30 maio 2007

Sras. e Srs. ... Mafalda Veiga!

Em cada gesto perdido
Tu és igual a mim
Em cada ferida que sara
Escondida do mundo
Eu sou igual a ti
Fazes pinturas de guerra
Que eu não sei apagar
Pintas o sol da cor da terra
E a lua da cor do mar
Em cada grito da alma
Eu sou igual a ti
De cada vez que um olhar
Te alucina e te prende
Tu és igual a mim
Fazes pinturas de sonhos
Pintas o sol na minha mão
E és mistura de vento e lama
Entre os luares perdidos no chão
Em cada noite sem rumo
Tu és igual a mim
De cada vez que procuro
Preciso um abrigo
Eu sou igual a ti
Faço pinturas de guerra
Que eu não sei apagar
E pinto a lua da cor da terra
E o sol da cor do mar
Em cada grito afundado
Eu sou igual a ti
De cada vez que a tremura
Desata o desejo
Tu és igual a mim
Faço pinturas de sonhos
E pinto a lua na tua mão
Misturo o vento e a lama
Piso os luares perdidos no chão

"O título do trabalho «Tatuagem» acaba por ser uma metáfora de tudo o que fica: no corpo, na alma, na memória, na maneira como mudamos, como as coisas nos transformam"; "Esta é sobre as marcas que nós deixamos uns nos outros, que eu acho que são um espécie de tatuagens de outra maneira" - Mafalda Veiga

Mais dos que as marcas que deixamos nos outros e as influências que os outros deixam em nós, que se entranham debaixo da pele e fazem parte de nós, tal e qual a tinta de uma tatuagem, não posso deixar de pensar nessas "pinturas de guerra" que todos fazemos e que não sabemos apagar, na máscara social que construímos ao longo da vida e que também é parte de nós, porque "Eu sou igual a ti e tu és igual a mim".


O que é que as mulheres mais esperam de um homem?

Afecto, companhia, um bom ouvinte …

... que lhes adivinhem o pensamento.

As mulheres precisam muito mais de confirmação diária do sentimento.

Os pequenos nadas.

Sexualmente, a mulher é muito mais aberta ao diálogo.

O maior erro é adiar tudo para as férias, a que se chega exausto.

Pequenos gestos dizem muito.

Se verbalizar um sentimento é importante e necessário, a verdade é que as palavras têm de ser apoiadas em actos assim como os actos adquirem uma força adicional quando acompanhados de palavras.

É humano precisarmos de provas de amor.

É dessa confirmação diária que as relações se alimentam, crescem, evoluem num ou noutro sentido.

A linguagem nas suas componentes verbal e não verbal não tem limites, contudo, precisa de ser correctamente interpretada pelo destinatário, sob pena de cair no vazio, desprovida de sentido.

As mulheres precisam dos homens?

As mulheres precisam dos homens por motivos diferentes ao longo da sua vida.

Quando os homens estão reformados, as mulheres não precisam deles da cintura para baixo, mas apenas para terem um ombro amigo, lavar a louça que elas se fartaram de lavar durante os últimos 40 anos e poder chatear com conversas sobre as amigas e a próxima viagem pelo Inatel.

As mulheres mais novas, essas, precisam urgente e desesperadamente dos homens para as compras. E não é para estes carregarem os sacos ou puxarem do seu cartão de crédito.
Nada disso.
Vejamos, então, para quê:


Cientistas altamente consagrados (como eu) pelos métodos mais inovadores, têm notado que uma mulher, quando entra numa loja, comporta-se de forma segmentada. A sua visão, o seu cérebro e as suas reacções musculares comportam-se com base em apenas duas indicações: cor e forma.

Se elas querem uma camisola azul, então a sua visão dentro da loja afunila-se e vêem apenas a zona de roupas azuis. A partir daí, passam a identificar a forma das camisolas. Não vêem mais nada. Tudo o resto que há na loja deixa-as perdidas. Se se afastarem muito dessa zona, entram em colapso e dão por si a sair da loja em três tempos, frustradas por não ter encontrado a camisola azul que tanto procuravam.
É aqui que entram os homens.

Nós, homens, somos essencialmente práticos. Rudes. Cruéis. Implacáveis! Connosco, tudo se resolve num máximo de 7 minutos. Entramos, vemos, experimentamos, pagamos, saímos. Limpinho. 7 minutos. Não falha.

Eis porque, normalmente, as mulheres não gostam que nós as acompanhemos às compras. É que nós cortamos a magia. Todo o ritual de experimenta, desiste e volta a experimentar, connosco não tem qualquer hipótese de sobreviver. A nossa grande qualidade é sermos como o Harvey Keitel no Pulp Fiction: quando a urgência é grande e a situação é crítica, nós somos a única solução.

E isto porquê?
Porque se a nossa mulher precisa de uma camisola azul, essa torna-se a nossa missão de vida, à qual não podemos falhar. E porque é que nunca falhamos? Porque a nossa razão para encontrar uma camisola azul na Zara ou na Mango torna-se uma questão de vida ou morte! Poderíamos nós, homens, alguma vez aguentar 30 minutos dentro da Mango?? Nem pensar! Por isso, é a nossa vida que passa a estar em jogo.

Por outro lado, normalmente somos sempre bem sucedidos porque as nossas regras são muito mais selváticas. Para nós, homens, vale tudo. Vejamos como:

Na nossa busca desenfreada e contra a morte, acabamos por encontrar a camisola azul de tamanho ?S? que toda a gente dizia já não haver. Encontramo-la entre 12 pares de saias pretas e 8 casacões roxos; um truque de alguém, que ali resolveu esconder o seu bem mais precioso enquanto ia a outra loja tirar as dúvidas. E mais: para além da camisola azul, ainda vemos o cinto que é a prenda ideal para dar à F. e uma t-shirt que é mesmo do que a S. precisa. Aqui está, finalmente, a teoria que explica porque os homens são indispensáveis às mulheres em matéria de compras

O silêncio dos homens e a conversa das mulheres: A eterna dicotomia.

