Today has been a contrast of contrasts in my personal and professional lives.

In my professional life, it is clear that I am moving in a different direction very quickly. I contacted Alex to resolve the monetisation issues with my blog, ‘the long gringo’, and to better structure and configure it.

This has been much more than either of us expected from the start. This should have taken a couple of days, but it’s now almost a month. It is more my fault and Alex’s capacity. Because I didn’t study or prepare, I set up the blog haphazardly, got it running, but not correctly, and now I’m paying for it.

I knew while I was in England that it needed to be more structured. This was one of the reasons I came back to Brazil. It would be easier to find the right person, or to find that person, and cheaper in Brazil than in England, and it has been the case.

I like Alex, trust him, and believe in his work and technical capacity. Every day, he resolves a problem and cleans up something else on the blog. What seemed straightforward to monetise through Google AdSense has hundreds of layers of technical issues, one on top of the other, and if they’re not 100% in line with Google’s standards or demands, you suffer.

We have been dealing with this for the past couple of weeks, but it should be resolved within a week or two. In Portuguese, there is the saying, “if you buy badly, you buy twice”, and it is true. For me, this has a little to do with what I’m going through with the monetisation process.

“If you do it wrong or badly the first time, you have to do it again or pay a lot to put it right!”

or

“If you do it badly, you have to do it again and better”!

Was my work subpar due to ignorance, driven by a desire to get the site up and running as quickly as possible, or was it just “good enough” and I accepted it as sufficient?

In Brazil, there’s often a mentality of settling for “more or less” as acceptable, rather than striving for excellence and doing our best. Perhaps it’s a combination of both ignorance and carelessness, and now I’m facing the consequences of that choice.

We always pay, with the outcome either a profit or a loss, depending on the professionalism and quality of our work.

The monitoring of the blogs is progressing, much like peeling away the layers of an onion. More importantly, during my online meeting with Alex, he expressed great interest in my ‘Teahogui’ project.

From the start, he saw its potential, and today’s meeting laid the groundwork for its development and implementation. This opportunity is challenging, as it is a large project. However, the universe has presented this chance to me, and I am ready to embrace it and see where it leads us.

So, a completely new business is in the pipeline and is already underway.

And personally, out of the blue, Julie contacted me. We did not actually talk, but exchanged messages. It was nice and simple. Towards the end, I wrote about what I had felt whilst I was in England, and until now, I think it was a little of a shock for her. She did not expect such frankness from me.

It was not to accuse, point the finger, or put the person down. It was simply to help her, as a man, understand what I want from a woman, how I would like it to be as a couple, and what the essential principles are that are missing.

Again, I felt she was shocked by my sincerity, but it had to be done. We are not children; the clock is always ticking, and time is very precious.

Although I’m not earning more money from these projects right now, my life is improving because I am laying the groundwork for the future. I believe this is a wise approach; even if I’m not seeing immediate benefits, I will reap rewards down the line.

In bed by 10:30 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Navigating Contrasts | Personal Growth and Professional Challenges first appeared on The Long Gringo.

It is Friday. I am tired, and Yasmin and I’m in solitude.

Nalva have gone to Nova Iguaçu, a neighbouring town about 1 1/2 hours by car, where Nalva’s sisters now live.

I am a little worried that I have not met with Alex this week. We had decided to have at least two meetings a week in the middle of the month, but the opposite has happened this week.

I dislike it when this kind of thing occurs. You plan something positive and proactive for your work, and the opposite happens. For me, it indicates that something may be amiss.

I responded to Alex and messaged him back after he told me he wouldn’t be able to meet on Thursday evening. Since then, I haven’t heard anything from him, which I find odd and somewhat unprofessional. I won’t message him again until I know what’s happening, how things are progressing, and the reason why.

I’m not too worried. It’s just strange. This isn’t the first time; it’s the second. In the worst case, I have lost 5000 Reais on the investment for ‘Teahogui’.

