My hard times in HS - part 2

This text is part 2 of 2. Please read part 1 here.

After being bullied all throughout 5th grade (equivalent of 9th grade for American schools), my mom decided to transfer me to a bigger school. I then went to where my best friend Louise attended. (I mentioned she even came all the way from Brazil to see me a couple years ago. She's awesome!) The problem was that I was late in the transfer and, by then, her class was full. I had to be put in a different class. She was 6th grade C and I was now A. (Schools in Brazil are a little different. You don't get to pick your subjects. You're in a big group and everyone attends the same classes.)

Because we were so close (have always been since kindergarten), I knew pretty much all of her friends and was very excited to change schools, but once I entered the A class, knowing nobody, things changed quickly. The girls hated me from day one because I was cute. I know that for a fact since, later on, when we got over those issues, they confessed it to me. What a life!

My hard times in HS - part 1

When I was still in Middle School I was very popular. I had the most friends, some of the best grades, knew all the teachers and all this kind of stuff some kids effortlessly have. Kinda like some movie you'd see with some teenage drama (I love those, by the way.)

Then, when High School started, all my friends left our little school and moved on to bigger 1000's+ people institutions. I considered (my parents did) moving as well, but the teachers knew me, right? I had good grades and the school, even small, had a great way of teaching. We decided I'd stay.

(UN)interesting facts about myself #003

Another Friday is upon us and I have a lot planned for today, including going along with Chris' family to see Santa. My nieces and nephews have visited Santa at the MOA every year, ever since they were born, to give him their list in person. Then, of course, Santa comes to their house on the night of Christmas Eve. Very exciting!

This list relates some concerts I have ever been to (in the US), when I was younger and had lesser debts and used to go see live performances all the time. Now, not so much, even though I have U2 tickets for the upcoming year, here in Minneapolis. Looking forward to that!

This list is kind of in order of preference, but I wouldn't swear by it. Too many too good to pick favorites!

1. Smashing Pumpkins - Virgin Festival, Baltimore MD 2007 / St. Paul MN 2007 (click for pics)
2. Radiohead - Dallas TX 2008 (pics on Orkut)
3. Muse - New York NY 2007 (no pics, sorry!)
   

Are you cold?

Coming from Recife, Northeast Brazil, and landing in Minnesota has presented me with some great and utterly funny moments, specially regarding the difference in climate. Some other ones involve my transition to living in English: I have studied it, spoken it, "thunk" it and even dreamed in it. But, until I moved here, I had never lived it. Now I do.

But back to when I didn't, it kind of worked this way: You hear it, you read it and most likely you can even spell it, but when it's your turn to pronounce it, that's something different. So, one cold winter, years ago, I was freezing. To what Chris says:

- Are you cold?
- Yeah, I even have goo spumps!

Embarassing my parents since the 1980's

My mom was sick and my dad and I took her to the doctor. I have no idea what was wrong with her, since I was so small, but after hearing the story be recounted several times over the years, I learned she was taking a very slow yet very painful shot right on her butt cheek.

We were in the room with her, watching, and the shot was taking really long. My dad says I was so little, my legs didn't even touch the floor, from sitting on the bench, and there was a cockroach in front of us. I know, really gross, specially at a doctor's clinic! But if it's any consolation, it was dying. On its back, moving the legs nonstop, the cockroach was being watched by 3-4yo Laine.

(UN)interesting facts about myself #002

It's Friday and I'm continuing with these facts about myself, after a couple of weeks off ( I went to Florida on vacation - awesome - then my mom came over, we had birthdays and Thanksgiving, and now I'm back to routine for real.)

Here are the 10 topics for this week:

1. I'm brutally honest and proud of it.
2. Two of my best friends are girls I met in kindergarten (did you hear old friends??)
3. I always curse when driving, sorry!

Deskt & Diapers for Dogs

This is Deskt. He's a 4lb cute little Yorkie. He's my adorable puppy, but he pees everywhere. To begin telling this story, I'll let you know he's not with me, since I moved to the US. My mom has him back at home. He's just like family, we call him baby, feed him the best and sometimes hire a dogsitter just so he won't be all stressed out when we're all out running errands.

The Free Honeymoon Deal

A few years ago, when Chris, my now wonderful husband, and I were engaged, we went to a Wedding Fair to choose some vendors for the big day. I am somehow “lucky” with drawings and got awarded a free cruise vacation for two as long as I attended a presentation of some "amazing products", no purchase necessary. I thought it was fishy, so I called the place and inquired about the “prize”. They were very real and upfront and said there was no catch, just show up. I looked for some red flags but they seemed genuine, had an office location near me with a real address and were very polite on the phone. All good signs, I decided they would not dope me and steal one of my kidneys. Chris was on board, since we barely had money for the weeding, a free honeymoon seemed just dreamy.