O maior desafio para uma mulher é interpretar e apoiar correctamente um homem quando ele não está a conversar.

O silêncio é mais facilmente mal interpretado pelas mulheres do que pelos homens.

As mulheres precisam de perceber que quando um homem está silencioso, está a dizer:"Ainda não sei o que dizer, mas estou a pensar nisso".

Em vez disso, o que elas ouvem é: "Não estou a responder-te porque não me importo contigo e vou ignorar-te. O que me disseste não é importante e por isso mesmo não respondo".

A mulher interpreta mal o silêncio de um homem.

Dependendo de como se está a sentir naquele dia, ela pode começar a imaginar o pior.

Quando um homem está em silêncio é fácil para uma mulher imaginar o pior porque os únicos momentos em que uma mulher ficaria em silêncio seriam quando ela acabasse de dizer alguma coisa muito lesiva ou quando ela não quizesse falar com uma pessoa porque já não confiava nela.

Não é de admirar que as mulheres se sintam inseguras quando um homem de repente fica calado!

Ao compreender a caverna de um homem, a mulher pode aprender a interpretar correctamente o silêncio dele e responder a isso.

As mulheres precisam aprender que quando um homem está aborrecido ou com stress, pára automaticamente de falar e vai para a sua "caverna" para resolver as coisas.

Precisam de aprender que não é permitido a ninguém entrar nessa caverna.

Esta lição é difícil para a mulher.

Como se importa com o homem, a mulher quer entrar na caverna e oferecer-lhe ajuda.

Mais do que isso, ela admite com frequência e erradamente que se lhe pudesse fazer mais perguntas sobre o seu estado e se fosse uma boa ouvinte, ele seria capaz de se sentir melhor.

Isto ainda aborrece mais os homens.

Por instinto, quer apoiá-lo da mesma maneira como ela gostaria de ser apoiada. As suas intenções são boas, mas o resultado é contraproducente.

Um homem refugia-se na sua caverna ou fica calado por uma série de razões:

1 - Precisa de pensar sobre um problema qualquer e de lhe encontrar uma solução prática;

2 - Não tem resposta para uma pergunta ou para um problema: Nunca lhe foi ensinado a dizer: "Eu não tenho uma resposta". Precisa de ir para a sua caverna e encontrar uma. Alguns homens admitem que estão a fazer exactamente aquilo quando se calam;

3 - Ficou aborrecido ou com stress. Nesses momentos ele precisa ficar sozinho para se acalmar e para recuperar de novo o seu controlo. Ele não quer dizer ou fazer nada de que se possa arrepender;

4 - Precisa de se encontrar a si próprio. Esta quarta razão torna-se muito importante quando os homens amam. Às vezes, começam a perder-se e a esquecer-se de si próprios. Podem sentir que intimidade de mais lhes rouba a força. Precisam de regular a maneira como se aproximam. Quando se aproximam demais, de modo a perder-se, as campainhas começam a tocar e eles põem-se a caminho da caverna. Como resultado, ficam rejuvenescidos e encontram de novo o seu eu amoroso.

Um homem quer que a mulher que ama tenha confiança nele para resolver o que o está a incomodar.

A confiança dela em saber que ele pode resolver o seu problema é muito importante para a sua auto-estima.

É difícil para ela não se preocupar com ele.

Para uma mulher, sentir-se feliz quando a pessoa que ama está aborrecida não parece correcto.

Decerto, ele não quer que ela se sinta feliz "porque" ele está aborrecido, mas realmente ele quer que ela se sinta feliz.

Além disso, quer que ela se sinta feliz porque isso o ajuda a sentir-se amado por ela.

Os homens e as mulheres precisam de parar de oferecer o método de atenção que eles próprios prefeririam e começar a aprender as diferentes maneiras de pensar, de sentir e de reagir dos seus parceiros.

...

7 Maneiras que uma Mulher tem ao seu dispôr para dizer a um Homem que o ama sem lho dizer.

If you want to show your guy that you think he's special, you could just tell him you love him. He'll always want to hear that. And, of course, you can surprise him with the latest Palm Pilot or that Big Bertha golf club he's been begging for. But probably the best way to make a man feel loved is to offer some simple, everyday acts of kindness that show him you understand him. These little gifts will give something back to you: a marriage infused with more trust and friendship and a deeper sense of togetherness.

So go ahead and buy him a toy if you feel like it. But if you want to make him so happy he skips right past "Thanks, hon," to "I'm married to the woman of my dreams," give him one of these seven tokens of devotion. No shopping required.

Give Him a Cushion
Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: You and your husband screech home from work. While you hug each kid and liberate a Boboli from its plastic wrap, your husband is very busy, too...studying the mail. Seeking a way in, you ask how his day was. No answer. He's home, but he's not.

You're fuming, and that's understandable. But it turns out that men really do need a tiny buffer zone ‑- call it a cushion ‑- between work and family, says Deborah Tannen, Ph.D., professor of linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, and an expert in communication between the sexes. That cushion helps them change from "political" male with territory to defend to "loving" male with territory to share. "Many women use talk to reinforce the bond, but many men see talk as something they had to do all day to make sure they didn't get pushed around," says Tannen.

What's a woman to do? Tell him you understand his need to retreat but you just can't indulge it every night. Then discuss how ‑- and how often ‑- the two of you can build in a cushion without leaving the whole domestic load on you. For example, you might agree that one night he's with you and the kids, the next he gets to pull his turtle act for 10 or 15 minutes. The upside when he puts the mail or newspaper first? He'll feel more energized and ready to give you the break you'll need once he comes out of his shell.


