Oi

I'm terrible, I know. (Usually I try to keep my promises!) It's been too long since I've gotten back from Rio and I haven't written about it as I said I would -- or at all, for that matter. But I will. No, really. One of these days.

It's been a weird couple of weeks -- eventful and uneventful at the same time. There was the interview in New York (my verdict: no), several weeks of really cold and depressing weather, beginning of classes (last semester...ever?), a few health scares for the grandparent population, and a lack of inspiration, I suppose. But I won't forget what I wanted to say about Rio -- just waiting for the inspiration to strike so that I can do it justice. Rio, for me, is beautiful, complex, and unforgettable.

I've been spending every weekend back at home in Swampscott. It's warmer than my room in Medford (the heat doesn't go any higher!). I've been playing piano. Nesting away from the winter. Changed my hair. The usual.

Classes are good. I don't go to my internship anymore, but work three days a week at the travel office, being an otherwise good, lazy second-semester senior. Taking a small number of classes, including Public Speaking -- something I thought I needed desperately but actually doesn't appear to be as painful as first seemed. Sort of--maybe--kind of--slowly--not really starting looking for jobs... in publishing/editorial for now. Blah. I don't really see myself doing anything else... I look forward to being a starving artist. Please don't go through this blog looking for grammatical errors.

In an attempt to relive a small piece of Brazil, I went with Masha and Alena to a concert of Brazilian guitar at Harvard on Friday. The artists were quite skilled, the jungle improv was cool, 'twas all very interesting--albeit too jazzy for my taste at times. But not the same as the Roberta Sá concert we attended at Copacabana -- now that was snappy. (And I ended up on a random Brazilian internet video of the concert!) Real bossa, real samba. Boston could use some samba.

Well, I brought back a cuica from the Ipanema Hippie Market (bonus points to any of my readers who know what that is). Anyway, I'll tell you about it when I actually get to the inspiration.

Rio is preparing for Carnaval now. Camila wrote that the streets are being closed because of the samba parties in the street, which makes traffic impossible--but well worth the while.

Meanwhile, my tan has worn off underneath all these sweaters.