Personal

Personal

Goodbye September

October 6, 2014

After almost a week of October, I finally have time to sit and write about my September. It’s good to look back and think about all the things that happened last month.

The mortgage for our new apartment was finally approved (we’re moving, more about that sometime soon). The mortgage for the buyer of our current apartment was also approved so the sale is happening. We still need to do a lot but it is great to finally move into a bigger place.

Lara

It was Lara’s last month at her daycare and I was quite sad when I dropped her of on the last day. She liked it so much there and had so much fun. They made her a beautiful crown, ate cake and got her a goodbye present. I’m just very happy she already feels at home at the new daycare.

My September 2014 - Queen with her crown My September 2014 - Chocolate Sprinkles

She’s been very naughty too: climbing on chairs, trying to get things she isn’t supposed to get, throwing cornstarch and chocolate sprinkles on the floor… but I guess this is just regular activity of a toddler.

She is drawing a lot and sings all day long.

Work

Work has been super busy but also rewarding. We had one week of intense work where the whole team worked together on optimizing our sites and at the end of it we had an awesome party (with karaoke). I had some very positive news and recognition for my efforts and I’m just very proud to be working in such an awesome company.

People

I got to see my friend Luiza after 7 years. My mother got back after 2 months in Brazil. And I finally got to meet my sister’s new girlfriend. Tried to meet up with other friends but everyone is super busy, including myself.

I’ve been feeling like an old lady. Or maybe I should just come to terms that I am becoming an old lady. I have started physiotherapy for my neck pain and a high dosage of Vitamin D for my deficiency. On the positive side: I got a beautiful tattoo! As soon as it is healed I will post more about it.

My September 2014 - with my friend Luiza My September 2014 - Sister

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Personal

I try not to judge

July 6, 2013

As a mother, especially a first-time mom, you feel judged. Constantly. Sometimes people are really judging you, other times it’s just in your head. Being a mom is a tough job without judging, so I try not to. I really do but there are somethings that I simply cannot accept. Yelling, physical violence, none of that is acceptable and I will judge you for it. Giving your baby (or even your toddler) Coca-Cola is also not acceptable. Everyone knows how bad it is. It’s bad enough for us adults, so why give it to a small kid? Something else that I have a hard time accepting is beauty pageants. I always feel like mom (or dad) are very frustrated and put all their hopes on their child winning. This poster makes me cringe!

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Personal

Nice to Meet You

May 30, 2012

It’s time. Since 2001 I have been busy with blogs, always in my mother tongue, Portuguese. This Januari I became a mom and, with it came along an urge to write again. And so the idea behind MAMsterdam was also born.

Who am I? Well, I’m Tessa, 30 years old, half Dutch half Brazilian, film studies dropout, BA in International Communication, concert photographer and Lara’s mother. My little bub was born on January 14th and she is the most adorable baby in the world (proud mom alert!). Lara is Belgian, Brazilian and Dutch, looks exactly like her dad, a happy baby (most of the time), crazy about music and Elmo.

Who are you? 🙂

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Music Personal

Back to 1996

December 20, 2009

♫ Alanis Moritssette – Mary Jane ♫

This week I started listening to the acoustic version of Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill. And in doing so, I ended up in 1996, when I was 14 years old and listened to the plugged version day and night. How I loved Alanis… her yelling voice, her weird ways, her lyrics. I saw her live, in the late Metropolitan in Rio de Janeiro. I left the concert voiceless; all the voice I had, I lost singing along. And I could swear she sang Mary Jane looking at me.

This adoration went on for many years but slowly faded away. I don’t know what happens to musicians, it seems like the music industry sucks out their souls. It has been a real pleasure listening this new version of Jagged Little Pill. These continue to be my favorite songs: Mary Jane, I’m Not the Doctor and Wake Up. And the cool thing is that they are really new versions of the same songs.

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Music Personal Photography

In Parallel

November 4, 2009

♫ Anneke van Giersbergen & Danny Cavanagh – Teardrop ♫

In the beginning of 2008 two of my favorite musicians got together for a very special performance. One year later, Anneke van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering, Agua de Annique) and Danny Cavanagh (Anathema), got back on stage together for 2 other amazing gigs. Each of them played their own set list and at the end they performed together. I was there, both years, photographing and enjoying the music.

The day I arrived for my vacation in Rio, I received an unexpected e-mail. The mail was from Anneke telling me about the release of the album recorded live and that she would like to use my pictures. I was extremely happy; my first published photos would be for a CD of two artists I admire.

Well, various e-mails were written and a long time has passed but, yesterday, finally, I received my copy of In Parallel. From the six photos published, five are mine. The artwork turned out really nice and elegant.

And here you can have a better look at the photos I took.

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Personal Places

A Place to Call Home

October 8, 2009

♫ Agua de Annique – Sunken Soldiers Ball ♫

In the 11 consecutive years I lived in Brazil, I always dreamed of coming back to Amsterdam. Now I’m here for 4 years and I’m always nostalgic about Brazil and keep thinking about all the good things. Both times I went back to Brazil, I returned thinking Amsterdam is awesome. But soon after, reality kicks in and the nostalgia begins all over again. Why can’t I be happy in the place I am? Human beings are so complicated (or maybe it’s just me). So, I made a little list os some of the things I love about Amsterdam. Thinking positive! 😉

– hundreds of concerts every year.

– many art exhibitions, for all tastes.

– everything is close by, you can cycle everywhere.

– and if lazyness kicks in, public transport is great, efficient and safe.

– if you don’t speak Dutchs it won’t be a problem, everyone speaks English. Even the baker.

– a billion bars and cafes, almost all cornes have one.

– beautiful people.

There is more but this is all for today.

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Art Personal

Being Human

September 10, 2008

♫ Eddie Vedder – Society ♫

The other day I was on my way home, sitting in the tram, and I overheard a conversation between a father and his son. The boy could not have been older than 8 years old. They just came out of a morning performance of an opera by Verdi. The boy was fascinated but he didn’t completely understand all that he had seen on stage.

The opera happened to be Othello, based on Shakespeare’s tragedy.The boy kept asking what exactly had happened between Othello, Desdemona, Iago, Cassio and Emilia. The more the father tried to explain, the mothe confused the boy became. It wasn’t the plot that left the boy consufed but the actions of human beigns, and why they acted this way.How can you explain to a child all the wickedness and manipulations human beigns are able to commit? It would be easy to tell him that the opera was just ficction but soon this boy will grow up and come across some of these human traits. Hopefully not in shakespearian proportions…

What always drew me to Shakespeare’s work is that his tragedies are human, driven by feelings. There is no will of a god at play. His fate is not a divine fate, but very earthly and human.

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