Give Him Your Ear (Even When the Subject Seems Less Than Pressing)
Next time your husband demands your undivided attention to talk about the cool new office coffee machine, consider this: "For men, it's emotionally meaningful just to have a conversation," says New York clinical psychologist Alon Gratch, Ph.D., author of If Men Could Talk: Translating the Secret Language of Men, even if that conversation isn't about something that strikes you as emotionally meaningful. Politics, sports, the pros and cons of a push mower versus one that's gas powered ‑- these talks can make him feel as connected to you as you feel to him when he opens up about his emotions. And when chattering children and uncut vegetables interrupt the give-and-take, Gratch says, "it can make him feel he's not being heard."

Of course, putting down the paring knife and pulling up a chair can be a hard gift to give ‑- multitasking, after all, is what gets dinner on the table. But a little ingenuity can go a long way. Naomi Williams, a Website producer in San Francisco, catches conversations with her husband on the fly. "My husband's uncomfortable talking about his feelings, but he loves to talk about other stuff, so we call each other on our cell phones while we're driving or walking," she says. "He's always so happy when I call him. He'll say, 'Oh, I was hoping it would be you.'"


Give Him "Guy Time"
You are your husband's best friend, as he's likely to profess after a couple of beers. But sometimes he wants to go out with someone who won't roll her eyes when he turns into a human whoopee cushion. That "someone" is...The Guys. "Men get energy from being away," says JoAnn Magdoff, Ph.D., a New York psychotherapist. "They hang loose, talk or not talk. It gives them great intimacy without tremendous demands."

That said, we're not suggesting that he get a free pass every night while you deal with baths and bedtime. If you have two children under 3, for example, one evening out a month is generous. This is about meeting his needs within the realistic demands of family and work ‑- not about your being a martyr. (While you're at it, remember to pencil in girls' nights out.)

Bonus: If you each use some of this free time to pursue your separate passions ‑- whether it's dragging a friend to see the jam band Phish or taking Brazilian dance lessons with a pal ‑- there's likely to be an extra spark when you get back together. Maintaining separate identities keeps alive those parts of you that you two fell in love with in the first place.


Give Him What He Wants (Before He Knows He Wants It)
My husband becomes disproportionately happy if I replace the box of Mallomars before it's empty and equally pouty if I don't pour him a cup of coffee with my own in the morning. These reactions aren't out of whack, says Pat Love, Ed.D., author of The Truth About Love.

Little acts of thoughtfulness, or lack thereof, relay something bigger to our partners. "It's about tuning in to his needs, making the discovery of them a priority," she says. So try this next time he has a lot of job stress: If he ordinarily picks up the groceries, tell him you'll take over for a while so he can have some time to himself. "Actions like that touch his soul," says Love. "He thinks, You've been watching me. I'm important to you."

Of course, anticipating his needs also obviously applies to the bedroom. But if "give him sex before he has to ask for it" sounds too much like advice your mom would give, try looking at it this way: Being pursued reminds your man of when he was single and actually got hit on fairly regularly. And when he's feeling that manly and attractive, there's no telling what he'll want to do to you.


Give Him Your Admiration
A lot has changed over the last 40 years, but one thing remains the same: Your guy's self-esteem is tied up in how well he handles the job of being a "real man" ‑- his performance at work, in bed, as a dad. Stay mum about these subjects and it won't matter if he's a superstud with a six-figure salary. He'll...wonder.

"Men are still trying to get their mothers' approval, and you represent that feminine approval," says psychologist Gratch. So give freely, and give often, making sure you keep your praise genuine and, well, masculine. (Sad to say, complimenting him on his sensitivity will please him because it pleases you, but it won't massage him in those little-boy spots that most need the rub.) And remember to focus the compliment on him. If he gets a promotion, for example, instead of saying, "Great, we can use the extra money," try, "Wow, they finally see how hard you've been working."


Give Him His Adulthood
You can lecture him about his McDonald's habit and stock the kitchen with fresh fruit. You can count out loud the number of cocktails he has with dinner. But you can't -- repeat, can't -- make him take care of himself, drive more carefully, or work out his relationship with his parents. He will handle those things when he decides to. Too much input makes him feel guilty and harped on ‑- and will probably backfire.

"Mother him and he'll act like a child," says Gratch. "You give a great gift to a man when you stop trying to control his irresponsible behavior. He's got to learn from his own mistakes."

You also give a great gift to your marriage, because the risks of playing mommy are insidious: You'll slip from being equals to being parent and child, and that makes it awfully hard for you to respect him and for him not to resent you. (Of course, if the problem is serious ‑- he's drinking or gambling too much, taking drugs, or seriously risking his health ‑- you must decide for yourself what you will and won't live with.)


Give Him His Dreams
If he tells you that someday -- not tomorrow, not next month -- he'd really like to hike the Appalachian Trail, try biting your tongue before you say, "Uh-huh. And who's going to take care of the kids while you're gone?" We all need dreams. With days that are packed with demanding jobs, exuberant children, and circles of friends and family, life at this stage of the game is rich and rewarding. But it also leaves little room for real adventure. Dreams connect us to a past that felt limitless and promise a future that's a bit freer.

"Just try to make your interactions more positive than negative," says author Love. "It may be honest that you can't afford his dream, or that it's impractical or unrealistic. But the bigger truth is, do you want to be connected and supportive, or do you want to be the one who rains on his parade?"

Be the sunshine, Love advises. If you are, you can rest assured that he'll do his best to keep you warm too.

De que forma é que uma mulher pode ficar mais juntinha do seu homem na chegada deste Verão?

Summer is the perfect time to indulge in simple, sensual pleasures with your man.

Try these reader-tested ways to make the most of this scorching season:

1. "After the kids are asleep, my husband fires up the grill, and we make s'mores or just roast marshmallows under a sky full of stars."

2. "We go on fun theme picnics. Our 'Paris' picnics feature cheese, baguettes and a bottle of wine; for a 'Greek' picnic, we pack hummus, pita, olives and a feta-and-tomato salad."

