This photo has NOT been digitally enhanced! This was the actual moon rise over Rio Friday, February 18, 2011. Amazingly beautiful!I love you all the way to the moon...and back.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Thursday, February 03, 2011
Beach Volleyball EARIOJ-style
If you know anything about Brazil you know:
1. Brazil is actually spelled BraSil.
2. Brazilians LOVE samba and celebrate by drinking chopp--draft beer
3. They have produced some of the best beach volleyball players in the world!
Well, I have to remind myself now to spell Brasil, BraZil when writing to my American friends. I have acquired a passion for Samba and wait with baited breath each year for Carnival. I am pretty good at celebrating just about any occasion with a cold chopp. However, all the Friday Volleyball Matches in the world will not make me one of the best beach volleyball players in the world.
But I'm sure having fun trying. Some friends from work and I started a Friday routine this year: Beach Volleyball/Happy Hour. We comnandeered a sand court on the beach in Leblon, made friends with the barraca owner in front of the court to ensure plenty-o-ice-cold beer--at a discount--and every Friday we play until the sun goes down.
At first my colleagues were timid.
"Oh, I don't know how to play Sara."
"What? Beach Volleyball? I've never played."
Through coaxing and trial and error, we have a pretty regular group coming out each week to actively participate in the game or as a 'beerleader' (vs. cheerleader).
It has proven to be a great end to sometimes hectic work weeks. Plus it's fun to hang out with people you work with and NOT talk shop! For teachers, that is sometimes a difficult task as many conversations tend to revert to the topic of shop.
Part of my persausion has been a weekly email, inviting faculty and staff. I have written formal invitations, quick reminders, and poems. One week, my poem set off an avalanche of rhyming diddies from the science teachers even!
Well, this week...I thought...I can't do just another poem. The poem has kind of lost its punch. I need to do something new, something different, something people don't expect; and during the night last night--as all creative artists are inspired--it came to me.
In David Letterman style:
If you know anything about Brazil you know:
1. Brazil is actually spelled BraSil.
2. Brazilians LOVE samba and celebrate by drinking chopp--draft beer
3. They have produced some of the best beach volleyball players in the world!
Well, I have to remind myself now to spell Brasil, BraZil when writing to my American friends. I have acquired a passion for Samba and wait with baited breath each year for Carnival. I am pretty good at celebrating just about any occasion with a cold chopp. However, all the Friday Volleyball Matches in the world will not make me one of the best beach volleyball players in the world.
But I'm sure having fun trying. Some friends from work and I started a Friday routine this year: Beach Volleyball/Happy Hour. We comnandeered a sand court on the beach in Leblon, made friends with the barraca owner in front of the court to ensure plenty-o-ice-cold beer--at a discount--and every Friday we play until the sun goes down.
At first my colleagues were timid.
"Oh, I don't know how to play Sara."
"What? Beach Volleyball? I've never played."
Through coaxing and trial and error, we have a pretty regular group coming out each week to actively participate in the game or as a 'beerleader' (vs. cheerleader).
It has proven to be a great end to sometimes hectic work weeks. Plus it's fun to hang out with people you work with and NOT talk shop! For teachers, that is sometimes a difficult task as many conversations tend to revert to the topic of shop.
Part of my persausion has been a weekly email, inviting faculty and staff. I have written formal invitations, quick reminders, and poems. One week, my poem set off an avalanche of rhyming diddies from the science teachers even!
Well, this week...I thought...I can't do just another poem. The poem has kind of lost its punch. I need to do something new, something different, something people don't expect; and during the night last night--as all creative artists are inspired--it came to me.
In David Letterman style:
Top 10 Reasons to Play Volleyball on the Beach on Friday
10. VB skills really improve with time and practice. (It's true; ask Amanda or Katie!)
9. The laughter will leave your stomach hurting so much you will swear you just did 20 minutes of Abs of Steel.
8. Free exfoliation on your feet from running through the sand.
7. Balance your body's Vitamin D. (In case Cod Liver Oil is not a part of your regular diet.)
6. Clear your sinuses by breathing the salty, sea mist for a couple of hours.
5. Studies have found that drinking beer actually reduces your chances of stroke and heart and vascular disease.
4. It has been proven that positive relationships with colleagues outside of the workplace increases workplace morale.
3. You can avoid Friday afternoon traffic out of Zona Sul, reducing the amount of stress in your day.
2. Sweating improves circulation and skin health, eases joint pain and stiffness, reduces cellulite (come on, who doesn't want that), eliminates impurities like heavy metals (AC/DC, Metallica, Iron Maiden, etc.), burns calories and controls weight (after the holidays this is important), reduces stress and fatigue (we work with children and adolescents of course we have stress and fatigue), relieves pain (but not the pain in your block 4), promotes healthy immune system (to fight all the bacteria students expose to us each day), strengthens the cardiovascular system (who doesn't need a bigger heart?)
And the number one reason to join us Friday after school in Leblon....
1. It's FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!
We'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how persuasive the list of 10 is.
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