Photos of my Room

Before going to bed, I thought I'd share some pictures of my room. Everyday I clean it a little bit. Just now I got rid of a dying old plant that was here (you can see in one of the pictures). The bed is nothing more than a mattress on the floor but I have to say the bed is okay and comfortable. The rest is not good, the table is wobbly, the chair is okay but since the floor is not leveled, the chair keeps "sliding" backwards when I sit. Anyway, I only spend 8 hours (max) of the day here and 7 of these I'm asleep. 

In any case, today I wrote to the landlord and complained about the shower of the upstairs bathroom that doesn't work. He said he is going to fix. We'll see. He claims he didn't know but the guy that has the other room in this floor told me the shower has been broken for months. The problem with the shower is that we get only hot water and the water is very hot. Sure it cleans but you also burn your skin. 

First Meeting

Today I had the first meeting with Prof. B. Very nice meeting and lots of interesting stuff. I'm more confident that this may actually work. But the result is that I may have to give a seminar on Friday. 

Key ring, not Kiwi!!

I went to get my soup and after I went to try to buy a key ring to safely put my keys. I get quite a few keys for the NEU and need to make sure I don't loose them. However I went to this store inside the NEU where all the employees are Chinese. Anyway, I made the mistake to ask if they had key rings.... it went more or less like this

- Excuse me, do you sell key rings? 

- Kiwis, yes we have kiwis! 

She then shouted to the back

- Pum Lao, did we get kiwis today?

to which I said, 

- Sorry, not kiwi, key ring. 

- Yes, we do have kiwi, go to the back, it's over there!

- No ma'am, key rings, to put keys.

- No, you can't put keys on kiwi, you eat kiwi!

- I know. I need "something" to put keys on it.

then I show her the keys

- Ahh you want "kiring". No, we don't have "kiring"!!

- Thanks!

I had to control myself not to laugh because it was quite funny. The result is that I don't have a "kiring" nor a "kiwi". I'll try to find later and hopefully the people there won't sell kiwis.

No soup for you!

No luck. No soup (husky card) for me yet. That means no squash or gym for another 2 days.

Husky card

I'm in line to get my Husky card. Hopefully after this I'll he able to  play some squash or at least go to the gym. Tennis doesn't seem to be  an option. I got an email yesterday saying that the only indoor tennis  court has been transformed into a baseball indoor arena!

Good morning. First Monday!!!

First Monday here in Boston. I decided to wake up early to see if I can get to work before 9am. It's kind of hard because I still have to face the bathroom (the dirtiest in the planet) and get 45min in the T. 

I don't have a camera here but guess what? I have a mac with camera!! Cool! So here is a picture of the "view" from my room.

Before going to bed... Some fun...

The Onion continues to do their funny work. This video with the "MacBook Wheel" is quite funny

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/apple_introduces_revolutionary

Good night!

Done for the day

I'm heading to Davis square. Today was a productive day. But I think I  might still do a bit of work when I get to my room. But first, dinner!!

Kudos to Kalil!!

Just accessed the Stone Middle School site and saw that Kalil was featured there for having finished 2nd in the Math competition (http://stone.ms.brevard.k12.fl.us/html/index.html). Nice!! I see that the guy that got 1st place is twice the size of Kalil....  so he should have answered twice more questions! (lol)

Anyway, keep up the good work. Next time shoot higher and answer all 25!!

It stopped: finally!!

It stopped snowing. It was about time!! The forecast is for 2 days without any flock of snow. I hope they clear the sidewalks. It's hard to walk anywhere with this accumulation.

On a different note. Kalil, our Fortaleza won the first game of the year. 4x1. Very good result given the team is very young (avg. 22 years of age).

Fortaleza Esporte Clube

The state soccer tournament in Fortaleza just started. I'm happy because it is one thing that I can do from here... that is, I can follow my soccer team. Fortaleza is playing now and we are  winning 1x0. Earlier today the juniors under-18 and under-15 won't their matches in the national league. Bora Leão!!!!!!

(update: We won 4x1!!)

O Quatrilho

While eating my chicken gumbo soup with wheat bread I finished watching the movie called "O Quatrilho". Very good movie. I recommend. The soup was okay, not as good as yesterday's (Moroccan tomato with lentils).

And the snow keeps falling....

Lunch Time

I have to go eat something. This cold weather is making me hungry. 

I just called my father-in-law and spoke to Marcos André. Everything is fine. He explained somethings that Sarah had already told me but it is nice to call. In this way, my father-in-law get to know that I'm worried as well. I'm happy they are going to move to an apartment. In Fortaleza one cannot live in a house... it just to dangerous. 

Heading to NEU

The Apple store here is huge. Got my laptop sleeve. Now work.

Snow

Wow! It was hard to get here to Davis square station. At this time of  the day only a few people cleaned their sidewalks. In fact, as I walked I saw some of the homeowners doing this. Can you imagine having to do this during the whole Winter? I'm not even doing it and I  already miss Florida.

Off to the Apple store

We had quite a bit of snow last night. Now it's back to work but first
I have to swing by the Apple store to see if I can find a laptop
sleeve.

Good night

That's it. Had my beer. Two to be precise. Now I'm going home
(whatever that means). Tomorrow I have more work to do.

John Harvard brew house

Ok I got a beer but I had to come to a place at Harvard square that I
knew. Sarah, you may remember this place. It's the same place I came
with you and the kids. The funny thing is that the guy next to me is
already trying to make conversation but he doesn't know he got the
wrong guy for this kind of thing. Anyway. I'll see if they have
something to eat in this place.

Littlest is indeed little

Just left work to find the littlest bar (Irish) in Boston. However the
number 47 did not exist on Province street. This is the second time
the guide I have failed me. The Result of this was that I had to walk
on a snowy night to get no beer :(. The only option now is to go to
Harvard square and find another bar. Now I want a beer. BTW my first
here.

Saturday Morning

First Saturday here. And yesterday was the first Friday I haven't had
a glass of wine in years! Am I already changing into a New Englander
concious of health, environment, etc. Am I less red-neck just by
moving here? Look at me now. I'm riding the T and blogging at the same
time!! Wow!! I *am* changing and I hope is for the best. lol

This morning I woke up and called Sarah to get some info about her
father. Then I spoke to Adele who told me she scratched her knee but
it only bled because mommy touched it! She (Adele) is something else!
Kalil is in school doing his research project.

I called Neto and was happy to find out that my father-in-law was out
of the surgery room and everything was fine.

I'm almost at the downtown crossing station where I change trains to
go to NEU. I'm going to work on a Saturday morning!!! Today is going
to be a good day!