3. "To cool off, we fill the kiddie pool with cold water, add bath salts for fizz and throw in mint leaves and lavender essential oil. We pull up chairs, dunk our feet and relax."

4. "Nobody inspires 'Summer Lovin' better than Sandy and Danny. So when the mercury is on the rise, I cue up my Grease soundtrack and cajole my hubby into a private dancefest."

5. "On sunny Saturdays we pick up a bunch of brochures of exotic locations from a travel agent; then we spread a blanket under a tree and dream away the afternoon."

6. "They say, 'If you can't beat the heat, join it.' So we sign up for salsa lessons and sweat Latin-style."

7. "Nothing beats taking a stroll in a summer rainstorm. The best part: the hot shower we share afterward."

8. "One word: ice cubes (okay, two words). There is no better way to cool off on a hot night than by giving each other a tingly ice-cube rubdown."

9. "Whenever a heat wave hits, I whisk my man off to the movies. We love sitting in a cool, dark theater, holding hands, sipping slushies and savoring our time together."

10. "Every summer we set up the Ping-Pong table in our driveway and hold a marathon match. The loser gives the winner a full-body massage."

11. "We relax with margarita snow cones: Fill a cup with crushed ice, then pour on margarita mix and tequila."

12. "Using sunscreen, I spell out my honey's name on my skin. After sunning for 15 minutes a day for a week, I've got a sun-worship tattoo for his eyes only."

13. "Our version of Twister: We spread the mat out in the backyard, slip into our swimsuits and grease each other up with suntan oil."

14. "Water-balloon fights aren't just for kids. Next time your hubby's doing lawn work, launch an all-out attack."

15. "We love stopping at roadside farmer's market stands and buying produce. Then we make a giant fresh fruit salad -- topped with whipped cream, of course."

16. "One night a week is our 'ice-cream contest' night, when we invent the wackiest sundaes we can."

17. "There's something so intimate about taking a siesta in your husband's arms on a sunny afternoon."

18. "In the evenings we visit our new favorite watering hole: our porch! We sit on old-fashioned rocking chairs, have a beer and stare up at the stars."

19. "My hubby and I never miss a carnival. It sounds corny, but I feel like a giddy teenager in love when my man tries to win me a stuffed teddy bear."

20. "Once a month, we set our alarm clock for 6am, stumble out to the backyard wrapped in a blanket and watch the sun come up."

Como é que se obtem o estilo de vida que sempre se aspirou a ter?

You've been putting it off forever — that secret dream to start a business, write a book, run a marathon.... Whatever your desire, ignoring it means denying who you really are. And don't you deserve better? Here, your no-excuses, no-regrets guide to answering the voice in your head that says, "I want more."

Ask yourself: Are you ready to finally tackle the burden or bad habit that's been dragging you down? You're many things - maybe a wife and mom, prized employee, baker extraordinaire, or president of your block association. But perhaps there's another side of you that's itching to show itself, a yearning you're desperate to follow - to, say, bring out your artistic side or get a psychology degree. Or maybe you don't know what you want, because a dream you once had isn't in sync with who you are now, or because you're overwhelmed with all the choices out there.


Wherever you are on the dream spectrum, your aspiration may be slipping away. "We let our dreams lag because our overcommitted lives make them seem impractical," says life coach Laura Berman Fortgang, author of Now What? 90 Days to a New Life Direction. "We're spread so thin that it's hard to be 'selfish' and put your efforts toward something just for you." Plus, going after a goal may be scary: The fear of failure - or of how your life will change if you succeed - can be paralyzing.

Well, it's time to get moving! Here's why: When your day-to-day existence gets packed with too many "have-to's" and not enough "want-to's," you can end up with a constant, low-grade "Is this all there is?" kind of fever. And that's no way to live.

So use this workbook to help you achieve your wildest fantasies in whatever way they might fit into your life today. Over the past year, three women have been featured in REDBOOK magazine's Live Your Dream series. These women, Denise Mabilog, Cate Colburn-Smith, and Deb Busser, have accomplished amazing things - from publishing a book to singing in a rock band! Now, we're bringing their success secrets to you, with the help of Fortgang, who coached them. Ask yourself the following questions, and then read on to pinpoint your dream - and what it says about you. Then learn how to make it happen.

Ask yourself: Is there a passion you've abandoned because there's no room for it in your "real life"?

Photography or tennis or painting or sewing or...?

The mountain of responsibilities we take on as adults often leads us to abandon activities that once brought us joy. Maybe as a child you lived for tennis camp, but haven't picked up a racket since you had your own kids. For 42-year-old Denise Mabilog of Swedesboro, NJ, the fantasy of becoming a photographer - a dream she clung to through the time she graduated college - gave way to a challenging law career.

Why do we let go of pastimes we love? According to Fortgang, adulthood - and all that comes with it - makes us feel like we're not allowed to pursue activities just for sheer pleasure. Hobbies become indulgences that we get to enjoy after all the "important stuff" is done (and what a joke that is - how often does your to-do list get shorter?!).

Fortunately, passions are persistent - as much as you try to push 'em away, they're always there, itching to be let back into your life. As Mabilog can attest, reigniting a dream is well worth it: "I used to tell myself that photography would be a waste of time," she says. "Now I take pictures every day. I even set up a portrait studio in my basement! My life is busier than ever, but it's richer than ever, too!" Here's how to rekindle your passion.

Step 1: Give yourself permission.

When you think, I should use my time for more productive things, tell yourself that your dream activity does have a purpose - namely, to give you happiness, which will buoy you as you tackle everyday tasks, from preparing dinner to leading a meeting at work.

To make your commitment stick, get "permission" from your family, too, by explaining why you want the time. Mabilog's husband and son worried that her photography hobby would steal her away from them, but once she emphasized how passionate she was about her dream and that they wouldn't be neglected, their anxieties vanished. "When I told my 8-year-old how much my hobby meant to me, he really got it," she says. "Now, when new equipment for my studio comes in the mail, he's the first to say, 'Mom! Let's go set this stuff up!'"

