One thing that is annoying is that people from the same team, my team, even though we sit in the same pod, we talk to each other thru instant communicator. Seriously, all we have to do is call the other person’s name! The problem is that person sometimes is listening to loud music and can’t hear us calling them, so often we look like idiots calling people who can’t hear. "Ryan... Ryan? RYAN!!!!" And then there's laughter. The person who sits next to the summoned one often touches that person's arm, that person being called take off the huge headphones, and says "what?". Seriously? Headphones? Where are we? At an airplane, that one needs to cut out all the loud noise? No. We are at an office that often sounds like a library. Very quiet. Nobody needs a Bose headphone. Small ones that fit inside the ear will do.
Competition LOFT
Zaki explains too much, including what you didn't ask, or "another way of doing" something. Mike didn't show up much. Steven is hyper.
Beer Time
There's a woman in my office who has a distinct smell. Maybe it's her hair. When I go in the bathroom I can tell when she has been there. "Hum, that smell again. She came in right before me". You know that little breeze that goes by when someone walks by you in the opposite direction? Yes, that smell again! I turn my head in the opposite direction and "disfarcadamente" cover my nose with the top side of my hands while making a disgusted face. Sometimes I even stop breathing. The thing is, we seem to always be on the same "pee" schedule or the "filling up the glass of water" schedule. She always appears out of nowhere! "I can't believe! That girl again!" I think to myself everytime I see her. We always meet around the office.
I can't imagine sitting next to that girl. I would never be able to work. Would I need to wear extra perfume to cover up her lack of? Maybe Victoria's Secret would save me this time.
The boys talking about girls in the communicator.
The girl who gets into other people's conversation.
When we moved to the new office (describe the old office) people complained that we lost space to work. I didn't care that much. At AGRAR I had even less space. and worked fine.
Compare with agrar. people smoked pot at the balcony once.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Preston Partnership
Jeff making jib jab videos of everyone.
Fat loss competition at the Retail Studio.
Meeting about overtime. I was always on the bottom.
Fat loss competition at the Retail Studio.
Meeting about overtime. I was always on the bottom.
First architecture job – TS Adams Studio
After a couple of unsuccessful interviews, I was called by this little office that I replied to an ad at the newspaper. My husband said he never met anybody who got a job by answering an ad at a paper. I went to the interview very relaxed thinking they are not going to hire me anyway, I’ll just do my best. Chris and I have practiced interviewing, so I did well this time. I was interviewing with three guys at the same time, I was very nervous, but I explained well what I did before, and I was hoping to get my foot in the door in the US. A couple of days later, the owner, Tim, called me and offered me the job. I was more than happy. I told Chris, even if he had offered me 1 dollar per hour, I would have taken the job. Of course he did better then that in the offer. I started the following week.
Pam complained that I was wearing too much perfume. She complained to the owner’s wife and she had to come and talk to me. "Helena, can you come here with me? I need to talk to you". She said that pointing to the boss's office. I entered the room, she followed me, and I was sweating. "Am I getting fired?" was my first tought. "Do I stink?" was my second tought, trying to hold on to some hope.
Well, here comes the problem: I smelled too good. "What?" I tought with much relief. Then she went on how embarrassed she was to have to tell me this, how Pam had put her in this position etc. Bad girl that Pam. Complaining about my good smell, she had "gowl/gall". I can't imagine complaining about someone smelling good. GOOD people, not bad! Anyone else would give anything to sit next to me because of my fragrance. After my Mom’s first visit to my house, we discovered Victoria’s Secret "Get 5 - Pay 4" Garden collection. Those pretty little things that smell so good. I wanted (and I bought) the whole collection. Five items that smelled like a specific flower. I purchased five items, and wore them everyday, all together. I took a shower with the shower gel or the scrub, then I would apply the body lotion all over my body, and then spray the body mist. I kept the hand lotion in my purse. Well, everything smelled great, but maybe wearing them all together was too much. Maybe Pam had a point.
I didn't know about wood frame construction. The first time I saw a roof detail I almost passed out. Those " x"'s everywhere! I wondered what those were. I nevee worked with wood frame construction before, and I didn't even know what a 2x4 was. Everything seemed to be 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, and so forth. What was that? After my first day of working there I went straight to the bookstore and bought a illustrated architecture dictionary and a building construction details book. I needed to find pictures of those things and all the vocabulary. I needed to succeed. I devoured those books and after a few months I was able to develop on my own wall sections and details for one house all by myself. One of the main archutects was very impressed of how fast I was learning and he congratulated me on my determination. That was very nice and encouraging. I could do that.
