Steaming Pot

If...

2009-08-03T00:32:00.002+01:00

If you smile,
I bloom,
But if you cry,
I gloom...

If you touch me,
I shake,
But if you ache,
I break...

If you ask me,
I do,
But if you're blue,
I'm you...

Noite

2009-03-29T23:39:00.001+01:00

Madrugada, cansados
Adormecemos, abracados
Sob o reflexo da Lua
Porque o meu corpo foi teu
E o teu foi meu
Nesta noite crua...

Be my Valentine...

2009-02-23T23:51:00.002Z

As I write to you today, words come to my mind but I'm too amazed to speak or put them down.

I feel the silence bursting through me. No warnings. No needs.

And suddenly, yes, one urge. One single urge - the one that comes to me countless times... The urge to kiss you and make you mine. The urge to have you by my side all the time.

I close my eyes for two seconds and I know.
I can feel it now.
No fear.
No doubt.

Just the certainty that there is no one I rather spend this Valentine's Day but with you and you alone.

Definitely.
No doubt.

Metade

2009-02-09T11:59:00.002Z

Hoje deixaste-me metade.
Na tua furia dobrada de gestos encobriste o ceu.
O meu sol mingou e escondeu-se na linha do horizonte.
Quando foi que te tornaste tempestade?
Quando deixei eu de ser bonanca?
Prevejo gaivotas em terra...

You...

2009-01-19T21:56:00.003Z

Every time you go away,
I'm left catching my breath,
For the single, simple reason that you are,
Undoubtedly,
The air that I breathe...

Ana Carina Xavier, 19th January 2009

DNA mysteries

2009-01-06T09:47:00.001Z

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/apr/27/genetics.cancer

What DNA can tell us
Genes alone cannot account for what a person is, but even the slightest distinguishing traits between people can be attributed to individual genes. James Randerson reports

Genetics is rarely all or nothing. In almost every case your version of a gene will give you an increased or a lowered chance of a particular outcome (like becoming obese) but that outcome is not certain. Your other genes and environmental influences, such as how much you eat and exercise, all work together to determine how you end up.

Sex
The simplest thing DNA can tell you is whether someone is male or female. Apart from some very rare cases, that doesn't even involve looking at their DNA sequence - all you need to know is whether they have X and Y chromosomes (making them male) or a pair of Xs (which makes them female). A foetus will, by default, develop as female unless the SRY gene on the Y chromosome is turned on.

Hair colour
Many redheads have a different version of a gene that prevents pigment-producing cells called melanocytes responding to a hormone that instructs them to make dark pigment. A DNA sample from someone carrying two of the mutated genes has a 96% probability of being naturally red-haired. A DNA test developed by the Forensic Science Service can identify eight common mutations of this gene that have the same effect of stopping it from working.

Eye colour
At least four genes work together to determine your eye colour. By analysing these genes scientists can classify someone into one of three eye-colour groups - light (blue and grey), dark (black and brown), or hazel - with 97% certainty.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
This condition has been linked with a genetic stutter in the gene DAT1 which is involved in nerve impulses.

Body clock
The Per2 gene has been linked with "advanced sleep phase syndrome" (wanting to go to bed early and rise in the small hours). Another gene, Per3, is found more often in night owls.

Long life
Particular versions of the Klotho gene are associated with longevity in humans. It seems to influence age-related conditions such as heart disease and stroke.

Thrill seeking
Certain versions of a gene on the X chromosome that codes for the monoamine oxidase enzyme (MAO), are associated with the sensation-seeking and impulsive tendencies.

Obesity
Around half of the UK population carry a variant of the FTO gene, which makes them on average 1.6kg heavier than those who do not have it. Some 16% of the population carry two copies of the gene and are, on average, 3kg heavier. People with the FTO variant also have an increased risk of diabetes.

How DNA can solve crimes
Matching a DNA sample (say from a blood or semen stain) from a crime scene to the perpetrator relies on regions of DNA in between genes that have lots of variability. The technique involves snipping up the DNA using enzymes called restriction endonucleases, which cut the DNA only when they come across a specific sequence. If everyone's DNA were the same then the pieces left after this frenzy of molecular slicing would all be the same length. But there are repeated sections of DNA that vary considerably between individuals. That means the lengths of my cut fragments are unlikely to be the same as your cut fragments (because we have a different number of repeats).
By combining several of these variable locations in the genome, scientists can say with very high confidence that a match between a DNA profile found at a crime scene and the profile of a suspect are not the same simply by chance. The probability of two unrelated people having the same profile coincidentally depends on how many variable DNA regions you use, but it is typically one in several billion.