Step 2: Make room for your dream - literally.

The writer Virginia Woolf famously said that one of the keys to a woman's freedom is having a room of one's own. Claiming a space where you can indulge in your passion is like saying, "X marks the spot." It's an expression of your decision to take your dream seriously.

So designate a writing area in your living room. Place an easel in a corner of the bedroom. Don't need a specific spot to practice your passion? Make an altar to your effort: Display items that move you (photographs, a row of vintage fountain pens) or create an "inspiration board" by pinning motivating clippings to a bulletin board (a poem you love, an ad for an exhibit you want to attend). When Mabilog set up her basement studio and hung her photographs around her home, she started to feel like the real deal.

Step 3: Set a date.

Every type of goal needs structure, says Fortgang. Otherwise, real life just washes over it like a tidal wave and sweeps it away. To build a solid foundation for this or any dream, construct a schedule: Decide how much time you'll devote to your hobby, whether it's an hour each night or twice a week for two hours, and block it off on a calendar - this "makes a promise" to that time and, by extension, to yourself.

Then, commit to that schedule for 90 days - that's just long enough to create a habit; face the challenges of making room for your dream in your busy life; and decide if you're going to keep at your goal for good, says Fortgang. "As you move along, don't judge the time you're using or try to measure whether it's productive," she adds. "Just get absorbed in the activity, and follow the joy as it develops."

Ask yourself: Are you ready to finally tackle the burden or bad habit that's been dragging you down?

Quit smoking or lose weight or stop biting your nails or be on time or...?

To truly commit to these more "ordinary" yearnings, you need to give them the same emotional investment and time as "bigger" dreams. Know, too, that tackling this type of goal may be especially difficult for you if you've tried - and failed - to achieve it in the past. Or perhaps it's daunting because you're not sure you're ready to do the hard work it requires. Either way, the longer you let yourself live with this albatross, the more your self-esteem suffers. To change all that:

Step 1: Make a vow.

Quit procrastinating on this dream by being honest with yourself: Draw a line down the center of a piece of paper to create two columns; label one side "Why Now" and one "Why Not." In the "Why Now" column, list the reasons why it's the right time to meet the challenge (for instance, if you want to lose weight, one reason to go for it might be that you found out a friend has prediabetes, which was a wake-up call for you). On the "Why Not" side, note why it's not a good time (it might be unrealistic to commit to daily workouts right before two busy weeks of business travel).

Now, weigh the two sides: If you're ready to commit to your goal, write a promise to yourself at the bottom of the page, and put it in a place where you'll see it often, like on your bathroom mirror. If you decide that now isn't the time for this goal, decide when to revisit it. Write that aspiration in big red letters on your calendar.

Step 2: Find your cheerleaders.

"Accountability is the key to success," explains Fortgang. "You don't want to be left to your own devices when the going gets tough." Your support system can include family, friends, even someone you hire (such as a personal trainer). You might also want to try an online chat group like the stop-smoking site Quitnet.com, or check out "Drop the Weight for Good," to meet the women in REDBOOK's Real-Life Healthy Life program, and then form your own weight-loss support group (go to meetup.com/redbook for details).

Tell your pep squad that you'll check in with them at a specific, regular time with a status report (as in, "I'll email you after my weekly weigh-in every Friday morning") and when you need extra reinforcement ("The ice cream in the fridge is screaming to me - talk me out of it").

Step 3: Pat yourself on the back - regularly.

"Working toward your goal is an accomplishment in and of itself," says Fortgang. So reward yourself weekly: Put $5 toward a "new outfit fund," or give yourself a bouquet of flowers for staying smoke-free.

Be especially kind to yourself when you have setbacks. Instead of beating yourself up or quitting altogether, examine why you veered off course, figure out what you need to do to stay on track, and remind yourself that you're the smart, capable CEO of your busy life - and you have all the tools you need to keep moving forward! "Remember: You get to start over every day, every hour, every minute!" says Fortgang.

Ask yourself: Are you ready to reach for something really huge that you never thought you could accomplish?

Write a book or go back to school or renovate your home or start a volunteer group or...?

Your dream is a capital-B big one - and it feels like a mountain you're not sure you can climb. "These are 'wouldn't it be great if...' dreams," says Fortgang. "What's difficult about them is that people get tripped up by the 'how.' It's such a huge undertaking that you feel like you need to know how to do the whole thing from the get-go - and because you can't see the end, you think you don't know how to start."

That's what happened to 40-year-old Cate Colburn-Smith of Boulder, CO, who sat on the idea for her book, The Milk Memos, for two years before she finally went ahead and decided to do something about it. "I thought it would be impossible because I didn't know anything about publishing," she says. "But the experience taught me that it's okay to just start doing the work before you really know what you're doing." To jump right in:

Step 1: Hunt and gather.

Get your hands on any info you can find about what it'll take to attain your goal. Read online, check out books and magazines, investigate courses and local adult-education centers and colleges, and talk to people who've done what you want to do. Don't know anyone with "connections"? Call associations that represent the subject area that interests you (if you want to become a massage therapist, call the American Massage Therapy Association) or visit businesses related to your dream (Want a horticulture degree? Chat up the salesperson at your local garden center). "This is a confidence-builder because it helps squash the feeling that you need to know it all from the outset," says Fortgang.

Step 2: Tackle your fear.

When you're embarking on something huge that you've never done before, it's completely natural to be scared. "You're out on a limb without a net and you don't know what the outcome will be," says Fortgang. Keep your nerves under control by having an "anchor" - a tangible reminder of your goal that you can refer to when you start to wonder why the heck you're putting yourself through all this. That anchor might be anything from a mission statement that you write in your journal, to an object you keep on your desk, to a person (your husband, your sister, a close friend) you can turn to for encouragement whenever you need it.