In the early afternoon, Nalva and Yasmin went to Nova Iguaçu. Sinha, one of Nalva’s sisters, is having a graduation party. She’s graduating as a nurse, and I was left to look after Perola, which suits me just fine.

Since our relationship is not good, to say the least, it is fortunate that she can leave the flat, spend time with her sisters, and that I can enjoy some solitude for at least a couple of days.

Nalva has now returned to some of her old ways. When we were married, she behaved like this. It happened after I told her I wouldn’t put down a deposit on a flat for her until I had more money saved. I also told her she would need to save money to pay the instalments for the finance.

Since she has never saved in her life, it was quite a shock for her.

As a result of her disappointment, she has reverted to being very aggressive verbally and psychologically. Because of this, I need to find a place as soon as possible.

It doesn’t matter how long I have been supporting her and her actions. The moment I disagree, she turns toxic. Just like a light switch, she completely changes when she is contradicted or when a person disagrees with her.

Having some quality alone time feels like a mini holiday. I do not have to worry about others, and I can say and do whatever I want, whenever I want.

In the late afternoon, I finished the last classes and spent a bit of time on the computer learning to use Descript, an AI platform for video transcription. It is fairly simple to operate, but I want to explore more advanced tools to start creating my first faceless YouTube videos.

I also uploaded my first blog of the long gringo, had it transcribed, cloned my voice, and set up the scenes. Until then, it was relatively straightforward. Let’s see about the rest. Over the weekend, I want to learn more about Descript and its more advanced tools.

I was not going out, but I thought, since I am alone, when will there be another chance? So I changed my clothes and went out for a walk.

I intended to make a round trip of all the points in Flamingo.

However, when I arrived at a small group of restaurants, both bustling with people inside and out, the smallest was an open-air restaurant specialising in craft beers. I thought it was a good opportunity to take a break.

There were some tables and chairs outside on the pavement and on this side street, facing the bar. Inside the bar, it was tastefully decorated, with a guy singing in the corner, sitting on a high stool with a microphone, playing an electric guitar.

It was hard to hear him singing over the chatter of the crowd, although it was clear I wasn’t missing much, as he wasn’t very good and few people paid attention to his performance.

I wanted a glass of wine, but they only had beer and IPAs, which automatically reminded me of my son-in-law, Mario. I ordered a pint. It was good, so I ordered another. Seeing the food they were serving to two other tables, I decided to order a burger and fries.

This immediately brought to mind my time with Julie in England, when we used to go to pubs for a meal. I would usually order a burger and fries.

I don’t know why I have never been a big fan of the traditional American burger and fries, but while I was in England with Julie, I nearly always ordered them. I think it was because they were easy and straightforward, and you can’t go wrong with a good burger and fries.

The old Wharf Inn, which we loved, was where we ate three times. On two occasions, I ordered a burger and roast potatoes. The chef there refuses to cook either chips or fries for any dish. The dishes there were much more sophisticated.

The food arrived quickly here, and it was nice. It wasn’t poor, obviously, and it wasn’t quite the same as the food I had in England, but it was still good, even though it was cold.

I ordered a half pint of Odin IPA to go with my meal, and I was thinking about my pleasant night alone, not having to please anyone all the time. It felt like being self-conscious with your boss at work, but instead of being alone and relaxing, watching the bar and the people, I was enjoying a nice evening on my own.

I paid the bill, which was quite steep for Brazil. For England, it was reasonable. I walked home and was in bed by 11 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Embracing Solitude | A day of Reflection in Rio first appeared on The Long Gringo.

It is Friday, and it has been a relatively busy week with its share of highs and lows.

‘The long gringo’ blog is not yet monetised, but I am not too worried or disheartened. It is just a question of time, even though it has taken much longer than planned. That is the way it goes.

I have also set my priorities for the rest of the year. I want to develop my bracelets and put ‘Placebeads’ online. I have already set up the site superficially; it just needs a professional touch and Alex to finish it off. However, as a financial concern, it is not so interesting for the moment.