Being able to draw all that stuff by myself made me confident but at the sane time after two years I was ready for other challenges. I wanted to work with larger buildings.
Working with single family homes in Georgia introduced me to a few architects that became dear. Kim Mead White, Greene and Greene were admired by me and my peers. I learned more about the Arts and Crafts Movement and Frank Lloyd Wright. I wasn't afraid of 2x4's anymore. They were the back bones of architecture and now I was dominating them.
Pam complained that I was wearing too much perfume. She complained to the owner’s wife and she had to come and talk to me. "Helena, can you come here with me? I need to talk to you". She said that pointing to the boss's office. I entered the room, she followed me, and I was sweating. "Am I getting fired?" was my first tought. "Do I stink?" was my second tought, trying to hold on to some hope.
Well, here comes the problem: I smelled too good. "What?" I tought with much relief. Then she went on how embarrassed she was to have to tell me this, how Pam had put her in this position etc. Bad girl that Pam. Complaining about my good smell, she had "gowl/gall". I can't imagine complaining about someone smelling good. GOOD people, not bad! Anyone else would give anything to sit next to me because of my fragrance. After my Mom’s first visit to my house, we discovered Victoria’s Secret "Get 5 - Pay 4" Garden collection. Those pretty little things that smell so good. I wanted (and I bought) the whole collection. Five items that smelled like a specific flower. I purchased five items, and wore them everyday, all together. I took a shower with the shower gel or the scrub, then I would apply the body lotion all over my body, and then spray the body mist. I kept the hand lotion in my purse. Well, everything smelled great, but maybe wearing them all together was too much. Maybe Pam had a point.
I didn't know about wood frame construction. The first time I saw a roof detail I almost passed out. Those " x"'s everywhere! I wondered what those were. I nevee worked with wood frame construction before, and I didn't even know what a 2x4 was. Everything seemed to be 2x4, 2x6, 2x8, and so forth. What was that? After my first day of working there I went straight to the bookstore and bought a illustrated architecture dictionary and a building construction details book. I needed to find pictures of those things and all the vocabulary. I needed to succeed. I devoured those books and after a few months I was able to develop on my own wall sections and details for one house all by myself. One of the main archutects was very impressed of how fast I was learning and he congratulated me on my determination. That was very nice and encouraging. I could do that.
Being able to draw all that stuff by myself made me confident but at the sane time after two years I was ready for other challenges. I wanted to work with larger buildings.
Working with single family homes in Georgia introduced me to a few architects that became dear. Kim Mead White, Greene and Greene were admired by me and my peers. I learned more about the Arts and Crafts Movement and Frank Lloyd Wright. I wasn't afraid of 2x4's anymore. They were the back bones of architecture and now I was dominating them.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Welcome to the United States!
The decision about moving to the United States came after falling in love with Chris. I never imagined I would actually leave Brazil to any other country. Why would I do that? I was pretty happy there. I had a family I love, a job I loved, and lots of friends. Rio de Janeiro is a city that has lots of things to do, so I was very active. I was always going out, to the beach, restaurants, parties, trips, friends’ houses, etc. Always very social.
