i only update when i have new pictures and someone whines at me

In the last couple years this has become a really bad time of year for me. This year I had a couple personal disasters that made it worse, but I'm doing all right. I'm keeping really busy with school and friends, and that's all I really want to say about that.

Claus has been nagging me to update my journal, probably because he needs something to read at work. So here's an embarrassing picture of Brandon and Claus being nerds. I put it on the internet.


Tonight Paulo, Claus, one of their friends named Cris, Brandon, and I went to a crazy German bar called Bier & Bier, I think. We had German sausages and apple sauce (?), which was more delicious than it had any right to be. They also forced me to drink some kind of liquor that tasted like pine needles and burned like hell. It was Christmas gone wrong in a glass. Brandon had a caipirinha with dried grapes and sake, which technically makes it not a caipirinha at all. I am never touching sake again after Tamake and Roll.

I really like hanging out with Paulo, Claus and their friends. The Brazilians I've met have all been polite and really curious. One of the most fun things to talk about is stupid jokes and childhood games. Turns out the “OH MY GOD A TALKING MUFFIN!” joke is cross-cultural. The one about the mushroom (Why does everyone like the mushroom? 'Cause he's a fungi!) is apparently hilarious. Tonight Cris asked me to explain exactly what “fucking shit!” means, and I had to admit that I don't know. You never really think much about what exactly you mean when you swear. A couple things I tell them are huge mistakes, in retrospect. You remember playing I'm Not Touching You in the car and pissing your parents off more than your siblings? Yeah. Erin and I have this thing where she'll dance around poking me and yell “I'M NOT TOUCHING YOU!” which blows my mind because she totally is. I told Brandon, Paulo and Claus about it, and now every chance Claus gets he does it. It's like having a male Brazilian Erin around, which I think she'll appreciate. She's a better driver, though.

I got a package from my mom with some awesome pillowcases, a sketchbook and a book of watercolor paper. I showed the books to Paulo and he taught me how to use watercolors. He also had a couple tubes of paint he wasn't using, so now I have those to mess around with. I don't think Paulo is a real person. I'm pretty sure he's an evolved form of humanity made of sheer good-naturedness. In any case, I'm really happy and I have to paint something to make me a worthy recipient. I have a hot date with Brandon tomorrow to spend a couple hours swearing and throwing things while I try to paint him in the park. It's good to have something to work on.

Tomorrow we're going to an Irish place called O'Malleys for St. Patrick's Day and I am going to get more beer shoved at me. I will report back if it is green. Apparently O'Malleys is kind of a gringo joint, and I'm really looking forward to being able to eavesdrop in comfort. On Saturday we're going to the beach! My first time to one of the beaches near Sao Paulo. I am excited, and I hope there are rocks to climb on and fish to look at. I will take pictures for you jerks that just want hot Brazilians. I'm looking at you, K. And Dad.

About a month ago I got a piercing and forgot to post pictures of it, apparently.


Also Erin sent me this .gif, which has nothing to do with Brazil and everything to do with awesome:


PS: Hey Mom, I broke my normal glasses today, so you're stuck with the ugly ones forever. Ahahahahaha.