The following 5 or 6 months are 100% focused on ‘The long gringo’ for blogging and vlogging, and ‘Teahogui’, for an online digital agency for languages and culture, and ‘The right way’, my old school is being resurrected for online didactic classes through YouTube.

Even though progress may be slower than planned, it’s essential to recognise that you are still making progress and have not come to a complete stop. Being halted is one of the most difficult feelings to endure.

Many negative emotions and thoughts, such as frustration, bitterness, and aggression, stem from a deep sense of stagnation, feeling stuck in the mud with no way out, immobilised, with our hands tied and our eyes blindfolded, unable to see a solution. However, it’s essential to remember that there is always a way forward.

Sometimes it is just a matter of staying still and quiet, stopping, standing still in the eye of the hurricane, letting it pass, and watching everything pass by and around you at 100 kilometres per hour. All you need to do is wait for it to pass by slowly.

For sure, it will take longer than you want or expect, but eventually it will be gone. Another storm may be brewing on the horizon to take its place. Still, it is normal. Life is just a matter of weathering, sometimes battling against the storms, and between the storms, there is sunshine, and when we can stand in the sunshine with the sun on our faces.

When there is no wind or rain, we must learn to appreciate it and make the most of it, because it won’t last long. Remember, a new storm is already forming far away, so make the most of the nice days while you can, because they won’t last long.

Yesterday, I paid Alex R$1000 to start ‘Teahogui’!

This is a major project, and its scale and what it represents concern me. It is more of a start-up than a small site and company, and it may be too large. Venture capital will need to be injected, but again, it’s all part of the journey, and I’m doing a lot of wishful thinking to contemplate it.

I have sometimes put the brakes on when doing something so exciting because of insecurity and low self-esteem, or a sense of worthlessness has held me back. Exercise and a positive daily routine have changed that. Both ‘the long gringo’ and ‘Teahogui’ ought to go stratospheric in the future, and it’s good for me.

Besides thinking about the week and realising not everything had been done, it was a good Friday, with only a few classes because of midterm holidays, a good morning workout, and a bottle of wine in the evening.

In bed by 11 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post A Reflective Friday | The Storms We Face first appeared on The Long Gringo.

It’s Wednesday, and in just over two weeks, Julie will be arriving in Rio.

Am I excited?

I don’t know if ‘excited’ is the right word. I am calm, slightly anxious, but pleased to know she will arrive soon. It’s a mystery to me, and probably to anyone else, how it will turn out. As I just wrote, this will be a holiday for me, the kind of holiday I have never truly had!

A solid month without teaching classes, worrying about money, and spending special time with someone I want to be with. I haven’t told her this yet, but I will, just as she told me she has never really had a holiday where she can relax with someone she truly wants to be with; it’s pretty much the same for me.

I want to make the most of every moment to enjoy our time together.

The only work I’ll be doing during this period will be blog posting and uploading some YouTube videos. Whenever I can, I want to set aside an hour and a half each day for these activities. Classes no.

Although I will miss teaching, and it will feel quite strange, it is good to take a break from teaching during this time to recharge my batteries and invest a little more in myself as well.

I’ve always carried the burden of teaching; the pressure of having to instruct has consistently weighed on me, along with the stress of bills and supporting others.

Now that I have a bit of financial freedom, just enough to breathe, relax, collect my thoughts, consider the future, and properly bid farewell to the old year while welcoming the new one with someone special.

Not much happens in the first couple of months of the new year here in Brazil, so for many, giving classes won’t make much difference. In a way, I’m doing my pupils a favour by giving them a longer break because everything really only restarts after Carnaval.

This brief month that Julie will be here will be very special for me, and hopefully for us in many ways.

We have not slept together yet; it will be our first time. We haven’t lived together in such a short-term, permanent arrangement before. If this month goes well, what will our plans be? Will we stay together in the future, or part ways even if everything is good?

