The Political Compass

My friend Ismail, who has an awesome homepage has published the Political Compass one of these days. It is a simple test that shows how liberal x authoritary and comunist x capitalist someone is. It also compares your results to big world figures of politics such as Dalai Lama, Gandhi, GeorgeW. Bush and Saddan Hussein.
The test can be taken using: http://www.digitalronin.f2s.com/politicalcompass/index.html
My profile ended up at left bottom, which makes me a liberal comunist. hehehe
It is very interesting!

Power-yoga

Two months ago I decided I was gonna try Yoga. I had been working out at 24hr fitness on Cahuenga / Sunset for a year now and I had never tried one of those group classes. After many recurring injuries (specially on knees and shoulders) from volleyball, I decided some intense stretching would probably help. Ever since I started I didn't miss one class. I go every Tuesdays and Thursdays. Depending on the day, and the rythim of the class, my body will drip wet as if I was doing some intense cardio exercise. I already feel the difference in my body and the benefits the Yoga is bringing to me. It also corrects posture and teaches you to focus and meditate. Incredible! I suggest anyone to try it.

Double Feature

Last Sunday, just before the Labor Day Holiday, my friend Adam and I went to the movies to catch a double feature, practice that we have been doing for a while. We do not go to specific theathres that shows two different films for a cheap price, we rather go to regular big theathres and just sneak into the second showing. It's very simple. We make the arrengements before we leave, checking the schedules either on LA Weekly or through the Internet Movie Database. I have to say that the best places for Double Features are: The Grove, Sherman Oaks Pacific Galleria or AMC Burbank.
Even though there was no film showing that I had major interest on seeing , I thought that an air conditioned room for the afternoon was much better than the hot desertic frying temperature outside. We decided that we would see Collateral followed by Vanity Fair.
As I had no expectations for any of the films, I ended up having a fairly amusing afternoon.
On Collateral, I could see some good acting from both Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx, with certain exciting but "nothing new" scenes. Before the film, Adam had told me that Collateral had gotten some good reviews and the worst one categorized it as a good TV film. I second that!
With respect to Vanity Fair, I have to say it started very promising, even made me forget about the so waited "The Motorcycle Diaries" preview that made me excited moments before.
Reese Whiterspoon can carry the film with her carisma till certain point but the soap opera characteristics take control and "Vanity Fair" gets lost and lacks rythim when it comes to the end, leaving you with a bad impression.
Films like Collateral and Vanity Fair are forgotten within the next day.

Cats, Dogs and Monkeys

This last week my cousin Christianne, who I love very
much was here in Los Angeles. She and her boyfriend,
Joshua, who is a California native were here for his
brother's wedding. I know most of americans don't know
how it is to have a family where your first, second
and even third degree cousins are very close to you
but in Brasil that is very commom. Back home every
birthday was a reason for everybody to get together.
We were all loud and fun, a truly zoo! I really miss
that party people!!! Cariocas!!!
Anyways, my cousin, who is 5 years older than me, is
one of the best persons I have ever met. I think
AWESOME is the word that best describe her, being this
way, she was the first person of my family who I came
out to. She immediately understood and told me that
she thought it was great that I had finally found my
way and that she worried about me not having
girlfriends back in Brasil. Not because of what people
would say but because love and passion are important
for someone to mature and find whatever is closer to
happiness...
When I took Chris to check out my volleyball group at
Los Angeles City College, she asked me if there was
anyone that I had stronger feelings for. Promptly I
told her that nobody was my type in there. She was
puzzled with that statement and obviously
unconfortable with my attitude. " What the hell are
you talking about? Type?? That is so ridiculous!" I
felt so embarrassed when she told me that. Then it
ocurred to me how I was so dragged into the AGS -
american gay system. I keep on wondering if it is too
late... I have not lived my "gayness" in Brasil enough
to say it is different from here. However, looking
back at my examples that were my sister and cousins,
all older than me, I can recollect that each one of
them had all kinds of boyfriends and girlfriends. I
remember we all discussing who was HOT, who was NICE,
who was CHARMING or SEXY, but I just cannot recall the
word TYPE being said.
Today, they are all married, some with kids, some not.
I am proud of them because they have found their
significant other who best complete them and I hope
one day I can follow...

To Each his own

I found myself very surprised when talking to two friends of mine just after Los Angeles Gay Pride about Sexual Racism. We were at Bossa Nova in West Hollywood and everything started when Jae (korean) asked me why I was attracted to big guys. My answer was that "if people like me didn't like them, who would?". I know it sounds a little weird to state this but what I meant is that there is all kinds of types of people and tastes, right? Sort of. I came to learn from them that in this country, where "freedom of thoughts" ends where the political correction starts, that it should not be right to admit that one has a type, specially based on race, which would be considered sexual racism.
Like I said before, I was very surprised to know that feeling attracted to certain kind of people could actually make me racist. I thought that racism was only when people have prejudice against other cultures and when they find their races better than the others.
It was very hard for me to understand the whole concept. I come from a country where we have prejudice, that is for sure. However I do not see as much segregation as I see in here. After four years living in USA I have to say I am used to and have adjusted to all the separation. Everything has to be parceled in groups, specially in the gay community. Moreover, within these groups we will find sub-groups.
With respect to people feeling attracted to certain kind of people, I have to say I am pretty liberal about that, as long as one don't find himself better or mistreat someone just because he is an asian, black, latin, white, fat, skinny, old or young, people should be free to like whitchever type and at the same time should not feel less or underestimated when someone is not attracted to them. You would not want to be with someone who don't find you "hot". I also believe in the natural course of things. At some point everyone will find what fits them best, if you know what I mean...