Weird stuff!

2009-01-05T07:58:00.001Z

The sentence "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter in the English language. 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
The average human eats 8 spiders in their lifetime at night.
"I am." is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.
A rhinoceros horn is made of compacted hair.
The shortest war in history was between Zanzibar and England in 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after 38 minutes.
A polar bear's skin is black. Its fur is not white, but actually clear.
Donald Duck comics were banned in Finland because he doesn't wear pants.
More people are killed by donkeys annually than are killed in plane crashes.
Shakespeare invented the word "assassination" and "bump."
If you keep a Goldfish in the dark room, it will eventually turn white.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men.
The name of all the continents end with the same letter that they start with.
The word "lethologica" describes the state of not being able to remember the word you want.
TYPEWRITER, is the longest word that can be made using the letters on only one row of the keyboard.
If the population of China walked past you in single file, the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction
The word racecar and kayak are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left.
A snail can sleep for 3 years.
China has more English speakers than the United States.
The electric chair was invented by a dentist.
Did you know you share your birthday with at least 9 other million people in the world.
The longest word in the English language is 1909 letters long and it refers to a distinct part of DNA.
Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, dogs only have about ten.
Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing.
Feb 1865 is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.
Cat's urine glows under a black light.
Leonardo Da Vinci invented the scissors.
Nutmeg is extremely poisonous if injected intravenously.
Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.
If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee. If you fart consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to squirt blood 30 feet.
On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.
The strongest muscle in the body is the TONGUE.
It's impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.
A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
Polar bears are left-handed.
The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds, that makes the catfish rank #1 for animal having the most taste buds.
A cockroach will live nine days without its head, before it starves to death.
Butterflies taste with their feet.
Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.
Starfish haven't got brains.
Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.
Peanuts are one of the ingredients of dynamite.
The average secretary's left hand does 56% of the typing.
A shark is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.
There are more chickens than people in the world.
Two-thirds of the world's eggplant is grown in New Jersey.
The longest one-syllable word in the English language is"screeched."
No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver or purple.
"Dreamt" is the only English word that ends in the letters "mt".
Almonds are members of the peach family.
There are only four words in the English language which end in "- dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous.
A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain.
Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.
In most advertisements, including newspapers, the timedisplayed on a watch is 10:10.
A dragonfly has a lifespan of 24 hours.
A goldfish has a memory span of three seconds.
The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world.
In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak.
The name for Oz in the "Wizard of Oz" was thought up when the creator, Frank Baum, looked at his filing cabinet and saw A-N and O-Z, hence "Oz."
The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
The average person falls asleep in seven minutes.
There are 336 dimples on a regulation golf ball.

in "This, That and The other"

Merry Xmas!

2008-12-16T12:16:00.002Z

Merry Xmas everyone!!!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...!! :D

2008-12-16T12:08:00.002Z

It's beginning to look a lot like Xmas because...:

- The Xmas tree is up,
- all the Xmas shopping is done,
- still some wrapping to do, though.
- I'm picking up my parents on Saturday to spend the festive season with me,
- my brother is arriving in a week,
- it has already snowed and
- the heating is on.
- Sweet recipes of eggnog and puffy pastry are out of the closet and...

- I feel all fuzzy inside...!!! :D

"It's beginning to look
A lot like Christmas
Ev'rywhere you go
Take a look in the five
And ten glistening
Once again
With candy canes
And silver lanes aglow

It's beginning to look
A lot like Christmas
Toys in ev'ry store
But the prettiest sight
To seeIs the holly that will be
On your own front door

A pair
Of hopalong boots
And a pistol
That shoots
Is the wish
Of Barney and Ben
Dolls that will talk
And will go for a walkIs the hope
Of Janice and Jen
And Mom and Dad
Can hardly
Wait for school
To start again

It's beginning to look
A lot like Christmas
Ev'rywhere you go
There's a treeIn the Grand Hotel
One in the park as well
The sturdy kind
That doesn't mind the snow

It's beginning to look
A lot like Christmas
Soon the bells will start
And the thing
That will make them ring
Is the carol that you sing
Right within your heart"

Cyanide - did you know?

2008-12-05T08:31:00.000Z

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is a colorless gas with a faint bitter almond-like odor.

Most people can smell hydrogen cyanide; however, due to an apparent genetic trait, some individuals cannot!!!! (I didn't know that one! Live and learn! Hope nobody is trying to kill me and all my genes are working properly!)