We can love someone but not necessarily be able to live with that person. We might enjoy their company, but something minor could prevent it from progressing further. There are so many variables and possibilities that the whole situation, like any, remains a mystery, and all we can do is try our best in the sincerest way possible.  

It’s not easy, no, but we must try.

I feel that our relationship experiences some minor fluctuations, but overall, it is clear we enjoy each other’s company very much. It is normal for us to talk for hours without noticing how long it has been. I am not used to it; it is something new and strange for me, although I appreciate it greatly.

When I was in England, our time together was very meaningful. We cherished each other’s company deeply. It seemed that the time we spent apart there acted as a catalyst for what we are experiencing now.

We talk every day; we have spoken honest and sincere, frank words to each other, but never unkind, and I believe that is very important.

It all depends on when she arrives and what will happen. I expect only good things, and it is our responsibility to ensure that, only ours, nobody else’s.

There is a lot to happen in the next couple of months with Julie, my work, Brazil, and England. I feel that I have been planting, and I still am, and that next year I will be able to start harvesting what I have already planted.

Let it come, and I will receive it all with open arms!

In bed by 9 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Wednesday, the 11th of December 2024: “Anticipating Julie’s Arrival”!!! first appeared on The Long Gringo.

Happy New Year. In Brazil, it is a new year, the first Monday after Carnaval.

In theory, Brazil should roll like a heavy steam engine, seeking enough inertia from its first push of power from the boiler to move forward and gain speed.

I have written many times on the blog that Brazil’s economy should traditionally take off, with production picking up after Carnival.

Brazil is a vast country, the 5th largest in the world, with almost 220 million people.

That is a lot of people and a large market if a company knows how to tap into it, and if the country’s economy is strong and buoyant. If everybody has money and wants to spend their disposable income, it is burning a hole in their pockets and bank accounts.

Sadly, for a long time, this has not been the case in Brazil, if not ever. The majority of the population is lower-middle class or poor, with some even extremely poor. At the same time, only a small percentage is middle-class, and a minute percentage is upper-class or wealthy.

The only real reason a company would want to invest in Brazil is its large population, and, economically speaking, that is a contradiction.

Poverty and unemployment are rising, and the middle class is getting poorer and poorer. Brazil was slowly on the road to recovery and improvement under the last government under Bolsonaro as president. Still, with this re-elected left-wing socialist-communist government that does not know how to control public expenditure, inflation is rising, and growth is declining.

The upcoming presidential elections are scheduled for September and October 2026. If Lula’s government wins and secures re-election, then Brazil is effectively digging its own grave. Endemic corruption, the misappropriation of public funds, and the government’s disregard for the people are driving the final nails into its coffin.

Lula is a know-it-all, and his inflated ego makes him believe he is the be-all and end-all of politics and running Brazil. I see a power-hungry little boy in an old body who does not know when to give up or stop.

Since his government began, the administrative and international errors in managing Brazil have been endless. Every day, there is a new foolish act, mainly committed by him but also by his recently married wife and his team.

Besides the 220 million people who are suffering and enslaved by one man’s ego, which is perfectly clear to me and many others, it is also obvious that in his third government he relies on and trusts the same incompetent, poorly prepared, and corrupt politicians from his previous terms, which were marred by scandals, problems, and embarrassment.

One of his trusted right-hand henchmen was caught smuggling thousands of dollars hidden in his underwear during an international flight out of Brazil. Shockingly, that same disgraceful, hypocritical politician has now returned as the head of Lula’s government in the Brazilian Congress.

How crazy is that?

How stupid is that?

How disgraceful is that?

How can a country the size and potential of Brazil, with so much going for it, including its good, hardworking people and its unlimited natural resources, some of which are still not properly tapped, be in such a shameful and disgusting situation?

I have been in Brazil for over 35 years, and I love the country and its people. However, I am deeply disappointed with it. I thought it would realise its true potential, at least in part, during my lifetime, but I no longer believe that is possible.

