move to another part of the bus. That kind of situation messes with a man`s confidence, so he tries to avoid it by avoiding the seat next to that girl he considers attractive.
As I mentioned before, the second rule is different for women. They also look for a seat next to another woman first. Then, if they can`t avoid seating next to a man, they look for the most well-dressed and good-looking one to seat next to. It`s not because they are interested in meeting this guy, and it`s not because he`s attractive. In her subconscious mind, that guy is less likely to be a pervert. It`s a very simple rule, I noticed it applies to most women. If we observe a considerably full bus, we will see that, in most cases, the empty seats are next to good-looking women and bad-looking men. I was as well astonished when I realized how the second rule works, but after much observation I can assure you it`s real.
The third rule can also be used as a trick by the ones who like to travel alone. If a person looks right at you when you get in the bus, and you don`t know this person, you won`t seat next to him/her. This person might be possibly staring, and that means it`s a freak or a pervert. You don`t want to seat next to any of those. Besides, if there is visual contact, it is more likely to be interaction between these people. People want to be left alone in the bus, they don`t want to be talking to a stranger the whole trip. Of course there are exceptions, some people are lonely and some people are just very social. But it works for most of the cases. So if you have an empty seat next to you and you want it to remain like this, all you have to do is stare. Look in the eyes of every individual who passes the ratchet. If you are a woman, thought, you need to be very careful not to stare too long. Some men might see it as a sign you are interested and not only seat next to you but actually start a conversation.

The new heading picture was taken by my sister, Lila, from our apartment`s balcony. We do have a great view of the sunrise and I am gonna miss it when they build a couple more buildings around ours.

Credit Card

I was already pissed off when I answered the phone. I finally had some time to take an afternoon nap before I go back to work, but the phone had to ring right when I closed my eyes.
- Hello.
- Hello, can I talk to Susan Barbosa, please?
- Speaking.
- Hi, Senhora Susan, my name is Cesar. I must tell you that, for your own security, this call is going to be recorded. Is that ok, Senhora Susan?
- Yeah.
- I`m calling in name of Itaú bank, to let you know that we are going to be sending you a brand new credit card and it is going to be arriving at your home in 15 days. Is that ok, Senhora Susan?
I didn`t know if I should be angry by the “Senhora Susan” - which in Portuguese sounds like he`s talking to an old lady, - by the frequent “going to”, by the fact he made me get up for that, by the fact he talked to me as if I had difficulty understanding him (like an old lady) or by the annoying argument I knew I was about to have with poor Cesar. But it is not his fault, really, so I continued.
- So the card is going to get here and I`ll have to pay its fee.
- No, Senhora Susan, we are sending it for free.
- But there are fees every month, right? As any credit card.
- That`s right, Senhora Susan, it`s only 4,50 a month.
- Well, I don`t want it.
- It`s all right, Senhora Susan. We are going to be sending the card, that is going to be arriving in 15 days, and if you choose not to use it, you don`t have to. For the card to work, you need to call us and unblock it. If you don`t do that, we won`t charge you.
- Don`t I have to cancel it? I heard of many cases like that, you send the card and the person just ignores it or throw it away, and then by the end of the month the bill arrives.
- That is not going to happen, Senhora Susan, if you don`t unblock the card, there is no charge.
- So I don`t have to call and cancel, do I?
- No, senhora Susan, you don`t.
- Are you sure about that? What`s your name again?
- It`s Cesar.
- Are you sure about that, Cesar? Isn`t this call being recorded?
- Yes, Senhora, I am sure. And yes, the call is being recorded.
- So you guarantee there won`t be any charges, no headaches over canceling cards I didn`t ask for…
- Don`t worry, Senhora Susan.
- Ok.
After all that talk about cards, I thought our conversation was over. He was just a messenger after all, he needed to communicate the card was being sent and that was actually nice. But I was wrong.
- Ok, Senhora Susan. Can I confirm your home address please?
- What?
- I need to confirm your home address to send you the credit card.
He was a seller after all.
- So you haven`t sent it yet? How do you even have my address? I don`t have an account in this bank and I never requested a credit card.
He wouldn`t give up now, he was halfway through.
- Senhora Susan, do you still live on Tonelorio street?
I was so relieved, he got my address wrong. I actually lived on Toneleiros, but I would never let him know that.
- No, that`s not where I live. And why would you send me a card if I just told you I won`t use it?
- It`s just a trial, Senhora Susan, have I mentioned the advantages of this card? Do you know about the miles program?
- Yes, I do! It`s the same with every freaking credit card of any freaking bank! I`m not stupid, Cesar, I know how a credit card works! I know the advantages, and I also know the disadvantages! And based on my knowledge I refuse your offer. Is that ok, Senhor Cesar?
- But, Senh…
- Don`t send me the card! This call is being recorded! I hope you don`t send anything against my will, Cesar, that could cost you your job!
- No, Senhora Susan, listen, if you would just give me a chance…
- I don`t want any credit card, I`m happy with mine, are we clear?
- Yes.
- Thank you, have a nice day.
…

