the news section is updated more than this is
11 September 2005 @ 02:07
You know it's sad when the news has been updating more than I have.
Not too much has been going on, really. Or maybe there is. I'll let you decide.
My French friend Greg will be leaving for Nancy -- probably within a few hours -- so he can get settled in his appartment and start grand �cole. Which means no random bilingual MSN chats with him for awhile, but hopefully plenty of emails written in French in my inbox on the weekends.
Greg and I are trying to improve each other's language skills. (He wants to study in the US and I want to study in France.) I've actually started having mini conversations with him in French since returning from Brazil. I'm very proud of myself. We've both decided that we need to practice our spoken languages, and hopefully he'll be able to find a microphone so we can practice.
My Asshole Brother called, asking Dad to buy him a $3000 computer. Dad told him that if AB could afford to send Dad $75 a month, then maybe AB should invest in a car. He's still moaning to Mom about it. "Oh, the computer will keep me busy until I get a car." HELLO! Car brings money. Money brings a $3000 computer. Not to mention the fact that he already has a desktop and a laptop. Nor the fact that no one in this house even owns a $3000 computer, laptop or otherwise.
Also, just to irk me, he called me a not so nice name that is often connected with streetwalkers. Excuse me, but, um? I go long periods of time without doing the horizontal tango. So long, in fact, that most sororities would consider me a born-again virgin. So please, check yourself.
Grr.
Seeing how it is technically Sunday, Gram goes in for triple-bypass surgery tomorrow morning at Cleveland. Which means that I probably won't be around Monday night if we go up to the hospital. Or Tuesday. I don't know what their plans are.
I do have an errand to do for her before she goes to the hospital. On my first trip to Brazil, I bought her a little statue of Nossa Senhora Aparecida. It sits on her computer desk, keeping watch over Gram as she types away.
Nossa Senhora Aparecida has a neat history behind her -- Andre told me once when we were visiting the National Santuary -- but I have a hard time remembering it. Which means that Gram doesn't know what it is, other than a part of Brazil's history that is interwoven with Catholic beliefs there. So Gram asked me to have Andre tell me again.
And I will. I'd like to remember the story, too.
(Yes, it's the same statue as the one I saw from the road. The National Santuary also just happens to be the big church that I love.)
Ded� is going back to school. Mainly to study English, but he's doing other things too. Everything that he learns now, in his mother tongue, will help him later.
Also, he called and left a message on the answering machine while Shir was visiting, and she thought that he sounded like an American. Dad went through the same messages again the other day and actually asked who it was. I guess I'm not crazy when I say that I think he's lost his accent. With the exception of a few errors, his English can be easily mistaken as the Northeastern Ohio / Midwestern dialect. Cool, n�?
(Yes, he still needs English subtitles to play PS2 and watch American movies. English, not Portuguese. Yay for progress.)
I think I've narrowed my school selection down. I have decided wholly against Nancy, for a variety of reasons. I'm still in the period where I'm not sure if I want to be in a half-and-half program, or if I should just go for the whole French immersion for French majors thing.
Not to mention the fact that I just realized that unemployment in France is really high, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to get a job. Which means that starting this year, I absolutely have to start putting my Kicker money aside if I ever want to hope to have a student visa.
But I think no matter what, I'm going to do this.
I'm sure that someone is going to think I'm mean and cruel for choosing to spend several months in France while spending very little time in comparison with my boyfriend in Brazil. Not much I can do about that at the moment. I'm just hoping that he'll never hold it against me.
The Army sucks. I get money for a funeral detail I did over a month ago, but they deducted half of that for life insurance -- and still haven't paid me for my August drill. And, of course, I don't know who does the pay right now thanks to the realignment or whatever that is going on with battalion. Gotta love the Army.
[/rant]
And now, for some lyrics. Mariane by Legi�o Urbana. Go download it now -- it's in English.
I've been working all day
I've been thinking a lot
I've been doing some things
That are not quite right
I've been thinking about you
I've been thinking about you
When will you return?
The End.
Boa noite,
--Annie