Step 3: Take baby steps.

You don't need to know how to get from point A to point Z when you start. Write up a plan of small to-do's that will take you to one milestone, and then keep repeating the process until you've reached your goal. "The enormity of the task of writing a book proposal really worried me and my coauthor since we both have kids and full-time jobs," recalls Colburn-Smith. "Breaking the project down into bite-size chunks made it feel manageable and kept us moving from one step to the next." Multiple mini-goals also give you plenty of opportunities to celebrate your many accomplishments, which will keep you motivated all along the way to the finish line!

Step 4: Walk your walk.

When your hard work starts paying off - say, you've been accepted to a graduate school program or you've written half the recipes for your cookbook - act like the expert you are by identifying yourself that way, which will help you take yourself seriously. When introducing yourself, get in the habit of saying, "I'm a writer" or "I'm a chef." Or get business cards printed up with your new info, as Colburn-Smith did. Don't be wishy-washy about it: Statements like "I'm trying to be an author" or "I'm sort of working on becoming a therapist" can mentally sabotage you, while treating yourself like a complete success reminds you that you will be one!

Ask yourself: Is it time to cash in on a moneymaking idea that will make you feel more self-sufficient?

Go back to work or open a bakery or switch careers or launch a Web-based business or...?

On the surface this dream has a lot to do with financial gain and security, but it really arises from a need to find a vocation that has meaning for you - one where your "work self" and your "true self" can meet. As Fortgang puts it, "It's not just what you do, but who you get to be when you're doing it." The hardest part about this kind of goal is convincing yourself that you're qualified to take it on, says Fortgang. Here's how to muster your courage.

Step 1: Redefine "expert."

You might think that people who succeed in their field spend years learning about their craft before they take a single step forward. Not so! "I tell clients to start thinking of an 'expert' as someone who knows how to get the answers, not someone who knows all the answers," says Fortgang. So do some investigating to find out the first step you need to take to make your dream a reality - which will instantly empower you. Should you get a degree or advanced training? Does anyone else have a patent for your product idea? Even the tiniest bit of information will help propel you forward.

Step 2: Road-test your dream.

Small forays are fine. Substitute or volunteer at a school before you commit to a full-time teaching career. Gauge reactions to your dream of opening a bakery by offering to sell sweets at your kid's next school function. A little experience will help you fine-tune your plan and determine your potential for success before you take big risks with your time or money.

Step 3: Establish a time frame.

"When I started my life-coaching business 15 years ago, my husband and I decided I'd try it for one year, and then I'd evaluate my progress and decide whether to move forward," says Fortgang. By having a specific "just try it out" period, you stay focused on your goal without any do-or-die pressure.

Ask yourself: Do you have the guts to go after the "just once" dream you've never dared to try?

Run a marathon or go on an African safari or sing in a rock band or try skydiving or...?

These "one-hit wonder" dreams often represent deeper longings, says Fortgang, that might not even be on your radar. Take, for instance, 40-year-old Deb Busser of Dunstable, MA, who dreamed of singing with a rock band. Busser discovered that achieving this goal was really a way to prove that she could fearlessly just be herself in front of a group and become a motivational speaker. Here's how to accomplish your fantasy and reveal the hidden desire it can represent.

Step 1: Build in a "can't flake out" clause.

Onetime, daring dreams take guts, so find a way to avoid chickening out. Enlist a friend to join you in your skydiving adventure, and put down a nonrefundable deposit. Invite everyone you know to come to the poetry slam where you'll read your work. Busser turned her rock-star fantasy into a "Battle of the Bands" charity event, which meant she had to get on stage no matter what. "The experience taught me that I could be okay with being nervous and just relinquish control and go for it," she says. "It was one of the most amazing - and liberating - feelings I've ever experienced!"

Step 2: Use your skills.

So what if you've never run more than three miles? Use the talents you already have as a tool kit for training for that marathon: Think of times when you used the mind-over-matter discipline your goal requires (Hel-lo! Childbirth?). Busser, a human resources consultant, used her business skills when she pitched her fund-raiser concept to a community group, who loved her idea and put the plan in motion.

Step 3: Uncover your deeper dream.

Ask yourself, "Why am I doing this?" If it's just to have fun, great! But under-the-surface reasons are worth exploring: Your mountain-climbing dream might actually symbolize a desire to prove to yourself that you're brave enough to tackle another difficult obstacle in your life. Your wish to see the European city that your grandparents emigrated from may represent a yearning to strengthen your family ties at home. Once you've figured out what's really behind your "just once" fantasy, you'll be that much more motivated to give both pursuits your all!

Whatever your goal, you've already got the tools to stop dreaming and start doing.

"Once you've cut through all the baloney and the beliefs that have held you back," says Fortgang, "there's no limit to what you can achieve." And here's a bonus: Being true to yourself by following your heart's desire benefits not only you, but also the people you love. That's because giving to yourself recharges your spirit - which enables you to give more of yourself as a wife, a mom, a friend. The bottom line: Being 100 percent who you are - not 75 percent, and not 86.7 percent - is the not-so-hidden key to a happier life. And what could be more important than that?

O que é que eu devo fazer com a minha vida?

Pursue your dreams and discover the impact you are meant to have on the world!

1. Listen to your inner voice. It takes practice to hear your true desires. Your passion will often come as a whisper or serendipitous event that reminds you of what's important and what makes you happy.

2. Recognize crisis. Does your job feel like a grind? Are you spending your free time on something you love? Take an opportunity to appraise your happiness. One of the keys to living a purposeful life is seeing that you feel unfulfilled.

3. Dwell in possibilities. Your passions could lead you in a lot of different directions to find fulfillment. Explore your life and unearth all of the things that bring you joy.

4. Tune out the voice of the world. Make the strongest voice in your life your own. Finding your purpose could mean going against the advice of close friends and family. Take a leap of faith and trust in your dreams.

