We don’t have Valentine’s Day in Brasil. We have something similar called Dia dos Namorados (Boyfriend/Girlfriend Day, June 12th). It actually applies to anyone who is a couple but it’s not as extensible as v-day. For example, you wouldn’t wish a Feliz Dia dos Namorados to your friends or co-workers.

The funny thing is that, in looking it up on the web, I found out that we used to celebrate v-day in Brasil instead. Read on:

Dia dos Namorados was created in São Paulo, on June 12th 1949 by the owner of a store who wanted to import the idea of Valentine’s Day. Since June is winter time in Brazil, it was also a slow period for retail. So he proposed June 12th (which fell the day before Saint Anthony’s Day, the patron saint of marriage).

Anyway, the whole reason why I started this blog was to talk about my favorite Brazilian holiday. And I won’t get into the whole morals and ethics behind this holiday. The reason why I like it is that it sums up the Brazilian mentality even better than Carnaval. I’m talking about the Dia do Amante which falls on September 22nd (That’s Lover’s Day for those who don’t know Portuguese. Actually, it’s really “illicit”, as in cheating or having an affair, Lover’s Day). It is obviously a recently made-up holiday and I’m not sure who takes credit for this invention. I remember going back to Brazil on vacation several years ago and seeing a billboard advertising gifts for “Dia dos Amantes”. My mom then explained to me that it was some sort of new holiday as though she had just told me, “Oh yeah, it’s a new brand of toothpaste”!

And that is why I think Dia dos Amantes is the most Brazilian of holidays.

Picture this: it’s February 10th, a nice not so chilly Sunday morning in Mountain View, California and you are a happy little ant taking a stroll through a grassy field. Now picture this: it’s February 10th, a nice not so chilly Sunday morning in Mountain View, California and you are a happy little ant taking a stroll through a grassy field when you get hit by the Sunday paper and get killed instantly.

Something to think about, isn’t it?

Unrelated comment, Canadian accents are so cool. I love hearing a Canadian say “out”, “about”, and my new favorite, “again”.

It’s a little unnerving (to say the least) to follow Jenny on Tina’s list of blogs. You see, they’re in order of update frequency and let’s just say that Jenny is in a whole different league of frequent blogger.

Did anyone else notice that the last 5 letters of chan oot spell toona, as in, tuna? I wonder what Tim has to say about that… Not only that but TT can mean tiny Tim or tiny tuna… The plot thickens!

A box of film: $8.00

A digital camera so you don’t have to use film: $500

Being able to share your pictures with friends and family: $9.95 a month

Being able to share your gay pictures with co-workers at the korporation that makes the box of film and the digital camera: priceless!

The horoscope Aynne posted on her site seems scarily appropriate to what I’m dealing with lately as well. Hmmm…

I had to copy Jenny and add the comments thing to my blog too.

I used to think of myself as not having a specific “type” in terms of guys and their attractiveness quotient. I do like blonds but I also find a lot of dark-haired guys attractive. Then recently, as I was looking through my TiVo’s list of favorite actors, I realized that there were a lot of similarities among the actors I like. Mainly, big foreheads, big noses, and thin lips. What do you think?

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Since Tuna started talking about phobias, I thought it would be appropriate to add to this topic:

Ablutophobia - Fear of washing or bathing.
I think this may apply to Heidi. I’m not saying that she smells or anything but she mentioned that she’s afraid of getting her face wet so she doesn’t enjoy showers.

Allodoxaphobia - Fear of opinions.
I’m assuming that an allodoxaphobic would never want to be a friend of mine.

Anuptaphobia - Fear of staying single.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Asymmetriphobia - Fear of asymmetrical things.
This must be a prerequisite to becoming an engineer.

Ballistophobia - Fear of missiles or bullets.
I have a fear of things flying in my direction. This was the closest phobia to describe that.

Coulrophoba – Fear of clowns
My sister is coulrophobic. She is also afraid of the Easter Bunny but I’m not sure what that would be called.

Hydrophobia- Fear of water or of rabies.
Hmm, maybe this describes Heidi’s condition better. And did she ever tell you how she almost had rabies once?

Hygrophobia- Fear of liquids, dampness, or moisture.
I guess there are many ways to describe Heidi.

Leukophobia- Fear of the color white.
That would be me.

Mageirocophobia- Fear of cooking.
Uh, me again.

Polyphobia- Fear of many things.
I like this one. You can just pick and choose according to your mood that day.

Porphyrophobia- Fear of the color purple.
I must say that I always change my opinion about someone when they mention that purple is their favorite color. Is it a designer thing?

Sesquipedalophobia- Fear of long words.
If you’ve made it this far, you’re probably not sesquipedalophobic.

Symmetrophobia- Fear of symmetry.
I think all designers pretty much fall under this category.

Textophobia- Fear of certain fabrics.
Two words: pleather and polyester!

For more phobias, visit phobialist.com