[3] Sodium cyanide and potassium cyanide are both white powders with a bitter almond-like odor in damp air, due to the presence of hydrogen cyanide formed by hydrolysis:

NaCN + H2O → HCN + NaOH
KCN + H2O → HCN + KOH

in Wikipedia

No, I'm not having any suicidal traits... Just one of those things you learn while you're passing out in front of the TV... Cyanide smells like almonds!!! Amazing!!! Beware...... HaHaHaHaHa (just kidding!!!)

Do you smell something?

Now tell me, did you learn anything new today? Then pass it on!

Pedido oficial de desculpas ao Dr. Esticopernil!

2008-12-05T08:14:00.000Z

Ora bem,
uma pequena (grande) rectificacao a fazer relativamente a um dos posts...
Fiz uma mudanca de sexo ao Dr Esticopernil e ele nao ficou satisfeito com o resultado portanto tive de reverter tudo ao seu devido lugar e colocar uma compressa de Betadine no seu orgulho... Mil perdoes!!! No post "Pois... e assim... O Doutor ja vem!" escrevi que foi umA colega, A DrA Esticopernil e ups, enganei-me...! Errare humanum est! Afinal e UM Dr!!! Sim, sexo MASCULINO!!!
Nao percebo como me enganei... E o cansaco, esta visto...! Ou entao o facto de achar que tal nivel de inteligencia coordenado com um sardonico (mas nao raivoso) sentido de humor so podia estar acoplado a uma brilhante mente feminina!
Enfim, fica entrega a encomenda... E as desculpas!

Alive, but not so much kicking... and Xmas!

2008-12-04T01:50:00.000Z

Halli hallo hello to everyone who usually comes to pick on this blog!
Yes, I'm still alive (barely) therefore not so much kicking...
The workload has increased dramatically since the last post and that reflects in a direct correlation with the entries in this little diary...!
Yes, we're talking weekend work and 60h weeks!!! And then people ask me why I'm not happy it's Xmas??? To start with, it happens every year... Just to remind me it's time to start rearranging my mind that each time I write the date I'll probably get it wrong for the first two months... It's time to smile (until the 19 muscles we use for smiling ache!) and sing Xmas carols (with a rubbish voice provided by the pleasant cold that has been my companion for the past 2 weeks). It's time to spend some money in absolutely futile presents (hurray, never mind the economic recession, the world crisis, the millions of people starving and the mortgage to pay!) and hit the supermarket to spoil the diet... It's time to spend endless hours in front of the oven, getting even more tired just thinking of it and time to scrape ice of my windscreen every morning... Yeah, I'm soooooo happy!
Well, OK, maybe I'm acting a bit like Scrooge but wouldn't you if the runway to Xmas was your busiest time of the year? I mean, seriously, working weekends? I must be out of my mind!
Anyhow, I'm actually quite happy... No, I mean it! Can you please stop laughing?? NOW!!??
My family is coming for Xmas and it'll definitely be a joyful time of the year. It'll be the first time this year the 4 of us are reunited under one roof, so that'll make it cosy! And by the way this is going, we might even have a white Xmas! I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll hate my electricity bill, but hey, such is life!
And yes, I've put my tree up!
And some decorations!
And the Holy family!
And I'm looking forward to putting 2 kg around my waist!
So...
All in all, I just got one thing to say...
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Bbbbrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr......

2008-11-25T08:18:00.000Z

This thing from being from warm countries and moving to cold countries is not the most bright idea I ever had... Just yesterday, someone was telling me how I should be used to it by now... Why exactly is that? I only have 3 years living in England and 25 years of lovely Portugal! I think not!
So St. Peter, do us a little favour and make it just a tiny little bit nicer... OK, I'm not even gonna be demanding... Just above 0'C!!!

"Pois...é assim...o doutor já vem!"

2008-11-21T09:18:00.000Z

Este post nao e meu e eu reconheco... Foi retirado do blog "Betadine & Festinhas", uma colega recem-graduada que nos transmite as suas visoes de alguem que acabou de cair de para-quedas no mundo profissional da Veterinaria portuguesa... Eu confesso que nao resisti e fiz o copy-paste integral da coisa, primeiro porque me fez relembrar velhos tempos em que a ignorancia era uma virtude (que saudade!) e depois porque todos passamos por la, mas na altura nao tinha um blog e como tal nao escrevi estas linhas para os nossos colegas e amigos! Aqui fica, com o copyright da Dra Esticopernil, mas ela que me desculpe que isto tem de correr mundo!!!