5. Decide what kind of person you want to be. Rather than concentrating on what you want to do, think in terms of what kind of person you want to be. Let that guide your choices.

6. Bring your heart to your work. It takes passion and courage to find a profession that you love. Spending the time to discover that job is time well spent—it could make all the difference in your life!

7. Trust transformation. Hard times are a natural part of life. Don't be afraid to change because of your experiences. Instead, let them shape and steer your course.

8. Have no regrets. According to the experts, it's easy to regret the time you've spent being unhappy or unfulfilled. Realize that during that time, you developed the skills you need to succeed!

9. Take the first step. Destiny can't help you until you are willing to step out of your comfort zone. Get prepared to make changes in your life … and start making them!

10. Be patient. Finding your life purpose won't happen overnight. In every life, there's a fast road and a slow road. Most of us take the slow road! Keep your commitment and take small steps to make it happen.

Olhe, se faz favor, é possível trazer-me um Martini?

Tenho que lhe confessar imensa pena mas hoje, neste dia tão especial, só estamos autorizados a servir aos nossos clientes Martinis com Dita Von Teese, a Rainha “Pin Up” Internacional da Arte Burlesca:







Fonte: http://www.dita.net/top.php

Entrevista: www.youtube.com/v/Y4M9naO4X-k

29 maio 2007

A Perda de Consciência.

Quando cheguei à entrada reparei que desapareceram os velhos formalismos.

Se a apresentação fôr normal (sem que a roupa esteja rota ou rasgada, etc.) é possível entrar sem ter qualquer receio de que nos seja imposta uma formalidade de etiqueta.

Foi esta a primeira sensação de que algo tinha verdadeiramente mudado.

Num momento anterior tinha reparado em como havia uma enorme dificuldade em estacionar a viatura particular, para não falar de nenhuma paragem de autocarro de transporte colectivo público por perto ...


O que mais me impressionou no interior nem foram as máquinas automáticas, as roletas, os black-jacks´s, o Poker, a Banca Francesa, o Bacará ou o Ponto e a Banca, mas sim o "Arena Lounge", uma espécie de café giratório, repartido por 4 pisos dispostos em roda, enquadrado numa sala cheia de música "chill out".

Existe uma organização e distribuição de tarefas muito interessante e que podia ser objecto de uma maior atenção por parte das universidades que se dedicam a este tipo de negócio das bebidas, sumos, chás, licores, cafés, cocktail´s, etc..

Foi uma verdadeira lição de gestão observar cada uma das funções dos seus intervenientes: Existem 2 barman´s, 10 raparigas que se dedicam a servir e a limpar as mesas distribuídas por zonas e patamares, 2 gestoras de espaço que organizam e controlam as entradas e a afectação das cadeiras consoante os clientes que aguardam em cada uma das 6 entradas para este espaço único, 2 senhoras que cuidam da limpeza do chão, 3 seguranças em constante rotatividade ao longo dos 3 pisos que observam constantemente o ambiente e as pessoas que o criam, 4 disco jokeys (2 de cada lado, situados em lados opostos), e finalmente os clientes que não param.


No que respeita ao jogo, fiquei revoltado ao ver uma pessoa estoirar literalmente 5.000 euros e simultaneamente 2 maços de cigarros, com os nervos à flor da pele.

Existem pessoas para quem a vida é tudo ou nada.

E a aposta dá-lhes a sensação de estarem vivos ou mortos.

Se não apostam forte, as sensações obtidas são insignificantes.

O dinheiro que se aposta não vale nada, mas sim a sensação única de ganhar.

