24.11.20 - Uso obrigatório de máscara

Halloooo,

Hope all well witchu! I'm into my last week at Generic Translation Corp, and managed to get Saturday off for once to go for a birthday lunch with Gaby and friends, in one of our favourite spots up in the mountains. I then spent the rest of my long weekend flopping about, checking out a rather nice new local café with multiple grandparents, Zooming with yet more grandparents, and briefly reviving my song and dance show on Monday.

I've done made another compilation, with a Fredbangers chaser, while my phrase of the day ("mask use is mandatory") adorns every shop entrance nowadays, like some bizarre entreaty to please put on mascara before entering each place of business. I have since found out that "máscara" actually does mean "mascara" as well as "mask", but everyone refers to it as "rimel", like the brand.

Ciao for now!

Black Fred-day

17.11.20 - Boca de urna

Halloooo,

Hope all well, and good to speak briefly yesterday! 

Not much to report here post-Ilhabela getaway, other than officially jumping ship from my current job to a full-time position at Sherlock starting next month. We also had Gaby's grandparents round for lunch on Sunday, and I returned to winning ways at the footy yesterday. 

Elsewhere I've made a new compilation and companion Fredbangers mix, and written the liner notes for Tom's new Bandcamp EP under my Raymond Duck nom de plume.  

I picked up my phrase of the week over the weekend when Gaby went to vote in São Paulo's (so-far inconclusive) mayoral elections at her old school: "boca de urna" or "ballot's mouth" refers to the typically illegal practice of handing out electoral materials and pamphlets to people on their way to vote, and can also be used as a shorthand for exit polls. 

That's all for now - speak soon!

Fred Balls

11.11.20 - Tem vida mais barata, mas não presta

Hallooo,

Hope all well in the Med. A day late this week, as we were coming back from Ilhabela yesterday and into a full schedule of work, patients and house-cleaning, but suffice to say we had a rather splendid few days camped in an Airbnb on a hill with its own waterfall, occasionally rolling down into town from restaurant to beach and back again, while Valente and Berry found out about chickens and greenery, much to their delight.

I also got a job offer from Sherlock yesterday, which means I can ditch the translation job at some point in the near future and keep (mostly) working from home even when the 'rona clears up, which is a most pleasing development.

I've made a new playlist, and a new Fredbangers mix to celebrate the weekend's positive news. And my phrase of the day means "there is a cheaper life, but it's not worth it", which is something people apparently say in places like Ilhabela.

Ciao for now,

Fred States

03.11.20 - Não tenho nem dinheiro pra cagar em banheiro de rodoviário

Halloooo,

Good to Skype yesterday, and hope all well in Lockdown II: Electric Boogaloo.  

We've been showing a newly-retired Doug around town this holiday weekend, including a trip to Claudio's on Sunday for some extensive barbecuing, and a rare stop at the Gaúcho bar for some illicit post-football snacking yesterday. We've also been dealing with the fallout of a newly-neutered Berry, who has somehow become even more hell-bent on destruction than before.

Elsewhere I've made a new mixtape and an election-themed Fredbangers to soundtrack Ringo Starr's inauguration as President elect this evening. My phrase of the day comes from a rather amusing stand-up set by Afonso Padilha, which is on Netflix if you fancy subtitled ruminations on growing up in poverty in Brazil - "I don't even have the money to shit in a bus-stop bathroom" probably loses something in translation though.

Finally I  just want to say good luck, we're all counting on you.

The MisFreducation of Eunice Waymon