Chris and I met in Rio thru my old boyfriend. One night, December 29th 2000, my old boyfriend invited me to go out with him and his friends, and they were entertaining this American guy named Chris and his friend. I didn’t want to go, since I prefer to spend time alone with the boyfriend. But he said, “come on, let’s go, the guy is really nice”, referring to Chris. So I said ok, let’s take the American out. I don’t know why, but I imagined him being a very short, chubby, very white guy with glasses, which is not my type at all, although I know that appearances don’t mean anything. I’m sure there are lots of guys who look like that, who are incredible nice and make wonderful husbands. It’s not only the looks that matter, and also my opinion is not the only right opinion in the world. Some women are perfectly attracted to guys who look like that. I’m just not one of them. So, anyway, my boyfriend came, picked me up, and all of us, including his friends walked over to the hotel were Chris was staying, that was in Copacabana, in front of the beach. My Mom’s condo was just a few blocks away. When we were all standing there, in the sidewalk, someone said “here he comes”, and I being the curious one I am, I stuck my head forward to see who was coming towards us, and got surprised when I saw an attractive man instead of the short and chubby one. And I thought to myself, “Wow, he is so cute, so handsome”. After all the introductions, we all walked over to a restaurant called Manuel e Juaquim, in Copacabana, to have appetizers and drinks. On the walk over, I connected with Chris in such a way that I completely forgot my boyfriend was right there. It felt like the two of us were alone, walking and talking. Just like in one of those movie moments when they show the couple alone in an empty street that is supposed to be busy, or in an empty room that was crowded in a previous scene. I was teaching him how to say “the book is on the table” in Portuguese. He was very interested in why I wanted him to learn how to say that, and I told him it was because that was one of the first things we learned how to say in English in our English courses. He laughed and tried very hard to say it in Portuguese, and to my surprise, he did it well. The biggest struggle was to roll the tongue when pronouncing the “vr” of “livro”, but he was a good play. We entered the restaurant, and he sat in front of me, which made me happy, so I could talk to him more, and as many women would do, act a little sexy. I was dressed in a mini jeans skirt, and a sleeveless tight blue top that showed my cleavage, and high heels – just like any other 23 year old would dress in Rio to go out at night in the hot summer. I was disappointed that I didn’t catch him looking at my cleavage at all. Any Brazilian guy would stare at woman’s body parts, but he acted like a gentleman. Later he told me that he was trying very hard not to look, and admitted looking, but he was being careful as not to get caught. I smiled. I know you probably thinking “what a slut, her boyfriend was right there”. But I really didn’t flirt, or disrespected my boyfriend in any way. All these feelings were all inside me. My relationship with that boyfriend was not working; we had broken up four times in one year. That month was our last try, since it was Christmas and we wanted to give a last try. That’s when I met Chris. It’s really amazing to think about that. If my boyfriend and I hadn’t try one more time, I would have never met my husband. I have nothing bad to say about the old boyfriend, it just didn’t work for us together, that’s all. I wish him all the best, he was a great guy after all, and the decision to break up for good, as far as I remember, was mutual, and it happened 2 months after Chris and I met. I heard he also got married.
My experience entering the United States was a good one, except that I was put in a separate room for a long time, without being able to communicate with Chris that I arrived, but was being held into a room. For what? I would think. Maybe because my visa is a fiancé visa. After a long time, probably 1 hour, the official called my name, I walked from the sofa to the counter, he asked for my passport, and asked me a few questions, about why I was moving here, and how did I meet my husband. Then he told me what a lucky guy my husband was, and he asked me if I had a sister! After stamping my passport with the September 23rd 2003 stamp, he said the magic words: “Welcome to the United States!” I was thrilled. I felt was alone in an adventure, I felt independent, I felt welcomed, I felt like I was conquering the world! It was gratifying to be able to move in the world, exercise this natural need humans have to move without frontiers. I grew up in a Democracy, but being able to be accepted by another country was an amazing feeling. This is going to be my home. I didn’t know what the future was holding for me. At the same time I was excited about the future, I could not think at all what the future looked like, I had no idea how my life was going to be, if I was going to like my life here, if I was going to succeed with my love, in my profession, if I was going to be accepted by his family and friends, what would people think about me, if I was going to make new friends, and adapt myself in this culture, in this new world, that was so different than mine. I could not imagine what my life was going to look like after 1 year, or 5 years at all. I was also thinking about the marriage. How is to be married? How is it to live with another person, another man? Are we going to get along? How are we going to treat each other? Is he going to be affectionate with me? Am I going to drive? Am I going to find a job in architecture? How? Am I going to be confident, and speak English fluently? Am I going to lose my accent? Am I going to miss my family and want to move back home? Well, thankfully, of these questions are answered now.
