Chega de Saudade

Post Thanksgiving! This means I am taking all of the leftovers from the fervent feast and taking it to work next week.

Thanksgiving is about giving thanks and recognizing the importance of life, which in itself is ironic.

If you don't know already, this holiday was born out of the slaying and disenfranchisement of the indigenous inhabitants that were simply living.

The bright side is that we have transformed the holiday to a family oriented outing. The downside is that we still lie to our youth and say that the indigenous people were fine with their own plight by the hands of the colonialists.

Rant? Over.

Christmas mode? Activated.

Enjoy time with family and friends, reconcile with those you may not spoken to in a while. But, while doing this, understand the roots of this tradition, and let it be an example of an America of the past. Let it be a catalyst in leading you to do your research on what has happened to the innocent indigenous people, and maybe allow it to press you to make a change for the better treatment of our indigenous brothers and sisters.

Chega de Saudade has often been referred to as the world's first bossa nova song. The title of the song roughly translated to many different phrases that all revolve around the same gesture. "Saudade" refers to longing, more of a melancholy feeling. The whole phrase more or less means that the subject feeling a sentiment of Saudade is tired of feeling down, and yearning a connection to what they are missing. Be it a loved one or an emotional connection to something, Saudade is just as relevant today as it was in early 1950's Brasil. Sarava!

1 Hour Early

Right now for my job I can come in early and leave accordingly. With that being said, I've been coming into work an hour earlier for the last couple weeks, maybe even a month. A quiet workplace is very nice in the morning because any sort of task that needs to get done is finished with little to no interruption.

Another perk of getting to work early is that I can walk in with my sweatpants and nobody will say a word. Oh, that's because nobody else is there other than me. Hm, funny how that works.

I even get to blare my music without anybody yelling at me. Coming into work early is the move. Get hip.

the armpit state

Recently, I applied to work for Feds. That's right. The Federal Government.

I had a phone interview to work for the Department of State in the Big Orange (please understand the comedy behind me saying the Big Orange), and I am hoping and praying (AHHHH) that I get this job. It would open up a number of doors for me, especially since I am trying to become a FSO. They got to one of my references quickly after the interview, so if anything that should be promising. I really believe that this is going to be my next BIG step in life, and I could not be more ecstatic. However, I have to live in the present...

With that being said, it's Friday! The family is going out to dinner tonight at an undisclosed location, but just know that the restaurant that we're going to has bottomless fries. Kinda fire, if you ask me.

My music selection as of late has been a little bit better. Instead of letting the same songs rock over and over and over and over I've decided to let the radio for some songs come on. It's something different, granted I literally listen to the same songs over and over again.

A good friend of mine just had her interview to work in Africa for the Peace Corps. We had lunch this past weekend. It's always good to see your friends moving on and progressing in their lives. If you have someone that you want to reach out to, even just to text em' and say "What's good", just do it bruv.

Right now, I am drinking my first cup of coffee of the week. I bought a water bottle yesterday. Last night I split a Canada Dry/Lemonade mixture with my girlfriend. Oh, and a large bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. And two bags of gummy worms. My stomach hurts this morning, but it was all worth it.

Hm, what else should I add to this rant? A few comrades and I are creating a podcast. Yes, a podcast. It's going to be great in the already saturated world of public broadcasting on a myriad of topics that some people certainly don't care about. What's special about this podcast is that we have absolutely ZERO expectations from this, so anything that comes out of it will be success. A fan, a dollar, or a complaint, the fruits of this podcast venture will be sweet to the core.

Hasta la proxima.

Mondaily/Not a reddit thread

Monday. The beginning of the work week. The jovial aspect that we ALL have to get up (well, some) and get back to the grind. Honestly, waking up and knowing that you have a job is a great feeling. I was reading an article on what your first job means for your career and where to go when and if you don't like it. The money that we make from our jobs funds our hobbies. Just reading that sentence from the solid 5,000 article was enough for me to loathe coming into work a little bit less.

And it's not like my job is terrible. It really isn't that bad. Right now its 8:30-5 with a 1 hour break. Really can't complain, if I'm being honest.

Monday is a solid way to start anew, if you will. Start that book that you've been meaning to read, pay that parking ticket that you've been putting off, hell, it could be anything. For me, this Monday is a start for me to cut down on spending. Everyone has their own financial goals, and cutting down on spending is always a solid way to get it done. What specific goal will my cutting on spending do for me in the long run? Shit, I have no clue. But, as long as I don't spend money on things that aren't necessary, then I will be in the clear.

Ya wanna know what sucks about this Monday, though? Stocktwits made such a corny joke about McDonald's CEO getting the boot after having a consensual relationship with his coworkers. It's all fun and games until POLICY and RULES and REGULATIONS get in the way.

I don't know, maybe this blog post will be a call to action for someone to get started on an important project or something like that. Maybe it won't. Whatever!

halloweeeeeeenie

Halloween is always fun because you see others dressed up as ridiculously as they can, and for one day it's acceptable. Why can't we have Halloween like, every week? Every month? Whatever. Tradition.

I got a last minute bail out for a costume by wearing a boof wig, helmet, and snowboard goggles (I was a crusty Shaun White), thanks Barb!

What makes this past Halloween so, so special is that I had to be to work at 6:15 this morning. My 5:30 alarm was so painful to hear this morning. I will say, though, that bumping your music going as fast as a Hellcat down Broad is pretty fun.

Alas, it's Friday. Nationals just won the World Series. It's November. Too early for Christmas decorations? Way too early. Please, don't get any funny ideas about skipping Thanksgiving. Mom's Mac and Cheese will not be disrespected by the overplayed Christmas Music.