General update

OK OK OK!!!
I realize I haven't really told everyone what's going on so I figured a general update is in order.

So after 5 years living in Amsterdam and the past 3 and 1/2 on this job, I've decided it's time for a change. But not change for the sake of change.

This all started a good year and half ago I think, when I started getting this urge for change in my life. Many possibilities were entertained, such as: new apartment, buying a scooter, buying a new bike, buying my own apartment, redecorating my apartment, moving cities, moving jobs, going back to dancing, going back to acting, cooking course, photography course, running, ... and many others I don't even remember anymore. Truth is I would get excited about all of those ideas for a couple of days only, some for a bit longer, maybe a couple of weeks. But nothing really stuck. Nothing made me feel satisfied and happy really - so I kept exploring ideas.
Until the idea of a sabbatical crossed my mind.

For those of you, who just like me, were born and raised in Brasil or any other emerging economy (think that's what we call ourselves these days right?) know very well that there is no such thing as a sabbatical.
The minute you leave the job market you're as good as out. Try spending 6 months planting trees in some remote area of the planet and come back to do a job interview. It will go more or less like this:
"Thank you for your time. You are very well qualified and had great experience in the past. But I'm afraid you have been away from the markets for too long and are no longer up to speed with it. Difficult to position that. But we will keep you in mind and give you a call ok?"
haha
Well, I must say one of the benefits of having lived and worked in Europe is that you see that life is not exactly like that. And believe it or not, it is possible to stay away from the "markets" for a year or so and come back to it just as good and with the same attributes and qualities you always had. You may be a little rusty, yeah ok. Might need to read one more paper than your colleagues to keep up, fine. But it's not the end of the world. Little less your career!
Well, it can be. Mostly if you would like it to. But not necessarily.
So I started playing around with this idea...
WHAT IF I DECIDED TO TAKE A SABBATICAL?
And the more I thought about it, the more the butterflies in my stomach got agitated. And I'll confess I love it when those butterflies are flying around madly in my stomach!

Then on the spur of the moment I took a short trip to Mykonos in Greece with a couple of friends. Long weekend kind of thing. And it was just what I needed to finally make me realize that this was it. That was what I had to do next and I knew it, I had known for a long time...
But now was the time to finally admit to myself, stop being scared shitless of what would, could, should happen and DO IT!!!

So I'm doing it.
I'm quitting my job as per the end of October and I'll spend some time traveling around.
Not sure at this point for how long exactly. And also not sure where I'll travel to (apart from initial destinations - but I'll do a separate post about that later).
And most importantly absolutely clueless of what will happen and where I'll end up when this is over.
And that's the beauty of it. It's the complete and absolute FREEDOM to go wherever I feel like and do whatever I want.
Never thought I'd have the chance, little less the guts, to do something like this.
But it's happening.
And it's getting more and more real by the minute!

More updates to follow soon.

Enjoy yourself

So... Yesterday I handed in my resignation letter.
It doesn't get any more official than this!!!

And just as I was starting to get cold feet, I found myself in a church...
Which is now a concert hall/nightclub (Paradiso, for those of you who know Amsterdam!) to see The Specials (hehehe)
And, they kicked off the show with this song:

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink
The years go by, as quickly as you wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

Hello, I'm Terry, and I'm going to enjoy myself first

It's good to be wise when you're young
'Cos you can only be young but the once
Enjoy yourself and have lots of fun
So glad and live life longer than you've ever done

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink
The years go by, as quickly as you wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

Never right, yes I know
Get wisdom, get knowledge and understanding
These three, were given free by the maker
Go to school, learn the rules, don't be no faker
It's not wise for you to be a foot stool

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink
The years go by, as quickly as you wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

Enjoy yourself, it's later than you think
Enjoy yourself, while you're still in the pink
The years go by, as quickly as you wink
Enjoy yourself, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think

I think it was a sign!
And that's why this blog will now be called Njoy yourself, cuz it's later than you think!

Very special thank you to Leo Diogo (vulgo Supla) for introducing me to The Specials back in 2001 ;-)

Andar com fé eu vou

Andar com fé eu vou
Que a fé não costuma faiá...

Que a fé tá na mulher
A fé tá na cobra coral
Ôô, num pedaço de pão

A fé tá na maré
Tá na lâmina de um punhal
Ôô, na luz, na escuridão

Andar com fé eu vou
Que a fé não costuma faiá...

Que a fé tá na manhã
A fé tá no anoitecer
Ôô, no calor do verão

A fé tá viva e sã
A fé também tá pra morrer
Ôô, triste na solidão

Andar com fé eu vou
Que a fé não costuma faiá...

Certo ou errado até
A fé vai onde quer que eu vá
Ôô, a pé ou de avião

Mesmo a quem não tem fé
A fé costuma acompanhar
Ôô, pelo sim, pelo não

Gilberto Gil