Chris and I met in Rio thru my old boyfriend. One night, December 29th 2000, my old boyfriend invited me to go out with him and his friends, and they were entertaining this American guy named Chris and his friend. I didn’t want to go, since I prefer to spend time alone with the boyfriend. But he said, “come on, let’s go, the guy is really nice”, referring to Chris. So I said ok, let’s take the American out. I don’t know why, but I imagined him being a very short, chubby, very white guy with glasses, which is not my type at all, although I know that appearances don’t mean anything. I’m sure there are lots of guys who look like that, who are incredible nice and make wonderful husbands. It’s not only the looks that matter, and also my opinion is not the only right opinion in the world. Some women are perfectly attracted to guys who look like that. I’m just not one of them. So, anyway, my boyfriend came, picked me up, and all of us, including his friends walked over to the hotel were Chris was staying, that was in Copacabana, in front of the beach. My Mom’s condo was just a few blocks away. When we were all standing there, in the sidewalk, someone said “here he comes”, and I being the curious one I am, I stuck my head forward to see who was coming towards us, and got surprised when I saw an attractive man instead of the short and chubby one. And I thought to myself, “Wow, he is so cute, so handsome”. After all the introductions, we all walked over to a restaurant called Manuel e Juaquim, in Copacabana, to have appetizers and drinks. On the walk over, I connected with Chris in such a way that I completely forgot my boyfriend was right there. It felt like the two of us were alone, walking and talking. Just like in one of those movie moments when they show the couple alone in an empty street that is supposed to be busy, or in an empty room that was crowded in a previous scene. I was teaching him how to say “the book is on the table” in Portuguese. He was very interested in why I wanted him to learn how to say that, and I told him it was because that was one of the first things we learned how to say in English in our English courses. He laughed and tried very hard to say it in Portuguese, and to my surprise, he did it well. The biggest struggle was to roll the tongue when pronouncing the “vr” of “livro”, but he was a good play. We entered the restaurant, and he sat in front of me, which made me happy, so I could talk to him more, and as many women would do, act a little sexy. I was dressed in a mini jeans skirt, and a sleeveless tight blue top that showed my cleavage, and high heels – just like any other 23 year old would dress in Rio to go out at night in the hot summer. I was disappointed that I didn’t catch him looking at my cleavage at all. Any Brazilian guy would stare at woman’s body parts, but he acted like a gentleman. Later he told me that he was trying very hard not to look, and admitted looking, but he was being careful as not to get caught. I smiled. I know you probably thinking “what a slut, her boyfriend was right there”. But I really didn’t flirt, or disrespected my boyfriend in any way. All these feelings were all inside me. My relationship with that boyfriend was not working; we had broken up four times in one year. That month was our last try, since it was Christmas and we wanted to give a last try. That’s when I met Chris. It’s really amazing to think about that. If my boyfriend and I hadn’t try one more time, I would have never met my husband. I have nothing bad to say about the old boyfriend, it just didn’t work for us together, that’s all. I wish him all the best, he was a great guy after all, and the decision to break up for good, as far as I remember, was mutual, and it happened 2 months after Chris and I met. I heard he also got married.
My experience entering the United States was a good one, except that I was put in a separate room for a long time, without being able to communicate with Chris that I arrived, but was being held into a room. For what? I would think. Maybe because my visa is a fiancé visa. After a long time, probably 1 hour, the official called my name, I walked from the sofa to the counter, he asked for my passport, and asked me a few questions, about why I was moving here, and how did I meet my husband. Then he told me what a lucky guy my husband was, and he asked me if I had a sister! After stamping my passport with the September 23rd 2003 stamp, he said the magic words: “Welcome to the United States!” I was thrilled. I felt was alone in an adventure, I felt independent, I felt welcomed, I felt like I was conquering the world! It was gratifying to be able to move in the world, exercise this natural need humans have to move without frontiers. I grew up in a Democracy, but being able to be accepted by another country was an amazing feeling. This is going to be my home. I didn’t know what the future was holding for me. At the same time I was excited about the future, I could not think at all what the future looked like, I had no idea how my life was going to be, if I was going to like my life here, if I was going to succeed with my love, in my profession, if I was going to be accepted by his family and friends, what would people think about me, if I was going to make new friends, and adapt myself in this culture, in this new world, that was so different than mine. I could not imagine what my life was going to look like after 1 year, or 5 years at all. I was also thinking about the marriage. How is to be married? How is it to live with another person, another man? Are we going to get along? How are we going to treat each other? Is he going to be affectionate with me? Am I going to drive? Am I going to find a job in architecture? How? Am I going to be confident, and speak English fluently? Am I going to lose my accent? Am I going to miss my family and want to move back home? Well, thankfully, of these questions are answered now.
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