Portrait of Gilberto Mendes

Above, a picture of Gilberto Mendes & I in the Guarany Theatre in Santos, Brazil.
Below, his Signature:Now I am feeling really blessed. This afternoon I've got the priviledge of presentiating the presentation of many artists (all of them from my birthplace) in my birthplace but of different areas in their best performances. A pianist played an encyclopedia of different musics from the Classical compositor Gilberto Mendes, a soprano sang his compositions, mostly lyrics from other poets born in Santos, such as Vicente de Carvalho, but also from S. John (The Woman and the Dragon) and I was exhilarated to see a painter (also from Santos but who lives in California now) portraying this moment. I looked out at the window of that beautiful big maison and then I saw surfers stretching out to ride the big waves. I was riding, right, but in the web of life, in extasis being surrounded by sound, visual delight and entering into a state of bliss. It made my heart complete to know that so many wonderful artists were blessed by the green waves of the sea of Santos. And they are all Saints, or at least touched by them.
Just a shame I didn't have my camera then. But that is recorded forever in my cornucopian corneal archive. Just to take out some curiosity here is an emblematic moment from this extraordinary man and his so well deserved coronation (in life as in his career) and laureated glories in his light-crowned head:

International Book Fair

Yesterday I went to Sao Paulo with my mother to go to the International Book Fair and I stayed there all day long. I was so tired of walking there all day and carrying all the heavy books my mom wanted to buy that now I cannot even sleep so much my back hurts. There I also went to a conference lead by a new authour, and illustrator (just as I am) who spoke up about his beliefs which in a way echoed my own thoughts about the publishing media. I could keep listening to him for the whole evening. He said that everyone has a story to tell and he certainly did have a lot of his own, not to mention of other people he met (and you can view his blog here: http://walthermoreirasantos.blogspot.com/). But I was so overwhelmed by the exhaustion that I could not even speak with the contact I had with the editor. I passed right through him, saying only a brief "hello" and then leaving for I was already late to my mother's appointment. Later on we still went to see my sister rehearsal as she said she was singing just for me who won't be there when she has her presentation in two weeks. Saturday I will go to a lecture of a writer friend of mine at the local library right at the beach. She's been writing for the major newspaper here in Santos. So I kind of look up for her. Next week i will be back in Santiago. Already missing the sunny days I've been spending at the beach...

É Doce Morrer No Mar, Dorival!

It had been two month that his wife was there at the hospital. She had a heart attack, and as he waited for her to come back he also waited her call every day. Until he day she entered in a state of coma and it had been already nin days gone and he hadn't heard from her. Thinking that she was already dead and nobody did tell him, Caymmi, considered for all the grandpa of Bossa Nova, left us in his recently completed 94 years old.
Good-bye, Caymmi, you will be missed! Good-bye, long-played, so long...



É doce morrer no mar / Sweet it is to die in the sea
Nas ondas verdes do mar/ In the green waves of the sea
É doce morrer no mar / It's sweet to die in the sea
Nas ondas verdes do mar / In the green waves of the sea

Saveiro partiu de noite foi/ The boat left at night
Madrugada não voltou /Early in the morning he didn't come
O marinheiro bonito/ The handsome sailor
Sereia do mar levou/ The mermaid took him

A noite que ele não veio foi/ The night he didn't come was
Foi de tristeza prá mim/ It was so sad for me
Triste noite foi prá mim/ Sad night it was for me

Nas ondas verdes do mar/in the green waves of the sea
Ele se foi afogar/he drowned
Fez sua cama de noivo/He made his bed of groom
No colo de Iemanjá/ In the arms of Yemanja
É doce morrer... (Dorival Caymmi/Jorge Amado)

Le Coq Sportif

Le coq loves the Olympics

Episode 11/18 : Starace à Pékin
envoyé par lecoqloveschina

The Olympic Games started and I am already mesmerized by so many events in and outside the television set. Imagine joining the whole world together to celebrate a happy time and right then make a war. It sounds totally surreal that in time where all nations are battling the good fight (sports in general are supposed to make you feel good even if you loose it) you gain the knowledge that there is a war inside a country. My condolence rises and goes to all the Georgians, all the widows, sons and daughters who just became orphans, and the numbers increasing of people suffering in the world augmenting each and every day. Sometimes my heart just wants to explode with all that, but I know I would be of any service to all if I keep sadness in my heart. So I just leave a prayer in the air, hoping it will float on other people's heart and give relief to the ones who suffer most.

Besides taking a look or two on the games, I've been busy working on my audiobooks, arranging some new tunes, composing music and songs along with my tales for kids. It's been fun! Hope I will soon share that here to you and make a heart or two happy too.

Don't keep walking in your life with sadness in your heart.
Live each day with happiness and make it a brand new start.

Nao atravesse a vida carregando tristeza em seu coracao.
Viva cada dia com alegria e faca disso uma linda cancao.
Ana Antunes