Brazil is like the stripper girlfriend you love so much. She is attractive in a rough way, the sex is excellent, but you can never take her home to meet your parents!

In bed by 9 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Monday, the 10th of March 2025: “Brazil: My Stripper Girlfriend”!!! first appeared on The Long Gringo.

It is Thursday, and another denial from Google to allow the site ‘the long gringo’ to be monetised. I think it is now the 3rd or 4th denial, but every time, after we find something else that needs to be done, something else is missing.

Every day, we are one step closer to monetising the site. It is nothing personal; it is the way it is. We start out on something thinking it is easier than it really is, but it isn’t. It is usually much more than we initially imagined, and we have to go through a whole process to reach the final point we want to be at.

Life is this.

We want something, we want to achieve something at a higher level than what we already are, and, thinking it is relatively easy, we embark on the journey. Again, we are discussing the journey more than the actual destination.

The journey itself is much more challenging than we expect. We have a choice. We can give up and make up a lot of excuses for ourselves, for whoever asks, and for whoever knows what we’re trying to achieve. Or we can weather the storm, the challenges, the rain, the disappointments, the pain, the tears, and the more pain. Maybe, eventually, we will get closer to where we want to arrive.

For many of us, and perhaps even all of us, the journey will not be what we expected at the start, and the final destination will not be what we set out for at the beginning, but it will be what it really is and what is necessary.

The pain, tears and the energy to fight are the price we must pay; there is no free lunch. Even stopping before the end, before reaching where we initially set out for, is a high price to pay, the cost of frustration, this content, deception, discomfort, and with the “if only…?” playing in our minds all the time.

I am being patient with the current situation. I trust Alex’s capacity, and it is just a matter of time. With the monetisation of ‘the long gringo’, done and dusted, so to speak, I can then move on to other projects that are in line, such as faceless videos for YouTube based on my long gringo journal posts, whilst also developing Placebeads and finally ‘Teahogui’, a digital agency for teachers, hosts and guides.

I think I have work until my grave. I do not have to look for a job for the next 10 years or so because they have already been planned and decided.

Now it is just a question of lowering my head, rolling up my sleeves, and getting on with it, and making enough money so I can continue doing what I want.

Money is the vehicle for doing what we want and for getting to where we want to go. Money is the fuel to get there. Our force, strength and resilience in the face of disappointment transport us.

You, yourself, choose whether you want to be as fast as a Ferrari, a helicopter, etc., or as slow as a child’s three-wheeler.

Alex and I had originally arranged to meet this evening, but for some reason neither of us managed to confirm it. It’s no problem. He’s doing his part, and we will talk tomorrow.

In bed by 10:30 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Thursday, the 18th of July 2024: “Managing Frustration of Denial”!!! first appeared on The Long Gringo.

It is the middle of the week, the middle of the month and the middle of the year, and I feel I am at a turning point in my life.

Obviously, I know what has passed, where I am, but more importantly, where and what I want in the future, and for sure, more importantly again, what I do not want:

• I want financial freedom to do and go wherever I want without worrying about money.

• I obviously want my daughters to be happy, but that also depends more on them than on me. If they need my help, I will be there for them.

• I want peace, preferably living alone, so I can go to bed and get up when I want, not because of anyone else. If I am living with a woman, only if it is mutually beneficial for both of us, not just for the other, because that would be abusive.

• I want to continue working but not be a slave to it.

• I want to invest more and more in myself, in my own time and at my own pace, without having to explain to others, especially those closest to me.

• I want to have a tiny house in the middle of a woodland with no neighbours, but with a few dogs.

• I would like to have a partner, a woman, who, besides good sex that pleases both of us, is also a spiritual journey between us of understanding and complicity.

• I want to be happy and to have happy, positive people around me who value each other’s friendship and who share a sense of complicity between us all.

• I do not want to be with a toxic and abusive person who does not know how to deal with her own traumas, who consequently spills and spits her internal problems onto the people around me and me.