Rick the Ping Pong Star

Enzo wasn`t very excited as he walked up the stairs to the 5th floor of Modulo high school. He knew what he was about to confront. He had been going from class to class all morning, recruiting kids to the school`s Olympics. Everything was going well so far, but now it was time for the “problematic” class, to quote the principal, to be asked to take part on one of the most important events of the school. If he could simply ignore that class he would, but he had to make sure every class would get the chance to participate.
The philosophy teacher didn`t mind at all Enzo`s interruption. He was barely interrupting anything; the students were doing anything but paying attention to the lesson. It took a while for them to notice Enzo standing there, and some struggle from the teacher to get their attention to him. When everybody quieted down, he started:
- Good morning, everybody! As you all know, every year, we have the school`s Olympics and I`m here to know which of you will represent your class in each sport. – he heard some boring sighs – Well let`s make this quick, shall we? When I say the name of the sport you`d like to compete just raise your hand, ok?
Two or three of the 36 students gave a sign to be listening, so he continued:
- Volleyball; - he looked over his clip board, no answer – Soccer; – a few boys raised their hands, barely enough to make a team – Basketball; Dodge ball; Race; - he kept listing the many sports with no answer at all from the students and was already putting his papers away when he finally said – Ping pong.

He wouldn`t realize someone had volunteered if it wasn`t for the student`s cheering screams coming from all over the class. He turned around to see Rick, the class`s pet, with one hand up, looking straight at him. Enzo couldn`t tell if that was some kind of joke, or if he was just going to ask the teacher a question, as he often did, or if Rick actually wanted to play ping pong. Well, if it was any of the first options, it soon became the third. The students were cheering so loud, yelling Rick`s name and making a party out of the situation; that made Rick feel so wanted that he couldn’t say no to ping pong.
The rest of the students were as puzzled as Enzo. Rick wasn`t sportive at all and the general opinion was that he was a very awkward kid. First of all he was bald, with a little hair on the sides of his head, which is pretty weird for a 17-year-old. He wore glasses, the kind of glasses that if any person with a perfect vision looks through he would probably see micro-organisms. Besides his strange look, it was also a little difficult to keep a conversation with Rick, he had some trouble expressing himself and he could only talk very slowly. He was also known by his frequent questions. Every time he raised his finger the class would listen to the next unnecessary question and the teacher`s obvious answer.
Despite all that he was now the ping pong star. Maybe that was a talent that nobody knew about and would now be revealed so Rick would upgrade from the class`s pet to the class`s champion. At least that was what Rick expected right before his first game. He was afraid to go down the stairs to where the ping pong table was. A massive group of students, not only from his class but from the rest of the school, was waiting for him to play, cheering with such a fervor he had never seen before. Everybody was screaming his name; there was even organized cheering. One girl would shout: “I want to hear an R!” and all the rest: “R!” Every time they finished spelling RICK they would jump and sing, repeating his name over and over. Nobody cared when he lost the game. The party continued in the class room and the next games until the end of the Olympics. At some point there was a huge sign with Rick`s picture in the class room, and he`s name was everywhere in the school.
None of the students knows exactly why Rick was such a success on their last high school year. They could be just making fun of him or maybe it was just a reason to have a good time. But at the end Rick became an icon, a hero, and nobody in his class will ever forget him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2IJFlLzjD0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXy1eI5UTlY&NR=1