Version 2.091

While perusing David Netto's Instagram, I realized that Veranda magazine had some small article about Portugal and a few photos. Since I cannot travel physically, I decided that I needed to buy the July/August issue. I made a quick run to Barnes and Noble and, feeling altruistic, made some other purchases of books and magazines, including Live Beautiful, which I had been meaning to purchase for a while. All and all, I spent over $70, only to come home and realize that I had not purchased Veranda magazine, as I had intended. 

I returned to the store, but this time, I had to take Julian along, who sat in the car, while I went inside. I spent an additional $99 on books and magazines because my altruism runs even deeper than I thought. I also figured out that my mistake had been to grab a magazine from what I thought was the stack of Verandas--I selected the one in the back, thinking the one in the front had been touched by more hands. It turned out that there was only one issue left--the one in the front--so the one is the back was something else.

After reading the article, I was a bit sad. It is true what it said and it was meant as a compliment, but still, to me, it just feels like an insult about the Portuguese taking forever and not caring for perfection, but doing things to be proud, e.g., there are no fast meals because everything takes an hour and a half. But that's good, the interviewed designer says, because it's "a beautiful slowdown." Hence the expression "bons para ir buscar a morte," like my mother used to say, except they've gotten quite good at that one, lately.

On my dog walks, I have started to listen to the American English version of O Livro do Desassossego, which was published in 2018 and I found on iBooks. There was also a Portuguese version, but read by someone from Brazil, which I did not care for. The man that does the American version is spectacular and I quite like how he sounds and reads, as if he's discoursing about his own thoughts, rather than reading someone else's. Also, the translation is very good.

Tomorrow, I get back to work. I am feeling better, although I still have trouble speaking, but I had started to enjoy all the time that I spent daydreaming and reading. Plus, the hummingbird and I are on the same eating schedule for breakfast and lunch and he also stops by mid-afternoon. I must have passed some kind of test because he has been quite content just eating and hanging out in the Japanese maple. He even stopped standing in front of me, flapping its wings at warp speed in desperation because the food was old--that much I got. I will change it more often from now on.