Blues and Soul

Most of the songs follow the same path: they come out from the instruments, go thru your ears, reach your brain, you feel some joy, and then they die short after. But with Blues is different. Blues has an interesting characteristic that it can bypass not only your ears, but also your brain, and go straight to your soul. That’s right, it will touch your soul. Some people may like it, others may feel that their privacy has been compromised. But make no mistake: it will touch your soul. Very feel things in life will touch your soul. Blues will.
If you haven’t been to a Buddy Guy’s show, most likely you haven’t experienced this feeling to its deepest magnitude. Let me try to describe you what a Buddy Guy’s show looks like. Going to a Buddy Guy’s show is like going to a massage house. But instead of taking of your cloths, you take off your whole body, and your whole brain, and just leave your naked soul. Then you lie down your naked soul on this relaxing bed, and then this powerful energy will massage your soul, for 2 ½ long hours. That’s the closest that one can describe his show. Therefore, if you haven’t been to one yet, please hurry – the guy is almost 70 years old. After you’ve been to his show, you’ll understand when someone suddenly stop you and say: “you damn right I’ve got the Blues!!!”.

To all my Indian and Pakistani friends, Namaste!

I decided to dedicate my blog today to all my Indian and Pakistani friends. After all, the reason I’m here today is directly related to India. Why? Simple:
- At around 1,500 A.C. people in Europe were badly searching for ways to get to India (understandable – that food is just unbelievable!)
- They got so out of their mind that they started randomly sending ships all over the places to find India
- In one of these journeys, they found a nice place with some naked folks who have nothing to do with India at all. And yet, they were so blind that they called those individuals Indians
- And then Brazil was officially discovered. Came the Portuguese, came the King, came Collor (you don’t want to know who this guy was…), and here I ended up coming.
So that’s how I own my existence to the Indian spices. Lately I was even counting the number of Brazilians and Indians/Pakistanis friends that I have, and for the first time ever it is exactly half-n-half. I never thought that one day 50% of my personal friends would be from the south Asia. Before coming to Microsoft the only Indian I had heard about was Indira Gandhi. As an irony of the destiny, my wife’s best friend is called Indira. Even funnier, she is not even Indian, but very Brazilian. Oh well, to all my Indian/Pakistani friends, a huge Namaste and regards from this northeastern Brazilian who admires a lot your life style, culture, sense of humor, friendship, and especially your food!!!

Trip to Phily, Labor Day, 2005

Got a late flight
To Seattle said Good Bye

Even with all those blisters
Was very happy to see my sister

Very nice apartment, there I got some rest
For that price, my friend, it better be the best!

Met Kyle, Terry and Pat, nice folks
Got a beer, got dinner, went early to bed, too much work

Got a car, went to DC, watched IMAX
On the way there, met the police, met Bush, had good Laughs

Had nice dinner, helped my sister with her living room
Worked all next day – everything was done by the afternoon

Drove around, saw nice places, old stuff everywhere, I should say
Ended up eating Brazilian Food, not the best one, but was OK

Finally, had some hilarious moments, you won't believe it!
A dude stopped us on the street: “hey, is this NY or Phily?”

Got back on an early flight, and this short story comes to an end
Thank God for this awesome weekend!