"A cada dia que passa vejo-me confrontado com a nossa capacidade exímia de manter um diálogo sério com os clientes que aqui vêm, apenas com três frases e um movimento de cabeça. Independentemente do que possam dizer, conseguimos responder a todas as questões médicas, desabafos da vida pessoal e dúvidas existenciais com “Pois”, “É assim”ou “O Doutor já trata disso”. Por vezes acrescentamos um sorriso irónico ou um acenar de cabeça conjugado com um arregalar de olhos ou então, em alguns casos, um franzir de olhos em que produzimos ao mesmo tempo um som de chaleira em ebulição com o canto da boca contraído. Contudo, apesar de transparecermos a imagem mais tranquila e natural do mundo, o que na realidade pensamos acerca de determinada pessoa não tem nada a ver com o que falsamente aparentamos."

Exemplos:
- “Senhor doutor o meu gato anda a cuspir branco há 2 dias, o que poderá se estar a passar?”
*Resposta: “Pois”, acenando a cabeça, “É assim”.
#Pensamento: O teu gato deve-te estar a imitar. Liquefacção encefálica é causadora de hipersiália.

-“Ó Doutor, a Fifi tem 7 meses! Ela era incapaz de se meter com os outros cães amiguinhos dela e agora aparece…grávida??”
*R: Sorriso irónico e “É assim”.
#P: Deves pensar que por ter 7 meses de vida é a Madre Teresa de Calcutá, não?! Ela em 7 meses fez mais sexo do que tu em 50 anos.

- “O Sebastião apareceu com uma ferida no rabo depois de ter estado na brincadeira com outros cães machos. O que é que se terá passado?”
*R: Franzir de sobrolho e “Pois”.
#P: Esta gente não pode ver uma laceração anal e pensa logo que o cão é larilas. Parece-me recalcamento.

- “Hoje não trouxe o meu cão porque vim falar com o doutor. Preciso que me dê força para continuar o tratamento”
*R: Ar atónito e “O Doutor já trata disso”
#P: May the force be with you, wacko.

- “Se eu quiser fazer uma marinada de coelho posso juntar colorau?”
*R: Acenar de cabeça mas com olhar duvidoso.
#P: Uma massa pimentão ficaria muito melhor do que colorau.

-“O meu cão partiu a mandíbula há 3 semanas e desde então tenho-lhe dado Baytril para ver se ele se cura mas continua na mesma…”
*R: Olhar esbugalhado e paralisia momentânea.
#P: Para a próxima dá-lhe eutasil…parece que é condroprotector e estimula melhor a ossificação do que o Baytril. A senhora parece constipada…faça um cházinho com cianeto que lhe desentope as vias aéreas.

-“ Segundo o evangelho de S. Lucas, Jesus revela aos hebreus que a vida deve ser levada à imagem de Salomão, ou seja, com a menor ostentação possível pela vida material terrena, não concorda?”
*R: Silêncio prolongado e reflexão profunda. Sorriso irónico e franzir de olhos.
#P: Sim, concordo que vás ao psiquiatra e trates dessa falência cerebral.

- Dr. Esticópernil às 23:01

Obrigada a Dra Esticopernil pelas boas gargalhadas!!!

Confucius

2008-11-20T23:07:00.000Z

"What I hear, I forget.
What I see, I remember.
What I do, I learn."

The opression of freedom

2008-11-09T22:47:00.000Z

The oppression of freedom silences me.
It devours my mind, it corrodes my body.
Why does every choice bear so much suffering?
Why can't things just be simple?
One single option, one single choice, one single decision?

The oppression of freedom has found its' way to tie me down, through you...
Because although I have the option, I choose to stay.
Because although my mind decides otherwise, my heart holds me firmly to the spot.
Because although I feel so tired, the only place I could ever rest is in your embrace.

So once again I deny myself the chance of greatness and become the shadow of you...
Once again, because of this freedom that oppresses me...

Vem... 2

2008-10-27T22:00:00.000Z

Vem, caminha a meu lado. Como fazias antes de toda esta confusao. Antes de o simples se complicar. Antes do sentimento mudar. Antes de tantas lagrimas derramar.
Vem, caminha a meu lado. Vamos esquecer o presente. Eu quero reviver o passado! O riso das madrugadas e dos abracos roubados ao crepusculo.
Porque me sinto rejeitada se tu apenas foste honesto? Pela minha sanidade mental, mente-me! Mente-me mas nao me olhes nos olhos, porque se o fizeres eu vou espelhar desilusao...