• I do not want to be a slave to my work, where it affects my inner peace and leaves me without time or the ability to contemplate, think, or be creative.

• I do not want to be unhappy, frustrated, or overthinking the past. I do not want to ruminate on what could and couldn’t have been or happened. I want to be free of the chains of the past to live my short future in peace.

• I do not want to worry about money.

• I do not want to live for someone else’s life; only for my own, if it is mutually proactive and positive for both.

I think that is about it!!!

The rest of the day was productive as usual, with a good exercise session early in the morning, classes, blog prep and post, and Alex working on the monetisation of the blog.

In bed by 10p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Wednesday, the 17th of July 2024: “A Mid-Year Turning Point”!!! first appeared on The Long Gringo.

Half the month has passed, and I have already been in Rio for more than a month. I arrived on the 7th of June, Yasmin’s birthday, and it is already past the middle of July.

Time literally flies. Sometimes we think it is slow, but really it is quite fast, and it doesn’t stop for anyone. In the blink of an eye, you are 30, 40, 50, 60 years old and almost dead, if you have not already died.

This morning, I had a bit of a shock. I was without internet because Nalva had not paid the bill, and without internet, I cannot work. Without work, I do not receive money, and without money, I cannot pay Nalva’s bills or rent.

I know I have already paid her this month much more than I should have, but I do it to keep the peace. And that peace is another thing that seems elusive in this flat at the moment.

Without peace, we can’t do anything.

I sent Nalva a message asking whether she had paid. She replied that she would pay in two days, when she received the second part of her salary. However, I had already given her the money to pay. Where did the money go? I transferred some more money to her account. She paid the bill, called the company, and the Internet was back shortly after.

But why accumulate bills if you have the money to pay them?

It is better to get them out of the way. Done and paid, we pay them. Besides paying interest for paying late after the right time, anything done right, including paying a bill on time, reduces unnecessary stress, and anything that reduces stress is excellent.

I could not exercise today because I have an early class. However, I did a hard workout yesterday, and I will for sure do one tomorrow. I prepped a blog post, taught classes, bought crypto, and journaled. The cherry on the cake for today was paying Dona Vera, my favourite optician, for my new glasses and picking them up from her shop.

I knew when I came back to Rio that I would buy a new pair of glasses from her. I do not like collecting anything because it can be seen as an obsessive trait and nature. But it is a pleasure to buy glasses from her.

• She’s competitively priced.

• It is a pleasure to buy from her.

• She is willing to facilitate the payment.

• She provides excellent service.

• She is a lovely person. If you live in Rio, in the South Zone, and more specifically in Copacabana, I suggest you go and buy glasses from her. It is an experience in itself, and you won’t go wrong.

I picked up my new glasses. They are perfect, with a light green frame and a transition blue tint for when walking in the street with the sun. Something I had noticed when I was in England was that, nearly always, when I was in the street during the day, my glasses would be in dark transition mode, even when it was overcast.

What I noticed was that the sun is much lower in the sky there, so it is always in your face, whereas in Brazil it is much higher, so it is above you but not in your face, as in England.

I gave a class to Dona Vera, my pupil, another Vera in my life, not the optician Vera. At the moment, there are a lot of Veras in my life, most importantly Dona Vera, who I buy glasses from, and Dona Vera, who I give classes to.

The day has been good and productive. This is the week when, hopefully, my blog will be monetised, so let’s see how the week ends. So far, it has been going very well.

I feel alive, especially with my new beautiful glasses.

In bed by 11p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Tuesday, the 16th of July 2024: “Productive Tuesday”!!! first appeared on The Long Gringo.

At the moment, I am loving Mondays for a few reasons.

Principally, because I do not have an early class, I have the first part of the morning to myself to exercise without rushing, usually a walk, skipping, TRX straps and elastic, besides the usual aerobic exercises.

