Three Pauline moments

Being out of tune with the universe:
I'd been kind of wondering when I'd do my Rio embarrassing fall down in front of a lot of people that I do. Don't think about stuff you don't want to happen...it'll happen! I was rushing down my street one night to a rehearsal, thinking about how I'm going to make an escape from the sweet and really friendly ladies that are always sitting on the sidewalk in front of their house...I had been in Botafogo with Sue & John for the past week. I usually stop and talk everyday with them.
I knew they'd want to chat for a while but I was in a hurry. I was deep in thought about that and tripped over a speed bump. They call them Quebra-Molas (suspension breakers), but I call them Quebra-Paulinees now. So, this speed bump not only has a bunch of yellow lines on it, but it has a spotlight on it from the street lamp...it was very visible. It's in full view of not only those ladies, but all the neighbors to every side, who were also out on their sidewalks. Now, remember, I'd been wondering in Rio when I was going to fall, but had also been thinking while in portland about how the next time I fall, I'm going to see if I can roll and minimize injury. Well, it pretty much works! I tripped and rolled and jumped up at the end like a gymnast. I heard a smattering of surprised laughter and amazement at first, but they changed it really fast into, 'are you ok?' I was super embarrassed, and said airily, after I laughed a little, 'oh yes, it's nothing, how are you guys?' I really did think I was ok. I got about a block away and saw some blood running down my leg. I scraped my knee and have a big old scab now, but other than that, the rolling really did work!

Being in tune with the universe:
My friend Brenda Bratton (and old friend of many of you dear readers!) had emailed me telling me that she'll be arriving in Rio on friday the 6th of Feb.
Now I'm going to repeat the Lions email I sent:

HI I just wanted to relate a cool little thing that happened on sunday. I'd gone to a party for Xuxa yesterday, sunday. I then went with Jacare and Marko of marko mallets to a bloco rehearsal that they were going to play in. I didn't stay there because I wanted to go to sapucai just because I can never get enough. It had also rained really hard on us at the bloco, but I had a feeling it would stop, and it did. I went over to sapucai, stood near the first recuo (where the bateria stays and plays while a predermined part of the school goes through.) to listen to Unidos da Tijuca, a really good bateria. Tijuca left the first box and was still playing, on it's way to the 2nd recuo. I was tired from the heat, rain and the end of my cold and thought that I'd just go home....it was just a random time, not the beginning or end of anything; I was just in a mood. I get to the metro, and am sitting there kind of without energy, when I look up and see Brenda (yes, our Brenda) throwing something in the garbage. She'd emailed me telling me a while back telling me that she'd arrive friday and asked for my cell number, which I sent. I sent my OLD cell number though. I didn't know at the time that I'd have a new one by the time she arrived. I sat there for a while trying to think of something witty to say, couldn't, so I just walked up to her and said "you didn't call me!" The look on her face! It was great! She kept saying that she knew I was there in that huge crowd of people somewhere and she expected to see me.

Jay replied to the email with, "That is fantastic. What a great story. You in the flow. That's why, in my opinion, it happened like that."
I agree.

first you're King of the world, then you just want to get home

I'd arranged my day so that I could make it to the last rehearsal for Tamo Junto, the very cool bloco I'm playing in tomorrow. It's always supposed to start at 6, but I knew no one would start until 8-ish, so I timed it to arrive around 7pm. I set off with my Tamo Junto shirt and chocalho. I was getting an unbelievable reception on my way to the rehearsal! It was like I was Obama or something (they LOOOOVe him here). People who'd kind of noticed me before or maybe never saw me before were waving, saying the equivalent of you go, girl!, asking questions, or just smiling and giving me the thumbs up. I guess the community really loves their bloco! It has been written up and O Globo is going to be at our bloco parade tomorrow for their article on blocos in Rio, so no wonder they're proud. I was feeling great mostly because I like to smile and have smiles returned and it also felt great to be so accepted by so many of the people who lived there. Still smiling, I got within site of the rehearsal hall, and was struck with uncertainty...where are all the cars and people? Is this saturday? I distinctly remember not one, but two people saying goodbye to me last week and saying, so I'll see you next saturday? They were kind of drunk, now that I think about it. Well, I walk around the place and hear someone cleaning. I asked him what was up and he said, no, last week was the last rehearsal! I'm sure someone probably said it at last week's rehearsal, but I wasn't paying attention. I was probably drinking beer, dancing to blackee music and showing American moves to the brazilians. All I could think was, I don't want to do a walk of shame back through all the well wishers....what was I going to say, I'm so clued in that I didn't know we weren't going to rehearse today?
I ended up going to a supermarket near the rehearsal hall, doing some grocery shopping and ignoring the looks I got for having a chocalho in my cart. I took another route home and tried to be invisible so no one would ask me anything. It worked.