Yesterday night, I was at my college party. Is was the party made to celebrate our admission in college. These parties are very common in Brazil, and they usually happen in the middle of the semester, as mine did. But what’s so special about it? The thing is, in the middle of the night, just when things were starting to get interesting, there was a power outage. But not any power outage. Across all over Brazil, and Paraguay, the lights were out.

The music and lights went down around 10pm, but the crowd thought it was just the regular “party blackout”. When things didn’t go back to normal, everybody went to the street, just to see that everywhere around us was dark. These blackouts, are common in Rio, and they can take whole neighborhoods down, so, nobody was frightened, even because in a matter of minutes energy is usually restored. Phones started ringing and word came out. At first, the whole of Brazil, then Paraguay, then reports of sabotage in Itaipu (major hydroelectric power plant in Brazil). For us, cariocas, it didn’t take much time to add 1 plus 1 and make 2. This would take some time, and people would take advantage of it.

What followed was a rising sensation of fear and helplessness. Unlike Sao Paolo, Rio is filled with shantytowns (aka. favelas), in every corner of the city, and it wouldn’t take long for criminals to come down and make some money on us. For one thing, everyone’s cellphone was working, so we assumed that carriers towers would have generators. I was not going home that night, since I live a little farther from the party venue, and in the middle of the night, would be hard to find some public transportation. I was going to sleepover at a friend’s house, in Botafogo. He called his mom, asking how things were there, and if it was safe to go home. But she urged us to stay where we were, given we would cross a tunnel to get there, or some rough parts of downtown. The thing is, that if in broad daylight, criminals in Rio can shut a whole tunnel down, from the entrance to the exit, and steal from everyone, one can only imagine what would happen in complete darkness.

So everyone was on the street, a little scared, but nonetheless ok. But then, word came out that kidnapping, and assaults, in nearby, Maracanã Stadium were happening. Also, we were very close to where a shielded police helicopter was taken down by drug dealers, not two months ago. We immediately started sprinting on the opposite direction, looking for a cab to take us to a colleague’s house nearby. It was not easy, given every cab was occupied. But we managed to go, and wait for power to return. Some of our friends stayed behind, some got a ride from a girl’s father, and others took buses. When near the stadium, inside the cab, we saw two guys, very suspicious looking, running by. Shirtless, and with a piece of wood in hand. I don’t think that was for self-defense.

Traffic, was chaotic. No stop lights, no streetlights, only car lights. People were scared.

In the end, when about 1:30am, lights were restored, we took a cab back to my friend’s house, and managed to sleep. We had class in the next morning. Today, everything seemed to be normal. After class, reading the news, and scrambling the internet for information I’ve learned a few facts.

Urban Trains, and the Subway system, in both Rio and Sao Paolo were halted. Commuters were obliged to leave the trains and walk on tracks to the nearest stations. There were indeed kidnappings in Rio, and some robbery. I don’t know about the death count.

It may seem dramatic, but we know our city, and the constant fear of violence can only increase in this type of situation. Now, remembering last night’s events, I recall a scene from the movie Batman Begins. In the end, when every nut job and psychopath from Arkan Asylum are released into Gotham, and basic services like lightning are cut. We felt like that. Like at any moment, we would be sad victims of the circumstances. None of that happened to me or my friends, but what about those who had more trouble? This just shows that maybe some parts of town are safe (rich South Zone), with extra police cars, and all, but what about the other parts? What about the people who live there? Aren’t they people too? Citizens? Kidnapping and robbery happened at he Maracanã Stadium, the place where the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2014 World Cup, and 2016 Summer Olympics will take place. Well, I just don’t think we are ready for that yet.

Goodnight.

I know it’s been a really long time since my last post, and loads of things have happened. College started, I lost 10 pounds (gained some too but that’s how it goes), been introduced to new music, made new friends (I guess).

I think that the last time I wrote, was in the middle of July, when I was in Campinas with my family. The new Arctic Monkeys disc was being leaked on the internet, and I may have or may have not posted some illegal music here. But thats water under the bridge. I have bought the new album, listened to it extensively, and loved every second of it. Not so much the fact that they are not selling singles in compact discs, and that the Japanese version of Humbug has two extra tracks. On that note, they can’t really blame me for using the internet. You may call me stupid, but I even tried purchasing mp3’s from their website, and it did not work, so, your loss Monkeys.

