YESTERDAY - HAPPY APRIL FOOLS' DAY!!!

(Photo by Sailor Girl)

By request (in fact, it was an order) of Sailor Mom, please note that I am not YET working for Pullmantur/ Royal Caribbean Cruises. But I will apply!!... I am so sorry I fooled you. Soon I will have to find out again a new working place (if possible, a job) and I thought this would be a great marketing way to promote my desire to deal with maritime matters. Mr. Royal Caribbean's CEO, if you are reading me, please DO help me out here!!!...

A pedido (leia-se, por ordem) da Sailor Mom, desminto a mentirinha de ontem e confirmo que não estou AINDA a trabalhar na Pullmantur/ Royal Caribbean. Mas pretendo enviar uma candidatura espontânea!!... Terei brevemente de procurar um novo local de trabalho, de preferência um emprego, de preferência relacionado com assuntos do Mar, e por que não numa grande multinacional de cruzeiros? Problemas para resolver não faltam e, com alguma sorte, ainda me oferecem umas milhas a bordo de quando em vez!!! Beijinhos!!!...

Don't Worry, Be Happy!

Dont Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin

«Here's a little song I wrote, You might want to sing it note for note: Don't worry, be happy. In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double... Don't worry, be happy. Don't worry, be happy now. (Chorus) Ain't got no place to lay your head, somebody came and took your bed, don't worry, be happy. The landlord say your rent is late, he may have to litigate...Don't worry, be happy. (Chorus) (Look at me -- I'm happy. Don't worry, be happy. Here I give you my phone number. When you worry, call me, I make you happy. Don't worry, be happy.) Ain't got no cash, ain't got no style, Ain't got no gal to make you smile... Don't worry, be happy. 'Cause when you worry your face will frown... And that will bring everybody down. Don't worry, be happy. (Chorus) (Don't worry, don't worry, don't do it. Be happy. Put a smile on your face. Don't bring everybody down. Don't worry. It will soon pass, whatever it is. Don't worry, be happy. I'm not worried, I'm happy...)

This could be my Life. What about you?

(Photo by Sailor Girl)

«We often get surprised, that is, unexpectedly grabbed, tied up from above! The unexpected catches me unprepared. And that is good! It is a sign that there are many new and unknown things and it is a sign that I am not blind and closed up to novelty. It is urgent to at least stop imagining an old and used God, without grace, a God made by us, by our measure. We are made on His image! He is an ever surprising God, Who picks us up from the above always with a new thing, an alternative, which shows us unimaginable paths. If we open up our hearts’ eyes and ears, He always appears with more surprises to give us. And it is by contemplating Him that we can see, after all, who we are».

From the new book by Father Vasco Pinto Magalhães, «Where there is crisis, there is hope». Translation by Sailor Girl.

«Ficamos muitas vezes surpresos, isto é, agarrados inespera­damente, presos por cima! O inesperado apanha-me despreveni­do. E é bom! É sinal de que há muita coisa nova e desconhecida e é sinal de que não estou fechado e cego para a novidade. É no mínimo urgente deixar de imaginar um Deus velho e usado, sem graça, um Deus feito por nós, a nossa medida. Mas nós é que somos à sua imagem! Ele é um Deus sempre surpreenden­te, que nos apanha sempre por cima, com uma novidade, uma alternativa, que nos revela caminhos inimagináveis. Se abrimos os olhos e os ouvidos do coração, Ele aparece sempre com mais uma surpresa para nos dar. E é contemplando-o que podemos vislumbrar, afinal, quem somos».

P. Vasco Pinto Magalhães, «Onde há crise, há esperança».

Lucky Seagul, always by the Sea!!!...

(Photo by Sailor Girl)

A Lisbon Bird

I wish this one had been taken by [Old Man Lincoln]... A sweet little bird in one of Lisbon's parks and a few seconds to draw my mobile phone and capture the moment. There it was, in a peaceful scenario, waiting for some crumbles and cheering me up, singing just for me and telling me not to worry 'bout a thing, as every little thing's gonna be alright.... A beautiful, tender soul.

The little bird is singing «Don´t worry, be Happy...», the first song you can hear here, at Atlantic Blue!!...