Ausencia

2008-10-27T21:53:00.000Z

Nesta noite escura,
Um barco sem farol.
Neste dia de sol,
Uma flor sem agua.
Nesta folha de papel,
Uma mao sem lapis.
Neste meu corpo,
Um vazio de ti.

Ana Carina Xavier - 03/05/08

Vem...

2008-09-11T19:37:00.000+01:00

Vem brincar.
Aos homens e as mulheres.

Vem fingir.
Que ja somos crescidos.
Que ja fazemos o que queremos.

Vem sentir.
O bater do meu coracao.
Que palpita.
Por mim e por ti.

Vem sonhar.
Com uma vida a dois.
Uma vida so nossa.
Num cantinho so nosso.

Vem saltar.
Rios, vales, montes e fogueiras.
So para estares comigo.

Vem abracar.
Este sonho que construimos para nos.

Vem alcancar.
Esta meta a que nos propusemos.

Vem descansar.
Longo e o caminho que temos pela frente.
Mas o nosso dia chegara!
Porque amar e agarrar o arco-iris.
E abracar o mundo com um braco.
E ter um dom na palma da mao.
E ter um rasgo de eternidade.

Porque amar,
Para mim,
E ter-te a ti...

Faz hoje 48h que me ensinaste a chorar...

2008-08-02T00:04:00.000+01:00

Faz hoje 48h que me ensinaste a chorar.
Eram precisamente 18h55 quando bateste a porta e disseste que estavas farto.
Farto de mim, farto da vida, farto de nós.
Futuro destroçado, passado em mil recortado, presente inacabado.

Faz hoje 48h e um minuto que decidiste desistir.
Desistir de lutar por mim, pela vida, por nós.
Futuro inexistente, passado decadente, presente não presente.

Faz hoje 48h e dois minutos que a imagem no reflexo do espelho tem olhos vazios.
Vazios de sonhos, vazios de cor, vazios de ti.
Futuro de solidão, passado de imensidão, presente de confusão.

Sim... Faz hoje 48h e três minutos que sussurei que te amava,
mas a porta já estava cerrada...

Ana Carina Xavier - 10/05/08

Ladyhawke...

2008-08-01T21:45:00.001+01:00

Phillipe: Are you flesh, or are you spirit?
Isabeau: I am sorrow.

Breathless ............................................................................................................................................. :D

Dracula

2008-08-01T21:40:00.000+01:00

Dracula: Do you believe in destiny? That even the powers of time can be altered for a single purpose? That the luckiest man who walks upon this earth is the one who finds... True love?

Dracula: I have crossed oceans of time to find you.

Speechless .................................................................................................................................................. :)

La bella Italia...

2008-07-28T16:16:00.000+01:00

Hehehe

Check this one out...

http://tcc.itc.it/people/rocchi/fun/europe.html

Fantastic!!!

I think latin countries behave similarly!

English Summer...

2008-07-28T15:47:00.000+01:00

Finalmente chegou o Verao a Inglaterra!

Coisa pouca, podem voces dizer, 7 dias com temperaturas superiores a 25'C e como quem nao mata porco em Portugal... Mas para aqui, e um LUXO!!! E dos grandes!

So existe um probleminha no meio desta historia... Ja nao estou habituada ao calor! Ando a suar as estopinhas!

Tongue Twisters by Muffi

2008-07-28T15:43:00.000+01:00

Three Swedish switched witches watch three Swiss swatch watch switches.

Which Swedish switched witch watches which Swiss swatch watch switch?

Take that! I can't say it....

Tongue Twisters for Vets

2008-07-15T16:39:00.000+01:00

Wunwun was a racehorse, Tutu was one too. Wunwun won one race, Tutu won one too.

hehehe

Murphy's Law 1

2008-07-15T16:26:00.000+01:00

The odds of the bread falling butter-side down are directly proportional to the value of the carpet...

Fact of life 1

2008-07-15T16:23:00.000+01:00

In a supermarket, the other queues always move faster than yours.

Day 1, Conspiracy Theory 1

2008-07-15T15:52:00.000+01:00

A friend of mine told me I had a really interesting mind and that it would be even better if I would share it with the world. The result is this blog...
Now I didn't really ask him what he meant by 'interesting', maybe that would have been a good idea...
Anyway, my first Conspiracy Theory is that this blog will probably not last for long... Lack of readers will provide absence of inspiration and therefore no entries. We shall see and I'll be back!