This saturday, at a friend’s barbecue, his wife lended me some cds of foreign music. This friend is Argentinian, and his wife brazilian. He works with my father, and we all get along. His wife is graduated in modern languages – spanish, so she introduced me to some spanish and latin american music. I’m listening to SodaStereo, Bajotango, Mercedes Sosa, Orishas, and Estopa. Tomorrow I’ll return the cds to her, with a mix tape of my own. Let’s see if she likes of some of Britain’s finest.

This whole new music started at university. Yeah I know how clichê, but that’s how it went. In the past year, I’ve been in love with british music, and I have completely forgot about the brazilian music I used to love. I really enjoyed listening to Maria Rita, Los Hermanos e o Rappa. I don’t really know why, but it felt so distant to me. Last week, when talking to some friends at college about music, I learned that not too many people like the stuff I like. For instance, people seem to like some very hardcore rock (which I hate), hip hop (which is definitely not on my top ten list) and samba. This last one is controversial. When asked if I liked it, I said an upper case NO. But, the thing is I forgot that there are two types of samba. Samba de bossa, and samba de grito. Samba de grito, is the one they sing shout on the Carnival Parade, in Rio. And Samba de Bossa, is the best one. One that I realized I like very much. I’m just beginning to learn, but i like where it’s going. I’m definitely not going to dance, and stuff, for I’m completely disastrous at this kind of thing, but, I enjoy listening. Lucas, a dude from my class has shown me some Luiz Melodia, and I liked it. He also remembered me of Maria Rita. I bought her latest cd, and I’m already listening to it. Together came memories from Los Hermanos, and so I synced my mp3 with fresh new music. Now I have, all of those spanish tunes, plus, Marcelo Camelo’s Sou, O Rappa’s O Silêncio Que Precede o Esporro, Little Joy’s Little Joy, Maria Rita’s Samba Meu, among others. Happy with the change. To be honest I was getting tired of what I’ve been listening.

Well, you guys know I attend the Geography course at UERJ right? If not, now you know. Given that I’m not a very good driver, yet, I take the bus to school everyday. Everyday he takes its course and drives trough Rio’s avenues, filled with urban art, poverty and social context, amidst some rich oasis. I have been listening to Muse’s new album (which is great btw), and tough it is good music, it doesn’t really match with the sights I see everyday. It’s not like Rio is the Twilight set location. And last week, when I started listening to O Rappa (on the radio first), it gave me a whole new perspective to things. It’s not like I’m not aware of the city’s problems, but, it made them more evident. Put that together with the fact that I’m studying Geography of the Population, and that the song I was listening was “Mar de Gente”, and you’ll get what I mean.

It’s late and I have to sleep. See you next time. I still have to talk about research in college, Lily Allen’s concert, and many more.

R

Kinda pissed at WordPress…

They made me delete two previous posts because I was infringing copyright with the videos from Arctic Monkeys…

Now I don’t feel like writing at all…

I had other stuff on those posts, and they made me throw away anyway.

At least I have Lily’s concert in September. yay!

R

Yesterday as not many of you know, was my birthday.

I like receiving gifts. But from my father only. I don’t like other people to spend money with me. But some always do.

I have received R$15 from Saraiva Megastore, another R$ 50 from Fernanda, and more R$ 100 from Luci and Sônia. All  in gift cards. And the funny thing is that I don’t know how to spend them…

The books I want to read are not published yet, or are not available at any bookstore in the whole state! Even in São Paulo, they are not available. What a shitty globalization…

Anyway, I’ll have to wait. Wait for:

• Humbug – Arctic Monkeys new album, that is due to release on august 24. It will probably cost about R$30 at launch.
• The Titan’s Curse – Book by Rick Riordan, that is still to be published in Brazil, and I can’t find the original in English.
• The Battle of the Labyrinth,and, The Last Olympian – The last books of the series by Riordan. This I have no hope of reading before 2010…
• The Lost Symbol, by Dan Brown – I have all of his other books, and even tough I didn’t liked the last one, I’m still buying this. It is due to be released on September 15. Still at the beginning of the college semester, so no biggy.

And that’s it. All I have to hope for buying in the rest of 2009. Not much.

This is a contradiction by definition.

R