Assim, perde-se a noção de quanto custa a ganhar o dinheiro, desvaloriza-se o valor da aposta, concentra-se a atenção nos alvos que se esperam corresponder à chave correcta, despreza-se o jogo das probabilidades, não nos preocupa a saúde deteriorada por fumos de tabaco queimado que enchem a sala, não importa quem está ao lado a jogar, anseia-se que o empregado inicie a jogada, treme-se de medo que o tempo se esvaia, fuma-se para dentro e para fora como se estivéssemos a viajar fora daquele espaço, abstrairmo-nos dos sons que nos circundam, a sala torna-se mais pequena, encolhe, a cada lançamento de uma jogada, o coração acelera enquanto a jogada se mantém por terminar, a ilusão e a desilusão são a face da mesma moeda, esquece-se o amor, a família, o gato, a cadela, as paixões só são miragens, a vontade de ganhar é muita, a brincadeira de criança põe em causa o homem que faz a aposta, os soluços vêm e vão, o calor aperta, o cigarro desaparece num instante em cada bafo, os braço e as mãos são cúmplices na tremura do desespero escondido por cima da mesa de jogo, o tempo esse recurso mais valioso passa e não se valoriza, a esperança é a última a morrer, aqueles que nos amam e por quem somos amados não estão connosco, a guerra que se instala no interior dos nossos corpos tem múltiplas causas, não nos interessa saber se o governo de um país qualquer do globo se tornou revolucionário, a revolução joga-se e o revolucionário charmoso é aquele que nunca perde e dá sempre uma gorjeta de compensação ao empregado com as fichas mais pequenas, o estoirar da vida está para vir mas sabemos que ainda não é agora o momento quando se joga a vida nas nossas mãos, vive-se aquele momento porque enquanto se joga nada nos pode afectar ainda que estejamos perdidos na vida, o dinheiro flui em forma de chapas plásticas de várias cores distintivas de cada um dos seus proprietários, joga-se rápido para não se pensar em mazelas que a perda provoca e o empregado incita à aposta, a troca de fichas à rápida e quando acabam aparece sempre o maço de notas grandes guardado no bolso para aumentar o espólio plástico, a desistência de uma mesa é movida pela crença de uma mau azar associado àquela combinação de espaço contíguo, quere-se partir para outra mesa onde dê sorte, o empregado ri da "esmola" benevolente do seu companheiro de trincheira, ouvem-se ocasionalmente gritos de vitória e cá dentro nasce o ciúme e a inveja, os invejosos da cobiça material rodeiam os perdedores e sofrem em cada uma das suas perdas, atribui-se a loucura aos perdedores, não se quer saber ao certo o que leva uma pessoa a apostar tanto, em tão pouco tempo, de uma forma tão teimosa a insistir em chaves que pecam pela sorte, o azar espreita, a casa ganha sempre porque se isso não acontecesse não haveria Casino em nenhum lugar do mundo, o apostador sabe perfeitamente deste facto e ilude-se que pode vencer o Golias, o empregado torna-se apenas num adereço, esquecemo-nos que existem pessoas que sobrevivem com o ordenado mínimo, o mínimo de reinserção social, a pensão mínima, o subsídio de sobrevivência, não se quer saber da fome no Mundo porque a sede de ganhar é egoísta e sabe tão bem quando se consegue beber de um trago, não há bebidas a bordo da jogada, quem quer beber arrisca-se a perder a maré de sorte que tarda sempre a chegar, adiam-se decisões de partida da mesa com o pretexto de que "É só mais uma!" ou "Desta vez é que vai ser!" ou "É agora, não falha!", os asiáticos começam a ficar nervosos e perdem a noção do país em que se encontram, a linguagem do jogo é universal e não precisa de ser falada, a discussão resume-se ao silêncio de cada partida e respeita-se a distribuição dos dividendos, ninguém ousa a fazer batota sob o olhar atento de vigilantes que se socorrem de máquinas de filmar com uns zoom´s que incidem sobre as mesas, existe o receio de que nos descubram quando somos bons jogadores, a noite ainda é uma criança, o cansaço não se apodera do corpo, o corpo é um mero instrumento para se atingir a felicidade, e quem diz que ganhar torna-nos felizes não pensa que é necessário investir o que se ganha para se ser mais feliz, perdemos a noção do que é a felicidade porque é algo que tem que ser gradualmente alimentado como uma bola de neve que se quer do tamanho de um Planeta mas não passa de um grão de areia da praia, solta-se suspiros, limpa-se a testa, passam excertos da nossa vida muito rapidamente quando começamos a fixar pontos na mesa do jogo, os rivais não podem ganhar, queremos levar todo o dinheiro, perguntamo-nos se não valeria a pena estarmos noutro local, que o dia se transformasse em noite permanente porque o jogo só é aliciante com a cobertura da lua, os bolsos começam a ficar vazios assim como a nossa alma, desespera-se a pensar sobre aquilo que se irá dizer quando se regressar a casa, pensa-se no que foi dito na última sessão terapêutica da Associação dos Jogadores Compulsivos Anónimos, rebenta-se com a escala e renovam-se os ímpetos nas Caixas, a solução é o crédito quando tudo está perdido não se fazendo a mínima ideia de que é nesse preciso momento que se começa a perder o juízo, a idade é avançada e não existem descendentes para trás por isso pouco importa se o dinheiro fica do lado da mesa, ou se joga ou não se joga e se se jogar ou ganha-se, perde-se ou fica-se na mesma mas para ficar tudo na mesma não se jogava e por isso arrisca-se, quem não arrisca não ... mama, que saudades que se tem de um tempo em que não era preciso jogar para se amar tanto a vida e os outros, aquilo que tudo existe à volta da mesa é artificial, as empregadas substituem os empregados, espera-se que as empregadas dêem sorte aquilo que já não tem remédio, a idade da juventude nos empregados é impressionante e o pouco que dizem é esperado, nada se aprende com a jogada mas o dinheiro que pode daí advir é sempre uma prenda que pode transformar a vida de uma pessoa, quando se ganha não se sabe onde parar, estou a ganhar muito mas devo ir já para a Caixa e levantar o dinheiro ou continuo por aqui, não me importa que o cinzeiro esteja cheio, escolho outro até que encha todos os restantes porque há-de vir a senhora das limpezas assim como a sorte chegará sem que eu a peça, mas a necessidade é tanta que o dinheiro passa a controlar os nossos desejos, o jogo é terrível dado que nos desgasta intensamente e destrói-nos a sensibilidade de uma avaliação racional, o respeito por respirar ar puro é algo esquecido, fuma-se para aliviar a dor como para destruir as pulsações ofegantes do nosso coração, as veias dilatam-se, a pele torna-se seca, os lábios precisam de um tratamento e ... eu lembrei-me que preciso agora do teu beijo e quero estar contigo em casa.

Prefiro azar ao jogo e sorte no amor.


Tens alguma adversidade ao risco ou medo de perderes ou de te perderes?

http://www.casinolisboa.pt/clx.html

Isla Cristina ... Siempre viva en mi Corazón!






As novas tendências dos vídeos caseiros.

A "Miss Irritada" é um dos vídeos mais vistos na net.

O seu conteúdo é um chamariz de cliques: Mulheres em biquini a andarem à pancada?

Claro que só dá para ... Rir!

Dá uma espreitadela em: http://videos.sapo.pt/Y2gIVrHJzHBqUBHwO4GY


O autor do seguinte blog admite que a sua existência é a prova real do que acontece quando se tem demasiado tempo livre:


Mas parece-me que a intenção do blog é muito boa e dá um óptimo pretexto para o visitar-mos (quase) todos os dias para vermos o videoclip diário retirado do YouTube sobre situações de humor tão diversas que cada uma delas é sempre uma surpresa.

No final de um dia de trabalho sabe bem relaxar e vermos algumas piadas ou sátiras à realidade que nos rodeia sob um ponto de vista que mais não seja ligeiramente diferente daquele a que nos vamos habituados na rotina do nosso dia-a-dia ...


Para outras surpresas do género navega também no seguinte site:

Mestres do Disfarce.












Rabiscos com Criatividade.






Desenhos animados cheios de entusiasmo.