It is good for the body, soul and mind, especially in Rio and where I am living at the moment. The sun and the weather are usually perfect 90% of the time, the sea is beautiful, the parks and mountains are green, and there are always beautiful people working out on the beach, thanks to the small beach gyms and schools.

The only reason not to work out and exercise in Rio is that either you work too much and don’t have time, or you are lazy.

After a good workout, when I arrive home, I can set my priorities and goals for the week so that I have clear, important, definite goals to work towards. I have clear goals and objectives so that if they are met during the week, more than one thing or things have been accomplished, and if not, I’m still on it until it has been done.

This week is crucial because it’s when the blog should be monetised.

Alex is working on it. There have been some difficulties, and they are being resolved, so hopefully this will be the week I have my blog, ‘the long gringo’, monetised by Google. If it isn’t this week, we will still be on it next week until it is done.

I had a meeting with Alex today. I like him, and so far I trust him and his capacity. If everything goes well and according to plan, we will do a lot of work together in the future.

I also enjoy my Mondays because in the morning, there is only me at home, so that I can give the flat a thorough clean. At least for a man, it will probably never reach a woman’s level, but it is good enough to start the week well, with everything in its place, clean and organised, and it is always a good omen for the week ahead.

So what is the winning combination I like so much for a Monday? Exercise and health, goal-setting and organisation to start the week well. You can’t get much better than that.

In bed by 10 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Monday, the 15th of July 2024: “Good Mondays”!!! first appeared on The Long Gringo.

And again, it is Friday. It has been a long week. Yesterday, I received a short message from Julie and answered, but we both know there is no future.

She has two of my jumpers and a Panama hat. When I go back to England, I will ask for them back unless she has already thrown them away or donated them to a charity shop.

I am sad, very sad, more for putting myself in such a situation than anything else. I saw the signs from the first day we went out. But because loneliness shouted louder, I am now almost feeling sorry for myself. I am not, but I nearly am.

Now it is time to move on. We are always moving on. Time never stops in our lives while we are alive. Even that is debatable in spiritualism. Even death is a form of moving on. Our adaptability to move on, to adapt to change, to accept that what was once an essential, accurate part of our life is no longer so, and the degree to which we are capable of doing that defines our true intelligence and force.

All my life, I have been adapting to change, separation, and, above all, disappointment and deception.

Our ability to accept and adapt to disappointment and to restructure our lives in the face of loss defines who we are. Something rigid, solid, and brittle can easily break, snap, or shatter on the slightest impact. In contrast, something more flexible, able to bend, turn, twist, and absorb impact, has the power to maintain itself through diverse situations, enabling it to survive.

We are all survivors of the world, the society we live in, and our marriages and partnerships, except that we’re trying to maintain all these things to survive. While what we’re living through bombards us with diverse difficulties and challenges, we fight to keep our heads above water, which means that, besides being survivors, we’re also hardened warriors.

Sometimes we give up, or at least we want to, but with the law of nature always hanging over us, we continue in our battle no matter what.

Life is not for amateurs, so let’s not be amateurs. Let’s face what it has to offer, including its challenges, see what we can gain from it, adapt to it, improve, and go ahead. We are here for the experience, and the longer we live, the greater the possibility of better and more rewarding experiences, which depend on us.

In Brazil, we sometimes joke that Brazil is not for amateurs. Still, when I hear this or when somebody says this to me, I reply saying that Brazil is not for amateurs, but unfortunately, it is run by amateurs.

Everything in our lives is our own fault, and accountability and responsibility follow. As soon as you understand this, life becomes easier and more fluid. Fluidity equals speed, and speed equals greater adaptability to move on and improve.

It all comes back to us, and it is all our fault. When you accept that, everything becomes clearer.

Exercise in the morning, a few classes in the afternoon, a meeting with Alex, who is developing my site, and a bottle of wine in the early evening.

In bed by 11 p.m.

Thank you.

Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.

Richard

Photos by Richard George Photography

The post Friday, the 12th of July 2024: “Moving Forward”!!! first appeared on The Long Gringo.